The preeminent Marvel retail celebration Marvel Mania makes its anticipated return bringing kids, families and fans new ways to wear, collect, connect and play with Earth’s mightiest Super Heroes. Now in its fifth year Marvel Mania – the only campaign to bring all the Marvel Super Heroes together – offers an exciting suite of global retail activations, new content launches and must-have products for fans of all ages. It all kicks off in the UK this August with the Marvel-sponsored Superhero Series sports challenge and continues with a host of global activity running until October.
Powered by Marvel, the Superhero Series is the UK’s largest interactive sporting event dedicated to the nation’s 13.3m people with disabilities. Six families and their celebrity team captains will be starring in a special shopDisney.com-sponsored Channel 4 programme as they take on this year’s At Home Superheroes challenge. Due to air on 15 August, the programme will be presented by Clare Balding and includes Marvel Mania at shopDisney break-bumpers. Supporting the at-home initiative Marvel will bring the energy of its iconic Super Hero characters to participants’ homes and neighbourhoods through downloadable games, signs and more to help participants feel like a true Super Hero.
“What started as a targeted retail campaign in the US has grown into an international celebration with a wide range of retailers and more than a hundred global licensees supporting worldwide,” said Paul Gitter, SVP, Marvel Licensing. “The success of Marvel Mania is a testament to the strength, power and diversity our characters represent on screen and beyond with amazing products and experiences.”
In Mexico, Marvel will be announcing an exciting collaboration with a sporting and cultural phenomenon this October and in the US, shopDisney.com will feature an epic, month-long Marvel Mania collector event where action-packed products, content and Marvel-themed accessories and apparel will debut. In China, a Marvel Find Your Power campaign will launch this fall with additional Asia Pacific region retail touch points, new product offerings, and multiple consumer activations running through 2021. Japan will feature A Universe of Heroes exhibition that celebrates the Marvel Cinematic Universe opening in Osaka, Japan from 10 August to 23 November with limited-edition products sold exclusively at the exhibition including BEAMS Marvel t-shirts designed by three local artists.
Supporting Marvel Mania will be robust merchandising programmes from major UK and European retailers including Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Argos, Smyths, ASDA, Amazon and Carrefour as well as shopDisney and The Disney Store. In the US Walmart, Target, Amazon, Kohl’s, Hot Topic, Box Lunch, FYE, Party City, Walgreen’s and Books-A-Million will all be taking part. Fans in Southeast Asia, the Middle East and India can look forward to an exciting line-up of Marvel campaigns now until November across the region’s largest online retailers and e-Commerce platforms, such as Lazada, Shopee, Flipkart and Amazon. These campaigns will bring the latest Marvel merchandise online, from kids’ favourite Hasbro and LEGO offerings, to the ultra-affordable-but-chic MINISO for an added touch of power to any home and living space. Latin America rounds out the programme with support from El Palacio de Hierro, Walmart and Marathon. All participating retailers will feature unique ‘Marvel Mania’ promotions and special offers.
