Launching a Google Ads campaign for a wine and spirits brand isn’t just a creative challenge — it’s also a regulatory maze. One moment, your campaign is ready to go live. The next, you’re staring at a red “Disapproved” notice in your Google Ads dashboard. If that weren’t enough, you might see something more concerning: a “Compromised site” tag, or the mysterious “Additional redress option (EU only)” attached to the decision.
I recently helped a client navigate this exact situation. The campaign was built around a premium wine brand — tasteful visuals, well-written copy, and no aggressive marketing tactics. Despite that, Google shut it down. Here's the process I followed to turn that denial into an approved campaign — and the lessons learned along the way
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Step 1: Understanding Google’s Alcohol Policy
First things first: selling alcohol through Google Ads is allowed — but only under strict conditions. And those conditions apply not just to the ad copy, but to the entire user journey, including your landing page.
According to Google’s official policy on alcohol, advertisers must:
Clearly state that the product is alcoholic.
Avoid targeting minors or using imagery that could appeal to them.
Not make health claims like “relaxes you” or “reduces stress.”
Comply with local laws regarding alcohol promotion.
One of the biggest oversights? Lack of an age verification gate. Google requires that users verify their age before accessing alcohol-related content. A simple “Are you 18+?” or “21+ to enter” modal is a must-have.
Even if your ad doesn’t directly mention alcohol, if your landing page sells wine or spirits without an age gate, your campaign will be disapproved.
Step 2: “Compromised Site” — What Does That Even Mean?
If you’ve ever received a “compromised site” disapproval, you know how frustrating and vague it can feel. Google’s automated systems flagged the landing page in our case — not because of malware — but due to custom CSS injections and an iframe video banner that were part of the site’s design.
Here’s what Google says about this policy:
“A compromised site refers to a site or destination whose code has been manipulated by a third party in a way that is intended to benefit a third party without the knowledge of the site's owner.”
— Google Ads Compromised Sites Policy
The reality is, Google errs on the side of caution. Even aesthetic elements like JavaScript-based sliders, embedded iframes, or custom transitions can sometimes trigger this warning — especially if they aren’t served from secure or verifiable origins.
In our case, the site was scanned thoroughly using tools like Google Safe Browsing, VirusTotal, and hosting-side malware checks. Nothing malicious came up. It turned out to be a false positive, likely triggered by custom scripts and styling libraries.
Step 3: Clean Up and Reinforce the Site
Once you know Google flagged your site as compromised, you’ll need to take action, even if no real threats exist.
What we did:
Removed unnecessary or unused scripts, especially those from unknown or third-party domains.
Rewrote some of the custom CSS that used injected logic for slideshows.
Verified that the iframe video banner wasn’t pointing to external, insecure sources.
Implemented HTTPS everywhere, including for all image and script references.
Added a prominent age verification screen on the homepage and any ad landing pages.
Even if the scripts are harmless, it’s safer to keep your code as minimal and verifiable as possible. Stick to trusted CDNs or self-hosted files, and document your cleanup for appeals.
Step 4: The Appeal Process and EU Redress Options
After cleanup, the next step was to go through Google’s appeal process.
In Google Ads → Policy Manager, you can click on the disapproved ad and select “Appeal.” There are two paths: "I fixed the issue" or "Dispute decision." In our case, we selected both, depending on the issue.
Here’s a sample appeal message we used:
"We've implemented an age verification gate, removed potentially flagged custom scripts and iframe video banners, and completed a full scan confirming the site is not compromised. We also applied for alcohol certification via the Policy Manager. Please re-review."
Because the campaign targeted EU users, we also saw the “Additional redress option (EU only)” note. This is based on EU consumer protection rules, which provide additional rights to dispute automated moderation decisions.
You can file a formal complaint through Google’s European policy escalation form, which leads to human-led reviews and is particularly useful if you believe a false positive was involved
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Step 5: Certification and Final Compliance Checks
After submitting the appeal, we also went ahead and requested Google’s Alcohol Certification through the account’s Policy Center. You’ll need to provide business information, verify legality in your region, and agree to terms around advertising responsibly.
We then ran through a full compliance checklist:
Age-gate before product access? ✔️
Ads don’t imply medical or social benefits? ✔️
Scripts served from secure domains? ✔️
No hidden redirects or URL mismatches? ✔️
HTTPS and clean code throughout the site? ✔️
Within five business days, the ad status was changed to “Approved (limited),” and shortly after, fully cleared.
Step 6: Post-Approval Tips and Campaign Optimization
Once your campaign is running, don’t stop there. With alcohol ads, staying compliant is an ongoing task.
Here are some tips:
Rotate creatives that focus on product quality and craftsmanship.
Avoid all-caps headlines (e.g. “HUGE SALE”) — these can also be flagged.
Use Google’s Ad Preview and Diagnosis tool to test different queries and spot delivery issues.
Re-run quarterly site audits to check for broken links, outdated scripts, or new Google policy changes.
One useful insight I found in the Google Ads community forums is that older disapproved campaigns can sometimes block newer ones. It’s worth removing or archiving old campaigns if you’ve rebuilt from scratch.
Final Thoughts: Policy Isn’t Punishment — It’s Framework
Getting flagged for alcohol ads or compromised site issues can feel punitive. But when you understand Google’s policy logic, it becomes less like a locked gate and more like a blueprint for safer, more effective campaigns.
To recap:
Always use an age-gate and apply for alcohol certification.
Simplify your site’s codebase, especially for ad landing pages.
Appeal through both the Policy Manager and the EU redress path if applicable.
Keep your creatives honest, minimal, and targeted to legal-age audiences.
If you do all this — and double-check your site health — you’ll not only win approval but set yourself up for a campaign that scales confidently and compliantly.
That "Disapproved" email? Totally beatable.
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References
Google Ads Policy – Alcohol
https://support.google.com/adspolicy/answer/6012382Google Ads Policy – Compromised Sites (malicious/unwanted software)
https://support.google.com/adspolicy/answer/6020954Google Ads Alcohol Certification Process
https://support.google.com/adspolicy/answer/6020954#alcohol-certGoogle Safe Browsing Transparency Report
https://safebrowsing.google.comVirusTotal – Free Online Malware Scanner
https://www.virustotal.comImunify360 Blog – Fixing Ads Flagged as “Compromised Site”
https://blog.imunify360.com/getting-google-ads-disapproved-with-compromise-site-this-common-wordpress-plugin-could-be-one-of-the-culpritsReddit Thread – “Compromised site” Ad Disapprovals
https://www.reddit.com/r/adwords/comments/159jofz/keep_getting_compromised_site_in_all_of_our_ads/Wikipedia – Malvertising (explains risks of ad-delivered malware)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MalvertisingFuerteDevelopers – Google Ads “Evasive Content” Update (includes alcohol policy)
https://fuerte-developers.medium.com/what-is-evasive-ad-content-policy-google-ads-update-you-should-know-99d550a21137