In this article:
- Fisher-Price is celebrating the 60th anniversary of its Chatter Telephones with the launch of a Bluetooth-enabled version that really makes calls when synced with a smartphone.
- The phone launched exclusively at Bestbuy on October 19.
- Some of us don’t have an all-time loved toy at our disposal, but can still replicate the experience
It’s still October, but you likely already got a toy catalog in the mail filled with figures and sets that tie into what’s currently hot on TV and in movies. Certainly, you recognize the digital references, but they’re not likely to inspire quite the same warmth you feel for your own childhood memories.
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That’s why toy makers know that the best way to a parent’s heart is through nostalgia. (see Macy’s Toys “R” Us is Top Notch Customer-Centric Move and Carvel Turns Back the Clock for Father’s Day)
It’s also the best way to get them to open up their wallets and fork over $60 for the latest version of the Fisher-Price Chatter phone, available exclusively at Bestbuy. Bestbuy also carries the standard version of the Chatter phone for just $7.99. So what justifies the additional $52.01 to get it to the price that matches the anniversary?
Bridget Carey reviewed the toy geared at nostalgic adults for CNET and produced a very entertaining video that you can see here:
Carey doesn’t refer to the phone as “it” but as “he,” which indicates that toys may just have to add their preferred pronouns to their bios in the future. She recommends the phones for adults like herself who feel “broken inside from working at home way too long.”
For those who share that feeling, the phone will be beloved for the “many delightful surprises” it delivers, Carey assures her audience. If you read them here, you won’t be surprised, though, so we’ll leave those off.
I have no doubt that the phones will be snapped up by adults who get a kick out of being able to use a version of the toy they remember to really make and receive calls. They may even let their children play with it.
The timing, of course, is perfect, not just for the celebration of the phone’s anniversary, but for the earlier holiday shopping push to get people thinking about toys and giftable purchases now. No doubt, Bestbuy will also be able to use its exclusive rights to sell the phone to bring in new customers that they can seek to retain through cross-selling and upselling.
Not a hallmark brand? This is still relevant
Releasing, re-releasing, and re-booting the re-release is a time-honored pre-holidays method to grab attention and some of those bills in your wallet as well. Sadly, not all brands own the rights to a beloved toy we (and perhaps our parents) played with as kids, however, you can still offer a version of that warm, cuddly feeling to your customers ahead of the holidays. Turning your several segments into ten and then dozens is a good first step. It’ll help you tailor your messages to their intended recipients, allowing you greater flexibility in what to offer and which heartstrings you want to draw on.