Plush With Purpose

Who can resist stuffed animals? It's hard to pass by any display of plush without reaching out to stroke the soft "fur" or pick one up and give it a hug. It comes as no surprise, either. After all, practically from the day a child is born, it is presented with a multitude of stuffed animals to hug, touch, and love. And that feeling lasts a lifetime, as evidenced by the fact that adults also fall prey to the cute and cuddly aspects of plush toys.

Manufacturers of plush work hard to keep their lines fresh, fun, and appealing by designing new critters, introducing popular new licensed characters, and updating classics with contemporary fabrics and stuffing. Now, in order to expand their product base and increase sales, many plush companies are extending their lines by creating plush with a purpose, such as room decor, fashion accessories, and learning tools. At the same time, manufacturers are broadening plush's horizons without abandoning the category's innate "hug quotient" — the quality that makes everyone want to reach out and touch. This is good news for retailers, because it gives them greater opportunity to blend plush items into their merchandise mix and increase sales opportunities.

Plush fashion accents — including handbags, change purses, scarves, and puppet-like mittens — have proved to be a big hit with young girls, especially tweens, who are just beginning to form their own sense of style. While most of the fashion accent pieces are geared toward girls, plush companies have not neglected the boys entirely, with character backpacks as well as mittens and scarves that avoid being too "girly." These items, plus stylish plush cell phone covers, help make fashion fun for youngsters of both genders.

Learning activities are another category that has received a fresh infusion of the hug-quotient. Whether it's a soft turtle with shell design and matching blocks to help sharpen infants' visual faculties, or a zebra that opens up to become a book, many new plush toys stimulate children and aid in development of different skills. Portable play sets made of small plush pieces also allow handy, imaginative play wherever a child may go. And such play sets offer convenience for parents, who can pack all the pieces in one soft carrying case.

From diaper to dorm, kids spend a lot of time on the floor. And what could be more cozy than putting baby down on a bearskin rug? Only this time, it's a teddy bearskin. These floor pieces have soft, huggable heads that offer the perfect cushion for a hard floor. Most are lightweight and washable, and are more fun than a blanket for baby to play on. For more mature children (or even a teenager who wants to take a walk on the wild side), offer larger, more realistic versions of the bear, lion, or tiger rugs.

Plush lines have also flourished in the decorative accent category, with oversized pieces and other types of accent plush making an appearance on the home decor landscape. Some have even begun showing up at home furnishings trade shows, as well as gift shows. And there's a lot of variety, with plush accents running the gamut from sober practicality to offerings with a little bit of whimsy thrown in.

Soft animal tuffets and footstools add extra pizzazz to the playroom or bedroom, and are versatile enough that they won't be outgrown too quickly. For more grownup whimsy, there are pieces that appeal to the would-be big game hunter, such as large reindeer, or tigers that inject a sense of adventure into lodge or cabin decor. Mounted plush animal heads also provide a trophy for the wall with an absolute minimum of bloodshed.

For the ultimate in lounging, there are oversized plush animals on which children and even adults can recline while watching TV or playing video games. And in the store, these items are a natural display showcase, making a great baby-sitter to entertain the kids while parents shop.

Of course, bringing plush into the realm of utility gives rise to the question of how to market a traditional toy product to new uses. Most of all, selling this type of merchandise has to involve a hands-on strategy from manufacturer to retailer, and from retailer to consumer. Lynda Coyle, manager for marketing and communication at Gund, Edison, New Jersey, notes that Gund sales reps sell from samples because retailers — and ultimately customers — need to experience plush product; to touch, feel, and see how it works in order to understand it.

To illustrate that point, Marty Castro, principle of Purr-fection by MJC, Tualatin, Oregon, recalls a particular experience at the Chicago gift show when a weary buyer plunked down on one of the company's display bears. The reaction from passers-by? More bears were sold in that hour than had been sold all morning.

But ultimately, selling plush relies on that cute and cuddly element that is almost impossible to resist: the hug quotient. Because of it, plush's appeal is something that folks will never outgrow.