This year we took the AAP to three events across two continents. Each one was different from the last and each one taught us something new.
RETROPALOOZA HOUSTON — March 28-29, Pasadena, TX
The team consisted of ArtztHannah, GusDraws, OldManKetchum and PONCHO, several of whom met in person for the first time. Having actual DMC winners and industry Alumni at the booth to talk about their experience made all the difference.
We refreshed the booth layout with two full portfolio binders of DMC-winning prints, each linked via QR code to the artist's profile on the website. The Mona Lisa photo op cutout pulled people from all over, including a handful of cosplayers.
What made this event worthwhile was the number of people who left wanting to know more about entering the DMC.
LONDON CARD SHOW — April 18-19, The Excel, London
ToTitan was our first UK Ambassador running his first convention which is no small feat!
We debuted the new Collector Series blind boxes and brought a fresh batch of prints, cards and totes. Sales-wise it was our best performer of the year, which is proof that our friends from across the pond have an appetite for what we do. This was also the first convention where every print on display linked directly to an artist's IG via QR code, which meant every sale doubled as an introduction.
SAN DIEGO COMIC CON — July 23-26, San Diego, CA
The team for SDCC was led by J and his brother. This was by far the biggest stage we've ever been on. We missed preview night, but still pulled in a good number of sales and new members. It wasn't our highest-grossing event, but the visibility was unmatched. We also debuted the Deathbound comic collaboration between Cosmo and Caps, featuring Frollip and Grimzwald which is a project born entirely from within the community.
Much like all our entire volunteer team who contribute their time and effort to the project, J flew himself there, booked his own hotel, set up the booth and talked to strangers about the AAP for four days straight. He didn't get paid for this, and none of our Ambassadors or Admins do and it always a fantastic experience for everyone involved.
WHAT WE'VE LEARNED
After more than 5 convention appearances and counting, there's one consistent truth and that is the people who stop at our booth who care about art, not just the cards. Every event has brought conversations with artists who didn't know communities like this existed.
The reality is that conventions cost money (a lot more than they bring in directly through sales). But they're also how we get to find and meet people like our Alumni who go through the career-changing journey from emerging artist to industry professional. Our 'ROI' isn't through sales, it's measured by our Discord six months later when someone posts their first DMC entry and says they met us at a booth.
We're currently pressing pause on conventions until the new year and until then, if you met us at a booth this year thank you for stopping by. These conversations matter more than you probably realise, and if you're new here, welcome to the family.
— Grimzwald