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Creatives

Creatives

  • Creative Specs
    • Banner Specs
    • HTML5 Specs
    • Native Specs
    • Audio Specs
    • Video & CTV Specs
    • Ad Server Tag Specs
  • Creative Upload
    • Creative Upload Process
    • Creative Click URLs
    • Pixeling Creatives
    • HTML5 Upload Error
  • Creative Audit
    • Creative Audit Overview
    • Audit Status
    • Sensitive Categories
    • Creative Flagged as Sensitive
    • Rejected Creatives
    • Creative Re-Audit
  • Editing a Creative
  • Creative Expiration
  • Creative Bulk Upload
  • Creative Screenshot Guide
  • Creative A/B Testing
  • Origin Creative Acceptance Policy
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Banner Specs

File Format JPG, PNG, GIF
Max File Size 150 kb max*
Unit Sizes Download the full list here: Banner-Sizes
The platform will allow an upload up to 300kb, but overage fees will apply on Creatives over 150kb.


While all of the above banner sizes can be utilized, we recommend including several of the best performing sizes from the list below on every campaign. If the banner size that you are looking to use is not available in the platform, reach out through the Help Center. Estimated turnaround for this request is one month.

Best Performing Banner Sizes for Desktop InventoryBest Performing Banner Sizes for Mobile Inventory
300 x 250300 x 250
160 x 600320 x 50
728 x 90 728 x 90
320 x 480320 x 480
300 x 600300 x 50
970 x 250320 x 100

If your banner file is greater than the 150kb limit try using a compressor such as this one compressjpeg.com to decrease the weight of your Creative.

HTML5 Specs

Max ad length :30 seconds & cannot animate after the 3rd rotation
File Format Zip file – must contain an index.html file which must reside in the root of the zip file and not in a sub folder. Index.html must be complete and valid HTML document and not an HTML fragment.
Max file size 150 kb max*
Click tracking requirements Must implement IAB clickTag to click track in Pontiac. Download instructions below.
*The platform will allow an upload up to 300kb, but overage fees will apply on Creatives over 150kb.

See instructions for setting up Click Tracking for HTML5 Creatives here:

Implementing-IAB-clickTag-for-HTML5Download

Native Specs

Native Format A

Title 25 character max
Body 300 character max
Call to Action25 character max
Icon aspect ratio 1:1
Image aspect ratio 1.91:1
Image size 1200×627
Image file size 200kb max
Image file formatJPG, GIF, PNG
Click URL URL landing page (matches “sponsored by” brand)
Sponsored by: 25 character max
Placement Triplelift, LiveIntent*, Sharethrough, Microsoft, MSN
*body must be less than 90 characters for LiveIntent

Native Format B

Title 60 Character Max (35-45 preferred)
Image size 1000×750
Image file size 150kb max
Image file formatJPG, GIF, PNG
Click URL URL landing page (matches “sponsored by” brand)
Sponsored by: 40 character max
Placement Taboola

Native Format C

Title 60 Character Max (40 preferred)
Image Aspect Ratio1.91:1
Image size 1200×627
Image file size 200kb max
Image file formatJPG, GIF, PNG
Click URL URL landing page (matches “sponsored by” brand)
Sponsored by: 25 character max
Placement Outbrain
Native Format D:
Title 25 Character Max
Body300 Character Max
Icon Aspect Ratio1:1
Click URL URL landing page (matches “sponsored by” brand)
Sponsored by: 25 character max
Placement Microsoft Outlook, MSN, EDGE

Audio Specs

Open Exchange Audio:

Length:15 seconds or :30 seconds or :60 seconds
File FormatMP3
File Size1MB
Bit rateAt least 128 kbps bit rate / 44100 Hz sample rate

Spotify Audio File:

Length:15 seconds or :30 seconds
File FormatMP3
File Size1MB
WAV bit rate16-bit 44.1 kHz
MP3 bit rateAt least 192 kbps

Video & CTV Specs

Hosted Video:

Max ad length60 seconds
File format VAST 4.0, MP4
Max file size 100 MB
Unit size Matches player size selected
Resolution 1280×720 (1.77 Aspect Ratio Recommended)
Video Bit Rate 2500kbps Maximum
Frame Rate Min of 14 FPS (30 FPS recommended)

CTV:

Max ad length:15 seconds or :30 seconds
File format VAST 4.0, MP4
Max file size 100 MB
Unit size 1080×1920
Min Resolution 1280×720 (sometimes notated as 720p)
Min Bit Rate 2,000 kbps
Frame Rate 24-25 or 29-30 FP
3rd party tracking1×1 tracking pixels accepted
CodecH.264

Ad Server Tag Specs

Banner Sub TypeiFrame, Raw HTML
Click tracking requirementsMust include AppNexus’ macro ${CLICK_URL} to track clicks in Pontiac
Video & Audio file formatVAST 4.0

