www.toynews-online.biz
SHOW GUIDE
TOY FAIR 2010
127
Way out West Toy Fair makes a triumphant return to its spiritual home in Olympia in West London this year. A lot of big names have come back and, as usual, ToyNews offers the most comprehensive guide to what to expect at the UK’s trade’s big showpiece....
FEBRUARY 2010
128
TOY FAIR 2010 PLANNING
EXHIBITOR Micro Scooters Eurotech Distribution MD Product Innovations Imajo Marriage Games Crafty Kids BBT Tradesales Splashworkz Inspired Games Rebel Toys Faraway Magic & Little Bug Classic Sign & Design Kriya Ecoboo Pass!! Games Award Publications HKTDC Elron Intertek 1745 Trading Edugames Morocat Berg Toys O.T.T. Productions Dice Maestro The Wagon Company ZooBooKoo Art Meets Matter Street Surfing Edding Cubiko Games Cambridge Brainbox Just Pals Eurofins So Indigo Ontracks Aardvark Swift
STAND GH1 GH2 GH3 GH4 GH6 GH9 GH10 GH12 GH14 GH16 GH19 GH20 GH23 GH26 GH28 GH32 GH33 GH35 GH36 GH38 GH40 GH41 GH42 GH46 GH47 GH48 GH51 GH53 GH54 GH56 GH58 GH60 GH63 GH64 GH66 GH67 GH68
EXHIBITOR 3L Plentyplay ApS Antigrav Media Ltd Aurora World Bandai UK Ltd Bureau Veritas Cons Prod Serv. UK Ltd Bigjigs Toys Ltd Bladez Toyz Ltd Bluw Bontempi Comus UK Ltd Brainstorm Ltd British Toy & Hobby Association Carta Mundi (UK) Ltd Cassidy Brothers PLC Character Options Cheatwell Games
FEBRUARY 2010
TOY FAIR 2010: THE FACTS WHEN: Tuesday January 26th to Thursday January 28th 2010 WHERE: Grand Hall, Olympia, London TIME: 9am – 6pm WEB: www.toyfair.co.uk
STAND H49 H72 H105 F66 G29 H39 H19 B85 F86 D2 B19 H1 E30 E119 F26
EXHIBITOR
STAND
EXHIBITOR
Cheeky Rascals Click Distribution UK Ltd Corinthian Marketing Ltd Crazee Thingz Ltd Creativity International Ltd Cuckoo Ltd DKL Marketing Ltd Drumond Park Ltd Dubreq Ltd Earlybird Toys Ernest The Bear Productions Esdevium Games Ltd Family of Fun Fiesta Crafts Ltd Flair Leisure Products Plc
H46/47 H30 B149 G46 F105 G36 C59 G130 B99 B60 F106 E109 H25 F65 E49
Flashcups gmbh germany Funtime Gifts Ltd James Galt & Co Ltd GB Eye Ltd Gear for Games Ltd Getretro.co.uk Golden Bear Products Ltd Gosh International Plc Great Gizmos Ltd Green Board Game Company H Grossman Ltd Haba (UK) Ltd Halilit (Marnita Ltd) Halsall International Ltd Hasbro UK Ltd
STAND B95 H15 E9 F2 E16 G16 E69 B109 F90 E15 E39 F16 E90 B100 E120
EXHIBITOR Hive Entertainment Hobbygames Ltd Hong Kong Orange Elephant Co Ltd Imagination DVDI Ltd IMC Toys UK ltd Injusa Inspired Gifts & Toys Intelligent Retail Interplay UK Ltd John Crane Ltd Jumbo Games K-Play International KidKraft Netherlands BV Theo Klein Ltd Paul Lamond Games Ltd
STAND H95 F36 E86 E110 E135 F89 B136 H40 E99 E20 E40 H96 F49 G15 F69
TOY FAIR 2010 PLANNING
www.toynews-online.biz
129
Exhibitor list & floor plan 2010
EXHIBITOR Le Toy Van Ltd Leapfrog Toys (UK) Ltd Learning Resources Ltd Lego Company Ltd Little Star Creations Meccano Toys (UK Ltd Melissa & Doug LLC Mookie Toys Music Box World Music Sales Group Ltd NATLL NPD Group Ltd Orchard Toys Padgett Bros (A to Z) Ltd Papo
STAND E10 B50 F20 B70 D16 B150 F40 E149 H89 B16 H90 B15 B12 F15 G40
EXHIBITOR Playgro Playmobil (UK) Ltd Pocketbond/Toyway Press Office The Puppet Company Ltd Rainbow Designs Ltd Ravensburger Ltd RC2 Re: Creation Group Plc Red-Toolbox Relaxation Zone Revell GmbH & Co. KG Richard Edward Limited Robbie Toys Ltd Rolly Toys
STAND H47 G120 H22 A36 B75 E125 B156 F70 B130 H86 D160 G130 D100 F89 F89
EXHIBITOR Sakar International The Sales Partnership Ltd Schleich GmbH Seager Games (SG Ltd) Simba Smoby Toys UK Ltd Spin Master Toys UK Ltd Star Images Ltd Tarema formerly Red Robin Toys The In Thing TKC Sales Ltd Tomy UK Ltd Top Century Enterprises (UK) Ltd Toy Brokers Ltd Toy Retailers Association Toy Ventures Ltd
STAND G35 E50 B121 H85 E140 E129 D11 F30 F50 B49 E156 H36 F110 H20 H52
EXHIBITOR Toymaster Ltd ToyNews Toys N Playthings Toys4Life Treasure Trove Toys University Games UK Ltd Vivid Imaginations Ltd Wicked Vision Ltd Wild and Wolf Ltd Wilton Bradley Ltd Wind Designs Ltd Winning Moves UK Ltd Wishbone Worlds Apart Ltd Wow Toys
STAND LR E2 E1 H100 G10 F10 E130 E106 G16 E89 H102 F109 H46 B40 F85
FEBRUARY 2010
SHOW GUIDE
www.toynews-online.biz
HASBRO
Iron Man 2 hits cinemas on April 30th and is set to be a major boys’ movie offering for 2010. This movie sequel is expected to outperform the first by a huge margin and is already backed up by Iron Man Amored Adventures on Disney XD every day, plus DVD releases in quarter one 2010. Ken Goodisson, senior brand manager for boys’ toys, commented: “Boys are after new news; Iron Man is the most high-tech character out there; that’s why he is in such demand. Our product development team has designed some of the best play offerings around this unique character, hitting every play segment. Marvel sequels always over-index the previous release and we are fully prepared for it.” The brand will be supported with national press advertisting, online and a major outdoor push, which along with the promotional partners will help build awareness outside of toys for the film. For the movie, Hasbro will launch action figures, vehicles and role-play items. The range is a new offering to the line-up behind the first movie. Hasbro is driving heavyweight TV coverage and PR for the movie launch and ads will feature the action figures and F1 racing car. Role-play items receiving TV coverage will include Arc Chest Light, Wrist Repulsor, Helmet and Mask. Both campaigns combined should achieve approximately 500 TVRs. The firm is planning a similar level of support for autumn/winter with new second half introductions. Strawberry Shortcake is returning to the girls’ portfolio for 2010 with scented products supplied in fresh packaging. The Mini Doll segment will include a bonus DVD pack which features an 11minute animation.
TOY FAIR 2010
131
E120
The range will be supported by new style programming confirmed to start in April on Cartoonito. TV advertised lines for spring/summer include the Fresh Fashions Boutique play-set and Splashin’ Petal Pool play-set with further autumn/winter TV campaigns to follow. FurReal Friends welcomes Snuggimals to the family. These plush friends are palm-sized and feature different breeds of puppies and kittens, which will star in a TV campaign in early spring/summer. Hasbro is introducing over 300 new style Pets to Littlest Pet Shop. Collectors posters will be inserted in girls’ magazine titles and a TV campaign is planned for spring/summer on Collectable Pets, Pet Triplets and the Paw Powered Pet Vehicle. A ‘collect more get more’ promotion will run throughout the year and new hero play-sets will be TV advertised for autumn/winter. Baby Alive will launch a new My First Sips ‘n’ Cuddles doll for spring/summer aimed at a new age range of 18-months and over. The hero dolls for autumn/winter will also be supported by extensive TV campaigns. All packaging will be try-me, and in nurturing role-play environments. Sips ‘n’ Cuddles comes in a carry cot to be used time and time again. My Little Pony has introduced some new features with the Hair Play assortment. The Family Car Vehicle Pack will also feature a DVD including two new 11-minute Pony stories. TV advertised lines for spring/summer include the Family Convertible Car and Family Assortment. In pre-school, Tonka is being reinvented and autumn/winter 2010 will see a strong line around the Tonka Garage concept. The Mod Machines
System provides boys aged four to seven with the ability to modify the performance and style of their vehicles. The machines can be customised straight out of the box by adjusting the ride height and reconfiguring the included accessories. All the parts and pieces are interchangeable throughout the system. There are three sizes within the Mod Machine System. The 16-inch Mod Machines Team Truck features a removable motorised engine unit with sound effects. The vehicle comes with six monster tyres, four street tyres, two nitro tanks, brush guard, spoiler/tow hook, satellite dish and canopy cover. The nine-inch Mod Machines Backwind Trucks feature a backwind chassis and several accessories for over-the-top customisation. There are three vehicles to collect and each one includes a chassis, body roll cage, removable engine block, Tonka tool, spare monster tyres and accessories exclusive to each vehicle. Make this vehicle into a powered one by inserting the engine from the motorised truck. The five-inch Mod Machines Basic Trucks feature a free-wheeling chassis and accessories for over-the-top customisation. Each vehicle includes a chassis, body, removable engine block, Tonka tool, spare tyres and accessories exclusive to each vehicle. Also available for autumn/winter 2010 is a line of mini trucks that are
completely customisable called Tonka Mini Mod Machines. Each mini die-cast truck comes with a re-positionable axle base, body overwraps and exclusive tyre tread skins. Over 30 mini vehicles will be available. The Ricochet RC is a double-sided remote control vehicle featuring a powered lift suspension, allowing boys to alternate between an off-road monster truck and an all-terrain Ricochet. The new Tonka range will be supported by a high investment TV campaign running from August to December featuring the Mod Machine system vehicles and Ricochet RC. All packs include an online code for the Tonka Garage website, allowing vehicles to be customised online and then raced in one of three games. There will also be national and local PR coverage.
FEBRUARY 2010
132
SHOW GUIDE
TOY FAIR 2010
LEGO
Lego’s 2010 range is a strong mixture of its classic own-brand sets and big name licences including Toy Story, Prince of Persia, Ben 10 and Star Wars plus a new underwater theme and a ‘best of’ Bionicles line. New additions to the successful games range include Robo Champ, Monster 4, Magikus, Lava Dragon, Shave a Sheep, UFO Attack, Magma Monster and Pirate Plank. The Toy Story range, launching in June to coincide with the release of the third movie in the series, is lead by the Woody’s Roundup play-set, which features a classic Western town, sheriff’s office and gold mine. Characters include Woody, Jessie, Bullseye and Stinky Pete. Other sets in the line include Woody and Buzz to the Rescue, Buzz’s Star Command Spaceship, Army Men on Patrol and Construct-a-Buzz. Prince of Persia is the other blockbuster summer movie line, launching in April/May. Based on one of the iconic scenes from the film, the Battle of Alamut Castle set features the castle with crossbows, catapults, secret stairs, scalable walls and seven minifigures. Other themed sets include the Quest Against Time, Fight for the Dagger, Ostrich Race and Hassansin’s Hide-Out. The launch is supported with TV, online, print and promotions.
FEBRUARY 2010
B70
Lego Star Wars is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year and with more Clone Wars to come, the 30th Anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back, plus new video games in the offering, there’s a lot going on to keep the brand at the forefront of people’s minds in 2010. Sets include the ARC-170 Starfighter from The Clone Wars, which features four mini-figures, unfolding wings and flick firing missiles; Droid Tri-Fighter; Luke’s Landspeeder; Rebel Trooper Battle Pack; Snowtrooper Battle Pack and TIE Defender. Bionicle Stars brings back new editions of the six most popular figures of all time. To drive collectability, each Bionicle Stars pack features one of six special golden elements. From the Tahu figure to the ultimate Golden Toa, boys need to collect all six cans. The new underwater theme is Atlantis, with play-sets including a Typhoon Turbo Sub, Gateway of the Squid set, Neptune Carrier, Guardian
of the Deep, Seabed Scavenger and Wreck Raider. In addition to traditional media, such as TV spots, in-store campaigns and online activities, the product marketing will feature 3D media and a 22-minute Lego Atlantis TV special. Lego Racers now have a completely new redesign, with new Air Shooter launch pads that boys can stomp on to launch their cars across the floor. There are also a number of Race Tracks – Security Smash, Ramp Crash, Nitro Muscle, Blue Bullet, Highway Chaos, Turbo Tow, Lime Racer and Chopper Jump. The Ben 10 range features buildable aliens – Humungousaur,
Chromastone, Jet Ray, Big Chill, Swampfire and Spidermonkey. All out now and backed with TV support. There are also additions to core products such as City with a Fire Helicopter, Fire Station and Fire Ship. A Pig Farm and Tractor have also been added, plus vehicles including a Petrol Tanker, Seaplane and Repair Truck.
134
SHOW GUIDE
TOY FAIR 2010
FLAIR
Flair’s commitment to its brands was clear in 2009, taking it into the top ten list of toy companies. For 2010 there will be new brands and development for existing ranges, which will be supported by advertising campaigns. Spring heralds the launch of the new Gormiti series, Elemental Fusion. This range has chunkier figures, new playsets, plus the addition of microchip technology that enhances the figures with sound. This is a theme that continues into autumn when two new tribes are introduced to the series Supreme Eclipse. The two new tribes, Light and Dark, will unite together to form super powers that defeat the evil new lord of the volcano, with further characteristics that emulate key features of the TV series adding sound and light effects. This feature will be seen in the new 15cm Deluxe Figures, an assortment of four Tribal Lord Figures that glow when placed next to the Eye of Life accessory included in each pack. The Eye of Life will also feature in the new hero line play-set, the Temple of Light. This electronic battling fortress includes all four Eyes of Life, which activate different light and sound features on the temple. The play-set will include three rare golden figures from the Light tribe.
