ToyNews September 2016 by Biz Media Ltd

No. 176 z September 2016

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Retail z Licensing z Pre-School z Marketing 13 Happy Atoms Our crowdfunding focus this month is a new science kit utilising the latest augmented reality tech

22 And the winner is... We talk with Playtime PR’s Lesley Singleton, our Woman of the Year, about her incredible 2016 so far

36 Fight the fakes This month’s ToyShop UK looks at how indies can help tackle toy counterfeiters

The

49 Game plan We put the games and puzzles market under the spotlight in our special 13-page sector guide

Inventors Issue 2016 Ahead of our Inventors Workshop, we shine a spotlight on the world of toy inventors, speaking to the creator of Obama Llama, a leading Hot Wheels designer and Vivid’s head of development about the current state of innovation and creativity in our industry

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

WELCOME

CONTENTS Regulars 06 08 08 09 10 13 14 74

News Campaign of the Month Playtime NPD Analysis Industry Movers Crowdfunding focus Industry Opinion Toy Talk

Features 17 INTERVIEW: Obama Llama creator Matt Edmondson 19 INTERVIEW: Hot Wheels designer Bryan Benedict 21 INTERVIEW: Vivid’s head of R&D, Jonny Henton 22 INTERVIEW: Woman of the Year 2016 Lesley Singleton

Julie Champness Designer jchampness@nbmedia.com

Licensing.biz 25 News

Andrew Wooden Content Director awooden@nbmedia.com

Pre-school 29 News

Mark Burton Managing Director mburton@nbmedia.com

COMMENT

Retail 33 News 33 Indie proﬁle: Jollys Toys 36 ToyShop UK: Fight the fakes 39 Sector Guide: Pocket money 49 Sector Guide: Games & Puzzles

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

Inventor relations

t’s September, which means once again we’re crossing over into the world of toy and game creation for our special Inventors Issue. We’ve spoken to a wealth of creators this month, including a leading Hot Wheels designer and the creator of Obama Llama. Both interviews prove that some of the industry’s brightest creations have originated from sources outside the world of toys and games, and it’s a trend that goes back further than these examples. Richard James created Slinky while he was working with tension springs. He dropped one and upon seeing how the spring kept moving after it hit the ground, Slinky was born. Walter Frederick Morrison discovered a market for the frisbee in 1938 when he was offered 25 cents for a cake pan that he and his wife were tossing back and forth. My personal favourite is that Eddy Goldfarb’s original design for the now iconic Chattery Teeth was inspired by his mother-in-law. It’s something we’ve taken on board for this year’s Inventors Workshop. Specialists across virtual reality, augmented reality and video game development will be joining the UK’s toy and game inventor community to network and pitch ideas to the likes of Hasbro, Argos, Jazwares and Character Options. By embracing these new pools of talent, we’re hoping to help spur on further waves of toy innovation. If you’re a retailer, manufactuer or inventor who fancies coming along and mingling with the industry’s inventor scene, drop me an email.

Some of the industry’s brightest creations have originated from outside the preexisting world of toys and games, and that’s something we’ve taken on board for this year’s Inventors Workshop, which takes place on September 20th.

Contact: BLangsworthy@nbmedia.com

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September 05

NEWS

Big Potato teams up with D&AD to source new game creators “A lot of iconic toys and games have come from people who weren’t in the toy industry,” said Big Potato cofounder Dean Tempest. “That’s why we think lurking within D&AD students’ minds might be the next big thing.” BY BILLY LANGSWORTHY

ig Potato is teaming up with D&AD, an organisation that supports global creative and advertising communities, to seek out new game design talent. D&AD hosts a show every year called New Blood that identifies, showcases and nurtures young creative talent,

and Big Potato, whose founders all come from advertising backgrounds, will set students a brief asking them to invent and design a new adult party game. The brief will go out to over 2,500 colleges and universities from around the world later this month and the

students involved , all studying the likes of illustration, graphic design and advertising, will have the rest of the year to work on their ideas. The best students will get a chance to work directly with the Potatoes to develop their game and pitch it to some big-name game publishers. “We go to New Blood every year to see what’s out there,” said Dean Tempest, joint founder of Big Potato. “The graphic designer we used for our game Obama Llama was unearthed at New Blood. It’s such a great pool of untapped talent, we wanted to see how we could get the students thinking about board games. “A lot of iconic games have come from people who weren’t in the toy industry, and that’s why we think lurking within these students’

creative minds might be the next big thing. “With a bit of luck, some talented students will see their idea on the shelves of their local toy shop and have some royalties to spend too.” The brief, set by Big Potato, will be about more than just the initial idea though, as the firm will be asking students to consider how best to launch a title into the games market. “Having a good idea for a game is not enough anymore,” added Tempest. “You have to think about the brand, the way it looks and the route to market, which is almost as important as the game itself. Big Potato is an indie board game company based in Shoreditch, London. D&AD’s New Blood 2017 will be held in June of next year.

Re:creation to bring back Squinkies The collectable craze from 2011 is heading back to toy shelves early next year in the form of Squinkies ‘Do Drops BY BILLY LANGSWORTHY Squinkies, the toy craze from 2011, is returning to the UK courtesy of Re:creation. The new line of collectable mini themed characters, called Squinkies ‘Do Drops, will launch with over 150 Squinkies and 50 ‘Dos to collect. Following a successful launch in the US, Re:creation believes it’ll once again become a major UK craze when it lands in Q1 2017. “Squinkies were an absolutely massive UK craze when they were first launched in 2011, becoming one of the hottest toys of the time and ending the year as the sixth best new property by value (NPD

06 September

YTD Dec 2011),” Jonathan Kirkley, marketing director at Re:creation told ToyNews. “The range resonated so well with girls first time around that now they’ve been in hibernation for five years, it’s the perfect time for a new generation to discover the world of Squinkies ‘Do Drops. “Blip launched the range in the US this summer and the initial sales reads are exceptional. Squinkies is a proven success story and this time around there is even more to be excited about with added features and extended play.

“Also, the time out of the spotlight has enabled Blip, the property owner, to develop new products, features and, just as importantly, some incredible digital assets such as the animated Squinkisodes. “In just five years the world of marketing has moved on significantly and the content we now have for Squinkies puts us in a great position to maximise the potential of the brand.” The biggest change for Squinkies this time around is

that they can be personalised with ‘Do’s, which are interchangeable add-ons such as hats or wigs. It’s an addition that will feature heavily in Re:creation’s expansive marketing plans for the brand. Kirkley added: “TV will play a key part in getting the message out there but in promoting collectability we’re strong advocates of getting product in hands too. Sampling therefore is of great importance as are strong partnerships with leading kids’ magazines. “This is a major launch for us and it will receive heavyweight marketing support, all with the added benefit of a raft of exciting new assets.” Re:creation: 0118 973 6222

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NEWS

Toy designer lands dream stint at Hasbro following Inventors Workshop Belfast-based Ciaran Larkin, who runs his own design company called I Make Anything, has been working with the ﬁrm at its Rhode Island HQ, having impressed Hasbro’s inventor relations team at last year’s event BY BILLY LANGSWORTHY

elfast man Ciaran Larkin has landed his dream opportunity in the toy industry after attending last year’s Inventors Workshop. Independent product designer Larkin has run his own design company - I Make Anything since 2010, designing and building everything from one-off props and costumes, to large scale event design. Last year, he attended ToyNews’ Inventors Workshop, where he pitched to top toy execs from around the world. Having impressed the Hasbro inventor relations team at the event, his dream has become a reality and Larkin has been working with Hasbro at its Rhode Island HQ in the States. Both Larkin and Hasbro will be returning to present the keynote talk at this year’s Inventors Workhop, held on September 20th at Whittlebury Hall in

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Northamptonshire. As a sponsor of the event, toy execs from Hasbro will once again fly in from the US for the one-day event, intent on discovering the best of British toy design talent “We were impressed with Ciaran when we met him at the Inventors Workshop and invited him to spend a month at our headquarters in Rhode Island,” said Hasbro’s director of global toy acquisitions, Rich Mazel. “While there, Ciaran pitched new concept ideas for some of the company’s best-known brands. Hasbro executives will once again attend the Inventors Workshop in the hope of discovering new toy talent.” Larkin told ToyNews: “Taking the plunge and deciding to pitch at the Inventors Workshop changed my life. The chance to not only meet but pitch to legendary toy companies like Hasbro seemed

too good to be true. Turns out it wasn’t, and it has propelled me into my dream career. “I am eternally grateful to everyone who makes the Inventors Workshop happen; it is a must attend for everybody in the inventing world and I can’t believe I’ll be back there in September delivering the keynote presentation. I really hope my story can inspire other toy designers who are yet to realise their dream.” To get involved in this year’s Inventors Workshop, email blangsworthy@nbmedia.com.

September 07

CAMPAIGN OF THE MONTH / PLAYTIME

Who Tooted? After its initial launch in July, Re:creation has already enjoyed retail success with its latest game, Who Tooted? Now the company is preparing its new TV and PR campaign to help showcase the toilet humour behind the game CONTACT: RE:CREATION, 0118 973 6222

rreverent fun has arrived in the games aisle courtesy of Who Tooted? Having launched in July, this game of ‘guffing and bluffing’ challenges players to put on their best poker face to convince their opponents that they were not responsible for the ‘toot’. Complete with integral toot noisemaker and whoopee cushion play pieces, the game is suitable for players aged four and upwards. Each round sees a player randomly chosen to make the hapless central dad character trump, while players can move around the board by guessing correctly. Who Tooted? is being distributed in the UK by Re:creation and first launched last year in the Netherlands and US. The game’s

format has since won acclaim achieving Game of the Year status in the former, and rave online reviews on YouTube, many exceeding one million views. A dedicated TV campaign will showcase the family fun to be had with Who Tooted? Tapping into the inherent toilet humour of the game, the advert showcases game play intercut with plenty of tooting fun. Heavyweight TV

in the second half of 2016 will keep this title top of mind for families looking for something that will keep kids engaged. With a strong foundation of online video review content, Re:creation will build on this and continue blogger and vlogger outreach throughout the second half. Reviews have already begun to come in and among the feedback are comments such as: “It sounds awful. Which probably means my boys will love it.

As it turns out I really like it now too, and think it’s one of the best children’s games we have played in a long time,” and “this is a fun and hilarious family game that everyone will love.” Hidden camera style footage has also recorded families’ reactions to the power of the toot machine, which will provide further assets for social media Plus, a partnership with a leading children’s digital platform will see sponsored features and quizzes reaching several hundred thousand children engaging with the game concept. Additional competition activity across children’s print titles will continue to drive awareness from summer through to Christmas.

Generation Media’s Lauren Coombs takes a look at why more advertisers are using YouTube to enhance their media strategy

ith 83 per cent of kids aged from seven to 12 watching videos on YouTube, it is no surprise that advertisers are integrating the channel into their media strategy when targeting kids on the second screen. With Little Baby Bum recording one million views on a nursery rhyme that was uploaded just two weeks ago and a total number of 344m views in the past 30 days*, one may be led to believe that these videos are reaching more kids than the TV screen. However, it is easy to become blindsided by the big numbers quoted under each video. We need to take into account that the views are worldwide and account for every person who is

08 September

Source: BARB 2016, Youth TGI 2016r1 *Article written on July 29th 2016

watching whether they are a child, parent, advertiser or journalist. In comparison, on TV we can measure by territory and by specific audiences. For example, pre-school favourite Peppa Pig has delivered 227m views against children across 2016 alone (Jan 1st to July 21st 2016) meaning that just one programme in the UK year to date is comparable with a worldwide YouTube channel. So what happens if we focus on a TV station and its respective YouTube channel such as Disney Jr? In the last 30 days, the Disney Jr YouTube channel has recorded 80m views (down 31 per cent month on month). In comparison, across the full month of June 2016, the Disney Jr TV channel delivered 429m individual equivalent (eq.)

commercial impacts (134m housewives with kids eq. impacts and 198m against children specifically – up 11 per cent month on month). Similarly, from April 13th to July 21st 2016, The Lion Guard on Disney Jr delivered 8.1m children’s dia. impacts equating to 10 per cent

of their total YouTube channel views for the last month. So while we know YouTube is a popular destination for kids, providing a direct call to action and a secondary touchpoint when promoting products, we must be conscious to divide the marketing investment between the two.

ToyNews PlayTime is provided by Generation Media

0207 307 7900 | www.generationmedia.co.uk

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NPD RESEARCH

Outdoor shines while Pokémon Go fuels boost for trading cards

n July, value sales of traditional toys in UK was up five per cent, while volume sales increased by seven per cent as the average price paid for a toy fell to £7.70 from £7.79 in the same month last year. This growth was due to the warm weather in July that drove outdoor and sports toys value sales up an impressive 18 per cent for the month. Outdoor was driven by the summer seasonal toys area, especially pools, which were up 136 per cent versus the same month last year. Water/ sand toys and accessories also saw growth of 80 per cent. Nerf was the top property, with Little Tikes at number two, and Bunch O Balloons was the top new property in outdoor and sports toys for the month. Infant/toddler and pre-school was the second fastest growing supercategory in July, with six per cent value growth, adding £1.4m to total toys this month versus last year. Paw Patrol is the best performing pre-school property in July, adding £1.2m to the market,

PROPERTIES Best item progression July 2016

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Battle Action Millennium Falcon Play-set (Hasbro) Soaring from 399th place in June up to 26th in July, the force proved strong with Hasbro in July.

SALES

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

followed by two new properties, Blaze and the Monster Machines and Finding Dory, with monthly sales of £250k and £180k respectively. Finding Dory performance was boosted by the film’s release. However, as it was only released on July 29th, these monthly sales are quite impressive and likely to increase in August. Games and puzzles is the only supercategory that recorded a strong growth every month this year with July value increase of 11 per cent. The fastest growing subclass was strategic trading card games, with

value growth of 43 per cent. This has been helped by popularity of Pokémon, which is the top property in games and puzzles with over £1m in sales and growth of 144 per cent. “2016 has been a strong year for Pokémon property in toys,” said Melissa Symonds, practise director of NPD Group’s toy business in the UK. “Even before Pokémon Go, the property was seeing double-digit growth with £1.9m added to the games and puzzles area alone. With the craze quickly sweeping over the UK, we can expect the strong sales for Pokémon toys to continue.”

YTD 2015

YTD 2016

Source: NPD

AVERAGE TOY PRICE July 2015: £7.79

July 2016: £7.70

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

July 2016

1 8ft Fast Set Pool and Cover

1 UEFA Euro 2016 France Stickers Pack

Wilton Bradley

All Surface Swingball

(Unit sales – volume)

Panini

Mookie Toys

Hot Wheels Single Cars

Shopkins Pack of 12

Flair

Shopkins 2 Pack

Flair

LEGO Disney Miniﬁgure

Paw Patrol Vehicle and Pup

Spin Master

My Little Pony Explore Equestria Album Stickers Panini

Little Tikes Cozy Coupe 30th Anniversary

MGA

Paw Patrol Mash’ems

UEFA Euro 2016 France Stickers Pack

Panini

My Little Pony Mystery Bag Assortment

Hasbro

Bunch O Balloons

Geemac

Play-Doh Single Tub

Hasbro

Phlat Ball V3

Vivid

My Little Pony Fash’ems Assortment Character Options

10. Paw Patrol Mash’ems

Character Options

Mattel Flair LEGO

Character Options

10. UEFA Euro 2016 Adrenalyn XI Booster Pack

Panini

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.

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September 09

APPOINTMENTS

Industry moves KD UK features in our team of the month, while Funrise welcomes Liz Bailey as the ﬁrm’s new sales manager. Elsewhere, Designbytouch announces a new promotion and Golden Bear appoints Barry Hughes as its MD TEAM OF THE MONTH: KD UK Who’s in the team? Seth Bishop heads up the UK team, which is made up of eight specialists in finance, sales, marketing and operations. The team is a group of highly qualified professionals from many different backgrounds with over 70 years experience in the toy industry in the UK and in other countries. We have a great mix of staff, some of whom have been with KD for several years, and also some newer faces that bring fresh ideas and experience from other companies. We all work very closely with the research and development teams in France, Spain and Hong Kong. We are all committed to the new business strategy and are ready

Funrise After several years away from the trade, Funrise is welcoming LIZ BAILEY to its UK sales team as sales manager. Bailey’s new role will see her re-unite with the firm’s director DAVID MARTIN. He said: “She has a tremendous record of success and will be a major asset to the team as we grow the business. “Liz will take responsibility for a number of accounts, selling the Gazillion Bubbles brand and the Tonka Vehicle lines.”

