If Given $100,000 to Promote Farscape, How Would You Spend It and Why?

[RustySlinky]

VOTING FOR MORE THAN ONE OPTION OK:

Other Q's to ponder perhaps:

Order of Priority: Website, DVD's or Re-runs?

Different approaches for movie continuation vs TV series continuation?

Where and how to locate new Scapers?

What type of preliminary market research, if any?

If this is going in the wrong direction, I'll delete, thanks! :)

[Roland]

Good Q, RustySlinky!

I say TV and Print ads! :)

[Xothas]

I pick television, dvd/theater, and radio.

I find that the dvd idea is interesting...perhaps that would be something to explore. However, given that the typical habit of many people is to skip the ads, it would be dependent upon the few that don't, and enjoy the ads. Theater can be quite effective, given the appropriate venue, and locking in during "blockbuster" moments. Radio can also be very effective, if station choices have the appropriate demographics, and you maintain high-traffic spots such as drive time.

I'm not sure I understand the second question....I suggest a strategy that helps both options out.

Find new scapers everywhere! BB's, friends, neighbors, co-workers....etc.

Marketing research is a bit more difficult for us than, say, large corporations. This is due to the fact that we wish not only to target spots with good ratings and appropriate demos., but specific audiences inclined to the science fiction genre. But, it can be done. But, as we know, programming can be very fluid, so it is important to anticipate changes and devise alternate plans. Each project should be researched beforehand, of course, but once a plan of action is devised, it must be executed quickly.

The problem is, in the world of advertising, 100,000 isn't that much money. Spreading it out among different mediums tends to dilute your message at the 100,000 level....so I would pick TV, and concentrate there.

Just my .02

[trubador]

Kinda of a Catch-22.... you want to promote FS so that it'll get picked up, but you don't want to boast the Sci-Fi Network's ratings to make it's harder and more expensive to buy the syndication rights from them..... (hrmph)...

Find a qualified market survey that can tell you which other TV shows FS fans watch on a regular basis (demographics, etc...). Then do target(t)ed 30-sec TV commercials in target(t)ed DMAs/Regions like we did for the season finale.

It'll help keep the costs down, while at the same time reach two key segments of society. The commercials would be two-fold. One that's geared toward informing potential new viewers to the reruns on Sci-Fi, while another is geared more toward existing fans who don't know about the "save farscape" movement.

Radio ads for an obsure TV show are a waste of money. It's easier for someone to check their TV schedule while sitting on their couch to find "that show called far-something" right after they've seem a commercial, than it is for someone who might have paid attention long enough to listen to (let alone remember) a radio commercial they heard while stuck in traffic that day.

[MournsZhaan]

Originally posted by Xothas
The problem is, in the world of advertising, 100,000 isn't that much money. Spreading it out among different mediums tends to dilute your message at the 100,000 level....so I would pick TV, and concentrate there.

Just my .02

Yeah! What he said! :aok:

Okay, I might be willing to consider movie advertising but for only $100,000 I think that Xothas is right: spreading it around will only dilute the effect. Either put this amount of money all into TV or all into movie ads.

Chris

[Shipscat]

I'd buy one hundred thousand dollars worth of DVD's and tapes and give them to the library project, the military project, and give them out for charity auctions at cons and for PBS fund drives.

A hundred thousand dollars is not much of an advertising budget, but it would buy a lot of tapes. And we all know that Farscape, once tried, is very addicting..it appears to be difficult to advertise, though.

For the long term, keeping Farscape alive and not letting it be forgotten, having Farscape available is essential. And we don't know how long or often Scifi will run the repeats-and even as it is now, they're on late or very early and not likely to be watched.

[Xothas]

While I believe both the Library Project and the Military Project should be supported, I find them lacking in the amount of "waves" and "buzz" they generate (when compared to TV advertising). This demonstrates two alternate strategies that I believe are BOTH critical to the campaign: what Shipscat is suggesting, by maintaining show availability, and national coverage are important. The biggest part of TV ads will be the buzz, and we can have a small but successful campaign on a budget of 100,000. Mind you, it won't rival GM, but it will be enough. Additionally, in an age of vcrs and digital recording, dvds and online sources....with the type of press we could generate we will draw many that just have to find out what it's all about.

[akimbo]

I'm still considering this. Its a difficult question to answer.

If it only took $100K of targetted off channel advertising to make that big of a difference, even Skiffy would have done it by now.

If I had $100K - I'm fairly sure I wouldn't spend it all on off-channel TV advertising for midnight reruns.

[kymom5613]

I feel the one in theaters would be good, while getting soft drinks & popcorn readied, I actually do look at the screen, I like the trivia they sometimes have and talk about a captive audience! TV is pretty expensive, but does tend to reach more folks. On DVDs... hmmm. As much as I love ADV, I'm not interested in anime, so after watching just one of their "coming soon" ads, I now breeze right past them without a backward glance.
My humble $.02

[painkiller]

Movie Ads

How many times have you been sitting there and waiting for the movie to start and then an ad hit's the screen and you get intrested :)

[grapeshot]

While I believe both the Library Project and the Military Project should be supported, I find them lacking in the amount of "waves" and "buzz" they generate (when compared to TV advertising).

Humph! "Waves" and "buzz" indeed. Let's not confuse advertising with publicity. TV advertising alone generates NO "waves" and "buzz". (Just ask Bowflex, or SCJohnson, or Orkin about that. They must spend tons of money on cable advertising, but I don't hear much "buzz" about them.)

Someone just pointed out in another thread, that Farscape is still being mentioned in the occasional media article. (This seems particularly true whenever there's an article about the SciFi Channel.) Perhaps what we're really after is more PUBLICITY for our cause. I would expect that $100,000 will buy us one or two really good publicity stunts. And, if you think about it, the Library and the Military projects have the potential for generating some good publicity also -- with the added advantage of putting some DVDs into the hands of the public. Why not spend A LOT of money on these two projects?? If we make large enough donations to these, THAT would be news-worthy. THEN you'd see some "waves" and "buzz". (let's see, a mere $10,000 would buy us about 1000 sets of season 1 DVDs. You think blanketing 1000 libraries with donations could be publicized? You don't suppose that the hometown newspapers of these 1000 libraries would be interested in writing an article about being on the receiving end of some "Scaper Love"? Expecially, if it's pointed out that they were a target of a NATIONAL campaign.)

What is the purpose of this campaign? Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems to me that this is the list:
1. To increase the audience for Farscape.
2. To stay a community -- and to increase the size of the community.

Do we want to add these to the list?
3. To keep the Farscape name in front of the public?

or
4. To keep the Farscape name in front of the showbiz industry?

[Red]

Humph! "Waves" and "buzz" indeed. Let's not confuse advertising with publicity. TV advertising alone generates NO "waves" and "buzz". (Just ask Bowflex, or SCJohnson, or Orkin about that. They must spend tons of money on cable advertising, but I don't hear much "buzz" about them.)

Lets not forget that we are a fan campaign and we have generated "waves" and "buzz" by advertising.You don't hear buzz about Orkin or Bowflex because they're expected to advertise. We're not. This project can achieve multiple ends. By the curiosity factor alone it can increase the audience for Farscape. It can pull new people into the community. It can keep the Farscape name in front of the public and in the industry's eye.

