PlaymoFriends
General => News => Topic started by: StJohn on October 03, 2023, 02:52:03
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It was announced today, Monday 2nd Oktober, that there will be significant redundancies, in Germany and international. Justified by disappointing sales and profits, the usual thing. Last Friday we were already told that the technical department producing new moulds for the injection moulding machines will be closed, with future new moulds being commissioned with external partners. This is surely the most significant announcement:
Nürnberger Nachrichten, 1.10.2023, 20:17 Uhr (https://www.nn.de/wirtschaft/playmobil-schliesst-nachste-abteilung-in-zirndorf-mitarbeiter-mussen-um-job-bangen-1.13649349)
(...) die Horst Brandstätter Group lagert den Formenbau aus. Er habe eine lange Tradition im Unternehmen, gehöre aber nicht zu den Kernkompetenzen, so Pressesprecher Björn Seeger: "In Zukunft werden Formen in deutlich geringerem Umfang benötigt, sodass eine verbesserte Kostenstruktur, aber auch mehr Flexibilität bei der Entwicklung dringend notwendig werden."
This is the key: "moulds will be needed to a much lesser extent in the future". Let this sink in: a plastic moulding company stops producing the key component for its industry because they won't need it any more. So, there we have it. They are closing shop on new directions, after pretty much everything (Novelmore, EverDreamerz, Ayuma, Spirit, Duck On Call, etc., etc.) has been a sales disappointment. In the best possible world, Geobra will now focus on its back catalogue and continue with releases of the Steck and System-X classics, as we have seen and enjoyed recently. In a less attractive scenario, Playmobil will be wound down signifiantly, and Geobra will refocus on entirely different products. At any rate: secure your wish list of sets and spare parts now, the future will be very different from today.
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It's over Playmobros :'( :sorrow:
edit: huh the crying emote doesn't work
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If only they'd listened to even a single fan idea for a new theme
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I'd like to know if Novelmore performed better than the knights range it replaced. Then again, outside anime which uses a lot of medieval style settings, how much exposure do young children get these days of the middle ages, or any historic period for that matter?
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I am so sorry to hear this as I thought that Playmobil was doing well releasing so many new themes and genres and it is still a much loved and well known brand with kids of all ages...
Please do forgive my ignorance since I still live in the 1900's but does this mean that Playmobil will not be using its own moulds anymore to produce its range of toys.
I am stunned and really saddened by this news :'(
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On the same sad topic :(
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/crisis-struck-german-maker-playmobil-155940199.html
"The crisis-hit German toy company behind Playmobil, the small plastic figures loved by children the world over, said on Monday that it was cutting 17 percent of its workforce.
The Horst Brandstaetter Group, named after its founder, plans to slash nearly 700 positions worldwide by 2025, 369 of them in Germany, amid long-running business woes.
"The company management took this decision after a comprehensive analysis of all divisions and in light of the development of the business and current economic challenges," it said in a statement.
The "fundamental restructuring" comes in the wake of "the worst global recession since World War II", the group said, triggered by the Covid pandemic and compounded by the Ukraine war and supply chain disruptions.
This had led to falls in sales and profit during the past two business years, it said. For the 2021-22 business year, the group reported a 2.8 percent drop in turnover to 736 million euros ($773 million).
With the job cuts, the group said it aims to transform into a "lean and powerful, internationally well-positioned company" with strong investment in its core brands.
It said it would work with labour representatives to minimise the impacts on employees by encouraging early retirement or transfers to other business divisions within the group.
In 1958, the company launched the first hula hoop which went on to become a worldwide hit.
When the oil crisis drove up the cost of plastic manufacturing in the 1970s, Brandstaetter asked the company's master mould-maker Hans Beck to develop a completely new toy system that could be continually expanded.
Beck came up with the 7.5-centimetre (3-inch) play figures. The initial three models -- a knight, a construction worker and a Native American –- were introduced to the public in 1974.
Today, the figures range from police and pirates to fairies and clowns.
Danish competitor Lego said in August that its net profit fell in the first half of the year but its market share grew as sales rose slightly.
In contrast to Playmobil, Lego saw three years of record-breaking sales boosted by lockdowns during the Covid pandemic, a feat attributed to the success of its "Star Wars" and Lego Icons lines."
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In 1958, the company launched the first hula hoop which went on to become a worldwide hit.
Excuse me? :hmm:
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Excuse me? :hmm:
Yes, the hula hoop was what made the money initially.
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I still can't wrap my head around it. "Making moulds is not a core competence of Playmobil", geobra says. Do they think sales will drop that badly that they can 3d-print their products? Made to order? Or will all future "novelties" just be re-releases of older sets? I could live with a return of the 80s and 90s, but would the company survive it? What does this press announcement actually mean? The end of Playmobil?
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What does this press announcement actually mean?
All very good questions, bogol. I don't have the answers but suspect that it actually is a good thing. What it means, I think, is that the have just announced the end to the licensing and franchise business, which must have demanded a sea of specific moulds never to be used again. Just think How to Tame Your Dragon and that swarm of creatures that were demanded for it, plus Berk. If sales then disappoint, then I wouldn't be surprised if they actually make a loss, also considering the licensing fee. Same, perhaps, with the in-house franchises: Novelmore and – more risky – Duck on Call – huge number of new moulds not easily offset by profits.
I don't think they will start 3D printing, as such products aren't sturdy enough yet. All that remains is laying on the old moulds once again, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, especially as new colours and prints leave ample scope for innovation. Just think of the Greek Gods: not a single new mould but, by the gods, what a wonderful series of great products!
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With the job cuts, the group said it aims to transform into a "lean and powerful, internationally well-positioned company" with strong investment in its core brands.
Really? Will they actually serve the rest of the world? Will the well positioned company finally grasp the concept of printing a label with.. GASP .. a foreign address :o
In contrast to Playmobil, Lego saw three years of record-breaking sales boosted by lockdowns during the Covid pandemic, a feat attributed to the success of its "Star Wars" and Lego Icons lines."
Right. Boggles mind that playmobil didn't come out winning out of that one. Oh, wait. They don't want to sell.
(...) which must have demanded a sea of specific moulds never to be used again.
Maybe they figured out system WHY is lame, and pointless, and does encourage LESS sales? Those huge useless bases also...
Same, perhaps, with the in-house franchises: Novelmore and – more risky – Duck on Call – huge number of new moulds not easily offset by profits.
I think all the stuff in novelmore or dragons (the non system WHY) can be easily reused in their "worlds"...
Now.. Duck on Call... before seeing the price, I had doubts. After seeing the price, I believe my cats knew it wouldn't work, right? Question is... why did ANYONE think it was a good idea? Same people who thought it AWESOME to make the silly everwhatsit themes, WAY overpriced and worse, with that.... packaging (that I can't think about without becoming furious >:( )? Or the ones that thought it was a good idea to just scrap the one good theme from those, AFTER it was announced?
Agh. I better shut up. :'(
(why doesn't the sad smiley work?)
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Idiots at the helm
What happens to a beloved toy with international attention run by a shrewd businessman partnered with a toy making genius handed over to a board of director lawyers ?
Fail !
Go woke go broke
Should have stuck to the basics
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Well, this is certainly quite sad. :(
In the best possible world, Geobra will now focus on its back catalogue and continue with releases of the Steck and System-X classics, as we have seen and enjoyed recently.
Yes, that would be the best scenario, but it seems unlikely.
All that remains is laying on the old moulds once again, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, especially as new colours and prints leave ample scope for innovation. Just think of the Greek Gods: not a single new mould but, by the gods, what a wonderful series of great products!
