All content that includes Echo devices and/or Alexa must adhere to the guidelines found in this portal and properly represent the brand. Before moving through the review process outlined below, ALL content/ creative needs to be reviewed against the Alexa and Echo guidelines. These guidelines are a self-serve tool for marketers to use to make sure they are accurately representing the brand. Marketers are expected to review content against guidelines and update creative BEFORE submitting for review. The review team will not review or approve content/ creative that includes inconsistencies outlined clearly in the guidelines.
The below checklist is intended to provide a quick checklist of things to confirm are considered when developing content that incorporates the Alexa brand to your marketing content. Please ensure all of the below are followed before submitting content for formal review and approval following the review process.
Protecting Against False Wakes
- Build in time for Fingerprinting if using wake words in content: If your creative has any audio containing a wake word (Alexa), please follow the fingerprinting submission process AFTER it has been approved by your Amazon point of contact or the alias referenced below. This requires submitting your final audio/ video files 12+ days in advance of first live date if TV, and 5+ days in advance if digital/social/radio or other content so it is important to plan these SLAs into creative production.
- We need to know the medium (broadcast TV, premium online video, radio, online), estimated total impressions for the campaign as well as estimated avg. weekly impressions while live, and schedule (release date, when broadcast airing starts/stops)
- Once your asset has been fingerprinted and/ or watermarked, you cannot make any edits to it. Shortening or cutting down the clip will also cause the mark to lose its integrity. If editing is required after fingerprinting is complete, you must submit a new fingerprinting request.
- If you choose to re-run an ad you must provide updated dates to your Amazon POC so they can reflect it in our system.
- Don’t Begin Spot with “Alexa”: When building content with the “Alexa” wake word, please ensure that the 3 seconds immediately before and after the “Alexa” wake word have distinguishable audio content (no silence) at a volume similar to that of the "Alexa" wake word. This means media cannot start with “Alexa” right away or it will likely cause issues with our fingerprinting process.
Utterances and Light Ring
- Alexa Responses are Real: Please ensure that any Alexa utterances shown in content are true to actual customer experience (real/repeatable by customers). The utterance used must be real, and Alexa’s response to the utterance must be what she would say through actual use in response to the utterance. It may be ok to truncate responses for creative timing, but it is not ok to create fictional use cases or responses.
- When using an utterance, always use a wake word (“Alexa) at the start: Always include the wake word before an utterance (e.g. “Alexa, turn on the lights”). Wake words are Alexa, Echo, and Computer.
- Test and Validate Utterances: Test your utterance three times to ensure it functions properly. For examples of good utterances to use, see here.
- Light Ring/Bar/LED Activity: Clearly show and accurately depicted light activity if the device is visible during the interaction with Alexa. The light will activate when the wake word (“Alexa") is used and during Alexa's response.
- Check that the depicted light activity is accurately synched with the true customer experience. (We often see light activity delayed or starting too soon. You can check by testing the utterance and response on the device you are featuring.
- Reference the Light Ring page for accurate color depiction. DO NOT misuse light colors (e.g., do not use blue lights to represent calling which is green)
Legal & TM
- SAG Rights and Use of Voice of Alexa: Details here. Please reach out to your Amazon POC or the appropriate email alias below for further questions or support.
- Claims Used: If you make any claims about Amazon devices (e.g., fills the room with immersive, 360-degree omni-directional audio), please use the claims listed on product detail pages.
- Trademark Attribution: The trademark attribution language should almost always be included. It is: "Amazon, Alexa, and all related marks are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates." Translations of this statement are available through your Amazon POC or the review alias.
- Creative Showing a Driver / Showcasing In-vehicle Capability: Please ensure if your material shows a driver, that the driver has their eyes on the road and hands on the wheel or handlebars. In general, ensure creative for in-vehicle talks about eyes on the road/hands on the wheel as we do not what to describe situations that would lead to distracted driving.
Images and videos approved to use within marketing materials can be attained here:
- Don’t refer to Alexa as a platform or ecosystem.
- Don’t use the following terms to describe Alexa: personal assistant, virtual assistant, or robot.
- Do not refer to Alexa with “hey” in any utterances when promoting or co-marketing with Alexa and Echo (e.g., “Hey Alexa”).
- Don’t use the term “always listening” in reference to Amazon Echo or or devices with Alexa built-in.
- Don’t make any marketing of your device overtly attractive to children (i.e., marketing should not encourage children to ask their parents to purchase your device).
- Don’t make any comparative claims (e.g., “compatible with more smart home devices than competitors”).
- Don’t diminish the power of hands-free, voice first interactions by portraying users shouting at or leaning into devices.
- Don’t confirm a purchase if you are using a shopping utterance in your audio.
- TV commercials, radio broadcasting, and other video creative
- Print packaging and point-of-sale assets
- Sweepstakes or promotions related to Alexa or Alexa-enabled devices
- Any use of logos on Echo devices
- Specific use-cases related to the following: kids’ skills, shown or implied use of Alexa by a child (under 13), enterprise, hospitality, or Alexa Smart Properties
- Any marketing assets that deviate from these brand guidelines
- Press releases containing a quote from Amazon
If you have a key point of contact at Amazon, please submit to them for review. If not, please use one of the email aliases below:
alexa-auto-approvals@amazon.com
For marketing approval of Alexa Automotive programs.
alexa-skills-approvals@amazon.com
For approval of Alexa Skills content.
review-asp-marketing@amazon.com
For approval of content related to Alexa Smart Properties
avs-marketing-review@amazon.com
For marketing approval of Alexa Built-in devices.
echomedia-review@amazon.com
For approval of content that includes an Echo product but is not Alexa Built-in, Alexa Automotive, Smart Home/Works With Alexa, Skills or Smart Properties content. Please use above aliases if one of the later.
Please allow up to 10 business days for review and feedback (minimum 2 days). This could be longer during peak periods or if the request requires significant back-and-forth.
Blocked dates: note that review of content will not be conducted 12/13 – 12/31. Please ensure any assets needed in this timeframe are submitted by final cutoff of 12/10. Review will pick up again on the second Monday of January.
ECHO
Echo Brand Guidelines
