ToyNews July 2016 by Biz Media Ltd

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No. 174 l July 2016

Retail l Licensing l Pre-School l Marketing 15 Timeless classic We talk to the creator of A Girl For All Time, Frances Cain, about her latest Kickstarter move

17 Women of the Year The listing is back for another year. Are you in it?

22 It’s Chicco time The pre-school firm reveals all about its exciting new TV advertising campaign

36 Indie focus Hubbard’s Toy Cupboard tells ToyNews about its ambitious plans for expansion

Hasbro has welcomed a new country manager for the UK and Ireland. In his first interview since taking on the role, David Henderson tells ToyNews why this year’s product line-up really packs a punch

s t h g i e w y v a e h s ’ Hasbro

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MEET THE TEAM Billy Langsworthy Editor blangsworthy@nbmedia.com Robert Hutchins Deputy Editor rhutchins@nbmedia.com Jade Burke Staff Writer jburke@nbmedia.com Sophia Freeman Senior Account Manager sfreeman@nbmedia.com Brenda Normile Sales Executive bnormile@nbmedia.com James Marinos Production Executive jmarinos@nbmedia.com Julie Champness Designer jchampness@nbmedia.com Andrew Wooden Content Director awooden@nbmedia.com Mark Burton Managing Director mburton@nbmedia.com

WELCOME

CONTENTS Regulars 06 08 08 09 10 12 15 58

News Campaign of the Month Playtime NPD Analysis Industry Movers Industry Opinion Crowdfunding focus Jon Salisbury

Features 17 Women of the Year 2016 22 Interview: Chicco 24 Interview: Hasbro Licensing.biz 27 News Pre-school 31 News Retail 35 News 36 Indie Profile: Hubbard’s Toy Cupboard 39 Sector Guide: Dress-Up and Role-Play 45 Sector Guide: Construction 51 Sector Guide: Tech Toys

Editorial: 01992 515305 Advertising: 0207 354 6000 www.toynews-online.biz

NewBay Media is a member of the Periodical Publishers Associations AUDITED CIRCULATION: Average Net Circulation: 5,771 July 2014 – June 2015 nToyNews circulation is 11.2% higher than its closest competitor nToyNews has 100% named circulation and 0% duplication.

COMMENT

Easy, Chewie

t the time of writing, over 156 million people have laughed along with Candace Payne, the lady who got the giggles while wearing one of Hasbro’s Electronic Chewbacca Masks and became an online sensation in the process. However hard Candace was laughing, the execs at Hasbro are laughing harder. Within a week of the video ‘going viral’, retailers across the US and the UK soon sold out. My own quest for one of the masks (modelled below) resembled something like DiCaprio’s ordeal in The Revenant (swap the bear fight with a scuffle involving a mother of three in a Toys R Us car park and you get the idea). Whether it’s a game of Pie Face in full swing, Charlie biting his brother’s finger or someone getting the giggles while wearing the face of a Wookie, there’s just no predicting what makes a video catch on, but we should be grateful that some of the bigger ones in recent years have driven consumers to toy aisles. Despite singlehandedly rocketing the Chewbacca Mask up the sales charts, for all of her achievements, Payne has not cracked this year’s ToyNews Women of the Year 2016 list, revealed in full in this issue. Congrats to the 30 outstanding individuals who made this year’s list, and I look forward to celebrating with you all at our Women of the Year Awards, taking place later this month on July 21st. I’ll get a drink in for anyone who turns up in a Chewbacca Mask. Ggggwaarrrrgghhhhh!

Whether it’s a game of Pie Face in full swing, Charlie biting his brother’s finger or someone getting the giggles while wearing the face of a Wookie, we should be grateful that some of the biggest viral videos of recent years have driven consumers to toy aisles.

Contact: BLangsworthy@nbmedia.com

LEADER OF THE PACKS Royal Flush: the first choice for millions of card players worldwide

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July 05

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NEWS

UK Games Expo “critical to growth of gaming industry” Last month’s show enjoyed its biggest turnout to date, with a 65 per cent increase in exhibitors and attendees BY ROBERT HUTCHINS

he UK Games Expo continues to play a vital role in driving the growth of the games industry in the UK and worldwide, according to the show’s organisers. The three day event held last month at Birmingham’s NEC saw tabletop game publishers, retailers and enthusiasts come together for what has been championed as its biggest show to date. According to organiser statistics, the 2016 show enjoyed between 60 to 65 per cent increase in consumer attendance on last year’s event. Having moved from the Hilton to the NEC venue for the first time, the show also saw a stark increase in exhibitor numbers with the likes of Esdevium and Coiledspring Games taking larger spaces. “In the last few years, we have gone from 80 to nearly 200

exhibitors, a 60 to 65 per cent growth in exhibitors alone,” Mick Pearson, head of press and public relations at UK Games Expo told ToyNews. “For us the show keeps getting bigger and bigger. We even have our own awards ceremony now which generates a lot of interest among the gaming community.” Over 25,000 attendees came to the show over the three days, placing it among the top four biggest board gaming events in the world.

Encouraged by the success of this year’s show, organisers have now set their sights on further growth, with the aim of one day rivalling Germany’s Essen Spiel. “We have proven ourselves to be a critical part of the UK games market and the market worldwide,” continued Pearson. “We have known for a few years that we are influencing things, and with more visitors from overseas including China and Australia, we are

confident of a successful future for the show.” This year’s event boasted one of its largest family gaming areas to date, allowing fans to engage in a menu of different titles. Pearson added: “We were keen on having a large interactive family area as that is where the future of gaming is. We see crossgenerational interest in this show each year, and our hope is that this will have a domino effect, encouraging more and more youngsters to take up the hobby.” Esdevium Games had a major presence at the 2016 event, with an 800 square foot stand. “It’s fantastic to see that specialist games have now grown to a size for such a show to exist in the UK,” said Esdevium’s managing director, Steve Buckmaster. “The Expo has really moved up a level this year, with so much going on and we are very proud to have played our part in that.”

Future’s bright for Flair and Trolls The company’s new line of products spans role-play items, beauty lines, make-up sets and a raft of accessories BY JADE BURKE With DreamWorks Animation readying for the debut of its Trolls film in October, GP Flair has unveiled its latest line inspired by the movie. Spanning role-play items, beauty and make-up products, a bracelet and a wig, the firm believes that its line will boast wide-spread appeal thanks to the history of the Trolls brand.

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“The Trolls are a lot of fun and this has been emulated in our range. We think girls, and maybe even some mums, will love the hair play aspect,” Kirsty MacKenzie, marketing manager at GP Flair, told ToyNews. “Everyone knows and remembers Trolls so the brand will really appeal to all ages.” MacKenzie also believes the varying price points across the firm’s new range

is set to ensure Flair has a hit on its hands this Christmas. MacKenzie added: “Customers can expect lots of fun role-play items that highlight key features and elements from the film. “There are varying price points too, allowing pocket money purchases as well as larger items that will hopefully make many Christmas lists.” As Trolls fever starts to sweep retail following the launch of the movie later this year, Flair believes the brand could be the next big

craze in the toy space thanks to the age spanning appeal of the property; a factor the firm attributes to the original line of Good Luck Trolls dolls. MacKenzie continued: “Many people remember the original Troll characters so there will be a lot of nostalgia around the film from an older generation. “I remember the Troll dolls very well, so I am looking forward to seeing the new film – I can’t wait to see it.” GP Flair: 0208 643 0320

www.toynews-online.biz

17/06/2016 10:31

NEWS

Frog leaps into toys with Yibu The tech specialist believes its new tech-toy concept will bring fresh innovation to the global smart toy market BY ROBERT HUTCHINS Tech-infused play specialist, Frog Design, is looking for partners in the toy space to help launch the next generation of smart toys or ‘edugame experiences’. Called Yibu, the tech-toy concept is described as a learning platform that transforms screen time into a physically active experience through the use of wooden toys, each embedded with sensing technology. Each toy is connected to a character via an iPad as they face a number of environmental challenges, each designed to help kids learn about the world around them through different activities.

By moving the toys around the house and placing them in different situations, the child can discover how temperature, sound, light, direction and wind can influence the digital space. While Yibu is currently in its prototype phase at present, Frog is now on the lookout for partners in the UK and across the globe in order to utilise the technology in a line of toys and games. “Today’s kids are spending more time indoors and alone with digital devices than ever before, often at the expense of physical activity,” said Simone Rebaudengo, senior interaction designer at Frog. “Yibu turns the home into an adventure playground where kids

can be active and have fun in a safe environment, and we are now looking for a partner who wants to use our expertise to design their own smart toys.” Frog believes Yibu tech will innovate a market that is projected to exceed $135 billion by 2020.

“We hope Yibu will inspire organisations and investors in the toy retailing, smart toy, gaming and education markets to make kids’ screen time a more meaningful and physically active experience,” added Rebaudengo. Frog Design: 020 3695 6962

CHiP success sets WowWee up for biggest year in the UK to date The tech firm has stated that its new robotic dog has been met with ‘phenomenal response’ around the globe BY ROBERT HUTCHINS With four new major lines launching, tech toy specialist WowWee believes 2016 is set to be its biggest year in the UK to date. The firm has already enjoyed a “phenomenal” global response to its newest addition, a robotic dog named CHiP. CHiP joins other new items including Coji, a toy that teaches kids coding through emojis, a

gamefied drone called Lumi and battle play-set R.E.V. Air. “Early response to CHiP has been phenomenal, better than most items we have launched in the past, so this will pave the way to a great year,” said Sydney Wiseman, brand manager at WowWee. “We have not flooded

the market with CHiP this year however, so people will have to get CHiP before stores sell out. This will then pave the way for a beautiful long life for the product and the accessories that we have planned for the line next year.” WowWee is now eyeing further growth thanks to a ‘more diverse portfolio than ever before’. “By diversifying into drones, education and

more unisex products, we are expecting further growth in the UK and US markets,” added Wiseman. “We bring a cool factor you just don’t see in other toys and like to consider ourselves a tech company that can use the library of technology we have to create awesome tech toys. “We have all sorts of things up our sleeves for 2017, and while the likes of CHiP will be big this year, year two is when you’ll see it really take off.” Trends UK: 01295 768 078

Products that create a buzz w w w. h i p py c h i c k . c o m www.toynews-online.biz

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CAMPAIGN OF THE MONTH / PLAYTIME

The Secret Life of Pets

With Universal’s new animated movie in cinemas, Spin Master has unveiled its campaign to support the toy line CONTACT: SPIN MASTER, 01628 535 000

aster toy licensee Spin Master has introduced the lineup of products for The Secret Life of Pets. From Universal and produced by Illumination Studios, (the brains behind Despicable Me and Minions), the film launched in UK cinemas on June 24th and is set to be one of the global blockbusters this summer. The toy range captures the personalities of each character, coming to life through articulation, movement, and character sounds and phrases.

The Mini Pets and Poseable Pets figures are perfect for adopting, play and display. With deep assortments, children will be able to collect all of their favourite characters from the film. Plus, The Walking Talking Pets have unique action features, recite character sounds and phrases and will be highlighted in one of the TV campaigns set to air in 2016. A range of plush is available from cute, soft and cuddly Plush Buddies to Spin

Master’s feature plush, starring Best Friend Max. Available this autumn, Max walks on his lead, talks and recites phrases from the film. Plus, children will also be able to stroke his head to get his tail wagging. A high impact TV campaign will air over the

summer that introduces The Walking Talking Pets and Talking Plush Buddy’s to leverage movie noise around its theatrical release. Best Friend Max will star in its own heavyweight campaign set to begin over the October half term in the lead up to its DVD release. Each campaign will highlight the unique features and personalities of the on-screen characters. Standout POS materials have also been created to promote The Secret Life of Pets instore, and Spin Master will support with online assets across the whole range.

Lauren Coombs from Generation Media reviews which TV shows prove the most popular with mums and their kids Source: BARB 2016, GB TGI 2016 Q1

hich shows dominate mums’ TV viewing? Is it the latest ‘who shot who?’ on EastEnders, a laugh a minute with Michael McIntyre or a show that they can watch with their children? If we look back at data for April 2016, the top performing show for housewives with children under the age of three (HWCH0-3) was EastEnders, delivering on average 459,000 impacts per episode (17 per cent of the target audience) across the month. BARB’s Project Dovetail also records EastEnders as the most watched show across the number of on demand services measured, with some episodes being streamed over 411,000 times. It is also no surprise that some of the flagship weekend shows such as Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway and Britain’s Got Talent both rank within the top

10 across linear TV delivering on average 253,000 (nine per cent) and 296,000 (11 per cent) impacts respectively. However, airing across adults channels is not the only way to target mum. With 77 per cent of HWCH0-3* stating that they watch children’s content, kids’ commercial channels provides advertisers with the opportunity to reach mums more cost effectively. While we know CBeebies, with Topsy Tim and In The Night Garden, is watched on average for two hours and 14 minutes a week by housewives with children under three, a number of shows on kids’ commercial channels are proving popular amongst mums. For example, Noddy Toyland Detective airing on Milkshake! has been reaching on average 74,000 housewives with children under three, higher than episodes such as 24 Hours in Police Custody

on Channel 4, (episodes have delivered 61,000 impacts) and This Morning (53,000 impacts). Other channels such as Tiny Pop command 23 minutes of mums’ weekly TV viewing alongside Nick Jr, with 25 minutes a week. So, we know mums are watching kids’ commercial TV channels but there is also a vast array of content on YouTube that advertisers can tap into, especially those looking to work around the licensing programme restrictions.

Sesame Street is another licence set to tackle the online space launching its own Sesame Studios YouTube channel, which will offer short form original content focusing on a range of curricular areas for children’s development. Targeting mums through kids’ content is a strategy implemented by many advertisers, not only within the toys and games space, but categories targeting families and youth. For more information, please contact us.

