Brand Profile - Brainstorm

Getting creepy with Greepz

Brainstorm is now the exclusive UK and Ireland distributor for Greepz, a new horror themed collectible plush based on the popular Creepypasta craze. Andrew Bedford, Greepz’s cocreator and developer, tells Toy World all about the range, the inspiration behind the brand, the importance of its demographic, his plans for Greepz’s future and much more.

Where did the inspiration for Greepz come from?

Greepz is inspired by the phenomenon known as Creepypasta, which encompasses all horror generated content on the Internet. Creepypasta first emerged circa 2007 by way of user generated online content including images, stories and memes. It instantly gained popularity and arguably set the initial criteria for what is now regarded as a viral sensation. It may have started as a craze, but it’s become an established destination for fans of horror and the macabre. Creepypasta continues to thrive and evolve within cyber space, nourished by user generated content, reverence and - as strange as it sounds - love.

What are Greepz?

Greepz are physical representations inspired by Creepypasta characters. They have broken free from their cyberspace bonds to be present in the real world. To an unsuspecting eye, they seem like peculiar collectibles, yet, for those who dare to look closer, the Greepz reveal their chilling truth—creatures forever caught between two realms. Greeplingz are the smaller version of Greepz and each packaged plush character features a changing lenticular face and collector card. Greepz are aimed at teen/young adult collectors with a penchant for horror, the macabre, the unexplained and the mysterious.

Teen/adult pop culture collectibles are becoming more and more popular every year – why do you think this is happening, and how do retailers tap into this trend?

Rather than a new trend, I’d argue that this segment of the toy industry has existed for years. Adults have collected toys for decades – great examples of this include model trains, diecast cars, dolls and teddy bears. Presently, the adult toy collectible segment is just growing at a greater rate than other segments. In response, toy manufacturers will try and capitalise on this growth which leads to greater choice for adult collectors, and this in turn fuels popularity.

Retailers need to tap into this trend and dedicate space which is separate and distinct to the kids’ toy space. Ranging decisions for this space need to be wellconsidered and balanced; simply filling it with big brand, mainstream offers will likely miss the spot. Teen and young adult collectors are constantly on the lookout for the ‘I found it first’ moment – a moment they will gladly share via their social media feeds and networks.

The UK range will be fully released in SS25 with six Greepz and six Greeplingz. What are your plans for the brand going forward? Will it expand, and how often can early adopters in the UK expect to see new phases land?

The initial global trade response to Greepz has been overwhelmingly positive, and as such we have sought advice from experts in the adult collector world on the best way to move the brand forward. The clear advice is to be in a position to launch three new releases by segment

in a calendar year, so that is what we are planning to do. The intervals for these releases are dependent on each market, but our view is we’ll be ready to service that need ahead of time. Aside from this, we are also planning to introduce at least one new product format in late 2025.

Greepz are not marketed at the younger audience, and you have imposed a 14+ age recommendation - what prompted this decision?

Greepz are not intended for children and our 14+ recommendation is our self-imposed sense check for consumers. It’s inevitable that some older children will undoubtably be drawn to and want to collect Greepz, so they have been warned. The inspiration for Greepz is based on Creepypasta and the initial cohort that contributed to this phenomenon were Millennial teens and young adults, so the 14+ age recommendation reflects and respects that actuality.

Finally, Creepypasta fans are renowned for their imaginative take on the horror genre. Do all the Greepz characters have their own unique backstory, or will you leave it to fans to create their own creepy narrative?

All Greepz and Greeplingz characters have their own unique backstory which is our humble homage to the DNA of Creepypasta. That DNA is a renowned imaginative take on the horror genre in all its creepy wonderfulness. Each Greepz and Greeplingz character includes a collector card which contains details of that character’s unique backstory and some extra fun facts. Additionally, fans will be able to visit the Creepypasta website to explore not only the lore of each character, but the lore of the Greepz backstory and world. However, we also look forward to hearing from fans, including content they create and share via socials and for them to help inspire potential future characters, series and themes.