Sponsor (Oct-Dec 1960)

'Indecision costs money, so the better the preparation the better costs fall into line' farther rise in the production costs. The new demands of SAG and \l"l 1! \ are not only considered way out of line bj producers, but are piled on top of a more than 25% rise in tin cos! of making a film commercial in just five years. Not only are talent costs up. but so are the costs of animation houses, film production, processing, suppliers, studio rentals, etc. This is even more discouraging to producers in the light of the failure cal tracks, all are employed in the search for fresh, original, more memorable advertising. And they all are more costly. What can be done to halt spiraling costs? Most agency producers agree with Dean Pennington, v. p. in charge of radio and television commercials at Gardner Advertising, who declared that "we are pricing ourselves to a point where advertisers, agencies, tape and film producers, talent — all ANA'S COST CONTROL KEYNOTER PHILIP H. COHEN, vice president and radio/tv director of Sullivan, Stauffer, Colwell & Bayles, Inc., will be the featured speaker at the 14 November ANA session at The Homestead in Hot Springs, Va., concerned with "How to Keep Down the Cost of Tv Commercials." He will outline the primary areas of commercial making in which costs are rising, discuss why costs have been increasing and the principal areas in which economies can be effected. Following Mr. Cohen's talk, a discusion will be moderated by Sylvester Cleary, marketing coordinator of The Mennen Co. Although many other problems will be considered by the ANA during its meeting, this Monday afternoon session should be a highlight, as the problem is a tough one. of video tape so far to emerge as the economical medium that the industry had expected. Also contributing to the higher a trend toward more ambitionconcepts in commercials I nececause as the viewer Bees more and more commercials he becomes more and more sophisticated). I. oration shooting, special effects, animation on live film. elaborate sets, more elaborate musi 2f; of us — must reappraise our demands and work together in the interest of keeping costs steady. "The alternatives," said Pennington, "are fewer commercials or commercials of lesser quality." Lntil such an ideal meeting of the minds can be arranged, agencv production chiefs have concentrated on putting their own houses in order and, some noted with surprise, have often found themselves producing a more creative product for less money Four general suggestions for hold ing costs steady from within the agency were put to sponsor bv production heads of several leading agencies. They are: • Maintain a closer working association among copy, art and produc tion so that any unnecessary or overly expensive sets or staging can be modified and eliminated. • Keep, as the agency commercial producer, a close eye on elements of a commercial that are unnecessarily costly, and suggest alternative set tings, processes and demonstrations In this way, he will be able to do a great deal toward keeping costs with in tolerable limits. • Insist on intensive pre-production preparation. If storvboards and scripts are carefully studied by the outside film (or tape) producer, thi agency producer, the copywriter and the client — with the view toward eliminating on-camera performers no! essential to the effectiveness of the commercial: and if the production can be planned so that evervbodv iin full agreement as to what the con cept and objectives are before one foot of film rolls, then overshooting can be avoided. Best bet: shootins boards prepared bv the film compan\ after a pre-production meeting, em bodying all changes, to keep shootim time to a minimum. • Plan way ahead. Long range planning by account groups on certain products (such as soaps and] packaged goods I is a real monev saver. The ad mav require summei exterior locations; economy woull then dictate shooting with the seasons. Instead of having to travel from Newr York to Florida for surf scenes in January, costs can obviously be cut when the production ii planned for shooting at Jones Beach in July. Agencymen such as Gordon Webber, v.p. and director of television commercial production at Benton & Bowles, contend that this pre-production preparation "is the major factor in economical production. The commercial producer at an agency." he said, "has to be a good businessman. He is the first to know if he is getting a good return on his client s ^ money. SPONSOR • 14 NOVEMBER 1960