FEBRUARY 2010
E49
The GX brand is expanding with GX Skate, designed for older boys. New Skate and Stunt Assortments, plus larger accessories such as the quarter pipe, will be available from the New Year, while autumn will see the introduction of the Sk8 Wall Trick Ramp. Here, the key launch will be twowheeled GX action in the form of GX Moto – custom motorbikes, figures and stunt sets. Sylvanian Families additions include a Windmill, plus two new abodes – the Regency Hotel and Beechwood Hall. Sylvania also welcomes some new families including Spotter Meerkats, plus a new Motorcycle with Sidecar. The spring range features a Bus Driver and Conductor Set containing Stan and Oliver Butler, to take charge of the Woodland Bus. Also for girls, the Disney Fairies range is being extended with a new micro and mini range including play-sets, figures and accessories. The Mini 11cm Magic Glow Fairies are bound to be a favourite among little girls, as each doll has lightup wings that glow different colours in three different modes. There are five to collect, all of which fit with play-sets such as Tink’s Teapot Cottage. The new development will add a collectable quality to Disney Fairies.
Cicciobello, Flair’s first foray into the feature doll market, performed well in 2009 and will be joined in 2010 by Cicciobello Nappy Time along with a range of accessories and outfits. Flair Create is a leading supplier of craft kits in the UK and continues to be the fastest growing company in this sector. The continued success of Plasticine, Aqua Beads and Cool Cardz is enhanced with the introduction of many new lines including Zubber and String World. Zubber is a new compound that moulds like dough and sets like rubber. Three sets will be introduced in spring, including the Zubber Band Maker for creating personalised wrist bands. The String World creative sets centre on the unique combination of string and glue in a pen, enabling girls to create their own jewellery and decorations. Flair’s feature pen brands will be added to with new licensed Blendy Pens sets for Toy Story, Ben 10 Alien Force and Disney Fairies. The Colour Splitz range is to be expanded with the addition of Spiral Splitz, which comes with gears for creating spiral patterns with the special pens. A key addition to the younger end of the Flair Create portfolio is the range of Remarkables Play Mats. Children aged three and over can colour, draw and stamp on the mats then simply wash the ink away and start again. The first mats in the range are Thomas & Friends and the BBC’s new licence 3rd & Bird. Further new brands for boys are Zibits and Creepy Crawlers. Zibits are mini R/C robots with accessories to create an assault course to manoeuvre around while kids master the art of controlling their bot. Zibits make ideal desk toys and there are 12 to collect in three different styles – Tech, Junk and Urban. Alternatively, the Creepy Crawlers activity brand will offer slimy guts and gore for boys with the Creation and Extermination Stations. Finally, and adding to its portfolio of licensed products, Flair has introduced Disney Princess and Toy Story novelty ranges, plus further Toy Story products such as a Slinky Dog Fan and a Slinky Dog Flashlight, which will hit retailers shelves ahead of the film release.
SHOW GUIDE
www.toynews-online.biz
BANDAI
Bandai UK will return to Toy Fair 2010 with some new additions to its existing ranges, alongside a few new surprises. Ben 10, now in its fourth year, has continued to grow and dominate the toy market in 2009, reaffirming its position as the number one boys’ action brand and number one licensed property (source: NPD). The latest Ben 10 Alien Force range is supported by the Cartoon Network series on GMTV. Notable additions to the range include the Galvanic Gunship and the Plumber’s Communicator role-play item. This is a toy developed and modelled on a product used in the Alien Force series. The device projects an image of Grandpa Max onto the screen and includes phrases that he says in the show. The Ben 10 Alien Swarm live action movie premiered on Cartoon Network last year, with the DVD set for release in spring 2010. Bandai has produced a supporting range of toys, which will also be exhibited at Toy Fair 2010, including Action Cycles, Alien Swarm action figure collection and the Omnitrix Projector.
TOY FAIR 2010
137
F66
Bandai will also be previewing Ben 10 Ultimate Alien, the latest instalment of the Ben 10 saga. Power Rangers is now in its 17th consecutive year and is still a favourite among boys. Bandai has launched the Power Rangers RPM range in support of the live action TV episodes, which are currently broadcasting on GMTV. The Power Rangers RPM range will include action figures, Megazords, role-play items and vehicle sets. One of the more notable items will be the Nitro Blaster, which can transform from blaster to sword mode and features sounds and phrases activated by inserting the multi-product engine cell key and pressing the trigger. Armouron is a brand new addition to the Bandai boys’ range and is a unique construction and role-play concept. Using the Snapperons to join together the flat-pack armour pieces, kids can create their own Armouron armour. The set comes with a helmet, chest body armour, shield and Snapperons, but kids can customise their Armouron armour further, by adding products from the separate accessory sets. KeyTweens, the mini doll property, features an extensive range of collectable figures and play-sets. The pop-open play-sets, including interchangeable figures and character pets, are unlocked using collectable keys. Little girls can escape into the Princess World, or travel to Africa, India or China with the Adventure World Play-sets. Bandai will be exhibiting new additions to the range at Toy Fair 2010, including the Ballroom and Tropicana play-sets, which come with new KeyTweens dolls. Harumika, the arts and craft fashion toy launched at Toy Fair 2009, will return with new additions to the range.
The Runway Showstopper Set is the most notable item to be unveiled this year, including pink mannequin, fabric, belts, stickers, charms and a USB camera. This new technical function allows girls to upload designs on to www.harumika.eu and join the online fashion show with a virtual catwalk. The packaging also folds out into a catwalk platform, with the handle transforming into a fashion bracelet. Star Friends, the interactive baby doll that comes with its own virtual pet, will also see new additions in 2010. Items exhibited at Toy Fair will include additions to its line of themed accessories, including a bed, changing bag, sleeping bag and additional outfits, as well as a plush line of the Star Friends. Tinga Tinga Tales is a new animated children’s show inspired by African Folktales and the art of Tanzania. Broadcasting will start on Cbeebies in spring 2010 and Bandai will be unveiling its toy line for the first time at Toy Fair. All Bandai product ranges will be supported by a marketing campaign in 2010 including TV advertising,
consumer print advertising, PR and online activity. Darrell Jones, marketing director for Bandai, says: “As always, we are excited to be a part of Toy Fair 2010 and will be exhibiting new additions to all our key ranges alongside a few surprises. We expect Toy Fair 2010 to be a great success and potentially our best yet.”
FEBRUARY 2010
138
SHOW GUIDE
TOY FAIR 2010
SPIN MASTER In 2009, Spin Master jumped to number 11 in the UK supplier rankings and became number three toy supplier in North America. The company is now looking at another record-breaking year in 2010 with many new brands, licences and products. Bakugan starts the year with Season 2 – New Vestroia, featuring Special Attack Brawlers and Traps. From autumn, the 7-in-1 Maxus Dragonoid, introduces new shapes, trick shots and new gameplay to the range. Bakugan will be supported throughout the year with a comprehensive TV advertising and sponsorship campaign. Another development for Spin Master is its move into movies with three master toy licences for 2010. These begin at Easter with Dreamworks’ How to Train Your Dragon followed by the Paramount/Nicklodeon film The Last Air Bender in August. Christmas 2010 sees the release of Tron Legacy from Disney, a sequel to the 1982 hit featuring Jeff Bridges and breathtaking technology. Spin Master‘s ranges across these movies cover action figures, vehicles, play-sets and role-play. Mighty Beanz will be hitting the shelves in spring at pocket money prices. Kids can swap, collect and race their Beanz and there are hundreds in the assortment in year one, including rare chaser beans. TV advertising starts at the end of February. Air Hogs will be back on TV in autumn with two of the new lines, the Laser Zero Gravity and the Motor Frenzy R/C Stunt Bike, both of which are packed with innovation. Tech Deck and Flick Trix will continue with major refreshes of their licensed boards and bikes and the launch of
FEBRUARY 2010
E129 some new ramps and skate parks, available domestically. For girls, Liv has made a strong start following its late introduction in October last year, securing impressive rates of sell-through. In spring 2010 the Liv dolls will be refreshed with new fashions and wigs and will be joined by a new friend in the autumn when they enjoy ‘The Great Outdoors’ in their new Lodge Play-set. Liv will be supported by a TV advertising, sponsorship and PR campaign throughout the year. A new collectable for girls will hit the market in the summer. Party Animals are whimsical characters in silly costumes, offering endless opportunities for dress-up play. Aimed at girls aged four to eight years old, there are over 300 costumer combinations to make and themes will be available in waves across the year. Spin Master will be adding to its growing portfolio of arts and crafts brands with the launch of Moon Dough. The innovative marshmallow-like dough doesn’t stick or stain, doesn’t dry out and is easily pliable and mouldable for the hands of two to four year olds. Playsets include a pizza oven and a farm to keep kids entertained. Moon Dough will be supported by a heavyweight TV and PR campaign. Moon Sand continues to perform well as the third biggest brand within arts and crafts (November 2009 YTD, NPD) and the firm expects further growth in 2010 with new boys’ and girls’ themes of construction, sea princess and sweet treats. Each will be backed with separate TV and print advertising campaigns. All the new sets will come with re-useable packaging, making for easy storage.
After its success in 2009, new sets will be available within the Bendaroos range including the 3D Activity Assortment and Creativity Centre. Paperoni will also see the introduction of new play-sets and themes, the highlight being Magic Moving Pets, which allows kids to make their pets with Paperoni and then watch them come alive. The Glo Doodle range will be extended to include two new Disney licensed products – Disney Princess and Toy Story.
John Hornby Skewes winner of ‘The Innovation Award 2009’ for SpongeBob SquarePants
SEE US AT SPRING FAIR - Hall 5 Stand B20
FOR INFORMATION ON STOCKING THE AWARD WINNING SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS RANGE OF INSTRUMENTS AND ACCESSORIES CONTACT MARTIN DONOGHUE ON: 07833 477387 OR OUR SALES OFFICE ON:
0113 2866 411 Worldwide Trade Distributors
www.jhs.co.uk spongebob@jhs.co.uk
© 2009 Viacom International Inc. All Rights Reserved. Nickelodeon, SpongeBob SquarePants and all related titles, logos and characters are trademarks of Viacom International Inc. Created by
SHOW GUIDE
www.toynews-online.biz
LEARNING CURVE
Following research on how children play with the Thomas wooden range, Learning Curve found that while children from around 18 months old were playing with the range, they were sometimes struggling a bit with the toys, which are designed for older children. As a result, Toy Fair will see the launch of the new Early Engineers range of Thomas and Friends toys, suitable from 18 months and over. Available from February, the range includes chunkier engines with larger faces, making the characters more easily recognisable. The tracks in the range feature deeper, wider grooves to keep the engines more stable. The range launches with six engines – Percy, James, Gordon, Henry, Rosie and Stanley – and three play-sets, the Roundabout Station, Busy Day on Sodor and the Rock and Roll Quarry Set. Prices for the range are aimed more at the mass market than the current wooden series, and start at £6.99 for an engine and cost from £22.99 to £39.99 for the sets.
TOY FAIR 2010
141
F70
The launch will be supported with Easter TV, online marketing, trade and consumer advertising and the product will be packaged in large, open-fronted boxes for maximum impact on shelf. The Thomas Wooden Talking Railway launched to the independent market in 2009 and will roll out in 2010 with the full range on show at Toy Fair. The line-up ties in with the new CGI programming and the latest offering includes three new engines – Molly, Billy and Salty – and the Morgan’s Mine play-set. 2010 also sees Thomas celebrate its 65th anniversary and in May 2010, Learning Curve will introduce an anniversary play-set to its Thomas Wooden range. The set will be based on the Thomas and Bertie race episode and, as part of a tie-in with Egmont Publishing, will include a story book. Also new to the range for Q1 is the Henry and the Elephant set and nine new engines including George from Hero of the Rails and the re-introduction of some classic characters including Terrence and Stepney. Racing Down the Rails is the new set for Q1, which is based on the Hero of the Rails DVD and includes the Sodor Steam Works and the Repair and Go station. Also available will be a Sodor expansion track and a Deluxe Track
Accessory pack. Limited edition twin engine packs will be introduced too, including Thomas & Annie and Clarabel & Percy. July sees a Talking Thomas brought into the range, along with three further new engines. The Avalanche Playtable set will also be introduced, along with three new engines. Despite Mattel taking over the master toy licence for Thomas this year, Learning Curve remains the exclusive global wooden toy licensee until 2012 and hopes to then extend it further. Clive Wooster, MD, comments: “We are going to be in Thomas for a long time to come; it’s a core range for us and we are investing a lot into the offering.” Having launched in 2009 with the Mrs Goodbee Interactive Dolls House, the Caring Corners range has established itself well. Following customer feedback, Learning Curve has decided to extend the offerings and price-points in the range to make it into ‘a 365 days-a-year offering’ and to make consumers aware that it is more than just a doll house. Wooster continues: “The Caring Corners range is incredibly popular with consumers, but many see it just as the doll house, which, while very good value for money, is not an everyday, or impulse purchase. The new additions to the series for 2010 will make it more accessible for kids and parents all year round.” The hero product for Easter is the new Outdoor Camper, a play-set based on an RV, available at the end of February. Also new for Q1 are seven figure sets ranging from £6.99 to £14.99. The new lines in the house range feature accessories and can be used as
stand-alone products or with the house, making the line-up more accessible. August will see the introduction of a new play-set, The Nanny Oakes Interactive Treehouse. Britains is an evergreen range for Learning Curve and it will see a number of new models for 2010. Launched in 2009, the Big Farm range for younger children has been successful and has won a number of awards in its first year. April will see a new radio controlled Case IH 140 Tractor and an R/C New Holland T6070 Tractor. The controllers for these and the original R/C model in the range will run on different frequencies, allowing children to play together with up to three of the products. Also new for Big Farm in May is a Case 621E Wheeled Loader, a Massey Ferguson 6480 Tractor, a New Holland Square Baler, a John Deere Mower Conditioner and a Flatbed Trailer. The 1:32 Britains Farm Toys will introduce a New Holland CX8090 Combine Harvester, a Massey Ferguson 7480 Tractor, a New Holland Big Square Baler complete with three bales and a Case IH Puma 225 CVX Tractor, all launching in Q1. There are also the 1:32 Britains Farm Heritage and Collectibles, suitable for ages three and over. New products for 2010 include the Case IH 8120 Combine Harvester and three new John Deere tractors, including two models which only launched in life-size versions in 2009, keeping the range fresh and relevant. There are three further introductions, too: The Steiger Panther, the Case IH Magnum 335 Tractor and the Case IH Steiger. Finally, the 1:50 Ertl Construction Collectible range is introduced with a Bell 840D Articulated Dump Truck, a Bell 872D Grader and a Bell 850J Crawler.
