'The force' has well and truly awoken, and on the back of the most eagerly anticipated movie release since the dawn of civilisation, companies are seeing the bright side of attaching their brands to Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens.
And who can blame them? Disney, which bought Lucas Arts for what must now seem a bargain basement price of US$4 billion in 2012, is expected to rake in US$500 million alone from licensing and retail revenue from the latest Star Wars instalment.
Then there's merchandise. Analysts predict Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens' products will net about $5 billion in the first year of the film's release.
But which companies are set to cash in most? Digital marketing firm Amobee created a list of the top brands associated with the Star Wars brand.
Unsurprisingly, Danish toymaker Lego tops the list.
Lego Australia and New Zealand head of marketing Troy Taylor told AdNews that Star Wars was an important strategic alliance for the company, which has been producing Lego Star Wars toys for 15 years. Lego produces the largest range of Star Wars toys and they are among its best sellers.
“It's a great recruitment drive because children and adults alike are into the brand through the Star Wars IP. We are able to bring Star Wars' scenes and vehicles to life through Lego blocks,” Taylor said.
It's not just attachable plastic bricks the Lego Star Wars juggernaut focuses on. There are also video games (and yes, this reporter writes from experience), apparel, an animated TV series and more. Each year on May the 4th Be With You day (4 May), Lego Australia builds gigantic Star Wars models, including the world's largest Millenium Falcon this year.
Star Wars acts as a gateway for new customers into the world of Lego.
“We hope it will have a halo effect and when customers experience the Star Wars range it will lead to users having a deeper affinity with Lego. They may then try the other product lines, such as the Lego Technic theme,” Taylor added.
Other companies that featured in Amobee's top 10 list include Google, Hasbro, Target, ESPN, HP, Mattel, Coca-Cola, Nippon Airways and EA Games.
“Of the top 10 brands most associated with Star Wars, HP has maintained strong consumption, increasing 17% from the 14 December to 15 December when the movie premiered in Los Angeles,” an Amobee spokesperson told AdNews.
The film premiered on 17 December in Australia.
Five ways companies are using the force
1. Google has created an online game called ‘Awake the Force Within’, allowing players to ally with Yoda, Rey, the Light Side, the Rebel Alliance or the Dark Side across all Google apps. For example, Google Maps will illustrate chosen routes using TIE fighters or X-Wings dependant on which side you ally to.
2. Hasbro secured Star Wars merchandise licensing rights for reported $225 million. Forbes predicts Star Wars related toy sales could produce in excess of US$835 million. Merchandise sales for the release of Episode I: The Phantom Menace in 1999 accounted for 36% of Hasbro’s US revenue that year.
3. ESPN, owned by Disney, premiered the final trailer for Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens during half-time of the Philadelphia Eagles win over the New York Giants, with audiences peaking to almost 16 million viewers. On 15 December, ESPN held a special half hour program hosted by Mark Hamill (who plays Luke Skywalker) that traced the history of the lightsaber duel, an activity much likened to the sport of Kendo.
4. HP capitalised on the buzz surrounding the world premiere by running a video contest that asked fans to record themselves recreating a Star Wars music track for the chance to have their video appear on HP’s video wall on the red carpet.
5. Both #Starwars and #Theforceawakens recorded huge jumps in Twitter activity on day of the world premier (15 December), up by 73% and 196% compared to the previous day. Much of the anticipation was driven through fans ability to live-stream the event, which was hosted on a number of sites including The Washington Post, The Hollywood Reporter and StarWars.com.
Have something to say on this? Share your views in the comments section below. Or if you have a news story or tip-off, drop us a line at adnews@yaffa.com.au
Sign up to the AdNews newsletter, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for breaking stories and campaigns throughout the day.