How Pony is Formed: Production and Business Thread

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Re: How Pony is Formed: Production and Business Thread

Postby Grue (?) » Wed Feb 12, 2014 4:18 pm

The Doctor wrote:


Wow. Good for them. That certainly isn't coming from some unexpected, expanded fanbase but the target demographic.


Seriously, how the hell did it outsell Monster/Ever After High?
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Postby Homeswirl (?) » Thu Feb 13, 2014 12:51 am

Grue wrote:
Seriously, how the hell did it outsell Monster/Ever After High?

Maybe they were cheaper? (I have no idea what the prices were)
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Postby Passport Clean (?) » Thu Feb 13, 2014 1:35 am

This is a Pyrrhic victory for me (in that I love the movie and loathe those dolls) but, well, I did correctly predict on these forums at the very beginning that the entire Equestria Girls maneuver would be a hit with the target audience and pay off nicely for Hasbro.

Sooo... yeah...

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Postby Dexanth (?) » Thu Feb 13, 2014 3:05 am

Grue wrote:
Seriously, how the hell did it outsell Monster/Ever After High?


Maybe those two don't count as 'Fashion-Themed dolls' :v:
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Postby The Doctor (?) » Fri Feb 14, 2014 4:40 am

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The real travesty her is Space Chimps 2 beating out Clue.

:rainbert: stop screwing up your kids, parents.
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Postby drunkill (?) » Fri Feb 14, 2014 5:38 am

Interesting that the Wednesday and Friday repeats are getting high viewer numbers. :smirk:
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Postby ComradeCosmobot (?) » Fri Feb 14, 2014 5:51 am

Could be the fact that they're both at 5:00, so it's easier for kids who have after-school activities to watch them.
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Postby Fizzbuzz (?) » Fri Feb 14, 2014 12:28 pm

I'm still seriously surprised that Pinkie Pride had such a dip in the ratings, only for there to be such a huge rebound with the relatively underhyped Simple Ways (assuming that what The Doctor posted was last week's ratings). What happened?
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Postby DerFurShur (?) » Fri Feb 14, 2014 1:05 pm

Could be a variety of factors, we have to remember that Nielsen ratings can be wonky enough as it is, yeah something like the leak could have played a factor, but then it could just be a ton of people were busy the Saturday of Pinkie Pride for whatever dozen random reasons.
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Postby ShieldedDiamond (?) » Fri Feb 14, 2014 2:03 pm

Little girls aren't impressed by Weird Al? :pinkieshrug:

But they should be. :applejargh:
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Postby Space Ghost (?) » Fri Feb 14, 2014 2:15 pm

From what I remember they really overdid it with the "WEIRD AL!!!!" hype with commercials and relesing clips and what not. Combined with the fact the viewer demographic probably didn't know who he was, so they probably weren't interested in the episode.

I think it might have gone better if they didn't make such a big deal out of the episode before it aired.
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Postby DerFurShur (?) » Fri Feb 14, 2014 4:02 pm

So apparently Hasbro just finished hosting a webcast with their investors, and the rumor is that this Gen of Pony is slated to last another five years.

This all needs to be taken with a grain of salt, but certainly is interesting.
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Postby Space Ghost (?) » Fri Feb 14, 2014 4:05 pm

Yeah, but that refers to the generation as a whole, not the show.
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Postby ilcane87 (?) » Fri Feb 14, 2014 4:08 pm

^ The recording and transcript will be available soon enough, for all our overanalizing needs. :allears:
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Postby DerFurShur (?) » Fri Feb 14, 2014 4:12 pm

Well five years is plenty of time to do things like finish up FIM, do a full EQG spinoff, do a CMC/"next gen" spinoff etc. or I guess they could do 4-5 ore seasons of FIM.
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Postby ilcane87 (?) » Fri Feb 14, 2014 4:40 pm

I wouldn't trust the "5 years of MLP" rumor just yet by the way.

I listened to the final part of the conference, and they talked a lot about a 5 years plan that started 3 years ago, so the one who reported that piece of news might have misunderstood.
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Postby DerFurShur (?) » Fri Feb 14, 2014 4:48 pm

That makes a lot more sense, because I just can't see them making such a long-term plan for something that could still go either way in terms of popularity or sales. Five years seems a little more reasonable than nine.
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Postby ilcane87 (?) » Fri Feb 14, 2014 4:53 pm

And it wasn't specifically a My Little Pony brand plan they were refering to, it was a general core brand investment program.

Anyway, there's really no reason to worry about the future of MLP, it's the one Hasbro property that keeps growing year after year, at record rates.

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Postby SlateSlabrock (?) » Fri Feb 14, 2014 4:59 pm

ilcane87 wrote:I listened to the final part of the conference, and they talked a lot about a 5 years plan that started 3 years ago, so the one who reported that piece of news might have misunderstood.

