SG Cybertron Convention coverage

[Shirokaze]

Wow, that's a lot of redecos

1st Hasbro employee "How do you want to make these different?"
2nd Hasbro employee "Just give him a new head and gun"

And the worst thing is, we fall for it EVERY time

Definitely keen on Swerve, Springer and Hotspot!

[Tallestblue]

Most of those sound really, Really awesome.

[griffin]

So much has been revealed and it has only been one day thus far, stunning reveals and interviews and an attendance of 15,000 people cueing up to 20hrs before the doors even opened!

I'd be curious to know what the average attendance of Botcon is, but more to the point, this convention is a major boon for the South-East Asian region; Good on 'em!

BotCon usually has an estimated 2-5 thousand, depending on the location. But it is only really marketed/pitched to the hard-core collectors - very little mass-marketing to the general public gets done (like this SG convention did). And you also have a greater "nearby" population in Singapore than you do with most BotCons. This convention was some very last minute advertising, so wasn't looking at being a "mostly collectors/fans" convention like BotCon markets itself.
Granted, the recent LA BotCons should have rivalled this type of attendance if marketed well, but Florida Disney, Texas or Cincinnatti... none of those recent ones had large local populations to just show up from like they did at Singapore (with just a weeks advertising to the local public).
(then again - the floorspace of BotCon wouldn't be able to accommodate more than 5,000 anyway... especially in the presentation room. And we already have queues of a couple hours for things, imagine the fan-rage if BotCon had 5-20 hour queues.)

[snaketales]

I soooooooooooo want a Hot Spot

[jazzcomp]

http://sg.entertainment.yahoo.com/bl...112000302.html

[Hursticon]

BotCon usually has an estimated 2-5 thousand, depending on the location. But it is only really marketed/pitched to the hard-core collectors - very little mass-marketing to the general public gets done (like this SG convention did). And you also have a greater "nearby" population in Singapore than you do with most BotCons. This convention was some very last minute advertising, so wasn't looking at being a "mostly collectors/fans" convention like BotCon markets itself.

Ah ok, I'd of honestly thought Botcon's attendance would've been a little larger than that - A pair of good points though about the local populations and advertising, I hadn't considered those.

Granted, the recent LA BotCons should have rivalled this type of attendance if marketed well, but Florida Disney, Texas or Cincinnatti... none of those recent ones had large local populations to just show up from like they did at Singapore (with just a weeks advertising to the local public).
(then again - the floorspace of BotCon wouldn't be able to accommodate more than 5,000 anyway... especially in the presentation room. And we already have queues of a couple hours for things, imagine the fan-rage if BotCon had 5-20 hour queues.)

So the venues wouldn't even be able to support such large crowds? - Evidently my perception of Botcon isn't too well informed; You're right about the lines though, it'd make for some hilarious Podcasts though.

I soooooooooooo want a Hot Spot

Me too dude, as well as Hoist and Powerdive!

[DjStaRScreaM]

O man - 2 starscreams + sunstorm comming up - wallet gnna get hurt

[Hursticon]

O man - 2 starscreams + sunstorm comming up - wallet gnna get hurt

Ooh yeah, 'cause you know they're not going to be cheap either although; It'll be cheaper getting them online than locally within Australia... If Hasbro AU even considers importing them.

[griffin]

I don't think the BotCon venues could comfortably hold more people, as they are crowded enough already (especially the dealer room and presentation room).
Just remember, they market their convention to major fansites and once they sell out of the (little more than) 1000 box-sets/full packages, we don't hear much from them.
They do some local TV commercials and radio advertising, but each year when I talk to comic stores and toystores nearby (in the days beforehand), they never know anything about BotCon. You'd think there'd be some targeted advertising at comic shops or even stores that sell toys, so that they can stock up or even have flyers near their TFs toys.

I've never seen on TV during the week of BotCon anything about it - either advertised or in the news... and the only time I ever saw first-hand some advertising, was in 2009 when *HASBRO* were promoting BotCon at the nearby shopping district.

Once FunPub sell their boxset packages (which ends up being about a 1000 people, when you take into account non-attendees and people buying up extras), they don't seem too fussed about how big or small the walk-in crowd is... as if it is just a bonus.
If they sold their full packages with the boxset being an add-on, they could attract more people who may not want the toys or afford them - and it wouldn't look like they are "sold out" of full packages once the boxsets sell out. There is almost a stigma to registering after the boxsets sell out, as if it isn't worth it.

Sorry... getting a bit off topic.

[Hursticon]

*snip*

Sorry... getting a bit off topic.

It's all food for thought mate, so no need to apologise ; but without further derailing the thread let me just say that it really does seem that FunPub's main effort with the brand is purely to make a profit from exclusive toys and that's it.