The Daily News by Lema Publishing

NEWS

Thursday, January 25, 2018

Funko parties Funko marks its first anniversary under new banner with a birthday bash for retailers and licensors

The Toy Fair’s ONLY official daily paper

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• Top ne w • Big int s from the show erview w floor • Produ ith Asm odee cts and people galore

Perfect match Former West Ham footballer Jack Collison took on the Tomy team at their rendition of the beautiful game yesterday with a first-to-10 Soccerborgs match. The ex-Wales midfielder had a “great time” playing the remote control football game, launching here at the show and avilable in stores just in time for this summer’s FIFA World Cup in Russia. European Brand Manager Sarah Henderson says: “It’s such an accessible toy that you don’t have to be a footy fan to have an amazing time”. Head to Gallery 520 and give it a punt for yourself.

Tesco’s in town

The Funko team were in high spirits yesterday as they popped open the bubbly and put the beers on ice to celebrate their first year trading as part of the global pop culture giant. Funko has around 1,000 skus on display across it’s impressive new stand and made the most of the space by hosting retail partners, licensors and friends from across the industry.

MD Andy Oddie shared a drink with The Daily News and tells us: “We’ve had an incredible year under the Funko banner. It’s given us an unbelievable breadth of product and licenses meaning we’re able to offer something to everyone and suit every price point. What other company here at Toy Fair can showcase just 15 per cent of its portfolio, and still have so many incredible things to see.”

Tesco’s Natasha Collinson and Charlotte Reyland hit Toy Fair yesterday to seek out the latest innovations and anything that “really stands out”. The pair were wowed by the Schleich stand, Gallery 100, particularly new launches in the Dinosaur and Horse Club ranges. “We also loved the bigger playsets, such as the Camper Van, which really stood out to us,” they said.

NEWS

Shiver me timbers! Hyper time! Record breaking yoyo performer Arron Sparks was busy showing off his skills on the Bandai stand with the brand new Hyper Cluster. The Japanese yoyo can be customised with a new look and internal mechanics, simply by pushing in the central button, twisting and swapping out the components. “It’s a really cool and unique system for customising not just the look of the yoyo, but the performance, too,” says Arron. “So when you get better, you can upgrade to start performing even more advanced tricks – and you’ll definitely want to keep adding to your collection of skins!” Go say yo on the Bandai stand, Gallery 600, and give them a whirl for yourself.

It’s all ship-shape over on VTech, Gallery 500, as sales director Graham Canning shows off the new Pirate Ship. Using SmartPoint technology, it’s educational, fun and interactive. “The captain can repel the pirate with the cannon, make him walk the gangplank or throw him into prison,” he says. “It’s gone down really well.”

Pop stars

Stand tall

Jumini (GH26) an d Lottie Dolls (F 16) were thrilled yesterday when th ey both received Toy Fair’s coveted Best Desig ned Stand award. Jumini was recognised for th eir use of an offici al/economy shell scheme, while Lo ttie Dolls were co mmended on thei use of an exhibitio r n space. Julian Garner, Ju mini’s Managing Director told the Daily News: “It ’s fantastic for us as a newcomer to ha ve received such a superb accolade. We are all beamin g with delight!” Over at Lottie Do lls, Creative Director, Isla McG uckin commente d: “We wanted to ac hieve our stand to reflect our bran d, which is a pared back approa ch and by winning this awar d we feel we achieved our goal ! We are totally delighted.”

SHOW OFFERS AMERANG – Gallery 215 30% OFF all orders for Hot Wheels Elite Batman vehicles placed at the show. AUGMENTIFYIT – Stand GH30 5% off all orders placed at the show 10% off orders over £1000 20% off AugmentifyIt® Augmented Reality collaboration projects Licensing Competition: WIN the chance to have your character Augmentified!

Following the incredible success of ShopKins comes a brand-new collectable range from Flair, Stand E39. Launched in December, Pikmi Pops is a range of collectable lollipops filled in three sizes and price points with scented mini plushies and surprises, which feed into the current hot unboxing experience. While the single pack delivers a mini plushie and dangler string, the surprise pack offers two mini plushies and three surprises, everything from stickers to charms, and the jumbo plush reveals three big plush with different finishes and pockets where surprises are hidden. “Since December, Pikmi Pops have been absolutely flying off the shelves,” says Magali Clouzet, brand manager for girls and crafts, Flair. The first series, which launched on Boxing Day, and which delivers 45 characters to collect, with 12 different scents, including bubblegum and chocolate, “is showing the same trend as ShopKins did at launch”, adds Magali. A further 45 characters will launch March 31 with new scents and a range of new surprises, including pencil cases and notebooks; and June will see the launch of PushMi Ups, which, when pushed up, deliver an explosion of confetti and a mini plush inside. These will feature 12 exclusive new characters and ice cream flavours.

BRAINSTORM – Stand E79 Free stock deals and reduced carriage paid order values plus special discounts on a range of items.

CLEMENTONI – Gallery 140 Extra 10% discount off price list for orders placed at the Fair. Please ask the team for further details.

CARTAMUNDI UK – Stand H1 5% of all orders placed at the show 10% off orders over £1500 Spend £200 on Fundels and receive a free flashcard display assortment worth £47.88 at retail.

DAVID WESTNEDGE – Stand F44 Toy Fair Pack: One carton (12 decks) of Harry Potter circular playing cards in blister pack format at special show price of £33.50 (normal trade price £36.75) Seven Carousel top quality plastics-coated playing cards £76.20 – only pay for six! Seven games of the fan favourite Mr. Jack London £81.00 – only pay for six! Six Double 6 Tournament Thickness Dominoes

Chemtrac – Stand GH1 A 25% discount on the Chemtrac software is available for all BTHA members.

with Brass Spinners in Wood Box for £44.18 – usually £46.50 save a further 5% with this deal! Normal trade price value: £253.95 SPECIAL TOY FAIR PRICE FOR THIS PACKAGE: £222.18!! SAVE £31.77 DKL Marketing – Stand E66 DKL will be offering retailer discounts at Toy Fair 2018 across all its ranges. Spend £400 to receive 5% off and £800 to receive 7.5% off. Visit them on Stand E66 FOLKMANIS PUPPETS – Stand H36 5% discount off all orders above £350 placed at the show, free shipping for this order

Force of nature Construction enthusiasts rejoice! Aimed at children aged 8+, and tapping into the forces of nature, mainly gravity, Ravensburger’s brandnew construction set, Gravitrax, allows children to build their own freestyle track before setting the balls in motion and enjoying the play. As well as a starter set, two extension packs, of tracks and building sets, and four interactive sets, including a cannon and catapult, there’s an App, which kids can download to try out new designs of tracks before they build. “This is all about open-ended construction,” says Cornee Marlow, marketing manager. To be released in July, with a massive media plan, including TV advertising from October, check out the Gravity set-up on the Ravensburger stand (E140),, which took the team six hours to set up.

“It’s lovely to get this award as recognition of the team’s hard work, but it’s particularly special as a tribute to Uffe Kloster, our late commercial director, who did such a great job driving the business forward, and who sadly passed away last year.” Jamie Dickenson, marketing and display manager at Playmobil, commenting on the Special Recognition Award Playmobil secured at Tuesday night’s Toy Industry Awards.

GREEN BOARD GAME COMPANY – Stand E15 Beast of an offer! Place a £250* order and receive Free 10 x Story Cards – 4 x Original, 3 x Fantasy, 3 x Adventure – Supplied in a CDU Place a £500* order and received Free 10 x Story Cards – 4 x Original, 3 x Fantasy, 3 x Adventure – Supplied in a CDU and Snaps CDU – SS1 or SS2 Place a £1000* order and receive Free 10 x Story Cards – 4 x Original, 3 x Fantasy, 3 x Adventure – supplied in a CDU and 12 BrainBoxes in a CDU – Customers can choose which BrainBoxes they would like. Flights of Fancy range: Place a £250* order and receive FREE 12 x Water Diviners.

Place a £500* order and receive FREE 12 x Water Diviners, 12 x Bird Calls – 3 x Duck Call, 3 x Owl Hoot, 3 x Cuckoo, 3 x Blackbird Call Place a £1000* order and receive FREE 12 x Water Diviners, 12 x Bird Calls – 3 x Duck Call, 3 x Owl Hoot, 3 x Cuckoo, 3 x Blackbird Call 12 x About Kits – Customers can choose which kits they would like *(ex VAT) Valid until 28th February 2018. Terms and Conditions apply. INTERPLAY UK – Stand G10 Independents only: Fuzzikins: 10% off Show Orders if 3 or more SKUs ordered My Mermaid Lagoon: 10% off Show Orders if 3 or more SKUs ordered.

