TFE/TFE Licensing, August 2020

TOYS · GAMES · TRENDS LICENSING · and more Play During The Pandemic Find out which games & puzzles exploded in popularity while families stayed home, page. 25

PLUS insights from experts at: -NFL Players Association -Licensing International -Women In Toys, Licensing & Entertainment -ASTRA -Design Edge and MORE!

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CONTACT: Natasha Khavin Gross TV Sales and Licensing Director natasha@adkemotions.com

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Contents · Aug. 2020 Vol. 15 · No. 2

Featured Content 20

Departments

Toy Family Series: Eddy Goldfarb

By Mary Couzin

5

Observations and Opinions

7

Trending

8

Industry News

23

Creating Play & PPE

By Victoria Sheridan

25

Playing Through Puzzling Times

By Victoria Sheridan

10

Industry Forum The Toy Association

31

Engaging the Next Generation of Football Fans Through Toys and Entertainment

By Cary Grossart

13

Industry Forum ASTRA

16

Industry Forum Women in Toys

18

Industry Forum Design Edge

34

You’re Hired

32

Nostalgia Still Plays...But in a New Way

By Martin Brochstein

3

On this Page 1. Care Bears, Basic Fun! 2. Hedbanz, Spin Master 3. Virus!, Goliath Games

On the Cover H5 Domino Creations by Spin Master. See more games & puzzles on pages 28-29.

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tfe Observations & Opinions

aNbMedia.com

What in the World is Going On?

BY BOB GLASER

Just a few short months ago at Toy Fair in New York we were all performing the jobs we are paid to do, manufacturing, selling and promoting toys. It seemed like every conversation evolved around COVID 19. There were of course some bad jokes about the end of the world due to COVID 19 but nobody could have predicted what has taken place since.

We all know, and have lived with, what has taken place, and still continues to. No need to do a laundry list here of everything. What does need BOB GLASER, PUBLISHER to be discussed is how current events have impacted the toy industry much like current events impacted the toy industry post 9/11.

Obviously 2020 has been a very unique year in the toy industry. Due to COVID 19, the NPD Group reported toy sales in the US were up 16% in the first 6 months of the year. Unprecedented growth for the toy industry for the first half of a year. Puzzles, board games, activity toys and crafts led the way to this historic growth. Great news for the manufacturers of products in these categories. Moving into the summer months, I was told by several retailers, it was impossible to find a child’s pool anywhere.

Only the action figure category was down according to the NPD report.

This is obvious since no summer movies with action figures were released through movie theaters.

I was the Publisher of another toy trade magazine when terrorists flew airplanes into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon in 2001. The toy industry was a source of comfort and healing, as well as a distraction back in 2001 as it has been in 2020. I have always maintained that the toy industry creates life long memories for children. I still remember playing with gifts I received as a child. Through COVID-19 toy manufacturers will once again be the source of many memories, this time not just for children but for families. How many games of Monopoly have been played during this quarantine, how many bracelets have been made that will be worn for months, how many jigsaw puzzles have been put together? Personally, I’ve taken a liking to adult coloring books that I never had an interest in before.

Whether they are a distraction from current events or a supplement to missing school curriculum, toys have and always will be a necessary part of not just children’s lives but everyone’s life.

Be safe and healthy. Look forward to when we can all congregate again in person and celebrate how lucky we are to do what it is we do for a living.

August 2020 · Volume 15, No. 2 Publisher Bob Glaser Bob@TTPM.com Vice President, Advertising & Sales Donna Moore Donna@TTPM.com Advertising Manager Graham Windus Graham@TTPM.com Controller Mary Grogan Mary@TTPM.com Editor in Chief Jim Silver Jim@TTPM.com Editorial Manager Victoria Sheridan Victoria@TTPM.com Web Developer Brendan Sanabria Brendan@TTPM.com Contributors Kristin Morency Goldman; Kimberley Mosley; Delanie West; Matthew Nuccio; Mary Couzin; Cary Grossart; Marty Brochstein Interested in a subscription? Contact Mary Grogan at Mary@TTPM.com. aNb Media, Inc. 149, W. 36th St., 10th Floor, New York, NY, 10018 · Phone: (646) 763-8710 · Fax: (646) 763-8727 Toys & Family Entertainment (TFE) is published three times per year by aNb Media. Copyright 2020 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 photography, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher. Printed in

the U.S.A., TFE, TFE Licensing, and Specialty Emporium are registered trademarks of aNb Media. Opinions and comments expressed in this publication by edtiors, contributing writers, or solicited or unsolicited documents are not necessarily those of management

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What’s Trending?

These trending lists are based on aNb Media’s consumer website, TTPM.com, and related YouTube channels.

TTPM’s Top Trending Lists are generated by the number of views for that item across toy, baby, and pet categories. Here are the lists, in trending order, as of July 28, 2020.

Top 10 Trending Toys

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What Do You Meme?

What Do You Meme, LLC Pictionary Air Mattel

Top 3 Trending Pet

Barbie Color Reveal Doll Mattel L.O.L. Surprise!

MGA Entertainment

Petlinks Wild Thing Electronic Motion Ball Worldwise

Zhu Zhu Pets Hamster Wheel & Tunnel Spin Master

Automatic Ball Launcher PetSafe

Hatchimals Collectibles The Eggventure Game Cardinal Jurassic World Tyrannosaurus Rex & Indoraptor Masks Mattel Monopoly: House Divided Hasbro Batman v Superman Batman Voice Changer Helmet Mattel Trivial Pursuit 2000s Hasbro

Top 5 Trending Baby Green Hashtag Silicone Teether Little Standout

Buster Activity Mat Kruuse

2

Disney Baby Mickey Mouse Musical Crawling Pals Just Play Roarin’ Rainforest Jumperoo Fisher-Price Balloon Stroller Joovy HALO Bassinest Newborn Insert HALO Innovations

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HERE’S A RECAP OF INDUSTRY HEADLINES • For more up-to-date news, visit aNbMedia.com • Sign up to receive FREE News Alerts on aNbMedia.com

Brand Licensing Europe Transitions to All-Virtual Event as Informa Markets Introduces Festival of Licensing Brand Licensing Europe 2020 will transition to an all-virtual event. In its place, the Global Licensing Group at Informa Markets, the organizers behind BLE, are introducing Festival of Licensing, a celebration of the business of brand licensing, in partnership with industry trade association Licensing International.

Running from October 6-29, 2020, Festival of Licensing is a four-week, large-scale virtual gathering bringing together the licensing industry to connect, learn, strike deals and do business on an international stage. It will build off of the momentum of the Global Licensing Group’s Licensing Week Virtual event, which exceeded expectations in its inaugural launch in June.

Festival of Licensing will comprise of four regionally tailored events in key licensing territories, each powered by the Global Licensing Group’s world-leading event brands: -Week 1: October 6-8 – Europe, powered by Brand Licensing Europe -Week 2: October 14-15 – Asia, powered by Licensing Expo China and Licensing Expo Japan -Week 3: October 20-22 – North America and Latin America, powered by Licensing Expo -Week 4: October 28-29 – Global C-suite virtual conference – Licensing Leadership Summit

KidScreen Introduces New Category for Inclusive Programming Heading into its 12th year of celebrating excellence in children’s television and digital entertainment, Kidscreen Awards is proudly introducing a new category for inclusive programming to recognize kids TV content that represents BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color), LGBTQ+ and disabled characters in a positive and non-stereotypical way.

