History Main / MerchandiseDriven

* Creator/MarvelComics had ''several'' toy-based series in the late 70s/early 80s: in addition to ''Micronauts,'' there was also ''ComicBook/ShogunWarriors'','' ComicBook/RomSpaceKnight'', ''Franchise/{{Transformers}}'', ''Franchise/GIJoe'' and others. Somewhat unexpectedly, nearly all of them, especially ''G.I. Joe'', are usually regarded as quite good. All of these (except ''Transformers'' and ''Joe'') were considered part of the main Marvel Universe, meaning they could interact with Marvel characters. In fact, even after losing the rights to the main characters, Marvel still owns the ones they created (such as the Dire Wraiths from ''Rom'') and they still show up in the comics occasionally. Marvel also created a few series that were ''intended'' to be adapted as toy lines, such as ''ComicBook/CrystarCrystalWarrior'' with Remco.

* During the 90s, Creator/ScottLobdell had wanted to redesign [[Characters/XMenTheOriginalTeam Iceman]] in order to give him a spikier, more {{Animesque}} look. At the time, he was shot down by his editor and told that [=ToyBiz=] would be pissed if the character no longer resembled the Iceman action figure that was currently in stores. Ironically, after learning of the proposed new design, Marvel's marketing department later wound up okaying the idea, as they realized Iceman's new look was more toyetic, and thus would be more appealing to merchandisers.

*** ''Kamen Rider'' has whistles for ''Kiva'', {{cards|OfPower}} for ''Decade'', USB memory sticks for ''Double'', medals for ''OOO'', switches for ''Fourze'', [[RingOfPower rings]] for ''Wizard'', padlocks for ''Gaim'', cars for ''Drive'', eyeball-like gadgets for ''Ghost'', video game UsefulNotes/{{cartridge}}s for ''Ex-Aid'', bottles for ''Build'', pocketwatches for ''Zi-O'', keycards for ''Zero-One'', books for ''Saber'', stamps for ''Revice'', and belt buckle attachments for ''Geats''. Not only do these objects work with the toys such as the TransformationTrinket and the weapons, but they also provide powerups in the arcade games.

* The ''Literature/AmericanGirlsCollection'' of books is this trope combined with the need for role models. Every book in the series (until the [=BeForever=] remvamp, made sure to tie the images in the books to the historical character's collections and featured at minimal a new outfit for the central character and corresponding doll--a school outfit, a Christmas outfit, a birthday outfit, and so on--along with accessories. For example, the cover of ''Happy Birthday Samantha'' has her in her birthday dress, holding her gifted teddy bear, and with her table and chairs decked out with her birthday treats—all things that could be purchased as part of her collection. It can sometimes feel like a stretch to include these items--Addy, recently emancipated from enslavement and starting life over in the city, manages to get nice new dresses regularly (that show the fashions of the era) because her mother is a seamstress. Others make little sense or were clearly shoehorned in to fit the patterns of the characters--e.g. Felicity gets a lamb for her birthday because ''every'' character had to have a pet in her birthday book and while it's written that Posie is to help teach Felicity and her siblings about caring for young creatures, Posie is [[AbsentAnimalCompanion never seen after that book]]. The merchandise ends up working for the series, though, because the items are (even if improbable to the story) [[ShownTheirWork impressively well-researched]] and usually end up contributing to the sense of representing the era history or have meaning in the story.

* The ''Literature/AmericanGirlsCollection'' of books is this trope combined with the need for role models. Every book in the series (until the [=BeForever=] remvamp, made sure to tie the images in the books to the historical character's collections and featured at minimal a new outfit for the central character and corresponding doll--a school outfit, a Christmas outfit, a birthday outfit, and so on--along with accessories. For example, the cover of ''Happy Birthday Samantha'' has her in her birthday dress, holding her gifted teddy bear, and with her table and chairs decked out with her birthday treats—all things that could be purchased as part of her collection. It can sometimes feel like a stretch to include these items--Addy, recently emancipated from enslavement and starting life over in the city, manages to get nice new dresses regularly (that show the fashions of the era) because her mother is a seamstress. Others make little sense or were clearly showhorned in to fit the patterns of the characters--e.g. Felicity gets a lamb for her birthday because ''every'' character had to have a pet in her birthday book and while it's written that Posie is to help teach Felicity and her siblings about caring for young creatures, Posie is [[AbsentAnimalCompanion never seen after that book]]. The merchandise ends up working for the series, though, because the items are (even if improbable to the story) [[ShownTheirWork impressively well-researched]] and usually end up contributing to the sense of representing the era history or have meaning in the story.

* The ''Literature/AmericanGirlsCollection'' of books is this trope combined with the need for role models. Every book in the series features a new outfit for the starring character, and for her corresponding doll -- a school outfit, a Christmas outfit, a birthday outfit, and so on, along with accessories, sometimes even extending into doll furniture. They'll bend the universe of the characters in order to make this work -- how does Addy, an escaped slave who is starting life over in the city, manage to get nice new dresses regularly? Her mother is a seamstress. The merchandise ends up working for the series, though, because the accessories are [[ShownTheirWork impressively well-researched]], and usually end up contributing to the sense of history, or to the story -- or both!

* An in-universe example: in Creator/BruceSterling's ''Zeitgeist'', the girl-band G-7 was created by Leggy Starlitz primarily to sell TheMerch. The music is only of secondary interest to him.

* Literature/AmericanGirl (until the [=BeForever=] remvamp, made sure to tie the images in the books to the historical character's collections. Initially (until 2004, but still in the internal illustrations) each book cover had images of items sold in the collections displayed to show what purchasers could get to "recreate" the style from the character's story with the doll. For example, the cover of ''Happy Birthday Samantha'' has her in her birthday dress, holding her gifted teddy bear, and with her table and chairs decke out with her birthday treats—all things that could be purchased as part of her collection.

* Film/MagicMikesLastDance is a rare example of this trope being applied to a franchise that isn't primarily geared towards children and/or "geek" types, primarily existing to promote the ''Magic Mike Live'' stage show and even featuring many of the dancers who perform in it.

* Creator/MarvelComics' ''ComicBook/{{Secret Wars|1984}}'' miniseries was created to promote sales of Creator/{{Mattel}}'s Marvel toys. As such, certain story elements were implemented for the sole purpose of benefiting the toy line, such as Characters/DoctorDoom's armor being damaged and rebuilt so that he more closely resembled his action figure. Strangely enough, certain characters who played big parts in the series did not get their own figures, while characters who didn't even appear ''at all'' (such as ComicBook/TheFalcon, ComicBook/{{Daredevil}}, Comicbook/BaronZemo and the Hobgoblin) did.
* 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 Creator/JackKirby. The series worked in some of the new designs from the toys, such as the ones for Mantis, Steppenwolf and the Parademons, with even ComicBook/{{Darkseid}} himself donning a cape so he'd look more like his action figure. Some of the vehicles, like the heroes' Delta Probe One and Kalibak's Boulder Bomber craft, also appeared.
* Speaking of the ''Super Powers Collection'', Creator/GeorgePerez designed ComicBook/LexLuthor's suit of green PoweredArmor so it could be adapted as a figure in the line. Though initially discarded after ''ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths'', the look proved popular enough that Lex has worn variations of it in the decades since.
* A similar mini-series was produced for Kenner's ''[[https://www.figurerealm.com/actionfigure?action=seriesitemlist&id=3209&figures=totaljustice Total Justice]]'' action figure line. The contrived plot saw the members of the Franchise/{{Justice League|OfAmerica}} donning high-tech suits of [[PoweredArmor battle armor]] after temporarily losing their abilities. The writer, Creator/{{Christopher Priest|Comics}}, has admitted in later years that the series was pretty awful.