To use an ad server tag, reach out through the Help Center to request access. Ad server tag requests are approved on a case by case basis. Please allow 2 business days for this request to be processed. You must include AppNexus’ macro ${CLICK_URL} to ensure that clicks are properly tracked in Pontiac. For additional macros see here: Creative Macros

Creative Upload Process

To upload a Creative, go to the Advertisers tab and click on the name of the Advertiser under which you would like to upload the Creative. Select ‘New Creative’ and select the type of Creative that you will be uploading. A preview of the Creative should appear in the green ‘Preview’ box. Ensure that the Creative does not extend outside this preview box. Complete all relevant fields, then click ‘Save’. Each Creative Type has a max file size as indicated in the Creative Specs. Creatives that exceed the max file size will incur Creative Overage Fees as indicated in our Pricing here: Pricing

Creative Click URLs

The Click URL entered for each Creative is the landing page the user will be taken to when they click on the Creative.

As a part of the Creative Audit process, the branding represented in the Creative will be validated against the branding of the Click URL to ensure that they match. If you are using a Click URL for a site that does not represent your branding, such as Amazon or another third-party marketplace, check the box ‘Enter Alternative Brand URL for Audit’ and enter a URL that contains the same branding represented in your ad. The audit team will use this URL to validate the branding represented in the creative. This will not be used as the landing page for the creative, it is only for audit purposes.

This is an example of what this would look like in the upload process:

To incorporate UTM Codes into your Click URL read more info here: UTM Code Implementation

Pixeling Creatives

If you would like to associate a Third-Party Pixel to a Creative, switch to the ‘Third-Party Pixels’ tab and click the green plus next to the pixel. This pixel must be added under ‘Third Party Pixels’ in the Advertiser settings before the Creative upload. See more information on Third Party Pixels here: Third-Party Pixels (Trackers).  If you are uploading a Video or Audio Creative this tab will be called ‘Trackers’ and the pixel can be added at the time of the Creative upload.


Remarketing Pixels can also be added to the Creative in the ‘Segments’ tab at the time of Creative upload. Click the green plus next to the name of the pixel to associate it to the Creative. This will add any user that is served your Creative into this Remarketing segment. This pixel must be created in the Advertiser settings before the Creative upload. See Remarketing Pixels for more information here: Segment Pixels (Remarketing).

HTML5 Upload Error

“Zip package must contain single html file named index.html which must reside in the root of the zip file and not in a subfolder. Index.html should be a complete and valid HTML document including the entities <html><head><body>) and not an HTML fragment. All external resources must be secure (https)”

If you are receiving the above error when uploading an HTML5 creative, it may be due to one of the following:

  1. The index.html file is in a folder inside your zip folder. This file must be in the root of the zip file and not a subfolder. In which case you should extract the necessary files from the folder and re-zip them so that they reside in the root of the zip folder.
  2. The html file is not named ‘index.html’. In which case you should rename this file, then re-try the upload.
  3. The folder was zipped using a Mac and there are hidden files (.DS_store files and _MACOSX folder) within the zip folder that are causing the upload to fail. There are two ways to resolve/prevent this:
    • Use the the zip command in the Mac Terminal to compress the assets, instead of the Mac ‘compress’ function, for example:
      • zip -r -X html5_300x250.zip html5_300x250
    • You can still use the Mac ‘compress’ function, as long as you do not open the new zip folder before uploading it to Pontiac. These hidden files are only added when you open the folder and browse the content.

Creative Audit Overview

The Creative audit process takes one business day from the time you upload a Creative. Before uploading any Creatives read the Pontiac Intelligence Creative Acceptance Policy here: 

Pontiac-Creative-Acceptance-Policy-3Download

Pontiac Intelligence reserves the right to reject any Creative unit at its discretion, and subsequently suspend the account without advanced warning. If your account is suspended, you will be notified in writing and an investigation will take place within three business days. Pontiac Intelligence is unable to change the audit results of Xandr/AppNexus & RiskIQ. Audit results can only be changed by resolving the issue that caused a Creative to be rejected or flagged as sensitive.

Audit Status

Creative audit results will be displayed under ‘Audit Status’ next to the name of the Creative, in the ‘Creatives’ section of the Advertiser or Line. Audit status will be indicated by a symbol; a yellow triangle for ‘audit pending’, a green check box for ‘passed audit’, a green triangle for ‘marked as sensitive’ and a red box for ‘rejected’. Hover over this symbol to view additional information about the audit status.

