The decline of Star Trek, both in quality and marketability can be explained through simple principles of marketing and good storytelling. The following are not meant to be an exhaustive list...
First, it is obvious that the Star Trek brand has become diluted. From The Next Generation to Deep Space Nine to Voyager and now Enterprise, it is difficult for the average person to define what Star Trek means to them. Star Trek as a brand does not consistently own a uniform image in the mind of the consumer. This results simply in confusion. If the consumer is confused, they are less likely to buy. People view James Bond movies because they know exactly what they are going to see, however Star Trek movies historically have had a great deal of variation (albeit not with respect to their plot).
Secondly, creative products (and to some extent high-end consumer products) tend to maximize their profit margins by relying on the principle of exclusivity (i.e. think Apple). With the market saturated by the many Star Trek series and the high rate of syndication, people are less likely to feel compelled to view a new episode, or even a new movie. One of the reasons that ST:TNG was so well received in the beginning years was that it was previously impossible (or very difficult) to acquire the product. Today, it is difficult not to find a Star Trek episode on the television.
Finally, in terms of marketing, Paramount has greatly weakened the strength of the primary series brand, by extending the brand to other products (i.e. Voyager, DS9, Enterprise). As such, the overall franchise is less marketable and less profitable than competitors who have had a more focused message, for example Bablylon 5.
Another example of this concept is Miller Brewing. Miller enjoyed approximately a 40% market share with it's Miller beer. This was in a large result from the "It's Miller Time" marketing campaign. However, when Miller introduced Miller Lite, sales of Miller (regular) declined (and continues to decline) annually. The problem is that light beer makes up only 30% of the entire domestic beer market and Miller Lite accounts for only 60% of that.
In terms of a decline in creativity, the transition can be explored by examining the basic plot mechanics of our favorite episodes/movies and the majority of Star Trek. The most compeling plots in Star Trek revolve around either person to person struggle or a person to environment struggle. The best incorporate elements of both (ST:The Wrath of Khan). However, increasingly Star Trek has relied upon technology to prop up an otherwise weak plot. Nemesis was not that bad of a movie, and in some respects was similar to the Wrath of Khan, but in the end, technology was the victor, not human ingenuity. Technology has become a cure-all solution in Star Trek and it has limited our emotional involvement in the series. In the original Star Trek movies, there was great emotional attachment to the Enterprise (Search for Spock), Spock (the Wrath of Khan), and to the legacy of the crew (The Voyage Home). When the Enterprise is destroyed in the TNG movies, there is no attachement, as there is always a newer and better ship in the next movie.
There are more points that could be made, but this post has already become long-winded.
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The decline of Star Trek, both in quality and marketability can be explained through simple principles of marketing and good storytelling. The following are not meant to be an exhaustive list...
First, it is obvious that the Star Trek brand has become diluted. From The Next Generation to Deep Space Nine to Voyager and now Enterprise, it is difficult for the average person to define what Star Trek means to them. Star Trek as a brand does not consistently own a uniform image in the mind of the consumer. This results simply in confusion. If the consumer is confused, they are less likely to buy. People view James Bond movies because they know exactly what they are going to see, however Star Trek movies historically have had a great deal of variation (albeit not with respect to their plot).
Secondly, creative products (and to some extent high-end consumer products) tend to maximize their profit margins by relying on the principle of exclusivity (i.e. think Apple). With the market saturated by the many Star Trek series and the high rate of syndication, people are less likely to feel compelled to view a new episode, or even a new movie. One of the reasons that ST:TNG was so well received in the beginning years was that it was previously impossible (or very difficult) to acquire the product. Today, it is difficult not to find a Star Trek episode on the television.
Finally, in terms of marketing, Paramount has greatly weakened the strength of the primary series brand, by extending the brand to other products (i.e. Voyager, DS9, Enterprise). As such, the overall franchise is less marketable and less profitable than competitors who have had a more focused message, for example Bablylon 5.
Another example of this concept is Miller Brewing. Miller enjoyed approximately a 40% market share with it's Miller beer. This was in a large result from the "It's Miller Time" marketing campaign. However, when Miller introduced Miller Lite, sales of Miller (regular) declined (and continues to decline) annually. The problem is that light beer makes up only 30% of the entire domestic beer market and Miller Lite accounts for only 60% of that.
In terms of a decline in creativity, the transition can be explored by examining the basic plot mechanics of our favorite episodes/movies and the majority of Star Trek. The most compeling plots in Star Trek revolve around either person to person struggle or a person to environment struggle. The best incorporate elements of both (ST:The Wrath of Khan). However, increasingly Star Trek has relied upon technology to prop up an otherwise weak plot. Nemesis was not that bad of a movie, and in some respects was similar to the Wrath of Khan, but in the end, technology was the victor, not human ingenuity. Technology has become a cure-all solution in Star Trek and it has limited our emotional involvement in the series. In the original Star Trek movies, there was great emotional attachment to the Enterprise (Search for Spock), Spock (the Wrath of Khan), and to the legacy of the crew (The Voyage Home). When the Enterprise is destroyed in the TNG movies, there is no attachement, as there is always a newer and better ship in the next movie.
There are more points that could be made, but this post has already become long-winded.