FTC posts X-Men movie/cartoon costumes comparison on Facebook. Hmmmm

[melkorjunior]

I have a hard time believing FTC would post those X-Men pictures just to shoot the breeze with Facebook fans. And it's interesting that it's movie versus cartoon costumes, but not comic book costumes, that they're comparing.

[ThePlayerOnTheOtherSide]

Regardless of the speculation, which is always fun, we do know that continued strong sales for FTC are good for anyone that wants to see the same thing happen with the Marvel characters. Also it's wonderful that Alfred is selling so well since it signals to FTC that new characters that Mego never produced, if done in the Mego style can sell well.

The best time ever to be a Mego collector was the 70s. The 2nd best time is right now.

[hedrap]

And it's interesting that it's movie versus cartoon costumes, but not comic book costumes, that they're comparing.

I thought about that too, but Disney owns the cartoon rights when they bought Fox Kids in '02. It's weird, but Fox originally developed the cartoon with Pryde of The X-Men, let it go back to Marvel who took it to Saban. Then Fox bought Saban and merged it to create Fox Kids. That comparison chart was created somewhere else. I don't think they're comparing which ones to make as the cartoon were faithful 90's X comic designs. They may be gauging to see if people actually like the movie designs, (which utterly stink, IMO).

Makes me wonder if this was partly why they dropped the yellow mask reveal from the end of The Wolverine. It was supposedly edited out because they decided to not revert to comic-based character designs for Days, but I assumed that was Singer's decision.

[ovenmitt]

Why would FTC show movie AND cartoon costumes if something is not up with BOTH?

[madmarva]

They've been 'building community' for a while now, but this is the first time it's focused on characters they don't have the license to. Maybe there's nothing to it, who knows.

Again, I hope I'm wrong, but you never stop community building with social marketing. If making a Marvel themed post reaches new consumers for their product it's a win. If it engages its current community as it clearly has, it's a win.

[madmarva]

And yet Mattel holds the master license to DC and we still get DC ReMegos from FTC

And DC/ Mattel allowed FTC to make figures at a $25 price point, and Marvel/Hasbro turned FTC down, but allowed Diamond/Emce to make the deluxe set at an $80 or $69 price point.

[ovenmitt]

I hope FTC replies to Facebook posts with answers by tomorrow Monday! I emailed FTC, too!

[madmarva]

I would not be that interested in the film version of X-men characters, but if Fox does control the film designs outright, I hope FTC does make them. It could prompt Hasbro to relent and allow Diamond/Emcee to offer single Marvel figures at a non-collector's item price point which is what we all want.

But, I still believe it's wishful thinking.

[ovenmitt]

Its just weird that FTC holder of DC license would show anything Marvel!

Maybe FTC will do X-Men 2-packs SAME character in movie and cartoon costumes!

[ThePlayerOnTheOtherSide]

Again, I hope I'm wrong, but you never stop community building with social marketing.

You don't focus on creating/sharing content that isn't related to your products. At least if you're smart you don't. That's why FTC was sharing content associated with the Batman TV series before it released the first 66 wave, and not content associated with the Incredible Hulk TV series.

Again, it could mean nothing, but if it happens again, my guess is that something's in the works.

[madmarva]

A popular theory in social marketing is sharing content that is interesting to your consumers. Social networking is not traditional marketing. It is a long game. Engage, engage, engage. While traditional marketing is cut throat, the most successful social marketers are pleasant, friendly, helpful in their campaigns. They engage the customers to sell but also to get to know their likes and dislikes. It allows a company to listen to its consumers in a way few other efforts do.

It's somewhat like in "Miracle on 34th Street" where Macy's adopts Kringle's policy of pointing out the best deals on items to engender trust.

This theory is not fearful of mentioning competition because bringing them into the conversation allows the marketer to learn what its consumers like and do not like about the competition. Such listening allows the marketer to make improvements on its products to serve consumers and drive more sales. This is a practice we have seen with FTC's products already this year from its first wave of Bat figures to the third.

Again, I hope I'm wrong. But, I don't see Hasbro allowing a competitor to make a product that it would not allow a partner to make. Hedrep may be right in his suggestion that Fox somehow has rights that supercedes Hasbros'. If that's the case, fantastic.

[ThePlayerOnTheOtherSide]

A popular theory in social marketing is sharing content that is interesting to your consumers. Social networking is not traditional marketing. It is a long game. Engage, engage, engage. While traditional marketing is cut throat, the most successful social marketers are pleasant, friendly, helpful in their campaigns. They engage the customers to sell but also to get to know their likes and dislikes. It allows a company to listen to its consumers in a way few other efforts do.

It's somewhat like in "Miracle on 34th Street" where Macy's adopts Kringle's policy of pointing out the best deals on items to engender trust.

This theory is not fearful of mentioning competition because bringing them into the conversation allows the marketer to learn what its consumers like and do not like about the competition. Such listening allows the marketer to make improvements on its products to serve consumers and drive more sales. This is a practice we have seen with FTC's products already this year from it's first wave of Bat figures to the third.

Again, I hope I'm wrong. But, I don't see Hasbro allowing a competitor to make a product that it would not allow a partner to make. Hedrep may be right in his suggestion that Fox somehow has rights that supercedes Hasbros'. If that's the case, fantastic.

There's plenty of content that's interesting to FTC's customers that are related to the properties that they DO own.

Go to Marvel's FB page and see how much of their content is focused on DC characters. None of it. Why not? Many of those customers are interested in DC comics as well, so why doesn't Marvel focus on the content that its customers are interested in? Because Marvel is smart enough to focus on the content that's interesting to its customers AND that focuses on its products.

My guess is that whoever runs FTC's FB page simply shared the update cause they thought it was cool. I bet it won't continue unless there's a financial motivation to do so. Social media has changed marketing and business, but it hasn't completely rewritten it either.

[PNGwynne]

And Invisible Girl heads.

Those are IG heads only to us Megoheads; to most customizers, it's just a better-looking 1/9 sculpt in a variety of side-parted hair colors.

I prefer to think of them as Black Canary, Poison Ivy, Queen Bee, & Zatanna heads...

[madmarva]

There's plenty of content that's interesting to FTC's customers that are related to the properties that they DO own.

Go to Marvel's FB page and see how much of their content is focused on DC characters. None of it. Why not? Many of those customers are interested in DC comics as well, so why doesn't Marvel focus on the content that its customers are interested in? Because Marvel is smart enough to focus on the content that's interesting to its customers AND that focuses on its products.

My guess is that whoever runs FTC's FB page simply shared the update cause they thought it was cool. I bet it won't continue unless there's a financial motivation to do so. Social media has changed marketing and business, but it hasn't completely rewritten it either.

There is no difference in Marvel's social marketing footprint and it's traditional marketing footprint. Marvel's social marketing efforts lack vision and are behind, but it is in the dominant position in its market and has no reason to change at the moment. DC is the company that would most benefit by listening to consumers.

[ThePlayerOnTheOtherSide]

There is no difference in Marvel's social marketing footprint and it's traditional marketing footprint. Marvel's social marketing efforts lack vision and are behind, but it is in the dominant position in its market and has no reason to change at the moment. DC is the company that would most benefit by listening to consumers.

Check DC's FB page and see if they are promoting Spidey and Wolverine to their readers or Batman and Superman. Come on, man.

Odds are someone just shared the update cause they read the article, thought it was cool, and shared it. End of story.