Sho_Nuff82
Member
But your last two paragraphs are in direct contrast with a Lucasfilm and/or Disney mandate that there be less Rey. Sounds like Hasbro dropping the ball.
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Wheres Rey? Insider Says Vendors Removed Star Wars Character to Improve Sales'
- Thread starter Branduil
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But your last two paragraphs are in direct contrast with a Lucasfilm and/or Disney mandate that there be less Rey. Sounds like Hasbro dropping the ball.
Don't know how to sell/market a toy so let's just not make any. It's your fucking JOB to figure out how to sell and market toys. Don't say that it won't sell, do your jobs and make it awesome so it will sell. It's the laziest excuse to code Rey as not being marketable when your job is literally to make her toys marketable.
Also you just know the industry is going to learn the wrong lesson from this. Instead of seeing that the public WILL buy non-pink/princess girls as toys and they should make more; they are just going to exclude more non-princess girls from future films so it's easier on their marketing teams who apparently hate women so much they refuse to try to market any that aren't gender stereotypes.
"Oh noes, a woman who isn't wearing a pink dress and doesn't have huge stylable hair, how can we make a toy out of this... uh uh... *closes eyes* I'm not here I'm not seeing you, you don't exist la la la la la.... *pushes Rey dossier off desk into trash*"
Also you just know the industry is going to learn the wrong lesson from this. Instead of seeing that the public WILL buy non-pink/princess girls as toys and they should make more; they are just going to exclude more non-princess girls from future films so it's easier on their marketing teams who apparently hate women so much they refuse to try to market any that aren't gender stereotypes.
"Oh noes, a woman who isn't wearing a pink dress and doesn't have huge stylable hair, how can we make a toy out of this... uh uh... *closes eyes* I'm not here I'm not seeing you, you don't exist la la la la la.... *pushes Rey dossier off desk into trash*"
RumblingRosco
Member
excuses
One of the worst first posts I ever recall seeing. Not well-played, sir/mam.
Anyway... this whole thing is incredible to me. It's really kind of crazy to imagine this is the year 2016 and we still have to worry about marketers releasing male toys or female toys because of a presumed lack of sales possibilities. Either the data they have is legit (...I'm doubtful) or the toy team simply is biased.
I didn't think the movie portrayed him as weak.
I see him as a character who's still on his journey rather than someone like Vader who's basically there.
I don't understand how this is "sexism". They've probably done their research and have loads of data to back up the decision. It's not like they wouldn't sell a Rey toy to boys if they thought it would sell. Their job is to make money after all.
Not saying it's cool, it's not. But that's how business works.
Not saying it's cool, it's not. But that's how business works.
Edit: For those who for some reason have still not seen Star Wars Force Awakens yet seem to care about spoilers...I will tag this....
He has not finished his training yet and he can stop blaster bolts in mid air and hold them there while turning his attention elsewhere.
Vader could deflect in Empire but he could not hold them,
He can pull information from your mind, Vader had to use interrotator droids for information.
And again the bowcaster shot he took to the gut.
They made special effort in the movie to show how nasty the weapon is, pointing out exactly how strong it is. Throwing people across the room.
He took a shot to the gut and still went boss mode.
Vader could deflect in Empire but he could not hold them,
He can pull information from your mind, Vader had to use interrotator droids for information.
And again the bowcaster shot he took to the gut.
They made special effort in the movie to show how nasty the weapon is, pointing out exactly how strong it is. Throwing people across the room.
He took a shot to the gut and still went boss mode.
Well they're clearly not doing a very good job if they apparently have a shit ton of Kylo Ren merchandise that isn't moving, while fans of the main character of the movie are left with fuck-all, due to entirely dated binary gender preferences as defined by said-marketers.
Also when this is a recurring pattern with toy manufacturers and retailers, not based on actual failure, but on a complete lack of trying? Yeah, that increasingly comes off as sexist. Black Widow/Scarlet Witch being an afterthought (if not outright ignored) on Avengers merch, Gamora being left out (if not outright ignored) on GotG merch, characters like Katara, Toph, or Azula toys for A:TLA straight up not being made...
Familienoberhauptvogel
Banned
So spoilers are fine huh?
I don't think power comparisons lead anywhere when the lead character is stronger than Luke was in ANH despite having received zero training from literally anyone. She was able to do a Jedi mind trick more sophisticated than Obi Wan w/o needing a wave of the hand even.
Villains with flaws and character traits are good, Kylo Ren just showed none of them nor acted upon them. He didn't stray from his path, he didn't spare anyone he was supposed to kill, he really just got bested by a rookie. If all it needs to make a good villain are 2 or 3 scenes of supposed insecurity then cinematography is at an all time height atm.
