The Toy Book - 2016 NY TOY FAIR EDITION

TOY FAIR 2016
THE SCENT OF
SUCCESS
STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE, THE
original doll with the sweet scent, continues
to delight girls of all ages as she wraps up her
first year with her new owner, Iconix Brand
Group.
Strawberry Shortcake and her signature
scent celebrated another holiday season last
year. Strawberry’s toy licensee, The Bridge
Direct, launched a vintage program that
retro soft doll, from
The Bridge Direct
capitalizes on the popular retro trend that
has taken over the toy aisle in recent years.
This past holiday season, the retro-style 35th
anniversary 6-inch Strawberry Shortcake
doll—which will look familiar to many of
today’s moms who grew up with the beloved
red-headed doll—was the top performer on a
Target retro endcap.
For fall 2016, The Bridge will continue to
promote the nostalgia of the brand, with an
expanded line of vintage toys, including Then
& Now Doll Assortments, which will feature
Strawberry Shortcake, Blueberry Muffin, and
Raspberry Torte in both their 1980s iterations
and today’s look, and a retro three-pack that
will include Strawberry Shortcake, Lemon Meringue,
and Lime Chiffon. The Bridge will also
expand its vintage ragdoll line to include
Lemon Meringue and Raspberry Torte.
Iconix is excited to announce that Funko
has signed on to produce a line of its popular
and collectible Pop! Vinyl figures based on
the vintage look of the dolls, reimagined for
the Pop! aesthetic, as well as a line of Mystery
Minis. These collectible figure lines will be
released in the third quarter of this year.
Success in the digital sphere has long
been a part of the Strawberry Shortcake
strategy, anchored by the brand’s partnership
with Montreal-based app developer Budge
Studios. Strawberry’s extensive app library
has seen more than 86 million downloads
to date and is the No. 1 Girls iOS brand for
the last three quarters. Candy Garden, the
first of four Strawberry apps that Budge will
release this year, debuted in January.
The first season of “Strawberry Shortcake:
Beyond the Box,” aired on the brand’s
YouTube channel at the end of 2015. The humorous,
1- to 3-minute shorts feature the doll
line in clever, stop-motion animation. Season
6-inch retro doll, from
The Bridge Direct
two, which will feature even more antics, will
premiere this spring. Strawberry Shortcake’s
YouTube channel boasts more than 27 million
minutes watched per month.
Strawberry Shortcake continues to see international
success, particularly in Latin America.
Habibs, the quick-service restaurant in
Brazil, featured Strawberry Shortcake friendship
jewelry premiums in its kids’ combo meal
from November through February. Brazilian
fast-fashion giant Riachuelo will launch its
second collection of girls’ outerwear in April.
“Since taking over the stewardship of the
Strawberry Shortcake brand, we feel confident
that we’re in a good place to revitalize
and take the property to a new level,” says
Carolann Dunn, vice president of licensing
for the Iconix Brand Group entertainment
division. “Strawberry Shortcake is rich in art
and story, has a proven play pattern for success
in girls toys, and is the only girls brand
with a signature scent and flavor profile. We
are excited to leverage her brand attributes
on a line of consumer products, promotions,
and halos that are organic to the brand, while
simultaneously developing new and compelling
content for girls on channels, platforms,
and screens where they consume." »
TOYBOOK.COM | FEBRUARY 2016 | THE TOY BOOK 101