Poll: Obnoxious marketing - How bad is Star Wars doing it?

[Barbas]

You will no doubt remember the great deal of marketing and hype in the approach to (and during, and after) the release of Frozen, followed by the same for Minions - some of those fat little Twinkies can still be spotted staring madly from the racks of greeting card shops and the toy aisles of supermarkets - but it now appears to have been supplanted by the treatment that The Force Awakens is getting. The question I'm interested in is, how bad is it this time around? Do you find that this stuff is actually pernicious and obnoxious enough to make your day worse, or is it pretty tame compared to past campaigns?

And while we're at it, how much has this stuff been choking Twitter and other sites? Have you ever had to mute people because they won't stop droning on non-stop about the latest film or TV show, sometimes dropping plot details in the process? How many ads for The Force Awakens have you seen in your browser or on this website alone?

EDIT: I'm feeling that the poll might be missing an option that is not immediately apparent; I am not currently firing all barrels. Suggestions welcome.

 

[Sniper Team 4]

I'm a fan of Star Wars, so it really doesn't bother me at all. However, I have found that it's not all that hard to avoid if I want to. I see an occasional commercial for it, but that's it. When it was first announced, and the first two trailers dropped, then yeah, that thing was EVERYWHERE for a few days. But it seems to have died down now that we're so close.

Now, once the movie drops this Friday, the prepare for overload again. I'm going to have to stay off the internet for a few days to avoid spoilers.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

Hasn't bothered me at all. I'm quite excited to get it over though. I'm seeing the film next Wednesday

 

[Scarim Coral]

I don't think it has been anywhere near bad compared to the Phamton Menance or maybe my shop is getting late foods.

I mean I remember those pog/ cards thing you get from Walkers crips (the one where you can get Jar Jar tongue figure) and some other merchandise.

Also I guess we have to thanks to the new rules and guidelines that we no longer get cool toys from cereal or Mcdonalds otherwise they would had promoted them by now (UK here since I know kid meals are different in each country) but in saying so I haveb't check the cereals boxes lately.

Spoiler: Anyone remember these from KFC?

The promotional thing I have seen (excluding toys) this this milkshake cup (got a character on the lid) at the local cinema which I will probably get now I realise that is the promo I've seen.
http://www1.cineworld.co.uk/blog/star-wars-cup-and-topper-offer/

 

[BloatedGuppy]

Doesn't bother me. It's certainly widespread...Disney and Lucasfilm are like a merchandising power couple...but not in any way I find invasive or troublesome.

I'm old enough that I remember when the OT was relatively new, and it was merchandising mania back then too. The girlfriend and I have been re-watching said trilogy recently, and I've been making a game of pointing out all the background critters and set-pieces that had toys made. "They made a toy out of THAT?!" is a regular refrain. It's all very Star Wars. It's a merchandising juggernaut.

 

[Artina89]

I am a fan of Star Wars but I must confess to being slightly fed up with how much merchandise I am seeing on sale and how many advertisements I am seeing. I can't help but feel that when I do end up seeing The Force Awakens that I am going to be slightly disappointed with it. It seems to be getting a little too over hyped for my liking.

 

[Albino Boo]

It hasn't bothered me in the slightest. That said it probably a function of me being 42 and not giving shit about advertising. I enjoyed the first 3 films and watched them all in the cinema when they first released. I didn't bother with the second 3 and waited till they were on pay for view TV. If the reception is good is for the new one, I will buy it when comes out but if it isn't I will wait till it comes out on TV.

 

[Fox12]

Frozen was much worse. It still is, actually. They replaced their Norwegian Viking ride at Epcot with Frozen. They play frozen on the fucking radio. When I go to a random store in my area they ask me if I want to add an Olaf doll to my purchase, I shit you not. I don't even have kids. Frozen is fucking everywhere.

Star Wars hasn't been nearly that bad. Seeing chewy on a serial box doesn't bother me.

 

[BloatedGuppy]

Frozen was much worse. It still is, actually. They replaced their Norwegian Viking ride at Epcot with Frozen. They play frozen on the fucking radio. When I go to a random store in my area they ask me if I want to add an Olaf doll to my purchase, I shit you not. I don't even have kids. Frozen is fucking everywhere.

It's standard practice now to include at least one Olaf doll with all purchases.

