Cheap Readymade TV Ads

I've just read an article about readymade TV ads, for which an advertiser gets use of a campaign for as little as $3000. The idea is that one ad is used for lots of different advertisers in lots of different markets. It's not a new idea - Stephen Lisberger shows an example of a multi-market ad he animated on the Tron DVD, for example.

So, it isn't new. But I think it is quite expensive.

Why on Earth not make a brand new, advertiser specific ad? There's no reason to even spend anything like $3000 dollars to make something effective. Not at all. These days, with audiences being notoriously media literate, not everything needs to look like million dollar 35mm. In fact, good 24p video is enough for most broadcasting most of the time.

And then there's the 'cheap-looking' work that just catches fire - like Spike Jonze's Praise You Video, say, or Hammer and Tongs' Big Fan clip for The Wannadies. And note: those are at least 3 minutes long each, not just 30 seconds or so.

The trick is simple - find the pitch that meets the budget. Make your limitations your advantages. It isn't difficult. At all. Not for a creative, inventive director.

Anybody out there want a cheap ad? And I mean cheap, so don't worry if you can't get even 3 grand together. If so, then just drop me a line and we'll work something out, if not just to prove my point.