Very true!
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What happens to a beloved toy with international attention run by a shrewd businessman partnered with a toy making genius handed over to a board of director lawyers ?
Talking of whom:
In the light of recent events it is ironic that there is a video on youtube with Hans Beck in the 1990s showing his models that were never put in production, holding up the Mississippi Steamer and recalling, with a hint of regret in his voice, that "we couldn't decide to put it into production. The moulding costs are so high and we then have to reckon with the fact that the thing doesn't pay off." [Wir konnten uns nicht entschließen, das in die Produktion zu bringen. Die Formkosten sind so hoch und wir müssen dann damit rechnen, dass die Sache sich nicht amortisiert.]
https://youtu.be/yKT5CYHvpo4 [from the 16th minute]
In hindsight, I think it would have paid off. :-[
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Yes, the hula hoop was what made the money initially.
Ah thanks, I read that sentence as meaning geobra INVENTED the hula hoop, which I know isn't true
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All very good questions, bogol. I don't have the answers but suspect that it actually is a good thing. What it means, I think, is that the have just announced the end to the licensing and franchise business, which must have demanded a sea of specific moulds never to be used again. Just think How to Tame Your Dragon and that swarm of creatures that were demanded for it, plus Berk. If sales then disappoint, then I wouldn't be surprised if they actually make a loss, also considering the licensing fee. Same, perhaps, with the in-house franchises: Novelmore and – more risky – Duck on Call – huge number of new moulds not easily offset by profits.
They don't seem to be stepping back from licensing - though who knows if it makes a profit. I remember reading an article about the guy who saved Lego, and he said when he came in that they didn't know how much it cost them to make a set, and then it turned out they were selling some of them at a loss.
I must admit I've never quite understood the need for the frentic pace of new moulds/new ranges, so maybe that will slow down.
The problem is always that we don't have an insight into sales figures. I'd assume that the modern life stuff does OK - it's always in production and probably is an increased proportion of the range, plus it can be produced with minimal new moulds.
The collectable cars presumably are a success?
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I do think they've been releasing too many licensed themes one right after the other, but I worry that this will affect other themes (ex: molds for new animal species). Also, 700 is a lot of people to lay off.
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Sad indeed.
The pandemic changed a lot of things and now the global economy is in shamble. Prices are quickly rising on pretty much everything, including toys. This is where the problem is, kids already are abandoning toys in profit of online entertainment and parents wont buy toys as they are getting more expensive, so to reach their sales numbers to please their shareholders they raise the prices again so companies are actually shooting themselves in the foot. Toy makers are turning towards collectors and the nostalgics.
Without knowing the numbers, I can't say if the various licenses are actually helping like they do for Lego.
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"With the job cuts, the group said it aims to transform into a "lean and powerful, internationally well-positioned company" with strong investment in its core brands.
It said it would work with labour representatives to minimise the impacts on employees by encouraging early retirement or transfers to other business divisions within the group."
Quote from the following similar article https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20231002-crisis-struck-german-maker-of-playmobil-toys-cuts-jobs (https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20231002-crisis-struck-german-maker-of-playmobil-toys-cuts-jobs)
I am extremely saddened by the 700 employees about to lose their jobs and we will be the witness of what its strong investment in its core brand will produce in the years to come.
The news hit me like a freight train last night but Playmobil is still very much alive and I hope that it will still be in my life span as theses little figures truly brought enchantment into my world :love:
If only they would one day consider producing new additions to the Victorian theme, yes one can day dream sometimes :cloud9:
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I am afraid that the following article from the Sud Deutsche Zeitung does not paint a very positive picture of the company from an internal perspective :(
https://www.sueddeutsche.de/wirtschaft/playmobil-entlassungen-spielwarenindustrie-brandstaetter-1.6267820 (https://www.sueddeutsche.de/wirtschaft/playmobil-entlassungen-spielwarenindustrie-brandstaetter-1.6267820)
"What has persisted since Brandstätter's death, however, are complaints about a corporate culture characterized by a lack of appreciation. Employees complain about rude behavior and mistrust; The announcement of the job cuts via the media on a day when the entire company is on a mandatory bridging holiday and therefore no one in charge and not even the head of communications can be reached by phone "fits into the devastating picture," says an insider and adds : "The conditions at Playmobil have long since had nothing to do with the ideal play worlds that Playmobil stands for as toys."
"According to critics, this also affects the creativity and commitment of employees. Employee representatives have been complaining about bullying, arguments and intrigues for years. The works council recently criticized in an internal newsletter that "fear and humiliation are the order of the day" and that, for example, young mothers returning from parental leave are being harassed. The company always rejects all allegations as false, but the complaints keep coming up."
"The management consultancy McKinsey has been with the company since March. Insiders attribute the fact that things are not going well economically and the working conditions are so worthy of criticism to the internal balance of power. The company belongs to a foundation founded by Horst Brandstätter during his lifetime and headed by Marianne Albert, a former personal assistant to Brandstätter. Before his death eight years ago, she held no significant management positions in the company; The company remains stubbornly silent about her professional career and qualifications."
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Ah so it's the secretary's fault. Did H-Brand nominate her personally or did she scheme her way in?
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This makes sad reading :(
From an article of the Business Insider https://www.businessinsider.de/wirtschaft/kuendigungen-abmahnwellen-psychodruck-wie-der-deutsche-spielzeughersteller-playmobil-in-die-krise-geraet-b/ (https://www.businessinsider.de/wirtschaft/kuendigungen-abmahnwellen-psychodruck-wie-der-deutsche-spielzeughersteller-playmobil-in-die-krise-geraet-b/)
"According to Manager Magazin, Albert herself said in an internal meeting that Playmobil was no longer really relevant to consumers."
Albert and her management team are making themselves unpopular not only among consumers, but also internally. “Dismissals, waves of warnings, psychological pressure and transfers (…) are the order of the day,” said IG Metall operations manager Bianka Möller to Manager Magazin. There is “a climate of fear”.
Many former employees and managers, such as head of entertainment Christine Brand, head of human resources Cordula Glatthaar and head of technology Robert Benker, quit after Albert took over or were replaced. Albert now alone determines the important decisions and the course of the company."
Well dear Mrs Albert, Playmobil is still relevant to me and I will always cherish these little figures and what imagination and creativity can make of them :love:
The crisis at Playmobil unknown to me until this topic was raised appears to be nothing new since reports of it date as far back as 2019 with many analysts saying that the global flop of the Playmobil movie did not help, that the company is losing important shares in the toy market and its recent releases did not meet the expected demand or success. Playmobil has done what so many global companies do in times of crisis with hiring global management consulting firms such as McKinsey & Co to run an audit in March resulting in drastic measures in order to keep the company afloat and viable but at the cost of 700 employees being laid off just a few months away from Christmas and at the start of what is expected to be a harsh winter for many of us.
My take on this is that although Playmobil is still one of the most beloved, trusted and recognisable brand in the world with kids and parents alike, it just isn't a global player in the toy market anymore but still can be creative in the years to come on a "smaller" scale and maybe this toxic corporate environment that so many business publications refer to over the years will diminish as I believe that the immense pressure of trying desperately to remain at the top of the game ultimately proved to be a failure both with customers and long term faithful employees who walked out or were dismissed over recent years.
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If she actually said the product was no longer relevant to consumers then she needs to go. Yes the world is changing but toy shops still exist and children still need tactile play rather than just button pushing.
Lego and other companies have also proved that there is a huge adult market for toys from programmable robots to resin models and even plushies of pop culture characters.
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Sad indeed.
