ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS YOU
MAY NOT EVEN KNOW YOU HAD.

Changes from Take One

Okay, so what's the new submission process?

Here's the quickie version:

Step 1. Upload your commercial to YouTube.
Step 2. Fill out the registration form on www.TopThisTV.com. (Don't forget to copy and paste your YouTube commercial URL.)
Step 3. Receive entry confirmation email 2-4 business days after registering. (Please note that until you receive this email, your submission is undergoing review to ensure compliance with the official rules, and is not yet considered a valid entry into the challenge.)

QUICK TIP. Don't wait until the last minute to upload and register your commercial. It takes between 1 and 5 minutes or more for every 1MB of video to upload—and that's with a high-speed connection so it might take longer depending on your connection. The cut off time to have your commercial uploaded in YouTube AND registered on www.TopThisTV.com is 11:59:59 EST on March 14, 2008. Sorry, no exceptions.

Here's the really, really detailed version:

Step 1. Upload your commercial to YouTube.

Please note, if your video was uploaded for the first Top This TV Challenge, just copy your YouTube username and video URL and skip to Step 2.
If your video is not currently on YouTube, get started by going to www.YouTube.com/signup.
If you already have a YouTube account, sign in under "Member Login."
Otherwise, you'll have to create an account following these directions:

a. Click on "Create Your YouTube Account" and follow the directions. It's free, but you will be required to read and agree to the YouTube Terms of Use and the YouTube Privacy Policy.
b. Once you have registered with YouTube, you will be sent an email prompting you to click on the "confirm email" link. This link will take you to the YouTube homepage.

Once you're logged into YouTube, click on the "Upload" link in the top right hand corner.
Fill in the mandatory fields, including:
- Video Title
- Description
- Tag(s)
- Video Category
Click the "Upload A Video" button.
Click the "Browse" button and select your video to upload. Once you have selected your video, click "Upload Video."
Now you wait. It takes between 1 and 5 minutes or more for every 1MB of video to upload—and that's with a high-speed connection so it might take longer depending on your connection. Have a cup of coffee or learn to juggle or something.
If you have any questions on how to upload a video or are having problems with the upload process, please visit the YouTube Help Center
Go back to YouTube, login, click on "My Account", then "My Uploaded Videos."
If your upload was successful, you'll see a URL assigned to your video. Congratulations you have completed Step 1. Just remember that you still need to complete Step 2 and fill out the registration form on www.TopThisTV.com. You will need your YouTube video URL and username, so make sure to copy or write them down before proceeding. If your upload was unsuccessful, this screen will tell you why. Fix the problem and try again.

SAVE YOUR ORIGINAL FILES. YouTube will compress your commercial for the web. If you win, we'll need an uncompressed copy to show on TV.

Step 2. Fill out the contest registration form.

Go to www.TopThisTV.com
Click on "Submit Your Video"
Fill out the required fields, including:

YouTube Username
YouTube Video URL
Video Name
Email Address
First name
Last name
Address
City
State
Zip Code
Phone Number
Date of Birth

Click "Register Your Submission"

Step 3. Receive entry confirmation email 2-4 business days after registering.

Once you click the "Register Your Submission" button, you should see a "Thank you" page on your internet browser. This page confirms that your commercial has been received and submitted into a review process to ensure that your commercial complies with the Official Rules. Please note that while your commercial is undergoing review, it is not yet considered a valid entry into the challenge.
Once your commercial is reviewed, you will receive a confirmation email at the email address you supplied on the registration form. If your commercial complies with the Official Rules, this confirmation email will state that your submission has been accepted as an approved entry into the challenge. If your commercial is not accepted as an approved entry, the email will detail the reasons why your commercial was declined.

Besides the submission process, what else is different?
The judges will select ten semifinalists instead of fifteen—which should make viewing and voting easier.

Is the voting process the same?
Exactly the same. The Heinz ketchup team will judge all approved entries and narrow them down to 10 semifinalist commercials. Then, you'll be able to vote for the winner once a day at www.TopThisTV.com, from April 7 through April 21, 2008. When you submit your vote, you will be asked to enter your email address for verification.

Are the prizes the same from Take One?
Yep. The grand prize winner gets $57,000 and the winning commercial will air on national television. The four runners-up win $5,700 and their commercials will air on national television. Heinz will notify the winner and runner-ups of the broadcast spot before it airs.

Submission and Registration

What was that submission process again?

Here's the quickie version:

Here's the really, really detailed version:
Step 1. Upload your commercial to YouTube.

Please note, if your video was uploaded for the first Top This TV Challenge, just copy your YouTube username and video URL and skip to Step 2.
If your video is not currently on YouTube, get started by going to www.YouTube.com/signup.
If you already have a YouTube account, sign in under "Member Login."
Otherwise, you'll have to create an account following these directions:

Click on "Create Your YouTube Account" and follow the directions. It's free, but you will be required to read and agree to the YouTube Terms of Use and the YouTube Privacy Policy.
Once you have registered with YouTube, you will be sent an email prompting you to click on the "confirm email" link. This link will take you to the YouTube homepage.

