United Online Media Group
Advertising Creative Guidelines and Policies
Revised June 2008
All creative elements are required to meet the preset Ad Specifications, listed here www.untd.com/guidelines. In addition, all advertisements submitted to or provided to United Online Media Group (UOLMG) for display on or through any of the UOLMG group of websites (UOLMG Sites), pursuant to a fully executed Insertion Order signed by the advertiser (Advertiser) and UOLMG, must comply with the Advertising Creative Guidelines and Policies listed below.
These Guidelines are not an exhaustive list and are only intended to provide the Advertiser with examples of the application of UOLMG requirements. UOLMG reserves the right to review, request modifications to, or reject any advertisement, at any time, at its sole discretion.
I. Use of UOLMG Corporate Logos and Titles
Advertiser agrees that it may not use UOLMG materials in any way unless allowed pursuant to a written agreement executed by UOLMG. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Advertiser cannot:
- Use trademarks or the corporate logo of any UOLMG Site in written format or graphics without first obtaining the appropriate co-brand and/or co-marketing license.
- Example: Any creative unit featuring the Classmates logo without a co-brand license in place will not be accepted.
- Example: Any use of the NetZero logo, NetZero navigation and NetZero messaging without a co-marketing agreement in place will not be accepted.
- Use the copyrighted materials of, or otherwise mimics or is similar to the look and feel, content or functionality of, any UOLMG Site.
- Example: Ad content cannot mirror Classmates navigation, dashboard and/or any Classmates user navigation functionality.
- Example: Ad content cannot mimic Classmates navigation or page coloring.
- Use the word "Classmates" in a generic sense, in creative and/or messaging.
- Example: Find your Classmates today" would not be accepted. "Find 'Old Friends' today" would be accepted.
- Example: Other acceptable words could include: High School Friends, Former School Buddies, etc.
- Offer a special price or discount to UOLMG Members (Free or Paid) without an existing legal contract agreement in place where the Advertiser agrees to provide a special discount for UOLMG Members.
- Example: Special price for NetZero members" messaging would not be acceptable without a legal contract approving the special discount.
II. Competitive Advertising
- UOLMG does not accept advertising from competing social networks/services, including but not limited to Reunion.com, myyearbook.com, Facebook and Myspace.
- Review Required: Advertising for "niche" social-network or similar sites must be approved by UOLMG in advance of publication.
III. Advertisements may not Mislead the User
Advertiser agrees that it may not use materials or advertisements in any way unless allowed pursuant to a written agreement executed by UOLMG. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Advertiser must comply with the following:
- Advertiser messaging must not promote false dietary claims or mislead consumers as prohibited by the Federal Trade Commission.
- All offers must comply with FTC guidelines and policies, and must not be deceptive, unfair, or contain deceptive pricing.
- Creative Requirement: Free Offers must include clear and simple access to all information pertaining to the method of qualifying for the Free Offer upon the landing page immediately after click. If Free goods are conditional upon additional user action, then the creative must feature a disclaimer to that effect.
- Creative Requirement: Dating advertisements indicating false claims of geographic proximity, and/or that do not feature actual dating site members for the presumed area, must be accompanied by a disclaimer indicating that this is the case.
- Review Required: Sweepstakes rules and creative must be reviewed by UOLMG prior to acceptance.
- Not Allowed: Advertising that constitutes bait and switch advertising pursuant to FTC guidelines.
- Not Allowed: Materially false or misleading information in the header of any NetZero or Juno email advertisement.
- Not Allowed: Email advertisements that do not accurately identify the person or company initiating the message.
IV. Software Downloads
- Creative Requirement: Users must be informed as to exactly what is being offered for download.
- Review Required: User initiated downloads.
- Not Allowed: Not Allowed: Automatic downloads.
- Not Allowed: Not Allowed: Hidden or harmful functionality as bundled components of a user approved download.
V. Adult Content
- Review Required: Ads featuring close-up images of bathing wear and undergarments must be approved by UOLMG prior to acceptance on all UOLMG properties.
