The “Indiana Jones” series is still going, even though it seemed that Harrison Ford’s titular character would hang up his adventuring hat and whip. But, “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” is scheduled for a June release, and to celebrate, there’s a whole line of Indy gear on sale at Disney retailers.
Aside from little amulet-style jewelry, action figures from Funko, socks, keychains, and calendars, the real star of the line is a collection of leather jackets made by US Wings.
US Wings is proud to team with Disney & LucasFilm Ltd. to be the official licensee of Indiana Jones™ jackets, all made from premium leather with the versatility, functionality & style that all true adventurers look for! Check 'em out at https://t.co/Idna5XJJrm pic.twitter.com/bu6q3j9BF3
— US Wings (@USWingsCom) April 10, 2023
This is what we’d call a high-perceived-value promo. It’s not just perceived value, either. The Bomber jacket costs a reported $495, the Vintage Cowhide Leather Jacket costs $695, and the youth leather jacket costs $195.
Each one features a lining with the “Indiana Jones” logo, facts and quotes about the movie, a world map, and a spot with biographical information about Indiana Jones himself.
Now, we’re not sure if this will end up on all of the finished pieces, but WDWNT reported that the $695 leather jacket misspelled Indy’s hometown as “Prinston, New Jersey,” while the child’s version correctly spells it. It also lists him by his birth name, Henry Walton Jones, Jr., but that’s not a mistake. That’s just a good attention to detail.
Promos like this are good for what we’ve referred to as “world-building.” It does more than just advertise the product. Instead, it allows the end-user to immerse themselves in a brand, whether it’s a movie, TV show, restaurant, or anything with a strong enough brand story that you can take pieces of the aesthetic and lore and turn them into real products.
It’s just that, if you’re going to charge that much for a jacket, make sure you spell the name of a town correctly. It is the home of an Ivy League institution after all.
Elsewhere in Disney’s “Indiana Jones” display, there are signs meant to deter would-be thieves from stealing precious artifacts from Dr. Jones’ collection. However, the site mistakenly uses “sight” instead of “site,” according to Disneyland News Today.
These are mistakes that should be caught in the design process, not by end-users and park visitors. Be sure to cross every t, dot every i (or lowercase j), use the correct homophone, and know how to spell your franchise’s main character’s hometown. Otherwise, it will cost you money and reputation points.
However, people love rarities and novelties like misprints. So, in the words of Indy himself, maybe these belong in a museum.
