Rumors of DC’s New Advertising Strategy Sparks Discussion

Over at Bleeding Cool, Rich Johnston is reporting that DC will begin running advertisements on the same page as the actual story. Rich elaborates:

I understand that DC Comics are planning to run half page double spread ads in their print comics soon. As a result, creators have been told to draft their story breaking in mind that one page will be split into two for the print comic – but also that it will be recombined for the collected edition.

Over on reddit, this news has sparked quite a bit of debate especially regarding two page spreads. There is the thought that when the pages are recombined in the collected edition a full blown spread will have to be bumped back one page leaving an open page. One user already suggested using a black or nondescript page to solve this problem. They also believe this will harm the integrity of the story forcing creators to readjust their panel flow.

However, much of the discussion is based on a rumor. It is still unclear whether or not DC will actually implement this strategy. There is also a large assumption that the advertisements will be just that, advertisements completely unrelated to the story. This quite possibly could be true, but there is the potential for creative alternatives.

One of those alternatives may actually be using product placement for these half page ads. Writers and artists can continue to maintain their story, they are just limited by the fact they have to incorporate a product. For example, instead of Pepsi running a half page ad displaying their new Pepsi True can, they can instead depict the hero traveling past a giant billboard of the Pepsi True can as he hunts down the villain.

Another idea could be depicting the character shopping at a store who has paid for an ad. Let’s take a look at one of this week’s comics, Bloodshot Reborn #2, and see how it could be applied. In the issue, Bloodshot enters a firearms store and leaves laden with ammunition and weaponry. A gun manufacturer, firearms dealer, or even a fireworks producer all could have placed an advertisement having their names included on the products and the name of the shop and even included in the dialogue as well. It would not have detracted from the story at all. More than likely it would have added more realism to the story depicting a real store instead of an imaginary one.

Nevertheless, whatever DC does intend to implement as a new advertising strategy, if the implement one at all, will be sure to affect the medium. Whether it will be a positive or a negative remains to be seen.

What are your thoughts on the potential of DC changing their advertising strategy within the comic? Is it a good idea, a bad one, or one you don’t really care about?

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