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Girl power! Having secured the global licence for Nickelodeon’s Nella The Princess Knight, Vivid Toy Group is displaying its new licence on Stand B70. “This is a massive opportunity on a global scale from a toy distributor perspective,” says Catherine Scott, senior brand manager. Already shipping into Canada and Russia with a variety of products, the licence is backed by a 13-week TV advertising campaign, and there will be further new skus launched in June/July. All Nella products feature a little magic, a secret to reveal: the Nella The Princess Knight doll changes outfit, from princess to knight, at the click of a button; while Nella’s glamorous unicorn sidekick has lots of accessories, perfect for role play.

JETSON ELECTRIC – Gallery 155 5% discount on all orders placed at Toy Fair. JWS EUROPE LTD – Stand B96 10% discount on all orders placed at the show. Free shipping on all orders placed at the Show. KIDICRAFT – Stand H30 1. Special offers for independents 2. Special Starter deals on new products 3. An extra 5% off all orders placed at the show for immediate delivery 4. Call on the stand H30 for further offers MARVIN’S MAGIC – Stand H65 5% off orders placed at the show up to a value of £500 net based on our trade pricing

10% off orders placed at the show over £500 net based on our trade pricing 12.5% off orders placed at the show over £2k net based on our trade pricing PLAYPRESS TOYS – Stand GH69 Free Playpress consumer display unit with all orders placed at the Toy Fair. Sinco Creations – Gallery 162 Competition Time! Visitors to the Sinco Creations stand can simply drop their business card into the prize draw pot, and four lucky winners will win an exclusive studio tour at Aardman in Bristol to meet the production team, have a model making session and see behind the scenes of Shaun the Sheep Movie 2.

NEWS Her MAJ-esty says Lost and confused at Toy Fair 2018? Don’t worry – Majen Immink, Director of Fairs and Special Events, will help you out! Majen will be sharing her wisdom on what to expect, what to do, and what not to miss. Read on… Can you believe it’s already day three of Toy Fair 2018? I’m sure you’ve been as delighted as I have by the brilliant new toys here at the show. Over the past two days, more than 250 exhibiting companies have launched and demoed thousands of new inventions. It’s been a real pleasure to see first-hand that innovative, creative design that our toy industry is known for. We may be living in challenging times, but the UK toy industry certainly shows no signs of slowing down. Press coverage, too, has highlighted our industry’s ingenuity and innovation. From BBC Breakfast broadcasting live from the show this morning, to articles in national newspapers including the Evening Standard, the i, and The Guardian, as well as a range of radio coverage including BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Scotland and Radio X. Remember, of course, that the papers don’t capture every story. You may think you’ve seen it all at Toy Fair this year – but I can promise you there’s more! Why not take another loop around the show floor to make sure you’ve visited

every last corner? You never know what you might find, from the Toy Fair’s Hero Toys showcase outside the Press Room to the new and innovative start-ups in the Greenhouse area, you don’t want to miss the big thing for 2018. The annual Design Student Seminar also takes place today at Toy Fair. Held in the Apex Room, the seminar is designed to support and inspire students interested in a career in the toy industry. These students have travelled from universities across the country, keen to hear from this year’s guest speakers such as the creator of Jenga, Leslie Scott and Co-founders of Big Ideas Product Development, Ruth Elliot and Simon Skelton, plus more. Keep an eye out for the talented students wandering the show floor afterwards– you never know who you may meet again in a few years’ time! As Toy Fair comes to a close, there’s just one thing that I need to say. A huge thank you to all of our exhibitors and visitors! Without you, the show would not be what it is today. Enjoy the rest of the show, and we can’t wait to see you again next year between the January 22-24 for Toy Fair 2019. Applications are now open and you can learn more about the early booking discount at www.toyfair.co.uk.

“Press coverage has highlighted out industry’s ingenuity and innovation”

Reaching great heights With more than 40 years of puzzle expertise under its Polish belt, puzzle and game brand Trefl continues to take its product to ever-greater heights. Its latest game launch Mistakos is for four players and involves stacking chairs with differently-shaped legs as high as possible, to create a towering chair display. New on the puzzle front are three interactive puzzle games – Giga, a 30-piece puzzle with a wooden toy to play with when completed; FlipFlop, a puzzle with windows to be opened; and Observation, a new category of puzzle that helps kids practice their perception skills by spotting different characters, objects and situations. “UK retailers are snapping up our dinosaur picture puzzles right now, as they’re gearing up for the release of the new Jurassic World film in cinemas in the summer,” says Pavel Zalewski, area sales manager. Trefl which boasts 400-500 different puzzles and games any one time, and is distributed by AB Gee of Ripley, see their products on stand B40.

Get set, go! A new word game has arrived at Toy Fair on stand E115, Lexicon Go. Richard Knights, Winning Moves Chief Commercial Officer told the Daily News: “Lexicon Go is a fast-paced game for two to six players, which can be played anywhere.”

Posh Porg Considered to be the most sought-after plush of the new year, the Porg - the latest character in Posh Paws’ Star Wars licensed range – was sold out even before the release of the latest Star Wars: The Last Jedi film in December. “As the only new character in the recent Star Wars film, the Porg featured in the trailer, and ever since we’ve been working hard to fulfil orders,” says Managing Director Dave Martin, who is enjoying his very first Toy Fair as with Posh Paws. He adds that the Porg Plush, which comes in different sizes, is “a really cute character and everyone seems to be loving it”. Visit Posh Paws on stand B90.

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There’s plenty of horseplay over on Schleich’s stand Gallery 100 this Toy Fair as the famous German figurine manufacturer, with more than 100 years of heritage, introduces its 2018 Horse Club collectables range. This is a new franchise within the traditional horses range that Schleich is known and loved for. The Horse Club collection now includes boy and girl characters and the entire Horse Club world, with playsets and storylines, as well as a house, stables and caravan. “We’re showing our highly collectable Horse Club horse and riders for the first time, incorporating the female characters of the Horse Club franchise, and aimed at girls aged five to 12,” says Retail Marketing Manager Paul Dearlove.

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The approximate number of new products being launched on Juratoys’s stand B121 across Janod, Kaloo and Alex Brands. “Plus don’t miss the Comansi brand, which we began distributing this year, and which boasts an array of licences”, says Neil Montgomery, UK Commercial Director.

From Greenhouse to global A lot can happen in 12 months and game inventors Jono and Nick Green are attending Toy Fair from a different perspective this year. Following a successful Kickstarter campaign in 2016 to make 1,000 samples of their invention The Sock Game, and after exhibiting in The Greenhouse at Toy Fair 2017, the brothers were inundated with games companies bidding to get involved. Flash forward to this week and the pair have returned to Toy Fair, this time with one of the world’s most innovative toy companies – Spin Master, stand E131 – on board, which is now integrating The Sock Game into its catalogue of addictive and successful games.

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NEWS Great Gizmos Sales and Marketing Manager Sarah Dayus talks tea, newness and Toy Fair plans What are you most loving about Toy Fair 2018? Seeing our existing buyers and showing them our newness, and gaining their feedback! Also meeting new retailers and of course the other exhibitors.

How would you sum up the last trading year? We’ve had a fantastic year, especially considering the economic climate. Business has been very positive and our Mould and Paint Unicorn has definitely been the star product!

Tell us a little about your stand this year, anything new and exciting? We are very excited this year as we have some amazing new brands added to our portfolio. In particular, Nebulous Stars and Glitza. Both brands are innovative and different to anything out there.

Make Time 2 Play expands The Make Time 2 Play campaign has gone from strength to strength since launch in 2010, and will grow even further in 2018. This year the BTHA would like to get more members involved and to do so will be publishing a new Toys as the Tools of Play guide, developed with Fundamentally Children. This new guide, exclusive to members, includes detailed research on the benefits children receive when playing with different toys from a range of categories. The purpose of the guide is to support companies in identifying the varying play benefits when developing their toys with the long-term idea of including these benefits on packaging or supporting marketing materials, to help promote a positive message to consumers. Set up by the BTHA to promote the importance and benefits of play for healthy child development, it reached an impressive 100,000 followers on Facebook and continued its growth across social, the website and the free app. Visit www.maketime2play.co.uk to learn more.

Why should buyers come to see you this year? We’re a friendly bunch with some fab new lines from existing suppliers and new brands too. We really feel our products will make a difference as there’s nothing out there quite the same.

Name one hero product that you and your team are very excited about showing at the fair? Mould and Paint Flamingo without a doubt.

And finally — we must ask — what’s your brew of choice? Champagne — haha, just joking! It’s definitely PG Tips for me.

