Anti-Advertising: The push for healthier children

A global push against soft drink companies will be launched in Australia today. The campaign urges all governments to ban soft-drink advertising directed towards children, restrict promotion and sponsorship rules, and to impose a "fitness and nutrition" tax. The "Dump Soda" campaign marks the beginning of a four-day Consumers International Congress, which is represented by a coalition of consumer advocacy and watchdog groups. The congress is focusing their efforts on leading companies like Coca-Cola and PepsiCo, believing that these companies have "flooded the global market with liquid candy," and should be regulated.

As described in Push to Ban Soft Drink Ads for Young, an article in The Sydney Morning Herald, the US Center for Science and Public Interest, along with the International Association of Consumer Food Organizations, Corporate Accountability International, Safe Food International, and various other consumer groups from around the world are joining together. They are all calling for a complete ban on media and merchandising efforts directed at children under age 16.
The organizations are also calling for more responsibility from soft-drink companies, suggesting that they be forced to allocate money (through taxes and sponsorships) that will be used towards government funded nutrition education programs or fruit and vegetable subsidies.

The main focus of the conference is to establish more universal regulation when it comes to advertising towards children. The current level of government control differs between countries, but most are moving towards a system that limits the advertising of unhealthy foods towards children.

Coca-Cola has accused the campaign and its organizers of playing a blame game, aiming their efforts at an easy target. In their defense, Coca-Cola stopped promoting its products to children under age 12 in 2000 and has also voluntarily withdrawn its sugary drinks from primary schools. Interviewed by the newspaper was Coca-Cola's South-Pacific president, Gareth Edgecombe, who stressed that, "parents have told us they want education, not dictation."

Although Coca-Cola has listened to consumers and made a few changes, the problem still lies in the products they make. With the increasing concern over childhood health and obesity in many parts of the world, it is hard to hide manufacturers' attempts to sell junk food to children through product promotions and mainstream media.

The conference held today stresses that obesity and the fight against global brands is an international problem and to effect real change people must take a global approach.

The overall theme of the Consumers International Congress is Holding Corporations to Account, which aims for greater corporate accountability, transparency and responsibility. According to the congress, consumers are losing trust in companies and demand change. More than 300 delegates from around the world will take part in policy debates and workshops as well as listening to a range of renowned experts from around the world.

In addition to food marketing, the congress will also focus on unethical drug promotion, sustainability, and consumer credit and debt.

Learn more about the conference here.

Cleaning up City Streets with Guerrilla Marketing

Guerrilla marketing is an unconventional way to promote on a very low budget. Tactics aim to reach the consumer in any way that is different, subversive, or sometimes illegal. This is usually done by stickering, or marketing-related graffiti -- putting messages on surfaces people walk by or use regularly. Although these tactics can be a great way to build brand recognition and support, guerrilla marketing also has the potential to deface public property, produce clutter, and get in the way of whatever people are trying to do. Putting ad messages on surfaces also raises environmental questions about the resources used and the messages produced, all very important concerns for many consumers.

People can't deny the positive effects guerrilla marketing can have for a brand: increasing awareness, generating buzz, and establishing a good relationship with consumers. London company, Street Advertising Services, sees the opportunity in guerrilla marketing and decided to incorporate environmental concerns into their professional mission by offering a cleaner solution for companies looking to put their messages out on the street.

Street Advertising services has embraced reverse graffiti, creating eco-friendly branded graffiti. A street team uses high-pressure sprayers to wash a client's stenciled logo or message right into dirty sidewalks and walls. I first read about this tactic in Amanda Gore's article, Green-washing or Greenwashing? and decided to check it out further.

According to their Web site, SAS uses environmentally friendly industrial machines which combine high pressure water and steam to leave an ad onto pavement. This eyecatching and highly effective method leaves a clear stencil of the design on dirty pavement, completely legal and not harmful to our environment.

Threeminds, a blog of agency Organic, explain that the work is all done during the night, when fewer pedestrians are moving on the canvas, using just water and steam. The process is incredibly environmentally friendly and leaves no residue. The only after effects of these ads? a semi-cleaner city.

Street Advertising Solutions describe their work as if it's a covert military action; calling their services "missions" and their employees "operatives". This is an interesting way to look at what they do; calling up feelings of danger, secret night missions, and military-like operations all in the name of promoting your brand. Although this process is completely legal, SAS still goes about their work as if it's a risky process, which I suppose it sometimes is. Pressure washing stencils of brands into dirty city streets may "clean up the city" a bit, but really only in the shape of paying brands' logos.

