Display guidelinesUCAS Media

Version 1.0

Thank you for choosing to advertise with UCAS.

Please take the time to read the following display advertising specification guidelines, before submitting creatives to us.

These guidelines contain the relevant information

designed to help you build a suitable display advertising

creative. All adverts and their content are subject to approval by UCAS.

Creatives must:• be crisp and clear, with no blurred images, logos,

or text through incorrect logo, typeface, or colour usage

Creatives must not:• contain any type of alcohol/drugs/nudity/

gambling/racism/profanity• link to competitors’ websites or contain any reference

to competitors• devalue the UCAS website/brand• drop any cookies/trackers onto a user’s machine• download/upload/install or copy any

software/programs/data• exceed our specifications

Creative acceptance

• Rich media must not affect the functionality on any part of the site.

• All rich media must be user initiated in regards to video and audio.

• Must be easy to understand and interact with so as to not impact the user experience.

All rich media creative is subject to quality assurance and approval by our AdOps Team, and must be in accordance with our lead times.

Third party creative must not be amended once put live on the site without prior approval and agreement from the AdOps Team. Geo capping and frequency caps are not supported when implemented by the third party.

Rich media

Platforms

Site portfolio

ucas.com• 300x250

Track.ucas.com• 970x250• 180x150 (Edu)• 300x250 (Comm)

Search.ucas.com• 160x600• 320x50

UCAS Progress • 728x90• 160x600• 300x250• 300x100

Video wall• 240x400• 240x100

Tile• 180x150• Content link• 150x150 logo• 100x100 thumbnail

Sizes available

Max download

Animation/looping

BorderAccepted file

type

25-45kbDuration 15secs

Max 3 loops1px*

HTML5JPG/PNG/GIF3rd party tags

The use of tracking cookies on UCAS websites or products is strictly prohibited.

*Border required with white and transparent backgrounds. Creative must feature 1 pixel border (grey [#666666] or black recommended, though any color that clearly distinguishes the ad from the content may be used).

Display specs (excl. tile)

Type

Sponsored content links Thumbnail Static only – JPG/GIF/PNG onlyPlease supply ALT text for the image

Click URL Please provide a working click-through URL

Description 40 characters (incl. spaces)

Logo Static only – JPG/GIF/PNG onlyPlease supply ALT text for the image

Rectangle Please see display specs on previous page

Tile specs

Ad size Max download Animation/looping

Border Accepted file type

IAB Standard Formats(728x90, 160x600, 300x250)

25-45kb Max 3 loops, max 1.5 secs per animation

slide

1px* JPG/GIF/PNG/3rd Party Tags

AE allows UCAS Media clients to retarget and interact with their audiences beyond UCAS’ own ad inventory, on external sites.

*Border required with white and transparent backgrounds. Creative must feature a 1 pixel border (grey [#666666] or black recommended, though any color that clearly distinguishes the ad from the content may be used).

Audience extension

• All additional files to the HTML5 index should be hosted externally on the client/agency server and referenced fully.

• When referencing external files, they should be on a secure server and loaded through HTTPS.

• Click destination URL should be in the HTML index. This is so we are able to track clicks.

• Click destination URL must open into a new browser window.

For further information on HTML5 guidance, such as in banner videos, please view the IAB HTML5 document:https://iabuk.net/system/tdf/HTML5%20for%20Digital%20Advertising_0.pdf?file=1&type=node&id=21090.

HTML5

Load requirements

Initial load size 50kb is strongly recommended for fastest initial load time. Up to 75kb maximum

Subsequent polite load sizeUp to 1mb

Includes: additional animation, autoplay, and/or call to action dynamic flash

User-initiated load size

Up to 1mb for SWFs (animation/interaction)

All videos must be progressive load. Cannot be streaming. Inclusion of a video progress bar, scrubber bar, or countdown times are highly recommended for optimal completion rate

CPU usageUnits containing Flash must not exceed 40% of a user’s CPU. Common causes of high CPU use are continued animation and heavy animation sequences

Video/animation

Autoplay animation/video 30sec. Can include ‘Click to continue’, ‘Click to play’, ‘Click for sound’, or ‘Replay’ buttons

On-load audioUser initiated video

No soundRegardless of the video length, control buttons (mute/unmute and pause/play) are required, as well as an indicator of the video duration and elapse status

Actions on User Click (video) Once pause or stop is clicked, the video must stop. All sound and video should stop upon exit click

Actions on User Click (animation)

Animation must stop within 30 sec after the interaction with it has ended. All sound and animation should stop upon exit click

HTML5 (cont’d)

Attributes

Border and iFrameMust stay within iFrame. Creatives with partially black or white backgrounds must have a visible border of a contrasting colour

Mouseover policy

No audio, video, or major functionality may be initiated on mouseover, and the cursor may not be altered in any way within the unit, unless the user has enabled any of these functionalities by an intentional interaction. Animation initiated in this manner must always be under the user’s control. Animation must stop within 30 sec after the user has moved their mouse off the ad, or the interaction with the ad has ended (this does not apply to video)

Clickable mouseover policyClickable buttons within the ad can have a mouseover state change with animations under one sec. Animation must be contained within the clickable button area. Buttons should not spin, change size, or contain overly disruptive animations. The button must activate functionality in the masthead creative

Backup image

• Required for all creative• A maximum file size of 45kb is strongly recommended for fastest initial load time

(up to 75kb accepted)• Backup images with partially black or white backgrounds must have a visible border of

a contrasting colour• Must not have a close button• Animated GIFs not supported

HTML5 (cont’d)

For best results, these are our recommended video specifications:

Video specs

Video formats

File size Video run time

Aspect ratio Frame rate Caption files

All formats except

RMVB & DivX

1GB max Min:20 Sec

Max: 600sec

16:9 or 4:3 5 to6000kb/s

WebVTT(web video text tracks)

Instruction to upload videos to our Video wall can be found here:

https://www.ucasmedia.com/sites/default/files/ucas_-_connect_video_channel_-_advertiser_video_upload_instructions.pdf

Video upload instruction

In case of any queries, please contact:UCAS Media Ad Operations Teamadops@ucas.ac.uk