Exclusive dialogue 52TOYS Chen Wei: Monsters must grow up slowly

"Monsters want to grow up slowly." This reminded me, making me convinced. The founder of the collection toy brand 52TOYS, a Beijing cavity, wearing a casual Chen Wei, slowly explained his growth and gain in the past seven years.

In the barbaric growth of Chinese entrepreneurial rivers and lakes, the growth of unicorns has always been radical: fast financing, rapid volume, fast -moving scale, too many people ring the bell through the jungle, enjoy champagne and flowers, as as The reward brought by entrepreneurship and the final victory. But for 52TOYS, a company that has been established for seven years, friends who have time to be regarded as a more important concept.

Not long ago, on May 20th, they held the seventh anniversary brand upgrade conference, and upgraded the brand daily to "52TOYS Favorite toy Day" to popularize the collection toy culture to the public. Soon after the press conference, the zero -state LT team also came to 52TOYS to visit. What kind of team is behind this seven -year company? What is the thinking behind the iteration of the product? Where will it go in the future?

Zero -state LT (ID: lingtai_lt) exclusively dialogue Chen Wei, exploring his insight and thinking about the toy industry, and the future expectations of the Chinese toy industry.

The following is a record of dialogue (there is deletion)

01

Toys can carry cultural connotation

Zero -state LT: 52TOYS's seventh anniversary brand upgrade conference, what are your thinking?

Chen Wei: From the establishment of 52TOYS to the present, we have been the seventh year. After the brand upgrade conference, I think the concept of collecting toys should be expressed clearly at this brand upgrade. On the one hand, more and more collection toys have increasing into the lives of young people. On the other hand, we also want to have a deeper understanding of this concept through the seventh anniversary opportunity, and take this opportunity to let everyone understand our more diversified product line.

Zero -state LT: In this brand upgrade, our products are given a lot of meaning, the relationship with young people, and the cultural concept carried by young people, how does a small toy complete these definitions?

Chen Wei: In fact, toys itself has its own cultural connotation and foundation. It carries the film culture, animation culture, game culture, and even historical culture, food culture. Elements, including when we develop our own products, are also diverse.

Different product lines announced at this press conference also carried some cultural connotations. From the blind box to the static puppet to the mobile puppet, and the limited edition products that cooperate with many artists and designers, at the cultural level, some products come from the more familiar IPs in the outside world, such as the newly launched Mickey that cooperates with Disney With friends semi-mechanical series-Mickey-Classic color, in design, use a lot of science fiction mechanical elements, and combine it with everyone's cognitive lively and cute Mickey Mouse image. This is also a case of mecha culture and traditional anime characters.

▲ Figure: 52TOYS founder Chen Wei (shooting: zero state LT)

Zero -state LT: At present, Mickey Mouse products, how did the effect since the city?

Chen Wei: It is very popular because it is limited, with 520 global quantities, and now it is basically sold out.

Zero -state LT: In fact, Chinese culture is very long and long. I just noticed that there is a lady image product with an office theme on the display rack, which combines some of the current workplace culture, such as anti -inner rolls, and some issues that lying flat. Behind R & D, what is your cultural thinking?

Chen Wei: What you just mentioned is our super activity series. The definition of this series is: transcending traditional, activating history, and inheritance culture. This series basically combines the brain opening with traditional culture and modern culture. The office series is just one of them. We have also launched the yoga series, terracotta warriors, and also developed related products for Chinese culture, such as Sanxingdui culture and bronze culture.

In the early stage, there are many historical and cultural elements in China. In the later period, it will also integrate into ancient culture such as ancient Egypt, ancient Rome, ancient Indian Pakistan, and Babylon, and let them collide with modern culture.

02

How to define collecting toys

Zero -state LT: Actually, the whole toy market, the main blind box concept led by Bubble Mart, is very popular. The concept of our company's main focus is on "collecting toys". Compared with other players in the industry, our differentiated advantage is Where is it?

Chen Wei: First of all, you can disassemble the concept of "collecting toys". You can treat it as a noun or understand it as a verb. The user enjoys the process of collecting.

