ToyNews Issue 97 September 2009

Issue 97

The toy industry’s highest circulation trade title Exclusive media partner

INSIDE…

BRAND LICENSING EUROPE Full preview of Olympia’s big 2009 licensing industry showcase

STATION TO STATION Who’s spending what and where, in our TV-advertising feature

BROWN’S PURPLE PATCH Flair’s boss talks about the firm’s recent run of good form

ALL CHANGE FOR TOMY European head Robert Mann, outlines its restructuring plan

September 2009

Contents REGULARS

Ronnie Dungan Editor Ronnie.Dungan@intentmedia.co.uk

Samantha Loveday Licensing Editor

4

News

6

Appointments

8

Exclusive NPD analysis

Katie Roberts Staff Writer

10

TV ad spend data

katie.roberts@intentmedia.co.uk

12

TV ratings

15

Campaign of the month

Samantha.loveday@intentmedia.co.uk

LIVING THE DREAM

John Barratt Advertising Manager John.Barratt@intentmedia.co.uk

LICENSING 18

News

21

Brand Licensing Preview

29

PPC’s year of progress

Dan Bennett Design Dan.Bennett@intentmedia.co.uk

Jon Salisbury Editorial Consultant jon@wotkidzwant.com

FEATURES 30

Flair’s purple patch

33

Tomy restructures

34

Xanadu’s name game

36

Energizer’s power ranges

39

Christmas TV plans

49

Children’s bikes

59

Games and Puzzles

Lisa Foster Managing Editor Lisa.Foster@intentmedia.co.uk

Stuart Dinsey Publisher Stuart.Dinsey@intentmedia.co.uk

Editorial: 01992 535646 Advertising: 01992 535647

RETAIL 74

Retail Opinion

76

Counter Insurgent

76

Price Check

77

Retail Charts

78

New Products

79

Hero Product

COMMENT

Intent Media is a member of the Periodical Publishers Associations

AUDITED CIRCULATION: Average Net Circulation: 6,011 July 1st 2008 to June 30th 2009. www.toynewsmag.com ■ ToyNews has 100% named circulation and 0% duplication.

THERE’S A LOT of talk at the moment about indie toy retailers grasping opportunities.

The thinking is that the indies, having been handed a lifeline through the disappearance of their old foe Woolworths are, through lethargy, lack of foresight or whatever, going to be unable to retain the business that has come their way over the last six months.

A lot of which perhaps does them a disservice.

But it’s a valid concern, nonetheless, because the industry badly wants them to succeed. And, of course, they do too.

In our retail column this month, TRA head Gary Grant talks about the need for retailers to use the publicity generated by the Dream Toys event, next month. Suppliers too.

It highlights the need for the industry to maximise the uplift from events like Dream Toys.

So there was talk of initiatives to encourage suppliers to put in that extra effort with their stands and presentation, with endorsements from us. I’m not sure they need any trade mag, even ours, to give them marks out of ten.

But it does highlight the need for the industry as whole to unify and maximise the uplift from showcase events like Dream Toys. It’s not easy to turn press and TV coverage into pounds and pence, but with planning and preparation it can be done. So think about Dream Toys and think about how it can help your business.

Ronnie Dungan ronnie.dungan@intentmedia.co.uk

4

NEWS

Bullish Hasbro claims UK leadership Success of key summer ranges sees firm top market share chart ● Games and Transformers lead the charge

by Ronnie Dungan WITH TRANSFORMERS riding high and its game range performing strongly, a bullish Hasbro has highlighted its position as the number one UK toy manufacturer, according to NPD figures.

On the back of the movie sequel’s summer success, the Transformers range sold £2.6 million at retail in July giving it a 33 per cent share of the action figures sector.

However, the firm’s current dominant market share is also driven by its games range, which is up 50 per cent in July with a 33.5 per cent share. Within this, Monopoly sales are up 45 per cent, Guess Who? up 257 per cent, Connect 4 up 337 per cent, Operation 193 per cent and Cluedo up 109 per cent.

Littlest Pet Shop is also up 28 per cent in July and Nerf up 100 per cent. Despite the rises, however, with the total market down 13 per cent, Hasbro sales are down 19 per cent so far as a year on year comparison, although July sales are up 28 per cent on the same month in 2008 and up 36 per cent in terms of units.

Hasbro’s UK managing director, Jonathan Evans, commented: “2009 was always going to be a challenging

Jumbo backs Peppa line

EVANS: Significant growth across core brands

JUMBO IS putting some weight behind its Peppa Pig Tumble and Spin line with a number of different marketing executions and promotions.

Having launched the game in March, Tumble and Spin the firm has now kicked off a marketing campaign aimed at encouraging children to interact with the game online.

year - the first half of 2008 was enormously successful for us making comparisons tough enough; but coupled with the recession and the

We are confident that we will comfortably outperform the market.

Jonathan Evans, Hasbro loss of Woolworths we have had to make sure we have the best possible plans in place.

“This is now coming to fruition and the most pleasing aspect of it is that we are seeing significant growth across our core brands and focus lines such as Nerf, the games range, Playskool and Littlest Pet Shop, as well as from the entertainment provided by Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen and GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra ranges.

“We have plenty more to come in the main season and we are confident that we will comfortably outperform the market and achieve significant share growth in 2009.”

Hasbro: 0208 569 1234

Mixed results for construction giants LEGO AND Mega Brands showed contrasting fortunes in their recent financial results.

Confident six month figures from Lego showed sales up by 23 per cent, with profits also heading in a upward direction.

The firm has seen sales leap by 23 per cent for the first six months of year, with profit before tax hitting DKK 927m (£107m).

This figure is compared with DKK 564m (£65.8m) for the same period last year.

Net sales for the first half of the year stood at DKK 4.3bn (£496.3m), compared with DKK 3.5bn (£403.9m) in 2008.

Classic product lines such as Lego City and Lego Star Wars were the

SEPTEMBER 2009

best sellers, but the firm reported improvements across nearly all product ranges. For example, new play theme Lego Power Miners got off to a strong start, with sales well ahead of expectations.

By contrast, Mega Brands reported losses of $13.3m for the quarter ended June 30th. The losses were compared to that of $3.6m in the same quarter last year.

In line with the firm’s expectations, sales in the period decreased 34 per cent to $70.1m, compared with $106.4m year-on-year.

The drop reflects lower sales in both product lines.

Toy sales declined to $32.1m compared to $50.4m in the same period in 2008.

The firm has attributed the majority of the decline to lower shipments in the boys five-plus and magnetic construction categories.

Stationery and activities lines also declined to $38m compared to $56m in 2008. North American sales fell to $53.3m compared to $69.7m in Q2 2008. International sales declined to $16.8m compared to $36.7m year-on-year.

Jumbo worked with Prism Entertainment to develop a microsite for the game, www.peppapig.com/tumbleandspin, where Peppa Pig fans can play the game, learn the rules and enter a competition. The site is linked to various online retailers for a direct point of purchase. It was hosted on the Peppa Pig website and had a prime position on the home page and game section.

In the first two weeks of the game being live it was played by over 20,000 unique visitors. It also featured on Facebook where there is a Peppa Pig group with over 20,000 subscribers. More than 80,000 Peppa Pig registered users received news of the product launch at retail.

Using the content generated from the microsite, an online PR campaign was launched and the game has now been reviewed, previewed and product awareness was gained on various different parenting sites including iVillage, Activity Village, eParenting, Female First, Askamum and many others.

Full page editorial competitons in leading pre-school magazines including Peppa Pig Magazine and Fun to Learn Friends built the awareness of the game with its target audience.

“Redan Publishing has been a great supporter of Peppa Pig Tumble and Spin Game and has created some fantastic competitions through editorial content building awareness of the Jumbo Games product,” said Kirstie Oliver, marketing manager at Jumbo Games.

Jumbo: 01707 260436

NEWS

www.toynewsmag.com

HMV looks to toys to plug product gap

5

Keynote toy report out

Entertainment giant increasing toy range to offset flat sales of DVDs and CDs

by Ronnie Dungan HMV HOPES to have toys in every store as it looks to take up the slack in the music and film markets.

The entertainment retailer has joined the queue to mop up market share left by the defunct Woolworths and has switched from its seasonal Christmas toy ramp-up to a longer term plan as a toy stockist.

“We have an offer all year round that usually links into licensed product launches tied in with music, film and games franchises, but at Christmas and other key seasonal times during the year we do ramp this offer up. However, we are committed to a long-term approach and we see this area becoming more important to the business over time,” said Maxine Lister, HMV merchandise manager.

The firm has had success with licensed products such as Ben 10, Rubik’s, board games like Monopoly.

This year it will also have Twilight

Can toys take up the slack from DVD and CD sales?

and New Moon board games, as well as looking for exclusives or addedvalue activity.

“HMV has been involved in toys and games for a while now,” added Lister, “usually involving key entertainment franchises such as Star Wars, Simpsons etc. It’s fair to say it’s

been growing steadily, but we’re looking to ramp this up now, and a more concerted effort is being made to mould this offer.

“The market continues to show steady growth, and this is at a time when our other natural markets such as recorded music and films have, at best, levelled off. So it presents a good opportunity to diversify a little and to extend our product mix.

“Also, with the sad demise of Woolies, the market has fragmented, and we feel there is an opportunity to connect with their former customers, although we recognise this is something HMV has to earn. We see our strength being with the link to licensed products that fit with the HMV offer and opening up some new markets to our consumers. This is a long term ambition for the group which will evolve over time.”

HMV: 01628 818 300

£205m games market feels ‘Wii effect’ THE SUCCESS of Nintendo Wii and games aimed to involve a wide variety of ages and abilities have eaten away the core game market in the last year according to NPD figures.

The video games category has grown 33 per cent, while games have declined 19 per cent. However, the board games market was still worth £205 million in 2008 (source: NPD Consumer Panel) and rated the third largest toy category accounting for over seven per cent of all value spent on toys. With 54 per cent of all games purchased for consumers aged ten or older, the category also has wider appeal than other toy categories and needs to satisfy the changing demands of today’s game players.

For the year so far the games market is still registering a decline (source: NPD EPoS Retail Tracking Service), but travel games is showing a 20 per cent growth driven by travel variations of old favourite like Travel Operation and Travel Guess Who. Despite licences being down in the total games market some key performers, such as High School Musical, Peppa Pig, and In the Night Garden continue to boost Card, and Pre-school Games.

“Across the games category the top selling items are traditional or new variations on the old,” said an NPD spokeperson. “For example the top selling item is still Original Scrabble, with Monopoly, number three and Rubiks Cube at number four.

A NEW report on the toy market is available from Key Note and at a reduced rate to ToyNews readers.

The 23rd edition of Key Note’s Toys & Games Market Report is out now. The report is usually priced at £460, however ToyNews readers will be able to obtain a 20 per cent discount on the report, making it available for £368.

The report examines the UK markets for traditional toys and games. The products are primarily targeted at the under 14s, however, there is also some overlap with the adult market where soft toys and games, for example, are designed for or bought for adults. While the products examined in the report may have some electronic content, they exclude video, PC and console systems and games.

Market sectors include: boys action figures; activity toys, building and construction sets, and arts and craft sets; dolls; electronic toys, including electronic learning aids; games/puzzles; infant/preschool; outdoor and sports; plush; vehicles and others.

For more information contact Lisa Ivey at Keynote, livey@keynote.co.uk

Video games is now social gaming too

Most of the new innovation in games recently has been new variations on old games with the Monopoly Here and Bow World Election edition at number two.

Connect 4, Cluedo and Operation reinventions all in the top 20 sellers.

There has been little true innovation outside licensed games in the last year and hopes are high for the new Lego games, hotly tipped to be a big seller this Christmas.”

NPD: 01932 355580

ALL THE LATEST NEWS & VIEWS DIRECT TO YOUR MOBILE PHONE WHEREVER YOU ARE

mobile.toynewsmag.co.uk

BOOKMARK US TODAY SEPTEMBER 2009

6

APPOINTMENTS

INDUSTRY MOVES New sales exec for ToyNews, Smoby sets up a new UK office and Green Board Games increases its ‘Green Team’...

FROM LEFT: John Barratt, Nicky Winterbourne and KJ Istock

John Barratt has joined Intent Media as advertising manager on ToyNews and Licensing.biz.

Barratt has replaced Adrian Miles, who has decided to work abroad for a year, and comes with six years' media sales experience at the Trader Media group working across a number of print and online titles.

All day-to-day advertising enquiries on ToyNews and Licensing.biz are now being handled

by Barratt.

ToyNews editor, Ronnie Dungan, commented: "It's great to have John on board with his experience in this kind of sales environment, and I'm sure it will be a major asset to both titles going forward."

Green Board Games has appointed Nicky Winterbourne to its ‘Green Team’, to support the independent retail trade.

Winterbourne brings with her a wealth of experience, including 30 years with John Adams.

All advertising and marketing queries have now been taken over by Sarah Winter, who is also in charge of all sales.

Finally, Carol Bradshaw is now responsible for all production.

Having recently closed down its UK operation, Smoby is returning with a new office in Bradford.

The new office will control the sales and distribution of all Smoby and Simba Dickie merchandise throughout the UK. The office and warehouse will be based in Bradford and will be headed up by Tony Belford, who has been associated with Simba Dickie for many years during their growth in the UK. Belford commented: "I am looking forward to expanding the Simba, Dickie and the Smoby business further and establishing it as a major brand within the UK." The company will be known as Simba Smoby Toys UK. The trading director of Shop Direct, parent company of Woolworths Online, has left the firm – sparking speculation that the business is in trouble. David Inglis left after successfully heading up the relaunch of the Woolworths brand online in June.

KJ Istok will take up the permanent post of CEO at Kidz Entertainment, which he had already been filling during Anna Lisa McBride’s recent leave.

A further change for the firm sees Slawek Eikert appointed as the new country manager for Poland, adding to an ever-expanding team as the company continues to grow in key territories – particularly Eastern Europe and Russia.

In Russia, the firm’s co-owner and director of entertainment, Claus Tømming, is in charge of an effort to introduce licensing to what is a notoriously difficult market.

International television executive Stephen Davis has been named president of Hasbro Studios.

Davis will begin work with the firm in September, leading a team of internal and external creative talent in a wide-range of genres, including animated, live-action and game show programming, as well as the content designed for digital and mobile extensions.

Hasbro has hired the prominent international production and

distribution television executive to head up its newly-formed, Los Angeles-based Hasbro Studios.

The virtual studio will produce shows based on the firm’s brands, deliver new branded content and produce programs from third party content creators.

Lego has put its PR account out to pitch, as part of a strategy change for next year.

Norton & Co, which handles PR for Lego's individual products, will not be affected by the review which will see five agencies vying for the lead business.

The major PR account, currently held by The Red Consultancy, is believed to be worth about £175,000.

The winning agency will be in charge of brand strategy.

The Red Consultancy was brought in to promote Lego's educational ranges and products back in September 2008.

A source at Red said it would not be working with Lego in 2010, owing to 'a change in PR strategy for the brand'. However, Red will be retained

by Lego until the end of this year.

NEW

NEW

NEW

NEW

NEW

NEW

NEW

Products are not to scale. Peppa Pig - Astley Baker Davies/E1 Entertainment 2003. THE MR MEN SHOW™ DILLYDALE™ Copyright © 2009 THOIP (a Chorion company). All rights reserved.

Jumbo Games Limited, 2 Carters Row, Hatfield Park, Hatfield, AL9 5NB T: 01707 289289 E: uk.saleshotline@jumbo.eu W: www.jumbo.eu

08

NPD RESEARCH

Retail Sales Trends

Properties

Summertime specials UK RETAIL SALES rose 1.8 per cent in value on a like-for-like basis in July 2009 and up 2.6 per cent on a total basis according to the British Retail Consortium.

This was compared to July last year where changeable weather had affected sales. Sales slowed for clothing and food, while homewares and furniture sales benefited from the wet weather and clearance discounts as people turned their focus to indoor decoration.

Within the toy market, arts and crafts grew four per cent when the school holidays started and parents were looking for ways of keeping their children amused. One of the major drivers within arts and crafts is reusable compounds with both Spin Masters’ Moonsand and Flair’s Plasticine seeing strong growth.

However, Crayola still dominated the category with nearly £1 in every £10 spent on the brand.

Other categories that grew were building sets and all other toys.

Lego’s dominance of building sets continued, owning nine of the top ten properties in July – only Mega Brands Mega Bloks Maxi at number nine stoppped it having a clean sweep. Within all other toys, GoGo’s Crazy Bones was the top property despite the low average price of £1.09.

Dolls had a stronger month as well, with Disney Princess growing 41 per cent and both In My Pocket and Slyvanian Families growing.

The top-selling item for July was the Zapf Chou Chou Mummy Make Me Better Doll. However, Barbie was

still the top property across the category with Barbie Petites making a strong impact on the market. The Petites assortment was the top selling Barbie item and the range is now sixth in the play-set themed doll category.

Transformers was the top property across toys for the month, as the film release in late June continued to encourage toy purchase, with twelve out of the top twenty bestselling new items in July all from the Transformers range.

Little Tikes has made a big impact on the market, securing third biggest property in July as well

Sales

Average price

UK toy sales (value, year to date)

July 2008

July 2009

Source: NPD

SEPTEMBER 2009

-12%

Top 5 properties July 2009 1. TRANSFORMERS 2. BEN 10 3. LITTLE TIKES 4. THOMAS AND FRIENDS 5. STAR WARS

Best property progression Transformers was the top property across toys for the month, as the film release in late June continued to encourage toy purchase, with twelve out of the top twenty best selling new items in July all from the Transformers range.

July 08: £5.49

as the top-selling item with Little Tikes Cozy Coupe 30th Anniversary item. Another property making an impact is Timmy Time, which has leapt up the rankings in the last month with the success of the Timmy Time Jigsaws – now the top item in puzzles for July.

With the summer coming to an end and a raft of major toy releases in August, the Back to School season sales will prove to be a good indicator of how the market will perform for the vital Christmas period, where traditionally 50 per cent of total toy sales occur in the last three months.

July 09: £5.74

July 2009

Harry Potter Since the latest movie launch, the famous wizard has leapt from its 199th position to a respectable 60th place...

Also racing up the charts is the pre-school Timmy Time range which has rise from number 280 to number 75...

Best Item Progression July 2009

Fisher-Price Rainforest Melodies and Lights Gym (Mattel) The baby gym has moved up from number 518 to an impressive number 25…

NPD RESEARCH

www.toynewsmag.com

Retail Sales Trends UK JULY 2009 (£ SALES - VALUE)

UK JULY 2009 (UNIT SALES - VOLUME)

1

LITTLE TIKES COZY COUPE 30TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION

MGA

1

HOT WHEELS BASIC CAR ASSORTMENT

2

TRANSFORMERS MOVIE DELUXE FIGURES

HASBRO

2

TRANSFORMERS ROBOT HEROES

3

TRANSFORMERS MOVIE LEGENDS ASSORTMENT

HASBRO

3

GOGO’S CRAZY BONES EVOLUTION BOOSTER

4

FIRST STEPS BABYWALKER

VTECH

4

TRANSFORMERS MOVIE LEGENDS ASSORTMENT

5

KIDIZOOM CAMERA

6

HOT WHEELS BASIC CAR ASSORTMENT

7

SMART TRIKE PLUS GIRLS

8

BEN 10 ALIEN FORCE 10CM FIGURES

9

BAKUGAN STARTER PACK

10

BEN 10 ALIEN FORCE 15CM DNA FIGURES

VTECH

5

GOGO’S CRAZY BONES III EXPLORER PACK

MATTEL

6

CARS VEHICLE ASSORTMENT

MOOKIE TOYS

7

PLASTICINE 8 PACK

BANDAI

8

BEN 10 ALIEN FORCE 10CM FIGURES

SPIN MASTER

9

TRANSFORMERS MOVIE DELUXE FIGURES

10

BAKUGAN BOOSTER PACK

BANDAI

UK YEAR TO DATE (£ SALES - VALUE) 1

BEN 10 ALIEN FORCE 10CM FIGURES

2

KIDIZOOM CAMERA

3

BEN 10 ULTIMATE OMNITRIX

4

BAKUGAN STARTER PACK

5 6

MATTEL HASBRO MAGIC BOX HASBRO MAGIC BOX MATTEL FLAIR BANDAI HASBRO SPIN MASTER

UK YEAR TO DATE (UNIT SALES - VOLUME) BANDAI

1

HOT WHEELS BASIC CAR ASSORTMENT

MATTEL

VTECH

2

CARS VEHICLE ASSORTMENT

MATTEL

BANDAI

3

BEN 10 ALIEN FORCE 10CM FIGURES

SPIN MASTER

4

GOGO’S CRAZY BONES III EXPLORER PACK

CARS VEHICLE ASSORTMENT

MATTEL

5

POWER RANGERS JUNGLE FURY FIGURES

BANDAI

SMART TRIKE PLUS GIRLS

MOOKIE

6

BEN 10 FIGURES 10CM ASSORTMENT

BANDAI

7

HOT WHEELS BASIC CAR ASSORTMENT

MATTEL

7

BAKUGAN BOOSTER PACK

8

POWER RANGERS JUNGLE FURY FIGURES

BANDAI

8

GOGO’S CRAZY BONES EVOLUTION BOOSTER

9

BEN 10 FIGURES 10CM ASSORTMENT

BANDAI

9

STAR WARS CLONE WARS BASIC FIGURES 3.75"

10

FIRST STEPS BABYWALKER

VTECH

10

GORMITI FIGURE FOILBAG ASSORTMENT

BANDAI MAGIC BOX

SPIN MASTER MAGIC BOX HASBRO FLAIR

NOTES: All participating NPD retail data suppliers provide weekly data via EPOS systems. NPD figures are not projected to represent non-participating retailers but provide 100 per cent of the sales from participating stores. EPoS sample includes the following retailers: Amazon, Argos, Asda, Boots, ELC, Firebox, Freemans, Grattan, Hamleys, HMV, Halfords Littlewoods, Mailorderexpress, Modelzone, Mothercare, M&S, Sainsbury’s, Shop Direct, Tesco, Toymaster, The Entertainer and WHSmith. The approximate coverage is of 60%

NPD Eurotoys is the Number 1 information provider for Market Research to the Toy Industry in Europe Contact: NPD Eurotoys UK, Rosemount House, Rosemount Avenue West Byfleet, Surrey, KT14 6LB. _ 01 932 355 580

09

10

ADVERTISING TRENDS

MARKETING SPEND ANALYSIS MONTHLY SECTOR SPEND MONTH SUB MARKETS

AUG-08 SPEND* (£)

SEPT-08 SPEND* (£)

OCT-08 SPEND* (£)

NOV-08 SPEND* (£)

DEC-08 SPEND* (£)

JAN-09 SPEND* (£)

COMPUTER/ELECTRONIC GAMES

£5,512,335

£7,461,904

£16,305,208

£25,846,939

£15,313,631

£2,123,967

TOYS & GAMES/PRESCHOOL/LEARNING AIDS

£84,748

£259,436

£1,533,457

£951,214

£177,872

£20,837

£5,597,083

£7,721,340

£17,838,665

£26,798,153

£15,491,503

£2,144,804

-8.10%

-31.82%

1.63%

13.60%

10.56%

0.71%

TOTAL (ALL) YEAR ON YEAR DIFF %

MONTHLY ADVERTISING SPEND (12M TO JULY ‘09)

COMPUTER GAMES/ELECTRONIC GAMES TOYS & GAMES/PS TOYS & LEARNING AIDS

SECTOR COMPUTER GAMES / ELECTRONIC GAMES TOYS & GAMES / PRE-SCHOOL / LEARNING AIDS TOTAL (ALL)

SHARE 98% 2% 100%

Hasbro is the fourth biggest advertiser in this month’s chart

ADVERTISING TRENDS

www.toynewsmag.com

11

Our monthly marketing analysis page looks at TV and press advertising spend. The information from Billetts (formerly Thomson Intermedia) accurately monitors actual discounted spend across the media, as opposed to quoted ratecard figures and offers comparisons with rival sectors as well…

*Discounted FEB-09 SPEND* (£)

MAR-09 SPEND* (£)

APR-09 SPEND*(£)

MAY-09 SPEND* (£)

JUN-09 SPEND* (£)

JUL-09 SPEND* (£)

TOTAL SPEND* (£)

£4,563,226

£5,731,756

£7,097,913

£5,743,467

£5,427,349

£4,204,488

£105,332,183

£77,672

£155,822

£293,971

£29,729

£7,795

£22,737

£3,615,289

£4,640,898

£5,887,578

£7,391,884

£5,773,196

£5,435,144

£4,227,225

£108,947,472

-12.94%

-20.02%

-22.66%

-24.98%

-27.76%

-35.91%

-8.26%

TOP 20 ADVERTISERS (JANUARY ‘09 TO JUNE ‘09) COMPANIES

PERCENTAGE OF ALL SPEND NINTENDO 24.5% ELECTRONIC ARTS 9.3% ACTIVISION 5.5% HASBRO 4.6% CAPCOM 4.1% UBISOFT 3.9% MATTEL 3.6% THQ 3.3% SONY COMPUTER ENT. 3.1% ROCKSTAR GAMES 2.4% FLAIR LEISURE PRODUCTS 2.3% SEGA 2.2% CHARACTER OPTIONS 2.1% VIVID IMAGINATIONS 1.6% BLIZZARD ENTERTAINMENT 1.6% LEGO GROUP 1.4% MICROSOFT 1.2% HARMONIX 1.2% BANDAI 1.2% WARNER BROS 1.0%

-

Lego’s advertising is up 17.2 per cent year-on-year

CHANGE (JAN ’09 - JUNE ‘09 VS JAN ‘08 - JUNE ‘08)

TOTAL (TOP 20) 80.1%% TOTAL (ALL) 100%

9.4% 128.2% -32.3% -40.1% 281.5% -32.9% -71.1% 9.2% 56.1% -60.3% -16.1% -54.6% -41.0% -50.7% 77.2% 17.2% 92.9% -32.3% -40.5% N/A -14.4% -23.2%

Billetts Media Monitoring is the fastest and most sophisticated advertising monitoring service in the UK that provides both spend data and latest creative treatments.

