AMC hopes that when viewers don’t watch its new “Interview with The Vampire” series, they’ll buy it instead.
The media company, which has made a significant investment in ‘Vampire Chronicles’ and ‘Lives of the Mayfair Witches’ properties designed by author Anne Rice, is opening a virtual store with items all related to the novel’s first series company. “Interview With The Vampire” is set to debut on Sunday, October 2, the same day the store, known as “Night Market,” goes live.
Bedding, sleep masks, “eternal flowers” and even a casket are available for purchase, notes Kim Granito, executive vice president of integrated marketing for AMC Networks who oversees the project, designed by the company’s Content Room. company, a brand studio. “You don’t have to be dead to enjoy it,” she says of vampire-related products.
The “night market” will only be open between 7:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. Visitors who attempt to browse its wares during the day will be urged to return after sunset.
The store marks TV’s latest flirtation with e-commerce, which some industry executives see as a new revenue stream to grow as traditional cash flow categories, such as advertising and syndication, become less stable. ABC and NBC have made e-commerce part of the digital operations of the “Today” and “Good Morning America” AM franchises. NBCUniversal, for its part, has in recent years stepped up its efforts to sell goods through efforts through networks like Bravo and Syfy.
“We thought it was lively and fun, and with our investment in the Anne Rice universe, we really wanted to launch something with the first series, the first season that had longevity and room to grow. “says Granito, adding that the initiative “is being built from the ground up.
“Interview With the Vampire,” based on Rice’s 1976 novel, takes audiences through the centuries-old life of vampire Louis de Pointe du Lac as told to a reporter. The book was made into a 1994 film starring Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt and Kirsten Dunst. The television series stars Jacob Anderson, Sam Reid, Bailey Bass and Eric Bogosian.
AMC is teaming up with a group of specialty retailers to fill the virtual shelves of the “Night Market”. The store will include items from Blissy, a silk maker; The Million Roses, Eternal Flame, a candle maker; and Magill Los Angeles, a menswear manufacturer.
Preparations for the launch of the “Night Market” took about a year, says Granito. Executives had to find the right products, retailers and manufacturers who wanted to participate, and also look into production and licensing.
Going forward, Granito says, AMC may try to align advertisers with the store. “In season two, that might be something we want to play with,” she says.
