Global InformationMy Little Pony information
| My Little Pony | |
|---|---|
 My Little Pony logo as of 2021 | |
| Created by | Bonnie Zacherle |
| Original work | My Pretty Pony toys (1981) |
| Owner | Hasbro |
| Years | 1981–present |
| Official website | |
| mylittlepony | |
My Little Pony (MLP) is a toy line and media franchise developed by American toy company Hasbro. The first toys were developed by Bonnie Zacherle, Charles Muenchinger, and Steve D'Aguanno, and were produced in 1981. The ponies feature colorful bodies, manes and a unique symbol on one or both sides of their flanks. Such symbols are referred to in the three most recent incarnations as "cutie marks". My Little Pony has been revamped several times with new and more modern looks to continue its appeal to the market, with each new look called a "generation" by the show's collectors and fans. The franchise is mainly targeted at young girls, although in the 2010s, it gained a cult following by an unintended audience of adult, mostly male fans.[1]
Following the original My Pretty Pony toy that was introduced in 1981, My Little Pony was launched in 1982 and the line became popular during the 1980s. The original toy line ran from 1982 to 1992 in the United States and to 1995 globally, and two animated specials, an animated feature-length film and two animated television series produced during the period up until 1992. The first incarnation's popularity peaked in 1990, but the following year Hasbro decided to discontinue the toy line due to increased competition.[2] One hundred fifty million ponies were sold in the 1980s.[3]
The toy line was revived in 1997, but these toys proved unpopular and were discontinued in 1999. The brand saw a more popular revival in 2003 with toys that more closely resembled the original toy line,[4] which sold approximately 100 million pony toys globally by 2010.[5] Hasbro launched the fourth incarnation of the franchise in 2010, which started with the animated series My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic, which ended on October 12, 2019. The brand grossed over $650 million in retail sales in 2013,[6] and over $1 billion annually in retail sales in 2014[7][8] and 2015.[9] Hasbro launched a fifth generation of toys and associated media starting September 24, 2021.
- ^ Miller, Emily. "'Bronies', male fans of 'My Little Pony', defy assumptions". Gainesville Sun. Retrieved February 22, 2023.
- ^ Werbner, Donna (September 10, 2004). "Campaign: Hasbro resurrects My Little Pony brand" (Press release). PRWeek. Retrieved February 1, 2017.
- ^ Seiter, Ellen (1995). Sold Separately: Children and Parents in Consumer Culture. Rutgers University Press. p. 153.
- ^ McNeil, Sheena (September 1, 2006). "Tart Time Machine – My Little Ponies". Sequential Tart. Retrieved February 2, 2017.
- ^ "Hasbro's Iconic MY LITTLE PONY Brand Excites a New Generation of Girls with Its Message of Friendship and Adventure" (Press release). Pawtucket, RI: Hasbro. October 7, 2010. Retrieved February 2, 2017 – via Business Wire.
- ^ Lisanti, Tony (May 1, 2014). "The Top 150 Global Licensors". Global License!. Archived from the original on May 19, 2014. Retrieved May 19, 2015.
- ^ "Hasbro 2015 Investor Update at Toy Fair". February 13, 2015. Archived from the original on May 23, 2015. Retrieved May 19, 2015.
- ^ "Hasbro 2014 Annual Report". February 26, 2015. p. 6. Retrieved December 6, 2019.
- ^ Lisanti, Tony (May 2016), "Top 150 Global Licensors", Global License!, p. T9,
The My Little Pony brand drives over $1.2 billion in retail sales