silvertrombone Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 So, Hop is giving facebook updates as corps perform. Kevin Gamin is doing the same thing. PR has PHINALLY put out some decent video and posts about what's going on. Granted, this is the first year facebook has been big, but youtube has been around a couple years now, so its good to finally see the activity jump on board...even if not everyone is there yet. It occurs to me that the Internet (fb/yt/twitter/etc) is the perfect opportunity for "lower" corps to really establish themselves and build a fan base. After all, if, say, Teal put about an hour a day of video on the web from various section and ensemble rehearsals, they'd be (I believe) putting out more content than ANY of the elites. Correct me if that is wrong. I mentioned this topic a week or so ago and it was kind of pooh-pooh'ed. Specifically, I asked when cell phones and maybe videos would begin popping up from local shows. OK, maybe the technology doesn't yet exist for that. But the twitter-style updates are pretty decent, and its not like DCI fans don't read, enjoy, keep up with and LOVE those simple, 144-character tweets. I'm not connected to all of the corps out there, so feel free to give updates on what the various corps are doing. In absence of seeing the corps live every day, seeing Troopers, Crossmen, Blue Knights and Teal online every day is the next best thing...and something tells me most of us would enjoy / are enjoying the use of technology. Keep it up, corps! Actually--STEP IT UP!! You're doing good...now do more...for all us obsessed Phans out in the nether regions! :-P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamarag Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 It occurs to me that the Internet (fb/yt/twitter/etc) is the perfect opportunity for "lower" corps to really establish themselves and build a fan base. After all, if, say, Teal put about an hour a day of video on the web from various section and ensemble rehearsals, they'd be (I believe) putting out more content than ANY of the elites. Correct me if that is wrong. I completely agree. It's a real shame that DCI doesn't give Open Class corps access to the Fan Network (for corps vids and viral stuff at least). I do know that Teal Sound, as you use in your example, will probably be releasing some audio and video pretty soon. The corps wants to wait until after the first show or three. I'll pass along your idea when I rejoin the corps tomorrow :) For those who are Twitter inclined, I'll Tweeting pretty regularly from the road, as I did last week during every-days. You can follow me as loudbrass on Twitter. I'll even reply to comments and questions as the season goes on, as best I can as a member of Teal's brass staff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cardman Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 I dont' read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevingamin Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 I dont' read. That explains a lot. I keed, I keed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Sutcliff Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 I'm only a 2nd year DCI parent, so my opinion may not count for much... but I believe DCI does a horrible job marketing it's product to the general public. Good quality video/photo/news from events are almost invisible to anyone unconnected to the corps. I for one, am happy places like YouTube & FaceBook contain some information. Tweeter updates from the competitions are also a welcome addition. I don't understand how an organization which is laying off employees and changing rules to attract new members, can be so adverse to the use of free publicity to expose it's product to the masses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kinigit Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 I'm only a 2nd year DCI parent, so my opinion may not count for much... but I believe DCI does a horrible job marketing it's product to the general public. Good quality video/photo/news from events are almost invisible to anyone unconnected to the corps. I for one, am happy places like YouTube & FaceBook contain some information. Tweeter updates from the competitions are also a welcome addition. I don't understand how an organization which is laying off employees and changing rules to attract new members, can be so adverse to the use of free publicity to expose it's product to the masses. Well, there's always the ESPN broadca..... Oh wait, no there isn't. And Kamarag, I TOTALLY agree with you. I never understood why all of DCI's member corps didn't share the spotlight from time to time! Maybe THAT would generate more member interest in those corps. Lord knows the top five don't need to recruit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peel Paint Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 I'm only a 2nd year DCI parent, so my opinion may not count for much... but I believe DCI does a horrible job marketing it's product to the general public. Good quality video/photo/news from events are almost invisible to anyone unconnected to the corps. I for one, am happy places like YouTube & FaceBook contain some information. Tweeter updates from the competitions are also a welcome addition. I don't understand how an organization which is laying off employees and changing rules to attract new members, can be so adverse to the use of free publicity to expose it's product to the masses. So volunteer to help them out. Seriously, if you know stuff about this stuff, email or call DCI and make an offer. IF they are cutting staff, they probably can't pay people or assign people to take on new tasks, so they need volunteer help with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Sutcliff Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 So volunteer to help them out. Seriously, if you know stuff about this stuff, email or call DCI and make an offer. IF they are cutting staff, they probably can't pay people or assign people to take on new tasks, so they need volunteer help with it. Trust me, if I could retire today & tour with my kid, I'd be at every show... doing whatever was needed. I did manage to make two events last year even though my son was only an alternate & not performing. I got some decent photographs from the cheap seats, pictures which were made available to everyone in his corps. I imagine there are parents just like me at every event producing similar online photo albums. Yet, seven events into this year's schedule, the 2009 photos section of DCI.org only contains "special events" photos & does not have a single image from one of this season's competitions. How on earth is the public supposed to know about the corps with that kind of media black out?! Digital cameras, digital recordings, instant uploading & web publishing... should mean the DCI product is being seen/heard by a much larger audience. My original point was that DCI seems stuck in a 1960's PR mode in the way it avoids using available technologies and mass media to aggressively advertise their product. Sadly, unless you are the parent/relative/band director of most of today's corps members, you aren't even aware DCI exists. Ed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liam Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 Ed -- I've been saying this for years!!!! Striking that you notice it after so short a time (relatively speaking). FYI, a couple of years ago, DCI made a much ballyhoo-ed announcement at one the Regionals (Altanta, I think) about "partnering" with some high-falootin' marketing firm (can't remember the name). They never explained what the partnership really was, but gave the impression that DCI was heading into the brave, new world of Marketing Magic!!! .... and then .... nothing. I can't figure out if DCI just doesn't get it when it comes to marketing, or if they don't even get that they don't get it, thereby thinking that they're actually doing great at it .... Either way, I've given up giving suggestions as they've fallen on deaf ears, apparently .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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