PlaymoFriends
General => News => Topic started by: flatcat on November 21, 2010, 08:14:22
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The official UK top 12 list of toys fo Cristmas 2010 has been released:
- L*** city airport £84.99
- Fireman Sam deluxe fire station playset £29.99
- FurReal Go Go walking pup £59.99
- Jet pack buzz lightyear £39.99
- Kidizoom Videocam £59.99
- Monopoly revolution £29.99
- Moon dough barn £19.99
- Nerf N Strike Stampede ECS £54.99 ;D
- Paper jamz guitar £24.99
- "Pumpaloons" action game £19.99 What the... :hmm:
- Sylvanian Families Motorcycle and sidecar £24.99
- ZhuZhu grooming salon £22.99
See the pics:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/gallery/2010/oct/27/top-toys-christmas-2010#/?picture=368094257&index=0 (http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/gallery/2010/oct/27/top-toys-christmas-2010#/?picture=368094257&index=0)
I think they have made a mistake ???
They seem to have published the top 12 crappiest with the biggest price tag toys for 2010! :lol:
(apart from the Sylvanian Families, and perhaps the Nerf N strike) >:D
This is most disapointing :(
half this tut ain't gonna be worth nut next year :lol:
Compare with 2009:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/gallery/2009/oct/27/dream-toys-christmas-2009#/?picture=354804271&index=0 (http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/gallery/2009/oct/27/dream-toys-christmas-2009#/?picture=354804271&index=0)
Sylvanian families makes it again
Why is Playmobil not making the top toys list in the UK ???
What are they doing wrong? the price obviously isn't an issue because L*** and Sylvanian families are on there!
Damo :)
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What new sets has Playmobil released in time for the Christmas Market?
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Who chooses the toys for this list? Just some researchers at the Guardian? They have pretty rubbish taste. :(
I was sure that the Playmobil Pyramid set was on a "Top Toy" list last year. :eh?:
I remember the stupid craze with the Go Go Hamsters. I wonder how many kids who received those for Christmas '09 are still playing with them now. :hmm:
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I think the problem over all for Playmobil's lack of success for the Christmas season is due to no advertising, especially here in the USA. On the cartoon TV channels here that my grandson watches when he is with us, there are bombardments of Moon Dough, Buzz lightyear, Nerf, & Zhu Zhu pet product commercials making children say constantly I want that :hissyfit:, not realizing after a couple of weeks or months they are forgotten, broken, or missing valuable pieces. A quality toy like Playmobil should be just as sought after with dealers such as TRU, private dealers, Playmobilusa.com, etc. being noted on the commercials on these key child viewed channels.
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I don't think people really know what Playmobil is, or haven't heard of it.
A few weeks ago I was in a toyshop, admiring the large display of blue boxes, and there was a family next to me looking at the adjacent Lego display, and picking up a couple of items.
The father then turned to his right, looking at the Playmobil and set 'What's Playmobil then, Pre built stuff?'
:o :o :o
:no: :no: :no:
And then when I buy Playmobil from a carbooter, or collect it from ebay, the seller always says how fantastic and great quaility toy Playmobil is, and how their kids have grown up only with Playmobil :cloud9: :cloud9: :cloud9:
I hate nothing more than going into a toyshop, or supermarket and seeing rows of cheap and utter crap toys. It is a complete waste of time and Earth's resources producing **** like that. It is completely worthless once bought, and is usually broken within 10 seconds.
But then it's what people these days buy ::) ::) ::)
Damo :)
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I think the problem over all for Playmobils lack of success for the Christmas season is due to no advertising, especially here in the USA. On the cartoon TV channels here that my grandson watches when he is with us, there are bombardments of Moon Clay, Buzz lightyear, Nerf, & Zhu Zhu pet product commercials making children say constantly I want that, not realizing after a couple of weeks or months they are forgotten, broken, or missing valuable pieces. A quality toy like Playmobil should be just as sought after with dealers such as TRU, private dealers, Playmobilusa.com, etc. being noted on the commercials on these key child viewed channels.
Bill hit the nail on the head.
If there is one thing the Playmobil Collector's Club could do/should do, is convince Playmobil how important it is to advertise and promote their product.
