Gotta Catch ‘Em All
Jedi Quest, a magazine targeting young collectors of “Star Wars” toys, will be the first DM effort to use Hasbro’s cross-company multimillion-name database.
More than 1 million members are expected to subscribe to the quarterly eight-page color publication, slated to debut early next year, says Edward A. Kriete, vice president for global direct marketing at Hasbro.
There will be no charge to receive the magazine, which is aimed at kids 4 to 12, he says. Parental signature will be required to join. The content will include articles about upcoming toys, possible play settings and directions on how to make dioramas for displaying figures. Ads for Hasbro subsidiaries – such as Tiger Electronics – that make “Star Wars” products also will be featured. Hasbro’s existing “Star Wars” Web site (www.starwars.hasbro.com) will be used to promote Jedi Quest. Package inserts, print ads in children’s publications and a contest in which kids can win the “ultimate `Star Wars’ party” for the program began in early October.
The Pawtucket, RI toy company – which also manufactures toys based on such licensed products as Batman and PokAmon – has created other clubs for such lines as G.I. Joe and Starting Line-Up. New Database
Jedi Quest will be the first club to take advantage of the new database Hasbro has built during the past year. Kriete, who was with Lego for 18 years and started its DM operation, sees the database becoming an “integral part” of Hasbro’s marketing mix, supporting retail sales by offering promotions to Jedi members. Sources of names include product requests, consumer affairs inquiries and rebate offers.
Names also have been collected through HasbroCollectors.com, a direct sales Web site that debuted late last year to offer toys not available at retail. To reach more high-end collectors, the company has begun testing more expensive collectibles via print ads and inserts, a program that will likely expand to mail and possibly even DRTV.
Andrew Bendheim, director of collectibles/e-commerce for Hasbro, notes that from the company’s 45 Web sites (four of which are e-commerce enabled), about 10,000 e-mails are received per week. About 1,000 come from HasbroCollectors.com, he adds. The remainder come from such sites as the numerous electronic game sites operated by Hasbro Interactive.
Wendy Riches, Hasbro president of global direct and e-commerce, adds that the e-commerce operations will be greatly enhanced when the acquisition of Wizards of the Coast Inc. is complete. The company – best known for the card game Magic: The Gathering – did over $1 million in online business one day recently, she says. Wizards also produces trading cards based on the PokAmon video game and cartoon, providing a nice synergy with the Hasbro toy line.
