Table of Contents
April 2011 volume 6, no. 4
features
departments
on this page
24 Plush Category Keeps on Huggin’
4 Observations & Opinions
(left to right) Aeromax’s Butterfly Wing Set, Manhattan Toy’s Chunkles Zebra, Hasbro’s Let’s Rock Elmo, Night Night Timmy from Jakks Pacific, FisherPrice’s Rock Star Mickey, and Gund’s Nuzzles
by Laurie Leahey
26 Plush: Product Presentation by Laurie Leahey
28 Happily Ever After: roleplay builds Imagination by Nancy Lombardi
30 roleplay: Product Presentation by Nancy Lombardi
32 Specialty Emporium: innovativeKids by Chris Adams
6 Sizzlers 8 Specialty Sizzlers 10 The Ticker 12 Shelf Talkers 14 Entertainment Marketplace: The Smurfs 16 Merchandise Makers: Ravensburger USA 18 Industry Forum: TIA 22 Industry Forum: Design Edge
34 Specialty Emporium: Product Presentation by Jennifer Lynch
36 You’re Hired 38 Calendar of Events
on the cover Folkmanis’ 14-inch lobster puppet’s coloring is made to look like the real thing. Its design includes an accordionlike tail and moveable claws and mouth. COvEr bY
DESIgn EDgE
ObservatiOns & OpiniOns
WWW.ANBMEDIA.COM
Easter Sales Are Hopping Along; Industry Trade Shows Usher in Summer BY
BOB GLASER
T
his is one of those times of the year for the toy industry when things are slow and it causes manufacturers to complain about business. This will happen again sometime around August—as it does every year. At this point, however, manufacturers are waiting for Easter sales to materialize. As of this writing it is a bit early, but, as happens every year, the scheduled holiday always does arrive despite the panic leading up to the big day. Easter is now the third-largest holiday in terms of sales trailing only Christmas and Halloween. Easter is a multibillion dollar business. At one time, an Easter gift meant candy, candy, and more candy. But in recent years, parents have become more aware of healthy eating and want to offer their kids some options aside from just candy. As a result, toy manufacturers are increasing their offerings with each passing year, leading to multi-billion-dollar-sales opportunities. We have increased our Easter coverage for consumers. Be sure to visit www.TimetoPlayMag.com and check out the numerous Easter toys that we are featuring this year. As we (finally) move toward the summer, there are two upcoming industry events worth attending. The first event, PlayCon, put on by the Toy Industry Association (TIA), is being held May 4–6 at the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort & Spa in Arizona. This is the event formerly known as ToyCon. There are several good reasons to attend PlayCon. Attendees will have access to industry leaders in a casual atmosphere. The featured topic at PlayCon will be the panel discussion, the Power of Play. Experts from Toys “R” Us, Sears/Kmart, Marbles, and Barnes & Noble will be discussing the retail landscape in 2011. NPD will be presenting quantitative industry research. There will be interactive workshops focusing on social media, blogging, and several other topics pertinent to business in today’s global marketplace. Much like Toy Fair, PlayCon is a great way to catch up with industry friends. But this will certainly be a more relaxed environment than Toy Fair. The second event is the annual American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA) Marketplace & Academy. This year the event is being held in Anaheim, Calif. It will take place June 19–22. This year’s exhibit hall will be the largest ever for ASTRA. More than 40 new exhibitors will be featuring products at this year’s event. The ASTRA convention always features multiple opportunities for manufacturers and retailers to share strategies for dealing with the challenges, and successes, of doing business in today’s challenging marketplace. I’ve lost count of how many ASTRA conventions I have attended. I always come away from the convention revitalized and energized. I hope to see you at these upcoming events.
4 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT APRIL 2011
PUBLISHED
BY ANB
MEDIA • Volume 6, Number 4
PUBLISHER BOB GLASER BOB@ANBMEDIA.COM ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER ANDY KRINNER ANDY@ANBMEDIA.COM ADVERTISING MANAGER DONNA MOORE DONNA@ANBMEDIA.COM CONTROLLER MARY GROGAN MARY@ANBMEDIA.COM EDITOR IN CHIEF JIM SILVER JIM@ANBMEDIA.COM EDITORIAL DIRECTOR NANCY LOMBARDI NANCY@ANBMEDIA.COM MANAGING EDITOR CHRIS ADAMS CHRISA@ANBMEDIA.COM EDITOR AT LARGE CHRISTOPHER BYRNE CHRISB@ANBMEDIA.COM EDITOR LAURIE LEAHEY LAURIE@ANBMEDIA.COM ASSISTANT EDITOR JENNIFER LYNCH JENNIFER@ANBMEDIA.COM WEB MASTER ERIK KIECKHAFER ERIK@ANBMEDIA.COM WEB CONTENT MANAGER BRENDAN SANABRIA BRENDAN@ANBMEDIA.COM CONTRIBUTORS CHRISTINE CRIMI; MARK NUCCIO; TIA STAFF PUBLIC RELATIONS REPRESENTATIVE JOSSLYNNE WELCH LITZKY PUBLIC RELATIONS, 320 SINATRA DRIVE, HOBOKEN, N.J. 07030 (201) 222–9118 EXT. 13 • JWELCH@LITZKYPR.COM INTERESTED IN A SUBSCRIPTION? CONTACT SUBSCRIPTIONS@ANBMEDIA.COM ANB MEDIA, INC. 229 WEST 28TH STREET, SUITE 401, NEW YORK, N.Y. 10001 PHONE: (646) 763–8710 • FAX: (646) 763–8727 Toys & Family EnTErTainmEnT is published eight times per year by aNb Media. Copyright 2011 aNb Media. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher. Printed in the U.S.A. Toys & Family EnTErTainmEnT and spEcialTy Emporium are registered trademarks of aNb Media. Opinions and comments expressed in this publication by editors, contributing writers, or solicited or unsolicited documents are not necessarily those of management.
SizzlerS
Sizzlers: What’s Moving Off Store Shelves? What Are the Hottest Web Orders? Here is an alphabetical listing of the hottest-selling items in the toy industry, based on a combined survey of both offline and online retailers, reflecting the previous month’s sales. Sing-aMa-Jigs
Power Rangers Samurai Deluxe Megazord
Star Wars LEGO
Mini Lalaloopsy
Apples to Apples Mattel
Mini lAlAloopsy Doll AssortMent MgA entertainment
BArBie BeAch Doll AssortMent Mattel
MoBigo Vtech
BeyBlADe MetAl Fusion hasbro
poWer rAngers sAMurAi Action Figure AssortMent Bandai
connect Four hasbro leApster explorer leapFrog lego ninjAgo AssortMent lego lego stAr WArs AssortMent lego
6 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT APRIL 2011
scriBBle & Write leapFrog sing-A-MA-jigs Mattel squinkies Blip toys V.reADer Vtech
Specialty SizzlerS
Specialty Sizzlers: What’s Moving Off Store Shelves in the Specialty Market? TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT is making a change this month. Rather than polling specialty retailers nationwide, we asked KAZOO & COMPANY’S Diana Nelson for the Q1 2011 top sellers in her store. Listed below, in alphabetical order, is what consumers purchased in store as well as online at KAZOOTOYS.COM. KAZOO TOYS is located in Denver, Colo.
Playmobil’s SWAT team officer for 2011
CARDBOARD BLOCKS
•
SMART MONKEY TOYS
“We sold more than 1,000 of them last year,” says Kazoo’s Diana Nelson.
GERTIE BALL
•
SMALL WORLD TOYS
“We sold more than 1,500 in 2010,” says Nelson.
LEGO ASSORTED SETS
•
LEGO
Gertie Ball
“Usually not one piece left on the shelf by the end of the year,” says Nelson.
NEO TRACKS
•
MINDSCOPE
PEZ CANDY FLOOR DISPLAYS
•
PEZ
“This is not a ‘hot toy’ but it sells a complete display twice a month,” says Nelson.
PINK
OR
BLUE STROLLER
•
CASTLE TOY
“We sell more of the blue than the pink each and every year,” says Nelson.
PLAYMOBIL ASSORTED SETS
•
PLAYMOBIL
Playmobil, like LEGO, is a strong seller every year, according to Nelson.
SINGALONG MICROPHONE
•
LITTLE LITTLE TOY COMPANY
SKUUT BIKE
•
REEVES & JONES
SUPERSTRUTS PINKLETS
•
WABA FUN
“Another great quality, new, up-and-coming company in Colorado,” says Nelson.
TWILIGHT ASSORTMENT
•
CLOUD B
Zoobies
•
Zoobies
“Couldn’t keep them in stock. I think it is one of the best new small companies around,” says Nelson.
