Definition

A physical page torn from a publication proving an ad ran as purchased, or its digital equivalent screenshot. The receipts that media buyers clutch when things go wrong.

Example Usage

The magazine swears our ad ran, but the tear sheet shows it printed on page 47 next to obituaries instead of the fashion section we paid for.

Origin

Print advertising terminology dating back over a century when pages were literally torn from publications

Fun Fact

Digital tear sheets are easily faked, leading to entire industries built around third-party ad verification and monitoring.

Source: Print and media buying terminology

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