LAS VEGAS–Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS) arrived at the International Licensing Expo counting down the days until the AUTOBOTS and DECEPTICONS invade theaters worldwide again on June 29, 2011 with the release of the new Paramount Pictures film Transformers: Dark of the Moon. Adding to the excitement will be Hasbro licensees across all major categories bringing to market highly innovative, stylish and relevant “More Than Meets the Eye” products to delight TRANSFORMERS fans of all ages.
Cameras continue to roll toward the scheduled May 18, 2012 release of the BATTLESHIP movie, under direction of Hollywood storyteller Peter Berg. As Mr. Berg and Universal Pictures will bring BATTLESHIP to the big screen as an epic action adventure, Hasbro will do the same with its global portfolio of licensees and retailers by building a BATTLESHIP merchandising program that will launch next spring. Key driver categories will include apparel, publishing, and gaming with supporting products that blend aspects of the film with the rich heritage of the BATTLESHIP brand to deliver highly compelling merchandise to mass, mid-tier and specialty retailers worldwide.
Hasbro Studios and The Hub continue to gain major market traction underscored by eight Daytime Emmy Award nominations – six for TRANSFORMERS PRIME and one each for the FAMILY GAME NIGHT game show and PICTUREKA. MY LITTLE PONY Friendship is Magic is also currently ranked the No. 1 television program for kids 2-11 on The Hub in the U.S., and in Canada, the show has consistently been a top rated show on Treehouse since its launch last fall*. Additionally, Pound Puppies has become a top rated show among both boys and girls on The Hub and on YTV in Canada. Excitement is also building for new programming currently in development such as an animated LITTLEST PET SHOP episodic series slated to debut in 2012.
“Hasbro is soaring to new heights with our mega entertainment brands such as BATTLESHIP, MY LITTLE PONY and TRANSFORMERS by creating relevant lifestyle products that further enhance the brand immersion experience,” said Simon Waters, Senior Vice President, Global Brand Licensing and Publishing at Hasbro. “These properties evoke action, adventure and fun, which speak to every consumer at some level. Our goal is to reach those fans and connect them to our brands in meaningful ways that tap those emotions from fashion to publishing and home goods.”
As the ‘Robots in Disguise’ arrive on the silver screen later this month and continue to battle on The Hub network, retail shelves around the globe will be stocked with movie-based products from more than 325 Hasbro licensees that tie into fans’ affinity for the overarching TRANSFORMERS brand. Leading the charge is fashion for the entire family with hundreds of TRANSFORMERS brand-inspired design treatments on everything from t-shirts to caps, jackets, hoodies, sneakers, sunglasses and watches from licensees such as Uniqlo, and Shanghai Metersbonwe Fashion and Accessories.
On the publishing front, the TRANSFORMERS brand continues to hold strong appeal across all formats such as comic books and graphic novels where the extension of storylines and character development further immerse fans into the depths of the powerhouse property. Publishing licensees such as IDW, Bendon, Ice Water Press, and Random House-Del Rey are all on-board to fill book pages with gripping TRANSFORMERS fiction.
For those who enjoy a digital immersion experience, the TRANSFORMERS brand will pervade console and mobile gaming platforms this summer. Activision is delivering gameplay that is the prologue to the Transformer: Dark of the Moon film while Electronic Arts will allow players to jump into the role of one of the most popular AUTOBOTS battling the DECEPTICONS on the iPhone®, iPod® touch or iPad™. For online battles, Jagex is developing an eye-popping browser-based massively multiplayer online game (MMOG) for Western markets in 2012.
Retailers have also stepped up in a big way this summer with major promotions and in-store displays of TRANSFORMERS branded products that will carry consumers from summer fun through back-to-school and holiday. A wide assortment of items across every major category from apparel to publishing and home goods will be found at mass, mid-tier and specialty retailers alongside Hasbro’s 2011 product line, including figures, role-play items and the new KRE-O line of construction sets.
About Hasbro
Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ:HAS) is a branded play company providing children and families around the world with a wide-range of immersive entertainment offerings based on the Company’s world class brand portfolio. From toys and games, to television programming, motion pictures, video games and a comprehensive licensing program, Hasbro strives to delight its customers through the strategic leveraging of well-known and beloved brands such as TRANSFORMERS, LITTLEST PET SHOP, NERF, PLAYSKOOL, MY LITTLE PONY, G.I. JOE, MAGIC: THE GATHERING and MONOPOLY. Come see how we inspire play through our brands at http://www.hasbro.com. © 2011 Hasbro, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
* Source: Nielsen 10/10/10 to date.
Contacts
For Hasbro, Inc.
Shelly Eckenroth, 717-852-7060
seckenroth@foghornpr.com
or
Hasbro, Inc.
Kristina Peterson, 401-347-3646
Kristina.peterson@hasbro.com