Table of contents
May 2010 volume 5, no. 6
features
departments
on this page
20 Trading card games: Product Presentation
4 observations & opinions
(left to right): Crayola’s Glow Explosion, Spin Master’s Bakugan Brawler Pack, Hasbro’s Play-Doh Mega Fun Factory, and Kids Only’s Crayola Puzzle Furniture
by Nancy Lombardi
22 Positively Fashionable by Laurie Leahey
24 Doll Manufacturers Add value to create ‘real’ baby experience by Laurie Leahey
26 Doll Accessories: Product Presentation by Laurie Leahey
28 go to your room by Paul Narula
32 Arts & crafts see Activity Amid economic slump by Chris Adams
36 Specialty Emporium: reeve & Jones by Paul Narula
6 sizzlers 8 specialty sizzlers 10 The Ticker 12 entertainment Marketplace: Shrek Forever After 14 Merchandise Makers: Gund 16 industry Forum: TIA 18 industry Forum: ASTRA 19 industry Forum: Design Edge 38 calendar of events
on the cover (clockwise from the lower left) Hasbro’s Baby Alive 1st for Me Sips & Cuddles, Jakks Pacific’s Taylor Swift You Belong with Me Performance Collection doll, Corolle’s Bébé Chéri Elise, and Mattel’s Computer Engineer Barbie cover by
Design eDge
OBSERVATIONS & OPINIONS
WWW.ANBMEDIA.COM
SUCCESSFUL SPRING MEDIA EVENT FOR TIMETOPLAYMAG.COM B G BY
OB
LASER
ate last month, aNb Media, under our www.TimetoPlayMag.com banner, hosted our first-ever Spring Showcase Media Event. This event follows a similar format to our large-scale Holiday Media Event. Both events are held in New York City’s Altman Building. By all accounts this spring event was an all-around success. Jim Silver and Chris Byrne (aka The Toy Guy) presented the latest and greatest in spring and summer toys to a crowd of mommy bloggers and traditional media. Also part of the presentation were toys based on some of this summer’s anticipated blockbusters such as Iron Man 2 and Toy Story 3. While we all know that, for obvious reasons, there is tremendous emphasis placed on toys during the holiday season, kids are playing all year round and want new toys to enjoy with each season. Our event gave exhibiting manufacturers and entertainment-based companies the perfect venue to promote their products for outdoor play and rainy day play, as well as items for fans of the summer blockbusters. The press conference began with Jim and Chris previewing some of www.TimetoPlayMag.com’s picks for the hottest toys of the season. After a quick costume change, where Jim became Woody from Toy Story and Chris transformed into Buzz Lightyear, they previewed some items from this summer’s upcoming movies that will feature licensed toys. Great new products were shown Shown here is Spin Master’s table (above) and from Iron Man 2, Toy Story 3, and Hasbro’s table (below) at TimetoPlayMag.com’s first-ever spring media showcase in late April. Nickelodeon’s The Last Airbender. After the press conference, the media visited with each of the exhibiting companies to play with the toys. Manufacturers such as Mattel, Hasbro, Jakks, Spin Master, MEGA Brands, LEGO, Crayola, Toy Island, Techno Source, Little Kids, Maui Toys, Street Surfing, and many others were in attendance. Turn to page 11 for photos from the event. Log onto www.TimetoPlayMag.com for even more photos and information about the toys.
L
4 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT MAY 2010
PUBLISHED
BY ANB
MEDIA • Volume 5, Number 6
PUBLISHER BOB GLASER BOB@ANBMEDIA.COM ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER ANDY KRINNER ANDY@ANBMEDIA.COM CONTROLLER MARY GROGAN MARY@ANBMEDIA.COM EDITOR IN CHIEF JIM SILVER JIM@ANBMEDIA.COM EDITORIAL DIRECTOR NANCY LOMBARDI NANCY@ANBMEDIA.COM MANAGING EDITOR CHRIS ADAMS CHRISA@ANBMEDIA.COM EDITOR AT LARGE CHRISTOPHER BYRNE CHRISB@ANBMEDIA.COM ASSISTANT EDITORS LAURIE LEAHEY; LAURIE@ANBMEDIA.COM PAUL NARULA; PAUL@ANBMEDIA.COM WEB MASTER ERIK KIECKHAFER ERIK@ANBMEDIA.COM WEB CONTENT MANAGER BRENDAN SANABRIA BRENDAN@ANBMEDIA.COM CONTRIBUTORS KIMBERLY CANOUSE; SUSAN OLIVER; MATT NUCCIO, MATT@DESIGNEDGE.NET PUBLIC RELATIONS REPRESENTATIVE JOSSLYNNE WELCH LITZKY PUBLIC RELATIONS, 320 SINATRA DRIVE, HOBOKEN, N.J. 07030 (201) 222–9118 EXT. 13 • JWELCH@LITZKYPR.COM INTERESTED IN A SUBSCRIPTION? CONTACT SUBSCRIPTIONS@ANBMEDIA.COM ANB MEDIA, INC. 229 WEST 28TH STREET, SUITE 401, NEW YORK, N.Y. 10001 PHONE: (646) 763–8710 • FAX: (646) 763–8727 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT and SPECIALTY EMPORIUM are published monthly by aNb
Media, Inc. Copyright 2010 aNb Media, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic or
mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher. Printed in the U.S.A. TOYS & FAMILY
ENTERTAINMENT and SPECIALTY EMPORIUM are registered trademarks of aNb Media, Inc.
Opinions and comments expressed in this publication by editors, contributing writers, or solicited or unsolicited documents are not necessarily those of management.
SizzlerS
Sizzlers: What’s Moving Off Store Shelves? What Are the Hottest Web Orders? Here is an alphabetical listing of the hottest-selling items in the toy industry, based on a combined survey of both offline and online retailers, reflecting the previous month’s sales.
Nerf N-Strike Raider Rapid Fire CS-35 WWE FlexForce Fist Poundin’ John Cena Figure
LEGO Minotaurus Game
APPLES
TO
APPLES PARTY BOX Mattel
BAKUGAN BOOSTER PACKS Spin Master BARBIE IN A MERMAID TALE DOLL ASSORTMENT Mattel BOP IT Hasbro
6 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT MAY 2010
BUBBLE MOWER Fisher-Price CHUCK MY TALKING TRUCK Hasbro CRAYOLA 3-D SIDEWALK CHALK Crayola LEGO MINOTAURUS GAME LEGO
Mighty Beanz
Zhu Zhu Hamster Assortment
LEGO STAR WARS ASSORTMENT LEGO
TOTSPORTS T-BALL SET Little Tikes
MIGHTY BEANZ Spin Master
WWE FLEXFORCE FIGURE ASSORTMENT Mattel
NERF N-STRIKE RAIDER RAPID FIRE CS-35 Hasbro SCRABBLE SLAM Hasbro
ZHU ZHU PETS & ACCESSORIES Cepia
Specialty SizzlerS
Specialty Sizzlers: What’s Moving Off Store Shelves in the Specialty Market? This is an alphabetical listing of the hottest-selling items in the specialty segment of the toy industry, based on a survey of independent toy and gift retailers, reflecting the previous month’s sales.
BANANAGRAMS Bananagrams CHALET DOLLHOUSE Plan Toys CUTE KITTIES Creativity for Kids
Cute Kitties
DJUBI Djubi Peek-Squeak Monkey
HEXBUG Innovation First MY FIRST PURSE International Playthings PEEK-SQUEAK MONKEY Manhattan Toy
Hexbug
PERPLEXUS PlaSmart QWIRKLE MindWare
Chalet Dollhouse
8 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT MAY 2010
STOMP ROCKET JR. D&L My First Purse
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The TICKeR
TFE.Ticker.may_TFE template 4/28/10 3:35 PM Page 1
A Recap of Industry Headlines Visit www.aNbMedia.com for More You Have a New Home, CHarlie BrowN Iconix Brand Group announced that it has signed an agreement with United Features Syndicate and the E. W. Scripps Company to acquire the Peanuts brand and related assets in partnership with the Schulz family. As part of the deal, Iconix will also acquire the licensing and character representation business of United Media Licensing, which, in addition to Peanuts, represents a number of character brands, including Dilbert and Fancy Nancy. Iconix says that the total purchase price for this acquisition is approximately $175 million of which Iconix will pay for its 80 percent share and the Schulz family will pay for its 20 percent share. Peanuts has a diverse global licensing program with an estimated 1,200 licensees and relationships with MetLife, Hallmark, Old Navy, and Walgreens, as well as numerous additional big name retailers and studios. The Peanuts brand is licensed in more than 40 countries and generates annual retail sales of more than $2 billion, according to a statement from Iconix. Iconix currently owns, licenses, and markets a portfolio of consumer brands including Roca Wear, Cannon, Fieldcrest, and Badgley Mischka, among many others. In addition, the company owns a share in Ed Hardy, Marc Ecko, and Material Girl brands.
