An Engineer's Guide to Voting - Blog 1

[KittensGotTalent]

Perhaps 'An Engineer's Guide to Voting' sounds a little too dry. If it had been a 'Cats Guide To Voting' it may well have been more successful.

Personally, I thought it was every bit as funny as 'EGTC'.

Keep it up! Loving your videos!

[Joannsvx]

people are not really "into" voting : ) as much as the entertaining idea of an engineer giving us a "guide to cats".

[IrregularHonour]

I watched both the Engineer's Guide to Cats and the Engineer's Guide to Voting- I thought the wit in the Guide to Cats was lots better. It seemed more thought out. There were touches of it in the other but Guide to Voting wasn't all that subtle.

[Briguy6996]

You posted voting to long after guide to cats, and everybody forgot guide to cats.

[UberGeekPownsU]

If she can't win the Presidency, perhaps she could take the place of Senator Robert Byrd. I think she'd enjoy destroying a Byrd.

[NeonCoyo]

hey! sorry i'm so late in commenting ^^; but yes. that one vote for Ginger Cat...that was me! YAY MORE TUNA!!! lol!!

[Boxingjedi]

make that TWO votes...count 'em TWO!!

[crazywoodlouse]

i think that engineers guide to voting was funny, but i think that engineers guide to cats was more globally succsessful because it isnt really grounded in one particular country (aka voting in america) whereas guide to cats could have been set anywhere and had no reference to any country. I think its a daft reason because they are both brilliant, please keep up your hard work, it makes me smile ^_^

[AmurTiger]

cats are more viral then voting, there's no 'lolvoting' internet phenomenon, but there is a 'lolcats' phenomenon. Cats are funny, voting isn't.

[thefaintingV]

I didn't see any of Ginger's campaign videos! Bummer, if only I had known. Excellent foreign policy experience.

[ecreeder]

I feel like I've let you and Ginger down by not subscribing to your videos until just this week. Honestly, I found her views on stimulating the economy to be refreshing. Why hasn't anybody thought to scratch it on the butt until now? That's brilliant!

I am a subscriber now, and I hope to do my part in the future. Don't give up hope. Ginger for Prez in 2012!

[velvetika]

i love this video very much =) this video is a very cool

like it

[schladmingman]

"An Engineer's Guide to Cats" is a great title... it already had me chuckling at the concept. "An Engineer's Guide to Voting" doesn't effect the same result. Also, cats are timeless. Timeless = more appeal to most audiences. Voting happens only once in a while... thus, this equates to "not so much" appeal.

Both videos were equally entertaining, but you MAY have gotten more hits if the second video were called "An Engineer's Guide to Cats II - Voting!"

[crazy07gamer]

You can only hope things can be as successful as the first. Don't feel bad if the rest of your videos are as sucesful. Just keep up your effort (: , you'll always have that group of people that enjoy your work. (most of your videos have 50k views, which is more than many could wish for)

From there you can slowly build up views and fans, that's how things work.

[jonathanellis2000]

Engineers guide to voting is awesome. I absolutely love the Aerial Cat Fight. So funny! Engineers Guide to Cats totally rocks too. I love them both. I guess the reason Guid to Voting didnt have the same success is because of the title. Vote Ginger Cat for President would have been a better title in my opinion and might have got more hits.

[klusmanp]

You are absolutely right. That WOULD have been a better title! Oh well - they can't all be big viral hits. "An Engineer's Guide to Cat Yodeling (with Cat Polka)" should be out in a week or two. That one will go viral. Hopefully.

[KathyBentley]

I clicked on this video because I wasn't sure if I'd seen it before since several of your videos have similar titles, but after watching it, one of the questions asked by you to the viewers was "Why didn't the 'voting' video do as well as the original & get as many hits?" I think the combination of Engineers/Cats is more eyecatching while Engineers/Voting is less contrasting. Simple solution: Do a "Subscriber Request" of your 12522 subscribers to watch a video everyday for 80 days/1001760 views!

[vikkij2222]

You Rock! :0)

What a honey you are as well ;0)

Hope Blue found a loving home.

I have 4. Four and No More!! All of them

strays. I just got 2 T-shirts from the Elephant Sanctuary. If you haven't seen their Tube site, it's a total happy! It's TN, btw.

