As of this writing (August 12th, 2014), the kickstarter explainer video for a redesigned cooler, called “The Coolest,” has raised over $8,565,002. The original goal was $50k. And it still has 17 days to go.
Why are people freaking out about a cooler? Sure, the design is great – it has thicker wheels, a built-in bottle opener, and the on-board blender and bluetooth iphone speakers are bananas – but at the end of the day, this is just a sweet version of a product that most people already have in their garage.
So why are thousands of people lining up to pay $185 for a cooler?
Because the script tells them too. It’s written with an objective in mind (sales), and it has converted over 43,000 backers – making it one of the most successful campaigns in the history of the site.
Character Is The Coolest
There’s no doubt that the star of this explainer video is the “Coolest” cooler. It’s in nearly every shot. But the protagonist of this video is you, the viewer.
You at the beach in July. You surrounded by friends at a bbq. You making margaritas around the bonfire or killing it at a picnic in the park with your sweetheart. You are the star of this explainer video. The Coolest is just your wingman on all your outdoor adventures.
Notice how the first line of the explainer video doesn’t explain anything about the product. It’s not about the space-age design. It’s not about the company. Heck, it’s not even about the inventor and his story. It’s about you.
“That’s the sound of a cooler coming off the shelf. It’s the sound of imminent fun.”
I love that opening line. It immediately sets the scene, and makes your imagination the star (with your trusty cooler in hand, of course). A great line can hook you just as fast as a killer video thumbnail. Never underestimate a strong start.
Conflict: Put The Boring On Ice
After setting you up as the star, the explainer quickly shifts gears from how awesome the concept of a cooler is, to how much they suck in reality. They’re “boring, break easily, and are difficult to get to and from your destination,” says inventor Ryan Grepper.
True.
He lays out the problems with standard coolers – the conflict – in three easy-to-picture, easy-to-relate-to talking points. Again, he keeps the script focused on you and how you feel when you experience the shortcomings of regular coolers. It’s simple and speaks to your own experience.
Now that the conflict is well established, it’s time to get to the “explainer” part of the video.
Quest For The Coolest
Now – at the 0:13 mark – the explainer video smoothly transitions into the quest for the perfect cooler. In the time it takes me to walk to my kitchen and stare into the empty fridge, this explainer video has made me remember all the great outdoor fun I’ve had in the summer, while pointing out that my cooler is terrible. It’s an epic switch, and a great narrative development. I’m ready for a quest.
That’s when the video lays it on.
“I wanted a cooler that was really well built, yet had so much fun built into it I would look for excuses to get outdoors.”
The Coolest literally beckons you on your own outdoor journey – with your trusty Coolest by your side. That’s an amazing accomplishment for an explainer video, and this creation of need is the reason this video has raised over 170x times the initial goal. It tells you a story, and you love it.
The “Quest” is the longest phase of the script, and rightly so. Here is where your explainer video… explains. Why it matters. What it does. Why you should care. It lays out all the features that you expect in a cooler while wowing you with more than you ever dreamed of.
The viewer is taken on a trip where they imagine the Coolest as the life of the party for every outdoor destination. Here are a few lines from the video.
“Become a summertime hero.” On-Board 18 V Blender
“Dance parties may happen.” Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker
They even manage a little rib-nudging humor – “Maybe you have an iphone and want to use it after two in the afternoon” – which is tough to do when describing a USB Charging Port.
I gotta respect a script that can get a chuckle out of a USB joke.
Resolution: Close The Lid On The Deal!
When you’ve made the sale, stop selling. It’s time to wrap it up.
True, this video runs a little long for most explainers, but it fits the form on kickstarter, so we’ll give it a pass. After the quest, the script steers us to the end – the objective of the whole video. To buy the product.
“I create products for a living,” Grepper states. “A world-class sourcing company with years of experience” he continues, is “standing by.” He’s bringing us home – instilling trust, making claims, and promising you’ll be happy with your purchase. He’s giving us closure.
“By backing this kickstarter, you can be one of the first people in the world with a cooler that’s actually cool.”
Where do I sign?
I’d like to say that I am in no way being compensated by the Coolest for this gushing endorsement. I’m just thrilled when I see an explainer video script do its job so perfectly. Grepper wrote a great script and great scripts get results.
Oh, and in the twenty minutes it took for me to write this, eight more people bought the Coolest. Just saying.
Whether it’s sales, awareness, or entertainment, a great script guides viewers toward your explainer video’s objective. Contact us today to get the coolest-possible explainer video script you can imagine, and achieve your goals with a great explainer video.
