• Forum has been upgraded, all links, images, etc are as they were. Please see Official Announcements for more information

Pre-proposal: Radiolab Sponsorship

How would you vote?

  • Yes

    Votes: 8 100.0%
  • No

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Abstain

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    8

Syntheist

Active member
I'm really excited to say that the amazing show Radiolab is interested in being sponsored by Dash.

They have 1.4 million weekly listeners across 505 radio stations in the US and 5.6 million on-demand listens and the sponsorship segments are integral to the show.

The cost of the highest level of sponsorship is 750 Dash, for this our script would be read by the hosts of the show. Alternatively we could get a lower level of exposure for a longer time.

This script would tie into a page on dash.org or a user adoption drive such as Amanda's #FirstDashWallet

Should I put this proposal forward this month?
 
I'm really excited to say that the amazing show Radiolab is interested in being sponsored by Dash.

They have 1.4 million weekly listeners across 505 radio stations in the US and 5.6 million on-demand listens and the sponsorship segments are integral to the show.

The cost of the highest level of sponsorship is 750 Dash, for this our script would be read by the hosts of the show. Alternatively we could get a lower level of exposure for a longer time.

This script would tie into a page on dash.org or a user adoption drive such as Amanda's #FirstDashWallet

Should I put this proposal forward this month?

Very interesting. I think something like this would better be handled by the core team as they have been known to negotiate better pricing packages and it would be best if they escrowed the money to prevent over payment there as well. They would also need to be involved in the script and strategic planing for the release of evo, as only they know what exactly will be released and when. It also may be best to start slow and ramp up funding with the full release of Dash Evolution.
 
I've spoken briefly with Ryan on slack about this idea including having the payment held in escrow.

I'm very happy to pass this on to the core team if they have time for it, or work very closely with them if they want me to continue.

I agree that this would have the greatest impact if it was linked with the release of evolution.
 
I have had a follow up email from the sponsorship team at WNYC, they are very keen to work with Dash and have put forward two possible proposals for $50K and $75K for a month, with exposure to 12 million listeners.

These aren't adverts that can be skipped after 5 seconds but integral parts of the podcast, 15 seconds pre-roll and 30 seconds mid-roll scripts. This means that we can deliver our whole message to the audience.

Following on from Ryan and Evan's open letter I want to go forward with this proposal, making sure that the story we put out about Dash focuses on communicating the vision and mission of Dash to a general audience.

This means putting the features of Dash at the forefront, instant payments and low fees, illustrated with clear use cases and directing people to visit dash.org to get started.

The campaign can be monitored through Google's DoubleClick Campaign Manager, if the Core Team doesn't yet have this set up I will pursue getting that costed up too, it is a very valuable resource for analysing advertising campaigns.
 
I want to appeal to a much broader audience and move away from the associations that crypto can have as an investment and towards Dash's actual benefits and uses.

The open letter spoke about reaching out to a general audience and I think Radiolab has exactly that: a worldwide, educated listenership who know almost nothing about about Dash.

This way we get to be the first form of digital cash they hear about in a positive light.

Having interacted with a few creators now it's clear that some just don't feel Dash would be right for them as a sponsor, the fact that WNYC has been actively engaging makes me think Radiolab would be a good fit. They have the exposure needed to be selective about who sponsors them.
 
I've put together an example script for the 45 second mid-roll slot. I think it covers some important use cases and focuses on what Dash can do right now. It is a mixture of statements from dash.org and my own ideas, feedback is very welcome.

Dash is digital cash.

You can use Dash to make instant, private payments online or in-store thanks to our secure, open-source network.

Send any amount of money to family or friends across the world for less than 20 cents per transaction.

Because you’re don’t have to pay for expensive currency conversions Dash is also great for international travellers and those working across many different countries.

Dash wallets are available on all major platforms including iphone and android allowing anyone with access to a computer or smartphone to take control of their money.

You can purchase Dash on "Approved Exchange"* using US dollars, euros and pounds sterling and begin using it today.

Find out more at Dash.org​

*this exchange could be a partner for these adverts, perhaps there is a deal to be made with a successful and reliable exchange.
 
What is the duration of the sponsorship?
Can we update the script on a monthly basis?

My initial though it to do a trial month of sponsorship and then look at the stats we get on DoubleClick Campaign Manager and through Analytics Premium. If the results justify the cost then I'll put another proposal together, perhaps running a multi-month campaign.

We can certainly update the script monthly, in the case of a multi-month campaign this would let us focus on the release of new wallet software, Evolution, or a specific development/business integration that has happened that month.
 
Adverts on Radiolab

  • UPDATED 07/26 - CPM reduction and increased exposure.

