Serenity 'Versary ~ The Fans' Celebration by 11thHour

FIREFLY AND SERENITY GUERILLA MARKETING

Serenity 'Versary ~ The Fans' Celebration

POSTED BY: 11THHOUR
UPDATED: Saturday, September 23, 2006 15:45
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Friday, September 1, 2006 10:01 AM

September 30th, 2006 marks the one year anniversary of Serenity's red carpet U.S. premiere at Universal Studios. To celebrate our Serenity 'Versary, and also reach out to new fans, Browncoats all across the country will be participating in many activities, and everyone is encouraged to make this day something special for Serenity.

Serenity 'Versary will be what we make it. The spirit of the day will involve these two expressions:

1) "Thank you" to Universal for its faith in Joss and for making the movie Serenity a reality. Show positive support for the 'Verse. But keep in mind this isn't about making a plea for sequels, it's about thanking and celebrating the 'Versary. (However, if Universal receives a huge amount of mail, then the ongoing vitality, and numbers, of the fan base will be apparent... they can do their own math.)

2) Celebrate Serenity with other fans, and also bring Serenity to the attention of potential new fans.

September 30th will be a Saturday, so that opens up all kinds of opportunities for activities on that day:

• Screening parties ~ At your home, building's community room, or school facility, featuring Serenity! Make it fun and 'Verse themed and invite lots of folks who've never seen Serenity, but who you think would end being fans once they saw it.

• Serenity in Theaters ~ For the really ambitious Browncoats, theater owners can be contacted for showing Serenity on the big screen!

• Writing to Universal ~ Postcards and letters sent by fans to Universal as a "thank you" for making Serenity possible, and also just to wish them a "Happy Serenity 'Versary"

Check out the "Anniversary Job" thread and get all the great info:

Also please refer to the "Just so we're clear on Universal... " thread for VERY important things to remember when communicating with them. Read through the whole thread, lots of vital info that should not be skipped over. Remember that how we communicate with Universal is crucial.

http://www.fireflyfans.net/thread.asp?b=20&t=23584#372772

For those fans who are interested, we will be offering Serenity theme images for folks to use on postcards. You can either print them out yourself, or use them to upload to one of those great postcard printing/mailing services. These services are very convenient... you upload an image, provide the message you want to send, and the address... then they handle the rest! You can use this service to send your message to more than one addressee too.

Note: It's usually best to handwrite letters and postcards to show that the correspondence is from many, individual people, and not some computer generated campaign. However, for those people who would like to use one of the online postcard printing services, they can provide their names and phone numbers to add authenticity and individuality to the postcards. Then Universal can see that each of the cards came from a real person, not just a small group of fans using this online service to send multiple, fake identity, postcards to bulk up the numbers.

• Viral Newspaper Ads ~ We'll be doing them in many papers across the country. We can get browncoats in different cities to handle placing ads in their local and city newspapers. We'll be reaching a group of people who most likely have NEVER heard of Firefly and Serenity, and that's very important to growing the fanbase. A separate thread focused on this idea will be featured soon. Small, inexpensive, yet eye-catching ads, sprinkled throughout a newspaper can really get curiosity going from new people. A thread just for the viral newspaper ad idea, with more details and examples, will be started very soon.

• DVDs and Merchandise ~ Buying Serenity DVDs is always a good idea, but Serenity 'Versary main goal is not a purchase campaign. So many browncoats have already purchased tons of FF/S stuff, there's only so many times fans can keep digging into their pockets to help the cause. That being said, just keep in mind that September 30th might be a great day to do some early holiday shopping, if anyone is so inclined. People can purchase some Serenity DVDs and merchandise, and know that they've already taken care of some people on their gift lists. So for anyone who was going to buy DVDs and such for gifts anyway, then by all means take care of it on September 30th and give a nice big ol' boost to Serenity's sales rank on our shiny 'Versary!

Well this will get the ball rolling. More ideas on ways to participate our 'Versary are welcome. It's always good to gear the ideas to the overall spirit of the day, which is a "thank you" to Universal, celebrating with fans and potential new fans, and spreading the word!

