Has Hasbro's Focus Changed?

[Argentum-Zeena]

Like many of you, I've noticed that new, original brushables are becoming fewer and fewer. What they do release is what seems like endless mane 6.
This got me thinking...are the toys now promoting the show, rather than the opposite? Or, alternatively, am I just imagining things 

[appletini]

Like many of you, I've noticed that new, original brushables are becoming fewer and fewer. What they do release is what seems like endless mane 6.
This got me thinking...are the toys now promoting the show, rather than the opposite? Or, alternatively, am I just imagining things 

No, I would agree with you. Bronies are heavily influencing what comes out for them. Which is why this upcoming year, (supposedly, according to rumor) is going to see a lot of blind bag/molded ponies coming out.  Hasbro is definitely catering to the show and producing around it. Which makes sense from a business stand point but I'm assuming will annoy those hoping for lots and lots of brushables.

I also just think the endless waves of the mane six will not stop till G4 ends. It's what the show is based on and what any new fans just getting into it want to buy. My guess is every new wave of brushies will see anywhere from 2-4 non mane six ponies accompanied by a mane six set. At least if history is anything to go off of.

[Aurora]

I DO wish there were more new ponies, but my wallet is happy that there are only 4 every so often! It's much easier to budget!

[Bergamot]

This time around, the show is a much more pivotal part of the marketing model than it's ever been. I don't think Hasbro expected it to be nearly as well received as it was. They may have expected to only release the Mane Six once, but then found that the show was actually avery powerful part of the brand.

[sd_dreamcrystal]

My guess is every new wave of brushies will see anywhere from 2-4 non mane six ponies accompanied by a mane six set. At least if history is anything to go off of.

Sadly this doesn't seem to be the case with the next wave after Sunny Rays and them... According to a pamphlet shown on another topic there seems to only really be main 6 brushables, besides the 2 or 3 princess brushables but they are hardly new either

[MonstarNomNom]

This, and I also think they are catering to Bronies more than children which makes me extremely sad. ;~;

[saply]

This, and I also think they are catering to Bronies more than children which makes me extremely sad. ;~;

Well, they are really amping up the production of the So-Softs. I think at its core the basic Hasbro line (baby dolls, accessory-based playsets and dress-up Fashion ponies) still appeals very much to children, while the more adult-oriented collectables (Funko figurines, WeLoveFine stuff) are targeted towards the adult fans of the show. The only group that really seems neglected, even from the start, is the collectors, though there is some crossover between all three groups with the Blind Bag ponies (inexpensive, show characters, hundreds of different ones).

[Majesty]

I'm happy that MLP has lots of attention but I hope hasbro remembers all the collectors and not just the bronies.  I'm not really a fan of blind bags, I have one, Minty thanks to a member here but I prefer the regular ponies and to see new ones at that. 

[majikarte]

I've kind of said this before, but what we need are more waves like the CB/SR/Trixie/Lyra one. Fans of the show get side characters they like, and people who want variety in the colours of the ponies get that, and people who want the mane six (though it's not like they're hard to find or anything) get that, since Twilight and Rarity were also in the wave. Waves like that really seem like they have the most potential to appeal to all three groups of fans, the collectors, the children, and the bronies.

[appletini]

This, and I also think they are catering to Bronies more than children which makes me extremely sad. ;~;

Well, they are really amping up the production of the So-Softs. I think at its core the basic Hasbro line (baby dolls, accessory-based playsets and dress-up Fashion ponies) still appeals very much to children, while the more adult-oriented collectables (Funko figurines, WeLoveFine stuff) are targeted towards the adult fans of the show. The only group that really seems neglected, even from the start, is the collectors, though there is some crossover between all three groups with the Blind Bag ponies (inexpensive, show characters, hundreds of different ones).