ToyNews PlayTime is provided by Generation Media

0207 307 7900 | www.generationmedia.co.uk

*Based on women with children under three present in the household

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17/06/2016 10:40

NPD RESEARCH

May sunshine drives strong sales for outdoor toys

ith the long awaited reappearance of the sun in May, the toy market recorded a strong growth in value and volume. Value was up nine per cent and units an impressive 26 per cent, driven by the phenomenal performance of outdoor and sports toys. There was also massive growth in summer seasonal toys, which was up 42 per cent, adding £8m to the market versus May last year. Pools, water and sand toys, water guns and playground equipment contributed to that growth. Both Little Tikes and Nerf remain top selling properties in outdoor toys, with X-Shot having a very strong month as well. “Outdoor and sports has always been heavily weather dependent but this has been exceptionally strong start to the season,” said Melissa Symonds, director of NPD Group’s toy business in the UK. “The range of toys and licences available in outdoor

and sport is extensive but also exciting, generating plenty of choice and engagement with this toy category.” It was a strong month for more than just outdoor and sports toys with eight supercategories in growth including ‘All Other Toys’ where non-strategic trade cards/ collectable stickers helped drive a 31 per cent increase in value for the month. The big driver for this

is the continuing football craze. Panini’s UEFA Euro 2016 France stickers pack is the top selling item in total toys in volume and second best performing item in value. However, monthly sales of non-strategic trade cards/ collectable stickers are nowhere near the level from May 2014, where this subclass alone added £1.5m more to the toys market. Elsewhere, building sets was the third fastest growing category with value up 14 per cent versus May 2015, driven by this year new launches. The biggest launch of the month is LEGO’s Disney Minifigures assortment, which was the number one item in value across total toys for the month with over £1.7m of sales. In addition to continued sales from popular brands, such as LEGO Star Wars, new items for LEGO Super Heroes: Captain America also added to the growth.

PROPERTIES Best item progression May 2016

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Chewbacca Electronic Mask (Hasbro) Thanks to the power of the Chewbacca Mom viral video, Hasbro’s Mask shot up from position 2,023 in April up to 16th in the May charts.

SALES

UK toy sales (value, year-to-date)

YTD 2015

YTD 2016

Source: NPD

AVERAGE TOY PRICE May 2015: £7.90

May 2016: £6.87

UK RETAIL SALES TRENDS May 2016 (£ sales – value)

May 2016 (Unit sales – volume)

1 LEGO Disney Minifigure

1 UEFA Euro 2016 Stickers Pack

UEFA Euro 2016 Stickers Pack

All Surface Swingbal

LEGO

Panini

LEGO Disney Minifigure

LEGO

Mookie Toys

Hot Wheels Single Cars

Mattel

Shopkins 2 Pack

Flair

LEGO Minifigures

LEGO

Shopkins Pack of 12

Flair

Shopkins 2 Pack

Flair

Paw Patrol Vehicle and Pup

Spin Master

LEGO The Simpsons Minifigures

LEGO

LEGO Minifigures

LEGO

Match Attax 2014/15

Topps

LEGO The Simpsons Minifigures

LEGO

UEFA Euro 2016 Adrenalyn XI Booster Pack

Panini

Cozy Coupe 30th Anniversary

MGA Entertainment

Shoot Football

10. SmarTrike 4 in 1 Trike Assortment

Mookie Toys

10. Play-Doh Single Tub Assortment

John Handel Hasbro

Notes: All participating NPD retail data suppliers provide weekly data via epos systems. NPD figures are not projected to represent non-participating retailers but provide 100 per cent of the sales from participating stores. Epos sample includes the following retailers: Amazon.co.uk, Argos, Asda, Boots, Debenhams, ELC, Entertainer, Firebox, Halfords, Hamleys, John Lewis, Mothercare, Sainsbury’s, Shop Direct, Tesco, Toymaster, Toys R Us, Whsmiths, Wilkinsons. NPD estimates that the epos now accounts for 75% of the total UK toy market.

01932 355 580 www.toynews-online.biz

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July 09

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APPOINTMENTS

Industry moves Orchard Toys appears as our team of the month, talking about its new range of games. Elsewhere, H. Grossman announces the departure of Caroline Brotherton and Brainstorm boosts its product development team TEAM OF THE MONTH: ORCHARD TOYS Who’s in the team? The 58 strong team at Orchard Toys is headed up by MD Simon Newbery and supported by design, production, marketing, sales, admin, operations and finance teams. With the exception of our sales reps, all members of staff work on site and there is a real community feel within the company.

things into place from stock build to marketing.

What are you working on now? We’ve just launched our new range of mini games, which are travelsize versions of classic family games. So far they’re been a big hit with retailers and members of the public and we predict they’ll be strong selling lines. We’re also now fully into our Q4 planning, getting various

What industry events will you be attending this year? We’ve already attended the key toy fairs this year, including Hong Kong, London and Nuremberg, plus Spring Fair, AIS and Toymaster. These were very successful and we really enjoyed seeing both old and new customers at the shows.

H. Grossman n The toy firm has revealed that toy industry veteran CAROLINE BROTHERTON is retiring, having held the role as director for 20 years. Brotherton, who has worked alongside MARTIN and ELINOR GROSSMAN, made the decision to retire early last year. “I have had 20 years doing my dream job,” said Brotherton. “I have absolutely loved working with this business and loved working with Martin, Eli and everyone at Grossman.”

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Working in the toy industry gives us the opportunity to work with other people and businesses that are equally passionate about supporting children through play. We also get the immense satisfaction of seeing how our products can help children to develop, learn and have fun.

What are the biggest challenges you face? Summer is notoriously a challenging time of year for us due to the high demand for outdoor toys. However, our new travel size mini games might be a game changer for us this summer.

Simba Smoby UK n JIM PROCTERBLAIN is joining the company as its new head of marketing and licensing, following his previous position at Hornby Hobbies, where he was head of marketing. Procter-Blain replaces ALEX KOVACEVIC, who is set to leave Simba Smoby to undertake an MBA at Duke University in the US. Procter-Blain said: “I am delighted to be joining Simba Smoby at such an exciting time. The business is on a real upwards trajectory and I am looking forward to being part of that growth.” Orchard Toys n The vendor has appointed KEVIN DOBSON as its new graphic designer.

Who avoids the washing up? We don’t have a problem with washing up so much as missing teaspoons – fess up cutlery hoarder, whoever you are. And of course, the most anticipated event in the Orchard Toys calendar was Simon Prest’s GAP golf day in April, which was a great success and a lot of fun. What’s the best part of working in the industry?

Boasting over 13 years experience, Dobson has previously designed for brands including Tesco and Nestle, and will now be responsible for product packaging and marketing projects. “There are so many interesting, creative projects to get my teeth into and I’m enjoying working alongside a talented design team,” said Dobson. Toys R Us n The firm has appointed a new executive VP and global CTO in the form of LANCE WILLS. Wills will be responsible for maintaining the company’s global IT and digital strategy, as well as overseeing end-to-end strategy, design and implementation of the firm’s digital road map.

Who’s the office joker? Simon Newbery is without a doubt our resident joker, bringing his sarcastic sense of humour and wit wherever he goes. However, our MD, chairman and sales director make quite the comedy trio.

“Lance has the talent, experience and leadership qualities that will be instrumental in helping position our IT and digital teams for success in the company’s journey to growth,” said DAVE BRANDON, CEO of Toys R Us. Brainstorm n The vendor is bolstering its product development department with LUCY PRESTON joining the team. “Lucy comes to us with an in-depth knowledge of dealing with overseas factories and quality control. She is incredibly creative and we are looking forward to working with her as we continue to grow our ranges,” said Brainstorm’s product director ROSANNE KENEALY.

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17/06/2016 10:45

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10/06/2016 10:44

OPINION

Deutsche marks the spot Following a guide to the French market last month, this issue sees Steve Reece explore the German toy space, and its focus on quality rather than on hit brands

Germany has the most fragmented retail setting of any major toy market. No one player has a large market share.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Steve Reece runs a leading consultancy delivering consumer research and manufacturing sourcing services to toy companies. Contact him via www.KidsBrandInsight.com.

he German toy market should be a good export sales opportunity for UK toy companies. It is after all one of the three major European toy markets, and is not much smaller than the British toy industry in terms of total sales (maybe 10 to 20 per cent less at most). Moreover, German business people are nearly always fluent in English, are very approachable and generally highly professional. Furthermore, the market is fairly easy to reach in terms of flight connections and shipping. However, things aren’t quite so easy when you dig beneath the surface. For starters, Germany has the most fragmented retail setting of any major toy market. No one player has a large market share. There is no equivalent of Argos or Carrefour in Germany.

You can forget pushing for those two or three retail listings, which count for so much. Instead you’d better embrace the grind and hit the road, as even the larger chains sometimes buy locally. We in the UK are rightly proud of the longevity and product specialism to be found in the independent specialist toy retail channel. However, the German ‘mom and pop’ stores massively outnumber the UK’s offering, with literally thousands of independent toy specialist retailers, sometimes reached via massive buying groups, but often via leg work. Aside from the challenges of a fragmented retail base, the German toy industry has a very different product mix versus the UK. Whereas the UK is one of the most licence driven toy markets in

the world, Germany is a (comparably) less licence centric market. Quality is often more important than brand, with a preponderance of seemingly generic wooden toys, a large model train category and a strong focus on games. So where are the opportunities? Well, it’s worth putting things in context – less reliant on licences doesn’t mean licences are absent. In fact, some strong licences drive stronger unit sales in Germany than in the UK, partly due to the strength of Germany’s terrestrial commercial broadcasters and partly due to the larger population, meaning that when something works, it really works. And if all else fails and business is bad for you in Germany, you can always fall back on some of the finest beers in the world.

Cube conundrum Jeremy Morton looks at why a recent advisory trademark ruling regarding the Rubik’s Cube presents a “massive blow” to its UK owner, Seven Towns

Why is this case important? It’s all about product designers extending monopolies in intellectual property, potentially forever. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Harbottle & Lewis’ Jeremy Morton is a solicitor who advises in the specialist area of intellectual property law, which includes copyright, brands and patents. Contact him on 020 7667 5000 or via jeremy.morton@ harbottle.com.

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7 years on from registering the Rubik’s Cube shape as a European trademark, its owners have been told by the EU Court of Justice that it is probably invalid and “contrary to public policy.” The Advocate-General’s Opinion is advisory-only, but likely to be followed when the Court eventually issues its final judgment. This is a massive blow to UK company Seven Towns which holds the rights and whose CEO originally introduced the product to the world. Why is this case important? It’s all about product designers extending monopolies in intellectual property, potentially forever. The Advocate-General doesn’t like that. Both Rubik and other inventors around the world sought patent

protection for the Cube’s technical features early on. But patents only last 20 years, and they have now expired. Similarly, registered designs (which protect the distinctive shape of products), only last 25 years. Industrial, non-artistic products also do not usually benefit from the longer term of copyright protection, which is aimed at art, literature, craft design and so on. The European Community Trade Mark Regulation of 1993 enabled a wide range of ‘marks’ to be registered across the EU, including the shape of goods. But there are common-sense constraints: it is not possible to register a mark consisting exclusively of a shape resulting from the nature of the goods themselves, or a shape that is necessary to obtain a technical result.

Seven Towns succeeded in registering the shape of the Rubik’s Cube as a European trademark in 1999. Perhaps surprisingly, an attack on that registration by Simba Toys of Germany, citing the technical nature of the design features, was dismissed by the EU General Court in 2014. Simba’s appeal from that rejection now looks like succeeding, apparently sweeping away Seven Towns’ monopoly rights. In a related judgment, LEGO succeeded in registering Minifigures’ three-dimensional features as trade marks despite opposition by British competitor Best-Lock. That was also a decision of the CJEU. Arguably the Rubik’s Cube shape has more of a functional feel to it. The CJEU must now reconcile these decisions and provide some clear guidance.

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17/06/2016 17:21

OPINION

The real cost of toys Richard Heayes looks at how our industry manages the delicate balancing act between making great products and also being environmentally conscientious

The toy sector was one of the first western businesses to enter China, so we should set the standard for others to follow.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Richard Heayes is an award-winning inventor and designer at Heayes Design, and a supporter of all things playful. Contact him at richard.heayesdesign.com.

hen I started out in design, I was really just interested in creating cutting edge products which looked cool with great features - what I quickly learned is that all of those design decisions have an environmental cost. I remember my very first trip to a Chinese vendor some 20 years ago. After the buzz of visiting Hong Kong for the first time, it struck me that I wasn’t sure I was going to like what I saw the next day, visiting vendors in Shenzhen. However, walking through the many floors of the first vendor, I was pleasantly surprised. Sure this was no EU factory but it was well organised with smartly dressed, mainly young adult workers. Back in the Nineties, the cost of labour in China was so low it barely

figured on the cost calculations. I saw some crazy things being done to avoid the investment in machinery. Thankfully, things are now changing for the better and the impact of labour and materials is being taken more seriously by all responsible global corporations. The toy sector was one of the first western businesses to enter China, so we should set the standard for others to follow. It was pleasing to see Hasbro awarded for its recycling and sourcing efforts regarding packaging, one of many environmental initiatives it is taking. In fact, most major toy firms have ethical issues high on their agendas - that’s no surprise but it’s good to see the industry continuing to step up. However, the balance between making great products

and also being environmentally aware is a continuous challenge. For example, putting electronics inside a sealed unit is great for manufacturing and reliability, but you can’t recycle it, resulting in several toys being tossed into landfill. Play is good for us all but when those toys have had their day, they cannot just end up decaying and contaminating the planet. That isn’t sustainable and it isn’t good business. It’s up to everybody in the product development chain to think carefully about the decisions they make as they will have a direct impact on the environment (every new product does). Creating quality products that last, which can be easily recycled as well as implementing ethical sourcing, will not only be good for business but good for our children’s future.

Ship shape This month sees introduction of brand new SOLAS legislation for sea freight shipments. Velta’s Jan West takes a look at what this change means for exporters

From July 1st, the new SOLAS legislation will require all ocean shipments to be weighed before they are shipped.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Jan West is head of marketing and communications at Velta. Velta can offer free advice on any aspect of your supply chain. Get in touch on 01376 505160.

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he mis-declaration of cargo weight is a major hazard to vessels and goods, and endangers life at sea. When the MCS Napoli ran aground off the coast of Cornwall in 2007, over 20 per cent of containers recovered from the vessel were found to have mis-declared container weights, amounting to an excess to the cargo manifest of over 312 tonnes. To avoid such incidents happening in future, the International Maritime Organisation is introducing new Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) regulations to improve the safe handling of containers at port and in transit, as well as reliability within the shipping process. From July 1st, the new SOLAS legislation will require all ocean shipments to be weighed before they are shipped.

As the shipper, it will be your responsibility to provide the containers gross verified mass (VGM) to the ocean carrier and port terminal, regardless of who packed the container. There are two methods available for supplying the VGM. Method one – Weighing the packed container using calibrated and certified weighing equipment. Method two – Adding together the weights of each item of cargo, any securing materials or additional packaging and the tare weight of the container itself. To use method two, you will need to apply to the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) for authorisation and certification to supply your own VGMs. But will the ports offer a service for obtaining a VGM? Yes. UK Ports will be offering the provision

of VGM at their facilities; weighing full load containers, and the production of and transmission of VGM certificates to the relevant shipping lines. Failure to comply with the legislation could result in longer timescales to point of delivery, additional costs and potential fines. If you have any concerns, it is advisable to speak with your freight forwarder. Experienced freight forwarders such as Velta have been keeping their clients informed of developments and how the process will be implemented on an international scale. Some like Velta may also liaise on your behalf with ports offering VGM to gain and communicate these details with relevant parties when the new regulations come into effect, so you don’t have to.