[angelamayricks]

I love this!

[klixiana]

now u just went alittle too far w/ the talking and the not playing with ur cats. dont get me wrong or anything but i like ur other videos but u need to make more fun videos to get peoples attention and to get ur videos featured.

[jjhmovies]

oops srry i meant i love all the videos of cats you have sent ive seen them all

[jjhmovies]

lol i love all the videos of guys have sent ive seen them all how do u get them to be so calm!

[healtheworldnow08]

Totally impressed with the way you promote cat adoption and your concern over animal welfare. All your videos rock...esp. the first one you did. Hilarious! Voting video didn't have  same reaction? Most voters probably are dog lovers... ;-)and wouldn't vote for a cat...

Really enjoy your dry sense of humor! Re: marriage proposals from cat women after they saw your video, you must look like a big furless cat to them... ;-)funny, sweet and adorable... MORE POW-FUR TO YOU!

[JayonT]

I haven't read any other comments, so this may be redundant:

I just watched both the Guide to Cats and the Guide to Voting; both are great, and I really enjoyed them. However, I do prefer the guide to cats; some of the jokes in Voting are better ('scratch the economy on the butt' was amazing), but for some reason I still prefer the original. I think the reason is the topic; a 'guide to cats' automatically sounds funny, while a 'guide to voting' sounds serious. That alone has a big affect

[JayonT]

(continued) A lot of hits come from random searches; thus, most people decide if they will watch the video based on the title alone. A video the sounds funny will thus get lots of hits, but one with a more serious-sounding name will be less popular even if it's of a similar quality. The title 'An Engineer's Guide to Voting' sounds serious, so its less appealing. Also, Voting isn't as original as Guide to Cats, so that may also take away from its appeal factor.

Hope that helps!

[775589]

dude i love all your videos your cats are so.... chill... my cat would be biting my neck if I was just sitting there..

[Stephenlee5]

You see, in EGtC, its a guide to CATS, a species once thought very simple, but then you have a guide to them, and even state the necessities of food and water. The balloon stuff, and the calculator stuff, and the hobbies of your cats are really funny (especially floral regurgitation)

The President video (Hmmmmm) just doesn't have that good humor that the EGtC has.

[Enkerli]

The voting clip is in some respects "better" than the EGtC clip. For instance, it has a higher production value and the t-shirt jokes are subtler.

We can't tell why it didn't go viral. Some leads:

-Context, context, context.

-April!=October

-Politics are tricky.

-Viral success is irreproducible.

[ParadoxNinja]

I think that at two weeks before the election was bad timing--both because it was too short a timespan before the election and we had already seen so much comedic material around the election already. Another video parodying the election was still funny, but not the same unexpected breath of fresh air that the guide to cats had.

[Suenell]

Elephant sanctuary in KY, TN, AR? LOLZ d00d at least get your info straight if you're gonna broadcast it! d0rk... we wuv ya anyhow!

[tinycallousangel]

The first one was so cutting edge, original, well written, and morphed cats life w/ the engineers life/ EXC ! Voting vid had good scenes/amazing soundtrack, my one and only helpful comment would be ~~~ released too late ! Yes, there were plenty of campaign vids circulating/but once you have an audience(which you do) just put your work out within the "constraints" of the time frame/in your case -the election. YOU are a special person to reach out to help the cats that need homes/it all helps.

[yelloworangered]

I just watched both videos. The 1st took something your audience knows thoroughly & loves - cats - and filtered it thru engineer's vision of the world. It also made fun of engineers and gave new ideas about cats - yodeling, etc. The second repeated footage from the first, which distracted me bec I would stop to remember where it was in the Guide. Many more bridging shots of you standing & talking - not broken up like the intro of the cats in the Guide's was with a quick shot of each cat.

[yelloworangered]

I also did not understand the joke about choosing between 2 things you don't want -- took me 3 viewings to realize you meant choosing bet Obama and McCain -- was I right? The Ginger4Pres video has many funny moments, but as I said in an earlier post somewhere, there are many of these parodies of campaign videos. Yours is as funny as any of them, but it's not a unique vision as Guide was. Congrats on these both, though. They are both well done.

