PR Solutions for DC to Remain a Strong Competitor Within the Superhero Genre
Basis of Research
At the time of my research, 2018, DC has just started to bring out more financially successful films such as Wonder Woman and Shazam. Marvel was just finishing its phase 3 with Endgame, leaving very little room for competitors to announce projects and grab the viewers’ attention. Seeing the drastic differences between DC and Marvel, particularly after continuous releases of similar films like Justice League and Suicide Squad, I felt there might be a need to understand and discuss just how DC could differentiate itself in the superhero genre and stay on top of the game. (image via IMDB)
Hypothesis
The hypothesis tested was that much of DC’s inability to connect to the audience came from stories and situations which the audience simply couldn’t relate to. Should it be able to strategically use messages of love and humor among others, that will attract the audience form the start, it is likely DC will have a higher engagement rate. (image via FineArtAmerica)
Conclusion and Overall Findings
After an extensive analysis of color importance in posters and films, in-depth at social media channels of both Marvel and DC, as well as primary research which included a survey filled by 71 participants and four interviews, the hypothesis proved that DC lacked consistent and engaging storytelling. The majority of participants indicated that they loved the Dark Knight trilogy due to its ability to connect to real life issues. With DC’s release of Joker, it was proven that it is really through the human and not supernatural aspect to its characters where the studio truly shines and can make an impact.
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