As someone who has spent countless hours immersed in the world of pop culture, I can wholeheartedly appreciate the vision and passion behind Thrilljoy. With a career spanning 20 years in the toy industry, Mariotti’s ambition to connect fans with their beloved franchises on a deeper level is truly inspiring.
For more than ten years, Funko has come to be strongly associated with the toy collection market. Beyond its continually expanding range of Pop vinyl figures, Funko offers clothing, accessories, pins, and even other collectible companies like Mondo – all linked to numerous licenses held by the company. Now, the former CEO of Funko, Brian Mariotti, aims to replicate this success and exceed it with his fresh venture, Thrilljoy.
At New York Comic Con, Mariotti formally debuted the company, showcasing it with a special panel and an array of merchandise tailored for fans. The licenses encompassed various franchises such as The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Rankin/Bass animated movies, Masters of the Universe, Thundercats, among others. During the event, TopMob had a chat with Mariotti at the Thrilljoy booth about the challenges involved in starting the company and his future plans, as well as contrasting this new collectible business with his previous employer.
As a passionate admirer, I can share that there were two aspects that made me slightly apprehensive: the minimal marketing lead-up and the ambitious goal of establishing our company within just four and a half months, culminating in an in-person launch at the grand New York Comic Con. However, once we arrived, set up shop, and unveiled our product to the fans, all my worries dissipated. The enthusiasm has been extraordinary, and the reaction to our product in person has surpassed our expectations. That’s why we chose New York Comic Con – to let fans experience our product firsthand, and that’s exactly what they’ve done. It’s been an incredible experience!
To ardent Funko enthusiasts and collectors, Thrilljoy’s initial toy line, Pix, might seem somewhat repetitive compared to what Funko is already providing with its Pop! figures. While both offer small vinyl toys, Thrilljoy also has larger ones, dubbed MegaPix, Mariotti discovered that he didn’t have to reinvent the wheel in terms of toy design itself, but rather, focus on how these toys were presented to collectors.
[Image of Pix]
He expressed his opinion that the project required extensive storytelling rather than just being another figure company. He felt the market didn’t need another figure manufacturer, given the numerous excellent ones already available. Among them, Sideshow, Hot Toys, and Mezco stood out as favorites due to their high-quality products. However, he was seeking a creation with a stronger emphasis on storytelling elements instead.
Every Pix piece carries a narrative, from the type of frame – ours has a black bamboo style with occasional blood splatter, while Van Gogh’s is adorned with a golden museum frame and horror pieces have gothic, matte-black frames. The cartoon versions feature more playful framing. Additionally, it includes the artwork, the lenticular authenticity card, the collectible figure itself, the magnets, and exceptional packaging.
Unlike its Funko counterpart, which comes in a compact box, Pix packaging is designed differently with a larger box equipped with a magnetic flap for convenient access to the collectible. By lifting off the top plastic molding, you can extract the framed figure effortlessly. There’s a screw at the back of the frame that can be unscrewed to easily remove the figure from its frame. Mariott points out this design allows you to display and enjoy the item without damaging its packaging, even if you decide to sell it later on.
“How we designed this was you can open the product, remove it, and you’re able to put it right back in if you ever have to sell it. All of that tells an immortalized-in-pop-culture moment that we tried to capture here. I think it’s a completely different product that can really tug at your heartstrings with something that you love. Whether it’s Lebron James breaking a scoring record or your favorite episode of Masters of the Universe…whatever gets you excited, I think this product represents a lot of those elements.”
Mariotti isn’t only aiming to release toys based on licenses this time; instead, he wants to explore ways to link someone’s affection for pop culture with a product itself. Initially, he recognized some licensors would be easier to work with, but contemplated strategies for broadening that scope.
I was confident that our long-term business partners, who played crucial roles in growing Funko and its income sources, would quickly embrace this new idea. I believe there are still some licenses we didn’t secure at Funko, which we can reconsider from a fresh perspective and potentially collaborate with the sneaker culture, athletes, musicians, actors, and their affinity for pop culture.
He gave the example of Luka Doncic, an NBA player for the Dallas Mavericks who famously loves Dragon Ball Z. Mariotti elaborated on how he wants to intersect all of that together. Enter Eric Peng.
Eric possesses a unique blend of talents cherished by the sneaker community, and he fosters connections with brands like Nike, Adidas, and Under Armor. This, coupled with a varied ownership group, enables us to explore possibilities beyond our previous ventures at Funko.
Such degree of partnership could evoke memories in certain enthusiasts of how Kid Robot approaches artist collaborations in their product launches. Mariotti expresses a boundless perspective, believing Thrilljoy has vast potential to enhance collectibility and elevate the overall community.
As a gaming enthusiast, I’m here to share some exciting news! We’ve got a diverse range of products here, starting from as low as $50, and they go all the way up to $150. However, we’ve also got some real showstoppers in store – items that start at $500 and even reach $1000! Trust me, these are going to leave people speechless.
One key distinction with Thrilljoy contrasting other collectible firms is its ambition to transcend the conventional consumer-producer dynamic. Mariotti expressed his desire for fans not just to be consumers, but rather, to hold a share in the company’s success and longevity. He believes the most effective approach to achieve this goal is by offering the opportunity to own shares in the company itself.
As a gamer, I’m excited to share that we’re planning to involve our community more closely with our fan advisory board. Instead of just being spectators, some dedicated fans and influencers will even get a piece of the action, in the form of company stock! This isn’t just about ownership, it’s about giving a voice to those who share a unique perspective on pop culture that can help shape our company’s future. I’m looking forward to them holding us accountable for our interactions, considering their ideas, and even licensing projects they’re truly passionate about.
Just like companies such as Funko, Thrilljoy also shares a characteristic: it has its own mascot named Bloo. Whereas Funko’s identity is tied to Freddy Funko, Bloo – the blue and white yeti – is rapidly growing to be synonymous with the Thrilljoy brand. So far, Bloo has been well-received by many.
I have a deep affection for yetis! From the Matterhorn Yeti at Disneyland to Bumbles in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, I couldn’t help but incorporate them into my collection. It’s amusing that out of all the items, Bloo was the first to run out, with Mars Attacks following closely behind. This was an unexpected twist as I didn’t anticipate people being drawn to Bloo’s appearance and vibe.
Discover more details about Thrilljoy, their forthcoming loyalty scheme, and the merchandise they currently have – including toys and clothing – on their website right over here.
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2024-10-23 22:10