3 PR lessons from ‘Force Friday’

‘Star Wars’ is one of the most recognizable entertainment brands in existence, but Disney recently stumbled in a promotion for the newest movie. Here’s what communicators can learn from it. 

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If a company wants to make money, brand managers must let people know that it exists. Some brands are past this, though; everyone knows them. Possibly the most notable example is the most recognizable entertainment franchise in the universe: “Star Wars.”

The popularity of “Star Wars” is so massive that it falls into a category all to itself. As demonstrated by Movoto, even when compared to the second largest sci-fi franchise, “Star Trek,” “Star Wars” is light years ahead.

“Star Wars” doesn’t have to market itself. There is no possible way the brand to be any more recognizable than they already are. This is especially true with the upcoming release of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” is roughly 60 days away.

Recently, however, a marketing misstep involving a blundered toy release left a sour taste in some fans’ mouths. There are great PR lessons to be learned by looking at the fallout.

Here are three PR insights to glean from “Force Friday”:

1. It’s not a holiday; it’s a toy release.

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