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from Business 2.0 - Web Article - Get Your Buzz to Breed Like Hobbits
"But what really has all of Hollywood buzzing -- and taking copious notes -- is Paddison's success in spreading his message virally. By partnering with fan sites and feeding them insider tips, New Line has extended the film's marketing reach to a worldwide audience of tens of millions."
It's very simple: the fan is not your enemy. The fan is your best customer. The fan is the guy working for you for free. Because they like your product. We do not punish people for liking our product. We reward them. and we grow rich and successful.
Sure they write porn about seven of nine, and put up unlicensed version of Alec Guinness giving advice on the force, but they also buy the DVD version when they already have the VHS version-- heck, they buy the special edition too. And the book. And the comic. and the action figure....
They also market like crazy to all their fan friends. They create the buzz, and they buy the tickets (not to see the movie once, but two or three times) and they are loyal when treated with respect. hmmm.
It's so hard to get the lawyers or even the brand managers to let go. One client's mascot had a 250+ page rule book about what he could or couldn't do and I've heard tell of even thicker tombs.
Then those same lawyers get bored and go crush anything a fan might do that breaks from their carefully crafted (but failing) image.
They have no idea the power of the dark side.