Author Topic: Google - new business proposal idea - sent  (Read 20198 times)

Warfdalic

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Re: Google - new business proposal idea - sent
« Reply #20 on: December 16, 2012, 09:11:27 AM »
Last I saw you couldn't take the Psychic Power Poll in real life.  Don't feel bad.  You have not harmed anything.

8-) good and thanks.

Victoria Victrix

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Re: Google - new business proposal idea - sent
« Reply #21 on: December 16, 2012, 09:52:07 AM »
Here's our plan, quoted from over in the Hail Mary forum, and why we are doing things at the pace we are doing them.  I understand how impatient you are.  I am too.  I want answers NOW.  But we're dealing with gargantuan businesses here, and for them, "now" can mean "in a month."

Quote
OK let me here lay out in pixels what our basic marketing strategy.

We hit Disney with the pitch a week before the shutdown on the infinitesimally small chance they MIGHT have moved to delay the shutdown.

Knowing this probably would not happen, we used that timeframe anyway as a chance to get 3 weeks of activity in before Christmas news overwhelmed everything else, and to give the Disney Dragon a chance to open one eye and notice something before---

---everything stopped two weeks before Christmas.  If you have ever worked in a big business whose main function is not affected by Christmas, you know that two weeks before Christmas, as everyone takes vacation time, everything stops.   Same for one week after Christmas.   And if your business IS tied in with Christmas, it is worse.

So realistically we do not expect to hear ANYTHING until a week into the new year.

Brian knows some people in the upper echelons of Disney Interactive.  He is going to put a bug in their ears to (1) find out if they know anything and (2) let them know quietly this is not some crazy fan idea, this really is a viable opportunity and he backs it.

So, step one for me, remind Larry to contact Darren first to find out if we have ANY chance.  I do not want to waste your time on something he knows is going to get shut down at Google.  Once I know that, I know where we need to take it from there.
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Ammon

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Re: Google - new business proposal idea - sent
« Reply #22 on: December 16, 2012, 05:10:16 PM »
As mentioned in sevral places over the past month or so, Team Wildcard have a 'hit-list' of which Disney was chosen first because (a) it would likely require the most letters to get them to look, (b) it would help make news to keep coverage up, (pitching Disney takes so much chutzpa that it got into news that pitching someone more obvious would not), (c) the timing was right.  However, they were merely the first on the list, and we have a lot of other potential targets, such as Google (where we have contacts who have contacts), but also including companies like Warner Bros, and lots more. 

The chances are that if its a company with any kind of connection to gaming, or superheroes, then its probably somewhere on the list.

Of course, if any of you know venture capitalists, angel investors, etc with $10-$20 million to invest, they aren't likely to be on the list yet.  Feel free to pitch them, or to let Team Wildcard or TonyV know.

Sarge Morris

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Re: Google - new business proposal idea - sent
« Reply #23 on: December 16, 2012, 06:02:43 PM »
Out of curiousity, why does it matter who we as individuals pitch the game to?  So a group of us are pitching to Disney, some are going to Google, who cares? Its not like we own anything.  The best thing I can see happening right now is shotgunning the pitch EVERYWHERE and seeing who acts on it first.  We're not selling the IP, we're not buying the IP.  We're just willing customers looking for someone to give our money to.

Surelle

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Re: Google - new business proposal idea - sent
« Reply #24 on: December 16, 2012, 07:02:05 PM »
FacePlace will monetize it, sell your account information and stick ads everywhere.  In six months they will downsize it, and put a 2D "Marvel Heroes" style game in its place, citing expense.

Be careful what you wish for.

I heartily concur!  Facebook and Zuckerburg prey upon the hapless youngins who have no idea how many identities are stolen every year.  Even putting in fake personal info does you no good; they track you by your IP address too.  Zuckerburg would sell his Mother (and his Grandma, Grandpa and cousins) for a buck.  And sometimes Facebook offers all your info behind your back to clients who don't even really want it.  Google passing through?  Here you go!  It's crazy. 

You know it has to be bad when the U.S. Senate was getting involved.  And they build a better mousetrap and Facebook builds a better mouse.  I'll definitely pass on that one.

Little Green Frog

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Re: Google - new business proposal idea - sent
« Reply #25 on: December 16, 2012, 07:16:17 PM »
Out of curiousity, why does it matter who we as individuals pitch the game to?  So a group of us are pitching to Disney, some are going to Google, who cares? Its not like we own anything.  The best thing I can see happening right now is shotgunning the pitch EVERYWHERE and seeing who acts on it first.  We're not selling the IP, we're not buying the IP.  We're just willing customers looking for someone to give our money to.