[pumamama9]

I went to the Ellen Degeneres Show page to recommend EGTC, but they seem to want submissions of viral videos as VHS tapes. ;(

Analysis of factors influencing why EGTV/GFP wasn't as viral (successful) as EGTC seems to me overly rational, Mr. K. What you do here on YT is artistic, creative, not subject to precise analysis. My suggestion is: next time you get an idea for making a vid that strikes your (non-rational) fancy, just express yourself. Forget about outcomes. Just enjoy yourself!

[DrunkBunny]

You released it when everyone was rabidly sucking up videos about the campaign. Also, it was so similar to the first one - it was good but no longer as novel. I thought the Voting one showed more unrestrained humor (the fighter sketch), but the Cats one stayed in its educational/industrial film type. The Voting one started and ended in that theme, but right in the middle was this drama thing that I had to watch twice to get (unexpected and confusing at first, but ultimately awesome).

[Dannan1989]

Willow tried to gain American Citizenship so she could vote for Ginger (since she believes the whole world needs Ginger) but unfortunately they told us they would not accept Willow, since they were worried the USA would be left with too many clawed and scratched up tablecloths.

We love Ginger!!

[coppero1237]

However, just some comments about the Engineers' guide to voting in comparison. There were not as many fresh jokes. I feel that you have a lot of potential with the cats and engineers, and you might want to look for new ways to explore these facts. While you may never come close to beating your first video, keep stuff new and if you have to mention something from before, keep it as short as possible as to say, it happened, then move on. Running gags could be a staple, but keep it fresh!

[coppero1237]

Look at Smosh as an extreme case. Smosh had an extremely viral video, their music video for the pokemon theme song. No other video of theirs ever became so popular, although most of their videos have a million views or more. This can be attributed to a strong fan base. For you, I can imagine that engineers guide to voting 's view count was mostly people who liked your first video and subscribed to your channel. It was not as fresh or new as the Engineer's guide to cats.

[AynenMakino]

I think one major thing that didn't work to the advantage of the 'guide to voting' video is that it tried to be 2 different things at once. Namely a scetch-like video of a cat dogfight and a spoof on guide videos. I think the cat dogfight scetch is far stronger on it's own than in the middle of another video of a different type, and the same goes for the 'guide to voting' part. Keeping the two types seperate greatly increases pacing.

To be continued...

[AynenMakino]

...another thing I felt when watching the guide to voting is that a lot of material seemed to be re-used. The cardboard deconstruction joke, the gravity joke, and other jokes, where allready used in the guide to cats. I feel there is far more that can be explored about the cats' personalities, leading to fresh jokes. They can either be used in funny scetches like the cat dogfight or as part of a larger story in a guid video, but keep the two seperate, keep the pace high, and don't recycle.

[Chowfernow]

Ginger iz NUMBAH 1

[Wuqaz]

Thank you for posting your videos. I enjoy seeing all the funny things you do with your cats, and how your videos did.

Take care, and keep posting those vids!

[sassyluvchic]

I think we should join our households and marry.

My cats are willing to vote on it.

[1quirkyblonde]

I voted for Ginger! I figured she'd do a better job than the other two candidates.

[vampyreaayin]

I think "voting" isn't doing so well, because politics are sort of a sensitive issue. People are more easily offended, or they could be the direct opposite, and be totally apathetic to anything to do with voting or politics.

It's probably the latter, especially since many of youtube watchers are in the younger crowd.

[itzspairme]

I voted for Ginger. I felt she was the best qualified candidate.

[Theresa00000]

I too have sent the video to Ellen but sadly no hit!

I love them both! Just some videos are hit or miss with the public as a whole.

[niji80]

I really liked the first one cos at the time it was really fresh and new. The second one was similar to the first one so it was not fresh and new any more. Does this help?^^

I still love your videos and am looking forward to your future videos~ Please say hi to Ginger, Oscar and Zoe for me^^

[lysambre]

A few reasons that cross my mind :

1. A sequel needs excellent word of mouth to be successful, it needs to be *better* than the original to get as many viewer. Just *similar* doesn't cut it.

2. Novelty attracts more people.

3. Choosing to talk about elections at a time where everybody was beginning to get sick of it (especially since it only concerned one country) = too many vids with the same subject on Youtube.

