大象传媒

Guidelines

The 大象传媒 is responsible for all marketing and publicity activity relating to its programme broadcasts, channels and services in the UK, including activity undertaken on social media. The 大象传媒 uses social media to promote content to audiences effectively and to bring the greatest possible audience to our programming on 大象传媒 platforms, eg 大象传媒 iPlayer, 大象传媒 Sounds and linear radio and TV channels.

These guidelines address how the 大象传媒 operates on social media platforms and how we expect other parties to operate on those platforms when content is connected to 大象传媒 commissioned programmes. They are intended to offer further information to producers and co-producers about the 大象传媒鈥檚 approach to social media. Any specific contractual requirements will be discussed on a programme by programme basis and will be based on the terms of the 大象传媒鈥檚 standard commissioning agreement.

These guidelines are relevant to all social media platforms the 大象传媒 operates on including Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok.

Promotional activity on social media

The 大象传媒 will undergo social media activity on its own platforms on the following basis:

• 大象传媒 social teams will decide when and where it is appropriate to use social media as part of the promotional 大象传媒 activity on specific titles, and which platforms offer the greatest opportunity to connect with audiences.
• The 大象传媒 geo-blocks all paid social assets it posts on social media platforms so they are not accessible from outside the UK. However, the 大象传媒 does not geo-block organic assets.
• On selected titles, the 大象传媒 may create and/or commission extra digital assets to support the promotion of a show.
• The 大象传媒 may ask that on or off-screen talent appearing in or working on 大象传媒 commissioned programmes 1) be available for the creation of digital promotional assets when requested and 2) play a proactive role in supporting those programmes on the their own social media accounts and channels. We will review promotional expectations with producers on a programme by programme basis. We may ask producers to try to secure these expectations within talent agreements (eg confirmed availability for 大象传媒 promotion, agreement to post about 大象传媒 content, etc).

The 大象传媒 expects all independent production companies working on 大象传媒 commissioned programmes to:

• Comply with the 大象传媒鈥檚 Digital Release Policy in all digital and social activity.
• Adhere to the relevant 大象传媒 Social Branding guidelines and relating to social media (NB: this includes making references to ).
• Where possible, to provide the 大象传媒 with access to sets (during the production schedule) and talent so that the 大象传媒 can create digital promotional assets, including photography, if required.
• Notify the 大象传媒 of any plans to produce original digital content connected to a 大象传媒 commission (ie not clipped from the linear show).
• Inform the 大象传媒 marketing and media planning teams in advance of any paid marketing strategy for a 大象传媒 commissioned programme related to UK TX and targeting UK audiences.

The 大象传媒 expects all co-producers of 大象传媒 commissioned programmes to:

• Co-ordinate early with the 大象传媒 and agree marketing, social and publicity release timings including cast announcements, trade events messaging, asset release schedule, social media launch plans, etc.
• Work together on a shared messaging approach when publishing social content that reach UK audiences.
• Jointly approach talent to co-ordinate publishing and ensure each partner gets equal brand attribution.

Promotion during a programme鈥檚 marketing campaign

During the 大象传媒鈥檚 holdback window on a programme:

• Producers should follow 大象传媒 Social Media Branding principles when publishing content on social media, both for promotional and commercial purposes.
• Key assets/content posted by third-parties on social media platforms related to the programme that may be seen in the UK - including co-producers and talent - should include a message to say that in the UK the programme is on 大象传媒 iPlayer and, where applicable, link to 大象传媒 iPlayer.
• Ahead of and during the programme鈥檚 UK transmission period, the 大象传媒 is responsible for the UK marketing campaign and messaging on a title. If the producer (or any of its licensees or co-production partners) wants to undertake promotional activity that won鈥檛 be geo-locked to a specific ex-UK territory, this should be discussed and agreed with 大象传媒 digital and social leads.
• Any activity a producer or co-producer carries out on social media platforms should be compatible with (ie not dilute or contradict) the 大象传媒鈥檚 promotional messaging.
• Any supporting programme material (eg clips) produced for the 大象传媒 must adhere to the commissioning specification, 大象传媒 guidelines and relevant 大象传媒 branding guidelines. Further guidance on branding for social assets can be found in the next section.

