For 50 years now, the iconic characters of Star Trek have beamed into our lives. A half-century on, E-Score^® Character data shows the franchise’s characters are seeing a trend of increased Appeal among the general population, and desire for Trek branded consumer goods. By the end of 2016 the original characters will have seen another movie and the brand will receive a reboot on the small screen as well.

• Interest in the original, classic, character roles has ignited since the launch of the Star Trek movie franchise reboot in 2009.
• The Appeal of Star Trek characters Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock have increased steadily since the 2009 film, with both characters gaining more than 10 points in Appeal.
• Growing Appeal has led to increased consumer desire for products based on these characters, and extension into other media. We found that Lieutenant Uhura is the classic character people most want to see in a TV show, with 62% of E-Poll members expressing interest. This supports the viability of the upcoming new series focusing on a female lead.

Series Launches Characters Into Stars, and Actors Into Stardom

Star Trek has been responsible for launching many actors into stardom. From original stars like William Shatner to seasoned thespians like Patrick Stewart, the franchise has consistently delivered on the ability to find and expose star-level talent for 50 years. Especially among fans of the science-fiction genre, these actors have achieved major stardom. With an as-yet-undisclosed cast for the new series set to launch in 2017, will the brand be able to continue its star making appeal?

• Original Star Trek stars like Shatner, Leonard Nimoy (prior to his death), and George Takei rode the wave of fame provided by the show for 50 years, still enjoying high E-Scores as a result.
• Later iterations of the franchise have proven to maintain the star making quality as Chris Pine received a major boost to his career after starring as the captain of the Enterprise. Pine has seen his Awareness nearly triple among the general public since becoming James T. Kirk in 2009. Additionally, over a third of all science fiction TV show fans have become aware of him since that time.
• The captain’s seat is a great place to be for Star Trek actors. Current or former Enterprise captains have 3 of the 4 highest E-Scores, which is an aggregate measure of Appeal, Awareness and several other key factors.

Kirk, Out.

Having helmed the Enterprise for 50 years, Captain Kirk is one of the most beloved and enduring characters from Star Trek. This extended tenure has helped the captain be one of the most cherished characters across multiple generations. We found some interesting results when we analyzed the Kirk character among different demographic groups using E-Score Character

.

• Among the roughly 1 in 4 Millennials aware of the character, the vast majority find Captain Kirk Appealing. They select Brave as his leading attribute, but also find him Exciting and Handsome as well.
• The Millennial demographic sees Kirk as more Intelligent compared to their Generation X counterparts.

 

Resources

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