50+ thinkers and planners within MSLGROUP share and discuss inspiring projects on corporate citizenship, crowdsourcing and storytelling on the MSLGROUP Insights Network. Every week, we pick up one project and do a deep dive into conversations around it -- on the MSLGROUP Insights Network itself but also on the broader social web -- to distill insights and foresights. We share these insights and foresights with you on our People’s Insights blog and compile the best insights from the network and the blog in the iPad-friendly People’s Lab Quarterly Magazine, as a showcase of our capabilities. This week, our topic is Kickstarter. For more, see: http://peopleslab.mslgroup.com

1. crowdsourcing | storytelling | citizenship
People‟s Insights: Volume 1, Issue 28
Kickstarter

2. What is Kickstarter?
Kickstarter is a crowdfunding platform, empowering artists and
engineers to raise funds from individuals. Since 2009, Kickstarter has
helped raise more than $250 million for more than 24,000 projects.
kickstarter.com/start
“
“[Kickstarter is] a place where artists and engineers can connect with the
people in direct peer-to-peer relationships who aren‟t just buying
entertainment, they‟re helping make dreams a reality.
- Mike Bulajewski, User Experience Designer, Mr Tea Cup

3. Getting funded
Kickstarter recommends that projects be realistic and well-defined in
terms of scope, budget, funding goal and funding deadlines. Projects
that offer rewards to backers have greater chance of success.
kickstarter.com/projects/420606009/fight-for-space-space-program-and-nasa-documentary

4. Strictly for creative projects
Kickstarter does not allow funding for causes, charities or „fund-my-life‟
projects. Projects must fall under specific categories, including film,
music and design, and have a tangible result (example: music album).
1) kickstarter.com/start
2) nytimes.com/2012/03/17/arts/kickstarter-and-artspire-as-models-of-arts-financing.html
3) boingboing.net/2012/03/15/using-kickstarter-to-make-fine.html

5. „All or nothing‟ funding
A project must meet its funding goal by a set deadline in order to receive
any funds. Kickstarter believes this “protects everyone involved,” as
projects with insufficient budgets are less likely to succeed.
“
“Once you add constraints, that‟s what happens. We want that to happen.
„Kickstarter project‟ has some specificity to it, just like a tweet.
– Peter Chen, Co-Founder, Kickstarter, NYTimes.com
kickstarter.com/discover/ending-soon

6. Notable projects funded on Kickstarter
1) mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/30/at-sundance-kickstarter-resembled-a-movie-
studio-but-without-the-egos/
2) core77.com/blog/business/scott_wilson_on_tiktoklunatiks_huge_kickstart_18032.asp
Two Academy-Award-nominated documentaries, art projects exhibited
in the Museum of Modern Arts, an iPod Nano watch, and 10% of films
submitted to Sundance got their start on Kickstarter.
LunaTik

7. What drives project starters and backers?
Broadly, project starters come to Kickstarter to give life to their creative
ideas, and backers come to support friends, give back to the community,
or commission creation of cool products they‟d like to own.
facebook.com/Kickstarter

8. Beyond funding - community
Kickstarter sees the platform as more than just a way to raise money.
It also connects starters with their audience and helps promote their
work. Most successful starters feel the same way.
Kickstarter.com/start
- Scott Wilson, Designer, LunaTik, Core77.com

9. Revenue model
Kickstarter takes a 5% cut of the money raised, and Amazon Payments,
the payment platform, takes an additional 3%-5%. While some say this
is too high, most argue that the value provided justifies the cut.
articles.businessinsider.com/2011-04-28/tech/30065679_1_kickstarter-funding-projects

10. Exponential rise in dollars pledged
While most successful Kickstarter projects receive less than $10,000, a
few crossed the six- and seven-digit mark in 2012. In March 2012,
Double Fine Adventure raised $1 million in under 24 hours.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kickstarter#Top_projects_by_funds_raised

11. Post funding – the work has just begun
Some people criticise the lack of accountability of projects once they are
funded, while others point out that artists now have to prove their
business mettle and deliver the product, and rewards, to their backers.
1) businessinsider.com/pebble-kickstarter-crowdfunding-delay-2012-7
2) twitter.com/neilhimself/status/204999882983997441

12. Legal and tax implications?
As the amounts raised cross six digits, and Kickstarter plans its UK
launch, industry watchers are pointing out the need for laws to
safeguard backers, and to clarify the tax status of the funding.
1) forbes.com/sites/suwcharmananderson/2012/05/23/kickstarters-sting-in-the-tail-tax/
2) mashable.com/2012/04/05/jobs-act-crowdfunding-startup/

13. Crowdfunding beyond Kickstarter
1) Comment from the Insights Network, MSLGroup Community
2) IndieGoGo.com
3) Taiwan crowdfunding platform www.zeczec.com
Platforms like IndieGoGo cater to more diverse projects including
„fund-my-health,‟ and are less restrictive regarding „all or nothing
funding‟. Overseas, zeczec.com caters to Taiwanese crowds.

14. More People’s Insights Weekly reports
For more reports, visit: peopleslab.mslgroup.com/peoplesinsights/
Every week, we dive into one topic for discussion on the MSLGROUP
Insight’s Network and discuss insights and foresights, in three key
areas: crowdsourcing, storytelling and citizenship.
Crowdsourcing
Mahindra Spark the Rise
Storytelling:
@MarsCuriosity
Citizenship
#Kony2012

15. Read People’s Lab insights and foresights
The People’s Lab team shares the insights and foresights from the
MSLGROUP Insights Network on the People’s Insights weekly blog and
the People’s Insights Quarterly magazine.
MSLGROUP Insights
Network
50+ MSLGROUP planners
share and discuss inspiring
projects on corporate
citizenship, crowdsourcing and
storytelling.
People’s Insights
weekly blog
We deep dive into
conversations around one
project -- on the MSLGROUP
Insights Network itself but also
on the broader social web -- to
distill insights and foresights.
People’s Insights
Quarterly magazine
Every quarter, we will compile
the best insights from the
network and the blog in the
iPad-friendly magazine, as a
showcase of our capabilities.
For more, visit http://peopleslab.mslgroup.com

16. Coming soon: People‟s Insights Annual
Report
In early January 2013 we will publish the People‟s Insights Annual
Report, in which we synthesize our insights from throughout 2012 and
provide foresights for business leaders and change-makers for 2013.

17. People’s Lab: Crowdsourcing Insights &
Innovation
People’s Lab is MSLGROUP’s proprietary crowdsourcing platform and
approach that helps organizations tap into people’s insight for
innovation, storytelling and change.
For more, visit http://peopleslab.mslgroup.com

18. For People’s Lab
solutions, contact
pascal.beucler@mslgroup.com