Submitted By: Tony_Bacala
Hasbro Celebrates 20 Years of the TRANSFORMERS Brand at the Official TRANSFORMERS Collectors’ Convention in Chicago
Convention expected to draw thousands of fans from around the world
PAWTUCKET, R.I., JULY 29, 2004 – Thousands of TRANSFORMERS fans from all over the world will converge on the Chicago area on July 31 and August 1 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the original ROBOTS IN DISGUISE at the Official TRANSFORMERS Collectors’ Convention.
Co-sponsored by Hasbro, Inc. (NYSE: HAS), marketers of the TRANSFORMERS brand, and organized by 3H Productions, Inc., operators of the Official TRANSFORMERS Collectors’ Club, the convention will take place at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, IL. This year marks the 10th anniversary of organized TRANSFORMERS conventions in the U.S.
“We are fortunate to have built such a devoted following during the TRANSFORMERS brand’s 20-year history and we look forward to celebrating the anniversary with our fans,� said Michelle Field, Director of Marketing for Hasbro’s TRANSFORMERS brand. “The convention is a terrific opportunity for fans to meet, share memories and hopefully find some special TRANSFORMERS figures for their collections.�
Convention activities are planned that are sure to appeal to TRANSFORMERS fans of all ages, including: panels with special celebrity guests from the toy, comic book, and television industries, including voice actors from every TRANSFORMERS animated series aired in the U.S; a panel and presentation of the latest TRANSFORMERS products by Hasbro; and convention-exclusive TRANSFORMERS toys, including the heroic SENTINEL MAXIMUS and the evil MEGAZARAK characters, in addition to other convention exclusive merchandise.
Other activities include: dealer tables featuring hundreds of vintage and current TRANSFORMERS merchandise for sale; airings of every episode from the TRANSFORMERS: GENERATION 1 animated series and TRANSFORMERS: THE MOVIE; fan art display room and contest/auction; and a live-action script reading featuring voice actor guests and two lucky convention attendees. Hasbro will also offer a free, specially produced TRANSFORMERS ENERGON accessory and a mini-comic to fans who participate in the Company’s annual TRANSFORMERS survey.
The convention is open to the public on Saturday, July 31, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and on Sunday, August 1, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Walk-in passes are available for $20 per day, or $30 for both days. For more information about the convention or the Official TRANSFORMERS Collectors’ Club, visit www.otfcc.com.
In 1984, the TRANSFORMERS brand took the world by storm with its compelling saga of the ROBOTS
IN DISGUISE, and quickly became a childhood rite of passage with a tremendously successful toy line
from Hasbro and Takara, comic book series, television program and animated feature film. Twenty years
later, a new generation of kids has discovered the excitement of the TRANSFORMERS brand and the
legendary characters, such as OPTIMUS PRIME and MEGATRON, which truly are “more than meets
the eye.�
Hasbro’s TRANSFORMERS brand expands well beyond the core toy line with a variety of entertainment and licensed merchandise, including the TRANSFORMERS: ENERGON animated series airing on the Cartoon Network, a top-selling comic book series from Dreamwave, which sold more than two million copies last year, a fan club comic book series by 3H Productions, and the highly rated Atari video game for the PlayStation 2 game console. In addition, it was recently announced that Hasbro will work with DreamWorks Pictures and Paramount Pictures on a live-action, motion picture based on the property slated for the summer of 2006, which Steven Spielberg will Executive Produce.
Hasbro (NYSE: HAS) is a worldwide leader in children’s and family leisure time entertainment products and services, including the design, manufacture and marketing of games and toys ranging from traditional to high-tech. Both internationally and in the U.S., its PLAYSKOOL, TONKA, MILTON BRADLEY, PARKER BROTHERS, TIGER and WIZARDS OF THE COAST brands and products provide the highest quality and most recognizable play experiences in the world.