What is your proposed "route to market" (e.g. licensing the technology to others, joint venture with another company, manufacture in-house)? What market share are you aiming for and how long do you think it will take to get there. Do you have the required marketing skills in your team to support your "route to market"? You should also explain what stage you are at in terms of formulating plans for the best approach to get your idea into the market. Please note that we are asking here for a general description of your strategy; we ask later on (Q7.3) for information on actual and projected sales.
My aim with regards to re-mixable film is to be the first at the distribution stage, and assume a market share greater than 50%. The ultimate aim is to become the market leader by effectively creating the market with SANCTUARY within two years and then regaining temporary domination with "ten weeks in the head bin" two years after that.
The plan is to capitalise on the strengths of the open source model for film-making. By this I mean that the plan is less about ongoing market domination but more about an open process of establishing a sustainable quality brand of story-telling and attracting key partnerships that allow ambitious ideas to developed. The ideas I want to explore need the backing of major publishers to reach a global market.
The confidence with which I aim to pursue this ambition is part of the proposition. The market (made up of consumers and producers) will have a roadmap by which they can also embark on similar story-telling journeys in conjunction with development studios. The distinguishing factor will be my original content.
The key steps on the way to distribution and sales are as follows:
The team will require marketing support to get the re-mixable film product to get it to market in the best possible manner. The strategy for this will be to secure the right strategic partners, after stringent selection, once funding for the initial development phase is in place. Ongoing discussions with film producers and game publishers are helping to clarify the appropriate route and the marketing task required once the demo is complete.
"What's the Story?" events and documentary will be used as a drawcard for the best Advertising and PR skills. Individuals who have previous experience in marketing "interactive movie" titles will be sought out to make contributions to these events so this will be an opportunity to get support for this project.
Talks are already underway with partners that have strong marketing experience and with whom the project shares mutual interests (e.g. Criterion Software).
The research done this year suggests that there is more marketing expertise available for good ideas than good ideas ready for marketing. That is why the focus of the project team is to create a work worthy of causing a stir on the short film festival circuit. The film, and subsequent DVD, will cause the necessary buzz to attract the interest of a major partner for whom the re-mixable idea (once demonstrated) can be commercially successful on a larger scale. This route is all about creating a quality brand that is focused on the creative gestation and implementation of fresh interactive ideas.
A distribution deal for the pilot DVD (SANCTUARY) is intended. The plan is to retain key team members to develop other projects, but licensing or selling the IP to a major studio.
Preliminary discussions have been had with game, film, press and online industry representatives sufficient to suggest that the overall approach is not only viable but will eventually be acknowledged publicly as an alternative development path for interactive entertainment.
okay. candid and quite detailed. just need to chose words carefully - e.g. 'marketing strategy/implementation will be subject to identifying partner after stringent selection ..' etc. at moment you use a language which puts you more in 'supplicant' category than of empowered, confident, 'in demand'... etc.
Posted by: alading at November 12, 2003 04:03 PMFrom Mish "Is it realistic to plan for Market domination with a 2nd title 3 yrs after sanctuary?? (long time. Maybe enough time for huge competitors to overtake)"
Posted by: .M. at November 20, 2003 11:41 AM