by TRINA MCFARLAND, owner and general manager, TinkerTini
The toy business has an appetite unlike any other for creativity and fresh, original concepts year after year. Because our industry thrives on newness and novelty, many toy manufacturers have discovered that a healthy mix of internally generated concepts and externally sourced inventor concepts is integral to their success. These unique demands have cultivated a highly specialized, wildly talented, and yet relatively small group of professional inventors that have had success with hundreds of concepts brought to market over the past 20 years.
But now, many of the top talents from this group are rapidly shifting their priorities as they approach retirement. Some of this anticipated attrition has already begun as inventors are exploring exit strategies that include acquisitions by major toymakers.
With the potential changing of the guard looming, now is the time to stabilize and invest in the global talent pool and try new approaches, techniques, and methods to cultivate a more diverse and sustainable inventor community.
Some of our efforts can (and do) include programs with global universities like TOMY International and Brunel University’s Student Inventing Challenges that launched last year and will continue this fall. (Editor’s note: Read more about this partnership here) Educational opportunities are great for inspiring new inventors, but what about established inventors? Are we maximizing the potential of those who already exist? Sadly, I believe we are not.
Japan is an epicenter of trends and franchise-building intellectual property and is also home to the second largest community of inventors in the world. This region has some of the brightest and most mechanically talented inventors, but they’re often left behind or forgotten. To date, our industry has yet to find a way to integrate them into our “inner circle” top talent pool as we have done with inventors based in the U.S. and the UK.
Some companies have made an attempt to connect with Japanese inventors by employing agents to be the go-between to scout for new ideas. But, since the agents aren’t necessarily professionals in the field, success has been fairly limited.
Over the years, the toy industry has developed a type of shorthand with inventors in the U.S. and the UK — an abbreviated communication style and way of working with the talent pool. We need to admit that we often become stuck in our U.S.-centric mode of doing business and that our established working relationships have perhaps been perceived as “buddy buddy.” This informality can feel overwhelming to non-western cultures and has never translated to how Japanese inventors approach business.
It’s been a real challenge to back up and ask ourselves:
- How do Japanese inventors do business within their own region where they already have a proven track record of success?
- What do they need to feel welcome and motivated to engage elsewhere in the world?
- How can we make our exchanges and interactions more productive, so that we all have the sustained patience to become better together?
- Do they have a willingness to reconnect and actually want to do business with companies outside of Japan?
We think so and we’re feeling hopeful for the future.
“Working with global toymakers has a myriad of benefits for Japanese inventors, and the desire and demand to connect is there. Often, their inventions are only licensed domestically in Japan, and some of the larger firms have concept archives going back into the ‘80s,” says Vincent Imaoka, a former inventor relations executive at Hasbro who now serves as the senior manager of business development and consumer products at Viz Media. “I’m glad to see a thoughtful effort to engage with a community I know has yet to be unlocked with much potential for both Japanese inventors and the companies with the patience and commitment to engage them the right way.”
At TinkerTini, we believe that four main points stand out as crucial to fostering relationships with Japanese inventors:
- Easier, direct access to companies so they are in the fold with current needs and asks. This will allow them to respond with the same speed as inventors in the U.S. and the UK.
- Language barrier solutions so they can have regular and ongoing updates and direct communication on their active product concepts.
- More feedback, guidance, and direction on concepts with context about how they can or can’t translate to the global toy market.
- Focus on business first with efficiency and respect for their time while eliminating the perceived requirement to develop personal relationships first.
Welcoming Japanese inventors is an investment in the future of our global toy business as we adapt and make space for all inventors to rise, regardless of location, culture, and language barriers. Together, we can share the goal of bringing innovative new toys and games to market that kids and families around the world can enjoy for years to come.
This article was originally published in the September 2022 Fall Toy Preview edition of The Toy Book. Click here to read the full issue!