To find out how BMM could benefit your business visit: www.ebiquity.com/uk/bmm or email us at enquiries@billetts.com

12

AIRTIME STATISTICS

The ratings game The top-performing children’s TV shows on terrestrial and multi-channel....

SHOWS ACROSS ALL TIMES JULY 09

SHOWS ACROSS ALL TIMES YTD JULY 09

TIME

TITLE/DESCRIPTION

CHANNEL

OOOs

%

1

16:35

HORRIBLE HISTORIES

BBC1

215

14

2

16:34

MI HIGH

BBC1

152

3

08:50

BEN 10

GMTV

151

4

16:35

HORRIBLE HISTORIES

BBC2

141

5

16:34

SMART

BBC1

6

17:46

CHUGGINGTON

CBEEBIES

7

08:30

8 9

AIRINGS

TIME

TITLE/DESCRIPTION

CHANNEL

OOOs

% AIRINGS

GRANDPA IN MY POCKET

CBEEBIES

174

9.4

39

1

1

17:29

11

3

2

10:01

BASIL'S SWAP SHOP

CBBC

169

10.8

1

13

8

3

08:50

POWER RANGERS JUNGLE FURY

GMTV

166

13.2

64

12

1

4

08:34

SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS

GMTV

163

17.4

65

135

10

3

5

16:35

THE LEGEND OF DICK AND DOM

BBC1

160

10.2

13

134

8

23

6

08:03

BACK TO THE BARNYARD

GMTV

157

18.5

20

SHAGGY & SCOOBY DOO GET A CLUE GMTV

122

13

8

7

16:20

SKUNK FU

BBC1

157

10.5

1

16:32

HARRY AND TOTO

CBEEBIES

122

9

12

8

16:35

HORRIBLE HISTORIES

BBC1

156

11.8

11

17:26

MISTER MAKER

CBEEBIES

119

9

37

9

08:19

BEN 10

GMTV

156

14.0

56

KERWHIZZ

CBEEBIES

115

9

9

10 16:35

LITTLE HOWARD'S BIG QUESTION

BBC1

152

9.5

13

10 16:59

COMMERCIAL MULTICHANNEL SHOWS (ALL TIMES) JULY 09 TIME

TITLE/DESCRIPTION

1

10:34

2 3

OOOs

% AIRINGS

GRIZZLY TALES FOR GRUESOME KIDS CITV

87

7

16

10:29

ICARLY: IGO TO JAPAN

N’ODEON

75

7

1

2

08:09

TOM AND JERRY TALES

GMTV2

103

8

90

16:00

HORRID HENRY

CITV

74

8

116

3

07:42

DINOSAUR KING

GMTV2

102

9

119

4

16:30

YU-GI-OH!

CITV

69

5

18

4

15:59

HORRID HENRY

CITV

102

9

684

5

09:25

TMNT FAST FORWARD

CITV

63

5

15

5

16:28

HANNAH MONTANA SING-A-LONG

DISNEY

102

7

5

6

17:11

SONNY WITH A CHANCE

DISNEY

62

5

71

6

08:27

JUSTICE LEAGUE

GMTV2

97

9

40

7

07:54

POWER RANGERS JUNGLE FURY

GMTV2

57

5

24

7

16:31

GRIZZLY TALES FOR GRUESOME KIDS CITV

98

8

110

8

10:00

BARBIE - THUMBELINA

NICK JR

53

4

1

8

16:28

FOUR EYES!

CITV

89

7

118

9

07:26

POKEMON BATTLE DIMENSION

GMTV2

51

6

45

9

17:31

WOLVES WITCHES AND GIANTS

CITV

87

5

1

HANNAH MONTANA: THE MOVIE

DISNEY

48

3

2

10 16:29

MY GOLDFISH IS EVIL

CITV

87

7

83

10 17:46

SOURCE: INFOSYS/BARB.

SEPTEMBER 2009

CHANNEL

COMMERCIAL MULTICHANNEL SHOWS (ALL TIMES) YTD JULY 09 TIME

1 17:35

TITLE/DESCRIPTION

CHANNEL

OOOs

%

JONAS

DISNEY

145

9

NOTE: THESE CHARTS ARE BASED ON AVERAGE PERFORMANCE

AIRINGS

1

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Family Game Night Hasbro Hasbro Family Game Night (HFGN) launches in the UK and Ireland on September 14th with an intensive five week launch plan….

THE FIVE-WEEK period between back to school and October half-term break is looked upon as the perfect window to speak directly to families looking for ways to spend more quality time together.

It has also been well recognised that board games purchases are happening later and later every year and the campaign is designed to bring that initial games purchase forward, allowing for the secondary purchase at Christmas.

Craig Wilkins, senior brand manager says: “We really want to create an occasion for families to get together weekly and play board games. We have fantastic well-known games that families have grown up with and with cost effective ways to socialise now increasingly popular, the opportunity for the for the games category in general is really exciting.”

PROMOTIONS Hasbro has partnered up with Pizza Hut. Families that purchase one of the featured games are eligible for two for one pizza every week for the rest of 2009.

Games featured include Monopoly Championship; Pictureka; Cluedo; Guesstures; Cranium Family; Jenga; Operation and Connect 4x4.

Once families have purchased one of the games within the campaign period, they send a

leaflet with their details to HFGN where they will be sent in return a co-branded booklet containing a voucher for every week until December 31st.

MARKETING ACTIVITY The campaign will receive over £500,000 of investment over the five-week period. TV advertising will be the core focus of the campaign with 200 Mum’s TVR’s throughout the five weeks. The advert will bring to life the great moments that we all enjoy about board games and will feature classic like Cluedo and Monopoly as well as the huge success of 2008 that was Pictureka.

The online campaign will directly target mums with over 3,000,000 impressions and will click through to www.familygamenight.co.uk where families can pick up tips on how to hold their own family game nights as well as interactive games and product features.

This will be Hasbro’s largest PR campaign in 2009 with events planned throughout the five week period and a famous face heading up the campaign to give it real exposure across all forms of media.

The in-store execution will also be exceptional with a front window display in over 550 retailers.

200 pallets and over 1,000 FSDU’s will be in store for the launch of the campaign.

To continue the launch, Digital Gaming partner EA games will also be launching HFGN 2 on all digital platforms in November including TV support.

All of Hasbro games POS will feature the HFGN logo as will all TV advertisements. The campaign was launched in 2008 in the US and Canada and both markets saw uplift across the category for the promotional period which continued through until Christmas.

Plans are already in final discussions for spring/summer 2010 with new promotional partners looking to come on board.

We want to create an occasion for families to get together weekly and play board games.

Craig Wilkins, senior brand manager

SEPTEMBER 2009

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The main event

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Picture Perfect

Pages 21-25

Pages 18-19

Page 29

As the business gets ready to return to Olympia for Brand Licensing Europe, ToyNews runs through some of the key plans from the major exhibitors…

Aardman reveals retail plans for Wallace & Gromit 20th, Chapman’s new pre-school properties, FisherPrice unveils Waybuloo toy line, The FA adds toy companies…

PPC Enterprises’ legal and commercial director Mark Hurry talks us through the last 12 months and what’s coming up next for the firm…

18

LICENSINGNEWS

Aardman deals Chapman readies new reward retailers pre-school brands AARDMAN is planning to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Wallace & Gromit with an exclusive retail package.

Numerous licensees have joined forces to provide independent and mini-multiple gift stores with a range of incentives for orders placed in September, ahead of the milestone birthday in November.

The retail discounts from Rainbow Designs (plush and gift), Wow Stuff (Cracking Contraptions range), Esdevium (Fleeced board game), ECP (home and kitchenwares) and Robert Harrop (limited edition figurines) will be supported by Aardman with exclusive POS packs.

Wider activity surrounding the anniversary will include a preview and Q&A event with Nick Park at the London Film Festival in October.

Fans will also have the opportunity to watch the films, which have been specially remastered, at selected cinemas and a DVD box set featuring all four short films for the first time will be released by 2Entertain.

A graphic novel of A Grand Day Out and The Art of Wallace & Gromit sketch book, both from Egmont, will also be available from September.

“The 20th anniversary of Wallace & Gromit is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate what has been a landmark story in the licensing industry,” said Sean Clarke, head of Aardman Rights. “Naturally we want to include our licensees and retail partners in the activity surrounding it.

“We have some groundbreaking new gift product and by supporting independent retailers with exclusive POS packages and incentives in orders, we are offering a unique opportunity to be a part of our celebrations.”

Aardman: 0117 984 8900

Brand Licensing Europe will be platform for firm’s grand unveiling…

by Samantha Loveday CHAPMAN ENTERTAINMENT will launch two new pre-school properties – with broadcasting commissions – at Brand Licensing Europe later this month.

The firm, which already boasts top performers Fifi and the Flowertots and Roary the Racing Car in its portfolio, will showcase the properties on stand 560 across the two days of the event.

“We are confident that our new pre-school properties have stand out and wide appeal,” commented Andrew Haydon, commercial and finance director at Chapman.

“They are beautifully animated, with strong brand values and fantastic scripts – the perfect combination.

“The feedback so far has been extremely positive from the limited number of partners who have seen the new programmes and we’re looking forward to progressing those discussions at Brand Licensing.”

Fifi and the Flowertots was Chapman’s first property and is now in its fourth year. To date it has secured over 116 licensees globally, with the show on air in over 166 countries.

Meanwhile, Roary the Racing Car has over 50 licensees internationally and has been sold to

over 130 countries.”

Chapman: 0870 403 0556

Euro launch due for fresh Winx dolls RAINBOW SPA is gearing up for the European arrival of the new line of Winx fashion dolls, with each country planning hefty advertising campaigns and marketing support.

The roll out is planned to coincide with the broadcast of series four of Winx Club.

In France, Smoby will be rolling out ads dedicated to the new Believix line of dolls on Gulli and TF1, running from October to December, while in Germany Simba will be hitting Super RTL and NICK. Other similar TV and media campaigns will

SEPTEMBER 2009

HAYDON: “We are confident our pre-school properties will have wide appeal”

be taking place in all major European markets with strong local toy partners such as Bizak (Spain), Concentra (Portugal), Scanditoys (Scandinavia), Tim Toys (Poland) and CToys (Russia) among others.

Rainbow also believes that success in each market will be enhanced by the European launch of a new MMOG, a Believix Nintendo DS game and Panini sticker albums.

In addition, the Winx Live on Ice show is due to take place in 2010.

Rainbow SpA: +39 (0) 71 7506 7500

LICENSINGNEWS

www.licensing.biz

19

Waybuloo toys heading to retail IN BRIEF GOGO’S TOYS DRIVE ON

Plush, play-sets and figures for new pre-school property due to debut this autumn…

by Samantha Loveday FISHER-PRICE has officially unveiled the first toy collection for Cbeebies’ pre-school hit Waybuloo.

The range is due to hit retail in the autumn and is made up of plush, play-sets and figures. There are two Nara play-sets – Yojojo in the music

studio and Lau Lau in the arts and crafts studio. Each set comes with a character figure and four accessories.

Interactive plush makes up a key part of the collection. Peek & Wiggle Yojojo includes a number of phrases from the show and its own melody; Peeka Lau Lau also includes the character’s signature tune; while

Talking Nok Tok and Talking De Li are also available.

Completing the range are Waybuloo small friends – with all four characters to choose from – four figure packs each containing a Pipling and two accessories, plus a selection of bath toys.

Mattel: 01628 500000

Toy, board games and inflatables are the latest products to join the licensing programme for Gogo’s Crazy Bones. Re:creation is producing Phlat balls and Zeebees, while Imagination Games will roll out a board game. Mondo will also be producing a line of inflatables.

Bulldog: 020 8325 5455

FACTORY SIGNS MAGIC ROUNDABOUT MASTER TOY Collectibles firm Factory Entertainment is planning to roll out plush, vinyl and die-cast lines for Parthenon’s The Magic Roundabout in 2010.

Parthenon: 020 7580 3099

TOONATTIK CELEBRATES 500TH EPISODE GMTV kids block Toonattik will be marking its 500th episode on September 5th. It will be showing Spongebob Squarepants, plus the first terrestrial airing of Disney’s Kit vs Kat and new episodes of Dork Hunters from Outer Space.

GMTV: 020 7827 7000

PANINI MAKES IT Panini will launch Disney Make It, a new four-weekly arts and craft magazine, this month. Issue one will show readers how to make a Monsters, Inc doorstop, a Little Mermaid treasure chest and Kim Possible pom poms. A Finding Nemo printing kit will be covermounted.

Panini: 01892 500 100

Toy firms score with The FA CPLG SPORT has signed a number of product extensions and new licensing deals for The FA, including some key ones in the toy sector.

Jumbo Games is now on board and will be producing a range of puzzles aimed at the six plus age group.

These will include a 100-piece official team photo puzzles, launching later this year, and a line of 54-piece mini puzzles featuring action shots of key players from the qualifying matches of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa.

These are due in February 2010.

Also in the toy sector, Hy-Pro, already one of The FA’s key licensing partners, has extended its agreement to add canvas wallets to its range of footballs and accessories.

Other new licensees signed up include Character World, Oxford Products, UK Elite Promotions and Build-A-Bear Workshop, plus Football Mania and Home Win have extended their deals.

“The England brand is one of the strongest licences in the world,

FRANCO AND FORMULA FUN REVS FOR LAUNCH

especially during a tournament year and we expect to see unprecedented sales of official products bearing the Three Lions crest during 2010,” said Nicola Lord, senior commercial manager at CPLG Sport.

CPLG Sport: 020 8563 6400

New boys property Franco and Formula Fun will be debuting at Mipcom in October. Based on the illustrations of motorsport cartoonist Jim Bamber, Blue Zoo Productions will create the series for broadcast in autumn 2010. The Keith Pashley Experience will be working on all marketing aspects of the brand and will initially be targeting the toys, games and publishing sectors.

Keith Pashley: 01608 738134

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SEPTEMBER 2009

BRAND LICENSING EUROPE PREVIEW LICENSING

21

Olympian highlights After last year’s successful tenth anniversary celebrations, Brand Licensing Europe is heading back to Olympia later this month. As ever, ToyNews will be there (stand 603), and over the next five pages we highlight what to expect from some of the key exhibitors. Check out our sister website, Licensing.biz, for even more coverage...

4KIDS ENTERTAINMENT (STAND 470) Trading card game Chaotic will be a key focus. Spin Master is on board to develop toys including action figures and collectables. A soft launch of the action figures is due to take place later on this year, followed by a full roll out in early 2010. H Grossman is also producing a range of outdoor products including tents, bicycles and skateboards.

Dinosaur King will also be on stand.

According to NPD data, it was a top three new property in the toys and games category (Source: NPD, YTD June 09) and 4Kids is confident that with the introduction of new lines this autumn, the brand will continue to grow.

Two new properties will be introduced at the show – pre-school offering WordWorld and Karito Kids, which already has a portfolio of dolls

BIG BOCCA (STAND 320)

and books – while evergreen brands Yu-Gi-Oh and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles will also be pushed.

Finally, The Dog, The Cat and The Pig from Artist Collection will also be on the booth.

The Upper Deck affiliated company was created in 2006 to develop, coproduce, distribute and licence animated properties for kids. A newcomer to Brand Licensing Europe, Big Bocca will be putting particular emphasis on the toy lines for Huntik. Upper Deck, the master toy partner for the property, will be launching its new range in Europe in the autumn. It will include six-inch articulated figurines of the Seekers and Titans, nine-inch deluxe Titans, plus three figure action packs.

AARDMAN RIGHTS (STAND 610) Pre-school show Timmy Time continues to notch up the viewers: it has now been watched by more than 5.8 million individuals since launch in April (Source: Barb).

Meanwhile, the second series of Shaun the Sheep is currently in production and remains a major focus for Aardman.

There are 28 UK licensees on board – including Golden Bear as master toy and Egmont as publishing partner – in addition to numerous international licensees.

Aardman will be looking to secure international partners across a number of categories for all properties, including Wallace & Gromit (which celebrates its 20th anniversary this November) and Chop Socky Chooks.

BBC WORLDWIDE (STAND 530) BBCW will be introducing four new children’s properties at the show.

BBC Worldwide will be launching four new children’s properties, including Tronji.

These are Ragdoll’s pre-teen series Tronji, animation Dirtgirlworld, animated book adaptation Wibbly Pig and ZingZillas, a new musical show for pre-schoolers.

On top of this, established brands including 3rd and Bird, In The Night Garden, Teletubbies, Charlie & Lola and Doctor Who will all be on show, as well as properties from its adult portfolio like Strictly Come Dancing and Top Gear.

BULLDOG LICENSING (STAND 565) If you haven’t yet seen the potential of Gogo’s Crazy Bones, BLE might be a good time to check it out.

The collectable has swept through playgrounds since its launch last year, with Halsall, Hy-Pro, Re:creation and MV Sports among the partners on board.

Thumb Wrestling Federation: TWF will also be on the stand, with Sambro’s toy line being a key focus.

New Bulldog property Super Why will be making its BLE debut, while the stand will also feature classic properties Andy Pandy and Bill and Ben, plus design-led brands Little Ewe and Goochicoo.

SEPTEMBER 2009

22

LICENSING BRAND LICENSING EUROPE PREVIEW

CHAPMAN ENTERTAINMENT (STAND 560) Exciting news from the Chapman stable, with the firm planning to reveal two new pre-school shows at the event (see page 18).

Lead properties Roary the Racing Car and Fifi and the Flowertots will also be showcased.

CHORION (STAND 540) It has been a relatively quiet year for Chorion so far, but BLE will see it present Mr Men and Little Miss, plus 3D animated series Olivia – for which Spin Master is the global master toy partner.

Chorion will also be looking to sign new agents and further licensing deals for The World of Eric Carle and Noddy in Toyland, which has debuted in the UK on Five. Biplano is the licensing representative for Noddy in Iberia, where Make Way for Noddy will air on TVE, while Chorion will be securing further partners at BLE as the 60th anniversary celebrations continue.

CLASSIC MEDIA (STAND 440) All-new animated pre-school show Tinga Tinga Tales is co-produced with Tiger Aspect in Nairobi using local talent and aims to bring to life African folk tales. It will premiere on Cbeebies in 2010.

Meanwhile, Guess with Jess is due to air from this autumn, while Postman Pat Special Delivery Service is currently being bolstered by Character Options’ master toy line.

SEPTEMBER 2009

The brand now has 60 licensees on-board and a live theatre tour will roll out across various UK venues from spring 2010.

COOLABI (STAND 505)

New from The World of Roald Dahl, meanwhile, are the Mr Fox gift stationery launches, plus Enormous Crocodile plush from Rainbow Designs, with keyrings also due to follow in 2010.

The timing of this year’s show is pretty good for Coolabi – the firm’s Scarlett & Crimson and Purple Ronnie brands are expanding into new territories and licensed areas, while its classic screen and publishing successes, including Hammer, Bagpuss, The Clangers, Ivor the Engine and Poppy Cat are proving equally popular.

E1’s Peppa Pig now has over 55 licensing agreements in place in the UK market alone.

“As the biggest event of its kind in Europe, Brand Licensing is unmissable,” said Janet Woodward, head of licensing at Coolabi. “The promotional, business and networking opportunities are unmatched in the European market.”

DRI LICENSING (STAND 310) Miffy’s licensing programme continues apace with Rainbow Designs’ Little Star collection and the new Miffy Classic gift line, Next and Mothercare babywear ranges and fashion success in New Look and Top Shop among other retailers.

E1 ENTERTAINMENT (STAND 240) E1 will not only be highlighting its rebranding from Contender Entertainment Group, but also revealing plans for its growing list of properties.

Peppa Pig now has over 55 licensing agreements in the UK alone and has been sold into over 180 territories. The same team is now working on Ben & Holly’s Little Kingdom, which already has clothing, toy, DVD and book partners on board with more on the way. A merchandising launch for Ben & Holly, and fellow Nick Jr property Humf, is planned for 2010.

E1 is also the UK licensor for vampire flick Twilight and its successors New Moon and Eclipse, as well as classic superhero brand Astroboy. Other third party representations include Hi-5, It’s A Big Big World and textile design brand Kim Parker Home.

HIT ENTERTAINMENT (STAND 425) Hit now owns and distributes more than 1,500 hours of pre-school programming around the world.

