The perfect balance.

[DashieInTheDark]

So, what I'm sure all of you are aware of, is that Hasbro is acknowledging it's "older" audience. There will be people that only want more accurate toys, and others who want the show "devoted to them" so to speak.

If it was up to the community to choose the perfect "balance" for Hasbro and their "older audience" what would be the right amount? I'm not adding a poll, because this is COMPLETELY opinion based. But here are a few examples to get your mind going in the right direction.

A.) Some more acknowledgement, but nothing much: More accurate toys, Derpy Hooves toys, more mention of the older audience in commericals, and T-shirts for older people.

B,) Extreme devotion: Expensive collector toys, Derpy Hooves added to main cast, contests and conventions primarily for the "bronies", new episodes with older humor.

C,) Less acknowledgement of "bronies": More toys that appeal to younger audiences. (Innacurate, but eye candy for children) more pink and "girly" episodes. More G1-3 like-episodes.

Please note: These are ONLY examples so that you understand what this is about. You will not be oblgiated to choose them. Make your own!

Personally, I think that more t-shirts, and accurate toys and MAYBE more background pony toys would be enough. Not too much, and younger audiences can appreciate it too. Some episodes that incorproate older humor, while the chidlren still understand what they are talking about. (Something like the DIsney movies, and some Spongebob episodes, as an example.) Nothing too extreme, and we can all enjoy the show still.

Now what do YOU think is the perfect balance?

Note 2: The "balance" would be applied naturally in the future, and not from the beginning of the show, hope this clears up some confusion.

[starswirlthebearded]

Even some kids want more accurate toys. I think Hasbro needs to fix that before all else.

Collectors toys would be good though.

[Angie Cakes]

I'd say more accurate toys would be a good start. I've heard a lot of good things about future merchandise recently, but I haven't seen any pictures as of yet.

the perfect balance I'd say is to leave the show as it is, but make toys that match the show more. that way more bronies will buy toys and they don't lose their intended audience of kids.

[RarityDash]

Accurate toys is a must. For once the franchise is being driven by characters that the fans really love. Hasbro needs to capitalize on that. More than ever there are people now who don't just want the pretty pink pony toy but want specifically Pinkie Pie. There should be toys (and full-sized, quality toys) that look like the characters on the show.

As for in the show, I do like being pandered to to a certain extent. They seem to have found a pretty good place with it. The occasional nod to the fandom by having Derpy appear or having Lyra and Bon-Bon stand next to each other, etc. Small things. Brony pandering shouldn't take the show over, but I won't deny that some acknowledgment makes me smile.

[featherquill]

Definitely need more accurate toys.

I like the idea of collector's edition toys for adults too, especially of some of the background ponies.

I don't think the show should change at all, because then it wouldn't be what we love. If they pander to us too much, it will be obvious and kind of terrible. Little jokes and shout outs in the background like they do now are fine, but having more adult humor just wouldn't work at all.

[Astalakio]

I pretty much agree with what everypony before me has said. We're not asking the world - the show is fine as it is, that's why we love it so much. Outside of the show, I definitely think more could be done for the franchise, and, again as everypony else says, more accurate toys are a good place to start.

[Bronynumber299]

Just like everypony else that replied I would like more accurate toys and I think that the intended audience would like that too. Plus me and my sis loves the background ponies even more than some of the mane six. I also think that intended audience would go for plushies just for balance.

[DashieInTheDark]

Yeah, the collectors toys (Or more accurately, figurines.) would be good. However, a lot of children wouldn't want glass figurines over one that they can play with, so it WOULD be for us bronies only. With the exception of some children who have a hobby in collecting, of course. So just the figurines would be enough for me. The accurate toys for everypony, but the figurines for the adults, so to speak. The show itself is fine, but liek I said, some "older" humor would be nice. It is in no way necessary, but it would be a cool good touch. Maybe references that only adults would understand, like older films and such. It wouldn't be the first, and it wouldn't have an effect on their target audience. This is completely optional, and wouldn't affect me either way though. The "Collector toys" would HAVE to be made of glass, or porcelain, or a material similar. That way, they can be 100% accurate to the show, as they would be made of paint and molds. They could be priced at around $25-40 a figurine, which, to me, is reasonable IF it is a collectors' item, and not advertised solely for children. The nods to the bronies is at a perfect level for me, too. With Derpy, and other background ponies as you all have said, I thinnk the level there is perfect.

