Kelly Nyland
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Product Launch · Sphero (2012–2015) 2015

BB-8

The world’s most adorable robot - sold to more than 1 million homes.

Star Wars BB-8

Sphero, Senior Vice President of Global GTM & Product

Backed by Foundry Group, Mercato Partners, The Walt Disney Group, Techstars Class of 2010

In partnership with Disney & Lucasfilm, my team at Sphero launched the world’s most adorable droid, BB-8. As part of the Star Wars The Force Awakens movie launch in 2015, the toy debuted alongside a new cast of characters and we delighted the world with an autonomous household robot that was equipped with it’s own personality and app-controlled experience.

It was a pleasure to co-create with the Lucasfilm team every week in their San Fancisico office, tucked neatly away off the Presidio Bouldvard among the redwoods. Our collaboration extended from packaging, product design and marketing materials to the app-controled features including BB-8s language (Arabesh), mannerisms, holographic projections and autonomous behavior. For children & adults alike, this was their first opportunity to build a relationship with a robot.

Recognition: 2015 NPD #1 Top-Selling Toy Award, 2016 EDISON Best New Product Award, Time "This Will Be the Star Wars Toy Every Kid Wants This Holiday." Press: WSJ, Time, Ad Age, plus Gary Vaynerchuk's Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook.

Sphero's white-and-orange BB-8 droid standing beside a bowl of oranges on a grey backdrop
Scattered smartphone screens from the Star Wars BB-8 app by Sphero, showing DRIVE and tracking UI
Sphero Edu SPRK 5
Star Wars BB-8 wireframe diagram labeling Skillware, Traitware, Hardware and Inductive Charging
Sphero BB-8 app-enabled droid, a white and orange rolling ball robot with a domed head, resting on its charging base marked Star Wars
Grid of Star Wars BB-8 by Sphero marketing assets: banner ads, feature callout panels and lifestyle photos, headlined This Is The Droid You're Looking For
Sphero BB-8 droid, a white and orange ball robot with a domed head, on a wooden ledge among succulents with a garden and glass wall behind
Portfolio Kelly
Sphero BB-8 droid on a red Star Wars banner reading "This is the droid you're looking for"
Sphero BB-8 droid beside a goldfish in a bowl, captioned "Autonomous Behavior"
Retail display of boxed Sphero BB-8 droids under a Star Wars banner, beside Harrods, Disney, Apple, Best Buy, Nordstrom, colette, Boulanger and Amazon logos

Videos

YouTube Play List

Launch Day Press

Awards

  • 🏆 #1 Top-Selling Toy · NPD Group (2015)
  • 🏆 Best New Product Award · EDISON Awards (2016)
  • 🏆 Sexiest Product (Golden Kitty) · Product Hunt (2016)
  • 🏆 Tech Product (Golden Kitty) · Product Hunt (2016)

In Their Words

"Sphero deserves kudos for managing to do what so many others put off. Truly, this is a perfect execution." — Gary Vaynerchuk, Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook

Press