I don't think power comparisons lead anywhere when the lead character is stronger than Luke was in ANH despite having received zero training from literally anyone. She was able to do a Jedi mind trick more sophisticated than Obi Wan w/o needing a wave of the hand even.
Villains with flaws and character traits are good, Kylo Ren just showed none of them nor acted upon them. He didn't stray from his path, he didn't spare anyone he was supposed to kill, he really just got bested by a rookie. If all it needs to make a good villain are 2 or 3 scenes of supposed insecurity then cinematography is at an all time height atm.
So Disney has fucked up the previsions and made less copies of the toys that actually sell, again?
They managed to completely miss the train on Frozen, which apparently wasn't expected to have the enormous success it had and so hadn't enough merchandising out at launch, so I'm not surprised.
They really should change their analysts. We can talk until the cows go home, but they are literally burning away billions.
They managed to completely miss the train on Frozen, which apparently wasn't expected to have the enormous success it had and so hadn't enough merchandising out at launch, so I'm not surprised.
They really should change their analysts. We can talk until the cows go home, but they are literally burning away billions.
I'm not sure I like your attitude, sir/mam.
John Kowalski
Banned
So you're saying their job is sexist? Because obviously the sexism is still happening regardless. A female character is being under represented in merchandise in favour of less relevant male characters. Are they doing this because they believe it will increase their profit margin? Perhaps, but that doesn't make their methods less sexist.
No, boo.
It's a couple of people being too dumb to realize that consumers would want product of the main character of the movie (TM) (TM Shaanyboi) because of... reasons and people going along with it because it's how they usually do business (no girls in boys toys allowed). You could deduce that without the gossip.
And because it takes so fucking long to go from the design to the manufacturing phase for a merchandise launch of this scale, now they're stuck with their heads their asses and flimsy excuses.
Jaffaboy
Member
It's partly the toy manufacturer's responsibility to change the societal viewpoint that only male characters and toys sell. They have the money and power of advertising to encourage these needed changes, but the complete lack of interest in doing so is pretty disappointing, perhaps even disgusting. The movie itself is pretty revolutionary by having a black man and a woman as lead characters, but if the merch doesn't follow suit it's almost reversing all the work done by the movie by sending such mixed messages.
Hoya Destroyer
Member
No boy wants to be given a female toy?
Are they sure?
lol. This is what I thought when I saw this thread. Both my male best friend (at the time) and myself LOVED this figure. After the Biker Scout (my top fav SW design), this is prolly my number 1 figure. Such an awesome character design and appearance in RotJ (that robot voice!).
Liked this Endor Leia a lot too. Removable helmet. Little belt and pistol. Very nice. Always loved those details on toys, when I was a kid.
This one? Super boring. As a young boy, I had no interest in this figure. I havent seen the new Star Wars movie yet, but the footage I have seen of Rey reminds me of this. Rey is just wearing some cloth and a belt. Looks like a cross between a monk and a leper. Frankly, that design just doesnt strike me as interesting or cool enough for young boys to be interested in.
Schweinehund
Member
Damn, curious how the wonder woman merchandise will sell. WB isn't really being praised for it by blogs, but they're making an effort promoting her.
Tal Shiar Agent
Banned
It's going to be damn hard to buy toys for my kids when we have them. No gendered pink or blue shit.
It'll probably just end up being Lego and video games.
It'll probably just end up being Lego and video games.
Ceallach
Smells like fresh rosebuds
My kid wants Rey stuff bad. She loves her. But all I have been able to get her is a plush Rey.
I just don't understand the logic behind pushing Kylo. I LIKE Kylo. A lot. But he is a character who is made to be unlikable. He is intentionally not as strong or as powerful or intimidating as he wishes he was.
I just don't understand the logic behind pushing Kylo. I LIKE Kylo. A lot. But he is a character who is made to be unlikable. He is intentionally not as strong or as powerful or intimidating as he wishes he was.
No boy wants to be given a female toy?
Are they sure?
Boushh was my second most wanted figure from the RotJ line when they were released.
Was awesome.
I kept losing the helmet, but would always eventually find it.
I Stalk Alone
Member
I blame the dad.
But it's not even a societal viewpoint. I've done work with toy buyers for retail chains and they don't feel the same way (or at least haven't since the 90s started).
It's specifically an issue in the higher echelons of Hasbro. It happens with their own IP too - it took a very long time to do any female transformers toys, and at least in part that was because of Hasbro's product marketing group vetoing attempts. It really took some tricksy work to get it through (Windblade happened only because they'd backed themselves slightly into a corner with the fan vote to create a character, and Arcee took years and years and years. Even the female toys that did get made barely shipped - Energon Arcee and Transmetal II Blackarrachnia were massively undershipped).
