What does Hasbro think of bronies?

[Champion RD92 8,658]

So I never really thought about this before. What does Hasbro think of us? Do they see us as a bunch of weirdos? Do they think it's cool that we watch their show and buy their merchandise? Do they see us as people they can make money off of? Or perhaps they just see us as a bunch of annoying whiny babies who do nothing but complain whenever they do something we don't like. Or maybe they just don't give a crap about us at all.

 

What do you guys think?

[Shiki 5,855]

They make their products and such solely for profit. It's not like they're going to have to love us for enjoying what they make. They make. Bronies buy. That is the relationship, and nothing more. There may be some appreciation, but that's it, I would think. They have more things to think about other than bronies. Hasbro does more things than make MLP, you know.

Also, any "care" that they show is most likely for their own good. They need to keep a good image, that way we think they're nice and such, that way we are more inclined to buy their things. It's how business works. I'm sure we've all been nice to someone when we didn't really want to, before.

Edited February 14, 2013 by Rikka

[NavelColt 22,880]

In the past, in several interviews and at numerous cons, Tara specifically and Lauren made it fairly clear that Hasbro had the same sort of reaction to us that they did; surprised of our existence, but happy. I don't doubt that they see us as a large and important part of their fanbase for their now top show, but I am pretty sure it's not an uncaring, 'they're just a cash cow' sort of thing. They wouldn't bother with products, show references etc if they didn't care at all about us.

[Commander Urdnot 2,680]

Bronies = More opportunity to make money.

 

We like My Little Pony, they make My Little Pony. They like money, we got money. It's a symbiotic business partnership.

[Replicant 113]

As far as I know, Hasbro sees us as potential cash cows... Remember when that Care Bear-related email was leaked, and one of the execs was hypothesizing about the brony equivalent of Care Bear fans? 

 

They do cater to us a little in some of their products to encourage those who weren't buying the little girls' toys to actually get involved with their products. The trading cards come to mind, though I'm not entirely sure how much of Hasbro is involved with the cards since Enterplay sells them.

 

*shrug* As it should be, though it would be amazingly cool to have a soulless money-hungry company compassionate toward its fans... just not something to be expected. 

[Rainbow Dash 1,472]

The way it goes for big corporations, They see everyone as the cartoonish walking dollar signs. Sure they say they care or acknowledge us but in reality they don't. They are just reading off what the Public Relations people tell them to. Well at least thats what my Instructor at my college says.

[Zygen 6,066]

Well hasbro themselves probably doesn't care to much about us, they make a profit on us but thats about it.

The FIM creators probably have a bit more care about us, which is why they put all those random shoutouts in it.

 

And alot of the voice actors in interviews said that we're pretty cool. In particular Tara strong who actually is pretty involved in brony stuff. Atleast out of all the voice actors. They all seem to think we're pretty awesome or cool atleast.

 

I think if they didn't care at all though we wouldn't have had them do things like (Attempt) to put derpy in the show. And Fluttershy as a Tree, and all the other shoutouts and stuff.

[Soundgarden 2,758]

Yea sure, they care a lot about money, but they putted in a treat or 2 for us. Maybe it's only for the money, or a way to say "Brony on!" or maybe "Buy our goddamn products!

 

They got this corporation - consumer relation with us, but they probably also respect us out of a non-profit standpoint

[~Master~ Button Mash 2,307]

Well hasbro themselves probably doesn't care to much about us, they make a profit on us but thats about it.

The FIM creators probably have a bit more care about us, which is why they put all those random shoutouts in it.

 

And alot of the voice actors in interviews said that we're pretty cool. In particular Tara strong who actually is pretty involved in brony stuff. Atleast out of all the voice actors. They all seem to think we're pretty awesome or cool atleast.

 

I think if they didn't care at all though we wouldn't have had them do things like (Attempt) to put derpy in the show. And Fluttershy as a Tree, and all the other shoutouts and stuff.

Pretty much this.

 

Hasbro makes toys and pretty much that's it. At least, that's how it's been for the longest time. They may be attempting to get more involved in show production and the fandom as of late. I hope they choose to keep their distance at the same level it's been for a few years, though. We had a pretty good symbiotic relationship with them: we buy toys, they get free advertising through fandom creativity. It worked well for two years,

 

But I digress.

 

As for a lot of the VAs and show producers, I think we're pretty cool with them. A few even consider themselves bronies. Not to mention a lot have DA accounts and the like. Plus a few bronies ended up involved in production, so yeah, I think they have a lot of similarities with us given our common creative drive.

[Scootalove 10,689]

Pretty much explained already, but Hasbro makes products like DVDs, Toys, and other items that generate a lot of money. Without the money, Hasbro wouldn't have MLP. It's more of a, survival of the fittest. Pretty much, every company needs money and money equals power and control. Hasbro cares about the money, you can't have a famous TV show with just having people enjoy it mostly.

Products + Money = More popularity and More revenue.

[iLegovideo 152]

well, they do care about us, if that's what you're asking. I think that they think of us as an unlikely coincidence but they can use this as a bridgeway to a better hasbro.

[Guest]

Hasbro doesn't care that much I would assume. They care more about the money and whatnot. The creators of the show, they are the ones who care about bronies. Lauren Faust, Tara Strong and John De Lancie and many many more have all participated in one way or another in some brony activities and are supportive to the bronies

[crazitaco 596]

 :/ they like us enough to remove episodes from youtube and to send us Cease and Desist letters for various other things (cough*FIGHTINGISMAGIC*cough)

hasbro is a corporation. corporations like money. if they do like us, its because we buy their stuff.

now, the writers and everyone involved with the show is completely different. they seem to care pretty strongly about us.

