Serenity Now!
August 5th, 2008 Posted in Buzz, Film, Viral 
Have you ever heard of the TV series “Firefly”? I would venture to say that if you are a sci-fi fan, you are familiar with the show. The show was created by writer Joss Whedon who is also known for his shows “Angel” and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”. Firefly was picked up by Fox in 2002, but Fox cancelled the show before the full season could be aired. Firefly then went to DVD, where the series picked up a huge following.
I was introduced to the series by my friend Doug. He told me watch all 14 episodes and then pick up the movie from the video store. A movie? From a cancelled Sci-FI, TV show?
As you can see, I was slightly skeptical; it’s not every day you see a TV series that was pulled from the air in mid season make it to the big screen. Respecting Doug’s opinion, I watched the series and movie. I have to say I was hooked.
After Fox’s arguably premature cancellation of the show, the “fandwagon” exploded. People wrote letters, emails, blog posts, and form posts to rail against the trigger happy response by the Fox executives. Fans calling themselves Browncoats (it’s from the show) pooled together and purchased a full page ad in Variety magazine, protesting the early exit from the Fox lineup. When Fox ignored their pleas, fans wrote to rival network UPN asking them to pick up the series for a second season. To appease the fan base, the series was then released to DVD, but this only fueled the viral fire. People launched fan sites, Firefly communities, and even a documentary detailing their love for the series. After seeing the craze over the Firefly series, movie executives realized there was a market for a movie, which was written and produced by creator Joss Whedon. Serenity was released in 2005, and the cult following responded.
Ok, so I know what you’re thinking. Sci-Fi fans are not your average breed. From the early days of the Trekky conventions to the mega fans showing up in full Star Wars gear, this genre of movie fans are a cut above the rest. However, the “viral effect” cannot be ignored. Three years after the DVD set was released, Firefly was still among the top 10 grossing series on Amazon.com. Today, the series is still the top ranking Sci-Fi TV series sold on Amazon. And the movie, that technically should not have been made, grossed over $25 million, with fans hosting special screenings to raise $65,000 for Whedon’s charity.
Firefly is a great example of people taking a passion to the next level and moving the viral bar in their favor. Providing a product or service that people can get excited about is the first step to creating a viral effect. It doesn’t matter if you are selling pencils or backpack rockets, if people dig your product they will generate the buzz for you. And in the midst of the information age, they can spread the virus faster than ever!
- Robt Ament
