FAQ
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Questions:
1) What is BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic)?
2) My ad has been given a post 19.30 timing restriction – what does that mean?
3) How many commercials does Clearcast approve?
4) What is the difference between a roughcut and a clocked commercial?
5) Who makes up the clock number?
6) How is a clock number made up?
7) What is a clock number?
8) How long does clearance take?
Answers:
1) What is BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic)?
When agencies submit their ads to us on our online system, Adway, they are asked to tick a box if their ads feature lead or walk-on actors from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds.
We’d like to remind agencies of the importance of ticking this box when submitting ads to Clearcast. This can be found on the submission page when you submit clocked ads. There are two boxes just below the visual artists column for ‘featured’ and ‘walk on’ artists. By filling these in you will allow the industry to more accurately track these figures, giving a more accurate picture of the situation.
2) My ad has been given a post 19.30 timing restriction – what does that mean?
Timing restrictions are a way of attempting to ensure that adverts are only shown at a time that is appropriate to their content. In general terms, some ads may only be shown outside of programmes mainly watched by children, while some may only be shown after the so called nine o’clock watershed, or even later. Post 19.30 is a half way house that would be applied to adverts containing moderate references to sex or violence or behaviour that would be harmful rather than life threatening if emulated.
Examples of content that would be likely to attract a post 19.30 timing are:
a/ Strong but brief interpersonal contact. Scenes of threat and horror in the home. Morphing and/or scary faces. Moderate or strong, but brief, aggressive behaviour. Visuals of injuries, which aren't too graphic but may be bloody.
b/ Moderate innuendo. Moderate non-graphic sexual activity, this might be nudity in a sexual context.
For a more comprehensive list and explanation of our timing restrictions, go here.
3) How many commercials does Clearcast approve?
In 2010 Clearcast considered 33,000 scripts (13% more than 2009) and 60,000 clock commercials (12% more than 2009).
4) What is the difference between a roughcut and a clocked commercial?
A roughcut is an unfinished commercial, normally submitted for a Clearcast view before being properly finished. A clocked commercial is ready for transmission and starts with a countdown clock.
5) Who makes up the clock number?
Agencies or advertisers are responsible for making up the clock number but the agency code in the clock number is allocated by our Operations Administrator
6) How is a clock number made up?
The convention for a clock number is that it shows the name of the agency, the client and product, a commercial unique identification number and the commercial length. These codes are punctuated by a "/" to make a 15 character number:
Agency Code (three alpha characters)
Terminator/Client Code (two alpha characters)
Product Code (two alpha characters)
Unique I.D. (three numeric characters)
Terminator/Duration three numeric characters)
Example: DIR/CORP001/030
The agency code in the clock number is allocated by our Operations Administrator, the rest of the clock number is made up by the agency or advertiser.
7) What is a clock number?
A unique alphanumeric identification number used to identify an advertisement and its creators/source (the advertising agency). The number is used from the clearance process through to transmission and post-transmission reporting.
Please note that clock number must be entered in the following format:
1. Agency Code (3 alpha characters)
2. Terminator /
3. Client Code (2 alpha characters)
4. Product Code (2 alpha characters)
5. Unique Id (3 numeric characters)
6. Terminator /
7. Duration (3 numeric characters)
For example: XYZ/ABCD001/030
If your submission is Linear and Video on-Demand (Teleshopping) or Linear and Video on-Demand (Green button), the clock number should be entered as
EITHER
[Agency Code - AAA] + "/" + [Client Code - AA] + [Product Code - AA] + [Unique Id – NN] + "/" + [duration - NNNN]
OR
[Agency Code - AAA] + "/" + [Client Code - AA] + [Product Code - AA] + [Unique Id - N] + "/" + [duration - NNNNN]
8) How long does clearance take?
The time taken for script depends on its complexity. Straight forward scripts may take only a few days to approve whereas those that require in-depth analysis and, possibly, a consultant's view on technical evidence take longer. Clearcast aims to either feedback on or approve rough or clocked commercials within two days of ingestion.