Paid Social & Digital Video Guidelines

All assets below are provided in the following aspect ratios:

The order of graphic elements at the start of Paid Social & Digital videos can differ depending on the creative or marketing objective. Below are the four anatomies we recommend for Paid Social & Digital videos. Social subtitles are recommended on all Paid Social & Digital Videos.

Anatomy of a discovery+ Original Paid Social & Digital Video

Option 1 – (Primary Option)

This should be used for most paid social videos, where the primary goal is to drive subscriptions with a prominent CTA. When in doubt about which option to choose, go with option 1.

Example 1: Bug with Title Treatment > Text Card (CTA)

Option 2

This option is for highly recognizable show titles or platinum-level priority titles.

Bug with CTA > Social Title Card > Bug with Title Treatment

Option 3

This option is for repurposed on-air promos, upper funnel placements or when a full-frame CTA is considered inappropriate due to the sensitivity of the show’s content.

discovery+ Originals Intro > Bug with CTA > Bug with Title Treatment

Option 4

There is also the option to omit the discovery+ Originals Intro for repurposed on-air promos, upper funnel placements or when a full-frame CTA is considered inappropriate due to the sensitivity of the show’s content. URL is optional.

Bug with CTA > Bug with Title Treatment

Intros

Originals Intros are available full frame or alpha for over footage. Full-frame Intros cut on/off with the edit. When using the alpha versions over footage avoid multiple cuts; it should appear over just one shot and cut off with the proceeding edit. Do not add any additional information or graphic around the logo.

Multi-show promos that include a mixture of original and non-original titles can use the Standard Intros:

Outros

Outros can appear on their own, or proceeding a Title Card (see next section). 

Big CTA Layout

The Big CTA layout is recommended for promos and trailers that appear on small screens (i.e. mobile, tablet, computer, etc) with the exception of YouTube; which has its own dedicated layout (below). The CTAs that are built into the toolkit appear over two lines in a block layout; custom CTAs have scale controls for each line to replicate this layout. Options for 1 & 2 stage CTAs are provided:

Ingest Model Layout (DNI only)

Each region sets its own affiliate logo. Ingest Model Outros are only available in the standard layout.

Amazon Layouts

The Amazon layouts are designed to work within the Amazon Rotator & Inline Ad safe area and do not feature a Genre Train. Options for 1 & 2 stage CTAs are provided, as well as the ability to turn off the APV logo if required.

YouTube Layout

The YouTube Layout is designed to hold video, subscribe, and external websites elements. Do not fade or cut to black after Outro.

Music: Cleared music is required for the full duration of the Outro. Music from the trailer is preferred.

Title Cards with Outro

Title Cards hold essential show information & imagery and appear before the Outro. They hard-cut from the promo footage; animating-in with a distinctive spectrum overlay and animating-out into the Outro:

To drive awareness of franchise brands and create a seamless viewer journey from promo to app, the Title Card should align to how the program appears in the app; the preference is to use Image/Footage & Title Treatment, but several other options are provided depending on available assets.

Title sequences lifted from a show may also be used as an alternative to the several options provided below.

Image/Footage & Title Treatment (Preferred)

Image: The preference is to use a clean version of the main Key Art image that is used on the product. However, any high-quality image from the season can also be used, similar to the episodic-level images on the product. 

Footage: Footage that is tonally similar to the Key Art or representative of the IP can be used in place of the image.

Title Treatment: The preference is for full-color title treatment; image & footage should be chosen, designed or directed to work with the full-color version. If that is not possible, mono versions of the title treatment can be used. Ensure that the proportional scale of title treatment remains consistent; general scaling guides have been provided for three standard sizes.

Key Art

When separate image/footage and title art assets are not available or there is a requirement to feature 2-5 show titles, use the Key Art option. 

These are designed to use existing 1:1, 2:3 or 16:9 Key Art. Options for 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 shows have been provided. Please ensure the title treatment has been set within the Safe Area Guide.

Note: no discovery+ Original line.

Content Wall

When there is a requirement to feature more than 5 show titles or a collection, use the Content Wall option. 

This features 9 shows and also uses existing 1:1, 2:3 or 16:9 Key Art. Please ensure the title art has been set within the Safe Area Guide.