It doesn't matter who we pitch the game to as individuals, but chances are that unless you have a good plan and some business experience under your belt, you will simply end up receiving a canned response, like the OP did. The guys behind the Hail Mary initiative seem to be doing it much more effectively. They also claim that they know important people, which gives their pitches even bigger chance of success.

But I don't see any harm in trying to get someone interested in purchasing IP on your own, if you have the opportunity.
« Last Edit: December 16, 2012, 07:22:07 PM by Little Green Frog »

Rae

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Re: Google - new business proposal idea - sent
« Reply #26 on: December 16, 2012, 07:32:15 PM »
The best thing I can see happening right now is shotgunning the pitch EVERYWHERE and seeing who acts on it first.  We're not selling the IP, we're not buying the IP.  We're just willing customers looking for someone to give our money to.

A couple of reasons, off the top of my head:

1) Because we need to focus our efforts. If we're asking one company to consider buying COH, we can ask everyone here to support the pitch with letters, emails, postcards etc. By aiming at multiple locations at once, we dilute our efforts. A company won't necessarily take notice of say, 20 letters asking them to buy, but hundreds are harder to ignore. And if people have already approached one company, and they've received one or two letters of support, it's more likely that if we send them the pitch, they might just go 'pft, those guys again?' and ignore it.

2) If just complicates and confuses matters if our efforts and energy is split.  People don't know which people have been 'officially' approached and who they should be throwing their weight/support/letters behind. It's kinda like everyone screaming into the dark, but in different directions. At least with Disney, all the shouting is aimed in one particular direction.

3) We run the risk of accidentally starting a bidding war if three or four or more companies sit up and take notice at once.

4) We gave 'first refusal' to Disney. Disney's a big, slow beast of a company. It's a bit rude to give them first refusal to someone, not give them the time to respond, and then start asking another company to buy it. Or just running up to guys in the street, grabbing them by the lapels and going "BUY OUR GAME!"

We're open to ideas one who we could be sending the document to, or focusing our efforts on, but we just want to have everyone on the same page at once, to give us a greater chance of success :)
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Andy

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Re: Google - new business proposal idea - sent
« Reply #27 on: December 16, 2012, 08:30:21 PM »
I missed that post in the Hail Mary forum, VV. Thank you for re-posting the head's up about the current strategy. Anyway we can sticky that quote, turn it into a very loud and very obvious announcement? Sometimes knowing there's a plan helps soothe nerves!

Thank you again to Team Wildcard, by the way!

Rae

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Re: Google - new business proposal idea - sent
« Reply #28 on: December 16, 2012, 08:32:30 PM »
A couple of reasons, off the top of my head:

1) Because we need to focus our efforts. If we're asking one company to consider buying COH, we can ask everyone here to support the pitch with letters, emails, postcards etc. By aiming at multiple locations at once, we dilute our efforts. A company won't necessarily take notice of say, 20 letters asking them to buy, but hundreds are harder to ignore. And if people have already approached one company, and they've received one or two letters of support, it's more likely that if we send them the pitch, they might just go 'pft, those guys again?' and ignore it.

2) If just complicates and confuses matters if our efforts and energy is split.  People don't know which people have been 'officially' approached and who they should be throwing their weight/support/letters behind. It's kinda like everyone screaming into the dark, but in different directions. At least with Disney, all the shouting is aimed in one particular direction.

3) We run the risk of accidentally starting a bidding war if three or four or more companies sit up and take notice at once.

4) We gave 'first refusal' to Disney. Disney's a big, slow beast of a company. It's a bit rude to give them first refusal to someone, not give them the time to respond, and then start asking another company to buy it. Or just running up to guys in the street, grabbing them by the lapels and going "BUY THE GAME!"

We're open to ideas one who we could be sending the document to, or focusing our efforts on, but we just want to have everyone on the same page at once, to give us a greater chance of success :)
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Omega Mark V

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Re: Google - new business proposal idea - sent
« Reply #29 on: December 16, 2012, 08:57:11 PM »
Good things take time to happen.
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Rae

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Re: Google - new business proposal idea - sent
« Reply #30 on: December 16, 2012, 11:35:55 PM »
How on earth did I quote myself?   :o
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Little Green Frog

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Re: Google - new business proposal idea - sent
« Reply #31 on: December 16, 2012, 11:43:46 PM »
Probably hit Quote instead of Modify while trying to alter your post.

