EdTech & Wellness
BlissBud: Repositioning Toys 'R' Us
I repositioned Toys 'R' Us into the wellness and education sector, aiming to strengthen parent-child bonds while supporting emotional and analytical growth in children.
Figma, Photoshop, Illustrator, Stable-Diffusion
Interactive
Monitors
Foster Bonds
between Parent & the Child
RESEARCH & ANALYSIS
01
A deep dive into the history of Toys 'R' Us and mapped out their most influential growth & downfall points these past years
Target audience
Children ( 0-13 years of age)
Millennial Parents
Communication channels
Online Website
Physical Retail Stores
Why is it a dying brand?
Their downfall was mainly due to their inability to adapt to the digital era and meet the evolving needs of their target audience
In terms of having fun and digital toy preference, two in three kids (63%) were found to get more enjoyment when playing with digital toys such as Amazon Fire tablets and Vtech Kidizoom smart watches (pictured) compared to traditional toys.
Source
Some other key factors were:
Lacked interactive experience in the brick & mortar stores
Unsuccessful in integrating tech and the digital transformation into their offerings
Minimal reach & engagement on digital communication channels
User Personas
Gained insight into the motivations and challenges of the primary users for whom I am designing
I created four distinct user personas to identify the key challenges, needs, and motivations of these primary stakeholders
Based on our secondary research we narrowed down the key pain points faced by the kids & their parents with regards to buying any kind of toy
With the ease of access to the internet and digital tools, kids in the 21st century have become more inclined toward more immersive playing and learning experiences.
However, due to this, the kids have access to all kinds of content, and some might not be appropriate for them. Additionally, the overall use of these gadgets has mental & physical wellness implications for the younger generation.
Wellness Concerns
Parents and educators need a non-intrusive way to monitor a child's mental, emotional, and analytical development.
Parents are seeking ways to reduce children's screen time in a world dominated by phones and tablets.
Privacy & Safety Concerns
Ensure safety measures are in place as kids explore and learn in a tech-savvy, adventure-filled world
- Users expect their private information to remain strictly confidential and never be leaked
Interaction & Learning Concerns
Children need interactive, imaginative toys that spark creativity while offering engaging, intellectual learning experiences.
Preadolescent kids need a caring companion who offers emotional support and gentle guidance
Communication Concerns
Parents are looking for a way to stay connected with their kids without giving them smartphones at such a young age.
PROBLEM STATEMENT
02
How might we
IDEATION
03
The Current Brand Identity
I examined the brand's core values to ensure they were retained in my proposed solution
The core values of Toys 'R' Us have always centered around creating fun, engaging, and inspiring experiences for both kids and their caregivers. For years, they delivered fresh and magical moments through their products. However, with the rise of the digital age, they struggled to maintain these values in their offerings
Promise ( “R” )
Modern, Fresh, Inspiring
The reverse R, represents the promise of the brand to deliver modern, fresh and inspiring shopping experience and wide collection of products.
Experience ( “Star” )
Experience ( “Star” )
The star represents the passion of the brand to inspire and excite every consumer.
Persona ( “Geoffrey” )
Fun, Engaging
Geoffrey is a giraffe. He’s the ambassador of fun.
The Proposed Solution
Repositioning & Rebranding Toys 'R' Us: Adapting to the Digital Shift While Preserving Fun, Learning & Development
Declining physical toy sales and the shift to digital were major factors in the downfall of Toys 'R' Us. They missed the opportunity to transition to digital platforms, while e-commerce giants like Amazon, focused on convenience, gained a significant advantage. To revive the brand, it’s crucial to reposition in the digital and tech-driven market, while preserving the analog fun and excitement, and supporting kids' learning and development, keeping in consideration the concerns of the parents and other caregivers
Study shows that 68% of UK kids want more digital/physical hybrid toys
Source
Introduction of a new line of products under a Sub-Brand of Toys ‘R’ Us
Re-position into the interactive technology space
Maintain the playful & physical nature of the toys
Upskilling & Emotional Development
Stakeholder Value Map
Potential opportunity areas by mapping stakeholders & their value streams for the new Toys 'R' Us sub-brand
I mapped out the stakeholders, to understand how they are involved with a new sub-brand introduced under Toys R Us. We are trying to understand the value stream with every stakeholder and what are the potential opportunity areas that can be explored.
