frequently asked questions
Q. What are thinktv Clearance’s business hours?
A. Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET. Keep an eye on the Announcement banner for information on holiday closures.
Q. What is the standard turnaround time, and what type of Rush services are available?
A. The standard turnaround time for the initial review is 1-3 business days. Please refer to our Service Fees for information about Rush services.
Q. The drop-down menus on the thinktv Clearance submission page are blank when trying to select from the menus. What do I do?
A. Please turn off your Ad Blocker and allow pop-ups on our site. Alternatively, you can try a different browser.
Q. Does my ad need Alcohol Pre-Clearance?
A. Your ad likely needs Alcohol Pre-Clearance if it is promoting a brand of alcohol, promoting a licensed establishment where branded or unbranded alcohol is present, or features sponsorship by an alcohol brand.
Q. How do I submit a Public Service Announcement (PSA)?
A. The process of registering an organization for PSA status is now done online when you create a submission selecting the type “PSA.” For more information on the types of organizations that qualify for PSA status and the video requirements, please refer to our PSA Guidelines on Page 20.
Q. Does thinktv Clearance provide preliminary review services for scripts, storyboards, and rough cuts?
A. Yes, you can create a submission and upload preliminary material for review and we will provide feedback. Note, we do require the final spot prior to final approval, and it can be uploaded to your original submission so that all material and comments are in one submission file.
Q. Where can I find template letters?
A. You can find all template letters (i.e. Attestation, PSA-Indemnity, etc.) here.
Q. Can I get feedback on material over email?
A. No. For an official review, please create a submission and attach your review materials there, i.e., preliminary script, storyboard, rough cut or WIP, etc. This is to ensure that everything is on record.
Q. What is a COMM ID/ISCI Code?
A. A number generated by the agency, advertiser or AdID used to distinguish one commercial from another. Note, thinktv Clearance does not provide this number. If you do not have one yet, enter ‘TBD’ in your submission, then enter your final ID Code prior to final approval. If you do not have an ID Code, you may enter ‘NONE GIVEN’ in your submission.
Q. What is a Batch?
A. A batch is a folder and a useful way to submit a campaign with multiple submissions. To qualify as a batch, the type, advertiser, and brand must be the same for all submissions. Note, you must still create a separate submission for each commercial in your batch. You must select “Add New Submission” within your batch and repeat until all of your spots have been submitted OR once the first submission has been created in the batch, you can select the ‘Duplicate’ icon next to your submission to create the next one. Please make sure to edit the title and any other details that need to be adjusted before submitting.
Q. What do I do if I made a submission and haven’t heard back?
A. Please make sure that you received an email confirmation saying that your submission has been successfully submitted. If you have not received it, please go back into your submission, and check the status on the top right of the page. If it is in “Draft”, hit “Submit”. If it is in “Update Pending”, hit “Update”. If it is in “Payment Pending”, you need to go to the shopping cart in the top right corner of the page to process the payment by credit card. Once the payment is complete, you will receive an email confirmation and receipt.
*If you do not wish to proceed with a Rush anymore, please select “No Rush” in the submission and click ‘Update’ and/or ‘Submit’.
Q. I received my approval number (TC#), now what?
A. The process after we issue the TC# is out of our scope. Please reach out to your contact at the station for specific traffic details and tech specs.
Q. I have questions that are not included in this FAQ sheet.
A. Please email us at info@thinktv.ca and a thinktv Clearance analyst will get back to you as soon as possible.