* Likewise, DC introduced the Supermobile for Franchise/{{Superman}} because Corgi's Batmobile toys had proven to be a massive success, and they wanted to see if lightning would strike twice.
* Also, the entire reason Superman's enemy ComicBook/{{Brainiac}} became a living computer is because the makers of the Brainiac toy computer threatened legal action over trademark infringement. As part of a settlement, DC turned the character into a living computer and then [[http://comiccoverage.typepad.com/comic_coverage/2009/04/which-came-first-brainiac-or-brainiac.html included a footnote advertising the toy]].
* During the 90s, Creator/ScottLobdell had wanted to redesign ComicBook/{{Iceman}} in order to give him a spikier, more {{Animesque}} look. At the time, he was shot down by his editor and told that [=ToyBiz=] would be pissed if the character no longer resembled the Iceman action figure that was currently in stores. Ironically, after learning of the proposed new design, Marvel's marketing department later wound up okaying the idea, as they realized Iceman's new look was more toyetic, and thus would be more appealing to merchandisers.

** A ''Franchise/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica'' comic featuring Sears appliances.
** An ''[[ComicBook/TheAvengers Avengers]]'' comic featuring Harley-Davidson motorcycles. This partnership also spilled into installments featuring ''ComicBook/CaptainAmerica'' and ''[[ComicBook/TheMightyThor Thor]]''.
** An ''[[ComicBook/TheAvengers Avengers]]'' comic featuring Audi vehicles, with the cast consisting of characters featured in ''Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar'' (ComicBook/CaptainAmerica, ComicBook/BlackPanther, ComicBook/BlackWidow, ect.)

** A comic starring a CanonForeigner hero who drove a Pontiac Solstice, featuring a guest appearance from ComicBook/BlackCanary.

* ''Avengers: Mech Strike'', a comic book mini-series where ComicBook/IronMan, ComicBook/CaptainAmerica, ComicBook/SpiderMan, ComicBook/BlackPanther, ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk, [[ComicBook/CarolDanvers Captain Marvel]] and ComicBook/BlackWidow pilot {{Humongous Mecha}}s to battle {{Kaiju}}, was launched to promote a line of toys from Hasbro and Lego.
* Likewise, ''Tech-On Avengers'' is a mini-series where Captain America, Black Panther, Captain Marvel, Spider-Man and ComicBook/{{Wolverine}} don suits of PoweredArmor after losing their superhuman abilities, making it similar to ''Total Justice''. The comic was conceived to promote a line of {{Animesque}} Avengers toys from [[Creator/BandaiNamcoEntertainment Bandai]]'s S.H. Figuarts brand.

* ''Franchise/StarWars'' as a whole is rooted heavily in vehicles, gadgets and exotic characters, making it very lucrative. [[Creator/TwentiethCenturyFox Fox]] gave Creator/GeorgeLucas the merchandising rights in lieu of salary as director, assuming ''Film/ANewHope'' [[ItWillNeverCatchOn would flop.]] Not only have the films been [[AndYouThoughtItWouldFail massive box office hits]], the merchandise sells so well that it's a key reason why a major film often needs merchandising potential just to get greenlit these days. The Creator/{{Disney}} era of the franchise has carried on the trend.

*** ''Kamen Rider'' has whistles for ''Kiva'', {{cards|OfPower}} for ''Decade'', USB memory sticks for ''Double'', medals for ''OOO'', switches for ''Fourze'', [[RingOfPower rings]] for ''Wizard'', padlocks for ''Gaim'', cars for ''Drive'', eyeball-like gadgets for ''Ghost'', video game UsefulNotes/{{cartridge}}s for ''Ex-Aid'', bottles for ''Build'', pocketwatches for ''Zi-O'', keycards for ''Zero-One'', books for ''Saber'', stamps for ''Revice'', and belt buckle attachments for ''Geats''. Not only do these objects work with the toys such as the TransformationTrinket and the weapons, but they also provide powerups in the arcade games ''Ganbaride'' and ''Ganbarizing''.
*** ''Super Sentai'' originally pushed as hard as ''Kamen Rider'' did, with power cells in ''Go-Onger'', discs in ''Shinkenger'', and both [[CardsOfPower cards]] and "headers" (mecha heads) in ''Goseiger''. Since then, though, they've settled into a pattern where only every ''other'' year features the collectible aspect: keys in ''Gokaiger'', batteries in ''Kyoryuger'', shuriken in ''Ninninger'', globes in ''Kyuranger'', knight figures in ''Ryusoulger'', and gears in ''Zenkaiger'' and its successor ''[=DonBrothers=]''. In many cases, the collectible isn't just tied to the roleplay gear but is built into the mecha as well; and even in off-years the mecha toys may be compatible with the roleplay items as if they ''were'' the collectibles (see ''[=ToQger=]'' and ''Lupinranger VS Patranger''). ''Power Rangers'' includes these collectibles when they adapt such a season, but generally doesn't appear to market them as hard -- but conversely, when they adapted a season ''without'' collectibles (''Series/TokumeiSentaiGoBusters''), they took the opportunity to add their own (a set of keys in ''Series/PowerRangersBeastMorphers'').

* Another toku franchise, the ''Franchise/UltraSeries'', is quite merchandise driven with its numerous {{Transformation Trinket}}s, weapons, planes, spaceships, kaijus and Ultras all waiting to be turned into plastic toys. In the most recent era (starting in 2013), they've also adopted the collectible aspect from ''Sentai'' and ''Rider''; and the first of these series (''Series/UltramanGinga'' and ''Series/UltramanX'') were the most blatant as the action figures ''themselves'' were used as the in-show collectible (though in defense, ''Ginga'' started out with NoBudget and OffTheShelfFX was a necessity). Since then they've moved to {{cards|OfPower}} (''X'' again, ''Series/UltramanOrb'', and later ''Series/UltramanDecker''), capsules (''Series/UltramanGeed''), crystals (''Series/UltramanRB''), bracelets and rings (''Series/UltramanTaiga''), medals (''Series/UltramanZ''), and USB-like "keys" (''Series/{{Ultraman Trigger|NewGenerationTiga}}'').

* A similar mini-series was produced for Kenner's ''[[https://www.figurerealm.com/actionfigure?action=seriesitemlist&id=253 Total Justice]]'' action figure line. The contrived plot saw the members of the Franchise/{{Justice League|OfAmerica}} donning high-tech suits of [[PoweredArmor battle armor]] after temporarily losing their abilities. The writer, Creator/{{Christopher Priest|Comics}}, has admitted in later years that the series was pretty awful.

* ''VideoGame/{{Aikatsu}}'' was made to promote an arcade card/rhythm game of the same name. The events of the anime and the clothes worn by the characters during performances are made to match the content of the expansion pack released on the arcade game. Some episodes are even related to some of the side merchandises. During its first years, it perhaps was one of the most successful of these kinds of shows in Japan-it makes more money than ''Pretty Cure'' does! Unfortunately, that success didn’t last too long, as the series became less and less profitable over the years, especially recently, but it didn’t lose its [[CultClassic small but dedicated fanbase]] that it gained in these years.

* The ''Franchise/{{Batman}}''
** The Tim Burton films are pretty good examples of this, Batman has a [[CrazyPrepared wide range of gadgets, vehicles and outfits]] depending on the situation, making him a gold mine of different merchandise to produce and sell. Part of the reason that Burton left the franchise after the second film was that it was felt that his increasingly DarkerAndEdgier vision was causing problems with creating child-friendly merchandise.

