Veronica Mars - Veronica Mars Season Two Watch and Support - Page 3

TokyoNiGHTS · 02-03-2005, 11:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jennarose

Most of the people I know are watching The Amazing Race at the same time VM airs. (I do too - I tape VM.) These are people I KNOW would like it. I don't know why they won't give it a chance. Most of the people I know that do watch VM also watch OTH (not me).

TMA is about to end this season next week, but it'll be coming on for a new season soon after. So if some people are tuning into that instead of VM there should be some sort of ratings shift for the few weeks that TMA isn't on the air. This could show UPN that it's in a bad timeslot and they could move it to a different one to see if the show can take off in that new timeslot.

I'd say a big problem right now is that finding a new timeslot is difficult. Every day has strong shows on that get extremely good ratings. I can't really think of a slot that it'd fit into that'd actually give it a chance of being watched by more people.

bybrandy · 02-04-2005, 01:27 AM

Wednesday would be the best day but Kevin Hill is doing so well on that day I doubt they'd want to mess with success. Oooh, but Wednesdays are bad now with Lost and Alias... And I think VM and Alias would have some crossover audience. Hmm.

I know that Tivo doesn't count for ratings but I believe there was a story early on this season that said networks were looking at the number of Tivo Season Passes that were set up for new shows because it would show if people were invested for just one episode or for a full season.

UnsilentMajorty · 02-04-2005, 08:12 AM

RE: Timeslot Move...

We know Friday is the kiss-of-death since most people go out. Also, there is stiff competition Friday nights with Numb3rs, Jag, Hope & Faith and Third Watch.

I am inclined to say Sunday night because it is the start of the work/school week and people are usually home. However, it would still have to compete with Exteme Makeover: HA; Law & Order; Summerland and Cold Case and all of these are ratings winners as far as viewership goes.

What irks me is that a few yokels in Backwater, USA, who have a Nielsen box and aren't smart enough to appreciate shows like VM, WF can determine its fate and instead put something idiodic like "The Swan" as the number one rated show

Fate_Accompli

I agree with the radio advertisments.

However, we're right back to the Catch-22 of how to market the show given the context of what you said.

<Rant>
I swear, it's Wonderfalls all over again. You can't market it with a catchy logline that fully explains the depth of the show. Also, at least UPN is giving them one full season that is guranteed to air and not canceling them after four episodes...
</Rant>

But like the rest of you, I don't know how long this "get out of jail free card" is going to last with UPN if VM doesn't start bringing in the Nielsen ratings toward the end of this year and especially next year if we get a season 2.

(The only thing that could save VM is that if Joel Silver/Silver Pictures just bought up all the airtime during VM, thus guranteeing the show is on the air. That is highly unlikely because the whole purpose of a show is to generate a return on your investment. The only reason I even mention this scenario is to point out the one thing WF didn't have on its side was someone with the power like Joel Silver and the support of the network like VM does with UPN; I doubt it will happen, but then again, stranger things have happened in this business).

In fact, I think it's pretty safe to say THAT is who we are going to have to concentrate our efforts on: Viewers with Nielsen boxes.

I don't like it any more than you, but it doesn't matter if you get your whole dorm/neighborhood/workplace/school to watch VM unless there is a couple of Nielsen boxes in their to reflect that fact.

The problem is you just can't write the Nielsen's and ask for a regional map that has where all the homes are for a given market because advertisers could do the same thing and thus, taint the results in their favor because they would do what we want to do, except they'd be doing it for profits instead of to keep the show on the air.

Wide Eyed · 02-06-2005, 11:23 AM

Posters at TwoP have started a season two project. A couple posters made fake Veronica Mars bills that will be sent to UPN as support for a renewal/non cancellation. With concerns to possible counterfieting issues, the bills are obviously fake. Veronica is the face, the seal has been replaced with a triton shell, Rob Thomas is an official signature, it's a two dollar bill, it says United Fans of Veronica Mars and it's only one sided. Real money is not printed on all purpose office paper either.

This one made by alliterator in color and black and white

This one made by cytrox in color.

Hope you all partake in this project!

shlee · 02-07-2005, 10:32 AM

So, has anyone see any ads for Veronica Mars other than on UPN? I've seen ads in the mall and that's about it. Not exactly the most descriptive or compelling. It's a picture of the cast and it says "Get A Clue."

