Hasbro Annual Report Out

[Al-1701]

Whether the line ends, or just goes with the minis, it would be Hasbro admitting defeat that they couldn't compete with Monster High.

[Sunset]

I think Hasbro vastly miscalculated with EG.  Sure, some little girls will love ponies then grow into dolls.  But if a significant portion of little girls hate dolls and love mlp because they *are* ponies, like I did as a child, then ....

So if you aren't retaining enough of the original audience and the dolls themselves can't compete with other similar doll lines, then that's how Hasbro finds itself in this situation.

I guess we'll see if the minis are different enough and cute enough to be successful in the long run.  I do admit they have almost won me over even though I have no interest in dolls.  I haven't bought any yet because I can't quit bring myself to spend money on them when I could use that money on ponies.  But if I ran across one second hand, I might get it whereas I leave all other EG behind, even second hand.

I'm glad the ponies are doing well.

[KarentheUnicorn]

Whether the line ends, or just goes with the minis, it would be Hasbro admitting defeat that they couldn't compete with Monster High.

I think if the EQ dolls were higher quality and if they'd invested more into the actual toy, then they probably could have competed. But the dolls have always been kinda 'meh' - even the articulated ones. I've never seen them on par with other doll lines and that's the problem I think.

Plus they've started focusing on the disney dolls. Some of the dolls they've made for disney look a million times better than what they did with they're own EQ dolls.

If they had done the EQ Girl dolls like the Disney Descendants dolls...I probably would have collected every single doll.

[Wardah]

Whether the line ends, or just goes with the minis, it would be Hasbro admitting defeat that they couldn't compete with Monster High.

Funny thing is MH has also been on a bit of a decline. That's why a major rebrand is happening this year. But if Hasbro does quit the full sized EG dolls that means that they feel they can achieve success with Descendants instead.

I do feel their later articulated offerings were better but the problem is they couldn't shake the bad taste the earlier dolls had given. Hasbro rushed them to market instead of working out the kinks before release. In general it seems Mattel takes longer on their development cycles.

[ponyqueen]

Glad MLP is going strong!

[Galactica]

I thought that Equestria Girls did just fine at first-  but then they kept making more and more and more of the same characters- all wearing cheap outfits and generally with minimal articulation-

How many incarnations of EQ Girl Twilight does one need?  Well maybe a couple but not 14.

I think the kids just have too many toys these days.  Probably why MH is starting to falter as well-  the kids have 100s of MH dolls and so they start to value them less...

My nieces are into "Shopkins" these days- so I think the move to little plastic EQ girls  with cute playsets is a good one...

[Tak]

The Equestria girls do have nicer hair than monster high. From a mother's standpoint. Eg don't tangle or pull out easily. Mh is thin, lightweight, and always tangling. Since I want them to last I'm constantly brushing. Most other moms I know just braid, but it can be hellish getting the braid kinks out while salvaging hairstyles.

[Leave a Whisper]

A summary for pony: "Four legs good.  Two legs bad."

It's pretty cool that MLP is one of the four toylines featured on the cover.

But NERF is their biggest brand, really??  I mean, I guess Nerf toys have always been popular . . . I definitely had some  growing up . . . Still, that surprises me.

The report says My Little Pony is their top-licensed brand this past year. 

Also, tons of "There was no TF movie this year!!" excuses for Transformers taking a nosedive.  No, it's because your current TF toys and show aren't very good.  (Except Rescue Bots.  Who continue to rock.)

Through the development of characters and stories, MY LITTLE PONY is integrated into our fans’ everyday lives. It is bedroom décor, comic books,atelevision program and a live action show. In 2017, ALLSPARK PICTURES, Hasbro’s
film label, in partnership with Lionsgate, is scheduled to bring MY LITTLE PONY to the big screen in our first animated feature film.

So is it live action or animated?  (Please say animated.)

They consider Furby a "girl brand"?  Wow, I always thought of Furbys as being gender neutral . . .

The souls of girls must be tastier then boys. Furbies aren't as creepy as when we were kids but...

I seem to have noticed that Hasbro has bad luck with doll sales period.

[QueenGusty]

Yeah - very good points. Hasbroken seem to be focusing on Descendants / Disney Princess so their own brand seems to have fallen by the wayside (you cannot believe how incensed I was when I realised the Descendant dolls had wrist articulations and EQGS STILL didn't) I think it's telling in just the numbers of dolls they've been putting out for EQG this year and last year compared to RR. RR year we had something like 52 new dolls, FG we had 30-40 (including store exclusives...for heaven's sake Chrysa crysi...CHANGELING QUEEN WHERE ARE YOU) and so far LoE is coming in at under 20 dolls.  It's depressing for a EQG collector but I think this may be the last year of the full sized line.

Cellyzombie: no more new friends? ;-;

Carrie

[Dragonflitter]

(including store exclusives...for heaven's sake Chrysa crysi...CHANGELING QUEEN WHERE ARE YOU)

My TRU has a TON of EG Chrysallis. PM me if you want me to pick one up for you.

[Taffeta]

What may not have helped the EQG sales is the rubbish distribution of the FG dolls. Those girls are like gold dust with the exception of 4 who I see EVERYWHERE (and now of course have).

Carrie

This is superbly true for the UK. TO put that into perspective, Rainbow Rocks hair style dolls just appeared in Entertainer here. And already discounted, because they're old stock. Amethyst Star and Cheerilee appeared in Smyths in Feb for the first time I've seen them in the UK - also discounted as old stock. No sign of Sugar Coat anywhere yet. True that some of the FG ones appeared quickly, but they're so all over the place and there are still tons of pony-and-doll sets of Rarity and Rainbow Dash clogging the shelves that normal people can reach in Smyths...

Not sure if Chrysalis got to the UK at all yet. If she will. Our TRU in the centre is awful, and mine came from the US anyway.

[QueenGusty]

What may not have helped the EQG sales is the rubbish distribution of the FG dolls. Those girls are like gold dust with the exception of 4 who I see EVERYWHERE (and now of course have).

Carrie

This is superbly true for the UK. TO put that into perspective, Rainbow Rocks hair style dolls just appeared in Entertainer here. And already discounted, because they're old stock. Amethyst Star and Cheerilee appeared in Smyths in Feb for the first time I've seen them in the UK - also discounted as old stock. No sign of Sugar Coat anywhere yet. True that some of the FG ones appeared quickly, but they're so all over the place and there are still tons of pony-and-doll sets of Rarity and Rainbow Dash clogging the shelves that normal people can reach in Smyths...

Not sure if Chrysalis got to the UK at all yet. If she will. Our TRU in the centre is awful, and mine came from the US anyway.

Yeah, I ended up ordering Amethyst and Cheerilee et al from the states - same with Sapphire Shores and spotty! Pinkie. I'm still actually missing RR hairstyle Flutters, she's the last one I need - scored 2 of the girls super cheap from home bargains though - £5 each!

In slightly brighter news...ROLLER!RARITY CAME EARLY!!! She is super cute Still, had to order her from amazon. She was under £20 and I had no idea if I'd ever see her in shop because of the distribution problems.

Carrie