Operations
Part of Out of home advertising operations explained for UK media teams
What an out of home advertising quality checklist means for site approval
An out of home advertising quality checklist for UK teams: who signs off creative, site condition, delivery evidence and the records that protect a campaign.
What to take away
- Since the Online Safety Act duties on illegal content and fraud advertising took effect from 25 July 2025, buyers now ask outdoor sites for the same written evidence they demand from online placements.
- A quality checklist is a sign-off record, not a site survey. It names who approved the creative, the condition of the structure and when proof of play arrived.
- Three checks catch most failures: creative clearance, illumination and damage at the panel, and a dated photograph of the posted copy.
- Keep every record for the campaign plus 24 months, because the ASA can act on a complaint long after the poster comes down.
- The checklist sits inside the process in our out of home advertising operations and delivery guide, from briefing through to reconciliation.
Who owns each quality check
Creative approval before the artwork leaves the studio
Name one person who signs the artwork off against the CAP Code. That person confirms the claim is substantiated, the price accurate and any comparison fair. The work carried out by the ASA and CAP includes rulings on outdoor complaints, so a poster that overstates a saving can be challenged by a competitor or a member of the public. Record the approver's name and the time of approval. If the same person buys the space, add a second signature for regulated categories such as alcohol or gambling.
Site condition at the point of posting
A contractor should confirm four things on site: the panel is clean, the illumination works, the structure is undamaged and the correct copy is displayed. Ask for a timestamped photograph for each face. Where a site fails, the checklist needs a remedy line with an owner and a deadline. Our guide to out of home advertising service standards sets out response times for faults and missed postings.
What the delivery evidence has to show
Proof of play and audience records
For digital sites, proof of play is a log showing the creative ran when booked. For classic sites, it is the posting photograph and the contractor's completion note. File both against the campaign reference rather than a shared inbox. If your digital buy also runs online, the guidance on solutions to ad blocking for publishers is a reminder that delivery claims need a measurement method behind them, whether the screen sits on a wall or in a browser.
The comparison table your team should keep
| Check | Evidence required | Owner | Retention |
|---|---|---|---|
| Creative clearance | Signed approval note | Brand or agency signatory | Campaign plus 24 months |
| Site condition | Timestamped photograph | Contractor | Campaign plus 24 months |
| Illumination and faults | Remedy note with deadline | Media owner | Campaign plus 24 months |
| Proof of play | Play log or posting note | Media owner | Campaign plus 24 months |
| Audience or reach claim | Source named with date | Planner | Campaign plus 24 months |
Use the same table for every campaign so a new starter can read a file without asking where anything lives. The LinkedIn ad best practices page shows how openly online platforms publish format and approval guidance, while outdoor evidence is usually assembled by the buyer.
How to run the checklist week to week
Before posting week
Confirm clearance, book the contractor and check that the site list matches the signed schedule. Any substitution needs a written note before the copy goes out. If a site is withdrawn, log the reason and the replacement face so the reach figure in the post-campaign report still holds.
After posting week
Chase photographs within five working days. Reconcile the invoice against the posted faces, not the booked ones. Where a face ran short, raise a credit note and record it. Close the file only when every line in the table has an entry.
Common questions
Is a quality checklist the same as a site audit?
No. An audit inspects the physical estate, while a checklist records approvals and evidence for one campaign. Most buyers need the checklist; only larger advertisers commission audits.
Who should sign the creative off?
The brand owns the claim, so a brand-side signatory should approve it. Agencies can prepare the artwork and check format, but the advertiser carries responsibility for content under the CAP Code.
How long should records be kept?
Keep them for the campaign plus 24 months. Complaints and invoice queries can arrive months after the posters come down, and a filed photograph is cheaper than reconstructing the buy.
What happens if proof of play is missing?
Treat it as a delivery failure. Ask the media owner for a replacement log, and if none exists, negotiate a credit against the affected faces before signing off the invoice.
