SpankyStokes.com | Vinyl Toys, Art, Culture, & Everything Inbetween 
Limited edition GlanderCo Dumpster Fire from 100% soft announced... what a blobby mess!
The Limited GlanderCo Edition Dumpster Fire is here, and this blobby mess is exactly what we need in our lives. Truck over at 100% Soft mentions "I asked my friend and one of my favorite artists ever, Julian Glander (@glanderco), to imagine the Dumpster Fire rolling into his weird, blobbed world as only he could. The result was better than I could have dreamed."... and this is what Julian had to say about it, "Everything is very bad. But when I look into the vacant eyes of this melty, blobby dumpster, I can’t help but think, ’hey it could be worse." The Limited Edition GlanderCo Dumpster Fire will be available HERE on Friday, April 19th at 10am PST for $30 each.
House of Gog is excited to introduce "The Oracle (pearl)" original art statue, from the artwork of world-class digital artist, Pascal Blanché. This is a color variant of their previous release HERE in their "The art of Pascal Blanché." line. As pioneers in the genre, every release from House of Gog is an accurate transposition of the original reference artwork into a high-end 3D collectible format. With more than 20 years of experience in statue making, this statue represents the pinnacle of their craftsmanship. The Oracle (PEARL) - STATUE stands 16H x 8W x 8D (inches) and is a 100% high quality polystone resin art statue that is hand crafted and hand-painted by master statue craftsmen. Limited to 75 units (worldwide), each comes signed by hand by Pascal Blanché (artist) and is set to retail for $1200. Now, is that a bit much for you?!? HOG also has up for grabs The Oracle (PEARL) - STATUETTE that measures 9H x 5W x 5D (inches). This one is smaller in scale, is limited to 125 pieces, and will retail for $325! This 4th release from Derelict Planet, the visual universe of award-winning digital artist Pascal Blanché, is another step forward in their journey through the world of high-end toys & collectibles. PRE-ORDERS for these amazing pieces are up for grabs HERE right now... that being said, you can visit “The Oracle (PEARL)” statue & statuette product page now for more info!
CultureFly presents: Samurai inspired Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles vinyl collectibles by Scott Tolleson!
TMNT x Scott Tolleson is the newest set of vinyl figures from CultureFly’s Artist Series! Available To Everyone For Pre-Order Exclusively From CultureFly.com Beginning April 22nd 2024. CultureFly has teamed up with Nickelodeon and toy designer / junkie Scott Tolleson to create a series of samurai inspired Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles vinyl collectibles! Standing at approximately 11” tall, each of the four soft vinyl TMNT figures (Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Raphael) feature unique color schemes, banners, weapons, maedate... and of course, some argyle! Each will be available for pre-order for a limited time and in limited quantities. We saw one of these in person at Dcon last year and it was mind-blowingly amazing, so seeing them all together, yeah... so cool! If you want to know exact drop details, be sure to sign up for the CF newsletter HERE right now, but expect it all to go down this coming Monday, April 22nd, 2024!
DrunkkToys : Concept To Completion - Bringing Your Product to Market, Building an Audience, and Sales Strategies!
