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Puja Vohra, EVP, marketing and digital at truTV and PromaxBDA executive board member, made it a point to walk to the back of the line to get inside the network’s Impractical Jokers Block Party during Comic-Con.
“I walked for two-and-a-half minutes,” she said.
The network’s takeover of Petco Park marked its largest presence ever at the event. The carnival atmosphere was full of people sitting and relaxing on the grass, food and drinks galore, and activations that captured viewers’ favorite scenes and punishments from the show—from sumo wrestling and riding a mechanical bull, to walking a 20-foot tightrope and navigating a cute corn maze with Benjamin the Cate.
The massive street fair also featured music from DJ Sid Vicious, autograph signings with the Jokers, episode sneak peeks and more.
The marketing team designed the activations with an animated look to match the feel of season five currently on air.
The event was “a way to give back to the fans,” Vohra said. “They care so much.”
The block party kicked off Saturday from 3 p.m. - 8 p.m. as Comic-Con weekend neared a close. During the beginning part of the convention, truTV took over Dick’s Last Resort with memorabilia for the show at the “Hall of Impractical Jokers,” where fans could enjoy themed food and drinks, and experience smaller activations such as “Pin the Tail on the Ferret with Blackout Glasses.”
“We wanted something that could be there for all three days,” Vohra said.
But with plans for the “big blowout,” it came with a risk, and marketing team was afraid the two events might be too much.
“I was curious to see they would cannibalize one another,” Vohra said.
Not to worry. Instead, the event at Dick’s Last Resort—which brought in more than 2,000 people daily—only helped direct people to the block party. Nearly 5,000 people had walked through the gates Saturday afternoon.
“It’s been amazing,” Vohra said.
Given the success of Impractical Jokers, truTV also announced a 26-episode season six of the series Thursday night during a special live streamed Q&A fan event at the Hall of Impractical Jokers.
The series’ July 14 premiere of Impractical Jokers: British Invasion summer special debuted number one series in its timeslot among adults 18-34, adults 18-49, men 18-34, and men 18-49, according to Nielsen Research data, truTV said in a press released. Impractical Jokers has also amassed a combined social footprint of more than 3.6 million followers and generated 163 million total impressions in the first half of 2016.
“The continuing multiplatform success and incredible fan engagement we see around the Impractical Jokers makes this season six order a no-brainer,” said Chris Linn, president of truTV. “Joe, Murr, Q and Sal have consistently raised the bar on the creativity and fun they bring to the show each week, and we’re looking forward to what they can dream up for season six.”
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