10 September

to roll up our sleeves and muck in to get the job done. We have a great working relationship and bounce off each other’s strengths. What are you working on now? Finalising domestic orders through our new warehouse, rolling out key marketing initiatives and building full year 2017 product/brand plans. What’s the hardest part of working in the toy industry? Constantly keeping up to date with the ever-changing trends, hot properties and licences within the industry and trying to make sure we back the real winners. But that’s also the really rewarding part when you get it right.

Designbytouch Toy design consultancy and inventor studio, Designbytouch, is promoting DAVID BALDIN to design manager. Having been with the company for seven years, Baldin will now be responsible for managing client projects and overseeing creative output from the design team. “David’s extensive experience means that he has knowledge of a broad range of toy design, and he knows how to achieve the best results,” said PAUL BOUCHER, creative director at Designbytouch. Halilit The toy company is welcoming a new sales administrator in the form of EMMA DAVIES.

What have the last 12 months been like for you guys? Exciting – we have introduced more experience to the business to help fuel further growth and introduced brand new licences and partnerships. Additionally, we now have a new domestic operation that became live in July this year with

the first orders coming from many different retailers.

Halilit, who is the UK distributor for Taf Toys, has revealed that Davies is looking forward to taking on the new position and working with new and old customers. Davies is also joining the company during a period of significant growth and can be contacted on 01254 872 454.

spearheaded the firm’s growth in the RC hobby sector with the launch of the UK Hobbico Division.

Revell The ﬁrm’s UK and Ireland country manager, THOMAS RANDRUP, is stepping down after 16 years with Revell. During his time at the company, Randrup oversaw record increases in UK turnover thanks to domination in the plastic model kits sector and the company’s Star Wars licence. He also was part of the successful management buyout subsequently selling up to Hobbico Inc, and

Who avoids the washing up? Seth Bishop. Who’s the office heartthrob? Ryan Kershaw – he is the youngest team member and office Mr Motivator for fitness.

Golden Bear BARRY HUGHES has been promoted as the company’s new managing director after joining Golden Bear back in 2011. During his tenure with the toy firm, Hughes has held the positions of commercial director, and general manager. JOHN HALES, chairman of Golden Bear Toys, said: “We congratulate Barry on his promotion and look forward to continuing working alongside him in his new role.” Hughes added: “I have enjoyed my five years with the company so far and am honoured to have been appointed managing director of Golden Bear.”

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games and ji W E gsaws N s y o T from Orchard T ana eaches logu e digi tal t and telli ime ng

A fun g hin matc e gam

puzz x les a box in !

For sales contact your local rep/agent or contact the sales admin team on 01953 859525/859530 sales@orchardtoys.com

Featuring: Lego, Character Options, Flair Leisure, Orchard Toys, Vtech, Kâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Nex, Jumbo Games, John Adams, Trends, Vivid, & many more...

CROWDFUNDING FOCUS

Happy Atoms AR chemistry set Designed to teach youngsters about chemistry, the Happy Atoms Augmented Reality set allows children to discover the identities of new molecules through a mix of physical and digital play. Here, Happy Atoms’ Lili DeSisto talks to Jade Burke about the importance of teaching kids through play and plans for the set to be used in classrooms Platform: Indiegogo Goal: $50,000 Can you tell me a bit about the new Happy Atoms AR chemistry set? Happy Atoms is a physical and digital teaching tool that lets you discover the world of molecules in an intuitive, hands-on way. Users assemble molecules from plastic atom models that connect easily with magnets. Then, they scan their creation using the included app and the camera on their smartphone or tablet. The app identifies the molecule built using image recognition technology and provides more information about it, including its composition, usage, properties and much more. How does the AR technology work in the set? The app uses state of the art image recognition technology to identify the molecules based on size, shape, and colour. The app can recognise up to 10,000 molecules and presents in-depth information about 120 molecules and general information about the rest. How important is it for toys to teach kids about chemistry? Everyone needs a basic understanding of chemistry, and some people need an expert level proficiency. But chemistry is hard to grasp. Atoms are too small for us to see with our eyes, making them mysterious. Many students are left with a lifelong feeling that chemistry is boring, hard or scary. Our goal is to give new generations a deeper

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understanding of chemistry so that they can make scientifically sound decisions, cure diseases, protect the environment, and improve people’s lives in countless other ways.

Our goal is to give new generations a deeper understanding of chemistry so they can improve people’s lives in countless ways. Lili DeSisto, Happy Atoms What has reaction been like so far to the product? Overwhelmingly positive. We’ve received feedback from students,

teachers, and people who are interested in or work in the field of science, as well as those who don’t initially have an interest in chemistry. Plus, all have agreed that this is a product that has the potential to change the way people from all backgrounds teach, learn and understand the subject. What are your thoughts on tech toys in the market? In schools, chemistry teachers do an amazing job making the complex and abstract world of chemistry accessible to kids. But the teaching tools available to chemistry teachers have not kept up with the times. Current chemistry teaching tools and methods can fail to capture students’ imaginations, discouraging experimentation and discovery. The technologies

available to us now make it possible to teach chemistry in an entirely new way, making it more intuitive, safe, easy and relatable. Why did you choose to use a crowdfunding platform to launch the AR chemistry set? Happy Atoms is definitely being produced. We’re running a crowdfunding campaign to build a community for it. We want to reach educators and students who can benefit from it and give supporters a chance to get it at a discounted rate and before anyone else. We also want to accelerate its continuous improvement through stretch goals. Will toy retailers be able to stock the product? Yes, Happy Atoms will be available to retailers this autumn.

September 13

OPINION

Ad attack Born Licensing’s David Born looks at why more and more firms are turning to iconic toys and games, like G.I. Joe and Operation, to help drive advertising campaigns

Subaru saw the value in leveraging an iconic action figure, knowing it would get people talking and sharing.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR David Born is director of Born Licensing, a licensing agent focused solely on licensing for the purpose of advertising and marketing. He can be contacted at david.born@bornlicensing.com.

t’s not uncommon to see toys and games in advertising. Switch on any kids’ TV show and the ad breaks are packed with commercials for the latest action figures, games, dolls and play-sets. What is uncommon, however, is seeing toy and game brands used for advertising other products. Though this is something that advertisers are slowly catching on to. I experienced this recently while working on a project with Subaru Australia, who brought a G.I. Joe action figure to life in their latest TV advertisement. The tagline cleverly encourages viewers to ‘do something out of the box’, as we see G.I. Joe taking a ride in a Subaru, chopping wood, practising karate and riding a jet ski. Elsewhere, US insurance provider Geico recently featured Operation in a campaign.

So why are more and more advertisers choosing to feature toy and game brands in campaigns? The advertising world has changed dramatically over the last decade, and continues to evolve. Traditional advertising methods are

being tested as digital platforms become more influential. Consumers have more power than ever before, and it is becoming increasingly harder for advertisers to engage with their audience. Advertisers are now developing campaigns that are memorable and are able to cut through the

noise. They want viewers to watch it, engage with it, talk about it and then share it. Classic toys and games like these have very strong brand equity, high brand awareness and represent happy times. They are linked with nostalgic feelings that remind people of fun family times and tap into cherished memories. Subaru saw the value in leveraging an iconic action figure like G.I. Joe, knowing that it would get people talking and sharing. With over 90,000 views across various social media channels within the first two weeks of launching, it has certainly done the job. There are a number of other examples we’ve spotted, such as Mr. Potato Head for Lays, Rubik’s Cube for Kohl’s and Twister for Toyota. Spotted toy brands in advertising? Tweet me @bornlicensing.

From the kitchen table, to Kickstarter and beyond SAM Labs founder Joachim Horn reveals how the London-based start-up got the ball rolling for its ambitious journey to conquer the industry’s smart toys market

Being a small fish at the mercy of suppliers meant unanticipated waiting, production faults and shipping inconsistencies.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Joachim Horn is the founder of SAM Labs, a ﬁrm aiming to give everyone the tools and skills to build and shape the future of the Internet of Things. He can be contacted at info@samlabs.com.

14 September

ith two of us around the table, we launched SAM on Kickstarter on September 29th, 2014, not knowing what the immediate future held. Think of our campaign as the hodge-podged culmination of 13 months of work, collaboration, frustration, and discovery to create the world’s best toy for seven to 12 year olds to unleash their creativity. We had only dreamed our electronics kits would attract so much attention. Less than three days after launching, SAM reached its funding goal. We sat down in jubilant disbelief, but time for celebration was short lived. Delivering a successful

Kickstarter is about doing tasks ‘today’, never ‘tomorrow’, and it is only thanks to this mindset that we managed to bring our prototypes to mass production in under six months. Being a small fish at the mercy of suppliers meant unanticipated waiting, production faults and shipping inconsistencies. In one particularly sour moment, our PCB supplier took eight weeks to deliver, while our expectation was two weeks. Having successfully shipped the first iteration of SAM, we turned to our bigger dream: to lead the smart toy market. By constantly reworking our technology, sending software updates to our users, and creating new, playful kits that kids love, we

were on our way. But a parallel challenge quickly emerged: the need to scale the business. By January 2016, we were a team of 20. In order to sustain our growth, we needed to raise capital. Securing investment was lengthy and another exercise in relationship building. Venture capitalists only invest in companies after seeing progress. By February 2016, almost nine months after the journey to find investment started, we closed a round of $4.5m. Now we’re entering a bigger pond, but we’re only here from our understanding of how to be small. Hard work, dedication, building partner relationships and growing the team efficiently have been the core pillars of our journey so far.

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OPINION

The art of the pitch Richard Heayes shares some advice on how best to pitch your toy or game idea, and what to do when the product you’re about to pitch gets seized by US customs

Getting new ideas across is all about understanding your audience and adapting to the moment.

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.

he toy business is all about new ideas, characters and play patterns. Even if those ideas have been around for a while, it finds new ways to revitalise, renew and reinvent them. That means that those involved in designing, marketing and selling them do a hell of a lot of pitching. One of my best professional experiences was being exposed to the ‘Hollywood’ pitch. You’ve probably heard of the elevator pitch. Imagine you get in a lift okay, elevator - with a Hollywood producer. You’ve got say 15 seconds to pitch your big idea. It sounds simple but most of us get bogged down in the detail and before you know it, the doors have opened, they walk out and you’ve missed the opportunity of your life.

We all pitch everyday. To our bosses, our colleagues, our clients and our consumers. Learning how to do that with the minimal amount of ‘friction’ is an art, but with practice there are things you can easily pick up and apply to whatever you are pitching. We all know simple ideas are the best, but not all great ideas are so simple they can be communicated in 15 seconds. The skill comes in trying to put together a pitch which gets people wanting more. But try to get too clever at the start and you leave your audience confused and unable to probe further. Getting new ideas across is all about understanding your audience and adapting to the moment. Even with the best prep things can go astray, you need the deep understanding of your idea

to be able to flip your pitch without them even knowing. Inventor models that don’t turn on, samples that stop working, things that break as soon as you touch them. The toy business is full of some hilarious off script moments. One of my most memorable was when a very complex electronic model was impounded by US customs. We tried everything to get it out, but the meeting started and I had nothing. So my pitch changed to ‘it is so cool customs impounded it’. The audience laughed and wanted more. I’m supporting this year’s Inventors Workshop with some pitching advice. There is no one right way, but there are many wrong ways. Play to your strengths and at all times be honest with yourself and your customer.

Thinking outside the banana Celebrating the end of their first decade with a co-branded beer might not seem an obvious licensing partnership for Bananagrams, but company CEO Rena Nathanson spells out its potential for games and toys to reach new spaces

What at first might seem like an unlikely affiliation for Bananagrams is in fact a perfect combination, reflective of how tabletop gaming is continuing to evolve. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Rena Nathanson is the CEO, and Top Banana, at Bananagrams. The ﬁrm can be contacted on 020 8876 3013.

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arlier this year, we were presented with an opportunity to partner with our Rhode Island neighbours, Narragansett Beer, for its Hi Neighbor Mash-Up series, which sees them partner with businesses born in the area to create co-branded ‘Hi Neighbour Have A Hefeweizen’ beers. What at first might seem an unlikely affiliation with Bananagrams is in fact a perfect combination, reflective of how the tabletop gaming space is continuing to evolve. Beer and games are there for the good times, and if you’re coming last on that word grid or board game, a tasty beer certainly takes the sting out of it. The rise of grown-up games nights in pubs and bars shows that

games have moved beyond that typical ‘family table’ setting. Indeed, the very notion of ‘family’ is such an evolving thing, taking on so many guises in the modern world. While children remain at the heart of what we do, we recognise that ‘family’ for many is their extended friendship networks which may include no children at all, and that what we once saw as traditional

‘family time’ now often takes the form of get-togethers with friends at home or in restaurants and pubs. This social shift inspired our Tenth Bananaversary Bananagrams Party edition and was also part of our reasoning for partnering with a beer brand in what is our first real foray into licensing. Games brands branching out into licensed product is nothing new, and yes, loyal fans will be quick to pounce on product that pays homage to their favourite game. However, we’re far from fans of logo-slapping: from fashion to food, our strategy is in seeking out cool, clever ways of delivering meaningful, relevant partnerships for existing fans – using these collaborations to tap into new audiences and double our marketing efforts.

September 15

MATT EDMONDSON

Creation station Balancing his role as a TV presenter, Radio One DJ and the new face of The Xtra Factor, Matt Edmondson has also made the move into game inventing. Robert Hutchins catches up with the man behind Obama Llama, Rainbow Rage and many more to come How did you come up with the idea for Obama Llama? If I am honest, it was pretty much by accident. In my other jobs, I have to come up with a lot of ideas, particularly on the radio, when you burn through a lot of material. A lot of the material you do each day is disposable, but you are always trying to find something that has a life beyond that one occasion. Games are really good for that. I used to play this game on text with friends where you would send a clue of a celebrity that was doing something that rhymed with their name. They would have to guess the celebrity and send back their answer. It was a game that also went down really well on radio, but I started thinking there was more to it. After a long, boring weekend away with the inlaws, I had a recurring thought that this could be a board game. I kept developing the gameplay in my head and once I had the elements together, I knew I had to make it. How did your partnership with Big Potato start? I started looking up companies where I could get cards printed. You have no idea how difficult it was to find the one company that would print them in the way I wanted. And I really hate Googling.

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However, I eventually got them printed and ended up playing the game with friends and family, but I didn’t know where to go from there. It was then that I remembered the name of a woman called Lesley Singleton from Playtime PR. I had tweeted about Bananagrams at some point and suddenly she was on me. I contacted Lesley and asked for a meeting saying that I had a board game. I think she was surprised with how good an idea it was and said I could go one of two routes. Either I make it myself and find a distributor or partner with a publisher such as Big Potato. My instinct is always: How hard can it be? But after a lot of consideration I decided, yes, to take the idea to the Big Potato guys. After, Big Potato’s Dean Tempest called me to say that they wanted Obama Llama. Firebox and John Lewis then came on board to stock it soon after that. I couldn’t believe it. Away from Obama Llama, did you already have other game ideas bubbling away? Not at the time, no. But once you have one successful idea, you are compelled to start thinking of new ones. I started going to Board Game

club, run by Lesley Singleton, and playing loads of new games and I found myself inspired to create games that gave me the same feeling as some of these games I had been playing. I really enjoyed the feeling I got from playing grabby games such as Geistesblitz and I wanted to make a game that recreated that feeling of confusion and having your brain operate in two different modes. I started to think a lot about that kind of gameplay, a game that confuses you with colours and objects. I wondered how I could bring that into a game until I struck upon the idea of a rainbow. And this led to Rainbow Rage? The game idea I struck upon was compelling and anger inducing at the same time. The name was easy to come up with. I brought this game to Big Potato too and as with Obama Llama, we

soon had Firebox and John Lewis on board. So is it safe to say you’re in the business of game design for good now? I think so, yes. I keep having lots of ideas for games including a very exciting one that is coming out next year. I also already have a sequel to Rainbow Rage planned that we will get working on, depending on how well Rainbow Rage does at retail. Do you find creating games more enjoyable than the day job of radio and TV? I have always loved radio and TV. They are both similar in what they require of you and I have never had proper hobbies because my job is my hobby. However, board games is this world that has no real connection to the other stuff I do, but it makes me just as excited.

