Exclusive format · Our founding format
SmartCover
The
format
that
started
it
all.
The first format born at OursBlanc, the one that set the principles the whole range has followed since. Still one of our most used formats, with a landscape asset for desktop and a portrait asset for mobile.
The first one, and the one that set the rule
SmartCover is the very first format created by OursBlanc. It grew out of an observation made in the field, on the publisher side, where some pages offered more than twenty-two ad placements and where every additional banner diluted the others a little further.
That format served as our laboratory. The four principles it established have never changed since, and they govern all of our premium and exclusive formats today. Understanding SmartCover means understanding why our formats look the way they do.
The four founding principles
What SmartCover established
These four requirements, set with our very first format, became the brief for every format that followed.
Be impactful
Break out of the conventional advertising ecosystem to be genuinely seen by the user, rather than adding to a pile of placements that cancel each other out.
Generate measurable attention
Generate attention, and above all attention that is measured and measurable. It was with SmartCover that we built, as early as 2019, our first mechanisms for measuring the time an ad was actually displayed 100% on screen.
Fit closely into the site
Fit closely into the publisher's site, so as not to break the browsing experience or degrade reading. A format that damages the site hosting it always ends up damaging the brand it carries.
Respect the user
Respect the user and their browsing. If the ad doesn't interest them, they must be able to dismiss it immediately and effortlessly. That requirement has never been negotiable for us.
How it works
SmartCover relies on two distinct assets. The first is used in landscape mode, mainly on desktop. The second is used in portrait mode, mainly on mobile. The format automatically selects the right asset according to the display context.
That's also its main constraint, and it's worth stating plainly: unlike the formats we developed later, SmartCover requires visuals at precise dimensions. It doesn't adapt to any ratio the way SmartPulse, SmartRead or SmartMax do. So that production needs to be planned for upfront.
Technical specifications
SmartCover or SmartView, how to choose
You might assume a format created in 2019 was retired long ago. The opposite is true: SmartCover remains one of the most used formats across our client base today, because it works and because it has proven itself across thousands of campaigns.
That said, we would rather be straight with you on this point: SmartView, designed later, brings more flexibility in use, fewer creative constraints and better performance. If you're starting a new campaign and have no history with SmartCover, SmartView is generally the better starting point.
SmartCover keeps all its relevance when you already hold assets at the right dimensions, or when you want to run again a setup whose results you already know. Our teams will help you decide based on your situation, without pushing you towards one or the other.
Let's see which format suits your campaign.
One demo is enough to compare SmartCover and SmartView on your own case, and pick the one that matches your assets and your objectives.
Request a demo →