Oklahoma City Comic Pitch
Hello,
My name is Jeff Martin, and I am a cartoonist from Edmonton, Alberta. I have been working on a comic project which I believe would be a great addition to the Barons’ marketing efforts.
With the Barons existing in a very crowded sports market in which hockey is not the top-tier attraction it is in Edmonton, I believe that a comic with a serial narrative and comedic elements placed on the website would give users a solid reason to spend more time on the site, thus increasing their exposure to ticket advertisements (which could be placed near the comic) as well as the sponsor ads, and just generally improve the visibility of the team and the sport of hockey. It has been shown that comics are a great way to encourage reading among youth demographics, which could be used for charitable purposes, as well as to promote interest in the team and, by extension, ticket and merchandise sales. I am currently working on a similar project with Renegade Arts Entertainment, which can be viewed here.
The major advantage of this type of content is that, if staggered appropriately, the site will never lack for new material during periods when there are few hockey developments (such as during the off-season, when there are no games and significantly less news to report on). Even when there is nothing happening in the AHL, new comic pages can provide fans with a reason to spend time on the site. Additionally, comics are a very cost-effective form of marketing, as they are able to to create multiple streams of revenue. In addition to driving site traffic and exposure to advertisements from both the Barons and sponsors of the team, it can be monetized on its own through sale of print/digital collections. The comic can also take the form of a pseudo-mascot, as attachment to the characters in the story translates to attachment to the Barons, who are the link between those characters and the fans.
The project I have been working on, which is as-of-yet untitled, follows the Oklahoma City Oilers, a team in a fictionalized version of the AHL (the name of the league and the franchises would be different to avoid licencing issues) facing early-season struggles as they try to gel as a unit and maybe win some games along the way. The team being bad is a narrative device to maximize the potential for both drama and comedy in the story, and to give readers a satisfying journey to the team fulfilling their potential and becoming a force to be reckoned with as the story progresses. Themes explored include teamwork and community, the role of athletics in society, and rivalry. While this all sounds quite serious and high-minded, the plot is primarily a vehicle for comedy. I’ve endeavoured, as much as possible, to present the story in a manner which is appropriate for kids but also engaging to adults.
I’ve drawn a three page sample which can be viewed below. Click on the thumbnails for larger images.
If you are interested and would like to discuss the project further, please email me back at jeff@rentathugcomics.com. I look forward to hearing from you.
