PSA Offer!

[RyGuy]

This thread is for comments and/or concerns about my offer to create a PSA for broadcast. Please, we need ideas on how to fund the purchase of the spots as well as ideas on the PSA itself. Any suggestions are welcome. We will also ultimately need someone that can collaborate all the info that will hopefully compile in here and ultimately write the final script for the PSA.

Here is my original offer in case anyone missed it in the other thread:
"OK, how about this.... I own a video production company and have a slew of pro-equipment. I would be willing to make a PSA to support our community and raise awareness of the issue. The only thing that we would need to do is raise some money for time slots on international cable stations. Anyone down? Comcast is having a super cheap deal on time slots right now, like $14 for a 30 second slot."

Don't quote me on that $14 price tag, but I know we can work something out for a reasonable cost.

 

[Vocalek]

Anybody with Ad Agency experience? I wrote PSAs a million years ago, but we need ideas for concepts that will grab the audience attention.

The general rule of thumb I was taught is that 25 words = 10 seconds, so for a 30-second radio spot, you need to get the point across in 75 words or less.

BUT, for television, it's even better if you can get most of the point across with pictures, and a really memorable slogan.

 

[Thulium]

Out of curiosity, do you want to do this as an independent collaboration or as part of CASAA? It seems to me that it could dovetail nicely: Webby's building the site and beginning to fill positions, MrKai is talking about an iPhone app, airing a PSA sponsored by CASAA would be a fantastic launching point.

How political can we get with a "PSA"? Can we use it to tear the FDA a new one or do we need to just try to dispell some myths about e-cigarettes or share success stories?

...is it possible to tear someone--who is one--a new one??

 

[Moonflame]

I wonder if Dr. Seigal would be willing to participate.

 

[RyGuy]

Out of curiosity, do you want to do this as an independent collaboration or as part of CASAA? It seems to me that it could dovetail nicely: Webby's building the site and beginning to fill positions, MrKai is talking about an iPhone app, airing a PSA sponsored by CASAA would be a fantastic launching point.

How political can we get with a "PSA"? Can we use it to tear the FDA a new one or do we need to just try to dispell some myths about e-cigarettes or share success stories?

...is it possible to tear someone--who is one--a new one??

I'd imagine that the more power that we have behind us the better. An organization always appears much more powerful than an individual.

I do not believe it is in our best interest now to tear into the FDA. Right now we need to just dispel myths about PVs. We need to let the world know that they are helping people. We also need to let the world know that it isn't going to get kids to smoke. After all I am a 16 year pack a day smoker and I won't even touch analogs after picking up my VP because analogs taste like garbage now and make me sick.

I also think that we should all, as a collaborative effort, try to stop calling PVs "electronic cigarettes". The term is very misleading and may hurt us over time, if it hasn't already.

 

[TheIllustratedMan]

It may be beneficial to do multiple spots, one per myth. You can explain a lot in 30 seconds, but you don't want to overwhelm the viewer. Make sure that you use the facts as we know them. Acknowledge the FDA report, then put it in context. Don't make vague statements; be specific and on-point at all times. Do not be inflammatory.

Some random thoughts.

 

[RyGuy]

It may be beneficial to do multiple spots, one per myth. You can explain a lot in 30 seconds, but you don't want to overwhelm the viewer. Make sure that you use the facts as we know them. Acknowledge the FDA report, then put it in context. Don't make vague statements; be specific and on-point at all times. Do not be inflammatory.

Some random thoughts.

Nice suggestions Illustrated! This right on point. Is there a master list of facts and myths about PVs out there somewhere? If not can we make one?

 

[jmvallee]

This is wording I printed on business cards to hand out to folks who ask:

What are E-Cigarettes? (Personal Vaporizers)
E-Cigarettes are a new form of nicotine replacement. No tobacco is burned in this product, and it does not create smoke. (Smoke is defined as gas created by burning, or combustion of, organic material.) A solution of propylene glycol and/or vegetable glycerin, water, nicotine and food-grade flavoring is heated into a vapor that the user inhales. The solution and vapor are free from the tar, the myriad of chemicals and known carcinogens that tobacco cigarettes contain. The user has decided to quit smoking for many reasons, and is using this product to control his or her nicotine addiction in a safer way. The ingredients used in this product (with the exception of nicotine) are used in other everyday products and deemed “generally recognized as safe” by the FDA.

