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Stars and Stories: How Films Became Branded Products

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  • Bakker, Gerben

Abstract

Between 1890 and 1940, motion pictures changed from technological novelties into heavily branded consumer products. The high sunk costs and short “shelf-life” of movies led film producers to borrow branding techniques from other consumer goods industries. They tried to build audience loyalty around a number of characteristics, but eventually learned that stars and stories were the most effective “promotion machines,” able swiftly to generate massive brand-awareness and to persuade consumers to see a new film. Data from the United States, Britain, and France showing the disproportionate distribution of income and fame among stars confirm their role as persuaders. Ultimately, film producers extended the life of their products by licensing their instant, tradable brands to other consumer goods industries.

Suggested Citation

  • Bakker, Gerben, 2001. "Stars and Stories: How Films Became Branded Products," Enterprise & Society, Cambridge University Press, vol. 2(3), pages 461-502, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:entsoc:v:2:y:2001:i:03:p:461-502_00
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Bakker, Gerben, 2012. "Adopting the rights-based model: music multinationals and local music industries since 1945," Economic History Working Papers 47507, London School of Economics and Political Science, Department of Economic History.
    2. Michael Pokorny & John Sedgwick, 2010. "Profitability trends in Hollywood, 1929 to 1999: somebody must know something1," Economic History Review, Economic History Society, vol. 63(1), pages 56-84, February.
    3. John Sedgwick & Michael Pokorny, 2005. "The film business in the United States and Britain during the 1930s," Economic History Review, Economic History Society, vol. 58(1), pages 79-112, February.
    4. Bakker, Gerben, 2014. "How they made news pay: news traders’ quest for crisis-resistant business models," Economic History Working Papers 59304, London School of Economics and Political Science, Department of Economic History.
    5. Gerben Bakker, 2007. "The Evolution of Entertainment Consumption and the Emergence of Cinema, 1890–1940," Advances in Austrian Economics, in: The Evolution of Consumption: Theories and Practices, pages 93-137, Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
    6. Guangchao Charles Feng, 2017. "The dynamics of the Chinese film industry: factors affecting Chinese audiences’ intentions to see movies," Asia Pacific Business Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 23(5), pages 658-676, October.
    7. Gerben Bakker, 2005. "The decline and fall of the European film industry: sunk costs, market size, and market structure, 1890–1927," Economic History Review, Economic History Society, vol. 58(2), pages 310-351, May.
    8. Bakker, Gerben, 2004. "At the origins of increased productivity growth in services. Productivity, social savings and the consumer surplus of the film industry, 1900-1938," Economic History Working Papers 22348, London School of Economics and Political Science, Department of Economic History.
    9. Bakker, Gerben, 2014. "Soft power: the media industries in Britain since 1870," Economic History Working Papers 56333, London School of Economics and Political Science, Department of Economic History.
    10. Silver, Gregory Mead, 2010. "Economic effects of vertical disintegration: the American motion picture industry, 1945 to 1955," Economic History Working Papers 30043, London School of Economics and Political Science, Department of Economic History.
    11. Bakker, Gerben, 2012. "Sunk costs and the dynamics of creative industries," Economic History Working Papers 49081, London School of Economics and Political Science, Department of Economic History.

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