Andy Keimach president of VTech Electronics North America shared the company’s plans for the year, including its Go! Go! Cory Carson animated series, product expansions, and more in the Toy Book’s annual State of the Industry Q&A.
VTech is expanding its Go! Go! Smart Wheels line to become an entertainment property. How will this affect the product line?
Go! Go! Smart Wheels remains a strong-selling, kid-loved product line, and we are continuing to develop and introduce new products under that brand. By launching the Go! Go! Cory Carson animated preschool series on Netflix, we are able to connect with our young Go! Go! fans on a new platform. The Go! Go! Cory Carson animated series features life events familiar to kids and parents in a fun and relatable way, and the Go! Go! Cory Carson product line connects show storylines with playtime. With the support of a full product line inspired by the show’s characters and playsets based on popular locations from the show, we are bringing the show to life by letting kids create their own adventures with Cory and his friends.
VTech entered the robotics category with Myla the Magical Unicorn. Are there any plans to expand with similar items this year?
Yes! The launch of Myla the Magical Unicorn was a total success in the U.S. As a result, we looked at fresh, new ways we could expand the unique color play that was so popular with kids. Myla’s Sparkling Friends are colorful robotic foxes, unicorns, and peacocks that talk, sing, and light up in new and exciting ways. At giftable sizes and price points, these sparkling friends are packed with content, offering more than 100 fun, magical responses and interactions that create awesome light shows.
Three years post-merger, how has the LeapFrog brand integrated into the VTech portfolio of products?
VTech products have always been about fostering imagination and discovery through play while encouraging children to have fun while learning. With LeapFrog, we were able to put more focus on the educational content that introduces children to important early skills through curriculum-based learning, while still incorporating the playful elements that make learning fun. The brands go hand in hand and have allowed us to develop complementary products for all ages across our product lines. A child’s development is all about balance, so whether parents are looking for a fun birthday gift or a toy to get [kids] ready for school, we have a robust range of products to meet those needs.
What new digital media strategies are you implementing this year to drive consumer awareness about new product lines and brands?
Digital media excellence is the cornerstone of our dynamic and progressive marketing plan. Our digital media strategies are tied to our content strategies, understanding that today’s parents and kids are consuming video at increasing rates. We are using digital media strategies that serve our products up to consumers throughout their shopping experiences. Our goal is to create content that engages, entertains, and informs audiences about how our products work, and shows how much fun they are. We’re continually focused on providing not only holiday gifts, but also being the brand that consumers look for throughout the year for kid tech, learning, and developmental toy gift ideas.
This State of the Industry Q&A response originally appeared in the February 2020 issue of the Toy Book. Click here to read more!
