Creative Requirements

• Colour schemes should be tasteful and complementary to our site’s style.

• No large swatches of colour that overpower and conflict with the style of our site. (ie. Red, grey ...)

• Globe and Mail colours cannot be used within the creative design = Red: Hex #DA161F & Grey: Hex #595959 

• Billboard and Hero units must not use red or dark grey fills which conflict with or imitate the Globe’s brand and navigation colour. 

Design

• Creative must be clearly branded and include a 1 pixel visible border.

• Cannot interfere with ability of user to read or consume our content. 

• Any expanding/overlay creative is prohibited from using instant mouseover expansions. 

  • All overlay creative must have a visible manual close [X] button.

• Cannot replicate our content, otherwise deface, impair, harm or modify images of our content.

• Creative should never mimic The Globe and Mail content style sheets including fonts & backgrounds.

• Cannot imply an association or approval of editorial consent with advertising messaging.

• Cannot be overpowering nor excessively distracting.

• Use of the Globe logo mark in co-branded campaigns is subject to approval
  
  

HTML5 Creative Assets

• If supplying HTML5 zip creative, please follow the requirements for Google Ad Manager compatibility. Additional details can be found here.

• HTML5 zip assets are not supported for impression-based roadblocks. Please supply static images or 3rd party tags. 

• Please utilize a file transfer service (ie. OneDrive, WeTransfer, Dropbox etc.) to create a link to download the HTML5 zip assets from. 

  • Our company firewalls will block zip files attached directly to emails.

Double Density Creative

• We accept 2x density image files for use on high-density, or "Retina," displays across desktop and mobile devices.  

• Available with standard IAB sizes only.

• Additional spec requirements can be found here.
  
  

Verification Tags

• Verification tags must be set to monitoring only. Ad blocking is not allowed. 

  • Cannot be used on the App HPTO tactic within Globe Own the Day executions, Apple News inventory or in Globe newsletters.

  • It is highly recommended that the verification parameters are removed for all sponsorship/takeover executions and pre-roll/outstream video tactics.

• We support DV and IAS only. All other vendors require approval prior to launch. 

• Please review the additional guidelines here.

Third Party Retargeting Pixels

• All 3rd party tags, hosted files and/or redirect URLs must be secure (https://) 

• Package all applicable gif/HTML5 files within individual Zip files – one for each creative unit to run.

• Attach all associated files to an e-mail and send to your Account Manager, your AOS, and traffic@globeandmail.com. Please include the alignment of the creative files to the campaign line items within the email.

  • If supplying creative in zip files, please use a file transfer service (ie. OneDrive, WeTransfer, Dropbox etc.) to create a link to download the zip assets from.

  • Our company firewalls will block zip files attached directly to emails.

• Please supply the full URL string for the creative as is. Do not provide the URL within a hyperlink. 

Testing

• All rich media or high impact units on Globe Alliance sites are subject to a minimum of 5 business days testing before the selected placements will become active.

• Please ensure all creative is fully tested to work in all versions of major web browsers (Edge, Firefox, Chrome, Safari, Opera, etc.) prior to submission.

• All third party served ads must be tested and validated for specs prior to running on Globe Alliance sites.

Ad Validation

• The Globe and Mail validates all 3rd party served ad tags for spec alignment prior to launch. 

• The validation process looks at all aspects within each tag including creative files, HTML, images, pixels, JS wrappers etc. Please place heavier files into the subload/polite load.

• After initial spec validation, any additional creative changes on 3rd party tags must be flagged to your Account Manager/AOS in advance. 

• Updated tags require re-validation for spec alignment prior to going live. If changes are not flagged, we cannot be held responsible for any issues that occur after the creative update.

• Further details can be found here.

Approval

• All ad units are subject to publishers approval based on motion path overlay, animation, length, and/or content of advertising.

• Creative that falls under the following categories requires approval from our Legal team before launch: Public Policy/PSA, Political, Advocacy, Charity, Gambling/iGaming, Pharma/Healthcare, Tobacco, Alcohol, Marijuana & Vaping. 

  • Please submit creatives requiring Legal approval at least 5 business days before launch.

• ESPN has strict requirements on who and/or what is allowed to be advertised across their sites. If your campaign includes ESPN delivery, please consult with your Account Manager prior to submitting creative to ensure the design/client does not fall under their exclusion blocklists.

Advanced Concepts