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MCRC Help - Search Ads

Searching for Ads

You can search for an ad by entering search criteria such as the type, keywords, theme, etc. Entering search criteria is useful for widening or narrowing your search. You can conduct several types of searches: search for a specific ad or campaign, perform a quick search, or perform a detailed search. Searching for a specific ad or campaign provides a way to enter keywords from an ad or campaign title and go directly to the ad or campaign details. The Home page quick search provides a quick way to search for an ad by combining keywords and search criteria such as the type, keywords, and themes. The Detailed Search allows you to specify more extensive search criteria in addition to those provided on the Home page quick search.

Note: For keyword criteria, the system searches the following text in ad information: Title, Description, Themes, Campaign Titles, and Languages.

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Search for a Specific Ad or Campaign

The Search for a specific ad or campaign feature allows you to enter the title of an ad or campaign and then select the desired ad or campaign from a list of matching titles.

To search for a specific ad or campaign:

  1. In the Search for a specific ad or campaign field, enter the full or partial title of the ad or campaign. The system displays a list of matching ads or campaigns.
  2. Select an ad or campaign. The system displays the details for the selected ad.

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Home Page Quick Search

The Home page quick search feature allows you to enter any of the following search criteria for current ads:

To conduct a quick search on the home page, do any or all of the following:

  1. In the Search Current Ads section of the MCRC home page, select a type, such as Television or Radio, from the Type drop-down list. To see all types, select Any Type (default).
  2. In the Keywords field, enter one or more keywords you want the ads to contain and do one of the following:
    • If you entered several keywords and you want the search results to contain all the words, select the "Match all words" option.
    • If you entered several keywords and you want the search results to contain any of the words, select the "Match any word" option.
    • If you entered several keywords and you want the search results to contain all of the words exactly as you have entered them, select the "Exact match" option.
  3. From the Theme drop-down list, select a theme, such as Pregnancy, Cessation - General, or Tobacco Industry Manipulation. To see all themes, select Any Theme (default).
  4. In the Cost Range drop-down list, do one of the following:
    • Select "Any cost" (default) to include ads of all costs. Free ads, free ads with limitations, and ads with unknown costs are also included.
    • Select "Free Ads only" to include only ads that are free or free with limitations.
    • Select "Max Cost" and select the desired maximum dollar amount from the dropdown list.

      Screenshot of Quick Search.
  5. Click Search Ads. The system searches for ads that match the search criteria and displays the search results.

    Screenshot of Quick Search results.

Note: For the Home page quick search or Detailed Search, if you enter a whole or partial word in the Keywords field and select "Match all words" or "Match any word", the system displays all ads containing that whole or partial word. For example, if you enter "cigar", the system displays ads containing the words "cigars", "cigarette", "cigarettes", etc. If you enter "smok", the system displays all ads containing the words "smoke", "smoker", "smokeless", etc.

What do you want to do next?

  • To change your search criteria, click Modify Search.
  • To view ad details, click the ad title.
  • To view campaign information for an ad, click the campaign.
  • To view more details for the ad description, click the more details >>.

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Detailed Search

The Detailed Search feature allows you to further narrow down the search results by offering a wide variety of search criteria. In addition to the search criteria used in the Home page quick search, the Detailed Search contains more extensive criteria such as Target Audiences, Cost Range, Language, and Date Produced.

To conduct a Detailed Search:

Note: You do not have to complete all of the fields on the Detailed Search page.

  1. On the MCRC home page, click the Detailed Search link. The system displays the Detailed Search page.
  2. For these fields:
    • Type
    • Languages

      Select one or more check boxes that best describe the ad.
  3. For these fields:
    • Themes
    • Target Audiences

    Select the desired option from the left list box and click Screenshot of right arrow. to move your selection to the right box. You can select up to five items.
    Note: To remove your selection, select the item and click the Screenshot of left arrow.. To select multiple options, click the first item, press and hold the Ctrl key, and click each of the other items.

  4. In the Keywords field, enter one or more keywords you want the ads to contain and do one of the following:
    • If you entered several keywords and you want the search results to contain all the words, select the "Match all words" option.
    • If you entered several keywords and you want the search results to contain any of the words, select the "Match any word" option.
    • If you entered several keywords and you want the search results to contain all of the words exactly as you have entered them, select the "Exact match" option.
  5. In the Cost Range field, do one of the following:
    • Select "Any cost" (default) to include ads of all costs. Free ads, free ads with limitations, and ads with unknown costs are also included.
    • Select "Free Ads only" to include only ads that are free or free with limitations.
    • Select "Max Cost" and select the desired maximum dollar amount from the dropdown list.
  6. For these fields:
    • Campaign
    • Produced For
    • Ad Group

    Select the desired item from the dropdown list.

