{"id":11988,"date":"2017-03-24T09:05:27","date_gmt":"2017-03-24T13:05:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/toy-stories\/"},"modified":"2017-03-27T09:36:18","modified_gmt":"2017-03-27T13:36:18","slug":"toy-stories","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/toy-stories\/","title":{"rendered":"Toy Stories"},"content":{"rendered":"

David Wood investigates how inanimate playthings are transformed into characters and stories that kids will engage with day after day.<\/em><\/p>\n

Over the last few years, toy companies have undergone something of a revolution in their thinking about the role that content plays in their business strategies. Most industry professionals can remember a time when TV shows made or commissioned by toy manufacturers were little more than thinly veiled commercials.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have all heard the stories in the past about toy dictating content; that\u2019s simply not the way we go here anymore,\u201d reports Christopher Keenan, the senior VP of content development and production at Mattel Creations, a division of Mattel. \u201cNow we focus on fostering an emotional relationship between characters and audiences. When that relationship is solidified, there is a natural progression to wanting to continue to interact with that character, and the tool for that is the toy. It becomes a much more natural relationship between content and toy end product.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hasbro has gone down a similar path with the creation of \u201cbrand blueprints,\u201d at the heart of which comes storytelling, explains Stephen Davis, the company\u2019s chief content officer and executive VP, and the president of Hasbro Studios.<\/p>\n

\u201cKids can tell when someone is simply trying to sell a product to them,\u201d says Natasha Gross, the head of TV and licensing sales at Sunrights, the rights management company that represents\u00a0Beyblade Burst<\/em>, the latest release in the franchise inspired by the spinning top toy. \u201cNow more than ever it is important to create a great story that is exciting enough to keep their attention.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the past, some shows were just animated versions of the toys, with the aim of saving money on advertising,\u201d observes Hans Ulrich Stoef, the CEO of m4e. \u201cThat concept has now disappeared, thankfully!\u201d<\/p>\n

So much so that the likes of m4e and others are tying up with toy companies on new shows. Matteo Corradi, the CEO of Mondo TV, says that his company plans to expand its slate of fifty-fifty joint ventures with toy manufacturers, online game companies and publishers to develop content brands.<\/p>\n

BRAND POWERHOUSES<\/strong>
\nWhile there are several producers eyeing IP opportunities on shelves, the biggest toy-based brands are, not surprisingly, being produced by industry giants Mattel and Hasbro, which have both made creating and distributing their own IP a priority.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018Toy or show?\u2019 is often the chicken and egg question in kids\u2019 brands in terms of which came first, but we think the best way forward now is simultaneous creation,\u201d Mattel\u2019s Keenan says. \u201cWe aim to infuse our storytelling with the DNA of opportunities for play, while our counterparts on the products and toys side are thinking about how can these stories be played out.\u201d<\/p>\n

One year since the launch of Mattel Creations, a centralized unit for film, TV and digital content, the new story-focused approach is beginning to bear fruit, says Keenan. A good example is the reinvention of key brands such as Barbie. \u201cInstead of Barbie role-playing\u2014as she would have done in previous years (Barbie the princess, Barbie the mermaid or astronaut), it\u2019s now Barbie the character, her friends and their heightened reality life in Malibu. This is the basis for Mattel\u2019s new animated slate such as the comedy series\u00a0Barbie Dreamhouse Adventures<\/em>. This boils down to leading with character and story, with which we are hoping to inspire play.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s an approach that Mattel is bringing to bear on other key brands, including\u00a0Thomas & Friends<\/em>, which was always story-focused, having started life as a series of books; and the American Girl franchise, which has been expanded with the development of a new doll line, WellieWishers. Author Valerie Tripp has been brought on board to create a WellieWishers book series, and the brand has also been supported by a 26×11-minute animated series that debuted on Amazon Prime Video last fall.<\/p>\n

Aimed at 5- to 7-year-old girls,\u00a0WellieWishers<\/em>\u00a0is built around the stories of a group of friends who play in a garden, have occasional disagreements and ultimately solve their problems by developing their empathic skills.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith\u00a0WellieWishers<\/em>\u00a0we decided very much from the outset it was going to be about girls\u2019 authentic relationships rather than what they have or what they look like,\u201d says Keenan. \u201cSet in a beautiful garden\u2014and inspired by the nature around them\u2014it\u2019s really about setting an alternative example for young girls and embracing the natural environment rather than spending all your time on a screen.\u201d<\/p>\n

The show is tipped for a second season and Mattel is already discussing plans for turning it into a live event or stage show, says Keenan.<\/p>\n

