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THE POWER OF MARKETING
Page 49
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One of the stand-out terns this year are the Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Voyager figures, and CM has a particular affection for the leader of the Autobots, Optimus Prime, mainly because he transforms into a big truck. The Transformers toy line, owned by US giant Hasbro, has been around in many incarnations since the 1980s, when Hasbro decided to anglicise a range of Japanese robot toys.
The franchise has enjoyed varying degrees of success in its many guises, but has recently found a new audience through two live action films directed by Michael Bay the first of which was released in 2007 and grossed $709m (£424m) worldwide. This year, Transformers Revenge of the Fallen was released in the summer, and proved even more successful, grossing $833m (498m) worldwide, As late-June opening could not have more opportunely timed, because it essentially acted as a two-hour advert to help gauge interest in this Christmas's toy line.