Bringing Your Product to Market: Building an Audience and Sales Strategies: Guide readers through the post-production phase, offering advice on marketing strategies, audience engagement, and sales tactics... after our previous posts HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE... Igino aka Morticella of DrunkkToys continues to share his series on the experience he has had in creating his characters... and this is the fifth and final installment. So enjoy the read, and be sure to check out the others linked above! This has been a joy to share and I hope you all have had fun reading it as well! As we come to the end of this journey, you've invested in production and are now ready to sell your toy. However, it's crucial to acknowledge that the designer toys market is quite niche. For instance, the keyword "designer toys" is searched on Google only about 10,000 times per month, indicating its limited reach. Moreover, the competition is fierce, with new designer toys entering the market regularly, making the landscape even more challenging to navigate. Success hinges greatly on a robust advertising strategy. While selling 150, 200, or 500 pieces may seem straightforward, from my perspective, this is the most daunting part of the journey. Ultimately, I find myself standing at a precarious threshold: either I'll become a recognized designer toy or my journey will end here. It's a nerve-wracking realization, as the dream could abruptly come to a halt, beyond my control. Thus, I must prepare myself for the final battle ahead. To cultivate my audience on Instagram, I've adopted a straightforward technique that doesn't require advanced skills. Each day, I carefully select four posts that resonate with my target audience, and I explore the accounts of those who have liked them. Instagram typically displays only 100 profiles by default, which helps maintain a consistent flow over time. I take the time to visit these profiles and engage with three of their posts, choosing those that resonate most with me rather than the first three that appear. I consciously avoid profiles with overtly political content. I integrate this activity into my daily routine, typically engaging twice during my commute, once during the last break of the day, and once before bedtime. This approach enables me to reach approximately 300 to 320 profiles each day, resulting in around 10,000 visits per month. From these visits, approximately 25% to 30% will visit my own profile, with 10% to 15% engaging with my content, and around 4% to 6% ultimately deciding to follow me. While some may perceive this approach as spammy, I want to emphasize that exploring these accounts has provided me with inspiration, opportunities to learn something new, and connections with interesting individuals like SpankyStokes and BalkongToys, among others. It's about more than just increasing my follower count—it's about building genuine connections within the community. Over the course of 8 months, I've successfully amassed over 2,000 followers on Instagram. However, I remain cognizant that having a large following doesn't guarantee sales. Realistically, I estimate that only around 2/3 of my followers will potentially convert into customers. Nevertheless, this growing follower base represents a significant milestone, serving as a solid foundation for future growth and expansion opportunities. Alongside my Instagram efforts, I've launched a website, placing more faith in SEO (Search Engine Optimization) than social media. I'm diligently working to optimize it, understanding that SEO requires time to yield results. With a new domain lacking authority, achieving success in just 8 months is unlikely; it typically takes 18 to 24 months to witness noticeable results, particularly when competing in the fiercely competitive US market. However, this serves as a sort of contingency plan—a final opportunity. If my efforts on Instagram and advertising fall short, I'm hopeful that organic traffic generated through SEO could help sell a portion of my toys in the future, allowing me to recoup some of my investment. The crux of my strategy lies in paid advertising. I've conducted some initial tests, beginning with the idea of fundraising by soliciting pledges. To test the waters, I created a reel on Instagram and invested $100 to gauge the response. The content garnered significant interaction, amassing 10,000 views and 100 likes, while driving 300 visits to my landing page. The engagement was promising, with a low bounce rate. However, only 50 visitors proceeded to the cart page, and a mere 23 reached the checkout page, with no conversions. I recognized from the outset that achieving my goal of raising $2,000 to $3,000 was highly improbable. Building trust proved challenging, especially given my status as an individual rather than a company, potentially raising suspicions. Additionally, my website was limited to just the homepage and the landing page, further complicating matters. Despite the lack of conversions, I hesitate to deem this endeavor a failure; rather, it served as a valuable learning experience. My primary objective was to assess the reach achieved with a $100 investment. Ultimately, this project was abandoned due to the complexity of the toy I intended to produce. Further details can be found in the second article of this series. As I prepare for the launch campaign, my skills come into play, particularly in testing A/B variations. My goal is to determine the most effective approach for the campaign. If I can successfully sell a toy with ads costing less than or equal to $30, the operation will be considered highly successful. Alternatively, if each conversion falls within the $30 to $50 range, the advertising efforts will yield acceptable results. However, if the cost per conversion exceeds $50, the campaign will incur losses with no return on investment (ROI). However, A/B testing alone isn't sufficient for me. I'm planning to conduct a platform A/B test, utilizing AdWords (Google) as well to compare ROI between platforms. With a cost per click (CPC) of up to $2.50, AdWords may generate fewer but more qualified leads. One significant distinction between search engine and social media advertising lies in the timing of audience interest. When a target audience is reached through a search engine, they're likely interested in the product at that very moment. In contrast, on social media, the algorithm may target individuals who showed interest in the product months ago, with the assumption that they may still be potential customers. While this approach is valid, the likelihood of conversion may be lower. Lastly, I'll endeavor to tap into the art toy community by crafting a press release to send to prominent blogs like SpankyStokes, TTC, Vinyl Pulse, and others. I'm hopeful that they'll assist me in generating sales, as they serve as ideal platforms to reach my potential target audience. However, there's no guarantee that they'll accept and publish my press release, so I must consider this uncertainty in my strategy. Now, all that's left is to patiently wait and observe the results. As we conclude this series, I want to apologize if, at times, I oversimplified certain concepts or steps. Delving too deeply into technical details might become cumbersome for art lovers. Consider this series a testament; if I fail, at least my story won't be forgotten, a light-hearted acknowledgment. I hope you've enjoyed accompanying me on this journey. My final words extend gratitude to John for graciously hosting this series. (It's my absolute pleasure, dude)
Doktor A x Lowbrowee Toys – (Sir) Mugi Teaworthy sofubi, 2nd colorway: Ispahan macaron cake!
