Transformers ... More Than Meets The Eye: An Extended Interview

License Global interviewed Marianne James, senior vice president, global licensing, and Alyse D’Antuono, vice president, global brand strategy and management, action brands, Hasbro, for the September issue of License Global. For additional insights, the full, unabridged interview can be read below ...

License Global: The 40th anniversary of Transformers is this year. How are you celebrating, and what can fans expect to get involved?

Marianne James: For four decades, the Transformers franchise has captivated fans around the world with epic toys, action-packed comics, awe-inspiring entertainment and other consumer offerings that are truly … “More Than Meets The Eye.” The brand’s continued success 40 years later has been made possible by its rich storytelling and characters: the heroic Autobots who seek to protect all life and the evil Decepticons who seek to conquer the universe. 

To celebrate “40 years, one legacy” of the Transformers franchise, we are delivering products, experiences and content that honor its origins and invite entirely new audiences to experience where it all began. Our licensed consumer products program is strategically grounded in what fans and families around the world tell us they want, need and feel about our beloved franchises. With an iconic brand that global audiences know and love like Transformers, it’s key that we work with best-in-class partners to deliver branded experiences that are authentic to the Transformers franchise and ignite the spark in consumers.

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This year alone, we introduced first-ever Transformers-branded Hot Wheels and Little People ranges with Mattel and expanded our lines with LEGO – LEGO Icons Bumblebee – and Robosen – Flagship Megatron Auto-Converting Robot. Plus, we revealed new Funko Digital Pop! Collectibles, limited-edition headphones with JLab, premium 40th anniversary-branded trading cards from Dynamite Entertainment, a steady stream of comics with Skybound Entertainment. Plus, consumers can show off their fandom in style with footwear and apparel from Converse, SuperX and Irregular Choice. A special treat for fans of the 1984 Transformers TV show, the newly remastered “Transformers: Music from the Original Animated Series” album is now available digitally or as a physical vinyl. With an action-packed season of releases ahead, we are just getting started.

The Transformers franchise has transformed the toy and entertainment space. What has made this property so special over the last 40 years? What has created longevity for the brand?

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Alyse D’Antuono: From its inception, the Transformers brand has always been more than just a toy. Grounded in the timeless tale of good vs. evil, the franchise offers dynamic storytelling played out by multifaceted characters that you want to root for. This is what has inspired awe, sparked curiosity and hooked generations of fans across the globe. What’s more, the Transformers brand has been unique in its ability to mirror its core concept by adapting and changing to bring visionary storytelling and new adventures to fans.

Shortly after Transformers toys landed on shelves in 1984, the first issue of the 4-part miniseries, “The Transformers,” was released by Marvel Comics. Later that year, “The Transformers” animated TV series premiered and became a staple Saturday morning cartoon. The original Marvel Comics series went on to produce a total of 80 issues until 1991 while the animated TV series spawned several seasons, including “The Transformers: The Movie” feature film in 1986. Since then, millions of fans have joined to watch the battle between the Autobots and Decepticons come to life in movies, TV shows, digital gaming, publishing, fashion, live experiences, promotions and beyond.

MJ: At Hasbro, we are firmly focused on being franchise-first, which means that across licensing, toy and game, our teams are working together with world-class partners to fuel the growth of our franchise brands. Consumer products continue to be a key driver of the brand, with Hasbro toy collections and licensed consumer products that deliver nostalgia from the franchise’s legacy to current trends. 

We’re dedicated to ensuring that every franchise touchpoint delivers a little bit of magic, and nothing may demonstrate this better than our in-person experiences where fans can truly step into the world of the Autobots and Decepticons. Open now are two Transformers: The Ark restaurants in Hong Kong, the world’s first Transformers-themed restaurants that offers premium fast-food dining set within a beautifully crafted architecture themed to The Ark spaceship. Plus, in the coming years, we’re opening three Transformers attractions in Saudi Arabia for fans of all ages, delivering innovative rides and captivating environments that will have guests fully immersed in the action-packed world of Transformers.

