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Nostalgia

5 times Disney used the force with Star Wars: The Force Awakens

in Editor Pick/Film & TV Psychology/Media Psychology/Work Psychology by

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A long time ago in a blog far far away…

Star Wars: The Force Awakens made one billion dollars at a light speed of 12 parsecs, sorry, days. In doing so, it has further expanded the Disney Empire to a size that would turn Darth Vader’s mask green with envy.

Not before too long, Stars Wars has obliterated Titanic’s record like a Death Star and is currently force choking the life out of Avatar.

Success like this comes along every few years for the movie industry. Depending on what figure you like to use—no. of tickets, prices adjusted for inflation—there’s no doubt Disney has been using the force in its production and marketing strategies.

Here are five simple strategies that must have the Disney execs fist pumping to John William’s force theme…

Nostalgia

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Disney’s goal was to make a ‘retro’ film. This term basically means they wanted to restore the connection to the original Star Wars trilogy.

Humans in this galaxy reflect on our past with nostalgia. It’s believed the emotions and thoughts associated with nostalgia, help us derive meaning from our existence.

The familiar faces, music, and even similar ideas and scripts has bought them kudos with Star Wars fans who celebrated the return of their favourite film franchise with multiple viewings.

Cultural Icons

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Another way of connecting with our past is through cultural icons like Darth Vader and Harrison Ford’s character Han Solo. Director JJ Abrams was clever in introducing the melted mask of Darth Vader—who perished in Return of the Jedi made almost 30 years ago—in promotional trailers, toys, etc.

Cultural icons are believed to help us connect with our society and culture. The Darth Vader mask is symbolic of blockbuster films and the broader entertainment culture of Western society. In the film, the mask is a symbol for the martyred villain, Darth Vader.

Our celebration of such icons is much like a modern-day religion. Recent psychological theories suggest that they can go as far as to make us feel less anxious about death because they help us feel more connected with something bigger and more enduring than ourselves.

Basically, it’s Earth’s alternative to turning into an immortal blue force ghost.

Mystery & Surprise

One of the more recognised events in the Star Wars saga was the reveal in The Empire Strikes Back that Darth Vader is Luke’s father. At the time of its release in 1980, it was a lot easier to keep this secret to shock the audience.

The modern audience often walks in to a film having watched multiple trailers and read spoilers for films online. Disney was notoriously secretive about the Force Awakens, in particular about keeping the mysterious absence of Mark Hamill’s character, Luke Skywalker, under wraps.

Mystery and surprise are no stranger to successful companies that know how to intrigue their customers. For example, Steve Jobs enjoyed delighting audiences by declaring ‘just one more thing…’ during Apple announcements, before revealing a surprising new product or feature.

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Surprise is considered to be one of only four core emotions we experience as humans. So it’s no surprise than when we experience this emotion, we find a special event even more memorable and are more likely to share our experience.

Branding

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Star Wars branding is so extensive that there’s even a Darth Vader toaster that literally brands each slice of toast with the logo ‘Star Wars’.

As successful as ticket sales have been, Disney have been especially dedicated to exhausting the pull of the familiar Star Wars brand and its beloved original cast.

It has been slapped on a series of spin-off films as well as the obligatory figurines and toy lightsabers. But it extends to canned corn, body wash, runners, band aids, mascara, Star Wars themed parks and bottled water. There’s even a Darth Vader watch for $28,500!

Disney knows that the ticket sales are only bought once or twice. The real game is in the long-term merchandising of their new brand, which is set to make $5 billion in its first year. The brand is currently circulating across the galaxy (or planet) like an army of Stormtroopers.

Customer Focus

As obvious and as boring as it is to highlight the importance of understanding the customer, it’s amazing how easy it is to forget and become overconfident like the evil Emperor from Return of the Jedi.

George Lucas showed us what happens when you indulge in your own creative ideas—as he did with the Star Wars prequel trilogy—instead of listening to the customer, the notoriously obsessive Star Wars fans.

The reviews and fan reaction were never kind. Fans weren’t interested in trade blockades, senate debates, and overly cheesy romance stories.

Although financially successful, the films never reached the cultural significance of his earlier trilogy and are still widely criticised today.

Disney, however, aren’t wedded to artistic integrity. It just wanted to make a crowd pleasing film. This difference in philosophies later had Lucas jest that he felt like he sold his children to ‘white slavers’.

I’m surprised he didn’t say he turned them over to the darkside or, at least Jabba the Hutt. Perhaps Disney also acquired the rights to his Star Wars jokes too?

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Christmas can boost workplace performance?

in Work Psychology by

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That tinsel might be the x-factor that will catapult your office to success! The plastic office Christmas tree might be your secret weapon to promote teamwork and cooperation! That mistletoe is…well…still inappropriate for the workplace.

What’s Dr Duck pushing on you this time (see blog on talking to yourself in the third person)? 

Christmas is a time of tradition and pulling out the old decorations, reflecting on the year passed, and celebration. In short, it’s a time to be all nostalgic.

Research shows that these nostalgic feelings might function as a way we obtain meaning and connection. Because we are more likely to feel connected with our past, we tend to form stronger social connections. 

Think about all the coffee catch-ups, breakfasts and Christmas drinks that usually coincide with the end of year wrap-up. These connections are likely to promote alignment and camaraderie amongst colleagues who are about to enter the New Year.

Nostalgia also promotes self-esteem and resilience by making individuals more sensitive to their positive personal qualities. The positive reflections that are associated with nostalgia seem to contaminate the thoughts and feelings people have about themselves too.

There are also benefits of nostalgia in reducing boredom and redirecting individuals to pursue more meaningful and relevant goals. The connection with the past re-ignites efforts to connect with goals in the future.

So perhaps those office Christmas decorations are doing more than slavishly conforming to tradition. They may be indirectly boosting the co-operation, self-esteem and resilience, and motivation of employees.

Interestingly, alcohol at office Christmas parties has been shown to do the complete opposite the following day.

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New Bond film hooks us in with nostalgia

in Film & TV Psychology by

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The new James Bond film looks like it might be jumping back in time. It’s called, Spectre, which was the criminal organisation from the early Connery films (remember the dude with the white cat?).

So, why do new films end up going back in time to revisit old ideas? 

Batman Begins took us back to Batman’s origins. Star Trek (2009) introduced us to the early days of Captain Kirk. Superman recently returned to Krypton in the Man of Steel 
and James Bond has saved the day in 24 films.

If you prefer your Bond stirred not shaken, you might like to see something unexpected and different. You might like some of the different approaches used in the Dalton movies, believe that George Lazenby’s one outing was superior to most, or love the more edgy and serious Daniel Craig films.

If you reminisce about the good old days of Connery and Moore, you might prefer your Bond shaken not stirred. That is, you prefer your Bond to be the way he was in the beginning: good humoured womaniser with lots of interesting gadgets to get him out of trouble.

If it’s the latter, your preference might be influenced by nostalgia. 

Nostalgia triggers emotional responses that make us feel more connected to our past, relationships, and promotes feelings of warmth, self-esteem and optimism. 

Filmmakers who tap into nostalgia can connect instantly with an audience by unlocking feel good emotions and memories.

Because we all grew up with Bond at different times, we tend remember those early memories of Bond with fondness. This explains why some people were put off by the absence of Miss Money Penny and Q in the first two Daniel Craig movies and welcomed them warmly when they returned in Skyfall. 

 Let’s look at some of obvious uses of nostalgia in Bond films.

M confronts Bond for being a misogynist

In GoldenEye, Pierce Brosnan was introduced after two decades of Roger Moore’s Bond seducing women one-third his age. M (Judy Dench) blasts Bond for his misogynist ways in a self-aware wink to the audience who have grown up expecting Bond to seduce at least one woman and partner with a second. What happens in Goldeneye? He seduces a woman and partners with another… 

Throwback to Ursula Andress’ iconic beach scene

The iconic beach scene from Dr No(the first Bond film) has been recreated in several Bond films. Halle Berry had a go in Die Another Day, the film that jumped the shark by literally having James Bond jump a tsunami and drive an invisible car–another nostalgic link to the absurd stunts and gadgets in the early Bond films.

As a sign of the times changing, it was now Daniel Craig leaving the water, generating the same nostalgic feelings of the past but now telling the audience we had matured as a species by treating a man like a piece of meat rather than a woman…

The return of the Aston Martin

In the most recent Bond, Skyfall, one of the most overt homages to classic Bond was the return of Bond’s Aston Martin from Goldfinger.

They even use the classic Bond theme, and reference the old ejector seat and machine guns.

Skyfall ending…return to the past

In the symbolic return to the past, Skyfall ends by returning James Bond to M’s classic office with Miss Money Penny now secretary (or is that Personal Assistant now?). 

M is now male again. No doubt director, Sam Mendes, was attempting to pull in the nostalgic good will of the early Bond films. 

The question is whether Mendes wants to continue delving into the past in his sequel,
Spectre. Given this means the return of the evil shadow organisation, Spectre, we might even see a return of the classic Bond villain, Blofield.

Nostalgia is a powerful tool to resonate with the audience but it relies on the good will generated from previous films. I’d prefer to see a new story and for the writers and directors to take some risks.

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