Some collectors have been wondering (or complaining) why Beanie Boos Cleo and Bubblegum were announced as foreign exclusives: well, this is why. Take a look at this comparison:
This image (found on kidstodayonline.com) shows the Beanie Boo on the left and the Yoohoo toy on the right. Both Cleo and Bubblegum are so similar in design that Ty has "voluntarily" decided not to sell them inside the US. Actually, other Beanie Boos also have similar appearances.
Aurora World, Inc., filed a lawsuit late last month against Ty for violation of the Copyright Act, Lanham Act, California Business and Professions Code section 17200, common law misappropriation, and common law unfair competition. The court has set January 18, 2011, as the trial date in that lawsuit. A pretrial conference is scheduled to take place on December 20, 2010.
whoa! didn't realize that.
ReplyDeletei remember the days when ty used to sue copy-catters...
I purchased the teal lemur made by Aurora World in January of 2009, and it was an original, clever, and simple design. Aurora has continued to exploit the success of this line by dressing its lemur and other arboreal critters for holidays.
ReplyDeleteAs another poster pointed out, it may be the best fabric Ty has ever used, but it's certainly not the best judgment and I'm not going to reward Ty. I'll not be buying any of these Beanie Boo-boos.
Ty knocking off other brands really bothers me - Ty used to be an innovative company and not so much of a copycat! The Beanie Boppers (knockoff of Groovy Girls) were bad enough, but then we had to have Beanie 2.0's (Webkinz), and now this. Ugh.
ReplyDeleteI'll be sitting this entire line out.
beanie boppers were done years ago. you can't compare them to groovy girls. you can compare the girlz though.
ReplyDeleteI have a beanie boo called bamboo who is a panda
ReplyDeleteHmm. I own a vast collection of the YooHoos and four of the Beanie Boos. I had no trouble recognizing which was which (mkay, hello, the YooHoos make sounds when you squeeze them, the Boos don't.)
ReplyDeleteI get migraines and like to cuddle a stuffed toy or two during the pain, but to cuddle a YooHoo is to make a loud sound.
I'm not sure Ty stole the idea and even if they did, I don't really care, because I do love both and where I purchase my YooHoos, I have to pay about $2 more than where I buy my Boos, but I have still shelled out almost $80 over the last year to AW for the YooHoos.
A consumer shouldn't wind up confused when buying, because the products have very obvious differences.
I feel I already have enough of the YooHoos and if AW shuts down the Boos, I won't be buying any more YooHoos. My support is pretty much going to Ty on this one, because I don't think the Boos are a copy so much as following the trend. There are only so many ways you can make a small creature with large eyes after all. Besides, Webkinz is kicking Ty's rear these days, they have enough on their plate.