Seibertron.com Energon Pub Forums

News Credits: 60 · by **fenrir72** » Wed Mar 11, 2015 11:00 am

Rated X wrote:
Sabrblade wrote:
Rated X wrote:
Sabrblade wrote:Under the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement and the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, it is illegal for any company to sell any product to U.S. consumers if said product even remotely gives off the slightest minuscule impression of advertising tobacco-based goods to children.

Comic books aren't considered children's products anymore.

Nor are PG-13 movies.

And that thing on Human Alliance Jazz's packaging isn't advertising anything.

I guess that would make comic books "adult products" then. Might as well make Archie the new poster boy for the Colorado legalization movement.

You got me on the movie. But seeing as how it's the flagship of a Hasbro franchise, it makes them look like a bunch of hypocrites over this Marlboor thing. Hasbro technically does own Takara, right ?

On the sideswipe packaging, it is advertising something....its advertising smoking in general.

You quoted "it is illegal for any company to sell any product to U.S. consumers if said product even remotely gives off the slightest minuscule impression of advertising tobacco-based goods to children".

A fictional cigarette advertisement on a children's toy box is ok, but an altered red bow tie on the hood of a car is not ? Hasbro's big bad leagal department turned into a bunch of pu**ys. They should have taken Phill Morris to court, for sure they would have won. Is this even the same Hasbro legal department that shut down KO toys and scared the crap out of Chimungmung ? I think not...

That's what you get when you (the people)allow equally stupid know it alls (politicians) to try and legislate the "bad" things away. It WON'T!

Deviate a bit at legislation stupidities. Attempts to legislate the use of firearms in a country founded in the use of firearms hence you get a Megatron with orange caps. You get incidences where a toddler is suspended when he makes a gun gesture bang bang with his hands and fingers. STUPID NO?

Then we have that asinine ruling that's the root case of this controversy. Ayayayay! Ay caramba! :BANG_HEAD:

And that example used by "X", no matter how it not endorsing a particular brand just goes to show how stupid this issue really IS! Smoke cigars, no issue but smoke PM cigars..........ohhhhhh so bad....... #-o

News Credits: 3 · by **Kibble** » Wed Mar 11, 2015 12:23 pm

The bastard about this whole thing is they jacked up the deco and it's still the same issue and will be canceled in many markets...therefor they shoulda just left the damn thing as it was and released it to the same market as a better figure.

News Credits: 1235 · by **LOST Cybertronian** » Wed Mar 11, 2015 12:25 pm

omega666 wrote:Doesn't Repro Label save everything? Make a white figure and have Repro Labels make stickers.

Reprolabels wont touch Marlboor Wheeljack AKA Exhaust with a ten foot pole. It is a four letter word to them.

Website · by **MartianSpyGirl1996** » Wed Mar 11, 2015 12:37 pm

Seibertron wrote:All of this back and forth is exhausting. Makes me want to have a cigarette.

Agreed, and I am strictly against smoking! However, Phillip Morris was the sponsor for I Love Lucy, so this is a must own for me... is this really going to be regulated once it’s released in Japan and on eBay? I understand online retailers can’t sell it, but what about individuals? Surly Customs wont be alerted... right?
:???:

News Credits: 241 · by **Jelze Bunnycat** » Wed Mar 11, 2015 12:45 pm

MartianSpyGirl1996 wrote:
Seibertron wrote:All of this back and forth is exhausting. Makes me want to have a cigarette.

Agreed, and I am strictly against smoking! However, Phillip Morris was the sponsor for I Love Lucy, so this is a must own for me... is this really going to be regulated once it’s released in Japan and on eBay? I understand online retailers can’t sell it, but what about individuals? Surly Customs wont be alerted... right?

It's not illegal to own one (unlike MP Megatron in Australia, ho boy...), he just can't be sold in stores there. As long as you don't intent on selling (large quantities of) him, customs shouldn't be much of a problem. Don't take my word for it tho.