Winners will be announced at an evening presentation event as part of next year’s Kidscreen Summit, which is planned to take place in Miami from February 7 to 10. Detailed information on eligibility, judging and entering can be found at awards.kidscreen.com. The deadline for entries is Friday, September 11, 2020.

The Toy Association Launches First-Ever Virtual ‘Toy Fair Everywhere’ Event The first Toy Fair Everywhere virtual market week was held July 13-19, with more to follow the weeks of August 17-23 and September 14-20.

Created in partnership with software provider Balluun, Toy Fair Everywhere aims to connect the worldwide toy community at a time when business travel and in-person meetings and events are limited.

Current exhibitors and sponsors include Aurora World; Boogie Board; Buzzy, Inc.; Design Masters; Faber-Castell USA/Creativity for Kids; Goliath; HABA USA; Klutz; The LEGO Group; Melissa and Doug; Safari Ltd.; Schylling; TOMY; Toysmith; TY; Ukidz LLC; Viking Toys; and more.

For more information, and to register to attend, visit ToyFairEverywhere.info.

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The Toy Association Partners with Clamour to Unveil Influencers’ Top Toy Picks in September The Toy Association has teamed up with Clamour, producers of the largest annual industry summit for professional online video influencers, for the first-ever Toy Fair Everywhere Influencer Choice List. Open exclusively to exhibitors of the Association’s Toy Fair Everywhere series of digital market weeks, the Influencer Choice List will recognize the top toys and games from Toy Fair Everywhere as voted on by a select panel of leading family and toy influencers in the Clamour network. The picks will be revealed as the industry gears up for fourth quarter in an announcement tied to the Toy Fair Everywhere market week in September.

The influencers who will be casting their votes have a minimum monthly following of at least one million views on their main platform and a social reach of more than 500,000.

They will spend time reviewing product details, photos, and physical product (if available) submitted in advance, before voting for their favorites. Voting will take place August 23 to 25, both online and in person at Clamour Summit in Northern California. No employees or representatives of Clamour or The Toy Association will have any role in determining the products selected.

The Influencer Choice List will be unveiled during the Toy Fair Everywhere September market week. The deadline for submissions is Friday, August 7, 2020 at midnight (Eastern).

TAGIE Awards Announce New Name and New Virtual Program for 2020 In acknowledgement of the global reach the 13 year old program has attained, the TAGIEs will be renamed the Toy & Game International Excellence Awards. This slight name change reflects the support of people in over 150 countries that are a part of the Chicago Toy & Game Group’s community, whether online or in person.

Also new this year, The Chicago Toy & Game Group is adding Most Innovative Supplier as a category for the TAGIE Awards.

TAGIE Award Nominations are open now through August 15 at Chitag.com. Ten finalists from each category will be announced on September 15th when voting opens to the general public, media and industry.

Nominees will be revealed during a virtual program with the theme of “Celebration,” the date of which is still pending.

Returning to host the TAGIEs for a second year is Karri Bean, Senior Manager, Licensing at Disney Consumer Products, Experiences and Consumer Products. The keynote speaker will be JoAnn McLaughlin, Senior Vice President of Hardlines Product Development, Disney Parks Experiences & Products.

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INDUSTRY FORUM TOY ASSOCIATION

Longstanding Importance of Play Soars During Pandemic BY

I

KRISTIN MORENCY GOLDMAN

Since the outset of the pandemic, the Toy Association’s Genius of Play resource has been providing families with free at-home play ideas.

f we can find a silver lining to the global pandemic, it’s that more families than ever are at home playing and learning together. During this critical time, The Toy Association and its philanthropic arm, The Toy Foundation, have been working daily to promote play and deliver the tools of play to children across the nation.

“Our goal is to ensure that as many children as possible can reap the benefits of play, from building cognitive skills, and developing creativity and confidence, to finding an emotional and physical outlet for what they are experiencing during this difficult period,” said

Ken Seiter, executive vice president of marketing communications at The Toy Association. “Our team has reached millions of families with toys, tips, and resources to make playing and homeschooling a little bit easier during what is surely a challenging time for so many parents and caregivers.”

The Genius of Play The Genius of Play has been a crucial resource for parents since the outset of the pandemic. From launching its “Worldwide Headquarters of Play” public service announcement in March, to the “Play Today” campaign, which ran from April to June, The Genius

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More than $260,000 in grants were released by The Toy Foundation to organizations across the country to help provide food, educational materials, toys, digital devices, clothing, support/learning staff, face masks/protective clothing, college scholarships, and more to children in vulnerable situations.

Additionally, with play becoming more paramount than ever in the COVID-19 era, The Toy Foundation is exploring new ways to bring play into classrooms; how to make play more inclusive, diverse, and representative of kids and youth across the country; and other avenues for promoting and delivering the undeniable benefits of play to kids everywhere.

Trends to Watch Despite physical travel being limited the last few months, The Toy AssociaThe Toy Foundation has sought out ways to support underserved communities during the pandemic, pro- tion’s trends team has been “hitting the viding $260,000 in grants to organizations that distribute food, educational materials, toys, face masks, road” virtually to promote members’ and more to children in vulnerable situations. toys and games – and the importance of play – in broadcast segments and trade of Play has been providing millions of families with free at-home publications around the world. play ideas and learning resources at www.TheGeniusofPlay.org.

“Throughout everything, we have remained committed to “The Genius of Play has been resonating with kids and parents helping families find the perfect toys and games for their kids more than ever, helping them cope, learn, and have fun while as they spend more time at home this summer and prepare for social distancing,” said Anna Yudina, senior director of marketback-to-school season,” said Adrienne Appell, senior director ing initiatives at The Toy Association. “Our website and social of strategic communications at The Toy Association. engagements were through the roof for the first half of the year, The trends team has also been tracking emerging trends that proving that these resources were crucial for so many families have evolved or intensified as a result of the pandemic and stuck at home.” will unveil its predictions for Q4 in a presentation during the Throughout August and September, The Genius of Play will host August Toy Fair Everywhere virtual market week.

“Play-Fall Giveaways,” featuring educational toys and games “There have been so many unpredictable changes in our from participating companies. Products featured on The Genius of world since we announced our top trends at Toy Fair New Play’s social media channels will also be used as giveaway prizes York,” said Appell. “Our mid-year trends presentation at Toy to help families gear up for the school year.

Fair Everywhere will look at how trends related to play, shopProviding Play & Necessities to Underserved Communities ping, and spending have developed and will impact sales for the holiday season.”

With the pandemic having a significant impact on underserved communities, The Toy Foundation has taken on a new direction to For more information about The Toy Association’s recent help kids in vulnerable situations. activities – from supporting the business of play through its Toy “If children are food insecure, or fearful, it is very hard to be Fair Everywhere virtual market weeks, to tackling counterfeit joyful,” explained Ellen Lambert, interim executive director of toys, to helping toy companies navigate the pandemic, and The Toy Foundation. “When the pandemic struck, we moved more – visit www.ToyAssociation.org and www.ToyFairEveryquickly to approve several cash grants that would respond to the immediate, essential needs of children and families, in addition to where.info. our commitment of delivering toys and games to these communities.”

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t yfair everywhere

A new series of virtual market weeks to get business back on track with your go-to suppliers.

