Confusing packaging? at DVinfo.net

Chris Davis · May 18th, 2006, 02:12 PM

So I've created a demo video and burned it onto business-card style printable CD-R. It will play in most DVD players, and in any computer with Windows 98 or higher. I then put them in a plastic sleeve that is attached to a postcard sized piece of literature. It's looks very nice and is designed to be given out in bridal shops and places like that.

Well, I've heard from more than one person that they were confused by the CD. One guy never watched it because he thought he needed an "adapter" for the disc. Another person was confused, but eventually put it in her DVD player.

I guess I thought business card style CD-R's were fairly prevalent, so I was surprised at the initial reactions...

Anyone else use mini CD-R or business card style CD-R?

Here's a scan of the back of my postcard:
http://www.famousdavis.net/images/postcard.jpg

Vincent Croce · May 18th, 2006, 03:37 PM

No Chris, don't use 'em but would like to! Where'd you pick those up?
Thanks, Vin

Jonathan Jones · May 18th, 2006, 05:02 PM

I have had 1 or 2 of these sent to me by vendors advertising their products. Pretty snazzy packaging, but given how many various media promo items I have seen, I have to admit that I haven't seen very many of this style...and I work in the industry...so I can understand the confusion by Joe and Jane Schmoe in not knowing what to do with it.

As another point, some of my players are tray drives without the cut-out or the center hub, and thusly will not accept mini-cd's, mini-dvd's and the like, and many computing systems being manufactured these days (as are the ones I work with) are moving to slot load drives, which also do not take these kinds of discs. In fact, if someone attempts to run one of these discs in a slot load drive....Big Mistake, and likely repair costs to extract it.
-Jon

Jonathan Jones · May 18th, 2006, 05:05 PM

..forgot to add, this style has played fine in my older windows box though. And that is just a standard run-of-the mill tray drive. No problems. Never figured out why I couldn't get it going on any of my DVD players though. Could be just the machine.
-Jon

Rick Steele · May 18th, 2006, 05:11 PM

The confusion stems from the fact that nobody uses them. (Ok, sure enough, somebody will chime in here and say, "I do!", so I'll say *almost* nobody).

Throw the damned things out. With the cost of a full-sized CD down to a few cents what's the point? Space limitations? Because they're cute? I seriously doubt somebody is going to put the thing in their shirt pocket anyway.

And with the cost of DVD media really cheap, you should consider using this media for your demos instead and forget the "CD" compression codecs that do absolutely nothing to show your footage in true form.

The only case I've heard for putting video onto CD media vs. DVD is on the educational front. A lot of schools and universities still don't have DVD playback capabilities on their computers.

Just my 2 cents worth...

Vincent Croce · May 18th, 2006, 09:29 PM

Never have problems inserting mini disks into my Plextor slot load drive--not sure they would get jammed up with the bus. card type, though. I guess I just like the novelty of using them to replace standard bus. cards...I'm a sap for gimmicky stuff sometimes.

Chris Davis · May 19th, 2006, 07:01 AM

They are gimmicky, and that's why I like them...

I initially went with them because they fit perfect on the back of that card. It does make a nice looking handout, and it often gets a "wow, that's cool" reaction.

Plus, they are very easy for my wife to keep in her purse. You'd be amazed how many leads I get though my wife. They certainly generate more interest than a business card, even though some people don't know what the heck they are!

I picked them up at www.supermediastore.com. They are inkjet printable, although it's kind of tricky getting them aligned correctly on the printing tray.

Mike Oveson · May 19th, 2006, 08:30 AM

How about using the mini-DVDs? I know they're not AS cool as the business card style CD-R's, but they are compact and may get you more exposure. A potential client seeing a full disc (circular instead of the business card style with the cut-offs) and knowing that it's a DVD may encourage them to just pop it in and view your demo. Something to consider.

Peter Jefferson · May 19th, 2006, 09:08 AM

its allabout "WOW FACTOR" and IMO the wow should be on the finshed product, not the packaging..
i find that this sort of stuff SELLS if u add it to your packaging (ie offer a miniDVD highlights , or animated slideshow on miniDVD to hand out to guests or friends etc) I do this when i do SLideshows at receptions or SDE's and offer copies of these to the client on teh day, and they can hand them out during their speeches..
Free plug to 400-500 ppl.. ??yes please.. free and easy marketing which the client is paying for.. u cant get that kind of market penetration anywhere else.. especialy if theyre a youngish couple..

For demos, in the most basic of marketing terms, "keep it simple, stupid". Thats not an insult, but u must consider that some people really are stupid..

