September 2009: Profile of A Mom in a Struggling Economy

>> 3-5 Minute Edited Videos Sought <<
>> $1500 Grand Prize <<
>> $250 First Prize and Three $200 Second Prizes <<
>> Deadline for Submissions: September 30, 2009 <<

• How has a Mom in your world been affected by the (possibly ending) recession?
• Has it changed her?
• Has it affected her relationships with her spouse or partner, her kids, her community?
• Has it changed her buying behaviors?
• Does she think these changes will continue if and when the recession ends?
• What has she learned?
• Does she see any “hidden blessing” in having gone through it?
• Does she believe the recession is ending?

What We’re Looking For

The economic recession is often reported in terms of big numbers: numbers of people laid off, dollars lost in the stock market, numbers of home foreclosures. We’re looking to narrow those huge numbers down to one person — a mother who has been affected in some way by the recession. The Mom doesn’t have to have lost her job or her house, though she might have. She doesn’t have to be down and out, though she may be. Maybe the Mom simply had to make some spending adjustments. Maybe the recession just made her think – and changed her outlook on her life or her family. She needs to have been changed in some way.

We want to understand who this Mom is – what she values, what she believes, and how those deep seated ideals have been changed or challenged by the recession, or how they have guided the Mom in her response to the changing events around her.

In addition to the prizes, the best videos will be shown at the Marketing to Moms conference in Chicago October 20^th.  Your name will be on the video.

Eligible Moms

• She must be the mother of (or legal guardian of) at least one child age 15 or younger who lives with her, full-time.
• There are no restrictions on her age, marital status, work status, ethnicity or anything else.
• She need not speak English as her primary language, but if not the video will need to be subtitled into English.
• She must feel the recession has changed some things for her. She does NOT need to be devastated by the recession, the changes might be subtle and that is fine. But if nothing has changed, there’s no story.
• She could be you, your mother, wife, daughter, etc!

Editing Video Requirements for This Contest

• Minimum Length: Videos must be edited to be no less than three minutes long.
• Maximum Length: Videos must be edited to be no more than five minutes long.
• Final Submission Date for Entries: September 30, 2009.  Earlier submissions are encouraged!
• Additional Footage: If you are declared a potential contest winner, we’ll need at least 30 minutes of highly applicable and interesting raw footage from your shoots.

SUGGESTED INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

About the Interview

• Observe the Mom, on video, lots.
• At some point conduct an interview. This could be sitting on a couch, standing in the kitchen, in the park pushing a swing, wherever works for her and you.
• Frame the shot “head and shoulders”, not by using the zoom but by placing the camera close. Include some visual interest in the background (a painting, a park, etc.).
• Ask questions, restate them, and probe until she tells you why, not just what, where or when. When you get to the why, there’s usually emotion present, subtle or dramatic.
• Try to get full sentence answers. “Sneakers and pants” won’t help you much in the edit stage. “I like to wear sneakers and pants” will.

The Questions

• Please introduce yourself to the camera: Tell us your first name, where you live, the names and ages of your children, and your age if you are willing.
• Please tell us about your work, what you do and do you do it full time or part time? If you’re a stay-at-home Mom, please tell us that and tell us what in what profession you used to work, if any.
• What’s the best thing about being a mother?
• What’s the most important value you hope to impart to your children? Why that one?
• What do you think will be the most important factor for your children to live a life of happiness and fulfillment? Why that? [Note to Interviewer: This could be a value, an idea, an object. It’s up to the interviewee.]
• What’s different about being a mother today than when your mother raised you?
• How has the recession impacted your life?  [Note to Interviewer: Please probe for several specifics.]
• How has the recession affected your mood and that of your family?
• What have you done to respond to the changes the recession has brought to your life and your family?
• Is there anything you have had to stop buying, or buy less of, due to the economy?  [Note to Interviewer: If so, WHY did she choose those things?]
• What’s been the impact of the recession on your children?
• Is there any silver lining from the changes this recession has brought?
• Many economists say the recession is ending. Do you believe this is the case? Why or why not? What have you seen in your daily life that indicates it is or is not ending?
• Let’s assume the economy returns to health, and your personal situation gets back to where it had been. Is there anything you would do differently now that you’ve been to through the recession, or would you return to things as they were before?
• Last question: If you were to give one piece of advice about parenting to a woman about to have her first baby, what would that be?

Next Steps

1. Be sure to read all of the “Essential Information” section of this site.
2. Shoot, edit and create your video.
3. To submit your video, fill out the form under “Enter A Contest” on this site.