Merchandise
It feels funny to be in front of a computer all day (in a training class) and not be able to access the internet. I don’t know what’s going on—it’s frustrating!
We were exchanging some shoes for my son the other day and what did we see but shoes with Lightning McQueen on them (the red car star of the upcoming movie “Cars”). The movie won’t be released until June and there is already a full-court press on related merchandise.
I was reminded of merchandizing from when I was growing up. There wasn’t much related to movies—it was more from TV series in ‘60s and ‘70s products. At least what I remember. Most of the products I recall were school related: lunchboxes, notebooks, folders, etc. I’d love to hear what others recall. Even Halloween costumes and such didn’t seem to come much from current movies or shows.
A show usually had to at least have had a good first season before you saw any related products, which means there was a substantial lag. The first movie I can remember with significant merchandise associated with it was “Star Wars,” mostly action figures and some toys like light sabers. Tie-ins with cereals (covers of boxes, toys inside, etc.) increased at the same time, but the first time I really saw a blanket tie-in with a movie was with the first “Batman.” That’s when I realized movies were actually franchises and profits went way beyond ticket receipts and residuals.
The rise in video gaming has also been a huge windfall for successful movies, and of course the ubiquity of video stores and lower DVD prices hasn’t hurt either. The lag in time between a movie’s release and products showing up has been reduced dramatically, and most predicted blockbusters now show up with merchandise simultaneously. But “Cars” is the first one I’ve seen promoted so heavily with merchandise several months before the movie has been released. It almost seems like the movie is an afterthought—the weakest link in a coordinated marketing promotion. And if a movie fails to meet expectations at the box office, I’m sure some marketing guys will be looking for new jobs.
Some shows and movies have created complete sub-cultures. If you don’t go to toy stores or kids clothing places, you’d probably never realize what a force Thomas the Tank Engine truly is. And there are others—plenty more to choose from.
I wanted to flesh this out more, but being unable to access a computer for more than 5 minutes is frustrating. Again, I’d love to hear others’ experiences and thoughts on the changes they have seen in merchandizing trends and products. Or let me know about that “Bonanza” lunch box you used to carry to school…
We were exchanging some shoes for my son the other day and what did we see but shoes with Lightning McQueen on them (the red car star of the upcoming movie “Cars”). The movie won’t be released until June and there is already a full-court press on related merchandise.
I was reminded of merchandizing from when I was growing up. There wasn’t much related to movies—it was more from TV series in ‘60s and ‘70s products. At least what I remember. Most of the products I recall were school related: lunchboxes, notebooks, folders, etc. I’d love to hear what others recall. Even Halloween costumes and such didn’t seem to come much from current movies or shows.
A show usually had to at least have had a good first season before you saw any related products, which means there was a substantial lag. The first movie I can remember with significant merchandise associated with it was “Star Wars,” mostly action figures and some toys like light sabers. Tie-ins with cereals (covers of boxes, toys inside, etc.) increased at the same time, but the first time I really saw a blanket tie-in with a movie was with the first “Batman.” That’s when I realized movies were actually franchises and profits went way beyond ticket receipts and residuals.
The rise in video gaming has also been a huge windfall for successful movies, and of course the ubiquity of video stores and lower DVD prices hasn’t hurt either. The lag in time between a movie’s release and products showing up has been reduced dramatically, and most predicted blockbusters now show up with merchandise simultaneously. But “Cars” is the first one I’ve seen promoted so heavily with merchandise several months before the movie has been released. It almost seems like the movie is an afterthought—the weakest link in a coordinated marketing promotion. And if a movie fails to meet expectations at the box office, I’m sure some marketing guys will be looking for new jobs.
Some shows and movies have created complete sub-cultures. If you don’t go to toy stores or kids clothing places, you’d probably never realize what a force Thomas the Tank Engine truly is. And there are others—plenty more to choose from.
I wanted to flesh this out more, but being unable to access a computer for more than 5 minutes is frustrating. Again, I’d love to hear others’ experiences and thoughts on the changes they have seen in merchandizing trends and products. Or let me know about that “Bonanza” lunch box you used to carry to school…
posted by Dwight at
11:56 AM
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