Tag Archives: Rubiks

Spin Master acquires Rubik’s Brand in move that strengthens its Games & Puzzles portfolio

Posted on by

The global children’s entertainment company, Spin Master, has reached an agreement to acquire the London-based Rubik’s Brand Ltd, owner of the world famous Rubik’s Cube.

Invented by Ernő Rubik in 1974 and launched globally in 1980, the Rubik’s Cube became a worldwide  craze,selling hundreds of millions of units, and has inspired and challenged both young and old ever since. As a STEM-accredited puzzle, the Rubik’s Cube supports brain development and cognitive skills by allowing  children and adults to use their creativity, while developing and encouraging intelligence.

“The Rubik’s Cube is an iconic puzzle that has permeated pop culture and captivated fans for more than 40 years,” said Elizabeth LoVecchio, Spin Master’s vice president marketing, games. “We are excited for the opportunity to put our marquee innovation on the entire Rubik’s portfolio and expand distribution  through our global footprint.”

Erno Rubik, said: “It is really exciting that Spin Master will continue the legacy of the Rubik’s Cube and fulfill my vision of  nurturing smarter, future generations through play. We chose Spin Master because of  their long-term lens and character.”

Spin Master has been strengthening its position within the games category through acquisitions of new titles and innovative partnerships and collaborations. The Games & Puzzles category is one of the fastest growing super categories in 2020 with families spending more time at home.

Today, Spin Master is the third largest games company in the United States.

“There are many growth opportunities for Spin Master with the Rubik’s brand as we transition to a  blended model of direct sales in combination with existing partners globally,” said Anton Rabie, Spin  Master’s chairman and co-CEO. “Our games division has continuously grown over the past decade and is  a cornerstone of Spin Master’s diversified portfolio. The addition of the legendary Rubik’s Cube to our  roster of games is a historic moment and we are honored to continue the legacy.”

The acquisition of Rubik’s Brand Ltd marks Spin Master’s 22nd acquisition since the company was founded  in 1994 and 12th since its initial public offering in 2015. The transaction is expected to close on January 4,  2021.

Zuru detail Toy Mini Brands launch with Nickelodeon and classic toy brands partnerships

Posted on by

The award-winning global toymaker, Zuru is putting a new spin on the miniature collectables trend, having partnered with Nickelodeon/Viacom to launch a new licensed line to its already popular Toy Mini Brands line up. The partnership sees the introduction of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, SpongeBob SquarePants, and JoJo Siwa to the range of nine toy brands all to be miniaturised and hit retailers this year.

In addition, popular and iconic toy and children’s brands such as Classic Rubik’s, Crayola, and Wham-O join the Toy Mini Brands portfolio.

Zuru’s new toy range launches to the Australian market this month, followed with a roll out across North America and the UK and Europe. The toy range will have full UK distribution by January next year.

“Our product development and licensing teams have worked closely to take some of the most iconic toy brands and shrink them to fit in your hand,” said Aneisha Vieira, global brand director of Zuru. “The mini collectible trend is unwavering and we’re confident Toy Mini Brands will follow suit as one of the most in-demand products of the year.” 

Made to match their full-sized counterparts, even down to the packaging, there are over 60 different nostalgic and currently in-market toys to collect including Leonardo from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Aang from Avatar: The Last Airbender, Backpack from Dora the Explorer, and Angelica from Rugrats. 

Other miniaturized products include Crayola Crayons, Rubik’s Cubes, WowWee Fingerlings, JoJo Siwa bow accessories, Nickelodeon Slime and Wham-O Frisbees. In addition, a selection of Zuru’s top toys including Rainbocorns, X-Shot and Bunch O Balloons have been shrunk. The assortment includes rare and super rare minis to find.

With Toy Mini Brands, kids can unwrap the 5 Surprise capsule and peel back the segments to discover what five mini toys are inside. Each capsule is a surprise unboxing with toy miniatures and toy shop accessories, including shopping basket, cart, bag and shelves, to find.

In addition, a Toy Mini Brands collector’s case features room for 30 of the most sought after minis and comes with four exclusive minis.  The case is available for an SRP of £9.99.