Good luck on finding big success again ;)

[Duckygrass]

Hey Paul.

Just to let you know, I really liked both, but I saw a few things that might of let EGTV down. First off, I reckon the name could've done with a change, something shorter like "Ginger for President." Most people when they look at different vids, they choose something thats short, simple and seems good. Also I think that there were some things that were...a little odd in EGTV. Like the voice in scratching butts.Also that speech after the cat fighter jets maybe could be a little shorter.

[yelloworangered]

Where is Ginger? She's not depressed over her loss is she? Palin is still Governor of Alaska and Ginger is still Mayor of your house! The mix of truths about engineers and cats was original. There have been many "vote for" videos with unlikely presidential candidates. Yours was as clever as any of them, but Engineer's Guide to Cats was a never-before-seen event. I'll watch both tomorrow and give you more of my wisdom on the matter. P.S. I loved the editing in the airfight in Ginge's video.

[thecool1168]

I think its because that cats are funner then voting, I think thats why one is doing better then the other.

you need a another movie about your can and something funny.

sorry, I dont know what that funny special thing would be.

[jayzee711]

I thought they were both well written and everything. I think the reason why EGTC exploded and EGTV didn't is that EGTC was unique at the time, and it's always harder to top something like that.

[mnopxs2]

i love them both, i havent got a kick out of dry humor in years

[maregee]

what the hey happened to ginger? *LOL*

[saultheturtle]

The reason is very simple why EGTC got more hits that EGTV, EGTV doesn't have yodeling cats

[FatNinjaVideos]

Yodeling Cats Ftw.

[darbeau1]

Paul - I think your next video should be, "An engineer's Guide to the Definition of "DORKEY""

[deputyrandee]

I enjoyed both your videos. I couldnt really choose between them. They are both funny, creative and so damn cute. Thanks for all your support to cats!!! Cant wait until your next video.

[adamth0mpson]

ginger

[somebodythatikindakn]

Teleporting Cat @ 9:17

[DeoxyKnight]

I voted for Ginger as a Senator, since I never heard of the guy that was running (who was unapposed).

[basf1123]

I voted for Ginger... seriously!

[alawaiman]

It's because it was the same it wasn't viewed as much. Originality is the key. We already saw the first one, the second one was like "eh, I've seen this already"

[sspeare02]

My personal opinion, I enjoyed your first video more so then An Engineer's Guide to Voting because I am a Canadian, so the whole voting thing to me wasn't very relevant. I still enjoyed it, but maybe some people from other places didn't watch it for that reason. Just a thought :)

[ricksname]

Two very similar videos from the same author are very unlikely to both become viral videos. People had already seen and appreciated the style of your first video, a second similar video couldn't have the same 'viral' appeal because its already been seen before. People want things new and exciting! People still enjoy your videos, myself included, but getting two videos with such popularity would take some serious work.

[colinchloe2229]

I enjoyed both videos equally. Both videos were original, humorous, and a delight to watch. I agree that many people don't see the humor in American politics (understandable) and failed to view the Vote for Ginger video as a result. Speaking of expanding Tuna Territory, has Ginger seen the size of the Tuna Territory at Costco? It's quite impressive!! My daughter tried to write-in Ginger's name in her mock election at school, but there was no room for a write-in!! Keep up the good work.

[rbeasley123]

Guide to cats, is something that a vast amount of people can relate to. We watch that video, and laugh at how true it is. The guide to voting has nothing really special about it, you watch it, and its funny, but you never take it seriously. The cat guide we relate to, and believe. That is the difference.

[merrythought126]

Well they're both funny,but everything in the guide to cats was so unexpected and poked fun at nuances in human and animal behavior. The second film was also funny(particularly the in-flight battle)but the content,scenery, and even your outfits were the same. Kudos to Ginger's hat,ur tshirt+ disco outfits though :)It is still hilarious,but for quite a bit of it,I knew what was coming.I did forward it to friends though! Good luck with the film making!Hint all the bits with music were fantastic!

[Pillowchii]

Hmm, yeah, I sorta agree...I'm so sorry! The first vid was charming, cute and innocent, but now the whole shtick just feels milked to death. It's gone from clean fun to grasping at straws.

[grefalk]

What Mavrilon said.

