Clearcast
Experts at getting you cleared for take-off
Your advert can’t go on air without approval from Clearcast. A key part of any production, this needs consideration from the outset. As we produce hundreds of TV commercials every year, we deal with Clearcast on a daily basis. We understand the regulations and can safely guide clients through all stages of the process.
Who are Clearcast?
Clearcast is the governing body that oversees the approval of commercials for broadcast in the UK. Broadcasters aren’t allowed to transmit adverts that are misleading, harmful or offensive, and it’s Clearcast’s job to check each commercial against the UK advertising regulations for compliance. Every commercial needs Clearcast approval before it can be shown on air.
The Clearance Process
There are 3 key stages to getting your commercial on air:
First up, we send Clearcast a camera-ready script. This includes all the dialogue or voiceover, plus descriptions of the visuals, graphics, and any legal bits like small print. It’s best to do this before filming starts. That way, if anything needs changing for legal or compliance reasons, we can catch it early. Clearcast will review everything and may ask for changes or extra info to back up any claims.
Next, we submit a rough-cut version of the ad. This is usually an early edit that follows the approved script and includes all the main visuals, voiceover, and any legal text. Clearcast checks that everything matches the script and meets the rules. If anything needs tweaking - like timing, wording, or how long the legal text appears - they’ll let us know.
Finally, we send over the finished ad. This version should be completely ready to go, with all visuals, sound, and legal text exactly where it needs to be. If everything looks good, Clearcast gives us the all-clear and assigns a clock number. That’s the official sign that your ad is approved and ready to hit the screens!
We are Clearcast specialists
All members of Space City’s production team are fully trained in the Clearcast approval process. That’s why, as well as clearing our own commercials, we regularly offer our Clearcast clearance process as a stand-alone service to other agencies or production companies. There are certain types of ads that can be particularly difficult to get cleared, but we‘ve got a proven track record in several key areas.
Our Expertise
TV adverts for medical products which involve health claims are subject to particularly high levels of scrutiny. Many of these products also need the approval of the appropriate medical regulatory bodies. It can also be tricky to make ads for food supplements, vitamins and weight control products. Often the script can do little more than show the product and state where it is sold.
Although we produce a lot of commercials for a wide range of financial services, the rules are quite strict: so we often have to work hard to get a script cleared. For example, an advert can’t encourage irresponsible spending using a loan or other forms of credit. Commercials for investment products need to explain the risks involved. And a lot of insurance products have extensive limitations; it is not enough to put ‘terms and conditions apply’ - you need to include the most important information in the form of ‘legal text’ at the bottom of the screen.
Although there are lots of ads for casinos and gambling websites, the rules surrounding what can be shown are strict… And getting stricter. For a start, you need to have a Gambling Commission licence. They can’t feature any actor who appears to be under 25. They also can’t suggest that gambling can be a solution to financial problems. There are also restrictions as to when gambling commercials can be shown such as the time of day, channel, etc.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you need any help or advice about the Clearcast process, please get in touch!
You should typically allow about two weeks for a script go get cleared. It can take longer if the commercial is for a potentially contentious product or service. All claims made in the script will need to be substantiated by the client, so if this information is readily available at the start of the process, this will speed things up. Once a commercial is completed, it usually takes 2-3 days for the final clock to be approved.
Provided your commercial is completely unchanged, you can go on showing it; the identifying clock number will be recognised by the broadcasters as that for an approved ad. But if you change even one tiny thing (e.g. a price or a telephone number graphic) you need to give your ad a new clock number and start the clearance process all over again.
Yes. You can ask for the Clearcast team to set up a Policy and Copy Meeting (PCM), where they will consider your arguments. If that doesn't succeed you can appeal to something called the Clearcast Copy Committee, made up of representatives of the broadcasters. Their decision will be final and binding.
If you look at ads shown on American TV, you often see small print at the bottom of the screen that is so miniscule it's impossible to read. In the UK there are strict rules about how "legal text" should be shown on screen. There is a minimum size of font you can use (e.g. at least 26 lines on an HDTV screen). The length of time the caption must be shown is also regulated (the "duration of hold"), based on the number of words and whether other text is on screen at the same time.
Most countries have a national equivalent to our Clearcast; in France it is the Authority of Professional Regulation of Advertising (ARPP); in the USA it is the Broadcast Standards and Practices Department. So you may need to navigate an intricate web of international regulations. At Space City we frequently have to adapt and clear commercials for use overseas, so this a service we can offer.
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