8 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT APRIL 2011
Twilight Ladybug LEGO’s Police Set for 2011
THE TICKER
A Recap of Industry Headlines For More News, Visit www.aNbMedia.com • Sign up to Receive FREE Weekly News Blasts The symbol to the left is a special type of bar code called a QR code. If you have a QR code app installed on your smartphone (there are many free versions available), snapping a picture of the code to the left will direct your phone’s internet browser to www.aNbMedIa.coM where you can read the latest industry news, sign up for free weekly news blasts, access the content of Toys & Family EnTErTainmEnT, and much more.
Tomy Company agrees To aCquire rC2 CorporaTion Tomy Company and RC2 Corporation announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement pursuant to which Tomy will acquire RC2 through an all-cash tender offer and second-step merger valued at approximately $640 million. The transaction was approved by the board of directors of Tomy. RC2’s board of directors has also approved the agreement and recommended that RC2’s stockholders tender their shares to Tomy pursuant to the offer. Tomy, through a U.S. subsidiary, will make an offer to purchase all outstanding shares of RC2 common stock for $27.90 per share. The tender offer price represents a 30.9 percent premium to RC2’s average closing stock price over the three-month period that ended March 9, 2011, and a 27.2 percent premium over the closing price of RC2’s common stock on March 9, 2011. The tender offer is expected to close during the second quarter of 2011. The tender offer is subject to certain customary conditions, including the tender of a majority of the outstanding shares of RC2’s common stock on a fully diluted basis. The transaction is not conditioned on financing. Following completion of the tender offer, Tomy will acquire the remaining outstanding shares of RC2’s common stock for $27.90 per share through a second-step merger. Under the deal, it is expected that RC2’s brands will continue to be managed by the current leadership team.
WalmarT To manage easTern sTores from aTlanTa Reuters recently reported that Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., announced that it would manage nearly 1,600 stores in 20 eastern U.S. states from Atlanta, putting a closer focus on opportunities to grow its business in states such as New York. Rosalind Brewer, president of Walmart East and executive vice-president of Walmart U.S., based in Atlanta, will be responsible for this new eastern business unit. The states in the new eastern business unit are: Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia. In other Walmart news, the company announced plans to further expand its U.S. multichannel platform by launching a full-scale, national rollout of Pick Up Today. The service enables customers to purchase items online and receive free same-day pickup at a local Walmart store. By June, Pick Up Today is expected to be available in nearly 3,600 Walmart stores nationwide. The service will also expand to include up to 40,000 items across multiple categories. Online orders are expected to be ready for pickup in about four hours, and orders placed after 6 p.m. are expected to be ready for pickup at 10 a.m. the next day.
niCkelodeon’s Brodsky To Be induCTed inTo lima Hall of fame Leigh Anne Brodsky, president of Nickelodeon Consumer Products, has been selected for induction into the International Licensing Industry Merchandisers’ Association (LIMA) Licensing Industry Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony will take place on Tuesday, June
10 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT APRIL 2011
14, 2011, at the annual LIMA Opening Night Awards Ceremony during Licensing Show at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas. A licensing professional for more than 25 years, Brodsky has broken new ground in many ways, most notably by popularizing multicultural franchises. One of Brodsky’s biggest professional accomplishments is creating a licensing juggernaut for preschoolers with Nickelodeon’s Latina character, Dora the Explorer. She spearheaded the development and growth of SpongeBob SquarePants. Additionally, Brodsky was also responsible for building the Rugrats and Blue’s Clues properties into huge successes. And in the past few years, Brodsky broke new ground, licensing properties to healthy food categories, ranging from clementines to frozen edamame. A passionate children’s advocate, Brodsky is a former member of LIMA’s board of directors and continues to co-chair LIMA’s charity committee. Under her leadership, LIMA’s ambitious five-year, $1 million fundraising goal to benefit the Children’s Brain Tumor Foundation (CBTF) was achieved in less than three years. She is an active board member of the TIA and CBTF.
LEGO’s NiNjaGO tO air as sEriEs ON CartOON NEtwOrk The LEGO Group announced that Ninjago, its original property inspired by martial arts lore, has been spun into 13 episodes of animated series content. Written by Kevin and Dan Hageman and produced in HD CGI by Wil Film, the series will air in the U.S. on Cartoon Network starting at the end of 2011. The search for distribution partners in global markets is underway. To launch the story and establish the characters, Cartoon Network aired Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu, two 22-minute animated specials that introduced the characters and conflicts of the Ninjago universe in January and in March. The specials were consistently the highest rated program among boys in their time slot, across multiple airings. Ninjago is a multi-faceted property with a story-driven universe that can be experienced across multiple platforms. Traditional LEGO building sets allow children to create and roleplay in the Ninjago world. Buildable spinners put the Ninjago characters at the center of a new social competitive game. Virtual gaming at http://ninjago.com, in a new content zone of LEGO Universe, and through a Nintendo DS game all bring the world to life and unlock information and skills that offer further engagement with the property.
PiNkaLiCiOus Party GOOds The Joester Loria Group signed Unique Industries and DecoPac for Pinkalicious party goods. Unique Industries will be launching Pinkalicious paper party goods and decorations based on the book series. The line will include napkins, plates, table covers, cups, party hats, party blowouts, loot bags, party invitations, piñatas, and décor. DecoPac is launching a collection of Pinkalicious cake decorations.
CONCEPt ONE aNd dark HOrsE siGN NEw dOmO dEaLs
Pinkalicious party goods from Unique Industries
Concept One and Dark Horse have entered into all-new multi-year agreements with Big Tent Entertainment to continue having the rights to develop a range of products inspired by Domo. Concept One has extended the term of its licensing contract with Big Tent to include Domo-themed computer sleeves, silicone phone cases, rubber bracelets, bikinis, booty shorts, belt buckles, an extensive range of new bags, headwear, cold weather accessories, small leather goods, flip flops, and slippers. Dark Horse Comics expands its agreement with Big Tent by creating Domo tin lunch boxes and PVC figures that will be sold at retail in sets.
APRIL 2011 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT 11
Shelf TalkerS
The Newest Items Now In Stores Toys ‘R’ Us and Disney Toys “R” Us is introducing a wood collection of vehicles, track, and playsets based on the popular 2006 Disney/Pixar movie, Cars. The 15-item collection includes vehicle two-packs of film favorites. The collection will be expanded later in the year to include new characters and sets based on the Cars 2 release, which is scheduled to be in theaters June 24.
Creativity for Kids The Color Changing Robot Light kit, from Creativity for Kids, is one of the newly released arts & crafts kits. With this kit, kids can build, paint, and decorate their own seven inch tall plastic 3-D robot. Once decorated to the child’s liking, flip the switch and watch the robot light up. Translucent colored paints and dimensional stickers create a colorful robot light show. The kit requires two AA batteries, which are not included.
Wild Planet With Wild Planet’s Denkosekka (Japanese for “lightning speed”) battle system, players compete to become the next Denko Master. Using the magnetic Denko Catcher, players release the yo-yo-like catcher to retrieve Denko Disks. As the disks get smaller, the level of difficulty increases, as well as the points earned for retrieval. Denko Disks are valued between 10 and 50 points, with 100-point disks in limited circulation. Points are based on the collectible disks’ size, rarity, and shape.
LEGO LEGO Duplo Play with Letters is a new set of bricks that helps toddlers and preschoolers learn the alphabet in a fun way. The set includes 26 alphabet bricks, cat, accessories, and one figure (62 pieces in total). With multiple options for use, parents can work with their child to build imaginative games, while teaching the child reading and spelling basics. This LEGO Duplo set is made for ages 2 and up.
12 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT APRIL 2011
Discovery Bay Games Discovery Bay Games integrates the innovative elements of the Apple iPad with the timeless play of a family board game through its Duo gaming device and first Duo game title Yoomi. Using the free Yoomi app, the iPad evolves into a modern game board, on which players place tokens on one of two possible answers. The goal is to see which player knows the Yoomi chooser better.
MGA Entertainment MGA Entertainment’s Kachooz! is a new line of collectible pencil toppers for kids of all ages. With crazy hair of all colors and textures, Kachooz! owners can enjoy hours of fun styling, twirling, and braiding their new furry friends.
Cepia DeGeDar, from Cepia, is a competitive racing game, where players propel the collectible DaGeDar racing balls through a rollercoaster-like course of flips and turns. There are 240 different DaGeDar balls, each with a different graphic design that indicates its rarity. To find out the hidden powers of each DaGeDar, players can visit the DaGeDar website and type in the number coded on their DaGeDar.
Desk Pets International TankBots, from the creator of interactive micro-robotic toys and gadgets, is the world’s first micro-robotic toy controlled by iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch. With a three-mode navigation system, TankBots move in the direction of the owner’s choosing with using Apple’s accelerometer technology. Using the autonomous mode, TankBots can also navigate on its own and interact with users. The device uses a USB charger, which requires 30 minutes to charge before a 15 minute span of play.
Bandai America Skreemsters are a new line of toy race cars that use a patent-pending voice-activated technology to control the vehicles. Each vehicle has a different type of engine and racing sound, which is activated by the length of the sounds you make into the vehicle. Made for preschoolers, Skreemsters vehicles can be used indoors or outside and travel up to 50 feet. AAA batteries are required and included.
APRIL 2011 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT 13
ENTERTAINMENT MARKETPLACE
SONY PICTURES CONSUMER PRODUCTS BY LAURIE LEAHEY
T
he Smurfs have been on television, in comic books, and in video games, but now they are taking on Manhattan. In Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation’s live-action/CGI animation movie, The Smurfs, the evil wizard Gargamel chases the Smurfs out of their village, causing them to tumble through a portal into the human world—in the middle of Manhattan, to be exact. With the help of some human friends, the Smurfs must conjure up a blue moon in order to make it home before Gargamel tracks them down. The Smurfs hits theaters on August 3, 2011.
screenshot from The Smurfs
14 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT APRIL 2011
Belgian cartoonist Peyo (aka Pierre Culliford) created the Smurfs on October 23, 1958, in the Belgian magazine Spirou. Several decades later, the Smurfs went from supporting characters in a comic to the stars of their own animated TV series, which aired from 1981–1990, on NBC. Just over 50 years later, the Smurfs continue to be popular, mainly among fans who remember them from the 1980s series. But there is a whole generation that has yet to meet the Smurfs, and Sony Pictures Consumer Products (SPCP) hopes The Smurfs will be the catalyst to introduce the brand to new fans. The official website SmurfHappens.com gives fans a way to interact with the brand and characters before the movie’s release date. SPCP has also signed numerous licensees to produce product based on the new movie, which includes an updated look to the Smurfs characters thanks to CGI animation. Licensed product categories include apparel and accessories, domestics, publishing, health and beauty, housewares, stationery, and toys and games. The Smurfs program has more than 60 North American licensees, including master toy licensee Jakks Pacific. C-Life recently launched its juniors apparel division with a Smurfs partnership. Other licensees include Schleich, NKOK, Rand International, Ubisoft, and Pressman Toy. With a variety of product categories and a full roster of licensees, SPCP’s licensing program for The Smurfs will have fans new and old seeing blue.
Need
to
KNow
• The Smurfs features an all-star cast that includes Neil Patrick Harris, Katy Perry, George Lopez, Jayma Mays, Hank Azaria, Sofia Vergara, and Tim Gunn.
• In 2010, the Smurfs participated in the White House Easter Egg Roll.
• Fans can visit SmurfHappens.com to download a free app, The Smurfs’ Village. In this game, players must build a village for the Smurfs. The game is based on the original cartoon and comic art. It was developed by Capcom Interactive.
SCHLEICH
PRESSMAN TOY
UBISOFT
Schleich, which began creating Smurfs figurines in the 1960s, will release a Smurfs Movie set featuring figures of the six main characters in the movie. The figures are based on the movie’s new look. Also new are five Smurfs Decade Sets, which represent the last five decades of the Smurfs from 1960–2009. Each set has a theme with five figures displayed against a diorama.
Pressman Toy will create preschool games and puzzles for The Smurfs. There will be a variety of board and card games, as well as several lines of Smurfs puzzles featuring real movie scenes.
Ubisoft will develop and publish a video game based on The Smurfs. Designed for the Wii system from Nintendo and the Nintendo DS family of handheld systems, The Smurfs video game is scheduled to launch with the release of the feature film.
JAKKS PACIFIC NKOK NKOK signed on to produce Smurfs toys based on the new movie. The toy line will include radio-controlled vehicles.
As the master toy licensee for The Smurfs, Jakks Pacific is producing a variety of Smurfs toys. There will be new mini figures and playsets, as well as plush based on the new movie.
RAND INTERNATIONAL Licensee Rand International signed on for The Smurfs brand. The company has produced a Smurfs-themed tricycle.
APRIL 2011 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT 15
MERCHANDISE MAKERS
Innovation Is Key at Ravensburger USA BY
CHRIS ADAMS
F
ew companies in the toy industry have as long and storied of a history as Ravensburger. The company, which was founded in Ravensburg, Germany in 1883, has since established subsidiaries all around the world that cater to local tastes. Established in 1999, Ravensburger USA has gained traction within the U.S. puzzle category—now ranking No. 2 behind Hasbro. Ravensburger first started distributing its products in the U.S. in the early 1970s through various distributors. U.S. distribution was then consolidated under International Playthings. During the time when International Playthings was distributing Ravensburger’s products, the man who would become CEO of Ravensburger USA, Thomas Kaeppeler, was working his way up the ranks of the parent company, serving in international sales. Kaeppeler’s territories included North and South America, Spain, and Portugal and his biggest customer was International Playthings. It is this experience that made him a shoe-in for an executive position when Ravensburger set up its U.S. subsidiary in 1999. “To a degree, when we started with our own subsidiary, we discovered that the Ravensburger brand didn’t mean much in the U.S.,” says Kaeppeler. “International Playthings did a good job building the business to a certain level, but the Ravensburger brand name didn’t mean anything. In branching out to larger chains, it exposed the brand and our quality to consumers we weren’t reaching through specialty chan-
16 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT APRIL 2011
nels and we were able to hook consumers onto our quality.” The decision to branch out beyond specialty plays a large part in the growth of Ravensburger USA. The exposure to additional consumers played a big role in gaining brand recognition as well as a reputation for producing high-quality puzzles. However, that decision wasn’t completely voluntary. “We built the brand in specialty, which is still where the core of our business lies,”
Spirit of the Seas puzzlepyramid
says Kaeppeler. “Through the demise of the specialty chains, we found that we could not support a games and puzzles business in the U.S. based solely on specialty.” Beyond branching out into mass channels, the company’s ongoing innovation has played a role in its growth of marketshare in the puzzle category. For example, the 2007 introduction of the 3-D puzzleball added 30 percent sales volume to the balance sheet. A host of new 3-D puzzle concepts are on the way from
the company. Next is the puzzlepyramid line extension and, this fall, a line of 3-D building puzzles is on the way. The technology required to manufacture the 3-D puzzles of 2011 is a far cry from a decade ago, when 3D puzzles last peaked in popularity. “We have a large corporate environment back in Germany, which includes product development, tooling, capital, and investment resources—all of the resources that smaller companies dream about,” says Kaeppeler. “At the same time, we have localized product development in the U.S. We are able to combine the need for innovation with the particular needs of a given market.” The level of innovation Ravensburger is devoting to 3-D puzzles is leading to a bit of a blending of the puzzle category with the construction category. After all, what is the difference between building a complete structure with a range of molded plastic “puzzle” pieces or with a LEGO building set? In addition to puzzles, Ravensburger USA offers games and arts & crafts. The company is also the exclusive U.S. distributor for the WOW brand of preschool toys. These toys are in line with Ravensburger’s corporate philosophy of offering products that help children learn through entertainment without being obnoxiously educational. This philosophy has been in place since the company’s founding and has been a guiding light through the years. Combining this philosophy with an eye toward innovation is what has helped Ravensburger USA grow and it is what will carry the company forward.
Industry Forum
PlayCon: new name, new Format, new Ideas BY
TOY INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION STAFF
E
veryone involved in the business of play—from toy companies to retailers, licensors, inventors, and designers—is invited to PlayCon 2011, the Toy Industry Association’s (TIA) “reinvented and rejuvenated” International Conference of Play Professionals. Formerly known as ToyCon, this year’s Play to Win program will cover a broad range of concepts, data on consumer preferences and trends, and tactical business applications of social media and other communication tools. The event will be
18 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT APRIL 2011
held at the Hyatt Regency Resort and Spa in Scottsdale, Ariz., May 4–6, 2011. “PlayCon will cater to toy industry and play professionals who are seeking the information, tools, and inspiration needed to tackle the business of play,” says Marian Bossard, vice-president of meetings and events at TIA. “Businesses wishing to gain a creative edge in a highly competitive marketplace will find everything they need at PlayCon to grow their networks, maximize their sales, and increase their profits.” Through general assembly presentations, interactive workshops, networking meals,
and evening events, every individual attending the conference, regardless of their professional role, will gain new insights regarding the business of play. The esteemed faculty is comprised of forward-thinking industry leaders and influencers, including Dr. Kathleen Alfano, Ph.D. (Fisher-Price), Anita Frazier (NPD Group), Dr. Stuart Brown, Ph.D. (The National Institute of Play), and Mike Bonifer (author of GameChangers—Improvisation for Business in the Networked World, cofounder of GameChangers, LLC). This year’s program features multiple
building blocks to success, including sessions on how to grow sales and profits, strategies for managing costs, cutting-edge business development tools, in-depth consumer insights, and proprietary consumer research. The Retail Landscape 2011 panel discus-
sion will include experts from Toys “R” Us, Sears/Kmart, Marbles, and Barnes & Noble. There is a diverse Consumer Insight Summit that will feature research presented by The Marketing Store and Nickelodeon followed by a panel discussion and question-and-answer session.
