FAQ
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If you can't find the answer to your question in our FAQs, you might find it in our Welcome to Clearcast, brochure which outlines who we are and what we do. If you'd like a handy A5 sized copy sent to you, please request one from communications@clearcast.co.uk with your address details
Questions:
1) What is Clearcast?
2) Can I get provisional approval for my ad?
3) What are some of the copy issues I need to keep in mind when making my teleshopping ad?
4) How do I make a teleshopping ad submission?
5) What is a Teleshopping Commercial?
6) Who do I contact if I have a query on the upload of my commercial?
7) Are there any restrictions for films or games that are certified 15 or above?
8) Will evidence submitted in support of advertising claims be kept confidential?
9) Who uses the attribution service?
10) How many commercials does Clearcast approve?
11) Can an agency or advertiser appeal against a Clearcast decision?
12) What is the difference between a roughcut and a clocked commercial?
13) How is a clock number made up?
14) How long does clearance take?
15) What is the clearance procedure for getting Clearcast approval?
16) What is Clearcast?
Answers:
1) What is Clearcast?
Our core role is to provide preclearance for TV and VoD adverts on behalf of the commercial broadcasters (ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, Daybreak, Turner, Sky). We work alongside advertisers and advertising agencies to get ads to air and to keep them there.
There's lots more info around this website but as a first stop, see the About Us section of our site.
2) Can I get provisional approval for my ad?
Provisional approvals are granted to give temporary clearance to a commercial to allow it to be transmitted before the full approval process has been completed. Provisional approvals are normally only granted in cases where the clearance of the commercial is likely to be fairly straightforward.
For further information please take a look at our workflow document:
File: Clearcast Copy Clearance Workflow
3) What are some of the copy issues I need to keep in mind when making my teleshopping ad?
Long form/teleshopping advertisements must identify their commercial nature in optical and acoustic means immediately at the beginning and immediately at the end e.g. "The following is (proceeding "was") a commercial presentation brought to you on behalf of X"
Advertisements must not refer to themselves in a way that might lead viewers to believe they are watching a programme. The word "show" however, is considered acceptable e.g. "Welcome to the show!"
The script must specify the purchase price and the cost of p&p in either sound or vision. If the script does not specify purchase price and the cost of p&p, then it cannot be said to include a direct offer for sale and does not qualify as teleshopping material.
More details will follow in our new Teleshopping section on our website, coming soon!
4) How do I make a teleshopping ad submission?
The Submission process for teleshopping scripts is exactly the same as for any other commercials. The process for the teleshopping shortform video submission is also the same as for any other commercials.
For any longform teleshopping ads (longer than five minutes), video submission is required in our Adway system and in addition, a DVD needs to be sent to Clearcast. Please ensure that you also directly contact the Clearcast Teleshopping team (Paul and Justyna) so that the status can be changed in the system from ‘awaiting tape’ to ‘new’.
Further Info:
File: Claims support
File: Testimonial form
5) What is a Teleshopping Commercial?
Teleshopping (also known as home shopping, advertorials, infomercials, etc.) is a form of advertising involving the broadcast of direct offers to the public with a view to the supply of goods or services, including immovable property, or rights and obligations, in return for payment.
6) Who do I contact if I have a query on the upload of my commercial?
Your Executive has an Operations Assistant who is responsible for the distribution of ads and rough edits within Clearcast. You can find your Operations Assistant in the Contact us section of our site, by inputting your agency name in our "Exec Finder". By doing that you will be told who your Exec is and who that Exec's Assistant (and therefore your Assistant) is too.
7) Are there any restrictions for films or games that are certified 15 or above?
Films and games that are BBFC or PEGI certified 15 or above will automatically attract an ex-kids restriction regardless of content. However, Clearcast will view any commercial with reference to harm, violence and sexual content and apply an appropriate restriction.
Please read a related article on video games in our Winter 2009 Newsletter
8) Will evidence submitted in support of advertising claims be kept confidential?
All confidential information submitted by or on behalf of advertisers will be held in confidence by Clearcast. Accordingly Clearcast will not disclose, copy, reproduce or distribute any such confidential information save only as is required in connection with the clearance and broadcasting of the commercial, except where Clearcast is required to do so by law or regulation or by governmental or competent regulatory authority.
9) Who uses the attribution service?
The data, which also includes Clearcast copy title, telephone number and website and NMR category information, is made available to Nielson Media Research UK subscribers. The data is used by research companies in conjunction with BARB commercial spot data supplied by Nielsen Media Research UK.
10) 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).
11) Can an agency or advertiser appeal against a Clearcast decision?
When agreement cannot be reached scripts and/or commercials can be submitted to the Clearcast Copy Committee, which consists of senior representatives from six of the leading broadcasters for a view. The Committee's view on a script or commercial is final.
12) 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.
13) 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.
14) 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.
15) What is the clearance procedure for getting Clearcast approval?
Pre-production scripts and rough-cut or finished commercials should be submitted to Clearcast, to the relevant assigned individual. For those that subscribe to it, pre-production scripts and films can be uploaded digitally to Clearcast's digital clearance system, Adway. Please see our Clearance Process for further info.
16) What is Clearcast?
Clearcast is the specialist company, owned and funded by seven leading commercial broadcasters, ITV, GMTV, Channel Four, Five, Sky, IDS (Virgin Media) and Turner, all of whom are represented on Clearcast's board. On behalf of broadcasters, and in accordance with their Ofcom licences, Clearcast advises on and clears commercials, against the TV Advertising Standards Code (the Code), before they are broadcast. Clearcast also manages the attribution service which standardises and validates attribution data for all BARB reported commercial copy transmitted on TV in the UK and reports attribution for transmission by UK broadcasters in the Republic of Ireland.