Creative Acceptance Policy

All creative must meet the requirements of the MSA Creative Acceptance Policy

Ad Specification Details

Ad Type / Ad SizeInitial SizeDownload File Size (GIF/JPG)Max Initial Download File SizeFull Expanded SizeMax Number of PanelsPanel Expansion DirectionMax Weight Secondary (Polite) DownloadMax Weight Progressive Download (Video/ Streaming Only)Animation/ Looping Limit
Rectangle 300x250300W X 250H40k 40k 300W X 125H1up100k 2.2mb Allowed ; Duration: 7 sec, Video Duration: 30 sec

The User Experience

  1. User visits the MSN Home Page.
  2. Ad appears in the right column as 300x250.
  3. Ad plays for 7 seconds.
  4. Ad contracts upwards to 300x125 size.
  5. Content in third column slides up to fill space left by ad.
  6. The shrinking experience is frequency-capped to 1 per user, per 24 hours. Users who visit the page more than once in a 24-hour period will see the residual 300x125 display.

Ad Specifications

  • 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).

Audio
  1. Audio is not permitted within the execution's floating component; calls to action for audio are not permitted in the unit's floating component.
  2. Click-initiated audio is permitted in the residual 300x125 display ad; click-initiated companion audio is accepted in executions that leverage video.


Video
  1. Video is not permitted within the execution's 300x250.
  2. Host-initiated video may be used in any portion of the residual 300x125 display ad
  3. Video duration: 30 seconds.
  4. All companion audio must be click-initiated by the user.

          a.    If audio is used, creative must include a mute button or automatic on/off toggle.

                 Video replays must be user-initiated.



Additional Creatives
  1. Video and other “politely” downloaded assets are acceptable.
  2. The maximum size for any video asset is 2.2MB.

Other Specifications

Key design points:
  1. The experience includes two assets:

          a.    The 300x250 display ad

          b.    The 300x125 residual display ad



Animation in the 300x250 should be limited to 7 seconds since the 300x250 shrinking sequence begins at 7 seconds, leaving the residual 300x125.



Animation and video should be designed for the 300x125 residual unit.

Certified Rich Media Vendors

US market:

1.    Supported exclusively by Microsoft’s Premier Media Group



All other markets:

1.    Atlas Rich Media

2.    DoubleClick Motif (Including Motif, Klipmart, and Tangozebra brands)

3.    Eyeblaster

4.    Eyewonder

5.    PointRoll

6.    Flashtalking

7.    Unicast

8.    Interpolls

9.    United Virtualities

10.  Admotion

11.  ePlanning

Data Reported

  • Microsoft supported solutions:
    • Impressions, clicks, available interaction metrics (verify available interaction metrics with your account team).

 

  • Microsoft will report click data for the following third party partners:
    • Atlas Rich Media (Rich Media Ads Only)
    • Eyeblaster
    • Tangozebra
    • Eyewonder
    • United Virtualities
    • Admotion
    • Unicast
    • Flashtalking

 

  • 3rd Party Rich Media:
    • 3rd party partners will typically provide impressions and click-through data as well as enhanced interaction metrics. Please consult your rich media partner of choice for more detail.

Data Collection

  • Microsoft permits advertisers to collect user-provided personal information (for example, through web forms embedded in ads).
  • Advertisers may be required to modify ad units or provided additional disclosure in order to be acceptable for advertising on Microsoft sites.
  • Advertisers wishing to collect personal information within advertisements (according to specifications above) must follow these guidelines:
    • Clearly identify organisation  
    • Provide link to privacy policy (usually adjacent to the web form’s “submit” button)
    • Identify purpose for collecting information

Ad Submission Guidelines

All creative must meet the MSA Ad Submission Guidelines