The opening date moves by a week, but the scheduled email still says “Book from Monday.” The landing page is corrected, while a paid social cut and a printed QR card carry the old promise. This is a version-control problem across campaign assets, with a customer-facing cost when different touchpoints disagree.
Give time-bound claims one accountable owner and a visible expiry rule. The register should cover the things most likely to change: price, dates, eligibility, availability, delivery windows, quantities, and promised features for the promoted offer. It is narrower than a general product documentation system; it controls the live creative during a defined campaign.
Create a claim record before publishing
| Field | Example for a hypothetical event |
|---|---|
| Exact approved claim | “Registration closes 18 November” |
| Evidence owner | Event operations lead |
| Source of truth | Registration system closing rule |
| Approved channels | Email, social still, landing page, poster |
| Start and expiry | 2 November to 18 November, with timezone |
| Fallback copy | “Check current availability” |
| Change approver | Campaign owner |
| Withdrawal owner | Person with access to scheduled and paid assets |
The table is a production device. It does not establish whether a claim meets the law where the campaign runs. For example, the US Federal Trade Commission says claims in US advertising must be truthful and evidence-based, while the UK CAP guidance requires evidence for objective claims under its code. Applicable rules and proof requirements depend on market and sector; the operational practice is to know who can verify a claim before it is distributed.
Trace the claim to every live placement
Give each approved asset an ID and record where it can appear. Include paid ads, scheduled posts, creator files, email automations, landing pages, sales PDFs, event screens, and print. The owner should be able to answer two questions in minutes: “Where does this claim appear?” and “Who can remove or replace it?” If a third-party partner controls a placement, record the contact and lead time.
When the source of truth changes, issue one change notice with the old wording, new wording, effective time, affected asset IDs, and required action. Pause or withdraw the old version before pushing the replacement where possible. For printed material that cannot be recalled, use a destination that shows the current terms clearly and decide whether the remaining print should still be distributed. A link to updated terms is not a cure for a misleading headline, so the campaign owner must make that judgement with appropriate local advice.
The UK Department for Education's content strategy guidance calls for ownership, sign-off, factual accuracy, and content maintenance. Its public-service context differs from a commercial campaign, but the governance questions transfer. An end-of-day check during a fast launch can compare the claim register with live previews, scheduled sends, and the actual conversion destination. For the distinct failure where an ad promotes a product absent from its landing page, use that focused diagnosis as well.
Close the claim when the campaign ends
At expiry, archive the approved wording and evidence, stop paid distribution, unschedule remaining posts, replace evergreen pages where needed, and note exceptions that cannot be withdrawn. Do not let an old offer become an accidental permanent promise. ARCHV can design the campaign assets and the version map as part of production; the business must name the owner who keeps operational facts current and can authorize a change.