The Library and the Military projects are good grassroots projects. They make Farscape available to more people. But why would people go to the Library to rent Farscape if they didn't know what it was? We don't get mentioned in the press time and again because we give DVDs to the library -- we get mentioned because we do things no other fan campaign has ever even contemplated doint. The Library and Military campaigns can get us publicity but not on the order that this can. This reaches into millions of homes across the country in a big way. This says "WATCH FARSCAPE!" and there's no doubt about the message being conveyed by such a move.

[Xothas]

Just to point out a difference in media interest:

Donations to library collections, even nationally, is more of a human interest story (and, I stress, a GOOD thing).

Funding a national ad campaign to promote a TV show...that's business news, and, consequently, more "sit-up-and-take-notice".

Again, I see the Library and Military projects as important parts of this campaign. However, they cover a different aspect than what national TV advertising encompasses. Common goal, different approaches, different contributing aspects.

[Frunium Slip]

Well it was a lot easier to get new people to tune in to Farscape before the eps started appearing at midnight. Now a lot of people I talk to won't/can't take the trouble to look at it if it's not on at a decent hour. So I have to lend out tapes and DVD's. But the problem is in them making the effort to watch it.
I have also ran into people that still do not have access to the SciFi channel to see the eps.

So get to the frellin' point allready!

Any advertising must stress the availability of the eps so new people can actually see them. Stressing the library and military campaigns would make the eps more readily available, and would have longer lasting effects. ie any advertisement is a limited shot attempt at hooking new viewers, where as the DVD's would be available for a much longer time. Of course if they are available, then people need to know about them so the advertising is needed. Pretty much a catch-22.

Since TV advertising is relatively costly, it may be better to do print ads stressing the availability of the episodes.

Just a few random thoughts from the uncluttered mind...

[Xothas]

Both aspects of the campaign complement the other. I see both as necessary. If the ads are geared just to the promotion of Farscape, you address all of the see local listings/rental/library/retail concerns...it can be done. Print ads are good, but not as effective....lack of repetition, and generally not as good. But they are significant, regardless. But, in the end you figure that over 70,000,000 households will have access via network (out of 104,705,000 estimated households total), and the video rental industry, library sites, and retailers will be options for others. Same case with the time of the show...yeah, it makes it alot harder. But you make a big deal about something, and people start to wonder what it is about...time for the rentals, vcrs, digital recorders, etc.....

[Dominar of Action]

Hmmmm. As usual, both sides make good points. We've got some *great* projects out there (military and library) that are aimed at spreading the word of Farscape, but IMO the pay-off from those projects will be realized only over the long haul. They also reach only a very specific part of society. From what I understand, the TV advertising project casts a wider net and is targeted towards a more immediate goal - gaining viewers for Farscape *now.*

But why are we looking at this as a zero-sum game? Why do the advertising and military/library projects have to be mutually exclusive? Personally, I think it's perfectly within Scapers' ability to do both. :)

[Xothas]

And that's what I've been trying to express....we should do both. Both the grassroots stuff like the Military and Library projects, and National Advertising or other similar projects. I don't see it as "either-or". The thing is, I believe that it is easily within our capability to do both.

[waltersgirl]

it isn't an either/or. we are going ahead with both.

[Red]

The advertising raises awareness. The Library/Military project increases availability. Together they can complement each other and work toward the common goals of reaching a new audience, growing the fan base, and putting Farscape where everybody can get at it.

As for print advertising - quite honestly in the "getting the most bang for our buck" category, print advertising isn't quite as effective as tv advertising. Think of it this way for $100,000 we could put one (1) full-page, full-color ad in TV Guide. Or for $100,000 we could get multiple ads on TV and try for an article in TV Guide. We're, IMO, better off with the TV advertising and the reach of that type of advertising, coupled with the potential press, than we are trying to advertise in those publications that reach the widest audience who may or may not represent our target group. We couldn't buy multiple ads in TV Guide, Entertainment Weekly, hell Rolling Stone even, for $100,000 but we can buy TV ads for that and we may be able to score articles in any or all of those publications and at the very least we have the potential to reach 70,000,000 homes.

[waltersgirl]

We couldn't buy multiple ads in TV Guide, Entertainment Weekly, hell Rolling Stone even, for $100,000 but we can buy TV ads for that and we may be able to score articles in any or all of those publications and at the very least we have the potential to reach 70,000,000 homes.

[Selena]

I noticed in my Farscape Magazine that there are full page ads for Star Trek.
Farscape should have equal exposure in The Communicator and The Star Trek (club) Magazine. Other magazines I'd advertise in would be the Star Wars Magazine and Fangoria Magazine and any of the gaming magazines (names elude me at present). I would also place ads in women's magazines such as McCall’s, People and Women's Weekly.

Theatre advertising is also a great opportunity to reach millions. It would be a great chance to give theatre patrons not familiar with Farscape a piece of the background story and I'd use the graphic posters of the cast instead of the copyrighted images.

Four years ago an astronaut, was shot through a wormhole to a distant part of the universe. He's on a ship - a living ship - with a group of aliens, escaped prisoners who have become his friends. He's made enemies dangerous, powerful. But all he's trying to do is find a way home, to reach Earth, to share the perils and wonders he has seen.
Help the story continue, help save FarScape.
Campaign details at www.SaveFarscape.com

[MournsZhaan]

Originally posted by Selena
Theatre advertising is also a great opportunity to reach millions. It would be a great chance to give theatre patrons not familiar with Farscape a piece of the background story and I'd use the graphic posters of the cast instead of the copyrighted images.

Four years ago an astronaut, was shot through a wormhole to a distant part of the universe. He's on a ship - a living ship - with a group of aliens, escaped prisoners who have become his friends. He's made enemies dangerous, powerful. But all he's trying to do is find a way home, to reach Earth, to share the perils and wonders he has seen.
Help the story continue, help save FarScape.
Campaign details at www.SaveFarscape.com

I think theater advertising is unable to give back story. I ran a theater ad. When I was doing the research someone sent me a really nice explanation of how to make the movie theater ads effective. A very large part of this advice was keep your message to 15 words or less mostly because your slide is only on the screen for 10-15 seconds. If it's too wordy you can't reasonably expect people to read and comprehend it all.

I think if we're going to do theater ads they should be teaser ads not a Farscape primer.

JMHO,

Chris

[Shipscat]

We did not get a lot of outside media buzz-press-for the three advertising spots we've already done. Also, we can't get an ad in until the fourth quarter and I'm afraid we won't have anything *to* advertise at that point.

A 100,000 dollar national campaign might have been a good idea when we had new eps, and we were trying to raise the ratings, and I like the idea of advertising on other channels, but if we don't even have reruns to point them to, it's advertising in a vacuum.

[Xothas]

It was three ads....three. But it did get attention, did it not? While I repect your "vacuous" opinion, I don't agree. I believe that regardless of what form the show is in - reruns, dvd, web - we can effectively promote it. But then, that's my opinion. I agree however that while we had new episodes would have been a better time to promote...hindsight's always 20/20, isn't it?

[Shipscat]

Thanks for calling my opinion vacuous, Xothas.

