Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace

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Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace

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Not yet as visible is the marketing for the assorted products. That's because Lucasfilm has banned all Phantom advertising until just before the film opens May 19, 1999. (Although VH1 and MTV were allowed to premiere the music video for composer John Williams' "Duel of the Fates," off the Sony Classical soundtrack, May 3. VH1 ended up airing the four-minute video over and over for a solid hour.) Pepsi, which plans to release more than 8 billion special Phantom cans throughout the summer, will launch its ad campaign a few days before the film's release. The spots will focus on an alien character — created by Lucas' Industrial Light & Magic but not in the film — named Marfalump. Meanwhile, Lego won't advertise until the fall, in time for the holiday season. As for Hasbro, "we're letting the movie do the talking at the beginning," says Hall.

What's next? Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, and Kentucky Fried Chicken launch fast-food tie-ins May 12, with Frito-Lay's program coming soon after. Hasbro plans to introduce more than 150 additional items by Christmas. Buzz is already building for an interactive Yoda from Hasbro's Tiger division, which will utilize Tiger's Furby technology.

But a word of caution to the die-hard fans who emptied stores on May 3: "If everyone decides these are going to be the most valuable things of the year and not open the boxes — something no one did 20 years ago — then these items are not going to be of much value," says Terry Kovel, coauthor of Kovels' Antiques & Collectibles Price List. "Don't plan to pay for college by buying 200 of some doll." Rats! Now what are we going to do with that crate of Obi-Wan Kenobi interactive banks?

(Additional reporting by Rob Brunner, Clarissa Cruz, Gillian Flynn, and Will Lee)

Originally posted May 14, 1999 Published in issue #485 May 14, 1999 Order article reprints
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