Lucas plays the fan economy: Star Wars Celebration 60,000 fans attended the single-day ticket revenue generated by 24 million yuan

Last weekend, the Star Wars celebration held in London, England came to a successful conclusion. According to previous official estimates, an estimated 60,000 fans participated in the Star Wars celebration, far higher than the 29000 people also held in the UK in 2007.

Original title: Tickets sold for 24 million in a single day. How is Star Wars operated by fans?

The Star Wars Celebration was established in 1999. In order to promote the upcoming "Star Wars Prequel 1: The Ghost Menace", Lucasfilm gathered more than 20,000 fans from around the world to hold a large-scale celebration. Since then, the celebrations have been held irregularly and in a fixed location, but they have become the most anticipated event for Star Wars fans. They have also become an important strategy for Lucasfilm to cultivate loyal Star Wars fans and keep the Star Wars brand prosperous.

Disney's Star Wars Celebration: Gaining fans and more cash flowing into

Disney, which acquired Lucasfilm in 2012, will not let go of Star Wars with its strong media network resources and derivative development experience. A long-standing golden brand. Especially after announcing the production decision of the new film, Disney has spared no effort to develop the IP value of Star Wars. The upcoming release of two new films has made the just-concluded Star Wars celebration unprecedented. "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" released at the end of last year and the rumored "Rogue One" to be released at the end of this year have once again set off a Star Wars craze around the world after ten years of absence.

"Rogue One" trailer. This Star Wars movie features Jiang Wen and Yen Zidan participating in

the just-concluded Star Wars celebration held at the London Exhibition Center. It lasted for three days. Star Wars was posted on almost every corner of the exhibition center. Various signs, posters of various images of Star Wars can be seen everywhere. The exhibition starts at 10 a.m. every day, but as early as an hour and a half ago, eager fans had already lined up in front of the entrance.

In the exhibition hall, there are a wide variety of derivatives. In addition to official exhibits, there are also many independent manufacturers joining. At the exhibition, you can find and buy any Star Wars product you want. From sophisticated and complex high-end models such as R2-D2 and BB-8 modeled after prototypes, to the most common T-shirts, wallets, toys, etc., all are Star Wars-themed. Even the hot dogs sold on site have BB-8 printed on it. Round figure.

With so many visitors and so many derivatives sales, while the Star Wars celebrations attracted tens of thousands of fans, they also attracted a large inflow of cash. In terms of tickets alone, although only 200 VIP tickets (three-day passes) worth £ 350 were sold, the single-day tickets worth £ 45 have increased, contributing considerable ticket revenue. Based on Disney officials 'previous forecast of 60,000 attendees, the revenue from single-day tickets alone will reach 2.7 million pounds (about 24 million yuan).

Tickets for the 2017 Star Wars Celebration in Orlando have been pre-sold, and VIP tickets costing $700 have been sold out.

Derivatives sales at the three-day exhibition are the focus of revenue sources. Not to mention obtaining revenue effects in terms of movie box office, product licensing, etc. More importantly, the holding of a celebration allows the "Star Wars culture" to further spread and ferment among fans, so that the Star Wars IP can continue to generate greater value.

Star Wars Celebration: A fan-oriented carnival

is similar to all large-scale brand operations, Star Wars also needs to continue to maintain the integration of new and old fans. While consolidating old fans, we must also continue to expand new young fans. (It has a similar feeling to online games that use operating activities to attract new users and stimulate player spending.)

Currently, most of Star Wars fans are between the ages of 30s and 40s. The trilogy released in the 1980s has attracted many science fiction fans. Now they are old, and Star Wars gives them more nostalgia; and the prequel trilogy has once again attracted a new generation of young people. They have become the most important force of Star Wars fans. People who have become parents even brought their children to the feast. Pairs of "Jedi Knights" and "Princess Leia" can be seen everywhere at the celebration; The latest works will also attract new young fans.

Regardless

of gender or age, fans participating in this celebration shared the cultural excitement brought by Star Wars. They shared their insights on the Star Wars universe view, world background, character stories, and even "loaded with ammunition" for their respective positions.

Among these "older" fans, some are like "Star Wars pedants", looking for the "Force" everywhere at the celebrations, and even know Star Wars events like the back of their hand, and are familiar with the people around them; some new fans are addicted to one of the most popular Star Wars peripheral toys: the Lego Star Wars series.

The most spectacular part of the celebration was the recruited COSER volunteers. Jedi knights, white soldiers with guns, rebels, etc., you can encounter everywhere. From costumes, armor to makeup, they are all professional. Volunteers who play Star Wars characters shuttled through the crowd, were warmly welcomed by fans, and were even constantly pulled to take photos.

