Google Display and Video Network

Formatting

• All custom Lightbox ads are DoubleClick-served and can be implemented as either HTML5 ads or Flash ads.
• Invitation state unit sizes:
  • 300×250, 728×90, 160×600, 468×60, 120×600, 200×200, 250×250, 300×600, 336×280, and 320×50
• Expanded state unit sizes:
  • HTML5: The fullscreen API must be used. The fullscreen API automatically chooses the maximum size allowed by the Google AdSense API, expanding the ad to a majority of the viewer’s screen with room to click out on desktop or mobile web.
    • Flash: You can set the size up to 1000×600.

• Expansion methods:
  • The Google AdSense API automatically introduces a two-second delay on hover. The ad can’t begin expanding until the AdSense API notifies the ad that expansion is completed.
  • If you’re removing mouseover handlers, remove them only once the expansion state is done expanding. For example, in studio this can happen in the onLoaded() function or later, not in the start() function.
  • Expansion occurs upon hover or rollover on desktop.
  • Expansion occurs upon tap in the central region of the ad for touch enabled devices. If a tap occurs within 10 pixels of the border, there will be a 2-second “expanding” notification allowing user to tap again to cancel the expansion in case ad tap was unintentional. Note that ads cannot trigger expansion upon a viewer’s attempt to scroll the page.
• Invitation panel
  • Expansion methods:
    • You must include an expansion call-to-action (CTA) phrase that clearly indicates the expansion action (for example, “hover to expand”).
      • If it’s not already provided in the template, the advertiser must provide two invitations for creatives running across devices. These must include an expansion call-to-action phrase that clearly indicates expansion action per environment (for example, “hover to expand” on desktop invitation and “tap to expand” on tablet invitation).
    • The invitation panel cannot be expanded until an expansion CTA is visible. For an optimum viewer experience, we recommend that you place the expansion CTA as early as possible on load and making the entire invitation state hot for expansion.
    • The invitation panel cannot contain exit hotspots.
    • The invitation panel can have auto-play video or animation for up to 30 seconds without sound.
• Expanded panel:
  • The expanded panel must collapse on click-through or exit.
• Close methods:
  • The lightbox component automatically adds a “Close” btn in the upper-right corner of the creative that covers a 12×12 area.
  • Click X in the upper-right of an expanded state unit (or click the grayed background of the lightbox in the expanded state).
  • You can also define the creative itself with a close method within its own content. This is not required.
• Frame rate: Maximum 24 frames per second (FPS)
• Flash version(s): Flash 9 through 11.2
• ActionScript (AS) version(s): AS3
• Expandable ads currently depend on the use of JavaScript tags. Iframe tags cannot be used.
• Note: A mobile video Masthead or Universal Video Masthead cannot be repurposed for a Masthead in Lightbox ad.

Load

• Initial load size:
  • 150 kilobytes (KB) maximum is recommended for the fastest initial load time.
  • For an optimum viewer experience, we recommend compressing and using the minimum required assets in initial load.
• Total non-viewer initiated load size*: 2.2 MB maximum
  • *Total non-viewer initiated load size includes initial and subsequent/polite loads.
• Viewer-initiated load size:
  • Up to 10 MB per interaction. (YouTube Video and streaming video are not counted.)
  • 2.2 MB maximum total load size is recommended for optimal performance. For a total load size exceeding 2.2 MB, bandwidth targeting settings will be applied.
• CPU usage: For an optimum viewer experience, Lightbox ads must not exceed 40% of the central processing unit (CPU) capacity of a viewer’s computer.

Attributes

• Border and iFrame:
  • The ad’s border must stay within iFrame in both the invitation state and the expanded state.
  • On all invitation states with partially black, white, or transparent backgrounds, you must add a visible border of a contrasting color to the majority background color of the creative.
• Mouseover policy:
  • The Google AdSense API introduces a two-second delay on hover. The ad can’t begin expanding until the AdSense API notifies the ad that expansion is completed.
• Special design features:
  • The invitation state must have a z-index value that is less than 9,010. This is to accommodate for any online behavioral option icon provided by Google or a third-party vendor.
  • Google Display Network auction campaigns: For a Lightbox ad in a collapsed or invitation state, we recommend leaving a 76×15-pixel space in the upper-right corner of the ad to accommodate the AdChoices logo, which will be automatically inserted. Learn more about the in-ads notice for the Google Display Network.
• Backup image:
  • A backup image of 150 KB or less is required for all creatives. There is a dimensions limit of 1024×1050 pixels
  • There should be no Close X btn on the image.
  • A backup image must use a single, generic click-through CTA. Don’t use hover or rollover CTAs because backup images cannot expand.
  • Flash content and Flash fallback (SWFs and FLVs) are not permitted in HTML5 ads, except for SWFs when using the HTML5 YouTube player and served on desktop.
  • All HTML5 ads must gracefully fall back to support basic HTML5 and to ensure full functionality across all modern browsers.