THe JoesTer loria Group expaNds eNTeNmaNN’s iNTo ToYs The Joester Loria Group, which handles licensing for the Entenmann’s brand, announced that the licensing program for the brand will be extending into toys. The Entenmann’s Donut Maker Play Set, by Think Wow Toys, is a donut maker playset that lets kids make their own donuts in the microwave. The set, which will be available this summer, includes a mixing station, donut dough mix, chocolate icing mix, sprinkles, cooking tray, mixing bowl, and instructions. The set makes 12 donuts; refills are available.
sCHwiNN To riNG iN BraNd relauNCH Schwinn, the iconic American bicycle brand, is inviting the nation to “go for a ride” as part of a major brand relaunch and integrated national advertising/marketing program. The multimillion dollar campaign, which launched in April, includes national television and print advertising, and support programs at retail, as well as user-friendly online and mobile touch points that simplify the bike-buying and bikeriding experience for consumers. The campaign’s thematic centerpiece is the wholesome, nostalgic appeal of the Schwinn bicycle bell, providing what Schwinn believes is a call to action to reconnect with what’s important in life. The multi-faceted campaign will also utilize a wide range of digital strategies, all of which will direct consumers to a website www.rideschwinn.com, which provides simple tips on finding the right bike, as well as “where to buy” details. Schwinn’s digital campaign will also include display and social media, as well as a downloadable application for mobile phones that will provide riding and fitness tips along with local route information.
10 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT MAY 2010
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TimeToPlaymag.com HosTs sPring Toy sHowcase TimetoPlayMag.com's Jim Silver and Chris Byrne hosted a media event on April 27 in New York City highlighting the best toys for spring and summer play along with some of the hottest toys based on the upcoming summer blockbuster films such as Iron Man 2 and Toy Story 3. Toy companies such as Mattel, Jakks, Hasbro, Spin Master, Crayola, Basic Fun, Little Kids, Wild Planet, and many others demonstrated their latest and greatest toys for spring and summer to a mix of mommy bloggers and traditional media in New York City's Altman Building. Visit www.timetoplaymag.com to check out all the newest toys.
clockwise from left: Time to Play’s Mannered Mom, Shannon Eis, presents the Crayola Chalk Maker; Jim Silver and Chris Byrne present in business casual; and then as Woody and Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story; a collection of featured spring and summer toys as well as choice summer movielicensed toys; and exhibitor tables from Cepia, LEGO, and Little Kids
MAY 2010 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT 11
ENTERTAINMENT MARKETPLACE
DREAMWORKS BY LAURIE LEAHEY
fter challenging an evil dragon, rescuing a beautiful princess, and saving your in-laws’ kingdom, what’s an ogre to do? If you’re Shrek, you suddenly wind up a domesticated family man. Instead of scaring villagers away like he used to, a reluctant Shrek now agrees to autograph pitch forks. Longing for the days when he felt like a “real ogre,” Shrek is duped into signing a pact with the smooth-talking dealmaker Rumpelstiltskin. Shrek suddenly finds himself in a twisted, alternate version of Far Far Away where ogres are hunted, Rumpelstiltskin is king, and Shrek and Fiona have never met. This is the premise of DreamWorks
NEED
A
12 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT MAY 2010
Rumpelstiltskin (right) is the newest foe in DreamWorks Animation’s Shrek Forever After.
Animation’s latest and last film in the Shrek saga, Shrek Forever After. On May 21, 2010, viewers can watch (in 2-D or 3D) as Shrek tries to undo all he’s done to save his friends, restore his world, and reclaim his one true love. In anticipation of Shrek Forever After, DreamWorks is launching a robust licensing program with both old and new licensing partners. Playmates signed on as a new toy partner, while Hasbro will bring back favorite Shrek games, including Shrek Operation. Activision will produce Shrek Forever After video games for a variety of game consoles. Hallmark will produce social expressions, party goods, and keepsake ornaments. A publishing program with iStoryTime for the iPad and iPhone will also debut as a new way for kids to interact with the characters through reading. Shrek comic books are also in the works from Ape Comics. As this is the final chapter in the Shrek saga, DreamWorks says the new licensing program will fill in gaps to round out the collections of Shrek fans, offering licensed product that wasn’t previously available.
TO
KNOW
• Shrek is seven feet tall, has 22 teeth, and his hand is about 13.5 inches from the base of his palm to the tip of his middle finger. • Rumpelstiltskin, the new villain, is voiced by the film’s head of story, Walt Dohrn.
• Rumpelstiltskin wears four wigs in the movie: speech wig, angry wig, business wig, and victory wig.
FISHER-PRICE
RUBIE’S
For its Smart Cycle, FisherPrice will produce game software based on Shrek Forever After. The game helps kids with numbers, counting, phonics, spelling, shape matching, simple fractions, size comparisons, and more. It is for ages 4–6 and works with any Smart Cycle model.
Rubie’s will introduce a new line of Shrek costumes based on the new movie. Characters include Gingy (The Gingerbread Man), Puss in Boots (shown), Shrek, Fiona, and Donkey.
PLAYMATES TOYS
Playmates Toys’ World of Shrek toy line will include multiple sets of Shrek mini figures, including the Shrek Ogre Attack Ball and the new ogre army— stylized and chunky swamp figures that come in ooze-filled containers. Dolls and talking plush will round out the line.
NEXCARE
Nexcare signed on to produce Shrek Forever After-branded bandages.
ACTIVISION
Activision’s new Shrek Forever After video game will be available on multiple platforms: Wii, Xbox 360, PC, Playstation 3, and Nintendo DS. Kids can play as Shrek, Puss in Boots, Donkey, and Fiona as they outsmart, outfight, and outplay Rumpelstiltskin.
HASBRO
Hasbro will reintroduce Shrek games, including Shrek Operation. Kids use tweezers to remove Shrek’s ailments: ear wax, toe jam, onion breath, and more. Don’t touch the sides with the tweezers or Shrek’s nose will glow red and buzz.
MAY 2010 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT 13
MERCHANDISE MAKERS
GETTING A GUND BY
PAUL NARULA
lush is perhaps one of the most classic toy categories. Almost every child has cuddled a soft toy, whether while asleep in bed or seeking comfort while awake. Adults fondly remember their stuffed animals decades after their toys have been put away. “Plush products evoke an emotional response from people, and that’s what makes plush such an important category,” says Vince Smart, vice-president of marketing for Gund. As one of the most classic companies in this classic category, Gund has watched the world of stuffed toys shift and change for more than 100 years and has remained successful throughout. Gund was founded in 1898 by German immigrant Adolf Gund in Norwalk, Conn. Gund produced a variety of novelty toys and stuffed animals. When he retired in 1925, he sold the company to Jacob Swedlin, who had joined the company shortly after its founding. Swedlin was responsible for the introduction of licensed products into the Gund line (featuring Felix the Cat, Mickey Mouse, Popeye, and more), as well as the creation of musical feature plush at a level that the average working family could afford. Gund also was one of the first companies to create an international licensing campaign and that camthe new Ahhh Dinosaurs line paign slo-
P
14 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT MAY 2010
gan, Gotta Getta Gund, remains the brand’s slogan today. The company was passed on to Swedlin’s daughter and then to his grandchildren, with grandson Bruce Raiffe taking over in 1993. Currently, Gund is owned by Enesco and is part of the Enesco family of brands. The company’s international headquarters is located in Edison, N.J.