Edited February 14, 2013 by crazitaco

[Antismurf9001 1,271]

I'd actually be interested to know how much money Hasbro actually does make from us.  I can't imagine that it's really significant.  I mean, sure, there's the DVDs, but a decent number of us pirate the episodes anyways.  Same with the digital episode sales (I literally only started buying the digital copies yesterday, every other time I watched the show was from Youtube or a livestream).  Also, while we tend to buy a lot of merchandise, most of it doesn't seem to come from Hasbro anyways, namely because a lot of people dislike the quality of their products.  I suppose that they're selling the rights to use their characters to the companies that actually do make the merchandise that we buy...  I don't know, it just doesn't make much sense to me.  Then again, I know nothing of financial dealings and most of this is just assumption based on what I've seen, so please feel free to correct me.

[Flutterbee 92]

Hasbro doesn't see Bronies at all.  They don't even see people.  They see demographics, numbers, legal issues, and corporations.  It is the same for all of corporate america.  Hasbro doesn't even acknowledge the existence of my business.  They won't even do business with me.  The simply care about Walmart and places like that.  

[FoxyCryptid 4,330]

They've made statements before that they're grateful for us. They wouldn't be allowing cast and crew of the show to come to events if they didn't like us.  

Edited February 15, 2013 by Shoboni

[MorningFlash 214]

Sometimes, I think that Hasbro don't appriciate what the bronies have done for MLP as a franchise and that they just use us to make money and selling of toys.

At times I also think that they don't appriciate what the fans want and don't want. Mainly because of the whole thing about Alicorn Twilight probably becoming canon.

[Teddiee 12]

Sometimes, I think that Hasbro don't appriciate what the bronies have done for MLP as a franchise and that they just use us to make money and selling of toys.

At times I also think that they don't appriciate what the fans want and don't want. Mainly because of the whole thing about Alicorn Twilight probably becoming canon.

Oh gosh. Twilicorn's becoming canon? If that happens and they don't make it worth it I'm going to quit MLP. T.T Just kidding.

 

I think that Hasbro does think of us. We're probably they're main source of money. The population of bronies is increasing. And pegasisters too. Alot of people say that the reason why they're making Alicorn Twilight is because they need to make more toys to make more money. And I'm just like.. If the brony fanbase is high than shouldnt they already have alot of money? o_o

 

But nevermind that. I think the writers of the show will somehow make it to our satisfaction. Because I think that if they didn't make it good, then they would probably lose alot of fans and the income of money will then drop. See my logic? They'll make it work somehow. Even though I dont want Twili to be an alicorn. :T

[VelvetDivan 96]

There are levels and levels.  Hasbro, the toy company itself, is going to see us differently than the writers and producers of the show itself.  There's enough feedback from the studio in response to things fans have done and said that it's hard to deny they're paying attention.

 

I couldn't confirm this from the blurry picture, but I saw a photo recently of a new boxset of pony figurines that included the sea serpent character from the second half of the pilot and had labeled the serpent 'Steven Magnet.'  Even Hasbro's toy marketing department is paying attention.  (If you don't know the story behind the name, google it; it's amusing.)

 

Companies are always going to pay a ton of attention to who's buying their product, or watching it, and shift their sails to catch the prevailing winds as best they can.  That's a bit harder to do with bronies I think, who are appreciating the show for certain reasons.  If they modified the show (or created a spinoff meant for an older audience) along traditional lines like adding violence or more mature themes, it might gain them viewers, but I bet a huge chunk of the appeal would be gone for most bronies.  Very careful writing could balance that, but I'd be shocked to see it materialize.  

 

So instead of obvious acceptance of the bronies, we get little nods and inside jokes that the intended demographic probably misses completely but we pick up on.  'Yes, we hear you bronies.  We love that you're watching.'  Not Hasbro's doing directly, but obviously condoned by them, or it would've stopped by now.

[DashinCorn 5]

i don care what hasbro think at all, i don care if they think iz cool, i don care if they think its creepy. lol but if you guys care my opinion is that hasbro like bronies cuz we buy all toyz n watch it but they probably think itz a little weird. 

[M'aiq the Liar 5,804]

According to the toy fair in Australia, the "mature" fans of mlp are their 3rd priority when it comes to marketing and making money. They rank us after their primary audience (2-9 year old children) and there secondary audience (7-11 year old children) but they do recognize that we exist, and that we create a rather decent profit.

[RainbowMau 291]

They can't complain, we're the ones who are making them earn money the most, I know that the target are little girls and they'll never show a grown-up guy playing with ponies in the commercials (let's be realistic, we can still be a taboo for them), but they may be at least a little conscious that we're not disturbing their pony-marketing and we are buying their product which means money to them, if they complain about that there's a problem with them.

[Espurr 449]

Well hasbro themselves probably doesn't care to much about us, they make a profit on us but thats about it.

The FIM creators probably have a bit more care about us, which is why they put all those random shoutouts in it.

 

And alot of the voice actors in interviews said that we're pretty cool. In particular Tara strong who actually is pretty involved in brony stuff. Atleast out of all the voice actors. They all seem to think we're pretty awesome or cool atleast.

 

I think if they didn't care at all though we wouldn't have had them do things like (Attempt) to put derpy in the show. And Fluttershy as a Tree, and all the other shoutouts and stuff.

You never know. The voice actors could be faking it. That's what actors do. They fake their emotions to play the part. I think Hasbro cares about our money and where it goes. They want it to go to them and nothing else.

Edited June 6, 2014 by Star Ruby

[Feather Grass 312]

We purchase the merchandise. They receive Money.

[RainbowMau 291]

You never know. The voice actors could be faking it. That's what actors do. They fake their emotions to play the part.

 

John de Lancie and Tara Strong produced the Bronies documentary along with Lauren Faust, so I don't think they're faking it.