Toy Fair Everywhere is an opportunity to: Easily Discover Products Connect to Trusted Manufacturers Manage Suppliers in One Place

Toy Fair Everywhere allows your company to: Explore digital showrooms by product and category

Reconnect with suppliers via personal product demos and meetings

Get matched with manufacturers in relevant product categories

Upcoming Toy Fair Everywhere Market Weeks

August 17-23 September 14-20 Get started at www.toyfaireverywhere.com

toyfair

E

EVERYWHERE

INDUSTRY FORUM ASTRA

Neighborhood Toy Store Day 2020: Something You Can Count On BY

KIMBERLEY MOSLEY, ASTRA PRESIDENT

What does the 2020 fourth quarter look like for independent toy retailers?

It’s anybody’s guess. At the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA), our guesses include: (1) shopping will look different depending on where you live; (2) BOPUS (buy online, pick up in store) will be more popular than ever; (3) toy buyers will look to shop local and keep their dollars in their own communities; and (4) changing family lifestyle and school patterns will offer new opportunities for independent retailers to demonstrate the value and joy their products bring to children.

Is there anything we can count on?

Fortunately, yes. You can be sure that Neighborhood Toy Store Day will happen as usual on the second Saturday in November (this year on November 14th) and you can be sure that ASTRA retailers will find some fresh and creative ways to use this event to support sales and grow their customer base.

Differentiating your store with Neighborhood Toy Store Day

Launched in 2010 and designed to give ASTRA retailers a platform for differentiating their stores at the start of the holiday season, the event focuses on telling toy buyers about the product quality, toy expertise and excellent service they can expect at your store.

It’s safe to say that the pandemic will mean no face painting or help-yourself refreshment tables or kids snuggled up for story time during this year’s Neighborhood Toy Store Day. It’s also safe to say that it’s an effective platform for retailers to give communities a much-needed day of connection, celebration, and a break in the extraordinary demands parents are managing this year.

“I think this could be an especially strong Neighborhood Toy Store Day,” says Rick Derr, owner of Learning Express Toys in Lake Zurich, Illinois. “Customers want a safe and secure shopping experience that is fun and trendy at the same time.

ASTRA stores are well positioned to deliver this.”

Michelle Gillen-Doobrajh, CPE, owner/buyer at Tildie’s Toy Box in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania notes that events are one of the ways her store gives back to the community. “We want

to continue that,” says Gillen-Doobrajh. “We are looking to kick off the holiday season in a big way this year with a Neighborhood Toy Store Day celebration, even if it is all virtual.”

Ready to jumpstart your Neighborhood Toy Store Day creativity? Here are some ideas from Derr, Gillen-Doobrajh and others: -Get the word out via social media (mainly Facebook), email and texts. Promote your virtual activities along with specials that will help make them more fun.

-Create an event hashtag. Encourage customers to post photos of playing at home to celebrate.

-Host a virtual craft time event. Ask participants to buy a kit in advance (at a discount) and sign up.

-Provide a complimentary takeaway for no-contact curbside pickup. Include manufacturer giveaways, coloring sheets, coupons, and directions for participating in virtual activities.

-Upload a coloring page for parents to print. Create an album of coloring pages and offer prizes—for example, five randomly selected submissions will win a giftcard or prize pack!

-Consider special guest appearances. Maybe a well-promoted headliner? A host to be “the glue” between activities? An unexpected interruption during a virtual activity with kids?

-Ask customers to submit videos of “Why I shop at [YOUR STORE].”

-Donate a percentage of sales to local charities.

-Highlight outstanding toys from the ASTRA Best Toys for Kids award winners.

Continued on Page 15

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INDUSTRY FORUM ASTRA

Continued: Neighborhood Toy Store Day 2020: Something You Can Count On

Use ASTRA resources for a successful event

Don’t forget to take advantage of ASTRA’s support for Neighborhood Toy Store Day. Here are ways to help maximize the success of your event:

Quick and easy resources.

On the members-only part of www.astratoy.org, the resources you need to start planning are a click away. ASTRA provides online discussion groups for members to share ideas.

Best Toys for Kids award program.

The ASTRA Best Toys for Kids award list is an excellent tool for reaching out to your local media and mommy bloggers. ASTRA will provide a downloadable digital flyer with the award-winning toys for stores to use in their marketing.

Promotional materials.

Members can download professionally designed art for posters, advertisements, and postcards. ASTRA will also provide press release templates.

Manufacturer specials.

ASTRA is working with manufacturers to offer Neighborhood Toy Store Day specials fit for accommodating social distancing and increasing sales. Sign into ASTRA’s website regularly to see what’s new.

Start planning now

ASTRA members have always based their strength on creativity, flexibility, and sharing. We have seen this nimbleness-in-action more than ever since COVID-19 hit during the first quarter of 2020. While it has added a huge layer of challenge to the already hyper-competitive toy market, what hasn’t changed is the need to make your quality, service, and shop local messages louder than the big box drumbeat of price, price, price.

Neighborhood Toy Store Day is one big tool to do that.

Add this event to your fourth quarter marketing plan, and let your imagination run wild on the best ways to engage families in your market.

Kimberley Mosley is the president of the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association. To learn more about ASTRA and its member services, visit www.astratoy.org.

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INDUSTRY FORUM WOMEN IN TOYS

How a Black Woman Shows Up for Work (Virtually), and Why

By Delanie West

Delanie West of Women in Toys, Licensing, & Entertainment describes how her experiences with workplace bias have shaped the way she presents herself in virtual and professional environments.

Coronavirus has changed everything. We have all had to adjust almost every aspect of our lives, including the way we show up for work. Pre-COVID and since 2017, 100% of my client communication and business operations have been virtual. I work from my home office and use video conferencing tools and other technologies to connect with my clients and teams, many of whom are based in other continents. Because of this, I have not felt much of the COVID work-from-home shift.

But what has been quite different for me is an observation of the way I present myself and my home office virtually in contrast to the way many colleagues have shown up virtually. It took some time to for me to recognize and understand exactly what was happening and why.

Here it is: Black people are judged on the way we dress, how we look and even the way we style our hair, and what is happening goes deeper than how I show up to a Zoom call.

As a young girl, burned ears and singed strands from my natural hair being straightened with a hot metal comb signified to me, and girls like me, that our curly hair was not acceptable, according to societal norms.

When I started out in my career, the unspoken rule, and sometimes written in corporate handbook rules, had been “straight hair, no braids, no locked styles.” Because of this, I processed my natural hair with lye to make it

permanently straight. After 10 years and more senior in my career, I had developed the confidence and gained the credibility and reputation in my profession to sport my natural hair; and have been doing so for the last 10 years.

Can you believe, that today, in 2020, Black people are still penalized for how our hair grows naturally? Thankfully, change is taking place, albeit s-l-o-w-l-y. In 2019, California became the first state to sign the CROWN Act into law. The CROWN Act, which stands for “Create a Respectful and Open Workplace for Natural Hair,” was created to ensure protection against discrimination based on racial-trait hairstyles.

As a woman with deep southern roots, I am shaped by the experiences and lessons of my grandparents, for whom proper dress and presentation were cultural practices in how they protected themselves and their family in spaces outside of their communities. The Negro Motorist Green Book (most often called the Green Book) was a travel guide published from 1936 to 1967 that helped African American tourists navigate a segregated nation.

