Dungeons and rhetoric and dragons
Seeing your passions turn into products is part of growing up. As children, we can become enraptured in the worlds that creative minds have spun together, and in that sense, fiction becomes our truth: Pikachu really is our best friend, the villagers in Animal Crossing are real, it’s us embarking on an epic quest to defeat Ganon. We let these worlds absorb us and eventually become part of us because in them, we’re someone with power and agency, things children don’t tend to have. But, of course, children grow. We have grown, and continue to do so. Eventually, we take a step to separate fantasy and reality, though people (millennials especially, in my experience) hold onto these stories and worlds dearly—I can’t begin to tell you how many of my friends have Harry Potter or Pokémon tattoos.
Despite this well-nurtured connection with the worlds of our childhoods, we still must split these from our own lives. We must acknowledge that, while hundreds of creative minds did work together to weave a fabulous story for us, there were just as many minds working to sell us (or our parents) those very stories. Knowing this, it’s hard to find that enigmatic line between art and product; the seas of advertisements we see today used to represent so much more to us as children. To dive deeper into this quandary, I’ve taken on the task of dissecting the branding of Dungeons and Dragons—a relatively new passion of mine, but still something with roots dug deep into my imagination both as a child and as an adult. What I’ve found is that how Wizards of the Coast has decided to represent their product still manages to keep its product—one that’s certainly gone through a great deal since its creation—fresh, exciting, and imaginative.
Our first impression, naturally, is D&D’s homepage. Based on the amount of links and times we see read more printed across the page, we find truly the most common use of a home page—it’s there for convenience and organization first and foremost. Most striking is the featured art the company uses for its latest products. The one that takes up the most space, currently, is promotional art for Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes, their next hardcover. I have to say, it’s imposing art: a mysterious, bald man wearing flowing robes and sporting an impressive goatee, reflected in several round mirrors. Uncover the Conflicts of the Multiverse, reads some white text to the left. The nerd I am, I can’t help but be excited to uncover these conflicts. But there’s even more to this homepage—actually, at first glance, it feels like a bit too much.
Despite this well-nurtured connection with the worlds of our childhoods, we still must split these from our own lives. We must acknowledge that, while hundreds of creative minds did work together to weave a fabulous story for us, there were just as many minds working to sell us (or our parents) those very stories. Knowing this, it’s hard to find that enigmatic line between art and product; the seas of advertisements we see today used to represent so much more to us as children. To dive deeper into this quandary, I’ve taken on the task of dissecting the branding of Dungeons and Dragons—a relatively new passion of mine, but still something with roots dug deep into my imagination both as a child and as an adult. What I’ve found is that how Wizards of the Coast has decided to represent their product still manages to keep its product—one that’s certainly gone through a great deal since its creation—fresh, exciting, and imaginative.
Our first impression, naturally, is D&D’s homepage. Based on the amount of links and times we see read more printed across the page, we find truly the most common use of a home page—it’s there for convenience and organization first and foremost. Most striking is the featured art the company uses for its latest products. The one that takes up the most space, currently, is promotional art for Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes, their next hardcover. I have to say, it’s imposing art: a mysterious, bald man wearing flowing robes and sporting an impressive goatee, reflected in several round mirrors. Uncover the Conflicts of the Multiverse, reads some white text to the left. The nerd I am, I can’t help but be excited to uncover these conflicts. But there’s even more to this homepage—actually, at first glance, it feels like a bit too much.
Below the link for Tome of Foes is a bunch of scrolling rectangles, sporting even more high fantasy art and even some simpler work in a cartoon style. All of these lead to different links for different products. Of course, this is to be expected. D&D is a huge franchise that’s only grown in popularity recently. But I feel like these ads take away from the mystery of (who I assume to be) some spooky guy named Mordenkainen. It cuts into the childlike wonder associated with fighting bald, goateed wizards and plundering ancient dungeons. But I understand what they’re doing there; as I mentioned, D&D is a huge franchise. They’ve got boxed sets and dice and supplements and entire books to sell.
Speaking of which, let’s take a look at their available products, the third tab above all of the art and materials I mentioned previously (we’ll get to the second tab, Story, later). Here, we can sift through the hundreds of products Wizards of the Coast have available for us to buy. And while it’s possible to purchase the items from the site itself, the company still encourages customers to buy their products from their local game stores. This encouragement to support small and local businesses paints the artists and salespeople behind D&D in a good light, and assures me that I can still contribute to my community if I’m interested in playing their games.
These games, including video games, card and board games, and the more traditional tabletop role playing games, are all organized separately under the products tab. But other relevant offers are made: we have access to articles, interviews, social media links, and events. The specific tab for events, in fact, offers an event and store locator, which actually featured the game store that I frequent in Muncie. I couldn’t help but geek out again over how useful and supportive this was for local business.
Now, we’ve sifted through the business of D&D, but what about the artistry I went on about for two whole paragraphs? Obviously, I’m passionate about this nerdy game and the company that hires people (hey, hopefully me someday!) to write nerdy things for it. But where does that flavor bleed into the website?
Now, we’ve sifted through the business of D&D, but what about the artistry I went on about for two whole paragraphs? Obviously, I’m passionate about this nerdy game and the company that hires people (hey, hopefully me someday!) to write nerdy things for it. But where does that flavor bleed into the website?
Well, you’ve seen the art. That’s our first impression when logging onto the site, cracking open a rulebook, or buying one of their novels. But the site also offers some glimpses into the storytelling that accompanies D&D. The Story tab gives us access to the company’s current and past stories—also called modules—that customers can play through. The current story, for instance, is titled Tomb of Annihilation. It sends players through a deadly mountain range, a deadlier rainforest, and an even deadlier tomb to cure a mysterious plague that afflicts their home. Did I mention that D&D is nerdy?
But aside from the current story, we also have access to past stories, locations, heroes, villains, and the various inhabitants that populate the world of Dungeons and Dragons. There’s a bit more to the networking and advertising on the website, but the materials available for the fiction and fantasy—the soul of the game—are just as present. I’ve had a unique perspective as I’ve learned about this game/brand. I grew up hearing stories of my dad’s wild adventures on his cousin’s dining room table and writing my own stories about elves and dwarves and magic. Getting into D&D as an adult has also built up my storytelling skills and my appreciation for settings in creative writing, as well as stories that circumvent our expectations.
The site is a lot to take in, much like the game itself. But all of these things are integral to the brand—that is, not just selling the brand, but keeping the traditional characteristics of D&D that have lasted since the game’s creation in the 1970s: collaborative storytelling, imagination, and a chance to gather around a table with your nerdy friends and slay ancient evils.
But aside from the current story, we also have access to past stories, locations, heroes, villains, and the various inhabitants that populate the world of Dungeons and Dragons. There’s a bit more to the networking and advertising on the website, but the materials available for the fiction and fantasy—the soul of the game—are just as present. I’ve had a unique perspective as I’ve learned about this game/brand. I grew up hearing stories of my dad’s wild adventures on his cousin’s dining room table and writing my own stories about elves and dwarves and magic. Getting into D&D as an adult has also built up my storytelling skills and my appreciation for settings in creative writing, as well as stories that circumvent our expectations.
The site is a lot to take in, much like the game itself. But all of these things are integral to the brand—that is, not just selling the brand, but keeping the traditional characteristics of D&D that have lasted since the game’s creation in the 1970s: collaborative storytelling, imagination, and a chance to gather around a table with your nerdy friends and slay ancient evils.
I think I've geeked out enough for today.
Until next time!
Until next time!