CROWDFUNDING:

A TALE OF TWO
CAMPAIGNS
Abhishek Agarwal – 1A
Abhyudaya Bharadwaj – 3A
Ashok Kumar Ponniah – 12A
Ayush Verma – 13A
Rohit Chandra - 57A
WHAT IS CROWD FUNDING?
HOW IT WORKS?
Summary of the Case
Crowdfunding has emerged as a popular method
for entrepreneurs, innovators, and individuals to
raise funds for their projects, products, or
causes.
This case analysis explores two distinct
crowdfunding campaigns, highlighting their
strategies, outcomes, and the lessons learned
from each with unique goals, strategies, and
outcomes.
• The first campaign focuses on identical twins
Annie and Marla Feldman who created Enerchi
Bites, a post-workout snack that gained
popularity in their yoga class.
• After positive feedback from distributing the
snack in various events, they decided to launch
a crowdfunding campaign to raise funds and
grow their business.
• The second campaign centers around Hanson
Gran, who created Think Board, a
brainstorming canvas, and focused on the
education industry.
Enerchi Bites: Healthy Snacks
Campaign Overview:
Enerchi Bites launched a crowdfunding campaign to bring their nutritious and
energy-boosting snack to market. The campaign emphasized the product's
health benefits, unique flavors, and sustainable packaging. Backers were
offered early access to the product, discounts, and personalized thank-you
notes.

Strategies:
Health and Sustainability Messaging:
Clear communication highlighting the snacks' nutritional value and eco-friendly
packaging resonated with health-conscious and environmentally aware backers.

Engaging Content:
High-quality product images, videos, and testimonials showcased the snacks'
taste, convenience, and versatility.

Influencer Partnerships:
Collaborating with health and wellness influencers boosted the campaign's reach
and credibility.
Enerchi Bites: “Eat what you like, share or save the rest!”
Outcomes:
Fundraising Success: The campaign
surpassed its funding goal, attracting a
significant number of backers who
appreciated the snacks' health benefits and
sustainable packaging.
Brand Building: Enerchi Bites cultivated a
loyal community of supporters, who not
only backed the campaign but also became
brand advocates and shared their love for
the product.
Market Expansion: The successful
campaign provided the necessary funds to
scale production and expand distribution to
new markets.
Lessons Learned:
Targeted Messaging: Clearly communicate
the unique value proposition and emphasize
aspects that resonate with the target
audience.
Compelling Visuals: Utilize visually
appealing content to showcase the
product's features and benefits effectively.
Influencer Collaborations: Partnering with
influencers can extend the campaign's
reach and credibility, tapping into their
engaged followers.
 Think Board
Overview:
Think Board launched a crowdfunding campaign to fund their innovative
productivity tool—a dry-erase adhesive film that transforms any surface
into a writable space. The campaign focused on the product's versatility,
durability, and the ability to enhance creativity and productivity. Backers
were offered early-bird pricing and exclusive bundles.

Strategies:
Demonstrating Use Cases: Visual examples showcased the various
applications of Think Board, such as brainstorming sessions, project
management, and educational purposes.
Engaging Video Content: The campaign utilized videos to demonstrate
the product's installation process, features, and real-life use scenarios.
Early-Bird Pricing: Offering discounted prices for early backers
incentivized participation and created a sense of exclusivity.
 Campaign 2 : Think Board

Outcomes: Lessons Learned:

Fundraising Success: The campaign Visual Demonstrations: Utilize visuals and
exceeded its funding goal, attracting videos to effectively showcase the product's
backers who recognized the value of a applications and benefits.
versatile, reusable, and portable Early-Bird Pricing: Offering exclusive
productivity tool. discounts or bundles to early backers can
Market Validation: The positive response create a sense of urgency and encourage early
from backers provided validation for the support.
demand and market potential of Think Backer Feedback: Actively engage with
Board. backers and use their feedback to improve the
product and enhance the overall campaign
Product Refinement: Backer feedback experience.
during the campaign allowed the
company to refine the product and .
address any potential issues before full- .
scale production.
 What could the twin sisters have done differently?