Sensitive Categories

The following are categories that could trigger a sensitive flag:

  • Alcoholic Beverages and References
  • Adult Store (must lead to a landing page without nudity or toys)
  • Paraphernalia, Pharmaceuticals and Supplements (usually accepted, but is reviewed on a case-by-case basis)
  • Social Issues / makes claims 
  • Weight Loss
  • Sexual Health
  • Affiliate Offers
  • Consumer Loans
  • Online Games
  • Gambling & Online Gambling – See ‘Gambling Advertising’ below
  • Firearms and Weapons (Sporting Goods stores, education, accessories) 
  • Tabloid / Advertorial (cannot infringe on copyrights) 
  • Underwear / Lingerie
  • Strip Club / Gentlemen’s Club
  • Dating

The following is the full list of Creative types that could trigger a sensitive flag:

  • Creatives stating ‘Price Match Guarantee’
  • Travel Deterrent
  • Unsubstantiated Rare
  • Underwear/Lingerie
  • Unaccredited Online Universities
  • Strip Club/ Gentlemen’s Club
  • Tabloid/ Advertorial
  • Creative has non-functional elements
  • Offer Not Actionable on Landing Page
  • Misleading Claims – Beauty and Cosmetics
  • Sexual Toys and Accessories
  • Firearms and Weapons: Services and Education
  • Firearms and Weapons: Gun Accessories
  • Firearms and Weapons: Sporting Goods Stores
  • Online Games – Weapons / Violence
  • Pharmaceuticals – Graphic Imagery
  • Alcohol – Prohibited Content
  • Alcohol – Online Sales
  • Cosmetic Procedure Nudity
  • Moderate Nudity
  • Plastic Surgery
  • Cosmetic Procedures
  • Birth Control or Fertility Products
  • Abortion
  • Paternity Test
  • HIV home tests
  • Clinical Trial Recruitment
  • Medical Devices
  • Dating – Sexually Explicit
  • Gambling – Country approved operator
  • Gambling – Online Cash Game
  • Gambling – Mahjong
  • Software or System update
  • Unbranded Creative
  • Mobile App Downloads
  • Horoscope or Astrology
  • Download/Watch/Play Button
  • Rotating Creative
  • Undefined Borders
  • Mild or Suggestive Profanity
  • Sweepstakes
  • Gambling – Educational or tools
  • Gambling – Penny auctions
  • Gambling – Non-government lottery
  • Gambling – Casino advertising gambling
  • Gambling – Scratch card site
  • Gambling – Sports betting
  • Gambling – Online gambling
  • Mimics Facebook Interface
  • Un-disclosed subscription services
  • Pharmaceuticals – Steroid-like supplements
  • Pharmaceuticals – Herbal supplements
  • Pharmaceuticals – Non-prescription
  • Implies personal characteristics of user
  • No privacy policy
  • Misleading personalization
  • Blood/Gore
  • Generic Creative (Creative content does not match landing page)
  • Creative is a game
  • survey popup
  • Fake Closing Action
  • Flashing and Strobing
  • Quizzes and Surveys
  • is cookie targeted
  • is remarketing
  • is behaviorally targeted
  • Alcoholic Beverages and References
  • Toolbars
  • Gambling – Other
  • Firearms and Weapons
  • Sexually Suggestive
  • Get Rich Quick
  • Sexual References
  • Misleading Claims
  • Free Giveaways
  • Consumer Loans
  • Affiliate Offers
  • Ringtones/Mobile Subscriptions
  • Sexual Health
  • Weight Loss
  • Religion
  • Pharmaceuticals and Supplements
  • Online Games
  • Dating
  • Context Link Providers

Creative Flagged as Sensitive

Creative audit results will be displayed under ‘Audit Status’ next to the name of the Creative, in the ‘Creatives’ section of the Advertiser or Line. A Creative flagged as sensitive will display a green triangle. Hover over this symbol to view additional information about the audit status.
If one of your Creatives is flagged as ‘Sensitive’, this content is allowed on the platform, but the Line Item will be restricted to the sensitive publishers that allow this type of content. Any exchanges that you selected to target will be ‘grayed’ out and only the exchanges allowing sensitive content will be targeted. This may restrict both delivery and performance of your campaign as these exchanges typically contain lower quality inventory and can also include fraud. Audit results can only be changed by resolving the issue that caused the Creative to be flagged as sensitive. If you think your Creative was flagged incorrectly, email your Account Manager.

The following sensitive flags will require specific actions to activate the campaign:

  • Sensitive, gambling: Under ‘Edit Advertiser’ select the box next to ‘Gambling’ to download the gambling addendum or download it here: Gambling Addendum. Sign the addendum and send it to your account manager. The Creative does NOT need to be re-audited or edited and the Advertiser will be restricted to sensitive publishers.
  • Sensitive, mobile app downloads: The Advertiser’s website is required to be submitted with the Creative upload for audit purposes. In the event that the click URL used for the Creative opens an app store to prompt a mobile app download, the ‘Alternative Brand URL for Audit’ field should be checked in the upload process to enter the Advertiser’s website for audit. If this is not completed and the only URL submitted with the Creative is for the click URL for mobile app download, the Creative will be rejected.

The following sensitive flag can be removed by following these steps:

  • Sensitive, lack of branding: The Creative should be changed to have clear branding present. The Creative will need to be re-uploaded and saved. By selecting ‘save’ after uploading the new Creative it will be sent to audit and this process may take up to 24 hours to complete.  

