BANNERS SPECIFICATIONS

WHAT WE ACCEPT

We will accept ads in GIF, JPEG, animated GIF and Flash formats. Other formats must be tested and approved on a case-by-case basis. Formats that require the user to download plug-ins other than Flash will most likely be rejected.

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS Each frame of an animated gif must display for at least 2 seconds. All banners should have a hard 1-pixel border. All banners should be sized at 72dpi resolution. Firehouse.com reserves the right to reject advertising based on content, user impact, distraction factors and other situations as determined by the staff. Banners may not "Flash" messages that may overly distract the user. All banners that are submitted to Firehouse.com via e-mail must be uncompressed (not zipped). ALT (Mouseover) text should be no greater than 10 words. Advertisers must understand that all banners, when clicked, will launch the linked site in a new browser window. Banners must be designed so that interaction with the user only takes place if the user places the mouse within the advertisement area. Advertisers may make banner or other creative changes or additions every two weeks, following the time guidelines below, although we prefer advertisers to send us multiple banners at one time and have them scheduled any way you would like throughout your campaign. Flash banners must be Netscape/IE 4+ compliant.

BANNERS & BUTTON/BANNER SPONSORSHIPS

SIZE REQUIREMENTS

468x60	Non-Rich Media max file size is 18K. For Rich Media (those using HTML, Flash, Java, etc), the max file size is up to 18K for the initial load; up to an additional 50K may be loaded after a user moves their cursor over or clicks on the banner.
120x120	Max file size of 8K for JPG or GIF images. No rich media.
120x400	Max file size is 21K for JPG or GIF images. For Rich Media skyscrapers the max file size is up to 21K on the initial download, then we will accept up to 2 additional loads of up to 50K each that may be initiated after a user moves their cursor over or clicks on the skyscraper.
120x60	Run of Site Max file size of 8K for non-rich media. No rich media.
120x60 Fixed	Max file size of 7K for JPG or GIF images. Fixed Positions Only Max file size of 8K for JPG or GIF images. For Rich Media the max file size is up to 8K for the initial load; up to an additional 20K may be loaded after a user moves their cursor over or clicks on the banner.
218x40	Max file size of 12K for non-rich media. For Rich Media the max file size is up to 8K for the initial load; up to an additional 25K may be loaded after a user moves their cursor over or clicks on the banner.
100x100	Product Image JPG or GIF only. Max file size of 6K. No animation.
160x50	Top Pages Max file size of 11k for GIF and JPG images.

You can easily track the click through ratio of your banner right on the web through our advanced ad serving technology. Please ask your sales representative for an access URL and password for our reporting system. Additionally, Firehouse.com can help you design a banner that yields improved results.

BANNER INSERTION & DESIGN REQUIREMENTS

IF ADVERTISER PROVIDES BANNERS

Note: If the creative is anything other than an animated gif or JPG (for example: Flash), the creative must be received one week (five business days) ahead of flight date to allow for proper quality assurance testing. Please notify us at time of insertion order signing or ten business days prior to the launch of the campaign if you are planning to use Rich Media.

DEADLINES

• Creative for a run of site campaign must be received three business days before the start of that campaign. Creative must include list of URLs that each banner will be directed to as well as ALT tags for each banner.
  
• Creative for a section sponsorship or fixed position location must be received four business days before the start of that campaign. Creative must include list of URLs that each banner will be directed to as well as ALT tags for each banner.
  
• Receiving creative outside of these boundaries will result in the campaign starting one business day later for each day late the creative is up to three business days. The campaign will extended for the same number of days. Creative later than three days will need to be negotiated on a case-by-case basis.
  
• Creative received late for section and other fixed position section sponsorships, which may be date sensitive, will have to be negotiated on a case-by-case basis. In some instances, another campaign may be booked to start immediately following your campaign and additional days cannot be added to the initial campaign.
  

IF WE DESIGN THE BANNERS FOR YOU

Firehouse.com's team can easily assist your company with designing banners, developing online marketing strategies and more.

FEES

• BANNER DESIGN COST - ANY SIZE (GIF/JPG) $136 EACH
• BANNER DESIGN COST - FLASH $210/UP EA.
• FORM AND LANDING PAGE DESIGN $525 EACH
• SCANNING IMAGES OR ALTERING $32 EACH

Changes, additional time spent working with client to develop banner design or landing page layout AFTER THREE (3) REVISIONS, will be billed at $75/hour.

