As a proven expert on marketing films that feature cute, highly merchandisable critters, I’m disappointed that no one from Disney asked me to do the same for Star Wars: The Force Awakens and its adorable droids.
Because for all the marketing surrounding the movie, I can still identify NUMEROUS opportunities for branding and promotion that have gone overlooked, probably to the detriment of box office revenues.
Now, I’ll give Disney’s marketing team credit for arranging a sparse handful of partnerships with Fiat Chrysler, General Mills, Campbell’s Soup, Kraft, Walmart, HP, Toys R Us, Duracell, Sphero, Lego, Unicef, Air Hogs, Monopoly, Coffee-Mate, Duck Tape, Cornhole sets, Covergirl, Subway, Verizon, Google, Target, EA Games, the NBA, Playstation 4, Ample Hills ice cream, ESPN, gummy vitamins, Kay Jewelers, a $28,500 Devon watch, Nerf, Furby, Pottery Barn Kids, American Tourister luggage, Waze navigation, and a number of books.