Getting an ad on UK television is more straightforward than most people expect. There are a few hoops, and they’re always the same hoops.
1. Decide what the ad has to do
Ring the phone? Fill a showroom? Make people remember your name next time they need you? Everything after this depends on the answer, from the script to the media plan to how you’ll measure it.
If you need a response, say so up front. Response ads are built differently. (We’ve written about direct response TV separately.)
2. Talk to a media buyer
The media buyer plans and books the airtime: which channels, which regions, which times, how many weeks. They’re also the people who’ll tell you which lengths you need, 30” or 20” or 10”. That decides what gets made, so talk to them early.
3. Write the script and send it to Clearcast
Every ad on UK commercial TV is checked by Clearcast before it can air. We send them the script first. If a claim needs proof, or a line needs changing, it’s far cheaper to find out now than after the shoot.
4. Pre-production
Casting, locations, wardrobe, props, crew, the shot list and the shooting schedule. This is also when actors’ usage is agreed. Usage depends on the media plan, so the plan needs to be roughly settled by now.
5. Shoot
Most of our TV ads are shot in one or two days. We plan the shoot for every version you’ll need, cutdowns and social included, so nobody has to go back to set.
6. Edit, voiceover, music and graphics
The edit comes together with the voiceover, music and the end frame: logo, phone number, web address, offer and any legals. Legals have to be legible and on screen long enough, or the ad fails clearance.
7. Final clearance, clock numbers and delivery
The finished ad goes back to Clearcast. They usually come back within two or three working days. Each version gets a clock number, its unique ID, and is delivered to every broadcaster on the plan through the delivery system the stations use.
From January 2027, ITV wants subtitles on every ad, and Channel 4 already does, so build a subtitled version into the plan.
How long does it take?
From brief to air, six to eight weeks is comfortable. Faster is possible when the script is simple and Clearcast don’t query it. We’ve turned ads around in days when it mattered, but nobody enjoys it.
Do I need an agency?
You need someone to make the ad, someone to buy the airtime, and someone to steer it through clearance and delivery. We handle the making, the clearance and the delivery, and work alongside your media buyer, or introduce you to one.