The power of celebrity is something that everyone should seek to bring to their Kickstarter. Two semi-recent projects illustrated this so hear us out. We promise that if you are interested in crowdfunding this will be interesting.
The Tokaido Kickstarter and Lack of Fame
People really loved the concept of Tokaido and we do as well. However with the huge publicity and lack of a celebrity figure for people to worship they have had a lot of complaints.
As you can see this is just one of many people canceling their pledge over shipping which is reasonable. Here are a few other reasons people were canceling which are less reasonable (check these yourself if they sound odd):
- Not having the right ratio of painted to unpainted minis
- Not shipping everything in a big wooden box
- Not shipping everything in the mock up boxes
- Not liking the promotional art after pledging
- The art and designs
- Spelling the word Kickstarter wrong on a promotional piece
These also came with a host of other complaints which were rather silly. To their credit they handled it very well. However to this day it still stands out as one of the most tumultuous and dramatic projects in crowdfunding that we have seen.
The Source of Tokaido Complaints
They had no celebrity status among the creators that people would just accept. You might think of Fun Forge as a company you like at some point but you don’t think of the people running it. Not convinced yet? Good. Don’t believe anything without evidence. Here is our next example for you:
The Sad Pictures for Children Kickstarter
After having the project massively over-funded it seemed the creator went through some sort of existential crisis. He burned over 100 copies of a book he had pledged to get out and then posted a video of it.
The Unexpected Results
Was there a massive outcry for his head? Not except from a minority who were shouted down. More common were people encouraging him in his life and wishing him well despite the event.
If someone less well known and respected had done this backers would have clamored for their head in droves. We are not saying that is right or wrong, it just is. We’re also not here to bash him because we all know that has been done enough in the press already. But from this event we learn one more thing:
The Power of Celebrity is Vital and Clear
We all grow attached to those who make us happy. This medium is no different. The fond memories of when someone cheered us up with a comic or podcast stay in our hearts. No matter who it is we give people more power and respect if they have had an emotional impact on our lives. Kickstarter is no different.
A Profound Kickstarter Truth
If you have an adoring fanbase or even worshipful audience then your project will be much easier than someone without it. This is just a fact. Think about it yourself and think for yourself after reading this.
Tokaido vs Sad Children
While Tokaido certainly had some celebrities on the internet endorse it they weren’t seen as part of the project itself. The author on Sad Children was seen as the biggest part of his project. Therefore they got some very different reactions and became the perfect object lesson.
What to Learn
We believe you will come to the same conclusion. Try to gather the same power to your own projects. Realize why some projects have more power over your buying than others. And overall be better informed.
