May 18, 2025 • 49 mins
In this episode of Diecast Breakdown, we sit down with Sei Cho, Director of Product Development at Jada Toys, for an in-depth conversation that spans 25 years of diecast innovation, nostalgia, and collector culture.
Sei shares how Jada evolved from brick-and-mortar sales to a digitally driven collector experience, and how the team is meeting the challenge of balancing quality, affordability, and fan expectations. From the viral success of Dom's House to the rise of nano figures, and exciting collabs with franchises like Fast & Furious, Transformers, and Ghostbusters, this is a must-watch for any diecast or pop culture enthusiast.
We also get a sneak peek into what’s coming next—including TrueSpec, Homecoming, and a potential dive into 1/64 scale. If you’ve ever wondered how your favorite models come to life, or how companies decide what becomes a chase car or a limited edition, this episode has answers.
🔥 In this episode, we cover:
✅ Jada's evolution in a changing toy industry
✅ The creation of iconic scenes and collector dioramas
✅ Limited editions, chase car confusion, and rarity in 2024
✅ The story behind viral hits like Dom’s House
✅ Upcoming events like Homecoming and FuelFest
✅ Jada Next Level and direct-to-collector engagement
✅ Tariff challenges, new scales, and future releases
🏁🏎️Help us collect 24,000 cars for kids in need. Learn more at https://www.drivendreams.org/
🚘🎥 Support Diecast Media Network, buy merch, and more!: http://diecastmedianetwork.com/
💰Save 15% on all orders from SK75 Works with code "DMN." https://www.sk75works.co.uk/
🎨 Get some amazing automotive art here: https://fireballtimgarage.art/
🌐Diecast Media Network is:
🚗 Mark Driven Dreams Org: @drivendreamsorg
🚙 David TWYCE Diecast: @twycediecast
🏎️ Phia Madd Visions: @maddvisions
💁♀️ Kimber: https://www.instagram.com/_kimberw/
🎨 Jepeg Designs - https://www.teepublic.com/user/jepegdesign
🛠️ Chuck: https://www.chuckellis.com
#DiecastBreakdown #JadaToys #SeiCho #DiecastCommunity #FastAndFurious #ToyIndustry #DiecastCars #ChaseCars #PopCultureCollecting #HotWheels #DiecastCollecting
Sei shares how Jada evolved from brick-and-mortar sales to a digitally driven collector experience, and how the team is meeting the challenge of balancing quality, affordability, and fan expectations. From the viral success of Dom's House to the rise of nano figures, and exciting collabs with franchises like Fast & Furious, Transformers, and Ghostbusters, this is a must-watch for any diecast or pop culture enthusiast.
We also get a sneak peek into what’s coming next—including TrueSpec, Homecoming, and a potential dive into 1/64 scale. If you’ve ever wondered how your favorite models come to life, or how companies decide what becomes a chase car or a limited edition, this episode has answers.
🔥 In this episode, we cover:
✅ Jada's evolution in a changing toy industry
✅ The creation of iconic scenes and collector dioramas
✅ Limited editions, chase car confusion, and rarity in 2024
✅ The story behind viral hits like Dom’s House
✅ Upcoming events like Homecoming and FuelFest
✅ Jada Next Level and direct-to-collector engagement
✅ Tariff challenges, new scales, and future releases
🏁🏎️Help us collect 24,000 cars for kids in need. Learn more at https://www.drivendreams.org/
🚘🎥 Support Diecast Media Network, buy merch, and more!: http://diecastmedianetwork.com/
💰Save 15% on all orders from SK75 Works with code "DMN." https://www.sk75works.co.uk/
🎨 Get some amazing automotive art here: https://fireballtimgarage.art/
🌐Diecast Media Network is:
🚗 Mark Driven Dreams Org: @drivendreamsorg
🚙 David TWYCE Diecast: @twycediecast
🏎️ Phia Madd Visions: @maddvisions
💁♀️ Kimber: https://www.instagram.com/_kimberw/
🎨 Jepeg Designs - https://www.teepublic.com/user/jepegdesign
🛠️ Chuck: https://www.chuckellis.com
#DiecastBreakdown #JadaToys #SeiCho #DiecastCommunity #FastAndFurious #ToyIndustry #DiecastCars #ChaseCars #PopCultureCollecting #HotWheels #DiecastCollecting
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
I trust you.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
Guys, Oh that was your first mistake and hanging out
for a second, and you know, we'll tell you what
Usually within five seconds we're good to go.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
So hey, Mark, welcome to the show. Is the headphone
recommended or is it okay to absolutely it keeps the
echo down. I can make me just do this, or yeah,
you can do that. That's fine too, Yeah, that's fine.
Whatever works. This is not a fashion show. We are
(00:31):
definitely not in the right space for having anything to
say about fashion. We have T shirts for yourself. Speak
for yourself, sir. Speaking of headphones, I can't find mine,
so it's gonna say don't you usually have headphones? Mark?
But it's okay, I don't know, all right, and it's
say correct, yes more or less. I'm very bad with pronunciations,
(00:55):
so which is a great thing when you're a podcaster.
Can't have it old Chuck, can't have the good looks,
the pronunciations and sucks you don't have the one. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
We Well, it's always fun when we have people from
the Netherlands on because uh, we'll be like, and here's
this person's name of the big no blur breaking.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
DNA, but aren't coming up.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
All right, now we're gonna call you close Jane j
all right, are you ready.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
Already? And three two.
Speaker 4 (01:28):
You're watching Diecast Breakdown with Chuck Ellis, David Johns, and
Mark mccontrier. So sit back, scrap it.
Speaker 5 (01:45):
And hang on.
Speaker 4 (01:48):
The breakdown starts.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
Noither, folks, Chuck here and welcome to die Cast Breakdown.
I am so glad you're with us today. We give
a special welcome to our executive producier level of patrons.
That would be first and sixty fourth Customs Day, Self
Driven Dreams dot Org, Elevationdecast Racing, Jason Jay Goldenberg. How
about that guy, he's interesting. Lewis Biglu Tanahara, Mad Visions
(02:13):
Reviews through Another Lens twice, die Cast and Video Geek Productions.
These are the gentlemen and ladies and others. I don't
know whoever they are. They're giving us. They're giving us money,
and so we get to say their name at the
beginning of each show. And there's a bunch other people
giving us money too. And you can check out how
you can join these people that support this fun little
project of ours over at diecast breakdown dot com and
(02:36):
check the link for Patreon, or you can hit the
little joint button down below your little YouTube video if
you're watching us on the YouTube, And that's a great
way to help pay for all this fancy gear that
literally snapped off in my hands right before starting the show.
So we'rer story. We're off to a great start here,
and I'm not starting by myself as I frequently am.
I am starting with my buddies, my co hosts, my
(02:58):
partner's wife, friends, mister David Johns, David, how the heck
are you today?
Speaker 6 (03:03):
Good? I'm not going to touch my mic?
Speaker 2 (03:05):
Thank you, thank you. The words have been noted from
our fair listeners, and your ears going to rejoice because
David is not going to touch.
Speaker 3 (03:15):
The mic, is tapping his mic all the time.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
Yeah. And Mark, who has no mic, is also with
us today. Mark, Barry Chuck, Mark, Mike Chuck, how are
you doing? Mostly doing fantastic. This is a very good
day and it means very good things for the channel.
But I can't talk about that right now because it's
a secret. But we'll talk about that soon. Enough talking
(03:41):
about talking about things. I am really excited about today's
guest because we are joined by somebody who has done
more about die cast this morning than you'll do in
your entire lifetime. And he's done a whole bunch of
stuff before that too. He is the director of product
development at Jada Toys. But he's got a long, long
(04:02):
CV of all sorts of cool stuff and we'll talk
about some of that stuff and what he's working on now.
But mister say show is joining us from Jata Toys.
Jada Toys, right, Jata Toys. Yes, how are you guys?
Speaker 6 (04:14):
All right?
Speaker 2 (04:15):
So yeah, how are you doing?
Speaker 6 (04:16):
Man?
Speaker 2 (04:17):
I always always have to check myself is it Jada
Toys or is it just Jada? Because your stuff doesn't
feel like toys. I mean, you've got toys, but you've
got stuff that really looks solid. It's stuff that you go, mom,
They're not toys, they're models. It's great stuff. And I'm
really excited to have you on. Thank you for being
on the show with us today. We're excited to have
you here.
Speaker 5 (04:34):
Well, thank you for having me. It's I think the
beginning of Jada it was the logo says Jada Toys,
and when it got back it was just Jada got
it something. But we just call we still call ourselves
Jada Toys. Our email still says Jada Toys. Yeah, so
either way, I think it still works.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
Yeah all right, Well on your CV it says Jada Toys,
so we'll call it that. But you've got any interesting
kind of book and Jada Toys thing in your career.
So let's let's start at the beginning. Where did you
get your start in die cast?
Speaker 5 (05:07):
It's very interesting. So I went to Art Center to
study transportation design, and Art Center is a tri semester
to finish up to eighth term you graduate. I don't
know what now about I think still still the same.
I finished up to six and I took a time off,
(05:27):
and then I went to a friend's restaurant bar opening
party and I met Louis Tanahara. At the time, he
was the director of Jada Toys and we just started
talking and basically hired me after he saw my portfolio.
So that's when I started my dicast career with Jada Toys.
(05:49):
That was like twenty five, looks like.
Speaker 3 (05:51):
Two thousand and three, so he only hired people from
Kinkos like Eddie. Eddie was Thinka's only thing. I guess
not fashed out. You must have really wowed, say, yeah,
you must really have.
Speaker 5 (06:05):
Yeah. He needed somebody who knew how to draw cars,
somebody who can design fastic.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
Yeah, Dang.
Speaker 3 (06:17):
Had crime like a single tier.
Speaker 5 (06:20):
He had his graphic designers. And then from there I
went to Hot Wheels for a couple of years, and
I went to Adult magazine. At the time, there were
I think still they do make automotive accessories with a
lot of different kinds of body kits, wheels, phone cases, audios, everything.
(06:41):
So I was there, and then I went to eas
Coast to a design firm, went there to design a
new electric vehicle for Chrysler and did a lot of
bunch of bunch of different stuff like kitchen knives too,
I don't know fans. And then I went to another
(07:02):
design firm that specialized in packaging and they had a
lot of big clients like Craft. So I did a
lot of j Lad old spice and then a lot
of beauty products. And then I came back to LA.
That's when I had my second child, so we need
(07:24):
a little bit more help. My parents weren't living in
LA and they still do. And I came back and
I went to Don magazine again to work with them
and then went back to Jada and that's like nine
years ago. Yeah, so I did a full circumpaty.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
Yeah, you always come back to.