Video and animation

• Autoplay video:
  • Maximum 30 seconds long
• Viewer-initiated video and animation:
  • Upon expansion, video can play with sound in the expanded panel.
  • Small countdown clock (200×50) is permitted in the expanded panel.
  • Pause/play, mute/unmute, and an indicator of the video duration and elapse status are required for video. If any of these functionalities are hardware-controlled when the ad serves on tablet, the corresponding btns are not required.
  • Maximum 4 minutes long per video or animation.
  • Exits from YouTube video annotations must be set to open a new window.
  • An HTML5 video tag or a pre-determined YouTube player is required for HTML5 creatives.
• Actions on viewer clicks (video):
  • Once the pause or stop btn is clicked, the video must stop.
  • After an exit click, all sound and video must stop.
• Progressive and streaming video:
  • Videos can be progressive or streaming.
• For HTML5 creatives:
  • CSS animation is recommended.
  • For non-YouTube-hosted video, both MP4 and WebM (or Ogg) formats must be used to ensure compatibility across all major browsers. YouTube videos are exempt from this requirement as the appropriate format will be called automatically.
• If your Lightbox ad contains live video, please see the live streaming in ads guidelines.

Serving and tracking

• Serving capabilities:
  • Lightbox ads may be served only with DoubleClick Rich Media through DoubleClick for Advertisers (DFA).
  • In-banner survey invitations and in-banner surveys are not allowed.
  • To ensure your ads are eligible for the most amount of inventory, ads should follow these SSL-compliant ad guidelines.
• Custom event and interaction tracking: All tracking and interaction metrics should be determined by the client and Media Solutions consultant before each launch.
• Impression and click-tracking with third-party pixels
  • Multiple exit URLs are allowed.
  • Impression- and expansion-tracking is accepted through certified third-party vendors only.
  • Click-through tracking is accepted through the use of redirect URLs.
  • Google does not offer credits or make-goods if there are reporting discrepancies with a vendor.
• Brand study tracking:
  • Exposure and panel-based brand studies accepted only through certified third-party vendors. Given the tablet environment, some vendors are not approved currently, but your Media Solutions consultant can evaluate the specific research vendor’s pixels prior to launch.
  • Brand study pixels cannot be trafficked directly in DFA, and must be implemented in the Flash file and called only after completion of initial load. Brand study pixels may fire on engagement.
• Remarketing pixels
  • The collection of customer lists from remarketing pixels in ads is not accepted. However, you may either target ads to existing remarketing lists, or use tag-less storyboarding remarketing. Storyboarding allows advertisers to create a list of people who engaged with their Lightbox ad, which can be used for a remarketing campaign. This feature requires a list of beta testers from Google. If you are interested, please contact your Google representative. A list of engaged customers will appear along with your other customer lists on the “Remarketing” tab in AdWords. Learn more about our remarketing policy.
• Social:
  • Before integrating any social gadget (for example, a social feed) into a Lightbox ad, an interested vendor must first be certified. This applies to both fourth-party calls and any cookies that are set or read.
  • The use of social icons and clicks to a social landing page is allowed.
  • Due to business and legal considerations, we don’t allow ads to run on the Google Display Network or on Google sites that incorporate the Facebook “Like” btn or the “Like” box plugin. Also, the recently updatedFacebook developer policies prohibit this feature from being used within an ad, and the Facebook Brand Resources website re-state this policy. Therefore, use of the API and any of the logos associated with this feature are not permitted for use within the Google Display Network or on any Google sites. Ads that incorporate this feature or icon, whether the feature is functioning or not, will be disapproved.
  • If you have further questions about how to incorporate Facebook APIs or features into your ad, please contact Facebook directly. Google is not in a position to interpret a third party’s terms for you. Please contact your own legal counsel for any questions about how to interpret the scope of Facebook’s Developer Policies or Site terms.

HTML5 feature readiness

• Not all HTML5 features are supported in all browsers. For a visual representation see the HTML5 & CSS3 Readiness website. For a full compatibility list see the Can I use website.

Supported devices

• HTML5 Lightbox ads may be built specifically for desktop, mobile or cross-devices (desktop, tablets, mobile). Tablet-only Lightbox ads are not currently supported.
• All desktop computers, tablets, and smartphones are eligible to serve HTML5 Lightbox ads. WAP and mid-range mobile phones are not supported.