Saw this article on CNBC. Get ready for the next gimmick:
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The game-used memorabilia market is kind of old hat.
Card companies have gone from dicing up jerseys to bats to hats and to even including dirt. But dinosaur bones? That's a new one to me.
The folks at Upper Deck have announced that they've just received a shipment of dinosaur bones — teeth of the Pterosaur, Spinosaurus and, every kid's favorite, the Tyrannosaurus Rex. They're going to take the bones, cut them up and put them on cards.
Things like this certainly get attention.
Now, for the ridiculous part. If you want to try your hand at getting one of these cards you have to buy a pack of the company's 2008-09 Champ's Hockey when they come out in March. Here's how Upper Deck's hockey brand manager Josh Zusman rationalizes the connection:
“The 2008-09 Champ’s Hockey product is a perfect vessel to Tyranosaurus Rex Tooth
deliver something truly unique like this to the hobby," Zusman said, in a release. "When we saw these pieces coming in, everybody was in awe. The inclusion of these cards in this hockey release helps bring the Ice Age to the ice.”
I'm sorry, but I think this is actually a cool idea badly executed. If you want to make good money on this, you make a dinosaur set and include these cards in that set. Every kid loves dinosaurs, but they're not willing to go through random hockey players to try to get a fossil piece. And think about it, you don't have to pay the dinosaurs any licensing fees!
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Unbelievable!
I like hockey players and dinosaurs! I am really looking forward to Champs.
ReplyDeleteYou are absolutely correct Sooz... a dino set would have been KOOL!
ReplyDeleteAlmost sounds like an April Fool's joke. Too bad it's only January.
ReplyDeleteHmm. And I thought some hockey players WERE dinosaurs.
ReplyDelete"Ice age to the ice." Please. He probably worked real super mega hard on that gem, too.
Wrong era of time marketing guy, by about a quinjillion years.
The best card would be a dual memorabilia of a dino tooth AND tooth from a defenseman! Now THAT is effective cross-marketing of gimmicks!