Black Friday, Cyber Monday ad policies 2021 Universal rules – All creatives

The following rules are mandatory for all Black Friday, Cyber Monday (BFCM) placements for all advertisers including managed service and self-service advertisers.

All Event Page ads will follow the Style Guide. Please reach out to your customer support team for details.

Amazon Ads Guidelines and Acceptance Policies apply to all ads running during BFCM and can be found here.

2. Ad format and functionality

2.1 Additional copy

In some cases additional copy may require review to make sure the customer understands the deal and what they must do to get it. For example, brand/product name/category and/or brand logo is required to provide clarification.

2.2 Alcohol ads

Not allowed for BFCM (except for JP). Exceptions may be considered, please reach out to your customer support team.

2.3 Copy length

Three lines maximum except for 160 x 600 (static and DEA) and 300 x 250 (static only), which have a maximum of five lines. This will limit the number of products, brands, and categories you can include per the copy recommendations below. Disclaimer and logo are not included in the copy count.

2.4 CTA

CTA is not allowed on Event page package for Static units.

Copy cannot be redundant with a copy of the CTA. If the CTA is “Shop now”, the creative copy should not be “Shop XX Products”. It can say “Discover”, “Explore” or similar.

2.5 Landing pages

Destination page must reflect the same product as advertised on the creative banner exactly (not variations of the product showcased).

2.6 Logo usage

Logos are preferred on all creatives.

Logos can be full-colour (if they meet contrast ratio) or black (any colour from approved palette).
One logo from the same brand is allowed on a creative.
Logo can be shown on the ASIN image (pack shot) versus standing alone.
The advertiser’s brand name or logo must be clearly legible in the ad to ensure customers can easily identify the advertiser (in entertainment ads, the title of the movie, TV show, etc. can be treated as the brand name).
The text within a brand logo is not subject to the minimum font size requirements described in the Ad Specs, provided the advertiser is recognisable.
Desktop Billboard, H1, Wakescreen and KSO: all text and images within the brand logo must be legible.
Mobile ads: On 320 x 50, 414 x 125 and 728 x 90 mobile ads (eg. where ad units are limited in space), copy within a logo does not have to be legible, provided the logo itself meets minimum font size requirements.
Static and Responsive E-commerce (REC): Brand name cannot be used in ad copy if logo is on creative (standalone or on ASIN image).
Exception (for Static only): Two logos from different brands can be used when the two brands are integral to the product.

Secondary product being advertised must be an inherent part of the product being advertised on the creative (secondary means not the main product being advertised).
Campaign is being paid for using co-marketing funds or funds from the secondary company.

2.7 Multi-purpose messaging

Differing ad banners or variations within a package will click through to the same brand store or landing page, so the messaging on the destination should be true for all banner ads – thus the customer will find both the savings and the products from the banners at the destination page.

Do not include savings amount or percentages on landing page hero banners or carousel (only generic savings messaging is permitted; for example: “Save on Pantry Essentials”).

2.8 Savings claims

Only percentage savings are allowed for all deals. Dollar savings are not permitted.

2.9 Product images

Single ASIN:

One ASIN: allowed for all creative versions.
Bundle ASIN: allowed for all creative versions (simplified version of the ASIN will be used).
For 320 x 50, only main product will be showcased – for Static only.

Multi ASIN:

Two ASINs across all creative versions (except 320 x 50). Must drive to a Multi-ASIN landing page.
Copy must be plural, referring to a selection or category of products in the brand store.

2.10 Superlatives

Do not use adjectives like “Great”, “Amazing”, “Wonderful” or “Fantastic”.

2.11 Personalised copy

“Your favourite” or similar words to describe offers or deals is not permitted.

2.12 Ampersand

Use of the ampersand symbol (“&”) is permitted in all locales.

2.13 Teaser messaging

No teaser messaging (Japan is the only exception) (for example: “Something special is coming”. “The countdown is on!” or “Come back soon for great deals!”).

3. Editorial guidelines – All creatives

The following are prohibited:

Misspellings and grammatical errors such as a wrong verb tense.

Slang or wordplay (such as “cuz” as opposed to “because”) may be permitted if otherwise compliant with these policies.

Random capitalisation (such as “QUALITY HeadPhones” or "GrEaT dEaLs"), except for common abbreviations or trademarks.
Improper punctuation, such as repeated question or exclamation marks (“!!!”).
Special characters such as “@”, emojis or ASCII art, except when part of the advertiser's logo or included in the product image/packshot.
Hashtags (#) are permitted.