July 13

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CROWDFUNDING FOCUS

Your Modern Girl Frances Cain, founder of A Girl For All Time, has taken to Kickstarter to launch the company’s latest doll line, Your Modern Girl. Designed to make play more creative, Cain tells Jade Burke why the range boasts limitless potential, how further expansion is on the cards and why representing diversity is key to the firm’s ethos Platform: Kickstarter Goal: £20,000 Campaign status: Funded

Can you tell me a bit about the new Your Modern Girl range? We are really excited about Your Modern Girl – it’s the perfect bridge between our two lines: the historical range and the contemporary range. While the historical line has been all about following the adventures of a single family tree through the generations. Your Modern Girl is all about a group of friends living in modern day London, going to school, being with each other and exploring what their futures are going to be. With this natural continuation of the A Girl for All Time storyline, we now have almost limitless potential for a great range of diverse, contemporary dolls with different ethnic backgrounds, interests, hobbies and family life. Why was it important for you to demonstrate diversity with this new doll line? In the toy industry, dolls closely represent real people and are the easiest toys for our children to identify with, yet in general they don’t really reflect the diversity of the children that they are supposed to be representing. There is an amazing acceptance of different ethnicities, beliefs and lifestyles in the upcoming generation that is so inspirational, and we want to represent that ethos for today’s children in the world of dolls. What has reception for the doll line been like so far? It’s been really great. I think the fact that the Kickstarter campaign is now fully funded is a good

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indication of how the range is going to do. We received so many emails, messages and texts about the new range from our fan base and from people who have discovered the range through Kickstarter that I feel we have tapped into a gap in the market that has not yet been fully addressed. What are your thoughts on crowdfunding platforms? Kickstarter is an amazing platform but there are quite a few pitfalls associated with it too. Fewer than 40 per cent of campaigns

In general, dolls don’t really reflect the diversity of the children they’re supposed to be representing. Frances Cain, A Girl For All Time actually receive funding, as Kickstarter is an all or nothing proposition, so it’s definitely a nail-biting month while it’s running. Having said that, for a lot of smaller companies – and even some of the big ones too – Kickstarter is a great way to test the market and gauge a product’s potential success. And, of course, all of the subsequent new visitors, new registrants, fans and customers that engage with the brand via Kickstarter definitely make it worth the months of prep, research and work that it

takes to build and promote a successful campaign. Why did you choose to use a crowdfunding platform to launch Your Modern Girl? Kickstarter is a great way to gauge the desirability of a new line with your target market without having to invest in an entire production run that may, or may not, sell through successfully. For us as a small company, that really has been key to our hopefully continued success this year. We already know that the new line is going to sell – Kickstarter has showed us that – so it takes some of the pressure off for the new launch. How can toy retailers benefit from a company’s crowdfunding campaign? Kickstarter is a great tool that retailers can use to support the brands that work for them in their shops. Helping to promote the campaign through their own social media, or even hosting a demonstration in their shop of products that are being promoted on Kickstarter are good ways for retailers to get involved. It can help generate traffic to the shop’s website or bricks and mortar shop and it can also help retailers engage with customers and present themselves as an expert on upcoming new products. What’s next for you? Expansion of the historical line, expansion of the publishing arm, and expansion of the contemporary doll line. And then a holiday. July 15

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D R 3 E

TH R S FO

L A U NN

U N I JO

Soho Hotel London Thursday 21st July 2016

This year the event will recognise the Top 30 Women in Toys for 2016, as well as awarding 6 special categories to deserving women across the toy industry. n Woman of the Year 2016 n Rising Star of the Year sponsored by Gameplan Europe n PR & Communications Woman of the Year – NEW FOR 2016! n Inventor of the Year n Marketeer of the Year n Lifetime Achievement Award – NEW FOR 2016! TICKET ENQUIRIES

TICKETS: Only £49! TICKETS INCLUDE: Networking reception with drinks & canapés, awards ceremony and extensive networking opportunities. HOW TO BOOK: www.toynewswomenoftheyear.com/tickets or contact Georgia Blake gblake@nbmedia.com +44 (0)20 7354 6010

SPONSORSHIP ENQUIRIES Contact Sophia Freeman on sfreeman@nbmedia.com or call +44 (0)20 7534 6000 for more information on our bespoke packages.

2016 SPONSORS INCLUDE: Category Partner:

#wit2016

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e have once again been inundated with nominations from all corners of the industry for this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Women of the Year list, and here it is. To avoid repeating the majority of the list year-in year-out, we took the decision to feature 30 women this year, ensuring it reflects the achievements of inspirational individuals over the last 12 months. Moving forward, this should make for an ever-changing annual list and one that truly reflects the outstanding achievements by women across retail, PR, marketing, licensing and product design

In association with:

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Rebecca Atkinson Founder, #ToyLikeMe campaign Rebecca Atkinson launched #ToyLikeMe in April 2015 after she noticed the lack of disability representation in toys. And in just over a year, her campaign to get better disability representation in the toy box has caused changes across the industry. Firms including Playmobil and Orchard Toys have all come on board and the campaign hit the headlines earlier this year when LEGO launched its very first wheelchair-using Minifigure. As one nominator stated: “Rebecca has been so tireless in her efforts and so successful in getting toy manufacturers to represent disabilities positively.”

Frances Cain Founder, A Girl For All Time As well as running the internationally successful doll firm, Cain is the UK Chair for the Women in Toys organisation. The last 12 months have proved to be some of the most exciting in her firm’s history, having been awarded the Playdoll of the Year title by Dolls Magazine for the second year running for Lydia, Your Georgian Girl. Cain also successfully embraced crowdfunding this year, raising £20,551 on Kickstarter to launch Your Modern Girl, a collection of contemporary dolls. All this, and she has an appearance on Dragons’ Den in the pipeline too.

Kimberly Culmone VP, Barbie Design, Mattel As VP of global creative for Barbie, Kimberly Culmone oversees all things creative for the brand including product, packaging and entertainment creative. In this position, she sets creative strategy and drives product execution, with responsibility for the design of all aspects of product. Working on the Barbie brand for over 17 years, Culmone played an integral role in Barbie’s 50th anniversary initiatives in 2009 and in the last 12 months, Culmone led the team in one of the biggest shake-ups for the iconic brand with the introduction of three new body types in the Barbie line.

Alison Downie Global Licensing and Brand Director, HTI Alison Downie has a wealth of experience and expert knowledge in the children’s toy market, gained from over 30 years in the industry. Promoted to the role of HTI’s global licensing and brand director in December 2015, Downie now heads up the HTI product development and UK marketing teams. Within her new remit, she has proved to be ‘an accomplished juggler and spinner of plates,’ stated one nominator, ‘she has a remarkable reputation within the industry for integrity, diligence, reliability and affability’.

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Hannah Beeching Marketing Executive, Coiledspring Games Cheerful, proactive and enthusiastic, Coiledspring’s Hannah Beeching has been applauded for her positive can-do attitude, hands-on approach and hardworking nature. Her genuine passion for the toys and games she represents shines through in how she manages campaigns and projects. As one nominator said: “The great thing about Hannah is you can start off having a joke about an idea and she is so quick witted and innovative that before long you’ve got the gem of an idea for something brilliant.”

Lisa Cox Senior National Account Manager, Flair Lisa joined Flair in September 2014 and prior to that she had worked at Philips in a number of its trading divisions (consumer electronics and consumer lifestyle). Cox has made her mark at Flair and with her customers, specifically heading up the ASDA account, who, at a recent suppliers conference, mentioned her hard work and dedication on several occasions. Cox is a highly motivated member of the team who works hard to get results that are appreciated by both her customers and the wider Flair business.

Marian Davies, Marketing Manager, MGA Entertainment & Zapf Creation As marketing manager for MGA Entertainment and Zapf Creation, Marian Davies has been a prominent figure in the toy and nursery industry since 1991 and was awarded the Marketeer Award at last year’s ToyNews Women of the Year Awards. During her nine years at MGA and Zapf, Davies has managed across the firm’s portfolio of fashion and large dolls, as well as heading up two large doll brands in Baby Annabell and BABY born. The last year has seen Davies successfully introduce MGA’s STEAM doll line, Project Mc2 to the market.

Emma Eden Marketing Manager, Spin Master Eden joined Spin Master in May 2010 as brand manager, before taking on a new position as marketing manager in December 2013. She currently manages some of the company’s biggest brands including Meccano and RC brand Air Hogs, but Eden’s greatest triumph over the last 12 months has been the ongoing success of the property Paw Patrol. The pre-school brand became Spin Master’s after only a few months on shelves last year and broke into NPD’s top ten toy properties list for the first time back in March.

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Ruth Elliott Co-Founder, Big Ideas Product Development Ruth Elliott is something of a design legend in this industry as the co-founder of both Carterbench and Big Ideas. Elliott worked on the UK’s first line of Star Wars toys, was involved in the pencil sketches for the Big Yellow Teapot and created toys and games for Basil Brush. More recently, Elliott has enjoyed success designing for Cartamundi’s Shuffle range, Paul Lamond’s Doctor Who 50th Anniversary board game and Ravensburger’s Jolly Octopus game. Elliott also scooped last year’s International Designer and Inventor of Toys Award.

Gemma Gallagher Founder and Director at ToyTesters. TV / Director of Brand Relations at Kidtropolis Gallagher is not one to sit still and watch the world go by. According to her peers, she is determined, not afraid to take risks and strives to achieve her own goals through hard work and integrity, and the success of ToyTesters.TV is testament to that. As well as pulling off another successful awards last year, the brand achieved over four million content interactions in 2015. More recently she has become a director and shareholder of Kidtropolis London.

Dr Amanda Gummer Founder and MD, Fundamentally Children Teaching parents about the value of play, Dr Gummer is passionate about the importance of toys and play in a child’s life and regularly appears on TV, radio and in the print media sharing her findings. In the last year, FSB Hertfordshire Business Awards 2016 named Gummer as a finalist in the Business Person of The Year category, thanks to the success of her debut book, Play. Elsewhere, Gummer has teamed with SmarTrike to support the brand’s communication with its consumers.

Majen Immink Head of Operations and Sales for Toy Fair, BTHA In her second year in the role of head of operations and sales for London Toy Fair, Immink had to deal with the 2016 date clash with Spielwarenmesse, and she did ‘a great job to ensure the show was a tremendous success’. Another great success for Immink has been the early booking for next year’s show, with a returnee exhibitor rate of more than 80 per cent joining a raft of first timers. Not to mention the fact that the Greenhouse Area is already 75 cent full. Toy Fair remains in great hands.

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Katy Fletcher, Senior Brand Manager, Re:creation With 15 years experience in the toy industry, Fletcher has vast knowledge of her subject. Starting her toy career at VTech, she is now senior brand manager at Re:creation, boasting an encyclopedic knowledge of the scooter and outdoor world. Fletcher has been called a ‘driving force’ behind the success of the Razor brand over the last 12 months, including the development of the Electrify Your Ride campaign, and this year has seen the executive manage more product launches than ever before, as well as welcoming the new portfolio of Re:creation Games under her remit.

Andrea Gornall Senior Toy Buyer, ShopDirect ShopDirect’s senior buyer of toys and nursery, Andrea Gornall has been instrumental in the firm’s success in the toy space and was a key driver in the retailer gaining recognition as Online Toy Retailer of the Year at the Retail Week Awards 2016 and a Radar Award winner at Licensing Awards 2015. Over the past year, Gornall has driven weekly record sales in the department and delivered market share growth. As one of her colleagues stated: “Adapt or die is the truest saying of all, and Andrea has adapted herself in the toy world over almost three decades.”

Wendy Hill Director of Brand Activation, Mattel UK Hill has played a major role in the toy industry since she started at Mattel over a decade ago. Throughout her time she has worked on FisherPrice and Hot Wheels brands, and has reached her current position through her strong vision, tireless drive and cando attitude. Recent highlights include fuelling anticipation for this month’s launch of Mattel’s DC Super Hero Girls line, the success of the DC Super Friends range and building Mega Brands into a serious global force.

Marianne James Vice President Consumer Products UK and Ireland and European Retail Sales and Marketing, Nickelodeon Viacom Consumer Products James has overseen a barnstorming year for Nickelodeon in the toy space. The firm’s evergreen properties have grown steadily with new lines and new licence deals in 2015, while fresh properties have proven successful on air as well as on shelves. Highlights for James include bringing TMNT to pre-school shelves in Half Shell Heroes and successfully opening the firm’s flagship Nickelodeon Store in Leicester Square.

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Michelle Lilley Marketing Manager, Little Tikes, MGA Entertainmnet Having been with MGA Entertainment for two and a half years, Michelle Lilley’s reign as marketing manager of Little Tikes has seen the brand go from strength to strength. She has forged solid relationships with world-class family brands such as Butlins, and has managed to get Little Tikes working with celebrity ambassadors, teaming with Greg Rutherford on the Little Trikers campaign. As one nominee stated: “With a passion and the determination to get Little Tikes to the top, there is really nothing that this woman cannot do.”

Nicola Mellor Senior Brand Manager, MGA Entertainment Having entered the world of toys with MGA Entertainment just three years ago, Nicola Mellor has made her mark on the industry, re-launching one the firm’s most famous brands in Bratz, delivering a globally recognised marketing campaign and being named the company’s global Employee of the Year. Mellor’s Bratz marketing campaign has been recognised as a precedent for future brand launches within the company. March 2016 saw her promoted to senior brand manager with the Num Noms now within her remit.

Rena Nathanson Top Banana, Bananagrams As the inventor of Bananagrams, Nathanson has a lot to celebrate this year as the game reaches its tenth Bananaversary. The game has sold seven million copies in over 30 countries and there are a number of foreign language editions too. The brand boasts numerous successful games such as Appletters and Zip It, and 2016 will see the launch of two new games - My First Bananagrams and Bananagrams Party. Nathanson also founded The Bananagrams Challenge, a primary schools tournament which is now in its second year in the UK and launched in the US earlier this year.

Foye Pascoe SVP Northern Europe and Italy, Hasbro Called by one nominee ‘the most inspirational and natural leader I have ever met’, this view of Hasbro’s Foye Pascoe appears to be echoed by every member of staff to have worked for her at Hasbro UK and Ireland. Pascoe has recently been promoted to a bigger role across Northern Europe off the back of her incredible success in driving the UK and Ireland business to number two in the toy market with 18 months of consecutive growth. She has also represented the Toy Trust Committee for a number of years and passionately seeks to drive support for under privileged children.

