Toymaking biz not all fun and games

After a 15-year-stint with Voltas, K John Baby decided to change course. At a time when people opt for well-established organisations that they can retire in, he chose to buck the trend. 

Leaving the Tata Group, John went on to join toymaker Funskool. That was 21 years ago. From pre-liberalisation to post-globalisation, this choice of a new career path led him to learn, understand and manage the toy company of the homegrown MRF Group. The eldest of seven sons and the first in his family to go to college, John takes pride in stating he pursued a degree in commerce with distinction. The rigour and grounding of internal audit and accounts that he was exposed to during his first stint are reflected in his memories. 

The CEO recounts the story of his rise and the lessons the business of board games offers. “You will be surprised to note that board games globally have seen a remarkable growth last year. Bonding, concentration and failure – these are three essential learnings from board games,” says John, as he explains the educational and emotional quadrants that the indoor games provide. 

“In fact, the MRF group’s foray into the toys segment happened when the then-owner used to be often flooded with requests to come back with gifts and mementos. Travelling abroad frequently gave him an opportunity to explore and introduce the concept of indoor gaming in an emerging economy like India,” says the CEO, who feels that exposure to failure, especially in youth, prepares an individual for the game of life much better. That is what the board games tend to do, he said, noting that in the West, concepts such as family nights were still popular.  He is quick to point out that managing a toy business of a size and scale requires analytical skills. While the ability to parse data is important, equally vital is the need to interpret human emotions.

“You will need to take so many things into consideration: age, emotion, mental faculty of the children, who are going to ultimately use the toy. Our idea is to give parents the liberty, ability and the facility to decide on what they would like their children to play with. It is important to have the right product at the right age,” John says. 

For instance, in evolved markets like the US, shopping involves the participation of the entire family. “The role of toys and board games in the development of a child has to be understood. That is why a lot of research is done before introducing a new toy in the market,” he said, observing that in India, Funskool focused on the pre-school segment and the toys were designed to enhance the intrinsic value. 

Interestingly, cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar’s wife Anjali has visited the company’s Goa facility to pick up toys for their kids. Given that toys turn obsolete quickly, those in Funskool are encouraged to talk about a new product daily. “Our senior managers get the first product for use and only after we are convinced in-house, do we release it in the market,” says John, emphasizing on the need to ‘walk the talk.’