SugarDisplay ad delivery solution.Performance. Flexibility. Analytics.

Tony Ford@tony4d

Ad code is mostly evilLow performancedocument.write()Lots of http requestsBloated flash filesBloated htmlUnoptimized javascript

We have no controlAds are usually 3rd partySometimes 6th, 8th, or 10th party

Or do we?Maybe we can control the impact on performance by decoupling ads from content

Long skinny adLong skinny adFatFat

square square adad

Sugar developmentMostly about failure

Day 1 AssumptionFetch creative server-sideInject on the client-side after onloadOur page load times will decrease

Failure 1Javascript in the ad will not execute

Failure 2Javascript executes,but document.write() destroys the document

Failure 3Doesn’t work in ie & more than one document.write() destroys the iframe doc

Failure 4Evil

Failure 5Switch strategy, use creative urlsNo cross domain frame communicationMany ad products not possible (i.e. expanding)

SuccessFriendly iframeiframe is on the same protocol, domain & portno cross frame communication restriction

iframe src

Original AssumptionDoesn’t really fitDisplay ads want to be urls on the client-side

Problem Avoided Not SolvedDisplay ads are still slow

AnalyticsWe still can’t control display ad codeBut maybe we can influence those that do

GA Event TrackingTrack the load time for every ad

Demohttp://www.ign.com/sugardemo.htmlhttp://www.google.com/analytics/https://github.com/tony4d/sugar

ButTurns out we can do creatives instead of urlsCurrently prototypingEven better performance O(1) vs O(n)

Next StepsSingle http request, creative injectionOptimize analytics (less beacons)Better analytics (easier problem diagnosis)Feedback

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