Suburb

Ad Content Policy

Last updated: June 2026

This policy applies to all paid featured listings on suburb.co.nz. It sets out what listing content we accept, what we do not accept, and how we enforce these standards. It should be read alongside our Sponsorship Agreement, which governs billing, cancellation, and the listing removal process.

1. Who this policy applies to

This policy applies to everyone who holds or has applied for a paid featured listing on suburb.co.nz. Your listing content must comply with this policy at all times — at the point of submission, and throughout the life of your subscription.

2. Permitted content

The following content is accepted for suburb.co.nz listings:

• A genuine business operating in New Zealand. • Accurate business name, trading name, physical address, phone number, and website. • An honest description of the services or products your business genuinely provides. • A tagline or short promotional statement that accurately describes your business. • Standard promotional language ("award-winning," "established 2004," "locally owned and operated," "family-run since 1998") where that claim is verifiably true. • A professional logo or image that you own or hold a valid commercial licence to use. • Factual business hours and operational information. • Social media profile links for accounts operated by or officially associated with your business.

3. Content that is not permitted

The following is not permitted in any listing on suburb.co.nz, whether in the business name, tagline, description, contact details, or any other field:

3.1 Misleading or deceptive content

Content that creates a false impression about your business, services, qualifications, affiliations, awards, prices, or geographic reach. Unsubstantiated superlatives (e.g. “New Zealand’s best,” “#1 rated,” “guaranteed lowest price”) are not acceptable unless you hold current, verifiable evidence supporting the claim. The Fair Trading Act 1986 applies.

3.2 Adult and age-restricted content

Any content that is sexually explicit, adult-only, or relates to services regulated under the Films, Videos, and Publications Classification Act 1993.

3.3 Gambling and wagering

Promotion of gambling, sports betting, wagering, or lottery services.

3.4 Content unsuitable for a general audience

Material that a reasonable New Zealander would find offensive, distressing, or inappropriate in a context likely to be seen by audiences of all ages.

3.5 Hate speech and discriminatory content

Content that promotes or incites hostility, hatred, or discrimination toward any person or group on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, or any other protected characteristic.

3.6 Illegal goods and services

Promotion of products, services, or activities that are unlawful in New Zealand, including goods that require a licence the business does not hold.

3.7 Competitor references

Content that names, criticises, or makes any claim about a competing business. Your listing is about you, not others.

3.8 Impersonation or false authority

Listing content that misrepresents the identity of a business, claims accreditation or certification the business does not hold, implies government or regulatory endorsement, or impersonates any other individual, business, or body.

3.9 Third-party intellectual property

Use of trade marks, logos, photography, written descriptions, product images, or other content owned by a third party without a valid licence granting you permission to use it in this context.

3.10 Implied endorsement by suburb.co.nz

Use of our name, logo, or branding in a way that suggests suburb.co.nz endorses, certifies, recommends, or vouches for your business. The presence of a paid listing on our Site is not an endorsement and must not be described as one.

3.11 Anything prohibited by section 8 of our Terms of Use

Including content that is defamatory, harassing, threatening, obscene, or otherwise in breach of our acceptable use policy.

4. Your responsibility

You are responsible for ensuring your listing complies with this policy at all times. Compliance is your obligation — we do not pre-clear every word, and approval at submission does not guarantee that future modifications will comply. If your business changes, your contact details change, or a claim in your listing becomes inaccurate, you must update your listing promptly. Ignorance of this policy is not a defence. All advertisers are expected to read and understand this policy before submitting a listing.

5. Review and enforcement

All paid listings are reviewed against this policy before going live. We may:

• Request that you amend content that does not meet this policy. • Refuse to activate a listing that we cannot approve in its submitted form. • Remove or suspend a listing after it has gone live, where content in breach of this policy is later identified.

Our review process is not a guarantee that every piece of content in your listing is accurate or legally compliant — that is your responsibility, not ours.

Removal or suspension for breach of this policy follows the process in clause 5 of the Sponsorship Agreement. Serious breaches may result in immediate removal without notice.

Persistent or material breach of this policy may result in account termination under clause 9 of the Sponsorship Agreement. No refund is payable where termination results from breach of this policy.

We reserve the right to exercise editorial discretion to decline or remove listings that, in our reasonable judgement, are not consistent with the standards and values of suburb.co.nz, even where content does not fall clearly within a specific category above.

Contact

If you have a question about this policy or want to flag a listing you believe is in breach, contact us at hello@suburb.co.nz. We aim to respond within 5 working days.

Summary in plain language

If you skipped to the end, here’s the short version: