Celtra ads and Viewst workflows: choosing the right production model for display and rich media

Celtra ads and Viewst workflows: choosing the right production model for display and rich media

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Victoria Duben

Victoria Duben

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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:

  1. Start from an idea or base design

    • Import PSDs or static assets

    • Or generate a first layout with AI Designer

  2. Turn that master into a system of ads

    • Resize into all required formats

    • Localize for languages and markets

    • Adjust offers and messaging

  3. Apply animation at scale

    • Use Instant Animator and preset motion

    • Refine keyframes and easing per size

  4. Review and approve inside the same tool

    • Animated previews

    • Commenting, statuses, and approvals

  5. 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:

  1. 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

  2. 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

  3. 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

  1. Creative direction is set in Adobe / Figma

    • The creative team defines a master concept for a new campaign

  2. Rich media creative is built in Celtra

    • Interactive and video units are assembled and connected to feeds

  3. Banner production is delegated to Viewst

    • Designers or producers import the master assets

    • AI Designer or manual layout creates the initial HTML5 banner

  4. Scaling across formats

    • Smart Resize adapts to all IAB formats and custom sizes

    • Instant Animator applies motion consistently across the set

  5. Localization and variants

    • Copy, offers, and languages are versioned inside Viewst

    • Brandbooks and styles keep fonts, colors, and layouts consistent

  6. Review and approval

    • Stakeholders review animated previews in Viewst

    • Comments and approvals are logged against each version

  7. 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.

Author

Head of Customer Engagement

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.

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