Sticker shock can be a real thing for clients presented with a custom-built set budget for their commercial photography or video shoot. Looking at these costs can leave clients with mouths agape and eyes bulging. We don't ever want to leave our clients in this state, so we do our best to find solutions and improve their bottom line.
Using co-op partners on your set can be a significant cost-saver for your project. As material and construction expenses continue to skyrocket, using industry partners reduces budget and can truly elevate a design.
If you aren't familiar with the concept of a co-op, here it is in the proverbial nutshell: Partner vendors are coordinated to provide materials (at no charge) to the primary client's set in exchange for limited usage of the set to create their own assets. Mirroring the process that many brands use for trade shows, co-op set builds can help you establish long-standing industry relationships, and you can never have too many friends.
A custom kitchen set can cost between $35K and $65K. Allowing us to explore co-op opportunities is a fantastic way to help save money. If our primary client wants to showcase their new countertops in a stunning kitchen, we can look at securing vendors to fill out the rest of the room. A kitchen would look empty without essential appliances, which can cost anywhere between $5K - $20K alone. Finding an appliance partner to supply these is a win-win for everyone involved.
Suppose our client wants to explore using co-ops. In that case, we begin securing appropriate industry partners to help complete the environment. These could include appliances, cabinets, lighting, flooring, sinks, faucets, countertops, or any other suppliers needed to complete a room's look. We also negotiate terms in advance to ensure that images and content usage will meet all the launch dates for all vendors involved. We work hard to make sure the entire process is transparent for all parties involved.
Our primary client doesn't need to worry about compromising the artistic integrity of their usage of the set. In the co-op terms, the types of shots and angles that the partner vendors will have access to, and the redressing of the scene between shoots, will ensure that each image will be original in appearance. This planning helps to mask the fact they were taken on the same set.
Co-op shoots aren't about shared content. They are about sharing costs to make dollars stretch further. Each vendor pays for and gets its own images and product shots.
Another advantage of being a part of a co-op is the additional exposure that your products will receive as your partners use their assets. A potential customer may get their first incidental exposure to your product when shopping on a site like Wayfair or Houzz. Perhaps they were looking for new tiles for a bathroom project but fell in love with the faucet in that shot. It's common for customers to contact these sites to find out what additional products are in a specific image. The more places a potential consumer sees your product, the better!
TRG has the space and expertise to bring our clients' visions to life. We also have the relationships to help our clients explore co-op opportunities to realize their vision as efficiently as possible. Contact us to discuss your next project and to see if a co-op makes sense for your business.
