As a decidedly unconventional holiday season approaches, 64-year-old kids modeling compound Play-Doh is launching its first-ever product specifically for adults, which will be available at retail giants Amazon and Walmart.
The scented product line, aptly named Play-Doh for Grown Ups, was inspired by “comical trends, iconic themes and pop culture favorites,” according to a spokesperson.
While kids are stuck with more generic color names, adults are treated to what the spokesperson described as wit with monikers such as Lord of the Lawn, Mom Jeans and Overpriced Latte. Grown-ups also get “sophisticated packaging” with “fun character illustrations” and a scoop, which is presumably included to minimize product loss under fingernails among a less forgiving clientele.
“People of all ages … can now enjoy the familiar scents of … [the] joys of adulthood from the comfort of a Play-Doh can,” the spokesperson said.
The line indeed marries open-ended childhood creativity and middle age.
Grill King, for example, offers up “smoky BBQ-scented Play-Doh,” while Dad Sneakers promises “dad jokes in a can.” Mom Jeans, on the other hand, has a “freshly washed denim scent,” which parent company Hasbro says offers the feeling of “jeans that are both comfy and flattering” in Play-Doh form.
Meanwhile, Overpriced Latte has “a warm, nutty aroma mixed with a touch of sweet smell.” Hasbro teases additional adult-friendly attributes, like not having to wait in line at a café to enjoy and, of course, avoiding empty calories. Lord of the Lawn appeals to “defenders of home turf” and offers the scent of fresh-cut grass all year long. (Wine-in-a-can brand Babe Wine offered a similar vibe in its stadium-scented candles.) And Spa Day, which Hasbro touts as “a spa treatment you can actually afford,” has a fresh floral scent. Hasbro also notes the four-ounce can “is easy to bring on the go or hide in a drawer (ooh la la).”
A six-pack of four-ounce cans on Amazon is available for $11.99 (you can get a 12-pack of regular Play-Doh for the same amount).
While Hasbro and the spokesperson did not comment on the timing of the product launch, it’s a safe bet that the tumultuousness of 2020 played a role. Look no further than the Amazon product page, which refers to Play-Doh for Grown Ups as an alternative to adult coloring books and notes “being grown up doesn’t have to stink.”
The Amazon product page also highlights broad-ranging appeal for the product, which “won’t solve your first world problems, but [is] a great gift for men or women, [as well as] fun white elephant gifts, stocking stuffers, fidget desk toys, gag gifts, etc.”
In a 2016 Adweek interview, which coincided with the brand’s 60th anniversary, Greg Lombardo, Hasbro’s vp of global brand strategy, also noted appeal beyond children when he said, “We use it in meetings all the time. We’ll put out a few cans and it helps with the process of creation. I don’t know if people really grow out of Play-Doh.”
Four years later, a description sheet for the adult-specific product line encourages consumers to spoil themselves with—you guessed it—Play-Doh.
“Go ahead, you deserve it,” it says. “Squish and sniff it like no one is watching for the ultimate sensory experience!”
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https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/play-doh-for-adults-may-be-the-most-2020-product-innovation-yet/