One of the greatest difficulties I used to have as a crowdfunding coach was in working through the labyrinth of Kickstarter’s rules.
Product design projects could offer a maximum of one product as part of a reward. Sunglasses and home improvement weren’t allowed. There were only 16 categories and if you didn’t fit one, you couldn’t use Kickstarter. The rulebook was long, complicated, and intricate.
But just over a month ago, all that changed. Kickstarter completely overhauled the rules. Now, there are only three of them. More or less, they boil down as follows (you can read the actual rules here):
- Be a project
- Be honest
- Offer rewards.
Which of course means that Kickstarter is now able to accept a much, much larger array of projects.
This was illustrated very clearly when the now-infamous potato salad project launched. With a funding target of just $10, the project took on a life of its own. At the time of writing it’s funded a whopping 49317% of its target, and receives an average of $4483 every day.
If that trend continues, it’s going to make almost $140,000 before it closes in just under 3 weeks.
It’s the epitomy of what crowdfunding is designed to do. A large crowd got on board to give an average pledge of $8. As the crowd grows, the total gets to a very high number. But given we’re talking about a potato salad, it’s those very numbers that make it stand out.
Crowdfunding and unusual food projects are not new.
In November 2013, New Zealander Ben Polkinghorne launched his project, Recreating An Onion After Cooking It. That project ultimately failed with Polkinghorne raising a respectable $110 off a $500 goal.
A few months later, comedian David Correous launched Let’s get Dave a feed on PledgeMe, looking for $39 to buy a KFC Family Feast. Correous raised $149 + a free Family Feast donated by KFC in response to the project.
So, given these types of projects aren’t uncommon, and no one appears to be spending big money, why does it matter?
It’s a dude having some fun that got out of control (in a good way). This is the internet, and that happens all the time, right?
Well, those that care about such things have pointed out that at some point, the numbers were inflated with a handful of very large pledges. Real or fake, orchestrated or not, those pledges (worth around $20,000) were cancelled a few days ago, but there is no doubt they achieved a goal: they got people wondering “what is it with potato salad?!”
And as we already know, the internet is full of copy-cats. Currently, as well as the original Potato Salad project, you’ll also find:
- “An Even Better Potato Salad” – looking for $15
- “Potato’s Salad” – looking for $11
- “Sweet Potato Salad… because internet” – looking for $25
- “German Potato Salad” – looking for $40
- “Creating the Ultimate Boston Butt BBQ Seasoning Mix” – looking for $50
- “Southern Matzah Brei” – funded for a goal of $20
- “Egg Salad” – funded for a goal of $10
- “Potato Salad” – funded for a goal of $1
- “Lebron James chocolate chip cookies!” – looking for $100
- “Chicken Soup” – funded for a goal of $10
- “Coleslaw” – funded for a goal of £10
- “Coleslaw” – funded for a goal of $20
- “Mayonnaise” – looking for $42
All 13 of those projects reference the original potato salad project, and are looking for a collective total of just $354. None have (or will) reach the same highs.
Perhaps I’m being over-sensitive. The hype will die down. Somewhere in Ohio they will hold a potato salad festival, and Kickstarter will go back to being the territory of fringe weirdos and mindblowing innovation.
Or perhaps it is only the beginning, and that serpentine labyrinth of rules actually did something: ensured a minimum level of quality on the world’s top crowdfunding site.
Personally, I think the room for growth in crowdfunding lies within niches. A niche site for music (or even genres of music), a niche site for food, technology, film, engineering, electronics… To me, the watering down of Kickstarter’s rules (combined with the lack of actual innovation by the platform in quite some time) signals the beginning of the end. The Potato Salad is merely the first trumpet.
So, is the potato salad a lighthearted glitch in the matrix, or is it the beginning of the end? Do you even care? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
