IntroductionCollectible toys are becoming a global trend. Invaluable, an online collectibles marketplace, estimates that the collectible toy market is expected to be worth $35.3 billion in 2032; Analysys analysis**, the market size of the domestic collectible toy industry will exceed 150 billion yuan in 2025.Product research and development is the top priorityFor the first time at this year's Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair, a new Collectible Toys Zone was set up in the Toys for Adults section. A few days ago, the Chinese and Foreign Toy Center interviewed those who have been more active in Chinese mainland and the international market in recent yearsthree zerowith52toysTwo collectible toy brands learned about their experience in product development and market layout.
*: CTOY-GDTA Text **: IRIS
Compared with ordinary trendy toys, collectible toys emphasize the collection attributes and value of products, and because most of the consumers are over 14 years old, the design, innovation, and quality of products are particularly important. Collectible toy brands are also putting product research and development at the core.
IP attributes are significant
Almost all collectible toys will have IP attributes, the difference is only whether the IP is authorized or original.
three zeroIt is an original toy brand under 30 (Hong Kong)**, mainly engaged in products with strong collection attributes such as action figures and moving models. 4 years ago, the reporter of the Chinese and foreign toy center first met three zero, and the "Transformers" series models brought by the brand at that time were extremely reductive and very eye-catching.
Three Zero's Transformers series model.
In the past few years, we have been insisting on making model products, but the business has developed rapidly. Guo Zicong, CEO of the company, said that in 2020, the company mainly cooperated with American IPs such as "Transformers", and then expanded American and Japanese IPs such as "Iron Man", "Robotech" (translated as "Battlestar in China"), "Spy Player" and "Kamen Rider". At the same time, the company has also strengthened the research and development of original IP.
"Spy Playing Home" action figure (three zero Weibo).
As a well-known collectible toy brand in China,52toysMost of the blind box dolls, limited edition dolls and other products have IP attributes, such as "Canned Pig Lulu", "Crayon Xiaoxin", "Cat and Mouse", "Super Activated", "Panda Roll", etc., both authorized cooperation IP and original IP.
In addition to the doll and figure series products, 52toys also combines IP with its Beastbox (beast box) transformation mecha series. In December last year, 52toys held the "Beast Box Content Ecology Conference and Official ** Author Signing Ceremony", announcing that Beastbox officially changed from 10 era, into the "toy + IP" 2In the 0 era, we began to build an ecosystem with IP as the core, and will successively launch **, comics, animations, movies and other content around the "beast box". At the meeting, the brand also signed a contract with the famous domestic science fiction writer Wang Nuonuo, who created a long story for the "Beast Box" IP.
Panda Roll Theme Mystery Box.
Multi-dimensional innovation
Innovation may not be able to create a popular product, but it must have its special features to become a popular product. Three Zero has created two more representative and popular products in the past few years. "One is to rely on "Transformers 2" to launch model products such as Optimus Prime and Skyfire. What shocked the market is that Skyfire and Optimus Prime can be combined. The second is the 'Iron Man' themed model. Guo Zicong said that the Iron Man MK43 and MK44 launched by Three Zero are two products that can be combined - Iron Man MK44 is an anti-hulkhead armor, which can be put into Iron Man MK43.
The combined Skyfire and Optimus Prime (three zero Weibo).
In the past, 52toys' collectible toys were mainly static products, but now it has launched a movable series. "For example, 'Crayon Xiaoxin' is an IP that everyone is familiar with. Xiaoxin's own personality is a little naughty, so we will use the form of a clockwork toy to show Xiaoxin's personality and show his most interesting side. This series is also sold in a blind box. Cai Ming, general manager of the international business department of 52toys, said that when drawing blind boxes, you will be very happy when you draw what you like, and you will be a little disappointed if you don't draw what you like, which is the emotional ups and downs brought by blind boxes. Nowadays, young people prefer a bit of excitement, and buying a blind box is also a process of enjoying this gameplay.
Considering that most girls prefer more dreamy products, 52toys also selected the images of Anna, Elsa and other characters in "Frozen" when they were young, combined with the form of crystal balls, launched the Frozen series of crystal balls to show the feeling of dreams. According to reports, this product is very popular as a gift.
In addition to the image design, 52toys' products also have innovations in technology and additional attributes, such as last year's popular "Strawberry Bear" series of blind boxes. This series of blind box dolls is made of flocking material, which feels very good to the touch; The eyes of the strawberry bear are made of a special material, giving people the feeling that they are staring at themselves from any angle, bringing a little interactivity; The product also has a faint strawberry scent. "From the aspects of vision, smell, and touch, we present a different strawberry bear doll for consumers. The whole series of products are very popular in Chinese mainland and Southeast Asian markets. Cai Ming said.
The popular strawberry bear series blind box.
Focus on the transformation gameplay
Because of the high value of collectible toys, many times they are in a static form, but they are not immovable. The aforementioned beastbox is a collectible toy with transformer gameplay. According to Cai Ming, the difficulty and complexity of the design of deformation toys are relatively high in the industry, and if a company can create deformation toys, it represents that the company's development strength is very strong.