Speaker 4 (07:43):
Jada BacT with more die Cast Breakdown after this word
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Speaker 7 (08:06):
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(08:28):
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Speaker 4 (08:35):
And now back to Diecast Breakdown.
Speaker 2 (08:37):
Yeah, now, that's that's really interesting. So working in the
industry as long as you did, and especially working with
data at the beginning and now here, what changes have
you seen in the industry, whether it's collectors, or the
interactions with the fans, changes in design trends. Where are
some of the things that really stand out to you
as someone who was there in like two thousand and three,
we're kind of right at the very beginning of data
(08:58):
because they started in like ninety ninety two thousand right here,
So tell me a bit about all the What really
stands out to you is what has changed.
Speaker 5 (09:06):
So in the beginning, that was my first time joining
and kind of being involved in this die cast world.
And I'm not really familiar with the die cast back then,
so I was learning a lot. I learned about, even
the graphics that I wasn't really studied for. It helped
me greatly. Back in the day, the e sheets that
(09:29):
we were doing were lots and lots that goes. It
was just so much the casting developments back in the day.
We were doing like Clay's No. Three D, a lot
of drawings, a lot of different detailed drawings back and
forth with China. That to me, two thousand and three
(09:51):
till four or five, those are like the heydays of
die cast. Wherever you go, given to the malls, every
owner there's a kiosk that sells die Cast die Cast
only it was like full of die casts, and most
of the stuff are where I live.
Speaker 6 (10:09):
I live in.
Speaker 5 (10:10):
California near La Orange County. Wherever I go, those are
probably eighty five percent shade of product that they're selling.
Gas stations everywhere, like toys, r US, Walmart everywhere, and
it's just not just us. But maybe hot Wheels were
really big. What was that company? The Muslim Machines. Yeah,
(10:33):
we've got the was it fun line? Fun Twists? And
then Maestol is still still is good. But you know,
back then it was like if you go to Costco,
like die Cast section was huge. I still have one,
so but now it it's a little different, you know,
instead a lot like the behavior of the consumers changed.
(10:55):
You don't we would go to mall step as much
as before, right, A lot of online purchases prices of
course changed. So yeah, So.
Speaker 3 (11:06):
Do you think there'll be a shift back at all
to that type of I don't know. I feel like
in certain cases, like people are going back to like
more analog type phones, and some people are trying to
reach for that old feeling of of stores, like going
to stores and stuff. I know malls probably won't come back,
(11:28):
but I think I think people are missing some of those,
especially people my aid. I can't speak for David because
that's a different time, but it's not that different black
and white anyways. Do they think they'll be a shift?
Do you guys see a shift like that for being
like because there's been talking like some of the toy
(11:48):
stars coming back. I don't know if that's actually going
to be a thing, is talking about coming back. But
I think people, you know, miss those types of things
because it's everything's online. It takes a lot of the
joy out of buying die cast, just specifically die Cast,
because I don't really take a lot of joy in
(12:09):
going online and looking through a catalog or just I
want to hold it right then hold it close up.
So do you foresee that? Do you guys haven't like
a lot? I mean, do you guys get people to
reach out to you for that kind of stuff?
Speaker 5 (12:23):
I think right now, from my point of view, it's
mixed up both for example, the cars that we drive
evs and like screens inside the cars when it was
first introduced, I think I think the best example. I
don't know if you guys are I know, I'm sure
everybody's a car fan. That's why you put like die
(12:45):
Cast on the type bar. The volume knob was on
the screen. There wasn't a physical knob or switch, and
a lot of companies are going back to like the
physical switches knob and I think it needs to have
both in our world. But for Diecasts, I don't know
(13:06):
if digital actually worked that well. It's it's all about
what I have in my hand, in my wall, what
I see, what I touch. I think Hot Wheels tried
a lot of different things because they can, and some
succeeded and some not as better, not as good as
(13:27):
the other ones. And the ones that did not too
well as the others were, in my opinion, were more
like NFTs. How you'll side tee love how it turned
out physically, it looks great, but I don't know how
it did online.
Speaker 3 (13:46):
Right, Yeah, I don't think that anyone. It's hard to
speak for numbers, but I don't think I know that
myself and a lot of people my age, which is
a I think a large collectors. I mean I think
it's the collectors are all over the place when it
to toys, right, But I think having something tangible means
something to us, and maybe now more than ever because
(14:07):
it it's nostalgic, and I think a lot of people
love that feeling of nostalgia. I mean, I just bought
some some surge from from Norway that's like seven years
old because I wanted to taste it again, and I
paid twenty dollars for it.
Speaker 2 (14:25):
I think you're making too much money.
Speaker 6 (14:27):
Mark.
Speaker 3 (14:28):
It's just it's then that the nostalgia, and it's just
like you do some weird things to have it again
and to have those toys like that. But of course
there's always the new versions of things. But you know,
I think what you guys are doing is really great
with some of the packaging and your new lines. I
think it's very aesthetically pleasing, and it's nice to see
(14:50):
it kind of shift in a different direction with some
of the more premium type stuff like David John's mister
we call mister Premium is due man? What is many
nick as? Okay, but that's premium stuff. Now, I can't
go back.
Speaker 4 (15:04):
Don't touch the dial. Die Cast Breakdown will be right
back after these messages. Die Cast Breakdown is produced in
partnership with twice die Cast and Driven Dreams or on YouTube.
Check out their channels in the video description and subscribe
for more epic die Cast content.
Speaker 2 (15:22):
Hey, this is Larry Woody.
Speaker 3 (15:24):
This is Derek from Honest I Can, and this is
a chat written from Brown two. This is Mike from Gaslast,
srt JO, Vita Shows, Chimpion, dj K.
Speaker 2 (15:33):
You're watching die Cast Breakdown.
Speaker 4 (15:40):
And now the thrilling conclusion of this week's episode of
die Cast Breakdown.
Speaker 6 (15:46):
Say can I can I piggyback on what Mark is saying,
because like you said, you've seen you've seen Jada go
from Jada Toys to now it feels like and you
correct me as the director of product development, that I
that right. Okay, so you you kind of have Jada's
vision at the forefront of what you do when you
(16:07):
go into work. And I love seeing Jada move from
but always good quality and good castings to now we're
talking about stuff that is really attractive for hardcore collectors
like me. Talk about maybe is that an intentional move
by Jada to go after those really choosy and picky
(16:28):
collectors looking for authenticity. My second part of the question
would be talk about the true spec line that we
see online and man, they really look good. But I
want you to talk about your vision for that.
Speaker 5 (16:40):
Mm hmm, Okay, how long has it been. I can't
think when I took this role as a director. I
think it's been maybe three or four years now. In
the beginning, it was a lot of upkeeps, like what
we have done before. I just need to keep it
up and continue and just be familiar with the new
(17:01):
role and what the new direction that you're talking about
is really a combination of a lot of different things.
That includes Jada Toys, merger with Symbodica Group, our new CEO,
me taking the director role, and the partnership with the
(17:21):
Symbodic group. That opened up a lot more opportunities in
terms of the factories and distribution. It really changed, so
we had a lot more opportunity to do what we
really wanted to do, which is more high end stuff.
And we even from the beginning Jada Toys die Cast
(17:44):
was a great quality with affordable prices. That was our
goal and it still is and we were we weren't
sure if our fans, how the fans will react to
high quality products if we do one, but we tried it.
(18:05):
There's there's a lot of learning that needed to be done,
but outcome was not bad in my opinion. The one
twenty four Fast and Furious charger respect that came out great.
The body lines, the details, I think if it's one
of the best ones, and we just have to see
(18:25):
how that does to continue the new line.
Speaker 6 (18:30):
Sure, yeah, okay, fair enough.
Speaker 2 (18:33):
So I wanted to get back to your kind of
designed esthetic and the stuff that really what excites say
what do you really enjoy working on? What are some
of the designs that you've really looked forward to working
on the most.
Speaker 5 (18:46):
I work on a lot of stuff, and it's it's
really hard to decide because whenever I work on a
certain car, I do a lot of research and I
really get into to it, and I really like and
enjoy working on that car, and like the next car.
(19:07):
Let's say, like if I'm working on like sixty nine
Camaro and I'm like really digging into it, like doing
all the research, I'm like loving the details, what people
are doing with it. I get inspired love that car.
So I'm working on it and it's like, oh yeah,
this looks great. And then the next day I'm working
on like seventy Mustang and it's like I'm doing the
(19:29):
same thing, like doing a lot of research, and it's
like mustang.
Speaker 6 (19:32):
Is it?
Speaker 2 (19:33):
Yeah? Is the research your favorite part?
Speaker 5 (19:36):
I I don't know. I don't know. I think I
think the research is great. It's very fun. You get
to see a lot of stuff. Sometimes I get help
from like different teammates. But I think I enjoyed the
most when the final product comes out. So this is
what I made, this is what I envisioned, and then
it came out the way that I thought it would.
(19:58):
That's that's a great feeling. And it gives me Okay,
I my vision was right. It's it looks great.
Speaker 2 (20:06):
That's awesome. So yeah, it's gonna be wild to kind
of just like start with an idea of Okay, well
we're gonna do this vehicle, and then go from that
to a few weeks or months later having it in
your hands and this is something that is your interpretation
of that vehicle, and it has your fingerprints and all
the research and stuff that you've done all over it.
Is there a particular scale that you enjoy working with
(20:27):
over now because you guys have like like we got
to talk about the data nanos in a little bit,
but you know, you got like little tiny guys and
you got your big one wedding tour and wednings. What's
the most fun for you to work on?
Speaker 5 (20:39):
One twenty four for sure, because one twenty four is
our bread and butter. We have the most wide variety
of castings in one twenty four scale. We can do
a lot more de goos and details in one twenty four.
Well that is not as much as before, like twenty
years ago, but yeah, one twenty four is definitely it,
(21:00):
even like the I mean, thirty two is great, but
it's very limited in terms of cost of what we
can do. We not too but twenty four I think
it is the best one.
Speaker 2 (21:11):
I really like your one twenty four seals. I'm personally
I'm trying to stay in the one sixty four scale range,
and you guys are always tempting me because you've got
a lot of really really great movie cars and you've
got a lot of really interesting tie ins. The one
that is really kind of blown my mind a little
bit is there's like this you got this whole Ghostbuster's
Transformers crossover thing going on right now. Yeah, yeah, what
(21:32):
the heck is going on there? I've got Optimus Prime
like the Eco one and vice versa.
Speaker 5 (21:37):
Yeah, one I don't know when, but one time we
went to our team went to Sanda COMICN and we
saw thin. It was Hasbro who had the crossover, and
it looks great and everybody's everybody loved it and taking
pictures and it just it's just looks great. It works.
