Feature
Tech Toys
Tech that
The digital age is thoroughly upon us and Generation Z is demanding ever more sophisticated technology and entertainment when it comes to options for play. Toy World’s Rachael Simpson examines the most recent developments in the category.
T
he latest tech toys combine the very latest technological advancements, utilising robotics, programming and digital connectivity in order to provide an enhanced play experience. The attraction of a product with the most up to date features is proving a real selling point, as the category continues to evolve with every new high-tech development. Tomy, has recently released Lightseekers, created by PlayFusion, a role-playing game for mobiles and tablets that connects smart action figures, interchangeable accessories, and augmented reality trading cards. “Lightseekers blends the physical and digital worlds in ways never seen before, such as using smart action figures as game controllers to control on-screen characters,” says Nicola Jenkins, head of marketing UK at Tomy. “Using tech to move the industry forward (as evidenced by Sphero and Anki) is a lucrative trend in itself.” Tomy isn’t the only company to bridge the gap between apps and gaming. Worlds Apart’s SelfieMic came with an app loaded with karaoke hits, ensuring that kids could use the product with ease, and not have to spend time searching the internet for their favourite songs. With the continued design and development of toys which require an ever-higher standard of innovation, tech toys sit very much in the higher-price bracket much of the time, and with Brexit looming, and the subsequent devaluation of the pound since the referendum was held, tech toys is a category which is perhaps feeling the
pinch more than others. “We are seeing many toy categories that are feeling the effects of the currency shifts, specifically driven by Brexit and other economic factors,” says Nicola at Tomy. “It has caused higher costs across the spectrum, which need to be managed and absorbed where possible, and we know this pressure may continue. However, our current experience and NPD data suggest that consumers will still spend on innovative products at all price points.” Retailers too are feeling the effects of Brexit, and with independent retailers already somewhat cautious about stocking tech lines due to large overheads and relatively low margins, tech toys remain largely a seasonal category. Price point is an important consideration, a financial tightrope to be walked between under-specing a product, and pricing consumers out of the market. Tech isn’t cheap, but some suppliers have found, and are successfully exploiting, price points which are not only competitive, but are boosting sales by allowing an element of collectibility. Fingerlings by Wowwee, distributed in the UK by Jazwares, is one such example. “Fingerlings has got off to a great start in the UK,” says Sydney Wiseman at WowWee. “The extremely competitive price point has been key in establishing the range as an all-year-round proposition. We quickly sold through all the stock we initially bought in, but I’m pleased to say that we’re back in stock now. The range is now starting to take off across the globe and the UK has very much paved the way; as it was the first launch territory, it has given us a good sense of
Wowwee
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the popular colours and the effectiveness of the TV spot. Given the success of the original series, we’re already working on new characters and new colourways, which will be introduced next year.” Likewise, Lightseekers, as a trading card game, is also playing on the collectibility factor by giving fans the option to collect the cards without having to access the augmented reality functions of the game, meaning that, with the cards marketed at lower price points than the smart action figures, smaller retailers and independents can get in on the action. “PlayFusion has done an amazing job bringing their tech to the trading card sector,” says Nicola. “While playable as a complete standalone trading card game, each of the 386 trading cards can be scanned using the Lightseekers game to unlock augmented reality experiences and ingame effects. Given the game does not have in app purchases to progress gameplay, these physical components will be critical for a competitive edge when playing so they will be highly sought after by fans of the game.” One major advantage of tech products is that they lend themselves to visual presentation. Increasingly, social media is playing a part in driving sales and exposure of tech toys, with a number of YouTube channels now dedicated to unboxing events and other reveals surrounding toys such as Hatchimals, the sell-out success of Christmas 2016. Indeed, one single YouTube video of Hatchimals emerging from their eggs, from Chad Alan, has gained in excess of three and a half million views at the time of writing. In terms of popularity, interactive pets and “companion” tech toys remain bestsellers, while, the robotics category continues to expand, with a number of products teaching simple robotics and coding as part of the play experience, a crossover into STEM territory. Tech toys and gadgets that the child has to build themselves are of a similar vein – learning disguised as entertainment. Unsurprisingly, cars and drones remain popular, especially among boys, with companies such as Anki offering sophisticated technology to the everyday consumer, in the form of robotics and racing systems. In our rapidly evolving technological world, one thing is for sure - as innovations in the tech sector continue to move forward at a blistering pace, so too will the expectations children place upon toy offerings. Over the next few pages, Toy World takes a look at the latest products and ranges from major players within the tech toy category.