Universal to Launch 'Cinderella Man' Clothing Line with Von Dutch

According to Brandweek, Universal's Consumer Products Group has teamed up with lifestyle clothing manufacturer Von Dutch to launch a high-end line of men's wear based on the upcoming 'Cinderella Man'.

The short Brandweek piece describes a clothing line comprised of "leisure wear" celebrating Jim Braddock, the film's "Everyman" hero portrayed by Russel Crowe. Kudos to Universal for attempting to extend the film's revenue potential, but in looking at the Von Dutch website, it seems like they partnered with the wrong company. My guess is that the audience who will come out to see 'Cinderella Man' will be closer to the one that would see 'The Interpreter' -- namely, boomers. Perhaps they should have partnered with Eddie Bauer instead...


[Via Brandweek]

Fox Execs Make Store Checks to Hone DVD Marketing Efforts

The Los Angeles Times has a great article about how Marketing execs at Fox make frequent store checks to better gauge their merchandising and marketing efforts. The article sheds an interesting light on marketing DVDs in a big box environment:

"Men usually buy two or three, while women walk away with one," observes Mike Dunn, president of the division. "Eye level is not always the optimal position — low is good for kids," adds Simon Swart, who heads up sales.

"The worse the weather, the better for business — unless, of course, it's a blizzard," Senior Vice President Steve Feldstein says.

Here's another bit of wisdom:

In the store, packaging and labeling missteps became obvious. Type positioned too far down could be obstructed by store shelving, Fox executives found. "Long boxes," developed to discourage shoplifting, solved that problem. But after the monotone black was found to be a consumer turnoff, they now get a four-color treatment.

For all of the DVD Marketers out there that can't afford endcap promos, custom displays or even face-out fees, remember to pay attention to your spine -- that's how most smaller retailers get displayed, and its easily overlooked.

Chicago Tribune | Coming soon to a store near you: Fox executives

Sony Will Release Four Movies for the PlayStation Portable

According to CIO Today, Sony has announced that they will release four movies in the UMD format. The titles will street on April 19th following the PlayStation Portable's release in late March.

According to the article, Sony will use UMD-formatted movies to expand the adoption of the PlayStation Portable beyond young males. However, the initial slate doesn't look like it will deviate from their device's core user base:

The movies the company has chosen, however, may not do much to expand that demographic out of the gate. The four titles -- "XXX," "Hellboy," "Resident Evil: Apocalypse" and "Once Upon a Time in Mexico" -- have a fairly limited appeal. They do add to the device's reputation as a viable video viewer, though.

Sony already has announced that it intends to include a copy of "Spider-Man 2" in the first one million PSP units to be sold in the U.S. There is no word on whether or not the movie will be available for separate purchase.

CIO Today - Worldwide Technology - Sony To Release PSP-Compatible Movies

MGM's Latest Release - a Makeup Product Line

Okay -- at face value, this seems pretty strange, but MGM has launched a makeup line. Here's how they describe it:

MGM Premiere is the first and only makeup line created by a major studio. "The MGM name equals the Hollywood experience in the minds of millions of families," said Trish Halamandaris, Vice President of Worldwide Marketing for MGM Consumer Products and Interactive. "We decided to bring that feeling of glamour established by the great MGM starlets home to consumers with the creation of MGM Premiere, and are confident that our products are indeed indicative of the timeless quality and style the MGM brand represents."

So what does this have to do with movie marketing? While I don't necessarily like the make-up angle, I am happy to see a studio doing something to distinguish its brand from the other studios. Back in the "golden age" of movie-going, you knew what kind of experience to expect based on the studio behind the film. Today, most people don't know who makes the films with a few rare exceptions (like Disney).

We saw a big move this summer towards a renewed studio branding emphasis with Universal ("home of the original monsters"), but that taught us the first rule -- don't mix your brand's marketing message with that of an untested product (like 'Van Helsing'). What will the lesson be from MGM's brand extension? If Warner's closure of their studio stores is any indication, it should be "forget about consumer goods."

MCN Press Release: MGM Makeup Kit