What makes a toy go viral

Squishy, slimy, fidgety toys are having a moment. But it’s more than just an anxiety-soothing, social-media fueled trend – these toys are reshaping how toys get made. Today on the show, we have the story of the once-humble squishy dumpling and what it teaches us about how to make a viral hit and how to manufacture it, without getting left holding the bag. Hear it all firsthand from the creator of this trendy toy.  Read:  Our book: Planet Money: A Guide to the Economic Forces That Shape Your Life   Our weekly longform Planet Money newsletter Our weekly Indicator round-up newsletter Follow:  Instagram TikTok YouTube Facebook Support public media by joining NPR+ at plus.npr.org . You’ll get perks for over 25 NPR podcasts, including bonus episodes and sponsor-free listening for Planet Money. This episode of Planet Money was produced by Emma Peaslee. It was edited by Marianne McCune. It was fact-checked by Sierra Juarez. It was engineered by Cena Loffredo. Alex Goldmark is Planet Money’s executive producer.  Music: NPR Source Audio - "Melty Heart," "Summer Escape," and "Twilight Sparkle" See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy