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Submit your ad

Applications can be submitted online or you can download an application form from the Resources page. We recommend applying online as it has prompts to ensure you submit all the necessary information.

To formally approve a commercial we require a reasonable copy of the ad, the key number and your details.

How to send us a copy of the commercial

We don’t need to see a broadcast quality version of the commercial and are pretty flexible about how you send us a viewing copy. We’ve never met a format that we couldn’t play.

  • Send it as an email attachment to advice@commercialapprovals.co.nz
  • Email us a link to a file or video sharing site (e.g. YouTube, Vimeo, Google Drive, Office 365)
  • Send it via a digital file transfer service (e.g. WeTransfer.com or Hightail.com)
  • Send it via your digital dispatch company (e.g. Adstream or Peach Video)

When to expect a reply

It normally only takes a few working hours. As soon as your commercial is approved we’ll confirm it in a quick email. 

The formal record of approval is the CAB invoice which details the key number, classification and corresponding CAB approval number. The invoice will be emailed to your company within a few hours of approval.

Some advertising is sensitive

We require additional information and/or documentation to approve commercials for more sensitive types of products.

Advertising for therapeutic products & services, health products and medical devices needs to be pre-approved by the Therapeutic Advertising Pre-vetting Service (TAPS).

Alcohol advertising needs to be pre-approved by the Liquor Advertising & Promotion Pre-vetting Service (LAPPS).

Food & beverage advertisers need to supply their product’s nutritional details if they want to target children under 13 years old. We strongly recommend that these details are provided before the commercial is produced or the media is booked.

Financial services advertisers need to submit a declaration from a Company Director that their advertising complies with the various securities Acts and regulations.

Changes and technical changes

Any change to you commercial requires a new key number and every key number requires CAB approval. If a broadcaster can’t match your key number to a CAB approval number and classification then they will not be able to broadcast your commercial.

Our fees are only charged for changes to the commercial’s content. We don’t charge for technical corrections, for example, correcting audio levels of colour grading.