  7. For these fields:
    • Year Produced
    • Year Added to MCRC

      Select On, After, or Before and select the associated year from the dropdown list. For example, to see ads produced after 1999, select After and select 1999 from the dropdown list. To see all ads select Any year from the dropdown list (default).

  8. Click Search Ads. The system searches for ads that match the search criteria and displays the search results.

    Screenshot of Detailed search results.

Notes:

  • Selecting many search criteria could result in no matching ads. To widen the search, select fewer search criteria. For more information, see Widening your search.
  • To remove all selected search criteria when conducting a Detailed Search, click Clear.

What do you want to do next?

  • To change your search criteria, click Modify Search.
  • To view ad details, click the ad title.
  • To view the campaign for an ad, click the campaign title.
  • To view more details for the ad description, click the more details >>.

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Ads in Cycle

An advertisement is “in cycle” once the initial portions of holding fees, session fees, and other related talent fees are paid. Once an ad is in cycle, other organizations across the U.S. can add their local markets to the ad’s cycle at a much reduced cost, within the given expiration dates. To search for ads in cycle, click the Ads in Cycle tab and then click the Ads in Cycle link.

Notes:

  • Only ads that are produced under SAG/AFTRA union contracts qualify for this status.
  • The Ads in Cycle list is available only for Television and Radio Ads.
  • The Ads in Cycle list is also available by clicking Ads in Cycle in the left navigation bar.
  • You must be logged in to view ads in cycle.

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New Ads

The New Ads page displays the most recent ads added to MCRC. This list is updated as new ads come in, or every six months, whichever comes first. The New Ads page is particularly useful for users who browse the collection of ads in MCRC on a semi-annual basis since they can readily see the ads that have been added since their last visit. To search for new ads, click the New Ads tab and then click the New Ads link.

Notes:

  • New Ads are available for any type of ad.
  • The new ads list is also available by clicking New Ads in the left navigation bar.
  • New ads display the "new" icon: Screenshot of New icon..

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Search Tips

You can make your search even more efficient by widening or narrowing your search.

Widening your search

A wide search encompasses a wide range of ads. Use this technique when you want to browse the catalog, when you are unsure of an ad's contents, or when your original search did not yield any results.

To conduct a wide search, do any of the following:

    Search Technique Example Results
    Do not enter or select any criteria (accept all defaults) Just click Search Ads. The system displays all the ads in MCRC.
    Select only one type for a criterion Type: Television The system displays all television ads.
    Type only one word in the Keywords field

    Keyword: smokeless

    The system displays ads containing the word "smokeless."
    Enter one or more keywords in the Keywords field and select the "Match any word" option.

    Keywords: prevention secondhand

    Select the "Match any word" option

    The system displays all ads containing either "prevention" or "secondhand."


Narrowing your search

Use a narrow search if you know the title or other identifying criteria, or when the original search displayed too wide a range of ads.

To conduct a narrow search, do any of the following:

    Search Technique Example Results
    Use the Detailed Search for all known criteria

    Type: Television

    Theme: Casual Smoking

    Target Audience: Females and Pregnant Women

    Cost Range: Free

    Language: Spanish

    The system displays free television ads in Spanish that deal with casual smoking and are targeted toward pregnant women.
    In the home page quick search, enter several keywords and select the "Match all words" option

    Keywords: secondhand smoking

    Select the "Match all words" option

    The system displays ads that contain both "secondhand" and "smoking" in the ad or ad description.
    In the home page quick search, enter several keywords and select the "Exact Match" option

    Keywords: secondhand smoking

    Select the "Exact Match" option

    The system displays ads that contain the string: "secondhand smoking." The system does not display ads that have second-hand smoking, smoking secondhand, etc.
    Combine search criteria and keywords

    Type: Television

    Theme: Casual Smoking

    Keywords: prevention

    The system displays television ads whose theme is casual smoking and contain the word "prevention."

Punctuation marks

You can enter commas or semicolons in the Keywords field. However, the system ignores the punctuation marks and searches only the words entered if you select the "Match all words" or "Match any words" option. If you select the "Exact match" option, the system does not ignore the punctuation marks. For example, if you enter secondhand; pregnancy, lung as your search criteria and select the "Match all words" or "Match any words" option, the system drops the semicolon and comma, and treats the search as if you entered secondhand pregnancy lung. If you enter secondhand; pregnancy, lung as your search criteria and select the "Exact match" option, the system does not drop the semicolon and comma, and treats the searches for ads that contain secondhand; pregnancy, lung.

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