FEBRUARY 2010
142
SHOW GUIDE
TOY FAIR 2010
HTI
B100
A new name is the most noticeable aspect of HTI’s (formally Halsall International) Toy Fair. Product-wise, the firm has further extended its range of Toy Story wheeled toys and protection gear to coincide with the highly anticipated release of Toy Story 3 in July 2010. New for autumn/winter is the Buzz Lightyear 14-inch Dynamo Bike. An innovative dynamo rocket unit at the rear of the bike generates power as the child pedals along, creating exciting light and sound effects. Also new for 2010 is a Toy Story 3 Wheel Bubble Scooter that features a compact motorised bubble machine to the rear of the foot plate, ensuring a trail of bubbles as the child scoots along. An iconic fashion brand currently taking the girls market by storm, HTI has a new range of Hello Kitty role-play toys featuring all the strong design elements and iconography associated with the property. In addition, there is already an established wheeled toys range, as well as an extensive collection of key toy lines including an electronic diary, craft and figure play sets. In role-play the firm is introducing a brand new range of uniquely tooled and distinctive design household items within its own Smart range. Showcasing at Toy Fair is a brand new series of Winnie the Pooh role-play toys, based on the classic brand of enduring appeal and the focus of a new Disney strategic promotional campaign through 2010. HTI’s Peppa Pig range of role-play toys, as well as outdoor toys and dolls, prams and pushchairs, continues to go from strength to strength.
FEBRUARY 2010
With designs incorporating Peppa and friends stills from episodes of the show which are relevant to each product, the firm successfully maximises the brand relevance of many Peppa product designs. A leading supplier of toy vehicles, the company also offers extensive own-brand Teamsterz and Roadsterz ranges to demonstrate its strength in die-cast, radio control, special feature and plastic vehicles, as well as new design racing track sets. Combining quality die-cast vehicles with three of the biggest pre-school licence brands in the market, the firm is launching scale die-cast toys for Bob the Builder, Postman Pat and Fireman Sam. Based on the popular vehicles from the hit pre-school TV series, each of the items feature the theme tune, voice phrases and character drivers relevant to each vehicle. There are new additions to its already extensive range of JCB vehicles, role-play, wheeled and outdoor toys. With a central focus on inspiring imaginative, constructionthemed play, new JCB lines for 2010 include a new foot-to-floor Ride-On Tractor with detachable Trailer, new Power Tools, and an eight-wheel R/C Mobile Crane, as well as a 16-inch free-wheeling JCB Wheel Loader and Dump Truck. A UK market leader in dolls’ prams and pushchairs, the firm is unveiling a new range with Chicco – one of the world’s strongest nursery brands. Also present will be the firm’s Silver Cross and Mamas & Papas junior collections, with exciting new designs and fabrics. New to the X Factor musical toys range is an electronic X Factor Audition Microphone which enables wannabe auditionees worldwide to recreate the excitement of a real X Factor audition by singing along to pre-recorded popular karaoke songs or plugging in their own MP3 players to perform their own favourite tunes. With some of the strongest brands for summer play including inflatables, wheeled and outdoor toys, HTI will be representing the category with product displays of Disney Fairies, new look Baby Annabell and Gormiti. There’s also a brand new showcase of wheeled toys and dolls prams and pushchairs with The WotWots – the new hit preschool series currently airing on Five Milkshake. The wheeled lines feature eye-catching white frames and fun WotWot antennas.
B A R N E T T C ON S U LT I NG I N T E R N AT I O N A L
If you are a Company seeking a new Specialist or Manager or a candidate ready to move to a bigger job, contact me for my immediate attention.
PETER BARNETT 30 years in Toy Industry Reruitment Send your CV to barnettgp@aol.com or contact 07831 278316
SHOW GUIDE
www.toynews-online.biz
LEAPFROG
2010 promises to be another strong year for LeapFrog Toys, with some new additions to its extensive range of learning toys. With the LeapFrog Counting Candles Birthday Cake, children can make every day a birthday. With this interactive cake, five candles light up one by one and children can blow them out. Kids can also sing along to six different songs about counting and growing up. The Counting Candles Birthday Cake even allows you to listen to a child’s thoughts on the best things about birthdays. Suitable for children aged one year-old and over, the Counting Candles Birthday Cake not only provides lots of fun, but also key learning abilities such as counting, music and motor skills to aid in a child’s development. LeapFrog’s range of products featuring the puppy pal character Scout is expanding in 2010. The first of the new items featuring Scout is the LeapFrog Chat and Count Phone. It delivers fun learning in a smart little phone. Children can sing along to songs about counting and phone routines, explore more than 15 phone activities and trade calls and voicemails with Scout. Suitable for children aged 18-months and over,
TOY FAIR 2010
145
B50
this fun and interactive toy promotes a number of key learning skills including pretend play and social skills. In 2010, LeapFrog will continue to create engaging toys that link up to the unique LeapFrog Learning Path. A range of connected products suitable for children from six-months to eight years old already work with the Learning Path, providing parents with an insight into what skills their child explores during play, via a free online resource that represents an industry first. 2009 saw the release of My Pals Scout and Violet products, which utilise the Learning Path to provide parents with personalised tips and insights on their child’s play and learning. These plush puppy friends are unique to the market and feature breakthrough technology which calls children by their name, remembers their favourite foods and personalises songs, bringing interaction and learning to a new level.
LeapFrog has developed the Learning Path to provide parents and children with an overview of what their child has been learning as they play with its products. The firm is also using the growing popularity of the internet to offer additional product-related content and experiences online. The content on the site includes certificates, rewards and printables to bonus games. By offering these online awards and bonus features and Learning Path, the
company ensures that both children and parents are constantly engaged with the unique products.
FEBRUARY 2010
146
SHOW GUIDE
TOY FAIR 2010
ESDEVIUM GAMES
E109 As an evergreen property for Esdevium, Pokémon is leading the charge in the growing collectables category for 2010. In November 2009, sales of the property were up by 20 per cent, showing that the brand continues to grow. Historically, the TCG and accessories sales show a peak each time a new game is released and the next new introduction is the HeartGold/SoulSilver and the accompanying range of products. Decks will retail at £9.99, with booster packs selling at £3.49. Spring tins will be available ahead of the Easter school holidays. Many other configurations including boxes and poster boxes will be available. Gogo's Crazy Bones and Match Attax are also key to the firm’s TCG category and the two brands have doubled the size of the category for Esdevium. The Club Penguin trading card game is fully integrated with the Club Penguin virtual world where kids can play the new Card Jitsu online or offline with friends and family. Finally, Esdevium is taking Gormiti into the Trading Card Game category from
FEBRUARY 2010
spring 2010. The game will launch with starter deck and booster packs, with additional sets to follow later in 2010. Also new in the pocket money price bracket are the Clearly Puzzled 3D jigsaw puzzles. The range features eight different designs and will be available in autumn 2010. The puzzles retail at £7.99 each. Esdevium is also strengthening its portfolio with a range of football offerings in time for the World Cup in the collectables category. Soccer Suckers are randomly packed, blind packaged mini-figures of England footballers with a sucker attached that allows them to be attached to windows, computers, tiles and so on. The products are stocked in displays of 24 and during the season there will be five Capella figures made. Capella is like a golden ticket and those who find the figures will win a big prize. Also in the football range is Proflix, tiny books based on Premier League footballers, which, when flicked through, show scenes from games they have played in. The books also feature facts and figures about the footballers. Displays include 30 packets and each one includes two books, packaged blind. Packets retail at £1 each and the full collection includes nearly 100 different players. Finally in the football-themed offering is a World Cup themed version of Rocket Games’ Blow Football board game, which will launch in spring 2010.
Charles Ryan, marketing manager at Esdevium, comments: “We are planning a full World Cup section by the time we get to Toy Fair.” For another entry in the pocket money category, Esdevium will be the exclusive UK distributor of YoYo Factory yo-yos in 2010. The firm will be showing a range of yo-yos at Toy Fair, with prices running from £2.99 through to the £14.99 – £19.99 range and all the way up to £100. YoYo Factory products are seen as ‘your second yo-yo.’ As a higher spec range, they are deemed to be the product consumers will buy when they have played around a bit with an entrylevel product and realised they want a bit more performance. However, at £2.99, YoYo Factory make some strong entry-level yo-yos as well. Continuing for 2010 is the Cobi range of building toys. Completely compatible with leading brands, the sets offer a low-priced alternative and range diversity in contrast to those offered by major brands. Spring 2010 will see a new push on the Cobi offering, supported by a TV campaign around the small Army range of sets. The line-up also features new licensed sets in association with Jeep and Vodafone McLaren Mercedes. Specialist games continue with around ten to 14 new items per week. The games are not supported with any TV advertising, but promoted purely through word of mouth.
2010 gets the biggest ever marketing campaign • 365 day TV sponsorship on Nick Jnr.
ey
es
Plus
• 650 TVR TV advertising campaign A/W 2010
tL
ig h
t
p u t Li g h
h
rc
h
Nig
or
To
ec Pr o j
t
©DISNEY/PIXAR
SHOW GUIDE
www.toynews-online.biz
RE:CREATION
Re:creation has carved its own niche in the toys and ride-on sector, but it hopes recent distribution deals with Chatman, Jada, YBIKE and many more will further extend its reputation for innovation. In outdoor and ride on, the firm’s brands are Razor, Nano and Aqua Attack. Razor’s line-up for 2010 focuses on strong, long-lasting build quality and innovation. New lines for 2010 include the Siege Caster scooter, PowerWing and Hello Kitty licensed E100 scooter and Pocket Mod. There will be four TV advertised lines in the range including PowerWing, Spark, RipRider and the Siege Caster scooter. Aqua Attack is a scooter accessory that adds play value. Easy to fit, it is designed to attach to the handle bars of most scooters and the twin cannon water blaster provides 20 feet of water power. Re:creation will also introduce the Nano scooter, which the firm claims is the world’s smallest folding scooter – it can even fit into a lunchbox. With a unique patented folding design, it is
TOY FAIR 2010
149
B130
lightweight and transportable, with its own carry case and will be available in a range of colours. The firm’s offerings within the preschool category are Sprig and YBIKE. The Sprig range of eco-friendly toys is growing with a variety of new play-sets including K9 Police & Rescue, Moto patrol and Princess lines for the girls. Following on from the first range from Sprig, the new offerings are made from Sprigwood, a durable, child-safe, biocomposite material made from recycled wood and reclaimed plastic and are all battery free. New to the firm for 2010 is the preschool line YBIKE, a new bike made especially for toddlers. The product has been engineered with safety in mind and designed to help improve children’s balance and co-ordination skills. The moulded frame provides a larger turning circle, thus resulting in increased safety and overall stability. The toy category line-up for 2010 includes Battle Machines and Horrid Henry.
New to the UK market following a successful launch in the US, Battle Machines is an R/C laser tag game. All vehicles include lights, sound effects and movement that mimic video game play. Available in twin or single packs, up to six vehicles can battle at one time. Each vehicle is equipped with an infrared laser and sensor. The goal is to shoot the opponent until their vehicle is disabled. The line will be supported by a TV campaign in autumn/winter, with 500 TVRs. Licensed products in Re:creation’s portfolio are growing too, with the Horrid Henry master toy licence still a key part of the offering. New products will retail at lower price points and include the Horriballs and goo-filled pots. New to the youth electronics category is Chatman, an artificially intelligent PC friend designed to make online chat sessions, web surfing and gaming more creative and fun. Chatman is a moving, talking friend with animated LED mouth, blue eyes and yellow skin and stands at just over
15cm tall. He’ll find things on the internet, remind you of important events and he understands words, phrases, content and mood and exhibits over 25 moods through over 600 responses and actions. In 2010 Re:creation will also add to its pocket money line-up. New licences include Koosh, Littlest Pet Shop, Hello Kitty, Ben 10 and Bakugan. Stylus is a new range of toy and game pens which enable you to mix and match colourful beads to create new designs every time you write, including licensed lines from Lego and Play Doh. Gift lines for 2010 include a range based on Monty Python’s Flying Circus, Holy Grail and the Life of Brian. Lego lights combine iconic Lego toys with a handy source of illumination. New for 2010 is the City Workers range of torches and plush, with a choice from police, construction, Lego man and fire fighters. A new blinking safety light will also be available in four colours of the brick light, with a spring clip to attach to bags and so on.
FEBRUARY 2010
150
SHOW GUIDE
TOY FAIR 2010
TOMY 2010 promises to be an action-packed year for Tomy, with new innovations across a multitude of categories. The highlights include the showcase of Tomica Hypercity, the new rail and road system; a new toy range to support the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows movie and new innovations within core brands Aquadoodle and Play to Learn. Tomica is a new boys brand for four to seven year-olds, combining a range of play patterns. It’s a modern metropolis bringing together trains, tracks, vehicles and little people. Tomica is built on two city themes: Hyper City & Hyper City Rescue. The former is based on a city with real life destinations that kids see everyday, such as petrol stations, train stations and car parks. Hyper City Rescue is based on a futuristic Protective Force that keeps order within the city. Available from July 2010, Tomica will launch with 28 products, from £2.99 to £69.99, including vehicles, trains, accessories, destinations and play-sets, enabling parents to buy into the world of Tomica and make year round purchases to build their child’s collectable system. Tomica will be supported with an integrated marketing campaign. At retail there will be display units, bespoke POS, cross-sell leaflets and window displays available. Consumer events will also take place. The firm is also planning a consumer launch including experiential marketing with a Tomica Bus Tour, PR and TV advertising. The TV campaign will run throughout the second half of the year targeting a range of boys’ channels with over 400 TVRs. Tomy is master toy licensee for the final instalment of Harry Potter – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – which is set for release in 2010 and Tomy will introduce a range of action figures, role-play items, electronic toys and puzzles for the two-part movie finale due for release in November 2010 and July 2011 respectively.
FEBRUARY 2010
E156
The company also has the rights to launch product from the World of Harry Potter style guide, which is non-movie specific and offers flexibility in launch timing outside of the theatrical window of the films. The product launch will be supported with a marketing campaign including TV and cinema advertising.
Tomy is celebrating a successful first year as the distributor of K’Nex and there is more planned for 2010 to ensure the brand keeps going from strength to strength. New items are planned across all age categories. From Kid K’Nex with good value tubs through to new licences with the introduction of the all new Monster
Trucks Assortment £4.99. There will also be bigger builds available within the 9+ category, where the hero item is the Hot Shot Video Coaster with an onboard camera enabling kids to shoot and download footage of this amusement park ride, which retails at around £99.99. 2010 will see the return of a toy lines from 2002 – Micro Pets-i. This time around the collectable pets can move, talk, sing and fit into the palm of your hand. The Micro Pets-i retail at £9.99 and have sensors so you can control by tapping your finger or their special ball in front of them. Already a hit in Japan, nine Micro Pets-i cats, dogs and bears make up the range. Tomy will be rolling out a major marketing campaign for the brand focusing on a microsite, a TV campaign with over 300 TVRs and a competition to win a special edition Micro Pet-i. Aquadraw continues to be one of Tomy’s key brands and moving into 2010, the brand name changes from Aquadraw to Aquadoodle. The new spring lines will be taking the Aquadoodle name, which will then roll out to the new autumn/winter lines in June 2010. The Aquadoodle range for 2010, combines no-mess drawing with water and sound effects for the first time. The new Animal Magic Sounds Aquadoodle, retailing at £29.99, offers children a new and engaging drawing experience, with 14 farmyard sounds. Aquadoodle will see two licensed ranges for autumn/winter 2010. Peppa Pig and Toy Story 3 will become the hero licensed mats in the range, both priced at £29.99. Tomy is planning a marketing campaign focusing on the hero lines for 2010, Animal Magic Sounds and Toy Story 3, including TV advertising with over 400 TVRs, cinema advertising and an online campaign. There will also be four new introductions to the Play To Learn subbrand in 2010, including some with never-seen-before technology and innovation, like Mr Colour Maker, an interactive mixing pot developed to teach children about colour in a unique way, with no mess. Hero items, Pic ‘n’ Pop (£19.99), Magical Melody Maker (£29.99) and Mr Colour Maker (£24.99) will be supported with TV advertising and press targeting parents.