So we brought up that idea to management, to the team.
(22:01):
We discussed and because we saw it, we thought that
will allow it. First, we're trying to attempt the same
crossover more in like different franchises, so we're we're working
on that, but first one that's at the one and
Uptime's primate came out great and.
Speaker 2 (22:22):
There's like a Pink Kicktough one right yea yeah, A
lot of discussions about that.
Speaker 5 (22:29):
I posted even I posted on Facebook Jada Club to
explain a little bit. I don't know if people will
leave me a lot. I got some help from some
of the friends to explain what we're doing, some other
collective friends. But basically it is Pink Slips one twenty
four scale limited run because we're only going to release
(22:54):
once in that wave. Ward not going to repeat that
casting or the wave, but for sure that car with
that finish, we won't be really really releasing. So once
it's out and that's it. So I think that's limited edition,
and we plan to do in every four waves there's
(23:17):
going to be one limited edition car that's either a
movie vehicle or a pop culture vehicle.
Speaker 6 (23:25):
You can't see it. The Chuck is setting an alert
on his phone right now, yep, to get that ecked out.
Speaker 3 (23:30):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (23:31):
So it's funny because I remember you did the nineteen
sixty six thatmobile in pink and it caused like all
the Facebook groups I was in, there were all these
people going, oh, it's a chase, it's super rare, and
no it's not. Yeah yeah, yeah, so yeah it working.
I got a lot of people talking.
Speaker 5 (23:45):
Yeah, that one is it was. It was a mess, hey,
to tell you the truth, it was a mess. We
said it was a chase. It said it wasn't.
Speaker 2 (23:53):
So it was kind of a chase.
Speaker 5 (23:55):
Okay, yeah, so it is.
Speaker 3 (23:57):
So the chase, the sensitive sub jecked is what it is.
Speaker 5 (24:01):
Yeah, So so calling it a chase, I think a
lot of people had had an issue with that. So
I think we our team kind of settled as a
limited edition, limited run. So that's why I explained, like
just one time release and that's it. So I think
that that makes more sense as a limited run instead
of having only five hundred pieces with in the mix.
(24:23):
I think that's Chase. Yeah, so that one was the
first one. I think the second one was. That's not
the one second one? What was the second one?
Speaker 6 (24:32):
Was there a Saturn?
Speaker 2 (24:33):
No, it was not a Saturn it was it wasn't
the eighteen van. It wasn't it wasn't smoking the bandit.
Speaker 5 (24:42):
I can't think of that.
Speaker 6 (24:43):
Yeah, this is great, great audio, great.
Speaker 2 (24:46):
Audio, guys. So so this is a good good topic
because the topic of Chase comes up with like every
automotive die cast released person everybody is right throws that
where Chase around. And I think there's a reason why
that there's confusion because Chase typically means that it's a
production run, that limited run that chases a regular product line.
(25:10):
So I guess if there's no main product line and
it was just like like it would be like a
treasure hunt or something or something like that, where you
don't actually have the other version of the vehicle, it's
just the one version. It's just a much more limited
version of it. So that is an interesting point though,
because there is a lot of a lot of terminology
(25:30):
that's thrown around that doesn't always meet like people. I
still talk to lots of people who if they see
a vehicle with rubber tires on it one sixty four sale,
we'll call it real riders. I'm like, no, it's not
a hot Wheels card. That's a hot Wheels term. It's
got rubber simulated rubber tires. But things have become kind
of almost ubiquitous to where they'll say, like a treasure
(25:51):
hunt is a chase, and it's it's not, or the
limited run is a chase. So it's really interesting, and
I think it's kind of cool that you guys are
offering these these limited run things as well and continuing
that that trend, and I think that's a that's an
interesting little niche of the hobby is that people that
go for the things that are purposefully not as accurate
as the other things, but they're rarer, So like a
(26:13):
pink ectot one or a pink batmobile or something that
just because it's fun and it's different and it's interesting.
So it's really cool that you guys are kind of
putting your own spin on that. I do want to
talk really quick about the data Nano stuff, because I'm
talking about pop culture stuff. You guys have done some
really cool ones. I love the Jurassic Park when I
want to get my hands on that one, the Back
to the Future one I have, it's fantastic. I have
(26:35):
several of the Fast and Furious ones. So tell me
a bit about that, because that's not even really a
particular scale, is it Like it's kind of in scale
ish but.
Speaker 5 (26:45):
Not not even h O scale.
Speaker 2 (26:48):
It's it's like it's like its own unique things small, furious. Yes, yeah,
let's talk about that.
Speaker 5 (26:53):
It's it's very interesting. So when we first thought about it,
I think it started with our Nano figure first, mm,
those little figures with the base so it's kind of
like it was a green armyment turns into a metal
but with like the pop culture characters. So we wanted
to do similar stuff with vehicles, so it's about the
(27:17):
same footprint of the Nano figures, so that a car.
That's how the Nano car size came about. And the
Nano scene is I forgot who actually threw that throughout
that idea. I think it might have been our CEO Bill,
Bill and Mike Mikemanez at the time, it was the director,
(27:39):
I think they were talking and they were like, hey,
what about what if we do a downshouse? So we
just started the Downshouse and released it. That became a
viral thing and we never expected that to be something
that like this big, right, and it just went crazy.
(27:59):
People who has that Dom's House gets like thousands of
like clicks and like instantly getting like a lot of
followers everywhere you go, like get Target. I think it
was at the time, Target is the only one who
was tearing them that was just sold out. So it
was very successful. So we just continued building that line up. Yeah,
(28:22):
and that's how it came out to be. But it
wasn't really any specific scales or or nothing like that
makes sense.
Speaker 2 (28:30):
It's a really cool thing. I love dioramas and I
love the way that you can tell a much larger
story with such a limited amount of space.
Speaker 5 (28:37):
Yeah, it's like the iconic scene of the movie. When
you think about Fast and Furious, you cannot think about
Fast and Furious without Dom's House. The first few movies,
it always starts there, ends there, it comes out with
the show, it gets blown up and it's.
Speaker 2 (28:54):
Like the only person to actually die in Fast and
Furious Rest.
Speaker 5 (29:00):
Then and then Torado's Cafe, that's one of them, like
super iconic. People still go there and take pictures. So
that's the latest one that we have. Well, the next
one that we're working on is from Tokyo Drift Hans Garage.
We put a lot of work into it. It's got
all the walls included, so you can totally close it
(29:20):
up or you can have like maybe the roof open,
remove it or the side walls. Move the side walls
so you can see like all the interior. It has
a great detail with the lift and everything.
Speaker 3 (29:34):
It came out great, the evil in there and all
that session. Yes, Edwin pod thinks right right speaking of
Tokyo Drift and Sun King and you guys got the
homecoming coming up soon June seven. Can you tell us
a little bit about that.
Speaker 5 (29:51):
There is not a lot of details released yet, so
we have the date, time and place. Is that the
Costa Mesa Mall. So they we had our first one
there and the second time second year that we wanted
to do it again. They were remodeling, so we did it.
You know the place now we're going back or our
(30:14):
space that we rented is doubled the size that we
rented before. We're going to have a lot of great cars,
movie cars from Fast of course, and then all the
other partners that we work with, and some new die
cast pieces that that you can come out and check out.
So sneak peaks, so.
Speaker 3 (30:35):
You go, people come out. They're going to see a
lot of new things. Yeah, yes, and it's going to
be a cool experience. So yeah, if we lived a
little closer, we might come out.
Speaker 6 (30:45):
It's no excuse, we really hidn't.
Speaker 2 (30:47):
You're on the same coast mark, you could do it, Yeah, don't.
It's the closest from Love in Washington. Yeah.
Speaker 6 (30:58):
Yeah, we have Florida and Alabama.
Speaker 3 (31:01):
Back and in the backwoods some of David Johnson here's me.
Speaker 2 (31:04):
He's in the front woods, thank you very much.
Speaker 3 (31:06):
Yeah, but as he came from the backwoods.
Speaker 6 (31:09):
Hey, I love I love hearing when you guys are
out in public and interacting with the fans, because that
really rings true with what you and everybody at JADA
talked about when we met you at the super Con
in Vegas, is that you guys really are interested in
getting feedback, and that was the purpose of having that
amazing booth at the convention was to interact with the fans.
(31:31):
So not only are you doing the Homecoming, but I
saw something about a Los Angeles fuel Fest that you
guys posted. Can you can you talk a little bit
about that event and maybe why Jada is so eager
to get in front of fans.
Speaker 5 (31:46):
That was So there's two different things. So Homecoming and
feel Fest. Well, all the events are managed by our
marketing team. They do an amazing job. Fuel Fest is one
of them. We go out there, we display our products,
we interact with our fans, but it's usually yes, I
(32:06):
see Jada Diecast collectors, but it's more of a fan
of the movie, fan of the cars more than die
Cast collectors in my opinion. Yes, so I'm going there
to interact with the people and the culture, but what
I am personally interested in is to interact with die
(32:31):
Cast collectors. So that's why we started going to the
supercom We weren't there a few years ago. We just
this is our second time, and I brought it up
to our CEO and to the marketing team. Hey, did
you guys heard it? Hear about this? Because we're I'm
still friends with people and how I still they're going
there and we're not there, Like everybody's going there. They
(32:53):
might still have wheels, supreen light into They're all there
except us. So I brought it up and it was like,
oh yea, maybe you can. You can look into it,
and I pushed. I want to see people like, I
know our stuff is selling Jada stuff, but I don't
know where our fans are. I don't know if they
(33:15):
like our stuff or or they hate our stuff.
Speaker 3 (33:19):
Yeah, they buy it and then they go home and
they throw it the prom r Work's the story here.
What are they doing with the product?
Speaker 5 (33:25):
What are they doing with it? So people are buying it,
we hear the numbers are great, but where are they
like even at the fans Facebook, they're not that many
like looking at looking at the numbers that I see
like the things, how much it's selling, And I see
the fans at Facebook it's not much. So it's like,
(33:46):
where are they right? So I wanted to go there.
I want to meet people. I wanted to hear from
our fans, like what you guys like, what you guys
don't like? I want to take that into consideration because
I know, well, I have my best guests because I've
been in the industry. But my guess might be wrong.
I don't want to think that way, but who knows.
(34:08):
Sometimes you can fail.
Speaker 3 (34:09):
You can't speak for people. You just have to hear
what the opinion is are.
Speaker 5 (34:15):
Yeah, I mean it feel fast. It's great that we
want to put Jada's name out there. We want to
see people talk about Jada, see Jada and our products,
just like the giant Hoteliti is doing with how Wheels brand.
