Classic toys have been making a big comeback in recent years and the Weebles—a preschool toy line that initially entered the market in the 1970s—has now been given a 21st-century update courtesy of a partnership between Jazwares and Hasbro. There are presently six Weeble characters in the new series—all of which have names that start with “W”—and a clubhouse playset that offers a number of activities.
The “All New Weebles” series was initially developed in 2015 and launched in the fall of 2016. While Jazwares understood the importance of maintaining aspects of the classic brand that made it popular four decades ago, they also recognized that the line needed to be updated to fit the needs of modern-day kids. “We wanted to update the Weebles with diverse personalities and with the key values of today,” explained Heather Turner, Marketing Director, Jazwares. “The new Weebles are resilient, kind, independent and fun. Just like the preschoolers of the today, Weebles may wobble but they don’t fall down. Basically, the message behind this franchise is that children—or people of any age, really—may face different challenges but the lessons of trying again and learning from your mistakes are for every generation.”
The latest version of the Weebles have a new look, a new story and even a new town. Their new design features more figural bodies, wider eyes and more expressive faces that make them more enticing to children. Of course, their line of playsets is also innovative. The new “Weebles’ Wonder Club” playset is based on the classic treehouse but with brighter colors and various interactive features such as a slide, drop through door, look-out spot and many more, encouraging hours of imaginative play. The treehouse playset also features Willie Weebles’ dog, Buster. Additionally, each character has a unique personality and different interests. “All new animated episodes are in production to share the stories of Willow, Winnie, Wally, Winston, Wendy and Willow,” Heather Turner declared. “They are online right now via the ‘Official Weebles’ channel on YouTube.”
The Weebles line will only expand in 2017 when the company releases ‘Weebles On-The-Go’ vehicles. “It has been enormously rewarding to add new meaning to this toy line,” proclaimed Heather Turner. “Weebles is the only brand where the emotional and physical characteristics come together in a larger message. To create this series, we did an in-depth review of past lines and paired that with inspirational concepts for today. It is a truly fun and exciting project to work on as we add modern day touches to a timeless brand.” In the forthcoming months and years, Jazwares aspires to grow the entire line to include additional characters (friends, families, even pets), stories, playsets and more. “We will always continue sharing the Weebles’ values of resiliency, kindness, optimism and more but as preschoolers grow and evolve so will the stories of the Weebles,” Heather stated.
To learn more, visit the official Jazwares website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. The Weebles also have their own YouTube channel here.
