MUMBAI: Twentieth Century Fox will release James Cameron’s Avatar. To support the film, Twentieth Century Fox
Licensing & Merchandising will launch merchandising campaigns introducing more than 125 products across four key categories: video games, toys, apparel and publishing. Fox has partnered with Ubisoft, Mattel, JEM, HarperCollins and Abrams.
"Avatar is truly a game changer with its groundbreaking advances that deliver a uniquely immersive cinematic experience," said executive vice president Licensing and Merchandising Robert Marick. "We’ve taken inspiration from the film to develop one of the most expansive merchandising lines in Fox Licensing history. We have taken its cutting
edge technology and tried to incorporate the same innovation into the entire line."
Ubisoft’s video game release, James Cameron’s Avatar: The Game, is a natural extension of the universe created in the movie. The game is available for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system, Wii system from Nintendo, Nintendo DS, Sony PSP and PC.
Along with the standard game, Ubisoft will also release James
Cameron’s Avatar: The Game for the Xbox 360, PlayStation3 and Wii. The Xbox 360 and PlayStation3 versions will include
two exclusive 6-inch Mattel action figures – Avatar Jake Sully and Na’vi Warrior Tsu’Tey – that will only be available by purchasing the limited edition game.
Fox Licensing’s partnership with Mattel Inc. pushes the boundaries in product design by pioneering the latest technology in toys – augmented-reality – marking . Each action figure, vehicle and creature in the product line will come with a 3-D web tag, called an i-TAG,which consumers can scan using a home computer’s webcam. Scanning the i-TAG will reveal special content onscreen unique to the corresponding product.
As a complement to the Mattel line, Fox Licensing signed Sideshow Collectibles to develop a line of collectible statues, maquettes, life-size busts and dioramas.
In apparel, Fox Licensing has partnered with JEM Sportswear and Awake Inc. to create a line of t-shirts, sweatshirts and fashion tops for young men and older boys.
Abrams will introduce The Art of Avatar: James Cameron’s Epic Adventure which features a foreword by Peter Jackson and an epilogue from James Cameron. Readers will get a behind-the-scenes look through interviews with the film’s art directors, visual effects designers and animators, and over 100 exclusive full-color images including sketches, matte paintings, drawings, and film stills.
HarperCollins’ Children’s Books will publish a selection of titles for the film’s young fans including James Cameron’s Avatar: The Movie Scrapbook, James Cameron’s Avatar: The Reusable Sticker Book and the movie-based chapter book –James Cameron’s Avatar: The Na’vi Quest.
Finally, HarperCollins’Avatar: A Confidential Report on the Biological and Social History of Pandora provides detailed descriptions of the creatures and plants found on Pandora, the culture, language, and physiology of the native population, as well as Resources Development Administration (RDA)
technology and weapons.
Twentieth Century Fox also recently announced major marketing and promotional partners for the film including McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, Panasonic and LG Mobile.