Opportunity Areas
Introduction of New Market Segment
Educational institutes focus on both the emotional and analytical growth of younger children. Blissbud could be a vital part of the learning and wellness curriculum in schools to continuously monitor their overall growth
Nursing & Caring facilities that specialize working with kids require a nonintrusive way to monitor the emotional state of their patients.
Millennial Parents losing connect with their kids
Leverage social media platforms and influencers to promote and build trust among the users among
Keep the users updated about the features & performance of the product to maintain brand loyalty and transparency
Intended Brand Evolution
Bridging AI and Traditional Toys: A Strategy to
Revive Toys 'R' Us
Addressing the current pain points of Toys 'R' Us' user base is key to reviving the brand in today's market. With innovative technology, greater access to information, and rising concerns from parents about their child's emotional and cognitive development, my proposed solution bridges the gap between AI and traditional toys. This approach offers the best of both worlds, positioning Toys 'R' Us to thrive and reclaim its place in the industry.
SOLUTION
04
Introducing BlissBud, a new sub-brand under Toys 'R' Us, giving the parent brand a fresher perspective
BlissBud, a sub-brand of Toys 'R' Us, focuses on developing an AI-powered hybrid toy that serves not only as a playmate but also as a tool to upskill children and monitor their emotional wellness
Repositioning the brand in the learning & wellness sector
Design Strategy
Integrating LLMs & AI for an interactive learning & wellness monitoring companion
Product Innovation
The design system consists of an interactive hybrid AI powered toy & a digital twin for complete parental control as well as monitoring emotional wellness
Interactive Physical Product
An AI enabled conversational toy which continuously interacts with the child & monitor their emotional wellness as well as help them upskill by nudging them to do real life activities. It includes a non intrusive digital screen to give & receive feedback
Communication channels
A digital cloud-based connected platform to constantly monitor and interact with the toy. Helps the parent or the guardian to keep a track of the child's emotional state and the learning curve.
REFRESHED BRAND IDENTITY
05
Revamped the brand logo for enhanced recall in a new market segment, keeping the fun and rounded style from the original logo constant
We retained the fun, rounded, and playful style of the original logo while introducing colors that resonate with the ed-tech and wellness sectors. The iconic reverse "R" was preserved to maintain brand recognition and recall.
I incorporated the original giraffe mascot into the reverse "R" to give the logo a modern, clean look. Symmetric shapes were used to create a smooth, rounded feel, while ensuring the letters remained clear and readable
Desiged the brand identity of a new sub-brand, under Toys R Us.
The core brand values:
Sympathetic
Affordable Luxury
Innovative & Interactive
Constant Learning
Emotional Wellbeing
Choosing the Color Palette
The new brand palette was designed to maintain the fun and colorful essence of the Toys 'R' Us parent brand, while also aligning with the values of the new sub-brand in the wellness and education sector
New Sub Brand Logo Exploration
After a lot of iterative process, this version of the logo made the most sense, because it is shaped as a lotus which denotes wellness & upliftment whereas with the petals shaped as parent and kid to denote the goal of helping parents/ educators/medical professional build connection with the kids
Physical Product Exploration
Using Stable Diffusion, an AI image-generation platform, I crafted specific prompts and applied targeted models to create the desired themed images. After multiple iterations, I finalized a friendly humanoid bot design that combines the look and feel of a soft toy, integrated with a subtle, non-intrusive subdermal screen for seamless feedback and interaction
PROTOTYPING
06
Designed dual interfaces: one for the bot's screen interaction with children, and a mobile app for parents
Bot Screen Interaction
Focused on a simple touch-based interface to minimize screen time, emphasizing on receiving and giving feedback on tasks and conversations
The bot's screen is designed primarily for kids, with minimal digital interaction to preserve the physical play aspect of traditional Toys 'R' Us products. This approach also addresses parents' concerns about excessive screen time. The screen is used for simple interactions like emotional feedback, puzzles, and visual cues, ensuring it remains engaging yet non-intrusive
Character Illustration
I created the bot into an illustrated character for on-screen interactions and feedback, both on the bot itself and within the mobile application
To enhance engagement and interactivity for children, I transformed the toy bot into an animated character, also using it as a mascot across various digital touchpoints.