I really do not believe that we are going to get 100,000 dollars worth of media attention from this, and I don't believe that seeing a few clips of Farscape on another channel is going to make people go out and buy Farscape tapes and DVDs or chase them down at the library. We're lucky if they'd remember what channel it's on.

I do like the idea of the 15,000 dollar (possibly sponsorship spot) but they don't seem to be separated out.

[Xothas]

How about the "vacuum theory", as that is what I was alluding to when I used the term vacuous.:)

And you point out the difficulty with any and all advertising, whether it be print, TV, etc. I don't have the delusion that people are going to fly to the video stories en masse and grab up all things Farscape, but I do think it will have some effect. However, you make a valid point regarding Phase I and Phase II perhaps needing a clearer separation, especially for those who wish to support one but not the other. I'll see what I can do.

[Mickie]

I also want to weigh in on the 'it's all complementary' side. Advertising is all about name recognition. People who have heard of Farscape are more likely to check it out of the library, or to ask their library to aquire episodes.

The Library and Military projects were always ment to be pieces of a larger picture.

Mickie

[Stargate2077]

All this bickering. If we aren't sure if the Sci-Fi Channel is going to rerun Farscape again, why don't we just call them to find out? The first runthough from Season 1 to Season 4 will finish Thursday, July 31, 2003. So if they are going to start from Season 1 again, it should start Sunday, August 3, 2003.

[TechnoBoY]

I would try to get an add at the premiere of SG1 in June. I bet there are still a few people that will tune in and wonder where Farscape went! Ya never know!

[Twich]

Originally posted by TechnoBoY
I would try to get an add at the premiere of SG1 in June. I bet there are still a few people that will tune in and wonder where Farscape went! Ya never know!

That's a good idea...

[Selena]

Originally posted by MournsZhaan
I think theater advertising is unable to give back story. I ran a theater ad. When I was doing the research someone sent me a really nice explanation of how to make the movie theater ads effective. A very large part of this advice was keep your message to 15 words or less mostly because your slide is only on the screen for 10-15 seconds. If it's too wordy you can't reasonably expect people to read and comprehend it all.

I think if we're going to do theater ads they should be teaser ads not a Farscape primer.

JMHO,

Chris

Excellent point Chris ... I've sat in theaters waiting for an ad to come around again so I can read the bits I missed the first time. I think if it's going to be in theaters then it needs to say more than just save Farscape, because most peole will think what's Farscape?

Here's the revised outline in a nutshell ... (probably still too long) ... there's others out there who are far better at this than I am.
____________________________________
He’s an astronaut.
His module shot through a wormhole - lost in space.
He's found refuge on a ship with escaped prisoners.
He wants to get home.
Find out what's happening at www.SaveFarscape.com
____________________________________

[mycattoldme]

Movie ads really work well for advertising a product or service that people are already aware of - Farscape is an unknown to most people so the effectiveness is questionable. Which brings up the down side of movie ads - they really don't reach enough people. A lot of people go to the movie late so they miss the ads, others go even later so they miss the ads and the previews! Even though it sounds like a good idea, but it really isn't going to reach enough people - unless you are willing to saturate one or two major markets long term - remember advertising is only effective if you have a strong combination of reach and frequency.

[Selena]

Hey mycattoldme, this was my $100,000 to spend! :lol

You spend your $100,000 any way you like! :D

Personally, I hate getting to a movie late and stumbling about in the dark. I love to get there early and watch the ads and the previews.

[Shipscat]

I love the previews myself. :)

Separating them would be very good, Xothas, because I am all for phase 1 as long as we can get the ad in during Farscape reruns.

Stargate, since you thought it up, why don't you call Scifi? Remembering of course, that if they say they're going to start rerunning Farscape again it still doesn't mean they're really going to do it.

[Stargate2077]

Shipscat: I would love to but it requires calling long-distance which my parents would not like me to use.

[waltersgirl]

If we aren't sure if the Sci-Fi Channel is going to rerun Farscape again, why don't we just call them to find out? The first runthough from Season 1 to Season 4 will finish Thursday, July 31, 2003. So if they are going to start from Season 1 again, it should start Sunday, August 3, 2003.

an excellent idea, which is why Xothas has been in contact with them for several weeks trying to acquire that very information.


I really do not believe that we are going to get 100,000 dollars worth of media attention from this,

we're not trying to buy $100,000 worth of media attention, we're trying to buy advertising. media attention comes from that.

and I don't believe that seeing a few clips of Farscape on another channel is going to make people go out and buy Farscape tapes and DVDs or chase them down at the library. We're lucky if they'd remember what channel it's on.

maybe you just don't believe at all. to borrow from Trinity, let me tell you what i believe. i believe that companies advertise their product to create buzz and generate name recognition. i believe that the idea caught on because it works. i believe that it falls nicely within our marketing plan because it helps to promote Farscape. and i believe that if you don't think the idea will work, you're free to not support it.

[waltersgirl]

Xothas posted this reply to akimbo on the Raising the Bar thread...it bears repeating.


Xothas
Shadow in the Mind

Registered: Mar 2003
Location: NC
Posts: 130
Sure...
To give you some idea of the zip code, 15,000 would give us at a minimum over a week of 10-sec billboard sponsorship. Typically, it could do more, but because we want time specific (in other words, we are not content to have a sponsorship anywhere within the time slot, such as during Stargate or another show) it is going to be more costly than what previous pricing would indicate. Additionally, the flight of the sponsorship depends on whether we decide we want it displayed only once per episode or more....more repetition would of course shorten the flight. This is of course the same situation with the 30 second ads as well, although I am looking into ways to avoid "time specific" where I can, such as trying to get our ads into marathons of target shows, so that we could use rotators. A big part of the flight of the 30 second ads depends on what happens to the programming between now and then....corporations look at the demographics and ratings for a specific time period, while we are additionally constrained by the actual programming during time periods as well in order to tap the genre. To be conservative, I will say a month. The thing of it is, with off-channel advertising, we can't spread it too thin to get a longer flight, because that can backfire and dilute our message, due to more time between each exposure. This is all contingent of course on what the rates do between now and then. Zip code example: you're watching a Buffy marathon on FX and see our ad rotate through a couple of times. Later in the week you tune into X-files, and run accross us again. You flick on Enterprise and, looky here....and so on, and so forth. Time specific is what jacks the price up, but it is also what helps us by targeting specific viewing audiences....we can't afford "hit or miss".

Oh, but what you shouldn't see is our ad popping up on SCI-FI during Scare Tactics...etc.

[akimbo]

Originally posted by Xothas
To give you some idea of the zip code, 15,000 would give us at a minimum over a week of 10-sec billboard sponsorship. Typically, it could do more, but because we want time specific (in other words, we are not content to have a sponsorship anywhere within the time slot, such as during Stargate or another show) it is going to be more costly than what previous pricing would indicate. Additionally, the flight of the sponsorship depends on whether we decide we want it displayed only once per episode or more....more repetition would of course shorten the flight.


So for the 10-second billboard sponsorship we're talking a minimum of a week (5-7 days) of billboard ads on Farscape midnight reruns - at least one billboard in an episode.