The pandemic changed a lot of things and now the global economy is in shamble.
Not forgetting the invasion of Ukraine and Brexit, both of which have had major detrimental impacts to parts of the global economy.
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Seriously though, the lady needs to be shown the door if she doesn't believe in the product. Why would she be left in charge with no prior experience nor confidence into the brand?
Playmobil is a fantastic brand and while a few themes had me scratch my head their recent endeavors into the collectible market through their Hollywood cars have been awesome.
Who else produced such a fantastic rendition of Knight Rider's Kitt or an actual James Bond car with figures? I really hope that the design department can keep on releasing sets based on 80's heroes.
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Seriously though, the lady needs to be shown the door if she doesn't believe in the product. Why would she be left in charge with no prior experience nor confidence into the brand?
Playmobil is a fantastic brand and while a few themes had me scratch my head their recent endeavors into the collectible market through their Hollywood cars have been awesome.
Who else produced such a fantastic rendition of Knight Rider's Kitt or an actual James Bond car with figures? I really hope that the design department can keep on releasing sets based on 80's heroes.
I think the position is that she can only sack herself.
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I think the position is that she can only sack herself.
I think this is the case - I'm sure a couple of years ago someone posted on here about previous management problems at Playmobil, and the weird corporate structure it seems to have
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I think this is the case - I'm sure a couple of years ago someone posted on here about previous management problems at Playmobil, and the weird corporate structure it seems to have
Here: https://www.playmofriends.com/forum/index.php?topic=17366.0 - probably the most entertaining (and disturbing!) piece about Geobra management ever written.
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You only have to look to the sets to understand people there have no idea about playmobil.
Or the app - nobody who knows a bit about playmo reviewed that.
It was supposed to be a SYSTEM - all works together, all can be expanded. But they have no idea.
It's very very very sad.
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I think the position is that she can only sack herself.
Ain't that a dictatorship?
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You only have to look to the sets to understand people there have no idea about playmobil.
Or the app - nobody who knows a bit about playmo reviewed that.
It was supposed to be a SYSTEM - all works together, all can be expanded. But they have no idea.
It's very very very sad.
Yup. To me this has been the issue for decades.
I'm obviously also heartbroken to hear how badly employees are treated and how bad the company is doing in general.
I'm not sure what to expect for the future. I really hope my kids will get to enjoy the brand for a while longer. I suppose I have always been focused on discontinued sets and themes, but I was hopeful somewhere along the line Playmobil would get their act together.
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From the US it's very clear things have been a mess this year. Half the add ons catalog never arrived. Two of the advent calendars didn't show up. Not being capable of following through on their own catalogs is a sharp sign of significant production and distribution problems.
HOB messed up massively on succession planning for after his death.
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Rereading the article StJohn posted years ago, I have questions:
>How did Albert get hired in the first place
>How did she behave while Horst was still alive
>What did Horst think of her - before and after hiring - did his thinking change
>How was she nominated as successor - did Horst do it - was he compos mentis when he did it
>What exactly is she thinking - is she taking some sort of obscure revenge on Horst for some ancient slight
>etc
:paddy:
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I must say though that failing or not the notion of a medieval mecha is something https://www.playmobil.de/novelmore---kampfroboter/71300.html
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Rereading the article StJohn posted years ago, I have questions:
>How did Albert get hired in the first place
>How did she behave while Horst was still alive
>What did Horst think of her - before and after hiring - did his thinking change
>How was she nominated as successor - did Horst do it - was he compos mentis when he did it
>What exactly is she thinking - is she taking some sort of obscure revenge on Horst for some ancient slight
>etc
:paddy:
Hmmm...older guy leaves his secretary everything in his will :hmm: I wonder why that could be ;)
Sounds like a very familiar tale :lol:
But seriously, you'd think there would be shareholders who would get a vote to decide who is in charge.
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Prices are going crazy, the latest SEK helicopter and truck are about the same price as the Ghostbusters' Firehouse. 8}
$100 CDN for a truck with two figures?
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It is also a very familiar story/tale where a very successful man creates an empire, leaves it to kids who run it into the ground in a short period of time . I do believe Mr H didn’t trust his kids so he found someone else to bestow the anchor of doom upon .
My current business partner is in the same boat. Created a successful business unable to leave due to lack of replacement. Once he’s gone, business is doomed .
Mr H obviously was the driving force or Geobra . The family he created did not have to learn hardship in business . They were born with a golden spoon and probably took much for granted
Moral of the story…..treat your offspring as though your poor and have them start in business as a janitor
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It is very unfortunate what is all happening now, but it could no have happened any other way.
In the 17 years i worked at Geobra, there were probably 12 stable years. And i think i can count the real crisis moments during those years on one hand. (eg. cancelled projects, product recalls or last minute strategy shifts)
The last 5 years was like gradually shifting into a near constant state of cognitive dissonance. A constant state of restructuring - perhaps better to call it a destructuring - where literally everything had to change at once but without a clear view of what things needed to change into. There would be a new crisis here or there from week to week. It was like being in an airplane and suddenly discovering that there was no one really left in the cockpit piloting the plane anymore, management was instead busy creating its very own highly reactive turbulence.
One could point to a former secretary or a now former CEO for that failing, i think the situation is more complex as a small group of other higher management figures were more than willing to either stir up the chaos or profit from it as well. But what they all had in common is that they sort of lived in their own made up reality, a bit the emperors new clothes situation...
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But seriously, you'd think there would be shareholders who would get a vote to decide who is in charge.
Privately owned company, so unless they're forced to sell shares to raise money they can do what they want
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Privately owned company, so unless they're forced to sell shares to raise money they can do what they want
ahh...well there you have it. Unless she's somehow toppled, or forced to cash in, the future looks gloomy :(
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The last 5 years was like gradually shifting into a near constant state of cognitive dissonance. A constant state of restructuring -
Do you see anything positive in that time? Are the nostalgia vehicles a good direction for instance, what lines do you think will do well? I recall you saying you were there when the whole Novelmore theme was created so I assume you're happy with that.
We can discuss here all we like about what we like but that probably differs from what the market wants at times.
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The last 5 years was like gradually shifting into a near constant state of cognitive dissonance. A constant state of restructuring - perhaps better to call it a destructuring - where literally everything had to change at once but without a clear view of what things needed to change into.
A problem that goes back thousands of years; Petronius Arbiter, a Greek naval commander, is said to have written the following in AD 66:
"We trained hard, but it seemed that every time we were beiginning to form up into teams, we would be reorganised. I was to learn later in life that that we tend to meet any new situation by reorganising, and a wonderful method it can be for creating the illusion of progress while only producing confusion, inefficiency and demoralisation."
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Do you see anything positive in that time? Are the nostalgia vehicles a good direction for instance, what lines do you think will do well? I recall you saying you were there when the whole Novelmore theme was created so I assume you're happy with that.
We can discuss here all we like about what we like but that probably differs from what the market wants at times.
I am proud of Novelmore, what we created with our little team then under the circumstances that were already tilting back and forth will always be memorable. It was also my dream to closely combine story, character and toy and that worked pretty well, even though the company was not and is still not ready to really succeed in carrying it through in their communication and vision. Unfortunately long-term projects like Novelmore are very sensitive to all the sudden shifts in management and strategy, so it is in a way bittersweet to reflect on what it could have been and where it is ending up now.
Focusing on "What the market wants" is for PLAYMOBIL a dangerous trap. PLAYMOBIL set out to be a timeless toy, but the more they chase the market trends and their competitors, the less they achieve that "timeless" aspect. If i look at the new PrincessMagic castle sets, that is really a HASBRO product, with very little pieces but with a price you can only charge within a well cultivated My Little Pony brand. Not for something as generic as "PrIncEsSmAgiC" or "Horses Of Waterfall". So i am not optimistic about PLAYMOBIL sales going better any time soon.
