Background
We're going to stray a little away from designer plush and take a look at an interesting mainstream line from First & Main Inc. The company is known for creating Teddy Bears, but this line is a little different from their normal fare.
The Bright Friendzies! (exclamation point included) is a series of 12 different animals in 6 monochromatic colors. So let's take a look...and you might want to invite the kids in to get their opinion on the line.
The Facts
Bright Friendzies!
Series: Bright Friendzies!
Manufacturer: First & Main Inc.
Material: Plush
Dimensions: 6” tall
Designs: Elephant, Fox, Giraffe, Hippo, Koala, Lion, Monkey, Panda, Penguin, Raccoon, Tiger, Zebra
Tag
The same tag is used on all of the Bright Friendzies plushies. It's fairly ordinary (a few small character illustrations), so you won't mind cutting it off and recycling.
Our Opinion
First & Main's Facebook profile has some pretty interesting information on it...at least from a marketing perspective. Obviously directed toward retailers, you realize how a number of mainstream plush lines are produced.
We’ve been listening to those of you who’ve said that modern looks “speak” to the younger generations. All research for the younger crowds points to bold/graphic looks. In the same report for Color Schemes, “Brights” ranks at top at a whopping 64%.
So that's pretty much how the Bright Friendzies! line was created. They're obviously not designer toys...but let's take a look at the plushies. The line consists of 12 different animal characters, each one being a bright, monochromatic color. Much of the facial features are embroidered. They all have square eyes and bellybuttons and feature bean bag bottoms for displaying.
The quality is similar to other factory produced plushies. It's fairly average...you'll have a few stray strands of string, but nothing too egregious.
I wasn't able to find any place that currently carries the line, but it appears that they retail in the $5 to $7 range. That's not a bad price if you're at the zoo (one place they're marketing the Bright Friendzies!) and you want to pick up a plush toy for the kids.
OVERALL: I'm not sure that designer plush collectors will fully appreciate the Bright Friendzies! line. They're less of a collectible and more of a impulse plush purchase for the kiddos. With that being said, I actually do like several of the designs. The giraffe and lion stand out as the two best animal characters...and for $5 – and to keep the children happy – they're worth it.
You can pick one up at the following:
I couldn't find anyplace online to purchase these. I'm assuming a $5 plush for the value grade. I looked at the First & Main website and was thoroughly confused. Let us know in the comments if you've been able to find these anywhere.
Bright Friendzies! Grades
Plush Quality: 7/10
Stitching: 7/10
Material: 7/10
Softness: 7/10
Packaging/Tag: 6/10
Cuteness: 8/10
Fun Factor: 9/10
Value: 9/10
Overall: 7.5/10
@plasticandplush Looks like I may be seeing U again in the World Series Mr…..Just maybe. Round 2!!!
You can find Bright Friendzies at Cedar Point and most of the associated theme parks in the US now and this next year. Other businesses selling these are:
http://www.beargifts4u.com
Selden Flowers in Selden, NY
Alpine Floral in Montrose, CO
Shop Kansas City Inc in Kasnasa City, MO
Lauers in Pasedena, MD
KMD FLorist & Gifthouse in Waterville, ME
Melvins Discount Pharmacy in Elforado, AR
Red Cross Pharmacy in Spoone, WI
Community Pharmacies in Pierre, SD
Valley Market in Edins, UT
Many hospital Gift shops in the US
Many Osco Stores in the US
Hey any websites I could order these from, I checked the link you posted but could not find more information
Hey still having trouble finding these online any information where I can find them?
Stumbled across your site and this post.
It’s an older post but I find it interesting as I am the designer:) wish more people would have commented. Always good to have input.
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I desperately need to find Petey Panda. My 4 year old daughter with multiple special needs is constantly in the hospital. This past week while in for yet another surgery, Petey went missing. I need to find this bear and order a few. Please how can I do this. My daughter has been in tears since Thursday without Petey. PLEASE HELP
I’m guessing ebay. I know that these were difficult to find back when they were released in 2010.
I think they are adorable! My daughter has 5 or 6 and carries them with her where ever she goes. She never was the type to carry things around until I gave her these ‘Friends’. Wish I could find them online somewhere so we could complete her collection and buy more for gifts.