Hasbro Turns Beyblade Into Livestream Commerce

Toy Talk

Here's what's happening this week in the world of toy and game marketing:
- Beyblade taps Kai Cenat to convert viewers into buyers.
- Uglydoll aligns a global relaunch with Asia in focus.
- JAKKS debuts interactive Disney preschool dolls at mass.
- Metallica’s Funko Pops go D2C via the band.
- K-pop block collab sells out, restock demand builds.

⏱️Why Finance and Marketing Measure Growth Differently and How to Bridge the Gap?

At eTail™ Connect West, Fospha’s VP of Growth Jamie Bolton hosted a panel with leading retail brands on the future of measurement. Three themes stood out:

• No single model is enough: Teams combine MTA, MMM, and incrementality for a fuller picture.

• Finance vs. marketing tension: Finance demands proof; marketers need daily direction.

• Speed vs. rigor: Annual MMM updates can’t keep pace with weekly budget shifts.

👉 Fospha closes that gap - the only full-funnel MMM delivering daily, ad-level insights built for teams to grow DTC, Amazon & Beyond.

📌WEEKLY MUST-KNOWS

INFLUENCER COMMERCE
Hasbro Partners With Kai Cenat For Beyblade X Livestream Tournament

Hasbro, ADK Emotions NY and T-Licensing teamed with streamer Kai Cenat for a Beyblade X showdown during his Mafiathon 3, featuring Amazon-branded moments and an Amazon-exclusive BX-10 Beystadium pre-order ahead of a Nov 1 launch. This is a live proof point for creator-led commerce that blends fandom, retail exclusivity and timed pre-orders to drive conversion. Impacted: Hasbro and partners, Amazon merchandising teams, performance marketers planning livestream activations.

LICENSING STRATEGY
Golden Sombrero To Handle Uglydoll Relaunch

Uglydoll appointed Golden Sombrero Licensing & Consulting to lead business development across apparel, collectibles, toys, lifestyle, publishing and entertainment. The plan returns the brand to specialty, museum and adult-collector retail with an Asia-first focus, reintroduces blind box minis, and aims for a full lifestyle licensing comeback in 2026. Impacted: licensing managers, retail buyers, and partners seeking culturally credible IP with global fan equity.

PRESCHOOL INTERACTIVE
JAKKS Pacific Launches Disney Darlings Interactive Baby Dolls
JAKKS introduced Disney Darlings, a 13-inch interactive doll line for ages 2–5 featuring Minnie, Stitch, Marie and Winnie the Pooh, with light-up features and four play modes. Available this fall at Walmart, Amazon and Target, the line targets nurturing play with evergreen characters and inclusive variants. Impacted: preschool category buyers, merchandising teams and marketers shaping Q4 planograms and bundled accessory strategies.

DTC COLLABORATION
Hot Wheels And Futura Labs Drop Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4

Mattel’s Hot Wheels teamed with artist Futura on a limited 1:64 Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4, dropping Sep 24 on Futura Laboratories and Sep 26 on Mattel Creations. The art-led, Japan street-culture tribute leans on DTC scarcity and crossover appeal to reach art and die-cast collectors. Impacted: DTC teams, collab partners and collector-channel marketers planning timed drops and waitlist capture.

📅Smartly Advances NYD: Why AI Means More Creativity, Not Less

At Smartly Advanced NYC, Fospha's CEO Sam Carter and CPO Dom Devlin joined industry leaders to debate the role of AI in growth.

The takeaway? From platforms to creators, the consensus is clear: AI isn’t about replacing jobs. It’s about extending human creativity and unlocking new opportunities for marketers to grow.

Watch Sam's perspective from the event 

⚡QUICK READS

G-Dragon’s 818 Bloom Block Set Sells Out: PEACEMINUSONE x Oxford sold out in hours across Korea, signaling K-pop-led block collectibles as a high-velocity collab format with global restock demand.(More)

Hot Toys Unveils Limited Hellbat 1/6 Figure: A 2,000-piece, $315 Hellbat XE variant ships Feb 2026, confirming premium collector elasticity and a long runway for content and waitlist tactics.(More)

Wonder Woman Vs Atomic Blast Godzilla Preorders: McFarlane’s crossover 2-pack opens Sep 25 on Entertainment Earth and Amazon around $80, a collector SKU poised for Q4 search spikes.(More)

ClickZ is a ClickZ Media publication in the DTC eCommerce division