Who is Clearcast UK?
Clearcast UK is a governing body that oversees the clearance of commercials for television. In the UK, broadcasters aren’t allowed to show adverts that are misleading, harmful or offensive. Before UK TV commercials are approved, Clearcast checks them against the UK Codes of Advertising (the BCAP and CAP Codes), which set out what is and isn’t permitted.
How does Space City work with Clearcast?
We’re experts in Clearcast TV guidelines and approval with over 30 years of experience. All members of the production team are fully trained in the Clearcast approval process. This clearance happens twice during the production process – once at the initial scripting stage, and once on completion of the final film or advert.
Space City’s Clearcast approval process
Internal audit
If we’re creating a commercial for you, our experts produce the commercial so that is compliant with Clearcast guidelines during the initial scripting stage. You don’t need to perry about this as we bake this into the production process. If you have a pre-existing commercial, simply submit it and we’ll conduct an internal audit to ensure it complies with Clearcast’s standards.
We submit your TV commercial to Clearcast
We’ll then submit your commercial to Clearcast for review. Clearcast will then check the commercial to ensure that it complies with the UK Code of Broadcast Advertising (BCAP Code) and other relevant regulations, including the Ofcom Broadcasting Code.
If approval is granted
If the commercial meets these standards, Clearcast will grant approval and the advertiser can then broadcast the commercial on any UK television channel
If approval is denied
In very rare cases where the commercial does not meet the standards, Clearcast will provide feedback and suggest changes that can be made to ensure compliance. Our production experts can then help action any required changes.
FAQs
How long does Clearcast approval take?
Typically, the rule of thumb is to leave as much time as possible for clearance and also provide us with substantiation/evidence for claims ahead of being asked. However, for a more accurate timeframe, depending on the complexity of your ad, the average approval time is between 2 – 3 weeks. We will be able to give you a much better timeframe after we have a finalised script and all of your substantiation.
What are Clearcast’s guidelines?
Clearcast’s notes of guidance provide detailed information on how to comply with the BCAP Code and other advertising regulations in the UK. They cover various topics such as alcohol advertising, gambling advertising, health and beauty advertising, environmental claims, and more. The notes of guidance provide specific rules and requirements for each advertising category, along with examples and explanations to help advertisers and advertising agencies understand how to comply with the regulations. They also provide guidance on specific issues such as social media advertising, sponsorship, and pricing claims. Overall, Clearcast’s notes of guidance serve as a comprehensive resource for advertisers to ensure compliance with advertising standards.
Do you need Clearcast approval for VOD?
No, Clearcast approval is not required for Video on Demand (VOD) advertising in the UK. However, VOD ads must comply with the same advertising regulations and standards as broadcast ads. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) is responsible for regulating all advertising in the UK, including VOD advertising.
What else do we offer?
We not only ensure your UK TV advert meets Clearcast guidelines but also provide UK TV commercial production services, including:
- Direct Response TV Advertising (DRTV) services
- Brand Response TV Advertising (BRTV) services
- Video Editing & Versioning services
