I remember the first post on Wheresspot where someone asked when agencies would start accepting DVDs (as opposed to 3/4″), somewhere back in 2000. At that time, home-burned DVDs still didn’t play reliably in DVD players, so the best way ways to replicate 500 or more. I also remember in 2003 hearing about the first agencies that stopped accepting 3/4″ altogether. Within 1 year, 3/4″ quickly disappeared… because NO ONE wanted to keep sending and schlepping those big ass tapes around anymore. But until that day, everyone kept saying “But agencies won’t accept anything besides 3/4″. Well, I believe we are in that transition period again. Recently two major agencies have declared that they will no longer receive DVDs and want ONLY online reels. Two years ago, the mix was 90% DVD and 10% Wiredrive reels. Now it’s 50%/50% and within 2 years it will be 10% DVDs and 90% Wiredrive Reels. Mark my words! All it takes is a few brave agencies and the rest will follow. We have seen this shift accelerate within the last few weeks - people who three months ago were wondering why they needed online reel delivery capabilities are now calling for favors to get work sent immediately.

We recently heard from a client this great story regarding the change in messenger vs. online reel delivery. His Messenger Service called him a month ago, wondering if he was using another competing service?

——

Client - What’s bothering you?

Messenger Service - From last july to this july your business has dropped 50%. Have you started using someone else?

Client - Well, I’ll be honest with you, you are still our only messenger. In the last year we are sending out materials online a lot (using Wiredrive). People don’t want to wait for hard copies. They’d rather forward an email, especially so THEY don’t have to pay for FedEx. Right now, we are about 50/50 in links vs. DVD, so it makes sense that business has dropped by half. 

This isn’t just for clients in Europe and NY. It’s some place that is 3 miles away who would rather have it in a more convenient form. Our clients want to send the Wiredrive reel to the Agency and the Director and they don’t want to pay for FedEx. The only guys who want DVDs are picky directors looking for the full quality image. 

Client - The messenger wasn’t happy to hear that. 

——-

The last thought on the matter is our old, poor environment… why send your printed, stamped and FedEx’d reel to an agency when you can post it online? No jet fuel expended. No plastics used for pressing disks, packaging materials and other soon-to-be-landfill stuff. And a bonus kicker… you get your work there in time in the format the producer WANTs to see it in and maybe land a new job. What’s not to like

Till next time,

Bill

This entry was posted on Tuesday, November 27th, 2007 at 12:35 am and is filed under Green. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.