COMMENTARY: Bronies, Rejoice!

April 10, 2013 By

My Little Pony is everywhere lately, which might be cause for Bronies—adult male fans of the magical, flowing mane ponies—to rejoice. These unlikely fans of the mainly children’s, mainly girl’s property find themselves addicted to My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic on The Hub TV Network and fawning over toys and plush tucked away in pink aisles of Toys “R” Us.

I, myself, am not a member of this ilk. But I very well could be. As a kid in the 80s, I begged my mom to buy me a Care Bear—Grumpy Bear, to be exact—even though my dad disapproved. I coveted my sister’s Strawberry Shortcake bed set and would watch—and pretend to dislike—Rainbow Bright. If I don’t have Brony potential, I don’t know who does.

So, in the spirit of embracing the Brony in all of us, I’ve pulled together some cool new My Little Pony toys and plush that we have to look forward to.

My Little Pony Plush, from Aurora

aurora_2Aurora, in partnership with Hasbro, will initially release 18 My Little Pony styles, including 12 small, 6-inch ponies each with a personalized carrying bag, and six soft plush ponies about 10 inches in size. My Little Pony plush will be available for purchase in both the U.S. and Canada in Aurora’s retail channel of more than 25,000 specialty stores and gift shops as well as online at shop.auroragift.com.

Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash, from Build-A-Bear Workshop

buildabear_5In Build-A-Bear Workshop retail stores and online this month, fans of My Little Pony can customize their own Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash plush. Customers can dress their pony in their favorite My Little Pony fashions. Pinkie Pie has signature pink locks, and Rainbow Dash has a multi-colored mane that can be brushed, combed, and braided. Customers can dress Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash in their signature capes or a variety of other fashions.

My Little Pony Walkin’ Talkin’ Pinkie Pie, from Hasbro

7209FB2550569047F50D477617E8C75BHasbro introduces the Walkin’ Talkin’ Pinkie Pie, which walks forward, speaks silly pony phrases, and sings songs as she trots. Gently press the balloons on her cutie mark and watch her go. The figure wears an adorable headband with two yellow stars that bobble as she walks. This version of Pinkie Pie is available at most major toy retailers nationwide and on HasbroToyShop.com.

If your inner Brony is jonsing for a quick pony fix, Hasbro.com has a number of online games, including the My Little Pony Crystal Match game. You’re welcome.

For more commentary from Loren, check back each Wednesday afternoon. Views expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Toy Book as a whole. We hope that you will share your comments and feedback below. Until next time!

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Build-A-Bear Workshop Partners with Hasbro for My Little Pony Plush

March 29, 2013 By

buildabear_5Build-A-Bear Workshop will bring the My Little Pony brand to store shelves with a collection of characters under license from Hasbro Inc. Arriving April 1, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash will be available at Build-A-Bear Workshop stores throughout North America and online at Buildabear.com. The first ever make-your-own My Little Pony plush allows customers to personalize the characters.

Build-A-Bear Workshop stores nationwide will hold a series of special events from April 1 through April 7. Customers and associates will be encouraged to dress up in their favorite My Little Pony fashions. Additionally, while making a My Little Pony friend, guests can take a pony personality quiz, recite the pony promise, and learn how to style their pony’s hair with a special hair care brochure. Pinkie Pie has signature pink locks, and Rainbow Dash has a multi-colored mane that can be brushed, combed, and braided. Guests can dress Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash in their signature capes or a variety of other fashions.

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Vandor Adds Transformers, My Little Pony, Curious George, and Ford

February 11, 2013 By

Vandor, a licensed consumer goods leader, has obtained new licenses to create products for the Transformers, My Little Pony, Curious George, and Ford Motor Company brands.

Vandor also expect items from a new line of collapsible water bottles to be some of the year’s hottest sellers. The most popular designs include characters from Star Wars, Hello Kitty, and My Little Pony.

Vandor will offer Transformers large shopper totes, collapsible water bottles, ceramic mugs, acrylic cups with straws, and tin totes; My Little Pony collapsible water bottles, large shopper totea, ceramic mugs, tin totes, and acrylic cups with straws; Curious George large shopper totes, collapsible water bottles, ceramic mugs, tin totes, acrylic cups with straws, and wooden wall clocks; and Ford Motor Company acrylic travel cups, plastic travel mugs, a set of four glasses, ceramic shot glasses, and ceramic mugs with the traditional Ford and Built Ford Tough logos.

All of Vandor’s new products will be on display at major gift markets and industry shows throughout the year. A catalog is available by calling (800) 755-5966 or by emailing sales@vandorproducts.com.

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Little, Brown and Hasbro To Launch Publishing Programs Based on My Little Pony, Transformers

November 27, 2012 By

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers has reached an agreement in principal for print and electronic rights in the U.S. and Canada, under license from Hasbro, Inc., for the My Little Pony brand. The publishing company will also extend its existing license for Transformers into next year. [Read more...]

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Ruckus Media Group Releases Hasbro-Branded E-Books

April 25, 2012 By

Hasbro Licensing has entered a digital publishing partnership with Ruckus Media Group to create e-books based on Hasbro brands, including Transformers Prime, My Little Pony, and Chuck and Friends. Each series contains three different levels of reading to challenge young readers.

Consumers can currently download three free titles, one from each brand, at the iTunes App Store. Additional titles will carry an approximate retail price of $3.99 each, or $5.99 for two. Ruckus Media Group will also offer a six-month subscription of $24.99 that gives parents access to the entire Ruckus e-book content library, as well as reading assessment benchmarking and reporting tools for parents.

