AIO Marketing

[Bren]

How do you guys feel about AIO marketing as of late? It seems to me that all they are doing is a bunch of cheesy contests. Along the contests line, think about this. When the AIO ambassadors are named, they'll be shoved down our throats like Shona has been with the commercials. If you think about the Odyssey Adventure Club, that kind of has to be released before they release the download version of album 57. As a fellow fan site creator pointed out, if the album points to a club that isn't there, they will lose money. That crushes the hearts of millions *cough* who were expecting the album this week and let's hope they still go with that. My point is this is not the AIO I grew up loving. The official podcast has changed a lot and I haven't found it as informative about the show itself as of late. It just irks me and I'm curious what others think.

[TigerintheShadows]

I don't know a whole lot about it, but yeah, it is pretty irksome. I don't know about many previous major AIO contests, but most of them involved something to do with the show itself, not with community service projects. I know I can't fully pass judgment on it, not having done a great deal of research, but it seems a little...heavy-handed, maybe? If nothing else, it just feels like too much--a bit over-the-top, imo.

[Leonard Meltsner]

Yeah, as much as I'm all for charity, or course, all the contest stuff at the cost of actual show stuff is making me pretty sick and tired of it.

[snubs]

Speaking of the whole Shona thing. She really hasn't done much at all. Which is lame for an "ambassador of AIO." I mean, could they AT LEAST take a different picture of her. They have used the same single picture of her since...forever. >_>

STOP SHOWING THIS PICTURE. Show us something new, like her actually being an ambassador. >_>

[Dallas R.]

Yeah, I sense this too. I'm really not interested in this contest at all. At least the Get in the Show contest connected to, you know, the show. I don't even really check the AIO Facebook anymore. It just seems like it's all a little too much. I'm wondering if it has something to do with Brock's new position. I don't remember the title right now, but since he got the job, the marketing seems really heavy and over the top. Plus the addition of the Odyssey club episodes, on top of my already established dislike for the early release of the digital album copy, I'm starting be feel really uninterested in following any of it.

[Leonard Meltsner]

Well Brock's new position is that he's NOT connected to marketing anymore, so maybe it's the new person's fault. And yeah, I'm already disinterested enough with the contests, let alone that fact that they alienate all older fans AND foreigners. Bleh.

[snubs]

Well Brock's new position is that he's NOT connected to marketing anymore, so maybe it's the new person's fault. And yeah, I'm already disinterested enough with the contests, let alone that fact that they alienate all older fans AND foreigners. Bleh.

^THIS.

[Skylerbuck]

I'm just being honest but AIO is meant for ages 8-12, I myself am 14 and am not too mad about it, I can still listen to the episodes though, just not the contests.

By the way they release the downloads first to encourage people to buy those as they are cheaper to produce, I think.

[TigerintheShadows]

My problem isn't that they're appealing to a younger audience--you're supposed to appeal to your target demographic, and if the periphery doesn't like it, well, tough beans. Much of the time, it's not meant for them (e.g. the Brony fandom--they like the show, and they're allowed to, but not all of them necessarily like the marketing, such as the toys or commercials, and that's okay--it's not going to turn them off to the show itself). My problem is how heavy-handed it appears to be--it's just too much, like with the contests and whatnot. It's fine to encourage service and fan involvement, but I wish that we had some more contests like the one from a few years ago, where you had to do something related to the Last Chance Detectives (dunno exactly what it was) and the winner had a cameo appearance in "The Invisible Dog". That doesn't mean that they can't do contests on the bigger scale of GITS (an actual role as opposed to a cameo) or a service project like ACTS, but if it's supposed to be to win something related to AIO, I'd rather it be...well, about AIO or something similar.

[Skylerbuck]

I see what your saying...

[American Eagle]

Wow, I didn't know people were upset about this. I've ignored the Facebook page during GITS, ACTS and the 500 toy lambs thing, but not because it bothered me... I just didn't care about any of that. I recently listened to one of the newer episodes and it totally entertained me, so... good episodes silence all my concerns.

