RealSelf.com Advertising Policy & Specifications

All advertising creative must perform acceptably on RealSelf.com and adhere to these guidelines.  RealSelf, Inc. must approve all advertising content prior to posting on RealSelf.com, in RealSelf's sole discretion. Once advertising content has been posted on RealSelf.com, RealSelf, Inc. shall have the right to remove previously approved advertising content from RealSelf.com if RealSelf, Inc. later determines that Advertiser's advertising does not meet RealSelf's standards described below.

For RealSelf Visitors: See an advertisement that you consider inappropriate or represents a violation of the RealSelf.com Advertising Policy as described below? Please report it here

1.The advertising content must be clearly identifiable as an advertisement.

The Advertiser must fulfill the advertised offer as stated in the advertisement, including without limitation, not altering any offer periods, product offers or prices that are stated in the advertisement unless Advertiser has obtained RealSelf's prior approval

2. RealSelf, in its sole discretion, reserves the right to reject any creative for any reason.

3. Ad Specifications

• Advertisements cannot mislead the user. For example, they may not mimic or resemble Windows/Mac/Unix dialog boxes, error messages, or the like.

• Advertisements cannot solicit or collect, or appear to solicit or collect, any personally identifiable information from RealSelf.com visitors without their knowledge.

• Advertisements cannot contain graphics that simulate interactivity (i.e. dropdown menus, search boxes etc.) without that functionality actually existing.

• Advertisements cannot mimic news headlines in design, tone, third person sentence structure, or topic.

• Media units with prescriptive data capture, i.e. Free Trial Offer (secure or unsecured) are not permitted on editorial pages (most commonly occurring in “rollover” and other types of expandable media unit functionalities) but are permitted within sponsored programs/pages (defined as single sponsor controlled and influenced).

• Media units with general opinion/non-prescriptive polling/quiz functionality (standard, rollover or expandable), personalized or diagnostic assessments/quizzes (standard, rollover or expandable) are permitted.

• Click-through URLs: After clicking on any ad unit, users must be able to return to RealSelf.com by clicking on the browser's back button. Any destination URLs that result in a trap door effect (i.e. the user cannot return to RealSelf.com by clicking the browser's "Back" button), are not permitted. User clicks cannot launch stand-alone video/audio players or otherwise display content outside the standard browser window. User clicks on ad creative may not result in the launch of multiple browser windows. Ad creative cannot launch windows when served. Ad creative can launch a new browser window upon user click.

• File formats: GIF, JPEG, PNG, HTML, Flash 6.0

• Max initial loads:
  • Medium Rectangle- 300x250 pixels: Max initial load size: 40k
  • Skyscraper – 160 X 600 pixels: Max initial load size 40K

• Total max animation or looping time: 15 seconds if non-user initiated. Unlimited if user initiated by click or 1 second mouseover. No restriction on number of loops. RealSelf reserves the right to restrict rapid looping to protect user experience.

• Expandable ads: Expansion must be user initiated by click, or mouseover held in place for 1 second. Ad must collapse when mouse is moved off expanded section. "Close" or "collapse" button must be included on expanded section at all times. A default backup GIF or JPG must be served to all users who cannot accept the expanding ad format.

• Audio events:
  
      * must be initiated by user click
      * must include a clearly labeled button or link to stop audio
      * audio clips cannot loop

• Video:
  • A clearly marked option for stopping video must be included for the entire duration.
  • Sound must be user-initiated with a click.
    A clearly marked option for muting sound must be included for the entire duration.
  • Max playtime, if non-user initiated = 30 seconds
  • Max playtime, if user initiated with a click = unlimited
  • A backup ad must be included for all users who cannot handle video playing functionality

• Ad formats that are NOT approved:
  1. Pop-ups
  2. Pop-unders
  3. Floating ads, a.k.a. "out-of-banner"
  4. Interstitials
  5. Superstitials
  6. Any other formats not listed above must be approved prior to contract

• All other specifications for standard and rich media creative must comply with the standards established by the Internet Advertising Bureau.

4. Additional specifications that amend or supersede these general guidelines may apply for individual ad products.

Submissions Deadlines: Client provided ads must be submitted 2 full business days prior to campaign start date.  Lead times may be extended if significant or numerous issues must be resolved before implementation.

Creative Refresh: Ads take up to 2 business days to implement changes.

Number of Creative per Placement: Up to five (5) total creative may be submitted for each targeted placement. Up to three (3) rich media creative may be submitted for each targeted placement.

Privacy policy: The Advertiser's site must include a privacy policy that is clearly posted.

5. Clearly Inappropriate Ads:

• A direct business competitor of RealSelf.com as deemed by RealSelf, Inc.
• Unauthorized or unapproved use of RealSelf’s creative assets (such as, talent, logos, characters, etc.)
• Gun advertisements (firearms, bullets, etc.)
• Pornography advertisements (sex sites)
• Potentially slanderous or libelous content
• Bad language, proxies for bad language (i.e., X@#%!)
• Illegal drug advertisements (marijuana, etc.)
• Political advertising
• Gambling advertisements (excluding state lotteries, sweepstakes and fantasy leagues)
• Graphic violence

What may be considered inappropriate and will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis:

• Involves an advertiser in a category where RealSelf, Inc. has previously granted exclusive rights to another party
• Unreasonable or highly unlikely product or service claims
• Double entendres
• Tobacco advertisements (cigarettes, cigars, pipes, chewing tobacco, etc)
• Liquor Advertisements of any kind (hard, beer, wine) under what may be considered inappropriate and will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis