Episode #107: Secrets For Pitching Your Game Ideas To Hasbro with Tanya Thompson
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Episode Description
Pitching toy ideas to toy companies can be an intimidating process, especially if you’ve never done it before. But what if you could get the inside scoop from an industry executive at a major toy company? Just imagine if someone from, say, Hasbro, told you exactly how to pitch your toy idea to their company, step-by-step. Or, if they let you know exactly what they want to see in your sizzle reel. Stop imagining! Because that is what today’s episode is all about.
Today’s episode features an incredible interview with Tanya Thompson, the Senior Director of Inventor Relations for Hasbro Gaming. Her division sees around 1,500 game submissions per year, so Tanya really knows what works in a pitchto toy companies and what doesn’t. She shares information specifically on how to pitch directly to Hasbro, but she also shares tips that are useful for pitching to any company, like when to put text in your sizzle, how much information to share about where else you pitch your toy idea, and whether or not you need to make a toy prototype. This episode is a must-listen for anyone, beginner or expert, who wants to gain confidence with pitching or improve their pitching materials using tips from an expert.
EPISODE CLIFF NOTES
Learn how Tanya went from school teacher to toy industry executive [01:01:16]
Find out the differences in marketing between specialty and mass-market games [00:09:20]
Learn how pitching games is different than pitching toys [00:13:44]
Find out the best time of year to pitch new products to large toy companies [00:17:12]
Learn exactly how to pitch directly to Hasbro as a US or international inventor [00:25:44]
Find out step-by-step what it is like to pitch to Hasbro, from first contact to optioning the game [00:29:46]
Learn what information is important to disclose in your sizzle reel [00:39:04]
Find out why prototypes can give you a competitive advantage [00:43:17]
Learn exactly what inventor relations executives want to see in your sizzle reel [00:53:51]
Find out what e-mail tactics to avoid when reaching out to an inventor relations executive [01:04:58]
Episode Breakdown
What Makes a Game a Hasbro Game
Before a toy creator can pitch their toy idea to companies like Hasbro, it is a good idea to gauge whether your toy concept can become a Hasbro game. First, you must identify whether your game is a specialty game or a mass-market game. Specialty games are those that target specific buyers who have a lot of interest in their games. These people tend to have the education and discernment about the toys they want and have full intentions of buying them. On the other hand, mass-market games target consumers who may not have a lot of experience with toys. These games or toys tend to require more marketing efforts. Hasbro games fall under the latter category.
Hasbro wants to create mass-market games that are appealing to people who may not know anything about games and thus, they tend to follow two factors when deciding whether to work with an inventor or not. These factors are their intuitions with regards to whether one of the thousands of games they see brings something new or fresh to the industry, and whether the game is a gateway product that can be fit into their existing lines and made into a viable product.
When Should You Pitch Your Toy Idea to Hasbro?
The toy and games team at Hasbro sees around 3000 game and toy concepts in one year. They tend to see the most pitches during the seasons with Toy Fairs, January and February, as well as when various events involving toy inventors are going on. However, they do not emphasize wanting to see pitches for toy ideas at certain times of the year as they are more concerned with getting out 8 to 15 products for the current year.
The Process of Pitching Your Idea to Hasbro
To start pitching your toy idea, if you are a toy creator in the US, visit spark.hasbro.com, Hasbro's official public-facing platform. Through this, you can get your toy concept to Hasbro more easily, regardless of whether you have connections in the industry. They are currently working on expanding this platform to allow pitches from creators around the globe.
Through this domain, you will be asked to sign a Nondisclosure Agreement (NDA), followed by a meeting either in-person or through a video conference meeting with a Hasbro executive. During this meeting, toy inventors such as yourself will be given a chance to pitch their toy ideas while a Hasbro executive such as Tanya takes detailed notes.
From here, the executive will hit a button on their private platform, Ignite, which sends an email to the toy inventor, asking them to confirm whether the notes taken during the meeting were accurate. This is followed by a signature and requests for follow-up documents such as a hero image, a set of rules, or a video showcasing the toy or game in action.
If the executive likes your idea, they'll go ahead and pitch the toy idea to the game teams at Hasbro as best as they can. Typically, this process takes 1 to 2 months and is followed by a request for a prototype of your toy. From the moment they receive your toy prototype, they enter the Pre-option stage in which the company takes two months to evaluate the toy prototype and decide whether they are actually interested in it before they put money behind it or begin deal negotiations. If they are interested, they will enter the Option Stage. During this stage, the company will pay the inventor money to allow them to hold the toy prototype or idea for any longer with a standard payment being around $5000 a month. They will test the prototype in their lab, figure out costs with the factory, and forecast whether the product can be a hit in any of their markets around the world. At the end of this stage, Hasbro will decide whether they will enter a contract with the inventor or pass on the opportunity.
