Amazon Ad Guidelines
Common Restricted or Prohibited Categories
| Does your ad contain? | If yes: |
| Alcohol (as a product) | Prohibited in US, India, UAE, and China; all other locations permitted within guidelines in CAP 7.1 |
| Charity/donation request | Permitted with copy and placement restrictions; refer to CAP 7.2 |
| Movie trailer | Permitted with placement restrictions based on rating; refer to CAP 7.4 |
| Pharmaceuticals, health, and beauty products | Refer to CAP 7.11 for full guidelines |
| Scary content | Permitted in some cases; cannot be excessive or gory, and may face placement restrictions |
| Violence or weapons (as content) | Permitted only in certain contextually relevant cases and placements; refer to CAP 7.13 |
| Controversial social or political content | Content is prohibited from advertising |
| Foul, vulgar, or obscene language | Content is prohibited from advertising |
| Hangover cures | Product is prohibited from advertising |
| Weapons (as product) | Product is prohibited from advertising |
| All other prohibited items | See CAP 6.0 |
| All other restricted items | See CAP 7.0 |
Checklists before finalizing an ad
Make sure the ad:
-
Has a clear, action-oriented CTA in sentence case (for onsite)
- Contains necessary disclosures in the ad and/or landing page
- Meets the creative bar - crisp, clean images; note overly cluttered; appealing to look at
- Clearly identifies the brand and product being advertised
- Has pricing and savings claims that are the same on the ad and landing page
Make sure the ad does not:
-
Have text that is too small or otherwise illegible
- Contain overly bright or distracting colors
- Blend into the background - the ad's background should either contrast with a white background or contain a 1-pixel non-white border
- Contain animations over 15 seconds long (for onsite)
- Exceed word count limits
Placement-Specific CTA Requirements
| Ad type | Billboard (970 x 250) | Mobile (all ads) |
| Policy | CTA cannot be button-shaped | CTA encouraged but not required |
| Onsite or offsite? | This rule only applies to onsite Billboard placements | Onsite and offsite |
**Please note: This guide is not intended to be a comprehensive overview of all ad policies. It is highlighting some key ad policies that frequently re-occur.