The general titles of trendy toys in China are "tide play", but the collection toys include but not limited to trendy toys. If you only use trendy toys or blind boxes, it is not enough to express our different styles of different styles, different cultures, different cultures. The category of 52TOYS will be more diversified, and the category of blind boxes will be more diverse.

▲ Figure: 52TOYS BOX Transformers Series Series

Our product is like the original BeastBox, which belongs to the mech deformation and also has toy attributes. This year we also officially launched a mobile puppet series, including the BEAST PUNK series of 6 -inch beasts, and a lightning dance series with 3.75 -inch core. The two series of moving puppets can have a lot of joints all over the body, which can be posted by various postures, which is very interesting. While seeking a more diverse product, we also pursue the cultural diversity of toys carrying. We have developed products for the smart Yixiu, Ultraman, and some classic nostalgic IPs for the well -known. Also cooperate with the current well -known IP, such as Disney Mouse Mouse family.

03

Can't just cater to the current audience

Where to find the user after five years

Zero -state LT: I just noticed the products of our furnishings, some were Kong Wu's powerful and powerful image, and some were more new and lovely products. What are our user portraits and age portraits?

Chen Wei: I think that modern people, no matter how old they are, are innocent and childlike in their hearts. The happy emotions brought by toys will reach your heart at any time. So this seventh anniversary, we also upgraded the slogan into "I collected, not just toys". The company it brought to you, healing, and even the emotional link as a social carrier, whether it is a boy or a girl, no matter how young, how young Or how big, it is irresistible, and they also have this need.

Zero -state LT: It can be said that each generation has the characteristics of each generation. In different times, we have the specific needs of the specific needs, and have we dynamically upgraded in the process of product innovation? After all, now is the time when I occupy the C position in generations, do we have to please these young people?

Chen Wei: I think changes and innovation continues. In the future, I will continue to break the boundaries and develop more interesting categories. Points and expression forms must also continue to break through, which is our basic requirements for our products and our creativity and quality.

As a creative industry, the toy industry and cross talks, talk shows and other industries are interoperable, that is, your creativity must be faster than the audience, so as to play a role in the education market and leading the market. The taste of the current market audience must make some future. For example, after five years, it is possible to lead this market, cultivate this market, and educate products in the market.

▲ Figure: 52TOYS Super Activation Series Lady -Global Person

So in our office, you may see a lot of fresh categories and elements than the current market. In the early stage, it may not be understood by the public, but over time, its audience scope will become wider and wider. As you said, DIO created based on the image of the little dinosaur, that is actually the BOX series products of the 1.0 era. Now this series has more than a hundred products.

Zero -state LT: You want to seize the audience of the next five years, so where is this audience? How do you judge the characteristics of these people? How to measure the correctness of this judgment? Now the market iteration and update speed is too fast. When we have power, we have no power, especially the rapid rise and popular of the tide play like Bubble Mart? Sometimes our product refresh speed cannot keep up with the needs of the outside world?

Chen Wei: Two dimensions. On the one hand, we judge what everyone will like based on the professionalism of the industry, and then go to research and development. On the other hand, they will learn from their product creativity in Japan and the United States, and make judgments in conjunction with market practice.

Can't keep up. Volkswagen needs a process of gradually adapting to the category and style of the product. It is very worthy of exploring in this market in China, because its potential is too great, especially the population of young people in China, the population of young people in China dividend.

In this market, toys culture integrates into life is beyond doubt. We are also trying to let everyone understand the products we make. Where is it interesting and what everyone will like in the future, this is a complementary process.

However, the balancing point in the middle is not easy to find. It needs adventure, nor does it mean that every category, every style, every creative point you develop can be accepted, just like space exploration. Verification, but in this process, is the market educating you or your education market.

04

Seek constant strategy in adventure

Zero -state LT: Can I share the experience of market education in the past seven years of entrepreneurship? And the biggest adventure you have experienced so far in the process of entrepreneurship?

Chen Wei: In fact, we are making adventure attempts every day. If the creative industry is stubborn, it is very dangerous to meet the status quo. The blind box has been relatively mainstream in recent years. In the future, I believe that the blind box category will not occupy the leading position. In the future, the toy market must be full of flowers, multi -product, multi -style.

