“Print books are very much alive,” proclaimed McLean (Executive Director/Industry Analyst at The NPD Group) during her panel at Project Anime: Global 2020. Drawing from NPD Bookscan, Pubtrack Digital, and Bookscan License Reporting datasets, McLean shared U.S. manga market data prepared exclusively for Project Anime: Global 2020. While 2020 is not over yet, it is projected to be the best year ever for the book industry.

Joined by Ben Applegate (Director of Publishing Services at Penguin Random House) and Dallas Middaugh (Co-Founder/Executive Editor at Mangamo), they delved into a data-rich discussion on why the comics and graphic novels category significantly outperformed the general book market in 2020 and how manga is a key component of that growth.

According to McLean, manga has the second largest footprint in comics and graphic novels and is 3x the size of the superhero genre. The growth in the manga market is especially exciting since it largely represents new readers. Looking at the top ten titles of 2020 shows a clear correlation with popular anime titles, which Applegate confirmed with anecdotes from Penguin Random House and Kodansha on how they developed publishing and box set strategies to appeal to anime fans. 

All three agreed that there is an opportunity for growth among casual fans to expand their consumption. “The growth…over the past three years is nothing short of phenomenal,” states Middaugh, “We haven’t seen increases like this for well over a decade.” Applegate also cited progress in the manga market among other genres. “It’s not just the big titles that are growing,” he said, “Everyone is enjoying the fruits of the market growth.” 

Watch the full session on VOD to learn more. Plus, check out the NPD Books Manga Recap Report, created exclusively for Project Anime, for the full data insights. All Project Anime: Global 2020 content will be available online to registered attendees until December 11. Register now for exclusive VOD-only access, available through November 27.

Transforming Fan Engagement into Campaign Content

Through the power of social media, brands now have virtually unlimited potential to connect with their followers and fanbases. Not only does this allow them to keep a pulse on their communities, it also encourages active participation and engagement that brands have begun utilizing to shape their own content. 

“Especially in times like now when it’s unfortunately difficult to interact directly with your market segment at events and trade shows, brands must depend on digital content more than ever,” said moderator Joanna Metoki (Founder, Tasty Design Studio). “Like they say, content is king.”

Marshall Wright (Sr. Director of Audience Development at Funimation), Mary Franklin (Head of Events at Crunchyroll), and Jessica Merriman (Co-Founder, MomoCon) sat down with moderator Metoki at Project Anime: Global 2020 to chat about the ways they’ve been engaging their audience.

All three brand representatives cited that authenticity and care for the community are absolutely necessary, and fans respond best when they feel like they’re being acknowledged and given ownership. 

“Something I love about the anime fandom is that they really want to share in community,” said Franklin.

The panelists also cited the helpfulness of utilizing some sort of social media management software in order to track social media performance and trends to identify campaign opportunities preemptively. “You want to find something that is not only going to track conversation around your specific branded search terms but also allows you to get a competitive look,” recommended Wright.

Measurements of a campaign’s success may include quantitative metrics like clicks, reactions, page views, and shares, but it can also include quantitative factors like sentiment and conversation. Each panelist shared about campaigns they felt performed successfully, such as the very first virtual Crunchyroll Expo, Funimation’s “A Decade of Anime,” and MomoCon’s “Cosplayers on Ice” events. 

“A lot of our successful campaigns during COVID have really come from people who are sentimental about not being able to go to events,” shared Merriman. 

Hear Marshall Wright, Mary Franklin, and Jess Merriman’s full insights on fan engagement and content creation in their panel, now available on VOD to registered attendees until December 11. Register now for exclusive VOD-only access, available through November 27.

All sessions from Project Anime: Global 2020 will be available on-demand through December 11. Register before November 27 for VOD-only access to all panels.

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The post Project Anime: Global 2020 Business Track Highlights appeared first on Project Anime.

From Stage to Screen – Capturing the Cosplay Contest Experience

As organizers begin to explore the realm of virtual events, they’ve also been challenged to find a way to virtually preserve the cosplay masquerade contest experience. Charlene Ingram from Crunchyroll Hime’s Cosplay Cup, Stephanie Guzzardo from Twitch Con, and cosplayer and coordinator Kirilee will share the effective formats and management for a virtual masquerade and the logistics needed to make it a success.

Charlene Ingram

Having spent over ten years as a member of the of the North American Anime industry, Charlene Ingram has made her mark as the glittering force behind the marketing of many of the medium’s most iconic titles. Making the leap from cosplayer to industry influencer, she started her career at Funimation where she managed treasured brands such as Summer Wars, Dragon Ball Z and One Piece. Making the move to the West Coast, she spent several years at VIZ Media where she led the animation marketing team, spearheading the launch of iconic titles such as ONE-PUNCH MAN, Boruto and, what she is best known for, Sailor Moon. Her philosophy is to be a ray of sparkling-dazzling positivity, to work hard, lead by example, go big, and never ever stop dreaming. In 2020, she brought her grit and passion to the team at Crunchyroll Expo, creating and leading the team behind the inaugural Crunchyroll Hime’s Copslay Cup. Currently she works in brand marketing at one of the world’s largest video game studios, but she has never forgotten her roots in cosplay and is always thrilled to help elevate the craft. You can find her on Twitter- @tristencitrine

Kirilee Cosplay

Kirilee Cosplay is an Australian Cosplayer and YouTuber based in Perth, Western Australia. She represented Australia in the World Cosplay Summit in 2018 and has won numerous cosplay awards, including 1st place in the master division of the “Arda-Con Cosplay Competition”. Through cosplay, Kirilee has made friends all over the world. She encourages creativity and knowledge to be shared between cosplayers, which led to her and fellow cosplayer/ YouTuber Alana Owlet to issue the #ScrapEpicChallenge; an online competition for cosplayers to create a costume using what they had in their material “stash”. In 2020, there was 96 entries from around the world. Kirilee is excited to see how cosplay competitions will continue to grow online, and possibly be reshaped.

Project Anime: Global 2020 will take place virtually on November 17-18 and can be attended from anywhere in the world. With a theme of “Evolving with the Events Industry,” the conference will feature two uniquely-curated programming tracks, one geared towards event organizers and another aimed at industry professionals. As the landscape of the industry changes rapidly in response to current events, events and businesses have been compelled to adapt accordingly. This has given rise to new uncharted ventures and opportunities, including virtual/hybrid events and unique digital engagement. Learn more about speakers & panel information by visiting the Project Anime: Global 2020 page.

The post Ways to Capture the Cosplay Contest Experience in a Virtual Format appeared first on Project Anime.