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Nowadays the success of a movie is no longer judged purely on its box office takings and positive reviews alone, as memorable characters now play a big part through the form of money-spinning merchandise. As film franchises have made a comeback and captured the hearts of a new generation of viewers, making massive amounts of money in the process, merchandising has again become a lucrative side-line. In some cases, some of the most popular franchises of modern times can even surpass their gate-takings through merchandise sales alone.
The tactic has given the film industry a crucial lifeline in its quest for survival.
The Force is Strong with the Merchandise
One of the best examples of the power of film franchises and their potential to help movie studios earn more money is the Disney-owned Star Wars films. Analysts worked out that merchandise related to the film made over $3 billion in sales in 2015 alone and that the figure could rise to over $5 billion in the following years. As a result of such lucrative opportunities, filmmakers such as Disney are doubling down on their marketing efforts as regards to merchandise based on their films and characters.
Even companies in other sectors are building their products around popular movie franchises and pop culture with everyone from video game makers as well as gambling and slot sites getting in on the act. Disney in particular must be raking it in right now, as in addition to Star Wars the studio is also behind the phenomenon that is the Frozen Movie. And with a sequel already announced, the money spinning goods will continue to be made and touted to eager fans for sure. Film related merchandise now includes everything from plush toys, action figures, clothing, stationary, and everything else in-between.
Film and Pop Culture Merchandise as a Business
Merchandise based on film characters has always been available but the trend has grown exponentially in recent years as box-office takings took a hit. Not only that, there has also been a growing trend in the revival of comic-book based film franchises that have also helped fuel the demand for merchandise based on fans favourite movies and characters.
Another popular film franchise that has made a second return onto the big screen and is now gearing up for its third is Despicable Me. Minions, cute characters that act as servants to main character Gru have captured the imagination of both kids and adults worldwide, resulting in phenomenal demand for anything with a minion printed on it!
Whether it is Transformers, Iron-Man, Star Wars or any other modern movie franchise, the internet has helped spread the availability of content and interest in film. That in turn has resulted in many people putting their money where their mouth is and showing their love for particular series through buying related merchandise. Going to the movie has always been an experience, but now film-makers want to immerse us our favourite flicks even further by us having a piece of our beloved film, so to speak.
This tactic is a clever one particularly when it comes to younger viewers and if film makers had been slow to realise the potential of movie-related merchandise, – they are now pursuing those opportunities more than ever now.