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Creative Guidelines

  • All click through urls must open in a new browser window. For AOL Homepage, new browser window must have a fixed-width page design
    • For AOL Homepage, new browser window must have a fixed-width page design, center-aligned in the browser window with a design space of 756 pixels wide, plus, 4 pixel margins on both the left and right sides (764 pixels total page width).
    • AOL reserves the right to reject any insertion, graphic, text description, or URL.
    • All ads must comply with AOL's Faux Functionality policy. (See AOL Homepage Policies for additional guidelines.)
    • Ads may not employ rapid/"strobing" animation of any graphic, copy, or background elements(s).
    • Banners should be encased in a one (1) pixel black border and distinct from the content. If borderless, a banner MUST contain clear branding, such as the the advertiser's name, or "advertisement" wording, to signify that it is an ad creative banner, not content.
    • Ads may not have transparent backgrounds and may never blend into the screen content.
    • AOL interactive properties may not be used to imply affiliation with or an endorsement by AOL—whether an AOL product, content, or service—unless such a relationship exists.
  • AOL allows the collection of non-personally identifiable information such as zip code, state, area code, etc. (See Data Collection for additonal requirements.)
  • Audio on user click only. Audio allowed on user mouseover with one (1) sec delay. No host audio on AOL Homepage, user initiation only.
  • Animation does not have a loop "maximum", however ads may not loop incessantly. The total animation time for all loops combined cannot exceed 15 seconds. (See AOL Homepage Policies for additional requirements.)
  • Television and print advertising standards prohibit advertisers from issuing ads, infomercials, or infotisements in such a manner that the viewer or reader believes the content is news, rather than advertising. AOL's standards also follow this policy.
  • Method of expansion and contraction must be the same (i.e., mouse-over or user-click, not a combination of functionality)
  • Subsequent expansions ' replays ' may be initiated upon User Click everywhere. Expansion by User Mouse-Over is not permitted on Homepages (e.g., AOL Homepages, AOL.com, etc) and Mail Inbox (AOL Client Service & Webmail).
  • Exit popups are allowed only if they are more than one click away from the ad, and are directly related to the content clicked on. They may not be triggered by simply closing the landing page without the user going deeper into the advertiser site.
  • Example: A user clicks on an ad to sign up for a magazine subscription, starts the registration process, but then exits for whatever reason before completion of the registration. An exit pop-up would be allowed if it advised that the subscription would not go through unless they finish the registration process.
    • To minimize accidental expansions, animation, out-of-banner or floating, AOL has defined interactive "hotspots." Hotspots must be clearly identified and cannot exceed 33% of total ad space.
    • Mandatory "Close" button in top right corner of creative for expanding, floating, or out-of-banner ads.
    • Messaging and offers (price, terms, etc) must be clear to the consumer on its face. Misleading ads/offers will be rejected. This includes the use of hidden and/or punitive negative option pricing techniques.
 
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