Google are drink fascists?

[Wail]

Okay.... so my title was rather alarmist. I suspect Google is just being American-Culture-That-I-Don't-Understand at me.

Their new AdWords help sheet (https://adwords.google.com/select/contentpolicy.html) (thanks, at last, yaaa!) describes the sorts of things they are likely to refuse. They don't have AdWords for beer or hard alcohol.

I asked the token American in the office what "hard alcohol" was (perhaps it was frozen vodka on a stick?) and it seems I was in the ball park; it's spirits.

I don't understand why, for example, it's fine to advertise wine but not beer? Wine has a higher alcohol percentage than beer? (Surely this is the case even in the States?). Wine's a more dangerous drink.

Is this a cultural thing? Is wine seen as socially acceptable but beer not? Is wine a posh drink but beer the drug of the masses? Does Google think it's okay to drink wine but not beer?

[seobook]

wine is associated with upstanding citizens...beer and hard liquor are associated with drunks. ;)

[mcanerin]

I was going to suggest the reason was due to the shipping laws for alcohol, but they apply to wine, as well:

http://www.wineinstitute.org/shipwine/

http://www.realbeer.com/library/beerbreak/archives/beerbreak20011108.php

I just did a search for "beer" on google and there were no ads. A search for "wine" resulted in lots of ads.

A search for "liquor" resulted in one Canadian liquor store and a bunch of State liquor boards. And no ads.

I don't see a legal reason for it (other than possibly the reciprocity agreements California has with wineries). Possibly a policy decision?

I was also thinking that maybe wine is very "international" in scope - ie coming from different areas makes a substantial difference in taste, etc.

But obviously there is a significant difference between various beer microbreweries and types of whiskey and scotch, so I don't think that's it - or if it is they are working off an invalid assumption.

Maybe they feel that they can get away with wine but would get into trouble with beer and liquor? I dunno.

One thing I do know is that I'd rather see all 3 allowed, but if I had to only let one in, it would be wine. I don't have a hard reason other than it would seem even more wrong to allow whiskey but not allow wine, for example. Beer is a mystery.

I wonder if someone from Google could shine some light on this - it does seem odd.

Ian

[NFFC]

>I don't see a legal reason for it

I don't think there is one.

I think that the founders think that beer, spirits and of course fags [in the Brit sense] are not the best things for a company to promote consumption of.

As a beer drinking smoker I agree with them, although maybe they should have just set the min CPC at $10 and used the surplus to subsidise gym equipment advertisers?

[hardball]

Maybe one of the upstarts could get a beer sponsorship. The king of beers brings you the king of search.

For the price of a super bowl commercial or two one could go far.

[Incubator]

Ashcroft resigned today...I think your ok....and I'm Canadian


:eek:

Cheers...2 cents

WC

[mcanerin]

And yet marijuana is acceptable (but not cocaine).

I think the health angle might be it. Arguably, Red wine is good for you (in moderation) and marijuana has some medicinal value (not that we were thinking of that during the 70's).

A view into the Google Complex ;)

No Ads
alchohol
beer
liquor
cocaine
LSD
tobacco
cigarettes
gambling
annoying google
nuclear bomb

Ads
wine
marijuana
hemp
steroids
caffeine
coffee
viagra
fireworks
morphine
painkillers
masterbation
money
fraud


I'll admit that some of these searches may not have actually been bid on (or have a trademark involved), but it's amusing nonetheless. :)

Ian

PS: I just did these searches right now. No doubt the FBI and RCMP are heading over...

[MrMackin]

cigarette fetish is OK
cigarettes are NOT

The place is run by Caleeeeeeforians

[mcanerin]

Apparently "bank robbery" is bad but "shoplifting" is ok....

Golly, I could have a lot of fun with this.... :D

Lets see.... OH! "Cloaking", "spamming" and being a "black hat" are all ok. You heard it here first. "organic optimization" falls by the wayside, though - must not be healthy... :(

Ian

[Chris_D]

Google are drink fascists

Far from it - all the Google events I've been to here in Australia have been extremely well catered for in terms of an open bar!

:)

One thing to remember is that often there are laws in specific countries pertaining to advertising of certain products. For example - you can't advertise any tobacco products here in Australia - no cigarette advertising on tv, radio, newspapers etc. None. Generally speaking, you also can't advertise bookmaking/ sportsbetting here in Australia.

[Jeff Martin]

G's Adwords learning center link (http://services.google.com/awp/en_us/breeze/7333/index.html) states that they place keywords on the 'watch list' that:

1. May be subject to leagal regulations and/or restrictions
2. May contribute to a negative user experience
3. May be contrary to G's values and policies

I think #3 is the humdinger. Basically they deserve to make a morality call which gives them the option of banning anything for any (no?) reason. And of course we all said that was 'Okie Dokie' when we checked the radio button 'I Agree' to that great legalize TOS document.

[andrewgoodman]

The "weak vs. strong" liquor distinction has a long history, obviously. Many jurisdictions (New York included I think?) have distinctions between a costly, hard-to-get "liquor license" and a cheaper, easier-to-get "beer and wine" license.

I was reading recently where there are certain super-strong beer-like liqueurs that weigh in at 20% that you can serve at some of the "beer and wine" establishments. Talk about a putrid workaround.

Obviously all of this is absurd and it has been hurting operators of legitimate online businesses. A close friend of mine works with a wine site that is trying to grow from the cash flow from the (very profitable and popular) Wild Turkey that they also sell on the site. Want to make it a weaker drink so it's acceptable? Just add water. Or pour less.

One does assume that some of the rules are very much cultural preferences. Or that Bart Simpson is in charge.