The second colorway for the Shiba Inu giant doggo robot Mechtorian from Lowbrowee Toys & Doktor A. is coming this week. After the debut “Teatime at Fortnum and Mason” edition (posted HERE) last month, to welcome the spring, Mugi takes the antiqued pink color typical of the Parisian rose-raspberry-lychee Ispahan macaron cake, or is it just Sakura... Oh!, their store now accepts also credit card! Mugi Teaworthy is full of personality, with his bouncy invitation-to-play pose, curled metallic fluffy tail revealing a riveted punk behind, and three interchangeable hats to fit any mood. Also quite an eye catcher standing 6" tall and 8" long. Sold in a poly bag with a header card designed by Doktor A. Credits to Doktor A (original design and prototyping), Lowbrowee Toys (production), Willy Kao (digital sculpt), and Science Patrol (wax and molds production). Mugi Teaworthy is produced as part of Mugi’s Circle of Art - Lowbrowee Toys’ personal project celebrating his best buddy, Mugi the Shiba Inu, through artwork by his favorite toy makers and pop-surrealists. More on this “pup-surrealism” collection and the production can be found at www.mugiart.shop.
Mighty Maniax: Dark Earth - 3" Glyos Action Figures... now LIVE on Kickstarter!
Rocom Toys is adding Barbarian and Fantasy characters to their expansive line of Glyos compatible action figures starting April 16th on Kickstarter. Inspired by Conan, Golden Axe, D&D, and Jurassic Park, the new campaign ushers in Axe Wielding Gladiators, Mystical Mages, and Fearsome Beasts. The project features some Exclusive items ranging from enamel pins designed by Tom Whalen and Toy Galaxy's Dan Larson, to a set of Artist Edition Trading Cards with some of the industry's top illustrators including Jonathan Way$hak, Brad Walker, Jeffrey Brown, Greg Hinkle, Justin Greenwood, Toy Shiz, and more. For those looking to get a full set, there are 50 spots available for a discounted Early Bird reward at $150. After those are gone the Wave 1 set will be $175. All rewards will be shipping domestically in the US, and only Base Set Waves will ship to limited International destinations. You can find out more about the project now at darkearth.mightymaniax.com and with 33 days to go (from this posting) and more than 75% funded, get in on this action now so you don't have serious FOMO!
Fauna's Fury (Timber Tantrum) PRE-ORDER announced from Telmen x Björnik!
In artist Otto Björnik's latest collaboration with his old friend, Telmen Bayasgalan, a visual artist and digital sculptor from Mongolia... they bring you the tale of a guardian wood elf named Fauna. "In a bold move against encroaching machinery, Fauna commandeers a robot, turning it into a symbol of protection for her forest home. This collectible celebrates her ingenious defiance and spirit of preservation." I can't get over how cool this is, and I really hope this does well and these two talented artists make more mech-type figures - kinda filling the void where Huck Gee left off, IMHO! Featuring a chainsaw arm, this battle damaged mech looks seriously amazing and the fact that Fauna can come out - yeah, the playability is key here, so rad! Standing 7" x 4.5" x 7", this painted resin figure comes packed in a rigid box encapsulated with foam and will retail HERE for $300 a pop. This is a pre-order and the actual product will ship August of this year... worth the wait though!
