マイケル・ジャクソン：商品の王様

(あなたが読んでいる記事は、BBC ニュースの音楽記者、イアン・ヤングスによるレポートの翻訳です。)

お祝いですか、それとも現金収入ですか？マイケル・ジャクソンのグッズ業界は活況を呈している。

マイケル・ジャクソンの死から7週間後、そして判事が販促品の制作を支持する判決を下してから、マイケル・ジャクソンの顔と肖像は、あらゆる種類の衣服、コイン、トランプ、そして歌う人形に描かれている。エルヴィス・プレスリーが示したように、死は必ずしもビジネスの成功を妨げるものではありません。昨年、キング・オブ・ロックンロールは約5,200万ドルを稼いだ。エルヴィスの没後32周年を前に公開されたエルヴィスの公式ウェブサイトのいくつかの見出しは、次のようなことを指摘している。

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Merchandise, memorabilia, visits to Graceland, and even his own radio program—besides selling his albums and DVDs—have allowed Elvis to earn more than other deceased celebrities, and even more than many living people.

マイケル・ジャクソン’s merchandise industry seems set to move in the same direction. In addition to promotional products, a film made from snippets of rehearsals recorded during the days leading up to the huge London concerts is planned, his own book will be reprinted, and a new official photo-filled book will be released to the market at a price of $165.

John Branca, a former Jackson attorney and one of the executors of the will, says he expects the star to earn $200 million from album sales and memorial programs by the end of the year. In an interview he recently gave to the Los Angeles Times, he said, “We’re trying to look at what other heirs—Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley—have done and use the best of them to build our strategy.”

Howard Weitzman, another lawyer for the will’s executors, says, “This estate has a long life. マイケル・ジャクソン is a statue with historical dimensions. I think there are big opportunities for us to create a lot of income for マイケル・ジャクソン’s heirs—today, his mother and three children.”

Columbia Pictures paid $60 million for the right to distribute Michael’s rehearsals, and that money goes to the heirs and to AEG Live, which was supposed to stage Michael’s concerts. AEG Live is trying to recoup part of the $30 million it spent putting on 50 Jackson concerts. The company and the will’s executors also intend to increase this profit by showcasing Jackson’s memorabilia.

The contract to broadcast the rehearsal film came with Katherine Jackson’s dissatisfaction. Brett Levech, Michael’s mother’s lawyer, says, “This isn’t about cashing in quickly.” AEG Live’s lawyer recently said, “The more we wait, the more time passes—and the reality is that people’s interest in seeing this film is decreasing.” マイケル・ジャクソン has been number one on the UK’s best-selling albums chart for seven weeks, and his Number Ones album is still at the top of the US best-sellers list. So public interest in keeping the memory of this man and his music remains strong. But where exactly is the line between honoring and cashing in?

Casper Levalin-Smith, editor of the Observer Music monthly, says, “Whenever a big star dies, a crazy rush begins to generate income. These things can be done with more sensitivity. There are many people who have a deep love for him, and you can understand the public’s desire to get a piece of him.”

Evergreen Copyrights, which owns part of the rights to 25 Jackson songs including Remember the Time and Dangerous, says that since the artist’s death, it has earned $1 million from the growing sales of his songs. David Shulhof, an executive at the company, says, “Right now we’re seeing strong demand for all the songs we control—for everything, from films and TV programs to promotional merchandise. マイケル・ジャクソン’s heirs want to make the most of this time.” He adds that the most important thing right now is preserving the value of the artist, because otherwise the value of the music and other products also declines. He claims that although in the past two weeks they have allowed the use of Jackson’s songs in many cases, they have also refused in many other cases where they felt future sales were being threatened. “If you sell everything in a short time, you sacrifice long-term sales. All the other stakeholders working with us are trying to exploit this capital. But it has to be done carefully and consciously. We receive a lot of requests for ridiculous and worthless uses. If the songs aren’t being used properly, we don’t agree.”

No matter what happens, マイケル・ジャクソン will be with us for years—just like Elvis.

Source: eMJey / BBC News