Last week, Toys R Us released – and promptly pulled from its shelves – a line of Breaking Bad action figures.

Breaking Bad (you know, that AMC show that follows a high school chemistry teacher as he cooks and sells crystal meth) wrapped up its final season just about a year ago. It’s one of the most successful television shows in recent history, with 16 Emmys, two Golden Globes, a People’s Choice Award and ratings to match.

It’s always difficult to market a franchise that has stopped moving forward and that offers no new storylines. Creating content and new marketing strategies (especially digitally) becomes increasingly difficult. Lately, it seems that completed TV shows include merchandise sales as easy revenue and a way to evoke continued interest in the show from loyal fans.

It’s not a terrible idea to market these figurines to fans, but the problem was in positioning – Toys R Us is not the best place to sell this merchandise.

The people behind this positioning decision weren’t putting enough thought into the target market for this product. Figurines are technically toys, but not ones children will be – or arguably, should be – playing with.

Take Power Rangers, for example. Those action figures exist because children can re-enact stories with them and create new ones that are still relevant to the characters themselves. What could a four-year-old do with a Walter White action figure? Hopefully not recreate an imaginary meth lab.

There is a market for Breaking Bad merchandise, especially given its success. These figures do more good for Breaking Bad in the hands of adults who care about the show than they do in a toy box. The adults who collect them are likely to talk about them, display them, post photos on social media or lend the box set of episodes to a friend, creating another fan.

These toys could have been sold on AMC’s website or Amazon instead of a few aisles over from Cabbage Patch Kids and Power Rangers. By choosing Toys R Us as a retailer, Breaking Bad has earned itself negative press and no real advancement in its marketing strategy, especially leading up to its spinoff show, Better Call Saul.

Then again, maybe this is the kind of chaos that Walter White would have appreciated. What do you think? Would you buy yourself or your child a Breaking Bad action figure? Comment below or let us know @MagnetoAgency!

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