Life is complicated. Adults yearn for simpler times. It’s no surprise that nostalgia and “newstaglia” remain popular trending themes. Kidult (a portmanteau of the words kid and adult) is mainstream. WGSN highlights that the kidult market offers brands a chance to embrace collectible game and toy franchises that evoke nostalgia. According to Circana, global toy sales reached $111.8 billion in 2024, up 3% with a CAGR of 4%. Sales of toys for adults aged 18 and over have increased by 18%, with men and women contributing almost equally to this growth. 73% of parents have purchased toys for themselves, and 49% collect or play with toys as adults to relive fond childhood memories. Sales of collectible toys grew nearly 5% globally in 2024. Licensed toys account for 35% of all global toy sales, which grew by 17%. Food, beverage, and beauty brands are playing to our inner child through limited-time offers, collectibles, and collaborations in books, cards, board games, and toys.
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Quick Service Restaurants (QSR) and food brands are launching books, which appeal to children and adults. For example, Chuck E. Cheese partnered with Genius Cat Books and released Just Stay Positive, a children’s picture book aimed at kids ages 3-7. Each book contains 750 free E-tickets, redeemable at any U.S. Chuck E. Cheese location. In August, in honor of Dr. Seuss’ Green Eggs and Ham’s 65th anniversary, SPAM® launched a limited-edition Green Eggs & SPAM® Classic Twin Pack, exclusively at select Walmart stores nationwide. The limited-edition cans feature collectible can artwork, and SPAM® unveiled its first-ever official Green Eggs & SPAM® Classic recipe.
TRADING UP
Trading cards cross generations and are a fan favorite. Pokémon and Labubu trading cards are recent examples. Poke Court, which started as a pop-up, opened a new permanent store in the Meatpacking District and in NYC. The space is “designed to be the ultimate haven for Pokémon card collectors fans.” The store features the Pack Bar with a “Packtender” concierge to help select and open card products and a Ripping Corner, a dedicated space to open new packs, complete with penny sleeves to protect the cards. Fanatics Collectibles launched the first Topps x Labubu trading Chrome card set. As part of The Monsters’ 10th-anniversary celebration, the cards feature art by creator Kasing Lung. The highly collectible set includes extremely limited autograph cards (only 22 per subject).
A NEW SET OF WHEELS
Who doesn’t love a set of wheels? Whether real or toys, miniature cars, skateboards, and shoes with wheels are emerging in the QSR and convenience store space. In collaboration with Mattel Inc., 7-Eleven partnered on a limited-edition Hot Wheels collection. The 7-Eleven x Hot Wheels collection was “built for car fanatics and skateboard lovers alike.” The Silver Series Toyota Supra highlighted a 1:64 scale die-cast toy car is inspired by 90’s era racing, wrapped in 7-Eleven’s iconic imagery from front to back. The 7-Eleven themed Hot Wheels skate exclusive fingerboards are available in two styles paired with removable skate shoes “for added grip while perfecting finger flips and ollies.” Last year, Hot Wheels and MSCHF teamed up on a limited-edition Not Wheels collection. Inspired by beater cars, the car wheels don’t match, the paint is rusted, the windshield is cracked, and the car has dents. This summer, White Castle partnered with Heelys, shoes with wheels, and dropped a limited-edition collection of White Castle-branded Heelys. The wheeled shoes come in White Castle’s recognizable color palette in two colors and blend menu-inspired visuals with Heelys’ signature style.
FACE-TO-FACE GAMES WITH A DIGITAL COMPONENT
Board games are making a comeback and brands are adding a modern twist by incorporating a digital component. McDonald’s has been launching toys with Happy Meals for over 45 years. This summer, the chain launched Lil McDonald’s Happy Meals, which featured 21 mini toys inspired by many of the brand’s signature features. It also unlocked a Drive Thru Dash digital game, which allowed guests to choose a manager, race to take orders, and accumulate points as they dash through the drive-thru. This fall, McDonald’s, after a decade, rebooted Monopoly for a limited time. However, it had a digital makeover, mainly played in the McDonald’s app for loyalty program members. There will be physical game pieces on some food items, such as a large fry box, which can be peeled and scanned into the app to redeem. Customers can redeem prizes such as free food and bonus reward points when all pieces of a property are collected. There’s a $1 million cash prize for one lucky player, and other prizes include 1 million American Airlines miles and one of 10 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4x4s. From October 3 through November 3, 2025, Jeep launched a Monopoly Bonus Cash Allowance program, where customers could bring $500 in Monopoly money into dealerships to apply toward a new 2025 Jeep® Grand Cherokee.
