Seibertron.com Energon Pub Forums

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...

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

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

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

shajaki wrote:is that logo even in use anymore?

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?

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.