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Lorna McCracken Director of Retail Fulfilment and Business Process, Hasbro UK Lorna has had an exceptional last 12 months leading the team responsible for Retail Fulfilment at Hasbro, exceeding targets and building a culture of passion, partnership and excellence. Following her success overseeing this area of the business, both Asset Management and Inventory Planning are now part of her growing portfolio, culminating in the creation of a new Director position. A nominator added: “She has an amazing ‘can do’ attitude and puts people at the heart of everything she does. She is an invaluable member of Hasbro.”

Rebecca Naish Head of Marketing and Licensing at The Entertainer An incredibly popular member of The Entertainer set up, the last 12 months have seen Naish take charge of a raft of successful initiatives for the retailer. She was responsible for launching The Entertainer’s Super Saturday campaigns with Disney and managed the introduction of TV advertising for the store, debuting with 42 TV campaigns in 2015. Last year also saw Naish work on a market research piece to define the store’s brand identity. She has since developed its brand communication through TV, in-store and online.

Emma Owen PR and Promotions Manager at LEGO UK Owen has been in her current role at LEGO UK since 2010, and has some notable successes under her belt in the last 12 months. These include the unveiling of LEGO Disney Minifigures at an exclusive event in the Disney Store on Oxford Street and of course, the firm’s annual Christmas build, which back in December saw a 500,000 brick train (The LEGO Santa Express) pull into Covent Garden Piazza. She’s also set to have her hands full with the arrival of the brand new flagship LEGO Store in London’s Leicester Square later this year.

Katherine Pierce Senior Licensing and Marketing Manager at Golden Bear Having almost 20 years of global brand and product management experience from her roles at Activision, BBC Worldwide and Jumbo Games, Pierce now heads up the marketing and licencing for Golden Bear. Having built fantastic relationships both internally and externally, Pierce has been instrumental in sourcing new licences such as Thomas and Friends, Oddbods and Messy goes to Okido with more to follow later this year. Heading up marketing, Pierce supports the sales team in line with new launches and marketing initiatives.

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Niamh Sherwin-Barry Chief Story Teller, The Irish Fairy Door Company Niamh Sherwin-Barry founded The Irish Fairy Door Company in August 2013 with her friend, Aoife, and their husbands, Oisin and Gavin. In only three years, the range of wooden fairy doors has grown to include colourful wall art, accessories and storybooks and The Irish Fairy Door Company has now sold 300,000 doors across 80 different countries. The brand officially launched in the USA in February 2016 and already more than 10,000 doors have been sold there, with a further one million doors set to be sold globally this year.

Jacqui Tobias Director and Head of Girls Product Development at Moose Toys Based in Melbourne, Australia, Jacqui Tobias is the mastermind behind a range of smash hit collectable toy lines including Little Live Pets and this year’s big craze, Shopkins. She has been instrumental in making Shopkins Moose Toys’ biggest brand in its 20-year history, with over 200 million Shopkins characters sold worldwide to date. As one nominator stated: “Her creative flair has been fundamental in enabling Moose to thrive in overseas markets.”

Fiona Wright General Manager and Vice President at LEGO UK Wright has been in her current role of UK general manager at LEGO since January 1st 2013 and the last 12 months have seen her lead the world’s biggest toy firm to another raft of success stories. These include the launch of LEGO Nexo Knights - a brand spanning toys, TV and apps, a smash-hit Star Wars: The Force Awakens range and the headline grabbing arrival of the LEGO Disney Minifigures, a collection that has already topped the NPD charts in the UK, not to mention a raft of releases under LEGO’s Duplo and City brands.

Lesley Singleton Head of Play, Playtime PR As the founder of Playtime PR, Singleton could lay claim to loving her job more than anyone has ever loved any job before. It’s been a mammoth year for Playtime and Singleton. Whether it’s securing a client like Argos, helping a Radio One DJ launch his debut game into the market or sorting the first ever Esdevium takeover for her Board Game Club initiative, 2016 has already been one to remember. “I’ve never worked with someone so brilliant, creative, professional, easygoing and kind and it is always an absolute pleasure to be around her,” stated one nominee.

Nina Windheuser Director at Trade Toys Limited and Toy Central Limited Windheuser has started two companies in the toy business in the last three years, and the last 12 months has seen her expand Trade Toys into France and Germany as the European distributor for Viga Toys and she is also looking to expand the business further into Romanian, Her other business, Toy Central, is going from strength to strength. Not content with running two firms, this month saw Windheuser launch Superhero Central, an online shop specialising in girls’ clothing and accessories with a superhero style.

Rachael Wyatt National Account Manager at Cheatwell Games A true one-off, Wyatt has been a roaring success since making the move from Coiledspring Games to Cheatwell Games last July. In her eight month tenure to date, she has grown her major accounts by over 60 per cent and has, as one nominator puts it, “seamlessly integrated into a male dominated company, bringing her unique insight to product development, sales and marketing.” He goes on to say: “She has character, is never short of an opinion and has a ‘nothing is impossible’ attitude. Wyatt is a vital member of the team.”

Why we need awards celebrating women Today there is much awareness about the benefits of creating a gender balanced work environment. Studies have found that it is a key component to the success of companies across all sectors: realising women’s potential in the workplace enhances employee engagement, boosts productivity and improves brand reputation. According to the Women and Work Commission (BITC / The

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Prince’s Responsible Business Network), women are taking on more high profile roles than ever before. However, there is still a huge discrepancy in terms of gender balance in most companies. Women make up only around 26 per cent of board members at FTSE100 companies, with female executive directors at just over 8.5 per cent of those. In the UK, there is still an overall pay gap of 19 per cent.

Clearly we still have some way to go before we can truly say we have a gender-balanced workforce. This is why events like ToyNews’ Women of the Year Awards are so important for the industry: it’s vital that we celebrate the confident, talented women that are making a difference in our sector. By highlighting their achievements of the past year, we are moulding an inclusive environment for everyone.

■ By Frances Cain, Founder, A Girl For All Time & WIT UK Chair

This year’s Women of the Year event on July 21st will be a celebration of the brightest and best in the industry and is a great way of acknowledging the accomplishments of these stellar women. But it’s more than that: it’s about the industry’s continued commitment to creating a dynamic and gender balanced workforce, in which all talents can thrive and I look forward to seeing you all there.

July 21

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CHICCO

Star of the small screen Chicco is rolling out a string of TV adverts this year to promote its latest Fit n Fun product line. Here, Mitch Levene, MD of parent company Artsana UK & Ireland, talks to Jade Burke about why Chicco is venturing into the small screen, its plans to celebrate Euro 2016 and how more retailers can get on board with the toy line-up What has this year been like so far for Chicco? We have had a very strong start to the first quarter of 2016, once again achieving double-digit growth, which continues to be amazing given the 25 per cent sales increase in 2015. With an exciting second half of the year planned in terms of marketing support for key ranges, such as TV advertising and social media campaigns, we are confident 2016 is going to be another milestone year for Chicco. Chicco is readying a line of TV advertisements for toys. Can you tell me a bit more about that? The first phase of advertising begins in August for three weeks and focuses on our new Fit n Fun Jungle Rugby and Goal League. We will then be promoting the two-inone Robo Chicco in the lead up to Christmas, beginning in November. The Fit n Fun advert is a 20 second format and the advert for Robo Chicco will last for 10 seconds. Both of which will be advertised on children’s TV channels, including CiTV, Milkshake, Nick JR, NickToon, TinyPop, Boom and Cartoonito. Why did you choose to venture into TV advertising? The advertising campaign is designed to help bring the toys to life for consumers, as many of the products in our new range have unique features and benefits that are best communicated on TV. The TV ads are also designed to raise awareness of both the Chicco brand and our new toy range in the lead up to Christmas, a key sales period for our retailers. Apart from the TV adverts, will you be investing in any other marketing activity for toys?

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We will be supporting the TV adverts with a number of integrated marketing campaigns, including in-store displays and digital advertising. We will also be running some exciting social media campaigns including a Euro 2016 themed competition to support the Fit n Fun Goal League, and our popular Christmas toy giveaway at the end of the year. Are there any in-store promotions planned that retailers can get involved with?

We will be working with the key toy specialists to ensure that there is a compelling story in-store promoting the unique features and benefits of our hero lines under the ‘Fun of Development’ concept, through engaging point of sale. Our ‘Fun of Development’ expresses the very essence of Chicco, which is to create products that promote fun and happiness at every developmental stage, and has been built around the key categories in which we can offer something unique. What else do you have planned for the year ahead? Are there

With an exciting second half of the year planned, we are confident 2016 is going to be another milestone year for Chicco. Mitch Levene, Artsana

any new releases you can tell us about? Our TV campaign and supporting marketing plan will help consumers really understand the essence of our’ Fun of Development’ concept, making it synonymous with the Chicco brand. The campaign will also help promote our unique position within the market as being able to offer expert advice and product innovations in nursery and toy product categories. Fit n Fun Jungle Rugby will be available from the summer, and the rest of the new 2016 range including Robo Chicco, Rodeo, Happy Shopper and Disney Princess Cinderella Carriage will be available from September. This will be followed up with new innovation moving into 2017, and the continued growth of the Chicco brand, further cementing our position in the UK.

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HASBRO

“It’s an exciting time t Hasbro here and a

Hasbro has welcomed a new country manager for UK & Ireland in the form of David Henderson, formerly the SVP of sales and talks to Henderson about the success of Disney Princess dolls, the impact of Chewbacca Mom, those Mattel merger talks an How has 2016 been for Hasbro so far in the UK and Ireland? The Hasbro UK and Ireland teams have built tremendous momentum across all key categories and channels. It’s an exciting time to be part of Hasbro here and around the world.

in the UK and around the world for Hasbro. Disney is a tremendous partner and we are fortunate to work with them across Disney Princesses, Frozen and Descendants in this category and we look forward to bringing Elena and Moana to market this year.

What are your main aims for Hasbro UK this year? We will continue our business momentum, enhance our digital engagement with the consumer, celebrate with our brand fans and drive deeper retail partnerships across all channels. Where are the areas of improvement for Hasbro in the UK and Ireland and how are you looking to tackle these? The team has done a phenomenal job in all areas. The key for our team is to be relentlessly focused on driving our business, understanding our consumer and connecting with them across all possible touch points. Simply put, we must not be satisfied with our current momentum and always be seeking out new opportunities to connect with our consumer. What new lines are you most excited for this year? We are very fortunate at Hasbro. Our franchise brands, such as Nerf, Play-Doh, My Little Pony and Transformers, are growing in toys and all consumer product categories. Hasbro Gaming is seeing unprecedented success with Pie Face, Monopoly and much more.

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Our partner brands from Disney (Princess, Frozen, Elena, Moana and Descendants), Lucas (Rogue One), Marvel (Captain America, Spider-Man and Marvel Legends), DreamWorks (Trolls) and Yo-Kai

We are a humble team who shall continue to have a voracious appetite to succeed. David Henderson, Hasbro UK

Watch are connecting with the consumer in the toy space and we are poised for continued growth. My son (aged 12) is most excited about all our new Nerf Blasters and Transformers Generations and my daughter (aged nine) can’t wait for the new My Little Pony and Trolls. My wife has Pie Face Showdown on her must have list. You took over the Disney Princess doll licence from Mattel last year. How has the line performed so far? The Disney Princess and Frozen lines of fashion dolls and small dolls have been tremendously successful here

Last year, you had a viral sensation on your hands with Pie Face and it’s happened again with the Chewbacca Mom craze. What do you make of what’s happened with the Chewbacca Mask and has the UK felt its effect as much as the US? We are very fortunate to have been a part of both of these viral sensations. The consumer has a global mindset and is now connected every minute of every day to events and content from around the world. Our brands connect with our consumers’ lives and today’s consumer wants to interact and share their experiences. The UK and Ireland business felt the impact of the Chewbacca Mask viral video just as much as in the US. We reacted quickly, partnered with all of our retailers and sourced incremental products. I was in stores in the UK on the day it hit and our sales, marketing, operations, logistics and digital teams immediately reacted and put plans in place to get more inventory to stores.

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HASBRO

e to be a part of d around the worldâ&#x20AC;?

of sales and customer rger talks and the

strategic marketing for Hasbro North America. Billy Langsworthy direction he wants to take Hasbro UK in over the next 12 months It remains one of our top items over the past few weeks and has also lifted already strong Star Wars sales to the next level. Having moved to the UK from the US, what do you view as the key differences for Hasbro between both markets? Simply put, there are many differences and many similarities, but that is only on the surface. I want to immerse myself in the culture, learn from my team, our retailer partners and the consumers. I was born and raised in Canada and have lived in the USA for the past nine years. I have been fortunate to travel to and work in many countries and know that many differences exist, but the common bonds are also very strong. I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wait to learn more about these great countries and their people. Hasbro has been adept in expanding its toy brands into other sectors like fashion, TV and movies. How receptive has the UK been to these ventures and do you feel thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s scope for UK toy retailers to expand their Hasbro offering beyond toys? Yes. Hasbro is an entertainment company with a blueprint, which has our brands and story telling at the center of everything we do. We unlock our franchise brands (Transformers, My Little Pony, Nerf, Play-Doh, Monopoly, Littlest Pet Shop and Magic: The Gathering) with immersive entertainment, innovation in toys

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and games, digital media and across all consumer product categories in markets around the world. We partner with many great industry leaders to unlock their brands in the toy space and place great importance on driving our entire portfolio. Our decisions are rooted in consumer research to understand how we can unlock the potential of our brands in all consumer product categories, including toys and games. We aim to connect with our consumers and have a share of their lives, when and where they want to experience our brands. It can be on TV, digital and social channels, amusement parks, publishing, fashion, and toys or at the theatre. We are a humble team who shall continue to have a voracious appetite to succeed. What do you make of the Toysto-Life space? You dipped a toe into this market with Playmation last year. The Toys-to-LIfe space continues to evolve. Every category requires innovation and newness and Playmation gave us the opportunity to break frame and try something new in a space which had not seen evolution in the past few years. What can you tell us about the Hasbro/Mattel merger talks that surfaced earlier this year? Looking ahead, do you expect a merger to be in the pipeline? Mattel is a great company. Hasbro continues to focus on our strategic plans and to unlock our brands around our blueprint.

