Lets start at the very beginning.
Unless you have been hiding under a rock for the past 5 years you are more than likely aware of the marketing tool that are ‘Minions’. I refer to them as a ‘tool’ as any credibility the cutesy little characters had has been lost with the recent release of the self titled spin off movie, Minions. They’re everywhere!
Seriously you can’t walk in to any store without seeing something with the yellow blobs on it as a ‘special edition’. From Haribo to toilet roll. Tic-Tac’s to (and prepare yourself for this) tampons. Don’t believe me? Then a quick Google search will show you the horror of how the merchandising is getting out of control. Go on i’ll wait. I know I am not the target audience for the franchise but tell that to my Facebook feed. Every other post from my friends is a picture of a Minion attached to some “inspirational” quote and usually shared so everyone has the joy of seeing it a few thousand times. The marketing and shear saturation is so large that it transcends the generations and I am struggling to understand how?
Minions Take Dublin
Not only are they on some of most beloved products but now they’re causing road traffic accidents. You may be aware of the giant 30ft balloon bellowing down the motorway in Dublin earlier this week. Thankfully no one was hurt but i can imagine some may have vented a bit of frustration. With the help of that Gardai and a few frustrated motorists the beast was slain or if you want to be less dramatic deflated. Bad weather was blamed as well as the balloon not being properly tethered to the ground but it could of been some sort of extreme viral advertising. At this point it is not that surprising.
PANTONE
Not happy with appearing in movies, televisions shows, costumes for dogs, our beds, playing cards or our roads world renowned colour organisation ‘PANTONE’ has even gone as far as releasing an official pantone minion yellow. According to their website this is the first-ever character-branded PANTONE colour and Im hoping it is going to be the last.
“Just as the sun’s rays enliven us, PANTONE Minion Yellow is a colour that heightens awareness and creates clarity, lighting the way to the intelligence, originality and the resourcefulness of an open mind – this is the colour of hope, joy and optimism,”
This is an actual quote from the executive director of the PANTONE color Institute, Leatrice Eiseman. Sigh.
Intellectual property rights
In a world where everything can be trademarked its getting a bit ridiculous. Recently taylor swift tried to trademark one of her own lyrics ‘This sick beat”. If you can trademark three words then I’m sure you should be able to trademark a colour right? No. Its a colour. People get too hung up on their ‘intellectual property rights’ and the moment we start privatising colour then i think the world has gone a little mad.
Though if I’m wrong I for one welcome our new minion overlords
