TFE/TFE Licensing, August 2021

TOYS · GAMES · TRENDS LICENSING · and more

Inside this Issue: ASTRA Marketplace & Academy Preview PLUS Licensing Expo 2021 Preview AND Spotlight on specialty & independent retailers

Insights from: -ASTRA -The Toy Association -Licensing International & Design Edge

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Contents · Aug. 2021 Vol. 16 · No. 2

Featured Content

Departments

Back Open For Business: Spotlight on Specialty & Independent Retailers Victoria Sheridan

5

Observations and Opinions

6

Industry News

22

Toy Family Series: Bananagrams Mary Couzin

8

Trending

24

Focus on Fidgets

28

Brand Profile: We Wear Cute

16

30

Company Profile: Sky Castle

32

ASTRA Marketplace & Academy Preview

56

The Licensing Industry Charts Its PostPandemic Course Martin Brochstein, Licensing International

58

Virtual Licensing Expo 2021 Preview

On this Page 1. Squishmallows, Jazwares 2. We Wear Cute InkFluencer Click N Color Marker Set, Spin Master 3. Carnival Plus Set, Magformers

3

10

Industry Forum ASTRA

12

Industry Forum The Toy Association

14

Industry Forum Design Edge

66

You're Hired

On the Cover Loopy Looper from Blue Orange Games See Focus on Fidgets, page 24 3 tfe August 2021

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ess rriie e SSe

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TTo o CCo olllleect ct!!

An entire childhood in the palm of your hands.

Micro Micro Toy Toy Box Box featuring featuring 55 mini mini CLASSIC CLASSIC toy toy collectibles collectibles & & more more in in each each blind blind box! box!

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www.superimpulse.com @ SuperImpulse toys@superimpulse.com

SCRABBLE is a trademark of Hasbro in US and Canada only. © 2021 Hasbro. Licensed by Hasbro. CROCODILE DENTIST manufactured and sold under license by Asahi Corp., Japan.

RUBIK’S TM & © Spin Master Toys UK Limited, used under license. All rights reserved. © 2021 Mattel

y n a + M ore!

M

tfe Observations & Opinions

aNbMedia.com

A Toy Industry Reunion at ASTRA

BY BOB GLASER It is with much anticipation, and pleasure, that some of you will be reading this at the ASTRA convention (my favorite toy trade show) in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It’s been far too long since this segment of the toy business, or any segment for that matter, has gathered for a toy show. Leading up to the convention, the exhibitor space was sold out, a great indicator of just how much manufacturers want to show their products in-person to retailers. Early reads were that independent retailers were eager as BOB GLASER, PUBLISHER well to once again travel to a trade show and look to buy all the great new products manufacturers have produced. All involved in the toy industry are eager to return to how business was conducted before the pandemic hit. Some things have changed in how new products are shown to retailers, but nothing takes the place of face-toface communication. I look forward to seeing many business associates and friends in-person at ASTRA. The fourth quarter selling season begins.

What to expect this fourth quarter? Every year, it seems manufacturers face challenges when developing, manufacturing, and delivering products to retailers for sale. This year, it is the rising cost of producing goods in China and then getting those goods onto — from what we’ve been told — very few and expensive containers. Most current conversations revolve around these two issues. What does this mean for fourth quarter sales? If a manufacturer was able to ship early this year, they will most likely experience a very good holiday season. Due to what many are predicting will be a limited supply of products, those that shipped early will reap the benefits since they will have product on shelves.

Lastly, an update from us here at aNb Media/TTPM. We are very excited to once again be hosting our Holiday Showcase live and in-person at The Altman Building here in New York City on September 23. If you haven’t done so already, be sure to reserve your space to show your products to broadcast outlets, print media, and social influencers. Our newest division, TTPM Influencer Talent Management (TTPM ITM), now represents over 35 leading influencers across all popular social media platforms. We are hosting an exclusive dinner reception the night before our event on September 22 for exhibitors to get to meet and spend time with many of the influencers TTPM ITM represents. Feel free to reach out to me at Bob@TTPM.com for more information about our event and influencer dinner.

Finally, be sure to check out our channel on TikTok, TheToy Authority.

August 2021 · Volume 16, No. 2 Publisher Bob Glaser Bob@TTPM.com Vice President, Advertising & Sales Donna Moore Donna@TTPM.com Sales Associate Anneka Ranpuria Anneka@TTPM.com Controller Eileen Palermo Eileen@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 Martin Brochstein, Mary Couzin Kristin Morency Goldman, Matthew Nuccio, Sue Warfield Interested in a subscription? Contact Bob Glaser at Bob@ 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 2021 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 5 tfe August 2021

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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

Litzky Public Relations Announces Grant to Support Small Businesses Litzky Public Relations, a New Jersey-based agency that specializes in family-friendly consumer brands, announced a new grant program to assist companies with a mission to better the lives of children and families.

LOVE, Litzky — an acronym — for Lifting Outstanding Voices and Endeavors — found its inaugural recipient in PunkinFutz, a designer and manufacturer of sensory products that make play accessible to all children. Developed to support small businesses and entrepreneurs, the grant will spotlight a specific and timely issue each year.

PunkinFutz is an inclusive play company and adaptive employer that designs and develops play products and accessories for children with a broad range of physical, sensory, developmental, and emotional needs. This year, the company teamed up with nonprofit Sesame Workshop to incorporate the characters from Sesame Street into a recently launched collection of items for children of all ages and abilities.

Litzky selected the company as the 2021 grant recipient for its commitment to ensuring that all kids can enjoy the developmental advantages of inclusion, imagination, and child-led play.

LOVE, Litzky will provide PunkinFutz with a PR campaign strategy to launch its Sesame Street collection and $25,000 in professional fees to execute it. The strategic communications plan targets trade and consumer media and social influencers across a variety of platforms. A dedicated account team will execute the plan over a three-month period.

Licensing International Appoints New Board Members Seven licensing industry executives joined the Licensing International Board of Directors for three year terms last month.

The licensing industry trade organization elected new board members Dean Allen, chief merchandising officer of Mad Engine Apparel; Veronica Hart, EVP of global franchise planning for ViacomCBS Consumer Products; Steven Heller, trademark and licensing attorney and founder of The Brand Liaison; Holly Rawlinson, GM of business development for Spirit Hallowen and Spencer Gifts; Milin Shah, senior vice president and general counsel for Isaac Morris and CultureFly; Malaika Underwood, senior vice president of licensing at OneTeam Partners; and Maarten Weck, EVP and managing director of WildBrain CPLG.

The outgoing members of the board are Liza Abrams, Naz Amarchi-Cuevas, Sam Ferguson, Bill Patterson, and Jason Sutton.

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People of Play Adds Two Categories to TAGIE Awards Now entering its 14th year, the TAGIE Awards, presented by People of Play (POP), announced the addition of two new award categories: Most Innovative Licensed Product and Game Changers. The Game Changers award will recognize those who changed the game of play in 2020, a year that required the industry to adapt and shift.

POP is accepting TAGIE nominations now through August 13. In addition to its typical entry form, POP has introduced an alternative, streamlined nomination process for members who can submit any online POP profile to be considered for a TAGIE Award.

Finalists from each category will be announced on September 1, with voting open to the general public, media, and toy and game industry.

In addition to the two new categories, POP is taking nominations for Toy Innovator of the Year; Game Innovator of the Year; Rising Star Innovator of the Year; Young Inventor of the Year; Innovative Art and Visuals of the Year; Innovative PR & Marketing Team of the Year; Most Innovative Retailer Award; and Most Innovative Supplier.

For more information, visit chitag.com/2021-tagie-awards-submissions.

ASTRA Reveals its 2021 Best Toys for Kids The American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA) recently unveiled its 2021 Best Toys for Kids list of 10 winning toys in 10 categories.

The Best Toys for Kids program was created by ASTRA to help its retailer members attract media coverage and customers to their stores during the fourth quarter.

This year the list recognized the following toys and games: Arts & Crafts Bear Soapstone Carving Kit Soapstone Creative

Preschool Toniebox Starter Set Boxine

Build & Play Zig and Go Music Set Djeco

Puzzle IQ Circuit Smart Toys and Games

Science & Discovery Gravity Bugs Thames & Kosmos

Outdoor and Active Rainbow Wobble Board Bunny Hopkins Toys

Infant/Toddler Dimpl Stack Fat Brain

Fidget Toy Flower Finds Putty Crazy Aaron’s Thinking Putty

Games Storytime Chess Storytime Chess

Pretend Galaxy Cape Great Pretenders 7 tfe August 2021

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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 19, 2021.

Top 10 Trending Toys Barbie Color Reveal Foodie Series Mattel

3 1

Treasure X Aliens Ultimate Dissection Moose Toys

Top 3 Trending Pet

Sesame Street Magna-Tiles CreateOn

K9 Sport Sack Rover XL K9 Sport Sack

Spy Ninjas Sets Playmates Toys Squeakee the Balloon Dog Moose Toys Pictionary Air Mattel Snap-Bots Lakeshore Rainbow High Dolls MGA Entertainment Monopoly Longest Game Ever Hasbro FurReal Ricky the Trick-Lovin' Pup Hasbro

Cat Window Perches K&H Pet Products

Top 5 Trending Baby One4Life Car Seat Britax

TOGfit Pet Roadster Hauck

2

Pria 3-in-1 Convertible Car Seat Maxi-Cosi Jeep Wrangler Stroller Wagon Delta Children Hercules Stroller Wagon Delta Children Zelia Max 5-in-1 Modular Travel System Maxi-Cosi

8 tfe August 2021

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TM

Become A Retailer!

RETAIL SALES

Jeanne@kellytoy.com

SQUISHMALLOWS.COM | @SQUISHMALLOWS © 2021 Kelly Toys Holdings, LLC. All rights reserved.

INDUSTRY FORUM ASTRA

Marketplace & Academy in Minneapolis: It’s On! Sue Warfield, president of the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association, on all there is to look forward to at the

association’s Marketplace & Academy event in Minneapolis, Minnesota — ASTRA’s first in-person event in over a year.

BY

SUE WARFIELD, ASTRA PRESIDENT

It’s been two years since we gathered together in Pittsburgh and we

are so excited to see everyone in-person! We’ve seen each other via Zoom and multiple other virtual video options, but there’s nothing like the live show, educational offerings, and just getting together.

Here’s why you’ll be glad you decided to attend: •

personal connections that have helped you make it, not only industry.

industry — the ones who know what it is like to be in your shoes

· For the chance to see and touch products you may have already ordered, but have only seen in photo or video format.

•

· For the chance to further your relationships with the manufactu-

•

· For the show specials that can be used to add on to existing

•

•

· For the chance to engage and have fun – we always have events

rers, sales reps and ASTRA retailers.

orders or for new orders

· For the Game and Kit playtime on Sunday morning – earn extra prizes by the number of tables you “play” at!

What better way to get new ideas for merchandising!

that allow you to just relax and enjoy being with your toy industry colleagues and we’ve all missed social interaction!

•

· For the opportunity to get to know the ASTRA board and staff as we look to reinvent the way we all do business and put our focus

on our members and what offerings and programs will be the best

· For the educational sessions — led mostly by your peers in the and can share their insights in a way that is truly relevant

•

· For the option of going on a bus tour of local ASTRA stores.

For your business — it’s more important than ever to make the through the crazy past year, but through all your time in the toy

•

•

and most relevant as the landscape of retail continues to change.

•

· For the lip sync battle — a tradition you don’t want to miss!

Things are moving in the right direction. Catch the excitement. Get

inspired. Take time to relax. Register for Full Conference to get access to all the many events taking place.

Find out more information at MarketplaceAndAcademy.Org/Home.

Marketplace & Academy takes place on August 5-8 at the Minneapolis Convention Center in Minneapolis, MN.

See the following page for the schedule of events taking place throu-

ghout the conference.

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Schedule Of Events Thursday, August 5 EVENT

TIME

LOCATION

ACCESS

Continental Breakfast Pick-up

8:30 - 9:15 a.m.

Convention Center

All Attendees

Opening Welcome & ASTRA Update

9:15 - 10 a.m.

Ballroom CC

All Attendees

Education/Breakout Sessions

10:15 a.m. - Noon

Convention Center

Full Conference Only

Lunch

Noon - 1 p.m.

Convention Center

Full Conference Only

Bus Tour of Local ASTRA Stores

1:30 - 5 p.m.

Meet Outside Convention Center

Full Conference Only

Education/Breakout Sessions

1:30 - 5 p.m.

Convention Center

Full Conference Only

Party/Reception Sponsored by Fat Brain

7 p.m.

TBD

Full Conference Only

Friday, August 6 Exhibit Hall Open

9:30 - 10:30 a.m.

Exhibit Hall CC

Full Conference Only

Exhibit Hall Open

10:30 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Exhibit Hall CC

All Attendees

Lip Sync Battle

8:30 - 11 p.m.

Ballroom CC

Full Conference Only

Saturday, August 7 Share the Fair

8 - 9 a.m.

Ballroom CC

Retailers Only

Exhibit Hall Open

9 - 10 a.m.

Ballroom CC

Full Conference Only

Exhibit Hall Open

10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Exhibit Hall CC

All Attendees

Pub Gathering

6 p.m.

Britt’s Pub

Non-ASTRA Event

Sunday, August 8

TFE_ASTRA.indd 11

Game/Kit Setup

8 - 9:30 a.m.

Ballroom CC

Vendors with Game/Kit Tables

Breakfast

8:30 - 9:30 a.m.

Ballroom CC

Full Conference Only

Game/Kit

9:30 a.m. - Noon

Ballroom CC

Full Conference Only

Closing/Wrap-Up

Noon - 12:15 p.m.

Ballroom CC

All Attendees 11 tfe August 2021

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INDUSTRY FORUM TOY ASSOCIATION

Toy manufcaturers have been grappling with shortages of ships and containers, high wait times at ports, and increased freight rates.

The Toy Association Supports Members Amid Global Shipping Crisis

By Kristin Morency Goldman With toy manufacturers struggling to get their products on boats to the U.S., retail inventories dwindling, and consumer demand surging, the toy industry is eyeing the fourth quarter with grave concern.

“Over the past several months, The Toy Association has been talking with government agencies and corporate entities about the ongoing shipping crisis,” said Ed Desmond, executive vice president of

external affairs at The Toy Association. “Although much remains out of our control — from a global lack of ships and containers, to staggering wait times at the ports, to the continued impact of COVID-19 on the workforce, to skyrocketing freight rates — we are certainly doing everything we can to sound the alarm among authorities, and to help our members navigate the crisis as they plan for the holiday

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season.”

This summer, The Toy Association sent letters to all 535 Congressional offices, urging them to prioritize developing and implementing both shortterm and long-term solutions to resolve this emergency, especially as shipping for the holiday season is set to accelerate in the fall months.

The Toy Association has also remained in regular contact with its partners in the global toy community. At the June 10 International Council of Toy Industries (ICTI) Annual General Meeting, the shipping predicament was a key topic of discussion among the various impacted countries.

Desmond also recently spoke with a senior official at the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) to discuss the issue, providing the FMC with feedback from Toy Association members who are experiencing high shipping rates and container shortage issues.

