Clearcast News

The Olympic Games

Wed, 09 May 12 00:00:00 +0100

We published this article in our Autumn newsletter in September 2011 but thought it might be useful reposted here.

As the Olympic Games approach, advertisers need to be careful not to inadvertently create an association between their brands and London 2012, unless they are entitled to do so.

The London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) protects the Olympic Games brand through the London Olympic Games and Paralympic Games Act 2006. Only sponsors, official broadcasters, official merchandise licensees and licensed non-commercial partners are allowed to use the London 2012 brand in their advertising and marketing.

This protection relates to the Olympic and Paralympic symbols, the London 2012 emblem and all the supporting designs including mascots and pictograms depicting individual sports. It also extends to the words “London 2012”, “2012”, “LOCOG”, “Javelin Team GB”, “Get Set” and “Games Maker”, if used in a way that would create a link with the Games.

Straightforward enough, but as with many areas of advertising it’s not that simple - the 2006 Act also gives LOCOG the right to stop the creation of an association with the Games through the use of certain listed expressions used in a way that creates an association with the games. Unauthorised associations can also be created without use of the listed expressions, so care needs to be taken with visuals and wording to make sure an association is unlikely to be implied. If it thinks an unauthorised association has been created in advertising, LOCOG can take legal action against businesses.

Clearcast can’t interpret or enforce the law but we will be casting a keen eye over all ads to check they are not likely to cause problems under the Act.

If you want to know more about this subject – including seeing the emblems and symbols and the listed expressions - you can read LOCOG’S Brand Protection booklet here.

There are also rules that limits athletes who will compete in the Olympic Games from appearing in advertising shortly before and during the Games. These guidelines can be found here.

May Bank Holiday and Diamond Jubilee Copy Delivery timetable

Thu, 03 May 12 00:00:00 +0100

The below document outlines the copy delivery/instruction dates that have been agreed between the IPA and the broadcasters for the upcoming May bank holiday (Monday 7th) and the Diamond Jubilee bank holiday in June. We hope you find it useful.

Please bear in mind we will be clearing to the air date, not the copy delivery date.

Thank you

File: May and Jubilee copy delivery

Clearcast launches new services

Tue, 10 Apr 12 00:00:00 +0100

We’re delighted to announce the launch of our new “Clearcast plus” services, designed to support advertisers and agencies in getting their ads to air as quickly and smoothly as possible.

Our new services range from early stage script development support, to managing the administration of your campaign and last minute edits. There is also now a Senior Executive dedicated to helping new or irregular advertisers and agencies who’d benefit from extra support during the clearance process.

There’s much more information in the new area on this website so take a look here.

Spring 2012 newsletter out now!

Wed, 14 Mar 12 00:00:00 +0000

Spring is in the air. Time to publish our newsletter then!

Click on the front cover below to read about

Our range of new services
Our new and CPD approved training programme
Why it really is good to "get out more"
Our Copy Exec Micky's Poppy Appeal sensation with a very glamourous twist
...and much much more!

Adway Account Audit

Mon, 05 Mar 12 00:00:00 +0000

In compliance with Data Protection, Clearcast regularly performs an auditing process on Adway accounts that it sets up. As a result of this audit process, we find that some account information is outdated so, for security purposes, these accounts are temporarily disabled. If you are having problems logging into Adway or find your Adway account has been disabled, please contact Sysadmin@clearcast.co.uk so that we can update your details and re-enable your account.

Hot off the press - Welcome brochure for Advertisers and Agencies

Wed, 22 Feb 12 00:00:00 +0000

Welcome to Clearcast, A Guide for Advertisers and Agencies

We have just published a useful handy-sized guide for advertisers and agencies who would benefit from learning about who we are and how we work.

Content includes...

Why do my ads have to be approved by Clearcast?

Who Clearcast is and the role we play in the wider context of TV Advertising

ASA, BCAP and the Codes

...and what an advertiser should do if someone complains about their ad.

How copy clearance works

Our processes (Pre & Post production), signing up to our online system Adway, Your Clearcast Contact, How long does Clearance take? And Speeding up your Clearance…

Extras

Training, Out of Hours & Live Clearances, Pitch Advisory Service, Meet the Consultant, VoD, Late Clearance, Teleshopping, OnlineFlashTest.com.

FAQs

Five of the our most commonly asked questions, answered.

If you would like to download the brochure in a printable pdf format, click on the image above or the file below.

