Would comic books benefit from mainstream advertising?

[Themanofbat]

Man, 500,000 is not a lot of people. That's a little depressing.

I think the real advertisements for comics are the movies and cartoons. They create a familiarity with a character/group and make a casual movie goer or cartoon fan a little more likely to buy a comic.

This system could be better executed - but I think the problem lies in the disconnect between the continuities. A casual Batman Begins fan can pick up the movie graphic novel, but might be intimidated or turned off at the concept of a monthly Bat-book that's couldn't be more dissimilar to what he saw in Begins. That isn't to say that I'd want crossover continuity where things that happened in toon and movies were comics' canon - it's just an issue I see.

500 000 may not seem like a lot of people, but it sure as heck is better than the 20 000 that pick up lower selling books nowadays, and even better than the 120 000 + that pick up the TOP selling books.

Back in the mid-80's, Marvel had a policy to cancel books that sold less than 100 k. If that were the case nowadays, they'd have one, possibly 2 books on the market.

 

[Themanofbat]

And what even sounds worse is that Captain Marvel Adventures sold over 1.3 million copies per issue, and this book was published weekly near the end of WWII.

Staggering numbers when you think of the population levels back then compared to now.

 

[Elijya]

what's really incredible is when you consider that only a few hundred copies, tops, of each of those issues still exist today

 

[drastic_quench]

I've heard similar low numbers (higher than comics of course) for the film industry. Sure we see new tv ads for new movies pretty much weekly and movie stars are elevated to a near god-like status in American culture - but the odd fact is that (compared to the total population of the U.S.) not that many people really go to the movies.

 

[Elijya]

If a movie has a 50 million dollar opening, figuring $10 a ticket that's roughly 5 million people. If a big movie takes in $300 million, adjusting slightly for those who see it multiple times, that's 25 million people or more. Then take into account that even a big movie like Pirates of the Carribean might only be seen by half the general movie going public, you still get 50 million people. Add in those who could potentially see films later on TV or DVD, add another 10 million

These're just rough estimates. It's hard to say what qualifies as "the general movie going public." If an elderly couple only goes to the movies once a year, do they count? would they count if they went twice a year? etc.

I think Box Office figures include Canadian theatres, so this is out of a potential 400 million person audience


My estimate of 500,000 comics readers is for people who buy ANY comic within a year, even if they're only into Roman Dirge and Jhonen Vasquez, or Robert Crumb

 

[Themanofbat]

what's really incredible is when you consider that only a few hundred copies, tops, of each of those issues still exist today

Because back then, people did to comics what was meant to be done to comics...

They read them, passed them to friends, rolled them up and placed them in their back pockets to read them while fishin' at the ol' fishing hole, etc..

The comic reading experience has completely changed... thanks largely in part to the speculator market.

People still buy 2 copies of some books... one to read, one to put away

Sadly, it's a different world.

One that I've unforunately am a part of.

 

[Elijya]

it wasn't just that, it was also paper drives for the war, and the public burnings spurred on by Seduction of the Innocent

 

[Sequential76]

Marvel an Dc are there. I think it would be cool if the Comicbook retailers or Diamond started a campiagn. That way more Indipendants might see some time too.

 

[Spoarz™]

Ok, I'm an advertising executive for a design agency in the UK, and I think you would real problems effectively advertising comic books, particularly in the UK.
In principle, the mechanisms for the adverts are straightforward, but I think you will have problems correctly identifying a target audience and then setting a realistic call-to-action from the advertising.
A mass advertising campaign would attract very short-term interest, but would not do anything for comic purchasing. Any advertising would need further marketing push - such as direct mail, PR and definitely some merchandising.
Advertising as a medium, is not a particularly powerful sales tool. At its best it can create awareness and reinforce brand recognition, but it won't create demand - this is the problem with comics
So my answer to the question is: probably not just with mainstream advertising - but yes with a full strategic marketing campaign
For me, to make Comics 'cool', they need to be seen endorsed that way. There are many celebrities who are comic readers/collectors - their endorsement would go a long way to making comics seem cool.

