Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
AIR
Adobe AIR is a runtime that not only allows you to build and
deploy branded desktop games and applications with HTML, Ajax,
Flash, and/or Flex, but it also allows you to do so across multiple
operating systems. This means that you can build your game or
application one single time and have one single installer for many
users regardless if they are on Windows, Mac, or Linux. As a develo-
per, you can build your applications with Adobe products like Flash
or Dreamweaver or you may choose to use your favorite text editor
in conjunction with the free AIR SDK to package your applications.
For lots more information about Adobe AIR, check it out on Adobe
'
s
Web site: http://www.adobe.com/products/air/
Why Use the Flash Platform for Advertising
I
t
going to be the best option to achieve your goals 100% of the time.
As with any technology, you should avoid using it just for the sake
of using it. Instead, you should assess the project at hand to decide
if the Flash Platform is the best option to go with. In some cases,
you may want to use AJAX. In other cases, you may want to use
nothing more than plain
'
ll be completely honest here and say that the Flash Platform isn
'
ol HTML. The point is that you should
choose what best serves the needs of your client. With all of that
said, this is a topic about creating Flash advertising, so we
'
'
ll go
ahead and make the assumption your work calls for it.
Banners
So why use Flash for advertising? Why use it to create banner ads
for your client
Inside Advertising
'
s service or product? The short answer: Brand inter-
action through features is not available with other options. With a
static .jpg or even an animated .gif banner, you might have a good
enough image to get a user to click and go to the intended destina-
tion, but that
The true purpose of any
online ad unit is to
communicate the biggest
message in the smallest
amount of real estate.
—
an image. With Flash,
you have the ability to engage your audience with your client
'
sprettymuchallyouhave
-
s
brand. You can use smooth animation and interaction to tell a
story.Youcanbuildanadwithtabsfordifferent
'
Randy Bradshaw,
Principal, Click Here, Inc.
within
your banner. You can build a banner that gives users even more
interactive elements once they interact with it for the first time.
You can even show a television commercial or other video inside
your ad.
Let
“
pages
”
s look at an automobile manufacturer as an example. Your
client, Typical Motors, wants you to build a round of online adver-
tisements that will allow the end user to begin choosing options on
their newest model. They want people to see the ad, make choices
from dropdown menus about what color and trim package they
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