September 17

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HOT WHEELS

Life in the fast lane Bryan Benedict spent ten years designing real cars before Mattel came knocking. Now, as a senior Hot Wheels designer, he’s the brains behind a raft of character cars including Star Wars and Super Mario ranges. Here, he tells Billy Langsworthy what life is like working inside the engine-room of the world’s most prolific car manufacturer

ryan Benedict knew he wanted to design cars for a living from the age of five. Growing up in California with five petrol heads for older brothers, he didn’t have much choice. But how did he go from wanting to design Ford’s next big hit to creating a Dodge Viper-inspired Darth Vader toy car as the senior staff designer on the Hot Wheels diecast design team at Mattel? “I wrote a letter to General Motors when I was 12 and they told me everything I needed to know to get started in car design,” Benedict tells ToyNews. Following a stint studying transportation design at Art Center College of Design in Pasedena, Benedict began his career in the actual car industry – the perfect preparation for designing Hot Wheels as it turned out. “I worked with a number of car manufacturers, including Honda, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, General Motors and Ford in a variety of roles, as a sculptor, shaping ¼ scale and full-size cars out of clay, and as a

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designer,” he says. “After 10 years in the car industry, I was approached by Hot Wheels. While there are a lot of similarities between designing real cars and 1:64th scale Hot Wheels cars, it also required a huge shift in thinking - a challenge I was excited about.” His years at Mattel have seen Benedict lead development on

While there are similarities between designing real cars and Hot Wheels cars, it required a huge shift in thinking.

“I oversee all Hot Wheels character cars, whether it is for Star Wars, Marvel, DC, or any other new licence,” says Benedict. “We just recently debuted our new Super Mario character cars, which I am excited about.” But day-to-day, life like inside the cylinders and pistons of the Hot Wheels machine is an ever changing routine. He says: “Being a designer at Hot Wheels is a very exciting job that really varies from day to day. At any given time, I am working on designs for several cars, all at

Bryan Benedict, Mattel a number of hugely successful Hot Wheels lines, including the Toy Story range and a Darth Vader vehicle, which actually got turned into a life-size working car.

various stages of the design process. When starting to research for an upcoming vehicle design I grab inspiration from any number of sources.

And in his quest for inspiration, Benedict has found himself returning to his old stomping ground and dipping a toe back into the world of real cars when developing new Hot Wheels lines. “At Hot Wheels we live and breathe cars, so naturally, we keep a close eye on what is going on in the car industry as well as the automotive aftermarket and customisation scenes,” continues Benedict. “But I might also be inspired by nature, or other forms of design completely unrelated to cars. “In the case of Hot Wheels Character Cars, I dive deep into the backstories and details surrounding the pop culture characters that I am representing in car form, which, as a fan myself, is a lot of fun.” Whether it’s designing a Donkey Kong van, giving Buzz Lightyear the Hot Wheels treatment or turning up to Nuremberg Toy Fair in a life-size Darth Vader car, Bryan Benedict is living out the dream job of his five year old self, and then some.

September 19

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VIVID

Imaginations factory Vivid is responsible for a wealth of popular toy brands, but where do ideas for the likes of Fungus Amungus come from. Jonny Henton, Vivid’s development and QA director, tells Billy Langsworthy what a typical day is like for the firm’s R&D arm, how to spot a good idea and why the industry is in great place when it comes to creativity

hat is a typical day like for Vivid’s research and development team? A typical day in Vivid’s R&D department is normally very busy but a lot of fun. Essentially, Vivid is a thirsty machine, and R&D is tasked with filling its hopper with new product to keep it moving forward. Hence our R&D function covers a broad range of responsibilities from identifying trends to debugging preproduction samples and managing everything that goes between. With blue-sky creatives sitting alongside design engineers, we have a superb mix of highly passionate and capable designers who are all able to conjure toy ideas out of almost anything. Nothing is off limits and no ideas are dismissed outright. We also work closely with licensors and the inventor community to find new properties or product lines. Once we have something we want to take forward, a brand team is formed and made responsible for managing the idea through the development process.

One of your biggest launches of this year was Fungus Amungus. Can you talk us through the origins of that property? Fungus Amungus was a great concept to work on. Originally a concept proposed by an inventor (US group Lund 2.0), we liked it immediately as it ticked so many of the elements you want in a boys collectable line. We found the sticky TPR material provided a creepy movement that really worked well to bring the creatures to life and meant they were super clingy when thrown at walls or ceilings. These aspects defined the feature

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of the collectable (an all important element of even the lowest priced products these days) and defined the brand attributes as we evolved the offering. As with all new lines, we brainstormed around the concept a lot to ensure we had stress-tested the full potential of the property, and even when we thought we’d settled on what it was we occasionally took a step back and questioned aspects

some staple items to give us the best potential for growth. In-house brands are important to us as they not only add to Vivid owned IPs, but also provide significant opportunity to grow our international business, which is going from strength to strength. It’s also always been equally important for us to work with all our longstanding distribution partners from around the world.

We have passionate designers who are able to conjure toy ideas out of almost anything. Nothing is off limits and no ideas are ever dismissed outright. Jonny Henton, Vivid in order to ensure we maintained the core DNA of the brand. This is a key incubation phase when establishing a new property and takes a little time of pushing at the boundaries of the idea to ensure we have something strong that works and appeals to the consumer. How do you balance launching your own IP with taking on extrernal ideas? Brands come in to the business via a number of different routes. We develop in-house, licensed or inventor concepts as a matter of course, and also distribute items for partners around the globe. All contribute to our portfolio of products, which we constantly appraise to ensure we maintain a fresh mix of innovative products, with

Is the industry in a good place creatively at the moment? I feel we’re in something of a golden age as there are so many different areas to explore and new and refreshing ways to bring them together or to new audiences. The boundaries between different brands, aisles or licensed characters are falling too. It’s now cool to reposition classic products in an entirely new way or to a different audience. Licensed characters are moving into each other’s worlds and similarly established

brands are reinventing themselves to stretch their reach. There are a lot of opportunities to join the dots and create something new, but at the same time the consumer is more demanding so we have to dig deeper and deliver a more complete brand offering to stand out. It’s a really interesting and inspiring time. What have been your highlights of 2016 so far? Vivid is seeing success across a broad number of categories, both from in house developments and from ranges we distribute for third party partners. Fungus Amungus has launched in over 40 countries so far and doing well as we launch Series Two for A/W, Nocto is just hitting the market, Phlat Ball the outdoor phenomena is achieving #11 in the top selling items in value across the UK toy industry YTD (NPD July 16) and Charm-U is already showing how appealing it is to girls. It’s also been a very strong year for Crayola, especially in core stationery and back to school.

September 27

WOMAN OF THE YEAR 2016

And the winner is... The industry voted Playtime PR MD Lesley Singleton as this year’s ToyNews Woman of the Year back in July, citing her as “brilliant, creative, professional, easygoing and kind”. Here, Billy Langsworthy talks to Singleton about her firm’s incredible year so far, life as a niche toys and games agency and dealing with shifting attitudes to toy PR ow has 2016 been for and interests yet they choose to – just different) and that it’s good Playtime PR? also work with Playtime because to have a space for that to be I think it’s fair to say they know we’re so much more recognised. But essentially, the 2016 has been pretty than box-tickers. true reason I feel the Women of the decent so far. We’ve attracted Year Awards are so vital is because a wealth of new business from As this year’s Woman of the women are just generally worse legendary toy companies like Year, how do you feel about than men at taking the credit Jazwares and Worlds Apart, these kinds of awards? Why where it’s due. and we’ve landed multiple toy do you feel it’s important to I see it everyday across all our briefs from the UK’s biggest toy recongnise the achievements of clients and among my peers – retailer, Argos. women in the toy space? there are women doing incredible That has been an incredible Look, I could take the well-trodden things in the toy industry at all experience – the very fact that path here and say that diversity levels but they’re all so ridiculously they approached us because we’re in all workplaces is fundamental, humble and play down their known for delivering results in that women have a different set successes, when in fact they the toy space was such a boost, of challenges to men (not tougher should be applauded, and loudly. proving that our positioning as a The women who triumphed niche agency works. this year – and indeed all the Our first two projects for them very talented women on the list surpassed all expectations (the of finalists – are all excelling in Top Toys story we worked on radically different ways, and some in partnership with broadcast of them have been grafting in this agency, Markettiers, in June sector for decades. secured over 450 pieces of Yes, I’d like to think we’re in an coverage in under 48 hours) industry where gender is irrelevant and it’s been an excellent way of but we’re not quite there yet. But growing what we already know with events like the Women of the Lesley Singleton, about the toy industry. Year Awards, maybe we’ll get there Just as licensed toys have that little bit sooner. Playtime PR different challenges to, say, indie board games, so too do What were your toy retailers. It’s fascinating first steps to delve into the different in the toy objectives and approaches industry? needed and to really push our I started out in thinking further as an agency. PR and media The other big development back when press for Playtime PR this year releases were has been the growth of the faxed or posted team. I’ve worked really and media lists hard to ensure I only bring literally were on board the type of people little black books. who’ll properly embrace I’ve worked on my own ethos of having campaigns for passion for every single cruise ships, video The winner product we represent. rental shops, s of the Wo men of the 2016 (left to They’re all experts with celebrity fitness Year Award right): Ruth s Elliott, Lesl Julie Pittilla years of experience in PR DVDs, crooner ey Singleto , Hannah Bee n, ching and Li ndsay Hardy and the media, they all Christmas albums have their own businesses and a lot of airlines.

We have a clear understanding of the issues within the industry, the way things are typically done and how things are evolving.

22 September

I started my own PR business ten years ago and, when I began working with Bananagrams back in 2011, I realised my heart was in toys. Top Banana Rena Nathanson has been a huge supporter of my transition into the toy industry and remains a true inspiration. Playtime wouldn’t exist had she not entrusted me with her brand in those early days, and it means a lot that she continues to believe in us as we evolve. The idea to rebrand and relaunch as a niche toys and games agency – Playtime PR – came about while Peter Jenkinson and I were about to launch Board Game Club. As a journalist in the toy space, I valued his opinion and insight and tentatively told him of my plans to establish an agency that catered exclusively to brands in the toys, games and fun space, and he was firmly behind the idea. So much so that I can’t actually get rid of him now and he’s been a fundamental part of the agency’s growth. I do think some agencies are almost reluctant to be openly niche, because the perception is that it limits the pool of brands you can work with. But in my opinion, it’s about us having a richer offering than an agency with clients across varying sectors – we have a clear understanding of the issues within the industry, the way things are typically done and a solid grasp of what’s gone before and how things are evolving. What have been the biggest changes within the industry since you’ve been a part of it? There have been some really interesting and quite dynamic changes in the toy sector over the past couple of years and it’s an exciting time to be part of it.

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WOMAN OF THE YEAR 2016

For instance, it’s much easier for people to get their creations to market these days, thanks to events like ToyNews’ Inventors Workshop and the runaway success of Kickstarter as a platform, particularly for board games. This in turn is making the bigger brands change the way they’re doing things. I love that a category leader such as Hasbro is embracing crowd-funding, tapping into talent beyond their usual pool and seeking out new concepts from people outside the industry itself. I love that a company like Big Potato genuinely can set out to ‘do things differently’, and actually have incredible, measureable success. I don’t believe that even five years ago three lads from an ad agency would’ve been able to convince the likes of John Lewis to stock a badult board game. I’m also watching with interest how brands are folding in new technology and using developments – particularly in VR – to enhance playability for both toys and games. From a PR perspective, the biggest shift has been in client objectives. We’ve seen a definite move away from the more vanity PR side of things and an increase in demand for influencer relations and on-the-ground PR. Marketeers are also more appreciative of the fact that a robust campaign needs a combination of tactical approaches, and that some paid activity is often required to really make a story fly. How is the rest of the year shaping up for Playtime PR? Busy but exciting. Argos has just handed us three more toy briefs to deliver on this side of Christmas, the Toy Fair PR machine is whirring into action already and both Big Potato and Bananagrams have us on board for new initiatives and games launches this quarter. We also have some massive nights planned for Board Game Club when it returns in the Autumn.

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September 23

NEWS MEDIA

DEDICATED MONTHLY LICENSING COVERAGE FOR THE UK

OPINION

Hasbro and Mattel to boast biggest BLE presence yet

“We are playing host to some of the largest stands the show has ever seen,” said BLE brand director Anna Knight BY BILLY LANGSWORTHY

attel and Hasbro are both heading to next month’s Brand Licensing Europe show with larger stands than ever before. The show has 250 exhibitors signed up, and joining Mattel and Hasbro are 49 firms new to BLE, including Paramount, Spook Squad Productions, Momot Global, Edutainment Licensing, Ludorum and Lil Critter Workshop. “We are playing host to some of the largest stands the show has ever seen, as many have undergone dramatic increases in size,” Anna Knight, brand director at Brand Licensing Europe 2016, told ToyNews. “Nickelodeon, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, Warner Bros, Turner Cartoon Network,

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Mattel and Hasbro have all significantly increased their stands, in some cases by as much as 150 per cent. So, visually the show is going to be more striking than ever before.” One of the biggest changes for this year’s show is the introduction of an exclusive Matchmaking Service, free of charge, that will enable exhibitors and visitors to

Don’t just limit your time to the obvious character brands. Anna Knight, BLE

request meetings with one another through an online portal ahead of the show. “The tool was used at our sister show, Licensing Expo, in June with phenomenal results – over 2,500 business meetings were generated and over 1,000 licensors connected with licensees,” added Knight. “We are very excited to introduce it to the European industry at BLE, and hope it will revolutionise the way our visitors and exhibitors experience the show.” Knight is also keen for the UK’s toy industry to head to BLE this year, what with the UK pressing ahead as the world’s second biggest licensing market. She added: “Licensing is a multi-billion-dollar industry. Recent research from the Licensing Industry

Merchandisers’ Association suggests that it’s worth an estimated $251.7bn in global retail sales, and is set to grow. So it’s a crucial time for the toy industry professionals to engage with licensing, if they haven’t already done so.” And while the show will play host to a wealth of major character licensors, Knight believes that some of the other zones boast untapped toy potential. “Don’t just limit your time to the obvious character and entertainment brands,” continued Knight. “Visit the Brands & Lifestyle and Art, Design & Image zones upstairs as many of them have some really innovative toy potential. “ A trip upstairs could bring some unique opportunities which could actually set you apart from your competitors.”

September 25

NEWS

Golden Bear eyes collectables success with Oddbods debut The pre-school specialist has high expectations for its first line in the collectables arena, having already seen strong early demand for the blind-bagged characters inspired by the popular kids’ TV and YouTube series BY ROBERT HUTCHINS

re-school specialist Golden Bear is making its debut in the pocket money arena with a line of Oddbods collectables it believes will be key for 2016 and beyond. The firm has detailed its confidence in the strength of the hit property, which enters the collectables market with a range of blind-bagged characters hitting shelves this autumn/winter. According to the firm, initial reads indicate a high demand for the line that features 50 different figures to collect, including rare versions as well as a collectors’ figurine set boasting all seven characters from the show. The new range is based on the hit TV programme that continues to perform well on CITV and Boomerang, alongside a dedicated

YouTube channel that boasts over 230 million views. “We have strong expectations for the whole range, including the collectables, with a blind bag launch driving it in Q4 and wave two planned for spring/summer 2017,” said Katherine Pierce, senior licensing and marketing manager at Golden Bear. “Collectability is driven primarily by characters and Oddbods is no exception as Fuse, Zee, Pogo, Bubbles, Slick, Jeff and Newt are hugely appealing personalities. “The figures are a great starting line for consumers to further engage with

the Oddbods brand and we are confident that the range will continue to be a success this year and leading into 2017.” The launch of the Oddbods collectables line will be supported with a far reaching marketing

campaign that spans covermounts in key boys’ magazine titles as well as strong TV and digital support. A first for Golden Bear in the collectables space, the line of Oddbods blind bags will sit alongside a wider range of plush, vehicles and face changers based on the popular children’s series. While the range is expected to be a strong performer leading into 2017, Pierce has hinted that a range of further products is already on the horizon. “The Oddbods brand has been supported with strong product launch across our distribution channels and with further product development plans in progress, all is looking very positive for the brand as it lands at retail this year and next,” she concluded. Golden Bear: 01952 608 308

Clementoni to launch University of Oxford games and puzzles this autumn “2016 has been a momentous year for University of Oxford with new licensees signed around the world,” said Chris Evans, managing director at Oxford Limited BY BILLY LANGSWORTHY Clementoni is launching a line of University of Oxford games and puzzles in the UK this autumn. The move will include the launch of The Oxford Trivia Game and three puzzles featuring Oxford themed imagery. Toys and games has been labelled a key category in the

26 September

property’s plans for brand extension into consumer products. “2016 has been a momentous year for Oxford with new licensees signed around the world,” said Chris Evans, managing director, Oxford Limited. “New categories have opened up such as food and beverage and eyewear, as well as new territories from Mexico to the Middle East.

