I think we've all shouted at the telly saying, “Kiss her!” or “Get together already!” at some point. Some TV fans have very different ideas on character relationships.
For example, some Harry Potter fans, instead of cheering for Ginny and Harry, want Hermione and Snape to snog or Harry and Neville to go on a date…nice.
The most famous of these ‘ships’ have their own names, made up of the two characters names e.g. Spangel (Spike + Angel), H/W (House + Wilson) and S/K (Spock + Captain Kirk).
Check out the “Scrubs Guy Love” video above for more ‘Shipping’…awwwwwwww!
What Makes This Trend Stand Out
- Alternative Character Pairings
- The trend of fans shipping unlikely character relationships creates opportunities for storytelling that deviates from traditional romantic pairings.
- Fan-created Terms
- The rise of 'ships' and the creation of unique names for character pairings opens up opportunities for branding and merchandise targeting passionate fan communities.
- Interactive Fan Engagement
- The act of 'shipping' allows fans to actively engage with their favorite TV shows or movies, presenting opportunities for interactive content and fan-driven experiences.
Sectors Adopting This
- Television and Film
- The trend of alternative character pairings presents opportunities for TV and film producers to explore new relationship dynamics and attract dedicated fandoms.
- Marketing and Merchandising
- The creation of fan-generated 'ships' and unique names for character pairings can be leveraged by marketers and merchandisers to tap into niche fan markets and create targeted products.
- Digital Media and Entertainment
- Interactive fan engagement through 'shipping' offers opportunities for digital media platforms and entertainment companies to develop interactive content and experiences that resonate with passionate fan communities.
