Frameworks for Co-Creating with Society (1)

Japan's first crowdfunded program to create mass media content, the J-WAVE LISTENERS' POWER PROGRAM, successfully aired its first installment on New Year's Day 2014 and launched its second installment in March 2014. While the first installment featured a special program selected from numerous submitted ideas, the second installment became a regular program aiming to incorporate as many proposals as possible.

J-WAVE LISTENERS' POWER PROGRAM is currently accepting program ideas.

For the second phase, all proposals meeting the specified screening criteria will undergo refinement by relevant parties and then attempt to raise funds on the crowdfunding platform "READY FOR." The initiator remains the proposer themselves. If successful, J-WAVE will produce and broadcast the program. This creates a system where individuals can plan mass media programs based on their own intentions and realize broadcasts by gaining support and assistance from others.

To enable anyone to effectively utilize such mechanisms, we created a framework useful for implementing "social sourcing." This column introduces one of them.

Dentsu Inc. Fundraise Power Analysis: "3C×2 Frame"

One of the most challenging things to obtain through social sourcing is "money." The act of raising money is called "fundraising."
The '3C×2 Frame' is a framework for analyzing your current fundraising capacity when planning fundraising activities.

 

The framework's axes are Contents, Context, and Community. Three Cs. Furthermore, each C has two elements, hence ×2, which became the name itself.
Utilizing this tool allows you to analyze the strength of your funding plan to some extent before implementation, helping you formulate your funding strategy.

■ Fund's Contents Power

【1】The Fund's Own Content Strength
: Is the project/product compelling? Do the rewards or compensation for funders function as effective incentives?

Example) For a new product development fund, the appeal of the new product itself is relevant.
　

【2】Content Power of the Promoter/Caller
: Measured by factors like name recognition, popularity, relatability, influence, and charisma.

Example) If the person making the appeal is a celebrity with a positive image, the fund is more likely to succeed.
　

■ Fund Context Power

【１】Social Context, Social Cause
: Does it capture the social context? In other words, does it have a "cause" reflecting contemporary society? Or does it avoid anti-social or anti-public elements?

Example: Funds like the Great East Japan Earthquake Recovery Support Fund are arguably the most recent examples of funding that raised capital primarily through a "cause."
　

[2] Personal Context, Target Audience Empathy
: Does it possess "empathy" that aligns with individual consumers' aspirations? Does it grasp the background and context of the target audience (TGT)?

Example: Funds like "Ballpark Renovation Funds" or "Stadium Construction Funds" targeting baseball fans or soccer enthusiasts are prime examples.
　

■ Fund Community Power

【１】Scale and Influence of Related Communities
: Does a "related community" already exist for the funding purpose itself? What is its scale, influence, and level of loyalty?

Example: For an idol activity support fund, the idol's fan club would be the "relevant community."
　

【2】Size and Influence of Non-Related Communities
: The strength of "non-related communities" unrelated to the funding purpose, primarily the promoter's (initiator's) affiliated communities.

Example: The promoter's friends and acquaintances. The quality and quantity of their network that can be asked for support or cooperation. If the promoter is a celebrity, their personal connections are included.

A strong fundraising capability can be achieved when these elements are well-balanced.

The funding for the first installment of the J-WAVE LISTENERS' POWER PROGRAM, 'Let's Create a Program Together to Share the Story of Miyakejima Island on the Road to Recovery!', can be analyzed as follows.

It shows that each category contains fairly well-balanced positive elements. In reality, success or failure depends on various factors that cannot be measured by theoretical planning alone. Nevertheless, I believe this framework offers some assistance when doing everything possible.

Thanks to your support, the funding for the program conveying Miyakejima's ongoing recovery has been successfully secured.

By utilizing such frameworks, we hope many people will participate in the open mass media broadcasting system 'LISTENERS' POWER PROGRAM', and that this initiative will take root and spread throughout society.

In future columns, I will introduce another fundraising framework I have developed.