Rabid Fans


      The world of movies has been irrevocably changed with the advent of new technology, particularly social media. And no, not just in the way that you think, with marketing being easier than ever to target to specific audiences and it being simpler to stream new movie trailers every day. Movie fans have found themselves on an unprecedented level ground with the creators of their favorite movies on social media like Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Movie stars and directors used to live in Hollywood ivory towers that were barely accessible even through fan mail sent to a studio address; now fans can talk to stars and creators directly in their own homes, whenever and however they happen to feel like.

      Fans on social media have created the culture known as "fandom" where they come together to discuss, transform, and bask in the glory of their chosen media. When I say transform, I mean the genre of fanfiction, a phenomenon that the internet has made more accessible than ever. However, some fans who are intensely involved in their chosen fandom take it upon themselves to harass creators online in an attempt to get their particular interpretation included in new iterations of the work. There are also issues in which creators use their connections to fans to try and figure out what fans want and combine it with what is most likely to make money, and the results often miss the point of movies entirely, which is to create something enjoyable.

     As marketers and public relations managers, there is very little way for us to get around this kind of direct interaction with fans of our products or clients. Social media is unfortunately necessary in order to generate interest in this day and age, and the kind of audience who chooses to be marketed to by following a brand or celebrity is an incredibly valuable one. However, by making intentional choices not to engage with fans who interact in bad faith, or with the intent to create drama, we can help shield our brands and clients from some of the pain that comes from having a huge fandom waiting in the wings for your next success or failure.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Content Creation as a Skill

Image
 Every marketer in this day and age must be able to skillfully create content for their employer to use. That content comes in many forms, and it would be wise to be an expert in at least one while knowing at least how the others work. Photography is a big one when it comes to marketing, as most marketers like to have a picture to go with their copy. Being able to take quality pictures at an event for your company and edit them into something that can be used on the website is an invaluable skill that your company would no longer have to outsource for your office. Follow these tips for taking effective event photos and remember that when you document everything and go in with an idea of what you need, your work will be even better. The ability to create effective graphics to use on social media and your website can be a brilliant idea as well. Canva is a great resource for the average person working to create beautiful and engaging visuals easily, and for what Canva might not hav...
Read more

Ethics and Abercrombie in the Digital World

Image
  Ethics and laws are two different things. Ethics are recommendations that your industry generally follows, whereas laws are enforceable by the government if broken. Marketing is, of course, subject to communication and advertising laws, but it also has its own code of ethics like that of the American Marketing Association .  The internet has opened the world of marketing in a huge way, but that also opens the doors to numerous ethical issues that existed in different ways before. Selective marketing , in which companies only market to specific groups limited by race, gender, sexuality, weight, or ability, is still fairly common but more frowned upon these days than it once was. The ethics violations in selective marketing that contributed to the fall of Abercrombie, though it is now rising again, are highlighted in this article by Avery Hartmans . Abercrombie's “male models were often photographed shirtless, either alone or in groups, while female models were often relegate...
Read more

Everyone Can Be News

Image
 Six in ten Americans get news both offline and online, and of those 37% have contributed to creating news or sharing it with their social circles on the internet in some way, according to Pew Research . We as a nation have gotten very comfortable engaging with the news socially, and even being a part of it. This is why as marketers, it is important that we consider knowing how the news works and how to get involved with it or avoid it a required skill. Sometimes our company will want to be in the news, such as when they have an event for charity or win an award or open a new location. These things will not only draw positive attention from customers, but will help the company look like an employer of choice for other potential employees. An employer who has a reputation for treating employees well will be able to garner employees who appreciate the product and want to help it succeed, and customers who know the people who contributed to the product or service they are using will ...
Read more