(Free prize giveaway below)
I look at toys every day. As owner of TysToyBox.com that’s pretty much my life (that and my kids homework, sporting events, etc.!) If you are reading this blog, chances are that you have kids and are pretty in tune with what your kids like or don’t like as well!
But I’ve often wondered if I’d know a good idea if it was, well, still just an idea on the drawing board. Not yet a TV show, not yet a book, and nothing on the toy store shelf. Focus groups and formulas aside, would I know a good idea if it bit me?
Well, here’s my chance! And since we’re all in this together, Ty’s Blog readers, here’s your chance to play “Queen/King of All New Toy Inventions for a Day!” Will you take a few minutes to look at a new idea we found and tell us what you think?
The inventor used to work at Mattel, so his basic inspiration was to develop a fashion doll that was more interesting than Barbie and less (how shall I say) “sassy” than Bratz. But with all the traditional hair play and clothes play features needed to make it a commercial success.
But here’s his dilemma: It’s not an ordinary fashion doll, but something kind of, well, quirky. And because it’s not in the mold, so to speak, of Barbie or Bratz, it’s a bit more risky.
Two major toy companies have already said, “Creative and cute, but no thanks.” And he has been told by others in the business that they’d be more likely to license the concept if the characters were fairies or mermaids…something more “obvious” and “proven.” Which the inventor hears as, “Make it boring.” He’s of the belief that if it’s fun, and mom smiles when she sees it, it’s a big winner!
So what should he do next?
Does he present it to the next big toy company as is? Does he bring the idea to a smaller toy company? Could he possibly develop the brand by going straight to consumers online? Does he make them mermaids? Or does he call it a day and pat himself on the back for at least having tried?
Ty’s loves to find and promote emerging toys, and it doesn’t get any more “emerging” than the five “Sensational Turtle Girls!” Their story goes something like this:
Since forever, little girls everywhere have closed their eyes and tossed coins into fountains, wishing for their dreams to come true.
What becomes of those wishes? The Sensational Turtle Girls bring little girls’ wishes to life and go with them, together as friends, to “live the wish,” wherever those wishes might lead.
Hidden inside each character’s shell is a “wishing coin.” The promise is that if a little girl uses this special coin to make a wish, believes in the wish with all her heart, her wish will someday come true.
On the back of each wishing coin is a secret code that leads to an online world. Girls who buy Michelle will enter a world of Princesses and fairytale castles in Paris. Those who buy Shelby will go with her and The Girls to the Royal Ballet in London. Rachelle’s wish takes her to the art scene in SoHo. Shelly’s, to a movie premier in Hollywood, and DonnaShella’s to a fashion show in Rome.
What do you think? We’d love to hear your feedback.
We are giving away a $50 TysToyBox.com gift certificate to one lucky feedback participant (chosen on Monday, May 25). Please provide your comments below.
Ty (The Toybox Daddy)
Sure, Memorial Day is traditionally used by many here in the U.S. to mark the unofficial start of summer, or to have the first big barbecue of the season. But little kids don’t care about any of that, so thank goodness that PBS KIDS will be hosting a Memorial Day Super Why! marathon event to keep the small ones happy.
When my son was about two, he entered the Thomas Phase. I think many boys do this—it’s like they hit a magical age where a switch flips in their brains, and all they see, everywhere they look, is talking trains. We watched the Thomas show, he never wanted to play with anything besides his Thomas trains, and if you had the gall to place any other sort of toy in his hands, he would immediately pretend they were trains. (And really, you haven’t lived until you’ve seen a small boy conducting a conversation between two markers. “You naughty engine!” etc.)