It was a special evening for Ken Yagoda, executive VP/ director of broadcast production at Young & Rubicam, New York. TV Cares, a committee of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), held its annual Ribbon of Hope celebration earlier this month (3/11) at the Leonard Goldenson Theatre in North Hollywood. TV Cares promotes, encourages and recognizes TV programming, industry creatives and community volunteer efforts that successfully raise awareness and stir public consciousness about AIDS and HIV.
Awarded the Ribbon of Hope for the past year’s most effective HIV/AIDS PSA was "Country Lane," created by Y&R for the American Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR). Yagoda served as agency producer on the spot, and described the ATAS honor as being especially gratifying. The core Y&R team included chief creative officer Ed Vick, art director Reid Miller, copywriter Dean Gemmell, Yagoda, executive VP/director of business development Daryl Elliott and VP/account director Peter Diamond. "Country Lane" was directed by James Gartner of bicoastal Gartner. The DP was Tom Olgeirsson. The spot was edited by Barry Stilwell of Jump, New York. Music was composed by Jon Grindstaff of Rocket Music, New York.
"We’re trained to know our business and to use the tools available to us," related Yagoda. "To be able to take all those disciplines—the knowledge you have, the people you know—and to try to put them together for some greater good, means a great deal. We assembled a talented group of people whose commitment was heartfelt. And to get this recognition from the Television Academy is a great tribute to them."
In a public service category that’s often justifiably marked by scare tactics to call attention to AIDS and HIV, "Country Lane" is a simple and gentle, yet powerful, departure. A woman is seen walking on a country lane, away from the camera. A supered series of words then appears on screen, accompanying the woman’s stroll, to provide a sobering perspective on the issue. The spot starts to play like an uplifting mantra, supported by a supered message which unfolds phrase by phrase: "Today/this HIV-positive mother/ can look forward to/seeing first steps/going to school plays/sharing the big popcorn at the movies."
But putting this acknowledgement of the progress that has been made into its ultimate context, the supered message concludes that this HIV-positive mom can also look forward to "eventually/getting AIDS."
The scene of the woman gives way to a darkened screen, over which appears the supered message: "We’ve bought time. More research will buy answers." The PSA is tagged with the amfAR logo, a toll-free number (1-800-amfAR) and its Web site address (www.amfar.org).
This planned misdirection behind the "Country Lane" concept played well at the awards ceremony. "The theatre was full of adults," related Yagoda. "There were awards presented, a number of stories told, including one about a man who’s had full-blown AIDS for the past fifteen years. Then, at the end of the evening, the spot was shown. In many ways, its message—that much more still needs to be done—provided a perfect conclusion to the night."
A more perfect capper would be for the Ribbon of Hope honor to bring greater exposure for "Country Lane" on local as well as network broadcast and cable television. Y&R’s Diamond noted that the agency has begun talking to amfAR about ways to best capitalize on the TV Academy recognition. "We hope to give this PSA a second life," said Diamond. "It can only help with the networks—at least we hope so—that their Television Academy has singled out this spot."