Award-winning humor columnist, screenwriter and author Charley Memminger is starting his own stimulus plan to help small and medium-sized Island businesses though an agreement with KHON TV Channel 2 in which he will create, write and produce television commercials on a freelance basis for the station.
“There are businesses out there fighting to stay afloat in these tough economic times,” he said. “They know they would get more people through their doors or using their products or services if they advertised on TV but feel they don’t have the advertising budget to make that happen. I think it can happen. And I’m going to try to make it happen. And we’re going to have fun doing it.”
Memminger plans to make quirky, catchy commercials using his well-known wit and sense of humor. He can get businesses into TV advertising at an affordable rate because the commercials initially `will be produced for free or at low cost and clients will then only pay KHON TV to air the commercials. The station also has agreed to offer clients a three month “air time” agreement instead of six months. The commercials will run over two weeks per month, keeping the cost of getting a commercial on the air even lower.
“Now, KHON can offer that air time agreement to anyone but the thing that makes the “Charley Package,” as I call it, unique, is that I will be writing, directing and overseeing production of the commercial. The commercials will be funny, engaging and will stand apart from most of the other commercials on local television. I will work with the client and the station to get the best air times possible. This is a chance for businesses to get a foot in the door of television advertising at an affordable cost.”
Although he is directing his attention to small and medium-sized businesses, he says he will work with anyone who wants his help, including political campaigns, as long as they have a sense of humor. And he says he will appear in the commercials unless his clients pay him not to.
“Hawaii TV commercials are a type of art,” he said. “You remember the great ones like Lex Brodie’s