Experiment Success

I

n 2002, the world asked for the “nicest angel you have” and a pop-culture icon came home from the pound.

When Lilo & Stitch hit theaters, the fuzzy, chaotic, lovable, and blue Stitch immediately stole the affections of Disney fans worldwide.

“Aside from the fact that he is incredibly cute, he has a multi-faceted personality that all fans can gravitate to, and despite his mischievous and adventurous nature, his family loves and accepts him,” says Liz Shortreed, senior vice president of North America and global softlines at Disney. “His story is one of love, acceptance, and resilience, which resonates with people globally.”

Since Lilo & Stitch hit theaters 23 years ago, the character has appeared in three animated sequels, Lilo & Stitch: The Series, and now the live-action adaptation of the animated movie. As the years have passed, the furry blue creature has exploded in popularity.

Travis Hammock, a Disney influencer and fan who goes by @ohana_trav on Instagram, chose Stitch as his favorite Disney character when he participated in the Disney College Program. 

“Stitch was a clear option for me,” Hammock says. “That was also back when they still had [the ride] Stitch’s Great Escape in Magic Kingdom. It was really nice to see the recognition in the park and then, of course, all the merch and stuff that‘s there. That initial, ‘I need to pick a favorite character,’ has now turned into a full-blown situation.”

For the past five years, Hammock has shared his love of the character on social media, earning more than 22,000 followers on Instagram. He is not alone: #stitch has nearly 7 million posts on Instagram, including screencaps from the movie, fans visiting the parks, memes, and — of course — merch.

“The joy of creating content made [my collection] much larger than it was,” Hammock says. “I don’t do it for the fame, the money, or anything like that. It’s more that I have a true appreciation and love for the character, and I like to show that in fun and creative ways.”

A significant part of Hammock’s content creation includes his expansive Stitch collection, which features plush, collectibles, and more from Disney Theme Parks worldwide, including Hong Kong Disneyland and Tokyo Disney Resort. 

The new Lilo & Stitch film is reminding fans about everything they love from the original movie. It is also bringing about a revival of Stitch-themed merch and toys from popular toymakers including Just Play, Jazwares, and more. But Experiment 626 has been invading shelves at the Disney Store and other retailers for years. 

Last year, Wow! Stuff unveiled its Disney Stitch Puppetronic by RealFX. This animatronic puppet, which is available for $79.99, combines user control and sensors to create a lifelike Stitch interaction. Wow! Stuff even worked with Chris Sanders, who voiced Stitch, to record some original sound effects for the puppet. 

“I was lucky enough to be in the studio with him and talk to him and the team at Disney who were directing the sound about the character,” says Jim Wyatt, chief innovation officer at Wow! Stuff. “They know the character inside and out. They’ve worked on Stitch for years, and so they gave me all this advice on how he works. It was just an incredible experience from beginning to end, and we were able to take that, distill it, and put it into the puppet.”

Along with Stitch, his friend Angel, also known as Experiment 624, is getting lots of love. Angel, complete with her long antennae and fuzzy pink fur, joins Stitch on toy shelves now more than ever, including with her own Puppetronic by RealFX, a building set from The LEGO Group, plush, and more. 

“I love Angel,” Hammock says. “I love that they‘re adapting even more Stitch characters. Stitch is Experiment 626. There are more than 630 experiments. [I love] the fact that they‘re able to diversify and add more characters, like Angel, and Reuben (Experiment 625) has been starting to get a lot of recognition.”

Kids may be the target audience for many of the Stitch collectible toys, but adults are always welcome to get in on the fun. The Stitch and Angel Puppetronics are designed for kids ages 6 and up, but they are also perfect for collectors to add to their shelves. 

“It’s a beautiful piece of engineering,” Wyatt says. “It’s a lovely plush, and it‘s something that you can put in your room. Even the packaging that it comes in is designed to be used as a display stand. If you are a fan of that product, it‘s like having a life-size Stitch in your room, and he‘s just adorable.”

In addition to toys, adults can find a plethora of merch to shop for, from apparel and accessories to high-end collectibles and home goods from Loungefly, Funko, BoxLunch, and more. 

Stitch has even schemed his way into fans’ gaming setups with EXG Pro’s Cable Guys and Holdems. These Stitch figures feature outstretched arms and are designed to hold phones, earbuds, game controllers, and other accessories. EXG Pro recently launched the Stitch Buds Pro, a pack of Stitch-themed tech accessories that will be right at home at your desk, including a Stitch phone holder and a pair of tropical-themed wireless earbuds in a matching case. 

“Stitch is one of those characters that just works with everything,” says Alice Rayner, communications and marketing coordinator at EXG Pro. “Since we first launched our Cable Guy, we saw just how much people loved him, and it’s been amazing to watch the range grow … he’s got a way of winning people over.”

Kids and adult fans alike have been rewatching Lilo & Stitch for years. Now, they have an opportunity to fall in love with the characters all over again with the live-action adaptation, which hit screens May 23. Fans already know and love the story, but the live-action movie has new elements to capture fans‘ attention.

“It’s the same storyline, but for example, the actors that they have cast, I’ve seen the sneak peeks and the trailers, and they do a phenomenal job,” Hammock says. “I think the CGI of Stitch and what they’ve done to adapt it to fit within a live-action film is very exciting alone because they still get the sci-fi version of Stitch. I’m very excited.”

Fun, love, and community have always been important elements of Disney culture. The new Lilo & Stitch continues the tradition of making movie-goers of all ages feel like they belong to an ohana, just like Stitch.

“The movie brings Stitch into our world in a way that resonates with today’s fans, while also celebrating core elements of the original animated film like embracing one’s uniqueness and the importance of family, or ohana,” Disney’s Shortreed says. “We hope that through our product offerings, fans globally and across generations will be able to showcase their love for this film and its characters in a way that is authentic to them.”