TOY INDUSTRY FOUNDATION LEAPS
T
he Toy Industry Foundation (TIF) is springing into action this season with activities that will benefit children in need. Following a successful toy drive at Toy Fair, where more than $200,000 worth of product from 200 exhibitors was collected, TIF is traveling to South Carolina on April 13 to distribute a portion of those toys and games to more than 600 military youth stationed with their families at the Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort. Recognizing April as the Month of the Military Child and honoring the strength, resilience, and unique challenges of children adapting to their parent’s military obligations, the event marks the first in 2011 under the TIF/Boys & Girls Clubs of America Military Services Play Comforts partnership, which has reached 9,500 military children since its launch in 2009. On Friday, May 13, TIF will continue its springtime philanthropic efforts, partnering once more with My Stuff Bags Foundation to celebrate National Foster Care Month at the third annual Do Good Stuff-a-thon. The yearly event aims to make a difference in the lives of
INTO
SPRING
BY
Visit PlayCon2011.org to register. Registration includes all conference sessions and official event meals: a kick-off dinner, breakfast each day, lunch on Thursday, refreshment breaks, and an evening reception. Visit PlayCon2011.org for more information.
HELPING CHILDREN
the estimated 300,000 children in America who enter the foster care system on an annual basis. Volunteers from the toy industry will join forces from 10 A.M.–2 P.M. at the My Stuff Bags volunteer center in Westlake Village, Calif., to assemble 5,000 My Stuff bags with items such as handmade blankets, clothing, toiletries, and toys to be delivered to children in foster care across the country. “These kids are rescued from abusive and neglectful living situations, and often leave their homes with few personal belongings other than the clothes on their backs,” said TIF senior manager Amanda McDorman. “Our My Stuff bags show the children just how many people care about them.” To participate in the California Do Good Stuff-a-thon, contact Amanda McDorman at (646) 520–4878 or amcdorman@toyindustryfoundation.org. For those who can’t be in attendance, a virtual Stuff-a-thon will allow toy companies and others to participate in filling My Stuff Bags. (See the virtual Stuff-a-thon link under the “Events and Programs” tab of the TIF website.) For more information about foundation activities, visit the ToyIndustryFoundation.org.
IN
NEED
volunteers collecting product at the close of this year’s Toy Fair
CALL FOR PRODUCTS WITH BIRTHDAYS IN 2011 The Toy Industry Foundation is looking for items celebrating significant anniversaries in 2011 for donation to the TIF’s third annual “Birthday Bids” auction to benefit children in need. The seven-day online charity auction will run from September 23–30, 2011. It is a perfect opportunity for companies to help children while also celebrating the product. Companies interested in submitting one or more products are encouraged to contact Amanda McDorman at (646) 520–4878 or amcdorman@toyindustryfoundation.org.
APRIL 2011 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT 19
Industry Forum
The Times They Are a-Changin’
A
BY
MARK C. NUCCIO, DESIGN EDGE
nother Toy Fair is now over.
The beauty of the Toy Building, in its hey-
used to constant distrac-
This year, just like so many
day, was that you went from showroom to
tion, and, as a result, they
past years, I felt like I was at a
showroom giving your mind and eyes time to
revel in this type of setting.
Moroccan bazaar with every-
adjust from one line to the next from one cat-
Needless to say, I am
one hawking their wares. I felt
egory to another. A sales professional making
not one of these people.
as if someone was going to ask if I wanted to
an important presentation did not have to con-
While I keep referring to
buy magic beans or perhaps a flying carpet.
tend with competition from the show floor.
the TIA maps and my trusty compass, they
Certainly Toy Fair at the Javits Center is
Now when you are in someone’s booth there
wander into the aisles and know exactly where
exciting and it’s nothing new. However, I
are sounds from the show floor, people trying
their next appointment is. So I guess it’s me
always questioned whether
to interrupt the meetings, and, of course,
who will have to make the attitude adjustment.
it does the product, sales
everyone waving as they walk by the booth.
Certainly this has happened before when I
professionals, and buyers
The buyers also benefited in the Toy
learned to navigate the computer, an e-reader,
a disservice. With very
Building in that they could give each presen-
and my BlackBerry, and also when I gave up
little separation between
tation the attention it deserves without this
my CDs for iTunes. I guess it’s time for me to
constant visual and verbal clutter.
(finally) embrace the Javits Center. After all,
booths and displays, the show feels like one
I have heard these issues voiced frequently,
vast run-on sentence.
but I have also noticed that there are glaring
Toy Fair has been operating successfully in that venue for perhaps 30 years.
You see so much that
differences in how the show is perceived.
after a while you see nothing.
Those who accept change easily love the Javits
Design Edge is a New York-based graphic
Anyone who attends this show who has any
atmosphere. These are the people who thrive
design and research development studio. Mark
type of attention disorder (such as yours
on media and new technology. They are con-
Nuccio can be reached at (516) 377–0500 or
truly) must struggle to focus.
nected via Facebook, Twitter, etc. They are
via email at mark@designedge.net.
Have extra inventory?
Donate it to K.I.D.S.
22 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT APRIL 2011
Your excess product can put smiles on faces!
Poverty is a disaster that happens every day, but K.I.D.S. brings hope to 4.5 million children and their families every year. Donating your excess apparel, shoes, toys, books and juvenile products can provide your company with a generous tax deduction and replace despair with dignity. Fill out the donation form online at www.KIDSdonations.org or call 1-800-266-3314.
The he staf staff fff of aNb aN Media would like to express our sincere condolences to the people of Japan during this time of g great reat tragedy resulting from the recent ear earthquake thq quake uak and ensuing tsunami. We W e encourage enco everyone ever yone to donate organizations: during this crisis sis to the ffollowing ollow wing or rganizations: ganiza ganizations: Global Giving www.globalgiving.org www .globalgiving.org Text JAPAN T ext JAP PAN AN or 50555 505 to make a $10 donation by text message World W orld V Vision ision www.worldvision.org www.worldvision.org Text T extt 4JAP 4JAPAN PAN AN or 20222 202 to donate, or call toll free 888-56-CHILD Save the Children: Emergency Relief for Japan Quake www.savethechildren.org/japanquake www .savethechildren.org/japanquake T Text ext JAP JAPAN PAN 202 to donate, or call toll free 800-728-3843 AN or 20222 The American Red Cross: Japan Earthquake ake & Pacific T Tsumani sum sumani Relief www.redcross.org www .redcross.org Text T e REDCROSS or 90999 to make a $10 donation by text message ext
Plush Category KeePs
on
huggin’
BY LAURIE LEAHEY
C
onsumers call them stuffed animals, but plush is so much more than animals. Plush toys are favorite characters for kids to cuddle with at bedtime or dance with during playtime. Plush toys might look and move like real animals, or they might be strangelooking yet loveable monsters. These toys come in all different shapes and sizes, but there is one common thread: emotional connection. “Plush is an emotional category,” says Vince Smart, vice-president of marketing at Gund. “They’re emotional products that make you laugh or smile.” For 31 years, Gund’s Snuffles bear has held an emotional connection with consumers. Smart says this is because of Snuffles’ unique shape and huggability—Gund understuffs Snuffles to make the bear easier to hug. Hugging is something that happens a lot with plush, but sometimes kids—who are the main recipients of plush toys—want something more. Plush manufacturers deliver this through the use of technology in the plush toys. “If it’s done right,” Smart says, “technology enhances the emotional connection.” Gund, which recently re-hired Bruce Raiffe as its new president, is commonly known for its classic plush, but the company started looking for ways to build interactivity using mechanical features in its plush a few years ago. This year’s newest interactive plush is Peek-a-Boo Bear, which raises and lowers its blanket to play peeka-boo with kids. The bear also says, “Peek-aboo, I see you” to kids. “It does increase that emotional connection,” Smart says of the bear, “because it is more interactive and provokes a response in the child to the bear.” Since 2002, Hasbro’s FurReal Friends line continues to provide electronic plush toys that
24 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT APRIL 2011
offer realistic, nurturing animal experiences. “Kids are always looking for cute and huggable toys,” says Michelle Paolino, vice-president, global brand strategy and marketing, Hasbro. “But the FurReal Friends brand enhances the play and gives kids the next best thing—realistic, highly interactive plush pets that really respond to them. It is all about the right combination of plush and technology. Kids don’t respond to technology for technology’s sake.” Paolino says that new technologies and products constantly enter the plush market, so to remain competitive manufacturers must “apply the technology in ways that delight and surprise the child. There is room on the shelf for innovative products.” Along with responding to touch, Hasbro’s new Cookie, My Playful Pup, a pintsized golden retriever, uses voice recognition technology and responds when spoken to by moving its head, blinking, and barking. According to Diana C. Dunn-Graves, vicepresident of marketing, Fisher-Price Friends, what makes feature plush so delightful to kids is seamless immersion of technology. “The child should be able to experience the fun and joy while having technology be invisible to them,” she says. “It should be magical.”
