Advertising review submission form
To request a review of advertising materials, departments must complete this form and send it to:
Advertising Coordination and Partnerships Directorate, Public Services and Procurement Canada
(PSPC).
PSPC will coordinate the request on behalf of departments. Reviews are completed as follows:
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
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Advertising Standards Canada (ASC) completes an initial review of creative materials
against the review criteria included on the reverse of this form;
Determinations will be provided to departments for action as required;
ASC completes a final review of all English and French advertisements and final creative
elements, prior to broadcast, display or publication of the advertisements; and
ASC review results are shared with departments and published on Canada.ca.
General information
Department:
Date of request (YYYY/MM/DD):
Head of communications:
Phone:
Email:
Departmental contact:
Phone:
Email:
Campaign information
Campaign name:
Ad title (if applicable):
Campaign dates: (YYYY/MM/DD)
From:
To:
Submission information
Ad
language:
Submission type:
Initial review
Final review
English
French
Details:
Items for review:
Initial review: examination of a provisional
version of advertising that the Government of
Canada department submits before investing
further in the development of creative
materials.
Digital
Final review: examination of the final creative
materials, prior to broadcast, display or
publication of the advertisements.
Quantity:
Television
Radio
Print
Cinema
Out-of-home
Supporting documentation:
Campaign descriptions, objectives, target audiences, media strategies, etc. may be requested by
Advertising Standards Canada (ASC) before a review can be conducted and submission of
results.
To be completed by PSPC
AdMIS file number:
Date submitted to ASC for review:
PSPC contact (optional):
Phone:
Email:
Definition of non-partisan communications
In the context of all Government of Canada communications products and activities, “nonpartisan” means:
• Objective, factual, and explanatory;
• Free from political party slogans, images, identifiers; bias; designation; or affiliation;
• The primary colour associated with the governing party is not used in a dominant way,
unless an item is commonly depicted in that colour; and
• Advertising is devoid of any name, voice or image of a minister, Member of Parliament or
senator.
Review criteria
Policy requirements
Measurable criteria
 Presents information objectively, in tone and content, with
facts expressed clearly and accurately, using neutral
language.
 If requested, reliable and verifiable information and/or data
are provided to support the advertising message(s).
Free from political party slogans,
 Examples include, but are not limited to, slogans used on
images and identifiers
political materials, websites and social media accounts
(URLs, links, #Hashtags), references or publications.
Free from political party bias or
 Neutral.
affiliation
 Messages must not be self-congratulatory.
 Messages must not give the general impression or appear to
promote political party interests (taking into consideration,
among other matters, the timing of the message, the
audience to which it is aimed, and the overall environment
in which the message will be communicated).
Advertising is devoid of any name,
 This extends to terms such as Prime Minister, Minister,
voice or image of a minister, member
Senator, Member of Parliament, or officer of the
of Parliament or senator
Government of Canada whether in Canada or abroad.
The primary colour associated with
 The colour of the governing party must not be used in a
the governing party is not used in a
dominant way.
dominant way, unless an item is
 Criteria does not apply to the use of items that are
commonly depicted in that colour
commonly depicted in the colour of the governing party
(e.g. RCMP Red Serge)
Ensuring that initiatives that require
 Any policy, program, service or initiative that requires
parliamentary approval or trade
approval from Parliament, provincial/territorial
agreements that require ratification
governments, or some other authority before being
are not advertised until such approval
implemented must not be advertised until approval is
has been received
complete (e.g. legislation would require royal assent).
 Trade agreements must be ratified before they are
advertised. Departments must provide supporting
documentation to ASC upon request.
Objective, factual and explanatory