06. December 2010
Famous chickens: The protagonists of the bestseller.
Please, imagine the following scene: an elderly lady goes into a toy shop, lurks around the shelves until a salesman comes and asks if he can help. "I’m looking for that game." "Which one?" "The one with the children’s rhyme." "Huh?" "The one with the chickens, that everyone’s got now." "We have lots of games with chickens."
"Well, the one with the "K" word." The salesman’s face lights up: "Oh, you mean
Zicke Zacke Hühnerkacke (chicken shit). Or Entenkacke?" Grandma blushes and goes to the checkout.
Dialogues like these were more common when the memory game with the
mischievous title came onto the market in 1998. Adults were reluctant to say the
name, but the little ones prevailed: since then, the bestseller from Zoch Verlag in
Munich has sold more than one million worldwide – and it has won a number of
awards. Like other board games invented by the hotbed of ideas. The success story is now going to be continued under the umbrella of Noris, a brand of Fürth-based Simba Dickie Group.
Imaginative friends
The story so far can be summarized as follows: as schoolboys, Albrecht Werstein
from Munich and Klaus Zoch from Freiburg liked to play together. But not the
normal board games like other boys. The two friends invented some of their own.
This passion never left them. Many years later, Werstein, then a lawyer, received
a postcard from childhood friend Zoch, saying that he needed help. He had
invented "Bausack" ("Sac O’ Bricks") and launched it on the market, and it was
immediately such a hit that Klaus Zoch wanted to turn his homemade games into
an actual company.
The elegant game of skill pointed the way forward: clever rules with imaginative
little figures. In 1989, the creations of the two game inventors were even included in the elite circle of artists at the famous Schwabing Christmas market.
In 1987, Werstein faced the question of whether he should join a law firm as a lawyer, or develop games full-time. He chose the latter. Together, they founded a limited liability corporation, in which everything centered on quality, creativity and
children’s dreams. They only manufactured their wooden products in Germany first of all, but later discovered exceptionally gifted specialists in China. The duo established more than a dozen excellent board games for children’s entertainment on the market, until the game "Hühnerkacke" ("Chicken Cha Cha Cha") brought the major breakthrough. The memory game, a further development of the traditional "Memory", ensured that there was no getting around the company from Munich for toy retailers. In 1998, the game won the "Children’s Game of the Year" special award, the "Oscar" of the games industry. "This was a major thing for a little publishing company like us", says Albrecht Werstein. "It allowed us to position ourselves."
Typical Albrecht Werstein: Even the box of "Heckmeck Barbecue" is fun.
The inventors had to get used to accolades such as these. The globally
renowned critics’ award "Game of the Year" followed for "Villa Paletti"
and "Niagara". "Dicke Luft in Gruft" ("Dawn Under") and "Burg Appenzell" ("Appenzell Castle") then won the "German Children’s Game Award". The cheeky names became a hallmark: "Schleck & weg" (which, for example, means "Gobble & Go"), "Au Backe", "Hick Hack in Gackelwack", "Schicki Micki" and "O Zoo le mio" are just some of these.
Testing games in the yard: Editors Andreas Kramer (l.) and Walter Scholz
amusing themselves with "Heckmeck am Bratwurmeck" ("Pickomino").
The dice game "Heckmeck am Bratwurmeck" (2005) ("Pickomino") is
one of the bestsellers. Altogether, Albrecht Werstein is the father of well
above 100 games; with international adaptations, this figure is 250.
At work: Alexandra Binder (l.), Michaela Hammerström and Andreas
Kramer (r.) playing "Bamboleo".
The publishing company’s permanent product range today comprises a good 40 children’s, family and dice games and games of skill. The most successful of Zoch’s delightful products are also
available as large games for outside or
kindergartens. Then, the board games become giant role plays including costumes for the whole family. "Playing is the biggest luxury there is", says Werstein. "We adults can only copy the enjoyment of children that we ourselves have forgotten."
Quality before quantity
One day, Klaus Zoch, who is now 57 years old, moved back to France. The new releases from Zoch depend on his creative rhythm. And this is the way it is going to stay under the umbrella of Simba Dickie Group. "We only launch products
on the market that have real potential", stresses Oswald Hertlein, Managing
Director of Noris. "If there are twelve good ideas a year, there are twelve, if there
are just fi ve, then so be it, there are just five new products. For me, it’s about
quality before quantity."
With editors Walter Scholz and Andreas Kramer, as well as Art Director Oliver Richtberg, 56-year-old Albrecht Werstein puzzles over new ideas. They craft things
out of cardboard using pencils, scissors and glue, they sketch, discuss and, of
course, play. It isn’t unusual for them to do this in a beer garden. Often, the
1,000 or more concepts for games sent from international inventors are a good
starting point. "Villa Paletti", for instance, originally came from a Canadian author. "Afterwards, he didn’t recognize his game at all and didn’t understand the rules", Werstein recalls, grinning.
Plenty of new (game) plans
One of the latest creations was recently showcased at the leading trade fair "Spiel
2010" in Essen: "Mord im Arosa", or "Murder in the Arosa", in reminiscence of the trade fair’s partner hotel. "The family game comes in smart packaging and challenges the senses: you hear where the stone falls and have to remember
it", Werstein says, describing his latest endeavor, which will hopefully meet with
a high demand. The category of indoor and outdoor games is also going to be expanded, with "Boochie" a current example. This is based on an American
license. "I hope that I will be able to push forward the licensing business with
Noris’ help", says Werstein.
New products are also on the cards at the production site in Stadeln, Fürth. After all, Zoch boxes are being manufactured here as well now. "This is making good
progress, we are optimizing the processes, there is still scope", says Hertlein. This
is what is special about Noris compared to large publishing companies: "We are
flexible and can produce even limited editions very efficiently; this is important when it comes to international business."
One highlight under the Christmas tree should be "Safranito", a tactical family
game for children of ten an up: at an Indian spice stand, players haggle for the
delicious ingredients to make exquisite dishes that they have to serve to the for the Simba Dickie Group right now.
