The Squishmallow logo is festive and cheerful. The emblem hints at friendly hugs and close companions, which the toys in the series are meant to become. The variety of colors and letters represents the diversity of anthropomorphic character images.
Squishmallow: Brand overview
Invented by Kelly Lau-Kee in 2017, Squishmallows sprung from the idea of emulating the soft and squeezable feel of marshmallows. This concept of creating plush toys that offered a unique, round, and comforting experience was rapidly embraced by Kelly Toys, leading to the brand’s launch within the same year.
Upon their introduction, Squishmallows captured hearts at various toy fairs and trade shows, quickly becoming a favorite for their ultra-soft material and the charm of their smiley, cute designs. The brand kept the momentum going by frequently releasing new sizes, colors, and characters, sparking a frenzy among collectors of all ages, from children to adults.
By 2020, the brand had surged past longstanding plush toy competitors, such as Beanie Babies and Webkinz, propelled by its explosive popularity on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. Limited edition Squishmallows became highly coveted items, often selling out within minutes of release and fetching steep prices on secondary markets like eBay, especially the more scarce designs.
Now, Squishmallows boasts a diverse lineup of nearly 1,000 distinct characters, maintaining their status as beloved collectibles. Under the stewardship of Kelly Toys, the brand continues to thrive, leveraging the irresistible appeal of their soft, squishy plush toys and the emotional connection their adorable designs foster, making them not just toys but perfect, photogenic companions in the social media age.
Meaning and History
The company’s founder, Jonathan Kelly, was inspired to create plush toys after visiting Japan. It was the images of cute local animated products that served as the basis for characters resembling fluffy buns. The emblem of the series conveys the softness of the products and the continuous connection between the toy and its owner.
What is Squishmallow?
A series of soft toys by Kelly Toys Holdings in the Japanese Kawaii style, consisting of 1000 round-shaped characters. They were released in 2017. The manufacturing company has been owned by Jazwares Inc since 2018. In 5 years, 50 million toys have been sold. Over 1 million subscribers on social media follow updates from Kelly Toys.
2017 – 2021
The brand’s identity resembles a caterpillar made up of separate letter balloons. The sign was chosen to associate with a soft insect having no bones. The round shape of the letters hints at the spherical fairy-tale animals.
The sequential connection of elements indicates a series of toys. The company has created over 1000 different anthropomorphic images.
The logo consists of the brand name. The name is a fabricated construction arising from the combination of the words “squish” and “marshmallow,” indicating softness and elasticity. Inside, the toys are filled with polyester, similar to marshmallows, resembling a soft white cloud or individual white balls.
The soft pastel colors of the letters create an atmosphere of early childhood when toys become real friends. The shades also indicate the colorful costumes and fur of the characters.
The curvature of the inscription speaks to the maximum mobility of the characters, who can take any pose.
The white background creates an association with white, airy, and soft clouds, and the presence of a shadow lifts the inscription off the ground, enhancing this sensation.
2021 – today
The 2021 rebranding made the sign brighter and more childlike. Instead of a shadow, light green lines were added, giving the letters volume and reinforcing the association with fluffy clouds. The space between the letters was increased, adding air and highlighting each symbol. After all, each character in the series is unique. The characters were given stories and detailed images.
Font and Colors
The logo’s color palette includes a range of soft pastel tones: salad green, raspberry, purple, yellow, orange, and blue-green. The palette is associated with childhood, joy, and play.
The letters of the inscription, with their soft roundings, hint at the shape of the toys. The absence of sharp angles is entirely suitable for the gentle, dreamy audience.