1998 Popular Promotional Self-liquidating Offer    

Talking Chihuahua Plush Dogs 

Project Engineer & Director of 200 Million Custom Promotional Toy Premiums  1992-2001.


Promotional Fast-Food Toy Premiums are exposed to several of the highest risk factors for consumer products:

  1. Free: Kids' Meal Toys differ significantly from toys sold at retail.   A parent or guardian selection are limited suitability due to fewer choice of alternative products when companies offer Free Toy Premiums with food.  This lack of choice may place very young children at risk.                                                                       A premium that is appropriate for a child of an older age may be unsuitable or even dangerous when given to a child of a younger age.  For example, premiums containing small parts would generally not be hazardous for children age 3 and above, but would present a risk of choking, aspiration, or ingestion when given to children under 3 years of age.  Similarly, a toy appropriate for a child aged 24 to 36 months may not be suitable for a child under 24 months and may present a risk of serious injury to a younger child. 
  2. Food:  Kids' Meal Toy cleanliness  is critical when given with food.  Pre-shipment microbial testing  toys and toy factory hygiene audits are required. 
  3. Fast  for Timely Movie/Event Tie-in:  Kids's meal toy tie-in with major Movie and/or Event promotions require demanding zero-tolerance for delays.  


The magnet redundant securing technique shown above along with "In-Factory" lead-free paint mixing were executed  10 years before a massive 2007 Toy Recalls for magnet small parts and lead paints. 

​

Link  below to video explanation of  2007 Toy regulatory safety standard failure root causes: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XjLLv1AAEI&feature=youtu.be 

Gift with purchase,  Pre-gift Wrapped Holiday Gifts.

"Motivation is the art of getting people to do what you want them to do, because they want to do it."   -Dwight D. Eisenhower

Thomas Doyle  MSc.


Beat the "Market Clock" with  Trusted Fast-Cycle  Time-to-Market (TTM) NPD and Quality Assurance Safety Protocols.

Kids' Meal Toys, On-Pack, In-Pack, Self-liquidating Offer (SLO)

​Promotional Gift Premiums

Example of benefits from pre-production research testing:
"Small Part" Magnet was liberated during Pre-Production (Pre-Pro) Research Testing  (Drop Test).
This Design for Manufacturing (DFM) failure was fortunate to happen During Pre-Production (Dupro) since repeating exact impact orientation of product during random drop testing would be impossible.
Corrective Action Plan (CAP):  Add manufacturing operation to wrap label around magnet housing as a third redundant securing technique which allowed 100% visual inspection capability (i.e. 100% visual​  inspection capability similar to using screw).

​Promotional Toy Premiums

             Star Wars Trilogy Special Edition Promotional Toy Premiums

  • 8 million custom promotional toy  premiums for Star Wars  Trilogy Special Edition movie release to theaters.
  • Less than 6 months lead time on Star Wars custom toy promotional premiums in-store for theater opening day promotions.
  • 8  custom design promotional toys for Star Wars Trilogy Special Edition released theatrically January through March 1997 for                                                                     the 20th anniversary of Star Wars


​​​​​​​Successful execution of New Product Development on Fast-Food Promotional Toy Premiums*  Target Metrics for:

  1. TIME: Detailed Milestone Schedules with Quality Assurance Plans.
  2. COST: Bill of Material Cost Sheet with Cost Factors, Labor Rates and Flowchart Hours to prevent quality fade.
  3. QUALITY: Quality and Safety Product Specifications with HACCP Flowchart and Critical Control Points.                          
  • Fast-Food toy supplier 1st priority is product safety .  Design defects must be eliminated before tool start.  Production lines are monitored for manufacturing defects.      Production Corrective Actions are proactive and immediate without concern for expense, factory pays air freight expenses to meet in-store due date.

1999 Star War Episode 1: The Phantom Menace 

Promotional Toy Premiums:  64 Million Units, 28 designs Global Safety Standard.
             

  • A complex project with complex designs for fast food premium toys became more complex when a collectable gift box with taper-proof seal was offered after tool start for a special added "WOW" factor.  
  • The first time a collectable gift box was used this way, it became a challenge to optimize size for each unique shaped toy while minimizing cube size to save the client's freight cost and pass drop and transit testing.
  • Box designed with printed graphics inside and outside surfaces for collectability to build 2 murals from all styles collected.
  • This fast-cycle project was completed on-time, on-budget, executing Quality Assurance Plans (QAP) "Speed Bumps"   including:
    • Design Evaluations,
    • Research Testing,
    • Pro-Production Testing,
    • During-Production Testing, 
    • Production process flowcharts with critical control points,
    • Pareto Charts 
    • Product Tracking Labels:  production date to cohort information such as paint batches to control quality compliance. 
  • The project was executed with safeguards established 10 years before  CPSIA   16CFR1107 regulations became law in 2008: 
    • ​​Periodic Testing, 
    • Material Change,
    • Undue Influence (client hired third party lab), 
    • Recordkeeping,  
    • Consumer Product Labeling Program.
  • ​The success of this mission is due to the high performance teamwork, talent and dedication of  Hong Kong office staff and partner vendors.