Mattel’s Mission to Make a Better Toy Gun
Mattel is a leader in the design of toys and family products. After nearly a decade, the company is introducing their first new line of toys called BOOMco., a young kids fantasy brought to life in the form of a plastic blaster. Their darts shoot straighter and fire faster than Nerf and the tips stick perfectly to select targets while leaving no residue.
Scott Derman, a designer for Mattel, was asked to design a new product with one real constraint: It had to be a hit outdoor toy for boys. The possibilities were wide open, so long as it was S.W.N.S.B.–”something we’ve never seen before.” He used Mattel’s Chem Lab to discover a substance that could stick, but wasn’t sticky.
“Utilizing innovative Smart Stick™darts, targets and shields, BOOMco. gives kids a revolutionary new blaster experience that challenges them to get outside and play,” said Doug Wadleigh, Senior Vice President, Global Brands Marketing, Boys and Entertainment for Mattel.
BOOMco has launched globally and is set to launch in the U.S. in July. It will be interesting to see how these guns compare to Nerf and whether they will be a hit or miss. For more on the story, check out Fast Company’s site here.
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