- Review Required: Pharmaceutical advertising promoting male enhancement, or similar adult-oriented drugs, must be approved by UOLMG prior to acceptance on all UOLMG properties.
- Review Required: Imagery that might be deemed explicit, including models in suggestive poses, must be approved by UOLMG.
- Not Allowed: Nudity & sexually explicit images or content.
- Not Allowed: Overt sexual, racial, or potentially offensive innuendos.
- Not Allowed: Creative featuring overly suggestive screen names such as "Tracixxx" or "HotGirl69" or "Ashhotbooty".
VI. Sensitive Content
- Offline Gambling content or advertising must be targeted to ages 21+.
- Alcohol & Tobacco advertising must be targeted to ages 21+.
- Review Required: Religious content or advertising must be approved prior to acceptance on all UOLMG properties.
- Review Required: Political content or advertising must be approved by UOLMG prior to acceptance on UOLMG Properties.
- Review Required: Online Gambling content or advertising must be approved prior to acceptance on all UOLMG properties.
- Review Required: Creative that includes spiders, rodents, vermin, termites, or other similar fauna.
- Review Required: Creative that includes "horror" imagery, including, but not limited to, severed limbs, eyes popping out of skulls, bleeding, or dismemberment.
- Review Required: Creative that features visual representation of excessive or inappropriate body hair.
- Review Required: Creative that features visual representation of any inflammations or irritations, rashes, pustules, mucus, excrement, fungus, ear wax or other bodily fluids.
- Not Allowed: Advertising that promotes illegal activities or offers.
- Not Allowed: Advertising directed to children 13 years of age or younger.
- Not Allowed: Advertising that promotes discrimination, violence, or displays defamatory, profane, hateful, or libelous material.
- Not Allowed: Advertising that misrepresents, ridicules, or attacks an individual or group on the basis of age, color, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or disability.
- Not Allowed: Advertising for firearms or other weapons.
VII. User Experience / Ad Functionality
- Creative Requirement: Animation within standard advertising placements is limited to 30 seconds maximum.
- Review Required: Non-user initiated audio must be approved by UOLMG prior to acceptance on UOLMG Properties.
- Review Required: Advertising creative that employs flashing, shaking, rolling, pulsing (etc.) must be approved prior to acceptance on all UOLMG properties.
- Review Required: Audio in static or standard ad units must be approved prior to acceptance on all UOLMG properties.
- Review Required: Fake HTML within creative delivered via a direct client relationship must be approved prior to acceptance on UOLMG Sites.
- Not Allowed: Fake HTML is not allowed in any Performance Exchange ad creative.
- Not Allowed: False drop-down menus, data fields, or submit/action buttons.
- Not Allowed: Blocking or impeding browser functionality from working as intended. "Back" button must work.
- Not Allowed: Advertising that features false system messaging, error messaging, dialog boxes, etc.
- Not Allowed: False application, system update, or diagnostic messaging.
- Not Allowed: False "Close", "Minimize", "Maximize", or other window functionality.
- Not Allowed: Advertising that mimics UOLMG website design, functionality, navigation, service, or messaging.
- Not Allowed: Advertising that explicitly mimics Classmates internal functionality. For example "You have 1 message waiting."
VIII. Advertiser Landing Page Requirements
- Advertiser may only display one In-House / Internal promotion Pop-Style ad or Floating Ad upon users initial page view after redirect.
- Review Required: Use of logos of any UOLMG Property on landing pages needs UOLMG approval.
- Not Allowed: Blocking or impeding browser functionality from working as intended. "Back" button must work.
- Not Allowed: Display of 3rd Party Pop-Style advertising to users upon the first page view after clicking on an advertiser's offer on the NetZero / Juno start pages and email pages.
- Not Allowed: Advertisements on the landing page that promote any product or service which is reasonably competitive with any of the products or services offered by any entity directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under direct or indirect common control with UOLMG.
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