* ''Film/WillyWonkaAndTheChocolateFactory,'' a feature length movie widely regarded as a classic. Quaker Oats Company agreed to underwrite the production in order to help the launch of a new line of candy. While the film may have been Merchandise-Driven, it was based on Creator/RoaldDahl's book ''Literature/CharlieAndTheChocolateFactory'' and follows the book closely. While Quaker failed, Nestlé, the eventual owners of the Wonka license, did succeed with the re-releases of the film, as well as the remake.

* The ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'' films are pretty good examples of this, Batman has a [[CrazyPrepared wide range of gadgets, vehicles and outfits]] depending on the situation, making him a gold mine of different merchandise to produce and sell.
** Part of the reason ''Film/BatmanAndRobin'' sucked so bad was because Creator/WarnerBros [[ExecutiveMeddling forced]] Creator/JoelSchumacher to make the film "more toyetic" (a word the director had never heard before then). The films oft-derided visual design choices were partly a result of the art design being rushed so that they could start producing the toys.
** In fact, this trope is partially what led to Schumacher being hired to direct the Batman movies in the first place. In 1989, Creator/TimBurton's ''Film/{{Batman|1989}}'' proved to be a massive hit in both theaters and toy aisles, bringing in an estimated $500 million in merchandise sales. However, the DarkerAndEdgier (and [[HotterAndSexier more sexual]]) nature of [[Film/BatmanReturns the sequel]] outraged parents, resulting in a letter-writing campaign aimed at the studio and UsefulNotes/McDonalds, who had run a Happy Meal promotion based off of the film. The [[Creator/WarnerBros WB]] execs came to believe that Burton's dark and disturbing vision of Batman wasn't conducive to selling merchandise, so he was removed from the director's chair so that the series could shift to a lighter and more colorful (and therefore more toyetic) tone with ''Film/BatmanForever''. This time, [=McDonald=]'s refused to pony up any money until they'd seen the script for ''Forever'', wanting to avoid a repeat of the previous controversy.

* ''Franchise/StarWars'' as a whole is rooted heavily in vehicles, gadgets and exotic characters, making it very lucrative. Previously, toylines based on films were not very successful because films were one-time events and fade quickly, compared to tv shows on for years. As such [[Creator/TwentiethCenturyFox Fox]] gave Creator/GeorgeLucas the merchandising rights in lieu of salary as director, assuming ''Film/ANewHope'' [[ItWillNeverCatchOn would flop.]] Not only have the films been [[AndYouThoughtItWouldFail massive box office hits]], the merchandise sells so well that it's a key reason why a major film often needs merchandising potential just to get greenlit these days. Lucas himself has [[https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.indiewire.com/2015/01/all-the-money-is-in-the-action-figures-george-lucas-slams-empty-hollywood-blockbusters-267636/amp/ admitted]] that while the movies are very successful in their own right, his wealth is primarily from the toys.
** Regarding the Creator/{{Disney}} era, Creator/JJAbrams' company Bad Robots has a share in the merchandise regarding the sequel trilogy, but only on new designs, new characters etc... hence, for instance, the ''Millennium Falcon'' having a new antenna, and plenty of new characters and vehicles being added with each new film of the trilogy. Unfortunately, Lucas allowed that income street to dictate the artistic decisions of the franchise over the pleas of colleagues about where to take the story.

* Parodied in ''Series/GarthMarenghisDarkplace'' when the plot of an episode slams to a halt so Garth can [[AuthorTract moralize about how you always buy name-brand batteries]], then proceeds to give an obvious advertising pitch for Duracell and Everready. Note that this sort of thing can get British TV shows in serious trouble with [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ofcom Ofcom]].

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Cars}}'' quickly became Disney/Pixar's CashCowFranchise in terms of selling merchandise. Kids don't really want Woody, Buzz, or any of the other characters Pixar created; they want cars. It's a symbiotic relationship: despite consistent lukewarm critical and box office reception, John Lasseter keeps producing ''Cars'' films at Pixar, and spin-offs set in the same universe made by [=DisneyToon=] Studios, because [[DoingItForTheArt that world is his personal pet project]], and Disney has no problem letting him do it because he happens to pack each film full of more marketable new vehicle characters than an entire ''Transformers'' series. To put this into a wider perspective, the first ''Cars'' film was green-lit by Michael Eisner specifically because he knew how much money other companies were making by selling car toys. The project Eisner turned down in order to make ''Cars''? An early version of ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory3''. THAT is how valuable he felt the ''Cars'' franchise could become.

[[quoteright:350:[[Franchise/{{Transformers}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/optimi_7791.jpg]]]]

* Creator/MarvelComics' ''ComicBook/{{Secret Wars|1984}}'' miniseries was created to promote sales of Creator/{{Mattel}}'s Marvel toys. As such, certain story elements were implemented for the sole purpose of benefiting the toy line, such as ComicBook/DoctorDoom's armor being damaged and rebuilt so that he more closely resembled his action figure. Strangely enough, certain characters who played big parts in the series did not get their own figures, while characters who didn't even appear ''at all'' (such as ComicBook/TheFalcon, ComicBook/{{Daredevil}}, Comicbook/BaronZemo and the Hobgoblin) did.

!!Examples:

