Partner Article

Behind the business with Vidioh

Russell Lawley Gibbs, director of Vidioh, takes Bdaily behind the business. Vidioh provide innovative video technology in direct mail, print media and POS: a flat screen high resolution LCD screen embedded into a card and delivered through the post, for use in invitations, promotions, product launches and wider marketing communications.

What key challenges has your company recently faced?

As a start up in a tough economic environment, the hardest challenge was staying afloat while setting up factories in China, Quality Assurance and Logistics, whilst also maintaining a day job to bring in the money! Learning quickly along the way is also a tough challenge, as is keeping pace with the latest developments in technology and trying to predict the future while keeping a keen eye on the present – all tough things to juggle.

What is your biggest achievement over the past 12 months?

Seeing the shift from making calls to receiving enquiries, both in the UK and in our Blackscreen Media office in Dubai where i have been helping set up our international sales operations. Working 20 hours a day and waking up every morning desperate to get back to work has been a huge personal awakening or me, quite literally.

What is your biggest focus for the coming year?

Building the Vidioh brand. Getting the product to market, building up an ‘A’ list client base, building video content, and ensuring the highest levels of quality, customer service and providing a business solution rather than just a product, which I see as key elements that will separate us from the competition in the coming year.

If you had to choose one top piece of advice for someone just starting out in business, or is currently operating within your industry sector, what would it be?

Think about how much money you will need. Be generous. And then when you have come up with the number, double it.

Can you share with us your view of the current landscape of business, in this region or generally and where your organisation sits within it?

We are at the early adopter stage of a new technology for video in print material and there are many pitfalls ahead. Few companies currently have content, or the right kind of content, and so there are many chasms yet to cross. But I believe that this technology will become mainstream and that within two years marketing departments will have an allocation of budget for video in direct mail. And it’s always exciting to be a pioneer.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Tom Keighley .