TFE/TFE Licensing, October 2021 by aNb Media

TOYS · GAMES · TRENDS LICENSING · and more INSIDE THIS ISSUE: NEW & UPCOMING 2022 PRODUCT PREVIEW 2021 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY TTPM’s 2021 HOLIDAY MOST WANTED INSIGHTS FROM: -The Toy Association -WIT -ICTI Ethical Toy Program -RBG Sales -Design Edge ...and more!

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Contents · Oct. 2021 Vol. 16 · No. 3

Featured Content

Departments

TTPM's Holiday 2021 Most Wanted

Observations and Opinions

The Secret to Achieving Responsible Sourcing and a Larger Supplier Base Sarah Ng | ICTI Ethical Toy Program

Industry News

Partners in Play: The Gills Mary Couzin

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Q&A with ZURU's Adam Woods

2021 State of the Industry Victoria Sheridan

Industry Forum Design Edge

New & Upcoming Toy Preview Compiled by Victoria Sheridan

Industry Forum WIT

Prehistoric Play: Spotlight on Dino Toys

Sales Reps: Help Us Help You! Alan & Christine Blumberg | RBG Sales

Company Profile: Punkin Futz

On this Page 1. Space Jam: A New Legacy Dynamic Duo, Moose Toys 2. 5 Surprise Toy Mini Brands, ZURU 3. Electric Charge Pikachu, Jazwares

Trending Industry Forum The Toy Association

You're Hired

On the Cover Gabby's Dollhouse Purrfect Dollhouse by Spin Master. See TTPM's Holiday Most Wanted, page 6. 3 tfe October 2021

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Microbeats™ Microphone with lights, song, and voice effects

Riff Rock Ash™ with light-up hair and 5 play modes

SEE THE MOVIE

Singing Rosita Feature Plush

Stage Sparkles™ Figures with light-up bases

Buster, Ash, and Meena 5” Plush

TOYS DEBUTING FALL 2021

tfe Observations & Opinions

aNbMedia.com

Moving Forward BY BOB GLASER

I can’t believe we recently marked the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. It can’t possibly be 20 years ago that horrific act took place. I vividly remember commuting into New York City on the Long Island Rail Road. As the train approached the city, there was a brief moment where I could see smoke coming out of the first tower that was hit. Initial speculation was that a private pilot had a medical emergency and accidentally flew his plane into the tower. We all soon learned the horrible truth. Coincidentally, there was a toy show BOB GLASER, PUBLISHER going on at the time in the old “toy building” at 5th Avenue and 23rd Street. After going to my office in Times Square, I was going to walk down to the building. Of course, I never made it down to the building. This issue you are holding in your hands should have been distributed at the Dallas Toy Fair. As we all know, that show was cancelled. All of our lives changed dramatically after 9/11, just as they have now, as we continue to deal with the effects of the pandemic. Just as we are still impacted by the changes in our lives post-9/11, how long will the toy industry feel the effects of the way business has changed due to the pandemic? 2020 was a very good year sales-wise for the toy industry. Indications are 2021 will also be a very good year sales-wise as well. Once we as a world are able to control COVID-19, will the toy industry continue to experience the increase in sales? Will consumers continue to purchase at the same levels as they have recently, or as we return to “normal” will sales decline as other interests once again get attention? Will trade shows as we formally knew them return to what they once were, or have toy manufacturers learned they don’t need a show or to have as big of a presence at shows as they did pre-COVID to still get orders? Talking to manufacturers who went to Hong Kong regularly, the prevailing wisdom that is those trips will be much less frequent moving forward. When the pandemic took hold, many consumers “found” the internet for shopping. Again, as we return to normal will the consumer return to brick and mortar stores? Are in-person sales presentations a thing of the past? Many manufacturers now show product to retailers via Zoom meetings. WalMart and Target keep pushing back the date for buyers to return to the office, which necessitates more Zoom presentations. Will the cost of a container return to what it used to be? So many questions to be answered. As I always say, my crystal ball is never very clear. Only time will tell how the industry moves forward — just as we as a country moved forward after the events of 9/11. The one thing I do know is the toy industry, with all the challenges it faces, will find the way forward and continue to produce great products, and lasting memories, for children.

October 2021 · Volume 16, No. 3 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 Alan & Christine Blumberg, Mary Couzin, Kristin Morency Goldman, Megan Gardner, Amanda Marschall, Sarah Ng, Matthew Nuccio 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 October 2021

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TTPM's Holiday 2021 Most Wanted TTPM.com, the leader in video product reviews for toys, baby, and pet gear, recently released its

Holiday 2021 Most Wanted List. This year, the list is divided into four categories: Learning & Developmental Play, Activities & Active Play, Role Playing & Imaginative Play, and Entertainment/Influencers. Within each of the four categories, the TTPM Editorial Team has selected the HOT DOZEN™ — the top 12 toys in each category.

Learning & Developmental Play Hot Dozen™

Activities & Active Play Hot Dozen™

Blue's Clues & You! Cook-Along Kitchen Just Play

Adidas Original Superstar Set LEGO

Butter Slime Activity Sets WeCool

BattleBots Arena Max Hexbug

Choppin' Fun Learning Pot LeapFrog

Funkoverse Marvel Strategy Game Funko

CoComelon Deluxe Interactive JJ Jazwares

Got2Glow Fairy Finder WowWee

Fisher-Price 4-in-1 Ultimate Learning Bot Mattel

Hot Wheels Mario Kart Rainbow Road Mattel

Fisher-Price Imaginext Bat-Tech BatBot Mattel

Hot Wheels Ultimate Octo Car Wash Mattel

Kidizoom Print Cam VTech

Marvel Infinity Gauntlet LEGO

Little Tikes Pelican Explore and Fit Cycle MGA Entertainment

Nerf Command Base Battle Fort KidKraft

Moji the Lovable Labradoodle Skyrocket

Nerf Hyper Hasbro

Peppa Pig Peppa's Family Motorhome Hasbro

Nickelodeon Slime Metallic Mixer Studio Cra-Z-Art

PJ Masks Deluxe Battle HQ Hasbro

The Original Spirograph Animator PlayMonster

Play-Doh Rising Cake Oven Hasbro

World Map LEGO

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Entertainment/Influencers Hot Dozen™ Role Playing & Imaginative Play Hot Dozen™ 5 Surprise Toy Mini Brands ZURU Barbie Dream House Mattel B-Kind Dolls Jada Cry Babies Magic Tears Storyland IMC L.O.L. Surprise! Color Change MGA Entertainment L.O.L. Surprise! Tweens MGA Entertainment Magic Mixies Magic Cauldron Moose Toys My Squishy Little Dumplings WowWee Rainbocorns Talkin' Jelly Shake Surprise ZURU

Blippi Get Ready and Play Plush Jazwares Blue's Clues & You! Check-Up Time Blue Just Play Bluey's Ultimate Caravan Adventures Moose Toys FGeeTV Mr. Beats Boombox Bonkers Gabby's Dollhouse Purrfect Dollhouse Spin Master Marvel Spidey and His Amazing Friends Web-Quarters Playset MGA Entertainment PAW Patrol: The Movie Ultimate City Tower/ Vehicles Spin Master Ryan's World Galaxy Explorers Mega Mystery Rocketship Just Play Spy Ninjas Covert Communicators Playmates Toys

Squishville Minis and Fifi's Cottage Jazwares

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles vs. Cobra Kai Action Figures Playmates Toys

Treasure X Monster Gold Moose Toys

Vlad & Niki Crazy Rocketship Playset Playmates Toys

VIP Pets Color Boost IMC

WeWearCute So Glittery Hand Spa Spin Master 7 tfe October 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

Hasbro to Open Immersive Experience, ‘The Game Room,’ at American Dream Complex Hasbro and Kilburn Live are bringing a new family entertainment center concept to the American Dream entertainment and retail complex in Bergen County, New Jersey. “The Game Room powered by Hasbro” is an immersive concept that will incorporate the company’s brands such as Monopoly, G.I. Joe, My Little Pony, Hungry Hungry Hippos, Clue, Connect Four, and Candyland. American Dream is a three million-square-foot venue housing a mix of entertainment, shopping, and dining. It’s home to attractions that include DreamWorks Water Park, Nickelodeon Universe Theme Park, Legoland Discovery Center, Sea Life Aquarium, Big Snow Ski Hill, and more.

Playtime PR Unveils ‘The Play Group’ Global Collective U.K.-based PR agency Playtime has rebranded its newly expanded collective of global PR companies as “The Play Group.” Partnering with specialists in the U.S., Germany, Italy, and Spain, Playtime’s strategic move ensures its clients have access to PR specialists in even more territories. The founding members of the network — first established in 2018 — include Playtime PR, headed by CEO Lesley Singleton and director of strategy and creative, Ceriann Smith; PlayWise Partners in the U.S. led by co-founders Sheena Stephens and Rachel Griffin; blattertPR covering Germany and Austria, led by twin sisters and co-managing partners Sabine and Miriam Blattert; Be Now Communication, based in Spain and founded by siblings Begoña and Pablo Gonzalez; and Italy’s Pragmatika, under the direction of president and CEO Rossella Lucangelo. The Play Group network enables each agency’s teams and clients to tap into insights from other territories to help localize strategies and deliver campaigns in a culturally relevant way; it offers a solution to existing clients looking for similar agency approaches in other countries, as well as new brands seeking a one-agency-style approach but with localized solutions.

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Grogu (AKA ‘Baby Yoda’) Will Debut in Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade as Funko Pop!-Inspired Balloon Grogu — a.k.a. “Baby Yoda” from The Mandalorian on Disney+ — will make his Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade debut this year as a Funko Pop! inspired balloon.

Designed after the Funko Pop! Grogu figure, the balloon will measure 41 feet high, 29 feet long, and 37 feet wide. Funko has also created a limited edition Grogu balloon-inspired product line to commemorate the character’s appearance in the parade, which takes place this Thanksgiving on Thursday, November 25.

ASTRA Introduces New Board Members for 2021-2024 The American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA) appointed a slate of new board members who will serve through 2024. Every year at Marketplace & Academy, board members whose three-year terms are ending exit the board, and new members assume their new roles for three years. Kevin McGrath has resigned as board member and chairman of the board at ASTRA. Taking his place, effective immediately is Jeanie Crone, who has served on the Board of Directors. She is the director of sales at ASTRA manufacturer member OjO Games. The 2021 executive committee consists of Crone, Amy Saldana, Betty Skoke Burns, Tom Rushton, Corey Funkey and Lisa Orman. The new class of ASTRA 2021-2024 board members also includes TJ Simmons, Theresa Duncan, Gene Murtha, Azhelle Wade, Brice Elvington, Patrick Holland, and Sari Wiaz.

WIT Appoints New Board Members for 2021 Women in Toys, Licensing, & Entertainment (WIT) announced the appointment of six new members to its Board of Directors for 2021. In January, four members were elected to serve their first term: Mattel EVP and chief people officer Amy Thompson; ViacomCBS SVP of retail sales and marketing Kristi Wasmer; Toy’n Around senior sales executive Michelle Weber; and Warner Bros. director of PR Shawn Smith. Two more candidates were elected in August 2021 to serve their first term — Jazwares director of marketing Angelina Castro and 9Story Media Group’s co-VP of consumer products and vice president of distribution, Kristin Lecour. 9 tfe October 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 September 15, 2021.

