Today’s podcast episode was inspired by several conversations I’ve had with my biz besties around health and mindfulness, as well as conversations with my colleagues in the toy industry. This is the exploration of a growing category in the toy industry called Comfort & Wellness. These toys are marketed to make us feel better, sleep better, and even think better…but overall the consistent theme of Comfort & Wellness toys is to reduce our anxiety. While this category seems to have most of it’s roots in plush products, that’s not the only place you’ll find it. In today’s podcast episode we explore the Comfort & Wellness category. What it is, what it means, what products are blazing the path ahead.

In this episode you’ll hear from Rick Derr of Learning Express Toys Lake Zurich, who shares his thoughts on the growing category. We’ll highlight the ways that the comfort category has already gone mainstream and provide links to research that support the importance of having products in this category that appeals to not only kids, but also adults. By the end of this episode you’ll get a history lesson on where this category may have emerged from and my goal is for you to leave inspired to add something comforting to your product assortment.


EPISODE CLIFF NOTES:

• Learn the name of the new toy category that is breaking into the Wellness space. [02:48]
• Find out the perspective of a toy retailer on this new comfort toys category. [03:37]
• What are the benefits of comfort toys? How are they marketed to consumers? Find that out here. [06:07]
• You might be surprised to hear where this new trend may have emerged from. [10:15]
• Find out what toys are in this comfort category already [13:43]

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

For the links and resources mentioned in this episode, head over to the episode page at www.thetoycoach.com/147

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