Advertising standards

Separate from our reporting

Advertising pays for the publication, but it does not buy coverage. Advertisers cannot commission, preview or approve articles, and booking a campaign does not change what we report or which sources we cite. Display banners are labelled “Advertisement” and are visually separated from the article text. Paid comparison suggestions are labelled “Sponsored”, with the sponsor named where available, and are separate from our editorial offer listings. Sponsorship does not change those listings, their order or the offers the reader has selected. Offers in our editorial listings are researched from public sources and are not paid placements. Read our editorial standards.

What we accept

We welcome advertising from vehicle manufacturers, dealers and dealer groups, finance and insurance providers, aftermarket and service businesses, and other businesses relevant to Australian drivers and the automotive industry.

Advertisements and their destination pages must be lawful, accurate and not misleading. Vehicle advertising must follow the Australian Consumer Law and the vehicle advertising codes that apply to it. Advertised prices must make clear whether they are drive-away and state conditions that materially affect the offer. Finance advertising must meet Australian credit advertising requirements, including a comparison rate where one is required.

What we do not accept

• Advertising that promotes or depicts unsafe or illegal driving, including speeding, driving while impaired or using a phone while driving.
• Illegal products or services, weapons, tobacco and vaping products, and adult content.
• Gambling and betting services.
• Political or issue advertising.
• High-risk financial products, including crypto-assets and unlicensed financial advice.
• Advertising that imitates our articles, headings, navigation or site controls, or that could be mistaken for editorial content.
• Misleading buttons or links, such as fake close buttons, fake system messages or destinations that differ from the advertisement.
• Claims about competitors that cannot be substantiated, and content that is discriminatory, defamatory or offensive.

Creative rules

• Static PNG, JPEG or WebP images, supplied separately for desktop and mobile, up to 200 KiB each. Animation, audio, video and scripts are not accepted.
• Text, prices and legal conditions must be readable at the displayed size.
• Destinations must be HTTPS pages the advertiser controls or is authorised to promote, and must match the advertisement.
• No third-party tags, tracking pixels or cookies. We measure delivery ourselves and report it to the advertiser.

Current sizes are listed on the advertise page.

Placement and sensitive coverage

We limit how many advertisements appear on a page. Articles under 400 words carry no advertising between their sections; longer articles may carry one labelled panel between sections. If a campaign would appear beside coverage where it is inappropriate, such as serious crashes, fatalities or recalls involving the advertiser’s own products, we may pause it.

Review and removal

Every advertisement and destination is reviewed before it appears. We may decline, pause or remove advertising that does not meet these standards or the law, or that receives credible reader complaints. To report a concern about an advertisement, email [email protected] with the page address and a description.

Booking terms are set out in each booking confirmation while our standard advertiser terms are being finalised.