Just my two cents. ^^;

[Ashton]

I've been saying since I joined the herd that there should be the collector-grade toys. (I'm hoping and praying for a nice resin statue of Dash performing her Sonic Rainboom) I'd also like to see them branch out into some video games (I'm still saying it's an OBVIOUS choice to make a "rainbow dash cloud racers" or something) and perhaps other places. Some other merch would be nice, like I've seen brony-made shotglasses with the ponies and their marks, I've seen car decals + Air fresheners (I wonder what Rainbow Dash smells like...), I've seen practically everything imaginable --- all brony made (which makes me wonder if hasbro is activly trying not to "step on the artists' toes" and let the keep making their unofficial merch... considering most of what I see hasbro making is dissimilar to the unoficial merch I'm curious...)

I honestly dont think they need to make radical sweeping changes to the show. I wouldnt mind it being a hair less anvelicious but I dont want another The Simpsons/king of the hill/family guy/etc with ponies. If we want to continue this idea though, I'd say spin off the CMC as their own series, dedicated more towards kids (example: Winnie the Pooh), and make the main show more adventure oriented (example: Gargoyles) That would not only give them 2x as many opportunities to make toys (they could have a complete 'adult cast' set and a complete 'kids cast' set) and if they were careful with the 'adult' series it would also interest some of the kids still.

But as I said, I think messing too much with the show would ruin it's appeal. Part of what I love about it is that it *IS* light-hearted with a nice salting of snark from the characters (that is, the characters are more cynical and realistic, even if the show itself is more idealistic) Though I would like to see more 2-parters with a larger plot like the premiers. (And I like Derpy as she is - a nice little "wheres waldo" sight gag, I wouldn't mind her get getting a line here or there, but honestly, making her one of the mane 6? no. just, no.)

[NoteRinger]

In my opinoion choice A sounds like the best. not to much, not to little, and we get some stuff to look, like actually good looking pony toys

[Motion Paradox]

The show can be left as it is, it's lovely the way it is now

I agree, accurate toys would be great as would toys of the background characters and maybe some diorama toys, where you have the houses that the characters live in and you can open it up and it has all the rooms and the furniture, that would be brilliant and both audiences would be able to appreaciate it (I know when I was a little Filly I liked my toys to be accurate, I started making my own plush toys speciafically because the Digimon toys took too long to come out and were so inaccurate when they finally did)

Some more collector oriented things would be nice too, figures that show some of the more memorable moments and maybe some products that are collaborations with other companies, like the various POP Series (Pony POP Series would be the cutest thing) and of course plush toys, good ones that are accurate and don't look like their hair was done with a piece of broken glass

And of course lots of special features on the DVD with comentary tracks by the animation staff and the voice overs and delected scenes, the lyca reel some of the planning that goes into the episodes interviews, it wouldn't take away from the younger audience member's enjoyment of the videos and it would add so much for the older audience members

[ChancellorPuddinghead]

Aren't the Nov grab bag toys more accurate?

[Rosewind]

I've been thinking about this issue for a while, and my theory is Hasbro wants to tap its surprise market, they just have no real idea how to do it properly and with a light touch. I think they want to avoid any "brand confusion" for their target audience, so the only real solution is to "outsource" the production and marketing of Brony-centric merchandise to companies like WeLoveFine and Hot Topic for the older folks.

This is to avoid making purchasing parents of the toys and stuff designed for little girls to stop and go "What the heck is Hasbro selling THAT for?"

I would like to see an increase in the quality of the toys, but I also think that a keystone of any popular toy brand (to attract parents, at least), is to make the products affordable. Upping the design and quality of goods would increase costs, something Hasbro probably wants to avoid. They might rather sell several cheaper toys than one big expensive toy, because the cheaper ones would yield more profit over time.

I think they should keep the show exactly how it is. The nods they've given to the older audience have been more than enough. Don't fix what isn't broken, yanno?

My two bits.

[Incantatious]

What I'd love to see are ponies which more accurately resemble their appearance in FiM.

A Derpy Hooves pony would just be awesome.

A DVD with special features would be incredible!