The science fiction channel SyFy has forged a unique media partnership with Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark , the upcoming Broadway musical about everyone’s favorite web-slinger.
The alliance makes sense at first, but seems to deteriorate the more one considers it: SyFy–formerly The SciFi Channel– and Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark–the new Spider-Man musical, directed by The Lion King‘s Julie Taymor, with music by U2’s Bono and The Edge– have entered into what The New York Times is calling a “media partnership.” It boils down into an advertising and promotions agreement, with the musical being heavily promoted on SyFy, who in turn will receive tickets and promotional materials from the musical to use in its own contests and promotions.
The partnership appears to be fully in-kind, as no cash is changing hands, but it looks like Spider-Man is getting the better end of the deal. SyFy’s senior vice-president for brand and strategic marketing Blake Calloway doesn’t seem to agree, though, arguing that “it will also be a great way for us to entertain advertising clients and hold events related to the musical, and also associate SyFy with one of the great newly imagined properties on Broadway.”
Calloway might be hitching his wagon to a pretty shaky star; Spider-Man is the most expensive musical ever produced, and has been plagued by the types of problems that accompany such a distinction: running out of money, increasing technical production concerns, injuring stuntmen, and pushing opening night ever further back. Then again, this venture may not be as good for the musical as previously considered: Something tells me that SyFy, “one of most-watched channels for young men,” doesn’t have the type of audience overlap that both parties here assume.
Source: The New York Times ArtsBeat
