Where is the trailer and advertising for the 50th?

Guest contributor William Dixon is wondering if the 50th is getting the attention it deserves.

As of right now, there are just 3 months until the 50th Anniversary Special is broadcast on TV and in cinemas. And while it is uplifting to think that we are getting closer to the biggest celebration in Doctor Who’s history, I must ask: ‘Where is the advertising?

The Problem

Now, Steven Moffat and the Doctor Who crew have all set out to make the biggest, best and most fan pleasing (where are those classic Doctors?) event for the show. But with a lack of advertising, how can this be? I have not seen a single trailer or poster. So, as a result, the 50th anniversary will struggle reach the large audience it expects to receive that November night. The show is trying to bring back the Tennant audience that departed when Doctor 10 did, and wants to bring in non-Whovians by adding in the likes of John Hurt and Joanna Page, but how will these people tune in if they are not excited for it?

Certain movies attempt to advertise their feature by releasing trailers a whole year before release of the flick, why can’t Doctor Who? I am aware the 50th only begun and finished filming earlier this year, but even a poster to show David Tennant and Billie Piper returning wouldn’t have hurt. Plus, wouldn’t it make fans even more excited to see posters for the 50th? It is a big event, so why is it being treated so small? It only leads me to believe that the BBC don’t want any concerning news to leak out of the special, which may lose some of the audience. To play it safe, they are being very tight-lipped.

So has any advertising been done?

There has been some ‘marketing’ for the 50th. A citation of this is showing the picture of David Tennant and Matt Smith together holding scripts. As well as the YouTube videos showing filming of the special, like the Tower of London and Trafalgar square shoot. But those are more behind the scenes advertising.

However, this has not helped. I talk frequently to people about Doctor Who and they usually complain about Tennant’s departure, as well as not watching it anymore. It always sparks me to reply with the fact that he is returning for the 50th. But they were unacquainted of that until I told them. These are people from the ages of from 8 to 80. It all boils down to, if the BBC wishes to make money off this special, a move has to be made.

Something needs to be done; the BBC can’t rely on us Whovians to become walking advertisers for them. Release a poster or better yet, a trailer. I too was deeply disappointed after staying up until well over 1am after the Comic Con panel to not see a trailer for the 50th. Instead I was met with much disgust over 3 pictures of some Daleks. So why not release a shortened version of the trailer for general audiences? A brilliant idea would have been to premiere it during the Doctor Who Live: The Next Doctor event. But alas, the BBC did not, leaving more and more fans disgruntled.

What should the BBC do?

Honestly, just go out and release the trailer. If the BBC hope to have bums in seats (at home and in the cinema) just release a trailer. Not only will it please the fan base, but it will assure that the 50th is in safe hands. Being left in the dark right now is a very oppressing matter, certain fans aren’t sure if the show is being celebrated to the best degree. This trailer could easily be played during BBC airtime, being the fact that the channel is commercial free. So playing the trailer a few times a week would easily get everyone excited. Right? So why is it not being done?

We already know that the special is in post-production right now, since it will take longer due to the fact that every CGI shot has to be done twice for the 3D, and Murray Gold has to score it as well. However, a great deal of footage is complete – as it was shown at Comic-Con, so a trailer wouldn’t be hard to make- it’s already done! Nor a poster; the weekly posters made for Series 7 where excellent (for the most part) so one for the 50th wouldn’t be too hard.

Little is known about the special (unless you’re like me and spends hours online trying to find out scraps of information) and it would be great to have some light shed on it.

To conclude

With the 50th being just around the corner and the days counting down, the BBC is really playing a touch and go game with this huge event. The lack of advertising is really going to strain the popularity and viewing numbers of the show. You can see the BBC want to profit from the special, like putting it in cinemas as well as in 3D. So it would financially improve the show to have a trailer and poster released soon. I believe it would create a grounded fan base and would assure us that the anniversary special will be the best it could be.