HYPERCITY
HYPERCITY RESCUE
LAUNCHING
Come and see us at Toy Fair (Stand E156) Tomy UK Ltd., St Nicholas House, St Nicholas Road, Sutton, Surrey SM1 1EH Tel: 020 8722 7300 Fax: 020 8722 7302
www.tomy.co.uk
JUNE 21 2010
SHOW GUIDE
www.toynews-online.biz
VIVID IMAGINATIONS Representing the biggest programming and marketing investment ever by BBC Worldwide, Vivid’s Zingzillas master toy line is expected to generate in excess of £12 million retail sales from its August launch on UK shelves. Price points range from £2.99 to £39.99 and will cover all key play patterns. The range will be supported by four TV ads airing weekly from early August to November. It will be revealed for the first time to retailers at Olympia behind closed doors. Vivid’s Timmy Time range sold well last year and another 26 new shows will be aired in 2010. The firm’s new product development includes 21 new products including three TV lines – Timmy Mini Play-sets, Timmy Play Train and Dancing Timmy. Fifi and the Flowertots saw a huge upsurge in toy demand in the fourth quarter of last year as Channel 5’s Milkshake placed Fifi in prime scheduling slot on weekday mornings. Vivid has ten new products to sustain sales momentum, with two new spring play-sets and Tumble Tot Fifi featuring on TV. Roadshows, theatrical tours, comics and DVD sales continue to keep Fifi in front of mind. Roary the Racing Car achieved its highest market share to date in the boys pre-school toy sector in 2009. More TV episodes hitting Milkshake and Nick Jr screens in the new year will drive further collectability as new characters are introduced. Thirteen new products will be introduced this year, five of which will be TV advertised, including the Loada Transporter. Chapman Entertainment’s promotions, roadshows, comics and DVDs will support the brand. New to Crayola for spring are Colour Wonder ranges from Cars, Toy Story and Disney Princess plus new 3-in-1 Picture Maker, one of five TV campaigns prior to and over Easter. Key introductions for
TOY FAIR 2010
153
E130
the fourth quarter with TV support are Colour Wonder Magic Light Brush, Colour Explosion Glow Dome, Paper Fantastic, Doodle Penguin and Lumi-Light Diary. The one to three years Crayola Beginnings sub-brand will introduce a range of six Winnie The Pooh creative products this year, offering fun and mess-free play, including Magic Painting, Happy Hands Art Mat and My First Easel. Shrek Forever After launches in UK cinemas in July, with new villain RumpleStiltskin joining the regular cast. Vivid’s toy line will include £16.99 Wise Cracking Shrek, which will be TV advertised. Dreamworks will support the movie with advertising and it will be trailered in cinemas. The DVD will be on
sale from November. Toy Story 3 sees the iconic toys find new adventures when donated to a local playgroup. Vivid and Thinkway will refresh the line with characters and electronic toys, supported by TV advertising. Klip Kits is Vivid’s new in-house launch into the licensed kits business with a novel technology that allows highly detailed, factory decorated model kits to be transformed and posed for the first time with no glue and paints. Toy Story 3 and Cars are the first two licences to be featured and both will be TV advertised from July through to yearend. Price points will range from £9.99 to £19.99. Vivid’s new Stunt Riderz mini action vehicles range will enjoy new introductions for August including the TV advertised Demolition Danger Zone and new glow in dark Midnight Racers collectables. Price points range from £4.99 collectables to £19.99. Dinosaur King sees new TV shows and new toy product introductions for 2010, supported by TV advertising across the year. Nineties girls’ toy Teeny Little Families is back with a new look and environmental message. Highly collectable figures and transforming homes with secret features, the new
range hit shelves in January, supported by a year-round TV advertising campaign featuring price points from £6.99 through to £24.99. Also new for girls in the spring is Twilight Ponies, a fantasy pony range targeted at girls aged four and over. The range comprises collectable bracelets, charms, ponies and play-sets from £2.99 to £24.99, all supported by TV advertising from January. Electronic plush brand Animagic sees major new innovations from TV advertised Newborns and Hoppers at £9.99 and £16.99 to Tender Care Twins at £19.99. New puppy, kitty and pony breeds/styles will be added to the core line for 2010. Fab-tastic Food sees new innovations for this year including Fudge Factory, Spaghetti Ice Cream Factory and Chocolotta Fun Factory, allowing children to make real, hollow eggs and hearts and decorate them with a chocolate pen. Both items will be TV advertised. Vivid will be launching a range of JLS merchandise including dolls to be revealed for the first time at Toy Fair. BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing will be brought from screen to living room with a DVD role-play set that will allow girls to dress-up and learn to dance. It will be TV advertised, with a £24.99 price point.
FEBRUARY 2010
154
SHOW GUIDE
TOY FAIR 2010
DRUMOND PARK Drumond Park is planning its biggest ever roster of new games for 2010. The launches, most of which will include TV advertising as well as PR, promotional and sampling campaigns, are planned for both the Easter and summer holidays, as well as during the run-up to Christmas. Claire McCool, Drumond Park’s cofounder and marketing director, commented: “We were very grateful to all our buyers for the huge support we received right across the board during 2009. We had an excellent year, which has given us the confidence to make a huge investment in both time and monetary terms, to make sure that this year will be an equally good one for all those concerned.” During 2009, the Rubik’s Cube was consistently positioned in NPD’s top five in the Total Games segment, and the introduction of the new Rubik’s 360 was also well received by both trade and consumers. With The Cube’s 30th Anniversary celebrations scheduled for May onwards, the Rubik’s offering will continue to go from strength to strength. Among the products to be shown for the first time at Toy Fair is a new board game, Don’t Laugh, suitable for players aged eight and over. The game comes with over 1,000 joke cards to be told in your own voice, or with the help of an electronic microphone and voice changer which provides laughter sound effects and manipulates your voice in the strangest of ways. The game play is simple; the difficult part is keeping a straight face. Also well on its way to production is a concept based on a well-established theme involving everyday icons, that the whole family knows. The Best of British is a board game (for ages 12plus), which, like last year’s top-selling Logo board game, has been developed by Drumond Park’s in-house creative team. The game play reflects the tone of its sister product, Logo. It is simple and the fun is instant and enormous – as friends and family battle it out with picture, memorabilia and recognition question cards on all things British – every day icons which are part and parcel of our daily lives. The subjects covered range from fish and chips, the weather, Big Ben, red telephone boxes, bobbies and black cabs to Winston Churchill, indigenous squirrels and the beefeaters at the Tower of London. McCool commented: “This game provides excellent entertainment value for the young and old alike. The overall design is basically just the same as the winning formula we utilised for Logo, and I’m happy to report that there is already huge interest in the product from our buyers.” Articulate has been a top ten bestseller for well over a decade, appealing to all age groups and every type of household. Now the Drumond Park team has developed the Articulate Your Life electronic board game, suitable for
FEBRUARY 2010
B155 ages 12 and over, a lifestyle version of the original with new categories and enhanced game play, including an electronic timer to add extra spice and enjoyment to one of the most popular team game concepts of all time. McCool said: “The subjects covered are thoroughly modern. And the game play is fast and furious, perfect for gatherings of friends and family. Like the original Articulate, this special version is sure to be much in demand as after-dinner party entertainment.” Over the years, Drumond Park has enjoyed enormous and long-standing success with such games as the elephantastic Doh Nutters, Magic Tooth Fairy and more recently Bubble Buster. Now company designers are busy working on a further series of games, which will make their debut at Toy Fair. Following on from its successes with the Deal or No Deal and Britain’s Got Talent ranges of games and magic sets, Drumond Park is also set to make further announcements on the acquisition of new TV show licences, to go live during 2010.
SHOW GUIDE
www.toynews-online.biz
MECCANO
Meccano is set to launch two new ranges at Toy Fair 2010. The brand, which has seen its popularity grow in 2009 following its appearance on James May’s Toy Stories, as well as its sponsorship of Meccano family workshops at London’s Design Museum, has introduced a new, no nuts required collection as well as a construction set aimed at girls. First up is Xtreme, a collection of racing vehicles for children aged sevenyears and over. The set comes in flashy colours along with chrome parts to add to the radical look. The Xtreme range combines plastic and metal and the parts screw together, with no nuts required – a first for Meccano. Some of the models include sound effects, pullback functions, motors and remote controls. Available from May 2010 and retailing from £5.99 to £49.99. Also new to Meccano is the Rescue Team range designed for children aged five-years and over. The collection consists of four emergency vehicles and figures including a Fire ATV with Fireman, Police Car with Police Man, a Police helicopter and fire truck, both including two figures. Each of the four sets feature Meccano’s new clip system for easy and fast construction. Available
TOY FAIR 2010
155
B150
from May 2010 and priced from £9.99 to £29.99. Meccano’s Construction range will see a new addition in 2010 – a glittery pink construction tool box. The range has proved to be a hit with boys aged five and over and Meccano is confident that adding a touch of pink and a sprinkle of glitter will make it a winner with the girls too. The box will contain plenty of pink parts to build a number of ladylike vehicles. Available from June 2010 and retailing at £19.99. The latest addition to the company’s award-winning Build and Play range will also be premiered at Toy Fair. The new hero item is the Train, which builds six models by twisting, clipping and screwing the colourful parts together. The kit comes in new Build and Play colours and is suitable for children aged five-years and over. Available from June 2010 and priced at £29.99. Sue Barratt, country manager for Meccano Toys UK, said: “What an exciting year. The strength of our ranges combined with an abundance of positive reviews and awards as well as Meccano exhibitions, workshops and James May’s wonderful Meccano bridge, has really seen the
brand soar in 2009. While always remaining true to our construction roots, our ever progressive collections now incorporate flexible parts, vivid colours and adopts the latest in technologies including remote controls, as well as robots that can be controlled via wi-fi, Bluetooth or even your own voice.
All models come with tools and an instruction manual and will be supported through marketing and PR programmes delivered across widespread consumer media.
FEBRUARY 2010
156
SHOW GUIDE
TOY FAIR 2010
WORLDS APART
Worlds Apart has combined role-play and plush to create the new Puppy Lane Cottage and Strawberry Stables Dream Town sets. Puppy Lane Cottage comes with Candyfloss, a plush puppy, plus a kennel, collar tag and lead, brush, bowl and bone. Additional sets include plush pets and a kitchen set with Pip the Mouse, a Sofa with Coco the Kitten and accessories plus a Fabric Garden with Nutmeg the Bunny and gardening accessories. There is also a Postal Set and a Rose Racer Car with Picnic Hamper Set. For easy storage, the two sides of the cottage stack neatly inside each other. Strawberry Stables includes the stables, Fudge the pony, bridle, reins, saddle, apple, brush and hair play and separate accessories include a Stable Care Set (Inflatable Hay Bale, Broom,
FEBRUARY 2010
B40
Nose Bag, Wheelbarrow and Sugar Treats) plus a Gymkhana Dress-Up Set. Both these new sets, together with the existing Gasketts Garage, will benefit from marketing support including TV advertising. Worlds Apart’s growing selection of pre-school Waybuloo items include the Waybuloo Interactive Mat. This electronic floor mat marks the beginning of a new active range for little ones and details a journey between the Village and the Yogo machine. Different game buttons are symbolised by Piplings and these develop skills ranging from counting to co-ordination. Other items include the new Inflatable Feature Chair with YoJoJo and her motion sensor drums, the Waybuloo Peeka Pod two-in-one pop-up play-set, a Pop-Up Ball Pit
and a Waybuloo version of My First Ready Bed. Worlds Apart will have a dedicated Toy Story area on the stand for its second core licence. New items include the Toy Story Buzz Feature Chair, featuring three movie sounds and phrases, together with two new MDF furniture items, a handy Toy Box and a sturdy Table & Stool set. Two new additions to the Go Glow range will also make their first appearance at Toy Fair 2010. A night light that’s designed to encourage a bedtime routine, the Storytime Go Glow is a 3-in-1 product consisting of a rechargeable night light, torch and projector. The night light glows softly for reassurance and the cone becomes a torch when lifted from the base. The two movie discs project 12 images of
characters onto the ceiling (initial licences include Thomas, Disney Princess, Toy Story, Peppa), creating a magical bedtime story. The Go Glow Pal is a toy and comforting night light. This soft alien from Toy Story is fun to play with and will then light the room during the night. The Go Glow Pal’s gentle three LED lights offer further night time comfort and play value. Squeeze Alien’s hand to make his eyes glow and after 15 minutes, the lights automatically shut off. Worlds Apart’s other key licences will also feature at Toy Fair, for example Ben 10, Hello Kitty, Timmy Time and Handy Manny. These characters will be seen in a mix of furniture and toys, offering familiar, reassuring surroundings.
www.fremantlemedia.com
Š 2008 Shine Limited. Licensed by FremantleMedia Enterprises. All rights reserved.
SHOW GUIDE
www.toynews-online.biz
INTERPLAY
New for 2010 is the Wild Science Ant-OSphere. The kit allows children to experience the inner workings of an ant colony, containing pods, bases and supports. The spheres link together and can be filled to make an atmospheric setting with plants, soil and ponds. The ant transit ports give a plethora of options to twist and turn a variety of ways. With two price points available – a four pod and eight pod kit which can be joined together and added to – the launch of the Wild Science Ant-OSphere will be supported with TV
TOY FAIR 2010
159
E99
campaigns and the firm hopes it will be a best-seller this year. Wild Science for Girls, including Perfume Laboratory, Luxury Soap Science Lab and Bath Bomb Factory, was the UK’s best-selling science range in 2009. In a drive to ensure continued success, Interplay has launched new eye-catching lifestyle packaging backed up with a heavyweight TV support campaign. The range will also be joined by new products and refreshed packaging for the Wild Science for Boys range including Rocket Ball Factory and Weird
Slime Laboratory, which will also be backed with a TV advertising campaign. My Living World, also from Interplay, sees the addition of two new boys’ products, both below £10. The Illuminated Pocket Microscope magnifies 30 times the actual size and field binoculars, sports and spy games; both come with illustrated manuals. Interplay’s Solar Powered Rainbow Maker and Solar Powered Butterfly will be further promoted this year with TV campaigns and will also be joined with a new line appealing to boys.
