CINEMA ADVERTISING ASSOCIATION LIMITED(THE)

What CINEMA ADVERTISING ASSOCIATION LIMITED(THE) does

The Cinema Advertising Association Limited (The) is a UK-incorporated trade association (company number 515177) headquartered in London that serves as the regulatory copy clearance body for cinema advertising exhibited in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. Its core function is to pre-vet all cinema commercials against the UK CAP Code (policed by the ASA) and the Irish ASAI Code, issuing clearance documents and age-related placement guidance; this authority was delegated by the BBFC in April 2016, with the BBFC Director sitting on the CAA Board in a non-executive capacity.

The CAA operates a web-based submission platform built by Packed House featuring secure per-user accounts, integrated Stripe payments, real-time submission status tracking, downloadable clearance documents and a full per-account submission archive, alongside a private intranet (CAA Copy Panel system) where panel members view and vote on uploaded advertisements under strict confidentiality. Standard turnaround is 24 hours for non-contentious copy with a 48-hour fallback. Revenue is generated almost entirely through flat per-submission copy clearance fees (£180 + VAT for UK, €180 for ROI, £180 + VAT for both, effective April 2026) with charities exempted and resubmissions free; the organization additionally publishes monthly admissions, quarterly screen counts and the annual FAME consumer survey as market intelligence outputs.

Its primary customers are cinema advertising contractors DCM, Pearl & Dean and Wide Eye Media (who sit on the membership/governance side) and the broader long-tail of advertisers and agencies (including regulated-product advertisers in HFSS, alcohol, gambling and e-cigarettes) who submit cinema creatives for clearance before exhibition.

Name

CINEMA ADVERTISING ASSOCIATION LIMITED(THE)

Legal name

Cinema Advertising Association

Website

https://cinemaadvertisingassociation.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Cinema Advertising Association Limited is the UK and Republic of Ireland trade association that pre-vets and clears all cinema advertising under delegated authority from the BBFC, serving advertisers and agencies through a paid per-submission online portal and providing market data to member exhibitors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cinema Advertising Copy Clearance Services

NAICS

Advertising Agencies (54181)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Services-Allied To Motion Picture Distribution (7829)

akta.pro primary industry

Cinema Advertising & On-screen Media Networks (MPADAKAO)

akta.pro secondary industry

Cinema Media Planning & Buying (MPAAABAJ)

Keywords

• Cinema advertising clearance
• Advertising copy regulation
• Pre-vetting services
• Trade association services
• Advertising standards compliance

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Copy Clearance Fees: The CAA charges a flat fee for initial submission and clearance of cinema advertisements. Fees vary by territory: UK only, Republic of Ireland only, or both UK and ROI. No charge is applied for resubmissions of previously cleared items with valid PA codes or FA codes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

The Cinema Advertising Association provides copy clearance services for cinema commercials destined for exhibition in UK and Republic of Ireland cinemas. Advertisers and agencies submit cinema advertisements through an online portal where the CAA Copy Panel reviews the content for compliance with the UK CAP Code and the Irish ASAI Code, issuing clearance documents with age-related restrictions. The organisation also publishes UK cinema market intelligence including monthly admissions, quarterly screen numbers, and the annual FAME survey.

Product overview

CINEMA ADVERTISING ASSOCIATION LIMITED(THE) is a trade association for cinema advertising contractors operating in the UK and Republic of Ireland. The company offers a unified copy clearance service through a web-based submission portal where advertisers submit commercials for review against the CAP Code (UK) and ASAI Code (Ireland). The core product includes an online submission system, a Copy Panel review process, and clearance documentation. The CAA also provides market intelligence including monthly admissions data, quarterly screen numbers, and the annual FAME industry survey on cinemagoing and advertising consumption.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Copy Clearance Service Pre-vetting service for cinema commercials to ensure compliance with the UK CAP Code and Irish ASAI Code. The Copy Panel reviews submissions and issues provisional or final approval with age-related restrictions for film placement.
• CAA Submissions Portal Online platform for submitting cinema advertisements for clearance. Features include secure account login, integrated Stripe payments, real-time status tracking, downloadable clearance documents with full submission archive.
• Market Intelligence Services Provides UK market data including monthly admissions figures, quarterly screen numbers, and the annual FAME survey providing insight into cinemagoing, film viewing habits, and cinema advertising consumption.

Quantifiable outcome

• 24-hour turnaround on clearance submissions for non-contentious copy
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• British Board of Film Classification (BBFC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe BBFC delegated its legal obligation to classify the bulk of cinema screen advertising to the CAA Copy Panel in April 2016. The Director of the BBFC is appointed to the CAA Board in a non-executive capacity to ensure good communications. The BBFC retains classification of public information advertising, charities, and commercials featuring film/TV clips. Both must approve such content under their respective codes.
• Pearl & DeancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey member company of the Cinema Advertising Association. Provided support, guidance, and feedback during the development of the new CAA website and submission systems. Pearl & Dean is one of the major cinema advertising contractors in the UK.
• Digital Cinema Media (DCM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey member company of the Cinema Advertising Association. Provided support, guidance, and feedback during the development of the new CAA website and submission systems. Digital Cinema Media is a major cinema advertising contractor in the UK.
• Wide Eye MediaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMember company of the Cinema Advertising Association. Receives content submissions for exhibition and is listed as a member company for Christmas delivery deadlines.
• Advertising Standards Authority (ASA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe CAA Copy Panel approves cinema commercials in line with the CAP Code, which is policed by the ASA in the UK. ASA Council is the final arbiter in any potential breach of CAP Codes. For appeals, ASA and CAP form the separate appeal panel.
• Advertising Standards Authority Ireland (ASAI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFor Republic of Ireland exhibition, the CAA Copy Panel clears advertisements under the ASAI Code. ASAI has published amended Section 8 regarding HFSS advertising rules effective December 2021.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Market position

Competitive moat3 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cinema-advertising-association-limited-the-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CINEMA ADVERTISING ASSOCIATION LIMITED(THE)