Film preservation is a worthy cause that has gained high-profile attention—but largely as it pertains to theatrical features and television programs. Major universities, museums and industry organizations, like the American Film Institute, are engaged in significant efforts to preserve film and TV fare, especially in light of the artistic treasures that have been lost over the years, such as silent movies and kinescopes from the early days of television.
Thankfully, some institutions have also committed to preserving other gems—commercials—which like their longform counterparts can prove valuable, not only as works of art, but as a means to reflect the styles, attitudes and thinking of a society during a specific time period.
Two front-page stories in this issue of SHOOT underscore the importance of spot preservation. One such endeavor is now in its 10th year: the AICP Show. Starting in 1992, the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York, has placed AICP Show-honored work—representing "The Art and Technique of the American Television Commercial"—in its Film and Video Department’s permanent collection.
Larry Kardish, senior curator of MoMA’s Department of Film and Video, observed, "We have and are continuing to build an invaluable collection, which generations can consult and see." He added that the AICP Show represents a time capsule containing artistic work that reflects American society from year to year.
Prior to the AICP Show’s launch, the compilation of U.S. commercials at MoMA was a somewhat piecemeal proposition. The curatorial staff there called in interesting work for inclusion in the museum’s permanent collection. But the AICP Show has since given MoMA an annual body of American work judged by industry professionals to be the best in relevant craft categories. This adds immeasurably to the MoMA archives, which also include 20 years of the British Advertising Broadcast Awards and other work—some of which dates back to the 1930s—as part of the museum’s longstanding films-of-persuasion collection.
Also championing an ongoing program to preserve advertising is the Museum of Television & Radio (MoT&R), New York and Los Angeles. As reported on page one of this week’s SHOOT, the MoT&R has agreed to include in its archives both finalists and winners of the Association of Independent Creative Editors’ (AICE) inaugural competition, which will recognize the 10 best-edited commercials of 2001. The first annual AICE Editorial Awards ceremony is slated for Pier Sixty, at Chelsea Piers, New York, on Nov. 7.
MoT&R television and advertising curator David Bushman noted that the decision to annually place AICE Editorial Awards-recognized spots in the museum’s archives is very much in line with MoT&R’s commitment to commercials. He cited, for example, MoT&R’s longtime relationship with the One Club, whereby each year’s One Show finalists and winners are placed in the museum’s collection. Visitors to the MoT&R can access the One Show fare and will be able to do the same for the AICE-honored spots.
"We are happy to be the repository for the winning [AICE] spots and finalists," related Bushman. "We at the Museum of Television & Radio are big believers that advertising reflects society and is evocative of certain eras, desires, values, preoccupations and so on."
AICE Editorial Awards chairman Arthur Williams—chairman of the board at New York-based Editing Concepts Inc.—described the MoT&R recognition as being "a tremendous coup." He noted, "This goes a long way toward helping to advance a prime mission of the AICE—to heighten awareness of the contribution that the editor makes to a project. Making these spots part of the permanent museum collection in perpetuity is a significant acknowledgement and honor."
