Force Remains Strong with Star Wars Partners
The Force is back and it’s bigger than ever thanks to a number of partners and licensees backing the much anticipated release of Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith.
From breakfast cereal and soft drinks to ring tones and snack food, the latest Star Wars film has it all. The Star Wars film hits theaters nationwide May 19.
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| Hasbro lets fans relive their favorite Star Wars moments with a new line of toys |
Star Wars fans itching to get their hands on the latest merchandise have only a few more days to wait before the frenzy begins. April 2 marks the day
Star Wars-related toys promotions will launch. Starting at 12:01 a.m., 316 Toys ‘R’ Us stores nationwide will open their doors and let fans buy new
Star Wars toys.
The largest celebration will take place at the Toys ‘R’ Us Times Square, where fans can come dressed as their favorite Star Wars character. Hasbro’s Darth Tater and M&Ms Star Wars M-Pire characters, including M-Vader and Mobi-Wan Kenobi will make special appearances during the event. Fans who correctly answer Star Wars trivia will receive prizes.
In stores, Hasbro will unveil its extensive line of action figures, games, playsets and electronic lightsabers. The toy manufacturer is re-releasing its Darth Vader Voice Changer to coincide with the film’s launch. The toy, which will retail for $29.99 comes with a helmet, mask and chest plate and lets kids transform their voices to that of Lord Vader.
This year, Hasbro will renew its “empty box” campaign that it first brought to retailers in 1977 with the first Star Wars movie. Customers who visit Wal-Mart stores early on Saturday and buy one of Hasbro’s empty boxes as part of the retailer’s “early bird special” will receive a mail-in-certificate for reproductions of the first four original Star Wars action figures. Hasbro will make 50,000 boxes available.
In addition, nearly 400 Wal-Mart Supercenters nationwide will run a special promotion tied-in to the film’s launch called “48 Hours of The Force.” The promotion, which starts at 8 a.m. April 2 and continues through April 3, will include photo opportunities with Star Wars characters, free sampling activities, DJs and game demonstrations.
“There is a tremendous amount of excitement for both our product line and the release of the final movie in the Star Wars saga,” Eric Nyman, director of marketing for Hasbro’s Star Wars brand said. “This movie answers the questions people have been waiting for and also gave us the opportunity to create some outstanding product…the best Star Wars line yet.”
The Hasbro line also includes a Trivial Pursuit DVD Star Wars edition game, a trading card game, and a lightsaber battle game. For younger fans, Hasbro is making Jedi master Yoda come to life in with Call Upon Yoda, an interactive storytelling Yoda. The animated figure says more than 500 phrases and tests fans Star War knowledge with trivia questions. The toy will retail for $29.99.
Competitor Target joins the Force with its own version of the “empty box” promotion, offering consumers the chance to buy a Target exclusive Darth Vader action figure—”Lava Reflection Darth Vader.” Hasbro plans to make 50,000 boxes available for the promotion.
The retailer is also running a sweepstakes, offering consumers 13 and older a chance to win one of five Target Red Darth Vader action figures. Consumers can register for the sweepstakes online at Target.com/starwars. The sweepstakes runs through April 16. Winners will be selected in a random drawing on April 20. Internet materials support. Minneapolis, MN-based Target sponsors.
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| M&Ms characters take on a Star Wars theme as part of the Star Wars M-Pire promo |
Already, some products are slipping onto store shelves and endcaps in advance of the April 2 date. Masterfoods USA will unveil a new dark chocolate flavor of the M&M’s brand and feature
Star Wars characters and movie trivia on its packaging. Fans can collect 72 collectible packages in all. The new flavor, available in plain or peanut, marks M&Ms’ first launch of the flavor in its history, said Doug Milne, marketing director for M&Ms.
“People everywhere love M&Ms and the colorful chocolate fun it brings every day,” Milne said. “We are the No. 1 candy in the marketplace. What better way [than] to partner with the No. 1 movie franchise? It’s a great combination. It brings a lot of fun for our retail partners as well as our consumers.”
