A little while ago some chums and I made a TV commercial for a contest (oddly, in that it was 30" and we cut to that, it is now ":60 to Save the Earth" ecospot). Seems we didn't get into the finals. So now it's free to use, here it is:
As a creative soul, and in the spirit of unsweetened grapes (it's all how you say it these days), here's my purely subjective review (hey, it's what blogs are for, and I've found that playing coy gets you nowhere) of what beat us:
1. Are You Game? – First up. Mentions Al Gore. Twice. Darn, should have thought of that!
2. Change the way you think. – Some nice imagery, I guess.
3. Cheeto and Vinn – OK. Singled-minded and funny. Gets the point across. I’m wishing we’d gone the 60’ option now.
4. Decisions – Again, not bad imagery. But hard to get ‘into’.
5. Gaia's Lament – yeah, well. Whatever.
6. Get Your Green on – And there’s a single out soon, too:)
7. Green – Nice. Yet one of the lowest ratings so far.
8. I Did Nothn' – A good line in there somewhere.
9. Keep it Equal – Nice idea. Neat editting.
10. Lights Out – OK, so it’s campaignable. Worth two in the finals?
11. Perry the Cockroach – Um, pass.
12. Plastic Ocean – Nice, simple idea.
13. Roachie Enviro Contest – If you’re going to use music, it seems it is better if wra... er... rapped.
14. Small Changes – I’m just guessing, but I think going with plastic bags would make one a shoe-in.
15. Small Steps – Sort of cute.
16. Support Good Hot – Energy – Interestingly, only the first that seems to have had some production money on it. The line ain’t worth it.
17. The Bags – OK, and here’s another. I’m sure the COI will buy it.
18. The Little Things – Lists are good, too. With a song.
19. The Sky is Falling – Some more production bucks. Not a bad line. Motivated? Highest rate to date.
20. Think Again – Yeah, well. The money is coming out now. Where from?
21. This is not a test – Yay! Another list!
22. This is the World – Or... don’t cut a tree down that’s already doing its job. Nice production on low budget, though.
23. What Can Regular People Do? – Follow more lists. It works in creative eco ads, anyway.
I still think ours is... was pretty good.
Here's the submission notes:
A simple ad for a simple notion: green IS good, but only if you really think about all aspects very carefully.
Many of us have bought into the notion of offsetting the carbon consequences of our lifestyles. And it is certainly better than nothing, But only so long as the initiative is worthy and well run.
Some schemes still operate on the basis of planting a tree to achieve a balance that will be unlikely to make itself felt for many years, if at all. And time is of the essence, as tipping points are being talked of in terms of decades.
Some of these can of course still be viable and good to support. But, as with all things sold in the name of ‘green’, one needs to always challenge such efforts to justify their environmental value, their envIROI (which is not the same as monetary ROI, as you can make a financial investment in our kids’ future that may not pay back monetarily) before committing hard-earned, and highly useful, funds without thinking, simply to ‘buy-off’ a sense of responsibility for one’s actions.
The facts of deforestation and national emissions of the world’s current greatest greenhouse gas polluter are a matter of public record. The logic of where our priorities should lie in this instance, are our own. There will be hurdles, to be sure, and this is of course a plea more for preservation rather than reduction, but we think it is one worth making, to be considered and, if necessary, sensibly debated.
Other than a bit of time, this ad cost nothing and used no resources... at all. Which is quite an ideal metaphor for the message being conveyed...
IF you think about it!
ps: No trees were harmed in the making of this commercial. But a nice weed didn’t make it. Sorry.
Maybe I should have been nicer about daft celebs and meaningless platitudes. They were the judges after all. Maybe not so daft to see who it was aimed at.
And now... YouTube!
Which reminds me, it's the Green Awards to... night? I entered last year but decided against this ever again having seen who the judges were (for a creative contest - even if it's a people's choice, which I often prefer, there is always pre-selection... and agendas) and what they voted into the finals.
Here's one that may win there (it shows a lady's naught bits, which always helps, if you're being viral.): http://www.green.tv/brazilian
3 comments:
Yep, it sure does sound like unsweetened grapes..! :|
But take comfort in the knowledge that most of the remaining voting seems evidently based on how many people the authors know, and not so much on quality or message.
"The Bags?" "The little things?" Cute, but...please.
Why did I guess the first (well, only, so far) comment would be 'Anon'. Ho hum.
Well, I kinda asked for the first swipe. Literally. Best to get it out of the way.
However I really couldn't let all the effort pass unremarked, and somehow, seeing how it was all billed...
Current and the Alliance for Climate Protection challenged people from around the world to make provocative ecospots, short video messages that inspire people to get involved in solving the climate crisis. Hundreds upon hundreds of ecospots were submitted, and George Clooney, Cameron Diaz, Orlando Bloom, Rihanna and the rest of our judges picked the 23 semifinalists. But now it's up to you to choose the winners.
