Frozen became the highest grossing Disney film early last year overtaking Toy Story.
Now the snow based hit looks set it take another crown from Woody and the gang, with news that Frozen is set to break the all time licenced toy sales record. If the sales stay on the same trajectory in the run up to Christmas as they are now the franchise will smash the record.
A report by NPD revealed that Frozen is the number one licenced toy brand in the UK and has been since early September.
“New items have been launched, production has been increased to meet demand, and sales are getting stronger. We counted three Frozen dolls in the five best-selling toys last week alone” said Frederique Tutt, Toys Global Industry Analyst for The NPD Group.
“When looking at weekly sales and given the most important weeks of the year are still to come (a third of sales happened in the last seven weeks of the year), if Frozen continues at this level until Christmas, not only will the license keep top spot and get the license of the year accolade but it will also beat the all-time record of Toy Story 3 (2010) in terms of toy sales.”
Frozen seems to have wound up parents into a feeding frenzy with a fist fight breaking out in one Irish retailer.
Elsa Snow Globe dolls are trading hands on eBay for more than £100, even though the dolls only have an rrp of £39.99.
Some of the more limited edition dolls have even more ridiculous prices with the Anna and Elsa Coronation and Winter set listed for $10,000 (£6,000) on the online auction site.
The success of movie tie-in toys is nothing new, when the first Star Wars film was released George Lucas had negotiated the rights to toys and merchandise.
The move made him a billionaire and Star Wars toys are still being designed and sold today despite the first film hitting cinemas in 1977.
The first Star Wars film started a franchise which has become a key part of 20th and 21st century culture.
Even more niche films such as Toy Soldiers and Antz have made millions on licencing deals despite the films tanking at the box office.
With over 30 years experience in toy industry, Publisher and Managing Editor of Toy World magazine, John Baulch has pretty much seen it all when it comes to the Christmas rush.
Trying to explain the phenomenon John said: “Kids will always want toys based on their favourite TV shows and movies, so licensing forms a core part of the toy market – estimates suggest that around a quarter of all toy sold are character licenced merchandise.”
“There are numerous examples: Teletubbies. Moshi Monsters. Ben 10. Pokemon cards. Cabbage Patch Kids. Whenever demand exceeds supply, you get this sort of rush.”
The demand for these toys is managed by the Mattel, who produce the Frozen toys, much like Apple manage the numbers available at the iPhone launch and Microsoft and Sony with their console launches. The lack of product creates a hype and the hype creates even further demand.
The Frozen phenomenon has even made it into space with a hand made Olaf doll currently bobbing around the International Space Station.
The doll was taken up by Russian cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov telling reporters: “My youngest daughter is eight years old and she selected that as a talisman.”
The film has now been out for a year and sales show no sign of stopping, the question is by the time next Christmas rolls around will kids have ‘let it go‘?.
