Using Video in a Kickstarter Campaign

September 22, 2015) – Transforming a small idea into a big reality is no easy task, especially when you need to convince others to support that idea financially.

Kickstarter campaigns have become wildly popular in recent years because they allow anyone with a vision to reach an audience and receive the funding they need. This is the case with one of our clients, who is using our video production services to create an effective and inspiring campaign for her juicing company.

A successful video will express her goals, tell her story, and build her credibility as a business owner worth investing in.

Doing all of this in two minutes involves creative storytelling that motivates and inspires the viewer to act. This campaign, in particular, utilizes the entrepreneur’s background to highlight the how and why of her business model.

Growing up in Haiti, she was exposed to many exotic fruits that most Americans are unfamiliar with. Expanding beyond this, she traveled the world in search of uncommon, healthy, and, of course, tasty fruits to incorporate into her juices, not only giving her an edge on the market but also asserting her as an expert in the field. Furthermore, her products also feature various health benefits, like organic and natural remedies for acne.

A video ad campaign will, of course, need startup money. A video that assures the audience that this is a project worth putting money towards requires a professional presentation. Working on a limited budget is not impossible, however.

For this campaign, we used a green screen to avoid the need for numerous locations, which would have required several sound and lighting set-ups, equipment, etc. Green screen videos must be interesting, simple, and to the point. Our producers were very amenable to this and helped the client develop her story and identify a production method.

Supplementing the web video also involved offering certain rewards for investors, such as unlimited juice and t-shirts. The timing of the video, believe it or not, also plays a key role.

Launching a campaign during the Christmas season, for example, would have been a disadvantage because people are less likely to fund projects during months of high consumer activity. Transition seasons such as fall and spring are ideal because crowds are more open to putting their money towards new and exciting ventures.

Another tactic to increase awareness of a Kickstarter campaign is to give money to friends and family for them to contribute. By already having some funding viewable on the site, incoming audiences will see that this is a project others believe in, which reduces the perceived risk of supporting it.

Above all, though, seeing the face of the client, hearing her speak, and getting to know her story will, ultimately, be the most important factor. The personalization offered by a video is second only to actually shaking her hand, making the audience feel like this is someone they know, trust, and wish to help.