# Giant Round Stuffed Animals Squishable is a New York Start-Up that Capitalized on Social Media By Meghan Young | Published 2014-09-12 | Life-Stages Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/squishable References: [mashable](http://mashable.com/2013/06/27/squishable-crowdsource-toys/) & [squishable](http://www.squishable.com/) When it comes to independent toy stores, the market can be tough, especially being in direct competition with giants such as [Toys R Us](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/toys-r-us-airport) and [Walmart](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/jelly-belly-squishi-toys); yet Squishables managed to surpass the challenges in front of them in order to create a successful and sustainable business. Squishables, as its name suggests, specializes in plush toys. Specifically giant, round and fluffy animals. Although Squishables has since expanded their product line, the toy store became popular among families by utilizing social media. The start-up, which is based in New York and was founded by a husband and wife duo, turned its 850,000 [Facebook](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/family-center) fan base into one big think tank. They became involved in design decisions that made them more invested in the company and products. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 5.3/10 - Popularity: 59% | Activity: 93% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Gen Alpha, Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Life-Stages](https://www.trendhunter.com/life-stages) > [Youth](https://www.trendhunter.com/youth) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Social Media Driven Marketing:** Explore the power of social media in driving consumer engagement and brand loyalty. - **Crowdsourced Product Design:** Leverage the input of customers to co-create and innovate products. - **Niche Toy Market:** Tap into specialized markets, such as plush toys, to gain a competitive edge. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Toy Retail:** Discover opportunities in the toy retail industry to cater to niche markets and engage with customers on social media. - **Social Media Marketing:** Enhance marketing strategies by harnessing the potential of social media platforms to build a loyal and engaged consumer base. - **Product Design and Development:** Embrace crowdsourcing techniques to involve customers in product design, leading to increased customer satisfaction and loyalty. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Life-Size Claw Machines](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/claw-machine.md) - [Candy-Scented Squish Toys](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/squishi-products.md) - [Collectible Plush Pillows](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/squishpillow-by-original-squishmallows.md) - [Squishable Construction Toys](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/squishmallows-x-bldr.md) - [Snuggly Plush Toys](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/giftable-squishmallows.md) - [Squishing Jellybean-Scented Toys](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/jelly-belly-squishi-toys.md) - [Pump-Up Plush Toys](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/little-biggies.md) - [Comforting Plush Collectibles](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cloudheads.md) - [Plush-Themed Party Games](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/what-do-you-meme.md)