Magnetic magical appeal Pack it in! Marvin Berglas has a lifetime of spellbinding adventures to look back on. He spent a quarter of a century travelling the world as the resident magician for his beloved Arsenal FC, puts on a great show at various celebrity parties and has just had the honour of being voted vice-president of the Magic Circle by his peers – but he still loves nothing more than seeing the response Marvin’s Magic products get at Toy Fair. The company’s show stand has garnered a reputation for putting on great entertainment each year at London Olympia – but then you’d expect nothing less from the brand that has seen several big stars start with them before making their names on TV. “I don’t like to name names,” Marvin says, “but what’s fantastic about Marvin’s Magic is that, whether you’re a four-year-old with your very first magic set or a veteran, with our products there is something for everyone. “I myself started doing tricks at age eight, following in the footsteps of my father TV magician David Berglas, but I ended up going down a different path helping other people get into magic.” Marvin’s Magic is celebrating three decades in the toy business this year, and the exciting range of products on show at 2018’s fair includes magic sets that pre-schoolers will love, Marvin’s iMagic that lets you do magic with your phone right the way up to a limited edition deluxe box of tricks of which only 3,000 have been made. Make your way over to stand H65 for some wizard toy action!

Kerry Tyers and MD Nigel Reynolds from N Smith Packaging & Display, show off their range of floor standing display units over on their stand, Gallery 124. “We offer a bespoke service,” says commercial director Kerry. ‘We make to order and offer eye-catching displays using a number of different processes. Over the last few days, we’ve had loads of exhibitors visiting us and received lots of great feedback.”

DON’T MISS… Lumiluvs by Mookie Mookie’s new bedtime companion range Lumiluvs delivers eight characters, including an on-trend unicorn, that light up when you kiss them, acting as a nightlight. Kiss it again and it turns off but not before saying I Love You. The range includes Star Light Cottage, which comes in a set with one Lumiluv, and lights up when you turn the key, creating a glowing light when you place the Lumiluv inside. “These are going down really well so far, especially because of the price point — retailers are loving that there’s a unicorn in the range,” says Gemma Lewington, Head of Marketing. Visit stand E149.

NEWS

Every step of the way Jumbo Games proudly displays its new products from Goula on stand E46, with around 20 brand new here at Toy Fair. Steven Russell, Marketing Manager, says: “This really is an allencompassing range developed to take infants through the various stages of development.”

DKL Owner and Managing Director, Kai Hawalescham demonstrates their new Plus-Plus connecting blocks, which he says are gaining a lot of interest at this year’s Toy Fair on stand E66.

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While Thames & Kosmos, stan d F15, is renowne d for its scienc e, the company ha s entered the magic circle w ith the introduc tion of the Magic Se ries magical ki ts. Glamorous assi stant Natasha not included!

Twinning!

DON’T MISS… Great Gizmos’ Mould & Paint Flamingo

Asmodee UK scored a double whammy in the Toy Industry Awards 2017 on Tuesday evening, winning Game of the Year with Dobble, and Pocket Money Toy of the Year with Pokeman Cards. “It was a shock, but we are absolutely delighted,” says Ben Hogg, Marketing Manager, stand E109.

Tapping into the tropical trend on stand G20, Great Gizmos has extended its successful Mould & Paint range to include new set, Flamingo, allowing kids aged 5+ to create adorable plaster fridge magnets and badges that make great gifts for family and friends.

The percentage of toys sold in Europe that are fake – costing the European toy industry ¤1.4billion (£1.22bn) every year. But now you can fight back with SnapDragon’s “affordable, effective online brand protection”, says Sales Director Mary Kernohan. Gallery 505.

TnP’s very own Ryan Horwood tries out IMC’s new Mind Massage under the expert supervision of Julie Ball on stand E129.

Ooshies

TREND FOCUS

Vivid Stand B70 Ooshies are kids’ favourite characters ooshed! These squishy mini figures double up as pencil toppers. Collect all of your favourite heroes and villains. Licenses include Marvel and DC Comics.

Star Wars Revell Gallery 110 Fans of all ages and abilities can create a piece of their own Star Wars universe with a range of fully authentic vehicles featured in Episode VIII – The Last Jedi and Solo – A Star Wars Story movies.

Stretch Armstrong

Looking for… Heroes

Character Options Stand E119 Stretch Armstrong continues to be strong with a villain revealed at Toy Fair with the launch of the transparent villain, Stretch X-Ray – joined by miniature 8-inch Vac-Man.

Super, animal or intergalactic, Toy Fair has every kind of hero going! Check out just a tiny sample of the fabulous Hero toys on show

Hero puzzles Ravensburger Stand E140 Joining the successful and popular PJ Masks range this season are four Large Shaped Floor Puzzles, featuring all the fan-favourite characters from the show.

Power Rangers Bandai Gallery 600 Bandai’s Power Rangers range knows no bounds and is set to reach new heights as the brand celebrates its 25th anniversary and the Super Ninja Steel line launches. All new 12.5cm and 30cm Action Heroes will make their debut.

PJ Masks MV Sports Stand B30 MV’s PJ Masks collection is taking the licensed wheeled market by storm and is ready for more with a colourful multicharacter core bikes and scooters range and a super-cool 6v battery-operated Catboy Car. Head to the stand to see it for yourself!

Hero backpacks Funko Europe Stand E130 A recent acquisition that speaks to the heart of Funko’s pop culture ethos is Loungefly’s range of bags, purses, and accessories. The Funko team have a large selection of these on display from licences including Disney, Marvel and Star Wars.

PJ Masks GP Flair/Just Play Stand E39 Those nighttime heroes PJ Masks just keep on getting better and better! Lots of new and exciting toys to see on the Flair stand – as well as PJ classics!

PAW Patrol Spin Master Stand E131 Products include the Mission PAW Mission Cruiser, plus the Mission PAW Pup Pad and a new interactive pup pad packed with Mission PAW content.

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2. Eden Hazard Pop! Vinyl 3. Loungefly Loki Backpack 4. Praetorian Guard Talking Plush 5. Black Panther Pop! Vinyl

Vivid’s Senior Brand Manager Tom Bennie admits to his coffee addiction and sees encouraging signs for the future. Stand B70 What do you most love about Toy Fair? For me, it’s all about seeing those products that you’ve spent the past year working on get their time to shine. We’ve got some great product for 2018 and seeing them come to life is always fantastic!

How would you sum up the past trading year? I don’t think there’s any getting away from the fact that 2017 was a challenging year — there will be plenty of people who were happy to be ringing in 2018! Having said that, Vivid saw some very encouraging signs for our core brands and products, plus all the newness we have, so we’re positive about 2018.

The number of big buyers who put in orders on day one of Toy Fair for Money Monsters, the digital money box for kids. “They’re a great way to teach kids about modern money,” says Creative Director Travis. Head upstairs to see them on Gallery 200.

Keeps growing! West Design Products is flying high with its Faber-Castell Creativity for Kids brand on stand C45, and particularly its Grow range, which launched last year. “Grow is doing exceedingly well, especially the Glow N Grow Terranium, which sold so well, we actually ran out,” says Brendon Taylor, Key Account Manager. New from Grow is the Plant A Pizza Garden, where kids can plant, decorate and tend their crop, before adding to their pizza. The Creativity for Kids brand has expanded its current 180 products to include Invent, four invention sets created in partnership with the Smithsonian Institution to spark creativity and invention. With these sets, “kids can invent their own toy, board game, or any product they wish”, says Brendon, adding “these are all about inspiring the next generation of inventors”.

How many retailers and buyers do you estimate you’ll meet at Toy Fair 2018? It’s almost impossible to count! Traditionally, Vivid is one of the busiest stands at the show and I’m sure this year has been no different.

Name one hero product that you and your team are very excited about showing at the fair? It’s difficult to pick just one, but I’d encourage everyone to come and see our range for Nella the Princess Knight, the Nickelodeon pre-school property. We’ve got figures, plush and a Magical Transformation Doll that’s got to be seen to be believed!

And finally — we must ask — what’s your brew of choice? I’m a recent coffee convert and now can’t see how I ever managed without it. I’ll go for a flat white if I’m lucky or, failing that, instant coffee will do just fine.

Retail Corner Gabby Johnston and Kerry Durham, PreciousLittleOne Limited, Grantham, Lincs Tell us about PreciousLittleOne? It was founded 15 years ago from the kitchen table and now it turns over £1m.

Why are you visiting Toy Fair? We are mainly a nursery company, looking to expand into toys that fit with the original business.

What are you looking for? Mainly wooden toys from the likes of Le Toy Van and Melissa & Doug. And we’re interested in Playmobil because we loved playing with it when we were children!

