You can either complain or do something about the problem: The choice is YOURS!

[Eric Sedletzky]

Lots of recreational activities spawn an industry. Anything that requires equipment or services or supplies will support businesses which sell that equipment or provide those services or supplies. My other hobby, horseback riding, is part of a huge industry composed of vets, farriers, feed stores, boarding facilities, trainers, instructors, breeders . . . I don't find that that means it's been commercialized. It just means that the rider is the top of a pyramid of economic activity. The same thing is true of diving -- shops sell training and gear, boats take divers out, resorts cater to divers, etc. Other than having us all make our own equipment, how else could it be?

You pretty much summed it up.

As soon as there is a support system for an activity, manufacuring, marketing, retail, other peripheral vested interests, you have an industry by definition.

 

[John A Lewis]

21 days left to support this effort to work towards interesting the public in, and getting involved with, the activity of scuba diving.

To all who have offered their pledge of support, I thank you.

To those still undecided, what will help you make that leap of faith? What do you still need to know to move you one way or another?

Remember, this is an All-or-Nothing campaign on Kickstarter. We don't make the goal, nothing is collected or disbursed.

Click the link in the signature line below to go to the Kickstarter Home page for Around the World Under the Sea.

Thank you.

 

[The Kraken]

I would tend to think that if one wants to promote diving, nowadays there is no greater billboard than FaceBook.

Broadcast your photos and diving experiences where a whole world of new, prospective divers await.

Just a thought . . .

Safe dives . . . . . .
. . . safer ascents !

the K

 

[John A Lewis]

Around the World Under the Sea Video 2 Kickstarter - YouTube

 

[Dr. Lecter]

John Lewis, the man driving through this project, has just been made a NASE Master Instructor! Congratulate him on this fine achievement.

Bob Dole called and said Bob Dole wants Bob Dole's shtick back.

More seriously/constructively, and in partial answer to your June 22nd post's question, I think the KS page design (as well as your KS avatar picture and the just-quoted comment) has a lack of polish, lack of nuance, and a ham-handedness to it that would be a turn-off even if I thought the idea was a good one. It's true (to some extent) that unless you toot your own horn, nobody's going to toot it for you...but this is just off-putting to me. The KS page overall has few updates, little substance, and zero polish/flare. That's harmfull directly, because it's not pulling people in and making them consider the idea, but it's also an indirect commentary on your apparent ability to make this media-based project a reality (much less a success).

Admittedly I'm already biased against the idea, but even if I wasn't I think you either need to hire a media consultant or bone up on making an effective KS campaign. This isn't it.

 

[chillyinCanada]

I can't get the video to run for me. Regardless, I'm unable to determine what will make this project any better or even as good as "Descending", which I'm very hopeful will return with new episodes.

 

[John A Lewis]

I can't get the video to run for me. Regardless, I'm unable to determine what will make this project any better or even as good as "Descending", which I'm very hopeful will return with new episodes.

Try it now.


Around the World Under the Sea Video 2 Kickstarter - YouTube

---------- Post added June 30th, 2014 at 11:17 PM ----------

B
Admittedly I'm already biased against the idea...

..which tells me all I need to know. You are opposed to this effort. That is your prerogative.

I cannot fathom why you are so determined to attack and belittle something that attempts to do positive things for the activity of Scuba, but if it floats your boat, so be it. It takes all kinds to make a planet revolve.

 

[Dr. Lecter]

..which tells me all I need to know. You are opposed to this effort. That is your prerogative.

I cannot fathom why you are so determined to attack and belittle something that attempts to do positive things for the activity of Scuba, but if it floats your boat, so be it. It takes all kinds to make a planet revolve.

No, I'm indifferent to your effort--I'm opposed to the idea that divers (rather than dive pros) have a dog in your fight. But if you feel better playing Don Quixote with me as someone who's opposed to your succeeding, go right ahead. No skin off my nose.

It's unfortunate you're unable to ignore your interpretation of my bias and objectively consider the points I've made regarding your KS--a media project in which you're trying to sell people on your ability to execute the creation and marketing of an even bigger media project. But it does underscore the points I made about whether you're really the right person to be executing this particular idea, independent of whether SCUBA needs the help and/or whether your idea would deliver what's needed.

I think it's too late for this KS, but you really should consider working with a media consultant for your next try (if you continue to think crowd-funding by dive customers for what is essentially marketing for dive businesses…is the best way to fund your idea). Successful KS campaigns are just that, campaigns. A much snazzier KS page, with at least a substantive update being pushed out every day (if not more frequently at the critical early and late stages), is necessary (if not necessarily sufficient) for what you want to do. And unless you have a paid marketing team on hand to run your KS in real-time, that means actually developing content ahead of time and then putting it out there. You know…having a plan?

As far as I can tell, you made one video to feature on the main page and that's it. Aside from your self-backpat comment--where you didn't tie being a NASE Master Instructor to the project's success--you haven't posted anything other than tweet-style updates since launch, and even those didn't link to additional content anywhere. Did you do any research on what's generally found in a successful KS campaign of this style before you put yourself out there?

 

[chillyinCanada]

Thanks. That's some nice footage but it's not spectacular and doesn't explain your concept at all. What's the business plan? What's the show mockup?

 

[BDSC]

Here's where I think this campaign is falling short. It's very tough to sell the average scuba diver like myself on the idea of this KS campaign in the first place because I don't see how it would be of any benefit to me or anyone else. A diver would need to see a NEED for something like this. Now if I were being asked to contribute to something like a coral reef restoration project, a sea turtle rescue effort, etc. etc. where I could see a real benefit to the marine environment that i like to visit, then I would consider it and have actually donated to both of these efforts. But I don't get that feeling with this. To tell you the truth, when I first read what this is about my first though was, people are being asked to fund some nice dive trips for someone else. I suspect I'm not the only one that felt that same way.

I think Dr. Lecter is spot on with his observations.