PRE-DESIGN NEEDS

Before we can create your banner, you will need to work with your marketing team and ours to determine the best strategy and a clear, concise design plan for your banner(s). This should include:

• Providing a URL or direct graphic image(s) to be included in your banner(s) including company logo, products and other related images.
• A clear concept to include marketing slogans and the mission of your campaign to more rapidly assist us in preparing your banners.
• Materials may be submitted in Zip format to minimize file size. Clients should avoid sending files zipped using stuff-it expander (common on Mac platform). While some clients may use MAC platform to create their graphics, we prefer those graphics being converted to .eps files. We may be able to open quark files (commonly used for print ads), but some graphic elements critical to the design maybe lost in conversion from MAC to PC. Converting to .eps file will solve this problem.

DEADLINES

For five or fewer banners, of any size, please allow up to seven business days before your campaign begins for banner creation and approval. This will include five business days to allow for banner design, creation and client approval, followed by two days to enter the campaign into the system.

Add two additional business days for additional five banners to be created for your campaign.

Campaigns where creatives follow multiple concepts and designs, or more than 10 banners, will be handled on a case by case basis.

NEED IT FASTER? Firehouse.com recognizes the need for quick turnaround for time-sensitive campaigns and aims to meet all deadlines and exceed client expectations. Based on the availability of our staff, if you require our creative assistance, we may be able to provide a quicker turnaround as well as begin your campaign immediately. However, this availability is not guaranteed and depends on timing and scheduling. If your campaign requires immediate launching with your order and/or you need creative assistance, a premium charge may be imposed from $150-$200 for immediate turnaround of an order. The cost would vary based on date of delivery of the creative for the campaign and same-day launch in the ad-serving system for a client campaign. Please advise your sales representative of any special needs when you place your insertion order and if you require creative assistance as creative costs are additional to rush charges. We aim to exceed your expectations and thank you for choosing Firehouse.com.

TEXT LINK ADS - HOME PAGE SPONSORED LINKS

• Must Provide URL at least three business days prior to campaign starting.
• Available currently only on the Home Page as 'Sponsored Links'
• Text is limited to 20 characters and spaces. All capitals not permitted except if part of actual company or product name.

RICH MEDIA SUPPORT

WHAT WE ACCEPT

We will accept ads in most formats, including HTML and Flash. Other Rich Media formats must be discussed and tested on a case-by-case basis.

When submitting a rich media banner, a conventional GIF or JPEG banner must also be submitted, within the size and file requirements as a normal comparable size banner. This alternative will be served to visitors who cannot view rich media.

TRACKING STANDARD FLASH BANNERS
The top layer within the Flash banner will be the layer that communicates with the sniffer code associated with each banner. The layer will only contain a transparent button in which a "Get URL" action is assigned to it (for Flash pop-up windows, see special instructions). Instead of inserting the actual destination URL, it must be assigned the expression 'clicktag'. The 'clicktag' expression is referred to within the sniffer code, where the WDIG tracking script and resolving URL are encoded. The action script which must be used with the ad's button layer is:

NEW clicktag code:
on(release){
if (clickTAG.substr(0,5)=="http:")
{
getURL(clickTAG, "_blank");
}
}

Please note: The action script for the button layer in your Flash file should look exactly as it is above. Do not insert your URL where the "http:" is above. This revised action script simply checks to make sure that "http:" is contained within the URL we pass into it.

This is updated action script is based on security measures recommended by Macromedia. According to Macromedia, "The ActionScript...is verifying that the clickTAG URL begins with "http:". This is an important security measure. If you do not take this precaution, a malicious HTML page could source your SWF and pass a clickTAG URL that begins with "javascript:" or another scripting pseudo-protocol. If your ActionScript code were to call getURL with a maliciously crafted JavaScript URL, it would be possible for the site serving the malicious HTML page to obtain the contents of your HTTP cookies or perform other actions on your site's behalf."

For more detailed information on implementing clicktag ActionScript, visit Macromedia's Flash Tracking Kit.