Vincent Croce · May 19th, 2006, 10:35 AM

Thanks for the link, Chris. I'm going to give them a shot...
Vin

May 18th, 2006, 02:12 PM	#1
Chris Davis Trustee Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Willmar, MN Posts: 1,400	Confusing packaging? So I've created a demo video and burned it onto business-card style printable CD-R. It will play in most DVD players, and in any computer with Windows 98 or higher. I then put them in a plastic sleeve that is attached to a postcard sized piece of literature. It's looks very nice and is designed to be given out in bridal shops and places like that. Well, I've heard from more than one person that they were confused by the CD. One guy never watched it because he thought he needed an "adapter" for the disc. Another person was confused, but eventually put it in her DVD player. I guess I thought business card style CD-R's were fairly prevalent, so I was surprised at the initial reactions... Anyone else use mini CD-R or business card style CD-R? Here's a scan of the back of my postcard: http://www.famousdavis.net/images/postcard.jpg

May 18th, 2006, 05:02 PM	#3
Jonathan Jones Trustee Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Healdsburg, California Posts: 1,138	I have had 1 or 2 of these sent to me by vendors advertising their products. Pretty snazzy packaging, but given how many various media promo items I have seen, I have to admit that I haven't seen very many of this style...and I work in the industry...so I can understand the confusion by Joe and Jane Schmoe in not knowing what to do with it. As another point, some of my players are tray drives without the cut-out or the center hub, and thusly will not accept mini-cd's, mini-dvd's and the like, and many computing systems being manufactured these days (as are the ones I work with) are moving to slot load drives, which also do not take these kinds of discs. In fact, if someone attempts to run one of these discs in a slot load drive....Big Mistake, and likely repair costs to extract it. -Jon __________________ "Are we to go on record, sir, with our assertion that the 'pink hearts, yellow moons, orange stars, and green clovers' are, in point of fact', magically delicious?" - Walter Hollarhan before the House Subcommittee on Integrity in Advertising - May, 1974

May 18th, 2006, 05:05 PM	#4
Jonathan Jones Trustee Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Healdsburg, California Posts: 1,138	..forgot to add, this style has played fine in my older windows box though. And that is just a standard run-of-the mill tray drive. No problems. Never figured out why I couldn't get it going on any of my DVD players though. Could be just the machine. -Jon __________________ "Are we to go on record, sir, with our assertion that the 'pink hearts, yellow moons, orange stars, and green clovers' are, in point of fact', magically delicious?" - Walter Hollarhan before the House Subcommittee on Integrity in Advertising - May, 1974

May 18th, 2006, 03:37 PM	#2
Vincent Croce Major Player Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Fort Myers, FL Posts: 263	No Chris, don't use 'em but would like to! Where'd you pick those up? Thanks, Vin

May 18th, 2006, 05:11 PM	#5
Rick Steele Major Player Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Denver, Colorado USA Posts: 654	The confusion stems from the fact that nobody uses them. (Ok, sure enough, somebody will chime in here and say, "I do!", so I'll say almost nobody). Throw the damned things out. With the cost of a full-sized CD down to a few cents what's the point? Space limitations? Because they're cute? I seriously doubt somebody is going to put the thing in their shirt pocket anyway. And with the cost of DVD media really cheap, you should consider using this media for your demos instead and forget the "CD" compression codecs that do absolutely nothing to show your footage in true form. The only case I've heard for putting video onto CD media vs. DVD is on the educational front. A lot of schools and universities still don't have DVD playback capabilities on their computers. Just my 2 cents worth...

May 18th, 2006, 09:29 PM	#6
Vincent Croce Major Player Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Fort Myers, FL Posts: 263	Never have problems inserting mini disks into my Plextor slot load drive--not sure they would get jammed up with the bus. card type, though. I guess I just like the novelty of using them to replace standard bus. cards...I'm a sap for gimmicky stuff sometimes.

May 19th, 2006, 07:01 AM	#7
Chris Davis Trustee Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Willmar, MN Posts: 1,400	They are gimmicky, and that's why I like them... I initially went with them because they fit perfect on the back of that card. It does make a nice looking handout, and it often gets a "wow, that's cool" reaction. Plus, they are very easy for my wife to keep in her purse. You'd be amazed how many leads I get though my wife. They certainly generate more interest than a business card, even though some people don't know what the heck they are! I picked them up at www.supermediastore.com. They are inkjet printable, although it's kind of tricky getting them aligned correctly on the printing tray.

May 19th, 2006, 08:30 AM	#8
Mike Oveson Major Player Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Ogden, UT Posts: 349	How about using the mini-DVDs? I know they're not AS cool as the business card style CD-R's, but they are compact and may get you more exposure. A potential client seeing a full disc (circular instead of the business card style with the cut-offs) and knowing that it's a DVD may encourage them to just pop it in and view your demo. Something to consider.

May 19th, 2006, 09:08 AM	#9
Peter Jefferson Inner Circle Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Aus Posts: 3,884	its allabout "WOW FACTOR" and IMO the wow should be on the finshed product, not the packaging.. i find that this sort of stuff SELLS if u add it to your packaging (ie offer a miniDVD highlights , or animated slideshow on miniDVD to hand out to guests or friends etc) I do this when i do SLideshows at receptions or SDE's and offer copies of these to the client on teh day, and they can hand them out during their speeches.. Free plug to 400-500 ppl.. ??yes please.. free and easy marketing which the client is paying for.. u cant get that kind of market penetration anywhere else.. especialy if theyre a youngish couple.. For demos, in the most basic of marketing terms, "keep it simple, stupid". Thats not an insult, but u must consider that some people really are stupid..

May 19th, 2006, 10:35 AM	#10
Vincent Croce Major Player Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Fort Myers, FL Posts: 263	Thanks for the link, Chris. I'm going to give them a shot... Vin