Mighty Jaxx has become an internationally successful brand, known for its imaginative designs and high-quality toys. But to achieve this triumph, a lot of effort was required. This is the story of how they went from passionate collectors to renowned business owners.
The origins: How Mighty Jaxx first started
Mighty Jaxx was created because of a love of toys. Initially, this love of collectibles was just a hobby. However, in 2012, after watching ‘How Things are Made’ video on YouTube, it sparked the idea of learning more about how these products are created. Because of this, the founder planned a trip to Shenzhen, China. This is where he learned more about the production process, from painting to assembling and knowing that it requires many different skills to produce a toy. After this trip, he took out a bank loan to get the start-up funds needed to start the company.
Though excited to begin working on creating collectibles, Mighty Jaxx initially struggled to be taken seriously. When the company first arrived in America, they pitched the concept of XXRAY to Warner Bros. Though things were starting to look up, they still struggled with business concepts. After going through the proverbial school of hard knocks and brushing up knowledge by reading many books, the team finally had developed the skills needed to run a large company.
The creative process of making both collectibles & lifestyle products
For a product to be created, an extensive process must be followed, from artist consolations to manufacturing. First, they need to make a design. To do this, they will need to get in contact with talented artists. Then the team can begin working on a collaboration. One of the biggest appeals of Mighty Jaxx is the way that the company treats its creative team. They aim to foster a long-term relationship that will last for years.
Once the concept sketches are created, the next stage of the process can begin. The sketches will need to be converted into 3D models before prototyping. Then, production can start. This process can often take a long time, between three to six months from the first concept to the collectible being made available for purchase. Each run has a limited quantity ensuring that they will increase in value over time. At the same time, it provides an intangible value to collectors where they show off their personality based on their collection and, more often than not, having them as conversation starters.
The power of collaboration and beyond
Throughout the years, Mighty Jaxx has collaborated with a range of high-profile artists. The first collaboration, though, was with a Singapore artist known as Clogtwo. It was a concept known as “Hell Lotus.” It featured a skeleton meditating on a lotus. The piece debuted at the Singapore Comic Convention in 2012, but only 20 pieces managed to be sold. However, because of the perseverance, the collection managed to sell out, enough to repay the loan and develop more products in the pipeline for the company.
In recent years, there have been several notable collaborations – Jason Freeny, Juce Gace, Danil Yad and Whatshisname. Another recent collaborator is Marzia Kjellberg (aka Mai Accents), celebrated globally as a ceramist for her work with pots and dishes that take shape as whimsical and expressive creatures and has released her first collection (Circus Pug Lamp) on Dec 26.
How Mighty Jaxx has remained a go-to brand in global pop culture
Mighty Jaxx has remained a prominent force in global pop culture through its use of cool design and ability to adapt. There are several reasons why people might opt to purchase a collectible toy. For some, this could be an investment. As these items are sold in limited quantities, they will grow more popular over time. Some people want to find a new way of connecting with their favorite characters.
To stand out in the collectibles space, you need to be able to come up with an innovative design. The XXRAY brand is how the Mighty Jaxx brand stands out, and this concept shows the skeletal structures of popular characters, such as Sesame Street, Garfield and Toei Animation. These designs can also be turned into wearable art through the lifestyle collection, including several products, like T-Shirts and shoes.
They have also continued to create original works where the collections are based on the imagination of artists. Thus, they will always be unique, providing artists the chance to test the limits of their creativity.
To build a successful brand, you need to be able to adapt. COVID-19 recently put Mighty Jaxx’s resilience to the test. Unfortunately, production had to be shut down in China. However, they took the chance to reorganize the company. That included placing a greater focus on building strong relationships with partners like DHL. Because of this, they quickly overcame the disruptions to their supply lines. And in addition, they were able to take advantage of the increase in sales from online channels.
Bright future for the toymaker
Mighty Jaxx has formed a strong fan following. Though they faced a lot of challenges, they have fans all around the world who eagerly await the next product release. Fostering and maintaining a vast network of creative artists who contribute innovative new designs also helps in the success of this toy manufacturer.
Despite the challenges, Mighty Jaxx has performed admirably well for a local company; they have grown their distribution base organically to over 60 countries worldwide, with fans coming from faraway countries like Colombia and Iceland, marking them as one of the fastest-growing toymakers in recent years.