Zuru detail Toy Mini Brands launch with Nickelodeon and classic toy brands partnerships

Posted on by

The award-winning global toymaker, Zuru is putting a new spin on the miniature collectables trend, having partnered with Nickelodeon/Viacom to launch a new licensed line to its already popular Toy Mini Brands line up. The partnership sees the introduction of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, SpongeBob SquarePants, and JoJo Siwa to the range of nine toy brands all to be miniaturised and hit retailers this year.

In addition, popular and iconic toy and children’s brands such as Classic Rubik’s, Crayola, and Wham-O join the Toy Mini Brands portfolio.

Zuru’s new toy range launches to the Australian market this month, followed with a roll out across North America and the UK and Europe. The toy range will have full UK distribution by January next year.

“Our product development and licensing teams have worked closely to take some of the most iconic toy brands and shrink them to fit in your hand,” said Aneisha Vieira, global brand director of Zuru. “The mini collectible trend is unwavering and we’re confident Toy Mini Brands will follow suit as one of the most in-demand products of the year.” 

Made to match their full-sized counterparts, even down to the packaging, there are over 60 different nostalgic and currently in-market toys to collect including Leonardo from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Aang from Avatar: The Last Airbender, Backpack from Dora the Explorer, and Angelica from Rugrats. 

Other miniaturized products include Crayola Crayons, Rubik’s Cubes, WowWee Fingerlings, JoJo Siwa bow accessories, Nickelodeon Slime and Wham-O Frisbees. In addition, a selection of Zuru’s top toys including Rainbocorns, X-Shot and Bunch O Balloons have been shrunk. The assortment includes rare and super rare minis to find.

With Toy Mini Brands, kids can unwrap the 5 Surprise capsule and peel back the segments to discover what five mini toys are inside. Each capsule is a surprise unboxing with toy miniatures and toy shop accessories, including shopping basket, cart, bag and shelves, to find.

In addition, a Toy Mini Brands collector’s case features room for 30 of the most sought after minis and comes with four exclusive minis.  The case is available for an SRP of £9.99.

Rubik’s launches first official app to teach players to solve the Rubik’s Cube

Posted on by

The world famous puzzle brand, Rubik’s has produced the first official app that uses mobile technology and artificial intelligence to track a real 3D Rubik’s Cube and teach its user how to solve it in real-time. The app also features audio and visual clues to help solve the real-life puzzle.

The concept has been billed as an example of augmented reality giving real play value and user experience. The app comes with a choice of learning to solve the Cube in either the simplest way possible, which is called the Rubik’s method, or the fastest way, which typically takes just 20 moves.

The new Rubik’s Official App is initially available only on iOS and includes games with a virtual Cube, so users can learn and have fun simply by swiping a finger. They can select their choice of game from Rubik’s Mini (2×2) or the original Rubik’s Cube (3×3), to the more challenging Rubik’s Master (4×4) or the Rubik’s Professor (5×5).

The app will also allow users to keep track of their solving times and allow them to share the information digitally.

Christoph Bettin, the CEO for Rubik’s Brand, said: “The Cube has fascinated fans for four decades and I’m the first to admit that the puzzle can be challenging. Research supports the view that solving a Cube links brilliantly with the teaching of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM), and this high-tech app captures this, while creating fun and excitement.”

Rubik’s brand sees ‘phenomenal growth’ in digital uptake throughout the world’s lockdown period

Posted on by

The Rubik’s brand has reported a ‘phenomenal growth’ in digital engagement from its community of Rubik’s Cube fans and followers of the brand extension, driven, it states, by the circumstances of the Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdown measures taken across the globe.

It’s during the brand’s 40th anniversary that it has ramped up its digital and social measures in a move to counter the momentary pause placed on face to face meetings and gatherings, a cornerstone of the Rubik’s brand. The company even jumped on the chance to develop a social campaign to educate people how to solve a Rubik’s Cube while engaging with the brand from home.

The brand’s website now includes downloadable and mobile-friendly solution guides, while the YouTube channel features videos to suit all skill levels.

