Advertising Creative Acceptance Policy

February 2026

The purpose of this policy is to outline acceptable advertising practices for advertisers on CarExpert and CarExpert NZ’s platforms.

This policy is not exhaustive and does not constitute legal advice which we advise you to take if you are unsure whether your advertisement complies with all laws, rules and regulations. 

CarExpert and CarExpert NZ reserve the right to accept or reject any advertising creative. 

General advertising standards

  • Truthfulness and compliance
    All advertisements must be legal, honest, clear and transparent. You should:
    • avoid misleading content or obscuring or omitting relevant details
    • refrain from making false claims
    • ensure claims are accurate and substantiated
    • not include any misleading representations
    • not falsely imply environmental benefits
    • avoid using false or misleading testimonials
    • be clear about what you’re advertising
    • not include any dishonest pricing practices.
  • Decency and respect
    Advertisements must uphold generally accepted standards of decency and should be respectful. You should:
    • not discriminate or promote discrimination against individuals
    • not exploit or degrade individuals
    • treat themes of sex and nudity sensitively
    • use appropriate language
    • refrain from content that contradicts health standards
    • align with CarExpert or CarExpert NZ’s family-friendly rating.
  • Prohibited content
    The following content is strictly prohibited in advertisements:
    • Pornographic or explicit material or nudity
    • Extremely violent imagery
    • Material promoting racial intolerance or discrimination
    • Profanity
    • Hacking or cracking content
    • Advertisements for illegal drugs
    • Tobacco products
    • Weapons or ammunition
    • Counterfeit goods
    • Anything breaching another party’s intellectual property rights
    • Political content
    • Health products with unsubstantiated claims
    • Sensationalised content designed specifically to drive engagement
    • Illegal content
  • Image restrictions
    Advertisements must not contain the following imagery:
    • Pixelated or unclear visuals
    • Misleading images
    • Unapproved use of CarExpert or CarExpert NZ’s branding
    • Celebrity or political images implying endorsement
    • Distracting or flashing visuals
  • Branding requirements
    Advertisements must feature clear branding:
    • Advertised products or offers must be clearly identified
    • Branding must accurately reflect the offering entity
  • Linking practices
    Proper link-throughs are required:
    • Advertisements must only link to legitimate websites
    • Links must open in a new browser window
    • Promotions must be prominently featured
    • No links to destinations that use 'phishing' techniques to gather user information
    • Ads should not use phrases like ‘click here’ or ‘click to play’
  • Clear presentation
    Advertisements must be distinguishable from content:
    • Ads should have a different background
    • Ads must not imitate CarExpert or CarExpert NZ’s site functionality.

Compliance

Advertisers must adhere to all relevant laws, rules and regulations when advertising their products and services. 

Competitor restrictions

Advertisers competing with CarExpert or CarExpert NZ may not appear on its digital platforms without prior written approval. This includes competing automotive websites, streaming services or publishers targeting the automotive sector.