Google Opens Door To More Alcohol Ads

By Doug Caverly - Fri, 10/31/2008 - 10:01

Beer, champagne, wine all a-okay

Happy Halloween, everyone. As beer enthusiasts should know, this is the perfect day to enjoy a nice bottle of pumpkin ale, and thanks to a recent policy change at Google, advertisers are much more likely to point the fact out. The search giant, you see, is now permitting beer, champagne, and wine ads.

The ads - which have been given a "Non-FamilySafe status" - are popping up all over related results pages. Ads for hard alcohol and liqueurs are not - they're still banned.

Wine Ads On Google

Still, the policy adjustment is a rather huge step. It comes not long after Google began allowing gambling ads in the UK, and so it seems that a new air of permissiveness is making its way through the corporation.

Or a touch of greed, at least. It's almost hard to imagine how many advertisers have been wanting to promote these products and services, and with the economy getting tough, Google might be relaxing its standards.

Anyway, a hat tip goes to Taylor Pratt, and we'll keep an eye out for more policy changes. Lastly, good luck if you haven't yet located any pumpkin ale.

News Tags: Advertising, Google, alcohol, AdWords

About the author:
Doug is a staff writer for WebProNews. Visit WebProNews for the latest eBusiness news.

5 Comments

By Drug Rehab Programs (WPN reader) - Sat, 03/21/2009 - 10:24

This is the best choice

This is the best choice Google could have ever made. I am sure that it will have a huge success and a lot of those who are confronting themselves with this problems are actually thinking about this. They should all thank the team for their action.

By Eddie Lau (WPN reader) - Sun, 11/02/2008 - 15:54

credit crunch

even Google need to capitalise on bringing in more revenue.

By Gwydion (WPN reader) - Sun, 11/02/2008 - 10:37

Home Brewing Site

I've had a home brewing recipes region of my site (beers, meads and wines) region of my website for years and this has always had ads for beer machines, home-brew kits etc for years. But, until now there were no ads for beers and wines.

The change is in the direct advertising of alcohol products rather than alcohol-related products. The line may be a fine one but it's one that Google has been treading for a while until now.

By Craig (WPN reader) - Fri, 10/31/2008 - 12:42

Alcohol Ads

Well this is what happens when the economy is down and you want to generate more profits. They have to bend their own rules a little bit in order to increase profits from advertising. Do you think they will expand to adult content as well?

Craig

By Johnny (WPN reader) - Fri, 10/31/2008 - 12:00

Alcohol Ads

This rule I never understood b/c I have several wine and alcohol domains which I have ads on from a Google feed and they have always shown ads for wine and related products.......so I never understood how Google could say they are not selling alcohol ads.

They, don't however, show liquor ads as you stated.