Comic Con Competition

Marketers Seek Out Geeks

By ANDRIA CHENG

October 15, 2012, 7:27 p.m. ET

      In the article written by Andria Cheng in the Wall Street Journal, the readers learn about the corporate enthusiam to gain the attention of one of America's most thriving target audiences. At the Comic Con in New York City, companies such as Walt Disney, Martel, and even General Motors competed to distinguish themselves from their competition. With the platform of one of the biggest comic con gatherings in the country the executives of these companies all agree that the audience of these events are the keys to their successes.

      "The people drawn to New York Comic Con "are people who are setting trends," said Dan Buckley, president and publisher of print, digital and TV at Marvel, in an interview. "They are the early adopters of technology. These are the people who start things and make them hot."

      Vying for the attention of the "trendsetters" allows companies to expose themselves to the people who give them the best chance of gaining market share. The 116,000 people at comic con represent the demographic that has the power to generate interests of others. 

     This can be done through a simple social media post. With such a small task, consumers everywhere can learn about a product through their friends. By posting their opinions the trendsetters are spreading the word about a product to followers.

      It is a different approach to marketing. However, companies such as Marvel believe it is going to benefit them. The feedback that they can receive will help them distinguish the right opportunities from the bad. In short, by exhibiting their products to the crowd at the convention they are reaching a much bigger market of followers, all while gaining valuable insight on the opinions of the people who matter most: the consumers.

     "These are people who live and breathe our products," said Marvel's Mr. Buckley. "Having a chance to get their feedback and telling us whether we are doing right or wrong on a qualitative basis is fantastic. It's not important just for Marvel, but it's also important for our licensees, our broadcast companies and game companies."


    Although, I understand the thought process of these companies, I do not necessarily agree with their opinions of who are trendsetters. For me, I do not look to members of the comic con community to tell me what is the most popular and best available products on the market. 

     Obviously, finding trendsetters are crucial to spreading the word and thats the beauty of technology, but I think that the trendsetters are, celebrities and athletes, people who that youth, teens, and adults look up to. They are photographed daily, they are in the news, and they have millions of followers on social media. This are the people that companies should utilize. Let them wear your brand and promote your products. The word will spread much faster and the advertising will be a part of their daily life.


 View Wall Street Journal Article Online

Topics: Demographics, Trends