Pony Life and G4.5

[Ragamuffin]

I was saying on Tumblr, one of the worst things about PL is how trendy it is. It's so unlike MLP as a brand. MLP has been their own thing for the most part. I can't think of time where they've given into trends, aside from small one-off things like the Rockin' Beats or Hip Holly or whatever. Media might be another story, as well as merch, but the toyline? I can't think of anything.

But PL's entire identity evolves around what's popular right now. They look like popular toys, like Poopsie Unicorns and Hairdorables. They even incorporate the unavoidable surprise gimmick. And in the Fashion Style packs, you have a unicorn set for Pinkie and a mermaid set for Fluttersy, both very popular right now. For the show, people are drawing comparisons to Teen Titans Go!, which is annoyingly popular. The humour that we can predict from PL is what's popular in children's media as well. Funny faces, noodle arms, screaming, being "so random"; cheap "kids humour" instead of clever writing. The marketing for these so far has been very "how do you do, fellow kids?" too. The format and language used on the teasers on Instagram, as well as, of course, the "Good as Hell" used in the trailer.

So what can we expect from Pony Life? Well, I predict anything that's popular right now goes. Flossing, vibe checks, bruh moments, Instagram, TikTok, corgis, llamas, succulents/cacti, bass boosted songs, someone is going to say "cringe" at some point, and next year's big Christmas toy will be packaged with slime... And expect the marketing for this thing to try too hard to be hip, with looping show clips like gifs in commercials, maybe you could throw in some impact font in there too...

You could argue "well, that's just what sells nowadays". It feels different when something like LOL does that because it's a relatively new line. I think it can get away with cramming as many pop culture references possible. But it's not like My Little Pony to be like that. Or at least, that's not how I remember MLP to be. MLP can be updated to be more appealing to an audience, but there's a difference between being modern and joining a fad for a quick buck.

All previous generations don't feel dated at all, aside from the aforementioned examples like Hip Holly. G1 holds up, G2, G3, and even G4 doesn't have anything that could really be dated I think. But PL is FULL of things that are very, very 2019. In another decade these things are going to be like a time capsule from the late 2010s.

[LadyMoondancer]

Yeah, I'm getting a real "Teen Titans Go" vibe too.

I'm trying not to get too down about the whole thing because . . . it is for kids, and a lot of kids do like that style of humor.  It's just kind of depressing after we had a series that had a big emphasis on lore and took itself pretty seriously.  I mean, yeah it had lots of jokes and even some meta-humor, but it felt like it took the concept of "intelligent talking magic horses" seriously and took the little kids who love that concept seriously.  I'm not getting that vibe from the new show.

[Taffeta]

Ragamuffin, you make a ton of great points in that post. I think that's probably what's behind this exactly. A desire to cling onto 'what is cool now'. The problem with trying to keep up with the things kids find cool is that it's adults making the decisions and so invariably what they think kids think are cool the kids will probably have moved on from by the time they get it out...

I think I've seen MLP reinvent so many times I'm not gnashing my teeth at this or wanting to tear it down. I just think it's stupid. I still feel FIM has ruined MLP as a toyline by trying to sell it as a cartoon byproduct, and this is kind of on those lines as well.

The real test as to whether it's what kids want is whether it succeeds. The risk with basing your product on current trends is that they tend to pass really quickly.

As for LOL surprise and poopsie unicorns, I am clearly too old now to understand what their appeal is xD.

[brightberry]

I don't get the "slime" thing either.  I did get into squishies as some of the quality ones are as good as their hype, but I'm pretty sure most kids are past that now.

Honestly, I think instagram and youtube have had the most influence on these "trends".  Unboxing surprises and watching reactions to something weird but sparkly is on almost every kid's feed.  At least, at my niece's school.  Unfortunately for brand names, home made or custom made is all the rage.  Yes, kids like slime.  But they like to make it themselves, add all the glitter and color.  Then, film it all for their friends.  They order squishies from Japan. Store bought is lame.  They buy home made slime from other kids or specialty shops and unwrap it on camera.  Everyone loves resin goods and watching kids take it out of their home made molds.  It's really crazy how far in the opposite direction kids have gone from buying toys in stores.  The internet has kind of made it uncool for kids to have what everyone else has.  I think that's why surprise boxes have really taken off and why companies are trying to compete with that.