Unlike the previous Solar Powered Kits, the Solar Powered Spider is assembled ready to go. Simply stick the spider onto a sunny window and watch as he comes to life climbing up and down his web. Also in this range is a Build an Electric Dragster kit and, back by popular demand, is the Trebuchet Siege Machine. Finally, Interplay will be introducing the world’s first 4D Jigsaw Puzzle – the Cityscape Time Puzzle, which recreates the city of London not only in three dimensions of length, width and depth, but also in an added fourth dimension of time.
FEBRUARY 2010
160
SHOW GUIDE
TOY FAIR 2010
JOHN ADAMS
2010 will see John Adams & Toy Brokers add over 40 new lines across all seven product categories. Two New Scotland Yard licensed products follow on from the success of the New Scotland Yard Forensics Kit. 2010 is also the 60th anniversary of Fuzzy-Felt. The brand has been relaunched by John Adams and Toy Brokers, allowing a new generation to discover the funky felt craft sets. FuzzyFelt Craft Tubs are a new twist on the old favourite, with a range of three sets: Things That Go, a selection of vehicles,
FEBRUARY 2010
F110
Animals, including farmyard favourites and pets, and Pink and Sparkly for the girls. Each tub includes 400 felt pieces plus a flexi-board, rolled up and stored inside before unfolding as a flat surface. Tubs are suitable for ages three and over and retail at around £7.99 to £8.99. The Surprise Egg Maker allows you to melt, mould and wrap your own surprise chocolate eggs and balls in golden foil. The TV-advertised set includes six toys and messages to hide inside each surprise. Suitable for ages
six and over, the Surprise Egg Maker does not include chocolate and retails at approximately £19.99. The Krypton Factor is an interactive DVD board game, which builds on the brand heritage of the popular TV series. The show itself has consistently pulled 3.5 million viewers a week and a new series has been confirmed for the beginning of 2010. Observation clips are taken from actual ITV show footage including Emmerdale, Coronation Street and Hell’s Kitchen. The game is suitable for
ages eight and over and retails at around £19.99. With the 2010 FIFA World Cup kicking off in South Africa this June, the firm is launching Total Action Football. It is a table-top football game, providing magnetic action, with each player able to pass, trap or shoot the ball. This Power Strike Edition includes Free Kick ramp, Corner ramp, Diving Keepers and Power Strikers. Total Action Football is suitable for ages six and over, retails at around £24.99 and will be supported by an estimated 500 network TVRs.
Finally, Learning Toys as Unique as children
My Puppy Pal Violet & Scout Ĉĉśũ .-3'2
Scout Phonics Alphapet Explorer ĉśũ # 12
Scout Text & Learn Messenger Ċśũ # 12
Scout Scribble & Write Ċśũ # 12
ěũ 5#1ũĈćũ-#6ũ/1."4!32ũ$.1ũĉćĈćũũ ěũ 4(+"(-%ũ.-ũ3'#ũ24!!#22ũ.$ũ 8ũ +ũ !.43ũ ěũ ++ũ8# 1ũ1.4-"ũ, 1*#3(-%ũ24//.13
Visit us at London Toy Fair stand B50 www.leapfrog.co.uk
162
SHOW GUIDE
TOY FAIR 2010
SCHLEICH
Modelled by nature and intricately painted by hand, Schleich figures are a first choice for parents and children alike and, supported by Schleich’s unique retailer partnership programme, outlets stocking its collections are guaranteed that customers will keep coming back for more. With collections of high-quality, lifelike animals and historical figurines and fantasy playworlds to choose from, one of the most popular lines is still the Wildlife range. It consists of animals large and small, from almost every corner of the earth – including lions, chimpanzees and crocodiles.
FEBRUARY 2010
B121
Children can learn about familiar UK wild animals such as hedgehogs, foxes, squirrels and deer with Schleich’s Forest Life figures. They can also learn about the less well-known creatures of the world like Okapi, American Bison and Bald Eagles too. 2010 sees elegant predators added to the range as a lynx and her cub join the series of big cats; while a howling wolf depicts another territorial creature. As with all of Schleich’s animals, the poses of its animals are captured in an almost animated way, ensuring the owner can truly imagine the creature of the wild in its usual and natural manner.
From predatory to playful, a family of racoons joins the fold with a freestanding adult proudly upright on its hind legs and a trio of cubs cavorting together. All of the racoons have the familiar bandit’s mask that makes them so recognisable in the wild. To enhance the play experience and create a realistic and authentic setting for animals, Schleich has a variety of accessories from Fir Trees, Beech and Oak Trees to African Baobab and Giant Cactus. There is also an Animal Nursery with removable roof, opening doors and windows. A truck trailer fits perfectly onto the back of Schleich’s wildlife truck and is
perfect for transporting animals from the wild to the animal nursery. With drop-down sides and chunky wheels it is designed to tackle even the roughest of terrains. To epitomise the adventurous nature of the wildlife collection, Schleich is also launching a new inspirational item. The new Schleich Plane is perfect for connecting one land to another and portrays the type of traditional fixed wing prop-plane that is commonly seen in the widest regions of Africa, the Australian outback and Argentina. The plane comes complete with pilot and has cockpit doors, freight bay, engine compartment and more.
The No. 1 learn to read toy, from the makers of LeapPad
Let’s get ready to read
I talk! Let’s learn to read together
ěŊĊćśŊ 6 1"2ĹŠ6.1+"6("#ĹŠĹŠĹŠ ěŊ 73#-2(5#ĹŠ, 1*#3(-%ĹŠ24//.13ĹŠ3'1.4%'ĹŠÄ‰Ä‡ÄˆÄ‡ĹŠ ěŊ 5#1ŊĉćŊ.$ĹŠ3'#ĹŠ'.33#23ĹŠ+(!#-2#2 Visit us at London Toy Fair stand B50 www.leapfrog.co.uk ĹŠ .41!#
164
SHOW GUIDE
TOY FAIR 2010
HIVE ENTERTAINMENT
Hive, a manufacturing and distribution outfit which has gone from strength to strength over the past year, has partnered with a number of manufacturers to create a portfolio of licensed products. Hive is the exclusive UK distributor for all Nintendo figures and merchandise from Together Plus and it continues to distribute Tomy’s reputable and established Gacha range. Another addition to the growing portfolio is the recent partnership with
FEBRUARY 2010
H95
Funko for its extensive toy range featuring a plethora of licences. Other products include Sonic the Hedgehog and SpongeBob figures. As well as the expanding portfolio of toys and merchandise, Hive also supplies and manufactures one of the largest ranges of video game accessories within Europe. Founding partners Steve Nicholas and Andrew Shanley have a wealth of experience within toys, gaming merchandise, video games and distribution. The team at Hive has
recently been bolstered by the appointment of Adi Wells, who had previously held the position of merchandise buyer at national retailer Gamestation. Wells’ knowledge brings the team’s combined experience in its industries to over 40 years. Steve Nicholas, partner, comments: “We are very excited by the extensive range of quality products that we can offer customers. It’s great to be able to bring such previously unavailable merchandise to market. With our ever-
expanding portfolio, we offer a varied range to suit all demographics. The London Toy Fair 2010 is the perfect platform for us to exhibit our range and also give a taster of the amazing new products coming through for 2010.” Andrew Shanley, partner, adds: “2009 has seen us expand our sales and operations facility into our newly acquired distribution centre. This has enabled us to hold all required stocks, and confidently provide realistic delivery times on any size of order, for all clients.”
No.1 Educational Gaming Handheld 2009* * Source NPD data units & value Jan-Nov 2009
ěũ 4+3(ũ 6 1"ũ6(--(-% ěũ '#ũă123ũ!.--#!3#"ũ#"4! 3(.- +ũ% ,(-%ũ/1."4!3 ěũ 1.6(-%ũ+( 1 18ũ.$ũĈđũ%1# 3ũ+(!#-2#"ũ% ,#2
Visit us at London Toy Fair stand B50 www.leapfrog.co.uk
166
SHOW GUIDE
TOY FAIR 2010
GOLDEN BEAR
Master toy licensee Golden Bear will be launching Ben and Holly’s Little Kingdom at Toy Fair 2010. The range interprets the BAFTA award-winning programme through plush and plastic toys and includes Holly’s castle, Gaston Cave, Fluttering Wings Holly and Ben Elf. Also new is Timmy Time Wood. This range features the fun characters Timmy and his friends from Timmy Time through a variety of products – Dominoes, Height Chart, Timmy Time Clock and Learning Frame.
FEBRUARY 2010
E69
The wooden range will also be extended, with new products being launched within Peppa Pig and the My 1st JCB range. 2010 sees Golden Bear moving into the arts and crafts market, securing new licences in Waybuloo, Mister Maker and Candy Blush. The ranges promote creativity and develop children’s skills through creative play. The collection will extend into existing licences Peppa Pig and Charlie and Lola.
The My 1st Talking JCB range will continue to grow in 2010. We will see new characters Marty Mixer and Tommy Truck being introduced and the range has been extended to include floor puzzles, wooden puzzles, dominoes and sit ‘n’ ride Talking Elvis. The In the Night Garden nursery range is loved by children and parents alike and 2010 sees the introduction of new products. Toy Fair will see Igglepiggle and Upsy Daisy cuddle harnesses, designed to ensure safety
while children learn to walk. Soft and cuddly Snuggle Buddies will be available in the characters Igglepiggle, Upsy Daisy and Makka Pakka along with various brightly coloured rattles. Shaun the Sheep and friends are available in a variety of new and existing plush toys and include new feature plush Hungry Shirley. Lastly, the Thomas and Friends phenomenon continues to capture the hearts and minds of children, and the new addition to the engines is Victor.
SHOW GUIDE
www.toynews-online.biz
GREAT GIZMOS
With environmental issues high on the agenda, Green Science kits remain strong and the latest additions to the range are educational while still offering play value. The Dynamo Robot kit is a science project, which recycles household items and turns them into an automaton powered by a hand-driven generator, while Solar Rover is a green science project driven by solar power. Great Gizmos has also added a new Green Creativity range, which includes an element of imagination. These kits enable children to decorate a plain canvas bag and make their own reusable green shopping bag, create cards and gifts from recycled paper or turn a plastic bottle into a light. All of the kits have educational and play value appealing to both girls and boys. Mould & Paint Glitter Princess allows girls to create six pretty and glitzy princess magnets, while similar kits that are great for Easter have a springtime theme with Easter chicks, bunnies and glitter eggs.
TOY FAIR 2010
167
F90
Great Gizmos’ ranges offer hours of creativity and fun for children. Many also provide ideas for creating great gifts. The Paint Your Own Porcelain Trinket Box Kit and Mini Shoe Vase Kit are creative additions to a dressing table, while the Fairy Light adds a finishing touch to a bedroom wall. There will also be some new Fun Mechanics Kits, including an Electric Dragster and an Electric Plane Launcher aimed at boys. Still with speed in mind, there are several Science in Action kits which combine motion and technology in the form of a Mousetrap Racer, Hovercraft and Rocket Race Car. Younger children will also be well catered for by Great Gizmos in 2010, in particular with a Finger Puppet Kit and a Paint Your Own Wooden Race Car Kit, while young dog lovers will enjoy keeping track of treasured moments with My Dog’s Journal. These launches will be supported by PR strategies ensuring enhanced brand awareness and they can be assured of continued and repeat sales.
FEBRUARY 2010
170
SHOW GUIDE
TOY FAIR 2010
IMAGINATION GAMES
Imagination Games is unveiling a new product line for 2010 that it hopes will keep the sales growth from last year rolling. Following major US success for Imagination’s own brands, the 2010 UK line reflects a new core brand focus – delivering innovative games, proven sellers and great potential margin opportunities for retailers. Quelf comes to the UK after a top selling performance in the US mass
FEBRUARY 2010
E110
market. It is the winner of The Good Toy Guide Silver award and many others. Quelf is great fun and easy to learn – just obey the card to play. TV support is planned for this game in Q4 2010. Beat The Parents is the archetypal family board game experience where kids get to gang-up on their parents to show them who knows best. The game outsells any other Imagination branded game at store-by-store level.
Fact or Crap has sold over four million copies globally. Trivia doesn’t get easier than this, as players have a 50 per cent chance of getting the answer right. UK trials saw this game sell-through over 400 units in one outlet. Top Gear Ultimate Car challenge board game builds on its 2009 success. The TV show continues to go from strength to strength, pulling in an average of seven million viewers each
week. The game is exactly like the Top Gear TV programme, but in a box. Gogo’s Crazy Bones board game was a late 2009 launch, and a big success. Kids battle collections against friends and family for fun or keeps. Along with other licences to be announced at Toy Fair are long-term brands like Battle of The Sexes, Scabs & Guts and Catchphrase DVD. Imagination is planning for its biggest year yet in 2010.
Worlds Apart launches pre-school active range • TV support A/W 2010
Waybuloo TM & © 2010 The Foundation TV Productions Limited/Decode/Blue Entertainment Licensed by RDF Rights www.waybuloo.com
172
SHOW GUIDE
TOY FAIR 2010
UNIVERSITY GAMES
The Findit game is a new item taken on for exclusive distribution. A big tubular addictive game that has three different editions, it is designed to appeal to children and young adults alike. Callisto is a simple yet potentially complex game to get to grips with. University Games is hoping that it will prove to be a long-term best-seller. The firm has refreshed evergreen classic TV quiz show games Who Wants To Be A Millionaire (featuring booster
FEBRUARY 2010
F10
packs of special category questions) and Mr & Mrs. The Really Nasty series of games have also had the graphics renewed, giving them a new appeal. From Japan comes the word Jashiku and by that name is a new game that incorporates the principle of magnetic poles attracting and repelling. It is a unique game format that is going to be a winner among all ages. The nursery rhyme Five little monkeys dancing on the bed… has inspired the
pre-school Five Little Monkeys Board Game. It features a spring-loaded bed that flips the monkeys off at random intervals and teaches children about bedtime routines. In Glow Zone you will encounter the world of stars and planets that make up the firm’s range of Great Explorations products. Among the pre-school games and activity products, University Games has four Gruffalo items: The Gruffalo
Rhyming Card Game, The Gruffalo Fun Pocket, The Gruffalo Felt Play Board and The Gruffalo Mini Board Game, all to display at Toy Fair. Smart Ass and Sort it Out were well received last year and the company has big plans too for how it will promote and market these games in 2010. New to the market is Sort It Out Junior with a lower price point. The firm has also gained exclusivity for Hoberman’s Spheres.
