The second movie in the popular Twilight series, New Moon, (based on the popular novel of the same name by author Stephanie Meyer) is due out in U.S. theaters on Friday, November 20th.
Fan sites like New Moon the Movie are gearing up. Spin-off products have already hit the market, including this Burger King fan pack. Apparently, even automaker Volvo has jumped on the New Moon bandwagon.
Young fans are chomping at the bit to see New Moon. Surprisingly, so are their mothers! According to Sara Cardace’s popular Horror Hacker column at AMCTV.com, this is one movie that bridges the generational gap and appeals to both mothers and daughters.
The Twilight series is actually a marketer’s dream. It’s wildly popular across multiple demographics. It’s a series, meaning ongoing marketing opportunities. It’s relatively clean — giving it a thumbs up from many parents.
Let’s take a look at the elements of New Moon (and the Twilight series) that give them their appeal. Consider the following:
- Idealism – Over and over again, the vampire Edward Cullen is depicted as an ideal. Polite, good looking, protective… Edward even has the ability to read minds.
- Bella is everywoman — In contrast, in the series Bella is described as someone who doesn’t quite fit in. What teenaged girl hasn’t felt exactly like Bella at one time or another?
- Romance – At its core, the Twilight series is a romance between a “good” vampire and a human girl. In many ways, this is the ultimate chick flick.
- Fantasy — For the diehard fantasy fan there are vampires, werewolves, and other supernatural elements.
- Attractive stars — Casting attractive stars to play the lead characters in the series hasn’t hurt the popularity of the series.
Looking over the list above, it’s easy to see where some of the attraction of the series lies.
This is not a movie review. I’m not going to say whether I personally like the New Moon movie or the Twilight series.
Rather, my point is that when a series becomes as popular as this one has become marketers should sit up and take notice.
Ask yourself these questions:
- What is this brand doing right?
- How do my clients relate to these elements?
- Is this a success that can be duplicated, and if so, how?
Has the New Moon phenomenom impacted your client demographic? Are you launching any New Moon inspired products?
Discuss the success of the Twilight series and New Moon in the comments.
Hi Dean!
It looks like we will have to wait until next Summer to find out. Eclipse is scheduled to come out in June of 2010.
they should arrange for Dakota Fanning to have a bigger role in the next Twilight installment, maybe have her hook up with Jacob – that would be one heckuva twist
Thanks for the comment movies.
I think that you are right – in many other movies about vampires and werewolves the fantasy characters don’t really have a human personality. In this one the fantasy characters have many humanizing traits, so much so that the human in the movie can become emotionally involved.
There are so many films about love between vampires and werewolfs but this is the one in which humans are involved.