innovating merchandise

A simple way to increase profits on any popular brand is to sell merchandise. It may in fact be your main revenue source if your brand is not directly sold, such as art or writing. A recognizable mascot can occupy the surface area of T-shirts, toys, lunch boxes, almost anything. The likes of Hello Kitty and Krusty the Clown have gone to town with this concept. But I believe this method has gone stale and needs spicing up.

My favorite is a more subtle form which has been gaining traction. Bring a fictional product into the real world. It is easiest to piggyback on an existing product. Last summer, 7-11 turned some of their stores temporarily into Kwik-E-Marts and rebranded their Slurpees as "Squishees" after the Simpsons spoof. The 8-bit tie also comes to mind, originally an April fool's joke and now up for sale.

It is often easier to stick with T-shirts since there are so many sites that do all the work for you. If you cater to more of a sophisticated crowd, consider stressing an idea rather than a character. The web comic XKCD offers an anti-velociraptor shirt. ThinkGeek offers a red shirt with the word "Expendable", a throwback to doomed crew members on the original Star Trek.

OK, what if absolutely have to merchandise a character? Try one with a smaller role, such as weighted companion cube plushies from Portal. One of the most beloved minor characters on Futurama, the Robot Devil, would make for a great refridgerator magnet.

There is a reason that trying different techniques with merchandise can be more profitable. It can be such a delightful surprise that it will make headlines and spread by word of mouth, becoming a meme.