Notes

Why Spongebob Bags Are So Popular
Spongebob Bags
Among all the pop culture icons that have come and gone, there is one character that stands out for its longevity. It's a yellow sponge who wears knickers and gap-toothed grin, who has earned the affection of countless fans worldwide, and who is also a huge merchandising success.

Since it first debuted in 1999, "SpongeBob SquarePants" has become the No. 1 children's show in the United States, and it regularly tops the ratings at Nickelodeon, where it airs three times a week. Almost 20 million Americans watch it every month, and about 50 million tune in to it on cable channels or satellite systems.

There is a good reason that the show is so popular: It's full of funny moments, and it has a cast of characters that are always fun to watch. From Patrick the Starfish to Squidward Tentacles to Sandy Cheeks, SpongeBob and his friends have many adventures in their underwater world that make for memorable episodes.

The merchandising of the show is another key driver of its popularity, especially in stores that sell licensed products. Viacom, which created the series, is now in its 10th year of marketing the show, and it's seen sales increase steadily.

A walk through a local ShopKo store in Salt Lake County, for example, reveals an entire aisle devoted to SpongeBob merchandise. There are sleeping bags, sheets, mugs, folders, T-shirts and lunch boxes with the famous cartoon character on them.

In spongebobplush , a number of retailers in Japan offer a wide range of SpongeBob-themed accessories and home wares. These are a great way to promote the show in a country where it's not on regular television, and they appeal to young women who are often considered trendsetters.

There are many ways to market a product, but one of the most effective is to place it in a goody bag. This year, the goody bag for the SpongeBob Marathon included a pair of Asics sneakers, a coupon for a free Dunkin' Donuts iced latte, a painter's cap and a box of Emerald Nuts trail mix -- all from companies that paid to put swag in the bag.

The organizers of the marathon say that placing items in the goody bag gives them a chance to reach consumers who may not be able to make it to the marathon, and they can advertise their brand to hundreds of thousands of people who watch the race on TV. It's a strategy that has worked well for a variety of retailers, including Dunkin' Donuts, which has been able to boost its business by providing free lattes for marathon runners.

Other merchandising outlets are starting to get into the game, too. The venerable French boutique Colette in Paris is set to launch its own collection of SpongeBob-inspired apparel, accessories and home wares later this spring.

Some of the other major retailers that have signed on to the merchandising program include Sears, Walmart, Target, Disney, American Eagle, Gap, Macy's and Kohl's. There are dozens of licensed items available in all of these retailers, and some stores sell as much as $600 million worth of SpongeBob-themed merchandise each year.
Homepage: https://www.spongebobplush.store/