Marketers Sink Teeth Into 'New Moon'
Bella and Edward Barbie Dolls -
The prospect of a new Twilight movie doubtless has built-in anticipation for teenage girls. But a surprising number of marketers are banking on the belief that the Nov. 20 release of Twilight: New Moon will make audiences hungry for all sorts of objects of desire — and they're tying as many of their products as possible to the popular book and movie series.
It makes sense for the Goth teen clothing chain Hot Topic to plan a Twilight movie tie-in. But Vitamin Water?
Vampires don't even drink Vitamin Water. Cheeseburgers aren't usually on their menu, either, but that hasn't stopped Burger King from creating a New Moon meal deal.
Mattel's Ken and Barbie dolls are essentially getting Twilight makeovers; two new editions look just like Edward and Bella, the romantic leads in Stephenie Meyer's saga.
Brand consultant Cindy Gallop thinks the promotional campaigns have been pretty well done.
"Essentially, the marketing machine is tapping every possible mode of influence and every possible key point, to pull in the widest possible audience it can," she says.
Gallop, former chairman of the international creative agency BBH, says the New Moon vampires can appeal to even the most safety-conscious parents. That explains why adults and kids are being encouraged to drive the same late-model Volvo that Edward drives in the movie.
"Their whole partnership with Volvo ... has been very effectively leveraged, and has brought Volvo to the attention of a much younger market than would generally be interested in it," Gallop says. If you're the lucky fan who solves the puzzle on WhatDrivesEdward.com, you'll take home a Volvo just like the moody vampire hero's.
Malls across America, meanwhile, are hoping to repeat the success of last fall's Hot Topic Twilight Tour, which took the first film's cast members to retail palaces around the country for fan meet-and-greets. This time, Nordstrom joins the fray. But there's a catch: You have to spend money in one of the stores to earn the coveted wristband that grants access to the tour.
Max Schreck Among The Mall-Rats?
The appeal of the Twilight vampires is a proven commodity, but Joseph Laycock, the author of the book Vampires Today, doesn't believe that an insatiable appetite would exist for Edward's literary great-great grandfather in the nation's shopping malls.
"Dracula, of course, has no sex appeal," Laycock says. "He is hideous, and he is often described as being sort of a leech, and has hairy palms and bad breath."
(Think of Nosferatu, played in the 1922 classic by Max Schreck.)
By contrast — in the words of Twilight author and creator Meyer — Edward Cullen's character has "a voice that drips like honey from his lips, his eyes the color of golden butterscotch and his skin sparkles in the sunlight."
In short: He's irresistible for teenage girls. And that makes him irresistible to marketers, too.
"If you build a seriously engaged, seriously involved, seriously loyal hardcore community around your brand, they will do your selling for you," says Cindy Gallop. "And I think that's what the first Twilight movie did very effectively: It absolutely took its loyalist fan base ... and it used them to get to everyone else. And that's what they continue to do with New Moon."
Laycock notes that such broad-gauge marketing comes with some real risks.
"You can make the vampire more and more appealing, and more and more friendly, but eventually, if there's nothing monstrous at all about it, then you've sort of killed it," he says. "By the time you have a vampire Ken doll, you're pretty close."
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MELISSA BLOCK, host:
Swooning over sexy vampires is reaching epidemic proportions.
(Soundbite of movie, The Twilight Saga: New Moon)
Ms. KRISTEN STEWART (Actor): (As Bella Swan) I have to go. Hes going to make a scene. The Volturi will kill him if he reveals himself in the sunlight. No, Edward, dont. Im scared.
BLOCK: Thats the trailer for the second movie in The Twilight Saga called New Moon. It opens on Friday and already its breaking records with advanced ticket sales.
As Jesse Baker reports, there are plenty of marketers hoping that Twilight vampires will sell more than popcorn.
JESSE BAKER: Why wouldnt the Goth teen clothing chain Hot Topic have a Twilight movie tie-in. But Vitamin Water?
(Soundbite of commercial)
Mr. ROBERT PATTINSON (Actor): (As Edward Cullen) This is the last time youll ever see me.
Unidentified Man #1: Some thirst can never be quenched.
Mr. PATTINSON: (As Edward Cullen) I know what he did to you.
Unidentified Man #1: Luckily, yours can. Vitamin Water helps to fulfill your
BAKER: Vampires dont even drink Vitamin Water, and they certainly dont eat cheeseburgers. But Burger King has a New Moon meal deal. You can even buy the films hero, Edward Cullen, in the form of a Ken-like vampire doll, thanks to Mattel.
Ms. CINDY GALLOP (Brand Consultant, Former BBH Chairman): Essentially, the marketing machine is tapping every possible mode of influence and every possible key point to put in the widest possible audience it can, and I think theyre doing a fantastic job of it.
BAKER: Thats Cindy Gallop, brand consultant and former chairman of the international creative agency BBH. She says the New Moon vampires can appeal to even the most safety-conscious parents.
(Soundbite of commercial)
Unidentified Man #2: Meet the other stars of the Twilight Saga, the C30 and the XC60 from Volvo.
Ms. GALLOP: The whole partnership with Volvo as per the site whatdrivesedward.com, that has been very effectively leveraged and has brought Volvo to the attention of a much younger market than would otherwise be interested in it.
BAKER: If youre the lucky fan to solve the puzzles on the Web site, youll take home a Volvo just like Edwards. And malls across America are hoping to repeat the success of last falls Hot Topic Twilight tour. This time Nordstrom is joining up, offering fans the chance to meet cast members from the film. The catch, you have to spend money in the stores. Joseph Laycock, the author of Vampires Today, says its tough to envision hoards of teenagers lining malls awaiting a glimpse of Edward Cullens literary great grandfather.
Mr. JOSEPH LAYCOCK (Author, Vampires Today): Dracula, of course, has no sex appeal. He is hideous. And hes often described as being sort of like a leech, you know, his hairy palms and bad breath.
BAKER: Edward Cullen, in the words of author Stephenie Meyer, has a voice that drips like honey from his lips. His eyes the color of golden butterscotch and his skin literary sparkles in the sunlight. In short, hes irresistible for teenaged girls.
Ms. GALLOP: If you build a seriously engaged, seriously involved, seriously loyal, hardcore community around your brand, they will do your sunning(ph) for you. And I think thats what - the first Twilight movie did very effectively. It absolutely took its loyalist fan base derived from the books and it used them to get to everybody else - and thats what they continue to do with New Moon.
BAKER: Yet such broad, gauged marketing, says Joseph Laycock, comes with some real risks.
Mr. LAYCOCK: You can make the vampire more and more appealing and more and more friendly, but eventually if theres nothing monstrous at all about it, then youve sort of killed it. By the time you have a vampire Ken doll, youre pretty close.
BAKER: If Twilights vampires can survive sunlight and the loss of true love, surely they can survive the transformation into a Barbie doll.
For NPR News, Im Jessie Baker. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright National Public Radio.