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Retail Interview

Seasons in the sun

Andrew Atkinson is the third generation of men in his family to run Ernest Atkinson & Sons, the lakeside shop his grandfather founded in Bowness-onWindermere, Cumbria, back in 1920. He talks about the particular challenges he faces running a toy shop in a seasonal, tourist location, and explains why Toy Fair is such an important date in the buying diary. Andrew, have you always worked in the family business? I left school at 16 and came straight into working in the shop full time, and I still really enjoy the job. To be honest I can’t ever see myself retiring. My dad worked until he died at 73 but I’m hoping I’ve got many more years left in me. My daughter Gemma is mum to my grandchildren Halle and baby Jacob, who

Toy Fair is g becaus reat e… brillian t being it’s meet s upplier able to face an s face t d t o u out pro ch and o d t see toy uct – you nee ry s d the sho in the flesh a to w is nd part of an essential the industr toy y.

was born on December 30, but I’m hoping she’ll come and work in the business once the children are a little older. My son Steven works in TV production. Working in retail brings real challenges, and we’ve had good and bad times over the years, but you learn from things and I still get a huge amount of satisfaction from working in this business.

What were your favourite toys as a child? I loved LEGO, trains and Action Man – I was a typical child of the sixties! I also remember my dad making a huge railway set up in the attic and that was a joy. Have you always attended Toy Fair? The first show I went to was back in 1977 and I remember it because it was the year of Star Wars. That year the whole cast came to the show, including Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford, and over the years I’ve seen Angelina Jolie – because of Tomb Raider – and met Paul

Daniels here. Toy Fair certainly used to be the place for celeb spotting!

How has Toy Fair changed since you started attending? There is a different feel to the show now, as it’s evolved with the times like anything else. A few years ago I couldn’t make the show as I was out in Portugal and “I left school at 16 I really did and came straight feel like I had into working in the missed out.

shop – I can’t ever see myself retiring”

Retail Interview Does being located in a tourist area pose special retail challenges? Absolutely – my manager and right hand woman Judith has been with me for 30 years now and, with the seasonality of this business, we both know that it’s barely worth opening the doors at this time of year. We just tick over in the winter months, and then it picks up a little in February half term and at Easter, before the summer trade starts to build up from May. It’s always been like that for us, as

How important are online sales for you? We launched our website Toys & Hobbies in 2000 so we were quite ahead of the curve with online sales – but with the likes of Amazon it is hard to compete. It does help during the winter months, but the shop is still the integral part of the business.

We asked… Any memorable products you’ve been introduced to at Toy Fair? Bigjigs is certainly one brand we came across at the show that’s sold very well for us and I always look forward to visiting the Spin Master stand as their products are so innovative. Day3_TFDaily_HalfPage_BRIO_FINAL.pdf

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we’re located 75 yards from the lake in Bowness. Of course the launch of the Beatrix Potter Museum and the fact we now have World Heritage status has helped with trade, and we get a lot of tourists from Asia coming here, but we have to work around our seasonal calendar. We stop buying from the end of October to the first week of February apart from little stock topups and our summer trade is what keeps us going.

What product sells well for you? I’d say we have a very eclectic mix of stock in the shop. We work with a mix of key toy brands, including LEGO, Sylvanian Families, Playmobil and 9:27 AM

Discover the full range on stand E140

CMY

33649 33627

33427

33622

Tel: 01869 363800 sales@ravensburger.com

Finalist! E Atkinson & Sons was shortlisted for Independent Toy Retailer of the Year (over 150 square feet) at this year’s BTHA awards.

Revell, and local gifts. Thomas is a perennial best seller for us, and we’ve also done incredibly well with Steiff bears which we only started selling last year. I’ve worked with a handful of toy reps for years who know us very well and then there are suppliers like Coniston Gifts that we have a tried and trusted relationship with. What toy trends were big for you last year? Loom Bands and fidget spinners both sold really well last year, as did slime, putty and pocket money toys. Our price per sale has certainly gone down and there is definitely a trend for people looking for pocket money products. What do you predict will be big in 2018? In terms of 2018 I tend to find that Toy Fair is an excellent place to showcase trends, so I’m excited to see what’s on offer at the show.

1920 The year E Atkinson & Sons first opened its doors for trading

The BIG Interview

Game changer Steve Buckmaster, MD, Asmodee UK runs Daily News through new games, big business drivers and the pride he and his team have in always delivering the best to customers Steve, there has been some big change at your place lately – from being known as Esdevium to now being named Asmodee – why is this? Having been part of the Asmodee Group since 2010, it’s the logical next step for us to match our sister and parent companies around the world. We’re thrilled to be making the change. And is there a difference for retailers or are we to expect more of the same great ideas, games and service? While they’ll be seeing a new name and a new look, all of our customers can be certain of the same high standards that they have come to expect from us.

Stan d E109

“Toy Fair is a chance for us to introduce new products and initiatives – such as Bananagrams, which we will be debuting this year ahead of our distribution from April” Steve, you’ve been exhibiting at Toy Fair a long time now. What lures you to this show? Toy Fair specifically has always been a crucial show for us. It’s a great opportunity to meet buyers and customers, and a great showpiece for our extensive range of fantastic products. And what is your mission at Toy Fair? Toy Fair is a chance for us to introduce new products and initiatives – such as Bananagrams, which we will be debuting this year ahead of our distribution from April. We will also be taking the opportunity to touch base with many of our industry friends.

Steve, what does Asmodee bring to the UK toy industry? We like to think that we are a little different (in a good way!), the games market is changing, and we believe that many of the games we offer are driving that change. We are also a specialist distributor, so range, service and supply are at the heart of our offering.

Can you give us a little insight - while giving away no secrets of course - as to how Asmodee achieves it goals at London Toy Fair? We are enthusiastic about making the most of the opportunities that the show provides. This means putting together the best stand that we can, bringing with us staff who work with customers to deepen those connections, and generally giving the show the focus that it deserves.

What are the games that Asmodee is best known for? We are probably best known for hit party games like Dobble, Rory’s Story Cubes and Codenames, as well as the Pokémon Trading Card Game. But we are also the home of incredible modern classics that have really driven the 21st-century growth of tabletop games including Catan, Ticket to Ride, Pandemic, Carcassone and Dixit. And which products do you think will make a big impact at London Toy Fair this year and why? We’re very excited about the introduction of the successful word game Bananagrams into our range at Toy Fair and it will be at the front and centre of our stand. Pandemic will also stand out as we launch our ‘Year of the Cure’ initiative, and there will be a big presence for the Pokémon TCG. Pokémon saw record sales in 2017 and we have a strong platform of releases and support to continue to drive sales in 2018.

The BIG Interview How many buyers do you anticipate seeing over the course of the days? As many as possible!

Why should buyers come and meet you and your team and consider adding your products – or more of your products – to their selections? We are strongly focused on building longterm, mutually beneficial relationships with our customers and Toy Fair is a great chance to develop those relationships. We have great games in an exciting and growing category and we would like to help our customers make the most of this opportunity.

And is there something for every kind of retailer? Independents are the foundation of our business. Asmodee UK’s roots and history are as a distributor to independent stores and that remains very important to us even as we continue to grow with an increasing number of national accounts. What do you personally enjoy about London Toy Fair? The chance to work with the team. It’s also a rare treat to be able to just focus on selling our games! How do you feel trading will be in 2018, versus last year? Hopefully more of the same! we had a

“We have great games in an exciting and growing category and we would like to help our customers make the most of this opportunity”

“Pokémon saw record sales in 2017 and we have a strong platform of releases and support to continue to drive sales in 2018” the group in 2010, we’ve been mutually strengthened by a range of in-house product, expertise and innovation that benefit our customers as much as they do us. knockout year in 2017, strong growth across many categories that should continue in 2018. And being part of a much larger set up – how can that add benefits to retailers of every shape and size? Retailers have already been feeling the benefits of our affiliation to the wider Asmodee Group for years. Since joining

What makes you proud about being at Toy Fair? Seeing how the team and the business has developed over the years. My first Toy Fair with Esdevium was in 2003, it was just me on a 2 x 2 shell scheme stand. I now look at the team that we have, it makes me proud to see how far we have come.

What is your personal hero product from your range and why? Dobble has been something really special for us, After its launch six years ago, it has grown exponentially – 2018 will see us sell millionth copy in the UK.

Don’t miss on Asmodee’s stand Bananagrams has already been mentioned, we also have new product formats for Rory’s Story Cubes as well as a strong line up of Pokémon TCG.

See this exciting new collection on stand E120

Welcome to Disney Baby. A colourful range of character-led developmental toys featuring Disney’s most iconic characters.

