NPR : Furby Co-Inventor Richard Levy

What's the secret of success in the toy industry? A toy idea is only "about 10 percent of this exercise," he says. "Ninety percent is the marketing of it -- getting it together, getting it out." Word-of-mouth can be more important than any ad campaign, and the landscape can change quickly. Levy says he keeps a close watch on popular culture, and uses social trends for inspiration.