It's been a relavitely short time since I stopped marvelling that The New York Times covers Comicon at all, so that might be why I was so amused by Stuart Elliott's feature on a South Park Exhibit there in the July 15 edition. What might a previous generation of NYT Business section readers make of a feature story on the anniversary of a cartoon sit-com and its role at a comic book convention?
In fairness, it does sound like a lot of fun if you are fan of the series.
Anyone reluctant to pay $2.99 for a 2 3/8-ounce bag of Cheesy Poofs can get a free bag at an exhibit, called the Ultimate “South Park” Fan Experience, that Comedy Central is sponsoring in conjunction with Comic-ConInternational in San Diego July 21 to 24. The real version of the imaginary snack will be available at a replica of the school cafeteria from “South Park,” which will be near a replica of South Park Avenue, another major feature of the make-believe South Park, Colo.
Eliott pepers the article with quotes from envious rivals, and broadens it a bit by describing "experiential marketing" strategies as well as news specific to South Park and its creators. It's a fun diversion with a bit of news about marketing strategy to give it weight.
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