11th Hour

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"Because teenage pranks are fun when you're about to die!" - Hoban Washburne

Firefly/Serenity Guerilla Marketing Posters ~ http://the11thhour.home.att.net
Serenity Inspired Cafe Press Shop ~ http://www.cafepress.com/11thhourart

Spread the word today ~ Give the gift of Firefly: http://www.apple.com/itunes

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Friday, September 1, 2006 9:03 PM

FOLLOWMAL

Thank you 11th Hour for gettin' us all lined out.
Now we know what we're doin' and how to go about doin' it!

Ok, folks we're officially kicking off the countdown til the Serenity 'Versary! Lots of stuff to do there and many hands will be needed.

So many shiny things to do to celebrate and have fun!

Don't forget folks to turn in your shindig dates and where's to Hera so we can get everyone's celebrations on the calendar.

Also, if you have something to promote and you need it spread round the 'verse... don't forget to call on the BSC, We can sure do that for you.
http://www.geocities.com/browncoatsignalcorps/
There's a link to email us at the site.

Let's get to plannin' 'coats, the month will go by fast!

Go here to Boost the Signal!
www.fireflyfans.net/thread.asp?b=20&t=23296

Ask me how to join the Appreciatin' Nathan Crew!

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Friday, September 1, 2006 9:25 PM

PENGUIN

King of the Mythical Land that is Iowa

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Friday, September 1, 2006 9:28 PM

PHOENIXROSE

You think you know--what's to come, what you are. You haven't even begun.

Newspaper ads sound really shiny! Can't wait to see some, and try my hand at making some, too!

A family is a place where minds come in contact with one another. If these minds love one another the home will be as beautiful as a flower garden. But if these minds get out of harmony with one another it is like a storm that plays havoc with them. - Gautama Siddharta

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Tuesday, September 5, 2006 2:39 AM

ESTHER

Quote:
For those fans who are interested, we will be offering Serenity theme images for folks to use on postcards.

Note: It's usually best to handwrite letters and postcards to show that the correspondence is from many, individual people, and not some computer generated campaign.

Idea: to show them, that Browncoats sit all over the place (of the WORLD!), why not use our hometown postcards? We could create a "Logo" we can print and cut out and glue on them for easyer recognition (like for "corporate identity"). Probably this one:

Esther

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Tuesday, September 5, 2006 5:07 AM

11THHOUR

Quote:
Originally posted by Esther:
Idea: to show them, that Browncoats sit all over the place (of the WORLD!), why not use our hometown postcards? We could create a "Logo" we can print and cut out and glue on them for easyer recognition (like for "corporate identity"). Probably this one:

Studios do pay attention to fan mail, and as far as recognizing that Serenity fans are all over, the return addresses on the cards and letters will do a lot to let them know how widespread the fandom is.

All fans are free to use whatever kind of postcard, note or letter they want to. Using cards that have pictures of the different cities where we live is fine, but for 'Versary our message will be so much stronger if we use Serenity themed images. The idea of using Serenity inspired images for the postcards works much better if the entire card is used. As fans, we really want to show strong support for Serenity and celebrate the images from the movie for the 'Versary.

As you suggested, people can print out miniature versions of the Serenity logo, cut them out and glue them on postcards, but that seems like extra work... also after going through the mail these can get torn off, or end up looking too much like a craft project by the time the cards reach Universal. As for the "corporate identity" aspect, the Serenity logo already has a corporate identity... it is the copyrighted property of Universal.

Fans can also make their own Serenity themed postcard designs and use them. For those fans who don't have the time, or who aren't comfortable making a design, ready-to-use Serenity postcard designs will be offered, which can save folks a lot of time and effort. Fans are encouraged to use Serenity imagery or themes, but they don't have to. The important thing is to participate, have fun, and celebrate our shiny 'Versary.

We still have time, so I imagine folks will still be brainstorming. We welcome more suggestions!

