Comic Conned

An interesting viewpoint from Variety’s Brian Lowry regarding the value of the Comic Con crowd as taste makers, and the event as a barometer for box office performance. Lowry calls this the “Comic Con False Positive,” claiming that a positive response from the devoted legions of convention fanboys does not equal automatic success in the mass market. But I don’t think this comes as a surprise to studio executives or producers, as is implied in the article. That’s because the studios appreciate Comic Con for exactly what it is: A massive marketing event. Its not a focus group, or a test screening. For the movie studios, Comic Con operates like a film festival. They spend tons of money and considerable resources to draw worldwide media attention to the convention. They parade the talent, play a series of clips, and the fanboys cheer. Those images blanket the mainstream media, and that buzz fuels the marketing effort until the movie is eventually released.

But movies that cost in excess of $150 million don’t profit because a room full of 6000 fanboys gives a standing ovation. The marketing chatter created by Comic Con is invaluable, but it doesn’t create an instant hit. That kind of income relies on a long term, multi-platform strategy of vertically integrated marketing and distribution whose success has little to do with any kind of core audience reaction. The studios will use the imagery of Comic Con to create buzz and build the perceived value of a title, but the notion of a “core audience” is a myth when a $150 million movie is opening on 4200 screens world wide.