Ponies and armor...

[Unlikeable Pony 2,698]

Here's a question: If the show were to make a toy of one of the characters with armor, as an accessory that could be taken on or off, do you think the item would sell well enough to justify it as a collectible type item (Along the same lines of things like shadowbolt rainbow dash or queen chrysalis in its marketing)?

The toys are aimed at little girls primarily after all, and even the collectible ones aimed at bronies are still meant to get a few of the target audience in sales. So do you think a toy of one of the mane six with armor and armor accessories (helmet, royal guard style armor to put on/take off the body) would sell? Such as something based on the royal guard armor dash's commander hurricane costume?

 

[Princess Lona 382]

I think for it to sell with the main demographic, it would have to be an armour-wearing pony from the show or comics. So a Royal Guard, Dash as Commander Hurricane, Armoured Luna, or Nightmare Moon would make the most sense. I think kids who watch the show would be interested in owning armoured ponies, but they would mostly want what they see in the show (except for the really imaginative kids, they would probably be interested by say, Pinkie Pie in full jousting regalia). Although if the show were to come up with a reason to put Twilight in some armour (the fight with Tirek was a missed opportunity), I think it would sell like hot cakes with the kids. They really seem to like her.

[Dark Horse 12,964]

I've always liked fan art that depicts the ponies in armor, I just think it looks well on them. Can't imagine it would fit well with the target demographic though. Young girls do love accessories they can put on and off, but having them in armor seems more of a guy thing, or at least not what you'd expect from an MLP line. The most obvious would probably be Shining if they did though, or maybe the two Princesses. I'd like to think it's not a bad idea, but I doubt it's something they've given much thought to.

 

Seriously though...

[Unlikeable Pony 2,698]

I think for it to sell with the main demographic, it would have to be an armour-wearing pony from the show or comics. So a Royal Guard, Dash as Commander Hurricane, Armoured Luna, or Nightmare Moon would make the most sense. I think kids who watch the show would be interested in owning armoured ponies, but they would mostly want what they see in the show (except for the really imaginative kids, they would probably be interested by say, Pinkie Pie in full jousting regalia). Although if the show were to come up with a reason to put Twilight in some armour (the fight with Tirek was a missed opportunity), I think it would sell like hot cakes with the kids. They really seem to like her.

 

 

I don't think twilight is really that much more well liked than Pinkie or rainbow dash at this point, toywise with the target audience; I see almost more merchandise for them than for twilight. She just had a brief spike in sales during S3 and then normalized again I think.

[Princess Lona 382]

Young girls do love accessories they can put on and off, but having them in armor seems more of a guy thing, or at least not what you'd expect from an MLP line.

That's just the self fulfiing prophecies of marketing coming true. In their infant to toddler years, girls and boys don't show a gendered preference for toys. Once their brains develop to the point where they can make associations, and they see girls in commercials playing with pretty dress up accessories and boys in commercials playing with armoured fighter dolls, that is when children "decide" what they must be destined to be interested in. It's actually a really crappy thing for the marketing companies to do to developing minds, narrowing the child's field of vision before their brain is fully developed. And toy companies don't stray from that model because it works. Gen 4 has done some pretty cool work in breaking down gender stereotypes and I would love to see them continue to show leadership by branching out that fight into the toy line and marketing armoured ponies to young girls.

[TopQuark 409]

I think I'd prefer to just have the armour to be part of the mould. I don't really like to mess around with my collectables, so it would probably just stay on the toy anyway. As for children's toys that are meant to be played with, Rainbow Dash or Shining Armor would make the most sense, as they have both worn armour in the show. But if they came out with a Pinkie Pie "Party" Tank play set, I would totally buy it.

Edited August 23, 2015 by TopQuark

[cider float 2,538]

Accessories that can be detached from one toy to another toy would actually be a good marketing strategy. That way people might want a certain accessory on one pony on another pony so they have to buy both toys.