2010 will see the firm celebrating the 65th anniversary of Thomas & Friends with a year-long programme of marketing and retail initiatives, as well as the launch of all-new CGI animated programming for both Bob the Builder and Thomas & Friends in the UK. Angelina Ballerina: The Next Steps will also launch in CGI on Nick Jr later on this year.

Fireman Sam continues its broadcast expansion with its debut on GMTV’s The Fluffy Club, while it currently ranks as Cartoonito’s top rating pre-school show for the year and continues to perform well on Five’s Milkshake.

LUDORUM (STAND 640) Ludorum will be seeking international partners for pre-school hit Chuggington – which has now secured broadcast in over 165 territories.

BRAND LICENSING EUROPE PREVIEW LICENSING

The first DVD release, Let’s Ride the Rails, was released earlier this year and is the number one selling preschool title of the year so far, according to the firm. Two further titles will roll out before the end of the year. Licensed products will be available from spring 2010, with key partners including RC2/Learning Curve (master toy) and Parragon (publishing).

Meanwhile, Dennis and Gnasher will debut at the show, following the launch of the new animated TV series on CBBC in September.

Publishing and home entertainment titles will launch from 2010 and Ludorum is now seeking international partners.

MARVEL ENTERTAINMENT (STAND 745) The firm will be showcasing Super Hero Squad, which features a new ‘super stylised’ look to some of its biggest characters. In addition, Marvel, which is celebrating 70 years of publishing this year, will show a number of its biggest classic brands, including retro artwork featuring Hulk, Iron Man, Spider-man, X-Men and Fantastic Four among others.

Emphasis will also be placed on the Avengers Assemble initiative, a major licensing and merchandising campaign to support Marvel Studios’ upcoming theatrical slate. This includes Iron Man 2 (May 7th 2010), Thor (May 20th 2011), Captain America (July 22nd 2011) and The Avengers (May 4th 2012). This reflects the first time that individual Super Hero characters and story arcs will be interwoven and culminate in a multi-character movie. Also expect some Spider-man 4 teasers.

MATTEL CONSUMER PRODUCTS (STAND 399) Following Barbie’s successful repositioning programme this year, MCP is looking to extend the brand further into the adult licensing category and will be showing its new direction at the event.

Meanwhile, the core Barbie licensing programme continues to grow with the introduction of tweenfocused electronics, beauty, apparel and sporting goods, while new autumn movie, Barbie & the Three Musketeers will be supported with a comprehensive product range including dress up and publishing.

Fisher-Price will be extending its Babygear and Nursery portfolios with the launch of a co-branded car seat and travel cot ranges.

There will also be new product in the outdoor category and a European roll out.

Hot Wheels has seen its consumer products programme grow by 25 per cent. A new animation series is

currently in development with Nelvana and Nerd Corps, called Hot Wheels: Battle Force.

Finally, there is also strong interest in games brand Scrabble.

Mattel will be highlighting the new adult licensing direction for the Barbie brand.

NELVANA (STAND 548) Beyblade is back with 51 new episodes and a revamped toy line featuring a metal gear system. Lining up alongside Beyblade on the Nelvana stand will be The New Adventures of Babar, Franklin and Ruby Gloom, which now has over 50 licensees across four continents.

Meanwhile, Bakugan has over 50 deals across a variety of product categories in the EMEA region. A second series – Bakugan: New Vestroia – is now in production.

NICKELODEON (STAND 499) NVCP will be presenting a brand new licensing opportunity around forthcoming film The Last Airbender.

Directed by M Night Shyamalan and based on Nickelodeon’s animated show Avatar, the film is due in cinemas in July 2010. Spin Master is the master global toy partner.

In addition, Nickelodeon will be presenting further developments with

23

Dora the Explorer and Spongebob Squarepants, plus Wonder Pets, Ni Hao, Kai-Lan, Go Diego Fo, H20 and South Park.

NMSI TRADING (STAND 365) National Museum of Science and Industry Trading represents four UK heritage brands: the Science Museum, National Railway Museum, Flying Scotsman and the National Media Museum.

Various new products will be showcased across the brands.

Heritage properties are a growing segment for the toy sector, as reported in ToyNews August, so NMSI's stand should prove to be a popular draw.

PERFORMANCE BRANDS (STAND 630) Planet Cook will be one of the brands highlighted at Olympia, with the firm aiming to develop it into a long-term proposition across a variety of sectors including toys, apparel, games, publishing and homeware.

Performance Brands has also been helping to develop the licensing programme for pre-school property Numberjacks (from Open Mind). The brand has already enjoyed success in the publishing, soft toy, outdoor and wheeled toys, puzzles and games, DVD, apparel, bedding and confectionery sectors.

PPC ENTERPRISES (STAND 740) PPCE will be unveiling The Hive, a pre-school CGI series that follows the SEPTEMBER 2009

24

LICENSING BRAND LICENSING EUROPE PREVIEW

fortunes of the Bee family. The series – from the creators of The Pinky & Perky Show – comprises 78 sevenminute episodes and has been signed up by GMTV in the UK. Speaking of Pinky & Perky, the first toy lines from Martin Yaffe are due to be unveiled at Olympia.

Monty Python – celebrating its 40th anniversary this year – will also be a key focus for PPCE. The firm will be showing exclusive content from a new documentary, which is due for theatrical and DVD release later this year, followed by TV broadcast around the world.

“We’re really looking forward to presenting what is an incredibly strong selection of brands,” comments Mark Hurry, legal and commercial director at PPCE.

RAINBOW S.P.A (STAND 570) Rainbow is looking to make a big splash at this year’s event, bringing with it a number of properties.

PopPixie is already the number one toy brand in Italy and Bandai has signed up as the master toy licensee.

The show is made up of 52x13minute episodes and Rainbow believes it lends itself well to a number of categories.

Meanwhile, Winx Club is back for a fourth series, including new characters and pets. The autumn European TV launch will be coordinated with new fashion dolls and supported by a major TV campaign, followed by the launch of Bandai’s Nintendo DS game.

Rainbow will also be showcasing SEPTEMBER 2009

Huntik: Secrets & Seekers. The brand has already enjoyed success with apparel, back to school, trading cards (from Upper Deck), sticker albums, magazines and 3D figurines.

RDF RIGHTS (STAND 730) Main focus for RDF will be on preschool hit Waybuloo, currently airing on the BBC. Since its launch earlier this year, the programme has proved popular with youngsters and RDF is currently rolling out the accompanying licensing drive.

BAFTA award winning Yo Gabba Gabba will also be highlighted, along with arts and crafts brand Mister Maker and Big Barn Farm, which combines live action and animation.

ROCKET LICENSING (STAND 604) While showing off the continued development of established brands The Dangerous Book for Boys, The Daring Book for Girls and Rocky, Rocket will also be launching a number of new properties.

These include St Trinian’s: The Legend of Fritton’s Gold and True Blood from HBO. Atari and Fame will also be on display, along with a number of MGM properties, while Rocket is promising to make further new brand reveals once the show kicks off.

START LICENSING (STAND 350) It’s looking likely to be a busy show for Start, which arrives at Olympia armed with a wide range of brands.

These include DC Thomson comic and magazine brands The Beano, The Dandy, Commando, Jackie, Topper, Beezer and The Hotspur.

Other DC characters like Bananaman, Billy Whizz and the Bash Street Kids will also be highlighted.

PlayStation software IP like EyePet will be making its Olympia debut on Target’s stand.

A recent new signing for the company is the Honey Monster from the Sugar Puffs cereal brand. Already successful in apparel, Start is hoping to extend it into plush, ceramics, stationery and collectables.

Pre-school show Big & Small will form a key part of the stand. Current licensees include Jumbo (plush, jigsaw puzzles and card games), Avanquest (CD Rom), Little Star Creations, Zak (lunchware) and Fashion UK (apparel).

Bang on the Door continues to be another major focus, with over 20 years of licensing success behind it.

Recent successes include a collection of Fabric Animals stationery in WH Smith, while recent licensees added to the roster are Little Star Creations, Mindscape and Primary Teaching Services.

In addition, Start will also be presenting Sky series Brainiac, Gladiators and Are You Smarter Than a 10 Year Old?

TARGET ENTERTAINMENT GROUP (STAND 550) TEG will be presenting girl’s fashion and lifestyle brand Brit Chicks, which it signed up earlier this year.

In addition, it will also be looking to sign more deals for the PlayStation software IPs, including LittleBigPlanet, Invizimals and EyePet, all of which are making their debut at Olympia.

Target signed up with Sony Computer Entertainment Europe back in April to act as the consumer products agent for the IPs in the UK and EMEA. The firm will also be representing the pre-school animation Fluffy Gardens and live action comedy series Emu.

TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX (STAND 445) The firm says it is bringing its strongest ever slate of entertainment properties to Olympia.

The billion-dollar Ice Age franchise boasts one of the studio’s largest film merchandising programmes, with more than 200 global licensees.

BRAND LICENSING EUROPE PREVIEW LICENSING

25

The Licensing Academy The Avatar brand will be supported with an innovative toy line from Mattel, while Fox will also look to build on the Alvin and The Chipmunks franchise.

The Simpsons is currently in the midst of a year-long celebration of its 20th anniversary. The new Ladies of Springfield licensing drive for females will be a key focus for the show, as well as the likes of Family Guy, 24, Halo and Garfield.

TV-LOONLAND (STAND 205) Little Princess continues to go from strength to strength, airing every day on Five and supported by a strong licensing programme made up of over 60 licensees.

Also on the stand will be The Owl, with Rainbow Productions’ costume character making an appearance at the show. CGI animation Pat & Stan and pre-school show Penelope will also be on display.

WARNER BROS CONSUMER PRODUCTS (STAND 799) WBCP arrives at Olympia riding high on the success of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. The firm will also be showcasing DC Comics, including its plans for the 75th anniversary celebrations, plus Batman and Cartoon Network series Batman: The Brave and the Bold.

Fox will be focusing on the new Ladies of Springfield drive at the show.

Evergreens such as Superman, Wonder Woman, Supergirl, Green Lantern and The Flash will all be on display, as well as Scooby-Doo and the Looney Tunes.

Nearly 600 people attended the Academy in 2008 and this year's programme will again allow visitors the chance to get up to speed with the latest trends...

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 30TH

THURSDAY OCTOBER 1ST

9.45am-10.30am Digital strategies for licensed characters in an ever evolving world Seminar led by Gary Pope, MD, Kids Industries

9.30am-10.15am Breakfast seminar for independent retailers – how to start or build your licensed product offering to gain retail advantage

11.00am-11.45am Cross border licensing in Europe – managing local culture, retail and design considerations to ensure your property’s success Seminar leader: Marina Narishkin, MD, Copyright Promotions France, with Martijn van der Erve, MD, Van der Erve NV

10.45am-11.30am Royalties, pricing and financial know-how Speaker TBC

12.15pm-13.00pm How to negotiate a better licensing contract Seminar leader: John Burns, Partner, Halliwells 13.30pm-14.15pm KEYNOTE: Bruno Schwobthaler, SVP Sales & Business Development, Warner Bros Consumer Products EMEA 14.45pm-15.30pm NPD special report on licensing 16.00pm-16.45pm Trend Tracker – Licensing in a recession Seminar lead by Louise French, Associate VP Marketing & Business Development, Beanstalk Group

12.00pm-12.45pm KEYNOTE: Address from Astley Baker Davies’ Phil Davies, and trends report from Showcomotion Children’s Media Conference 13.15pm-14.00pm Cross border licensing in Europe – managing the legal landscape Seminar led by Christian Fortmann, European trademark attorney, 24IP Law Group 14.30pm-15.15pm Gaming to win in licensing Seminar led by Michael French, Editor in Chief, MCV Magazine 15.45pm-16.30pm Creating the best products: taking licensed properties from screen to shelf Seminar led by Oliver Dyer, MD, Skew Studio

SEPTEMBER 2009

NEW

Come and visit us at Autumn Fair in Hall 5, Stand C24 to see the rest of our range!

For more information on all the brands available from Winning Moves call 020 7262 9696 or email sales@winningmoves.co.uk

WINNING MOVES WILL BE GIVING AWAY:

WIN

1 x CDU GI Joe Top Trumps 3D

1 x CDU Harry Potter & The Half Blood Prince Top Trumps 1 x CDU Ice Age 3: The Collection Top Trumps

GI Joe Top Trumps 3D This explosive pack of Top Trumps features all the heroes and villains from G.I. JOE: The Rise of Cobra! Match Duke, Ripcord, and Heavy Duty up against the COBRA forces of Baroness, Storm Shadow and The Doctor â&#x20AC;&#x201C; which of the G.I. JOEs is most heroic? And who has the greatest firepower of them all? Join the battle with this new pack!

Ice Age: The Collection Top Trumps

Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince Top Trumps

Ice Age: The Collection is the coolest Top Trumps pack of the year! Featuring mammoth Manny, hapless Sid, and Diego, the softest big cat around, this pack spans all three Ice Age films to make one definitive collection for any fan of the prehistoric movies. Who is the bravest herd member of all?

And will Scrat ever get his hands on that acorn?

Join Harry Potter on his most perilous adventure yet as he is called upon to aid old friend Albus Dumbledore in a quest to uncover the truth about Lord Voldemort. Harry and his Hogwarts and Order of the Phoenix allies discover sinister secrets and terrible truths, with a little help from the mysterious Half-Blood Prince.

IF YOU CAN ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTION CORRECTLY YOU STAND A CHANCE OF WINNING THESE PACKS. Q) Which of the brand new Top Trumps packs listed below is 3D? a) Ice Age: The Collection b) GI Joe c) Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince

WE ARE NOW TAKING ORDERS FOR THESE GAMES Answer this question correctly and send your answer, name, company name & address to toynewscompetition@intentmedia.co.uk by September 30th 2009

LICENSING PPC’S YEAR OF GROWTH

29

Picture perfect It’s been a pretty busy last 12 months for the commercial arm of the Picture Production Company. Having already created a stir with the relaunch of Pinky & Perky, Samantha Loveday finds out what’s next for the firm...

THIS TIME last year, PPC Enterprises was only really just finding its feet. The commercial arm of the Picture Production Company was established in February 2008 to develop and exploit in-house and third party properties off the screen.

Its first big focus was on rejuvenating the Pinky & Perky brand, taking a small stand at last year’s Brand Licensing Europe to showcase its initial plans. 12 months on, and PPC will be arriving at Olympia later this month with a mix of classic and new brands, and a significantly bigger stand.

“The past 12 months have been a blur,” admits legal and commercial director Mark Hurry. “We have put all our resources and efforts into raising the profile of our brands. It has been an enjoyable experience and our brands are certainly benefiting from all the hard work and enterprise on our part.

“On the whole, I feel that we are making very good progress and the licences we have concluded this past year across a range of brands are evidence of this.”

Front of mind at the moment for the firm is the 40th anniversary of cult show Monty Python. This will form a key part of PPC’s presence at Olympia. “In the past nine months, we have concluded over 15 licences for Monty Python including apparel, greetings cards, sound key chains, gift, toy, video games, posters and dress-up,” says Hurry. “We are also involved in the filming of Not The Messiah, a musical based on The Life of Brian, at the Royal Albert Hall this October. This is to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Python, with a six-hour documentary about the Python story, also set to be broadcast around the world later this year.

“On the toy front, we are working with a very well-respected toy designer and manufacturer for toy lines that will have global distribution and will hit shelves in Q1 next year.”

Pinky and Perky, The Hive and Monty Python have helped establish PPC

On top of this, the first toy ranges for Pinky & Perky will arrive at retail later this year from master toy licensee, Martin Yaffe. Since its launch on BBC and CBBC, the newlook show has consistently achieved viewing figures of 300,000 to 500,000 per day. The series has been

episodes and has already been signed up by GMTV. It is also being pitched in North America and has received interest from several Disney territories. “[The Hive] is from the same team as Pinky & Perky, so has a great pedigree, with fantastic production

down the obvious repercussions of the economic downturn. “Lack of money leads to lack of demand, but that is being exacerbated by a very risk averse culture at retail that is making it hard to get products on shelves, even though the licensees are out there. Thus the main

Lack of money leads to lack of demand, but that is being exacerbated by a very risk averse culture at retail that is making it hard to get products on shelves, even though the licensees are out there.

Mark Hurry, PPCE sold to over 20 territories, and over the next 12 months it will be airing in various countries including Scandinavia, France, Poland and Australia and New Zealand, with further territories in negotiation.

Other licences include apparel (Next), CD Rom games (Avanquest), socks and underwear (J-Fox Sox), plus a live stage show with Fiery Angel.

Meanwhile, Hurry believes that The Hive has the potential to be PPC’s biggest brand. The pre-school title is made up of 78 seven-minute

values and well crafted storylines,” says Hurry. “We have a superb broadcasting platform covering the world and will be looking to develop merchandising across a variety of sectors.”

While PPC’s portfolio is looking healthy, Hurry admits that he is always looking out to represent further brands. “These could come from a ‘good fit’ scenario acquisition and/or from organic growth, utilising our unique production and marketing heritage.”

Hurry is also well aware that the licensing business in general is facing

challenge will not be finding licensees, but finding outlets for the finished product. However, from our own point of view we are very happy with our current situation as our brands have connected well with both licensees and retailers alike.”

With a good spread of brands, PPC seems to be well placed going forward and Hurry is certainly confident about the immediate future. “We’ll be looking to build on what has already made PPCE a success – good people, great campaigns and strong properties,” he concludes.

SEPTEMBER 2009

30

SUPPLIER FOCUS FLAIR

Discreet smell of success Bucking all current industry trends, Flair is enjoying something of a purple patch at the moment with sales figures that would stand-out in even a growing market. Ronnie Dungan spoke to the firm’s understated boss Peter Brown about the firm’s current success story…

FLAIR’S CURRENT trading is very much of a worry to boss Peter Brown.

As we know, these are tough times and many companies in this market are cutting marketing budgets, forecasts and in many cases jobs too.

Not so with Flair, however, which is currently trading 39 per cent up on last year and enjoying record success.

The problem is typical of the man, who is anything but smug about it, to worry that any publicity given to the firm’s current purple patch, might be seen as vainglorious, set against such a background of relative austerity.

“We’re a fairly modest company, so it’s always a bit of an embarrassment to talk about numbers. I feel for our fellow distributors who are struggling,” says Brown, lighting another Monte Cristo with a £20 note.

Actually, anyone who knows him will probably be delighted that the firm is currently thriving so. It may have been the suggestion that we photograph him on a bed covered with £10 notes that set off the egalitarian in him and got the alarm bells ringing.

Nevertheless, the sentiment is genuine. But the firm should be rightly proud of its performance over the last year. It adds further weight to the notion of continuing to invest in marketing and product in a recession.

“It’s fortuitous. We can claim credit for some of it, but it’s just the way the situation panned out,” says Brown.

“Everything is working at the moment and the acquisition of Flair by Giochi Preziosi has made a difference. They said ‘go for it’ and encouraged us to increase our advertising and marketing efforts to drive them to the level they wanted to see. Shipments are up 59 per cent. The company as a whole is up 39 per cent and our order book up 56 per cent.”

The firm’s boys’ collectibles range Gormiti is up 64 per cent year on year and there is an accompanying TV series coming soon which should cement its success further.

GX Racers has just launched SEPTEMBER 2009

GX Racers: Taking off for Flair

Brown: Understated

and is also performing above expectation, giving the firm a strong boys’ offering. And in girls’ toys, Sylvanian Families is reaching a new

ability to fulfil its order book and maintain customer service levels “Traditionally we have had very high service levels. And if in January

Everything is working at the moment.

Shipments are up 59 per cent. The company as a whole is up 39 per cent and our order book is up 56 per cent. In a recession the type of products we are offering seem to be attractive to consumers. audience through the independent sector, while arts and crafts products are also experiencing an uplift. Its Beano Comic Maker line is one of its best selling items.

Marketing spend is in line with the growth. There is significant investment in advertising on TV, POS, core advertising, displays, end caps… right across the board.

Of course, such unexpected growth has been a test of the firm’s

we had said we would increase by 50 per cent, people would say we were off our rockers. One of the things we increasingly have to deal with is meeting customer requirements.

“We forecast 27 per cent growth and we are trading well above that. Shipments are up a similar level. We just say to

Gormiti: TV series coming

people be aware that we have to manage this growth. We sink or swim through support of our customers and the last thing we want to do is let them down.”

But other than an increase in marketing spend, backed by its Italian owner Giochi Preziosi, what is it that Flair is doing right?

“In a recession the type of products we are offering seem to be attractive to consumers. They are turning away from the glitz and bling and want products with longevity and play value.

“We always try and position ourselves as a company with products that offer enduring play value and I think customers recognise that.”

But whilst Brown can maybe optimistically forecast growth with such strong new lines and an up in marketing, it’s the level of the increase which has surprised him.

“When you start a company you can put on that kind of growth initially and its almost expected, but we’re ten years old.”

Ever the industry uncle Brown cannot enjoy his success without thinking about the wider picture. In order to sustain the growth he needs a growing market. “We hate to see our competitors not doing well,” he says. “We’ve all only got one set of customers and we need to keep them healthy, we need a buoyant market.”

Despite his wider worries, Brown his enjoying his success. He knows its certainly a nicer problem to have than some are having to deal with at the moment.

SUPPLIER FOCUS TOMY

33

Just like starting over Tomy has undergone an overhaul of its business with a new structure and new product focus. Ronnie Dungan spoke to European chief Robert Mann and European marketing head Joanne Gray about its new plan of action…

MANY A well-planned business projection will have found its way into the bin over the last 12 months.

Unprecedented economic pressures and the toy market’s own unique problems of a retail base undergoing a major reshape have sent plenty of suppliers back to the drawing board.

Some, like Tomy, have had to take some big decisions in order to adjust to these changes.

European chief Robert Mann explains how the firm had to make hard choices to survive: “We had to rip up our plan at the end of September because everything changed so dramatically. The plan had to be re-worked and we rebudgeted for the rest of the year.”

The collapse of Woolworths had a marked effect on Tomy’s prospects.

“Woolies was a big proportion of our business. The question was how much had moved to other parts of the industry? And where would that take us in the fiscal year 09/10?”

Ultimately, the overhaul lead to the loss of 42 people’s jobs across Europe, 31 from the UK, including some long-serving, popular faces. Not a choice taken lightly.

“The decision was driven financially from Japan. I knew where we would end up if we took no action. We either had to increase sales by 20 per cent or look at reduction in costs and change the working of the organisation.”

Not many are seeing 20 per cent sales increases right now.

Physically it

MANN: Made hard choices to survive

meant a reduction in office space and organisationally, it means the sales and marketing departments have been combined and are now headed up by Paul Fogarty.

The good news is the painful process seems to have worked.

“If you take the first quarter of the current year on our budget plan and this year we will move from a trading loss to an operating profit.

the product line-up has seen a more focused line, but a widening range in the area of boys, girls and tech toys.

“Rather than seeing our Woolies items in other retailers we’ve seen a much broader range in other areas.

“Lines are being introduced to new customers. Many customers wouldn’t buy into certain categories.

