Safari Ventures Into Fantasy

Toymaker Plays With Two New Lines

By Darryl Morden
July 2007

“Be on top of it, be quick, and most of all, know [at] whom to aim your marketing.” — Teresa Duddles, Safari Ltd.

For more than a quarter century, Safari Ltd. has been unwaveringly dedicated to toys that are both educational and fun for children. Aside from its classic farm, aquatic and creative play lines, the company is the exclusive figurine licensee for the Carnegie Natural History Museum and the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

But Safari’s two newest collections — the Swashbuckler Pirate Collection and the Once Upon a Time Collection — were specially created to roll with the tide of film popularity and children’s love of fantasy play.

FANTASTICAL FIGURES

“From the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ movies to ‘Harry Potter’ and other fantasy films, these types of figures are high in demand,” Teresa Duddles, executive assistant to President Ramona Pariente at Safari, said of the figures that range from Edward “Blackbeard” Teach and his scalawag crew to iconic fairy-tale characters.

The integration of historical and literary information with detailed sculpted characters makes these characters stand out, but it’s a time-consuming process, Duddles said.

“Designs needed to be approved — packaging art and text and so on,” she pointed out, and it requires many months to get them onto store shelves.

Though the company makes sure it takes enough time ensure the product is “just right,” she added that when media trends are involved, “the key is get them out in a timely fashion and not to miss the boat while the craze is going on.”

WORLDWIDE APPEAL

As with all Safari products, which are distributed worldwide, the packaging features information in five major languages: English, Spanish, French, Italian and German.

“Also, all our plastics are phthalate-free,” Duddles added. “That’s the softening agent used in PVC that’s been proven harmful and has even been banned in Europe, Japan and parts of the U.S.”

TIMING THE MARKET

Duddles said capitalizing on trends goes beyond mere manufacturing and advertising. Marketing through trade publications such as TDmonthly Magazine and utilizing other web and print resources is essential to success.

“It’s about picking and choosing the correct magazine [and] the right trade shows, and working with both chains and independent retailers,” she said. “A lot of it is timing; you have to be on top of it, be quick and know [at] whom to aim your marketing.”

See below some of the newest products produced on Safari’s watch:

Swashbuckler Pirate Collection by SAFARI LTD.®

Embark on a spellbinding voyage of yesteryear when seas were plagued with marauding pirates. Safari’s new pirate collection embraces all the intrigue and adventures of this era. The hand-painted and phthalate-free collection consists of six pirates, a pirate skeleton with a treasure map, a treasure chest that opens and closes, cannonballs, a cannon that moves up and down and a ship’s wheel that turns. They are offered individually, on colorful platform boxes or in a POP display for flexible retailing. The pirates measure 4” tall and the accessories range in size from 3” to 4” long. Watch Toy Fair demo video 1/5/2007 (MSRP: $6.00; Age: 3 and Up)

Swashbuckler Pirate Collection – Captain Edward "Blackbeard" Teach by SAFARI LTD.®

Shiver ye timbers and hoist the sails. Safari’s pirate collection is steeped in genuine history and adventure. In fact, Captain Edward Teach, known in the day as the infamous “Blackbeard,” has been the subject of numerous movies and books. He is one of six 4”-tall hand-painted, phthalate-free pirates in the collection, which also includes accessories that measure 3” to 4” long. Blackbeard is offered individually, on platform boxes or in a POP retail display. Launch date: Spring 2007. 5/22/2007 (MSRP: $6.00; Age: 3 and Up)

Swashbuckler Pirate Collection – First Mate Jonathan Roberts by SAFARI LTD.®

Avast ye heartys. Kids can travel back to days of yore, when seas were plagued with marauding pirates, with Safari’s pirate collection, which includes First Mate Jonathan Roberts and five other 4”-tall figurines. The products are hand-painted and phthalate-free. Roberts is offered individually, on platform boxes or in a POP retail display. Launch date: Spring 2007. 5/22/2007 (MSRP: $6.00; Age: 3 and Up)

Swashbuckler Pirate Collection – Captain Thomas "Red Beard" Crowe by SAFARI LTD.®

This historical marauder is part of Safari's collection of six pirates and various accessories. It is offered individually, on platform boxes or in a POP retail display. All figures are hand painted and phthalate free. Pirates measure 4” tall and the accessories range in size from 3” to 4” long. Launch date: Spring 2007. 5/22/2007 (MSRP: $6.00; Age: 3 and Up)