So the biggest adventure I have experienced is that we continue to exceed the market and try to make some cutting -edge products. For example, in 2016, before the domestic blind boxes were not popular, we have launched the first mech deformation product BeastBox series created by domestic brand creation. Now, we have launched the two mobile puppet products: Beast Punk and Lightning Dance. At present, the Box series can be said to have achieved preliminary success. We have launched hundreds of products one after another, and have also harvested many loyal fans at home and abroad. Now, our motion puppets are also being tested in the market. Zero -state LT: Blind box toys are more pursuing instant satisfaction? Will the satisfaction of collecting toys last longer?

Chen Wei: Blind boxes can also be satisfied for a long time, but the entry threshold for blind box purchases is relatively low, and the things presented are relatively simple, but there are many kinds of good creativity, just like there are many types of music. Every music has its audience.

Zero -state LT: What is the future form of the toy industry? We have so many categories. Will we have to go deep into the upstream and downstream of the IP in the next five years?

Chen Wei: From the perspective of IP dimensions, it can be divided into two categories: one is content, and the other is no content. Like Hello Kitty, it is no content. More well -known IPs still come from the support of content, such as Princess Disney, Marvel, from novels to cartoons to animation to movies. With user cognition, so as to ensure vitality, it will promote long -tail transaction conversion.

But using content for IP support and incubation, I personally think that it is also the most difficult thing. Why are you popular? How do you let so many people recognize you? Keep it for a long time? This is too difficult.

But we have to do it. We are also a "dual -track parallel" strategy in the choice of IP. We have our own original IP and cooperate with many well -known IPs, such as our own original image Panda Roll, and the classic well -known IP of cooperation. Disney, Crayon Shinko, machine cats, including high -quality IP in China, we also have cooperation. IP suitable for long -term development will also perform content incubation and move novels, animation films and other aspects.

05

Be a great company

Slowly grow into a monster

Zero -state LT: What is your expectations for 52toys?

Chen Wei: Our goal is to be a great toy company. Doing collection toys and trendy toys in China actually wants to use these things to impress more people, bring happiness and companionship to more people, to achieve this goal, there is still a long way to go.

In fact, for us, if it can represent China's collection toy brands and the global scope, it is recognized by more international players, and I think it will have a great sense of pride. Chinese toys will also be transformed from Chinese manufacturing to Chinese creation.

In October last year, we held a flash event in Shibuya, Tokyo, and lined up three districts. One week's stocking was sold out in one day. When they knew it was a Chinese brand, they sighed on social media. I said, "I didn't expect the toys made by Chinese brands for so many years."

Using Chinese brands, using Chinese teams, using our wisdom, and using our creativity to do things that can be recognized by international players, this is a good thing for us. This excitement must be available and keep it. I think this is where we are proud of.

▲ Figure: 52TOYS Chengdu Kuangzi Craftsman's Brand Store

Zero -state LT: Which companies or companies, do you think it is worth learning and reference?

Chen Wei: For example, in the Japanese unicorn company, I have been doing toys for fifty or sixty years. The treasures of the United States. Their most famous products are Transformers.

In China's toy industry, there are a large number of speculators. They may not understand this line or even don't even like this line. He feels that you can get a vote. If you are not doing this line, he will slowly be eliminated. Out of the situation.

In fact, like Lego and Bandai, these companies are not smooth from the beginning. I have been an agent for nearly ten years. I originally asked a senior executive of Bandai and said, saying that everything you do is slow. Is it so big? He said, "Monsters want to grow up slowly." I took this sentence, so a monster must grow up slowly.

However, the Chinese entrepreneurship is very anxious to financing, very anxious to make scale, and is very anxious to make traffic. Many industries in China are because of anxiety, not so well. Consumers are golden eyes, not three goods, all of them are thirty, people know if you are doing things downright.

But I firmly believe that young people in China will like the toy industry more and more, and more and more people engaged in this industry in the future.

Author ｜ Hu Zhanjia

Operation ｜ Chen Jiahui

Title ｜ 52Toys founder Chen Wei

Produced ｜ Zero -state LT (ID: lingtai_lt)

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