For a team to gain recognition and support from its city, outstanding performance alone is not enough; it must also engage sufficiently with its fans.
The newly crowned Super Bowl champion Raiders, upon returning to Los Angeles, immediately held a grand parade celebration on Tuesday.
The parade began at the newly completed Landay Stadium at the southern end of Los Angeles, passed through the entire city, and even went by Los Angeles City Hall.
Tom Brady held the Vince Lombardi Trophy, while Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa jokingly said that Los Angeles should now have the nickname "The Black City of Angels."
Because countless people were wearing the Raiders' black home jerseys.
Thousands of fans lined the streets along the parade route, cheering for their heroes. Fans wore black and white Raiders gear, while confetti and streamers were thrown from high-rise buildings on both sides of the road.
In front of City Hall, the team was introduced to the crowd amid roaring applause from fans. The Raiders' players were awarded symbolic keys to the city. When the beastly running back Marshawn Lynch, who had scored the game-winning touchdown, received the key, the crowd erupted in a frenzy.
During the parade, Duke did not stand with the team but had his own plans.
The parade ended at Landay Stadium. Upon returning to the stadium, the team attended a celebration organized by Duke and the team's sponsors. As the team entered the stadium, tens of thousands of waiting fans erupted in thunderous cheers, rivaling the Super Bowl itself.
The celebration drew over 70,000 fans and was broadcast live on Warner TV. Another highlight of the event was the sudden appearance of the Avengers, who, in their iconic costumes, joined the Raiders' players in the celebration.
Undoubtedly, Duke was leveraging the Raiders' Vince Lombardi Trophy victory and the ensuing hype to promote The Avengers.
The Super Bowl's influence in North America is indisputable. A team that wins the Super Bowl quickly becomes the nation's focus. A collaboration with the Avengers would also attract even more attention.
As the film's release date approached, Marvel Studios, Warner Bros., and various brand sponsors launched a full-scale promotional campaign for The Avengers.
The latest issue of Entertainment Weekly revealed a still from The Avengers.
From this still, readers could see a "fierce-looking" Captain America, played by Chris Evans, awakened after nearly 70 years of slumber since World War II, standing alongside Hawkeye and Black Widow.
Hawkeye, Jeremy Renner, carried his bow, still sharp-eyed, while Black Widow, Scarlett Johansson, wore a tight black outfit with a cold gaze, her two holstered guns seemingly ready to fire.
The renowned Wyndham Hotel Group also became a collaborator with the Avengers. In cooperation with Warner Bros., they launched a website. Games on the site offered chances to win tickets to the North American premiere red carpet for The Avengers. The site also produced a series of solo desktop wallpapers of the superheroes, which were very impressive.
At the recently held Kids' Choice Awards, The Avengers also showed a family-friendly side, releasing a "Little Avengers" promotional clip. Captain America, Hulk, Iron Man, and Thor appeared as children, confronting the villain Loki together.
This was clearly aimed at attracting younger audiences.
Meanwhile, some of the film's merchandise was released early.
Pete K., whose company had long collaborated with Duke and Warner Bros., had now transformed into a combined manufacturer and retailer of Hollywood merchandise. With authorization from Warner Bros. and Marvel Studios, his company produced a set of The Avengers movie tickets, bookmarks, and classic superhero cards.
This card set included every main character from this massive adventure film. Each character had new photos from the movie. The full set ranged in price from $186 to $57, while individual cards were priced between $15 and $9.
"Once the cards launched, almost all stores sold out."
In Warner's office, Pete K. specially arranged a meeting with Duke. Duke also had investment in Pete K.'s manufacturing company. "Online prices have almost doubled," he reported.
Duke nodded, reminding him, "Pay attention to the pace of merchandise releases. Follow Warner Bros.' schedule."
Pete K. said solemnly, "I understand. I will coordinate with the entire film promotion plan."
Compared to several years ago, his assets had increased tenfold, thanks to cooperation with Duke. Without the director and super-rich tycoon sitting across from him, he would not have become a billionaire or had chances to court Hollywood actresses.