July 25

17/06/2016 11:09

Whittlebury Hall, Northamptonshire The Third annual

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23/06/2016 17:33

NEWS MEDIA

DEDICATED MONTHLY LICENSING COVERAGE FOR THE UK

OPINION

Queen Monopoly to rock game aisles in 2017 Band guitarist and board game enthusiast Brian May has been personally involved in the design of game pieces BY ROBERT HUTCHINS

ritish rock legends Queen is making the move into board games with the planned launch of its own official Monopoly. Currently under development, the project is the result of a licensing agreement between the UK band and Universal’s licensing agency Bravado. While few details of the game are available at the moment, David Boyne, managing director UK of the Bravado International Group has detailed that Queen Monopoly will capture the evolution of the band over its 40 years plus history. The project arose when it was discovered that guitarist Brian May harbours an affection for the popular board game. “May is really personally involved in this,” Boyne told

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ToyNews. “He takes a real liking to it, both Monopoly and the work we do with licensing. Our licensing manager has been around his house, on the kitchen table, designing the Queen pieces for the Monopoly game.

The avenue of taking artists into the gaming and puzzle area does look to be picking up. David Boyne, Bravado “And you thought music merchandising was just selling t-shirts in a field.” The game is scheduled to hit shelves next year and arrives as part of a swathe of recent

licensing activity for the band that now spans Queen vodka, wine and even pinball machines. And while this marks the first partnership of its kind under the Bravado portfolio, it is not the first time the licensing agency has seen its artists make the move into the toy and games arena. The Rolling Stones has recently moved into the space with toys, games and puzzles developed by the likes of Cartamundi, Geoffrey Parker Games and Steiff. The lines are currently available at an exclusive space within a Rolling Stones exhibition taking place at the Saatchi Gallery in London until early September. According to Boyne, the recent activity in the space is not only testament to a change in attitudes of artists towards the licensing industry in general, but an indication that the toy and

game space is an increasingly appealing market for artists. “This avenue of taking artists into the gaming and puzzle arena does look to be picking up,” continued Boyne. “We have secured partnerships in that area with The Rolling Stones and now Queen. “It’s just part of what has enabled us to grow our business, as we have in the last few years, by widening our product offering. There are a lot of different categories that fall within gaming and anything that has a consumer demand attached, we would absolutely look at taking to market.” Further details on the Queen Monopoly board game will be revealed in the coming months, with the aim of launching the game in 2017. Bravado: 03305 871192

July 27

17/06/2016 16:11

ery month* v e rs o it is v e u iq n 28,000 u l Reaching over ecutives x e y tr s u d in 0 0 to over 22,0 s il a m e y il a d d te l Targe t matters a th n io in p o d n a s, analysis w e n e th ll a h it w t l Firs y every day tr s u d in e th g in rt o l Supp *according to

Find out how licensing.biz can boost your brand editorial: Billy Langsworthy:

blangsworthy@nbmedia.com

sales: Sophia Freeman:

sfreeman@nbmedia.com

Brenda Normile:

bnormile@nbmedia.com

www.licensing.biz lic-biz-July16_v3.indd 1

21/06/2016 11:25

NEWS

Mattel readies retail push for DC Super Hero Girls The first six dolls in the line feature Batgirl, Poison Ivy, Supergirl, Wonder Woman, Harley Quinn and Bumblebee BY JADE BURKE

aving first unveiled its action figures based on DC Super Hero Girls during New York Comic Con last year, Mattel is preparing for the line’s release in the UK this month, and early reaction has proved promising. “Reaction has been great so far, there has been a lot of retail and media buzz and we are excited to see how they will be received when we release them,” Wendy Hill, brand activation director at Mattel, told ToyNews. The first six dolls are based on new teen designs for characters including Batgirl, Poison Ivy and Supergirl.

Hill added: “We are really excited to be launching this new range of dolls as part of a larger franchise from Warner Brothers that includes content, publishing, apparel and role-play. “We have some fantastic plans to introduce them to consumers which we can’t wait to unveil.” With the lines that define the ‘girl’s market’ blurring thanks to shifting play patterns and innovative toy lines, Mattel is hoping to empower and inspire girls with its roster of superheroes, thanks to its partnership with Warner Brothers and DC Entertainment. “Through our research we know that nine out of 10 girls wish there were more superheroes that they

could relate to,” commented Hill. “From the iconic Wonder Woman and Supergirl, to the complex but compelling Harley Quinn, there is a character to whom every girl can

relate, no matter what stage of life in which she currently finds herself.” Mattel: 01628 500000

“Finding Dory to be one of our biggest launches of 2016,” says Jumbo Games The firm has developed a brand new line of puzzles and games based on the Disney Pixar sequel, while its latest Peppa Pig title, the Party Time Race Game, has already been met with a ‘fantastic response from retail’ BY JADE BURKE With an already extensive licensing line of games and puzzles, Jumbo Games is once again increasing its offering with a new line of Finding Dory and Peppa Pig items. “We’re very excited that our Finding Dory range is out now and we have put a lot of investment into making sure we’ve got the range just right.” Steven Russell, marketing executive at Jumbo Games, told ToyNews. “It certainly is one of our biggest launches this year in our children’s portfolio, as well as Peppa Pig, Ben & Holly and some fantastic new

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pre-school licences, which are to be announced imminently.” The range of Finding Dory games and puzzles includes a four-in-one shaped set of Bath Puzzles, a Bath Memo Game and five traditional jigsaws. The jigsaw line spans a four-in-one Bumper Pack, four-inone Shaped Puzzle Set, four-in-one Puzzle Box, a Giant Floor Puzzle, an assortment of three puzzles and a 100XL puzzle. Elsewhere, the firm has debuted its Peppa Pig Party Time Race Game, revealing it is ‘delighted’ by its release having received a ‘fantastic response from retail already, with great listings’.

Russell added: “We worked very hard to make sure we developed the right game for the consumer and we’ve got just that. “The board game allows children to race against each other in a bid to be the first to arrive at Suzy Sheep’s party, while avoiding several distraction spaces along the way. “It’s great for children and also helps to develop children’s numeracy and social-play skills, whilst being fun and entertaining.“ Disney Pixar’s Finding Dory , a sequel to Finding Nemo, lands in UK cinemas on July 29th. Jumbo Games: 01707 289289

July 29

17/06/2016 11:03

Nattou Soft toys not a hard sell

New catalogue coming soon! www.hippychick.com Toy News FP 7-6-2016 v4.indd 1

01278 434440 20/06/2016 15:40

Pre-School A MONTHLY GUIDE DEDICATED TO THE BIGGEST SECTOR IN TOYS

NEWS MEDIA OPINION

Puppet power sees Fiesta Crafts bolster EU growth Following a partnership with a key Spanish distributor, Fiesta Crafts is looking at further growth across the EU and the Middle East this year with the help of its popular hand puppets and new glueless sticker line BY ROBERT HUTCHINS

raditional play specialist Fiesta Crafts is positioning itself for global growth thanks to the success of the newest lines under its pre-school portfolio. The firm, known for its collection of wooden and traditional toys, has seen its latest line of character hand and finger puppets open new doors across the continent. Earlier this year, the firm struck a partnership with a key Spanish distributor, Feran, who has got on board with the firm’s pre-school offering “in a big way.” “We create lots of different styles of puppets across the preschool portfolio and our recent character ones have been really successful for us,” said Rob Trup, marketing and brand manager at Fiesta Crafts. “We now have further plans for expansion across the EU, with some big new orders for Europe as well as in the Middle East. In fact, for us, our exports in the first quarter of the year have reached a phenomenal number. “Sales have been up double digits, which has been a delight.” While Fiesta Craft’s range of hand puppets and puppet theatres have been a driving factor for the firm’s growth into new territories, new lines including the latest in its Push n Roll offering and Stickabouts have also contributed.

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A variation on the traditional push along toy, the Push n Roll range boasts an assortment of character toys featuring two functions; one for rolling along, encouraging crawling, while the other encourages walking through pushing with a screw in rod. “The Push n Roll range is stylish and arrives presented in one gift box, this gives it extra stand out and has made a massive difference for us,” said Trup. “We have seen fantastic growth with this line and we are certainly going to be bringing more of these Push n Roll products out in the future.” Meanwhile, the firm’s line of Stickabouts reportedly caused a stir at this year’s trade shows

Demand for this year’s line-up has been more than we could hope for. Rob Trup, Fiesta Crafts

when Fiesta Crafts saw an uptake in customers keen to get their hands on the glueless sticker line. Trup continued: “We found ourselves back in production with the Stickabouts line before we had even had the first lot in, just because the demand for the line was so high following the shows. “We had customers that we had never seen before coming to the stands to pick up

these stickers, that’s how popular they were.” With a strong line-up of products across it pre-school offering including new hand puppets featuring a cast of Jungle Book favourites and Little Mermaid characters as well as a Caveman and Cavewoman, the traditional play specialist is optimistic of another year of growth. “Consumer reaction and demand for this year’s line-up has been more than we could have hoped for,” Trup explained. “We are really pleased that the health of the pre-school market is currently in full swing and things are going really well for us in terms of growth and international expansion this year. “We have had lots of re-orders on some products that have taken us by surprise, a lot of which have been sell-out successes.” And the second half of the year promises to hold more of the same in store for the firm who expects greater pick up on some of its higher priced lines, too. “We are bringing out new product ranges later in the year, including higher priced items and lower priced wooden toys. “The second half is shaping up very nicely,” concluded Trup.

0208 643 0320

July 31

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NEWS

Le Toy Van enjoys sell-out success in younger years Last year, the company – famed for its range of high-end wooden toys – expanded into the younger age market with Petilou, a line boasts over 20 sell-out items which the firm is expecting a good result from for 2016 BY ROBERT HUTCHINS

ne year after making its leap into the toddler toys market, Le Toy Van has seen a sell-out success that has positioned the company as a leading name in the pre-school sector. Last year, the company – famed for its range of high-end wooden toys – expanded into the younger age market with the launch of seven new lines. To date, Le Toy Van has now launched a total of 20 lines under its Petilou toddler umbrella, a line that having landed in the UK only

last month has already achieved sell out success. So well received has Le Toy Van’s pre-school collection been that the firm is also celebrating a recent win in the prestigious Dr. Toys Awards, where its Doctor’s Bag set

scooped an accolade in the Best Classic Toy Category. “The 12 to 36 months market is new to Le Toy Van; all these brand new toys have arrived in the UK last month and already, we are running out of stock on most lines, which is a very good sign,” Marie Bureau, marketing and product development manager at Le Toy Van, told ToyNews. “Historically, we used to only focus on the three years and upwards market, but the younger years line has performed very well for us and we are now looking forward to receiving the next container of them.”

This year, Le Toy Van has launched 35 new items across the pre-school category and the company is now working on new display units for in-store merchandising, as well as new projects in the pipeline. “I cannot reveal what these are yet, but our next major project in the pre-school arena is to introduce some larger items to complete the current offering,” continued Bureau. “We expect to see a good result on this new collection for 2016 as well as on our core collections in the pre-school market.” Le Toy Van: 020 8979 2036

Stretchkins ‘simply incredible’ in pre-school space for Re:creation According to the firm, the stretchable plush characters have been the best performing line in its Snuggables offering, consistently topping the charts in both the plush and pre-school sector in the UK and globally BY ROBERT HUTCHINS Consumer reaction to Re:creation’s line of pre-school Stretchkins has been described as ‘nothing short of incredible’. A collection of toddler-sized plush animals, Re:creation’s Stretchkins can be attached to a child’s legs and arms and then danced with and stretched by their owners. In its launch year, Stretchkins rocketed up the charts to become NPD’s best new non-licensed plush. The line has since continued to perform extremely well at retail with consumers in both the plush and pre-school categories.

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“Consumer reaction has been simply incredible,” Re:creation’s brand manager of toys, Rebecca Hanlon, told ToyNews. “The line has certainly proved itself a strong player in both plush and pre-school worlds. By the end of last year, the toys were the number one non-licensed, traditional plush and in fact outperformed some very big hitting licensed items.” Following the early success of the line, Re:creation’s best performing range under its Snuggables plush brand, the firm has detailed its plans to drive its performance with character refreshes and new themes.

The current range includes four traditional plush characters and an additional feature plush called Pink Light Up Cat, which was introduced last year and features motion sensitive lights in its feet. “We are refreshing the traditional plush line-up with the introduction of Pink and Purple Bear this summer,” added Hanlon. “To date, Stretchkins is our best performing Snuggables plush brand and is hugely important to our business, as well as our Snuggables umbrella brand within it. “Relevant to families with toddlers and older, this

property has certainly opened up more opportunities now within younger families.” Re:creation is now readying for another push of the Stretchkins line with a burst of TV advertising geared for launch later this month. Re:creation: 0118 973 6222

July 33

17/06/2016 17:16

Retail Only

NEWS MEDIA

DEDICATED MONTHLY RETAIL COVERAGE

OPINION

Nickelodeon eyes stores on “every London High Street” The retail arm of the entertainment giant has revealed plans to open a raft of new sites across Europe, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East, as it celebrates the one year anniversary of its Leicester Square store BY ROBERT HUTCHINS

ickelodeon has detailed its plans to open a string of new stores across the UK and Europe. The children’s entertainment firm has told ToyNews that its flagship London store is just the beginning for its retail arm. Over the next 18 months, Nickelodeon plans to launch a raft of stores to rival the likes of its Leicester Square location, which is currently celebrating its one year anniversary. The team is set to open its first outlet in Dubai and has set its sights on expanding across Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and Europe. “We have seen a tonne of interest and demand for a Nickelodeon retail presence across the globe,” said Lisa Silverman Myers, senior vice president of operations and business planning for Nickelodeon and Viacom Consumer Products. “In the UK, we are still looking at where to put the stores. We want to be really thoughtful and continue to make it very special. The ideal would be to have a Nickelodeon Store on every High Street in London.”

RETAIL ADVISORY BOARD

Stuart Grant, The Entertainer

Geoff Sheffiled, The Toy Store

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The firm’s Leicester Square store is now one year old, and Nickelodeon is determined to make its second year in UK retail ‘bigger and better than before.’ “For the London store, we are gong to be looking at adding some different categories and striking new partnerships,” said Myers. Alongside ‘delivering newness’ to the consumer, Myers revealed that Nickelodeon has seen a recent surge in demand for the more retro properties too.

“We have been surprised by just how much people are loving the retro assortments we have, such as The Rugrats and Ren and Stimpy,” she said. “This is something we want to step up and continue to offer consumers for the coming year. “As in everything we do, we are always pouring over our data and are looking to bolster our offering in the London store, adding categories and hopefully continuing to drive that strong consumer engagement we are seeing.”

A hotspot for tourism and consumer activity, Leicester Square is also readying for the arrival of a new LEGO store, a development that Myers has welcomed as yet another means of driving footfall towards the centre of London. “We love the news of a LEGO Store landing in London,” continued Myers. “We are big fans of the team and to have another retail store like that in Leicester Square is nothing but good news for us.”

