House Ad Templates

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House Ad Templates

This guide provides templates for creating house ads using the Official Discourse Ad Plugin.

:warning: Important: Disable ad blockers (including those built in to browsers, e.g. Brave) before working with these ad customizations.

Before You Start

  1. Create a “House Ads” theme component to store:
  2. Add the component to all active themes where ads will appear
  3. Optimize images using TinyPNG to reduce file size while maintaining quality

Template Options

1. Simple Logo and Text Ad

A clean design featuring a square logo with accompanying text. The colors automatically adjust to match your site’s color scheme.

Specifications:

  • Image Type: PNG or JPEG
  • Image Size:
    • Desktop & Mobile: 500x500px (1:1 aspect ratio)
    • Retina: 1000x1000px recommended
  • Additional Notes:
    • Square aspect ratio must be maintained
    • Colors automatically adapt to site theme
    • Image appears left-aligned with text on right

house_ad
house_ad1066×648 124 KB

HTML 
<a href="DESTINATION_URL" class="h-creative" target="_blank">
    <div class="container">
        <div class="product-image">
            <img src="IMAGE_URL">
        </div>
        <div>
            <p class="big">LARGER_TEXT</p>
            <p>SMALLER_TEXT</p>
        </div>
    </div>
</a>
CSS 
.h-creative {
  display: block;
  clear: both;
  max-width: 500px;
  color: var(--primary) !important;
  background-color: var(--secondary);
  
  .container {
    display: flex;
    align-items: center;
    width: 100%;
    padding: 6px 0;
  }
  
  p {
    margin: 0 20px;
  }
  
  .product-image {
    width: 150px;
    height: 150px;
  }
  
  img {
    max-width: 150px;
    max-height: 150px;
  }
  
  .big {
    font-size: 24px;
    line-height: normal;
    padding-bottom: 10px;
  }
}

.mobile-device .house-creative {
  .product-image {
    width: 120px;
    height: 120px;
  }
  
  img {
    max-width: 120px;
    max-height: 120px;
  }
}

2. Responsive Banner Ad - Style 1

A full-width banner that adapts between desktop and mobile views.

Specifications:

  • Image Type: PNG or JPEG
  • Image Size:
    • Desktop: 690x90px (7.67:1 aspect ratio)
    • Mobile: 320x90px (3.56:1 aspect ratio)
    • Retina: 1380x180px (desktop) and 640x180px (mobile) recommended
  • Additional Notes:
    • Requires two separate images for desktop/mobile
    • Banner adjusts width to container
    • Text remains readable at all sizes
    • CTA button maintains consistent size across devices

Desktop:

banner_ad
banner_ad1630×530 98.6 KB

Mobile:

banner_ad_mobile
banner_ad_mobile640×575 89.5 KB

HTML 
<a href="DESTINATION_URL" class="banner-ad" target="_blank">
    <img class="desktop" src="DESKTOP_IMAGE_URL">
    <img class="mobile" src="MOBILE_IMAGE_URL">
    <div class="container">
        <div>
            <p class="big">A responsive banner ad</p>
            <p class="small">Customize to your liking.</p>
        </div>
        <button class="btn btn-default cta">
            <span class="d-button-label">Click Here!</span>
        </button>
    </div>
</a>
CSS 
$cta-background-color: #FE4644;
$cta-text-color: #FFFFFF;

.banner-ad {
  display: flex;
  clear: both;
  max-width: calc(#{$topic-body-width} + #{$topic-avatar-width} + (#{$topic-body-width-padding} * 2));
  background-color: #FEF25E;
  border: 1px solid var(--primary);
  box-sizing: border-box;

  img {
    height: 90px;
    &.desktop {
      display: block;
    }
    &.mobile {
      display: none;
    }
  }

  .container {
    display: flex;
    justify-content: space-between;
    align-items: center;
    width: 100%;

    p {
      margin: 0;
      &.small {
        font-weight: bold;
        text-align: right;
        padding: 1px 5px;
        background-color: #000000;
        color: #FFFFFF;
      }
      &.big {
        font-size: 24px;
        line-height: normal;
        padding-bottom: 5px;
        color: #434343;
        font-weight: lighter;
      }
    }

    .cta {
      color: $cta-text-color;
      background-color: $cta-background-color;
      &:hover {
        background-color: darken($cta-background-color, 20%);
      }
    }
  }
}

@media only screen and (max-width: 672px) {
  .banner-ad {
    img.desktop, p {
      display: none;
    }
    img.mobile {
      display: block;
    }
    .container {
      justify-content: center;
      .cta {
        margin: 0 5px;
        font-size: 12px;
      }
    }
  }
}

3. Responsive Banner Ad - Style 2

Specifications:

  • Image Type: SVG preferred, PNG/JPEG supported
  • Image Size:
    • SVG: 75x75px viewBox
    • Raster Alternative: 150x150px (2x for retina)
    • Container height: 90px on desktop
  • Additional Notes:
    • Background uses CSS gradient (no image required)
    • Banner width automatically adjusts to container
    • SVG logo maintains crisp display at all sizes
    • Round CTA button maintains proportions

Desktop:

06%20PM
06%20PM1558×512 51.3 KB

Mobile:

