Interview with Scott Bucher of Promo Only
MVP:We are with Scotty Bucher from Promo Only. Promo Only is one of the nations leading promotional video pools. Now, the first question we have is what exactly is a promotional video pool? What function do you guys serve? Who are your clients?
Scott Bucher: A promotional video pool is a place where subscribers - anyone from nightclubs, DJ's, managers, or people that own the retail chains subscribe to our DVDs for their DJ's, as well as people who do mobile events. They could be homecomings or sporting events in arenas or football stadiums. Cruise ships too. This is a place where they can all come and subscribe to our DVD's on a promotional basis. They are not available for retail sale, but only for professional use in the business. We provide the service of getting the music videos to the people and then their audiences.
MVP: How about actual stores, do you send your video reels to actual retail
stores?
SB: That's a work in progress, but we also have a business division that's
called BMD. That's where clients can work with a programmable
computer and actually choose and customize their own formats for each of their
stores because something that may work in Atlanta may not necessarily work in
Virginia, or Seattle, or California. This way they can customize their
program out of that particular store for what is approved by their company.
So, it's a work in progress but yes we do service music videos to stores.
MVP: I'm curious for what you are looking for at Promo Only when you screen
a music video?
SB: First and foremost it's quality. As long as the video quality is there
and the audio quality is good. The audio quality comes second because as
long as they can provide us with some sort of re-tracking material via a CD,
then we can re-track that video with the audio from the CD. We like to maintain
the quality of the product so that they are all the same. So video quality
and substance. I've seen bad concepts with really well shot concert footage,
and great concepts with poor concert footage. Just something that is
appealing is what we look for.
MVP: Do you ever look at the charts or soundscan? Are you trying to read
the market or do you just know what is going to appeal to your clients?
SB: Well both, because one, charts don't lie, because they are based on
sales or what people like depending on whether it's a college radio chart or a
billboard chart. So you have to look at the different types of music to
compile, for say a modern rock reel there are several different types of rock as
we all know. So if a new Ozzy video comes out you have to pay attention to
that as well as say a Death Cab for Cutie video. So you have to look at the
whole spectrum of what people like and not everyone likes the same thing. For
instance I don't like pistachio ice cream but it's a popular flavor. So I
might not like a particular song but maybe this group is popular but I didn't
like it so I have to put it out as well because someone else may like it.
MVP: Any dos and don'ts for people who want to get your attention?
Obviously there is things people do that don't work and things people do that do work
SB: Just basically be professional about the way you submit your stuff. If
it's put together well then its obvious that hey, someone has put some time
and thought into this project.
MVP: You guys have done a lot in the last year to upgrade this facility,
what can we expect that's new and exciting from Promo Only in 2005?
SB: More and better music. We now have our BMD division that
I just mentioned. We have some other things such as expanded reels and
different types of access to different reels and we may have a couple more secrets
that may be coming out soon.
MVP:Cool, we will be sure to check in. That's it folks. That's Scott
Bucher from Promo Only. Thank You.