Snuffles
Part of the reason that Gund has remained so strong for its longer-than-a-century lifespan is that the company has always been focused on keeping plush new and interesting without detracting from the simple pleasure of a soft, huggable toy. “Gund plush has a unique look that sets it apart,” says Smart. “Coupled with the softest fabrics and understuffing techniques for extra huggability, this makes Gund plush unique.” Gund has also had success in using both original and licensed characters to draw consumers to the product. 2010 marks the 30th anniversary of Gund’s classic Snuffles stuffed bear. Gund has created a commemorative 30th Birthday Snuffles, as well as a
one-of-a-kind Snuffles made of 100 percent German alpaca wool, black pearl eyes, and other unique and high-end materials. The unique Snuffles will be sold later this year for charity. In addition, the company will continue to produce other classic products, such as its classic Alfie bear character. On the licensing front, Gund has a solid relationship with Sesame Workshop and has brought plush versions of Elmo, Abby Cadabby, and other Sesame Street characters to the marketplace, all using the same unique Gund styling and materials of original Gund products. Having successfully weathered the economic difficulties that have plagued many manufacturers, Gund will continue to expand its product line by experimenting with new materials for plush products and looking to establish a presence in new markets. “In general, like many other companies, Gund has focused more attention the last two years on delivering great value to its consumers, whether seeking the softest fabrics at the lowest costs or creating great mini plush at more affordable everyday prices,” says Smart. Gund is launching the new Love Our Earth line of plush, which will be made from 100 percent organic cotton. The company has also created a girls-oriented plush line called Girls Just Wanna Have Gund, a ballerina-inspired plush line, as well as a new original line called Ahhh Dinosaurs for dinosaur-based plush. The company will also be expanding its line of Sesame Street products and will be adding VeggieTales products to its licensed portfolio. “The future looks very good on all fronts,” says Smart.
Industry Forum
TIA To HIgHlIgHT Toys, gAmes, Fun AT CHA summer sHow BY
And
KIMBERLY CANOUSE, TOY INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION
T
oy Industry Association is hosting its first pavilion at the Craft and Hobby Association (CHA) Summer Convention & Trade Show. The special section for toys, games, puzzles, models, and other youth products will debut at the Donald E. Stephens Convention and Conference Center in Rosemont, Ill., for a three-day stint beginning July 27, 2010. This trade-focused collaboration—the latest initiative in an ongoing positive relationship between the two associations— offers CHA Summer Show attendees a broader array of products and provides increased opportunity for both organizations to better serve their buyer and seller communities. The near-Chicago location also appeals to both East and West Coast retailers and provides a timely and costeffective opportunity for toy manufacturers to reconnect with buyers in the critical weeks and months leading up to back-toschool and holiday shopping. “Buyer surveys conducted by TIA following our own go-to-market events indicate that retailers place orders well into the third quarter in time for fourth quarter sales,” says Marian Bossard, TIA vice-president of meetings and events. “This new pavilion provides access to expanded distribution opportunities to craft and hobby retailers interested in adding a broader selection of youth products to their inventory.”
16 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT MAY 2010
Previous Craft & Hobby Show buyer-attendees have expressed interest in seeing more toys, games, puzzles, models, creative activity kits, and science and discovery sets at the summer show. Nearly all retailers attending CHA shows report that they attend primarily to see new products and supplies; 76 percent place orders and purchase products seen at the show. More than 3,000 craft and hobby store buyers from 49 states and more than 25 countries are expected at the trade event. Retailers that attend the summer show include A.C. Moore Arts & Crafts, Inc.; Archivers; Michaels Stores, Inc.; Tall Mouse Arts & Crafts; Big Lots/Consolidated Stores; Beverly Fabrics; Walmart; Dick Blick Art Material; Jo-Ann Stores, Inc.; Mary Maxim, Inc.; Stampology Chicago; Overstock.com; and Alin Party Supply. CHA also serves its membership, exhibitors, and the craft and hobby industry by organizing a conference program designed to help attendees build new skills, increase their knowledge of business trends, and network with other members through hands-on workshops, businessfocused seminars, demo-nars (sessions that combine the practical application of workshops with the business-oriented focus of a seminar), and special events.
“The educational content presented in conjunction with the CHA Summer Convention & Trade Show provides a high value not only for CHA members, but also for the toy, game, and puzzle marketers in the TIA pavilion, the independent retailers that attend the show, and business executives from both the buyer and seller communities,” says Steve Berger, president, Craft & Hobby Association. “Our industries already share a united voice on several important issues. . . it makes perfect sense to extend our partnership in the areas of education and market development.” The pavilion will feature manufacturers and distributors from TIA’s premiere trade events: American International Toy Fair and Fall Toy Preview.
To learn more about participating in the TIA pavilion at the CHA show, contact a TIA account executive at (212) 675–1141 or info@toyassociation.org.
Industry Forum
And the Survey Says. . . ASTRA MEMBERS IMPROVE PROFITS WITH FREE BENCHMARKING BY
SUSAN J. OLIVER, ASTRA
T
rue story: A man in a business suit walks into a specialty toy store and offers to do a complete financial analysis of the business for just $300. The owner looks him in the eye and says, “I get that free from ASTRA.” The man leaves empty-handed, astounded that a trade association offers such a valuable benefit to its members and wondering how in the world he can compete. No joke—this actually happened to Mary Sisson, owner of Kazoodles, a toy store in Vancouver, Wash. Sisson is a member of the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA), and indeed ASTRA does offer a way for its retail members to analyze and benchmark the financials of their businesses. It’s ASTRA’s annual Profit Survey, and it gives participating store owners tools for assessing how their store is doing compared to both the average ASTRA store and top performing ASTRA stores. “Many in the industry are not aware of the wide range of services ASTRA provides for its members—most of them included in the very modest cost of membership,” says Kathleen McHugh, president of ASTRA. “For many in the industry, when they think ASTRA, what comes to mind is our annual Marketplace—which it should, because it’s the largest gathering of the specialty toy industry each year. But we also provide other huge benefits that help independent store owners manage their
18 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT MAY 2010
businesses better—like the annual Profit Survey that gives them a snapshot of how their store is doing and how to improve, the Best Toys for Kids program, webinars and seminars on key business issues, and much more. It’s all about helping our members deepen their business skills, year in and year out, so they grow and thrive.” So how does the Profit Survey work? The storeowner provides data points in several categories plus the store’s year-end balance sheet and income statement. Data collected include footage of selling space, number of employees by function, estimated average sale per transaction, the number of SKUs carried, number of suppliers, the amount of sales in each product category, and average inventory. Each store’s numbers, which are strictly confidential, are combined with those of all reporting stores to build averages. A separate index is created for a handful of top performing stores. Participants receive a free 25-page report that includes the Industry Performance Report and a personalized Performance Analysis Report that offers suggestions for improving profitability. A key tool is the Performance Scorecard, which gives the retailer an at-a-glance look at whether the store’s results in key areas are strong, good, fair, or needing attention. Among the comparisons are these metrics: pre-tax profit margin, asset turnover, financial leverage, pre-tax return on net worth, sales volume, cost of goods sold, payroll expenses, operating expenses, current ratio,
inventory turnover, sales-to-inventory ratio, gross margin, debt-to-equity ratio, and 13 other measures. The store owner can instantly pick out the weak spots. What are the next steps? Get online and start planning how to fix those problem areas. Survey participants get access to an Excel spreadsheet that will help plan and cost out critical improvements. For even more guidance on spotting and addressing trouble areas, the creator and analyzer of ASTRA’s annual Profit Survey—Dr. Al Bates of the Profit Planning Group—will be presenting a session on improving the bottom line for specialty toy stores at ASTRA’s Marketplace & Academy (June 13–16 in Providence, R.I.). Does ASTRA’s Profit Survey make a difference to its members? “The first year I received the Profit Survey, I debated filling it out and sending it in because it does take a bit of time,” says Phil Wrzensinski, owner of Toy House and Baby Too in Jackson, Mich. “The big surprise for me was when I received the results from the Profit Survey. It was a HUGE help for my business. I found, in essence, lost money. And when I focused on correcting the area where I was out of alignment with other stores, the result was the biggest profit our store has seen in decades.”