. Follow us k u . o c . igns s e d w Call 01329 227300 or visit www.rainbo

The Home of Classic Characters

On the right track Marbel, stand B50, is launching the brilliant Grand City Station playset at Toy Fair, perfect for creative minds. Children can visit the world’s most exciting destinations with this bustling two-level station. The set contains 45 pieces and is bursting with additional features, including a projector displaying images of global cities, ceiling lights, and voice recording option to create train station announcements.

•

NEWS

P O T

op H p i k 66 S F d n a St 1. Explore & More Jumperscape 2. Follow Bee Crawl Toy 3. Stroll and Go Portable Baby Soother, Owl 4. Unicorn nicorn Activity Gym

Hold on tight… What a ho

The team a t Halilit are ready to introduce y ou to their new Sound of the Fore st range on stand E90.

…it’s going to be a bumpy ride! Lynne Swatton-Reed and Alison Hubbard from K’Nex experience the thrills and spills of the Bionic Blast Roller Coaster. It’s part of the K’Nected line: nine new thrill rides that come with a downloadable app. “We’ve got some key buyers interested,” says Head of Educational Sales Lynne. Scream if you wanna go faster! Gallery 510

Hole in one Bullseye! Sharde Passos, Junior Brand Manager at Jazwares, is on target at Toy Fair. The Nerf Digital Target has been getting a lot of interest over on stand B100.

Time to get those clubs at the ready as the BTHA and Toy Trust golf day 2018 is filling up fast. This year’s event will take place on Thursday 2 August at the sublime Sonning Golf Club near Reading, Berkshire. It’s always a fantastic day for the pros and beginners alike — and of course it all helps the wonderful work of the toy industry’s charity. Details are available from Matt Jones at the BTHA, contact him on matt@ btha.co.uk, or contact Clive Jones on 07720 275212.

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LICENSOR SPOTLIGHT

Worldwide powerhouse Rikesh Desai, BBC Worldwide Licensing Director, Merchandise and Gaming, takes time out of his busy London Toy Fair schedule to sit down with The Daily News and talk us through some of their properties and what they mean to the toy industry in 2018 Doctor, Doctor

merchandise programme moves into its third year so, in addition to our master toy licensee FisherPrice’s toy range, the market can expect the roll-out of new categories. Aykroyd and TDP will launch new lines across nightwear, underwear and swimwear, TVMFashionLab have a great range of daywear products, VMC have developed a fun set of dress-up and accessory items and DNC will be expanding their range of lunchware product. The Vroomster Ride at the CBeebies Land at Alton Towers is proving to be a huge hit with visitors too, based on all the social activity we see online.

Rikesh, let’s kick off with Doctor Who! With the new and first-ever female Doctor, do you anticipate a whole new group of fans? I hope we attract a whole new wave of fans of families and young adults while retaining our diverse core fan base. With Jodie Whittaker as the Doctor we will be the only female-led sci-fi television brand which will hopefully appeal to the growing movement of girl empowerment in popular culture!

And are the products going to change to reflect that and encourage more female consumers? We will be expanding the range of consumer products through our licensee partners to reflect the new direction of the series.

Collections for backpacks, Roy Lowe & Sons for socks, William Lamb for footwear, including slippers and wellington boots, Blue Sky Designs for art, stationery and activity products, Dreamtex for bedding and soft furnishings, DNC on lunchware and dineware and Paper Projects for stickers. As you can see we have very busy planning for a Duggee-tastic 2018!

Tip-top Tumble

continue delivering a fun-filled family adventure full of thrills, laughs, scares and wonder. In addition, for the new season we will have Jodie as the Doctor and three new TARDIS team members, which will add to a more energetic and socially relevant set of storylines.

We have been working with Golden Bear for over 25 years now so, when reviewing who to collaborate with to bring Hey Duggee product to life in the toy and plush space, Golden Bear was absolutely at the top of that list.

Duggee Hugs all round

What is being added to the toy sector in this year?

shows on CBeebies in its timeslot. Our master toy partner Golden Bear develops products that really extend the enjoyment of the show into the hands of fans. In addition to the award-winning Mr Tumble Fun Sounds Musical Car and Mr Tumble with Fun Tumble Tapp, in 2018 we launch the Mr Tumble Domino Train and Nursery Rhymes With Mr Tumble plush, which features five well-known nursery rhymes so little ones can sing along with their favourite character.

Mr Tumble really is The fulcrum of the Doctor Who story Something Special! Tell is evolution - or more appropriately, us a little about the new regeneration. How do you keep CP roll out this year? it growing and regenerating and Mr. Tumble has been interesting to fans and newcomers alike? And partnering with Golden Bear - a entertaining pre-schoolers for tried, tested and trusted licensor was a over 13 years now, consistently The good news is we have 55 years of content and ranking within the top five great move. Why them though? audience insight to draw on. The plan will be to

Hey Duggee is a world class production that is going gangbusters globally. Tell us a little about the licensing strategy behind it? We select our partners carefully (and they us!). Hey Duggee is a creative, funny and happy brand with a very clear aesthetic style and it is imperative that we work with partners who love the brand as much as we do. Over the past year our strategy has been to focus on growing our retail footprint for Hey Duggee. The great news is the fans have loved the products our partners have brought to market from Aykroyd and TDP for nightwear, underwear and swimwear and Blues Clothing across daywear.

In 2018 we will be partnering with Jazwares to bring to market, via Golden Bear, their highly collectable figurines and playsets that have been a huge hit in North America last summer.

Turbo Jet!

Go Jetters is another huge hit! What What can retailers expect to see in 2018? next for toy licensing? So in 2018 fans can expect to more great product from VMC for accessories and dress-up, Trade Mark

Our Go Jetters

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r e v i l e d d n a d n a t S itement on lenty of exhcibitors p h it w y a g yesterd a few ex was buzzinews caught up with 18 0 2 ir a F N y To Daily stands. The

National Account Manager Victoria Yeomans has time on her hands on The Sales Partnershipâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stand E21

Account Manager Andy Clark can deďŹ nitely spot this unicorn on stand Gallery 119 for Ty

Stand C45

Triplets Koray, Kusey and Ayza Cerikci demonstrated the incline technology of the ride-on Slex Rodeobull from Hippychick on stand Gallery 102

Big Potato’s games are going down a bomb with Northern Accounts Manager Johnny, Marketing Manger Becky, and Social Media & Community Manager Nat on stand H46

West Designs’ Key Account Manager Brendan Taylor on stand C45

The Mardles gang on stand Gallery 108 with Sales Director Amy Hallett, Sales Manager Rachael Wyatt and James “Jazzhands” Murden

There’s nothing baffling for Cheatwell Games on stand F20 where Head of UK Sales Mark Jones tries out the products

Caricature artist Michael Kyeyune is quick on the draw, sketching Wind Designs’ Sales Executive Katherine MCcarthy on stand H52

Discover Our New Mind Blowing Putty! Introducing a huge selection of new putty, with several colourful variants as well as some rather clever pots of slime, like heat sensitive and UV reactive putties.

Place your pre-order today tel: 01603 397 105 email: sales@tobar.co.uk www.tobar.co.uk

