UA student’s contest entry not selected for Super Bowl advertising campaign
Posted on Friday, January 12, 2007
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/nwat/News/49042/
Although her concept will not be used in this year’s Super Bowl ad campaign, University of Arkansas student Vanessa Rouse received the most online votes for her pitch.
Rouse was selected as a semifinalist in the “ Pitch Your Idea for the Best NFL Super Bowl Commercial Ever. Seriously. ” contest. She was one of 12 semifinalists in the league’s contest to develop a commercial based on the idea of a fan. Contestants were given 90 seconds to make their pitch at one of three locations: New York, Dallas and Denver.
“ I was really happy to make it to the final 12, ” Rouse said. “ I guess my expectations were really high when we saw that the online voting was in my favor. That’s why I was really disappointed when I didn’t win. ”
A doctoral candidate in kinesiology adapted physical education, Rouse wanted to offer a concept that would have more meaning than the average Super Bowl spot.
Her concept centered on a boy getting to see professional football live for the first time — at the Super Bowl.
The scene opened with parents packing, and the boy playing with a football while watching a game on TV, until his mother taps him on the shoulder, telling him it’s time to go. Then at the stadium with the crowd unleashed, the scene goes to the boy’s perspective — silence.
But then the boy reaches down to hold on to the stands and smiles at the sensation, at which point someone like Tennessee Titans coach Jeff Fisher or former Denver Broncos defensive lineman Kenny Walker signs “ feel the game. ”
“ We knew going into this that it wasn’t a democracy, ” said Rouse’s husband, Phillip. “ Thirty percent of the contest was based on the online votes and 70 percent was based on the decision of the executive judging panel and the NFL’s decision. It was a war between funny commercials and an inspirational, poignant message. Unfortunately, we didn’t carry the day. ”
Despite her loss, Vanessa Rouse said her biggest disappointment is not being able to send her message across the country.
“ If we won, we would have gotten plane tickets to see to the commercial at the Super Bowl in Los Angeles, ” she said. “ But we’re more upset that the message isn’t going to get out. I was really looking forward to children, especially those with special needs, getting to see it. It would have shown them that the NFL really does think about them. ”
Vanessa Rouse, who is also pursuing certification to teach special education, said she was inspired by the children she has worked with — ones that want to be treated like every other child. When it came to the ad, she said she thought there needed to be something that showed what the game is like for fans, especially children, who are inspired by those on the field.
“ She had the inspiration because she worked with a lot of disabilities as a teacher and a project coordinator for the Special Olympics, ” said Phillip Rouse. “ It’s a just a shame that it didn’t turn out for us. I think it was a mistake because we had the best ad. ”