Originally posted by Xothas
This is of course the same situation with the 30 second ads as well, although I am looking into ways to avoid "time specific" where I can, such as trying to get our ads into marathons of target shows, so that we could use rotators. A big part of the flight of the 30 second ads depends on what happens to the programming between now and then....corporations look at the demographics and ratings for a specific time period, while we are additionally constrained by the actual programming during time periods as well in order to tap the genre. To be conservative, I will say a month. The thing of it is, with off-channel advertising, we can't spread it too thin to get a longer flight, because that can backfire and dilute our message, due to more time between each exposure. This is all contingent of course on what the rates do between now and then. Zip code example: you're watching a Buffy marathon on FX and see our ad rotate through a couple of times. Later in the week you tune into X-files, and run accross us again. You flick on Enterprise and, looky here....and so on, and so forth. Time specific is what jacks the price up, but it is also what helps us by targeting specific viewing audiences....we can't afford "hit or miss".


I read it a few times, but I'm not sure I'm making the right conclusions. Let me restate what you're hoping to get for the 100K and you fix me up. :)

1.We can't afford "hit or miss" so we necessarily jack up the price by being time specific (because we're being genre specific - Buffy, X-Files, Enterprise...)

2.We need it to be repeated in different situations during a shorter period of time (like a week or two) to get saturation and generate buzz.

If I understand the approach correctly, it makes sense to me in general.

I'm not clear it makes sense for midnight reruns, however. I'd like it a lot better if they were stripping it at a more reasonable hour and we could expect a lot more viewers to check it out. I just don't think a lot of people will be "checking it out for the first time" at midnight.

BTW, I am simply exploring the idea as much as possible. It does not diminish my passion and drive for getting Farscape back on the air. I still believe.

Originally posted by Xothas
Oh, but what you shouldn't see is our ad popping up on SCI-FI during Scare Tactics...etc.

I should hope not :eek:

[Shipscat]

Sorry about that, Stargate-I forgot how young you are. :) I mean that as a compliment. ;)

We do not have a product. We may not even have reruns, but we no longer have new episodes of Farscape to promote. Our goal right now should be keeping Farscape alive. Which, by the way, I think we're doing a pretty good job of- every time Scifi is mentioned, so is Farscape- it won the Saturn, which is pretty good for a cancelled show, and Ben's appearance on CSI Miami was newsworthy.

I really thought the commercial idea had been dropped when it was found that we could not get one until the fourth quarter, and I have no idea why anyone would want to spend 100k on it. Nothing that has been said has convinced me that this will bring us media attention or new viewers or new campaigners.

[Jul]

We do not have a product

Shipscat, I respectfully disagree with you...

we do have product... we have DVDs that can introduce this show to millions of new fans, at the very least... and odds are *cross fingers* that they're going to run Farscape reruns again... there are books and other pieces of merchandising materials... if that's not product, I don't know what is..

[kymom5613]

But, respectfully, Jul, is that what we're advertising? DVDs & merchandising products? Or is it the show and the campaign? I may be a little confused here, will someone please point me in the right direction?

[waltersgirl]

we're promoting the fact that Farscape is there, out there, to be watched, to garner new viewers, that there are dvds and videos so you can see the show...if skiffy reruns the reruns again, that you can catch it on skiffy...that there's a campaign out there to bring about a fifth season. Farscape is a franchise. we're promoting the franchise and everything that comes with it.

[jeffrabb]

As far as for SciFi running the reruns, way back in November, they told KIA for advertising purposes that they will be doing so until September. After that, who knows? We know that their contract for the reruns only allows them a limited number of runs before they have to start paying Henson for them. What that magical number is is anybody's guess. So the run could cease in September or continue for the immediate future considering the derth of programing that SciFi has these days.:ewink:

Jeff

P.S. if I may weigh in on the form of advertising. I really believe that outdoor billboard should be strongly considered. Have it up on a billboard on a heavily congested roadway in say the top 10 Neilson markets and there it stays for however long we can rent out the board, 24hrs a day, 7days a week, for all the world to see. I clearly remember the effect on me seeing those Taken billboard ads last fall.

[Stargate2077]

jeffrabb: Thanks for the info from Kia. I forgot about that. By that information we know for sure that Farscape will be run again at least until September.

Season 4 ends on July 31, 2003, so if Farscape starts from the beginning again, Farscape will reach episode 221 on September 31, 2003.

[Shipscat]

Gee Jeff, did you point your fingers at them and say rattatattatat, too?

You know what would be a *really* cool commercial, on down the road? A commercial saying that thousands of Farscape DVDS were donated to libraries and the military (these libraries, these military bases, yadda yadda) by Farscape fans. Millions of Scapers can't be wrong- go ask your local librarian or petty officer (or whoever it is that takes care of those things ) about Farscape.

[waltersgirl]

We do not have a product

why are you here? and i mean that genuinely. if you don't believe we have a product to sell then what are you doing here?

we're here to promote the franchise that is Farscape. part of that promotion is to attract new viewers. this two-fold project is designed to do that, but is also about reminding advertisers that there are fans out there that are willing to spend money and to remind potential networks and investors that Farscape is still a viable franchise. this project is designed to do all three of those things at once. we need to keep the name "Farscape" alive, keep it buzzing, keep it in the awareness of the public and the industry.

and we've already achieved that to a certain degree. let me quote red here from the most recent Bonnieism thread...She's still talking about it because we make her. I mean that seriously. Because of what this campaign and all the fans have managed to do, she just can't escape the show. To this point we have managed to tie ourselves to SCI FI and everytime they get press they get pointed out as the channel that cancelled Farscape. Good on us. We need to keep it up, keep raising the bar on what we can and will do, and we need to keep generating our own news, because, honestly, we can't buy this kind of publicity. Everytime Bonnie opens her mouth she has to offer an excuse about Farscape -- no matter what the subject of the articles is -- and we need to keep making that true.

we, the fans of Farscape, have changed the face of fan campaigns irrevocably. we have done things that no campaign has ever done before and other campaigns are using our techniques, following in the footsteps of the hard work that you all have put into the cause of saving the show you love.

every time we do something else groundbreaking, it promotes the franchise, it fuels the buzz. we are making history with this campaign every single day. this project is ambitious. it's huge. it's untried and it's risky. Farscape is those things. what is Farscape worth to you?

[jeffrabb]

quote
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Gee Jeff, did you point your fingers at them and say rattatattatat, too?
--------------------------------------------------------------------

Hey Ships,

You lost me on that one. What is that in reference to?:confused:

Jeff

[Shipscat]

Your response to the Taken ads, Jeff. :)

[Shipscat]

I don't think I have to answer why I'm here. I think people *know* why I'm here.

But let me remind you that to start with, our goal was to raise the ratings for the new eps. That's why so much of the campaign was focused on advertising. We no longer have that as a goal.

I don't think we're going to accomplish anything by doing the same thing and throwing more money at it.

[Red]

But let me remind you that to start with, our goal was to raise the ratings for the new eps. That's why so much of the campaign was focused on advertising. We no longer have that as a goal.
Well actually our goal has always been to sell Farscape to new viewers - ratings would be a visible part of that but they weren't the end all be all. Our goal is to contiue to sell Farscape. Our goal is to continue to make this a viable franchise by growing the fan base. One of the steps in growing the fanbase is selling Farscape. To sell Farscape we advertise Farscape. We advertise when it's on, where it's on, where to find DVDs, where to find videos, where to find books, where to find games, where to find DRDs, where to find Ben Browder, where to find the definition of the word frell.