Once you're logged into YouTube, click on the "Upload" link in the top right hand corner.
Fill in the mandatory fields, including:
- Video Title
- Description
- Tag(s)
- Video Category
Click the "Upload A Video" button.
Click the "Browse" button and select your video to upload. Once you have selected your video, click "Upload Video."
Now you wait. It takes between 1 and 5 minutes or more for every 1MB of video to upload—and that's with a high-speed connection so it might take longer depending on your connection. Have a cup of coffee or learn to juggle or something.
If you have any questions on how to upload a video or are having problems with the upload process, please visit the YouTube Help Center
Go back to YouTube, login, click on "My Account", then "My Uploaded Videos."
If your upload was successful, you'll see a URL assigned to your video. Congratulations you have completed Step 1. Just remember that you still need to complete Step 2 and fill out the registration form on www.TopThisTV.com. You will need your YouTube video URL and username, so make sure to copy or write them down before proceeding. If your upload was unsuccessful, this screen will tell you why. Fix the problem and try again.

SAVE YOUR ORIGINAL FILES. YouTube will compress your commercial for the web. If you win, we'll need an uncompressed copy to show on TV.

Step 2. Fill out the contest registration form.

Go to www.TopThisTV.com
Click on "Submit Your Video"
Fill out the required fields, including:

YouTube Username
YouTube Video URL
Video Name
Email Address
First name
Last name
Address
City
State
Zip Code
Phone Number
Date of Birth

Click "Register Your Submission"

Step 3. Receive entry confirmation email 2-4 business days after registering.

Once you click the "Register Your Submission" button, you should see a "Thank you" page on your internet browser. This page confirms that your commercial has been received and submitted into a review process to ensure that your commercial complies with the Official Rules. Please note that while your commercial is undergoing review, it is not yet considered a valid entry into the challenge.
Once your commercial is reviewed, you will receive a confirmation email at the email address you supplied on the registration form. If your commercial complies with the Official Rules, this confirmation email will state that your submission has been accepted as an approved entry into the challenge. If your commercial is not accepted as an approved entry, the email will detail the reasons why your commercial was declined.

What's the drop-dead deadline for registering?
Your commercial must be uploaded and registered by 11:59:59 EST on March 14, 2008. No exceptions. Remember, don't wait until the last minute to upload and register your commercial. It takes between 1 and 5 minutes or more for every 1MB of video to upload—and that's with a high-speed connection so it might take longer depending on your connection. Once you have uploaded your video, you will need to complete the registration process on www.TopThisTV.com.

So how do I know if I successfully submitted my commercial?
Once you have uploaded your commercial to YouTube and registered on www.TopThisTV.com, you should see a verification page. This page confirms that your commercial has been received and submitted into the review process where it will be evaluated by a Third Party to ensure it complies with the Official Rules. Please note that at this point your submission is undergoing review, and is not yet considered a valid entry into the challenge. The verification page will also give you an ID number for your video. Be sure to write this number down as it will help us identify your video should you have any questions.

How do I know if my commercial is accepted?
Once your commercial is reviewed, you will receive a confirmation email at the email address you supplied on the registration form. If your commercial complies with all Official Rules, the confirmation email will state that your submission has been accepted as an entry into the challenge. If your commercial is not accepted as an entry, the confirmation email will detail the reasons why your video was declined. You should receive the confirmation email within 2 – 4 business days of your submission date.

How do I know if my commercial is declined?
Once your commercial is reviewed, you will receive a confirmation email at the email address you supplied on the registration form. If your commercial complies with all Official Rules, the confirmation email will state that your submission has been accepted as an entry into the challenge. If your commercial is not accepted as an entry, the confirmation email will detail the reasons why your video was declined. You should receive the confirmation email within 2 – 4 business days of your submission date.

If I fix a commercial that was declined, can I resubmit it?
We accept your first five approved submissions. If you have fewer than five approved and you received a rejection email, just fix what is wrong and resubmit it. Once submitted, it will go through the approval process again. If it is approved, it will be counted as another approved submission.

Can I modify my commercial once it's approved?
Yes, you can but you will need to resubmit and it will be counted as a separate entry if approved.

Can I submit more than one commercial?
You can submit as many as you want—but only your first five approved commercials will be accepted for judging.

What is copyright infringement?
Using things like music or video that somebody else created and/or owns, and that you do not have permission to use, such as a song that you hear on the radio.

Music you write and perform yourself is okay—and even admirable.

If you are struggling finding music to use, we provide options in our Director's Tools.

What is trademark infringement?
Generally, this would be showing a company's name, logo or brand likeness without their permission.

What is inappropriate content?
Heinz Ketchup is a family friendly brand that has been loved by adults and kids for generations. Consequently, anything inappropriate for small kids and families is likely to be deemed as inappropriate content by the Top This TV team. The final decision on such matters is the sole discretion of the Top This TV team.