File: WTC brochure printable

Or if you work at an advertiser or agency and think you and/or any of your colleagues would benefit from having a handy A5 copy for your office, please send an email request to communications@Clearcast.co.uk with details of your request.

Thank you

Expansion of our services

Tue, 31 Jan 12 00:00:00 +0000

Expansion of our services

On 10^th April this year, we are expanding Clearcast in four exciting areas: New Business, Campaign Planning & Training, TV Admin and Edit-to-clear.

You’ll be hearing a lot more from us in coming weeks about these new services, but in the meantime, here’s some information to whet your appetite:

New Business

A helping hand to agencies that are either new to TV advertising or work with us so irregularly that it almost feels like the first time, each time. A Senior Executive will have more time to dedicate to these agencies, so that everything can be explained in more detail and better guidance offered when making submissions online.

Campaign Planning & Training

Useful for advertisers and agencies that would like advice at the early stages of a campaign, to get the creative treatments right for contentious sectors or get a claim accepted before the creative work starts.

Our customers can also get help during the approval process, for moments when it starts to feel like it’s getting a bit complicated. The Campaign Planner will work alongside the advertiser or agency, highlight their options and save them valuable time. As a part of the Campaign Planning, we also offer bespoke training, which can be helpful for clients that are not fully familiar with the clearance process or have the full overview of what to look out for in the adverting codes.

TV Admin

Clearcast will be able to help customers that find the clearance process complicated and may not have the resources to follow the clearance. TV, VoD, radio and cinema clearances for the UK and Europe will be offered.

The Clearcast TV Admin service will help clients get a submission as complete as possible before it is sent for clearance – which will save valuable time later, if additional information is required.

The TV Admin can also arrange for delivery once the ad has been approved.

Edit-to-clear

We will now be able to offer some minor editing jobs, such as fixing legal supers that fail on duration of hold or font size. We can also do some smaller jobs on fixing ads that fail on flashing images, as well as clocking or re-clocking ads.

We can also announce we have recently recruited three internal candidates of very high calibre to work in these brand new areas and they look forward to getting started.

So…watch this space!

Online booking now open for Clearcast's 2012 Training Programme

Mon, 30 Jan 12 00:00:00 +0000

Our much anticipated 2012 Training Programme is now here

This year's programme includes our first formal qualification, The Clearcast Certificate, which represents our commitment to high standards and professionalism in the industry.

Our CPD Certified Certificate courses are supported by the IPA and are on offer to a range of audiences in differing proficiency levels:

Agency Certificate
Advertiser Certificate
Advanced Certificate
Broadcaster Certificate

All of our Certificate Courses are designed to help get ads to air and keep them there. The content of our courses provide a practical insight into the clearance process from script to screen and shares our years of experience and expertise.

This year we are also taking our Agency Certificate on-the-road and plan to visit both Scotland and Ireland so they don't miss out. We also continue to offer our popular bespoke in-house training as well as our bitesize courses.

Go to the Training Section of our website

Important changes to acceptance of Hardings Flash Test Certificate

Wed, 25 Jan 12 00:00:00 +0000

An ASA adjudication last week found a TV ad to be in breach of Ofcom guidelines for flashing images and regular patterns. As a result Cambridge Research Systems (manufacturer of the HFPA-X analyser) have issued a new version of their analysis software (v3.0.0) which incorporates a refinement to the algorithms to detect the specific type of pattern contained in the ad complained about.

Both the server used for Flash Testing in Adway and the Onlineflashtest.com website have been updated to this new version. If an ad fails flash testing in Adway, to guarantee compliance with Ofcom guidelines, Clearcast can only accept Flashing certificates created with V3.0.0 or newer of the software as proof of an ad’s compliance. Certificates clearly state the version of software used in the footer of the front page as shown below with the version number shown in red.

All post-production houses with up-to-date Harding’s machines have been alerted to this by Cambridge Research Systems and offered free upgrades to their software. Agencies are encouraged to check that their post-production houses have the recent updates, so that we know the tests have been carried out with the new software and approvals won't be given under the wrong circumstances.

Download the Flashing Certificate Checklist below:

File: Flashing Certificate Checklist

Call for entries to the EACA Euro Effies

Fri, 20 Jan 12 00:00:00 +0000

We thought you might like to be reminded that the EACA Euro Effies 2012 competition is now open for entries.

The EACA Euro Effies are the Gold Standard in Commercial Communications Effectiveness and reward campaigns which have achieved success through proven, effective commercial communications in two or more European markets.

For enquiries email effie@eaca.be