We love Hollywood. We just have a funny way of showing it

If you want instant access to breaking celebrity news and an entertaining look at life in Hollywood, everyone knows TMZ is the first place to turn.

That’s because TMZ provides breaking news and interesting (and revealing) stories on Hollywood celebrities through candid footage, authentic journalism and inside sources. And while the TMZ.com website is mostly straight breaking news, the TMZ television show is funny, spontaneous, and always unscripted.

TMZ also has a challenge when it comes to advertising our television show. Some people think of TMZ as celebrity gossip, associate us with paparazzi and rumors, and have the idea that we don’t have any respect for the celebrities we cover on our show. But that couldn’t be further from the truth - we love the celebrities we cover. We’re not mean and we don’t take shots, but we also say what we see and think. You could think of us as a roast on today’s celebrity news.

That’s why we say at TMZ “We love Hollywood. We just have a funny way of showing it.”

Your Mission

You are challenged to create 12-second or 27-second commercials for TMZ that capture and convey the humor and attitude of the show, in a way that makes viewers want to watch the show on television. Your highly original, even off-the-wall videos should express the theme “We love Hollywood. We just have a funny way of showing it.”, without using any video footage from the show.

Our commercials usually run during sitcoms and comedy shows (like The Simpsons), so you should aim to appeal to that audience. Keep in mind that even though TMZ is a news show, these viewers don’t typically watch news programs, so your approach should focus on the alluring and humorous nature of the show.

Check out the video brief above for an example of an ad for TMZ on TV we like, to give you an idea of how this has been achieved before.

Requirements

Your submission(s) must be either exactly 12 seconds long or exactly 27 seconds long and you can submit multiple entries in either length. (We will add our own 3-second clip to the end so it becomes a 15 or 30 second ad, that’s why we’re asking for exactly 12 or 27 seconds.)

Every 12-second or 27-second ad must be based on the theme “We love Hollywood. We just have a funny way of showing it.” and must have an ending that includes:

• One of the TMZ logos provided in the materials files
• An original call to action that tells people to watch TMZ on television
• The phrase “We love Hollywood. We just have a funny way of showing it.” (either as dialog, or text)

We’ve included a few video and audio files in a folder called "TMZ Assets.zip" for download here. You can use these motion graphics and soundbytes as part of your submission – using these files is optional, and you can see how TMZ uses them by watching full episodes of the show online here.

Your commercial should feature entirely original material, with three exceptions:

1. You can use the logos and background from the materials files.
2. You can use anything that we’ve provided in the "TMZ Assets.zip" folder (download link above).
3. You can use still images from the newsroom in the TMZ show, including the reporters.

You must not use any video footage from the TMZ show (only stills from the newsroom are allowed) and no footage or images of celebrities (whether they appear on the show or not). Look-alikes and parodies are allowed.

To watch episodes from the show online, visit http://www.tmz.com/tmz-tv/

Ads may potentially be broadcast on national TV, so make sure all submitted work meets HD broadcast standards. Keep a high-resolution master version of your submission, in the event that your work is selected to air on TV, and make sure to get model releases (included in the materials files) signed by your performers.

Additional Creative Considerations

Engaging viewers to watch TMZ without showing clips leaves a lot to your imagination; we know it’s a challenge. You’re encouraged to use any abstract concept or idea that conveys the wit, the humor and the attitude TMZ embodies, as long as you include the requirements above.

There’s a lot of things viewers love about TMZ on TV – the newsroom banter between producer Harvey Levin and the TMZ reporters, the celebrity videos TMZ captures around town and plays during the show, and the tell-it-all style of reporting. Regular viewers often even make comments like “TMZ reporters say what I’m already thinking”. They trust TMZ as a reliable source of information and know they’re getting a scoop that they can’t get anywhere else.

These words represent the way we do want to describe TMZ:

411, Dish, Info, Interview, Juice, News, Scoop, Stories Camera Person, Reporter, Street Crew, Team (Member) About Town, Caught Up With, Face To Face, In Person, On The Street Biting, Cutting, Funny, Jest, Humorous, Mock, Poke Fun, Ribbing, Roast, Teasing

These words represent the way we don’t want to describe TMZ:

Clips, Gossip, Innuendo, Insinuation, Packaged, Promos, Rumor, Speculation Journalist (overreaching), Paparazzi (negative) Ambush, Confrontation, Followed, Gotcha, Stalked

Questions? comments? Just want to talk about the TMZ contest?

Check out the TMZ Forum Thread.

Share this campaign with your friends & family: