LOTR on Pepsi cans!

[Lady of the Rings]

I don't know how many of you know this..but there are pictures of the main LOTR characters on Pepsi cans! :grin: And it comes complete with a profile of that character :thumbs: You guys probably already knew this. but if ya didnt...i recommend you start buying pepsi cans :grin: I only have Frodo so far...but im trying to collect them all

[Talandil]

Grrrrrrr! LOTR makes enough money. Please, Peter Jackson, don't become a total corporate bootlicker! What's next? The Frodo Frappe at Starbucks?
Great, now LOTR has joined the company of Michael Jackson and Britney Spears.
If Peter makes the Hobbit, will he have product placement in there somehow? Maybe Smaug with a Nike swoosh on him?
I'd love to see LOTR stuff on things, but I can't stomach that "Star Wars" brand of merchandising.
LOTR has something special, and it sucks that Pepsi would get to make bank from it.
There should be at least one good thing out there can can be popular by it's own merits, and LOTR is fully capable of that. The books didn't need corporate sponsorship.
Peter should tell these guys to get stuffed!

[Tar-Ancalimë]

i had a grandparent that worked in the coca cola bottling company, and i own stock in CC.... so i detest pepsi with all my heart, wont touch the stuff... grrrr hate Britney Spears as well....i have to agree with Talandil, this bites :(

[Sindarin]

I agree with all of you concerning this matter. The merchandising of LOTR should not be so overdone with marketing campaigns that its fans become annoyed by its presence.

[Moraneah]

Lotr on pepsi cans, how rude, how cold blooded, scandelous...I was appalled by the very thought. Humph!:rolleyes:

[Sharky]

I would have thought the Tolkien Estate would have a right to veto something like this, its and tacky and cheapens LotR IMO.

[Orkybash]

Lets not forget the tacky and tasteless Burger King glasses... it's not like this hasn't happened before...

But yeah, I agree, it does cheapen the story, but things like this are to be expected when things like LotR become mainstream.

And don't blame PJ unless you have hard proof it was his decision, cause most likely it was New Lines...

[A! Elbereth]

It doesn't bother me that they have them n Pepsi cans... but I wouldn't buy them simply because I prefer Dr. Pepper lol

[Orkybash]

Am I the only one who really doesn't care for Dr. Pepper? :)

[Bonos-Girl]

i don't particulaly mind any of those kinda drinks.....i used to drink pepsi cos my school had a can machine but they got rid of it for 'health and safety reasons'....weird!!!!
i think that this was probably new lines idea too, i couldn't believe that PJ would have done as commercial as this.

[Laurelin]

Hey, get off the glasses. They were fun, and at least they weren't plastic. I would take some people out if they were plastic. I agree though, cans are BEYOND tacky... what's next, Pippin Puffs? Fruit Frodos?

[Lady Melody]

This is degrading... in Malaysia we don't have it though... so well... make sure it's authentic and collect them.... who knows?

[Elf angel]

Originally posted by Moraneah
Lotr on pepsi cans, how rude, how cold blooded, scandelous...I was appalled by the very thought. Humph!:rolleyes:

Indeed :(

[Legolas Greenleaf]

Originally posted by Tar-Ancalimë
i had a grandparent that worked in the coca cola bottling company, and i own stock in CC.... so i detest pepsi with all my heart, wont touch the stuff... grrrr hate Britney Spears as well....i have to agree with Talandil, this bites :(

I totally agree- even my school has a contract with coke...so they'rs no chance on earth that i have acess to any pepsi!

[Daisy Gamgee]

Unfortunatly, guys, its a commercial world we live in. It wouldn't have been PJ's decision - merchandising rights are normally with the company, so don't blame PJ. And, not sure if I'm correct here, but the Tolkien Estate didn't own the rights, or the film rights at least, so they also would not have a say in the merchandising.
The films weren't some independent offering, and therefore they are subject to marketing. Its one of the reasons companies can bring us movies like this. Its all about money. But you still got to love the films!;)

[Iarfirithwen]

I'm guessing that Tolkien Estate wouldn't be able to legally challenge something like this. It would have to be somewhere in the 'movie rights' or whatever "rights" it is that the Saul Zaentz company acquired back in the 70's from Tolkien. Much in the same way that "LOTR" and the character names can find themselves on Calenders, action figures, Posters etc.

p.s. just found this link to Tolkien Enterprises (http://www.tolkien-ent.com/new/index.html) (a division of the Saul Zaentz Company).
On that site they say:
"Tolkien Enterprises licenses the names and likenesses of the fanciful characters, places, things and events for use as trademarks and service marks in connection with various lines of merchandise. The Saul Zaentz Company also owns exclusive rights to certain copyrightable elements of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings including, among others, film and legitimate stage rights."


I think, in the end we have to remember that it was Tolkien himself who sold these rights. Although I doubt he would've realised that the Lord of The Rings would find itself onto bumper stickers, tacky clocks, cheesey glowing glass goblets, or even cans of a soft drink ... [sorry, soda, for the North Americans ;)]

[Lady of the Rings]

Hey, it's not only on pepsi cans anymore. Its gone even further than that. You can find LOTR on pepsi,mountain dew, all cadbury chocolate...everywhere you look in the supermarket now, there are LOTR products