Note: no discovery+ Original line. 

Title Treatment

If there is no show imagery/footage available, use the Title Treatment option.

For use with either the full color or white-mono version of the title art to provide maximum legibility over the Dark Blue background. Ensure that the proportional scale of title treatment remains consistent; general scaling guides have been provided for three standard sizes.

Generic Text

If there is no show imagery/footage or title treatment available, use the Generic Text option.

Genre Rotator

The Outro following the Genre Rotator Title Card will automatically appear without a Genre Train.

Each region can select its genre rotator in the Essential GFX panel. The Streaming Home Of headline is both editable and optional.

UI

The UI Title Card replicates the in-app interface: rotating between 3 shows in the hero position and featuring 6 additional shows in the content row.

Each region should edit the categories and text to reflect the look of the app in its location.

Social Title Cards

Social Title Cards are an optional asset that can be used to prominently display the show title near the start of a social video. The preference is to use the Social Title Card with alpha (below), but a full-frame option is also provided. When using the alpha version avoid multiple cuts; it should appear over just one shot and cut off with the proceeding edit.

Social Text Cards

Designing bespoke text cards, tailored to the look and feel of the content, is highly encouraged. When that is not possible, generic Text Card styles (Pop-On & Underline) are available full-frame and with alpha.

All styles can be easily extended using protected regions or cut into/out-of to reduce, though the default duration is recommended for Underline Wipe Off to maintain the fluid motion of the spectrum bar.

Terms & conditions can be added in the Essential GFX panel. Each region sets its own legal terms and must follow its regional broadcast guidelines for the correct scale and duration.

Social/digital videos that use the ‘Pop On Full Frame‘ style have the additional option to use the social gradients as the background:

Bugs

Bugs should appear over footage; not at the same time as Full Frame Text Cards. Please cut or animate-off before the final shot proceeding the Outro or Title Card. An additional Bug with Title Treatment option for Paid Social & Digital videos can be found here.

Bug

In paid social/digital, and YouTube, left-aligned bugs are recommended. Right-aligned options have also been provided for platform or regional requirements; each team or region should decide which position works best for their needs and use that version consistently. The animating option is preferred but a static option, that should be cut on/off with the edit, has been provided when there isn’t enough time for the animation.

Bug with Title Treatment

Bug with Title Treatment is recommended for all social/digital videos. 1-stage (title treatment only) and 2-stage (CTA & title treatment) options are available. The title treatment should be scaled to appear of equal weighting to the bug without exceeding its height.

Transitions, Timers & Subtitles

Spectrum Blur Transitions

Overlay Transitions

Matte Transition

Logo Transition

Overlay Transition

Social Subtitles

The option to animate Social Subtitles on word by word can be selected in the Essential GFX panel.

Social Timers

Social Timers (left-to-right and clockwise) are optional graphics for social promos that countdown the time remaining using a spectrum border. The Social Timer must end before the Outro, as shown in the examples below.

Social Sound On

The Social Sound On is also an optional graphic and appears at the start of a social video; it can be repositioned anywhere within the frame.

IP Bumpers – DNI Only

IP Bumpers can also be used as YouTube Bumper Ads.

They can feature either show imagery or footage. Title treatment (preferred) and generic text options provided.

Title Treatment: Ensure that the proportional scale of title treatment remains consistent; general scaling guides have been provided for three standard sizes. Full colour/white-mono versions only, to provide maximum legibility over the background.

Digital Best Practices

Bug with Title Treatment

• Title treatment – upper right recommended
• Bug – upper left recommended (YouTube: lower right)
• Please flag for your teams that this is different than on-air promos

CTA in the first 3-5 seconds

• Especially critical on performance platforms

Subtitles

• Avoid duplicating on-screen text and subtitles
• Use Gibson Medium font with mixed case and punctuation
• If the ad is more than 70% VO, quotes should be used to separate text from sound bites

Platform-specific Best Practices

YouTube Trueview

Best Practices deck

Snapchat

Updated deck,  Best Practices deck

TikTok

Creative Best Practices

Use TikTok’s preview tool to check title safe

Reddit

Creative Best Practices

Pinterest

Creative best practices

Facebook/Instagram

Specifications