For more information on ASTRA or its Profit Survey, visit www.astratoy.org.
BY
MATT NUCCIO, DESIGN EDGE
I
f this poor economy has done anything good for our industry, it has allowed companies that previously focused only on mass merchants to open their eyes to the potentials of growing a product in the specialty market first. Just a short time ago both Design Edge’s large and small clients would consistently ask us to design products and packages to be mass-specific. We would reach into our bag of tricks and pull out the bells and whistles that screamed MASS. Designing for the mass market has a certain feel—certain nuances. Much the way that Hollywood creates a summer block-
buster film, we would design toys. Nowadays everyone is hoping to be the next indie film that transcends both markets— kind of the way Pulp Fiction did. There has been a recent explosion of interest in the specialty market. Everyone now wants all the creative flare of specialty and only a hint of the homogenization of mass. Companies that previously wouldn’t are now finally willing to incubate a product with mom-and-pop stores before going to the mass level. This is the way it was in the golden age of toys. This was how evergreens were born and allowed to thrive. But since the
’90s great products have constantly exploded onto the market only to die a horrid death a year later. The mass market oversaturated the public with a limited selection, spoon-feeding the public about what to buy. Now, with the trend toward specialty, I suspect we will see variety again. We may be looking toward new strong brands being born. Hopefully, this will usher in a new golden age in toys.
Industry Forum
The Specialty Explosion
Design Edge is a New York-based graphic design and research development studio. Matt Nuccio can be reached at matt@designedge.net or (516) 377–0500.
MAY 2010 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT 19
T RADING C ARD G AMES BY
NANCY LOMBARDI
Trading card games are a classic play pattern for boys. At one time, baseball cards ruled the playground, but now there are countless options from sports to story-based properties with extensive toy lines and in-depth online worlds. Shown here are some examples of trading card properties.
KONAMI
Following last year’s Duelist Pack, Yugi, Konami has assembled the most infamous cards of Yugi’s greatest rival: Seto Kaiba. The Duelist Pack, Kaiba, contains Kaiba’s all-time best cards, including a brand new Effect Monster version of Blue-Eyes White Dragon that’s unavailable anywhere else. This 40-card set includes variant artwork, reprints of hard-to-get promo cards, and five new Ultimate Rare versions of Kaiba’s most dangerous cards. The Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon Sleeves allows duelists to protect their deck with these new high-quality card sleeves featuring the legendary Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! TV series. The Shining Darkness Booster Pack includes eight Secret Rare cards just like previous sets. However, Konami says it increased the chances of getting a highly sought-after Secret Rare card. The tournament-winning Blackwings get their biggest boost yet with this set, which includes nine new Blackwing-themed cards. Also included is the new Infernity Deck theme, a powerful new strategy from the TV series. All of these items are available this spring for fans ages 6 and up.
20 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT MAY 2010
POKÉMON
The Pokémon Trading Card Game: HeartGold & SoulSilver is a new type of game that will change the way kids play Pokémon. Players will find lots of Trainer cards in the deck that will accelerate the game and select Energy cards with a brand-new look. The set contains two dual-card Pokémon Legends: Ho-Oh and Lugia. The HeartGold & SoulSilver set has more than 120 cards featuring six Pokémon Prime characters such as Ampharos, Blissey, Donphan, Feraligatr, Meganium, and Typhlosion.
SPIN MASTER
Bakugan: Gundalian Invaders, the third season of the Bakugan TV series, launched this spring. Along with that launch comes a host of new products from Spin Master and other licensees as well as an allnew Bakugan MMOG. The strategic trading card game includes the fun of transforming action figures. Just one of the items in Spin Master’s line for this spring is the Brawler Game Pack (shown), which includes two Bakugan, two Bakugan battle gear, one Bakugan super assault, five ability cards, and five gate cards. Bakugan is intended for ages 5 and up.
WIZARDS
OF THE
COAST
Wizards of the Coast, a division of Hasbro, has extensive additions to its Magic: The Gathering property. Rise of the Eldrazi is the third set in the Zendikar block. It’s a 248-card expansion that is available in 15-card booster packs, intro packs, and the “fat pack” that contains eight boosters. Inspired by the decks from the blockbuster digital game Duels of the Planeswalkers, these powerful 60-card decks are ready to play right out of the box. Available in June, each deck comes with a 15-card booster pack, allowing players to customize the deck and take total command of the game. There will be five different decks available, so players can pick up their favorite one from the video game and start dueling right away.
Archenemy is a whole new way to play multiplayer Magic. In Archenemy, one player plays with an Archenemy deck of 20 oversized cards in addition to their 60-card deck. All other players at the table have to work together to take the Archenemy down before they complete their evil schemes. As with Planechase, Archenemy cards are compatible with existing Magic decks. With the Magic 2011 core set, players will see a lot more of what made Magic 2010 so exciting. About half of the set, which is available in July, is new content. The one change fans will see between M10 and M11 will be that starting with M11 the intro packs will come with 60-cards plus a 15-card booster. Previously they were 41-card packs plus a booster.
UPPER DECK
Upper Deck’s Marvel Iron Man 2 Trading Cards will be an instant collectible among the movie’s fans. The cards will feature exclusive images and details from Iron Man 2. The 75-card base set will feature randomly inserted autograph cards from the film’s stars as an exclusive for hobby stores. Also, look for cards containing embedded pieces of costumes and memorabilia straight from the movie, which will also be featured as a hobby exclusive. Exclusive subsets, also available only in hobby stores, will contain foil and embossed armor cards, classic Iron Man comic covers, and a die-cut actor’s gallery. There are randomly inserted sketch cards of various characters in the Iron Man mythos, as created by some of the most popular comic artists and creators in the industry. The hobby configuration features seven cards per pack and, as previously mentioned, hobby packs are the only place fans can obtain inserted costume/equipment and autograph cards. The mass retail configuration features five cards per pack. World of Warcraft TCG Wrathgate Booster Packs, available for both hobby and mass retail stores, sets up the storyline like this: The suffocating stench of death pollutes the air as the Scourge continue to pour out of Angrathar, the Wrathgate, attempting to halt the advances of the Horde and the Alliance. Icecrown Citadel lies just beyond the pitch black walls, but the relentless armies of the undead will not be defeated so easily. Fans must strike a decisive blow against the Lich King. Wrathgate is the eleventh booster set in the World of Warcraft Trading Card Game, which is based on the massively multiplayer online roleplaying game World of Warcraft. This trading card game features all-new content, including Argent Crusade reputation and cards depicting the epic Battle of the Wrathgate, like Saurfang and Highlord Bolvar Fordragon. There are foil versions of all gameplay cards randomly inserted into booster packs. There are three new randomly inserted Loot cards, including a new mount loot, which mean more opportunities to open cosmetic upgrades for a fan’s World of Warcraft online character.