Mobile Application Interactions
Prototyped high-fidelity mobile screens for parents to visualize data from the continuous monitoring of children's emotional wellness and activities tracked through the AI powered physical toy
After several iterations and feedback from classmates and my mentor, I developed a mobile app experience for parents to easily monitor their child's growth. I also added a customization feature, allowing users to tailor the toy bot's activities and content. The UI was designed to be vibrant, creating a friendly and approachable experience for users
Wellness
Parents or guardians can monitor the child's emotional growth by decoding facial expressions and voice analysis through the toy bot.
Customizable activities for the child, for a stable emotional development
Upskilling
Continuous tracking of different categories of activities such as cognitive, linguistic, fine motor & creative, curated specifically for the child using AI
Planning module for both physical and digital activities to be done through Blissbud for the child
Suggested activities based on the child's preferences with the help evolutionary learning through AI & LLMs
Parental Connect
Added tips for parents and a gallery of memories captured by Bliss-Bud, aimed at fostering a deeper connection between parent and child
A way for parents to communicate with their child with minimum use of technology on the kid's end
IMPACT
07
How is Blissbud Useful?
BlissBud: The Ultimate Emotional Support and Wellness Companion for Millennial Parents, Reviving Toys 'R' Us in a Crucial Market
Blissbud is the perfect companion for a growing child in this generation with working parents, it acts an emotional support, keeps track of your mental and physical wellbeing. This is a great way a working adult can keep track of their child's growth. A much needed for millennial parents and a crucial market to capture by Toys R Us, which is already a known name in the toys industry around the globe.
Height: 2ft | Length: 1ft | Interface Dimensions: 9" * 7"
Bliss-bud enjoys with the child & gives personalized congratulatory feedback as well for an engaging wellness experience.
Encourages physical activities more as compared to digital ones, with an option of playing a soothing music in the background
Interactive wellness activities such as meditation and breathing exercises
Interactive feedback to monitor mental wellness & growth of a child
Envisioning Impact through Experience Waveline
Mapping Parent-Child Journeys to Enhance Emotional Connection and Development
Scientific studies show that early childhood is a critical period for brain development, making it essential for parents and educators to ensure proper mental conditioning and learning. With many parents balancing busy work schedules, emotional connections with their children often weaken, leaving gaps in their ability to track their child’s development. To address this, I mapped out the user journeys of both the parent and the child, analyzing their thoughts and feelings in the current versus proposed experience. The goal was to identify key opportunity areas that could enhance the product and bridge these gaps
LEARNINGS & REFLECTIONS
08
I came up with a new product segment under Toys 'R' Us, which was an AI powered hybrid toy bot, which focused on learning & wellness while catering to parental concerns
Repositioned Toys 'R' Us into a new market segment by introducing an AI powered hybrid toy bot.
Rebranded the visual identity of the original parent brand as well as created a brand identity for a new sub brnd under which the new product will be introduced
Designed high-fidelity prototypes for the screen on the physical bot as well as for a mobile screen which acts as digital twin to the physical bot which helps them to stay connected to their kids while they are working
My Learnings
Mapping stakeholders are important and curcial to finding new opportunities
Only measuring metric is not just data, but emotional value plays a vital role in it
Exploring and iterating on the features for the physical as well as digital product was a challenge as had to see the practical feasibility as well even though its a speculative deisgn