Board is a new game that combines face-to-face social interaction and tactile experiences with video games. The 24-inch touchscreen is the board and the physical game pieces interact with the surface. The launch includes a dozen original games, including fast-paced arcade hits, 45-minute quests, and competitive and cooperative experiences. USA Today states, “It looks like a screen. It plays like a board game, and it just might save family game night.” In Europe, E.ON, the European energy company launched the E.ON Next initiative to encourage people to power down screens and ‘switch off and game on’ in a new board game giveaway. E.ON Next’s research revealed that more than two-thirds (68%) of under-28s admit they’d rather get together with friends for a board game than go to a club. Furthermore, board games are making a comeback, attributed to retro hobbies (80%) and the nation’s desire to reduce screen time (71%). Board games even showed that 95% of gamers say it helps them unwind and feel closer to family and friends.
SOCIAL GAMING IRL
As individuals log off their devices and look to socialize, brands are creating in-person interactive experiences using games. Inspired by the Jenga block game, the Japanese liquor brand Janga launched a reimagined drinking game. Instead of wooden blocks, Janga created 54 mini acrylic hollow bottles that can be filled with the alcohol of your choice. The company introduced a special Zeus Janga Japanese Whisky 25 Years set. The tiny bottles are filled with barrel-aged Japanese whisky, and the caps are decorated with a playing card suit and rank. There are only 10 sets available and are packaged in a clear box topped with a crocodile leather carrying strap. The Zeus set costs 1.98 million yen (about $14,000) and to access, consumers needed to enter a lottery this summer. In July, Mattel debuted UNO Social Clubs, “bringing the classic card game into a nightlife experience.” The initiative was unveiled in Las Vegas in an UNO-themed suite at the Palms Casino Resort, which featured game tables, a private bowling alley, and a personal game host. Throughout August, UNO Social Clubs appeared in bars in Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago, Atlanta, and Austin, featuring tournament-style play and UNO-themed drink menus. In addition to traditional UNO, players explored new game variants like UNO Golf, UNO Teams, and UNO Show ’em No Mercy. For Spring 2025, White Castle released a variety of merchandise, including a pickleball paddle set, playing cards, and an inflatable fun house made to order.
BEAUTY BRANDS GET IN ON THE GAME
Beauty brands are not new to collaborations. Inspired by pop culture such as plush toys and fictional characters, beauty brands are creating limited-edition fragrances, bath & body products, and collectibles. Plush brand Squishmallows debuted Squishmallows Fragrances at Ulta Beauty. The trio of scents includes Moonlit Mist, a moody floral tied to Zumirez the Bat, Pink Possibilities, a fruity-floral inspired by Patty the Cow, and Whisked Away, a vanilla-forward gourmand linked to Cam the Cat. The fragrances use DSM-Firmenich’s “EmotiWaves” technology to evoke feelings of happiness. Each bottle design mirrors the familiar shapes and features a collectible bulb atomizer for a tactile “Squishability.” This summer, inspired by Rihanna’s role as Smurfette in the Smurfs movie, Fenty Beauty unveiled a seven-piece limited-edition Blue’tiful: The Smurfette Collection Collector’s Tin. The collection “features vibrant hues, whimsical packaging, and fun accessories for lips, hair, body, and face.” For example, the Fenty Beauty + Fenty Skin Smurfette Smooches Lip Essentials Duo + Key Chain products are infused with a “Smurfberry” scent. This spring, Sanrio and Lush released an 8 SKU limited-edition range of Hello Kitty and Friends products, including bath bombs, shower gel, perfume, and soap. The Hello Kitty and Friends x Lush collaboration launched exclusively on the Lush app. For the holiday 2025 season, Starbucks released exclusive Hello Kitty merchandise, including a ceramic mug, cold cup, plush figure, stainless steel cold cup and tumbler, and water bottle. “Born in the ’70s – Hello Kitty in 1974 and Starbucks in 1971, we’re excited to bring back that nostalgic vibe with this special collaboration this holiday season,” states Kap Pitarys, director of Starbucks U.S. merchandise. Space NK partnered with Jellycat to create a limited-edition bag charm for its new flagship store in London, UK. The Amuseables Space NK Bag Charm resembles the brand’s iconic shopping bag.
Let your inner child out. Get in the game with a custom face-to-face Trendincite LLC trend excursion, a hands-on marketing presentation, a playful blog post, or a retro presentation with Amy Marks-McGee as a guest speaker.