12%20PM
12%20PM566×432 43.7 KB

HTML 
<a href="DESTINATION_URL" class="banner-ad" target="_blank">
    <div class="container">
        <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="75" height="75" viewBox="0 0 103 104" data-ember-extension="1">
            <g fill="none" fill-rule="nonzero">
                <path fill="#000" d="M51.87 0C23.71 0 0 22.83 0 51v52.81l51.86-.05c28.16 0 51-23.71 51-51.87C102.86 23.73 80 0 51.87 0z" />
                <path fill="#FFF9AE" d="M52.37 19.74c-11.1380058.0065739-21.451097 5.8725864-27.1495582 15.4424743C19.5219805 44.7523623 19.2787009 56.6145192 24.58 66.41l-5.72 18.4 20.54-4.64c11.7619991 5.29926 25.5640682 2.9191757 34.8718647-6.0134445 9.3077965-8.9326201 12.2534008-22.6251484 7.4422692-34.5951021C76.9030023 27.5914997 65.3006488 19.7462906 52.4 19.74h-.03z" />
                <path fill="#00AEEF" d="M77.45 32.12c8.765 11.492 8.616 27.467-.363 38.794C68.11 82.24 52.59 86.03 39.4 80.12l-20.54 4.7 20.91-2.47c13.862 8.12 31.61 4.547 41.25-8.304 9.64-12.851 8.105-30.89-3.57-41.926z" />
                <path fill="#00A94F" d="M75.32 64.909C67.571 77.11 52.533 82.5 38.8 78l-19.94 6.82 20.54-4.65c14.629 6.608 31.887 1.199 40.127-12.576 8.24-13.776 4.844-31.54-7.897-41.304 9.917 10.514 11.436 26.417 3.69 38.619z" />
                <path fill="#F15D22" d="M26.47 67.11c-5.725-13.8-1.007-29.722 11.31-38.176 12.319-8.453 28.873-7.128 39.69 3.176-10.018-13.147-28.474-16.356-42.342-7.363C21.26 33.741 16.662 51.901 24.58 66.41l-5.72 18.4 7.61-17.7z" />
                <path fill="#D0232B" d="M24.58 66.41c-7.103-13.12-4.065-29.421 7.288-39.102 11.353-9.68 27.929-10.105 39.762-1.018-11.351-11.952-29.982-13.176-42.798-2.81-12.817 10.366-15.517 28.84-6.202 42.44l-3.76 18.9 5.71-18.41z" />
            </g>
        </svg>
        <div>
            <p class="big">A responsive banner ad</p>
            <p>Customize to your liking.</p>
        </div>
        <button class="btn btn-default">
            <span class="d-button-label">Click Here</span>
        </button>
    </div>
</a>
CSS 
$cta-background-color: #D70751;
$cta-text-color: #FFFFFF;

.banner-ad {
  display: block;
  clear: both;
  max-width: calc(#{$topic-body-width} + #{$topic-avatar-width} + (#{$topic-body-width-padding} * 2)) !important;
  background: linear-gradient(#d7d9e2 0%, #ffffff 75%);
  border: 1px solid #808080;
  box-sizing: border-box;

  .container {
    display: flex;
    align-items: center;
    justify-content: space-between;
    height: 90px;
  }

  svg, img {
    margin-left: 5px;
    height: 75px;
  }

  p {
    color: #222;
    margin: 0 20px;
    font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;
    &.big {
      font-size: 20px;
      line-height: normal;
      padding-bottom: 5px;
    }
  }

  .btn {
    width: 20%;
    height: 45px;
    margin-right: 5px;
    background-color: $cta-background-color;
    color: $cta-text-color;
    font-weight: lighter;
    white-space: nowrap;
    border-radius: 50px;
    &:hover {
      background-color: darken($cta-background-color, 5%);
    }
  }
}

@media only screen and (max-width: 575px) {
  .banner-ad {
    p {
      font-size: 10px;
      &.big {
        font-size: 12px;
        font-weight: bold;
      }
    }
    .btn {
      width: 120px;
      height: unset;
      font-size: 12px;
    }
  }
}

4. Between Posts “Codefund” Style Ad

Specifications:

  • Image Type: No images required (text-only design)
  • Image Size: N/A
  • Additional Notes:
    • Container automatically sizes to content
    • Consistent padding (10px 5px)
    • “Ad” label always visible
    • Adapts to mobile view through fluid width
    • Background color adjusts to theme

Desktop:

56%20AM
56%20AM1620×772 100 KB

Mobile:

mobile
mobile828×671 38.9 KB

HTML 
<a class="between-posts-ad" target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://discourse.org">
    <div class="ad-container">
        <span class="ad-label">Ad</span>
        <strong>Discourse</strong> - A community platform for civilized discussion on the web
    </div>
</a>
CSS 
.house-creative.house-post-bottom {
  margin-left: 0 !important;
  
  a.between-posts-ad {
    color: var(--dynamic-color);
    
    strong {
      color: var(--primary);
    }
    
    .ad-container {
      max-width: calc(#{$topic-avatar-width} + #{$topic-body-width} + (#{$topic-body-width-padding} * 2));
      padding: 10px 5px;
      text-align: center;
      background-color: var(--primary-very-low);
      border: 1px solid var(--primary-low);
      box-sizing: border-box;
      
      .ad-label {
        margin-right: 2px;
        padding: 2px 5px;
        color: var(--primary-very-low);
        font-weight: bold;
        background-color: #EAC34E;  // Sets color of "Ad" label
        border-radius: 5px;
      }
    }
  }
}
Color Definitions 
$dynamic-color: dark-light-choose($primary-medium, $secondary-medium);
:root {
  --dynamic-color: #{$dynamic-color};
}

Common Issues and Solutions

  1. Mobile Display Issues: Ensure both desktop and mobile images are properly defined in HTML and CSS is correctly handling the responsive breakpoints
  2. Color Scheme Problems: Use CSS custom properties (var(--primary), var(--secondary)) instead of hard-coded colors
  3. Image Loading: Verify images are correctly uploaded and URLs are properly referenced

Each template can be customized to match your site’s branding and specific needs. Remember to test thoroughly on both desktop and mobile devices before deployment.

Last edited by @MarkDoerr 2024-12-14T00:39:34Z

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