Celtra ads and Viewst workflows: the short answer
If your team produces premium rich media and video formats alongside high‑volume HTML5 banners, the most resilient model is a hybrid ad production stack: use Celtra for rich media, dynamic video, and activation; use Viewst for fast, editable HTML5 banner production, resizing, and animation across programmatic platforms.
If you only need standard display banners, a Viewst‑centric workflow is usually the most efficient. If rich media is your core product, a Celtra‑centric workflow may be enough—but you’ll likely still benefit from a dedicated HTML5 production layer.
This article breaks down:
How Celtra-style rich media workflows work
How Viewst’s HTML5-focused workflow differs
When a hybrid Celtra + Viewst stack makes sense
How to decide whether to centralize production or use best-of-breed tools
Celtra vs Viewst: two layers of the same problem
At a high level, Celtra and Viewst solve different but connected parts of digital ad production:
Celtra: creative automation + rich media/video enablement + activation/analytics
Viewst: HTML5-native ad production layer for display banners at scale
Celtra describes itself as a cloud platform for creative automation with:
Rich media and video production
Dynamic creative optimization (DCO)
Activation workflows and performance insights
Integrations with CM360, DV360, and more than 100 other tools
Viewst is built as an AI ad production platform that:
Turns one master creative into many editable, animated HTML5 banners
Automates resize, localization, and animation
Keeps brand systems, review, and export in a single workflow
Both are valuable.
They just sit at different levels of the stack:
Celtra: campaign and rich media layer
Viewst: production and HTML5 banner layer
Celtra rich media workflow: what it’s best at
What is Celtra?
Celtra is a creative automation and enablement platform designed for enterprise teams.
According to Celtra’s trust center, 450+ enterprise customers use it to produce over 17 million ads annually.
It’s best understood as a system that connects:
Concepting & generation (including GenAI)
Rich media & video production
Dynamic personalization & shoppable formats
Activation and performance tracking
Strengths of the Celtra rich media workflow
Celtra’s workflow is optimized for immersive, high-impact formats:
Premium rich media units
Expandable banners and interstitials
Interactive, shoppable experiences
In-banner video and parallax
Video & CTV creative enablement
Personalized CTV experiences
Dynamic video templates and feeds
Performance-driven experimentation
Dynamic creative based on feeds
Built-in analytics and creative insights
Celtra’s own benchmark report claims:
Immersive formats extend peak performance windows 1.4x–1.8x
Interactive shoppable ads can drive CTRs up to 14.5x higher than static
Personalized CTV ads grew 95% YoY
Whether you take vendor metrics at face value or not, the message is clear:
Celtra is designed to make rich media, video, and dynamic formats easier to produce, personalize, and measure.
Celtra and programmatic compatibility
Celtra supports multiple workflows with Google CM360/DV360 and other ad servers.
Google’s DV360 guidance is helpful for drawing a line:
HTML5 creatives can be uploaded as standard display or rich media banners
For advanced rich media functionality (expandable units, interstitials, complex interactions), Google recommends Studio
Celtra’s documentation describes ways to:
Use Celtra to power creative while Google handles tracking
Implement data-driven rich media within programmatic campaigns
If your team needs complex, trackable interactions and video-first experiences, Celtra is the right layer.
Viewst HTML5 banner production: where it excels
What is Viewst?
Viewst is an AI ad production platform focused on HTML5 display banners.
According to public claims, 17,000+ brands use Viewst, which includes:
AI Designer for initial layouts from prompts or assets
Smart Resize to adapt one creative across formats and aspect ratios
Instant Animator with 82 built-in animations
Native HTML5 export with fully editable layers
Where Celtra covers campaign-level creative automation, Viewst focuses on production throughput and control for banners.
Viewst’s HTML5-focused workflow
Viewst is built around the idea of one master creative across every format.
The workflow looks like this:
Start from an idea or base design
Import PSDs or static assets
Or generate a first layout with AI Designer
Turn that master into a system of ads
Resize into all required formats
Localize for languages and markets
Adjust offers and messaging
Apply animation at scale
Use Instant Animator and preset motion
Refine keyframes and easing per size
Review and approve inside the same tool
Animated previews
Commenting, statuses, and approvals
Export production-ready HTML5
Native, structured HTML5 with editable layers
Network-specific export settings and click tags
The result: you have campaign-ready HTML5 banners that respect:
DV360 HTML5 constraints, including:
Max 5 MB total browser download size
Max 30 seconds animation
Up to 100 files per ZIP package
Limits on HTTP calls and cookies
IAB New Ad Portfolio guidance on flexible, aspect-ratio-based sizes
Why an HTML5 production layer matters
Digital ad revenue is still dominated by formats that keep banner volume high.