Don't know if any of the phrasing can be used for a PSA - just thought I'd offer.

 

[TheIllustratedMan]

The user has decided to quit smoking for many reasons, and is using this product to control his or her nicotine addiction in a safer way.

Whoops. Cessation and health claims all in one sentence.
If you define "quit" and "safer", it may be all right.


As far as that master list goes, I *know* I saw one somewhere... I'll have to go look for it and get back to you.

[EDIT]
Some things to avoid:
http://www.righttovape.com/index.php?page=27
Some points from the ECA:
http://www.ecassoc.org/resources/myths-and-facts/

I'm sure there are others out there, both of those lists are fairly old (relatively speaking)

 

[LaceyUnderall]

IMHO - Doing the 30 second spots dispelling myths would be great.

For instance: Take the FDA report. Take the Exponent report (which critiques the FDA report) and go through each point Exponent makes. As a video or videos, the Exponent report is perfect and gives you scientifically based wording to start from.

http://e-cig.org/pdfs/Response-to-the-FDA-Summary.pdf - Exponent Report in it's entirety.

 

[sherid]

I wonder if Dr. Seigal would be willing to participate.

This might be an excellent spot for the former Winston man, David Goerlitz

 

[LaceyUnderall]

This might be an excellent spot for the former Winston man, David Goerlitz

OOO! Good Call!

Ry - So there isn't a big onslaught of PM's to BigJimW, would you please contact him and see if he would be willing to contact Mr. Goerlitz as he has been in contact with him previously?

 

[yanorox]

I was thinking something like a number of people one at a time. Each one says one line:

The truth is 400,000 people die from smoking cigarettes every year
The truth is cigarettes contain over 4,000 harmful chemicals
The truth is over 60 of them have been know to cause cancer
The truth is the nicotine gum and the patch contain the same chemicals
that are in the eCigarette
The truth is Chantix was found to have likely caused 98 suicides deaths
The truth is the FDA has proven that the eCigarette is safer than tobacco
The truth is the eCigarette can save lifes.

--------

Some of the lines could use some refining, but you get the idea.

 

[LaceyUnderall]

Expanding on yanorox's example...

Plus, those who have hearing impairments can benefit from the message...

YouTube - Did you know 2.0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K04o2ic4g-A

 

[RyGuy]

OOO! Good Call!

Ry - So there isn't a big onslaught of PM's to BigJimW, would you please contact him and see if he would be willing to contact Mr. Goerlitz as he has been in contact with him previously?

Absolutely! I will send him a pm as soon as get some more free time today.

 

[LaceyUnderall]

Absolutely! I will send him a pm as soon as get some more free time today.

I also mentioned your thread in the Denver area vaping thread... http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/us-e-smokers/11227-denver-surrounding-areas-vapers.html

So if you need warm bodies... I am not sure how close to Denver you actually are... but there you go if you need it.

 

[yanorox]

Yeah, putting the words up is very powerful.

 

[TheIllustratedMan]

Saying "the truth" could get you in trouble.

Just putting it out there...

 

[yanorox]

I was waiting for that. However, if we tell the truth how can that be wrong. Isn't that the message we want to get out there? The truth. To educate people against the scare tactics of the FDA and ASH etc... And to let them know we have found an alternative that really works for us.

 

[LaceyUnderall]

Saying "the truth" could get you in trouble.

Just putting it out there...

Agreed.

The most powerful message is one the viewer comes up with on their own and feels passion for. Truth is different for everyone. Healthy is different for everyone. And Safe is different for everyone. If they don't agree with the presented version... then they don't get the overall message.

Edit: Plus, we all feel best when we come to our own conclusions about what we feel is "right". This is about freedom of choice too and IMHO our messages should reflect that... even on a very basic level.