Research and prepare:

Better marketing and outreach:

Before launching their
campaign, they could
have spent more time Optimize the video:
researching successful They could have
crowdfunding invested more time
and effort in Realistic rewards and fulfilment costs:
campaigns in the food
promoting their The sisters could
industry, learning
from their strategies campaign beyond have been more Alternative fundraising
and pitfalls. their immediate creative and They could have
methods:
network, using social engaging with their
i.This would have media, press releases, planned their
helped them create campaign video, rewards and Considering that 85% of
and targeted
a more effective marketing to reach a
focusing on their fulfilment costs their total funds came
campaign. wider audience unique story as more carefully, from friends and family,
interested in healthy twins and the ensuring they had they could have
benefits of their explored alternative
snacks. enough funds left fundraising methods,
product, making it after fulfilling such as approaching
more appealing to rewards to invest their personal network
potential backers. in their business directly for investment
or opting for a different
growth. crowdfunding platform
that better suits their
needs.
 Should Hanson have targeted more than $10,000?

i.Hanson's primary objective was to validate the market for Think Board. By
reaching the $10,000 goal, he was able to confirm that there was demand
Market validation: for his product. In this sense, the campaign served its purpose.

Risk of not i.Setting a higher fundraising goal also comes with the risk of not reaching the
target, which could result in not receiving any funds on platforms like
Kickstarter that operate on an all-or-nothing basis. A more modest goal

reaching the goal: could be seen as more achievable and may encourage more backers to
contribute.

i.Hanson experienced high fulfillment costs that consumed around 75% of the
funds raised. If he had targeted a higher amount, he might have faced even
Fulfillment costs: greater challenges in fulfilling rewards, potentially leading to dissatisfaction
among backers.

Post-campaign i.The crowdfunding campaign's success led to media exposure, which helped
Hanson gain more customers and opportunities. In this sense, the $10,000
goal was sufficient to generate interest and create a domino effect for the

opportunities: Think Board business.

 In both cases, were the financial results worth the effort?

For Enerchi For Think

Bites Board
While the financ
ia
In their case, th
e financial result campaign served l results were not ideal, the
s were its purpose in pro
validation and g viding market
they had hoped. not as impactful as enerating intere
st in the product.
Additionally, 85% The campaign le
of the total fund d
family, which me s ca growth opportun to media exposure and further
ans the external me from friends and ities for the Thin
k Board business
validation they w .
expecting was li ere
mited. The campaign he
lped validate the
The twin sisters product, as 80% m
met of the funds cam arket for his
they only netted their fundraising goal of $10,00 outside his imme e from people
around 45% of th 0, but diate network.
considering the e mon e y raised a
costs of creating
rewards, and pa the campaign, fu fter The campaign w
as
ying Kickstarter'
s commission.
lfilling goal, but fulfilm successful in raising the $10,000
ent costs consum
ed around 75% o
the funds raised f
.
 What would you do differently if you were to run a crowdfunding campaign?
i.Define your campaign's main goal, whether it's raising funds, market validation, or building a
Set clear objectives: community around your product or project. This will help you create a focused and effective
campaign strategy.
i.Study successful campaigns in your niche, learn from their strategies and pitfalls. Develop a
Research and plan: detailed plan that includes marketing tactics, budget, and a timeline.

i.Craft a compelling story that showcases your passion and the unique aspects of your project. Use
Create a compelling campaign page: high-quality images, videos, and graphics to make your campaign visually appealing and
engaging.
i.Create a captivating and informative video that explains your project and its benefits. This is a
Optimize your video: crucial element of your campaign, as it's the primary means of engaging potential backers.

i.Develop a range of rewards that cater to different levels of contributions. Ensure that the
Offer attractive rewards: rewards are appealing, valuable, and relevant to your project.

i.Create a comprehensive marketing plan that includes social media, email, PR, influencer
Develop a marketing and outreach plan: outreach, and other promotional tactics. Leverage your network and engage with your audience
throughout the campaign.
i.Communicate regularly with your backers and provide updates on your project's progress.
Keep backers updated: Transparency and engagement will help build trust and maintain momentum.

i.Estimate and plan for fulfilment costs to avoid surprises and ensure a smoother post-campaign
Budget and manage fulfilment costs: experience for both you and your backers.

i.Keep track of your campaign's performance and be prepared to adjust your strategy if necessary.
Monitor and adjust: Learn from what works and what doesn't, and be responsive to feedback from your backers.

• After the campaign, continue to engage with your backers, keep them informed about your
Post-campaign follow-up: progress, and deliver on your promises.