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* This ended up being one of the reasons for the cancellation of the ''WesternAnimation/MegaManRubySpears'' 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. Of course, the series also served to promote the [[VideoGame/MegaManClassic video games]] it was based on.
* ''WesternAnimation/MaxiesWorld'': Creator/{{Hasbro}} introduced a line of dolls in 1988, and there also was an animated series that aired during the 1989-1990 season. (Indeed, the cartoon was largely [=DiC=] using what it could salvage when a proposed ''Franchise/{{Barbie}}'' show with Mattel fell through)
* According to Creator/RobLiefeld, [[WhatCouldHaveBeen he almost had a deal]] for a ''ComicBook/{{Youngblood}}'' cartoon on Creator/FoxKids, which would've been created for the sole purpose of promoting an action figure line from Mattel. When Fox signed an exclusive deal with [[Creator/MarvelComics Marvel]] (thus killing Liefeld's cartoon in the cradle), Mattel dropped the idea for the toy line.
* ''WesternAnimation/CaptainSimianAndTheSpaceMonkeys'' was intended to be this trope but the action figures didn't sell, which led to its cancellation despite the fact that the show itself was pretty damn clever and well received. ''ComicBook/BuckyOHareAndTheToadWars'' met its doom after one season for the same reason.
* All the ''Franchise/GIJoe'' cartoons. 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 down, extending the size of the bridge to fit larger gaps. Of course, real-life armored vehicle-launched bridges can't extend their length like that, nor can the toy.
* ''Franchise/{{Transformers}}''. An odd instance of the fandom ''embracing'' this. Toy reviews abound, fanfic tends to feature toy characters who weren't on the show, etc. Most notably, if a character ''doesn't'' have a toy made, you'll often hear fans clamoring for it... the RuleOfCool applies here, and the RuleOfFun even more so, but they're double-edged swords: a sub-standard ''figure'' tends to garner far more backlash than a sub-par episode. The [[Website/TFWikiDotNet Transformers Wiki]] has [[http://tfwiki.net/wiki/To_sell_toys a whole page]] about this.\\\
The original 1984 cartoon had its canon (or the closest thing a relatively episodic series can have to a canon) more or less entirely shaped according to [[ExecutiveMeddling corporate whims]]. Creator/{{Hasbro}} and Takara wanted to showcase so many characters, often at the same time, that episode premises were usually written without any specific characters in mind (aside from big names like Optimus Prime, Megatron, Bumblebee, Starscream, etc.) so that they could be slotted in later once they knew which toys the companies wanted them to push. Since this left very little time for character development, especially for teams like the Combaticons and Aerialbots, it resulted in the show's characteristic "introdumps"--sequences where four or five characters would be introduced in rapid succession with one or two lines of dialogue to establish their names, personalities, and occasionally special abilities before rushing back to the plot. (The GrandFinale "The Rebirth" is by far the worst as a result of being edited down from five parts to three; by the writer's own math, the absolute most time that passes without a new character showing up is a minute and a half.) Later, more experienced incarnations of the franchise are much better about this, although the toy companies' influence occasionally still results in unorthodox plotting.\\\
It's a good thing that ''Transformers'' works both ways -- the shows are always based on toys, but if the characters are popular enough, they may get toys made of them long after their cartoon has ended. That way, Hasbro can rectify the occasional bothersome dissonances between what the toy and the on-show model looked like, ''and'' get more money for themselves.\\\
In fact, the adult ''Transformers'' fandom has embraced this to such an extent, that a number of third party companies exist by producing unofficial Transformers toys. They typically make high quality figures of Generation One characters which Hasbro / Takara (the licence holders) never created, which can retail for up to four times the cost of an official figure of the same size, due to higher production costs and niche market power.
* ''WesternAnimation/HeManAndTheMastersOfTheUniverse1983''. Mattel originally made the toys first. These were sold each with its own "mini-comic" to establish the ''Franchise/MastersOfTheUniverse'' franchise, and the television series followed a couple of years later, coincidentally throwing out most of the established backstory. The toy-based version of He-Man appeared in a few Creator/DCComics, teaming up with Franchise/{{Superman}}, before getting his own series from Creator/MarvelComics. According to Creator/JMichaelStraczynski, who wrote some of the episodes, ''He-Man'' was the TropeCodifier for the Merchandise-Driven cartoon.
** ''WesternAnimation/HeManAndTheMastersOfTheUniverse2002'', was a short-lived attempt at a relatively more serious revival. Despite the show being well-received by fans, it was short-lived largely because of its poorly executed toy line. (Near non-existent promotion and inconsistent timeslots didn't help, but the flop of the toy line was the killing blow.) Glutting the shelves with virtually nothing but [[TheHero He-Man]] and [[BigBad Skeletor]] (often in the form of ill-conceived variants rather than their usual on-screen outfits to boot) and making it near-impossible to buy any of the supporting heroes and villains turned out to be a poor strategy.
* The ''[[WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles]]'' cartoon. Interestingly, it was ''originally'' [[ComicBook/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtlesMirage an indie comic]] created by two guys who were trying to push the genre as far as it would go, in order to make a not-entirely-serious point. In fact, the series was created because Creator/PlaymatesToys, who the two guys approached for toys, (after many other companies [[ItWillNeverCatchOn passed on the property entirely]]) would only take a chance on making toys relating to the comics if there was a cartoon to give further promotion\exposure. Hence Comic Book Raphael calling his 1987 counterparts "sellouts" in ''WesternAnimation/TurtlesForever''.
** Though it originally didn't start out this way, ''WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2003'' wound up falling into this trope by the last few seasons especially with Creator/PlaymatesToys still having a good amount of control on the franchise, particularly with the ''Fast Forward'' and ''Back to the Sewers'' seasons.
** And of course, ''WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2012'' owes a lot to this as well, hence why nearly every episode is a MonsterOfTheWeek one with new mutations, and even ones that aren't usually still involve one - that way there's more monster toys for the kids to buy and pit them against their turtle figures.
** ''WesternAnimation/RiseOfTheTeenageMutantNinjaTurtles'' sadly wound up demonstrating just how much this is important, as it was cancelled under Creator/{{Nickelodeon}}'s orders before the production of its second season due to low toy sales, with most remaining plot points having been quickly discarded.
* A short-lived British animated series called ''Child's Farm'' was made to sell, out of all products, shampoo. Although the shampoo is still being made, it is more popular than the show and so the show was cancelled.
* ''WesternAnimation/JayceAndTheWheeledWarriors'', which was cancelled after the first season because the toys didn't sell well, as none the characters were in the Wheeled Warriors toyline -- only the vehicles were. (Action figures of the characters were planned, but never released.) That's why the show has NoEnding -- the plot would have been resolved in a [[TheMovie movie]] that died along with the series.
* ''WesternAnimation/Ben10'': The original series didn't start out this way, as the first toyline didn't sell all that well and the network had more faith in ''WesternAnimation/TheSecretSaturdays'' as their toy-selling cash-cow... but then ''The Secret Saturdays'' failed to gain much popularity, while the ''WesternAnimation/Ben10AlienForce'' line was a huge hit that outsold the Power Rangers line one year. Which is a big accomplishment. The entire series became much more toyetic as a result.
** ''WesternAnimation/Ben102016'' appears to be even more toyetic than the original show it serves as a reboot of, especially with its redesigns of Stinkfly and Wildvine to look like superheros in costumes rather than a huge bug and a PlantPerson.
* The whole point of ''WesternAnimation/WinkyDink'' is that the title character [[FakeInteractivity asks the viewers to draw props on the screen]], which he uses. To do this without damaging or dirtying your TV, you had to use "Winky Dink Kits", consisting of clear plastic overlays that stuck onto the screen and crayons for drawing on it, for which the show conveniently provided ordering instructions.
* The producers of ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'' later confessed that they were ordered by their bosses to produce this series as simply a means to selling more Batman toys. However, the producers, creators of the Franchise/DCAnimatedUniverse, worked their talent and created a dynamite television series after all. Ironically you would've been hard pressed to find any ''Batman Beyond'' toys even when the show was still on the air.
