In This Issue:

(excerpted from an article that appears in the May 2002 issue of MARKETING)

When it comes to the competitive business of marketing your product, service or event, it can sometimes take extreme measures to get results. The intrepid Sierra Media gang is especially fond of creating highly innovative media tools for its clients. Fast. While the subject or opportunity is hot.

This past fall, we had the chance to craft some "extreme buzz" for a local aircraft interiors manufacturer. In an immediate response to the attacks of September 11, the company created a prototype of a reinforced, bulletproof cockpit door, and called on us to create a VNR (video news release) to get the word out quick.

With the help of local law enforcement, we videotaped a ballistics test in an indoor shooting range. This involved shooting the door with a .44 magnum with hollow point bullets and a 9mm machine gun (not to mention our new DVC-Pro 50 camera). In addition, the door was assaulted with a crash ax and a fully loaded beverage cart. The resulting footage was incredibly dynamic and demonstrated the integrity and strength of the door.

After a loose edit of the footage, allowing plenty of room for cutting, we dubbed the piece to BetaSP format and delivered the VNRs to assignment editors at all the major networks in every major market. A key in our strategy was to strictly follow the protocol of television news at every step of the way.

Results were as dramatic as the footage, and included coverage on ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX and CNN. In this case, the timeliness of the story combined with the drama and professionalism of the pitch generated fairly awesome results.

Follow up for our client included use of a news clipping service to capture and catalog actual clips of the news stories. We tightened up the "loose news clips" and incorporated additional footage, together with graphics, voiceover, music, titles and effects. The result: a timely, corporate video presentation piece complete with actual news coverage to support the credibility of its product.

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The SeeMore Putter is a revolutionary new putting system that can dramatically enhance any golfer's putting skill.

We were asked to create an auto-run CD for SeeMore for use as an insert in a national golfing magazine, as well as at trade shows and as part of a direct mail campaign.

This project allowed us to use an array of our multi-media skills. We incorporated voice-driven, animated clips, along with video footage and 3D photo-realistic animation, 3D images, music and sounds. We also used web-enabled links to take the user directly to the SeeMore Putter web site.

Reports are that the CD was very well received, and succeeded in the client's eyes in demonstrating just how their product stands out in a tremendously competitive marketplace.

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We had great fun this spring shooting Phat Sidy Smoke House, a Northwest area funk band that played at a recent EMP event in Seattle sponsored by AMP (a new Mountain Dew energy drink). Senior Animator, Tim Turner, took on the task of entirely recreating an AMP product shot that appears in the performance video.

Tim transformed a poorly lit image of an AMP can, no label showing, into a punchy and clear 3D product shot using the high-end modeling and lighting capabilities of Maya. The new 3D image was then composited into the actual video performance footage.

Not stopping there, the team seized the opportunity to really bring the product to life by giving the can some funky, "amped" movement of its own and making it dance to the music.

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In today's environment of reality-based television programs (the things people will DO to get attention), it usually requires that extra measure to make your product, program, or event stand out in the crowd. We recently had a chance to parlay the opportunity of an extreme sporting event in Alaska into a win/win situation for both the event organizer and international broadcasters.

Every year, Iditasport draws entries from around the globe to race in the dead of winter. Participants can trek 130, 350 or 1100 miles on foot, skis, or mountain bike. The scenery is absolutely spectacular; the conditions bitterly cold and dramatic. It's a great recipe for fascinating news coverage.

With some research, we matched international broadcasters with the event, while providing the actual video coverage ourselves. We tend to work early on with the event organizers, while establishing relationships with particular broadcasters. Recognizing the value of promised airtime, the event organizer will often subsidize the coverage, and even parlay it into a broadcast or cable television property.

Bottom line, this event succeeded in securing valuable television coverage, and a fascinating human interest story for the broadcasters.

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Mini-CD business cards are powerful tools and an incredible alternative to paper business cards. They start up automatically when loaded into any CD-ROM drive, and instantly treat you to visual and audio tracks that are tailor-made to get your specific message across.

With so much room for your company's information, including music, voice, animation, video clips, and links to your web site, these mini-CDs can function as your company portfolio in the space of a business card. Its flat, business card shape and size make it possible for clients to store it with their other cards.

We've recently completed our own mini-CD business card, and would be happy to send you one. Drop us an email that includes your address, and we'll get one out to you by return mail.

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