MAY 2010 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT 21
POSITIVELY FASHIONABLE BY LAURIE LEAHEY
icture a little girl playing with her doll—the hair brushing, the dressing up, the imaginative play. The scene may not have changed throughout the years, but the doll certainly has. The newest iteration of fashion dolls is still fashionable, but now in a more relatable way for young girls. The worries from moms that their 8-year-old daughters were playing with dolls that looked too grown-up and the pressures from the economic downfall forced out the fancy evening gowns in favor of more aspirational dolls that better reflect what young girls are actually wearing. “Given the state of the economy, that positioning is attractive,” says Andrew Wagar, senior PR associate for Spin Master. Last year, Spin Master introduced its doll line Liv, a group of everyday girls who go to school and hold parttime jobs. “[The dolls are] wearing cool, everyday fashions that you would see in any standard clothing store in the mall,” he says. “It’s relatable that way. To have a glamorous, over-thetop, excessive, very wealthy kind of positioning might be unrelatable to some people and it might even turn them off a little bit.” However, creating more relatable fashion dolls doesn’t end with fashion. KidsGive’s Karito Kids line of large play dolls is made to look like real 11-year-old girls of all ethnicities, from the body shape to the facial sculpts. “We’re creating aspirational dolls that show the beauty of what little girls Mattel had girls vote on really are,” says Barbie’s next career. Laura Rangel, The winners: Computer Engineer (shown) KidsGive’s presiand News Anchor. dent. “To appreci-
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ate the beauty of what they look like is so important to their self-esteem.” Today’s dolls usually come with backstories (hobbies, dream jobs, pets), making the dolls more realistic and more like friends than playthings. From encouraging girls to be charitable, as with Karito Kids, or showing girls they can be whatever they want to be with Mattel’s Barbie I Can Be line, offering positive messages through the dolls’ stories also helps reinforce self-esteem. “Providing young girls positive reinforcement through play is important,” says Jennifer Caveza, vice-president of marketing, girls’ brands, Jakks Pacific. “At Jakks, our Disney Fairies doll line focuses on the importance of friendship and inner talent. The line empowers girls to embrace their own identity. It’s a wonderful message for girls and is an appealing brand for moms.” Boosting girls’ self-esteem and self-love is also happening through the ways girls play with the fashion dolls. On top of the classic play patterns of hair and fashion play, fashion dolls are also spawning creativity and self-expression through more activity and interactive doll play. “The trend today is steeped in self-expression and creativity,” says Isaac Larian, CEO of MGA Entertainment. “It’s okay for girls to be different and unique. This is what our Moxie Girlz line is all about.” MGA’s Moxie Girlz Art-titude line lets girls personalize fashions, vehicles, and other accessories for their Moxie Girlz dolls. And Bandai’s Harumika line of dress form fashion dolls gives girls fabrics and accessories to create their own fashions. With products like these, there are no right or wrong answers. Girls have creative control with the ultimate outcome being that their personal styles show through.
MGA’s Moxie Girlz Art-titude Best Friends pack features Avery and Merin dolls wearing fashions that girls can color again and again using the included three washable markers.
Another way girls interact with their dolls is online. Girls already spend a lot of time on the internet and websites based on their favorite dolls ensure that girls remain safe online and are exposed to age-appropriate and positive content. The online world also extends doll play. “While we know girls still enjoy classic doll play, we have developed product extensions that allow girls to go seamlessly from their living room floor to the computer screen to further engage with our brands,” says Tim Kilpin, general manager/senior vice-president, Mattel. Each product in Mattel’s Barbie I Can Be line comes with a special code that unlocks online games specific to a particular career. Barbie.com also features mini-documentaries spotlighting a variety of women and careers for girls to explore. This is certainly not the way your grandmother played with fashion dolls, but as technology advances and society changes, it has become the norm. “I don’t think the play pattern for dolls has changed in as much as I believe that the play pattern for dolls has expanded,” says MGA’s Larian, adding that “doll play has become a richer, more immersive experience.” And doll manufacturers will continue to find new, innovative, and positive ways to connect girls with their dolls.
JAKKS PACIFIC
The Taylor Swift Performance Collection Doll Assortment brings to life a Taylor Swift performance with a 30-second highlight of one of Swift’s hit songs: “Our Song,” “Teardrops on My Guitar,” “Picture to Burn,” “Love Story,” and “You Belong With Me” (shown). Dressed in an outfit replicating what Swift wears in the music video, each doll also comes with accessories, including a guitar and hair brush.
MATTEL
Another new career for Barbie is pizza chef. Mattel’s Barbie I Can Be... Pizza Chef playset comes with realistic accessories, including a pizza pie and toppings, pizza pan, and pizza box. Barbie “spins” the pizza dough when girls press a lever in the doll’s back. The playset also comes with Barbie’s little sister Kelly.
BANDAI
Outfitted with the same Style Lock System as the original Harumika Dress Forms, the Harumika Mannequin Collection allows girls to change hairstyles, shoes, and more. Each Mannequin set includes a stylish wig, exclusive fabrics, one pair of shoes, fashion accents, and a stylus tool. Choose from Mannequin colors black, beige, and mocha.
MADAME ALEXANDER
Madame Alexander is collaborating with Sonja Hartmann, German doll sculptor and creator. As an exclusive distributor of Sonja Hartmann dolls in the United States, Madame Alexander introduced a line of 18-inch play dolls sculpted by Hartmann. The collection, Kidz ’n’ Cats, consists of 12 vinyl dolls, including three male dolls and nine female dolls, dressed in contemporary outfits and with nine joints for posing and playing possibilities.
KIDSGIVE
KidsGive’s Karito Kids line gets a refresh this year. The new World Collection dolls will have updated packaging, designed to better showcase how kids give to other kids with every doll purchase. The new packaging also reflects each of the six character’s personality and includes a revised edition of the character-specific Karito Kids Adventure chapter book. The dolls’ new looks are inspired by fashions that real girls are wearing now.
SPIN MASTER
This spring, Spin Master’s Liv dolls become dog owners. Each doll comes with one dog figure and fashion accessories for both doll and dog.
MAY 2010 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT 23
D o ll Ma nu f a ct u re rs A d d V al ue t o C re a te ‘ Re a l’ B ab y Ex p e r i en ce BY LAURIE LEAHEY
he play pattern for baby dolls has been the same for decades—nurturing, caring, pretending to be little mommies. Little girls look at how their own mothers, grandmothers, and caregivers take care of them or younger siblings, and they aspire to perform those same tasks. “Developmentally, they’re very mother-dependent, so we see them copying their mother’s activities in play,” says Kathleen Harrington, director, global brand development and marketing at Hasbro. “Mom is their No. 1 hero at this age, so it’s a natural progression to mimic her.” Playing with baby dolls also lets girls feel like real grown-ups taking care of their own babies, responsible and needed instead of feeling needy, as Harrington puts it. Baby dolls are an avenue for imaginative pretend play. These days girls can imagine just about anything with the variety of dolls available—from super-realistic and high-tech to fewer features and more classic play. There are also a variety of opinions from doll manufacturers about which of those two is the best route. For Hasbro’s Baby Alive brand, the mission is to offer girls age-appropriate mommy play, to give girls the “real” baby experience. “The Baby Alive dolls let girls experience bottle and spoon-feeding, as well as changing their diapers,” Harrington says. “Baby Alive also provides dolls that respond to the girl in a very realistic way.” All of this realism used to mean that the dolls would be priced very high. But that’s no longer the case. Last year, manufacturers began finding ways to add play value to baby dolls at more affordable prices and this trend continues into 2010. Hasbro’s new Baby Alive Bouncin’ Babbles bounces up and down while giggling and making baby sounds when girls hold the doll’s hands. The doll also chuckles and coos like a real baby when the girl comes near. And all for $24.99. Even the new Baby Alive Real As Can Be line from Hasbro features a doll for girls ages 4–7 that responds to touch with lifelike sounds, phrases, and movements, and features the classic “feeding” and diapering experience for $29.99. Mattel’s new Little Mommy Play All Day Baby Doll also offers girls realistic design and features. “The Little Mommy brand is known for bringing nuturing play to life so girls can experience all the miracles and milestones of being a mom,” says Tim Kilpin, general manager/senior vice-president, Mattel. The Play All Day doll “comes to life” through interactive features, including bouncing, talking, and giggling. Technology has certainly allowed girls to interact with their dolls in
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Hasbro’s Baby Alive Bouncin’ Babbles bounces up and down when girls hold the doll’s hands. The doll offers interactive and realistic baby doll play at an affordable price.
new and unique ways, but that doesn’t mean that classic baby dolls have lost their place in the market. Beau James, director of North America for Corolle, believes that even technology-void dolls have something to offer little girls if done right. While Corolle does produce a few feature baby dolls (such as Lia, which has 16 features and speaks four languages), James says the company is of mixed minds on the use of technology in baby dolls. “The nurturing and roleplay is about imagination and a child’s imagination is what’s very important for enjoyment and also for the development of the child,” he says. “The more the doll does [with technology], the less the child’s imagination plays into it.” Instead of technology, Corolle and other classic baby doll manufacturers focus on the feel of the doll to ensure that it feels like a real baby and not a “big lump of plastic,” according to James. To little girls looking for a real baby experience, taking care of a doll with a similar look and feel of a real baby adds a great deal of value to the play experience. And ultimately, that’s what it all comes down to—adding value to girls’ baby doll play experiences. Whether the value comes from the price, the technology, or the look and feel of the doll, doll manufacturers are in agreement on one thing: producing baby dolls that engage girls in imaginative pretend play, turning them from little girls to little mommies.