It would only help us in both the short and long terms. More retailers would sell Playmobil, more sales, prices would be more competitive, more people would sell their used Playmobil on kijiji and craigslist and ebay - not to mention garage sales.
Best of all and more important, other children would get to know and enjoy Playmobil!!!
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I agree, all great ideas!
Joe
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As seen in the past with Cabbage Patch dolls, Zhu Zhu pets, Wii's, etc., advertising causes the want & desire! But, then there is the "sorry we're sold out" problem that would need to be addressed before a major advertising campaign starts to make sure there is adequate supply for the demand! If you don't have the proper supply for demand, it could harm Playmobil's introduction more than help it. Face it, Moon Dough?, who would even think of that if it wasn't for advertising on kids programming channels, Moon Dough? really :P?
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Yes, I agree. Here in the US, I doubt if playmobil makes the top 400 list of christmas toys, simply because no one knows what it is.
It drives me crazy to be in toys r us when its really crowded and nobody is looking at playmobil. Some people will pass through the aisle and sort of glance at it and never slow down. Or some little kid will run up to a set and pick it up only to be called away by his mother to come look at something else. ::)
I have yet to tell anyone that I collect playmobil and have them actually know what that is. And when I try to explain it they either look at me blankly or say, oh so it's like legos. The other day I found out my own DAD thought playmobil was made by LEGO! :doh: :wall: It's so frustrating! :hissyfit: :hissyfit: :hissyfit: :hissyfit:
I just wish they would put more in to advertising so people would take notice of it and try it. Most of them would probably be hooked for life.
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I'd love to see some Playmobil advertising that shows how it lasts for generations, not just from Christmas until New Year's Day, and it unites the generations...
Start off with a 10yo boy playing with the 1974 knights, fast forward to him (now aged 30) playing with his son with some 90s Playmobil in the mix, and jump again to the same boy (now aged 60) as a grandfather with his son and grandson, playing with current Playmobil sets, and the 90s and 70s stuff in there too. We're just about at the stage where this is becoming a reality.
As we all know, one of Playmobil's great qualities is its longevity, and Playmobil never seem to get that message across, or even try to.
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I'd love to see some Playmobil advertising that shows how it lasts for generations, not just from Christmas until New Year's Day, and it unites the generations...
Start off with a 10yo boy playing with the 1974 knights, fast forward to him (now aged 30) playing with his son with some 90s Playmobil in the mix, and jump again to the same boy (now aged 60) as a grandfather with his son and grandson, playing with current Playmobil sets, and the 90s and 70s stuff in there too. We're just about at the stage where this is becoming a reality.
As we all know, one of Playmobil's great qualities is its longevity, and Playmobil never seem to get that message across, or even try to.
Excellent idea :)9!
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I LOVE that idea, Martin. You should definitely pass it along to playmobil, and maybe it will become a reality.
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Damo - you need to have a lie down and chill. ;) Watch that blood pressure.
I would not get too worked up about these lists. They reflect the impact of advertising and fashion and are by their nature faddish. There are a couple of good reasons why Playmobil fails to appear - one is that is has a large range of toys therefore there is not any particular item that will make it to the top list and secondly it is more of a steady reliable toy, hence its perennial appeal. It will be around long term where others get a year or two of sales then disappear. in the end this is part of the appeal for people like us.
Many of these other toys advertise directly at kids and then rely on pester power to get on Christmas lists. Playmobil, by its nature, is not so flashy. When they do go down this route - spies, fantasy knights and ghost pirates - we tend to get a bit snooty about it. Let's be honest, Playmobil are in this for the long term (nearly 40 years and counting). While PM may recognise that their product lasts for generations this is not a basis for selling to kids.
I have a long standing concern over the use of advertising to children. I encouraged my kids to watch Children's BBC (no adverts) but now they watch some Disney channel (no adverts but some rubbish programmes) and Cartoon network (plenty of adverts). Playmobil do advertise on Cartoon Network and other channels and these adverts reflect the core values of the toy brand. They are not based on movies or TV programmes (though the fantasy knights echo "Lord of the Rings" and the Ghost Pirates, "Pirates of the Carribean"). They show the toys being moved by children and do not create false expectation about the playability.