Rejected Creatives

Creative audit results will be displayed under ‘Audit Status’ next to the name of the Creative, in the ‘Creatives’ section of the Advertiser or Line. If your Creative is rejected, a red box will appear here. Hover over this symbol to view additional information about the audit status.
Pontiac Intelligence is unable to change the audit results of Xandr/AppNexus & RiskIQ. Audit results can only be changed by resolving the issue that caused the Creative to be rejected. If you think your Creative was rejected incorrectly, reach out to the Pontiac Team through the Help Center.

  • Rejected, Does not display properly: First check to see if there is a preview of the Creative in the green preview box in Pontiac and verify that the Creative fits in the designated area. If it does not fit correctly in the box you may have chosen the incorrect Creative size. You can edit the size then select ‘Save’. The Creative will be sent to audit and this process may take up to one business day to complete.
  • Rejected, Fails to render: If you are using an ad server tag, verify that the code you uploaded in Pontiac renders on your end. Check with your ad server that the tag is active and available. Email your Account Manager for additional help.
  • Rejected, Creative brand does not match Creative landing page: The brand displayed in the ad should match the brand of the website that the ad is driving users to. In order for this Creative to be accepted, you must change the brand displayed in the Creative, or change the Click URL to drive to this brand’s website. If you are driving to a third-party marketplace or other page that does not depict your branding, such as Amazon, check the ‘Use Alternative Mobile Click Url’ and enter a URL that contains the same branding represented in your ad. The audit team will use this URL to validate the branding represented in the creative. This will not be used as the landing page for the creative. Once you have edited the Creative details, ‘Save’ and close the Creative upload window. The Creative will be sent to audit and this process may take up to one business day to complete
  • Rejected, Creative does not click through properly: Your Creative will be rejected if the Creative is clicked and does not open a landing page, if the Creative is clicked and a landing page opens, but no content loads or if the Creative is clicked and a landing page loads, but an error keeps any content from being displayed. In any of these cases you must either update the landing page and then click ‘Reaudit’ or change the Click URL for the Creative and click ‘save’. The Creative will be sent to audit and this process may take up to one business day to complete.
  • Rejected, Malicious: Your account will be suspended, you will be notified in writing and an investigation will take place within three business days. Pontiac clients who upload ads deemed malicious will lose access to the platform and forfeit deposited funds.

Creative Re-Audit

To re-audit a Creative open the Advertiser and select the Creative’s name under the ‘Creatives’ menu. You cannot re-audit a Creative at the Line Item level, but rather you must be at the Advertiser level.  

Selecting the ‘Reaudit Creative’ button at the bottom of the ‘Creative’ window will send the Creative to re-audit and this process may take up to one business day to complete. This should only be used if there have been no changes made to the Creative or the Click URL. For example, if your Creative was flagged because the landing page does not have a Privacy Policy, in this case you need to make changes to the landing page and not to the Creative, then select ‘Reaudit Creative’. 

Selecting ‘Reaudit Creative’ will not save any changes you have made to the Creative and the Creative will be re-audited as it was prior to any changes. If you would like to make changes to the Creative or the Click URL you must then select ‘Save’, which will automatically send the updated Creative to audit.

Editing a Creative

Once a Creative has been submitted and audited, follow the steps below to edit it:

  • Navigate to the Advertiser tab.
  • Click on the name of the Advertiser where the Creative is located.
  • Select the Creative’s name under the ‘Creatives’ menu.

Editable fields without reaudit:

  • Creative Name
  • Active/Inactive Status

Changes that require reaudit (may take up to 24 hours):

  • Size
  • Click URL
  • Image File

Note: The Creative type cannot be edited at any time. You can only change the ‘Name’ and the ‘Active’ status of a Creative without sending the Creative to audit and paying additional fees. You also cannot edit a Creative at the Line Item level; you must make changes at the Advertiser level.

Save vs. Readuit:

  • To submit changes, click ‘Save’ which will automatically send the Creative for reaudit.
  • Selecting ‘Reaudit Creative’ will reaudit the Creative without saving any changes you have made.

If you do not see the Creative that you are looking for in the Advertiser menu, try switching the ‘Filter Status’ to ‘Inactive’. If the Creative appears under ‘Inactive’ and you would like to re-activate it, click on the Creative name to open the Creative Settings and check the ‘Active’ box. If the Creative is expired, see this section: Creative Expiration.

Creative Expiration

If a Creative unit is inactive for 45 days, it will expire. You will receive an email notification before the expiration date. If you run this Creative before the expiration date it will not need to be re-audited. Once a Creative expires the ‘Active’ symbol will change from a green box to a red box.

To use a Creative after it has expired, go to the Advertiser tab and click on the name of the Advertiser where the Creative is located to open the Advertiser menu. Select the Creative’s name to open the Creative Settings. If you do not see the Creative here, try changing the ‘Filter Status’ to ‘Inactive’. Select the Creative’s name to open the Creative Settings, check the ‘Active’ box and click ‘Resubmit for Audit’. This will send the Creative to audit and this process may take up to 24 hours to complete.

