Toyetic is a term referring to the suitability of a media property, such as a cartoon or movie, for merchandising tie-in lines of licensed toys, games and novelties.
[1] The term is attributed to Bernard Loomis, a toy development executive for Kenner Toys, in discussing the opportunities for marketing the film Close Encounters of the Third Kind, telling its producer Steven Spielberg that the movie was not "toyetic" enough, leading Loomis towards acquiring the lucrative license for the upcoming Star Wars properties.
The move was considered highly successful, with over $100 million in annual toy sales following the release of the film.
This was aided by the introduction of cable television that allows for more airtime for new and repeat broadcasts of such shows.
The number of toyetic shows waned after 1990 when the United States Congress passed the Children's Television Act which required content to include educational and instructional material for children, and targeted the type of commercial advertising that could accompany these shows.