Anyone Find The Lack Of Muppet Merch Disturbing?

[frogboy4]

I have a much different perspective, actually. I am something of a Muppet completist, meaning, I try to buy EVERYTHING I can with the Muppets on it. (Yes, it's exhausting & expensive...)

And there's more stuff out there right now than I can keep track of. The Disney Store has released 9 plushes, 4 mugs, 5 t-shirts, and a few other items. There's the makeup and the fingernail polish. There's all kinds of PJs (for adults & kids) cropping up at places like Target & Walmart. There are all of the keychains, Kermit and Animal watches, and slippers at Walmart. There are the FAO Schwarz puppets. There are the iHome MP3 docks & headphones. Singing dolls at Walgreens. Ornaments at Urban Outfitters. JC Penneys has some watches. Kohls has some more shirts. There are more and more shirts online. 2 different Snuggies. New Adidas shoes. Etc, etc, etc.

So, there IS quite a bit of stuff out there -- with more coming, I am certain -- even if it's not necessarily the stuff we'd all like to see (i.e. toys, pvcs, etc.)

But it's not as simple as just pointing the fingers at Disney, either. I know for a fact that some of the larger retailers declined the opportunity to carry Muppet plush. There are lots of moving parts. I honestly believe that Disney wants to make more stuff -- and will, I can almost guarantee, if the movie is a success.

I agree with this 100%! Just as the Muppets had to gain their audience back in the current movie, the movie's success will have to inspire retailers and licensors to invest in the Muppet brand. Not even Disney can wave a magic wand and have this be so. That's not how it works. But believe me, Disney has a big (figurative) lever they're about to pull once this weekend's box office receipts are released! There's no need to go nuts. Nobody's landed. Well, hmmm...I guess the Muppets just did!

 

[beaker]

Don't get me wrong, I grew up on the half hour toy commercials too and I still have a soft spot for some of them myself. Particularly Masters Of The Universe and Pound Puppies.

I'm with you on the adult collector stuff. I prefer kid's toys. I'd kill for a kid's action figure of Rowlf.

I've loved dogs all my life. I'm a huge fan of dogs in popular culture. When I was a kid I loved Spuds Mackenzie, the dog in the old Bud Light ads like some kids loved Transformers or Care Bears. Up is my favorite Pixar movie too, largely because of Dug. Remember what I said about the Rowlf action figure? Ditto for Dug.

OMG!!! I TOTALLY had Spuds Mackenzie shoes I wore in 4th grade. And Rude Dog and the Dweebs, remember that show? Yeah the principle didnt like how I was wearing beer advertisement shoes to school(I also rode a Tab cola bike that was all pink that I won) I was super duper ghetto welfare poor in the 80's, so I wore whatever(which I guess looking back would be considered hipster fashion, lol)

There's the Rowlf figure from Fisher price, tho not really articulated. Yeah I WISH they had made Up action figures. I LOVE Kevin, as Im a total bird lover. I have a Kevin plush at least.

 

[Drtooth]

I agree with this 100%! Just as the Muppets had to gain their audience back in the current movie, the movie's success will have to inspire retailers and licensors to invest in the Muppet brand. Not even Disney can wave a magic wand and have this be so. That's not how it works. But believe me, Disney has a big (figurative) lever they're about to pull once this weekend's box office receipts are released! There's no need to go nuts. Nobody's landed. Well, hmmm...I guess the Muppets just did!

I really think that Disney has underestimated this. But there isn't all that much more I wish to have seen. We could have easily got nothing but a Kermit and a Piggy. I'm still completely flabbergasted that Smurfs movie stuff sold out for a few weeks after it came out... I didn't see anything until just after that movie came out. I'm still very mixed on that one... but the line consisted of small plush and little figure sets. I could have seen that for the Muppets. I kinda want to see the Disney Store merchandise have the same effect, but not until everyone buys my Christmas present (it's a shame I have to resort for asking for everyone to give me gifts). But I do think they could have managed some cheap Christmas stuff. Cheap Christmas stuff and a figure set that you don't have to go to the parks to purchase. Other than that, everything's what I expect.

