I've got an idea, but no idea how to execute

[Troepie]

Me and a few friends were messing around and came across an idea for kids toys.. It will be a cheap product that can be sold in large volumes. The problem is that none of us have experience on how to get the ball rolling. One option would be to approach someone like PnP (think stikeez campaign), but don't know who to contact and in what stage we need to be before we approach them to ensure patent protection etc. Another option would be to use an existing trademark(movie characters) and rather sell it in toy shops. Maybe like those "lucky packets" where you don't know which one you will get and have to collect all the different characters.

If there is anybody who has experience in something like this that can help get this idea to fly, we would like to get some guidance or even a partner.

 

[HavocXphere]

Best bet is to patent/copyright it and then try to set up a small operation

I doubt a big player like pnp has an interest in helping you launch something from zero

 

[Troepie]

Agreed that they won't help to launch it from scratch, but it might be in their interest to run with our idea. They already have the Stikeez campaign framework and probably production facilities/contacts available.

Patent/copyright will probably depend on which route you take? If the animated movie characters are the way to go then there will probably be other copyright issues to take into consideration. Will need rights to use the brand I suppose...

 

[GhostSixFour]

Me and a few friends were messing around and came across an idea for kids toys.. It will be a cheap product that can be sold in large volumes. The problem is that none of us have experience on how to get the ball rolling. One option would be to approach someone like PnP (think stikeez campaign), but don't know who to contact and in what stage we need to be before we approach them to ensure patent protection etc. Another option would be to use an existing trademark(movie characters) and rather sell it in toy shops. Maybe like those "lucky packets" where you don't know which one you will get and have to collect all the different characters.

If there is anybody who has experience in something like this that can help get this idea to fly, we would like to get some guidance or even a partner.

TBH this doesn't sound like a new product. Sounds like you're basically bringing in new characters. Which is fair enough I suppose. Little models of Zuma or Malema would be quite entertaining - earn one member of parliament for every R150 you spend - not only sounds like a good plan, but also like a newspaper headline.

One thing to note, there's probably no need to be secretive about your idea. Post it and question others as often as possible. 99% of people won't execute the idea anyway, so you get good feedback in exchange for the smallest risk.

In your case though, get someone with a 3D printer, make some models - use that as a pitch, and that then forms the base of your product as well, so you have demo's to show to whoever you're targetting.

 

[SlinkyMike]

YSK that Stikeez and the like are marketing dept. initiatives. They are carefully designed to do what they do (not stick to fridges - make people come to the store) and they are definitely not toys.

I think you may be barking up the wrong tree if you are thinking that these types of things are designed specifically for children to play with because they have another purpose altogether.

 

[Troepie]

Thank you for the reply. Definitely not completely new but an "upgrade" on something existing. It does however put a different spin on it and has more potential than the original in my opinion. But like I mentioned it doesn't need to go the Stikeez route.. I believe that the movie character route will also work with or without something like the PNP campaign. I am not sure how to go about it if you base the toys on existing movie characters.
Haha! Like your politician idea! Maybe that way I will get to know the names of more than 3 of them...

 

[Troepie]

YSK that Stikeez and the like are marketing dept. initiatives. They are carefully designed to do what they do (not stick to fridges - make people come to the store) and they are definitely not toys.

I think you may be barking up the wrong tree if you are thinking that these types of things are designed specifically for children to play with because they have another purpose altogether.

I understand what they are designed for.. and my opinion is the best way to get people to your store is to target the kids. Obviously grown-ups might get into it also, but there is nothing like a wining child to make you drive to PNP instead of one of the other stores.
If the idea can cause a craze, like Stikeez did, I am sure it is doing it's job.

 

[ArmatageShanks]

Most of these campaigns are executed entirely by marketing arms, get a patent first then present it to whom you see fit in order to obtain investment an manufacturing, think Dragons Den.

 

[namzsteve]

Patent it first.

Patent it first.

Patent it first.

Patent it first.

Patent it first.

Patent it first.

Patent it first.

Patent it first.

Patent it first.

Patent it first.

Patent it first.

Patent it first.

Patent it first.

You don't want someone taking the idea claiming it theirs.

 

[Troepie]

Thanks. For that I will probably have to see a patent attorney to see if we have something to patent and not to step on any toes going forward.

 

[saor]

Me and a few friends were messing around and came across an idea for kids toys.. It will be a cheap product that can be sold in large volumes. The problem is that none of us have experience on how to get the ball rolling. One option would be to approach someone like PnP (think stikeez campaign), but don't know who to contact and in what stage we need to be before we approach them to ensure patent protection etc. Another option would be to use an existing trademark(movie characters) and rather sell it in toy shops. Maybe like those "lucky packets" where you don't know which one you will get and have to collect all the different characters.

If there is anybody who has experience in something like this that can help get this idea to fly, we would like to get some guidance or even a partner.

Retailers don't typically care about ideas.

What I'd suggest is to get your toy properly designed by a product / industrial designer, have it 3d printed and then attempt approaching retailers / marketing it yourself. Patent isn't easy, especially if you're trying to get it on something purely aesthetic (I'm assuming your toy isn't functional, usually the function / mechanism etc. is where the patent lies).

 

[Thor]

YSK that Stikeez and the like are marketing dept. initiatives. They are carefully designed to do what they do (not stick to fridges - make people come to the store) and they are definitely not toys.

I think you may be barking up the wrong tree if you are thinking that these types of things are designed specifically for children to play with because they have another purpose altogether.

I used stikeez to summon satan

 

[Troepie]

Retailers don't typically care about ideas.