In addition, the gloriously clean outline of whatever the brand is only contrasts with the still dirty outlining areas, which now look much dirtier next to the clean outline of the design. Another concern I have is the idea of having logos stenciled into the streets I walk. We are already bombarded with messages on walls, TVs, computers, airplane landing strips, and highway roads, but now sidewalks? I would hate to be walking through my favorite city to see a corporate logo stenciled to the ground.

Although this new tactic means a lot for companies looking to reach a metropolitan audience in a different way, from the view of that audience it could be seen as a step too far. I think I would much rather companies tackle environmental issues by pressure washing the entire sidewalk, making the city a bit more clean. This obviously doesn't do much for brands or promoting, as now the sidewalk is too clean to leave any message. Maybe what SAS should start doing is making reverse stencils, cleaning the entire sidewalk except their stencil. This cleans the street, but still leaves a mark.

We're all connected in this great big world

When it comes to media use, we live in an extremely connected world. The internet has the potential to bring people from every corner of the planet together to trade and share information in a universal platform. The biggest way this is being done today is through social networking websites and applications such as blogs, myspace, and facebook. Basically social media describes websites where users generate their own content: members share opinions, insights, experiences, perspectives, and media with other users, connecting and forming relationships with them. New networking sites emerge everyday and technology constantly evolves, but what remains constant throughout all of this change is the basic form of advertising all of these new networks are solely based on: word of mouth.

As business trends article, Go International or Go Broke and Advertising Via Social Networks, points out: Social networks are an incredible way to spread and disseminate information.


This is largely due to the fact that social networks, are as they say, social. A is friends with B, and B is friends with C. All members are connected and have the potential to build relationships with each other. These contacts are extremely powerful when you stop and think about how many social networks most people actually belong to and the potential for information to spread very quickly. This technologically evolved word-of-mouth advertising is more credible to users, as the information they obtain is through the words or opinions of their peers, contacts, and friends. When a well respected marketer blogs about upcoming products or events, people view him as a credible source and may use his opinion in their own version of the same story. Information spreads in this way and relationships are further strengthened.

Business is built on relationships. Most work in this world is focused on strengthening relationships and building networks anyway, but having these social networks connecting companies all over the globe together at just the click of a mouse is a priceless resource no one can deny. More often then not, social networking serves to increase the strength of businesses and their social connections, providing marketers with a platform they utilize to obtain, share, and spread information to peers, consumers and contacts.

Social networking websites are surprisingly utilized all over the world, thought not all the same we know, love and use here. Tech gossip website Valleywag has created a map of the world (above) divided according to which social network countries are using the most. In this world map of social networks, Valleywag describes what's popular, where:

• Orkut leads in the Indian subcontinent, as well as Brazil.
• Facebook is stronger, internationally, than Myspace, with surprising strongholds in the Middle East.
• hi5.com is the most international of all the social networks, leading in Peru, Colombia, Central America, and other, scattered countries such as Mongolia, Romania, and Tunisia.
• both Bebo and Skyblog follow colonial patterns, the first strong in smaller English-speaking countries such as Ireland and New Zealand, and the latter in Francophone countries;
• and Friendster, the original social network, leads all across Southeast Asia.
• Fotolog, a photo service defeated in the US by Friendster, has re-emerged as the dominant social network in Argentina and Chile.

The Times They Are a Changing: Using Technology to Reach the User

ADWEEK conducted their Interactive Marketing Virtual Conference and Trade Show this past Tuesday, and I was lucky enough to be there. There were speakers on mobile marketing, search engine marketing, and the use of social networks; all of which are used to reach consumers with information about a brand. I took this opportunity to learn about new marketing techniques, new technology, and new ideas for reaching that crucial audience. The conference I found most interesting was given by the keynote speaker, John Marcom. Marcom is the former Senior VP of International Operations for Yahoo, Inc., responsible for the expansion of the yahoo brand into a growing global market. Additionally, Marcom has an impressive resume, working for some of the top media companies over the past 10 years.

The keynote address, The Times They Are a Changing: Using Technology to Compete on a Grander Scale, opened with many accurate and well received points all addressing the fact that technology is now moving and changing extremely fast. Advertising and marketing executives, therefore, must always evaluate new technologies to make sure they are being utilized the most effective and useful ways, ensuring success for the brand. Technology has changed the way in which we receive information and marketers must change with us as a result.