I said at the beginning of this campaign -- way back in September -- that our job was to SELL FARSCAPE. Sell it to anybody who'd take it. And that's what this project will help continue.

I don't think we're going to accomplish anything by doing the same thing and throwing more money at it.

Feel free not to participate in this project. This is not in anyway some sort of mandatory project and if somebody doesn't believe in it nobody would expect them to spend time or money towards it. That's just like any project.

[Mirth]

Would 100,000 dollars cover a Moya-shapped hot-air ballon and giant trailing message/banner ?? ;) Float me over some wireless i-net zones and call me content!.

[Dominar of Action]

Oops, Red beat me to it. :) I was just going to say that I have personally always viewed *everything* we've done as an attempt to increase the fanbase, to grow the franchise. That's the "big picture" goal. If we do that, everything else will inevitably follow.

The drive to increase the ratings specifically for the final 11 eps was in my mind a micro-goal. It was but one battle in the bigger war of proving the viability of Farscape to the dunderheads in charge of Skiffy network programming. We gave it our best shot and I honestly believe we had an effect in that we maintained the ratings for a cancelled show that received no network advertising. But the amount of advertising we were actually able to do at that time was extremely minimal because we were still learning, there were far fewer of us around then, and our efforts were spread out over dozens of smaller projects. We couldn't afford to do the repetitive, targeted advertising needed to get the message to sink in for most people. So, we did what we could and tried to spin that into media coverage, which we got.

Today, however, we have the benefit of experience and hindsight. We have the benefit of time, and hopefully, we have the benefit of greater funds to work with. As we saw with the CBS online reporter's use of the past tense to describe the campaign, many people think we have gone away. We need to show them that that is a mistake. We need to continue to demonstrate that we are serious. We need to keep doing everything we can to get the name "Farscape" out there into the public consciousness. And to do that, we have to do something big! Something BOLD to get them to sit up and take notice again.

Will it take a lot of work to raise the money to fund this? Hell, yeah! I doubt we can depend on pulling it all out of our own pockets -- although the generousity of Scapers never ceases to amaze me. :D But if we don't aim high, we'll never know what can be achieved.

I certainly respect the opinion of people who may not feel that TV advertising is the way to go about keeping Farscape visible and growing the fandom. But let's hear some alternative suggestions that dare to dream on the same scale.

[Shipscat]

It doesn't matter to me Red, whether it's a mystery to you. You've made it clear to me before *exactly* what you think of me.

And thank you, I think I will bow out of this one. I think I should be able to do that without having my motives questioned.

[grapeshot]

I agree with DoA. Whatever we can do to keep awareness of our campaign, AND to increase Farscape viewership is the RIGHT thing to do.

After having gone through all the advertising we did for Farscape in Chicago, I've come to the conclusion that television ads get you the biggest bang for your buck. Billboard ads would also be GREAT. Radio, print, and movie ads were far less effective as they have less coverage (or rather, are MORE expensive to get the same coverage as tv and billboards), and are harder to use for aiming at our target audience.

I also agree that we have to figure out what SPECIFICALLY we're advertising. WHAT is our product? Our campaign? Or Farscape? If it's Farscape, then is it the reruns? Or the DVDs? Once we've figured that out, we can then pick our target audience, and then pick the best medium for reaching that target audience.

Personally, I like Shipscat idea about advertising US by advertising what we've done with the library and military project.

[Red]

It was an honest question, Shipscat, and it wasn't about your motives, you said there was no product - we've pointed out that we believe there is a product and that product is Farscape.

You've made it clear to me before *exactly* what you think of me.

And as I have done before and will continue to do, I think it's best that this part of the conversation goes off board.

[RustySlinky]

Healthy, lively debates over choices of promotional strategy are established practices in the boardrooms at many top organizations:

quotes:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I think people *know* why I'm here.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Honestly, at this point, it's a mystery to me.

However, questioning another's devotion over a shared passion after their attempts to critically evaluate or voice an honest opinion over a proposal- Scapers are better than to have to resort to such low tactics.

Edit: As per clarification below, now properly enlightened I take back the above part about low tactics. Taken to PM. :wstupid:

[Red]

RustySlinky -- honestly, I wasn't questioning her devotion, it wasn't a "low tactic" because I was truly stating a fact that honestly, in my opinion it is a mystery to me. I did go back and edit that out earlier, because as I said, it's not a topic that needs to be discussed on the open board but you two seemed to be too fast for me, but, oh well.

edited to add - and the comments weren't made because of her questioning the tactics of this particular project, I too believe questioning is an invaluable tool in the formation of effective strategies, what I question and have a problem with is the level of attitude attached to such questions and RustySlinky if you'd like to discuss this further with me I believe we can take this to PM.

[Eve11]

Promotional displays in video stores that have the product? Like big cardboard ads or something. Something that hits the viewer when they're in the right spot to make a quick decision. Like candy at checkout lines.

[jadeshand]

I believe this campaign has three main goals:

1. Stay a community -
It is incredibly important because we are the backbone holding up Farscape right now. If the community dissolves, then there won't be any Farscape and it's as simple as that.

2. Increase the fanbase and public awareness of Farscape - I personally do not know how this can be accomplished without advertising. And the product is and always will be Farscape itself, not this campaign or its members or its accomplishments. The one and only reason this website is placed in ads is because it is the place to come to find out how to work to get Farscape back. This campaign has set precedents and raised the level of fan involvement in television, but let's not ever forget that the campaign is secondary to the goal - and that's getting Farscape back.

3. Convince the industry that Farscape is a viable product that will MAKE THEM MONEY. The only way we can do this is to keep the Farscape name in their faces and show them that if they produce the product, there will be an audience for it. Advertising the product is the only way to do this and constant bombardment of the press by advertising, letter writing, etc. is an absolute must because the press will talk about Farscape if we keep it in their minds. That's why Bonnie can't have an interview unless it's mentioned.

Healthy debate is good, but I don't think we're in the business of selling the campaign. Our business is selling and promoting Farscape - our reward will be getting it back. And, to me, that's it in a nutshell.

[trubador]

Well said, JadesHand!

