Source: Bonker Toys

Deborah Stallings Stumm, senior vice president of Bonker Toys, talks about social media and licensing in the Toy Book’s annual State of the Industry Q&A.

The Toy Book: Some of the hottest toys in 2021 were based on toys going viral on social media. What other toy trends are you seeing for 2022? 

Deborah Stallings Stumm: At Bonkers Toys, we pride ourselves on being ahead of the curve and seeing trends before they appear at retail. We were the very first toy licensee for the juggernaut Ryan’s World; the success of that line put toys based on YouTube [channels] at the forefront of industry trends. The pandemic has led to increased screen time for kids and teens, and turned YouTube and TikTok creators into major celebrities. Their reach surpasses anything we have seen before and provides massive opportunities for toys and viral marking. 

This year, we anticipate top social media stars will be the key to success in both bringing their own toy brands to market, as well as driving huge demand for other products through their testimonials. Authentic and organic influencer videos and posts have evolved to become a primary form of marketing as toy companies recognize the huge impact and correlation to sales.

The entertainment world will continue to innovate and create new social and gaming platforms where kids and teens will virtually gather. Bonkers has always been at the forefront of how kids are consuming entertainment, and we will use our exceptional licensing, design, and brand teams to identify the next breakout stars, games, and apps and turn them into phenomenal toys and marketing campaigns.

Related: Bonkers Toys Partners with YouTube Duo LankyBox to Produce First Line of Toys

TB: How important is licensing to your overall business strategy?

DSS: One of Bonkers’ biggest advantages is our talented and experienced team members who identify up-and-coming licenses before the rest of the market and design toys that truly resonate with fans. All licenses are not created equal in the toy world, and Bonkers has very specific criteria we look for in our brand partners. Many toy companies sign proven licenses that have stood the test of time in the toy industry and then redesign toys for a new generation. Bonkers takes a more cutting-edge approach by finding the newest influencers with toyetic potential, working hand-in-hand with the creators, and then bringing toys to retail with quick time to market. An excellent example of this is the Bonkers Toys partnership with Aphmau, the most popular female gamer on YouTube. Aphmau appeals to the “girl gamer,” which is an incredibly untapped opportunity. The new line of Aphmau MeeMeows Mystery Plush is selling out everywhere because of the huge demand in this demographic. 

In the current entertainment environment, getting merchandise to shelves and online retailers in record time is essential to serving Generations Z and Alpha. These younger generations expect “merch” to be available immediately when the creator or app is hot. Having toys available to capture the fan frenzy is critical to being successful with on-trend licenses.


This article was originally published in the February 2022 edition of the Toy BookClick here to read the full issue!

About the author

Maddie Michalik

Maddie Michalik

Maddie Michalik was the Editor-in-Chief of The Toy Book from 2020-2022. She was also a Senior Editor at The Toy Insider and The Pop Insider.

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