“Key categories of relevance for the University of Oxford programme - apparel and toys and games - have also attracted market leading partners such as IDT and Clementoni.” University of Oxford will be showcasing the new lines at Brand Licensing Europe 2016 in October on stand N100, located at the front of the Brand and Lifestyle Zone.

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

NEWS MEDIA OPINION

Fisher-Price enters ‘boogie wonderland’ with new Bright Beats toy line Fisher-Price is hoping to gets kids and parents ‘boogying’ with the help of its new Bright Beats toys, and with a new campaign starring celebrity mum Kimberly Wyatt, the firm hopes the range will be a success at retail BY JADE BURKE

uilding on the success of the BeatBo toy from its Bright Beats line, FisherPrice is introducing a range of new items to the collection, along with the launch of a brand new campaign to get kids ‘boogying’. Each of the new toys boast music and dance themes, designed to help get preschoolers moving. For example, the new BeatBelle, the sister of BeatBo, features songs, learning content and dance moves. Other new items include the Bright Beats Learnin’ Lights Dance

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Mat with motion sensors and puppy companion, BeatBowWow. “We know that music and dance are themes that pre-schoolers love, and

furthermore, active playtime encourages important physical and cognitive development in those early years,” Wendy Hill, brand activation director at Mattel UK, told ToyNews. “Babies will enjoy grooving with their new friends while they learn about the alphabet, colours, shapes and more, through fun interactive play.” Thanks to the success of FisherPrice’s original BeatBo, Hill has revealed that the company has high expectations for the toys. Hill continues: “We are very excited to expand the Bright Beats line following on from the success of BeatBo. We know these themes really appeal to parents as they encourage their children to learn and develop through play.

“The range has been well received by our retailers and we have high expectations for the line.” With celebrity mum Kimberly Wyatt also getting on board with the #BeatBoBoogie campaign, Hill believes that it will be a hit with children, as well as parents looking to encourage active play. “As a professional dancer and mum, Kimberly is very passionate about encouraging active play and learning through music and dance themes,” added Hill. “Kimberly and her daughter Willow will be fronting the initiative showing off their dance moves and encouraging parents to share their little ones’ very own #BeatBoBoogie on the Fisher-Price Facebook page.” Mattel: 01628 500 000

September 29

NEWS

MuuseLabs targets UK with ‘toys-to-life’ music player Called Jooki, the smart-toy jukebox lets kids play their favourite music via NFC-tech collectable toy ﬁgurines BY ROBERT HUTCHINS The UK will be a major focus for the launch of a new smart-toy that lets kids play their favourite songs via collectable toy figures. Called Jooki, the sound system uses ‘toys-to-life’ technology to encourage youngsters to share music among friends and family. Having secured 107 per cent of its Kickstarter goal of €50,000, Jooki is the latest product from the consumer tech and toy start-up, MuuseLabs and has been designed to bring ‘new angles to the toy and children’s entertainment industry.’

“We see the toy and consumer tech industries coming closer together in the future and Jooki is one product that combines tech from both,” Theodore Marescaux, CEO of MuuseLabs, told ToyNews. “Jooki is one of the first products that opens the path to kids and family tech, beyond simply toys.

“It’s a kids’ product and has all the toy properties such as robustness and toy safety, but it is also a consumer electronics device with high-quality speakers and a design that appeals to kids and their parents.” Jooki utilises technology first popularised by the Skylanders franchise to play music through its collectable and customisable figurines called Jooki Stars. Each Star includes an NFC chip that links to a playlist, podcast or web stream, allowing the portable music player to function without a smartphone or a tablet.

It may be early days for the product but interest from retailers and distributors across the globe has already started pouring in, with the UK being a major focus when it launches in 2017. “The way we listen to music today has evolved and I want kids to be part of the digital revolution while we do our bit to reduce screen time,” said Marescaux. “There is plenty of opportunity for customisation with Jooki, we live in an era where 3D printing at home has become a reality and we have many ideas for Jooki in the future,” he concluded.

Orchard Toys refurbs Bus Stop game The toy ﬁrm has given its Bus Stop game a facelift to help encourage kids to enjoy adding and subtracting BY JADE BURKE Orchard Toys’ popular Bus Stop game is getting an updated style, look and feel for this year. Designed to help develop children’s numeracy skills, the game will feature a new board game as well as a variety of characters to help mimic modern life and encourage learning among its young players.

“Say to a child, ‘we’re going to learn’ and you’re likely to get a grumpy face, but with the Bus Stop game, children know they’re playing a fun game,” Simon Prest, sales director at Orchard Toys, told ToyNews. “And by moving likeable characters on and off the bus, they’re actually

learning how to add and subtract, without really realising.” Add to that the inclusion of a new spinner and dice, and the firm believes that the game will help reinforce number recognition by displaying various numbers, as well as dots for players to count.

Retailers will also be able to benefit from the game’s new re-designed box, which stars its brand new characters for kids to engage with. The company added: “Bus Stop is the perfect board game for conscientious parents wanting to teach their child to count in a fun and subtle way, and is still available for the same great price.” Orchard Toys: 01953 859 525

New cuddly characters from Nattou www.hippychick.com 01278 4344

30 September

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Retail Only

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DEDICATED MONTHLY RETAIL COVERAGE

OPINION

Hawkin’s Bazaar sees sales soar as heavyweight brands lead retailer’s new direction The firm has launched a nationwide shift of focus across its fleet of 30 stores with the introduction of more movie tie-in toys and licensed lines taking precedent in a move that has resulted in a 12 per cent sales uplift BY ROBERT HUTCHINS

tar Wars, Suicide Squad and Harry Potter are helping retailer Hawkin’s Bazaar fuel some positive sales figures this year. The retailer has revealed to ToyNews that since it put its plans to shift focus from wooden and traditional toys to gifts, gadgets and movie tie-in lines into action, like for like sales for the year have increased 12 per cent. An active repositioning of the store was put in place in the weeks and months that followed the complete buyout of the retailer by its parent company Tobar at the start of the year. The move to introduce more licensed lines, according to the retailer’s chief executive, David Mordecai, was part of its wider plans to create two very separate identities for its Tobar and Hawkin’s Bazaar operations. “This has been a huge success for us,” said Mordecai.

RETAIL ADVISORY BOARD

Stuart Grant, The Entertainer

Geoff Sheffiled, The Toy Store

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“We introduced gadgets and licensed products with Star Wars as one of the biggest of the year. “The reaction to this move has been really positive, from the staff who think it is great to see something more relevant to customers and secondly, well, the proof is in the pudding in terms of the customers.” With a fleet of 30 stores across the UK, Hawkin’s Bazaar now finds

itself in a position to start talking about plans for expansion up and down the country with ten pop-up stores planned to open. “We will probably keep a couple of these open as permanent stores going forward,” continued Mordecai. “It’s a good way to test a town to see how well it trades.” While Mordecai admits that the retailer still has some way to go with its UK operations before it

considers international expansion, talk of opening ten additional stores this year comes as a striking change of attitude from a firm that only narrowly avoided folding back in 2011. Credit for the retail group’s turnaround can be handed to the leadership change of focus for the store offering that since moving away from toy only retail to gifts and licensed lines has seen sales spike throughout the year. “Movie related lines have become big business for us and we are now seeing success throughout the year,” explained Mordecai. A statement year for the retailer, Hawkin’s Bazaar’s 2016 product offering is one that has been curated gradually over the months to ensure it is ready to deliver on the seasonal shopping period at the end of the year. “Drones will be a key line for us this Christmas and year overall. It’s also fair to say that the Brexit hasn’t thrown us off our plans,” he concluded.

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

September 33

INDIE RETAILER FOCUS

Jollys Toys Now in its third year since opening, Jollys Toys has enjoyed a great summer thanks to its line of nature toys. Here, owner Charlotte Croser, catches up with Jade Burke to ﬁnd out why the ‘Aladdin’s cave’ store stands out against other indies on the High Street and the importance of offering an online service to customers

ell me a bit about your business and how the store began? We opened the store in May 2013 and recently celebrated our third birthday, but before that we were online for six months. The online side was small scale and was just a way of testing the market a little bit. I held lots of local events and fairs, so I was able to see what the appetite was out there and the kind of things people were after.

What types of toys do you stock? It’s a very small shop but it’s absolutely jam packed full of things for newborns right up to teenagers. We try and stock things that you wouldn’t find in the supermarkets and focus on things that are going to take some time for children to work on. We stock books, educational games, jewellery, stationery and a baby range, plus we stock Jellycats and wooden toys. You offer many services in store, from gift-wrapping to a wish list service. How important is it for you to offer this? It’s very important as it sets us apart from the supermarkets, chains and online stores. It makes it a pleasurable experience for people to shop with us. You couldn’t go into Tesco or Argos and get that kind of service, which is fine as everybody has a different place in the market, and ours is to give as full a service as we can to our customers. Can you tell me more about your loyalty card scheme? How does that work? For every ten pounds a customer spends, they get a stamp on their card, and when they get ten

34 September

stamps they receive a ten pound gift voucher for the store. It definitely encourages people to keep using us and it increases our sales when people visit.

some of the slightly more unusual products that we stock. It acts as a really good catalogue for local customers to see what we have got.

How important is your online store to the business? Have you found that some customers

What seems to be your most popular toy at the moment? During the summer months, the best has been the live butterfly kits from Insect Lore, which is a kit that comes with a net habitat and other things like a magnifying glass. Kids then have a coupon, which can be sent off to receive five live caterpillars. Children can then watch them grow into butterflies and see the whole life cycle of a caterpillar turning into a butterfly. That’s been really, really popular, and there’s a range of bug finding kits and books, which also do really well.

What I think sets us apart from other toy shops is that we don’t just stock highend, unusual gifts. Charlotte Croser, Jollys Toys prefer online shopping to coming into the store? From a sales point of view, it’s by no means anywhere near as busy as the store as it takes the large share of the turnover. But the online store is a way for us to sell

What makes you different from the local competition? I think because we offer a very personalised, friendly,

knowledgeable service and we offer a range of products, which are carefully put together, and it’s not what you would normally find when you go into a big shop. The store is just like an Aladdin’s cave, but it’s all neatly put together and easy to access. We take pleasure in getting to know our customers and really making them feel welcome. What I think sets us apart from some of the other independent toy shops is that we don’t just stock high-end, unusual gifts – we have plenty of little pocket money items, and I always try and find things that I think are sensibly priced. Do you have any plans for expansion in the future? Possibly – I have looked at opening other shops, but it’s more likely continuing to enjoy the business we have and to keep finding new and exciting things for our shop and keeping that going and enjoying it.

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INDEPENDENT SURVEY

Fighting the fakes The issue of counterfeiting has long plagued the toy industry, last year costing it £183 million in lost revenue. Robert Hutchins asks ToyShop UK’s listing how big an impact the problem with bootleg toys has on them

he growing issues surrounding availability of fake toys on the UK market has been labelled ‘mad and unfair’ by the UK’s independent retail scene. Up and down the country, toy sellers have united in the belief that counterfeit versions of the industry’s hottest products are far too easy for consumers to come by upon the High Street. Among those singled-out as major contributors to the UK’s growing issues with fake toys are the High Street’s discounters and pound shops, as well as the likes of online retail giants Amazon and eBay. Last year, the BTHA highlighted that sales of counterfeit toys could account for up to 10 to 15 per cent of toys on the UK market, costing the industry around £183 million.

36 September

Meanwhile, across Europe more than 6,150 jobs are lost within the toy industry due to misplaced counterfeit revenue. These are no small numbers, so it’s no surprise that the UK’s toy retail scene has voiced its

frustration at a ‘fraudulent faction’ interested only in ‘undercutting margins and undermining the industry.’ “It is mad and unfair that counterfeit toys are still freely available,” Julian Shelford, owner

of the Plymouth toy, games and collectables retailer, Final Frontier, tells ToyNews. “Not only are they undermining the industry, they are potentially dangerous. I doubt there will ever be a 100 per cent crackdown, but more needs to be done.” Some of the most notable lines to have been hit by counterfeiters in recent years have been the game Bananagrams, collectable craze Loom Bands and Disney’s Frozen, which has suffered particular plight in the Middle East in the last few years. Add to that haul this year’s bigticket brand, Pokémon – fuelled by the runaway success of Pokémon Go – and it stands to reason that retailers are still feeling the sting of an issue that according to the industry body BTHA, remains hugely impactful.

“Right now, Pokémon is one of the biggest brand’s around,” explains Duncan Connor, owner of the Scottish retailer, Bus Stop Toy Shop. “I have visited High Street stores in Glasgow to find racks lined with unlicensed Pokémon products of really poor quality. It’s hugely damaging to the brand and to retailers like us that will only sell officially licensed products. “This appears to be going on unchecked and unsanctioned.” While the anger at such action is understandable, efforts have been made to stem the flow of counterfeit products into the UK market. However, whether it’s austerity or a lack of understanding that is to blame, recent years have seen Government funding for its policing reduced.

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“Trading Standards has always been the front line defense against cheap imports and counterfeit toys and made best efforts to remove them from the marketplace,” comments Natasha Crookes, director of public affairs and communications at the BTHA. “Sadly, this has become more challenging over recent years as Government funding has been reduced, resulting in less officers going out and doing searches.” According to one report from 2015, trading standards offices across the UK were operating with half the amount of staff they had five years prior to that. But even if trading standards were operating at full kilter, it seems highly unlikely that it would holster enough manpower to police the ever increasing number of routes to market

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these counterfeit products find themselves selling within. Often likened to a Wild West frontier of those operating outside of the law in order to turn a profit, online trading has been cited as a major contributing factor to counterfeiting concerns. “It’s contributed hugely to the issue growing exponentially in an area which is even more difficult to control,” continues Crookes. “The rise of online counterfeiters makes it harder than ever to warn consumers about the dangers, and the rise of online toy sales makes any advice about sourcing only reputable retailers a lot less black and white.” Particularly, it seems, when counterfeit products find their way into the listings of some of the biggest household names in online trading, such as Amazon and eBay. “The mighty Amazon and eBay are full of bootleg and knock off gear, it’s atrocious and big retailers should be policing it themselves,” says an enraged Matt Booker, owner of the Corsham comic and collectables retailer, Automattic Comics and Toys. “It’s no longer just market stalls purveying this fake, non-lion marked or CE tested garbage. I could find ten or more fakes on Amazon in a short time, it’s really something they should be policing themselves more.” Of course, it is not only from a financial perspective that counterfeiting is damaging the toy industry, and many have rallied to call out those responsible for the fakes over their irresponsibility in their approach towards health and safety standards. “Most alarmingly, counterfeit toys pose a threat to children’s safety and as a consequence, the reputation of our entire industry,” continues Crookes. “A counterfeiter has no thought, expertise or interest in ensuring the toy meets safety requirements. There is a huge risk that sourcing these products will put children’s safety at risk as there is no way of knowing whether the toys comply with current safety standards.” It was during the run up to Christmas 2015 that a haul of fake

dolls based on Disney’s Maleficent film were found to contain 18 times the legal limit of phthalates, a chemical that can cause serious long term health problems. Linked to cancer, asthma and fertility problems later in life, use of the chemical is tightly restricted across Europe where toy manufacturers must by law include no more than 0.1 per cent within their products.