* The same thing occurred with ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManTheAnimatedSeries'' and its story editor John Semper, who managed to sneak in compelling plot {{Story Arc}}s into the limited animation cartoon, which was specifically supposed to be designed to sell a line of action figures.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Redakai}}'' was made in an attempt to support a card game of the same name, with the characters "Unlocking new X-drives" (basically opening a booster pack of cards and [[ProductPromotionParade listing them off]]) at the end of each episode.
** A glaring example of this is a comment made when Ky unveils his "[[GoldenSuperMode Gold Metanoid]]":
--> '''Boomer''' - I've ''got'' to get me one of those!
* ''WesternAnimation/PrydeOfTheXMen'' was conceived as an attempt to [[FollowTheLeader chase the success]] of similar cartoon and toy combos like ''He-Man'', ''G.I. Joe'' and ''Transformers''. The pilot was originally going to be a simpler story involving the Sentinels as the villains, but the toy company insisted that Comicbook/{{Magneto}} and the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants be used instead, so that all of the major characters in the show's potential action figure line would be introduced as quickly as possible.
* ''WesternAnimation/IronManTheAnimatedSeries'' primarily existed to sell toys, which is why there was such a heavy emphasis on Iron Man's {{Environment Specific A|ctionFigure}}rmors. The first season's overall premise of Iron Man leading a team of colorful superheroes into battle against a team of equally-colorful supervillains led by the Mandarin was also very obviously conceived with the action figures in mind. When the show got cancelled, the remaining toys were {{ReTool}}ed [[DolledUpInstallment and sold as]] ''Spider-Man'' and ''X-Men'' figures.
* The ''WesternAnimation/FantasticFourTheAnimatedSeries'' also had a pretty heavy emphasis on the more merchandisable aspects of the comics, such as the [[CoolCar the Fantasticar]]. There was even some initial resistance to the heavy ReTool that took place during the second season, as the [=ToyBiz=] execs disliked the fact that the new FF costumes did not look like the ones featured in the show's action figure line.
* ''Franchise/MyLittlePony'', to the point where, because there were [[EnvironmentSpecificActionFigure costumes and accessories]] as well as the ponies in the toy line, there were entire episodes in some installments where the ponies are dressed as cheerleaders and in bathing suits, apropos of ''nothing''.
** In response to the unexpectedly massive PeripheryDemographic for ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'', Hasbro switched gears extremely quickly (by toyline standards), rapidly introducing new/recoloured/retooled ponies and minifigs over the course of 2012. They still devote entire episodes to specific toy lines, but they're mostly the season premieres or finales, downplaying this trope somewhat.
** As with ''Transformers'', there are numerous instances of toys being made specifically to appeal to fan demand. In particular, G4 is the first generation of Franchise/MyLittlePony to release toys based on antagonists; characters like Trixie, Nightmare Moon, and Chrysalis would almost certainly have never gotten toys if not for the fanbase. The most extreme example is probably "Derpy Hooves", who ended up getting a limited edition Comic-con figure (among other toys and merchandise) despite most of her popularity stemming from the fact that [[MemeticBystander she had a goofy expression in her initial appearance]].
** And then there was ''[[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirls Equestria Girls]]'' -- dropping the pivotal part of the title solely to create new versions of the characters so Hasbro can have a line of dolls to compete with the trend of fantasy 'alternative' doll lines, such as ''Monster High'' and ''Ever After High'', both being made by Hasbro's rival Mattel.
** Parodied by Mr. Poniator's "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CclzM_Be0Qg What I learned today]]" and "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87PoHcW0hTo What I Learned This Time]]", where the lessons of the season finales and openers of ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' are usually variations of "BUY OUR TOYS!"
* The ''Filly'' toy line that was popular in Europe had ''WesternAnimation/FillyFuntasia''. Unfortunately, the brand started to fade out in popularity by the time the TV show [[DevelopmentHell eventually released]], and it didn't help to bring ''Filly'' back into relevancy much, if at all.
* Anything having to do with ''WesternAnimation/TheRealGhostbusters'' cartoon that came out in the late '80s/early '90s. If anything, the [[http://web.archive.org/web/20180724060410/http://www.freewebs.com/gbta/rgbtoyline.htm toy lines]] weren't exploited ''enough''. There were still several vehicles and ghosts from the series that [[ToylessToylineCharacter never made it into toy form]].
* ''WesternAnimation/TheBatman'': There was even a toy that responded to the on screen appearance of the Batwave, which popped up at least OncePerEpisode. Thankfully, it got a lot better with each passing season.
* An excellent example would be the ''WesternAnimation/DinoRiders'' cartoon, designed specifically to sell a line of Tyco dinosaur toys. The VHS tapes even had commercials during the show.
* The ''WesternAnimation/{{Bratz}}'' doll line has managed to launch several direct to DVD crapfests and a major motion picture, and a short-lived animated TV series that was actually [[GuiltyPleasures pretty entertaining]].
* WesternAnimation/{{Barbie}} dolls have been the basis for a series of direct-to-DVD (or VHS) films. Because they are based on the idea of Barbie and the rest "playing" characters, each film (including those in the ongoing ''Fairytopia'' series) has its own line of tie-in products. They even sold a plush doll of a cat from ''WesternAnimation/BarbieAsThePrincessAndThePauper'' that interacted with said film via a special box-like object.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Chaotic}}'': [[http://www.findownersearch.com/chaotic/4314190/ Researching online archives]] suggests that it was ''more'' merchandise-driven before it came to the Americas.
* ''WesternAnimation/StrawberryShortcake''. Cue dolls, houses, makeup.. the whole works.
** Parodied in ''ComicStrip/{{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.
* ''WesternAnimation/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''.
* ''Franchise/CareBears'': Originally created to appear on greeting cards, according to [[Website/{{Wikipedia}} The Other Wiki]], 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 Creator/WarnerBros Eventually, however, that distinction was dropped, with the names ''Merrie Melodies'' and ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'' basically becoming interchangeable. ''WesternAnimation/ILoveToSinga'', a WholePlotReference to ''Film/TheJazzSinger'' (which starred Al Jolson), was a cartoon made to promote the title song, which was used in a soon-to-released Al Jolson film.
* Most of the shows created by Giochi Preziosi, an Italian toy manufacturing company. The biggest ones being ''WesternAnimation/GormitiTheLordsOfNatureReturn'' and ''WesternAnimation/{{Dinofroz}}''.
* There was to be an ''[[WesternAnimation/TheIncredibleCrashDummies Incredible Crash Dummies]]'' CGI animated series. The pilot was free with several action figures for sale. Sadly, it never quite took off. Which is a pity, the show was fairly humorous, ProductPlacement aside. And as they were crash dummies, dismemberment was not unheard of, and in fact was quite frequent, showing just how bad a crash could in fact be.
** The toyline originally spun off from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Crash Dummy [=PSA=]s, starring dummies Vince and Larry. They were licensed to Tyco for the toyline, which was initially known as "Vince & Larry, the Crash Dummies", and the packaging included a U.S. Department of Transportation trademark for their names (as well as the [=PSA=] slogan, "You could learn a lot from a dummy; buckle your safety belt!"). However, the [=PSA=]s ended up getting pulled for fear of being misconstrued as toy commercials (even though neither the toyline nor Tyco were mentioned). At that time, Tyco rebranded the line as "The Incredible Crash Dummies," and Vince and Larry were replaced with [[SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute original characters]] Slick and Spin.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Visionaries}}'': The main characters in the show could undergo VoluntaryShapeshifting by projecting an image of their [[AnimalStereotypes totem animal]] from their chest. The action figures had 1980s hologram stickers on their chests where you could sort of make out the animal if you already knew what it was.
* ''WesternAnimation/AdventuresOfTheGalaxyRangers'' was screwed by this trope. Series creator Robert Mandell and crew launched the show first, then planned on negotiating a toy deal, exactly the opposite on how it was done in TheEighties. The show got pretty good ratings, but the more serious tone [[PeripheryDemographic attracted an audience of teenagers and college students]] who were a little old for toy marketing. Because [[GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff the show was more popular in Europe,]] the toys were released there. However, it was too late by then, as the show was already cancelled.
