Challenge
You are planning to use the ADvendio Creative Upload features to manage your creatives in ADvendio and upload them directly to your Google Ad Manager (GAM) network. Now you are wondering:
Which creative types and features are already supported?
Which steps are needed to set up and configure the creative upload feature for GAM
Can ADvendio handle custom templates? And how to configure this?
Solution
To set up the Creative Upload in ADvendio, there are so-called Ad Creative Templates required. Those templates control, which fields and settings will be available in the Creative Upload UI and thus which information your Sales Reps will be able to see. Additionally, you can determine which Campaign Items, and which Creative Templates are available. This helps you for example to make sure to only use video creatives for your video Campaign Items and similar.
Also, the templates will help to define which information is sent to which fields in GAM. Some of the templates in ADvendio will refer to a Creative Template in GAM.
Underneath each Ad Creative Template in ADvendio, there are Template Variables, which can configure which fields are visible in the Creative Upload Screen.
To set up your Creative Upload for Google AdManager you will need to go through the following steps:
Create or Import (version 2.155 and up) Ad Creative Templates into ADvendio
Configure your Ad Creative Template Variables for each template based on your GAM requirements
Connect Ad Creative Templates to Ad Types in ADvendio, to make them available to your Users
Features and Creative formats currently supported for GAM
The following Creative formats are currently supported by ADvendio:
The ADvendio Creative Data Model
Here is an overview of the data model and what it means:
ADvendio Object | Google Ad Manager |
|---|
Ad Creative | The actual creative that will be uploaded to an advertiser in GAM and will later be assigned to a line item |
Campaign Item | represents the Line Item in GAM |
Creative Assignments | ADvendio assigns Creatives to Line Items in GAM based on the Creative Assignment object in ADvendio. |
Ad Creative Template | The GAM Creative Template to use (if applicable) |
Ad Creative Template Variable | The fixed settings and fields required for GAM Creatives, more information can be seen below |
Import your templates from your Google Ad Manager Network
This is available as a BETA release with version 2.157, we will delivery additional functions within the following releases |
You can now import templates from your Google Ad Manager network into ADvendio. With this enhancement, you have ready-to-use templates already created at the click of a button!
To access this feature, you will need to go to your Google Ad Manager Connection record in ADvendio and select ‘transfer to ADvendio’
Within the window that opens, you will need to select Creative Templates and decide which templates you’d like to import.
Creative Standard Templates → This includes the required templates for the default Google Creatives, such as images, image URLs and similar)
Creative Custom Templates → This includes Custom Creative Templates and Native formats in Google Ad Manager, which you can fully customize for your Google network. (Available with Version 2.157)
Once the import is done, you receive ready-to-use templates, which contain all the required technical information for ADvendio. You can then proceed to further customize them to your needs, for example by adding additional help texts to the variables (see mapping section below).
Attention: All templates imported by ADvendio, receive a Unique Key in the field Unique Key External. If you want to modify a template for your own needs, please empty this Unique Key or set an own one. Otherwise if you start the import process a second time, we might overwrite your changes! |
Problems during the import
After the import process from the AdServer is finished, you will receive a result email. This will also provide you with an overview of problems during the import process. Some of the more common issues can be:
Non-working / invalid credentials for your connection
Missing Permissions on your Third-Party Platform User
Salesforce Problems, when uploading data, such as no editing permissions on the required fields and objects, storage limitations or custom validations
If a Creative Template can not be created by the ADvendio import process, all related variables will also fail, with an error message that ‘ADvendio__UniqueKeyExt__c was not specified’
Manually create an Ad Creative Template in ADvendio
You start by creating your Ad Creative Template in ADvendio, this will help you to configure the types of creatives you want to manage from ADvendio.
Let’s say we want to use the Standard file image template. We proceed to create an Ad Creative Template record in ADvendio, which could look like this:
Creative Template Name: You can pick any name that you like. This name will be shown to the user when uploading a new creative to ADvendio, so we recommend using something relatable to your users
Connection (optional): Please link to the connection record, which represents your GAM network
Creative Type: Determines which type of Creative will be uploaded to Google AdManager. The following formats are currently supported:
Image
Image URL
Overlay
Campaign Manager 360
Third-Party Creative
Template ID: Currently not used
External Status: Currently not used
Active: Please set your template to active, otherwise it will not be available during the creative upload process
Manually configure your Ad Creative Template Variables
Once the template is there, you will need to define which fields you want or need to use. In our example, there are a few fixed variables we always need for the GAM banner.
To manage the variables of a template, you need to switch to the related tab in your Ad Creative Template record and view the related list ‘Ad Creative Template Variables’
Click the button new to create a new Variable. Depending on your creative format there are certain Variables which are always required. See also the section on the mapping below. Each Variable record you create will then be its field in the Creative Upload window your user sees, so they can fill in the required information.
The fields mean the following:
Name: A general name for your variable. This will also be shown as a Field Name to the user during the creative upload process, so we recommend picking something your users can recognize
Variable Type: Which data type is this variable? The selection will also reflect how your field will be shown to the users. Possible types are:
attachment: This type should be used for files.
boolean: This type represents a checkbox with true or false.
date: This type represents a date with a calendar selection.
integer: This type represents a whole number.
picklist: This type represents a list of multiple values.
string: This type represents a text.
textarea: This type represents a longer text.
attachmentURL: This type should be used for URLs to externally stored images.
Required: Check this if the field is required for the user.
Possible Values: Only applicable for picklist Variable Types to enter the possible values to be selected separated by a semicolon.
Variable ID: The ID to target the value to the external system (case-sensitive). Please check the table below for more information.
Default: A possible default value to support the user in the selection.
