There’s no denying it, our lives are on our smartphones.  They are the keeper of memories, an indicator of our tastes – a journal that we are perpetually updating.  Maybe it’s that amazing photo you took of the Grand Canyon during that epic road trip with your friends or the only known video of your dad boogying like a madman at your cousin’s wedding, or that awesome playlist that make Mondays a little more bearable.

In reality the smartphone is just a way to view these things, the real importance lies in having a dependable and convenient means to store this cherished information.  From their early days as a Silicon Valley start-up to their current position as a global leader in flash memory storage solutions, SanDisk has always focused on making people’s digital lives better.

SanDisk is now turning to the Tongal community to create videos that show how their microSD cards are crucial to our digital lifestyle, how they enhance our Android device experience, and why they are the perfect companion to your Android smartphone.

The goal of this project is to create a 60-second shareable video for SanDisk microSD cards that highlights the enormous impact these devices have on our digital lifestyle.  Packed full of videos, photos, and music, they are a roadmap of our lives showing where we’ve been and where we might go next.  With capacities up to 64GB, all in the size of a fingernail, SanDisk microSD cards enable your digital lifestyle by improving your Android device experience -- it’s a perfect companion!

Mobile industry leaders are all pushing the ‘big’ and ‘best’ things.  The goal is to  leverage that momentum, but put a twist on it.  SanDisk wants to create interest in their smallest product, the microSD card, which although incredibly small -- they do amazing things.  Metaphorically speaking, SanDisk microSD cards are “the next small thing” that enables your digital lifestyle and are the perfect companion for your Android smartphone.

SanDisk doesn’t want to be associated with the word ‘small’ because although these microSD cards may be small, they play a huge role in our lives. “The next small thing’ is just a thematic hook to create intrigue.  Videos should highlight companionship, performance, and all you can get out of a microSD card.  They’re the must-have companion for your Android device that’s often taken for granted.

--Key Marketing Messages: 

• The SanDisk microSD card is the perfect companion for our mobile device (particularly Android). 

• SanDisk microSD cards are smart, fast and further enable our digital lifestyle because we can have all of our content on the microSD card.

• SanDisk microSD cards increase our Android device’s capacity, can improve the device performance, and allow us to take and share more photos & videos, faster.

--Thematic Hook:

• “The next small thing” – this is a hook to create intrigue and should not be the main point of the video

--Executional Mandatories:

•  The first 5 seconds should grab the viewer’s attention.

• Videos must include “the next small thing” (metaphorically) in some way, but it should not be the punch-line or tagline.

• Videos must have a SanDisk watermark throughout the video (to be furnished in the Assets tab at a later date).

• Ending screen should be the SanDisk logo, disclaimers, and link to SanDisk's microsites (this will be provided at a later date).

• Videos should mention SanDisk at least twice (one can include the SanDisk banner at the end).

•  Do not mention competitor’s products or host device companies.

--Target Audience:  Millennials with Android smartphones and tablets.  Males and females between 18-35 who are tech enthusiasts, especially Android users.

--Tone: Light, fun.  It can be a bit spoofy or edgy.  The goal is to be shareable.  It can also take an emotional appeal if that inspires people to share.   Whatever emotional angle you take it must simultaneously communicate the microSD card’s value-adds and benefits.

--Exposure:  SanDisk social media properties and webpages.   They will also run as ads on YouTube.

This project will be worth a total of $35,000 and consist of three phases, an Idea Phase, a Pitch Phase, and a Video Phase.  Be sure to read the following information carefully as well as the Official Rules.

PHASE 1: IDEA  – Tell us your Idea for a SanDisk Video based on the theme “The Perfect Companion” in 140 characters or less.  Remember, an Idea (What is an Idea Phase?) is not a detailed script; it is a spark of inspiration, or a distillation of what will happen in the Video.  As always, Ideas should be clever and engaging.  The winning Idea creators will receive $250 each and a 5% one-time residual payment for the winning Video their Idea is used to generate. (That means if your winning Idea is the basis for the 1st place Video, you will receive $750, for the 2nd place Video, you will receive $400, for the 3rd place Video, you will receive $250, and for the 4th place Video, you will receive $162.50) – see Video Phase Payout details below.

