Earlier this year wire giant Southwire, Carrollton, Ga., teamed up with the iconic 1980s punk/new wave band DEVO on a remake of the band's classic song “Whip It.” The result was a video that encourages electrical contractors to “Rip It,” promoting Southwire's SIMpull Rip CHIP disc, a product that can help contractors save time, while eliminating the need to use a knife to remove the stretch wrap placed around wire reels to keep them clean, dry and secure during shipping. You can watch the “Rip It” video at www.southwireanddevo.com, or by visiting the Southwire channel on YouTube.
The “Rip It” video has received significant social media attention and now Southwire is inviting amateur video makers to get in on the act. The Rip It! Video Contest asks participants to create their own “RipThatChip” video, from 10 seconds to two minutes in length, then post their video on their personal YouTube channel. Participants are permitted to submit multiple contest entries. All video entries should be entitled “RipThatChip.”
The Rip It! Video Contest will run from Oct. 1, 2013 until Jan. 31, 2014, and Southwire will select one winning video following the end of each month during that period. The creators of each winning video will receive an Apple iPad. Then, during Feb. 2013, Southwire will select one grand prize winning video, and the video's creator will receive an Apple MacBook Air laptop. The Rip It! Video Contest is open to contractors, their employees, and family members over the age of 18. No purchase is necessary.
Southwire's “Rip It” video features original DEVO band members Mark Mothersbaugh and Gerald Casale, who recorded the remake in Los Angeles earlier this year. A number of electrical contractors have starring roles in ”Rip It,” singing the song and doing a DEVO-inspired dance in DEVO-style hard hats, while at the same time demonstrating how to use the SIMpull Rip CHIP disc.