While we all expect T-Shirts and bumper stickers to pop up everywhere during election season, a toy company in Brooklyn has taken presidential fan worship to a whole new level with the release of an Obama Action Figure.
Yes, in the tradition of Superman and Luke Skywalker, Barack Obama has now officially been immortalized as an action figure and, unlike bobble heads and other political knick-knacks, the Obama Action Figure has all the elements of a toy tie-in from a blockbuster movie, right down to the poseable arms and unapologetically comic book influenced illustrations of the would-be Commander in Chief.
It's no coincidence either. The company set out to create something that spoke directly to the younger generations and the African-American community, who have been the base of Obama's campaign. "The idea was to create something brand new that speaks to the youth of America in their own vocabulary," says Jailbreak's 31-year-old owner. "Our generation was raised on Star Wars and Happy Meals. Suddenly we're coming of age politically and, for the first time, we're not just engaged but genuinely excited about politics. I wanted to capture some of that electricity...that excitement that so many people are feeling right now. When we were kids and a new Star Wars movie came out, or a new Superman, the first thing you did was go to the toy store and that was usually more fun than the movie itself. I'm hoping to contribute some of that youthful exuberance to the election process. This is something that kids and parents can share excitement in."
So far, it's working. Orders have been coming in from campaign offices around the country, who are giving the action figures out to their organizers. Even employees at Obama for America's main office in Chicago have been ordering online. "That's a big part of this for us," says Feinberg. "We don't just want to sell a product, we want to be a part of the movement." To back it up, Jailbreak Toys is donating one dollar to the Obama campaign every time they sell a figure online.
Beyond all that though, the people at Jailbreak Toys also understand that there's a big responsibility that comes along with making products for children. "Kids model themselves on their heroes. What kid hasn't tried to be like Superman or Michael Jordan? This is such an amazing opportunity...could you ask for more for a child, especially an African-American child, than to have the President of the United States as his or her hero? It's a magical moment in history we're living through right now and we can't overlook how much of a positive impact this could have on the next generation. Hopefully, this product can contribute to that."
If you'd like more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview with them, please email info@jailbreaktoys.com or call (718) 304-7643. On the web, go to
www.jailbreaktoys.com
Posted By: Dante Lee
Saturday, July 19th 2008 at 12:04AM
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