Licensed characters are among some of the best-loved children’s characters of all time. Names such as Peter Rabbit and Winnie the Pooh have been favourites for generations. That nostalgia is a valuable thing for a retailer as parents and grandparents recognise familiar characters from their own childhood and want to recreate that for their families.
Of course, not all licensed characters have such a long history. Guess How Much I Love You and Disney’s Frozen are modern classics. All these favourites have become must-have characters for the nursery and children’s bedroom. When parents are choosing a theme for the nursery, these names come up time and again, and plush characters can be the finishing touch - room decoration and cuddly toy all in one.
At Baby Brands Direct we have chosen some of our favourite and most-loved characters for our licensed plush toys range - you’ll find Pooh and all his friends including Eeyore and Tigger, Peter Rabbit and Flopsy too, everyone’s favourite bear Paddington, that colourful elephant Elmer, the characters from Disney's animation Frozen and more.
Why do licensed plush toys sell so well?
As consumers we all like to buy things that are familiar to us. It’s why brands sell so well. If your mum always bought Heinz beans at home, you are likely to buy them for your own family. If your dad always drove a Ford car, and had a positive experience of it, you are likely to look at Fords when you are considering a family car as it will be a brand you know and feel you can trust. That is the same emotion that licensed toys can evoke for both children and adults. Also if you are buying a toy for a child, knowing that they already like a certain character, film or TV show helps to drive the purchase - buying a familiar character is less of a risk than buying something new and unknown,
According to Kids Insights’ report on the toy industry 2019, Frozen toys were in the top seven most popular toys for preschool girls. They were still in the top 10 for six to nine-year-olds and 10-12 year olds, so they have a broad range appeal. Toys from films and TV are particularly appealing to preschool ages, and now that so many households have access to on-demand film services and TV, little ones are more likely than ever to be familiar with characters from the big and small screen.
The Frozen franchise has been a big hit since the first movie came out in 2013 and the appeal has continued despite the fact that there was no sequel until the end of 2019. That has once again increased interest in the characters, and will no doubt allow the film to become a firm favourite for another seven years or so. The introduction of a film like this also allows older siblings to bond with younger sisters and brothers over a shared love of the movie, which will help its popularity to grow and continue. This shared love of a favourite character also helps to drive sales for parents and grandparents. Reminiscing about their own childhood and favourite toys - Paddington or Peter Rabbit perhaps - allows parents to share their experiences and memories with their family and allow for bonding moments that can be both powerful and long-lasting.
Among our much-loved licensed plush toys here at Baby Brands Direct, you’ll find evergreen classics such as Elmer, Paddington, Disney’s Dumbo and Winnie the Pooh, alongside more modern favourites such as Frozen II and Guess How Much I Love You.