Knights in shining armour face-to-face
For Schleich, 2013 has marked a year of new licences and range expansions, but it’s also seen the company’s first foray into TV advertising. Toy World’s Tom Roberts talks to Gary Wilmot, country manager for Schleich UK, about a landmark year for the company.
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riedrich Schleich originally founded the company in 1935, and the company’s well-known figurines first came to life in the 1950s. In the early 1980s the company added animal figurines to its range of products and
consequently extended this area. Spanning from the lost world of the dinosaurs to domestic and wild animals of present times, the figurines are highly recognisable. Meanwhile, starting in 2003, Knights and Elves were added to Schleich’s Play Worlds range.
And 2013 looks to be as landmark a year as those just mentioned, as Gary Wilmot, country manager of Schleich Uk, confirmed: “It’s been an exciting year for us, and a major highlight has been taking our first leap into the world of TV advertising. The newly-designed Knights received fantastic feedback from the outset, so we knew we were featuring the right products, and we can’t wait to see the results of the campaign. For Schleich, 2014’s focus is on launching new products into our existing successful ranges, and with the addition of Peanuts, the world of licensing holds some exciting new prospects.” It was announced in August this year that Schleich has entered into a new partnership with Peanuts Worldwide and obtained the exclusive worldwide rights on plastic figurines, as well as accompanying playsets, vehicles and accessories up to December 2016. Dr Thomas van Kaldenkerken, CEO at Schleich, commented on the partnership: “We are happy to enter a partnership with one of the most prestigious brands in the world, loved by adults and children alike. At Schleich, we only seek to licence products with brands and characters we care about, which carry messages we believe in. Charlie Brown and the gang beautifully convey the wisdom and humour of children, and we promise that our figurines will capture the Peanuts spirit loved worldwide.” Leigh Anne Brodsky, managing director of
Peanuts Worldwide and Iconix Entertainment, added: “For 77 years, Schleich has been producing some of the most creative, beautiful, witty, and charming figures in the world, and we know they will bring their signature touch to the Peanuts characters. We’re delighted to partner with them and we look forward to creating fun new play experiences for children thanks to Schleich.”
Up close and personal To find out more about Schleich’s successes in
2013, and their future plans, Toy World caught up with Gary Wilmot.
Toy World: How has 2013 been for Schleich’s UK business so far? Gary Wilmot: The year started strong for us. We’ve had many new additions to all the ranges, and retailers have been keen to get the new figures in store. Taking into account the economic climate, we’re finding parents are tending to buy what they know and trust, and Schleich definitely falls into this category.
TW: How is Schleich’s international business faring? GW: Very much as expected. There’s no denying it’s tough everywhere, but as a company we’re working hard to achieve our targets while delivering what customers and consumers demand.
TW: The Q4 trading period is right around the corner, how do you think it will go? GW: Q4 trading is becoming more important for Schleich. Higher-priced items are key, and this is something we are keen to ensure we have each year. The key focus for 2013’s final quarter will be our Knights and, with our newly-launched TV campaign running right up until Christmas, we are expecting to see a continued rise in sales year-on- year.
TW: Which lines are you most excited about? GW: Our recently launched Knights collection is really something to shout about, and it’s going really well for us. We have Griffin and Dragon Knights that come kitted out with elaborate armour and weapons. With our new Knights it’s no longer about good versus evil, as the two factions are very different, and we believe that boys will identify with one group or the other. The Dragon and Griffin riders are experiencing
great sales, primarily because these two playsets offer value for money and display the high quality standard expected from Schleich with the addition of fantastic interactive features including magnetised riders and moveable wings.
TW: What major product launches can we expect to see from Schleich over the next 12 months? GW: Our new licence with Peanuts was announced
Gary Wilmot country manager
recently so this will of course feature within our range in 2014. Our key focus, however, will be on additions to the existing ranges of Farm Life and Knights with a real expansion of horse figures and horse accessory sets, plus new Knights featuring moveable parts and exciting larger playsets.
TW: Which upcoming trade shows will Schleich be exhibiting at, and what can we expect to see on display? GW: Toy Fair 2014 will be the next big trade show for Schleich, and we will be continuing with the newly-designed stand introduced in 2013 which highlighted the simple but magical play pattern that is the ethos behind everything that Schleich does. We will have on display every new item being introduced in 2014, so we encourage everyone to stop by and take a look.
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