Directive on the Management of Communications and Federal Identity
Provides rules for managing and coordinating communications, including procedures for advertising, public opinion research, social media, external-facing websites and mobile applications.
Date modified: 2025-03-27
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- Making Communications Products and Activities Accessible, Guidelines on
- Making Communications Products and Activities Diverse and Inclusive, Guidelines on
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Appendix A: Mandatory Procedures for Advertising
A.1 Effective date
- A.1.1These procedures take effect on March 27, 2025.
- A.1.2These procedures replace the Mandatory Procedures for Advertising, May 11, 2016.
A.2 Procedures
- A.2.1These procedures provide details on the requirements set out in subsections 4.1.41 to 4.1.46 of the Directive on the Management of Communications and Federal Identity.
- A.2.2Mandatory procedures are as follows:
Developing the annual advertising plan
- A.2.2.1Engage with departmental officials to determine advertising needs.
- A.2.2.2Develop the departmental annual advertising plan.
- A.2.2.3Submit the annual advertising plan to head of communications for review.
Planning and coordinating
- A.2.2.4Confirm with Advertising Services Directorate of Public Services and Procurement Canada to determine whether the initiative falls within the definition of advertising.
- A.2.2.5Consult with the Communications and Consultations Secretariat of Privy Council Office when planning advertising activities.
- A.2.2.6Consult with Global Affairs Canada when planning to advertise in foreign markets.
- A.2.2.7Establish performance indicators for advertising campaigns as prescribed by the Privy Council Office.
- A.2.2.8Provide results based on the performance indicators to the Communications and Consultations Secretariat of Privy Council Office.
Contracting advertising activities
- A.2.2.9Engage with the Communications and Advertising Procurement Directorate of Public Services and Procurement Canada to undertake procurement of the advertising activity, unless otherwise stipulated in 4.1.46 of the Directive on the Management of Communications and Federal Identity, including:
- A.2.2.9.1media planning;
- A.2.2.9.2creative testing;
- A.2.2.9.3creative production;
- A.2.2.9.4media placement; and
- A.2.2.9.5campaign evaluation.
- A.2.2.10Collaborate with the Advertising Services Directorate of Public Services and Procurement Canada to:
- A.2.2.10.1develop the statement of work; and
- A.2.2.10.2obtain the project registration number before the contract is awarded.
- A.2.2.11Manage the advertising contract after it has been awarded.
- A.2.2.12Inform the Advertising Services Directorate and Communications and Advertising Procurement Directorate of Public Services and Procurement Canada of any changes or amendments to the:
- A.2.2.12.1scope of work;
- A.2.2.12.2contract; and
- A.2.2.12.3media buy strategy.
Producing advertising creatives and media planning
- A.2.2.13Consider the needs and interests, as applicable, of:
- A.2.2.13.1First Nations, Inuit and Métis;
- A.2.2.13.2English and French linguistic minority communities; and
- A.2.2.13.3ethnocultural communities.
- A.2.2.14Comply with the non-partisan advertising oversight mechanism.
- A.2.2.15Submit the following to the Communications and Consultations Secretariat of Privy Council Office for review:
- A.2.2.15.1draft creative elements; and
- A.2.2.15.2media buy strategies and plans.
- A.2.2.16Submit the following to the Advertising Services Directorate of Public Services and Procurement Canada to confirm compliance with legislative and policy requirements:
- A.2.2.16.1draft creative elements; and
- A.2.2.16.2media buy strategies and plans.
- A.2.2.17Obtain the authorization (ADV) number from the Advertising Services Directorate of Public Services and Procurement Canada.
Direct media purchases for media buys that do not exceed $40,000
- A.2.2.18Seek approval from the head of communications to purchase media space directly from media outlets for advertising initiatives that have a total media buy not exceeding $40,000.
Advertising Management Information System
- A.2.2.19Record information on all advertising activities in the Advertising Management Information System (AdMIS).
Testing creatives for an advertising campaign with a media buy over $1 million
- A.2.2.20Collaborate with departmental public opinion research officials to add the advertising creative testing to the annual public opinion research plan.
- A.2.2.21Confirm that the creative testing has been included on the approved annual public opinion research plan.
- A.2.2.22Develop the plan for creative testing in collaboration with:
- A.2.2.22.1the Communications and Consultations Secretariat of Privy Council Office; and
- A.2.2.22.2the Public Opinion Research Directorate of Public Services and Procurement Canada.
- A.2.2.23Conduct the creative testing in collaboration with departmental public opinion research officials.
- A.2.2.24Provide creative testing research results to the Communications and Consultations Secretariat of Privy Council Office.
Evaluating an advertising campaign with a media buy over $2 million
- A.2.2.25Collaborate with departmental public opinion research officials to add the campaign evaluation to the annual public opinion research plan.
- A.2.2.26Confirm that the campaign evaluation has been approved as part of the annual public opinion research plan.
- A.2.2.27Develop the evaluation plan in collaboration with:
- A.2.2.27.1the Communications and Consultations Secretariat of Privy Council Office; and
- A.2.2.27.2the Public Opinion Research Directorate of Public Services and Procurement Canada.
- A.2.2.28Conduct the evaluation of the advertising campaign in collaboration with departmental public opinion research officials:
- A.2.2.28.1using the Advertising Campaign Evaluation Tool (ACET) as prescribed by the Communications and Consultations Secretariat of Privy Council Office.
- A.2.2.29Provide research results of the campaign evaluation to the Communications and Consultations Secretariat of Privy Council Office.
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