[MournsZhaan]

Here's the revised outline in a nutshell ... (probably still too long) ... there's others out there who are far better at this than I am.
____________________________________
He’s an astronaut.
His module shot through a wormhole - lost in space.
He's found refuge on a ship with escaped prisoners.
He wants to get home.
Find out what's happening at www.SaveFarscape.com
____________________________________

Here are some ideas (some are mine, some belong to others -- it's been so long I don't remember who contributed them):


Aeryn Sun -- Voted Uncharted Territories Frontal Assault Poster Girl for 2003
Lieutenant Aeryn Sun -- Voted Peacekeeper Frontal Assault Poster Girl for 2003. Now learning that even the toughest warrior can be tender hearted in the Unchar ted Territories.
Chiana is on the run from her own people. The Nebari have created a society of conformists by a using a treatment they call "mind cleansing". Chiana calls it having her brain "frelled".
(With Ratscape's Wanted Poster of Chiana) If you're lucky, she'll be so busy stealing your money she won't have time to steal your heart.
Chiana is on the run from her own people. The Nebari have created a society of conformists by a using a treatment they call "mind cleansing". You and I would call it "brain washing".
(With Ratscape's Wanted Poster of D'Argo) Dr. Richard Kimball wasn't the only one ever framed for his wife's murder.
Ka D'Argo was imprisoned by the same "Peacekeepers" who murdered his wife. He's now on the run with John Crichton aboard a ship which used to be D'Argo's prison in the Uncharted Territories.
(With Ratscape's Wanted Poster of Crichton) Dr. John Robinson isn't the only scientist to be lost in space.
Commander John Crichton has stumbled onto the ultimate doomsday technology. Can he keep it from the "Peacekeepers" and become his own kind of hero in the Uncharted Territories?
With the phrase "Weapons of Mass Destruction" being so much in the public's mind I'd probably change this last one to: Commander John Crichton has stumbled onto the ultimate weapon of mass destruction. Can he keep it from the "Peacekeepers" and become his own kind of hero in the Uncharted Territories?


Chris

[RustySlinky]

Here's a diagram I drew, I have no idea about the true size and relationship of these sets and subsets: :)

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-5/203614/ThreeRingsPP.jpg

"CATCH ALL NEW EPISODES OF STARGATE SG-1. THEN STAY FOR FARSCAPE, ONLY ON SCI-FI FRIDAY"

Other scapers' assertions of Farscape not being a straight sell has me brooding as well. If Sci Fi was paying $750,000 per episode It seems logical that the network would have spent $100,000 more on TV ads.

When Sci Fi channel tried the the Stargate-Farscape angle, many of us could see that it didn't work too well. Though there was some overlap, the fan bases were mostly different. Is there evidence that Enterprise, Angel, Andromeda, Buffy, etc. demo/psychographics would fare better?

It's agreeable that if enough money is thrown at it, there would be some level of success, large or small. But would this type of 60 second advertising the most cost effective way to spread the fanbase, as many scapers here and at the DOM have admitted to not watching much other TV?

Understood that frequency and reach are important to an ad campaign. I saw this on the Channel #5 news last year, the Taco Bell's commercials with that Chihuahua doggie and "Yo Quiero Taco Bell"? That commercial campaign did win critical acclaim, and create huge customer awareness, but it flopped because it didn't sell Tacos. So success is not always assured for TV commercials as well.

I'm wondering, with a $100,000 business decision riding on the line, and Farscape not leaving Sci-Fi's grasp at least for another year and a half (meaning that there may be no present hurry to pile on the bandwagon), would it be wise to allocate maybe $5,000 to $7,500 for a little research. Like 5% to 7% to insure that the other 95% of the funds hit their targets dead on. Or to locate research already done maybe at Henson?

Edited for clarity and attitude reduction. :)

[trubador]

Originally posted by MournsZhaan
(With Ratscape's Wanted Poster of Chiana) If you're lucky, she'll be so busy stealing your money she won't have time to steal your heart.

(With Ratscape's Wanted Poster of D'Argo) Dr. Richard Kimball wasn't the only one ever framed for his wife's murder.

(With Ratscape's Wanted Poster of Crichton) Dr. John Robinson wasn't the only scientist to be lost in space.
Chris
OOooooooo... I LIKE these!!!:aok:
For ads that gently entice new viewers who haven't heard of Farscape.

[uisceboo]

Let's bring this down to basics:

Rockne O'Bannon talked about the future of Farscape in the current Dreamwatch. Granted, that interview is many months old, as is the nature of the print industry, but what he says is true: Farscape needs to be brought to a larger audience before the viability of future Farscape projects can be determined.

David Kemper has also said recently that SciFi did not give Season 4 the promotion it needed. I think that was also in Dreamwatch, but i think it was also in SFX. he also said that he felt SciFi should have been trying to grow the SciFi network audience, not change Farscape, to bring in more viewers.

Brian Henson alluded to SciFi as a small network, and was eager to work with a broader market.

Ricky Manning told the press that the fans spent more money on promoting Farscape's final 11 eps that SciFi did.

Farscape's ratings did not severly dive during Season 4 without SiFi's promotion. The audience stayed, and OUR promotion brought in new viewers.

All this, summed up, says this:

Farscape needs to grow the audience before it can return.
SciFi let Farscape down.
We bore Farscape up.
Farscape could not grow on SciFi because the network as a whole was not growing. That is like expecting a tiger to hunt in an empty cage, and then shooting the tiger when it fails to make a kill.
Future venues will be larger -- Film, other networks. Also, Farscape still actively exists on DVD for purchase and rental. The potential for growth does indeed exist.

WE are the only people in a position to work intensely on growing Farscape's audience.
== The Jim Henson company can do a little, but they are reorganizing right now, and need to stay afloat. Farscape is one of their concerns, but not all of it. That is why they are so touched by our support and devotion at such a fragile time.
== For the Farscape production team, there IS no Farscape production, and they have to survive and work on other projects. They have no funds to promote Farscape, and probably even less time.
== Skiffy sure as hell ain't gona do it, and there is no other network involved at this time.

Yet, if we want our show back, the show has to gain more viewers.

We are the answer, we are the people to do the job, and the job costs money. This is the reality. Now are we going to sit around and argue about it, or are we going to put our eye back on the the ball and get our show back? Because the ONLY goal here is to get Farscape back into existance.

The method and means can vary -- from promoting awareness to bugging Viacom -- and should adjust to circumstances. That's how show biz, or any business, works. Flexibility is essential; open minds are essential.

But, peeps, make no mistake, there is only ONE AGENDA:
Save Farscape.

[Stargate2077]

I say for right now...let's not worry about Phase II. It will take a little while for Phase I to be completed and then circumstances might be different with the Sci-Fi Channel. If it is sold, then we can see if the current owner is open to reviving Farscape.

Also, Phase I is supposed to bring in new people to the campaign, right? Thus there will be more people to donate towards Phase II, the library project, and the military project.

IMO, for Phase II, the commercials should shows clips from the show and tell that the show can be found on DVD, VHS, your local library, and on the Sci-Fi Channel. That way people have three ways to find Farscape.

P.S. How can we find out which shows have close or the same demographics as Farscape?

[jeffrabb]

Well, I was picked up when they advertised on UPN:wall:
:bgb:
Jeff

[Ammit]

Could we maybe talk with ADV and say, hey, if you put out the next season's box sets, we'll do X amount of advertising for your product? "Sponsored by SaveFarscape.com - don't forget to buy your Season 2 box set from ADV.com!" or whatever. :)

[Stargate2077]

hmm...that's an idea. Maybe we should bring it up.

[Xothas]

Ok, time for clarification and some response…

First of all I would like to single out Akimbo for pointing out some items that need to be clarified. Thank you very much for your input, as sometimes when I write I get into “assume mode” and believe everyone out there is interpreting things the way I intended. Akimbo, you rock!

Regarding the wonderful suggestion by Shipscat that maybe Phase I and Phase II should be separated: I think it’s a wonderful idea and I’m currently looking into how to accomplish that. Another thank you goes out to Shipscat!

