And they didn’t even bring a trailer.
But what they did bring was an incredible piece of behind-the-scenes footage, every actor they have, and then topped it off with a stunt that will surly go down in Comic-Con lore for years to come; a surprise outdoor concert for 7,000 fans.
Star Wars showed the world how you make Comic-Con a hit. They released their footage online- officially- right after they premiered it in the hall. They didn’t worry one bit about “exclusivity.” Why? Because they had something up their sleeve that could ONLY be experienced if you were there. I’ll bet not one Star Wars fan feels shorted that the footage was released. And the broader community of fans- the 99% who didn’t make it into Hall H- feel great too. They’re jealous, sure, but they’re proud of their franchise and excited to have a glimpse of the fun in the form of an online video.
Star Wars nailed it. They made it about ALL the fans; but rewarded the most loyal in the most special ways.
The opposite is what DC and Fox are doing; pulling down pirated clips and whining on Twitter about “this wasn’t our vision for how it should be seen.”
Even Doctor Who learned that lesson a few years ago when they debuted a trailer 5 MONTHS before the public would get a look and drove their most loyal fans crazy (not that it takes much of a push with that crowd.) This year, they debuted the trailer 15 minutes into the panel online so everyone could enjoy- and it’s very well received.
But DC and Fox are making even their most loyal fans feel excluded. And for no good reason. These aren’t early cuts or un-edited clips. These are polished trailers with graphics and music; ready for release. So why hold them back? Why chase DCMAs around video sites? Why not do what Star Wars and the BBC did so masterfully?
Who knows? But it’s a great way to turn well received footage into a PR disaster.
Seriously… is DC and Warner Brothers EVER going to get superheroes right?
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