DC Advertising in Marvel Comics

[Silver Surfer]

Excuse me if this has been covered in the past but what do you think of this? Does Marvel do the same with DC? DC must be paying through the nose for those full page adds? Good move by DC as what better way to penatrate your competition and target market. It did get my attention.

[Kevin Boyd]

What are you talking about?

 

What Marvel comics do you have with DC adverts in them?

[Silver Surfer]

What are you talking about?

 

What Marvel comics do you have with DC adverts in them?

 

I don't have time to find the specific comic right now but I believe its in one of the Thor issues. Might not be a really recent modern issue but it was there. They were advertising the JLA cartoon series and a few other things that had to do with Superman and Batman. I will find it later.

[Kevin Boyd]

Then that is not the same as DC advertising comic books in a Marvel comic.

 

If DC characters have appeared in an ad in a Marvel book then it is because (a) a third party ad campaign includes a DC character, for example, hypothetically speaking, a Cartoon Network ad with Teen Titans and/or the Justice League (b) a movie ad such as a Batman film or c) the comic is a crossover book (eg DC vs. Marvel).

[Darthdiesel]

Check the last page of most Marvel books in the last two months - there are a lot promoting the new JLA cartoon; there are even some promotional offers that I thought I'd look into

[Kevin Boyd]

I'll take a look when I get home tonight... but the gist of this is whether or not they are from DC directly. Is that the case or are they from a 3rd party such as the Cartoon Network?

 

Thanks,

Kev

[Darthdiesel]

probably third party...I've noticed them before and thought it looked out of place, but didn't really mention it before... I'll try to scan up here tonight once I'm home from work - Happy Friday!

[Silver Surfer]

I'll take a look when I get home tonight... but the gist of this is whether or not they are from DC directly. Is that the case or are they from a 3rd party such as the Cartoon Network?

 

Thanks,

Kev

 

What's the big difference if it is done directly or through a third party, its still being done and I'm sure DC is fully aware of it. Its probably better from an optics point of view that it is facilitated through a 3rd party?

[uclapeterg]

You mean ethics, not optics?

[Silver Surfer]

You mean ethics, not optics?

 

I say optics because they can hide behind the notion that it was Warner Brothers (whomever the 3rd party is) final decision at the end of the day. Might look a tad desperate if they marketed their stuff directly in Marvel's books.

[uclapeterg]

Oh.

[Kevin Boyd]

The big difference is that DC cannot and would not purchase advertising space in Marvel Comics for upcoming DC Comics because there is absolutely no reason for them to do so. It would be the silliest thing they could possibly do. In 99.9% of the places where you can buy Marvel Comics there are DC Comics. If you buy new comics and you aren't aware of DC Comics then you have the world's best set of blinders on.

 

However, if a DC affiliate or advertising partner purchases advertising in Marvel Comics to advertise an upcoming TV show, movie or product tie-in, it's still pretty dumb but it's less embarassing for DC because they can say they had nothing to do with it because they don't want to say that in any way, shape or form that they consciously helped to support Marvel publications by paying them for advertising space.

 

Chances are the marketting gurus at whoever purchased the ads you are referring to decided that their ads needed to be focused at comic book buyers (who might make up their "core" audience) and they purchased ad space thru a third party company that places ads in comics. That "ad buyer" contacts it's usual clients - in this case Marvel and DC - which is why you often see the same ads on comics published by both companies on the same months.

[OldGuy]

If you buy new comics and you aren't aware of DC Comics then you have the world's best set of blinders on.

 

Or, you shop at a store that only sells good comics.

[Silver Surfer]

If you buy new comics and you aren't aware of DC Comics then you have the world's best set of blinders on.

 

Or, you shop at a store that only sells good comics.

 

[Kevin Boyd]

I saw that ad you are referring to, with the cartoon Justice League on it and something about sending away to receive a free JL comic (a copy of Justice League Adventures #1 from the pic shown).

 

As I suspected, the ad was really for some kind of "sours" candy, not from DC Comics directly..

[Silver Surfer]

I saw that ad you are referring to, with the cartoon Justice League on it and something about sending away to receive a free JL comic (a copy of Justice League Adventures #1 from the pic shown).

 

As I suspected, the ad was really for some kind of "sours" candy, not from DC Comics directly..

 

I gather from your previous comments that you do not like the idea? Personally I think it is a good marketing move by DC. The pros out weight the cons.

[Kevin Boyd]

I gather from your previous comments that you do not like the idea? Personally I think it is a good marketing move by DC. The pros out weight the cons.

 

Except that DC isn't advertising, the candy company is!

 

Is it good for DC to have product ties with food products? Absolutely.

 

... and yes, I think it would be a complete waste of time and money for DC to advertise in a Marvel comic.

 

Kev

[Silver Surfer]

I gather from your previous comments that you do not like the idea? Personally I think it is a good marketing move by DC. The pros out weight the cons.

 

Except that DC isn't advertising, the candy company is!

 

Is it good for DC to have product ties with food products? Absolutely.

 

... and yes, I think it would be a complete waste of time and money for DC to advertise in a Marvel comic.

 

Kev

 

I don't understand why you are so wound up over this topic? I asked a smple question and you respond with ? Like I said earlier I highly doubt that some candy company or Warner Brothers does this kind of advertising without DC's blessings or knowledge. If this is the case then DC has a bunch of bozos working at head office.

 

I don't think its a waste of time, it got my attention and made me think about it and I don't even buy DC comics.

[Kevin Boyd]

Because we are going in circles... I'm not wound up, I'm just frustrated by you. I've already gone to great lengths to explain why DC Comics will never advertise in a Marvel book. I've also tried to explain how that ad came about...

 

...but if an ad for candy with the JL on it makes you want to read the Justice League Adventures comic (instead of just picking the comic up off the rack when you buy your latest Marvels) then I suppose it is a brilliant idea for DC.

[Kevin Boyd]

I highly doubt that some candy company or Warner Brothers does this kind of advertising without DC's blessings or knowledge. If this is the case then DC has a bunch of bozos working at head office.

 

Please re-read my early post. I have some advertising experience, so take my word on the fact that I have some understanding of the process.

 

Essentially, WB/DC's lawyers approve the ad created by the ad agency at the request of the client (the candy company) and that's the extent of their role. They suggest revisions to the text and body of the ad to ensure that the ad does not compromise the WB/DC's corporate identity or the image of the company's assets (in this case the JLA).

 

The ad agency that created the ad then arranges for a buyer to place the ad for the client (in this case the candy company NOT WB/DC). The buyer has been told that the campaign is geared to comic books and children's magazines... so he/she purchases ad space for the client in comic books... all comic books... Marvel... DC... Disney adventures... etc.

 

I'm trying to get thru to you that it's not a strategic move by DC at all. DC could say, "no ads in Marvel comics", but that's not a loop they are involved in or care to get involved in as they don't run the agency or tell the client where they can and cannot advertise their candy.

 

In turn, Marvel could say, no ads with DC characters in our comics, but they aren't that involved in the process either. Marketting and legal at Marvel have sold the space to the buyer at the request of the candy company. It's just another ad sold and revenue in their pockets. By the time Joe Quesada sees the ad the printed comic is on his desk.