While commercial production houses grapple with new advertising forms as they relate to interactive television, the Internet and other media (see separate story, p. 46), the new millennium brings a more immediate, albeit short-term concern: Y2K and the potentially disruptive influence it could have on spotmaking in early January.
With its inimitable brand of humor, Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, San Francisco, put the situation in an offbeat, yet relevant, perspective in "Y2Kud," for the California Milk Processor Board. The spot opens on a cow blissfully chewing grass in a moonlit farmyard. In the background is an old barn, illuminated by a single overhead light. A radio countdown can be heard in the background: "9, 8, 7, 6," et cetera. As the new year arrives, the light short-circuits, showering sparks and startling the cow. The Holstein looks over her shoulder as a man’s panic-stricken voice asks what’s happening. The cow resumes her munching, oblivious to the global hysteria. A supered title then reads: "Cows…Y2K Ready." The spot—directed by agency partner Jeff Goodby—then ends with the "Got Milk?" slogan.
In a business where preparation and pre-production are pivotal, production companies are striving to attain cow-like, Y2K-proof status. But unlike the Holstein, the spot industry is not impervious to power outages, discontinued phone service, airline delays and other computer-related glitches that could unfold as soon as the ball in Times Square drops.
Association of Independent Commercial Producers (AICP) vice chairman Al Califano, partner/executive producer of bicoastal OneSuch Films, observes that no one knows what’s going to happen on January 1. He notes that "even if all my suppliers are Y2K compliant, if the electricity goes out and we’re on a shoot, we may have a problem. The time to think about this kind of thing is now."
For Califano, the "now" began about a year ago, when he proposed the idea of forming an industry-wide Y2K committee during the AICP’s national board meeting in Dec. ’98. From that suggestion was born the Ad Hoc Y2K Intra-Industry Committee on Commercial Production, which brought together people from different segments of the business, including representatives from production companies, ad agencies, editorial and post houses, rental equipment shops, accountancy, legal and insurance firms, travel agencies and industry associations. Califano chairs the Y2K industry committee.
The Y2K committee has met five times thus far in ’99, but beyond those formal sessions, committee members contacted each other and assorted industry colleagues frequently, drumming up awareness of the Y2K issue. Out of those meetings and that dialogue have sprung several points for consideration. The committee has identified two high-risk periods for the 2000 kickoff: Jan. 1-9 for filming commercials in the U.S.; and Jan. 1-16 for shooting in foreign countries. The committee suggested avoiding these periods if possible, and advocated that shoots be scheduled during the remainder of ’99.
However, for shoots that must take place during the high-risk January periods, the committee issued recommendations that included: alerting the client to the existence of a high-risk period; revising the agency contract payment schedule to provide 75 percent up front; having an alternative location available in the event of problems at the original site; using contingency (weather) day guidelines for Y2K delays; and making sure back-up spots are delivered to stations in December.
Some of these recommendations are essentially talking points—suggestions and areas that agencies, clients, production companies, editorial houses and other industry businesses should be discussing with each other. From this, shops can make individual business decisions as to what action to take or policies to institute to cover Y2K contingencies.
For example, the 75 percent up-front payment was suggested as a possible safeguard in the event that banks or other major financial institutions are not functioning under normal operations. This recommendation was formulated by a production subcommittee headed by Nancy Early, founder/executive producer of eo productions, New York, and Kerrie King who heads New York-based production services firm a.k.a. films.
The agency contingent on the overall Y2K committee doesn’t endorse the 75 percent proposal, yet agreed to include it as a possibility people can discuss on a case-by-case basis.
Commercial producers on the committee also proposed a contract addendum covering the high-risk periods. The addendum would provide that the production house is not responsible for obtaining assurances of Y2K readiness or compliance from any subcontractor with which the agency subcontracts directly, or which is designated by the agency in its contract.
Cathy Pitegoff, manager of broadcast business affairs at New York-based Messner Vetere Berger McNamee Schmetterer/Euro RSCG, served as lead agency person on the Y2K industry committee. She observes that the main goal of the committee is to create greater awareness throughout the industry about Y2K and what could possibly go wrong. She says that clients need to know that if they must produce commercials during the high-risk periods, there could be extra costs they’ll have to incur.
Helping to generate greater Y2K awareness was the committee linking with New York Heads of Production (NYHP). The Y2K industry committee presented its suggestions to NYHP members during that group’s recent meeting at Ogilvy & Mather, New York. Pitegoff says that the NYHP meeting enabled agency heads of production to hear committee findings and take them back to their agencies where they could figure out the best way to work, if necessary, under Y2K conditions.
Additionally, recalls AICP/ East immediate past president Early, the committee heard agency feedback several months ago, that certain clients were saying that they didn’t want to shoot spots after the first week in December. This traditional gearing down for the holidays, though, could be a mistake with the new millennium concerns on the horizon. "One of the committee recommendations is to fully utilize December to avoid having to shoot at the beginning of January," relates Early. "That’s a sure way to avoid any possible Y2K glitches. We’ve asked agencies to take that message to their clients."
Early notes that the year-long committee effort has been an uplifting experience, demonstrating what can be accomplished when different segments of the business work together cooperatively. She also finds gratifying the fact that agencies are looking to the production community "to help them with their clients. Our job is to make it happen, to pull off a project that needs to be done. For agencies to consult us on the Y2K issue and exchange ideas is a positive development."
Overall, the committee recommends that the spot community plan early, educate clients and work as a team—agencies, production houses, editors and support services—to mitigate the effects of Y2K that could potentially hinder commercial production and completion. A final Y2K committee meeting—which will be open to the entire industry—is scheduled for Dec. 2 at the law firm of Steinbrecher & Ross, New York.