PHASE 2: PITCH – Using text (500 characters or less), images (storyboards), video, and external links (to other supporting assets, i.e., your reel, etc.), give us your Pitch (What Is a Pitch Phase?)  for how YOU would go about producing a 60 second video based on the information contained herein. The THREE most compelling Pitches will be selected and will each receive $1,000 to help create their Video.  Those winners (upon submitting their Winner's Affidavit and IP Assignment) will also be GUARANTEED a winning place in the subsequent Video Phase.  So, if your Pitch is selected and you submit a video during the Video Phase, you will win an additional $3,250, at a minimum, and have a chance to compete for the $15,000 first place Video prize.  Remember your Pitch can include any, and all, of the assets mentioned above and you MUST include a link to some of your previous video work on Tongal or elsewhere to be considered for this phase.  For an example of an effective pitch, check out check out Erik Beck’s winning “3 Artists & 5,000 LEGOs” Pitch.  All Pitches will remain private until after the winners of the Video Phase are announced and the Project is complete.

PHASE 3: VIDEO – The THREE winners from the Pitch Phase will create a 60-second video based upon their winning Pitches, and all other creators are invited to enter a “Wild Card” (What Is a Wildcard?) submission that is not based on any winning material from the previous phases.  The Judges will score all Wild Card Videos and the one (1) highest scoring Wild Card Video and the 3 winning Videos submitted by Pitch winners will be scored to determine the standings for the Video Phase.  Remember, the THREE Pitch winners, along with one non-Pitch Video creator, will receive prizes.

--Video Phase Payout: Winners of the Video Phase will earn the following prizes: 1st place $15,000, 2nd place $8,000, 3rd place $5,000, 4th place $3,250

--Music: Tongal has partnered with Audiosocket, a boutique music licensing and technology company representing more than 2,400 emerging bands, composers and record labels. This is not "stock" music. It is an inventory of more than 40,000 original, culturally relevant songs and music that have been compiled into a premium roster.  Audiosocket's music will be available to Tongal members at no charge solely for their incorporation into Tongal members' submissions to this Project.  Tongal members are encouraged to browse the Audiosocket roster, available by clicking on the "Audiosocket" button on the right hand side of this page. If you are interested in using a track from the Audiosocket roster, as described above, just add the track(s) you want to use to your cart using the "+cart" button, then click the "checkout" button.  Enter the Tongal project name and click the "purchase and download" button to acquire the track for free ($0.00). Lastly, click the "download track" button, which will initiate the music file download. You may only use THREE Audiosocket tracks maximum as part of your video submission.

1. Videos MUST not exceed 60 seconds in length. Preferred format 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.

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. Videos must include “the next small thing” in some way.  

4. Videos must have a SanDisk watermark throughout the video. This will be provided to the winners for incorporation into their final spots.

5. Videos must mention San Disk at least twice, including the San Disk logo or bumper at the end of the video.

6. Videos must not mention competitor’s products or host device companies.

7. In the event you utilize any third party materials, such as music provided by a third-party music provider, 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.

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

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

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

11. Limit 5 submission(s) per member, per phase.

12. Minimum 50 Pitches, or the contest will repost for 14 days.

13. Sponsor will be entitled to one reasonable round of 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, and Music Releases for all assets appearing in the video as well as the project files, editing sequence and an uncompressed quicktime .mov file in either Animation or ProRes 422 codecs at either 1920x1080 or 1280x720 to claim their prize.

15. BY SUBMITTING A VIDEO ENTRY, YOUR SUBMISSION IMMEDIATELY BECOMES SOLELY THE PROPERTY OF TONGAL – 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 WEB SITE 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.

16. 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.