Neopets Movie On the Way (split)

[Articfox]

Last Thread: http://www.pinkpt.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=15481

Warner Bros. Pictures Signs Feature Deal With NeoPets

March 24, 2005


Warner Bros. Pictures has entered into an agreement with NeoPets Inc. to develop and produce animated feature films based on new stories and characters from the virtual world of Neopets.com, the world's leading online youth community.

Dylan Sellers will produce the projects with Doug Dohring, chairman/ceo of, NeoPets. Warner Bros. Pictures' Aditya Sood will oversee production for the studio. NeoPets will co-finance development.

The Neopets website is themed around the ownership of, and interaction with, virtual pets that are created and cared for by site members. To date, the Neopets website has more than 25 million members worldwide and generates more than seven billion page views per month in 10 languages. It is consistently ranked as one of the fastest growing sites on the Internet and one of the "stickiest" sites in the world, meaning that members return frequently to interact with each other and with their Neopets.

Said Jeff Robinov, president, production, Warner Bros. Pictures, "We're looking forward to expanding this exceptional Internet property into feature films that bring the worldwide appeal of this website to theaters."

Added Dohring, "Neopets has always been very selective in choosing its business partners and we are extremely pleased with the opportunity to work with such a quality studio as Warner Bros. Pictures. We are confident that this collaboration will result in the successful expansion of the Neopets world into offline media."

Recent productions by Dylan Sellers include Warner Bros. Pictures' A CINDERELLA STORY starring Hilary Duff; and AGENT CODY BANKS and its sequel AGENT CODY BANKS 2: DESTINATION LONDON.

The privately owned NeoPets Inc., a global media and entertainment company, owns and operates Neopets.com. The company is headquartered in Glendale, California. For additional information, visit http://www.neopets.com.

It was only a matter of time...

[atomicblonde]

Being discussed for quite some time already...
http://www.pinkpt.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=15481

[Matt]

I am unlocking this topic, but realise it is not becaiuse you didn't do anything wrong. I am splitting the old one, which we do when we get 10 pages, but I want to remind you that only the mods should split topics in future. Cheers

http://www.pinkpt.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=15481

[o_0]

-claps loudly at Val's old speech-

I bet I'll be one of the only ones playing Neopets after the movie. e.e xD

[AFI_Sorrow]

-claps loudly at Val's old speech-

I bet I'll be one of the only ones playing Neopets after the movie. e.e xD

Nah...I'll still play. Though I may have to hide all my Neopet plushies in my closet for a few months. O___O I'll never leave PPT however, that would be sin beyond sins.

Does anyone know when this movie will come out? A year? Two years? How much longer do we have before the evil surfaces?

[Johnnydontgo]

Wonder if all the Neopets will be eating McDonald's and General Mills cereal in the movie.

[coming2atvnearu]

Yes ads are annoying. Blah blah blah. But they're here. 'Ol Dougiebuckets is very forward thinking.

Indeed. He's a business savvy man. And a business savvy guy knows that the average demographic age range of neopets players (Gen Y Internet users (ages 8-22)) are also the ones with the shortest attention span. Keeping the site popular has been well an issue about future measures. Most companies invested in that demographic usually use the pump and dump economic technique. Why? Because that demographic loses intrest so quickly, the best way to make a profit is by taking what you can while the popularity is at it's peak. Normally, through advanced massive marketing techniques. It starts as a small fad...but then the merchandise comes next, and usually the kiss of death is a movie. At the peak time a movie is released, the most public awareness of said item and merchandise hits max, and then....death. Have you ever noticed the biggest trends always get marketed out the wazoo when a film tie in is released, and then suddenly, within 6 months after the film the intrest is lost, and the fad is no more? That's the case for this demographic. Need examples of history?

80's:
Alvin and the Chipmunks: Movie + Mass Merchandising = Death.

Transformers: Movie + Mass Merchandising = Death. (resurrected later, but never hit the figures and popularity as prior.)

He-Man: Movie + Mass Merchandising = Death.

90's-00's:

Pokemon. Movie + Mass Merchandising = Death.

Yu-Gi-Oh=Movie + Mass Merchandising = Death.


I could list a thousand more...but hey...let's try not to make this post too long, shall we?

