Power Rangers in Space

POWER RANGERS 1998 :|: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

POWER RANGERS CELEBRATE MILESTONE
Five years of "morphin-ominal" success!

TOY FAIR, 1998, NEW YORK CITY:
When the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers toys were first introduced to toy buyers at the American International Toy Fair in New York City in February 1993, no one could foresee the phenomenal popularity of these toys just a few months away. With over 30 new male action figure toy lines to choose from that year, it was impossible for buyers to be certain which toys would be hot and which ones would not.

The toy buyers' initial reaction to the Power Rangers line was good; the perception being that it would do well. However, at that time, Playmates' Turtles dominated the male action category, and the Power Rangers were not considered to be a serious contender for the #1 spot. Soon after Toy Fair Bandai began manufacturing in five separate plants in Asia, a number deemed sufficient to meet the sales orders Bandai had received. It wasn't until months later that the company began to realize the tremendous hit it had on its hands.

Bandai America's Mighty Morphin Power Rangers toys first began appearing in toy stores in the U.S. in July of 1993. With little advertising, sales were brisk, due in part to the unique look and size of the toys and distinctive triangular packaging. Where most action figures were 3- to 5-inches tall and had only 5 to 7 points of articulation, the Power Rangers figures were 8-inches tall and had 22 points of articulation, with even the fingers of the figures being poseable. Word of mouth, coupled with the superior quality and play value of the toys contributed to their popularity.

The demand for the new action figure line was compounded with the instant popularity of the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers’ daily live-action television series, which debuted on the Fox Children's Network in September of 1993. After airing only six weeks, the series jumped to the #1 spot, garnering a 6.9 rating and a 44-share against children aged 2 to 11. When Fox added Saturdays to the regular Power Rangers schedule, it pulled in an 11.5 rating and 40-share; the highest rating of any Saturday morning program on any network in more than two seasons.

The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers TV series, produced by Saban Entertainment, was a firm departure from standard kid television. Its live action stood out amongst the typical cartoon fare, with scripting that included everything from 'teenagers with attitudes' to robots, dinosaurs, transformation, martial arts and alien creatures. And it all came together in a fun, campy style.

By late October of 1993 it was obvious that the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers toys were a big hit, but by then it was too late to satisfy the burgeoning holiday demand. New sales orders began coming in, and Bandai began retooling to open new manufacturing plants, while at the same time pushing its existing manufacturing capabilities to the maximum. By mid-November they were air-shipping product into the U.S. to supplement the ocean shipments.

By Thanksgiving of that year it was virtually impossible to find a single toy -- let alone the coveted pink and yellow Rangers. The company was receiving hundreds of calls a day, shipments were selling out instantly, and toy stores were issuing rain checks and initiating waiting lists.

It was in early December that Bandai America placed its now-famous "Sorry, we don’t mean to play hard to get" ad, which appeared in major newspapers across the country, thanking consumers for their patience and understanding, and promising, "We won't be hard to get for long." It's not known how many of these print ads ended up in children's stockings on Christmas morning, as parents found innovative ways to let children know that the now #1 toy would soon be theirs.

As the holiday season turned to the New Year, toy manufacturers rushed to the Orient, looking for any possible toy product that might resemble the Power Rangers. In an attempt to take advantage of the high demand for the toys, "look-alikes" and "knock-offs" began appearing in some stores as early as mid-January.

By February of 1994 Bandai had tripled its shipments into the marketplace, and had expanded to 16 manufacturing facilities in Asia and Mexico. Retailers were still reporting that the toys were selling out instantly. In some cases, the orders that the retailers expected would last for a week or even a month were selling out within hours of their arrival at the stores.

In 1994 Bandai increased its production over ten-fold, with manufacturing at peak capacity -- 24 hours a day and seven days a week in over 20 facilities. In the U.S. alone, sales of Bandai’s Power Rangers toys topped $300 million, and were directly responsible for a 34% increase in the action figure market.

Over the years, a key to the Power Rangers tremendous success is the ever-changing themes and characters which keep the toy line fresh and new. Each year the Power Rangers evolve -- from Ninja Rangers, to Zeo Rangers, to Turbo Rangers, to this year's Power Rangers in Space. And each year the Power Rangers remain at the top of the action figure toy list.

The Power Rangers, one of the hottest brands in licensing history, celebrates five years of "morphin-ominal" success in 1998. Since their debut in 1993, there has been no sign of a slowdown in consumer demand, with nearly $2 billion worth of Power Rangers’ licensed merchandise sold worldwide to date.

One of the most exciting developments related to this year's Toy Fair is the blast-off of the new children's TV show Power Rangers in Space on Friday, February 6th on the Fox Kids Network, and the related toys debuting in the Bandai America Showroom the following week. For the past five years the Power Rangers have ranked #1 with kids nationwide, and have been Bandai's #1 vehicle and accessory line. In 1997, they were Wal-Mart's #1 boy's action brand, and the #1 children's costume by leading costume maker Disguise, with Sears rolling out dedicated Power Rangers apparel sections nationwide.

The Power Rangers phenomenon has been, and continues to be, a tremendous success for Bandai and the toy industry. Most toys survive only one or two years. The Power Rangers have been a hit with kids for five consecutive years and, as the story line progresses, there is no end in sight.