After raising $8 million in funding, MakeSpace, a storage startup, thinks it's in the crosshairs of Manhattan Mini Storage.
MakeSpace, an on-demand storage startup, launched in New York last September to offer people "cloud" storage for their physical items.
MakeSpace picks up your stuff, and creates a visual catalog of what you stored so that you can easily order it back with a few clicks.
MakeSpace's service is cheaper than Manhattan Mini Storage. MakeSpace charges $25 a month to store four boxes worth of items. Manhattan Mini Storage, on the other hand, costs at least $51 per month, which can store more boxes. They also have plans that start at $29.
Manhattan Mini Storage has new billboards with a cautionary rebuttal: "Don't trust the cloud," and MakeSpace CEO Sam Rosen thinks that the ads are targeted at his company.
Even though the billboard doesn't mention MakeSpace by name, MakeSpace CEO Sam Rosen tells Business Insider that he thinks it's "clearly tied to the splash [MakeSpace] is making."
Manhattan Mini Storage for its part says it has nothing to do with MakeSpace. Adam Sank, communications manager for Manhattan Mini Storage says, "Our 'cloud' ad – one of nearly ten that make up our new campaign – refers to virtual storage – as in the iPhone’s Cloud – and has nothing whatsoever to do with MakeSpace or any other so-called cloud storage company."
Manhattan Mini Storage also points out that it talked about these ads in a blog post on May 1. It's not clear exactly how much Manhattan Mini Storage paid for its campaign, but typical billboard ads in New York cost between $20,000 and $50,000 a month.
Rosen believes it's more than a coincidence. He says MakeSpace is on Manhattan Mini Storage's mind, and he says it's not happy that MakeSpace mentions it in its FAQ.
MakeSpace also mentions Public Storage in its FAQ. Back in March, Public Storage took a jab at MakeSpace with an ad featuring a couple confused by the idea of "cloud storage."
Today, Business Insider spotted MakeSpace in Manhattan's Union Square neighborhood. Though, Rosen says MakeSpace already had this strategy up its sleeves. He insists that this is not in reaction to Manhattan Mini Storage's billboards.
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