The perfect choice was to make a toy around Dave, the most popular Minion character in the movie. After considering various ideas, we decided to produce the Dave bop-over, an inflatable Minion that, when filled with air, bounces back and forth.

We found the Dave bop-over to be the perfect type of promotional toy for the Despicable Me DVD release. Instead of a more traditional hard-plastic toy, we opted for a bop-over toy, ideal for the age range Universal Pictures was targeting, as children could inflate Dave to push, hit or kick him without worry of damage.

Bop-over Dave provided children with delight and entertainment, while parents benefited from a valued purchase that can easily be taken on kids’ travels and stored away when not in use.

It’s a gift-with-purchase that children want to keep, whether it’s reenacting scenes from the film or simply taking all their energy out on the toy. As Dave was a main character in the film, which saw both critical acclaim and financial success worldwide, the inflatable toy has helped the brand stay present in family homes throughout successive releases of the Despicable Me franchise. 

Arcadia ensured the bop-overs were manufactured ethically in an SGS-audited factory in China, with the products undergoing the legal testing procedures before distribution.

This was particularly important because the bop-overs were intended for children, where product safety, suitability and compliance needed to be considered throughout development. Working with a manufacturer able to meet the necessary quality and compliance standards also helped maintain consistency across Universal Pictures’ worldwide campaign. 

Creating a fun promotional product was only part of the brief. We also oversaw quality checks and product testing throughout development to make sure the finished promotional toys met the required standards before they were distributed. 

Once production was complete and Universal had signed off the finished product, Dave’s inflatable minions were distributed to five different countries to coincide with the worldwide DVD release.

Having built up a global network of processing, storage and distribution partners over 25 years, we supported Universal Pictures throughout the international rollout. We coordinated storage, processing and delivery of the bespoke promotional merchandise, helping each market receive the products in line with the wider international release schedule. 

Partnering with Universal Pictures was an absolute pleasure for everyone at Arcadia. Fully approved by Universal, the bespoke Dave bop-over for the DVD was distributed across five countries, and has helped leave a lasting impression on the brand, and provided children with an iconic promotional toy that offers a safe, practical way to have fun.