Millennials and Gen Z are obsessed with toy collecting.

Maybe we’re all trying to heal our inner child, or just pining after simpler times.

Either way, toy brands are making bank on this nostalgia-fuelled trend. From Sonny Angels to Hello Kitty, Muffy, LEGO, Play-Doh and Sylvanian animals, brands are targeting adult collectors—and it’s paying off handsomely 🤑

In today's newsletter:

• Why the adult toy market's heating up (find out why adults spent $666 million MORE on toys in 2023 than they did the previous year)

• How Mad Men teaches us to be better marketers (here’s how to apply lessons from The Golden Age of Marketing today)

• Trend plug - Who the F*** is we?!

• Ask the Editor - Now that Amazon is taking over social platforms, what should NZ businesses be doing to keep up?

- Charlotte, Editor ♡

Why the Adult Toy Market’s Heating Up

Adult toys are all the rage right now.

No, not those ones.

Think you’re too old to play with dolls? These tiny, bare-butted, cherub-faced, headgear-wearing babies will make you think again. 

Over the past year, Sonny Angels, the 3-inch-tall, adorable figurines have taken over hearts, minds, phones, shelves, and bedside tables of collectors all over the world.

They’ve become an obsession. The dolls have garnered millions of views on social media. They've been seen with celebrities. And they even have their own skit on SNL. The Sonny Angels craze raises the question, why is everybody so obsessed with these little guys?

While money can’t buy you happiness, it can buy you a Sonny Angel. And as the official slogan goes, 'He may bring you happiness.' That’s close enough for me.

So what exactly is a Sonny Angel?

Sneakerheads move along. There’s a new collectable in town and he is SO MUCH CUTER. Created in 2004 by manufacturer Toru 'Sonny' Soeya and inspired by Japanese cartoon character Kewpie, these teeny dolls are having their moment.

[Keep reading]

-Sophie, Writer

Ah, The Golden Age of Advertising.

We’ve seen it chronicled everywhere in popular culture, especially in series like Bewitched and Mad Men.

The 1960s through to the 1980s were a time of big ideas, Martini lunches, and questionable practices.

Now think about your all-time favourite ad. Is it from this current decade? My best guess would be no. Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not sh*tting on the current state of our industry at all.

But there was a time when ad creative was the talk of the town.

And this was particularly true when it came to billboards. These beauties were once a work of art. Traffic stopping. Something that would make you stop dead in your tracks and smirk at the utter cleverness of the piece.

Just flick through some old D&AD design and advertising annuals and you’ll see what I mean.

Are these relics of advertising past still relevant in a modern context?

And more importantly, what lessons from the Golden Age of Advertising are still relevant to us today?

[Keep reading]

-Sophie, Writer

Trend Plug - Who the F*** is ‘We’?

Today’s funny original TikTok sound comes from a TikToker claiming she is not ugly in any way. 

It seems like she's answering someone who says we're all ugly to somebody. And her opinion on that is, 'We're all ugly to somebody? B!*ch who the f#&k is we? Not me.'

Creators are now using this sound to share statements they have heard that they definitely don't agree with. For example, 'We all hate spending the day in bed'.

How to jump on this trend:

Use this trending sound, then use onscreen text to describe a statement somebody has said that they think applies to everyone. Also, don't forget to lip sync along to the sound.

A few ideas to get you started:

• 'We all fancy one of our coworkers'

• 'We all hate being mean to the intern'

• 'We love each and every one of our clients'

-Carter, Intern

Ask the Editor

Q - After reading about how Amazon is taking over Pinterest and TikTok, I'm wondering if there's anything NZ product-based businesses should be doing, or is this just for U.S. businesses? - Amelia

Hey Amelia!

If you're running a NZ brand, it's a really smart move to stay on top of marketplaces like Amazon. Amazon is huge in the U.S. and it gives brands access to millions of potential customers.

Although the TikTok integration is only in the U.S. right now, and Amazon doesn't have a direct presence in NZ, you can still sell through Amazon Australia and ship to NZ fairly easily.

You just need to be comfortable with some trade-offs, like less control over your brand, various fees, and a possible impact on customer experience. If your brand is already selling overseas, it’s definitely worth keeping an eye on this. You might find opportunities to tap into it sooner than you think.

- Charlotte, Editor ♡

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