Now in its 19th year as the leading arbiter of the finest work in advertising, the AICP Show is taking its position to heart by challenging the advertising and marketing industry to push the creative bar higher, and take aim at certain practices. The Show, The Art & Technique of the American Commercial (honoring commercials in all media) and its Next Awards (recognizing innovation in moving image marketing communications) are annually made a part of the archives of the Department of Film at The Museum of Modern Art in New York. As the Call for Entries for the 2010 AICP Show & Next Awards opens, the AICP is leading the charge against a common pitfall afflicting the entire advertising landscape: the use of cliché imagery. To that end, this week the organization launches an industry-wide service campaign centering on two of the biggest ad clichés: babies and puppies. Long a disconcerting trend in traditional commercials, we are now sadly starting to see signs of such cliché-ridden creative solutions in ads for digital and emerging media channels.
The goal of the campaign is to push the industry to think before taking the “path most traveled,” explained Matt Miller, President and CEO of AICP. “We at the AICP Show know how hard it is to craft breakthrough work using original thinking through all aspects of execution, and avoid the now commonplace concepts, images, and music. With the industry standing together and strong, we will eradicate clichés in advertising.”
The multimedia campaign, which can be viewed at www.stopbabiesandpuppies.com, is a rallying cry against using overexposed imagery, and an inducement to those who are involved in creating marketing communications to do great work. That work can be entered into the Show, and potentially made a part of the 1,200-plus ads currently in the archives. A babypuppy logo is the mascot and call to arms to join the resistance against cliché-driven ads – a babypuppy (the head of puppy, body of baby) is available in many forms at www.stopbabiesandpuppies.com to allow people the tools to show their support for the movement. Encompassing video, social media, direct mail, and an interactive experience, the campaign for the AICP Show (crafted for the sixth year by a team of second-year graduate students at the VCU Brandcenter, under the guidance of the school’s Managing Director, Rick Boyko) invites users to become a part of the resistance against clichés. The site has many touch points that allow users to prove their active involvement in expanding the resistance.
This year, there are two deadlines for entry: February 26, for work airing February 23, 2009-February 7, 2010; and March 12th, for work airing February 8, 2010 – March 7, 2010.
The 2010 AICP Show & Next Awards
The Show debuts on June 8th at The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City, under the aegis of Show Chairman T.K. Knowles, Executive Producer/Managing Partner at Bob Industries. Now its fourth year, The Next Awards features a new category, Product Integration, which joins Integrated Campaign, Experiential, Viral/Web Films, and Website/Microsite. The Next Awards is at the vanguard of all awards show, rewarding the most innovative and outstanding work in the industry.
The Next Awards debut the morning of the Show, and feature panel discussions, short films featuring the Next judging panel, as well as presentations outlining the strategy and execution of the winners in the Integrated Campaign category. Additionally, the audience at The Next Awards votes in real time to select an Audience Choice Award in each category. Tickets to the Show and Next Awards will be available in May.
The AICP Show does not rank its honorees; rather all work in the Show is presented as equally outstanding examples within their categories. Each category may have up to three honorees with the exception of Advertising Excellence/Campaign and Advertising Excellence/Single Commercial, which have only one honoree each, effectively making them Best of Show.
Established in 1992, in cooperation with MoMA, the AICP Show recognizes excellence in 27 categories of commercial film production, focusing on artistry and technical expertise. Each year’s honored pieces are made a part of the archives of MoMA’s Department of Film.
ABOUT AICP
Founded in 1972, the AICP represents, exclusively, the interests of United States companies that specialize in producing commercials in various media – film, video, digital – for advertisers and agencies. The association, with national offices in New York and Los Angeles as well as regional chapters across the country, serves as a strong collective voice for this $5-plus billion industry, disseminating information; representing the production industry within the advertising community, in business circles, in labor negotiations and before governmental officials; developing industry standards and tools; providing professional development; and marketing American production. www.aicp.com
2010 AICP Show & Next Awards Categories
Technique
Visual Style
Performance/Dialogue or Monologue
Humor
Cinematography
Animation
Editorial
Graphic Design
Visual Effects
Original Music
Sound Design
Musical Arrangement
Production
Production Design
Concept
Agency Art Direction
Copywriting
Specialty
Public Service Announcement
Low Budget
Spec Spot
Student Commercial
Next
Integrated Campaign
Viral/Web Film
Experiential
Website/Microsite
Product Integration
Overall Excellence
Advertising Excellence/Single Commercial
Advertising Excellence/Campaign
Advertising Excellence/International
