Nobody is going to question the success of NBC's Heroes, but many are beginning to question the durability of that success. What caused Heroes to suddenly fall under the critical microscope?  The show initially resonated solidly with the science fiction and comic book crowd that can be loyal to a fault, but could that very same crowd, and their high expectations, be at the core of the shows downfall should it fail to deliver?

The problem facing Heroes is possibly that the brand growth has exceeded the base of popularity.   While the cast circled the globe walking red carpets in the name of international commerce, they passed over such fan boy staples as Dragon Con, and even pulled out of some smaller events due to travel fatigue.

The appearance at Comic-Con was considered by many to be perfunctory given the con's transformation into a commercial show place over the last few years.  No longer does a Comic-Con appearance count as hob-knobbing with fans.

Another confusing aspect to Heroes promotion over the summer was the frequent airtime given delivering messages of the behind-the-scenes deals, usually through the likes of series creator Tim Kring flanked by various cast members.  The deal with Nissan is, of course, visionary in the sense of business, but not something fans really care much about.

The blatant product placement during season 1, which included writing in a particular model of a Nissan vehicle as part of Hiro's journey, was executed in good taste up until the network and the advertiser insisted on highlighting the fact that Nissan owned a bit of on-screen time with the show.

After the finale failed to please the most hardened geek core, the emphasis on promoting the show should have been thrown into making direct contact with the fan community through more grass roots venues and acknowledging the learnings of  a freshman season.

Since part of the plan for Heroes second season marketing was pre-selling the property in overseas markets, NBC has more or less guaranteed a third season for the show, but the network still has much to learn in terms of marketing the show to its fans.


- Jon Lachonis, BuddyTV Senior Writer
(Image Courtesy of NBC from Heroes World Tour)