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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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