The slice : You don’t need a big budget for your ad

Just imagine.

What if you had the chance to create a Super Bowl commercial for your business or for a place where you are a satisfied customer?

Would you use chimps to depict a scene from your cubicle culture? Would you borrow the Budweiser Clydesdales? Or would you rely on computer animation and special effects to get your message across?

Chances are, you don’t really have the $2.6 million for a 30-second spot.

But let’s pretend.

Welcome to The Slice’s Super Bowl Commercial Contest.

All you need to enter is a little imagination.

Here are the rules.

1. Briefly outline your commercial in writing. (No phone messages, please.)

You don’t have to actually produce a video. Just describe what your Super Bowl spot would look like and spell out the message you are trying to convey.

If that takes two or three sentences, fine. If it requires a few paragraphs, so be it.

Also, give your commercial a title.

I’ll show you an example.

“It’s Morning at the Today Section.”

FADE IN: The scene opens with several casually dressed feature writers standing and sipping coffee in a newspaper newsroom. A clock shows that it is early morning.

“We need to connect with our readers,” says an earnest young woman wearing bright red lipstick.

The writers look at each other and nod knowingly. The next thing you see is this same group standing on a porch. Invited in by a puzzled S-R subscriber, they proceed to fix breakfast (commenting on the heart-healthy choices), get the bleary-eyed kids up and dressed, remind a teenager about soccer practice and — with a scrunched expression and head shake — advise the mom to reconsider her plans to attend a certain play.

As the now-smiling family heads out the front door, a sonorous voice intones, “The Today section…we’re here to help.”

Or you could draw up a commercial for an establishment you frequent.

“A unicorn, a leprechaun and Scarlett Johansson are seen heading into Jimmy’z newsstand on Sprague….”

Or…”These two talking raccoons wearing Bloomsday shirts are walking around in the produce section at Rosauer’s when….”

You get the idea. Be local and have fun.

2. Get your entry to me by Monday, Jan. 29, at 5 p.m. E-mail or regular mail are both fine.

Be sure to include your name and a daytime phone number.

There almost certainly will be modest prizes.

Good luck.

“Today’s Slice question: Which is the most self-impressed book club in the Inland Northwest?