06/10/2008
CONTACT: Mike Diegel, 202-314-2004
Winner's 30-second commercial depicts 9-year-old lemonade stand owner
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Marc Boese and Michael Cottrell, both professors at Florida Community College in Jacksonville, Fla., were the winners of the National Federation of Independent Business' Small Business Works for America YouTube video contest.
The winner was announced today at NFIB's 2008 National Small-Business Summit in Washington, D.C. The 30-second video depicts a 9-year-old lemonade stand owner who says, "Small business works for America because the NFIB works for small business." (Watch the video at www.NFIB.com/Summit.)
Boese, a professor of television video/audio technology, said he and Cottrell decided to enter the contest a day before the May 15 deadline. Boese, who previously worked as a television news photographer and advertising agency creative director in Savannah, Ga., said he and Cottrell decided to make a commercial about a lemonade stand because, "That's the ultimate small business."
They found the video's star, 9-year-old Kristin Rieves, shortly before dusk on the evening before the contest deadline. Cottrell, a professor of sculpture, said he built the lemonade stand while one of Boese's students drove Kristin to his house.
Kristin isn't an actress. Her family is friends with one of Boese's students. She worked without cue cards or a copy of the script. "They read the lines to me twice, and I remembered them," she said.
Boese and Cottrell said it took about 15 minutes to shoot and about two hours to edit the 30-second video.
Boese and Cottrell won a trip to the NFIB 2008 National Small Business Summit and a $5,000 cash prize.
At the awards ceremony today, NFIB President and Chief Executive Officer Todd Stottlemyer said he was especially impressed with Kristin's performance and presented her with a $1,000 check as well. "We believe you'll go far, and we want to be your first investor," Stottlemyer said.
A broadcast quality copy of the video is available for download from NFIB. Contact Mark Alves at Mark.Alves@NFIB.org.
