Date: Friday, August 1st 2003 5:05am CDT
Categories: Company News,
Collectables
Posted by: Cyber Bishop |
Credit(s): palisadestoys.com
Permanent Link
Views: 55,744
The
Palisades Toys website has officially launched their
TRANSFORMERS SECTION to showcase their statue projects. Click here to see the 1st statue of the line - the legendary
OPTIMUS PRIME. You can view pictures from last week´s Transformers convention of this statue
here and
here.
Date: Thursday, February 13th 2003 12:01pm CST
Categories: Press Releases,
Company News
Posted by: Rhinox |
Credit(s): Hasbro, Yahoo! News
Permanent Link
Views: 70,170
PAWTUCKET, R.I. (Reuters) -
Hasbro released their 4th quarter and full-year 2002 results earlier today. The release stated that revenue "was up in the fourth quarter". Alan G. Hassenfeld, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at Hasbro, stated: "Our strategy of driving core brands is working as a number of brands --including G.I. JOE, TRANSFORMERS, PLAY-DOH, LITE BRITE and MAGIC THE GATHERING trading card games were all up significantly for the fourth quarter." The U.S. toys segment "experienced strength in sales of certain core product lines including G.I. JOE, TRANSFORMERS, PLAY-DOH and PLAYSKOOL." Read the full report from Hasbro
here or the news report with Yahoo! News
here.
Date: Monday, February 10th 2003 12:01pm CST
Categories: Press Releases,
Company News
Posted by: Seibertron |
Credit(s): tfw2005.com
Permanent Link
Views: 80,655
Hasbro made available their
press release regarding the upcoming
International Toy Fair 2003 in New York City on February 16th through February 19th. Their press release makes mention of their various product lines including Transformers.
"The re-introduction of the TRANSFORMERS ROBOTS IN DISGUISE and new TRANSFORMERS ARMADA themes have again captured kids´ imaginations, as the TRANSFORMERS brand has for nearly 20 years.
"Kids and adult fans alike will be thrilled with the fall 2003 return of UNICRON, the most evil TRANSFORMERS character ever, in Hasbro´s toy line and in new episodes of the animated program on Cartoon Network, "TRANSFORMERS ARMADA: THE UNICRON BATTLES." The toy version of UNICRON is a huge 16-inch robot -- one of the biggest TRANSFORMERS character ever created! UNICRON is a planet that changes into a robot, trying to take over control of all TRANSFORMERS. This most evil character can hold up to 24 MINI-CON figures, and has projectiles, light-up hands and eyes, traps and hiding places for MINI-CON figures and much more. (Approximate retail price: $49.99; Available: August)"
Read Hasbro´s full press release
here.
Date: Thursday, June 6th 2002 6:36pm CDT
Categories: Toy News,
Company News
Posted by: super_convoy Permanent Link
Views: 114,993
Takara has updated their
website
with pictures of the upcoming
Prowl reissue,
Mega SCF Rodimus Prime
and
SCF Act-8 PVCs. It seems the hard-to-find
RiD Storm Jet
and
Sideway/
Axer 2-Pack are also part of their scheduled released. You can view the site using the language
translator at
AltaVista.
Date: Tuesday, June 4th 2002 5:58am CDT
Categories: Cartoon News,
Company News
Posted by: super_convoy Permanent Link
Views: 125,325
Dreamwave have recalled copies of the highly-anticipated
Predaking Lithograph. According to their
website:
"...our Predaking lithograph was not up to our usual standards. The final lithograph had poor image resolution, and parts of the orignal image cut off.
We´re not ones to let our fans down, so the lithograph is being recalled and replaced. Get in touch with your local retailer to find out about exchanging you´re old lithograph for a new and improved one."
Glad to hear that quality actually matters!
