Creative COW

{{short description|Online support community for multimedia professionals}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}} {{Infobox website | name = Creative COW | logo = Creative Cow logo.png | logo_size = | logo_alt = Creative Cow logo | logo_caption = | screenshot = Creative Cow forum screenshot.png | screenshot_size = | screenshot_alt = Screenshot of the Creative Cow forums | collapsetext =  | background =  | caption = | company_type = | type =  | language = | language_count = | language_footnote = | traded_as = | dissolved = | predecessor = Media 100 Worldwide Users Group | successor = | headquarters =  | location_city = | location_country =  | country_of_origin = | locations = | area_served = | owner =  | author = Kathlyn and Ron Lindeboom | founder = | editor =  | chairman = | chairperson = | president = | CEO = | MD = | GM = | key_people = | industry = | products = | services = | revenue =  | operating_income = | international =  | net_income = | assets = | equity = | employees =  | parent = | divisions = | subsidiaries =  | url = {{URL|https://creativecow.net/}} | ipv6 = | advertising = | commercial =  | registration =  | num_users =  | launch_date = {{Start date and age|df=yes/no|2001|4|11}}<ref name="about">{{cite web |title=About Us |url=https://creativecow.net/about/ |website=Creative COW |access-date=5 May 2023}}</ref> | current_status = active | native_clients = | content_license =  | programming_language = | footnotes = }} '''Creative COW''' is a website of support communities for digital video, video editing, and media production professionals in broadcasting, motion graphics, visual effects and film.

It provides over 60 online support discussion forums spanning a wide range of professional video tools and software.<ref name="forums">{{cite web |title=Creative Communities of the World Forums |url=https://creativecow.net/forums/ |website=Creative COW |access-date=10 May 2023}}</ref>

Additionally, Creative Cow offers over 1,000 free text and video tutorials,<ref>{{cite web |title=Category: Tutorials |url=https://creativecow.net/category/tutorials/ |website=Creative COW |access-date=10 May 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Creative COW |url=https://www.youtube.com/@creativecow |website=YouTube |access-date=10 May 2023}}</ref> has nearly two dozen different podcasts,{{Citation needed|date=May 2023}} as well as other resources for video professionals. Creative COW is funded by advertising and sponsorship from manufacturers.{{Citation needed|date=May 2023}}

COW is a backronym for "Communities of the World".<ref name="history">{{cite web |title=The History of Creative COW |url=https://creativecow.net/creative-cow-history/ |website=Creative COW |access-date=5 May 2023}}</ref>

== History == ''Creative COW'' was founded in April 2001 by Kathlyn and Ron Lindeboom,<ref>{{cite web |title=Kathlyn's Welcome |url=http://www.creativecow.net/show.php?forumid=1&page=/about/kathlyns_welcome.html |website=Creative COW |access-date=5 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060418233556/http://www.creativecow.net/show.php?forumid=1&page=/about/kathlyns_welcome.html |archive-date=18 April 2006 |url-status=dead}}</ref> a married couple.<ref name="2014 history">{{cite web |last1=Lindeboom |first1=Kathlyn |title=A Bit of History of CreativeCOW.net |url=http://www.creativecow.net/page/history |website=Creative COW |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140924102905/http://www.creativecow.net/page/history |archive-date=24 September 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

The website evolved from the couple's earlier Media 100 Worldwide Users Group (WWUG),<ref name="history"/> which began in 1995, and was sold to Digital Media Net in January 2000.<ref name="2014 history"/>

After the sale of WWUG, the Lindebooms decided to create another website. Initially, Kathlyn Lindeboom was Creative COW's director and chief officer, while Ron shifted roles from a developer to operations. In late 2002, Ron took over as the company's CEO, while Kathlyn shifted to operations and Human Resources.<ref name="2014 history"/><ref name="admin">{{cite web |title=COW Administrative Team |url=http://www.creativecow.net/page/administration |access-date=6 May 2023 |website=Creative COW |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130126114506/http://www.creativecow.net/page/administration |archive-date=26 January 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

