Walmart How To Train Your Dragon: Future of Film-Toy Openings?
In addition to the 40-foot long Viking ship in Times Square, Walmart is going full bore in launching itself as the THE place to buy “everything” related to Dreamwork’s new 3D animated film, “How to Train Your Dragon.”
Walmart is literally building a Viking boat of merchandiscing …
This will be hard to miss.
Wal-Mart will sell more than 100 items — clothing, games, cookies, etc. — based on “Dragon,” all but a handful of which can only be purchased at its stores. The stuff will be easy to find at the 2,500 Wal-Marts nationwide: Look for it near the half-size version of the Times Square Viking ship.
(Dreamworks Animation) showed scenes of “Dragon” to Wal-Mart executives more than a year ago, “and their ambition for it outpaced even our own,” said Anne Globe, the studio’s head of worldwide marketing and consumer products.
“This program is twice as big as any original movie launch for us,” she said.
Not included in DWA’s exclusive arrangement with Wal-Mart is the DVD and video game based on the film, but nearly everything else is, including a special Happy Meal item only available at the McDonald’s restaurants inside Wal-Mart stores.
Globe said she envisions more three-way relationships among DWA, Wal-Mart and McDonald’s.
“Wal-Mart is the No. 1 retailer in the world, and they know how to sell merchandise,” Globe said. “We’re inspired by what we’ve seen.”
Don’t expect it to be the last.
The retailer, in fact, recently expanded the role of executive Chris Nagelson, now charged with “elevating certain entertainment properties,” Wal-Mart spokeswoman Melissa O’Brien said.
She wouldn’t divulge what other movies the retailer might be thinking about, though.
For “Dragon,” Wal-Mart had a hand in the creation of much of the merchandise it will sell and even its packaging, and it was kept in the loop during the production process.
“We embraced the message of family in the movie because we know moms will embrace it,” O’Brien said. “And moms are our customers.”
Say hello to the future of film-toy launch marketing … hello CARS2?
From WSJ via The Hollywood Reporter.
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23 March 2010
18 Comments
We saw this movie over the weekend and it was GREAT! The kids just LOVED IT!! 🙂
I saw that display over the weekend! Twice! It’s pretty cool! The movie was awesome!
Have to admit… the Viking ship merchandise display is pretty cool.
Take a great book, make it cartoonish for littler kids and hawk tons of merchandise.
Wish it had stayed just a great book.
Our walmart has an endcap, sidekick, 8′ inline toys and over 20′ of merchandise at the front section of clothing.
Poor cars has 4′ with 4 pegs the new color changing cars, 9 pegs of lenticulars, 3 of megas, 3 of toons and the only thing new is the color changers.
Do you think it would be a good book to read to 6 year olds? I am looking for a new book for when we are done with James and the Giant Peach.
Wow, they went all out!
I take issue with this quote ““Wal-Mart is the No. 1 retailer in the world, and they know how to sell merchandise,” Globe said. “We’re inspired by what we’ve seen.”
Now, they may know how to sell SOME merch, but they certainly do not know how to sell Cars (at least the ones near me don’t) Additionally, I have yet to be inspired by anything WalMart.
Definitely going to see this movie over Spring Break, it looks cute and fun.
No way will WalMart do this for Cars 2 since I don’t see them getting it as an exclusive.
I’m seeing it this weekend. I agree about the Cars 2 thing, they should be sold at Target and TRU not just Walmart.
Now I know why the packaging for the figures have a Walmart sticker on it. The movie looks awesome! I’m seeing it this weekend. I remembered last year when the toys for last year’s DreamWorks movie Monsters vs. Aliens were only found at TRU. I wonder what special Walmart only Happy Meal item for How to Train Your Dragon will be. Speaking of Happy Meal, Why the heck is Zippleback blue instead of green like the movie? And when was Gronkle purple? They got the others right. Reminds me of the Monsters vs. Aliens ones from last year but the only one that they didn’t get right was Ginormica. Her hair was blonde instead of white like the movie. Although, her hair matches Reese Witherspoon’s hair because she voiced her. Also on the Ginormica toy her face looks a bit like Sam from Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs because of the hair and I thought “Is McDonalds doing toys for Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs?” and the answer was no because the toys for Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs were done by Burger King not McDonalds. But they got the others right. McDonalds did the same thing to the Alvin and the Chipmunks ones which the ones they didn’t get right was the chipettes. Brittany’s hair doesn’t look like the movie one and she was not wearing her tie, Jeanette is wearing purple instead of blue and pink, and Eleanor is wearing a different outfit. At least they got the chipmunks right. McDonalds doesn’t get the characters right sometimes.
Hmn… don’t really go to WM too often… don’t know… usually get my Chase pieces from TRU and everything else @ Target. That looks so awesome though.. a ship in the sales floor 😀
My son loves the dragon eggs.
They are the kind you put in water and watch fizz and bubble then out pops a toy dragon (some assembly required)
He’s getting these in his easter basket.
Those would make a lovely easter gift! For me the perfect easter gift is Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel on DVD because it comes out in time for easter.
This has been a highly anticipated film in my house ever since the first trailer was shown. The toys for the movie look pretty cool too. So far my kids only have the little soft roaring dragons though.
Can you imagine what they will do for Cars II ?!?!?!?!
I am soooo excited!!! What will they do?
WM should’ve done this for Speed Racer; if they did maybe the toys would’ve sold better
Then the Speed Racer stuff could have had the only at Walmart! 😀
I noticed the merchandise too at a WM I frequent. I hadn’t even really heard about this movie, except a small blurb, then all this stuff pops up at Walmart.
Should be interesting to see how this plays out.
Our nearest WM wiped out a “sidekick” that had the Toons singles on one side and replaced it with the merchandise for this movie! 🙁
Just wait and watch the 180 that WM pulls when it’s time to start pushing Cars 2! Or will they not wake up by then and get run over by TRU and Target?
don’t rush yourself going out to buy movie items at full price..
Remember Speedracers movie ; many items are still on the pegs and it’s been more than a year .. even at a quarter of the original price they don’t sell ..