So far the target audience for LM1 is pretty specific. Lets face it most people here are actively involved in the space industry already or are very interested in it and have been for many years.

So they've secured the easiest audience to begin with and that's smart. They obviously have a plan for attracting a much wider audience but what exactly? Sure there is the education side with the archive so schools and such can be directly involved. Then things like the time capsule, and hair sample which will appeal to families with young children in particular. But will that be enough?

So, while many families and schools and such would buy into LM1 if they were convinced I do not think it will be just as easy as airing a few tv/radio adverts. Many, many families simple won't want to pay out £60 or £120 or £180 + (assuming they spend minimum amount on each child and them selves) when it wont happen for several years.

So my question is this. How do you think LM1 will be or how can they reach out to lower income families, students and such who may love the idea, after some heavy advertising, but simply cannot pay potentially hundreds without 100% confidence?

Once awareness is made first impressions for many will be "that looks like a pretty cool present for my kids but £xxx is just too much" or "I have to wait that long?"

LM1 probably has a couple of answers to those in their advertising campaign but is there anything we can come up with to help?

I'll start with one. How about a free (or very cheap) photo to upload to the private archive with a short written message? This would be good for those who want to give the private archive a go but Don't want to spend a large amount straight away and give it a try first.

Hi Fawkes (Lee) this is something i've brought up at the Kickstarter Forum a number of times

I am sure LM-1 have done there homework (and we are talking a World-Wide sell here)

But focusing on the UK side for the moment...

I perhaps would disagree with you with regards to the Tv Advertising as i personally think this is where the majority of the funding might be achieved (if marketed well)
Web promotion will no doubt help but i feel they need to reach out to the majority of people and at a time that they might agree to sign up, this will almost certainly mean some form of Tv Advertising (a Documentary which has also been discussed on one of the BBC Channels I think is on the cards and would also help)

I would hope LM-1 will begin with an Advertising campaign early in December (this year or next year? or in 2017) that may well play (here in the UK) on the less expensive to advertise channels such as (ITV's 2,3 & 4, Challenge, E4 etc) of course if they could pop in a few on the more popular channels such as ITV1 then this might help but if an advertising slot for say 30 seconds got you 3,4,5 or 6 slots on those lesser channels rather than just 1 airing on say ITV then i think those nuemrous slots would be the better choice?

Most people are Nostalgic around Christmas time and if the Ads appealled to this feeling i really could see this becoming "The Christmas Present of Choice" for not just that year but for many years after.
LM's could make it easy to pay by crafting a Card (with say artwork on one side and all the information needed on the other with perhaps a scratch away number giving them a code needed to get their Data online?)
If this came with a pin / badge included then each buyer would have something physical too which might be a good idea?

The Lower Income families question is a good & valid one, as a family w'ere not exactly rich ourselves but £60 for the Data (which I'm expecting would get you at least 1-2 hours but would be hoping for much more), One strand of DNA Hair to be sent as well as Membership to Lunar Missions for this & Future Missions is I think very good value for this Wonderful Mission....And DON'T forget it's the 1ST EVER PUBLICALLY BACKED SPACE MISSION too.

But i do like your thinking Lee...
Maybe Lunar Missions might like to look at their entry level mark? and perhaps create one that includes one or the other, so you get either the dna hair sample say for £30 or the Data most if us here have at £30 and then ADD perhaps a LOWER Priced 'ENTRY LEVEL' price of say £10 for perhaps one very small video message (say of 1-2 minutes) or a low number of photographs...To be worked out obviously.

It's a great suggestion Lee and i think this WOULD HELP Greatly.

World-Wide too

This is something i'm sure i would have brought up again myself at some point but i'm glad others such as yourself are thinking about it and i hope LM's are too, as like you i would like as many and as wide a ranging of people from all backgrounds to get in on this and if it means introducing a Lower (Budget) Entry Level then why not?

SPACE Missions sadly (however much i would like them to) will NOT appeal to the majority of people (right now) but add in the Nostalgia Factor and these Data Chips, the DNA hair samples and hopefully the "Earthrise" selfies (had to get that one in again as this would be a way of Lunar Missions having a constant income stream once all the mission objectives have been achieved that would help fund future missions) and you have STUFF that should very well appeal to the majority of people...especially around Christmas Time

Fawkes, you're right, we have a very specific strategy for attracting people to the project. And our first target of course was people who would want to find and join a collaborative space mission right from the beginning. It's a long mission and we appreciate that not everyone wants to be involved in something for ten years...on the other hand, for many people that's exactly what floats their boat! So we sought out the like-minded people first and of course we found our first tranche of supporters who are enthusiastic, knowledgeable (or joined the project because it's something they've always wanted to learn more about) and want to be on board a mission for a ten-year interactive journey. We were so pleased and happy that our supporters have turned out to be so amazing!!

Next, we went quiet for a short while whilst your Kickstarter money was put to use setting up the teams, arranging other collaborations and of course getting our new online home ready so we could interact even more. And now the project is fully underway we can start to attract our next round of supporters.

We don't believe we have yet reached all the enthusiasts out there. So thank you for setting up this thread, as we would welcome views from everyone on how we reach out more, especially Internationally. For those of you coming to the event on 30th May, we'll be asking about how we can work with you to spread the word even further.

In our view, to have such talented supporters and not listen to their ideas would be madness. So yes, although we do already have a plan to attract certain types of supporters at certain stages of the project, we'd be daft not to also encourage ideas from our existing supporters, as from our experience to date, you're a mine of useful information, contacts and ideas. So please post freely, just as Paul has done already. )

See Lee (Fawkes) we have good, intelligent and lovely, delightful people in charge of this mission.
I completely believe we are in safe hands with people like the wonderful Angela here on board, helping & explaining things.

It has been mentioned that LM-1 hopes to get 1% of the worlds population involved, if achieved this would be very
impressive and would be with the help of Tv advertising and possibly bringing in that quick, pick up entry level purchase you
mentioned Lee.

BTW Angela...I'm not sure I envy you on the 30th as I can see everyone making a b-line for you asking you so many questions.
For many like myself you were & are the face of LM-1 so hope your prepared (Mrs Peel always is)

Hi Angela, and thanks also Fawkes and Paul, it would be great to begin some competitions. Perhaps using LM1 themed items as prizes to further advertise the mission. A special space-themed day out and possibly meeting some of the team, would also be an idea, particularly for young people, schools etc. Just a thought ps Angela I thought your interviews, in particular the most recent one is brill. You are musical too?!