The top four ecospots as chosen by you, the community, will be broadcast internationally on Current TV, showcased on MySpace's Impact Channel and featured in the Alliance's national campaign. So your vote will help shape how the world thinks about the climate crisis.
Oh, and the grand prize winner gets a Toyota Highlander hybrid (if winner is a US resident) or Toyota Prius (if winner is a UK resident). Not bad booty for sixty seconds of earth-saving ecospot.....
...I really didn't feel in the mood (creative guy with ego to match; struggling business guy with profile to promote) to let it pass, or even do an insincere 'Gosh, awesome, may the best slot win' when I see the calibre of creativity that did 'make it' from a world of entries. I made a conscious decision to avoid being too humble or PC (my subjective thoughts on those are as fair as I could be, whilst inevitably personal), as frankly in this day and age that’s the quickest route to the ‘whatever’ bin. Controversy gets you places. Bad ones, often, but better than being left behind for certain.
For what it’s worth I am impressed how few were big budget numbers, as I expected more, and more to get in, and laud those who at least tried. I just really, really, wanted that Prius (well, more to spin 'winning' or even being shortlisted in every way possible to a news-starved media. We may even have gone regional in the Hereford Journal).
Of course I'm disappointed, and while in one way para 2 might be a comfort, it's also a real downer. Sadly it is true that even 'People's Choices' are open to being 'moved' by various ways and means, especially if online voting is open to all with a hotmail account and a decent mail merge.
Awards are anyway turkey shoots at best, but so long as they are free to enter and fairly judged they can be worthwhile. Especially if/when you win! But let's not forget the opportunity cost in time. This wasn't a lot for me/us, but you commit in the hope that you're in with a chance. I guess we were... just not this time.
But who knows what else is on the cutting room floor at Current.tv, which may well be tons ‘better’ than ours but also a whole lot more deserving of being seen, let alone accolades and prizes. I’d have loved to see ‘em all.
It just all coincided with the Green Awards, which last year took around £160 of my hard-earned for two ad ideas that were (IMHO) truly 'creative'. What won were two council/quango mega-pack DM shots that had little in them of note bar half a rain forest (ironically advocating being ‘greener’ in one’s activities).
But what really knocked me off was the brief had a category 'below' £100k spend that I aimed for, but in the course of the judging got absorbed into the 'above £100k'. And as many of us will appreciate, and can be pragmatic when making entry decisions, you can fool many of the people a lot of the time if your throw lots of munny at things. Or time.
Wouldn't have made much difference in this latest case, and if we'd cut to 60' it may have dragged on.
How many charity ads can we all think of that start at a minute, and hang the media cost?
Anyhoo... what's done is done, and we can now move on at least with a nice little porty piece for the site and to post here and there.
You have kindly been eloquent in silence on what you thought of our own modest effort at all, much less in comparison, so I won't ask.
I'm still trying to figure out which of those left to vote for and which to predict wins. I'll try to remember to post here when I decide on both.
It will be interesting then to see what the public makes of it all. If I screw up enough in my predictions I can always start being a pollster for the government.
Hey, may as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb. No time like the present. Why use one saying when two will do...
My vote...
... was between 'Cheeto and Vinn', 'Green' and 'Keep it Equal'.
I can't figure out why the first got two entries, so they are out (plus being a bit one joke pony), 'Green' was nice (and 30") but kinda washed over me by the end (which could have been soooo much more impactful) and I think had a typo (like I never have), so it's 'Keep it Equal'.
Truth be told none of them was earth-shattering ('excuse the pun) in terms of impact or enduring image/message, but you do tend to 'tune' to the judges and the audience, which is a pragmatic coward's way of getting in. I don't think pictures of bloodied fur coats would have made it here.
I just think 'Keep it Equal' struck the best chord with simple visual imagery of what 'we' could do but actually do.... and there really is no justification.
Prediction: Well, it's a bit like going up to the bookie as the horses are running, but I'd have to say that 'The Sky Is Falling' looks like the winner.
Ironic, as I often critique some 'green' campaigns here for taking that rather absolutist approach. I thought the 'Elephant in the Room' had some potential but frankly that's up there (sorry) with the number of Albert Halls 'we' fill with rubbish each day. Plus I think the tonnage of CO2 in terms of magnitude (versus our version pointing out that cutting down forests was removing more than the entire USA's output, which most celebs seem to think gets offset by a sapling) is appreciated by now. And it just sort of... ends.
Well, we'll see what does prevail.
So far some 1400 have voted. Well worth it at £17,000 for a Prius to pay a few folk to 'help'.
If that number hasn't moved much by the end, I'd certainly 'invest' in helping my ad win. Good odds.
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