should Hasbro be capitalizing on nostalgia?

[lostpony]

I think children would go right for G1 ponies done in the G4 mold.  They would be new ponies to them. 

So sorry Al-1701, but I'm going to have to agree with you on this one. 

It would cost next to nothing for Hasbro to paint up and hair some of the first gen ponies on current g4 molds or even blind bags and not only would this draw some of the old fans who don't care for G4 into buying current ponies (as well as being new ponies to kids, like Al points out) but could be a nice little step towards bringing the fans of different generations together.

[Wardah]

I think that's why they're releasing the miniature ones attached to books and things like that; they know there's some interest, but it's difficult to find the best way capitalise on it without ending up boxes of large ponies going unsold.

Those weren't made by Hasbro, though; they were licensed and made by Running Press. (The Dollymixes were also licensed, fwiw) So I don't know if that much thought was put into them, heh.

If Hasbro can license out G1 for different things like the Dolly Mix or the Running Press ponies then why can't they license out making the actual full sized ponies? Especially since it's not like they have the original molds anyways so whoever is going to make them is going to need to make the molds from scratch.

[lostpony]

I think the answer to that question is cost and demand...

[Taffeta]

So a really interesting observation IMO on this thread...

The OP was asking whether Hasbro should capitalise on nostalgia by creating animated crossovers of the generations of MLP and bringing G1 stuff etc into G4, also creating animation for series that had none.

The discussion that's going on now is about reissuing the G1 ponies or making retro replicas or something of that nature.

It's just two totally different takes on what capitalising on nostalgia means that it struck me as interesting.

I'm a G1 fan but I'm not up for remakes of existing G1 ponies and I don't really want to see G1 on pony shelves because for me that would destroy nostalgia, not capitalise on it. After Jem I am also wary of the idea of bringing G1 stuff more into modern animation or on trying to recreate something along those lines.

I personally think maybe Hasbro's current take of various retro merchandising licenses is actually the most politic of them all. I also think that, while a Ruby Anniversary pony would be nice, collectors and fans and things like the Genie project are actually better placed to make pony items and products that would not disappoint the collector community, and Hasbro are better off sticking to what they have on shelves now.

[Leave a Whisper]

I think that's why they're releasing the miniature ones attached to books and things like that; they know there's some interest, but it's difficult to find the best way capitalise on it without ending up boxes of large ponies going unsold.

Those weren't made by Hasbro, though; they were licensed and made by Running Press. (The Dollymixes were also licensed, fwiw) So I don't know if that much thought was put into them, heh.

If Hasbro can license out G1 for different things like the Dolly Mix or the Running Press ponies then why can't they license out making the actual full sized ponies? Especially since it's not like they have the original molds anyways so whoever is going to make them is going to need to make the molds from scratch.

They can buy ponies for moulds from ebay? I mean look at Genie and Kitty Love, if our buddies can recreate repro moulds, so can Hasbro and their millions.

[Wardah]

So a really interesting observation IMO on this thread...

The OP was asking whether Hasbro should capitalise on nostalgia by creating animated crossovers of the generations of MLP and bringing G1 stuff etc into G4, also creating animation for series that had none.

The discussion that's going on now is about reissuing the G1 ponies or making retro replicas or something of that nature.

It's just two totally different takes on what capitalising on nostalgia means that it struck me as interesting.

I'm a G1 fan but I'm not up for remakes of existing G1 ponies and I don't really want to see G1 on pony shelves because for me that would destroy nostalgia, not capitalise on it. After Jem I am also wary of the idea of bringing G1 stuff more into modern animation or on trying to recreate something along those lines.

I personally think maybe Hasbro's current take of various retro merchandising licenses is actually the most politic of them all. I also think that, while a Ruby Anniversary pony would be nice, collectors and fans and things like the Genie project are actually better placed to make pony items and products that would not disappoint the collector community, and Hasbro are better off sticking to what they have on shelves now.

I tend to agree that maybe a licensing approach would be the best one to take but what's currently out now just isn't enough.

The retro SSC dolls are not being made by the same company that made SSC back in the 80s. That company also makes other retro toys like retro style Fisher Price and Raggedy Ann. Why couldn't they seek out the G1 MLP license and make retro MLPs? If they can do authentic SSC dolls they could probably do MLP justice.