The Goldberger Company
In its Baby’s First line, The Goldberger Company introduces Peek-A-Boo Baby. This interactive, light-activated baby plays “peek-a-boo” with girls. Cover and uncover the doll’s eyes to hear it say, “Peek-aboo, I see you” and “Peek-a-boo, I love you.” The doll’s cheeks also light up and glow. The doll is for ages 1 and up.
Jakks Pacific
Cabbage Patch Kids Welcome Home Newborns come to life with sound. Each motion-activated Welcome Home Newborn giggles and coos like real newborn babies, exudes a freshly powdered baby scent, and says three phrases.
Schylling
Schylling is the exclusive U.S. distributor for European doll and doll accessory maker Dolls World. The soft, bean-filled Dolls World dolls are constructed with detailed vinyl faces, hands, and feet. Six styles of dolls are in the line, including an interactive doll named Ellie (shown) that makes real baby sounds when its tummy is pressed. Ellie is a seven-inch doll that comes with a feeding set.
Mattel
As girls move Mattel’s Little Mommy Play All Day Baby Doll, the doll reacts with sweet and silly phrases and sounds. The doll recognizes different playful positions like bouncing, flipping, flying like a birdie, upside down, and dancing, and responds accordingly with silly sounds and phrases. The doll is for ages 2 and up.
Hasbro
Baby Alive Sips & Cuddles, part of Hasbro’s 1st For Me line, is a plush doll with a yellow bottle tethered to its arm. Girls can “feed” the doll and Sips & Cuddles will “slurp” it all up. The doll also responds to hugs and coos like a real baby. It requires two AA batteries and is for ages 18 months and up.
Corolle
Bébé Chéri Elise is Corolle’s new 20inch classic baby doll. This life-size doll is dressed in a soft jacket, coordinating pants, scarf, and beret. The doll can also wear real baby clothes, size 3–6 months. It is for ages 3 and up.
MAY 2010 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT 25
Doll Accessories
BY LAURIE LEAHEY
Just as the right accessory completes an outfit, the right doll accessory makes the baby doll play experience complete. Some of the latest doll accessories are shown below.
Chicco
Zapf
There are two new doll accessories from Zapf this spring. Zapf Baby Born Food lets girls “feed” their 17-inch Baby Born. Just add water to the mixture and stir. The doll food is nontoxic. Zapf Baby Born Diapers (shown) fit the Baby Born doll. Each package comes with five diapers.
Maclaren
Maclaren’s doll accessories are styled in dandelion or by Air, by Land, by Sea fabric with true-to-life size details and functionality. Toys are suitable for a doll sized 16–18 inches. Shown is the Jr. Twin Triumph in dandelion. This twin buggy comes with a reclining seat, swivel front wheels, and pullback hoods. The handle height is approximately 22 inches.
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Chicco’s Ct 0.5 Doll Stroller is fully accessorized with front swivel wheels, a reclining backrest, a storage basket, and a sun canopy. It holds up to a 22-inch doll. There is also a safety anti-collapse mechanism to protect girls’ hands. It is for ages 4 and up.
Tollytots
Tollytots, the baby doll accessory division of Jakks Pacific, will launch new baby dolls and baby doll accessories designed under the licensed Graco brand this fall. Little moms can bring their baby dolls everywhere they go with the Graco Playset, which includes a flat fold stroller with canopy, tea time high chair, Pack ’N Play Lite, potty and monitors, a diaper bag, and accessories.
GO TO YOUR ROOM
BY
PAUL NARULA
rom the very start of a child’s life, their room is an important factor. Before a child is even born, parents agonize over the decoration and set-up of an infant’s room. As a child grows up and their tastes change, their room changes with them. Whether the room is shared with siblings or for just one child, a child’s room is often the only place a child can call their “own” in a house. As such, the furnishings and décor of that room are extremely important to both parents and their children. Children’s décor and furniture manufacturers have been well aware of the nature of the category for years and have continually strived to meet the needs of the consumers in this complicated category. As technology changes the category and parents become more and more concerned about safety and pricing, manufacturers have kept pace and made the adjustments necessary to keep the category strong and keep consumers buying.
of decoration in a child’s room and breaks down quickly into a table and chairs set for easy play and storage. By adding play value to their products, these manufacturers also add extra perceived value to the act of decorating a child’s room, drawing parents to their potential.
While children’s décor is a part of the home’s general décor, it’s important to remember that the products are still for children. Manufacturers are always striving to strike that balance of function versus form that allows a product to appeal to children without detracting from their parents’ sense of style. For a child, even their furniture has to have some level of play value. Pacific Play Tents handles this by having its tents and bed tents resemble typical scenes that children would use for roleplay. “We want the kids to go in there and pretend and have a good time,” says Brian Jablon, executive vice-president of Pacific Play Tents. Kids Only, a division of Jakks Pacific, has developed a line of Puzzle Furniture that starts as a piece
Kids Only Disney Fairy Funtime Table
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FASHIONABLE/FUN
Room Magic Fish-themed set
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GROWING PAINS
One of the major problems with furnishing a room is the expense involved. As children grow, what was cool and fun one day is lame and “for babies” in a very short time. This can make licensing in this category difficult, as the characters a child loves one year may be an embarrassment the next. Regardless, licensing is still a strong boost for many products in the category, especially for major brands that have reputations as classics. “Disney themes are as popular as they ever were, for both boys and girls,” says Isaac Larian, CEO of MGA/Little Tikes. “We have a Disney Princess bed for girls and Lightning McQueen [from Disney/Pixar’s Cars] for boys.” One way to deal with the high turnover rate of children’s interests is to create a line of products that are both affordable and easy to change, something that York Wall Coverings has done with its Roommates division and line. While York’s main line features easy-to-apply-andremove aesthetic wall coverings and wall paper that are also appropriate for children’s rooms, the Roommates line features full-size cut-outs and wall hangings of popular licensed characters and brand imagery that parents can apply to a child’s walls in roughly five minutes. The hangings can be removed in roughly the same time with no risk of damaging the wall. “It’s fast, easy, non-committal, and affordable,” says PierreJean Delaye, COO of Roommates. “There’s no residue, it doesn’t pull
the paint off, and you can rearrange an entire that feature character imagery for young chilroom in about 10 minutes.” This makes it easy dren into more subdued pieces suitable for for parents to keep pace with their child’s older kids. “People need pieces that will work interests and for children to have the brands for a longer period of time,” says Karen they want featured prominently without caus- Derfer, designer/owner at Room Magic. “The ing a headache for parents. days of disposable furniture are over.” Non-licensed products circumnavigate the Similarly, EcoTots produces children’s furissue of growing passé due to branding but niture that is designed to appeal to the aesthethave their own difficulties. Furniture is not ic sense of parents as well as children, so that cheap and parents may be reluctant to spend the products would not look amiss in an adult’s money on a product that has a style children room while still being appropriate for children. may not like in a year or two. Even without a A wide variety of finishes, styles, and designs branded character, children’s furniture is often are intended to make EcoTots products longdesigned to appeal lasting for both to children and parents and chiltheir rapidly dren. “This generchanging tastes ation of parents can quickly leave really knows what the cute patterns of they want,” says their favorite Scott Willy, codresser or bed founder and cresheets behind. One ative director at way manufacturers EcoTots. “They’re have dealt with looking for real, this problem is to honest value.” provide a wide A number of variety of products Products with classic brands, such as these Batman wall decals smaller manufacfrom Roommates, have more staying power. that hit multiple turers, EcoTots price points. While a parent may not buy a sin- included, have actually benefited from this gle item for $69.99, they are most likely will- cautiousness on the part of the consumer, as ing to purchase four items at $19.99, which buyers looking for increased options are more will provide a greater perceived value for the likely to come across specialty products on the consumer. “Our price points range from internet or in boutique stores. “Our specialty $19.99 to $79.99 or even $99.99,” says Bob business has grown,” says J.B. Schneider, coPagano, vice-president of product develop- founder at P’kolino. “People are becoming ment at Kids Only, a division of Jakks Pacific. more discerning with their money.” Another method is to make products that can grow with the child, making the price less STAYING SAFE With safety in toys becoming a major issue prohibitive since the product will last for a number of years. Room Magic does this by in the past few years, related categories such as making use of reversible faces for much of its children’s décor and furniture have been affectfurniture, allowing parents to change products ed as well. Children spend a large amount of
their time in their rooms with the products from this category and while the safety concerns are not exactly the same, there is equally as much worry on the parents’ side about the safety of their children’s rooms. Manufacturers are well aware of these worries and consistently take steps to ensure that their products are safe and that parents are well aware of the fact. “Every single item we make is tested to the limits,” says Pacific Play Tents’ Jablon. “We take safety extremely seriously. After all, little boys are nuts! We have to meet and exceed every safety requirement the industry can set.” Every manufacturer interviewed for this article stressed that their products not only met the standards for furniture, but also any standards set for children’s products across the board through independent testing.