They're everywhere. People love them and we want to They're great,
they're doing great things, and we are doing similar things
(34:37):
in slightly different style, which is where we're going to
show car events. We're involved with them to showcase our stuff.
But yeah, we want to want people.
Speaker 6 (34:50):
Yep, No, it's great. That's all we can ask for
is the three of us as collectors. That's all we
want is someone to hear us, hear what we like,
what we don't like, and to see you guys doing that.
It meets the world and it's it does not go
unnoticed because some companies don't.
Speaker 5 (35:07):
Yeah, I mean that was yeah, that was us before
and now we're trying to be out there a lot
more with with without Jada's help.
Speaker 6 (35:17):
Not like the.
Speaker 5 (35:20):
Super Con or Homecoming feel Fest. I want to be
at like some of the dyke Hast events or go
to like the di Cast. Meet local first. So I'm
talking to House of Cars see if there's any events
that me or my designers can attend. So we're we're
in talks so hopefully we can get out there and
(35:43):
meet more people, meet more collectors. Like gas supercond was
it was really fun like it was like a lot
of input, a lot of love, and I in met
to you guys, and I'm doing this also to to
get us out there too. You know, whether I hear
like good stuff or bad stuff, I want to hear it.
Speaker 6 (36:01):
Sure, yeah, got totally not so much pad to but yeah.
Speaker 2 (36:04):
Yeah we're written. Everyone's everyone's a critic and critic. Criticism
costs nothing if we are learning, So yeah, you got
to you gotta roll with that. That's part of you know,
giving the people what they want is they're always going
to want more. So I'm curious if there was if
market demand was no objects and there was no budget objection,
(36:25):
there something that you would like to do just hypothetically
that hasn't been done before.
Speaker 5 (36:31):
Well, I want to get into sixty four scale. If
there's no barriers, no no issues and nothing, well that
hypothetically do you have motation Just like Chuck what you're
what you said, everybody loves sixty four, we do. In
the beginning, we did a lot of what sixty four's
with Dup City impro Racers, all of that stuff that
(36:52):
was one sixty four, and we ventured into twenty fours
and later you got into thirty twos and eighteen's sixty
four for I know, it's it's very difficult, I want
to say, challenging and very competitive, Yes, very competitive. We are, however,
working with major At to fulfill that that dream a
(37:17):
little bit. We have a newline called major At Collection Series.
It's a collaboration within the major At Jata. Major Att
is developing the castings. But we did give our thoughts
and reviews and comments of the products, and I think
it came out really nice. It's true to scale. All
(37:40):
the nice details that that we asked for is their
dis body tykes, chassis, rubberized wheels, jueled headlights, no opening
features because that kind of ruins the body. Yeah, so
and then also a nice display case comes with so
(38:01):
I hope it does really well.
Speaker 2 (38:04):
No, you can David's language.
Speaker 6 (38:05):
You you nailed it. Say we all love seeing them
in Vegas and I made just copious amounts of videos.
Speaker 3 (38:12):
Yeah, pushed a little kid down that had one and
you stole it from them. Yeah, well I think they're
still looking for him. So I wasn't going home until
I had it.
Speaker 6 (38:23):
No, say that collection series, guys. If you I'm talking
to the viewers now, if you have not checked out
Major Atte Collection, it is true scale. It is right
up there with the heavy hitters in the premium arena.
And say the price is it's not competitive. It is
ultra competitive compared to what we're at.
Speaker 2 (38:49):
Seven nine and you're out the old phrase, that's the MSRP.
We'll get to that in a minute.
Speaker 6 (38:53):
We'll get to that minute. But it is truly some
really fantastic guess so kudos to you guys for doing that.
Speaker 5 (39:00):
Thank you, thank you. If you guys liked it, we
had a huge demand. A lot of buyers loved it,
so we're producing with the full force. It's going to
be out anytime and it's coming from Thailand, so there
should be a little bit less. Yeah, yeah, there's no
big issues.
Speaker 6 (39:21):
Before we get into that. Viewers and listeners alike, If
you were interested in seeing two waves of the new
series that say is talking about, we've got them on
dotcuss Media Network. Just go back through the back catalog.
You can see previews of the two waves before they
come out.
Speaker 2 (39:38):
Go ahead, absolutely, And I guess as we're wrapping things
up here, we do want to talk about the very
expensive elephant in the room. We were talking about this
a little bit beforehand that currently, as of recording this,
there are some tariffs in effect, and a lot of
us woke up one day and went to Walmart and
saw that the prices on all our favorite collectibles had
gone up significantly. And there's some inconsists and sees to
(40:00):
say the least as to how much prices are changing
on there. Now, tell me say how much controlled Jata
has over something like that and what that's, how that's
affecting data choice, how you're working with that, right right?
Speaker 5 (40:16):
We I actually found out the new prices through our fans.
Speaker 6 (40:21):
They were always preferred.
Speaker 5 (40:23):
Yeah, they were posting pictures of the look this is
what this is what I found. It's like twenty eight
dollars or I don't know, like twenty six or twenty
eight or thirty dollars for one twenty four scale. It
was like all over the place. And then I brought
that up to our sales team. They found out after
and then the prices that we received was all over
(40:45):
the place. Some were double, some were like three dollars
more than before, five thousands more than before. And it's
not the retail price is not handled by us. We
do give them our price to them, and yeah, we
have our suggested price, but they do what they do. Yeah, yeah,
(41:07):
it's unfortunate, but yeah.
Speaker 2 (41:09):
Well, and they're the ones that are ultimately I think
paying the tariffs too, or at least they're the retailers
or where the they have to make up that extra
cost from them bringing in right out right. So so
you know, folks, if if there's anything you should take
away from this, it's please don't send say messages and
Finns say and go why is my pink pink cap
(41:32):
go one so expensive? Say? Does not have anything to
do with that? Neither do the find folks over it.
Speaker 3 (41:38):
Jada totlet toilet paper's hospital toilet paper is expensive too.
Speaker 2 (41:42):
I know, I got it. That's why the rest of
this closet is just full of toilet paper, so just
got to have a stock up man. Yeah, I remember
twenty twenty, so that's a a. I mean, it's funny
as I was one of those collectors that did actually
before the tariff said. I was like, Okay, I got
to go out and buy this and this and this
is just in case. And I'm hoping that this is
(42:02):
something that will rectify itself fairly quickly. But we talked
to enjoying our hobby more and you guys can continue
to thrive and do well and keep making all the
epic stuff that data is turning out. So before we
wrap things up, we's got some cool stuff cooking over there, Jada,
So what do.
Speaker 5 (42:21):
You always so? Next year a super Con. We're going
to do our best to have super con explosive. Yes,
this year we tried and we failed.
Speaker 2 (42:33):
Well you had them, to be fair, there were something yea, yeah,
yeah there was. They survived. They're not quite ready for
prime time.
Speaker 5 (42:42):
Yeah, but this this coming super cool will definitely have
some We have a bunch of candidates that we can
pick from. We have a brand new item that we're cooking.
I think it's going to be going to be super
exciting to showcase it there. Next limited the edition for
one twenty four scale for the fans here, it's going
(43:05):
to be eighty nine Batman Bill Oh Cold After at
the one acting at the one is now the shelves. Yeah,
but because of tariff situation, I don't know when it's
going to be shipped. But that's on that.
Speaker 6 (43:27):
Okay, real quick, point people to the site. If you
if you're shopping and you're at Target and you can't
find what you want, that doesn't mean that's the end
of your journey looking for your favorite data model. You
have a source for other collectors, say, tell people where
they can find harder to find models.
Speaker 5 (43:45):
Hard to find models.
Speaker 6 (43:47):
Well, the I was referring to the next Level site
to make sure we no no, no, no, no, nothing crazy.
Speaker 5 (43:55):
So Jada Next Level is something that we work card
for to connect with our collectors. It's direct to consumer
site that we manage and we are working very hard
to have a lot more products there. And the first
(44:17):
one that I think was very successful recently was wanting
teen pink slips. So I heard so many feedbacks like
basically complained about Wave one cars, especially that Red Porsche
or wit Porsche, and everyone was waiting for it was
(44:40):
always gone and whenever people saw it, they just bought
everything and put it up on eBay.
Speaker 6 (44:47):
What I can't believe.
Speaker 5 (44:48):
The shocker, We decided to put some on the site
for anyone who wants to buy or missed the opportunity,
so we put it out there. It was it was
sold out in a matter of minutes. I think it
was like sold out in like I think it was
like one hour or something. So I think it was
(45:10):
fifty pieces that we we put it on. It was
just gone. And so we know that people, our collectors
are actually going there to look for those the products
that they missed. So we're going to do We're going
to put a lot more. Anything that you guys want,
just tell us, send us messages through Instagram, Facebook. We
all read it.
Speaker 6 (45:31):
So data, next level dot com, thank you.
Speaker 2 (45:36):
Yep, check it out, be there or be square. But
before you go there, make sure you hit the subscribed
light button. And I'm just kidding, not really.
Speaker 3 (45:44):
I was kind of hoping that we say to play
us Stairway to Heavens or something like that.
Speaker 2 (45:49):
You played long say is that just say your guitar long.
Speaker 5 (45:55):
Only a little bit. My sons are picking up that hobby.
Speaker 6 (46:00):
Cool.
Speaker 5 (46:00):
I was just I wasn't. I only know like basics.
Yeah it's okay, but yeah.
Speaker 2 (46:05):
It's a fun thing to have. I found an old
Squire strat in a dumpster and a buddy of mine
fixed it up, and I'm hoping one day my my
kids will play on that one because I played it
a little bit. But I would, like you, I just
knew the basics. But that's really cool. Well, great dumpsters
often chuck it was college. It was actually it was. Well,
say it was out there working for Jada, I was
(46:27):
diving in dumpsters. So and now we're both here, so
look at that anyway. Well, I'll say it's been an
absolute delight having you on. Really enjoyed chatting with you.
Is there anywhere that folks could find you follow you
if they want to get more say in their life?
Speaker 3 (46:43):
Yeah, like Instagram.
Speaker 5 (46:45):
I'm like on and off, Like sometimes I put post
a lot. Sometimes I just go like just browse around,
say yes and s A S S E I y
E S S. Yeah, that's where I'm don't complain about.
Speaker 2 (46:59):
Prices the cars, No, no prices, go say nice things
to say over on Instagram. Folks. All right, well say
thanks again for being on and thank you watchers listeners
wherever you are for making it to the end of
another episode. Don't forget to check out driven dreams dot org,
where we are raising twenty four twenty five thousand cars.
(47:20):
Because it's twenty twenty five now forty five million, twenty
five million, why not. We're just gonna keep bringing it
up for kids a need all over the world. You
don't have to lick a stamp, you don't have to
pack a box. You just go over to driven dreams
dot org. You pledge the cars that you're going to give,
and you show some evidence that you gave it to
somewhere local that's making a difference for kids in your area.
