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# Adorably Morbid Cartoon Plushies
The Dumb Ways to Die Characters Come to Life as Plush Toys

By Laura McQuarrie | Published 2014-01-28 | Life-Stages
Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/dumb-ways-to-die-characters
References: [ifitshipitshere.blogspot](http://ifitshipitshere.blogspot.ca/2014/01/dumb-ways-to-die-characters-stay-alive.html) & [gmanetwork](http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/345076/scitech/geeksandgaming/dumb-ways-to-die-plush-toys-coming-soon)

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](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/line-friends-plushie-keychains) 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.

## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter)

- Score: 4.8/10
- Popularity: 61% | Activity: 74% | Freshness: 8%
- Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women
- Primary generations: Gen Z, Gen Alpha
- Top markets: North America

## Categories

[Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Life-Stages](https://www.trendhunter.com/life-stages) > [Toys](https://www.trendhunter.com/toys)

## Key Themes

### 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.

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