Zoobies are All-in-One Toys, Blankets and Pillows!
Children of Invention
Growing up in a family of nine children, JC and Reid Smoot took mental notes as their seven other siblings geared up for a family road trip. Each child would bring their favorite stuffed animal to cuddle, a pillow to rest their head on and a blanket to keep warm. Years later, JC and Reid capitalized on their siblings’ packing techniques to create Zoobie pets, the ideal travel companion. Zoobies, as they are affectionately known, are all-in-one cuddly-soft stuffed animals and plush pillows. However, what sets them apart from other pillow animals is the unique zipper pouch at the bottom of the animal that reveals a detachable 100-percent cotton blanket.
A Dozen Wild and Crazy Animals Launched Zoobies
Introduced at the 2007 New York Toy Fair, a line of 12 safari-themed animals was launched by the Smoot brothers. “It was a bold undertaking,” says Ryan Treft, vice president of sales and marketing for Zoobies and longtime friend of the Smoots, “but by the end of the first show we had secured 100 accounts and sold out of the prototypes.”The dozen animals that started the Zoobie craze included an elephant, hippo, giraffe, crocodile, lion, monkey, cheetah, gazelle, rhino, water buffalo, wildebeest and zebra. “We chose some funky colors and names for our animals so they would stand out,” Ryan says. “Even now, our hot-pink Hada the Hippo is our top-seller for girls, while boys are drawn to our green Kojo the Croc.”
Details are the name of the fame game for the Zoobie team. Ryan handles marketing, having run a marketing company while in college. Reid and JC are responsible for product design and development. JC works with the Zoobies in-house design team in Utah, while Reid, who lives in China with his family, is responsible for sourcing the pillows in that country and making sure that no expense is spared. The animals are made of 100-percent polyester with stitched eyes and micro-bead stuffed heads for ultimate squishability. Two bottom hook-and-loop tabs gather the Zoobie into its animal shape for ultimate tote-ability, but when released, the Zoobie transforms into a plush pillow. A 53x34-inch, color-coordinated fleece blanket is zipped safely inside and is easily detached for machine washing.Since Zoobies’ launch, the animals have grown in popularity and are now featured in about 2,200 specialty stores in the United States and internationally. A variety of animals have joined the fold, including the Zoo, Bug and Wildlife collections, which include such lovable characters as Gogo the Gorilla, Lilly the Ladybug, and Boone the Buffalo.
New Licensed Book Characters Join the Pack
The company’s biggest endeavor since launching the initial Safari collection is the creation of Zoobies from children’s book characters. “We received emails from our customers asking if we had certain characters in the Zoobie collection, which made us look into licensing,” Ryan says. “We teamed up with Eric Carle to create The Very Hungry Caterpillar Zoobie.” Other licensed characters in development include Paddington Bear, Spot the Dog, Peter Rabbit, and Olivia.Zoobies are recommended for ages 3 and up, but are safety tested for all ages. They come in three sizes — baby, standard and jumbo. But the difference isn’t in craftsmanship and detail, it’s merely in size. Baby Zoobies are 17 inches long, with a 29x23-inch fleece blanket (retailing for $25); Standard Zoobies are 19.5 inches long with a 53x34-inch fleece blanket (retailing for $32-35); and Jumbo Zoobies (retailing for $100) are 32.3x10.6 x13.4-inches with a 91x59-inch fleece blanket.
“There’s really something for everyone in our character and size choices,” Ryan says. “While the market is geared toward children, we do have a good amount of college-age females who purchase Zoobies as bedding accents. The jumbo blanket can easily cover a full-size bed.”
The Zoobies team is focused on the Book Characters collection as well as really listening to customer feedback. “We get testimonials all the time,” Ryan shares. “People are so excited about our product. They’re buying them as gifts for friends, and they’re also buying more than one for their own kids. Some are even asking about specific animals and characters, which is really how the Book Characters collection got its start.” At the 2010 Toy Fair, JC, Reid and Ryan revealed the newest members of the Zoobie family: Furbie the Feline, a cute calico kitty; Patch the Pinto, a wild painted pony; and Poco the Pup, an irresistible puppy. “All three were suggestions from our customers,” Ryan notes.
Bumps in the Road Lead to Success Around the Bend
While reveling in their success, JC, Reid and Ryan are also focused on the future. “We’ve grown as a company each year since our launch, and we plan to continue to do that through unique product developments and our attention to detail,” Ryan says.For the Smoot brothers, Zoobies are a dream come true. “It’s really been a fun ride to be in this industry,” JC says. “If you’re not having fun in the toy industry, then you’re doing it all wrong. Success to me means that no matter how bumpy the ride may be, if you’re having fun and growing, then that is a success. If you can treat the bumps in the road like you’re on a roller coaster ride at Disneyland and not another crummy road full of potholes, then success will be somewhere around the next bend. Optimism and realism mingled with hard work will eventually lead you the right way. We’ve been lucky to work with great people in the industry and to have a fun, great product.”
To learn more about Zoobies, visit www.zoobies.com