Nigel
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Post by Nigel on Oct 11, 2011 9:21:06 GMT
I thought a thread focusing on Hasbro as a business and the toy industry (and related industries) in general would be a good idea. There are two things I'd like to open with. Firstly, has anyone noticed the big marketing push that Hasbro is giving to Kre-O Transformers? I've seen the adverts during Thundercats and - surprisingly and impressively - X-Factor. They've also got the cover for one of this month's trade magazines. (Strange, then, if Hasbro is pushing the brand so hard, that I've heard nothing from any of my suppliers.) Monopoly Electronic Banking has also been advertised during X-Factor; it's unusual to see any toy adverts at prime time. Secondly, there are predictions of a slowdown in the toy industry and Hasbro has built up inventory. "McGowan said he believes that Transformer and board game sales have lagged expectations. He further argued that television ratings for Hasbro’s cable network for kids, called the Hub, have been short of projections." www.marketwatch.com/story/toy-sales-may-be-slowed-by-economy-2011-10-10?link=MW_latest_news |
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Nigel
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Post by Nigel on Oct 17, 2011 8:25:10 GMT
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Nigel
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Post by Nigel on Oct 20, 2011 8:42:23 GMT
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Post by The Doctor on Oct 20, 2011 16:29:24 GMT
A sofa!
-Ralph
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Nigel
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Post by Nigel on Oct 20, 2011 16:36:51 GMT
I could picture a hotel bar refurbished for Auto Assembly....
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Nigel
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Post by Nigel on Oct 24, 2011 9:10:45 GMT
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Post by The Doctor on Oct 24, 2011 18:05:07 GMT
Not fussed about them being US owned but saddened that Mattel now has them who will no doubt fuck up the toylines in the ways that only they can.
-Ralph
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Post by legios on Oct 24, 2011 19:45:37 GMT
Did Hit Entertainment actually own the entire Thomas IP? For some reason I thought that they only held the rights to toys and merchandising, but I could easily be ill-informed, it isn't really my strong suit.
I second the motion that nationality aside, being owned by Mattel is rarely what I would wish on a brand.
Karl
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Nigel
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Post by Nigel on Oct 25, 2011 9:43:49 GMT
IP, licensing and all that is a complex area. Hit owns some things outright and has distribution rights for others. I don't know what's what.
I hope Sooty doesn't start speaking with an American accent.
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Nigel
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Post by Nigel on Oct 27, 2011 9:31:20 GMT
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Post by The Doctor on Nov 1, 2011 8:30:07 GMT
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Hero
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Post by Hero on Nov 13, 2011 23:19:12 GMT
Hasbro's Kre-O dept should read that article
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Post by The Doctor on Nov 14, 2011 8:34:31 GMT
I am sure there will be blind-packed KREON minifigs in due course. Patience is required. LEGO only just started packs of minifigs in the last year. Hasbro will want to build up a customer base for their construction kits. Putting the minifigs out seperately at time of launch would be pretty silly from their point of view.
-Ralph
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Stomski
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Post by Stomski on Nov 14, 2011 10:16:38 GMT
Not sure where else to discuss this and didn't think it warranted its own thread... Has anyone seen the new Tesco's advert for Christmas toys?
It advertises a "Transformers emm vee three leader". Yes, that's verbatim from the voice over.
Those of us familiar with SKU listings etc. will recognise this as being Transformers MV3 Leader assortment, but kids will surely want to hear "Transformers Dark Of The Moon Leader Bumblebee" as that was the figure in the advert.
I'm a little shocked that Hasbro don't put more effort into educating the major retailers as to their product range and help them market them.
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Post by Philip Ayres on Nov 14, 2011 10:32:29 GMT
yes I had spotted it and laughed.
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Stomski
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Post by Stomski on Nov 14, 2011 11:52:55 GMT
I don't think my missus fully understood when I explained it to her!
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Post by blueshift on Nov 14, 2011 12:49:45 GMT
Amazing! Is that on youtube or online anywhere?
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Post by The Doctor on Nov 14, 2011 18:16:13 GMT
Ha! I must see this.
-Ralph
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Nigel
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Post by Nigel on Dec 7, 2011 9:27:52 GMT
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Post by Philip Ayres on Dec 8, 2011 22:40:00 GMT
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Post by The Doctor on Dec 9, 2011 8:14:40 GMT
*reads comments*
Oh, a MISB moaner.
*head in hands*
-Ralph
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Post by Philip Ayres on Dec 9, 2011 8:29:53 GMT
Aren't the Robot Heroes all card packaging?
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kayevcee
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Post by kayevcee on Dec 9, 2011 13:38:48 GMT
"Increase in Recycled Content: In 2010, Hasbro set a goal to derive at least 75 percent of paper and board packaging from recycled material, or from sources that practice sustainable forest management, by 2011. By 2015, Hasbro plans to increase that goal to 90 percent."
Wait... doesn't that mean that at least 25% of Hasbro's cardboard packaging comes from illegal or unmonitored (would be illegal if anyone was paying attention) logging? I think Greenpeace were talking about this earlier in the year. Chuffin' 'ell.
-Nick
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Post by legios on Dec 9, 2011 19:59:13 GMT
Wait... doesn't that mean that at least 25% of Hasbro's cardboard packaging comes from illegal or unmonitored (would be illegal if anyone was paying attention) logging? I think Greenpeace were talking about this earlier in the year. Chuffin' 'ell. -Nick It may do. On the other hand, it might not. All it means is that it comes from sources that do not meet the requirements for formal Sustainable Forestry accreditation. This is not, I don't think, the same thing as being conducted illegally. Phil - the Rescue Bots packaging is mostly cardboard but the actual toys rest in a plastic contoured "tray" to which they are tied with the paper ties. Karl Karl |
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Nigel
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Post by Nigel on Jan 18, 2012 9:59:41 GMT
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Nigel
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Post by Nigel on Feb 3, 2012 10:00:18 GMT
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Post by Philip Ayres on Mar 20, 2012 17:21:18 GMT
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Post by mabus1984 on Mar 21, 2012 22:35:34 GMT
LEGO only just started packs of minifigs in the last year. You have always been able to buy character boxes from LEGO, though you got around 5 or more or whatever it was in the box, which for Transformers would be too many at once. Anyways i noticed my local Tesco removed their K-reo as it didn't sell and ASDA have Prowl for 8.99 down from 20 something. It's not selling and you'd think LEGO-style bricks and Transformers would fly off the shelves..... maybe its not because its not actually LEGO!?! |
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Post by Philip Ayres on Apr 14, 2012 6:14:34 GMT
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Hero
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Post by Hero on Apr 14, 2012 8:21:51 GMT
I wonder what the new blister packs will be like, if they do blister packs at all.
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