The Gathering of Great Minds
Magic the Gathering is an internationally renowned card game that has one of the most intense branding approaches in the industry. The game was created in 1993 by Dr. Richard Garfield, whereby, Hasbro bought the game that was later published by its main holding company, Wizards of the Coast. Magic remains one of the most popular card games played today — attracting a diverse audience of young and old, wise and irrational, to their utterly seductive branding techniques. In regards to brand loyalty — Magic the Gathering is preeminent in the consumer experience. The branding has been consistent for the past 27 years — traversing traditional and digital landscapes, ultimately evolving into a massive, transmedia storytelling brand. (brand logo evolution below).
Transmedia Storytelling
Transmedia storytelling "is the technique of telling a single story or story experience across multiple platforms and formats using current digital technologies." And, no one (personal opinion) has done a better job than Wizards of the Coast. The Magic brand tells the story of 5 lands: the plains, mountains, islands, forests, and swamps — all of which have unique characters, specific landscape effects, and backstories that stretch almost 30 years of character and lore evolutions. Initially, the game was strictly physical prints of cards. But with the advent of digital technology, Magic has since expanded into online gaming, graphic novels, accessories, film-animation, public events, and so much more. The brand has hit every surface for consumer interaction with a consistent and fantastical branding that has one of the most loyal fan bases to date. (card art evolution and online play below)
The Consumer/Brand Experience
All brands attempt to establish their presence amongst society — with the goal of creating a following, customer loyalty, and personal experience that is unique to your wants and needs. Magic's brand experience is one of satisfaction and merriment — the rush of buying a sealed pack of cards, not knowing whats inside, only to discover that you've drawn a card of extreme rarity, or the let down of drawing a common card. Either way, it's always a great experience. The packaging itself is professionally manufactured with fine-art imagery and a scent of freshly made cards that elevate the experience further upon splitting the glittery, foiled encasing. This experience is not solely personal however, it is shared and reveled in by its loyalists.
The Ultimate Impact of the Branding
Despite the expert level mastery of strategy card game creation, and conceptual art contributions from an internationally employed group — the greatest experience is what the brand gives each player. And that is complete escapism from modern life into the vast and wild landscape of Magic the Gathering. Sure, most of us are giant nerds who love fantasy and the attractive, warrior women on the cards — but, it's also a safe haven for our imagination and interests. Every Friday we line the aisles of card shops to join drafting tournaments that bring us all together. But more importantly, the branding's consistency has kept us all together, with a clear, yet unknown expectation of whats next from Wizards of the Coast. But in the meantime, we've got feuds to settle on the playing field. So, if you haven't engaged with this mystical strategy based card game — then look no further. Magic the Gathering can be found in most stores and local card shops. So give it a try and break the illusion that only nerds can enjoy it; it's a game for everyone, and everyone evolves with it.