And here's your Neopets tie in:

"Neopets chairman and CEO Doug Dohring said he is considering a movie next. "Our view is that if we do a Pixar-quality film with Neopets -- and we're in no rush to do that because we're already highly profitable -- we believe that will provide the right positioning and umbrella as to who we really are and what our content is like," he said." *source=hollywood reporter interview

Translation: "Our view is if we do a film, we'll be in the best position to sell merchandise since public awareness will be at it's peak."

They're lining up all these advertisers. These advertisers see what a huge site Neo is and will probably find it a great place to advertise. Therefore when ad rates increase as internet advertising continues to be more viable, Neo can charget them more and they won't want to run away.

The advertisors have always been there. Neo is rated one of the "stickiest" site for it's age demographic. To an advertisor, that's music to their ears. The longer the ads are seen=the more affect they have on the consumer. There is a GOOD reason cereal boxes for chidren are on the lower shelves at the grocery store and the adult cereal on the top shelves. Advertisors aren't dumb. Take a look at this quote:

Doug Dohring:
"Miramax came to us and wanted us to promote 'Spy Kids,' the movie. It was about 10 days from coming out in theaters. So we created what we called the 'Spy Kids' Theater. And our users could go into the 'Spy Kids' Theater and they could click through a trailer of the movie. If the users want to go there, they go there. It's not forced on the user in any way. So we integrate the advertiser's product into the content."

Yep, Mirimax came to THEM. Not the other way around. Advertisors aren't running away...not at all.

For Neo it ends up being like finding free Omelettes and Jellies at every turn. They already stated in their 'bleh' page that this revenue is going to be pumped into the site. If they didn't do this it would be like throwing free money away. Companies that stagnate die. I would rather see Neopets grow than wither and die.

With a pump-and-dump technique that I currently suspect and have been pointing out, this is what the advertising rush is actually doing, killing the site. Your Neopets Movie will be the kiss of death. History always repeats itself.

If there was ever a top ten list for best posts on this forum, I'd have to say this would be pretty darn near the top. The way you were able to call this and predict exactly what has and will happen is amazing. Beginning of the end right here.

[valerielundberg]

If there was ever a top ten list for best posts on this forum, I'd have to say this would be pretty darn near the top. The way you were able to call this and predict exactly what has and will happen is amazing. Beginning of the end right here.

You know, I've always admired the things you've had to say...you always look at things rationally and have something smart and well-thought out to add to any topic I've seen you post in, so considering the source, I cherish that comment. Thanks.

I guess for me the question isn't "Will Neo be run into the ground?" but more of "When?".

I'm guessing it will be sooner then I'd like, sadly.

My only hopes I've been holding on to is that someone decent will be the one to buy up the site after Dohring spits the remaining bones onto the pile.

Mr. Powell, got any spare cash left over from your deal to Douggie? I'd love to see you as head honcho again...you're probably one of the only people I could see actually bringing this train wreck back from the ashes once Dohring is done with it.

Anyhow...that's my last hope. That and when the site does go 404 on us, someone will have the foresight to save the database so that when the company domain is resold, players could return and not have to lose all they worked for.

Yeah...that's what I'm hoping anyhow.

[o_0]

...
I made this 600-frame Flash movie. xD
About General Mills v. McDonald's: The Neopets Movie.

xD And my computer froze.

Hooray. -_-

[TDG]

Think of this before you enter that cinema..

Also sign the link in my siggy

[Ice]

Wow, the_dog_god, that's an awfully good editing job if it is one o.0


Know what would be the best? If Mr. Dohring grows tired of the site after the movie (and perhaps the apocalyptic crash predicted in that speech coming2atvnearu quoted), maybe he'll drop the company.

And if he drops the company/contract, maybe Adam and Donna can pick it up again.

And if that happens, maybe the handful of players that remain can help "rebuild" Neopia, so to speak. Start anew with the rightful people at the top, etc. etc. etc.


Of course, this is wishful thinking coming from someone who knows nil about business. It's probably not possible.

[o_0]

Wow, the_dog_god, that's an awfully good editing job if it is one o.0

it's from a Web site where you type in a block of text and it puts it on a church sign.

[Ice]

Hahah, that's the best. What's the address (gotta try it!)?

[Moonlight Flower]

Hahah, that's the best. What's the address (gotta try it!)?

Uh, doesn't it say 'www.churchsigngenerator.com' on it? XD

[Ice]

Hahah, that's the best. What's the address (gotta try it!)?

Uh, doesn't it say 'www.churchsigngenerator.com' on it? XD

Um... yes. Yes it does.