[zeonb]

yey I love your vids XD and ginger and oscar and zoey, and IMO the guide to voting (ginger for president) was pretty cool

[sassyplayer1234]

im still a fan!

LOve ur videos

[lironess]

Ok, here goes...

The sequel seldom does as well as the original. The concept is no longer new. The subject, though timely, is not as funny as the first one.

We all get our 15 minutes if we try, but it is unusual to get more than that. Be happy that the first one did so well. I think they are both great but I am a fan.

Do this because you enjoy it and because it is fun. Do it for you, not for fame and fortune.

Hope this helps....

[KeladryL]

Two words: cat yodeling.

I think it's that the Guide to Voting is -- as you said -- more of the same stuff that you gave us in the Guide to Cats. It is funny, but the Guide to Cats is funnier and more original.

Please convey my condolences to Ginger. I'm sure she'll be consoled by a good scratch on the butt.

[pondergrace]

Couldn't sleep, dear? ;-)

I'm sorry Ginger didn't win. I was waiting anxiously to hear of any upset she might have caused with entering the race at the last minute.

Oscar is quite the character. It might have been my imagination but I swear he nodded to the camera when you introduced him. Such obedient cats!

Cheers.

[McSherrie]

I would tend to say that cats are a more universal subject than the intricacies of the American election process. Personally, I enjoyed both very much and have shared the link with those of a like mind that I know.

[auntienem]

you rock ;-)

[ZoneofA]

I think reason for difference in popularity is topics. Election video is interesting but topic is unoriginal, there are thousands of videos on net covering that topic in every imaginable angle, so public is quite saturated. However covering Dilbert-like engineer and his cats is rather original as such will attract more attention.

[Mavrilon]

The "guide to cats" is a lot more fun than the "voting guide".I think people were simply tired of all of the election stuff and even though,Ginger would have been a much better president than any of the humans presented by the major political parties,humans did not vote for her.She may be a victim of "speciesism",a refusal to consider a cat as a candidate for president for a nation of humans(even though,there are more Cat people in this county than Dog people).I love all of your videos, MEOW !

[Lionlord1000]

i would have voted for ginger i am however not a citizen of the united states

[0Toshi0423]

I have no idea why its not doing so well, I think its hilarious.

Maybe I think it got less attention and some people don't send it to their friends. :(

[imtang0708]

Vote for Ginger is a political video and that's why I think it didn't get so many hits! I thought both "Engineers guide" and "Vote for Ginger" were equally hilarious! Maybe you could do a Christmas video, as we all know cats LOVE Christmas decorations!

[stewstudboy]

i am ashamed to be australian...as an engineers guide to cats was PURE genius

[ChaoticShelly]

About a bi-polar cat, I might be helpful with that, hence I own one. We've been treating her with session in a pet therapist and she's also being treated with medicines. It would help to first take it to the vet and check what can be done, and if there is a pet therapist in the area. Also, run blood tests etc. Cats may have certain illness than causing them to behave that way, just because they suffer from a disease. Hope that was helpful.

For more info, she can contact me :)

[ChaoticShelly]

I couldn't vote for Ginger cuz I'm Israel :(

[silverhoneycat]

I think they were both great- Maybe it's becuase voting is a dated thing, as opposed to generally cats is timeless. Just a thought.

[0815tobey]

Why did they reject the video "engineers guid to cats"?

At the moment I watch it twice a day.

The Vid is very well made!

[sunshinegirl1967]

I voted for Ginger! And I was very disappointed to see that the majority of my fellow Americans either did not know she was on the ballot or had bigoted opinions about a female cat for president. However I liked and promoted her platform of bigger feeding bowls, mandatory long afternoon naps, and making tuna safe to eat.

[EclairTJMB]

Gingers rule the world anyway, albeit in a less showy way than presidency...Go Ginger!!!

[AntonioDeMaria]

I couldn't vote Ginger 'cause I'm Italian! :(

[phillipsouter86]

i would of voted for ginger if i was in sates. i now feel ashamed for us australians for that misshap sorry lol. just wait till 2012 for ginger for president, for both enginees guide to cats and voting, they are nicly paced and well structured videos, such as from scene to scene, and you can remember something from each video like the cat yodeling and the jet fighting scene