This vampire phenomenon won’t bite, but it might bleed you dry

he adolescent dreams of thousands of teenage girls were fulfilled yesterday as the latest Twilight film arrived on British screens, accompanied by an unprecedented merchandising blitz.

Fans who rushed to see New Moon, the second instalment in the vampire series, were also frantically buying up Twilight-themed dolls, duvet covers, rings, board games, books, lipsticks, calendars and wrist cuffs. Merchandise sales are expected to reach £100 million in the UK alone, according to industry analysts. That would propel the film into the record books.

“The first film was really phenomenal in terms of ticket sales and has created a hype that has translated very well into licensing,” said Samantha Loveday, editor of Licensing.biz.

While Twilight still has a way to go before beating the Star Wars franchise, which has generated £213 million in UK merchandise since 2001, it is already about to match the entire Harry Potter franchise, the third- highest-grossing film in terms of merchandise in the UK. The seven J. K. RowlingJ. K. Rowling books and the six films have so far generated £109 million in merchandise revenue since 2001, according to figures from NPD, a licensing research company.New Moon has already become the fastest-selling film this year, taking more than £3 million in advance sales before its release. For Twilight’s core audience of teenage girls there are hundreds of vampire-themed products to choose from, including mobile phone “socks” (£2.95) adorned with pictures of Edward CullenEdward Cullen, the brooding teenage vampire played by the British actor Robert PattinsonRobert Pattinson.

Mattel has introduced a £34.99 Barbie and Ken-style version of Edward, along with Bella SwanBella Swan, the out-of-town misfit who is in love with Edward. There are also Twilight lipsticks, iPhone applications, watches and commercial tie-ins with Volvo and Burger King. You can even buy a replica of a leather “cuff” that Edward wears in the film.

Marketers are taking full advantage. Play.com, an internet retailer, is advertising the Twilight duvet cover (£27.99 for a double) as “fangtastic”. The blurb accompanying the New Moon board game (£22.99) reads: “When you can live forever, what do you live for? Board games!” Even Wuthering Heights has been reprinted with the words “Edward and Bella’s favourite book” on the cover, helping to make the Brontë novel Britain’s bestselling children’s classic.

“For decades the big three in sales of merchandise have been Star Wars, Dr Who and Star Trek,” said Jon Harrison, manager at Forbidden Planet, the London shop licensed to sell Twilight figures. “In the past 18 months, Twilight has taken a place at the big table.”

The first Twilight film, released last year, took £11 million in UK ticket sales. Bella and Edward’s relationship has enthralled teenagers, with blogs and social networking sites poring over every detail of the new film.

Stephenie MeyerStephenie Meyer, the Arizona-born mother of three who wrote the four books in the Twilight saga, has become one of the world’s bestselling authors. Waterstone’s sold more than one million copies over two years — a record for an author, beating J.K. Rowling.

Meyer’s novels have spawned a generation of obsessive fans, who call themselves Twihards and who — via the internet and a Facebook group with more than four million members — have created their own language. “Post-Saga Depression”, or PSD, describes “that blue feeling after finishing the books and realising there is no actual Edward”, according to an online Twilight dictionary. “New mooned” describes “that down feeling you get while Edward is away”.

Older fans are also being targeted, with Volvo holding a competition to win a car like Edward’s. “The film goes a lot wider than female tweens,” said Ruth Mortimer, associate editor of Marketing Week. “I’m in my thirties and get targeted online by Volvo.”

On Twilight internet forums, there is evidence that fans are responding to the Volvo campaign. One contributor, calling herself Mrs Robert Pattinson, said: “Robert Pattinson is probably the most talented person in the world! I want a Volvo as my first car!”