Remember that 80s movie Big? Where a young boy wishes to be “big” and wakes up as Tom Hanks.
What if I told you the secret to creating awesome products lies hidden within that film?
Sure, the movie is hilarious, but there’s a valuable lesson for anyone in the toy business: listen to the kids. And if you’re not in toys – listen to your audience.
Why data only tells half the story
In Big, Josh, the boy trapped in an adult’s body, lands a job at a toy company.
He excels because, well, he’s actually a kid in disguise. He understands what kids find fun, unlike his grown-up colleagues who rely on charts and data instead of actual kids’ opinions.
One scene perfectly captures this disconnect.
PAUL: (one of Josh’s coworkers): These tests were conducted over a six-month period using a double-blind format of eight overlapping demographic groups. Every region of the country was sampled. The focus testing showed a solid base in the nine- to eleven-year-old bracket, with a possible carryover into the twelve-year-olds. When you consider that Nobots and Transformers pull over 37 percent market share, and that we are targeting the same area, I think that we should see one-quarter of that and that is one-fifth of the total revenue from all of last year. Any questions? Yes? Yes?
JOSH: I don’t get it.
PAUL: What exactly don’t you get?
JOSH: It turns from a building into a robot, right?
PAUL: Precisely.
JOSH: Well, what’s fun about that?
PAUL: Well, if you had read your industry breakdown, you would see that our success in the action figure area has climbed from 27 percent to 45 percent in the last two years. There, that might help.
JOSH: Oh.
PAUL: Yes?
JOSH: I still don’t get it.
This scene highlights the problem: adults making decisions for kids based on assumptions and data, not actual play experiences.
They’re stuck in an “inside-out” approach, focusing on industry trends and numbers instead of what really matters – fun for the children.
Get out of the office and play
Many businesses think sterile focus groups are a reasonable substitute for watching customers in the real world. They’re not.
Just see the difference between showing kids a prototype in a cold focus group versus watching them play freely in their own homes. In a familiar space, kids are more at ease, revealing their true preferences through natural play.
Just like Josh, who brings kid-like enthusiasm to the company, you need to do the same – ditch the boardrooms and go where your customers are.
Final thoughts
The message is clear: your success is business relies on understanding what makes your customers tick.
By listening to their voices, observing their actions, and incorporating their feedback, you can unlock the secret to creating products that bring joy.
Now go have some fun – because that’s what makes the best toys of all!
