Advertising & Content Policy
Effective from April 2026 · All Ads must comply with this Policy · Forms part of the Terms of Service
All advertising content submitted to Notice Me must comply with this Policy, South African law, and the Advertising Regulatory Board ("ARB") Code of Advertising Practice. This Policy forms part of our Terms of Service.
We review every Ad before it is approved for display. We reserve the right to reject any Ad that does not meet these standards, without liability to the Vendor. Rejected Ads may be revised and resubmitted.
General Standards
All Ads must comply with the ARB Code of Advertising Practice, which requires that advertising is:
Legal
Does not contravene any South African law or regulation.
Decent
Does not contain material that offends generally accepted standards of public decency.
Honest
Does not exploit trust, credulity or lack of knowledge of consumers.
Truthful
Does not contain any statement, claim or implication that is false, misleading or deceptive (CPA s.29 and ARB Code).
All claims in an Ad must be capable of substantiation. We may require a Vendor to provide substantiation before approving any Ad that makes factual or comparative claims.
Prohibited Content — Absolute Prohibitions
The following categories of content are prohibited and will not be approved under any circumstances:
Tobacco and Nicotine Products
Advertising of tobacco products, electronic cigarettes, vaping products and any nicotine-delivery device is prohibited. The Tobacco Products Control Act 83 of 1993 (as amended by Acts 12 of 1999 and 63 of 2008) prohibits advertising of tobacco products in any form in South Africa. No exceptions apply on this Platform.
Gambling and Betting (Unlicensed)
Advertising of gambling services is only permitted with prior written approval and evidence of a valid licence from the National Gambling Board under the National Gambling Act 7 of 2004 and the National Lotteries Act 57 of 1997. Unlicensed gambling advertising is absolutely prohibited.
Adult and Sexually Explicit Content
Pornographic or sexually explicit content is prohibited. Content must comply with the Films and Publications Act 65 of 1996 (as amended). Content classified X18 or XX, or depicting children in a sexual context, is absolutely prohibited and constitutes a criminal offence.
Content Harmful to Minors
Because Ads are displayed in shopping centres frequented by children, no Ad may contain content harmful to or inappropriate for minors, including violence, disturbing imagery, or content promoting behaviour harmful to children.
Hate Speech and Discriminatory Content
Ads may not contain hate speech or content that unfairly discriminates on the basis of race, gender, sex, pregnancy, marital status, ethnic or social origin, colour, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, conscience, belief, culture, language or birth, in contravention of the Constitution, 1996, and PEPUDA 4 of 2000.
Defamatory Content
Ads may not contain content that is defamatory of any person, organisation or entity under South African common law.
Illegal Products and Services
Ads may not promote any product, service or activity that is unlawful in South Africa, including: illegal drugs; unlicensed firearms; counterfeit goods; pyramid schemes; or services operating without required regulatory licences.
Malware and Phishing
Ad files may not contain embedded code, scripts, hyperlinks, QR codes or other mechanisms designed to install software, capture data, redirect users to harmful websites or commit any offence under the Cybercrimes Act 19 of 2020.
Restricted Categories — Conditional Approval
The following categories require additional documentation or carry specific conditions before approval:
Alcoholic Beverages — Conditional Approval
Must comply with ARB Code alcohol provisions and SALBA guidelines. Must not target minors or suggest alcohol links to social/sexual success, sporting achievement or driving. Must include the responsible-use message "Not for sale to persons under the age of 18" as required. Also governed by the Liquor Products Act 60 of 1989 and the National Liquor Act 59 of 2003.
Medicines, Health Products and Medical Devices — Conditional Approval
Must comply with the Medicines and Related Substances Act 101 of 1965 (as amended) and SAHPRA regulations. Prescription medicines (Schedule 3 and above) may not be advertised to the general public. All health claims must be substantiated.
Financial Services and Credit — Conditional Approval
Must comply with the Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services Act 37 of 2002 (FAIS), the National Credit Act 34 of 2005, and FSCA regulations. Evidence of the relevant licence or registration must be provided on request.
Foods and Dietary Products — Conditional Approval
Must comply with the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act 54 of 1972 and Regulation R146 on labelling and advertising of foodstuffs. Health and nutrition claims must be scientifically substantiated.
Environmental and Sustainability Claims — Conditional Approval
Environmental, "green" or sustainability claims must comply with ARB guidelines. Claims must be accurate, substantiated and not misleading about environmental benefit.
Technical Requirements
| Accepted formats | JPEG, PNG (images) · MP4 (video) · PDF |
| Maximum file size | Images: 10 MB · Videos: 100 MB · PDFs: 20 MB |
| Display duration | Minimum 30 seconds · Maximum 5 minutes per slot |
| Content match | Must match declared file type (verified by file signature) |
| Recommended resolution | 1920×1080 px (Full HD) minimum for optimal display quality |
| Language | Any language; mandatory disclosures (health warnings, age restrictions) must be in at least one of South Africa's 11 official languages |
Approval Process
After submission, Ads enter a review queue. Our team reviews each Ad for compliance with this Policy, our Terms of Service, and applicable law. We aim to complete reviews within 24 hours on business days, but do not guarantee this timeframe.
If an Ad is rejected, we will provide a reason. You may revise the Ad and resubmit. Our decision on compliance is final, subject to any formal complaint you may raise with the ARB.
Vendor Responsibility
Vendors are solely responsible for ensuring that their Ads comply with all applicable laws, regulations, and this Policy. Our approval of an Ad does not constitute legal advice, nor does it guarantee that the Ad is lawful. We may withdraw approval of a previously approved Ad at any time if we become aware that it does not comply with this Policy or applicable law.
Vendors indemnify us against all claims, damages, penalties and costs arising from non-compliant Ad content, as further described in the Terms of Service.
Reporting Concerns
Centre users and members of the public may report concerns about Ad content via the complaints function in their Centre portal, or by email to [INFORMATION OFFICER EMAIL].
Advertisers and consumers may also refer complaints about advertising to the ARB at www.arb.org.za.
ARB Membership and Compliance
Notice Me [is a member of / subscribes to the code of] the Advertising Regulatory Board. We are committed to upholding the ARB Code of Advertising Practice and to cooperating fully with any ARB investigation.
Update this clause to reflect your actual ARB membership status before publishing.
Legislation referenced: Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008 · Tobacco Products Control Act 83 of 1993 (as amended) · National Gambling Act 7 of 2004 · National Lotteries Act 57 of 1997 · Films and Publications Act 65 of 1996 (as amended) · Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act 4 of 2000 · Medicines and Related Substances Act 101 of 1965 (as amended) · Liquor Products Act 60 of 1989 · National Liquor Act 59 of 2003 · Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services Act 37 of 2002 · National Credit Act 34 of 2005 · Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act 54 of 1972 · Cybercrimes Act 19 of 2020 · Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 · ARB Code of Advertising Practice.