When submitting your Pitch submissions keep in mind:

• Please use “Splenda No Calorie Sweetener” throughout your Video to ensure your language is accurate.
• Do not use the broader Splenda Sweeteners term as there are products that have calories which would make many of the stories have false claims.
• Do not show alcohol in conjunction with the product.
• Casting: Please ensure the actors are not too thin in your Video. Kids need to be and look 8 years or older.

 

Almost everyone enjoys the sweet things in life, especially when it comes to food. Unfortunately whether it is the sugar in your morning coffee or the cookie after the kids go to bed, that sweetness all adds up to extra calories. Now imagine if you could cut back on those calories from added sugar without swapping out the sweet. SPLENDA® Sweetener Products make this possible.

 

Now SPLENDA® Sweeteners want you to show how they are a smart sweetening choice for a balanced lifestyle. Check out 365 “SWEETSWAPS™” to see how SPLENDA® Brand has been inspiring consumers to make better choices with recipes and tips for saving calories from added sugar by swapping full sugar for SPLENDA® Sweetener Products. For this project, we want you to build off of the current campaign and create Videos based on success stories that show how SPLENDA® Sweetener Products inspire consumers to make smart choices today to ensure a sweeter future down the road.

 

What You Need to Know:

• This project may be SAG eligible depending on content so no more than 2 principals may appear on camera in each Video produced for this project. No more than ONE voice-over talent total per Video.
• We want to inspire existing moderate to heavy SPLENDA® Sweetener Products users (who also use sugar) to choose SPLENDA® Sweetener Products over full sugar more often when sweetening their foods and beverages. Show them why SPLENDA® Sweetener Products are a smart sweetening choice for a balanced lifestyle!
• This project consists of a Story Phase instead of an Idea Phase. Keep in mind that while your Story submission should be based on a real experience versus a hypothetical one, the experience does not need to be a personal one. It could be something that has happened to a friend or family member as long as you have their permission.
• While Storyboards, Treatments and Scripts are not mandatory for your Pitch submission, Pitches that incorporate those aspects will be viewed more favorably.

 

 

The goal of this project is to create an authentic and sharable 30-60 second Video that shows how SPLENDA® Sweetener Products inspire consumers to make better choices for a healthy, balanced lifestyle through small changes (including swapping full sugar for SPLENDA® Sweetener Products) leading to a sweeter future.

 

Connect with Moms 35+ in moments that matter to her, from celebratory to the everyday. Think about how your content can encourage her during this holiday season through when she is making her 2015 New Year resolutions. Maybe it’s tips, maybe it’s your favorite SWEETSWAPS™ ideas, maybe it’s your healthy and balanced advice about saving calories and how SPLENDA® Sweetener Products have played a part in that -- plus the Sponsor is open to seeing your story told creatively in live-action, animation, stop-motion or mixed-media. Have fun. Share what inspires you.  

 

Please note that your Video should not focus solely on swapping out full sugar for SPLENDA® Sweetener Products. The goal is to show how simple swaps, including swapping SPLENDA® Sweetener Products for added sugar, can lead to better choices for a healthy, balanced lifestyle. Your content should be food-focused, but should not call out other food brands.

 

--Inspiration:

Please refer to the links below as inspiration and to understand current content:

• 365 SWEETSWAPS™ (http://www.365sweetswaps.com) – Current campaign providing consumers with 365 ideas on how they can swap full sugar for SPLENDA® Sweetener Products. Site provides a great sense of the SPLENDA® Brand’s look and feel as well as its current assets.
• Current TV Commercial and other YouTube videos (www.youtube.com/user/SplendaSweeteners)
• Real Stories of SPLENDA® Sweetener Products users (http://www.splenda.com/community/your-stories)
• Social media properties: (www.facebook.com/splenda, www.youtube.com/user/SplendaSweeteners)

 

--Key Marketing Messages:

• SWEETSWAPS™ is dishing out hundreds of ways to save calories from added sugar by swapping full sugar for SPLENDA® Sweetener Products
• Experience the joy of sugar without all of the calories.
• Think Sugar, Say SPLENDA®

 

--Target Audience: Moms 35+, who are existing moderate to heavy SPLENDA® Sweetener Products users who also use sugar. She likes to experience something sweet every day. Whether it's throwing a dinner party or having a cookie when the kids go to bed, sweets make her enjoyable moments even better. But she does worry she's consuming too much, so is often on a diet and aspires to make smarter, healthier lifestyle choices.

