Learn how to upload display files (single or bulk) to the illumin library. Review the detailed spec table and learn about acceptable display formats for desktop, mobile, and tablet devices.

Steps to open the Creatives page

1. Log in to illumin.
2. Go to the top menu bar.
3. Select Library > Creatives.
4. Click the Add Creative button.
5. Select Single Upload or Bulk Upload.

If you select single, a side panel displays. If you select bulk, a new page displays. 

Steps to upload a single file

Select the Display menu option. The screen prompts you to select an adserver type.

• Select Hosted (recommended) to upload creatives to illumin and use our platform as the source of truth for ad delivery and impressions.
• Third Party is an advanced feature that uses non-illumin adservers. 

Go to the Display Type line and select Standard. The main difference between Standard and DOOH is display size. DOOH dimensions tend to be larger. 

To review a list of acceptable dimensions, click the Show standard dimensions link. If you're new to the industry (or need a refresher), you should become familiar with this list.

Steps to add a file to a folder

To upload a file, click the Select file button. Upload a file from your device. 

 

Click the Creative Folder field and select the New Folder menu option. In the new field, enter a unique name that will be easy to recall. Saving your digital assets in a custom folder is optional but recommended. 

Go to the Click URL field and paste in the website page URL (and optionally a UTM parameter) that should display when users click (or tap) this display image. The other fields in the form are optional. Scroll down and click the Add button. illumin adds a row to the Creatives table. 

Optional fields

• Creative Description: Enter an internal note so team members can get the gist of this asset without sending you an SMS asking, “What’s this?”
• Creative Language: The language of the content. English is the default.
• Open RTB Creative Attributes: Recommended for advanced users only. Insert industry-standard attributes for this creative type (e.g. In-Banner Video Ad, expandable, etc.).
• HTML Content: Paste in a snippet (a small script code created on the Trackers page to measure events) to go with the creative.
• Impression Pixel 1: Paste in your pixel. Optionally, click the plus (+) icon to add another.

Steps to bulk upload display files

To associate the same URL with multiple display files, use a shortcut. 

1. Paste the URL into the field.
2. Click the Replace button. illumin auto-fills the Click URL fields (a full field replacement) with the same web address.
3. Use the same shortcut to auto-fill other fields (e.g. Impression Pixel or Language).

When complete, click the upload button in the bottom-right corner of the page. illumin uploads the files to the Creatives table. 

Steps to manage display creatives

Go to the Creatives table and expand the folder. There's one row for each file. To review or edit file settings, go to the row and click the pencil icon. It's not possible to delete a creative. Instead, you can archive a file. Click the folder icon and select Archived.

Display specs

Before uploading creatives, make sure your files conform to the specs in the table below. 

Display
	Desktop / Laptop	Mobile web / App (smartphone)	Tablet
Description	Ads served on laptop & desktop.	Ads served on smartphone	Ads served on a tablet.
Standard size* (WxH in pixels)	160x600, 300x250, 728x90, 300x600 *	320x50, 300x50, 300x250	160x600, 300x250, 728x90
In-app	N/A	320x50, 300x250	1024x90
Interstitial  (between the page)	N/A	300x250, 320x480, 480x320	1024x768, 768x1024
Format	JPEG, GIF, Standard HTML5*****, Complex HTML5** (For HTML follow the instructions below)	JPEG, GIF, Standard HTML5*, Complex HTML5** (For HTML follow the instructions below)
Third-party ad serving	All major ad servers. CM360, MediaMind(Sizmek), Innovid, Pointroll and others.
Good practices	For times when the user's browser does not support creative functionality (Standard & Complex HTML5) provide a standard backup image file. Ads are required to contain sufficient brand notification. For instance, banners should include advertiser's brand name or logo in the ads, so that users know which website they will be led to once an ad is clicked. Landing page should include a privacy policy to avoid creative rejections by premium publishers. Landing page must be crawlable. To allow Google crawler on your page, you can add User-Agent: AdsBot-Google to your domain's robots.txt.
	Additional notes
Additional sizes	970x250,300x1050, 970x90. Contact your Account Manager for other sizes.
Complex HTML5, expandable creative & in-banner video	** Must be third party tags.
Additional third-party ad serving	*** Contact your Account Manager.
Dynamic creative	*** Contact your Account Manager.
Max initial file load size allowance	*** 200 KB, IAB recommendation is 50 KB (image)
Max expanded dimension (WxH in pixels) and aspect ratio	300x250 to 600x250, 160x600 to 600x600, 728x90 to 728x360, 300x600 to 600x600	App: 320x50 to 320x480, 300x50 to 300x25	App: 768x90 to 768x 1024,1024x90 to 1024x 768
Secure sockets layer (SSL)	All tags, pixels and libraries must be secure (https) or protocol agnostic. Failure to provide secure or protocol agnostic tags, pixels and libraries may result in delivery issues.
	For in-banner video
Max animation and video frame rate	24 FPS
Max animation and video length		30 seconds or less (loops included); 15, 10 or 7 seconds recommended; maximum 3 loops	30 seconds or less (loops included); 15 seconds recommended; maximum 3 loops
Audio initiation	Audio must be user-initiated (on click: mute/unmute). Default state is muted.
Minimum required controls	Expandable Creative:  Control = "Close X" on expanded panel and "Expand" on collapsed panel Font = 8pt (11px) - 16pt (21px) Retract Feature = Either click to close/expand or enable mouse-off retraction In-Banner Video**: Video must include: Play, Pause, Mute (and/or volume control to 0). Note: A close button is not required as the video resides within the ad unit itself.	Controls = Play, Pause, Mute (and/or volume control to 0)    Video may be played in native player which has standard controls
	HTML5
HTML5 creative	HTML5 Creative is a .html file that includes or calls other files: - calls .JS or .CSS files; - calls images (.JPEG, .GIF, .SVG) and video (.MP4, .WEBM).
File size measurement definitions for HTML5 ads	File size limit of 75-100 KB, measured after compressing the ad (with all code and assets) into a .zip file. The .zip file must include all reference codes such as Javascript libraries. There should be at least one .html file in the .zip file. Once the .zip file is uncompressed, the ad (an .html file) must be viewable without a network connection (all code and assets used in the ad are contained in the .zip file).  HTML5 creative must meet our rich media ad specifications such as file load size and functionality for the ad unit (refer to programmatic display requirements).  Acuity only supports Standard HTML5 (standard creative with single click-through URL). If you have Complex HTML5 (creative with multiple click-throughs), we require 3rd party tags.
illumin requirements	Ensure that in head style, the width and height are set (e.g. body {width; 300 px.; height: 250 px.} ). Dynamic creative sizes are not accepted. Ensure that the creatives are tested on all browsers prior to sending. For times when the user's browser does not support creative functionality, please provide a standard backup image file. Because of the variability in HTML5 format, we request the files to be sent 5-7 days prior to launch for testing in order to verify compatibility with our system and our exchange partners.

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FAQs

Why does illumin require strict display size and file weight limits?

illumin enforces size and weight limits to maintain compatibility across exchanges and publisher inventory. Oversized or heavy files often fail to serve or face rejection. Adhering to recommended limits increases reach and reduces delivery risk.

When should marketers choose bulk upload instead of single upload?

Bulk upload fits workflows that apply the same click URL or tracking pixels across many files. Single upload suits one-off assets or detailed field customization. Both options use the same creative specifications and validation rules.

Does illumin require backup images for display creatives?

Yes, illumin requires a standard backup image when a browser does not support Flash or HTML5 functionality. Backup images ensure ad delivery continuity and reduce rejection risk from premium publishers.

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