POW! Entertainment Inc. (fka POWN)

[smurfdeej]

Ouchie!:

"Christopher Decker
January 25th, 2011 2:32 pm ET.


For those of you not aware, the National Hockey League (NHL) recently partnered with Stan Lee, the legendary former president of Marvel Comics, in a campaign called the "Guardian Project," which is centered around this year's NHL All-Star Game. The campaign was designed to create 30 comic book heroes based on each NHL team; release each team's hero throughout the month of January; and ultimately showcase the super heroes in Raleigh, NC - the home of this year's NHL All-Star Game - on the night of the game. For all you Philadelphia Flyer fans, check out "The Flyer" superhero and see the Youtube video here.

The project has inspired a lot of creativity, but it has also generated a lot of backlash with hockey purist bloggers.

There is no doubt that when this program went viral, the planning and idea were spot-on. The idea was created approximately 16 months ago in an effort for the league to grow its brand and generate more fans and followers. "Hockey fans, above and beyond all other sports fans, are purists. We've been cognizant of that since the start," said Adam Baratta, chief creative officer for Guardian Media Entertainment. "So we're trying, right now, to create something for hockey that will expand their awareness -- hopefully around the globe."

While the Guardian Project's Facebook campaign has generated over 1,000,000 votes, NHL blogger Ryan Lambert calls the effort "the worst thing ever." Even some of the hardcore fans who have commented on his blog call this initiative an epic fail. But despite the criticism, Baratta is confident that a hockey-based superhero project will succeed. The fact of the matter is the project's viral marketing has been very well thought out, and there is an actual story behind the creation of these superheroes. It's based on a fictional character named Mike Mason who is born with "special" abilities, and whom Stan Lee refers to as a "Peter Parker" type. There is even a 400-page book that will soon be released that provides some back-story to the concept! You can find more about the story-line here.

Whether this storyline will fly or not is completely up to the masses. Social media will have a huge impact on the project and the people getting involved in blogs, Facebook content, and the like will most likely determine its success. As for now, the majority of avid hockey fans feel this project is a detriment to the league. Maybe that will change.

Currently, the creators of the project have signed a contract not to release any pertinent information about the story. And according to Puck Daddy, the superheroes will officially debut in a five-minute live segment during next Sunday's NHL All-Star Game in Raleigh; "a combination of in-arena ice projection and hologram show," according to Baratta, as the 30 heroes "save" the Carolina fans from their arch enemy after he takes over the arena.

http://www.examiner.com/social-media-in-...


Glta,Deej