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Question on the COTH advertising rules on these forums

Technical Help Forum
#1

I am rather befuddled as to when suggestions are permitted and when they cross the forbidden line into advertising on these forums …

If, for example, as poster asks for suggestions for a “dilute TB stallion for her mare” and we have one of those, we are permitted to respond and say:

"I stand Fluffy - the wonderful palomino TB stallion and he can be seen at: www.fluffyacres.com "

That is not construed as advertising from my understanding, but we cannot start a post and say:

“I stand the wonderful palomino TB stallion - Fluffy. Breed your mares to him!”

That IS advertising …:yes:

So … if someone posts and asks for a real estate agent in KY that specializes in horse properties as they are thinking of moving there and I am a RE agent in that State, am I permitted to come forward and post offering my services or is THAT advertising? :confused:

And how about if someone is looking for an alternative to hoof boots as they havent had much luck with them at all and they are ending up using duct tape and feed bags to poultice their horse’s feet and I have a brand new boot that would do the job perfectly that most people dont even know about yet - can I respond on that thread letting people know about this new boot or is that regarded as advertising as well?

And if you see a thread discussing hoof boots, for example and you decide to not post on the thread but you PM or email them instead, is that crossing the advertising line as well???

Many thanks - it just seems like there are a lot of grey areas and it isnt all B&W out there at all … :slight_smile:

**And I do realize I just goofed and posted this in the wrong forum … it should have been in Off Course instead but I cant delete and move it over … ***

#2

One might opine that your signature line is blatent advertising…

#3

Rick - is that like a porcupine/opossum cross or something? I can never figure out that word.

#4

[QUOTE=hoofrx1;3602551]
One might opine that your signature line is blatent advertising…[/QUOTE]

So could yours:winkgrin:

#5

What about if someone is looking for a supplement for their horse, and a poster steps in and says “feed this stuff, it’s great!” and that person happens to be the one who MAKES said supplement? Why is that not advertising? Or is it allowed advertising like offering your stallion? Or is it not allowed?

#6

[QUOTE=jaimebaker;3602762]
So could yours:winkgrin:[/QUOTE]

Can Rick’s signature line form an opinion? Is it sentient?

Does that mean it will now have rights?

#7

[QUOTE=Kaeleer;3602780]
Can Rick’s signature line form an opinion? Is it sentient?

Does that mean it will now have rights?[/QUOTE]

I don’t follow you, sorry. Please give an example.

His line stating all of his farrier credentials TO ME is no different than someone saying they are standing a stud. The OP’s sig line doesn’t say anything about ‘gorgeous, amazing, blah blah blah’ just states basic neutral info. In either case a person can contact either one of them for a service based on what’s in the sig line that they may not have known about otherwise.

#8

It’s not blatant advertising to respond to a thread. It is when you start the thread advertising something. For example, I work for ThinLine. I can’t come on here and start a thread about a sale or a new product, but I can respond to inquiries or make comments on a thread someone else started–I can participate in the conversation.

#9

So are you going to drive your horse up to TN to Illinois every 5 weeks for Rick to shoe him? But I bet you could fly some semen across the country, couldn’t you?

Totally NOT the same thing. :cool:

#10

If you check out the signature lines on ANY of the breeders that own or stand stallions, it has always been permitted that we put the small blurb in there about them and our website info. This was cleared by Erin way back when and has never been an issue from Day 1

And it has always been permissable to respond to a thread if they are looking for a stallion that throws Hunter Breeding babies, for example, and they are looking for a stallion that finished in the Top Ten of the USEF HB standings and you happen to have one of them. That has never been an issue either

but if someone asks for a WB stallion that specializes in dressage and you post about your TB stallion that is a hunter, you get slapped down - justifiably so

But where my confusion arises stems from an incident awhile back and I dont have a clue what is and isnt permissable any more to not contravene the advertising rule, is someone posted about blankets rubbing their horse. I happen to sell a line of bibs to prevent blankets rubbing and I EMAILED them off the board and I received an advertising infraction for doing so

So - how and where is the line drawn in the sand?

If someone in IL is looking for a farrier for a major recurring problem is Rick allowed to post offering his services in that case or will he get slapped with an advertising infraction if he does? And would he need to get a “friend” to post and recommend him instead in that case? Or if he emailed that poster - off the boards - would he get set down for advertising as well for simply emailing them to let them know his contact information and how he could be reached if they chose to do so???

#11

Or something…:slight_smile:

I can never figure out that word.

Let me help.

o·pine (-pn)
v. o·pined, o·pin·ing, o·pines
v.tr.
To state as an opinion.
v.intr.
To express an opinion

#12

[QUOTE=jaimebaker;3602762]
So could yours:winkgrin:[/QUOTE]

Never said it wasn’t, though one might consider it some different to put earned appellations after one’s name as opposed to offering a service/product directly. Or not.