And suddenly, in that light, I'm realizing that Hasbro is making a huge mistake sticking to the main six. 

[Ragamuffin]

And suddenly, in that light, I'm realizing that Hasbro is making a huge mistake sticking to the main six. 

I've been saying that too! Everything out right now is about collecting them all and never knowing what you're going to get. But with the Cutie Mark Crew for example, there's what, 24 ponies per wave? And each of the Mane 6 have 3 different formes: pony, seapony, and human. ~18/24 of the ponies are the same identical Mane6. Every single time, every single wave.

This isn't even up to date, I think one or two more waves were announced after I made this image:

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And this is what they've released within the span of a single year. Yet you can add even more to this...

[Dragonflitter]

OH man that is so funny, can someone confirm it was the downvotes that got that video privatized? I just gotta know! You know what would be even funnier? If Hasbro didn't get proper clearance to use the song and the rights-holder demanded it be taken down. It's probably not that, but the thought does make me giggle.

Ugh, what does not make me giggle is the thought of some MLP toy coming with slime... bleeh... (Oh geez they could call it smooze nobodyatHasbroreadthisgaaaaaaaah)

[Leave a Whisper]

OH man that is so funny, can someone confirm it was the downvotes that got that video privatized? I just gotta know! You know what would be even funnier? If Hasbro didn't get proper clearance to use the song and the rights-holder demanded it be taken down. It's probably not that, but the thought does make me giggle.

Ugh, what does not make me giggle is the thought of some MLP toy coming with slime... bleeh... (Oh geez they could call it smooze nobodyatHasbroreadthisgaaaaaaaah)

That would be priceless

[Taffeta]

OH man that is so funny, can someone confirm it was the downvotes that got that video privatized? I just gotta know! You know what would be even funnier? If Hasbro didn't get proper clearance to use the song and the rights-holder demanded it be taken down. It's probably not that, but the thought does make me giggle.

Ugh, what does not make me giggle is the thought of some MLP toy coming with slime... bleeh... (Oh geez they could call it smooze nobodyatHasbroreadthisgaaaaaaaah)

If this happens we as a community will hold you entirely responsible

[LadyMoondancer]

I would rather have slime ponies than any more drink 'n wets.  Just please don't make the slime come out of their butts.

[LunaCat]

Oh man, those look hideously awful. I can't believe they have the nerve to draw ponies like that for a cartoon.
You can count me out for G4.5. That will be one tiny generation I'm happy to miss.

[Artemesia's Garden]

Slime... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcBeo0ZawOQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-L9MhtTC7E

[Dragonflitter]

I would rather have slime ponies than any more drink 'n wets.  Just please don't make the slime come out of their butts.

Ugh as a person who works at a bookstore with a kids toy section... I'm very sorry to say this item DOES exist... Bleh. Not as a MLP of course but as a generic unicorn...with poop slime... yeah. >.o

Post Merge: December 14, 2019, 12:35:00 AM

OH man that is so funny, can someone confirm it was the downvotes that got that video privatized? I just gotta know! You know what would be even funnier? If Hasbro didn't get proper clearance to use the song and the rights-holder demanded it be taken down. It's probably not that, but the thought does make me giggle.

Ugh, what does not make me giggle is the thought of some MLP toy coming with slime... bleeh... (Oh geez they could call it smooze nobodyatHasbroreadthisgaaaaaaaah)

If this happens we as a community will hold you entirely responsible

o.o I apologize ahead a time.

[Sparkle Pony]

A little bit off topic, but I find it so bizarre they are still making EQG shorts and such. If you had told me when the first EQG movie came out that they would keep making this stuff even after FiM ended I wouldn't have believed you! I wonder if it will continue alongside Pony Life?

[tailrustedtealeaf]

The EQG team has said that the Holiday special just released was the last they had done, but that does not mean Hasbro wouldn't work with another studio!

[Zapper]

I just gotta know! You know what would be even funnier? If Hasbro didn't get proper clearance to use the song and the rights-holder demanded it be taken down.

That was my first thought, actually.