The biggest thing Marcom stressed was society's move to a more "consumer in control" way of doing business. Through the internet and mobile expansion, there is a lot more room for the opinion of the group and people have much more control over the content they are exposed to. This is a challenge to the old methods of advertising, as they are now expected to revolve around the consumer's interests, habits, and views. He uses Wikipedia as an example of this; describing the information source as having no real owner, instead solely serving to benefit users. Companies, he sees, are being created without much thought to advertising, but more geared towards a focus on personalization. There is definitely a surge towards peer generated content, putting consumers behind the wheel when it comes to their media consumption. This is valuable as users who are involved develop a personal stake in the content they are generating and consuming.

Marcom gave insight into a few business opportunities he sees in the ever-changing new media world, establishing that there is still a lot of room to grow in this realm and most new ideas are still in developing stages. Marcom predicts that Google marketing has a lot more development to go, but is on track to eventually change the marketplace. Search Engine Marketing will only improve and evolve, bringing marketers even closer to consumers in matching their advertising with content. He illustrates an online world where the user is front and center, creating new forms of advertising and bringing in huge benefits for both buyers and sellers. This world is filled with more information and pathways to reaching users.

With regards to new media, Marcom predicts new innovations in uniting the various mediums people use for real-time communication, including telephone, text messaging, instant message, and email. Although there is currently no clear way to bring these instant communications services completely together, new methods are being created.

He also predicted the evolution of a unified social network, instead of separated networks users have for various aspects of their lives. For example, Marcom explains one person's use of many networks including myspace and facebook, with each site tied to the users different social groups. As one joins multiple networks, it becomes time consuming to manage each one separately and new opportunities for growth will be emerging to make it easier; finding the best way to manage these various groups together.

He also sees growth in the realm of content discovery, helping users find the information they are looking for quickly and easily. Currently, content is discovered through various random methods: perhaps finding out about a song through the newspaper, or an issue through a website. Marketers can benefit by finding a more efficient way for consumers to quickly get what they want.

Marcom stressed that an authentic voice is the most important aspect of marketing in this new media world. Because of critical consumers willing to search for the perfect solution to their needs, the brand needs to convey a real message with the user's voice front and center.

All of Marcom's advice was centered around one key idea: in this faster new media world, the user is now central to the message. It is the advertising and marketing executive's challenge to form messages around consumers, with media revolving around what users want, need, or can do. Executives must constantly move around, looking out for what users are doing and how content is being consumed.

For marketers in this world, getting new users isn't the hard part. It is what you do once you have them, how you stay in the race, that counts. If you're going to be global in this market, whatever your methods, you must satisfy the user. This was Marcom's key message, a valuable look at what marketers need to be doing to establish themselves in this new user-centered and ever changing world. Advertisers should always be looking forward; discovering what their audience is thinking, where they are going, how they are consuming, and what they will be doing next. Information is free-flowing; it is the various media used to obtain this content that is now changing, and media owners must be one step ahead to ensure that the user is in the right place and content will flow out of their specific medium.

I must say I am satisfied that we are moving into an age where the consumer is a bit more front and center when it comes to media consumption decisions. It is our choice to watch what we want to watch, listening to the voice we want to hear it in and it is the media owners' job to reach us where we want to hear them. We're consuming their information and buying their products, and I really like how it's becoming easier for us to do so.


Check out the Virtual World's Conference
Watch Marcom's keynote speech

In an ABSOLUT world.....

Absolut Vodka's new global advertising campaign, "In an ABSOLUT World," is an inspiring and humorous integrated campaign that asks consumers to imagine what an "absolute" world might look like. Through this campaign, Absolut Vodka hopes to start a conversation about both universal and everyday subjects, as well as to push consumers to imagine new possibilities and express their own visions of the world. The campaign was created by TBWA/Chiat/Day/New York and includes four TV spots, print, web, outdoor and guerrilla marketing executions. The estimated $45 million global campaign broke into the U.S. and some European countries in May, and is currently launching throughout Canada.

The first U.S. print advertisement to launch out of this campaign shows the flashy billboards of Time Square replaced by fine art. Other executions include a factory emitting bubbles instead of smoke and a pregnant man and his wife. ADWEEK article, 'Absolut World' Debuts, describes the ads as optimistic and cheeky. Television commercial, "Protest," shown above, depicts protesters and police officers waging a street fight with feather pillows.

Rob Smiley, creative director for the campaign explains Absolut's purpose: “The new campaign visually answers the question: what if everything in the world was a little bit more Absolut? It’s not necessarily about perfection, but about making the world better by seeing it with fresh eyes. As the story unfolds you can expect commentary on topics and ideas big and small, serious and humorous, timeless and of the moment."