license to Plush Technology plays an important role for licensed plush toys. “Features enhance a plush by bringing licensed characters to life, allowing kids to hear familiar phrases or music from their favorite books, movies, and shows,” says Jennifer Caveza, vice-president of girls marketing for Jakks Pacific. Even non-feature licensed plush is a big hit among kids. If plush toys are all about emotion-
Hasbro’s new Cookie, My Playful Pup, a pint-sized golden retriever, uses voice recognition technology and responds when spoken to by moving its head, blinking, and barking, just like a “real” dog.
al connections and kids have emotional connections with favorite characters, such as SpongeBob SquarePants, then a plush SpongeBob SquarePants is kind of a double whammy. Keeping in mind the theory that kids want cute and huggable plush, when kids see a SpongeBob SquarePants plush on a store shelf, they want to take it home and hug it. Most every plush manufacturer out there is working with licenses. Hasbro is producing Sesame Street plush, such as Let’s Rock Elmo, which comes out this year. Jakks Pacific works with The Smurfs, Hello Kitty, Timmy Time, Club Penguin, and SpongeBob SquarePants
plush to higher-priced feature and specialty plush toys. “We offer a range of price points in plush that would target an impulse purchase up to a higherend piece,” says Lauren Diani, brand director, product development at Russ Berrie U.S. Gift. “Anything really ranging from $8–$60.” However, “price value” often gets confused with “lowest cost.” Kelly Anderson, senior product marketing manager at Manhattan Toy, said that during the tough economy, manufacturers were trying to offer much lower price points. “We moved in that direction . . . of trying to offer some lower price points, which resulted in a little simpler [plush] design, which resulted in them not really selling very well,” Anderson says. “What people are finding is that if it’s a quality plush toy or a toy that has certain details l-r: Gund’s new plush line, Nuzzles, are soft animals with oversized heads and huggable bodies. Mattel adds new Sing-a-ma-jigs Duets to its plush lineup. A large Sing-a-ma-jig holds a mini Sing-a-ma-jig and they to it or unique fabrics, consumers are willing to sing, harmonize, and chatter together. pay more money for those items.” Fisher-Price’s Dunn-Graves believes the focus licenses, among others. Russ Berrie U.S. Gift, Inc., will soon launch should not be on making plush cheap, but on “play value” and balancing the Clifford and Barney plush. Fisher-Price produces Disney plush, such as right amount of play with the right price to offer consumers an overall value. this year’s guitar-playing Rock Star Mickey. Having so many plush options ensures that no matter what a consumer Gund recently received a broad Disney license for basic and feature wants, they’ll be able to find it. “We know that price is certainly a factor plush for specialty channels. Some of the Disney characters that will be on in a consumer’s purchasing decision,” says Hasbro’s Paolino. “We also specialty shelves include Winnie the Pooh and the Cars characters. understand that they will almost always gravitate toward brands and prod“Lightning McQueen you’ll probably find in die-cast cars a lot more than ucts that they know will deliver great value and provide high-quality, innoyou will in plush,” says Gund’s Smart, “but that’s good for Gund because vative, and enduring entertainment experiences.” there is an emotional connection. Lots of kids do want to hug him, and it’s With so many electronic toys (aside from feature plush) and gadgets on a lot nicer to hug a nice, soft Gund plush than a die-cast car.” store shelves, many consumers hope to find classic toys, such as plush, to give to their children. “There are a lot of parents and caregivers out there who are not necessarily looking for items with those [electronic] aspects to them,” says Manhattan Toy’s Anderson. “There are just so many toys on Whether feature plush or not, licensed or not, the issue of cost still pres- the market that you can get that have those features to them. So I think ents itself. “We have to make sure that perceived value remains high while [parents and caregivers] look to the plush category because you can get a reaching friendlier and lower price points,” says Elaine Kollis, marketing variety of items that don’t have those special functions to them.” director at Folkmanis, which has been producing plush puppets for 35 Variety is key to the plush category. If consumers are looking for someyears. “You’ll see fewer large plush pieces on the market these days in thing that moves and talks, there’s a plush for that. If consumers want direct response to how people spend on toys.” something soft and cuddly, there’s a plush for that. Luckily, the plush category has always offered plush toys in different “Retailers and consumers expect to see a variety of price points,” says sizes and at many price points in order to meet the needs of consumers. Jakks Pacific’s Caveza. And plush manufacturers will continue to deliver The plush marketplace has everything from low-price collectible beanbag a range of huggable plush toys.
The Price of Plush
APRIL 2011 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT 25
Plush
BY LAURIE LEAHEY
No matter what the economy looks like, there’s always room for plush on store shelves and in kids’ arms thanks to the emotional connection consumers have when they see a stuffed animal. Below is a sampling of some of the latest classic and feature plush hitting store shelves.
Fisher-Price With Fisher-Price’s Rock Star Mickey, kids can rock along with Mickey in the “You’re a Rock Star!” mode and show off their own moves as Mickey plays rock songs, including “You Really Got Me.” Mickey sings with head bobs and kick-steps, and finishes with his signature move— the mouska-split, where he plays the guitar with his nose.
Manhattan Toy New from Manhattan Toy is Chunkles Zebra. This plush zebra has a silky soft texture and overstuffed plush body.
26 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT APRIL 2011
Monster Factory
Russ Berrie U.S. Gift
Monster Factory brought its line of plush, collectible characters to the U.S. last year. Each monster character has a unique look and personality. Under license from Monster Factory, Giochi Preziosi is selling and distributing Monster Factory plush in the U.S. and Canada.
Russ Berrie U.S. Gift, Inc., introduces a new line of plush and puppets called Animal Calls. Each jungle, farm, or woodland animal makes its own realistic animal call.
Jakks Pacific Jakks Pacific’s Night Night Timmy! plush, based on the show Timmy Time, closes its eyes and snores when lying down. Its eyes open and the plush chats when sitting up.
Douglas Company Fuzzles are collectible plush animals made of fashion-forward fabrics. There are 28 styles of fuzzle monkeys, frogs (shown), owls, dogs, horses, and turtles.
Hasbro Hasbro’s Let’s Rock Elmo comes with a microphone, a tambourine, and a drum set. Kids can choose what instrument Elmo plays, and Elmo recognizes what instrument it is. Let’s Rock Elmo plays six songs and interacts with other Let’s Rock instruments, sold separately.
Aurora Aurora’s Roxie the Doxie is a new character line for girls. The line will include small and large plush, a Fancy Pals pet carrier (shown) and mini-pet carrier, plush Roxie with journal, and more.
Kids Preferred Greenzys is a collection of four plush characters and storybooks that introduce green living to children. The 12-inch plush toys are made from soy fibers and non-toxic dyes.
Gund Gund’s new plush line, Nuzzles, are cuddly plush animals with an oversized head and huggable body. Nuzzles come in four different animals—horse, dog, bear, and monkey.
Pretty Ugly New Uglydolls for 2011 include (clockwise from bottom left) Suddy, Brip, Basheeshee, Dave Darinko in red, Groody, Dave Darinko in grey, and Ugly Charlie.
Mary Meyer Mary Meyer added Zazzy Legs to its Print Pizzazz line. Print Pizzazz Zazzy Legs hang from shelves, tables, closet doors, mirrors, or anywhere kids drape them. The 25-inch long, soft plush animals include a frog, monkey, dog, and cat (shown).
North American Bear Co. North American Bear’s Velveteenie Circus Knotted Baby Cozy Lion is a plush lion made of soft velour. This 12-inch plush has embroidered eyes and knotted accents for tactile play.
Folkmanis New puppets from Folkmanis include a pirate, Eastern chipmunk, gray wolf, mini monkey finger puppet, and a lobster. The 14-inch lobster puppet’s coloring is made to look like the real thing. Its design includes an accordionlike tail and moveable claws and mouth.
APRIL 2011 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT 27
Happily EvEr aftEr: rolEplay Builds imagination BY
NANCY LOMBARDI
Little Adventures offers nonlicensed versions of princess and superhero dress-up sets.
