How do I setup Flash creatives?

by Aaron DelloIacono Thies

How to serve Flash Ads using Ad Hosting Solutions.

INSTRUCTIONS

To serve Flash ads and count the Flash ad clicks with AHS, you should follow the procedure listed below:

STEP #1) In order to track clicks in a Flash advertisement, the clickable elements for the Flash banner need to use the "clickTAG" function that Shockwave supports. To apply the clickTAG function to a Flash banner, do the following:

1a) Edit the Flash movie file (.fla). Apply the following 4 lines of code to a button in Flash for the entire banner. This button should be the top layer of the Flash ad:

on (release)
{
getURL(_level0.clickTAG, "_blank");
}

1b) Note that the word clickTAG is case sensitive! Do not edit the code above in any way. The final click-through URL will be handled externally by the ad server.

1c) Recompile the Flash movie into a shockwave file (.swf).

STEP #2) Have the Flash designer also provide you with a GIF image, which will be shown if the browser does not have the Flash plug-in.

STEP #3) Setup the Flash creative in AHS.
3a) Make your creative as usual. In the Creative Details, click on "Edit Rich Media".

3b) Choose the Flash Ad template from the pull down menu.

3c) Specify the ad's width and height in the fields provided.

3d) Specify the ad's Clickthrough URL in the field provided.

3e) Browse your harddrive for the .swf file and select it.

3f) Browse your harddrive for the backup .gif image file and select it.

3g) Click on the 'Update Rich Media Code' button to create the required rich media code.

3h) Click on the Save button.