Considering the nature of some of the accidents the Dumb Ways to Die characters go through time and time again, they could probably use a hug. But the cartoon characters from the viral 2012 video promoting public safety around trains have only existed in 2D — now, a line of Dumb Ways to Die plush toys has been introduced, making it much easier to give the character some much needed TLC.
The plushies range from pocket-size charms to large 30” plush toys and it includes Dumb Ways to Die characters like the green one who gets bitten in the eye by a snake, the blue one with its hair set ablaze and the yellow one, chomped in half after provoking a bear with a stick.
Even though the original Dumb Ways to Die video is now several years old, the campaign kept up the speed in 2013 with a playable app and a train ad for Christmas.
What's Driving This Trend
- Cartoon Plush Collectibles
- The introduction of Dumb Ways to Die plush toys opens up a market for collectible cartoon character-themed plushies.
- Bringing 2D Characters to Life
- The creation of Dumb Ways to Die plush toys demonstrates a trend of transforming popular 2D characters into tangible, huggable products.
- Expanding Brand Merchandise
- The launch of Dumb Ways to Die plush toys showcases the expansion of merchandise offerings for popular viral campaigns and videos.
Who This Affects Most
- Toy Manufacturing
- Toy manufacturers have an opportunity to capitalize on the demand for cartoon character plush toys like the Dumb Ways to Die series.
- Collectibles Market
- The collectibles market can tap into the popularity of viral characters by producing limited-edition Dumb Ways to Die plush toys.
- Branded Merchandise
- Brands with successful viral campaigns can leverage their popularity by expanding their merchandise offerings with items like Dumb Ways to Die plush toys.