[snubs]

I really don't mind all the contests. I mean, I like the ACTS contest, you know, promoting service and such. I'm just tired of them showing the same picture of Shona...everywhere. =|

[AshleyWhittaker]

I don't pay attention to the contests because I'm Canadian But yeah, that pic of Shona is getting a bit annoying. Especially when you see it on Facebook every. single. day.

[The Old Judge]

I'm not complaining, just because I don't really complain that much. As long as they keep making new episodes, I'm content. I will agree with snubs and Ashley on one thing: the picture.

Shona, honey, I'm sorry, but what are you doing with your arm there? She's shifting her body weird, and her eyes just kind of look squinty. If they were open better, and her shirt was straight, (so the logo could be prominent. After all, she is an ambassador. I'm not going to tear her apart, though, because the camera crew probably told her to do that, and she messed up. The problem is, for whatever reason, the people at Focus decided to use that picture instead of a better one!

So we end up being like this: (At the beginning.) (When GITS began to be promoted heavily.) (After six months of it.) (When it was over.) (Between contests, hoping that the same thing wouldn't happen again.) (Us. "Are you seriously having another big contest?") (Us, after a summer of ACTS.)

Actually, in spite of my montage up there, I think encouraging kids to serve and support missions is wonderful. But when I get on their Facebook page to learn about the recording sessions, I don't want to see ten things about the ACTS contest that I already knew. The AIO Ambassador is a stupendous idea, one of the best they've had, but they really let me down when Shona didn't do any "ambassadorizing." Here's some things they could've done:

1). Have pictures of Shona with the cast and say what she loved about her time in the studio.
2). Have pictures of her with the characters and talk about why she enjoys them.
3). Have her talk about different aspects of the show in general.
4). Have her release teasers about Album 57/ the Adventure Club.
5). Have her go to certain Family Christian Bookstores for interviews, and to hand out WOD-FAM-CHOC-SODS.

[snubs]

Actually, in spite of my montage up there, I think encouraging kids to serve and support missions is wonderful. But when I get on their Facebook page to learn about the recording sessions, I don't want to see ten things about the ACTS contest that I already knew. The AIO Ambassador is a stupendous idea, one of the best they've had, but they really let me down when Shona didn't do any "ambassadorizing." Here's some things they could've done:

1). Have pictures of Shona with the cast and say what she loved about her time in the studio.
2). Have pictures of her with the characters and talk about why she enjoys them.
3). Have her talk about different aspects of the show in general.
4). Have her release teasers about Album 57/ the Adventure Club.
5). Have her go to certain Family Christian Bookstores for interviews, and to hand out WOD-FAM-CHOC-SODS.

^THIS. I mean, aside from her appearing in an episode...what else did she do??

[The Old Judge]

She took the picture. Isn't that what we were just talking about?

[snubs]

She took the picture. Isn't that what we were just talking about?

=p See? That's just lame. They made it out like she would be doing all these teasers and stuff, or doing stuff with Club House magazine. *shrugs*

[The Old Judge]

A more appropriate name would have been "poster child" than ambassador....

[Jonathan]

I'm with AE on this--nothing against it, I just don't care. I'm not into AIO for the marketing, I'm in it for the stories, which have been pretty good in the last several years.

[jennifertwt]

As an adult fan, I have never followed the contest, though Get in the Show did feel a bit like American Idol, etc which I detests. However, if does feel like they have crossed the line between ministry and business. I realize a ministry must have a certain amount of funds to pay the bills, but especially with the new Adventure Club, it seems like it was only created to be a cash cow. I think it will totally backfire and possibly even cost them money if they do not make enough to cover the "club only" episode production. The should instead make one digital only album and one hard copy. I prefer hard copies, but would rather see a digital only than a high priced club that people either cannot afford, or excludes the target audience since they are (hopefully) not the decision makers in the house. Parents have other concerns like rent, bills, food, etc.