Glossary A–ZLetter C
Category exclusion
A category exclusion is a commitment that no advertising from competitors or from certain sectors will run in a given setting.
It can apply to the same loop, to a site or to an entire period. It is agreed by contract and taken into account in the allocation plan.
Two forms are common. An advertiser obtains an assurance that no direct competitor will run in its loop, so there are no two car dealers back to back, for example. Or a venue partner excludes sectors that do not suit its premises, such as alcohol in a medical practice waiting area or competitors in its own shop.
Every exclusion reduces the inventory that can be sold, so it is often charged separately or limited in time. Operators should define sectors clearly, so that it is obvious whether a drugstore counts as a competitor of a pharmacy, for instance. Category exclusions must be distinguished from statutory advertising bans, which apply regardless of any contract.