In the age of “superhero fatigue” – or whatever you wish to call it – Prime Video’sThe Boyshas adamantly avoided falling into the same trappings as other major superhero-based franchises. A lot of this comes down to the show’s topic and themes, a cutting critique of the stereotypes and reality of superheroes and the current social and political climate in America, as well as the excellent writing, directing, and performances by everyone involved. However, another influential yet often overlooked aspect ofThe Boys’breakaway success is its marketing.
Debuting on the streaming service in 2019 and adapting the excellent graphic novel of the same name by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson,The Boysinstantly presented itselfas a stand-out product in an increasingly over-saturated genre. The show pulls no punches in its parody-based satire of the genre and capitalist America, and this darkly humorous tone extends to its incredible marketing campaigns as well.
The Boys' Parody Extends Through Its Marketing
Have you watched all three seasons ofThe Boys, the animatedThe Boys Presents: Diabolical, and the recent spin-offGen V, and thought, it’s just not enough? Then the ‘Vought International’ YouTube channel is the holy grail for you. As well as being the premiere destination for the newest trailers, the channel also features monthly shorts and clips set withinThe Boys' universe.
Some of the clips shown are extended versions of those seen within the shows, like the Godolkin University induction videoshown inGen V, or longer clips from the seemingly endless number of movies starring the heroes of The Seven, like a full trailer for The Deep’sNot Without My Dolphin. The channel also features numerous clips and scenes not previously seen on the franchise’s shows. These range widely in tone and style, from Vought Quarterly Earnings videos starring Ashley Barrett (Colby Minifie) to 10-minute long interviews on the Vought-controlled fictional talk show “Seven on 7 with Cameron Coleman.”
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As well as acting as fun clips and bonus features forThe Boysfans, the videos on the channel also frequently hint at future plot points and characters in the respective shows. Following the dramatic ending ofThe Boys’s third season, the channel was flooded with parody corporate infomercials fromVought defending Homelander’s actions, disgracing characters like Starlight, and producing a full In Memorium for Queen Maeve, suggesting that the company will pretend the escaped hero died in the explosion in Vought Tower. The videos uploaded on the channel are compulsory viewing for major fans of the franchise as they pave the way and establish the landscape of future seasons of one of the best Superhero shows put to screen.
In a time when the Actor’s strikes are only just ending, and many major franchises – like the MCU – have seen unprecedented losses due to underwhelming marketing because of the strikes,The Boysin-universe clips have given the franchise another leg-up against the franchises it is parodying.
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This idealistic standing bleeds all over their online marketing as well. As well as recapping past events and laying the foundations for future seasons and storylines,The Boys' online marketing is another way the producers can take jabs at the modern capitalist landscape. Alongside the fake trailers for a near-endless number of superhero movies, the marketing videos take frequent jabs at major real-life companies, like Twitter, Spotify, and even Prime Video, using parody equivalents to highlight the excessive greed and irrational pointlessness of their existence.
Other franchises have attempted this style of interconnected marketing. However, none have achieved the same results asThe Boys. The most recent, and questionable, is Marvel Studios releasing the Scott Lang memoir:‘Look Out for the Little Guy’shown in the dreadfulAnt-Man and the Wasp: Quantamaniaas a real book. Marvel Studios released a similar style trailer for the book, starringAnt-Manactor Paul Rudd. However, with the current state of the MCU – and the critical slatingAnt-Man and the Wasp: Quantamaniareceived – this attempt at meta-marketing felt more like a desperate cash grab than a satirical joke.
Stream The Boys on Prime Video