Strangecat Toys presents: Astroptera "Luna" specimen by Stephanie Buscema!
The final edition from artist Stephanie Buscema's beautiful Astroptera is here and this 3rd and last colorway is one for the books... The “Luna” specimen features a symmetrical painted wing design inspired by the moon and planets. Stephanie mentions "I wanted her to feel a little more shadowy in comparison to her sisters, so a palette of teals, magenta, gray + black was selected for her design." Produced by Strangecat Toys, this is limited to 100 pieces, and is crafted out of vinyl/PVC! Measuring 5" from wing tip to wing tip, this is up for grabs HERE right now for $75 a pop!
Plastic Empire presents: Jimmy "Ink Blot" edition vinyl figure release from 8PM!
The folks over at Plastic Empire just recently announced the release of 8PM's rad "Ink Blot" edition Jimmy vinyl figure... and it's up for grabs online HERE right now! These stand 8" tall, feature a monochromatic gray/black/white paint details, and are limited to only 100 pieces... retailing for just $69 a pop - you can't find a cooler figure for a better price - go quick though, these will sell out! (check out our DCON booth tour HERE and subscribe if you haven't yet)!
New from Toy Art Gallery - Brachiosore "CICATRIX" edition from James Groman!
Toy Art Gallery is proud to present a new edition of James Groman's epic BRACHIOSORE! Standing at 8" tall and featuring 5 points of articulation, the BRACHIOSORE is an incredible soft vinyl figure that showcases James Groman's unique style and attention to detail. The CICATRIX edition features a highly detailed paint job with multiple layers of dry brushing and washes, highlighting the intricate design and bringing the demonic-inspired features to life. The BRACHIOSORE is designed and sculpted by James Groman and produced by Toy Art Gallery with paint by UH OH Toys. The BRACHIOSORE CICATRIX EDITION will be available this Friday 4/5 at 12PM PST at toyartgallery.com for $135!
Striking gold in a galaxy far, far away... COMPRO ORO from Six Foot Turkey Toys!
From Six Foot Turkey Toys, their latest release... COMPRO ORO. It's like they've hit the gold mine in a galaxy far, far away! They've got just 9 of these golden boys available, so grab 'em while you can before they disappear faster than the Millennium Falcon making the Kessel Run! These unique collectibles are a must-have for any Star Wars fan looking to add some bling to their collection. Standing 3.75" tall and each comes packed in a custom printed blister carded format, these are up for grabs HERE right now for €50($54) a pop... may the gold be with you! 🌟💰
Mammoth Kong sofubi "Oil Slick" edition announced from Tomenosuke!
Tomenosuke is excited to announce the release of their newest "Mammoth Kong" sofubi figure colorway... and this stunner is dubbed the "Oil Slick" edition! This will be sold in limited quantities at Thailand Toy Expo 2024 prior to its release in Japan. The black body was painted by Mirock-Toy and Anitoy with metallic magenta, green, blue, purple, and gold, creating an endlessly transformative oil slick image that weaves various colors through the interference of light. The figure stands over 1-foot tall, will be very limited, and are set to retail for 55,000JPY($363) a pop... look for them to be available HERE this May and be sure to follow Tomenosuke on Instagram for the most up to date drop info!
*GIVEAWAY* Kaduku Witch Doctor "Fallout" & "Mystic" editions by Atomica Exotica & Lost Temple Traders!
The 'Kaduku the Witch Doctor' mug is back... and this collaboration between Lost Temple Traders and Atomica Exotica... is full of vibrant color with this new release! The mug stands 8” tall, holds 28oz and is limited to 250 mugs in each colorway! The 2 colorways this go around are the "Fallout" (green/yellow) & "Mystic" (blue/violet) editions and you just gotta love that pop of color on the already awesome figures/mugs - and yeah, I call them figures as you don't need to use them as mugs if you don't want to as they are perfect art pieces just by themselves! Retailing for just $55 a pop or $95 for the set... don't delay on this! OH... and if you wanna save some cash, use code 'SpankyStokes' at checkout and that will give $10 off Kaduku mugs! But wait, there's more... just like my last video, I will be giving these away, and all you need to do is a few simple steps. First, head on over to my YouTube channel and subscribe to it if you haven't done so yet, and then watch the video, listen for the questions, and answer them in the comments section on my YouTube video. One lucky RANDOM winner will have these sent to them (if you agree to pay for the shipping cost). That's it... Good luck and thanks for watching!