The difficulty of the design of the Beastbox series is to turn the selected animal theme into a cube, that is, to bring the animal image to life, and to ensure the cube form of the mecha. Cai Ming said that the series of products has been launched for more than 7 years now, and has accumulated more than 150 SKUs and dozens of biological themes. In the future, the company will launch more products with different images and sizes, such as the current beastbox series of products are mainly 5cm, and there will be simpler 3cm, 4cm, and larger 7cm. Different prices and different difficulties to meet the needs of different consumers.
Beastbox series transformation mecha.
Three Zero's models and puppets in the past are basically non-deformable, but the new Robo-Dou VF-1J Transformer Fighter (Rick Carter) can. According to reports, this product adopts a rigid alloy structure design to ensure the stability of the body structure and can stably pose in various postures; Able to transform between Fighter, Patronus, and Combatant.
Robo-dou VF-1J Transformer fighter (left).
The global layout focuses on the Asian market
Whether it is a trendy toy brand or a collectible toy brand, it is not limited to the local market, but has set its sights on the world. An interesting phenomenon is that almost all brands attach great importance to the Asian market, especially the East and Southeast Asian markets.
In 2017 and 2018, 52toys was already expanding overseas markets. At that time, it was mainly in the Japanese and American markets, and it was mainly a boy-oriented product of the Beastbox mecha series. Since then, the brand has exported more and more product lines and covered more and more markets, and gradually expanded to the global market.
According to Cai Ming, with the optimization of China's epidemic prevention and control policy in 2023, 52toys will conduct tests and open stores in many markets. Although there is no direct use of the 52toys brand, they all sell 52toys products. "We found that the product sales were particularly good and could fully afford an independent store, so we opened our first overseas brand image store in Thailand in December last year. After the opening of the store, both the sales and the local brand promotion effect far exceeded expectations. ”
Talking about the reason why 52toys's first overseas store settled in Thailand, Cai Ming mentioned three reasons. One is that Asia's culture and aesthetics are relatively close, and most of 52toys' products are very popular in the Southeast Asian market; The second is that when the brand obtains the authorization, it gives priority to the authorization of the Southeast Asian market; The third is that the demand for trendy toys is growing rapidly in Asia, while the economy of Southeast Asia is also developing rapidly.
A few days ago, 52toys announced the official launch of the overseas 100 stores plan to promote the construction of a multi-brand store system such as brand (flagship) stores, brand standard stores, island stores, shop-in-shops, and unmanned retail. According to Cai Ming, the brand will next open stores in Southeast Asian countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia, as well as Australia, the United States and other places.
52toys Thailand's first store (52toys Weibo).
Unlike 52toys, which has been deeply cultivated in China for many years and has gone global, three zero is a brand in Hong Kong, China, and its market expansion direction is not only overseas countries, but also Chinese mainland. Guo Zicong told reporters that there is a market for model toys all over the world, and Three Zero also has sixty or seventy distributors around the world, but because from the perspective of model play culture, China, the United States, and Japan are relatively large markets. "Because of the relatively small base, the development of model games in Southeast Asia is also very good. ”
In terms of specific channels, Three Zero also attaches great importance to the layout of offline channels. "Our online channels are relatively mature and perfect, and the company is currently looking to expand more offline channel customers. Guo Zicong mentioned that in the past, model games were sold in the form of reservations. But now, many consumers see the product when they go to the mall, and they will buy it immediately if they like it, and they need to stock it. For shopping malls, whether it is trendy toys or model toys, they are trendy and are products they are willing to introduce, which is a good opportunity for brands.
It should be noted that the sale of IP licensed toys requires the authorization of the IP in the corresponding region. Many of Three Zero's IPs are licensed worldwide, with the exception of a few places, such as the "Spy Player" authorized action figures that can be sold worldwide, except for Japan and Russia due to copyright reasons.
The global layout of collectible toys needs to pay attention to the scope of authorization.
Consciously nurture consumers
Consumers of categories, brands, and IPs can be consciously cultivated.
The products produced by Three Zero have strong collection attributes, large size, and relatively high **. In the process of operation, the company found that if it always positions high-end model products, it is always the same batch of consumers who buy products; If you lower the product**, you will find that the market is much larger. "Now, we have adjusted the company's products from a relatively large proportion to a small proportion and a smaller proportion. ** It has also been lowered from a few thousand yuan to 1,000 or 2,000 yuan or two or three hundred yuan. Guo Zicong said, for example, the company's new MDLX series "Heart Bridge Chain" small group size is about 9 10cm, using an alloy skeleton, which can be switched between general mode and combat mode, with a variety of gameplay and a strong sense of experience, and the market price is 249 yuan.
Three Zero's approach is also a way to nurture consumers. Many consumers like Japanese and American IPs, but may not be able to afford or are unwilling to spend thousands of dollars on model toys. Then, they can start with a few hundred dollars. Over time, consumers will play more, and their requirements will gradually increase, and they may buy products with larger sizes and higher standards.
Heart Bridge Chain" small group size is small and low price.
Talking about the market, Guo Zicong said that in the three years of the epidemic, the development of the model game market is relatively good. "Of course, we also clearly feel that the market is not very good since the second half of the year before last (2022). However, last year's first.
In the third and fourth quarters, the market slowly remained stable, and there is a chance to go up this year, so we have to work harder. ”
*: Chinese and Foreign Toy Network (CTOY-GDTA) Text **: IRIS Editor: Salas Picture: Brand Official Weibo Chinese and Foreign Toy Network.