First things first!
Congratulations to EBROIN for this spetacular figure: In this arena, first and Foremost the hands of the creator are the ones that deserves the highest congratulations!
Second, a little bit like said previously, I sincerely can't understand, from a
business point of view, this situation: a limited edition of 300 copies to celebrate the brand anniversary?
Allow me to explain: Figure modelling is completely different from Pens, watches, and alike: Montbranc or Rolex are constantly releasing limited collector pieces because one of their key segments are exactly collectors: The same happens also to brands such as Swatch ... and obviously you find the same situation in stamps: Every possible situation is a good situation to create a limited series. This is the collecting market.
Is this applicable to modelling? At first glance sure it is: How many in modelling are accidental collectors with piles and piles of boxes all around: Rare is the forum on the web without a topic: "
Show your stash". And rare is a modeller without a stash ...
But at a second glance, collecting is not the key issue of this hobby: Unlike 1/6 limited edition figures that are ready to display and that are highly valuable some years later ( Remember the movie "Virgin at 40
) , in figure modelling the purchased product is not finished: And this makes all the difference: The modeller needs to finish it. That is the essence of this hobby: It's not collecting and displaying - collecting may be accidental, but the essence of this hobby is to assemble and paint raw pieces.
So a limited miniature ... now we have a product aimed at collectors but destined to modellers: I understand companies don't have experts in marketing
but this mismatch flames the brand.
Why: Quite easy! Are there only 300 Pegaso fans in the world? If so, the strategy is questionable but still slightly acceptable. If not, all Pegaso fans will dislike the situation: An anniversary product must reach all but really all customers without barriers. Not all may buy it, but brand lovers need to have an equal chance to buy it: What makes me more of a fan than a guy in New Zealand? The opportunity to be at Euro? This is senseless and unfortunately for Pegaso, it's a heavy mistake.
Here is the right strategy made by Andrea some years ago:
This book was created to celebrate Andrea first 20 years. It shows in detail the story of the company. Something fans like:
Furthermore, it's the perfect gift to give (yes, to give!) to resellers, special customers, sculptors, collaborators, banks, suppliers and so on ... It cements the brand and creates ties in all stakeholders. Here the vocabulary stakeholder is used to mention anyone who has interest in a company. The existence of this book, purchased or not generates positive emotions and the tittle says it all - it couldn't be better.
I understand the Pegaso decision: A brilliant figure would be ideal to celebrate an anniversary: Yes it can also be, but not with all these barriers and elitisms in it's acquisition. Another critical error is that a commemorative piece has to reach all but all that made the brand growth in the past: Namely the distributors and the resellers worldwide. All the ones that invested in advertising, stocking and so on: Under no circumstance the ones that live exclusively of sales and that helped the brand during all these years can't be excluded now of selling a highly desirable piece.
And also Pegaso must think what generates more earnings 300 or 3000 figures? The last one is an enduring number, the first is an instant number: Enterprises need the second to long time survival not the first: Brilliant products must long last - they can't never be placed as short lived goods.
So, collectors and investors will love the most this figure - they will earn in the long time what Pegaso throws away now. Be sure, that recasters will too! Pirates only exist where there are opportunities: So someone is going to profit what Pegaso doesn't want to earn in the long time.
And finally: What will regular customers do?
Figure Modelling is not highly based in brands: Figure Modelling is the sole area of this hobby where the
key item is the sculptor! I purchase practically everything I find created by Mike Good, Ebroin, Young Song, Jullian Hullis, Ahn Jun Sik, Andrea Jula and so on. I also buy airplanes and I have no idea who are the pattern guys that create Tamiya kits: I only know that Tamiya range of 1/32 aircraft are light years ahead of their competitors but have no idea who are the persons creating these products.
In figure modelling it is exactly the opposite: I want to know who is the creator: This is the one I reward the most. So, our relation with brands are weak: We create stronger relations to sculptors rather than brands. The brand role here is to create flawless castings of highly emotional and dramatized miniatures recreating the military costumes and the human races in scale. It's by far, far and far the most artistic branch of all themes in scale modelling.
So, some stated previously that the Pegaso range is releasing crap, I won't be so strong, because the Toyotomi is an amazing miniature, and other novelties too. But if Pegaso wants to satisfy long time customers make the products reach them equally, without stress, without elitism and specially without this:
"
This means that the sale order will be:
1) All those present in Kulmbach
2) All those present in Folkestone/Milan
3) All those who have made a reservation via e-mail;
4) All other until sold out.
"
Please forgive me for my honesty: But this is offensive to the customers, distributors and resellers who supported the brand all this years. Screens are extremely difficult to expose arguments without controversy but I sincerely hope the people at Pegaso can realize why! Please think reversely before taking these actions! Please!
There will be some that will earn with this ... and Pegaso will collect flames as an anniversary gift
(Luca, read this full topic, please! We are the customers! The guys that decide what to purchase!)
Anyway, let's end just like I started: A brilliant figure, truly spectacular! From what are at present time for me the most prolific pair of hands in this industry: Ebroin: No matter the theme, the period, the scale - His pieces are of an imagination and life likeness without compare! Congratulations!