1. General Project Information

Plan:
  • Create audio adverts and place them in the popular radio show and podcast Radiolab.
  • Create display adverts for inclusion on the website and newsletter.
  • They will run for two three months and their impact will be assessed based on traffic to dash.org.
  • The content of the adverts will be vetted by the community
  • Broadcast quality versions of the adverts will be available for download.
  • The timing will be related to the release of 12.2 and the reduction in transaction fees.
  • 5.4 million impressions will be generated across audio and display adverts.

Objective
:
To make Dash the first cryptocurrency the general public encounters, thus capturing the space laid out by the slogan Digital Cash.

Project
:
According to the Global Cryptocurrency Benchmarking Study created by Cambridge University there may only be 5.8 million users of cryptocurrency worldwide. This points towards their being a vast number of people who have never heard of cryptocurrency. Making Dash the first project to pay for mainstream advertising will give the project a first mover advantage in terms of merchant and user adoption.

I propose to use adverts on Radiolab, a science based podcast with 6.5 million on-demand listens per month and 1.8 million weekly listeners across 505 radio stations to reach a larger general audience than any cryptocurrency has ever had before.

I have spoken with WNYC and they are really excited about the possibility of working with Dash. This is exceptional: none of the other channels and content creators that I have approached are currently interested in working with Dash. Many feel that cryptocurrency represents too great a risk or is not appropriate as an advertiser. The positive response from WNYC strongly suggests that they believe Dash will be putting across a message their listeners will respond to.

There has been a request for more targeted advertising from the community and this fulfils that need by marketing directly to curious, intelligent people who are still largely unaware of Dash and cryptocurrency in general. The statistics compiled in WNYC in their media pack paint a compelling picture of an educated and affluent audience: WNYC Media KIt.

By making contact with the general public Dash can reach out beyond the echo chamber of the crypto-sphere and brings its benefits to the widest possible audience. The adverts will be created to showcase the Core Team’s vision for Dash and the existing uses of Dash for example: remittances, InstantSend, low fees.

Both audible.com and Squarespace are regular advertisers on Radiolab and WNYC’s research into listener reactions shows that advertisers are seen in a positive light because they are supporting quality content. This proposal will allow Dash to take a huge step towards mainstream adoption.

We will run 15 second pre-roll, 30 second mid-roll and 30 second post-roll adverts for 3 months at a cost of $35 $26 CPM with 3.95 million listens and 1.45 million views ($4 CPM) at a total cost of $110,000 for 5.4 million impressions.

Budget:

Dash amounts for the cost of the adverts are based on a 90 day Simple Moving Average = $140, to account for fluctuations in value and ensure that sufficient USD value is available to pay WNYC.

Dash amounts for the advert are now based on the current price with a 2.5 % contingency to allow for price fluctuation. The exact value of the final advertising budget will be determined by the value of USD generated. I am exploring the possibility of partial payment in Dash.

All wages are based on our day rates (£150), they are not flat fees. Dash not used to pay wages will be spent on further adverts or returned to Core.


  • 3 months of adverts: 565 Dash
  • Project Manager: 25 Dash (up to 25 days @ 1 Dash)
  • Marketing Manager: 20 Dash (up to 20 days @ 1 Dash)
  • Audio advert creation: 10 Dash (10 days @ 1 Dash)
  • Display advert creation: 5 Dash
  • Travel: 10 Dash
  • Proposal Fee: 5 Dash
  • 2.5% Contingency: 15 Dash
Total: 655 Dash

The use of any excess funds will depend on the success of the adverts, as defined by 2% of listeners visiting dash.org
If successful any remaining funds will be used to buy additional advertising slots on Radiolab.
If deemed unsuccessful remaining funds will be sent to Core to be used to fund the activity of the marketing firm they are appointing.

2. Project Team

Project Manager:
Edward Rapley
00447870375886
[email protected]

Team Members:
Laura Coombs
Marketing Manager
[email protected]


3. Stakeholders
WNYC, MNOs, Dash Core Team

4. Project Scope Statement

Project Purpose / Business Justification

The purpose of this proposal is to the harness the power of association with Radiolab to bring Dash to a new and expanded audience. Being the first cryptocurrency that people encounter will give Dash a huge advantage, becoming the defining standard by which other currency projects are referenced.

Being easy to use, fast, secure and private Dash can give newcomers a very positive experience, we can make use of the budget this month to conduct a serious advertising campaign that can then be followed up by the marketing firm that Core is appointing.

Radiolab’s educated and passionate audience hold sponsors of the show in a positive light, they are also an audience outside of the cryptosphere allowing Dash to grow without having to fight with other projects.

The first step towards merchant and user adoption is awareness, no one can use a service they haven’t heard of.