I do have to admit, it is better that a movie was completely underestimated instead of over-saturated. Something tells me TRU's Arthur Christmas line's not going to move... characters are pug fugly... the Happy Feet might because the characters are cute... Still, it would have been great to see small bean bag sized plush in more stores. I wonder if they're waiting for Europe's release for more stuff.

 

[frogboy4]

I really think that Disney has underestimated this. But there isn't all that much more I wish to have seen. We could have easily got nothing but a Kermit and a Piggy. I'm still completely flabbergasted that Smurfs movie stuff sold out for a few weeks after it came out... I didn't see anything until just after that movie came out. I'm still very mixed on that one... but the line consisted of small plush and little figure sets. I could have seen that for the Muppets. I kinda want to see the Disney Store merchandise have the same effect, but not until everyone buys my Christmas present (it's a shame I have to resort for asking for everyone to give me gifts). But I do think they could have managed some cheap Christmas stuff. Cheap Christmas stuff and a figure set that you don't have to go to the parks to purchase. Other than that, everything's what I expect.

I do have to admit, it is better that a movie was completely underestimated instead of over-saturated. Something tells me TRU's Arthur Christmas line's not going to move... characters are pug fugly... the Happy Feet might because the characters are cute... Still, it would have been great to see small bean bag sized plush in more stores. I wonder if they're waiting for Europe's release for more stuff.

Yeah. I also think Disney's treatment of the plush, mugs and other items in their stores and themeparks demonstrates their faith in the Muppets. However, they can't be the only ones to manufacture goods so they're waiting for retail demand. I think that's coming. Retailers are scared of peg warmers now more than ever.

 

[beaker]

I really think that Disney has underestimated this. But there isn't all that much more I wish to have seen.

I can think of hundreds of items I would have loved to have seen. It's just kind of heart sinking knowing how amazingly well the new movie is being adored by audiences and critics alike(which often is rare to this degree), yet you walk into the mall on black friday and disneystore still has the few items way in the back. Its bs baloney, and i think disney is full of crap for doing that. and another slap in the face...its the CRAPPY movies noone is caring about that got all the merch. I honestly dont see all the merchandise people are claiming is out there. If you were a kid or parent and walked into any given retailer that carries merch and toys, you wouldnt even know the muppets were out

ugly movies like smurfs, yogi bear, etc got more merchandise. As you said, happy feet, arthur christmas(isnt there already a cartoon called arthur and a comedy film series called arthur?) and others have all sorts of toys and merch.

How the heck can movies like g-force, arthur christmas, planet 51 and countless other lame films that have no built in audience and are just forced down peoples throat get kids stuff in stores? But a franchise beloved for almost 60 years thats muscle machine Disney's main tentpole of the holiday season get zippo?

 

[CensoredAlso]

Would be nice to have more merchandise, but I find it MORE disturbing that this kind of stuff tends to be made in China.

 

[robodog]

OMG!!! I TOTALLY had Spuds Mackenzie shoes I wore in 4th grade. And Rude Dog and the Dweebs, remember that show? Yeah the principle didnt like how I was wearing beer advertisement shoes to school(I also rode a Tab cola bike that was all pink that I won) I was super duper ghetto welfare poor in the 80's, so I wore whatever(which I guess looking back would be considered hipster fashion, lol)

There's the Rowlf figure from Fisher price, tho not really articulated. Yeah I WISH they had made Up action figures. I LOVE Kevin, as Im a total bird lover. I have a Kevin plush at least.

Oh yeah, I remember Rude Dog and the Dweebs. I never missed it if I could avoid it.
Our School banned Spuds shirts. One of my friends came in wearing one and they forced him to turn it inside out and wear it that way all day. The people who ran my school had the intelligence of a particularly slow-witted rock.

