Google continues to lead the charge in updating their platform to HTML5, replacing the legacy plugin Flash. Google has been phasing out Flash on their browsers and advertising platforms since 2016, but a new change is targeting video ads and players on their network. As of April 3, users of DCM are no longer able to upload Flash VPAID or Flash video files into the platform.

Though advertisers are unable to upload new creatives, they can still run existing creative through midyear. Starting July 3, 2017, advertisers will no longer be able to traffic or run any Flash creative.

Google has been aggressively phasing out Flash from their platforms. They transitioned their digital ads to HTML in 2016 and also released Chrome 55, which runs HTML5 as the default video player instead of Flash.

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?

One word: mobile.

One of the bigger reasons Google is pushing digital display ads and VPAID to HTML5 is because of mobile. Flash does not run well on mobile devices, if the plugin runs at all. Only some Android phones currently support the platform. Pushing to an open-source language like HTML instead of Flash allows more people to see the ads and videos that people are creating. This also allows the rest of the industry, websites, etc., to update their sites to allow and support more HTML video players.

WHY FLASH VS. HTML5 VIDEO

There has been a lot of bad press for the plugin Flash in recent years. Besides mobile support, desktop functionality issues makes HTML5 the leading alternative. Developers and advertisers have to worry about multiple versions of Flash in the market, and supporting legacy versions of Flash on their websites can be difficult and tedious.

Having a user download a newer version of Flash to play video content causes a bad user experience and disrupts the flow of the ad or video. A user doesn’t want to download a newer version of Flash just to be shown an advertisement. HTML5 video offers a seamless video experience because it uses the browser’s native language.

More and more companies are moving toward HTML5, including Adobe. Adobe has embraced the move toward HTML by renaming their platform Animate CC and designating it as a tool for developing HTML5 content (while continuing to support development of Flash content). Paul Krill, in Flash vs. HTML5: The last stand, writes, “While standards like HTML5 will be the Web platform of the future across all devices, Flash continues to be used in key categories like Web gaming and premium video, where new standards have yet to fully mature.”

Though the internet is embracing HTML and moving away from Flash, there is still a long road ahead to start converting and updating video players on the web.

Chris Casale, in his article HTML5 vs. Flash – What do you need to know? Part 1 , states:

• 75% of web videos are viewed using Flash (YouTube was solely Flash until adding HTML5 video playback in 2011)
• 98% of enterprises rely on the Flash Player and more than 3 million developers use Flash technology
• 85% of the most-visited websites use Flash in one form or other

 HTML support is relatively new as well, so long-standing ad networks transitioning over to HTML5 video players is going to take some time. As usual, though, Google is actively moving the internet forward. 

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR ADVERTISERS?

 Since Google already enforced that Flash digital ads will be not uploaded to DCM starting in July 2016 and will not run starting January 1, 2017, the new video updates are just the second wave of these changes.

Advertisers need to start building digital placements, interactive pre-roll or VPAID in HTML5. For people creating these ads, “Flash is not only a familiar platform they’ve developed expertise using over the years, but one that is in some ways superior to HTML5 when it comes to rendering animations. Before they can start developing their desktop offerings in HTML5, agencies will need to work hard and invest real resources toward educating creatives on the platform’s strengths and weaknesses,” David Evans from DigitalNext wrote.

Media buyers will need to encourage vendors to start moving ad networks and specs to allow HTML5, in addition to pushing for larger file size restrictions and moving video platforms to HTML5 to be able serve through DCM.

Though there are many changes to the digital ad world, the best choice is to be proactive about these changes, and start educating and testing. That way it will be an almost seamless process when Flash is gone, well, in a flash.