The FMC has heard complaints across industries and while it is not authorized to regulate shipping rates, it has increased monitoring of shipping lines and is completing an investigative report on the impact of COVID-19 on the supply chain. FMC Commissioner Rebecca F. Dye issued information demand orders to ocean carriers and marine terminal operators to determine if legal obligations related to detention and demurrage practices are being met.

At the FMC’s April meeting, FMC Chairman Daniel Maffei stated, “While most participants in the supply chain are doing their best to cope with the unprecedented import boom, there are reports of container ship lines and terminal operators unfairly taking advantage of the situation or denying service to exporters in a way that may violate the Shipping Act. We must get to the bottom of this situation ASAP and that’s why Commissioner Dye’s investigation is crucial. Just yesterday, Commissioner Dye and I met with the leaders of two important House subcommittees. These issues clearly have their attention and companies providing ocean transportation services would be well served to voluntarily take steps that address these challenges.”

To provide members with as much information as possible about the shipping season early in the year, The Toy Association held two recent webinars on the issue. Both sessions are now available exclusively to Toy Association members (visit ToyAsso-

ciation.org/webinars to access the recordings).

The first session, held in May, included a one-hour discussion with Gene Seroka, executive director of the Port of Los Angeles, who provided an update on the situation at the ports and a forecast of what toy companies could expect during the 2021 holiday shipping season.

The second webinar, held in July, was led by representatives of the Toy Industry Shippers Association (TOYSA), including its director of operations, Craig Akers. The discussion offered participants the latest updates on the shipping crisis plaguing the industry. The Toy Association’s advocacy on this issue has been ongoing since last year, when COVID-19 caused significant labor and equipment shortages. In late 2020, the team hosted a virtual meeting with Seroka to support members whose products were floating offshore at the Port of Los Angeles.

The Toy Association also worked closely with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and officials at the Port of Newark in New Jersey to help a member company track down and get their products released in time for the last-minute holiday rush. A critical container of products from doll manufcaturer The Queen’s Treasures was delayed at the Newark port.

“I cannot express how thankful I am for the advocacy of The Toy Association,” said Joann Cartiglia, president of The Queen’s Treasures. “After having an already late container randomly selected for an intensive exam, I thought we would have to disappoint thousands of parents and grandparents this Christmas.

An additional port delay would cause us to miss our shipping deadline for backordered items. I contacted Ed Desmond, and he and his team immediately sprang into action on our behalf. With the help of The Toy Association and the cooperation of CPSC and the Port of Newark, we were able to get our shipment of compliant, safety-tested toys released.”

The Toy Association continues to actively engage on this issue both in the U.S as well as globally and will keep the toy & play community apprised of developments.

Toy Association members are encouraged to send comments on their shipping rate increases and container shortage issues to the FMC at FF29@FMC.com.

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INDUSTRY FORUM DESIGN EDGE

Matt Nuccio with five pieces of advice on building connections in the toy industry.

THE DESIGNER’S PERSPECTIVE

Tips for Networking Success BY

MATTHEW NUCCIO

You may be familiar with the adage, “Find a job you enjoy doing, and you will never work a day in your life.” Those of us blessed to passionately work in a beloved industry have likely paraphrased this once or twice, simply because our job can certainly feel that way at times. Mine happens to be in the toy industry and the saying certainly applies. As a toy designer and inventor, knowing that I have been part of making millions of children and adults happy the world over feels less like a “job” and certainly more like “enjoyment.” But what really makes the toy industry what it is are the people involved. The folks I interact with regularly as well as the new faces popping up in the industry over the years. The ecosystem of the toy industry is so vast, and there is so much to learn from one another. And, while articles, books, podcasts and interviews are certainly healthy and viable ways to expand your knowledge of the industry, it is the personal connections through face-to-face networking that truly open the doors. Ahead are five ways to improve your networking opportunities and experiences.

1) Social Media: For years, I kept a low profile on social media. But, as my career grew, I became more involved with industry groups like The Toy Association and People of Play. People I had never met started reaching out to me via LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram. At first, I was a little surprised by people reaching out on these personal platforms. I initially believed that Facebook and Instagram were more personal in nature than, say, LinkedIn. To me, LinkedIn was the proper place to conduct business. However, after a few pleasant experiences, it didn’t take long for me to embrace business and industry contacts on Facebook and Instagram. In fact, I ended up meeting a great many more terrific and important people from many areas of the toy industry. Friends of friends. Tags. It’s a wealth of exposure and opportunities for you to investigate. That said, I still find LinkedIn to be the very best of the best place to network in the toy industry. There are many great toy industry people of influence on LinkedIn who share a ton of great insights and I find all of them to be very approachable.

2) Trade Shows: Finally, the world is starting to open back up to trade shows. It’s hard to believe that the last time our industry came together was in February 2020 at New York Toy Fair. It feels like yesterday and lifetime ago at the same time. I am very excited to get back on the convention hall carpets with a good pair of shoes. And while we may or may not be so quick to shake hands or hug each other, at least we’ll all have plenty to talk about. Discussing 2020 will be the perfect icebreaker for those who may find themselves having trouble starting 14 tfe August 2021

TFE_DesignEdge.indd 14

a conversation. And with a possible (and likely) low attendance for the next one, there will no doubt be plenty of people willing to shoot the gab and pass the time.

3) Party Like a Rock Star (just be in bed by 11p.m.): I admit, a few times I have woken up with some serious regrets after partying. On the other hand, I’ve also woken up to a realization that I landed a promising job with a new client or lucrative deal with a reputable company while at the bar the night before. Industry parties and social events can be a perfect place to meet people. Generally, they are relaxed, in good spirits (pun intended), and feeling comfortable in the company of industry friends, peers, and fellow acquaintances. Remember, their guard may be somewhat down, but they are there to advance their opportunities as well. Everyone wants to succeed, or build on their success even more. Talking business is par-for-the-course and you’ll find industry folks, across all success tiers, are open and gracious about speaking to new people. Just make sure that you’re not too lubricated, or you may regret that first meeting. (This tip comes from a friend).

4) Events: The toy industry is very fortunate to have great events like People Of Play (POP) Week. People Of Play Week is nearly one entire week of high-ranking industry executives, inventors, designers, buyers, and all-around toy gurus who gather to talk about our particular industry areas and experiences. You can truly learn a lot and it will likely be one of the quickest weeks of your life! If you’re an outsider looking and wanting in, POP may just be your ticket to meeting the major decision-makers in the toy industry.

5) Don’t Kiss Ass: Lastly, while I’m not here to give you actual tips on how to win friends or influence others, I would like to say: Just be yourself!

This is really important. Don’t force anything. Don’t “kiss ass.” Most people can see right through that, especially the experienced professional or executive. Also, don’t patronize someone in an attempt to win them over. It is disingenuous and also easy to detect by those you may be trying (too hard) to impress. You don’t have to be friends with everyone, especially in an early stage. That comes later in a working relationship (or not). I’m not “great friends” with everyone I do work for. But we do trust each other to be honest and be ourselves and speak freely. Find the crowd that fits you best and the rest will follow …they, and only they, can help you find that job that you enjoy doing, and one where you’ll never work a day in your life.

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.

7/19/21 6:11 PM

FEATURED CONTENT

Back Open for Business Independent Toy Store Owners Reflect on how COVID-19 Changed Retail & the Toy Industry, and What the Future Holds

By Victoria Sheridan

A toy display inside Gepetto’s in San Diego, California, which has seen strong plush sales recently. “I guess because during this unprecedented time, everyone needed something soft and comforting!” says owner Brian Miller.

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After a more than one-year hiatus, toy industry trade shows are finally coming back live and in-person.

While Zoom meetings or virtual expos and conferences have filled in the gaps in the meantime, manufacturers and retailers alike seem to share in the sentiment that nothing can quite replace the interaction and product demonstrations that a traditional trade show delivers.

“I want to see the product, touch it, play with it,” says Brian Miller who owns Gepetto’s Toys in San Diego, California.

“Even to see the packaging is an important part of my buying decision.”

That’s why for Miller and many other independent toy retailers, the American

Left: A display at the entrance of the Toy Box in Amherst, Massachusetts in March of 2020, when the business was closed for in-person shopping

Specialty Toy Retailing Association’s Marketplace & Academy — held in Minneapolis from August 5-8 — marks a much-an-

Above: A timely display at The Toy Box of an Anthony Fauci Real Life Action Figure

ticipated trade show return.

“The specialty toy industry has so much knowledge, education, and experience and we need a common link for us to share that with one another,” Brice Elvington, owner of The Toy Shop in Florence, South Carolina, says of Marketplace & Academy. Elvington describes ASTRA as “the single most important and influential attribute to the success of our store.”

COVID-19 has affected each state differently. But regardless of location, toy stores like Miller’s and Elvington’s throughout the country

“The specialty toy industry has so much knowledge, education, and experience and we need a common link for us to share that with one another.”

·

Brice Elvington The Toy Shop Florence, South Carolina

·

have found a lot in common in the last year and a half— sharing the same challenges and devising similar solutions to keep their businesses suriving, and thriving, in an unprecedented time.

A handful of retailers shared with TFE Magazine what it has been like to operate a small business in a pandemic — and the ways in which they think the industry has changed for the longterm.

A hybrid approach to retail Unsurprisingly, COVID-19 further accelerated an already ongoing consumer shift toward e-commerce. Even after state and local governments around the country lifted restrictions on non-essential businesses, many customers opted to continue ordering goods online rather than in-person. In February, CNBC reported that e-commerce accounted for 14% of total retail sales in the U.S. in 2020, compared to 11% in 2019. Americans spent $791.7 billion online in 2020, a more than 30% increase from the year before.

Within the toy industry, several retailers whose business was primarily brick-and-mortar realized they needed to quickly expand — and 17 tfe August 2021

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FEATURED CONTENT in some cases develop entirely from scratch — their online presence.

Ann Kienzle, owner of *play in Chicago, said that her business did not have a website before 2020. But with tight capacity restrictions in Chicago throughout most of the pandemic, it became a necessity so that customers could make purchases online.

To complement the introduction of online ordering, businesses also introduced or expanded on their curbside pick-up options, took orders over-the-phone, and began delivering to homes.

Elvington turned to social media to stay in contact with The Toy Shop’s customers and their needs. Only a small portion of the store’s sales happen directly through The Toy Shop’s website, Elvington said — but customers have gravitated toward submitting orders via social media or email, and paying with the app PayPal. He added that because his business has ramped up its posting on platforms like Facebook and Instagram, it has attracted several new followers, even from outside its community.

Though the pandemic forced many brick-and-mortar stores to act quickly in adopting an omnichannel approach, some merchants had already been heading in that direction — and 2020 helped to accelerate that process.

For Liz Rosenberg’s store The Toy Box in Amherst, Massachusetts, a website was already several years in the making pre-pandemic. But the importance of getting the site up-and-running was “super-boosted” by COVID-19.

The customer experience To keep shoppers coming into their stores, brick-and-mortar establishments often try to offer something that many online-only retailers cannot — an experiential retail environment. From interac-

Inside *play in Chicago, owned by Ann Kienzele

tive displays to special in-store events, these businesses don’t just sell product — they provide shoppers with an immersive retail experience.

One of the challenges COVID-19 posed was how to rethink the unique experience of shopping at a toy store in a virtual or socially distanced format.

“We pride ourselves on being very interactive, and having to take all of the demos off the floor at the start of the pandemic was difficult,” Kienzle says. *play has since started to reintroduce those features “in a way that ideally makes a bit more sense and is more streamlined.”

In the early months of the pandemic, before non-essential businesses were permitted to re-open — albeit with mask mandates and social distancing guidelines in effect — some toy shops found ways to get creative with their decorating. When customers were unable to browse inside The Toy Store, in Lawrence, Kansas the staff poured its

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efforts into creating window displays that could be enjoyed from the

prise delivery bag”

outside.

program at varying

“Our display windows were over-the-top and they set the tone for

price tiers, asking

our community despite not being able to come in,” says The Toy Store

customers to email

owner Nick Guffey.

the store their orders,

At The Toy Shop, Elvington and staff made efforts to connect with

“COVID advanced retail five years into the future.”

along with some

customers in a way that would “meet them at their comfort level.”

information about

This ran the gamut of private shopping appointments, shopping via

their children. The

FaceTime, and communicating over social media.

store used its PayPal

·

Nick Tarzia Stamford Toys

·

Stamford, Connecticut

The Toy Shop also teamed up with game companies, offering to

account to send invoices, which gave its limited staff more time to fo-

play games over Zoom for families or teachers and their classrooms,

cus on selecting toys, filling bags, and preparing each day’s delivieres.

and donated hundreds of educational games to children in the

The program turned out to be a success, as “the orders literally came

community. Elvington even enlisted his own children to participate

pouring in,” Elvington says.

in demo videos of age-appropriate games, an idea that he said was well-received by customers.

“While all of these didn’t result in direct sales every time, I think

Flying off the shelves While the pandemic took a toll on many sectors, the toy and game

our community really appreciated the efforts of what we were trying

industry was fortunate enough to come out on top. The NPD Group

to do,” he said.

reported that U.S. toy sales rose 16% in 2020. In January to April of

Likewise, Rosenberg offered private shopping hours; and for clien-

2021, toy industry dollar sales further increased 27%.

tele who couldn’t come in to browse the aisles, she gave the option of

At the start, puzzles and games experienced a strong surge, with

shopping over FaceTime as well as phone consultations. The Toy Box

families looking for ways to pass the time together while remaining

also “used social media to introduce new product with toy-expert

at home, keep their children occupied with screen-free fun, or sup-

detail.”

plement at-home learning with educational activities. Categories like

A number of specialty toy stores also put their own spin on curated giftboxes. At *play, Kienzle launched themed kits, including a

outdoor and sports toys, and more recently plush, have also shown increased growth.

summer camp series and a New Year’s Eve kit (consisting of dinner,

So what are toy stores across the country seeing as their top sellers?

drinks, flowers, and a game all from local vendors) as well as custom

Across the board, shop owners affirmed the popularity of puzzles,

birthday, baby, and “thinking of you” boxes. The boxes, along with

games, and outdoor toys. Fidget toys have also been in high demand

gift wrapping offered online, helped give customers “the personal

lately, according to both Guffey and Elvington.

shopping experience, without even entering the shop.”

Guffey says The Toy Store went “over-the-top” customizing gift baskets and their finishings to make them special for customers. “At one point we did buy chalk from the dollar store so the Easter baskets met our standard of quality,” he recalls.

Meanwhile The Toy Box began selling mystery bags, the contents of which were a surprise to the recipient and even to the person placing the order.

“This aided the ‘I want to send something, but I don’t know what,’ angst,” Rosenberg explains. “With a few pieces of information, we were able to pull together a $25, $50, or a custom-dollar-amount of great appropriate surprises.”

Similarly, at The Toy Shop, Elvington hatched an idea for a “sur-

Nick Tarzia of Stamford Toys in Stamford, Connecticut says many of his store’s customers are going for LEGO sets. At the The Toy Store as well, Guffey says LEGO items under $100 are a favorite.

Rosenberg and Guffey both reported that art supplies and sidewalk chalk have sold well too.

At *play, Kienzle saw a surge in sales of social activism books, diverse dolls, and inclusive toys and books.

Miller notes that to his surprise, “plush growth has been tremendous — I guess because during this unprecendented time, everyone needed something soft and comforting!”

