Can Your Brand Do This?
If you have a daughter between the ages of five and 12, you’re certain to have heard of Webkinz. Otherwise, let me introduce you to the genius behind Toronto-based Ganz’s furry creation.
Webkinz are plush animals with a twist. Each comes with a code that when entered at webkinz.com creates an avatar of the animal, who is also provided a room (think: studio apartment) to live in. The child who owns the toy (and the avatar) names it, and then gets a biography about her pet and can print an adoption certification. The child can then participate in online activities to earn points that she can exchange for additional rooms, furniture, clothes, toys, accessories, and more for her animal’s avatar.
As the parent of a 10-year-old daughter—who own more Webkinz than I care to admit—I can personally attest to the magic of Webkinz “marketing.” Yes, I’m referring to word of mouth. Whenever Ganz plans to introduce a new animal, the buzz begins. In my daughter’s circle of friends, it becomes a deafening roar of “I have to have the…” as the release date comes closer. Once one girl gets the animal in question, the rest clamor for it as well. If a Webkinz (about $15) isn’t in the budget, there’s always the slight less expensive Lil’ Kinz version.
But that’s not where it ends. According to the owner of the Hallmark we frequent to acquire my daughter’s furry friends (and at least 10 that we bought in 2007 as gifts for her friends), when sales of a particular animal are slow, it gets slated to become Pet of Month. This means that if you register your pet during that month you get a free gift for its avatar. Genius. Kids suddenly “must have” a pet they were barely, if at all, interested in, just to get a digital scooter or chair or T-shirt for their pet. All this costs Ganz zip, yet spurs sales.
The faux fur–induced frenzy turned the heads marketers for such brands as Barbie, Build-a-Bear Workshop, and Littlest Pet Shop, who now have online worlds of their own. So to stay ahead of the pack, Ganz did what any smart marketer would do: introduce brand extensions. The company now sells Webkinz clothes and accessories, as well as such items for their owners as charm bracelets, lip gloss, and body spray. Each item comes with a code that kids can redeem for digital goodies for their pets’ avatars.
Webkinz popularity—at least in my corner of the world—shows no sign of slowing. My daughter and her friends still track upcoming new animals and Pets of the Month, and play online regularly with as much excitement as they did a year ago. And all the while I wonder, what will Webkinz come up with next?
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