[Deptheads] Sam Witwer appearance

[Eric Burgess]

I'm happy to explain my comment if that's what you got from it. I certainly
believe marketing works, having been part of product marketing departments
for corporations for the last two decades.

Marketing works well if it connects with a good percentage of your
audience. If you hit such a small percentage of the audience in a
meaningful way, it isn't much use. Marketing these folks won't make anyone
want to come that wasn't going to come for the games. Geeks go to science
fiction conventions (of which there are plenty in SoCal) to see
demi-celebrities and get their autographs. They don't come to game
conventions to see them. Besides, this is L.A. - throw a stone and it
ricochets off three minor celebs.

Gamers may come to game conventions to see game-related celebrities because
they can do something with them (play with the designer, see new games
before they come out, participate in special events) but even there, we
lack more than anecdotal evidence that they seriously help drive
attendance. We always hear about a handful of folks who note that they came
because we had this or that awesome designer, but we never tracked it well
to make sure it was worth it. Yes, I say this knowing this applies to the
folks we've had out here for the last six years - although that was partly
to raise the convention's profile, too - something that these
not-famous-for-games people will not do.

Honestly, a signing for this guy would likely be embarrassing for him.
That's not why people come to Strategicon and to focus resources on it
(beyond the free badge), including human resource time, isn't likely to be
worth it.

No one is saying it isn't nice to give these folks a badge and ask them to
tweet that they are coming or whatever (although talking to an agent
suggests they might seek an appearance fee). No gamer is going to be upset
that they're there. Most just won't care, won't pull the trigger on buying
a badge, or even notice these folks are there. Certainly, expecting any
kind of a bump in attendance is a mistake.


On Sun, Sep 22, 2013 at 7:47 PM, Kryssie M. <phantom.hopscotch at gmail.com>wrote:

> Thanks for implying marketing doesn't work!
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On 2013-09-22, at 7:37 PM, Eric Burgess <erburgess at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Just my two cents: demi-celebrities are worth a free badge and nothing
> more. They won't add to attendance in a way to make it worth doing more
> than that.
>
>
> On Sun, Sep 22, 2013 at 7:22 PM, Chavez, Nick <j0kertm at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>> I already emailed Victor his agent's info.
>>
>>  - Nick
>>
>>    *From:* "evil5757 at aol.com" <evil5757 at aol.com>
>> *To:* deptheads at strategicon.net
>> *Sent:* Sunday, September 22, 2013 7:02 PM
>>
>> *Subject:* Re: [Deptheads] Sam Witwer appearance
>>
>> Him coming and promoting the con to new people will be worth it. A couple
>> of seminars and an autograph table probably will fit the bill.
>>
>>
>> *Connected by Motorola*
>>
>>
>> Eric Nyquist <thatericn at aol.com> wrote:
>>
>> What does he want to do?
>>
>> Eric N.
>>
>>
>>  -----Original Message-----
>> From: Kryssie M. <phantom.hopscotch at gmail.com>
>> To: deptheads <deptheads at strategicon.net>
>> Cc: deptheads <deptheads at strategicon.net>
>> Sent: Sun, Sep 22, 2013 4:48 pm
>> Subject: Re: [Deptheads] Sam Witwer appearance
>>
>>  Don't know him from Star Wars, but definitely know him from US Being
>> Human.
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone
>>
>> On 2013-09-22, at 4:04 PM, Evil5757 at aol.com wrote:
>>
>>   Norm and Victor
>>
>>
>>
>>  In a message dated 9/22/2013 3:55:37 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time,
>> J0KERtm at yahoo.com writes:
>>
>> Sam Witwer, of Being Human and Star Wars fame is interested in doing our
>> con. Whom do I give the contact info to?
>>
>>   - Nick
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone
>> =
>>
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