Thursday 3 September 2009

Will Disney Change the Merchandising Landscape?


Marvel Merch. Going Adult?

Disney has announced its going to buy Marvel Comics and Studios! You heard it here first everyone ;) Discussion has ranged from the fate of branded rides in competitor theme parks, how Disney is going to bring the properties 'back home' from rival studios, the possibility of pixar's involvement and the hope of better Direct to DVD projects. Here is something close to my heart in particular that hasn't been discussed. Will Disney start making marvel merchendise for adults? For my university degree I have a classic Mickey lever arch file and my final year dissertation notes are in a classic mickey ring bound book.

You may ask 'How is that Adult?' well Disney merch comes in two forms. Kids and Classic. Your average Kid's notebook is bright colours and cutesy poses. Stuff your average college student would drop dead if they were caught using. Disney brought out its Retro range, skewed older. Want a Mickey Laptop skin? How about a Mickey Mouse Mouse? (in school I made a mickey mouse mouse prototype. His ears were the buttons) Stationary? T-Shirt? All more mature in tone. So I ask, could they do the same for Marvel? Marvel is so much better at DC with merchandising anyway. For every DC product I see in town I see 5 marvel products. they are usually colouring books, sticker books, my first photgraphy kit and stuff like that. Marvel haven't stepped into that Adult audience for products outside of comics and toys/statues. It takes a certain kind of fan to by a statue of Spidey or to buy toys of Iron Man but Disney have cornered a market especially open to young women were I could go down to the local supermarket and take home many everyday themed products aimed at people beyond the age of 13. The online Disney store even has whole sections devoted to adult merchandise for men and women. I can only hope they branch out in this area for the Marvel characters, preferably branching out further than spidey and wolverine
Posted by Nikki at 14:21 | 0 comments  
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