How to Sell More Comic Books by Building an Interactive Storyworld

Problem statement

• General problems:– gaining attention and retention– protecting price– building on success

• Retailer and app-provider owns the customer relationship:– has purchase data (frequency, demographics..)– builds loyalty from your content– often emphases low-price over quality (increased price pressure on

studio/publisher)– cross-selling between issues and titles difficult or impossible

• Customer “trusts” retailer, not studio/publisher• No chance to gain value from second-hand or pirated comics

Solution

• Write storyworld to include online interactivity:– increases “stickiness” of IP & comic series– increases word-of-mouth– measureable engagement– measurable demographics– builds direct marketing database

• Create participation & community around your titles:– maintains inertia between comic issues– encourages subscription & repeat purchase– assists cross-promotion between titles– nurtures fans– rewards advocates

• Build out storyworld to encompass conventions, stores, posters.

Goal

• Add interactivity & reader participation to comic series• “Call-to-action” at end of each issue directs reader to

deeper, online storyworld

• Constraints. Solution must be:– Low to no cost– No Flash or other application development– Fit existing workflow– Work across all platforms/media (paper, digital, app etc.)– Must add value to reader experience

Pervasive entertainment & marketing

• Use Conducttr to – add interactivity & participation

– build out the storyworld

– connect across all activities & media: comics, posters, promotions, events

• Use online Forum & events to connect readers to each other

Worked Example: Drone comic series from Red 5

http://www.red5comics.com/

Approach (Retrofit)

• Identify story elements that are introduced but not explored fully in each issue of comic– Characters – Locations– Locations – Themes– Activities – Vehicles/Tech

• Consider reader aspirations at end of issue: – How can reader get closer to the story? – How can we feed the reader’s imagination?– … digging deeper, role-play, discussion

• Consider online foreshadowing between issues to build anticipation/excitement

Issue 1

• Three kids hack a military drone and control it with the WiiPower Glove

• Locations: Kazakhstan & Texas• Characters: The boys, Cat

(injured engineer), McKinney (base in USA), Eero Hassan (“leader of resistance” but not yet named)

• Vehicles: CV-22 Osprey used as operational base for the drones

http://www.red5comics.com/

Interactivity Issue 1 Issue 2• Email

– McKinney (officer in charge of operation)– David (one of the hackers)

• Twitter– Drone 1138

• Storytelling– Place reader in control of a drone and ask to

make a moral choice– Backstory to involvement in Kazakhstan

• Puzzles– Hack challenge?– Simple research?

• Information– Robot info & videos– Map– Mobile tracking

http://www.red5comics.com/

Call-to-Action

Give it a go, It’s a working

demo

Overview: Replying to readersComic Character

Trigger

ContentAudience (Reader)

Reader fires trigger with matching word in Subject of email to the comic Character

Email sent from Character in response to Trigger

1

2

Implementation in Conducttr

1. Create the Characters– Link to email & social media accounts

2. Create the Triggers (interactivity)– Define the codewords & other events

3. Create the Content (e.g. write the emails)

4. Connect the Content to the desired Character & Trigger

Create the Characters

• Three characters: McKinney, David & Drone– McKinney & David have email accounts, Drone has Twitter account

Create Trigger “codewords”

CharacterThis determines which character is listening to the Trigger

Match wordThis is the phrase that will “trigger” E03

Configure the email replies

CharacterThis determines which character is responding to the Trigger

Trigger Conducttr waits for the email trigger E03 and then sends this email as a reply

ContentThis is the email body

Simple & Effective

• Implementation time for simple example: 30mins• Limitation only set by story and writer’s

imagination• Complexity and tone of interaction dependent on

intended readership – next release of Conducttr allows for more surprises,

more fun interactions

• Emails from readers builds mailing list• Interaction builds anticipation & loyalty

Other approaches

• Calls-to-action woven into comic story • QR Code image inside comic to unlock digital

media on mobile

• Use Conducttr to implement “story in the cloud” – engage fans across platforms, measure engagement, pervasively entertain– each platform has unique experience & story but

bound into cohesive, participative storyworld

“Story in the cloud”

The End

Robert Pratten

@robpratten

http://tstoryteller.com