These are the ads you're looking for: How Disney brand partners marketed the Star Wars: Rogue One release
Disney's sci-fi cash cow is soon to drop, Star Wars: Rogue One will open in cinemas in the coming days, and its performance at the box office will help catalyse the marketing campaigns and advertisements of official partner brands.
Star Wars Rogue One official ads
A somewhat more sober affair than the countless partnerships heralding the return of Star Wars that was Episode 7: The Force Awakens, Disney tied down five major brands as partners, Duracell, Gillette, Nissan, General Mills and Verizon for its follow up prequel.
Below are ads from the official sponsors.
Duracell
‘How the Rebels Saved Christmas’ is a touching 60 second slot informing the public how toys can cultivate a sense of adventure in children – especially Star Wars toys. The work was intent on driving donations to the Children's Miracle Network charity.
Gillette
This Gillette ad is centred on how a good shave can give you the edge in your daily battles, be it in the workplace or on a strange planet in conflict against an oppressive empire. It is a visually impressive shoot ties in with one of Rogue One’s iconic battles.
Nissan
The Japanese car brand saw the perfect opportunity to promote its ‘Rogue’ series with the movie tie-in. It utilised a CGI-heavy ad simulating a Star Wars battle that puts the Nissan through its paces.
General Mills
The cereal giant ran a movie ticket giveaway supported by the following digital ad.
Verizon
The telecoms giant created an immersive 360 video putting viewers in the driving seat of an X-Wing as it traverses hyperspace.
A number of promotions were run too.
Uber
The Uber app adopted Star Wars: Rogue One features in the US from 12-18 December.
This replaced vehicle avatars with X-Wings and shared exclusive movie content.
Beyond the US, one ad in particular gained momentum online.
Globe
To encourage donations to the Philippine General Hospital Medical Foundation, the brand told a heart-warming store of an ill-child who gained acceptance despite her reluctance to remove her Stormtrooper helmet. The campaign raised the awareness of Globe telecoms outside of South East Asia.
Beyond the official movie partners, many brands have been flogging obscure products using the licence. Here's The Drum's top five.