Materials Distribution Services

CREATION OF A 30 SECOND HIGH DEFINITIONBROADCAST-QUALITY  COMMERCIAL/PSA

SCOPE: Contractor to produce a 30-second high definition broadcast-quality commercial/public service announcement showcasing the attributes, personality and caliber of UW–Madison. UW–Madison is especially interested in treatment that could result in more than one-30 second spot.

The commercial will be produced using film, video, computer-generated animation, or motion graphics. The audio could require music, narration, and/or possibly dialogue. Other options are integrating existing live-action footage, custom music, narration, 3-D animations, complex digital compositions, cell, stop-motion or any advanced techniques that will result in a unique, high-quality final product.

The commercial spot will introduce or remind audiences of UW–Madison’s brand and image, including (but not limited to) its reputation as a premiere academic and research institution, as well as an exciting and fun place.

Specific objectives include:
•       Create a brand-enhancing commercial showcasing the spirit of UW–Madison
•       Heighten awareness of UW–Madison’s mission of teaching, research and outreach
•       Emphasize the benefit of UW–Madison to the state of Wisconsin as its premier academic and research institution.
•       Reinforce UW-Madison brand in mind of viewer via consistent images and messages, and high-quality production values.

SPECIFICATIONS:

The Contractor shall produce 30-second high definition broadcast-quality commercial/public service announcement highlighting UW–Madison. UW–Madison is interested in treatments that can be repurposed or used in multiple ways, potentially resulting in additional 30 second spots in the future.

The commercial will be produced using film, video, computer-generated animation, or motion graphics. The audio could require music, narration, and/or possibly dialogue. Vendors can explore options integrating existing live-action footage, custom music, narration, 3-D animations, complex digital compositions, cell, stop-motion or any advanced techniques that will result in a unique, high-quality final product.

The commercial spot will introduce or remind audiences of UW–Madison’s brand and image, including (but not limited to) its reputation as a premiere academic and research institution, as well as an exciting and fun place.

Specific objectives include:
•     Create a brand-enhancing commercial showcasing the spirit of UW–Madison
•     Heighten awareness of UW–Madison’s mission of teaching, research and outreach
•     Emphasize the benefit of UW–Madison to the state of Wisconsin as its premier academic and research institution.
•     Reinforce UW-Madison brand in mind of viewer via consistent images and messages, and high-quality production values.

Current and continuing ad placement targets Badger sports fans, UW–Madison alumni and other university advocates.  The commercial spot is broadcast during televised Badger sporting events, including men’s football, and men’s and women’s basketball. It is also broadcast during televised coaches’ shows and during academic programming produced by the university aired on the Big Ten Network.

The commercial will also run during televised Badger sporting events on the Big Ten Network, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Regional, CBS and ABC, and scoreboards at the Big Ten basketball tournaments, garnering more than 13 million viewers throughout the course of an academic year.

The commercial spot will be repurposed and streamed on UW-Madison’s website, and be used at other university events such as conferences, trade shows, recruiting fairs, board meetings, etc. 

Contractor must demonstrate a capability and verifiable past experience in providing commercials.  UW–Madison requires the highest-quality product possible within a reasonable budget.

Contractor will be urged to produce a product that sets UW–Madison apart from institutional spots currently being produced by other universities.

Past examples of UW–Madison :30 spots may be viewed at www.uc.wisc.edu/video. Examples of award-winning higher-education commercial spots are listed on the CASE (Council for the Advancement of Secondary Education) web site: http://case.org/Award_Programs/Circle_of_Excellence/2012_Winners.html.

Still other examples (e.g., from the Big Ten or other peer research universities) can be easily found on YouTube.

Work on this project shall be coordinated through University Communications Marketing Director who will act as Producer on this project (Tricia Dickinson [pmdickinson@wisc.edu]), and approved by the Executive Director of University Communications, who will serve as Executive Producer (Amy Toburen [atoburen@wisc.edu]). The Director of Marketing will be assisted by Senior Communications Specialists who will serve as Assistant Producers (Peter Kleppin [kleppin@wisc.edu]  and Kari Schrage [kschrage@wisc.edu]).  The Director of Marketing and Senior Communications Specialists will be responsible for arranging times and access to facilities and employees, and serve as staff liaisons to accompany the contracted staff when on university premises.

1.1        Length:  thirty seconds (:30).  

1.2        Distribution Format:  Various HD tape formats and/or direct digital distribution (such as DG Systems, Extreme Reach, AdStream, etc). The spot must be close captioned. The vendor must create an uncompressed, closed-captioned digital HD file directly from the master for University Communications.

1.3        Script:  In consultation with the University Communications, vendor will finalize a script.  A draft version of the script will be made available to the Assistant and Executive Producers for review and approval prior to final editing.

1.4        Source Material: New video and/or animated footage may be required, based on the script developed in partnership with University Communications. Any/all forms of video or animation or graphic execution are acceptable.  The use of existing footage, depending on the concept, is also possible. The University does have limited HD campus b-roll, hi-res photography and logos in all common formats.

1.5        Graphics and Special Effects:  Contemporary graphics to illustrate and emphasize concepts reinforcing UW-Madison’s brand are allowable.  

1.6        Music: Pre-recorded professional background music that enhances the narration is acceptable, original music is not required.  Vendor must obtain necessary licenses and rights to music for regional broadcast use.

1.7        Narration/Voice talent: Professional narration is allowable and may be required. Incorporation of a variety of voices is allowable and may be required. Current University faculty, staff and students may be used to successfully communicate the themes of the features.  Additional voice-over (VO) narration may be required and is acceptable. 

1.8        Branding:  UW-Madison is a multi-billion dollar international brand.  Vendor must demonstrate understanding of branding in general, and the unique properties of UW-Madison’s brand in particular.

1.9        Positioning:  UW-Madison is among the top ten public research universities in the nation.  Vendor must demonstrate understanding of higher education positioning, and how this project will reinforce current positioning.

1.10      Final Product:  All material (including animations, moving backgrounds, and video elements) will become the property of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of University Communications and Marketing upon completion of the project and conclusion of the contract.  University Communications and Marketing will determine the location where the material will be stored.  The contractor agrees to hold “development” material for 18 months following the completion of the project and notify us in writing before the materials are destroyed. Fees for licenses of music, narration, voice, additional footage, photography or any other elements used in the production are to be included as part of the budget and are not considered additional charges to the project. 

1.11      Future charges for dubs may apply, but no extra charges will be levied for re-rendering the unchanged commercial or portions of that commercial where no editing is required.

1.12      Schedule:  A final product is due by August 1, 2013. Draft versions (rough-cut) of the script and video shall be made available to the Director of Marketing for review and approval (and sharing with Assistant and Executive Producers) prior to the final editing.

Revision History