It may be taking place in a galaxy far far away, but the effect of Star Wars can be seen just about everywhere.
Disney’s massive marketing strategy has Star Wars plastered on just about everything. Retailers around the valley are feeling the positive impact of the new “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” movie set to premiere on Friday.
Cups, socks, shirts, slippers, pillows, coloring books, purses, and key chains, everything is Star Wars, and if the name isn’t printed all over the item, it’s being used to promote sales like TV’s, cars, and even fruit.
And if all this is making you turn to the dark side, it’s not going to stop because the stuff is flying off the shelves.
At JC Penny in the Boise Towne Square Mall, the merchandise is everywhere since they received their first shipment back in the summer.
"The initial reaction was wow I hope this does as well as we are expecting it to do," Teresa Taylor, the stores general manager said.
Turns out it’s done better.
"A lot of items have sold very well and in fact we've sold out of some of them," Taylor said.
She explained that one big reason for that is because the movie is so cross-generational. That’s why on every floor and in every section of the store, Star Wars is front and center.
"We have apparel and toys and accessories," Taylor said. "The children's department, we have it in young mens."
Across the mall at Fuego, they see all ages coming in to their store.
"Older gentlemen like in their 40's or 50's that come in and they're so amazed like oh wow light saber barbeque tongs," Paige Moren, the store’s manager said.
She says she hasn’t seen movie merchandise this popular in their store since the Twilight series.
"[At first] we got much merchandise we were scared and now I’m scared we're not going to have enough."
So expect to keep seeing those R2D3 measuring cups and ewok hand bags, Star Wars merchandise sells to well to be taken off of everything anytime soon.
