G.I.Joe Question & Answers With Hasbro Round 2

Each month we submit 5 reader-generated questions to the Hasbro design team for G.I.Joe. Here is the latest batch of questions and answers for June:

TNI: It seems pretty clear how The 25th Anniversary line will appeal to the collectors. However, we are told over and over that collectors make up only a small portion of the target demographic market that Hasbro needs to reach for these lines to be considered a success. What is the thought process or strategy about this line appealing to kids and their parents, especially in light of events like the Iraq war making any kind of military based toyline more and more unpopular with parents these days?

Hasbro: The 25th Anniversary line is devoted fans of all ages of the G.I. Joe brand. Fans of all ages will appreciate the superior articulation and detailed style of this G.I. Joe line. By mirroring aspects of nostalgic packaging, we have the opportunity to bring kids into the line using the same powerful imagery that captured our hearts as children.

TNI: Will the 25th Anniversary figures be offered at the big 3 retailers (TRU, Target and Wal-Mart)? And will they be sold outside the United States?

Hasbro: The 25th Anniversary line will have full distribution within the United States. The line will also be for sale through some Canadian and Mexican retailers. It is available to all consumers through hasbrotoyshop.com.

TNI: Can we get a nice up and close image of Cobra Commander's back to see if the gun attaches to his back like the vintage one did?

Hasbro: Sorry, but we cannot accommodate extra image requests.

TNI: Why did you decide not to give Flint gloves?

Hasbro:Our first wave of single carded figures were added in late due to overwhelmingly positive response to our 5-packs. Therefore we were faced with some tooling limitations on these items which impacted the gloves. Unfortunately, this change was necessary in order to ship to retail for this fall.

TNI: Will we ever see a Scarlett or Baroness figure in the 8" line?

Hasbro: We never say never, but historically those characters have limited kid potential at higher pricepoints. The 8" line is targeted to our kid market.


Also see:

Round 1 Q&A