Why, Hasbro!?

[Al-1701]

In G1 they took the "3 and Up" label as not just a safety warning but a demographic.  They kept the brand fresh year after year so fans new and old had something to grab their attention.  "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush" as they say.  Similar thing with G3.  We started to see some characters run through the brand due to popularity, but there were always new ponies coming in.  G4 was the same at first, but marketing has decided to aim low for customer retention.  They care about new customers, not trying to keep those who have already bought all the Mane 6 and are looking for more ponies when it comes to the brushables.

And brands due change, but the identity remains the same.  Again, Pokemon will always be about handheld RPG's at its core.  That's what makes Pokemon Pokemon.  What makes My Little Pony My Little Pony is a toy pony with brushable hair.  Not mini-figures.  Not supplemental merchandise.  I feel like Hasbro has forgotten that.

And might I add that certain documentary about bronies started with an introduction written by a (now former) member of the staff and featured two prominent voice actors from the show belittling the brand's past by reinforcing the stereotypes and stigmas that have been wrongfully slapped on it by its detractors?  If I was in charge of MLP and saw that, I would have said, "Amy, Tara, John; you're all fired."

[Lore-Lei]

If I was in charge of MLP and saw that, I would have said, "Amy, Tara, John; you're all fired."

Then this'd have happened.
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[Sparkle Pony]

I think the weird thing to be is that despite the fact most bronies aren't particularly into the merchandise, they still have a level of influence over it.  I don't think it is necessarily their fault per se, but more of Hasbro's for actually listening to them complain about merch they don't buy.  I think Hasbro has a bad tendency to overestimate the sales they can get out of bronies or something.

[otocolobus_manul]

And brands due change, but the identity remains the same.  Again, Pokemon will always be about handheld RPG's at its core.  That's what makes Pokemon Pokemon.  What makes My Little Pony My Little Pony is a toy pony with brushable hair.  Not mini-figures.  Not supplemental merchandise.  I feel like Hasbro has forgotten that.

What makes MLP MLP are cute, colorful small horses marketed towards children. I feel like collectors have forgotten that.


Post Merge: October 09, 2015, 06:23:37 AM

 

Well, there is one similarity between bronies and collectors: they're both never happy with what they're given.

[mic drop]

[Rainbowrific Renia]

What makes MLP MLP are cute, colorful small horses marketed towards children. I feel like collectors have forgotten that.

This x1000000

We're adult collectors. Hasbro absolutely doesn't have to conform to our wants, no matter how entitled some of us think we are.

[CoonhoundBetty]

What makes MLP MLP are cute, colorful small horses marketed towards children. I feel like collectors have forgotten that.

A-FREAKING-MEN!!!

[Cubey]

I agree, that's why I'm collecting different G4 ponies rather than core 6 ponies. I know G1 is still top of generations, I loved simple design and colourful.


Of course G4 is better than G3 because there's villains and males! <3 I do love Funko vinyl figures.

[Al-1701]

What makes MLP MLP are cute, colorful small horses marketed towards children. I feel like collectors have forgotten that.

I think you've failed to understand the term "brand identity."  "Cute, colorful, small horses marketed towards children" is vague, broad, and poor for identifying yourself.  "Cute, colorful, small horses with brushable hair marketed towards children" narrows the definition to make it more identifiable.  It tells us what to expect in terms of the play experience when purchasing them.  Similar to how Transformers aren't just "Toy robots" but "Toy robots that transform into toy vehicles."

Again, Pokemon is defined by its handheld RPG's.  Gundam is defined by the titular robots and their distinctive look.

These characteristics are not the be all and end all of the brand.  Spinoff products and merchandising add their profile as well as revenue.  However, they should be the characteristics that pop into people's heads first when they hear those names.

Why is this so hard for some people to wrap their head around this?

[CoonhoundBetty]

What makes MLP MLP are cute, colorful small horses marketed towards children. I feel like collectors have forgotten that.

I think you've failed to understand the term "brand identity."  "Cute, colorful, small horses marketed towards children" is vague, broad, and poor for identifying yourself.  "Cute, colorful, small horses with brushable hair marketed towards children" narrows the definition to make it more identifiable.  It tells us what to expect in terms of the play experience when purchasing them.  Similar to how Transformers aren't just "Toy robots" but "Toy robots that transform into toy vehicles."

Again, Pokemon is defined by its handheld RPG's.  Gundam is defined by the titular robots and their distinctive look.

