Use Cases (Ad Quality/Exclusivity)

  • Updated on May 8, 2025
  • Published on May 21, 2024
  • 3 minute(s) read
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This article lists several use cases for Ad Quality rules and Exclusivity rules.

Using Ad Quality Rules for Ad-free Podcasts

You can use ad quality rules to completely remove all ads from a podcast, such as if you run a campaign of "ad free podcasts" for a limited time to attract listeners. To do so, create a rule that includes all IAB categories. Save the rule with an easy-to-identify name, such as "Block Everything."

Then select the podcast you want to be ad-free in the Targeting section. When you no longer wish the podcast to be ad-free, simply remove it from the targeting section. The podcast will only be ad-free during the time that it was targeted; any downloads before or after that time will not have ads blocked.


Using Exclusivity Rules for 100% Share Of Voice (SOV) Campaigns

You can use exclusivity rules to completely remove all ads from all other advertisers from running on a podcast (except for advertisers assigned to IAB24-Uncategorized; see more on this below). This is essentially a full-exclusivity or 100% SOV campaign for your selected advertiser.

For example, if a chain of pizza restaurants asks you to run a fully exclusive campaign on a podcast about pizza, create an exclusivity rule for that advertiser (the restaurant chain) and select All categories in the IAB categories section.

Then select the podcast about pizza in the Targeting section.

The above creates the following result:

  • It blocks all ads from all other categories from playing on the podcast.
  • Within the advertiser's IAB category it only allows that advertiser's ads.

Therefore, only the pizza chain's ads will run on the podcast for the duration of the rule (or until you remove the targeting of the podcast).

However, there are other factors to consider:

  • First, be aware that ad separation rules still apply. (See below for details and a suggested method to avoid this.)
  • Advertisers assigned to IAB24-uncategorized could still play.
  • Filler (which uses IAB24-uncategorized) will play if your ad separation rule prevents running ads from the same advertiser back-to-back and your ad break expects two or more ads. (See below for details and a suggested method to avoid this.)

Ad Separation for 100% SOV Flights

When All categories is selected in your exclusivity rule, this does not override your industry separation settings. If the advertiser ad separation is 1 or more, then ads from the exclusive advertiser cannot run back-to-back. If your ad break expects two or more ads, the ad immediately following the exclusive advertiser will be filled with either an ad from an uncategorized advertiser (IAB24) or filler.

However, if the advertiser ad separation is 0, the ads from the exclusive advertiser can run back-to-back.

Suggested Method for 100% SOV

100% SOV flights can be tricky because there are so many elements in play. There's also the question of whether it's a good idea to run two or more ads from the same advertiser in the same ad break, as this can be annoying to listeners. If you do proceed with this option, be sure to set up your flights so there is minimal risk of running the same ad back-to-back. For example, use separate flights for each creative, but use content tags to target specific mid-roll breaks and/or positions in break.

In the suggested method described below, following the first two steps will create a 100% SOV situation in which only one ad runs per break, and that ad will always be from the exclusive advertiser (assuming ad separation is set to 1 or higher). Including step three opens the ad break up to including more than one ad from the exclusive advertiser in each break.

This is the suggested method for 100% SOV flights:

  1. Set up an exclusivity rule as described above. The rule defines the exclusive advertiser and the podcast on which the exclusivity applies.
  2. Set up an Ad Quality rule that blocks advertisers using IAB24-uncategorized from running on the same podcasts your are using in your 100% SOV exclusivity rule. Note that this also blocks filler, assuming your filler advertiser is correctly set up.
  3. If you wish to include more than one ad (from the exclusive advertiser) in each break, ensure the ad separation for the advertiser is 0. This can be achieved in two ways:
    • Set the ad separation override (in the advertiser's profile) for this advertiser to 0 (meaning ads from this advertiser can run back-to-back). This is the better option because it only affects this advertiser.
      or...
    • Set the default advertiser ad separation interval (in Triton Settings) to 0 (meaning ads from any advertiser can run back-to-back). This is not the preferred option because it removes advertiser separation for all advertisers.