Toy Review - Earthrise Skylynx

[nalops]

I read about that too. Astroscope apparently? Would've been cool.

[Soundwarp]

I read about that too. Astroscope apparently? Would've been cool.

I hope someone does it.

[Magnus]

I haven't seen this comparison posted here, so for anyone who was wondering, here is Skylynx next to Commander Class Jetfire:



Here's a question: when and where was it stated that Skylynx was licensed to have the NASA logotype printed on it? This is stated often, but I've never been able to find a source. Apparently it was at the New York Toy Fair when the figure was unveiled.

The packaging has no NASA insignia or emblems, save for the logotype appearing on the product itself. Nor is there text stating that the product was authorised/licensed to bear the NASA emblem. This is strange, because licensed Transformers made since the first movie have branding or text acknowledging the licensing on the packaging.

[nalops]

I managed to find this on the Official NASA website has in regards to licence deals:-

"Product hangtags should not include any NASA logos, identifiers, emblems or devices, though other NASA imagery may be appropriate. Specifically, NASA logos and words like "official," "genuine," "original," "authentic" etc. are not permitted on hangtags, promotional content or packaging. This regulation applies to merchandisers and NASA Exchange entities."

So that seems to suggest that Hasbro aren't even allowed to put NASA on the box, just on the Transformer but I'd say that the fact Sky Lynx and the Micromaster Astro Squad have the NASA logotype on them is proof enough of the licensing deal.

I'm guessing since NASA is a US Government Agency and not a private company, the licensing just works differently.

Source:-https://www.nasa.gov/audience/formedia/features/Merchandising_Guidelines.html

[Magnus]

I managed to find this on the Official NASA website has in regards to licence deals:-

"Product hangtags should not include any NASA logos, identifiers, emblems or devices, though other NASA imagery may be appropriate. Specifically, NASA logos and words like "official," "genuine," "original," "authentic" etc. are not permitted on hangtags, promotional content or packaging. This regulation applies to merchandisers and NASA Exchange entities."

So that seems to suggest that Hasbro aren't even allowed to put NASA on the box, just on the Transformer but I'd say that the fact Sky Lynx and the Micromaster Astro Squad have the NASA logotype on them is proof enough of the licensing deal.

I'm guessing since NASA is a US Government Agency and not a private company, the licensing just works differently.

Source:-https://www.nasa.gov/audience/formedia/features/Merchandising_Guidelines.html

Thanks for the find. I'm asking because a lot of people state that Skylynx is an official NASA product, yet nobody has been able to cite a specific source or link. Not only is the licensing not mentioned on the packaging, it's not mentioned on the product description at Hasbro Pulse, either.

When LEGO made the Saturn V and Apollo 11 lunar lander sets, the packaging had the official Apollo logo for Saturn V, and the Apollo 50th anniversary logo for the lunar lander (the product description for the lunar lander states that it was developed in co-operation with NASA), and when DiD made 1:6 figures of Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins, the promotional photos all had NASA logos and the Apollo 11 patch on them (granted, the product descriptions on DiD's website don't cite NASA approval or licensing either). So it seems strange to me that Hasbro didn't have a NASA logo or didn't cite the licence on their packaging to state that they have permission to use the logotype.

Update: I was asking here because I asked the same question on Reddit, with little by way of informative responses, but I was eventually pointed to video from the New York Toy Fair posted on Hasbro Pulse, where a senior Hasbro employee indeed confirms that Skylynx was branded with NASA approval. Skylynx appears at 17:24 in the Transformers video.

[Seraphim Prime]

Looking at the Regulations page that nalops has linked to, it basically seems like parties can apply to NASA to use the logos and identifiers, but as a government agency, NASA doesn't engage in formal licensing agreements and that use of logos has to only be in the sense of decoration, but can't be seen to be cosponsoring a private product.

[nalops]

My best guess as to why Lego had all the extra licensing and logos and Hasbro didn't is because Lego was using the likeness of a real world vehicle, and so had to do more, while the Transformers are approximations but they can still use the NASA logotype.