Date: Wednesday, May 29th 2002 9:40am CDT
Categories: Toy News,
Company News
Posted by: Seibertron Permanent Link
Views: 112,173
INFOZONE: UK fans rejoice! Hasbro UK has officially stated their plans to bring you whatever the US gets, just about 6-12 months behind, that's all! "Hasbro UK is committed to building the Transformers brand here in the UK and has the intention of running all the US developed lines, so Transformers fans will be able to get the toys in due course." On the TV side of things for UK fans, RID is starting on Fox Kids UK on Saturday June 1st. View the FOX Kids UK Transformers section
HERE!
Date: Saturday, March 28th 1987 12:01am CST
Categories: Cartoon News,
Toy News,
Company News
Posted by: Seibertron |
Credit(s): Original Source Unknown
Permanent Link
Views: 912,054
** ORIGINAL SOURCE UNKNOWN **
Written by Lane Crockett
Kids not only say the darndest things, but when they speak as one, they get things done. Ask Alfred C. Carosi.
Carosi is a corporate vice president of marketing services with Hasbro, a toy company. Hasbro happens to be the creator of Transformers, a popular children's program featuring a range of robots as heroes and villians. They're called autobots.
Locally, the series can be seen at 4 p.m. Monday through Friday on KMSS, Channel 33.
Hasbro, in an effort to revamp its toy line pertaining to Transformers, used its feature-length film of the same name to kill off Optimus Prime, leader of the good guys on the TV series.
The philosphy of Hasbro in terms of toy product is to turn its entire line every two years and introduce new toys. The company thought the feature film a good place to kill off Optimus Prime and give a reason for his disapearance from the toy line.
"There was immediate reaction," says Carosi. "We got a lot of phone calls and letters from kids. We were frankly surprised at the number of letters. When we killed off Optimus Prime, I thought they might be a little bit upset, but we had new heroes for them in the movie. That didn't seem to matter."
So for the first time, Hasbro brought back a series figure. Optimus is back on the TV show, but he's still out of the toy line.
"We did it because the kids seemed to really like him. He's in all the new episodes, but he wasn't a part of the series after the movie. That could be confusing because we killed off a bunch in the movie... easily half a dozen.
"We didn't get any letters about any of the other characters. Based on that, we took a look at bringing Optimus back. If Bobby Ewing can come back, why not Optimus Prime?"
In the storyline returning Optimus, Carosi says, the reaction was fantastic from the kids. Generally speaking, he says, Transformers ratings were up in major markets like New York and Chicago, where Hasbro is headquartered.
Although Optimus doesn't find himself in the toy line right now, Carosi says Hasbro is seriously looking at bringing the toy back next year.
Oddly, Optimus was not the leading toy in the Transformers line. He sold for $20. Carosi says some of the lower-priced ones sold better. Of the larger toys, Optimus was No. 1 at his price range.
"Optimus was leader of the good autobots, I guess that's why he was so popular. He was replaced in the movie by Rodimus Prime, who is the hero in the new episodes. Optimus came back and took over in a two-parter. He was Rodimus' father figure.
"Well, we've done it and we learned. The key is to be responsive to the kids, not upset them. We did that inadvertently. By definition, what we do should be fun."
Carosi says the feature-length film did well and engineered good responses from kids. It is now being readied for videocassette release.
"Hasbro probably won't do another film," Carosi says. "They are very expensive to produce. We lost money on Transformers and My Little Pony, which we also created."
Hasbro's most popular creation is the G.I. Joe animated show. Transformers is No. 2. G.I. Joe was created in 1964. Carosis says, in 1982, G.I. Joe was made into action figures.
"There's no one G.I. Joe now. He has become a G.I. Joe team. By the way, the good figures outsell the villains."
The lead seller for the bad guys is a figure called Cobra Commander, who appears on G.I. Joe.
As for Optimus Prime, he seems to be secure now. Hasbro has learned not to tamper with him. After all, he has an army of youngsters backing him.
Editor's Note: This newspaper article was obtained through Linden High School's micro-fiche film library during my senior year in 1995. Linden High School is located in Linden, Mi. See ... it pays to save all that stuff!!!
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