Variety Reports:
Hoping to raise awareness of and ignite excitement for Star Wars: The Force Awakens merchandise and the upcoming movie, Disney kicked off a rolling series of live toy unboxings featuring YouTube creators around the world.
The toy unboxing event will span 18 hours. YouTubers in Disney’s Maker Studios network in 15 cities in 12 countries will offer a first look at the range of merchandise from Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
Among the first toys unveiled: large-size action figures of villain Kylo Ren and a First Order Stormtrooper; Poe Dameron’s X-wing fighter from Lego; Hot Wheels’ Escape from Jakku Starship playset; and the BladeBuilders Jedi Master Lightsaber from Hasbro.
The first reveal was in Sydney, Australia, by Bratayley, a family of digital stars affiliated with Maker, who unboxed the Jedi Master Lightsaber on a set overlooking Sydney Harbour. The event rolls through Asia, Europe, Canada, South America and the U.S. overnight into Thursday morning.
On Thursday, ABC’s “Good Morning America” also is slated to broadcast unboxings live from New York. The toy launch will conclude in San Francisco at Lucasfilm, the home of Star Wars, where a broader collection of products will be showcased.
Even for Disney, the massive merchandise launch is unprecedented, leading up to the release of the first Star Wars movie in 10 years, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which hits theaters December 18.
The initial “Force Friday” promo is aimed at collectors and adult fans who have an affinity to the Star Wars brand. The broader kid-centric market will pick up closer to the holiday season at the beginning of November, when marketing for the film will hit hyperspeed. Disney does run the risk of over-saturating the market with Star Wars hype.