Aquadraw was a loss leader for Woolies but now without Woolies it

If you take the first quarter of the current year on our budget plan and this year we will move from a trading loss to an operating profit. So all of the changes have had a marked effect.

Robert Mann, European Chief So all of the changes have had a marked effect. Sales have been very good. We’re ahead of budget and up on last year.”

The change to

has re-established itself in the market,” Mann explains Head of European marketing, Joanne Gray, says: “Rather than treating it as a whole toy market, we recognise that certain products work better in certain areas. So as a team it’s more of a category management, challenge-specific approach.

“Whereas in the past we have concentrated on ten different things we’re now concentrated on doing four or five better.”

Thomas is moving to Mattel at the end of the year, which has much to do with Tomy extending elsewhere.

“We lose Thomas at the end of 2010,” says Mann. “But the team are

working hard to overcome impact from that. The real opportunity is to see Tomy emerge with a more defined boys and girls range.

“With what is happening now we’re confident we can navigate successfully and be repositioned as a different company. From our perspective, the future bodes well and we’ve got some winners in our portfolio. With that in mind the Thomas effect will not be as evident as if we stood still. We’ve got an extra year compared with most people.”

Mann sees the slimmer range as key to the future in a risk aversive retail environment.

“Companies that are slimming down their range will have a future and those that are not will have a very different business in a year to 18 months’ time.

“There’s still going to be change within the industry, no question. I don’t think we’re ever going to see large fascia on the High Street again.

Stores will have a smaller footprint but will be able to trade with greater product line-up because of online.”

And online is another battleground which the new-look Tomy is keen to take on and integrate into its sales sheet with a new offering, Webcare.

“Online is a big challenge for suppliers like ourselves. We are grasping it as a business. We’ve set up Webcare, which is a system which allows us to supply direct to consumers through retailers. So a retailer has a site which draws the traffic, they take the order and we fulfil it. The retailer takes on the cost of the distribution to the customer but not the stock.”

Like it or not, online is going to be part of a manufacturer’s offering going forward. The only variable is the amount of retail involvement. In a market that doesn’t take change lightly, Tomy’s quick response to fastshifting trading conditions shows the tough choices having to be made.

The hope is that a stronger firm will emerge and that, should the trend prevail, a stronger industry too.

SEPTEMBER 2009

34

SUPPLIER FOCUS XANADU

The name game Brand identification board game Eye-Dentity is the brainchild of ambitious corporate designer Simon Wilson and is packed with household names and brands. Ronnie Dungan spoke to the designer about how he put the game together and what his plans are for its launchâ&#x20AC;Ś TELL US briefly how the idea for the game came about?

I have run a creative agency for approximately 20 years, specialising in corporate identity and maximising brand opportunities for clients in a number of sectors ranging from finance to various leisure and entertainment sectors.

As part of this work, I have been invited to give presentations on the importance and power of brands to creative students looking to take a career in the industry. To get away from the standard presentations I developed a brand game, which was far more engaging. Students really responded to the game and it became apparent that this was something that could have a wider reaching audience. The result is EyeDentity which has been a long time in the making but we are all delighted with it.

How did you go about acquiring the use of so many big name brands for the game?

There are over 320 brands represented in this first game so it was not an easy task ensuring all the permissions were granted, but because of our working relationships and strong connections with a number of major companies, our initial focus was based on our contacts within these organisations.

Through our professional approach and experience in the value of a brand, these companies realised it was a great opportunity to potentially get their brands into a fun, family environment.

What sort of deal do you have for using those brands? Is it UK-only for example? Non-exclusive?

We have to adhere to corporate guidelines. These brands take a long time to develop and they should only be used in the way the owners are happy with. Initially, the deal is nonexclusive and is for the UK only.

SEPTEMBER 2009

Can you tell us a little more about the launch plans?

We have a big launch planned. We have engaged Evolution PR in organising the consumer press and already have many features confirmed. We are also working with each of the brands to further the consumer PR. This will all kick off in

to source a company that met all criteria and within the price point quality was paramount; they were British (letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s face it being British is a quality that many consumers are looking for) and environmentally aware, adhering to all guidelines Being accepted as a games supplier was more complicated but through

We have a big launch planned. We have engaged Evolution PR in organising the consumer press and already have many features confirmed. We are also working with each of the brands to further PR. This will all kick off with a Hamleys launch. early autumn with a launch at Hamleys. We have also arranged tens of thousands of trial packs of the cards to be given out by retailers who in turn will also be supported by PR. How difficult is it to launch a product from a standing start?

The organising of a manufacturer was quite simple - through my agency experience in print I was able

hard work and contacts we have got there. Initially, I approached retailers whose brand values I admired, and complimented Xanadu's.

Once they accepted I had a direct channel for these retailers to list the game. We have also been working with Esdevium to ensure that we take the game which is suitable for older and younger players to a more diverse market

Tell us a bit about the marketing plans?

Our marketing plans include point of sale material and also the samples that can be given out to customers at the till points.

The game is amazingly addictive so to give out game cards to potential customers allows them to see immediately what itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s about. We have organised a full schedule of competitions many of which will be in conjunction with the brands we have used in the game to increase awareness with a potential reach of millions and we are also in talks with a major newspaper group for a nationwide promotion.

If the game is a success, where do you take the concept after that?

How do you plan to follow it up?

The game board can be utilised time and time again and we already have various themed additional card packs in the pipeline.

A travel version is also being considered along with electronic and AP editions, which are a possibility to extend the brand.

Hasbro customer service: 00 800 22427276 © 2009 Lucasfilm Ltd. & ® or TM where indicated. All rights reserved. © 2009 Hasbro. All Rights Reserved.

36

SUPPLIER FOCUS ENERGIZER

Positive thinking For toy retailers looking for extra sales from added-value, impulse-purchase items, batteries offer a common sense option that fits with the core product and requires very little specialist knowledge. But a little more wouldn’t hurt.

Here, leading supplier Energizer offers some insight into the power-cell market…

THE RECESSION is shaping the battery category, as staying in becomes the new going out. As a result, the growth of gaming provides an opportunity to boost sales.

Gaming is the fastest growing consumer electronics sector, up 138 per cent by value. Toy retailers can capitalise on this growth by having the right products in stock, in the right place and at the right time.

Energizer’s Ultimate lithium utilises a relatively new technology and is designed as the ideal solution for high powered gaming accessories.

Energizer Ultimate Lithium lasts up to 20 hours longer in Nintendo Wii accessories and up to 30 hours longer in the Xbox 360 controller, providing consumers’ with good value for money in high technology devices.

The UK is becoming a nation of gadget lovers with every household owning an average of 30 battery powered devices. The UK battery market is worth £326m and grocery multiples have the lion’s share, accounting for 48 per cent of sales.

Almost a third of all sales are made in the last three months of the year.

Sales almost double in December, followed by strong sales in January as consumers purchase batteries for new toys and gaming accessories.

With many toy retailers looking to add extra lines, it’s worth knowing you would need to stock 17 chocolate bars to achieve the same profit as a pack of four AA batteries.

Power ranges Understanding the importance of the different battery chemistry is important and will help retailers map their in-store fixture better...

ALKALINE Largest sector in the battery market representing 75 per cent share.

Used in everyday household products such as CD players, toys and radio, which require longer lasting power.

Energizer is the only alkaline battery manufacturer recording year-on-year growth with sales up five per cent in the last year.

CARBON ZINC Longest established battery type.

Used in everyday household devices such as TV remote control and clocks.

Represent excellent value when minimal power is required.

With many toy retailers looking to add extra product lines, it’s worth knowing that you would need to stock the equivalent of 17 chocolate bars to achieve the same profit as one pack of four AA batteries.

Rechargeable batteries also provide an economical solution.

Torches too are a good added value item. The UK market is worth

Re-charge your battery sales Energizer has identified three simple in-store actions to drive battery sales: 1. 46 per cent of shoppers buy batteries on impulse, so co-siting can make a big boost to overall sales. To drive sales place batteries at the checkouts/tills and adjacent to devices, which require batteries and use impulse displays in other areas of the store.

2. Ensure your battery offering includes a selection of good value, lower power batteries and added value, higher power lines plus a mix of other battery types including specialist, rechargeable and torches.

3. Help shoppers buy the right battery for their device by using educational signage to improve satisfaction and encourage repeat purchase.

SEPTEMBER 2009

£22m. The peak period for torches is between September and January with sales driven by key events such as Halloween, Bonfire Night, Christmas and the end of summer. Torches see a summer sales spike too, lifted by camping holidays and music festivals.

A third of shoppers buy torches on impulse so dual siting on the main fixture and clip strips or freestanding units will promote overall sales.

Retailers can also maximise the opportunity by focusing on Christmas or the end of British Summer Time (25th October 2009), for instance.

Finally, many retailers are taking a shine to head torches, one of the fastest growing categories with sales up 18 per cent year-on-year.

LITHIUM Used in high tech and digital devices such as digital camera, mp3 players and wireless gaming accessories (e.g. wii remote) which require more power.

Growth of power hungry devices is driving the consumer demand for lithium batteries with total sales up by 44 per cent.

Energizer’s Ultimate Lithium judged Best Buy by Which? Battery Report.

RECHARGEABLE Account for 12 per cent of the total battery market and growing at 15 per cent year-on-year.

Rechargeable batteries used for power-hungry products (e.g MP3 player, digital camera and wireless gaming accessories).

A value-for-money alternative to disposables, rechargeable last for many years.

Improved recharge times have more consumer appeal.

SPECIALIST Represents five per cent of market.

Used in smaller devices such as watches, tamagotchi and health monitors that require a specific size of button cell.

Growth is driven by lifestyle changes which are fuelling demand for smaller digital devices.

A new way to play!

LD

BU I

Q World’s first colle collection of games to BUILD-PLAYBUI P CHANGE Y LA

Q Unique b buildable LEGO dice and changeable every game rules in e CH

GE AN

Q Huge marketing launch campaign including heavy TV from Aug-Dec, PR, Radio, Online, Cinema and in-store support For more information, please contact LEGO Customer Services on 01753 495001

LEGO and the LEGO logo are trademarks of the LEGO Group. ©2009 The LEGO Group.

games.LEGO.co.uk

SECTOR GUIDE CHRISTMAS TV

www.toynewsmag.com

39

As seen on screen TV support remains a crucial part of a retailer’s buying decision as well as creating consumer interest in products.

Backing their hero lines for Christmas, suppliers are now pulling together plans for their TV advertising campaigns for the all-important fourth quarter. ToyNews finds out more about who is spending what and where…

LEGO

Focusing heavily on activity around its key properties pre-Christmas, Lego UK has developed an integrated sponsorship and advertising package to hit key periods in the retail calendar.

Lego Games will be supported from launch with over 850 TVRs targeting both kids and mums, running over the key holiday periods and focusing on hero range items Minotaurus and Ramses Pyramid. Lego Games will also sponsor Jetix during September and will also feature on Video on Demand from mid-November throughout the key Christmas buying season.

The Lego City Traffic theme is supported across the back to school and

01753 495000

half term weeks with 940 TVRs focusing on the new Garage and Helicopter Transporter sets.

Lego Bionicle new vehicles and cans will feature on 620 TVRs running across the back to school period with subsequent activity planned for October and November.

The Lego Power Miners focus item Titanium Command Rig will feature on 665 TVRs in September and October, with Lego Star Wars Venator Republic Attack Cruiser and Hyena Droid Bomber items being the focus of 485 TVRs during the back to school period. Lego Indiana Jones Temple of Doom play-set is the focus of 615 TVRs.

HASBRO

Overarching the games category will be Hasbro Family Games Night with a TV campaign encouraging families to set aside a night a week for board games.

Others getting TV treatment will be Elefun, Gator Golf, Guess Who Extra, Connect 4x4, Guesstures, Monopoly City, Monopoly Deal, Pictureka Flipper, Cluedo Harry Potter, Cranium WOW and a range of classic games.

Boys TV highlights are Transformers figures, Power Bots, Bumblebee Helmet & Blaster and the Devastator.

GI Joe deploys action figures, Ninja 12”, Snake Eye Role Play and Pit Play-set.

Star Wars Dual Action Light Saber, Commander Helmet & Blaster, Figures & Vehicles are supported. Wolverine brings an Electronic Battle Claw campaign, backed with Marvel Transformer Crossovers. Nerf continues to feature along with vehicles including

MATTEL

Mattel has invested in 43 per cent more TV advertising than its nearest competitor for the first half of 2009 and is set to continue with a number of campaigns leading up to Christmas.

Barbie will receive support with two sponsorships on Milkshake and Cartoon Network running until the end of the year. With a package of programming to include on-air, online, retailer and girl-activated activity, this will support the new Barbie property Barbie & The Three Musketeers as well as core ranges. The sponsorship programme will also be supported by eight TV campaigns enabling the

020 8569 1234

Transformers RPM’s Mini Vehicles and Devastator Showdown Track Set. Littlest PetShop will showcase the Daycare Centre and Get the Pets. The FurReal Friends Lulu My Cuddlin’ Kitty will star in its own ad, as will Zambi and Biscuit returns to TV. My Little Pony’s TV lines are Sweetie Belles Gumball House Play-set, So Soft Sleep and Twinkle Starsong. Baby Alive Real Surprises’ TV campaign will run throughout autumn/winter.

Playskool lines include Busy Ballpopper, Step Start Walk ‘n Ride and Lullaby Gloworm, with Clipo Hippo, Helmet Heroes and DinoRoars brands.

ITNG Sleepy Igglepiggle and Ninky Nonk play-set will be supported. Magic Swirl Ice-Cream Shoppe and new Burger Builder Play-Doh play-sets will also be advertised. Ads featuring Wotwots toys will also be aired.

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campaign to reach 94 per cent of girls aged four to nine years-old.

From the Girls Inc portfolio comes four TV campaigns for Polly Pocket, My Baby and High School Musical. Polly Pocket will see two campaigns.

Hot Wheels maintains a major focus with TV campaigns supporting lead products including the new Colour Shifters Garage, Trick Tracks Mega Dino Challenge and Shark Bite Bay. Christmas TV driver Rocky the Robot Truck brings news for Matchbox. Boys can now interact as Rocky comes to life with interactive sensors, motorised movement and 100+ phrases and jokes.

Disney/Pixar Cars Mack Track Challenge and the Mini’s Radiator Springs Speed Trap will both receive TV support throughout autumn. The Toy Story brand will also receive support for Space Ranger Buzz Lightyear.

Interactive dinosaur Screature will feature in TV slots throughout autumn/winter. Screature comes with sounds and movements and uses sensors to detect movement and set-off a water spray.

Mattel continues its commitment to kids games with TV backing for new launch Whac a Mole and Piranha Panic.

Scene It? The Simpsons edition will receive support throughout the last quarter marking 20 years since the series hit screens. New launch Pictionary Man is also set for TV support leading up to Christmas.

Bringing together drawing, clues and interactive accessories the game creates a new way to play.

Leading products within the Radica portfolio will benefit from TV campaigns, including 20Q, Password Journal and new item U-Create. Children can record samples, mix and match

loops and add in their own voice or MP3 tunes.

Fisher-Price rolls out campaigns for Christmas with a multi-channel approach, using TV at the basis of the campaign. Infant lines receiving TV support include Amazing Animals Sing and Go Choo Choo, the pink version of Bounce ‘n’ Spin Zebra and the new Stack and Surprise collection. Preschool introductions such as Kid-Tough Camera, Imaginext Space Shuttle and Shake ‘n’ Go Extreme will also see TV support. There’s news for the Little People this autumn with the first TV slot for the Racin’ Ramps Garage.

Character brands are high on the agenda with the Winnie the Pooh infant line backed with a TV campaign. FisherPrice also focuses Christmas support on Waybuloo TV drivers Peek and Wiggle Yojojo and Peeka Lau Lau, both featuring phrases from the show.

Elmo Live, will again feature in a TV campaign throughout autumn. Other properties from Fisher-Price that will be supported with TV include Dora the Explorer, Wonder Pets, Little Einstein’s and new property Handy Manny.

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SECTOR GUIDE CHRISTMAS TV

DRUMOND PARK

This year all Drumond Park’s major brands will benefit from TV and online support, delivering more than 4,000 TVRs. The multi-faceted programme kicked off in early August and runs through to Christmas.

The firm is promoting four children’s action games: Magic Tooth Fairy, DohNutters, Bubble Buster and Pig Goes Pop. Over 3,000 TVRs will support the action games, with each one the subject of a 14-week campaign finishing on December 14th. The commercials are running on CITV, CH5, Nick Jnr., Nick Toons, Cartoon, Boomerang, Jetix and Pop. Drumond Park’s magic advertising has campaigns in the pipeline for Gross Magic and Horrid Practical Jokes. The products will get over 350 TVRs each using CITV, Nickelodeon, Nick Toons, Cartoon Network and Jetix.

VTECH VTech is to invest in three TV campaigns in the run up to Christmas which all began to appear on both terrestrial and satellite channels in August.

The advertising will support the newly launched V.Smile Motion, the V.Smile brand (including V.Smile, V.Smile Cyber Pocket and V.Smile Learning Games) and Kidizoom, targeting both housewives with children and children aged four to six.

The campaigns will achieve a total of 5,000 TVRs. The first ad had its initial airing for three weeks from midAugust and promotes the V.Smile Motion, the educational games console featuring a wireless motion controller. This will be followed by a secondary burst of the same ad from late September until the end of November, whilst the V.Smile brand and Kidizoom ads will appear on our screens during October and November.

In addition to the TV support, VTech will be investing in a Nickelodeon sponsorship, where the Kidizoom Pro, the

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The Rubik’s Cube is set to keep its dominant position, with another 14week TV campaign, also running from early August. And into the marketplace for this autumn/winter season is the Rubik’s 360. Nickelodeon, Nick Toons, Cartoon, Jetix and CITV are all being utilised for both Rubik’s campaigns.

Drumond Park’s family and adult games continue to dominate the sector, both in marketing support and sales through all types of retailer.

Christmas 2009 sees Logo join Articulate and Rapidough. All three adult/family games will be supported with a TV blitz on channels including ITV2, E4, UK Gold and Living, commencing in October and running up to December 27th.

Finally Drumond Park will be airing an ad campaign featuring its Britain’s Got Talent electronic board game.

SPIN MASTER

Bakugan has reached number two action figure property in the UK (NPD May 09). The brand will see a sponsorship of GMTV’s Toonattik, sampling and heavy spot TV advertising and has anew TV animation series launching.

Air Hogs celebrated ten years in flying toys this year and TV advertising will support the brand across September and October.

Paperoni the ‘no mess, no glue’ paper creativity toy is aimed at girls aged four and over and will be supported by a 800 TVR campaign, print advertising and PR, which

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highlights the Paperoni Studio, while Bendaroos, the flexible building sticks, will continue to be supported by TV and print up to Christmas.

Glo Doodle, the drawing toy with a transparent surface, which uses light to draw and trace in three bright colours is also being advertised in the UK in the second half.

Moon Sand has a selection of new play-sets including Fairies and Cement City in its Autumn range. The product is back on TV with a 600+ TVR campaign focused around the Adventure Island play-set and further supported with print advertising

01235 555545 multimedia digital camera featuring an MP3 player and advanced photo editing capabilities, will feature in a competition spot. A 30-second spot on Nick Toons, Toonsters, Nick Jr and Nick Jr 2 will drive viewers to a dedicated microsite on www.nick.co.uk where kids will get the chance to win one of 20 Kidizoom Pro’s.

Break bumpers featuring the winners from the competition will run on Nick Toons.

The campaign will run for a total of seven weeks from the beginning of September and during this time, over 1 million children aged four to eight will be exposed to VTech’s Kidizoom Pro product.

A brand new TV promotion for the Bugsby Reading System, will also run on a children’s TV station later in the year.

Clive Richardson, marketing director for VTech explains: “We have already demonstrated our commitment to heavily supporting key products in 2009 and this will continue into the peak Christmas season.”

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RE:CREATION

This autumn/winter, Re:creation will be TV advertising at key periods in the run up to Christmas. A total of 1350 TVRs will be aired on multichannel stations including Nickelodeon, GMTV and Cartoon Network. A combination of 20 and 30-second ads will be aired.

The products to be advertised include Razor, Horrid Henry, Zeebeez, Yada Yada Yada and jOG. Razor is one of the key product ranges for the firm and its campaign

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will total 650 TVRs for both Razor RipStik and Razor Spark Scooter across specialist and children’s channels.

Horrid Henry’s new play-set and figures will be advertised with a total 200 TVRs targeted at children’s channels. Zeebeez will have a total of 250 TVRs and the voice-warping device Yada Yada Yada will have 100 TVRs. The gaming peripheral, jOG, compatible with the Nintendo Wii will have a total of 150 TVRs.

0208 643 0320 ESDEVIUM GAMES TV will be part of the overall marketing campaign for Esdevium. Steve Buckmaster, director of sales at Esdevium Games, agrees: “We are committed to ensuring key brands get the marketing support needed to support retail listings and keep the kids coming in for product.

“Many of the brands we represent are non-seasonal and deliver year-round sales, therefore we feel that bulking all TV ad spend into the holidays is not especially productive. We prefer to focus on a year-round schedule, to support these year-round sellers.”

Flair’s investment in TV advertising in 2009 has increased significantly in a declining TV market.

Once again Gormiti will have TV presence that will be boosted with the launch of the new TV series on NickToons. Advertising on the newly launched Atomic Series has already started and this will be accompanied by advertising and sponsorship supporting the animated series launch from October to December. Also planned is a TV sponsorship deal, plus a PR campaign with youth titles.

GX Racers, a new brand for Flair, will also see TV advertising support with ten, 20 and 30-second ads airing from August to late November. The cars perform stunts on the small screen and this is mirrored with a PR campaign that will see 150K GX flipbooks being distributed through the boys’ press.

Sylvanian Families commercials are 30-second snippets of life in Sylvania featuring the new Pleasure Boat, the

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Beauty Salon and the Babblebrook Grange, the Village Square and Department Store, the Caravan and Car and the Old Hollow Oak Tree-house.

The new Disney Fairy dolls are based around Tinker Bell and Disney’s new DVD, Tinker Bell & the Lost Treasure, and will be released in November. These dolls will see TV support in August, September and November as will the new feature doll brand Cicciobello.

The My Life console will also be supported with TV in October and November with its new Summer Party and Hannah Montana cartridges being the focus of attention.

Finally, Flair’s creative play brands will benefit from an increased level of TV support this autumn/winter. Support commenced in August until half term and into November for brands including Toobie Woobies, Cool Cardz, Ben 10 Hero Identity Station, Shaker Maker, Teeny Meez, Aqua Beads, Blendy Pens and Colour Splitz.

INTERPLAY Interplay is to increase its TV advertising substantially for Q4 2009.

The campaign kicked off early in August with a short burst of TV to support launches with all three girls’ Wild Science kits being supported.

Luxury Soap Science, The Perfume Laboratory and The Fizzy Bath Bomb Factory are all included in the plan and are part of the Wild Science collection.

Further ads will also be seen for the new Solar Power Butterfly and Rainbow Makers which form part of Interplay’s Technokit collection.

In late autumn however, the major TVRs will be accumulated for both of these collections when the company

01420 593500 On the back of a 750 TVR campaign in the spring, Chaotic will be supported from August with 175 TVRs through 4Kids with input on timing, tagging, budget, and content from Esdevium.

