Wal-Mart, Disney Team On 'Hannah Montana' Line

"Hannah Montana" has been reportedly sending fans into frenzies as parents pay ridiculously large sums for concert tickets. Now fans will find the hugely popular brand at Wal-Mart stores. Together with Disney Consumer Products, the retailer plans to give families more affordable access to "Hannah Montana" merchandise and activities this year.

Wal-Mart aims to offer more ways for fans to "express their inner pop star," with approximately 140 unique "Hannah Montana" products. Marketing and advertising efforts to promote shirts, shoes, purses, belts, socks and other merchandise are planned to run through the fall and back-to-school season.

The Bentonville, Ark. retailer and Disney will collaborate on launching in-store promotions this weekend, according to Wal-Mart spokeswoman Melissa O'Brien. Several 30-second spots will appear on television, and moviegoers at approximately 4,000 theaters will see ads running this weekend, too. In the first cinema ad, two girls--in anticipation of seeing "Hannah Montana" live--are shown picking out accessories to wear to the concert.

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Wal-Mart and Disney also plan to launch a microsite filled with games and fashion tips. "Since the concert is difficult to access for some consumers, we are trying to provide mothers and daughters who love 'Hannah Montana' a special place where they can purchase affordable accessories," O'Brien says. "We want folks in small towns to have access to purchase shoes and clothing to celebrate their favorite pop star, too."

Known for locking in special deals with entertainment companies, the retailer inked exclusive rights to sell a line of "Hannah Montana" products in its stores and on the Web. Wal-Mart now has exclusive rights to sell a collection of sportswear, T-shirts, watches, handbags, luggage and room accessories, and shoes and flip-flops. Other products sold through Wal-Mart include sleepwear, makeup, spa and bath kits, fragrance, nail kits, wigs, assorted dolls, microphones, play stages and play sets, board games, and electronic games for Nintendo DS and Wii.

The "Hannah Montana" apparel and accessory line launched in October 2006. During that holiday season, it was the No. 1 selling line in the tweens category at Macy's stores nationwide, and continues as a top seller at Macy's, Dillard's, Club Libby Lu, Kohl's, Target, JCPenney, Toys R Us and Kmart, among others, according to Disney.

Celebrating the theatrical release of "Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Movie" in Disney Digital 3D on Friday, fans can pick up an all-access pass at Wal-Mart stores, which gives them a secret code to download "Hannah Montana's Rock Star" music video at DisneyChannel.com/AllAccess.

The latest "Hannah Montana 2 Non-Stop Dance Party" CD released Wednesday includes an additional track when purchased at Wal-Mart. To coincide with the CD release, Wal-Mart will also offer the "We Got the Party (Remix)" ring tone for $1.99 on Wal-Mart mobile. Consumers can access the ring tone at wmtmobile.com/hannah, by texting HM to 77888.

Since Walt Disney Records released the "Hannah Montana" soundtrack on Oct. 24, 2006, more than four million have sold. In its first week, it debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard chart, and it also reached No. 1 on both the Billboard Kids' and the Billboard Soundtrack chart.

In June 2007, Walt Disney and Hollywood Records released the first solo CD from the then 14-year-old Miley Cyrus, a double set, "Hannah Montana 2/Meet Miley Cyrus," which went double platinum with sales of more than 3.7 million. Miley Cyrus, the singer, is the daughter of former country western singer Billy Ray Cyrus.

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