Homepage Standard Ad

1. User visits the MSN Home Page.
2. Ad appears above the fold in the right column of the page.

• Audio must be user-initiated and never automatic.
• Audio insertion into Flash file may begin no earlier than the second frame.
• If audio is used, creative must include an On/Off switch for users.
• Animation is limited to first 15 seconds, looping is unlimited within 15 seconds. Use animation carefully - Keep animation smooth and fluid, using slow motion and gentle fades. Avoid experiences that 'break through' the page or abuse the content. 
• Flash files require an FSCommand or ClickTAG to be embedded in the file. For detailed Flash guidelines, click here.
• Creative must feature a 1 pixel border (gray [#666666] or black recommended, though any color that clearly distinguishes the ad from the content may be used).
• Click destination URL must open a into new browser.

• Ad starts at midnight, Eastern Standard Time. (Note: Ads will start at 1am ET during Daylight Saving Time.)
• No Forms allowed.
• Rotation of multiple ads is permitted – limited to 3 separate pieces of creative.
• CPU Usage: Idle CPU usage typically falls within 8-12%. When testing a Flash file for this ad, CPU usage after the initial loading of the file must be between 20% and 30%.  An initial spike of up to 60% is acceptable in the first five seconds. (Idle CPU usage devised upon computer with a 1.8GHz Intel Pentium Processor and 512 MB of RAM running standard programs.)
• Advertiser can run standard or Flash graphic. Please see different file weights accepted for each below.
• Max number of creative is 3 – gif/jpg or flash. Running 3 flash ads is okay.
• Flash versions 4.0 through 9.0 are supported and MSN tests explicitly for 8.0 and 9.0.

Creative Business Requirements:

MSN.com is the front door to our diverse network. As such, we want to display innovative creative within our home page display ad placement that can appeal to the broader audience. Below are specific guidelines which need to be applied to all creative featured on the MSN.com home page. These guidelines were developed to help support the MSN brand and overall look and feel of the home page.

MSN reserves the right to prohibit any advertisement from being featured on the home page.

Ads should contain

• A clear message and offer/promotion
• Clutter-free design
• Colors which are complementary to the MSN brand
• Relevant imagery to the offer or promotion
• Consistent branding (Use of similar/same logos & messaging)
• Landing pages should provide relevant content to the ad featured
• Offer should not be more than two clicks away from ad

Not allowed

• Ads with fake HTML
• Ads that are misleading in anyway (specifically within creative messaging/offers/promotions etc…)
• Ads which are overly cluttered
• Inappropriate graphics: included but not limited to graphic images which generate an adverse emotional response from users (i.e., overly graphic medical conditions/images, images of distressed animals or humans), or overexposure to nudity (i.e., swimsuits, sports bras)
• Rapidly flashing images/multiple flashing images (no more than 2 flashing images at the same time)
• Ads which use multiple fonts and font sizes (clarity of messaging)