Something I've noticed...

[Deak Starkiller]

First off I am not marketing genius nor do I pretend to be, this is just an opinion of a lifetime SW fan. I know I may be stating the obvious but I couldn't help but comment about this trend I see within the last year. I feel for the first time StarWars has been officially branded by Lucasfilm, I know it always has been but I mean the release of product coincides with other licensees too close together. Seriously think about all the Ralph McQuarrie stuff is starting to come out for the first time ever whether it be a Koto statue or Hasbro figures, or how LEGO and Hasbro are both releasing Sith Infiltrators at the same time. Hell even GG is releasing a redundant Jabba the Hutt against Sideshows'. Again I know all of you know this but I just can't help it for the first time I feel new product seems to be dictated by the Lucasfilm marketing team in a more "by the numbers" way of thinking. But maybe I am just talking out of my @ss? Discuss.

[The Josh]

Lucasfilm is always pushing stuff no doubt. Which I don't blame them SW is a seller and there are all kinds of cool **** to be made especially when you have companies like SS working on it.

[Deak Starkiller]

I agree and acknowledge the fact that there is tons of money to be made, but so close together seems counter productive. Seriously if you just shelled out for Jabba and all of the fixings (like I did) you would be less likely to purchase the GG one, unless you have a dog named Dollar. :lol

[IrishJedi]

Deke, you are really hitting on something here that I feel very strongly about personally as well.

It's not the (over)branding and licensing of STAR WARS that has gotten out of control (imho) but the homogenized cookie-cutter aspect of it all. It's all become rather contrived and stale, losing its unique appeal and character.

Don't get me wrong, some products are outstanding (like most of the SSC items) but the STAR WARS brand is so dilluted now. Take this whole 2007 20th Anniversary rebrand thing. Lucasfilm didn't even give the licensees a choice whether they use it or not. They HAVE to... and so now the packaging in our SSC 1:6 line will no longer be consistent just because some LFL Licensing person got a wild hair up their butt. :banghead

Everything is just so templatized and boiler-plated now. "Hey! Let's make everything the same! Let's use the same 12 images of Darth Vader on EVERYTHING!!!!" I hate that.

[Deak Starkiller]

Yeah I hate to say it but it's true. You know the funny thing is Indiana Jones has had a 20th and a 25th anniversary and there is absolutely nothing to show for it, and let's face it Paramount isn't holding the cards on that one.

[IrishJedi]

You know the funny thing is Indiana Jones has had a 20th and a 25th anniversary and there is absolutely nothing to show for it
Yep. And that's an utter crime. :cuss

[MaulFan]

I think the SW licenses has changed dramatically as a result of 2 factors, 1 being that new companies like MR, GG and SSC are emerging and being able to put out product that does the films great justice, and 2 being a changing world economy. The world economic changes are very clear in Hasbro. Hasbro has been putting out new figures since 1995 and up until 2005, they were fresh, many characters, new sculpts, but of late, they're getting heavily into recycling and some characters are such peg warmers and repeated so many times, you can't even say it's to make sure people who missed it first time get a chance, no one wants some of these things anymore. As for things like GG and SSC putting out similar product, I don't know where GG get's it's ideas and what not from, but with SSC, based on their interviews and articles, it seems like a lot of it is free reign for them, they require approvals and all, but it seems like they're let loose to be creative and brainstorm whatever they can think of, like Jabba, the Q&A interview made it sound like they really took it on as artists not LFL workers and said hey, we've got this stuff going, maybe we could push the envelope and pull this off, so they made Jabba to test themselves, push the world of 1/6 figures to new dimensions, and bring a more completeness to some of their current 1/6 offerings in the SW line. It's not good for the wallet, but it's great for collecting - I see things taking a shift over the next few years from heavy Hasbro power in the SW license world to SSC and GG being forerunners, and Hasbro staying in the game more for children and tight budget collectors, unless they come up with more fresh products and really depart from the rehash games.

[The Josh]

That's true as the economy grows and people's incomes increase they buy more. Which means companies like SS, GG, MR, etc get in on it and we buy buy buy. Which ain't all bad because we're getting some of the best products ever from the SW Universe.