Top 10 Trending Toys Barbie Fast Cast Clinic Playset Mattel Barbie Color Reveal Foodie Series Mattel

2 Top 3 Trending Pet

Hot Wheels Mario Kart Mario Circuit Mattel

Deluxe Crystal Litter Box System PetSafe

Treasure X Aliens Ultimate Dissection Moose Toys

Lick Mat for Dogs Adianzi

Monopoly Longest Game Ever Hasbro Rainbow High Dolls MGA Entertainment Barbie Color Reveal Doll Mattel Spy Ninja Sets Playmates Toys Gabby's Dollhouse Purrfect Dollhouse, Gabby Girl Doll, & Figure Sets Spin Master Magic Mixies Magic Cauldron Moose Toys

Top 5 Trending Baby One4Life Car Seat Britax

TOGfit Pet Roadster Hauck

PopYum 9 oz. Baby Bottle PopYum LLC Pria 3-in-1 Convertible Car Seat Maxi-Cosi Jeep Wrangler Stroller Wagon Delta Children Zelia Max 5-in-1 Modular Travel System Maxi-Cosi

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INDUSTRY FORUM TOY ASSOCIATION

The Toy Association Promotes the Latest Trends in Toys, Play, & Youth Entertainment By Kristin Morency Goldman As a benefit to its members and the wider toy community, The Toy Association continues to track and report on the hottest trends in toys, play, and youth entertainment, in order to promote toy companies’ products in the media and raise awareness of the valuable impact of play on the healthy development of children and on the mental well-being of adults, especially as the COVID-19 pandemic rages on. “Our trend team’s year-round efforts explore what’s happening in the U.S. and globally in terms of how families are spending their leisure time, which social media trends are impacting how kids play, and what’s happening in other industries and in the world at large, to ensure that we’re in tune with the likes and dislikes of families and what influences their purchasing habits,” said Adrienne Appell, senior vice president of marketing communications at The Toy Association. “All of the trend information we gather is crucial in helping our member companies promote and position their playthings in a way that truly resonates with their audiences.” In February, the trends team announced the top toy & play trends of 2021, noting that the pandemic would continue to have a significant impact on play and family lifestyles. From “Zen-sational toys” that support mental health and wellness, to “kidult” toys that offer a means of escape for adults, each of the top trends underscore the incredible ability of play to inject levity and healing into our lives during times of uncertainty and stress. The team continues to promote these trends in TV segments nationwide; to date, 66 unique products from 51 companies have been shared with millions of viewers. These products are also featured in the “As Seen on TV” section on The Genius of Play website (www.GeniusofPlay.org). As the team monitors how trends are evolving, they will present a Q4 Update this fall. The presentation will offer insight into what will be hot this Christmas. Expect to hear about the evolving kidult trend (including products that appeal to grown-up toy lovers and nostalgic toys that get the

whole family playing together), sustainable toys and commitments from eco-conscious companies, and a rise in fidget and multisensory toys. The team is also continuing its annual fall tradition of meeting with companies in-person and virtually for insight into what will be topping kids’ wish lists next year. The product information gathered (under embargo) will be used by the team to help formulate the official top trends of 2022, to be announced at the popular Toy Trends Briefing presentation at Toy Fair New York in February. The presentation is held annually for media, buyers, and other play professionals (in 2021 the presentation was held virtually), and covers developments in retail and family shopping habits, sustainability and social topics, technology, fashion, social media and pop culture, and more, all while showcasing unique new toys that are expected to drive global industry sales. “Keeping up with what’s trending among kids is no easy task for the toy industry, which is why our trends team works year-round to stay in-the-know about what will influence the development of the next hit toys and games. Our seminar at Toy Fair represents the culmination of our work to track and identify what will resonate with families. We can’t wait to share what’s in store for 2022!” added Appell. For more information about The Toy Association’s trend activities, visit ToyAssociation.org/trends.

As The Toy Association’s senior advisor of strategic communications, Kristin Morency Goldman keeps members of the toy community apprised of the latest global developments in toy trends, safety, retail, marketplace events, international trade, market research, and other topics impacting the business of toys and youth entertainment. She holds a master’s degree in media, culture, and communications from NYU.

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INDUSTRY FORUM TOY ASSOCIATION

Think You Have a Great STEAM Toy? Earn an Official ‘Stamp of Approval’ for Your Product By Kristin Morency Goldman Companies with outstanding STEAM toys and games are encouraged to participate in the toy industry’s only official STEAM Toy Accreditation Program for a chance to receive an official “STEAM Stamp of Approval” for their products. Launched by The Toy Association and Dr. Gummer’s Good Play Guide ™, the STEAM Toy Accreditation Program is the first official standard for the toy industry that evaluates and certifies STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) products for children. This initiative, which provides toy companies with an independent, third-party product review and stamp of approval, is the latest step in The Toy Association’s multi-year undertaking to bring more clarity, both within the toy industry and among consumers, to the growing movement of STEM/STEAM products for children. “Parents and other gift-givers can at times feel overwhelmed while searching for high-quality educational toys and games for their children,” explained Anna Yudina, senior director of marketing initiatives at The Toy Association. “Earning the STEAM Stamp of Approval can help your product stand out in front of shoppers this holiday season and throughout the year, and ultimately boost sales – as well as open the doors to various promotional opportunities that come with being accredited.” “Within the toy industry there is a lot of talk about STEM and STEAM, but until now we’ve had no universally accepted system or uniform understanding of what is or isn’t ‘good enough’ to warrant such a label,” added Dr. Amanda Gummer, child psychologist and founder of the Good Play Guide™. “This commitment from The Toy Association is a huge move for the industry which now sets a clear benchmark for future STEAM product and activities development.” Products submitted for consideration will first be tested by the industry’s most demanding audience – children. While the kids play, they will be observed by professionals who have been trained to carry out research with children in a robust

and ethically responsible way. The toys will then be evaluated by the Good Play Guide’s™ team of experts, who will ensure they meet the strict criteria outlined in The Toy Association’s “STEAM Toy Assessment Framework,” which defines and details the specific characteristics of a good STEAM toy for various age groups, including: 1) whether the toy is fun, accessible, inclusive, and has good play value; 2) whether it has all six key attributes that should underlie a STEAM toy (active involvement, real-world relevance, logical thinking, arts, free exploration, and support of step-by-step learning); and 3) whether it builds age-appropriate skills in at least two of the four STEM-specific areas (science, technology, engineering, and math). Accredited products will receive the STEAM Stamp of Approval for use in marketing campaigns, product packaging and listings, and all other digital and traditional marketing platforms, and will be featured on the websites and social channels of both the Good Play Guide™ and The Toy Association’s Genius of Play. Accredited toys can also be featured in the Good Play Guide’s ™ marketing campaigns throughout the year and in the run-up to the busy holiday season. Companies will receive a promotional toolkit, including a template press release, sample social media posts, and images with the seal, to help get the word out about their accredited toys to consumers and media. Toy professionals who would like to learn more about this opportunity and how to make sure their products stand out in front of those who are evaluating submissions are encouraged to watch a webinar that provides an in-depth look at the program (visit www.ToyAssociation.org/webinars to access the recording). Complete details about the STEAM Toy Accreditation Program can be found online at ToyAssociation.org/STEAM. Questions about The Toy Association’s STEM/STEAM initiative may be directed to steam@toyassociation.org.

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INDUSTRY FORUM DESIGN EDGE

Matt Nuccio on the reasons why packaging may fail in the toy aisle.

THE DESIGNER’S PERSPECTIVE

Avoid These Common Packaging Mistakes BY

MATTHEW NUCCIO

While many will go to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Guggenheim, or the Louvre to engulf themselves in art and culture, I will simply walk the aisles in retail. Grocery stores, pharmacies, departments stores, sporting goods stores...and of course, my favorite, the toy store. And you may think I’d be there looking to find what packages are new and/or outstanding. But I am also there looking to see what is failing and why. So here are three reasons why I believe packaging can often fail at retail: Monochromatic Layouts When I’m speaking about packaging at trade shows, I’ll mention my far-too-often experience with startup companies who have fun products sitting on retail shelves, contacting me completely confused as to why they have such poor sales. Many times, it’s a case of them having decided on some very thought-out, but not quite aesthetically pleasing monochromatic packaging. My first question is: “From what design discipline does your designer come from?” The answer is often surprising. The designer’s background is almost always from some sort of printing or web design. The potential problem with that is, unlike print and web designers, consumers picking up your package at retail locations are not a captured audience. They are far more random! By making your toy packaging monochromatic, what you are essentially doing is making your product camouflage itself on the shelf. It all but disappears. You need to make sure the right elements pop off of the package and capture a potential buyer’s attention. Using 10 shades of the same blue won’t easily achieve this effect, even with an accent color. It’s far too risky and way too few designers can pull this off.

All joking aside, there needs to be a spacial relationship that will balance it out. Certain letters come with space by default: As, Ls, Ts, Is, etc. Default spacing doesn’t always solve this potential space issue — especially where logo design is concerned. In fact it rarely does. This awareness and sense of aesthetic for letter space is a Design Edge staple! We teach our interns to imagine a small ball that needs to travel within the negative space between the letters and in a channel that is a perfect size for that ball. It is then their job, as the designer, to make sure that ball can travel perfectly between the letters without getting stuck or having too much space on either side. Our regular designers are well-experienced in this matter as well.

All the time, I meet designers who think that just making a font large and bold constitutes a logo.

Poorly Spaced Type All the time, I meet designers who think that just making a font large and bold constitutes a logo. And while I will confess that, on occasion it can work, nothing drives me crazier than a designer who doesn’t know how to properly space letters beside each other! It is a pet pee ve — see what I did there? Didn’t that drive you nuts?

Overly Attractive Layouts That Tell No Story I see this a lot when designers over-aim for the specialty market. They make these stunningly gorgeous layouts that don’t tell you diddly-squat about the actual product itself. For the designer, it can be a proud centerpiece for their portfolio, but to the manufacturer it can be a financial disaster with thousands of pieces in dead inventory. It all goes back to the points I stated earlier, that these packages are basically really attractive people with no brains. If you’re having a hard time conveying the idea behind your product on its own package, then perhaps you have limited real estate or limited production requirements. In these cases I suggest you roll with the “Steve Buscemi” approach to packaging...you know, the actor who looks like the gangster-version of Don Knotts. You may know him from HBO’s Boardwalk Empire, The Sopranos or Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs. Anyway, he is so odd-looking in a unique way that he becomes attractive. Don’t get so hung up making your package “sexy” — make it “Buscemi.” The odd-looking package that stands out in the store full of conventionally sexy packages. Matt Nuccio is president of Design Edge, a New York-based graphic design and research development studio. For more information, he can be reached at Matt@DesignEdge.net.

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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.