Over the years, Creative COW grew to be one of the largest and longest-running online communities for multimedia professionals. As of 2021, 71% of the site's visitors (5.3 million annual visitors) were Gen Z and Millennials, while 25% (1.9 million annual visitors) were mid-career professionals.<ref>{{cite AV media |date = 17 May 2021 |title = Video, Film & Audio Creative Community. Let us Help you Share your Story - CreativeCow.net |type = Webcast |language = en |url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geRb81cAydU |access-date = 6 May 2023 |publisher = Shoots Video |quote =}}</ref>

In 2022, Creative COW LLC was dissolved<ref>{{cite web |title=Recent filings for CREATIVE COW LLC |url=https://opencorporates.com/companies/us_ca/200918010179 |website=OpenCorporates |access-date=5 May 2023}}</ref> and Creative COW's trademarks, assets, and intellectual property were reassigned from Ronald Lindeboom to Brielyn Clayton.<ref name="rl linkedin">{{cite web |first1= |title=Ronald Lindeboom |url=https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronlindeboom |website=LinkedIn |access-date=5 May 2023}}</ref> The Creative COW website and forums are still in operation.<ref name="forums"/>

==''Creative COW Magazine''== In 2006 ''Creative COW'' launched a quarterly trade magazine, the ''Creative COW Magazine'',<ref>{{cite web |last1=Lindeboom |first1=Ron |title=Recalling our First Five Years in Print |url=http://magazine.creativecow.net/article/recalling-our-first-five-years-in-print |website=Creative COW |access-date=6 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110513232309/http://magazine.creativecow.net/article/recalling-our-first-five-years-in-print |archive-date=13 May 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref> which grew in 2008 to become a bimonthly, and in 2011 was cited by a trade journal which reports on issues and trends related to the magazine printing trade, who named ''Creative COW Magazine'' as one of the FOLIO: 40 for 2011.<ref>{{cite web |title=The 2011 FOLIO: 40 |url=https://www.foliomag.com/2011-folio-40/ |website=Folio |access-date=5 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210830044858/https://www.foliomag.com/2011-folio-40/ |archive-date=30 August 2021 |date=20 April 2011}}</ref><ref>{{citation|url=http://www.freshdv.com/2005/12/creativecow-to-debut-magazine-in-time.html|title=CreativeCOW to debut magazine in time for NAB 2006|publisher=FreshDV|access-date=21 December 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111025115414/http://www.freshdv.com/2005/12/creativecow-to-debut-magazine-in-time.html|archive-date=25 October 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Mitchell |first1=Brian |title=Creative COW Magazine Bucks Print Trend With Strong First Year Sales and Circulation Growth |url=http://news.ecoustics.com/bbs/messages/10381/366416.html |work=ecoustics.com |date=25 June 2007 |access-date=5 May 2023}}</ref>

The magazine was discontinued by 2013.<ref>{{cite web |title=HP Special Edition: New Dimensions in Productivity Issue : Creative COW Magazine |url=http://magazine.creativecow.net/issue/hp-special-edition-new-dimensions-in-productivity |website=Creative COW |access-date=5 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140910002004/http://magazine.creativecow.net/issue/hp-special-edition-new-dimensions-in-productivity |archive-date=10 September 2014 |date=31 January 2013}}</ref><ref name="rl linkedin"/>

== References == {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{official website|http://www.creativecow.net/}}

Category:New media art Category:Websites about digital media Category:American educational websites Category:Community websites Category:Internet forums Category:Question-and-answer websites Category:Design magazines Category:Bimonthly magazines published in the United States Category:Business magazines published in the United States Category:Quarterly magazines published in the United States Category:Organizations established in 2001 Category:Magazines established in 2006 Category:Magazines about the media Category:Defunct computer magazines Category:Magazines disestablished in 2013