Elvington also says that plush, along with books, have been “constant strong sellers” at his store in the last two years, adding that The Toy Shop’s biggest demand is currently for children’s clothing.

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FEATURED CONTENT “We still want to meet customers where they want to shop. Curbside, online, or by-phone are here to stay. ”

·

Brian Miller Gepetto’s Toys

·

San Diego, California In the midst of so many customers eager to buy, some retailers expressed struggles to get product stocked.

As a cautionary measure, Rosenberg says she has been ordering “much greater quantities of the top sellers.” Meanwhile, Kienzle says she tries to buy early and plan carefully.

When shoppers couldn’t go inside the Toy Store in Lawrence, Kansas, owner Nick Guffey says the store treated the community to “over-the-top” window displays they could enjoy from the outside.

“We also did a a large ‘shop early, shop often’ push in 2020 to avoid the crush of December and the disappointment that we may not have had what [customers] had their heart set on,” Kienzle adds.

Miller shares that Gepetto’s did not initially experience problems with product flow in 2020, a situation that is now starting to turn.

“When the shut-down happened in March of 2020, we were sitting pretty with inventory going into our typically very strong spring season,” Miller explains. “That carried us for months and once we started ordering again, manufacturers seemed to have stock that got us through 2020.”

But as of March 2021, sales are picking up, and getting product stocked is starting to pose a “a serious issue.”

“We are able to stock the stores sufficiently, but it has become a very time-consuming challenge sourcing product, following up on orders, and basically shaking every toy tree we can find,” Miller says.

Elvington believes that consumers are growing more accustomed to and informed about supply issues — be it at the toy store, the gas station, or the supermarket.

As a result, he says, “most people are understanding and we’ve learned to adjust our ordering to account for many things being out of stock or on back-order.”

Tarzia echoes this sentiment, noting that if Stamford Toys is sold

out of a product that a customer is seeking, “we always try to suggest alternatives that serve the same gift-giving purpose” Embracing the changes With COVID-19 vaccines now widely available, independent toy retailers are noticing an uptick of in-store shoppers.

“Since everyone is getting vaccinated now, walk-in shopping has picked up tremendously,” Tarzia observes. “People are so happy to be out and about.”

And though their physical doors are now reopened, many toy merchants say their new ways of doing business are not going anywhere.

As Tarzia puts it, “COVID advanced retail five years into the future.”

When it comes to day-to-day store safety protocols, Guffey says The Toy Store will continue to provide hand sanitizer at the front door and keep its plexiglass sneeze guards in place through the end of 2021.

And in the bigger picture, the digital-forward shift toward omnichannel retail that toy stores made suddenly and early-on was not just a temporary fix.

“While most customers have returned to in-person shopping, we still want to be able to meet customers where they want to shop,” Miller says. “Curbside, online, or by phone are here to stay.”

20 tfe August 2021

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08/07/2021 09:52

TOY FAMILY SERIES

Q&A with the Nathanson Family

BY MARY COUZIN

The Bananagrams Nathanson “Bunch” at Toy Fair in 2009. From left: Sandy, Rena, Aaron, Abe, and Ava.

HAPPY 15TH ANNIVERSARY BANANAGRAMS! Unfortunately, I did not have the pleasure of meeting Abe Nathanson, and love that he created Bananagrams when he was 76! I have been fortunate to share conversations over dinner with his daughter Rena about running a business, families, being a mom, life philosophies, our industry, and more. Theirs is a warm and wonderful story and I hope Bananagrams continues to drive people bananas for many more years! .

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How did you and your family first enter the toy industry?

Rena Nathanson: The original Bananagrams grew from my family’s passion for games. At the time we developed Bananagrams in the mid-2000s, we were a family of three generations, spanning in age from 7 to 75 years, and we loved playing all sorts of word games. However, nothing out there had the speed and fluidity that we craved. We longed for something competitive, but that the family could play together — all ages at the same time. We also wanted something portable with no extraneous packing or pieces.

After marathon sessions experimenting with various permutations of word games (and subjecting our extended family and friends to hours of testing), we finally came up with Bananagrams.

The name originated from my dad, Abe, declaring, “This anagram game is driving me bananas!” Hence, Bananagrams! And it was my mother, Sandy, who led us on the design for the now iconic bright yellow pouch.

We started making a few extras to give as gifts, and everyone was hooked. It was fast, fun, and extremely addictive. Eventually, someone suggested the game be shared with the general public.

We launched at London Toy Fair in January 2006 and took home Game of the Year at New York Toy Fair in 2009. The rest is toy and gaming history!

Today, we are still a family-run business that offers a full roster of titles and aspire to help people everywhere rediscover a love for tabletop games.

Who has been involved and who is involved now?

Without a doubt, my father Abe was the driving force behind Bananagrams. His energy and enthusiasm enabled the germ of an idea to grow into an international phenomenon. He was born in 1929, the son of a fruit peddler, and grew up in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. A creative soul with a zest for life and fun, throughout his eclectic life, my father not only served in the US Army, but he was also a graphic and industrial designer, an artist, and businessman.

He created Bananagrams, Inc. at the ripe age of 76!

Sadly, my father passed away in 2010. But just like when we were in the trenches together figuring out how to launch and grow a game and navigate the industry, his spirit and wisdom are with me always. I now carry the mantle of “Top Banana” — big shoes to fill for sure!

Do you think the next generation will get involved?

My son Aaron and daughter Ava were instrumental in creating Bananagrams, Inc., but right now they are both pursuing their own passions outside the family business. But you never know!

How has business changed over the years?

TFE_Bananagrams.indd 23

Abe Nathanson with a game of Bananagrams

From my perspective, some aspects of the business have changed a lot, but some have pretty much remained the same.

Manufacturing has not changed that much; our manufacturing partners have been with us since the beginning, and we are lucky to consider that team part of our extended family. Distribution has grown, as we started by doing it all ourselves — me from my kitchen table in London and my father from the garage at our family home. We still self-distribute domestically in the U.S./North America, but have grown internationally and have had to learn a lot about the global distribution world…which has proven challenging at times, but always worth the effort!

The marketing of games is so different than it was 15 years ago when we created Bananagrams. We might have been one of the last games to flourish via word-of-mouth, not word-of-social-media!

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

I would always say, “Go for it!” There is nothing to lose and everything to gain — especially if you are passionate about the venture you are considering.

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FEATURED CONTENT

Focus On Fidgets From pop-its to stretchy strings to handheld spinning toys, fidget toys offer a sensory play experience that promotes calm and concentration. They’re surging to popularity on TikTok, and in toy stores around the country (see Back Open for Business, page. 16). Read on to find out more about the various fidgets on the market and how can they benefit users of all ages.

Buffalo Games Pop It! has amassed over 2.2 billion views on TikTok, offering sen-

Blue Orange Games

sory play, collectability,

The Loopy Looper has an all-ages appeal — from kids looking to

and practice building

master new spinning skills to adults in need of a quick break from

dexterity. Pop It! has in-

work or a concentration boost at their desk. The different items

troduced various twists

in the Loopy Looper series can be used in different ways. Flow

on the original, includ-

provides a smooth and zen spinning action to promote concentra-

ing the three-times bigger Pop It! XL, Pop It!

tion and relaxation. Edge keeps kids occupied as they build their

Counting that incorporates math learning, Pop

speed to keep the marble spinning on its rail. Jump presents the

It! Mini, and Pop It! Licensed featuring favorite

challenge of trying to jump through the gap with each spin. Hoop

characters.

will have users tryin to land the marble in the hoop.

BunMo BunMo offers three varieties of its Stretchy Strings —Original, Textured, and Super Sensory. The Original Stretchy Strings are fidget toys for adults and children that can help calm stress and anxiety by providing a fun outlet for restless hands. They can be stretched, wrapped, squeezed, squished, and pulled into any shape. The Textured Stretchy Strings are sensory toys that can cater to the needs of individuals with autism, ADD, and ADHD. They include bumps and ridges and are durable and flexible enough to be stretched seven feet. BunMo’s Super Sensory Strings are their strongest and most unique variation yet, because each string has its own strength ability — so no two strings have the same tension. The patterns and ridges make them an ideal sensory toy that can provide users with a sense of calmness, peace, and stimulation.

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Have fun & save the planet!

New Preschool Games & Puzzles!

Respect the Earth: Ecologic Puzzle

Fun, educational puzzle features charming cartoons Shows kids how to care for our world Sustainably made, and so much fun to play and learn!

Polar Adventure: Disappearing Ice

A roll and move game with adorable wooden animals Players try to get to the safety of the big glacier Develops tactical skills & hand-eye coordination Gently teaches children how human activity affects polar animals

For summer specials, contact sales@adventerragamesUSA.com See more eco games & puzzles for preschoolers and older kids at adventerragamesUSA.com

FEATURED CONTENT

Focus On Fidgets Fat Brain Dimpl provides a sensory adventure for babies and toddlers as they push down the silicone bubbles into the sturdy ABS plastic frame, perfectly sized for little hands. And there’s a Dimpl option for all ages. Simpl Dimpl is a keychain with two silicone buttons that’s easy to bring on the go for hours of fidget fun. Dimpl Pops and Dimpl Pops Deluxe are the ultimate Dimpl experience, with 18 or 25 bubbles, respectively, for pushing, poking, and popping over and over again.

FoxMind FoxMind’s Go PoP! products contain no loose or noise-making pieces, making them great for playing in a car, bus, plane, restaurant, or at school. They’re also waterproof so they’re good to bring camping or to the beach. GoPoP! can be used as a game with more than one person, where players compete not to be the last to press down the bubble on the board; it also works for solo fun to build motor skills. Different versions include Go Pop! Colorio, Go PoP! Roundo Tie Dye Special Edition, and Go PoP! Mini

Schylling NeeDoh is a squishly ball filled with a non-toxic, dough-like compound that always returns back to its original shape. It’s appropriate for anxious tendencies and helps promote focus, attention, and centering, offering an ideal way to decompress. It’s offered in a wide variety of colors, shapes, and sizes, including Classic, Groovy Fruit, Bubble Glob, Cool Cats, Teenie, Dohjees, Glow in the Dark, Dohzee, Shaggy, Super, Color Changing, and Noodlies.

PunkinFutz PunkinFutz’s Sesame Street Fidget Set takes children from school to the playground and back home again, with a combination of quiet fidgets, self-contained play space, and a cool, collapsible water bottle. It consists of one play space backpack, one marble maze, one pom-pom fidget, crayons, a three-inch Cookie Monster collectible patch, one collapsible red silicone water bottle, and one PunkinPassport Activity Book. Meanwhile the PunkinFutz and Sesame Street Sensory Set is a back-to-school success kit to help children stay calm everywhere from the classroom to waiting rooms, car trips, dinners out, and even at home. Included are a sensory carry bag, one marble maze, one pom-pom fidget, three emoji patches, and one PunkinPassport Activity Book

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TOP PERFORMING INFLUENCERS Campaigns built for ROI

Brand partners include:

info@ttpm.com | ttpmtalent.com

BRAND PROFILE

Who: Ashley and Emma

are the sisters behind WeWearCute.

Ashley, the older one, is often the script-writer, emcee, and videographer. Ashley’s love of improv, pranks, and playfulness comes through in every WeWearCute post.

What: WeWearCute is a wholesome life-

style brand that creates content for tween girls inspired by pop culture, fashion, beauty, music, and consumer products.

Emma, the younger one, brings her love of make-up and fashion to WeWearCute’s content. She’s always tracking new fashion trends and changing up her look, from her makeup to her hair color to her nails.

Target demographic:

WeWearCute’s TikTok followers are 90% female. They are top content creators for girls ages 6 to 12-years-old.

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BRAND PROFILE

Platforms: On TikTok, WeWearCute

has amassed 11.8 million followers and averages 400 million views per month — hitting 4.4 billion total views in 2020.

On Instagram they have gained 344k followers, while their YouTube channel boasts 282k subscribers, averaging 100k viewers per livestream

Partnerships: •

Spin Master for inkFLUENCER line of stationery, craft, and activity products, available exclusively at Walmart

•

Build-A-Bear Workshop for specially designed plush bear and accessories

•

Taste Beauty for cosmetics, bath products, and hair accessories

•

Jay Franco for bedding and bath accessories

•

Mad Engine for girls’ and juniors’ apparel and accessories

•

Sakar for electronics, electronics accessories, and wheeled goods

•

High Intencity for jewelry and accesories

•

Centric Brands for girls’ sleepwear

•

Concept One for accessories

•

Culturefly for subscription boxes

•

Zazzle for apparel, accessories, stationery, electronic accessories, and home decor 29 tfe August 2021

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COMPANY PROFILE

Who they are

W

Sky Castle Toys was founded by Lev Nelson and Josh Loerzel in August 2020 in the midst of the global Covid-19 pandemic.

Being long-time friends after working together at Zing Toys in Portland, OR, Lev and Josh took the leap to start a toy company. At Zing they helped launch and build brands like Stikbot, Wet Head, Thumb Chucks, and more.

Lets

What they make

W

Sky Castle Toys’ focus is on a “constant disruptive flow of new ideas,” ideally based on popular trends.

Seat

Product Lines

Re

Their debut line is LetsGlow Studio, a crafting kit of reflective fashion accessories that kids can wear to light up their photos, videos or livestreams, with no apps required. Its launch coincides with the explosion of TikTok and music-synched dances.

About the product

Lo

LetsGlow Studio utilizes reflective crafting material —its LetsGlow technology — so young content creators can light up their TikTok, YouTube, and IGTV videos; livestreams; photos; and more social content. Each LetsGlow Studio includes an LED clip with a remote and charging cable, reflective sticker sheets with stencils, reflective nail stickers, reflective sticker tape, doubles-sided reflective material with hair clips, and a pair of shutter shades.

30 tfe August 2021

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Ama

7/19/21 6:21 PM

LetsG categ

mic. om-

COMPANY PROFILE

When it launches Lets Glow Studio launches in 25 countries this summer.

Where it’s based Seattle, Washington

Retail Partners

Amazon

ched

ht up n LED icker

Looking Ahead LetsGlow Studio is currently the company’s primary focus but Sky Castle is hoping to build its foothold first in the activity category before expanding to others.

31 tfe August 2021

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2021

For the first time in over a year, manufacturers, retailers, and more toy and game industry professionals will meet face-to-face again at the highly anticipated ASTRA Marketplace & Academy Show.

Taking place at the Minneapolis Convention Center, Marketplace & Academy will host hundreds of retailers highlighting new and exciting toys, games, puzzles, art supplies, educational materials, and more.

Ahead is a look at what to expect from some of the retailers participating in the 2021 ASTRA Marketplace & Academy conference. Compiled by Victoria Sheridan.

Adventerra Games New this year, Adventerra introduces three games and puzzles for young children. In the concentration game Eating in Season, players 2 and up match each pair of veggies or fruits while learning about which season is best for eating each food. Contains 32 cards and a guide to help parents explain environmental and seasonal eating concepts to young children.

The My Eco House and My Eco School puzzles have children 3 and older put together the pieces to assemble all four levels of a house or school. Then, they search each area for actions that are not good for the environment and cover them up with shapes that show ways to help the planet or go green at home. Each set contains four puzzles (with three large pieces per puzzle), 12 geometric inserts, and a guide to help parents explain eco-friendly actions to young children.