MAp-MAp: An Easter Sale!
Look who MAp-MAp found during the spring clean in his weird tall studio cupboard! He's almost certain this is the last bundle of older pieces hiding there... on top of that, MAp-MAp mentions that he just got about 30 Dunnys to work on, so he's itching to make the next store drop be all new work! That being said, snag up this last batch of custom beauts right now HERE... some killer customs, that's for sure!
'KRUSH the KAN' DIY vinyl figure by Mr Mars & Tenacious Toys... release announced!
Tenacious Toys & Mr Mars are stoked to reveal Krush the Kan, their new DIY vinyl figure which is going to KRUSH your shelves! Krush is a character that CO-based artist Mr. Mars has been painting and illustrating for years. Mars teamed up with NYC-based Tenacious Toys to produce Krush in a highly customizable 5” size. Featuring dynamic and expressive sculpting and a TON of paintable surface, Krush is sure to inspire artists to KRUSH their own custom paint jobs with brushes, markers and airbrushes, and of course, KANS! Edition size of Krush has been kept very limited, with only 500 pieces made: 100 in black, 100 in glow in the dark, and the rest in easily painted DIY white. A third of the black Krushes have been set aside for Mr. Mars’ famous Striker customs, so Black will be the most scarce. MARCH 29 RELEASE: the Krush Kapsule Collection drops at both the Tenacious Toys AND the Mr Mars websites on March 29th at 5pm Mountain Time / 7pm EST. The Krush release will include the following items: ▪ Krush the Kan 5” vinyl DIY figures in White ($60), Black ($70) and Glow in the Dark ($80) ▪ Custom Strikers by Mr Mars on the black Krush platform (35 available at $160 each) ▪ Krush the Kan t-shirt ($25) ▪ Krush sticker pack ($10) ▪ The Krush Kapsule Collection: includes all three colors of Krush the Kan, plus a t-shirt, an exclusive 9x9” print & a sticker pack ($200 each) Extremely limited quantities of each item will be available, and the Kapsule Collection will only be sold for 1 week. After that, the package deal will end, so get ready to KRUSH the F5 button on March 29th! But wait, there’s more! Krush is a DIY figure so of course there will be custom shows! APRIL 11 CUSTOM SHOW: The first Krush custom show will take place live on Whatnot during Whatnotcon on April 11th at 1PM EST. Bookmark the show on the Tenacioustoys profile on Whatnot - many of the artists will be co-hosting and popping in the talk about their works. The artist roster for the Whatnotcon Krush Show draws from the most active and talented custom toy artists on Whatnot: ▪ Rock Ink Toys - @rockinktoys on IG ▪ GlassINK - @glass.ink on IG ▪ GrimlyToys - @grimlytoys on IG ▪ Sketch (J Colon) - @sketchcc_customs on IG ▪ Bethany Saldaña - @bsaldana316 on IG ▪ Inktuce - @inktuce on IG ▪ EVILGHOSTY - @evilghosty on IG ▪ Sneak - @sneak_ecloud on IG ▪ DXE - @dxestudios on IG ▪ Cardiartist - @cardiartist on IG ▪ Ando - @prettygoodposters on IG EVEN MORE CUSTOM KRUSHES: Later in April, more customs by additional artists will begin popping up online on IG, and on the Tenacious and Mr Mars websites. Mars is pulling in a group of Denver artists and Tenacious will be working with various toy & graff artists to show off their amazing Krush customs. Stay tuned to the Tenacious Toys and Mr Mars IG accounts to see all the amazing work on the Krush platform.