T
he UK’s Prince William and Kate Middleton are scheduled to be married on April 29. It is assumed that just about everyone on the planet will be watching some aspect of this seemingly fairy tale event. After all, their real-life story has Cinderella elements. Kate may not have an evil stepmother or a harsh upbringing, but she is a “commoner” marrying her “prince” and we can only assume that she will be whisked into a life of fabulousness where she will live “happily ever after.” It is a story that has been played out in countless movies and it may even add a new dimension to the roleplay category. At the moment, the roleplay category is all about the princess. However, the princess in question is usually associated with or inspired by Disney’s multibillion dollar Disney Princess brand. Perhaps some “inspired by” bridal lines may be surfacing for the latter half of the year for the roleplay category based on the fairy tale that is expected to unfold in London. As Little Adventures’ senior sales manager Gabe Granata says, “It will depend on how the moms take that information and translate it down to their daughters. The sweet spot for dress-up is ages 3–5 and they are not as aware of general media.” While they may not be aware of the general media, little girls are certainly well aware of princess-related dress-up. As Granata says, as girls grow up in the media, “princesses are what they are taught to be.” Little Adventures features all styles of roleplay for both boys and girls. But princess dress-up attire is some of the company’s top-selling items.
28 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT APRIL 2011
Little Adventures says that it certainly benefits from the marketing and advertising dollars that Disney continues to spend to support the Disney Princess brand. It helps Little Adventures’ lines of non-licensed princess merchandise. As Granata points out, “Disney did not invent these princesses.” Without delving too deeply into the legalities, there are certain things that are public domain while other aspects are Disney owned. Elements that remain in the public domain are where Little Adventures treads. Granata explained that some of its new princess themes for this year include an Arabian princess, a Royal Pink Princess, and Rapunzel. “Ours [Rapunzel] doesn’t match the movie [Disney’s Tangled] but just the name alone and the right color scheme is enough for us [to have success],” Granata says. “We’ve had Rapunzel [in our line] for a long time but we did a redesign this year.” CDI, a division of Jakks Pacific, is the official licensee for Disney Princess roleplay. “It is the largest and most consistent brand for us year over year,” says Herb Mitschele, vice-president of sales for CDI. “It continues to defy odds of growing a brand.” He explains that the goal for CDI now is to refine the brand by focusing on different price points and innovating within the category.
lEarning tHrougH play Children learn through all forms of play whether the toy in question is a cardboard box or a sophisticated electronic device. But this category, perhaps, more than some others, offers valuable lessons. Kids learn to use their imagination and creativity while exploring the world around them. Some children even try out professions they may aspire to later in life such as teacher, chef, or doctor. While it is fun to dress as a princess, parents can also keep their daughters grounded by throwing something a little bit different into the mix, according to Susan Cooper, M.Ed., early childhood expert and member of Applied Scholastics International. “Non-traditional clothes early on help children break out of stereotypes as they grow up,” says Cooper. Certainly other dress-up options do exist for girls besides the princess theme. Learning Resources, Aeromax, and Elope are just a few examples of companies with options that go beyond princesses. Yet most manufacturers will say that they focus on princesses because that’s what sells—it’s what the girls want to be. However, it may be time to bring some other options to the forefront.
Let ’s Hear
it for
tHe Boys
Bandai’s Power Rangers Samurai Deluxe Battle Gear While the focus for the girls remains princesses, swings open from its compact carrying mode at the pull ballerinas, fairies, and the like, the focus for the boys of the trigger. It extends to two feet long. Conversion and multiple battle sounds allow kids to reenact their favorite falls broadly into one of two camps: career wear scenes from the new Power Rangers: Samurai TV series. or superhero play. Career wear usually centers Bandai also has roleplay products for the Ben 10 and ThunderCats properties. around a pilot, construction worker, fireman, policeman—as they used to sing on Sesame Street, “These are the people in your neighaccording to Michael Ritchie, senior director of marketing for Hasbro. borhood. The people that you meet each day.” Key roleplay properties for Hasbro this year are centered around the Superheroes can be broadly classified as licensed characters blockbuster movies such as Thor and Captain America. such as Spider-Man or simply a cowboy who saves the day. CDI’s Mitschele adds that, “A lot of toys these days seem to come Little Adventures offers non-licensed superhero capes along with with a script that has to be followed. And, if it’s not followed, it’s not reversible two-color hero masks. “These are quickly becoming our best right. That limits the imagination.” sellers even beyond the princess line,” says Granata. Imaginative play, according to Mitschele, is the reason why LEGO Aeromax features cowboy and cowgirl hats and bandanas. has done so well, for example. “They have done a great Elope also features themes such as astronaut, magician, king, job of taking classic licenses and applying a construction knight, and King Tut. theme that allows a child to be imaginative. That pretend One item introduced at Toy Fair that breaks the mold on play is important,” he says. roleplay is CDI’s B.I.G. Become Incredibly Big. It’s a It is that pretend play that helps children understand new line of roleplay toys for ages 6 and up. The first their world. At the same time, when they roleplay with item in the line is a B.I.G. Power Hand that children other children, they are developing language, critput over their own hand by wearing a glove. From a ical thinking, and social skills. kid’s perspective—the item is shown here—who “When kids roleplay together they talk, share in wouldn’t want it? But from an industry perspective, this creating and telling parts of the ‘story,’ learn to coopnew line introduces two opportunities for Jakks’ CDI. erate, negotiate, and take turns,” says Etienne Veber, “First, we want to introduce more homegrown president and CEO, Learning Resources. “Moms underopportunities,” says Mitschele. “Second, for our stand that roleplay strengthens their child’s creative long-term strategy, we want to make sure that licenspirit while providing developmental benefits. It is realsors realize that the best home for any roleplay, ly important to provide children with toys that allow Jakks Pacific’s CDI division introduces whether it’s boys or girls, is CDI.” them to direct the story and create adventure. Instead, B.I.G. Become Incredibly Big line of most toys in the marketplace these days have prescribed roleplay. Shown here is Power Hand. MoM approved play patterns and predictable storylines,” he says. This category has grown over the past few years. It can be attributed As always, it’s about balance. Tech-based toys provide a fun learning to higher-quality products and innovative ideas. It’s also because par- experience but open-ended classic roleplay is also important. It’s also ents are comfortable with this category. important to balance what kids, especially girls, learn from roleplay. It’s “It’s not edgy or pushy,” says Granata. “It’s not pushing kids to grow up fun to dress up as a princess, but it’s important to emphasize that it’s too fast. Parents don’t mind spending money to keep their children young.” make believe. Even Kate Middleton has back-up plans in case this role Hasbro agrees. The company says moms also like roleplay because it as the future Queen of England doesn’t work out. She has reportedly gets the kids up and moving and most of the items are “wallet-friendly,” worked as an accessories buyer and tried her hand at photography.
APRIL 2011 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT 29
roLepLay
BY
NANCY LOMBARDI
Despite all the technological advances in toys, roleplay remains a favorite classic play pattern for kids. Whether it’s dressing up in “career wear” such as a policeman or fireman or the fantasy play of becoming a princess, this category bridges the generation gap, allowing the whole family to get involved.
MatteL Slip on the movie-inspired Green Lantern Colossal Cannon for the ultimate battle experience. With a rotating Gatling-style barrel, easy-grip handle, and a 10-shot capacity of Power Discs, kids are ready to become their favorite superhero. When the projectile discs are fired, the hand cannon’s built-in “ring” lights up, emitting blaster sounds. When switched to rapid-fire or single-shot mode, the cannon provides maximum force for kids ages 5 and up, according to Mattel.
CDI Jakks Pacific’s Creative Designs International (CDI) division introduces B.I.G. Become Incredibly Gigantic, a new line of roleplay toys, designed for ages 6 and up. More than three times the size of a child’s hand, the B.I.G. Power Hand features real-working articulation that kids can control. Simply slip the glove with the giant hand attached over a user’s hand and let him start using his imagination. The add-on accessories include the B.I.G. Power Packs, which upgrade the performance of the B.I.G. Power Hand with snap-on electronic accessories. The B.I.G. Recon Light lets kids take control of the night with a three-function flashlight, lantern, and stealth light, and the B.I.G. Laser Zapper delivers a vibrating “zap” from the glove’s fingertip to any target in close range. Kids can also channel their inner ninja, robot, or monster with Armor Upgrade Packs that snap into place. Customize the B.I.G Power Hand with four edgy, tough-looking designs such as brute, ninja, mech, and blaze.
30 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT APRIL 2011
LearnIng resourCes Colorful play pieces encourage imaginative play, creative thinking, sharing, teamwork, and other important social skills in Learning Resources’ Pretend & Play Ice Cream Shop. The set includes four scoops of ice cream, two cones, two ice cream dishes, two spoons, a banana that “splits,” a scooper, apron, write-andwipe menu card, and chocolate syrup bottle that “squirts” messfree pretend chocolate. The set is designed for ages 3 and up.
