Moose Toys is expanding its Magic Mixies plush and electronics brand with a new doll range that’s scheduled to play out at North American mass retail next month.

Launching on August 1, the Australian toyco’s Magic Mixies Pixlings dolls mark the first time the two-year-old brand has moved into a new product category. They build on an original collection of plush creatures that take on features and change colors when dipped in a cauldron. 

With Pixlings, kids can “create” their own doll by mixing ingredients from the packaging in a magic potion bottle. The initial range centers around three doll characters—Marena the mermaid, Deerlee the deer and Unia the unicorn—and Moose Toys will introduce them to kids next month in a 2D-animated YouTube and Netflix Magic Mixies series produced by Pixel Zoo.

As part of its marketing strategy, Moose is also signing deals with influencers on TikTok to promote Pixlings. Senior director of global and US marketing Stephanie Haggerty says the toyco is focusing on ASMR unboxings and the “get ready with me” trend, whereby influencers dress up to mimic the fashion of their favorite toys. She adds that the Magic Mixies hashtag has generated more than 712 million views on TikTok since the brand launched in 2021. 

“I think, now more than ever, kids are really more trend-focused than brand-loyal,” says Haggerty. “To keep them in our ecosystem, we have to make sure that we are staying on top of the trends we see, because if we’re not innovating, then consumers will leave us and look for that excitement elsewhere.”

With the addition of the US$17.99 Pixlings dolls, consumers can access the Magic Mixies brand at price points ranging from US$4.99 for quick-reveal plush to US$64.99 for electronic magic cauldrons and genie lamps. Last year, Moose broke into Circana’s top-10 toycos list as the number-one special feature plush manufacturer; it accounts for 46% of the category’s total sales with its Magic Mixies, Bluey and Little Live Pets lines. 

Moose became interested in the dolls category last year after seeing that this market is currently dominated by just a few key players, including Mattel and Hasbro. But according to Haggerty, buyers reported that these incumbents tend to stick to safe and traditional play patterns, leaving a gap for something new in dolls to shake up a category that has started to feel stagnant. 

Moose’s disruption solution with Pixlings was to step away from fashion play and offer hands-on experiences for kids where they can create the toys themselves. Haggerty says parents are hunting for more toys that feature this kind of empowering play pattern that’s easily accessible from a pricing standpoint.