Hi
I’ve got a strange request. It’s one of those “I can’t do this on my own, but perhaps as a team it can get done.” I’ll let you decide if this is worth your time and donation (money).
Here’s the deal: One of the pieces of mail I got today is an ad about an awards contest. Sometimes I’ll toss ads in the trashcan; other times read what it is first. This time I looked at it and noticed it was an awards entry notice. The Telly Awards are taking entries for commercials, films and videos. As with lots and lots of awards these days (like graphic design awards or art contests, there’s an entry fee. I think I’ve entered one or two such entries/awards in the past. Never won.
If I had the money (which I don’t), I would seriously consider entering this one, because I think we have some commercials (our 3 HM Magazine spots) that are worthy candidates that could possibly win at least an honorable mention when compared to other commercials. Thanks the the Endeavor Media guys (who shot the popular “Fireflies” video for Owl City), these 3 HM Magazine spots are amazing. They rented the brand new (at the time — March 1, 2008) the brand new Red 7 camera. It was so new and top-of-the-line that people in this industry take notice of anything shot with it just to marvel at the technical possibilities this new high-tech camera offers. These commercials are funny (like a beer commercial), using humor to sell a product, which in this case happens to be HM Magazine.
Why would it be worth it to enter this contest? Because the attention it might get is coverage and attention that the general public would give it. Check it out: http://www.tellyawards.com/
I feel real awkward asking about this and putting this out there; but nothing ventured, nothing gained. Ya know? It’s not too terribly high a cost, but with the general health of our business at the moment, it wouldn’t be wise to spend our money here. In another year and in another climate, it would almost be a no-brainer thing to try.
I have a plan of sorts to begin opening up and asking for more help with HM Magazine. One of my ideas is to build a volunteer army of sorts and possibly have several people living at the HM Ranch complex for a season, helping us do what we do. I’ll share more on that later. It’s hard for me to ask for financial help and physical labor help because I know it requires a sacrifice and a thoughtfulness that is generous and… Like a lot of people, I guess maybe it’s pride, not be willing to admit they need help. Maybe it’s guilt for not being as giving or generous as a person. I’m not sure why it’s uncomfortable, but one way to overcome the discomfort is to just do it.
By the way, in a similar way, might I suggest to some of you single guys out there that one of the ways to get over your fear of asking a girl out is to ask a girl out. Just do it. Face the fear, experience the fear, swallow it and go forward. At best, she might say yes. On the bad side of things, at least you might come away with the adrenaline thrill of those few moments when you were about to do it and moving closer to doing it and then finally popping the question. It’s kind of like a high.
Anyway, back to this Telly Awards thing, there’s a couple options:
Enter one commercial (for $65, which presents a problem: which HM Spot do you enter? The first or second?); or
Enter one campaign (up to three commercials, which is our total number; for $160).
So, if anyone wants to consider doing this for HM, let us know before March 5, 2010, which is the final deadline.
There. I did it.
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