What is it that makes some programmes hit the merchandising jackpot?

What do Dallas, South Park, Alien, Scarface and The Invisible Man have in common? They are, of course, in their separate ways all ‘classics’ in one genre or another. But that is not the answer. That would be too easy. If we gave you a cryptic clue and said that the idea of a spin off was involved, would that help?

The spin off

The answer is that each of those distinguished titles has been taken as the theme for an online game. More specifically, they have been permitted to the market leading NetEnt organisation which specialises in the creation and distribution of slot style games for online casinos. Of course, those familiar titles are not the only themes they make use of.

Check out this awesome website for a full run down on what they provide. But the key point here is that those shows have been identified as the ideal vehicle to adorn the spinning wheels which are such a popular staple of the online gaming industry.

So what’s the deal?

But that common theme is only half the answer. Or to put it another way, it throws up an equally intriguing poser. What is it about some programmes that excites this sort of spin off? After all, there are plenty of shows that do not enjoy anything like the same sort of commercial second life.

At a time when merchandising has become king and when licensing deals can be worth millions of pounds, being able to know what it is that ticks the right boxes is worth a small fortune. In the process it reinforces the programme in the public consciousness. That leads to a bigger and more loyal audience, which in turn sees the cycle repeat itself.

More than Top of the Pops

The easy answer is that those titles that do make it into our lives as board games, slots, games, T-shirts or figurines are tremendously popular. But there is more to it than that. The prospect of a Broadchurch board game is not out of the question. However, it would be a surprise (it would be very slow, largely miserable and involve a lot of standing by cliffs staring moodily into the distance).

We think there has to be something about the iconic quality of the characters rather than the programme itself. There has to be something about catching the public imagination in a way that stands out as identifiably unique. If you can put your finger on it, do let us know. We are fairly sure, though, that it is not just a matter of spinning the wheels and waiting to see what happens.