Hi Geoff, so to kick off, how did you get started in the world of toy design? My interest in toy design started for me from about the age of six, admiring how my LEGO boat made of bricks could actually float and wondering why the lightsaber with my Darth Vader Star Wars figure didn’t look quite right.
My fascination with design led me to an Industrial Design degree at Brunel University. Whilst there, I managed to squeeze in a teaching certificate, watching children interact and play gave me a fantastic insight into creating designs with consumers being top of mind.
From University, I went into mechanical engineering and very quickly realised it wasn’t for me. I took a step back, put a portfolio together and got a job at a promotional agency in London and then quickly progressed to the position of Senior Toy Designer at The Marketing Store where I worked with a great team, creating McDonald’s Happy Meal toys for the European markets.
My first stint concluded in 2004 when I moved to the toy company, Vivid Imaginations. The work was hands-on, from setting up Toy Fair stands on freezing January mornings, to working closely with the likes of Keith Chapman on his pre-school properties. My time at Vivid helped build my consumer knowledge and the realization that great design also needs to be built on commercial viability.
In 2011, I was given the opportunity to move to the best-loved toy brand in the world, The LEGO Group. I helped establish and lead the UK arm of the internal global-creative agency working across everything retail from e-commerce, social, to creating in-store experiences and occasions campaigns.
"Toys and games shape memories and reinforce learning experiences through fun and play! Could you say the same for a typical household appliance?" - Geoff Smyrk
I got into toy design because of my passion for creativity and a desire to inspire others to explore their own imagination. Growing up, I always loved making things with my hands, whether it was drawing, painting, or crafting. Toys, in particular, stood out to me as more than just playthings; they were a way for people, especially children, to express themselves and create their own stories. I was fascinated by how toys could bring joy and spark endless possibilities in play, and that love for imaginative expression pushed me toward designing toys that encourage creativity and personalization.
Another key reason why I chose toy design was my belief in the power of DIY and hands-on experiences. I wanted to create toys that allowed kids to become designers, like me with the ‘Jack and Emma’ project, where children can decorate and customize their own figures. This concept of toys as a blank canvas really appealed to my artistic side, as it combined my love for art with the joy of creating something that could unfold in the hands of its audience. By focusing on customizable toys, I hope to inspire the next generation of creators to embrace their creativity, just as I have.
"In every toy, there’s a world of wonder waiting to be unlocked. I design to spark imagination, where the child is the artist and play is their canvas." - Pearl