Creative Bulk Upload

If you frequently upload a large quantity of Banners at one time under a single Advertiser, email your Account Manager to request access to this feature. All Creatives uploaded through this feature must be uploaded to the same Advertiser. This feature cannot be used to upload Creatives to multiple Advertisers. This feature can only be used for Banner creatives at this time.

Once access is granted, a new button will appear at the Advertiser level next to ‘New Creative’ that says, ‘Creative Bulk Upload’. You will then need to create and upload a CSV file with the details of each Creative. If the Creative type is a tag, the tag will be entered into the CSV. If the Creative type is an image you will also need to create and upload a zip folder that contains these images.

The following are the steps to create the CSV:

  1. Create a new Excel file that will be later saved as a CSV file (with extension .csv). This can also be accomplished in a text editor.
  2. Insert the following Headers/Columns
    • Creative Name: The Creative in the Pontiac platform.
    • Data: This can denote the location of the Creative in the zip file if the Creative type is “image”. If the Creative type is “thirdParty”, this is where the third-party tag goes in. Example below (2).
    • Size: Creative size, e.g: 300×250, 300×600, 320×50, etc
    • Click URL: Landing page for the Creative
    • Creative Type: Can take values “thirdParty” or “image”.
    • Line Ids: ID(s) of the lines you would like this Creative attached to after being bulk uploaded.
    • Third Party Creative Sub-Type: Optional field for Creative type thirdParty. Can take values “iFrame” or “rawHTML”. This can be omitted if the Creative type is not “thirdParty”.
  3. Example of what the Excel row/record should look like (note the last character is comma(,) without specifying the third-party Creative sub-type):

pontiacCreativeName1,BRAND-logo1.jpg,300×250,https://pontiac.media,image,6004 6005,

pontiacCreativeName2,<ins class=’dcmads’ style=’display:inline-block;width:728px;height:90px’ data-dcm-placement=’N6563.157895.INVESTINGCHANNEL/B9315081.133810598′ data-dcm-rendering-mode=’iframe’ data-dcm-https-only data-dcm-click-tracker=${CLICK_URL}> <script src=’https://www.googletagservices.com/dcm/dcmads.js’></script></ins>,728×90,https://pontiac.media,thirdParty,6004,

    • Note the second row above is a thirdParty Creative type and is only being associated to one line (6004). If you don’t need the Creatives associated to a line you can omit the line id and only put a comma (,).

  1. Click File -> Save -> Select CSV (Comma-Separated Values) -> name it CreativeBulkMap.csv
  2. Upload this CSV file to Pontiac, along with the zip archive containing the Creatives if they are images.

Download an example CSV file here:  Bulk upload sample CSV

Creative Screenshot Guide

For some Advertisers or Brands, screenshots or screen ‘mockups’ of what their Creative will look like on the websites where it is running may be an important deliverable to better understand their campaigns. These can easily be created utilizing images of the Creatives and website screenshots:

  1. Take screenshots of all your creatives. Here are examples of what you want from each screenshot:
  1. Take screenshots of the websites that you want the ads to be display on and the matching ad sizes. See ‘Placements’ below to see where some of the most common ad sizes can be found on the pages. Follow these tips to get great website screenshots:
    • Make sure your screenshots are clean and include the URL, but do not include tabs etc.
    • Make sure the page has fully loaded, check the loading bar in the bottom left corner to verify. If there’s a video on the page, wait for the video to load and exclude the pre-roll where applicable.
    • Do not include any negative or controversial news. Topics can include but are not limited to politics, chronic disease, death, inappropriate clothing, and controversial topics.
    • 160×600 ads are harder to find but they are almost always on the mail domains:
    • Try to find articles that are “on brand.” For example, do not place an ad for a nursing home on bodybuilding.com.
    • Do not place ads on a page with other competing or conflicting brands. For example, if you are placing an ad for a pharmaceutical company, make sure there are no other ads for anything pharmaceutical related.
  1. Copy and paste your creatives on the website screenshots and fully cover up ads. SAVE final product as a new image:

Desktop Placements:

Mobile Placements:

Creative A/B Testing

In order to A/B test Creatives you will have to set-up a Line Item for each Creative and use the Creative Custom Audience to create an Audience segment that tracks users who have seen each ad. On each Line Item you will then ANTI-TARGET the Audiences that have seen the OTHER Creatives to ensure that users are only seeing one of the Creatives. 

  1. Upload each Creative that you would like to test 
  2. Go to the ‘Audiences’ tab, ‘New Custom Audience’ and select ‘Creative Audience’ from the dropdown
  3. Check the ‘Device ID’, ‘IP Address’ and ‘User ID’ boxes
  4. Name the Audience after one of the Creatives and select the green plus sign next to that Creative (it will move from the left side to right side indicating that this Audience will collect users that have seen this Creative)
    For example: name the Audience ‘Creative A’ and click green plus next to  ‘Creative A’. Name a second Audience ‘Creative B’ and click green plus next to ‘Creative B’
  5. Create a line for each Creative and Anti-target all of the Audiences of users who have seen OTHER Creatives.
    For example: create a Line and associate Creative A as the Creative the Line will serve, then under Audiences,  ‘Associate segments’, create a new group and drag over all of the Audiences for the other Creatives. Click the minus sign next to the Audience to exclude/anti-target it. Switch to ‘all’ to make sure that the logic is OR between the segments as shown below.

