"Fans flock to the conventions, which have really grown over the years," points out George Strayton, former director of marketing for Renaissance Pictures, who's made the unusual move to writing staff for "Xena" (Strayton and partner Tom O'Neill wrote the show's 100th episode.) Conventions for the show caught on quickly, since "Xena" was introduced on "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" and participated in those conventions. Pasadena's convention, one of the largest, is a three-day event often sold out two weeks in advance. Fans don favorite character costumes, and the actors are often flown in from the series' Auckland location. The phenomenon of conventions has also spread to Europe.
The show's popular fan club isn't conventional, according to Strayton. Members sign up and pay about $30 a year for quarterly newsletters, an annual blooper tape and hard-to-find photos. Photos, Strayton says, are the most popular item. "We have two really beautiful stars who are put in skimpier and skimpier clothing. Their look is a defining feature, and people want to look at them all the time."
As for other licensed items, Strayton says the more successful items are more collectible than "playable," meaning the core audience, the 18-to-34 demographic, is less interested in toys.
"We've got a very mature licensee program of 60 licensees," says Tim Rothwell, senior vp of merchandising, licensing and retail development for Universal Studios Consumer Products Group. "Traditional apparel is popular, from something as simple as a screen print with the 'Xena' graphic to our full line of collectible action figures from Toy Bit." "Xena" items are varied: a new Sony PlayStation game, behind the-scenes books, comics, coloring books, stickers, Band-Aids, lunch boxes, clocks (with the expression "Chicks Kick Ass"), music boxes, stationary, checks, sculpted figures, mousepads, coffee mugs, animated videos and series' videos (two seasons every six months; seasons three and four are up for release). New licensee Davis Panter Prods. (of "Highlander'' fame) offers replica swords and other high-quality reproductions in its comprehensive 60-page glossy, followed up by a new 2000 catalog. High-end jewelry (which ranges in price from $20 to $300) inspired by the show is also proving popular.
"The most important thing is to put out high-quality products that reflect the nature of the show," Rothwell says. "We want to put products into the market for the fans -- 'Xena's' incredibly loyal fan base -- so they feel they're actually buying into, and experiencing and annexing the show."
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