SHOW GUIDE
www.toynews-online.biz
HABA
With a large portfolio of soft toys and dolls already, 2010 sees Haba moving into the organic market, with several ranges made using organically farmed cotton. Guardian Angels Tine and Toni are designed as birth presents accompanying and comforting newborns from their first day, as will Pure Nature Cottis. The soft lambs include Spelt Cushion Cotti, Cuddly Cotti, Cuddlekin Cotti, Pulling Toy Cotti and Clutching Toy Cotti and come in shades of pink and blue that are ideal for boys or girls.
TOY FAIR 2010
173
F16
Also new is the Play Rug Discoverers’ Meadow, which is full of different acoustic and sensorial effects. The foldout mat has a little rabbit and sheep with magnetic feet that stick to the street and the biggest of three shamrocks. A little house can be set up, magnets in its roof ensure stability and it has a door that opens. Haba’s range of soft dolls welcomes a new member. Baby Doll Luca is a 40cm doll with bright blue eyes and Chenille hair. Girls will enjoy dressing their baby with a seven-piece accessory
set including vests, nappies, tops, rompers and a hat. There is also a new range of clothing and accessories for Haba’s 30cm and 38cm dolls, which includes several football kits. The latest stacking toy, Zoolina takes pre-school building blocks one stage further. The happy trio bear, crocodile and rhino can be stacked on top of each other and then pulled along on their own little wheels. Also keeping in the animal theme are Haba’s colourful wooden Animal
Scooters, which includes Horse Paulina, Bear Ben, Cow Caro and Crocodile Chris. These chunky wooden toys each have a little bell and heads which turn around. Appealing particularly to little boys are Haba’s new Pushing Construction Site vehicles, with Excavator Elvis, Drum Doro and Dumper Dave. These chunky wooden wheeled toys, each with its own removable driver, are representative of those seen on a construction site and will delight budding young builders everywhere.
FEBRUARY 2010
SHOW GUIDE
www.toynews-online.biz
BRAINSTORM
Brainstorm has secured the exclusive distribution of two new ranges for launch at Toy Fair 2010. Citiblocs are wooden construction blocks, which have been precision cut from pine that’s been sourced from certified renewable forests in New Zealand. Every piece is exactly the same shape and size and building requires no glue, no mess, no connectors, no magnets, just gravity and balance. CitiBlocs will be available in packs of 50, 100, 200 and 300 blocks. In the US this product has won 14 industry awards, including Dr Toy, Parenting Magazine and Best Green Product. Mostaix is a new range of art and craft products that enables children to
TOY FAIR 2010
177
D2
make mosaic-style pictures. Using small plastic tiles of different shapes, children can build up pictures, graded to their age and ability. The snap-in pieces stay in place without the use of glue or ironing. Simply follow the real-size pattern to make the picture. Mostaix will be available in three sizes. The 264-piece pocket-money set will be suitable for beginners and younger children. The mid-price set will contain 1,332 pieces for slightly older kids and the 4,440-piece set will appeal to craft enthusiasts. There will be 18 different pictures to choose from. There are new additions to Brainstorm’s The Original Glowstars Company brand. The handheld Astro
Projector Torch has three domes to project different space patterns – stars, planets or spacecraft – and the body of the torch glows in the dark. Children can construct a planet mobile with Glow Solar System, now packaged in a clamshell pack, or add highlights to pictures with Glow in the Dark Pens. Pink Glitter Stars will be launched alongside a Hannah Montana Glow 3D range. 2010 sees the firm adding licensed metallic stickers and foam room decorations, featuring Hello Kitty, Hannah Montana and the Jonas Brothers. New to the Zipbin brand is a range of large and small play mats. Themes
include Space, Dinosaur, Farm, Road and Wild Animal. Its large play mats are double-sided for extra play value. All of the mats include two toys and are supplied in counter-top or floorstanding displays. Innovative 3 Maps in 1 is the latest new addition to the Fact Finders range. An automatic system allows three maps to be stored in a single tube. The display system ensures that maps can also be hung or held open. The maps will be: UK and Ireland, Europe and the World. There are also new products in the Natural History Museum licence this year and additions to the Star Wars Science brand.
FEBRUARY 2010
178
SHOW GUIDE
TOY FAIR 2010
JUMBO GAMES
As a leading producer of adult puzzles in the UK, Jumbo actively seeks the best artists and licences to strengthen its best-selling adult puzzle range. The firm is planning several additions for 2010, including a puzzle to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Coronation Street. The puzzle will feature 50 images – one from each year of the ITV soap. There will also be a limited edition Coronation Street Wasgij, containing two puzzles. The brand will also expand in 2010 to include the Wasgij Spin and Shout
FEBRUARY 2010
E40
Game, featuring six illustrations from Wasgij puzzles. Jumbo Games has also increased share in the children’s puzzle market, YTD NPD (July 2009) data indicates that the company is now positioned at number two. In 2010, the firm plans to further cement its standing with a new generic puzzle range that will launch at Toy Fair, accompanied by marketing and PR support. The children’s puzzle and game categories have been enhanced with the addition of new licensed properties
including Horrid Henry. This range will feature a 100-piece Discovery Puzzle, two 70-piece puzzles with stickers and two games – playing cards and a Slide and Find game. Gormiti will also have a puzzle range launching in 2010 with a four-in-a-box format featuring the four main characters, two puzzles in a box including a Gormiti figure and a 100piece puzzle with stickers. Jumbo will be introducing Gormiti Playing Cards and an action-based game for autumn/winter 2010. A further
addition to the licensed portfolio is the FA World Cup, for which Jumbo will be producing puzzles and games featuring England’s favourite players. Girls can look forward to further developments for the Peppa Pig range, including the Muddy Puddles Game for spring/summer 2010. The game features the main characters from the Peppa Pig stories and is a race around the board to get home from school. However, the race is disrupted by Muddy Puddles, which are heavily featured in the hit TV series.
180
SHOW GUIDE
TOY FAIR 2010
KIDKRAFT
F49 Kidkraft’s new Wooden Kitchens are decorated in either pinks or bright primary colours. Both include doors that open and close, oven knobs that click, a removable sink and a clock with moving hands. Even the microwave is a replica of a full-sized one. KidKraft’s new Designer Dollhouse is a dollhouse with 11 pieces of furniture. Embellished artwork and bright colours make for a modern feel and the house features two curved staircases and the latest in designer must-haves.
FEBRUARY 2010
The firm’s furniture and room accessories will also be on show at the fair. The Star Table and Chair Set is the ideal place for homework, games, or arts and crafts. KidKraft’s Explorer’s Rocket Ship and Submarine Sets are loaded with interactive features. The rocket ship lets kids explore outer space. The Submarine Set lets kids imagine themselves diving deep into the ocean. It features close attention to detail and interactive features.
www.toynews-online.biz
INSPIRED GAMES
SHOW GUIDE
TOY FAIR 2010
181
GH14
Inspired Games International (IGI) has launched Starplayer, a football board game for families and friends, aged eight and over. The game was devised by Inspired Games founder and CEO Christopher Jones in 2005 and was developed and thoroughly tested over a three-year period before going into production in the UK. Each player is the imaginary owner of a major football club and must race their opponents to win The Starplayer Cup for their Club. To get to the Cup Final, the objective is two-fold. Players start the game with £150 million of Starplayer money and must buy or complete their ‘club set’, consisting of a squad of 11 international footballers, a new manager and stadium. They must also win five cup matches using the unique Starplayer football dice. Finally, to win the cup final and the game, a player must win a penalty shoot out using a specially designed goal die which gives a 50 per cent chance of scoring. There’s a choice of four squads of footballers to buy in red, white, blue or yellow shirts, with four star players in each. Once all four star players are owned, they generate income. Transfer windows during the game allow players to buy, sell or swap their footballer cards, adding profit to the club fund for astute negotiators. There’s a 45-minute short game play or longer version lasting 90-minutes plus. Starplayer retails at £29.95.
UNDERGROUND TOYS / GEAR 4 GAMES
E16
For the retro In Your Pocket talking key chain line, Underground Toys is launching a Match of the Day version, featuring football chants as well as some famous phrases from John Motson. Other key chains include The Hoff – ‘Don’t Hassel the Hoff’; Only Fools & Horses – ‘You Plonker’ and many more. For the teenage market, the firm will be showing new products from Twilight and New Moon including board games and standees. For the kids range, the firm has Ben 10 and Star Wars. The Sound Blaster and Pocket Pals are smaller talking items which feature four buttons speaking phrases from kids TV shows – Thomas & Friends, Bob the Builder, Peppa Pig, Ben 10 Alien Force and Bakugan. The firm is also expanding its Churchill range to include a small talking plush key chain featuring a new phrase, ‘Oh No’, as well as more characters for the Star Wars talking plush range, including a 15-inch Deluxe Chewbacca and many more.
FEBRUARY 2010
182
SHOW GUIDE
TOY FAIR 2010
TREASURE TROVE
Treasure Trove Toys will mark its tenth anniversary at Toy Fair and raise a glass to a period of growth and success, which saw a sales increase of 235 per cent in 2009. The firm will use the show to spotlight some of its most successful brands from the last ten years, but will also be exhibiting a number of new additions to its portfolio. Its recent transformation has been brought about
FEBRUARY 2010
G10
both by rationalising its wide brand range to focus on the strongest performers and also by using its industry reputation to attract a good selection of new names. Still key to the offering are Didicar, Hair-ee Magno-z, Quercetti, Scrunch and Sticky Mosaics, along with the more recent addition, Breyer. All of these brands have made insightful additions to their lines for the
coming year. Meanwhile, joining Treasure Trove this year is a collection of new ranges, in the shape of Breyer Saddle Club, Brio, Junior Tradesman, Safari, Uberstix, Wedgits and Peter Fish Yo-yos. With the TV success of Pop Girl’s Saddle Club, Breyer’s new Saddle Club range of horses and figures will be supported by Treasure Trove with a return to TV advertising.
There will also be TV advertising to support the launch of Uberstix. Expected to perform particularly well is the Uberstix Scavenger Series – toys that reward for recycling and teach children about green living at an early age. For ages seven and over, Uberstix Scavenger sets are construction kits with a difference, requiring the builder to re-use plastic bottles, lollipop sticks, paper cups and so on.
SHOW GUIDE
www.toynews-online.biz
DKL
Corolle has expanded its collection with a variety of new dolls. New to Babicorolle for infants from birth-plus is Miss Bilberry in a pretty berry dress. There are additions to the Mon Premier range for 18-months plus, as well as entry price point dolls. There are new Calin Dolls too, such as Calin Cheerful Raspberry dressed in a pink and white polka dot dress and Calin Laughing Cerise, dressed in pantaloons and tunic. Tidoo Bath Dolls will see new additions, including two Tidoo swimmer dolls and accessories.
TOY FAIR 2010
185
C59
Hama beads in 2010 sees the introductions of new popular licences such as Toy Story, Ben 10 and Disney Fairies. New to the large gift sets are Polar World and Woodland Friends, plus new versions of the activity boxes. Smaller sets include the Bracelet Set. Also new to 2010 is the 3D Hama Chicken set. Wonderworld Wooden Toys have more in the Eco Series range. The Eco House comes complete with accessories including furniture and family. The house includes energy
features such as wind turbine, solar panel, recycling bins, a bicycle instead of a car and a water butt to collect rain. Also new is the kitchen range with a cooker, sink, fridge, washing machine, shop and accessories. The Softwood Nursery Range for infants from birth onwards has some new products too. The Gardening set comes complete with all tools and a butterfly net. The flowers are bendable, and the port has a carry-along feature. Viking Toys has expanded the successful Chubbies vehicle line with
new vehicles and updated colours. 2010 will also see more new designs of the Fexi Cars. With vibrant colours and new designs of vehicles in small, large and giant, there are many to choose from, including the Jeep, Racing Car, Fire Truck and tractor with trailer, to name just a few. Sigikid is new to DKL’s nursery range in 2009. The soft toys are suitable from birth upwards and come in varying categories of soft, glove puppet, musical, comforters and much more, all guaranteed to entertain a young child.
FEBRUARY 2010
186
SHOW GUIDE
TOY FAIR 2010
REVELL
Europe’s largest supplier of model kits and accessories returns to Toy Fair for 2010. Revell will be showing new and existing lines at the exhibition. Highlights include the latest Star Wars Clone Wars Easy Kits, as well as the recently introduced Star Trek Voyager range, the latest Ferrari Road Cars and historic classics. Making its debut will be the My Style Jewellery range. The latest developments to the Gee Gee friends range will be on display too.
FEBRUARY 2010
G130
Also making an appearance on the stand this year is the expanded R/C range, which will take Revell even further into the radio controlled model sector. The updated line-up includes sleek lines and each model can boast attention to detail and authentic decoration. The new models include the muchanticipated L-Ray GSY and Twister ICS, featuring MHz and outdoor digital technology. Both of these models
feature easy to operate controls and a cast aluminium chassis. With prices ranging from £19.99 to £160, the latest range from Revell clearly positions the manufacturer as a serious industry contender in an increasingly popular market. Revell’s premium 2.4GHz range, aimed towards the more experienced pilot also carries three exclusive designs – including the RAF Tigermeet Ouma, Bell Huey and a Kamov K58.
Thomas Randrup, the UK country manager for Revell said: “Our latest R/C creations continue to impress even the most hardened radio-controlled model enthusiasts, helping to cement Revell’s position as a quality model manufacturer and innovator. “We expect Toy Fair 2010 to be a great success for us this year, and with a substantial amount of our range on show, there’s sure to be plenty for visitors to see.”
SHOW GUIDE
www.toynews-online.biz
ORCHARD TOYS
Orchard Toys is launching seven games and jigsaw puzzles at this year’s Toy Fair. All products are designed to make learning fun for youngsters aged between 18 months and 12 years old and the latest round of additions is no exception. Simon Newbery, managing director, said: “We are absolutely thrilled at the way the company has performed over the last two years, which have been the best in our history, with demand going
TOY FAIR 2010
189
B12
through the roof in the run up to the Christmas season.” If You See a Crocodile is based on the children’s song Row, Row, Row your Boat. The game is designed to help children of three years old and over develop their colour matching and speaking and listening skills and it also links with early learning goals in creative development. Once upon a Time Dominoes is designed for three to six-year-olds.
Round and Round is based on the children’s song The Wheels on The Bus and is aimed at three to six-year-olds as well. It helps develop colour matching and counting skills and links with early learning goals in creative development and encourages strategic thinking. Nursery Rhyme Four in a Box, a new jigsaw puzzle, Enchanted Forest and the revamped Farmyard Dominoes and Pop to the Shops, complete the games and puzzles Orchard Toys will be launching.
The firm is very proud of its Britishmade products, which are all manufactured from durable recycled board and have a wipe-clean finish so that they last longer, for years of fun and entertainment, making them great value for money. Its range of products is developed, designed and illustrated by Orchard Toys’ in-house team, then rigorously tested in playgroups, schools and at home by parents and teachers.
