MAGNA-TILES’ Mike Scheffki and inventor Michael Bergmann share the story behind Rail Racers

Mike, Michael, it’s great to catch up! Michael Bergmann, let’s start with you! You’re the inventor of this Rail Racers set. Do you have a background in toy design?
Michael Bergmann: No, I’m actually in the roofing industry. My father-in-law owns a roofing company and I work in operations for him. So I don’t really have a background in any sort of design, but I’ve always had ambitions to invent.

There’ll be roofers up and down the land deciding to have a crack at toys now! And you were familiar with the MAGNA-TILES brand before coming up with this idea?
Michael Bergmann: Yes, I have three kids and I think my mom gave us a MAGNA-TILES set for a birthday gift. We were really impressed with the product and we’ve had a lot of fun playing with it for years.

Terrific. Now, how did this idea for Rail Racers come about?
Michael Bergmann: We own a couple of ball runs and we’ve found it hard for my son to put them together by himself. They were fun, but I would certainly have to do all the building. That got me thinking of other ways to do it. I thought about having this rail piece, so I ran to the hardware store to see if I could start building a prototype. I got a piece of wood, attached some metal edges to it and created a slot for the MAGNA-TILES pieces to slide right in. It functioned really well!

At what point did you have enough confidence in the idea to reach out to MAGNA-TILES?
Michael Bergmann: I did a lot of Google searching for similar rail pieces and didn’t find anything – so that was exciting. I then spent some money and had some 3D models made and they worked even better. We were having a lot of fun with them and thought other families would enjoy it too… That’s when I reached out to MAGNA-TILES.

Michael, the other Mike, Mike Scheffki! Let’s bring you in here. What was it about Michael’s email to you that made you excited about this concept?
Mike Scheffki, VP of Marketing, MAGNA-TILES: We had been discussing internally how we could put our own spin on ball runs for quite a while – it was a nut we were trying to crack for well over a year. When Michael reached out and showed us what he was working on, we were like: ‘Holy cow, he’s cracked the code!’ Michael’s idea was an entirely novel and intuitive approach to ball runs. It introduced yet another way for kids to experience the joy of meaningful play with our tiles. Then we find out he only lives an hour and a half north of us. So he’s down the road, his name is also Mike…

Ha! Another Mike. He fit with MAGNA-TILES’ Mike policy, that was important.
Mike Scheffki: I know, you can’t make this stuff up. As you already know, Michael Bergmann is quite humble and while he may not have a background in toy design, per se, he was able to leapfrog some of the best minds in the business and come up with an elegant solution to a kid-friendly ball run.

So yes, we couldn’t wait to have an in-person conversation. And as a marketer, it’s a dream come true for me and my team. It’s the full realisation of our ‘Build On’ campaign and incredibly compelling story that we hope inspires other MAGNA-TILES fans as well. I would challenge Hollywood to come up with a better script!

And you’ve used Michael’s email in your marketing for Rail Racers. I think I saw it blown up big at Toy Fair?
Mike Scheffki: Honestly, Billy, there was no better way to kick off the marketing of Rail Racers at Toy Fair than taking the exact email Michael Bergmann sent us, word for word, and putting it front and center for everyone to read. Michael’s words tell you everything you need to know about why the product came about, the joy and the value it brings – and that background story is what we want to continue to amplify.

Michael, let’s come back to you. What were your expectations after sending the email to MAGNA-TILES?
Michael Bergmann: I don’t know what I expected. Honestly, I was confident in the product and thought it had a fit in the market. MAGNA-TILES was growing and I thought they’d be looking for new stuff – but to get the reply from Rick was still surprising.

This was from Rick Keuter, Head of Product Development at MAGNA-TILES.
Michael Bergmann: Yes. He expressed interest and thought it was a promising concept. That’s when I thought: ‘Wow, is this really happening?’ I then drove down and met the team a few weeks later. As an outsider, it was very cool to see the inner workings of MAGNA-TILES headquarters and to meet the people behind the brand. The whole process has been eye-opening for me and I can’t speak highly enough about the professionalism of their team.

Yes, I’ve heard even the ones that aren’t called Mike are all right! And have you had ideas for other toys? Have you been bitten by the bug? Or are back on the roof?
Michael Bergmann: I am back on the roof, but the ideas do just keep coming. I don’t know if any of them will have the legs that Rail Racers have, but it certainly ignited something inside me. We’ll see! The toy industry has been a great experience, so I think that pursuing something else here will probably be my next step – in my free time!

Terrific! And Mike, has it changed how MAGNA-TILES approaches inventor outreach in any way? Has it re-energised an appetite to find more Mikes!
Mike Scheffki: It has ignited a desire to connect with more inventors, and self-described non-inventors, in the future. Sometimes it takes moments like this, products like this, and people like Michael and his lovely family to remind you of why you do this every day.

MAGNA-TILES is a brand that was built by our fans. It started in the classroom, endorsed by teachers and expanded on by kids. We’re fortunate to be the stewards of the brand today, and we owe it to ourselves and our fan community to keep the lines of communication open. Who knows if there are other ideas like this out there? If Michael’s story inspires just one more person to take a chance on themselves and pitch their idea to a company, the toy industry will be better for it.

And would you say Michael’s approach to engaging with MAGNA-TILES is one to emulate for budding inventors?
Mike Scheffki: Exactly. From the first email to the last text message we exchanged, Michael has approached this project with humility and an open mind. The vibe is more ‘Hey, I think I’m onto something here,’ as opposed to ‘Hey, I have the best idea in the world.’ So yes, I’d suggest budding inventors embrace the same humility and genuineness that make Michael Bergmann such a joy to work with.

Before we wrap up, MAGNA-TILES is embarking on a licensing adventure with Beanstalk. What sorts of categories are you hoping the brand can expand into?
Mike Scheffki: We have our eyes set on apparel, accessories and home goods, just to name a few. Those feel like logical places to start naturally extending our beloved brand. Now feels like the right time, not just in the US, but globally, with the support of the world-class team at Beanstalk. We’re very excited to work alongside them to expand our brand’s reach and create best-in-class licensing partnerships.

Great stuff. Michael, Mike, this has been a pleasure. And congrats again on Rail Racers.

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