Branding principles for social media assets

Producers posting social media content in the UK should adhere to 大象传媒 branding principles, as follows:

• All programme clips and compilations posted by (or on behalf of) the producer during the Licence Period need to feature the 大象传媒 Blocks in-vision throughout. The 大象传媒 Blocks should appear top left, unless otherwise stated.
• Prior to posting, all social media assets shall require 大象传媒 editorial and branding approval by the 大象传媒 commissioner and/or the relevant 大象传媒 social media team, unless otherwise confirmed by the 大象传媒 commissioner and/or relevant social media team.
• Content posted on all social media platforms (including YouTube) during the initial 12-month iPlayer window should include a 鈥榗all to action鈥� confirming the programme is available on 大象传媒 iPlayer, wherever possible.

For more details on how to apply 大象传媒 branding on social media, including access to available branding materials, please email Branding support with the following information:

• Subject line: 'Guidance Required: 大象传媒 Social Media Branding'
• Production company name
• Name of production

Setting up social media programme accounts

Producers who want to open a programme account should notify the 大象传媒 by completing a questionnaire outlining platform, strategy and compliance approach (amongst other details). 大象传媒 representatives will engage with the producer and may discuss a bespoke approach to the elements outlined above, including 大象传媒 attribution.

• Generic handles should be used when setting up programme accounts (ie the programme title), except where such accounts are part of an aggregated offer.
• The 大象传媒 won鈥檛 fund the management of any social account set up by an independent production company.
• The 大象传媒 reserves the right to open its own programme account as part of a promotional strategy for a programme.
• Standard clips and stills deliverables apply, but additional digital assets may be agreed on a case by case basis. See the and  for more information.
• 大象传媒 should be notified in advance of any social media accounts relating to a 大象传媒 commissioned programme that any third party wishes to set up.
• To ensure adherence to the 大象传媒鈥檚 Digital Release Policy, clips to be published in a programme account during the iPlayer window should be selected in collaboration with 大象传媒 marketing and social teams.

Casting calls on social media

• The 大象传媒 does not usually carry out casting calls on 大象传媒 platforms.
• If an independent production company wishes to use social media for casting purposes or to promote content commissioned by the 大象传媒, including the creation of original digital content relating to long-form content commissioned by the 大象传媒, it must discuss this with the relevant 大象传媒 Digital Commissioning Executive in advance.
• Casting accounts should be accurately signalled as such to avoid confusion with programme accounts.

Technical considerations for social video assets

大象传媒 Content social teams edit and/or publish programme related content to support the promotion of a title across all social media platforms. Thus, they might informally reach out to a production company to get access to a variety of relevant material associated to the long-form programme.

Technical specifications for social video assets

The list below outlines the preferred technical specifications for social video assets which are ready to be published on social media. These assets tend to include branding and burnt-in subtitles, in several aspect ratios, as usually directed by the relevant social team.

Recommended AV formats:

File size:

• Landscape (16:9) - 1920 x 1080
• Square (1:1) - 1080 x 1080
• 4:5 - 1080 x 1350
• Vertical (9:16) - 1080 x 1920

Subtitles: required across square and 4:5 formats, as directed across landscape and vertical formats

Audio: required across all file sizes

Pixel aspect ratio: Square 1:1

File format: mp4

Video codec: h.264

Frame rate: 25p

Video bitrate: 12mbps

Audio codec: Stereo AAC

Audio bitrate: 320 kbps

Sharing source material with 大象传媒 social teams

Many times, our social media teams will need the production company to share source material for archive, edit or review purposes. Source material can include full episodes, clips, picture-locks, showreels, audio steams, title cards, on-screen gfx, credits, fonts and logos, etc.

Material type and tech specification will vary based on the request, as the table below illustrates. Your social lead will specify which to deliver.

Production paperwork

Your short-form delivery lead will specify the necessary form, whenever required.

Delivery routes and contact details

Caroline Smith: 大象传媒 Digital Commissioning Executive, factual and daytime

Jamie Dodds: 大象传媒 Digital Commissioning Executive, entertainment and comedy

Milly Chu: 大象传媒 Digital Commissioning Executive, drama and films

鈥�TV Social Campaigns and Digital Drama will work with producers to agree a mutually convenient delivery method.

大象传媒 Three鈥� will on board producers to the鈥�大象传媒 Three media shuttle.

Please contact the relevant team with any questions.

Please note, Content Delivery Operations do not take delivery of social media.