The company that makes the world’s most beloved toys

Toys enchant people of any age, that’s a fact. But there is a toy brand whose customers are truly passionate about their products, the American Funko. His dolls are the most sought after and bought worldwide. For many people, these items are practically an addiction: after buying the first one, they can’t stop and don’t settle down until they have shelves full of these pieces. The company shared many details of its history in the documentary “Making Fun: The Funko Story”, which premiered on Netflix. Want to know more about these beloved dolls? Then keep reading!

O awesome.club wants to share with you some curiosities about the history of this company, already considered a pop culture icon.

It all started in 1998 by Mike Becker in the tiny town of Snohomish, Washington State. His perspective on the pop world grew as a result of the work done by Rob Schwartz, with whom he traveled in search of signs and strange objects, always with the aim of rescuing the culture of the 1960s.

Among the ideas they had to create a company were the “Bobblehead” (something like “big-headed dolls”). In the search for licenses to create their dolls, they arrived at a Big Boy restaurant and proposed that the establishment’s logo be transformed into a of these objects.

Mike Becker also took a box of dolls to Sparky’s donut shop at Universal Studios. The owner of the place didn’t want to buy the products, but Becker didn’t give up and gave the businessman the gift box to display in the store, as a test on consignment. The next day, Becker got a call from the establishment saying that all the dolls had sold out quickly.

Mike says he believed that when creating a logo and choosing a name for a company, people would be more attracted to illustrations with characters accompanying the design. His desire was to create an image that resulted from the combination between him, a boy who was part of the “Squirt” brand logo and the Big Boy of the fast food chain. The resulting mascot was named Freddy Funko.

Although he started working with the character Betty Boop, success even came with an Austin Powers doll. Funko produced no less than 100,000 pieces, which allowed the brand to expand.

After making only Wacky Wobblers (a collection of big-headed dolls) inspired by pets and some characters they licensed, the brand started to dedicate itself to the Spastik Plastik line, with original characters. Becker and his team spent entire days designing monsters and weird things to bring the new line to life.

In 2005, due to poor health, Becker announced the sale of the company to Brian Mariotti. He would be in charge of preserving the spirit of Funko, as he understood old-fashioned fun better than anyone else. In addition, he was a friend of the founder and a great collector and lover of the company’s products.

Upon assuming the direction of the company, Mariotti did not know how to manage it, and that was why many of his initiatives did not work out. He hoped that the collections and his love for pop art were sufficient to give the expected results. When buying the company, his objective was to obtain the Star Wars franchise license, and despite all the doubts about how to do that, in 2007, Mariotti finally obtained permission to produce dolls inspired by the saga. It was the starting point for the company to also establish partnerships with Marvel and DC Comics.

Warner Bros. proposed the creation of a stylized DC puppet. The Funko team started out producing plush, but some changes were made until the final result was reached. The first to debut were Batman, Green Lantern, Joker and Penguin. The condition was that the company created an original, stylized, extravagant and fun product, in the Funko style, only different. Incredibly, they were shown at Comic Con 2010, but they weren’t very popular with fans.

In the beginning, Funko was just another collectibles company. But after the Star Wars dolls, the TV show Conan asked Mariotti to show viewers the product. Gradually, the company’s dolls became the perfect toy for people of all ages. From a geek fashion, they became a worldwide craze.

A company’s relationship with its customers must go beyond the traditional manufacturer-consumer relationship. The magic happens when these customers become true fans and the company, in turn, reciprocates them by offering great consumer experiences and differentiated quality products. And Mariotti had the idea to do something more than just generate profits. He shared his thoughts with his team, and that’s how the company expanded, improved and grew.

He has a collection of Japanese Batman dolls, all vintage, from 1966. Mariotti grew up with the Flintstones, the Jetsons and Scooby-Doo, and arguably he has the biggest vinyl collection in the world when it comes to Batman products. Hannah-Barbera.

First, it is necessary to obtain the license and rights, which are delivered to the production manager, who is responsible for sending them to the licensor. The design is given to the sculptors, and they work to shape the product. Even if a very realistic job could be done, the factory could not reproduce it, so when each design is ready, it is the duty of the employees to ensure that every detail is true to what was designed.

The most important thing is communication, as it must be explained to the factory staff exactly what is needed. The products pass through many talented hands, which ensure that the final product is truly amazing. It’s all a question of patience and dedication that will be applied to each of the dolls.

“Don’t make a decision thinking about the consequences of it. Ground yourself in love for what you grew up with. If your idea sells, great, and if it sells a lot, even better”, advises Brian Mariotti.

Funko Pop is now a worldwide fever. You would be amazed to know what goes into the creation and manufacture of each product. And today, some people buy a doll out of curiosity, but when they realize it, they are already collecting.

The history of this company is really impressive, and serves as an inspiration for many Funko fans, who are now scattered around the world.

Do you own one of these dolls? Which one would you like to have? Comment!