In addition to these professional-level COSERs, there were more ordinary fans wearing Star Wars-themed T-shirts or carrying various surrounding areas. Here, they released their love for Star Wars without hesitation, played their favorite characters, and bought their favorite derivative products, the Star Wars Celebration, which is undoubtedly a carnival officially provided to fans. As Lucasfilm CEO Kathleen Kennedy said: "Star Wars is also fans 'Star Wars. Through role-playing, they have become part of Star Wars. Star Wars belongs to every fan."

More fresh content, more direct interaction, and a better fan network

not only theme exhibitions but also sales of peripheral products. The Star Wars celebrations attract fans in official sharing meetings and press conferences. During the three-day event, fans can meet the main actors of Star Wars characters, interact face-to-face with them, and get autographs and group photos. At the official creator/starring sharing session, fans can also hear more behind-the-scenes stories and learn more about Star Wars details.

The celebration that just passed was mainly attended by the main creative team and leading staff of the rumored "Rogue One" that will be released at the end of the year. At the meeting, they shared with fans interesting stories about the production and shooting process of this rumored film, told about the background and related content of the work, and released some tidbits and even stills of the shooting process, allowing fans to get a first glimpse of some of the new movie. content.

Fan operations of Star Wars-themed

festivals 1. The most authoritative theme exhibitions held from time to time

are naturally the Star Wars-themed anime exhibition. This is a world-scale Star Wars-themed anime exhibition. Various real-life devices, mock-ups, and numerous derivatives, as well as various COS armies, have made the exhibition center truly the world of Star Wars.

2. The official sharing meeting

is the most important part of the celebration. The face-to-face sharing between the main creative team and the main actors is the program that makes Star Wars fans extremely excited. Staying in the same room with the players and creators of their favorite characters, listening face-to-face to them tell various stories about the creation process and shooting process of the work, and learning more about the details of Star Wars outside the film. All of them are most looking forward to and happiest things.

3. The major foreign

comics exhibitions around the official area have always been the best places for various companies to sell limited derivatives, and Star Wars is no exception. Although Disney had launched various official derivatives before the release of "The Force Awakens" last year, celebrations are undoubtedly the best platform to display and sell related derivatives. Let me ask you, no other event can gather so many Star Wars fans, let alone those who can come from all over the world must be the most enthusiastic fans.

4. The officially certified fan group

Star Wars fan groups are famous all over the world. The 501st Corps, which represents the villain White Soldiers, the Rebel Union, which represents the Rebel Army, and the R2 Builders Club, an alliance that makes robots, all have official shadows behind them. Through this kind of group activities, fans spontaneously organize relevant offline activities. In addition to communicating with each other, they also play a further role in promoting the big IP of Star Wars. Imagine that when a group of fully armed white soldiers climbed to the top of the Great Wall, ordinary tourists would surely be curious to watch and give advice and ask questions. The Star Wars celebration is the best stage for these fan groups to take the stage. Officials will also invite representatives of some famous groups to participate in the celebration to jointly create an offline feast for Star Wars.

Lynwen Brennan mentioned at the ceremony that Star Wars is so popular among fans around the world mainly because it has built a unique world and formed its own culture, which is the key to fans 'obsession and indulgence. Just like George Lucas, the rebellious spirit of the rebels in the Star Wars story has long been integrated into Lucasfilm's DNA and has become the driving force that inspires them to create more perfect Star Wars movies. At the same time, this "rebellious" spirit has also been absorbed by fans. Perhaps this is the reason why Star Wars fans are so persistent and loyal to Star Wars and Lucasfilm.

Conclusion of the "rebellious spirit" passed down from generation to generation

"The

Star Wars series has a history of nearly 40 years, but its fan popularity and topicality have not declined.

The reason is, on the one hand, the good development and operation of Star Wars series derivatives. According to the paper quoted information, Lucasfilm has established a strict and clear grading system for all authorized Star Wars derivative products. From top to bottom, they are G-level, T-level, C-level, S-level and N-level respectively. The six-song movie belongs to the highest G-level, while the American series "Clone Wars" launched in 2008 belongs to the second-class T-level. It also stipulates that if the superior settings conflict with the subordinate settings, the higher-level settings will prevail; if the same level settings conflict, the ones that are newer in time will prevail... These strict grading and settings fully ensure the integrity of Star Wars settings, creating a complete "Star Wars World" for fans, thereby consolidating fans 'sense of belonging and loyalty.

On the other hand, what is more important is the operation of fans. Officials interact and communicate regularly and irregularly with fans, and hold a series of offline activities to meet the needs of fans. The most important one is the Star Wars celebration, which is a world-scale Star Wars fan feast and has become an important measure for Lucasfilm to maintain the popularity of Star Wars fans.

It can be said that with one work alone, an IP can continue to operate for more than 40 years, and can continue to shine brightly. It can be seen that Lucasfilm's market judgment and fan operation strategy are very forward-looking and worth learning.

Editor: yvette