It listed hotels, restaurants and other business that were open to African Americans, and essentially helped make travel comfortable and safe for them. It was customary for “colored people” to dress in their finest, when traveling by car, train, boat or airplane, as part of the guidelines for “not being a curiosity” during travel, especially near re-

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tfe LICENSING “I must show up to manage expectations and biases in the places where

Up y

I’m present for business. I do not have the luxury of choosing between business dress and business casual.”

gions of “sundown towns.” If you want to learn more about the unwritten rules Black people follow today to protect themselves, the Green Book shows the codes we had to follow to exist.

Things have changed since 1967 but have also remained very much the same. Black people continue to have to shield themselves when we leave the safety of our cultural spaces, and today this includes the virtual space of Zoom and other video conferencing portals. Black people do not have the luxury of leisurewear because for us, attire has been weaponized. A sweat hoodie sends a different signal for a young male tech-founder than it does for a young black male.

My work-from-home virtual behavior is modeled in direct response to these taught and learned experiences. Navigating business culture where my appearance pre-qualifies my business acumen is the primary reason why I always present myself in “business dress’” and not “business casual” in-person and virtually.

I am Co-Chair of the Ohio Chapter of Women in Toys, Licensing and Entertainment, and during one of our Zoom meetings with Chapter Co-Chairs across the country, I was recognized for how significantly different and polished my appearance was from others on the call. It was not just my presentation in dress, makeup and hair, it was also my planned environment.

As a Creative Director, I understand that perception is so very important to brand, and I not only style myself for my business and professional virtual meetings, I also carefully curate my physical surroundings, for the virtual “guests” in my home. In the same way that someone might decorate their office or work cube, I present my work-from-home space for the new virtual theater of video meetings. In my mind, I can’t show up to the Zoom meeting as casually as my non-Black counterparts do.

As a Black woman, I have experienced countless scenarios of implicit bias. Outside of my community,

my professional business dress serves as a coat of armor against negative assumptions by those I have worked with, reported to and managed. I never dress down on casual Fridays; I simply can’t. I must show up to manage expectations and biases in the places where I’m present for business. I do not have the luxury of choosing between business dress and business casual.

Our society (and our industry) has a tremendous amount of work to do to overcome both unconscious and conscious bias. Achieving true workplace change takes education and training, yes. But companies must start with ongoing and honest conversations. These conversations will provide insight into the experiences of Black women and men, and will be a breeding ground for new ideas and solutions. I encourage you to do your part to be a part of the change.

Delanie West is founding Creativity Director at Be Super Creative, a product development and design consultancy; COO at Healthy Roots Dolls; and Partner and Creative Strategy office at Black Creatives, a global network of over 15,000 professionals in communications, media, advertising, technology, and fashion.

Delanie serves as chair of Women in Toys, Licensing & Entertainment (WIT) Diversity & Inclusion committee, as well as WIT Ohio Chapter Chair. WIT is a nonprofit global organization whose mission is to advance women through leadership, networking, and educational opportunities.

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INDUSTRY FORUM DESIGN EDGE

THE DESIGNER’S PERSPECTIVE

Video Killed the Sell Sheet Star BY

MATTHEW NUCCIO

When I entered the toy business many moons ago, the majority of inventors sold their concepts by garnering interest via the almighty sell sheet.

Great sell sheets would be adorned with bullet points, call outs, insets, and of course, a great money shot of the product in action. While pitching a new concept with a prototype was always far better than with a sell sheet, you still had a fighting chance with a good sell sheet. But times have changed and these days a sell sheet sells sh-t…

Back when I was starting out, the New York Toy Fair was still held at the International Toy Center (aka the Toy Building), at 200 5th Ave, where it had been held for over a century. Toy Fair back then was much different than it is today. Toy companies still had year round offices and showrooms in the Toy Building and during Toy Fair inventors would show up in droves to pitch their concepts door to door. Towards the end of the 90s, you started to hear a sound that became more and more familiar in the Toy Building elevators. It was the sound of VHS cassettes rattling around in an inventor carry-on suitcase. And it soon became apparent that those inventors were getting more deals than the sell sheet guys. By the turn of the millennium, digital video had become accessible and along with its filters, and effects, a lot of inventor features could be more easily highlighted and

often time even faked.

Today, it is nearly impossible to sell a concept off of a sell sheet (although it can still be done). These days, I find myself speaking with outside inventors discussing how to make a proper video pitch.

Everyone wants to know how a product pitch video should be set up. So, to ensure your greatest possible success for all my friends out there, I have gathered consensus from my fellow professional inventors. Below are a few suggestions for your video pitch consideration. Just note there is never a one-size-fits-all solution.

Product Video Pitch Outline A good video is essentially making sure that your invention concept is clearly understood by the companies you are pitching to. Below is a list of key marks that you should consider hitting when creating your next video for your invention.

• Time A toy company’s time is important to them.

Videos should be short, concise, and visually appealing. The ideal video should run between 30 secs and 1.5 minutes.

• Focus on the Product

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Matt Nuccio offers tips to inventors for making an effective product video pitches.

Far too often we receive videos that spend too much time talking about the inventor themselves and/or the reason why they invented it. While this approach may be worth something in promoting the product at retail, it is of little appeal to a prospective licensor. Product is king.

Above all, they want a great product above a great story. Your focus should be on the product.

INDUSTRY FORUM DESIGN EDGE

A good video is essentially making sure that your invention concept is clearly understood by the companies you are pitching to.

• Video Outline Formula

If you’re not Steven Spielberg, Stanley Kubrick, Spike Lee, Jean-Luc Godard or even Ben Stiller and don’t have a particularly strong sense of visuals or narrative, then here is a simple outline to follow to ensure you hit the key points.

-Opening page: Create a fun visual that shows the name of the product. This can be as simple as holding up a piece of paper or creating a digital transition page.

-Unboxing: Show all the parts laid out on a non-distracting surface like a kitchen counter, grass, table… this can be a photo or a video.

-Setup: Show the product being set up. If this is a time-consuming process you can show it in a time-lapse format to save on the overall run time.

-Explanation: In type and/or voiceover (preferably both) explain the product benefits.

What does it do? How does it do it? Who is it fun for?

-Fun, fun, fun: The most important thing is to make sure that your video looks fun. Showing happy people, laughter, bright colors and a fun looking prototype or rendering is a great way to achieve that without making it too campy. If you use demonstrators in your video make sure that they are wearing plain clothing; no logos or partners, as these can distract from the product.

-Music: Having an upbeat song playing in the background is always a great way to emphasize the fun.

-Closing Page: At the end of the video, show your name and contact information.

I hope this helps. Now go sell your inventions.

Matt Nuccio is president of Design Edge, a New York-based graphic design and research development studio. For more information, he can be reached at Matt@DesignEdge.net.

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TOY FAMILY SERIES

Q&A with Toy Inventor Eddy Goldfarb Interview by Mary Couzin I had the pleasure of getting to know Eddy Goldfarb and his family when we honored him at our 2010 TAGIE Awards for Lifetime Achievement. His good friend and fellow inventor, Reuben Klamer championed Eddy to be honored and gave a memorable toast that evening. They have been lifelong friends, are both in their late 90’s now and still inventing! Also a memorable moment at the Awards that year was when John Ratzenberger, actor and inventor, ran up to meet Eddy to get his autograph.

Eddy invented more than 800 toys and holds almost 300 patents. Some of his wellknown hits include Yakity Yak Teeth, Battling Tops, Hydro Strike, Shark Attack,Vac-uform, KerPlunk and Stompers. He started in the business with Marvin Glass and moved to California after a falling out with Marvin (they were opposites, but that is another story). After a tough start in California, Eddy built his business into multiple buildings and 39 employees.

