JANUARY 23, 2004, NEW YORK, NY – Want to please your mother? Enter the AICP Show! Taking a page from the honorees featured in its AICP Show, the Association of Independent Commercial Producers (AICP) has posted three commercials on the web to promote its 2004 Call for Entries. The humorous spots, conceived by freelance creative director Ian Plimsoll, helmed by director David Levin of hungry man and finished at Rhinoceros, are accessed through banner ads in online newsletters and websites—exhorting “Give your mother a reason to boast.”—or by going straight to www.aicp.com/entries/spots.html.

This is the first time AICP has used a moving image to promote its Call for Entries for the AICP Show, The Art & Technique of the American Television Commercial. Established in 1992, in cooperation with The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, the AICP Show (sometimes called the MoMA Show) recognizes excellence in 24 categories of commercial film production, focusing on artistry and technical expertise. The honored commercials are made part of the permanent archives of MoMA’s Department of Film and Media. The deadline for entries is 5 p.m., EST, February 13th.
“Ian had a great concept for our print campaign,” said AICP President and CEO Matt Miller. “We thought, why not take it to the next step?”

Plimsoll, who has been responsible for the AICP Show’s print ads and direct mail pieces since 2002, designed this year’s campaign by matching photos of sophisticated motherly types—one standing on a golf course and one perched on an elegant sofa—with the copy line: “My son’s work is in the permanent collection of The Museum of Modern Art in New York City. How is your daughter doing?” The ads will appear in advertising trade publications including Shoot, shots, Boards, Creativity, and Advertising Age; and 25,000 post cards will be mailed.

Three e-commercials, using the same tag line as the print ads, find mothers in such environments as a hair salon, a bowling alley, and at home. In each case, the mother boasts about her child’s honor, and asks archly, “How is your daughter (or son) doing?”
“Humor is a great way to sell a concept,” said 2004 AICP Show Chairperson Joanne Ferraro of Coppos Films. “These spots take our unique selling proposition, that the works of Show honorees go into MoMA’s permanent collection—something we all covet—and deliver that message in a way that brings it home, literally and figuratively.”

This is the thirteenth annual AICP Show honoring the craft of commercial filmmaking. The Show will premiere on Monday, June 14th, but due to ongoing construction at MoMA, the debut will take place at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Production credits: Hungry Man

“Bowling Alley”
“Hair Salon”
“Tea Time”

Director - David Levin
Producer - Lalou Dammond
Executive Producer - Stephen Orent
Executive Producer - Thomas Rossano
Creative Director - Ian Plimsoll
Assistant Director - Ken Licatta
Director of Photography - George Motz
Production Supervisor - Jo Till
Production Coordinator - Amy Vadnais
Assistant Camera - John Romeo
Gaffer - Scott Kincaid
Grip - Caleb Smith
Sound - Stefan Springman
Stylist - Rebecca Conran
Locations - Mitch Brozinsky
Production Assistant - Andrew Kirst
Production Assistant - Teresa Haesele
Production Assistant - Russ Weakland

Talent, Tea Time - Mary Joan Wells
Talent, Hair Salon - Peggy Scott
Talent, Bowling Alley - Joan Jaffe

Post production credits: Rhino Post

CEO Rhino Post - David Binstock
Executive Producer - Yfat Neev
On Line HD Editor - Craig Gordon
Colorist - Walter Lefler
Dubbing Supervisor - Peter Chin
On Line Assistants - Sam Polcer & Mike Nilgitsalanont.

Founded in 1972, the AICP represents, exclusively, the interests of United States companies that specialize in producing commercials in various media-film, video, computer-for advertisers and agencies. The association, with national offices in New York and Los Angeles as well as regional chapters across the country, serves as a strong collective voice for this $5-plus billion industry, disseminating information; representing the production industry within the advertising community, in business circles, in labor negotiations and before governmental officials; developing industry standards and tools; providing professional development; and marketing American production through the AICP Show, The Art & Technique of the American Television Commercial. Now in its 12th year, the AICP Show is an exhibit of the artistry and expertise of commercial filmmakers in the U.S.