Case Study: How Industrial Design Students Develop Videos to Connect with Potential Investors and Promote Their Ideas

Abstract

The rise of crowdfunding websites such as Kickstarter and IndieGogo have had a significant impact on the business of Industrial Design. During the last ten years, industrial designers have been able to raise capital from online investors and donors to kick start their own projects. This phenomenon also had a significant impact on Industrial Design education. Students are now able to use these online platforms to test their ideas and eventually crowdfund their own projects after graduation.

Connecting directly with potential investors or donors is critical for the success of any design project. Popular platforms such as Kickstarter and Indiegogo allow designers to launch video campaigns that investors and donors can watch, evaluate and decide what type of project they want to support.

Industrial Design students and professionals typically rely on a combination of digital tools such as computer imagery/animations, 3D printed models and prototypes to communicate their ideas. Launching a video campaign online requires knowledge of all these tools plus basic understanding of video production, marketing, branding and entrepreneurship. Since the goal of any video campaign is to raise funds from investors, the campaign has to be engaging and easy to understand.

This case study will discuss the challenges and present solutions utilized by Industrial Design students to engage their online audiences. Students will use a blog to present a combined business and design plans. This research paper describes how Industrial Design students deliver campaign videos to promote their own brand.