Not only are they undermining the industry, they are potentially dangerous. I doubt there will ever be a 100 per cent crackdown, but more needs to be done. Julian Shelford Final Frontier It is a big risk and thankfully an issue that the BTHA will continue to tackle head on with the severity it needs. This includes forming a new working partnership with the police and the European body, Toy Industries of Europe. “We welcome the beginning of a working partnership with the BTHA and opportunities to tackle the counterfeit toy market,” says Detective Sergeant Kevin Ives.

Toy Shop UK is a consumer-led, online directory that helps toy suppliers, retailers and licence holders promote their businesses to an audience of up to 10,000 unique visitors per day. Popular weekly giveaways, the esteemed Independent Toy Awards and special supplier listings are just three of the ways

“The importance of disrupting the sale of sub-standard and potentially dangerous goods cannot be underestimated, and we look forward to progressing a collaborative approach to deterring criminals who try and cash in on compromising the public’s safety by exploiting this highly regulated industry.” But what can be done to challenge the number of counterfeit toys that seem to be falling through the cracks and into the hands of the UK’s children in the meantime? David Grounsell, owner of Dave’s Classic Toys in Gloucester, believes both consumers and retailers need better educating on what they are purchasing, suggesting that until more solid policing is in place, it is up to everyone involved in the industry to be more vigilant. “Shops need to know what they are selling and consumers need to be aware of the products they are buying,” says Grounsell. It’s a sentiment supported by Crookes herself, who adds: “Retailers can assist in the fight against counterfeit toys by ensuring that counterfeit products do not make it onto the shelves of reputable and well-known High Street shops and online stores, which consumers put their trust in. “In the same way, the same rule applies to retailers as to consumers – if something looks too good to be true, it probably is,” she concludes.

that Toy Shop UK can help you increase your online presence and complement your other marketing activities this year. CONTACT: Michael Hawkins michael@toyshopuk.co.uk 07786 295756 for more information. www.toyshopuk.co.uk

September 37

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SECTOR GUIDE: POCKET MONEY

Little earners Often billed the margin makers of the industry, the pocket money market is booming with innovative new lines spilling in by the bucket load. Robert Hutchins takes a look at the latest products to hit the playground scene LEGO LEGO has enjoyed huge success with its LEGO Minifigures, a range that has spanned a total of 15 series, two series of spinoff The Simpsons Minifigures and a recently launched Disney Minifigures collection. This season sees the firm introduce the 16th series in its popular line of collectables, featuring 16 new characters. Desert Warrior, Penguin Boy, Ice Queen and Spy join the likes of Banana Guy, Hiker, Boxing

LITTLE CONCEPTS Champ, Spooky Boy, Cyborg, Dog Show Winner, Scallywag Pirate, Babysitter and a Mariachi. Each Minifigure arrives in a sealed ‘mystery bag’ and features one or more accessories as well as a display plate, collector’s leaflet and a unique game code that can be used to unlock the character in the online minifigure game. The line is available across the UK from this month. 01753 495 000

Despite its name, Little Concepts started life as a big dream. The brainchild of a nine year old boy from middle America, Little Concepts is the fruit of a dream to use stickers to bring his creations to life. He wanted a product that wasn’t a constant nightmare to remove after playing. He needed stickers that could be removed or repositioned, just like his bricks, and from that, BrickStix was born. Retailing at £3.99, BrickStix makes miniature, reusable, removable and re-stickable stickers designed to fit plastic bricks such as LEGO, Mega Bloks and many more. Through BrickStix, kids can add a watchdog to their city,

stick an alien aboard a spaceship or put a dent in a car. They can also change their Stix as often as they change their mind, giving them the ability to create a zombie apocalypse, WWII missions and many more. According to Little Concepts, ‘creating has never been easier’ and BrickStix has been billed as the ‘perfect add-on sale for toy and gift retailers.’ hello@littleconcepts.co.uk

VIVID The gross, super-sticky, supersquidgy Fungus Amungus Batch Two figures are out now. With over 100 new figures to collect, Vivid is looking to continue its success in the pocket money arena with the new line. Kids are being challenged to help the Bio Busters catch all of the Funguys before they wreak havoc all over the world and are encouraged to collect them all in the Specimen Collection Petri-Dishes (£2.49), Vac Pack Collection (£5.99) and the Bio Buster Super Set (£9.99). Elsewhere, positive early sales reads for Charm U indicate that kids have already connected with the brand and its intricately decorated charms. With over 60 charms to collect, wear and display in the series,

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there are countless ways in which the charms can be collected. The four-pack (£5.99), eight pack (£9.99) and Schoolhouse Playset (£19.99) each come with a bracelet, allowing kids to make their own fashion statement, while each charm has a quick click clasp to make adding and removing charms a simple task. Following on from the success of unboxing videos in the US earlier this year, Vivid is preparing to launch Care Bears Blind Bag figurines for this autumn. Made up of 13 Care Bears and Cousins standing at around six centimetres tall, the collection features a sparkly Cheer Bear and many more.

Elsewhere, Animagic Rescue Hospital series four features 40 brand new pets to collect. The series four blind bags, priced at 99p each, include two baby pets with colour changing abilities, while the series four collector packs (£4.99) include a whole family to collect, with a mother animal figure, three babies and four newborn animals as well as a wide range of collectable accessories too. Girls’ collectable range, Kitty Club completes the line up and carries forward with collectable blind bags and accessory packs. Each kitten includes a soft-touch flocked fur, real blinking eyes and comes with interchangeable hat accessories. 01483 449 944

September 39

SECTOR GUIDE: POCKET MONEY

MAGIC BOX Having found success among consumers and retailers alike with the launch of its first wave of Star Monsters in February this year, Magic Box Toys is fully geared to release series two of the hit line this September. With an equal appeal to both boys and girls, Magic Box believes that with Star Monsters it has found an untapped gap in the collectables market. A collection of bright, colourful, tactile characters, Star Monsters features a cast of creatures each formed from a star that has fallen to Earth. The story goes that the star transforms into a Star Monster, taking shapes and characteristics from the environment it lands in. Series two of the popular line will feature 72 new characters to collect, each with their own backstory. The new line will be available in new

GOLDEN BEAR transparent crystal colours, as well as the regular, essential colours attributed to the brand. On top of this, rare silver, gold and evolution Star Monsters will be available for collectors to hunt while the new line up will include the first Star Monster with Evolution Level Three. Selected as one of the winners of Best New Toys at London Toy Fair, reaction to Star Monsters has, according to Magic Box Toys UK director, Ben Harper, ‘been fantastic’. Esdevium Games: 01420 593 593

2016 marks an exciting year for Golden Bear as the pre-school specialist makes its first move into the collectables arena with its new Oddbods toy line. Inspired by the popular Oddbods sketch-based mini series aimed at four to nine year olds, Golden Bear’s new toy range has been designed to reflect the ethos of the show with an emphasis on character engagement and collectability. The Oddbods Blind Bags each contain one of the 50 different figures in the collection, all of which capture iconic moments XXXXXXX from a show that revolves around the exploits of seven different, hilarious and engaging characters.

The blind bag range also includes eight rare figures for added collectability as well as one gold character. A Character Figurine pack provides collectors with all seven characters – Bubbles, Fuse, Jeff, Newt, Pogo, Slick and Zee – each detailed with a unique facial expression and pose taken from the series itself. The collectables range sits alongside the Oddbods soft toys line, delivering all seven characters in huggable form, as well as the new, collectable Oddbods Face Changers. The Oddbods toy range will be supported with strong TV and digital activity. 01952 608 308

CHARACTER OPTIONS With the latest pocket money offering from Character Options hitting shelves this season, kids are sure to be spoilt for choice. Couple that with a new property heading to the market courtesy of Moose Toys, the licensed collectables sector is thriving. Proving that everything is better when done in a pair, Twozies is the latest line from the originators of the hit Shopkins brand. A new collectable brand, Twozies pairs cute babies with adorable pets: a winning combination for the girls’ market. The line features 140 different pairs to collect, arriving in shadow boxes that can be stacked or mounted in-store. Twozies Surprise packs hold one surprise baby and one pet inside, while each Friends Pack includes three babies and three

40 September

pets for an instant boost to any youngster’s collection. Elsewhere, Character Options’ Mash’ems and Fah’ems are a big hit among YouTubers across the globe, having amassed millions of views to date. Top licences featured in the range include Marvel Avengers and Batman, while pre-school licenses include Paw Patrol Mash’ems and Peppa Pig Mash’ems. Girls are also catered for in the form of Fash’ems featuring top

licences such as Disney Princess, My Little Pony and Frozen all at £2.99 each. Continuing the squishy vibes, Character Options also offers a line of

Squishy Pops, a line of mini characters with sucker bases. This autumn sees the launch of season three of My Little Pony Squishy Pops, while a new line of Finding Dory Squishy Pops will be targeting fans of the hit Disney movie. Dory stars alongside Nemo in the new range while each Squishy Pop is accompanied by a clam-shell display capsule. Serious collectors can get their hands on larger packs, too. 0161 633 9800

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SECTOR GUIDE: POCKET MONEY

FLAIR GP Flair always strives to deliver when it comes to collectables and this autumn sees a new gang of gross characters arrive to draw boys towards the collectables aisle in their droves. Following its launch this summer, the Grossery Gang is establishing itself as a very popular boys’ collectables range. Spawned from the world of The Trash Pack, the Grossery Gang parodies popular items found in the local grocery store. Each character is modeled on items past their use-by-date, meaning kids will be both grossed out and excited when they open the packs. Series One features over 150 Grosseries to collect, with rare and limited editions hidden in selected packs in order to drive collectability throughout the year. The toy firm is also looking to take over the playground when school kicks back in with the help of its new Ooshies range of pencil

toppers that features a host of heroes and villains from the world of DC Comics’ Justice League and Disney’s Marvel Heroes. Billed as ‘the perfect way for boys to get their favourite Superhero characters into the classroom,’ there are over 80 pencil toppers to collect, including rare, glow-in-the-dark and titanium Ooshies as well as gold-plated limited editions. Meanwhile, Shopkins continues to fly off the shelves and the new Shopkins series five charm bracelet has been championed as the must-have piece of jewellery for youngsters this autumn. Children can collect five packs and 12 packs as they look for new cute charms. The charm bracelet can be found in the five pack while both packs include charms to collect, swap and wear. Elsewhere, under the firm’s Just Play umbrella, Puppy In

PLAYMOBIL Both boys and girls can look forward to hours of fun thanks to Playmobil’s pocket money collectables for 2016. The line-up features a brand new range of collectable pirates which can connect with an interactive app, making it Playmobil’s first ever toy line to be used with a smartphone. Precious pirate ships can be protected from the enemy using the new smartphone app, allowing youngsters to keep a look out for the enemy and battle them with the real pirate cannons available in four colours. Virtual targets will appear on the screen for children to aim and fire. Meanwhile, Playmo-friends is another new addition to the

42 September

My Pocket and The Lion Guard continue to excite the pocket money sector. The launch of Puppy In My Pocket includes a collection of blind bags, a line of clip-on pocket pouches and soft bags, enabling collectors to take their collectable puppies with them wherever they may go.

The range includes more than 100 miniature puppies and kittens to collect as Kitty In My Pocket readies to launch next month with litters of cat breeds, each with their very own collector’s checklist. The new Lion Guard TV series debuted earlier this year to great success and Just Play’s master toy range – which launched in July – has already achieved ‘great success’ with many retailers selling out in the first few weeks. 0208 643 0320

RE:CREATION

collectables range, with an array of new characters to collect. This formidable line-up includes the Tech Guru, Flame Warrior and Indian Princess. Elsewhere, budding atheletes can run exercise classes with the Fitness Instructor and juggle rings in the hilarious circus setting with the Acrobat. Each Playmo-friend comes with one figure and accessory. 01268 548 111

A popular pocket money collectable from 2011 is set to make its mark on the sector one again with the launch of Squinkies Do Drops. A collection of over 150 mini characters, Squinkies Do Drops can be personalised with over 50 Do’s accessories such as hats and wigs. Character play is supported with a range of Squinkies play-sets at varying price points with functioning play features and accessories such as furniture and food. Among the lineup is a collection of Mystery Villas complete with two Squinkies characters, a Do and an accompanying collector card. Squinkies starter packs feature five

Squinkies characters and an additional hidden mystery character as well as two Dos and a collector card. Large playsets include the Ice Cream Shop and Squinkies Airplane set. Launching next year, Re:creation will support Squinkies with extensive TV and PR as well as sampling and print press partnerships. Online will also feature heavily in the campaign making use of exclusive Squinkiesodes animated content. Elsewhere, the firm introduces a line of popping ZeeBees toys that when flipped inside out and dropped onto a hard surface, will launch skywards and snap back into shape. The line will be supported with marketing and PR. 0118 973 6222

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SECTOR GUIDE: POCKET MONEY

MGA ENTERTAINMENT This March saw a new line of miniature, scented, stackable food characters launch to the UK and cause a stir among kids and adults across playgrounds and homes up and down the country. MGA Entertainment’s new collectable brand Num Noms has since become a global hit and with series two hitting shelves soon, MGA is confident of more success to come. The latest wave sees the introduction of new savoury themed treats including Brunch Bunch featuring Sunny Omelette, Becca Bacon and Cindy Cinnamon, Pizza Party featuring Peppy Roni and Mozza Rella, Diner Food starring Melty Burger and Frenchie Curls and Sushi, starring Tori Toro and the cute Cali Roll. The sweet range has also been expanded with Fair Foods and Freezie Pops joining the everpopular collection. Uniquely scented, each Num Nom character features an outer, soft

SAMBRO squishy casing that sits on top of a range of cute Noms. Each Nom in turn is either a scented stamps, a motorised toy or a kid-friendly lip gloss. The launch of the range has been labeled nothing short of ‘incredible’ by MGA’s senior brand manager Nicola Mellor, who believes series two will only build the excitement further. The team has a host of events and campaigns planned to celebrate the new launch and believes it will go from strength to strength this year and next. 0845 0533 333

Sambro boasts a vast range of licensed pocket money and novelty items that span all of their most popular licences including Paw Patrol, Frozen and more this season. Alongside traditional pocket money items such as skipping ropes, yo-yos and hula-hoops, the collections are consistently refreshed to offer impulse price point items suitable for both boys and girls of all ages. On top of which, Sambro XXXXXXX boasts the hottest licences of the time, including Star Wars, Disney Princess, Marvel Avengers, Mickey Mouse and Tsum Tsum in a novelty line that only continues to grow each year.

As well as a wealth of licensed products designed in house, Sambro has launched Kawaii Cubes, a line of cuddly, plush characters in varying sizes dedicated to some of the most popular DC Comics and Warner Bros heroes. The range features three sizes, small (2.5 inch), medium (four inch) and large (eight inch) inspired by a wealth of characters such as Wonder Woman, Batman, Bugs Bunny, Scooby Doo, Fred Flinstone, Superman, Green Lantern, Tweety Bird, Tasmanian Devil and many more for fans young and old. 0845 873 9380

HTI Combining favourite pocket money lines with some of the biggest licences on the market, HTI offers an extensive portfolio of novelty toys and bubble ranges featuring Disney Princess, Finding Dory, Disney’s Frozen and more. Peppa Pig, Paw Patrol, Thomas & Friends, Blaze and Spider-Man all join the likes of Avengers and Star Wars in a line up products designed to make those margins for retailers throughout the summer months. The firm has also recently signed licensing deals for ranges that will be available from spring/ summer 2017 for both Bing and Shimmer and Shine. Teamsterz vehicles, Jokes & Gags, Razzle Dazle and My Princess girls’ gifts feature in a

44 September

portfolio of pocket money lines alongside Bubblz, FunSport outdoor toys, Pirates, Knights, Groovy Tunes music and more. Refreshed annually, all toy ranges feature branded and merchandised packaging and CDUs for in-store stand out. HTI’s licensed and own brand portfolio of bubbles includes assorted bubble solution bottles, wands, swords, guns and play-sets. Combining bubble play with other toy categories, HTI offers innovative lines such as the Bubble Truck, Rotating 3D Bubble Blowing Ball, Bubble Lawnmower and Bubble Exhaust toys. Elsewhere, Teamsterz is HTI’s extensive die-cast metal

collectable vehicle range that combines pocket money price ponts with quality manufacturing. New Teamsterz assorted monster trucks provide die cast

vehicle play at pocket money prices to fuel imaginations with endless hours of play and conclude the firm’s line-up. 01253 775 684

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H. GROSSMAN The past year has seen H. Grossman introduce over 100 new pocket money lines from mini Megasaurs to Alien Eggs and Ghostbusters galore. The success of the Ghostbusters movie has fuelled the demand for Grossman’s Ghostbusters slime, with various characters from the blockbuster franchise hiding deep within the green ooze. Of course, the popularity of the range was never in doubt and Martin Grossman, owner of H. Grossman would be the first to champion the movie tie-in line. “I knew they would be popular, but they have really taken off and the sales are just amazing,” he enthuses. Elsewhere, The Secret Life of Pets has been another smash hit and Grossman has a full portfolio of pocket money items including flying discs, balls and bubble wands. Old favourites Alien Eggs and Fizz Pods continue to sell in ‘vast quantities’ throughout the year, while the everpopular Megasaur Growing Egg continues to leave gigantic footprints on the pocket money scene this year.

