Sneaky *******! However, I show who has sponsored me, because whatever you like it or not, it has an impact on how you see them, or behave around their products. I want that whoever reads my worklogs knows which parts is sponsored, so they can ask me whether I really like it or just use it because I'm sponsored. As a side note, I always use products that I like and that I can feel confident having my name with. I say no to sponsors which want to give me products I don't like.
some of my sponsors say they would rather you not specify you were sponsored but instead just use and show their products . . .it goes both ways. I will not use a product that I would not have have not bought myself tho
I myself wouldn't agree to it if it was just because of marketing, there could be a number or reasons why a sponsor would not like to be named of course, and that's a whole different story. But I was also joking when calling him a sneaky.. well, you get what I ment. It's up to each and one of us who is sponsored to do this however each and one of us see fit. I try not to judge people because of their different ideal, or way to see on different matters as we hardly knows the whole story behind it. Sure, people don't have a rats ass to do with how, or if you're sponsored - But I feel like I want it to be as transparent as possible when I am. Maybe it's just me, but being sponsored by a company somehow gives you a more positive view on that particular company. Don't know why, really. However, it might cloud your judgment regarding matters which involves said company. I wouldn't trust myself in such situations, so I tend to stay out of such discussions. However, I can, and I do point out how I've experienced the products very objective - but of course it got a sent of subjectivity too.
Honesty and integrity are two of the most important things to me so I agree with transparancey, I just wanted to pass on what I have heard from sponsors. That being said, there is no one way to showcase your sponsors, it is all up to you and them. I am not the type to post a bunch of company logos in the beginning of my work log. For others that works. I also generally do not plaster logos on my builds unless I happen to use a Danger Den case then I will have extra side panels laser cut with the sponsor logos etched on for shows.
I agree with everything you've said. As with showcasing the sponsors, I'm one of those hundreds of people who has their logos in the first post of the worklog. I see it as probably the most convenient way to give them a shout out. Then of course, a big part is to show their stuff, and use it in the best way I'm able. If I would do builds for convents, or stuff like that, I'd probably etch the sponsor brands to a side panel or make a theme build to a specific audience. It's not my cup of tea, but I'd probably do it if it meant that I could get out in the world. That's a whole different story all together since it would probably be a commissioned build, not something I'd kept. I'm not at that level yet, if ever, and I'm pretty sure I don't want to be either. I'd like to keep my builds artsy and if the 'companies' appreciate my work, and see the marketing potential in what I do, and like to show it then I don't mind. Til' then I do what I like, when I like. Not saying that you don't, of course.
being new here, you all gave me lots of nice info and very very good points.. its very same to the import car scene, you and the best friend can have the same car as the next person or as in case modding, but you have to seperate yourself from the rest and do something that a] nobody has done before, mod wise and b] is different and fresh... learn from what went right and what went wrong, learn from that and do better the next time around
My opinion on Sponsorship may be different than others but... I look for sponsorship for a few reasons. One is with me and my partners starting a company, we review products, and build mods for customers. So being sponsored helps us and the companies a lot. For us it seems to be a waste to add products NOT sponsored. A waste in perfectly good advertising. We do buy most of our products we use and we do give a lot of free press to the manufacturers of our purchased products, but not substantial. I stay indifferent to sponsored products. There are hundreds of comparison sites out there. If i am sponsored a motherboard, I wont go into all the performance details of it. If our viewers want to see those they can look elsewhere (or we provide a link). We simply highlight the products, how well they work and ways to use them and our "personal" feelings about it. In my experience with hundreds of manufacturers, obtaining sponsorship is rough. Something I am lacking big time is our presentation. Looks at Hannes's presentations, they are perfect. Sponsors want their products presented in fabulous ways, spotlighting them. We're working on it but it's my #1 recommendation on obtaining sponsors.
Sponsorship. Hmmmm.... As my friends Mike from MayhemDyes and John Hanlon said is all about hard work first. I ve seen many modders that got sponsorships and then disappeared without finishing their mods. If you are dedicated enough and you have some serious skills then go after it. And I might become a little harsh but every person who owns a dremel seeks for sponsorship these days. I ve seen a lot of so called modders getting sponsored and afterwards they disappoint the companies with their bad rushy work or the "never finished" work. Its a pity for all the other modders who are dedicated and spend countless hours on what they do cause when they will eventually seek for a sponsorship they will hear the exact words I ve heard so many times. "We dont sponsor mods anymore because of our bad experience with similar sponsorships...." First of all spend spend some money and a loooooot of time to create a portfolio and gain some recognition. Then if you are good enough and passionate it will come as a reward. I ve been modding unofficially for many years before my first project Case Mod : AnG3L. The first sponsorship came out of nowhere. A processor, a motherboard and ram. And I didnt even asked it. Good luck my friend. Do what you love first, then let the blood and the sweat become a reward.
and be like Angel who is addicted to sick mods . . .he needs a 12 step program or better a case company to hire him so we can get some real innovations on the market
Thanks bro, now go and give 1000% of your self to what you love to do. And opportunities will come. No worries
Thank you Robert! I've seen these kind of guys too. Who's only in it for the free stuff. Apparently good at talking big, since most doesn't even have prior mods in their repertoire. Also tried to coach one or another which also has disappeared as soon as their stuff arrived. There's also these guys who only does products shots, but never comes around modding anything. Also big talkers, but low on actually doing anything. These types are scammers imho, and I've learned to be less naive when talking too new kids on the playground.. If anything, these guys ruins it for everyone. I think that sponsorships might have to get a bit more official, and should take more than just an idea on some pretty words for these kind of things to stop, or at least be less frequent. For some reason, I've recognized these people for sucking up extra for the sponsors, adding their logos and stuff in their mods. At least in the plans since it hardly come anywhere else. Maybe it's a false observation. We mod because we love it, we get sponsored because we mod. It's not, We want free stuff because we love it, because we want sponsors, we mod. I recently declined sponsorship from maybe the biggest actor in the computer scene, because I didn't feel like their products fit my build. Having these ideals have made me popular amongst my contacts. I never accept, nor seek sponsorship because I want or can get free stuff.
Maybe it has been pointed out but it doesn't always work if you ask for sponsorship before you started. My biggest sponsor is E22, who is making me a fully custom reservoir designed by me to fit ONLY in Proxima (my project). The reason I got it is that he saw all the designing steps and saw it progress. I (and a few others helped) has been designing the case for months, and that means a lot. Get some people to know you and first go off for small sponsorship, but in the end it's the small stuff (like custom cheesecake parts) that makes the difference. If everything goes great with your lightly sponsored project, you can ask the company to help again, with something bigger, because they know they can trust you.
Hannes - what do you mean by biggest? Biggest waist circumference? That tells me it was an American company for sure
It is an American company. Don't know about their waist, think it might be quite normal, but my intel might be wrong. I meet this guy on DreamHack and he thought it would have been a great idea to use my current build as a showcase, or marketing thing or whatever when they released their new stuff in January. I thought it was a great opportunity for me aswell and was totally siked. When I was home and sleeped on it I came to my senses and thought could'nt use those things because I think that there are better suited products that I can use for my build. I also like to mod my hardware and they would probably want me to keep it stock. So I emailed him and declined politely. He hasn't replied. But these are busy times.
