People like working with human-centered companies. Showcasing what goes on behind the scenes is yet another marketing/"brand management" opportunity. Actually, its a definitive advantage because most software companies are run by socially awkward people.
Lastly, sighting investor's "golden rules" is ridiculous. Remember, most investors, especially in the venture business, are wrong more than half the time in aggregate.
(I know that Bezos has tossed some money their way, but the terms were apparently in exchange for his advice, rather than for an eventual exit.)
They aren't going to sell out, so Bezos wasn't looking at an exit as a return on his investment (and he doesn't need it either).
Why would they care what an investor thinks about that? The message to customers is, and will be, "so many people chose these products, they must be good". It'll take years for that trend to reverse, and by then they can just fire the filmmaker, hire one extra interaction designer and make another nice product that they can make everybody want.
They are going to release 25 videos, and they can count me in to see them. I had recently seen the peepcode double episode with Ryan Singer (UX at 37signals) and was worth the time.
Time will tell.
Making a movie about themselves seems like exactly the sort of thing they would do, and I'm sure it'll be lapped up by their followers.
I'll get back to you after I watch the movie.
Let me clarify: There's no reality show.
We're doing the same thing we've always done - we're just bringing it in house. We used to outsource the shooting, editing, and production. Now we hired someone in house to do this for us.
We've been making videos for years.
From trailers for our book REWORK: http://37signals.com/svn/posts/2137-rework-trailer-1-staying...
To parodies of political ads: http://37signals.com/svn/posts/2209-karl-roves-book-vs-rewor...
To interviews with founders: http://37signals.com/founderstories/slicehost
To customer stories: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEoAN06Nllk
I hope this helps erase the sensationalism and wild speculation.
Let me get this straight. Huge funding rounds is the exception. Startup is the exception.
I work on OpenSource stuff everyday, get to play with the same technology as the next startup guy and I'm very proud of calling my company (ie. the one I work for) a Company. I'm proud and happy to have the chance to participate in growing this company and our technology and it's a battle of every contract.
There are millions of us.
What is somewhat against the flow is the degree to which 37signals pivoted and the degree to which its founders continue to influence the conversation regarding software via their writings and other public communications.
However, it isn't a bad approach to marketing. Considering that many of their users are captive - i.e. are required to use their product by their employer - showing the thought that goes into their product is likely to create buy-in among the worker bees of 37signals' customers.
http://37signals.com/svn/posts/2980-were-looking-to-hire-a-f...
Those were some of the best I've seen
The plan? To release approximately 25 videos over the
course of the next year sharing 37signals'
stories inside the office and out.