"In an ABSOLUT world," is only the second campaign in Absolut's history, replacing the iconic bottle-focused, "ABSOLUT ______," which was used for 27 years. That campaign helped the brand become the best-selling imported Vodka in the U.S., and still ranks as one of the world's most successful advertising campaigns. In recent years, however, Absolut has seen their sales drop, currently ranking seventh in customer loyalty among brands of imported vodka, a figure that hasn't changed since last year. Ahead of Absolut are newer, more expensive vodkas like Ketel One and Grey Goose, made popular by their novelty and fresh marketing.

In New York Times' article, In an 'Absolut World,' a Vodka Could Use the Same Ads for More Than 25 Years, author Stuart Elliott sees the ads as Absolut's assertion that the vodka is in a class by itself -- a world of its own. This is important for the company to establish their uniqueness in the very competitive field of imported vodkas; they must separate themselves somehow, as their is very little tangible difference between most vodka spirits.

As part of the global campaign, Absolut.com has become a community where online users from around the world can share and discuss their visions of an ABSOLUT world. Through the website, online visitors can create and upload images and films, create personal profiles, and browse, rate, comment or even develop their own visions.

Absolut wants to invite consumers around the world to discuss current events and other engaging subjects. President of Absolut, Ketil Eriksen, said in a press release: "We want to inspire people to discuss and to discover the visionary within them."

Absolut is already known for their visually stimulating and creative ad executions, which will only help bring popularity to the new campaign as consumers like, appreciate and notice Absolut's clever and witty voice. "Absolut ______," was a great idea, but after 27 years most people get it -- Absolut is the Absolut Vodka. Before burning out on a great campaign, Absolut has decided to build upon what they have, use the same voice and create a bigger concept: what if everything in the world was approached the same way Absolut approaches vodka? This not only promotes the alcohol, but also sort of makes you think -- what if things were more absolute, more clear, more open? Although the ads answer no questions, they could potentially serve as a jump-off to bigger discussions (Absolut would hope through their website). One execution, printed in Greece, depicts ice cubes being dropped into the oceans of the Earth to prevent global warming (pictured below). Obviously this is not the resolution to our environmental woes, but perhaps the absurd notion of ice cubes could spark other solutions and ideas. Maybe it's not possible in this world, but in an ABSOLUT world .. who knows.

Information from the article came from ADWEEK article, 'Absolut World' Debuts, and NYTimes.com article, In an 'Absolut World,' a Vodka Could Use the Same Ads for More Than 25 Years.

Check out Absolut.com for a look at the print executions and TV spots, or to join the discussion.

The Star always shines from above

Mercedes-Benz is giving itself a new look, separating its iconic three-pointed star logo from it's name. This is the first major change Mercedes has made to its brand identity in 18 years, perhaps reflecting the company's recent separation from Chrysler.

According to Marketing Daily article, Mercedes Separates Star From Brand Name, Loses Dimension, by Karl Greenberg, the new look will begin in Europe with the advertising of the 2008 C-Class sedan and Estate Wagon and will reach the U.S. next year.

The new star logo will appear in advertising as well as the company's general corporate communications, always positioned atop creative executions and communications, with the Mercedes-Benz name on the bottom. The company feels that the change reflects a "more sharply focused brand positioning," conveying the new corporate mantra, "The Star always shines from above."

Mercedes is also making a change to their global advertising altogether, with a focus on architecture, people and landscapes. In a company release, Mercedes says their new creative template will feature unusual perspectives and lighting, utilizing focal depth and unfocused images. The inventive designs will appear in upcoming European-market ads for the C-Class. One ad, for the C-Class Estate Wagon, sets the vehicle in an Aegean landscape, on what Greenberg said looks to be the set of a Greek dramatic tragedy, complete with chorus.

In addition to logo and advertising changes, the company is also making changes to their retail strategy, including a new "midnight blue" color scheme for dealerships. Designs were mostly developed in-house along with help from agency Claus Koch Identity Gmb.

The company stresses that this change has nothing to do with their move from Daimler Chrysler, but a move to refresh and sharpen the brand profile. Donna Boland, spokesperson at the company's U.S. arm says the move is necessary "when you have an iconic brand that is among the top ten most recognized brands in the world."

Separating the logo from the text makes sense given Mercedes' universal recognition, as it is the star that has the strongest emotional connection with consumers of the brand. If it is that image that pulls people in then it should be the first thing people see when they encounter the Mercedes-Benz company. It seems strange that the company has stressed this move as having nothing to do with their separation from Chrysler; it seems to be rather timed, as the company only left a few months ago.

