Panasonic, in concert with agency Grey Worldwide, New York, has launched an initiative designed to bring agency creatives into the HD production arena. Dubbed “The One That Got Away,” the program is designed to get worthwhile spot creative work made that for whatever reason didn’t get produced. Thus ideas that got killed in test or were rejected by a client can find new life–and meaningful exposure. Plans call for the collection of 30-second commercials to be screened during the Association of Independent Commercial Producers (AICP) Show week in New York in June 2006.
Per its new program, Panasonic will provide some 10 to 15 ad agencies with HD cameras–the likely models being the VariCam or the soon-to-be-released HVX-200 camcorder–to capture “the one that got away.” Furthermore, Grey has recruited a cross-section of production house, editing and post company partners to help these commercials come to fruition.
During an Advertising Week session on HD hosted by Panasonic last week in New York, the program was unveiled by Nancy Axthelm, executive VP, director of broadcast production for Grey, and Bob Greenberg, VP, marketing of Panasonic USA.
Ad agencies interested in participating can contact Aaron Royer, Grey’s associate director of content production at aroyer@grey.com. The intent is to select creatives from different types of agencies–major players, boutiques, regional shops, ethnic/specialty houses–in that great ideas come from varied places of different shapes, sizes and sensibilities. Agencies will have creative freedom and are subject to just two main rules: Each spot must be 30 seconds in length (though additional 360 content is welcomed/encouraged); and the commercial must be for an existing agency client.
While there are some parallels between the Panasonic initiative and Sony’s “Dreams” project of the past few years, the latter specifically solicited notable commercial directors for shorts. By contrast, said Axthelm, “We feel the need to put HD in the hands of the creative community–writers, art directors, producers, as well as production and post people.” She said it is key to give the camera to agency creatives so that a positive experience in HD can show them that this is a medium to which they can entrust their ideas. Axthelm also believes it’s important to keep those ideas for practical reasons within the :30 format.
Axthelm added that she would hope that the agencies involved in the Panasonic project will go beyond the :30, seeing that the digital route is conducive to spawning Web fare, print, posters and other elements in an integrated campaign.
Production company participants announced by Grey include: Anonymous Content; HKM/Rockfight/The Directors Bureau; Independent Media; HSI; Czar USA; Epoch Films; Moxie Pictures; Bob Industries; Cohn+Co.; Form, Believe Media; harvest; Celsius; Chelsea Pictures; RSA USA; MJZ; @radical.media; Tate USA; Biscuit Filmworks; Backyard; House of Usher; Aero Film; Park Pictures; Smuggler; Compulsive Pictures; The Artists Company; and Reginald Pike.
Editorial house partners in the program are: The Whitehouse; Final Cut; Cut + Run; Rock Paper Scissors; Lost Planet; Blue Rock; Red Car; Chemistry; Edit1; Crew Cuts; Mackenzie Cutler; Cosmo Street; Fluid; Jump; and Habitat Edit.
Post participants include Click 3x, Nice Shoes and The Mill.
The music component–with its own roster of potential contributors–is being fashioned by Josh Rabinowitz, Grey’s senior VP, director of music. He should be at liberty to discuss details in a couple of weeks.
The aforementioned HVX-200 camcorder is slated for release in December ’05.