* Parodied in an episode of ''WesternAnimation/GarfieldAndFriends'' in which Garfield wakes up in the [[NoFourthWall wrong cartoon]], one with giant robots. At one point, when Garfield is wreaking havoc with the giant robots, one of the robots says "The toy company will not like this."
* Parodied in ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' episode "Girly Edition" when Bart and Lisa's news show gets canceled in favor of the "Mattel and Mars Bar Quick-Energy Choc-O-Bot Hour", a {{Sentai}} {{Super Robot|Genre}} show designed to sell action figures, chocolate, and "Entertaining Mattel Products" (ironically, said show was mentioned [[BrickJoke in the beginning of the episode]] as being "barely legal"). And again, with Trans-Clown-O-Morphs. In the episode "The Front", an episode of ''Action Figure Man'' titled "How to Buy Action Figure Man" is somehow nominated for a Best Writing award despite being indistinguishable from a toy commercial. Doubly ironically, Mattel was the first company to make ''Simpsons'' toys, making these jokes examples of BitingTheHandHumor.
* Parodied in ''WesternAnimation/JohnnyBravo'' with ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNVCnO1D0HU Clam League 9000]]'', a bizarre cross between ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' and ''Manga/DragonBall'' where the main character literally shouts at the viewer to "BUY OUR TOYS!"
* The creators of ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheBraveAndTheBold'' stated that the entire Starro storyline was pushed upon them by Mattel in order to sell toys. The writers were also usually forbidden from doing solo episodes about female heroes, as they did not have figures in the tie-in toyline.
** Lampshaded in-story when ComicBook/BoosterGold sarcastically remarks that "The toy company" won't like the idea of him changing into civilian clothes.
** It also gets parodied in the final episode, "Mitefall!": RealityWarper Bat-Mite tries to make the show [[JumpingTheShark jump the shark]]; one of the things he does is insert obvious toy product placements, such as the "Neon-talking Super-Street Bat Luge".
* Toys/HotWheels has had three series (''WesternAnimation/HotWheelsWorldRace'', ''WesternAnimation/HotWheelsAcceleracers'', and ''WesternAnimation/HotWheelsBattleForce5'') under this trope, all in the same overall storyline.
* Very evident in ''WesternAnimation/TheAvengersUnitedTheyStand'', where the heroes wore brightly colored, {{Animesque}} battle armor for no apparent reason other than to shill toys.
* In its final season, ''WesternAnimation/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/{{Cyborg}} and ComicBook/{{Firestorm|DCComics}} were added to the cast due to their prominence in the toy line.
** Averted by the Seventies episodes, however. While there was a line of DC superhero action figures on sale from Mego at the time, the World's Greatest Super Heroes line had its own branding and also included Marvel characters like Spider-Man and the Hulk.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Freakazoid}}'' did a famous parody of this trope in an episode that showcased the [[CoolCar Freakmobile]], even {{lampshading}} the goings on by using and defining the term "toyetic"[[note]]The suitability of a vehicle, character, or franchise to be merchandised as toys[[/note]] onscreen. Series producer Creator/StevenSpielberg popularized the term "toyetic" after a Kenner Toys executive warned him that ''Film/CloseEncountersOfTheThirdKind'' wasn't suitable for merchandising. Spielberg told the executive to license ''Franchise/StarWars'' instead... However, as toyetic as it was, ''Freakazoid'' never had a toy line.
* Although it never was made, in the early 90s Mattel planned to make a ''Franchise/WonderWoman'' toyline and cartoon. The popularity of ''Franchise/SailorMoon'' in Japan at the time inspired them to create a similar series for America called ''ComicBook/WonderWomanAndTheStarRiders''. The series would have been about the exploits of a teenage Wonder Woman as she fought evil alongside four {{Magical Girl}}s. Then suddenly the plan was dropped without a word. The only material that ever reached the public was a tie-in comic DC wrote as part of a promotional deal with Kelloggs.
** While promoting ''WesternAnimation/GreenLanternTheAnimatedSeries'' at Comic Con, Creator/BruceTimm stated that Franchise/WonderWoman has not yet gotten her own animated show because toy companies shy away from female superheroes, and most modern action cartoons depend on toy sales to make up their budgets.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheOblongs'' spoofed this to hell and back with ''Velva'' (a ShowWithinAShow parody of ''Series/XenaWarriorPrincess''), where the characters actually ''pull out the toys during the show'' and use them to diagram a rescue plan.
* The {{Franchise/Nicktoons}} series ''WesternAnimation/{{Zevo 3}}'', as the show's shoe-themed superhero premise arises from a series of Sketchers commercials. It got to the point that parent groups tried to have the show taken off the air for what they viewed as such blatant marketing towards children. Despite this, however, the shoes were rarely, if ever, mentioned in the show itself; instead, it focused on telling an actual story, hinting at darker plots and a vast conspiracy.
* ''Candyland''
* ''Pound Puppies''. [[WesternAnimation/PoundPuppies1980s The version from the 1980s]] is more prominent in peoples minds, though [[WesternAnimation/PoundPuppies2010 the newer version]] has toys as well.
* ''WesternAnimation/LittlestPetShop'' has had [[WesternAnimation/LittlestPetShop1995 three]] [[WesternAnimation/LittlestPetShop2012 car]][[WesternAnimation/LittlestPetShopAWorldOfOurOwn toons]].
* ''WesternAnimation/TheWuzzles''
* ''WesternAnimation/SkyDancers'' and its SpearCounterpart, ''WesternAnimation/DragonFlyz.''
* When you get down to it, ''WesternAnimation/CaptainNTheGameMaster'' was more or less a vehicle for advertising NES and Game Boy games, even though the show rarely portrayed the games accurately. Frequently they would actually name the game world after the game it came from, even when that was very wrong, (apparently ''Franchise/{{Metroid}}'' is a place instead of an energy-sucking jellyfish creature) possibly just for the sake of this trope.
* ''WesternAnimation/StreetSharks,'' plus being a (good-hearted) ripoff of a few then-popular cartoons.
* In an inversion, the series ''WesternAnimation/ThunderCats1985'' was created before the toy line but due to issues wasn't aired until after the first wave of toys were released.
* Sadly not the case with ''WesternAnimation/ThunderCats2011,'' which is officially "in the air" because while the show was massively popular, the toys didn't sell as well as expected.
* This was also the reason ''WesternAnimation/SymBionicTitan'' was cancelled as Creator/CartoonNetwork was trying to get a toy deal for it. No company was willing however and they pulled the plug on the show despite a small dedicated fan base, a growing story arc and none of the loose ends being tied up due to a dispute between Creator/CartoonNetwork and Creator/GenndyTartakovsky as the former wanted the latter to retool the show into being more toyetic like ''Franchise/Ben10,'' so they could get those toy deals. Why it was so hard to get a toy deal for a series based around HumongousMecha fighting {{Kaiju}} is anyone's guess.
* ''WesternAnimation/MightyMax'' (which you could say was the [[DistaffCounterpart Spear Counterpart]] of ''Toys/PollyPocket'') was of course made for this reason.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Popples}}''. Heck, there's a website [[http://www.80stoysale.com/popples.html listing every piece of Popples merchandise ever!]]
* ''WesternAnimation/{{MASK}}'' was created to sell a toyline of the same name by Kenner, which combined elements of the aforementioned ''Transformers'' and ''G.I. Joe''.
** ''WesternAnimation/{{Centurions}}'' was another show based on a Kenner toyline that combined the same elements in a different way.
* In the early 1960s, many TV cartoon shows were tied in with a cereal company sponsor (Jay Ward with General Mills, Creator/HannaBarbera with Kellogg's, WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes with Post), often with said characters in cereal ads and on boxes. Post then had new mascots created for their cereals, and they all became characters on the ''WesternAnimation/LinusTheLionhearted'' show. This proved too much of a blur between programming and commercials to regulators, and the show was canned. The only current remnant of the series is Sugar Bear for Sugar/Super/Golden Crisps.
* ''WesternAnimation/RescueHeroes,'' both the show and the accompanying Creator/FisherPrice toyline.
* One of the chief complaints about ''WesternAnimation/UltimateSpiderMan2012'' was that the toy promotion was obvious and sometimes illogical (such as the Spider-Cycle). It proved successful enough for Disney and Creator/{{Hasbro}} that the show ran for four seasons.
* While not as blatant or illogical as the ''United They Stand'' or ''Ultimate Spider-Man'' examples, ''WesternAnimation/AvengersAssemble'' has the Aven-Jet Prime, a massive, transforming [[TwoDVisualsThreeDEffects CGI]] [[CoolAirship airship]]. Especially notable since it replaces the Quinjet, the Avengers' comparatively BoringButPractical plane from the comics (and the beloved but less toyetic ''WesternAnimation/TheAvengersEarthsMightiestHeroes'' that ''Assemble'' replaced).
