Zingy: Who Do You Think You Are?
Believe it or not, toyologists can trace Zingy as far back as 16th April 2008 when a US federal trademark was filed for “Keepon” by California-based company BeatBots LLC.
Best Buddies: My Keepon and Zingy
For several years previously, BeatBots founders had been using a robot in studies into therapeutic practices for children with autism and other developmental disorders. Keepon Pro was the first commercially available product that came from this research, and quickly racked up awards from all corners of the globe.
It was in 2011 that BeatBots LLC teamed up with one of the UK’s most innovative toy companies, Wow! Stuff, to produce a version of Keepon Pro that could have mass market appeal at a sensible price-point. This saw the birth of My Keepon – an interactive robot that responds to touch and sounds – and who went on to be one of the biggest toy success stories of Christmas 2011.
Wow! Stuff’s adorable My Keepon
In 2012, EDF Energy approached BeatBots to develop an orange version of the character that we know all know as “Zingy”, and who has already fronted some of the most talked about TV adverts of the year.
Peter North, the CEO of Wow! Stuff has described Zingy as My Keepon’s ”mischievous brother” although has had to remain very “tipped lipped” about any potential development of the character.