MikMak, the service that creates and distributes short-form “mini-mercials” so users can shop via video, has today announced the close of a $3.2 million seed round, led by VaynerMedia, with participation from SLOW Ventures, UTA Ventures, BRaVe Ventures and MX Investments.
As part of the round, Gary Vaynerchuk will be joining MikMak’s Board.
MikMak launched back in May of 2015 with a unique approach to the intersection of e-commerce and advertising. MikMak offered SMBs and retailers the opportunity to list their products on the MikMak shopping network (MikMak app), where those products would be marketed through short, funny videos.
MikMak handled all of the production costs of the video, but took a small percentage of each sale made through the platform.
Flash forward a year and MikMak founder Rachel Tipograph has learned a few things about what retailers want out of the platform: to own their customer data, use their preferred shopping cart and customize these videos to their own brand voice.
Thus, MikMak is launching a SaaS product in the coming months that will let multiple teams at a big retailer like JCP or brand like L’Oreal take more control over the MikMak experience.
Clients will be able to integrate the MikMak service into existing shopping cart platforms, pick the SKUs that turn into mini-mercials and choose where those videos will air on the MikMak distribution platform, which includes publishers like BuzzFeed.
MikMak makes these videos by hiring up-and-coming comedians and actors and turning the studio into a production line, shooting back to back on a number of products.
Pricing for the SaaS product is still unknown, as the product has yet to launch publicly.
You can learn more about MikMak here.