These characteristics are not the be all and end all of the brand.  Spinoff products and merchandising add their profile as well as revenue.  However, they should be the characteristics that pop into people's heads first when they hear those names.

Why is this so hard for some people to wrap their head around this?

all you did was add one more identifier to the toy to continue to funnel down the description--at the end of the day, it's small horse toys used for pretend play by young girls. That's it. Nothing else. None of your high and mighty business class arguments--My Little Pony is just that: A LITTLE PONY.

And your last sentence is really rude (actually, your whole response and tone towards others in this thread), which I really don't appreciate, considering IT IS JUST A TOY.
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[TornadoTwist]

Hasbro has already going on like this like for some years. I'm not surprised anymore and I still ask why this arguments keeps popping up. I personally think Hasbro is going a good ways with a lot of variety for everyone. Don't like Brushables? Have some Blind Bags etc. I mean G1 also had the Petittes which weren't brushables. Besides we have advanced a lot in terms of technology which makes it able to make different kind of toys.

I'm just going to be honest. I don't post much new releases anymore because I'm kinda tired having these arguments popping up. Like I mentioned, Hasbro is already going this way with the line since... 2009-2010. At least they're trying and I respect that.

[Al-1701]

What makes MLP MLP are cute, colorful small horses marketed towards children. I feel like collectors have forgotten that.

I think you've failed to understand the term "brand identity."  "Cute, colorful, small horses marketed towards children" is vague, broad, and poor for identifying yourself.  "Cute, colorful, small horses with brushable hair marketed towards children" narrows the definition to make it more identifiable.  It tells us what to expect in terms of the play experience when purchasing them.  Similar to how Transformers aren't just "Toy robots" but "Toy robots that transform into toy vehicles."

Again, Pokemon is defined by its handheld RPG's.  Gundam is defined by the titular robots and their distinctive look.

These characteristics are not the be all and end all of the brand.  Spinoff products and merchandising add their profile as well as revenue.  However, they should be the characteristics that pop into people's heads first when they hear those names.

Why is this so hard for some people to wrap their head around this?

all you did was add one more identifier to the toy to continue to funnel down the description--at the end of the day, it's small horse toys used for pretend play by young girls. That's it. Nothing else. None of your high and mighty business class arguments--My Little Pony is just that: A LITTLE PONY.

And your last sentence is really rude (actually, your whole response and tone towards others in this thread), which I really don't appreciate, considering IT IS JUST A TOY.
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The title of this thread is "Why, Hasbro?" meaning we are getting into the business side of this.  At which point we're not looking at My Little Pony as a toy.  We're looking at My Little Pony as a product produced by a company to earn revenue as well as a brand the longevity of which needs to be cared for.

The issue being discussed is a business one.  Why is Hasbro limiting the variety of characters with brushable hair?  Brushable hair has been a defining characteristic of the brand since its inception.  It's as intrinsic to the brand as Transformers transforming.  Even the dinosaur had a brushable mane.  Why is Hasbro tradmarking names and likenesses but not making them into what has been this brand's bread and butter for almost 35 years?

And yes, the brushable hair is an added descriptor to funnel down the definition.  That's how branding works.  Crispx is a checkered cereal.  However, Crispx having a corn side and a rice side makes it Crispx and different from other checkered cereals like Chex.

Just because the end product is a toy doesn't mean we can't discuss the business decisions going on behind it we find odd or disappointing.

[banditpony]

O_o the brand has nothing to do with being brushable. And... Things change.

[brighteyes]

I agree with those who have said that having brushable hair is not the defining characteristic of the brand.  This has never been how I've seen My Little Pony, and I've been a collector since I bought the FF Bluebelle from a dept. store.  For me, the My Little Pony brand is encapsulated by colorful ponies.  G1 mainly consisted of plastic ponies with brushable hair, but even G1 had their own version of the blind bags- the Petite Ponies.  There were also comics, playsets (for both petite and standard ponies), plushies, party supplies and tons upon tons of merch.  If MLP is only brushable ponies, then are Petites not part of the MLP brand?  I think of the MLP brand as being more broad and everything produced as supporting the brand identity. 