Per IAB’s 2024 report, U.S. internet ad revenue reached $258.6B (+14.9% YoY), including:
Search: $102.9B
Social: $88.8B
Display: $74.3B
Digital video: $62.1B
Display alone is $74.3B, and that doesn’t include display-like units inside retail media and other channels.
For creative leaders, this means:
Banner production isn’t going away
Aspect-ratio-based flexible sizes increase the number of variants
High-volume production needs automation and governance, not just creativity
Viewst’s HTML5-focused workflow is built to handle that reality.
Hybrid ad production stack: Celtra + Viewst together
Is a hybrid Celtra + Viewst stack realistic?
Yes.
The idea of using Celtra for rich media and Viewst for banners is structurally plausible, not just a vendor talking point.
Look at how platforms themselves describe the ecosystem:
Google recommends Studio for advanced rich media, even when you upload HTML5 elsewhere
Celtra explains how it can plug into CM360/DV360 with different tracking options
Viewst positions itself as a production layer between design tools and ad platforms
This implies a layered model:
Layer 1: Concept & design — Adobe, Figma, in-house design systems
Layer 2: Rich media & video enablement — Celtra, Studio, custom builds
Layer 3: Banner production & HTML5 output — Viewst
Layer 4: Activation & measurement — CM360, DV360, ad servers, retail media platforms
When a hybrid stack makes the most sense
A hybrid Celtra + Viewst stack is most valuable when:
You run premium rich media/video campaigns alongside always-on display
You have a creative automation program but still struggle with banner volume
Your teams need both immersive formats and massive HTML5 coverage
Typical scenarios:
Global brand campaigns
Celtra powers dynamic rich media and video in flagship markets
Viewst produces localized HTML5 banners for dozens of markets, formats, and placements
Retail media and programmatic performance
Celtra enables interactive shoppable formats with feed-driven personalization
Viewst handles the continual rotation of standard IAB banners and retailer-specific HTML5 requirements
Agency workflows
Celtra serves as the rich media center-of-excellence for select clients
Viewst supports high-volume banner production across many accounts, each with their own brand systems and approvals
The key decision is not Celtra vs Viewst.
It’s “What belongs in rich media vs standard display, and which tool owns each layer?”
Centralize ad production vs best-of-breed tools
The case for centralizing in one tool
Some organizations want a single production platform.
Centralizing in Celtra or another end-to-end tool can make sense when:
Your work is heavily skewed to rich media, video, and dynamic formats
Banner volume is manageable and not your primary pain point
The team prefers one interface and one vendor relationship
Benefits:
A unified creative + activation + analytics environment
Reduced operational overhead in training and governance
Simpler data and performance reporting
Trade-offs:
You may be using an overpowered platform for routine HTML5 production
Designers might have less granular control over HTML5 output
Resizing and versioning workflows may not keep pace with banner demand
The case for a best-of-breed production model
A best-of-breed stack splits ownership according to what each tool is optimized for.
Using Viewst alongside Celtra makes sense when:
You have continuous, high-volume banner production
You need fast resize, localization, and animation
You want native, editable HTML5 outputs controlled by designers
Benefits of a dedicated HTML5 production layer:
Speed and predictability for banners
One master creative becomes dozens or hundreds of variants
Smart Resize and animation presets reduce repetitive work
Creative control for design teams
Every HTML5 layer remains editable
Designers can adjust layout, motion, and copy without re-exporting from upstream tools
Production-ready exports
HTML5 tailored to DV360, CM360, and network-specific requirements
Built-in handling of file size limits, click tags, and fallback assets
This aligns with what Adobe’s 2024 State of Creativity report found:
83% of decision makers saw workload changes in the prior 12 months
3 in 4 planned to invest in tools and software
78% of employees reported improved work efficiency from generative AI
Teams are not just trying to be more creative.
They’re trying to keep up with production workload, which is where a best-of-breed stack shines.
Fast banner versioning with Viewst in a Celtra environment
How Viewst supports Celtra-style workflows
If you already use Celtra, you can position Viewst as your banner factory and HTML5 quality layer.