According to the company, the new brand identity of Mercedes-Benz revives its market presence, combining tradition with a future-oriented approach. Mercedes has always used a star to reflect their brand identity but now will be featuring it even more prominently, where it is more visible to customers.

Whatever the reasons, it's never a bad idea for a universally recognized company to give consumers something new to look at. Their new logo is still just as recognizable and goes right along with Mercedes-Benz's image, so I doubt any confusion will arise. There are enough car commercials out there that all look the same so if Mercedes has a new idea then I am excited to see it.

Information from the article came from this site.

"It's up to you."

With these four words, U.K. band Radiohead is telling customers to do exactly what everyone in the record industry has been telling them not to: download free music. This past Tuesday the band released "In Rainbows," their new album, for download on the internet. Fans can digitally download the album for whatever price they choose from its website, radiohead.com. This is Radiohead's seventh record, the first in four years, and one of this year's most anticipated albums.

This donation-style system is significant because of Radiohead's massive fan base, easily reaching into the millions globally. The band is able to offer this download option because they currently don't have a record-label, personally owning distribution rights over their music.


According to Greg Kot's blog, Turn It Up, Radiohead is releasing their album on their own terms. Instead of fighting internet file-sharing, the band is embracing their fans, giving them what they want in a medium they use.

Despire more than 20,000 lawsuits, file-sharing has only expanded in recent years. At any moment, more than 9 million consumers are sharing files, dramatically more than 3.8 million, four years ago. Radiohead knows this first hand, as their previous three albums have all been leaked ahead of their official release dates. Irregardless, record sales did not suffer as fans still turned out to buy the albums once they appeared in stores. The band's past 3 albums have all debuted in the top 5 on the Billboard album chart showing that listening first doesn't deter fans from buying.

Along with the digital download, Radiohead is also selling a box-set consisting of the CD album, vinyl records, additional songs as well as artwork and lyrics. Radiohead accepts that through this download release they could potentially lose sales, but it is hard to ignore the marketing opportunities that will come out of this. The music industry has been talking all week about the buzz this move creates. Bert Holman, manager of the Allman Brothers, sees gold for Radiohead as they build themselves a loyal fan base. He says, "Whatever they give away will help them get even bigger as a live act, The free record markets the tour and a lot of other revenue streams."

This is a perfect "anti-marketing" strategy according to a DoshDosh.com article. The band is letting fans talk; letting them access the album online and not setting a fixed price generates great buzz. This method is truly a me-and-you relationship, epitomized in their words, "it's up to you".

The credibility and attention the album's release will give Radiohead is extremely valuable, and since Tuesday, this has been proven. Blog search engine, Blogpulse, showed that posts mentioning the band increased 1300 percent over a three-day span; this is incredible publicity for a 10-track album release. Giving fans the option to download for as little as 45 pence (the credit card handling fee) also hasn't deterred some fans from paying full price for the box set. People are happy to pay the money when they know it's going straight to the artists, not the distributing record company.

But in this interconnected world of communication, who is that surprised? Youtube can turn average viewers into celebrities, Google can send people to the moon, and all it takes is a microphone to make a podcast. A simple blog post can reach millions, especially when networks become attached and opinions are shared. These new methods of communicating and spreading messages further promote globalization, bringing people everywhere together to share.

For Radiohead, this means reaching a key audience. Media-savvy fans, who are looking for the next hit are key players in the buzz game. Giving them the ability to download and listen to the album anywhere in the world is clutch for spreading the word. Their opinion matters, and as past buzz campaigns have shown, it is this group that spreads the word and gets others downloading. Reaching this audience through digital downloads further establishes Radiohead as an epic band because not only are they making themselves available to their audience, they are gaining publicity and favorable attention from non fans as well.

The DoshDosh.com article acknowledges that Radiohead isn't the first band to offer their music free online, but sees the recent release as an opportunity to shift the focus of the music industry. They ask, "will this change the way artists or marketers produce, promote and think about music?"

I think Radiohead said it right with "it's up to you". The success of this will show when the band's pricey box set is released in a few months. It will be interesting to find out whether Radiohead's decision to look beyond the commercial side will actually gain them a larger audience, in turn creating large profits. In a world where marketers want you to pay to show your loyalty to an artist, Radiohead is choosing to go down a different path. They choose to show that it isn't all about money, a refreshing statement that's got a lot of people listening.

