May 25, 2006
more prints!
Due to the whole Stormhoek Geek Dinner thing I've spent a lot of time in the past few weeks, signing prints.
On a mundane level, it's the most tedious job I've had in years. Print after print after print. Neverending. Ouch.
But at the same time, there's something quite Zen about it I like. There's also something about getting the work out there in non-digital form that I find very fulfilling.
So here's an idea I'm pitching around the Stormhoek boys, in order to get more signed prints "out there":
How about if, as well as being able to download high-resolution images off gapingvoid, I also started making more signed, fine art prints available, to anyone who wanted one?
How about, instead of charging you money for the print, we had a similar arrangement to the one we have with the high-resolution downloads i.e. How about if we gave them to you for free, with a "gentleman's agreement" that if you ever came across a bottle of Stormhoek in your local supermarket, you'd consider giving it a try?
Stormhoek would pay for the prints, my "readers" would get to hang them on their walls, the costs would hopefully be covered by new Stormhoek conversations and new business being generated.
I think the whole thing could possibly work quite well, as both a commercial proposition and an interesting marketing case study.
Thoughts?
Posted by hugh macleod at May 25, 2006 1:41 PM | TrackBackTotally. I want one!
Posted by: Dan Zarrella at May 25, 2006 3:18 PMHugh:
I would love to have a personally signed fine art print. But that's ny why I'm posting.
I REALLY want to try Storhoek. Living in flyover country (Milwaukee, WI) I know I have to be patient, but that's what I'm really waiting for.
So, I guarantee if I see a bottle in my local supermarket, liquor store or laying on the sidewalk, you can be assured that I'll be picking it up.
Posted by: Kevin Behringer at May 25, 2006 3:21 PMsign me up! you know I'm looking for the wine already, so the print is more of a bonus for my patience (tell them to send some to south jersey)
Posted by: yahaira at May 25, 2006 3:22 PMWill this offer apply to those who have already become regular Stormhoek drinkers? In any case, sign me up.
Posted by: pb. at May 25, 2006 3:29 PMNext thing I have to build: a Frappr map showing people where stormhoek is available in the USA...
Yes, of course Stormhoek drinkers would be eligable.
Sounds like a great idea - it might salve my disappointment at not having the t-shirts readily available!
What timeframe for Stormhoek in Australia?
Posted by: Ric at May 25, 2006 3:37 PMSounds too good to be true for those who get the prints, and too bad to be true for Hugh's signing hand.
Andrew, selfishly signing up.
I'd love to participate, what a great idea.
Posted by: Fraser at May 25, 2006 3:57 PMHugh,
Been reading this space for quite some time now! Thought i'd express my appreciation & let you know you totally rock. Although you need to be careful with your biz-related-cartoons; you just might end up as a management guru ;-))
Got a bottle of Stormhoek from Threshers in UK, but haven't tried it out yet!
Cheers
P.S. - May I have a print please? Will pay for postage (I'm in UK). Do you also sell these? In which case could you please direct me to the appropriate place to buy them from?
Posted by: Just Mohit at May 25, 2006 4:02 PMYeah Just, if it gets too popular we may have to ask people to pay for the shipping & handling themselves. Paypal or something. I don't mind making and signing the prints for free, but after a while S&H gets prohibitive.
I don't think that's too unreasonable...
Posted by: Hugh MacLeod at May 25, 2006 4:05 PMI agree that's reasonable. I definitely want a print and I can't wait for that Frapper Map so I can try this stuff. Cheers!
Posted by: Andrew Toomey at May 25, 2006 4:09 PMAs a keen Stormhoek drinker, I'd love one please.
Posted by: Simon at May 25, 2006 4:12 PMGreat idea! I'll display one in my office at work where it will get much more exposure.
Posted by: Joe Klehe at May 25, 2006 4:19 PMYes please. Where do I sign up?
Posted by: Dom at May 25, 2006 4:58 PMa frapr map sounds like a great idea and maybe it can be updated by people who spot it as well.
I don't think asking to ship in for s/h is too much at all
Posted by: yahaira at May 25, 2006 6:34 PMHugh - I'd ask recipients to discuss their trial of the wine as well. Then make it easy/fun for them to do it. Perhaps it's a blog created solely for that purpose...an online version of the Jet Blue story booth. Or perhaps you enclose a postcard for them to fill out and send back (old school, I know).
That makes it easier for you to measure and makes for a more equal exchange on the agreement imho.
The other benefit for recipients to do this is that they know you will start giving even more stuff away if it is successful.
Posted by: Kevin Dugan at May 25, 2006 6:44 PMHugh,
I'd certainly love a free print, and would be happy to pay postage for it as well.
I'll be trying Stormhoek as soon as I find some, of course, print or no.
Frappr map is a *very* good idea.
Posted by: john t unger at May 25, 2006 8:20 PMYo Hugh!
I attended a "Blogging for Business" seminar today in NYC hosted by Six Apart. It was sort of like Bloggging for (rich stripe-shirted boy) Dummies, but at one point they showed and talked about Stormhoek as a huge blogosphere success story and showed their website. I felt like jumping up and saying that I only knew of Stormhoek and had fuzzy feelings for it through seeing it on Gapingvoid.
But I said nothing and enjoyed the free grub.
But thought you might like to know that Dash and friends make Stormhoek their example of wild blog success.
Posted by: Susie at May 25, 2006 9:29 PMI would love to get a signed print. Free is great, but I would be more than willing to pay for it. I also like the idea of t-shirts. I suppose though I can make that happen on my own.
I live in Walla Walla, WA and we are not yet privileged to have Stormhoek around here. We do have some amazing wine here, but I would like to give Stormhoek a try. Any idea when it might arrive?
