Rules and ethics
Part of UK media buying agencies rules and ethics explained
Ad checks a media buying agency should run under the current UK code
Media buying agency ad checks for England covering evidence, pricing, comparisons, placement and disclosure under the relevant current UK code.
Approve the finished advertisement, not a copy document. A media plan can change the meaning of a claim through format, audience, timing, placement and the page reached after a click. The checklist below is for non-broadcast work aimed at people in England. Its cited advertising standards have UK scope; product-specific law and broadcast rules may require another route.
What to take away
- Approve the finished advertisement, not a copy document, because media plan choices can change a claim's meaning.
- Use the exact CAP Code rule for the claim being made and keep evidence beside the final creative.
- Show actual audience and placement selections in the buying system, including inclusions, exclusions and automated expansion.
- Make paid influence recognisable in its final position and format, as a policy stored elsewhere cannot correct a post.
Identify the controlling section
- Write down the product category, medium, audience, geography and sales destination. Mark promotions, credit, health, alcohol, gambling, environmental claims and other regulated subjects for qualified review.
- Confirm whether the execution falls within the CAP Non-broadcast Code. Read its remit and the category sections that apply, such as section 15 for food and health claims, section 11 for alcohol, section 13 for gambling and section 14 for financial products. Do not apply a generic digital label.
- Record any publisher or platform policy separately. Acceptance by a platform does not settle compliance with a UK advertising code.
Test what the audience will understand
Read the headline, image, voiceover, small print, call to action and landing page in sequence. Write the likely takeaway in one sentence. If that sentence is broader than the evidence, change the main claim instead of adding another footnote.
Test the audience takeaway
- Read headline, image, voiceover, small print, CTA, landing page
- Write likely takeaway in one sentence
- Objective claim has evidence before publication
- Significant qualifications affect the first impression
- Test prices against mandatory charges and dates
- Comparison basis identifiable and items compared fairly
CAP Code section 3 covers misleading advertising, substantiation, material information, qualifications, prices and comparisons. Use the exact rule: rule 3.1 for misleading advertising, rule 3.3 for material information, rule 3.7 for substantiation, rule 3.17 for price statements and rule 3.33 for comparisons. Keep the evidence file beside the final creative and include its date, source, population and limitations.
For example, a claim that a supplement 'boosts immunity' fails under rule 3.7 unless the advertiser holds evidence for that exact product and wording. A study of a different ingredient is not enough. A 'half price' comparison fails if the item was not sold at the higher price in the relevant period.
- Check that an objective claim has evidence before publication.
- Show significant qualifications clearly enough to affect the first impression.
- Test prices against mandatory charges, availability, eligibility and promotional dates.
- For comparisons, make sure the basis is identifiable and the items are compared fairly.
Inspect audience and placement settings
The agency should show the actual selections in the buying system. Record inclusions, exclusions, location method, age controls, contextual blocks and any automated expansion that can move beyond the planned audience.
The ASA and CAP guidance on age-restricted ads online deals with UK placement and targeting expectations for protected age groups. The product-specific section, such as section 11 for alcohol or section 13 for gambling, still controls. A platform estimate or declared-age field is not evidence that exposure was limited perfectly.
- Compare configured settings with the signed media brief.
- Name who checks delivery and what deviation triggers a pause.
- Save the released settings and any later change, not only a screenshot from planning day.
Make paid influence recognisable
If a creator, publisher or other intermediary receives payment, free products or another material benefit, establish who controls the content and which disclosure is needed. The ASA document Influencer marketing: key advice and resources, reached through its influencer marketing resource, gathers current UK advice for brands, agencies and publishers.
The CMA also publishes Reviews and social media endorsements: what businesses and content creators must know, its role-specific endorsement guidance.
Review the label in its final position and format. A policy stored elsewhere cannot correct a post that looks independent at the point someone sees it.
Ask a colleague who did not write the brief to inspect the execution cold. Record what they think is offered, who is speaking and what conditions they notice. Their reading is a diagnostic check only. It is not clearance under the CAP Code and does not replace CAP Copy Advice or legal sign-off.
Record the release decision
Before release, recheck live prices, stock statements and landing pages. Escalate a disputed claim or category rule to the CAP Copy Advice service or to a solicitor qualified in UK advertising law.
- Write down product category, medium, audience, geography and sales destination.
- Read the headline, image, voiceover, small print, call to action and landing page in sequence.
- Check that an objective claim has evidence before publication.
- Show the actual audience and placement selections in the buying system.
- Review the disclosure label in its final position and format.
This checklist was compiled through desk research on 5 September 2026. It did not test campaign delivery, platform controls or an agency's approval process, and it is not legal advice.
Common questions
What should a media buying agency approve before an ad goes live?
The agency should approve the finished advertisement, not a copy document. A media plan can change the meaning of a claim through format, audience, timing, placement and the page reached after a click. The approval packet should contain the final asset and destination, evidence version, audience settings, disclosure, named approvers and scheduled period.
How should an agency test what the audience will understand from an ad?
Read the headline, image, voiceover, small print, call to action and landing page in sequence. Write the likely takeaway in one sentence. If that sentence is broader than the evidence, change the main claim instead of adding another footnote. Also ask a colleague who did not write the brief to inspect the execution cold.
What must an agency record about audience and placement settings?
The agency should show the actual selections in the buying system. Record inclusions, exclusions, location method, age controls, contextual blocks and any automated expansion that can move beyond the planned audience. Compare configured settings with the signed media brief. Save the released settings and any later change, not only a screenshot from planning day.