FEBRUARY 2010
190
SHOW GUIDE
TOY FAIR 2010
BLADEZ TOYZ
Bladez Toyz is introducing the first remote controlled i-Bladez flight stick with Salvation 3D helicopter. The flight stick enables control of the Salvation 3D helicopter, giving ultimate control and includes real vibrations with every movement. The higher you fly, the stronger the vibrations. The stick features six-way directional control to fly up/down, left/right,
FEBRUARY 2010
H19
forward and back. The flight stick also includes trim controls which improve precision control. Tri-band (A,B,C) enables up to three players to fly together at a time. The firm is launching a range of compatible radio controlled products to accompany the flight stick from micro to large helicopter, cars, boats, and army vehicles.
The Salvation Pro II is one of the largest RC helicopters available at over 75cm in length. There’s no assembly required – players can just charge and fly. The helicopter comes with a threechannel digital proportional radio controlled handset, integrated charger and rechargeable li-po battery, so the first flight is just minutes away.
The Salvation Pro II features foldable blades and flexible tail, which allows it to handle a crash. However, every single part of the Salvation Pro II is replaceable. The toy features six-way directional control, aerial search lights for night flight, trim controls for precision flight and replaceable battery packs for extended flight with quick recharge via a Lithium Polymer battery.
SHOW GUIDE
www.toynews-online.biz
RED TOOLBOX
The Red Toolbox is a new set of carpentry tools that’s complemented by a selection of original carpentry kits. The tools are specially designed to suit a child’s grip, while doing the same job as the adult version. The carpentry kits are ideal for teaching and applying various skills, available for Beginner, Intermediary and Advanced levels. The philosophy behind the Red Toolbox is based on creating opportunities for fathers and sons to work together and the step-by-step level system is ideal for helping kids develop and gain skills as they go, all while working with and enjoying the support from their parent. Each level increases in difficulty and the level of
H86
precision required while improving eyehand co-ordination and motor skills. Each kit comes with the tools required for the job, and children can make useful items such as a birdhouse, CD rack, magazine rack, bookshelf and so on. The tools are also sold individually, so children can build a collection. Red Toolbox offers a uniquely-designed adjustable workbench with convenient storage space for tools, and a tool belt to use while working. ARK DIY Products, a new Irish company set up in 2009, has brought the Red Toolbox to Ireland and is distributing it through the hardware retail merchants sector.
CHEEKY RASCALS
New to Toy Fair this year, Cheeky Rascals will be exhibiting its range of Playgro pre-school toys as well as the launch of its latest product – the Wishbone 3-in-1 Bike. Playgro toys are educational, brightly coloured and packed with activities to help with every stage of a baby’s visual and mental development. Playgro toys make learning tools that are stimulating, entertaining and safe. Many of the toys can be attached to pushchairs and cots. The collections are developed around characters that appear across each story line in a coordinated range ensuring stand-out on shelf.
TOY FAIR 2010
191
H46 AND H47
The Wishbone Bike encourages children to learn essential balancing skills from an early age, as the focus is on maintaining stability, rather than learning to pedal. Unlike other running bikes, Wishbone evolves with different stages of children’s development. Use starts from walking at around the age of one as a three-wheeled trike, then the Wishbone converts to a two-wheeled running bike; finally, by about four years, the ‘wishbone’ frame is flipped to raise the saddle, making it one of the largest running bikes available on the market.
FEBRUARY 2010
192
SHOW GUIDE
WINNING MOVES
TOY FAIR 2010 F109
As well as new Olympics and FIFA World Cup products coming in 2010, Winning Moves has also recently released Top Trumps Tournament, a fast-paced boxed game featuring six exclusive packs on Movies, Sporting Heroes, TV, Pop Stars, Top Toys and Wow, which is full of amazing things from around the world. The Tournament is a new way to play Top Trumps, and, as any pack can be used, the game is endlessly customisable. A Star Wars edition has already been released, with six Star Wars packs including the exclusive Top 30 Moments pack and a special Darth Vader-black Tournament hub. The FIFA Top Trumps Tournament will include exclusive packs featuring the best World Cup players, goals, and moments and continues Top Trumps’ alliance with the national sport. Hot new Top Trumps titles for 2010 include Toy Story 3, Iron Man 2, and The A-Team, following on the heels of England Football Stars, SpongeBob SquarePants and Gogo’s Crazy Bones, the big titles that hit shelves at the end of 2009. For younger children, the Top Trumps Activity Packs range expands further with a Chuggington edition, to add to Peppa Pig, Cars, Mr Men and Dora The Explorer.
CASDON TOYS Casdon Toys return to the Toy Fair after what it describes as a ‘bumper 2009’. Casdon is known for top quality role-play toys and replicating the adult world. Children cannot help but want to copy what their parents do on a daily basis and therefore love roleplaying; this is why the level of detail in Casdon Toys makes them so popular. Whether it be the Dyson DC14 replica or Little Henry/Hetty vacuums, children love following their parents around, pretending to clean up. For the more culinary-minded child, Casdon do a Hotpoint-branded Cooker and Washer and the George Foreman Grill replica. The firm’s timeless classics such as the Sweetshop and Post Office have set record sales in 2009 and show no signs of decline. Continuing with the shopping theme, Casdon Toys tills still remain a firm favourite, whether it be the Mini Market Till or Chip and Pin Till – they sell equally as well. The tills can be complemented by an array of play food that the firm also offers and many of the playfood kits encompass recognisable brands such as Birds Eye or Baxters tins. New for 2010 will be more role-play ideas including a ‘world first’ Sat Nav Steering Wheel, Henry/Hetty Cleaning Trolley concept and a new fruit and veg basket.
FEBRUARY 2010
E51
SHOW GUIDE
www.toynews-online.biz
RAVENSBURGER
Ravensburger’s 2010 portfolio will see new launches including 13 fresh licences joining the stable and a preschool games and puzzles range called Discover & Develop, which combines play with education. The new range was created with key development stages in mind. The new Premium Puzzle Softclick technology on puzzles over 500-pieces now gives the firm’s puzzles a better fit. This new technology has been rolled out across the family range and adds to the puzzling experience. The spinning, waving, giggling Jolly Octopus game was designed specifically for the UK and is a 3D action game, packed full of underwater adventure and coral reef fun. With moving arms and sound effects, the aim of the game is to remove all of the coloured crabs first, by using only
B156
the tongs. But Jolly Octopus is protecting the crabs by waving and spinning his tentacles. If you touch Jolly’s tentacles, he will stop spinning and start giggling. Suitable for children aged four and over. Three 1.5V batteries required, not included. MD Tim Hall says: “Ravensburger has huge experience in the development of high quality games and puzzles and our new children’s range combines this knowledge with fantastic illustrations and packaging, sourced from leading British design agencies. Our integrated range will support Early Years Foundation skills, whilst offering lots of fun.” The firm also offers bespoke POS and display solutions for the independent toy sector, designed to ensure that games and puzzles deliver the best possible returns.
THE PUPPET COMPANY
The Puppet Company designs and manufactures over 450 different puppets including finger puppets, glove puppets and body puppets. Brand new for 2010 is the Giant Bird Collection including a Flamingo, Emu, Dodo and Ostrich. These are large
TOY FAIR 2010
193
B75
puppets with masses of character. The firm is also the UK and Ireland distributor for Living Puppets, the premier German brand. Many of these puppets have full working mouths and hands and feature hundreds of characters and animals.
FEBRUARY 2010
194
SHOW GUIDE
RICHARD EDWARD
GreenCards are playing cards which have been created using original illustrations and 100 per cent sustainable and recycled materials. The cards feature unique court card characters, from the chic of the Queen to the suave charm of the Jack. The cards are creating a global card games renaissance that doesn’t cost the earth. GreenCards are manufactured by a company called RedWood Cards, which
FEBRUARY 2010
TOY FAIR 2010 D100
is the retail arm of Richard Edward, the only remaining UK-based manufacturer of games cards, trading cards and playing cards. Richard Edward has been a leading innovator in fully integrated games card manufacturing for over 30 years. The company produces card-based products for leading toy and games companies such as Winning Moves, DeAgostini and Hasbro.
FIESTA CRAFTS
Fiesta Crafts will be extending its award winning range of Doowell Magnetic games with new Colour-in Play Scenes: Knights and Dragons and Princess. Both feature a magnetic double-sided play board and over 50 colour-in magnetic paper characters and story pieces cut from exclusive magnetic paper. The pre-cut pieces are ready for creative colouring, adventure play and story telling and pack away inside the magnetic board making them an ideal travel companion. Suitable for children aged three years and over and retailing at £7.99. Skipping Pals are a new and unique concept, which combine soft toy handles with character faces and candy
F65
striped ropes. With six colourful handle characters in the range, the faces available are Rabbit, Duck, Monkey, Ladybird, Fairy and Pirate. Suitable for children from three years and over, Skipping Pals will be available to retail from this summer, and will retail at around £5.99. The Tellatale range of puppets had a strong year in 2009 and Fiesta Crafts is introducing some new thoroughbred puppets: Arabella Riding on Coco the showjumping horse and the knight and horse ready for jousting action. The range is also joined by Robin Hood, Maid Marian, The Big Bad Wolf and three little pigs, plus a Ballerina and retail from £11.99.
Discover the world of
... at
l in
a
we combine creativity and design to produce beautiful toys and innovative playthings for inquisitive minds.
H
u Pa e or s
Bear B
Dumper Dave
HABA UK, 18/20 Stamford Street, Stalybridge, Cheshire, SK15 1JZ phone: 0161 304 9555, fax: 0161 303 9113 sales@haba.co.uk, www.haba.co.uk
Cow Ca
ro
en
196
SHOW GUIDE
SIMBA SMOBY TOYS UK
TOY FAIR 2010 E140
Toy Fair will see the introduction of the newly formed Simba Smoby Toys UK, which is a subsidiary company of the German Simba Dickie Group. Investing in an 185 square metre stand at London Toy Fair is a strategic decision by the German parent company in order to underline its strong commitment to the UK market and the planned growth strategy within European markets. The new set-up will be distributing a wide and varied product range from its new UK-based warehouse, which will include key licences such as Toy Story, Cars and Hello Kitty but also strong generic own-brand products within the boys, girls, role-play and outdoor categories. One of the key lines for the summer will be Snapit which will be supported by TV advertising throughout May and June 2010, plus a marketing, PR and promotion campaign targeting ‘cool kids’ during the World Cup summer. Snapit is an active, throw and catch game and can be enjoyed in and outdoors, by young and old.
POCKETBOND After it went into administration in July 2009, Pocketbond acquired the assets of Toyway – including all the stock, other assets, moulds and all intellectual property rights with trademarks such as Toyway, Timpo, Jumbosaurs and more. Toyway is known for its wide range of dinosaurs, including the Natural History Museum licensed range, the Toyway Science range, a pocket money toys range and more. Pocketbond has been busy re-establishing supply lines with Far East suppliers and most gaps in stock have now been filled. New supplies of Academy Model kits and Road Signature die-cast have been available since September 2009. Pocketbond is an importer of a wide range of model and hobby products and the firm will be celebrating its 25th anniversary of trading in 2010.
FEBRUARY 2010
H22
198
SHOW GUIDE
BIGJIGS
TOY FAIR 2010 H39
Bigjigs offers a range of wooden toys to the educational and retail trade, which are suitable for children from three months to eight years-old. Bigjigs Rail features highly amongst the list of best-selling items. Designed in Britain and made to high ethical standards, the range of railside accessories is competitively-priced and fully compatible with other brands in the marketplace. The range offers retailers a complete line of train sets from 20piece to 130-piece boxed sets, play tables, track spares and track-side accessories. Point of sale display stands are also available for committed retailers. New accessories including additional bridges and further track extension packs will be launched at Toy Fair, in London. The acquisition, in May 2009, of Joy Toys of Malvern has added a new dimension to the Bigjigs product range. A classic dolls house – Rose Cottage – a Farm, a castle and a garage were well received in their new eye-catching packaging in the run up to Christmas. Further Joy Toys designed products will be added to the range and will be available in early 2010.
LE TOY VAN Red Racer is another addition to the extensive range of Budkins play-sets. The racing car set is also available in blue and each comes with a chequered flag and the new Budkin, Louis the Racing Driver (also available separately). Budkins, a bendy range of poseable wooden characters, are going to be joined by many new friends in 2010 along with a wooden farm animals set. Following a successful launch in 2009, the huge selection of over 80 characters is proving to be highly collectable and the ideal complement to Le Toy Van’s painted wooden play-sets. The range of characters includes everyday life, pirates, fairytale, knights, fantasy and historical amongst many others. Various merchandising options are available. Other new Budkins play-sets include a princess tower, police van, a convertible car, a majestic castle and a tractor and trailer set. The range is also fully supported by the new website at www.budkins.com. The Le Toy Van doll’s house range will see some new accessory sets; including a nursery set complete with a baby; a pet set, which comes with a dog and a cat; and a trendy dress-me-up doll complete with wardrobe and outfits. Honeybake continues to grow in popularity and sees the addition of an exquisite birthday cake, sumptuous ice creams and a tea set. Other new additions to the range include a shape sorting Noah’s Ark, new car sets and some redesigned castles.
FEBRUARY 2010
E10
BLAST LAB. Copyright: September Films (a DCD Media company), Hamster’s Wheel Productions and Ingenious Broadcasting.
© 2010 AIRFIX. AIRFIX is a registered Trademark of Hornby Hobbies Ltd and is used by their kind permission. www.haynes.co.uk © Haynes Publishing 2010. All rights reserved.
© 2010 National Geographic Society. NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC and Yellow Border Design are trademarks of the National Geographic Society. All rights reserved.
A world of adventure & fun! Tel: +44 (0) 1235 838600 email: info@trendsuk.co.uk www.trendsuk.co.uk
Trends UK Ltd, Harwell Innovation Centre, 173 Curie Avenue, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, Oxon OX11 0QG
200
SHOW GUIDE
LEARNING RESOURCES
There are 90 new additions to Learning Resources’ range of educational toys for 2010. The Design and Drill Power Tool Workshop is an addition to the Design and Drill Activity Centre and combines construction with creativity. Children can develop colourful patterns once they get to grips with the 100 regular bolts, 20 Fun Bolts, wrench and hand screwdriver. The kit also includes an electronic drill and screwdriver allowing two children to play at once. The new Smart Snacks Gingerbread House Sorter is a culinary variation on shape sorting, the house encourages
FEBRUARY 2010
TOY FAIR 2010 F20
children to match the six chunky shapes to their corresponding holes. Once children get all the right shape/hole combinations, the shapes can be emptied out of the gingerbread house door. With Laundry Jumble, children must help the animals to get dressed by matching the picture cards to the different articles of clothing inside the dryer. The game engages 3D gameplay whilst encouraging tactile exploration, fine motor skills and counting. Whoever collects the most cards wins, but watch out for the skunk’s undies, pick these up and you’ll miss a turn.
