Need for Speed: YuMe Toys’ Felipe Noriega discusses fast-paced product development

In the dynamic world of toys, speed to market isn’t just a buzzword… It’s the engine that drives innovation and competitiveness. The toy industry – with its whimsical charm and boundless creativity – is a realm where dreams are crafted into tangible playthings. However, behind the magic there’s a relentless race against time…

The team at YuMe Toys is a well-oiled machine when it comes to launching toys into the market to coincide with certain tentpoles. In an era marked by rapid technological advancements and ever-changing consumer preferences, speed to market has become the ultimate priority for toy companies like us.

Gone are the days of leisurely product development cycles. Today, success hinges on the ability to swiftly translate concepts into reality and ride waves of popularity when an IP nears its peak. That way, toys became part of the buzz among consumers, fandom, influencers and media.

One of the primary drivers behind the need for speed is the relentless march of technology. From augmented reality to artificial intelligence, toys are embracing cutting-edge innovations at an unprecedented pace. At YuMe, we use AI to speed up the early stages of product development, graphic design and marketing campaign creation. We apply the latest digital 3D drawing tech to accelerate our product development.

But it’s also about having a business that’s nimble in its decision-making process and a small, global team who are ‘always-on’ executives. What makes YuMe special is our round-the-clock, 24-hour development process. It never sleeps! When one office pauses at the end of the day, the next office picks up and continues the product development.

Speed to market isn’t just about meeting consumer demand while an IP is at the height of its popularity. Rather, it’s also about staying ahead of the competition. For every product we launch, there’s a new creative process, shaped by the characteristics of the target audience and a brand’s DNA.

YuMe doesn’t work on a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach. Our creative teams constantly keep abreast of upcoming trends to remain relevant to consumers’ ever-changing appetites. In the fiercely competitive landscape of the toy industry, being first to market can make all the difference. And in an industry driven by trends and fads, timing is everything. Agility and adaptability are no longer optional: they’re essential survival skills. Speed to market will only become more necessary. Consumers want fandom self-actualisation now.

“What makes YuMe special is our round-the-clock, 24-hour development process. It never sleeps!”