also published in Photizo io360
Observations: Kickstarting the Printed Blog
I have been a long-time follower of TPB and its adventures
“swimming upstream,” at least in the minds of some, as a print-centric
publication making a go of it in today’s world. One of my favorite topics over
the nearly seven years I have been doing my monthly Observations column
has been an irregular series on Karp and TPB, first covered here in April 2009.
(That piece followed significant attention for TPB in the general media.)
Describing TPB’s efforts as the “Ultimate Countertrend”,
I related founder Karp’s passion for print and his business aspirations. I
followed up with a piece on TPB ceasing publication in 2010, then rebirth andexpansion (via technology license) to Russia and Portugal in 2011, along with anew one-page print product, The Top Sheet.
Expanding on plans for the $25,000, Karp explained to
potential pledgers on the Kickstarter site, “It will be used to begin the production of a 3-issue series of The Printed
Blog, which includes content gathering, printing, mailing, and the paying of
our wonderful bloggers and photographers $50 for their published contributions
(more as our budget increases!). You will also be funding our publicity and the
development of non-invasive advertising contracts to allow The Printed Blog to
become a self-sustaining publication.”
My interest in Kickstarter goes back some time, too, by
first participating in several projects (iPad-related accessories) beginning in
early 2011. In March, 2012, hard copy got into the act, and I blogged (over on
the Lyra Insider blog) about the “hot
combination” of Kickstarter, and Instagram-inspired Instaprint, a printing
solution for Instagram photos (see “Instaprint – Hot Combination Includes Print”,
).
Instaprint’s creator was seeking $500,000 to roll out a shippable version of
their product, which had been shown off in prototype mode to positive reviews.
This Kickstarter project, unlike my iPad-related ventures, fell quite a bit
short of its goal, and from Instagram’s creator, Breakfast, per their website (http://breakfastny.com/), is word that they
are now pursuing a rental model.
According to a recent analysis by Micheal Wolf of GigaOm, a good indicator for success is when a project gets
to 20 percent funding, and 30 percent is even better. Says Wolf, “Talking to
crowdsourcing platforms, some believe once you cross 30 percent funded threshold,
it gains momentum by moving outside of your own personal network and attracts
strangers.” This is mindful of the sociologically-based theory of “The Strength
of Weak Ties,” and when I look at my Kickstarter “backer history” (to use their
terminology), most were spurred by media coverage, outside direct communication
with the companies or Kickstarter itself (Instaprint being the exception,
discovered via one of Kickstarter’s e-mail newsletters.)
And as long as we are checking in, what else is new with
TPB, outside the Kickstarter initiative? A couple of months back, I had been in
touch with Karp on his requests for information on printers capable of producing
substantial runs of the firm’s Top Sheet.
According to Karp, “We went with the Ricoh Aficio 8200DN. We’re publishing The
Top Sheet at two locations [in the Chicago area, at] 1,000 copies, twice a
week. We’ve started to get a bunch of advertiser inquiries, too (we’ve run a
few paid ads already). I’m hopeful that we’ll be cash flow positive for five
days a week at two locations in about four weeks. After that, we’ll
aggressively expand to other locations. By next year at this time, we’ll be the
highest daily circulation print newspaper in Cook County.”
The TPB project is well short of its $25,000 goal in just a
few days, and in fact well short of the 20 percent and 30 percent marks, as
well. But best of luck to The Printed Blog with its
Kickstarter initiative and other endeavors. I have a feeling you will be
reading more about them here, in the future.
Full disclosure department: As with the Instagram
Kickstarter initiative, I am “in” with The Printed Blog, as a backer. The
mechanics of Kickstarter offer various pledging levels for each project, with
some “perks” at each level. In the case of The Printed Blog, I pledged $100,
which, if and when the effort reaches its goal, I get a TPB t-shirt and “a
unique postcard collage made from words and images from our magazine!” Other
levels included some preferential editorial treatment for writers in the TPB
itself, but I figured I have enough editorial coverage already.
Jim is a regular contributor of news and analysis and the
author of a monthly column, Observations, for the Imaging Observer 360, in
addition to serving as co-director of Photizo’s Digital Workflow Transformation
Advisory Service. He also blogs and tweets on developments in the printer
industry. In addition, Jim is a faculty member at the University of Phoenix,
teaching marketing and economics in the school’s MBA program. Past columns,
links, and other musings may be found at http://www.jimlyonsobservations.com/.
Follow Jim on Twitter, @jflyons.
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