* Creator/BruceTimm attributed the failure of ''[[WesternAnimation/GreenLanternTheAnimatedSeries Green Lantern: The Animated Series]]'' to the lack of merchandise. Apparently a toy line for the show was in the works, but retailers scoffed at it due to the poor performance of the toy line from the live-action ''Film/GreenLantern2011'' movie, seemingly unaware that this was because [[BoxOfficeBomb no one liked the movie]].
* Several Franchise/{{LEGO}} series have been the subject of such cartoons.
** ''Toys/{{Bionicle}}'' had several DirectToVideo (later DVD) movies, and the later ''Toys/HeroFactory'' got a TV series on Nicktoons.
** Creator/CartoonNetwork had a TV show based on the ''WesternAnimation/{{Ninjago}}'' line, likewise for its SpiritualSuccessor, ''WesternAnimation/LegendsOfChima''. Ninjago is actually so story-driven that a large portion of fans consider it the successor to ''Bionicle''. Which, seeing as ''Bionicle'' was featured in about half the possible media types and every type of merchandise, says a lot about it.
** Meanwhile, ''WesternAnimation/{{Mixels}}'' is a direct collaboration between Cartoon Network and LEGO, with LEGO handling the toy portion and CN the shorts.
* ''Franchise/SylvanianFamilies''. It's hard to imagine any reason beyond advertising the toys, that this was given an animated show.
* ''WesternAnimation/MickeyMouseClubhouse'' - the clubhouse itself is blatantly a toy.
* ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice2010'', like its sister show ''Green Lantern'', was formerly canceled due to the toy line selling poorly (the fact that the toys were low-quality compared to Mattel's other DC-based toys is another story entirely). The toy line was itself canceled before the second season aired but after they displayed prototypes and box art of ComicBook/{{Batgirl}}, ComicBook/BlueBeetle, and others. Ironically, the second (and [[UnCanceled for a time final]]) season added a few dozen marketable characters.
* Parodied on the ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'' episode "Futurama and Friends Saturday Morning Fun Pit" with ''Purpleberry Pond'', a ''WesternAnimation/StrawberryShortcake'' spoof interrupted by ads for Purpleberry Cereal. At one point, [[MindScrew the show itself becomes a commercial]].
* Parodied on the ''WesternAnimation/AaahhRealMonsters'' episode "Monsters Don't Dance" with ''Murray The Monster'', a ''Series/BarneyAndFriends'' spoof where Murray the Monster sings, dances, and performs skits while frequently advertising all sorts of products featuring his visage.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Chuggington}}'' in '''''SPADES.''''' Even the buildings' architecture (especially in the first 3 seasons) feel like they were built to be toys!
* The entire point of ''WesternAnimation/JingleAllTheWay'' and its sequel is to tug your heartstrings hard enough so you'll end up buying more Jingle and Bell stuff from Hallmark. Not to mention that the special will require you to own a version 2 Jingle Interactive Story Buddy for the full experience (see, the toy ''responds'' to the dialog and narration in the special). The sequel to the special ups the requirements to ''both'' a version 2 Jingle and version 2 Bell.
* The concept of dinosaurs crossed with construction vehicles seemed so lucrative, Creator/DreamWorksAnimation picked up the license for ''WesternAnimation/{{Dinotrux}}'' before the first book was even published and started taking pre-orders for the toyline the day the show premiered.
* '' WesternAnimation/Super4'' is based on the Toys/{{Playmobil}} toyline. A series of toys based on the characters was later released to little fanfare.
* This seems to be the ''main'' reason for ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls2016'', as they made the toys ''months'' before the show even aired.
* ''WesternAnimation/VoltronLegendaryDefender'': Shiro, the pilot of the Black Lion, was initially slated to die at the end of Season 2, mirroring his fate in the original ''Anime/GoLion'' anime. However, he was quickly brought back in Season 3, as the toy company execs were worried that killing off Shiro would jeopardize his action figure sales.
* While ''WesternAnimation/{{Pocoyo}}'' wasn't going to be this at first, ExecutiveMeddling [[https://web.archive.org/web/20060629055607/http://commercialfreechildhood.org:80/news/totstvtoys.htm caused some changes to be made]] in order to help sell toys, such as removing the titular character's pacifier, changing the appearances of Pato and Ellie, and the introduction of a vehicle called the Vamoosh.
* The Disney Junior show ''WesternAnimation/{{TOTS}}'' appears to be this, as it has a collectible line mainly consisting of baby animal figurines and playsets for them, as well as other versions of the baby animals like plushies.
* ''WesternAnimation/PAWPatrol'', being made by Canadian company Spin Master, is this, being TheNewTens' answer to the ''WesternAnimation/ThomasAndFriends'' toy line, with a whole line of toy dogs, playsets and vehicles.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheGetAlongGang'' was made to sell a line of greeting cards.
* Obscure '90s French cartoon ''La famille Glady'' (The Glady Family) was vaguely based on [[https://www.toyzmag.com/2015/01/10/linstant-vintage-sonia-famille-glady-delavennat-1987-partie-2-glady/ a line of dolls]] from 1987, which in turn were spawned from an earlier 1980s doll named Sonia.
* The obscure Canadian series ''WesternAnimation/WillAndDewitt'' was made to sell not toys, but children's hygiene products.
* [[AffectionateParody Affectionately parodied]] with ''WesternAnimation/OKKOLetsBeHeroes''. The characters are deliberately designed to be based on one of several templates (mimicking character designs made to match toy molds), the highly-collectible POW Cards are a frequent plot point, and their world operates on game logic, implying it's also promoting a video game. One of the original concepts for the show had it be an in-universe promotion for ''G.U.Y.S.'', a series of capsule toys in ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse''. Despite how toyetic it was, [[{{Irony}} no toys were ever made for the series]].
* All four of the segments featured on the 1985 anthology series ''WesternAnimation/SuperSunday'' were made to promote a toyline by Creator/{{Hasbro}} or one of its subsidiaries. They all consisted of miniseries each lasting several six-minute episodes before being [[CompilationMovie edited into movie-length features]], but only half of them lasted beyond the original miniseries versions.
** ''WesternAnimation/BigfootAndTheMuscleMachines'' existed to promote toys that Playskool made of the real-life vehicles that appeared in the cartoon.
** ''WesternAnimation/{{Jem}}'', which ended up running for three seasons after being picked up for a full-fledged series, existed solely to sell dolls and playsets. The dolls were a hit at first, but as the show gained more fans, sales paradoxically started to wane, so the show was canceled despite the big ratings.
** ''WesternAnimation/{{Robotix}}'' was made to promote the Robotix line of motorized model kits, which Hasbro eventually sold to Learning Curve Brands and is now owned by Robotic Rice LLC.
** ''WesternAnimation/{{Inhumanoids}}'', the only one of the miniseries besides ''Jem'' to be picked up for an ongoing series, ended up cancelled after just one season because sales suffered from how expensive the large figures of the Inhumanoids were.
* ''WesternAnimation/MiraculousLadybug'': While the show idea existed before toys, [[http://www.stefmartinez.com/_include/img/work/full/06SMartinezPlancheCreasLadybug.jpg merchandising designs appeared very early in concepts arts, while characters designs were not finished yet.]] Networks bought the concept once the series was clearly defined as toyetic, and aimed at little girls. Today, the series is intended to last as long as possible, to support sales. The studio behind the show, granted, is young and can still only count on Miraculous Ladybug as its main spearhead, and source of profits.
* ''WesternAnimation/ThomasAndFriends'': although the original ''Literature/TheRailwaySeries'' had some tie-in toys and merchandise, the TV show amped up the merchandise appeal in the early 90's with the wooden railway line being a staple of ''every'' Barnes & Noble children's section with a massive dedicated display in every store. The ERTL die cast line was no slouch either, and the popularity of these toy lines began pushing for the TV show writters to include more and MOAR new characters that suffered from ChuckCunninghamSyndrome. Eventually the rights to the show were sold to Mattel, and the toy appeal was dialed up to 11, as not only were new characters being thrown in left and right but outlandish locations with ''walking train bridges'' and other absurd contraptions too. Ironically the Bachmann tie-in model train line has remained succesful even after the cancellation of the TV show, by focusing primarily on the original grounded Railway Series characters (with some TV original characters thrown in for good measure) that would be recognizable to adult collectors.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}}'' largely averted this trope. However, WordOfGod has stated that the motorcycle and helicopter used in season one were demanded by Kenner, and the writers had trouble fitting them in organically, which is why they were never used again.
[[/folder]]

