'Point of View: Sandy Hook Promise' among Emmy nominees for Outstanding Commercial

Reading and watching the news about two mass shootings within 24 hours of each other made me think twice about beginning my examination of this year's Emmy Awards nominees as today's Sunday entertainment feature.  I just wasn't in the mood for anything that frivolous.

Then I remembered that I was planning on beginning with the nominees for Outstanding Commercial, which usually feature one or more serious public service announcements (PSAs) such as "The Talk, which won last year.  Maybe I could find a nominee that could resolve my ambivalence.  Sure enough, I found one of the nominees works perfectly for today's top news and my conflicted mood, Point Of View | Sandy Hook Promise.

It’s class election day at Central Tate High and everyone has a point of view.

Sandy Hook Promise (SHP) is a national nonprofit organization based in Newtown, Connecticut. SHP is led by several family members whose loved ones were killed in the tragic mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14, 2012. SHP’s mission is to prevent gun violence and other forms of violence and victimization BEFORE they can happen. SHP is a moderate, above-the-politics organization that supports sensible program and policy solutions that address the “human side” of gun violence by preventing individuals from ever getting to the point of picking up a firearm to hurt themselves or others. Our words, actions, and impact nationwide are intended to honor all victims of gun violence by turning our tragedy into a moment of transformation. Make the Promise and learn more at https://www.sandyhookpromise.org.

"Point of View" is nominated for an Emmy in the “Outstanding Commercial 2019" category.

As chilling as that PSA is, it made me feel better about my choice of topic for today's entry.

Follow over the jump for the rest of the nominees for Outstanding Commercial at this year's Creative Arts Emmy Awards, all of which have a higher purpose beyond selling a product.


The first of the rest of the nominees in alphabetical order is the first of two selling Apple products, Behind the Mac — Make Something Wonderful — Apple.

Behind the Mac, people with passion are changing the world for the better.

An Apple MacBook as a tool for social change — as someone who tries to change the world sitting behind a computer, albeit a Windows machine, not an Apple, I can relate.

Next, the most inspirational of all the nominees, Dream Crazy by Nike.  It features Colin Kaepernick, so it has a political dimension from that alone.

Don’t ask if your dreams are crazy. Ask if they’re crazy enough.

Watching that made me tear up.

Netflix has a nominee A Great Day in Hollywood that also makes a political and social point.

A Great Day in Hollywood is inspired by “A Great Day in Harlem” - A moment that captured the spirit of New York City, the center of the jazz world, in 1958 at a time that was considered the “golden age of jazz.”

Netflix is bringing that feeling back with a Great Day in Hollywood, representing a moment in time within Hollywood where Black people are getting more opportunities across the industry.

A true coming out celebration.

Now that's a worthwhile way to toot your own horn, Netflix!

Finally, Apple returns with Shot on iPhone XS — Don’t mess with Mother.

Earth. Shot on iPhone by Camp4 Collective, featuring stunning images of nature from around the world. Don’t mess with Mother.

As an environmentalist who likes technology, I approve.

Now that I've shared the nominees, it's time to make my prediction.  If I used just YouTube views as a measure of popularity, then the leader is "Shot on iPhone XS — Don’t mess with Mother" with 37,786,876 views, followed by "Dream Crazy" with 29,983,349 views, "A Great Day in Hollywood" with 561,033 views, "Behind the Mac — Make Something Wonderful" with 466,516 views, and "Point of View" in last place with 242,452 views.  It looks like the gun violence control PSA should just be happy to be nominated.

Now, if this were the People's Choice Awards, I think it would be between "Don't Mess with Mother" and "Dream Crazy" with the latter favored on emotional appeal.  However, this is an awards voted on by entertainment professionals, who like flattering or at least interesting portrayals of show business, so I think "A Great Day in Hollywood" has nearly as good a chance of winning as the Nike commercial.  My readers and I will find out on the 14th or 15th of September, when the winners of the Creative Arts Emmy Awards are announced.  Stay tuned.