As the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, especially in our industry, Eddy and his son Martin teamed up more than 20 years ago and continue to bring on the hits!

Eddy and his inventions are currently the subject of a new short documentary, Eddy’s World, produced and directed by filmmaker Lyn Goldfarb, his daughter.You can find more information about the film at www. eddysworld.net -Mary Couzin

Eddy Goldfarb has invented more than 800 toys, including the Yakity Yak Teeth (pictured here), Battling Tops, Vac-u-form, KerPlunk, and Stompers.

Mary Couzin: How did your family first enter the toy industry?

Eddy Goldfarb: It all started with me! I always knew from the time I was a young child that I was going to be an independent inventor, but never in my wildest dreams did I think that it would be in the toy industry!

During World War Two,

I served on the USS Batfish submarine in the Pacific. After the victory in Europe, we still did not know how long the war with Japan would continue and when we would be coming home. So it was time to get serious about planning my future for when the war ended.

During my free time when I wasn’t on duty overseeing the radar and sonar watches, and we weren’t being depth charged

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is involved now?

When the war ended, I finally got home and started working on my toy ideas.

I met and married Anita and now we had two people in the family business.

She believed in me and backed me entirely. It took a while, but we finally started Eddy Goldfarb was honored at the 2010 doing well.

TAGIE Awards for Lifetime Achievement Our children were born into the toy business! They were all testing out new toy prototypes from a young age. They had the most expensive toys in the neighborhood!

As the children grew up, they went their own ways except for Martin. He had a deep passion for games and toys.

I’m so thankful and proud that he is still running it today.

Eddy Goldfarb with family at the 2010 TAGIE Awards

or shot at, I was able to read a lot of books that helped me decide my future. Before the war, I had been getting no place with my invention ideas since they bounced from one industry to another. I realized that I should focus on one industry and especially one that needed new products on a yearly basis. I decided my best opportunity would be the toy business!

I invented my first three toy items on the Batfish during my fifth war patrol. I thought them out carefully, made detailed drawings in my notebook, and so I was ready when the war ended.

Knowing nothing about the toy industry, I did not realize that educational items at the time were of no interest. Of course, my new three items

MC: Do you think the next generation will get involved?

Let’s wait and see!

“The toy business has always been changing and evolving since I started, but the one constant is that it has always been receptive to new ideas.” were educational and they’re still available to this day!

MC: How has business changed over the years?

The toy business has always been changing and evolving since I started, but the one constant is that it has always been receptive to new ideas.

No matter if the technology is old or new, fun is still fun!

MC: What advice do you have for others thinking of joining the family business?

With so many great examples of family businesses in the toy industry, there’s no need to overthink this. As long as you get along, go for it!

MC: Who has been involved and who

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Joy to g n N i r e e e n v d i i l De ren ild h C

Donate Today!

The Toy Bank- The Toy Industry’s Charitable Arm thetoybank@toyfoundation.org • thetoyfoundation.org

Creating Play & PPE

Since the onset of the pandemic, toy manufacturers have played a key role in supporting stay-at-home efforts, allowing children and families to continue playing and learning without having to leave the house. But some companies have also found ways to contribute to the fight against COVID-19 happening in hospitals around the country — by meeting the need for Personal

Top: Headbands from Spin Master’s Hedbanz game were used to fashion face shields for hospital workers and more Bottom: A face shield with polyethelene terephthalate inserted into a headband from Hedbanz

Protective Equipment (PPE) which has been in high demand since the spring.

Read below to find out out how two companies converted their equipment and resources into crucial supplies for healthcare employees, while celebrating essential workers.

One of Spin Master’s most popular games with consumers in recent months (see Games and Puzzles feature, page 25) has proven to be useful in more ways than one.

This past spring, Spin Master started producing face shields by inserting plastic (polyethelene terepthalate) into existing headbands from its guessing game, Hedbanz.

“With a long history of giving back to the community, Spin Master employees wanted to find a way to help with the growing need for PPE for front-line healthcare workers,” says Tammy Smitham, Vice President, Communications and Corporate Citizenship at Spin Master. “With the urgent task at hand, the company’s product development team came up with an ingenious solution in just three days.”

Once Spin Master had fashioned a prototype face shield, Smitham says, “an internal team of employees across all departments assembled quickly to reach out to hospitals, healthcare workers and charities, offering them the PPE, and then allocating and fulfilling.

The company partnered with suppliers in Mexico to produce up to 20,000 units per day.

“An internal team leveraged contacts from employees and reached out to organizations on the front lines of the COVID-19 response,” she adds. “The face shields were sent where they were desperately needed, including hospitals, nursing homes, women’s shelthers and homeless shelters.”

As of July, over 350,000 face shields have been donated.

According to Mattel corporate communications, the company is currently leveraging its “expertise, products and resources to support communities, those in need and frontline heroes.”

Mattel is partnering with healthcare institutions to provide PPE including cloth masks and face shields.

As part of this effort, Mattel says it is producing and donating 500,000 face shields to medical professionals.

Additionally, the company launched #ThankYouHeroes with Fisher-Price in April, the first program from its Play It Forward platform, which is intended to leverage Mattel brands to promote important causes. Designed to honor healthcare and other essential heroes, as well as drive donations, #ThankYouHeroes was eventually expanded to products from Matchbox, Mega Construx, and UNO. All net proceeds from the line went to #FirstRespondersFirst, an initiative created to support first responder healthcare workers serving on the frontlines of the pandemic.

Barbie and American Girl have also launched #ThankYouHeroes programs to support the First Responders Children’s Foundation.

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Race with your friends to save the world

Cooperative & competitive games for treehuggers

Four exciting eco-friendly board games for kids and adults

Resource Recovery

Water Conservation

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www.adventerragamesUSA.com

FEATURED CONTENT

Playing Through Puzzling Times BY

VICTORIA SHERIDAN

The rapid spread of COVID-19 in early spring and the way it transformed the world so suddenly has come as a shock to many. Initially unsure how long we would have to stay at home to protect ourselves and others, we started canceling or postponing plans. We put vacations, restaurant reservations, concerts, musicals, movies, sports games and special events on hold; our spending habits reflected that, and several industries took a hit as a result.

However, other industries became stronger as spending shifted to products that make staying at home and indoors easier, more comfortable and more entertaining. One such industry is the toy and games industry.

“It was a tough adjustment —and still is, months later — for families to adapt to staying at home, working at home, schooling at home and playing at home. Ultimately, families found a way to stay connected and having fun through, toys, games and other play experiences,” says Eric Nyman, Chief Consumer Officer at Hasbro.

According to the NPD Group, toy and game sales in the first half of 2020, from January to June, were up 9% across 12 global markets. The United States saw the most growth in this category, with toy and game sales going up 16%.

Within the toy industry, games and puzzles specifically performed the strongest, experiencing a 37% increase in sales in the 12 markets, NPD reports.

TFE asked several game and puzzle manufacturers which of their products have resonated the most with consumers during this time, and why. Read on to find out what they had to say.

Finding comfort amid chaos Once all the shows on streaming platforms were binge-watched and all the loaves of bread were baked, Americans sought more and more creative ways to keep themselves occupied at home —by turning (and for some, returning) to board games and puzzles.

Not only do games help pass the time, manufacturers say that the nostalgia factor of a classic board game has been a comfort to consumers during an unpredictable time. Adults are reconnecting with old favorites from childhood and parents are introducing these brands to the next generation.