Mickie: I completely agree with you regarding name recognition. In my view the Library, Military, National TV Advertising, and other unmentioned projects are parts of an large, encompassing strategy whose goal is to get our show back, in one form or another.

TechnoBoy: The idea for an ad during the premiere of SG1 in June is a great idea….unfortunately we would need the funds, and the production side covered….and after all that, we would need the luck to be able to score a spot at such short notice.

Movie advertising isn’t a bad idea, but it is generally expensive and not as effective. But it is a project that perhaps someone should look into. Same with billboards, albeit they lack (typically) prohibitive costs.

Stargate: Shipscat is right. Programming changes at the drop of a hat sometimes, and even though they say it will run, I’m not foolish enough to have faith in that. Good idea and initiative though!

Akimbo: (1) Well, it’s actually closer to that because we have to be time specific to target audiences within the genre, the price gets jacked up as a result. Close enough though.
(2) What I was trying to express is that I would not recommend stretching the flight of the ads further than a month.

Grapeshot: I would suggest that Farscape is our product, in every form. It would be a simple matter to have our ads point not only to the reruns (provided they are airing), but to the dvds and other merchandise as well. TV ads have proven to be quite effective in promoting all of these mediums. But, our strategy can remain fluid in order to compensate for anything skiffy decides regarding the reruns in the meantime. An ad about us would be good down the road….that I agree with. However, I believe it has to come after we build more of a name recognition for Farscape. Also, consider the fact that we will likely receive free opportunities to advertise “us” off of the potential media response to the ad campaign.

Eve11: Promotional displays in video stores can be cheap and effective, as you point out. The only problem I see is obtaining permission to take up someone’s floor space. It is something I would recommend that you look into, should you wish.

RustySlinky: Very good commentary, and it is obvious that you have given this a lot of thought. While I have researched all of this, I decided to look at the demos of the mentioned shows in order to identify potential target audiences. Of course, there’s not going to be a perfect fit, but you hit it right on the head: they don’t all overlap equally. I am going to be looking into the cost of some consulting, and get back with everyone. If it isn’t cost prohibitive (which I’m sure it will be at least slightly, but maybe doable), this is something we may want to do regardless, just to get objective feedback of whether we are on the right track. I believe that my analysis is sound, as I have looked at the data, but I certainly don’t mind additional input and being double-checked.

Uisceboo: Excellent point regarding the fragility of Henson at this time, and I agree with much of what you stated.

Stargate: Well, we have to worry about Phase II a bit; since it is such a lofty goal it will require us to get creative and geared for the long term commitment. But I do think that right now Phase I should be the priority, as there is a much greater time factor.

Ammit: Not a bad suggestion, but I’m not exactly sure what their response to be. Additionally, I would suggest having “money in hand” prior to approaching them.


Thanks to everyone for helping to clarify things. As I am working on the project, your input is extremely valuable due to the fact that it helps point out items that need clarification, or modification. Even with the differences in opinion that occasionally occur, I believe that this type of debate is undoubtedly constructive and vital to the creative process.

[waltersgirl]

the only thing i can add is to the ADV topic...we have an existing relationship with ADV and are currently in talks to secure their assistance on several levels.

[blue]

DOA says it well. "We need to keep doing everything we can to get the name "Farscape" out there into the public consciousness. And to do that, we have to do something big! Something BOLD to get them to sit up and take notice again."

I think the idea of TV advertising is a brilliant way to do it. It will reach more people than any other method, including billboards. (There are many millions of people where I live, for instance, who get around without needing a car, let alone drive past billboards.)

It's dramatic, daring, and has never been done before, and will easily generate stories about us in the news and entertainment media, as well as reach the maximum number of new potential viewers and generate curiousity about the show. Let's go for it! It's very exciting proposal.

As far as which shows share likeminded viewers, I think it is easy to pick Buffy and Angel as first choices--they share much of Farscape's humor, darkness, wit, intelligence, interpersonal development, and action. Enterprise is even more boring than Stargate, and I wouldn't expect the more devoted fans of either show to be as open to Farscape as the Buffy-Angel devotees. Casual viewers - who knows. Andromeda is somewhere in the middle--it's not a smart or witty show, but it's not quite as ponderous, predictible, and lugubrious as the other two, though its closer to them than to Buffy-Angel . That's my very inexpensive two cents worth of analysis with respect to rustySlinky's overlap question.

(One very small quibble with your list of basics, isceboo --"Ricky Manning told the press that the fans spent more money on promoting Farscape's final 11 eps that SciFi did." As I remember it, he was joking when he said that, and made it clear later that he didn't mean it seriously when that quote started getting around as fact.)

[akimbo]

Originally posted by Xothas
Ok, time for clarification and some response…

First of all I would like to single out Akimbo for pointing out some items that need to be clarified. Thank you very much for your input, as sometimes when I write I get into “assume mode” and believe everyone out there is interpreting things the way I intended. Akimbo, you rock!
.....

Thanks to everyone for helping to clarify things. As I am working on the project, your input is extremely valuable due to the fact that it helps point out items that need clarification, or modification. Even with the differences in opinion that occasionally occur, I believe that this type of debate is undoubtedly constructive and vital to the creative process.

I'm glad you understand that we're not attacking you or the project. Just trying to understand what your approach is, clarify it and play devil's advocate to it.

Sometimes its easy to forget that we haven't all been through the same discussions as you. Aren't privy to the same background and information. Haven't had another forum to bring up and dismiss ideas. You and SFS.com have apparently done all of that already to the point where you're all on the same page and understand the intent by rote and are ready to present findings (in the form of the proposal).

We, necessarily, have to cover the same ground as you to come to the same (or different) conclusions. Patience, education and thoughtful discussion is the key.

I appreciate all your work on this. I understand that this is very aggressive and radical for a fan campaign to undertake (as are most of the things we've done). I'm still not convinced I'd spend 100K to advertise midnight reruns (if they continue into the 4th quarter) or to encourage DVD sales. I'm going to keep pushing and prodding until I'm settled on this one way or another.

Thanks,
Akimbo

[Selena]

Some people have had absolutely fabulous ideas.

Here's a couple more I might pursue if I had the purse ...

. Banners and program advertising at sporting events (football, hockey, baseball, tennis). Both at the professional and little league levels. Maybe even outfit entire little league teams in a few cities.

. Check if any restaurant chain would be interested in a promotion with certain food items like the McDonald's with the Beenie Babies or Starbuck's with the Muppets ... we'd then have to devise and manufacture cute items to sell with the promotion. I'd also see if the theme could be incorporated into the meal's boxes, fries containers and drinking cups or lids.

. See if any of the public transport companies would like some of their older train cars or buses spray painted in Farscape advertising.

. Contact companies like Coca-Cola or Pepsi and see if they will put www.saveFarscape.com on their labels or run a competition where the grand prize would be the complete Farscape series on DVD with spot prizes under the bottle caps or tabs.

. Commercially produced bumper stickers, key chains and drink holders. T-shirts, baseball caps and gym bags, baby bibs and jumpsuits all with www.safefarscape.com on them and a few of the great slogans this site had developed and possibly using Ratscape's poster children (if he'd permit it). Other items could include umbrellas with saveFarscapian themes.

. I'd contact McCall's or Simplicity about making commercial costume patterns like they did with Star Trek.