Aeromax Little ones can “dig it” like a real paleontologist in the new Paleontologist Jacket made with a rugged, 100% cotton material and loaded with embroidered patches. It even has an image of a T-Rex head on the back. There is a zipper under the flap on the front, so it’s easy to get on and off. Includes a hidden pocket on the inside and two ways to get into the pockets on the outside — one under the flap and the other is side accessible. Available in extra small for ages 2 to 4 years or small for ages 5 to 9 years. Complete the look with a Dino Cap made from the same nice quality fabric and patch or the Dino Bucket Hat with screen printed design and made from 100% cotton.

32 tfe August 2021

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tfe toys & family entertainment

Bleed Area- Any colors, logos or images you wish to run to the edge of the page must extend 1/8-inch beyond the trim line on all sides that bleed.

Dimensions: 9.25” x 11.125”

Trim Area- These are the dimensions of the final page as it will appear after it is cut/trimmed.

Dimensions: 9” x 10.875”

Safe Area- All essential text, images, and logos should be kept at least 1/8-inch within the trim line to ensure it will not be cut off.

Do not place any important items beyond this area.

Dimensions: 8.75” x 10.625”

NOTE: aNb Media accepts only digital files for publication. All images, support, and font files must be included when the ad is submitted. Images for print must have a resolution of at least 300 dpi and be in CMYK mode. Files can be posted to our FTP site. Contact sales representative for FTP access.

Please email a low-res jpeg as of the print proof with your files to your sales representative.

Before submitting an ad, advertisers MUST speak with a sales representative.

2021

Ann Williams Group Ann Williams Group expands its Craft-tastic brand with several new additions this summer. Craft-tastic Create Your Own Magical Uniform Friend allows kids to explore the world of unicorn magic with 10 easyto-make accessories, including two enchanted wands, three wings, matching bracelets, one colorful hairclip and more. Craft-tastic Magical Fairy Treats brings magic into the kitchen with a 40-page cookbook of 18 fairy-inspired recipes, enchanted wand, mini spatula, four cookie cutters, six cupcake molds, a fairy door, stickers, and treat toppers. The Craft-tastic DIY Glow in the Dark Charm Bracelets contains enough supplies to make four charm bracelets, including two sheets of glow charms and two sheets of colorful charms.

Craft-tastic Let’s Learn to Sew introduces children to sewing with a 34-page step-by-step instruction booklet containing 15 projects — plus fabric, thread, measuring tape, pins, needles, and enough stuffing for nine projects. Kids will be able to fashion scrunchies, a stuffed animal, a pouch, a phone case, and more.

Arriving this September, the Craft-tastic Make a Mouse Friend contains everything kids need to stitch and stuff their own mouse friend and dress it up in different costumes and accessories. The kit includes a bonus travel tote.

Banana Panda Observation Puzzle Dinosaurs encourage little observers to find out more about Earth’s history, with plenty of things for them to find in the detailed and colorful 60-piece puzzle. Included a large educational poster and a handy, keepsake box with a practical, sturdy handle to complete this creative and educational gift. For a bigger puzzle adventure, there’s the Suuuper Size Puzzle Solar System, with 300 pieces depicting the most important and interesting objects and explorers of the solar system. Young space explorers ages 7 and up can learn and decorate with the included extra large educational poster, full of cosmic curiosities. For toddlers 2 and older, the Suuuper Size Memory Game Vehicles come with 24 sturdy jumbo cards perfect for a first memory game. Parents can even use the pieces as flashcards to teach their little ones the names of the vehicles, sounds, or colors. With 10 themes to choose from, the Looong Coloring Book series can help children 18 months to 5 years gradually develop the motor skills they will eventually need when learning to write. The collection includes four sets containing fun coloring books and activities related to popular children’s topics

Barry & Jason Games Barry & Jason Games and Entertainment are set to debut the new fifth anniversary edition of its breakout hit game, Game Night in a Can, at ASTRA 2021. Coming this fall, Game Night in a Can 5th Anniversary Edition (for 3-30 players ages 7 and up) is the bright and shiny new mix of mini games that focus on creativity and physical skill. Activities include: competitively fly paper airplanes, perform ghost stories about the room you’re in, create the World’s Worst Book Cover, bank balls of paper off your partner’s face, and more. Barry and Jason call it the most versatile party game on the planet. The new 5th Anniversary edition includes 35 games; gold, silver, and bronze “medals;” a design upgrade with new art, and other fun surprises.

34 tfe August 2021

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tfe toys & family entertainment

Bleed Area- Any colors, logos or images you wish to run to the edge of the page must extend 1/8-inch beyond the trim line on all sides that bleed.

Dimensions: 9.25” x 11.125”

Trim Area- These are the dimensions of the final page as it will appear after it is cut/trimmed.

Dimensions: 9” x 10.875”

Safe Area- All essential text, images, and logos should be kept at least 1/8-inch within the trim line to ensure it will not be cut off.

Do not place any important items beyond this area.

Dimensions: 8.75” x 10.625”

NOTE: aNb Media accepts only digital files for publication. All images, support, and font files must be included when the ad is submitted. Images for print must have a resolution of at least 300 dpi and be in CMYK mode. Files can be posted to our FTP site. Contact sales representative for FTP access.

Please email a low-res jpeg as of the print proof with your files to your sales representative.

Before submitting an ad, advertisers MUST speak with a sales representative.

2021

Blue Orange Games New releases from Blue Orange Games this summer include Feed the Monster, where players compete to be the first to stack all the pancakes onto the monster’s tongue without getting bitten. The pop-up monster also doubles as a hamper.

Meanwhile, the game of hide-and-seek gets a new spin with Hide ‘N Squeak as one player hides the squeaky mouse and the other players must try to find her. If they listen closely, they can hear her laughing and giggling. Once she’s found, she can be returned to her Cheese Box so she can finish her meal.

And it’s time to make some noise in What’s That Sound?, a game that challenges players to do the best sound imitation. Each person takes a turn being the imitator, while the others try to guess the image the imitator is trying to turn into a sound. It’s not as easy as it sounds — with 280 images, even the most creative imitators will be challenged and find themselves in hilarious situations.

CreateOn CreateOn is expanding its Magna-Tiles offerings with properties like Sesame Street and The Beatles.

It’s time to go shopping and take a ride through Hooper’s Store with Sesame Street’s Big Bird, Cookie Monster, and Abby Cadabby with the Hooper’s Store Magna-Tile Structure Set. This set will appeal to childrens’ curiosity about foods, encouraging them to explore questions like “How many foods can you find inside the store?” “What letter do they begin with?” and “Which is your favorite?” Children will learn how to identify foods on the food pyramid while practicing their ABCs; as they build their shopping cart, they will discover which foods are the healthiest and most delicious.

The Sesame Street Garbage Truck Magna-Tiles brings preschoolers on a ride with Oscar and Elmo to find out ways to help the planet become a better place for future generations — from planting a tree, to picking up trash and recyling it to turning off lights and water when they’re not being used. Favorite Sesame Street characters will help little ones learn play patterns while introducing them to conservation efforts. They can build Oscar’s garbage can to put trash in or the earth to match up the efforts.

With The Monster at the End of this Story Magna-Tile Structure Set, children can help Grover overcome his fear of monsters. Grover ties ropes to pages, nails pages to pages, and builds brick walls, but when kids build the Magna-tile set, they may find out there is nothing to be afraid of at all. This interactive book-building set features Elmo and Grover, who are ready to find the Monster through twists and turns of emotions and surprises.

Beatles fans of all ages can enjoy the collectible Beatles Collection Magna-Tiles Structures, with structures inspired by the band’s music and imagery. Kids, parents, and grandparents will find a way to play together while building the Yellow Submarine, Magical Mystery Tour Bus, phonograph, Beatles album collage, and more.

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Creativity for Kids Diamond painting is made simple with the Big Gem Diamond Painting Light. No glue required for this fine motor activity for ages 6 and up — just peel the clear cover off the design to reveal the adhesive, then place the colorful, transparent, gems and cast radiating light patterns on the ceiling with two shadow disks. The USB cord with an integrated on/off switch powers the light. The Magical Swirl Kaleidoscope offers fun science learning to children 6 and over, introducing them to light refraction and optics as they construct a cool Kaleidoscope. Two interchangeable swirl tubes are included for fun optical effects; kids can fill them with glycerin swirl gel, then add an array of colorful confetti accents. Glow-in-the-dark stickers are included for decorating the Kaleidoscope and swirl tubes.

The Quick Knit Headband with Lion Brand Yarn is stylish fun for ages 9 and up as they quick-knit their own headbands and ear warmers, then finish them off with accents including a handmade tag, pom poms, buttons, and bows. The complete set comes with colorful yarn, a knitting hook, a needle, loom, and accessories so knitters can fashion over five headbands to wear and share. Online videos and step-by-step instructions can help them along the way while the high-quality tools can be used again and again.

E-Blox With four different projects to construct, Build Your Own Flying Saucer makes an excellent introduction to the Circuit Blox line. Kids can assemble the nine pieces to make the motor spin and launch the fan high in the air, or watch as the LED illuminates the color-changing fiber optic tree. The Build Your Own Green Generator kit offers seven different projects with seven total pieces. After putting together the circuits, kids can use the hand crank power generator to light a star-shaped LED, heart-shaped LED, and multicolor LED light — no batteries necessary. The Build Your Own Bubble Making Machine comes with all the parts and bubble solution needed to build a circuit that creates a continuous stream of bubbles. The geared motor spins the wand to grab bubble solution as the motor and fan create a wind stream to blow bubbles from the wand. There are 20 total pieces to assemble and once built, it can create thousands of bubbles per minute. These kits help teach STEM fundamentals of electronics to kids ages 5 and up, with detailed instruction sheets included. They are compatible with other toy brick sets.

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y to o J g n i n Need r e i v i l n D e dr e il h C

Donate Toys to the Toy Bank Today! @TheToyFndn

TheToyFndn

@TheToyFndn

Contact Elizabeth Max at emax@toyfoundation.org • www.toyfoundation.org This message is brought to you by The Toy Foundation.

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2021

Elenco Coming this fall the Dizzy 6-in-1 Gyroscope machine from the Teach Tech brand teaches STEM concepts, the basics of gyroscopes, balance, and more. Build Dizzy, pull the ripcord, and watch him go. He transforms into six different builds: stilts, rover, swinging robot, tower spinner, scooter, and roller coaster rider.

Kids can make their own pinball machine, explore the globe, or launch paper airplanes with three new additions to the Smartivity line of STEM/STEAM kits, launching this fall. The Smartivity Pinball Machine contains all the necessary parts and step-by-step instructions for building a fully functional pinball machine. Players will learn about levers, momentum, and energy transfers as they challenge each other to beat their high scores. With the Smartivity Globe Explorer, kids can build a globe, play games, and engage with the augmented reality (AR) features to discover facts about each country’s resources, animals, monuments, geography, culture languages, arts, cuisine, and more.

Plus, they will learn about day, night, and how the earth rotates around its axis. The Smartivity Hydraulic Plane Launcher uses the power of hydraulic presure to launch paper airplanes. After building the launcher, kids fill the syringe with water and press it to launch the plane. Kids can use the included foldable paper with markings to create different types of planes, all while learning about hydraulic systems, aerodynamics, scissor mechanisms, and the different flight patterns of different types of planes. All Smartivity products are eco-friendly and sustainable, using re-engineered, laser-cut wood that is responsibly sourced using green practices. No glue is required for assembly which uses rubber bands instead to prevent messes.

The Snap Circuits Discover Coding kit, now available and recommended for ages 8 and older, combines learning to code with hands-on, tactile play. Children and families can build their projects, download the Snap Circuits Coding App, and control Snap Circuits projects using their smartphone or tablet. Beginners can learn the basics of easy graphical coding while advanced coders can move up to BLOCKLY coding and program their own patterns of lights, sounds, and moving parts.

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Endless Games Obstacle Course in a Box is an invitation to kids 7+ to build their own physical challenge circuit. Players can add personal touches to each course by using any outdoor objects, features, and nautral landscape from their own backyard. Once the course is set, they can race against the clock for a personal best, or against siblings and friends. The game is packed with physical challenges designed to keep kids active, healthy, and fit. Designed to play inside or outside, it comes with 27 floor tiles, a stopwatch, a jump rope, a booklet filled with obstacle course ideas, and a drawstring bag for easy storage and travel. Popcorn Party gets the party started for two to four players 8 and up. This fast-paced game serves young foodies with a food fight-out to earn and grab up the biggest collection of popcorn before their opponents. They must use cards and dices to get three matching popcorn toppings to pop the popcorn. With matches being rolled on just about every turn, no one knows who will be popping next in this catch-the-kernel food frenzy.

For older fans, Endless Games follows up its first Horror Trivia game with Horror Trivia II Deeper Cuts. At least two players or teams ages 13+ are challenged to correctly answer questions so they can be the first to collect three weapon cards and not become a casualty of the other teams. And in pop culture board game Hip Town, two to four trendsetters will need to use their style, street smarts, and sense of humor to beat their fellow developers at creating the trendiest neighborhood in town. Each player starts with a blank canvas and fills their streetscape with niche business choices — from craft pickleries to modern speakeasies. In Hip Town, the home of Hip Coin Capitalism, developers can opt to construct a culinary empire, a nightlife epicenter, or something else entirely, marked with their own brand of wit and wisdom.

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2021

Faber-Castell USA How to Rainbow, Watercolor Pencils introduces young children to basic watercolor techniques so they can draw, color, and paint rainbows. The set includes illustrated instructions, a 4-inch by 6-inch spiral bound watercolor pad, five high-pigment watercolor pencils, fine tip brush, and pencil sharpener.

This fall, Faber-Castell USA also debuts new Color By Number Puzzles. Color By Number Puzzle: Camping and Color By Number Puzzle: Jungle are unique activities for kids 6+ to complete solo or with a parent.

Hidden glow-in-the-dark shapes can be revealed by coloring in the puzzles, which feature illustrations created in collaboration with book illustrator and surface pattern designer Allison Cole. The Faber-Castell Duo-tip Markers are twice the number of colors for double the coloring fun with bright, washable inks for easy clean-up.

How to Rainbow and Color By Number Puzzles are launching August 2021.

Far Out Toys The world of Diana, star of one of YouTube’s top channels, Kids Diana Show, comes to life with the Fashion Fabulous Magic Music Castle. This castle is decked out for imaginative play fun with three floors, 28 pieces, multicolored lights, and three original Diana songs that play out loud. Kids will join the Princess of Play in adventures on the light-up dancing stage and fashion runway, DJ booth with real mixing sounds, water slide and pool, swing, two elevators, and more. Included with the deluxe playset are an exclusive Fashion Fabulous doll and pet — with additional Fashion Fabulous dolls and pets available to collect separately to bring more magic to the party. Plus, an exclusive code is provided for fans to unlock a prize in the Love, Diana Fashion Fabulous mobile game. The Fashion Fabulous Music Castle launches at Target on October 1.

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Geomag In February 2021, the Geomag Classic 100% Recycled Supercolor introduced three new Supercolor Panels sets with piece counts ranging from 35 to 78 pieces.

Geomag magnetic kids allow kids to express their creativity with an array of brightly colored pieces to play with and rearrange. They open the door for all children to explore science and engineering in a fun way. Pieces are made from 100% recycled plastic in a Swiss hydro-powered facility. Each set includes panel pieces to support the structures.

Geomag’s new Classic Recycled collection with 100% recycled plastic has the same bright colors and high-quality standards as all of the company’s original sets.

Going forward, the company has committed to only introducing new product using recycled plastic and will be replacing all non-recyled lines with recycled alternatives in the coming years.

With Geomag Classic, kids use their imaginations to build countless 3D structures, held together by the forces of magnetism.The construction system is made up of magnetic rods, steel spheres, and panels of different shapes. The kits include everything kids need to create their structures.

The 35-piece Supercolor Panels set consists of 12 rods, 12 spheres, and 11 plastic panels. In the 52-piece set, there are 16 rods, 16 spheres, and 20 plastic panels.

The largest Supercolor Panels set with 78 pieces contains 28 rods, 20 spheres, and 30 plastic panels.

“Magnetism lies at the very heart of Geomag, facilitating building, encouraging exploration and creativity. Geomag Supercolor is the new line in the Geomag platform that provides fun and stimulating play that will reinforce positive learning,” says Andrea Calastri, VP of Geomagworld. “Our vocation at Geomagworld is to encourage learning through play. Our Geomag construction platforms does exactly that.”

Griddly Games Griddly Games adds a neat new entry to its Just Add ___ line of science and activity kits withe Just Add Soap. The good clean fun of Just Add Soap is the eighth product in the Just Add ___ line of multi-awardwinning STEAM kits. Soap joins the branded series of kits that includes Just Add Milk, Just Add Glue, Just Add Sun, Just Add Egg, Just Add Sugar, Just Add Baking Soda, and Just Add Fruits & Veggies. Just Add Soap, recommended for ages 8+, is a fun kit that has the underlying study of elasticity and geometry. This bubbly kit will slip in an increased interest from any budding scientist and artist. Using the new kit, children learn about the geometry of bubbles, density of liquids and chemical reactions while they enjoy over 20 different sparkling fresh new experiments and activities, that can be done over and over again.

Just Add Soap is scheduled to hit store shelves in Fall 2021.

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Goliath Games In Pressman’s Betcha Can’t, the game of bets and brags, players bet on how many things they think they know. Can they name the most ice cream flavors? How about theme parks?

But they should be prepared to prove themselves if they get the “betcha can’t.” If a player answers correctly, they win the card. Buf if they lose, they’re going to time out. The first player to collect five cards is named the Better Bettor. Betcha Can’t was designed by Lily Brown and Tait Hansen, winners of the 2018 Young Inventor Challenge at the Chicago Toy and Game Fair, for three or more players ages 7 and up.

In Unsolved Case Files: Jamie Banks, players take on a murder mystery case. On November 20, 1992, the death of an 18-year-old high school student rocked the quiet town of Verona, Massachusetts. Police ruled it a suicide, but it turns out she was murdered. Game participants take on the role of detective to find out who she was with, which suspect lied, and convict the real killer. Recommended for one more player at least 14 years of age.

The Good Game Company Not It! challenges players to spot the card in their hand that doesn’t match any of the three attributes revealed on the three dice that tumble from the dice tower and onto the table. Players must find the card quickly, and when they do, slam it on the table and yell “not it!” The last player to do so must keep their card, and anyone who plays an incorrect card and gets caught will have to take a penalty card. The first to get rid of all their cards wins the game. For three to six players 6+, this fun-filled frenzy will have players of all ages competing in the race to not be last.

HABA USA In the Orchard Maze Magnetic Game, junior farmers can use the magnetic stick to move the balls around, count them, or sort them by color. The brightly colored balls become apples, plums, pears and cherries on the tree and can be harvested. But kids must watch out for the black raven ball, which should never be put in the basket. This magnetic game is fun for kids while giving parents the opportunity to educate their children about fruit varieties and healthy treats.

And in the game Hammer Time, players try to knock shiny stones off the box using the hammer.

To complete their tasks, they need to collect the right number and color of gemstones. But players should act carefully — anyone who knocks too hard will wake up Dragonir the Dragon and loose their loot. The first person to completely fill all four of their wagons wins the game.

Introducing Soft Doll Freya. At 12 inches tall, HABA’s soft dolls are the perfect size for toddlers and will quickly grow into a favorite companion. They have a slightly weighted bottom, which makes them great for cuddling and allows them to sit on their own without falling. Fashionable Freya has her own unique style and is a friend to everyone. She wears a loose-fitting mustard-colored top, with grey striped leggings, a removable blue cap, and sewn-on shoes.

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Hog Wild Get ready for the football of the future with Wing Ball, a soft foam tubular throwing toy that can reach speeds of up to 88 miles per hour. The secret is in the design — Wing Ball’s annular wing construction lets air pass through its tube-shaped body, helping lift it upwards to achieve super speeds and distances. Now available to ages 8+, Wing Ball is great for solo throwing or playing catch with others.

Plus, two new additions from Hog Wild launch this September. Meet the new family party game TAPES (which stands for Turn-based Approximate Proportion Estimation Showdown). Players 8 and up guess the size of objects in the room using random, and even bizarre units of measurement. For example, “How tall is that lamp in gummy bears?” or “How many chicken eggs wide is that coffee table?” The player who comes closest to guessing the actual size wins.

Hog Wild also puts a new spin on its original Handy Grabs with the Handy Grabz Nibblerz. This new version is the shape of a human-like mouth that can grip, grab, or “nibble” on any object. It’s designed like a classic grabber tool that allows for lifting, moving, or pushing an item just for fun.

Recommended for ages 4 and older, Handy Grabz Nibblerz offer a classic design, simple action, and hilarious results for kids and grown-ups alike.

iPlay, iLearn iPlay, iLearn expands its Bouncy Pals with four animals for ages 18 months and up. Bouncy Pals Hopping Cow sports a distinctive white and black patched coat with a stable four-legged design and two horns for grasping, ideal for young toddlers learning to bounce. Hopping Whale has a blue and white coat with a rounded design, two stabilizing fins, and water spout safety handle for grasping — a must-have for little fans of the ocean. Hopping Gator’s

soft coat is green and gator features a rounded design with four short legs and safety handles for little ones to hold onto. Hopping Shark is a friendly shark that’s easy-touse; just inflate it with the included hand pump and it’s ready to go.

The Bouncy Pals’ covers are made from ultra-soft plush fabric than can be unzipped, removed, and cleaned in the washing machine.

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Kangaru Brands Furomas is a playfully tactile, multi-sensory experience. The lovable characters will provide open ended fun and inspire creativity. The line includes BTS stationery, markers, gel pens, crayons, stickers, and color build and activity kits. Kids ages 3 and up can collect all 72 colorful, sweet-scented hairy helpers.

Madame Alexander Doll Company Children 3 and up bring home their own baby to nurture when the Adoption Day Baby arrives this September. This 14-inch baby doll is crafted with a soft fabric body and soft vinyl head, perfect for little hands to grasp. The baby features sleepy eyes and when it’s time for a nap, children can put their baby to bed in the included rocking cradle that converts to a changing table. Also included are an adoption certificate for children to fill out, “hospital” wristband, blanket, pacifier, and disposable diaper. With painted eyes and a sweet expression, Adoption Day Baby is available in three skin tones and offers a gender-neutral option.

Peekaboos are the perfect companion for newborns and toddlers that satisfy their need to nurture.

These sweet, snuggly babies in plush outfits are ready to play peek-a-boo with little ones. They wear peek-a-boo hoods and onesies with a soft applique on the belly with three animal themes to choose from: Llama, UniCat, and Sloth.

Their hoods and soft bodies help little ones develop motor skills. They measure 12-inches tall and are washable.

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Madd Capp Madd Capp’s new summer 2021 offerings, I Am T. Rex, I Am Gator, and I Am Lil’ Koala, invite puzzlers ages 5 and older to put together a puzzle in the shape of their favorite animals while learning fun facts along the way. These poster-sized Jr. Puzzles from Madd Capp feature high-gloss, photo-realistic animal images mounted on premium quality chipboard that’s dust-free. The large pieces are sized just right for small hands to hold and

manipulate; they’re also a great option for anyone with limited dexterity. Madd Capp Fun Facts are included in each puzzle, as well as a puzzle image for reference. While completing their puzzle, children and families will learn that the brain of a T. Rex was twice as big as those of other giant carnivores, that a gator’s bite is one of the most powerful on the planet, and other fascinating details about the animal in their puzzle.

Magformers Magformers is committed to producing high quality, reliable magnetic building toys to inspire the creators of the future. The screen-free construction sets use magnetic technology to ensure a unique constructional play experience. Designed with both safety and fun in mind, each Magformers shape contains rotating Rare Earth Neodymium magnets, the strongest of their kind for guaranteed connectivity. The high-quality shapes safely secure the magnet in Sonic welded, BPA free, HQABS plastic. A 2D shape becomes a 3D structure as Magformers offers a wide range of shapes and colors that are all compatible with one another for hours of play.

The Magformers Cube House Frog Set will introduce children 3 and up to magnetic construction.

This 20-piece set includes new character pieces — a child in a frog onesie, with a hat that can be swapped for a seal one. The set makes a variety of different mini-houses using the magnetic window square, five standard squares, floor and wall pieces, a tricycle, and table. This amazing roleplay set features Magformers’ Rotating Magnets System, where small magnets safely sealed in every edge of the magnetic pieces actually spin, so they always connect. With an A3 instruction sheet the Cube House Frog set is fun and educational.

The Magfromers Cube House Penguin Set serves as another entry point into the world of Magformers for young ones 3 and up. Also containing 20 pieces, the new character piece found in this set is a child in a penguin onesie that can be swapped for a bear one. The magnetic window square, four standard squares, two triangles, a sector, and two arches can be configured to make an assortment of mini-houses. Additional accessories include three floor inserts, two windows, a chair, picture, and a slide. Like the Frog Set, the Penguin Set also incorporates the Rotating Magnets System and offers an A3 instruction sheet.

Magformers 48-piece Carnival Plus Set is a brand new upgrade to one of Magformers’ best-selling sets. This new set contains improved fairground ride accessories and new figures. There’s a sturdy crosshatch base which the characters can be attached to, and clip-on ride leg supports can also be added, which make building fairground rides super fun and easy. Hexagon clip-on panels spin vertically and horizontally and there are two cute detachable characters with swappable helmet toppers.

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2021

MasterPieces Celebrating its 25th year in business this year, MasterPieces’ new 2021 offerings include several licensed puzzles, craft kits, and games.New licenses for Sesame Street, The Elf on the Shelf, and Smokey the Bear join the MasterPieces roster of officially licensed merchandise for The Farmer’s Almanac, U.S. Navy, U.S. Army, Mossy Oak, Hershey’s, Lionel, Coca-Cola, Betty Boop, Clifford, John Wayne, Batman, Polar Express, Wizard of Oz, Audubon, Caterpillar, Realtree, Saturday Evening Post, NFL, MLB, NHL, and NCAA. As part of the Sesame Street licensed product line, the company introduces three craft kits. Sesame Street Garbage Truck is a DIY wood-painting kit featuring Oscar the Grouch; Sesame Street Best Friends Character Bank is a personal coin saver bank box paint kit featuring Elmo on one side and Cookie Monster on the other; and Sesame Street School Bus is a large cardboard traditional school bus featuring bus riders Elmo, Big Bird, Cookie Monster, Snuffleupagus, and other characters to decorate with the stickers and eight included markers.The line-up is also introducing a range of new game titles, such as the Grouchy Old Oscar card game, Elmo & Friends Matching Game, Elmo & Friends Supersized Playing Cards, Sesame Street 3-in-1 Educational Card Games, and Sesame Street Alphabet Bingo.

As part of its licensing partnership with Elf on the Shelf, MasterPieces is unveiling the Believe in Your Elf 60-Piece Puzzle, Friends Fur-ever 100-Piece Puzzle, The Elf on the Shelf Four-Pack 100-Piece Puzzle, and The Elf on the Shelf Matching Game. And under its recent license deal with Smokey the Bear, MasterPieces offers a 550-piece, 100-piece, and four pack of 100-piece puzzles. The collection features the famous wildfire prevention spokescharacter, and MasterPieces is backing the message by committing a portion of the proceeds from its Smokey Bear merchandise to help fund the nationwide wildfire prevention campaign.

Finally, the MasterPieces Gallery Series high-end collection is a set of 1,000-piece blue board linen premium big box puzzles with European styling.

Octagog Octacog is a STEM construction toy and game that’s all about the physics of balance. It provides an opportunity to design and build countless contraptions — many will balance; many will not. As a toy, Octacog is a modular construction set that allows users to insert balance rods into the angled holes of the Octacog core. Weights are then added to the balance rods at various locations to create endless balanced designs. The added Octacog Expansion Pack allows for even more balance design potential. Octacog is a balance toy that allows users to explore balance, rather than simply witness it.

To use Octagog as a game, players start with a beginning balanced setup from one of the included Design Inspiration Cards. Each person takes a turn by strategically adding a piece or moving a piece one notch closer to the Octacog core. If Octacog stays balanced, it’s the next player’s turn. If Octacog falls, the game is over.

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Page A Day Math Math is fun and easy when taught in an incremental and encouraging way. With the playful Page A Day Math with the Math Squad, even the most reluctant learners will come to love math. There are currently three kits available. The Math Handwriting Introduction for preschoolers ages 3 to 5 consists of 10 addition books with 14 days of practice per book (140 days of practice total); for ages 5 to 7, Addition and Counting also contains a 10-book addition program with 14 days of practice per book; and the Multiplication kit for ages 6 to 8 includes 12 books offering 14 days of practice per book (168 days total). The intentional, step-by-step progression style of these programs allows children to master concepts before moving on.

Two new board games Page A Day Math Work-Together board games are expected to release in November. Zo’s Garden teaches skills in counting; addition and subtraction concepts; concepts of “greater than,” “less than,” and “equal to;” number sequence; fine-motor development; and hand-eye coordination. Participants help Zo plant 10 flowers in her garden. Players roll the die, pick a card, answer a question, and place one flower into any one flower pot — but sometimes the fox comes out and eats a flower. After each turn, the flowers to the left of Zo and to the right of Zo are counted. Players must decide which side has more flowers and place the math sign piece on the right side and in the right direction. The game ends once Zo plants 10 flowers.

Scoopy is a fun ice cream-themed game that covers addition and subtraction concepts; number lines; counting to 12; number sequence; fine motor skills; and working together. Participants play as a team to help the Math Squad puppies — Mo, Jo, Bo, Zo, and Flo — have their ice cream party. Each time a player rolls the dice they count the total number of dots on both dice. Then, starting at one they count the same number of dots on the board’s number line. However, sometimes an ice cream scoop melts and a scoop is lost. The game ends when all 10 ice cream cones are full.

PLAYMOBIL PLAYMOBIL introduces three new playsets, out now. The 1.2.3. AQUA Splish Splash Water Park is making a splash with little ones ages 1.5 to 4-years-old, as they exercise important developmental skills. This Stage 3 - Little Expert set promotes cognitive, fine motor, and language learning in toddlers, providing a water play experience at the same time. They can discover the various game functions by turning the crank to help the water flow and create a lazy river that moves the floating rafts and animals with it.

