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Celebrity Bobbleheads
Last month the Gwinnett Gladiators (ECHL) hockey team made big news with a bobblehead promotion. Instead of using a team player, coach, or mascot for their bobblehead, they went another direction....and the fans waited in line for it, some more than 3 hours.
The bobbleheads were seen on eBay hours later selling for over $100.
Who was on their now infamous and valuable bobblehead?
It was the "Runaway Bride Any Similarity to Actual Persons is Unintended and Purely Coincidental" Bobblehead Doll, featuring a woman eerily similar to Duluth (GA) resident Jennifer Wilbanks whose disappearance last April, just days before her scheduled 600-guest wedding prompted a national search. She was later found in Albuquerque, New Mexico, claiming to have been abducted.
- See the MSNBC Story: Runaway bride bobbleheads vanish quickly
- See the CNN Story: Runaway bride dolls disappear as quickly as she did
While most teams stay with their own players, some are venturing out into celebrities, past players, or local heroes (or villains).
Recently these teams have created bobblehead promotions around non-players:
- The Lowell Spinners Paul Revere Bobblehead (local historical figure)
- The Lowell Spinners Jack Kerouac and Stephen King Bobblehead (local historical authors)
- The Hagerstown Suns George Washington bobblehead (local historical figure). The special bobblehead doll promotion will be held as part of the team's Fourth of July celebration, and it also commemorates the 230th birthday of Washington County in Maryland (where the Suns play). The county was the first one in the nation to be named after George Washington.
There is no risk of these public figures being traded and it ties well into the local history, and promotions can be built logically into dates (birthday of the celebrity or national holidays, like Presidents on the Fourth of July).
We asked noted sports attorney Paul Loving for his advice on securing the rights for using a celebrity image for your bobblehead promotion.
Paul Loving: "This is a state-by-state issue because state law controls rights of publicity -- there are statutes in many states that provides that a person who dies in that state has a post-mortem right of publicity -- ex. NY, Illinois, TX, CA. Most celebrities who have died in those states are represented by someone -- a licensing agency or lawyer. These folks routinely do deals with people who would like to use the image or likeness. They generally are not open to non-revenue deals ( e.g., proceeds are going to charity), but obviously this is a case-by-case issue.
Teams must identify the individual featured in the product and see whether they are covered and proceed forward cautiously to avoid expensive legal entanglements."
Celebrity bobbleheads are an interesting way to spark new interest in bobbleheads which remain the #1 most sought after premium item in sports. If you are looking to augment your list of bobbleheads, consider using a local celebrity or historical figure. The Gladiators have shown the promotion can be effective locally, as well as nationally.
Get the scoop on your next bobblehead project by completing the form below. We will follow-up with pricing and ordering details.
Range listed for 7.5" bobble / 5,000 pieces, shipping not included in price.
Related links:
- Celebrity Bobbleheads with Chris Peace Interview
- Resin Figurines
- Bobbleheads
- Wobblers
- Bobblehead Options
- Bobbleheads
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Celebrity Bobbleheads with Chris Peace Interview
Resin Figurines
Bobblehead Options
Wobblers
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