The Brandstätter group of companies has recorded stable economic development. With Playmobil, the company achieved worldwide sales of 2018 million euros in 686 - and thus again achieved a one percent increase in sales after the record year 2017.
The industry is under pressure
Brandstätter's total turnover is around 748 million euros. The companies in France and Spain in particular contributed to the international share of sales of around 70 percent in 2018 - as did the expansion markets of the USA and Italy.
“We can thus draw an overall positive balance for 2018. The toy industry is under pressure. Our company provides the right answers in a competitive market environment.”
Steffen Höpfner, CEO
With new classic game worlds, digital offerings, attractive licensing themes and business areas, the group successfully sets impulses and reaches consumers and business partners.
“We want to build on that in 2019. With a multi-faceted brand experience, we are laying the foundation for further expansion.”
Steffen Höpfner, CEO
At the Nuremberg Toy Fair, the company is presenting the Playmobil brand in an interactive way - with touchpoints for all target groups. Trade fair visitors have the opportunity to take part in a whole Kosmos to immerse yourself in creative topics, new stories and animated film sequences. This includes new TV series as well as the preview of the first movie “Playmobil: The Movie”, which will premiere worldwide in August.
“We are looking forward to a great animation adventure for the whole family. But the best directors are still the children themselves. The story of the film also tells of this – humorously and action-packed.”
Steffen Höpfner, CEO
The 2019 brand experience includes a wide range of over 30 programs, apps & games, which is continuously being expanded. In 2018, the group welcomed well over 1 million visitors to the FunParks for the first time. In order to control the many offers on the net in a target group-oriented manner, the company cooperates with WildBrain - a network and animation studio that specializes in particular in the digital marketing of video content via platforms such as YouTube.
At the Toy Fair in Nuremberg, the group also announced three new license themes: With “Heidi” from Studio 100 Media | m4e, "Scooby Doo" (Warner Bros.) and "Back to the Future" (Universal) are addressed to different target groups.
The brand strategy for Playmobil is thus based on a new emotional chain of experiences and a curated variety of digital addressing of consumers - whether at home, at the point of emotion or on the web. An important goal is to consolidate the brand positioning in the USA. New products score, among other things, with a retro effect to get parents excited about the game system.
The focus is on the US market
In 2019 the Brandstätter Group is further expanding its involvement in the American market. Despite the turmoil surrounding the insolvency of Toys "R" Us (Smyths Toys takes over), sales with Playmobil increased by 20 percent. Through trading partnerships with Walmart and Target, the group is changing its strategy from a niche product to a mass market. It is firmly planned to set up our own production site, for which search analyzes are already in progress. The aim is to relieve logistical processes and to be even closer to the US market. There is also great market potential for Playmobil in South America and Asia.
In 2019, Playmobil is presenting a varied program of 171 original new products - including popular themes such as the farm, the dollhouse and the hospital. For the 45th birthday of the Playmobil knights, the successful classic "Knight's Castle" is also appearing in its largest and most spectacular new edition to date. In two mighty castles with creative play and defense functions as well as secret hiding spots, the knights will compete for a legendary, magical armor from August 23, 2019. The reinvention of the classic promises Ritter in all shapes and formats - and is staged at all touchpoints. Seven supplementary sets such as the water ballista, the wolf team or the fire spirit are already being planned and bring action into the game. A mystical story, original characters and ingenious weapons stand for ingenious gaming fun - not only for knight fans.
In addition to these game sets, successful license themes such as DreamWorks Spirit, DreamWorks Dragons and Ghostbuster will be continued. The highlights include new sets from the DreamWorks Dragons range, which will be on sale in February to coincide with the third movie. Fans of the Ghostbusters series can look forward to a first collector's edition in 2: 1 format. The long-awaited movie "Playmobil: The Film" is also accompanied by play sets that take up different characters, locations and stories from the animation highlight.
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