Overview
"The Blockbuster Toy! is a great source for anyone who wants to understand how toys make their special impact on child development and the joys of childhood. It is also great reading for those of us who love the toy industry and are inspired by its past."--Craig Spitzer vice-president of marketing research Fisher-Price, Inc.
Toys are a significant part of pop culture. They reflect us and in many ways help shape us. Americans alone spend over $30 billion each year on toys. Toy-advertising expenditures hover around $790 million annually. Every holiday season brings throngs of parents into the stores, looking for the must-have toy of the season, ignoring thousands of others that don't hold their interest.
What separates those clamored-for toys from those left behind? What does it take to create a toy that will have a massive impact on the cultural landscape?
The Blockbuster Toy! explores the birth of today's massive toy brands to better understand how and why they became record-breaking sellers. Designed to help toymakers "follow the smile," this book is part history, part how-to, and part child and parent psychology--a superb reference for anyone marketing their products to kids. It's also an insightful peek into the toy world for all those intrigued to know the secrets that impact everyday pop culture.