May the marketing be with you: 25 brands still capitalizing on Star Wars mania

 By 
Patrick Kulp
 on 
Original image replaced with Mashable logo
Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

It's Star Wars day, and brands are out in force with punny tributes to a galaxy far, far away.

The holiday, which really came into its own on the Internet in 2013, now brings out the inner Star Wars geek in every marketing department -- as companies big and small look to cash in on the trend by inserting their name into the conversation.

For brands, linking a product to the universally loved movie franchise is an easy win, an uncontroversial way to appear hip and pander to a largely Star Wars-obsessed Internet audience. And with a new installment near at hand, the hype is stronger than ever this year.

The same was true in the political realm. Every pressure group's Twitter account from BP Oil and the UN's climate change arm to PETA and the NRA got in on the intergalactic action this year. Some brands pulled off witty nods to movie lore, while others just seemed like they were forcing it.

Still, if you want Star Wars-themed advertising, these are the tweets you are looking for. As for everyone else, you can go about your business. Move along.

1. Barefoot Wine

Now serving at the Cantina... #MayThe4thBeWithYou pic.twitter.com/RkmRXKVJ9e— barefootwine (@BarefootWine) May 4, 2015

2. WWE wrestling

#MayThe4thBeWithYou, @WWEUniverse! Superstars are celebrating @StarWars Day lightsaber style: http://t.co/AU1yOIRE8f pic.twitter.com/WxU25pqFCb— WWE (@WWE) May 4, 2015

3. NASA

That's no moon! It's @Space_Station! No, it's both. #SpotTheStation: http://t.co/MGJIkympUx #MayThe4thBeWithYou pic.twitter.com/lSzPS60PxY— NASA (@NASA) May 4, 2015

4. Subway

May the Fourth be with you #StarWarsDay pic.twitter.com/zAVZV0GXlW— SUBWAY® (@SUBWAY) May 4, 2015

5. Hasbro

Nothing can mask Darth Tater’s excitement about today. Will your #MayThe4th celebration be out-of-this-galaxy? pic.twitter.com/XC45Ox9OH2— Hasbro (@HasbroNews) May 4, 2015

6. California State Parks

Grizzly Creek Redwoods SP is featured in which scene of Return of the Jedi? #MayThe4th http://t.co/Mj3gNDIWy3...— CA State Parks (@CAStateParks) May 4, 2015

7. Amazon

‘I find your lack of toast disturbing’ http://t.co/GAzyNcyeHb #MayThe4thBeWithYou pic.twitter.com/OZQKeCdFOD— Amazon (@amazon) May 4, 2015

8. Museum of Modern Art

#MayThe4thBeWithYou! Artist Bill Viola filmed part of this video in Tunisia (aka Tatooine). http://t.co/rKRs28ybSP pic.twitter.com/RpdtUTenWW— Museum of Modern Art (@MuseumModernArt) May 4, 2015

9. Coca-Cola

The flavor is strong with this one. #MayThe4thBeWithYou pic.twitter.com/EB3VXLlaoy— Coca-Cola (@CocaCola) May 4, 2015

10. USDA Food Safety

Cook safe and #MayThe4thBeWithYou pic.twitter.com/y4wgwGljOF— USDA Food Safety (@USDAFoodSafety) May 4, 2015

11. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

"Never tell me the odds.”—Han Solo. Well, Han, odds are immunization will prevent 2-3 million deaths this year alone! #MayThe4thBeWithYou— CDC Global Health (@CDCGlobal) May 4, 2015

12. Party City

#MayThe4thBeWithYou! #Yoda says “@StarWars Twitter chat you may join!” Join today at 3 PM EST w/ @bonniegrrl! pic.twitter.com/TW4P0fCvJM— Party City (@PartyCity) May 4, 2015

13. Pep Boys

How did the biker scout get to #PepBoys when his speeder broke down on Endor? Ewok’d there... #MayThe4thBeWithYou pic.twitter.com/L1cc3DihZx— Pep Boys (@pepboysauto) May 4, 2015

14. Nissan

You can stop looking. We found them. #StarWarsDay #MayThe4thBeWithYou pic.twitter.com/WWG2YIN9Yx— Nissan (@Nissan) May 4, 2015

15. Gibson

#MayThe4thBeWithYou pic.twitter.com/nvGGPZNA1p— Gibson Guitar (@gibsonguitar) May 4, 2015

16. Pillsbury

Princess Leia would love to don these buns! #MayThe4thBeWithYou #StarWarsDay http://t.co/t63VLKu9zw pic.twitter.com/lX9ibN6079— Pillsbury (@Pillsbury) May 4, 2015

17. McDonalds

Bring out the fry-sabers. #MayThe4thBeWithYou pic.twitter.com/wfkNbVFNP4— McDonald's (@McDonaldsETN) May 4, 2015

18. School of Rock

From all of us here at #SchoolofRock, #MayThe4thBeWithYou! pic.twitter.com/POWqUwUzbN— School of Rock (@SchoolofRockUSA) May 4, 2015

19. Castrol

BP's @Castrol keeps this "droid" moving on Mars: http://t.co/X6PAi0LGgM #MayThe4thBeWithYou #BPTech pic.twitter.com/zblQBvuUtL— BP America (@BP_America) May 4, 2015

20. General Electric

Which side of the light are you on? #EmojiScience #MayThe4thBeWithYou http://t.co/9hd8J3LibA pic.twitter.com/Kd65Oo7WBy— General Electric (@generalelectric) May 4, 2015

21. PETA

Did you know? Yoda was #vegan? http://t.co/YG0mHkXrZk#MayThe4thBeWithYou #C3P0 pic.twitter.com/savxzWaqwu— PETA (@peta) May 4, 2015

22. The National Rifle Association

May the Fourth Be With You http://t.co/QnzBPv7hF0 #starwars #MayThe4thBeWithYou— NRA (@NRA) May 4, 2015

23. Chick-Fil-A

When it comes to Waffle Fries, use the Force. #MayThe4thBeWithYouhttps://t.co/oq3pesLYFA— Chick-fil-A, Inc. (@ChickfilA) May 4, 2015

24. Likely 2016 presidential candidate Scott Walker

Hope for Republicans there still is. #MayTheFourthBeWithYou #StarWarsDay @StarWars -TW pic.twitter.com/DEqTUQE5gA— Scott Walker (@ScottWalker) May 4, 2015

25. UN Framework Convention on Climate Change

#MayThe4th be powered by #cleanenergy, for the sake of present and future generations #StarWars #COP21 pic.twitter.com/KVQ2P2MViG— UNFCCC (@UNFCCC) May 4, 2015

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