WHAT IT TAKES TO CREATE A NEW PLAY EXPERIENCE FROM AN EXISTING TOY LINE?

The Hape marble run line named Quadrilla is a must: great quality wood, great play value, great mix of constructive game and activity at once. All features that make also the toy be not cheap though. And if we consider marble runs made of plastic, those ones are not only cheaper but often more attractive to 6-10 yo kids. So, it was quite a challenge and likely necessary to rethink the line finding a new strategies. Not only in the direction of a new appearance and a new and extended play experience, but also in the direction of opening to more affordable SKUs that in this case have gone in the direction of graphics and storytelling.

I had the pleasure to work with the Hape design office in Milan for this redesign and strategy project that led to new playsets. We would not change the essence of the toy but, in fact, give a new flair or look making at the same time a commercial operation that made sense on the business side. We soon came up with the concept of removable stickers, an idea that led to the possibility to customize actually any Quadrilla playset into something else. From stickers we conceived accessories made out of thin polypropylene foils, as well as new special wooden and plastic parts. From this project came out the playset named Quadrilla Space City and the Quadrilla Medieval Quest.

Client: Hape International