FEATURED CONTENT

The Secret to Achieving Responsible Sourcing and a Larger Supplier Base BY SARAH NG | MANAGER, CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS, ICTI ETHICAL TOY PROGRAM (IETP) Why is Responsible Sourcing Important? Businesses now face multiple challenges in the global supply chain: labor shortages, shipping crises, and record-high container rates, to name just a few. At the same time, regulatory bodies and consumers expect businesses to ensure their operations and products uphold sustainability and social responsibility standards. When procurement professionals are under tremendous pressure, responsible sourcing strategy becomes more important than ever. Sourcing responsibly provides procurement professionals crucial insights into the social metrics of their global supply chain, helping them to comply with regulations such as the Modern Slavery Act, protecting their reputation, and mitigating supply chain disruption to ensure their products arrive on shelf, on time. Does Responsible Sourcing mean we need to replace our suppliers? What happens to our supplier base? Working with suppliers that meet your responsible sourcing standards will not negatively impact your supplier base. Sourcing responsibly is, indeed, a clear opportunity to achieve greater visibility and diversify your supply chain. IETP is a widely-trusted responsible sourcing standard, with 98% of retailer and manufacturer acceptance. Over 1,000 global suppliers have joined our Factory Certification Program or Social Impact Assessment Program. Our database is made up of suppliers who have been evaluated using our industry-wide accepted standard, organizations can therefore easily be connected with their “best-fit supplier.” IETP streamlines the supplier screening process, providing assurance that products made by the suppliers in our program meet the ethical sourcing requirements of the industry. We created our exclusive Connect Platform to link your global supply chain with our pool of responsible suppliers. The Platform allows you to search for suppliers based on your specific needs, review their social compliance history, stay informed with their real-time updates, as well as receive custom alerts when potential supply chain disruptions occur. When you adopt the ICTI Ethical Toy Program into your ethical sourcing strategy, we connect your global supply chain with our cohort of responsible suppliers. What happens with my current suppliers? We understand you value the trust and long-term relationships you have built with your suppliers and these are important to maintain. To achieve greater visibility, we suggest the following steps: 1. Supply Chain Mapping and Initial Risk Assessment — This is a critical first step to drive transparency, so you know who your suppliers are and where your products come from. Identify the risk levels of each source country via available resources such as the Global Slavery Index or the Child Labor Index. 2. Monitor and manage risks — Based upon the level of risk measured, allocate them adequate monitoring programs. Suppliers from high-risk countries should go

through a full monitoring program. Comprehensive assessments combined with onsite audits or visits such as the Factory Certification Program we operate would help identify unauthorized sub-contracting or other serious gaps preventing your transparency goals. For lower-risk countries, remote assessment such as the Social Impact Assessment Program would help you establish whether a business partner currently has an effective management system in place to maintain good labor practices and ensure safe workplace conditions. What happens to the non-compliant suppliers? How can we bring them up to our standard? Just like you, your suppliers are also facing multiple operational challenges. At IETP, we take proactive actions to assure all non-compliances are rectified. Our on-the-ground teams offer bespoke engagement activities to help the suppliers in our program identify the root cause of non-compliances and helping them find sustainable solutions to prevent further or future non-compliances. Furthermore, suppliers need to understand your expectations. At IETP, we offer tailored capacity building courses as well as regularly speaking at supplier conferences to communicate the expectations of buyers, helping them improve to the standards expected. For example, we believe workplace safety is crucial as it helps to ensure a safe, harmonious, and productive work environment for all. To communicate this with the suppliers in our program, we host complimentary webinars on workplace safety, helping to build suppliers’ understanding and capability to identify and avoid potential electrical, fire, and machinery incidents. The changes needed to build a sustainable supply chain cannot be achieved by audit alone. A sustainable supply chain requires industry-wide knowledge and collaborative efforts; IETP is here to facilitate this. For support to help you advance your ESG (Environment, Social, Governance) objectives, achieve supply chain sustainability, or to find ideas on how to invest for positive social impact, contact join@ethicaltoyprogram.org and find out how we can support your goals.

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INDUSTRY FORUM WOMEN IN TOYS

WIT’s Young Professional Network: Helping You Start (or Restart!) Your Career BY

AMANDA MARSCHALL AND MEGAN GARDNER

Amanda Marschall and Megan Gardner, co-chairs of the Women in Toys, Licensing & Entertainment Young Professionals Network, explain how the WIT YPN can support anyone early in their career, looking for a career change, or re-entering the workforce — regardless of their age.

Picture this: You are three months from your college graduation. You majored in something you love, but don’t really know how it relates to the real world. You are job hunting but you don’t quite understand what job title you should put into your search. You aimlessly stare at your computer screen wondering what your next step is and wish you had some guidance and advice. Does that sound familiar? In many ways, this is the story of what we have all faced at some point in life — a desire for the next step, without really understanding what that could be. That is, until you have an enlightening conversation, the fog starts to rise, and you begin to feel in control of what your career steps look like. This crossroads is exactly where the WIT Young Professionals Network has swooped in to assist. We’re Megan Gardner and Amanda Marschall and we’re the co-chairs for the Women in Toys, Licensing & Entertainment Young Professionals Network (WIT YPN) — and we have set out to cultivate a network of brilliant women who support and inspire one another. Our network’s purpose is to ensure those new and not-sonew to the industry have the tools they need to succeed through a passionate network of peers and a variety of custom programming. At our core, we are all about career development. Through formal and informal events and sessions, we design our YPN programming to allow those interested to get involved in the way that best suits their needs. While the name “young” professionals network has typically insinuated a particular age group, we have decided to reinvent that mindset. Instead, we are fully inclusive of all, looking at

“young” as someone early in their career, someone looking for a career change, or someone re-entering the workforce. Through this desired purpose, we have had the opportunity to bring together a dedicated group of women who serve on the YPN committee and have created memorable and thought-provoking programming such as our Career Kick Off Month and a Shame-Free Book Club.

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In any industry, understanding and growth typically come from the seasoned colleagues around you. However, if you are just starting (or restarting!) your career search, you don’t necessarily have people to turn to for advice. To aid in this lack of resources, the WIT YPN created and hosted a Career Kick Off Month earlier in 2021, which encompassed programming catered to a variety of potential needs. We held mock interview slots where you could be paired with industry leaders to test out your go-to answers during an interview. We had resume workshops where you could submit your resume to a panel of various hiring managers for feedback on areas of opportunity to make you stand out. We had a webinar on how to get the most out of your LinkedIn profile. We held a fun virtual happy hour so you could grow your personal network. And those are just a few examples of what was offered. Through the design and implementation of this programming month, we were very conscious that everyone has slightly different needs and set out to create opportunities for people to drop in and out of the sessions that would benefit them most. Over the years we have learned that the power of a great network and the personal connections it fosters can be invaluable. One of the ways we aim to promote personal connections is through our book club. We run a Shame-Free Book Club, which means we put zero pressure on people to actually read the book before coming to the book club discussion. If someone started it but didn’t finish, they are welcome! If someone intended to start it, but life got in the way, we still want them at the discussion meeting! Finished it and loved it? They will add a wonderful perspective! Our objective is to cultivate meaningful dialogue, using books as the conduit. We have found that our discussions typically take on a life of their own and end up inspiring members to look at problems differently, speak up in a meeting more quickly next time, or even give them the confidence to pursue the next step in their career. It is a wonderful place for those on the job hunt to come, discuss, and learn from a collection of exceptional individuals. The next goal we have set out to accomplish is related to the connection with college students. WIT generously offers free memberships to students, which provides them with a massive opportunity to learn from and connect with the industry. We want to make the WIT YPN the conduit between

universities and the industry to create a pipeline of diverse talent. We want to be the resource that a prospective graduate sees at their career center, and thinks, “Wow, that seems like an incredible industry and organization to be a part of! How do I get involved?” For us, it is about getting WIT and the YPN known around college campuses so that we can help better equip students in knowing how to start their career, but also provide employers the opportunity to pull from a strong talent pool. We’d love for you to join us on our mission in providing programming and connection avenues for those starting or restarting their careers. To find us, you can scan the QR code to head over to the WIT website and become a WIT YPN member today. Also, don’t forget to follow WIT on social media @womenintoys — we’re so excited to meet you!

Amanda Marschall is the senior manager of learning and development at The LEGO Group. Megan Gardner is the senior manager of business improvement at The LEGO Group. They are both based out of Enfield, Connecticut.

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FEATURED CONTENT

Partners in Play: Q&A With Richard Gill & Catherine McMillen Gill BY MARY COUZIN

Richard Gill is VP international at PlayMonster and Catherine McMillen Gill is the president of McGill Associates. Catherine and Richard epitomize the title of this new series, Partners in Play. They have been my dear friends for a long time and are generous, fun-loving, smart, connected, tres chic and more. And, anyone who knows Catherine knows she LOVES taking photos. At the time it can be annoying (sorry, Catherine), but over time one is quite glad she took those photos. She sent me about 20 to choose from for this profile and it was sweet to remember many of the occasions they were taken. Enjoy getting to know them!

Mary Couzin: Who does what? Do you divide the turf, take turns, or is it more like a game of Twister? Richard and Catherine: We both have our strengths and lean on each other throughout our daily activities. Now that we work separately… the turf has to be divided with an invisible wall between our offices, but that’s no ‘Trouble’!

Pictured: Richard and Catherine (center) with Bananagrams’ Rena Nathanson (left) and Martinex’s Jenni Jalava (right)

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Do you keep work at work, or does it follow you home like a Pound Puppy? Our life is so intertwined, work is home, home is work, colleagues are friends which become family! One big game of Operation! Is working together a Superpower, or more of a Perplexus? Mostly a superpower. Sometimes Batman and Robin…don’t ask which one is which! When in doubt, we battle it out with a round of Smart 10 or a favorite pack of Top Trumps, which can take less than five seconds!

Richard and Catherine with the Top Trumps Tournament winners at the Chicago Toy & Game Fair with special guest Rory O’Connor, inventor of Rory’s Story Cubes

Do you ever feel shrink-wrapped by too much togetherness? Never, quite the opposite; being apart is our worst day ever. In 12 years, I don’t think we’ve spent more than 12 nights ever apart from one another — and our focus being global, our togetherness has been more nights on planes, in trains, or cars than the average Barbie and Ken! We jump for joy when we have a few days between trade show events when we can sneak far away to a remote island. Ever had a Rock-em, Sock-em issue between you that broke into your Dream House?

From top: 1. Catherine and Richard with the inventor of Operation, John Spinello 2. ‘Jumping for joy’ 3. Richard and Catherine with their furry feline kitty.

None that we can recall — the toy industry has been great to both of us over the years…truly a ‘Game of Life’ (except our car travels with rescued furry feline kids). 25 tfe October 2021

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FEATURED CONTENT

Q&A: Adam Woods, ZURU Creative Director Adam Woods, creative director at ZURU, has helped develop brands for the company including Rainbocorns, Smashers, Robo Alive, and Pets Alive. He is also the inventor of the TikTok-favorite, collectible 5 Surprise Mini Brands line. In this Q&A, Woods talks about the biggest trends in the toy industry, the social media success of Mini Brands, the creative process behind the latest Rainbocorns extensions — and more.

To start, can you give us an overview of your role at ZURU? Adam Woods: I joined ZURU five years ago to head up the company’s creative department as their global creative director. Working closely with co-founder Mat Mowbray, my responsibilities range from launching new brands, growing existing product lines and solidifying the ZURU’s collectibles portfolio. Our goal: establish ubiquitous pillar brands across value, trend, and innovation categories that disrupt and succeed. From the growing award-winning Rainbocorns plush range, the top-selling 5 Surprise Mini Brands brand, to the consistently top-ranked Bunch O Balloons, I’m thrilled to be a part of a team that has taken multiple brands to the top of the U.S. NPD rankings and ingrained them in the hearts and homes of millions.