 

--Executional Mandatories:

Videos need to have:

• Brand mention and product placement, but placement should be subtle.
• Must mention how using SPLENDA® Sweetener Products can help reduce calories from added sugar.
• Mention SWEETSWAPS™ campaign.
• On screen copyright language “©McNeil Nutritionals LLC, 2014”

 

Please note:

• Be wary of encouraging increased usage of indulgent recipes.
• Do not imply that a recipe is healthy just because a recipe uses a SPLENDA® Sweetener Product as the other ingredients may still be high in calories, fat, or sodium. Snacks, smoothies, and desserts should always be framed in the context of swapping out the higher calorie version.
• Do not show/list the name brands of other products used.
• Product usage ideas should always be framed as replacing full sugar with a SPLENDA® Sweetener Product instead of just adding a SPLENDA® Sweetener Product to something that would not normally have sugar.
• Be wary of any health claims. SPLENDA® Sweeteners can be part of a healthy lifestyle, or helping with weight management/diabetes management, but cannot be framed as a weight loss tool (i.e. helped me lose 10 pounds).
• Portion size imagery should not be indulgent or excessive (i.e. platter of cookies with one person, large toppers of icing on cupcakes).
• Recipes are rarely sugar-free due to sugars from other sources. When mentioning recipes, you may frame them as “no” or “less” added sugar, but consideration should be given as to whether other ingredients contain added sugars (ex. chocolate chips).

 

--Tone: The tone should be warm, upbeat, and welcoming. The SPLENDA® Brand personality is genuine, shareable, playful, and empathetic.

 

--Exposure: Videos will be shown on YouTube, Facebook, SWEETSWAPS™, and other SPLENDA® Brand Owned Properties.

 

 

This project will be worth a total of $60,000 and consist of THREE (3) Phases: a Story Phase, a Pitch Phase and a Video Phase. Be sure to read the following information carefully as well as the Official Rules.

 

PHASE 1: STORY – Tell us your SPLENDA® Brand Story in 500 characters or less about how SPLENDA® Brand Sweetener Products inspired you to make smarter choices. Keep in mind that while your Story submission should be based on a real experience versus a hypothetical one, the experience does not need to be a personal one. It could be something that has happened to a friend or family member as long as you have their permission.

 

The winning Story creators will receive $500 each and a 5% one-time residual payment for any winning Videos based on his/her Story. That means if your winning Story is the basis for the 1st place Video, you will receive $600, the 2nd place Video $500, the 3rd place Video $450, the 4th place Video $350, the 5th place Video $300, the 6th place Video $225 - see Voting Phase Payout details for more information.

 

Payment for a win in the Story Phase is contingent on your completion of the Winner’s Affidavit and the IP Assignment. Story winners are not required to be in the final Videos.

 

PHASE 2: PITCH - Submit your Pitch (What Is a Pitch Phase?) convincing the Sponsor why you should be selected to execute a Video based on one of the winning Stories from the previous Phase using:

• Text (REQUIRED): 500 characters or less synopsizing how you plan to approach and execute this Video.
• Links (REQUIRED): To your previous video work. Please specify your role (producer, director, cinematography, etc.) and DO NOT INCLUDE LINKS TO YOUR SHOWREEL. Please link to individual videos.
• Script (Optional): This should include dialogue from the video you intend to create. 
• Treatment (Optional): A detailed narrative description of what's going to happen in the video. 
• Storyboards (Optional): Additional concept art, storyboards, shot list, anything that helps get your point across.
• Headshots/Casting Boards (Optional): Casting notes or concepts, headshots of actors, etc.
• Pitch Video (Optional): This is your opportunity to show us what you're capable of. Consider submitting a Pitch video in which you tell the Sponsor what they can expect should they choose your Pitch. Also, test videos, animatics, etc. are welcome.   

 

While Storyboards, Treatments and Scripts are not mandatory for your Pitch submission, Pitches that incorporate those aspects will be viewed more favorably.

 

The FIVE (5) most compelling Pitches will be selected and, upon submitting the Winner’s Affidavit and the IP Assignment, will each receive $1,500 to help create the Video.  Additionally, upon submitting a Video that satisfies the criteria laid out in your winning Pitch, the Pitch winners will also be GUARANTEED a winning place in the subsequent Video Phase. So, if your Pitch is selected and you execute your Pitch effectively in your Video submission, you will win an additional $5,500, at a minimum, and have a chance to compete for the $12,000 First Place Video prize (subject to deduction for one-time 5% residual payment to eligible Story winners). For an example of an effective Pitch, check out Erik Beck’s winning “3 Artists & 5,000 LEGOs” Pitch video. All Pitches will remain private until after the winner of the Video Phase is announced and the Project is complete.    

 

PHASE 3: VIDEO – The FIVE (5) winners from the Pitch Phase will each create a 30-60 second Video based upon their winning Pitch.  

