As your everyday fun-loving comic book guy, imagine my surprise when, amidst the busy tables of a recent financial services conference in Los Angeles, I stumbled upon an unexpected gem — a custom-made comic book promoting financial education by none other than VISA!
SETTING THE STAGE
I’ve been a comic book aficionado for almost four decades, and my passion for these illustrated wonders is well-known among my friends and colleagues. Lately, my collecting effort has shifted heavily towards the digital realm, but I still admit it’s pretty tough to top that feeling of holding a fresh, glossy comic in your hands.
Choosing a seat at a table full of brochures, notepads and tasty treats (having bowls full of M&M packs always works in my book!), my eyes were instantly drawn to a colorful comic covered with Black Panther & Shuri that gripped me like a Magneto electromagnetic hold. I’m definitely a Black Panther fan, having been stacking his FA FF#52 in digital format, the complete set of his VeVe digital assets, several silver / Bronze Age titles (a bunch of Jungle Actions) & having watched the Marvel films MANY times with my son.
STORYTELLING SUPERPOWER
With "Financial Education" emblazoned on the cover and VISA’s iconic logo, I knew I stumbled upon something pretty unique. Having enjoyed superhero comics almost my entire life, this was like finding a rare edition at a garage sale. As a digital marketing professional with over 25 years of experience, the nostalgic connection hit me instantly. So with a few minutes before the conference panel speakers began, I dove into the book…
At 16 pages, this wasn’t a full fledged book, but the concept was simple - use a superhero narrative on the power of financial teamwork to learn & achieve investment success. Inserts included tips about starting a small business, how to be charitable on a budget and proper planning tools.
QR codes helped whisk me instantly to further online resources in a SNAP. Both writing and artwork were perfectly provided by Marvel, with VISA providing the purpose (and funding of course), with engaging storytelling, action-packed panels and practical financial advice woven almost seamlessly into the pages, providing readers with subtle insights without the dry, textbook feel so often thought of in the realm of money management.
I certainly understand the power of storytelling in capturing an audience’s attention and conveying important messages. This comic was a masterclass in using narrative and visual appeal to educate and inform, engage and entertain. VISA’s innovative approach not only showcased their commitment to financial literacy but highlighted the potential of unconventional marketing tools in engaging and educating audiences. And it worked - everyone was reading the books and took them home at the end of the day…very few were left behind (and being familiar with ’stacking’ digital copies on VeVe & Candy/DCNFT, I grabbed any of those left over!)
Subsequently, I reached out to Marvel’s Marketing Team, whose emailed response about the comic’s digital potential also piqued my interest. In an era where digital consumption is standard, allowing these books to be easily transitioned into digital assets (PDFs, and possibly NFTs in the future) allow for endless use cases to bring phygital marketing to brands. This is great for SEO content to support your website’s authority, provides a tool to email prospects or current customers, use as interactive learning aids, trade show promotions, marketing swag…Ultimately, this was like a brochure with superpowers!
“These comics really do present some fun, unique and interesting ideas for brands. Everything is custom designed based on goals, strategy, audience demographics, markets and more, and range in investment level based on distribution, number of issues (if printed), pages, character inclusion and other elements, and yes - we can absolutely incorporate digital.” Sabrina Feldman, Brand Partnerships (Disney / Marvel), https://www.marvel.com/corporate/advertising
EXTRA EXCITING EXAMPLES
Beyond the copy I happened across, Marvel has provided custom integrations like this for some time. One project many of you know as close to my heart (VeVe), ran a partnership where Marvel paired VeVe Collectibles for the digital asset (NFT) release of Christian Louboutin. Marvel & Louboutin joined forces for one-of-a-kind limited edition capsule of shoes & accessories dropped on the VeVe app. A fusion of fashion and Marvel Universe, this new capsule marked the first time Marvel ever introduced global fashion designer, Christian Louboutin as a Super Hero.
Further, Marvel & VeVe collaborated with A 2023 New York Comic Con exclusive drop of The Superior Spider-Man Returns (2023) #1. “This comic was sold at the Marvel / VeVe booth with CGC on hand to grade them directly. Both David Yu (CEO & EY’s 2024 Entrepreneur of the Year Finalist) and Dan Crothers (Co-Founder) were also both on hand to sign them. These were the first physical VeVe / Marvel produced cover variant of a comic, ever.” (Aaron Heppell, VeVe Director of Community Development).
Even though VeVe is almost entirely focused on its digital collectible business, they too realise the important connection these new digital assets have to their physical ‘big brothers,’ and this release was a 100% success selling out the entire available supply.
See more at this great one-minute YouTube feature: https://youtu.be/7vvF61x_yb0
ONLINE MAGAZINE DIGITAL COLLECTIBLES?
Or how about this nifty example from COINTELEGRAPH? Like other news publications, Coin Telegraph was a leader in creating NFTs or Digital Collectibles of key articles written on their site. Kind of a neat way for their readers or collectors to share 'ownership' of those articles as nostalgic moments of news history, while also investigating methods of revenue generation to support their journalism teams. End of day, this is another example showing how print media is evolving alongside new marketing capabilities being generated through the digital / blockchain ecosystem.
PERSONAL THOUGHTS
As I think you can probably tell, I really liked the idea behind this promotional platform. It’s a brilliant reminder that no matter how advanced our digital tools become, the power of a well-crafted story, brought to life through stunning visuals, remains unparalleled. This delightful discovery at the conference not only supported my enjoyment of physical comics, but inspired me to think about new ways to leverage storytelling in digital marketing - and write this blog!
In a previous article I wrote about the exceptional TV commercials Coca-Cola created with Marvel. There is no doubt that great storytelling continues to be the best superpower in any media and I just really enjoy seeing such nostalgic opportunities blend with modern production capabilities. Here’s to the magic of comics and the endless possibilities they bring, whether in print or digital form!
Thanks for Reading!
