## What is a Creative? As described in the [Creatives](https://dev.kevel.com/reference/creative) section of this guide, a creative contains detailed information about a specific ad, such as ad size, URL, format, and other fields. When you set up a flight with ads, creatives become an important part of the flight, since this is where the information about the ad is kept. ## API Syntax When using the Create Creative API, it is important to understand the syntax required to make the request. Because the Kevel API is a RESTful API, there is a specific request format that must be followed to ensure the endpoint can process the request. The format is: `POST https://api.kevel.co/v1/creative` Where: - `POST` - the type of API request being made. - `https://api.kevel.co` - the URL for the request. - `v1` - the API version. - `creative` - the API endpoint being called. ## Creative Parameter Fields The Create Creative API call is a `POST` call, meaning you must enter a number of body parameters as part of the request before calling the endpoint. These parameters enable you to specify the fields included in the creative. Although there are many different parameters you can add as part of the request, there are several required fields that must be part of the request in order to create the creative. These fields are: - **AdvertiserId** - The ID of the Advertiser. - **AdTypeId** - The ad size's ID. More info [here](https://dev.kevel.com/docs/ad-sizes). - **isActive** - Specifies whether creative is eligible to serve. ## Enabling Creatives To Be Served In order to have a creative be eligible to serve, you must use the [Creative Flight Maps (Ads)](https://dev.kevel.co/v1.0/reference/creative-flight-map) endpoints. These endpoints will map the creative to a flight's ad. ## Uploading Creatives You may also choose to upload a creative to Kevel so it is hosted on the Kevel site. To upload a creative, use the [Upload Creative Image](https://dev.kevel.co/v1.0/reference/creative#upload-creative-image) endpoint after the creative has been created. AdvertiserId int32 required The ID of the Advertiser. AdTypeId int32 required The ad size's ID. More info [here](https://dev.kevel.com/docs/ad-sizes). IsActive boolean required Specifies whether creative is eligible to serve. Title string A short description of creative (in UI, it is called 'Friendly Name'). Max 500 characters. ImageName string The file name as it is stored in our database. It is not needed to create a creative, but it will be passed back in the result view. If the string is manually entered, it will result in a null string. Body string This is the body text associated with AdType 1 (in UI it's called "Text"). If AdType1 is not being used, pass an empty string: `""`. Url string The click URL. Max length is 2000 characters. Must not contain leading or trailing spaces. Alt string Alt text. The maximum length is 500 characters after HTML-encoding the value. IsDeleted boolean Specifies whether creative is deleted. IsHTMLJS boolean Specifies whether to override image with HTML or JavaScript ad. If `true` = the `ScriptBody` field should have value. ScriptBody string If `IsHTMLJS` = `true`, then this field needs to be filled with a HTML/JavaScript ad. Metadata string Adds custom [metadata](https://dev.adzerk.com/docs/creatives#section-metadata-field) to your creative. Note that this should be a JSON **object** in a string, for example: `{ ... "Metadata": "{ \"foo\":1234 }" }` The entire Metadata string must be url encoded to support URLs and special characters that can break the JSON object. Maximum character limit of 1000 characters. ImageLink string The URL of an image hosted remotely. Use if you are serving an image file without uploading it to Kevel's CDN or calling it in the `ScriptBody` SaveEmptyCreative boolean If set to `true`, this allows you to save or update a creative that contains no `ScriptBody` or `Metadata`. Note that `SaveEmptyCreative` is not a database field on the creative object, but is instead an option when creating or updating creatives. This means that the `SaveEmptyCreative` parameter will always be returned as `null` once a creative has been created. IsNoTrack boolean Indicates that a creative originating from a third-party (i.e. it uses third-party ad tags) is EFF Do Not Track compliant. Can only be used if DNT is enabled for your account. IsNetworkAd boolean Indicates that a creative originates from a third-party source (such as an ad network) that will serve multiple ads. (BETA) TemplateId int32 If you are using a creative template, specifies which template to use. IDs can be retrieved from the Creative Template API. TemplateValues string If you are using a creative template, sets the values for the fields in the creative. Fields must match the TemplateId and the object must be wrapped in a string. For example: `"{\"ctString\":\"A string goes here\",\"ctExternalFile\":\"http://cdn.com/ad.gif\"}"` # ``200 200 object Id integer Defaults to 0 Title string ImageName string Url string Body string AdvertiserId integer Defaults to 0 IsActive boolean Defaults to true AdTypeId integer Defaults to 0 Alt string IsDeleted boolean Defaults to true IsSync boolean Defaults to true IsHTMLJS boolean Defaults to true ScriptBody string Metadata string ImageLink string IsNoTrack boolean Defaults to true IsNetworkAd boolean Defaults to true Updated 10 months ago ## A minimally viable creative. Note that it includes no `Title` or creative contents. ``` curl -X POST -H 'X-Adzerk-ApiKey:' -H "Content-Type:application/json" "https://api.kevel.co/v1/creative" --data-binary '{"AdvertiserId":12345,"AdTypeId":5,"IsActive":true}' ``` ## A minimally viable image creative without an uploaded image (to upload an image, see "Upload Creative Image"): ``` curl -X POST -H 'X-Adzerk-ApiKey:' -H "Content-Type:application/json" "https://api.kevel.co/v1/creative" --data-binary '{"AdvertiserId":12345,"AdTypeId":5,"Title":"Image Creative","Url":"http://adzerk.com","Body":"","IsActive":true}' ``` ## A minimally viable image creative with an externally hosted image: ``` curl -X POST -H 'X-Adzerk-ApiKey:' -H "Content-Type:application/json" "https://api.kevel.co/v1/creative" --data-binary '{"AdvertiserId":12345,"AdTypeId":5,"Title":"Image Creative","Url":"http://adzerk.com","Body":"","IsActive":true,"ImageLink":"http://cdn.com/ad.gif"}' ``` ## A minimally viable JS/HTML creative: ``` curl -X POST -H 'X-Adzerk-ApiKey:' -H "Content-Type:application/json" "https://api.kevel.co/v1/creative" --data-binary '{"AdvertiserId":12345,"AdTypeId":5,"Title":"JS/HTML Creative","IsActive":true,"ScriptBody":"Creative contents","IsHTMLJS":true}' ``` ## A minimally viable Static Text Link creative: ``` curl -X POST -H 'X-Adzerk-ApiKey:' -H "Content-Type:application/json" "https://api.kevel.co/v1/creative" --data-binary '{"AdvertiserId":12345,"AdTypeId":20,"IsActive":true,"Title":"Static Text Link example","Url":"http://adzerk.com"}' ```