Kistulot

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Re: Google - new business proposal idea - sent
« Reply #32 on: December 17, 2012, 12:23:58 AM »
3) We run the risk of accidentally starting a bidding war if three or four or more companies sit up and take notice at once.

I don't see how this could possibly hurt us.
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AlienOne

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Re: Google - new business proposal idea - sent
« Reply #33 on: December 17, 2012, 01:20:52 AM »
Wait... What's the problem with having several companies bid for the game at once?

On one hand, I can see it potentially scaring away a company or two.

On the other hand, I can also see it "telling" the other companies that this is a "highly sought after" piece of property, and thus making it more desirable...

*shrug*
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Sarge Morris

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Re: Google - new business proposal idea - sent
« Reply #34 on: December 17, 2012, 01:37:07 AM »
Wait... What's the problem with having several companies bid for the game at once?

On one hand, I can see it potentially scaring away a company or two.

On the other hand, I can also see it "telling" the other companies that this is a "highly sought after" piece of property, and thus making it more desirable...

*shrug*

Exactly my thoughts.

also, rock on, Warfdalic, good move, man.

Victoria Victrix

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Re: Google - new business proposal idea - sent
« Reply #35 on: December 17, 2012, 01:47:49 AM »
Wait... What's the problem with having several companies bid for the game at once?

On one hand, I can see it potentially scaring away a company or two.

On the other hand, I can also see it "telling" the other companies that this is a "highly sought after" piece of property, and thus making it more desirable...

*shrug*

The BIGGEST danger is to allow NCSoft the pretext to put an absurd valuation on CoH so they have a "reason" to cybersquat on it forever, meanwhile foisting a ridiculous value off to their stockholders as an "asset."

We seriously, seriously do not want that to happen. 

Right now we are managing to build a lot of pressure on them to get them to move off their historical "we will not sell at any price" stance.  But "we will not sell at any price" is where they want to be.  Don't play their game for them, please.
I will go down with this ship.  I won't put my hands up in surrender.  There will be no white flag above my door.  I'm in love, and always will be.  Dido

Tanklet

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Re: Google - new business proposal idea - sent
« Reply #36 on: December 17, 2012, 02:06:43 AM »
>.>

I ended up writing a good ol fashioned letter to Google a couple weeks ago. Sry, didn't realize there were things in the works. But the whole idea just kinda hit me in the shower one day, and I was inspired.

Not that it really did anything though ... I haven't heard anything.

Triplash

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Re: Google - new business proposal idea - sent
« Reply #37 on: December 17, 2012, 02:24:08 AM »
The BIGGEST danger is to allow NCSoft the pretext to put an absurd valuation on CoH so they have a "reason" to cybersquat on it forever, meanwhile foisting a ridiculous value off to their stockholders as an "asset."

I also can't help thinking that if a bidding war were to take place, the price might rise to a point where a new owner would have no choice but to interfere heavily with the game's content and/or operations just to ensure a return on investment. Ideally we want the changeover to be as "plug and play" as possible, right? The more changes they feel the need to make, the longer it will take to get back out to us, and the more drastic a difference we would see when it gets here. We don't want to MAKE it a pay-to-win franchise because that's the only way to recover the purchase price.

Victoria Victrix

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Re: Google - new business proposal idea - sent
« Reply #38 on: December 17, 2012, 03:33:08 AM »
I also can't help thinking that if a bidding war were to take place, the price might rise to a point where a new owner would have no choice but to interfere heavily with the game's content and/or operations just to ensure a return on investment. Ideally we want the changeover to be as "plug and play" as possible, right? The more changes they feel the need to make, the longer it will take to get back out to us, and the more drastic a difference we would see when it gets here. We don't want to MAKE it a pay-to-win franchise because that's the only way to recover the purchase price.

Another very good point.

Would you rather a potential buyer had money to spare to run ads before Iron Man 3 in theaters?  Or had to recoup so much that everything new was real-cash-only?
I will go down with this ship.  I won't put my hands up in surrender.  There will be no white flag above my door.  I'm in love, and always will be.  Dido

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Re: Google - new business proposal idea - sent
« Reply #39 on: December 17, 2012, 05:39:56 AM »
I know that two weeks without CoH is driving you all crazy
And that drive is a very short trip.  :)
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