TRANSFORMATION PLAN<\/strong>
\nAt Hasbro, part and parcel of keeping a successful brand on track has been a big emphasis on consumer insight, Davis reports. \u201cWe do a lot of consumer insight testing\u2014talking to kids, parents and grandparents to get both positive and negative feedback on how to position our brands in a multiplatform universe, with listening to social media playing an increasingly important role. We love it when consumers adopt our brand, and we pay particular attention to any user-generated content, which is very useful in informing our strategic direction.\u201d<\/p>\n

Davis cites the role played by consumer research in the evolution of Transformers animated content, from\u00a0Transformers Prime<\/em>\u00a0in 2010 to the latest,\u00a0Robots in Disguise<\/em>, in terms of story lines and humor. \u201cKids told us what they wanted in our shows, and with each iteration, we take that on board and share it with our writers and directors,\u201d Davis explains. \u201cIt has underpinned the creation of a whole ecosystem of Transformers content from\u00a0Rescue Bots<\/em>, the brand\u2019s entry point for preschool boys where the robots assist the disaster-prone residents of Griffin Rock, to\u00a0Transformers: Robots in Disguise<\/em>\u00a0on Cartoon Network, where there is much battling against villainous Decepticons. Then there is\u00a0Transformers: Combiner Wars\u00a0<\/em>[an online version for older fans], plus the\u00a0Transformers\u00a0<\/em>movie franchise, which is targeted at families.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hasbro is also showcasing a new preschool property called\u00a0Hanazuki<\/em>, which is running as a digital series on YouTube. \u201cHanazuki\u00a0<\/em>shows that we are big believers in story first, even though we are a consumer-products company,\u201d explains Davis. \u201cWe are not supporting it yet with consumer-product lines, but letting audiences get to know the characters. Then following with the consumer-products strategy.\u201d<\/p>\n

At Mondo TV, the hunt is on for toy companies it can partner with on content opportunities. \u201cThe key is being able to recognize the best ideas with the most potential for TV adaptation,\u201d says Corradi. Mondo\u2019s current focus is\u00a0YooHoo & Friends<\/em>, a 3D animated series aimed at 3- to 6-year-olds and based on a series of cuddly toy characters.\u00a0YooHoo & Friends<\/em>\u00a0showcases some of the key features of what content production companies should look for in a toy brand, insists Corradi. \u201cFirst of all, we always look for properties that are very original in concept\u2014a box that\u00a0YooHoo & Friends<\/em>\u00a0ticks with its green environmental messaging.\u201d<\/p>\n

In addition to being well designed with clear play patterns, toys ideally need to demonstrate collectability, says Corradi. \u201cThis is important not just for the success of the toy but for the TV element too. We need to create a long-term partnership, so we usually want to work on more than one series to build the property.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also worth spending time ensuring that both producer and toy partner agree on the target age range of the property, according to Corradi. \u201cWe usually identify an optimum target age group for a concept, and sometimes find that the toy company has a different target age group in mind\u2014it\u2019s probably best to come to an agreement as to which is the most appropriate.\u201d<\/p>\n

Corradi adds, \u201cThe design of a toy is another aspect that we look at very carefully. When we see toy companies presenting new properties at toy fairs, it\u2019s very easy to spot the designs that are not innovative.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stoef at m4e notes that producers should also look out for warning signs that they might not be teaming up with the right toy manufacturer.<\/p>\n

STORY FIRST<\/strong>
\n\u201cThe thing we least like to hear from toy companies is the comment: \u2018There\u2019s too much story,\u2019 or \u2018We need more product shots.\u2019 At that point, you need either to step away or put the brakes on immediately.\u201d<\/p>\n

He also recommends not being afraid to instigate big changes to development plans for toys or existing content if you think it will make for a more successful result. This was the case when Sherry Gunther Shugerman brought the Beatrix Girls, a series of character-based dolls with musical talents, to m4e.<\/p>\n

The brand had already launched as a series of YouTube webisodes, but m4e decided to make substantial changes to the adaptation. \u201cWe wanted to move it away from the idea of another animated television show about a girl band and developed the concept of a live-action show with puppet animation,\u201d says Stoef. \u201cOne of the best things about the adaptation is that it\u2019s now completely original\u2014there\u2019s nothing else like it on the market at the moment.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Stoef, the key to successfully adapting toys into tele\u00advision is to first focus on the basic design of the toy and ask yourself if it is different from other toys on the market. \u201cSecondly, are you able to create a TV show that would sell on its own\u2014without the toy\u2014a show that manages to keep the integrity of the original toy but stands on its own two feet? And thirdly, can we bring a good story to it that will also have a little curriculum?\u201d<\/p>\n

