One of the biggest annual events in the U.S. toy industry, Toy Fair N.Y., begins this weekend, and plenty of traditional and non-traditional toy companies alike will be attending and showing off their latest toys, games and knick-knacks.
Photo by The Fighting
Last week, we discussed the effectiveness of one of the newest growing trends in the world of play: digital-to-physical products.
Giving an authentic digital-to-physical product experience isn’t easily achieved overnight: it takes a unique combination of skill, cohesion, and efficiency (maybe a little patented technology, too).
Here’s a few tips and tricks that have helped our company meet its mission to enable brands across the globe to create custom, digital-to-physical product experiences.
The Idea
Like many things, the digital-to-physical process begins with an idea. PopUp Play initially began with our co-founders’ idea of empowering children to create their own toys. Similarly, our process now begins with a company’s desire to reach consumers in a new and creative way and a unique idea to make that possible.
Staying in-tune with modern consumers means most companies desire a digitally interactive experience. Luckily, with today’s modern technology, there’s virtually nothing that can’t be created or designed. “Digital” is the global language of today and tomorrow.
The Digital
Our process starts with a custom digital design experience. Typically, this takes the form of an app that allows consumers to design their own custom products, such as branded planes, houses, trains, or automobiles. The key here is to have a highly communicative team to master all the moving parts, from artwork to app design to implementation.
Our start-up experience forces us to wear many hats and learn new skills outside of our initial skill set. We believe this ability to learn and adapt is key to maintaining a well-functioning digital-to-physical platform. We’re not a traditional company, and part of that means staying ahead of the curb with changing technologies and trends.
The Physical
Once the digital piece is locked down, we begin creating the physical structure. PopUp Play works with highly skilled manufacturers and mechanical engineers (bonus that one of them happens to be a PopUp Play co-founder) to ensure that the exact design a user sees on screen is the real-life product that shows up on their doorstep. Further, we prioritize utilizing product prototypes and hosting playtests with a few lucky kids to make sure we’re providing the best possible experience.
Putting It All Together
What really sets our platform apart, though, is the ability to produce all items in the U.S. and deliver high quality, better than off-the-shelf, custom products in less than a week. No excess inventory to worry about, and no long waiting times for delivery. We bring digital to physical in the blink of an eye.
This process requires attention to detail, seamless integration of multiple technologies, and above all else, a dedication to excellence. We firmly believe that each man, woman and child deserves the absolute best experience possible, and we carry that mission into every brand partnership we enter into.
Dedication to excellence is what sets our business apart from the rest. A unique digital to physical experience may be the end result, but it is our process that encompasses excellent service, high quality design and truly unique delivery that keeps us a step above the rest.
Where Do We Go From Here?
This year’s Toy Fair might bring out a different type of company. With PopUp Play’s help, companies can finally offer integral, custom product solutions mapped to their consumers’ interests. This year, we just might be starting to see companies execute the digital-to-physical process excellently, at least with the help of PopUp Play.
Interested in leading the pack in the revolution of digital-to-physical, one-stop-shop branded experiences? Start the conversation.