Prototypes
While Hasbro has no issue with seeing renderings or drawings of certain ideas, they prefer game or toy prototypes for a few reasons. Firstly, they can see right away whether an inventor's idea is physically possible or not. In the industry, this is referred to as proof of concept. Secondly, if they like the idea, they can put the model into testing faster. Lastly, in the present, the industry is growing rapidly and it has become the norm to have a toy prototype to receive traction so if you want to do well, you should also consider creating a prototype of your toy. For help finding quality prototype/sample makers, click here to listen to Episode #7: Finding Quality Sample Makers For Plush, Paper, and Plastics of The Toy Coach podcast!
It is important to note that if you have worked with Hasbro in the past, they tend to be more lenient with regard to having prototypes when you initially pitch your toy idea. This is because they know you are capable of following through and that you have a good understanding of the process of making an idea come to life.
Sizzle Reels
Another important part of pitching your toy idea to Hasbro is your sizzle reel. A sizzle reel is a short two to four-minute promotional video showcasing your product or idea. In the past, inventors would walk around toy fairs with suitcases filled with their toy prototypes. Now, they have the option of creating sizzle reels to showcase their ideas from their iPads or tablets. According to Tanya, Hasbro values good sizzle reels because they allow an inventor to properly explain their game with the required enthusiasm to grab the evaluator's attention. Most videos that are submitted, however, tend to be lacking in multiple ways. Thus, here are four points Tanya stresses should be addressed to create a sizzle reel that gets you the deal.
VIDEO LENGTH
Tanya states that a good sizzle reel is around two minutes long. In the case of a more complicated game, creators can have videos that are four to five minutes long instead.
INTRODUCTION AND VIDEO QUALITY
At the beginning of the reel, creators must state their name and the game's name. While the executives at Hasbro do expect a well-done video, they do not require professional videos with high production values.
EXPLAIN THE TOY OR GAME
Followed by the introduction is an explanation of the toy or game. How many players are required, how long it takes to play, what is the goal of the toy or game, etc. They also like to see creators play with the toy or go through a round to give them a better sense of the game. During this, you should plan to showcase the most interesting features of your toy or game to capture the evaluator's attention. Additionally, while you explain your idea or invention, proof of concept is important whereas static images are not necessarily very helpful.
LET YOUR PASSION AND DEDICATION SHINE THROUGH
Most importantly, Tanya expresses the importance of letting your passion shine through and having some excitement when recording the video for your toy pitch. Many of the videos Hasbro receives are lackluster due to the monotone voice and lack of enthusiasm inventors portray. Additionally, you can add something important or relevant about your background at the end of the reel to not bring credibility to your toy concept.
Email Do's and Don'ts
Finally, here is a list of the email do's and don'ts created by Tanya:
All caps in the subject line - Don't
Pitching your toy idea in the email body - Don't
Sending an introduction for an invitation to pitch - Do
Sending your sizzle reel unsolicited - Don't
Asking if a toy company works with inventors - Do
Asking if there is a wishlist they have to share - Do
Using phrases such as "I have the next monopoly" in your email - Don't
Sending a link with the pitch materials - Don't
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Should I pitch my toy idea to Hasbro first or post online to gain some traction?
A: When it comes to Hasbro, they do not require inventors to have some sort of standing in the market to pitch their ideas. As long as they can find a place for your product in their line and it's a great toy or game, they're willing to take a risk. However, in the case that you have already kickstarted, it's great to include any numbers in your sizzle reel as it shows that there is an interest in the market for your product. Most importantly, make sure to have full transparency with the Hasbro team to prevent confusion in the future.
Q: What are some email Do's and Don'ts for contacting Toy Companies?
Here is a list of email do's and don'ts for when you're interested in showcasing your toy idea to them:
Do send an introduction for an invitation to pitch. Don't use all caps in your subject line.
Do ask the toy company if they work with toy inventors. Don't pitch your idea in the email body.
Do ask a company if there is a wishlist they have to share. Don't send them your sizzle reel or pitch unsolicited.
And finally, don't use phrases such as "I have the next monopoly" in your email.
Q: How can I pitch a board game to Hasbro?
A: If you are a toy creator in the US, to start the process of pitching your toy idea to Hasbro visit spark.hasbro.com to schedule a meeting with an executive to pitch your idea. During this meeting, you can pitch your idea and submit materials such as a hero image, a set of rules, and your sizzle reel to properly display your game to Hasbro. If you are interested in creating a pitch that stands out to Hasbro, make sure to create a sizzle reel that is within the 2 to 4-minute limit, has a clear introduction and conclusion, and shows the game or toy prototype in action.