Origin Creative Acceptance Policy

Download the full Origin Platform Creative Acceptance Policy here:

Pontiac-Creative-Acceptance-Policy-3Download

Please thoroughly review all Creative Policies before uploading Creative. All Creative units uploaded will be subject to the Pontiac Intelligence creative audit process as well as any additional SSP, publisher, media owner or other creative approval processes that may apply in the acquisition of ad space.

Pontiac Intelligence reserves the right to reject any creative unit at its discretion, and subsequently suspend the account without advanced warning. If your account is suspended, you will be notified in writing and an investigation will take place within three business days.  If at any point your ad tags are flagged as malicious, your account balance will be forfeited to Pontiac and will not be refundable.

In addition to Pontiac Intelligence’s content policies, certain sellers have additional policies that apply to buyers of those sellers’ inventory and certain data providers have additional policies that apply to buyers of those data providers’ data. Pontiac Intelligence clients wishing to purchase such inventory or data are responsible for understanding and adhering to any such additional policies. Pontiac shall have no liability or responsibility of any kind if a third-party declines to serve any Ads proposed by a Pontiac user, regardless of whether the ads meet the Pontiac Ad Standards or are approved by Pontiac, and users agree to indemnify and hold harmless Pontiac from any losses arising from a third-party’s decision not to serve a user’s ads. 

Prohibited Content

The following content is prohibited across all Pontiac products. Any ad unit flagged under one of these categories will be blocked from serving on the platform and may result in account suspension or forfeiture.

  • Profanity, Hate Speech or Defamatory Language
  • Graphic or excessive violence
  • Pornography, Nudity, Obscenities, or other ‘Adult’ Content
  • Inappropriate content (at our discretion)
  • Sale of, or instructions for creating, guns, bombs, ammunition, or weapons
  • Discussing or promoting sale of federally illegal drugs, including marijuana, illegal pharmaceuticals, and other schedule 1 drugs.
  • Malware, privacy and security violations
  • Broken Ads or blank creative
  • Enabling or Permitting Piracy
  • Charging for government forms and services
  • Misappropriation of Copyright, Trademark, Trade Secret, or Patent
  • Executes or Downloads Files without User Interactions
  • Causing degradation of site performance (ex: excessive animation, weight)
  • Illegal Material or Content
  • Misleading or sensationalized messaging, content, or images
  • Pop ups or any ad or landing pages that spawn them.
  • Content that intends to, or does, induce user action through misleading appearance or behavior, including, but not limited to, creatives that mimic video players, functional buttons, errors or warnings about viruses, missing codecs, and corrupt disks.
  • Displaying fake errors to induce user action, or messaging that implies knowledge of a user’s computer or operating system.
  • Creatives must not rotate brands or advertisers.
  • The landing page must match brand of the advertisement.
  • The landing page must contain a privacy policy.

Pontiac Origin Platform Creative Policy:

In addition to the Pontiac platform audit, all creative units uploaded to the Origin platform go through the Xandr/AppNexus & RiskIQ audit review processes, the result of which will be reflected next to each creative in the platform. In addition to the above list of prohibited content, the following content is not allowed on the Origin platform:

Prohibited Content:

  • Politics, including for election related content including election canvassing and election polls, political parties, candidates, and ballot measures is not allowed. Fundraising for political candidates, parties, PACs, and ballot measures is not allowed.
  • Tabloid / Advertorial
  • Strip Club / Gentlemen’s Club
  • CBD, marijuana, drug paraphernalia, narcotics, psychotropic drugs, or toxic drugs
  • Tobacco, Vaping, and Smoking Products
  • Prohibited advertiser categories (ex: casual dating, illegal gambling, adult, etc.)
  • Creative brand does not match Click URL/landing page brand
  • Global and publisher competitive and low-quality exclusions (CE)
  • Non-user-initiated audio (initiated on click and must have integrated audio controls)
  • Firearms and Weapons

Sensitive Categories

Advertisements which exhibit any of the following properties are allowed on the platform but restricted to publishers who have approved this type of content. These ad units will be flagged in the platform as Sensitive. If ANY of a Line Item’s ad units are flagged as Sensitive, then the entire Line is restricted to the sensitive publishers.