Anyway, I was in J. Crew yesterday and the theme song for VM came on. I squealed. Both my mother and other customers gave me very strange looks.

amys21 · 02-07-2005, 12:00 PM

I got interested in VM because it was pushed so much in Entertainment Weekly - that's really some of the best advertising. But I agree that it's a hard show to sell people on. The target market is likely to dismiss it just because of the set-up. I know that two of my favorite shows, Buffy and Sports Night, I never saw when they were on the air because I dismissed them as action and sports shows respectively. It's only through DVD that I "got" them. It was pure luck that I decided to check out VM and that can't really be a marketing strategy...

UnsilentMajorty · 02-07-2005, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by amys21

The target market is likely to dismiss it just because of the set-up.

And this is precisely what I mean when I talk about the Nielsen ratings possibly dooming the show more than anything.

Not to stereotype Nielsen families (because my grandmother was a Neilsen for a lot of years), but the average Nielsen viewer/family will dismiss VM simply because of the high school/teen-show aspect... Even if they have younger members of the family as well (the box records what is watched when and there is usually a log that the family membes have to fill out that specifices who watched what when for demographic breakdowns).

Being a show set in high school with teenage characters is both a blessing and a curse. You can already cut through a lot of preconceived notions of what the show isn't by the genre it is in. However, that is the problem with VM. It actually isn't a high school like OTH, 90210, etc. and the "what it isn't" aspect IS what VM is all about, ironically.

Also, the "Get a Clue" campaign is one of the worst I've seen for a show in a long time. They are obviously trying to tie in to the fact she is a P.I... But you don't even know that from the one sheets (posters) that they have in Mall Marquees. It just looks like another "O.C." type of show with pretty people. In fact, it looks more like a high school drama than an adult mystery and that is why I think the campaign is one of the worst I have seen because it doesn't even give a single hint of what the show is remotely about.

tangled STARR · 02-07-2005, 08:25 PM

Hmph, I wish I was contacted to become a Nielsen family.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wide Eyed

Posters at TwoP have started a season two project. A couple posters made fake Veronica Mars bills that will be sent to UPN as support for a renewal/non cancellation.

I like it; these are definitely very creative. However, in the same vein as the Roswell campaign from a few years back, if we're going to start lobbying for the second season to UPN officials, I would kind of hope that we use something that has some kind of meaning to/in the show. Roswell had the Tabasco bottles, Pacey/Joey shippers from DC had the True Love boat, and I know in the Dead Like Me fandom, there's talk of using post-it notes.

Of course, the only thing I can think of for the moment is marshmallows. And as of now, I'm not quite sure how that could be used. Perhaps we should write: "Veronica Mars is smarter than me" on the notes.

At the very least, hand-written letters should be written to the UPN heads telling them how much we enjoy the show and how we're hoping that it is renewed next season.

Anyone know the addresses of where we could send letters and/or the money notes to?

Quote:

Originally Posted by UnsilentMajorty

Also, the "Get a Clue" campaign is one of the worst I've seen for a show in a long time.

ITA. The promotion did nothing for me; I didn't even get into VM until the actual hiatus simply because at the time I needed a new TV show to watch, and I heard nothing but good things about the show. (I ended up watching all twelve episodes in the span of two days.)

I think it's been said before that UPN doesn't know how to market the show, and that's where one of the biggest problem lies. VM is such an intricate show and can actually appeal to so many age groups that the marketers are stumbling with picking a particular demographic to market towards.

How exactly do you (successfully) market a show that appeals to such a diverse age range?
How do you pick a particular demographic, and why that one over the others?

UnsilentMajorty · 02-07-2005, 10:04 PM

I tried to register for the TVWoP forums, but it won't let me verify my account

Anyway...

RE: Campaign...

I agree. I was part of the Save Roswell Campaigns many moons ago and the one thing that makes all the difference in the world is HAND-WRITTEN notes and mini-ojects that can't be deleted... like e-mails... That clog up their mailrooms and that force networks and studios to take note they are doing something RIGHT to get this much of a passionate response.

Also, fans spending money of their own on little items... like the Tobasco bottles and the ad in Variety also PROVES that there really is a fanbase and that fanbase is willing to spend their own money to keep the show they love (logic is if they spend the money on promoting awareness for the show they will spend money on products advertised during the show).

I think the best tie-in that could be used with VM would be those cheap, little plastic cameras that you can get at Zoo Gift shops and other tourist-traps. They have little telephoto lens.

We could buy a bunch of those in bulk and add a little note card with it that says something like, "UPN is smarter than Veronica Mars! Bring Back Veronica Mars!" or something like that.

RE: Print Official Ad Campaign and How to Market Veronica Mars...

That's the $1,000,000 question isn't it?

I have pretty good feeling we "lowly internet fans" aren't the only ones pondering this either. They've got all these well-paid statistical analysts, Neilsen ratings, demographic info -- The works, and I bet they are having a hard time as well.