Check out "In Rainbows"

Start spreading the news, Im leaving today

"This Is New York City," New York's first international advertising campaign was unveiled this week. The campaign seeks to attract tourists from around the world, showcasing the range of experiences and things to do throughout the city.

New York's campaign will be seen on television in Spain, Ireland, France, and the United Kingdom; outdoor billboards will be up in Brazil, Portugal, Italy and Spain; newspaper and magazine spots will be purchased in countries including South Africa and Germany.

According to International Herald Tribune article, NYC unveils global ad campaign to draw foreign visitors, the city's tourism office has been expanding internationally with attempts to attract world travelers in this increasingly competitive market. Previous attempts to promote the city include small billboard campaigns in the United Kingdom and Ireland, but for the first time, ads will appear on television abroad sending a unified message to multiple nations.

This campaign is designed to help reach Mayor Bloomberg's set goal of increasing tourism in New York City from 44 million people each year to 50 million people by 2015. Currently, tourism brings about $24 billion into the city each year.

This is a good time for New York to be thinking about tourism, as international travelers will want to take advantage of the good exchange rate in the US.New York is always an attractive city to visit, but a campaign advertising the true depth of activities that can be done within the five boroughs can only make it look better. Mayor Bloomburg pointed out the beauty of this melting pot city: "It is five boroughs. It is every kind of cuisine and culture and religion and ethnicity that exists anyplace in the world."

Success with this campaign does depend upon the United States' status within the countries targeted. Favorable opinion does change on a day-to-day basis, and feelings regarding safety may deter some travelers from crossing the ocean for a trip to the big apple. What this campaign will definitely do, however, is spread the world about New York's diverse ethnic population, stressing that almost anyone can find a place there. A campaign such as this could also hopefully spread the message that New York, and America as a whole, is open to everyone.

YourTube, YourWorld, YourVideos, Your Decision.

YouTube Project Direct: a film challenge for directors with something to say.

YouTube has announced Project Direct, its first international film promotion. The competition, which starts today (October 7), is sponsored by Hewlett-Packard and aims to discover new filmmakers working around the world. From now until November 9, filmmakers can submit their best work, showcasing their creativity and displaying their talent.YouTube wants everyone involved, stressing that it's not just filmmakers they need in the competition. Once videos are submitted, judges will view the videos and narrow the contestants down to 20 finalists. After 20 amateur filmmakers are discovered, YouTube will leave the final decision to you. The YouTube community will be voting to decide what video they want to view, starting November 23 and ending December 2. The winner will revealed December 5.

This is an opportunity for independent filmmakers to get themselves out there and build their audience, but it is the global aspect of the competition that makes it a really great idea. Jamie Byrne, head of product marketing for YouTube, stresses this by pointing out that video is a universal way for people to communicate and express themselves. To be judged on an international level by fellow internet-using peers gives artists the rare chance to see how their ideas and creativity transverse national and cultural boundaries. YouTube is already such a popular way for artists to promote themselves, but Project Direct takes it one step further by giving users and producers the opportunity to recognize and reward talent.

This competition is the perfect way to promote YouTube; establishing its image as a medium and supporter of upcoming talent and a global establishment that values the opinion of its users. YouTube visitors who peruse the website between November 23 and December 2 can easily get involved in the competition, without any prior knowledge of it. All it takes is a click, a view, and a vote.. democracy.

So, here are the specific, boring details ..
Each video entry must be between two and seven minutes long, submitted in English (or with English subtitles). Contestants must be 18 years or older and must be a legal residents of any of the countries involved: Brazil, Canada, France, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States

... to add a creative twist on an already creative idea ...
• A character in the film must face a situation above his or her maturity level
• Each film must include the line “I demand an explanation for these shenanigans. What do you have to say?”
• A character must pass a photograph to someone else

.. and you can't have a competition without a prize ...
YouTube and HP know this, and are planning to reward the winner of Project Direct handsomely. After being choosen by the YouTube community, the winner will have their video plays on the YouTube homepage in seven countries. They will also receive $5,000 and the young film maker's networking trip of a lifetime: nine days at a top international Film Festival attending special events, including a meeting with Fox Searchlight production executives.

YouTube has envisioned a new way to promote global creativity, inspire young talent, easily involve users, and bring 7 different countries together to make a decision.. pretty great.

I am interested to see the various ways contestants can achieve the set guidelines through their own original ideas.

Check out the competition .. it's going on now!! www.youtube.com/projectdirect
Information from the article was found here.