LOOKING FORWARD
The children’s room décor category has weathered the economic storm without capsizing. Thanks to a wide variety of product offerings and the ability of manufacturers to either keep prices down or keep value high, many manufacturers have had positive experiences during the economic slump. “When you have a product that gives parents the value they’re looking for, the price points won’t affect it,” says Kids Only’s Pagano. As consumers become more and more confident with the money they have, manufacturers have been able to expand their product lines and utilize different materials to bring more value to the consumer. Technology is allowing manufacturers to investigate new ways to make the product appeal to consumers, with customizable furniture and décor on the forefront of a number of companies’ to-do lists. The future looks good in many manufacturers’ eyes and Kids Only’s Pagano describes it in two simple words: “Stay tuned!”
MAY 2010 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT 29
Room Décor and Furniture BY
PAUL NARULA
A bedroom can say a lot about the person who sleeps there and children’s bedrooms are no different. Whether it’s licensed or unlicensed, wall hangings or furniture, each company has its own way of bringing a special touch to the place where children sleep and play every single day. Here is a sampling of some of the newest offerings from a number of manufacturers.
Pacific Play Tents
Roommates
Pacific Play Tents will continue to expand its line of bed tents. Race car and princess themes are new this year.
Roommates, a division of York Wall Coverings, is using characters and imagery from classic HannaBarbera cartoons, such as The Flintstones, Jetsons, Scooby-Doo, and more.
Kids Only
Little Tikes
Kids Only, a division of Jakks Pacific, will expand its line of original puzzle furniture with new licenses this year. The Crayola puzzle furniture piece is a large crayon that can decorate a child’s room. When the crayon is broken down, it forms a table and chair playset.
Little Tikes has a full line of Toy Story products available for launch with the upcoming Toy Story 3 film.
Room Magic
The new Kids Love Chocolate line will feature a dark finish on the products. This is in contrast to the natural finish that Room Magic usually offers.
Sumo
The Sumo Omni (shown) and the Sumo Gamer are high-quality bean bag chairs designed to be a part of any room’s décor.
EcoTots
EcoTots will add a new white finish to its line of high-quality eco-friendly children’s furniture.
30 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT MAY 2010
P’kolino
The P’kolino Chalk Table cuts down on the mess in a child’s room by giving them a place to draw without getting chalk everywhere. One side of the table is a chalkboard that kids can use to draw and flip over when they’re done.
Arts & Crafts See Activity Amid Economic Slump BY
CHRIS ADAMS
O
ver the past couple of years, I have interviewed many people who have put a positive spin on the effects the recession has had on their business. Whether it was wishful thinking or a find-the-silverlining mindset is unclear. But sometimes, there are hard facts to back up these claims. While the sluggish economy has colored oh so many areas of the toy industry, Crayola reports that 2009 was the best year in its history. It is unknown whether the economy actually played a role in this success, but it is at least plausible. The arts & crafts activity category that is at the heart of what Crayola does offers as high of a cost-to-play-value ratio as exists in the toy industry (with only the construction category offering a similar ratio). “The category and Crayola have benefited from the realization that parents have had on the value that we offer,” says Vicky Lozano, vice-president, marketing at Crayola. “It is not like they are trading down because they are buying something they believe in and that their children enjoy.” The appeal of the activity category during economic hardship isn’t because of bargain basement pricing. It does help that items in this category are generally modest, but the attraction is that no matter how much parents spend on this type of item they get a lot of bang for their buck. Not only do their children get a lot of play time out of these items, but these items also present parents with a purchase they feel good about because they are fostering their child’s creativity and development. “While we know that price is certainly a factor in a consumer’s purchasing decision, we also understand that they will almost always gravitate toward brands and products that will provide high quality, innovative, and enduring entertainment experiences,” says Jeff Popper Sr., global brand strategy & marketing, arts & crafts at Hasbro. Innovation is a key factor to note about this category. On first glance, the activity category may seem like a staid, quiet, very traditional category that perennially offers classic items for each new generation of children looking to express themselves. That first glance, however, would be wrong. Crayola credits its ongoing innovation as a major factor in its successful 2009. “We didn’t re-trench and say we were going to focus on price promotion and whatnot,” says Lozano. “We have continued to innovate and bring new ideas to market.”
32 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT MAY 2010
Crayola’s Glow Explosion markers glow in the dark for up to four hours.
A prime example of Crayola’s ongoing innovation is the introduction of the Glow Explosion line of glow-in-the-dark markers. Draw with these markers on special paper and the creations will glow in the dark for up to four hours. Jakks Pacific is another company offering innovation in this category with its Real Construction line. The Real Construction line is centered around Funnoodle material that functions as wood and is packaged with plastic tools that cut and construct the material. “We try to find a niche in the market that isn’t currently being addressed,” says Michael Bernstein, senior vice-president of marketing at Jakks. “For instance, with Real Construction, even though there are roleplay construction items out there, there wasn’t a line that allowed kids to truly interact with the material and allow them to build.”
According to Bernstein, the inspiration for the Real Construction line came from wanting to find a way to get higher margins out of the highly commoditized Funnoodle business. Bernstein and a designer were brainstorming when the designer mentioned that the Funnoodle material could be safely cut with a plastic knife and with the ripcord that is used with Jakks’ Fly Wheels. This made a light go off in Bernstein’s head and the result is the Real Construction line. Not only has the Real Construction line offered Jakks a new type of product to market, but it also opened up distribution in such non-toy retailers as Lowe’s. Yet another innovative Above is a dinosaur activity product introduced this created with one of Jakks year is Spin Master’s Aqua Pacific’s Real Construction kits. Below is Spin Sand. Aqua Sand offers the Master’s Aqua Sand Polar Playground. ability to be sculpted under water. It dries instantly when taken out of water.
Feel-Good Factor Activity items are a perennial favorite among children and parents alike. Self-expression comes naturally to children and activity products are a great way for kids to tap into it. And anything that fosters creativity and development is sure to be a hit with parents. “Parents, when they evaluate these types of products, look at the products as stimulating their child’s imagination,” says Jakks’ Bernstein. “They are more apt to pay for products in these categories.” It is this appeal that has allowed this category to expand. Especially in the activity kit segment of this category, the core users were girls. However, combining creativity with a parent-approved
play pattern, manufacturers have begun stretching into boys’ products as well as preschool products. Creativity for Kids is one company in particular that has been focusing on its preschool and boys’ activity kits. The company had a hit a few years back with vehicle-based kits and this year is introducing Wind-Up Workshop Robots. A range of preschool-focused items is also on the way, including Crayon Rubbings and My First Scissors Kit. “Our retailers and sales rep groups asked us to get into preschool items,” says Lisa Brody, PR manager at Creativity for Kids. “Parents also wanted an entry point for doing something more creative with their preschoolers.” Crayola is another manufacturer that has a presence in the preschool segment of this category. Its Crayola Beginnings line includes a range of items that help preschoolers express their creativity. “A lot of what we do is about understanding how kids play,” says Crayola’s Lozano. “We do a lot of work talking to moms, talking to kids, watching kids play, and exposing them to idea starters. From that, we better understand what fascinates and motivates kids. That gives us new ideas.” Whether it is better tapping into the way kids play, inventing new technology in a lab, targeting under-addressed demographics, or creating wholly new concepts, the arts & crafts activity category offers a surprising amount of innovation. It is evident that the manufacturers in this category consider it serious business to translate their creativity in development into products that help kids express theirs.