11th Hour

>>>}———————————————)))======<[]>======(((———————————————{<<<

"Because teenage pranks are fun when you're about to die!" - Hoban Washburne

Firefly/Serenity Guerilla Marketing Posters ~ http://the11thhour.home.att.net
Serenity Inspired Cafe Press Shop ~ http://www.cafepress.com/11thhourart

Spread the word today ~ Give the gift of Firefly: http://www.apple.com/itunes

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Tuesday, September 5, 2006 6:22 PM

KURYA

that is soooo bloody cool and amazing! I love this!!!! I normally dont do the sending in of mail, but I will participate in this. My handwriting is atrocious so I wont bother handwriting it but I will personalize it somehow.

And just a suggestion for people... to save a bit of money, maybe can order the postcards from the service in bulk for each group in a city or region and individual members can pay for a postcard and send it in. Can even have postcard/letter parties. Small suggestion, anyway this looks cool, and I have been reading that thread on who to address OMG... thats amazing stuff, glad that was posted
Prakash

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Tuesday, September 5, 2006 6:36 PM

CHINDI

VERY SHINY ideas 11th Hour.. I like too that this doesn't require a lot of $$$$ just some "sweat equity" and a stamp... (I think I can afford that!!)

very great little ideas that can cause a tsunami one little pebble.. and allllll those ripples...

Chindi

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Wednesday, September 6, 2006 11:43 AM

BROWNCOATTABZ

I'd love to design some ads for newspapers... I'll get some quotes for here in Chicago.

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Wednesday, September 6, 2006 11:43 AM

BROWNCOATTABZ

....sorry... stupid internet hicup.

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Saturday, September 9, 2006 1:08 PM

FOLLOWMAL

Just wanted to bring this shiny post back up where folks can see it.
Time is passing folks.. go to the Browncoat Signal Corps website and you'll see the countdown clock ticking away.

http://www.geocities.com/browncoatsignalcorps/

You can also check the site for news of the 'verse by going to our prewritten posts page.
That's where what is going on is posted for folks to take and share. And know.

My point is .. we've got a short span.

To do all this will require that we all pitch in and do something. Pick a thing and take part in it. Or pick them all and take part in them! The ideas here are not expensive to do and they're fun! That's the shiniest part! We get to have fun!

We get to write letters of thanks. Which is nice but we also get to personalize them, make them cards from our hometown, make them shiny with Serenity images from 11th, we all know she'll come up with the best things to use! Or write them on beautiful stationary. Or send a beautiful card. This gets to be an expression of us!

Then we get to shindig! This is my favorite part by the by. Parties and sharing Firefly/Serenity with others. Sounds wonderful to me.

The newspaper ads are a great idea! Everyone could do one of those in their hometown area and there'd be thanks for Universal all across the world!

The holiday season is coming. Buying Serenity merchandise is on my list for folks. I think I'll start on September 30th.

Finally we have another addition to this list.
We can go to www.bigdamnthankyou.com and post a pic that says thank you to Universal. You don't have to be in the pic.. you can use your imagination and come up with a fun way to present it. Be sure and read the FAQ's so you'll know what to post. Then make it fun!

Lot's of stuff to do and so little time!

From here to the eyes and the ears of the 'Verse
http://www.geocities.com/browncoatsignalcorps/

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Saturday, September 23, 2006 3:45 PM

11THHOUR

Just nudging this thread back to the top to remind folks of the many ways to mark the occasion of our shiny 'Versary.

Dive in and do something special on September 30th that celebrates Serenity. Remember, that day is a Saturday so it'd be a great opportunity to host a Serenity viewing party. Make sure to invite folks who don't know about the 'Verse and then they can fall in love as we have.

However you choose to mark the day, it'd be mighty shiny of you to include buying the Serenity DVD. Remember, the sales still count and a great way to thank Universal is to send some more coin their way. September 30th would make a nice day to start buyin' goodies for the holiday season... and DVDs keep real good... they'll still be fresh come December.

11th Hour

>>>}———————————————)))======<[]>======(((———————————————{<<<

"Because teenage pranks are fun when you're about to die!" - Hoban Washburne

Firefly/Serenity Guerilla Marketing Posters ~ http://the11thhour.home.att.net
Serenity Inspired Cafe Press Shop ~ http://www.cafepress.com/11thhourart

Spread the word today ~ Give the gift of Firefly: http://www.apple.com/itunes

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

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