What's missing from modern day "Mego-like" toy lines

[ctc]

>These things are toys first, collectable second.

I think this approaches one of the other problems: there's a lot of manufacturing that goes into a Mego style figure; which increases cost. Add to that the cost of a license and you get something priced to a point higher than that at which a parent is comfortable seeing destroyed during play. I think that's why so many other lines are pricey as well; license fees. Since the '89 Batman companies are reluctant to let the rights to ANYTHING go for cheap, since they never know what's gonna be "the next big thing" and don't want to mis out on the cash if that turns out to be one of their properties. Further complicating things is the difficulty getting any attention for a new and/or unknown property. You can mitigate some of the cost of a toy by appealing to dad's Batman nostalgia. Generic "Hero Guy!" doesn't cut it.

Don C.

[MIB41]

I believe the main reason why retro figures are not advertised in this fashion is because they are not mass produced and available in retail stores like other toy lines are. So the production volume is considerably smaller and thus the profit margin is smaller as well. That doesn't really leave alot of room for a marketing budget that has realistic roots in finding an audience through television. These days online chatter gets the message to the intended audience which, in this case, is mostly the collectors. And even though we all have examples of kids liking these figures, the main consumer remains the collector because quite often the license and style is from a bygone era. The Six Million Dollar Man and Battlestar Galactica are not new shows kids see every week. So no one is going to invest in air time to advertise product for them. We the collectors would love it because it hints at something we experienced almost 40 years ago. Times have changed... unfortunately.

[HardyGirl]

That's why the online commercial is a good alternative. Now that anyone can own a video camera, and YouTube readily available, anyone could make a commercial, Brian proved that. You could embed them or link them on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter and all these other online services people use today.

I believe the main reason why retro figures are not advertised in this fashion is because they are not mass produced and available in retail stores like other toy lines are. So the production volume is considerably smaller and thus the profit margin is smaller as well. That doesn't really leave alot of room for a marketing budget that has realistic roots in finding an audience through television. These days online chatter gets the message to the intended audience which, in this case, is mostly the collectors. And even though we all have examples of kids liking these figures, the main consumer remains the collector because quite often the license and style is from a bygone era. The Six Million Dollar Man and Battlestar Galactica are not new shows kids see every week. So no one is going to invest in air time to advertise product for them. We the collectors would love it because it hints at something we experienced almost 40 years ago. Times have changed... unfortunately.

[David Lee]

I did two for Cast-a-Way... they didn't have cute kids like Brian, but we did try

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUiHwt4yZwo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1QA_0xyy-8

[HardyGirl]

Hmmm...I didn't know about these. That second one was pretty long, it coulda been 2 commercials. Nice work.

I did two for Cast-a-Way... they didn't have cute kids like Brian, but we did try

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUiHwt4yZwo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1QA_0xyy-8

[MIB41]

I did two for Cast-a-Way... they didn't have cute kids like Brian, but we did try

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUiHwt4yZwo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1QA_0xyy-8

Oh I remember those now! I so loved those! Thanks for the posting those again. My love for the Phantom remains just as strong today as it was the day I held that figure for the first time. Great stuff!

[SeattleEd]

Sharry,

Thinking like a true virtual marketer.

Having returned from the Mobile Conference in Barcelona recently, it appears that the big dilemma right now for those in marketing is to find means to "push" their product to the masses. Providing links no longer works based on the current metrics. So many companies/ad agencies are making deals with popular sites and studios/labels in order to "embed" their products be it in the audio or video realm. Youtube certainly has been working this route with companies and you can see many "hot" videos have "forced" products embed as an ad.
The reality is given a choice of a non-commercial paid product vs free product with commercials, many people are opting for paid product in order to avoid commercials, which is how these app companies are viable but yet still embed advertising in their app.
With that, "good old fashion" plastic toy products are not a viable commodity in this arena since in recent analysis it has shown that kids prefer electronic products. Mattel and Hasbro are the biggest toy manufacturers in the world but seem to be barely staying above water with a forecast of future decreased sales.