Posted by: Crystal Bradley at May 25, 2006 9:30 PMGiven that I already have some of your pictures printed out and up on the wall, I'd have no problem whatsoever with this arrangement. :-)
Alas, I actually want to hear about Stormhoek *in* Australia....
Posted by: Ben Hamilton at May 25, 2006 10:49 PMYes PLEASE!!
But please point me at Stormhoek in Toronto. Please.
Posted by: Lex at May 25, 2006 11:03 PMall over this - i think your work is brilliant (particularly the cheeky ones that comment on art, as that is my business), and i'd be more than pleased to hang some on my wall.
if/when Stormhoek makes it to Canada, nothing can stop me from trying a bottle, and plying it on all of my friends if i like it.
Posted by: silverfoot at May 25, 2006 11:22 PMI would certainly like a Gapinvoid print, although sadly I'm not in a country where I could reciprocate and buy Stormhoek.
The idea sounds very good; it is exactly a continuation of the work you have been doing for Stormhoek from the beginning, and that's a double-edged sword, because, don't you want to keep surprising people?
Posted by: Nia at May 25, 2006 11:55 PMyour cartoons amake me laugh every day! i send around to people i know will love them. signed prints would be SO cool among the other art we have!! and so would stormhoek wine be! sign me up
Posted by: anne at May 26, 2006 3:48 AMYay! I would love to have one! But what about countries that don't have Stormhoek (like Singapore)?
Why not let us pay, Hugh? For printing, shipping and even artistic fees (I'm praying not too much).
Posted by: Alvin at May 26, 2006 5:02 AMI just want to say that I appreciate the genuine trust you have in people. I don't know where it came from or how it remained intact considering we live on the same planet, but bravo.
Posted by: julien at May 26, 2006 5:09 AMIt is easy to want something for free.
I guess I am a party pooper. I watch your blog daily and don't know enough about wine to appreciate it (wine) yet...I'd like to though... Sure a bottle of wine and/or a free print - who would refuse?
Still, (I'm from the US where there is a commercial...) sounds like the gheko for geico...."free quotes that's like free pie and chips...its like pie and chips for free..." Anything free will be taken - talk ensues...that is the idea isn't it? Good on you - go go go...the previous comments indicate it will work.
The only question to ask is, "Who's talking?" Is this new folk (new buyers) or old folk wanting pie and chips for free?
I'd still love a bottle myself...haven't tried it - could if it was in the Seattle or Vancouver, BC (Canada) area - and I knew about it.....your cartoons are so much more accessible.
Sometimes I wish we had more of that old Hugh than the new super marketing Hugh....but it IS your life, of course. Isn't there a little room for art for art's sake? I'd like a comic for free...no marketing for the wine involved.
Sincerely,
Deb
(the Devil's advocate....yes my Bday this year is 6/6/06......maybe that explains it)
I think Deb makes a good point. Who wouldn't want a free print? However, it does make a point about the trust you hold in people.
As to paying for the S&H (and a bit for the print probably), how do you intend doing it Hugh? Paypal? Or through Stormhoek's website?
As you can see, I can't wait to get my grubby hands on the prints! ;-))
Posted by: Just Mohit at May 26, 2006 12:32 PMI'm thinking a Paypal widget would work pretty well... but there are lots of other options...
In terms of marketing, I've tried "Directly" [Here's a product, please give me your money] and "Indirectly" [Here's a product, please keep your money, however..."]
Methinks the latter works a lot better.
Posted by: Hugh MacLeod at May 26, 2006 1:00 PMHmmm, so when are you gonna put it up for sale?
And, can one order multiple prints?
I want some to gift my friends...to show them that despite me being the only non-software geek in the gang, my coolness quotient is high! (Pathetic, I know! But one gotta have something!)
Also, is there a particular print that we end up getting, or is there a "surprise factor!"??
Posted by: Just Mohit at May 26, 2006 3:20 PMJust, I'm sure we'll have some sort of option for the folk who want multiple prints...
Posted by: hugh macleod at May 26, 2006 3:31 PMHugh, I haven't seen any Stormhoek in Chicago yet, but I will pick some up. Is it available in Germany or Italy? I'd like to take some to winemakers I'm visiting. And a print for my walls...
Posted by: Anthony Nicalo at May 26, 2006 10:46 PMHi Hugh
I have to say I love the way you always take the conversations and the trust with your customers a step further - I mean this is unheard of. You are gonna give something of value to your customers for free - and then just count on them to give you something back in due time? I understand why you don't like "branding" and are more into markets :-)
BTW I am doing a small winetasting thing at reboot - thursday afternoon - could you please bring a bottle? Normal procedure would be that you would have to bring a bottle of ENGLISH wine - but I guess not?
Looking forward to see you thursday here in Copenhagen!
Posted by: Trine-Maria at May 27, 2006 4:59 PMWe had lower than expected attendance on Wednesday night, so I've got about 20 leftover posters (and the little brochures). I don't have the bandwidth to ship them individually, but if someone wants the lot, I'll stick 'em in the mail (US only).
Posted by: RichW at May 27, 2006 7:40 PMI think there is too much risk that you would soon get pissed off with freeloaders (even if just subconciously).
How about offering a free signed print in return for a hand-drawn cartoon (geek theme?), sent to you by snail mail?
You would get some excellent laughs, and you could scan and post them up to a website for everyone's pleasure. As well as limiting the number to those that are motivated enough!
Posted by: Morris at May 29, 2006 3:40 AMtest
Hugh - your spam filter hates me. *grin*
and RichW - i'd be keen to take those off your hands, but i live in Canada... does that work for you?
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