Linux Foundation Kicks Off "The Linux Super Bowl Ad" Contest

Filmmakers are challenged to come up with a 30-to-60-second commercial that could be run at the next Super Bowl, "The Linux Super Bowl Ad." The particular spin isn't important, but the foundation predicts that the video would gather more community support if it were directed to a larger audience, that it would "get people talking [...] Judging criteria will be: originality, clarity of message and how much it inspires others to use Linux." In the final event, the video should "convey the power and ideals" of Linux.

The contest closes at midnight Pacific time, April 4, 2010, according to the contest webpage. The winner will be announced at the foundation's Collaboration Summit in San Francisco on April 14 and be awarded the laptop and attendance at LinuxCon 2010 in Boston, August 10-12.

The Linux Foundation opened up the video contest for the first time last year. Back then the model was "I'm a Mac/I'm a PC", but with a Linux flavor, to show that Linux, despite the lack of millions of dollars of ad budget, could stimulate the power of the community. The 2009 winner was Amitay Tweeto, a 25-year-old freelance graphic designer from Israel, with his "We're Linux" video.