ASM7 Posted September 9, 2002 Share Posted September 9, 2002 I remember a couple of years ago the BSA started an ad campaign with TV commercials and billboards. I still see some old billboards but have only seen a couple of TV commercials. I remember the commercial I saw was a scout helping an old lady cross a gorge on a rope. Did anyone see these and what happened to them? Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGreyEagle Posted September 9, 2002 Share Posted September 9, 2002 I remember that one with the "older" lady (age is relative after all). Also had one I saw where a couple of scouts climb past a man on a sheer cliff and stop to hand him a wallet, saying " you dropped this back there" I saw a few billboards down in the southeast a few years ago, but that was it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yaworski Posted September 9, 2002 Share Posted September 9, 2002 I don't know about the campaign but I'd be willing to guess that the HOMOsexual loving TV stations aren't willing to run the ads. They'd rather run ads for essential products like Viagra and Trojan condoms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan Posted September 9, 2002 Share Posted September 9, 2002 We where able to watch these ad at a roundtable, they where very cool! They where only going to be ran off hours (non Prime time) between 3 and 5 in the morning, becuase of $. If someone out their could come up with the $ go they could be ran on prime time, that would be most excellent! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yaworski Posted September 9, 2002 Share Posted September 9, 2002 "They where only going to be ran off hours (non Prime time) between 3 and 5 in the morning," That's the time that most parents are watching TV with their kids. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ASM7 Posted September 10, 2002 Author Share Posted September 10, 2002 It is a waste of money to run ads between 3 and 5 AM. Why not run fewer ads between 3 and 5 PM when kids get home from school? Who do we talk to about this? Following their logic, I guess we can go sell popcorn between 3 and 5 AM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob White Posted September 10, 2002 Share Posted September 10, 2002 The stations are running these ads for free. They are not going to run them during high viewer times unless we pay millions of dollars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sctmom Posted September 10, 2002 Share Posted September 10, 2002 I've seen a special section in the Atlanta Journal & Constitution (covers dixie like the dew) for Scouting as recently as 2 years ago. TV? Is that the big black box sitting in my living room that has wires attached? Darn, I forgot what it was, hasn't been on in so long. Take Mrs. Bush's advice and turn it off on Wednesday, spend some time with your children, especially the younger ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ASM7 Posted September 10, 2002 Author Share Posted September 10, 2002 I understand the high cost of prime time but if they knew in advance that they would only run between 3 and 5 AM, why bother with the cost of making them. Why not pay the price and just run them in the recruiting season when school starts back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ASM1 Posted September 10, 2002 Share Posted September 10, 2002 Well, I think I may have to disagree this time with Bob White. I run a marketing and advertising company. Most of our work is in Internet Marketing and Advertising, but we do, and have done television advertising. I would think now above all times in the past television stations, especially on a local market would be willing to run BSA commercials for tax deduction dollars. That is how they are run anyway. But nobody seems to be pressing the issue. I intend to press the issue extremely hard here starting in about a week. You should be able to get video taped copies of the National BSA commercials from you district or council. I intend to edit our troop information onto the end of the commercial and snag some local stations we have dealt with in the past to run them in prime time. I know Comcast cable, or most local cable companies that sell advertising will be interested in tax deductable vouchers for double what the commercial actually cost. Get smart, and press the issue. ASM1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob White Posted September 10, 2002 Share Posted September 10, 2002 The ads you are speaking of were developed by national BSA and distributed nation wide. Each station in a market is required to set aside a certain amount of airtime for the broadcast of PSAs (Public Service Announcements). Since this is a station by station, market by market choice, the run times will very greatly throughout the country. I have seen the ads in our market on weekends during the afternoon as well as at 1:30 a.m. Stations given the choice between showing a free PSA or a revenue generating commercial will choose the commercial every time. The PSA will be used as fillers when commercial time was not sold. Thats just cold hard business. There is no tax exemption thought here, TV stations and networks can get all the tax breaks they want if they hire good accountants. It's about revenue, TV stations take alot of money to run and there are alot of pockets to keep filled. If it weren't for the FCC mandating the PSA time, we might not get on at all. Local markets are even more difficult to get good air time on since revenue generating air time is at a real premium. Be careful ASM1, some of the commercials can have local council tags produced at the end, but just because they advertise scouting don't get the idea they belong to your troop. CopyRight violations is an expensive crime. You need permission to do what you propose. The most effective ad for scouting in your community is the quality of your last meeting. Bob White Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ASM1 Posted September 10, 2002 Share Posted September 10, 2002 Well, Bob White. I got you over a barrel so to speak. Your only right in one instance. BSA commercials are a part of the PSA network. But if you think for a minute that the PSA Network is not a tax deduction for air time play for networks, both local and national, then you live in a box. Use of all BSA material for promotion of a council, district, or troop is not only approved by BSA, but encouraged. We have done our homework and are being supplied with all the current BSA promotions by our council and district. ASM1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob White Posted September 10, 2002 Share Posted September 10, 2002 ASM1, It is not a PSA network, It is a PSA. the network is a goup of affiliate stations which contract to carry a core programing schedule and nationwide commercials (the BSA spot was not a network commercial, it was a national distribution). The parent company is able to charge higher ad rates because of the expanded viewership, local stations are able to afford pre-produced programs to entice viewers. The PSA, Public Service Announcement, is a commersial for a non-profit service, organization, or product, for which the station gets no income, and whose access to broadcast is mandated by the FCC. If you read my revious post I did not say they did not get a tax break, I said it was a non-issue. No station is going to put this free spot in prime time for a tax break. There are lots of less expensive ways for a corporation to get a tax break and once that revenue producing 30 seconds is gone there is no getting it back. I also did not say you could not or would not be able to use the ad. I said you needed to get permission first. Check you last post. What did I say to garner such a hostile attitude from you in your response? You say you did your homework, well I did too. I majored in this in college, and worked in radio and TV for a few years afterwards. No attack was made at you and none was needed in your reply. Bob White Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yaworski Posted September 10, 2002 Share Posted September 10, 2002 " I majored in this in college, and worked in radio and TV for a few years afterwards." You majored in communications and you still have such an abysmal commonad of the English language? I offer, "CopyRight violations is an expensive crime" as evidence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ASM7 Posted September 10, 2002 Author Share Posted September 10, 2002 Two points: 1. I don't think ASM1's post was meant as hostile and 2. Even veteran newscasters make grammar mistakes from time to time. I find some of these facts about PSAs interesting and I am interested in learning more. However I don't think that adding your Troop number at the end of is proper. Maybe add the number of the Council for more info. Are the PSAs available at the Council the same as the commercials I saw a year or so back? Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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