The Rumor Buster

MAQET Q&A

We had an opportunity to poke the brain of Keith Cottingham, founder of designer toy upstart MAQET. Hopefully we asked the questions you want to hear, but if not they’re an approachable sort and you can probably get your question answered via Twitter or posting a question on their blog. There’s also a few more days to use the RAINYDAY coupon code to get $5 off your first custom MAQET (exp. 12/31/09) if you want to get started. On with the questions!

Question:
Is it pronounced mah-ket (like maquette) , or make-it?

KEITH:
mah-ket (like maquette). To hear it, turn up your volume and move your cursor over the logo in the upper left corner of our homepage.

Question:
2009 has not been a great year for a lot of companies, but it’s launch time for MAQET. Was anyone nervous about launching a new product line in this economy?

KEITH:
Our whole team has realistic expectations. We want MAQET to be fun to use and fun to work on. So, while these are challenging times, we’re focusing on building a positive business, a quality product, and spreading the word in the name of fun.

Question:
The characters are wild. cat girl, petpal, ninja, ringo (the fruit!), octi. If the style looks familiar to people, it’s because they were designed by ghostbot, the style house behind those Esurance commercials. Will other designers get a shot and if so, when?

KEITH:
Yes! Absolutely. MAQET already has characters from three additional artists that are in production and we’ll roll them out one at a time in early 2010. More artists will continue to be added all the time. The more the merrier.

Question:
Yes, technically, you can collect them all… but it would be pretty hard. Have you seen the start of any big collections?

KEITH:
Yes I have, mine.

Question:
The interface is deceptive. When I started playing around with it, there’s the obvious choices like picking your character, but each figure has some pretty non-obvious customizations. You can choose the hair on Octi, for instance. Is there a guide to these options, or are collectors on their own in finding these Easter Eggs?

KEITH:
Currently, there is no guide to the options. Each character has a different set and amount of options. And lots of new options will be added. The user doesn’t find out until they start to explore each character. MAQET is really about the experience of making and creating. Discovery is a cool part of that.

Question:
Speaking of some of these choices, are they permanent or do you plan to retire certain options as time goes by? Do collectors have to worry about missing out on a particular petpal face?

KEITH:
Hmmmm, MAQET plans on adding additional options and rotating options, so yes, it’s possible that certain options and characters will be retired. We also plan on limited edition releases. I’ve thought that would be a great way to support a charity; to offer a limited edition MAQET character with part of the proceeds helping a good cause.

Question:
On a similar note, the blog promises news about figures and characters. Does everything get announced, or will there be secrets and limited time options brought in without fanfare?

KEITH:
I’m pretty sure everything will get announced in the blog and on Facebook and Twitter. But, I do like the idea of secrets and limited time options brought in on the sly for our most loyal fans and followers, probably up for a certain amount of views, first see, first get. With hints tossed out in clever ways.

Question:
Each figure generates a DNA code. Does this mean you can recreate someone else’s MAQET if you know their DNA?

KEITH:
Yes, that is how the share feature works on MAQET. When you click Share after you make a MAQET, the DNA is sent to your friend via email or through Facebook. Your friend can click and visit the site, and see your creation. They can then order your exact MAQET and give it to you or keep it. Most people get so into making MAQETs that they opt to start a new character with its own DNA.

Question:
It looks like every figure is solid right now. Are there any plans for interchangeable elements, like hollow grip hands for accessories or peg holes like the Labbit toys?

KEITH:
Ah! Maybe? Possibly? Lots of fun things will be introduced, but for now, I’m keeping them a secret.

Question:
There’s a question in your FAQ about MAQET lifespans. Can you give any advice to collectors on how to keep their creation in tip-top shape? Sunlight and rain are no-nos, but are there any other warnings for collectors?

KEITH:
MAQETs are pretty durable. They have UV protection, but I still would keep them out of direct, hot sunlight. As long as you don’t throw them or drop them on a concrete floor, they should last a very long time. Love them and they’ll love you back by not dying on you.

Question:
Each color palette has a sliding scale of gradients. That’s great for collectors like me that are as color coordinated as a snowstorm. Sometimes it’s limiting though. Personally, I couldn’t find a body color scheme to match the Ninja head I wanted. Are more palettes on the way? Maybe a way for users to select their own palettes?

KEITH:
Yes, and yes. More color palettes and being able to color individual sections will be added soon. Actually, much, much more is on its way. We want to offer the ultimate in customization, so keep telling us what you want to customize and we’ll add it to our development list. More colorization controls are high on the list.

Question:
The product itself is made of biodegradable materials. What other eco-friendly initiatives can we expect from MAQET?

KEITH:
Besides the main product being made of an environmentally responsible material, the process of making them is also very green. There’s very little waste material. We are also working on a new packaging design that is not only green, but uses very little material and is super fun to boot. And our team is pretty green-minded as a whole, so that awareness is always present within MAQET.

Question:
Each palette appears to have an all-white option, which seems like a great nod to some of the custom designers out there… do you have any recommendations for materials? Are there any types of paints, or adhesives that shouldn’t be used on the MAQETs?

KEITH:
Acrylic paint works great. The white MAQETs are made with a grittier finish than the printed textured ones. We’ve made them with this fine grit so painting on them is more like painting on canvas. It has a great tactile grip on the paint and makes painting on them really nice. Holds the paint really well instead of the paint sliding around and thinning out. The artist can then just add a gloss finish over the whole thing when done.

Question:
The characters seem to be a cross section of anime and vinyl mainstays… the cat woman, the robot, the food, the sea creature. What do you want to see as the next character type?

KEITH:
The MAQET blog gives some hints to characters coming down the road. We’re also very responsive to what the audience wants to see added, so suggestions are great. The range of character types will definitely grow. We’re a very young company, only a few weeks old, so much to do…

Question:
And what are the odds of sports related MAQETs? Picture it… football player, multiple poses, awesome color palettes. Tell me that’s not a good idea. Tell me that’s not marketing genius!

KEITH:
Henceforth, you will only be referred to as, Marketing Genius.

Question:
Even though the store is very much a proud product of the internet, some people want to see the product before they buy. What kind of in real life experiences are planned? Kiosks at conventions? Coupon codes at certain brick and mortar stores that can be used to unlock options like new faces?

KEITH:
We plan on having some amazing collections of real MAQETs at a few events next year. We are in the planning stage now, but people will be able to check out our booth, meet the team, grab a MAQET, make a MAQET on the spot, and get all sorts of special extras just for showing up. Cannot wait to meet fans and take our show on the road. We’ll announce that stuff in the blog too and in our newsletter. We’re eying Wondercon. We’ll see.

Question:
The MAQET Maker is very tech savvy, there’s a blog and now people can share their MAQET creations on Facebook. What’s the next technical frontier you see MAQET embracing? Desktop or website widgets to display your DNA creations? An RSS feed for new creations? A Neopets or Webkinz interface where creations can interact?

KEITH:
Can I say all of the above? Time will tell.

Question:
Any final words?

KEITH:
Go MAQET!