Via Mg.co.za:
It didn’t surprise me at all to read that the UK’s Royal Mail will issue special Star Wars stamps. In fact I wouldn’t bat an eyelid if, in the publicity around the release of Star Wars 7 on December 17, the Church of England were to issue Christmas cards with shepherds holding light sabres instead of crooks.
Yes, the greatest marketing campaign around movie tie-in toys since the last one (that would be Minions) is upon us. September 4 saw stores the world over open through the night to usher in “Force Friday” where, we were told by the official Star Wars website, we could begin to buy a wide range of products – from toys to books, comics, ebooks and apps, to clothing and lifestyle accessories – all available at mass retailers worldwide. It’s an incredible undertaking across a variety of media platforms which is testament to the enduring appeal of the brand, which was originally launched in 1977.
Behind it all is Disney, which bought Lucasfilm, the company that produced the original Star Wars films, from its chairman and founder George Lucas for $4.05 billion in 2012. The plan is to deliver a new feature film every few years and to develop, in the words of Disney themselves, “Content across a diverse portfolio of businesses including movies, television, consumer products, games and theme parks.”
Vast empire
The Walt Disney Company is the acknowledged pioneer and master of licensing merchandise and as media expert Janet Wasko (among others) has pointed out, the worldwide proliferation of Disney merchandise is perhaps the key feature of its vast empire. Throughout its history it has licensed its characters to manufacturers in exchange for initial fees and sales percentages thereafter. In her book Understanding Disney, Wasko relates that almost as soon as Mickey Mouse made his debut in Steamboat Willie, Mickey’s image began to gain a foothold in US culture. During the 1930s the company began to flood the market with products and the face of the mouse appeared on, everything from soap to ice cream cones to Carter diamond bracelets for $1,250.
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