Hasbro America Investor day for 2014

[griffin]

The annual investor event for Hasbro America was held recently, and TFW admin appears to have been invited via conference call, for most of it (he wasn't allowed to listen in on the TF4 sneak peak).

Nothing specific about 2014, but we do get an idea of what to expect for the Transformers Brand next year, across all its various sub-lines.

Just be aware that there are a couple of taglines for the TF4 movie. Nothing spoilerish though, in case anyone was worried.

[Megatron]

You know, reading that coverage I do find it interesting and mildly amusing that Hasbro repeatedly states that Transformers is for "Boys".

Could somebody please tell Hasbro that if they stopped limiting their brand by focussing on only one gender and instead began to encourage Both genders to participate, or at the very least stop showing such favoritism for the Boys (and perhaps recognize the fact that a lot of Girls are into this as well), simply by not continually pointing out the "fact" that Transformers is for Boys, well... who knows what would happen, right? Maybe the world might end as we know it. And that goes for all major toy manufacturers who are, in effect, helping to create and perpetuate differing gender interests (not in all cases of course, but enough to solidify this perception into the psyche of all the mummys, daddys and kids of the world. What choice do they have then but to conform to the norm, or risk appearing abnormal? Well, we can't have that. The marketing and advertising is such a powerful force).

As an example, I found this statement particularly amusing: "...We engage 4 to 10 year old boys with action and entertainment and creative play like Construct-Bots and our Kre-O Kreons and Play Sets. And we retain our passionate and very loyal consumers with Transformers: Generations; so our boys will never leave the franchise but instead graduate to become a Collector".

Wait... so, wh-what the hell have I been doing then??? Hmm.. maybe I've ventured down the wrong path as a Collector after all...

...not.

I dunno, just my little observation, and /End Mild Rant.

[UltraMarginal]

That's a fair observation Megatron, I noticed it too, and there were several other sentences where they started it with "boys" and the rest of the sentence called out children/kids overall.

It's definitely something the toy companies could work on, but I think the retail sector is just as much to blame, it's pretty easy to see when looking around a toy section which isles are for girls (hint it's the pink ones) and which are for boys (hint its the ones with all the cool toys)

[Megatron]

That's a fair observation Megatron, I noticed it too, and there were several other sentences where they started it with "boys" and the rest of the sentence called out children/kids overall.

It's definitely something the toy companies could work on, but I think the retail sector is just as much to blame, it's pretty easy to see when looking around a toy section which isles are for girls (hint it's the pink ones) and which are for boys (hint its the ones with all the cool toys)

I couldn't agree more. Seeing all that horrid fairy floss pink makes me feel ill.

So back on topic, I wonder who the Autobots will be teaming up with...

[Hursticon]

So back on topic, I wonder who the Autobots will be teaming up with...

1st of all I'd like to agree with you & UM on all of your points , secondly?, hopefully... The Maximals!

[Bidoofdude]

That's a fair observation Megatron, I noticed it too, and there were several other sentences where they started it with "boys" and the rest of the sentence called out children/kids overall.

It's definitely something the toy companies could work on, but I think the retail sector is just as much to blame, it's pretty easy to see when looking around a toy section which isles are for girls (hint it's the pink ones) and which are for boys (hint its the ones with all the cool toys)

Yeah, it really looks like they were really trying to avoid saying "adult", which is unfortunate.

[GoktimusPrime]

Megatron: just out of interest, about how old were you when you started collecting Transformers? i.e. did you start collecting when you were a girl or when you were an adolescent/adult? Because I've known several women who collect Transformers, but the number of girls I know who collect Transformers I can count on one hand.

[Megatron]

1st of all I'd like to agree with you & UM on all of your points , secondly?, hopefully... The Maximals!

Heh. But wouldn't that mean that the Dinobots would have to be related to BW/Maximals somehow? Otherwise I just don't see that happening so far at least for TF4 because all we've got so far is a lot of fancy cars and trucks on set, a couple of large sea vessels, humans.. explosions. Unless it's done 100% in CGI, and a Beast Hunters or Beast Wars type element has been kept completely under wraps. Still, it's nice to hope for things to happen in the upcoming Bay movies.. I know I have my own *fingers crossed* hopes for them. Probably won't ever eventuate, though.

Megatron: just out of interest, about how old were you when you started collecting Transformers? i.e. did you start collecting when you were a girl or when you were an adolescent/adult? Because I've known several women who collect Transformers, but the number of girls I know who collect Transformers I can count on one hand.

This wasn't really about me, though, or about girls being collectors. Obviously and along the same lines, the number of boys being collectors are few and far between as well, compared to adult collectors. Kids in general don't collect, they play. Hence my point above was that girls can and do also play with "boys toys", given half the chance and without the taboo from parents/relatives/friends/society in general, and it would be nice if the toy industry/retail sector stopped the blatant stereotyping and recognized this a little more.

[Hursticon]

Heh. But wouldn't that mean that the Dinobots would have to be related to BW/Maximals somehow?

Hehe, perhaps I could point you in the direction of a little fanfic by our very own Verno.

Otherwise I just don't see that happening so far at least for TF4 because all we've got so far is a lot of fancy cars and trucks on set, a couple of large sea vessels, humans.. explosions. Unless it's done 100% in CGI, and a Beast Hunters or Beast Wars type element has been kept completely under wraps. Still, it's nice to hope for things to happen in the upcoming Bay movies.. I know I have my own *fingers crossed* hopes for them. Probably won't ever eventuate, though.

It's extraordinarily unlikely, you're right, but there's nothing wrong with living in hope is there?

[Megatron]

Hehe, perhaps I could point you in the direction of a little fanfic by our very own Verno.

I meant in official canon, so if it were to happen Mr Bay and the writers would have to draw on something from unofficial sources such as fan fiction, or make it up themselves (either way, thereby turning it into canon as a result). I'm aware of Verno's work but unfortunately BW isn't my area of interest... especially in a world where Megatron and my other favorites don't exist (or are long dead).

It's extraordinarily unlikely, you're right, but there's nothing wrong with living in hope is there?

Oh absolutely, nothing wrong with it at all. I live in hope all the time.