Search for content of interest

  • About
  • ServiceS
    • Branding
    • Innovation
    • Naming
    • Strategy
    • Research
    • Design
  • Work
  • Insights
  • News
  • LOCATIONS
    • Shanghai
    • Paris
    • New York
    • Singapore
    • Malaysia

CN FR
  • About
  • ServiceS
    • Branding
    • Innovation
    • Naming
    • Strategy
    • Research
    • Design
  • Work
  • Insights
  • News
  • LOCATIONS
    • Shanghai
    • Paris
    • New York
    • Singapore
    • Malaysia
CONTACT

EN

  • CN
  • FR

Home Insights Our Thinking Detail

EXPERTISE

  • Strategy
  • Branding
  • Innovation
Contact Us

Avatar builds brand equity for the long term

Launched by Twentieth Century Fox in December 2009, Avatar not only became a cinematic sensation but also a merchandising phenomenon with an expansive program featuring 125 licensed products spanning toys, apparel, publishing, and video games. With retail sales now exceeding $153 million, the Avatar brand has proven its enduring brand equity. Even without a confirmed movie sequel, Fox remains committed to the brand’s long-term success, planning to introduce new licensed products, including costumes, board games, and bedding items, strategically timed for the pivotal fall back-to-school, Halloween, and holiday shopping seasons.

Recognizing Avatar as a ‘true game changer,’ Robert Marick, Executive VP of Fox Consumer Products, emphasizes the brand’s enduring strength, stating, ‘We know that Avatar can thrive at retail independent of new movie releases, and we are developing creative ways to engage fans throughout the year.’ This strategic approach underscores the sustained brand equity of Avatar, showcasing a commitment to continuous fan engagement beyond cinematic releases.

Beyond revolutionizing merchandising, Avatar has redefined success on multiple fronts, breaking numerous box office records. Just six weeks post-release, it surpassed Titanic to become the highest-grossing movie of all time, boasting a worldwide gross of $2.729 billion. The success is attributed to factors like increased 3D movie ticket prices and substantial triumphs in previously challenging markets like China and Russia, setting a new standard for sustained cinematic brand equity.

By evolving the Avatar movie into a brand extending beyond the film’s narrative, Fox is investing in Avatar’s long term asset value, or brand equity. This seems to follow in the footsteps of the Star Wars movies, another blockbuster-franchise that turned into creator George Lucas’s cash cow. Both films share important parallels: technical novelty, a heroic narrative and complex imaginary worlds, providing a rich foundation for subsequent merchandise launches. Product and service brands often strive to give their brands a story and an experience to connect with consumers on an emotional level. Star Wars and Avatar have already done this through the movies themselves, but it remains to be seen whether the perceptions that have been built can be sustained long term.

As a distinct advantage, Avatar’s utilization of the 3D format seamlessly extends into the toy and video game industry. Mattel has innovatively introduced a line of toys featuring an iTag, enabling buyers to unlock 3D images on their computers. This technological integration ensures that Avatar’s brand extensions align consistently with the cinematic experience, a pivotal factor in fortifying a robust brand equity. Consumers engaging with Avatar’s 3D-enhanced merchandise can relive the immersive journey into another existence, mirroring the allure of the original film.

Can Avatar transcend its cinematic success to establish itself as a lasting product brand, or is the fascination with the Na’vi people merely a passing trend? Unlike iconic brands with a clear core concept, such as Nike’s association with victory or Volvo’s commitment to safety, Avatar’s complexity poses a challenge. Identifying a singular overarching concept for the Avatar brand is elusive. Similar to the challenges faced by Star Wars, the enduring success of its product line depends on maintaining consistency and relevance in the eyes of consumers and fans in the years ahead.

  • SHARE
  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 
BACK

Sign up for our newsletter to get the latest insights, tips, and trends in branding, naming and innovation.

Related Article




Cosmetic Brands: Acing the Homegrown Beauty Game in Indonesia

Witness the flourishing landscape of Indonesia's cosmetic industry, experiencing a remarkable growth rate of 9%, surpassing the projected annual GDP growth of 5.2% in 201…

Co-Branding: Adidas with Virgin Active

Adidas, the world’s second largest sports brand, is reported to have started for the 1st of July to sponsor and develop co-branding with Virgin Active, the famous health …

Blended Travel for Reconnecting in the Digital Age

As the world emerged from the pandemic, travelers and workers continued to welcome a more hybrid, blended living. In this issue of Labbrand Spotlight from Singapore, we e…

What the #$%&?: Exploring the Use of Symbols in Brand Names

Crafting a memorable brand name is becoming progressively challenging in a landscape where many words, including the most recognizable fruits, are already claimed. Genera…

Two Names, One Logo: Integrating Chinese and Non-Chinese Names in Logo Design

Many brands operating in China—both foreign and domestic—choose to use two names to represent themselves to Chinese customers: one composed of Chinese characters and anot…

MADReport: Product & Service Localization for Web Companies

Dear Reader,It is with great excitement that the MADJOR team brings you the second MADReport of 2017. Published quarterly, MADReports bring forward the best of the team’s…

Auto Shanghai 2015: New-Energy Vehicles’ Naming Strategy

New-energy vehicle (NEV) is no not a new term for Chinese consumers. The Tesla fever has been burning for a few years. The government has also implemented a subsidy polic…

Brand Naming in Asia: IP Lessons from “LV Dak”

World famous luxury brand Louis Vuitton (LV) was awarded 14.5 million won ($12,500 USD, or 83,000 RMB) this April in a lawsuit with a Seoul fried chicken restaurant named…

Ready to take your brand to new heights?

Let's start a conversation.
  • NEWSLETTER
  • CAREERS
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • Labbrand Group
  • Labbrand
  • Madjor
  • SpringPillar

* Will be used in accordance with our Privacy Policy

A Labbrand Group Company © 2005-2025 Labbrand All rights reserved

沪ICP备17001253号-3
  • Follow us:
  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 

Contact us to get the latest insights, tips, and trends in branding, naming, and innovation.

* Will be used in accordance with our Privacy Policy

Cookie Notice

To improve your experience, we use cookies to provide social media features, offer you content that targets your particular interests, and analyse the performance of our advertising campaigns. By clicking on “Accept” you consent to all cookies. You also have the option to click “Reject” to limit the use of certain types of cookies. Please be aware that rejecting cookies may affect your website browsing experience and limit the use of some personalised features.

Accept Reject