I however think licenses are in essence good, the problem is that PLAYMOBIL nearly stopped developing or broadening it's classic lines and invested almost entirely in the development of licenses and franchises.
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A problem that goes back thousands of years; Petronius Arbiter, a Greek naval commander, is said to have written the following in AD 66:
"We trained hard, but it seemed that every time we were beiginning to form up into teams, we would be reorganised. I was to learn later in life that that we tend to meet any new situation by reorganising, and a wonderful method it can be for creating the illusion of progress while only producing confusion, inefficiency and demoralisation."
Really nice quote, the Germans have a really nice word for it btw: "Aktionismus". Doing "something" is always better than having to admit you have really no idea what you are doing in the first place.
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I too liked that quote from Petronius Arbiter. My footnote (is that what they are called?) quoting Douglas Adams is for me in the same area; doing less (stopping fiddling with the controls) is sometimes more effective than doing more (especially if you don't know how the controls actually work!).
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... I recall you saying you were there when the whole Novelmore theme was created...
I recall collectobart saying he was more than just 'there,' but a key part of the whole development of Novelmore, which could have been really great, let's hope it still can.
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I am proud of Novelmore (...)
You should be. It is so nice, especially because it aims to be a complete and immersive play world. A bit like the noughties, when the Lion Knights (3268, etc.) and Dragon Knights (3269, etc.) were co-existing and even a third, mysterious faction ("Barbarians" a.k.a. Bull Knights of 4435, etc.) was around, but way more ambitious: I was quite taken aback when Sal'ahari Sands and Violet Vale were unveiled - so bold!
I guess the sets are now being rushed through, if they don't get cancelled, and can see what you mean with a lack of vision: the story doesn't seem to get the time or space to breath and develop – even on the playmobil website, Novelmore gets crowded out by other product lines. Perhaps the current market doesn't favor complex toy lines, with retailers demanding a quick turnover of new products, or perhaps the company failed to secure a good spot for Novelmore on the market (for what it's worth: the commercials that I have seen I consider very loud and annoying). Perhaps it would have helped if the episodes had been aired on TV instead of being offered for free on youtube – that creates a cheap impression, which the product doesn't deserve (am I right that the shows were originally intended for regular broadcasting and not for youtube?). The magazines are nice, though.
Do you have any idea about the sales figures for Novelmore? Did it meet expectations?
I would quite like to know a bit more about the overarching vision that you and the team had in mind when developing Novelmore, and what bits got scrapped. At any rate, thank you for the love and energy that you've put in the product. It really shows.
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You should be. It is so nice, especially because it aims to be a complete and immersive play world. A bit like the noughties, when the Lion Knights (3268, etc.) and Dragon Knights (3269, etc.) were co-existing and even a third, mysterious faction ("Barbarians" a.k.a. Bull Knights of 4435, etc.) was around, but way more ambitious: I was quite taken aback when Sal'ahari Sands and Violet Vale were unveiled - so bold!
The 2004 Knights was one of my first projects at PM, i created an online game which already was flanked by an animated story introducing all sides :-)
But Knights had always been "Generic" at PLAYMOBIL: You had a King, a Prince but apart from that all other Knights were just troops for the Army. Hard to make a complex and textured narrative around.
What we did with Novelmore was a different approach, we first developed the world, created the world map, the factions we wanted to have in there, the characters and their backstory. We also engaged talented concept artists to help us further define that world and its characters and that provided a lot of inspiration for the lead toy designer and his team. And the awesome creativity of that team then fed back into the story development and an even more unified design.
Releasing Sal'ahari Sands so fast and alongside the Violet Vale is where it went wrong i think. It really conflicted with the initial mix of keeping 50% classic elements and adding 50% fantasy. Better would have been to have Violet Vale be flanked by some new Novelmore faction sets that could help with the Twilight Demon threat in the Vale.
Things got completely out of our control though when Lars Wagner (ex Disney) left and Mr. Hoeger stepped in - a person without any idea of the media or the brand and apart from closing down our entertainment department he also chose to drop Novelmore on youtube instead of on tv channels and Netflix. Probably the immense failure of the PLAYMOBIL MOVIE gave him the blessed wings to take everything down, even though we did not have anything to do with the Movie. No one really at PLAYMOBIL until it was already too late.
But... Whereas sales were really strong the first two years, after that Novelmore sets stayed on the shelves. I see various reasons apart from the 50/50 spread, i think generally the assortment went into a direction that made people loose interest. Too much fragmentation with franchises, licenses and higher prices that did no longer correspond with the lowering play value.
And Novelmore as a concept now seems to have imploded back to Novelmore vs Burnham, i don't think there is any appetite to create the 3 remaining realms that were envisioned in the original 5 year plan.
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It's a sad tale. The vision was blocked by business interests, personified it seems by Herr Hoeger. The commercial world is no longer a place for those with good ideas, unless they are simple enough to be seen as money-spinners by board members.
Thank you collectobart for sharing, once again.
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I’m confused , the heavy fantasy presence in the classic Medieval theme was a good or bad thing ?
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I’m confused , the heavy fantasy presence in the classic Medieval theme was a good or bad thing ?
It was good, but there had to be a balance. The Novelmorians provided the 50% classic, with the exception that they acquired some Leonardo da vinci-esque skills.
Then there was 50% room for wicked other realms, but the 2021-2022 releases were rushing 100% more fantasy to the shelves, while not offering enough simple classic counter items on the Novelmore side.
The other thing is: classic is self-evident, the fantasy stuff needs explanation to younger kids. Something really off the scale like Sal'ahari sands was brought to the market without a real effort to explain "what i was all about".
Kids buy toys that they can relate too, and the tv-series would have been an important element to build that "relationship", but with 26 episodes produced they decided it would be less "paper work" to put it on youtube.
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Sounds like there were a lot of moving components that needed to be synchronized for the theme to get off the ground . Then it would need the momentum to stay in the air ….all very complicated
With the history of the brand I see this approach as a gamble
Playmobil has/had a reputation as a mirror of the adult world in miniature. Be it construction, medieval, historic western, Victorian, etc…..
I can’t imagine Geobra taking Playmobil Western theme , mixing in 50% fantasy goblins, aliens, colorful buildings, building a complicated back story to the characters, needing people to watch social media or movies for imaginative story content, and now expecting it to succeed.
I personally would not only loose respect for the brand but I’d certainly buy less new and just divert those funds to the second hand market
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I can’t imagine Geobra taking Playmobil Western theme , mixing in 50% fantasy goblins, aliens, colorful buildings, building a complicated back story to the characters,
Now with the Western theme it would not match, you're right. That is an archetypal stretch no brain can wrap itself around :-)
But on the other hand, do you think My Little Pony, Transformers or Ninjago would have survived WITHOUT the media content? Kids move from the playroom to the tv, the ipad, the computer and back, and they stick with brands that they can connect with in all those mental spaces. That is a reality which was not ours when we were young, but a successful toy these days can't afford not being present all around.
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That is a reality which was not ours when we were young...
Actually, you might have to be quite old to have lived in a time before the merchandising of TV programmes and movies. For me, it was Gerry Anderson series like Thunderbirds and Captain Scarlet. There were a lot of toys appearing on the back of these series, many of which I wanted but never had unless I made them myself. After this (not for me) the whole Star Wars universe. And so on. But I concede that the integration of visual media, gaming and hands-on toys is much more sophisticated and extensive nowadays.
