How to check that your ad campaign actually ran

Ask for proof that fits the medium: dated photographs of every outdoor site and activation, a copy of every published newspaper ad, broadcast or screening confirmations for TV, radio and cinema, route and halt photographs for LED vans, and platform reports for digital. Agree the proof before the campaign, check it while the campaign runs, and match it to the invoice line by line.

Updated 7 October 2026. Written by the MM Advertising team, Lucknow.

Why proof matters

Most media run where the advertiser is not: a hoarding in another town, an ad in a district edition, a van on a rural route. Proof is how you know you received what you paid for, and how you learn what worked.

Proof by medium

Medium	What to ask for
Hoardings and outdoor	Dated photographs of every site, with the location; after dark too for lit sites; at the start, during and at the end
Airport media	Dated photographs of every site
LED vans	Dated photographs at every halt, and the planned route against the route run
Activations	Dated photographs for every location and day, team attendance, leads and samples given
Newspapers	A copy of the published page, or the e-paper page, for every edition and date
Television and radio	Telecast or broadcast certificates or logs from the channel or station
Cinema	Screening confirmation from the cinema for every screen
Digital	Platform reports on impressions, clicks and leads, with access to the ad account where possible

Make proof part of the deal

Agree what proof you will receive, how often and in what form, before the campaign starts.
Match proof to the invoice, line by line.
Spot-check a few sites or halts yourself.

Warning signs

Photographs without dates or locations
The same photograph used for different sites
Missing sites, editions or days
Proof that arrives only at the end
No published copies for newspaper ads

How we do it

At MM Advertising you get dated photographs of every site and activity, showing where and when, with the invoice. See how a campaign runs.

Questions

What is proof of execution in advertising?

Evidence that a booked ad or activity actually ran as agreed: dated photographs for outdoor and activations, published copies for newspapers, broadcast logs for TV and radio, and platform reports for digital.

How do I verify a hoarding campaign?

Ask for dated photographs of every site with its location, at the start, during and at the end of the campaign, and after dark for lit sites, and match them to the invoice.