I should probably start making him wear dresses so he could fully enjoy a Rey action figure, right? He's a fucking boy! Jesus Christ. He's at the age where he wants all baby brothers and girls are "yucky"
AlimNassor
Banned
It lines up with what my Hasbro Merchandiser has been telling me. He's been saying we won't be getting any Rey stuff in anytime soon. it's horseshit cause Rey figures were super popular.
nah Rey looks like early Luke except less boring, tatooine style and all that. actually most of what Luke wore was cloth with a belt
Thanks for this
BattleMonkey
Member
Rey did get a release with every one of the toy lines. But the guys got more releases than her, so she got overshadowed.
Phasma is a girl too and she got more toys and exposure than Rey did. But she's masked so she don't count apparently?
More Fun To Compute
Member
They are right in saying that boys will generally not show much interest in a toy if it appears too girly. And the opposite applies. But the wrong judgement is not that they got this "sexist" assumption wrong but that they didn't realise fully that a female action hero is not a girly character just like a ken doll is not a toy that boys are interested in. Maybe they feared she would be some sort of Disney princess character.
That's not what I said, I said that they had a large section of merchandise there this week that they never had before, including a ton of new figures and figure sets (which included Rey).
QuantumZebra
Member
This.
I had my Pocahontas marry my Bruce Wayne, and their kids were Leia and Luke.
Wallow in your shame, Hasbro and everyone else involved in this idiotic decision. Wallow in it.
travisbickle
Member
All the characters' clothing and general appearance look neutral regarding gender stereotypes. Its not like she's dressed like a Barbie, I really think the studies they do are just concluding what they want them to conclude.
QuantumZebra
Member
Did you even read the article? Have you ever taken a sociology class?
Let me break it down for you:
Marketing guys in suits probably grew up thinking boys won't play with a girl toy and vice-versa. Marketing guys in suits decide to throw out said "girl toy" in almost all products (even monopoly!??!) so that boys won't go "ewww icky".
Said plan has backfired massively and now they are scrambling to make it look not-awful.
I don't care what you call it, but this decision was solely rooted in preconceptions of boys and girls made by guys in suits.
Remember that Disney thought that all the little girls would identify with cheerful-and-good-hearted-but-powerless Anna, so they made far less merch for magical-powerhouse-slinging-ice-and-snow-and-having-the-best-musical-number-in-the-movie Elsa. They were caught completely flatfooted by Elsamania. Who knows how much they lost in sales that first month, all because they couldn't imagine that girls might want a power fantasy.
BattleMonkey
Member
Except that snippet is wrong. Kylo merch is moving very well.
There is no proof that they are suffering any sales issues, the merch is moving well and they had made a fortune before the movie even came out. This article is full of bullshit from "insiders"
Did they stock her in relatively equal numbers at the toy's launch? If it doesn't sell enough to justify restocking, then that's that. If demand were there, retailers wouldn't turn their noses up at the money and Hasbro or whoever would be pumping toys out in a rush to avoid lost sales. Boys not wanting "girl" toys is a societal problem they shouldn't have to bear beyond neutral advertising and store placement, imo.
Hoya Destroyer
Member
nah Rey looks like early Luke except less boring, tatooine style and all that. actually most of what Luke wore was cloth with a belt
I agree that Rey design looks similar to Luke. Still, neither of them would have really appealed to me, when I was a boy. I preferred monsters, aliens and warriors to regular looking people.
QuantumZebra
Member
ElBoxyBrown
Banned
Hasbro be hatin cuz they couldn't buy Star Wars when they had the chance. If Hasbro had it their way Michael Bay would have been all over that bitch.
TWERK TWERK TWERK.
I think those men need to see a therapist if they still feel like they need to grow up at the age of 30.
Suicide Squad is gonna be a doozy. Who am I gonna identify with? Captain Boomerang? Jai plz.
WB already has toys planned. The real question is if she will packed in a Justice League set or get replaced by Steve Trevor.
QuantumZebra
Member
Its anecdotal, but I've been to Toys R Us, 3 Wal-marts, Best Buy, Target, and Gamestop, and seen Kylo Ren shit everywhere, and 0 Rey.
If Kylo Ren is selling out it sure as hell ain't where I live (Atlanta).
Messypandas
Member
nah Rey looks like early Luke except less boring, tatooine style and all that. actually most of what Luke wore was cloth with a belt
I feel like her design was more influenced by Tusken Raiders, especially with that staff thing.
Testicular Sound Express
Member
lol what is this from
JimJamJones
Member
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