ARG: Central or Not? Greg says t'is, Creators PLEASE respond

[Linc]

I think if the idea is that the ARG should be central because ARGs are a profitable endeavor, I've never seen any proof of that.

ARGs have been used to promote video games, movies, and television shows. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alternate_reality_game

An official ARG could draw in more viewers for lg15, which could then lead to sponsorship, and eventually profit.

*shrugs* just a thought.

They've been used to promote products but to make it central to the plot would actually be making it the product.

i think the high degree of interactivity could attract a larger fanbase.

Sure it could but is there any evidence to suggest it would bring more viewers then traditional storytelling? Are there other less intrusive forms of interactivity worth exploring? Is it worth it's gambling the success of the entire show on?

and making it central to the plot guarantees viewership.

Based on what? Gemma's YT account I think provides an example of what can happen. Her views plummeted when the vids went from vlogs to Tachyon Surveillance style. Now maybe the viewers were caught unaware and have a better idea how Tachyon and OpAphid fit in terms of story but can anyone guarantee that's the case and a similar plummet could not happen again?

There's a lot at stake, more than out entertainment value perhaps even more than the Creators becoming financially successful. Shows like LG15.com are needed to show Hollywood independently created online content can earn money without their backing. FOX put 24 spinoff called CTU:The Rookie on the web. CBS just launched an online spinoff of one of it's soaps called LA Diaries. (The NoHo Girls can't be happy about that.) If lg15 doesn't perform well, the next time a sponsor has to choose between online content that was created by Hollywood or independently created, which do you think they will choose?

This is probably a reason why the slow shift in focus from YT to Revver. Rather, not Revver, but the embedded Revver vids on LG15.com. If something pops up on the front page - people know for a fact that this is apart of the story.

But I also think a reason why the views plummeted is much more simple: Gemma is incredibly attractive. People see a pretty face, they click the link. When her face didn't show up on the thumbnail, people didn't click as much. That's the difference, not the episode itself.

Sponsors right now are iffy on Hollywood content online. This is primarily because all that's being shown by the studios are spinoffs and supplemental material. Nothing stands on its own two feet. People watch, sure, but most times people click the CTU show thinking Jack Bauer's going to be there, and then, hey, he's not. The shows are somewhat entertaining, but advertisers are absolutely in love with the viral aspects of the independent shows. You just can't get that kind of word-of-mouth advertisement through Hollywood shows, mostly because they don't get it, or don't care.