Common patterns:
Use Celtra for:
Rich media units with interactions or video
Dynamic creative, shoppable formats, CTV personalization
Creative analytics and campaign reporting
Use Viewst for:
High-volume IAB display banners across formats
Resize, localize, and animate from one approved master
Governance, review, and export of HTML5 that plugs into your existing ad stack
Practical workflow example
Creative direction is set in Adobe / Figma
The creative team defines a master concept for a new campaign
Rich media creative is built in Celtra
Interactive and video units are assembled and connected to feeds
Banner production is delegated to Viewst
Designers or producers import the master assets
AI Designer or manual layout creates the initial HTML5 banner
Scaling across formats
Smart Resize adapts to all IAB formats and custom sizes
Instant Animator applies motion consistently across the set
Localization and variants
Copy, offers, and languages are versioned inside Viewst
Brandbooks and styles keep fonts, colors, and layouts consistent
Review and approval
Stakeholders review animated previews in Viewst
Comments and approvals are logged against each version
Export to ad platforms
HTML5 banners are exported with the right click tags and size constraints
Celtra continues to own rich media; Viewst owns banners
This way, creative leaders can protect designer time for judgment-heavy work while AI handles repetitive production.
Ethical and operational considerations for AI in ad production
Respecting creative expertise
Both Celtra and Viewst incorporate AI.
For professional teams, the critical question is not “How much AI?”
It’s:
Who stays in control of the creative?
Is AI applied to production tasks rather than replacing design judgment?
Viewst’s ethos is explicit:
Respect for expertise — built for professionals, not to replace them
Respect for time — automate repetitive work, protect time for key decisions
Creative control — AI accelerates the process; people own the result
This is important as production scales.
AI should:
Handle the production burden
Leave layout, hierarchy, and brand decisions with designers
Governance and brand systems
For mid-market and enterprise organizations, brand governance is non-negotiable.
Look for tools that support:
Brandbooks and controlled styles
Reusable assets and templates
Permissions and role-based access
Integrated review/approval is becoming a differentiator.
Viewst and Celtra both highlight:
In-tool comments and statuses
Connected approval workflows
The difference is where they operate:
Celtra: campaign-level creative, rich media, and activation
Viewst: banner-level production, HTML5 outputs, and cross-format consistency
How to choose your production model
Step 1: Map your format mix
List what you actually ship in a typical quarter:
% of rich media vs standard HTML5 display
Volume of video and CTV units
Number of variants per campaign (languages, offers, audiences)
If banners make up most of your output, you likely need a dedicated HTML5 production layer.
Step 2: Identify your bottlenecks
Ask your teams where the real pain is:
Is it concepting or production throughput?
Are designers stuck resizing and animating instead of designing?
Do approvals stall because previews aren’t connected to production?
Tools like Celtra help when rich media complexity is the bottleneck.
Tools like Viewst help when banner volume and production speed are the bottleneck.
Step 3: Decide centralization vs layered stack
Use this simple heuristic:
If 70%+ of your work is rich media/video, consider centralizing in Celtra and adding Viewst only if banner pain persists.
If 50%+ of your work is standard HTML5 display, adopt a best-of-breed stack where Viewst owns banner production and Celtra focuses on premium formats.
Step 4: Protect designer time
Whatever you choose, optimize for:
Less repetitive work, more judgment work
Editable outputs, not black-box files
Connected workflows, from design to export
If you need a production layer focused on HTML5 banners, resize, animation, and export, you can explore Viewst’s ad production platform at viewst.com.
FAQ: Celtra ads, Viewst workflows, and hybrid stacks
What is Celtra used for in ad production?
Celtra is used to produce and manage rich media, video, and dynamic ad formats at scale.
It supports creative automation, shoppable experiences, personalized CTV, and integrated activation/analytics across programmatic platforms.
What is Viewst used for in ad production?
Viewst is used to produce, resize, localize, animate, review, and export HTML5 display banners from one master creative.
It focuses on high-volume banner production with native, editable HTML5 outputs that plug into DV360, CM360, and other ad platforms.
Do I need both Celtra and Viewst?
You may need both if your team runs premium rich media and video campaigns and also manages large volumes of HTML5 display banners.
Celtra can own rich media; Viewst can own fast banner versioning, animation, and export.
Can Celtra handle standard HTML5 banners without Viewst?
Celtra can produce HTML5 banners, but it’s optimized for rich media and dynamic formats rather than being a pure banner factory.
If banner volume, resize, and localization are major pain points, a dedicated HTML5 production tool like Viewst will usually be more efficient.
How does a hybrid Celtra + Viewst workflow integrate with DV360?
In a hybrid model, rich media units produced in Celtra follow Celtra’s CM360/DV360 integration patterns, while standard HTML5 banners from Viewst are uploaded directly or via ad server.
Both must respect DV360’s HTML5 constraints (file size, animation length, HTTP calls) but operate as two different creative types within the same campaign.
Steven Khuong is a GTM strategist and advisor focused on helping companies scale creative production and advertising systems using AI and automation. He has led growth initiatives across high-volume digital platforms, with a focus on turning fragmented creative workflows into structured, scalable systems that drive faster campaign execution and performance.