“Transformers One” is coming out in the fall. Tell us what you can about the film. What will fans love about the movie, and how does it relate to the past Transformers films and shows?

AD: Yes! The franchise’s first-ever fully CG-animated movie, “Transformers One,” will hit global theaters this fall. This movie is made for all audiences in mind, whether you’re a fan of the Transformers franchise, animation, science-fiction, robots, action, comedy … whatever you like, there is something for everyone! The untold origin story features a star-studded voice cast, including Chris Hemsworth, Brian Tyree Henry, Scarlett Johansson, Keegan-Michael Key, Steve Buscemi with Laurence Fishburne and Jon Hamm.

There’s not a ton that I can share without giving too much away, so your readers will just have to see for themselves when the film hits global theaters this fall. But I must shout out our partners at Paramount who have done an outstanding job in creating an iconic movie experience that we hope all fans will enjoy.

What can fans expect for the Transformers licensing program? What products will be available that you can talk about? What verticals are you focusing on for the program?
MJ: Fans can expect a lot from the “Transformers One” licensing program. From a dedicated toy line to a tie-in publishing program, a global promotion with Burger King, costumes from Disguise and more across categories, consumers can show off their fandom in a whole host of ways.

Speaking of anniversaries, Hasbro celebrated its 100th last year. How has Transformers shaped the Hasbro brand?
AD: For over 10 decades, we’ve been working against our overarching purpose as a company: to create joy and community for all people around the world, one game, one toy, one story at a time. Our diverse portfolio of iconic franchises like Transformers has been a key driver in delivering on our mission, acting as a key part of Hasbro’s heartbeat in keeping the company alive and thriving throughout these years.

As mentioned, now more than ever, we’re focused on executing our franchise-first strategy to realize the full potential of our brands. This is an important evolution in the philosophy of how we operate as a global team with shared objectives across regions, ensuring powerful and consistent engagement across touchpoints. The impact of this approach has been meaningful, and our plans are truly connecting the dots to deliver full franchise programs. The Transformers franchise is a great example of how this has come to life. Through strategic consumer products, entertainment, licensed collaborations and partnerships, we have engaged generations of fans in ways that continue to surprise and delight and make the franchise accessible for new audiences.

Digital gaming is also a big part of Hasbro’s strategy with Transformers and beyond. How’s that going?

MJ:Digital gaming remains an important part of our winning franchise-first strategy, as we continue to expand our digital offerings through licensing and internal development for our portfolio, including our franchise brands like Transformers. Recently, SuperJoost reported Hasbro as No. 1 among the top 10 toys and entertainment licensors in gaming, racking in $3.25 billion in revenue, so you can see just how powerful this category is for us and reaching our consumers anywhere they’re at.

This year alone, amidst Transformers’ 40th anniversary, we’ve significantly bolstered the brand’s digital games offerings. This summer, we launched an epic collaboration event in Blizzard Entertainment’s popular “Overwatch 2,” which allows fans to experience Autobot vs. Decepticon battles through “Overwatch’s” iconic characters: Reinhardt as Optimus Prime, Ramattra as Megatron, Bastion as Bumblebee and Illari as Arcee.

Additionally, we debuted game content launches with Voodoo for its hit mobile game, “Mob Control,” which saw both Bumblebee and the legendary Optimus Prime come to the game, and we have more content arriving later this year as part of its Transformers Premium Pass. Hasbro is also collaborating with the leading family-friendly interactive entertainment publisher Outright Games for its upcoming video game, “Transformers: Galactic Trials,” which will be released on Oct. 11. This will be a unique racing adventure game with rogue-lite elements that combines arcade racing and robot combat featuring fan favorite Autobots and Decepticons.

By launching further into the digital world, we’re providing fans and families with even more unique Transformers experiences that help connect them to their favorite stories and characters across various platforms so they can enjoy the brand wherever they’re at and whenever they want.

Check out the September issue of License Global ...