breaking bad: using transmedia and freeconomics to beat the pirates
DESCRIPTION
This is a presentation aimed at 3rd year Media students at the University of Brighton. It uses Breaking Bad as a case study to demonstrate the power of transmedia and freeconomics to market and distribute product. There are a lot of links in this presentation that you'll miss... find them on t'internet or through the Pinterest board listed in the presentation. Twitter: LanceDannTRANSCRIPT
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CASE STUDYAMC BREAKING BAD
DIGITAL MEDIA CONTENT
Dr Lance Dann, University of Brighton
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What is Breaking Bad?
Grown into biggest Television Phenomenom since Sopranos
Rated by Metacritic as the best TV series of all time.
A barrel load of Emmy’s
5 seasons.
End last week.
Globally trended on Twitter for most of the week.
DIGITAL MEDIA CONTENT
Dr Lance Dann
So what’s the story?
…a drug dealing school teacher with caner becomes a criminal mastermind…
Why did I story about meth addicts become so popular?Phenomenal writing
Great acting
Great direction.
Smart marketing.
Genius online distribution and content.
How to outsmart the piratesOwned by SONY
pictures.
Screened in US by AMC.
Relegated to Channel 5 in UK.
Loosing viewers and eyeballs to torrents.
Awareness of product huge because of downloads.
What they didn’t do was this…
http://theoatmeal.com/comics/game_of_thrones
“Of all the people in the world who didn’t read my book yesterday… far more didn’t read it because they didn’t know about it than didn’t read it because they somehow got a free copy.
”Cory Doctrow (2013)
They were also open to fan works and adaptations…
Lego Breaking Bad Game
Not all theft is bad…Showrunners of
Heroes and Game of Thrones both pleased their shows are most torrented.
It is all a question of drawing in audience and attention.
The skill is then monetizing that attention
Breaking Bad Series 5
Broadcast on AMC on Sunday Evening in US.
HD download to iTunes overnight.
Next day available as a stream from Netflix.
Blue-Ray box set released at end of series.
Breaking Bad goes viral… Audience and attention
went past the tipping point in Season 5.
Live audience increased 5 times in final weeks.
All a question of playing long game.
Audiences can always catch up and don’t have to follow from the beginning.
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Part of this was due to Transmedia Marketing
AMC have always been very ahead of the curve with their media positioning.
Started with a personal video message
Save Walter White campaign
Better Call Saul website
DIGITAL MEDIA CONTENT
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Criminal Aptitude Test
Character Blogs
Interactive Graphic Novels
Evidence Board
Insider Podcast
DIGITAL MEDIA CONTENT
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Story Sync – Season 5
DIGITAL MEDIA CONTENT
something immersive
Creation of a storyworld.
An experience that follows you off screen.
A marketing tool.
A money making tool.
A way of challenging audiences and form.
Henry Jenkins saw this coming…… but is his beard as good as mine?
Developed the term in 2006 when he looked at programmes like Survivor and the Matrix franchise.
Story does not lie in just one space.
Simultaneous existence across forms as part of a story world.
Links to articles for this weekStudent Central has links to articles to read in preparation for next week.
Pinterest board for this session
Digital Media Pin Board
Recommended reading: Frank Rose and Henry Jenkins
April 11, 2023
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Or… a project that is just as relevant
TOMY’S TRADE SECRETS
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