Behind the scenes at the BACC

22 May 2007

“Please make sure the bearded snack does not resemble a religious figure” For your humble BACC Copy Group Executive the first half an hour of the day is usually spent checking e-mails, returning phone calls and, of course, having the all-important cup of tea. At 10.00am sharp we disappear into the meeting room for an hour or so of non-stop advert watching and discussion. This is the time for us to decide on the acceptability of rough edits or final clocked commercials. We speak in our own strange language, calling out codes such as “PK”, “TN” and, the rarest of all, “48”. (Respectively, these refer to “ex-kids timing restriction” “post nine o’clock timing restriction” and “features Nazi footage”).

Once everything has been wrapped up, we executives are ushered out of the room and the Copy Group Managers begin the daily Secretariat meeting. This is essentially a forum for clearance executives to draw upon the mighty wisdom of the managers and to present difficult scripts that need a wider view on their acceptability under the BCAP Code. It is also an opportunity for arguments in defence of particular treatments or claims, put forward by agencies, to be considered.

Back at our desks, it’s time to begin work on our scripts. Everything at the BACC centres on our digital system, which is really a website that holds a database of pre- and post-production material. All new entries are automatically allocated to the correct contact and they pop up in executives’ inboxes. A double click on the item opens a window that contains both the script and various spaces for internal and external comments to be logged and for substantiation to be stored. We note down anything that could contravene the BCAP Code and then send the script on to a colleague for a second opinion. Once additional comments have been added, the record begins to look like a message board; but this is a message board where we exchange views on scripts rather than the latest McFly single (unless, of course, it’s a script concerning the latest McFly single).

When a final conclusion has been reached, the script returns to its owner and our feedback is sent to the agencies. Our responses are usually a mixture of requests for back up of claims and warnings of things to be careful of (health and safety, racial offence, bearded snacks etc).

So, in addition to looking after our own agencies, we also second read our colleagues’ scripts to check that we’re in agreement. If not, and arm-wrestling is out of the question, the query will be moved on to another member of staff. If it’s still proving a bit tricky we’ll circulate the details for discussion by Secretariat. Subjects that require a certain level of expertise are referred to one of our boffin-like consultants, who will assess the evidence provided and give us their valued opinion.

Later in the afternoon, preparations begin for the next day’s viewing. Video submissions are a separate entity on our system and first pass through our trusty traffic department. Our traffic assistants are responsible for matching up the finished ads with their previously approved scripts before they are uploaded and our very own “superman” and “superwoman” measure supers for compliance. As they make their way through cyberspace the videos are automatically tested for illegal flashing patterns with the Professor Harding test. Traffic then performs a few further checks before allocating the video to executives. We watch the videos against the approved scripts (if there is one) and send them to be viewed at the following day’s viewing meeting. The work of the day is punctuated by a stream of telephone calls and e-mails from contacts at advertising agencies all of whom are keen for quick approval of scripts and finished ads. As the end of the day draws in the phones also start buzzing with requests from broadcasters chasing the next day’s clearances. Any ads needing immediate clearance are considered for provisional approval. They are watched with a senior executive or manager and if all seems to be in order are cleared for broadcast until a formal viewing can be arranged.

And then, home we go for a well earned rest before the start of another busy day.

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