Zacuto’s Web Series a Model for Small Business Marketing

Chicago-based custom camera package sales and rental company Zacuto has put forth an interesting marketing model for its business: a slate of original web series programming focused on content creation which highlight the store’s products and resources. According to the “Content” page on the Zacuto website, “Not only do we provide excellent customer service for our customers, but we strive to be a information resource in general. Whether it be current topics of the day we discuss in our FilmFellas webisodes, or testing the newest cameras and providing real world results and experiences through many of our videos.”

Located in Chicago’s River North neighborhood, Zacuto was originally a production equipment rental house formed in 2000 by  Director Steve Weiss and Director of Photogrpahy Jens Bogehegn, who expanded the business into a producer of high-end production equipment designed for independent filmmakers. In December 2008, they began to publish original programming.

The Zacuto web site features three original series among a collection of instructional videos and product reviews:

The Great Camera Shootout 2010
A three part web series where gunslinging HD DSLRs face-off against legendary 35mm Film.

FilmFellas
A behind the scenes peek featuring influential and emerging new filmmakers who are making, creating and challenging the independent film scene and how we view entertainment. Producers Steve Weiss, Jens Bogehegn & Scott Lynch sit down and dine with industry movers and shakers where talking film is their family business.

[critics]
Steve Weiss and Steve Weiss and London-based cinematographer and filmmaker Philip Bloom critique web based video content.