SEEING TOYS on the TV is not a new development. Spirograph demos went down a storm in the ‘60s, and Blue Peter took toy/TV relations to another level with the sticky-back plastic and yoghurt pot-tastic build- your-own Tracey Island in the ‘90s. But in these high-technological times, with the web and social media
Just Doo it
Of all the toys to have made their way onto the small screen in the past 12 months, one stands out. Doggie Doo. Last September this pooping pooch
from John Adams went prime time, demonstrating his unique talents to celebrity guests and approximately 4.5 million viewers on The Jonathan Ross Show. The results were big. “We were inundated with tweets and discussion was widespread within the blogosphere,” recalls Louise Hathaway, account director at Norton and Company, John Adams’ PR firm. Hathaway continues: “It can be worth thousands of pounds in brand exposure and is an exceptionally powerful medium. Viewers get to see the product and if you have great interaction with the host or presenter then you can experience almost instant results.”
The buzz helped earn Doggie Doo a spot in the 2011 Dream Dozen at Dream Toys a month later and was one of NPD’s top ten most valuable toys in November, ensuring further media coverage. At the TRA event, one John Adams exec let slip to ToyNews that sales of the toy had increased tenfold since the appearance.
SO HOW DID THEY DOO IT? When it comes to securing TV spots three crucial ingredients are required, says Hathaway: “Great contacts, a fantastic product to work with and a lot of tenacity.” The all-important product, “should be quirky to stand out, and something
MAY 2012
that can be demonstrated to comic effect is helpful.”
Doggie Doo has what it takes. Its simple talent was demonstrable, funny and a perfect match for the show and Ross’ sense of humour – and the joke wasn’t lost on the public either. Hathaway explains: “Kids love poo. And, so it would seem, toilet humour never dies. The producer for The Jonathan Ross Show was looking for something that kept viewers tuned in. “That is the challenge of PR – to make something relevant to an audience and to spot that opportunity before it arises.”
Doggie Doo and its quirky take on
responsible dog ownership appears to have done the trick.
Simon Pilkington, managing director of John Adams, comments: “The consumer response to the prime time appearance of Doggie Doo on The Jonathan Ross Show was exceptional when combined with being listed in the Dream Toys Dream Dozen, which also generated very significant levels of publicity.
“Demand outstripped supply in the run up to Christmas and now Doggie Doo looks set to be a staple kids action game for some years to come.”
Star turns connecting people on an
unprecedented level, if the right toy is on the right show at the right time, things can go viral.
Simply put, a well-judged TV appearance can provide the spark that ignites the buzz around a product, creating a potent PR mix that can ensure a healthy spike in
Lewis Tyler finds out what it takes to turn toys into TV stars and asks: could an appearance on a top show be the most valuable form of toy PR..?
sales, or better yet: turn a toy into a blockbuster product overnight. For toy companies, creating such a perfect storm of publicity is a hard task, but it is possible. In a series of case studies we talk to some of the PR firms and toy companies which have caused the biggest stirs on the box in the past 12 months, and find
out what it takes to turn toys into TV stars.
And for retailers, it might be worth
keeping an eye on the box to make sure you catch the next big thing, as it happens. For that reason, we also provide you with a comprehensive guide to the programmes showing off toys.