Valencia resident Tamer Abdel grew tired of hearing, “Use our hashtag,” and “Tag us on your posts,” during social events — and then realizing only one or two people had done so.He knew he wanted to change that, so he created StoriCam. Today, he and a team of 11 help businesses, including local ones, grow by converting consumers into promoters. “We noticed a trend that no one was using hashtags, but everyone was taking pictures,” Abdel said. “We wanted to help businesses create more content. The company believes that consumers’ stories are the most influential way to purchase products.” StoriCam, established in 2013 by Stori Technologies and based in Valencia, is a marketing system for brands to help them build “authentic advocacy through memorable content.”The team meshed what they believe are some of today’s most successful ingredients to keeping consumers engaged with a business: cameras and the brands they already love.“When you have a group of people that love to understand behavior, you find out why people post on social media,” Abdel said. “Brands have consumers that are very socially active and willing to talk about the brand without paying a dollar. Why not offer the tools to inspire further content with customers?”How it worksIn Abdel’s words, StoriCam is a reinvention of the photo booth. With an iPad, guests or customers of any social event or business can take videos or photographs that are branded. After the branded selfie is produced, users subscribe to the business or host’s email marketing list, where promotions and sponsors logos are embedded in each email delivered.Tamer Abdel, CEO and founder of StoriCam, shows how to use some of the products offered by his business Stori Technologies. Tammy Murga/ The Signal.Guests are then encouraged to share their visuals on social media with followers using the Stori mobile app or via email. Brands have the option to rent or purchase a customized lightbox or sleek “ringlight” to place the iPad in, allowing guests to walk up to the StoriCam, generate their selfies and start sharing. “The magic happens on its own,” said Abdel. “You set up the iPad with the Stori app, and people just come and take videos or photos and share it their social accounts. This method turns a brand’s happiest customers into their best promoters.”StoriCam Technologies then analyzes data such as hashtag activity and identifies influencers and top posts so brands can learn more about their audience and events to improve for the future.Who can use StoriCam?As an engagement tool, the camera technology can work for anyone including restaurants, hotels, agencies and everything in between. Stori Technologies serves brands all over the nation and has offered service overseas, including in Dubai. Brands like Nike, Fenty by Rihanna, Pepsi and the Los Angeles Rams have used StoriCam for multiple campaign events.Businesses in the Santa Clarita Valley are also benefiting from the popular selfie cam, such as Sweat Box, Sky High and the Hyatt Regency.“People want to document experiences, and this will help with that, especially by the pool area or for events like weddings,” Hyatt General Manager Mark Kirsch said of StoriCam. “From a business perspective, this could help raise sales because people will say, ‘Wow, that looks like a fun place. I want to go.’” As a native of the SCV, Abdel said he loves serving local businesses first. One of the most recent events StoriCam made an appearance was in Thursday’s SCV 40 Under Forty.What’s nextStori Technologies plans to take engagement to the next level by making consumers stronger promoters. Abdel said the goal is to offer brand customers the ability to share a promotion code on their social media platforms so their followers could get a 5-percent discount when purchasing from the brand. “We want to generate more revenue for those companies,” he said. “We want to influence marketing and social media commerce.” Locally, the goal is to have all SCV businesses jump on board and use StoriCam at their events. For more information, visit StoriCam.
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Tammy Murga
Tammy Murga covers city hall and business for The Signal. She joined in the summer of 2018, previously working in Northern California as an assistant editor and reporter for the Lake County Record-Bee. In 2016, she graduated from Mount Saint Mary's University, Los Angeles. Have a story tip? Message her on Twitter or at [email protected]
