Universal Vinyls

[Scarletwebslingr]

Universal Studios seems to always be quick on their toes to mimic whatever successful Disney merchandise they can and in the very same styles. A few examples;

Princess Plushies


'Cuties' Merchandise


Pin Trading


Not to mention others like the 'tote-a-tail' line of plushies where Disney pets(like Pluto, Lady, and Marie) come in little purses to carry. Universal quickly did the same but replacing the pets with Donkey and Flying Unicorns.

Photopass and Autograph books are another good example...

Anyway, my point is: how long do you figure it'll take for Universal to catch on the success of Disney Vinylmation?

[HT_NSU]

Good question. I'm sure they already have people looking at it closely. But what could they have as their basic shape? The Universal globe? Nothing else in particular strikes me as iconic to the Universal parks/brand.

It'll to be interesting to see what they come up with (if they do), although I'm not big enough into Universal to drop money on that....unless it's a really good design and a fair price. And even then it'd have to be something I absolutely love like I Love Lucy or the Mummy.

[Scarletwebslingr]

Good question. I'm sure they already have people looking at it closely. But what could they have as their basic shape? The Universal globe? Nothing else in particular strikes me as iconic to the Universal parks/brand.

They'd probably stick with Woody and just miniaturize his beak the way Disney did with Mickey's nose.

[HT_NSU]

They'd probably stick with Woody and just miniaturize his beak the way Disney did with Mickey's nose.

Good point. I forget about Woody.

[BlakeMP]

If we're going to be fair here, it's not like Disney invented the Vinyl toy craze either. Things like Munny and Dunnys have been popular for some time, Hasbro has their "Mighty Muggs," and so on.

Not saying that you may not see some Universal Vinyls, just saying it's not a Disney-exclusive thing.

[Scarletwebslingr]

If we're going to be fair here, it's not like Disney invented the Vinyl toy craze either. Things like Munny and Dunnys have been popular for some time, Hasbro has their "Mighty Muggs," and so on.

Not saying that you may not see some Universal Vinyls, just saying it's not a Disney-exclusive thing.

Of course they didn't invent it, but they were the first theme park to capitalize on it.

[HT_NSU]

No one is saying Disney created it. I think the point here is whether or not Universal is going to see the success Disney's had with it and try it themselves.

[SherKhan72]

I seriously don't see myself collecting any Universal vinyls. I wasn't such a vinyl fan till Disney came out w/ one. Now that I'm hooked to Vinylmation, I've started collecting a little bit of other vinyls but I seriously don't see myself collecting Universal.

[Scarletwebslingr]

I seriously don't see myself collecting any Universal vinyls. I wasn't such a vinyl fan till Disney came out w/ one. Now that I'm hooked to Vinylmation, I've started collecting a little bit of other vinyls but I seriously don't see myself collecting Universal.

If Universal doesn't try it's hand at vinyls it'll likely be due to copy-right issues considering over half of what makes up the Universal parks isn't actually owned by Universal.

[Mouseman74]

If Universal doesn't try it's hand at vinyls it'll likely be due to copy-right issues considering over half of what makes up the Universal parks isn't actually owned by Universal.

I guess I don't even see how Universal could do it. Disney is one thing as they are taking a Disney icon - Mickey - and using the body as a canvas. Universal has nothing to go on and it would be just random vinyls and nothing near like Vinylmation is.

[BlakeMP]

They would have to negotiate the rights with all of the respective license holders to do it. Some of them would be fairly easy, but a lot of 'em -- like the Marvel characters or the Harry Potter characters -- already have toy deals with other companies, and wouldn't be able to do it. And even some of the Universal properties already have the toy rights tied up with various companies.

It's not impossible, but probably would be more trouble than it's worth, unless they used Universal-only licenses that didn't already have toy deals.

[Zephyr]

I'm shocked that either Coast haven't gotten any of the KidRobot Simpsons figures in their Qwik-E-Marts. That seems the most obvious to me.