4. BFCM Mentions Policy

This policy applies to all advertisers and all ad products (for example, managed service and self-service advertisers as well as SOV/blast packages, etc).

4.1 Key principles

References to “Black Friday”, “Cyber Monday” or any variation thereof should not mislead the customer as to the duration of the deal and should be used for a reasonable period around the holiday event of Black Friday, Cyber Monday. “Black Month” is not acceptable.
All deals advertised should be live at the time the ad is live. Deal teasing is not permitted.
In the UAE and KSA, the term “White Friday” rather than “Black Friday” should be used.
In Brazil, the term “Black Week” is permitted.
As the advertiser, you are responsible for complying with applicable laws, regulations, and best practices for use of Black Friday, Cyber Monday in your locale.

4.2 Additional peak events

In Mexico, references to “Buen Fin” (10 November – 16 November) deals should not mislead the customer as to the duration of the deal. Deals must be live at the time the ad is live.
In the UAE and KSA, references to “Singles Day” or “11:11”/“11/11”/“11.11” deals should not mislead the customer as to the duration of the deal. Deals must be live at the time the ad is live.

5. Lifestyle image guidelines

Lifestyle shots are permitted in creative and must:

Actively display the product in the way it will be used.
Be clear from the image what the product or category is that is being advertised.

Note: There are circumstances where the actual product does not need to be in the actual creative if customers will understand based on the image and copy what is being advertised. (For example, long eyelashes on a model for mascara product.)

Be contextually relevant to the product and category being advertised.
Offer exact products available on the landing destination when the exact item is clear in the shot.
Not be products displayed against a lifestyle background. These creatives will follow the Product Image guidelines below.

Hybrid lifestyle images (lifestyle + product shot) will follow the Product Image guidelines below.

Drive to Brand Stores or PDPs.

6. Ad product guidelines

6.1 Brand store creative

Brand Responsive e-commerce (REC) ads must drive to a Stores page.
All back-up creatives must use Brand Store creative.
Lifestyle and Product shots are permitted in creative.
All copy on custom images is prohibited.

6.2 ASIN REC

Must drive to Product Detail Page (PDP).
A single custom image is supported.
Editable product titles are enabled.
Creative format hosts up to 20 ASINs.
Badging is permitted.
Badging is not permitted on vendor coupon (VPC) format.

6.3 Static ads

Static ads are permitted for non-endemic products only in JP, FR-CA and Spanish LOP.
Can be single or multi-ASIN images and copy depending on the deal type (for example, must look at product image, copy, deal and landing page destination).
Can only use “Save on [brand/product category]”.

6.4 Landing page destinations

Stores, Product Detail Pages (single ASIN creative only), Lead Generation (non-endemic only), and Link out (non-endemic only) are permitted for BFCM. All other landing page types are prohibited.

6.5 Brand Stores

The Deals page name may reference “Deals”, “Black Friday” or “Cyber Monday”.
The Design Guide does not apply to Stores for High Traffic Events. However, the Stores Hero Image must not contradict the ad banners to maintain a consistent experience.
The Featured Deals Widget (FDW) must be used for all Deal ASINs.
An image or text tile is required as separation between the FDW and Product Grid. Text must indicate the following products are not on deal, and instead use general messaging to describe the product selection. “Our Best Sellers”, “[Brand name] Best Sellers” will be permitted.
General promotional language must be used.
Numerical pricing references are not permitted anywhere in the Store.
ASINs must be ordered in the FDW so that the products in the ad banner appear first.
Stores must be scheduled for the duration of the promotion period.
Multi-brand advertisers who lead with a multi-brand deals message on the Brand Rec, for example: “Shop Our Skincare Deals” may create a Stores Deals page that contains product category image tiles with text, e.g. “Shop XX for her deals”, “Shop XX for his deals” as the first component on the Store page. They must click through to the correct corresponding deal pages within the same Store. Arriving from the Brand Rec, the Deals Page must also contain the FDW with full selection of deals for customers who wish to remain exploring and shopping product on that page.
For all Store promotional policies and Stores Product Acceptability, reach out to your customer support team.

6.7 Link out pages (non-endemic only)

Permitted for all packages.
For guidelines, reach out to your Customer Support team.