HIT Entertainment and Fisher-Price have announced that Thomas & Friends embarks on a new adventure as Fisher-Price launches its new Thomas Wooden Railway line at toy retailers. The new product line marks a return to Fisher-Price’s heritage in wooden toys.
The Thomas Wooden Railway debuts with 108 SKUs launching in the U.S., UK, Canada, Australia, Germany, Japan, and Italy. Additional products will be released in the fall.
With a new, three-in-one destination, children can turn a knob to change scenery from the Sodor Lumber Co. to Maron Station to the Ice Cream Factory. There will also be a Farmhouse Pig Parade Set, exclusive to specialty retailers, that features a unique cargo loading feature; kids press the silo and pigs “walk” into Thomas’ cargo car.
New components of the marketing campaign include an online mom targeted video campaign and a new parent targeted online destination to engage moms and bring new families into the brand. In addition, Fisher-Price will supply retailers with the classic Thomas Wooden Railway play table, giving children a hands-on in-store experience.
To support the toy line at specialty retailers, a major distribution channel for the line, Fisher-Price has developed exclusive product for that channel, including limited release engines. Fisher-Price will also provide retailers with premium wood shelving displays and continue to publish and distribute a Thomas Wooden Railway Yearbook, a collector’s staple for both the Thomas Wooden Railway line and the specialty channel.