Objectives (in business terms)

  1. To have at least 3.9 million listeners hear 45 to 75 seconds of audio advertising for Dash.
  2. To generate a click through rate of 2%, thus 3.9 million content views will generate 78,000 visits to Dash.org
Key Deliverabl

  • A personal and business partnership with the high value content creators at WNYC.
  • A powerful and persuasive Dash audio advert in several forms:
    • Versions created by WNYC listeners
    • Recorded by multiple voice actors to be used by anyone in the Dash community
  • 3.9 million Radiolab listeners encountering Dash in a positive context
  • 78,000 visits to dash.org
Scope
The promotion of Dash through the creation and inclusion of adverts on Radiolab and analysis of the impact of this on traffic to dash.org

Project Milestones and Schedule
August 2017:
  • planning and creation of the advertising script
  • meetings with WNYC - introducing Dash and building relationships
  • Creating and signing contracts
September 2017:
  • Adverts can begin from here outwards.
  • Dash.org analytics collected
  • Impact assessment created once adverts are running
Success Criteria
The project cycle will be complete after the adverts have run for 2 months and the report into its effects has been created.
The targets for success will be 2% of adverts translating into additional visits to Dash.org

Major Known Risks

Risk: Low click through rate:
Low Risk. WNYC creates excellent advertising segments.
Mitigation: it is possible to change the advert during the run, so we can tweak the message.

Risk: Failure to generate engagement
Low risk. The script will provide a clear link to follow.
Mitigation: create a simple user journey from hearing the advert to visiting dash.org and downloading a wallet.

Risk: Irresponsible Use of Funds
Low. I will be using a hardware wallet to secure the funds so they are stored securely until sold.
By applying under my own name I am putting my reputation and integrity on the line . I am completely committed to using these funds in accordance with this proposal. I am passionate about being a valued advocate for Dash and to build a life around the promotion of Dash as a solution to the evils of centralised currencies.

Constraints
The schedule of the adverts will be tied to the release of 12.2 so that the reduction in fees can be used as a driver of adoption. Thus the timing will be dependent on the timing of that release.

The timing of the adverts will also rely on the existing advertising schedule on Radiolab.

External Dependencies
The major external dependency is WNYC, Laura Coombs will be in charge of this relationship, WNYC has agreed to this partnership.
Core Team: we will need access to analytics from Core to assess the impact of the adverts on visits to Dash.org. The release of 12.2 is also dependent on Core Team.

5. Communication Strategy
Detailed fortnightly updates throughout the duration of the proposal posted on the dash.org forum.
Internal project management and communication will involve daily use of Asana.

6. Reviews Planned
Monthly reviews using the Dash Project update template.
Overall report compiled on the outcomes of the proposal once the adverts have finished running and analytics have been collected.

Declaration:
I stand by every commitment in this proposal and will see them carried out to the very best of my ability,

Edward Rapley
 

Attachments

  • 2017LCoombs.jpg
    2017LCoombs.jpg
    338.3 KB · Views: 108
Last edited:
Core will apparently select a Marketing firm next week so if at all possible it would be nice to coordinate this with them or at least get a bit of feedback.

Other than that I think this is a great proposal and would vote for it.
 
Totally up for getting feedback from Core about whether this would work with their plan, I'm happy to hand over the contact if they want or to carry out the proposal and then hand it over to the appointed marketing firm.

@kot do you have any feedback on this pre-proposal in light of the imminent appointment of a marketing firm? I would be very happy to co-ordinate this with them and I only want to put this proposal in if it will work with Core's plan.
 
Good looking proposal, @Syntheist

Once you submit the script, does Radiolab create the actual advertisement? Or would you be responsible for coordinating the talent to do so?
 
Good looking proposal, @Syntheist

Once you submit the script, does Radiolab create the actual advertisement? Or would you be responsible for coordinating the talent to do so?

This is flexible, Radiolab does often have listeners record the audio for their adverts, these often work well as they have a very authentic feeling.

We are going to explore this option and also have it recorded by several voice actors with different vocal qualities and accents, because when we have a script that is approved by the community it should be available as a professional quality recording so that it can be used in other campaigns.

I'm going to update the proposal so this is included.
 
Last edited:
You are using very conservative numbers to calculate the amount of Dash that you need. Which makes sense to ensure that you will actually be able to pay, but what will you do in the (imho very likely) case that you end up with too many funds.
 
...what will you do in the (imho very likely) case that you end up with too many funds.

Very good point, I need to explicitly address this, I'm adding this to the proposal now:

The use of any excess funds will depend on the success of the adverts, as defined by 2% of listeners visiting dash.org

If successful any remaining funds will be used to buy additional advertising slots on Radiolab.

If deemed unsuccessful remaining funds will be sent to Core to be used to fund the activity of the marketing firm they are appointing.
 
Back
Top