If you’ve never worked with us before — or it’s been a little while — we’re here to provide whatever help you need to take an ad from script to air.
That help will come from our senior copy group executives, Jonathan and Micky, who dedicate their time to assisting new agencies as well as those we work with less frequently.
Whether you’re preparing your campaign or are ready to submit and have any questions about the process, they’re here to help. You could also check out our handy Clearcast welcome brochure for media companies, advertisers, and agencies.
Email new.business@clearcast.co.uk to contact Jonathan or Micky, (please remember to include your contact details) or call 020 7339 4700 and ask for the New Business Team. There is no charge for this service.
CopyCentral serves as our online clearance system. You'll use it to send us scripts and ads for approval, as well as to send messages and feedback so there’s a centralised record of all communications.
All new agencies/companies that need to get ads cleared with us will need to register.
To get set up on CopyCentral (for scripts and rough cuts) and The Library (for clocked ads/TVCs/delivery), a senior person of the appropriate level of authority (e.g. MD, FD, Head of TV Admin) will need to fill out the form via the link below. Once submitted, we’ll then send over our user terms for you to digitally sign and return.
The registration and user agreement outlines the T&Cs of CopyCentral, including a section for nominating Super Users who will administer the account.
If you have any questions about the registration process for CopyCentral, or the agreement, please email us on help@clearcast.co.uk or call us on 020 7339 4780.
If you work at an existing organisation that is already signed up to our clearance system but need a log in to CopyCentral, please contact the designated Super User at your organisation, who will be able to set you up with a user log in. If you don’t know who the Super User is for your organisation please ask us via help@clearcast.co.uk.
If you are submitting an ad through the Sky AdSmart SME 100 scheme, you should follow the standard process but make sure to reference it in the script and video stages.
When uploading your script in CopyCentral, make sure to highlight in the script description section that you are part of the Sky AdSmart SME 100 scheme.
When uploading videos use the same description field to reference your submission ID from the approved script. If you have any questions please contact your Clearcast contact who you will be assigned after you register.
To work with us, you'll need to register for our online submission system, CopyCentral. This platform needs to be used for any pre-production material you want to submit to us, rather than via email. Please see ‘Get going with our clearance system’ above for further details.
Anyone can register with us, whether ad agency, client, post production house, freelancer, PR company, etc. We request though that there is just one point of contact so that we’re not dealing with more than one party in a clearance.
All clearances are free if your ad is being transmitted on a channel we clear for. For a list of channels we clear for please see this list. If your ad is going out on a channel we don’t clear for they should be approached directly for clearance.
All ads must comply with either the BCAP or CAP codes, depending on where the ad will be shown. Ads seen in normal airtime (‘Linear’ ads) must comply with the BCAP code, ads shown on the ‘On Demand’ platforms (‘VOD’ ads) must comply with the CAP code.
Clearance is a three-stage process. You need to submit a script to us first using our template (this is a written breakdown of your ad). When this has been approved, a rough-cut should be submitted so we can check that you’re in line with the approved script. And the final stage is submitting the finished version of the ad to us for approval. The rough cut stage is advisable but not compulsory. For a more detailed breakdown please click here.
No, even if your ad has already been made, you need to submit a script first before submitting the ad itself so that we can perform the necessary checks and request supporting evidence for any claims being made in the ad (what’s known as ‘substantiation’).
You should leave at least two weeks for clearance of the script but please note clearance could take longer if the script is particularly complex or requires a considerable amount of substantiation. Clearance of the ads themselves usually takes two-three working days as long as the ad is in line with the approved script and there aren’t any technical issues uploading it onto our system.
Yes they can but everyone who uses the CopyCentral system must have their own login, we don’t allow the sharing of logins. Logins are created by the allocated ‘super user’ (usually the person who registers with us), not Clearcast.
We offer a number of additional services that can help with your clearance:
If your query isn’t answered above, please click here for our more detailed FAQs or email us new.business@clearcast.co.uk.
Clearcast is broadcaster, agency and production house neutral and no organisation gets preferential terms. CopyCentral is a standalone system and not currently integrated with any advertising agency, production house or advertising services systems. Where opportunities arise for integration they will be made available to third parties on equal terms.