When you boil it down, one of the most exciting and most fun parts of working in toys is creating ideas for new brands and toys that we think kids will LOVE! That’s what it is all about, right? The play! The excitement! We manufacture over 600,000 toys every day and distribute to over 121 countries! It’s a great feeling to bring joy and happiness to kids worldwide. What do you see as the biggest trends in the toy industry right now and how is ZURU putting its own spin on those trends? AW: Ironically, one of the BIGGEST trends is small. Great toys are often a reflection of the things we see in our everyday lives. Our 5 Surprise Mini Brands and Toy Mini Brands line harnessed this observation! Since we launched 5 Surprise Mini Brands in 2019, millions worldwide have chased and collected the tiny exact replicas of the world’s most iconic, beloved brands. The idea itself — combining blind surprise reveals, miniature collectibles and the fun of shopping — has been a huge success! Today it is one of the #1 selling items in the States with

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over 140 million sold. I give huge props to our team for executing an enormous licensing program as well as to our design and free form engineering team. Their attention to detail in the sculptures and printing is just world class. From Hershey’s Chocolate Sauce, Kraft Mac and Cheese, Heinz Ketchup, Pez Candies, and Post’s Cereals, currently, there are over 400 different iconic brands made. The popularity of Mini Brands on social media is just mind boggling, another trend-setting element to a brand’s success these days. There are over three billion views on TikTok! From product development, brand extensions, to injecting the social space with Mini Brands, we’re tripling down on the mini trend to create an evergreen line and are so excited about what we have in development!

The pandemic has created a lot of demand for toys and games that keep kids entertained, active, and mentally stimulated while staying and learning at home. Have pandemic-related toy trends had an impact on your creative approach/process in any way? AW: Most definitely. Adding superior play value is something ZURU has always delivered. COVID has reinforced value at affordability is more pertinent than ever. For instance, Smashers Lava Light-Up Dino Mega Surprise is a thrilling epic dino experience allowing kids to excavate and create while exploring! We gauge it’s at least a 45-minute unboxing adventure with 25 interactive surprises all priced for under $25. With trend lines like Rainbocorns and Smashers, we have really strived to ensure the play experience and value is as long and as engaging as we can make it. They’re fantastic boredom killers and truly create a stimulating, emotional connection and experience that rewards the purchase. You were very involved in creating ZURU’s Rainbocorns brand, which recently launched new Rainbocorns Puppycorn Surprise, Rainbocorns Fairycorn Surprise, and Rainbocorns Jelly Shake Surprise. Can you tell us about the creative process behind these new extensions on Rainbocorns? AW: Rainbocorns is just a really fun brand. It’s one of my favorites and I love looking back to how it started and how far it has grown! It was born out of irreverence and that’s been a huge part of its success. We were in a brainstorming session and I just sketched a giant egg with a unicorn horn. It may have been deliberately

ostentatious — it drew laughter and sparked excitement. Soon we conceptualized a plush which features zany unicorn-themed creatures hatched from a mystery egg with layers of rainbows, sparkles, surprises, magical hearts, and fun names like boo-boo corns and rainbocorn poop! Two years later, it’s become an iconic footprint with multiple recognitions. We’ve been awarded Plush Toy of the Year at both the U.K. and Australian Toy of the Year Awards, as well as the coveted People’s Choice Awards at the Toy of the Year Awards in New York in 2019. So it stands to reason we’re pushing the themes and in-store theatre to branch into more ridiculousness! A lot of the fun starts with asking: What else can we pop out of the egg? Puppy ears, bunny tails, wings, and so much more; and then we snowball into great character development and themes. The brand also has a licensed property with apparel, stationery and more, as well as a digital component with over a dozen Rainbocorns webisodes launched at ZURU’s online kids hub. Every other week, new two-to-three minute episodes will bring the quirky, imaginative characters to life. Can you give us any insight into what to expect from ZURU? AW: We have a lot up our sleeve! While it is too soon to reveal, it’s safe to say ZURU will continue to deliver in the core categories we are known for and ready to launch products that promise to disrupt, excite, and entertain; we are also investing in entertainment content. Our team works so harmoniously, we just get down in the weeds and do the work and have a LOT of fun, making fun. The results speak for themselves. I am privileged to be a part of it. 27 tfe October 2021

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FEATURED CONTENT

2021 State of the Industry

Toy manufacturers share their thoughts on the shipping crisis, trending toy categories, and evolving beyond just toys. By Victoria Sheridan Since 2020, the pandemic has driven demand for toys and games that manu-

generations are games and puzzles — a favorite with buyers since early in the

facturers say is not slowing down.

pandemic.

“The toy industry continues to demonstrate how resilient it is and continues to experience growth,” Laura Zabersky, president of Jazwares, tells TFE. And growth appears strong across a wide range of product categories, as consumers seek products they and their family members of all ages can enjoy together.

“Families are still gathering and looking for fun things to do, and now games are an even bigger part of their repertoire,” say Jason Lautenschleger and Barry McLaughlin, who co-founded and co-own Barry & Jason Games and Entertainment. According to Lautenschleger and

“In regard to the last year and all of the extremely challenging circumstanc-

McLaughlin, family games remain the

es for everyone, instead of looking at it as ‘pandemic play,’ there has been a

company’s biggest seller, while adult

complete magnifying glass put on what play is in general,” says Moose Toys’

party games “are doing better than

president and general manager, Glenn Abell. “Play has become integral in

they were in 2020.”

families’ lives, instead of simply something that entertains kids.” Skip Kodak, president of the LEGO Group’s Americas region, echoes this

Kim Boyd, head of global brands and consumer innovation at Hasbro,

idea, noting that families are turning to LEGO’s bricks and sets as a means of

says its Wizards of the Coast and

bonding and connecting.

digital gaming segment revenues

“Our research shows that the quality time families discovered while bonding

increased 118% in the second quarter

over building with LEGO bricks is something that both parents and kids con-

this year, with Magic: The Gathering

tinue to prioritize, with the trend being even higher among kids who say they

and Dungeons & Dragons contributing

want to spend more time playing as a family – a definite silver lining of the

significantly to this growth.

pandemic that has significantly increased our active users,” Kodak says. He adds that the company also “saw a surge in LEGO sales to grown-ups who used building as a way to

“While the overall retail landscape is improving, we have seen extraordinary growth in the games’ category,” says Boyd. Digital gaming is also one of Spin Master’s strong points — a category that

unplug, unwind, and relax as they

president and CEO Max Rangel says is “experiencing a sharp increase that

navigated pandemic life.” LEGO

commenced in Q2 2020 that’s being sustained, primarily driven by our Toca

has introduced several products

Life World platform and Sago Mini subscription base. Kids are spending more

geared toward older builders, such

time socializing with their friends in these expansive digital playgrounds

as Botanicals, Art, and replicas

which allow them to create, connect, and share.”

from TV series like Friends and Seinfeld, and even launched an “Adults Welcome” campaign inviting grown-ups to build. The LEGO Group “saw a surge in LEGO sales to grown-ups who used building as a way to unplug, unwind, and relax as they navigated pandemic life,” Skip Kodak says.

“While the overall retail landscape is improving, we have seen extraordinary growth in the games’ category,” Hasbro’s Kim Boyd tells TFE.

One product category that continues to appeal to multiple

Greater sales of video games have also sparked more interest in video game-inspired toys. “We can’t forget the growth we’ve seen in Jazwares’ action figure category due to our strong portfolio of gaming brands,” Zabersky notes. “Video games are seeing an all-time level of high fan engagement which has resulted in high demand for figures across all our brands.”

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Another top-seller for Jazwares is its Squishmallows brand —

Space Jam: A New Legacy range. “Kids and fans of Space Jam, past and present, appreciated the level of inter-

among all ages, but particularly

active play, attention to detail in our action figures and, something Moose is

GenZ — which has topped four

well-known for, the collectability of the toys,” he says.

billion impressions on TikTok. “The plush category is definitely one of the fastest growing catego-

And combining outdoor active play with retro appeal, PlayMonster’s Koosh range — a recent relaunch of the classic toy from the ‘80s and ‘90s — is receiving “a great response” says president Tim Kilpin.

ries we are seeing in the industry right now,” she says. “With the miniature category trending as a collectible, we’ve expanded our range and it is working well,” Alan Dorfman says of Super Impulse

With children having recently returned to school, STEM toys like the magnetic construction sets

produced by Magformers are helping to supplement education. “Consumers are recognizing that our brand and geometric shapes are a great compliment for building math skills and supporting home schooling,” says senior marketing manager Freddie Jordan. “Magformers puts the fun in educational toys.”

Waiting for the ship to come in With demand for toys, games, and activities remaining high going into the holiday season, manufacturers face a new issue — shipping. Shipping challenges for manufacturers across all industries include container shortages, as well as long wait times at ports and higher rates. “This container shortage is a real crisis,” says Turtle. “Many companies simply cannot get inventory in the country. The shipping crisis has had such an impact on the toy industry that the Toy Association has gotten involved, urging Congress and several government

Abell points out that collectibles are another category experiencing a bump. “Real Littles and Shopkins continue to go from strength to strength,” he says. “The appeal of these miniature versions of everyday products are delighting kids and collectors all over the world.”

agencies to prioritize resolving the crisis. Still, manufacturers remain determined to keep inventory stocked in time for the holidays. “Basically we’ve set up a war room in both our home office in the states and

Known for its miniature versions of toy, video game, and other brands, Super Impulse is also benefiting from the collectible craze.

in Hong Kong. We are working logistics in a very opportunistic guerilla-like fashion and making new alliances daily to move goods from the factories to

“Our products have always sold well as impulse items, but with the miniature category trending as a collectible, we’ve expanded our range and it is working well,” says CEO Alan Dorfman.

the retail distribution centers,” says Foreman. “It’s a battle every day, and while I can’t say we are winning, we are holding our ground and moving the troops.” Acting quickly has helped some manufacturers minimize the impacts of

Endless Games’ national sales manager Brian Turtle says his company is

supply chain issues.

“doubling down” on the kids’ active play category,

By placing orders in April, Turtle says Endless Games

noting that its The Floor is Lava game is the number one

already got “a good bulk of our inventory in already,”

seller. Endless Games will soon introduce a new active

though still had to grapple with long wait times.

family game, The Obstacle Course in a Box.

At Magformers, Jordan explains, “we ordered and

“We feel good about games that promote physical play,

shipped in 2020 while others locked down, we stayed

especially after a year like 2020,” Turtle says.

open, and kept our suppliers busy and planned for a

For Zing, outdoor active toys like its Hyperstrike

healthy 2021. We were a bit lucky as early planning

bows, stomp rockets, and boomerangs remain the

resulted in a stronger position.”

highest sellers, according to national sales manager Nick

For Zing, Mayrand says that “recognizing the issues

Mayrand. Basic Fun! CEO Jay Foreman observes that some of the best-performing items do not fall into a single category but tend to be “retro ‘feel-good’” items — from brands like

early on” allowed the company to manufacture and ship “Consumers are still looking for classic cross-generational products that the whole family knows and remembers fondly,” says Basic Fun! CEO Jay Foreman

Care Bears and Tonka. “Consumers are still looking for classic cross-generational products that the whole family knows and remembers fondly,” Foreman says. Another familiar brand made a recent comeback via Moose Toys’ licensed

enough inventory to carry them through 2022. “Our team have also been very good at securing containers so far, so while we have had to address long wait times at ports, we have been staggering container deliver-

ies, to keep us flush while we wait for the next arrivals to land,” Mayrand adds. Mayrand acknowledges that “shipping rates are a bit tougher to deal with, but we have been doing our best to mitigate rising costs to the consumers.” 29 tfe October 2021

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FEATURED CONTENT disruption” to the supply of its products and raw materials, and to meet demand for its portfolio, thanks to the “global network of factories and distribution centers located close to our markets, which gives us the flexibility to meet shifting consumer demands and reduces our need to ship products long distances.” For Moose, Abell emphasizes that “strong relationships up and

“As soon as we can all gather in a safe and healthy environment, we will be there,” Moose Toys’ Glenn Abell says of Toy Fair.

down the supply chain give us the confidence to honestly and openly comA container of Endless Games product from China,

municate to our retail partners that we are doing everything we can to ensure we get our products in stock at the right time of year.”