. I'd see if I could decorate a Nascar or other grand prix vehicle or motor cycle and outfit the entire pit crew and drivers.

. Billboards (but it costs about $30,000/yr for 1)

IMHO the above ideas have the potential to reach many people even those who have never heard of Farscape and it would generate mass public awareness.

Seems to me, a few people have become bogged down arguing with other member’s ideas instead of being creative ... the question was If YOU were given $100,000 to promote Farscape, how would YOU spend it and why? ... this was supposed to be a 'brainstorming' thread where we were to express creative ideas for promoting Farscape with our $100K, wasn't it? Did I get it wrong - again???:confused:

[CosmicTheorist]

Skiffy is going to be showing Farscape only once a week at midnight (EST) on Sundays starting June 29th. They posted the July schedule earlier today. This is the July schedule for Farscape:

29-JUN-03 12:00 AM FARSCAPE INTO THE LION'S DEN -PT 1:LAMB TO THE SLAUGHTER
06-JUL-03 12:00 AM FARSCAPE INTO THE LION'S DEN -PT2: WOLF IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING
13-JUL-03 12:00 AM FARSCAPE DOG WITH TWO BONES
20-JUL-03 12:00 AM FARSCAPE CRICHTON KICK'S
27-JUL-03 12:00 AM FARSCAPE WHAT WAS LOST -PT 1: SACRIFICE

Any advertising campaign for Farscape will have to take this into account. Sorry guys. Skiffy strikes again. I just can't figure out why.

:confused:

[waltersgirl]

providing they don't change their minds halfway thru the season like they do with all their other shows, this is not bad news. going to once a week means that Farscape will be on longer, which for advertising, benefits us timewise.

[jeffrabb]

Looks like they're just going to be showing Season 4 now. Mycatoldme is going to have to update her banner ads:D

If they do keep this up, they will not complete showing Season 4 till the end of October or early Nov. Then the guessing game begins anew.

Jeff

[Susana]

Okay, so if I hypothetically had $100,000 for Farscape, here's what I would do. Since this is all hypothetical, then I am a stock market whiz. Call me Mrs. Warren Buffet.

I would take the $100,000 and invest in some high risk/high return stocks, and within a year, I would have turned the $100,000 into $22,000,000. I would then take that money to Henson & Co., and finance season 5. Since I would be financing it outright, all profits would return to me, and I would invest them in season 6. If the actors and crew were still interested in continuing after that, Farscape would be a profitable enough investment that the big 3 networks would be clamoring for it, and we'd see Farscape in the Emmy's.

Hypothetically, of course. :)

[jeffrabb]

Susana,

I LOVE the way you think!:bgb:

Jeff

[B Sharp]

OK, here's my plan:

Initial investment:

30K to Xothas/SFS plan for TV ads ( I still don't have all the context, but I'll trust them ;) )
65K to Ms Warren Buffet (thanks, Susana!)
3K for 'grass root' effort support
2K for sky-writer for Sept 6 cancellation memoriam.

after 1 year, I'd take the 6M$ that Ms Buffet delivered, then I'd go to Henson and ask them for a joint venture on a long term set of projects that would turn FS into a Trek-like franchise, including:

- a TV movie that takes up where Series 4 left us.
- season 5, of course.
- spin offs, like maybe
a comedy / action adventure starring Anthony as D'Argo
a Dynasty-like show for the shippers called 'The Crichton's'.
- a series of movies

The joint venture would then get some venture capital to complete the TV movie and start season 5 filming, as well as a massive ad campaign in several types of media.

Of course, I'd slip some of the profits from this back to Susana- but if I know Ms Buffet, that was probably negotiated up-front in writing....

[generic_screenname]

As someone who sits in a darkened movie theater at least once a week, I have to say that if ads where shown for Farscape in front of movies, it would introduce the show to an exponentially large number of potential new viewers. When you're sitting in a movie theater, it's not like you can change the channel. If Sci-fi had produced commercials to air in theaters, this site may have never needed to exsist. As it is, for our cause I think it's fairly inexpensive to get your local theater to advertise the reruns or dvds or this site on the still ads they project before the lights dim and the previews start. You know, like the "Eat at Joe's. Take Exit 16, we're next to right next to Jiffy Lube." things you see as the kid behind you is kicking your seat and throwing Junior Mints in your hair.

Another thing that would educate people about the show, and this is just a pipe dream, is if there was an amusement park attraction based on it. Star Wars has them. Aerosmith has a roller coaster. I could see a Farscape ride in either Universal Studios (Vevendi owns Universal) or Disney MGM studios (Henson's relationship with Disney) Visitors would go inside a replica of Moya and sit down for one of those "4-D" movies where the seats shake and move. There would be a Pilot hologram in a shell to guide you through the journey through the Uncharted Territories, Tormented Space and wormholes. Along they way, you'd encounter Peacekeepers, Scorpius, Scarrans and others. As you exit to your left and leave your 3-d glasses in the bin as you leave, you would go through a door which would lead to the requisite gift shop. Anyone unfamiliar with the show would get a test of what it's all about.

I'll bet Bonnie and that Jackson idiot never thought of this stuff.

[Dominar of Action]

Another thing that would educate people about the show, and this is just a pipe dream, is if there was an amusement park attraction based on it. Hee hee! I can see it now: The Aurora Chair!!! :rollin:

[RustySlinky]

This quote courtesy of the *TV to DVD* thread in the *OT in the UT's* forum here:
http://www.watchfarscape.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=11656

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On the fringes of the TV-to-DVD category are the direct-response retailers such as Respond 2 Entertainment, which uses late-night TV infomercials to sell compilations of classic television series such as "The Ultimate Johnny Carson Collection" and "The Best of Bob Hope," which have grossed hundreds of millions of dollars for their rights-holders.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I suspect the assertion of Farscape being hard to get into is true for many newbies. IMO, Firefly suffered from the same problem, but in a different way. Presenting the notion of a Sci-Fi Western was so jarringly dissonant to the mind that many people couldnt see past it. They were looking for technology, plot creativity, teen-angst (Buffy), Mythology (SG-1), fast action (Star Wars), or a futuristic theme on mankind's human condition (Trek) - but not focusing on what Firefly really was about: Where each character starts off in the beginning of each episode, and how do each of them change mentally, spiritually after the sixty minutes is over, and why and how?

Science Fiction can be more than just big laser-blasting explosions, high tech gizmos, non-stop action, and sex appeal in outer space - (ok, I can dream on & delude myself about the sex appeal) Problem is maybe that these other buttons don't exist in people's minds- Farscape is pushing buttons that aren't awakened- yet.

With Farscape, not understanding exactly what is going on all of the time is supposed to be part of the fun, to relax, let it flow. For that's what Farscape is about in a way, its a jigsaw puzzle for some, a wild roller coaster ride into the mental hinterlands for others, it's the journey, the chase, and not the destination.

IMO, an infomercial might be one possible way to help yank those *Star Trek* *Star Wars* goggles off of potential new viewers- Suspend judgement for more than a couple minutes, preferably a couple hours or more, something that viewers tend to do more often when going to the movies, and not as often with a TV remote in their hands.

[samati75]

I would buy stock in a parent company and put farscape back on the air.