PlaymoFriends
General => Brainstorming For Playmobil => Topic started by: Rasputin on December 24, 2015, 13:40:21
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I was thinking now that the much loved Hans is gone and now firm ruler Hobs is also gone it is time to look to the future of geobra.
I would love to see it split up. Each branch is allowed to run itself and internally create their own identity while maintains the corporate fundamental image. They each would have their own design, production and assembly.
There could be a playmobil USA. It could buy licenses of movies such as star wars, Disney, sports teams type of contracts
Playmobil Spain,
Playmobil Russia
Playmobil EU,
Playmobil china.
Each region could make sets that are designed for their market. In china they might want all klickies who are working to be Asian while the customers are white. In one region parents might like to see women in high value jobs while a different region might like women in traditional jobs.
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Two immediate disadvantages I can see,
First, if each branch has its own design, production and assembly, then you lose the advantages of economies of scale and also acquire higher fixed overheads.
Second, if you have an overall corporate image but each branch can go its own way, then where one branch produces female figure in low status jobs, it will attract criticism from the public in regions where women have high status jobs and that criticism won't be couched in terms of "Playmobil Area X is doing this", but just "Playmobil is doing this". The end result could be buyers in one region boycott buying Playmobil because of the actions of Playmobil branches in another region.
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Two immediate disadvantages I can see,
First, if each branch has its own design, production and assembly, then you lose the advantages of economies of scale and also acquire higher fixed overheads.
Second, if you have an overall corporate image but each branch can go its own way, then where one branch produces female figure in low status jobs, it will attract criticism from the public in regions where women have high status jobs and that criticism won't be couched in terms of "Playmobil Area X is doing this", but just "Playmobil is doing this". The end result could be buyers in one region boycott buying Playmobil because of the actions of Playmobil branches in another region.
Those are good concern that should be addressed with care.
The economy of scale, hmmm could producing it at one location per the country specific set requirements work. Produce the molded parts in country x, have them assembled at country z, sent it off to country a,b,c to fulfill their own order
The individual values concern, well each country has it own value structures already and the world works to a point. We all can not have the exact same values as this would destroy individuality.
It's quite complicated, thanks for bring it up :lol: there is a creative solution though
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I would love to see it split up. Each branch is allowed to run itself and internally create their own identity while maintains the corporate fundamental image. They each would have their own design, production and assembly.
NO.
Playmobil Spain ( = Iberia = what we get here) would bankrupt in a month or two. And we'd be left with nothing again.
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NO.
Playmobil Spain ( = Iberia = what we get here) would bankrupt in a month or two. And we'd be left with nothing again.
What was their territory? I thought these old ideas did not let them manage their own business. If Spain wanted to make a bull fighting arena (yes I know you hate it) or there is lists of famous spaniards to make, all the rich culture, the music and dancers, really sell the image of Spainish culture
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The day Playmobil USA sells only "American" sets is the day I quit buying Playmobil.
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The day Playmobil USA sells only "American" sets is the day I quit buying Playmobil.
That is why there is now amazon international. You want a foreign set, an amazon drone will chase you down using you phone gps and drop it in your lap.
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Best if its just one company since it can be difficult to maintain the quality and morals behind the toy when spread out like that. And they should never go the route of licenses since that goes against the whole philosophy if they where to introduce named characters because letting kids decide on the personalities and names of the clickies and their positions is whats encouraging creativity.
There is nothing stopping them from taking inspiration from Spain with a new medieval batch however. That would keep it very fresh with a Spanish castle which could maybe have an orange roof and light brown or white walls. Would still include knights and soldiers as usual, but they could use that light tan and mainly have black and brown hair.
As for America, both the western theme and pirate theme are very much focused on America.
A china theme could be made of course, but for that they need to become willing to make historic themes not purely focused on battle to do it properly.
And russia.. well I gues the medieval stuff applies to them mostly as well. Could be nice to maybe have a russian theme, or maybe have a medieval batch that pits the Teutonic Knights against Russia. That would be historical even. And could allow for two neutral parties, with neither portrayed as evil but still two distinct armies.
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As for America, both the western theme and pirate theme are very much focused on America.
I don't think American kids are into western stuff much anymore. It was trendy a couple generations ago. But I've always heard Germans like western things. Sometimes what appeals to us most is other cultures (especially when it comes to historical themes), which is why Playmobil shouldn't regionalize product ranges too much. Martin Luther is on the US Amazon for $15 and is apparently selling.
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I don't think American kids are into western stuff much anymore.
Of course not.. That was when I was a kid (and dinos roamed the Earth) - probably most adventure movies (when we only had one or two channels and there was actually INTEREST in tv) were cowboy movies. Or cowboys and indians (who back then were mostly the bad guys).
And of course, Errol Flynn's pirate movies (not seen a proper pirate movie since.... Cutthroat Island... and that one was probably the only one for a very long time too :( )
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Of course not.. That was when I was a kid (and dinos roamed the Earth) - probably most adventure movies (when we only had one or two channels and there was actually INTEREST in tv) were cowboy movies. Or cowboys and indians (who back then were mostly the bad guys).
And of course, Errol Flynn's pirate movies (not seen a proper pirate movie since.... Cutthroat Island... and that one was probably the only one for a very long time too :( )
Ha ha. I watched westerns as a kid, but they were already really old by that point. The Native Americans were often "noble savages" or sidekicks (at least that's a step up from nearly always being the bad guys?). The cooks were usually Chinese.
Pirates might have some interest for kids still, though (based on knowing several small children) dinosaurs and princesses are big.
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My five and a half year old great-niece's interests in Playmobil appear to be horses/ponies (an interest of her mother, real ones, not Playmobil ones), trains and fire engines. I have no responsibility for either of the last two!
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Still though, the western theme is a completely american theme and even features the american civil war.
And its not a theme they just had once or twice, but its one that has been around for many years.
In comparison, to do a similar thing geared towards the Dutch they'd have to go with the Dutch golden age which was in the pike and shot era where we fought the eighty years war against Spain and won our independence, and established a trade empire. Would be a theme of trade ships, harbours, pike and shot soldiers and forts, and guild houses for craftsmen.
I believe some european countries did have kind of a representation in some of the medieval factions however. Fleur de lis symbols are strongly linked to France so any factions that use them could be seen as french. Nuremberg soldiers and knights are clearly german, as well as teutonic knights and the gothic plate armor designs.
But still, its mostly still open to interpretation. A shame they keep going with fantasy heraldry these days instead of something that actually existed or is historically linked to specific countries.
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Still though, the western theme is a completely american theme and even features the american civil war.
And its not a theme they just had once or twice, but its one that has been around for many years.
Yes, though I'm pretty sure the only reason it survives is because PM's primary market is Europe. Western stuff is old school, and the Civil War makes a lot of Americans uncomfortable.