ToyNews takes soundings from its Retail Advisory Board on toy industry issues. The current members are:

Linzi Walker, Argos

Brian Simpson, Toytown

Clare Barton, Sainsbury’s

Neil Mitchell, Shop Direct

Annalise Quest, Harrods

Steph Strike, Asda

Ben Redhead, Firebox

Alphonse Madamombe, Maplin

Helen Gourley, Toy Hub

Miles Penhallow, Play-Room

Karla Mitchell, XBite

July 35

17/06/2016 11:23

INDIE RETAILER FOCUS

Hubbard’s Toy Cupboard Since the opening of her first toy store in Hinckley, Caroline Hubbard, owner of Hubbard’s Toy Cupboard, has revealed that a second store could be on the cards in the future. Here, Jade Burke finds out why fantastic customer service is key to the business and how the retailer stands out from the local competition

ell me a bit about your business and how the store began? Hubbard’s Toy Cupboard began around three years ago in Hinckley. I have lived in Hinckley all of my life and I realised that there was a bit of an area missing. Plus, I was previously a teacher, so my toy shop has got an educational twist to it. What types of toys do you stock in store? All of the toys are educational. I stock Orchard Toys, Fiesta Crafts for its threading, Papo Toys for its role play, and I also have Brio for its mathematical benefits. So there is quite a good range in here. What do you look for when sourcing new toys? I look for durability, because obviously children aren’t gentle are they? And I also look for the educational side of toys as well. What is having the biggest impact on your business? Unfortunately it’s the gas works outside – I have my entire street dug up at the moment. However, there’s not really a big impact on

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me around here, I have got my regular customers so I’m very lucky I suppose. I thought the new Sainsbury’s would impact the business, because it opened just before Christmas, but luckily so far it hasn’t. There are also no toy shops in Hinkley, we have Argos, Wilko’s and places like that, but not a specific toy shop. How do you engage with your local community? I’m actually on the Carnival Committee so I’m helping to organise the carnival for next year. I like to think I do quite a lot for local charity events, but I also try and go out and about and talk to different people. How can people get in touch with you? We are online, so we have got an online store. We have got an email account and customers can also ring me or come into the store.

How important is social media to you? I do most of my advertising on Facebook. I use Facebook for my shop all the time, and every two weeks when I update my window display I put it all on Facebook. I have got nearly 2,000 followers online now. It doesn’t cost anything, so it’s a good way of keeping in touch. We also link our Facebook to Twitter, so whenever we put something on Facebook it instantly goes on Twitter at the same time. How do you stand out from other indie stores? What makes you guys different? Obviously the educational twist is a big way we stand out, and hopefully customer service, because we try to offer fantastic

service. For example, I recently had a customer who said she comes in because of the great customer service. We also try to do as much as we can for our customers and make

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INDIE RETAILER FOCUS

them relaxed when they come in. I allow children to touch the toys and I have got a train set that they can play with. It’s about trying to make the parent at ease, because a lot of parents get stressed when the children come in. I don’t open all the boxes for the children though, my goodness that would be mayhem. But we do allow them to pick them up and touch. What services do you offer? We offer a free gift-wrap service, and we also do a little personal shopping for customers. For example, we have people who come in and say they need a present for a four year old boy and we give them ideas of what they can buy within their budget.

We try to do as much as we can for our customers and make them relaxed when they come in. Caroline Hubbard, Hubbard’s Toy Cupboard

Hubbard’s Toy Cupboard? Will you be opening any more stores? Well I hope to, that’s one thing I’m looking at for this year. But trying to find somewhere else is the issue. I would love to go to a different city, but there is only me at the minute. I would still want to stay in a little town because I think you can get lost in a big city as an indie.

What does the future hold for

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July 37

17/06/2016 15:53

SECTOR GUIDE: DRESS-UP AND ROLE-PLAY

Dressed to impress With costumes, play-sets and dolls to help encourage imaginative play, the dress-up sector is teaming with a range of items to help fill retailers’ pockets. Here, Jade Burke takes a look at the hottest products on the market HTI From character shaped role-play cases and cooking toys, to dolls’ prams, HTI provides a range of hit licensed brands. HTI offers character shaped cases featuring Marvel characters, Spider-Man, Disney Princess, Elsa and Minnie Mouse. Character cases are also available with popular brands including Thomas the Tank Engine, Peppa Pig and Minions. Each case also contains toys relevant to each brand. HTI has also launched Teletubbies role-play toys for 2016, including a My First Kitchen and Tea Set, which is modelled on the Custard Train. With a multi-territory partnership with Hasbro for roleplay sets, HTI’s My Little Pony range includes the magical new

MARBEL Pink Poppy, a jewellery and hair accessory brand from Australia, specialises in creating pretty things for children aged from three to nine-years-old. With themes of princesses and fairies, the range boasts necklaces, bracelets and tiaras. There are various designs that will suit every princess, from tiaras and bracelets to sparkly glittery necklaces and hairclips. Plus, there is also a price to suit all budgets. 0845 6000 286

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BIGJIGS TOYS

Tea Pot Palace. Boasting lots of interactive sounds, the theme tune and light up effects enable little fans to role-play enchanting tea parties. Plus, HTI provides Mamas & Papas, Silver Cross and Chicco Junior collections. In addition, HTI will launch new Disney Princess and Disney Frozen dolls prams for autumn/ winter 2016. 01253 778 888

Playcolor is the latest name in Bigjigs’ catalogue of distribution brands. Easy for little hands to hold, Playcolor’s poster paint pens are the perfect solution to mess free painting. Plus, six metallic colours are up for grabs. The solid poster paint pens are ready for instant application without the need for water or paint brushes. The paint is quick drying and perfect for drawing on paper, cardboard or wood, and are ideal for use in schools. Playcolor Make-Up is safe, easy to

apply face paint, non-greasy and easily removed with soap and water. It’s dermatologically and microbiologically tested, free of major allergens and is also paraben free. It is an excellent aid to roleplay and dress-up, sparking creativity and imagination. Plus, themed packs, such as the Pirate or Robot Set are available for kids, and provide hours of fun. Playcolor Thematics sets each boast three Playcolor Make-Up pens, a t-shirt with a themed design and six Playcolor Textil pens. 01303 250 400

RUBIES With the imminent release of Disney/Pixar’s long-awaited sequel to Finding Nemo at the end of July, Rubie’s has introduced a brand new range of licensed dress-up for young kids and toddlers. Based on the two key characters from Finding Dory, the new range includes two tabards of Nemo and Dory and two Tutu dresses in various sizes, which are available now. Disney Princess dress-up remains a popular choice for girls’ role play and Rubie’s has expanded its range with a new Fairytale line of dresses, which includes new looks for all eleven of the Disney Princesses. With Pocahontas now available for the first time from Rubie’s, alongside characters Cinderella, Aurora, Belle and Snow White, the Fairytale range now also

boasts a Mulan dress at a lower price point, and will be available to order from the end of July. Superheroes are always a popular choice for children’s role-play and dress-up, and Rubie’s latest range includes Captain America: Civil War and Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, with new looks for Batman, Superman, Captain America, Iron Man and Wonder Woman. More characters are set to be added to Rubie’s Marvel range with brand new Black Panther and Winter Soldier costumes available for kids for the first time in Rubie’s

Additions Catalogue 2016, which is set to be released for customers in August. The new catalogue will also include a range of DC Superhero costumes for girls in the form of the new DC Super Hero Girls dress-up range. The collection will boast vibrant and exciting new takes on iconic heroes including the likes of Batgirl, Supergirl and Wonder Woman. The new licensed range will be available in various sizes and at two price points for the Classic, and Deluxe versions, which include more detail and added features. 08453 070 707

July 39

17/06/2016 12:09

SECTOR GUIDE: DRESS-UP AND ROLE-PLAY

LEARNING RESOURCES Imaginations run wild with the new Pretend & Play collection from Learning Resources. Designed to help children understand and mimic the world around them, the range features an extensive collection of products, durable enough to withstand years of realistic role-play fun. The Post Office Set gives roleplay a fun stamp of approval, as young postmasters can weigh, sort and stamp letters and parcels as customers exchange travel money, apply for licences and check the notice board. This engaging set features over 150 pieces that help to develop a range of key early learning skills. The School Set has everything a child needs to create its own pretend classroom. With resources such as double-sided maps, calendars and hand pointers, children can role-play being a teacher

ZAPF CREATION

and build up confidence about starting school. Other components include stickers, certificates and more. Awarded a Gold Right Start Award in the 2016 role-play category, the School Set received comments from testers stating, ‘a great preparation for starting school,’ and ‘highly recommended for rainy day play’. It has also received rave reviews from parent blogger, Mummy in the City, who stated: “After seeing her imagination run wild when playing with the set, I’m not surprised the Pretend & Play School Set is a Learning Resources UK bestseller.” 07872 377 302

VIVID The Laser Battle (£29.99 RRP) from Vivid helps kids battle like their heroes, Batman and Superman. Children can simply slip on the adjustable chest plate, arm the hand blaster and attack enemies. The light-up chest plate counts down the number of ‘lives’ they have and there are also sound effects to indicate when a player has fired a shot or been hit. With no triggers and simple set-up the Laser Battle is great for all superhero wannabes. 01483 449 944

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Designed to teach little ones key role-play skills, Baby Annabell will be introducing new and exciting products to its ranges this autumn, including My First Baby Annabell. Baby Annabell and Baby Annabell Brother have lifelike functions, including drinking water, crying real tears, responding to touch and now the dolls wet their nappy. Elsewhere, BABY born is celebrating its 25th birthday this year and has been marking the milestone with new product launches and PR initiatives. For interactive role-play, the core BABY born line will see a refresh, including new features within the Interactive Doll. Plus, BABY born will also have

a new, multifunctional sister, which will target older girls aged four and above. New to the bath time range will be a Bathtub with new foaming functions and water play. The enchanted BABY born Wonderland theme will also see new product additions, including whimsical Dragon friends. An all-new Pony Farm theme will also launch this autumn, with Sunny the pony and her foal. 0845 0533 333

LITTLE TIKES Adding to the role-play XXXXXXX

portfolio, Little Tikes is excited to unveil the new Cook ‘n’ Learn Kitchen (RRP £149.99). This brand new innovation is an engaging and unique play experience with interactive accessories and an integrated app, which recognises the kitchen accessories. With four modes of play, including recipes, free play, games and song and music, there is an endless amount of fun to be had. What’s even better is the Cook ‘n’ Learn Kitchen has realistic sounds such as sizzling and cutting when preparing the food and an oven light. The award-winning Cookin’ Creations Wood Kitchen (RRP £169.99) offers everything for any little homemaker. Complete with a pretend kitchen play-set including pots and pans, a washing machine and dishwasher, children can role-play a variety of household activities from cooking and baking to laundry. With 11 accessories including basket,

play phone, spatula, pots and pans and spice jars, there’s hours of fun to be had. The Little Tikes Cook ‘n’ Store Kitchen (RRP £59.99) comes fully assembled, plus this play kitchen set folds up for easy storage. This kitchen has plenty of storage, especially for all of the 34 accessories, including utensils, pots, food and more. The Cook ‘n’ Learn Kitchen will be backed by significant TV investment with various adverts planned through the year and doubling year-on-year TV support. This, plus major PR and social media activities is all designed to support the exciting and innovative launch. 01908 268 480

www.toynews-online.biz

17/06/2016 12:13

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15/06/2016 16:48

SECTOR GUIDE: DRESS-UP AND ROLE-PLAY

GP FLAIR GP Flair offers a whole host of role-play fun for kids, from dressup accessories to make-believe toy hospitals. Role-play can now be ‘Trolltastic’ with the all new Trolls beauty and make-up collection. Launching in autumn, children can use everything from themed eyeshadows to nail polishes to give themselves a bright and colourful look. Playing at hospitals comes naturally to Doc McStuffins fans, and the Doc McStuffins collection is set to grow with the new Toy Hospital range, adding to the Pet Vet theme. The Toy Hospital series, which is due to air in September in the UK, will be accompanied by a range of role-play toys. These will include Doc’s Magical Toysponder, which allows Doc to communicate with her friends in the show, and the Care Cart,

complete with lights and sounds X-Ray machine. For Dottie’s vet duties, there are accessories such as the Vet Bag play-set, while the Doc McStuffins Pet Vet Desk allows children to create their own Pet Vet clinic at home. Under the company’s Just Play division, children can choose to be a sheriff, a Troll, a Disney Princess or a genie. To celebrate the release of Trolls, Just Play is launching a range of role-play lines based on the hairy characters. The Poppy Style Station (£24.99 RRP) is perfect for budding hairdressers to get

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includes the Ponytail assortment and Dress-up Trunk, the Dress-up Box Set and the Wish Come True Purse Set including bracelets, sticker sheets and more. For a more classic dress up option, there will be the Sheriff Callie’s Howdy-Do Hoedown Dress (£14.99 RRP). For little girls who want to sing along with Sheriff Callie, the SingAlong Microphone (£6.99 RRP) and Musical Guitar (£19.99 RRP), are perfect to act out their own Western adventures. Girls can also pretend to be a stylist to the stars with the new Disney Princess, Disney Frozen and Barbie Styling Heads, including the Ariel Bath Styling Head (£24.99) and Barbie Colour & Crimp Styling Head (£24.99), which comes with memory curl hair extensions and many different hair accessories. 0208 643 0320

GOLDEN BEAR

CHARACTER OPTIONS Character Options invites children to new imaginative worlds with its role-play launches for autumn 2016. The new Fireman Sam Utility Belt and Fireman Sam Helmet are the ultimate accessories for young ones wanting to join in the firefighting at Pontypandy. Children can wear their Utility Belt as they get to grips with the different fireman tools, including a working torch, a walkie talkie, plastic axe, and a firefighter jacket. The Fireman Sam Helmet is another enviable accessory for young fans. The interactive helmet features a button which, when pressed, will play the theme tune of the show and the classic character

creative using the hairbrush, hair clips and accessories included to fashion the ultimate Trolls hairstyle. Other products include the Trolls Wig (£12.99 RRP), the Poppy Dress-Up Set (£24.99 RRP) and the new light-up Trolls Hug Time Bracelet (£9.99 RRP). Launching in October is Just Play’s Shimmer and Shine dress-up range, which will see girls emulating their favourite genie characters from the popular Nick Jr Show. The line

phrases. Plus, the product comes in ‘Try Me’ packaging to captivate children and parents before they buy. Recently launched as part of Character Options’ Teletubbies collection is the Tubby Phone. Fans of the hit TV show will be able to listen to various sounds with the Tubby Phone, including chats, giggles and songs. Plus, when children walk away from the Tubby Phone it will light up and ring as the Teletubbies call back. 0161 633 9800

Fans of Mr Tumble can dress just like him with the newly refreshed Mr Tumble’s Textured Spotty Bag, which is set to launch this autumn. Featuring brightly coloured textured fabric to stimulate senses, five Makaton word cards and a handy adjustable strap, it’s ideal for encouraging imaginative play. Children can also wear the current Something Special Waistcoat which comes complete with a spotty bow tie. Joining the firm’s Sooty collection in the autumn is the Sooty Mischief and Magic Set, which comes with the Magic Sooty Hand Puppet – complete with magician’s hat and outfit,

colour changing hanky and the classic whoopee cushion. A Book of Mischief and Magic is also included, which features tips from the TV programme starring Richard Cadell. For additional role-play mischief, the company’s collection also includes replica Sooty, Sweep and Soo Hand Puppets, a Sooty and Sweep Hand Puppet Set, as well as the Pop-Up Sooty Puppet Show. Featuring Sooty’s own puppeteer box, cleverly adapted from the packaging, the Pop-Up Sooty Puppet Show enables Sooty to pop out of the box with this iconic magic wand and water pistol, making it the perfect gift for Sooty fans. 01952 608 308

www.toynews-online.biz

17/06/2016 12:16

SECTOR GUIDE: DRESS-UP & ROLE-PLAY

AMSCAN Amscan’s growing dress-up collection contains an extensive choice of costumes, role-play sets, accessories and face paints ideal for children and adults of all ages. For tiny tots, there is a wide range of baby costumes which has expanded for 2016 to include animal designs Jumpin’ Joey, Little Roar and Playful Pup. Also not to be missed are the new little rebels themed costumes featuring Baby Biker, Lil’ Law Breaker and the Baby Buccaneer outfit. The new baby costumes are available for ages from naught to 24 months.

