Social Media for the Living & the Dead
Think that only the living can participate in Social Networks? While technically that is true, since someone has to be alive to type at a keyboard and view a computer screen, loved ones who have passed on now have a "voice" on the internet as well.
Respectance, a San Francisco based social media start up that was was founded by Tom Wilkinson and Kazaa co-founder Richard Derks, helps people by giving them a place to remember loved ones that have passed on. The company has just received $1.5 million in first round funding from Solid Ventures and Big Bang Ventures, according to Venture Beat.
As a member of Respectance, you can contribute to "memorials" that are already existing, such as Steve Irwin, Jessica Tandy, even the most recently decease Tammy Faye Mesner-Bakker has a memorial section on the site. Members can upload pictures, videos and their own tributes to those who have passed on.
At the moment, it doesn't cost anything to join Respectance, and as I'm going through the site, I'm not seeing any type of ad models in the main areas (tributes, adding information, etc.) or in the groups. The only place I see where there is a monetary amount involved is where you upload videos at $1 a video. I do wonder if this is going to be enough for the site to turn a profit for its investors.
This startup social media site will be interesting to watch grow, as currently it has no real value to advertisers. I doubt you'll see ads from major names appearing (like Coke, Pepsi, Rackspace or United Airlines) on the site any time soon. There's a bit of "taboo", that whole notion of respecting the deceased, that seems to really resonate here.
Comments