Help Text: A possible help text which will soon be shown in the UI.
ADvendio Variable ID | Field to target | Relevant Variable Type | Possible Values* | Max Length (characters) | Required | Relevant for Creative Formats |
|---|
File | The actual image file to upload | attachment | “0691j000001mK5aAAE” | | 
| Image Overlay Custom Code Creative (with 2.170 release) |
DestinationURL | Destination URL where the ad leads | string | | 1024 |
| Image Image URL Overlay Custom Code Creative (with 2.170 release) |
DestinationURLType | The type of destination a user reaches once the ad is clicked. Default to lead to a website is CLICK_TO_WEB | picklist | CLICK_TO_WEB CLICK_TO_APP CLICK_TO_CALL
| |
| Image Image URL Overlay Custom Code Creative (with 2.170 release) |
TargetSize | The slot size | string | any 123x345 format | |
| Image Image URL Overlay Third-Party Custom Code Creative(with 2.170 release) |
OverrideSize | A size to use instead of the actual slot size of the image | string | any 123x345 format | | 
| CampaignManager360 |
ImageURL | The URL where the actual asset resides. | attachmentURL | | 1024 |
| Image URL |
RedirectURL | Contains the redirect URL of the creative Asset; Usually the Tag received from CampaignManager360 | RedirectURL | | |
| CampaignManager360 |
AlternativeText | Alternative text to be rendered along with the creative used mainly for accessibility. | string | | 500 |
| Image / Image URL |
ImpressionURL | An impression tracking URL to ping when the creative is displayed. | string | | 1024 |
| Image / Image URL |
CustomParameters | A comma separated key=value list of parameters that will be supplied to the creative. | string | | |
| Overlay |
Duration | Minimum suggested duration in seconds. | integer | | |
| Overlay |
Orientation | A locked orientation for the creative to be displayed in. | picklist | UNKNOWN FREE_ORIENTATION PORTRAIT_ONLY LANDSCAPE_ONLY
| |
| Overlay Third-Party Custom Code Creative (with 2.170 release) |
SSLManualOverride | You can define if Google should check the SSL of Third Party HTML creatives or to overwrite if the creative is compatible or not compatible | picklist | “NO_OVERRIDE; SSL_COMPATIBLE; NOT_SSL_COMPATIBLE“
| |
| Third-Party Custom Code Creative (with 2.170 release) |
HTMLSnippet | Use this to paste the HTML code of your Third Party Creatives | long text | “<!DOCTYPE html> <html lang=\“en\“><head> <meta charset=\“UTF-8\“> <meta name=\“viewport\” content=\“width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0\“> <title>Your Page Title</title> </head><body> <h1>Hello, World!</h1> <p>This is a simple HTML snippet. </p></body></html>”
| |
| Third-Party Custom Code Creative (with 2.170 release) |
MacroName | MacroName | string | “%%CLICK_URL_UNESC%%” | |
| Custom Code Creative(with 2.170 release) |
IsInterstitial | IsInterstitial | string | | |
| Custom Code Creative(with 2.170 release) |
*Please note, that ADvendio currently requires exactly the values listed here to be set, otherwise the creative upload will end in an error message.
Example for a Google Ad Manager Creative Template in ADvendio
So to use Google Creative Upload a simple example for a template can look like this:
AdCreative Template Field | Value |
|---|
Name | Google Image (upload file) |
Creative Type | Image |
Connection | The connection record of your Google AdManager network |
Active | True |
Underneath this AdCreative template, the following AdCreative Template Variables are created:
Ad Creative Template Variable Name | Variable Type | Variable ID | Possible Values | Required | Help Text | Default Value |
|---|
Image File | attachment | File | |
| Upload the image file you want to use for your ad | |
Goal URL | string | DestinationURL | |
| Enter which URL a user should reach, once the ad is clicked. Please use ‘www.example.com’ as format. | www.example.com |
Type of Goal | picklist | DestinationURLType | CLICK_TO_WEB; CLICK_TO_APP; CLICK_TO_CALL
|
| What type of action will be started, once a user clicks the ad. | CLICK_TO_WEB |
Slot Size | picklist | TargetSize | Values should be based on the slot sizes your products use. Examples: “120x600; 300x250; 728x90; 1x1”
|
| Please select the size that your Creative uses, in most cases this is equal to the size of your image. | |
Alternative Text | string | AlternativeText | |
| Enter an alt text for your ad, which will be shown if the image could not be displayed. | |
Assign Dates to Creatives
To enable the date customization for your creatives, you need to check the "Override Dates" checkbox. This step allows you to set flexible start and end times for your creative content.
Please note that the default value for "Override Dates" is unchecked, so you'll need to enable it manually. |
When you have enabled "Override Dates," an additional section will appear in your organization's Creatives settings under "Optional Settings."
For more detailed information about this feature, please refer to https://advendio.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/SO/pages/2829713409/4.12.2+How+to+upload+Ad+Materials+Creatives+to+ADvendio#Creative-Assignment-Dates-for-Google-Ad-Manager-and-Xandr.
Connect your Template to Ad Types
Once the template is created with all its Ad Creative variables, you will need to define which Ad Types you would like to assign this template. Without assigning the Templates to Ad Types you won’t be able to create new Creatives in the UI as described in: 4.12.2 How to upload Ad Materials (Creatives) to ADvendio?
To connect the template to one or multiple Ad Types please go to the related lists of the Ad Creative Template record. For the related list “Assigned Ad Types“ you just need to hit the new button in order to select the relevant Ad Type for which this template and its variables should be usable. After you select the Ad Type you can either hit the save button if you just want to assign one Ad Type. If you would like to assign multiple Ad Types you can also hit the Save & New button.
