Why Iron Man's robbed Robin Hood

The problem with 'Robin Hood' is akin to what advertisers face. Wearout. Trying to establish low involvement brands requires advertisers to associate the brand with an entity that provokes an unconditioned response. Associate the thus generated response by the featured entity on to the brand to evoke a buy. That is, to get someone to try your soap, show them a smokin' hot movie star in a tub with suds flying. The resultant 'wow' can then be associated with the soap, getting people to believe maybe they'll be smokin' hot if they indulge the soap. The soap brand gets the buy.

But the story goes sour when the suds flying scene is repeated one too many times. Advertising wearout quickly follows. Consumer fatigue lingers close by. Brands to arrest this, change content but hold the central theme alive. It may do some good, and maybe consumers stay to watch.

Robin Hood is Russel Crowe in another 'familiar' avatar. Its now one too many times and so quite boring. The first time it happened it was fine. Gladiator went big with viewers. I know its been some time since we say Crowe slicing heads off, but the image out of Gladiator is too strong and embedded in long term memory. Another of such heroic and bloody role is too much to bear.

In the US., Iron Man's robbed Robin. Of the No. 1 movie for the weekend. I saw it coming. Did you?