  • Alcoholic Beverages and References (Advertising must contain proper health warnings and responsible drinking messaging)
  • Gambling & Online Gambling – See ‘Gambling Advertising’ below
  • Adult Store (must lead to a landing page without nudity or toys)
  • Pharmaceuticals and Supplements (usually accepted, but is reviewed on a case-by-case basis)
  • Social Issues / makes claims
  • Weight Loss
  • Sexual Health
  • Affiliate Offers
  • Consumer Loans
  • Online Games
  • Underwear / Lingerie
  • Dating

Alcohol Policy: https://about.ads.microsoft.com/en-us/policies/restricted-categories/alcohol

Gambling Advertising

A separate Gambling Addendum must be signed prior to the launch of any Gambling advertising.  If you are running Gambling Advertising, as defined below, please follow the prompts inside the Pontiac Intelligence platform and follow the steps as instructed.  If prompts are not automatically generated, you must reach out to your Account Manager and request the Gambling Addendum via email.

With respect to any campaign executed via the Pontiac Platform, “gambling ad” means the following: 

  • Any type of advertisement that promotes, directly or indirectly, online (internet and mobile) and offline (land-based or “bricks and mortar” casinos, betting shops, card rooms or other gambling establishments) gambling, gaming, betting or wagering of any kind, whether for cash prizes or other things of value, including but not limited to casino games, poker, sports betting (whether individual or parlay wagering), pari-mutuel wagering or “betting pools” (including horse racing, dog racing, and jai alai), lotteries, raffles, sweepstakes, penny auctions, and fantasy sports. 
  • Any type of advertisement that otherwise relates in any way to the foregoing activities, including advertisements for promotional products, services or materials, including education, “learn to play,” “practice” and other free simulation sites affiliated with online or offline gambling or wagering sites or facilities

Prohibited Countries 

Notwithstanding any other provision in this policy, Pontiac prohibits gambling ads of any kind targeted to serve in the following countries and any other country where gambling or the advertisement of gambling is illegal

  • Albania
  • Algeria
  • American Samoa
  • Andorra
  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Argentina
  • Armenia
  • Aruba
  • Azerbaijan
  • Bahamas
  • Bahrain
  • Bangladesh
  • Barbados
  • Belgium
  • Belize
  • Benin
  • Bolivia
  • Botswana
  • Brazil
  • Brunei
  • Bulgaria
  • Burkina Faso
  • Cameroon
  • Central African Republic
  • Chile
  • Comoros
  • Colombia
  • Cook Islands
  • Costa Rica
  • Cote d’Ivoire
  • Cyprus
  • Democratic Republic of Congo
  • Djibouti
  • Dominica
  • Dominican Republic
  • Ecuador
  • Egpyt
  • El Salvador
  • Eritrea
  • Ethiopia
  • Faroe Islands
  • Fiji
  • Gabon
  • Georgia
  • Greenland
  • Grenada
  • Guam
  • Guatemala
  • Guinea
  • Guinea-Bissau
  • Guyana
  • Haiti
  • Honduras
  • Hong Kong
  • India
  • Indonesia
  • Iraq
  • Israel
  • Italy
  • Jamaica
  • Japan
  • Krygystan
  • Latvia
  • Lesotho
  • Libia
  • Liechtenstein
  • Macao SAR
  • Madagascar
  • Malawi
  • Malaysia
  • Maldives
  • Malta
  • Marshall Islands
  • Mauritania
  • Mauritus
  • Moldova
  • Monaco
  • Mongolia
  • Namibia
  • Nauru
  • Nepal
  • Niger
  • Nigeria
  • Niue
  • North Macedonia
  • Northern Mariana Islands
  • Oman
  • Pakistan
  • Palau
  • Panama
  • Paraguay
  • Peru
  • Philippines
  • Puerto Rico
  • Qatar
  • Republic of Congo
  • Russia 
  • Rwanda
  • Saint Kitts and Nevis
  • Saint Lucia
  • Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  • Samoa
  • San Marino
  • Saudi Arabia (KSA)
  • Senegal
  • Seychelles
  • Sierra Leone
  • Singapore 
  • Sri Lanka
  • Suriname
  • Taiwan
  • Tajikistan
  • Tanzania
  • Thailand
  • The Gambia
  • Togo
  • Tokelau
  • Tonga
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • Tunisia
  • Turkey
  • Tuvalu
  • Uganda
  • United Arab Emirates
  • United States Virgin Islands
  • Uruguay
  • Vanuatu
  • Vatican City
  • Venezuela
  • Vietnam
  • Yemen
  • Zambia
  • Zimbabwe

Restrictions on Gambling Ads 

Pontiac generally permits gambling ads to be targeted to serve in jurisdictions other than those above where such ads are not prohibited so long as Pontiac users, on behalf of themselves and the advertisers whose ads they are trafficking, comply with the following requirements: 

  • The ad complies with all applicable laws, rules and regulations in any jurisdiction where the client’s ad targets to serve.  
  • The buyer and the advertiser currently hold all required licenses, permits, registrations, waivers, consents or other governmental approvals (collectively, “licenses”) to operate in the jurisdictions in which the ad is served and in any other jurisdictions in which you and the advertiser operate. 
  • The buyer and the advertiser are in compliance and agree to remain in compliance with all applicable laws and the terms of all applicable licenses. 
  • The buyer and the advertiser agree not to serve gambling ads targeted to serve in any jurisdiction specifically prohibited by this policy, as such may be updated from time to time. 
  • The buyer is approved by AppNexus/Xandr to serve gambling ads. 
  • The buyer acknowledges that approval does not guarantee that ads can be served; Pontiac and AppNexus/Xandr reserve the right to conduct appropriate due diligence on the buyer and/or the advertiser and, in each of their sole and absolute discretion, may prohibit any ad from serving for any reason whatever. 

