Advertising Guidelines
The staff of the Marquette Wire accepts paid advertising from businesses and organizations in order to generate revenue and to provide information of interest to its readers, viewers and listeners. Decisions about the acceptability of advertising submissions are made by the student staff on a case-by-case basis, with careful attention paid to professional ethical norms, legal requirements, and to the values of both student media and Marquette University.
Logistics and Design
Ad submissions may be rejected because they do not meet the design standards of the Wire or because they are inconsistent with the design characteristics of the relevant student media platform. Ads are not accepted, for example, for placement on the front page of the Tribune. There are also times when space is simply not available or there are other logistical obstacles that cannot be overcome. Potential advertisers should recognize that these are matters that are up to the discretion of the staff and that sometimes ads will not be accepted for reasons that have nothing to do with their content.
Legal Issues
Ad submissions will be rejected if they advertise illegal products or contain messages that are inconsistent with state or federal law, or if they could trigger liability for defamation, invasion of privacy, or other civil claims. Ads must not contain any copyrighted material unless it would be considered “fair use” or has been properly licensed.
In order to comply with Federal Trade Commission regulations and other laws, ads will be rejected if they contain statements or representations that would be likely to mislead consumers. In addition, ads will not be accepted if it is not obvious that they contain commercial messages. The Marquette Wire does not allow native advertising techniques or other approaches that disguise the commercial nature of an ad or that could lead a reader or viewer to mistake it for editorial content.
Ads will also be rejected if they violate anti-discrimination laws or Marquette’s own equal opportunity standards.
Offensive Ads
Tasteless, vulgar or insensitive ads are not accepted. These issues are assessed on a case-by-case basis and through the eyes of the college audience. Ad submissions are likely to be declined if, for example, they use gratuitously crude language or images; use racist, sexist or other discriminatory or stereotypical statements or representations; depict unnecessary violence; promote academic dishonesty; or promote gambling, alcohol, or drug use.
The Wire will not accept ads that promote products or services, or that contain messages, that are inconsistent with the Marquette University Mission (https://www.marquette.edu/about/mission.php).
Ads that should generally be rejected or flagged for closer scrutiny and discussion are those for escort services, adult businesses/bookstores, dating services, fortune tellers, mail-order products, investments, work-at-home opportunities, term-paper services, and the like, as well as ads for business or clinics that provide abortions. Alcohol ads are generally prohibited as well (see more below).
Alcohol Advertising
The Wire does not accept ads promoting the purchase of alcoholic beverages, ads from businesses that sell alcohol at retail, or ads from establishments whose revenue comes primarily from alcohol sales. Ads for alcohol brands, liquor stores, bars, clubs and taverns, therefore, are generally prohibited. Ads for restaurants or other businesses that serve alcohol but which derive most of their revenue from other products or services may be accepted, provided they do not mention alcohol products or alcohol-related promotions such as drink specials, happy hours or gender-limited events (“ladies night”).
These provisions are consistent with Marquette Policy UPP 1-37 on Alcohol-Related Promotional Activities (5-1-2013). Wire staff should refer to that policy for further guidance on these issues.
Advocacy and Political Advertising
Ads by elected officials and candidates, or by groups supporting them, are generally accepted, provided they meet all legal requirements and are consistent with the other provisions of this policy. The same is true with advocacy ads. These types of ads can raise awareness of certain issues, inform readers and stimulate debate. However, the Wire staff will occasionally reject these ads where they do not represent good faith efforts to engage in honest debate.
Review Procedures
The sales manager will conduct the initial review of advertising submissions and may reject ads unilaterally if the rejection is based on design or logistical issues. The sales manager should consult with the Executive Director before rejecting any ad because of its content or message. Although the Executive Director will make the final decision about advertising acceptance, he or she might seek to consult with other staffers in the most sensitive or challenging cases, given that some ad submissions can, if published, affect the overall perception of the Wire. Ads that raise potential legal issues should be brought to the attention of the Director of Student Media and, when necessary, directed to the Office of General Counsel. In those situations, the chair of the University Board for Student Media should also be notified.
Conflicts of Interest
The ad sales manager and other ad representatives should avoid any actual or perceived conflicts of interest. They should not simultaneously work for the Wire and for one of its advertisers without approval of the Executive Director. Ad representatives should also never solicit items (tickets, discounts, music, etc.) from advertisers or potential advertisers and should decline them if offered. In addition, ad representatives should rigorously protect the separation between the editorial and advertising functions of the Wire by rejecting (and reporting to the Executive Director) any attempts by advertisers to influence editorial content.