Innovation First has taken Bandai’s line of mechanical toys called Hexbugs and given them a unique and intriguing campaign targeting scientifically inclined youth. Hexbugs are insectile robotic toys that react to obstacles, light and sound. They re simple little toys that Innovation First has elevated to educational products using science lab-inspired branding. The branding goes beyond logo and trade dress, with peripheral products such as play arenas sold as habitats and the Hexbug Specimen Case pushing kids to collect the whole line. Innovation First has even launched programs promoting selling their products to raise money for schools. It’s an ingeniously thought-out and executed campaign, one that’s making the stocking-stuffer suited toys hot holiday items.
The effort for the latest toy in the line, called Hexbug Nano, channels that inspired branding into a unique video and digital campaign. The video is set up as an observation of Nanos in action, where their simple movements are presented as actual instinctive and even sentient behavior. For its digital component, the campaign directs those who buy the toys to an online destination designed to turn them into Hexbug collectors. Visitors are “initiated” into a scientific society ancient in its roots and dedicated to advancement. The site also has online games to play that are positioned as challenges testing the player’s science acumen.
You can check out the video and access the web site at Creativity-Online.
