Except when stuff gets "approved" and when stuff is finalized isn't always the same. Remember that big teaser Kingdom image that included Polar Claw, Gears, and a few Fossilizers that didn't happen?

They didn't lean in to it though. The PotP leak was removed from TFW (one of the few times it's happened that I can recall) and they went about their business as if none of that had happened. And the streams only started once the pandemic put an end to the usual fan panel outlets. It remains to be seen if things pivot back once the pandemic has passed, mostly because the damn pandemic refuses to pass.

"Save face?" Why? If they start bending over to acknowledge leakers it's just going to empower them further.

 

Hasbro announcements on so called transformer Tuesday

 

You misinterpret what I said and also glossed over the 2nd half of my statement. I'm not saying they have leaned into it, I'm saying they should lean in to it. So what if stuff gets leaked? What we really get out of the live streams that is much more valuable is specific times of availability. To use Kingdom as an example (again, because it's the easy example), we know wave 4 exists, we know it's contents and we know it's already hitting store shelves. When will Pulse put it up for order though and why didn't they do preorders like they've done with every other mainline wave since Pulse opened? Official reveals are nice, but the info beyond the reveals in live streams is much more valuable.

 

If they start to announce an entire years worth of figures 18 months in advance all you're going to do is change what leaks. Because what's leaks now will be "news" so leakers will start to push out other info as soon as they hear it. Instead of someone posting the entire lineup for 2022, they'll leak out whatever is being discussed for 2023. If Hasbro tries to battle that we'll start seeing leaks about things that may be on the table for 2024.

Because fandoms like this live for "new." Now that we know everything for the next year, it won't matter when Hasbro reveals any of it. It's already old hat. We're going to want MORE info and MORE news. There are already people in the 2022 reveal thread complaining about characters who are missing and missed opportunities because there's all of 2022 laid bare it's not exciting anymore, already time to focus on what isn't there and start the 2023 speculation machine.

It's not about what anyone wants to buy, it's all about people wanting something to talk about. Now that we have all of 2022 laid in front of us, it's going to get old quick because we're going to devour it in 24 hours and move on to the next damn thing.

At some point, Hasbro will have to draw a line. And it's pretty clear they're doing that already by just announcing what they're going to announce when they want to announce it. And they're not going to change that until it starts to impact their bottom line. So if you want to be someone who doesn't buy stuff because it's not "officially" revealed than by all means go ahead. But if you're gonna buy it regardless of what it gets announced or revealed then all you're proving is they don't have to do anything different and leaks aren't changing anything.

 

But that's not true. If the heresay about the marketing dude is true then the leaks are having an impact on their willingness to give info. Leaks will happen regardless of what anyone tries to do, that's just a fact, if the marketing team is upset that they can't build hype by simply revealing things then they need to reevaluate the situation and adapt. Learn new ways to build hype. That's what marketing is supposed to do, not complain on live streams about leaks.

 

I'm talking about the bottom line. Marketing may be pissed about the leaks, but if it's not affecting sales then nobody's going to give a damn. Hell, if I were marketing I'd be pissed because they're making my job less and less important which could lead to me being out of a job. Because, as someone else pointed out, I can only put out what is approved while some rando on a Tuesday can dump everything the second he catches wind of it.

They've never complained about the leaks on stream. The only comment I recall specifically was Evan mentioning how they had just gotten approval to show Wreck-Gar and were hoping to get ahead of the game. But he wasn't complaining. None of them have every complained. (Also Evan isn't marketing, he's on the design team. So from his perspective he's probably disappointed it leaked because he's proud of his work and was hoping to be the one to show it off.)

And kudos to them. Because those live stream comments sections can be a cesspool. I feel for the people who've gotta moderate those chats because that stuff can be downright mean.

But that's the thing. The only suggestions I've seen is "tell us stuff sooner!" but that's never going to stop leaks because by their nature leaks are things that outpace any approved statements.

Because marketing doesn't move that fast. Unless they've got a rapid response person, but even then those people are only given so much leeway.

 

I guess for me leaks don't necessarily matter all that much. I went through today's data dump (most of which wasn't new but just clarified things) and when combined with other stuff we know about i have 36 figures that i might buy. Now alot of them are on "need to see" status and that for me is where the livestreams and other forms of Pulse marketing work. I get a chance to take my nebulous thoughts on 17 of those 36 figures and say ok lets rock and roll or no that looks terrible. Knowing that something is coming doesn't derail the anticipation for me. In essence its a no cost movie trailer but i want the pre-order so i can spend some money.

This is all my opinion but this debate is kinda endless. I don't think Hasbro has done a great job in the latter half of 2021 of marketing Transformers. If this is due to the marketing team being angry about leaks then i dont know what you do here. Leaks are going to happen and do for toys, movies, comics, etc. But i don't have the time or energy to hunt around Targets and Walmarts. I want to order my toys online and they ship when they ship. So in the end i'm all for leaks and give me that sweet livestream goodness.

 

What some are forgetting is that all publicity or promoting of products even by dubious means is still publicity and gets the fandom talking. Yes if you're working in hasbro you're going to be pissed off if someone manages to leak upcoming figures or somehow manage to review figure usually without its packaging. That's up to hasbro to stamp out that so called theft of product and is on them to make sure product does not escape the factory floor and into the hands of a YouTuber who hasn't paid of said product and just wants to have the notoriety of being the first person to review a product albeit illegally.

Then its down to YouTube itself to ban that reviewer. You see there are links on the chain. Piss poor security at many levels within hasbro, the factory worker or workers who smuggle out these figures and YouTube for allowing reviews of stolen product to be shown on their platform. However when that happens the fandom are talking about these figures, they are criticising hasbro for allowing it to happen but it generates interest in a figure and more importantly publicity. Its not harming sales, we are still going to buy these figures when they are released it just means hasbros marketing team can't really do their jobs but then again hasbros security teams either at factory or IT levels aren't doing their jobs either.

 

The heavier set guy from marketing complained about leaks several times in the last 2 streams prior to Victory Sabers announcement

 

Nicely stated.

I just want better notification of live pre orders cause in store searching these days is just not sustainable in this era of hyper scalpers and supply chain issues.

 

Yep. That's all this comes down to. I don't need streams every Friday. But getting an email the day some stuff goes live would be nice.

 

The point is that Hasbro created the leak problem by itself. As long as he made announcements on a regular basis, leaks were minimal and the influence of leakers marginal. Since he began to prefer other lines (first of all Marvel and SW) to the detriment of the Transformers, a void has been created, and in nature a void always tends to fill it. In this way the more they have given up positions and left the fans to cook in their curiosity (who knows maybe thinking of creating who knows what positive hype ...) the more the leaks and leakers have gained importance and following in the fandom. A serious company would take notice of the mistake and return to make announcements on a regular basis (as Hasbro does for the other major lines).

Edit: The seriousness of a company has nothing to do with sales but rather with the image it wants to give of itself.

 

And cut out those leaks too at all levels. Their inability to do that is the problem.

 

That is really difficult for how the production of transfomers is organized, also providing for the use of various freelancers and third-party companies for the actual production. The leaks stop not making the fan feel their need, as happens with Marvel and SW...

 

I eagerly await the confusion that happens when somebody grabs this post as the next announcement and we get a front page post saying "Tumbleweed transformer announced!"

 

???

 

Botanica confirmed!

 

I would like a reveal or something. Hasbro could even give us an official acknowledgment of Waspinator and Shadow Panther.

Tuesday is the most auspicious day.

 

They just dropped the Golden Disc reveal yesterday.

 

Doubt we will get a reveal today since we got one yesterday