3rd Party Ad Tag vs. 3rd Party 1x1 Tracking Tag- What is the difference?

In Digital Advertising, advertisers have the option to use 3rd Party Ad Tag tags to serve their creative.  For more information about Digital Creative check out” Digital Advertising and Creative Assets”.   Some content providers may require creative to be site-served directly using the content producers Ad Server.  In this case- they will typically allow a 3rd party 1x1 tracking tag.  3rd party creative tags and 3rd party 1x1 tracking tags often get confused with one another.  The main difference between the two is that one serves creative and can track impressions and clicks, while the other is solely used for tracking purposes.  A breakdown of each is below:

3rd Party Ad Tag: (Can be VAST or VPAID)

According to Ad Roll, “A third-party ad is a snippet of JavaScript code generated from a third-party ad server in the form of an ad tag (also known as a third party ad tag). The ad tag is a digital container that allows the ads to be displayed.” Source: (Ad Roll Help Center-Third-Party Ad Tags) 

A 3rd Party Ad Tag serve actual creative assets, and asset changes can be done within the tag itself.

3rd Party 1x1 Tracking Tag:

Tracking tags are also snippets of code generated from an ad server in the form of an ad tag, however, the do not actually serve creative.  According to Google, “Tracking ads don’t display anything to users. Instead, you set them up to register clicks and impressions on another ad.”  (Source: Google Campaign Manager 360- Setting up tracking tags)

3rd Party 1x1 Tracking Tags are typically appended to creative that is being site-served directly through a content provider’s ad server vs through a 3rd party ad tag.  This allow for the ad to still be tracked via 3rd party, although the creative is not being served through the tag.  In order make a creative swap, you would need to switch out the creative asset and this cannot be done through a 1x1 tracking tag.