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Building New Markets: Construction Sets Grapple with Marketing, New Audiences
By Pennie Hoover
April 1, 2003

 



Kapla Blocks
Smaller manufacturers have used hands-on marketing techniques, too. Ken Sheel, owner of Kapla World, an exclusive US distributor of Kapla Blocks, places its products in specialty stores where salespeople are willing to talk with customers about the product and show them how it works.

Kapla, an architecture-type block, develops museum exhibits that enhance museum shop sales, as well as provide discounts for school purchases. According to Sheel, it all falls under the premise that the more kids that want to get their hands on the blocks, the more sales will follow. “Just to look at the box doesn’t explain all that it can do,” Sheel said.


Mattel’s ello Creation System
More than one company is adding more girls as construction set buyers. Mattel’s ello Creation System, a building system for girls, is new on the shelves, and Mega Bloks is launching its Disney Princess line of construction play sets so girls can build castles for the line of dolls.

In order to keep recruiting more girls as construction buffs, Lego introduced Clikits, a combination craft and construction toy. Consumers started seeing Clikits in craft stores, apparel stores and catalogs on February 14.

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Writer's Bio: Pennie, a graduate of Indiana University School of Journalism, is a freelance writer and lives with her husband and three children in Visalia, CA.


 
 

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