Endless Games has had to raise some prices, but Turtle notes, “we’re eating

“With the holidays around the corner, we want our retail partners to know

most of the increases.”

that every solution is being considered and explored to ensure we’re getting

Likewise, Lautenschleger and McLaughlin explain that the added costs to ship games made overseas will have to be built into the price somewhat.

our products to them in plenty of time for everyone to enjoy ‘super happy’ holidays,” he says.

“A year ago it cost about $3,000 to ship to ship a 20-foot container,” say Lautenschleger and McLaughlin. “Now it’s $16,000 or more!” One way Barry & Jason has been able to stay stocked and work around

The trade show must go on While ASTRA’s Marketplace & Academy in August signified that trade

supply chain challenges is by moving some of its manufacturing a little closer

shows might have been returning in 2021, the subsequent rise in COVID

to home. For one of its upcoming games, Lautenschleger and McLaughlin

cases from the Delta variant and the postponement of Toy Fair Dallas only

found a factory in the U.S. to undertake production.

added more uncertainty to the trade show calendar.

“It’s more expensive, but we’re happy to support the local economy, and

At the same time, a handful of retailers, like Target, are delaying their cor-

we won’t have to deal with the wait times and volatility of the ocean freight

porate employees’ full return to working in-person until 2022 at the earliest.

market,” they explain.

As of right now, most manufacturers seem eager to exhibit at New York Toy Some companies, like PlayMonster, have even looked into

“New York Toy Fair is THE event for the toy industry,” says Abell. “Javits

air freight as a potential solution

has an energy and excitement that cannot be matched by anything other than

to work around shipping obsta-

filling aisle upon aisle with products that represent the creativity, innovation,

cles.

and passion of toymakers from around the world. As soon as we can all gath-

“We are constantly improvising, looking for ways to circum-

er in a safe and healthy environment, we will be there.” For as long as live trade shows and other face-to-face meetings are not

vent the critical supply chain

feasible, manufacturers continue to pivot to virtual meetings with buyers.

challenges, including identifying

Even as they are eager to get back to trade conferences, some manufacturers

new freight forwarders, trying Barry McLaughlin and Jason Lautenschleger recently found a factory in the U.S. to manufacture one of its upcoming games. “It’s more expensive, but we’re happy to support the local economy, and we won’t have to deal with the wait times and volatility of the ocean freight market,” they explain.

Fair at the Javits Center in February 2022, while remaining cautious.

new routes, and considering —

believe meetings held over Zoom and similar platforms are here to stay. “We have worked hard to create a robust and exciting video pitch program

where possible — airship as an

that allows us to present new and upcoming items in a way that still excites

alternative,” Kilpin says.

the buyers, while limiting face-to-face meetings,” Mayrand says of Zing.

Kodak reports that LEGO was able to avoid “significant

“I believe this will end up being a long-term change that we will see many retailers adopt moving forward.”

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Turtle also says COVID highlighted the importance of perfecting Endless

we look at all facets of content

Games’ video conferencing strategy and demo videos. Even with Marketplace

distribution,” he explains. “Kids

& Academy taking place in-person, he points out the show still offered “a

and families have so many

virtual component to enable those who weren’t physically present to explore

options now for where they

vendor booths and see what’s new.”

consume content, so it’s really important that our partners

Toys and so much more

have strong reach in the digital

Today, not all toy companies are defined solely by their traditional toy products — many are branching out to deliver entertainment and fun in other ways.

space.” Kilpin observes that many toy brands are adding an ele-

“Entertainment and play come in many forms: an innovative toy, engaging stories, beloved characters, and physical play as well as digital playgrounds,” says Rangel.

ment of “storytelling” to their products.

At Endless Games, says Brian Turtle, “we feel that nothing will ever replace the experience of an in-person, interactive game time.”

“That can take many forms —

Spin Master currently operates with three creative centers: toys, entertain-

traditional longform entertainment, short form animation, encouragement

ment, and digital games. The company first entered into the entertainment

of fan-generated content, etc.” he says. “Every brand has a story to tell, so our

segment in 2008 via Bakugan, and has since introduced several more original

focus is on identifying which format works best.”

series including PAW PAtrol and Mighty Express. Now with the release of PAW Patrol: The Movie in August, Spin Master is making its foray into feature films.

One example, Kilpin offered, is PlayMonster’s collaboration with content partners Dude Perfect on the launch of the Koosh brand. Similarly, Boyd emphasizes how story drives brands at Hasbro. The compa-

Earlier this year, Jazwares announced the formation of its costume play division to develop licensed costumes geared toward consumers of all ages, for occasions ranging from Halloween to birthday celebrations and comic

ny describes itself as a “global play and entertainment company committed to creating the world’s best play and entertainment experiences.” “Our brands are story-led consumer franchises brought to life through

conventions. The company will also debut its first-ever pet toys, featuring the

compelling content across a multitude of platforms and media, with a wide

Wham-O brand, next year.

variety of digital experiences, innovative toys and games, publishing, and

“While Jazwares is laser focused on enhancing the art of toy making and transforming play, we are expanding what that means for us,” Zebersky says. “This includes new categories of business and new channels of distribution.” Abell says that while Moose remains true to developing innovative toys, “the industry and how kids are playing continuously evolves. We will evolve, and already have, to those changes, adding exciting new extensions to several

spanning a broad range of diverse categories,” she says. Boyd adds that the acquisition of eOne in 2019 enabled the company to expand its content production capabilities across various platforms. “We have a strong pipeline of new content coming in 2022 and beyond,” she says.

of our most popular brands, keeping

For Barry & Jason, the pandemic was a catalyst for exploring new avenues.

them fresh, exciting and new while

“We’ve remained creatively analog for five years, but after 2020 we real-

also developing new brands and con-

ized that some quality digital games can lead to laughter and connection

tent that meet kids where they are.”

anywhere in the world, and we want to play a specific role in that type of

He notes that Moose’s licensing partnerships, such as the one with pre-

entertainment,” say Lautenschleger and McLaughlin. The company has created a batch of mobile game apps and games for

school series Bluey, allow the company

platforms like Zoom. The founders are also represented by Creative Artists

to create a 360-degree experience for

Agency and are now in the process of developing game shows.

children. “Moose has proven itself to be a “Every brand has a story to tell, so our focus is on identifying which format works best,” PlayMonster’s president Tim Kilpin says.

location-based entertainment, and an impressive array of consumer products,

powerhouse in licensing, and when

At the same time, Turtle believes that the pandemic has underlined how traditional “unplugged” games and puzzles are still as important as ever. “Of course the world evolves and we’ve dabbled in apps that allow an

we look at potential partnerships

extension of some of our games,” he says. “But we feel that nothing will ever

with studios or content producers,

replace the experience of an in-person, interactive game time.” 31 tfe October 2021

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Cuddle Barn Hear ye, hear ye! Cuddle Barn has introduced a set of new Storytellers. Meet Sir Catsby the Storyteller, Sir Barrington the Storyteller, and Sir Frederick the Storyteller. These adorable plush friends with eyes that light up are ready to read the tales of “The Emperor’s New Clothes,” “The Frog Prince,” “The Story of King Midas,” “The Princess and the Pea,” and “Rumpelstiltskin.” Fubsy Friends are here, and they are ready to take over the world in cuteness. These soft, squishable plush are the perfect hugging size. They have derpy looking faces that will make anyone’s heart melt. Fubsy Friends include a lion, lamb, deer, and hedgehog. Play an exciting passing game with Jiggly Wigglies! These plush toys come with ﬂash cards featuring different animal sounds and excitedly twirl around to the song “Pop Goes the Weasel.” Start the music, pass them around, and hear the music go faster. Whoever gets stuck with them when the song ends must draw a card and perform the action on the card. All new lines will launch January 2022.

Epoch Everlasting Play Step into a world of magic and adventure at the Calico Land Baby Amusement Park from Calico Critters. Starring the favorite Nursery Series Critters, this interactive, colorful playset features four main attractions: Cosmo World with rocket ship launcher ride; Fantasy Land with turretted castle; Adventure World with rocking pirate ship and baby go-karts; and Sweets World with Ferris wheel. The whimsical set also includes three critters: Pookie Panda Baby Clara, Sweetpea Rabbit Baby Henry, and Persian Cat Baby Leah to delight in the interactive rides. Turn the Amusement Park around to display the collection of Nursery Critters! This set inspiring imaginative and role play for ages 4 and up. Help your favorite plumber and his friends survive the Super Mario Blow Up! Shaky Tower! Available now, this suspenseful game includes seven different and collectible Super Mario action figure characters including Mario, Luigi, Red Toad, Yellow Toad, Yoshi, Boo, and Goomba. Place the red wrecking ball at the top of the wobbly tower. Roll the die to determine how many characters to balance onto the open ledges. The first player to make the ball drop and shake the characters off their spots loses. This game improves motor skills including dexterity and hand-eye coordination for players 4+. The collective figures are unique to the set and interchangeable with other Epoch Super Mario games. Play in single player or multiplayer action.

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Fun In Motion Toys Karmagami flips infinitely — rotating and transforming seamlessly into four colorful designs like a kaleidoscope. It helps calm the mind and is great for kids and adults who constantly fidget with their hands. Anyone can flip it forwards and backward endlessly. It’s easy to use for everyone ages 4 and up! No noise, no gimmicks; just pure flipping fun! Fun In Motion Toys recently announced a worldwide licensing agreement with Rhino Records for a collection of Grateful Dead Shashibo Magnetic Puzzle Cubes. Scheduled for distribution in early October, the collection consists of four Shashibo magnetic puzzles featuring designs that incorporate some of the most well-known Grateful Dead artwork and imagery, including Steal Your Face, Dancing Bears, Haight-Ashbury, and Skull & Roses.

