Branch Business & Information Systems Engineering

The toy industry faces the challenge of competing against an increasing number of digital alternatives in today’s digital age. The Horst Brandstätter Group, known for its Playmobil brand, is embracing this shift by exploring new AI-powered innovation paths and accelerating product development. In a joint project, specific AI use cases were identified and evaluated to develop a tailored AI strategy for the coming years – one that is firmly embedded within the company’s overall and digital strategy. This approach is designed to enhance competitiveness while ensuring future-ready, agile product development. 

The digital transformation is reshaping industries across the board – including the toy industry. To strengthen its market position in the face of digital alternatives, the Horst Brandstätter Group is making significant investments in new technological approaches. Playmobil, a brand traditionally rooted in the analog segment, aims to accelerate its innovation process and respond more flexibly to customer needs and market trends by leveraging cutting-edge AI solutions.

To achieve this, a series of workshops were conducted in collaboration with the Branch Business & Information Systems Engineering of Fraunhofer FIT. These workshops focused on identifying key challenges, pain points, and potential AI use cases. This was followed by a detailed techno-economic analysis to prioritize those use cases with the highest potential in terms of value creation and feasibility. A central aspect of the project was enhancing the organization’s AI readiness and adapting existing governance mechanisms to meet new demands. Through interviews with key stakeholders, close collaboration with business units, and the derivation of concrete implementation steps, a comprehensive picture of the opportunities and risks of AI adoption emerged.

The result is a future-oriented AI strategy that integrates all relevant use cases, organizational factors, and the company’s existing digital and corporate strategies. With this foundation, the Horst Brandstätter Group is enabling rapid, customer-centric, and economically efficient development of new Playmobil products – ensuring their continued success in an increasingly digital world.