Go Mini from GB Toys is about to roll into stores, bringing with it a new era for the vehicle market. Katie Roberts talks to Christine Nicholls, Marketing and Product Development Director, about the firm’s high hopes for the collection…
How has the Go Mini range been received by retailers since the Toy Fair launch? Our retail partners have taken to the brand as much as we have. Let’s face it, this is an iconic name and our collection is instantly recognisable. Everyone understands that this is a vehicle collection that will be as well received by the parents as it will be by the children who want to play with it. This positive reception has been echoed globally and we have recently announced an exclusive deal with Toys R Us in the US.
When will the line hit shelves? Late July will see the first 18 styles go on sale – it’s an impressive launch collection.
What retailers are on board for the range so far? We have had unanimous support with the majors and everyone wants to be part of the Go Mini experience. Many have taken the whole collection and the independent sector is also fully geared up for the launch.
JUNE 2012
Our plan is for longevity with lots of innovation and product development
along the way, but always staying true to the roots of the brand.
What are the marketing plans behind the launch? Are you planning TV, PR, sampling, experiential, social marketing? We have an all-encompassing campaign with considerable TV spend leading the way. PR is also a key aspect of the launch with designer competitions, kids press and a full list of sampling activities to the media. We have our core market of boys
aged four plus, but also a secondary market of collectors and Mini fans so our strategy has to be far reaching. We want to instil the same fun and style in every Go Mini that comes with the real thing.
Our plan includes lots of social
marketing too, to many different sectors, a lot of which is new ground for Golden Bear. It’s all very exciting and we relish the challenge.
Are there any plans to extend the brand further? If so, what can we expect to see? Product development for the new collections is already underway. There are many ways that we can progress the brand but like all concept cars, it’s all being kept under wraps until the big reveal.
What makes the range stand out from other vehicle offerings? Go Mini is the complete package with everything fulfilled for the age range. It’s colourful, multi-functional, tactile and fun. But with this comes the style that is the Mini brand. We know that children point at a Mini in the street and can possibly name it before any other brand, and as they get older they aspire to owning their own first Mini. Now they can be part of it at a
much earlier age, and with every car having its own personality, name and features they can really buy into their favourites too.
What would you like to have achieved with the brand by the end of 2012? We want the same as everyone else in the industry, an innovative but classic brand that promises longevity, offers our retail partners in-store sales success, and for the children, a toy they cherish that’s the first out of the toy box every time. Our aim by the end of 2012 is to ensure all of these objectives have been met.
Where do you see the brand in five years’ time? Our plan is for longevity with lots of innovation and product development along the way, but always staying true to the roots of the brand. If we commit to this then in five years’ time we see Go Mini as a mainstay of the toy store, where season on season there is much anticipation for the unveiling of the latest collection.