'The yelling won't stop': Yellies, the toy that is triggered by the shrieks of children, is debuting new characters after explosive holiday sales

Advertisement
'The yelling won't stop': Yellies, the toy that is triggered by the shrieks of children, is debuting new characters after explosive holiday sales

Advertisement
Yellies

Hollis Johnson/Business Insider

Yellies' sales tripled over the holiday season.

  • New Yellies characters are hitting shelves in 2019, as Lizards and Bunnies join the "Spooders." 
  • Many people were disturbed or confused by the idea of Yellies, which have the tagline: "The louder you yell, the faster they go." 
  • Despite some backlash, the toys are a hit, with sales tripling over the holiday season and selling out at certain retailers. 

New Yellies characters are hitting shelves after viral success and an explosive holiday sales season. 

Hasbro is debuting new Lizard Yellies this month, followed by Bunnies in March, the maker of the controversial toy told Business Insider.

Yellies quickly gained both fame and infamy with the arachnid-esque "Spooders" in 2018. The basic concept: The louder kids yell, the faster the Yellies scoot.

Read more: People are freaking out about a toy that chases kids faster the louder they yell and 'feeds off of screams of terror'

Advertisement

Many people were perplexed and disturbed by the concept. After all, giving a child a toy that requires yelling - specifically, yelling at increasingly aggressive volumes - seems like a declaration of war against anyone trying to enjoy a quiet, peaceful Christmas.

"Who on earth thought inventing this toy would be a good idea?!" Karen Alpert, the writer behind the parenting blog Baby Sideburns, said on Facebook.

Business Insider had a chance to try out the Yellies before they hit shelves. Here is what to expect from the new Yellies:

Exclusive FREE Slide Deck: Future of Retail:AI by Business Insider Intelligence

{{}}

The new Yellies options will cost $14.99 each.

The new Yellies options will cost $14.99 each.

There are four new characters in the new animal archetypes.

There are four new characters in the new animal archetypes.
Advertisement

The Lizards' names are Lizabelle, Sal E. Mander, Scalez, and Echo Gecko.

The Lizards' names are Lizabelle, Sal E. Mander, Scalez, and Echo Gecko.

While the Bunnies will not be released until March, we got a sneak peek at what one will look like.

While the Bunnies will not be released until March, we got a sneak peek at what one will look like.
Advertisement

Despite some skepticism, Yellies proved to be a holiday hit in 2018.

Despite some skepticism, Yellies proved to be a holiday hit in 2018.

According to a representative from Hasbro, which makes the toys, Yellies' sales tripled over the holiday season.

According to a representative from Hasbro, which makes the toys, Yellies' sales tripled over the holiday season.
Advertisement

"Performance was better than expected which resulted in some stores around the country being completely sold out," the representative told Business Insider.

"Performance was better than expected which resulted in some stores around the country being completely sold out," the representative told Business Insider.

With the new characters, the era of Yellies is far from over.

With the new characters, the era of Yellies is far from over.
Advertisement

"The yelling won’t stop in 2019," a Yellies representative told Business Insider in an email.

"The yelling won’t stop in 2019," a Yellies representative told Business Insider in an email.