(47:41):
It's a really cool idea that Mark is championed, and
we are happy to help press that along.
Speaker 6 (47:46):
Se October fifteenth that our official Diecast Day of Giving
Say spread it around the office at the Data there
is an actual day where all Diecast collectors donate cars
to the local charities, churches, whatever, food banks. The die
Cast Day of Giving Something Mark started four or five
years ago. We're trying to make a Global Impact.
Speaker 3 (48:09):
Need to shake down your employees, say shading them dot org.
Speaker 2 (48:14):
Check it out, folks, and again shout out to the
patrons that are making the show go. If you want
to give us money instead of giving it to kids
in need, I guess you could do that.
Speaker 3 (48:24):
Yes, you do both.
Speaker 2 (48:26):
It's like a terrible time for me to ask for money.
Good grief. But yeah, go to Driven dream take that. Yeah,
go to Driven Dreams dot org. But and if you
get some extra scratch, you can throw it our way.
But we appreciate our patrons to make the show go.
And anyone who clicks the like, follow, subscribe rates us
five stars on the audio apps. Hey audio people, we
see you. Even though you can't see us, we see you.
Speaker 3 (48:49):
Rate us five stars.
Speaker 2 (48:50):
Please. That really helps other people find the show and
keeps the show growing. Thank you so much. Bring it
to the end of another episode. If you're on the
YouTube side, a little comment showing you're part of the
posed Down crew. We really appreciate those people most of all,
and as always, we want to thank you for coming
along with us for the ride. So until next time,
stay rest Tuesbanks.
Speaker 4 (49:09):
Thanks for listening to die Cast Breakdown. If you enjoy
today's show, please rate us five stars on Apple Podcasts
and tell a friend to listen in. Find Diecast Breakdown
on your favorite social media platforms, or visit diecastmedianetwork dot
com to learn more about this and our other projects.
Die Cast Breakdown is a presentation of Flying Valiant and
(49:32):
the die Cast Media network.
I trust you.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
Guys, Oh that was your first mistake and hanging out
for a second, and you know, we'll tell you what
Usually within five seconds we're good to go.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
So hey, Mark, welcome to the show. Is the headphone
recommended or is it okay to absolutely it keeps the
echo down. I can make me just do this, or yeah,
you can do that. That's fine too, Yeah, that's fine.
Whatever works. This is not a fashion show. We are
(00:31):
definitely not in the right space for having anything to
say about fashion. We have T shirts for yourself. Speak
for yourself, sir. Speaking of headphones, I can't find mine,
so it's gonna say don't you usually have headphones? Mark?
But it's okay, I don't know, all right, and it's
say correct, yes more or less. I'm very bad with pronunciations,
(00:55):
so which is a great thing when you're a podcaster.
Can't have it old Chuck, can't have the good looks,
the pronunciations and sucks you don't have the one. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
We Well, it's always fun when we have people from
the Netherlands on because uh, we'll be like, and here's
this person's name of the big no blur breaking.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
DNA, but aren't coming up.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
All right, now we're gonna call you close Jane j
all right, are you ready.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
Already? And three two.
Speaker 4 (01:28):
You're watching Diecast Breakdown with Chuck Ellis, David Johns, and
Mark mccontrier. So sit back, scrap it.
Speaker 5 (01:45):
And hang on.
Speaker 4 (01:48):
The breakdown starts.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
Noither, folks, Chuck here and welcome to die Cast Breakdown.
I am so glad you're with us today. We give
a special welcome to our executive producier level of patrons.
That would be first and sixty fourth Customs Day, Self
Driven Dreams dot Org, Elevationdecast Racing, Jason Jay Goldenberg. How
about that guy, he's interesting. Lewis Biglu Tanahara, Mad Visions
(02:13):
Reviews through Another Lens twice, die Cast and Video Geek Productions.
These are the gentlemen and ladies and others. I don't
know whoever they are. They're giving us. They're giving us money,
and so we get to say their name at the
beginning of each show. And there's a bunch other people
giving us money too. And you can check out how
you can join these people that support this fun little
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(02:36):
check the link for Patreon, or you can hit the
little joint button down below your little YouTube video if
you're watching us on the YouTube, And that's a great
way to help pay for all this fancy gear that
literally snapped off in my hands right before starting the show.
So we'rer story. We're off to a great start here,
and I'm not starting by myself as I frequently am.
I am starting with my buddies, my co hosts, my
(02:58):
partner's wife, friends, mister David Johns, David, how the heck
are you today?
Speaker 6 (03:03):
Good? I'm not going to touch my mic?
Speaker 2 (03:05):
Thank you, thank you. The words have been noted from
our fair listeners, and your ears going to rejoice because
David is not going to touch.
Speaker 3 (03:15):
The mic, is tapping his mic all the time.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
Yeah. And Mark, who has no mic, is also with
us today. Mark, Barry Chuck, Mark, Mike Chuck, how are
you doing? Mostly doing fantastic. This is a very good
day and it means very good things for the channel.
But I can't talk about that right now because it's
a secret. But we'll talk about that soon. Enough talking
(03:41):
about talking about things. I am really excited about today's
guest because we are joined by somebody who has done
more about die cast this morning than you'll do in
your entire lifetime. And he's done a whole bunch of
stuff before that too. He is the director of product
development at Jada Toys. But he's got a long, long
(04:02):
CV of all sorts of cool stuff and we'll talk
about some of that stuff and what he's working on now.
But mister say show is joining us from Jata Toys.
Jada Toys, right, Jata Toys. Yes, how are you guys?
Speaker 6 (04:14):
All right?
Speaker 2 (04:15):
So yeah, how are you doing?
Speaker 6 (04:16):
Man?
Speaker 2 (04:17):
I always always have to check myself is it Jada
Toys or is it just Jada? Because your stuff doesn't
feel like toys. I mean, you've got toys, but you've
got stuff that really looks solid. It's stuff that you go, mom,
They're not toys, they're models. It's great stuff. And I'm
really excited to have you on. Thank you for being
on the show with us today. We're excited to have
you here.
Speaker 5 (04:34):
Well, thank you for having me. It's I think the
beginning of Jada it was the logo says Jada Toys,
and when it got back it was just Jada got
it something. But we just call we still call ourselves
Jada Toys. Our email still says Jada Toys. Yeah, so
either way, I think it still works.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
Yeah all right, Well on your CV it says Jada Toys,
so we'll call it that. But you've got any interesting
kind of book and Jada Toys thing in your career.
So let's let's start at the beginning. Where did you
get your start in die cast?
Speaker 5 (05:07):
It's very interesting. So I went to Art Center to
study transportation design, and Art Center is a tri semester
to finish up to eighth term you graduate. I don't
know what now about I think still still the same.
I finished up to six and I took a time off,
(05:27):
and then I went to a friend's restaurant bar opening
party and I met Louis Tanahara. At the time, he
was the director of Jada Toys and we just started
talking and basically hired me after he saw my portfolio.
So that's when I started my dicast career with Jada Toys.
(05:49):
That was like twenty five, looks like.
Speaker 3 (05:51):
Two thousand and three, so he only hired people from
Kinkos like Eddie. Eddie was Thinka's only thing. I guess
not fashed out. You must have really wowed, say, yeah,
you must really have.
Speaker 5 (06:05):
Yeah. He needed somebody who knew how to draw cars,
somebody who can design fastic.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
Yeah, Dang.
Speaker 3 (06:17):
Had crime like a single tier.
Speaker 5 (06:20):
He had his graphic designers. And then from there I
went to Hot Wheels for a couple of years, and
I went to Adult magazine. At the time, there were
I think still they do make automotive accessories with a
lot of different kinds of body kits, wheels, phone cases, audios, everything.
(06:41):
So I was there, and then I went to eas
Coast to a design firm, went there to design a
new electric vehicle for Chrysler and did a lot of
bunch of bunch of different stuff like kitchen knives too,
I don't know fans. And then I went to another
(07:02):
design firm that specialized in packaging and they had a
lot of big clients like Craft. So I did a
lot of j Lad old spice and then a lot
of beauty products. And then I came back to LA.
That's when I had my second child, so we need
(07:24):
a little bit more help. My parents weren't living in
LA and they still do. And I came back and
I went to Don magazine again to work with them
and then went back to Jada and that's like nine
years ago. Yeah, so I did a full circumpaty.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
Yeah, you always come back to.
Speaker 4 (07:43):
Jada BacT with more die Cast Breakdown after this word
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(08:03):
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Speaker 7 (08:06):
Cast Heads Magazine is a digital publication dedicated to enhancing
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cast accessories like figures and dioramas, throwing light on customizers,
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(08:28):
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Speaker 4 (08:35):
And now back to Diecast Breakdown.
Speaker 2 (08:37):
Yeah, now, that's that's really interesting. So working in the
industry as long as you did, and especially working with
data at the beginning and now here, what changes have
you seen in the industry, whether it's collectors, or the
interactions with the fans, changes in design trends. Where are
some of the things that really stand out to you
as someone who was there in like two thousand and three,
we're kind of right at the very beginning of data
(08:58):
because they started in like ninety ninety two thousand right here,
So tell me a bit about all the What really
stands out to you is what has changed.
Speaker 5 (09:06):
So in the beginning, that was my first time joining
and kind of being involved in this die cast world.
And I'm not really familiar with the die cast back then,
so I was learning a lot. I learned about, even
the graphics that I wasn't really studied for. It helped
me greatly. Back in the day, the e sheets that
(09:29):
we were doing were lots and lots that goes. It
was just so much the casting developments back in the day.
We were doing like Clay's No. Three D, a lot
of drawings, a lot of different detailed drawings back and
forth with China. That to me, two thousand and three
(09:51):
till four or five, those are like the heydays of
die cast. Wherever you go, given to the malls, every
owner there's a kiosk that sells die Cast die Cast
only it was like full of die casts, and most
of the stuff are where I live.
Speaker 6 (10:09):
I live in.
Speaker 5 (10:10):
California near La Orange County. Wherever I go, those are
probably eighty five percent shade of product that they're selling.
Gas stations everywhere, like toys, r US, Walmart everywhere, and
it's just not just us. But maybe hot Wheels were
really big. What was that company? The Muslim Machines. Yeah,
(10:33):
we've got the was it fun line? Fun Twists? And
then Maestol is still still is good. But you know,
back then it was like if you go to Costco,
like die Cast section was huge. I still have one,
so but now it it's a little different, you know,
instead a lot like the behavior of the consumers changed.
(10:55):
You don't we would go to mall step as much
as before, right, A lot of online purchases prices of
course changed. So yeah, So.
