LOS ANGELES

Now that the Olympics and Super Bowl seasons are over, production companies are playing hide-and-seek with good creative. It's the trickle-down effect: clients are conservative with their advertising dollars and agencies are willing to pander to mediocrity if it means saving a few jobs.

Fear is succeeding storytelling as king, and according to producers and reps on the West Coast, even the weak boards are far from plentiful. "The boards are sporadic at best," admits one sales rep. "There'll be a downpour for a day or two and then it's like a famine. A lot of accounts are leaving the West Coast and going east," he adds, referencing the Levi's move from Chiat/SF to BBH, NY, as an example.

"There seems to have been a shift from national to regional creative," notes another producer, "and we've had a couple of jobs die after they were awarded. Having spoken with some other companies, it's a consistent theme on the West Coast."

The slight buzzing over the fax is being generated by clients such as Outback Steakhouse, Hewlett-Packard, car manufacturers and brewers of beer. They all share a back-to-basics branding approach - further indication that people are playing it safe.

BOARD FLOW: 5/10

TORONTO

Toronto production companies were not exactly leaping out of their seats with excitement at the minimal flow of new boards, so instead, they turned their attentions to grousing.

A recent upswing in anti-Canadian sentiment from the US has hardened the oft-accepting stance of many producers who tire of being singled out as the prime destination for so-called "runaway" productions.

"I don't really believe that there is anything here beyond price-point shopping; if your running shoes are made in the Philippines, why not bitch about that?" asks one hard-nosed exec.

Considering that the commercial crews in Toronto are among the most experienced in North America, ongoing anti-Canuck sentiment leaves many local producers puzzled. Others point to the fact that Canadian productions are currently underway in South Africa, Spain, New Zealand and Florida as evidence that the global economy is indeed an ongoing reality.

As for new scripts, it's slim pickings. Boards for confectionery, financial, gaming, packaged goods and restaurants were reported, as well as beer projects from newly formed Labatt's shop, Grip.

BOARD FLOW: 4/10

NEW YORK

New York board flow continues in fits and starts, with some indication that an upswing in available projects will hit by March 2002.

"Bookings are dragging their feet," notes one rep. "Boards are around, but bookings are difficult. I can't close a job to save my life. But it looks like people want to spend their money, award and shoot in March."

Credit cards, packaged goods, home products, beverages, banking, computers, and telecoms were the most reported projects, indicating that heavy corporate jobs continue to fill the "recession-proof" niche in the commercial food chain.

"The budgets are tighter than ever and markups have to be very competitive. A lot of companies have cut their budgets and want to play it safe, so there is work there, but it's only moderate creative," says one exec producer. "We are looking at a lot of European work, which has solid creative and builds our reels."

New York, Boston and southern agencies had the most prolific creative output, although many other producers expressed their doubts in terms of quality.

"Creative is mediocre at best and that's being nice. In general, it's been very uninspired and mediocre and anything that is good is being swarmed," says one prominent executive producer.

"There's really not much outrageous stuff, mostly it's very straight," says another. "It's a tradeoff, either great creative without a ton of money or these straight boards that are well-financed."

But as for the big picture, uncertainty still looms, especially within agencies that have recently lost key accounts.

"It could be better. I've had too many producers and heads of productions at smaller agencies mention they are looking for jobs," says one exec.

BOARD FLOW: 5/10

LONDON

The 2002 upswing in London-sourced board flow continued into February, with production companies reporting a healthy flow of projects from the British capital, as well as mainland Europe.

German, Italian, Dutch and Scandinavian agencies in particular supplemented the hectic influx of scripts, which sparked what one insider described as a "ballistic" onslaught of quoting. Corporate campaigns for products ranging from soft drinks and beers to World Cup sponsorships and automotive were reported, as was improved attention to frugal yet quality creative. One company owner summed it up, saying, "The confidence is back, at least on this side of the Atlantic."

Still, while certain UK agencies are producing at a breakneck pace, others contending with lost business, reduced profits and layoffs have seen their contributions to the available script pool wither.

"Clients know they must spend money, but production budgets are down. Since they don't want to spend, they need those rare creatives who can write good cheap ideas," says one thoughtful managing director. Another producer adds: "Budgets are lower, but there are scripts coming in. A lot of clients are moving and some of the agencies are hurting, but, directors are pitching left, right and center."

However, average budgets are rarely topping £500,000, lowballing is still a concern, and much production is going abroad to escape the gray of London's winter, with South Africa, Spain, Prague and New Zealand ranking as top foreign locations.

With average budgets rarely topping £500,000, another producer says low-balling frequently worsens the situation. "Production companies are our own worst enemy because we are ruthlessly undercutting each other. No one says we can't actually do this for this money, so agencies come back to us with, 'It's a creative script worth spending your money on.'"

BOARD FLOW: 7/10