/ Guide
How far in advance should advertising be booked?
There is no single lead time. Booking windows depend on whether inventory is finite, how production works, what approval is required and how competitive the campaign period is.
01
OOH and transport
Specific sites, fleets or formats can sell out, and printed or bespoke production adds lead time.
02
TV, radio and cinema
Schedules, copy approval, production and premium periods can affect timing.
03
Digital
Digital can often launch faster, but tracking, consent, feeds, landing pages, creative and platform review still need time.
04
Major periods
Christmas, major events, launches and other high-demand periods should be planned earlier because both inventory and production capacity may tighten.
05
Best practice
Start with the desired live date and work backwards through approval, creative, production, trafficking and booking milestones.
Sources and review
Last reviewed 28 September 2026. Figures affected by current inventory, supplier data or regulation should be checked at the point of planning.
Next step
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