or come and find us in Gallery 305

Keel Toys National Account Manager Ed Sturge is in the pink on stand B60

Welcome to Toy Fair

Petron

On target for success

Galle ry 308

Petron is establishing its archery and shooting products in the toy market, and MD Martin Saunders explains how safety is key to the products – and why visitors to the Petron stand Gallery 308 will be able to meet the UK’s only foot archery expert! This is your first time What else will you be showcasing for visitors? products to the UK market. exhibiting at Toy Fair so, for “We are excited to We are excited to welcome Orissa Kelly to We are hoping that by those who are unfamiliar welcome Orissa Kelly demonstrate some of our products on stand. exhibiting at Toy Fair we will with you, what’s your story Orissa, who has performed on Britain’s Got increase awareness of the in a nutshell? to demonstrate some Talent and featured in the blockbuster movie Petron brand and ultimately Established in 1963, Petron of our products on Wonder Woman, is the UK’s only foot archery drive sales. was born from a familyperformer. She began her training at Chiltern stand. Orissa, who has owned archery business Archery – the home of Petron. Tell us a little more about serving the UK market. Over performed on Britain’s the Petron brand, the time the product range Got Talent and featured How do you communicate with retailers and products in the range, and continuously expanded what are your plans for working with them in what you uniquely bring to to cover the full archery in the blockbuster 2018? toy retailers. spectrum including entrymovie Wonder Woman, We will be developing a communication plan Aimed at both young level toys. My aim was to for retailers over the coming months and our children and adults alike, is the UK’s only foot introduce children to the marketing team and website will playing key Petron’s Sureshot collection world of archery, to develop archery performer. ” roles. offers a rewarding shooting the key skills needed with experience from a sucker toys before reaching the age Will you have any offers for retailers visiting dart toy product. All the to move on to appropriate the show? products featured in the Sureshot collection archery equipment. With this in mind, Petron’s Come and visit our stand to find out! including a Crossbow, Handbow, Rifle, Archery Sureshot collection was designed by British set and smaller Pistol, are very simple to use. archery experts, and offers a consistent and Who should be sure to stop by the stand and Their accuracy enables users to have fun while rewarding shooting experience but from a see you – and what types of retailers are you developing hand eye coordination and testing sucker dart toy product. hoping to see? and improving their gaming skills. Everyone is welcome to on the Petron A key feature of all Petron’s products is stand! We are keen to meet UK safety. Each toy houses distributors and retailers alike. a unique loading system, which only allows users “A key feature And finally, what would make to load Petron sucker of all Petron’s your first Toy Fair? darts – no other form To achieve a deal with a major UK of ammunition will products is safety. distributor would make Toy Fair a release the safety catch. Each toy houses roaring success for Petron! The darts themselves are also designed with a unique loading safety in mind. The system, which diameter of the sucker only allows users is of a size that cannot cause injury, especially to load Petron to the eye. sucker darts – no Our products are built to last, designed other form of to withstand hundreds of ammunition will hours of play and thousands Petron has been around since 1963 – what release the safety of shots both indoors and made 2018 the perfect time for you to take outdoors, Petron’s products catch. ” your first stand here at Toy Fair? can be used time and time Historically our focus has been with the again. European and Middle Eastern markets. Having Aimed at both older firmly established ourselves there, we are now children and adults, looking to increase sales in the UK and to build Petron also has on the Petron brand as more of our products brought to market come to market. the Stealth range. This What have you heard about the show that offers the same drew you to Toy Fair and what are you hoping design features to get out of it? and durability as the Toy Fair is a very well known and popular trade Sureshot products, but with more show within the toy industry. We felt that it power and reach. would be the perfect place to showcase our

PROPERTY SPOTLIGHT

PAW-some! Hedley Barnes

Phil Hooper

PAW Patrol is the global phenomenon which is setting kids’ imaginations and retailers’ tills alight. Produced by Spin Master’s Entertainment group, it continues to be Nick Jr’s number one pre-school series. Kids love bringing the fun and adventures to life and there has been commercial success not only for Spin Master toys but the company’s licensed partners too. Hedley Barnes, Spin Master’s General Manager for Northern Europe, says: “One of the most exciting things about owning this property is the scope for creativity and collaboration. We have a fantastic relationship with the team at Nickelodeon and they have proven a phenomenal partner for us – not only providing the perfect platform for broadcast but in the role of brand manager. “Creatively, strong storytelling is at the heart of the brand and the core of every episode. We know

PAW Patrol is undeniably the top show from Spin Master Entertainment, having made its UK debut on Nick Jr in November 2013. The brand has been a hit from the get go and enjoys incredible success around the world, broadcasting in more than 160 countries and territories. We take a look at the year ahead in Adventure Bay how much kids take to heart the stories they see and learn from them, so we endeavour to make sure what they see is both entertaining and positive.” Hedley continues: “PAW Patrol appeals universally, and these pups are all about collaboration, doing what’s right and celebrating everyone’s individuality. This collaboration extends to our Entertainment and Toy teams. The Entertainment team focuses on storytelling for TV and the Toy team focuses on

Top of the pups! Here are some of the top licensed PAW Patrol products you can see here at London Toy Fair! Winning Moves Stand E115 PAW Patrol Top Trumps Card Game MV Sports Stand B30

Marshall’s Fightin’ Fire truck Ravensburger Stand E140 PAW Patrol 4-In-A-Box Puzzles Sambro Gallery 400 PAW Patrol Character Plush Backpack Vivid Stand B70

Crayola Color Wonder PAW Patrol

storytelling through play – both benefit the story and help kids live the world of PAW Patrol.” Phil Hooper, Commercial Director Marketing for Spin Master UK, agrees: “We’re off to a strong start this spring with a brand-new range of toys based on the latest TV Mission PAW theme. Products include the Mission PAW Mission Cruiser, a new moveable mission command centre, plus the Mission PAW Pup Pad, a new interactive pup pad with Mission PAW content to take kids on their very own new rescue missions! “PAW remains consistently as the No 1 pre-school property and was the No 1 toy property in the month of September (NPD EPoS September 2017) so we are confident that PAW Patrol will continue as top dog in the world of entertainment, toys and licensing throughout 2018.” Marianne James, VP Consumer Products and Commercial, expands on this: “This year we will be extending our clothing and pre-school product line in the UK and other markets where the property is already well established. There will also be additional apparel, accessories, toys and health and beauty products aimed at young girls,” so there are lots of great opportunities! New theme episodes of Sea Patrol, Mission PAW and Ultimate Rescue will debut in 2018 with new theme Mighty Pups and Ultimate Rescue in 2019.

NEWS The Daily News sat down for a cuppa with Learning Resources’ Dennis Blackmore

Author Anita Frost and Claudine Green with Green Bean

What are you most looking forward to at Toy Fair? Experiencing that market buzz that you only get from a great trade show like London Toy Fair. I always feel privileged to work in such a vibrant, innovative yet friendly market. Then there’s the excitement of unveiling new products and gauging customers’ reactions – priceless!

How would you sum up the last trading year? We have invested significantly in our brand over the past year; refreshing our identity, undertaking in depth market and consumer research and developing our online presence. This has all contributed to us having a very successful 2017. Our star performer has been PlayFoam, which had been something of a sleeper in our range.

How many retailers and buyers do you estimate you meet at Toy Fair 2018? We have fewer appointments at London but probably more drop ins – makes it more fun!

And finally – we must ask – what’s your brew of choice? Whittard’s Guatemala Elephant Coffee.

See you in the garden

Green living Meet Green Bean, which is bringing the message of healthy eating and healthy lifestyle, along with teaching colours and numbers to early years children on stand B99. With the company only created in September 2017, things have moved fast for Green Bean, which already has books in Waterstones and on Amazon, as well as being sold from its own website. Look out for more characters including a snail and owl being introduced as new paperbacks and board books are published.

Everything in the garden’s lovely over at Interplay on stand G10, where the Fairy Garden range has been getting some great reactions from buyers. Ross Ainsworth, Interplay CEO, shows the original garden, while new general manager Sally Walker tends the new addition to the range.

Bubbling over Bertoy’s Mark Devery was Day 2’s champers winner. He found the inflatable champagne bottle hidden on one of the aisles, and swapped it for a real version.

Baby, baby Papo UK has been getting a great reaction to its new Papo Baby range at the show. Beautifully boxed, the one-piece mould is made from 100 per cent rubber. “Armadillo Toys in Leeds saw it, loved it and placed an order!” says Damien Leahy, account manager. Pop over to Gallery 128 to learn more.

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15/01/2018 17:02

NEWS

TOP •

Eduk8 MD Christine Lawson loves a cuppa and telling the Daily News about their plans

BRIO

What are you most looking forward to at Toy Fair 2018? Talking with retailers, especially about our STEAM ranges, as we’re able to help pioneer and co-create this category for them.

Stand E140

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How would you sum up the last trading year? Very busy! We also moved out of our small, cramped office into larger premises, which included a warehouse, and we restructured the company, and appointed additional staff, to support the growth of the business.

How many retailers and buyers do you estimate you meet at Toy Fair? We already have more appointments booked with buyers this year than last!

Name one hero product you and your team are very excited about showing at the fair? Now that’s really hard question to answer as we have many categories, so I have to answer this way, sorry! We have two new Super Heroes, Mini traditional travel games and Tangles First 100 words, exclusive to Eduk8 Worldwide Ltd.

And finally – we must ask – what’s your brew of choice? Strong coffee to keep us going!

Love, love me do New from Worlds Apart and distributed by Click Distribution, comes three brand-new hero products launching in July. There’s the very funny Monkey Mayhem game; the Tube Superstar vlogging concept, which taps into the current teenage girl vlogging trend; and the oh-so-adorable Scruff a Luvs – showcased expertly by Click’s UK Sales and Operations Director Lewi Hillier.

Retail Corner Mercedes Peake & Emma Burton, Findel Education Resources, Hyde, Cheshire

As buyers for the educational sector (large order quantities for children age 0 to 16), Toy Fair has proven exceptionally beneficial to us. It’s been good to catch up with our suppliers in one place and has been a superb time saving exercise for us – for example, today we have managed to see 10 in total. We have seen a number of wow products for the business, in particular slime products and anatomical dolls, Anatomical Annie and Anatomical Andy.

