All Eyez on Peppa
August 26, 2019 6:33 AM   Subscribe

Hasbro, one of the largest toy manufacturers in the world, has closed a deal to purchase Entertainment One, a Canadian conglomerate that owns such family fare as Peppa Pig and PJ Masks. The $4 billion acquisition represents a distinct shift for Hasbro into the media space, and analysts think that it may trigger even more media mergers and consolidation.

Oh, and the purchase also means that Hasbro will own Death Row Records.
posted by Etrigan (23 comments total) 3 users marked this as a favorite
 
I guess Peppa Pig is worth a buck to every fifth human? Wowza. I'm in the wrong business. Congrats to them.
posted by Popular Ethics at 6:42 AM on August 26, 2019 [1 favorite]


Something something, Hologram Tupac, newest GI Joe, something something.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 6:43 AM on August 26, 2019


Nobody tell them about Paw Patrol.
posted by saturday_morning at 6:44 AM on August 26, 2019 [2 favorites]


I am trying to figure out if this has -- or will even need to -- pass through cultural sector investment review in Canada for the deal to finalize.
posted by jacquilynne at 7:02 AM on August 26, 2019


Peppa
posted by growabrain at 7:08 AM on August 26, 2019 [7 favorites]


Late stage capitalism is a lot of fun.
posted by Fizz at 7:10 AM on August 26, 2019 [2 favorites]


I am, regrettably, exactly the target audience for a Suge Knight Mr. Potato Head.
posted by box at 7:19 AM on August 26, 2019 [12 favorites]


So now Disney buys Hasbro and then merges with Apple-Alphabet, leaving only two distinct legal entities in America, AlphaDis and Calvin & Hobbes.
posted by Stonestock Relentless at 7:47 AM on August 26, 2019 [12 favorites]


Gotta pull out my copy of "Looking Backward."
posted by Melismata at 7:58 AM on August 26, 2019


Late stage capitalism is a lot of fun.

Ironically Hasbro also makes Monopoly. I think the person who originally designed it meant to demonstrate the evils of unchecked capitalism.

Now it has come full circle: Yes, there's a socialism-themed Monopoly game. It packs a message tailored for capitalists

"Working together might seem ideal, but Chance Cards can abruptly shake things up with things such as lousy neighbors, vegan meatloaf and bad plumbing," the description states.

It's unclear how vegan meatloaf is a disruption to the social order, but it's one of many references to veganism and health food in the game that seem to echo how the internet often loves to make fun of and/or hate on those things.

"Everyone loves the tofu-chip cookies you made in honor of Karl Marx's birthday," reads one of the cards. Another card mentions the "homemade granola you brought for lunch."


Fuck these guys.
posted by adept256 at 8:00 AM on August 26, 2019 [20 favorites]


Huh, this is interesting. About 10 years ago I used to go into organizations and train their designers on creative software such as Photoshop, Illustrator, etc.

For about 2 weeks I was "embedded" in the Hasbro headquarters in Rhode Island. Before going I had this impression that I was going to be visiting this Willy Wonka-esque land full of toys, games where everyone would be wearing suspenders and funny shirts. Couldn't be further from the truth. The organization was about as buttoned up and corporate as they come.

One of my favorite bizarre memories is overhearing these two young and ambitious executive "bro" types griping about their latest assignments and backstabbing their colleagues. I wish I could remember the exact details, but if anything I'm downplaying the language:

Bro 1: "Dude, I just got thrown onto the Barbie account, I'm so fuckin' pissed, how am I supposed to make my numbers in that shithole? What about you?"

Bro 2: "On the Strawberry Shortcake relaunch, which isn't bad, although I have to work with Joe, which sucks."

Bro 1: "Wait, so who got My Little Pony then?"

Bro 2: "Rob."

Bro 1: "Are you fucking kidding me? His nose is so far up Chad's ass that we should call him Pinocchio."


Good times, anyway, I bet Chad was in charge of this acquisition.
posted by jeremias at 8:15 AM on August 26, 2019 [18 favorites]


Something something, Hologram Tupac, newest GI Joe, something something.
William the Refrigerator Perry (Chicago Bears football player) was a GI Joe, so Hologram Tupac wouldn't even be that weird.
posted by The_Vegetables at 8:39 AM on August 26, 2019 [3 favorites]


Before going I had this impression that I was going to be visiting this Willy Wonka-esque land full of toys, games where everyone would be wearing suspenders and funny shirts. Couldn't be further from the truth. The organization was about as buttoned up and corporate as they come.

I visited them around the same time, and I concur. They had Star Wars but this was before that was rebooted, and otherwise it was a lot of languishing brands. I never would have imagined they'd be in position to make this deal.
posted by schoolgirl report at 8:42 AM on August 26, 2019 [1 favorite]


Is Hasbro the one that makes chemical weapons?
posted by BeeDo at 9:38 AM on August 26, 2019 [1 favorite]


I worked at Hasbro for a month, 16 years ago minus a week. They still had the exclusive Lucasfilm stuff. I shared an office space with a dude who was working on the SW ep III stuff, and I was not allowed past a line. It was great, and fun, and there was still a post-Kenner vibe there. But it seemed like everything got more corporate and less-people-focused, and... I dunno. Maybe this whole corporate-acquisition thing doesn't really work for people?
posted by rp at 9:48 AM on August 26, 2019


I'm just mad because it's always Canadian companies selling out to Americans and rarely vice-versa. Entertainment One was never going to be Disney but they could have done better than selling out.
posted by GuyZero at 10:02 AM on August 26, 2019 [1 favorite]


So now Disney buys Hasbro and then merges with Apple-Alphabet, leaving only two distinct legal entities in America, AlphaDis and Calvin & Hobbes.

The employees of Veroxxotle would like a word with you about this.
posted by JoeZydeco at 10:23 AM on August 26, 2019 [1 favorite]


Nobody tell them about Paw Patrol.

Considering Paw Patrol is owned/created by Spin Master, which is literally a toy company, I'm surprised this merger hasn't already happened.
posted by asnider at 12:47 PM on August 26, 2019


That Veroxxotle parody was part of a show owned by Comcast/NBC/Universal, which also owns "The Good Place". Media consolidation is already expanded beyond the Mortal Plane (and has been since 2000 when NBC also aired "God, the Devil and Bob").
posted by oneswellfoop at 12:53 PM on August 26, 2019


I think you're getting confused with Kabletown/GE/NBC/Universal/Sheinhardt Wig Company.
posted by JoeZydeco at 5:51 PM on August 26, 2019


Bro 1: "Dude, I just got thrown onto the Barbie account?

Unless you were mistook Rhode Island for El Segundo, California, you didn't overhear anyone talking about Barbie as that is a Mattel property.
posted by sideshow at 2:24 AM on August 27, 2019


Like I said: "I wish I could remember the exact details", memory's a bitch.
posted by jeremias at 11:39 AM on August 27, 2019


I worked for a company that was acquired by Hasbro pushing two decades ago now, leaving me technically a Hasbro VP for a while. It was good for the stock options, but ugh. Not a pleasant memory at all. And yes, while jeremais mis-remembered Barbie, he's hit the corporate culture on the nose.
posted by bcd at 12:19 PM on August 27, 2019


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