Indeed, not all toy brands lend themselves to character-based storytelling, warns Keenan, citing Mattel\u2019s Hot Wheels as an example. \u201cHot Wheels is all about challenges, stunts and perseverance rather than characters. So we have focused on short-form content for YouTube based on competition, experimentation and creative thinking\u2014the activities that you might be involved in when playing with Hot Wheels toys.\u201d<\/p>\n

He adds, \u201cThere could be longer-form content further down the line with Hot Wheels, but the creative challenge is how to bring those stories to life without eclipsing it with character and changing the core of what makes Hot Wheels Hot Wheels.\u201d<\/p>\n

Beyblade has proven itself to be a heavyweight brand in the sector\u2014the first line of the Takara Tomy spinning tops reached retail in Japan in 2000. Sunrights\u2019 Gross notes that the Beyblade franchise \u201cis unique in that kids can battle each other in real life, they can watch the animation on their screens, and they can also connect virtually through the app and social media. It is elevating the concept of play and creating a globally interconnected universe for a new digital generation to engage with the brand.\u201d<\/p>\n

She adds, \u201cAnimating a TV series around a brand with a toyetic core requires a great deal of balance. With this new generation of\u00a0Beyblade<\/em>, ensuring the quality of the animation and relatability of the characters was key. One of the reasons\u00a0Beyblade<\/em>\u00a0translates so well as an animated series is because the kids identify with the characters and the emotional rush they feel when competing against their friends in battle. Throughout the series, the viewers get to follow the characters as they battle their way to the top. Since the characters all have different personalities and battling styles, the kids can easily pick out their favorites and root for them throughout the season.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gross points to the importance of close collaboration with your toy partners. \u201cMany times retailers will want to ensure that the animated series will be airing prior to toy launch. Ideally, the TV series will launch with a comfortable cushion to build awareness and let kids connect with and familiarize themselves with the brand.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe TV launch needs to be closely coordinated with the toy launch\u2014so both parties must work together,\u201d agrees Mondo\u2019s Corradi.<\/p>\n

The final word on the toy-to-TV transition comes from Hasbro\u2019s Davis. \u201cIt has to set up opportunities for kids to be able to tell their own stories through engaging role play\u2014not, in other words, a static piece of plastic.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

David Wood investigates how inanimate playthings are transformed into characters and stories that kids will engage with day after day.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11989,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pmpro_default_level":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[79,21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11988","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","","category-features","category-top-stories","pmpro-has-access"],"yoast_head":"\nToy Stories - TVKIDS<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/toy-stories\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Toy Stories - TVKIDS\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"David Wood investigates how inanimate playthings are transformed into characters and stories that kids will engage with day after day.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/toy-stories\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"TVKIDS\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2017-03-24T13:05:27+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2017-03-27T13:36:18+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2017\/03\/Beyblade-Burst-Sunrights-417-e1490621773324.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"392\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"304\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"World Screen\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"World Screen\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"10 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/toy-stories\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/toy-stories\/\",\"name\":\"Toy Stories - TVKIDS\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2017-03-24T13:05:27+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2017-03-27T13:36:18+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/#\/schema\/person\/48d5d8caeca98083bf34512b4ce8c4c7\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/toy-stories\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/toy-stories\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/toy-stories\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Toy Stories\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/\",\"name\":\"TVKIDS\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/#\/schema\/person\/48d5d8caeca98083bf34512b4ce8c4c7\",\"name\":\"World Screen\",\"description\":\"The leading source of information for the international media business.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/author\/admin\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Toy Stories - TVKIDS","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/toy-stories\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Toy Stories - TVKIDS","og_description":"David Wood investigates how inanimate playthings are transformed into characters and stories that kids will engage with day after day.","og_url":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/toy-stories\/","og_site_name":"TVKIDS","article_published_time":"2017-03-24T13:05:27+00:00","article_modified_time":"2017-03-27T13:36:18+00:00","og_image":[{"width":392,"height":304,"url":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2017\/03\/Beyblade-Burst-Sunrights-417-e1490621773324.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"World Screen","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"World Screen","Est. reading time":"10 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/toy-stories\/","url":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/toy-stories\/","name":"Toy Stories - TVKIDS","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/#website"},"datePublished":"2017-03-24T13:05:27+00:00","dateModified":"2017-03-27T13:36:18+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/#\/schema\/person\/48d5d8caeca98083bf34512b4ce8c4c7"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/toy-stories\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/toy-stories\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/toy-stories\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Toy Stories"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/#website","url":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/","name":"TVKIDS","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/#\/schema\/person\/48d5d8caeca98083bf34512b4ce8c4c7","name":"World Screen","description":"The leading source of information for the international media business.","url":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/author\/admin\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11988","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11988"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11988\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11989"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11988"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11988"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11988"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}