The Rise of Supercharged Fandom

Show business has entered an unprecedented and exciting new era of engagement thanks to the ubiquity of social media and movieloving Millennials amp160While the studios continue to push awareness for product in the standard prerelease windows fans are creating a huge pull on the other side wanting to interact with movies and favorite characters earlier and in more sustainable waysGenerating such a consistent level of interest is any brand39s dream amp160While there are critics of Hollywood39s tendency to lean on superhero sequels and blockbuster franchises it39s undeniable that the consistency of good stories and endearing characters tend to create deeper fan relationships and ultimately deeper emotional investmentsWe39re seeing heightened levels of engagement everywhere amp160In lieu of waiting for a studio to launch its official marketing campaign many fans now create their own movie trailers and posters to express their personal vision as to what they feel the film should be amp160and in doing so spark dialogue and debateWhen an anticipated movie trailer is finally released it39s a huge deal thanks to global sharing and social media trending amp160In fact the number of views a trailer receives in its first 24 hours has become newsworthy and something to watch thanks to whopping stats that can give immediate momentum to a film right out of the gate amp160For example the trailer for Thor Ragnarok received an incredible 136MM views in its first 24 hours and The Fate of the Furious topped that with 139MM amp160While those are hugely impressive numbers the trailer for the movie It based on the Stephen King novel currently sits atop the record books with a staggering 197MM views in the first 24 hoursThe previously inconspicuous process of casting a movie also has become more newsworthy in recent years amp160There was the near Internetmeltdown following the casting of Ben Affleck as the next Batmanamp160and a celebration and simultaneous outrage for the allfemale casting in the remake of iconic Ghostbusters amp160Most recently there was a healthy debate over who should be cast as young Han Solo in Disney39s upcoming origin movie next year amp160Alden Ehrenreich took the honors amp160Such casting is personal to fans with longstanding relationships with certain characters They want to be in the know early on and they have fierce opinionsFans are also making a difference in helping to push properties they love to the big screen amp160When Hollywood didn39t exactly feel bullish about a raunchy Deadpool movie fans were instrumental in creating the noise that gave it new life amp160In fact Ryan Reynolds thanked fans in a tweet that read quotPeople keep thanking me for getting Deadpool made amp160I didn39t get it made amp160YOU didquot amp160Indie movies like Veronica Mars and Wish I Was Here were directly greenlit from Kickstarter campaigns in which fans put their money where their interests wereGiven the backdrop of today39s supercharged fandom there is a new level of proactivity by studios and filmmakers to nurture those fan relationships and interests Directors and talent are using social media in creative ways such as dropping clues about an upcoming plot or character taking fans behind the scenes onset or simply goofing off for fun and bringing fans along for the rideMovie featurettes that introduce characters or sneak peeks into storylines are being released earlier as are movie trailers in some cases over a year in advance of release dates amp160Filmmakers are also having more fun with crossover appearances of popular characters in movies surprises in a movie39s end creditsamp160and the inclusion of quotEaster Eggsquot something intentionally placed in a film that39s an inside joke or hidden messageIn between films in a franchise you might also seeamp160favorite characters pop up in custom content such as comedic PSAs from Deadpool or a short film from the Minions Mower Minions amp160Coming up in November families who see Pixar39s movie Coco will be treated to a short film called Olaf39s Frozen Adventure reconnecting fans with favorite characters from the blockbuster movie FrozenIt39s truly an exciting time to be a movie fan with the many ways to engage in theaters online and via social media amp160Consumer brands are also taking note and are getting in on the Hollywood action even earlier themselves with studio partnerships movie product placementamp160and exciting new developments in cinema advertising that allow them to connect with these passionate movie audiencesThere is even more to look forward to as the studios continue to respond to fans and get more creative with technology amp160Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality are on the cusp of taking engagement to the next level with personal immersion into movie worlds and interaction with favorite characters amp160As a supercharged fan myself I can hardly waitIMDb Top 10 Most Viewed Online Trailers in the First 24 HoursClick the social buttons above or below to share this story with your friends and colleaguesThe opinions and points of view expressed in this content are exclusively the views of the author andor subjects and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet Inc management or associated writers

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The Rise of Supercharged Fandom

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Rebecca Eldridge

Jon Miller | Cofounder Marketo, Engagio | The Gumball Machine is Broken - Rethinking B2B Marketing - By Mike Linton

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Rebecca Eldridge

Jon Miller | Cofounder Marketo, Engagio | The Gumball Machine is Broken - Rethinking B2B Marketing - By Mike Linton

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