While assorted award shows recognize commercials, no competition until now has used a commercial to promote itself. Breaking new ground is the Association of Independent Commercial Producers (AICP) Show. Now in its 13th year, the AICP Show, The Art & Technique of the American Television Commercial posted three spots on the Web to get the word out on its 2004 call for entries.
Conceived by freelance creative director Ian Plimsoll, the humorous commercials were directed by David Levin of bicoastal/international Hungry Man. In "Hair Salon," we open on a woman in a beauty parlor. She raises her voice to be heard above the humming of a hair dryer, which covers the top of her head. Clearly she’s a proud mom as she boasts, "My daughter’s work is in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York City."
She pauses for a moment, looks down at a magazine and then gazes into the camera as if cattily talking down to another mom. "How’s your son doing?" she asks. An AICP logo fills the screen, followed by a "Call for Entries" title card and then a message: "Honored work will become part of the Permanent Collection of the Department of Film and Media at the Museum of Modern Art in NYC."
The other two ads are similarly themed—one set in a bowling alley, the other in a living room—with a mom gushing over her son or daughter’s AICP Show accomplishment and then sarcastically asking an off-camera mother about her offspring.
All three commercials are based on print ads and direct mail pieces created and designed by Plimsoll for this year’s AICP Show. "Ian had a great concept for our print campaign," related AICP president/CEO Matt Miller. "We thought, ‘Why not take it to the next step?’ "
Levin’s support team at Hungry Man included executive producers Stephen Orent and Thomas Rossano, producer Lalou Dammond and production supervisor Jo Till. The DP was George Motz.
Handling postproduction was an ensemble from Rhinoceros Post, New York, which included CEO David Binstock, executive producer Yfat Neev, online HD editor Craig Gordon, colorist Walter Lefler, dubbing supervisor Peter Chin and online assistants Sam Polcer and Mike Nilgitsalanont.
A team from New York-based sister shop Rhinofx team consisted of partner/senior executive producer Rick Wagonheim, senior executive producer Camille Geier and Inferno artist John Budine. Audio engineer was Doug Johnson of Tonic, another shop in the Rhino family. Assistant audio engineer was Tonic’s Dan Walsh.