In other words, don't feel bad if we can't figure it out is what I am trying to say

FAIT_Accompli · 02-07-2005, 10:28 PM

Those "Veronica bills" are so friggin' cute.

I agree that handwritten letters would definitely be one good, sollid route to take. Handwritten letters are more personal, and show that actual time and thought was put into it.

Keepsakes are great too. I used to have one of those mini cameras that I got from Marine World, back when it wasn't an amusement park. I couldn't find it if my life depended on it now, however. It's an awesome idea, but inconvinient for those who don't live near zoos or other tourist traps.

Terpsichore · 02-08-2005, 11:32 PM

tangled STARR, what you suggested is actually what TWoP is doing. The idea is to personally write "Veronica Mars is smarter than me" on the bill and then send it to UPN.

Here are a couple of UPN mailing addresses. I'm not sure which address would be the most effective to send to but I'm thinking Ostroff. And OT, but wow, I finally know what UPN stands for

.

tangled STARR · 02-09-2005, 01:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Terpsichore

tangled STARR, what you suggested is actually what TWoP is doing. The idea is to personally write "Veronica Mars is smarter than me" on the bill and then send it to UPN.

Heh, I guess me and the TWoPers think alike, then. I actually tried looking for a thread about the campaign couldn't seem to find any. I defintely plan to print some off this weekend and start sending them. Also some lovely handwritten letters.

I did some web scavenging while at work earlier and came across a thread on TV Tome about the Jake 2.0 campaign. A lot of the material could work for us, bearing some changes.

Quoting the relevant material:

Quote:

1. Call, write, fax, and email your local UPN station, raving about Veronica Mars and how much you love it. DO NOT WRITE ANYTHING NEGATIVE! This is not the format to vent any of your frustrations over the content of the show. This page should be able to help with finding the affiliate information. If you live near a border area that carries more than one UPN, contact them all.

2. Write to Dawn Ostroff, the president of UPN Entertainment.
Dawn Ostroff - President, UPN
11800 Wilshire Blvd.
LA, CA 90025
Dawn_Ostroff@upn.com

3. Write to David Gardner, the publicist for UPN. He's your backup in case Dawn's people throw out our letters and claim they never got them.
David Gardner – Publicist, UPN
11800 Wilshire Blvd.
3rd Floor
LA, CA 90025
David_Gardner@upn.com

4. If you are still up for more writing, you can write the entertainment magazines, praising the show and emphasizing how much you don't want to see it go off the air.

Slightly OT, but Terpsichore, didn't you post at the Adam Brody thread on The O.C. board? I'm not sure if you still do, as I don't go over there any more (haven't watched the show in a while; I desperately need to catch up), but I think I remember you from those days - when, in one day (especially after an episode), posters went through three or four threads.

Back on-topic, is there any way this information (the addresses, the links to the notes, etc) could be edited into the first post?

Terpsichore · 02-09-2005, 10:17 AM

tangled STARR, I knew I recognized your name from somewhere. I did indeed post at the AB thread on The O.C. board back in the "good old days" during the summer. I never post there anymore, kind of lost interest in the show. But I remember Project Tree Trash, "in bed", dividing Adam up per days of the week (I had Wed!). Good times. Heh.

Anyways, yes, on topic. With the really low ratings of last night

, I think a mass campaign definately needs to happen. I think all the mass e-mails, letters, postcards, sending items/fake dollar bills/etc. are all really good ideas. I suppose we just need to be organized and unite all the VM fans on TWoP, here, LJ, etc.

UnsilentMajorty · 02-09-2005, 11:06 AM

We're going to need an official site like savewonderfalls.com.

It could be "VeronicaMarsUnited.com" or something like that (we don't actually need to "save" the show per se, at least for this first season, and a more positive domain name would work better is why I am not suggestingr "saveveronicamars" as a site name).

Once you have a visible sight/domain whose sole purpose is to rally support for the show, it helps centralize not only campaign efforts and fans, but has the spiral or ripple effect of all the campaign efforts going outward to other sites and other fans and just building from that.

Also, having a domain/site itself also becomes a tool in that you can start referring other media outlets to the site for more information. This also sends a positive message to the PTB at UPN and the cast that fans are willing to spend their own money and actively promote the show on such a grand level (vs. just merely a bunch of disogranized fan efforts that don't have any real central driving force like a website).

***Lizzie*** · 02-09-2005, 11:32 AM

That's a good idea about a website. it would show that we're dedicated and organized into making sure we don't lose this show.

And if you write, I was thinking that postcards might be letter than actual letters since alot of stations no longer open actual envelops. Just a thought.