At Goliath Games, classics like Rummikub and Sequence “have been selling out on a weekly basis,” says Director of Marketing Mary Higbe.

“Ninety percent of the time when I mention Rummikub, people say ‘Oh my gosh, I used to play that with my grandparents!” says Higbe. “I think during these uncertain times, people are craving the opportunity to find some normalcy, and hearkening back to happy memories is a great way to do that.”

In the coming months, manufacturers of several classic game brands are planning to indroduce updates and expansions. Higbe says Goli-

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The

Fast

Stacking

Nerve

Racking

Block

Building

Game!

Quick, grab a BUILDZI block and start building. Be the first to build your tower, but -- careful -- don’t let it tumble. 32 BUILDZI blocks, 32 tower cards, 32 block cards and lots of ways to play!

Go to YouTube and search “BUILDZI”.

For more information contact steve@tenzi.com or call 203.249.7290

FEATURED CONTENT Puzzling Times, continued ath will roll out updates to Sequence and Rummikub in August. Meanwhile, Hasbro plans to launch new twists on Hungry Hungry Hippos, Operation, and Monopoly, as well as re-launch the Mall Madness board game this coming fall.

While board games are a source of connection for families and roommates sharing a living space, friends and relatives who don’t live together but are connecting virtually have found a new way to play party games.

Brian Turtle, National Sales Manager at Endless Games, says the company’s new Camera Roll game, which just started shipping in June, is ideal for gatherings on videochatting platforms.

“It’s a perfect game to play over Zoom or other virtual (not-in-thesame-room) platforms, in that the idea is you draw a card and then everyone has to find a photo on their phone that corresponds to what is on the card,” Turtle says.

Likewise, Carma Games’ dice-rolling TENZI game is well-suited to virtual parties, says co-creator Kevin Carroll.

“We had some folks tell us that our dice game TENZI was perfect for playing over Zoom,” Carroll says. “My brothers and sisters live all over the world so I gave it a try with them and it worked great. Some people even posted their TENZI/Zoom videos on YouTube.”

Puzzles in particular have experienced a boom, with many consumers picking up the hobby for the first time.

“Puzzles have been on fire and we believe that this includes not only consistent puzzlers but new people that have started to puzzle during quarantine,” says Elizabeth LoVecchio, VP of Marketing for Games at Spin Master.

In December, Spin Master will underscore the stress relief effects of puzzling with Calm Puzzles, a collection in partnership with the sleep and meditation app, Calm.

Thomas Kaeppler, President of Ravensburger North America, similarly emphasizes the calming effects of puzzles.

“I think there’s something satisfying right now for people to be able to have control over a task and complete it,” he says. “We’ve heard from consumers that seeing a puzzle go from a jumble of pieces on a coffee table to a finished product fills them with peace and a sense of accomplishment.”

Ravensburger saw a sales surge in March, during which puzzle sales were up 370% year-over-year.

“To put that in perspective, Ravensburger sold about seven puzzles per minute in 2019 and so far in 2020, we are looking closer to selling 20 puzzles per minute,” he says.

Learning while playing When schools across the country closed in March and remained closed through the end of the school year, children had to adapt to learning at home.

In some cases, board games with educational aspects helped enhance their at-home schooling.

Adventerra’s Sue Mundell says the company’s WaterGame, which teaches children about water conservation, has been a top-seller “because it is easy for elementary school kids to play by themselves while parents work at home —and it’s a fun way to practice math, reading and science skills.”

Kaeppler notes that STEM-oriented products, such as Ravensburger’s Gravitrax line, has been a popular category with kids.

“They provide an interactive and fun learning experience which has become all the more important with schools being closed,” he says.

No in-person shopping? No problem According to the NPD, strong online shopping channels helped boost toy and game sales in the wake of store closures.

“People have been taking advantage of online shopping and curbside pickup and we’re fortunate that our retail partners can offer those options,” Higbe says.

Meanwhile Carroll notes that TENZI was highly sought-after by online shoppers.

“One of our online retailers called us in April and said, ‘There are two things selling online right now...toilet paper and TENZI!’ So it’s nice to know that we rank up there with toilet paper,” he quips.

The warmer weather in recent months has allowed for more outdoor playtime — and brought some much-needed relief from the routine of the early months of the pandemic. In fact, the NPD recorded that the outdoor and sports toys category showed the second-highest growth after games and puzzles, recording a 27% increase in sales.

But fall and its cooler temperatures are just around the corner, ushering in the holiday shopping season. It’s hard to say what the future holds, but families could be looking for ways to beat the boredom while indoors once again.

See Play-at-Home on pages 28-29, to discover recent best-sellers as well as highly anticipated upcoming product launches from game and puzzle manufacturers.

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FEATURED CONTENT

Play-at-Home

The Monopoly Super Electronic Banking Board game from Hasbro, available fall 2020, replaces paper money with bank cards for each player, plus an all-in-one electronic banking unit.

Each player’s bank card earns them different re ards hen they roll a certain number, land on a certain space, or purchase a particular property. Players can choose to y to any property on the board and force another player into trading one of their valuable properties.

For ages 8+.

The only puzzle in Endless Games’ line, the Playbill Presents “Best of Broadway’ 1,000-Piece Jigsaw Puzzle (ages 7+) “has been tough to keep in stock,” according to Endless Games National Sales Manager Brian Turtle.

“The quarantine really boosted puzzle sales across the board,” Turtle says.

The company also offers The Korner’d Challenge, “a puzzle that’s also a game.” In this game, players must match colors or animals to the tiles on the board; just like a puzzle, each tile has only one unique location on the board. For ages 8+

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“HedBanz is one of Spin Master’s top selling games and we are

constantly refreshing it with new fun themes and designs and even launched an app version last year,” says Elizabeth LoVecchio, VP Marketing for Games, Spin Master. “This year marks the 30th anniversary and we are releasing an updated version with fun character-themed bands including a Unicorn and Cat in addition to updated card content featuring striking new art.”

For 2-6 players, ages 7+, HedBanz is a quick-question family guessing game here players must as es” or o” uestions to figure out what’s on the card in their headband. They could be an animal, a type of food, and more. The first person to guess correctly three times ins.

ec ga us m ne or

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FEATURED CONTENT

BUILDZI is the latest addition from Carma Games, the makers of TENZI. “We just added BUILDZI to our product line,” says Kevin Carroll, co-creator of TENZI. “This is our sixth game and it fits our formula of simple, fast, fun.”

BUILDZI is a “fast-stacking, nerve-wracking, block-building game,” that debuted at Toy Fair New York in February. It has since been named one of ASTRA’s Best Toys for Kids this year, in the Games (8+) category.

In board games from Adventerra such as Global Warning (10+) and WaterGame (7+), children and families are tasked with developing strategies to combat climate change or conserve natural resources. Adventerra encourages players to make eco-friendly choices not only in the game, but in real life too.

Adventerra is now developing a new line of eco-puzzles, memory cards, and environmental-themed games for preschoolers headed to retail this fall.

The company takes an eco-conscious approach to game production as well, using natural, FSC-certified materials. All game components are either recyclable or compostable.

Goliath Games didn’t anticipate just how timely its card game Virus! would be when the company introduced it in February. Unsurprisingly, the game took off not long after it launched.

“In the first few weeks of March, our sales of Virus! increased about 900%,” says Mary Higbe, Goliath’s Director of Marketing.

