Free Labor In Exchange For Air Time

festerized

Anyone else in NJ get a call from a TV showing wanting to give free labor in exchange for air time?
Got this E-mail the other day, I edited some of it so not sabotage the show
Hello,
My name is Holly and I work at the ******X Daytime Talk show in NYC. We are working on a segment that involves designing three apartments in the New Jersey area and we are currently looking for a contracting company to help us out. We have designers and all the materials and we are just looking for a team of roughly 7-9 people for three days next week The majority of the work would include painting and assembling furniture (we are in no way doing demolition) In exchange for labor we would be promoting your company with a written credit on our show and also your logo and weblink on our site (which gets over 14million page views a month!! Because this is for next week we are looking for finalize a contractor immediately. If this sounds like something you are interested in please call or email me back as soon as possible.

Thanks for your time,
Holly

Of course I responded:
Holly I would like to first thank for considering my company for the TV show.
Just some quick info on my company, in 2006 my company was hired by the Donald trump show the apprentice to renovate a condo over night in seaside Heights NJ. Beside the drama and lack of organization it was a learning experience.
My company was hire in 2008 to frame an addition for the Hayes residence. Soon after the Hayes started a TV show called “Table for twelve”
I have a busy schedule but I’m sure my customers won’t mind me missing a few days.
Wherein NJ is the show? As I remember from the apprentice show they wouldn’t tell us the location until we signed a contract.
Not a big deal, just like to know how to coordinate a few extra guys to make your 7-9 work force. I presently have 5 guys and will be problem hiring a few more for your project.
I would also need to know what kind of tools I would need, or be more exact on what kind of furniture assembly.
Give me a call we can talk further

FYI I turned down the opportunity. Besides being booked we have two hurricanes coming up the coast.
I also couldn’t justify the roughly $7k in labor. Is $7k a good trade off for free air time?
The apprentice show paid me for my efforts, and paid well

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Addition Contractor Bayville Home Addition Monmouth Beach NJ Contractor Jackson NJ

“Photography is not art, It’s just a Xerox of what just happened”

Heritage

BS!

Milwuakee can sponsor a show by donating say $1000 worth of tools (retail) and they get 5 shots of "B-role" MINIMUM Per show, for an entire season.

Same goes for any other "sponsor", in addition to full credits, a "sponsors" link on the web-site, etc.

7-9 guys for 3 days (whatever that works out to for you) for ONE SHOW, for the highly highly BS "credit" as listed above? Wow. INSANITY.

The Producer instructed one of her/his minions to go out and find a sucker obviously. Television can be a joke and Producers bank on the naivete of SO MANY people to keep their costs down. Those so called credits will add up to a pile of NOTHING at the end of the day. Complete worthless crap.

Holmes on Homes (for example) is one show where "credit" for free labour actually works (IMO). It's usually only 1-2 days labour, materials paid for, and you get a Min. 20 sec spot, with a full caption under your name, you can wear your company shirt/hat/etc., they make you look good, link on the website as one of the "trades" & a bunch of other spinoffs as a result. Most importantly, it's not a "one-off". If you're the electrician, then you're the electrician for every episode, for every season. Which means reinforcement (people need to see you over and over again before they remember you/care to pay attention).

Glad you didn't take the deal. Your BS meter is working well

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Toronto General Contractor-Renovation Blog-Contractor on Facebook-Renovation on twitter-Contractor Youtube

festerized

It will be interesting to see who fills the spot. Maybe if we are lucky it will be a CT member.
Would like to see how much exposure the company gets & the return investment ratio.
I broke down my cost to Holy and asked if the show would split the cost, she laughed, as well did I knowing the show generates mad money and can afford the cost. Pure greed on their part

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Addition Contractor Bayville Home Addition Monmouth Beach NJ Contractor Jackson NJ

“Photography is not art, It’s just a Xerox of what just happened”

LoneStarSA

You made a good move by turning it down. You wouldn't have received many leads on a "credit". These offers are bs but producers know they can find a sucker who will think it will help their company get exposure.

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San Antonio Remodeling | San Antonio Interior Designers | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube

Lone Star Remodeling And Renovations 202 N Loop 1604 #113, San Antonio, TX 78232 (210) 690-4663

Home Services

In 2003 we did a bathroom remodel for the Oprah Winfrey show. Although I'm not a fan of Oprah's (politically speaking), doing the show did have some positives as well as some negatives.

This episode was one of those "while you were out" type of shows, it was actually called "It's About Time". There is a condensed video of the episode on our website if anyone wants to see it.

We were to provide labor, which we did (8 of my employees for 29 hours straight) and Home Depot's Expo division was to provide materials.

The negatives: Expo did provide fixtures, marble, etc. but, I had to run (and buy) all the misc. materials, I.E.; Durarock, adheasives, greenboard, etc. PLUS, no one on her crew, including the producer had any money & I ended up buying everyone's meals also!

The positives: We became known locally as the "Oprah Bathroom Guys" although that has faded over the years. We still use that (when appropriate) to close sales in certain situations.

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