User Visits MSN Homepage. Editorial content loads first, then 300x250 ad unit is populated on the page and commences 15 seconds of animation time within 300x250 space.
Skin may only be initiated by clicking on the 300x250 or within the expanded pane (if elected).
The skin experience stays open after the user stops interacting with the 300x250 ad unit and will be cookied for repeat visits to the MSN home page.
The user may click to close the skin via button on the 300x250 / Expand and at the top right of the page over the skin.
Skin image will be visible behind the left rail section (behind Hotmail, Video Highlights, etc). The HTML text in this area of the rail must be readable on top of the background image.
Minimum resolution to see all skin elements is 1280x1024. Any resolution smaller than that ratio will only see part of the skin or none at all at 1024x768.
From time to time there will be text links featured outside and beneath the landing position for the over the page ad experience. These text links are used to provide information about the ad type featured as well as gather feedback from our users on their advertising experience on MSN. These labels will be featured sporadically and all data collected will be for internal purposes only.
Ad Specifications
Skin Dimensions
Max Number of Skins
Max Weight Progressive Download (Video/ Streaming Only)
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
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
Not allowed
Ads with fake HTML
Ads that are misleading in anyway (specifically within creative messaging/offers/promotions etc…)
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)
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.)
Browser Support:
Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 to 8.0 are supported.
Firefox is a supported browser on a case-by-case basis (dependent upon test results and execution design).
Limited support may be provided for Safari based on test results.
In cases in which a browser is not supported (i.e. Firefox or Mac browsers), users will receive the backup image.
Back-up .gif Impression Serve Rate:
Expected Back-up .gif Impression serve rate varies from 8-12%.
Ad Launch Time:
Ad starts no earlier than midnight (12AM), Eastern Standard Time. Specific times can be discussed.
Note: Additional or custom features may have an additional cost associated with them. Please contact your Microsoft sales representative for more information.
Any element not meeting spec or submission requirements will be returned for revision, which may delay the expected live date. If you have any questions regarding creative submissions, please e-mail your Microsoft sales or PMG representative.
MSN Homepage Ads are not 3rd party served. They are served solely via MSN’s Rich Media Servers.
Data Reported
An overall third-party impression tag can be implemented, and would track both the flash and backup (down-level) experiences.
Third-party click tags can be implemented for the flash and backup experiences.
Currently we do not support implementation of a separate third-party tracking tag for backup (down-level) impressions. MSN is able to capture this data and provide the number of backup impressions.
Overall Impressions
Back-up .gif Impressions
Clicks from 300x250
Clicks from Back-up .gif
Skins launched by user interaction
Number of Expands
Average time spent in expanded panels
Refer to the specific MSN Homepage Rich Media spec for the complete list of data reported