This post was originally written by Leah Rocketto and published by ToyBook.com. For more news, visit www.toybook.com, follow The Toy Book on Twitter, and like The Toy Book on Facebook. The Toy Book is a bimonthly trade magazine covering the toy industry, published by Adventure Publishing Group.

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Hasbro and Ruckus Media Group Announce Interactive Storybook

September 26, 2011 By
Twilight Sparkle: Teacher for a Day

Last week, Hasbro, Inc. and Ruckus Media Group announced the English-language release of Twilight Sparkle: Teacher for a Day, a My Little Pony interactive storybook application for Apple’s iPhone, iPad, and iPhone touch, available for purchase for $3.99 through the iTunes App store. The app, designed for children ages 3-11, is Hasbro’s first mobile application for the popular brand franchise and television show, marrying interaction at home and on the go.

The app takes young Ponyville readers through the Kingdom of Equestria’s exciting past, and offers features ranging from new stories with My Little Pony characters and to games and activities that help develop vocabulary, reading, and motor skills.

Twilight Sparkle: Teacher for a Day joins Chuck and Friends: Friends for the Long Haul as the second Hasbro interactive storybook created by Ruckus Media Group. More apps are slated to release next year.

My Little Pony Friendship is Magic airs Saturday and Sunday mornings at 9 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. EST, and weekdays at 1:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. EST on The Hub TV Network.

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My Little Pony Featured in Target Stores

August 5, 2011 By

Hasbro, Inc. has premiered an exclusive My Little Pony retail program at Target. The program includes an out-of-aisle premium space in the toy department devoted to My Little Pony merchandise, inspired by the magical world of Canterlot from the television series My Little Pony Friendship is Magic, which airs on The Hub. The new program debuted this week.

My Little Pony-branded products featured in the Canterlot section at Target include bedding, costumes, books, T-shirts, arts and crafts, activity sets, and exclusive toys, primarily focused on the ponies Princess Celestia, her sister Princess Luna, and Twilight Sparkle.

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Hasbro Showcases Lifestyle Goods at Licensing Expo

June 16, 2011 By

At the International Licensing Expo in Las Vegas, Hasbro, Inc. highlighted some new products, spanning several lifestyle categories, that are based on its properties. Here are some highlights:

Apps, Gaming, and Technology

Updating the concept of a family game night, Hasbro Family Game Night was released by Electronic Arts for the Wii. Families can also read a Tonka Chuck & Friends storybook app from Ruckus Mobile Media for the iPad. A new Transformers-skinned smartphone cover from Anzo U.S.A will be available for adult fans of the movie franchise.

Movie and TV Entertainment

A double-feature Transformers DVD can be a welcomed addition to family movie night. Families can also watch Hasbro’s Daytime Emmy Award-nominated programs, such as Transformers Prime, Family Game Night, and Pictureka ,on The Hub.

Youth and Tween Room Décor

Children can jazz up their bedrooms with their favorite Hasbro characters through a number of licensed products. Room accessories include My Little Pony bedding from Crown Craft (agreement reached in principle and subject to a binding contract) and Candy Land rugs from Gertmenian. The characters are also available in a number of clothing apparel options.

Wheeled Toys for the Big and Small

Transformers fans can ride the General Motors Bumblbee Camaro. Young fans can race around the neighborhood on Dynacraft’s Transformers bikes. Also for little kids, there is the Bumblebee and My Little Pony electric ride-on car from Hunter Leisure.

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Disguise Signs Deal to Manufacture Hasbro-Branded Costumes

June 10, 2010 By

Disguise, the Halloween costume division of JAKKS Pacific, Inc., has signed a multi-year agreement with Hasbro to produce Halloween costumes and accessories based on most Hasbro brands. The three-year deal grants Disguise expanded and exclusive rights to manufacture and distribute Hasbro-branded Halloween costumes and accessories in the U.S. and Canada, beginning this Halloween season.

Costumes will include those based on Transformers 3, to be released summer 2011, and the television shows G.I. Joe and My Little Pony, which will air this fall on Hasbro and Discovery Communications‘ joint-venture cable network, The Hub.

Photo Credit: Business Wire

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Hasbro Revs Up Its Licensing Programs

June 9, 2010 By

The Entertainment & Licensing (E&L) division of Hasbro, Inc. has announced a slate of licensing programs to support its brands, including Transformers, Nerf, Littlest Pet Shop, My Little Pony, Monopoly, and Playskool.

Hasbro, in association with DreamWorks Pictures and Paramount Pictures, will debut Transformers 3 on July 1, 2011. The company’s licensees for the Transformers brand include comic books from IDW (U.S.), digital games from Activision (worldwide), and more.

Hasbro is also teaming up with Universal Pictures to bring Stretch Armstrong and Battleship to the big screen in summer 2012. Universal will also produce films based on Hasbro’s Monopoly, Candy Land, and Ouija. Theater release dates have not been announced.

Hasbro recently reached an agreement with The Sports Licensed Division of the adidas Group for a NERF-inspired apparel and footwear line (deal is still subject to the companies negotiating and has yet to be signed into a binding license agreement). Additionally, Electronic Arts has signed on for NERF digital gaming (worldwide), SDI Technologies has inked a deal for NERF electronics (U.S.), and Performance Design Products will create NERF digital gaming hardware accessories (worldwide).

[Read more...]

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