Iron Maiden is Teaming up with Igloo for a New Cooler

For fans of the band, Iron Maiden Merchandise is as timeless as old as their first self-titled album “Iron Maiden” released in 1980. Like other groups of that era, the album cover graphics became an inseparable part of the listener’s total experience. A band named for a Medieval torture device had much to live up to and they didn’t disappoint. Fans loved the band’s branding artwork, particularly the creepy head affectionately dubbed “Eddie”. Iron Maiden lovers will be thrilled to discover that the band has partnered with the premier container company, Igloo, to create an Iron Maiden Cooler! As people are starting to get back to traveling and enjoying the great This is the next step in classic rock merchandise. Die-hard band followers and a new generation of fans will be sporting the “Eddie” embossed cooler as this summer’s coolest outdoor accessory.

Iron Maiden was founded in 1975 by bass player and songwriter Steve Harris. Iron Maiden is a British band formed in East London Throughout the years, band members have come and gone and they broke the standard mode by having three guitar players at times. Although popular worldwide, they had one 1983 hit, “The Trooper”, inspired by “The Charge of the Light Brigade” gain notable Billboard Top Ten acclaim in the United States. The band has produced 40 LP albums, including live performances, as well as hit singles. The talented artists who have created legendary music are also brilliant entrepreneurs and have dominated the metal band merchandising arena going way beyond fan t-shirts and jewelry. Iron Maiden is edgy and mysterious, irreverent and fun. Like other metal bands, their artwork appeals to those who appreciate the eccentric and offbeat. Other bands have cool graphics, but only Iron Maiden has “Eddie”. Iron Maiden’s mascot named “Eddie” has been proudly featured on coasters, lighters, even masks. There are even “Book of Souls” Beverage Coasters. Drinking, though, is a front and center theme with Iron Maiden branded items, One of the most lucrative endeavors was when the band partnered with Robinson Brewery to invent “Trooper Beer,” so naturally, a cooler to put beer in is a perfect match. After more than a year of staying home indoors, Going out and Chilling with the Beast will be a real thing again this summer. Needless to say, this new cooler has gained a good deal of social media buzz and publicity, garnering attention in both the business and the music worlds.

The cooler’s design features the Iron Maiden logo surrounded by nine of the “Eddies”, different incarnations of the band’s famous mascot. Why that gruesome face is dubbed “Eddie” comes down to a curious piece of metal rock trivia. Many bands have their legends and stories related to lyrics and album covers, but the “Eddie” backstory is quite unique. According to Maidenworld, a website dedicated to everything Iron Maiden past and present, Eddie the Head came about as an offshoot of a silly British tale about a woman who gave birth to a child who had a head but no body. When the parents saw the child they were alarmed, but Eddie’s family was promised that within five years they would come up with a body so the dad kept returning to the doctor in hopes of getting the rest of the child. The dad tells Eddie on his fifth birthday that he has something special for him and the child replies something like “Oh no, not another hat!” as so the joke goes. Another version of the story is that “Ed” just sounded like “Head” so hence, the name. No matter how Iron Maiden’s mascot got his name, it has evolved along with the band, while keeping the same distinctive dark vibe.

Iron Maiden was smart not to reveal Eddie’s body until designer Derek Riggs worked with the band to produce a full Eddie for the band’s 1980 debut album. Eddie became mostly a head again thereafter and has appeared captured in all sorts of grimaces and sometimes spouting blood during live shows. Iron Maiden, like other metal bands of their era, faced censorship and criticism as well as acclaim. The same macabre artwork and dark lyrics that appealed to the youth shocked the elders of the time. These days, though, many original Iron Maiden fans are in their 50s and 60s, so it won’t be surprising to see grandparents at the beach toting coolers emblazoned with the faces of Eddie. As for the band, their latest tour was postponed due to the pandemic; however, Iron Maiden will be back performing in 2022, making new fans who will no doubt want to purchase their amazing merchandise.

As of this writing, according to the Igloo website, the Iron Maiden Eddies Playmate 14 Quart Cooler is sold out. Igloo, a company that started as a small metalwork company in Katy, Texas back in 1947, is no stranger to logos on coolers, including a Beatles’ “Yellow Submarine” model. Having Iron Maiden art on a cooler; however, might be Igloos’ most unique partnership. According to a quote from a Businesswire article, Brian Garofalow, Igloo’s Chief Marketing Officer has described the collaboration between the classic rock band and the classic cooler company as “surreal in all the best ways.” This is a welcome addition to Iron Maiden Memorabilia collectors as well as those who just find it, for no better word, cool. The Iron Maiden Igloo cooler is not only eye-catching and wildly decorative, but it’s also functional. Large enough to hold a total of 26 cans, whether the beverage of choice is Iron Maiden Trooper beer, soft drinks, or a picnic of cold food, it will no doubt get attention at the beach or outdoor party. The Cooler, which measures 14.5 inches long, 10.51 inches wide, and 13.61 inches high and retails for $49.99 .