Pontiac shall have no liability or responsibility of any kind if AppNexus/Xandr decline to serve gambling ads or any other Ads proposed by a Pontiac user, regardless of whether the ads meet the Pontiac Ad Standards or are approved by Pontiac, and users agree to indemnify and hold harmless Pontiac from any losses arising from AppNexus/Xandr’s decision not to serve a user’s gambling ads.  

To “target ads to serve in a country” or “jurisdiction”, for purposes of this gambling addendum, means to target advertising based on the geographic location of an Internet user (according to the IP address associated with the requesting browser). 

Government-Sponsored Lotteries 

Advertising for government-sponsored lotteries is permitted, so long as the ads comply with the following requirements: 

  • The advertiser is a government entity or agency, such as a state, provincial or national lottery commission or authority, or a licensee or agent contractually authorized to operate or advertise lottery games on behalf of a government entity. 
  • The lottery ads must only target the jurisdiction that controls the lottery commission or authority, or in which the government-sponsored lottery is authorized. 
  • The lottery ads otherwise comply with all applicable laws, rules, regulations. 
  • Under no circumstances should gambling ads be targeted to children.  

Children’s Privacy

Laws in various jurisdictions regulate the collection and use of data from or about children, including based on activity on Child Sites. By Child Site we mean a site or app that is directed to or intended for children under (i) the age of 13 if the user is located in the US, (ii) the age required for parental consent, as determined by the laws of the Member State in which the child resides, if the child is located if the EEA, or (iii) the age defined by the laws or regulations of the given jurisdiction if the child is located outside the US and EEA.

In the US, the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 (COPPA) regulates the online collection and use of personal information from or about children. Under US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) rules implementing COPPA, it is prohibited (i) to create or update a user profile based on an activity (such as a click or a visit) on a child-directed site or app and/or (ii) to deliver an ad based on prior online activity to a user on a Child Site.

In the EEA, the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (GDPR) regulates the processing of personal data from or about children. Under the GDPR, the processing of the personal information of a child is prohibited where the child is younger than 16 (or the age required for parental consent as determined by the laws of the Member State in which the child resides) unless consent is given or authorized by the holder of parental responsibility of the child.

For COPPA or other applicable laws, rules, and regulations, including GDPR, Xandr regulates the collection and use of data on Child Sites:

  • Ads served on sites identified as child-directed on the Xandr platform may not be targeted based on prior online activity, i.e. behaviorally targeted or retargeted. Contextual ads may continue to be served on Child Sites. Targeting an ad based on prior online activity to a Child Site is prohibited.
  • In connection with your use of the Pontiac Intelligence platform, you may not:
  • Associate any behavioral or interest-based information about an impression from a Child Site with a user or unique identifier.
  • Target an ad based on prior online activity to a user on a Child Site.
  • Create segments specifically targeting children under the age of 13 without parental consent.
  • Collect or use personal identifiers or other personal information, e.g. cookie IDs, IP addresses, device IDs, or precise geolocation information, related to impressions on Child Sites.

Identifying Child Sites

  • Pontiac Intelligence, during its standard inventory auditing process (i.e., for sites submitted for Pontiac Intelligence audit), will use reasonable procedures designed to identify and categorize Child Sites.
  • Pontiac Intelligence provides configuration parameters for sellers to self-identify Child Sites.

Third-Party Seller Policies 

In addition to Pontiac Intelligence’s content policies, certain sellers have additional policies that apply to buyers of those sellers’ inventory and certain data providers have additional policies that apply to buyers of those data providers’ data. Pontiac Intelligence clients wishing to purchase such inventory or data are responsible for understanding and adhering to any such additional policies. These links to third-party policy documents are offered below as a convenience. However, these links are not guaranteed by Pontiac Intelligence to be up to date or all inclusive. Other policies and Sellers not listed may apply. 

Ad Inventory Seller Policies

Microsoft:

  • Creative Acceptance Policy: http://advertising.microsoft.com/creative-acceptance-policy
  • For Xandr policies regarding buying ad Inventory from Microsoft (including Windows Apps Inventory), see  Additional Microsoft Inventory Policies . 

Google (AdX):

  • http://www.google.com/support/adxbuyer/bin/topic.py?topic=22149
  • http://www.google.com/intl/en/adxbuyer/guidelines.html

Verizon Media (AOL & Yahoo):

https://adspecs.verizonmed

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