BanDaI
HasBro
Bandai offers a host of roleplay items across numerous brands such as Power Rangers and Ben 10. The Power Rangers Samurai Deluxe Battle Gear is a futuristic sword that not only swings open from its compact carrying mode at a pull of a trigger, but it also extends to two feet long. Kids can convert the high-tech case into five different toys, each with different play patterns: Deluxe Blaster, Mini Blaster, Super Decoder, X-Ray Scanner, Multi Scope, and sounds/lights/voices delivered through a universal “Power Core.” In addition, kids can have all their favorite alien voices at their command with Ben 10’s new Ultimate Chest Badge. Kids can hear the voice of their favorite characters from Alien Force or Ultimate Alien series. There are 14 alien voices, spikes eject when the unit is pressed indicating Ultimate Alien mode, and there are lights and sound effects. The Ultimatrix (shown) features detailed inlay of the watch and translucent materials, which allow the wearer to see the inner workings along with lights and sounds while being able to search for Azmuth’s secret signature.
Kids can now summon the power of Thor with Hasbro’s Thor Lightning Hammer, which delivers a great roleplay experience, allowing fans to recreate the on-screen action of the upcoming film, Thor, which is expected in theaters May 6. The replica of Thor’s signature weapon is fully equipped with electronic battle sounds and a launching projectile. It requires three AAA batteries, which are included. It is designed for ages 5 and up.
aeroMax New to Aeromax’s costume line are a variety of girls’ dress-up items. The Butterfly Wing Set includes wings, a magic wand, a headpiece, and a matching organza bag. It is available in three colors: pink, green, and blue with purple highlights. Add to the Butterfly Wing Set with a pettiskirt (shown), which is available in pink, green, or purple. Both sets are for ages 3–8. One size fits most. For little dancers, the Ballerina dress features fluffy ruffles. This dress is for ages 3–8 and is available in sizes 2/3, 4/6, and 6/8.
eLope Elope has an extensive range of tiaras, sashes, and animal headbands, including a dalmatian, skunk, and dragonfly, which widens the realm of dress-up ideas. Elope also offers a full range of licensed dressup including Winnie the Pooh, Piglet, and Tigger ears and tails; Mickey and Minnie ears and hoodies; and characters from Toy Story, The Disney Princesses, and Dr. Seuss. Elope continues to offer an array of dress-up hats from traditional themes such as astronaut, magician, king, nurse, police, fireman, knight, and construction worker to less traditional themes such as space man (shown), King Tut, and dragon fairy.
APRIL 2011 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT 31
BY
CHRIS ADAMS
A Business Proposal
G
enerally, when you hear of a ways to get kids excited about reading and couple’s marriage proposal, learning with more than just ink and paper. the next steps fall into the genAs the publishing industry began to show eral progression of popping cracks in its business model, the company the question, presenting the expanded beyond reading-based products ring, announcing the engagement, and then and began offering toys, puzzles, and games. planning and having a wedding. More than 20 The shift in marketplaces has forced the years ago, when Michael Levins company to further adapt. popped the question to his “In publishing, you want a beautiful cover, bride to be, the next step but in the toy business you was another proposal—of want to show consumers the business variety. what they get on the He asked his bride-topackaging,” says be if she wanted a ring or Kaufman. “That is if she wanted to start a company with him. The ring would come later and that proposal would prove to be the begininnovativeKids nings of innovativeKids. Now, one 18 Ann Street would think that balancing a marNorwalk, CT 06854 riage and home life with a busi(203) 838–6400 ness relationship could prove to be innovativekids.com tricky, but the couple has found that a policy of not stepping on each other’s toes has served them well. Levins’ a big transition for background in sales and manufacturing has our company and we suited his role as innovativeKids’ CEO, while are working at gethis wife Shari Kaufman’s history in education ting even better at it.” and product development lends itself to her role There are three lines that have been particuas president and publisher. larly successful for the company. The Soft The company that would morph into Shapes line was the first line the company innovativeKids began in 1989 providing prod- introduced when it began developing and proucts to almost every major book publisher. For ducing its own products. This line began as a the past 10 years the company has been publish- foam book line, has sold six million copies ing and developing children’s products under worldwide, and has since expanded into other the innovativeKids moniker. The goal of the toy categories such as puzzles. company in its initial stage was to offer new “We are taking lines that started as books
32 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT APRIL 2011
and, instead of going horizontal in books, we are taking them vertical,” says Kaufman of the line extensions. Another key line for innovativeKids is the green start line of earth-friendly products that are made of 98 percent recycled materials. Kaufman says there are plans to expand this line next season to include a baby line. The third key line is Now I’m Reading, which is more book-centered than the others. The company is currently working on strategies to expand that line to complement the learning-to-read process. The same pressures that urged innovativeKids to expand beyond publishing is influencing some of the next steps that it is making. The rise of electronic books, which is greatly rearranging the face of book publishing, has caused Kaufman to begin working on a digital strategy. “I think there will always be a place for books, but I’m not sure how important that is to the new generation of parents,” she says. “I do feel that I have to get on board or everything will pass me by. I want to keep up with the times while keeping a foot into the piece that means so much to me.” innovativeKids has proven itself adept at adapting to market conditions over the years. As the publishing and toy industries evolve, the company is focused on bringing the best of fun and learning to children no matter what format the products are. And, oh yeah, Kaufman did eventually get the ring. . . and a successful children’s products company to boot.
Griddly Games
With a block design akin to a checkerboard, Mosaic 4’s moveable features put a new spin on the classic objective of getting all the colors in order. Players take turns placing colored tokens on the board or moving rows and columns to throw off their opponents. The game is made for two to four players, ages 7 and up.
Wild Republic Wild Republic’s new Wild Stationery and Arts & Crafts product line debuts more than 50 items. The nature-themed line includes stencils, stamps, pencil-bynumber sets, paint & play sets, clay, and color sets, pens, stationery deluxe sets, and art activity backpacks.
Growums Growums garden kits offer a fun way to teach kids about a healthy diet through growing their own vegetables. An online component allows garden growers to register their gardens at Growums.com and get easy instructions. The larger a child’s actual Growums garden gets, the more access they gain to a virtual gardening world of games. Made for ages 5–12, there are six kits for kids to choose from to create their favorite meals.
Manhattan Toy
Manhattan Toy unveils The Boysterous action figure line. A new interpretation of classic action figures, the Boysterous collection is based on real boys, not characters or sports stars. They are available for ages 3 and up in five sports-themed characters: hockey, skateboarding, snowboarding, soccer, and football. Features include posable arms and legs, along with magnetic feet, hands, and accessories to create new sports moves.
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Thinkfun
Tilt, multi-challenge maze game, is a new addition to Thinkfun’s line of logic-testing single player puzzles. The object of the game is to tilt the game board back and forth, right and left to get the green sliders into the board’s center hole. The game also offers challenge cards that test players abilities as the game’s level of difficulty increases.
eeBoo In time for the next family roadtrip is eeBoo’s spring line of travel size games. The matching games will challenge children’s memory skills, while 26-piece Color Travel Dominoes provides the portable convenience of a classic. Matching games hone kids’ recognition skills through 24 matching pairs packed in threes.
PBS Kids
Home Toys & Games Home Toys & Games, Inc., will release a series of Trivia to Go games this May featuring portable on the go trivia for ages 12 and up. Television Trivia is made up of five categories, featuring decades of programming from the 1950s to the 2000s. Movie Trivia quizzes players on 1,200 facts from movie categories of comedy, action, drama, sci-fi/horror and awards.
Step 2
With Step 2’s Pin Pals Bowling Set, kids ages 3 and up can learn bowling basics indoors or outside. The set includes one bowling ball and 10 bowling pins. Each pin is a funny faced character with an easy stack-and-store feature. Pins can be set up for traditional games or stacked for kids to create their own unique games.
The PBS Kids Exploration Letter Blocks put a twist on the classic building block concept. Children can use the alphabet blocks to spell out words, while the unique chalk surface on the blocks can also help them practice printing skills. Parents can also use the color-coded vowels and pictures on different sides of the blocks to introduce kids to other languages. The building block set includes no mess chalk and is made for ages 3 and up.