Each of the four new releases throughout the year is supported by a campaign featuring 250 TVRs through the Pokemon Company, with the current campaign kicking off in September and renewed once again later on in November and December.

Esdevium Games is responsible for setting timing and tagging to ensure cohesion and maximum sales impact.

01628 488944 doubles its TV presence from the previous year. The result will see brand awareness for all the products when they are shown on terrestrial and satellite stations throughout October and November with ads that have been specially created to show the scientific and creative nature of the products.

Interplay’s managing director, Ross Ainsworth comments: “Our pilot last year with TV advertising was incredibly successful with the brands supported seeing amazing spikes in sales. This has given us the confidence to put more behind TV support this year whilst increasing the products that will benefit.“

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BANDAI

With a campaign running well into December, all brands will be supported with consumer print, PR, online and TV advertising spread across both terrestrial and satellite/cable stations.

Ben 10 will see TV spots for the Ultimate Omnitrix, Kevin’s Car, Stretching Figures, Alien Creation Chamber, 15cm DNA action figures and Alien Creatures as well as new spots featuring Humungousaur Hands and Echo Echo Voice Changer.

Power Rangers Jungle Fury will benefit from 17 spots, which will continually be reviewed and rotated throughout the season. Advertised products include the DX Jungle Pride Megazord, Strike Rider Cycles, Thunder Roar Vehicles, Solar Morpher and various action figures.

TV items for the latest Pokémon Diamond & Pearl brand include the

MV SPORTS

Goochicoos are four new interactive dolls. Each soft–bodied doll includes seven interactive features and a unique feature which sets it apart from the rest.

Little Star can sing, Beauty Queen talks to her mirror, Little Rascal plays fetch with his pet dog and Kitty Cat plays with her kitten.

The TV commercial airing this autumn will feature the classic 1970’s song by Alvin Stardust ‘My Coo-ca-choo’ adapted to ‘My Goochicoo’.

Ben 10 wheeled toys are spearheaded by the Monster Scooter which features an on board drawer containing nine Ben 10 monsters. For Christmas, MV has introduced a new scooter complete with a groundbreaking light and sound

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Diamond & Pearl Pokédex, and Spinning Poké Ball Launcher.

New doll property KeyTweens will have two spots, focusing on Princess World and Adventure World sets.

Harumika, the new arts & craft, fashion toy will also feature in its own TV spot as well as having a dedicated website www.harumika.eu where children can upload their all of their favourite creations.

Star Friends, the new interactive baby doll, will be showcased in a TV campaign, which is aimed at girls aged three to seven.

Celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, the new Noddy in Toyland toy range will be featuring in spots focusing on the Noddy House play-set and R/C Car. Other TV supported lines include Tamagotchi Music Star, the latest generation of the perennial toy.

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console information about Ben 10’s Alien Force. The unit is activated by an Omnitrix wrist strap worn by the rider.

The Omnitrix Scooter will be on air this autumn and will feature an online competition to win Ben 10 goodies.

Barbie has a range of wheeled toys with on board cosmetics and beauty accessories. On air this autumn, the campaign will feature the Beauty Secrets Scooter which includes an onboard secret drawer packed with 15 beauty treats and the Beauty Secrets 10” Bike incorporating two detachable cosmetics cases.

The new commercial is one of the first to feature the new ‘Barbie Girl’ theme tune and colourful graphics.

CORINTHIAN Corinthian’s new collection of 12 character figures, Stink Blasters, will feature on Kix! boys’ channel this September as they take over the station with sponsorship bursts and on-air competition.

The new marble craze Marbz, featuring Ben 10, will also be TV advertised in the run up to Christmas to encourage kids to collect all 360 marbles.

Disney MicroWorld TV support will be dominated by the Disney Princess figure

IMAGINATION GAMES Imagination will be TV advertising its Top Gear game for one month from November 21st to December 21st. The game will feature in a ten-second advert and TV channels are to be

01494 462640 collection and Snow White and Cinderella MovieBooks.

The In My Pocket figures and playsets will also be TV advertised again this autumn, with several new products being given airtime from September.

Both the new Puppy In My Pocket Fashion School and Pony In My Pocket Arena will be seen at regular bursts. The new Jungle In My Pocket Giraffe and Elephant Huts with exclusive families will also be shown for the first time.

01483 206955 confirmed, but will target a male audience with channels likely to include Dave, Living and Nickleodeon, as a starting point. The campaign will include approximately 100 TVRs.

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SECTOR GUIDE CHRISTMAS TV

MEGA BRANDS

The Battle Strikers campaign is Mega Brands’ biggest marketing launch to date. The TV campaign was launched in July with 800 TVR’s running throughout the summer holiday period across the UK and Republic of Ireland, with further TV advertising campaigns to come for the autumn/winter season. In total the firm will be running 1,600 TVRs. In addition, Mega has secured a sponsorship deal with Cartoon Network.

The new MagNext range consists of creative elements that provide many extra build opportunities combined with bright colours and graphics. The

TOMY The new Discovery Magical Melody Maker from Tomy's Discovery range, is an interactive electronic musical toy that brings instruments to life. The Discovery range will be promoted with a TV advertising campaign with a total of 350 TVR's leading up to the Christmas period, featuring Discovery Magical Melody Maker and Discovery Forget-Me-Not Photo Album.

Tomy has a strong line-up for Thomas this year, including the new Thomas and Cranky Coal Loader (£34.99), and more new train sets and Engines from The World Of Trackmaster. With over 700 TVRs running from July through to December, Tomy are set to build storming Thomas sales.

The firm is supporting the Teletubbies brand with a preChristmas TV campaign promoting Dance With Me Teletubby (£34.99), Telly Tummy Teletubbies (£24.99) and Po’s Matching Game (£17.99) leading up to Christmas. It will run from September to December with 300 TVRs in total.

Tomy is supporting the Aquadraw range with new ads and a national TV campaign delivering

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new range now means that there is 20 per cent more content. This Christmas, Mega will be running 600 TVRs across the UK and Ireland.

Streetz is a new adrenaline-filled construction toy packed with technology and gadgets for high-speed action. Streetz initial TV advertising stage will run until mid-September.

There will be 700 TVRs’s in the first stage with further advertising in the main season.

Advertising for all products will be appearing on a mixture of terrestrial and satellite television channels.

MARTIN YAFFE

Bob the Builder's Interactive Construction Site features a number of different layout combinations. The technology used within the play-set can recognise when a Machine Team vehicle is being operated and responds with sounds and phrases. Push-along vehicles of Scoop, Muck and Tumbler are included in the set, along with a Bob figure.

The TV campaign kicks off in September and runs throughout autumn/winter on key channels,

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including Nickelodeon, Five, CITV, Cartoon Network and GMTV Kids.

Fireman Sam's Activity Fire Station comes complete with interactive station house, Venus and Jupiter vehicles, play ‘water balls’, knock-down targets and figures of Sam, Penny and Norman.

The Activity Firestation campaign runs from September until December, across key channels, including Nickelodeon, Five, CITV, Cartoon Network and GMTV Kids.

020 8722 7300 over 800 TVRs targeting kids programming on terrestrial and satellite channels and an online campaign targeting parenting sites which will deliver over four million page impressions.

K’Nex will be TV advertised throughout autumn/winter 2009.

This will be the first time that the brand has featured on TV for three years.

Two separate 20" range ads will run in conjunction with each other, introducing new products and establishing the range. The range will benefit from a 300 TVR advertising campaign.

Battle Deck is a racing system and launches with three key lines, the Battle Deck Car Assortment (£4.99), the Battle Deck Super Raceway (£19.99) and the Battle Deck Mega Raceway (£39.99).

Tomy has teamed up with Cartoon Network to launch a multi-platform media campaign for the brand. The on air and online elements of the campaign will equate to 800 TVRs leading up to Christmas. Battle Deck will also be supported by a new website; www.battledeck.co.uk.

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SECTOR GUIDE CHRISTMAS TV

WORLDS APART

Worlds Apartâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s four-strong Dream Town collection will feature prominently in the TV schedule throughout October and December, and will also be backed up with a heavyweight PR campaign during the same period to add to its consumer awareness.

VIVID IMAGINATIONS Vivid is supporting 20 brands with TV this autumn/winter and over 40 individual campaigns across a range of categories.

The boys category kicks off with 300 TVRs across the Thinkway Toy Story Definitive range to support the movie rerelease of Toy Story 1. Dinosaur King will be backed by five weeks of TV and boys tech brands Laser Challenge and Spy Gear TV campaigns start over the October half term along with WWE which will focus on the new Punjabi play-set and the Raw Arena TV on the girls category will focus on core brands Animal Hospital and I Love Ponies with 400 TVRs which include the new Cut n Style Pony and Honey My Baby Pony. A further 320 TVRs are planned to launch the new AniMagic brand focusing on puppies Peanut and Dotty and Charlie the kitty. With over one million units sold worldwide, TV also continues for Fluffy Goes Walkies this autumn.

230 TVRs are planned in for the large doll ranges including

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The company has also scheduled TV advertising for Go Glow Light and Go Glow Time in the lead up to Christmas.

And once again, Worlds Apart is adding PR support to the brand as the Go Glow products will be integral in its Ready for Bed Campaign in October.

GOLDEN BEAR

Golden Bear will be launching its autumn TV campaign with the My 1st Talking JCB range.

The new My 1st JCB commercial features the familiar diggers - Joey JCB, Doug Dumptruck, Rex Roller, Larry Loadall, Roxy Robot and the new character for 2009 - Freddie Fastrac.

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Also featured in the ads are the new larger characters launching in autumn/winter 2009 - Talking Max and Talking Elvis Excavator.

The 20-second ad will be aired in bursts during the autumn/winter, showing across terrestial and digital channels, achieving over 400 TVRs.

01483 449944 PJ Sparkles and Two Cute Twins.

Girls tween sensation I-Carly TV starts in October for five weeks and lifestyle brand Spa Factory has seven weeks of TV planned to launch the Aromatherapy Center and Facial Massager.

The new Fabtastic Food range has 400 TVRs behind Cool Cookie Creations, Sandwich Maker and Pop n Freeze.

2000 TVRs are planned across the pre-school category to include a focus on new autumn/winter launches Tickle n Giggle Fifi, Crazy Stunt Roary and the new Timmy Time Night Night Timmy feature plush and Nursery School Playset.

Over 1500 TVRs will support the Crayola brand across Beginnings, Core and Creations. The first ever Beginnings TV line Colour Me a Song starts September and the second burst of TV for Glow Station, Spinaroo and Doodle Daisy starts in October. 600 TVRs are planned for the new Crayola Creations 3 in 1 Sticker Studio and Design-a-Bag along with Illumination Station

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RAVENSBURGER

Ravensburger will support its new autumn 2009 Puzzleball launches with a major TV advertising campaign, running in October and November.

Managing director Tim Hall comments: “NPD"s full year figures for 2008 show Puzzleball with a market share of over 87 per cent, and we're

CHARACTER OPTIONS Character Options will begin its pre-Christmas campaigns with a boost having committed to additional TVRs for its portfolio in early autumn. The move will lend further support at the time of launches of new brands such as Go Go Pets whilst adding to the strategy for HM Armed Forces, Let’s Cook, Peppa Pig and Postman Pat. New ads are planned for the HM Armed Forces and will form part of the media plan with over 1600 TVRs scheduled. Particular attention is being placed on Christmas lines including the RAF Fast Jet and the Army’s Light Battle Tank. Both 20 and 30-second ads have been created with further creatives for the new role-play products.

The Let’s Cook and Girl Gourmet brands and their latest 2009 additions will see 20 and 30-second ads running until late November. This will coincide with the brand’s wider marketing strategy that includes a new website, an internet advertising campaign and a print campaign.

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maintaining this momentum with exciting new product launches.”

Amongst the new items are Manchester United and Hello Kitty licences, which will sit alongside existing brands like Ben 10, Star Wars Clone Wars, High School Musical and the generic Christmas designs.

GROSSMAN

With pre-christmas TV advertising in mind, Grossman’s campaign will focus on the outdoor range and pocket money toys and on the Ozbozz Three Wheeled Cosmic Light Flashing Scooter for the younger kids and the Ozbozz Flashing Storm Two Wheeled Scooter for the slightly older kids.

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There will also be the opportunity to see the new Alien Birth Pod and Alien Fizz Pod ads.

The Megasaur ads will also continue to feature in the approach to Christmas. Other TV advertised lines this year will include Dino Magic and Mermaid Magic.

0161 633 9800 The new Go Go Pets collection features interactive hamsters with a range of habitats and accessories to collect. The nature of the brand is represented in a new 20-second ad that will be aired from launch date through to early winter.

Postman Pat and Peppa Pig are to be supported with TV concentrating on Princess Peppa’s Palace Play-set, Peppa Pig’s Classroom and Spaceship play-sets and Postman Pat’s vehicle collection. For both licences, the Hide n Seek Plushes will also be subject to TVRs. Another licence that will benefit from over a 1000 TVRs is Scooby Doo; with the focus of attention being on the Mystery Mates Mansion Playset, Stretch Scooby and Hide N Seek Scooby.

Finally Character’s creative brands are all well supported with commercials for Style Six - the new fashion inspired creative collection, GR8 Gear, Bindeez and Aqua Sand.

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SECTOR GUIDE BIKES

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On yer bike The children’s bike market offers much for both the toy and the bike specialist with a mixture of licensed product and heritage brands. In conjunction with our sister magazine BikeBiz we’ve put together a selection of the best offerings in the entry-level kids bike sector…

MV SPORTS

MV’s roster of low risk licences consists of classic characters such as Barbie, Thomas & Friends, Mr Men, Bob the Builder and Hot Wheels all of which are market tried and tested.

For girls Barbie needs no introduction and the iconic doll brand is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2009. MV’s 12” and 14-inch bike frames are available in Barbie signature pink with handlebar tassles and a My Special Things floral pattern. The 12inch version has colourful mag wheels whilst the 14-inch model has a doll carrier and spoked wheels.

For boys Thomas & Friends is consistently the number one licence for pre-schoolers at retail whilst in a recent poll Bob the Builder was voted by kids

WINORA

Winora is now able to supply its diverse range of kids’ and adult bikes to the UK trade from its base in Germany.

The children’s range covers boy’s and girls’ models in a variety of sizes. The builds use components from brands such as Suntour, Shimano and Tektro.

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from birth to four years-old as the most liked character. Both are backed with extensive marketing campaigns and TV programming. MV has 12-inch bikes, helmets and accessories available.

In addition to the classic line-up, MV also has the two most popular older boy licences around in Ben 10 and Transformers. Ben 10 continues to dominate in this category and the 14 and 16-inch bikes and helmets range has been shortlisted for the Best Licensed Toy or Games Ranges at the forthcoming Licensing Awards. Transformers is also flying high on the back of the blockbuster movie Revenge of the Fallen. The DVD launches in November offering further support.

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For those retailers who are interested in taking stock of any items from the Winora catalogue, they can receive access to the business-to-business website where products, prices and conditions can be found and items ordered for delivery.

Kids can do away with stabilisers altogether if they have honed their balance skills first, that's why a balance bike is the ideal way to learn to ride a bike for most toddlers.

This is why John Crane has added another colourway to its First Bike collection from Branching Out, as the range continues to grow. There are now three versions available: the First Bike in pink is decorated in hearts and flowers, while young speedsters will favour the racing red version. The new addition for this year, is the First Bike in a royal blue.

Each First Bike has a padded seat to ensure a comfortable ride and both

come with easy grip handlebars. Plus, the chunky pneumatic tyres not only mean a safe ride, but also give the First Bikes a grown-up feel.

Both wooden bikes have fully height adjustable seats meaning they will remain rideable even as children grow up. The latest blue version has all of the main features and also boasts a useful carry handle.

Also available is a bike stand, ideal for busy retailers in need of a means of maximising their displays in store. Also made from natural wood, the stand will keep each First Bike model upright in its store display and looking its best at all times.

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HY-PRO

With the return of the micro scooter, retailers wouldn't be wrong to diversify their kid's offering in the present climate. The addition of the Zinc range has strengthened Hy-Pro's wheeled toy offering, bringing a number of designled, entry-level scooters, skateboards, in-line skates and skate accessories.

The playground craze of Street Gliders will also appear under the Zinc brand. The flagship products will

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revolve around a range of feature scooters that include interactive flashing light effects, hidden built-in water blasters and real engine and braking sounds.

When this range is supplemented by a full pre-school Zinc Junior range with similar interactive features on bikes, trikes and tri-scooters, the brand should create a huge buzz within the kids wheeled toy market in its first year.

MOORE LARGE

Quality of specification, bright colours and graphics make Bumper pavement bikes a serious contender in the 'my first bike' category. The key models are available in all four popular pavement wheel sizes, which enable dealers to maximise sales while minimising shop floor space coverage.

The range consists of five boys and five girls models and maintains the flow of best sellers like Firepower and Commando boys and Starlet and Sparkle girls, which have all been updated with new graphics and additional features.

Fresh new models include a Nurse girl's bike in 14 and 16-inch wheel sizes and a completely revamped Stuntrider BMX available in 14, 16 and 18-inch wheel options.

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Bumpers are built like bikes and not like toys with a full ball bearing specification, V-brakes on 14-inch models and above, alloy rims on all 16 and 18-inch wheel models and stabilisers fitted as standard to all 12, 14 and 16-inch wheel models, excluding the Stuntrider BMX, which has rear stunt pegs. Added features include a rear storage box on all boys’ bikes and either a box or dol carrier on the girls’ models. Front bags, handlebar BMX pad sets and handlebar streamers continue.

Bumper bikes are distributed exclusively in the UK by Moore Large with the complete new range in stock and available now. The 2010 brochure and trade price list can be requested by calling the Moore Large sales team.

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MADISON A major wheeled toy manufacturer in the UK, Halsall cements its competence in this outdoor toys category with many new children’s bike designs for autumn/winter 2009.

Supporting one of the most successful movie brands ever, Halsall has created a range of Toy Story bikes and protection gear to support the Digital 3-D theatrical releases of the original Toy Story movies 1 and 2 in UK cinemas October 2009 and January 2010 respectively, followed by the release of the all new Toy Story 3 film animation in July 2010.

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Also new on the children’s bikes scene for autumn/winter 2009, Halsall’s Hello Kitty range features the tween fashion brand that’s currently taking the girls market by storm.

In addition the company continues to offer a range of bike designs and sizes with brand relevant features from existing licensed wheeled toy ranges including Fifi and the Flowertots, Baby Annabell and Baby Born, Hannah Montana, Roary the Racing Car, Spiderman, Scooby-Doo, JCB and WWE.

Saracen's kids' range is almost here and is due in stock in the first week of October, coinciding with the public launch at this year's Cycle Show.

Under Madison's guidance, the range has been highly revamped, yet still offers great value price points. The boys’ Bolt and girls’ Bella, both retailing for £129.99, cater for the children, coming in a ten-inch wheel size only. The bikes are both aesthetically pleasing and functional.

Both do away with bar-tassles in favour of bar-mounted water bottle holders.

The builds are tough too, built around

01908 326000 a 6061 lightweight alloy tubing kids will have trouble destroying the bikes.

Then there's safety features, such as the enclosed chainwheel, keeping young legs protected from the sprocket's teeth and oily chain muck.

Smaller hands are also gifted a shorter reach brake lever and comfy mushroom style grips.

Higher up in the range and upping the target age range, Saracen's 12-inch TuffTrax Junior is adorned with respectable components from Suntour, Shimano and Saracen's own branded components.

SEPTEMBER 2009

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SECTOR GUIDE BIKES

MARTIN YAFFE

Martin Yaffe’s range of licensed rideons and wheeled toys includes LazyTown, iCarly, Dora the Explorer and Wonder Pets.

The LazyTown bike is decorated in a cool blue design with stripes and images of Sportacus and his airship.

For the girls, there’s a bright pink bicycle, decorated with images of Stephanie singing and dancing. Both bikes benefit from cushioned seats, hand brakes, chunky tyres and a robust steel frame.

Tween girls will love taking off on bike rides on the iCarly Hi-back Bike, decorated with eye-catching images, phrases and furry seat.

Dora’s My First Bike is perfect for toddlers wanting to find their feet and

RALEIGH

Raleigh's kids' bike range totals 75 different models covering all age categories and starts at trikes and scooter right up to 26-inch wheeled bikes for teenagers.

The firm's most popular selling girls’ bike is the Molly in shimmering pink.

This model starts at £89.99 and comes in a 12-inch wheel size and covers sizes up to 16-inches. The build is complete with accessories, including a Molly bag, doll and carrier, a furry seat cover and is decorated with spoke beads and handlebar streamers.

Predicted to be a big hit this Christmas with girls of all ages is the

SEPTEMBER 2009

01706 717800

the Chopper Bike is ideal for preschoolers, eager for their independence. Both bicycles feature rear stabilisers and new Dora colourways. The seat and handlebars on both bikes are adjustable, allowing them to grow with their owner. The Chopper Bike has a removable bag and soft touch handles, decorated with tassels.

The brightly coloured Wonder Pets My First Bike and wooden Trainer Bike have been specially designed with children in mind. My First Bike’s robust tubular steel frame, mud guards and non-inflatable tyres withstand the rough and tumble of kids at play, while both bikes help children to gain their footing and confidence.

QUADRABYKE

The Quadrabyke is designed to grow with kids as they hone balance skills.

Bicycle designer Tony Wayman has developed a bike which begins as a stable four wheeled model and can be converted into a tricycle and eventually a bicycle, as and when the child's confidence improves.

Available in fire red, kiss pink, ice silver and wave blue, the Quadra is fitted with white plastic wheels with EVA custom tyres. A soft padded saddle tops an adjustable height seatpost. Soft black grips are tailored

DAWES

01905 831919

to young children’s hands, while front and back brakes ensure the child learns to stop effectively.

The bicycle’s metamorphosis centres around a unique patented multi-axle system, which allows rapid changes in the bike's setup. This versatility means the product's lifespan is extended, meaning parents can monitor a child's progress and make the decision when it's time to switch to two wheels.

Quadrabyke conforms fully to European and United States safety standards. Retail price is £109.99.

0121 7488050

01773 532600

exclusive range of Raleigh Me to You bikes, complete with the original Tatty Teddy. These are available in a wide range of wheel sizes from 12 to 26inches from £79.99.

For the boys and the Raleigh enthusiasts, the bike to always cause a storm and sell out right away is the Chopper. Essentially the same bike as the original 80s classic, the new model sports a deep red and flame graphic scheme with more aggressive Comp3 styled tyres and Shimano Nexus threespeed gears.

Raleigh is holding an official dealer launch from September 7th to 11th.

Dawes Cycles’ 2010 range offers a new breed of steel bikes that still offers the same quality expected from the Birmingham-based brand, but at more affordable prices.

Starting at a retail price of £149.99, these bikes have been designed to counter the price rise that retailers felt earlier in the year due to the weakening of the pound. The range consists of both boys and girls 20 and 24-inch wheel models.

The boys’ 20-inch Lightning has striking graphics and a suspension fork, while the girls’ model has rigid forks and a low step-through frame.

