Playmobil is a brand of toys and games for children, mainly figurines. It was founded in Germany in 1974 and will soon celebrate its 50th anniversary. The brand quickly met with phenomenal success, with significant sales in the 1980s. Playmobil games are considered to be almost timeless games. The collections have evolved significantly over time, but the characters and their environments may eventually have changed, making vintage Playmobil very sought after.
In the 1990s, the version of the Playmobil 123 appeared. This range has larger pieces without small accessory elements that can be ingested by young children and intended for children from 18 months. There is also now a Playmobil Aqua version, intended for use with water, for water games. In the 2000s, licensing contracts multiplied for Playmobil partnerships with Porsche, Dragon, Heidi, Volkswagen, etc. These often limited-edition boxes very quickly become popular with customers. Likewise, thematic collections relating to dragons, pirates and princesses are always adored by children. Finally, collections depicting everyday life are very popular. They are marketed in the “City Life” range.
Here we put together a SWOT analysis of Playmobil, aiming to update the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats related to the brand.
Playmobil's strengths
Playmobil is now a historic brand, present and appreciated for almost 50 years in the figurines market. The commercial success is there, the turnover is solid and constantly evolving.
At a time when the fight against the time spent by the youngest in front of the screens is becoming a major concern, Playmobil is particularly popular with parents. They spark children's imaginations, inspire them to make up stories and develop their imaginations without limits, which is crucial at their age.
Playmobil toys are sturdy and durable, produced of good quality, and enjoy an excellent reputation.
The brand has adapted to its environment, has developed its collections to retrace the daily life of the characters as well as possible, and now includes a few Playmobil video games or digital applications. This demonstrates its constant adaptability to a constantly changing environment.
Playmobil's weaknesses
Playmobil products are mostly made of plastic, which has tended to be increasingly criticized in recent years. The return to wooden toys, more durable and less polluting, is increasingly requested by nature lovers and all those who wish to protect the environment. This can be a weakness for the brand that makes almost all of its toys from plastic.
The price can also be seen as a weakness for the brand. The selling prices are indeed quite high, which can put off some potential buyers. Some large models are, for example, sold for more than 100 euros per game box, which represents a significant budget.
Opportunities for Playmobil
After having been reluctant for many years to form partnerships and produce licensed products, Playmobil discovered these partnerships and joint sales in the 2000s. This seems to represent a real source of growth, sales and additional notoriety for the plastic figurine brand. It, therefore, seems to be an interesting avenue to explore in order to find new opportunities for the years to come.
The boom in online sales is also a significant opportunity for Playmobil. It is now easy to find missing collections, additional game boxes, additional characters. With a few clicks, it is possible to receive the items needed to expand the collection, which promotes impulse purchases.
Threats to Playmobil
Playmobil is a brand that is dependent on plastic supplies, in particular, which constitutes the vast majority of its production materials. Difficulties in the production or delivery of plastic would be a serious threat to the brand.
In addition, the COVID crisis and the closure of stores considered non-essential on several occasions during the years 2020 and 2021 also negatively impacted the brand and led to a significant drop in its sales and turnover. This is still an underlying threat, as the health crisis is not yet completely over.
In addition, competition is fierce in this segment of the market, and there are many imitations. Playmobil, nevertheless, seems to succeed in retaining its audience and its market share.
Playmobil is a historical brand, among the most famous and the most appreciated by children and their parents. The success has been immense for almost fifty years and still continues to this day. The brand seems to have understood the expectations of consumers. Often renews its collections and continues to seduce its customers. New boxes are created and marketed each year which continues to keep the children's passion for discovery and curiosity enticed.