The show MUST go on: passion fuels profit.

The thing about Sci-Fi fans is their passion. It equates into a fierce loyalty. Sci-Fi gives them an outlet to get completely engrossed in the moment. And they extend that moment beyond the 30 or 60 minutes each week by congregating like-minded watchers.

That's why so many Sci-Fi shows are brought back from the verge of cancellation. See, the community doesn't bond solely to save the show. The community is already intact and strong. So when they need to initiate campaigns they've been organized for some time; an army standing at the ready.

But many marginalize them. Label them "weirdos". Yet those very weirdos have gotten their way more times than not. They've successfully rallied to save shows at the brink of extinction. Created enough momentum to make movies from shows (shows that were already canceled, no less). And created some of the most lucrative trade shows in the consumer arena.

So call 'em weirdos, but how many times have you fought long and hard for a marketing campaign...only to receive the budget ax? Yeah, I thought as much. You needed an army, too.

Take the culture phenom Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The show, which started as a movie (it stunk) then became a TV show for seven seasons (it rocked), is now a movie again. By mistake, really. It's not a big-budget thriller. It's a rerun of a special "musical" episode that played five years ago (the arc for that episode happened to be demons casting a spell that made everyone sing and dance to death, so Buffy and gang sing and slay for the greater good).

So this movie...turned television series...turned TV musical episode...has come full circle...to big-screen movie. Got it? Good. Because there's more.

A la Rocky Horror Picture Show where people dress up for midnight showings with fans singing along to the movie, different cities have been holding Buffy Showings, a sort of "touring movie musical".

So what happens when you take a show, that's been off the air for several years and was otherwise free to viewers and then charge $10.75 for a 60-minute midnight viewing (all the other movies at the theater have already run, midnight is "dark" time) to sell-out crowds?

You make a pretty penny and increase the fan frenzy around existing and new merchandise. And you minimize risk, and cut costs, by taking this proven entity to a passionate community that does most of your marketing for you. That's profit fueled by a hell of a lot of passion.

And, luck be a lady, this weekend the Buffy Singalong Tour stops off in Greenwich Village--bet you can guess which marketer will be singing along on Saturday :-).

P.S.: To witness fan armies in action, check out this site, or this one, vying to save Stargate SG-1.

Update: I've had several fans e-mail me asking when Buffy will be at a city near them. I inquired with the "Buffy Guy" (yes, that's his nickname) and he informed me this is a completely organic, fan-orchestrated effort in various cities (Boston, Austin, NYC). There will be more Buffy Showings in NYC and they're working to hold them monthly. If I can find out when they'll happen in other cities or a centralized site, I will apprise...or you may be able to organize one on your own :-).

Comments

[Lewis Green]

C.K.

Have fun at the Rocky Horror Picture Show. I am jeolous, having seen it three times, first decades ago in Chicago, most recently in Seattle. As for "weirdo marketing", I should be so lucky. What marketer wouldn't want to create a campaign with built-in and ready-to-spread WOM Campaigners.

[CK]

Hey Lewis: Yes, I'll shall be singing a tune tonight at the Buffy Singalong tonight. I find this fascinating on many levels:

#1: The fact that they've repurposed a TV rerun from 5 years ago to the big screen. Brilliant!

#2: The savvy of the Sci-Fi audience -- take a look at www.savestargateSG1.com and you'll see how organized they are. I only wish more marketing departments were this locked and loaded.

#3: What can I say? I'm a HUGE fan of Buffy. People think I'm just silly but Oxford University (ivy league school, mind you) has published theses and featured semester-long classes on the complexity of the subject matter (the show was never about vampires, it was about complex characters in a complicated world).

[Mack Collier]

"So when they need to initiate campaigns they've been organized for some time; an army standing at the ready."

This is why interacting with the community is so vital, because you give these 'armies' an outlet and a sense of voice and ownership in the show/brand.

Weirdos or passionate community members? Guess it's all in how you look at it!

[Gavin Heaton]

The Buffy community has taken very strongly to the web ... making sure that fans from all over the world are able to keep up with the latest Joss Goss. Interestingly, on his last visit to Sydney, Joss Whedon posted on a local discussion board, inviting fans to meet him for a drink. Obviously he got more than he bargained for.
But you are right ... smart writing with complex characters confronting complex issues -- scripts that don't talk down to the audience and characters that grow and evolve over time ... all combine to create a huge and passionate fan base. And remember, one person's passionate community is another's collection of weirdos.

[Ann Handley]

"One person's passionate community is another's collection of weirdos."

Gavin -- do I sense a blog post title in that? LOL....

CK -- So how was The Buff-fest?

p.s. Stargate rocks!

[CK]

Ann: The Buff-fest was fabulous. Sell-out crowd (I almost didn't get in) and full of fun, genuinely kind people. They did so well they'll be holding many more...so perhaps you should schedule a visit to the Big Apple and you can singalong, too.