The 24-inch wheel boy’s Zombies and girls’ Sapphire models both have 18speed Shimano gears.

Stalwart alloy favourites such as the Bandit, Redtail and Vixen get a facelift for 2010 keeping their graphics up to the minute.

Dawes has also launched the Espoir3000. This is an affordable children’s road bike available in 24 and 26-inch wheel sizes. The bike utilizes 16-speed Shimano STI gears and an alloy frame. The bikes are both proportioned and geared for the younger riders with short cranks and narrow, short drop bars.

The bikes have clearance for mudguards and have canti-brakes so they are easily converted for use during the coming cross season. It’s ideal as a multi-function starter bike and retails at £369.99.

tel: 01905 831919

Trike

web: www.q-byke.com

Bike

TM

54

SECTOR GUIDE BIKES

GREAT GIZMOS

Joining the Great Gizmos collection for 2009 are two Okiedog ride-on toys.

Fropper and Cheeky Chick are the names of these wheeled models designed for kids aged 18-36 months.

Fropper is a ride-on toy and bouncer in one and comes ready to use straight from the box. Castor wheels up front make cruising around safe and easy for young racers. These are non-abrasive too, making it ideal for indoor or outdoor use.

When not in use, this ride-on can be stored away easily, as it folds up to a fraction of its riding size in a few easy steps and comes with a built-in hand grip that makes carrying easier.

01293 543221

Alternatively, the Cheeky Chick model doubles up as a ride-on and a walker. There is raised handlebars and wide front wheels for support, so a child can stand in front and push it backwards to get around.

Like its counterpart, the Cheeky Chick folds up to a fraction of its original size and can be carried easily thanks to a carrying strap stored underneath the seat.

Finally, a parental handle is available that can be attached to both the Fropper and Cheeky Chick which allows parents to push their child around and halt their progress should they be heading for danger.

FISHER OUTDOORS

Supplying the Adams range to UK retailers, Fisher Outdoor has a diverse stock of product geared toward getting kids out and about on two wheels.

The Adam's Runabout bike, available in either a steel pink for girls, or a steel blue for the boys, can be bought at retail from £59.99. For that money, customers are getting an easy-learning balance bike, minus the pedals, so kids can learn to control their balance with their feet.

The simple, low-maintenance design has a quick release seat clamp, meaning the model can be adjusted to a child's height. The frame, which features a tough ball bearing headset, has a low-stepover design to limit accidents. Alloy frames are Norco

SEPTEMBER 2009

AVOCET

0161 727 8608

The Coyote Cub range consists of 16 all alloy junior models from 14-inch through to 24-inch wheel sizes, covering rigid, front and full suspension. With retail prices from £119.99 through to £195, parents won't have to break the bank in order to get their kids cycling.

The firm also offers through its Concept Range, Balance Bikes, Scooters from 12 to 16-inches in size, Go Carts and a full range of kid's bikes from 12 to 24-inch wheel sizes. Prices for this range begin at £49.99 and top out at £139.99.

01727 798345

branded, while the steel builds are Adams branded.

Also from the distributor's stock, stores can suggest a few add on items, such as the Basil Jasmin Rosa Shopper bag for girls seeking flash accessories to go with their ride. The ten-litre, water repellent bag has a reflective flower pattern on both sides, an adjustable and removable shoulder belt and an attachment for hooking the bag up to a bike.

Alternatively, parent's safety concerns can be addressed with any of MET's kid's helmets. For £19.99 the twin-shell buddy (46 to 53 cm) or Super Buddy (52 to 57cm), will keep a child protected in style. The helmet carries a reflective sticker, non-pinch straps and six cooling vents.

Examples of the boys’ bikes are the Warrior and Wild Thing models. Each is built with lightweight alloy tubing and carries a hi-tensile fork (Warrior features suspension). Both roll on 20inch double wall alloy rims and are kitted out with Avocet's own Coyote branded tyres.

Gearing is handled by a Shimano sixspeed Revoshift shifter on both models.

The girls’ equivalent Koobalahi also utilises Shimano's six-speed Revoshift, Coyote branded tyres and V-brakes. The frame on the girls’ bike, however, features a low step-over.

KIDDIMOTO

01749 871175

Kiddimotos are a child’s first bike and act as an important tool for child devlopment disguised in a fun and desirable package.

Aimed at two to five year-old children, Kiddimoto’s range of wooden balance bikes are an ideal proven learning platform.

Designed to teach children the art of balance and coordination at an early age, the bike bypasses the necessity for stabilisers that can often hold back motor skills development.

All Kiddimoto balance bikes are constructed from recyclable, natural birch plywood and are very safe as a form of supervised educational play.

Kiddimoto continues to develop the range to offer interesting, bespoke and engaging products to the market. Continually evolving, the Kiddimoto concept now features a Superbike, Scrambler, Scooter and Chopper design in the range.

The new Heroes collection, based on the Superbike, offers the motorcycle enthusiast the additional benefit of supporting the legendary riders who have achieved World Champion status in the sport.

Recent collaborations include Raleigh, Honda, Husqvarna, Triumph, Metzeler and Suzuki, providing retailers with strength in POS material.

With a wide spectrum of colours available for each model, children can design their first bike. Kiddimoto now also produces a range of accessories designed to compliment each model.

Kids can choose from branded gloves, t-shirts and helmets in a variety of colours.

What’s more, Kiddimoto offers a personalisation option which includes a number and child’s name sticker set to make their bike stand out from the crowd.

Retailing from £99.99 to £119.99, the margin sways towards the retailer’s favour.

rd a w A y o T d o Go d l o G a f o s Winner

orld W y M f o h ÂŁ250 wort s e l z z u p p a m g and Ji

Look out for new My World puzzles in 2010.

my world puzzles: Are ‘planet’ friendly – made on 100% recycled puzzle board and in Britain Have been developed in conjunction with child Psychologist, Dr Amanda Gummer Are developmentally appropriate at every stage linking to the Early Learning Goals and National Curriculum Have a slot at the top so children can post their pieces Eight puzzles aimed at pre-school children covering themes such as farmyard and jungle animals, nursery rhymes and everyday experiences

For your chance to win £250 worth of My World and Jigmap puzzles simply answer the following question: How many puzzles are there in the My World range?

a) 4

b) 8

c)10

Answers to toynewscompetition@intentmedia.co.uk before September 30th 2009

Gibsons are the UK’s leading supplier of puzzles for the jigsaw enthusiast.

Our range includes over 200 quality puzzles for adults and children.

For more information on these and any Gibsons product, see www.gibsonsgames.co.uk, call 0208 661 8866 or email sales@gibsonsgames.co.uk

SECTOR GUIDE GAMES & PUZZLES

www.toynewsmag.com

59

Counter culture Pressure from a more family-oriented video games market has put further strain on sales of board games, which is seeing a decline in its traditionally strong appeal as a social-bonding experience. Nonetheless, it is still a business worth more than £200m in the UK. ToyNews finds out what’s coming up from the key players...

HASBRO

020 8569 1234 Pre-schoolers can develop coordination, building skills and colour knowledge with the Topsy Turtle game.

The musical talking turtle instructs each player on what colour block to place under its feet to help him out of the pond. Topsy Turtle is suitable for ages three years and up, £14.99.

Connect 4 (£9.99) is back with a new twist. The game now has three different ways to play – Original, PopOut and Pop10. PopOut allows players to drop a counter in the top, or pop out counters from the bottom row. With Pop10, players start the game with a grid full of counters and can then start popping them out. Also new is Connect 4x4, a double grid challenge for up to four players. Players must outwit opponents by making horizontal, vertical or diagonal lines on either side, or by weaving through from one side to the other, £19.99.

LEGO

With its core message of Build – Play – Change, the Lego Games range is the result of a global research programme involving families. With eight games available at launch, the system represents a growth driver for the company, which is investing in a marketing campaign.

A two-tier campaign targeting boys aged four to nine and mums forms the basis of the marketing, which will include over 1,000 TVRs, channel sponsorship, online and print campaign, teaser activity, a national newspaper promotion and PR. In Robo Champ, players collect pieces to be first to build a Lego robot. Play using the special Lego dice and change the sides of the dice to adapt rules or add pieces. The game takes 15 minutes to play.

New to Pictureka are the Flipper and Guesstures games. Flipper, Pictureka’s favourite penguin now has his own game and spins around and flips out pictures and mission tiles in every direction. The game is aimed at those aged six and over, £24.99. Guesstures is a game of high-speed charades featuring an action timer. Players must show off acting skills and race against the clock to be awarded with the trophy for best performance.

Bop It! returns with more challenges, including the brand new Shout It! command. Now players can Bop It, Twist It, Pull It and Shout It to a new high score for longer play. Can be played alone or using the new, body popping party mode to challenge family and friends.

Cranium Wow is a deluxe edition of the original. The adult game features 15 activities and 600 all-new questions.

01753 495000

The Magikus game is first built, then players choose a row to select an ingredient from by using the owl playing piece on one of the brown spaces. But potion ingredients can be stolen or swapped or blocked by the bat. Sides of the dice can be changed to introduce different rules.

In Monster 4 players race to be the first to get four monster pieces in a row.

However, there’s a giant spider that can wipe out all monsters, so players need to change the sides of the dice to create new blocking rules and spider-dodging moves.

Build the volcano then play the Lava Dragon game with the aim to be first to climb to the top of the erupting volcano and avoid the molten lava to win the dragon. Build up the dice by adding the coloured tiles to each face until it’s full.

After players build the Race 3000

track, the race is to be the first to complete one lap to win. Put driving skills to the test by building the dice and moving car playing pieces in response to the dice throw and tile colour. Change the dice to adapt the rules, bring the pit stop into play to make short cuts.

Play Pirate Code by selecting a secret code and hiding it in a treasure chest using the gem pieces provided. A game of logic, the objective is to try to break the opponents’ code. Make the game shorter by using the brown tiles to make it into a two-player challenge and use the white tile to introduce the skeleton.

Build the Minotaurus maze using the template then play to be the first Knight to reach the temple in the Minotaur’s labyrinth. Other players can challenge by moving the Minotaur playing piece to send others back to the start. The playing time can be adapted and you can also change the number of spaces the Minotaur can move and the layout of the maze.

Ramses Pyramid is an Egyptianthemed game of strategy and deception.

Build the Lego pyramid and aim to be the first to climb to the top and defeat Ramses the mummy King. Collect crystals and use them to climb up each level, using the corresponding coloured gems. Use the Mummies to block opponents or rotate the pyramid to block their path. Change the rules to play the game in teams or change the win mechanic.

Cranium Junior is the acting, puzzling, sketching, sculpting, codecracking game for kids. With 300 questions, a new board and new surprises inside, Cranium Junior is suitable for ages seven and up, £14.99.

In Monopoly City, players can build as soon as they buy and develop their portfolio from the first roll of the die.

Featuring 80 3D buildings and the Electronic Trading Unit.

Risk is taking the action to the battlefields of Europe in Risk: Balance of Power. Now with faster gameplay, players must face their opponents head to head in this two-player edition.

Trivial Pursuit Team features new question formats including Multiple Choice, Name Six and Go For Broke.

Played in rounds, there is no need to collect wedges, players just have to answer enough questions correctly to ensure they are ahead at the end.

PAUL LAMOND GAMES 0207 2540100

2009 marks the 25th anniversary of the Paul Lamond brand. To celebrate, the firm launched a new pre-school educational range under the Chimp and Zee Games brand, with six games and four puzzles.

In the existing pre-school area, there are three new Postman Pat SDS and Gruffalo products.

The children’s range has six new Rainbow Magic puzzles, an updated Famous 5 range and the Fundex skill and action game When Pigs Fly. The Family area sees the addition of Cacophony and In a Pickle and Luck of the Draw, plus Revelations. Family puzzle additions include Where’s Wally, Alex Baird’s Impossible Puzzles and three dragon puzzles from The Dragon Chronicles.

The Murder Mystery Dinner Party range sees the return of Inspector McClue in A Vintage Murder and the McNaughty range is also extended.

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SECTOR GUIDE GAMES & PUZZLES

WINNING MOVES 020 7298 9500

Abalone is a classic strategy game.

Players strive to be the first to push six of their opponent’s marbles off the board. Things can change in an instant and despite its design, the game isn’t always black and white.

Pentago is a game of five-in-a-row with a twist. Players must line up their marbles but the tables can turn in an instant. Every time a marble is placed, players turn one of the moveable squares on the board. Pentago is a mix of strategy, reaction, and luck.

Winning Moves will be showing the games at Autumn Fair.

RAVENSBURGER 01869 563800

Ravensburger’s games and puzzles have just won awards from The Good Toy Guide, as revealed by MD Tim Hall: “We’ve won gold and silver awards for Chocolate Fix and Tipover, both from our Thinkfun range, and silver awards for Rescue Vehicles and Animals of the World from our generic puzzles range.”

The firm also has new products for autumn, both in 2D and 3D puzzles, for children and adults. New 2D children’s puzzles include designs based on Toy Story, 3rd & Bird, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Handy Manny, Ice Age 3, Wonder Pets, Lazytown and Postman Pat SDS. The 3D puzzleball range boasts new products based on Manchester United and Hello Kitty, which will sit alongside existing licences Ben 10, Star Wars Clone Wars, High School Musical and the Christmas designs.

The firm’s adult puzzle range features new designs including gift property Me to You (Tatty Teddy) and Winnie the Pooh.

SEPTEMBER 2009

JUMBO GAMES

YTD (July 09) NPD data shows Jumbo Games’ share of the market has been growing and is now positioned at number two in children’s puzzles.

For 2010 new properties will join the range including Horrid Henry, Gormiti, Guess with Jess, Little Kingdom and Toy Story 3. Another addition for 2010 is the FA World Cup. Peppa Pig Tumble and Spin Game is subject of a strong marketing campaign through a viral game and online PR. The game is hosted on www.peppapig.com.

DRUMOND PARK

The new adult game from the firm is Logo and features questions based on hundreds of UK and international brands. Pig Goes Pop is already the number one best selling children’s action game in many European countries. The game joins Magic Tooth Fairy, Doh-Nutters and Bubble Buster.

Gross Magic continues to consolidate its number one position in the magic sector, with a 14-week TV campaign scheduled for the autumn/winter months. It is a similar scenario with Horrid Practical Jokes, which continues to sell well.

01707 289289

The Wasgij fan base is growing and even has its own Facebook group.

The Falcon Deluxe brand has also undergone a makeover. There are also new images from the Ladybird licence.

Jumbo’s Big and Small puzzle range includes 35-piece puzzles in two designs, Big and Small shaped puzzles (12 & 24 pieces) and a four puzzle box set depicting scenes from the show. Big and Small games, including playing cards and a Knock ‘em down Game, are scheduled to launch in February 2010.

01506 855577

Joining The Rubik’s Cube is Rubik’s 360. Both the Cube and the 360 will be supported with a 14-week TV campaign and a multi-media PR and promotional campaign and high density sampling during the autumn term – through a tailor-made national schools programme.

Finally, Britain’s Got Talent will be back on air with a commercial from Drumond Park to support its Britain’s Got Talent electronic board game.

Other UK TV game licences include Deal Or No Deal, Family Fortunes and The Colour Of Money.

ORCHARD TOYS 01953 859525

Three new products for September have been added.

Ten Green bottles is a game for three to six year-olds which is designed to reinforce number recognition; develop early counting skills and encourage observation and memory skills and it links with early learning goals and National Curriculum Maths Key Stage 1.

The gameplay is simple, the first player to match the ten green bottles on their wall with ten dotty numbered cards and post them into the bottle bank, is the winner.

The second new release is Old MacDonald Lotto designed for two to six year-olds, where players have to match farm cards and a farmer with the images on their boards. First one to match them all is the winner.

Last, but not least, is Fairy Tales, a box of six two and three-piece fairy puzzles suitable for children 18 months and upwards.

FIESTA CRAFTS 020 8804 0563

Fiesta Crafts has just launched Dr Baffler’s range of Muddle Puzzles. These four wooden puzzles have colourful repeating patterns which, on the face of it, appear quite easy to solve but are harder than they look.

The Muddle Puzzles are illustrated with a Knight and Castle theme for boys and a Pink Princess theme for girls. Both styles are available as either nine-piece or 22-piece.

The puzzles retail at £2.50 for the 22-piece and £2.99 for the nine-piece puzzle. Suitable from five years and over.

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VIVID IMAGINATIONS 01483 449944

New from Vivid for autumn/winter 2009 is Wogan’s Perfect Recall (£19.99).

Round by round, players must recall the 20 answers locked in the answer bank to win the game.

Golden Balls Electronic Game (£19.99) is a game of luck, intuition and bluff.

Play against family and friends as you all compete to get to Bin or Win. Grab the cash and avoid the Killer Balls that can turn millions into pennies. Series five is now on air and Golden Balls Electronic Game was the number one selling family board/action game of 2008 (full year NPD 2008.

Vivid also has a full complement of pre-school games and jigsaws, which are a proven way for children to learn through play – building on their problem solving skills, they promote hand eye coordination and colour recognition.

New to the Vivid pre-school games stable is the much anticipated Timmy Time Pop Up Game (£9.99). Also available are Fifi’s Stack a Cake and Roary’s Pitstop Panic games (both £9.99). Little girls can take it in turns to build Fifi’s cake as high as they can without it toppling over in Fifi’s Stack a Cake Game. The race is on for the boys in Pitstop Panic where they have to construct Roary the Racing car as quickly as they can before the timer runs out and all the pieces pop off.

Vivid’s pre-school puzzles include Fifi, Roary and Timmy 4-in-a-box varieties.

Piece together each unique puzzle to see images of Fifi, Roary or Timmy and their friends. The puzzles are all supported by extensive PR campaigns.

TACTIC GAMES 01483 751267 A Right Royal Laugh is a game based on historical events and previously published royal quotes. The 1,300 questions and answers are divided into picture cards and five categories: In the public eye; Did that really happen?; The royals at home; Who’s Who? and Famous Occasions.

Collect five different category counters by answering questions correctly and head towards the finish space. If you are the first player to answer three further questions correctly, you win the game.

SEPTEMBER 2009

MATTEL

Further expanding the Scrabble portfolio, a new autumn addition joins the kids line-up.

My First Mr Men Scrabble delivers engaging word play for pre-schoolers.

Deluxe Scrabble unveils a new look, featuring a pegged board system to keep tiles in place.

Uno will see the introduction of Uno Moo. The game uses chunky animal characters and challenges players to match colours and animals. Uno Extreme continues to be a focus with TV support leading up to Christmas.

2009 marks 20 years since The Simpsons hit TV screens and DVD

GIBSONS GAMES 0208 661 8866

Gibsons My World children’s puzzles recently won a Good Toy Award.

New products recently released include ten jigsaw puzzles for the adult market covering subjects such as Christmas, steam trains and a busy market day. The Christmas Limited Edition puzzle is also now available. This year, the Beano Limited Edition jigsaw features Desperate Dan as he switches on the Christmas lights.

Gibsons has launched 90 jigsaws in 2009. Themes include classic nostalgia, wildlife and humour. The adult puzzles come in a variety of piece counts including 250, 500, 1000 and 1500 piece, as well as the extra large piece puzzles. Also now available are four 250-piece puzzles in tins featuring old fashioned sweets and confectionery.

New games include a range of classics such as chess, backgammon and Mah Jongg.

01628 500000

board game brand, Sceneit? celebrates with The Simpsons Edition Sceneit?

The game of the quick draw is also set for a makeover, as Pictionary Man is brought to life. Players discover the object or word they need to draw through the digital screen on his foot and then must draw on him and his accessories to demonstrate their clue.

Autumn will also see new titles join the kids’ game portfolio including new acquisition Whac A Mole, as well as Piranha Panic and Rhino Rampage.

Radica’s 20Q continues to be a focus, while two Waybuloo puzzles arrive in the autumn.

ESDEVIUM 01420 593500

The Wallace & Gromit game of sheep rustling, Fleeced, has been designed and developed by Nick Park and includes detailed playing pieces of the characters along with 40 sheep.

Chaotic gets a new themed set with starter decks, booster packs, tins and storyline. Pokémon recently added Supreme Victors, with the next set in the Platinum line due in November.

New tins will be available this month.

Yu-Gi-Oh! continues to build with new product being introduced all the time, including 2009 tins. Specialty games like The Settlers of Catan and Carcassonne continue to grow, while Esdevium is adding Alhambra to its line-up.

CHARACTER OPTIONS 0161 633 9800

Character Options’ games portfolio has two additions for 2009 - one featuring Scooby Doo in piratical adventures and the other a fast moving physical game of catch the mouse. The aim of Scooby Doo’s Pirate Peril Game is to steer the ball around the many obstacles on the pirate ship, including traps such as the sweeping pirate and gangplank to reach the buccaneer in the crow’s nest. The addition of a clockwork timer means players have to race to complete the course.

Alternatively, Mad Mouse is a physical game as four players chase the motorised mouse around the floor. The object is to catch the mouse by its tail with the cat’s paw hook to earn the cheesy token. The first player to get five tokens wins.

IMAGINATION GAMES 01483 206955

Top Gear Ultimate Car challenge board game will be TV advertised in Q4 2009 for the first time.

Gogo’s Crazy Bones is a new board game available in October, which allows kids to battle their collections against friends and family.

Scabs N Guts is the new ‘meducational’ board game aimed at teaching kids all about the human body.

The idea of the game is to promote looking after your body, exercise and healthy eating.

In Carol Vorderman’s Tribond, players can decide on the length of play and add in their own questions. Tribond is a new quick fire game, which asks a ‘threezer’ – what one thing links three words. Each winning answer receives a token, decide the length of the game by stipulating the number of tokens needed to win.

SECTOR GUIDE GAMES & PUZZLES

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JOHN CRANE 01604 774949

John Crane is launching a new range of puzzles in the Branching Out Collection.

The new Touch and Feel puzzles feature fur and fleece hidden below animal characters. There are two to handle – Touch and Feel Safari features a cheetah, monkey, zebra and lion, while the Touch and Feel Farmyard includes a sheep, duck, pig and cow.

Continuing along the same theme is the Texture Puzzle Bugs, with a ladybird, frog, butterfly and snail. Each bug features a host of crinkly, fluffy and spiky add-ons.

WOW STUFF 0870 054 6000

Wow Stuff has produced a range of Mensa and Puzzler games in time for Christmas. The new Puzzler Console includes Sudoku, Fitword and Wordsearch. There are six games, plus interchangeable cartridges, allowing players to play a range of traditional puzzles and brain training.

Games for the Puzzler Console include Terrible Sense of Direction? to help improve memory, and Add up Quicker than the Cashier? to improve mental maths. The Mensa’s Brain Trainer features nine mentally stimulating games, and three levels of difficulty, players can monitor performance. Also in the Mensa range is the Reaction Trainer. With ten games to speed up the laziest brains, you can plot your scores on a graph to record progress.

GREAT GIZMOS 01293 543221

The IQ Block puzzle has 60 possible solutions. Once a coloured block has been chosen and placed in the top left hand corner of the accompanying case, the additional nine blocks can be arranged around it to form a square.

Alternatively, Cross Three is another concept featuring triangular shaped pieces with images of animals, space scenes and more.

