Two of the many favourite kids  brands as nominated by the team at The Value Engineers serve to demonstrate the power of brands to unite both peers and family members. Football stickers have been a central part of social currency for boys in playgrounds up and down the country and their popularity remains as high today as it has ever been. This continuity of appeal is delivered through a natural annual refreshment of new players and teams, whilst meeting the natural desires of boys in providing collectability, competition and peer inclusion.

The successful relaunch of Doctor Who has been well documented and the programme has re-established Saturday evening family viewing both on and behind the sofa! A new generation of Doctor Who fans have been recruited, all of whom will be watching with interest as Matt Smith takes on the challenge of picking up where David Tennant left off.

“Merlin stickers – the ones that got me as a youngster were of course Premier League Football Stickers. Like most of my friends at the time I was obsessed and vividly remember that the first person in my primary school to complete their album got a mention in the school assembly! I even remember the last sticker they needed – the Norwich kit on a glitter background. These stickers went beyond simple enjoyment – they took me, my friends and most of the　school playground to a level of social fanaticism never experienced before. Even today when I’m at the newsagent I still occasionally buy a pack or two…” Will Butterworth, Marketing Analyst.

“Dr Who: The ritual of the family sitting down together and excitement of the theme tune (on full blast). It takes your imagination on a journey. It’s not scared to deal with fear, loneliness and loss. However the meek always inherit the earth and so good always triumphs over evil, with a little help from The Doctor (who has also wrestled with his conscience).” Amelia Boothman, Senior Consultant.

Continuing our series of favourite kids brands it was fascinating to juxtaposition the brand & media inspirations for the different generations of kids. Literary classic Roald Dahl was the choice of Joss Clayton and as both a book and movie franchise, these fantastic stories continue to captivate audiences today as witnessed with the recent ‘Fantastic Mr Fox’. However it is clear that today’s children are equally enthralled by the interactive world demonstrated by Anna Eggleton’s choice of Club Penguin. This website has a huge following and provides kids with a uniquely engaging means to stimulate their imaginations and socialize with their online peers.

“Roald Dahl is my official favourite kids brand – I love the books and as a brand I would say it perfectly communicates the way in which children are naturally drawn to the gross, weird and cheeky bits of life. The fact that they have a dual appeal to both kids and adults is of course a plus from a sales / endurance point of view but for me these were the books that it were ok to laugh with, be revolted by and quote. They are 100% un-naff and champion the child, not the parent.” Joss Clayton, Marketing Analyst

“Club Penguin is an MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role-playing game) involving a virtual world containing a range of online games and activities. Using cartoon penguins as avatars, players waddle around, chat, play minigames and participate in other activities with one another in a snow-covered virtual world. Where else can your children learn how to use a PC, earn money, look after pets, buy and sell items of clothing? They can even undertake missions to become secret agents. For the children a great mix of constantly changing fun and interaction (you play and meet other people online). For parents it represents a safe place for your children to pick up those all important computer skills (as well as the bonus of some peace and quiet!).” Anna Eggleton, Director of Closeness

There appears to be a big fan club for Playmobil here at The Value Engineers, as it received quite a few nominations from the team. As with many toy brands there is a very sizeable adult collector market for Playmobil which beyond collecting in its own right, manifests itself in online war gaming and movie making communities. This is another great example of a kids brand that allows adults to regress to simpler times of unbridled imagination and permissive play time.

“My favourite kids’ brand is Playmobil. I had endless fun as a youngster setting up the Playmobil farmyard, Playmobil hospital and Playmobil school! Its such a fun brand which encourages imagination and creativity. And all the miniature parts that you get in the sets are fascinating! We used to pool our Playmobil with our cousins and build a Playmobil Island! It never got boring and we all enjoyed it, boys girls and all ages. For years we’d do this everytime we all met up and I vividly remember how much fun it was! Recently we had some toys in the office for a workshop and there was a Playmobil Ancient Egyptian set. I wanted to take it out and set it up.” Rebecca Gaul, Consultant

 ”Playmobil: I am amazed at the level of detail that goes into a playmobil toy and have massively fond memories of being given a camper van set when I was little. It was the only set I ever had and I loved it. Despite asking for more year after year, all I saw was more Lego!” Guy Grimsley, Consultant