New Toys

Children respond better to toys based on new characters, not nostalgia, reports John Kell in The Wall Street Journal (2/11/13). This is evident in the recent success of Monster High dolls and Skylander videogames. “Skylanders is a videogame platform in which users place a real collectible toy on a small pedestal device, spawning the character in the videogame.” Monster High dolls are characters “based on the children of famous monsters.”

The former “has crossed the $500 million mark in domestic retail sales” and the latter “is now a $1 billion brand globally. Neither existed three years ago.” Their success stands in contrast to “retro brands like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles or Cabbage Patch dolls” that try “to appeal to nostalgia. Buzz in the toy aisle can often center on old brands trying to make a comeback, leading to a short-term sales jolt that can fade.”

Following the success of its new girl-friendly Lego Friends line, Lego is introducing a new property, Legends of Chima. Mattel is meanwhile introducing Max Steel, “a new boy-focused action figure.” Both will have companion television shows. Disney will introduce Sofia the First, also based on a TV show, building on interest in princess figures, like Ariel of “Little Mermaid” fame. However, “unlike Ariel, the fact that kids have just met Sofia means she is likely to spark interest in a way older characters don’t.”