Simply place the nine triangular pieces together to form one large triangle, making sure all the pictures match across the joins.

Young puzzlers are also catered for with a range of wooden pin puzzles that comprises four different themes.

Each puzzle is designed with a handle making it easier for children to pick up and features familiar images, encouraging conversation and language skills.

COILEDSPRING GAMES 0870 446 1515

New this Christmas from Coiledspring is Gobblet. The multi-award-winning noughts and crosses style game involves gobbling up opponent’s smaller pieces in order to get four Gobblets in a straight line. It is available in classic or kids editions.

There is also a new Eclipse release from Gigamic with orbiting satellites battling to protect their home comet.

The CEACO brand of jigsaws have 4in-1 and 10-in-1 multi-pack assortments.

The firm also offers the full Tactic range of games, craft and poker.

GREEN BOARD GAMES 01494 538999

Green Board Games will be using Autumn Fair as a platform to introduce a range of new products.

Additions to its BrainBox range include the new Art BrainBox, featuring over 50 masterpieces from the National Gallery, as well as the Maths, My First ABC and Nature BrainBoxes. Manchester United BrainBox is also now ready for the new season.

Other new products being shown include Dinosaur Dash, a licensed product in conjunction with the Natural History Museum, alongside Ingenious the successor to Blokus, Qwirkle Cubes, and more.

UNDERGROUND TOYS 0207 8016325

Underground Toys has signed a deal with Cardinal to distribute the Twilight board games and more. The game is based on the popular novels and TV movie and includes board, scene cards, playing pieces, and dice.

Whoever is first to travel the board and collect all eight scenes wins.

67

CREATIVITY INTERNATIONAL 01384 485 550

Creativity International has a new line of licensed craft puzzles and games. Its range of Numberjacks craft games encourage numeracy through creative play. One of the kits in the series is the Paint by Numberjacks and encourages kids to identify numbers will aiding their neural development as they apply number recognition with a physical hand-eye coordination.

This joins the firm’s other craft puzzles, including the Colour Your Own Mister Maker jigsaw painting kit, Mister Maker Colour and Cut Jungle kit and Hit Favourites Colour and Cut kits featuring Pingu, Bob, Thomas and Fireman Sam Each kit is brightly packaged and are priced at £4.99 each. Each comes with ideas and instructions for projects and is designed to encourage confidence and children’s creativity and stimulate ideas and imaginative play.

XANADU GAMES 0118 934 4477

Eye-Dentity includes over 300 trivia questions on the everyday subliminal messages that are picked up from corporate brands and identities.

Eye-Dentity has been nearly two years in the making with each brand represented being carefully selected and approvals sought for inclusion in the game. The game focuses on the information retained from a range of brands and can be played by children and adults. However the brands used aren’t complete, to make the game more difficult.

Eye-Dentity features high quality graphics and durable playing cards, counters and game-board.

The product is also made in England and will be subject to a marketing campaign including a Hamleys launch and solid PR. The original Eye-Dentity board game is available now from Xanadu Games and will form the corner stone of a larger brand that will include additional themed sets.

SEPTEMBER 2009

68

SECTOR GUIDE GAMES & PUZZLES

BRAINSTORM 01200 445113

2009 has seen Brainstorm launch a range of products developed in conjunction with the Natural History Museum. Products have been developed to reflect the approach to science promoted by the Museum and the brand.

Check out the clues and race around the world with Animal Detective, a fun animal spotting game. It includes a 50cm inflatable globe with 270 illustrations of animals, plus 68 clue cards packed with animal information.

Each player can choose a different skill level, meaning that players of all ages can play together.

RICHARD EDWARD 020 8311 8888

PROFESSOR PUZZLE 01932 230992

Professor Puzzle has secured a UK deal for Hanayama puzzles.

The Japanese range has been built up over 25 years and features unique designs from puzzle inventors around the world.

There are 30 puzzles in the collection, split into £10, £12 and £14 price points.

Adam Langley, head of sales at Professor Puzzle, says: “Hanayama puzzles have become undisputed crazes in almost every major country in the world apart from the UK. We can’t wait to start sending these products out and developing this totally unique range.”

TANTRIX 020 8680 8918

JC GAMES 01833 347886

Qb is the latest travel word game for all skill levels aged eight to adult. Qb has 48 cubes and the design brings an educational value to the game through the building of spelling and vocabulary.

The white cubes ensure players are never short of the vowel they require and the red two letter combinations make word building very easy. The score is determined by how the chosen word is attached to the crossword grid. Many teachers have noted the educational value of Qb. Trialing the cubes as a starter activity in class is being tested in several schools this autumn.

Qb can be played on any flat surface, even the drop down tray on an aeroplane or a train. A travel bag is included.

FLAIR 0208 643 0320

DKL 01604 678780

Children from three can play Wonderworld’s range of boxed games.

Included in the range is the Eco Town Game – a classic dice game; Chicky Memo Game – a memory game, and Traffic Domino Game – a strategy game.

The Eco Town Game is a dice game for kids to learn how to save the environment. A town can be created with houses, trees, bicycle, recycle bin and a rainwater tank.

Traffic 3D Dominos offers a version of the traditional game with a modern twist. The aim is to make up a road network by matching the coloured vehicle parts in front and rear sections on chunky wooden squares.

Build a Village game allows children to make up their own village with houses, trees and cars. This is a classic dice board game and allows up to four players at a time. The board itself is illustrated with greenery, roads and roundabouts and the coloured wooden accessories are well detailed.

Finally, The Chicky Memo is a memory game where children need to remember the exact location and colour of eggs hidden by chicks sitting on them in nests. It has two levels of difficulty and encourages and builds on concentration skills.

New to 2009 is the 3D Creativity Blocks. Practice puzzle skills on one side and creative skills on the other.

HABA 0161 304 9555 Richard Edward produces trading card sets, card components for board games, stand-alone card games, and playing cards.

A range of specialist printing and finishing processes ensures the company can meet most creative briefs, from foiling, to glow-in-thedark or creating inks that react to temperature to randomised collation and unique coding within trading card sets. Everything is carried out on one site, too.

Richard Edward offers environmental credentials including FSC and Green Mark, together with scope to reduce carbon footprint by purchasing a British product.

SEPTEMBER 2009

Tantrix UK celebrates its tenth anniversary later this year. The company’s products are easy to demo, thus helping stockists to make shopping interactive.

MD Steven Trezise says: “Gradually expanding the range has helped us sustain a steady rate of growth, while providing our customers with good margins and products that just keep on selling. With people likely to be seeking out reasonably-priced Christmas gifts that have more than just short-term novelty value this year, we believe that the best puzzles and games tick all the boxes, with their ability to keep the whole family enthralled, not to mention their obvious educational value.”

Flair’s licensed Uno range is available in a range licences.

New for 2009, Star Wars Clone Wars Uno has character poses featuring on each card. It comes with a fully moulded Clone Commander Rex card case to store the 112 playing cards. It can be played by two to ten people, who are all dealt seven cards to start with a race to be the first to have used all theirs up.

Hello Kitty Uno features the character on each card, plus a moulded case. Dr Who Uno has a Dalek-shaped card case and cards featuring villains and heroes, while Simpsons Uno has a Homer Simpson moulded case and characters from the show.

Casino Hot Dog is new to the Haba range. Each player has nine betting chips in a bag and pulls out a chip to get a high score. Whoever thinks it’s too risky to pull out another chip can voluntarily opt out. The two players with the highest scores can move their figures on the game board – the aim is to reach the kennel first.

Haba also offers a range of puzzle games to help develop colour recognition, meticulous observation and quick reactions. The range includes Fire Brigade and On the Farm. Both of these feature chunky, wooden pieces, with three suggestions for playing, assigning, puzzling and observing.

70

SECTOR GUIDE GAMES & PUZZLES

IMC TOYS 01904 720908

Clone Trooper and Ben 10 table pinball games include lights, sounds and a digital match-scoring counter display.

Place four tokens in a row to win the Star Wars Clone 4 game. All the tokens are decorated with the logo of the Clone Wars saga. The Star Wars Guessing Game is a game of discovery and strategy, as is Star Wars Star Cruiser Attack. Players must position their fleet of cruisers and ships, while ensuring they are hidden from their opponent.

In R2:D2 Repair, players must use stellar laser design tweezers to remove damaged parts, then replace when repaired. Finally, in the Ben 10 Guessing Game, players must discover their opponent’s secret character.

HL GAMES 001 773 549 7425

HALSALL 01253 778888

The X Factor game captures the journey that contestants go through on their way to the final, replicating the show’s highs and lows, with themed event cards and sound-alike judges’ comments.

Halsall’s Wood Works range of wooden toys includes many preschool puzzles, such as chunky shape sorters, learning blocks, matching cards and jigsaws, as well as educational puzzles.

The Traditional Games collection provides a large range from classic board games, bingo, towering blocks, educational games and 3D puzzles to travel games and magnetic compendiums. Halsall also has a line of Dora the Explorer wooden puzzles.

MARBEL 01208 873123

INSPIRED GIFTS AND TOYS 01344 989624

Inspired Gifts and Toys (IGT) has created an Electronic Crossword Game with over 10,000 games, which can be written on the wipe clean grids or directly onto the LCD screen. The game has three levels of difficulty with hints and tips.

IGT has appointed Esdevium Games as its partner for the independent and multiple channels, for this item and all its other products

POINT ZERO GAMES 01625 540493

1745 TRADING 07775 505143

Quests of the World is a new range of educational dice board games, with each focusing on a separate country.

Following on from the success of the original ‘Scottish Quest’ board game, a top-three seller in John Lewis, the range now encompasses Scottish Quest, English Quest, Irish Quest and Welsh Quest.

Suitable for ages eight years plus and for two to six players (or teams).

The aim is for each player to race by land, sea and air across England, Ireland, Scotland or Wales with the mission to collect letters to form the word QUEST. Players need to earn sovereigns by answering a series of general knowledge questions about their own country from the 2,000+ cards. Their way can also be hindered by incurring travel and penalty costs, as well as landing on Jester locations that force the player to choose either an opportunity or a penalty.

UNIVERSITY GAMES 01359 243900

AmuseAmaze is the word-race game set in a letter maze and, because the board changes each time you play and as you play, the game will never be the same twice.

That’s because the game board is made up of 18 individual game boards that fit together to give more than six billion combinations of board layout.

Plus, the letter maze actually changes as you play.

The object of the game is to race through the maze of hedges by spelling words using the letters printed on the boards and the letter tiles laid down on the board. Plus, on the way to the finish, you have to visit at least three of the four Target Boards. In Go Mental, all players are involved all the time. Steal other players’ questions or challenge other players to answer questions.

SEPTEMBER 2009

In the game of Tipp-Kick, two teams of miniature metal football players face off on a tabletop playing field. The players take turns to use a button on the outfield kickers to pass, lob and shoot the ball towards their opponent’s goal.

The defending team can use their players and diving goalkeeper to halt the attack.

The Classic Tipp Kick Set (£19.95) contains everything necessary to set up a football match. The Junior Tipp Kick Set (£29.95) includes all the items in the Classic Tipp Kick game, as well as sponsorship boards, which are connected and placed around the edge of the pitch. Also available is the Tipp Kick Display Stadium.

Army Of Zero provides two different ways to play. On the one hand, it’s a game for two players, featuring 84 different characters on a deck of cards. Deal the cards, form your team, decide when to attack or defend, and roll the dice to defeat your opponent.

On the other hand, the design of the character cards includes a series of interconnected puzzles. Players are asked to solve the puzzles using a combination of wordplay, general knowledge and logic, and to put the answers together to reveal the secret at the heart of the Army Of Zero.

The person who submits the most elegant solution by the closing date of April 30th 2010 will receive a cash prize of £1,000. Gameplay is suitable for anyone from seven years upwards.

Leading University Games’ family game line-up this autumn is Sort it Out!, the game of putting things in order. Who knows the biggest, loudest, fastest, smallest, longest everything?

In Murder Mystery Mansion, players work in teams to solve the crime using deductive reasoning.

On each turn state a suspect, motive, method and place, and each guess takes you one step closer to the mansion on the 3-D staircase.

Smart Ass, from Australia, is a quickmoving trivia game where everyone gets a go at the answer on every turn. Players are read ten clues about a mystery person, place or thing and shout out the answer whenever they think they know.

University Games has added new titles to two ranges of its puzzles, too.

The Impossibles line is just that; no borders, tricky recurring images and five extra pieces make for a different puzzle experience every time. With the Classic Mystery Jigsaw Puzzles line, puzzlers read the mystery booklet, put the puzzle together and then find clues in the image to solve the mystery.

*carriage paid on 12 or more games

with For more information and to order games please call: great margins

0118 982 8811

email: info@xanadugames.org visit: www.xanadugames.co.uk

Dedicated monthly retail coverage

Retail Only News • Data • Opinion

Hamleys takes on gadget department

Toys in Sainsburys Talking Shop new catalogue Page 74

Gadget specialist Red5 opens up largest concession in Regent Street flagship

SAINSBURY’S HAS launched its first-ever home catalogue to accompany its non-food online offer.

The 98-page catalogue features about 20 per cent of its range, and is designed to give shoppers a taster of what’s available online.

The catalogue has been divided into sections: Toys; Sports and Leisure; Kitchen; Living and Dining; Bedroom; Home; Bathroom; Technology; DIY and Luggage.

Catalogues have been mailed out to customers who receive Sainsbury’s Fresh Ideas magazine, and is also available in its stores.

Sainsburys: 0207 695 8225

by Katie Roberts

RED5 HAS opened a concession in Hamleys’ Regent Street store occupying about a third of the basement.

The concession carries 400 lines of gifts and gadgets and takes up 1,600 square feet, dwarfing the 500 square feet departments Red5 has in Selfridges.

Red5 is also planning to open in Hamleys’ Dundrum outlet in Dublin and its St Enoch Centre in Glasgow.

The firm signed the partnership in order to add the theatre and customer interaction of the Hamleys stores to its product offering.

Red5 partner Joth Baron said: “Hamleys is a perfect fit for us and our experience so far has been excellent. Hamleys is interested in getting our expertise. It’s bigger than any independent store we have and has given us a real boost as it is the summer holidays.”

Red5, which operates 13 stores, has also signed for standalone stores in Basingstoke, Leeds and Dudley, and has extended its lease in Manchester’s Arndale Centre.

The firm is negotiating on a further four stores and is in talks with other multiple retailers, including a department store, about opening more concessions.

Meanwhile, Hamleys will not open WAITROSE IS to start selling toys its store in Moscow as planned this and gifts in partnership with sister month after the deal with its company John Lewis. franchise partner collapsed.

A soft launch will see thousands of Hamleys: 0207 479 7317 products available on a “click and collect” basis whereby customers can order products online and collect at Waitrose stores.

The range of products will scaleup towards Christmas and expand CONWAYS TOYMASTER is further next year, which will also be undergoing expansion, opening available for home delivery via four new stores in the North.

Waitrose Deliver outside of London.

The established indie is opening four new stores in Yorkshire, The deal between the sister Teesside and Lancashire. companies will see John Lewis The four new shops, which will receive a percentage for each sale via create about six new jobs each, Waitrose.com or in the small number are all 2,000 sq ft and are located of physical stores that will carry an at the Victoria Shopping Centre, extended non-food range supplied Harrogate; The Mall, New Street, via John Lewis.

Barnsley; King William Street, The deal also means John Lewis Blackburn and Middlesbrough will only sell exclusively via Waitrose Shopping Centre. online in the UK alongside its Conways: 01535 604045

How much use is press coverage to retailers?

Charts Page 77

Waitrose makes toy move

This month’s retail charts feature Asda, Toy Shop UK, Play.com and Amazon

New products Page 78 On their way this month are offerings from Hasbro, RC2, Bandai and Re:Creation.

Expansion for indie Conways

current existing home delivery service via Johnlewis.com.

The click and collect service, which is similar to the current Argos offering, will be available to about 90 per cent of the UK. "The idea that retailers can offer certain types of products via a particular channel is outdated, customers want and expect convenience, and that’s what this move will mean," said managing director Mark Price.

Waitrose: 01344 424680

Events Page 90 Brand Licensing, Dream Toys...they’re all coming up you know...

74

TALKING SHOP: TOY INDUSTRY PUBLICITY

Is all publicity good publicity?

“IT HYPES TOYS UP” For this month’s talking point we asked retailers about how much the publicity gained by the toy industry helped their businesses and how much they are able to distill that to work at a local level. Does Dream Toys make for dream sales?....

“WE DON’T MAKE AS MUCH OF IT AS WE SHOULD” IT DOES have a little bit of an impact on sales on its own, and it helps generally. We probably don’t make as much of it as we should do.

This year, I am going to try harder.

It’s difficult to get organised to do it, but I will try this year to do something in conjunction with the local press and the local radio to make the most of it.

I think any publicity is great, it helps to focus the parents minds in the run up to Christmas and I think the idea is fantastic. I realise that due to the nature of the event, it is difficult to give away any information beforehand, but I think

I think it would really help if they sent weekly emails to all the retailers in the weeks preceding the event there is still a lot that retailers can do to maximise the opportunity.

I think it would really help if they [the BTHA] sent weekly emails to all the retailers for the four weeks preceding the event to jog our memories and give us some bullet

points and ideas on what you could be doing to prepare for the event, for example when you should be contacting the press etc.

I think stickers to highlight the winning products is a great idea. It wouldn’t need to be expensive, you could just have one to put on products in the top twelve and then one to put on all other category winners. It wouldn’t cost much for them to put these things in place, but would really help with filtering the publicity through to actual interest in store and sales.

Phil Heath, Heath’s Toymaster, Barrow-in-Furness

“DOESN’T FILTER THROUGH” THE DREAM Toys event doesn’t filter through to the public. It might get the occasional mention on breakfast news or something similar, but we don’t get any feedback on it from our customers and it doesn’t impact on our sales.

I think the biggest publicity a toy can get is if it gets featured in the Argos catalogue. That’s what raises awareness.

We do often end up stocking the toys featured in the Dream Toys list, but we don’t get specific requests for them from the event coverage. I think it probably helps to promote the manufacturer, but it doesn’t promote the retailer.

Normal toy advertising has been diluted recently, you don’t see toys

being advertised on the main channels any more, they are always on the children’s channels. But this summer, the Bendaroos campaign has been a phenomenon.

I think it probably helps to promote the manufacturer, but it doesn’t promote the retailer The advert from Spin Master was three to four minutes long and included everything you could do with the product.

This has had a real impact on sales because it was more than an advert, but there aren’t many products that you would be able to do this with.

Spin Master has now closed the book on orders it has been that successful.

We don’t do anything with the press to promote products as we see very little benefit in it. Toymaster does a good job with its catalogue every year and that gets seen by thousands of local customers.

This carries much more benefit than the press and we find that the more specialised avenues tend to work better for us.

Nick Hall, Geoff’s Toys, Coalville

DREAM TOYS gets reported in the media and it feeds the hype on the toys that we can’t get hold of. It’s a difficult one because the products that dominate the Dream Toys list are dominated by what is sold in the bigger retailers and doesn’t help us out at all.

Unfortunately the independents are a very small percentage of the market, so nobody is really interested in helping us out.

Dream Toys does get exposure for toys in general, but a lot of the toys that are featured are the ones that we make very little profit on.

Many smaller retailers are wary of tying up money in these small margin products as they just won’t be able to compete.

A lot of the toys featured are the ones we make very little profit on I think Dream Toys is, in some respects, a hindrance. It hypes certain toys up and then retailers are all competing to have the lowest price possible. The end result is that too many retailers are driving down prices in the run up to Christmas and at other times, to the detriment of the industry as a whole.

We run the Toymaster catalogue, which is our best marketing tool and that definitely drives footfall into our shops and it promotes our business to our local customers.

Steve Hogg, Toymaster Devizes, Wiltshire

TALKINGSHOP: TOY INDUSTRY PUBLICITY

www.toynewsmag.com

75

“NOT RELEVANT TO MY STOCK” THE DREAM Toys event doesn’t have any effect on my business, to be honest. I tend to sell something a bit different in my shop, so I rarely have any of the Dream Toys products in stock. The event isn’t usually relevant to my stock. Last year, I think I had one, so there wasn’t much I could do with that.

I sell a toy for what I feel it does for the child and choose what products to stock based on their educational value. I want to be able to talk to the parents, grandparents and other gift buyers, what the benefits of the product are for their child, rather than where they are advertised. It’s not about the hype for me.

I think Dream Toys tends to pick up on the TV-advertised toys and those sold by the bigger companies,

whereas I go for smaller manufacturers, like those who may only offer one product. Those companies don’t usually make it onto these lists.

I work independently on the PR for our company and tend to work on more locally-based projects.

Recently, I did a promotion with DKL marketing, which tied in with other businesses in the local village and created publicity for our local customers. DKL provided me with some products and we ran a big competition. We have also sent details of this to the local press and hope to raise awareness for our business in this way. I think it works more effectively on a local base than it does with big national campaigns.

Sam Broad, Cambridge Lighthouse, Histon

“IT DEFINITELY HELPS” WHEN SOMETHING gets onto TV, whether its local or national, it is bound to help us out. With Dream Toys, you usually see a fair bit of coverage in the nationals and that definitely helps with our sales.

As far as I’m concerned, any advertising is good for business.

Once the BTHA has announced the final list of Dream Toys, we will usually incorporate those products into a window display so that people know we are stocking the product. With all of these awards, whether its Dream Toys, the Good Toy Awards or anything similar, we do get customers asking us about the products.

We’ve had a few people coming into the shop and asking if we stock the Orchard Toys product which

won the Good Toy Award recently, so there is definitely quite a lot of public awareness for these things.

In general, if you get the national press on board, it definitely helps.

For example there has been the Gogo’s craze. I don’t know where Gogo’s came from, or who generated all the publicity, but I’m a great admirer of it. Once one child has something new in a playground, they all want it, but it’s advertising and publicity that starts that craze.

All it takes is for a national newspaper to say there is a shortage of something and the customers will start going mad for it, so we definitely see the effects of it.

Vernon Franklin, Frosts Toymaster, Bridport

DO YOU HAVE A RETAIL ISSUE WHICH YOU WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ON? ANY WORDS OF WISDOM (HOWEVER SHORT) FOR YOUR FELLOW TOY RETAILERS? A PROBLEM THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP WITH PERHAPS? LET US KNOW. Email: ronnie.dungan@intentmedia.co.uk or call us on 01992 535646 and let us hear your thoughts.

NATIONAL COVERAGE NEEDS LOCAL EFFORT PARTICULARLY since Woolworths closed down, there are now a huge number of opportunities for retailers to increase their sales, and Dream Toys is one such opportunity. But the question is, are retailers ready to make the most of the potential opportunities for increased publicity and awareness that Dream Toys generates, and turn them into sales?

The TRA puts a lot of effort in getting product before the public through many different mediums – press, TV, radio.

The people who buy toys regularly have probably adjusted their buying patterns now that Woolies has disappeared, but there a lot of uncles and aunties, grandmas and grandads out there who only buy toys at Christmas or for birthdays who may not have a clue where to go and buy now that there’s no Woolies.

Are retailers ready to make the most of the potential opportunities for increased publicity and awareness that Dream Toys generates, and turn them into sales?

