Prime Time Toys‘ Dart Zone brand is making a new direct-to-consumer (DTC) play.
Following a teaser and a soft launch last month, the team behind Dart Zone has formally launched its “Blaster Chat” podcast alongside a new membership club called The Vault. Dart Zone tells The Toy Book that both new offerings are intended to better connect with blaster enthusiasts, fans, hobbyists, and pros that seek a deeper dive into the growing world of foam dart and gel bead blasters and wish to gain access to members-only products and intel.
“‘Blaster Chat’ will give fans — new and established, young and old — a chance to learn more about all things foam dart and gel bead blaster while discussing the real ins and outs of our coveted products,” says Bryan Sturtevant, Vice President of Sales at Dart Zone. “To supplement this new channel for our community members, we’ve created The Vault, where subscribers will gain access to early product previews, limited-edition merchandise, and big announcements before we announce them to the public.”
Sturtevant is hosting the new podcast alongside Dart Zone Creative Director Branon Jaggers.
The duo says that the series is intended “to shine a spotlight on the nitty gritty details of blaster and dart development that fans have repeatedly asked for from the blaster world on other community channels, like Reddit and Discord.”
Over the past decade, the blaster category has become increasingly competitive at retail as the enthusiast market has grown. That growth has fueled interest from fans that want a look behind the curtain, much like other consumers that have taken an interest in the behind-the-scenes workings of the greater toy industry.
“For the first time, we are able to really bring our fans into the complex world of blaster creation and evolution and the intricate details we painstakingly discuss every day,” Jaggers says. “There is so much more to what goes into these products and ultimately what the end user sees. We can’t wait to take down the curtain and bring them along for the ride.”
The first episode of “Blaster Chat” is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you enjoy podcasts.
Prime Time Toys was founded in 1990 and offers an array of outdoor, active, and water toys, including the Dart Zone foam dart blaster and Gel Zone Pro gel bead blaster lines.