What I'd suggest is to get your toy properly designed by a product / industrial designer, have it 3d printed and then attempt approaching retailers / marketing it yourself. Patent isn't easy, especially if you're trying to get it on something purely aesthetic (I'm assuming your toy isn't functional, usually the function / mechanism etc. is where the patent lies).

I hear what you are saying. I did however read the following in an online article on patenting a toy:

"Useful" means it serves a practical purpose. This purpose can include amusement -- for example, you may note that your toy "makes a pleasing 'pop' sound when opened..."

What about a provisional patent? Won't this buy you 12months to develop and market it further before applying for a non-provisional patent which is much more complicated and expensive.

 

[Milano]

The patent thing is not easy. Financially costly. Also has to have patentable properties. And then still hard to protect as a manufacturer can make a rather simple change and easily bypass your patent.

 

[saor]

"Useful" means it serves a practical purpose. This purpose can include amusement -- for example, you may note that your toy "makes a pleasing 'pop' sound when opened..."

The patent thing is not easy. Financially costly. Also has to have patentable properties.

^^^
Unless you have something unique & specific you can patent, you're gonna spend a lot of time and money trying to get it. Speak to a design firm, sign an NDA with them and they can give you advice on whether the thing you've got is worth trying to get a patent on. Sometimes the money is better spent just developing it and being first on the market.

But...without seeing what it is it's kinda tricky to give advice.

 

[Greig Whitton]

Lots of people here are suggesting that you should patent your idea first. I strongly disagree.

The first and most important priority when launching a new venture on a shoestring budget is validating your idea, not protecting it. You have no idea whether anyone will like the toy that you have in mind let alone actually buy it. Obviously you think it is a great idea, but nobody starts a business expecting it to fail.

Furthermore, things rarely go according to plan. There is a good chance that you will need to revise your idea before you find something that your market is willing to pay for. Which means that patenting your original idea may be worthless if you end up revising it to the point where the original patent no longer applies.

Validate your assumptions: create a prototype, take it to market, and see whether people will actually buy it. If it sells like hotcakes, then go ahead and patent it.

Bear in mind that a patent is not foolproof protection. It doesn't automatically stop someone from copying your idea. Are you really willing to go to court to enforce your patent before you have sold a single unit? At best, a patent will dissuade other opportunistic startups. They certainly won't dissuade giant corporations from muscling in should they choose to do so.

TL;DR: Proving that people will actually buy a product / service is more important than trying to protect an untested idea.

 

[Troepie]

Thank you for the feedback. It makes sense that a patent might not safe guard the idea. Should be pretty specific for that and it becomes expensive, especially if you want to patent it in a few countries. If you have a good foot in the door you might be well ahead of someone who will try to copy you and a patent might not be necessary.

I have tested my idea on my nieces and nephews and they loved it! But it's one of those things like slammers, marbles, spinning tops, yo-yos etc. It will cause a craze for a while and you will have to be ready to supply to the demand of that craze from the get go or it won't help anyway. Go big or go home scenario.

My other problem is also getting someone on board if you do not have a patent? Will it not scare of investors if you don't have it?

Lastly if I can get the trademark of the animated movie I think that it will just accelerate the whole thing. But how to use the characters without stepping ons toes is my problem. If they were willing to take over the idea it will also be an option.

 

[Greig Whitton]

With respect, Troepie, I think you may be getting a bit ahead of yourself here. It's awesome that your nieces and nephews like it, but I don't think you're ready to "go big or go home". If you have the capital and risk appetite for that course of action, then good luck to you. In my experience, most startup entrepreneurs who opt for that approach end up going home ... and then their home gets repossessed because they signed a bunch of personal suretyships while trying to go big.

While there are exceptions, success is usually the product of many small steps - not a single giant leap of faith. Pokemon Go is a fantastic example of that. It's easy to attribute its success to the Pokemon brand, or the serendipity of being in the right place at the right time. Those factors certainly played a part, but Pokemon Go was the culmination of two decades of development, testing, validation, and revisioning.

Have you actually sold any of these toys yet? If not, that should be your first objective. Make up a small batch (just a few dozen is fine) and approach your local toystores, schools, etc. Do your local restaurants have indoor playgrounds? Maybe they will be interested in bundling the toys as part of a family giveaway promotion.

Great products, brands, and companies aren't the result of great ideas. They're the result of great execution. Everyone has a great idea, but most of them don't execute well enough (assuming they bother to execute at all). You need to start hustling and stop daydreaming about movie character deals.

 

[Troepie]

I don't take offense with any of the the comments so don't worry about that. I am however not clued if with running with an idea so I appreciate all input. Don't think I'm getting ahead of myself as I am not planning anything yet. And will defintely develop a lot further and do a lot more market research before doing anything big. Without it there will be no way to get anyone on board without it anyway. I am just exploring all avenues and trying to get as much advice as possible.

In the past I had quite a few ideas but the all remained in the idea phase... until someone else executed it a few years later and you start to think what if I actually got off my ass and ran with the idea. A bit fed up with ideas only ending up being in my head. That's the whole reason for my question.

Advise on the way forward is awesome as I have no idea which way to go.

 

[saor]

I have tested my idea on my nieces and nephews and they loved it!

Family are the worst people to ask for opinion.

Lastly if I can get the trademark of the animated movie I think that it will just accelerate the whole thing. But how to use the characters without stepping ons toes is my problem. If they were willing to take over the idea it will also be an option.

Rather create your own characters. You're heading down a long and tedious road trying to negotiate trademarks with some big film studio.