The Zivity Model

It seems like there is a social networking site poping up every few days.   Some have unique business models, and most are just a “me too” version of Facebook with some little slant.   Zivity is definatly a social network start up that has it’s own business model.   And it’s a model that could transform various industries.

Zivity is an adult oreintated social network site models and photgraphers can create artistic photos and be paid online by those in the network interested in viewing them.   The business model is different than anyone in the space, and it made me want to interview Zivity Founder Cyan Banister.   Here’s what we talked about.

Ed:  

Let me see if I have the business model correct; Women or photographers can sign up to Zivity and upload pictures.  Members sign up, and some pay a fee.   The members can chose up to 5  favorite models, and those models each get .80 to split with their  photographer.

Cyan:

Pretty close! (Going to give a longer answer just to clarify a few points)

A good analogy: Think about a recorded album featuring two musicians. Both of the musicians form a band. When the royalties are paid, they are usually paid to the individuals or the corporation that handles the affairs of the band.

Zivity is similar. The artists are tied together forming an artistic unit. The model appears in the photographs and the photographer takes the pictures and holds the copyright.

How they produce the photo sets happens a few different ways. They could meet on complimentary sites like onemodelplace.com, myspace.com or modelmayhem.com, shoot together and then upload to Zivity. They also can meet on the site by looking at each other’s profiles and deciding to work with one another.

Zivity is non-exclusive and we ask for a 2 year digital license. This allows artists to promote their photography elsewhere in portfolios, art shows, stock photography sites etc.

Models have final say over what photographs end up on the site. The models log in to the site every day and interact with fans and we want them to be 110% comfortable with how their image is portrayed in their portfolio.

Membership is $10.00/month. We have some members on the site who are in a trial period, but these periods are expiring as we move towards launch.

Each month you are granted 5 votes to cast for your favorite sets. Every time you vote, royalties are paid out to the artists involved in the set. .80 cents is split between model and photographer.

You also have the ability to purchase additional votes. Many of our members do this to support the artist they love and to help in the creation of more sets.

I have a shorter answer than this, but I wanted to get into the details because I don’t get to do this often. 🙂

Ed:

Do you consider Zivity to be in the “adult” space, and would  you classify the content as pornographic?

Cyan:

I absolutely think that Zivity is a site for adults. Our entertainment will always be geared towards a mature audience.

Zivity’s content is artistic in nature. We celebrate beauty and the female form. The best term I’ve heard to describe our site is “sensual”.

Ed:

What was your inspiration for Zivity?

Cyan:

I grew up surrounded by art and I’ve always been fascinated by photography. Even with the invention of video, photography remains one of the most powerful media types. Capturing one moment in time is incredibly powerful.

I wanted to create a place where art was brought to life and where artists had a way to monetize their content and connect directly with their fans.

Artists create valuable content that attracts large online audiences, but it has been a struggle for 100% ad-supported sites to figure out how to share revenue with them.

We have a slogan we like to use: “free is unfree”. HBO, Showtime, XM Radio, Sirius are companies that have been a huge inspiration to us. Not necessarily for how they share revenue with artists, but for the freedom that is allowed through subscriptions. On those networks, you get art as it was meant to be heard and seen.

 

Ed:

Can you disclose how many members you have?

Cyan:

We’re not disclosing those numbers at this time.

 

Ed:

What do paying members get that non-paying members don’t?

Cyan:

I’ll reword that as “What do voting members get that non-voting members don’t” – Interaction. When you vote, you unlock features that allow you to see more about the models + photographers.

By launch 100% of our members will be on the subscription plan.

Ed:

How many models do you currently have submitting photos?

Cyan:

We have slightly over 100 published models.

 

Ed:

Are photos being uploaded primarily from models or photographers?

Cyan:

Photographers, as they maintain the copyright to the photography.

Ed:

Has the winning models changed over time, or do you see the same  models winning month after month?

Cyan:

We are coming up with more contests to change things up a bit. If you look at YouTube, they have best of day, week, month and all time. Right now, the only contest we have is best of all. This leaderboard changes drastically when you have a very motivated model. Our top model took the #1 spot within a few months of joining by actively participating in the community and producing amazing photo sets.

