ROTTEN TOMATOES: Indiana Jones and the Marketing Onslaught

Indiana Jones and the Marketing Onslaught

by Scott Weinberg | June 19, 2007

Get ready for a full-court promotional push once "Indiana Jones 4" gets a bit closer to release date.

According to Variety, a ton of companies are lining up to get a piece of the "Indy" pie. Lucasfilm is rather busy keeping them all in line, but be sure to keep your eye out for "Indy" products from Hallmark, Burger King, Mars, Hasbro, Lego, Random House, etc., etc. Of course there'll be tons of books and video games and Pez dispensers too!

Quote:

"It's been 19 years since the last film, and we are sensing a huge pent-up demand for everything Indy," said Howard Roffman, prexy of Lucas Licensing, which is overseeing the deals. "The people who grew up with Indiana Jones have become today's parents."

...and it's our job to separate them from as much of their money as legally possible.

Source: Variety

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(1-20 of 20 posts) | Reply

pota1967 writes:
on Jun 19 2007 05:40 AM

It would be nice if the the movie going public just said NO to this (greedy) nonsense.

(Reply to this)

Xavier Telouran writes:
on Jun 19 2007 05:49 AM

It would be nice if a movie company didn't spend 50 million dollars to advertise when they sign all these deals and let those licensees do all their advertising for them so we DIDN'T get sick of seeing it by the time the movie came out...

(Reply to this)

Mr. Kong writes:
on Jun 19 2007 05:55 AM

In reply to this comment (#870080)
That WOULD be nice, but it was inevitable.

(Reply to this)

Elixor writes:
on Jun 19 2007 06:32 AM

In reply to this comment (#870081)
I Agree, but it's going to happen. The question I'd pose is why do these marketing geniuses think that the Indy franchise is going to be great for toys, candy, BK cups and so forth? Don't they realize that the fans of the Indiana Jones movies are older and that these things may not have much appeal to the youngsters? Maybe it's the thinking that the parents will be in to them and hence buy this crap for their kids. I don't know.

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rhythmandbluesix writes:
on Jun 19 2007 07:00 AM

Wow, I guess it would be too much to ask, that they invest all those promotional tie-in dollars into the actual movies themselves. Hollywood has been losing money for years because the overall quality of movies has (for the most part) been reduced considerably, by greedy execs and attention-whore directors. I hope Indy 4 can avoid this trend. Unfortunately, the memory of another famous trilogy that was haphazardly resurrected - still looms large in my mind.......

(Reply to this)

arendr writes:
on Jun 19 2007 07:36 AM

In reply to this comment (#870081)
This is true. There is so much over-saturation marketing that if a movie looks bad it drives you insane, and if a movie looks good in the beginning it's underwhelming once you see it.

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Gimy writes:
on Jun 19 2007 08:40 AM

i don't see this being THAT big a hit with the marketing crap. batman, spiderman...the pirates movies, yeah. but indy?? i just don't see kids going out and DEMANDING parents buy them this stuff. he's not a superhero and, uh...he's old. its just not THAT kind of franchise nowadays. it'll be on the clearence section of your local toy store in a matter of weeks after the film is released. too many orders...very little demand. watch

c'mon, its Lucas...you knew this was coming. he'd sell anything and everything for the ol' mighty dolla.

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The_Reckoning writes:
on Jun 19 2007 08:47 AM

[b]some overlooked Indiana Jones tie-ins[/b]
Has Lucasfilm considered tie-ins with Ensure, Depends, and AARP? I know for a fact my grandma would be stoked to pick up a 12-pack of Ensure with Harrison Ford on it. What about bingo cards? An all-expense-paid vacation to Foxwoods or Branson, MO perhaps?

(Reply to this)

quikgtr6 writes:
on Jun 19 2007 10:56 AM

[b]didn't need to be done[/b]
In the same vein as Reckoning but not nearly as witty, Indiana Jones didn't need to be done, and is perhaps one of the stupidest ideas in the history of movies. It just shows that Spielberg continues his legacy of an incredible lack of creative juices in the past several years (let's not forgot the last wham-bam schlock of "War of the Worlds" and all-over-the-place, I AM IMPORTANT "Munich".) Written by Hollywood's brainless blockbuster god David Koepp, this thing will be overblown, too long, and incredibly bad. It's like the infamous gun to walkie talkie switch - these guys have had their day, and this retread stuff only serves to point this out. Here's to our storied Indiana Jones
joining the ranks of the BIG OPENING WEEKEND.

I second the AARP tie in. I'm wondering if they're digitizing Harrison Ford cuz he can go for only two hours at a time. Stay tuned for Shia Leboeuf pushing Ford through the temple in a wheelchair! Go Indy GO!

