Sony, Discovery and the Ad Council Launch Inspiring Invention PSA Contest

The Advertising Council, Sony Creative Software and Discovery Education joined today to announce the “Inspiring Invention” public service advertising (PSA) development contest, to engage a new generation of children in innovation. The contest is part of the Ad Council’s “Inspiring Invention” campaign, sponsored by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and the National Inventors Hall of Fame Foundation (NIHFF). The contest is open to school groups at the elementary, middle and high school levels nationwide. In addition to prizes including Sony video and audio production software and hardware, the winning entries will be distributed to media outlets throughout the country in spring of 2009.

The “Inspiring Invention” campaign, launched in April 2007, seeks to make inventing and developing new ideas part of American children’s lives, while also introducing children to how inventions are protected though patents and trademarks. The campaign aims to primarily reach tweens (ages 8-11), with a goal of motivating these children to pursue inventing and innovating as part of their educations and, later, throughout their careers. The PSAs developed for the campaign direct children to visit www.InventNow.org to explore and discover their own innate inventiveness.

“Benefiting all industries from agriculture to telecommunications to medicine to new global energy sources, a strong commitment to innovation is an American value that will help our youth create an even more positive and productive world,” said Dave Chaimson, global vice president of marketing, Sony Creative Software. “Sony Creative Software video and audio production tools will help students tell powerful stories about their ideas and dreams for how tomorrow’s technologies will improve the quality of life for all.”

Judging the Inspiring Invention PSA Contest is Dr. James West, inventor of the modern microphone and National Inventors Hall of Fame Inductee, as well as members of the Ad Council’s Creative Review Committee (CRC), which is comprised of some of the best creative talents in American advertising. The Ad Council’s CRC is responsible for approving the strategic and creative elements of all Ad Council campaigns prior to production.

“We are delighted to partner with Sony Creative Software and Discovery Education for this wonderful contest that will help generate interest and excitement among children in exploring their creativity and learning how their ideas can lead to the technological advances of the future,” said Peggy Conlon, President & CEO of the Ad Council. “This contest is an ideal extension of our Inspiring Invention PSAs and we are very grateful to Sony Creative Software and Discovery Education for generously contributing their resources for these important messages.”

Entrants to the Inspiring Invention PSA Contest will submit their video in either the elementary and middle school or high school categories by March 15, 2009. Contestants are encouraged, but not required, to download a demo of Sony Creative Software’s leading video editing application, Vegas Pro 8 software or Vegas Movie Studio software. Initial entries will be submitted to Sony Creative Software on DVD accompanied by a backgrounder on the production and theme. If selected as a semi-finalist, participants will then furnish broadcast-ready components for final judging. Full contest rules and regulations are available at www.inspiringinvention.org.

One grand prize winner will be chosen from each of the two categories and awarded a prize package valued at more than $22,000, featuring Sony Creative Software’s professional video and audio production applications, Vegas Pro 8, Sound Forge 9, Cinescore and ACID Pro 7, as well as Sony Creative Software content including loop libraries, Sound Effects and Cinescore Themes, in addition to having the PSA aired on national television. Discovery Education, the division of Discovery Communications that combines scientifically proven, standards-based digital media and a dynamic user community to empower teachers to improve student achievement, is hosting the Inspiring Invention website. This robust website includes official competition entry forms and rules, and features downloadable teacher tools, lesson plans, project ideas, inventor biographies and more.

“We see the contest as a natural extension of the goals of the Inspiring Invention campaign,” Jon Dudas, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO commented. “It will provide those who enter an opportunity to experience the reward and recognition that creativity and invention can provide while also learning and having fun.”

Dr. James West added, “On behalf of the National Inventors Hall of Fame, I’m proud to be associated with this important campaign as it strives to develop the next generation of inventors and innovators. I look forward to seeing the creative ideas generated by the youth of our nation.”

Since the launch of the Inspiring Invention PSA campaign, more than 85,000 children have registered on the campaign website, www.inventnow.org, and the site has had over 2.5 million sessions. Additionally, according to a 2007 Ad Council tracking study, of those tweens surveyed who were aware of the PSAs, 62 percent agree that “if kids can invent things so can I.”