Something I haven’t talked about recently is packaging changes. That is, small changes Hasbro makes to Mr. Potato Head packaging or accessories from year to year. The changes in question are subtle enough not to be noticed by the average consumer, but they stick out like a potato in a carrot patch to those of us who know our tubers. So far this year I have seen several small detail changes in the marketing of the same Potato Head toys from last year.
1. The Spider Spud has black stripes on his red suit. However, the one sold in the 2 pack (along side the black Venom Spud) has silver stripes.
2. The Sweetheart Spud originally was sold with the smiling teeth mouth. This year it has the red lips.
3. Several of the Potato Head character specific models were re-released in yellow boxes. No change in the toy, just a new box.
4. The Spud Bunnies have a new blue background package, the front cardboard packaging is different, and the blue bunny now has the eyelash eyes. This is the second or third time they have changed the bunnies. They changed the name once and the eyes every year.
5. Several of the holiday related Potato Heads (Santa Spud, Trick or Tater etc) that originally were sold in boxes are now sold on blister cards. They still sell standard Potato Heads in boxes, why did they change the holiday ones?
I know these changes seem small, but my question is “what’s the point?” You can’t tell me that these items are expected to fly off the shelves faster in their second or third year of release because they come with a different mouth or different color background. Does Hasbro really spend money with focus groups to learn that the white eyes scare people but the eyelash eyes attract them?
It seems to me these changes are geared toward collectors. They know we can’t sleep at night if our Spider Spud doesn’t have the black stripes AND the silver ones. They know that no self respecting collector would have a Spud Bunny but not a Spring Bunny.
I say “Hasbro, STOP IT!” You’re killing our bank accounts and we’re running out of room. We don’t need 8 of the same toy just because you changed a box printing order. We want to spend our money on different Potato Heads, (i.e. Taters of the Lost Ark) not different packages or colors.
Who am I kidding, you know you got me. Just please…keep it to a minimum. I’ve got to go now, I’m on my way to Target. I like how that new Potato Head bunny is looking at me.
(edit….After arriving at Target, I noticed that the Spud Bunny was indeed different! The ears are now much smaller and are flat. The old ears formed a hook.)
Posted in Musings