In this game for 2-6 people, ages 8+, players can place a virus on another player’s organ card, or use a medicine card to cure their own organs. The first player to achieve a clean bill of health wins.

Higbe adds that other classic games from Goliath, such as Rummikub and Sequence, have been “selling out on a weekly basis.” The company plans to roll out updates to both games this month.

While puzzles from Ravensburger have been selling strongly since March, products from the company’s Gravitrax line have also picked up steam. A STEM toy for ages 8+, Gravitrax sets allow children to construct marble runs while exploring gravity, magnetisim, and kinetics.

“Our Gravitrax products, in particular the Gravitrax Starter Set and the Gravitrax XXL Starter Set have seen similar increases to what we are seeing in puzzles [sales],” says Thomas Kaeppler, President of Ravensburger North America.

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YO’R IvIeD tO oU PoT-AnEmC ArY! TTPM IS BACK!

As we all navigate through the Covid-19 pandemic, we are committed to bringing you the best of toys, baby gear, and pet products.

TTPM’s Holiday Showcase will continue as scheduled, now with added safety guidelines and procedures.

One-on-one live product demonstrations in accordance with social distancing.

Inclusion in our TTPM Holiday video featuring the hottest holiday toys. Video is guaranteed 100,000 minimum views on the TTPM YouTube channel.

All exhibitors will be part of our Zoom/Skype media tour during the first two weeks of September.

If exhibiting at the event, you’ll be part of TTPM pitches, interviews and segments throughout Q4.

Influencer Kids only allowed to attend event.

Be a part of the first event of its kind as we return to a new normal and continue to push for the success of all toy companies and manufacturers affected by this pandemic.

See you at the Metropolitan Pavilion, September 17th, 2020!

For more info: Donna Moore Graham Windus

donna@ttpm.com

graham@ttpm.com

FEATURED CONTENT

Engaging Next Generation Football Fans Through Toys & Entertainment

BY CARY GROSSART The pandemic has created upheaval across the globe. It has turned the sports industry on its head. If there is a hopeful prospect in all this uncertainty, it is that people, brands, and professional athletes have stepped up in extraordinary ways to adapt and evolve to ensure that business and fandom continues.

According to the 2020 Global Licensing Survey, worldwide sales revenue of licensed merchandise and services grew to $292 billion last year. The entertainment/character segment stayed the leading category, while sports was among the top four largest sectors. Retail sales of licensed toys and games also showed growth. Even as the marketplace remains unpredictable, the Global report shows positive signs as we all work through this crisis.

The toy and entertainment category represents incredible room for growth, as we look to connect with the youngest fans of the NFL and their parents. We are enthusiastic to continue to explore new and exciting partnerships that allow the youngest fans to engage with more than 2,000 players.

The Virtual Fan Experience The sports landscape has changed but fans are still finding ways to engage with the athletes they love. There are now opportunities in the digital space that did not exist before, and the NFLPA is spearheading innovative opportunities in the virtual realm with brand partners to bring players closer to their fans through digital activations. NFLPA partner Procter & Gamble hosted a virtual red carpet with rookies during the NFL Draft, and licensee EA Sports used social media to share with fans the reactions of the league’s newest stars as they received their Madden video game ratings.

Baltimore Ravens Lamar Jackson Bobblehead In fact, the world is playing and watching more EA Madden NFL than ever before. In April alone, community and celebrity-athlete competition broadcasts equaled 2,600 NFL seasons of Madden NFL 20 content watched by viewers around the world.

NFL Cardinals Kyler Murray Funko POP!

Social Media Connecting Players & Fans Based on data from Opendorse, the NFLPA’s social media activation partner, professional athletes drive 11 times higher engagement with fans than brands on social media. In a new list, the NFLPA and Opendorse analyzed the social media activity of current NFL players and ranked the most influential and marketable for brands. Cam Jordan, Odell Beckham Jr., and D.K. Metcalf were tops in consistent engagement, overall activity, and audience growth rate, respectively. Yet another reminder that social media is a strong and influential platform to engage youth.

As fans become more active on these channels, the more they learn about their favorite players. They connect on all levels, from live chats and gaming to virtual player-hosted youth camps. These settings expose fans to players’ personalities, family life at home, as well as their work in local communities. We have seen many professional athletes step up in meaningful ways to tackle hardships created by COVID-19.

Players like Dalvin Cook and Danielle Hunter donating their Madden proceeds to provide PPE. Jared Goff and Andrew Whitworth contributing enough money to pay for two million meals for folks in Los Angeles. Cam Jordan funding technology so kids can continue their schoolwork through the shutdowns.

Future Opportunities in Toys, Entertainment According to research around the perception and purchasing influence of NFL players, the connection to players reflects positively on the brand for many fans.* It is the players’ personalities and how they inspire by giving back to their communities that are the biggest factors when it comes to favorability among young fans.

We are eager to add licensees and expand new product lines that appeal to kids’ imaginations and place a variety of today’s most exciting players on toy boxes and other forms of entertainment. We believe families and kids would respond well to an expanded assortment, and the timing is right for toy companies to propose new products for licensing consideration by the NFLPA. * Research study conducted by Morning Consult (2019) Cary Grossart is Business Development Manager at NFL Players Inc., the licensing and marketing arm of the NFL Players Association. For more information please contact Cary at cary.grossart@nflpa.com or (202) 572-7477

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FEATURED CONTENT

Nostalgia Still Plays...But in a New Way

By Martin Brochstein | Licensing International Marty Brochstein, SVP of Industry Relations and Information at Licensing International, examines the retro brands making a comeback as consumers flock to familiar and trusted products during the pandemic.

One pattern emerging during the pandemic is consumers’ hunger for the familiar, whether comfort foods, retro music, classic early video games, trusted CPG brands of yesteryear or toys, among many others. It’s a matter of trust and longing for a simpler time when you didn’t have to think twice about a trip to the supermarket, going to a restaurant, or attending a concert or sporting event.

It’s not a new phenomenon; sales of products carrying beloved evergreen licenses typically spike during times of crisis as they gain fa-

vor with nostalgia-driven consumers.

That point was underscored recently when Just Play acquired the Slinky and Shrinky Dinks brands in an auction of Alex Brands’ assets, with plans for new products by fall to mark Slinky’s 75th anniversary.

Licensing is a business that’s built on emotion – whether love for a character or favorite movie, fandom for a sports team, trust in a brand, attachment to a particular lifestyle or fashion brand, or the warm and fuzzy feeling you get from something from your past.

The global licensing business reached $292.3B in global revenue

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in 2019, according to the recently published Annual Global Licensing sionless characters. It also is introducing a rounded version of the tradiStudy, released last month by Licensing International. Toys account tionally rectangular Lite-Brite to give it a trendy design.

“Many companies do well with these for $35.8B, or 12% of that total. (The study sub-brands, but if they fell off the earth can be downloaded for free by members of and nobody made them again nobody Licensing International at www.licensinginwould skip a beat,” says Basic Fun CEO ternational.org; non-members can get a copy Jay Foreman, who last re-launched Care for $975.)

