NYCC: The Invasion of Technology

 The New York Comic Con (NYCC) is held every year at the Javits Center in New York City, drawing crowds of over 116,000 attendees every year.  That is a lot of people.  Most of them come, many in costumes, to support their love of “geek culture,” fans of comic books, video games, and various television shows and movies included.  However this year, I was surprised by the amount of booths and showcases that were purely focused on technology. It seems that as the convention itself grows (it sold out faster this year than ever before), so will it diversify into other areas of common interest.

 

                As mentioned, I saw many more technology-related attractions at Comic Con this year than in years past.  One such example was the huge Intel sponsored Starcraft II tournament, which took up a sizable portion of the show floor.  Hundreds of fans gathered to watch and cheer for their favorite professional Starcraft players compete for a hefty cash prize, while casters provided live in-depth commentary on the action for those people who weren’t as familiar with the game. The tournament was adjacent to a large Intel booth, where attendees could try out their newest line of processors by playing their favorite PC games. There were also many other Intel products on display, and employees in the booth available to answer any questions that consumers may have had.  It was an overwhelmingly large presence for a tech company to have at a convention usually based in pop culture, media, and entertainment.

                There were a number of smaller booths I browsed on the show floor that were similarly untraditional for such a convention.  For example, there was a company showing off the capability of its 3D printers that gave demonstrations and even had giveaways and contests to win their products.  I saw several independent retailers demoing their unique tech products, such as wearable cat ears which responded to brain waves with different movements.  Other large tech corporations also had a presence at the convention, such as Verizon and Geico.  These companies gave away small items like pens or posters, and usually had a contest where you could sign up for their mailing list to try to win something like a Visa or Amazon gift card.  Even auto manufacturers, such as Chevrolet, came to the convention and were giving away free Comic Con t-shirts and showing off cars with designs inspired by popular television shows such as Adventure Time.

                The fact that tech companies of all these varieties have invaded Comic Con is interesting for a few reasons. First, it means that these companies recognize the potential of the “geek audience,” and are willing to spend a lot of money advertising directly to them. Geek culture has become mainstream, hence the popularity of movies like The Avengers.  And really, what self-respecting corporation would pass up the opportunity to directly advertise to over 116,000 dedicated consumers?  However, this brings up the other interesting point, and that is what this means for the future of conventions like this, and geek culture in general.  When advertisements are constantly being thrown in your face, the convention becomes less of a gathering for fans and more of a business opportunity for tech companies and corporations.  If the trend continues, and the commercialization of San Diego Comic Con seems to support this, conventions will never be the same.