does anyone use a dvd anymore?

​When a client asked me for about 20 DVDs of one of the videos we had created for her company I thought really? You want DVDs? I was a little incredulous, in my own mind that is, until I quickly thought about it and we discussed it further. Then it all made perfect sense.

When you look into a - well what we used to call - record shop, there are lots of CDs and DVDs for sale, along with video games and even some vinyl. So clearly there is a demand for these products because otherwise the store owner wouldn't stock them...right? Just like buying printed books, it seems people like tangible products, something concrete to hold and touch which is a very different experience to online.

So you might be curious as to the logic of the DVD instead of simply video. She was going to the USA to a meeting, set up with the support of Enterprise Ireland, to meet with universities to discuss their post-graduate programs and experience. Her company DoctoralNet (and now MastersNet) provides universities with tools and maps to support their post graduate students in graduating faster and with less stress. A fantastic and ever growing resource.

So at this meeting Alana (the CEO) felt that having a tangible product - the DVD - to hand over to the participants would be more likely to pique their interest than simply putting a link up on a slide which could be so easily overlooked or forgotten. How many videos do you look up after a presentation? No sooner are you back in your office and faced with pressing matters than that link to the video has gone out of your head.

You might be thinking to yourself well how many computers or laptops even have a DVD player any more? But you see that's not really the point, on the back of the case there were DoctoralNet's contact information and the link to the video, problem solved. Not so easy to forget now?

Furthermore in Robert Cialdini's book "Influence - the Psychology of Persuasion" he devotes a whole chapter to the 'law of reciprocation'  which says if someone gives you something, you feel obligated to do something for them in return. In this situation the DVD was definitely the way to go and it delivered too.