Forget bottlecaps, come the apocalypse Olaf Dolls will be the new currency.

 

[FPLOON]

Frozen was much worse. It still is, actually. They replaced their Norwegian Viking ride at Epcot with Frozen. They play frozen on the fucking radio. When I go to a random store in my area they ask me if I want to add an Olaf doll to my purchase, I shit you not. I don't even have kids. Frozen is fucking everywhere.

Aren't they also replacing the Aladdin musical showing at California Adventures with a Frozen musical showing? If so, then does that make Olaf the new Genie in terms of potential "pop culture"-referencing? (Then again, I love the Frozen Fever short a lot more than the movie, but not as much as the Frozen Hearts song...)

OT: When it comes to The Force Awakens, I've mostly been watching the TV spots, bypassing the Subway ads that sponsor the movie, bypassing the ad for the new Hot Wheels set based around Star Wars, and then bypassing all of the Minions-related ads...

Other than that, I still hate running into late-night ads revolving around picking up "local, sexy singles in your area" because those ads tend to be louder than my laughter for certain late show episodes...

 

[an annoyed writer]

It's standard practice now to include at least one Olaf doll with all purchases.

Forget bottlecaps, come the apocalypse Olaf Dolls will be the new currency.

This... This is brilliant. That response is so brilliant that I put up with my ipod's horrible touchscreen to post this. You have won the internet today as far as I'm concerned ;3

 

[Soviet Heavy]

I'm actually quite enjoying it. Reminds me of the absolutely crazy Star Wars period between 2001 and 2005 to hype up the prequels. Everything's online nowadays, so seeing a deluge of shameless Star Wars advertising is actually a little nostalgic for me.

 

[Imperioratorex Caprae]

I've been able to ignore most forms of marketing having worked both retail and in the film industry (well at a movie theater...). After a while you either go insane from hearing constant marketing bombardment or you learn to turn off the part of your brain that pays attention to those things. In one respect I'm immune to the "I need this nao!" aspect, so I'm thankful for it. I don't honestly see the downside of that.

 

[totheendofsin]

Nah it's not as obnoxious, and you know why? Star Wars doesn't violently assault your eyeballs with yellow, it uses a much more diverse color palette

 

[Kyrian007]

It's kind of worrying, it's level of prominence. I work in broadcast journalism, and I have actually seen abc's (also owned by Disney) pushing of all things Star Wars, and if all other related assets are pushing as hard... well it's at least overkill. They freaking TENTED the street by Jimmy Kimmel's show studio and I'm guessing there's a gag order about complaints vs. praising and or promoting all things Star Wars (Kimmel's show on ABC, also owned by the mouse.)

And if anything doesn't need to overassault with advertising... it's Star Wars which would make as much money if they spent 1 million on promotion as it would if they spent 100 million. The level of panic I'm seeing in the promotional push levels say to me "FOR GODS SAKE, watch this movie on day one PLEASE before word of mouth leaves our a$$hole in ruins!" And if anyone at Disney is worried about word of mouth after J.J.'s freakin magic box opens and collapses the waveform... it could be a sign of a lack of confidence is my point.

And a major studio looking at a movie projected to be the biggest release of the year and they are lacking confidence... not a good sign. I'm getting worried. Phantom Menace level worried.

 

[balladbird]

I admit I'm getting pretty tired of it, personally. Between every ad I happen to encounter on TV milking star wars for all it's worth, some of my youtube regulars doing star wars specials for weeks on end, and my fanboy friends bringing it up regularly, I'm about at my limit regarding care to give about the franchise.

It doesn't help that I've never been big on Star Wars, I guess. As a child I found the original trilogy mostly boring, light saber fights aside, and when my class went to see episode 1 in theaters the only thing I took out of it was a pretty interesting pod race and a fondness for Liam Neeson's accent that would last the rest of my life.

 

[Lightknight]

It is all over the place. But it's also something I look forward to seeing so I'm not bothered by the ads.

I just think they're wasting money. Everyone whose anyone knows it is coming out. How in the world is spending a few million more in add money going to generate millions more in revenue when the buzz is palpable everywhere you go?

 

[aba1]

I have always been a fan of star wars since I was a kid so I don't mind but I feel like if you had no interest in the movie the advertising would be super obnoxious.