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FIESTA CRAFTS Amscan also has a collection of licensed Barbie costumes for ages two to three up to eight to 10 years. New to the range this year is a Secret Agent Barbie Spy Squad costume, Princess and Mini Me styles complete with a matching Barbie doll dress and a Barbie Witch costume for Halloween activity. Amscan also boasts a selection of wearable accessories and role-play sets. Popular themes include cowboys, ninjas, knights, fairies and ballerinas to name but a few. The firm also has a line of styles ideal for Book Week, from historical designs to fairy tales. 01908 288 500

Following the popularity of Fiesta Crafts’ finger puppet box sets, the firm has released twopuppet box sets. The new finger puppet sets include Fairy/Unicorn, Knight/ Dragon, Rider/Horse and Royal Guard/Beefeater, each crafted, hand-painted and wearing embroidered fabrics. Packed in a sturdy colourful theatre style box, the puppets are easily displayed in store and once wrapped, make fantastic birthday or Christmas gifts. The line is joined by the recently launched individual puppets including Beefeater and for Christmas, Santa, Elf, Reindeer and Snowman. Designed using a mixture of wood and tactile fabrics, the puppets can be played with individually or with others from the collection to recreate scenes and stories.

Perfectly sized for little fingers, the puppets encourage creative thinking, role-play and interactivity in a way which Fiesta Crafts believes is ‘such fun, they will be used time and time again.’ The firm is keen to highlight the developmental aspect puppet play offers youngsters, encouraging imaginative, communicative play among children and adults alike. ‘Puppets achieve something few other toys do,” said the firm. 0208 643 0320

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22/06/2016 11:58

SECTOR GUIDE: CONSTRUCTION

Build of dreams The construction toy market is as robust as ever this year, with innovation from some of the leading names in the industry around every corner. Robert Hutchins explores the latest ranges set to get kids building this year

2015 saw The LEGO Group continue its global expansion, culminating in approximately 100 million children engaging with the brand over the last 12 months. Among the top selling LEGO lines of 2015 were its core themes LEGO City, LEGO Star Wars, LEGO Elves and LEGO Ninjago. This year, the firm is expecting to take things bigger and better with a world of new adventures courtesy of LEGO Nexo Knights, the expansion of the LEGO Friends universe, a new take on the LEGO Ninjago series and new lines from City, Duplo and more. The firm’s number six brand of 2015, LEGO City has seen further extensions to classic ranges such as Great Vehicles and Airport, while launching new exploration collections such as Volcano.

LEGO Nexo Knights will challenge kids with a line of new play-sets, while the LEGO Nexo Knights Merlok 2.0 app continues to bridge physical and digital play and is available on iOS, Android and Amazon app store. Evergreen brand LEGO Ninjago in 2015 is increasing engagement in the Ninjago universe with new storylines while LEGO Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu continues to air on Cartoon Network. Elsewhere, LEGO Technic offers challenging builds and play value with some of the most iconic reallife vehicles including authentic features and functions. The new line welcomes the largest LEGO Technic model to date, the Bucket Wheel Excavator. A new cast of Disney characters joins the LEGO Minifigure line-

K’NEX K’NEX is showcasing a line up of refreshed products this season with the inclusion of new multishot blasters, coasters and the company’s most extensive girls’ collection to date. Five new rollercoaster sets join the K’NEX Thrill Rides range, including the 640 piece Electric Inferno boasting a motorised chain lift. Elsewhere, and established as a firm favourite in both the construction and blaster categories, K’NEX K-Force will be

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up, ahead of the launch of a new classic series this September. On top of that, LEGO Duplo has launched five new sets featuring hit pre-school TV characters and themes, while June saw the launch of the LEGO Friends

Amusement Park, allowing fans to explore a world of rides. Finally, fans of LEGO Elves can expect more magical action later this year. 01753 495000

LEGO

TRENDS UK refreshed with multi and rapid action features this year with four new customisable blasters at a range of price points. The K25X Rotoshot features rotating blasting action, while the Flash Fire Rapid Fire has a 10 dart, quick fit clip for speed. K’NEX Mighty Makers is a line offering girls STEM learning experiences inspired by aspirational careers includng film director in the new set that allows girls to explore the world of film making. K’NEX’s powerhouse of licences including Mario Kart and Plants vs. Zombies will be refreshed to reflect the latest game play. 0118 925 3270

According to Trends UK, the UK distributor for the licensed Shopkins Kinstructions toy line, product has already been flying off the shelves this year. Featuring mix and match buildable Shopkins figures and scenery from the best-selling brand, the Shopkins Kinstruction range enables kids to build their favourite Shopkins scenes including the grocery checkout, bakery, café and town centre.

Trends UK is supporting the line with an extensive PR and marketing campaign throughout the year, including competitions in magazines that reach ardent fans like Shopkins and Sparkleworld titles. Aimed at kids aged six and over, prices start at £4.99 for smaller sets and work upwards to £29.99 for the hero construction play-sets. 01295 768 078

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SECTOR GUIDE: CONSTRUCTION

MAGFORMERS

Magformers has added a raft of magnetic building construction sets to its 2016 line-up. Boxed sets like the 50-piece Build Up set joins the Sweet House Village sets. All of which feature special pieces such as lights, windows, roof tiles, balconies, doors and chimneys. The combination of magnetic and non-magnetic pieces also extends into the Inspire Set line where the Princess Castle building set encourages children to engage their imagination and

FLAIR

make fairytale structures with easy-to-follow guides. The Walking Dinosaur set brings T-Rex to life with a motorised walking block, while a themed set celebrating the British astronaut Tim Peake also features in the line up. Simple Magformers sets start from £14.99 while larger sets containing special power blocks, LED lighting, battery packs and pulleys and gears. The additions encourage STEM learning. 0800 038 5195

MARBEL This season, Marbel delivers the latest in its range of collectable building sets, Nanoblocks. Aimed at kids aged 12 and upwards, Nanoblocks are micro-sized building blocks that enable fans to construct detailed and realistic threedimensional animals as well as a range of famous landmarks. There are four different series in the range, offering an entry level range in the mini collection models through to the challenger series and deluxe series which represent the most complicated and largest models to build. The mini collection starts with around 70 pieces while the most complicated models boast over 5000 pieces. All of the packs in the collection are marked with the difficulty level on them.

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Having started out life in 1969, Stickle Bricks have been a favourite among children and adults alike for decades. This year, the brand makes its return to become the central focus of a new construction toy campaign from Flair. For children from just 12 months, Stickle Bricks aims to promote the best in development of dexterity and imagination with easy to hold bricks that stick together seamlessly. With a range of familiar and abstract shapes, the bricks can be built into cars, robots, houses and more, allowing kids to express themselves from a very young age. The 2016 range XXXXXXX includes a Big Red Bucket filled with assorted bricks for creating anything a child can

think of, before doubling as a handy storage container. Alternatively, the Stickle Bricks Beginner’s Box is the ideal start to any toddler’s collection. For the launch this month, Stickle Bricks will be supported with a multi-platform marketing plan spanning parents’ press, social media outreach with influential mummy bloggers and a full sampling campaign with 100 UK nurseries. 0208 643 0320

MECCANO Themes such as animals and instruments feature in the minicollection, while larger models take the shape of famous landmarks and destinations, pirate ships and even the Titanic. Spring 2016 saw the release of a dragon, a unicorn and a whole lot more in the mini collection, while the Sites to See collection welcomed new Buckingham Palace, Notre Dame and Sydney Harbour Bridge building sets. Completing the line-up and scheduled for release this A/W, a range of animals, space and American themed models will join the Paper Nanoblock collection this year. 0845 6000 286

Last year saw Meccano launch a raft of tech-infused building sets, and this year, the firm is looking to expand both its tech and core offering with new themed lines. Distributed across the UK by Spin Master, Meccano launches two emergency services themed sets under the Meccano Junior range: a police station play-set and fire engine play-set featuring realistic lights and sounds, ideal for youngsters and budding construction fans.

The Meccano line also boasts a tech range to suit all needs, lead by Meccano Micronoids, a collection of three different characters: Socket, Switch and Basher, each equipped with a Meccabrain and moving parts. Each one can be programmed to dance, sing and interact with each other, while the Meccanoid 2.0 and Meccanoid XL 2.0 are the next step up in the collection with even more functionality. 01628 535 000

www.toynews-online.biz

17/06/2016 12:22

New from K-FORCE, the only blasters you can build, customize and build again, comes The Flash Fire and Super Strike. These next level blasters are bigger and better than ever before and oďŹ&#x20AC;er rapid fire and multi shot firing action. Supported by heavyweight TV, Online and Digital Campaigns across 2016.

SALES HOTLINE 01189 253270 KNEX.CO.UK

SECTOR GUIDE: CONSTRUCTION

PLAYMOBIL

Playmobil is offering something for the budding young builders in both the girls’ and boys’ markets this year with a range spanning themes such as space pirates and emergency. New additions to the popular Pirate range include the Combat Pirate Ship, featuring fullyfunctioning cannons and three pirate figures, and the Pirate Treasure Hideout, Pirate Raft and Captain’s Lookout. Meanwhile, and new for 2016, is the Space collection, blasting off with the Space Rocket and Launch Site.

CHARACTER OPTIONS

At the press of a button, the Space Rocket’s lights will glow and flash while the engine roars. Elsewhere, aspiring medics will be able to get the training in early with the help of the new Hospital range, boasting a Furnished Children’s Hospital with different rooms and vehicles such as the X-Ray Room, Maternity Ward, Ambulance with sound and light and Medical Helicopter. Construction remains at the heart of the Playmobil line-up, with sets that ‘encourage kids to focus on imagination’. 01268 548 111

REVELL Revell’s burgeoning portfolio of award-winning toy ranges is growing more robust this year with the addition of new lines under the Revell Junior Kit name. The line has already been met with critical acclaim, having scooped two Best New Toy awards at both London Toy Fair 2016 and Nuremberg Toy Fair. Revel Junior Kit introduces the world of modelling to young craft makers aged four and over and is designed to bridge the gap between play-sets and construction. The easyto-assemble range of toys features child-

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friendly tools and plastic screws in a number of themed sets including Fire Truck, Cabriolet, Racing Car, 4x4 Vehicle and Police Car. A major re-branding project has been unveiled with the newly packaged Revell Model Kit range, featuring informative colour coordinated manuals among a raft of other changes. The Model Kit Range is structured into five different skills levels from beginners to professional modellers and is spearheaded with a Star Wars: The Force Awakens building range. 0845 459 0747

This year, Character Options has combined the magic of Peppa Pig with the world of construction toys to launch a new line of building sets inspired by the popular porker. Launched this spring, the new line of Peppa Pig construction sets features a mix of larger bricks for small hands and character play. There are 11 lines to choose from at varying price points, each of which can be combined or used for standalone play. Leading the Peppa Pig line-up this year is the new

Deluxe House Set, a large brick construction that features styling from the show, as well as Mummy and Peppa Pig articulated figures that can interact with the included furniture and accessories inside. Alternatively, the School House Set features four figures that can sit at their desks for lessons from teacher Madame Gazelle. Grandpa’s Train, Playground Swing and Slide, Grandpa Pig’s Boat and Family Car complete the line-up. 0161 633 9800

MATTEL Mattel’s Mega Brands arm continues to show positive momentum as the number two manufacturer within the junior building sets category this year. With a slate of releases ready for this A/W, Mattel boasts some of the biggest brands in children’s entertainment including Thomas & Friends and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles as well Call of Duty and Halo. Under the Fisher-Price umbrella, the pre-school offering continues to grow with favourites including the Big Building Bag, Build ‘n’ Learn Table and the new Block Scooping Wagon. Meanwhile, the Thomas & Friends range introduces young engine drivers to a world of numbers with 1-2-3 Count with Thomas Train and the Thomas & Friends: The Great Race set.

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles construction range has been released to support the new movie Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows. The range features the Turtle Van and Character packs while other lines include the Half Shell Heroes Small Vehicles and Figure Assortment. The Mega Bloks Collectors portfolio also broadens this year with new collaborations. New for AW16 is Kubros, allowing builders to collect and construct pop culture icons from movies, video games and TV including characters from popular franchises such as Halo, Star Trek, Assassin’s Creed, Terminator: Genysis and Masters of the Universe. Each features a retro design inspired by the era of classic video gaming. 01268 500 000

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17/06/2016 12:26

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SECTOR GUIDE: TECH TOYS

Brave new world Whether embracing Virtual Reality, cramming recent innovations into a tablet or putting a new spin on a traditional product, the world of tech toys has never been more exciting. Billy Langsworthy checks out the brave new world that this sector has to offer MATTEL The iconic reimagined ViewMaster is a 360-degree portal for children to immerse themselves in numerous virtual and augmented reality adventures that will transport them around the world and beyond. Children can experience a new level of innovation with View-Master, which works with Google Cardboard to offer a 21st Century twist on the classic toy while providing an easy-to-use, interactive learning platform. The range of experiences include the View-Master Virtual Reality Starter Pack and three Experience Packs including; Destinations, National Geographic: Wildlife and Space. The Destinations Experience Pack allows users to visit famous landmarks across the world such as the Statue of Liberty and Ellis

Island in New York, the ancient Mayan city of Chichen Itza and London’s iconic Tower of London and Tower Bridge. Elsewhere, the National Geographic: Wildlife Experience

Pack takes consumers on safari in three of the world’s most famous adventuring spots including the Australian outback, the Amazon Rainforest and the wilds of the African Savanna.