Alternatively, the center pool is a calmer spot ideal for taking a break. This playset includes one adult figure, two child figures, baby octopus, fish, and floating rafts and boats. For more splash-filled fun, it can be combined with accessories Water Seesaw with Watering Can, Water Slide, and Duck Family, all sold separately.

Back to the Future fans 5 and older can play out time travel adventures with Back to the Future Marty’s Pick-up Truck. Marty has just arrived back in 1985 when the next time jump — to the year 2015 — is on the horizon. Based on the second film from the cult-classic trilogy, Doc and Marty must prevent Marty’s

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son from sabotaging the McFly family’s future. In 1985, Marty takes a seat in his brand new Pick-up Truck with his girlfriend Jennifer Parker and spins the streets of Hill Valley. But in the future, Marty’s arch-nemesis, Biff Tannen, is in on the action and leaves no stone unturned to get one over on Marty. The set comes with Marty McFly, Jennifer Parker, and Biff Tannen, as well as a Pick-up Truck with space for two figures and a collector’s postcard for fans. The hood and tailgate of the Pick-up Truck can be opened.

It’s T-Rex vs. robot in the Dino Rose T-Rex: Battle of the Giants set. A robot machine is on a destructive path and the dino-human team must stop them. Equipped with removable armor and functioning cannons, Ian rides on the back of the T-Rex to shoot down enemies and direct the dino to take down the machine. As the deinonychus fires its functioning cannons, the T-Rex uses its arm to catapult a barrel towards the robot. With interchangeable hairstyles and removable armor, hero figure can easily transform out of battle mode. Among the included pieces and accessories are: two figures, T-Rex, deinonychus, robot machine, armor, functioning cannons, catapult, and barrel.

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2021

PlayMonster Spirograph, the classic way for aspiring artists to create millions of amazing designs, is now animated. Spirograph Animator features iconic gears like the original, but once the designs are created, they can be set on the animator and brought to life. The spinning and lights create an amazing 3D effect. This deluxe studio set also features built-in storage and includes six gears and five markers.

It seems like it would be easy to name three Disney dog characters—but what about under the pressure of five seconds twisting down, and with the other players staring? In the game Disney 5 Second Rule, players name three items listed on the card in five seconds or less. This version of PlayMonster’s popular family game features questions all about Disney. Players have to be quick, shout whatever comes to mind, and risk silly answers slipping out, but it’s all in good fun.

The easy to catch, hard to put down squiggly balls of fun are back. Koosh is a well-recognized and universally loved brand with a unique blend of indoor and outdoor excitement that spans generations. Koosh quality stands up to everyday, hard play —-nothing looks like, plays like, or feels like a Koosh. Arriving this summer, Koosh Sharp Shot is an interactive target game that tests players’ aim with three game modes. Target Toss, Criss Cross, or Lightning Flash modes allow for solo or multiplayer fun. Using the Koosh® flingers and the included shooters, players take aim and shoot at the five light up target areas as prompted. The target stands up or can be hung on a door for versatile play. The Koosh Double Paddle Play Set puts skill and agility to the test, as friends or solo players test how high and far they can make their Koosh ball fly. And the original Koosh Classic ball for playing indoors, outdoors, and even using as a fidget ball.

Available in multiple colors, this 3-inch ball is tactile and easy to catch.

This year, Colorforms is celebrating 70 years with a special anniversary edition. The sleek Colorforms 70th Anniversary Edition box set includes 500 design pieces that stick like magic, along with a playboard and design guide for tons of repositionable creative and geometric fun. Colorforms vinyl repositionable playsets provide safe, creative, open-ended, and imaginative play, and have been trusted by generations of parents and grandparents. What began as basic shapes of squares, triangles and circles, has evolved, incorporating popular licensed characters and other innovations that engage kids and encourage storytelling.

Another PlayMonster brand celebrating a milestone year, Five Crowns turns 25. Five Crowns 25th Anniversary Edition features a specially designed collectors tin, 116 cards, a custom spread, and a rulebook. Five Crowns is a rummy-style card game with a unique double deck that contains five suits: spades, clubs, hearts, diamonds, and stars. The rotating wild card keeps players on their toes. The game begins with three cards and 3s are wild, the next round has four cards and 4s are wild, and so on until the Kings go wild. Players must make the right combinations, be the first to go out, then watch as others scramble as they get one last chance to cut their losses. For ages 8 and up, Five Crowns appeals to avid card players and casual fans alike. There are even rules for solitaire play.

Fresh and fun updated styles including body positive models and on-trend fashions will inspire mix-and-match fashion possibilities with Fashion Plates Sweet Styles. With just a few passes of the rubbing tool, designs are transferred to the sketch paper. Adding colors and detail to new looks is a snap with the included artist’s pencils and the fashion textures built into the back of each Fashion Plate. The stylish portfolio case neatly stores the tablet, plates, and tools making it easy to take designs and fashions on the go. In this set, young designers 6 and up will find a Fashion Plates Drawing Tablet, 15 double-sided fashion plates, a box of eight colored pencils, transfer crayon and holder, 20 sheets of design paper, fashion folio with idea guide, and carry-along portfolio/storage case.

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Plus-Plus Bringing the creativity of Plus-Plus to wherever people learn, work, or play these days, BOKS is a sturdy wooden platform that supports all sorts of amazing ideas. It’s designed for desks, home offices, conference rooms, kitchen tables, or anywhere else where it can add some fun and function. The BOKS Windmill set includes one sturdy wooden platform, 220 Plus-Plus pieces, one green baseplate, and one wheel. It can function as a windmill, a phone holder a pen-andnote holder, and more. Step-by-step instructions are included, but the “Learning” section of the Plus-Plus website as well as free Plus-Plus app can help provide additional inspiration.

Younger Plus-Plus fans will love the new BIG GO! elements. Adding to the open-ended fun, kids can make a fire truck, motorcycle, farm truck, and more. BIG Make and GO! features new wheels as well as three new colors of BIG Baseplate.

And the Learn to Build Vehicles Super Set is the ultimate in creative building, featuring the new larger GO! wheels as well as the original size. This set allows kids to construct a go-kart, jet plane, beach buggy, and even a working dump truck.

Relevant Play Mad Mattr is a super-soft building compound that easily molds and shapes into endless creations, inspiring open-ended play while delivering stress-reducing benefits. When molded and sculpted into any shape kids can think of, its texture is incredibly smooth to the touch. The unique, non-toxic formula is free from wheat, gluten, and casein, and clean-up is a breeze when playtime is over. Kids are going to eat up the all-new Mad Mattr Activity Sets, ready to fill the days with hours of hands-on creative play.

Mad Mattr products can be found at specialty stores nationwide.

Get the scoop on one of the hottest new toys of 2021: the Mad Mattr Ice Cream Activity Set. Kids serve up flavors like vanilla, strawberry, tropical swirl, and more. They’ll pretend play running their own ice cream store as they whip up pretend cones and popsicles or swirl their colors for cool flavors, and finish it all off with toppings.

Three colors of Mad Mattr are in this set (2 oz. each of pink, white, and orange), plus a cut-safe tool and seven molds for forming sugar and waffle cones, round or swirl ice cream, and popsicles.

The Mad Mattr Bakery Activity Set makes playtime the sweetest ever. Little bakers and up can create delicious-looking make-believe donuts, cupcakes, and cookies while adding as much faux-frosting as they would like. This set comes complete with four packs of Mad Mattr in different colors (2 oz. each of pink, purple, orange, and yellow) to mix, shape, mold, and play. The cut-safe tool and seven molds can be used to shape and decorate treats ranging from chocolate chip, sprinkle, and sugar cookies to round or pointed cupcakes and donuts.

And kids will flip over the Mad Mattr Burger Activity Set, which will fire up their imaginations as they set up their own burger shop. Young chefs can concoct their favorite pretend hamburger with all the fixin’s — cheese and tomato to name a few — plus a side of fries. The six molds and cut-safe tool will transform the three included Mad Mattr colors (red, yellow, and blue) into a burger patty with a bun, cheese slice, tomato slice, and french fries. Everything can be served up in the included burger box and fry box.

All sets are recommended for ages 3 and up.

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2021

Schleich Schleich’s Farm World line adds the Sunny Day Mobile Market. In this set, kids imagine Farm World Ben figure and his mom Laura loading their mobile farm stand with fresh produce directly from their farm. They can fit juicy apples, freshly laid eggs, crisp lettuce, potatoes from the field, chilled milk, and crusty bread all on their wagon.

Volcano Expedition Base Camp, the highlight of the Schleich Dinosaurs world, offers surprising and action-packed play functions such as glowing lava, cool smoke and eruption functions with vibration effect or dangerous dino sound at the touch of a button. On this expedition, researcher Yuki collects all sorts of information about dinosaurs in her research container. Suddenly she hears a loud rumbling sound; the entire mountain vibrates and starts to smoke, and she must react quickly.

Super Impulse The outrageous miniature collectible brand, Wacky Packages Minis, based on the classic stickers by trading card company Topps introduces a new series of mini toys and mini stickers to collect.

With Wacky Packages Minis Series 2 comes a whole whack of new toys and stickers shamelessly spoofing beloved household brands.

There are 82 new minis and stickers to collect, now with three levels of rarity: Rare, Really Rare, and Fuggetaboutit Rare. Each blind box cup includes five mini toys, one check list and one miniWacky Packages sticker. The clear top reveals one toy and four are hidden surprises inside. Series 2 comes in five different varieties: the blindbox as well as sets containing either 10, 15, 20, or 25 pieces.

World’s Smallest Micro Figures launches even more fan-favorite characters in miniature size.

Measuring up to 1.25 inches tall each, Super Impulse’s popular Micro Figures feature highly detailed figures of some of the most famous pop culture icons. Joining the line-up are Garbage Pail Kids, Hello Kitty, Bob Ross, and Richard Simmons. Each micro figure comes with a mini collector case for display and storage.

Introducing Micro Toy Box, a tiny box of tiny toy treasures that fit into the palm of a hand. The new line of miniature collectibles shrinks the greatest toys of all time down to the tiniest size.

Classics and fan-favorites from Mattel, Hasbro, Spin Master and their signature brands Transformers, Rubik’s, My Little Pony, Monopoly, Nerf, Barbie, Hot Wheels and many more are waiting to be discovered.

In Series 1 discover 50 different collectible miniatures including six Rare and two Scarce finds.

Each blind box cup includes five mini toys, one check list, and one mini checklist sticker. The clear top reveals one toy and four are hidden surprises inside. Once opened, the cup transforms into a clear, reusable toy box to display in a collection. t’s the perfect throwback for adults and an enchanting impulse collectible for kids. Recommended for ages 8 and up.

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Steiff Steiff’s partnership with Disney brings together two of the biggest names in the toy and gift industry. Expanding on their Soft Cuddly Friends line, Steiff debuts three new Disney characters. Soft Cuddly Friends Disney Dumbo is made of pale blue plush. His oversized ears are pink on the inside and drape over his body like a coat. He has a collar with a gold-colored braid and is wearing a little yellow hat, just like his counterpart in the Disney film. Energetic and heartwarming Disney Tigger has a

charming personality, with his magnificent snout, two-tone ears, and original Tigger stripes. Disney Baloo is utterly adorable. He has kind eyes, a striking snout with a gentle smile, and small, two-tone bear ears. His pale-colored belly and paws are just some of his unique markings. The tuft of blue hair on his head adds to his unique look. For newborns and older, all the new Disney Soft Cuddly Friends measure 12 inches tall, are made from soft plush, and include bean bags in their arms, legs, and bottom for an exciting feel and added fun.

Story Time Chess Story Time Chess is based on a chess teaching method that has been utilized and perfected over the last 16 years through a New York City-based company called Chess At Three, which has successfully taught over 200,000 children in the last decade how to play chess through stories. The same story-based curriculum being used by these tutors is also being licensed by over 1,000 schools. The game compresses 16 years of knowledge from teaching young kids how to play chess and the result is a beautifully designed game that can teach any person from age 3 to 103 how to play chess through fun engaging stories and exercises.

Story Time Chess utilizes a cast of adorable characters through a series of fun and interactive stories in order to progressively teach children how to play chess. The stories focus on why chess pieces move in their own unique ways and are supported by activities that cement chess knowledge in children’s minds. Story Time Chess requires no chess experience to play and is fun for both parents and children.

Tangle, Inc. Introducing the Tangle Charms Fidgety Wearables. A brand-new way for kids to wear their favorite Tangle fidget toy! Tangle Charms feature trendy colorways and loveable characters that can be collected and connect to any Tangle. A surprise Mystery Charm adds a fun twist to this adorable series, allowing collectors to create custom wearable Tangle jewelry that matches their unique style. Tangle Charms add a little glimmer and a ton of fun. Kids can wear, share, and trade with friends —the possibilities for creative sensory and tactile play are endless

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2021

TREND Enterprises Net some major family fun with the exciting card game of Gone Fish’n. Suspenseful reveals and gutsy competition keep kids and adults reeled in until the very last cast. Flip cards to see what’s biting. Any luck? The unique hexagon cards fit together differently every game, giving prize fish new places to hide.

Have fun challenging other players to fishing competitions, exploring the island, or fishing a new spot.

Lucky players may even get to net the legend, Big Eddie for major points. Every nice catch, puny perch, and bit of luck adds up. Collect the most fish points to win. For kids and families ages 6 and up.

SqWatch Out! is a card game that will bring big fun to family time. Memories and appetites for mystery will be put to work as the search for proof of Bigfoot ensures. Players take risks to collect the best score and trek further than their opponents to get closer to the truth. There are six chances to collect evidence — but SqWatch Out: Bigfoot disappears with every round. The game’s big reveal is certainly worth the wait. Unique three-sided cards and Bigfoot folklore are irresistible to all players ages 8 and older.

Everyone goes bananas for Jungle Pals. This wildly fun card game for ages 4 and up has a double-sided deck for two ways to play. Lively and quick 15-minute games are full of matching challenges.

Use the blue side of the cards to play Monkey in the Middle where players search to find three of one kind plus a monkey card to win. The white side of the cards is for Animal Match where players connect cards to those in the center of play…but they don’t line up any-which-way. Players need to match all of their cards to win. It’s puzzling for players of all ages. Word-free cards are ideal for young kids and nonreaders. Unique three-sided cards fit together to make new patterns every game.

Pizza Time is hard to top. This family-friendly game for parents and children 4 and older brings a range of challenges from easy-cheesy to supreme; try all four menu options for many rounds of fun. Each triangle slice card is a piece of the pie that players must gather and arrange into pizza perfection. Be careful, finished pizzas must match the menu and have only tasty toppings. Totally gross “Oh, Yuck!” topping cards and action cards deliver surprises every game. Complete the most pizzas to win.

Make time for some chance EnCOWnters with a card game that’s out-of-this-world. Participants ages 6+ compete against fellow aliens to match silhouettes on their UFO start card to hilariously unsuspecting earthly things. Players can arrange their triangle cards to capture the right three in their light beam to win. Every turn brings a chance of mission-changing cards that cause cosmic chaos for one player, and a comeback for another. It’s quick to play so there’s always time for another round.

Each game includes 63 cards and full-color instructions in a compact, travel-ready box.

