GW just sent this email out showing off the 5 new paint sets they are selling. They of course have a golden demon painting a demon. Still, was this a good idea to draw in the younger crowd? While I have no issues with magic and demons, when I did work for GW there was several parents that only let their kids play 40k and not Fantasy due to magic....some parents saw demons and marched right out of the store....
Think this a silly thing? Perhaps, but it can dampen some recruiting prospects of new blood into the hobby. I know lots of people that never watched Harry Potter because of magic, Star Wars because of the mysticism in it, etc....I know many will say that then perhaps this isn't for them.
I do recall one of the guys at the store I worked at did a great demo with younger gent and then was walking about the store showing all the armies he could collect and play with the boy's mother in tow. Then he picked up a box of damonettes (the old metal nude ones) and pointed out that we even had demons he could play. Let's just say this didn't go over well for the boy's mother and they left....
From what I understand GW's stock fell by 50% during the 4th quarter of last year. So I did expect to see some new marketing strategies. I'm not certain this is the way to go to bring in young people though. Perhaps they are looking at how many young people are into the more violent movies and video games and trying to tap into that market. I hope that is not what they are doing as I feel it is contrary to what this hobby is all about.
ReplyDelete