4.0 Animation and Video

Ads must comply with ad specs requirements for animated ads and video ads.

Animated ads

  • Maximum animation length for on-site placements: 15 seconds (30 seconds in France).
    • For Amazon DSP ads not on Amazon, the maximum is 30 seconds.
  • Initial animation can loop a maximum of 3 times within the animation length specified above (15 or 30 seconds).
  • Please see the Amazon DSP mobile app banner ads specs and e-commerce creative for supported animated ads on those placements.
  • Billboard ads running onsite cannot be animated.
  • Brazil: animation is prohibited in ads for products designed for children (for example, a school bag, game or toy).

Video ads

Autoplay

  • Video stream length:
    • Standard IAB Ad unit: up to 15 seconds.
    • Video ads (on Amazon): up to 3 minutes (we recommend 30 seconds or less).
    • Video ads on Fire tablet: up to 15 seconds.
    • Amazon DSP video: at least 5 seconds.
  • Audio must be customer-initiated on click or tap (meaning that autoplay ads must begin muted).
    • The use of rollovers to initiate audio is prohibited.
    • When audio is switched on by the customer, a mute button is required.
    • Video ads (on Amazon) without sound are permitted but only if the video can be understood without sound.
  • Alcohol ads must comply with any necessary locale-specific requirements, as set out in 7.1.
  • Font sizes in video ads should align with the font requirements for all display ad placements.

Customer-initiated video ads

  • Maximum video stream length and audio served in conjunction with a video stream: 3 minutes.
Placements or formats specs requirements

Sponsored Display Videos

Video in ads must be relevant to the product or brand and lead to a contextually relevant landing page.

Video asset requirements

Please ensure that your video complies with the following guidelines:

  • Letterbox or pillarbox formats: Videos must not have bars on any side of the video content.
  • Video ads cannot end in ways that truncate a description (voice over, speech or written text) in the middle of a sentence.
  • Video length specifications in the Autoplay section above apply.

Content guidelines

Video ads must be suitable for general audiences and include your brand name or logo, or a product shot that clearly represents the advertiser brand or product promoted. Videos must comply with our policies, including Prohibited Content and Claims.

Videos without audio tracks are acceptable, however:

  • It must be clear to the customer that the video has no audio (for example, the ad has a disclaimer that reads “no audio” or there are no characters that appear to be speaking).
  • Customers must be able to understand the video without audio.

Videos must be in the primary language of the local Amazon store in which the ads are displayed (“local language”).

  • Audio must be in the local language. Subtitles (or text transcripts/translations) in the local language are required if audio is in a different language.
  • Important text within the video, such as product information and instructions, must be in the local language.

Video format and quality

To ensure a good customer experience the videos in your ad must not contain:

  • Blurry, unclear, or unrecognizable visuals.
  • Creative elements that interfere with legibility of ad templates, for example, the Sponsored tag or mute button unless the video is without audio.
  • Customer reviews (including star ratings) even if these reviews are on Amazon.
  • Deals, discounts, or other savings promotions.
  • Distracting images (for example, flashing, spinning, blinking, pulsating objects or text, or high-contrast transitions).
  • Distracting, shrill, unexpected or violent, and jarring sounds. This can include sudden changes in volume, uncommonly high-pitched voices, or unexpected or contextually irrelevant sounds.
  • Illegible text. The text must be big enough to be readable to the average customer. Ads cannot use the same or similar color for text and background because the text will not be legible (for example, white text on light gray background).
  • Poor audio quality such as static, crackling, faint messages or low tone voices, fast paced, inaudible, unclear, or unrecognizable sounds.
  • Poor video quality and low resolution.
  • Pressuring, combative, or urgent language intended to elicit a click or a sale from the customer.