Publicity

Ideas On Publicising Go

This is a new page designed to hold information and ideas on how to best publicise the Game. Publicising a tournament / similar event is a subservient subsection to this. Naturally the page is a fluid mess waiting to be crystalised right now.

Media

Hikaru No Go could suggest that we should be looking to cartoon strips to achieve maximum impact on target audience. Print and its cousin the Internet are probably dwarfed by television though. If we can get have Late Night Poker on TV isn't it possible we can put Go on the box too? If the answer is yes, then the question is how and in what form. Is Go too unknown, and thus too inaccessible to make it, perhaps the answer is no.

Television

Jared: Go TV, in America at least, would not turn a profit until at least a million of us play Go. Alternatively, new technology could make broadcast extremely cheap. So there will be no Go programming on TV in the foreseeable future. Go does find its way into some TV programs, though never as a main element. I saw two kids in a sitcom playing a game ... How about getting Cartoon Network to play HNG? Probably been tried ..

Accessibility

If you want people to appreciate Go they have to be able to understand it. In that regard it has to be accessible. To use the impulse shopping arguement, if it is on sale it can be bought. People will usually ask is this Othello for instance - now if Go is more popular than Othello why the hell are people asking that question?? Answer Because publicity is pants?

Accessible Teaching Material

What is the best way to teach people to learn Go and then the best way to present the fundamentals? Make a cartoon strip of proverbs, use cards to teach shape...etc

Audience

Who are we selling too? Universities currently seem the most profitable market, then schools. To reach a wider audience what do we have to do? Also is the Programming boom over?
As an aside - can we categorise recruitment generations like this?

• • Hikaru Generation
  • Compsci Generation
  • New Scientist

Description

Probably bound to accessibility. List 10 word sells here. Everything needs a Hook Line though - no tag, no sell.

Benefits

Why should you play Go ?

• • Go is fun!
  • Helps you improve your concentration/memory
  • It's relaxing
  • You meet many interesting people and make new friends
  • Builds character

Who

Who has been successful at promoting the game?
Ing, Iwamato, etc - does your name have to begin with I? ;-)

Go was successfully promoted in Cyprus from 2003 to 2007. From 1 Go player, the Go community increased significantly with weekly Go meetings attracting at least 10-15 people. Go clubs have also been formed in some schools and at a youth center. The main advice that was followed to successfully promote the game was found on the AGA site at http://usgo.org/resources/startclub.html.

Tournament Publicity

List outlets for publicising event. How to publicise. Leaflets/Resources etc...

• EuropeanGoTournamentCalendar
• National Lists - multitude
• Issue a press release to local newspapers (many will publish it)
• Useful faq http://www.britgo.org/organisers/tournamentsfaq.html
• GoAma newsletter