Vallejo's DVD fills instructional void
Published:
August 12, 2010
Screen shot from Acrylicos Vallejo's AFV Acrylic Techniques DVD
Playback: First, be aware that the DVD will require a computer with a DVD player for viewing. Due to encoding software differences, it won’t play on most DVD players in the U.S., Mexico or Japan.
The root menu is self-explanatory and functional, without a lot of flashy sounds or doodads. It is great for allowing modelers to easily choose exactly what techniques they want to watch, be it base coating, adding chips, painting tracks, or putting on finishing touches.
As Jimenez demonstrates how to finish a Panzer II, a narrator talks viewers through the various processes in English, while Spanish subtitles appear at the bottom of the screen.
As you can imagine, finishing an armored fighting vehicle to a contest level is a complicated process, and there is a wealth of information contained in AFV Acrylic Techniques. Still, the video quality is clear and the pacing is fast enough to keep your attention, but not so quick that you get lost.
One of the most important aspects of this DVD is that all of the techniques shown use acrylic products, without resorting to enamels or lacquers. This makes sense, since Vallejo’s product line is acrylic-based, but it also shows modelers that they don’t have to mix mediums to get master-quality results.
Marketing: When it comes to hobbies, there is simply no replacement for having a mentor. When someone is willing to sit with you at the workbench, talk you through new or difficult techniques, and keep your spirits up and advise you when you hit a rough patch. While a DVD how-to can’t replace one-on-one mentorship, it can come remarkably close.
For a retailer, it can be difficult to get hobbyists of any stripe to admit they need help, especially if they feel they’re being pushed into an add-on sale. Therefore, the best way to get this DVD into your customers’ hands is to show them what’s on it.
Dragon, Tamiya and Trumpeter all produce models that would be a perfect crossmarketing opportunity with Vallejo’s Acrylic Techniques DVD; not to mention Vallejo’s line of paints and finishing products. Put together a display with a computer monitor as the centerpiece, playing the DVD. Arrange a selection of Panzer II and other armor models around the monitor.
To give your display even more punch, include selections of the Vallejo paints that are used in the video, such as the white, black and gray primers, and Model Air and Panzer Aces lines.
Stock AFV Acrylic Techniques with your armor models, your how-to books from publishers like Osprey and Kalmbach, and with your paint and finishing supplies. Cross-marketing in multiple locations is going to ensure you get more eyes on the product and enhances your sales potential.
If you sell wargaming products for games like Warhammer 40K, this video is a no-brainer, especially for Space Marines, Orks or Imperial Guard players. The vehicle models are large and the techniques presented all apply very well to those subjects. Many wargamers are familiar with acrylic paint products, but need help improving their modeling skills. This is just the video to help them.
VITAL STATS
Product: AFV Acrylic Techniques DVD
Publisher: Acrylicos Vallejo
Stock No.: 75000
MSRP: $22.95
Availability: Check with your favorite distributor
BOTTOM LINE
Very informative
Easily navigated
Uses computer with DVD player |