It probably won’t have escaped you that it was May the 4th this week. Is that date meant to mean something? Even those with a low mid-chlorian count will understand the reference. It was, of course, Star Wars Day, May the 4th Be With You. While every day is Star Wars day for the Jedi amongst us (myself included), the 4th May is a big deal in the Resistance. The Clone Wars finale aired on Disney+, along with a documentary about the making of The Mandalorian. They even announced Taika Waititi would be directing a new Star Wars film (absolute win!)

eCommerce

May the 4th was also a big day for sales. The First Order may not patrol the streets, but we are in lockdown. With your sand speeder parked in the garage, eCommerce is your friend. May the 4th might well be a celebration for fans around the world, but it sure is profitable for the Disney empire. Toys released, Star Wars sales, new games announced, Lego sets up for pre-order, there were global geek-gasms as fans flocked online for the latest collectables. I (for once) resisted the urge, I’m not falling for that Jedi mind-trick, not after last time.

While none of our eCommerce clients participated in the fanfare (King of Cotton Jedi bathrobes and The Empire Strikes Mac sale for MacFinder really should exist), it’s highly unlikely you didn’t witness any Star Wars related ads this week, even those of you hidden in the Outer Rim. May the 4th was an opportunity to jump on the band-wagon Corellian Freighter and give your sales a boost. There can be no doubt that the likes of Zavvi, EA, Lego, Sideshow Collectibles and the Disney Store all had success with their sales. Landing pages were put to good use and social media was hit with a bombardment of ion cannons causing quite the stir amongst the Coruscant crowds.

With the majority now staying at home, social media usage has no doubt gone through the roof (don’t worry, the Lanai caretakers will fix that). My feeds on Instagram and Facebook are full of ads. It is the perfect time for eCommerce sites to up their advertising as more people are going to be susceptible to it. Even your average post has probably seen a rise in engagement. Sure, this is great for your business, but it’s also great for the fans (like the force, there’s a balance). Fans are excited by new announcements and collectables, it’s a spark of light in these dark times. While sales are important, so is positivity.

Art Wars

Sure, eCommerce is great, but so is art and social media. You’d be surprised how much the art and design world loves May the 4th, it’s like a party on Pasaana. Now, I like art, especially alternative movie art… but Star Wars art? Get me in the Mos Eisley cantina with the Figrin D’an and the Modal Nodes playing in the background, I’ll have a whale of a time.

Interestingly I didn’t see many art prints go up for sale in relation to May the 4th, but it was celebrated with artists sharing work, old and new. All of which was made possible by Ralph McQuarrie’s original concept art (which deserves its own museum on Naboo).

May the 4th was the perfect opportunity for artists to share their Star Wars work, it was expected of them. It’s free advertising and there was no doubt countless likes, follows and shares.

Instagram then got in on the action with stickers and GIFs designed to celebrate May the 4th.

This wasn’t needed, but it’s a nice touch and allows the average Anakin to share a post celebrating May the 4th. It also lets the world know that Instagram is active and keeping with the times.

So that’s May the 4th Be With You through the eyes of a web designer, albeit a Star Wars obsessed, lightsaber wielding, stormtrooper helmet wearing (video calls are great) web designer. It proved to please fans, boost social media interactions and up those eCommerce sales. Considering the times, it came exactly when it was needed.