Question of the week. Again

[ddgaff1132]

I'm running late this week.Huh
We have been told many reasons why Mego went under. Was it really killed by the Star Wars marketing juggernaut? Did the oil shortage have anything to do with it. Or was it bad management choices over a long span of time. Or maybe something not mention by other experts of Mego history. What do you think killed Mego?

[Bionic Joe]

STAR WARS changed the whole boy's toys land scape, But that was not the final nail in MEGOS coffin, I think it was poor mangement that finished them off but passing on STAR WARS was the start of there down fall

[vulcan2074]

I Think it was Due to Bad Management and Poor Decisions near the end. If they would of expanded on there strengths I feel they would've Made it. They made Such Amazing Toys. What if they would of made more Villians for the WGSH Line or expanded on there Star Trek Aliens. They could've re-ignited the fire with a few good decisions.
Sammy

[toys2cool]

I think Star Wars had a lot to do with it

[UnderdogDJLSW]

Star Wars and the electronic age I think had a lot to do with it and Mego at that point was trying to play catch-up rather than being the innovator. The Star Trek movie figures is a good example of trying to catch up to Star Wars but not quite getting it. The bridge playset for that was very boring compared to something like the death star playset. (the movie was boring for kids too, but that's not the point). Not enough characters and not enough color for them to be in. Instead of investing in a 12 inch line or visa versa instead of the 3 3/4 line. create more for just one format. Same thing with the handheld games. do something that was more innovative rather than a copy of mattels or coleco's baseball game

[ddgaff1132]

I dont know were I read it. But someone proposed the oil shortages of the late 70s/80s was a big factor in the Mego downfall. But as you might remember action figure got smaller but productions never stopped. and the "All Plastic Action Figure" minus cloth uniform also made this theory difficult for me to believe. As these new figures meant you had to buy each distinct figure instead of just getting a new outfit for GI-Joe or Action Jackson. Also I wanted to pose the quality issue to the question. Mego's Pocket heros sculpting (Face/Body) seems to me to be a little crude compare to others. Any thoughts on this in relation to the question?

[Bionic Joe]

Agian it all starts with the hugh success of Kenners STAR WARS figures it made the 3 3/4 inchs figures the standard as everyone tried like heck to copy Kenners success overnight the 8inch and 10 inch figures looked out dated