Even if you’re not aware of a group of folks called “Bronies” — mostly male* adult fans who really love My Little Pony — Hasbro is totally clued into the potentially lucrative market. As such, it’s releasing a new line of My Little Pony toys designed specifically to appeal to Bronies, with a price to match.
Hasbro collaborated with Integrity Toys Inc. for a “high end collectible” series dubbed <3 My Little Pony, aimed at adult fans of the TV series, My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic, reports Forbes.
“There’s a tremendous adult market,” Integrity Toys spokesperson Carol Roth told Forbes, stating something anyone who’s ever been on the Internet probably knows. “Bronies have inspired entire pop culture phenomenon. The reality is most My Little Pony collectors are in their 20s to 60s and possibly even older than that.”
My Little Pony toys for children go for about $5 and $20, but the new line will sell for upwards of $100, Roth says.
“The entire look and feel of the packaging makes it clear this is not a child’s toy,” she said. “From the quality of the fabrics, to the type of closure used, to the crafting style, they’re designed the same way high fashion is designed with really strong attention of detail.”
Just try to explain that to your kid when they accidentally open that tempting, brand-new My Little Pony figurine stashed in the closet that they thought was their Christmas present but really was being saved to maintain its value on the collectibles market.
*Female fans are known as ladybronies or pegasisters.
Hasbro Cashes In On Bronies With $100-Plus ‘My Little Pony’ Toy Line [Forbes]
by Mary Beth Quirk via Consumerist