Bears while CEO of Play Along in the earWhile there’s no doubt that the worldwide ly 2000s. “It really is up to those compaCoronavirus pandemic is currently impacting nies that take on the retro brands to give global business of all sorts, the Study shows the retailers and consumers a reason to that the licensing industry entered 2020 with support them because in many cases, at the a strong, productive, and profitable business end of that day, there isn’t always enough model that runs through the toy business as business there to make anyone care. You much as any. have to make them [consumers and retailEven as people around the world were livers] care.” ing under the effect of shelter-in-place and To make consumers care, companies other directives that decimated retail sales, the power of trusted brands and well-known Basic Fun! is re-launching Care Bears products this month and has must be careful not lose the features and also introduced a new trendy design of the classic Lite-Brite design that made the property or product licenses have been all around. For example, families have busied themselves with licensed puzzles and games, and popular in the first place. For example, TastemakersArcade1Up changconsumers around the world have emerged with cloth face coverings es the appearances of some characters for its Arcade1Up arcade-style sporting children’s and adult characters, sports logos, trademarked say- cabinets for 8-bit videogames of yesteryear, but their movements closeings, fashion brands, artwork and any number of other designs and mo- ly track those of the original game.

“Because the machines have authentic artwork, gameplay and tifs that showcase their individuality.

So there are a number of forces driving the popularity of some toys controls, they hit a certain nostalgic nerve bringing people back to a of yesteryear. One is a general sense of nostalgia. Another is the power simpler time” which is attractive to homebound consumers, says CEO of traditional business cycles. It has long been a truism in the toy world Scott Bachrach.

There’s no doubt that we’re in one of those times in which the clasthat lines are ripe for re-introduction about 20 years after the original – enough time for one generation of fans to become parents and bring sics play especially well. The challenge is to leverage them in a way the things they loved to their own children. The same goes for licenses. that extends them to new audiences.

But companies walk a fine line between playing to those who remember and updating the brands to attract a new cadre of fans. For example, Basic Fun!, Marty Brochstein is responsible for Licensing International’s inforin re-launching Care mation resources, as well as its educational efforts. He also oversees Bears products at Walmart this month, revamped packaging to feature bright colors and a collectible coin and added expressions to the formerly expres-

the association’s information operations, including the NewsLinks daily news and headline service, and coordinates all industry research. He speaks regularly at conferences and seminars around the world on a wide range of licensing- and retail-related issues, writes regularly on licensing topics, and is widely quoted on issues related to licensing, marketing and branding.

Just Play recently acquired the Slinky and Shrinky Dinks brands

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Chatham, New Jersey

Cloudco Entertainment: Ian Lam-

bur, EVP, Content Strategy and Co-Productions Longtime industry veteran Ian Lambur joined Cloudco Entertainment as Executive Vice-President of Content Strategy and Co-Productions in July.

Most recently, Lambur was EVP, Production, Distribution, and Co-Productions at ZAG Entertainment.

Lambur has also served in senior roles in content distrubtion at several companies, notably The Jim Henson Company in Los Angeles, The Walt Disney Company EMEA in London, and Guru Entertainment in Toronto. He reports to Cloudco Entertainment President, Sean Gorman.

IMC Toys: Preeti Sheth, Finance Manager,

and Chrissa Van Duffelen, Customer Service Manager IMC Toys announced the expansion of their US operations in July with the appointment of two key team members, Preeti Sheth as Finance Manager and Chrissa Van Duffelen as Customer Service Manager.

Sheth has provided financial services for over 15 years while also holding multiple leadership positions as Finance & Strategy Director at TAKE Solutions and Business owner of her own consulting firm.

For more than a decade, Van Duffelen has managed customer service departments for consumer good products.

Sheth and Van Duffelen will join IMC Country Manager, Marketing Director Crystal Ganir, and Senior Sales Manager Chelsea Wood at the company’s new North American headquarters in

Gaumont US: Nicolas Atlan, President

Gaumont is streamlining its operations in the US, now helmed by Nicolas Atlan, formerly President of Gaumont Animation and Family. As President of Gaumont in the US, Atlan has added oversight of US and Latin American drama divisions to his remit. He reports to Christopher Riandee, Vice CEO, Gaumont.

As part of the reorganization, Terry Kalagian was promoted to EVP, Creative Content, and continues to report to Atlan. Her team includes several executives newly elevated to SVP, Creative Executive: Alexandra Hunter, Kimberly Dennison, and Christian Gabela. Also resporting to Kalagian are Johanna Byer, SVP Creative Executive; Alexandra Smith and Michelle Sullivan, both VP, Creative Executive; Sean Wolfson, Executive Director, Creative; and Alex Soto, Creative Director.

Spin Master: Heather

Oster, Vice President, Global Franchise Development Longtime Hollywood consumer products executive Heather Oster was appointed Vice President, Global Franchise Development at Spin Master last month. Based in Spin Master’s Los Angeles office, Oster reports to Spin Master Entertainment Executive Vice President, Jennifer Dodge.

Oster is responsible for initiating Spin Master’s franchise strategy, including brand development, and stewardship and IP evaluation and portfolio leadership for its global brands and upcoming

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entertainment franchise intiatives, including the launch of the upcoming Mighty Express franchise, this fall on Netflix.

Previously, Oster was Vice President, Franchise Management & Consumer Insights at Universal Pictures for more than five years. Prior to Universal, Oster spent 11 years as Global Franchise and Marketing Director at Disney, with multi-year stints at verticals including Pixar, Live Action Film, Disney Princess, and more.

Partners in New York and Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP in Irvine, CA.

WildBrain Spark:

Charles Gabriel, Vice President and Head of US Advertising Sales WildBrain Spark, the digital media division of WildBrain, named Charles Gabriel to the newly created position of Vice President and Head of US Advertising Sales.

Shannon Gabriel’s role is aimed at expanding WildSpisak, Senior Director of Global Marketing & Communications, and Jenna Marson, Manager Brain’s digital AVOD sales efforts to its current partners, US media agencies, and US brands of Global Marketing & Licensing Shannon Spisak, previously Director of Market- reaching kids and families. Over the course of his career, Gabriel has helped build and lead sales oring & Communications at Dr. Seuss Enterprises, ganizations inside media companies like AOL and was promoted to Senior Director of Global MarDisney, as well as growth-phase startups. keting & Communications this summer. In this Gabriel is based in Los Angeles and New York new role, Spisak manages the sales, marketing, and creative team and works to develop the com- and will report to WildBrain Spark Managing pany’s product, marketing, creative, social media, Director Jon Gisby. and business plans. She reports directly to Susan Brandt, President of Dr. Seuss Enterprises Prior to joining Dr. Seuss Enterprises in 2016, Tim Kilpin, President Spisak served as the Director of Marketing at Tim Kilpin, an executive in the toy and chilGarden Fresh Restaurant Corp. and Director of dren’s entertainment industry for over 35 years, Community Marketing at PETCO. was recently appointed President of PlayMonster Additionally, Dr. Seuss Enterprises upped JenLLC. na Marson to Manager of Global Marketing and Reporting to CEO Bob Wann, Kilpin’s focus Licensing. In her new role, Marson focuses on is on accelerating and expanding PlayMonster’s international licensing and developing strategic business with an emphasis on sales, marketing, partnerships while continuing to manage the fordesign, and business development. eign-language publishing and marketing program.

Before joining PlayMonster, Kilpin was most Marson will continue to report to Spisak. recently President and CEO of Activision BlizIn her previous role as Coodinator of Marketing zard’s Consumer Products business. Prior to that. & Communications, Marson managed various he served as President and Chief Commercial partnerships for the company. Before joining the Officer for Mattel, Inc, and has held other senior company in 2015, Marson worked for AlpInvest roles at Mattel and Disney.

Dr. Seuss Enterprises:

PlayMonster:

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