[Scarletwebslingr]

I'm shocked that either Coast haven't gotten any of the KidRobot Simpsons figures in their Qwik-E-Marts. That seems the most obvious to me.

Yea, I think MightyMuggs are the only things of the ilk Universal sells

[fairlygay]

Boy, you really had me worried. Tough enough keeping up with Disney releases. Have to agree that Universal does not have much to work with that is as iconic as Mickey. I agree their would be copyright issues but the idea is interesting. If they came out with a series I would consider buying it.

[BlakeMP]

Boy, you really had me worried. Tough enough keeping up with Disney releases. Have to agree that Universal does not have much to work with that is as iconic as Mickey. I agree their would be copyright issues but the idea is interesting. If they came out with a series I would consider buying it.

I would get characters they offered that I liked. If they had -- purely for example, I don't know what licenses it would be possible to get -- the Ghostbusters or Back to the Future characters, I'd totally consider it.

[Sparky]

Some might not know this but Disney themselves are also coping someone else with VinylMation here ;)

Check out Dunnys and any Blind Box vinyl toy from Kidrobot (www.kidrobot.com).

I only wish that if Disney was going to copy them they would copy the foil bags the same too with the cut end to make opening them easier...

Don;t get me wrong I love VM and so glad that Disney is getting into the Vinyl toy and urban art scene.

[Scarletwebslingr]

Some might not know this but Disney themselves are also coping someone else with VinylMation here ;)

Check out Dunnys and any Blind Box vinyl toy from Kidrobot (www.kidrobot.com).

I only wish that if Disney was going to copy them they would copy the foil bags the same too with the cut end to make opening them easier...

Don;t get me wrong I love VM and so glad that Disney is getting into the Vinyl toy and urban art scene.

I'm pretty sure everyone is aware that Vinyls existed before Disney. This thread is examining the fact that Disney, as a theme park, tends to be the first to capitalize on outside trends leaving other parks (namely Universal) to copy and paste the same idea instead of paving their own financial roads.

[aspm71]

I'm shocked that either Coast haven't gotten any of the KidRobot Simpsons figures in their Qwik-E-Marts. That seems the most obvious to me.

I was at Orlando Universal several months ago and I remember there was some kind of blind boxed bart simson vinyl in the kwik e mart, don't recal what kind it was though.

[BigAl_PT]

I would get characters they offered that I liked. If they had -- purely for example, I don't know what licenses it would be possible to get -- the Ghostbusters or Back to the Future characters, I'd totally consider it.

Sweet petunias...that would be AWESOME!!!!

[HT_NSU]

Sweet petunias...

But what would they do for a shape?

Something like the Universal Studios globe? With the globe indentions?



Like This:

[JEP]

Maybe the Frankenstein Monster as the blank canvas?

[Scarletwebslingr]

Woody Woodpecker if anyone.

[BlakeMP]

I kinda like the Frankenstein idea. The Monster is as distinctive a Universal shape as I can think of.

---------- Post added at 11:53 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:45 AM ----------

Or, maybe instead of coming up with their own figure, they could cut a deal with an existing line, like the Mighty Muggs. Hasbro already has the rights to a few of the characters at Universal (the Marvel Comics characters, specifically). I could see them producing a line of Universal Parks MMs with the Universal Monsters, Ghostbusters, Back to the Future, Jurassic Park -- y'know, the characters Universal itself actually owns as opposed to those just licensed for use in the park.

[Scarletwebslingr]

I kinda like the Frankenstein idea. The Monster is as distinctive a Universal shape as I can think of.

Woody is their mascot though and has more appeal to children than a monster from the early 30's. I'd still dig Frankenstein's monster but I just don't see them doing it.

[BlakeMP]

The Universal Frankenstein is one of the most recognizable characters in the world, far more than Woody Woodpecker. And kids LOVE the classic monsters. I've got nothing against Woody, but I can tell you if I showed my ninth-graders pictures of both of 'em, there'd be a lot more who recognize the Monster.