Should we rethink dinner videos?
Michael Pollock
gala really make a difference to the level of giving? What is the
return on your investment? How many of them are in fact just rather
costly vanity pieces?
The video is a "lean back" form of communication. The descriptor
"lean-back" was formed to contrast TV with the computer where the user
"leans forward" and engages - interacts - with what is on the screen.
Your gala audience is in the middle of dinner - or picking at the
rolls or starting on the coffee. When the video comes on they lean
back - they don't engage with it. They have been interrupted in the
midst of a conversation - whether by the video or the speech that
preceded it. They didn't come to the dinner to see the video - or
even to hear the speeches. Why they did come is a whole other
discussion, but they didn't leave home saying "I hope they have a good
video - I'm looking forward to that." So really it's just a
commercial during the event. And we know how people view commercials:
they lean back.
More on this anon - but what do you think? Do they work for you?
Michael Pollock
"Who is it for?" and "What do you want them to do?" Cyrano has
conceived and produced some dinner videos. When the lights went up
after one was shown, someone turned to the ED and said "Do I have a
donor for you". This was a good thing.
I suspect that event organizers have a check list and on that list is
a space for The Video. And so someone orders up a video. Without
necessarily knowing why. I know that an ED recently asked me why all
the filmmakers she was talking to assumed that they would be taping
interviews with talking heads. They discussed the format before they
had an idea of the idea. And the format they were assuming was the
same old, same old one.
So let's really know that we need one. Let's really think about what
it is for and whether it's worth the cost. Think very hard about what
the message should be and keep it simple . And then let it tell a
simple story that will move the people you want to move. Or better
yet, it could be integrated into the larger message of the event and
work together with other elements to persuade the captive and leaning-
back audience. Making it a part of the larger scheme of things may
even get those leaners back to lean forward.
On May 29, 9:42 am, Michael Pollock <eloque...@cyranoproject.org>
wrote:
Robb High
Anything less than "very" is usually a waste of $$.
The reality about "gala's"
- They are used as the primary fund-raising device for "board-
centric" charities (hospitals and museums vs. things like Greenpeace,
United Way, etc.)
- 98% of the people are there because they are connected to one of
the several "social/business networks;" the social network at the
heart of any given charity is usually "anchored" by 1-5 key board
members who generally are high-profile wealthy individuals.
- Typically the gala "honors" someone; being "honored" is code for
volunteering to call in favors from all of your friends and business
associates to "buy" tables and journal ads.
- Often the tables are sold 2-3 times, i.e., the "buyers" pay, but
indicate they will not be coming, or will only be bringing 1-2 people
for the 10-person table.
- Usually only a core minority attending the gala are true sustaining
supporters of the charity; the rest are simply their because of their
social/business connection.
- The best gala's in the eyes of the attendees are ones where (1)
they can talk with the fiends/associates who invited them and (2)
which are mercifully short; long presentations/speeches, etc., keep
people from wanting to attend.
Jose...@gmail.com
It's completely consistent with my experience. So...if the real value
of a gala is in the social networking that is begun and reinforced, a
video or any other communication artifiact might be seen in that
context.
People often need help in sharing the story the organization is
telling. The sharing of the story also validates, to themselves, the
impulse to contirbute. A video posted to YouTube can be shared through
email. Just paste in the link in message.
Another possibility is to give people a "gift" for attending. This
might be a DVD in a nice package, or sometimes a book - ( only if it
is easy to carry). If it were a DVD, it might be a good way to sell
advertising to sponsors, either by putting their ads on the packaging
or maybe including their videos on the same DVD.
ma...@see3.net
of their communications strategy, and often we are creating videos for
an upcoming event. As mentioned previously, the video at the event is
most effective when it ties in with the other communications of the
organization. As to showing at the event itself, often existing
constituents bring potential constituents as their guests. The video
is as much to tell new people about the organization as it is to
reinforce the commitment and involvement of those existing
stakeholders. While there is value in the event video, we encourage
our clients to consider their use of video as more than a one-time
event and to start creating a video archive. Rather than just paying
for a 5-8 minute video that will be shown once and put on a shelf,
clients can have the captured footage repurposed into smaller segments
- from 30 seconds to 3 minutes - that can be used on their website,
inform constituents about the event, create awareness, recruit new
members, volunteers or sponsors - and so on. These smaller pieces, as
well as the event video, can be posted not only to their website, but
to social networking sites like YouTube to broaden their reach. And,
nonprofits should continually to document the work they do so they
aren't always starting from zero. The Chronicle of Philanthropy
recently published an evaluation of gala events which created a lot of
back and forth on the effectiveness of an event as a fundraiser, but
that's a whole other ball of wax.
ste...@aol.com
for. Especially the opportunity to introduce "new constituents"
through a medium that can be -- if it is done well -- both entertaining
and explanatory as well as inspiring. The guests usually have to sit
through a lot of talking heads in dark suits at these events, and the
video can be a welcome break. We have also used parts of our gala
videos on our website if there were no talent issues.
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Tamara
Mary was right on target. Who attends and whether galas are worth all
the work, money, etc. is beside the point. A short video -- 3 to 5
minutes tops -- can be very effective in telling a story. It should
be produced with an eye to other uses and as another tool for pr and
fundraising efforts. If shown at the right time - perhaps after the
appetizer -- you might get 80% of the room's attention. As to raising
money - who knows? What you want is to make people aware of the
organization's mission.
Tamara
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