Came across this wonderful letter in my inbox this morning: Captain America has sold out to Corporate America!
[quote]Dear Customer,
Celebrate Captain America at Baskin Robbins!
With the highly anticipated release of Captain America: The First Avenger out this summer, Baskin Robbins will be celebrating and joining forces with newly delicious Captain America themed shakes, sundaes, ice cream and cake!!!.
Ice cream lovers and moviegoers of all ages can join in on the hype of celebrating one of the greatest superheroes while staying cool by visiting any of our Baskin Robbins locations.
So what are you waiting for!! Be a hero, have fun and make your summer extra sweet by rewarding your taste buds to some irresistible Captain America goodies today!!!
Thank You for your continued support. We look forward to serving you with delicious treats for many years to come!!!
Best Regards,
Baskin Robbins Canada[/quote]
A Dunkin Donuts ad made the rounds last week and now we have Captain America ice cream treats. Is this Marvel hedging their bets on the movie? Is this a sellout or smart marketing? Give us your thoughts in the comments below!
I think commerce is good and considering that comics are a commercial medium, I find your question little odd. Are you suggesting that there is some unwritten code of ethics that a commercial property should adhere to?
It’s fun to play devils advocate… but let me answer my own question in this case. YES, indeed there is. In the same way that the Eaton’s Centre was not allowed to tie a bow around Michael Snow’s geese during the Christmas season… there is an argument that can be made for over commercialization. The problem is, this is often a judgment call which begs the question… who should be the keeper of good taste?
Any promotion is good promotion. You can buy almost any product with Spider-Man or Superman’s image and logo on them. Why not Captain America?
Lots Kids (and members of the general public) don’t read comic books, but they do know who the characters are. This just helps with brand recognition.
I don’t have an issue of Marvel letting Baskin Robbins have a Captain America ice cream cake, the licensing fees help fund the comics side of their business.