APRIL 2011 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT 35
YOU’RE HIRED
FreMaNtLeMedia eNterprises executive appoiNtMeNts FremantleMedia enterprises (FMe) announced four key executive appointments within the North american licensing group. david Luner, formerly the senior vice-president of consumer products and interactive at FMe, has been promoted to executive vice-president of consumer products, interactive and mobile. Luner’s new role expands his current responsibilities beyond the representation of FremantleMedia North america’s portfolio of tv brands, such as american idol and the x Factor, and FMe’s third-party tv and non-tv brands, such as rebecca bonbon, to include an upcoming slate of new children’s content, licensed and original game brands, and the digital content development division. olivier delfosse, formerly the director of interactive at FMe, has been promoted to vice-president of interactive, mobile and digital content. in his new role, delfosse will spearhead the continued expansion of FremantleMedia in the gaming space, including social media gaming, as well as building on recent successes in the digital content and mobile brand extensions. chris donnan has been promoted from senior manager to director of live events. donnan will be responsible for producing touring shows and budgeting across all areas of FMe’s live events, such as the travel versions of the price is right and other branded shows. in addition, dhivyah ramanath has joined the FMe team as senior manager of consumer products: softlines. ramanath will be responsible for growing the apparel, accessory, and publishing businesses. before joining FMe, ramanath worked at brand central LLc as a licensing manager.
aNb
Media
New appoiNtMeNts aNb Media hired Jennifer Lynch as assistant editor. Lynch, a journalism major, is a recent graduate of penn state. she also minored in French and spent a semester in Montpellier, France. in addition, Laurie Leahey has been promoted to editor, expanding her role writing for timetoplayMag.com in addition to Toys & Family Entertainment and Royaltie$. Leahey, who was previously assistant editor, joined aNb Media in 2006.
36 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT APRIL 2011
Hasbro New appoiNtMeNts Hasbro appointed Margie chan-Yip as vice-president of global publishing. she will be responsible for creating new ways to bring Hasbro brand stories to consumers worldwide, from traditional print to e-book formats. prior to joining Hasbro’s global brand licensing and publishing team, chan-Yip was vice-president of global licensing for the walt disney company where she launched and drove the english language learning retail business first in china, then expanding to other countries, in addition to running the walt disney publishing business for all worldwide english language territories. Hasbro studios, the Los angeles-based Mike Vogel production and distribution division of Hasbro, inc., split its boys/action and girls/preschool creative teams into separate series development and current programming groups to meet increased production output. the former heads of both units, which have been in place since the studio’s inception in 2009, have taken on new roles leading the revamped teams. Mike vogel was promoted from executive director, boys and action programming, to vice-president, development. He will be charged with reimagining all boys, action, Linda Steiner girls, and preschool creative efforts by the studio. vogel previously served as director of animated programming at sony pictures entertainment. Linda steiner, who had served as senior vice-president, girls and preschool programming, has taken on a new role as senior vice-president, current programming. she will manage a growing number of studio-produced series once they are on the air. steiner joined Hasbro studios from warner bros. animation, where she was senior vice-president of creative affairs. additionally, Kathy page, vice-president of production, will lead an expanded team to support the restructured departments with production and post-production services, while continuing to assist in oversight of outside production service relationships.
funGoplAy new Appointments
disney consumer products JessicA dunne, executiVe Vice-president, mom And BABies disney consumer products (dcp) appointed Jessica dunne as executive vice-president, mom and babies. she is responsible for establishing and growing the disney Baby brand and implementing new marketing and communications strategies developed with new moms in mind. in this role, dunne reports directly to Andy mooney, chairman, dcp, and oversees the identification of new product categories and develops unique consumer propositions that drive loyalty and can grow into lifetime customer engagements for disney Baby across the walt disney company. previously, dunne was executive vice-president, global licensing at dcp, overseeing global licensing businesses, which include fashion & home; food, health, and beauty; infant; stationery; and toys.
cHild’s plAy communicAtions mArie BAKer, director of sociAl mediA child’s play communications promoted marie Baker to director of social media. she will be responsible for expanding and managing the agency’s social media immersion across facebook, twitter, blogs, and other channels. Baker will continue to serve as director of team mom, the agency’s proprietary network of mom review-bloggers, as well as its offshoot, music moms, a music industry-specific program targeted to mom bloggers. Baker joined child’s play in 2009. she has managed traditional and social media campaigns for leading companies focusing on the mom market, including the Goddard school, meGA Brands, and universal music.
funGoplay, a sports-themed virtual world, announced its management team. composed of industry veterans from the digital and marketing space, the team includes former nickelodeon executives chris romero as chief technology officer and sean mcevoy as the director of production, along with Kelli mcnamara as the head of strategic partnerships and marketing and Jana moncrief as the director of marketing. romero will guide the company’s long-term technical vision and cross-platform strategy to help it grow to its full potential. He joins funGoplay from companies such as nickelodeon online, Addicting Games, and tVland online. prior to funGoplay, mcevoy held various positions headlined by his tenure as head of games production for nickelodeon Kids and family digital. His expertise in games production will help translate the lineup of interactive initiatives into new products. mcnamara will focus on forging partnerships with like-minded businesses and organizations. prior to joining funGoplay, mcnamara served as senior vice-president of lifestyle marketing at cornerstone/fader and uGo entertainment. moncrief will oversee marketing. she previously held the position of senior site manager/online marketing director at Harpercollins children’s Books, lead digital editor at disney worldwide publishing, and senior editor at Aol Kids.
Kidz Bop ilene Kennedy, Vice-president of product, KidzBop.com Kidz Bop appointed ilene Kennedy to vice-president of product, KidzBop.com. in her new role, Kennedy will oversee the management and strategic development of KidzBop.com. she will also help manage Kidz Bop’s online talent search for kids ages 15 and under, Kidz star usA. most recently, Kennedy was vice-president of trutV online at turner Broadcasting system where she spearheaded the digital strategy and vision for the website’s launch in support of its re-brand from courttV.com. prior to her four-year stint at turner, she held key digital media positions at columbia House, mtV networks (mtV.com, VH1.com, and nickelodeon web properties), and Viacom.
APRIL 2011 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT 37
events of
Calendar
Industry-Related Trade Shows May 4–6
PlayCon
toyassociation.org
Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort & Spa
Scottsdale, Ariz.
15–18
National Stationery Show
nationalstationeryshow.com
Jacob Javits Convention Center
New York City
23–26
BookExpo America
bookexpoamerica.com
Jacob Javits Convention Center
New York City
24–26
Sweets & Snacks Expo
sweetsandsnacks.com
McCormick Place
Chicago
7–9
Electronics Entertainment Expo (E3)
e3expo.com
Los Angeles Convention Center
Los Angeles
14–16
Licensing International Expo
licensingexpo.com
Mandalay Bay Convention Center
Las Vegas
16–19
Tokyo Toy Show
toys.or.jp
Tokyo Big Sight
Tokyo, Japan
19–22
ASTRA Marketplace
astratoy.org
Marriott Anaheim Hotel & Convention Center
Anaheim, Calif.
22–26
Origins Game Fair
originsgamefair.com
Greater Columbus Convention Center
Columbus, Ohio
21–24
Comic-Con International
comic-con.org
San Diego Convention Center
San Diego
26
Royaltie$ BRand ShowcaSe
anBmedia.com
the altman Building
new yoRk city
28–30
OASIS Gift Show
oasis.org
Phoenix Convention Center
Phoenix
30–31
Indy Baby & Toddler Expo
bebepaluzza.com
Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center
Chicago
New York International Gift Fair
nyigf.com
Jacob Javits Convention Center
New York City
June
July
august 13–18
septeMber 23–26
ABC Kids Expo
theabcshow.com
Kentucky Exposition Center
Louisville, Ky.
27
time to Play Fall ShowcaSe
timetoPlaymag.com
the altman Building
new yoRk city
1–2
MIPJunior
mipworld.com
Palais des Festivals
Cannes, France
3–6
MIPCOM
mipworld.com
Palais des Festivals
Cannes, France
4–6
Fall Toy Preview
toyassociation.org
Dallas Market Center
Dallas
OctOber
TIME TO PLAY SPRING SHOWCASE APRIL 28; THE ALTMAN BUILDING, NEW YORK CITY; WWW.TIMETOPLAYMAG.COM LICENSING SHOW 2011 JUNE 14–16; MANDALAY BAY CONVENTION CENTER, LAS VEGAS; WWW.LICENSINGEXPO.COM
38 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT APRIL 2011
ROYALTIE$ BRAND SHOWCASE JULY 26; THE ALTMAN BUILDING, NEW YORK CITY; WWW.ANBMEDIA.COM TIME TO PLAY FALL SHOWCASE SEPTEMBER 27; THE ALTMAN BUILDING, NEW YORK CITY; WWW.TIMETOPLAYMAG.COM
TIA FALL TOY PREVIEW 2011 OCTOBER 4–6; DALLAS MARKET CENTER, DALLAS; WWW.TOYASSOCIATION.ORG
JACOB
TOY FAIR 2012 FEBRUARY 12–15; JAVITS CONVENTION CENTER; NEW YORK CITY;