Loo laughs There’s nothing quite like a bit of toilet humour to get boys and girls giggling, and Spin Master, located on Stand E131, has tapped into this with its new collectable range Flush Force, which delivers surprise sewer characters with every flush. Kids simply pour water into the cistern, shake, lift the loo lid and watch the pattern dissolve, to reveal two flushies – characters that have mutated in the toxic sludge of the sewers – from Flushville. “There are 150 characters to collect,” says Becca Hanlon, brand manager (pictured). Flush Force comes in a two pack, five pack and eight pack, as well as the Collecta-Bowl, with a jumbo-sized loo featuring four foul floaters, and there’s even a downloadable app, so kids can play games with them. Launching February 2018.

Mercedes Peake (left) and Emma Burton (right)

Greenhouse News

Clean craft

Alphabet Pie MD George Pornaris with the Mix-Up Clay

The new Art Soap kit from Alphabet Pie includes everything kids need to make their own soap – they can mix colours, and use the tools to follow the step-by-step guide to make all kinds of soapy sensations. Also very new is Mix-Up Clay. This light material can be mixed with the included colour in a mess-free way to create all kinds of colours. The finished products can be air dried – and as an added bonus they bounce too! Try them out on stand GH59 – along with Nutty Putty – which never dries out , but can be baked to make rubbery creations.

The Daily News caught up with Jumini’s Marketing Driector Nikki Garner for a cuppa and to find out about their first Toy Fair What are you most looking forward to at Toy Fair 2018? We are new to the show, so we’re excited about meeting toy buyers and retailers who may not have seen our beautiful wooden toys in the flesh – especially as we’ll be launching our new Mr. Men Little Miss range at the show!

How would you sum up the last trading year? We had an amazing year and have been absolutely thrilled with the way our business has grown since Jumini was launched in September 2016.

Testing times “We’ve had quite a few meetings and a lot of people asking about our training schemes, It’s been busier than last year,” said Shawna Hill, Local Business Development Manager at Bureau Veritas, which offers testing, inspection and certification services. The company offers toy testing for companies ranging from start-ups to leading toy distributors – most toy testing is done at its lab in the UK. The training schemes are designed to help companies understand the legislation surrounding toy safety, and to help QA teams identify what areas might be an issue for any new toys. Speak to them on stand GH36.

Sue Shackleton and daughter Frankie Makarau-Shackleton

Easy as 1,2,3 There are three simple steps to telling the time, and the clocks and watches from EasyRead Time Teacher help them do just that. Director Sue Shackleton says they have already had lots of interest and orders from independent retailers in just one day at Toy Fair. There are two ranges – one designed for schools with classroom and playground clocks and wipe-on/wipe-off teaching aids, while the home products have been designed to be more colourful, with clocks, watches and the latest introduction, alarm clocks. See them on stand GH5.

How many retailers and buyers do you estimate you meet at Toy Fair 2018? As this is our first time, we’re a little in the dark but obviously we’re hoping to be extremely busy, so have plenty of brochures printed and ready to go!

Name one hero product you and your team are very excited about showing at the fair? My personal favourite has to be the exquisite foldaway Unicorn Castle. Unicorns, rainbows and a princess, all packed away in a gorgeous pink castle - what more could a (little) girl ask? Don’t worry, there are police station, fire station and farm versions too!

And finally – we must ask – what’s your brew of choice? Coffee, coffee, coffee …. until the afternoon, then it’s a cup of PG!

Building on success Arckit Play is attracting a massive reaction, says Founder CEO Damien Murtagh on stand GH2. The construction toy, which has evolved from a tool designed for architects, has been used in education for three years, and a 10-week architectural project has been devised for secondary schools. Made in Ireland, the system’s packaging can be re-used, and there are plans to integrate AR and VR to bring creations to life. Look out for Founder CEO the 3D printing shop, coming soon Damien Murtagh with free designs for creating cars, with Arckit creations toys and other accessories.

Founder and designer Artur Tikhonenko

Magnetic charm These magnetic construction kits allow children to use their imaginations and create what they want in a short time. Made in Belarus, Trido is actually based in London, with product expected to be available in the summer. The bricks come in seven colour palettes and three kit sizes, which all feature magnetic eyes for making creatures and characters. Founder and designer Artur Tikhonenko has plans to add wheels so vehicles can be made. Try getting creative on stand GH44.

Max Mindpower – TV star! When the Daily News met up with MD Nikki Collins she was buzzing from the attention Max has received since Toy Fair began, including appearing on BBC’s Breakfast TV and being named among Toy Fair’s Hero Toys. Max is getting great feedback and has just sold out on Amazon. The mindfulness bear is accompanied by a series of books that help children address different emotions such as grief and anger. There are also plans to tell the characters from these into plush and to create animated stories, which will be available on YouTube and on DVD. Meet Max on stand GH29.

TnP - Show Magazine Jan 2018 - Day3.pdf 1 04/01/2018 14:37:42

Visit us at Stand GH36

CMY

SAFETY TESTING FOR BABY AND TODDLER TOYS A range of safety tests for toys that are aimed at children of 36 months and younger.

MEET THE EXPERT

Malcolm Horner â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Technical Consultant

If you would like advice on pre 36 months Toys or any other Toy product, come and meet Malcolm on stand GH36. He has over 40 years of experience in the toy and consumer product testing industry. Malcolm also sits on the BSI Toy Safety Committee and on some of the European CEN Working Groups for toys.

www.bureauveritas.co.uk/cps

Greenhouse Interview

Beat the clock

: d n StaH5 G

The proliferation of digital clocks means many children are never learning to read an analogue timepiece. In the Greenhouse this year is EasyRead Time Teacher, which is aiming to set this right, as Director Sue Shackleton tells Daily News This is your first time at Toy Fair – tell us more about Easyread and what you do. We’re bringing our unique and colourful range of wristwatches, wall clocks and alarm clocks, all designed to make it easy for children to learn to tell the time. EasyRead Time Teacher offers the simplest and most effective method for children to learn the time on analogue clocks. With our innovative teaching system, children as young as five can learn to tell the time in three simple steps. Our attractive clocks are a must for every child’s room, and our watches are the ideal first watch. We’re excited about introducing EasyRead Time Teacher to the UK toy industry for the first time.

Tell us about the evolution of EasyRead Time Teacher and how you have found the UK market? We’re a small but international family business, owned by my brother Roger and I. Our business was started by Roger, who has lived in Sydney Australia since he emigrated from the UK as a ‘£10 Pom’ in 1969. Roger designed the EasyRead clock face and his time-teaching method in the early 1990s, after struggling to help his own daughter learn to tell the time. He tried several times to establish a business making teaching clocks, but it wasn’t until 2012 that he formed EasyRead Time Teacher Ltd with me – I live in Malvern in the UK. We now work together, mainly on Skype, developing the

“

WITH OUR INNOVATIVE TEACHING SYSTEM, CHILDREN AS YOUNG AS FIVE CAN LEARN TO TELL THE TIME IN THREE SIMPLE STEPS.

”

business in Australia, Europe and the USA. I will be on the stand at the Toy Fair promoting the ever-increasing range of EasyRead Time Teacher products. But since creating the business in 2012, time hasn’t stood still! With more than 180,000 products sold worldwide, EasyRead Time Teacher is fast becoming the ‘go to’ brand for parents wanting to help their children learn to tell the time. 2017 is our fifth year in business and we’ve experienced rapid growth each year. For the first few years our sales doubled year on year. Now in 2017, turnover is 45% higher than in 2016, but that growth has been largely in mainland Europe – Germany in particular. Our UK sales in 2017 have so far been equal to 2016.

What are you hoping to achieve at Toy Fair? When we started EasyRead Time Teacher we concentrated on selling our time-teaching products to schools, either directly or through educational retailers. Our business has evolved and in addition to the school products, we now have a range of clocks and watches

that make really attractive gifts for children. We’re looking forward to presenting these to UK toy retailers and finding new outlets through which we can offer our great educational products to families.

Tell us something about your products. In recent years the increasing use of digital clocks on mobile phones, radio alarms, tablets and household goods means that children are learning to read the time on these devices. They can read the time digitally, e.g. ‘9:45’, but flounder when presented with the analogue clock. Telling the time is taught in Primary School (Key Stage 1), but without regular practice at home many secondary school children still haven’t mastered it. At EasyRead Time Teacher we’re doing our bit to keep the traditional analogue method of telling the time alive – so that future generations can look up at Big Ben and know what time it is!

What are you hoping to achieve in the next year? We expect our business to continue growing. EasyRead Time Teacher is our own brand. We’ll be working

hard to grow our brand and to increase our market penetration in the UK, Europe, Australia and the US.

Any tips for surviving your first Toy Fair? As with all trade shows, I have three essentials for survival: comfy shoes; drink plenty of water; and bring my own delicious lunch!

