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Just35.com controversy
UK-Netmarketing Weekly Round-up - July 21, 2000

Every so often a topic comes along that gets everyone chatting. Usually it tends to be some retail website hitting the rocks, or a really daft marketing campaign. This time however, it was an advert during Channel 4’s Emillionaire. It wasn’t the advert for Just35.com per se, but some of the policies applied by those behind the site.

The premise of Just35.com appeared to be that only 35 sites would be listed in each category and that those sites would have to pay for their listing. Sam Newman commented, "We didn't [pay]. Some factual inaccuracies though in our description - have emailed to ask them to correct. If they're as professional as they apparently want to be, I hope they'll have the decency to make the changes! Plus our logo appears to have been ‘pinched’ from our site - so it's not particularly good quality/impressive. If they'd asked we'd have given...Would it surprise you to learn that an email I sent asking for changes to the specified [email] address has just been bounced back as not recognised? Sheesh...".

Leslie Bunder’s experience differed, he wrote, "I think you'll find it you put a request to be listed they will charge. As the site now says on Get Listed: ‘Subscribe here to be listed as one of just35 reviews in your relevant category for a nominal fee’ But of course if you are already listed for free and there is your logo which is on the site and doesn't look too good, you certainly don't want your logo to look poor. But the question is, I wonder if you'll get a sales person call you to charge you for those changes?"

A suspiciously positive posting from Anthony North followed, "I love it ! A breath of fresh air ? Simple things are the BEST !" The more eagle-eyed amongst the UK-Netmarketing fraternity recognised his email address from an earlier posting promoting another site. This other site, now links to just35.com. Coincidence perhaps?

Sam Carrington thought not, writing, "you aren't perhaps an employee of just35 by any chance are you? just a shot in the dark... ehem ..."

Melanie Beech added, "But did those who have been listed actually pay? If so, there's a surprising number of sites which haven't even bothered to supply their logo. No, this looks to me like ... list everyone you can find, and hope people will pay later to be placed. Actually, I think we've possibly all just been spammed by Antony North in a bid to drive traffic to his new venture?"

Whether or not just35.com appealed, it seems the subscribers to the list started taking a look to see what all the fuss was about. Emma Kane emailed, "Just35 - from their 20 best sites listing- ‘http://www.suzuki.com wow! the best site i have seen so far on the net -and i have seen a few.. front page is very simply where you selectautomotive, motor bikes or boat engines. from there the choices are endless;pictures of the cars and bikes fantastic and plenty of internet specialoffers/">' I think they've seen a few less sites then me then, the Suzuki site is _not_ a classic of our time. Presumably Suzuki coughed up the 2k, either that or the newbie editor is a big scooter fan. I know I wouldn't pay..."

Jamie Thomas commented, "We've been barred!! We're a small non profit site (www.thesite.org) providing info and advice for young adults (16+); we thought we'd try Just35 and agreed to a trial period of 3 months. It took them ages to review our site, and when they finally did they turned us down! They reckoned our content was too explicit and not 'suitable' for their audience - apparently one of their board took great exception to it. Saw their adverts the other day, not very inspiring so I reckon we're best out of it."

Roger Fenton, from Just35.com responded, "Just for your information we rejected your listing because our site contains no sex or adult content and although you claim to be a charity and endorsed by the PM Tony Blair, we do not want to be associated in any way with a site which has 51 year old men cruising your chat rooms trying to pick up young girls or articles on premature ejaculation from porn or how to give your girl good head. I certainly wouldn’t want my children visiting your vulgar website, nor I’m sure would Mr Blair."

A number of people clearly felt Roger’s response was misguided, Richard Longhurst wrote, "Never mind that TheSite is one of the best sites for teenagers around... But hey, at least you link that paragon of virtue Viz. Just35 says: ‘Oh no! An online presence for the UK's most irreverent periodical. Sid The Sexist, Johnny Fartpants, The Fat Slags......their all there. Absolute rubbish from start to finish. They said it not me. Brilliant!’"

After a number of postings in favour of TheSite, Roger Fenton responded. He wrote, "What has the World come to when one gets attacked for trying to do some good, we are one of the only search tools available that if you type in 'sex' the only matches you will get are for Essex or Sussex. Although this might be a turn off for the more perverse Internet user, but as a mother or father this is a very satisfying and comforting tool. On that note, Just35.com will soon be the main search facility used in all schools across the UK because of the above reason. Surely the fact that we are actually rejecting 'paid for links' suggests that we wont be the '35 best payers' as some of you have implied."

Taking Roger at his word, Richard Longhurst experimented with the search facility and shared the results, "I'm sure readers will be surprised to hear that Roger is mistaken in this regard. Viz, SexyShoes.co.uk and Agent Provocateur all turn up on a search for 'sex'. I'm sure Tony Blair and David Blunkett wouldn't want my children visiting these sites through Just35.com. Of course, I had to have a good look round Sexy Shoes to see if it was suitable for children and it is -- the 'Silver top genuine horse whip' will be just the thing for cowboys and Indians, and no doubt the 'Three fingered studded spanking paddle' will replace the feared slipper in many a public school beating."

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