But as you hinted, Sharry, the best bet is to go viral and create a commercial/idea/video that will garner those metrics and thus making the product a huge success. Just look that Psy - Gungnam Style. I remember seeing it when it only had about 300 hits and I never imagined it would go over a billion. Video is absurd but it flipped the video concept on it's head.

Simple commercials from yesteryear that we all love and grew up on will no longer cut it. Time to think outside the box.

That's why the online commercial is a good alternative. Now that anyone can own a video camera, and YouTube readily available, anyone could make a commercial, Brian proved that. You could embed them or link them on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter and all these other online services people use today.

[HardyGirl]

I don't know why everyone is trying so hard to convince me that this can't be done. We're bascially playing the "what if" game here. But I tell ya, if I had the resources and the time, I'd give this a try on some small scale. Kids prefer electronic toys 'cos that's what has been pushed on them for the last 20 years. You see lotsa commercials pushing computers, phones, video games, etc., but hardly any toy commercials, except for pre-schoolers. Kids are so far removed from what we'd call normal toys, they'd probably think they were some new and great thing. But that's neither here nor there. I started this thread, b/c I do remember watching cartoons after school and seeing all those great Mego and GIJoe ads. They were cheesy, corny, and fun, just like almost everything else from the 70s. And I just thought wouldn't it be wonderful if there was something, even made by amateurs, that could advertise the new lines coming out, that embraced the spirit of Mego, like Brian and his kids did. An amateur started Facebook, and YouTube, and all these online things that we consider so commonplace now. Is it so outrageous to think that an amateur or group of them couldn't revive good ole fashioned action figures for today's kids? I think not.

[mego]

I know Anthrax remade the Mego KISS theme song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1LQCuHPtvQ

I'm with you Hardygirl, it is hard to believe that there hasn't been more of these... kinda makes me want to take a stab myself. The originals were certainly nothing too complicated.

[MIB41]

I don't know why everyone is trying so hard to convince me that this can't be done. We're bascially playing the "what if" game here. But I tell ya, if I had the resources and the time, I'd give this a try on some small scale. Kids prefer electronic toys 'cos that's what has been pushed on them for the last 20 years. You see lotsa commercials pushing computers, phones, video games, etc., but hardly any toy commercials, except for pre-schoolers. Kids are so far removed from what we'd call normal toys, they'd probably think they were some new and great thing. But that's neither here nor there. I started this thread, b/c I do remember watching cartoons after school and seeing all those great Mego and GIJoe ads. They were cheesy, corny, and fun, just like almost everything else from the 70s. And I just thought wouldn't it be wonderful if there was something, even made by amateurs, that could advertise the new lines coming out, that embraced the spirit of Mego, like Brian and his kids did. An amateur started Facebook, and YouTube, and all these online things that we consider so commonplace now. Is it so outrageous to think that an amateur or group of them couldn't revive good ole fashioned action figures for today's kids? I think not.

I'm all for custom commercials being made. I think that would be fantastic!

[Figuremod73]

There are a few on youtube. Heres a DC Universe classics commercial. I would like to see them with Remego's and other newer toys to.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CcBHk7XLec

[Megotu]

Playsets, Vehicles and accessories.

[drmego]

When we were making Star Trek and DC Superheroes, we wanted to shoot some YouTube videos but were always racing to meet
the next deadline. We did manage to do video for the zombie kit and keep trying to find the time to shoot video for the DIY
superhero kit.

Dave Stern was the name of the guy in New York who owns the MEGO commercial masters. I have tried to find him without luck.
Maybe if he had a more abnormal name, I could find him.

As for reaching the audience of kids - it used to be that there were 3 networks showing kids programming on Saturdays with smaller
stations doing afternoon syndicated shows. Advertising there reached the vast majority of kids. Now there are hundreds of cable
channels and the audience is fragmented among them.

[palitoy]

I was contacted a couple of times by a former Durona employee who has the masters for Mego and others. He initially wanted to do an interview and was open to offers about selling and then completely blew me off...

[megokissface]

We should make our own commercials and distribute them online since tv sucks! Tv doesnt even do kid cereal commercials let alone the Saturday morning cartoons that featured the toy ads.