Manufacture of toys has maintained a good momentum for these years. Lots of companies are changing from a rough style of wholesales towards refined pattern of brand cultivation. A bulk of brand toy companies emerge, while animation and comics merchandises comprise at least half of the whole market
What kind of toys are suitable for development for animation and comics and what kind of requirement and expectation would toy companies have on animation and character creation will be covered in the following article.
Lots of companies are now shaping their image after a stage of capital accumulation. Judging from products with great market shares, we found a good few of makers that use original cartoon character as their corporation visual image, as well as the bridge between companies and consumers. Animation and comics character has become one of the significant tolls for brand marketing, which helps to construct good communication between companies and consumers. By this means, products’ traits would be easily to be discovered. In fact, toy industry is the business with greatest advantage on producing animation and comics licensed merchandise. So there will be a wide developing room for toy makers to be engaged in animation and comics realm.
Animation drama series and toy market highly supplement each other. Animation motivates sales of licensed toys, while characters in animation will impress consumers with sales of substantial products.
Proper topics
Generally speaking, 3 categories are in closest relation with animation and comics theme: electrical, plastic and plush toys.
Electrical toy have a broad definition, including R/C cars, 4WD cars and other kinds of electronic and electrical toys. When this category comes with good combination with animation series, mutual market profit will be reaped.
For over 30 years, Hong Kong-based Silverlit has always focused on creative technology. It partners with Disney now to roll out the first line that combines hi-tech with animation characters. Characters from Toy Story can be seen in R/C, electrical and magnetic toys, coming with lovely and attractive appearance. When the animation movie broadcasted in CCTV this year, sales of toys would be boosted correspondingly, said Zhu, manager of Silverlit’s China business department.
I think, toy development and upgrading properties is the key for combination of toys and animation series. At the same time, tournament can make toys into a necessary tool for player who wants to triumph over his rivals. Step-by-step upgrading properties will bring in higher playing value, which finally offers more topics for animation production.
Plastic toys appear in wide scope as well. We mainly talk over model kits, basic transformable toys and toys with functional development, which compose a principal part in market. Gundam series dominates model kits market, while basic transformable toys find example in Transformers and Kabutakku. Moreover, Ultraman is typical series that coming with functional development from animation. Finally, Auldey’s Super Blade line represents trendy toys. Supported by the live action drama Blazing Teens, the company’s yoyos gained 150 million yuan during the last 4 months of 2007.
Highly related to animation and comics, this category enjoys considerable market shares. However, animation series and their characters, locking on such kind of toys, must have high popularity and provide wider room for imagination.
For instance, Ultraman products are warmly received in domestic China, for consumers are able to give free rein to their imagination and intrigued by the consumption. The same is true of Gundam series from Bandai. Each driver and his mobile suit have different characteristics, attracting different fans who get crazy for respective favorites.
Plush toy is preference for lots of animation producers when developing licensed merchandise. As a strong maker for plush toys, China houses plush toys processing factories through out the country. Therefore, plush bestsellers might be easily pirated on appearance. Consequently, a majority of domestic makers are not willing to get involved in the plush marketing and promotion. But we still see market potentials for high-end plush gifts. If a character pursues high-end plush market, it can be launched in large shopping mall through toy distributors.
Sales of other categories such as DIY toys and wooden bricks can also be boosted by animation or movie characters. For instance, LEGO rolled out its Star War and Harry Potter lines. These Hollywood blockbusters have accumulated heavy popularity before the properties are introduced to toys. New characters might be less attentive to.
Considering toy makers’ demand
How to choose valuable target clients according to the traits and advantages is a key during the early days when animation producers developing market. However, they need to know abut demands and marketing strategy of toy makers at the very beginning, so as to invite toy makers when finishing animation production and avoid any waste of resource. Actually after I have a talk with owners of several toy makers, I found that, many of them have similar demand on animation series.
●More business resources to be developed on animation series
Each animation story should include at least 10 characters or props. When a maker launches a line, toys in the same materials should not be less than 10 kinds. This not only facilitates store displaying, but also caters to consumers’ demand while providing multiple choice. Japanese anime has evolved mature business pattern with years of marketing experience. Gundam series is an epitome in this aspect. Even if one character causes loss, toy maker can turn to other business resource. This finally reinforces their confidence on an animation program.
●Character set imagination free
It seems that someone said, “kids’ art value relies on the satisfying of their imagination”. Toy acts as the carrier after kids watch an animation story. At the same time, plot with dual meet and competition can entice consumers and finally propels market potentials of certain toy.
●Animation should see a good span of time
From debuting till turning into highlight in market, it requires a period to cultivate a character before market potentials is fully excavated to guarantee toy maker’s profit.
●Diversify your character
For sake of marketing, a single character should find different explanation. For instance, character with full color can easily tell people its traits while a cute version would meet the demands of diversified merchandise development. On the other hand, a simplified design facilitates printing works and lowers its cost. Diversifying a character lay a solid foundation for diversified merchandise. So far as animation producer is concerned, it must take market demand into account at the very beginning of production. By doing so, an animation series can have a definite object and be easily accepted by consumers.
Creation of animation is a works with restrictive condition. Characters and props should be advanced by its market clients or operators of licensed merchandises, such as toy makers, while content and plot will be determined by animation producers. By this way the two sides gain its respective achievement in combination and cooperation. Here comes the mutual benefit: market sales and creation.
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