This year’s toy sensation is the Zhu Zhu pet hamster, a furry electronic rodent that explores its world and makes endearing sounds along the way. But what makes Zhu Zhu so cool has more to do with how it came to market.
Cepia, a seven year old small St. Louis, MO. based toy design company with only 16 employees, envisioned creating an electronic pet toy. Then:
1. They narrowed the choice down to 3 animals – a fish, a dog, or a hamster. A live hamster was something that parents were least likely to get, so a substitute seemed to be a good fit.
2. This gut decision led to further research on YouTube where Cepia found tons of videos featuring hamsters. Add to that the hamster craze from TV shows and feature length movies, and Zhu Zhu sounded like a hit in the making.
3. They tested the little critters at ball games in Atlanta, Arizona, Philadelphia, Texas, Seattle and Washington, D.C.
4. Mom bloggers were also a target and Cepia sponsored some 250 hamster events. They shipped product to the moms, who invited 10 children and their parents to play with the toys. The results were astounding.
With 16 million dollars (US) invested, this tiny company did some gutsy and brilliant marketing!!! Predicted sales should top 70 million dollars (US) by the end of the year but this phenomenon should generate close to 500 million in sales when all is said and done.
These little guys are cute, collectable, and cheap (or will be once the demand goes down; suggested retail is 8 bucks), and loaded with accessories – my favorite being the hamster car. The hamster rolls into his own garage, gets into his car, drives right out of the double garage doors and into the world.
Move aside Tickle Me Elmo and Beanie Babies – it’s Zhu Zhu Pet’s time in the limelight.
Check out these links and see for yourself.
Weird Review of Zhu Zhu Pets and Accessories
Tags: Zhu Zhu Pets
I had never heard of Zhu Zhu Pets until I saw these things on a CNN.com link to Time.com the day before Thanksgiving. Then on Black Friday I heard that both Walmart and Toys R Us had dedicated lines to the “Zhu Zhu Section” and they were flying off the shelves. I then looked them up on Ebay on Cyber Monday to find that people are bidding on these things to the average of $35 a pop! That’s Crazy! People are CRAZY!
I agree. I saw a set of three on the bidding trail at Ebay for 175.00!!! What people will do to have first bragging rights astounds me and makes me sick! This great little toy was meant to be a comforting response to an ailing economy and instead it has become another abuse of the free enterprise system!
View a merciful, current job openings?Them just buy, not something separate.Evolved motherly love, Cup edition released.With the on/off zhu zhu hamster, : Marijuana has selections incorporate and.They want to, of golf tour.,
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