Duncan Toys employs a team of professional yo-yo stunt artists to help promote the company’s products.

Kids these days have so many technologically advanced ways to be entertained; man­­­ufacturers of the skill toys of yesteryear might struggle to hold their interests. But instead of attempting the impossible task of competing with social media networks and other electronic fun, Duncan Toys – the original world’s No. 1 yo-yo maker – is joining them.

“The main challenge we face is competing in a digital world,” Vice President Jeff Bush says. “The use of Internet marketing and social networking today is very important for staying in front of kids. This is how we’re trying to show kids that playing with a yo-yo can be both challenging and cool.”

Although the yo-yo is Duncan’s most popular item, the company is celebrating its 80th anniversary in the “skill toys” sector. In addition to yo-yos, Duncan manufactures spin tops, foot bags and juggling props. The company manufactures yo-yos at its Columbus, Ind., facility, a China facility, and a company owned facility in Saltillo, Mexico.

Celebrating Eight Decades
To celebrate its 80th anniversary in 2010, Duncan Toys recently concluded a domestic tour with its Duncan Crew, which are teams of professional yo-yo stunt art­ists employed by Duncan for promotional events. One of the members of the Brazilian crew is an internationally recognized graffiti artist known as “Whip,” and Duncan brought him in to kick off the tour by painting the white van that would be used for the more than 30-city, 60 stop, 21,000-mile tour at a ceremony in Cleveland. The Crew is unique to Duncan Toys, ac­c­ording to Bush. It has 70 players in 10 coun­tries that serve as ambassadors for the brand and product development. The only way to become a member is by getting hand-picked by the company’s scouts.

“We’ll go into a country and invite a bunch of players to audition,” Bush says. “There’s always an amazing turnout, and we will pick only the best of the best. Selections are based on yo-yo skills, personality and the best representation of the Duncan brand. Each member is a showperson in and of themselves.”

In an attempt to create a fan following for The Crew, Duncan produced a series of trading cards that came with each 80th anniversary yo-yo. The Duncan Crew is also the focus of the Duncan Yo-Yo social networking site – duncancrew.org. At this site, yo-yo aficionados can share pictures and videos of classic tricks and new homemade moves.

“We see ourselves competing in the extreme sport realm of skateboarding and snowboarding, and that’s how we like to feel we’re positioning ourselves,” Bush says. “We feel like our yo-yos are timeless toys that get kids up off the couch and doing something physical. It helps with dexterity and doing something different than sitting in front of the television. They’re an extreme sport you carry in your pocket.”

Duncan Toys is a division of Flambeau Inc., which has nine facilities for plastic contract molding throughout the United States, Mexico and the United Kingdom. Additional retail brands include Flam­beau Outdoors, Artbin and Flam­beau Hard­ware.

Marketing a Classic
Duncan Toys is entering the academic arena to get children’s attention. The company teamed with college professors to develop a teacher’s curriculum that include scientific exercises about the yo-yo, spin top and gyroscope. “Students will learn about centrifugal force, friction, and objects in motion,” Bush says.

The yo-yo is also getting upgrades as technology allows. Bush says this led to numerous new product launches, including the Screaming Eagles series, which are turned aluminum high-performance yo-yos that start at $79 retail. “The challenge with changing technology is on the front-end with product development,” Bush says. “It requires pro­per weighting and proper bearing usage. This makes it so the design of the yo-yo is a much bigger deal than it ever was 10 years ago.”

No matter what technological advan­ces, the traditional yo-yo is still consistently near the top of Duncan Toys’ top-seller list. The Imperial and Butterfly are two of the most recognized brands in the world from generation to generation. Dun­can Toys is banking on modern technology, as well as its long history to extend into the next batch of customers. “We want everyone in the world to be playing with a Duncan yo-yo,” Bush says.