Also it would be great to gave guilt free G1 custom bases that don't cost more than a baity G1.

[Stormness_1]

Hasbro ARE capitalising on nostalgia. There are tons of licensing agreements out there for retro merch - Loungefly, Iron Fist, Cotton On, Best n Less, etc. There are clothes, mugs, shoes, handbags, backpacks, wallets, toys, keyrings, ornaments, stationery, and probably a bunch of things I have no clue about as well. It's far better for Hasbro to sell a license than to sell an actual product on retro properties, because there's no cost, and no risk. Hasbro did the re-release thing, it didn't perform as well as they'd hoped, so now they primarily do licensing for G1 MLP.

[Wardah]

Hasbro ARE capitalising on nostalgia. There are tons of licensing agreements out there for retro merch - Loungefly, Iron Fist, Cotton On, Best n Less, etc. There are clothes, mugs, shoes, handbags, backpacks, wallets, toys, keyrings, ornaments, stationery, and probably a bunch of things I have no clue about as well. It's far better for Hasbro to sell a license than to sell an actual product on retro properties, because there's no cost, and no risk. Hasbro did the re-release thing, it didn't perform as well as they'd hoped, so now they primarily do licensing for G1 MLP.

Yet unfortunately there's no licensing agreement for MLP similar to the one Hasbro had for Jem with Integrity. I just want to see some accurate, not stylized, G1 figures that aren't just tiny trinkets.

[Taffeta]

On a random note,  I just noticed the Argos catalogue has g1 design baby clothing. I had no idea they also did those, so maybe there are even more items in areas we haven't been looking.

[banditpony]

On a random note,  I just noticed the Argos catalogue has g1 design baby clothing. I had no idea they also did those, so maybe there are even more items in areas we haven't been looking.

H&m had baby rompers a few years back. There's other companies too with baby stuff... A quick Google search led me to this...
http://www.bestandless.com.au/Brands/My-Little-Pony/c/MY%20LITTLE%20PONY
(Uh anyone wanna help me make a purchase from Australia lol)

There were also baby blankets, hooded toddler towel, washcloth, bibs, baby lots of socks, baby head bands...

We just don't seem to talk about merch often. Although I learned about some of this through the shout box

[Carrehz]

So a really interesting observation IMO on this thread...

The OP was asking whether Hasbro should capitalise on nostalgia by creating animated crossovers of the generations of MLP and bringing G1 stuff etc into G4, also creating animation for series that had none.

The discussion that's going on now is about reissuing the G1 ponies or making retro replicas or something of that nature.

It's just two totally different takes on what capitalising on nostalgia means that it struck me as interesting.

I hadn't noticed this, but yes that is interesting. I think it kinda sums up the difference between people who came into it pre-G4, and people who came into it post-G4, haha. Well, in general, I mean. How interesting.

[banditpony]

So a really interesting observation IMO on this thread...

The OP was asking whether Hasbro should capitalise on nostalgia by creating animated crossovers of the generations of MLP and bringing G1 stuff etc into G4, also creating animation for series that had none.

The discussion that's going on now is about reissuing the G1 ponies or making retro replicas or something of that nature.

It's just two totally different takes on what capitalising on nostalgia means that it struck me as interesting.

I hadn't noticed this, but yes that is interesting. I think it kinda sums up the difference between people who came into it pre-G4, and people who came into it post-G4, haha. Well, in general, I mean. How interesting.

I think it goes beyond that. It's also about non collectors who had MLP as a kid but might not want to own toys. That's why I brought up merch (and really specifically clothes) because that's HOW Hasbro plays the nostalgia card

[lostpony]

Nostalgia is an interesting concept.  It's totally subjective.

On the internet it's easy to forget people are different ages and when people talk about early seasons of G4 being nostalgic to them I'm like, ooooh, they're young.  I remember before 20 how huge an amount of time five years was, and it's just a blink now.

I think the broad range of ages and demographics in the My Little Pony fanbase overall probably makes Hasbro hesitant to make big moves to capitalize on nostalgia because it's so subjective.

[Sunset]

That is very well said, lostpony.

[Lore-Lei]

Long answer short: No.