Winning Moves Games Mermaids have been swimming through the magical sea, collecting colorful jewels along the way. They have an overflowing treasure chest of “pearls” and now want kids 5+ to join in on the fun. In The Mermaids Jewels - String Together a Treasure from the Sea, two to four players roll the die and collect pearls from the special pearl sorting treasure chest. Players try to string together enough of these treasures from the sea to make their very own necklace. This game contains one plastic treasure chest, four necklace strings with safety clasps, one custom die, 200 plastic colored beads, and illustrated instructions.

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FEATURED CONTENT

When will consumers start returning to movie theaters and live events at pre-pandemic levels — and what does it mean for the toy and licensing industries?

The Licensing Industry Charts Its Post-Pandemic Course

By Martin Brochstein | Licensing International

What now?

The underlying strength of the licensing business is unquestioned, with companies of all sorts showing a creative willingness and eagerness to adapt the model to new business categories and opportunities.

COVID-19 changed none of that. If anything, it spotlighted companies’ ability to adapt to new circumstances, even as many of the assumptions and underpinnings of normal business practices were upended by the global disruption — all these combined to produce a year like no other.

For the licensing business — as well as for the consumer products and services business in general — the outlook is positive. Vaccination rates in many (if not most) major economies around the globe are steadily increasing, government-mandated health restrictions are being relaxed, and businesses such as physical retail, cinemas, theme parks, and in-person

attendance at sports events — all drivers of sales of licensed products — is moving toward “normalcy.”

But the definition of “normalcy” may have been transformed in ways both large and small, and companies’ ability to recognize those changes and the pace at which they are being adopted, and to factor them into their businesses, will be a key determinant of success.

Says one brand owner earlier this year, “I don’t expect 2021 to be a magic turnaround year, I think it is going to take more time to get things back to a new normal. My biggest question is, when will people go to live events again?”

But even among the dour forecasts and predictions, there’s an overriding sense of cautious optimism among most of the respondents.

“We’re anticipating conservative growth through 2021 and working to

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manage everyone’s expectations for increased revenues,” writes one U.S.based agent.

“Hopefully the same or a little better than this year,” says another U.S. agent about 2021. “We are more than holding our own, which is great!”

shelves 3-4 weeks beforehand and as long as merited afterward.

Many Signs of Progress There are many signs of progress, but also questions to be answered about the road ahead. New business patterns have emerged; some of them may have been temporary phenomena, but businesspeople throughout the business are faced with determining which have staying power:

utter chaos for licensees and retailers as theaters were forced to shut

•

Retailers and licensees continue to be cautious about new properties of all sorts, so evergreens are of more interest to them.

•

Videogames, collectibles and trading cards have been performing strongly. Sales of toys in the U.S. were running strong through April, according to NPD; the major clouds on the horizon have had less to do with demand than with supply chain issues.

•

Brand owners of all sorts — including major toy companies — are trying to figure out whether/how they fit into the business of selling digital collectibles in the form of NFTs (non-fungible tokens), and to develop strategies around the category.

What About the Movies?

For the toy industry, a key question revolves around the movie business.

What exactly does a big licensing film look like, and where will consumers see it? As cinemas gradually re-open globally with capacity and seating restrictions, will consumers return with the same fervor after a year or more during which “the big screen” has been a TV? And if they do, how long will that take?

The answers to those questions are critical to large swaths of the licensing and toy communities, which pre-pandemic banked on steady product sales generated by franchise and other licensing-heavy films. The business

Studio film slates have always been subject to shifting release dates – though usually well in advance, so licensees and retailers mostly have been able to adjust their plans. In 2020, though, the pandemic created and tentpole films pushed back. But for the first time in a year, there’s optimism that release dates are relatively predictable, and theaters are reopening.

As of mid-May, 90% of Cinemark’s 331 U.S. theaters were open at 50% capacity, and AMC was operating nearly all of its North American theaters at 25-50% of capacity. In the UK, all theaters were scheduled to reopen mid-month at 50% capacity with a 1,000 person limit. Elsewhere in the world, the reopening of theaters and rollout of films continues to depend on vaccination rates and the “state of the virus,” Cinemark CFO Sean Gamble said.

Meanwhile, studios continue to joust with cinema owners over the length of the window between theatrical release and release on streaming and other home video platforms. The shape of those agreements, and whether studios will resume the classic marketing calendar that allows for orderly distribution in sales of licensed products built around their tentpoles, will go a long way toward defining the shape of movie-based licensing for the foreseeable future.

This article was adapted from a White Paper on the State of the Licensing Business, available free to all members of Licensing International at LicensingInternational.org.

Marty Brochstein is responsible for Licensing International’s information resources, as well as its educational efforts. He also oversees 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-

model has long been built around a marketing/promotional schedule

and retail-related issues, writes regularly on licensing topics, and is widely

peaking for opening weekend, with accompanying licensed products on

quoted on issues related to licensing, marketing, and branding.

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TFE Licensing

preview

Compiled by Victoria Sheridan

Licensing Expo 2021, organized by Global Licensing Group and sponsored by Licensing International, will take place in a virtual format from August 24-26.More than 100 exhibitors have signed on to participate in the expo, spanning product categories such as apparel, character and entertainment, corporate brands, gaming and e-sports, publishing, security and software, and more. Ahead is a look at some of the companies exhibiting at the show and the brands they will be showcasing.

Beyblade Since 1999, the Beyblade brand has captivated global audiences as an innovative, manga, anime, and toy-based property that marries competitive gameplay with extraordinarily rich content.

Twenty years ago, in 2001, the Beyblade animation launched and took international markets by storm. The brand has continued to grow through numerous iterations that have solidified its global relevance. Now, ADK Emotions NY Inc., is investing in brandnew narrative content, creative toy concepts, retail activations, and innovative social media strategies, to mark the animation’s 20th anniversary milestone. The future has never looked brighter for Beyblade. The first priority for Beyblade is to continue its substantial momentum, across all platforms, throughout 2021. On the content front, 2020’s successful launch of Beyblade Burst Rise has been followed up by the debut of Beyblade Burst Surge on Disney XD in February. The animated story arc, featuring a group of Bladers as they battle their way to the top of the blading world, now enjoys significant global coverage.

To cater to those fans that hunger to dig deeper and explore every imaginable angle of Beyblade Burst, ADK Emotions NY developed Beysically Science. The original YouTube mini-series takes a kid-friendly approach to investigating the intriguing physics and other dynamic scientific processes behind Beyblade’s iconic gameplay. The mini-series debuted in late 2020 and has continued to drop new monthly episodes to the delight of a growing audience. Fans across the globe will also soon be able to enjoy Beysically Science with localized versions coming later in the year.

To augment this diverse array of the latest content, classic episodes of the Beyblade Burst series are available on the brand’s global YouTube channel. The propulsive content flow, with numerous global touchpoints, provides the essential narrative foundation for the Beyblade universe.

Of course, the strength of the IP is Beyblade toys and ADK Emotions NY’s longtime Master Toy partnership with Hasbro. The legendary toy program, marked by

indelible creativity and innovation, continues this year with the much-anticipated introduction of the Hasbro Beyblade Burst Surge Speedstorm Motor Strike Battle Set hitting retail this summer. The new set includes everything fans might need for battle including the Speedstorm Motor Strike Beystadium, two right/left-spin launchers, and two spinning tops. This set features a battery-powered spinning energy zone at the center of the battle arena that is designed to redirect the battle and give tops the ultimate energy boost.

To complement the exciting new toy line, this year’s 20th anniversary will have digital initiatives to keep the fans excited along with new and exciting merchandise from licensing partners including Scholastic (publishing), BioWorld, Bensons, Intimo, NTD, and EPIC. Another area of focus this year is Beyblade’s growing influence in the digital sphere. Since its launch in 2016, Hasbro’s Beyblade Burst App has hosted more than one billion battles, an astronomical number that clearly reveals the depth of engagement and enthusiasm shared by Beyblade fans the world over. To further tap into this boundless affinity, ADK Emotions NY is currently curating a roster of top online influencers for upcoming collaborations.

As plans to mark the 20th anniversary continue to unfold, ADK Emotions NY is more dedicated than ever to continuing to entertain, engage and nurture its growing fanbase into Beyblade’s third decade and beyond.

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The Comfy The Comfy is the original oversized, wearable blanket that has grown from a $50,000 investment by Barbara Corcoran on Shark Tank into over $200 million dollars in sales at retail. Since the debut on ABC’s Shark Tank in 2017, The Comfy has catapulted into one of the top five most successful products ever on Shark Tank and Barbara Corcoran’s most successful investment from the show.

The Comfy has secured licenses with Disney, Marvel, Star Wars and many top colleges and universities. The Comfy products are currently available online and in over 5,000 retail stores across the United States including Macy’s, Kohls, Target, and Costco, and are featured on QVC. David Tutera David Tutera is the nation’s foremost wedding and entertainment authority, and award-winning television star, producer, author, professional speaker, fashion designer, and entertainment expert. Licensed products include party goods, party décor, home goods, crafts, wedding dresses and accessories, and more. Retailers include Michaels stores, Macys, TJ Maxx, Home Goods, Ross, and more.

Debra Valencia Lifestyle Brand Debra Valencia, a visionary surface pattern artist, product designer, and entrepreneur with a passion for world travel, artisan traditions, pop art and fashion trends, has branded a California style uniquely her own. Her colorful chic products are found in the licensed lifestyle market, appealing to women who love style, fashion, and femininity. The brand has licensed with over 100 manufacturers in gift, stationery, craft, textiles, home décor, fashion accessories, and beauty.

FUBU What began as a bunch of hats made in Daymond John’s Hollis, Queens’ home by him and his close friends, has turned the FUBU brand into one of the most successful sportswear brands ever.

At its peak in 1998, FUBU grossed over $350 million in annual worldwide sales and FUBU has received several honors for their entrepreneurial achievements, including two Congressional Awards, two NAACP Awards, the Online Hip-Hop Award, and the New York Power of Influence award for their historic success in business and community outreach.

In 2003, FUBU mostly left the U.S. market and concentrated its efforts overseas (still averaging some $200 million in sales worldwide).

Grace Ciao Grace Ciao’s signature flower girls are affectionately called Bloom BellesCiao and have collaborations in Japan with many prestigious brands such as Chanel, Dior, Fendi, Prada, Kate Spade, Elie Saab, Salvatore Ferragamo, and Saks Fifth Avenue, among others. Today, her signature Bloom Belles flower girls and Bloom Quotes are licensed for a wide variety of products, ranging from fashion and beauty to home and lifestyle.

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TFE Licensing

preview Brand Liaison, continued Hoonigan Hoonigan is the viral automotive sensation led by five-time X-Games winner, rally car driver Ken Block. Hoonigan boasts 7.5 mllion subscribers, hundreds of millions of views, and established merchandise and licensing including apparel and automotive accessories. Hoonigan is all about making cars fun. They build awesome stunt cars, and then film themselves doing intense driving maneuvers in videos that go wild. But at Hoonigan, “The Cars are the Stars.” The cars get cool nicknames and become fan favorites – Hoonicorn, Twerkstallion, Nepalm Nova, Sh*Tcar, SHarktart, and Tri5 by Fire to name a few.

How to Cake It Founded in 2015, How to Cake It is now recognized as a global, trusted food influencer with an engaged, online following of over 13 million millennial moms and their families and a thriving ecommerce business. Yolanda Gampp and the How To Cake It brand have been featured on NBC Today, Good Morning America, Food Network, Wall Street Journal, and Forbes. Gampp is also the celebrity judge on Fox’s new hit series Crime Scene Kitchen. Licensed programs included virtual birthday parties with American Girl and licensed promotions with Disney, Mattel, Kelloggs, Kraft, McDonalds, Dunkin Donuts, Baskin Robbins, and even Google and Walmart. The brand is seeking partners in the categories of party goods, sheet cake, ice cream, staples and consumables, and cake mix and decorating kits.

Tokyodachi Tokyodachi are the Japanese streetwear inspired characters that represent American sports, pop culture, and icons, including anime versions of many of the top collegiate mascots. With over 500 characters, the Tokyodachi collection includes officially licensed collegiate and professional sports teams, and special edition characters for fun Japanese inspired moments.

The characters are so unique and have such broad appeal that the opportunities for licensing and collaborations are almost limitless. Licenses available include accessories, bags, and backpacks, plush, figurines, and collectibles, wall art, and school supplies, and trading cards and NFT’s.

Every year in June, the company launches Tokyodachi Mascot Mania. The month-long college championship of collegiate social media engagement has commenced its 2021 competition with overwhelming response, on pace to over two million engagements.

Ninja Life Hacks Ninja Life Hacks is the breakout children’s book series authored by Mary Nhin that empowers children ages 3 to 11 by promoting emotional intelligence, cultivating a growth mindset and developing confidence and grit.

This impactful new property, praised by parents and educators everywhere, features 62 fun, pint-size and gender-neutral characters with big purpose including Positive Ninja, Calm Ninja, Angry Ninja, Kind Ninja, and Focused Ninja — each Ninja has its own accessory, its own success strategy, and its own personality. Licensees include Weldon Owen for publishing; Fashion Angels for stationery, back-to-school, backpacks, accessories, and classroom décor; and Fun World for costumes.

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Bananya Bananya follows the adventures of an adorable kitty who lives in a banana.

There are currently two seasons of the series streaming now on Crunchyroll, with more than 20 new Bananya characters introduced through the latest season.

More than one million licensed Bananya products have been sold in North America to date. Bananya gear such as apparel, bags, hats, stationery, calendars, wall art, home decor, accessories, plush, and vinyl are currently being sold in the U.S. and abroad at Target, Walmart, Kohl’s, GameStop, Hot Topic, Box Lunch, Forever 21, Spencer’s, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, Primark, George, Jay Jays and more. Bananya is cute but also high fashion — Crunchyroll recently teamed up with Gucci to create a special line of apparel for the adorable kitty.

TAMA of the Third District - Have You Seen My TAMA? The series TAMA of the 3rd District -Have You Seen My TAMA? follows the daily lives of a cat named Tama and his cat and dog friends. As their curiosity gets the best of them, they learn enduring values of friendship and teamwork. This series, commonly known as “Tama & Friends” started in 1983 and the main character Tama was inspired by lost cat posters. In 2018, Tama & Friends celebrated its 35th anniversary. Along with merchandising goods, there have been numerous

animated shows, shorts and movies. Tama & Friends has even collaborated with Japan’s Postal Service.

Over 2,000 SKUs for the series have been created with over 100 licensees.

Oh, Suddenly Egyptian God Oh Suddenly Egyptian God welcomes viewers into the world of (adorable) ancient Egyptian gods, from Anubis to Thoth, who are living their lives freely. These cute mascot Egyptian deities make the most of their unrestrained divine lives. The extremely popular characters of Oh, Suddenly Egyptian God now have their own anime.

The Cat in the Hat In March 2022 Dr. Seuss Enterprises will celebrate the 65th anniversary of The Cat in the Hat. A few years later, The Cat in the Hat feature film will kick off the new Dr. Seuss movie slate in 2024, followed by Thing One and Thing Two in an original feature length animated adventure in 2026.

Green Eggs and Ham Warner Bros. Animation’s hit Netflix series Green Eggs and Ham was renewed for a second season.