TOBAR Kids can grow their own Megasaur by dropping it in water and watching it hatch over the course of five days. Elsewhere, new sand sets allow them to build an indoor sand castle and continue to perform well at retail. Grossman’s traditional Gliders are sell through items and are now available in packs of four. 0141 613 2525

A leading wholesale supplier of toys, games, gifts and gadgets, Tobar has a raft of exciting pocket money products out for the summer. Kicking the range off, kids can enjoy hours of fun with a line of novelties including Noisy Putty, Twist and Lock Blocks and Silly Socks, all without putting a dent in the wallet or breaking the bank. Plunge your finger into Noisy Putty’s slimy gunge and listen to the rude noises it emits. Available in five bright colours, the Noisy Putty has been labeled as ‘perfect for XXXXXXX pulling pranks and for the constant delight of others.’ Another slime favourite is the Squishy Mesh Ball, filled with luminous, colour-changing goo.

Youngsters and the young at heart can watch the goo change colour as they squeeze the netted packaging, proving the endless fun of a good, quality goo substance. Of course, if slime isn’t quite your cup of tea, Tobar has an array of more traditional items such as the Twist and Lock Blocks. This simple system allows kids to create different geometric shapes from the colourful, wooden blocks featured in each set. Finally, why not accessorise your wardrobe with some of Tobar’s Silly Socks? Available in a variety of themes including stripes, toe-socks, Christmas characters and more there’s no reason not to. 01603 397 105

CREATIVE TOYS COMPANY The SoccerStarz brand will be celebrating its fifth anniversary this season with the new mini football figure range, launching this September. These two-inch collectable, licensed mini figures will be available in both foilbags and single figure blister packs and will cover players from the top Premier League and European league clubs. The SoccerStarz 2017 Edition – Elite foilbag assortment includes 35 SoccerStarz to collect with five players in special away kits. Also included in this range is the Manchester United SoccerStarz foilbag covering five top players from the squad.

46 September

Top players featured in the foilbags include refreshed sculpts of FC Barcelona’s Lionel Messi, Real Madrid’s Gareth Bale, Arsenal’s Mesut Ozil and new figures including Leicester City’s Riyad Mahrez and Man Utd’s Jesse Lingard. Meanwhile, in the SoccerStarz single figure blister pack range, there are hundreds of new figures for football fans to collect. Players in the range include the likes of Man Utd’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Manchester City’s new manager Pep Guardiola, Liverpool FC’s Sadio Mane and more. That, of course, is not all and a partnership with Winning

Moves sees a miniature SoccerStarz Top Trumps card also featured in 30 of this season’s single figure blister packs, giving the biggest fans more reason to continue their collection throughout the new football season. SoccerStarz will be supported with TV advertising, a raft of product sampling activities and exclusive coverage in a number of top children’s magazines and media. Get your hands on this season’s line up by contacting Creative Toys. 0208 664 3484

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GAMES & PUZZLES

Ahead of the game Bursting with a variety of items for kids and adults alike, the games and puzzles market is proving to be a real winner with consumers. Jade Burke speaks to toy firms to find out why this sector continues to be so popular

he toy market is teaming with new games and puzzles for consumers to enjoy, and with varieties designed for both adults and kids, it’s no wonder this vibrant space continues to be one of the industry’s brightest sectors. For example, games such as Cards Against Humanity and Bucket of Doom have reignited adults’ enjoyment in playing ‘badult’ games, while major hits like Bananagrams, Monopoly and UNO have kept kids (and their parents) interested in the sector. According to NPD Group, for the first half of 2016, YTD June, the games and puzzles market was up by 15 per cent with an additional £6.5m sold versus the same period in 2015. Melissa Symonds, from the NPD Group, tells ToyNews: “This was the second year in a row where games and puzzles increased in the first half of the year, outside of its traditional peak season of Q4, which usually accounts for two thirds of annual sales. Units also grew up by six per cent YTD or additional plus 317,000 units.” And it seems that the market doesn’t look like it’ll be slowing down any time soon, with some games and puzzles vendors citing ‘without a doubt it’s one of the fastest growing categories’ and ‘we are seeing double-digit growth on adult puzzles and accessories this year’. With more and more tech toys also entering the market, the fact that families can enjoy games and puzzles together is a key factor as to why this sector has remained a perennial winner. “Consumers recognise and value the benefits that games can offer away from the abundance of

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screens; whether it’s as simple as learning to take turns with fun action games, or encouraging more strategic thinking and problem solving with games such as Othello and the Rubik’s Cube,” explains Simon Pilkington, MD at John Adams Leisure. Jonathan Kirkley, marketing director at Re:creation, also agrees that the rise in technology is encouraging more families to

The diversity in the market currently means there’s a game or puzzle that every member of the family can enjoy. Stewart Middleton, Jumbo Games come together and play a game or puzzle. He continues: “As the sheer number of pulls on family time increases, most notably with

the rise of technology, families are looking for a great reason to get together, unplug the technology and enjoy quality time together. “A game that unites families in laughter has to be top of the list. For us of course we’re hoping that our Who Tooted? game will certainly tick that box with its silly fun and plenty of ‘tooting’ thrown in. With giggles aplenty, its appeal is multi-generational.” And it isn’t just the importance of bringing families together; games and puzzles also boast an educational offering for preschoolers and kids, with games such as My First Bananagrams designed to help develop kids’ reading skills. Kirkley comments: “There are countless ways that game playing can help foster development. Engaging children in game play introduces key learning concepts without pressure, as well as providing a great bonding experience that sets them up for a positive view of learning and development for life.“ The traditional aspect of games and puzzles has also helped to keep the sector alive, as parents undoubtedly will introduce their children

to iconic board games such as Monopoly and Trivial Pursuit. Jumbo Games’ MD, Stewart Middleton, echoes the sentiment, stating: “I think traditional games will do well for 2016. Monopoly and the new editions of Game of Life will no doubt perform well, as they are family favourites. “It’s great to see that traditional products like games and puzzles are still popular, and the fundamental skills it teaches kids in their early years are very important.” With so many products on offer too, there certainly is something for everyone, whether that is enjoying playing with kittens and explosives in the hit Exploding Kittens, or putting together one of the latest Bob the Builder licensed puzzles, the games and puzzles market is one of the most diverse and it’s no wonder it has remained so popular with consumers. “The diversity in the market currently means there’s a game or puzzle that every member of the family can enjoy,” cites Middleton. “Having just launched our new range of Bob the Builder games and puzzles, I think that the market can only get stronger in the lead to Christmas – so look out.”

September 49

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GAMES & PUZZLES

Raising the game With a Monopoly musical preparing to hit Broadway, a Top Trumps quiz show readying for the small screen and a Cluedo movie in development, Jade Burke looks at why ﬁrms are starting to turn board games into major brands

he UK’s board gaming scene is evolving thanks to more and more companies choosing to expand their gaming brands into new categories. And as the sector continues to prove to be popular with children and adults, it comes as no surprise that toy firms are choosing to explore new areas, such as TV and live stage shows. Cards Against Humanity has recently launched Cards Against Humanity Live in Chicago, a monthly night blending ‘badult’ gaming with improv comedy, while Hasbro is developing its iconic board game Monopoly into a musical stage show. Although no details have been confirmed as to when the show will reach Broadway, the toy firm believes that the move will help to draw more fans in to the game. “Live shows allow fans of all ages to emotionally connect with their favorite characters and stories,” explains Simon Waters, general manager and SVP of entertainment and consumer products at Hasbro. “With powerful music and strong

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storylines, live shows create a special moment in time for our characters to become ‘real’, beyond what they see on the screen. “We’re constantly looking for new ways to connect with consumers, whether it’s on the stage, on social media, or anywhere in between. Monopoly

Linkee did something fairly rare by starting life as a board game and then becoming a TV show. It normally works the other way round. Tristan Hyatt-Williams, Big Potato the Musical will bring the beloved brand to life in an entirely new, unique way.” But Hasbro isn’t the only toy company starting to expand its game brands. Winning Moves has secured a new deal to develop a TV quiz show based on its card game, Top Trumps. The show, currently under development with TV

production company Boxatricks, will see contestants battle it out as they show off their knowledge of various topics. Elsewhere, Big Potato’s Linkee was developed into a TV show called The Link. Now that we have witnessed these games expand into the TV space, will we start to see more brands make the leap? Tristan Hyatt-Williams from Big Potato believes it’s possible. He tells ToyNews: “Linkee did something fairly rare by starting life as a board game and then becoming a TV show. It normally works the other way round. “However, I think we will see this happening more because it’s the new indie game inventors who are creating the exciting games these days, especially the adult party games, which aren’t afraid to offend people.” Not only that, there are a number of incentives for inventors and toy firms to diversify their games, as a TV show inspired by a game can prove to be a useful source of marketing. Ben Hogg, marketing manager at Esdevium Games, adds: “It is

a positive thing that opinion on games has shifted over the last few years to allow for this kind of diversification, whereas maybe 10 years ago these ideas would have been dismissed by TV bosses. “For a game to be expanded onto a TV format, it’s a fantastic piece of marketing. Every time an episode is shown, hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions of people are being shown how to play the game, it doesn’t really get much better than that. “It will depend on the demand from the TV companies, but you can definitely see the mechanics from some board games working well in a TV format. Besides, almost every TV game show has been made into a board game, so why not go the other way more often?” The same is also true of the big screen, and Hasbro Studios alone boasts a slate including movies based on Monopoly, Hungry Hungry Hippos, Magic: The Gathering and Cluedo. So whether it’s treading the boards of Broadway, rivalling Countdown on the small screen or winning the battle for the box office, games are breaking away from the board in exciting ways.

September 51

GAMES & PUZZLES

Game plan A constant hit with kids, adults and families, it’s no wonder the games and puzzles sector is bursting with a variety of lines for fans to enjoy. Jade Burke takes a look at some of the latest products to hit the market BIG POTATO XXXXXXX Big xxx Potato has added three xxxnew titles to its game range. New for 2016 includes Rainbow Rage, the second game creation from DJ and TV personality, Matt Edmondson. Rainbows have a naughty side. They like to swap their colours around and it’s the players’ job to sort it out. Players must race to grab the colours that have swapped places and build a rainbow to victory. But watch out for traps, which can wipe out rainbows instantly. Other new titles include OK Play, which is the world’s most understood word, so it makes the perfect name for the world’s easiest to understand game.

Players can grab a stack, throw down tiles and block opponents until someone sneaks a line of five. Lastly, new for 2016 is Scrawl. Drawers start off with a loaded phrase, doodle it, then pass it on. By the time the masterpiece of ‘Playing drums with bananas’

passes through other players’ weird minds and wonky pens – and makes it back to you – things will have gone horribly wrong. Other titles the firm is shouting about include Mr. Lister’s Quiz Shootout. This simple game is like an old-style Western shootout but with brains for guns. Two teams go head-to-head and must face a quirky question, such as, “American’s 10 favourite pizza toppings. List ‘em.” Each team gets three shots at a correct answer. The team with the most ‘hits’ wins. If it’s a draw, then it’s off to the last chance saloon to sort things out. Funded on Kickstarter, Bucket of Doom gets players to escape from tons of seriously bad situations with the help of hundreds of

useless objects. For example, how would you escape from the inside of a whale with only a footlong hotdog and an angry beaver to help you? Edmondson’s first game with Big Potato, Obama Llama, is a simple rhyming charades game. Before you know it players will be yelling out weird and wonderful rhymes like, ‘Tom Cruise in his platform shoes,’ and of course, ‘Barack Obama riding a llama,’ to earn points for their team and to win the game. Finally, if Scrabble and Trivial Pursuit had a love child it would be Qwordie. Players must build the answers to quirky questions using letter tiles, and spell an answer first to win those tiles. 020 362 09495

lifts and racing down runs, whilst avoiding wiping out, collisions or getting lost – but watch for ice, whiteouts, jumps and the big freeze. Players can delay their rivals at ski stations and jump the queues and also find yeti shortcuts and hire skidoos to catch up. The lead changes constantly in this family game of fluctuating

fortunes, where players try to use the right cards at the right time to stay ahead of opponents. Having already been well received at London Toy fair, the game has been chosen by several UK retailers for Christmas. Who Knows Where? is the global location guessing game in which players race opponents to try to be the first to travel around the world by locating famous

places on the world map. With over 1,000 locations to guess in five categories, including capitals, towns, events and facts, tourist sites and images of many iconic landmarks, it’s a great way to learn about the world. If players can’t guess, they can think about ‘Who Knows Where’ and piggy back on one of their opponent’s guesses. 07916 349 942

WILD CARD GAMES With 50 per cent volume growth year on year and over a quarter of a million games sold in the UK, Wild Card Games has added several new products to its range of games. Top sellers Who Knows Where, Mapominoes, Frenzi and Backpacker, and award-winners Arithmanix and Astronauts are joined by new hit Ski Run, and history board game About Time. With five per cent off standard prices for orders delivered in September, Ski Run is a race across the mountain where players try to be the first back to the resort for the Après Ski. This classic family race game is also the perfect Christmas gift for skiers and sells all winter till the end of ski season in April. Players can pick a route across the piste-map board by riding up

52 September

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GAMES & PUZZLES

JUMBO GAMES Jumbo is delighted to launch three Bob the Builder jigsaw puzzles this September, focusing on its most popular puzzle formats; Four in One Shaped Puzzles, Nine in One Puzzle Bumper Pack and a 35-piece Puzzle Assortment featuring three images for children to build and collect. To support the launch of the puzzles, Jumbo has also produced its popular Giant Playing Cards that include four traditional card games for children to play, which are also great value. One of Jumbo’s biggest preschool launches for this year is the new Peppa Pig Party Time Race Game. This game is something young fans can enjoy with friends and family, as the gameplay is perfect for getting everyone involved. The aim of the game is to be the first player to get to Susy Sheep’s

party with the invitation card, however there is only one invite and plenty of ‘obstacles’ along the way to make this game exciting to play. To support the highly anticipated release of Disney’s new movie, Moana, in November this year, Jumbo will have an offering of jigsaw puzzles available to order from October. The range will include the Four in One Puzzle Box set for addedvalue and an assortment of three

Moana themed puzzles. For more information, customers should speak to Jumbo directly. Finally, Jumbo’s adult puzzle range of licensed properties will see new additions from both Autumnwatch and Star Trek. The first puzzle in the Autumnwatch range includes a variety of autumnal wildlife photographs, which is available in a 1,000-piece format for fans. To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the sci-fi franchise XXXXXXX

Star Trek, Jumbo has specially developed two collectable jigsaw puzzles, including the 1,000-piece puzzle, which features commissioned artwork for the 50th anniversary and a 500-piece puzzle. which focuses on the most popular TV series of the show – The Next Generation. With the releases, Jumbo believes that both of the new puzzles are sure to be the ideal collectables for all Star Trek fans. 01707 289 289

and perfect for New Year’s Eve dinner parties is The Diamonds, The Dagger and One Classy Dame, and the 10 to 12 player sequel to the best-seller The Brie, The Bullet and the Black Cat. Paul Lamond’s dice game Perudo is also now into its 27th year and its popularity is growing. For example, Perudo events, which are held across the UK, are attended by hundreds of players each year and culminate in a Grand Final that is held in London

every November where a winner is crowned. There is also a brand new version of the hit show board game Gogglebox available, as well as fun new games for all the family including Grabbit, After Dinner Trivia, Headline Charades and the hilarious Stinky Pig. For the younger board game fans, Paul Lamond has a host of new titles joining its collection of ever popular titles such as Don’t Say It, Tyrannosaurus Rex, It’s a Chicken, What’s Up and Charades for kids. Other new titles available this autumn include: Dr