* ''Film/WillyWonkaAndTheChocolateFactory,'' a feature length movie widely regarded as a classic. Quaker Oats Company agreed to underwrite the production in order to help the launch of a new line of candy. While the film may have been Merchandise-Driven, it was based on Creator/RoaldDahl's book ''Literature/CharlieAndTheChocolateFactory'' and follows the book closely. While Quaker failed, Nestle, the eventual owners of the Wonka license, did succeed with the re-releases of the film, as well as the remake.

* Mattel execs hoped ''Film/MastersOfTheUniverse'' would save the then-dying [[Franchise/MastersOfTheUniverse franchise of the same name]] by reigniting interest in the brand. Unfortunately, the toys and tv show being on a downward trend affected the film production itself, which flopped and couldn't do anything to save the toyline.

** In ''Film/IronMan2'', the helmet and repulsor toys worn by the kid [[spoiler:who Tony rescues from nearly getting killed, later [[{{Retcon}} retconned]] to be a young Peter Parker,]] are actually from the toyline. This is quite possibly the only superhero movie where using the ''actual toys'' used to promote the film is completely appropriate in-story.

* Several of Creator/MargaretSnyder PictureBooks come with a [[{{Toys}} Toy]].

* The ''[[WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles]]'' cartoon. Interestingly, it was ''originally'' [[ComicBook/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtlesMirage an indie comic]] created by two guys who were trying to push the genre as far as it would go, in order to make a not-entirely-serious point. In fact, the series was created because Playmates, who the two guys approached for toys, was [[ItWillNeverCatchOn iffy on making toys relating to the comics.]] Hence Comic Book Raphael calling his 1987 counterparts "sellouts" in ''WesternAnimation/TurtlesForever''.

* The producers of ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'' later confessed that they were ordered by their bosses to produce this series as simply a means to selling more Batman toys. However, the producers, creators of the Franchise/DCAnimatedUniverse, worked their talent and created a dynamite television series after all. Ironically you would've been hard pressed to find any ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'' toys even when the show was still on the air.

* ''VideoGame/{{Aikatsu}}'' was made to promote an arcade card/rhythm game of the same name. The events of the anime and the clothes worn by the characters during performances are made to match the content of the expansion pack released on the arcade game. Some episodes are even related to some of the side merchandises. In its first years, it may be perhaps one of the most successful of these kinds of shows in Japan-it makes more money than ''Pretty Cure'' does! Unfortunately, that success didn’t last too long, as the series became less and less profitable over the years, especially recently, but it didn’t lose its [[CultClassic small but dedicated fanbase]] that it gained in these years.

* ''VideoGame/{{Aikatsu}}'' was made to promote an arcade card/rhythm game of the same name. The events of the anime and the clothes worn by the characters during performances are made to match the content of the expansion pack released on the arcade game. Some episodes are even related to some of the side merchandises. It may be perhaps the most successful of these kinds of shows today in Japan-it makes more money than ''Pretty Cure'' does!

** Oddly enough, for a very long time the company had almost no merch beyond the models and books themselves. Given the rabid fanbase, including many who love the setting but don't play the main tabletop game, this seemed to be an odd choice in an age where even every webcomic sells T-shirts. For quite some time, the only 40K merch available outside video games like ''[[VideoGame/DawnOfWar]]'' and a few board and card games was directly related to the game itself--gaming accessories like branded dice and rulers, figure transport cases and paintbrushes, the latter in the hope that the punters won't ever discover that Officeworks also sell paintbrushes. Some of their tools seem to have a reason to exist; e.g., not many manufacturers make a mould line removal implement, but there are some you'd just get at Spotlight or another craft store, and not to mention their special branded glues and basing materials. These are people who insist on trying to sell you a pot to fill with water to rinse your paintbrush in. They once had a souvenir mug, but apparently it went wrong and was not cleared for food use, so was sold as a different brush-washing pot. After the release of 8th edition, however, GW started moving into the non-game merch space with a vengeance, and now you can buy official 40K t-shirts, keychains, mugs, backpacks, sweaters, plushies, and comics, among other things.

** What once started as a joke among the fanbase became less of a joke in light of the more obnoxious army rules sets that come out. In the memorable case of the 5th edition [[TheScrappy Codex Tyranids]], the iconic Carnifex, which was once a staple of any Tyranid list worth using for decades on end, was {{nerf}}ed into near oblivion. But fear not, for Games Workshop's new Tyranid model range is full of winning units, such as the Trygon / Mawloc kit, and the [[{{Metagame}} now-ubiquitous]] Hive Guard. Have fun buying new models, kiddies!
** Some players think that Games Workshop is steering away from this due to the increasing number of units with complete rules developed [[DevelopmentHell long before the models come out]]. Former examples include the Space Marine Drop Pod, Ork Battlewagon, Tyranid Gargoyles and Tervigon, Chaos Daemons' Seekers of Slaaneesh and Dark Eldar Razorwing, while current examples (as of October 2012) include various special characters like Old Zogwort, Justicar Thawn and Baron Sathonyx and a vast number of Tyranid units including the Harpy, Shrike Brood, Doom of Malan'tai, and Parasite of Mortrex. Forge World, a separate modeling company specializing in resin kits, will sometimes sell kits for these units, but [[CrackIsCheaper crack is not only cheaper, but has an infinitely simpler assembly]].
** Oddly enough, the company has almost no merch beyond the models and books themselves. Given the rabid fanbase, including many who love the setting but don't play the main tabletop game, this seems an odd choice in an age where even every webcomic sells T-shirts.
*** Currently, apart from selling licences to third parties to make computer, board and role-playing games set in the universe, the line of merch includes generic gaming accessories (not all those GW custom dice sets do anything you couldn't do with a pocketful of regular D6), figure transport cases and paintbrushes, in the hope that the punters won't ever discover that Officeworks also sell paintbrushes. Some of their tools seem to have a reason to exist, e.g. not many manufacturers make a mould line removal implement; but there are some you'd just get at Spotlight or another craft store, and not to mention their special branded super, plastic, and white glues. These are a people who insist on trying to sell you a pot to fill with water to rinse your paintbrush in. They once had a souvenir mug, but apparently it went wrong and was not cleared for food use, so was sold as a different brush-washing pot.

* While FMW faced accusations and ran a few over the top angles, Xtreme Pro Wrestling was actually founded by a pornography company and used its wrestling ring to film porn. In the event a wrestler wouldn't do porn(most who worked for it never did), XPW would merely film the wrestler doing something mundane, possibly to appeal to some kind of kink or maybe not, nothing explicitly sexual, then edit in clips of pornography in between clips of the wrestler so it could sell porn videos [[LoopholeAbuse with the wrestler's name on them]]. Disappointed workers and customers all around.

Today, there is a full symbiotic relationship between the show's production and the toy company (or other manufacturer licensed, show-themed products), which is usually the primary (or even only) sponsor of the show. But the key difference between this and normal licensed merchandising is that here, it is the toy manufacturer who dictates the show's {{canon}}. They may be able to [[ExecutiveMeddling demand addition or removal of characters from the series based on the actual toys in their production line]], or that new characters must be something that they can design a toy version for on demand (military or paramilitary-themed shows and HumongousMecha anime are particularly prone to this). Another sign of a toy manufacturer exerting influence is the blatant structuring of episode plots solely around the newest merchandisable toy ''accessories'', often where the characters GottaCatchEmAll or be declared a failure ''as a human being'' ... [[BrokenAesop yeah, something like that]]. Meanwhile, in {{Toku}}satsu works, it has become common for the production staff to use weapons and {{Transformation Trinket}}s from the show's toyline [[OffTheShelfFX in the actual show itself]].