An article last week in The New York Times detailed how Disney theme parks’ adult superfans are embracing shoulder plush of Disney characters as their go-to accessory during their visit. The product was introduced in 2018 with a Baby Groot version, according to the article, and there will be 45 different versions across all the company’s character families by the end of 2026; the bestseller to date is Remy from Ratatouille. The five-inch-high plushies, which were finalists for a Toy Foundation Toy of the Year award this year, retail for about $25 to $30 and are also sold in Disney’s online and physical shops.
The shoulder plush phenomenon—which encompasses clip-on and strap-on versions as well as the most common magnetic varieties—would not be considered mainstream just yet. But it has made its way into a number of different channels frequented by avid fans:
- Experiential venues. In addition to Disney, other theme parks also offer shoulder plush. At Universal parks, for example, several Dr. Seuss versions were introduced in July, joining examples from Jurassic World, Harry Potter, How to Train Your Dragon, Ghostbusters, and other franchises associated with on-site attractions; some premium-priced versions have sound and motion. In addition, a few major and minor league sports teams have also offered shoulder plush at their ballparks or other venues, made under license by partners such as Mascot Factory with its Shoulder Buddies line.
- Brand- and property-specific stores. Another area where shoulder plush can be found is in branded stores tied to entertainment properties, not just in conjunction with experiences but also in traditional retail settings. Pokémon Center Japan, a chain of specialty stores in Japan and a few other countries, recently introduced seven exclusive plush characters, including Pikachu, designed to attach to the shoulder strap of a bag. And Bandai Namco’s new physical store tied to Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure, located in Tokyo’s Shibuya district, sells shoulder plush of characters such as Iggy the dog. In both the Pokémon and Jojo examples, the products are supplied by licensee Takara Tomy.
- Traditional retail shops. Licensees including YouTooz with its Shoulder Riders brand (featuring Avatar: The Last Airbender, Five Nights at Freddy’s, Helluva Boss); Aurora’s Shoulderkins (Peanuts, Dr. Seuss); and Kid Robot’s Shoulder Phunny (Hello Kitty, Garfield, Beetlejuice, Ghost Face, Coraline, Deadpool, Stitch, others) sell to traditional retail stores such as Hot Topic. (Kid Robot and others also sell the product to super-fans at comic-cons, through their own or their licensors’ booths, and other fan venues as well.)
The number of licensed properties entering the shoulder plush sector has been growing of late, and sales for the category overall are reportedly strong. This suggests that the product could be poised to break out more broadly as a new form of self-expression for kids and adults alike.
Comments are closed.