Case Study Six Degrees of Association 2016 - On Demand Webcasting

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CASE STUDY

Six Degrees of Association

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2 Guys, a Girl and an Online TV Show How it all came together

The concept was fairly straightforward – to create an Online TV show that delved into the Association sector. There’s always so much happening in the space and while we’re all aware of it, who is actually discussing it?

Enter Rob Barnes, Aptify Australia and Andrew McCallum, Fitness Australia. Two association experts who are well known within the space and had a clear vision for what they wanted to create.

“There are a lot of blogs and chats and a few podcasts about associations yet little to no video. Certainly I could not find any TV shows – online or otherwise – dedicated to conversations about association success,” says Rob. “I am too impatient to spend a lot of time writing so I pitched the podcast idea to Andrew first. It did not take too long before it morphed into the idea of a Vlog being recorded via Skype or something. I envisioned a “Gruen Transfer” style program, or ESPN’s Mike & Mike.”

With the idea now coming to life it was about finding a reliable solution that would allow Rob and Andrew to deliver their content globally. They needed a platform that would engage and encourage interactivity and an extra something to keep them both in line.

Fast forward Redback’s VIP Appreciation Evening and everything started to come together. Rob saw the Redback Studio, a lightbulb went on and before he knew it he was pitching the idea to Redback’s CEO Jeff Downs and Marketing Director, Sara Gonzalez.

“When I saw their studio facilities in Sydney it was love at first sight and pitching Jeff the idea was my priority. Their technology has put #6DA on a whole new level now and we can’t wait to see where it goes. Having Sara host the show is incredibly important both as the lead talent and as the referee between Andrew and I,” he explains.

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On Demand Webcasting A small roadblock

It didn’t take long before everyone was on-board and excited by the possibilities. However, one small matter of ‘distance’ soon threatened the initial idea.

“We wanted this to be engaging, live and interactive and while we had the technology to make it happen, we soon realised that streaming Andrew in from Brisbane for every episode just wasn’t going to work,” says Sara. “The format was based around the banter between Rob and Andrew and not having them in the same room just wouldn’t have worked, the passion wouldn’t have resonated with an online audience.”

There’s always a solution

… and while all three were sceptical, they knew they could make it work. The idea was to prepare scripts for the first three episodes, fly Andrew from Brisbane to Sydney and pre-record – yes, pre-record.

But what about the engagement?

The Q&A was stripped from the webcast platform and all engagement and Q&A sessions were held over Twitter via the hashtag 6DA. This was heavily promoted during each episode both verbally and via lower thirds and an image containing #6DA was visible throughout the entire 22 minutes. An online community was also setup to act like a forum – a place where the conversation could continue following every episode.

In regards to the script, Andrew wanted to keep it casual, yet consistent.

“We created segments that we could use for each episode so the audience would come to know what to expect. We have a basic script but when we get online it’s a matter of holding an effective conversation with one another while holding a connection to the viewing audience – we treat every episode like it’s live and refrain from requesting editing,” he explains.

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On Demand Webcasting So, did it work?

The goal of the TV Show was to engage the sector. After six episodes, #6DA had a total of 86 live viewers and 447 on-demand viewers globally. They were then invited to stream live episodes from the two biggest Association Events of the year – ACE2016 (AuSAE Annual Conference) and Associations Forum Conference 2016.

While it’s only in the beginning stages, the association industry’s own TV show is going places.

“We will continue to play with the segments and the format however it is compelling viewing and great content in an engaging format. The association industry’s own TV show will be an awesome platform to have issues aired and shared,” says Rob.

Moving forward...

Sara admits that #6DA has become a success for many reasons and hopes that it encourages others to look at the wide variety of online mediums available to them.

“What we’ve been able to achieve despite distance is amazing and I hope that others start to look at on-demand online events and how they can help their organisations’ communication strategies,” she says. “The online world is changing and the rise of on-demand content is only going to continue – it’s about thinking outside the platform, utilising social media and doing things a little differently.”

As for the experience, Andrew gives his advice to first time presenters looking to embrace online forms of technology.

“The #6DA webcast is first and foremost great fun. Working alongside three fantastic people, makes the task so much less daunting. My tip for first timers? Know your content and don’t take yourself too seriously.”

To take a look at #6DA episodes head on over to sixdegreesofassociation.com or, sign up to the community!