A client of mine just received an email from Overture informing them that all of their PPC ads for a gun accessories site (not actual gun parts, mostly plastic stuff like stocks, etc) were being removed because

"We are unable to accept this listing because your site promotes a product or
service (either on your site or through spawned windows, links, or banner
ads) with which Overture does not wish to be associated."

The site is a standalone site which does not have any spawned windows and no banner ads. It simply sells gun accessories, all 100% legal. (The same types of items that are sold by Cabelas, a huge outdoor retailer). They have been purchasing ads through Overture for many months. The ads have not changed recently.

Does this mean Overture is going the way of Google? Google will not allow any ads that land on a site that has anything to do with guns in any way (as many of you probably already realize)

A client of mine just received an email from Overture informing them that all of their PPC ads for a gun accessories site (not actual gun parts, mostly plastic stuff like stocks, etc) were being removed because

"We are unable to accept this listing because your site promotes a product or
service (either on your site or through spawned windows, links, or banner
ads) with which Overture does not wish to be associated."

The site is a standalone site which does not have any spawned windows and no banner ads. It simply sells gun accessories, all 100% legal. (The same types of items that are sold by Cabelas, a huge outdoor retailer). They have been purchasing ads through Overture for many months. The ads have not changed recently.

Does this mean Overture is going the way of Google? Google will not allow any ads that land on a site that has anything to do with guns in any way (as many of you probably already realize)


I found this, so maybe they are not taking new and the old are being given a date when they will stop?

http://www.overture.com/d/search/?type=home&mkt=us&lang=en_US&Keywords=bullets

I asked Overture about this last week. They told me there's been a ban on gun ads for over two years.

I asked Overture about this last week. They told me there's been a ban on gun ads for over two years.
Not too effective from what I see:
http://www.overture.com/d/search/?type=home&mkt=us&lang=en_US&Keywords=gun

Interesting. Both are for gun parts and accessories. If that's allowed, John, I'd go back and have your client appeal. More interesting is that I've looked and looked and see no public ban on this. Anyone else want to scan the listing guidelines (http://www.content.overture.com/d/USm/ac/relevancy.jhtml) to see if I'm missing something. Google's had flak over not being public on what's not allowed, which they've fixed recently. From what I can see at Overture, only gambling and prescription drugs have real restrictions -- though I know buried somewhere is also a restriction on those who sell either wine, alcohol or both (you need third party approval).

Not too effective from what I see:
http://www.overture.com/d/search/?t...US&Keywords=gunPerhaps one can still bid their way around their so called ban on gun ads :)

Serioulsy though, perhaps any new ruling is not retrospective?

IMO, banning the advertising of certain products that "they do not wish to be associated with" is hypocritical at best. And that goes for Google also (who also bans tobacco, booze, and a few other things - but oddly enough does not ban shotguns or wine & cognac <just beer and whisky apparently> :confused: )

Ah well, nobody ever claimed that do-gooders were consistent.

Jan 24 2005 15:31 PT

Hello xxx,

Thank you for your inquiry.

We attempted to contact you today at xxx-xxx-xxxx, but were unable to reach you.

At this time Overture has made a business decision that we do not wish to be associated with products sold on your site. We have determined that you sell the integral parts needed to modify weapons into military-style weapons.

Please note that Overture will not list sites that sell or give away automatic weapons, military-style assault weapons, as well as products and parts that make these weapons work.

We do apologize for the fact that this was not caught in our first review.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if we can be of any further assistance. Thank you for choosing Overture!

Sincerely,

XXX
Overture Customer Solutions

E-mail Customer Solutions using our Support Request Form
through our Support Center link found in DirecTraffic Center®
dtc.overture.com

Visit the Overture Advertiser Center for helpful information on managing your account
http://www.adcenter.overture.com


--------------------Original Message--------------------

We ABSOLUTELY DO NOT sell all the parts necessary to assemble a gun on our
web site. You are misinformed. Please describe to me which parts you
consider to be necessary to assemble a gun. We do not sell receivers, which
ARE necessary to assemble a gun. We do not sell barrels either. Please
explain your reasoning, it is faulty, and you are 100% wrong in your
statement that we sell all the parts necessary to construct a gun. As a
matter of fact, the U.S. Federal Government does NOT require that we have a
Firearms Dealer License PRECISELY beacause we do not sell the essential part
(mainly, receivers) that is required to assemble a gun. Please check the US
Firearms laws as they will back up what I am saying, and you will then be
able to re-instate my account. Please get back to me on this.
Mr. X
www.xxx.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Overture Client Services [mailto:clientservices@overture.com]
Sent: Thursday, January 13, 2005 8:51 PM
To: xxx@xxx.com
Subject: Re: Case #37361714


Jan 13 2005 17:45 PT

Hello xxxxxx,

Thank you for contacting Overture.

We have found that all the necessary parts to assemble a gun are sold on
your Web site. Therefore, Overture does not wish to be associated with your
product.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if we can be of any further assistance.

Sincerely,

xxx
Overture Customer Solutions

E-mail Customer Solutions using our Support Request Form
through our Support Center link found in DirecTraffic Center®
dtc.overture.com

Visit the Overture Advertiser Center for helpful information on managing
your account
http://www.adcenter.overture.com


--------------------Original Message--------------------
You banned all my ads because you say I have a "blocked site". I assume
(after months and months of me spending money advertising this site) you
decided that you would no longer take gun accessory ads. My site does not
sell any guns, period. It sells gun accessories, not parts, accessories. You
are allowing the following people to advertise the same types of items, as
can be see here:

http://www.overture.com/d/search/?type=home&mkt=us&lang=en_US&Keywords=gun

Can you explain why you have blacklisted me and not my competitors selling
the same items?

can't beat the grandfather clause........

hehe.. fact is, Overture pretty much sucks these days. We just about give up on them. We get rejected for such things as having a dead site, when the site has been up for 6 years with less than 4 hours total downtime.

The monkeys are running the show there I think. :cool:

hehe.. fact is, Overture pretty much sucks these days. We just about give up on them. We get rejected for such things as having a dead site, when the site has been up for 6 years with less than 4 hours total downtime.

The monkeys are running the show there I think. :cool:
They need some serious help that is certain.

Overture has gone crazy banning all sorts of ads these days. Due to a change in its drug ad policy, my drug rehab site was banned too, with no good reason. Here's the long story: Overture cleans up its drug ad policy (http://news.com.com/2100-1024-5108875.html)