What the heck is "not relevant content?"
A commercial with no connection to Heinz and/or ketchup.

Can my commercial be in a language other than English?
No. Non. Nein. Nyet.

What if my commercial is less than 30 seconds—or more, for that matter?
You will receive a rejection email stating that your commercial was less or more than 30 seconds. Your commercial must be 30 seconds to be compliant with network standards.

Can a group (family, fraternity, church group, Chinese checkers club) submit a commercial as a joint work?
Sure, just pick one person to enter, agree to the rules and accept the prize on the group's behalf. We are not responsible if said entrant absconds to Rio with the prize money—or for any arguments that may arise over divvying it up.

Eligibility

Can I submit a commercial if I don't live in the U.S.?
Sorry, no. We would love to accept international commercials, but due to legal and other constraints we had to limit the contest to only those who live in the U.S.

Can I submit a commercial if I participated in Take One?
Absolutely. But if you were in the top five in Take One, it's got to be a whole new idea and video. Just remember that it still needs to go through the Take Two approval process and comply with the Take Two Official Rules.

How old do I have to be to submit a commercial?
At least 18 years old.

Can my two-year-old be in my commercial?
Anybody can be in your commercial as long as you have his or her legal guardian's permission—and can provide it in writing if we ask.

If I fix a commercial that was rejected, can I resubmit it?
We accept your first five approved submissions. If you have fewer than five and you received a rejection email, just fix what is wrong and resubmit it. Once submitted, it will go through the approval process again. If it is approved, it will be counted as another approved submission.

Does YouTube have any restrictions?
You bet.

Size and Time
Formats
Community Guidelines
Terms of Use

Does my submission have to be a video? For example, can I submit a script?
Sorry, it has to be a video. Due to the nature of this challenge, we can only accept videos.

What is copyright infringement?
Using things like music or video that somebody else created and/or owns, and that you do not have permission to use, such as a song that you hear on the radio.

Music you write and perform yourself is okay—and even admirable.

If you are struggling finding music to use, we provide options in our Director's Tools.

What is trademark infringement?
Generally, this would be showing a company's name, logo or brand likeness without their permission.

What the heck is "not relevant content?"
A commercial with no connection to Heinz and/or ketchup.

Can my commercial be in a language other than English?
No. Non. Nein. Nyet.

I've got some questions about the rights to my commercial.
Check out the Official Rules that our lawyers created. You really should—it's all there.

Technical Stuff

Does YouTube have any restrictions?
You bet.

Size and Time
Formats
Community Guidelines
Terms of Use

What format should my commercial be in? By the way, what's a format?
A format is the sequence and structure of frames that create a moving video image. Well, you asked.

You'll be uploading your commercial to YouTube, and they happily accept the following formats: MOV, MPEG, WMV, and AVI.

Just follow YouTube's Uploading Instructions.

YouTube will compress your commercial for the web. We'll need an uncompressed copy to show on TV if you win.

It's taking forever for my commercial to upload—is that normal?
It takes between 1 and 5 minutes or more for every 1MB of video to upload—and that's with a high-speed connection so it might take longer depending on your connection. The two major things that affect upload time are the size of your file and the speed of your Internet connection.

For uploading and other technical issues, contact the YouTube Help Center.

I don't have a computer—can I participate?
You have to have a computer, Internet access and an email address to upload and register your commercial. Ask a friend or family member if you can use hers.

I don't have a video camera—can I participate?
There's only one way to participate—and that's by making and submitting a commercial. Check out the Yellow Pages for places that rent camcorders. Or how about borrowing one?

Judging, Voting and Prizes

So how will my commercial be judged?
The 10 semi-finalists will be chosen by our esteemed panel of judges on the basis of their originality (40%), overall appeal (30%) and likelihood to motivate people to eat Heinz ketchup (30%).

After that, it's up to America—and your family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, old college roommates and random strangers you run into on the web.

Who are the judges anyway?
The Heinz ketchup team.

How many times can I vote?
You can vote once a day during the voting period (April 7 – April 21, 2008).

How do I know if you got my vote?
Once you vote, you will be directed to a Confirmation Page letting you know that we received your vote.

How and when will I be contacted if I win?
Semi-finalists will be notified by express mail after the judging is completed on or around April 6, 2008.

Grand prize and runner-up winners will be notified by express mail after the voting ends in May.

What are the prizes?
The grand prize winner gets $57,000 and the winning commercial will air on national television. The four runners-up win $5,700 and their commercials will air on national television. Heinz will notify the winner and runner-ups of the broadcast spot before it airs.

Communications

What if I have questions?
Check out our FAQ, Moderator Blog or drop us an email.

I submitted a question—when will I hear back?
Within 2-4 business days.

Can you let me know when Heinz has special offers and promotions?
Sure. Just check the box at the bottom of the registration form.

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS YOU MAY NOT EVEN KNOW YOU HAD.