Once again we see that the axiom “It Depends” is in play. :slight_smile:

#13

Let me help.

o·pine (-pn)
v. o·pined, o·pin·ing, o·pines
v.tr.
To state as an opinion.
v.intr.
To express an opinion

So you’re NOT just a pretty face after all! You are super smart as well … :wink:

#14

[QUOTE=Auventera Two;3602868]
So are you going to drive your horse up to TN to Illinois every 5 weeks for Rick to shoe him? But I bet you could fly some semen across the country, couldn’t you?

Totally NOT the same thing. :cool:[/QUOTE]

Well, you see, I 'm not going to inquire about either one so it’s no difference to me. I see your point though. Then again, I know quite a few folks that actually fly farriers in to work on their horses so, yeah, not as big of a difference as you may think.

#15

I think it is indeed advertising.

That said, I have routinely recommended products/services in which I have no fiduciary or personal interests . IOW, if I don’t own the company, sell the product/services, receive income from the promotion and/or sale of the product/service, then I don’t consider it to be advertising per se.

#16

I think it is indeed advertising.

I agree 100% as well. But why can a stallion (who is also a product that is being sold for monetary gains) be offered by the poster who has the fiduciary or personal interests in that semen product without contravening the rules, but a supplement cannot?

They are both “products” in my eyes, both owned by the poster and the poster stands to gain by promoting either one of them …

So again - what is the difference and how and where do you draw the line? And how do you know what it and isnt permitted?

#17

Interesting. Most would find that my credentials or those of anyone else, are not advertising in its strictest construction. Just because someone says they are a doctor, lawyer, Indian Chief, et al, doesn’t mean they are engaging in an advertising campaign.

On the other hand, stating that one has a service or product for sale, is a different matter and by any construction should be considered advertising. YMMV

The OP’s sig line doesn’t say anything about ‘gorgeous, amazing, blah blah blah’ just states basic neutral info.

It doesn’t have to. Using the terminology “standing at stud”, or the like, is a far different kettle of fish than placing one’s credentials after(or before) one’s name.

Take a look at all the advertising on the right hand side of the page. Now, imagine if someone placed one or several of those ads in their signature line. Would you call that advertising?

In either case a person can contact either one of them for a service based on what’s in the sig line that they may not have known about otherwise.

You are comparing apples to road apples.

Besides, I don’t give a damn what someone puts in their signature line, advertising or otherwise. I was just commenting on TC’s original post/comments and opining that many would consider her/his signature line to indeed be advertising.

But hey, if the mods want me to remove my credentials from my signature line, its no problem for me.

That said, if I remove those credentials but place B.Sc. after my name, will that still be considered advertising? After all, I am stating that I am a college graduate and maybe someone would , based on that, contact me about this, that, or any ole’ thing.

And so it goes…

#18

I have a real problem with that action. PM’s, e-mails, phone calls, snail-mail, whatever, should not be a part of this. Hell, I’m contacted privately all the time for help with hoof problems and I’m not getting an advertising infraction. Why am I being discriminated against?

So - how and where is the line drawn in the sand?

A good question and one that deserves a rapid and clear answer.

If someone in IL is looking for a farrier for a major recurring problem is Rick allowed to post offering his services in that case

I would think not, nor would I. That said, if I were contacted privately, I most certainly might.

or will he get slapped with an advertising infraction if he does?

Well, if I do it openly on the forums, then I think I should indeed get slapped with an advertising infraction.

And would he need to get a “friend” to post and recommend him instead in that case?

That has and does happen although I have never asked anyone else to post something like that on my behalf. Nor would I.

So, if for example, someone posted on the forums that TC had said bibs for sale, and went so far as to post a link to a relevant web site, I would not, so long as the friend had no “proprietary interest” in the product, consider that to be advertising.

Hell, I recommend Durasole(www.durasole.com) :slight_smile: all the time. But I get nothing from the manufacturer or anyone else with a proprietary interest in the product for so doing.

Or if he emailed that poster - off the boards - would he get set down for advertising as well for simply emailing them to let them know his contact information and how he could be reached if they chose to do so???

I’d be as offput as you are if that happened to me.

#19

Right now there’s a thread going in Dressage about Jane Savoie and her books, DVDs, etc. and the mods haven’t shut that down. So I guess it just depends on what the board owners feel is appropriate and what isn’t? I don’t know. We don’t make rules. We just follow them. :cool: Or not. :cool:

#20

Vicki,

If you post some photos of your work and I comment on them, am I advertising for you? Are you advertising?

I mean, we actually have a couple of threads of that nature going right now. :eek: :wink:

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