(Reply to this)

Ashron writes:
on Jun 19 2007 11:04 AM

In reply to this comment (#870087)
I find it amusing everybody harping on Harrison's Ford's age and saying he can't do this. My father is 64 and still runs three or four marathons a year and clocks decent time doing it. With the advanced state of healthcare, 64 isn't the old age it used to be. I think Harrison will be just fine doing this.

(Reply to this)

Ryan_Dillon writes:
on Jun 19 2007 12:39 PM

...hallmark?

(Reply to this)

Monkeyfist writes:
on Jun 19 2007 01:46 PM

In reply to this comment (#870089)
I agree. My dad is a tough cookie too. But Harrison Ford was running like a guy who'd been riding on horseback for like twelve weeks straight, and that was ten years ago. He was seriously bow legged and slumped. I think he's probably worse now.

(Reply to this)

Elixor writes:
on Jun 19 2007 02:01 PM

To be fair, they are saying that Indiana Jones is going to be older in this movie and that they're going to respect this. You probably won't be seeing that slow Harrison Ford jaunt of a run much. They mentioned there would probably be more chase scenes (cars, horse type chases I'm guessing). I've got no problem with having an older Indiana Jones movie or Harrison Ford's age, not a big deal.

I'm just surprised that all of these companies want in on the Indy action. I don't see where the kid appeal will be.

(Reply to this)

bigbrother writes:
on Jun 19 2007 02:35 PM

In reply to this comment (#870092)
True, but while kids are good at whining and screaming and getting things it's their dad's who shell out the money and I for one will be slapping the Pokemon doll out of my kids hand and replacing it with a bullwhip and a fedora as soon as possible. Seriously Pokemon were we ever that stupid as kids?

(Reply to this)

Ashron writes:
on Jun 19 2007 02:44 PM

In reply to this comment (#870093)
Back off on Pokemon. man. Pikachu rules :-)

(Reply to this)

criddic writes:
on Jun 19 2007 06:18 PM

[b]Indiana Jones and the Marketing Onslaught[/b]
They are counting on the fact that most kids have seen Indiana Jones at least once. What they may be miscalculating is that so much has changed in movies since 1989. Kids are used to seeing CGI-mangled actioners like the Star Wars prequels, which prompted CGI versions of the originals. Spielberg and Lucas have decided to join in the dumbing down of family features, as indicated by the ET changes. Thankfully, Spielberg didn't do what Lucas did and released ET in a double-disc set with BOTH versions. Lucas only did so after people complained, and only as an Extra Feature (and from what i heard, only in full-frame).

Family features used to include The Dark Crystal, Labyrinth, Cloak & Dagger, and The Black Cauldron. Dark stories that didn't insult the intelligence of kids or adults. What has happened to Hollywood that they are afraid of making smart movies? Of recent animated films, Monster House fills the bill best. But action films have not been truly suitable for the whole family in a while. They are either too soft and kiddie or too violent. I've veered a bit off message, though. My original complaint was about CGI taking over for realistic action stunts, which is part of what made Indy great.

Kids and teens will see it because it's an "event" movie, like Star Wars or Rocky. If "Live Free and Die Hard" does well, then Harrison Ford being over 60 won't be a major problem. But if the story doesn't work, people will stay away after the first week or two.

(Reply to this)

RexLaboro writes:
on Jun 19 2007 09:16 PM

[b]Product deplacement.[/b]
"...and it's our job to separate them from as much of their money as legally possible."

Wow, that isnt even funny. I mean, we know the uglyness behind the scenes but being that blatant and boastful about is a little tasteless. They're probably going to do a Casino Royale and have Dr. Jones munching on a Whopper and having a Coke while listening to his I'Pod.

Casino Royale, WITH cheese.... And various Motorola products and PDAs'.

(Reply to this)

bigbrother writes:
on Jun 20 2007 02:26 AM

In reply to this comment (#870094)
You're right I probably shouldn't judge since I have only a passing familiarity with it, but there just seems like so much non-sensical crap for kids now adays. I long for the superfriends and He-man's and G.I. Joes. Probably just showing my age.

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Silverevilchao writes:
on Jun 21 2007 12:13 AM

[b]This movie is going to be amusing...[/b]
I wonder if the really old Harrison Ford is going to do his own stunts? Or if they'll use CGI to make him look younger? *laughs*

Sorry, but Raiders of the Lost Ark was the only really decent one in the series....

(Reply to this)

bigbrother writes:
on Jun 21 2007 03:51 AM

In reply to this comment (#870098)
Smoke alot of dope do ya son? Raiders may have been the best, but I think you'd be in the vast minority in thinking Temple and Crusade weren't pretty good films too.

(Reply to this)

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