_______________________________________________________________________________ Libertas Brands / Fuggler TM
imperfect, with exaggerated features such as button / vacant eyes, crooked or missing teeth, oversized ears and unexpected unique design details, such as wacky underpants! There’ s a Fuggler TM for every color of the rainbow, and fans are drawn to their weirdness and relatability.
“ At the heart of the Fuggler TM brand is the‘ ugly but cute’ emotional hook,” Mark says.
“ These characters are chaotic, flawed and humorous – which makes them highly relatable. They tap into the relief from overly polished and aspirational toys, as well as from the stresses and strains in today’ s world,” Mark elaborates.“ Instead of a complex lore or backstory, we focus on the Fugglers’ attitudes and archetype( mischief makers, oddballs, outcasts, troublemakers) while having unique personality cues such as wonky or missing realistic teeth, vacant eyes, and funny names and expressions. Fugglers focus on visual comedy, which is a universal language, and that’ s a big part of why the brand resonates so strongly across global markets.”
To complement the traditional Fuggler TM characters, the company also collaborates with other big entertainment brands, such as Gremlins, Jaws, Spongebob, and Lord of the Rings, to name a few. Through these collaborations, customers can own a Fuggler TM inspired by their favorite television or movie character, however, as Mark goes on to reveal, there’ s a thoughtful vetting process behind any prospective collaborations to ensure their suitability and success as well as to protect brand integrity.
“ Our strategy for third-party collaborations is to ensure that these ranges will never exceed more than ten to 15 percent of the Fuggler TM range,” he shares.“ We invite other IPs into the Fuggler TM universe using a clear filter: Will it survive being ugly? Can it be selfaware? Can fans accept the parody level of the interaction between the Fuggler TM and the third-party IP? And most importantly, does the end product still feel unmistakably like a Fuggler TM? That last point is a non-negotiable.”
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