Several Rubik’s ambassadors including Keaton Ellis from the USA and Jack Cai from Australia have been recruited to inspire and teach people all about the solve, and each Friday they broadcast to the Rubik’s social Channel’s subscribers and followers, with the hashtag #FastFriday.

Christoph Bettin, the Rubik’s Brand CEO, said: “We quickly learned at the start of the lockdown that solving interest was at an all-time high by those choosing to occupy their time with learning a new skill. Very quickly, the term #CubeAtHome was seen by over 17 million people on the TikTok channel, and this spread to other social media platforms with #AdventureEveryTurn hitting 2.1 million views in just one month.

“We amplified social channel interest with a new campaign called ‘Adventure Every Turn’, which encouraged cube fans to view solution guides and enjoy the challenge of unravelling a scrambled cube.”

The Rubik’s Cube – invented by Professor Erno Rubik – started out life as a means to teach his architectural students. 40 years on and it has evolved into the world’s most successful single toy. To date, nearly half a billion Rubik’s Cubes have been sold, and in 2020 over 20 million Rubik’s product are expected to be sold globally.

Along the way, Rubik’s has formed several partnerships to create new and unique Rubik’s themed products outside of games and puzzles, including its Etch-A-Sketch partnership with Spin Master, The OP, Perplexus, DeKryptic and Marvin’s Magic.

Bettin concluded: “Face to face events are on hold for reasons of safety and social distancing, but we’ve seen a phenomenal growth in digital engagement. This change in circumstance has seen a massive growth of interest in puzzles and games, together with a yearning for nostalgia.

“The ’80s is now a decade admired even by those too young to experience it the first time around. We will continue to celebrate during our anniversary year, when events that were hitherto ‘in person’ may well be adapted to online experiences. You cannot beat the power of face to face gatherings, but we look forward to providing exciting interactive alternatives.”

 

Spin Master shakes things up for Etch A Sketch with Hasbro, NASA and Stan Lee partnerships

Posted on by

Spin Master is shaking things up for its iconic red-framed drawing toy, Etch A Sketch in 2020, as the crafty brand celebrates its 60th anniversary with a swathe of new collaborative projects.

As part of its celebrations, Etch A Sketch has teamed with a number of other big names in the toys and entertainment space – including Hasbro’s Monopoly, and the iconic Stan Lee – to deliver a raft of new launches for the year ahead.

For 2020, the Etch a Sketch brand is joining forces with the Monopoly brand, space exploration leader NASA, heritage toy Rubik’s and comic book marvel Stan Lee. Through these collaborations, each will have its own limited-edition Etch A Sketch drawing toys.

“The Etch A Sketch drawing toy is one of only a handful of breakthrough toys that’s popularity spans generations,” said Arlene Biran, VP of marketing for activities and building sets, Spin Master.

“It is a timeless toy that encourages creativity on a magic screen that doesn’t need WIFI. Our series of limited-edition collaborations with other inspiring and imaginative classics honours 60 years of unplugged creativity.”

The Etch A Sketch Monopoly Edition will launch in the US this March and will retail at $19.99. It will be joined by the Etch A Sketch NASA Inspired Edition, launching in April.

The results of a collaborative effort between Spin Master and Rubik’s will see the Etch A Sketch Rubik’s Edition land in May, while the Etch A Sketh Stan Lee Edition will be available to all comic book and toy fans from July this year.

“We’re thrilled to work with the team at Spin Master to bring the Etch A Sketch Monopoly Edition to market,” said Casey Collins, GM & SVP of entertainment and licensing at Hasbro.

“As we honour major milestones for both brands this year, we hope fans of all ages will treasure this release for years to come.”

The Etch A Sketch limited edition collaborations will be released in limited quantities throughout the year on EtchASketch.com as well on Etch A Sketch Day, July 12, 2020, marking the official day the first Etch A Sketch toy was sold.

In addition to the collaborations with iconic classics, Spin Master is unveiling a new limited-edition Diamond Edition Etch a Sketch featuring a sleek black frame and custom crystal knobs available in limited quantities on EtchASketch.com.

The company will also release new innovation with Etch a Sketch Revolution in August, the first Etch A Sketch with a spinning screen that allows you to make circles.