FINAL FILES REQUIRED

All advertisers wishing to use Flash creatives must supply the WDIG Advertising Account Manager with all of the following before the three day testing period can begin:

• Flash SWF (version 6 or less)
  
• Default GIF
  
• Click-through URLs
  
• Alternate Text
  

TRACKING FLASH INSTRUCTIONS

To assign a clickTAG for your advertisement:

• The Flash File (.fla extension) must first be modified.
• The clickTAG is the tracking code assigned by the ad serving network to an individual ad. The clickTAG allows the network to register where the ad was displayed when it was clicked on. This click through data is reported to the ad serving servers so advertisers may determine the effectiveness of their campaign.
• The code below will allow ad serving networks to dynamically assign a clickTAG to their ad.

Flash MX/Flash 6 ONLY Accepted

In this example, a getURL action is being assigned to a button that will navigate the browser to [clickTAG]. The getURL(clickTAG) statement appends the variable data passed in via the OBJECT EMBED tag and navigates the browser to that location. It is the tracking code assigned by the ad serving network, which allows them to register a user's click on that advertisement.

The expression box must be checked for the clickTAG variable to work properly. See picture below.

In order to have a new browser window open when clicking on the banner, choose "_blank" by the window option in the action window. See picture below.

NEWSDAY SPONSORSHIPS

• 468x60 banners must be GIF or JPG (no RichMedia), and follow the general site guidelines of size and animation.
• Banners must be received four days before the campaign is to run.
• The sponsorship includes a headline and teaser text below the banner near the top of the NewsDay mailing of no more than 60 characters.
• The sponsorship includes a promotional headline and message near the middle of the NewsDay mailing not to exceed 75 words or 400 characters total (including spaces).

SHOP@FIREHOUSE.COM SPECIFICATIONS

General Notes

The number of products featured in any Shop@Firehouse campaign is negotiated in the insertion order, but can only be changed or rotated once a month after the campaign launches without further charges. However, multiple products can be scheduled at time of insertion order to run in various periods.

The minimum insertion time for campaigns to be served in our various shopping sections is five business days. The following additional guidelines apply for specific campaigns.

Banners in the Shopping section should follow the same requirements outlined in the banner section based on the file size or closest equivalent.

Featured Shops

WHAT IS IT?

Featured Shops are available on the front page of our shopping section and on the category front pages. They are boxes at the center of the page right below the category name that include a (up to) 240x35 company logo, a 100x100 image of a specific product, up to 50 words or 300 characters describing the product, and a text link to order the product and a text link to the parent web site if desired. A pull down menu linking to up to 15 other products or categories on the parent company's Web site may also be included.

DEADLINES & REQUIREMENTS

Assuming all information is provided by the Advertiser, all materials must be received five business days before the start of a campaign:

• A 100x100 image with a one-pixel border (no border for images with a white background) of each product to be featured. JPG or GIF only. No animation. Max file size of 8K per image. Must include ALT tag of up to 8 words.
• A 240x35 company logo in GIF or JPG format. No animation. Up to 8K. Must include ALT tag up to 8 words.
• A 50 word (up to 300 character) text description of the product, as well as a text link wording for the product and company. The product name may include up to 6 words.
• The URL(s) for the products, company and drop down menu.

If the materials are not provided, please allow two business days (above the five) for the creation of your company logo and/or up to ten product images. More than 10 product images must be negotiated on a case-by-case basis.

Firehouse.com charges a one-time sizing and migration fee $25 per product if they are not provided sized properly, or we need to pull them from a web site URL (which must be given to us).

Hot Product Picks

WHAT IS IT?

Hot Product Picks are 100x100 images of specific products from an advertiser that rotate in one or more of the following locations:

• Firehouse.com Home Page and Some Interior Pages
• Shop@Firehouse Main Page or Category Page(s)

DEADLINES & REQUIREMENTS

• A 100x100 image with a one-pixel border (no border for images with a white background) of each product to be featured. JPG or GIF only. No animation. Max file size of 8K per image. Must include ALT tag of up to 8 words.
• The URL(s) for the product(s). For Firehouse.com shopping affiliate partners, this URL should include your appropriate tracking URL when appropriate.
• Images must be received at least five business days before a campaign is scheduled to start for up to 10 product images. Please allow an additional business day for each additional 10 products.

Firehouse.com charges a one-time sizing and migration fee $25 per product if they are not provided or not sized properly. If they are not provided at all, we must have the ability to pull them from a web site URL (which must be given to us). Please allow two business days for every 20 products in addition to the normal five business day turnaround time for this service.

Marketplace Vendor Directory Icon

WHAT IS IT?

