Brian if you paid for advertising and someone posted a link to someone selling the same stuff you were cheaper you'd probably get pissed. It would be easier for the Mod's just to enforce the CEO's rule and be done with the whining, or one of you guys buy the magazine and change the rules.
Again make it simple, No links. I totally understand and agree with your statement......But to butcher a link is childish, it still achieves the same results against the advertiser. That reminds me of the police telling you how to use technicalities against the police themselves...don't make sense to me.
I personally (if I were a advertiser) Would care less about links.......Unless it were to DIRECT competitors of archery related supplies, not Ford trucks. Just about any link will lead you to advertisement......thought that was the whole reason for websites in general, even chat websites.