Hape The Penguin Musical Wobbler brings sweet new melodic sounds, delighting children 6 months and up, as they learn to go from tummy time, to sitting and even walking. The roly-poly penguin makes the many infant milestones fun as it teeters back and forth without falling down! Encourage children to experience sound by pushing the penguin, making him waddle and spin while emitting soothing, tinkling sounds. The adorable wings rock back and forth as the penguin teeters from side to side. With the rolling and highly-engaging Baby Drum, little ones 6 months+ can experience the wonder of music and the joy of rhythm from a very early age. When stood, babies can beat the drum with each colored circle emitting a different percussion sound and colored light. Roll the drum to showcase dazzling lights and original melodies that will engage children and inspire them to explore new and wonderful sounds as they play! This charming, play-along drum teaches children the basics of rhythm and beats while experiencing and exploring their first musical sounds. Arriving in Q1 of 2022, the Bunny Stacker comes with a cute cuddly bunny topper featuring soft, long ears and a sweet smile. Stack the colorful rings on the wobbling wooden base and explore different textures! Each ring can be played with separately and includes one wooden flower ring with six colorful petals, one peach ring with pleasant jingles, and one featuring a pull-back string tail to create a cute clicking sound. Stack up all the tactile rings up and finish by adding the cute rabbit head on top. For ages 12 months and up. 33 tfe October 2021

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Horizon Group USA Dive into a world of water play fun with Slimysand Aqua Splash, the sensory play sand that’s stretchable and moldable in and out of water! Open up the reusable buckets, reach in, and grab the Slimysand Aqua Splash, and feel the difference — it molds like sand, but stretches like Slimygoop. Then, ﬁll up a bucket or bowl with water and begin molding, stretching, slicing, and crushing the Slimysand Aqua Splash under the water. Pack and layer any color sand into the molds, then lift to reveal your creations — use the included tool to create cool impressions in the sand as you crush it, or slice and dice it. When you’re all ﬁnished playing, wring out the water from the sand, place it inside the included play box to air-dry, then store in the resealable bags included. Available in blue and pink on Amazon this month, for ages 3+. Make and create positivity jewelry with Donut Worries! Follow three simple steps to create good vibes to wear or share, then take some time to show yourself some love. Grab a pen or pencil and write something that brings you joy on each of the tabs to the right — then tear them from the sheet, stuff them inside your donut, and keep it close to stay full of positivity. Available in Be Kind Always and Shine Bright theme. Launching end of November/December 2021 for ages 6 and older.

Iscream Add some POP to your breakfast and snacking routine! Whether you’re a simple toast lover, a donut fiend, addicted to everything s’mores, or waffle-obsessed, Iscream’s adorable Interactive Plush crew is here to make sure your daily snack attacks are covered with tons of interactive fun included. Their adorable little faces, fun interactions, and delicious scents guarantee a day filled with smiles. Kiddos can unleash their creativity with the Color Me Interactive Plush pillows. One side is printed so that they color it in with the included markers for their own unique design, and the other side is fleece. A handy pocket holds the markers when they’re not in use. Iscream is launching a full-scale Care Bears licensed accessories line for Fall 2021. The full line of products will feature everything from plush sleeping bags and blankets to children’s clothing, luggage, backpacks, pillows, beauty items, and more. Make a cool, sweet treat right at home with new ICEE accessories and flavors, sold at iscream-shop.com, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, and Amazon. The collection includes the Countertop ICEE Machine (the exclusive pink machine will be sold at Saks), Shaved Ice Maker, Milkshake Maker, Freeze Pop Making Kit, and ICEE Making Cup and Syrup Sets, sold separately. For ages 12+ 34 tfe October 2021

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Jazwares The Squish squad will get bigger with the Wildlife, Sealife, Fantasy, and Food Squishmallows collections debuting new members by spring 2022. Introducing the CoComelon Musical Cody Doll, JJ’s best friend! This 12-inch plush features sounds, phrases, and plays “Special Dinosaur Day Song.” Cody has roto head and hands with a super soft plush body. Available spring 2022 for ages 2 and up. And the Musical Snack Time JJ Doll brings CoComelon nursery rhymes to life! JJ is ready for snacks in his iconic shirt and shorts, holding his apple plush. This perfect snack time friend features sounds and phrases; just squeeze JJ’s tummy and listen as he speaks and even plays the “Yes Yes Vegetables” song. Get ready for an electrifying Pokémon experience with Electric Charge Pikachu! This incredible 11-inch plush is the ultimate Pikachu training experience with lights, sounds, and awesome movement features. With over 20 authentic sounds and over 30 unique reactions, this Pikachu plush brings the iconic character to life like never before. Pikachu brings the thunder with awesome features, but Pokémon fans of all ages will enjoy cuddling up next to this plush’s super-soft material. Pet or rub Pikachu’s head to bond with Pikachu or press on Pikachu’s belly to experience conversational reactions. Pressing and holding on Pikachu’s head will cause Pikachu to ready an attack. The longer you hold, the more powerful Pikachu’s attack becomes. Release Pikachu’s head and watch Pikachu react with sounds, movement, and light features in the cheeks and tail. Launching for Pokémon fans 3 and older spring 2022. Unwrap the trend with the all-new Fantasy Animal Kit. Follow the easy, step-by-step, ﬁnger knitting instructions to make a dog or cat out of the softest Big Fat Yarn. Each set includes tie-dye yarn to make your pet, a collar to customize your pet’s name, and felt to customize. When you’re done making one pet style, easily take apart the yarn and make another style. Create, customize, and repeat! With the Roblox Action Collection - Brookhaven: St. Luke’s Hospital Game Pack, patients who come through the doors of St. Luke’s Hospital leave smiling. Expect no less than world-class medical care from the staff at this prestigious hospital in Wolfpaq’s Brookhaven.In the Roblox Celebrity Collection - Brookhaven: Hair & Nails Game Pack,”new day, new hair” is the motto for this celebrity salon. Whatever the color or style, if you can dream it, they can hairdo it. Sit back, relax, and enjoy your new look! Go cruising around Brookhaven with Roblox Celebrity Collection - Brookhaven: Golf Cart Vehicle. With so much to see, you’ll need a sweet ride. Adventure awaits! Each pack includes two ﬁgures, accessories, and an exclusive virtual item.

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Kess de.bored Puzzles’ Signature Line from Kess boasts a simple mission: to help adults de-stress and solve boredom through colorful, strategic, and repeat puzzle play. Ranging from 500 to 1,000 pieces, de.bored Puzzles’ Signature Line will be sold exclusively at Walgreens starting this month. In Battle Bosses from Kess Games, players command gigantic beings, deities, or monsters, and armies of minions to dominate the battleﬁeld. The fabric between realities, known as the Void, has begun to thin, allowing different worlds and timelines to merge, forcing the powerful “bosses” characters into battle. Using energy to charge your Boss’s abilities, and crystals to upgrade your minions, you must out-think and out-maneuver your opponents in this fast-paced strategy game! Includes one Boss ﬁgure, game cards, tiles, tokens, dice, and a rulebook. Launches in November for players 13 and older. Prepare to dazzle with the Kess Ice Baton! Spin it, throw it, catch it. It’s perfect for dance routines or seeing how long you can spin it. Recommended for kids 7+, launches this month.

Magformers Click! Connect Create! With Magformers Backyard Adventure 61 Piece Set, build magnetic houses and invite all your friends to the party. Create houses and build a playground and add your favorite characters including Max, Maggie, and Minibot. Includes an idea booklet. Magformers Cube House Frog Set can create various house models with compact piece composition — allowing for more fun storytelling experience with new ﬁgures and switchable hats. A window piece enables a sense of space in the house construction. Includes an A3-size common leaﬂet with 3D construction model images, which covers both Penguin and Frog Cube house sets.Both sets out now, for ages 3+.

Mindscope Products This month, Mindscope introduces Animat3d Fawny the Reindeer and Mr. Chill Snowman. Each piece of high-tech holiday décor for all ages offers up to 40 minutes of singing, talking and joking. Each ﬁgure includes a built-in projector and speaker inside — custom animations are Plug n’ Play. Still mode displays them as a decorative piece without having animation continuously running; a random still image of the reindeer or snowman’s face will cycle every ﬁve minutes with no sound. Powered by USB cable and adapter (included). 36 tfe October 2021

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Moose Toys Magic Mixies Magic Cauldron brings to life the wonder of real magic for children ages 5 to 8. Mixies includes a sparkly cauldron, magic wand, potion ingredients and everything needed to create a magical creature. This interactive experience will captivate kids with its imaginative play. Special ingredients combine to make the potion and create real mist, revealing a surprise Mixies creature! The Mixie responds to touch, lights up, grants wishes, and helps cast endless spells. There are two Mixies “species” and two colors to reveal. Kids can repeat the fog and Mixies reveal as well as create their potions using household items for limitless imaginative play.

Shopkins, the brand that launched the kids’ collectibles craze, introduces a new way to collect and play with convenience store brands kids know and love! The newest gotta-have-it trend, Shopkins Real Littles partners with Hostess, ConAgra, Kellogg’s, Hershey, Kraft Heinz, ICEE, and more to bring micro minis of these iconic brands to the toy aisle, each with a matching Shopkin. Kids 4 to 8 can collect 40 fun food characters, like Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Bagel Bites, Babybel Cheeses, and Hostess Cupcakes — launching this month. Snack time has never been so cute! Holy Space Jam: A New Legacy, it’s the most dynamic of duos: Batman Bugs Bunny and Robin LeBron James. Suited up, fully equipped, and ready to take on the Goon Squad, the Tune Squad teammate action ﬁgures are super-sized, electronic, and come with an array of accessories. LeBron is 12 inches tall with articulated arms and legs, perfect for holding and posing with his bo staff. Press LeBron’s belt buckle and activate 10 all new phrases and sounds from the movie. Bugs is nine inches tall and ready for action with his grapnel launcher and Batarang that he can grip with his hands and attach to his utility belt for the next battle. Pose and play to recreate some of the all-star moves and scenes from the movie or create endless new adventures with these out of this world action ﬁgures. Space Jam: A New Legacy Dynamic Duo is for fans 4 and older, available this month.

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Orange Onions Playtime by Eimmie’s 14-inch and 18-inch doll retail boxes each come with a doll and her carrying case, PJs, a plush animal companion, and five doll clothing sets. Orange Onions offers the ability to select from their assortment of doll clothes to customize your own retail box needs. The Charms For Change box has the tools to equip every child with a mind for being kind. The box comes with a charm bracelet, 12 charms (one for every month), and a keepsake kindness journal full of prompts and activities to coincide with the bracelet. Mix and match a selection of two Sharewood Forest Friend characters in the BFF Pack. The BFF pack includes two sets of pajamas, a beach outfit, and a traveling outfit that can be shared with any 18-inch sized doll. Everyone knows one...let Orange Onions’ Karen Rag Doll be the talk of this year’s gag gifts. Karen comes complete with a plush latte and cellphone. Karen comes in rag doll, hand puppet, and dog toy form. Introducing new premium plush toy and blanket sets. The Bunny and Bear plushes store matching blankets inside. Bunny features unique and stylish plaid ear designs with a zipper to store the blanket. The Bear is made from soft and textured faux fur fabric with rippled ear texture for tactical stimulation.

PLAYMOBIL Explore the magical underwater Mermaid’s Daycare, arriving January 2022. Mermaids can meet their friends to play on the slide and visit with marine life. This enchanting land is teeming with underwater life..The dolphins can swim around and stand upright on their moveable fin to make it look like they are dancing in the water. Visit the play area on top of the tallest coral reef for even more fun. Set includes three adult mermaids, one child mermaid, two baby mermaids that fit in the included baby strollers, and two coral towers with accessories, as well as a variety of sea animals such as seahorses, eel, stingray, fish, and dolphins. Cool off at the Water Park with Slides! Thrill seekers can climb the rope to the largest tower to experience exhilarating fun on the steepest water slide. Tilt the fish forward to activate the trap door that sends the swimmer shooting down the slide! Show off your skills on the diving board or splash around in the fillable pool. The fish’s glow-in-the-dark teeth and lantern allow the fun to continue after the sun goes down! Set includes two figures, two eels, two fish, palm tree, and other accessories. Launches March 2022. Both sets for children 4+. 38 tfe October 2021

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Plus-Plus Plus-Plus is one shape with endless possibilities. The 70-piece Mini Maker Santa Tube and 240-piece Glitter Frost Tube are great ways to get started with Plus-Plus. Kids will learn to create in 2D or 3D, encouraging open-ended, creative play. It’s a perfect STEM toy to develop ﬁne motor skills, focus, and patience. Gift them as a party favor, package topper, or new-bigbrother or sister present. Suggested for ages 5-12. Learn to build fun, colorful creatures! Learn to Build - Creatures, shipping January 2022, comes with 220 pieces, 11 colors, two baseplates, and nine wheels.The guide book gives step-by step instructions to build each creature.

