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Kickstarter and Indiegogo: Pitch Perfect Platforms

“You’ll like how you look, I guarantee it.” -- George Zimmer

Men’s Wearhouse recently made headlines as the company fired George Zimmer, the founder of the company, from his executive chairman position. Now even if his name doesn’t ring a bell, you would surely recognize his well manicured beard and baritone voice (as long as you don’t confuse him with the Dos Equis guy). Zimmer has been the face of the company and a fixture in TV ads for many years.

Perhaps if Zimmer never founded the company, he might have found his calling as a product pitchman for other companies. It’s pretty evident that he is pretty likeable on camera. But what I (as well as so many other consumers) really appreciated is that it was he was selling his own product. Zimmer’s descriptions, along with his personal guarantee tagline, made believers of his brand.

Of course Zimmer didn’t create this style of marketing. We’ve been sold everything from hamburgers to electric razors by company executives in formulated TV ads. It’s a proven strategy, and one that’s not limited to television anymore.

In case you’re not familiar with the crowdfunding companies Indiegogo and Kickstarter, their platforms allow entrepreneurs and artists to channel their inner Zimmers and personally pitch their projects, from inventions to feature length films, to the public for monetary support. -- If you donate $1,000, you’ll receive a “producer” credit for an aspiring web series about gerbil breeders in New Mexico. (And of course as a “producer,” you’ll want to help promote the project on social media and by word of mouth.)

What I find really cool about many of these videos is once you put aside the varying production values and the project ideas, they’re able to take the executive testimonial TV ads a step farther. Like DVD extras, these videos let you in on the stories behind the ideas with honest descriptions and personal pleas. They bring out personalities and show the passions of the people in a way that scripted TV spots or a press releases can’t.

If you spend some time on Kickstarter or Indiegogo, you’ll see what I’m talking about. Some of these people will make a believer out of you... And perhaps a supporter.

Take a look at these Kickstarter and Indiegogo videos. Each exceeded the initial fundraising goal, probably in part due to a really good pitch person.

Double Fine

Elevation Dock

Good Spread Peanut Butter

Bestie

 

Video Content: It’s Everywhere You Want to Be

“For here or to go?”

We’ve become a society of fast food and fast information. We want lots of content, and we want it now. And thanks to mobile devices, we have it.

According to Pew Research Center, one in three American adults now own a tablet. In fact, half of adults ages 35 to 44 own an iPad, a Samsung Galaxy, a Microsoft Surface or a similar device. Naturally, this not only means big business for Apple and the other device manufacturers, but for content creators and messaging.

Even though smartphones and tablets are both mobile platforms for digital video, users tend to use them differently. Phones are often used outside of the home for short videos, often referred to as “content snacking.” Tablets, on the other hand, are primarily used inside the home with a WiFi connection for “content meals” like TV shows and movies. Of course this does not mean that people don’t watch the latest Hollywood flicks on their iPhones or 30-second ESPN highlights on their Galaxys. It’s just a study of broad usage.

Not coincidentally, digital video usage is rapidly growing. In a recent study, Adobe found that digital video consumption grew by 30 percent from Q4 2011 to Q4 2012. In fact, it grew by an impressive 13 percent just from 2012’s Q3 to Q4. Additionally, the software behemoth recognized that mobile video views, both on smartphones and tablets, tripled over that time period. -- In other words, we really like watching videos on our mobile devices.

Now if you’re considering a video to tell your story, should you be thinking about which type of platform you’d like your product to viewed on? Probably not. If you upload your content to a massive service like YouTube or Vimeo, the device it’s viewed on is pretty much out of your hands. But something that is within your control is the quality of product. A good video with a clear message will resonate whether it’s viewed on a PC, a tablet or a smartphone. -- And that’s just a little food for thought.

Integrated Educational Video Media