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Yeah it's definitely ramped up a lot in recent times. I think youngsters nowadays might have an expectation of an already-online shared world, like the Minecrafts that they do that they can go on and chat with their friends whenever. Simple toysets of gas stations might not do it for them anymore. :paddy:
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It was good, but there had to be a balance. The Novelmorians provided the 50% classic, with the exception that they acquired some Leonardo da vinci-esque skills.
Then there was 50% room for wicked other realms, but the 2021-2022 releases were rushing 100% more fantasy to the shelves, while not offering enough simple classic counter items on the Novelmore side.
The other thing is: classic is self-evident, the fantasy stuff needs explanation to younger kids. Something really off the scale like Sal'ahari sands was brought to the market without a real effort to explain "what i was all about".
Kids buy toys that they can relate too, and the tv-series would have been an important element to build that "relationship", but with 26 episodes produced they decided it would be less "paper work" to put it on youtube.
I agree. I didn’t get the connection between Novelmore and the Sala’ahari sands. So I wouldn’t buy it for my son (sorry). Violet vale is far more relatable if you don’t have the background story.
My son is a fan of Ninjago and builds and re-enacts the few episodes he is allowed to watch. His favourite stuffed animal is a dragon at the moment. The dragon looks nothing like the dragons in Ninjago, but that doesn’t seem to matter. He’s building his own fantasy world based on what he is allowed te see. He even invents his own super-Ninjago-powers.
Toys must have something to relate to or something that is interesting (fighting for most boys, whether it is cowboys, police, ninjas or knights) and something to stimulate their fantasy world.
Unicorns are interesting for girls as they know horses, but a unicorn gives them also a bit of a fantasy world. (e.g. my little pony)
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I agree. I didn’t get the connection between Novelmore and the Sala’ahari sands. So I wouldn’t buy it for my son (sorry). Violet vale is far more relatable if you don’t have the background story.
No need for a sorry, i warned them about all that before i left the company :-)
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I grew up with plenty of Television programs but never felt the need to have Tom and Jerry or Yosemite Sam toys
When we had kids we raised them on a farm and we chose to not have mainstream television. We, as the parents, had total control over what their developing brains were exposed to. All 3 of our kids had great times playing with lego and Playmobil. They could relate to trucks, tractors, animals, boats, vehicles and general current civilization. We in the US don’t have a medieval history so that did not peak their interest unless I played /guided along. The trains were fun due to the live action
There was no need for fantasy as that wasn’t in their realm of comprehension. They wanted to be adults so the copied what they saw
I personally think it has a lot more to do with the parents than the kids lack of interest I saw a lot of parents work 10+ hours , come home exhausted, set the kid in front of a screen and check out. Now I’m seeing kids who can’t even walk yet that are given screens as a pacifier.
I guess also my kids we so tired of all the fighting I did, they just wanted a peaceful existence :P
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*pique
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[quote author=collectobart link=topic=17929.msg324195#msg324195 date=1697888381
Kids buy toys that they can relate too, and the tv-series would have been an important element to build that "relationship", but with 26 episodes produced they decided it would be less "paper work" to put it on youtube.
[/quote]
Do you think that in the modern world a cartoon gets less exposure from being on YouTube than it would on mainstream TV? I have no idea, but I just image that modern children have so much choice that it's hard for anything to break through (it's not like when I was a kid and you had 2 channels offering children's programming for an hour a day).
Playmobil has/had a reputation as a mirror of the adult world in miniature. Be it construction, medieval, historic western, Victorian, etc…..
I personally would not only loose respect for the brand but I’d certainly buy less new and just divert those funds to the second hand market
We're not normal people though, are we? The reason most parents will pick up Playmobil on Gumtree is because it's cheaper than buying new, not because they think a cartoon is tacky.
I agree that there's a big market for children recreating the adult world in miniature - it's what children instinctively want to do. I do wonder if they will become more risk-averse (why spend years developing these complex 'worlds' which end up under-performing when you can chuck out a new school using mostly-existing parts?). But honestly, without knowing sales figures for lines it's hard to judge what does well and what doesn't (except *maybe* using the second-hand market as a proxy).
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There's definitely room for both fantasy themes and realistic themes in the Playmobil world. The line between the two is generally much fainter for children.
But Rasputin, a well-planned western alien crossover theme would rock!
The pairing between the wild west and sci fi seems so natural to me. Western and sci fi novels were both common pulp fiction genres. Many sci fi worlds have a wild west vibe, and there are multiple blatant sci fi/wild west crossovers. Even the original Star Trek was pitched as "Wagon Train to the stars."
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(it's not like when I was a kid and you had 2 channels offering children's programming for an hour a day)
2 channels? Luxury! When I were a lad we were only allowed to watch BBC because the 'other' channel (ITV) had adverts (commercials)!
(To watch Thunderbirds and Captain Scarlet, which were on ITV - commercial television- we had to go to friends' houses!). This was back in the day when many parents- like Rasputin- exercised some control over what their children watched.
My wife's family were the same; as a child, she never even knew ITV existed until she saw it at a friend's house when she was about 10!
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The pairing between the wild west and sci fi seems so natural to me. Western and sci fi novels were both common pulp fiction genres. Many sci fi worlds have a wild west vibe, and there are multiple blatant sci fi/wild west crossovers. Even the original Star Trek was pitched as "Wagon Train to the stars."
Seems an odd pairing to me but there have been several - Back to the Future 3, John Carter, Serenity/Firefly, Cowboys and Aliens.
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Space Cowboys could have been a new world to explore in Super 4.
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Seems an odd pairing to me but there have been several - Back to the Future 3, John Carter, Serenity/Firefly, Cowboys and Aliens.
also Wild Wild West
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Noooooooo
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also Wild Wild West
Never saw that but I did think of the giant spider thing when making my list.
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I am proud of Novelmore, what we created with our little team then under the circumstances that were already tilting back and forth will always be memorable. It was also my dream to closely combine story, character and toy and that worked pretty well, even though the company was not and is still not ready to really succeed in carrying it through in their communication and vision. Unfortunately long-term projects like Novelmore are very sensitive to all the sudden shifts in management and strategy, so it is in a way bittersweet to reflect on what it could have been and where it is ending up now.
Focusing on "What the market wants" is for PLAYMOBIL a dangerous trap. PLAYMOBIL set out to be a timeless toy, but the more they chase the market trends and their competitors, the less they achieve that "timeless" aspect. If i look at the new PrincessMagic castle sets, that is really a HASBRO product, with very little pieces but with a price you can only charge within a well cultivated My Little Pony brand. Not for something as generic as "PrIncEsSmAgiC" or "Horses Of Waterfall". So i am not optimistic about PLAYMOBIL sales going better any time soon.
I however think licenses are in essence good, the problem is that PLAYMOBIL nearly stopped developing or broadening it's classic lines and invested almost entirely in the development of licenses and franchises.
I just wanted to say that I really appreciate your insider perspective and you sharing it with us!
I am constantly left frustrated that LEGO gets to do licensing for the most popular stuff (assumingly because they have more money to spend and it's cheaper to build), while it would look so much better as a Playmobil product.
Maybe I'm the odd one out, but a Harry Potter world in PM, or My Little Pony for that matter, would be amazing to me.
If I'm allowed to dream: a Studio Ghibli co-operation :-[
But indeed, whatever licensing they do, it should be paired with a robust line of themes and sets that spark the imagination and resist fleeting trends by not referencing to one specific story-line. That's what my kids love best. But I suppose they're genetically predisposed :lol: (we also carefully monitor what they can and can't watch)
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I am constantly left frustrated that LEGO gets to do licensing for the most popular stuff (assumingly because they have more money to spend and it's cheaper to build), while it would look so much better as a Playmobil product.
