Hasbro has released their annual report for 2012, which details 112 pages of information for shareholders to gobble up. Included in this pile of legal jargon and more math than I could ever bring myself to look at, there are a few neat little nuggets of information for MLP. One in particular is the most interesting:
As one of our franchise brands, MY LITTLE PONY continued on its growth trajectory last year. With the support of global television, product innovation, inventive licensing, a new digital app game, online experiences and a strong retail execution, MY LITTLE PONY posted very robust, double-digit growth year-over-year. In 2013, the magical storytelling behind our global animation will focus on an all-new theme and we will unveil an entirely new intellectual property based on the brand.Double digit growth, though I'm pretty sure that was expected. The big one here is the "all-new theme". We have heard quite a bit about season 4 rolling with a new intro, so that could be what it is pointing at. The new IP is most likely Equestria Girls, though that is a movie as far as we know, not a full series.
There are also quite a few little quotes noting that MLP is essentially offsetting the negative growth of other brands in the girls category, including Littlest Pet Shop Furreal Friends, and Strawberry Shortcake. These are 2012 numbers though, and as far as I have seen in the pony fandom, quite a few of you like Littlest Pet Shop, so hopefully they get a bit of a boost for their 2013 numbers with that one. A year without pony won't be good for anyone, that's for sure.
