Helena Perheentupa, Senior Vice President of the new ZAG Play Toy Division, discusses the international growth of Miraculous — Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir, and the company’s expansion into toys and games through in-house creation and continued licensing efforts in this extended edition of The Toy Book’s 2023 State of the Industry Q&A roundtable. Want more insight from the all-stars of the toy industry? Click here to explore this year’s lineup!
The Toy Book: Following years of growth building the Miraculous brand through partnerships with toymakers, the launch of the ZAG Play Toy Division signals an effort to go even bigger. What are your goals for this year?
Helena Perheentupa: The new ZAG Play Toy Division is charged with developing a broad range of innovative toy products that offer synchronization between storytelling and the physical and digital world that will be deeply tied to the DNA of the company’s brands. Having analyzed multiple purchase funnels for our flagship brand Miraculous, we see that there is a much stronger demand for more items and newness from fans. Our goal is to offer fans a rich and full Miraculous experience, working in parallel with our master toy partner Playmates Toys and other toy licensees to ensure a comprehensive and complementary offering across the world.
TB: Content is at the heart of ZAG’s business. How will the release of the Miraculous feature film and other projects shape ZAG’s presence in toy departments?
HP: Miraculous Ladybug and Cat Noir: The Movie is a spectacular origin story of teens turned superheroes. We know it will enrich the world of our current fans and attract new ones, too.
While there is much anticipation for the movie, which, of course, we will leverage to drive toy sales, we will also continue to focus on our 360-degree strategy to reach fans at every touchpoint. This includes the series, which has exceptional placement in more than 120 countries around the world, our huge social media presence with more than 32 billion views on YouTube, consumer products, promotions, gaming, and live events.
TB: How does the ZAG Play Toy Division plan to offer innovation in the competitive world of toys?
HP: We do this by focusing on a high level of detail and quality across the line. Each item combines the proven play patterns of our wide fanbase. As an example, in arts and crafts, we plan for items that will truly inspire and feed children’s ambition to master skills and ensure a level of quality that supports an exceptional finished product. Another example is the launch of our Miraball, where something tiny unexpectedly becomes mighty due to the innovation of a new ultra-shrinkable memory foam plush.
The boom in content continues to feed the demand for physical play. I think the temporary obstacle that the industry is facing is an excess of inventory. We’ll overcome this and continue to offer consumers freshness in physical play.
TB: Beyond Miraculous, what are some of the toy lines that retailers should have on their radar from ZAG Play?
HP: Many are in the making! At ZAG we tell stories that feature fresh and relevant superheroes to inspire children to love themselves and discover themselves through the story. We have incredible ratings and feedback for our latest series, Ghostforce, which follows three junior high school students who form a secret team to defend their city from the ghosts haunting it, and we are already developing additional toy lines that will complement the range from Playmates Toys that will debut later in 2023 and early in 2024.
And, as a result of our immense pipeline of properties, including the animated feature Melody — starring singer, songwriter, and actress Katy Perry — and the recent 10-movie deal signed with Cross Creek Pictures, a robust lineup of properties is on its way. Keep an eye out!
TB: What are your overall predictions for the state of the toy industry and toy retail this year?
HP: The toy industry has faced several challenges in the past, but again and again, it has proven to be resilient amongst consumers. I find the industry to be as successful and flourishing as always and products filled with innovation continue to be in high demand. The boom in content and gaming also continues to feed the demand for physical play. I think that the temporary obstacle that the industry is overcoming is an excess of inventory. We’ll overcome this hurdle and continue to offer consumers freshness and relevance in physical play.
A version of this Q&A was originally published in the 2023 edition of The BIG Toy Book. Click here to read the full issue! Want to receive The Toy Book in print? Click here for subscription options!