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Damo - you need to have a lie down and chill. ;) Watch that blood pressure.
:lol: Will do :zz:
I have a long standing concern over the use of advertising to children. I encouraged my kids to watch Children's BBC (no adverts) but now they watch some Disney channel (no adverts but some rubbish programmes) and Cartoon network (plenty of adverts). Playmobil do advertise on Cartoon Network and other channels and these adverts reflect the core values of the toy brand. They are not based on movies or TV programmes (though the fantasy knights echo "Lord of the Rings" and the Ghost Pirates, "Pirates of the Carribean"). They show the toys being moved by children and do not create false expectation about the playability.
I heard (a few years ago) that L*** was going down fast, but then in the last couple of yars, things seem to have picked up, and L*** is now a top toy again. And the reason, it appears, is all this liscensed stuff: Star Wars, Toy Story, Harry Potter (sorry Elaine) etc, which is a sentiment to Playmobil, in that they are still going with, from what we can see, little/poor advertising, and no liscencing of tv/film.
Hats of to you Playmobil! :hatoff: (although it's probably us dedicated collectors keeping most business up) :P
Certain Video games aren't helping society either, but that's another rant! :-X
Damo :)
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The problem with licensing is the additional costs that are then added to the final product. Compare the Star Wars sets with the own brand Atlantis range.
I spent several evenings with my 9 year old son building a large Lego Star Wars model but it has had limited use once built and he has not rushed to do another one he got for his birthday.
I think you greatly overestimate the role of collectors compared to traditional family purchases. It remains a top brand for TRU, Toymaster and many independent toy shops. I think it has good recognition with a large number of people - there will always be a lot of people with "no bloody idea" about a great toy.
I thought it was unlucky not to feature in the James May's Toy Stories series on the BBC (Airfix, Hornby (trains), Lego, Mecanno, plastercine and Scalextric) but it is not clear how it could be "scaled up" other than by building a town. And it is not British or so well established here as the actual list.
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/me whispers
I am quite happy to see that list actually, there are three Hasbro products in that list (Fur Real/Monopoly/Nerf) as they are my employer. If they sell well we will make our numbers. Which means more Bonus for me to buy Blue Boxes with....*grin*
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/me whispers
I am quite happy to see that list actually, there are three Hasbro products in that list (Fur Real/Monopoly/Nerf) as they are my employer. If they sell well we will make our numbers. Which means more Bonus for me to buy Blue Boxes with....*grin*
Do you get to play with the Nerf's round the office? :D
Damo :)
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/me whispers
I am quite happy to see that list actually, there are three Hasbro products in that list (Fur Real/Monopoly/Nerf) as they are my employer. If they sell well we will make our numbers. Which means more Bonus for me to buy Blue Boxes with....*grin*
:shhhh:Your secret is safe with us, Gis! :-X As long as you're not in direct competition with any of Playmobil's creations :lol:!
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Do you get to play with the Nerf's round the office? :D
Damo :)
Unfortunately not. Although Last week I was in a pretty boring meeting and there was a loaded Nerf Gun on the shelf inches away from me. I decided to behave and didn't fire it at anyone *grin*
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I thought it was unlucky not to feature in the James May's Toy Stories series on the BBC (Airfix, Hornby (trains), Lego, Mecanno, plasticine and Scalextric) but it is not clear how it could be "scaled up" other than by building a town. And it is not British or so well established here as the actual list.
James May was probably fractionally too old to have had Playmobil when he was a boy. He was born in Jan 1963, making him 12 or 13 by the time Playpeople arrived in the UK.
Steck could have been scaled up to make a huge castle, but he would never have had Steck parts as a boy.
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Do you get to play with the Nerf's round the office? :D
Damo :)
Wasn't there a viral video about that?
Although Last week I was in a pretty boring meeting and there was a loaded Nerf Gun on the shelf inches away from me. I decided to behave and didn't fire it at anyone *grin*
Aw, you should have. It would make a great story. Now you're always going to regret that you didn't shoot your boss when you had the chance! :lol: My husband loves nerf guns. He's such a big kid. :)