Speaker 3 (11:06):
Do you think there'll be a shift back at all
to that type of I don't know. I feel like
in certain cases, like people are going back to like
more analog type phones, and some people are trying to
reach for that old feeling of of stores, like going
to stores and stuff. I know malls probably won't come back,
(11:28):
but I think I think people are missing some of those,
especially people my aid. I can't speak for David because
that's a different time, but it's not that different black
and white anyways. Do they think they'll be a shift?
Do you guys see a shift like that for being
like because there's been talking like some of the toy
(11:48):
stars coming back. I don't know if that's actually going
to be a thing, is talking about coming back. But
I think people, you know, miss those types of things
because it's everything's online. It takes a lot of the
joy out of buying die cast, just specifically die Cast,
because I don't really take a lot of joy in
(12:09):
going online and looking through a catalog or just I
want to hold it right then hold it close up.
So do you foresee that? Do you guys haven't like
a lot? I mean, do you guys get people to
reach out to you for that kind of stuff?
Speaker 5 (12:23):
I think right now, from my point of view, it's
mixed up both for example, the cars that we drive
evs and like screens inside the cars when it was
first introduced, I think I think the best example. I
don't know if you guys are I know, I'm sure
everybody's a car fan. That's why you put like die
(12:45):
Cast on the type bar. The volume knob was on
the screen. There wasn't a physical knob or switch, and
a lot of companies are going back to like the
physical switches knob and I think it needs to have
both in our world. But for Diecasts, I don't know
(13:06):
if digital actually worked that well. It's it's all about
what I have in my hand, in my wall, what
I see, what I touch. I think Hot Wheels tried
a lot of different things because they can, and some
succeeded and some not as better, not as good as
(13:27):
the other ones. And the ones that did not too
well as the others were, in my opinion, were more
like NFTs. How you'll side tee love how it turned
out physically, it looks great, but I don't know how
it did online.
Speaker 3 (13:46):
Right, Yeah, I don't think that anyone. It's hard to
speak for numbers, but I don't think I know that
myself and a lot of people my age, which is
a I think a large collectors. I mean I think
it's the collectors are all over the place when it
to toys, right, But I think having something tangible means
something to us, and maybe now more than ever because
(14:07):
it it's nostalgic, and I think a lot of people
love that feeling of nostalgia. I mean, I just bought
some some surge from from Norway that's like seven years
old because I wanted to taste it again, and I
paid twenty dollars for it.
Speaker 2 (14:25):
I think you're making too much money.
Speaker 6 (14:27):
Mark.
Speaker 3 (14:28):
It's just it's then that the nostalgia, and it's just
like you do some weird things to have it again
and to have those toys like that. But of course
there's always the new versions of things. But you know,
I think what you guys are doing is really great
with some of the packaging and your new lines. I
think it's very aesthetically pleasing, and it's nice to see
(14:50):
it kind of shift in a different direction with some
of the more premium type stuff like David John's mister
we call mister Premium is due man? What is many
nick as? Okay, but that's premium stuff. Now, I can't
go back.
Speaker 4 (15:04):
Don't touch the dial. Die Cast Breakdown will be right
back after these messages. Die Cast Breakdown is produced in
partnership with twice die Cast and Driven Dreams or on YouTube.
Check out their channels in the video description and subscribe
for more epic die Cast content.
Speaker 2 (15:22):
Hey, this is Larry Woody.
Speaker 3 (15:24):
This is Derek from Honest I Can, and this is
a chat written from Brown two. This is Mike from Gaslast,
srt JO, Vita Shows, Chimpion, dj K.
Speaker 2 (15:33):
You're watching die Cast Breakdown.
Speaker 4 (15:40):
And now the thrilling conclusion of this week's episode of
die Cast Breakdown.
Speaker 6 (15:46):
Say can I can I piggyback on what Mark is saying,
because like you said, you've seen you've seen Jada go
from Jada Toys to now it feels like and you
correct me as the director of product development, that I
that right. Okay, so you you kind of have Jada's
vision at the forefront of what you do when you
(16:07):
go into work. And I love seeing Jada move from
but always good quality and good castings to now we're
talking about stuff that is really attractive for hardcore collectors
like me. Talk about maybe is that an intentional move
by Jada to go after those really choosy and picky
(16:28):
collectors looking for authenticity. My second part of the question
would be talk about the true spec line that we
see online and man, they really look good. But I
want you to talk about your vision for that.
Speaker 5 (16:40):
Mm hmm, Okay, how long has it been. I can't
think when I took this role as a director. I
think it's been maybe three or four years now. In
the beginning, it was a lot of upkeeps, like what
we have done before. I just need to keep it
up and continue and just be familiar with the new
(17:01):
role and what the new direction that you're talking about
is really a combination of a lot of different things.
That includes Jada Toys, merger with Symbodica Group, our new CEO,
me taking the director role, and the partnership with the
(17:21):
Symbodic group. That opened up a lot more opportunities in
terms of the factories and distribution. It really changed, so
we had a lot more opportunity to do what we
really wanted to do, which is more high end stuff.
And we even from the beginning Jada Toys die Cast
(17:44):
was a great quality with affordable prices. That was our
goal and it still is and we were we weren't
sure if our fans, how the fans will react to
high quality products if we do one, but we tried it.
(18:05):
There's there's a lot of learning that needed to be done,
but outcome was not bad in my opinion. The one
twenty four Fast and Furious charger respect that came out great.
The body lines, the details, I think if it's one
of the best ones, and we just have to see
(18:25):
how that does to continue the new line.
Speaker 6 (18:30):
Sure, yeah, okay, fair enough.
Speaker 2 (18:33):
So I wanted to get back to your kind of
designed esthetic and the stuff that really what excites say
what do you really enjoy working on? What are some
of the designs that you've really looked forward to working
on the most.
Speaker 5 (18:46):
I work on a lot of stuff, and it's it's
really hard to decide because whenever I work on a
certain car, I do a lot of research and I
really get into to it, and I really like and
enjoy working on that car, and like the next car.
(19:07):
Let's say, like if I'm working on like sixty nine
Camaro and I'm like really digging into it, like doing
all the research, I'm like loving the details, what people
are doing with it. I get inspired love that car.
So I'm working on it and it's like, oh yeah,
this looks great. And then the next day I'm working
on like seventy Mustang and it's like I'm doing the
(19:29):
same thing, like doing a lot of research, and it's
like mustang.
Speaker 6 (19:32):
Is it?
Speaker 2 (19:33):
Yeah? Is the research your favorite part?
Speaker 5 (19:36):
I I don't know. I don't know. I think I
think the research is great. It's very fun. You get
to see a lot of stuff. Sometimes I get help
from like different teammates. But I think I enjoyed the
most when the final product comes out. So this is
what I made, this is what I envisioned, and then
it came out the way that I thought it would.
(19:58):
That's that's a great feeling. And it gives me Okay,
I my vision was right. It's it looks great.
Speaker 2 (20:06):
That's awesome. So yeah, it's gonna be wild to kind
of just like start with an idea of Okay, well
we're gonna do this vehicle, and then go from that
to a few weeks or months later having it in
your hands and this is something that is your interpretation
of that vehicle, and it has your fingerprints and all
the research and stuff that you've done all over it.
Is there a particular scale that you enjoy working with
(20:27):
over now because you guys have like like we got
to talk about the data nanos in a little bit,
but you know, you got like little tiny guys and
you got your big one wedding tour and wednings. What's
the most fun for you to work on?
Speaker 5 (20:39):
One twenty four for sure, because one twenty four is
our bread and butter. We have the most wide variety
of castings in one twenty four scale. We can do
a lot more de goos and details in one twenty four.
Well that is not as much as before, like twenty
years ago, but yeah, one twenty four is definitely it,
(21:00):
even like the I mean, thirty two is great, but
it's very limited in terms of cost of what we
can do. We not too but twenty four I think
it is the best one.
Speaker 2 (21:11):
I really like your one twenty four seals. I'm personally
I'm trying to stay in the one sixty four scale range,
and you guys are always tempting me because you've got
a lot of really really great movie cars and you've
got a lot of really interesting tie ins. The one
that is really kind of blown my mind a little
bit is there's like this you got this whole Ghostbuster's
Transformers crossover thing going on right now. Yeah, yeah, what
(21:32):
the heck is going on there? I've got Optimus Prime
like the Eco one and vice versa.
Speaker 5 (21:37):
Yeah, one I don't know when, but one time we
went to our team went to Sanda COMICN and we
saw thin. It was Hasbro who had the crossover, and
it looks great and everybody's everybody loved it and taking
pictures and it just it's just looks great. It works.
So we brought up that idea to management, to the team.
(22:01):
We discussed and because we saw it, we thought that
will allow it. First, we're trying to attempt the same
crossover more in like different franchises, so we're we're working
on that, but first one that's at the one and
Uptime's primate came out great and.
Speaker 2 (22:22):
There's like a Pink Kicktough one right yea yeah, A
lot of discussions about that.
Speaker 5 (22:29):
I posted even I posted on Facebook Jada Club to
explain a little bit. I don't know if people will
leave me a lot. I got some help from some
of the friends to explain what we're doing, some other
collective friends. But basically it is Pink Slips one twenty
four scale limited run because we're only going to release
(22:54):
once in that wave. Ward not going to repeat that
casting or the wave, but for sure that car with
that finish, we won't be really really releasing. So once
it's out and that's it. So I think that's limited edition,
and we plan to do in every four waves there's
(23:17):
going to be one limited edition car that's either a
movie vehicle or a pop culture vehicle.
Speaker 6 (23:25):
You can't see it. The Chuck is setting an alert
on his phone right now, yep, to get that ecked out.
Speaker 3 (23:30):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (23:31):
So it's funny because I remember you did the nineteen
sixty six thatmobile in pink and it caused like all
the Facebook groups I was in, there were all these
people going, oh, it's a chase, it's super rare, and
no it's not. Yeah yeah, yeah, so yeah it working.
I got a lot of people talking.
Speaker 5 (23:45):
Yeah, that one is it was. It was a mess, hey,
to tell you the truth, it was a mess. We
said it was a chase. It said it wasn't.
Speaker 2 (23:53):
So it was kind of a chase.
Speaker 5 (23:55):
Okay, yeah, so it is.
Speaker 3 (23:57):
So the chase, the sensitive sub jecked is what it is.
Speaker 5 (24:01):
Yeah, So so calling it a chase, I think a
lot of people had had an issue with that. So
I think we our team kind of settled as a
limited edition, limited run. So that's why I explained, like
just one time release and that's it. So I think
that that makes more sense as a limited run instead
of having only five hundred pieces with in the mix.