CORINTHIAN
Corinthian will be officially unveiling Ocean In My Pocket, the latest figure collection to join the popular In My Pocket family. A series of over 75 miniature sea-themed animals, from dolphins and whales to sharks and seals, will be launched as confectionery and blister packs. A Turtle Island Hut with an exclusive Mum and Babies family completes the spring line-up. A fifth series of Puppy In My Pocket is due to arrive at Easter. Following the success of the Pocketville Fashion School play-set launch last autumn, girls will have the opportunity to add more Fashion Puppies to their collections as all new blister packs will include outfits. Continuing the fashion theme, two new boutique play-sets are being introduced which come complete with
B149
one exclusive Puppy and six designer or High Street fashions and retail for £9.99 each. Jungle In My Pocket is also being refreshed for 2010 to include a selection of snow animals under a subbrand of Winter Friends. A highlight of the new range is the furry Mum and Babies pack collection, which includes a penguin, reindeer, polar bear and snow leopard families for £5.99 each. Pony fans will also see a new offering of collectables, as a second series of figures will be available from March. Other highlights in Corinthian’s portfolio to look out for include Ben 10 Alien Force Marbz, new Disney Princess figures in the Disney MicroWorld collection and MicroStars as everyone starts counting down to this summer’s World Cup.
S
r E nerg
NEW!! Ad ora
ble
ns, g i s De
NEY S I D tion o SIVE U L f little SO C X E LAR FRIENDS with who RGY E MOVE N E LAR AND DANC E thanks to the SO
Colle c
10 MODELS them a ll!
C
se + Figur
20 SEC
1 1. Plug the figure into the BASE for 20 seconds.
2
3
2. Remove it and press the button.
3. Watch them go!
ON SHELVES IMC Toys UK LTD 2 Bramleys Barn, The Menagerie, Escrick YO19 6ET, York (United Kingdom) T. +44 1904 720 908, F. +44 1904 720 907
© Disney
TH EF
e
Ba
rge‘n’Go a h OPERATION !
CHARGE
RES
Each figure has a unique movement!
TO ED ED E N
U IG
BA SE
e ct Coll
y
o la
www.toynews-online.biz
LITTLE STAR CREATIONS
SHOW GUIDE
TOY FAIR 2010 203 D16
Little Star Creations will be exhibiting for the first time at Toy Fair 2010. The firm will have a new range of products on show, including licensed character headphones designed specifically for young children. Since its launch less than a year ago, key licences including Peppa Pig, Groovy Chick, Dora the Explorer, Little Princess, Mr Men, and most recently, Ben 10 have been signed up. Other products in the new range include children’s magnetic height charts, complete with soft eye foam, magnetic pieces and a sticker sheet to record dates and use as growth markers. Licences signed for the height charts include CBeebies’ Big and Small, Nick Jr’s Dora the Explorer, Little Princess, Peppa Pig and more. The firm will also be launching a new range of Waybuloo creativity packs at Toy Fair this year and will be showcasing a brand new floor display unit for the launch. The newly launched Waybuloo creativity packs will include stickers and other cut out and pop-out activities designed to appeal to the show’s many preschool fans.
RAINBOW DESIGNS
G60/H61
The My First Paddington range from Rainbow Designs has a number of new additions for 2010. The 123...abc...fun to learn with Paddington wooden toys make their debut at this year’s Toy Fair and include Picture Blocks, Word Activity, Peg Puzzle and Dominoes. Every toy is brightly coloured, features illustrations of Paddington Bear and is presented in eye-catching packaging. Retailers can create the complete My First Paddington story within their stores with the soft and cuddly character toys in addition to the Stacking Blocks and a range of Paddington Bear Activity Books. Visitors to Toy Fair will also be able to see the new creative and colourful Very Hungry Caterpillar wooden toy arrivals and the new Once Upon A Time Beatrix Potter nursery toy collection,ßß in addition to new products in the Miffy Little Star range.
FEBRUARY 2010
204
SHOW GUIDE
TOY FAIR 2010
WILD AND WOLF
G30
Wild and Wolf is well known in the gift industry, and the firm’s managing director Jon Cameron believes it’s time to show its ranges to the toy industry. He says: “We are increasingly carrying lines that have terrific appeal to children that also offer unique opportunities to toy retailers. “The retailers who have traded with us through the gift shows are doing so well with our lines, it makes sense for us to be there. “Children love the licences we work with including Charlie and Lola and the year’s big hit The Gruffalo.” Products in The Gruffalo range include snap cards, indoor croquet, colouring pencils and lunch boxes. Also the company’s latest retro range of traditional toys, Ridley’s House of Novelties, has a retro appeal, which stands out alongside more modern toy lines. The range includes a harmonica, yo-yo, magic tricks and table tennis. Traditional packaging and competitive pricing have contributed to its success since launch last Christmas and has led to more lines being planned for 2010. Another brand in the company’s collection is the Ladybird Archive Collection. The Ladybird range of children’s activity kits will evoke memories amongst adults, yet inspire children with its range of crafts and activities. The kits feature classic imagery from the Ladybird archive.
SPLASHWORKZ Splashworkz is a children’s construction toy for bath time. A combination of hands-on fun and water, the Splashworkz basic kit comprises a selection of brightly coloured plastic pipes attached to a hand pump, which pushes water through to accessories such as spray roses and waterwheels. Suckers attach the pipes to the side of the bath and the product is sold in a mesh bag, which can be stuck onto a tiled splashback for convenient storage. While initially designed as a bath toy, Splashworkz can also be used as an educational tool in a preschool water tray. This broad-ranging appeal expands the company’s market share exponentially and the product is infinitely adaptable as the range of accessories grows. Splashworkz is a new company and will be launching its initial range of pipes and pumps at Toy Fair. The idea for Splashworkz came from a Cornish holiday where the founder’s hosts had laid on a collection of old down pipes and plastic guttering for their own children to play with in a stream. The toys are suitable for ages three and over.
FEBRUARY 2010
GH12
SHOW GUIDE
www.toynews-online.biz
REBEL TOYS
TOY FAIR 2010
207
GH16
Rebel Toys will be showing a host of new Maisto die-cast and radio control ranges at Toy Fair. The Maisto-TECH brand of radio control has three major new product releases for Toy Fair. The Monster Drift is a 1:24 scale R/C car fitted with hard PVC tyres, which allows the car to drift around corners and bends. Also new is the Blade Rover buggy with helicopter combination, and lastly the eagerly awaited R/C motorcycle collection, which includes a Ducati 1098s and Harley Davidson. The Off-Road collection will be extended to include a Land Rover Defender, Dune Blaster and Rock Crawler in 1:16 scale. Plus an Audi R8 V10 will be available in both 1:10 and 1:24 R/C scales. The die-cast collections also have many new subjects for 2010. The traditional 1:18 and 1:24 model car collections will see the introduction of the Merc-Benz SL65 AMG Convertible, Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4, Datsun 240Z 1970, Nissan 370Z and a Ford Model A 1929. The 1:24 die-cast model kits collections also have a host of new subject releases including the Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 and Mercedes-Benz CL63 AMG.
PLENTYPLAY Plentyplay is a unique construction system, which aims to provide learning through play. The foundation of 3L PlentyPlay is based on supporting meaningful play through unlimited playing possibilities, development of motor and creative skills and the opportunity for children to create and realise.
H49 All products conform to current toy safety standards, and in every possible way patent, design and trademark protections are in force. The building blocks are moulded in ABS plastic that gives strength and ensures durability for many years of play. All other construction elements including the connectors, rotation
connectors, buttons and tongs, are moulded in polycarbonate (PC) which is very tough and almost unbreakable. PlentyPlay is manufactured in Denmark and produced by 3L PlentyPlay which is a member of and owned by 3L-Ludvigsen, a group which was established in 1969 and consists of several companies.
The products are split into three main categories including Construction, which features Urban Troop and Buildbox Decostyle, comprised of Farm and Safari and Education, which incorporates Build black and white, Build red and blue, Build XL and Challenge.
FEBRUARY 2010
208
SHOW GUIDE
KRIYA
Exhibiting for the first time at the Toy Fair, Kriya will be displaying all of its three ranges: Ford and Volvo officially licensed plastic model cars, Mighty World and Recycled Plastic toys range.
FEBRUARY 2010
TOY FAIR 2010 GH23
Following on from the Recycled Plastic range, Kriya will launch new items at Toy Fair. The firm will also be carrying value items which it hopes will meet buyers’ margin expectations.
DICE MAESTRO
Following the success of Jurassic Wars, the dinosaur combat game released in the second half of 2009, Dice Maestro has announced the first expansion pack. Jurassic Wars – Raptor Attack features a new deck of dinosaurs focusing on the possible pack hunting of raptors. The expansion pack requires the base game but has a different play mechanism, more dinocards and new combat cards. Jurassic Wars combines an easy-tolearn and extensible game system with the perennial appeal of dinosaurs. Antony Brown, director of Dice Maestro, comments: “Jurassic Wars is more than just a game, it’s more like a game system. We believe the game has
GH47
the potential to become a strong brand in the toy and game market.” The computer-generated images used in Jurassic Wars have attracted much attention due to their realism. The raptors, for example, are shown covered in downy feathers. Mike Walley of specialist website www.everythingdinosaur.com, comments: “These illustrations reflect current scientific thinking that many smaller, active dinosaurs were warm-blooded and covered with insulating feathers.” Jurassic Wars, which won Game Of The Year in the recent Toy Talk awards, is being previewed at the show and is scheduled for release later this year.
www.toynews-online.biz
WIND DESIGNS
SHOW GUIDE
TOY FAIR 2010
211
H102
Wind Designs supplies a wide range of juggling equipment, children’s and sports kites, unicycles and yo-yos, along with wind and flying toys to encourage creative play. The firm has acquired sole distribution rights for many of the top selling active toys on the market, namely Funtrix Juggling sets and Zing Air flying toys. The latest range of products from Zing Air includes the Zartz soft flying dart set, the Helirang indoor helicopter boomerang and the Zyclone blaster. From Funtrix there is a new Juggling set and new Yo-yo set both including DVDs with loads of tricks. Also available from some of the key licences for 2010 is a range of Ben 10 Alien Force and Toy Story flying toys, which are sure to be in demand with Toy Story 3 hitting the big screen in the summer. Wind Designs supplies a wide range of yo-yos. The brand’s new models for 2010 include Yo2, Power Yo and Henry’s. Meanwhile, children’s and sports kites continue to prove popular and Wind Designs offers a wide range from small low budget key ring size, to larger sports kites with a two metre wing span.
EDUGAMES
GH40
Brit Quiz is a new educational quiz game, which has been developed specifically for the UK market. Brit Quiz is an educational family game designed for ages eight and over and from two to many players. Presented in a white box emblazoned with the Union Jack, the game consists of 400 cards with four questions and answers on each, aimed at four different age/ability levels. The questions are all educational, not trivia, and have been thoroughly examined and tested by a group of professional researchers. The first question on each card is aimed at an eight year-old getting about 50 per cent correct, the second question is aimed at 12 year-olds, the third question is an easier adult question, and the fourth question is a more difficult adult question. Each of the questions also has interesting information included. Brit Quiz is based on the Kiwi Quiz game developed for New Zealand in 2006. The first batch of games has been printed and is now ready for distribution. Brit Quiz is available directly to retail stores, as well as to catalogue companies, distributors, retail chains, schools and other outlets.
FEBRUARY 2010
212
SHOW GUIDE
EUROTECH
TOY FAIR 2010 GH2
EuroTech Distribution has launched a new range of Disney licensed PC peripherals into the UK. The products feature a variety of characters, including Mickey Mouse and Winnie the Pooh, plus Hannah Montana and High School Musical. Each range typically includes a mouse, mouse mat, headphones, PC speakers, webcam, keyboard, laptop skin and laptop sleeve. The products have been designed to reflect each character, and the world they inhabit, resulting in a range of colourful and appealing accessories for the PC. Simon Leech, EuroTech’s managing director, says: “After their success in Europe we’re delighted to bring the Disney range of computer accessories to the UK. The Disney characters are instantly recognisable and loved by children and adults. “The growing popularity of social networking, internet and gaming mean that children of all ages have access to computers everyday and these peripherals are a great way to brighten up that space. The products are affordable, simple to use and make ideal gifts for anyone who has a PC.”
FARAWAY MAGIC Faraway Magic is the distributor of magical products for children and those young at heart. Bath Sprudels are small balls that fizz in water, releasing a fragrance as they colour the water. Hidden inside the Sprudel is a Bath Bean. Magical Bath Beans dissolve in warm water to reveal a range of sponge characters. Magic Socks and Magic Towels are both compressed into small packages. When placed in water the Magic Socks grow into a pair of fluffy one-size-fits-all socks, while the Magic Towels expand into a 100 per cent cotton, full-sized face cloth. All products in the range are ideal as gifts, for party bags and as stocking fillers.
FEBRUARY 2010
GH19
214
SHOW GUIDE
JOHN CRANE
The emergency services are the theme for the new John Crane collections, as Pintoy introduces a Police Series and all-new Fire Series. Launching in 2010, the Police Series includes a Police Station, a host of officers and a Police Car. The Police Headquarters, in blue and black, has a large front window offering views of the information desk and waiting area, whilst to the right there is a jail with bars on the windows and a large sliding door to keep criminals at bay. A locker room with lockers, coats, safety gear and certificates is designed into the walls of the station.
FEBRUARY 2010
TOY FAIR 2010 E20
The wooden Police Car will facilitate a fast game of cops ‘n’ robbers, with the team of four Police Officers on hand to catch the baddies. The Sergeant looks the part in a crisp white shirt, whilst his officers sport the standard blue garb, with one wearing a bullet proof vest. Alternatively there is a new Fire Series. The original Pintoy Fire Series has long been a favourite, so 2010 sees a new fire collection. The range offers the Fire Headquarters, a red Fire Engine and three Fire Fighters which are equipped with the accessories to help in any emergency.
SEAGER GAMES
SG Games (Seager Games) is a producer and distributor of board and table games. The firm is introducing a new concept in modern number and word games called Fiendish Numbers and Fiendish Letters. The fast moving games are educational, competitive and compact. The games offer players of all ages and ability a wide variety of levels and have been thoroughly tested by children,
H85
teenagers and adults from 20 years-old and over, including three members of Mensa with IQs of 142, 147 and 155. The games are produced in Great Britain and offer value-for-money to customers and healthy profit margins to retailers. The trade price discount starts at 40 per cent, even on the most modest orders, and all orders above £150 are carriage paid.