"2000 AD" a marketing liability?

[Richard]

(Apologies if anyone has already raised this in the last 48 hours but I have not been on the forum since Monday.)

Two days ago this web article pointed out that the latest trailer for the new Dredd film describes Dredd as being based on a comic, but omits to mention the comic's name:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/carolpinchefsky/2012/08/21/2000-ad-comic-book-is-snubbed-in-latest-dredd-3d-trailer/ "'2000 AD' Comic Book Is Snubbed in Latest 'Dredd 3D' Trailer"

Then in the Comments section somebody speculates that this could be because in 2012 a brand called "2000 AD" might be off-putting to people unacquainted with it.

Now I know that we have already been through all of this before, most notably around the Millenium, but with a new block-busting film about to take the world by storm (I hope), it seems to me that this problem has just become more urgent. A new Dredd film should be a massive marketing opportunity for the comic, and the name is increasingly tying our hands behind our back. It's all very well saying that people in Britain know what 2000 AD is, but Dredd 3D will be unleashed on a global market, and many people will see the 2000AD logo for the first time when they go to see the film.

Please can we not let this opportunity go to waste and change the comic's name before the sequel (if there is one) comes out?

[Richard]

PS: Plus if we don't there will be two "prog 2000"s in about four years time.

[vzzbux]

I don't really think that one site and one comment should start the alarm bells ringing.





V

[hippynumber1]

20th Century Fox still seem to be doing okay...

[Molch-R]

Please can we not let this opportunity go to waste and change the comic's name before the sequel (if there is one) comes out?

So you want us to save the brand by completely changing the brand?

Er ... no.

[Bat King]

No. We don't need a name change.

edited to include - 'Yeah, what Mike said!'

Please can we not let this opportunity go to waste and change the comic's name before the sequel (if there is one) comes out?

So you want us to save the brand by completely changing the brand?

Er ... no.

[TordelBack]

Such nonsense.  2000AD is still the future, everyone knows that. 

[The Enigmatic Dr X]

I suspect the truth is two-fold:

(1) 2000ad is an anthology. US comics, by and large, are not. Therefore, to mention "2000ad" as the source comic would be confusing for the target audience. They may well expect a comic called "Judge Dredd."

(2) Which is what they are getting with the IDW title. Isn't that a happy co-incidence?

[The Adventurer]

Such nonsense.  2000AD is still the future, everyone knows that. 

As they say, 'The future ain't what it used to be'!

Specifically in this case radioactive and wearing football pads.

[WhitBloke]

I may be being crudely simplistic but is it not the case that the Dredd/Judge Dredd brand is about to bring new and renewed * attention to the 2000AD/Megazine mother-brand?  Job done.  After all, take Coca Cola to a lost tribe of pygmies and they're not going to bemoan it doesn't come with cocaine in it in the original glass bottles anymore.
If it's to a new punter's taste, great.  If it's not, that's a genuine pity.  But somebody who will enjoy the Prog's comparatively subversive, creative and not-exactly-rarely conceptually engaging content is not going to be held back by the title - and I should expect the opposite in many new comic or SF fans.

That reminds me, though.  How is the lost pygmy tribe market looking, Molch-R?  I'll bet they're being slower than most to to wake up to digital even with their Diamond problems.  Can't win 'em all.


* "Where have you been?  Get in here!  Great to have you join in."

[blackmocco]

Jesus wept.

[radiator]

Half the stories in 2000ad these days are set in the past, though, so its hardly a sci fi comic any more. A name is just a word - it loses it's literal meaning with repetition anyhow.

It really doesn't matter.

[WhitBloke]

Too right.  Dredd's release won't hurt Dandy's sales one bit.

[COMMANDO FORCES]

Have you not been told. They are changing 2000AD to Legendary 

[Richard]

I don't really think that one site and one comment should start the alarm bells ringing.

Well it's actually more like one site, one comment and one trailer for one massive film...