Outside? Inside? No, thinking ABOUT the box: your thoughts on Transformers packaging

[Sabrblade]

I don't know if this was tied to any late changes from the original plan Sabrblade mentioned (which I remember being utterly baffled by even at the time); no idea if the timings would result in that.

Takara's initial plan to dub Animated as a movie prequel (and the immediate scrapping of that plan) was all their own initiative. By the time Animated was getting ready for release in Japan, it was on its way out in Hasbro's markets, around the time when Hasbro's final Animated releases got relegated to Toys 'R' Us exclusives instead of mass retail, and when Hasbro was just about to launch their new Aligned continuity.

 

[LordGigaIce]

I do find it interesting how Hasbro always seems to cycle back to "primarily white packaging with some red highlights" eventually.
Cybertron... but then it goes away for Classics and the movie stuff but it's back for Animated... goes away for Universe 2.0, movie stuff, RtS, but it's back for Prime RiD and Beast Hunters...
It popped up again for both AoE and TLK and RiD '15, and then again for the tail end of EarthSpark and now Cyberworld.

I'm not saying all of these designs are on the same level, Animated's packaging pops and Cyberworld's comes off as very bland, but it is interesting that Hasbro does seem to like to come back to the "white base with a pop of red" look.

 

[lastmaximal]

It does seem to be a "pendulum swinging" situation with them and even Mattel, whose WWE line has occasionally cycled back to lighter-colored cards. Their Cars line too, I think? They had a long run on red cards, then light gray... It's just refreshing after a period of solid, often dark, colors that start to feel a bit samey.

I agree that they're not all equally appealing, as various factors do result in some hitting better than others. I keep thinking we could do with some for Transformers right now, but Evergreen has had a bland version of it for so long and Cyberworld is following more in that direction than setting its own (really not getting the fun vibe of the show from it).

 

[Sabrblade]

On the opposite end of the spectrum, black-background packaging seems to come back every so often too. Generation 2, Beast Wars Transmetals/Transmetals 2/Fox Kids/Mutant Beast Wars, Energon, 2007 Movie, Titanium Series, Special Edition, debatably Dark of the Moon, the Prime Dark Energon subline, Combiner Wars, Titans Return, Power of the Primes, Studio Series, Siege, Shattered Glass Collection, and (beginning in 2022, the ones from before were primarily brown instead of black) Generations Selects.

 

[CoffeeHorse]

The black background packaging seems to sell better, despite how much the white with red highlights pops.

 

[Sabrblade]

The black background packaging seems to sell better, despite how much the white with red highlights pops.

Beginning with Combiner Wars, it also seems to be the visual distinguisher between "For Collectors" (black/dark color background) and "For Kids" (white/light gray/bright color background).

 

[LordGigaIce]

Beginning with Combiner Wars, it also seems to be the visual distinguisher between "For Collectors" (black/dark color background) and "For Kids" (white/light gray/bright color background).

Which is what ended up happening with Star Wars.

 

[lastmaximal]

"Black is just cooler, man, you babies with your kiddie baby toys just wouldn't get it."

Ah well. I don't even necessarily disagree; even outside the edginess there is a sophistication and elegance to a black box with understated colors. See it all the time outside toys. And that pendulum has to go somewhere.

 

[Sabrblade]

"Black is just cooler, man, you babies with your kiddie baby toys just wouldn't get it."

Nemesis Prime in a nutshell.

 

[Haywire]

It would be interesting to see what color packaging other contemporary toylines were using at the time. In other words, does Hasbro switch between light and dark just to refresh their own appearance, or are they intentionally trying to stand out from the packaging of competing toylines on shelves and pegs around them?

 

[lastmaximal]

I'd wager it's a bit of both, as companies are typically trying to set themselves apart while staying within the scope of "what's working now". So more a continuum than an either/or.

But that would be an interesting discussion. I'm just usually not paying attention to much more than Transformers (maybe the superheroes or wrestlers, if that), and there isn't really much in that specific category. But I'm sure others would be better equipped to comment on that.

 

[Sabrblade]

From what I've seen in the action figure aisles lately...

Ninja Turtles: yellow and green packaging
Sonic: blue packaging
Mario: red packaging
Mario Kart: light gray packaging
Star Wars (kids toys): white packaging
Star Wars (collector toys): black packaging
Dragon Ball: black packaging
Masters of the Universe: brown and blue packaging
Marvel Legends: black packaging
Other Marvel: blue and red packaging
Batman: black packaging
Superman: black and red packaging
Other DC: black packaging
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Re-ignition: green packaging