News Credits: 113 · by **megatronus** » Wed Mar 11, 2015 12:57 pm

Kibble wrote:The **** about this whole thing is they jacked up the deco and it's still the same issue and will be canceled in many markets...therefor they shoulda just left the damn thing as it was and released it to the same market as a better figure.

100% agree. Would rather have had an uncompromised deco, especially given the inability to distribute to many of these markets anyway.

I know the pressure's on US retailers and importers, not TT, but I'm still surprised TT didn't verify the revised deco would be OK before finalizing it.

Website · by **MartianSpyGirl1996** » Wed Mar 11, 2015 1:22 pm

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:It's not illegal to own one (unlike MP Megatron in Australia, ho boy...), he just can't be sold in stores there. As long as you don't intent on selling (large quantities of) him, customs shouldn't be much of a problem. Don't take my word for it tho.

Here’s hoping you’re right

by **Andrius** » Wed Mar 11, 2015 4:07 pm

thedistinctroom wrote:This topic is so funny to me because right now on eBay, anyone can actually already buy this. However, they are obviously KO's, but they are KO's of an unreleased toy. If the real version does not get released, it's no worry, due to the overwhelming availability of this toy already, albiet in an unfortunate and unscrupulous form.

I doubt these are KOs. Most seem to be preorders, on faith. Usually MPs get knocked off AFTER they've been released, I believe -- not before.

News Credits: 10 · by **sol magnus** » Wed Mar 11, 2015 4:12 pm

Andrius wrote:
thedistinctroom wrote:This topic is so funny to me because right now on eBay, anyone can actually already buy this. However, they are obviously KO's, but they are KO's of an unreleased toy. If the real version does not get released, it's no worry, due to the overwhelming availability of this toy already, albiet in an unfortunate and unscrupulous form.

I doubt these are KOs. Most seem to be preorders, on faith. Usually MPs get knocked off AFTER they've been released, I believe -- not before.

The one I purchased said "100% Authentic". It had to for me to buy it.

News Credits: 1 · by **durroth** » Wed Mar 11, 2015 5:11 pm

they also say estimated delivery sometime between the ends of april and may

Website · by **MartianSpyGirl1996** » Wed Mar 11, 2015 7:17 pm

I’m hoping there will be an Exhaust knock-off closer to the actual car and slathered in Philip Morris/Marlboro logos since it seems like the last **** they gave was never, lol

I would buy one of those over an actual Exhaust in a heartbeat...

News Credits: 4 · by **King Kuuga** » Thu Mar 12, 2015 3:11 pm

I understand the real reasons this toy can't be sold in the US, but:

We have been in contact with the law firm representing Phillip Morris and they told us that the changes were not substantial enough to eliminate potential consumer confusion between the Marlboro trademarked design and the current paint deco on the MP-23 Exhaust.

I thank them for looking out for my well-being. I know I'm very likely to confuse a pack of cigarettes with a toy car. Extremely likely.

News Credits: 241 · by **Jelze Bunnycat** » Thu Mar 12, 2015 3:16 pm

That Bot wrote:I understand the real reasons this toy can't be sold in the US, but:
We have been in contact with the law firm representing Phillip Morris and they told us that the changes were not substantial enough to eliminate potential consumer confusion between the Marlboro trademarked design and the current paint deco on the MP-23 Exhaust.

I thank them for looking out for my well-being. I know I'm very likely to confuse a pack of cigarettes with a toy car. Extremely likely.

It's not the customer, but the folks in Congress they're afraid of (or whoever is in charge in upholding the law...). U.S. Stores sell Exhaust as is, they think it's promoting smoking because of that design, they go after the company who owns the design, in this case Phillip Morris, you can guess the rest.

News Credits: 4 · by **King Kuuga** » Thu Mar 12, 2015 3:22 pm

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:
That Bot wrote:I understand the real reasons this toy can't be sold in the US, but:
We have been in contact with the law firm representing Phillip Morris and they told us that the changes were not substantial enough to eliminate potential consumer confusion between the Marlboro trademarked design and the current paint deco on the MP-23 Exhaust.