Ed:

Since this is a completely new business model, what unexpected  challenges have you had to face?

Cyan:

Most of our challenges have had little to do with the business model. We have all the typical challenges of a startup. Working with tight budgets, being scrappy, hiring, etc.

Ed:

Who maintains the right to the photos?   Can a model remove their  photos from their site on their own?

Cyan:

Photographers own the copyright to the photos. The removal of photos from our site must be a joint decision between the artists involved.

 

Ed:

Since Zivity is an actual social network, not just a paid content  site, are you seeing a genuine community spouting up?   Are there any  negative issues involved with that?

Cyan:

Oh yes! We’ve had models meet one another and go on road trips, documenting their travels. Photographers and models message their fans about other models + photographers sets.   One of our photographers started making their own “this week at Zivity” videos down in LA. I’m excited to see them –   still waiting. Bands are starting to get involved by inviting Zivity models to their shows to promote their music. Fans are having meet-ups. Contests are sprouting up outside of the Zivity system and these contests generate revenue for artists. Car washes for new photo sets. We had a Zivity photography bootcamp that brought 19 photographers together to photograph three professional models. Many of these photographers are still in touch. The list goes on and on. The most wonderful aspect of running a community is your daily dose of surprise. Every day there’s something different.

We haven’t run into anything abnormal yet that you don’t find on other online communities.

Ed:

Have any of the models tried to spin off on to their own websites?

Cyan:

Absolutely and we encourage that. Many of our models have accounts on Twitter, Friendfeed, MySpace, Facebook, Model Mayhem, One Model Place and LiveJournal. The more tech savvy models + photographers run their own blogs and domains. We have models that are quite entrepreneurial who have launched fashion brands and are looking forward to more ways to sell their paintings, music and self-made clothing.

 

Ed:

In the months you have been running Zivity, are you seeing any trends  in the types of photo sets members vote for?

Cyan:

 People love photo sets that tell a story or are so real it feels like you might be there. If you look at our top model Mischa and photographer addictedimage, you’ll see that their sets have a look and feel that really resonates with our members. They are also highly interactive and keep up with their fan base regularly, so that helps with voting. The second model on the leaderboard, Adelle, is highly interactive and her sets also tell a story.

Ed:

Do you see this model working in other areas like music, movies, etc…?

Cyan:

Absolutely! We’ve always envisioned Zivity as a large media company. We’re currently looking into other content categories that celebrate bravery, being gutsy and taking a risk. Zivity is about being brave and standing up for what you believe in, exposing yourself to new ideas and supporting the artists you love.

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I found the Zivity model intriguing on several levels.   First, imagine if this is the way the adult world worked right now.   Imagine Playboy paying Playmates a partial fee based on the popularity with the readers.  

And imagine other verticals taking this model.   For example, imagine paying $10 per month to access a music site that offered thousands of new artist, and you decided which artists you would pay $1 each to.   Al artists would benefit from the exposure, and many directly in cash.   And in the end, it’s the consumer who wins by supporting art they really love.

The whole idea reminds me of a small section of Michael Lewis’ book Now.   The book examines our inability to keep pace with the technological breakthroughs that are changing the world.   In one section he interviews a teenage boy in London who illegally downloads music online.   When asked if he feels bad for downloading a Brittany Spears song, he admits that he does, and he would like the opportunity to pay her.   When Lewis asks about the record company, the boy responds that he doesn’t owe them anything because he doesn’t want the physical CD or the art work.  

This type of mindset is what will change the music industry, regardless of how many people the RIAA sues.   The idea of paying a monthly fee that can be divided fairly among the artists you prefer seems like a much fairer business model for all.  

I love the business model Cyan has created, and I think it’s especially great that she has first put the model to work in the space she has.   I think it gives a sense of empowerment to the models and photographers for the art they create.  

Obviously the transition from free, to paid is a difficult transition for any company.   The fact is, your membership drops by 80%, but your revenue goes up 500%.   Hopefully Zivity sees the memberships maintain enough to continue to make this a profitable model for both themselves and their artists.