Maybe I'm the odd one out, but a Harry Potter world in PM, or My Little Pony for that matter, would be amazing to me.
Licenses unfortunately are as much a strategic decision from the studio's end as they are from the Licensees.
PLAYMOBIL cannot get blockbuster licenses, They simply do not have a track record on that end and also not the muscle to develop, produce, ship and especially distribute products like Hasbro or LEGO can. To make sure products are on shelf everywhere in the world, including the Walmarts and other hard to penetrate chains, and to sell them out in 6 weeks is PLAYMOBIL's Achilles heal. And licensors know this.
On the other hand, Studios like to once in a while make The Big Ones sweat a little by offering a consolation price to PLAYMOBIL, like the Disney Classic license or another 2nd tier license.
Also, often the chosen licenses end up being quite regionally inspired too. Asterix to placate especially the French market, or a NHL license for US/Canada. Or things like Heidi which were even less known abroad and were doomed to fail from the start.
The biggest or most currently relevant license Geobra had was the Dragons license, and i don't think they will attempt something similar again for a multitude of reasons.
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I think if playmobil is going to crack the pop culture market it needs to do more manga style figures. Generic manga/anime types like school uniform, dungeon adventurer (Novelmore gets close with this), klicky with a cat head (they have bunnies but need others). These can be done without licences and are generic looks that are familiar to manga readers and anime fans. Naruto is great but expensive. Everdreamerz was a good idea but too expensive with too much focus on packaging and surprise boxes. Save the complicated packaging as an option and instead have the main characters available as blister packs. I'm not sure of the logic behind having mystery boxes for a franchise that doesn't have any status outside playmobil. You're asking people to gamble on getting a character the end user wants from an otherwise unknown line.
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I certainly agree with what you said about Everdreamerz, Klickteryx. The demographic at which Everdreamerz was aimed have numerous competing options on which to spend their/ their parents' money. Just considering the "fashion dolls" my daughters could - and did - collect; Barbie, MyScene, Bratz, Monster High, etc., there was a bewildering variety of different options.
Your comment
...playmobil ... needs to do ... klicky with a cat head (they have bunnies but need others).
Reminded me of what one of my daughters said a few years ago
My 10 year old daughter has been playing with the Easter Bunny figures over the last couple of weeks and really likes them. She is going to write to Playmobil and suggest they do more animal-klickies (like Sylvanian Families/Calico Critters). I think she has more chance of getting Geobra to listen than us collectors ever will!
To which tahra's response was...
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!
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:lol: :lol: :lol:
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The demographic at which Everdreamerz was aimed have numerous competing options on which to spend their/ their parents' money. Just considering the "fashion dolls" my daughters could - and did - collect; Barbie, MyScene, Bratz, Monster High, etc., there was a bewildering variety of different options.
Lego introduced their Friends range to have a go at this market and radically changed the way the core minifigs looked to do it. Playmobil has done something similar with the speedo/teen designs for ranges like Ayuma. The main difference as Collectobart mentioned is that playmobil plays second fiddle to lego so they have to compete on price and content rather than trying to be creative with packaging.
Looking at some of the product that comes out of playmobil reminds me of those toy shops who refuse to stock 'violent' toys and like to stock good ol' toys made from blocks of wood. I assume the owners of such places also own the building.
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Hah there are more than a few of those shops where I live, most of them used to carry PM but have dropped it in recent years :'(
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I think if playmobil is going to crack the pop culture market it needs to do more manga style figures. Generic manga/anime types like school uniform, dungeon adventurer (Novelmore gets close with this), klicky with a cat head (they have bunnies but need others). These can be done without licences and are generic looks that are familiar to manga readers and anime fans. Naruto is great but expensive. Everdreamerz was a good idea but too expensive with too much focus on packaging and surprise boxes. Save the complicated packaging as an option and instead have the main characters available as blister packs. I'm not sure of the logic behind having mystery boxes for a franchise that doesn't have any status outside playmobil. You're asking people to gamble on getting a character the end user wants from an otherwise unknown line.
That's an interesting idea. There's also a growing reader base for manhua and manhwa (the Chinese and Korean version of manga). There's a lot of overlap between the three, but they each have their own nuances. I'm not sure how much of the reader base would be into Playmobil, although recent Korean exclusives suggest that there is some market there.
A "Me, My Weapon, and My Apex Predator" series would fit into this general theme. Ayuma is definitely pairing klickies with animals, so this would be similar but not in the fairy world.
Folklore creatures would likely be popular; there are a number of comic and anime series that incorporate both eastern and western traditional and fairy tale animals and humanoid beings. Tanuki would be great (they are a real animal, but they are present in folklore). Nine-tailed foxes are trendy.
It would be nice to see more traditional Asian costumes (for the historical fantasy crowd and the historical crowd).
Real-world items and sets that would be cool to see:
a festival (food stands, strings of paper lanterns, people in yukata, etc.) It's a standard high school anime episode.
a shiba inu (dog - a little rounder than a husky and the tail is a bit different)
a maneki neko (lucky cat figure)
rice balls, triangle gimbap
bungeoppang / taiyaki (fish-shaped waffle-like pastry filled with sweet bean paste - I've never had one, but they look amazing.)
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JLMatterer has revealed Playmobil's new Chief Marketing Officer, Julia Straschil, previously in that same role at Capri Sun (https://www.capri-sun.com/de/en/):
https://www.playmofriends.com/forum/index.php?topic=15736.msg324501#msg324501
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JLMatterer has revealed Playmobil's new Chief Marketing Officer, Julia Straschil, previously in that same role at Capri Sun (https://www.capri-sun.com/de/en/):
https://www.playmofriends.com/forum/index.php?topic=15736.msg324501#msg324501
Are Playmobil clutching at straws?
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:lol: :lol: :lol:
(https://i.postimg.cc/SNtg0LY9/zHlpgFN.png) (https://postimages.org/)
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Thanks to JLMatterer and Playmobil in the News, this comes from Leadersnet Deutschland (translation by Google);
"Playmobil is in crisis
NEWS, TRADE, INDUSTRY
| editorial staff | November 27, 2023
The toy manufacturer has been in trouble since a former secretary of the late owner took over the management role.
Playmobil has been in a deep crisis since Marianne Albert, former secretary of the late owner Horst Brandstätter, took over the reins. Sales and profits collapse, 17 percent of the workforce has to leave. Before its 50th anniversary, the once successful company is in the shadow of the question of how this crash came about.
Brandstätter, who expanded the company into a global corporation thanks to the success of the Playmobil figures, left a complex will that reorganized the balance of power. Marianne Albert, once his secretary, became a loyal helper and gained more and more influence after his death.
Marianne Albert has led the company for the last eight years, characterized by opaque decisions and a questionable management style, as manager magazin reports. The once highly profitable company's profits plummeted and sales fell, while its main competitor Lego grew. A lack of modernization, a lack of management methods and an unsuccessful search for strategic solutions by external consultants contributed to the misery. Even big plans, like producing Netflix series, were never implemented.
Realignment with massive cuts
The current leadership announced massive cuts, including the loss of 700 jobs by 2025. Former CEO Steffen Höpfner resigned, criticizing the slow transformation and emphasizing the need for change. Marianne Albert, on the other hand, is relying on her CFO René Feser to realign the group.