Eureka, Dalmatian Dominoes, Squeak and Balance Beans. When it comes to puzzles, Paul Lamond has 100 and 250-piece jigsaws available from a multitude of famous brands including Jacqueline Wilson, Danger Mouse, Where’s Wally, Scooby Doo, Rainbow Magic and Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Brand new to this line-up are three Danger Mouse Mystery Puzzles read the story, build the puzzle and solve the mystery. Specifically created to keep pre-schoolers entertained, Paul Lamond also has 24-piece Jumbo Floor Puzzles and four-in-one puzzle sets available for classic brands including Noddy, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, Guess How Much I Love You, Dinosaur Roar and Boj. 0207 254 0100

PAUL LAMOND GAMES It’s games and puzzles galore at Paul Lamond, and there are now even more new lines in stock for enthusiasts ahead of the festive board games season. Now available, alongside the UK’s first ever Escape the Room style party game, Mystery at the Stargazer’s Manor, is a new challenge; Dr Gravely’s Retreat. Based on one of the country’s fastest growing crazes, the party game sees players uncovering clues and hidden objectives to solve a series of puzzles, but all from the comfort of their home. Also now in stock is the Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway board game, as well as the brand new Who’s in the Bag 25th Anniversary Edition with over 850 characters included. But if that isn’t enough, there is also More Who’s in the Bag to provide even more cards for the main game for fans to enjoy. An exciting new edition to Paul Lamond’s Murder Mystery series

54 September

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GAMES & PUZZLES

HAPE Wooden toy brand Hape has a large range of puzzles available that provide both fun and education for children to enjoy. Designed to enhance kids’ developmental skills. each item boasts natural materials, waterbased paints and quality and safety standards, making every Hape toy an investment kids will love and parents can trust. The wooden puzzle collection starts with a line of entry puzzles, which are recommended for children aged from 12 months plus. Each item also increases in complexity through the range to a variety that is recommended for

RE:CREATION children aged from 36 months plus to enjoy. Each puzzle has a different learning outcome and theme, which can be anything from letters and numbers to vehicles, pets and a tell the time clock. There is also a magnetic puzzle range available for little ones aged 24 months and up. This helps to develop hand eye co-ordination and motor skills as the puzzles require children to guide the magnetic pen around the themed maze. The line boasts a variety of themes including vehicles, fish and a butterfly. 0845 6000 286 (Marbel)

Recent addition to the Re:creation portfolio, Who Tooted? by Goliath Games, has all the trademarks of a cult hit. Packed with light-hearted fun and toilet humour, Who Tooted? has already proven highly successful in both the Netherlands, where it achieved Game of the Year status, and in the US where it launched in autumn 2015. The game, which includes mini whoopee cushion style play XXXXXXX pieces, sees players attempt to work out who ‘tooted’ through different rounds by guessing and bluffing.

Players will have to keep a straight face, while others work out who the culprit is. Word of mouth and viral online coverage has been instrumental in achieving the results seen overseas, says Re:creation, with dozens of YouTube reviews achieving well in excess of one million views. Re:creation will also continue to drive awareness throughout the second half of 2016 with heavyweight TV showcasing game play, and ongoing PR campaigns including blogger and vlogger outreach. 0118 973 6222

ACCENTUATE It’s been a storming year for Accentuate, the guess-theaccent party game backed by Dragons’ Den’s Peter Jones, with independent data from NPD confirming that UK sales grew 90 per cent in the first half of 2016 versus the same period in 2015, catapulting Accentuate into the top 20 UK card games. Accentuate features 90 different quotes from famous movies – players pick a card then read that movie quote aloud in a randomly selected accent. Teammates then have thirty seconds to guess the accent, and can also earn points by identifying the movie, and even the film’s year of release. Plus, there are 30 different accents from around the globe, a third of which are home-grown British accents.

56 September

The new game is compatible with the existing Film Quotes Expansion Pack, which features a completely different set of 90 movie lines. For example players might recite, “I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice chianti” in a strong Brummie brogue, or “say hello to my little friend” in an out-of-context Cornish tone. To keep the game challenging and to appeal to as broad an age range as possible, the quotes included in the expansion pack have been taken from a widespread of movies spanning eight decades, including the likes of My Fair Lady, Ghostbusters, Jaws, The Graduate, Monty Python and The Holy Grail, Casablanca, Back to the Future and The Devil Wears Prada. 0330 400 4162

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SPIN MASTER Spin Master’s strong portfolio of fast and furious games has once again continued to perform strongly in the market during the year, and the portfolio of Hedbanz games has proved to be a popular choice with families and children. From traditional style games and electronic gadgetry, as well as new adventures and challenges with up to the minute movie themes, Spin Master has something for everyone. There are three new games to look out for this autumn including The Wave, The Game About Wikipedia and Bellz. The Wave is a revolutionary ‘hands free’ interactive game experience. Players simply wave their hand over the game to control the coloured lights, which include five lightning fast game modes including Join, Remember, Catch, Follow and DJ Mode. The game gets tougher as players get better – with The Wave, it’s hands off, game on.

Forget about swallowing a dictionary, you’ll need to devour the entire internet if you want to excel at The Game About Wikipedia. Three exciting games in one – Wiki-Trivia, Wiki-Ranks and Disambiguation –it’s informative, it’s collaborative and it’s fun. Players can collect tokens for correctly answered questions and

the player with the most tokens at the end wins. The game contains 300 wiki topic cards, four white boards, four white board markers, 100 tokens and a sand timer, and is suitable for two to four players for ages eight plus. Last but by no means least, is Bellz. A magnetic game that is deceptively simple and yet challenging at the same time.

next player while they sit the rest of their turn out. For those with an uncanny ability to read a partner’s mind is Telepaths – the game of crazy connections and logical links. Played in pairs, the challenge is to list what you think your partner is thinking when they see the target card. With both players trying to predict each other’s answers – the number that each player gets right is the number of spaces they get to advance around the board. New card game Wonder Trumps is from the same stable as Plop Trumps – the best-selling card game that really delivers ‘the business’. Wonder Trumps allows users to compare anything with anything – an F1 car may be smaller than a yacht, but does it cost more or less? 52 cards are included in this game along with on trend

packaging with a pocket money price to match. Cheatwell is also proud to introduce the Underwater Dogs range of jigsaw puzzles, featuring images from the best-selling photo books and calendars by award winning photographer Seth Casteel. Each have been printed on sturdy blue board with a traditional cut, and make the perfect gift for dog lovers and jigsaw fans alike – featuring nine different breeds. 02392 524 098

Players can simply open up the travel pouch to reveal 40 bells in four colours and three different sizes inside, with a magnet wand. Use the magnetic wand to pick up bells and collect 10 bells of the same colour to win. The game is perfect for on-the-go and holidays, and is suitable for two to four players aged six plus. 01628 535 000

CHEATWELL GAMES Celebrating 30 years creating games and puzzles that continue to entertain and delight, Cheatwell Games has launched a tranche of new games to complement its existing range. Keen to keep innovating and discovering great new products, 2016 has seen new family games, card games and puzzles join the company’s flagship board game, Tension, a game that still tops Cheatwell’s best sellers chart. Pass The Pen is the fastest drawing game of the year. Winner of the Grand Prix du Jouet in 2015, the aim of the game is to draw the challenge that is presented to players on the card – the tricky bit is that all the time players are drawing, the nib of the pen is retracting until it disappears completely. If none of the fellow players can guess what’s being drawn, then it’s time to Pass the Pen to the

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September 59

GAMES & PUZZLES

LE TOY VAN Petilou Mama Baby Counting Puzzle is one of twenty new lines in the Petilou toddler toys collection from Le Toy Van. This detailed wooden counting puzzle is illustrated with unique artwork from Le Toy Van‘s inhouse designers. Each of the five ‘mummy’ pieces can be lifted off to reveal the one, two, three, four or five ‘babies’. The game provides a fun introduction to counting, shape and colour recognition.

VIVID All of the toys in this collection are presented in the distinctive Petilou packaging to provide a clear range effect for retailing and brand recognition. Plus, Le Toy Van has trademarked the name Petilou. Building on the success of last year’s launch, other lines in the collection include a shape sorting bird house, a pull- along bunny train, a sensory shapes puzzle board and an owl clock. Woodland creatures also provide a unifying theme to the collection. With prices ranging from £5.95 to £29.95, they offer a great choice for special gifts. Natural, safe and educational – Petilou toys are made of solid wood and ethically made and have been designed especially for children aged from 12 months old. 020 8979 2036

Crayola is game on for 2016 with three new creative games. For fast fingers, 3,2,1 Draw! is perfect for on the go fun with a variety of play options in one stow-away set for kids to play. Action packed Scribble Scramble is a frantic team game where kids have to guess it before it disappears. In addition, board game Doodle Delirium is a fun filled adventure against time with creative challenges to complete on the Doodle Delirium board. Following the successful launch of Og on the Bog, Shh Don’t Wake Dad and BBQ Party last year, four more children’s games have joined Vivid’s Drumond Park portfolio in AW16.

Fans can watch out for Dig In, Stoopido, Pickin’Chickens, and Crazy Claw. Additionally, Rapidough is expected to have another strong year, whilst Catchphrase and Family Fortunes go from strength to strength. For adults, the much loved perennial sellers Articulate and Logo are expected to be at the top of the best seller list once again, driven by TV advertising, PR and sampling programmes. 01483 449 944

XXXXXXX MATTEL Mattel continues to provide endless entertainment for the whole family this season with an impressive portfolio of must-have games, including exciting new launches and staple favourites. Mattel is expanding its children’s games category with the launch of TV advertised Gas Out, a hilarious new game that provides hours of laughter for the whole family. Be the last player to pass Guster the Gas Cloud without him passing wind and win. Players take turns playing Gas Out number cards in their hand and pressing Guster as many times as shown. If Guster passes wind during a player’s turn, then they’re out. Special gamechanging Gas Out cards like Skip and Reverse are also included. Bounce Off, the ultimate in head-to-head competition, sees the launch of the new TV advertised Bounce Off Rock n Rollz, a fun new version of the classic that features a game tray that rocks and rolls.

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In teams of one or two players, each team picks a card for their relevant colour and bounces the ball onto the board to form the shape shown on the card. Shifting weight and a tilting board add a challenging element to the game. Plus, the original Bounce Off game continues this year.

The number two card game, UNO, sees the fun new launch of the TV advertised UNO Wild Jackpot that creates suspense, randomisation and unpredictability. Other UNO classics within the range continue, including UNO Cards, Get Wild and UNO Junior.

The number three total family game, Scrabble, continues to remain a popular choice for fun mind and educational challenges. A strong range for the full year includes Scrabble Original, Scrabble Junior, Scrabble Travel and Scrabble Deluxe. 01628 500 000

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ENTERTAINING JIGSAW PUZZLES

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GAMES & PUZZLES

ORCHARD TOYS

Educational games and jigsaws manufacturer Orchard Toys is excited to be launching three new products – two games and one jigsaw – to their awardwinning range this autumn. For conscientious parents looking for a game that is both educational and fun, What’s The Time Mr Wolf? is a great board game to develop children’s analogue and digital time telling skills. This fun time-telling game can be played in two different ways for both younger and more advanced players, first by matching clock hands and then matching digital and analogue times as children progress. Follow That Car is a fun transport-themed matching game which can be enjoyed by players aged four and over. The aim is to build a road by

GIBSONS

matching either the colour, animal or vehicle type. The game also includes other fun cards, which can change the layout of the road for players, from roadblocks to roundabouts. Once Upon a Time is a great first jigsaw for toddlers aged two and above. The collection of six three-piece jigsaws features magical characters from popular tales that children will love, from Goldilocks to Red Riding Hood. Each puzzle also boasts sturdy pieces that are wipe-clean for little ones to enjoy. 01953 859 525

Gibsons has a wealth of experience in creating top quality puzzles and games, including the classic 221B Baker Street game, which challenges players to solve written cases by travelling around the streets of Victorian London searching for clues. Whilst the game has been selling steadily for Gibsons for over 30 years, 221B has had a whirlwind of success in recent years after receiving a design update that brought it into the modern era. Similarly the retro game Wembley re-launched back in April this year. Wembley is a classic, which many consumers will remember from as far back as the 1970s and after collaborating with the FA, Gibsons brought it back to life. The new edition takes players back to XXXXXXX the 100th anniversary of the FA Cup to vie for the title of champion, by drawing team cards and managing teams. Gibsons’ range of puzzles has seen

some new additions over recent months. The Iconic Brands Collection combines licences with cleverly designed puzzles and larger-than-life packaging. The range kicked off last year with jigsaw puzzles including Marmite, Mr Men and Love Hearts, and has just received two new additions. Breakfast cereal lovers can now step back in time with the new Vintage Kellogg’s jigsaw puzzle and Pringles puzzle. What’s more, with its RRP of £9.99, these two puzzles make the ideal small gift choice. 020 8661 8866

BIGJIGS TOYS Bigjigs Toys offers a range of fun and traditional wooden games and puzzles for retailers. With over 30 years’ experience in designing jigsaws, Bigjigs Toys started hand crafting wooden jigsaw puzzle pieces in the family garden shed back in 1985. The company’s extensive range is packed full of brightly coloured and engaging puzzles suitable for a wide range of ages. Each and every puzzle is made with chunky wooden pieces, generously sized to make it easier for little hands to lift and grasp. Always designed to challenge children at different stages of development and help to advance dexterity, matching skills and concentration, the bright and

62 September

fun designs help to keep children amused and entertained for guaranteed play value. The popular games collection from Bigjigs Toys offers something for everyone, from miniature skittles and travel games, to outdoor games and board games. Two new games have been added to the range this year, including the award winning Stack a Cat and the Stack a Stick game. These wooden stacking games help to develop dexterity and coordination and are sure to keep children entertained. Plus, both have been tested for educational and play value. Outdoor games such as Crazy Golf and Quoits sit alongside

more traditional games such as Snakes and Ladders, Dominoes and Ludo. All of which are colourful and engaging games and are sure to provide

amusement and learning, as youngsters play on their own or share the fun with their friends and family. 01303 250 400

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GAMES & PUZZLES

LEARNING RESOURCES Learning Resources’ new range of numeracy games offers fun learning that the whole family can enjoy. Get counting with 10 to the Top, a fast-stacking, tower-topping game of making 10. Players race to make 10 by stacking a number cube on top of the last one placed for a fun way to build early addition skills. It’s a game of quick thinking and steady hands. 30 soft foam number cubes are included, making it perfect for silent game play for kids aged from two to four. Mental maths is the big topic in schools so give kids practice with Figuro Mental Maths Card Games. Available for addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, game play reinforces important mental maths skills. Figuro cards feature a unique self-checking system so that children learn and reinforce immediately through play. Addition and subtraction sets include 88 cards, while

multiplication and division sets include 154 cards. Learning tables is back so score with Top of the Tables. This times table game challenges players to remember their times tables

from two to 14. With a unique football stadium game board, the game encourages strategic thinking as players take shots, XXXXXXX block opponents or defend their own goal.

