AMAZING!! Disney sells over 10 MILLION Star Wars Light Sabers a year!!

[TooExcitedCantSleep]

‘Star Wars’ Lightsabers Now a Lucrative Business for Disney

http://variety.com/2014/biz/news/st...w-a-lucrative-business-for-disney-1201221818/

Disney knew “Star Wars” would be a merchandising machine for the company when it bought Lucasfilm for $4 billion in 2012.

Little did it know that while action figures and apparel were big sellers, the most popular item for “Star Wars” fans is the lightsaber.

Disney now sells 10 million replicas of the energy weapons from the franchise a year, according to Disney Consumer Products. They come in various forms, from key chains to sound-enhance toys, even high-end collectibles that are displayed in cases.

That number could grow even higher after the launch of new animated series “Star Wars: Rebels” this fall on Disney XD, and next year’s “Star Wars: Episode VII,” in theaters Dec. 18, 2015.

“We will see plenty of lightsabers out there,” at retailers when the series and films are released, said Josh Silverman, executive VP of global licensing for Disney Consumer Products, who is promoting “Star Wars” at the Licensing Expo in Las Vegas this week. “The lightsaber is just so iconic,” added the executive who has one on display in his office. “They’re all over the place.”

Disney Consumer Products is in the midst of growing its “Star Wars” licensing business.

“Star Wars” merchandise generated around $3 billion in 2011, but Disney believes that can become a much larger figure by launching new products and expanding to foreign markets. Lucasfilm had previously focused primarily on North America.

“The Lucas licensing team has done a fantastic time all these years,” Silverman said. “I have nothing but love and respect for them.”

But by integrating the “Star Wars” team inside DCP, “there’s much more we can do,” Silverman says, especially with toys. “International is extremely fertile,” he added.

Much of the growth will come from the release of new TV shows and movies.

Already, Hasbro and Lego plan to produce new playthings around “Star Wars: Rebels” and “Episode VII,” with the first products for the series to appear on store shelves in August and throughout September.

“We haven’t had a new show in many years,” Silverman said. “We’re just scratching the surface of what we can do with ‘Star Wars.’ It’s an exciting time to be or become a ‘Star Wars’ fan."

 

[WDWMania22]

And despite this a 100% safety record with not a single accidental amputation.

 

[TooExcitedCantSleep]

And despite this a 100% safety record with not a single accidental amputation.

Ha ha!!!!! Good one!!

Now- I like Harry Potter but I could not find anything about folks buying up millions of magic wands at home to play with each year!!

 

[Lynnilou]

I believe it! We have a bought/made a few.

 

[diamondpixienc]

I can believe it! ;0) DS even has a collector one on the shelf on his room and DH has a collecter one on display in his man cave too. So, yes I can believe this to be true.

 

[ajwolfe]

I believe it. My boys have been making them the last couple trips. It's a reasonably priced souvie/toy for them.

 

[DummbGiRL]

Now- I like Harry Potter but I could not find anything about folks buying up millions of magic wands at home to play with each year!!

I'm trying to imagine little kids playing with magic wands and no magic happening . A light saber is you just bang them around with another one... definitely seems to make sense of the "why" beyond just lightsabers are awesome
Now that being said, as an adult with no kids - there is an 80% I will buy a magic wand when I'm in Diagon Alley in December and 0% chance of buying a light saber

 

[beer dave]

I hit myself in the head with mine the other day........lol

 

[jtowntoflorida]

That figure doesn't surprise me. I feel like we own about 10 million of them ourselves!


Here's an interesting thing I learned the other day...Motorola has a license with Lucasfilm for use of the word "Droid" that it uses on its smartphones that operate on the Android platform. Lucasfilm has a registered trademark for use of the term "Droid." It's old news, but new to me, and it made me smile.

 

[skydreamer]

And despite this a 100% safety record with not a single accidental amputation.

True. But I did hear that someone did put an eye out.

 

[smcabee]

True. But I did hear that someone did put an eye out.

I think that was a red rider bb gun. But I could be wrong.

 

[seascapemvy]

I'm trying to imagine little kids playing with magic wands and no magic happening . A light saber is you just bang them around with another one... definitely seems to make sense of the "why" beyond just lightsabers are awesome
Now that being said, as an adult with no kids - there is an 80% I will buy a magic wand when I'm in Diagon Alley in December and 0% chance of buying a light saber

I have a zero percent chance of buying either. However the questio is does selling 10 million light sabers a year show that star wars is more popular than HP or not?

 

[disney212]

That figure doesn't surprise me. I feel like we own about 10 million of them ourselves!

Here's an interesting thing I learned the other day...Motorola has a license with Lucasfilm for use of the word "Droid" that it uses on its smartphones that operate on the Android platform. Lucasfilm has a registered trademark for use of the term "Droid." It's old news, but new to me, and it made me smile.

Now that is marketing!

 

[superme80]

I can't wait till my boys want to build their own light sabers!

 

[DummbGiRL]

I have a zero percent chance of buying either. However the questio is does selling 10 million light sabers a year show that star wars is more popular than HP or not?

I vote no. Light sabers are just way more awesome to play with. Plus the line to get a wand is ridicuolous and I've never felt too crowded where you make light sabers (I wouldn't count SWWs). Sort of an oranges to bananas comparison (you peel both)