History Main / MerchandiseDriven

* The ''MetalHeroes'' franchise of the early 80s to mid 90s featured the same kind of toys most sentai do, however a lot more emphasis was placed on firearms such as BlueSwat's famous Dictator, which fired frighteningly similar to a real gun.
** Also, they had ''crazy'' arsenals even when it was just one hero, as much gear as the average ''SuperSentai'' series (right down to the giant robot in some cases.) Bikes, tanks, drill-tanks, fighter jets, and [[SpaceSheriffGavan at least one giant mecha-dragon]] all launched from a huge flying base. There are whole sentai teams who don't have as deep a bag of tricks as a Space Sheriff may on his lonesome.

* ''WesternAnimation/SkyDancers'' and its SpearCounterpart, ''WesternAnimation/DragonFlyz''.

* ''{{WesternAnimation/Robotix}}''. Strangely, the animated series entry on Wikipedia is many times bigger than the toyline entry, while in other countries (such as France) the animated series is totally unknown (while the toyline is merely "obscure").

** It's sister series ''VideoGame/{{Aikatsu}}'' however is different; It's manly a Creator/{{Sunrise}} series, but Telecom is a co-producer on it, and the reason why Telecom did this is not to make up lost money on other projects (it started production around the same time ''JusticeLeagueDoom'' came out which was a bigger bomb (it cost at least 40 million dollars to make [[note]]it was at first said that the DTV cost 69 million dollars to make, [[http://www.toonzone.net/forums/dc-animation-forum/303343-dc-animated-original-movie-poll-3.html#post4114163 however]], Telecom called out about it and said that the DTV did not cost that much to make[[/note]], Telecom only made 2.6 million on it) then ''First Flight'', Telecom made up the money on this and ''WesternAnimation/SupermanVsTheElite'' after WarnerBros [[http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/warner-bros-shuts-down-premiere-361400 shut down Warner Premiere for 200 million dollars, and then give them 100% of the money]] so that Telecom can get back the money that it lost on said DirectToVideo movies) but to fund other projects (at first, Telecom only did this to [[http://www.cartoonbrew.com/disney/mecha-mickey-and-the-disney-super-sentai-72295.html green light a pitch of a Mickey Mouse Mech show to Disney & Bandai]] after Disney was picked up outsiders shows like ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'' and ''WesternAnimation/WanderOverYonder'', however, Bob Iger ended up rejected it as it will cost to much to make, NamcoBandai ended up getting stuck with Telecom, but unlike Lilpri, Telecom made [[CashCowFranchise truck loads of money on Aikatsu, and in the mouth of January alone, Telecom made over 200 million dollars in profits on it alone]] (however most of it comes from merchandising as [[http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/bbs/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=2394163&highlight=aikatsu#2394163 the ratings are not that hot, going around Anpanman's numbers, meaning that their good, just not as good as other shows airing around the same time]]), and Namco Bandai ended up staying with them; Namco Bandai was going use them in their upcoming ''VideoGame/BravoMan'' animated series so that they don't have to waste their talents (at least in Namco Bandai's opinion) on ''Aikatsu''), [[http://kotaku.com/5989276/a-brand+new-cartoon-shows-video-game-heroes-hate-annoying-help-messages-too but ended up rejecting them because of cost and the time it will take to make it and instead using]] CopernicusStudios in Canada; Who know what will come out of this for Telecom but they hope that something good will come out of this.

* HumungousMecha anime is naturally a merchandise driven genre; the {{DVD}} and BluRay sales don't matter, only how many robot toys you can sell.

* ''StrawberryShortcake''. Cue dolls, houses, makeup.. the whole works.
** Parodied in ''{{Peanuts}}'', with a short-lived character named Tapioca Pudding. Her father is a merchandiser who's determined to license her image on an infinite number of knickknacks, including lunch boxes.
* A more recent example, the Canadian cartoon ''RubyGloom'', despite its charm, was created to promote a line of clothing and stationery; given which, you'd think said clothing and stationery would be a lot easier to ''find''.
* ''CareBears'': Originally created to appear on greeting cards, according to TheOtherWiki, it was spun off into a toyline, with the main reason of existence of the cartoons and movies being a shill to market the toys.
* The ''Merrie Melodies'' cartoons were originally designed to promote music owned by WarnerBros Eventually, however, that distinction was dropped, with the names ''Merrie Melodies'' and ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'' basically becoming interchangeable.

* MechaAnime is naturally a merchandise driven genre; the {{DVD}} and BluRay sales don't matter, only how many robot toys you can sell.

* MechaAnime is naturally a merchandise driven genre, the {{DVD}} and BluRay sales don't matter, only how many robots you can sell.

* MechaAnime is naturally a merchandise driven genre, the Blue Rays don't matter, only how many robots you can sell.

* ''GnomeoAndJuliet'' is an interesting variation on this trope. It was put into production by Disney in the late '90s as a passion project for EltonJohn (who had previously done the music for Disney's ''TheLionKing''), who at that point hadn't made a compilation album. Disney's logic was that if they crammed as many of Elton John's biggest hits into the film as they could, they'd then make a fortune by positioning the movie's soundtrack as an unofficial "Greatest Hits" album. [[NotMakingThisUpDisclaimer Seriously.]] It turns out this wasn't actually such a good idea, and [[TroubledProduction after nearly a decade of trying to make the film work]] Disney gave up on it and handed it off to someone else.

