Construction
Building for the future
There’s something primal about building for boys – as well as a lot of older men. Construction is one of those toy categories that defi es age and even gender barriers. Older kids, right through teens and into adult- hood have an almost metaphysical relation- ship with toy building blocks that never really goes away. LEGO has fuelled this facet with its aspirational LEGO Technic brand, which con- tinues to bring older boys a unique concept in the marketplace. Stand-alone models offering a challenging build, authenticity and functional- ity, and with the added online dimension of 3D animations and building challenge, LEGO Technic is well placed to target this market. MEGA too has seen its relationship with cool properties like Halo from the gaming sector extend the reach of its toy lines to an older consumer, plus its Need for Speed brand that appeals to consumers with a more model-mak- ing approach. Obviously, Meccano has been doing this suc- cessfully for years and also recently with its ro- botic Spykee variant but has also been making as much effort to go the other way and extend the reach of the brand to younger consumers.
ensured it is not just about the Doctor, Amy and the Tardis. Character Options, marketing director, Jerry Healey is also bullish about the category. “The construction sector represents a great opportunity for our Character Building brand,” states Jerry. “Using the Doctor Who and H.M. Armed Forces licenses was an ideal way to launch a range with instant consumer appeal. The feedback from consumers has also been overwhelming and this has resulted in strong sales at retail, which in turn has led to a signifi cant increase in listings and wider distribution this autumn. “An integrated marketing campaign
featuring TV and print advertising supported by extensive online activity and in store promotions has got Character Building off to a fl ying start. This level of support will continue in to the second half; focusing more on the exciting larger play-sets and will make the Character Building brand highly visible to consumers.” MEGA Bloks is also busy carving out a substantial niche for itself, backed by the
94 Toyworld
huge success of the Halo license and the manner in which it has managed to bridge the gap between a virtual property and a real world product. Dave Martin, GM of UK and Northern
Europe is convinced that there are opportunities for retailers outside of LEGO’s dominance and continues to prove it with new lines, extensions and new products featuring: Thomas, Chuggington, Need for Speed (NFS), plus the aforementioned Halo. “Kids want licensed product,” says Dave. “They want to touch and feel something they can relate to on-screen and in other media, so massive properties like Thomas and Chuggington really boost our impact in the construction category. You still need your own IP too, as we do with MEGA Bloks, so the ambition is to have a healthy combination of both, which is not only good for the consumer but good for the retailer too.” Meccano meanwhile continues to keep
its foot on the pedal as UK country manager, Sue Barratt explains. “Growth in the Construction category is
key to Meccano’s success; it’s our core category and it’s where we’ve built our enviable reputation for innovation and NPD with retailers. We’ve enjoyed year on year growth in the UK and built market share and penetration through competitive pricing, strategic market segmentation and working closely with our retail partners to develop pertinent and targeted sales support. “Retailers won’t be able to hide from the huge publicity campaign around The Adventures of Tintin. “In fact, wherever you look in the build up
to Christmas, Meccano will be visible. We are building brand and range awareness throughout October, November and December with a TV advertising campaign running on Cartoon Network, Disney XD, Nickelodeon, Nick Toonsters and CITV. Our ambition is to create a real stir about
Meccano in the lead up to Christmas, increasing signifi cantly our brand profi le to support our retail partners. We’ve also created a Space Chaos display to give retailers fi rst class POS.
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