To whom it may concern

Dear Hasbro UK,

Might I draw your attention to a movie which has garnered no small amount of attention recently, directed by a gentleman named Michael Bay, named TransFormers.

Announced last year, there were many months of speculation about this film before any firm details came out. Then there was more speculation before the first teaser trailer turned up. Then there was even more speculation before the first real trailer turned up. In short, it captured the imagination of many people the world over, most of whom were keenly looking forward to this movie.

It was released in cinemas in America on July 2nd and has, by all accounts, broken some records for the takings of movies released early in the week. It's been remarkably popular all round, and some folks reckon it's the best action movie anyone could hope to see.

I wish to draw your attention to this movie, TransFormers, because the brand is yours. In fact, you have been producing toys under this brand for more than 20 years now.

With this in mind, can you explain why your presence at shows like Memorabilia (at the NEC, Birmingham), Collectormania (at the CentreMK, Milton Keynes) and the London Expo (at the ExCeL Centre, London) has been either minimal or simply nonexistant? Particularly when you consider your current line of TransFormers toys is, in fact, the Movie toys, this seems to be no small faux pas on the part of your Marketing department. During the run-up to the movie in the States, Hasbro used every opportunity to make their presence known. Similarly, in Japan, TakaraTomy have created events specifically to publicise the movie and the toy line. Here in the UK, the publishers of the videogame of the movie put more effort into promotion than yourselves.

While I can (barely) understand your reluctance to get involved with the UK TransFormers fan community at events like Auto Assembly (which might possibly have happened this year if it had the backing of Hasbro UK), I cannot fathom why you would not promote, in any way, the movie or your toy line based on the movie at collector-oriented events like Memorabilia, Collectormania or the London Expo. Of those three events, only one this year - the London Expo - had any TransFormers presence from Hasbro, which amounted to a single unattended glass cabinet containing a minimal selection of upcoming toys. To describe this as a disappointment would be a massive understatement.

The movie is released in this country on July 27th and, just this weekend, you have missed another excellent opportunity to publicise the brand. Meanwhile, in the States, BotCon was held in Hasbro's hometown of Rhode Island and gave attendees the chance to see the movie in advance of the official premiere, to see - and buy - movie line toys, and to get an impression of what is to come in the future.

The message from Hasbro US is that they are backing the brand and giving it (and the fan community) the attention it deserves. The message from Hasbro UK seems to be "TransFormers? What's that?"

With the passing of the Summer Memorabilia show, you have missed your last good opportunity for pre-movie marketing. I can only hope that you decide to put in some effort post-movie.

Kind regards,

fuzzyløgic
(TransFormers fan, frustrated by the apathy Hasbro UK exhibit toward one of their leading brands)