:smug: Citizens of Equestria! I am proud to report that we will complete the five-year plan in four years!
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Postby ShieldedDiamond (?) » Fri Feb 14, 2014 5:13 pm

Don't forget about Equestria Girls dolls being the number 1 fashion doll last year, and MLP comics being the 9th best selling comics on iBooks. Lot of good news with ToyFair! Going to be a good weekened. :awesomedash: I wish I could go. :fluttersmith:
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Postby ilcane87 (?) » Fri Feb 14, 2014 5:29 pm

The recording is up, time to verify that statement. :spoiler:

http://www.media-server.com/m/p/fnxhnrv5
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Postby InC (?) » Fri Feb 14, 2014 5:47 pm

They're not saying MLP is the 9th best selling book, but that 9 of the top 10 best selling comic books of the year are MLP issues! Here's a pic from the time only 4 books were out. :gotcha:

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Postby ShieldedDiamond (?) » Fri Feb 14, 2014 5:49 pm

Well I got that info from the Investor Presentation.

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Postby ilcane87 (?) » Fri Feb 14, 2014 6:11 pm

Well, I listened to the whole MLP segment, and I heard nothing about this supposed 5 years estimate. :pinkieshrug:
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Postby ShieldedDiamond (?) » Fri Feb 14, 2014 6:15 pm

Yeah, I don't know really buy much into that "5 year statement" honestly. I need a bit more confirmation for that. :-/
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Postby ilcane87 (?) » Fri Feb 14, 2014 6:19 pm

From EQD:
Thanks again to SweetieBot for the link! Sweetie mentions that the five year mention isn't in this vid and is in a Q&A at the end of the presentation so we'll update if we get an upload that adds it.

The Q&A part is the one I caught Live, so I think it's all a misunderstanding, unless I missed something.
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Postby SoundMonkey44 (?) » Fri Feb 14, 2014 6:20 pm

I could see pony lasting 5 more years, why not dominate the entire decade! :v:

But yeah, just have to wait & see. :pinkieshrug:

1 more year or 5 more, it's a fun ride to say the least
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Postby ShieldedDiamond (?) » Fri Feb 14, 2014 6:27 pm

ilcane87 wrote:From EQD:

The Q&A part is the one I caught Live, so I think it's all a misunderstanding, unless I missed something.


The 5-year thing sounds like something that could have been misunderstood and then blown a bit out of preportion. Perhaps they mentioned how it was good that MLP is lasting 5 years? As in, starting in 2010, and now knowing there is Season 5, going into 2015. :pinkieshrug:
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Postby ilcane87 (?) » Fri Feb 14, 2014 6:54 pm

I gave it a quick listen again, and I all I found was a mention of their initial 3 to 5 years plan involving The Hub, that started in 2010.

Nonetheless, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if this series really lasted until or even beyond Season 9, it's just doing too well and showing no signs of reversing that trend anytime soon. :milkshake:
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Postby Space Ghost (?) » Fri Feb 14, 2014 6:56 pm

Let's be realistic here, few shows last past a fifth season, let alone a ninth one. Don't get your hopes up.
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Postby SoundMonkey44 (?) » Fri Feb 14, 2014 6:57 pm

ilcane87 wrote:I gave it a quick listen again, and I all I found was a mention of their initial 3 to 5 years plan involving The Hub, that started in 2010.

Nonetheless, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if this series really lasted until or even beyond Season 9, it's just doing too well and showing no signs of reversing that trend anytime soon. :milkshake:



Don't jynx it! :twonk:

*knocks on wood*

There that's better. :party:

But yeah, in good with 9 seasons of pony, and I guess annual EQG movies as well,
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Postby ilcane87 (?) » Fri Feb 14, 2014 7:01 pm

Tailspin wrote:Let's be realistic here, few shows last past a fifth season, let alone a ninth one. Don't get your hopes up.

Well, you got me there, I'm not that savvy about show business. :modesty:

I just can't imagine them canceling the series if ratings and toy sales stay so high, but this is just an ignorant's point of view.
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Postby Space Ghost (?) » Fri Feb 14, 2014 7:38 pm

A lot of cartoons and TV shows I watched lasted three or four seasons, maybe five before getting cancled. That's provided they didn't get cancled before that. Some had good ratings and didn't get passed their first season.

Most of the stuff that lasted longer are either cash cows like The Simpons or cheap cartoons that are used as filler.

There's also the fact that Hasbro's interest is toys and licences, not some TV show. They could easily decide to cancle the show in favor of something like a EQG spin off, which is possible considering they want to get in on that market, while MLP is at this point popular enough that they can keep going without a TV show (they got comics, which are far cheaper than a tv show).
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Postby Fizzbuzz (?) » Fri Feb 14, 2014 7:43 pm

Tailspin wrote:Let's be realistic here, few shows last past a fifth season, let alone a ninth one. Don't get your hopes up.