 

All other creators are invited to enter a Wildcard (What Is a Wildcard?) submission that can be based on one of the winning Stories from the previous Phase or a totally original concept that is not based on any winning material from the Idea Phase. The Judges will score all Wildcard submissions and the highest scoring Wildcard Video along with the FIVE (5) winning Videos submitted by Pitch winners will be scored to determine the standings for the Video Phase. Remember, the FIVE (5) Pitch winners, along with the top Wildcard creator, will receive prizes.

 

--Video Phase Payout: Winners of the Video Phase will earn the following prizes: 1^st place $12,000, 2^nd place $10,000, 3^rd place $9,000, 4^th place $7,000, 5^th place $6,000, 6^th place $5,500 (less any 5% one-time residual payments paid to the Story winners, as applicable).

 

--Music: Tongal has partnered with three premiere music providers: Audiosocket, Killer Tracks and Epidemic Sound. Any of which can be used to source music for your Video submission to this Project. You may use up to THREE total tracks per Video submission, and they can come from any of the three providers listed above. Music from these providers is available to registered Tongal members at no charge solely for their incorporation into Submissions to this Project and will not require a separate Music Release Form. To learn more about using each of these music providers, click on any of the provider’s names above.

 

If you are selected as a winner and choose to use custom/original music, you must fill out and submit our Music Release Form. If you obtain music from other catalog providers, you must purchase the appropriate license at your own expense and submit it with our Music Release Form when you turn in your Video paperwork.  

 

--Referral: Any Tongal member who refers one of the winning Video creators in this Project using the Tongal “Invite Friends” functionality will receive a referral fee equal to 5% of the amount won up to $500 per place. Check out more about our Referral Program in FAQ.

 

 

1. The Video MUST not exceed 60 seconds in length. Preferred format for upload to the Tongal website is HD 720p 16x9. Acceptable file formats are .mov, .avi, .mp4, .wmv. Acceptable codecs are H.264 (MP4), MPEG-4, H.263, MPGV, WMV, DivX. Should you win, you will also be required to provide a 1080p .mov master file, using a ProRes, Animation, or Uncompressed Codec

 

2. Unless provided otherwise, all work must be your own original creation and free of any copyrighted material. You shall provide detailed information of your work regarding the source, the creator and background information as requested by Tongal.

 

3. In the event you utilize any third party materials, such as music provided by a third-party music provider not provided by Tongal, you must obtain full written license and consent from the owner of such third party materials and provide such license and consent forms to Tongal.

 

4. BY SUBMITTING A VIDEO ENTRY, YOUR SUBMISSION IMMEDIATELY BECOMES THE SOLE PROPERTY OF TONGAL OR ITS ASSIGNEES – SEE OFFICIAL RULES FOR MORE DETAILS ABOUT OWNERSHIP OF ENTRIES. YOU MAY NOT PUBLICLY SHARE OR PUBLISH YOUR SUBMISSION IN ANY MANNER AND YOU MAY NOT POST OR UPLOAD YOUR SUBMISSION TO ANY WEBSITE OR VIDEO HOSTING SITE (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, FACEBOOK, YOUTUBE OR VIMEO), WITHOUT THE PRIOR EXPRESS WRITTEN CONSENT OF TONGAL.  FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THIS REQUIREMENT MAY RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION OF YOUR ENTRY IN THE PROJECT.

 

5. Submissions cannot contain any profanity, offensive language, nudity or otherwise objectionable material, the determination of which is solely at the discretion of Sponsor.

 

6. Submissions must not portray Sponsor in a negative way, the determination of which will solely reside with Sponsor.

 

7. By submitting to this project, you acknowledge that your work may become subject to public voting on the Tongal site. Public voting may be used to help the project sponsor determine the final rank order.

 

8. Videos must be in the English language or subtitled.

 

9. Limit 5 submissions per member, per Phase.

 

10. You must be at least thirteen (13) years or older to enter.

11. In the event that fewer than 25 Pitches are received, the Sponsor reserves the right to repost the contest for up to fourteen (14) days at their discretion.

12. In addition to the judging criteria stated in the OFFICIAL RULES, Pitches will also be evaluated on that member's ability to execute the final Video based on their prior work and experience as a filmmaker.

13. The Sponsor will be entitled to reasonable revisions on the finished Videos without providing additional compensation. Remember it's easier to re-edit than re-shoot so try to get as much coverage as possible.

14. In addition to the standard Tongal W-9, Winner Affidavit, and IP Assignment, winning Video creators MUST also provide Talent, Location, Music (or other) Releases for all assets appearing in their winning Videos, as well as a photograph/headshot  OR copy of a photo ID for all On-camera Talent releases. You must also provide all project files, editing sequences and a 1080p .mov master file, using a ProRes, Animation, or Uncompressed Codec to claim your prize.

15. See OFFICIAL RULES for additional contest information, terms and conditions. If there is any conflict or inconsistency between these requirements and the Official Rules, the terms and conditions of these requirements shall prevail.