Auctions

Auctions are Blue Billywig’s interface for configuring Prebid.js header bidding. Each auction defines a set of bid adapters (SSPs/DSPs), video and slot parameters, and Prebid configuration that is used when requesting bids before an ad break starts. The winning bid is then either used directly or passed on to an ad server.

Auctions are assigned to ad breaks via Ad Schedules.

To navigate to the Auctions overview:

• Click Ad Services in the left menu panel
• Select Auctions

From this screen you can see all existing auctions, filter by Active or Inactive, create a new auction, and open Global Prebid settings.

1.0 | Creating an Auction

Click Create new auction to open the auction editor. The editor is divided into four tabs: General, Modules, Adapters, and a settings overview.

2.0 | General Tab

2.1 | General Settings

• Name: A descriptive label for the auction. Required.
• Code: A unique identifier generated automatically from the name. The code cannot be changed after the auction is saved. It is used to reference the auction in ad schedule configurations.
• Ad Server URL: The VAST URL of your ad server (e.g. Google Ad Manager). Prebid targeting key-values are appended to this URL and the ad server selects the winning creative. Leave empty to use the winning bid directly, without passing through an ad server.

2.2 | Video Settings

These settings describe the type of video creative the auction should request. They correspond to the OpenRTB mediaTypes.video object.

• Min Duration: Minimum acceptable video ad duration, in seconds.
• Max Duration: Maximum acceptable video ad duration, in seconds.
• Min Bitrate: Minimum acceptable bitrate, in kbps.
• Max Bitrate: Maximum acceptable bitrate, in kbps.
• MIME Types: The video content types the player supports (e.g. video/mp4, application/javascript). Multiple values can be selected.
• Width / Height: The dimensions of the video player in device-independent pixels.

2.3 | Slot Settings

These settings describe the ad slot context and playback behaviour, and are used by bidders to value the impression correctly.

• Ad Unit Position: The position of the player on the page (e.g. Above the fold, Below the fold, Fullscreen). Corresponds to OpenRTB pos.
• Placement / Plcmt: The placement type as defined in OpenRTB v2.6 (plcmt). Options: Instream, Accompanying Content, Interstitial, No Content / Standalone.
• Placement (deprecated): The legacy OpenRTB placement field. Prefer Plcmt for new configurations. Options: In-stream, In-banner, In-article, In-feed, Interstitial/Floating.
• Playback Method: One or more allowed playback initiation methods (e.g. “Initiates on Page Load with Sound Off by Default”, “Initiates on Entering Viewport with Sound On”). If left empty, all methods are allowed.
• Player Width / Player Height: The player size in pixels as sent to bidders via playerSize. Accepts integer values or macros.

2.4 | Player Specifications

These settings describe the technical capabilities of the player, allowing bidders to filter for compatible creatives.

• API Frameworks: The supported API frameworks (e.g. VPAID 1.0, VPAID 2.0, MRAID-1, MRAID-2, MRAID-3, ORMMA). Multiple values can be selected.
• Bid Response Protocol: The VAST protocols the player can handle (e.g. VAST 2.0, VAST 3.0, VAST 4.0, and their Wrapper variants). Multiple values can be selected.
• Delivery: The supported ad delivery methods: Streaming, Progressive, and/or Download.

2.5 | Miscellaneous

Additional Prebid.js configuration options.

• Price Granularity: Controls how bid prices are translated into targeting key-values. Options: Low, Medium, High, Auto, Dense. If not set, the value from Global Prebid settings is used.
• Bidder Timeout: The maximum number of milliseconds bidders have to respond before they are excluded from the auction. Minimum value: 100 ms.
• Device Access: When enabled, allows Prebid.js to read and write cookies and HTML Local Storage.
• Skip First-Party Data Enrichments: When enabled, disables the first-party data enrichment module for this auction.
• Enable GPT Pre-Auction Module: When enabled, activates the Google Publisher Tag pre-auction module.
• Send All Bids to Ad Server: When enabled (and an Ad Server URL is configured), all bids are sent as targeting keys. When disabled, only the top bid is sent.
• Always Include Deals: When enabled, all bids marked as deals are always sent to the ad server, regardless of other targeting settings.

2.6 | Multiformat Display

This section allows the auction to also request display (banner) ads alongside video. Banner bids that win can be rendered directly on the end screen as a passback.

• Banner Sizes: Add one or more banner sizes (width × height in pixels). If a bid adapter returns a banner bid for one of these sizes, that creative can be used in an outstream passback.

3.0 | Modules Tab

The Modules tab lists all Prebid.js modules that have been enabled in Global Prebid settings. Each module can be individually toggled on or off for this auction, and may expose additional configuration fields specific to that module.

4.0 | Adapters Tab

The Adapters tab lists all bid adapters (bidders) that have been enabled in Global Prebid settings. For each adapter you can:

• Toggle the adapter on or off for this auction.
• Set a CPM adjustment multiplier to scale the bid price reported by that adapter (e.g. 0.85 to apply a 15% revenue share reduction).
• Configure any adapter-specific fields required by that SSP or DSP (e.g. publisher IDs, placement IDs).
• Add a bidder alias: an alternative code name for the same adapter, allowing the same adapter to participate in an auction multiple times under different configurations.

5.0 | Global Prebid Settings

Global Prebid settings control which adapters and modules are available across all auctions on this publication. Click Global Prebid settings (top right of the Auctions overview) to manage these settings.

Adapters and modules must be enabled here before they appear in individual auction configurations.

6.0 | Assigning an Auction to an Ad Schedule

Once an auction is created, assign it to an ad break in an Ad Schedule:

• Open an Ad Schedule and go to the relevant ad break (pre-roll, mid-roll, or post-roll).
• Click Assign Auction and select the auction by name.
• The auction can be used alongside a VAST URL (with waterfalling) or as a standalone ad source.