The game includes a stadium base, game cards, a spinner, score question cards, pass action cards, six football player markers, goal tokens and an activity guide. 01553 818 062

get wet when the doggy shakes, it’s straight back to the start. The first person to make it round the doggy basket wins. The Soggy Doggy game includes Soggy Doggy in his bath, shower attachment, game board with four game pieces, four tokens and a dice and is suitable for kids aged four years and over. Also new to the action games portfolio is Splashy the Whale. Players must take turns to remove objects from his mouth as he bobs up and down by hooking an object with their fishing rod, but be careful, as he’s ticklish. If players tickle Splashy’s tongue, he will squirt them with water and they must return the item they removed. The person who can remove the most items is the winner. Splashy the Whale also comes complete with a

motorised Splashy, 13 pieces of sea debris and a fishing rod. These new action games will sit alongside the popular Doggie Doo and Gooey Louie. Puzzle addicts will love Rubik’s Spark, the latest introduction to the successful Rubik’s range. Featuring unique bubble control – a brand new dimension of games control that involves no buttons

and no touch screen – players simply control the Spark by tilting and turning the cube to enjoy an interactive experience guided by LED lights. The Spark even contains special sensors so it knows when and where the lights are going as players move the cube. Complete with six interactive games, including Seek and Destroy and Tilt ‘n’ Zap, Rubik’s Spark also features single player and multiplayer modes. A game for all the family, Triominos has over 50 years of heritage. Triominos adds a third dimension to the classic game of dominoes and the combination of luck and skill means that kids can beat their parents fair and square. The Triominos range includes Triominos Excel, Triominos Classic De Luxe and Triominos Travel. 01480 414 361

JOHN ADAMS John Adams has expanded its games portfolio for 2016 with a range of products with a focus on family fun. The super speedy reaction game Silly Sausage looks set to be a ‘wiener’ this autumn. Featuring three play modes, single, party and turbo, Silly Sausage is suitable for solo or competitive play. The aim of the game is to twist, shake, dip, stretch and poke to keep up with Silly Sausage as he shouts out his instructions to players. Featuring 10 grilling games, Silly Sausage is sure to provide hours of family fun and is suitable for children aged seven years and over. Joining the company’s action games portfolio is Soggy Doggy, the showering, shaking, doggy bathing game. Players must race around the board washing Soggy Doggy; but watch out, if players

64 September

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GAMES & PUZZLES

MEGABLEU

CLEMENTONI Clementoni is expanding its puzzle category even further with the addition of two of the year’s hottest licences – Trolls and Num Noms. Trolls, which is set to reach cinemas in October, has already been tipped as one of the year’s biggest film releases, and will feature on a range of Clementoni puzzles from September, with the added extras of glitter and velvet to add some fun to the puzzle experience. Num Noms, from MGA Entertainment, is a fast growing playground phenomenon that lends itself perfectly to puzzles,

The Megableu range includes titles such as Ghost Hunt Evolution, Alien Mission Evolution and Creepy Hand, all of which will be supported by TV campaigns this autumn. New games from Megableu include Giraf’fun. In this board game players race their giraffes around the jungle to eat fruit, collect a hat and then race back to the finish line. The first one back with a hat wins. Break Out is a new two-player strategy game, where convicts

which will also see Clementoni add scents to its range of puzzles for the very first time – in keeping with a key feature of the brand. Shahbaz Khan, country manager of Clementoni UK, commented: “We are excited to launch product around two very exciting licences which are already proving to be big hits with consumers. “With the added elements of scent, glitter and felt, we see the Trolls and Num Noms introductions being great extensions to our portfolio.” 0208 782 1136

Billy Breakout and Harry Highjump are attempting to scale the prison walls. To assist them, each player has to try to free their prisoner, while foiling the attempts of the other convict trying to do the same thing. Name That! is a quick thinking word game the whole family can play. Packed in a small tin can, Name That! has been featured in The Guardian and Prima magazine as a top travel game for families. 01295 768 078 (Trends UK)

ESDEVIUM GAMES Esdevium Games is looking to continue a successful 2016 with strong sales of a host of new games in the run up to Christmas, as well as increasing sales of its vast range of titles. 2016 has seen the smash hit Dobble card game move from strength to strength. Dobble, the number one card game by value in the UK (NPD Q2, 2016 data), has continued to increase sales and the property is set for a boost with three new licensed versions. Finding Dory Dobble and Cars Dobble have already launched for fans, while the Star Wars Dobble is set to launch before the end of September. The Timeline card game has enjoyed a successful year in 2016, with sales of the five original

66 September

games increasing in sales by around 75 per cent and well on its way to becoming staples of any games offering. In the game, players take turns to correctly position their cards in a timeline of events on their preferred subject for example, inventions, historical events, science and discoveries, music and cinema or general interest. It is now set for a brand new version this Q4, with the imminent launch of the British History Edition. Do you know if William Shakespeare was able to enjoy the delights of a cup of tea? Or was he one of the first British people to wear a top hat? And did all of this happen before The Great Fire of London?

These are exactly the kind of questions players will be faced with in Timeline British History. The new set also includes 110 original artwork cards, which are based on some of the best and most entertaining moments of British History.

Also available from Esdevium will be the licensed versions of the popular creativity game Rory’s Story Cubes. In Story Cubes, players are tasked with rolling the nine cubes that are included and must develop their best story from the images that appear before them. Available licensed versions include Doctor Who, Batman, Moomin, Looney Tunes and Scooby-Doo, with each set featuring original designs that have been carefully crafted around its property. Esdevium will release all five licensed versions of Rory’s Story Cubes towards the end of September. 01420 593 593

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GAMES & PUZZLES

LITTLE CONCEPTS From France comes the stylish Avenue Mandarine selection of games and puzzles. The best-selling Pop Up Knight and Dollhouse puzzles continue to be ever popular with fans. Each puzzle features pop out pieces, three characters and a magnetic storage box. Beautifully illustrated by French designers, the puzzles ignite little ones’ imaginations and lets them go on a magical adventure. Each of the pop-out puzzles are suitable for kids aged four plus.

SMART GAMES For the younger ones, the Scaled Creatures XL puzzle continues to perform well. With a great price point and large pieces that are easy to hold, the puzzle is suitable for children two years and up. The Avenue Mandarine card games that launched earlier this year feature Snap and Happy Families with a new twist on memory and recognition games. To support retailers, Little Concepts are also providing a free counter display unit. 07870 132 595

This year, Smart Games has added 14 new titles to its awardwinning range, including new IQ games, premium games and a new compact game format. Why not discover a new world of Asian animals with SmartGames Jungle – Hide and Seek. Featuring 80 multi-level challenges, and a double-sided game board, kids must complete each challenge by only showing certain animals and hiding the rest. Jungle – Hide & Seek is like two games in one, with daytime animals on one side, and nocturnal animals on the other, making it an educational game that stimulates children’s key cognitive skills XXXXXXX including concentration, visual perception, and problem solving.

Each of the company’s items boast a unique and innovative game mechanic with themes that appeal to both boys and girls for ages two years plus. 01903 885 6696

TOMY TOMY supports family time as each of its games are carefully designed to encourage bonding through play. TOMY’s line-up of quirky games feature lots of surprises and excitement as children and caregivers build relationships and communication together. TOMY has started 2016 as a major player in the children’s games category, growing by 30 per cent and climbing two positions to become the third largest manufacturer (NPD EPoS Retail Tracking) in this space. This is driven by a focus on innovation, strategic portfolio expansion, and a new house style across all of the company’s games. Leading the way in new releases is Greedy Granny, a game that launched last month supporting

68 September

TOMY’s commitment to creating fun, family friendly games. The game is suitable for children aged five years and up and challenges players to collect each of Granny’s coloured biscuits before she wakes up. The new game will be supported by a heavyweight marketing campaign with TV, cinema advertising, an online video and social and traditional media promotion. TOMY will also celebrate its launch with a Greedy Granny Takeover at the Hamleys flagship toy store on Regent Street in early September. TOMY has further strengthened its

existing portfolio by expanding on the success of family favourite

and top selling game Pop Up Pirate, which is set to celebrate its 30th anniversary this year with the new travel version, Mini Pop Up Pirate. Following the success of Pop Up Olaf in 2015 is new Pop Up Darth, which features four sound effects and lightsaber style swords, and will launch in A/W 2016. To tie it all together, TOMY has unveiled a new house style and refreshed packaging across the entire range, which also includes Screwball Scramble (64 per cent growth YTD 2016 vs 2015, NPD Value Sales), Crunching Croc and Mr Mouth. 020 8722 7300

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GAMES & PUZZLES

ZING Wet Head is the hilarious water roulette game, which has become an internet sensation with celebrity YouTubers taking the Wet Head challenge, securing millions of views in the UK. A hit with the media, it has also been featured in hundreds of articles and blogs, including the Sunday Mirror. Full of suspense and fun, the aim of the game is for users to stay dry for as long as possible. Wearing the water filled Wet Head hat, wrong answers oblige players to pull out a rod – but choose the wrong one and the drenching commences. Played inside or out, the game can be enjoyed with varying amounts of water in the hat to ensure players get soaked every time.

BANANAGRAMS The Wet Head game also comes with a free app with fun trivia questions and a function to record the ‘getting wet’ moment so that players can share it on social media. Wet Head is available through Trends UK and Wind Designs with a recommended retail price of £19.99 and is suitable for ages six and over. 01353 724 140 (Wind Designs – independents) 01295 768 078 (Trends UK – national accounts)

The Re-Gifter, The Thief, Switcheroo, Pouch Head... these are just some of the 14 chaos-inducing Party Power tiles in the Bananagrams Party edition. Each tile gives the receiving player the power to unleash a special action on the opponent of their choice. Whether it’s making them play without using their thumbs, or forcing them to do a lap around the table, each action will cause mayhem while players race to complete their word grids. A sociable spin on the classic anagram game that drives you bananas, Bananagrams Party helps mark Bananagrams’ 10th Bananaversary, along with another brand new game – My First Bananagrams. A new title for the younger XXXXXXX player, the Bananagrams pouch is now a ripening green and contains colourful lower-case letter tiles. Ten curriculum-

based mini games and word game challenges, which grow in difficulty as childrens’ skill level advances, are also included. My First Bananagrams boasts new double-tiles with vowel-teams, word families and digraphs. This makes it the perfect game for children as they learn to read and spell. The original Bananagrams game has sold more than seven million copies in over 30 countries since launching in 2006, and is loved by an army of fans including the cast of ITV’s Downton Abbey and many more. The Bananagrams Challenge, a primary school tournament for children, is now entering its third year in the UK. 020 7298 9500 (Winning Moves)

RAVENSBURGER Ravensburger’s autumn/winter 3D Puzzle Collection includes 16 new items, including two ranges of original, creative and practical gift ideas for kids aged seven years and up. The new range comprises four collectable 3D puzzles, which build into practical, fun and funky items girls can use in their rooms or around their homes, including Pencil Holder, Jewellery Tree, Vanity Box and a 216-piece Vase. The 3D Puzzle Collection offers two different designs – Unicorns and Funky Owls. The Unicorns design is romantic and atmospheric, with purple, pink and green tones, while Funky Owls is bright, fun and quirky, with bold colours and cute characters. Amongst Ravensburger’s new autumn/winter launches is the company’s 20th Anniversary

70 September

Edition of its Limited Edition 1000-piece Christmas puzzle. This year’s title is Santa’s Christmas Party, and consumers are already commenting that it’s the best ever. There are also 15 exciting new introductions to the company’s BRIO range, further extending the wonderful and innovative world of play created by this much-loved premium brand. Elsewhere, Ravensburger’s games sales are up by 31 per cent YTD, making the firm one of the top two growing games companies in the NPD top ten. Ravenburger aims to continue this growth with a huge 1535 cumulative TVR campaign, commencing in October and running into December. Four family games are included in the TV campaign, including

Bugs in the Kitchen, classic strategy game Scotland Yard, Labyrinth and Disney Eye Found It! which is a giant six-foot long game board, depicting 12

different Disney realms including Radiator Springs, Peter Pan’s Never Land and Pooh’s Hundred Acre Wood. 01869 363 800

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SECTOR GUIDE: GAMES & PUZZLES

GOLDEN BEAR Golden Bear has a selection of games and puzzles for children to enjoy across its licenced portfolio this year. The In the Night Garden Pick ‘n’ Place Wooden Puzzle includes six chunky pieces, each shaped as a different character from the popular TV show and, designed for little hands, helps to develop manual dexterity and hand-eye co-ordination skills. Something Special Roll and Play is also perfect for early learning. The plush cube contains a bell which gently sounds when the cube is rolled and comes complete with 36 activity cards. Children can roll the cube, pick up a card and follow the easy instructions. As part of a brandwide refresh, the company’s Something Special portfolio is set to expand further this autumn with the new Mr Tumble Felt Fun. The set comes complete with over 50 colourful felt characters, outfits and accessories to choose from, helping

HASBRO to encourage youngsters to experiment with creative play. Meanwhile, the Sooty Mischief and Magic Set is designed to enable kids to create their own magical mayhem. Perfect for budding magicians, the set features a Sooty hand puppet (dressed in a magician’s outfit) complete with magic wand, colour changing hanky, whoopee cushion and a booklet full of mischief and magic. 01952 608 308

2016 is shaping up to be an amazing year for Hasbro, with new additions to the firm’s portfolio. Simon Air, the brand new Bop-It!, Pie Face Showdown and Monopoly Ultimate Banking will make this Christmas one of the firm’s most exciting. Monopoly Ultimate Banking presents a modern banking version of the game in which Monopoly money is no more. Featuring an Ultimate Banking unit with touch technology, players can instantly buy properties, set rent, and tap their way to fortune. The Ultimate Banking unit also scans the game’s property and event cards, and can boost or crash the market. Now with touch-free technology, XXXXXXXthe Simon Air game is a different take on the popular Simon game. Players can choose to play solo or with a friend. Either way, the goal of the game is to repeat the light pattern for a long as possible The Bop-It! game features 10 hilarious new commands to keep players on their toes while

using motion technology to test player’s reaction time to see if they’ve got what it takes to win. Meanwhile, Pie Face Showdown brings friends and family together for laugh-outloud fun. Once the arm is loaded, two players mash the button nearest to them. The suspense builds as players try to get the arm to move toward their opponent, and when it gets too close, it’ll spring up, covering that player in pie. The player who doesn’t get “pie-faced” wins. Players try to say different phrases while wearing a mouthpiece that won’t let them shut their mouth in the new game, Speak Out. The timer counts down as players try to say phrases such as “he’s my stealthy pet ferret named Garrett,” and “slow down, you careless clown.” 020 8569 1234

UNIVERSITY GAMES University Games is set to launch a number of exciting new games this autumn, adding to its growing portfolio of children’s, family and adult games. Exciting new titles include Googly Eyes, the hilarious drawing game, which will be supported with TV, PR and will also benefit from organic growth on social media through players sharing pictures of their weird drawings, all while wearing the outrageous Googly Eyes glasses. There is also a frantic race against time with Word Has It!, which turns classic word games on their head, as there’s little time for any thought.

72 September

And Red Herring, based on guessing correct definitions of words that no one’s heard of, and determining the origin of a wellknown phrase or saying. Continuing on the success of 5 Second Rule, University Games is launching 5 Second Rule Jr aimed at children aged six plus. Featuring the same exciting game mechanics, with questions adapted for children, such as “can you name three super powers?” the game also benefits from featuring in TV advertising for the family version. The company’s pre-school games go from strength to strength with the addition to its

TV advertised Bunny Jump and Don’t Rock the Boat, comes the launch of Yeti in my Spaghetti. Major TV campaigns supporting Googly Eyes, 5

Second Rule, Bunny Jump and Don’t Rock The Boat will alongside with a full PR campaign. 0333 4050 120

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TOY TALK

Our round up of the best from the weirdest corners of the industry is back. This month, Donald Trump gets the Ty treatment while we cower as a game based on the ‘so bad it’s good’ Sharknado heads this way

Sharknado: The Board Game

Not content with being one of the most popular ‘so bad it’s good’ franchises of recent years, Sharknado is about to dive nose first into our industry. The cult series of madefor-TV movies has followed a bunch of D-list actors plagued by - yes, you guessed it - tornados made of sharks. Now, thanks to a recent Kickstarter campaign that’s looking to raise $50k, gamers can take on the role of brave citizens protecting a city from the odd weather phenomenon. Here’s hoping Showgirls: The Card Game is next.

Thank you, Jon! We’d like to take a moment to say a monumental thank you to former ToyNews editor Jon Salisbury, who is retiring from his regular column. Jon has written about the toy business since 1985, editing magazines and running media events in New York and London.

He will still be contributing the odd piece to us from time to time, but as his regular slot comes to an end, we wanted to extend a heartfelt thank you for the insights and columns over the years. He can be followed @JonSalisbury or contacted on jonsalisbury@icloud.com.

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

Trump gets Ty’d Donald Trump, the US presidential candidate with a penchant for controversy and hair that looks like it’s been dropped onto him from a great height, has been embraced by the toy community since steamrolling into the race for the White House. We’ve had Trump action figures complete with a removable hair piece and a Humanity Hates Trump card game, but the latest firm to climb aboard the Trump-truck is Ty, with its own political spin. Two limited edition political Teeny Tys represent the symbolic Republican elephant and Democratic donkey, and yes, that is a glorious head of Trump hair sat on top of that plush elephant.

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74 September

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