Corgi relaunches as mainstream brand

Corgi Classics, the company best known for its die-cast collectible cars, is investing &£5.5m in repositioning itself as a contemporary toymaker as it prepares to celebrate its 50th anniversary next year.

Corgi is moving away from collectibles and repositioning itself as a toymaker, as it was when it was established. The company plans to invest &£2m in new product development. The move will be supported with a &£3.5m marketing drive, including Corgi’s biggest television campaign.

Products to be launched this year include cars that transform into other toys, electronic track sets and the Streakerz range, which is being rolled out next month supported by a TV campaign.

Next year, Corgi will move into the infant and pre-school markets with the launch of a range of toys to encourage education and development. The pre-school ranges are uncharted territory for the company, but Corgi marketing director Alex Balzaretti is “confident of success”.

Recommended

Setting great store by the rules

Marketing Week

With most buying decisions made in store, brands are anxious to ensure that their message gets across. But retailers have their own agenda – and are enforcing strict guidelines. By Martin Croft

Price promotion fails to halt FT’s plummeting sales

Marketing Week

The Financial Times’ (FT) circulation in Scotland has fallen, despite a price promotion that slashed the cover price to 70p earlier this year. The Pearson-owned title had hoped to boost sales north of the border by cutting its cover price for six weeks between January and March, and by running a radio ad campaign. But […]