A shadow hangs over the question of how the former formula for success, which was based on the wishes of the children, was lost. The introduction of modern management methods and the recruitment of a top manager from Disney were intended to turn things around, but so far these efforts have been unsuccessful. The move away from tried-and-tested products towards new, less successful items resulted in a massive loss of capital.
Inhumane and condescending form of leadership
The situation is exacerbated by the tension between Marianne Albert and the employees. The allegations of “inhumane behavior” and a “condescending” attitude on the part of management cast a shadow on the corporate culture. A former advisory board member complains about the lack of modern management approaches and a lack of trust in external experts.
The question remains whether the upcoming anniversary celebration with a Playmobil stamp can bring the brand back into the spotlight. At a time when the best minds are leaving the company, the challenges are not only economic, but also in terms of restoring trust and innovative strength. The outcome remains uncertain and the future of Playmobil is facing a decisive turning point."
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"external consultants" - people who know nothing about your company you bring in to tell you how to run it
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Interesting how fast things can go wrong with a company
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Thanks to JLMatterer and Playmobil in the News, this comes from Leadersnet Deutschland (translation by Google);
"Playmobil is in crisis
NEWS, TRADE, INDUSTRY
| editorial staff | November 27, 2023
The toy manufacturer has been in trouble since a former secretary of the late owner took over the management role.
Playmobil has been in a deep crisis since Marianne Albert, former secretary of the late owner Horst Brandstätter, took over the reins. Sales and profits collapse, 17 percent of the workforce has to leave. Before its 50th anniversary, the once successful company is in the shadow of the question of how this crash came about.
Brandstätter, who expanded the company into a global corporation thanks to the success of the Playmobil figures, left a complex will that reorganized the balance of power. Marianne Albert, once his secretary, became a loyal helper and gained more and more influence after his death.
Marianne Albert has led the company for the last eight years, characterized by opaque decisions and a questionable management style, as manager magazin reports. The once highly profitable company's profits plummeted and sales fell, while its main competitor Lego grew. A lack of modernization, a lack of management methods and an unsuccessful search for strategic solutions by external consultants contributed to the misery. Even big plans, like producing Netflix series, were never implemented.
Realignment with massive cuts
The current leadership announced massive cuts, including the loss of 700 jobs by 2025. Former CEO Steffen Höpfner resigned, criticizing the slow transformation and emphasizing the need for change. Marianne Albert, on the other hand, is relying on her CFO René Feser to realign the group.
A shadow hangs over the question of how the former formula for success, which was based on the wishes of the children, was lost. The introduction of modern management methods and the recruitment of a top manager from Disney were intended to turn things around, but so far these efforts have been unsuccessful. The move away from tried-and-tested products towards new, less successful items resulted in a massive loss of capital.
Inhumane and condescending form of leadership
The situation is exacerbated by the tension between Marianne Albert and the employees. The allegations of “inhumane behavior” and a “condescending” attitude on the part of management cast a shadow on the corporate culture. A former advisory board member complains about the lack of modern management approaches and a lack of trust in external experts.
The question remains whether the upcoming anniversary celebration with a Playmobil stamp can bring the brand back into the spotlight. At a time when the best minds are leaving the company, the challenges are not only economic, but also in terms of restoring trust and innovative strength. The outcome remains uncertain and the future of Playmobil is facing a decisive turning point."
Welp, it was fun while it lasted. We had a good run guys....
I know it's incredibly pessimistic, but I think it's hard to deny that this beloved brand is going down the crapper-- and it has been for some time. I think the only way for the spirit to live on are through sets circulating through collectors and 3D printing/molding from talented fans. Still, sad to see it go. Nothing lasts forever though. :(
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Interesting how fast things can go wrong with a company
In part, it's due to the company structure at Playmobil which is privately owned, as are many companies in Germany. Think of German industry and you think of the big names, VW, Mercedes Benz, Seimens, but much of German production comes from medium sized firms, often family owned and run and success then depends on the succession principle - how good will the next generation be? In fact, this was the case in Great Britain during the Victorian and Edwardian period and there was a saying "Clogs to clogs in three generations", meaning that the founder of the business starts off poor but is successful, the next generation build on this success but the third generation oversee the decline of the company, e.g. through incompotence or by wasteful living. It's just that in Playmobil's case there was no real family as such to follow Horst Brandstatter and he maybe didn't make sound decisions on the organisation of the company for after his death.
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"external consultants" - people who know nothing about your company you bring in to tell you how to run it
Including Ofsted.
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I'm not sure how much of the reader base would be into Playmobil,
That's what marketing is supposed to fix. If you're going to chase pop culture then find out where your audience is because in a world where you have entire sub-franchises based on oversized heads (chibi) there is more than enough room for playmobil. I don't get that look and I don't get the minecraft look either but they exist and seem to be popular.
I think the festival idea is good too, maybe not the guy's in rope underwear beating drums but a general fair theme would be great.
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“The move away from tried-and-tested products towards new, less successful items resulted in a massive loss of capital.”
It’s a business that needs to earn $$$$
Seems so many in German leadership roles are quite ignorant these days
Next move for Geobra will be to cut off its plastic wholesale suppliers, have prices skyrocket and then beg Mattel to help
Barbie ! Where are you ? Send Gi-Joe to the rescue .
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Just watched this again
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Hm9OXeJUZvo&pp=ygUbSG93IGFyZSBwbGF5bW9iaWwgdG95cyBtYWRl
Perhaps due to the self inflicted energy crisis Geobra can start to make micro-playmobil
We could all wear magnifying glasses and use teasers to play and arrange the sets
Call it “Playmicro”
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I'm in :high5:
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Perhaps due to the self inflicted energy crisis Geobra can start to make micro-playmobil
Call it “Playmicro”
The scary thing is: This has actually been discussed. Even explored. But then the realization came that having a smaller figure that needs less material pretty much makes the precious archive of tens of thousands of molds useless too... as everything is out of scale with that figure.
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I still can't wrap my head around it. "Making moulds is not a core competence of Playmobil", geobra says. Do they think sales will drop that badly that they can 3d-print their products? Made to order? Or will all future "novelties" just be re-releases of older sets? I could live with a return of the 80s and 90s, but would the company survive it? What does this press announcement actually mean? The end of Playmobil?
It's the equivalent of a Naval Patrol Vessel throwing its cannons overboard as they are not a core competence of the ship, even though its mission is obviously to defend the waters.
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The scary thing is: This has actually been discussed. Even explored. But then the realization came that having a smaller figure that needs less material pretty much makes the precious archive of tens of thousands of molds useless too... as everything is out of scale with that figure.
My avatar is Rasputin for a reason ;). Silly corporate leaders
It's the equivalent of a Naval Patrol Vessel throwing its cannons overboard as they are not a core competence of the ship, even though its mission is obviously to defend the waters.
Very good analogy, “overboard with all non essentials, including people”
Stay afloat Geobra
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They could produce more varied child figures. Smaller figure which is compatible with most things. They could even do a hobbit like range with hairy feet and facial hair but otherwise child klickys. There are ponies with saddles already which would work for horses for them.
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I still can't wrap my head around it. "Making moulds is not a core competence of Playmobil", geobra says. Do they think sales will drop that badly that they can 3d-print their products? Made to order? Or will all future "novelties" just be re-releases of older sets? I could live with a return of the 80s and 90s, but would the company survive it? What does this press announcement actually mean? The end of Playmobil?
I presume they will out-source it to a third party, which sounds exactly like the sort of thing a business consultant would tell them to do.
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I presume they will out-source it to a third party, which sounds exactly like the sort of thing a business consultant would tell them to do.
