LET’S HEAR IT FOR THE TOYS!

Geoff Sheffield, chief commercial officer, The Entertainer

“L.O.L. Surprise! is a consistent bestseller for us, even in a soft year, and that’s down to the constant innovation and reinvention of the play pattern, which have kept the brand fresh.

The new L.O.L. Surprise! Loves Mini Sweets line is doing well. MGA’s Miniverse, which is the company’s big launch for this year, is also going well, and seems to have wide appeal amongst both kids and adults. It’s going to be an interesting one to watch this year.

MGA is definitely disruptive in the field of fashion dolls. When you get up close to the Rainbow High dolls and look at some of the detail that’s put into them, it’s incredible. Adding to the brand with lines like Shadow High means MGA continues to challenge the norm in that space, which keeps consumers coming back.

As retailers, we drive promos and value for our customers and MGA has supported that over the years consistently. We’ve done unboxing events in stores in the past, and our marketing teams are working on activations for the second half of the year around window displays.”

We asked a panel of leading licensees and retailers for the lowdown on the MGA products that are currently topping their bestseller lists, and to share their thoughts on what gives blockbuster brands like L.O.L. Surprise!, Rainbow High, Bratz and Little Tikes the edge in a crowded market.

Jonathan Cotugno, vp product development, Townley

“Townley has been developing product globally with MGA since 2020. L.O.L. Surprise! immediately skyrocketed to become one of the top licences across our entire portfolio. Our view is that the strength and continued success of MGA brands lies not only in their uniqueness when compared to the competition, but in the constant expansion of the creative, aligning with on-trend, aspirational moments.

We’re thrilled to be launching product in Q3 2023 surrounding the iconic Bratz brand. This line not only has the nostalgia element, but also the trend-right, quality cosmetics the customer demands. The detailed collaborations that happen daily with the various MGA teams are a direct contribution to the success of all MGA x Townley product lines.”

Lisa Shand, md, Blueprint Collections

“Blueprint has partnered with MGA to create L.O.L. Surprise! stationery and bags since 2017, and the products established themselves quickly in our portfolio as bestsellers. The target age group and ‘collectability’ of the brand is a perfect match for the back-to-school category. L.O.L. Surprise! is now a classic in our range; key items include our L.O.L. Surprise! Bumper Stationery Set, Large Art Set and backpack. The MGA team is great to work with. We’re given lots of support with new style guides and quick turnarounds on approvals.”

Dan Grant, licensing director, Danilo “L.O.L. Surprise! is consistently in our top five licences across our whole portfolio. Our bestselling licensed products are greeting cards and gift wrap – we sold over 1m units in 2022 and the products are stocked in all key retailers in the UK.

There is a big element of fun and cuteness to L.O.L. that young kids love. The dolls all have their own individual styles and outfits, plus accessories to match. The artwork is kept really fresh, so our products always look strong on-shelf and are recognisable to the person purchasing the cards for the end recipient.

We keep our greeting card designs updated each year, using the refreshed artwork and style guides that MGA supplies on a seasonal basis. We also work closely with MGA to keep pace with its marketing activity and align our marketing accordingly. The other great benefit of the partnership is that MGA has a wide number of licensees and influencers that we can partner with to drive strong activity such as online and in-store retail, competitions and more.”

Beth Goss, ceo, Outright Games

“Since our multi-year licensing partnership with MGA first began in 2020, we have launched L.O.L. Surprise! and Bratz games for PC and console, and we are delighted to continue our partnership with console game Rainbow High: Rainbow Rush, which will be released this September.

Bratz: Flaunt Your Fashion is one of our bestselling games to date, as it tapped into the nostalgia of the brand for long-time fans and also expanded accessibility to younger gamers.

All three of these brands have incredibly strong USPs based around friendship, artistic expression and fashion, with distinctive visual styles that translate incredibly well to the world of video games. The deep connection between the TV, toy and gaming markets enables cross-promotion. MGA was quick to recognise gaming as an important vertical in expanding the worlds of its IPs, and our partnership with MGA delivers a robust brand experience for consumers.”

Rob Broadhurst, commercial director, Aykroyd & Sons

“We’re proud to say we’ve worked on both L.O.L. Surprise! and Rainbow High since the consumer products programmes launched. In the case of L.O.L. Surprise!, that would be seven years now – it’s been a hell of a ride! We’ve really stepped up our marketing activity in recent years and MGA has been a great partner. An excellent example of this was the L.O.L. Surprise! fashion show at Westfield London back in October, where our George at ASDA range was showcased and then shared on social channels by all partners.”

Laura Adnitt, publishing and brand management director, Story House Egmont

“Story House Egmont has published the L.O.L. Surprise! magazine since 2020 and it has gone from strength to strength. Currently it’s the #4 Primary Girls’ magazine in the UK market; against the backdrop of a declining sector, it’s showing growth of 2% YOY. It is market-leading across all our regions: UK, Eire, ANZ, GSA, Poland, CEE and Nordics.

The L.O.L. Surprise! brand is constantly evolving, so there is always something new for young fans to enjoy. The L.O.L. Surprise! movies have helped to really put the O.M.G. dolls at the forefront of young girls’ minds, and they love being introduced to the dolls on a deeper level, through fun and engaging activities and puzzles in the magazine.

Our seasonal specials are hugely popular – we invest in the product and at retail and we push heavily across our social media marketing platforms. These issues are innovative in terms of content and format, really standing out on-shelf and driving RSV in key seasonal periods.”

Phil Ratcliffe, md, MV Sports

“Our relationship with MGA started with the game-changing Bratz in 2003 and has continued ever since.

Helen Lynch, licensing & range manager, TJ Morris/Home Bargains

“We have stocked MGA brands for a number of years, and have also built up a significant offer made up of products from respected licensees complemented by successful innovative DTR ranges of products that we’ve produced ourselves. These include our range of L.O.L. Surprise! gifting, which launched in A/W 2021, and Little Tikes preschool toys (S/S 2022).

Our L.O.L. Surprise! beauty accessories are popular with our younger customers due to the element of surprise and great perceived value through sets and add-on accessories. Our Little Tikes range includes bubbles, ball and hoop games and musical instruments. The branding is really bold and impactful and works well when we highlight a particular theme/story in-store on a gondola end or on social media.”

The launch of our first L.O.L. Surprise! range in 2018 made a massive impact on our licensed wheeled and outdoor toy sales. All our L.O.L. Surprise! products are emblazoned with bright, iconic colour pops and stylised graphics, including our latest line, which consists of 3-in-1 Scootin’ Suitcase, Lithium Electric In-line Scooter, Inline Skates, Hopper, Safety Helmet, Pop Up Tent and Tepee, alongside much-sought-after products such as the Folding In-line Scooter and 14” and 16” bikes. Last year we added Rainbow High to our extensive portfolio of licences, including a Folding In-line Scooter, 14” Bike, Safety Helmet and In-line Skates. The diverse nature of the characters combined with bright, fun slogans and graphics keeps consumers coming back for more.”