| Type | Private company limited by shares |
|---|---|
| Industry | Toy wholesaling, distribution and manufacture |
| Founded | United Kingdom (1992) |
| Headquarters | Guildford, Surrey, United Kingdom |
| Key people | Nick Austin (Chairman) Simon Macintosh (Finacial Director)Neil Bandtock (Managing Director) Paul Weston (Chief Executive) |
| Products | Bratz (2004-2008), Disney, Playmates, Toy BizMoshi Monsters 2010 & 2011 |
| Employees | 109 (2007) |
| Website | www.vividimaginations.co.uk |
Vivid Imaginations is a company based in Guildford, Surrey, that manufactures, designs and distributes toys and holds distribution rights on a number of popular TV shows and Blockbuster movies. Captain scarlett was the first of many distribution deals that turned Vivid into the Uk's number 1 toy and game manufacturer. Over the years Vivid has had notable success such as TV favorites Thunderbirds and The Simpsons along with Movie favorites Cars and Cars2, Shrek, Toy Story 3 and Happy feet 2, to name a few. Away from the silver and big screens vivid has also has success along the way with lines such as WWE, Disney, and Bratz, as well as in house developed Animagic. Vivid Recently stepped back into the music scene, after a successful Take That Doll range a number of years ago, with Boy Bands JLS, The Wanted, X Factors One Direction and worldwide Teen sensation and Heart Throb Justin Bieber, all being imortalised in a range of Dolls. Vivid's portfollio has grown steadily and boasts some highly successful lines including Crayola and the world wide online gaming sensation, Moshi Monsters, which is taking the toy industry by storm.
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Vivid Imaginations was founded in 1992 by former Matchbox Toys UK Managing Director Nick Austin and Finance Director Alan Bennie,[1] with a loan of £380,000 from friends.[2] The annual company turnover was £9.8 m in its first year and increased to over £20 m in 1996.[1] The increase was partly due to acquiring the rights to distribute Disney and The Simpsons products in 1996 and distributing the Toy of the Year, the Pogmaker.[1] Jordan Group, a private equity company from New York, bought an 80% stake in Vivid in 1998 for £25 m.[2] In 1999, Vivid started distributing Sindy and obtained the rights to Playmates and Toy Biz products.[1]
Vivid became the third-largest advertiser in the United Kingdom and the number three toy company in 2000.[1] In 2003, Vivid Imaginations was bought by Phoenix Equity Partners, its management and venture capital company, for £62 million.[3]
Vivid Imaginations acquired licensing rights to Bratz in 2004.[1] Vivid had a strong market share in the boys' toy sector and saw Bratz as the opportunity to boost its girls' range, which included Care Bears, Disney Princess and Sindy, to rival Barbie owner Mattel.[4] Bratz was the most popular doll in the UK in 2005,[5] and was responsible for 30% of Vivid's turnover.[6] Sales of Bratz and Spider-Man-themed products made Vivid the number one toy company in the UK in 2005, the first British company to achieve this in 30 years.[5][7] Bratz owner MGA Entertainment set up its own UK office in 2008 and ended the distribution deal with Vivid.[6]
The Paris-based Vivid Europe subsidiary was formed in 2008 with the acquisition of Nomad Company, the distributor of Crayola across Europe (except Italy), the Middle East and Africa.[8]
The toys will initially focus on the six key monster characters, Poppet, Katsuma, Diavlo, Zommer, Furi and Luvli as well as the 48 collectable "Moshlings" pet monsters. More toys are planned for autumn/winter with an interactive plush, playset, game and further collectables.[10]