Finally, the Space Experience Pack takes users around the solar system where they can see a spacecraft up close or experience the night sky in a whole new way. 01628 500 111

and an on-board camera for HD pictures and video. Elsewhere, the Pure is a good fit for beginners, with a height setting function and crash-proof frame, while the Nano Quad Cam is the latest evolution of the award-winning Nano Quad, featuring a high quality on-board camera.

follow me functions, and the Quadcopter Quadrotox, available either as a standard sports quad or as an FPV version. The current range of drones caters for all ages and abilities, from the mid-size Quadcopter Funtic for beginners with three speed levels and protective guards, to the Quadcopter BackFlip 3D for advanced pilots, with a 180° function to fly upside down for the thrill seekers. The Wi-Fi Quadcopter X-Spy 2.0 comes equipped with a camera to instantly stream videos or pictures to a smartphone via Wi-Fi, while the Multicopter Nano Hex is ideal for beginners and indoor flying, with a six-axis gyro for smooth and stable flight. On a smaller scale, Revell’s multi-award winning 2.4GHz

Nano Quad is tiny, yet its GHz technology matches the quality of larger models. On the ground, the firm boasts a range of new off-road radiocontrolled cars, rock crawlers and buggies, while a new RC car brand, Revell Control X-treme, is set to launch in the autumn for ages eight to 12 and features cars that can hit top speeds of up to 25 km/h for white-knuckle driving. Finally, a colourful range of RC cars and trucks heralds the launch of Revell Control Junior in the autumn. Few parts, easy assembly, sturdy construction and lots of fun make them the perfect introduction to the world of RC for children aged three and over this year and run-up to Christmas. 0845 459 0747

REVELL This year, the Revell Control brand is firmly established across all ages and boasts new drone developments for teens, a new car brand for boys and a brand extension for pre-schoolers.

New drone releases include the Steady Quad Cam with an automatic height setting function, allowing the user to focus on their manoeuvring skills,

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Other drones set to take to the skies this year include the Navigator GPS Quadcopter FPV with return to home and

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SECTOR GUIDE: TECH TOYS

VTECH With an exciting competition to announce soon and a heavyweight TV campaign, VTech is excited about the arrival of the Kidi Super Star, a new karaoke microphone and stand. Plug in any external music player and children can sing along to all their favourite tracks. Using the music magic mode, the main vocals are lowered from the song so kids can become the lead vocalist. Kidi Super Star can change the sound of the singing voice with its built-in microphone effects, and comes with a range of interactive features spanning different lighting styles, rhythmic games to play and tricky tongue twisters to master. Children can also record themselves singing and add in different sound effects, such as a crowd going wild complete with cheers and applause. Elsewhere, the VTech Kidizoom Smart Watch was named the number one product in the youth electronic category in 2015 (NPD data Jan – Dec 2015), and this success is set to continue this year with the introduction of Kidizoom Smart Watch DX. The Watch has over 50 different 3D style digital and analogue clock faces to choose from and eight fun games to play.

WOWWEE

The next gen smart watch includes lots of new features such as a calculator, calendar and pedometer and its packaging has also had a refresh. The Kidizoom Smartwatch DX will be promoted online and advertised on TV, starting during the summer months and will continue through to Christmas. Finally, VTech is launching the Kidizoom Selfie Cam this year. The Kidizoom Selfie Cam comes complete with a rotating lens, which users can twist 180 degrees to take photos and videos, or they can opt to use an included selfie stick. Features include fantasy effects to add different backgrounds, a range of frames and a make-up studio. 01235 555 545

WowWee has an expansive lineup of innovative and fun new tech products for 2016. The CHiP dog is the latest in robotic pets from WowWee. Featuring advanced Mechatronics technology, CHiP recognises its master and responds to different commands using the included SmartBand, which is a rechargeable wearable controller. CHiP also plays fetch and fun games with the SmartBall, interacting in all the ways a real dog would. CHiP can even play football with consumers. Elsewhere, COJI is the new coding robot pal where STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) comes together to teach children basic programming skills using visual emojis.

Kids will have fun testing their problem-solving skills and playing games using the free app on any smart device to control COJI’s actions. Also new from WowWee is LUMI, a unique dancing drone and R.E.V. AIR. LUMI can fly itself, while performing in the air to sequences of flashing lights and music, challenging players to beat the moves to win the game. Elsewhere, R.E.V. AIR introduces air versus ground gaming with players battling it out with a flying AI quadcopter battle drone pitched against an AI ground vehicle. WowWee is supporting its 2016 launches with strong marketing, TV and PR campaigns in the UK. Activity will also include exhibiting at social media events to demonstrate the WowWee robots and drones to families, targeting influential YouTubers and securing high-level awareness across the media and target audiences for the new robots. Trends UK (FOB orders): 01295 768078 Jazwares (domestic orders): dsugrue@ jazwares.com

RE:CREATION With Razor’s ‘Year of Innovation’ in motion, the second half will see some new outdoor tech on the way driven by the company’s Power Core hub motor. With eight national TV editorial placements already in the bag for the Crazy Cart, a new addition comes to the drifting line-up in the form of the Crazy Cart Shift. The Crazy Cart Shift will see riders use

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the steering wheel and variable speed accelerator pedal to achieve the trademark drifting action that fans have come to expect from Crazy Cart ride-ons. Re:creation also believes the Crazy Cart

Shift offers a great value price point to complement the current Crazy Cart offering. Elsewhere, a truly new riding experience arrives via the RipStik Electric, a lightweight ride featuring a Power Core hub motor and lithium battery. The skateboard/snowboard hybrid speed is controlled with a handheld joystick-style controller, and riders control direction using their body movement. The RipStik Electric is set to complement the proven success story, with the RipStik caster board from the company, which

has already sold over three million units worldwide. Again employing Power Core hub motor technology, Razor Power Core E90, Power Core E100 electric scooters offer doubled riding time and higher torque packaged in a lighterweight, on trend design. Re:creation will roll out a heavyweight marketing programme across the Razor brand that will demonstrate the company’s commitment to TV investment, online marketing and the power of PR. 0118 973 6222

www.toynews-online.biz

17/06/2016 12:32

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SECTOR GUIDE: TECH TOYS

FLAIR The new Lion Guard collection from GP Flair’s Just Play Division offers plush with a tech twist, thanks to its Leap N Roar Kion, launching this month. The master toy collection launches this month and has already received positive feedback from retailers, with the excitement about the property showing no signs of slowing down. Kion, a key character of the programme, is available as an interactive plush that offers many different features. The Leap N Roar Kion has 10 character sounds, including his trademark roar. Plus, kids can pull Kion back onto his hind legs to make him pounce forward. The plush also boasts a motion sensor in his nose, meaning Kion will roar as kids pass him by. GP Flair is supporting the range with a heavyweight marketing campaign including TV, PR and digital support. 0208 643 0320

TRENDS UK Trends UK’s highly anticipated new range of Peppa Pig electronic learning toys arrives this summer. The hero item is the TV line Peppa’s Alphaphonics Campervan, plus a Flip & Learn Phone, a Singalong & Learn Microphone, and the Laugh & Learn Laptop. The Peppa Pig ELA range starts for children 18 months and over, and is designed to help preschoolers develop early learning skills including understanding colours, phonetics and numbers. Trends UK will support the launch with TV advertising and lifestyle PR campaigns. Reaching large audiences of mums with pre-schoolers, the new Peppa Pig ELAs will also be promoted on UKMums.TV with a campaign taking over the homepage, featuring content across the site and endorsements through parenting blogger reviews. 01295 768 078

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17/06/2016 12:37

All details subject to Licensor approval

Full marketing support: TV, press and digital campaigns

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For media enquiries, please contact Ane Olesen: ane@wirepr.eu OfficialPeppaPig © ABD Ltd/Ent. One UK Ltd 2003. www.peppapig.com

09/06/2016 09:14

22/06/2016 12:23

SECTOR GUIDE: TECH TOYS

LEAPFROG Last summer, LeapFrog added LeapPad Platinum to its number one family of tablets for children (NPD, April, 2016) and it’s the fastest, highperformance seveninch screen tablet ever from LeapFrog. Aimed at three to nine year olds, Platinum has been designed to provide children with the perfect combination of performance, durability and safety. With a seven-inch highresolution, multi-touch capacitive screen and fast high-performance processor, Platinum offers the biggest learning experiences on a kid-safe and kid-tough tablet. Featuring LeapSearch, the proprietary kid-safe web browser, Platinum provides access to a web experience for children where they can browse ageappropriate content, handpicked by LeapFrog’s team of experts. Platinum also has access to LeapFrog’s Learning Library, which has over 800 apps, games and videos.

With a shatter-safe screen and a built in wrap-around bumper, LeapPad Platinum has been drop-tested, impact-tested and compressiontested in LeapFrog’s Quality Lab for durability and child safety. The tablet has 8GB of memory, enough for 40,000 photos, two mega-pixel front and back cameras, video recorders and comes loaded with 10 apps. With Platinum comes a brand new innovation in Imagicard, a new type of content experience that combines LeapFrog learning games with interactive cards. Imagicard are interactive collectable cards, featuring

licensed characters. Kids can simply photograph one of the interactive cards with a LeapPad Platinum tablet to magically bring characters out of the screen and into the game. Imagicard has launched with three interactive games that feature characters including LeapFrog’s Letter Factory, Paw Patrol, and TMNT. Elsewhere, last year saw LeapFrog enter the world of consumer electronics with Epic, its new kids tablet with an Android operating system. Epic marks the first time LeapFrog has offered learning content on a tablet made for XXXXXXX sale in the consumer electronics section of stores. Out of the box, the LeapFrog Epic tablet provides children with a kid-safe browsing experience through its proprietary LeapSearch browser and with new, easy-to-use control settings,

parents can adjust the amount of time their child spends on the tablet by total time, hours of the day and by app category for up to three different user profiles. Using an operating system based on Android 4.4, the LeapFrog Epic tablet features a quad-core processor, a seveninch multi-touch capacitive LCD screen, front and back camera, video recorder, 16GB of expandable memory and six plus hours of battery life. For a sleeker look, children can also remove the included kid-safe bumper and untether the stylus for a product that looks more like their parents’ tablet. The LeapFrog Epic tablet’s homescreen gives children the chance to personalise, create, and interact with innovative features that provide a world of discovery while it grows and changes as they do. The LeapFrog Epic tablet will include LeapFrog games, apps, ebooks and more, drawing from 2,600 skills, including creativity, STEM and problem solving. LeapFrog’s exclusive Just for Me learning technology also provides tutorials on demand. 01895 202 840

Supercars, causing them to lose all control. The Supertrucks can be used in any of Anki Overdrive’s open-play game modes, and come armed with their own exclusive game called Takeover. Players start each match in their chosen Supercars. Anyone that can break through a Supertruck’s defences will take control of the vehicle to wreak havoc on their opponents until another player disables them and takes command of the big rig. The launch of Anki Overdrive Supertrucks will be backed by a marketing campaign that includes TV advertising, a digital campaign running across key kids’ websites,

plus a YouTube influencer campaign and PR support to reach the core audience of eight to 14-year-olds and their parents. Anki Overdrive Supertrucks Freewheel and X52 will be

available in the UK for £59.99 each from October 3rd, 2016. Anki Overdrive Starter Kits retail at £149.99 and expansion Supercars at £49.99. 0800 808 5701

ANKI Anki Overdrive is taking its hit battle-racing game to the next level with the introduction of robotic Supertrucks. The new battle rigs, Freewheel and X52, supersize the racing experience with a frame that’s nearly triple the size of other Anki Overdrive Supercars. Beyond their size, Supertrucks will also introduce powerful new weapons and game modes that will help to put players’ skills to the test. Each Supertruck comes with new weapon options including X52’s exclusive Pulse Ram, which will blast opponents off the track, while Freewheel’s Gravity Trap will be able to disable opponents’

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17/06/2016 12:40

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14-06-2016 11:35:13 AM

OBSERVATIONS 0F A TOY INDUSTRY SURVIVOR

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER @JONSALISBURY

Jon Salisbury This month, inspired by his sons’ trip to the Far East, our columnist takes a look back at some of the biggest Japanese toy crazes to hit UK shores

t the time of writing, football toy sales are just about to go through the roof as the Euro 2016 finals fast approach. Every two years, the football world intrudes on day-to-day life with either the Euros or the World Cup. All logic goes out of the window as the whole nation hopes beyond hope that England can win

Now while the toy business rightly prides itself on a rich history of innovation, it is often also guilty of producing ‘me too’ products. something, thus ending 50 years of hurt. This year, the rare participation of Wales, Ireland and Northern Ireland make for an even greater UK wide interest. Recently, I’ve been writing about the arrival of my granddaughter. This month, my attention switches to my two sons. Jack and Alfred recently returned from a holiday in the

Far East. They went to Cambodia, Vietnam, South Korea and Japan. On their travels, they picked up a toy that was a cat in an ice cream wafer. Now, I’m no expert on the Japanese toy market, but its many idiosyncrasies are well documented. TOMY, Sanrio and Bandai are among the country’s biggest toy names and then there are huge toys that have been invented by the Japanese and licensed. Transformers is among the most famous example by Takara but was licensed to Hasbro, whose adaptation of the toy took it to new heights and even led to the birth of an incredibly successful big screen franchise (film number five is on the way) as well as TV shows, comic books and even popular apparel lines. Whilst the toy business rightly prides itself on a rich history of innovation, it is often guilty of producing ‘me too’ products. Take the example of Transformers. It was a groundbreaking toy but its launch was accompanied by a not dissimilar concept by Bandai in the shape of Robo Machines. Yes, Robo Machines. Robots that transform into vehicles. It’s most certainly not an every day concept - so who copied who?

Jon Salisbury has written about the toy business since 1985, editing magazines and running toy media events in New York and London. He can be contacted at jonsalisbury@icloud.com or @JonSalisbury on Twitter. www.toynews-online.biz Editorial: 01992 515305 Advertising: 0207 354 6000

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23/06/2016 16:38

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