Magic, Marketing, and Memes: Oh, My!

That Magical Reader Loyalty (NOTE: no spoilers here!) The Harry Potter series of books is a great example of reader/consumer loyalty. After all, they have stuck with Harry through 7 books, 199 chapters, and over 4100 pages. Many waited line in the US this past weekend, some dressed in costume, all excited to be one of the first to get hold of the last book in the series. Parties were held all over the country (thanks for pointing out this Harry Potter event, Chris!). On the beach here in San Diego today, I lost count of how many people were sitting in chairs poring through the book. Each fan has their own way of dealing with the end of the series. Some, such as Doug Meacham of NextUp, stepped around the aftermath of the Harry Potter Midnight Party at their local bookstore to buy a copy and start the read (although Doug had a hard time finding it in some places!). Ann...