In Saturday’s NY Times there was an article about how Heinz Ketchup- among other companies- is sponsoring a TV commercial competition on You Tube. The winner will be paid $57,000 and have his commercial air on television. Any one who has read this page more than once knows my feelings about You Tube and the trend of discounting creative filmmaking. While I understand why Heinz is thrilled- the p.r. alone, plus there have been 12,000 hits on You Tube for these spots- it is slowly (quickly?) killing the business.
There are thousands of people across the country who count on the commercial TV business to earn all or part of their living. Here’s just a few: the ad agency employees- top to bottom, and you know the first to get canned will not be a six-figure creative director- actors, casting directors, schlubs like me who own production companies and all the people we hire to produce a commercial.
If I was one of my students I would race out and make the best damn Heinz spot I could. But what about my ilk? I can think of nothing more than changing ketchup brands. Anyone for Hunt’s Ketchup on your Memorial Day burger? Muir Glen Organic?
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/26/business/26content.ready.html
Here’s the link, read it and weep. You can find the You Tube spots on your own.
PeterH
