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Spirit Studio’s: ‘The Good, The Bad and The Healthy’

Landing a spot on TV can be a real game-changer for a brand. It offers instant impact, unrivalled trust and great value (Thinkbox). But it’s not always feasible for smaller businesses.

That’s where Channel 4’s brand new service comes in. Hoping to tackle this inequality, they’ve introduced a way for brands who aren’t usually represented on the small screen, to create TV ads without the need for big budget production.

And we’re thrilled to have played a part in the creation of the first ever ad made by them in this way.

How it works

The new service uses AI, provided by Streamr.ai and Telana, to create TV-ready ads for Channel 4’s streaming platform. The creative is purely generative, which means its built entirely from material which is already available, like the brand’s website and social media content. They’ve even introduced a hybrid option, which allows brands to harness the brilliance of Channel 4’s creative teams, alongside the cutting-edge technology, to deliver big results fast.

The broadcaster has been testing the solution with two advertisers, with the first, from Spirit Studios, hitting screens last week. The ad is for ‘The Good, The Bad & The Healthy’ – a brand-new foodie podcast with Sunna van Kampen, featuring real talk, healthy hacks, and supermarket truth bombs.

Why it’s needed

Currently, only 7,000 out of the UK’s 3 million advertisers run campaigns on TV. The new service aims to help brands of all sizes tap into streaming audiences which were once out of reach due to budget, to “democratise access to TV” as Patel puts it. “We’re using Gen AI to support the under-represented advertisers and creative teams, not to displace them.”

How we ensured compliance and trust

With new ground broken, it was essential for Channel 4 to dot the I’s and cross the T’s. So, they got us involved from the early stages, right through to delivery. It served as a great example of collaboration from concept to screen, and showed how cherry-picking from our menu of solutions can help brands to secure quality, trust and peace of mind when trying new things. They chose to enlist help from our Copy Development, Commercial, and Fast Track services, to make sure that the ad was compliant, cleared, and delivered on time.

Copy Development: ensuring AI ads follow the rules

By working directly with Pete Bellas, Copy Development Manager, they were able to explore initial concepts, set guard rails to create dynamic and scalable content and make sure that everything was compliant.

“It was great they got me involved in the initial stages” Pete explains. “This meant I could advise on guardrails for the technology and consult on specific sectors, so that the generated script was more likely to be compliant, hopefully preventing any roadblocks further down the line.

I worked closely with them on the initial creative treatment and went through multiple rounds of script variations, advising on claims, what substantiation would be need and which technical requirements should be considered.

Having an expert involved so early in the creative process meant that the BCAP code rules were always in mind, allowing for a much smoother and pain-free clearance process for all.

This is an exciting new service which showcases how Clearcast can work collaboratively with advertisers, broadcasters, and clients to advance the advertising landscape.”

Clearcast Commercial Services: giving you the headspace to focus on creativity

Danny Turner, Head of Commercial Services, continues “After Copy Development had worked on the creative, we managed the formal upload of the ad and its path along the clearance process (where Fast Track got involved). We also took care of its onward delivery to the broadcasters, through the Library, and the copy instructions to stations.

Having our team involved meant that Channel 4 could focus on the ad itself and not have to worry about the day-to-day management of getting the ad onto the screen. We handled all of that, making sure that things went smoothly and were managed efficiently. This was made possible due to the three services working in tandem with one another, as well as the preparation and responsiveness of the Channel 4 team.

I feel privileged to have been part of this new initiative and look forward to seeing how Generative AI can make the possibility of advertising more accessible to all.”

Fast Track: streamlining AI ad clearance

It was finally ready for the all-important clearance. Rak Patel, Channel 4’s chief commercial officer, said “We won’t have anything on any of our platforms that’s either untrustworthy, inaccurate, factually incorrect, or damaging in any form.”

Matthew Stevens, Fast Track Manager adds that “Thanks to the close collaboration of Channel 4 with all three Clearcast teams in the preparatory stages, by the time the final TVC made its way to us for clearance, the Fast Track team were able to quickly verify that it did indeed comply with the advertising code and that it could go to air.

Compliance with the ad rules is paramount, even when dealing with new types of ads. So, we were glad to be able to assist in this exciting and groundbreaking effort, which opens a new path for TV advertising.”

As technology evolves, it’s not surprising we’re now seeing new ad formats becoming possible. It’s essential that we continue to ensure that every ad – however its produced – is properly quality-controlled and given the right level of attention to detail, to allow TV advertising to continue to stand tall as a pillar of trust for consumers. By involving Clearcast at every stage, Channel 4 ensured that innovation doesn’t mean a compromise on compliance, trust or brand safety.