3 minute read
Industry News
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.
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.
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. e Game Changers award will recognize those who changed the game of play in 2020, a year that required the industry to adapt and shi .
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 pro le 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
Build & Play Zig and Go Music Set Djeco
Science & Discovery Gravity Bugs Thames & Kosmos
Infant/Toddler Dimpl Stack Fat Brain Preschool Toniebox Starter Set Boxine
Puzzle IQ Circuit Smart Toys and Games
Outdoor and Active Rainbow Wobble Board Bunny Hopkins Toys
Fidget Toy Flower Finds Putty Crazy Aaron’s Thinking Putty
Games Storytime Chess Storytime Chess Pretend Galaxy Cape Great Pretenders