The Fisher Price Rowlf figure is on my want list but unless I'm fortunate enough to find it at a yard sale or something like that I'll probably never get one. I don't like to deal with Ebay especially since they made paying by PayPal the only option. I'm thinking seriously of cutting back on my toy dog collection and only collecting animatronic dogs or dog virtual/robotic pets. Those are my favorites. Even if I do though I'll still get a Rowlf toy if one is released no matter what form it takes. Maybe I'll get extraordinarily lucky and they'll release an interactive Rowlf toy made in the same style as that Elmo live thing they had awhile back. It'll probably never happen but I can dream can't I?

 

[frogboy4]

Would be nice to have more merchandise, but I find it MORE disturbing that this kind of stuff tends to be made in China.

I feel that completely. It's a fact of life. 95% of anything purchased in this world is made in China. It's unfair to single out toys, Disney or any one thing. The China debate is a topic in itself. I mean, we might as well complain about how many items are made out of plastic and how creepy that truly is. I guess it's all worth mentioning and that's a legitimate complaint too, but not really all that applicable when discussing the new Muppets merchandise. However, i would purchase wooden Muppet sculptures whittled by US artists if they looked good and were priced right.

I can think of hundreds of items I would have loved to have seen. It's just kind of heart sinking knowing how amazingly well the new movie is being adored by audiences and critics alike(which often is rare to this degree), yet you walk into the mall on black friday and disneystore still has the few items way in the back. Its bs baloney, and i think disney is full of crap for doing that. and another slap in the face...its the CRAPPY movies noone is caring about that got all the merch. I honestly dont see all the merchandise people are claiming is out there. If you were a kid or parent and walked into any given retailer that carries merch and toys, you wouldnt even know the muppets were out

How the heck can movies like g-force, arthur christmas, planet 51 and countless other lame films that have no built in audience and are just forced down peoples throat get kids stuff in stores? But a franchise beloved for almost 60 years thats muscle machine Disney's main tentpole of the holiday season get zippo?

Man, i can respect your point of view, but can't agree with anything you're saying here. You're comparing apples and cannonballs. There is no dramatic slap in the face. Disney has been extraordinarily honorable with the Muppets these days. The Muppets have to work their way back to being the retail darlings they once were. I know you want merchandise and you want it right now. I do too, but that is not how it works!

Disney seeded the retail ground with their exclusively Disney created products, but anything more really requires licensors to jump on board to partner with them. That's probably happening right now! Many of these companies were still seeing the Muppets as a brand for older collectors and haven't been willing to take the gamble in a down-economy. As Ken used to say - if you want a Digit figure then pony up the tens of thousands of dollars required to develop it and we'll talk. There is no magic wand! No, not even Disney has that. There's no way for Disney and toy companies to predict Box Office receipts, popular trends or critical consensus ahead of time. They've done a tepid job of stocking the shelves, but there's actually a healthy amount of product around and that will likely double in months to come. PATIENCE!

This isn't some trite little Eminem song where there's only one shot to make it big. This is part of a steady and strong drumbeat of careful orchestration that Disney's been laying out since greenlighting this picture and way too many of the fans have doubted every step of the way.

I'm chosing to look at the delicious donut of muppety goodness rather than the hole.

 

[CensoredAlso]

I feel that completely. It's a fact of life. 95% of anything purchased in this world is made in China. It's unfair to single out toys, Disney or any one thing. The China debate is a topic in itself. I mean, we might as well complain about how many items are made out of plastic and how creepy that truly is. I guess it's all worth mentioning and that's a legitimate complaint too, but not really all that applicable when discussing the new Muppets merchandise. However, i would purchase wooden Muppet sculptures whittled by US artists if they looked good and were priced right.

Oh yeah I know it's hardly confined to toys. I just think it pays to bring it up every now and then, it's easy for us to forget, you know?

 

[Frogpuppeteer]

these are some of the newer hats i found last night

aswell as the blanket