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DS's accomplishment is going viral. Need help navigating all of the publicity.

lisabees

By lisabees,
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lisabees

lisabees

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So - ds got the world record in speed cubing.

 

We are getting phone calls from magazines and tv stations and big-time morning shows.  He is doing interviews for some. 

 

We are getting emails about licensing his videos.  What does that even mean?

 

Should we put together a publicity packet?  How?  Is there something I should be aware of before heading down this crazy road?  Do I need to protect him from certain things? 

 

 

 

 

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Liz CA

Liz CA

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Wow I don't even know what speed cubing is? He can calculate the volume of a cube in record speed? :)

 

A lot will depend on your philosophy of personal privacy. Honestly, I would be somewhat mortified to be thrust into the spotlight like this but I am a private person.

 

How old is he? Is he naturally outgoing? What benefits will certain publicity have in view of future opportunities?

 

 

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LNC

LNC

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So - ds got the world record in speed cubing.

 

We are getting phone calls from magazines and tv stations and big-time morning shows. He is doing interviews for some.

 

We are getting emails about licensing his videos. What does that even mean?

 

Should we put together a publicity packet? How? Is there something I should be aware of before heading down this crazy road? Do I need to protect him from certain things?

I saw this on FB and the news! Congrats and best wishes recording all this publicity!

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BrookValley.

BrookValley.

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That's so awesome! Congrats to your DS.

 

About the publicity stuff, I know nothing about this kind of thing, but I have to say the first thing that came to mind when I read people were asking about licensing his videos is that maybe you should speak to a lawyer who specializes in that kind of thing before you enter into any written/binding agreements?

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mom2scouts

mom2scouts

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That's awesome!  My neighbor is a mathematician who was second or third in the world in speed cubing a few years ago!  He even teaches a university class about it.

 

ETA:  Oops, I was wrong. He competes in the fewest move category.  I found him in the association records.

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4kiddies

4kiddies

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Awesome, congrats!  Where in PA are you? are you in the Philly area?  I might be able to help you some or at least point you in the proper direction.  As far as videos you are going to want to make sure that you are monetizing the videos, are they uploaded and monetized on YouTube? Feel free to message me....

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GailV

GailV

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Congratulations!

I would be careful not to invest much money in publicists, etc, because I think this kind of fame is very fleeting. If you can make some money for DS, great!

I agree. We know a world record holder in cup stacking, and if you didn't know that about him, well, then, you wouldn't know that about him. Even though he was on national television, etc.

 

In the meantime, congratulations!

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lisabees

lisabees

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Please tell me you're not the background screamer... LOL...

 

Although, as his mother, perhaps that WAS you! Had it been my child, I would have been screaming! (LOL)

 

Congratulations!

 

Nope, definitely NOT me!!!  Apparently, it was a boy screaming!

 

I don't plan on hiring a publicist.  I just want to know if there is something I should be doing.  Or not!

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kubiac

kubiac

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I used to be an online/TV journalist and I have friends who still work as social media consultants, so I'm just gonna post this like I know what I'm talking about. ;)

 

(1) Ixnay on the ublicistpay. Waste of money. Just suffer the media demands for the weeks while he is in demand (domestic will happen first, international will trickle in later). Prioritize "real" outlets (including print) over online-only, and domestic/English-language over international, if only for your sanity.

 

(2) If your son has his own YouTube channel he should turn on the ads ("monetization" tab under edit video) IMMEDIATELY. Assign a family member to monitor YouTube for unauthorized copies of videos from HIS camera (not other cameras filming the same scene) and report them as copyright violators. He can probably make a respectable sum just with ads on his YouTube channel during this publicity spike.

 

(3) If someone wants to "license" your videos, do NOT be shy about asking "how much?" and for "how long?" Outlets need content and some of them may pay for the short-term broadcast rights to your son's footage.

 

(4) Ask the reporters/editors with whom your son may do interviews to be sure to send you a link back to their report when it goes live. Save these (save as PDF or do screengrabs, many online news links will expire or vanish within a relatively short time) for a college portfolio, and/or get the videos so you can have an amateur video editor someday put together a "sizzle reel" for similar purposes.

 

lisabees, on 28 Apr 2015 - 10:59 AM, said:
So - ds got the world record in speed cubing.

Should we put together a publicity packet?  How?  Is there something I should be aware of before heading down this crazy road?  Do I need to protect him from certain things?

 

 

Publicity packet:

* The producers/reporters/editors would LOVE you if you had a one-page PDF with your son's name, age, location, history with cubing, other accomplishments, goals. No more than three grafs or 10 bullet points. They don't have time for anything more and don't really care (no offense), but a "backgrounder" is very helpful. 

* If you have a nice HIGH-RESOLUTION digital head shot of your son and/or a handful of HIGH-RESOLUTION digital images of him cubing at various ages, they would LOVE it and many would use those images.

 

Aware of? Protection? 

This is a happy human interest story and as far as I can see there is no possible "gotcha" downside. The only thing to be aware is that the story about your son from the highest prestige outlet that covers him will be the top Google result for his name for a LONG time in the future. You are building his digital footprint with this event. That's probably all for the good. For the most part, everybody should be able to enjoy this and I wouldn't worry too much!

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pehp

pehp

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Wow! I didn't even know speed cubing was a Thing.  I have to say I can't even imagine solving it that fast.  What the what!  I can't even do one in an hour.  Or three. 

 

Congratulations to him and to you, and I hope he enjoys the happy publicity!!

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