Swashbuckler Pirate Collection - First Mate Anne Bonny by SAFARI LTD.®

Embark on a spellbinding voyage of yesteryear when seas were plagued with marauding pirates. Safari’s new pirate collection embraces all the intrigue and adventures of this era. The hand-painted and phthalate-free collection consists of six pirates, a pirate skeleton with a treasure map, a treasure chest that opens and closes, cannonballs, a cannon that moves up and own and a ship’s wheel that turns. They are offered individually, on colorful platform boxes or in a POP display for flexible retailing. The pirates measure 4” tall and the accessories range in size from 3” to 4” long. Other pirates include “Black Beard” and “Red Beard.” Launch date: Spring 2007. 1/4/2007 (MSRP: $6.00; Age: 3 and Up)

Swashbuckler Pirate Collection – Boatswain Benjamin Jeffrey by SAFARI LTD.®

With this collection, kids can embark on a spellbinding voyage of yesteryear when seas were plagued with marauding pirates. This hand-painted and phthalate-free pirate measures 4” tall. Launch date: Spring 2007. 5/22/2007 (MSRP: $6.00; Age: 3 and Up)

Swashbuckler Pirate Collection – Gunner Phillip Morton by SAFARI LTD.®

Safari's pirate collection embraces the intrigue and adventure of life on the high seas. Gunner Phillip Morton is one of six 4”-tall pirates in the collection. He is hand painted and phthalate-free. "Our Pirates are...[v]ery finely detailed with excellent handpainting. The collection also includes a treasure chest that opens and closes, cannonballs, a ship’s wheel that turns and [a] cannon that moves up and down," Safari Ltd. President Ramona Pariente told TDmonthly. "Educational information is included in five languages." Launch date: Spring 2007. 5/22/2007 (MSRP: $6.00; Age: 3 and Up)

Swashbuckler Pirate Collection – Pirate Skeleton by SAFARI LTD.®

This skeleton is part of Safari’s new pirate collection, which also includes a treasure chest, six pirates, cannonballs, a cannon and a ship’s wheel that turns. It is hand painted and phthalate free, and comes with a treasure map. Launch date: Spring 2007. 5/22/2007 (MSRP: $6.00; Age: 3 and Up)

Swashbuckler Pirate Collection – Treasure Chest and Cannon by SAFARI LTD.®

This treasure chest and cannon are part of Safari’s pirate collection, which includes six pirate figurines and other accessories that range from 3” to 4” long. The pieces are hand painted and phthalate free. Launch date: Spring 2007. 5/22/2007 (MSRP: $9.00; Age: 3 and Up)

Swashbuckler Pirate Collection – Ship's Helm and Cannonballs by SAFARI LTD.®

This ship’s helm and cannonballs are part of Safari’s pirate collection, which includes six pirate figurines and other accessories that range from 3” to 4” long. The pieces are hand-painted and phthalate-free. Launch date: Spring 2007. 5/22/2007 (MSRP: $6.00; Age: 3 and Up)

Once Upon a Time Collection Wizard by SAFARI LTD.®

Safari’s magical new collection of fantasy figures is superbly sculpted by masters for hours of imaginative play. In addition to the Wizard, the collection features Princess, Prince Charming, Witch with Owl, Sorceress and King. The figurines range in size from 4” to 5.25” tall. Launch date: May 2007. ( Watch Video) 3/9/2007 (MSRP: $5.00; Age: 3 and Up)

Once Upon a Time Collection – Princess by SAFARI LTD.®

Princess is part of a magical collection of fantasy figures called the Once Upon a Time Collection. Pieces are superbly sculpted by masters for hours of imaginative play, and the collection consists of six figures: Princess, Prince Charming, Witch with Owl, Sorceress, Wizard and King. It is offered individually or in a POP display for flexible retailing. The figures range in size from 4” to 5.25” tall. Launch date: May 2007. 5/22/2007 (MSRP: $5.00; Age: 3 and Up)

Once Upon a Time Collection – Prince Charming by SAFARI LTD.®

Prince Charming is one of six figures in Safari’s imaginative Once Upon a Time Collection. The figures range in size from 4” to 5.25” tall and are offered individually or in a POP display for flexible retailing. Launch date: May 2007. 5/22/2007 (MSRP: $5.00; Age: 3 and Up)

Once Upon a Time Collection – Witch With Owl by SAFARI LTD.®

The Witch is one of six figures in Safari’s Once Upon a Time Collection, which also includes Princess, Prince Charming, Sorceress, Wizard and King — figures that range in size from 4” to 5.25” tall. Launch date: May 2007. 5/22/2007 (MSRP: $5.00; Age: 3 and Up)