I thank them for looking out for my well-being. I know I'm very likely to confuse a pack of cigarettes with a toy car. Extremely likely.

It's not the customer, but the folks in Congress they're afraid of (or whoever is in charge in upholding the law...). U.S. Stores sell Exhaust as is, they think it's promoting smoking because of that design, they go after the company who owns the design, in this case Phillip Morris, you can guess the rest.

Like I said, I get it, I really do. I've read through the last few pages. It was just..... amusing wording on their part.

by **hinomars19** » Thu Mar 12, 2015 5:14 pm

This reminds me of the stuff with the Breaking bad action figures. Adult collectible or no, a toy is a toy to most parents, and governments know this.
It's irrelevant that a lot of games are sold to kids that carry far more damaging content, how many kids must play stuff like GTA? A parent buying exhaust and literally giving it to his kid would be less harmful than anything SEEN in those games, but that's not how peoples' logic and the laws surrounding this work.

News Credits: 293 · by **shajaki** » Thu Mar 12, 2015 8:21 pm

If I may, I would like to give my opinion on all this nonsense.

Who on earth (who isn't already informed) going to even make the connection to this toy car, and cigarettes? There's no actual cigarette logo's or writing on the car. But it has something that VAGUELY resembles their logo? And the car this is based on is from some time ago, is that logo even in use anymore? I would understand the insanity if it had Marlboro written all over him, but that's not the case.

Rant over. For the record I understand the whole legal debacle >:oP

News Credits: 1235 · by **LOST Cybertronian** » Thu Mar 12, 2015 8:36 pm

shajaki wrote:is that logo even in use anymore?

: 1.jpg (20.45 KiB) Viewed 12611 times

Don't smoke kids you will get lung herpes

News Credits: 293 · by **shajaki** » Thu Mar 12, 2015 8:55 pm

*shrug*

I don't know my cigarettes I guess :lol:

Website · by **MartianSpyGirl1996** » Thu Mar 12, 2015 9:38 pm

But still, people who are uninformed would think that’s the design of the car, not a cigarette design.

by **Desslok2201** » Thu Mar 12, 2015 9:47 pm

Just thought of something... Mirage has 'Citanes' instead of 'Gitanes' (For those of you who don't know, it's a brand of French cigs) We're not going to go through this all over again when he's released, are we?

News Credits: 439 · by **Sabrblade** » Thu Mar 12, 2015 10:30 pm

Desslok2201 wrote:Just thought of something... Mirage has 'Citanes' instead of 'Gitanes' (For those of you who don't know, it's a brand of French cigs) We're not going to go through this all over again when he's released, are we?

Though it's possible Takara could choose to avoid this altogether by just omitting the "Citanes" text from a MP Ligier, it's also possible that the Gitanes brand is too obscure to raise a fuss over the "Citanes" text. Plus, Gitanes doesn't really have a presence in the U.S. anyway, so there might be much less to worry about for Ligier's "Citanes" text.

News Credits: 241 · by **Jelze Bunnycat** » Fri Mar 13, 2015 9:17 am

Sabrblade wrote:
Desslok2201 wrote:Just thought of something... Mirage has 'Citanes' instead of 'Gitanes' (For those of you who don't know, it's a brand of French cigs) We're not going to go through this all over again when he's released, are we?
Though it's possible Takara could choose to avoid this altogether by just omitting the "Citanes" text from a MP Ligier, it's also possible that the Gitanes brand is too obscure to raise a fuss over the "Citanes" text. Plus, Gitanes doesn't really have a presence in the U.S. anyway, so there might be much less to worry about for Ligier's "Citanes" text.

I look up the Gitanes design, and found another factor in our favor: no color patterns, the logo and image is printed on a single colored background, in this case blue. Marlboro has the dual-colored pattern which is trademarked. Since you can hardly trademark a single color and claim it as your own, Gitanes would have no case especially if the name is omitted completely.