Hasbro will be looking to replicate the success it enjoyed through film licences this year with new comic and sci-fi tie-ups movies in 2013.
In an exclusive interview with The Grocer, Foye Pascoe - Hasbro general manager for the UK, Ireland & Nordics - said the company had enjoyed a “fantastic” response to products based on movies Avengers Assemble, The Amazing Spider-Man and the 3D re-release of Star Wars Episode 1.
Retail analysts NPD said Spider-Man had been the seventh best-selling toy brand this summer [May to August], while Avengers had come in just behind in eighth.
“This is not a bad performance at all,” said NPD European Frederique Tutt. “We also expect a rebound for Spider-Man with the release of the DVD in November.” She added that Avengers Assemble had performed better than expected on its cinema release, with toys kept in store longer than originally planned.
Pascoe said comic-themed roleplay toys had sold particularly well, and that Hasbro would be launching products inspired by upcoming Marvel movies Iron Man 3, The Wolverine and Thor: The Dark World - as well as TV cartoons The Ultimate Spider-Man and Avengers next year. The company would also continue to support its Playskool range of Marvel Super Heroes Adventures toys with new figures and playsets.
Hasbro was also working with Lucasfilm to develop the “key strategic” Star Wars licence, added Pascoe. Star Wars - the second best-selling property in the UK toy market, according to NPD [2012 YTD] - will be bolstered next year with the fifth series of TV show Star Wars: Clone Wars and the cinema release of 3D versions of Star Wars Episodes 2 and 3.
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