Feature
Action Vehicles
In the driving seat
In the Action Vehicles category, toy companies are constantly looking for ways to make their vehicles stand out, by incorporating new technology and features or being the first to catch the eyes of fans or collectors and through the use of top licences.
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nnovation is leading the way in the category, in which many Action Vehicles suppliers are integrating new technologies and using creativity to attract consumers of all ages through imaginative play opportunities, exciting designs and brand-new licences. Toy companies are also embracing the power of entertainment by using popular franchises, from Formula 1 to Wednesday to Paw Patrol. Mattel has taken one step further by introducing its own new series, Hot Wheels Let’s Race on Netflix, allowing the company to introduce a whole new range to complement the show. One for Fun has added three new vehicles this year to its Formula 1 range: a Mercedes, a Ferrari and a Bugatti. Not only does One for Fun have the benefit that Formula 1 is the highest class of international racing, with miniature replicas appealing to fans and collectors, but the company has enhanced its offering further with the addition of Bluetooth technology to remote controlled models. These are Bluetooth controlled through a phone app creating a modern, innovative and competitively priced product. Not content simply to have pole position in Formula 1, One for Fun also caters to a much broader sector of the market. CEO David Mordecai told us: “We are in such a fortunate position as the sole distributor for Maisto and Bburago, a brand which is constantly innovating and investing in new technology. Being able to cover a wide
variety of age groups from a baby’s first car to vehicles for the serious collector and everything in between is a huge plus. We have all the marques that everyone wants, from the big names in Formula 1 to the most desirable off-road vehicles to classic tractor names; we have cornered the market on the vehicles everyone wants. For toddlers, we are introducing the Shake Shake Runner Set under the BB Junior brand, setting youngsters off on the right track. We will also be introducing electric vehicles from VW with their very own charging point.” Bruder Spielwaren is best known for its 1:16 scale model vehicles, and the company has seen demand rising steadily in recent years. This year it is expanding its leisure segment with the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Unlimited and the Range Rover Velar, both ideal for off-road and
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outdoor adventures. To add to the collectability and play value, new bworld figures, the characters in Bruder’s world, have been created to accompany the vehicles and extend the play possibilities – there’s a kayaker to go with the Jeep and four figures to sit inside the Range Rover. Julia Meyer, Marketing manager at Bruder, commented: “Bruder brings ‘just like the real thing’ to children’s bedrooms. We don’t produce typical action vehicles – the action is created by children with the activities or action play they use the vehicles for. Bruder cars give them enormous scope for creativity, like going whitewater rafting