To further extend the brand, M&M’s will run its own promotion—The Star Wars M-Pire—a parallel Star Wars universe that highlights the dark chocolate flavor. Light and dark color mixes will represent different “sides” of the Force. Light will represent the Jedi and dark will represent the Sith. Star Wars fans can see a trailer MMS.com. The Star Wars M-Pire launches April 1.
M&Ms is also giving consumers a chance to win a collector’s edition set of 16 M&M brand figurines designed as Star Wars characters. Consumers 13 and older can fill out an entry form online at MMS.com. The sweepstakes will award 10 grand-prize winners with a set of M&M character figures dressed in Star Wars garb; 120 first-prize winners will receive a pair of plush M&M character figures as Star Wars characters. Winners will be selected on June 3. Internet materials support.
Masterfoods USA will further extend its Star Wars line to include its Skittles and Kudos brands. Skittles is sponsoring the Play the Hunt for Grievous Online game, which will give away Star Wars-engraved iPods and iSkin. Consumers can enter online at Skittles.com beginning April 2. Consumers can search for a special Kudos granola bar without the distinctive chocolate coating for a chance to win a Star Wars family vacation for four. Special edition Star Wars collector cards will also be available in Kudos packages.
“There’s something there for everyone,” Milne said.
Pepsi-Cola North America is running an online promotion and a new Diet Pepsi commercial around the Star Wars character Yoda. Starting April 18, fans can enter the Call Upon Yoda instant-win sweepstakes.
Consumers must obtain a code from a 12- or 24-pack of Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, caffeine free Diet Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Diet Mountain Dew or Sierra Mist and register at Calluponyoda.com. Once registered, consumers can enter their code online, via phone or by text messaging. If Yoda responds, the character will indicate which prize the consumer wins. If the code is not a winner, Darth Vader, C3PO or R2-D2 will tell consumers to try again.
The sweepstakes offers 10 $100,000 grand prizes. Lesser prizes include Star Wars toys from Hasbro and Lego and free 2-liter of bottles of Pepsi Lime. Internet materials support. In addition, Pepsi is also partnering with 7-Eleven Inc. to offer a Darth Dew Slurpee and four limited-edition 3-D cups at participating stores.
“Revenge of the Sith is already the most talked-about movie of the year, and Yoda is one of the most beloved movie characters of all time, so we’re very excited that he is the cornerstone of our promotion and our new Diet Pepsi commercial,” said Dave Burwick, SVP and chief marketing officer of Pepsi-Cola North America, in a statement. “We hope Star Wars and Pepsi fans alike have as much fun as we’ve had with Yoda in celebrating the last episode of the Star Wars saga.”
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| Yoda and other Star Wars characters are the stars on Kellogg’s cereals |
Kellogg’s will enter the mix with its “Fuel the Force” campaign featuring
Star Wars-themed packaging on breakfast cereal, toaster pastry, waffle, cracker, and fruit snack brands. Consumers will find premiums, including a
Star Wars saberspoon and Jedi card game in specially-marked packages of Kellogg’s cereal.
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| Kellogg’s Darth Vader cookie jar |
The company is also selling
Star Wars-themed cookie jars, movie posters,
Star Wars I DVD and an R2-D2 snack bowl with proofs of purchase and costs to cover the item and shipping.
Cingular Wireless is offering Star Wars mobile content including ringtones, screensavers wallpaper and games. Consumers can find the content on Cingular.com/starwars. In addition, the wireless provider is offering a sweepstakes, which offers a grand prize of a Dodge Viper with a Star Wars Vader-paint theme valued at $100,000. Lesser prizes include an authentic Star Wars prop, S710 phones and Star Wars merchandise.
Consumers can enter the sweepstakes by downloading ringtones, wallpaper, games or graphics on their cell phone, entering their mobile number on the Star Wars wireless portal or sending a text message to enter. The sweepstakes is open to consumers 16 and older and runs through June 4. Internet materials support. Westport, CT-based The Concept Studio handles.