I know exactly what you mean, particularly with identifying a suitable target audience. I came to a conclusion however that a campaign which promoted comic books all over the place through a full blown campaign including PR and DM wouldn't be suitable in the long run.

Since the 'outbreak' of comic book movie adaptations, I have found that graphic novels have become more widely available in stores such as Virgin Megastores. These haven't really been advertised or promoted, but they are available and they sell, as they are in a mainstream sales outlet. I would like the same with comic books.

I wouldn't want the sales of comic books to suddenly skyrocket, only to plummet a couple of weeks later when the hype dies down and audiences are bored and move on to the next fad. I want to generate awareness of comic books, as well as their mature nature, and for sales to steadily rise. With this, I would hope more retail outlets would supply comic books and make them more widely available.

 

[UK_Stu]

I know exactly what you mean, particularly with identifying a suitable target audience. I came to a conclusion however that a campaign which promoted comic books all over the place through a full blown campaign including PR and DM wouldn't be suitable in the long run.

Since the 'outbreak' of comic book movie adaptations, I have found that graphic novels have become more widely available in stores such as Virgin Megastores. These haven't really been advertised or promoted, but they are available and they sell, as they are in a mainstream sales outlet. I would like the same with comic books.

I wouldn't want the sales of comic books to suddenly skyrocket, only to plummet a couple of weeks later when the hype dies down and audiences are bored and move on to the next fad. I want to generate awareness of comic books, as well as their mature nature, and for sales to steadily rise. With this, I would hope more retail outlets would supply comic books and make them more widely available.

The problem is advertising as a medium won't improve comic sales if a market doesn't exist and thats the problem in the UK. I'm also doubtful advertising the presense of graphic novels in general retail outlets will help for the same reason.

Think about this: how will advertising help a product that a) Isn't a necessity, b) Isn't a Luxury item, c) Is not a status item or 'cool' and d) is only of interest to a small niche of the population.

The answer is it won't. Mainstream advertising would only be applicable if a market existed or one of the above criteria could be fulfilled.

A lot of mainstream retailers do now sell TPB and graphic novels including those you've identified, but comic books themselves aren't sold anywhere except specialist shops. The exception being 'Borders' bookshops which are selling a selection of monthly comic books. They aren't even sold in newsagents anymore. But simply promoting this won't work, with the exception of making existing customers aware of new outlets.

Comics as a genre or culture must be created before any mainstream adverstising will be effective. I think that this would only be achieved through means other than marketing

 

[Themanofbat]

it wasn't just that, it was also paper drives for the war, and the public burnings spurred on by Seduction of the Innocent

Ahhhh, Seduction of the Innocent.... while I was just a mere twinkle in my daddy's ballsac, it sure did bring out some bad comic books tales during the 50's.

The funny thing is though, as a kid in the 70's, I enjoyed reading DC reprints of that era, even though it was hokey... I think I simply realized an "evolution" in storytelling, and it further cemented my "Marvel is better than DC because they keep a tight grip on continuity" attitude.

But let's be honest... if comics came out today with stories similar to what was printed in the 50's, we'd be talking about something competely different.

 

[Elijya]

Totally. I love the silver and golden age as much as anybody else out of nostalgia, but if books today were that same calibre? I don't think I would be reading them

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Ahhhh, Seduction of the Innocent.... while I was just a mere twinkle in my daddy's ballsac,

I hope Thesonofbat never reads that.

If comics came out today with stories like those printed in the Golden and Silver Ages, I imagine the market would be even smaller. I can't speak for anyone else, but even I had trouble getting through Silver Age Thor comics, for example, and I'm a huge Thor fan. I guess it's just hard to read any material--even good material, which a lot of the old comics still are by today's standards--that is separated from modern sensibilities by such a huge gulf.

 

[Themanofbat]

I hope Thesonofbat never reads that.

Well, he knows that his grand-parents made me... he just hasn't figured out the small details...

... yet.