Few shows are also single-handedly keeping a cable TV network alive. If Hasbro should decide to kill the Hub then FiM will most likely end along with it, but otherwise it'll keep providing a return on investment unless the Hub should manage to pick up something that's even more wildly popular.
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Postby Space Ghost (?) » Fri Feb 14, 2014 7:45 pm

If MLP is the only thing keeping The Hub afloat then I have doubts at how long they'll keep it around. I remember reading that running The Hub still costs a lot.
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Postby SoundMonkey44 (?) » Fri Feb 14, 2014 7:58 pm

Or Pony could end up like Arthur and some how still be making new eps a decade from now, but no one knowing about it, having them air on PBS or what not if the HUB is gone. XD

OK probably not. But yeah I'm good for more pony be it one more season or six more, I'll ride the coaster till the end!
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Postby ShieldedDiamond (?) » Fri Feb 14, 2014 8:18 pm

Tailspin wrote:Let's be realistic here, few shows last past a fifth season, let alone a ninth one. Don't get your hopes up.


Yeah, definitely agree entirely myself, for a number of reasons.

1. My Little Pony is not like South Park, Simpsons, or any other long lasting show. It hasn't gotten the rewards, it's just been popular. It's really good, but this show isn't the best children's cartoon of all time.

2. Even The Simpsons has started to become terrible in recent years. I personally would rather see My Little Pony end, than watch it become like The Simpsons.

3. I made this point in another thread, but does My Little Pony really deserve this? Samurai Jack, which had a very important story left unsolved, ended at 52 episodes. There are only 78 Powerpuff Girls episodes, with a total of 136 segments. Animaniacs made it to 99. The original Batman The Animated series made it to 85 episodes. (Not counting the spinoff shows.) Does My Little Pony deserve to outdo them? It's already at 91 episodes. With another season, it will reach over 100. I'm not trying to be a downer or anything, but how does the show itself hold up to those other shows, regardless of the fandoms?

4. Hasbro likes toys. Eventually, and I doubt it'll be in 5 years, probably much sooner, they're going to do a complete toy overhaul, new molds, new characters and all that. They want to be able to start up a whole new promotion that "Look, new show!" sooner than later. They are smart, they're not going to let it drive into the ground. Again, this isn't about the show or the quality, when they want to sell new toys, the show's done. And who knows? Perhaps they're already planning out a new line, and it's in the concept stage.

5. I also don't think that My Little Pony is the one thing keeping the Hub alive. Transformers Prime did well in viewership (and even beat out My Little Pony for some awards) and other shows like R.L. Stine's The Haunting Hour (which I believe was at the start and is also still going) is also popular. I believe that My Little Pony is the most popular show on the network, but it's not like it's the string that's preventing The Hub from falling into the abyss.

Just my own thoughts. :vogue:
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Postby SoundMonkey44 (?) » Sat Feb 15, 2014 11:00 pm

I agree Hasbro will eventually want to move on, but I imagine G5 will keep the same general style as G4. Just perhaps with a different cast of characters perhaps in a different more modernized world / setting, maybe something like a modern pony tales. A nice inbetween of the current FIM & EQG.

But that's just my guess, shot in the dark.

When if that time comes I'll quietly bow out, box up all my pony stuff and just hope HUB or someone shows reruns of FIM along the new series.

And hey there's always a chance the comic could continue once the show ends. *knock on wood*
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Postby Dexanth (?) » Sun Feb 16, 2014 12:41 am

It doesn't make sense to kill off a property that's still growing year by year. They've got a golden goose laying golden eggs, they aren't going to chop its head off while the eggs are still rolling in.

The show itself is direct advertising, but the popularity of it leads to loads of indirect advertising. The idea that they are out of ideas/things to do/etc is silly. They don't need to kill off the show for a simple reason - more kids keep being born and aging into the target demographic as others age out.

They're still selling Optimus Prime toys nearly 30 years later, and when they want to sell more Twilights, she gets Crystallized or Rainbow Powered or so forth; and that's not counting things like Funko or Blind Bags or what have you.

Yea, eventually G4 will end, no questions there - but doing it before things have clearly peaked is silly, and signs indicate that it hasn't done that yet, given the merchandising options keep expanding rather than retracting.
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Postby SoundMonkey44 (?) » Sun Feb 16, 2014 12:45 am

I agree, I think the "5 more years". Rumor is more then reasonable. And it's possible G5 will use the same characters just in a different way/setting, like many transformers shoes have used simmilar casts & all use Optimus.
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