Rachael Simpson-Jones caught up with Paul Bufton, vice president EMEA Consumer Products, Universal Products & Experiences (UP&E), to find out how the studio is ensuring brand longevity for Gabby’s Dollhouse.
She may only have arrived on screens in 2020, but Gabby – the eponymous star of DreamWorks Animation’s Gabby’s Dollhouse – has amassed a huge and loyal global fanbase. Now one of the fastest growing brands in the pre-school space, Gabby’s Dollhouse continues to open doors into new product categories for licensees, while the content pipeline stretches well into the future.
Paul Bufton says the show’s uniqueness sets it apart from everything else in the pre-school space, as well as its ability to blend the most popular aspects of the franchise together.
“The music is incredible, the characters are fabulous, and Gabby is truly aspirational; she’s friendly and kids can imagine her being their best friend,” he told Toy World. “The surprise unboxing element at the top of every episode, which becomes the catalyst for the story to follow, feels relevant and on-trend with today’s kids, as does Gabby’s miniature world. Tiny is big right now, as we all know, and Gabby’s dollhouse is the ultimate dollhouse, with a different theme in each room to discover: music, cooking, crafting, science, stories. Bring all that together with an adorable cast of cats and you can’t go wrong. Who doesn’t love cats? Well, apart from dogs.”
Paul and his team are understandably delighted with the success of Gabby’s Dollhouse to date, noting that while they always felt they were onto a winning property, its stratospheric success has surpassed even their expectations. Paul credits the ‘incredible’ team at DreamWorks Animation for Gabby’s performance. While pre-launch test screenings give a good indication of what kind of reception a new property can expect to receive, he said that until it’s actually out there in the wild, so to speak, much is still unknown – and success is far from guaranteed.
In terms of licensing, many companies have taken the brand on including Spin Master, the master toy partner, The Lego Group, Dreamtex, Ravensburger (puzzles), Posh Paws (plush), Tonies (audio content), Akroyds and Fashion UK (DTR nightwear and underwear), Signature Publishing (kids’ magazines), Alligator Books and Hodder & Stoughton (publishing), Crayola (crafts), Cartamundi (games), KidDesigns (expanded toy lines) and Clementoni (puzzles).
To read what Paul had to say about the property’s achievements, partners and its future, click here for the full article.
