Category
Life-Stages
Constructible Franchises
Trend cluster
Category
High-Tech
Reboot
Classic toys get a high-tech update to appeal parents' nostalgia.
5.0
Trend score
Trend
What is the High-Tech Reboot trend?
High-Tech Reboot: Toy brands are updating classic toys with high-tech features like VR integration and connectivity. Tapping into existing fan bases, and giving Millennial and Gen X parents to share their beloved toys from their childhood with their own children, this shift is a "best of both worlds" convergence of the past and the future.
Trend themes
Themes within the High-Tech Reboot trend
Three behaviours holding the trend together01
High-Tech Toys
Toy brands are updating classic toys with high-tech features like VR integration and connectivity.
02
AI-Assisted Play
Hot Wheels AI brings classic toys up to speed with an increasingly video game-dependent young generation by creating a digitized racing game.
03
DIY Maker Culture
Maker culture has exploded in recent years, giving rise to products like the Kitables DIY Mini LEGO Drone Kit that allow people to create their own products rather than purchasing outright
Industry implications
What the High-Tech Reboot trend means for industry
Where the trend changes the playbookFor
Toys & Games
The integration of higher technologies and AI is a novel selling point for toy makers dealing with a increasingly technology-friendly market.
For
Consumer Electronics
Convergence of classic toys and consumer electronics presents opportunities for companies to tap into nostalgia and bring in added revenue.
For
Maker Movement
The DIY trend is creating a sub-industry of products that cater to people who want to create their own projects and products.
Workshop question
What demographics have influence over your consumer group and how can you acknowledge those peripheral demographics in your messaging?
Trend signals
Trend signals for High-Tech Reboot
Trend score 5.0 out of 10, from popularity 76%, activity 66%, freshness 8%.
Popularity76%
Activity66%
Freshness8%
Audience
50%Men
50%Women
- Gen Alpha
- Gen Z
- Millennial (not a primary audience)
- Gen X (not a primary audience)
- Boomer (not a primary audience)
Market
North America
Evidence
Examples of the High-Tech Reboot trend
4 featured examples from Feb 18, 2016 to Jan 20, 2017CategoryLife-Stages
AI-Assisted Racing Toys
'Hot Wheels AI' is a Modernized Version of the Classic Race Car Toys
Disruptive innovation opportunity: Incorporating advanced technologies, such as artificial intelligence, into traditional toy manufacturing processes to create innovative and imme…
CategoryLife-Stages
Bright Eyed Teddy Bears
The Classic Teddy Ruxpin Stuffy is Getting a Modern Update
The traditional toy industry can look to advanced animatronics and interactive toys to update and innovate their products.
CategoryTech
DIY Building Block Drones
The Kitables DIY Mini LEGO Drone Kit Comes with All Necessary Components
The drone industry can capitalize on the DIY drone trend by offering more affordable and customizable drone kits.
CategoryLife-Stages
Smart-Connected Dollhouses
The 'Hello Barbie Dreamhouse' Features Wi-Fi and Voice Recognition
The toy industry can capitalize on the trend of smart-connected dollhouses by developing innovative and technologically advanced playsets.