(24:23):
I think that's Chase. Yeah, so that one was the
first one. I think the second one was. That's not
the one second one? What was the second one?
Speaker 6 (24:32):
Was there a Saturn?
Speaker 2 (24:33):
No, it was not a Saturn it was it wasn't
the eighteen van. It wasn't it wasn't smoking the bandit.
Speaker 5 (24:42):
I can't think of that.
Speaker 6 (24:43):
Yeah, this is great, great audio, great.
Speaker 2 (24:46):
Audio, guys. So so this is a good good topic
because the topic of Chase comes up with like every
automotive die cast released person everybody is right throws that
where Chase around. And I think there's a reason why
that there's confusion because Chase typically means that it's a
production run, that limited run that chases a regular product line.
(25:10):
So I guess if there's no main product line and
it was just like like it would be like a
treasure hunt or something or something like that, where you
don't actually have the other version of the vehicle, it's
just the one version. It's just a much more limited
version of it. So that is an interesting point though,
because there is a lot of a lot of terminology
(25:30):
that's thrown around that doesn't always meet like people. I
still talk to lots of people who if they see
a vehicle with rubber tires on it one sixty four sale,
we'll call it real riders. I'm like, no, it's not
a hot Wheels card. That's a hot Wheels term. It's
got rubber simulated rubber tires. But things have become kind
of almost ubiquitous to where they'll say, like a treasure
(25:51):
hunt is a chase, and it's it's not, or the
limited run is a chase. So it's really interesting, and
I think it's kind of cool that you guys are
offering these these limited run things as well and continuing
that that trend, and I think that's a that's an
interesting little niche of the hobby is that people that
go for the things that are purposefully not as accurate
as the other things, but they're rarer, So like a
(26:13):
pink ectot one or a pink batmobile or something that
just because it's fun and it's different and it's interesting.
So it's really cool that you guys are kind of
putting your own spin on that. I do want to
talk really quick about the data Nano stuff, because I'm
talking about pop culture stuff. You guys have done some
really cool ones. I love the Jurassic Park when I
want to get my hands on that one, the Back
to the Future one I have, it's fantastic. I have
(26:35):
several of the Fast and Furious ones. So tell me
a bit about that, because that's not even really a
particular scale, is it Like it's kind of in scale
ish but.
Speaker 5 (26:45):
Not not even h O scale.
Speaker 2 (26:48):
It's it's like it's like its own unique things small, furious. Yes, yeah,
let's talk about that.
Speaker 5 (26:53):
It's it's very interesting. So when we first thought about it,
I think it started with our Nano figure first, mm,
those little figures with the base so it's kind of
like it was a green armyment turns into a metal
but with like the pop culture characters. So we wanted
to do similar stuff with vehicles, so it's about the
(27:17):
same footprint of the Nano figures, so that a car.
That's how the Nano car size came about. And the
Nano scene is I forgot who actually threw that throughout
that idea. I think it might have been our CEO Bill,
Bill and Mike Mikemanez at the time, it was the director,
(27:39):
I think they were talking and they were like, hey,
what about what if we do a downshouse? So we
just started the Downshouse and released it. That became a
viral thing and we never expected that to be something
that like this big, right, and it just went crazy.
(27:59):
People who has that Dom's House gets like thousands of
like clicks and like instantly getting like a lot of
followers everywhere you go, like get Target. I think it
was at the time, Target is the only one who
was tearing them that was just sold out. So it
was very successful. So we just continued building that line up. Yeah,
(28:22):
and that's how it came out to be. But it
wasn't really any specific scales or or nothing like that
makes sense.
Speaker 2 (28:30):
It's a really cool thing. I love dioramas and I
love the way that you can tell a much larger
story with such a limited amount of space.
Speaker 5 (28:37):
Yeah, it's like the iconic scene of the movie. When
you think about Fast and Furious, you cannot think about
Fast and Furious without Dom's House. The first few movies,
it always starts there, ends there, it comes out with
the show, it gets blown up and it's.
Speaker 2 (28:54):
Like the only person to actually die in Fast and
Furious Rest.
Speaker 5 (29:00):
Then and then Torado's Cafe, that's one of them, like
super iconic. People still go there and take pictures. So
that's the latest one that we have. Well, the next
one that we're working on is from Tokyo Drift Hans Garage.
We put a lot of work into it. It's got
all the walls included, so you can totally close it
(29:20):
up or you can have like maybe the roof open,
remove it or the side walls. Move the side walls
so you can see like all the interior. It has
a great detail with the lift and everything.
Speaker 3 (29:34):
It came out great, the evil in there and all
that session. Yes, Edwin pod thinks right right speaking of
Tokyo Drift and Sun King and you guys got the
homecoming coming up soon June seven. Can you tell us
a little bit about that.
Speaker 5 (29:51):
There is not a lot of details released yet, so
we have the date, time and place. Is that the
Costa Mesa Mall. So they we had our first one
there and the second time second year that we wanted
to do it again. They were remodeling, so we did it.
You know the place now we're going back or our
(30:14):
space that we rented is doubled the size that we
rented before. We're going to have a lot of great cars,
movie cars from Fast of course, and then all the
other partners that we work with, and some new die
cast pieces that that you can come out and check out.
So sneak peaks, so.
Speaker 3 (30:35):
You go, people come out. They're going to see a
lot of new things. Yeah, yes, and it's going to
be a cool experience. So yeah, if we lived a
little closer, we might come out.
Speaker 6 (30:45):
It's no excuse, we really hidn't.
Speaker 2 (30:47):
You're on the same coast mark, you could do it, Yeah, don't.
It's the closest from Love in Washington. Yeah.
Speaker 6 (30:58):
Yeah, we have Florida and Alabama.
Speaker 3 (31:01):
Back and in the backwoods some of David Johnson here's me.
Speaker 2 (31:04):
He's in the front woods, thank you very much.
Speaker 3 (31:06):
Yeah, but as he came from the backwoods.
Speaker 6 (31:09):
Hey, I love I love hearing when you guys are
out in public and interacting with the fans, because that
really rings true with what you and everybody at JADA
talked about when we met you at the super Con
in Vegas, is that you guys really are interested in
getting feedback, and that was the purpose of having that
amazing booth at the convention was to interact with the fans.
(31:31):
So not only are you doing the Homecoming, but I
saw something about a Los Angeles fuel Fest that you
guys posted. Can you can you talk a little bit
about that event and maybe why Jada is so eager
to get in front of fans.
Speaker 5 (31:46):
That was So there's two different things. So Homecoming and
feel Fest. Well, all the events are managed by our
marketing team. They do an amazing job. Fuel Fest is one
of them. We go out there, we display our products,
we interact with our fans, but it's usually yes, I
(32:06):
see Jada Diecast collectors, but it's more of a fan
of the movie, fan of the cars more than die
Cast collectors in my opinion. Yes, so I'm going there
to interact with the people and the culture, but what
I am personally interested in is to interact with die
(32:31):
Cast collectors. So that's why we started going to the
supercom We weren't there a few years ago. We just
this is our second time, and I brought it up
to our CEO and to the marketing team. Hey, did
you guys heard it? Hear about this? Because we're I'm
still friends with people and how I still they're going
there and we're not there, Like everybody's going there. They
(32:53):
might still have wheels, supreen light into They're all there
except us. So I brought it up and it was like,
oh yea, maybe you can. You can look into it,
and I pushed. I want to see people like, I
know our stuff is selling Jada stuff, but I don't
know where our fans are. I don't know if they
(33:15):
like our stuff or or they hate our stuff.
Speaker 3 (33:19):
Yeah, they buy it and then they go home and
they throw it the prom r Work's the story here.
What are they doing with the product?
Speaker 5 (33:25):
What are they doing with it? So people are buying it,
we hear the numbers are great, but where are they
like even at the fans Facebook, they're not that many
like looking at looking at the numbers that I see
like the things, how much it's selling, And I see
the fans at Facebook it's not much. So it's like,
(33:46):
where are they right? So I wanted to go there.
I want to meet people. I wanted to hear from
our fans, like what you guys like, what you guys
don't like? I want to take that into consideration because
I know, well, I have my best guests because I've
been in the industry. But my guess might be wrong.
I don't want to think that way, but who knows.
(34:08):
Sometimes you can fail.
Speaker 3 (34:09):
You can't speak for people. You just have to hear
what the opinion is are.
Speaker 5 (34:15):
Yeah, I mean it feel fast. It's great that we
want to put Jada's name out there. We want to
see people talk about Jada, see Jada and our products,
just like the giant Hoteliti is doing with how Wheels brand.
They're everywhere. People love them and we want to They're great,
they're doing great things, and we are doing similar things
(34:37):
in slightly different style, which is where we're going to
show car events. We're involved with them to showcase our stuff.
But yeah, we want to want people.
Speaker 6 (34:50):
Yep, No, it's great. That's all we can ask for
is the three of us as collectors. That's all we
want is someone to hear us, hear what we like,
what we don't like, and to see you guys doing that.
It meets the world and it's it does not go
unnoticed because some companies don't.
Speaker 5 (35:07):
Yeah, I mean that was yeah, that was us before
and now we're trying to be out there a lot
more with with without Jada's help.
Speaker 6 (35:17):
Not like the.
Speaker 5 (35:20):
Super Con or Homecoming feel Fest. I want to be
at like some of the dyke Hast events or go
to like the di Cast. Meet local first. So I'm
talking to House of Cars see if there's any events
that me or my designers can attend. So we're we're
in talks so hopefully we can get out there and
(35:43):
meet more people, meet more collectors. Like gas supercond was
it was really fun like it was like a lot
of input, a lot of love, and I in met
to you guys, and I'm doing this also to to
get us out there too. You know, whether I hear
like good stuff or bad stuff, I want to hear it.
Speaker 6 (36:01):
Sure, yeah, got totally not so much pad to but yeah.
Speaker 2 (36:04):
Yeah we're written. Everyone's everyone's a critic and critic. Criticism
costs nothing if we are learning, So yeah, you got
to you gotta roll with that. That's part of you know,
giving the people what they want is they're always going
to want more. So I'm curious if there was if
market demand was no objects and there was no budget objection,
(36:25):
there something that you would like to do just hypothetically
that hasn't been done before.
Speaker 5 (36:31):
Well, I want to get into sixty four scale. If
there's no barriers, no no issues and nothing, well that
hypothetically do you have motation Just like Chuck what you're
what you said, everybody loves sixty four, we do. In
the beginning, we did a lot of what sixty four's
with Dup City impro Racers, all of that stuff that
(36:52):
was one sixty four, and we ventured into twenty fours
and later you got into thirty twos and eighteen's sixty
four for I know, it's it's very difficult, I want
to say, challenging and very competitive, Yes, very competitive. We are, however,
working with major At to fulfill that that dream a
(37:17):
little bit. We have a newline called major At Collection Series.
