Merchandising
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Merchandising is a marketing practice in which the brand or image from one product or service is used to sell another. It is most prominently seen in connection with films, usually those in current release, and with television shows oriented towards children.
Trademarked brand names, logos, or character images are licensed to manufacturers of products such as toys or clothing, who then make items in or emblazoned with the image of the license, hoping they'll sell better than the same item with no such image.
Merchandising, especially in connection with child-oriented films and TV shows, often consists of toys made in the likeness of the show's characters or items which they use. However, sometimes it can be the other way around, with the show written to include the toys, as advertising for the merchandise. The first major example of this was the TV show "He-man and the Masters of the Universe," in the early 1980s, but this practice has been common in children's broadcasting ever since.
Sometimes merchandising from a television show can grow far beyond the original show, even lasting decades after the show has largely disappeared from popularity (Hello Kitty). In other cases, huge amounts of merchandise can be generated from a pitifully small amount of source material (Mashimaro).
A smaller niche in merchandising is the marketing of more adult-oriented products in connection with similarly adult-oriented films and TV shows. This is common especially with the science fiction and horror genres. (Examples: Star Trek, McFarlane Toys) Occasionally shows which were intended more for children find a following among adults, and you can see a bit of a crossover, with products from that show oriented towards both adults and children. (Gundam model kits)
The most common adult-oriented merchandising, however, is that related to professional sports teams (and their players).
Sometimes a brand of non-media products can achieve enough recognition and respect that simply putting its name or images on a completely unrelated item can sell that item. (An example would be Harley-Davidson branded clothing.)
Films, shows and brands with related merchandise
- Hello Kitty
- My Neighbor Totoro
- Star Wars
- Star Trek
- The Simpsons
- Gundam
- Harley Davidson
- Ford
- Chevy
- Dodge
- NASCAR
- NBA teams
- NFL teams
- MLB teams
- NHL teams
- Mashimaro
- SpongeBob SquarePants
- Scooby-Doo
- Shrek
- Harry Potter
- He-man
- Strawberry Shortcake
- Rainbow Brite
- Care Bears
- Transformers
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
- Teen Titans (2004 animated series)
- GI Joe
- Hellraiser
- Power Rangers
- Sentai shows
- Pokémon
- Digimon
- Yu-Gi-Oh!
- Dragonball
- Neon Genesis Evangelion
- Winnie the Pooh
- Disney characters
- Looney Tunes characters
- South Park
- WWE professional wrestling
- Doraemon