First Winning Short Film Introduced by Filmmakers during Tonight's Premiere of NBC's KNIGHT RIDER
Filmaka (www.filmaka.com) an online global creative community and marketplace, celebrates life in the fast lane with Ford Motor Company and advertising agency JWT Team Detroit to offer filmmakers a chance to write and direct “Mustang Stories,” short films about the iconic Mustang in anticipation of the 2010 model’s release.
New York based Zack Resnicoff and Los Angeles based Sonny Calderon will introduce a preview of their film during the premiere of NBC’s highly-anticipated drama series KNIGHT RIDER tonight, September 24 (8p/7c). After the broadcast airing, viewers can watch their film, entitled “Numskull,” in its entirety on www.the2010mustang.com. Other winners will be chosen and debut their short film in upcoming weeks. Additionally, one Grand Prize winner will direct a promotional film for the 2010 Mustang launch.
Known for its marketing, creative campaigns and integrated product placement on behalf of Ford, JWT Team Detroit worked with Filmaka on the “Mustang Stories” short film competition. Through the partnership, Filmaka members received an opportunity to showcase their talent in front of one of the world’s largest companies.
“Working with Ford gives us the opportunity to help a powerhouse brand connect with its consumers through high-quality, original content,” said Sandy Grushow, president, Filmaka. “Meanwhile, our winning filmmakers get to have their creative vision seen by one of the world’s most respected agencies as well as millions of television viewers.”
“We’re always looking for innovative ways to connect with our customers,” said Caroline Pernot, Ford car communications. “We wanted to see how filmmakers interpreted our “Mustang Stories” contest and are delighted to be able to reach an even wider audience through the new “Knight Rider” TV series, which stars our Shelby GT 500KR Mustang.”
Through the branded entertainment competition, Filmaka’s community members were challenged to submit a script reflecting personal stories that were specifically chosen from devoted Mustang enthusiasts or their own original ideas. Like the Mustang, the films represent the best of the best. Nearly 400 scripts were submitted by filmmakers in 28 countries on six continents and 22 semi-finalists received the green light to produce their films then selected 10 winners who will be featured as part of the 2010 Mustang launch.
Ford is one of several major companies that have enlisted Filmaka’s global community to create content through its branded entertainment competitions. Since its April 2008 launch, Filmaka has created competitions with FX Network, SAB Miller, Red Bull, and, currently, Cisco to provide content for traditional and digital media, as well as integrated marketing campaigns.
ABOUT FILMAKA
Filmaka (www.filmaka.com) is an on-line global creative community and marketplace, committed to inspiring, celebrating and rewarding creativity and talent by providing professional opportunities for directors and writers from all around the world. The unique mechanism is a series of competitions which are juried by industry leaders. Each month, Filmaka challenges its community to create original, professionally produced high-quality scripted and unscripted films and branded entertainment. Rewards range from cash prizes to the opportunity to create series for traditional and digital media. Filmaka will also produce at least one feature film and documentary directed by community members.
ABOUT FORD MOTOR COMPANY
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 229,000 employees and about 90 plants worldwide, the company’s core and affiliated automotive brands include Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Volvo and Mazda. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford’s products, please visit our website at www.ford.com.
Filmaka, Inc. 7955 W. 3rd St. Los Angeles, CA 90048 U.S.A. www.filmaka.com
Sonic Branding For Social Media: Engage, Align, Connect
By Chad Cook -- With more than five billion people accessing social media daily, savvy brands understand the importance of cultivating a strong social identity. They devote massive resources toward brand awareness, audience targeting, content strategy and community engagement. Yet, while they know that social platforms are critical to boosting sales and attracting new customers, many neglect one of the most effective tools for connecting with consumers: sonic branding. Marketers often associate sonic branding with catchy mnemonics used by big brands like McDonald’s, Netflix and Intel in their advertising. But that is a very limited view of what sonic branding is and what it can do. Sonic branding is a way to build awareness and stimulate engagement across all touch points, from advertising to broadcast digital, in-person and social. And it’s not limited to members of the Fortune 500. Brands at all levels can benefit from a sonic identity that is memorable, engaging and reflective of its core values. Sound has been scientifically proven to be deeply tied to memory and emotion. There’s a reason that certain songs stick in your head and bring back memories formed years or even decades earlier. So, it’s surprising that sonic branding is often an afterthought in marketing plans. That is especially true in social media marketing. Faced with tight deadlines and strained budgets, creative teams are often tempted to select music for their content simply because it “fits.” Unfortunately, that may result in content that is in tune with what’s trending but is out of tune with brand identity. Effective sonic branding, by contrast, requires thoughtful strategic planning,... Read More