ALKHOBAR, 13 May 2008 — To survive in the digital age, companies need to learn how to use technology to their advantage. Whether that means embracing Web 2.0 marketing tactics or branching out to develop high-tech products, companies either digitally evolve or perish. Businesses that sell products for children are often early adopters of technology simply because kids are constantly pushing the envelope. Children want something new and innovative, and are enthusiastic supporters of those companies that are imaginative and original.
Consider the company Build-A-Bear Workshop. The business started out by enabling children to create custom designed stuffed animal toys. Now the company has launched a website that allows children to play with those furry friends in a virtual world. In buildabearville.com, children are able to create a unique character, decorate their own Cub Condo home, participate in games and quests, and learn about giving back to the community. Membership to the site is free and does not expire. The company promotes the site as a value added service for its customers and it’s also a great Web 2.0 marketing effort.
Wanting to grow its brand through new channels, Build-A-Bear Workshop is licensing its name, characters and design concept for the development of video games. The Build-A-Bear Workshop game for the Nintendo DS system was released in November 2007 and it has just been announced that a Build-A-Bear Workshop game will be released for the Nintendo Wii by yearend. The video games allow children to personalize, dress and play with cute creatures virtually, growing awareness of the company even in locations where it doesn’t yet have brick and mortar franchises.
Next, consider the book. Books are great examples of how new technology can update an old technology. Progressive Solutions (www.printhq.com) has extended its use of Pageflex software to serve as the engine behind Frecklebox.com, an online store for making personalized gifts for kids. Pageflex software enables Frecklebox.com visitors to design gifts with customized content that make a child the prominent figure in books, posters, journals and other unique offerings.
By integrating the Pageflex platform, Frecklebox.com users can personalize stories and artwork, tailoring the message and style to an individual child. This online personalization experience begins immediately with real-time previews of multiple pages available in minutes. The company sells only online so overhead is low, keeping product prices reasonable, and they offer a full money back guarantee. They can make such an offer because Progressive Solutions’ market research found that kids love seeing their names in print.
Some companies focusing on kids already have a presence in the virtual world, but they want to move into newer digital channels. That’s the case with Cartoon Network., a part of Turner Broadcasting, a Time Warner Company. Cartoon Network has moved from broadcasting children’s programming to becoming an online destination www.cartoonnetwork.com.
When it was first launched, CartoonNetwork.com basically promoted the shows kids watched on television. Now, the company is trying to meld the offerings of its various channels. For example, last week, Cartoon Network New Media launched “Ben10 Alien Force: Game Creator,” a new, free online game that merges the popular Ben 10 animated action franchise with user-generated content, marking the first game of its kind.
Fans can access the tools and animations they need to build their own action-adventure game featuring the series Ben 10: Alien Force, which premiered last month on Cartoon Network. The game is based on the new Ben 10 series, which advances the plot five years into the future. Players choose their own hero from four of Ben’s new aliens — Swampfire, Humongousaur, Jetray and Spidermonkey — each of which has unique powers and abilities that impact game play. Completed games can be shared with friends and sent to CartoonNetwork.com’s game gallery for other fans to play and rate.
Not all companies are using technology to go from the real world to the virtual environment. Disney, a company that had its start in the realm of fantasy, has in recent years been developing toys based on its animated characters. Now, Disney Consumer Products has decided to enter the robotic toy market with a line of robotic toy products created in collaboration with Pixar Animation Studios, Thinkway Toys and WowWee.
The robotic toys are inspired by WALL-E, the robot from the Disney·Pixar movie of the same name, which debuts this summer, and Tinker Bell, the well-known Disney fairy. The iDance WALL-E dancing boombox will be on sale in June; the Ultimate WALL-E robotic toy and the remote control Tinker Bell flying toy will be available this fall. The new line of WALL-E and Tinker Bell robotic toys seek to bring Disney’s characters and their personalities to life through advanced movement and programming that entertains kids by making them feel as if they are interacting with a real Disney character.
The Ultimate WALL-E robot features 10 motors, giving it a high level of movement and animation. The remote control makes it easy for kids to program WALL-E’s movements. An innovative touch programming system lets kids direct WALL-E simply by making patterns on the remote’s touch pad. With voice activation and a follow-me mode, WALL-E can follow the sound of a human voice and detect someone entering a room. The robot also has several emotional states and an easy system for programming thousands of combinations of movements with the remote. Numerous sensors allow WALL-E to detect and respond to the environment, including infrared sensors that allow the robot to detect obstacles and steer around them, sonic ears that detect sound direction and touch sensors. The Ultimate WALL-E is also MP3 compatible and features built-in speakers.
While the Ultimate WALL-E is earthbound, the remote control Tinker Bell flying toy is a vertical flier. Users can control the height and speed of the Tinker Bell flier with ease, allowing it to soar, dive and glide. Tinker Bell’s light-weight, crash-resistant materials prevent the toy from causing damage or being easily damaged. There were several advanced flying toys introduced last year that were popular with boys, so Disney hopes the Tinker Bell flier will be a big hit with girls.