Safari Ltd. BiOBUDDi toy sets are sustainable, plant-based blocks. They are made of a plastic called Green PE, which is derived from the sugarcane plant. This means, unlike traditional oil-based plastics which are made from non-renewable fossil fuels, BiOBUDDi toys are made from a renewable resource in an existing sugarcane ﬁeld (that’s right— no land was harmed or cleared to make BiOBUDDi materials). The plant-based blocks are 100% recyclable and compatible with larger mainstream toy blocks. Safari Ltd is the exclusive wholesale distributor of BiOBBUDi, a Netherlands-based product, in the U.S.

Sky Castle Light up your kicks with LetsGlow Studio Shoes Accessory Pack! GLOW UP any pair of old or new shoes with reflective laces and stickers for your photos or videos. Included in the accessory pack is one pair of reflective shoelaces, one roll of reflective tape, one reflective sticker sheet, and one unique stencil for shoe sticker designs. LetsGlow Studio Rainbow Stickers Accessory Pack lets you upgrade your video content. Cut, shape, and stick iridescent reflective stickers on your clothing, body, or bedroom and use the LetsGlow LED clip to light them up. Package includes all kinds of rainbow reflective material: three sticker sheets, one sticker tape roll, 20 nail stickers, and two unique stencils. Both packs avaiable spring 2022, for ages 8+. 39 tfe October 2021

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Super Impulse The outrageous miniature collectible brand, Wacky Packages Minis, based on the classic stickers by iconic trading card company Topps, introduces a new series of mini toys and mini stickers to collect. With 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 checklist, and one mini–Wacky Packages sticker. The clear top reveals one toy and four are hidden surprises inside. Available as one blind box, 10-piece, 15-piece, 20-piece, or 25-piece set for ages 8+. World’s Smallest Micro Figures introduce even more fan-favorite characters in miniature size to fans 8 and up. Super Impulse’s popular Micro Figures featuring highly detailed figures from some of the most famous pop culture icons. Measuring up to 1.25 inches tall, each micro figure includes a mini collector case for display and storage. Launching in Spring 2021, Super Impulse introduces an exciting lineup of Garbage Pail Kids, Hello Kitty, Bob Ross, and Richard Simmons. Introducing Micro Toy Box, a tiny box of tiny toy treasures that fit into the palm of your hand. The new line of miniature collectibles features the greatest toys of all time in the tiniest size. Iconic classics and fan-favorites from Mattel, Hasbro, and Spin Master — including 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 checklist, 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 your amazing collection. It’s the perfect throwback for adults and an enchanting impulse collectible for kids. Recommended for ages 8 and up. New for 2021, Super Impulse expands their innovative Electronic Arcades lineup with the new Tiny Arcade Atari 2600 and Boardwalk Arcade Dance Dance Revolution. The must have video game console from 1978 is back and this time it will fit in the palm of your hand! Atari 2600 brought arcade games like Pong, Asteroids, and Centipede into family homes for the first time, but never in this size. Featuring a 60s/70s-inspired full color 1.5-inch TV monitor, full functioning 2600 joystick, and pre-programmed classic 2600 console, this Atari 2600 is the ultimate throwback! Complete with nine full play Atari games, plus PacMan. The worldwide arcade game phenomenon from 1998 is back with a new way to play! Get your fingers moving to the music with the new Boardwalk Arcade Dance Dance Revolution. Featuring original arcade game play, and three original songs with three levels of difficulty you can play along by following the prompts on the screen with “dancing” fingers. The hi-res LCD screen is complete with full color graphics and neon lights as you move to the beat. Put your friends to the test to see who can remember the iconic dance moves. 40 tfe October 2021

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Trend Enterprises Net some major family fun with the exciting card game Gone Fish’n. Suspenseful reveals and gutsy competition keep kids (6+) 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 and go with your gut to explore the island or fish a new spot…maybe you’ll get lucky and 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. Bring BIG fun to family time with SqWatch Out! Test your memory and your appetite for mystery while chasing proof of Bigfoot. Take risks to collect the best score and trek further than your opponents to get closer to the truth. You’ll have six chances to collect evidence — but SqWatch Out! Bigfoot disappears with every round. Did you uncover proof…or just another spoof? The game’s BIG reveal is certainly worth the wait! Unique three-sided cards and Bigfoot folklore are irresistible for players 8+. Everyone goes bananas for Jungle Pals! This wildly fun card game 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. Match all of your cards to win. It’s puzzling for players of all ages. Wordfree cards are ideal for young kids and nonreaders 4 and older. Pizza Time is hard to top! This family-friendly game for players 4 and up 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. Make time for some chance enCOWnters with a card game that’s out-of-this-world fun! Compete against fellow aliens to match silhouettes on your UFO start card to hilariously unsuspecting earthly things. Arrange your triangle cards to capture the right three in your light beam to win. Every turn brings a chance of mission-changing cards that cause cosmic chaos for you...and a comeback for others. It’s quick to play so there’s always time for another enCOWnter. Recommended for players 6 and older. Each game includes 63 cards and full-color instructions in a compact, travel-ready box. 41 tfe October 2021

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Vango Launching off the success of The #UpsideDownChallenge Game, Vango is taking players outside for some upside down backyard fun in their latest edition of the game. The Backyard Edition of The #UpsideDownChallenge Game includes a whole new set of challenges: Jumping between rings, carrying cups full of water, catching rings, and more! The Backyard Edition includes 20 new challenges, four rings, four cups, one ball, and one pair of upside down goggles! For ages 8 and up, available spring 2022.

Winning Moves Games Through rain and with slime, your mail is on time! In Snail Mail for two to four players, 7+, four mail carriers are out on their routes and it’s your job to help them make their deliveries. Your Snail Mail carriers bag will be ﬁlled with four cards, each card containing a number and a color. To complete deliveries, you’ll need your cards to match the goal on a delivery card. Lots of different delivery cards allow for a different game every time! Contains four plastic snail-shaped card racks, a deck of 48 mail cards, a deck of 23 delivery cards, and illustrated instructions. Every game collection needs a Checkers set. It’s one of the ﬁrst games most people learn to play and one of the games they’ll continue to play forever. Included are one sturdy bi-fold Checkers gameboard, 24 interlocking plastic Checkers pieces, and illustrated instructions. For two players 6 and up. A great strategy game for as few as two players or as many as six players 7 and older. With beautiful glass marbles and a sturdy playing platform board, this Chinese Checkers game will be a great addition to anyone’s game collection. It is a perfect companion to Winning Moves’ standard Checkers game and their best-selling No Stress Chess. It comes with one platform board, six sets of glass marbles (10 of each color), and illustrated instructions. All new games available in January 2022.

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WowWee Make bathtime swim-sational with the Baby Shark’s Big Show! Mix & Match Bath Swimmer! Based on the Nickelodeon animated preschool series, Baby Shark swims in water and moves his tail from side-to-side when you wind him up. Little ones can attach mix-and-match accessories to change different features as he swims around. Look for clues with Baby Shark’s detective hat and magnifying bubble, swap sunnies for scuba goggles, or gear up for a game of rockball with Baby Shark’s hat, bat, and glove. From WowWee, this set has 10+ pieces including: one Baby Shark windup bath swimmer, nine mix-and match-accessories, and a mesh storage bag with suction cups for safe and easy storage when playtime is over. This toy keeps preschoolers and toddlers engaged and entertained during bath time and encourages imagination and tactile play. For boys and girls ages 2 and older. Available Spring 2022.

Zing A new take on Zing’s iconic Zyclone! The new Zyclone Zing-Ring Blaster has been redesigned for Zing’s new eco-friendly compact packaging. The Zyclone Zing-Ring Blaster is great for long-range outdoor play, with launching distances of over 75 feet! Load the soft, safe, and aerodynamic foam Zing-Ring into the Zyclone, then pull back, twist, and send the Zing-Ring ﬂying! Can be played solo or with a friend. Each pack includes one Zyclone and one Zing-Ring. For ages 8+, available spring 2022.

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PREHISTORIC PLAY

FEATURED CONTENT

From toy companies adding a dinosaur-themed twist to their best-selling products, to new lines inspired by popular dino shows and movies, these ferocious creatures are traveling forward in time to take over the toy aisle. Read on for the latest examples of this blast from the past to hit shelves. Jazwares Dino Ranch was recently renewed for a second season on Disney, and this fall, the licensed toy line from Jazwares is bringing the characters to life for fans of the preschool series. Dino Ranch Blitz is a soft, cuddly 10-inch plush version of the Blitz character that can accompany kids while traveling, playing at the park, or watching TV. Fans 3+ can imagine adventures on the ranch with sets like the Dino Action Pack Assortment — featuring a five-inch facade, four four-inch articulated dino figures, and four connectable fence pieces — as well as the Clubhouse Playset, a modular set with nine built-in features, one dino rancher figure, two small dinosaurs, and one free wheel vehicle. The Dino Ranch 6 Figure Pack comes complete with all three Dino Ranchers and their respective Dino companions. And the Feature Vehicle Assortment offers three five-inch dino vehicles, each with a unique feature, along with their dino rancher figure sidekick so kids can ride along with Jon, Min, and Miguel

Mattel This fall, Mattel brings new offerings for Jurassic World fans 4 and up. The colossal swimming dinosaur Jurassic World Protector Mosasaurus, makes a big splash as a fan favorite in the blockbuster Jurassic World franchise. The movie-inspired Mosasaurus action figure comes in a massive size that will thrill fans at 8.5 inches high and 17 inches wide. It’s made from ocean-bound plastic (sourced within 31 miles of waterways in areas lacking formal waste collection systems) with realistic sculpting, moveable joints, articulation, and a wide-opening jaw that bring it to life. Kids can relive the action from season 3 of Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous — released on Netflix in May of this year — with Slash N’ Battle Scorpios Rex action figure. To start the claw slashing action, push the button for a full-on arm extending slash and grab attack. Push the other button to activate a big chomp and roar, and pull the Scorpios Rex’s tail back to activate the spring-loaded motion for a surprise tail whip attack, too. 44 tfe October 2021

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FEATURED CONTENT

Moose Toys Following the debut of Squeakee the Balloon Dog in 2020, Moose Toys launched Squeakee Dino this past August. Squeakee Dino is stomping and popping with a hilarious, ferocious-to-friendly personality. Similar to Squeakee the Balloon Dog, Squeakee Dino is part balloon, part dino, with new tricks, games, and more than 70 sounds and movements. Put on his headphones and he plays music and dances. Feed him his squeaker bone to play tug of war. He’ll let out a roar, but if kids roar back, he’ll run away. He can get so “deflated” that he might “pop” and lay down. Pull his tail and he’s back upright to his balloon-form self. Pull it again and he “squeaks” out a toot sound. Squeakee Dino will entertain kids 5 and up for hours.

