Feature
Plush
Cuddle squad For a deeply traditional category, Plush has been enjoying its fair share of social media crazes, technological advancements and licensed expansion. Rachael Simpson-Jones finds out how TikTok, the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and wellness are shaping the sector this year.
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n previous issues, I’ve talked about the behemoth that is Squishmallows: its huge sales, obsessed fans and cult status have made it a giant in the plush arena. It’s fair to say nothing much has changed: Teresa Carter, of Chocoloons in Coleraine, Co. Londonderry, says fans of all ages love the brand, not just children, noting: “We have teenagers and even university students and adults coming in for Squishmallows.” Describing the cute and tactile brand as ‘on fire’, and sales as ‘phenomenal’, Holly Oldham, MD UK & Nordics at Jazwares, is clearly very excited for the months ahead as the company prepares to welcome brand-new, never before seen characters alongside fan favourites with a twist. She explains: “We’re aligning our character selections globally for 2023, meaning UK fans will be able to collect the same styles as fans in the US and other international territories. This will bring the global social community together in a big way.” Social media lies at the heart of Squishmallows’ success, with TikTok and Instagram leading the way in terms of impact, while gaming – an area that’s really starting to mix and merge with the toy space – will also be a focus for the brand moving forward. Jazwares aims to grow its presence in the metaverse via its Squishmallows Roblox game as well as develop
further gaming offerings for fans of the brand. Holly adds: “We also have some exciting licensed collaborations launching, which we know our fans will love.” Licensing continues to make waves in plush, and this year it’s a character from Darkest Peru that’s proving particularly popular according to Anthony Temple, managing director at Rainbow Designs. The company, which bills itself as ‘The Home of Classic Characters’, is seeing success with its Peter Rabbit and Disney’s Winnie the Pooh collections, but is experiencing significant demand for all its Paddington collections - Classic, Paddington for Baby and The Adventures of Paddington. “Paddington’s visit to Buckingham Palace to have afternoon tea with the Queen, in celebration of her Platinum Jubilee, was obviously the ‘marmalade on the cake’, for this much-loved, kind-hearted bear,” Anthony explains when asked what’s driving sales. “He is such a firm favourite with the British public that this increased visibility is boosting an already strong year for the brand.” For the first time ever, Paddington has also joined the heritage plush brand Ty in the form of a Beanie Baby, and later this year he will also appear as a Squish-A-Boo. Ty’s other licensed ranges are also
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expanding with new additions to its Marvel Beanie Babies range, while Marvel also joins the Squish-ABoo line-up, which currently also includes Peppa Pig and Hello Kitty. When speaking to retailers, Ty is almost always highlighted as a best-selling plush range. According to Ty UK chairman Mark Swallow, the company’s plush toys are a ‘true emotional purchase’. He tells me: “I was talking with a man at a car show a couple of weeks ago, and he confessed to me that while he never goes to a toy shop looking for Ty plush, he always walks out with three or four anyway (for his kids, he said). We hear this sort of anecdote all the time, yet it’s still an unusual situation. Most consumers head to stores with an objective - a particular toy or game they’re looking for. But all we need to sell our product are people in physical shops.” Mark adds: “Consumers are watching what they spend at the moment. As Ty has been around since 1986, we’ve seen our fair share of ups and downs, but we know that when times are hard, people will still buy reasonably priced toys. Around 80% of our range sits at a price point between £3-8, making Ty plush a great option for anyone feeling the pinch, but still looking for a pick-me-up or a lovely gift for a child. In a difficult climate such as the current one, our price
