If you tuned in for the first part of our interview yesterday, you already know that Chris Byrne, a.k.a. The Toy Guy, has just about the coolest job on the planet. One day he set out to the big city to become an actor; the next he was taking a job as a secretary to bring in a paycheck; and then [insert a few serendipitous career steps here (go back and read the first part if you’re confused)] he became a renowned expert on all things toys.

(Pictured above: Chris Byrne with the Cheetah Girls and their line of toys. If his eyeballs are singed from the sheer force of all that fuchsia, he’s not letting on.)

Now that we have the background, today we’re going to delve into the good stuff: The toys, of course! Who better to ask about trends in the toy industry than the man who eats, sleeps and breathes it?

Be sure to read all the way to the end; you won’t want to miss one word of Chris’ great blend of humor and insight, plus we have a bit of an announcement following the interview.

Toy Box Mommy: How has the rise of big-box retailers and online retailers affected toy trends, do you think? (For example, each new video game system seems to be released with only a limited number at each location, creating a frenzy around procurement. On the other hand, things like, say, Pokemon cards might sell out at your local store, but there’ll be a hundred other places you can get them.)

The Toy Guy: Great question. Historically, toys have always reflected the culture, and we live in a big-box culture right now. But with fewer stores nationwide, that means fewer toys overall. We always say, “The hot toy is only hot if it’s hot for your kid,” which means that not every kid is going to love or want the highly-promoted toys—and that’s as it should be. Children should be encouraged to express their individuality through their play.

What this means is that shoppers need to be more creative. That means shopping online, going to specialty stores and really getting a sense of what’s out there that’s right for their children.

That said, no manufacturer creates a shortage. That doesn’t make sense economically. Figuring out how many toys to produce is a balancing act. Everyone involved in the process has to try to gauge demand, production time, promotion and the competitive environment. It’s a very sophisticated process. It only makes headlines when something takes off in ways that weren’t anticipated. No one can predict a fad, so sometimes everyone is taken by surprise. Also, now that toys are more electronic, the time to manufacture them is even greater, so that figures into the equation as well.

And don’t even get me started on the North Pole. What the new types of toys have done to that operation is not to be believed. I don’t know about you, but we’re sure not surprised to see elves among the students at MIT and Carnegie Tech!

TBM: I guess it’s hard out here for an elf.

*rimshot*

TBM: Sorry. Moving on! Have you ever considered getting into toy development? Do you ever have that “I could do this so much better” feeling when you’re reviewing toys?

TTG: Funny you should ask. I haven’t. I have more of analytical brain than a conceptual brain. I am totally in awe of the creative folks at the toy companies and the inventors and what they come up with. Where I have been able to make some contributions is in thinking through how kids will use the toys or what might entertain them in ways that the creators might not have thought of. I am really, really privileged to be one of the few people that toy companies seek out to ask for advice on toys as they’re in development, and whenever I’m able to provide some insight, that makes me really happy.

There have been times when I’ve been able to suggest some things that companies have been able to use and add another perspective.

TBM: What current toy trends excite you?

TTG: One of the things that I find really exciting is that even as toys get more and more high-tech, classic play patterns like arts and crafts and board games are still incredibly popular. Cool as the electronics are, we have different needs in play, just as we have different needs in our diet. A board game is about the people playing it, and demands social interaction, which is fun! I think it’s amazing that kids naturally do this, and when we get a chance to sit with some kids and have them show us all the things they like to play with, they very naturally hit most of the major categories of toys that are appropriate for their ages and genders. That’s pretty awesome.

I love the new emphasis on roleplay, with characters like The Doodlebops for younger kids and The Cheetah Girls for older kids. These inspire kids to imagine a different world and try on different roles and see how they fit with them as individuals.

TBM: What current toy trends do you think are… shall we say… less than wonderful?

TTG: Back to Shakespeare, Juliet says “There’s nothing good or bad but thinking makes it so.” I don’t think that there are any trends that are inherently negative. I think it’s important for parents to bring things into their homes that reflect their personal values, and it’s important to bring things into the home that are cognitively and emotionally appropriate for their children.

If there’s any trend that I would change, it’s a social one. I see a lot of kids in situations disengaging through their handheld games. Now, I’m not saying that kids want to sit with the grown-ups and talk all afternoon. How boring is that! Really! But there’s a time and a place for everything. Waiting in an airport? Bring out the handhelds and the toys. Sitting with the family at a restaurant? Put ‘em away.

TBM: Here on the blog (and heck, in real life) I am often seized by what I refer to as my curmudgeonly side, busting out with a “Back in my day…” or “When I was a kid…” in response to what I perceive as today’s kids wanting everything handed to them. What do you want to tell kids, as relates to the work of playing?

TTG: I’m one of four boys, and when we would say to my mother, “We’re bored.” Her only response was “No, you’re not. You have shelves of books and games, and all of outdoors. Go figure something out.” That was the best gift she could have given us because our imaginations became our guide.

TBM: I’ve saved the most important question for last. Picture the ultimate cage match—you, The Toy Guy, against me, The Toy Box Mommy. Who wins?

TTG: Well, in a cage match you would win because my parents taught me not to hit a girl, even if she hits first. (I got some pretty wicked bruises in second grade on account of that.) And those early learnings seldom go away. So I’ll concede the cage brawl.

TBM: Who said anything about hitting? I was just going to sing “The Wheels on the Bus” until you begged for mercy.

TTG: Seriously, though, I don’t think there is a competition. We are aligned on our passion for encouraging play and helping parents make the best possible world for their kids. The other thing is that we both have a lot of respect for kids, and that’s really important.

Hopefully we can both contribute different things to parents, grandparents, kids and caregivers and allow them to create the best lives for themselves. When that happens, we both win!

TBM: You know, I think you’re right. And that gives me an idea….

Many, many thanks to Chris Byrne for taking the time to let me pick his brain, and also for his brilliant assessment of how great it would be if we put our heads together. He’s absolutely right, of course, and so it’s with great pleasure that Ty’s Toy Box and The Toy Guy’s Blog announce that we’ll be doing a regular feature where Chris and I take on the same topic and compare viewpoints. Come back tomorrow for our first collaborative installment!

This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 20th, 2007 at 7:00 am and is filed under Toy Stuff. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.