So it’s a huge opportunity for retailers to do something different instore. I think the local press for instance, would welcome a phone call from a retailer who has got the best sellers, the full Dream Toy list. It could be a great photo-opp for some free local publicity.

Are retailers going to change their windows when the list is published in October to capitalise on the £1.5m worth of free publicity generated over a 72 hour period by the Dream Toys event?

That continues over into the weekend as well. To make the most of that it needs to be picked up a local level.

Manufacturers invest a lot of money going to Dream Toys and the TRA works hard to maximise coverage of the event too.

All the information is on the Dream Toys website on the morning the list is released and we also send it out to all TRA members. But it needs to be picked up locally.

It would be great if all the people on the shop floor knew what was in the list so that everybody is promoting toys and the opportunities created are distilled right the way to store level.

Gary Grant, Chairman, Toy Retailers Association

76

RETAIL ONLY

HIGHSTREET COUNTER INSURGENT Dispatches from the retail front line...

RECENTLY I was staggered to look in a newsagent and see a Spider-man comic, with a free giveaway of a toy plastic gun attached.

This toy gun was black with no orange end as required by law, also this comic was in easy reach of children who could take it up to the counter and buy with no questions asked.

Under-16 rules didn’t seem to apply, nothing in small print for the cashier to miss. Now, I’m not an expert but surely laws should apply to giveaways as well as purchase.

Have Trading Standards tried to catch out any newsagents by sending in kids to buy the latest copy of Spiderman Comic? TSO has recently written to me to confirm they did a test purchase of a toy gun by a

minor and failed. I wonder if they had tried to buy any comics with illegal guns strapped to them?

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a comic with a packet of fags strapped to it and you can imagine the outcry if a comic for, I don’t know, Ninja Turtles had a free knife strapped to it.

We responsible retailers have spent all summer telling children that they aren’t able to buy a brightly-coloured water pistol and no they can’t buy Super Soakers because of a stupid policy of a company giving a major retailer exclusive distribution.

Parents come in seriously pissed off because little Jonny/Jessica has dragged them to the toy shop to buy a water pistol because the nasty man won’t sell it to them.

But it did make me wonder how our European partners also treat some of the more daft laws we have in place. My

Maybe it’s about time TSO departments concentrated on those who break the law and don’t care. experience with our foreign friends is that the French will think it doesn’t apply to them; the Swedes wont care as long at it has a light on it and it is made of wood; the Dutch will have already adopted the law on draft proposals; the Spanish will ignore it; the

Germans will think it is a pop at them for starting the last two major world wars and the Italians will be too chaotic to enforce them and the newer states will think it doesn’t apply to them as they aren’t really in Europe. Only the British enforce it.

Now I have no problem with safety laws and regulations, but I do feel that responsible retailers are the ones who seem to get all the hassle. Can you imagine anyone on a Sunday market or any market come to that getting the same crap about waste paper and cardboard? The same will apply to batteries next year.

Maybe it is about time that TSO departments concentrated on those who break the law and don’t care rather than go for an easy target and try to catch out the responsible retailers.

TOY

PRICE CHECK: SEPTEMBER 2009

STORE

SEPTEMBER 2009

80-piece Bag in Pink Mega Bloks

My Little Baby Born Mummy Look I can swim Zapf Creation

GX Racers Tightrope Terror Track set Flair

In the Night Garden Pinky Ponk Hasbro

Dream Town Rose Petal Cottage Worlds Apart

£15.00

£29.99

£22.99

£15.00

£69.99

£12.99

N/A

£20.99

£17.99

N/A

N/A

£24.96

£19.99

N/A

£69.99

£14.99

£14.99

N/A

£7.49

£79.99

£14.00

£24.47

N/A

£7.49

£84.97

RETAIL ONLY

www.toynewsmag.com

77

RETAILCHARTS CHART DATE 18/08/09

Play.com 1

Union Jack Retro Space Hopper with foot pump

2

Disney Fairies: Tinkerbell Book Light

3

Fart Alert Button

4

3D Glasses

5

Bleach: Ichigo Kurosaki Plush

6

My Life Console

7

Peppa Pig Projector Torch

The Entertainer

CHART DATE 18/08/09

GGG

1

Bendaroos Mega Pack

Wesco

2

Merf N-Strike Recon CS-6

Laughing Donkey

3

City Police Station

Thumbs Up

4

Speed Stacks

Bleach

5

Transformers – Supreme Combiner Constructicon Devastator Hasbro

Flair

6

3-in-1 Smart Trike +

Mookie

Wesco

7

ITNG Talking Plush Igglepiggle

Hasbro

8

Transformers Revenge of the Fallen: Voyager the Fallen Action Figure Hasbro

8

Thomas Toddler Bed

9

Cars: Lightning McQueen Driving Game

9

Sylvanian Families Caravan

10 Gelli Baff

Amazon

IMC Toys The In Thing

CHART DATE 18/08/09

Spin Master Hasbro Lego Character

Worlds Apart Flair

10 iTeddy Version 2

Vivid

Mail Order Express

CHART DATE 18/08/09

1

Roll to the Rescue Sleuth R/C Tigger

Mattel

1

Baby Annabell Double Buggy

2

Super Swingball

Mookie

2

Academy Desk and Chair

Martin Yaffe

3

Medical Carrycase

Peterkin

3

Disney Princess Vanity Table

Martin Yaffe

4

Bendaroos 500-piece Mega Set

Spin Master

4

Family Camper

Playmobil

5

Kidizoom Multimedia Digital Camera Pink

VTech

5

Farm Mega Set

Playmobil

6

Crayola Beginnings 24 Jumbo Crayones

Vivid

6

8’ Quick Up Pool

7

Kidizoom Multimedia Digital Camera Blue

VTech

7

Tellatale Theatre and Shop

8

Crayola Gigantic Colouring Book

Vivid

8

Kindergarten Group Set 100-Piece

9

Bananagrams

Bananagrams

9

Thomas and Friends Sand and Water Play Table

10 Rummikub Game

Toy Shop UK

Tomy

CHART DATE Top July searches

Zapf Creation

O’Blue Fiesta Mobilo

10 Fireman Sam Articulated Figures

Asda

Martin Yaffe Martin Yaffe

CHART DATE July 2009

1

Transformers

1

Hot Wheels Basic Car

2

Bendaroos

2

Shoot Football

3

Scooters

3

Mini Lying Animals

Asda

4

Kitchen

4

Turbo Cars

Asda

5

Dolls House

5

Littlest Petshop Get the Pets

6

Playmobil

6

Mini Vehicles

7

Star Wars

7

Wooden Puzzle

Halsall

8

WWE

8

Three Ring Pool

GP

9

Paddling pools

9

KC Bean Bag Baby

10 Trampolines

10 Power Ranger Jungle Fury Figures

Mattel John Leisure

Hasbro Asda

Asda Bandai

SEPTEMBER 2009

78

RETAIL ONLY

PRODUCTNEWS

Hasbro Googles new Monopoly HASBRO’S NEWEST version of Monopoly is Monopoly City, which gives players the ability to compete against players across the globe via Google Maps.

From September 1st, players will be able to buy streets based on Google Maps, competing against participants across the globe. So now it is possible to buy and develop the street you live on or build an empire in Manhattan using the Monopoly City Streets instant play online platform.

RC2 talks Thomas

RC2 HAS launched the new Thomas Wooden Railway System Talking Railway Series, which uses new Engine Recognition Technology to activate over 200 personalised phrases (when used with Talking Railway engines) from the Fat Controller at Talking Railway Series destinations.

Each engine features a gold magnet connector in order to differentiate it from regular wooden railway system engines.

They also include personalised gold name and Engine Recognition icons on their base and can interact with the traditional engines by triggering non-personalised messages to enhance the play experience.

RC2: 01271 336155 SEPTEMBER 2009

New streets are released each day and each player is allowed up to five transactions per day. Every street in the world is available for purchase by only one player, increasing the opportunity for trading and interaction. Monopoly City Streets can be played by logging on to www.monopoly.com The game includes 80 3D buildings and an electronic trading unit to control auctions and economic conditions.

Hasbro: 020 8569 1234

Ben 10 playground invasion heats up with new lines BEN 10, now in its third year, has continued to grow and dominate the toy market in 2009 reaffirming its position as the nation’s favourite toy brand (Source: NPD YTD May 09).

Bandai’s new range of role play items due out this summer is continuing to entertain the boys’ market. Notable additions to the toy range of 2008 include the 20cm Stretch Figures, the Humungousaur Hands (pictured) and Echo Echo Voice Changer.

Bandai: 01489 790944

New plush from Rainbow

FEATURING AN array of plush toys, The Very Hungry Caterpillar collection of toys and plush from Rainbow Designs stars Eric Carle’s classic characters brought to life in colour and detail.

Plush toys include the 42cm Very Hungry Caterpillar Large Plush character, the 28cm Hand Puppet and the 26cm Beanie in a CDU. The Developmental Caterpillar, Lion, Butterfly and Elephant character toys feature plush bodies and lots of textures to encourage learning.

The new My First Paddington range of brightly coloured toys includes the My First Paddington character in medium and large sizes, both wearing the trademark duffle coat and red hat. The Small My First Paddington character is an 11cm sitting bear made from lamboa in bright colours.

Rainbow Designs: 0870 758 7700

Creative play goes Bionic RE:CREATION HAS introduced Bionic Putty, a scientifically engineered 21st century silicone putty, new for this autumn.

Created and developed by Tinmen, Bionic Putty is a formula that has the properties of both a liquid and a solid.

Suitable for ages four and over, this multi-faceted putty will hit playgrounds shortly, supported by a heavyweight TV campaign throughout spring/summer 2010.

Bionic putty can be sculpted,

popped, bounced, stretched or snapped before it imitates melting like ice cream and because it repels water, you can even make putty water bombs. Unlike other creative

play products, the putty won’t dry out. Available in two sizes, the play putty has seven different variations of bionic formulas to choose from including the slime green putty, neon pink, the bionic blue and glow in the dark putty.

The slime green putty turns from lime green to toxic yellow when handled. The neon pink radiates a bright fluorescent glow and the bionic blue changes colour to white when stretched.

Re:creation: 0118 973 6222

HERO PRODUCT

www.toynewsmag.com

79

VTech Kidizoom Pro The Kidicreative range is VTech’s best seller, thanks in the main to the success of the Kidizoom digital camera. A follow-up product, Kidizoom Pro, features many enhancements and a more grownup appeal…..

VTECH’S KIDICREATIVE range is 353 per cent up (Source: NPD June 2009 YTD) thanks to Kidizoom. Now looking to broaden the market VTech is launching Kidizoom Pro – a multimedia digital camera for older children aged five years and over.

Kidizoom Pro is a two mega pixel camera with 2x digital zoom and built-in flash. It features the same dual viewfinder, colour screen and durable child-friendly design as Kidizoom but with a more grown-up look and feel. Kids will also love the added MP3 player and enhanced photo morphing effects.

They can edit and enhance their photos with over 30 built-in fun effects, stamps and borders, on the camera itself or using the photo editing software supplied. Kidizoom Pro also features video taking and five built-in games, with an instant dial selector making it quick and easy to change between the features. There is 256 MB of built-in storage, as well as an SD card slot for memory expansion.

SPONSORSHIP Sponsorship activity is planned from September giving kids the chance to win a Kidizoom Pro. The activity is designed to generate excitement regarding the launch of Kidizoom Pro and highlight its fun features. A 30-second

According to NPD figures, Vtech’s Kidicreative line is 353 per cent up, mainly thanks to Kidizoom. competition spot running across Nick Toons, Toonsters, Nick Jr and Nick Jr 2 will drive viewers to a dedicated microsite on nick.co.uk.

The campaign will encourage the core target of four to eight year olds to have fun trying out Kidizoom Pro’s unique photo morphing features online, with the best distorted faces being seen on special Kidizoom Pro sponsorship bumpers running on Nick Toons. The activity will run for seven weeks and during this time over one million children aged four to eight will be exposed to Kidizoom Pro. PR Early product samples were specially couriered to offer top journalists (across both national broadcast and print) an exclusive preview of the product’s unique capabilities. National coverage has already appeared on the Sun Online (reaching over 20 million) and on Fun Kids Live Radio (reaching 113,000). Coverage will also appear on BBC2’s Something For The Weekend, the Channel 4’s Gadget Show, Channel 4 Wales and on Kidsoup TV in August, as well as numerous national newspapers.

Key info: RELEASE DATE – Available now PRICE – £74.99 CONTACT DETAILS: Phone: 01235 555545 Email: trade_sales@vtech.com Website: www.vtechuk.com

SEPTEMBER 2009

2009 30 September – 1 October 2009

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Attend and benefit from: Product showcases including the Toy Store where you will see popular characters transformed into profitable merchandise 12+ free educational seminars in the Licensing Academy Screening suite* showing exclusive previews of the latest Hollywood blockbusters and associated licensing opportunities Property finder tool allowing you to easily identify rights owners and licenses available Retail Buyers’ Centre giving retail visitors free access to experienced and impartial consultants By invitation only*

Register FREE now at www.brandlicensingeurope.com Organised by:

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1/4 page: Annual charge £1,395 (minimum twelve months booking) Get your company featured: john.barratt@intentmedia.co.uk T: 01992 535 647

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Marketplace The ToyNews Marketplace offers an improved package of classified advertising and editorial visibility, allowing companies to maintain that contact with readers each month without the associated cost of full display advertising.

SINCE THE launch in 1996, the key markets for Logiblocs have been in the US and in France. But, as a home grown British company (a rare fish in the toy market) Logiblocs still has a relatively small customer base in the UK. Tony de Rivaz, managing director, said; “Educational Toys only represent about five per cent of the market and we are probably one of the smaller operators within that five per cent. But I have noticed that, during this time of recession, parents are more likely to buy toys that have real lasting value for their

children’s development. I think this has been the key to our success in France where, dare I say it, parents seem to have a slightly more serious approach to toy buying less driven by licensed products and TV advertising.”

Logiblocs is one of those products that neatly bridges the gap between science & learning and the world of electronic interactive toys. Each colour coded Logibloc plugs easily into the next, all with different functions, to create all manner of alarms and automatic systems and surprises.

The new LogiMan range is gathering momentum. These characterful robotic "people" are targeted at five year olds and have lights that flash in response to light, sound or touch and strong magnetic feet.

The range of classic Logibloc kits includes the Gold Award winning LogiRobot. This is a versatile automatic buggy that can respond to on-board sensors or to an infrared remote controller.

For more information: Tel.: 01727 763 700 email: sales@logiblocs.com

The place for business The ToyNews Marketplace has also been designed to offer readers a directory of all products and services in the toy industry - A presence in this section ensures that your company's details are easily found, keeping you one step ahead of your competitors.

TO GET YOUR COMPANY FEATURED HERE CONTACT: john.barratt@intentmedia.co.uk T: +44 (0)1992 535 647

THE STANDARD PACKAGE INCLUDES: - 1/4 page advert in each issue - Regular editorial coverage in the dedicated column - Company details in the Marketplace index

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RAINBOW PRODUCTIONS

COSTUME CHARACTER SPECIALISTS I Ranging from Angelina Ballerina to Paddington Bear to ScoobyDoo, our portfolio of 90 licensed cartoon characters are exclusively available to book through Rainbow Productions for personal appearances.

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Contact Kelly Morrison T: 020 8254 5300 E: info@rainbowproductions.co.uk www.rainbowproductions.co.uk ■ Safety Testing

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88

TOY TALK

TOY TALK

The toy market has been getting some great coverage of late, some of it in the most unlikely places....

DARING BUILDS OF MAY James May, the least irritating bloke on the nation’s most irritating programme, Top Gear, has been all over the toy industry of late, building lifesize models from the trade’s most iconic brands.

As part of his new Toy Stories series he has built a lifesize house from Lego, a 2.953 mile Scalextric track and (pictured here) a bridge made out of Meccano in the heart of Liverpool’s newly redeveloped Pierhead.

The Liverpool project was possibly the most daring of them all with May taking his life into his own hands by walking across a 23 metre bridge constructed entirely from traditional Meccano.

Liverpool was home to Meccano for more than 70 years until the Binns Road factory closed in 1979.

Some 30 years on and the construction, built using more than 100,000 0.5 inch wide strips, girders and bolts brought Meccano back to its native soil.

Sue Barratt, country manager of Meccano UK, said: “We are thrilled to be part of such a brave and exciting project in Meccano’s homeland of Liverpool. James May has always been a big advocate of Meccano and we’re pleased we

could assist him with his goal to create this magnificent structure built from parts used by everyday Meccano enthusiasts. Meccano has advanced massively in recent years and we hope this iconic bridge will get people interested in today’s Meccano and the process of construction.”

May was careful to stay faithful to the mechanics in Meccano and chose a bridge that moved, with one nine metre beam sliding into place like a canal lock gate, and the other 12 metre section rolling down like a drawbridge.

The construction of the bridge was handled by the students of Liverpool University’s Mechanical Engineering department with some help from the North East Meccano Guild.

The bridge was built on the new Leeds Liverpool canal extension, which runs from the Albert Dock, past the foot of the Liver Building all the way to Leeds and the rest of the European canal system. The bridge was erected outside the Liver Building (Britain’s first sky scraper, apparently) as a celebration of the successes of Liverpool and the many British engineering feats.

Meccano’s country manager Sue Barratt and liver bird.

SEPTEMBER 2009

A harnessed-up James May prepares to cross his Meccano bridge

TOY TALK

89

MY No.1s

2010 DATE SET FOR TOYNEWS FIVES Friday July 9th is the date set for next year's ToyNews Fives football tournament.

This year's inaugural tournament, which raised £1,600 for the Toy Trust, was won by Turner, with Grant and Bowman running out winners of the plate competition.

Some 16 teams from across the toy and licensing industry entered and it is hoped that next year's tournament will be even bigger. More details of how to take part in the tournament, format and sponsorship opportunities will be revealed nearer to the time.

Anyone interested in taking part can register their interest early by emailing ronnie.dungan@intentmedia.co.uk

Jez Fraser-Hook, UK Director, toys NPD

The all-conquering Turner team with ToyNews Fives Cup

Number one album: Jack Johnson In Between Dreams ------------------------------------------------------Film: Cliffhanger!!!

------------------------------------------------------Book: Joe Simpson, Touching the Void -----------------------------------------------------------------------------TV programme: High Altitude -----------------------------------------------------------------------------Number one single when you were born: Google says Rolf Harris’ Two Little Boys. Oh dear!

-------------------------------------------------------------------Hero: James Cracknell --------------------------------------------------------------------Thing to do at the weekend: Spending time with my wife, two girls and dog, and mountain biking -----------------------------------------------------------------------------Gadget: Mountain bike night lights ---------------------------------------------------Tipple: Port --------------------------------------------------Piece of advice: Stay positive, be happy and always remember to smile!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

GRAZIA GOLD We were going to leave this one but, we might as well now. Which toy trade face recently featured in a recent edition of girly glossy Grazia, stitched up by his ex in a heart-rending warts and all tale of doomed love featuring booze, jealousy, mortgage problems and er…Subway?

Reading like a toe-curlingly bad edition of Our Tune our favourite laugh out loud bit was when he asked his ex whether anyone at work “had a crack” at her yet?

Pure gold. Excerpts may yet appear.

SEPTEMBER 2009

Sponsored by

90

FEATURE PLANNER

OCTOBER 2009 Brand Licensing Show Issue ● Wooden Toys ● Electronic toys & TV games With a combined circulation of 10,000 copies, including distribution at the show itself, our Brand Licensing Show issue is crucial for

anyone in branded toys and includes an extended licensing section. The electronic toys sector and more traditional wooden toys also feature.

’T DONOUT! Editorial deadline: Call for details Advertising deadline: September 11th MISS

NOVEMBER 2009 Spring/Summer Previews

Children’s TV

Pre-school

International Events

Just a month away from Chrimbo and it’s time to think about those spring/summer ranges again.

The annual media guide to the children’s television universe, featuring all the major channels.

Our second run-down of the year of what is happening in the toy market’s core target age-group.

Here’s how to increase that international contact book with the market’s most important trade shows.

Editorial deadline: September 11th

Advertising deadline: October 9th

FORTHCOMING EVENTS AUTUMN FAIR 09 September 6th - 9th NEC, Birmingham www.autumnfair.com

BRAND LICENSING EUROPE 09 September 30th - October 1st Grand Hall, Olympia, London www.brandlicensingexpo.com

THE LICENSING AWARDS September 10th Royal Lancaster hotel, London www.thelicensingawards.co.uk

US INTERNATIONAL FALL TOY PREVIEW October 6th - 9th Dallas Market Centre TX www.toy-tia.org

HKTDC HONG KONG TOYS AND GAMES FAIR January 4th-7th 2010 Hong Kong Convention Centre www.hktoyfair.hktdc.com

DREAM TOYS October 28th St Mary’s Church, London www.dreamtoys.co.uk

CHINA TOY EXPO October 14th-16th Shanghai Expo Centre www.shanghaitoyexpo.com.cn

TOY FAIR 2010 January 26th -29th Grand Hall, Olympia www.toyfair.co.uk

Got any events you would like to see added to the calendar? Email ronnie.dungan@intentmedia.co.uk

www.toynewsmag.com Editorial: 01992 535646 Advertising: 01992 535647 Intent Media is a member of the Periodical Publishers Associations

SEPTEMBER 2009

ToyNews is published 12 times a year by Intent Media ~ Saxon House, 6a St. Andrew Street, Hertford, Hertfordshire SG14 1JA Fax: +44 (0)1992 535648 © Intent Media 2009 No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means without prior permission of the copyright owners.

ISSN: 1740-3308

Circulation & Subscriptions AUDITED CIRCULATION Average Net Circulation: 6,011 July 1st 2008 to June 30th 2009, SUBSCRIPTIONS UK: £50 Europe: £60 Rest of World: £90 The international cost applies per subscription and covers airmail dispatch of 12 issues

To order your subscription via Visa, MasterCard, Amex Switch or Delta contact toy.subscriptions@c-cms.com or call 01580 883 848. Alternatively visit our website www.toynewsmag.com Subscriptions Manager - Hannah Short Hannah.Short@intentmedia.co.uk

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No 1 brand in Rechargeables1

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No 1 brand in Specialist batteries 3

For more info – visit www.energizer.co.uk or call 0845 601 0169 *Compared to up to 35 hours with standard AA alkaline as per Nintendo website.

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Join the success for 2010!

“The Aardman Team have struck animation gold once again with this utterly charming series for pre-schoolers…”

Daily Mail (Weekend), 11th April ‘09 52x10’ episodes launched April 2009 Broadcasting on CBeebies three times a day New episodes for 2010 · One of CBeebies top rated shows with over 5.8 million viewers in 12 weeks and over 21 audience share among carers with kids ages 0-3 (BARB data) · Consistently in top 5 ‘Most Popular’ shows on CBeebies iPlayer · Over 1.5 million plays of Timmy’s Noisy Name Game via the CBeebies website · Strong licensing programme with Egmont for publishing, 2Entertain for DVD and Vivid Imaginations as master toy licensee · Timmy Time’s Nursery Playset shortlisted for the Practical Parenting Awards

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610!

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