Y IS FOR YU GI OH, YNON & YO-YO – TOY INDUSTRY A TO Z

Y IS FOR YU GI OH, YNON & YO-YO – TOY INDUSTRY A TO Z

YU GI OH

Yu Gi Oh has been a massive thang in trading card games for a couple of decades or more. The franchise is centred around manga style animation content featuring a boy and a trading card game. To date the physical product trading card game has sold more than 25 BILLION (!) cards. This perennial brand doesn’t seem to capture quite the headlines of fellow Japanese animation franchise Pokémon, but nevertheless it has been a major force at the checkouts.

YNON KREIZ

Ynon Kreiz is an American-Israeli businessman who is in the process of successfully turning around Mattel’s global business after a few tough years. Kreiz succeeded former Google exec Margo Georgiadis, and in doing so took over a company with softening sales, an iconic flagship brand in Barbie which had not embraced and updated the brand image for the social media age and a company massively behind long term rival Hasbro in terms of transitioning from toy company to entertainment company. Since taking the helm of Mattel in 2018, Mattel’s fortunes have improved and Kreiz’s strategy and execution of strategy has made a major positive impact.

YO-YO

One thing you can guarantee in the toy business is that every few years Yo-Yos will make a comeback. But unlike most iconic toys we have today, the Yo-Yo did not come to the fore in the 20th century…in fact, according to Wikipedia, there is an ancient Greek vase which was found well preserved showing a child playing with a Yo-Yo way back in 44BC! Yo-Yos were also around in the 17th century where they were known as ‘bandalores’. The Yo-Yo therefore proves that classic play patterns are truly timeless.

We run a Consultancy business helping toy & games companies get ahead. For more information, check out www.KidsBrandInsight.com/services

We also run a Strategic Sourcing Consultancy advising toy & game companies around the world on their Sourcing strategies, reviewing their vendor base & suggesting improvements. To date our Sourcing services have saved our clients $tens of millions. For more information on how we can help, just go to: www.ToyTeamAsia.com

X Is For X-Men, X Box and X-Shot

X Is For X-Men, X Box and X-Shot

X-Men

X-Men is the eighth highest grossing film series of all time with staggering total box office gross receipts topping $6billion. Superheroes like Wolverine have been a strong presence in the toy aisle since the original movie trilogy released between 2000 and 2006. At the time of writing there is speculation/reports of a reinvention Movie coming out of Marvel Studios…we’ll be watching with high anticipation for that if it happens!

Xbox

Microsoft’s Xbox was a massive disruptor when the first iteration launched way back in 2001. We’re now into the fourth ‘generation’ of this iconic video games console, with total console sales in excess of 160million over time. The impact Microsoft has thus had on the video game space is therefore massive. Aside from cannibalising toy sales due to kids putting Xbox consoles high up on their wish lists for Christmas, Xbox and Microsoft also own some key video gaming IP which has driven huge toy sales – not least of which would be Minecraft, acquired by Xbox in 2014, which has moved large quantities of toys off shelves in recent years.

X-Shot

X-Shot is the toy blaster brand owned by Zuru, a toy company originating from New Zealand with owned manufacturing facilities in China. “The brand website states the brand mission as offering value to our fans worldwide”, while delivering design excellence and market leading quality. In most toy retailers, where they have toy blasters, they tend to have two brands primarily – X-Shot & Nerf. Nerf’s massive global success is hard to compete with, but X-Shot manages to be a credible player with a broad range in a lot of retailers, despite the strength of the biggest brand in the category.

We run a Consultancy business helping toy & games companies get ahead. For more information, check out www.KidsBrandInsight.com/services

We also run a Strategic Sourcing Consultancy advising toy & game companies around the world on their Sourcing strategies, reviewing their vendor base & suggesting improvements. To date our Sourcing services have saved our clients $tens of millions. For more information on how we can help, just go to: www.ToyTeamAsia.com

W Is For Weintraub, Wenkstern, WWE, Wham-O And Women In Toys, Licensing & Entertainment

W Is For Weintraub, Wenkstern, WWE, Wham-O And Women In Toys, Licensing & Entertainment

LIONEL WEINTRAUB

Lionel Weintraub worked in the toy business for four decades, with a focus on innovation and looking forward he is one of the all-time greats. He is credited with being one of the first toy people to adopt plastic injection moulding, a process which is now ubiquitous in the toy trade, was one of the first executives to embrace the professional inventing community and under his reign at Ideal Toys had one of the first TV advertised toy products in toys. He is also associated with some mightily successful products including Mousetrap, Kerplunk and of course the mighty Rubik’s Cube which his Ideal Toy team launched in the USA.

RUSSELL WENKSTERN

Russell Wenkstern was at the helm of Tonka Toys during their original heyday, between 1961 to 1977. Under his reign Tonka became the biggest manufacturer of vehicles globally. The Mighty Tonka line brought to market by Wenkstern and his team became hugely successful, doubling revenues over 4 years.

WWE

WWE (once was WWF) has been a major brand in the action figures space for decades. Kids and families often love wrestling for the entertainment factor. Many children love the themes and action of goodies vs baddies, of physical confrontation and argy bargy. They also love action figures which allow them to play out boisterous physical play with the figures. When you look at the biggest brands in action figures this millennium, you’ll find these plastic representations of the latest wrestling stars consistently in the mix!

WHAM-O

Founded way back in 1948, Wham-O has been wowing generation after generation of kids and families ever since. They have brought a dazzling array of hit products to market over the years including Frisbee, the Hula Hoop, Silly String and Hacky sack. It’s perhaps no surprise that a company with so many ‘outdoor’ play icons in their stable of brands hails from the sunny climes of California.

WOMEN IN TOYS, LICENSING & ENTERTAINMENT

A global community and non-profit organisation that champions and advocates for the advancement of women through leadership, networking and educational opportunities. For more information: https://womenintoys.com/

We run a Consultancy business helping toy & games companies get ahead. For more information, check out www.KidsBrandInsight.com/services

We also run a Strategic Sourcing Consultancy advising toy & game companies around the world on their Sourcing strategies, reviewing their vendor base & suggesting improvements. To date our Sourcing services have saved our clients $tens of millions. For more information on how we can help, just go to: www.ToyTeamAsia.com