This, but I really think the main aim for the line has become Bronies. In all the polls they've done, and particularly the one over at EQD, the two top selling merch items for the MLP line are Tshirts followed closely by molded figures, I.E. blind bags. (the poll was done before the funko pop ones came out. Also side, side note: I think that's one of the reasons we've started to see stuff like the vinyl figures, but that's neither here nor there.) I think they are still putting out some items aimed more at the original intended audience, little kids, but they've shifted to encompass the older fans into that equation as well. It's even gone beyond that and reversed I would say. To where now they focus on selling to Bronies while still throwing enough into it to accommodate the kids too.

It's just good business as much as it might suck. Bronies and what they focus on is where the money is at. And since the kids don't seem to mind the release of all the blind bags and many waves of the mane six either, it's a win win. Except for the original collectors of MLP. I forget who else said it here, but I would agree that all in all the ones taking the biggest hit on G4 are the original fans. Most of whom don't really fancy all the minis from what I've seen and heard.

[Sugar]

*snip*

people who want the mane six (though it's not like they're hard to find or anything)

*snippy*

^^ This made my day, particularly considering my last couple outings to TRU and WM, faced with walls of nothing but M6.  Thank you!

Edit to add:  However, it occurs to me that if the powers that be over at Hasbro were truly catering more to Bronies than children/collectors, there'd probably be a big line of plushies out there by now, considering the interest and astronomical figures some of the custom plushies on eBay seem to command...

[popyduggan]

*snip*

people who want the mane six (though it's not like they're hard to find or anything)

*snippy*

^^ This made my day, particularly considering my last couple outings to TRU and WM, faced with walls of nothing but M6.  Thank you!

Edit to add:  However, it occurs to me that if the powers that be over at Hasbro were truly catering more to Bronies than children/collectors, there'd probably be a big line of plushies out there by now, considering the interest and astronomical figures some of the custom plushies on eBay seem to command...

Absolutely, that would please most groups I reckon. Also, I went to Meijers the other day and they must've had 16 pegs all full of only the wedding M6. Not bad...but not good.

[appletini]

*snip*

people who want the mane six (though it's not like they're hard to find or anything)

*snippy*

^^ This made my day, particularly considering my last couple outings to TRU and WM, faced with walls of nothing but M6.  Thank you!

Edit to add:  However, it occurs to me that if the powers that be over at Hasbro were truly catering more to Bronies than children/collectors, there'd probably be a big line of plushies out there by now, considering the interest and astronomical figures some of the custom plushies on eBay seem to command...

You'd think so. It's the one thing almost a given that would become "sold out" the day of release. Who knows, with all the new contracts they signed for pony licensing in 2013 maybe we will finally see some show accurate pony plushies. The line they've released so far is just... meh. Even compared to previous generation plushies the g4 ones just seem cheap to me.

To answer your question in part though, it might have something to do with the fact that all they have to do with the blind bags is recolor and push out the same molds. No effort + people still excited = easy money. They might also have signed the contract with the company that makes the plush long before the hype set in. (That's one of the reason why Fluttershy doesn't have her own BB mold.) If they are pushing the so soft line, that might be an indicator of possible plushie expansion in the future.

[Aerora]

This, and I also think they are catering to Bronies more than children which makes me extremely sad. ;~;

Mmm, not really? There's WLF and Hot Topic, which are definitely focusing on bronies, and TRU has that line with wallets and whatever (and the collector toys, which are something at least some kids would want even if they're aimed at bronies, I'd imagine), but aside from that I'm having a hard time thinking of stuff that isn't meant for kids? :|a MLP has what, about a hundred licensees, right... It just seems like there's more brony focus because a) most of the toys coming out now are ones we've known about for months via Taobao, and b) outside of the arena, a lot of news sites are brony-focused and therefore don't care about the stuff targeted at kids.

That said, I wish there were more new brushables, but my wallet's kind of glad there aren't. I have enough on my hands just trying to get all of the blind bags and playsets I'm after.

[appletini]

That said, I wish there were more new brushables, but my wallet's kind of glad there aren't. I have enough on my hands just trying to get all of the blind bags and playsets I'm after.

I couldn't agree more  I'm going to be playing catch up for awhile yet.