When DollarShaveClub.com recently unveiled its launch video (see below), the blogosphere fell over itself, calling it the “best startup video ever”.
Yes, it’s funny, entertaining, unique and captivating. Yes, it has attracted more than 3.5 million views on YouTube, been tweeted 7,586 times and earned the startup nearly 12,000 Twitter followers.
But it is really the best startup launch video ever or, for that matter, that good?
As someone who loves videos and has worked with many startups to create them, it’s my take the buzz about DollarShaveClub.com’s video is completely over the top.
The fawning, bubbly coverage is a result of a machine (the blogosphere) that jumps on new and interesting developments, and then turns on the hype machine to make them the “best ever” or, for that matter, “the worst ever”.
As blogs try to differentiate themselves amid ever-growing competition, writing uber-bubbly posts is a great way to attract the spotlight. And, let’s be honest, it’s a lot easier to put together a positive blog post about a minute and a half video than it is to write an in-depth review of a new service and how its works.
At the same time, Web users love quick, easy and funny content because there is little work in watching a short video. Combine that with user-friendly social media promotion tools, and the hype machine can be sparked up instantly.
What do you think? Is DollarSaveClub.com’s video the best launch video ever? What are some other videos that you would rank being particularly impressive.?
Tags: blogosphere, dollarshaveclub.com, video
There’s one measure that counts: Return on Investment.
Did the video drive sales? If it did, it was successful although admittedly, the video can’t be considered in isolation, because pricing and sales experience affect that ability to convert video-driven traffic into sales and profit. Did the video generate a base of prospective buyers? It appears it did, and that counts too, but really only at the point that those people become customers.
Social measures, alone, aren’t enough.
Seth: Good points. At the end of the day, “success” can be defined in lots of ways. Based on the buzz about the video and potential business it generates, the video has been a success. But is it the best ever? I think it’s hype, at least for now. Thanks for the comment. Mark