🎄Santa’s nice list: how to nail your Christmas clearance

1. Santa

If your ad suggests that Father Christmas is a myth or doesn’t exist (scandalous!), it would be likely to receive an ‘ex kids’ restriction to keep it away from very young viewers. Let’s not ruin the magic. 

2. Snowballs

Snow, ho, ho. Be careful with snowball fights. Any thrown to the face are also likely to get an ‘ex kids’ restriction to keep it away from children’s programming – especially if the recipient isn’t ‘in’ on the game.

3. Fireplaces

Safety first. Any hearths showing decorations hanging over lit fires may be unacceptable, particularly if there are animals or children present. A great solution is to pop a fire guard over it. If in doubt, send over a sketch or example image for review.

4. Booze

Cheers! Alcohol ads are never in short supply at Christmas time. But the rules around them are complex, so make sure you’re well versed with section 19 of the code. Two things to remember – don’t feature any under 25’s (in age / looks), or any tipsy behaviour.

5. Food (LHF)

‘Tis the season for tasty ads! But, with Less Healthy Food coming into the spotlight very soon (1^st October!), extra care needs to be taken this year. Check out the LHF guidance and speak to your Clearcast contact in advance to discuss how it may affect your ad.

6. Availability

Make sure what’s on screen, is in store. It can be confusing when there’s a mix of purchasable items and others made specifically for your ad. So, avoid featuring a product prominently that isn’t available for purchase.

7. Carols

Fa la la la. Although religious carols can be featured, take care to consider if its right for your product or creative approach. They may cause offence in some instances, for example, when featured alongside violence, gambling or alcohol – its best to check with your Clearcast contact first.

8. Toys

There are more toys in Christmas ads than in Santa’s sleigh – but if one costs £30 or more, you must state that in the ad. Are batteries included? Is it really that big? Does it really move and sound like that? Make sure you show what the toy can actually do. We don’t want any disappointed kids on Christmas morning.

9. Credit

Be mindful with ads featuring consumer credit, especially those which imply that taking out credit is appropriate for frivolous purchases like shopping or presents. This is likely be deemed socially irresponsible.

10. Clearcast

We’re here to help you get your best festive ads on TV, so let us do what we do best. Some tips for working with us this Christmas:

• Get your ad to us as early as possible so that we can iron out any issues early on.
• If you’re unsure about anything here, just ask us.