Build an interactive ad

The builder gives you a form and a live preview side by side. The preview runs the ad as a reader would see it, in phone, desktop and fallback views.

Before you start

• Have the landing page ready. Every link must be a full https:// address.
• For a lead form, one-tap subscribe or RSVP, have your privacy policy URL ready. The consent box links to it.

For agencies

Pick the client first. The builder opens with the client you have selected.

For publishers

A creative you build here belongs to your own direct-sold campaigns, so there is no Advertiser field.

Steps

1. Open Creatives and select New Interactive.
2. Pick a format. Each one opens with sample copy for you to replace.
3. Fill in Basics: Creative name, Brand name, Landing page, and Your privacy policy if the format collects an email. IAB category is optional. Newsletters use it to block categories.
4. Fill in Content. The fields depend on the format; the limits are below.
5. Unless it's a poll or quiz, set the Button text and colour.
6. To stop the ad at a set time, fill in Ends (optional). Readers see "ends in …", and the ad stops serving at that time.
7. Check Static fallback. It is built from your headline, body and button. To write it yourself, tick Write my own fallback.
8. Select Save & submit for review.

Once saved, you can select Send test to my inbox.

Limits

Field	Limit
Brand name	40 characters
Headline	90 characters
Question (poll, quiz)	120 characters
Body	240 characters
Button text	24 characters
Answer (poll, quiz)	2 to 5 answers, 60 characters each
Quiz	Exactly one correct answer. Explanation up to 240 characters
Link text under results	40 characters
Carousel	2 to 8 slides, captions up to 40 characters
Explainer	2 to 6 questions. Question 100 characters, answer 400
Lead form	Email plus up to 3 of: Name, Company, Job title, Phone, City, PIN code, Single choice (2 to 5 options)
One-tap subscribe	Newsletter name up to 60 characters
RSVP	Event name up to 80 characters. 1 to 6 future times, 5 to 600 minutes each, 1 to 100,000 seats or blank for unlimited
Thank-you message (lead, subscribe, RSVP)	160 characters
Offer codes	3 to 32 letters, digits, - or _
Unique offer codes	Up to 50,000
Calculator disclaimer	160 characters. Required for Loan EMI and SIP / investment
Ends	In the future, within a year
Uploaded images	PNG, JPEG or GIF, up to 5 MB
Image card	At least 600 px wide. Cut to the shape you pick
Carousel images	Landscape, at least 600×300

A lead form can't ask for anything sensitive: no passwords, payment details, ID numbers, health or similar data. The Advertising Policy has the full list.

Offer reveal codes

• One code for everyone: type the code in the form.
• A unique code per reader: save the creative first, then paste your codes under Unique codes, one per line or comma separated, and select Upload codes. Each reader keeps the code they revealed. Uploading again replaces the codes nobody has yet. When the codes run out, the ad stops showing.

Put {code} in the landing page URL to pass the reader's code along when they click.

What happens next

Your ad goes to MailAdx's review. The builder shows its status next to the name. A rejected ad shows the reason at the top of the page. If you change what the ad shows after approval, it goes back to review.

A unique-code offer can't be approved until its codes are uploaded.

Once it is approved, run it on a line item.

Send a test

Send test to my inbox emails the ad to the address you signed in with. Open it in Gmail or Yahoo Mail to use the interactive version. Taps in a test are answered but never counted or billed. You can send 5 tests a day.

If something goes wrong

• "Mark exactly one answer as correct". A quiz needs one right answer. Select it with the button beside the answer.
• "Answers must be different from each other". Two answers match. Change one.
• "… must be a full https:// address". Plain http links and addresses without a domain are refused.
• "A loan or investment calculator needs a short disclaimer". Add one, for example "Illustrative only; actual rates vary."
• "You've sent 5 tests today". Try again tomorrow.
• The test email looks static. You are seeing the fallback. Open the email in Gmail or Yahoo Mail, and don't forward it first.