Grinch Following the successful Grinchmas 2020 campaign with 61 tfe August 2021

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TFE Licensing

preview Dr. Seuss Enterprises, continued Kylie Cosmetics, Skechers, and others, Dr. Seuss Enterprises will continue celebrating the holiday season with everyone’s favorite loveable, but grumpy, character. Timed to the 2021 holiday season, Stance is set to debut a new line of Grinch inspired socks and accessories.

The ICE! event at Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville will feature Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas and feature hand-carved ice sculptures (made from more than two million pounds of ice) that tell the story of how the Grinch tries to steal Christmas from the Whos of Whoville.

Dr. Seuss Enterprises is also looking ahead to the 65th anniversary of the book in 2022.

The Lorax This year marked the 50th anniversary of The Lorax. To celebrate the iconic books and its environmental and community activism message, Random House Children’s Books announced a program launching at Barnes & Noble with One Tree Planted, along with a robust line up of new book titles.

New sustainable partners helped celebrate The Lorax’s milestone year. BARK, the maker of BarkBox, produced a line of sustainable dog toys for subscribers and in PetCo stores. Tentree designed an eco-friendly Lorax collection, consisting of hoodies, crewnecks, sweatpants, and tees for adults and children.

Oh, The Places You’ll Go! Year after year, graduates find inspiration and take advice from the classic book Oh, the Places You’ll Go!. Dr. Seuss Enterprises’ growing annual program for the book includes partners across all categories, such as Build a Bear, Skechers, Hallmark and more.

Expanding on their Dr. Seuss-themed collection, Skechers will be debuting a brand new range of footwear for women and girls featuring the art of the Oh, The Places You’ll Go book.

Bad Robot Productions has been tapped to adapt Oh, the Places You’ll Go! for the big screen with J.J. Abrams and head of motion pictures Hannah Minghella as producers on the film, set to debut in 2027.

Other new merchandise partners across various Dr. Seuss Enterprises brands

and characters include Ruz USA for crafts and holiday decor including stockings, tree skirts, Santa hats, string lights and tabletop décor, animated train sets, yard stakes and suction lights, stockings, and animated train sets.

Meanwhile, American Exchange is launching a collection of adult and children smartwatches, fitness trackers, analog and digital watches, charging cables, charging cubes, mini speakers, headphones, earbuds, charging pads and power banks with designs from The Lorax, The Cat in the Hat, and Fox in Socks.

This year, the company is making a big splash in the toy category with new releases

by Funko Games and CreateOn who will respectively bring The Cat In the Hat, Green Eggs and Ham, and the Grinch to life in playfully imaginative ways.

The Dr. Seuss Experience, an imaginative and interactive immersion into the wondrous world of Dr. Seuss, which kicked off in 2019 in Toronto, is now bringing some whimsical fun to Houston in other new locations in North America in 2021 and 2022.

Across the full portfolio of literary properties, Dr. Seuss Enterprises plans to grow licensing programs around the categories of entertainment and content, toys, food and beverage, health and beauty, and infant and baby.

Additional content and entertainment deals for 2021 and beyond include a recent partnership with The Jim Henson Company to bring Come Over to My House, a new television puppet-led docuseries, to fans.

A new collaboration with Dapper Labs will bring all new digital collectibles to the Flow blockchain. The web-based experience will provide fans of Dr. Seuss’s vast universe with the ability to collect digital packs of their favorite characters and wholly own them on blockchain forever.

Seuss Chef, an inspirational “foodie” brand for kids takes signature characters and teaches kids about healthy eating and safe cooking with a side of wild Seussian fun. Seuss Chef will have a variety of fun cooking products and content, including cookbooks and cooking videos.

This fall, Random House Children’s Books will launch multi-subject Dr. Seuss Workbooks, a new series for preschool through third grade. The books will also be supported by a video series created in collaboration with Big Yellow Taxi featuring fun, original singalongs that will help readers further engage with the characters and subject matter.

In addition to the deals mentioned above, the Dr. Seuss Enterprises team is looking at ways to expand the portfolio into the realm of podcasting and other creative content executions.

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Squishmallows 2021 has been a hugely successful year for the wildly popular brand Squishmallows, with products flying off the shelves as fans, including celebrities like Lady Gaga, seek out their favorite plush characters to build their collections. Just four years after its debut, the brand is now poised to pass 100 million plush sold this summer, and this August, Jazwares is headed to Licensing Expo for the first time ever to showcase Squishmallows.

Since launching in 2017, the line has expanded to include over 1,000 Squishmallows characters, and more than 85 million Squishmallows have been sold to date with the brand expecting to reach 100 million in the next couple of months. Nearly 100 global and local Facebook groups have been created by fans, driven by a frenzy of YouTube Squishmallow hunts and

more than 2.5 billion organic video views on TikTok. At Licensing Expo 2021, Jazwares will be showcasing hot co-brands, as Squishmallows continues to expand its offering of co-branded plush through licensed collaboration with iconic properties like Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Star Wars, and Hello Kitty. Fans can expect new collaboration with some of their favorite brands in the months to come.

This spring, the Squishmallows universe expanded with an all-new colorful and squishy brand extension called Squishville, whose addictively squeezable plush sets include an extensive line of 2-inch mini-collectible plush characters, imaginative range of environments, playsets, vehicles, and related accessories to expand the globally beloved Squishmallows universe, turning playtime into the squish-venture of a lifetime. Squishville also serves as the inspiration for a new digital animated series created with Moonbug Entertainment called Welcome to Squishville.

And just in time for back to school, Jazwares is debuting the first collection of Squishmallows backpacks, offering fans a way to showcase their Squish love on the go.

The Addams Family The Addams Family’s appeal spans generations, with fans loving the timeless theme song and relating to the diverse cast of characters in their multigenerational family. In 2019, the property returned to screens in the hit animated movie The Addams Family, which featured a star-studded cast, and garnered more than $200 million in worldwide box office receipts. A sequel will be in theaters this October, just in time for Halloween, and a new Netflix series is in the works focused on the character of Wednesday Addams with Tim Burton set to direct. Hotter than ever, MGM’s The Addams Family offers unique opportunities for licensing and merchandising.

Legally Blonde The box office smash, Legally Blonde, continues to resonate 63 tfe August 2021

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TFE Licensing

preview MGM, continued with new fans and with Legally Blonde marking its 21st anniversary in 2022, MGM is planning a “Legally Blonde Turns 21” licensing celebration that kicks off later this year built around the movie’s key tenets — empowerment, education, humor, and pink fashion, of course. MGM has some exciting licensees on board and will also be launching a movie-themed concert tour later this year to celebrate the fun music of this widely loved franchise. Legally Blonde is also set to return to the big screen with Mindy Kaling and Dan Goor co-writing the script for the film’s third iteration, Legally Blonde 3, which will see Reese Witherspoon reprise her role as the beloved Elle Woods.

MGM Horror Portfolio MGM has one of the deepest and most sought-after cult classic horror libraries, from new additions including the upcoming horror-thriller film Candyman, produced and written by Academy Award-winner Jordan Peele, as well as cult classics like Killer Clowns from Outer Space. Now, they are taking their licensing program to brand new frontiers. This year MGM has plans for unique retail activations, robust merchandising, gaming products, and more. In addition to Candyman and Killer Clowns, there are many opportunities across an iconic portfolio including Carrie, Poltergeist, and Silence of the Lambs.

Pink Panther MGM’s iconic character, Pink Panther, started life more than 50 years ago in the front and end credits of the legendary detective series of the same name. Its popularity spawned TV series, specials, comics, merchandise and has even become associated with the color pink worldwide. In 2020, MGM unveiled a brand-new shade of pink with Pantone for the beloved character, “Pink Panther pink,” which is a vibrant hue with undertones of blue and yellow, embodying the character’s famously smooth style that has helped to establish his place in the larger cultural zeitgeist. With a new color tone, and a film in development, MGM is taking Pink Panther to exciting new heights and will be discussing special moments planned for 2022 as well as opportunities across merchandising, gaming, and other licensing categories.

Reimagination of the MGM Logo MGM’s logo recently got a CGI makeover reimagining the beloved Leo the

Lion for a new generation. The new logo leans into the history of MGM’s iconic portfolio, while also giving the brand a fresh, modernized look. MGM will continue to grow their robust licensing program around the logo, which in the past has included deals with popular fashion brands like Zara and H&M. RoboCop and Sci-Fi Expansion RoboCop is one of Hollywood’s most iconic film franchises, with five films that transcend pop culture and IP with a strong legacy in the gaming space. RoboCop is celebrating its 35th anniversary next year and continues to appeal to fans globally through a robust consumer products and licensing program, along with timeless movies that introduced this pop culture phenomenon. Beyond RoboCop, MGM continues to lean heavily into their sci-fi portfolio, continuing to expand their highly successful licensing program for Stargate-SG1, and other properties, within the realms of gaming, merchandising, and more.

Rocky and Creed The Rocky franchise has remained a global phenomenon because it presents moviegoers with universally relatable themes: ambition, passion, determination and giving it your all to be a champion, even when the odds are against you.

MGM’s Rocky and Creed films have generated more than $1.3 billion in worldwide box-office sales, three Academy Awards, and 10 nominations. In addition, the Rocky franchise kicks off its 45th anniversary later this year. The brand has a number of live events and activations planned for end of 2021 and 2022 including a movie-themed concert announced earlier this year, Rocky-themed road races, in-theater events, as well as exciting merchandise and new gaming collaborations.

Creed is in the spotlight this year with the highly anticipated third installment of Creed, starring and directed by Michael B. Jordan in his directorial debut, set to hit theaters November of 2022. The MGM team is actively building a licensing program around this film tentpole after success with the Creed VR game, and upcoming launch of a new console game.

Vikings: Valhalla During its successful run, Vikings garnered 11.2 million views per weekly episode. Beginning 100 years after the original series concludes, Vikings: Valhalla, from MGM Television, dramatizes the adventures of the most famous Vikings who ever lived: Leif Erikson, Freydis, Harald Harada, and Norman King William the Conqueror (also a Viking descendant). Around the world, Vikings has accrued more than 30 licensees across apparel, collectibles, publishing, novelty, and gaming. Stemming off of that success, MGM has exciting plans in the works for the new Vikings: Valhalla franchise.

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Colorforms Colorforms vinyl repositionable playsets provide safe, creative, open-ended and imaginative play, and have been trusted by generations of parents and grandparents. What began as basic shapes of squares, triangles, and circles, has evolved, incorporating popular licensed characters and other innovations that engage kids and encourage storytelling.

This year, Colorforms is celebrating 70 fantastic years with a special anniversary edition. The sleek box set includes 500 design pieces that stick like magic, along with a playboard and design guide for tons of repositionable creative and geometric fun.

Disney 5 Second Rule It seems like it would be easy to name three Disney dog characters — but can you do it under the pressure of five seconds twisting down, and with the other players staring at you? You have to be quick, so just say whatever comes to mind and risk silly answers slipping out… because that would be funny, and we all like to laugh. It’s all in good fun with this fast-paced family game where you have to “Think Fast and Shout it Out.” Five Crowns Five Crowns is celebrating a quarter century with a limited Five Crowns 25th Anniversary edition. Five Crowns is a rummy-style card game that appeals to a wide array of card players. This award-winning, classic game is a quick favorite and features a unique double deck that contains five suits: spades, clubs, hearts, diamonds, and stars. The rotating wild card keeps players on their toes. The game begins with three cards and 3s are wild, the next round has four cards and 4s are wild, and so on until the Kings go wild! Make the right combinations, be the first to go out, then watch players scramble as they get one last chance to cut their losses. It’s a fun and addictive family game that provides great interaction for kids and adults. The game isn’t over “‘til the Kings go wild.”

take aim and shoot at the five light up target areas as prompted. The target stands up or can be hung on a door for versatile play. Koosh Classic, the tactile, easy-to-catch, colorful ball is great for indoor and outdoor play, and also makes a great fidget ball. The classic three-inch ball is available in multiple bright colors.

Test your skill and agility — head-to-head — with the colorful Koosh Double Paddle Play Set. Two 10-inch paddles and a Koosh ball let you have fun solo or with a friend. Test how high and how far you can make it fly.

Spirograph Spirograph, the classic way for aspiring artists to create millions of amazing designs, is now animated. Spirograph Animator features iconic gears like the original, but once you’ve created your designs, set them on the animator and watch them come alive. The spinning and lights create a 3D effect that’s amazing.

This deluxe studio set also features built-in storage and includes six gears and five markers.

Koosh The easy to catch, hard to put down squiggly balls of fun are back. Koosh is a well-recognized and universally loved brand with a unique blend of indoor and outdoor excitement that spans generations. Koosh quality stands up to everyday, hard play — nothing looks like, plays like, or feels like a Koosh.

Koosh Sharp Shot is an interactive target game that tests your aim with three game modes. Choose Target Toss, Criss Cross, or Lightning Flash game modes for solo or multiplayer fun. Using the Koosh flingers and the included shooters, 65 tfe August 2021

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A recap of the latest executives and professionals that have recently joined the top companies in the industries of toys, games, licensing, entertainment, and more

The Toy Foundation: Pamela Mastrota, Executive Director

Pamela Mastrota has joined The Toy Foundation (TTF) as executive director. TTF is a 501(c)3 children’s charity that operates under the umbrella of the Toy Association, with the mission of providing philanthropic support and play to children and families under stress and in dire situations around the world.

Mastrota brings her C-level and nonprofit leadership, fundraising, and relationship-building experience to the role, where she will be responsible for maintaining and evaluating TTF’s operations, programs, administration, relationships, and fundraising/donor practices in order to advance its mission.

Most recently, she served as chief operating officer for Make-A-Wish Metro NY & Western NY, leading all operations including finance, human resources, marketing, IT/data management, and project management. Prior to that role, Mastrota served as president & CEO for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society Long Island Chapter.

American Specialty Toy Retailing Association: Sue Warfield,

President

Sue Warfield, who has been serving as interim president of ASTRA since September 2020 and led the organization through the pandemic, was officially named President of the association.

Warfield and her team will preside at the association’s first in-person trade show since 2019, after the Orlando show

was canceled due to the pandemic. ASTRA Marketplace & Academy will take place August 5-8 in Minneapolis on a compacted schedule.

Otis College of Art and Design: Jennifer Caveza, Toy Design Program Chair

Jennifer Caveza—a consumer products executive specializing in the toy and licensing industries—returned to Otis College as the new chair of the Toy Design program in July.

Caveza previously served as assistant chair of the Toy Design program at Otis from 2001-2006, and most recently was senior vice president of toy licensing at ViacomCBS, where she oversaw licensing deals and identified new business opportunities for the entertainment company’s top global franchises.

She currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Toy Association and Women in Toys, Licensing, and Entertainment.

Throughout her career in children’s entertainment, Caveza has held executive management roles at top toy companies, including Mattel and JAKKS Pacific, and at Grey Advertising, where she handled the Hasbro Parker Brothers’ Game account.

Jazwares: Sara Rosales, Senior Vice

President of Communications

Communications executive Sara Rosales joined Jazwares as senior vice president of communications, with a focus on corporate communications, brand public relations, company philanthropic efforts, collaboration with digital marketing on earned media, and strategic management of the corporate website.

Rosales, who previously was SVP of communications for medical apparel manufacturer Careismatic Brands, brings 20 years of industry experience, including at toy companies Mattel and JAKKS Pacific.

Rosales joins Jazwares amid the company’s expansion into the new categories of costumes and pet toys.

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