Computer maker HP is ready to make everything about you famous—except your face.
The company’s new “You on You” user-generated content contest asks people to create Web videos expressing who they are and what they’re passionate about and upload them to HP’s YouTube channel. But in a twist that resembles HP’s broadcast commercials featuring only the hands of famous endorsers such as Fergie, Shaun White and Serena Williams and, entrants can’t show themselves above the neck.
“Pick out a few things that make you who you are and put them into a short video clip,” Grammy-nominated singer Kenna says in a contest launch video on the YouTube site.”But you can’t show your face. We know you’re pretty, but this is about what you do—not what you look like.”
Beginning with last week’s contest launch and running for six weeks through Aug. 30, applicants can upload their videos to HP’s YouTube channel. Every week a panel of experts will select 20 semifinalist videos from the week’s submissions, and YouTube viewers will choose the top four from that group.
Those weekly foursomes will be entered to win the $40,000 grand prize and the recognition of a prime spot on YouTube’s home page. Second- and third-prize winners will receive $20,000 and $15,000. And all 100 semifinalists will win an HP Artist Edition notebook PC.
Submitted videos will also be eligible for a Community Award. Creators can upload their clips to youTube, share their videos across various social platforms and encourage others to vote for them. First-, second- and third-place winners will also receive prizes of $40,000, 420,000 and $15,000 respectively. The 100 contestants garnering the most popular votes in the Community Award phase will also win Artist Edition notebooks.
Entrants will be able to enhance their clips with YouTube video creation tools, including improved remixing and webcam video tools. They will also be able to download one of more than 30 rights-approved music tracks to accompany their video—all in an effort to level the playing field between video pros and relative newcomers.
“HP hopes to inspire and foster creativity,” HP Personal Systems Group marketing communications vice president David Roman said in a release. “Combining personal passions, digital remixing tools, and the YouTube stage means we’ll be able to gather, celebrate and reward expressions of originality like never before.”
The contest is the broadest competition held to date on YouTube, open to entrants from around the globe and localized for 21 YouTube English and non-English countries. YouTube held a contest almost as global at the end of 2008, when it launched a worldwide search for players in a YouTube symphony orchestra. Agency Marden-Kane administered the YouTube Symphony competition and serves in the same capacity for the HP “You on You” global contest.
“We are really excited about the global scope, accessibility and social aspects of the HP ‘You on You’ project,” YouTube head of marketing programs Jamie Byrne said. “This is one of the first programs where we have integrated tools for users to share their videos as broadly as possible across the Web and other social platforms.”
The HP Artist Edition notebook PC emphasizes creativity options including a Blu-ray optical drive, a powerful graphics card, and pre-loaded painting, drawing, video and music applications.
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