Two of this year's most important films for pop culture retailers open two weeks apart in May.  First comes Sony's Spider-Man on May 3, followed by Star Wars Episode II on May 16.  The two films have marketing strategies that are diametrically opposed, but which just might work out for the best in each case.  Lucasfilm has decided to forgo almost all of the high profile joint promotional campaigns for its new Star Wars film while Sony is busy trying to line up as many promotional partners as possible.

The reasoning behind Lucasfilm's eschewing of promotional aid for Episode II is the perception that Episode I was 'over-hyped' and over-merchandised.  The excitement over the revival of the Star Wars franchise was sufficient without the never-ending wave of promotional tie-ins for soda, fast food, and potato chips.  In the view of many inside and outside of the Lucas inner circle, the sheer weight of the promotions tarnished the image of the Star Wars property and led to the perception that in spite of its $400 million plus at the box office, the film still didn't match the hype and was a commercial and artistic disappointment.  So this time around the concept is 'let the film stand on its own.'  Except for some minor deals with Frito-Lay and General Mills, which may or may not include any TV advertising, Lucasfilm appears to be willing to turn its back on a number of potentially huge (and quite possibly counterproductive) joint merchandising opportunities.