Schleich The highlight of the Schleich Dinosaurs world, the Volcano Expedition Base Camp, is new this fall. The large volcano expedition 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. For endless playing fun in the world of Schleich Dinosaurs.

ZURU It’s ginormous dinosaur play with the all-new Series 4 ZURU Smashers Lava Light Up Dino Mega Surprise.. Offering extended play, the latest in the epic-sized Smashers egg allows young explorers to discover different dinos to build, which then light up and are ready for battle — complete with dino sounds. Over 20 different surprises in each egg including a lightup Smash-O-Saur, four Smashers eggs, multiple compounds, and more. With three different Smash-O-Saurs to collect, a thrilling three-step unboxing journey awaits with the all-new Series 4 ZURU Smashers Lava Light Up Dino Mini Surprise. Kids 4 and up will discover different light-up dinos to build, brand new glow-in-the-dark lava compound, and more. Robo Alive Dino Wars, the latest in the award-winning Robo Alive line, combines ZURU’s robo-technology to create a walking, chomping, roaring dino that also lights up. Demonstrating its ultimate prowess, each of the dinosaurs also features snap-on defensive armor plates. The Raptor, T-Rex, and Stegosaurus are available, with the latter two boasting the all new Dino blaster. Armor up and get ready for the Dino Wars. 45 tfe October 2021

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FEATURED CONTENT

Sales Reps: Help Us Help You! BY ALAN & CHRISTINE BLUMBERG Alan and Christine Blumberg, principals at RBG Sales, on the role that sales representatives play in the toys and games industry today.

There have been more conversations lately about the future of sales representatives, and if they can still add value to our industry. We are here to affirm that sales reps are essential to the continued growth for both retailers and vendors. Having just returned from the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association’s Marketplace and Academy in August, we have never, in the last 20 years, been as proud to be reps as we are now. Though we have all weathered the unimaginable challenge in 2020, sales reps now face a different kind of threat: a digital replacement. So, we wanted to give you a brief overview of why we think a rep plays an equal role in today’s marketplace. Many buyers and vendors, at all levels of industry, have come to rely on their best sales reps to help them grow their business. But not all retailers and vendors choose to work with reps. There are different reasons that are given, but are they actually missing out and limiting their growth potential? Why are there independent sales representatives? Vendors hire independent sales representatives for a variety of reasons. Most importantly, vendors automatically add 50 to 60 sales reps, while not having to pay overhead costs such as salaries, health insurance, car leases, and more. At the same time, commissions are only paid if the sale has been made and the bill has been paid. A vendor is also taking advantage of the long-standing relationships sales reps have built over the years, which helps get products presented directly to the decision makers. All of this means that the vendor does not have to make thousands of calls every time they want to present their products — instead, the sales reps do it for them. How do sales reps help the retailers? We wouldn’t be able to succeed without our retail partners, and

Alan & Christine Blumberg

many retailers believe they would not succeed without their best sales reps. One of the most important reasons that retailers value their reps is that we save them time. They can contact one rep to handle issues with multiple vendors, instead of having to call 150 vendors individually. The smart retailers allow the reps to handle returns, damages, invoice discrepancies, track orders, and much more. It is like having a free employee they do not have to pay! The best sales reps also have a good understanding of how their retailers curate their stores. When we are attending new product reviews, we immediately think of the stores that would be a great fit, and quickly alert them to the best new products coming to

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market. Good reps also learn the products — how to play a game, benefits for special needs, market analysis, and more. The best reps view the store as if it were their own, and they want to see it succeed. Many buyers that work with reps have become friends, confidantes, business partners — someone to lean on in good times and bad. Ultimately, sales reps need their retailers to be successful so they can continue to grow together. How did we get here? Independent sales reps get into this business for lots of reasons but the key might be in the word “independent.” As independent retailers and reps, we make our own decisions and our success is based on how hard we work. We can make a decision to work with people we like, or to promote toys and gifts that we think are beneficial to kids and families. We can also travel throughout the territory and live a life that is not based in a cubicle or a typical 9 to 5 work day. We get to meet new and interesting people, and wear lots of different hats: merchandiser, marketer, sales person, consultant, and more. Or maybe we are just kids at heart? One of the things that draws us all together is that we are all part of a family-run business. There are definitely exceptions for some of the vendors we represent, and some of the retailers, but the familial feeling for the people with whom we work directly is a constant reminder of why we are great partners together. We aren’t part of the big corporate culture. There are now new disruptors in our industry appearing as online wholesale platforms, which we call “virtual” salespeople. While we all want to embrace technology that makes our lives easier, there is a human cost to this. Much like how Amazon offered ease of use to consumers, while the loss of hundreds of specialty stores was devastating. Faire, Tundra and Abound are among several online wholesale platforms who have emerged over the past few years. Though we understand the reason they exist, they also raise a red flag for independent sales reps. As one rep stated, “Faire is to reps what Amazon was to retailers.”

We know that these platforms are not going away, but in order to survive, we need to know how to work with our vendors and retailers to create partnerships while working within this new wholesale buying world. Our best vendors are the ones that collaborate with their sales team to create a solution that works for all of us. Most vendors work with Amazon; the ones that have also stayed loyal to brick and mortar retailers have figured out a strategy to make it profitable for both to succeed. Some of our vendors have also created a strategy for these wholesale platforms in order to keep their sales reps viable to the retail community. Many vendors still understand that there is no substitution for a human to personally present their products, instead of through a screen. Some of those digital sales sites are a great place to get found and also a great place to get lost. As we write this, we are driving through Wyoming, South Dakota, and Colorado on our vacation after ASTRA. The endless roads and vast landscapes make us think of the local reps who service this area. If vendors could see how many hours and how many miles that sales reps drive to get to an independent store, they would be amazed. Sometimes it is a thankless job. but, we still love it. And, though we are not breathing a sign of relief after COVID, we certainly have a new favorable wind at our backs. There is certainly a need to make families and kids happy during these challenging times, and we appreciate our partners. In challenging times, it can be easy to fall back and play the victim or blame others for the current shortcomings we might be facing. But if we take a step back, our retail, rep, and vendor partners have all helped us survive and overcome fears and uncertainty during 2020. Though things may not be perfect right now, if we have patience and lean on our partners, we can continue to look forward to a continued renaissance for specialty retailers. We should all remember that success is not solitary and we should all share it together. If there is a future for independent vendors and retailers, there’s a future for sales reps.

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COMPANY PROFILE

Launched in 2016, Punkin Futz specializes in sensory play products, dress-up products, active indoor/ outdoor products, ﬁdgets, and adaptive accessories that work on bicycles, wheelchairs, scooters, walkers, and more. Based in Brooklyn, NY, the company was founded by Lisa Radcliffe and David Kramlich, two parents who were trying to meet the product gaps they experienced for their own children with adaptive needs. Punkin Futz makes over 50% of its products in the U.S., employing a workforce of adults with disabilities. Radcliffe and Kramlich recently formed a non-for-proﬁt organization to further their work in support of children and adults with disabilities.

Earlier this year, Punkin Futz became the ﬁrst-ever recipient of the Love, Litzky Grant, a new inititative from Litzy Public Relations to support small businesses and spotlight a speciﬁc and timely issue each year.

The companyʼs core line includes its patented, award-winning Punkin Hug, made in the U.S. by adults with disabilities; its award-winning ﬁdgets, including PomPoms (Bigs and Littles), Marble Mazes, and Scratchy Squares; its sensory play products such as Emoji Patches, Reward Stars, and Capes; and its Every Wheel Carry Bags. This past summer, Punkin Futz debuted a full line in partnership with Sesame Street, featuring licensed Reward Patches, Emoji Patches, Every Wheel Carry Bags, Sensory Sets, Active Child Sets, and Fidget Sets. The company currently has several stealth products in the works for spring and summer 2022, including a new sensory extension product with Sesame Street. Punkin Futz retail partners include JC Penney, School Specialty, Ecobuns, Mischief Toys, The Laughing Place, Patti + Ricky, Two Sparrows Learning Systems, and Brave Comfort.

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START SPREADING THE NEWS AND SAVE THE DATE! February 19-22, 2022 | Jacob K. Javits Center

CMY

To exhibit or attend:

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

9 Story Media Group: Farrell Hall, Chief Inclusion Oﬃcer

9 Story Media Group named Farrell Hall to the newly created position of chief inclusion ofﬁcer to create and execute diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives impacting all aspects of the business, including 9 Story’s animation studio, Brown Bag Films. Hall will also help to develop and establish DEI content guidelines to further the company’s mission in the creation and production of diverse and authentic stories. Most recently, Hall was director of diversity, equity, and inclusion at the Children’s Aid Society (CAS) of Toronto where he led a team responsible for advancing equity and anti-oppression within the organization. While engaged with the CAS, he focused on combating anti-Black racism to eliminate disparity and disproportionality in their service outcomes for clients.

Konami Cross Media NY: Kristen Gray, President

Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd. named Kristen Gray as president of its New York-based division, Konami Cross Media NY Inc. Most recently, Gray served as general manager, senior vice president of operations, and business & legal affairs. She oversaw growth of the Yu-Gi-Oh! brand in territories outside of Asia while also spearheading business development for gaming IPs Contra, Bomberman, and Frogger — including as executive producer on the new Frogger Game Show. Before joining Konami, Gray worked at 4Kids Entertainment, supervising the programming block on The CW, and production. She was involved in negotiations for Konami to acquire management of Yu-Gi-Oh! from 4Kids Entertainment, and led the start-up of Konami Cross Media NY.

Disguise, Inc.: Kim Lucas, U.K. Business Development Lead; and Nathalie Ferrier, Business Development Manager for France & Benelux

Disguise, Inc. — the costume division of JAKKS Paciﬁc — appointed two hires to its growing EMEA sales team. Kim Lucas joins as business development lead for the U.K. and Ireland, while Nathalie Ferrier is now business development manager for France and Benelux. The U.K. and France are the two largest dress-up markets in the EMEA region. Lucas comes to Disguise most recently from Christy’s by Design, where she helped to grow its costume business. She will bring experience in the apparel industry, insight into the U.K. and Ireland licensor-driven dress-up ﬁeld, and relationships with retailers to her new role at Disguise. Ferrier holds over 20 years of experience in the toy and dressup industries, including at Amscan. At Disguise, she will develop the French and Benelux markets via direct-to-retail, working with local distribution partners and accounts.

BBC Studios:

Suzy Raia, Vice President of Consumer Products and Business Development

BBC Studios - Americas promoted Suzy Raia to senior vice president of consumer products and business development, as she continues to oversee and provide strategic licensing planning for the Bluey franchise. Her role involves product licensing for intellectual properties across multiple genres, including factual and natural history content, drama series, science-ﬁction, and children’s animation. In addition to Bluey, she will work with BBC brands Doctor Who, Top Gear, His Dark Materials, and the Natural History Unit programming. Before joining BBC Studios, Raia spent over 19 years at Nickelodeon, most recently as vice president of partnerships and collaborations within the consumer products divisions. Before that, she was vice president of apparel and accessories for over 10 years. Throughout her career, she worked across the categories of activity, toys, back-toschool, stationery, and seasonal.

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