Still, just because this is how I see the MLP brand, it doesn't mean this is how Hasbro sees it, or should see it.  Even if "colorful ponies" was 100% Hasbro's brand identity in the 80's and 90's, it doesn't mean that is or should be their brand identity now.  I don't think anyone can say, 100% what MLP brand is other than Hasbro, should they come out with a brand statement or something.  All individual collectors can say is what the brand is for them.  Likewise, I don't know what's working for them or isn't working for them.  I have no desire to shoehorn myself into the mindset of Hasbro's target market- kids and I don't have my finger on the pulse of hip new directions in toy options.  I do know that my 9 year old daughter is fiercely into shopkins which I honestly think are creepy as heck. 

ETA:  I still love the brushables best though and as a collector of brushables, I'd be happy as anything to see more of them in the store.

[mopthebunny]

What makes MLP MLP are cute, colorful small horses marketed towards children. I feel like collectors have forgotten that.

I think you've failed to understand the term "brand identity."  "Cute, colorful, small horses marketed towards children" is vague, broad, and poor for identifying yourself.  "Cute, colorful, small horses with brushable hair marketed towards children" narrows the definition to make it more identifiable.  It tells us what to expect in terms of the play experience when purchasing them.  Similar to how Transformers aren't just "Toy robots" but "Toy robots that transform into toy vehicles."

Again, Pokemon is defined by its handheld RPG's.  Gundam is defined by the titular robots and their distinctive look.

These characteristics are not the be all and end all of the brand.  Spinoff products and merchandising add their profile as well as revenue.  However, they should be the characteristics that pop into people's heads first when they hear those names.

Why is this so hard for some people to wrap their head around this?

all you did was add one more identifier to the toy to continue to funnel down the description--at the end of the day, it's small horse toys used for pretend play by young girls. That's it. Nothing else. None of your high and mighty business class arguments--My Little Pony is just that: A LITTLE PONY.

And your last sentence is really rude (actually, your whole response and tone towards others in this thread), which I really don't appreciate, considering IT IS JUST A TOY.
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The title of this thread is "Why, Hasbro?" meaning we are getting into the business side of this.  At which point we're not looking at My Little Pony as a toy.  We're looking at My Little Pony as a product produced by a company to earn revenue as well as a brand the longevity of which needs to be cared for.

The issue being discussed is a business one.  Why is Hasbro limiting the variety of characters with brushable hair?  Brushable hair has been a defining characteristic of the brand since its inception.  It's as intrinsic to the brand as Transformers transforming.  Even the dinosaur had a brushable mane.  Why is Hasbro tradmarking names and likenesses but not making them into what has been this brand's bread and butter for almost 35 years?

And yes, the brushable hair is an added descriptor to funnel down the definition.  That's how branding works.  Crispx is a checkered cereal.  However, Crispx having a corn side and a rice side makes it Crispx and different from other checkered cereals like Chex.

Just because the end product is a toy doesn't mean we can't discuss the business decisions going on behind it we find odd or disappointing.

Dude, chill.

The truth of the matter is, if new pony characters with brushable hair were selling like hotcakes, Hasbro would continue to make very many of them. No person in their right mind on Hasbro's marketing team would continue doing the same old thing just for the sake of brand identity.  If they couldn't make their brand work with present trends in toy sales, MLP would be nowhere.

I only collect brushable ponies myself, and I too am disappointed by the lack of variety. All you can do is not buy the stuff you don't want to see. There are HUNDREDS of brushables from all the previous generations of MLP for everyone to collect if they don't like the newer products in the MLP line.

You can't force the same old product down people's throats just for nostalgia's sake...

At the end of the day, brushable ponies are just cheap, mass-produced toys, made for a very narrow target audience.

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Thank you for that -- I think of this line whenever these overly-serious topics come up

[Malicieuse]

I think the weird thing to be is that despite the fact most bronies aren't particularly into the merchandise, they still have a level of influence over it.  I don't think it is necessarily their fault per se, but more of Hasbro's for actually listening to them complain about merch they don't buy.  I think Hasbro has a bad tendency to overestimate the sales they can get out of bronies or something.

I think this is where a lot of frustration comes from. To a lot of collectors brushables are the most important part of the toyline.  So it sucks to see that part of the toyline decline while bronies get a lot that caters to them.
You can't say "you can't complain cause this is just a toyline aimed at kids" while other adult fans get what they want.  Personally i'm dissapointed that the brushable toyline is boring beyond belief but there is still enough that keeps me amused. (Though these days i enjoy collecting Pokemon more) If G4 stops entertaining me i will just collect older gens or wait for G5.