Ad-ID Structure

Ad-ID codes are generated through a secure, web-accessible database located at www.ad-id.org.  All Ad-ID codes are 11 characters except for HD or 3D codes, which have an H or D in the 12th character.

Prefix

The use of Ad-ID requires a licensed prefix.  A prefix is a 4 character identifier licensed to a company and used at the beginning of each Ad-ID code.  Prefixes may contain letters and/or numbers, but they cannot start with zero.  Prefixes may be either locked or unlocked. 

Locked Prefixes: Locked prefixes can only be used for the advertiser to which they are licensed.

Unlocked Prefixes: Unlocked prefixes can be licensed to agents (ad agencies, distribution companies, production companies, etc.) and used for multiple advertisers that do not have a locked prefix.

7 Character Code

Ad-ID offers five format options to allow flexibility in how the characters after the prefix are generated.  The format is established at the time the prefix is initially licensed and cannot be changed after it is set. Following are the available options and examples of each.

4 Digit Code:

• 4 characters are used to sequentially count the number of Ad-IDs issued under this prefix.
• The last 3 characters are overflow (see Overflow section for more information).
• Assigned automatically when the Ad-ID is created.

Example: ABCD0001000, ABCD0002000 to ABCD9999000

1 Digit Year + 3 Digit Code:

• The first digit is the last number in the current year.
• The next 3 digits are used to sequentially count the number of Ad-IDs issued under this prefix.
• The last 3 characters are overflow (see Overflow section for more information).
• Assigned automatically when the Ad-ID is created.

Example (using the year 2014): ABCD4001000, ABCD4002000 to ABCD4999000.

3 Digit Code + 1 Digit Year:

• The first 3 digits are used to sequentially count the number of Ad-IDs issued under this prefix.
• The next digit is the last number in the current year.
• The last 3 characters are overflow (see Overflow section for more information).
• Assigned automatically when the Ad-ID is created.

Example (using the year 2014): ABCD0014000, ABCD0024000 to ABCD9994000.

Custom 4:

• The 4 characters after the prefix may be any combination of letters or numbers.
• The last 3 characters are overflow (see Overflow section for more information).
• Assigned manually by the user at the time the Ad-ID is created.
• If a user enters 4 custom characters that are a duplicate of another Ad-ID, the system will increment the overflow characters.

Example: ABCD1Y7W000, ABCDER03000, ABCD238Q000

Once a Custom 4 code is created, the code cannot be edited.  Custom 4 users must know the code they want to enter at the time of creation as this cannot be edited afterwards.

Custom 7:

• The 7 characters after the prefix may be any combination of letters or numbers.
• Does not include overflow characters.
• Assigned manually by the user at the time the Ad-ID is created.
• If a user enters 7 custom characters that are a duplicate of another Ad-ID, an error message will be displayed and the user will need to enter a different code.

Example: ABCD12A1H65, ABCD5786485, ABCD45TEHJ8

Overflow

The overflow includes characters 9 through 11 for all formats except for Custom 7.  The overflow characters are automatically assigned by the Ad-ID system using alpha-numeric characters.  The overflow cannot be customized and is always system generated.  

Complimentary Definition Codes (CDC)

A complimentary definition code, or CDC, includes matching SD, HD and/or 3D codes where the first 11 characters of the code are the same and only the 12th character (for HD and 3D) differs.  When creating CDC's, only one code is charged against the account.

Example:

SD: ABCD1234000
HD: ABCD1234000H
3D: ABCD1234000D