Eat, Prey, Spend
(This article is re-posted from PR Watch.)
The movie “Eat, Pray, Love” is the story of a woman who travels the world in search of personal fulfillment, enlightenment and love. Despite the noticeably non-materialistic theme, though, Sony Pictures and Home Shopping Network (HSN) inked a deal to use the movie as a vehicle to hype an amazing amount of female-targeted merchandise.
In the run-up to the film’s August 13 release, HSN staged a three-day shopping event that showcased over 400 “Eat, Pray, Love” movie-related products including kitchenware, teas, jewelry, clothing, spices, shower gel, bed sheets, furnishings and cookware. Moviegoers are invited buy Eat, Pray, Love “I deserve Something Beautiful” T-shirts for a whopping $39.90 apiece, or an “Eat, Pray, Love” Sony Pocket Edition E-Reader with case for $229.95 (in three easy payments), a gelato maker, Sony laptop computers in movie-themed colors, gourmet candies, flat-panel TVs and much more.
Sony Pictures gets a cut of the profits generated by the merchandise, and HSN is helping out by bringing the movie to the attention of its 95 million household viewers and five million or so mostly female active customers who seek fulfillment by shopping. HSN screened the movie for its employees, and gave them copies of the novel to help them discuss the book and movie with customers and thus encourage sales.
This is the first time a movie studio has entered into a direct merchandising partnership with a TV shopping channel. Toy makers have long targeted kids with toys based on animated movies, but women are a relatively new target for movie-related merchandise, let alone on this scale. A tremendous amount of merchandising accompanied the release of the movie “Sex and the City 2,” but Warner Brothers, which made the movie, never launched a merchandising promotion like Sony’s for SATC. Instead, it left the job of pushing SATC-related merchandise — panties, martini glasses, parties, tours and such — to others.
Grand Rapids Institute for Information Democracy 
I’m so glad you posted this article. I’ve been aghast at the promotional efforts of this film.
A woman goes on a so-called spiritual journey (and if you read the insufferable book, you’ll discover just how self-serving “spirituality” can be)…turns it into a best-seller, and now a movie in which everything, literally, is for sale. You can watch clips on the website from the film and then buy what’s pictured. Want the necklace that Elizabeth wore to the ashram in India to mediate? It’s yours for only $350. How about a gourmet cassata di bosco cake from an Italian bakery, so you can eat along with her in Italy? Ring it up at $32.95, plus 13 bucks for shipping. Don’t forget your Balinese love necklace, a steal at $199.95. My absolute favorite, though, was the “Visions of Selflessness” silk scarf for only 4 payments of $20!
My fear is that one day we’ll be watching films in which little ghost-like price tags and an 800 number will appear on the screen. You’ll be watching a film like “The Last Station,” about the Christian anarchist Leo Tolstoy, who spurned all personal property and tried to put his works into the public domain before he died, and suddenly a little pop-up will tell you how much Sofya’s silk shawl is, or how you can buy a Russian peasant tunic with a low-slung leather belt like the one that Valentin is wearing when he tries to learn how to split cordwood for the collective.
Would it do any good to complain, or is this a merciless onslaught that cannot be stopped?
Kate, thank you for your comments and adding to the analysis of the above article. I’m not sure who one would complain to. I think it is more important to first, identify these type of hyper-commercialism and, second, to promote alternative economies and living.
I’m afraid you’re right, Jeff; certainly the studio raking in its cut of the merchadise isn’t going to feel badly about it. And although I’m not sure who exactly would buy a “Visions of Selflessness” silk scarf (that brand of enlightment sure doesn’t come cheap)…as you say, setting an alternate example is always a good option.