Creating flash ads

[irishgrizzly]

Clients asked me to creat flash ads at different sizes (can't remember off hand the sizs, something like 500x400, 600x150, 150x600 etc). I've never done this before, so can anyone tell me if there are any pitfalls to look out for? Do they require any special embedded code to be accepted? Are there any rules that they must generally conform to (eg max size, links).

Any help greatly appreciated.

 

[decksnap]

Typically you build a static version as well as a flash version.

The usual pitfalls/restrictions are:

frame rate
length
# of times it can loop
length of each loop
file size
clicktag

The first five are the first thing you should find out before even building it. Find out the pub and get the specs from them. The downfall is that unless you are going to build each size banner at custom frame rates, lengths, and file sizes for each pub, you end up building to the lowest common denominator.

Typically this means:
30k max file size
30 sec total length
18 fps

The clicktag is the second bit you have to get from the pub. They are different for everybody. Instead of putting a URL directly into your actionscript, you put a special code that allows them to apply it as well as track it outside of the .swf. The pub will still need the url sent along separately with your swf and jpg files.

Hope that helps.

 

[irishgrizzly]

Hope that helps.

Thanks for the info. I've never heard of clicktags, so will have to read up on that.

 

[irishgrizzly]

The code I've to insert is;

on (release) {
		getURL (clickTAG, "_blank");
		}

So you typically provide a alternate static image, a URL to the advertisers site and the .swf file? (I'll ask the agency accepting the ad as well – but want to know as much as possible beforehand).

Would the "getURL (clickTAG)" part of the code simply point the to surrounding code the swf is nested in – where the actual URL in outside the URL for security purposes?

 

[decksnap]

Not sure what you wrote there....

but, keep in mind that while most clicktags look like what you have, they are very often slightly different from site to site. Make sure this clicktag is directly provided from the pub you are placing the ad on or you'll probably be redoing it.

 

[irishgrizzly]

Thanks for the tip, so if I use a clickTAG I've no need to embed the actual link - just send it with the ad?

 

[decksnap]

yes- exactly.