David slaying Goliaths, last second shots dropping, last second shots missing, empty offices, full bars, friendships threatened, strangers embracing – this is March Madness, this is the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.  Calling it merely a sporting event is like calling the Grand Canyon a pothole.    

This year America’s favorite chocolate chip cookie, Chips Ahoy!, is joining the madness as the official cookie of the men’s NCAA basketball tournament.  And they want the Tongal community to help them take college campuses by storm and ask students “Why Do You Have the Sweetest Bracket?”   

Sound awesome?   Well it’s about to get A LOT more awesome-er…

Tongalers will have the opportunity to find the location and shoot a project around the theme “Why Do You Have the Sweetest Bracket?” (If you’re not a Tongal community member it’s super easy, just click on LOG IN on the upper right part of this page and click on SIGN UP at the bottom of the window.)  Your location must be capable of hosting a shoot and must be in compliance with the terms stipulated in our Location Release form, which can be downloaded here.  If you have a cleared location and are selected as the winning filmmaker you will receive a production advance of $3,500.  Upon delivery of the final videos you will receive another $2,500 for a total of $6,000.

Once you’ve finished sending a barrage of texts to your friends and stopped jumping on your couch please read the remainder of the Brief to see how you can experience March Madness like you never have before!

In the Host Phase filmmakers will submit both their proposed location and why they are the best fit for executing this shoot.

Regarding the locations, there are a couple of things you need to know:

1.  Shoot locations must be in college communities.  Why you ask?   Because where will you find more young, energetic souls amped-up about March Maddness than college towns?

2.  Your location must be capable of hosting a shoot and must be in compliance with the terms stipulated in our Location Release form, which can be downloaded here.

Once the location is secured the goal of this project is to create a 60-second video along with a 30-second cutdown based on the concept “Why Do You Have the Sweetest Bracket?”  The winning Filmmakers will ask college students, “Why Do You Have the Sweetest Bracket?”  Filmmakers will be provided with a branded Chips Ahoy! self-standing sign and plenty of Chips Ahoy! to help facilitate the magic.

--Key Marketing Messages:  It’s all about getting college students to explain why they have the sweetest bracket.   Interviewees should be fun, energetic, and maybe even a little zany while making their case why their bracket is the sweetest.

--Executional Mandatories:

• Videos need to incorporate the theme “Why Do You Have the Sweetest Bracket?”

• Interviewees should look early to mid-twenties

• Any nutritional claims are prohibited but you can claim that Chips Ahoy! is America’s Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookie

• No overconsumption, one cookie at a time please.

• No language such as – I’m addicted to, can’t stop eating, craving, etc…

• No alcohol, inappropriate/offensive behavior or comments

--Target Audience:  Adults ages 20-25

--Tone:  Fun, clever, lighthearted.

--Exposure:  The Chips Ahoy! Facebook page and other digital outlets.

This project will be worth a total of $30,000 and consist of two phases. Note that this project will progress a little differently from previous projects, so be sure to read the following information carefully.

PHASE 1: HOST:  Filmmakers will have the opportunity to explain using text (500 characters or less) why they have the best location to host a Chips Ahoy! Sweetest Bracket shoot.  They’re also encouraged to submit photos or videos to help make their case.  Five filmmakers will be selected and given a $3,500 production advance to help create his or her Video.  In order for a location to be eligible it must be in compliance with the terms stipulated in our Location Release form, which can be downloaded here.  Host winners will be required to sign the Location Release form upon notification.  

PHASE 2: VIDEO – The winning Host from the previous phase will utilize his or her $3,500 advance to produce an awesome 60-second Highlight Reel along with a 30-second cutdown that captures all the fun of the Chips Ahoy! Sweetest Bracket shoot.  Upon delivery of the finished videos, that creator will receive $2,500 compensation for a total of $6,000.

IMPORTANT NOTE – Shoots must occur either on March 21st or March 22^nd during the opening days of the tournament.

--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. Shoot locations must be in compliance with the terms stipulated in the Tongal Location Release form, which can be downloaded here.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. Videos must feature Chips Ahoy!

5. Videos must not make any nutritional claims but you can claim that Chips Ahoy! is America’s Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookie.

6. Videos must not feature overconsumption (one cookie at a time please) or language such as – I’m addicted to, can’t stop eating, craving, etc…

7. Videos must not contain alcohol consumption, inappropriate/offensive behavior and/or comments.

8. 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.

9. Submissions cannot contain any profanity, offensive language, nudity or otherwise objectionable material, the determination of which is solely at the discretion of Chips Ahoy!

10. Submissions must not portray Chips Ahoy! in a negative way, the determination of which will solely reside with Chips Ahoy!

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

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

13. Minimum 25 Pitches, or the contest will repost for 14 days.

14. Sponsor will be entitled to two reasonable rounds of revision on the finished video without providing additional compensation. Remember it's easier to re-edit than re-shoot so try to get as much coverage as possible.

15. The Pitch winner of this project will be personally and financially responsible for making travel arrangements and for any damage to their own audio/visual equipment that may occur while traveling.  

16. In addition to the standard Tongal W-9, Winner Affidavit, and IP Assignment, winning video creators MUST also provide Talent (with a still photo of the person corresponding to each), 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 1920x1080, as well as, all of the raw footage recorded as part of this project to claim their prize.

17. 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.

18. 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.