Do you think there are Hasbro SPIES here ?

[sweetstuff]

I don't know about "spies" - but I wouldn't doubt that people from the company may be looking around the various sites getting feedback.

I know many-a-year ago when I was active on the "official"  X-files board Chris Carter and various people tied to the show popped in from time to time.

[Shaiyeh]

that member is a SPAH!!


no, but seriously. I'm with the people who say Hasbro has teams for market research.

[dragonfly]

They keep an eye on the boards, yes

[mlpfan]

on the my little pony documentary "my little obsession) the hasbro reps admit they keep an eye on the forums to see what people think.

[pinkkittywinks]

i am sure they are here

love pkw xxx

[Raindrop]

Several of the customizers strongly feel that some real ponies were inspired by customs that have been done in the past.  Customizers were doing leg gradients before Hasbro picked up the idea in the G3 line, and the peacock fair pony came out after a fad for making peacock customs raged across the customs board....
 
[Edited to add:]
P.S.  Dear Hasbro, No offense, but you need to have another look at what your Marketing team is telling you.  Marketing exclusively to preschoolers and developing lots of playsets/multi-packs when the economy is bad aren't the best way to sell toys.  There also needs to be a balance between flooding the market with new singles (as happened with the G3 line), and repeating the same ones multiple times (Core 7, FiM "mane six").  The timing of your releases has also not been very strategic--getting people hyped up about a new line and then not releasing it until right before or immediately after Christmas is not smart!  You want your new lines ON THE SHELVES by November, when Mommies and Grandmas start looking for toys.  You would have more of my money by now had you done so the past three years, and I'm talking about buying for my kids, not shopping for myself as a collector.

[kyedhen]

It wouldn't surprise me, really. It'd be smart for them to keep an eye on the fandom.
(And I don't mean 'bronies', I mean the real fandom that will stick with them once that fad dies out)

[gabumon]

@Raindrop.  *slow clapping* Exactly.

[mlpfan]

@Raindrop.  *slow clapping* Exactly.

i second that!

[Betelgeuse]

Well If I were Hasbro, I'd send spies. I always like to know the hidden details of the fans.

[LadyMoondancer]

Several of the customizers strongly feel that some real ponies were inspired by customs that have been done in the past.  Customizers were doing leg gradients before Hasbro picked up the idea in the G3 line, and the peacock fair pony came out after a fad for making peacock customs raged across the customs board....

Honestly, I don't think Hasbro does this sort of thing at all, for legal reasons. The reasons you see similarities like that is common source material (and, sometimes, there only being a certain amount of colors combos that look good together). The leg-gradient idea has been around since they made Dream Beauties (and since their rivals made Fashion Star Fillies), it's not really a new idea.   And peacocks have always been popular.


Now, a kiwi bird craze struck the customizing board and then Hasbro made a kiwi bird custom, at that point I might get a little suspicious . . .