MAY 2010 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT 33
Activity BY
CHRIS ADAMS
Crayola
Jakks Pacific
Alex
Crayola introduces Pop Art Pixies, a line of 14 character-based, tween-focused activity kits. Each kit is tailored to one of the four characters’ interests. Shown is the Pop Art Pixies Tatum’s Glass Vase Trio kit.
Jakks’ Real Construction is a constructionbased activity kit line that is centered around Kid Wood, which is a foam material.
The Foil Bead Maker, by Alex, lets girls make their own beads from foil. The kit includes materials to help girls create their own beaded necklaces, earrings, bracelets, rings, and more.
PlaSmart
Scratch Art
Poof-Slinky
PlaSmart’s Yummy Dough is a moldable, edible modeling dough. To get started, kids need to add water to the mix to create smooth modeling dough that can be baked and eaten.
Scratch Art’s new Draw & Learn Stickers line lets kids create their own Sea Life, Rainforest (shown), Arctic, and Outer Space stickers.
As a result of acquiring Cadaco, PoofSlinky introduces its new EnviroBLOX line of corn starch-based construction activity kits. Each starch piece can be cut, twisted, or flattened and then stuck to other pieces with the help of water.
Cra-Z-Art
Creativity for Kids
MegA Brands
Cra-Z-Art’s Deluxe Spray Art Airbrush Studio is a 35-piece set that lets kids create an array of airbrushed art creations.
Wind-Up Workshop Robots is a new boy-focused kit from Creativity for Kids. Put together colorful cardboard cutouts to create the robot shapes and then add retro robot stickers, wiggly eyes, and marker designs to complete the work of art.
Woodtopia, part of MEGA’S Rose Art line, allows kids to decorate four wooden animals using wooden parts, mini markers, paper cutouts, and more.
34 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT MAY 2010
Spin Master
Little Kids
Hasbro
Moon Dough is a new soft molding compound by Spin Master that doesn’t dry out. Kits include the Moon Dough Barnyard, which is shown.
Little Kids is relaunching the Crunch Art line. With these kits, kids place fabric swatches on preformed foam templates, press, and crunch. There are three different Crunch Art Activity Kits with multiple projects in each set. Shown is the Crunch Art Mega Set.
To start with Hasbro’s Play-Doh Mega Fun Factory, kids push down on the purple handle and extrude the colored Play-Doh of their choice. The set includes a motorized conveyor belt that moves Play-Doh compound along as kids select a mold to stamp out “candy” or a toy.
MAY 2010 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT 35
Imagination Is Everything BY
PAUL NARULA
lmost everyone has had a What stuck out as the most important products moment where they look at a for a child were imaginative toys, which are product or a service and think to now the products that Reeve & Jones focuses themselves “I can do that bet- on. “We’re definitely drawn to toys that inspire ter.” When colimaginative play,” says Jones. leagues Alfred Reeve and Reeve & Jones also has Peter Jones had that moment, other considerations when it they decided not to stop at comes to design. Thanks to thinking. The two toy industry both of the founders’ time as veterans had worked together at toy retailers, they have an acute Schylling (Reeve for six years, awareness of what retailers Jones for three) and were both owners of their own toy stores and had been to toy shows around the world. Together, they found themselves coming up with new ideas or improvements on products and concepts that they saw. “The more Alfred and I talked about our ideas, the more we above: Reeve & Jones realized we might just have a toy Carnival Doorway Puppet Theater company on our hands,” says Peter Jones, co-founder and coright: Reeve & Jones owner of Reeve & Jones. In Jokes On You assortment in a display case 2003, the two friends took the opportunity and founded the Reeve & Jones toy company. (especially smaller specialty stores) want from Jones sums up the company’s goals in one a product. “We always consider the needs and simple word: Fun. “We make what we like— opinions of the buyers at the store level and the what we find fun and imaginative,” says Jones. sales reps in the field,” says Jones. One of the “I want kids to get excited when they first play company’s popular lines, the Jokes On You with our toys, but then to come back time and Prank Kits, is sold as a kit not only to allow time again, each time finding new and fun Reeve & Jones to create a more valuable prodways to play.” Because of his experiences as a uct, but to give retailers an item that alleviated toy store owner, Jones had spent a great deal of the problems of selling individual pranks— time watching children in stores and seeing “messy, easy to shoplift, and never looked how they reacted to different types of products. great on the shelves,” according to Jones.
A
36 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT MAY 2010
Knowing what retailers need has allowed Reeve & Jones to form strong relationships with its retail partners. Because of this focus on imaginative play, Reeve & Jones has a number of products in a number of different categories. The company has a variety of art kits for children, such as the Draw/Sketch Artist Box and the Acrylic Artist Color Box. In addition, the company has developed roleplaying kits such as the Superhero Dress-Up Set and a Tea Trolley playset. Reeve & Jones also has a line of puppet theaters that are easy to set up in any home for children to put on a full-fledged show. These products span a variety of price points and age groups. “On the whole, we haven’t purposefully targeted a specific consumer demographic,” says Jones. “If we have a great idea and it fills a hole in our line, then that’s great, but it’s not always planned.” Though Reeve & Jones, like many manufacturers, endured difficulties during the economic slump, the company has steadily been recovering. Thanks to the owners’ relationships in the toy industry, the company has teamed up with PlaSmart (both Reeve and Jones have known PlaSmart’s owner Timothy Kimber for years). PlaSmart will act as a sales partner for Reeve & Jones, covering the company’s weaknesses in sales management and marketing with its own strengths and allowing Reeve & Jones to focus on toy design. “We saw our weakness, we recognized it and owned up to it,” says Jones. “We are very excited to be working with PlaSmart.” With a new partner in place and new product on the way, Reeve & Jones is ready for the future.
EVENTS OF
CALENDAR
Industry-Related Trade Shows JULY
12–15
HobbyTown USA National Convention hobbytown.com
Embassy Suites
Lincoln, NE
22–24
OASIS Gift Show
University of Phoenix Stadium
Phoenix
15–18
22–25
AUGUST 7–11
13–17
14–19
Tokyo Toy Show
toys.or.jp
Reed Gift Fairs
reedgiftfairs.com.au
Comic-Con International
comic-con.org
oasis.org
Minneapolis Mart Gift & Acc. Show
New York International Gift Fair
SEPTEMBER 17–19 25–26
mplsgiftmart.com nyigf.com
Hawaii Market Merchandise Expo douglastradeshows.com
Tokyo Big Sight
San Diego Convention Center
Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre
Minneapolis Mart Showroom
Jacob Javits Convention Center
Tokyo, Japan San Diego
Melbourne, Australia Minnetonka, MN
New York City
Blaisdell Exhibition Center
Honolulu
Indy Baby and Toddler Expo
bebepaluzza.com
Merchandise Mart
4–8
MIPCOM
mipworld.com
Palais des Festivals
Cannes, France
21–24
iHobby Expo
ihobbyexpo.com
Donald E. Stephens Convention Center
Rosemont, IL
28
OCTOBER 5–8
10–13
Time To Play Holiday Showcase
Fall Toy Preview
toyassociation.org
The ABC Expo Show
theabcshow.com
NOVEMBER 2–5
14–16
timetoplaymag.com
SEMA/AAPEX
sema.org
PLMA
plma.com
Altman Building
Dallas Market Center
Las Vegas Convention Center
Las Vegas Convention Center
Donald E. Stephens Convention Center
Denver
New York City
Dallas
Las Vegas
Las Vegas
Rosemont, IL
LICENSING INTERNATIONAL EXPO 2010 JUNE 8–10; MANDALAY BAY CONVENTION CENTER, LAS VEGAS;
WWW.LICENSINGEXPO.COM
FALL TOY PREVIEW 2010 OCTOBER 5–8; DALLAS MARKET CENTER, DALLAS; WWW.TOYASSOCIATION.ORG
AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL TOY FAIR 2011 FEB. 13–16; JACOB JAVITS CONVENTION CENTER, NEW YORK CITY; 38 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT MAY 2010
WWW.TOYASSOCIATION.ORG
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