** The show's {{Spiritual Successor}}s, ''TomicaHeroRescueForce'' and ''[[TomicaHeroRescueFire Rescue Fire]]'', actually have a toy company's name in the title.

* Several LEGO series have been the subject of such cartoons. ''Bionicle'' had several DirectToVideo (later DVD) movies, and the later ''HeroFactory'' got a TV series on Nicktoons. CartoonNetwork has a TV show based on the ''Ninjago'' line, and have one planned for the SpiritualSuccessor, ''Legends of Chima''.

* DC produced three mini-series for Creator/{{Kenner}}'s ''Super Powers Collection'' toy line. The minis are fondly remembered today due to featuring artwork from legendary comic artists like Carmine Infantino and JackKirby.

* In it's final season, ''SuperFriends'' was renamed ''The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians'' in order to tie-in to Kenner's popular ''Super Powers Collection'' line of toys. Accordingly, [[ComicBook/TeenTitans Cyborg]] and {{Firestorm}} were added to the cast due to their prominence in the toy line.

** It's sister series ''VideoGame/{{Aikatsu}}'' however is different; It's manly a Creator/{{Sunrise}} series, but Telecom is a co-producer on it, and the reason why Telecom did this is not to make up lost money on other projects (it started production around the same time ''JusticeLeagueDoom'' came out which was a bigger bomb (it cost 69 million dollars to make, Telecom only made 2.6 million on it) then ''First Flight'', Telecom made up the money on this and ''WesternAnimation/SupermanVsTheElite'' after WarnerBros [[http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/warner-bros-shuts-down-premiere-361400 shut down Warner Premiere for 200 million dollars, and then give them 100% of the money]] so that Telecom can get back the money that it lost on said DirectToVideo movies) but to fund other projects (at first, Telecom only did this to [[http://www.cartoonbrew.com/disney/mecha-mickey-and-the-disney-super-sentai-72295.html green light a pitch of a Mickey Mouse Mech show to Disney & Bandai]] after Disney was picked up outsiders shows like ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'' and ''WesternAnimation/WanderOverYonder'', however, Bob Iger ended up rejected it as it will cost to much to make, NamcoBandai ended up getting stuck with Telecom, but unlike Lilpri, Telecom made [[CashCowFranchise truck loads of money on Aikatsu, and in the mouth of January alone, Telecom made over 200 million dollars in profits on it alone]] (however most of it comes from merchandising as [[http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/bbs/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=2394163&highlight=aikatsu#2394163 the ratings are not that hot, going around Anpanman's numbers, meaning that their good, just not as good as other shows airing around the same time]]), and Namco Bandai ended up staying with them; Namco Bandai was going use them in their upcoming ''VideoGame/BravoMan'' animated series so that they don't have to waste their talents (at least in Namco Bandai's opinion) on ''Aikatsu''), [[http://kotaku.com/5989276/a-brand+new-cartoon-shows-video-game-heroes-hate-annoying-help-messages-too but ended up rejecting them because of cost and the time it will take to make it and instead using]] CopernicusStudios in Canada; Who know what will come out of this for Telecom but they hope that something good will come out of this.

* ''Franchise/GIJoe''. This is most blatant with scenes where the plot stops to have the team's bridge layer tank, piloted by Toll-Booth, appear out of nowhere to lay a hinged two-piece bridge on a gap that is ''always'' just the right size for it.

* Parodied in the ''[[ShowWithinAShow Cheat Commandos]]'' in ''WebAnimation/HomestarRunner''. The show is not only blatantly market-driven, it doesn't even ''attempt'' to hide this fact. Buildings are routinely referred to as "playsets," and one of the toys is called the "action figure storage vehicle" within the show. "Cheap as Free" (the name of the fictional toy manufacturer) appears every time a new object appears, and the show's theme song includes "[[LampshadeHanging Buy all our playsets and toys!]]" This is particularly ironic since Homestarrunner.com is, itself, entirely supported by merchandise. In fact, they sell [[http://www.homestarrunnerstore.com/chcofi.html an actual set of Cheat Commando figures]] in the shop, and papercraft playsets are downloadable for free.

* This ended up being one of the reasons for the cancellation of the WesternAnimation/MegaMan cartoon show, due to strife between Bandai and Capcom about the sales of the toys based on it. It also overlaps with WhatCouldHaveBeen, as the cancelled action figures included Proto Man in his Break Man outfit and Bass, suggesting these would have been status quo changes for the third season.
* ''WesternAnimation/MaxiesWorld'': Hasbro introduced a line of dolls in 1988, and there also was an animated series that aired during the 1989-1990 season.

* Deconstructed in ''Literature/SailorNothing'', when Himei notes that "I'm very tired." wouldn't sell any action figures. Nor would her second catch phrase; [[spoiler:"I want to live."]]