Star Wars Tiki mugs!
I couldn’t believe that two of my biggest loves have been merged. I didn’t have to think about which mug I was going to get: I was getting them all! Who thought of this awesome idea? Brandon Giraldez…
And he isn’t stopping with Star Wars. He’s only just begun…
What brought you into the “Tiki lifestyle” and how long has it been part of your life?
Brandon– I’ve been a fan of Tiki mugs and Tiki bars since my first “Tiki experience,” which was around age 17 at Trader Dick’s (Nugget Casino) in Reno, NV. It’s also where I purchased my first Tiki mug, which was a vintage-style Peanuts mug. Obviously, my love for Tiki has grown since developing my brand. I’ve traveled to countless Tiki bars, attended Tiki festivals (Tiki Oasis, Tiki-Kon), met a lot of new friends in the Tiki culture, and educated myself through books and friendships about what exactly makes up the “Tiki lifestyle.” Now whenever I visit a new city (or country), the first thing I research is where the nearest Tiki bar is. Over the last couple years, I’ve visited dozens of Tiki bars throughout California, Oregon, Chicago, Atlanta, Florida, and Hong Kong.
When it comes to Hawaiian shirts, that’s a whole other love. I’ve been interested in that piece of “Tiki lifestyle” dating back to pizza nights every Thursday as a kid watching Magnum P.I. Over the years, I’ve accrued a great collection of Hawaiian shirts and when we introduce a new license, I always make a custom shirt for my collection, i.e. Star Wars, Marvel, Star Trek, etc. I’d have a much bigger collection if my wife didn’t claim stake in 90% of our closets.
Tell us about Beeline Creative.
Brandon – I started my company back in 2001 and the first product I ever launched was a Hugh Hefner Bobblehead Doll. At the time, Bobbleheads were the focus of my company and over the course of ten-plus years, I went on to produce a large number of licensed Bobbleheads primarily focused around TV Shows and pop icons. I operated my business “on the side,” working full time as an art director for Los Angeles Toy Companies until I quit the full-time gig in July 2013 and took my company Beeline full-time. The first product we launched was a 13” talking Ron Burgundy action figure (Anchorman) which I based off of a 1975 The Six Million Dollar Man action figure. My company has since developed a large number of fun and unique products which include: Pulp Fiction talking action figures (without question the most EXPLICIT action figure EVER produced), Ron Swanson collector busts, and Star Wars figural steins.
Can you give a little history of how the Star Wars “Geeki Tikis” came to be?
Brandon- I had previously developed a very fun and unique line of beer steins for Star Wars, Doctor Who, and Game of Thrones and a friend and I were brainstorming new ideas for drink-ware. Tiki mugs were a topic in our conversation and something that definitely sparked my interest because it was something that I had previously never seen before. Sure, there have been a few licensed Tiki mugs over the years with character art relief on the side of a mug, however nothing quite like I was envisioning, which was a mash-up between two of my favorite things: Tiki (statue) and pop culture. I knew it would be a long shot for the licensors to approve us taking their beloved characters and “Tiki-fying” them, however it was something that I wanted to try.
Since we had seen previous success with our Star Wars steins, Darth Vader was the first character we developed concepts for. We spent weeks refining our designs until we were comfortable sharing them with Lucasfilm and even then, I knew it would be a challenge to get their sign-off. When we shared the concepts with Lucasfilm, they liked the overall Tiki concept, however not for Darth Vader. We developed an initial series of six characters, however, Vader was rejected from the get-go. Knowing that I HAD to have Darth Vader in the original assortment, I invested the time and money in making a one-off sample for proof of concept. I took the sample with me to San Diego Comic-Con and once we got it in the hands of Lucasfilm, they loved it. Our original design went through a series of updates so that the character was a bit more “on-model,” however we had their sign-off on including Darth Vader in our Series 1 assortment. For the product branding, I wanted a name that spoke to my audience and the name “Geeki Tikis®” was born. The Star Wars Geeki Tikis® launched May the Fourth 2016 and were instantly a success. We went on to develop a 2nd Series and I followed the success of Star Wars with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Guardians of the Galaxy, Marvel, Deadpool, and Star Trek.
Star Wars and Tiki: is there a connection?
Brandon– The short answer is yes. “Tiki lifestyle or culture” is all about fantasy and escapism, or at least that’s what it means to me. That is what Star Wars is. Although the Star Wars movies are obviously not part of the original genre that inspired “Tiki” in the 1930s to 1950s, our product was still heavily influenced by traditional Tiki culture and we incorporate a number of those design elements in our line of Geeki Tikis®.
What’s your favorite Star Wars movie?
Brandon – My favorite Star Wars movie is Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back.
What’s your favorite Tiki drink?
Brandon – I’ve definitely had my share of Tiki drinks over the years, however if I had to narrow it down it would be the classic Mai Tai. To this day, the Mai Tai is the first drink I order off a menu when visiting a new Tiki bar. I tend to follow up my Mai Tai with the bartender’s favorites and/or suggestions. I love sitting at the bar, talking with the bartenders, and watching them craft the perfect cocktail. I spent hours doing this at Three Dots and a Dash, which is one of my favorite Tiki bars. The best Mai Tai I have ever had was the “No Ka ‘Oi” Mai Tai at the Westin Ka’anapali Resort in Maui. Maui is one of my favorite vacation spots and I always go straight to the Relish Burger Bistro to order one of their Mai Tai’s before even checking in. Yes, it’s that good!
There are also other Geeki Tikis like Star Trek and Guardians Of The Galaxy. Can you talk about them?
Brandon– We followed the success of Star Wars with Guardians of the Galaxy and Marvel and have most recently introduced fans to a set of classic monsters and Star Trek. Star Trek was the first series where I had taken human characters and “Tiki-fied” them. This was something that I was originally concerned with and thought might not work. However, Spock, Kirk, and Dr. McCoy are a few of my favorites to date and I am really happy with how the iconic characters have translated in Tiki form.
Have you seen Geeki Tikis used in bars? Where at?
Brandon – Yes, and we couldn’t be more thrilled. Geeki Tikis® have been served and/or displayed in a number of cocktail bars and Tiki bars throughout the US including: Tiki-Ti (Los Angeles, CA), the Royal Hawaiian (Laguna Beach, CA), Tacoma Cabana (Tacoma, WA), the Grass Skirt (San Diego, CA), the S.O.S. Tiki Bar (Atlanta, GA), the Edison (Houston, TX) and Park & Rec (San Diego, CA), just to name a few. On a side note, we shoot all of our product photography at the Warehouse Restaurant, which is right across the street from our offices in Marina del Rey, CA. The Warehouse Restaurant opened its doors in 1969 by Burt Hixon aka “Beachbum Burt.” Although technically not a “Tiki bar” and more of a “nautical bar,” it is heavily inspired by Polynesian culture and in my opinion is one of the most unappreciated bars of the “Tiki era.” I would strongly urge any fan of “Tiki” to include this bar/restaurant in your next “Tiki crawl” when in Southern California.
What does the future hold for you and Beeline Creative/Geeki Tikis?
Brandon- We are currently designing Geeki Tikis® for some of my favorite pop culture licenses which include: DC Comics, The Flintstones, The Jetsons, Popeye, Looney Tunes, Count Chocula, and Beetlejuice (to name a few!) At the end of the day, I want to make Geeki Tikis® for licensed properties which I am most passionate about. It’s a mash-up of my two favorite things: 1.Tiki and 2. my favorite childhood characters.
Here is the Geeki Tikis website
And the Beeline Creative Website