Media Sales & Advertising Policy

These policies shall apply to all national AMTA and chapter media opportunities that will accept advertising. Chapter media also include any sanctioned unit activities.

Media Opportunities Covered by This Policy

AMTA national media opportunities available to advertisers shall include, but not be limited to the current publications that accept advertising: Massage Therapy Journal, the AMTA Web site, the Membership Registry, Council Communicator, e-touch the electronic newsletter, chapter Web sites and newsletters, trade show exhibits, sponsorships, mailing lists and other media that will be developed to accept advertising.

Definition of Advertising As It Applies to AMTA Media Opportunities

The word advertising used herein covers a variety of promotional options including print ads, banner web ads, sponsorships, exhibit signage, Web pages and Web links, direct mail samples, product samples for distribution to members at AMTA events and any other options that would be considered in the marketplace as an advertising or promotion medium or sales tool.

Purpose of Sale

AMTA media opportunities sell space for advertisements of consumer and business products, services, entry level and advanced training programs, and educational materials related to professional massage therapy.

Return of Advertising Materials

Any submitted advertisements from Massage Therapy Journal or other publications that the advertiser wishes to have returned, including but not limited to, disks, film, artwork and/or photos will be returned at the advertiser's expense. This also applies to ads in Chapter newsletters unless state laws exist that require retention of said materials.

Right to Edit

AMTA reserves the right to edit for clarification, space limitations or media sales policy compliance, and shall have the discretion of placement of advertisements submitted to any of its media opportunities.

Right of Refusal or Termination

AMTA media opportunities accepting advertising reserve the right to refuse or terminate any advertising based on the appropriateness of the content or design; demonstrating behavior in opposition to the AMTA Code of Ethics, the Scope of Practice for AMTA members, the AMTA Mission Statement, the AMTA Goals, AMTA's Policies and/or the AMTA Bylaws. Examples of inappropriate content or design may include suggestive wording, suggestive poses, improperly draped or nude photos, disparagement of competitors, or false or misleading claims. Reviews will be conducted by appropriate AMTA staff and/or Communications Committee.

Advertising will be refused or terminated for the following reasons:

  1. sexually suggestive wording, photos or images;

  2. promotion of prostitution, sexual surrogates, or escort services;

  3. substantiated fraud, deception, or illegal or unethical business practices;

  4. advertiser’s demonstrated behavior or content considered to be opposed to the AMTA Code of Ethics, Scope of Practice for AMTA Members, the AMTA Mission Statement, AMTA’s Policies, or the AMTA Bylaws;

  5. advertiser's attempt to exert undue influence on editorial content or decisions, to the gain or detriment of any person;

  6. unsubstantiated claims regarding financial gain;

  7. political or religious in nature and advance specific beliefs;

  8. content which can be construed as unduly proselytizing, patronizing or derogatory to any person, group or cause;

  9. entry level in-class massage school training programs which are not currently provided by an AMTA School member or accredited by COMTA; or

  10. unsubstantiated claims for healing or curing ailments or diseases. Should advertiser not wish to comply with AMTA policies, future contracts will be denied.

  11. Communications with advertiser regarding grounds for rejection will be kept confidential by AMTA.

Publication and Notification

Advertisers will receive guidelines that AMTA uses for screening advertising in both electronic and print versions of the AMTA Media Kit. Chapter newsletters and Web sites that sell advertising must reference these guidelines by listing a link to the AMTA "Advertising Guidelines" page on the AMTA Web site , or by publishing these guidelines in tact.

Compatibility with Design Requirements

Ads must be compatible with design requirements specified by individual AMTA media opportunities, such as legibility and size of ad. The format and presentation of ads must be clearly differentiated from editorial and article content, and may be clearly labeled "advertisement" at the discretion of AMTA.

Classified Ads

Classified ads may include miscellaneous items and notices not related to massage therapy, with the exception that personal introduction ads are prohibited.

Advertising Entry-Level Training Programs

Only AMTA School Members and COMTA accredited schools shall be allowed to advertise entry-level massage therapy training programs in AMTA media opportunities.

Substantiation of Claims Made by Schools, Training Programs, Seminars, etc.

Claims regarding approval, licensing, accreditation, certification and number of faculty for schools, training programs, continuing education classes and workshops must be substantiated in writing by the advertiser when called upon by AMTA within 5 business days. Copies of certificates will be accepted.

Verification of Claims

Any other claims made or implied by ads must be reasonable and documented by valid research or other reliable evidence. When asked for verification by AMTA, advertiser must reply within 5 business days.

Proper Use of Credentials and Degrees

Professional credentials and degrees must be presented accurately.

  1. Doctoral Degrees: The title "Doctor" or "Dr." may not be used, but initials M.D., D.C., Ph.D., and other doctoral abbreviations may appear after a person's name, provided it can be documented that said doctoral degree was granted by an accredited institution.

  2. Title Abbreviations: "MT" or "MsT" must be spelled out as "Massage Therapist" or "Massage Technician". "LMT" as a state-defined legal title must be spelled out as "Licensed Massage Therapist". "RMT" must be spelled out as "AMTA Registered Massage Therapist" (except where RMT indicated legal registrations, as in Canada, or in the state allowing registration).

  3. A practitioner who has passed the National Certification Examination must use the correct terminology: "Nationally Certified in Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork" or the abbreviation NCTMB. "CMT" or "Certified Massage Therapist" is not a credential or title granted by an authorized agency and, therefore, should not be used.

Advertising Position or Office within AMTA

Advertisers may not mention holding current or prior AMTA office without written permission of AMTA.

AMTA Endorsements

No endorsement by AMTA or any other AMTA media opportunities of an advertised product, service, course of instruction or workshop may be claimed or implied in an ad without written permission of AMTA.

Hands-On Newsletter Advertising

Hands On the Newsletter of AMTA shall not include privately sponsored advertising of any type.

Proof of Publication

All print media sales will be substantiated by a copy of the publication being sent to the advertiser. Note: In regard to advertising in the Membership Registry, only the page with a particular ad shall be sent as proof of insertion.

Payment for Advertising and Discounts

All ads for first time advertisers must be paid in advance of publication.

Thereafter, for established accounts, terms of a 2% discount are given if paid within ten (10) days; otherwise advertiser must pay in 30 days. Billing for established accounts is mailed at the same time as the publication.

  1. Agency discounts of 15% will only be given to recognized advertising agencies and in-house agencies that can show proof of operation as a separate entity.

  2. Maximum discounts allowed to advertisers shall be no more than 30%, including member discounts.

  3. Advertisers who are behind in payment for more than 30 days will not be allowed to run in the next issue until their account is paid in full.

  4. Advertisers who are 60 or more days past due will be put on a pre-payment program. Payment must be received before any ad is published.

Responsibility for Errors

Advertisers are responsible for their own errors or omissions in advertising materials provided..

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