ReelSEO Video Marketing: Will It Blend (for 50 bucks)? The ‘budget myth’ about a popular viral video campaign
Amani Channel
· 1 year ago
I really appreciate this article. I too was familiar with the Blendtec story, and always wondered about the costs associated with the videos. The quality always seemed a little higher than amateur. Although the costs associated with the equipment have become more affordable, this shows you that there is still a need for professionals, and video production isn't as easy as buying an inexpensive camera, shooting some footage and uploading it to the Internet.
This is a very valuable article that every marketing & advertising pro. and video production wannabe should read.
Net Magellan
· 1 year ago
Grant, Why are you letting facts get in the way of a good story? :)
The campaign certainly made me look closer at the brand of the blender when I bought a smoothie. I could understand why a $20 Sunbeam blender can't crush ice.
"Blendtec" doesn't roll off the tongue very well and sounds like a name coined by an engineer. Whether I'll remember it six months from now is uncertain. WillItBlend has served its purpose, just as the Million Dollar Homepage did in its time. Full marks to George Wright for the entertainment and publicity, but the product will need to compete on its own merit in the long run.
Fionn
· 1 year ago
Hi Grant, The session was for small business with little or no budget as was confirmed by a show of hands at the beginning. Only 4 people in a packed room raised their hands when asked if they had a budget for viral. I covered the costs and in one of the slides I offered the option of renting the equipment to make professional looking videos as opposed to purchasing equipment to get a small business started. I offered examples of amateur videos which had been wildly successful and I hope I did give the audience a balanced view. Video was just one example I gave multiple examples of viral tactics. I do not recall anybody asking that question. The Blendtec example came up when I disucssed the issues above. My source for the cost was Blendtec, and technically if they had already paid for their equipment as a captial expensse then $50 is the correct cost to them for that particular video.
Why dont you submit a proposal to speak on that panel at SES New York and present the whole costs v professionalism as you have above it would certainly add value.
Doris
· 12 months ago
Grant, thank's for the article. I think part of the "myth" is a misunderstandig or let's call it ignoring the fact that it's called "a budget" and not COSTS as it should be. In a business sense (ROI for example) there is a concept called "opportunity cost" which would apply in the case it was done inhouse by their own audiovisual department; something which is very not very likely a SME has. In the the case it was a hired company it has the costs you mentioned 2,000 - 5,000. Add the hours of configurating the site at youtube, and maintainance, etc. I am an Internet video producer myself and clients (at least her in Spain) have no idea about video budgets for their online content. There are mainly 2 escenarios: 1- it has to have the production quality of a TV spot 2- it has to cost NOTHING because it's a viral anyway, so YouTube style is ok. It is very difficult to explain bigger business that their is a third way. What are your experiences?
All Comments
This is a very valuable article that every marketing & advertising pro. and video production wannabe should read.
The campaign certainly made me look closer at the brand of the blender when I bought a smoothie. I could understand why a $20 Sunbeam blender can't crush ice.
"Blendtec" doesn't roll off the tongue very well and sounds like a name coined by an engineer. Whether I'll remember it six months from now is uncertain. WillItBlend has served its purpose, just as the Million Dollar Homepage did in its time. Full marks to George Wright for the entertainment and publicity, but the product will need to compete on its own merit in the long run.
The session was for small business with little or no budget as was confirmed by a show of hands at the beginning. Only 4 people in a packed room raised their hands when asked if they had a budget for viral. I covered the costs and in one of the slides I offered the option of renting the equipment to make professional looking videos as opposed to purchasing equipment to get a small business started. I offered examples of amateur videos which had been wildly successful and I hope I did give the audience a balanced view. Video was just one example I gave multiple examples of viral tactics. I do not recall anybody asking that question. The Blendtec example came up when I disucssed the issues above. My source for the cost was Blendtec, and technically if they had already paid for their equipment as a captial expensse then $50 is the correct cost to them for that particular video.
Why dont you submit a proposal to speak on that panel at SES New York and present the whole costs v professionalism as you have above it would certainly add value.
I am an Internet video producer myself and clients (at least her in Spain) have no idea about video budgets for their online content. There are mainly 2 escenarios: 1- it has to have the production quality of a TV spot 2- it has to cost NOTHING because it's a viral anyway, so YouTube style is ok. It is very difficult to explain bigger business that their is a third way. What are your experiences?