BBCcom_Content_Index_for_August_24_2025.txt
Section_15_Independence_from_Commercial_and_other_External_Interests_-_Guidelines.txt
Product Prominence 15.4.1 The wed national lottery resultsBBC needs to be able to reflect the real world and this will involve referring to brands, products, organisations and services in output. A product can include references to organisations, to people, such as artists or performers, or to artistic works, such as films, books or musical tracks. However, there must be no undue prominence of brands, products, organisations, services, or trade marks in content. To avoid this, content makers must: ensure that visual and aural references, including verbal and musical references, to brands, products, organisations, services, trade marks, and slogans are editorially justified make sure that the way in which the reference is made is appropriate. Favourable descriptions must be editorially justified. Prices and availability should not normally be discussed outside consumer review content avoid lingering on, or showing close-ups of, brand names or logos, and use aural references sparingly unless it is editorially justified to do so minimise references in output designed to appeal to children. The degree of prominence that may be acceptable will depend on the context. A product that is integral to an item may justify a greater degree of exposure. Organisations who are partners must be given due attribution, but this must not be unduly prominent. Use of material from advertising campaigns or promotions must be editorially justified. Normally only a short extract should be selected. References to products may be verbal or visual but a combination of the two is likely to create a greater risk of undue prominence than one or the other. Product Prominence – the cumulative effect 15.4.2 Content producers should consider the cumulative effect of repeated references when planning to feature a brand, product, organisation, service or trade mark in output over a limited period to ensure it does not become unduly prominent. Programme repeats and marketing should be included in this assessment. A cumulative effect is likely to be greatest around the time of a new launch by a brand or the release of a product such as a film or record. Stop: Mandatory Referral: When planning to feature a brand, product, organisation, service or trade mark in a number of pieces of editorial content (excluding daily news output), broadcast or published in a limited period such as a single day, referral must be made to the relevant output controllers(s) and Editorial Policy who will consider whether any cumulative impact of such references is editorially justified. if ("interactive" === "interactive") { const container = document.getElementById("componentBreakoutContainerbreakoutboxmandatoryreferral020519135716"); window.addEventListener('scroll', () =>{ const buffer = 240; const rect = container.getBoundingClientRect(); const windowHeight = window.innerHeight; // Defines if an element is not above or below the viewport and is within a buffer range above and below the middle of the viewport const isVisible = (rect.top >= 0) && (rect.bottom = windowHeight / 2 - buffer) && (rect.top + rect.height / 2 { container.classList.add('interactive-highlight-red'); if ("red" === "custom") document.getElementById("componentBreakoutContainerbreakoutboxmandatoryreferral020519135716").style.boxShadow = "inset 0 0 0 3px " }); } Product Prominence and Interactivity 15.4.3 When encouraging audiences to interact with the BBC, or where their comments are referred to online or on air, any references to products, such as social media platforms or hashtags, can reflect how audiences prefer to interact with content. However, they should not be unduly prominent either within a single piece of content or cumulatively. Any brands and hashtags should be appropriate for the expected audience. With calls to action on UK Public Services and the World Service, the third-party platforms referred to should be free to use. Decisions will need to take into account the expectations of the target audience and to refer to the options in a demonstrably fair way. 15.4.4 Contributions from a variety of platforms should normally be offered but the brands should not be attributed each time they are used. (See Section 17 Competitions, Votes and Interactivity: 17.4.55-17.4.71) Product Prominence in Trails 15.4.5 References to products or services in programme trails or BBC programme marketing material should normally be avoided because the repeated exposure could be unduly prominent. Music in trails may also become unduly prominent if it is around the time of a new release of the track. The cumulative effect of use of a new release in a trail should be considered when it is also scheduled to be performed elsewhere in BBC content. Any reference to a branded product or service in trails should be editorially justified. Stop: Mandatory Referral: Any proposal to use advertising clips in programme trails on UK Public Services or the World Service must be referred to the relevant Head of Editorial Standards/Compliance and Complaints, who will consider whether the use is editorially justified and not unduly prominent. if ("interactive" === "interactive") { const container = document.getElementById("componentBreakoutContainerbreakoutboxmandatoryreferralpublicservicesonly020519140034"); window.addEventListener('scroll', () =>{ const buffer = 240; const rect = container.getBoundingClientRect(); const windowHeight = window.innerHeight; // Defines if an element is not above or below the viewport and is within a buffer range above and below the middle of the viewport const isVisible = (rect.top >= 0) && (rect.bottom = windowHeight / 2 - buffer) && (rect.top + rect.height / 2 { container.classList.add('interactive-highlight-red'); if ("red" === "custom") document.getElementById("componentBreakoutContainerbreakoutboxmandatoryreferralpublicservicesonly020519140034").style.boxShadow = "inset 0 0 0 3px " }); } Undue Prominence and Contributors 15.4.6 Undue prominence must be avoided when contributors discuss their new work, such as a film or music release, or a new book or play. Any related products should not be used as a prop unless editorially justified and any references, particularly close-ups, must be editorially justified and appropriately limited. Reviewing Products or Services 15.4.7 Products or services should not be promoted when reviewing them and a range from different suppliers should be reviewed within a programme or series. In the case of books, albums and other digital products, only copies for review may normally be accepted. Those responsible for reviewing or covering theatre, concerts or other events or performances may accept review tickets. Products of significant value should generally be bought for review. However, if on occasion content makers are supplied with them, the products must be returned to the manufacturer or supplier. Linked or Embedded Streams from Third Parties 15.4.8 There must be no undue prominence of the linked/embedded third party. On UK Public Services and the World Service when a stream has been sponsored, there must be no reference to the sponsor or the sponsor's brands, products, organisations, services or trade marks. On Commercial Services any reference to a sponsor or their products, services or trade marks may be product placement. However, references must not be promotional. (See 15.4.32-15.4.37) (See Section 7 Privacy: 7.4.37-7.4.41, Section 16 External Relationships, Including Commercial Relationships, and Financing: 16.4.20-16.4.21 and Section 17 Competitions, Votes and Interactivity: 17.4.67) Supply of Props in Drama, Comedy, Entertainment or Lifestyle Content 15.4.9 The use of, or reference to, branded products, organisations or services in drama, comedy, entertainment and lifestyle content must be editorially justified and a wide range should be used over time to avoid undue prominence. Any spoken reference accompanying a visual reference must be editorially justified. When real products are used as set dressing, lingering shots should be avoided, and content makers should try to avoid their visibility in other shots. Consideration should be given to whether there is any conflict of interest in relation to a product and any external commercial relationships of talent used in the content.
