American’s Adventure Filming a China TV Ad
Call it the commercial from hell.
That, of course, is assuming that anyone ever sees the new TV spot for Air China.
The two Southern California ad executives who recently flew to Beijing to film it haven’t a clue if it will air. An Air China spokesman said he had “no idea” when--or if--the commercial will be broadcast.
Nothing is wrong with the 30-second commercial. It looks much like any other slice-of-life spot for United or Delta or Airlines R Us. But the rigors involved in filming the spot in China--a real coup for two largely unknown Westerners--indicate that it may be years before American firms can think about producing quality ads in the world’s most populous nation.
Just ask Steve Ho. He is the first American to create and film a TV commercial--sponsored by a major Chinese company--to be aired in the United States. At a time when a growing number of American advertisers have their sights set on filming TV spots in once-forbidden locations such as China and Russia, Ho says filming such ads can be a task laden with obstacles. For one thing, the Air China spot had to be created, filmed and edited in 18 days. That’s roughly one fourth the time of many commercials. On top of that, Ho wasn’t paid for his efforts. Sure, all of his expenses were covered, but he didn’t earn a nickel.
Why would Ho--who rakes in up to $200 per hour for his Hollywood handiwork--accept such an outlandish offer? It wasn’t entirely altruism. Some sort of joint venture with one of China’s few commercial production companies could prove very profitable for a Western firm. There is about a three-year waiting list just to get a commercial made in China. Instead of using agencies, most advertisers must rely on China Central Television, owned and operated by the state, not only to air but also to create and produce their ads. Any outsider with expertise could certainly attract the interest of impatient advertisers.
Bear in mind, TV advertising in much of China didn’t exist until the mid-1980s. TV spots are aired in five-minute blocks at the end of TV shows. No kissing or product comparisons are allowed in the ads. And market research is almost unknown.
Not only are the Western ways of advertising still a mystery to the Chinese, so too is the basic candor required between an advertiser and its agency. Air China refused to divulge to the two Americans filming its TV ad the most vital information of all: their budget.
“No one could come up with a straight answer,” said Ho, a Los Angeles native of Chinese descent. “No one would tell us how much money was available. All we knew was we were filming something that would eventually air in the U.S.”
Ho’s post-production company, Steve Ho Inc., specializes in editing commercials into finished form. Most of the feisty commercials for Southern California Ford Dealers with actress Lindsay Wagner were edited by his firm. But it wasn’t his work in these commercials that got him an invitation to Beijing. Rather, it was the time Ho spent several years ago in Beijing teaching basic American advertising craft to executives at China Central Television. His reward came two years later: an offer to produce and film the Air China spot. Besides a client that revealed little information, Ho and his associate had to work with China Central Television, which doubles as an ad agency. It decides when the ads will be filmed. It dictates who is available to appear in them. And even if the weather isn’t ideal, it can require that the cameras roll anyway.
The Air China commercial called for a shot of pigeons being released into the air. On the day that scene was to be filmed, it was terribly smoggy, recalled Bob Belton, a San Diego free-lance producer who filmed the spot along with Ho. Belton suggested that they wait several hours until the afternoon breeze lifted the smog. No way. China Central Television ordered the crew to film immediately when the trainer of the pigeons refused to work overtime. “You can’t see the pigeons through the smog,” Belton said.
The producers had little choice about the actors who appeared in the ads. Western agencies typically hold casting sessions where hundreds of people compete to appear in ads. But for the Air China spot, “we didn’t know where the talent came from,” Ho said. “They just showed up. No one would tell us how they were picked.”
During one day of filming, they were so short on actors that Ho was forced to play a bit role in a scene that was eventually edited out. “You get the shot any way you can,” he said.
Somehow, the commercial was finished on time. And before the two Americans left, Air China officials threw them a big banquet. The men were assured that the spots will air on American TV.
But Ho says he’s not holding his breath. All he’s holding is his own cassette copy of the commercial. And that may have to be enough.
Briefly
Neutrogena Corp., with its $30-million-plus ad account divided among several agencies, has parted ways with Dailey & Associates and split the business between incumbent agency Eisaman, Johns & Laws of Los Angeles, Atlas Citron Haligman & Bedecarre of San Francisco and Carlson & Partners of New York. . . . The Los Angeles-based agency Anita Santiago Advertising was handed the Spanish language portion of the ad account for the Los Angeles Zoo and the California Department of Health Service’s anti-smoking account. . . . Upperdeck has narrowed its $3-million basketball trading card account review to Chiat/Day/Mojo, Kresser/Craig and McCann-Erickson. . . . The $60-million Amati account for Mazda Motor of America could be awarded within two weeks. . . . Raymond Coen, chairman of Coen/Kalis, Los Angeles, has resigned to form Coen Co., a Pacific Palisades consulting firm. . . . Los Angeles Latino marketing firm Moya, Villanueva & Associates has sold a 49% interest to New York PR firm Manning, Selvage & Lee.