Thinking this, Pete K.'s eyes inevitably fell on the actress beside him—the latest star he was pursuing—the famous Julia Roberts' niece. If his assets hadn't increased tenfold, it would be almost impossible for such a striking girl, whose eyes seemed to sit on her forehead, to pay him any attention.
"Pete…"
Duke glanced at Emma Roberts but did not find it strange, instructing Pete K., "Our factories must find cheaper contractors. You should go to Asia personally."
"I've already booked the flight."
Pete K. valued working with Duke highly; it was an opportunity many could only dream of. "I'll be in India the day after tomorrow."
It was not only Pete K.'s company. Hasbro, also authorized for The Avengers, announced on its website a series of toys developed for the film. Hasbro would design 15 character toys for The Avengers, each closely tied to the movie's plot, and each equipped with signature weapons.
As soon as pre-orders opened, hundreds of thousands of orders came in.
By March, the Avengers' official website had been updated, officially announcing the formation of the ultimate team, "The Avengers."
The site immediately attracted massive attention from film and comic fans. In just three days, traffic exceeded 20 million visits.
Through this official site, Marvel Studios also released dozens of close-up stills of the six main characters for the first time, along with text annotations detailing each character's role and position within the team.
Captain America: the soul of The Avengers!
"Though born frail, after undergoing the Super Soldier transformation, he became a perfect warrior. His adaptability is strong, and for someone out of his own time, his mindset is remarkably sound. Though he still harbors love for his country, he is not someone who clings to the past."
"He may not be able to live as an ordinary person, but he does not dwell on that—his sole expertise is combat, whether as a soldier or a superhero. His command ability and leadership charisma make him the soul and core of the Avengers. No matter the time or place, he is always Captain America."
Thor: the godly powerhouse among the Avengers!
"Once arrogant, he was banished to the mortal realm by Odin. That experience taught the young Thor humility and love, and also gave him understanding of humans. Though he returned to Asgard, his interactions with Earth did not end—especially when his brother Loki sought to conquer the mortal world, how could Thor stand by?"
"As the God of Thunder, Thor possesses immense combat power, particularly with lightning… within this Avengers team, he is usually the strongest fighter. Yet even so, against Loki's armies, powerful support is still necessary…"
Iron Man: the most personally charismatic hero of the Avengers.
"Tony Stark not only inherited his father's arms business but also the connections his father had with Captain America. He develops high-tech weapons and equipment for S.H.I.E.L.D. and assists in research. He also inherited his father's adventurous spirit. For him, being Iron Man is not merely for thrill but a true fulfillment of self-worth."
Hulk: the fist of the Avengers!
"As a scientist, Dr. Bruce Banner is brilliant. But if angered, the originally gentle Banner transforms into a fierce monster. He has been pursued by the military, constantly on the run, while seeking ways to control himself."
"When Loki's army attacks, humanity's last hope lies in this ultimate weapon siding with them…"
Black Widow: the lethal weapon of the Avengers.
"Natasha Romanoff was trained from childhood as a spy and assassin. Skilled in multiple combat styles, proficient with various weapons, and knowledgeable in espionage techniques, she fought alongside Captain America in World War II and is a key figure in assembling the Avengers. She possesses a captivating figure, agile skills, and formidable combat will."
Hawkeye: the observer and marksman of the Avengers.
"Clint Barton, though lacking superpowers, is a perfect archer and close-combat expert. Like Black Widow, he is tasked with assassination during S.H.I.E.L.D.'s critical missions."
In addition to the six highly noticed Avengers, Marvel Studios also released information on S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Nick Fury.
Nick Fury: Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., planner of the Avengers Initiative.
"He was formerly a CIA agent and is now the head of S.H.I.E.L.D. From the organization's inception, he recruited personnel and researched various superpowers. He single-handedly assembled the Avengers and possesses knowledge beyond theirs, including the lost Tesseract once held by Red Skull…"
News on the website sparked a strong response from fans. With proper authorization, print media also began reprinting the content, reigniting The Avengers craze across the United States. Riding this wave, Marvel Studios and Warner Bros. released the first official trailer personally edited by Duke.