Your company's Marketplace Vendor Directory icon appears within the main Shop@Firehouse page, the category pages and the vendor directory where appropriate based on the Insertion Order. These 100x32 images (including a one-pixel border) should not exceed 4K. Firehouse.com creates these buttons free of charge for all shopping partners who sign up for our package offerings. For non-package advertisers, they can be created for a fee of $30. As with all Shop@Firehouse packages, turnaround of five business days is required.

FirehouseBlasts

ADVERTISER SUPPLIED CREATIVE

Firehouse.com must have all HTML and Text version creative for a FirehouseBlast at least seven business days prior to it running. This will allow for four days for upload and testing, two days for client approval and one day to upload the final approved version and schedule for delivery.

A subject line that meets our approval must be provided.

Due to the strict timeline of the FirehouseBlast schedule, if you do not supply your creative within these deadlines we cannot guarantee its place in our delivery schedule. You may be charged a late fee of up to $500 or your campaign may be delayed or cancelled, depending on the circumstances and amount of time the materials are provided late.

Firehouse.com prefers to have all creative as soon as possible following the signing of an insertion order.

The advertiser should be no wider than 600 pixels and include an HTML version with a file size not exceeding 60K total including all text and graphics, as well as a plain text version. No rich media is permitted. Only text, JPG and GIF images are allowed. Text versions should be no more than 10K and may not include any image files. Blast materials should also include a subject line no more than 25 words or 255 characters. We can also run the subject line through a "Spam-Checker Tool" that points out any verbiage that will be picked up by spam filters.

The HTML ad text versions should include all LINKED text and graphics. Please include full paths for all links and images. (For example, "http://firehouse.com" not "index.html" and http://yoursite.com/images/xyz.jpg -- not "/images/xyz.jpg")

FIREHOUSE.COM DESIGNED CREATIVE

Firehouse.com's team can design an effective and complete FirehouseBlast for your company. This service is provided as an added value to your FirehouseBlast insertion order.

In addition to the above description of the FirehouseBlast document, the following applies to those designed by our team:

PRE-CREATION NEEDS

Before we can create your FirehouseBlast, you will need to work with your marketing team and ours to determine the best strategy and a clear, concise design plan for your banner(s). This should include providing:

• URL(s) or direct graphic image(s) to be included in your FirehouseBlast including company logo, products and other related images.
• Advertisers should also provide our design team with a clear concept to include marketing slogans and the mission of your campaign to more rapidly assist us in preparing your FirehouseBlast.
• " Materials may be submitted in Zip format to minimize file size. Clients should avoid sending files zipped using stuff-it expander (common on Mac platform). While some clients may use MAC platform to create their graphics, we prefer those graphics being converted to .eps files. We may be able to open quark files (commonly used for print ads), but some graphic elements critical to the design maybe lost in conversion from MAC to PC. Converting to .eps file will solve this problem.

While reviewing our creative, you must give clear direction as to what graphics and text should be linked, and what URLs each should be directed to.

DEADLINES

The first phase of the design of a FirehouseBlast will take place between the client and sales representative to create a basic design concept.

Please allow up to two weeks before your campaign runs for any Firehouse.com-created FirehouseBlast.

Firehouse.com's design team must have at least five business days to work on the concept and develop the design and HTML and Text versions. The team will then offer the advertiser up to two business days to review it. Following that, we allow up to two days of altering and adjusting the documents as needed before final testing and entering into our system the last day before the campaign is scheduled to start.

Ideally, we prefer to have all creative ideas and related graphic and text AS FAR IN ADVANCE as possible.

Due to the strict timeline of the FirehouseBlast schedule, if you do not supply your creative within these deadlines we cannot guarantee its place in our delivery schedule. You may be charged a late fee of up to $500 or your campaign may be delayed or cancelled, depending on the circumstances and amount of time the materials are provided late.

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Firehouse Product Showcase Blasts

ADVERTISER SUPPLIED CREATIVE

Firehouse.com must have all materials: company logo, featured product image and links, and descriptive text (up to 40 words) for a Firehouse Product Showcase Blast listing. These materials are to be submitted at least seven business days prior to it running.

Due to the strict timeline of the Firehouse Product Showcase Blasts schedule, if you do not supply your creative within these deadlines we cannot guarantee its place in our delivery schedule. You may be charged a late fee of up to $500 or your campaign may be delayed or cancelled, depending on the circumstances and amount of time the materials are provided late.

Firehouse.com prefers to have all creative as soon as possible following the signing of an insertion order.

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