With everything else goin' on...I didn't think I'd have time for a new set of musings....
Ehhhh.....I thought wrong! LOL!
RandomCasts may be gone...but as I said...Random Thoughts...those stick around!
March 4th 2010....Robotech's 25th Anniversary....and absolutely NO CELEBRATION by the parent company....maybe they will have a party for Shadow Chronicle's anniversary.....(ROLLS EYES)
No matter......MORE PARTY TIME FOR JT! WOOHOO!
Recently, Robotech's "official" spokesperson Kevin Mckeever decided to "slap down" a questioning fan over at Robotech.com.Now I know in his spot, he's gotta paint the the bright picture for the franchise...but some of the things he said.....(exhales)...just doesn't gel well ....Here's his response to the things that the fan inquired. My thoughts are in italics;
Fan :So, here's a question for you Kevin: What is Harmony Gold doing to attract NEW fans to the franchise at THIS momen
Kevin: Robotech and Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles are now available through iTunes, Xbox Live, Amazon, and Direct2Drive, along with Sony's Playstation Network Store. Also in the past year we have put the orginal Robotech Series and the Shadow Chronicles up on Hulu.com and YouTube.com.
These platforms have done very well for us. That even today (3/10/2010) Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles is the #1 Animated Feature Film on Hulu.com and #7 overall feature download.
This how people are rediscovering Robotech and new fans are discovering the show.
You keep on saying our merchandise is a “niche” market but it making the franchise money.
Now Kevin never really answers the question on what Harmony Gold is doing to attract new fans. Handing out the license to distribute the footage is one thing, but Hulu, Itunes and the others pretty much handle the real leg work from there. So.....what is Harmony Gold doing except handing out distribution rights? Can't they promote the product on their own?
And once again, with the Shadow Chronicles lovefest....funny how the Original 85 are constantly left to the side....and they are on Hulu, Itunes and the rest too....really shows what is priority right now....
Fan: Also, see reports from the Robotech convention tour (i.e. almost the exact same news "updates" as the past 3 years)Kevin: Tom Rob Smith writing a updated draft of the LAM was announced LAST year. Lawarence Kasdan and Akiva Goldman on the LAM project were announced two years ago. We announced at AOD about 1 month ago that Carl is now working with us.
Can you tell me which convention we announced those items in 2007?
LAM....Production limbo....mentioning the writers to me is the "Hey it's better than nothing defense"..but since HG doesn't have a say in the movie, in my opinion, Kevin's response is irrelevant...
Fan: the Robotech Convention Tour is really for existing fans, both die-hard and casual, since each presentation is basically a discussion on nostagia.Kevin: Actually the convention tour pulls in quite large number of new fans. Very little of the tour is nostalgia. (see above for a example) We often do new announcements at the conventions and tell people what is going on.
Convention tour NOT nostalgic? Kevin has billed it as "celebrating Robotech's 25th Anniversary" ...ehhh....you can't get MORE nostalgic than that! They have a ridiculous logo ....of course Shadow Chronicles themed.....And when you are talking about how Prelude to the Shadow Chronicles sells for $80 on Ebay....Tommy said that last year, so there you have MORE nostalgia.....And of course you have Carl Macek now....Honestly, I'm missing the whole...."Very little of the tour is nostalgia."....
Fan :When I was at AOD in San Francisco, I saw countless kids and teens walk towards the Codename: Robotech screening and, after watching for about 30 seconds, they just walked away despite there still being seats available.Kevin: You do realize that happens at nearly every anime screening at conventions?
That's a fact of life.....so I agree.....(DAMN!)
Fan: Still, just from observation from random anime websites including this site and RobotechX.com, it appears that the number of people who believe Robotech is in a coma have increased.Kevin: You know in 2006 we had people who self boated how they “knew this business” on other websites say things like “fans are leaving in droves”, “the delays are killing Robotech”, TSC will be a “failure” since Harmony Gold is not marketing like Superman Returns. All of Robotech fandom “hates” Hamony Gold and will NEVER buy TSC. The film festival tour was “giving away all the revenue” In the end it ALL of those predictions by those who “knew this business” were WRONG.
So you might understand why I take issue with your blanket statements.
Here's a thought.... Maybe Harmony Gold should just drop the name Robotech....abolish the Original 85....and just call it the Shadow Franchise...I'm sure that would shut people up....and I'm being serious here....
And this whole childish "nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah, I was right, you were wrong!".....Kevin's a supposed executive of a company....leave that kindergarten shit to Memo as he's perfected it....Kevin WORKS for Harmony Gold...he should ACT like it....
Hmmm...perhaps that's the wrong thing to say, taking current history into consideration....
And Kevin, there are a alot of people that take issue with the fact that you're even INVOLVED in the Robotech franchise to begin with so that about evens things out....
Fan: I'm not saying Robotech is dying or dead, it's just not making headlines at the moment. .Kevin : A franchise making headlines is not a good view of its success or failure.
Harmony Gold is very pleased with Robotech’s performance and is FULLY committed to the franchise for the LONG TERM. It is not doomed, in a coma or going to go away any time soon.
We are here to stay.
Kevin McKeever
ROBOTECH.comClassic corporate finish.....whistling through the graveyard......I remember Circuit City telling their customers that they were here to stay.....over 500 empty locations and many liquidation sales later....
I'm just sayin.....
Now Kevin titled this post as "Days like this is why I love my job…" Which begs to ask.....
What exactly is his job?...Lip service?....Forum Flame baiter? Cause we wll know he wants to set up this fan who dared question Harmony Gold up for Memo so he can lower the banhammer. In his position he should know better....
But look who I'm talking about here.....
And for that matter...why isn't this apparent "Harmony Gold defense" showing up on the main page of Robotech.com?
Even more intriguing than ANYTHING ELSE...what exactly are KEVIN'S contributions to Robotech?
And begging conventions to invite HG does not count....But yet after ALL THIS , he still NEVER answered the original question asked...."What is Harmony Gold doing to attract NEW fans to the franchise at THIS moment? "
Why CAN'T Kevin answer that question?...
OOPS!!!....My bad guys....hee hee!
(EXHALES)......It's perplexing....I'm not making an argument for the future of Robotech, but the way Kevin conducts himself on this occasion....just shows the arrogance that has become Robotech's division of Harmony Gold......
But I'm not going to try and understand anymore.....look who we're talking about???
Besides......IT"S ANNIVERSARY TIME BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!
Seeya for the next AnniversaryCast!
JT
protoculturetimes@gmail.com