It's a collaboration within the major At Jata. Major Att
is developing the castings. But we did give our thoughts
and reviews and comments of the products, and I think
it came out really nice. It's true to scale. All
(37:40):
the nice details that that we asked for is their
dis body tykes, chassis, rubberized wheels, jueled headlights, no opening
features because that kind of ruins the body. Yeah, so
and then also a nice display case comes with so
(38:01):
I hope it does really well.
Speaker 2 (38:04):
No, you can David's language.
Speaker 6 (38:05):
You you nailed it. Say we all love seeing them
in Vegas and I made just copious amounts of videos.
Speaker 3 (38:12):
Yeah, pushed a little kid down that had one and
you stole it from them. Yeah, well I think they're
still looking for him. So I wasn't going home until
I had it.
Speaker 6 (38:23):
No, say that collection series, guys. If you I'm talking
to the viewers now, if you have not checked out
Major Atte Collection, it is true scale. It is right
up there with the heavy hitters in the premium arena.
And say the price is it's not competitive. It is
ultra competitive compared to what we're at.
Speaker 2 (38:49):
Seven nine and you're out the old phrase, that's the MSRP.
We'll get to that in a minute.
Speaker 6 (38:53):
We'll get to that minute. But it is truly some
really fantastic guess so kudos to you guys for doing that.
Speaker 5 (39:00):
Thank you, thank you. If you guys liked it, we
had a huge demand. A lot of buyers loved it,
so we're producing with the full force. It's going to
be out anytime and it's coming from Thailand, so there
should be a little bit less. Yeah, yeah, there's no
big issues.
Speaker 6 (39:21):
Before we get into that. Viewers and listeners alike, If
you were interested in seeing two waves of the new
series that say is talking about, we've got them on
dotcuss Media Network. Just go back through the back catalog.
You can see previews of the two waves before they
come out.
Speaker 2 (39:38):
Go ahead, absolutely, And I guess as we're wrapping things
up here, we do want to talk about the very
expensive elephant in the room. We were talking about this
a little bit beforehand that currently, as of recording this,
there are some tariffs in effect, and a lot of
us woke up one day and went to Walmart and
saw that the prices on all our favorite collectibles had
gone up significantly. And there's some inconsists and sees to
(40:00):
say the least as to how much prices are changing
on there. Now, tell me say how much controlled Jata
has over something like that and what that's, how that's
affecting data choice, how you're working with that, right right?
Speaker 5 (40:16):
We I actually found out the new prices through our fans.
Speaker 6 (40:21):
They were always preferred.
Speaker 5 (40:23):
Yeah, they were posting pictures of the look this is
what this is what I found. It's like twenty eight
dollars or I don't know, like twenty six or twenty
eight or thirty dollars for one twenty four scale. It
was like all over the place. And then I brought
that up to our sales team. They found out after
and then the prices that we received was all over
(40:45):
the place. Some were double, some were like three dollars
more than before, five thousands more than before. And it's
not the retail price is not handled by us. We
do give them our price to them, and yeah, we
have our suggested price, but they do what they do. Yeah, yeah,
(41:07):
it's unfortunate, but yeah.
Speaker 2 (41:09):
Well, and they're the ones that are ultimately I think
paying the tariffs too, or at least they're the retailers
or where the they have to make up that extra
cost from them bringing in right out right. So so
you know, folks, if if there's anything you should take
away from this, it's please don't send say messages and
Finns say and go why is my pink pink cap
(41:32):
go one so expensive? Say? Does not have anything to
do with that? Neither do the find folks over it.
Speaker 3 (41:38):
Jada totlet toilet paper's hospital toilet paper is expensive too.
Speaker 2 (41:42):
I know, I got it. That's why the rest of
this closet is just full of toilet paper, so just
got to have a stock up man. Yeah, I remember
twenty twenty, so that's a a. I mean, it's funny
as I was one of those collectors that did actually
before the tariff said. I was like, Okay, I got
to go out and buy this and this and this
is just in case. And I'm hoping that this is
(42:02):
something that will rectify itself fairly quickly. But we talked
to enjoying our hobby more and you guys can continue
to thrive and do well and keep making all the
epic stuff that data is turning out. So before we
wrap things up, we's got some cool stuff cooking over there, Jada,
So what do.
Speaker 5 (42:21):
You always so? Next year a super Con. We're going
to do our best to have super con explosive. Yes,
this year we tried and we failed.
Speaker 2 (42:33):
Well you had them, to be fair, there were something yea, yeah,
yeah there was. They survived. They're not quite ready for
prime time.
Speaker 5 (42:42):
Yeah, but this this coming super cool will definitely have
some We have a bunch of candidates that we can
pick from. We have a brand new item that we're cooking.
I think it's going to be going to be super
exciting to showcase it there. Next limited the edition for
one twenty four scale for the fans here, it's going
(43:05):
to be eighty nine Batman Bill Oh Cold After at
the one acting at the one is now the shelves. Yeah,
but because of tariff situation, I don't know when it's
going to be shipped. But that's on that.
Speaker 6 (43:27):
Okay, real quick, point people to the site. If you
if you're shopping and you're at Target and you can't
find what you want, that doesn't mean that's the end
of your journey looking for your favorite data model. You
have a source for other collectors, say, tell people where
they can find harder to find models.
Speaker 5 (43:45):
Hard to find models.
Speaker 6 (43:47):
Well, the I was referring to the next Level site
to make sure we no no, no, no, no, nothing crazy.
Speaker 5 (43:55):
So Jada Next Level is something that we work card
for to connect with our collectors. It's direct to consumer
site that we manage and we are working very hard
to have a lot more products there. And the first
(44:17):
one that I think was very successful recently was wanting
teen pink slips. So I heard so many feedbacks like
basically complained about Wave one cars, especially that Red Porsche
or wit Porsche, and everyone was waiting for it was
(44:40):
always gone and whenever people saw it, they just bought
everything and put it up on eBay.
Speaker 6 (44:47):
What I can't believe.
Speaker 5 (44:48):
The shocker, We decided to put some on the site
for anyone who wants to buy or missed the opportunity,
so we put it out there. It was it was
sold out in a matter of minutes. I think it
was like sold out in like I think it was
like one hour or something. So I think it was
(45:10):
fifty pieces that we we put it on. It was
just gone. And so we know that people, our collectors
are actually going there to look for those the products
that they missed. So we're going to do We're going
to put a lot more. Anything that you guys want,
just tell us, send us messages through Instagram, Facebook. We
all read it.
Speaker 6 (45:31):
So data, next level dot com, thank you.
Speaker 2 (45:36):
Yep, check it out, be there or be square. But
before you go there, make sure you hit the subscribed
light button. And I'm just kidding, not really.
Speaker 3 (45:44):
I was kind of hoping that we say to play
us Stairway to Heavens or something like that.
Speaker 2 (45:49):
You played long say is that just say your guitar long.
Speaker 5 (45:55):
Only a little bit. My sons are picking up that hobby.
Speaker 6 (46:00):
Cool.
Speaker 5 (46:00):
I was just I wasn't. I only know like basics.
Yeah it's okay, but yeah.
Speaker 2 (46:05):
It's a fun thing to have. I found an old
Squire strat in a dumpster and a buddy of mine
fixed it up, and I'm hoping one day my my
kids will play on that one because I played it
a little bit. But I would, like you, I just
knew the basics. But that's really cool. Well, great dumpsters
often chuck it was college. It was actually it was. Well,
say it was out there working for Jada, I was
(46:27):
diving in dumpsters. So and now we're both here, so
look at that anyway. Well, I'll say it's been an
absolute delight having you on. Really enjoyed chatting with you.
Is there anywhere that folks could find you follow you
if they want to get more say in their life?
Speaker 3 (46:43):
Yeah, like Instagram.
Speaker 5 (46:45):
I'm like on and off, Like sometimes I put post
a lot. Sometimes I just go like just browse around,
say yes and s A S S E I y
E S S. Yeah, that's where I'm don't complain about.
Speaker 2 (46:59):
Prices the cars, No, no prices, go say nice things
to say over on Instagram. Folks. All right, well say
thanks again for being on and thank you watchers listeners
wherever you are for making it to the end of
another episode. Don't forget to check out driven dreams dot org,
where we are raising twenty four twenty five thousand cars.
(47:20):
Because it's twenty twenty five now forty five million, twenty
five million, why not. We're just gonna keep bringing it
up for kids a need all over the world. You
don't have to lick a stamp, you don't have to
pack a box. You just go over to driven dreams
dot org. You pledge the cars that you're going to give,
and you show some evidence that you gave it to
somewhere local that's making a difference for kids in your area.
(47:41):
It's a really cool idea that Mark is championed, and
we are happy to help press that along.
Speaker 6 (47:46):
Se October fifteenth that our official Diecast Day of Giving
Say spread it around the office at the Data there
is an actual day where all Diecast collectors donate cars
to the local charities, churches, whatever, food banks. The die
Cast Day of Giving Something Mark started four or five
years ago. We're trying to make a Global Impact.
Speaker 3 (48:09):
Need to shake down your employees, say shading them dot org.
Speaker 2 (48:14):
Check it out, folks, and again shout out to the
patrons that are making the show go. If you want
to give us money instead of giving it to kids
in need, I guess you could do that.
Speaker 3 (48:24):
Yes, you do both.
Speaker 2 (48:26):
It's like a terrible time for me to ask for money.
Good grief. But yeah, go to Driven dream take that. Yeah,
go to Driven Dreams dot org. But and if you
get some extra scratch, you can throw it our way.
But we appreciate our patrons to make the show go.
And anyone who clicks the like, follow, subscribe rates us
five stars on the audio apps. Hey audio people, we
see you. Even though you can't see us, we see you.
Speaker 3 (48:49):
Rate us five stars.
Speaker 2 (48:50):
Please. That really helps other people find the show and
keeps the show growing. Thank you so much. Bring it
to the end of another episode. If you're on the
YouTube side, a little comment showing you're part of the
posed Down crew. We really appreciate those people most of all,
and as always, we want to thank you for coming
along with us for the ride. So until next time,
stay rest Tuesbanks.
Speaker 4 (49:09):
Thanks for listening to die Cast Breakdown. If you enjoy
today's show, please rate us five stars on Apple Podcasts
and tell a friend to listen in. Find Diecast Breakdown
on your favorite social media platforms, or visit diecastmedianetwork dot
com to learn more about this and our other projects.
Die Cast Breakdown is a presentation of Flying Valiant and
(49:32):
the die Cast Media network.
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