San Diego MTS: Prepare to become PONIFIED!

[Z-trains]

That's the underlying fact here, I guess. MTS probably will make a huge profit off of this stunt, with all of them bronies coming to see it.

Zach

[n6nvr]

I'm not sure that the RR fan community is in any position to point fingers at any other hobby or fan community.

[lrvto]

Excerpt from 2007 MTS Board meeting.
"Mr. Tereschuck passed around pictures of trolley wraps. Chairman Mathis stated
that these wraps would generate $10,000 per month per car in revenues. He
stated that the trolley cars that are selected for this program will be those that
require significant exterior refurbishment, which means that the expense of
refurbishment will be delayed."

That was then $$$. I can imagine what they are charging now. So call them what you want, they are businessmen and that was a smart business move. There are certain prohibitions regarding ad content, and MLP fit within them.

[orange choo choo]

I'm wondering what were the other wrap options. Do they believe My Little Pony will generate more revenue than other themes such as Spiderman to coincide with the opening of the Amazing Spiderman, or Batman to promote the upcoming movie (and maybe even get money from the film studio)?

I think that's what we're trying to figure out, why MLP over the other choices?

EDIT: It looks like Hasbro has the most popular displays at ComiCon and is promoting the new MLP cartoon series and products. This is the most likely reason they chose the MLP wrap.

Quote:

MY LITTLE PONY

The MY LITTLE PONY brand, a pop-culture phenomenon from Hasbro, gallops into Comic-Con in 2012 with a hit animated series, new toys and an extensive line of licensed goods. Featuring a unique sense of humor, memorable characters and endearing stories about the power of friendship, the MY LITTLE PONY FRIENDSHIP IS MAGIC animated series, produced by Hasbro Studios and airing on The Hub in the U.S., has amassed a fan following as varied as the ponies of PONYVILLE. Comic-Con attendees will be able to snap photos of a life-sized PINKIE PIE character statue, gaze at a giant MY LITTLE PONY cast mural emblazoned on an entire wall within the Hasbro booth and get a look at an extensive line-up of current MY LITTLE PONY toys, licensed apparel and more. The MY LITTLE PONY brand will also unveil the winning design from its “Design a MY LITTLE PONY” contest with the winning figure on display beginning on Preview Night

[lrvto]

(07-11-2012 06:39 AM)orange choo choo Wrote:  I'm wondering what were the other wrap options. Do they believe My Little Pony will generate more revenue than other themes such as Spiderman to coincide with the opening of the Amazing Spiderman, or Batman to promote the upcoming movie (and maybe even get money from the film studio)?

I think that's what we're trying to figure out, why MLP over the other choices?

EDIT: It looks like Hasbro has the most popular displays at ComiCon and is promoting the new MLP cartoon series and products. This is the most likely reason they chose the MLP wrap.

I think they chose it because MLP came to them and the others didn't. MTS did not solicit them I don't think. There is also a wrap for "Branded" which I have no idea what it is about. There are two cars wrapped for 7-11 which isn't cheap. So: you got the money honey, we got the lrv.

[orange choo choo]

AHave they wrapped trollies before, and what themes were they?

[n6nvr]

Do you wrap your trolley bef, ummm, never mind.

[orange choo choo]

Bacon wrapped sounds good.

[AmtrakFan454]

(07-11-2012 06:39 AM)orange choo choo Wrote:  EDIT: It looks like Hasbro has the most popular displays at ComiCon and is promoting the new MLP cartoon series and products. This is the most likely reason they chose the MLP wrap.

...also it's the male "brony" fandom, that's why. I mean, many railfans I subscribed to awhile back started favoriting pony videos, so that's how I found out about the fad.

Part of the appeal is in its irony, part is in the highly "humanist" characters, and part is in the ease of replicating the actual visual style of the series with highly realistic results. Dunno, from what I read Lauren Faust (as in one of the creative forces behind Powerpuff Girls and Foster's Home For Imaginary Friends) was the creative drive behind it, so nostalgia might be an element as well.

(07-11-2012 12:53 AM)n6nvr Wrote:  I'm not sure that the RR fan community is in any position to point fingers at any other hobby or fan community.

I concur with that sentiment entirely. We're not the target demographic of the railroads, so why is it we have to bash a fandom which is not the target demographic of a TV show?

From the Desk of the Amtrak Fan: A little girls' show with potentially lunatic characters? Now THAT'S something new. (And isn't this how certain foamers act when the B-LACLAC is shifting cars about 500 yards away, not going through Fullerton?)

[orange choo choo]

(07-12-2012 02:01 PM)AmtrakFan454 Wrote:  I concur with that sentiment entirely. We're not the target demographic of the railroads, so why is it we have to bash a fandom which is not the target demographic of a TV show?

I think he is trying to say that we shouldn't make fun of their hobby because there are others who think we're just as crazy about trains. I saw this show yesterday about Comicon in NY and these middle-aged men were foaming over some obscure action figure and it reminded me about how some foamers react to seeing trains.