Yes, and it's the sort of thing businesses do without thinking things through. Once you do this, you've lost control overt hat aspect of your business, especially if things go wrong you. I remember when setting up new computer systems that was the route I followed - spec, hardware, software, installation all through one source. It might be dearer than shopping around (but then again it might not), but if, say, the printers didn't work, then you just handed the problem to the single source so there was no toing and froing with the printer people blaming the software company and the software people blaming the printer people and so on. Or, if there were, it wasn't me having to sort it.
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Seems this is not an isolated situation
“Some factory owners in Germany, the EU's leading economy, have been forced to shut down due to increased operational costs. The Credit reform credit agency reported this month that it expects 18,100 German companies to file for insolvency this year, marking a 23.5% increase on 2022.”
Perhaps it’s not just bad management @ Geobra but higher up ….governmental mismanagement or even more sinister…. its intentional
(https://i.postimg.cc/gj4JGXwf/05-A6-E6-AF-1-B92-4-CAE-9-DD8-DB75-B9938757.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
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Seems this is not an isolated situation
“Some factory owners in Germany, the EU's leading economy, have been forced to shut down due to increased operational costs. The Credit reform credit agency reported this month that it expects 18,100 German companies to file for insolvency this year, marking a 23.5% increase on 2022.”
Perhaps it’s not just bad management @ Geobra but higher up ….governmental mismanagement or even more sinister…. its intentional
(https://i.postimg.cc/gj4JGXwf/05-A6-E6-AF-1-B92-4-CAE-9-DD8-DB75-B9938757.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
No, it's a world wide phenomenon due to inflation basically.
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Seems this is not an isolated situation
“Some factory owners in Germany, the EU's leading economy, have been forced to shut down due to increased operational costs. The Credit reform credit agency reported this month that it expects 18,100 German companies to file for insolvency this year, marking a 23.5% increase on 2022.”
I feel like there might be a bit of journalistic slight-of-hand here - I'd probably want to delve down into what classes as a 'company filing for insolvency' and how many of them are in manufacturing, and how this compares to long-term trends etc
Anyway, Spiegel are reporting they made a lose in 2023 (I don't know if they need to declare this publicly since it's a privately owned company)
https://www.spiegel.de/wirtschaft/unternehmen/playmobil-soll-erstmals-verluste-geschrieben-haben-a-bf7bb51a-c547-45ef-9692-1e48ce46e302?fbclid=IwAR3iY09RDYHludpCfERo_22IJJCswf34Nb1Nzw2rbQ7fr1d8MIVs7h0j
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No, it's a world wide phenomenon due to inflation basically.
Maybe in “your world” but not in a global sense . Some places are doing just fine
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Sadly, the German economy is tanking. At the risk of getting political...losing access to Russian energy has been the killer.
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I just noticed that the Finish (Finland) pm site is closed (!!) and has the following message (https://cloud.email.playmobil.com/ShopUpdate-fi)
Attention PLAYMOBIL enthusiasts! We regret to inform you that the official PLAYMOBIL website and webshop are no longer available. However, we have exciting news for you! You can now find a wide range of PLAYMOBIL toys online at our trusted retailers.
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I just noticed that the Finish (Finland) pm site is closed (!!) and has the following message (https://cloud.email.playmobil.com/ShopUpdate-fi)
Attention PLAYMOBIL enthusiasts! We regret to inform you that the official PLAYMOBIL website and webshop are no longer available. However, we have exciting news for you! You can now find a wide range of PLAYMOBIL toys online at our trusted retailers.
What a polite way to say "you're on your own".
Do European shops typically stock items from the plus or history ranges? A lot of places around the world don't seem to making it difficult for potential customers to access these things outside of the official webstores.
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That statement is a good example of someone pretending bad news is actually good! (Politicians try that stunt all the time)
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Do European shops typically stock items from the plus or history ranges?
As far as I know, no-where outside of the Fun-parks sells the Plus Ranges.
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Many moons ago we in the Bay Area had local Brick & Mortar shops that had bins full of Add-Ons
Most of the Brick & Mortar shops have vanished lately
I do not recall ever seeing any Plus items on Amazon or similar sites
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As far as I know, no-where outside of the Fun-parks sells the Plus Ranges.
Thanks, I'm not surprised either. So no access to an official site means no easy access to a lot of the collectible sets. I don't understand why these sets aren't an official theme especially as they're now in boxes.
I sometimes wonder if Geobra isn't in partnership with ebay.
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I've seen the odd add-on on Amazon, at a markup.
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“The production of capital goods, a key indicator of long-term investment, witnessed a substantial 0.8% drop across the EU in November. According to Ludovic Voet, confederal secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation, “these figures are a canary in a coal mine: the biggest hit is in long-term investments in buildings and equipment.”
Not a Geobra only problem
Hang in there playmobil
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"The Playmobil toy brand is turning 50 and wants to realign itself to mark its anniversary. “We are now strategically repositioning ourselves,” said Playmobil board member Bahri Kurter to the German Press Agency in Nuremberg. To this end, Playmobil wants to increasingly appeal to small children with toys made from plant-based plastics, as well as young people and adults with collectible figures of celebrities, for example.
A knight, a construction worker and an Indian were the first figures presented by toy producer Horst Brandstätter on February 2, 1974 at the Toy Fair in Nuremberg. This is exactly where the toy brand from Zirndorf in Central Franconia is celebrating its milestone anniversary from Tuesday . A Playmobil stamp will also be released in March.
3.8 billion Playmobil figures have been manufactured in the past 50 years and are available in more than 100 countries. Nevertheless, things haven't been going so well for the traditional brand lately. The parent company, the Horst Brandstätter Group, is cutting 700 jobs worldwide after two economically difficult years with losses in sales and profits."
From stern.de via 'Playmobil in the News' and Google Translate
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collectible figures of celebrities
:no:
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Taylor Swift klickys aren't going to save PM. I actually found a local toy store last weekend with some PM... took a hard look at some of the newer lines and thought, What is this junk? The Dino Rise sets are the worst, with packaging that doesn't make it clear what it is or how it fits in with the overall theme... the Wiltopia sets look even weirder when placed up against traditional Playmo plastic sets, they almost seem like a different company's products... PM needs to cut the fat, reinvigorate its blue lines and THEN work on "what's next."
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Taylor Swift klickys aren't going to save PM. I actually found a local toy store last weekend with some PM... took a hard look at some of the newer lines and thought, What is this junk? The Dino Rise sets are the worst, with packaging that doesn't make it clear what it is or how it fits in with the overall theme... the Wiltopia sets look even weirder when placed up against traditional Playmo plastic sets, they almost seem like a different company's products... PM needs to cut the fat, reinvigorate its blue lines and THEN work on "what's next."
It’d be really great if they did. But let’s be real here—they’re going down the same road as current Disney: grossly out of touch with their fans and customers. They’re almost spiteful to the former, which is unbelievably in the norm these days. So…best to hold on to the older sets as much as you can, we’re on a sinking ship. :prays:
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Taylor Swift klickys aren't going to save PM. I actually found a local toy store last weekend with some PM... took a hard look at some of the newer lines and thought, What is this junk?
You know it's toy fair, right. So whatever is being huffed and puffed around this time of the year is just a sales pitch to say, toy buyers, we are back in business.
And if you read similar company press releases or interviews of the past 10 years the list of failed big intentions and new strategies piles up, there always is a new way forward launched that hardly survives till the next year. And there always is an economic crisis or a changing market to blame afterwards.
This year, we are handed the kid-dult card, the card that every other toy company is also throwing around, so we will see where that brings us again same time next year.