Come and try out the full range at our stand Gallery 308 www.petron.info

Tel: 01296 632573

Email: martin@petron.info

jumini

made to play

r e v i l e d d n a d n a t S

Greenhouse News

itement on lenty of exhcibitors p h it w y a g yesterd a few ex was buzzinews caught up with 18 0 2 ir a F N y y To Dail stands. The

Steven camps out on the Thaizho stand GH78

Collin smiles proudly on stand GH57 as he’s the sole creator, founder, owner, inventor and employee of Articulate Gallery

Director of 1 Two Kids Ginny snuggles up with their new product on stand GH54

On stand GH45 Simbrix owner Assim proudly holds the award he won for the toy he invented for his children

Kooshi’s MD and Creator Zuana Philip proudly shows off her creations on stand GH68

Francis Cain, Owner of A Girl For All Time. models next to their first Boy For All Time on stand GH11 Pika Pika! Get Retro’s Owner Steven Scott models one of their adorable hats on stand GH62

Shane Sutten’s Teddybots wave to the camera on stand GH67

Adam Butler, Co-Founder of Mojo Nation, smiles for the camera on stand GH48

NEWS Just add water! Demi Lawrence from Cartamundi UK demonstrates their new Aqua range, the card games you can play in the bath. Get spraytastic on stand H1.

Leah, (left) and Heather (right)

Retail Corner Leah Parsons and Heather Leach, Chimera Leisure, Beeston, Nottingham

Tell us about your business? We’re a store that sells comics, cards, board games and comics. We also offer games nights in store. What are you looking for? We’re hoping to find a few new lines, especially in terms of trading board games. There’s not much in the way of comics, but we’re really interested some of the licensed products we’ve seen. Your stand out range? Pokémon on Character Options and also on Asmodee UK.

Toy Fair Gallery Stand 630

For Ireland enquiries please contact: Banaghan & Co. Ltd. · Co. Tipperary Tel. +35367 63800 · Fax +35367 63801 irishfairydoorcompany@banaghans.ie

For UK enquiries please contact: Alpha Toys Ltd. · Phone 0035367 63800 Fax 0035367 63801 · irishfairydoorcompany@alpha-toys.co.uk

Girl with a Pearl Juratoys’ Michelle Probert introduces Pearl, the XXL doll from the Kaloo Tendresse range. “She’s traditional but on trend,” says the sales and marketing manager. Snuggle up on Stand 121.

The X Factor Dip in! Turns out itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not just kids who love slime â&#x20AC;&#x201C; adults do, too! â&#x20AC;&#x153;Loads of visitors canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t resist giving it a go,â&#x20AC;? says national account manager Emily Wong from Zimpli Kids, B35. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The new glitter variant is especially popular.â&#x20AC;?

Character Optionsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; highly-successful Laser X, which secured Best Electronic Toy of the Year at the Toy Industry Awards 2017 on Tuesday night, has been extended in 2018 with the new Long Range Blaster and Gaming Tower. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Laser X was a huge success last year and with these extensions, we expect an even stronger 2018 for the brand,â&#x20AC;? says Mark Hunt, marketing manager (pictured). â&#x20AC;&#x153;The great thing about Laser X is that it does what it says, and is great fun!â&#x20AC;?

Fair game Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s high-energy entertainment over on the Paul Lamond stand E50 with the release of a host of fun-packed games, including the hilarious game Kersplatt, designed to keep the whole family on their toes as players try and splatt opponentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; pieces. New game Reveal is a trivia-style game with a difference â&#x20AC;&#x201C; there are no questions, only answers. While Stupid Deaths, a game of grave humour, asks â&#x20AC;&#x153;just how did these people meet their endâ&#x20AC;?. Just in time for the 2018 World Cup, Paul Lamond launches Nanostars, an ingenious new brick-based construction range with top football licences, including Manchester City and FC Barcelona, and just in time for World Book Day come four 250-piece Roald Dahl puzzles featuring Quentin Blakeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unmistakable illustrations. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had a good reaction to all our new products, but especially Kersplatt, Reveal and the Roald Dahl puzzles,â&#x20AC;? says Fraser Kirkwood, account manager (pictured).

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NEWS Sticking to success Pocket money toys and puppets are two highlights of Fiesta Craft’s Toy Fair offering this year. The company’s competitively-priced Stickabouts range of games have been flying, with marketing manager Rob Trup reporting interest from a broad range of retailers and the travel industry. Plus the new licensed range of Roald Dahl puppets is already a hit – with product including charming finger puppets using Quentin Blake illustrations and beautifully-made larger hand and finger puppet sets too. “It’s not just about the imaginative play aspect, but also communication benefits – the puppets help give children a voice. And parents love them too,” Rob says. Make sure to check them out on Fiesta Craft’s stand D2.

5 things about… Botley

Learning Resources Stand D36

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Gazillions of incredi bubble greetings Walking into Toy Fair this year is an incredi-bubble experience thanks to Funrise’s giant Gazillion Bubbles Monsoon machine situated right outside the doors. Stand G90 is where you can see Gazillion Bubbles, the record-breaking bubble range full of fun gadgets and gizmos designed to heighten any child’s bubble-blowing experience. New products are added each year with the Gazillion Bubbles Crazy Wands and Gazillion Bubble Pong the latest in the line-up. UK Commercial Director James Dixon says: “We wanted to demonstrate the fun in Funrise and greet visitors to Toy Fair properly, so what better way than with a load of bubbles and a free sample!”

Meet Botley, the brand-new, hands-on, coding robot activity set from Learning Resources on stand D36. Botley, pictured with head of marketing Simon Tomlinson, is a fun, friendly way for kids to learn coding, helping them build STEM skills for the future. Here’s five facts… 1.

Botley allows children as young as age 5 to take their first step into coding

Botley is 100 per cent screen-free, with no tablet or phone required

Botley is the only robot on the market that comes with a full activity set – kids can create obstacle courses

Botley makes fun, playful sounds, and has secret hidden features

Botley grows with the child – they can start with basic coding commands and, as their skills grow, they can try more advanced coding challenges

Sensory Spectacular Le Toy Van’s pre-scho ol Petilou range is set to be as big a hit with parents as pintsized fans – if the bran d’s show feedback is anything to go by. There are 30 new pr oducts in the 200-strong collection being showcased at Toy Fair this year, and the solid wood, screen-printed piece s are simply stunning to look at – plus the water-based paint finish means they wo n’t chip. Pieces proving popu lar already include the Rainbow cloud wa lker, ABC wooden blocks, Petit activity cube and Sensory shapes – all aimed at an age range of one to four. “Petilou products are all nature-themed and they just look sty lish,” managing director Steven Le Va n said. “Parents want to have them in their homes, which is a great design complim ent.”

Licensee Spotlight

Classically Brilliant Rainbow Designs has built its reputation on being “the home of classic characters”, with managing director Anthony Temple bringing years of industry expertise to play since he bought the company back in 2005. Now looking ahead to 2018 Rainbow is expanding on its stellar success with heritage brands with new product, refreshed ranges and innovative in-store marketing, as the Daily News discovers

You’ve got a wealth of licensed ranges coming out over the next few months. What’s proving popular? Our Peter Rabbit collection is be ing released at the end of January prior to the big movie release on March 16 and orders at the show have been going very well. We’ve got a great selection of pieces within the range, from bean toy Peter and Flopsy characters to a talking Peter Rabbit with five original phrases. We’ve used James Corden’s original voice in the product too which is very distinctive and gives it that special edge. The last quarter of last year was huge for you as well wasn’t it? Yes, it all seemed to happen in a perfect storm with

TV476

Tool Box

E120

Paddington 2. First the M&S advert came out, then the movie was released and then our own TV adverts, before our commercials went into cinemas. We also had special retail activations in stores including Hamleys, Selfridges and Fenwicks, and it ended up being a very co-ordinated marketing programme for the product range. We’ve held the licences for Paddington and Peter Rabbit for more than 30 years and seen a lot of ups and downs but, over the past three years, I’d say there’s been a real resurgence of classic and heritage-based brands and we are laying out our stall as experts in this area. What do you think is driving this current love for licensed characters with a heritage connection? It’s partly people harking back to simpler times, but movie releases targeting a family audience have also been crucial. Another key driver is parents and grandparents

looking back to their own heritage as well but, undoubtedly, things like the CBeebies Peter Rabbit TV series are fuelling the growth of younger consumers. What makes Rainbow such a great licensing partner? Partners like our production and design values and the quality we bring to everything we do. We’re not trying to be Steiff or part of the genuine collectors’ market, we’ve got a very clear brand identity, but we appeal to and make for what I call Middle Britain – and we serve them and our partners well.

2018 EASTER ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN

Is designing and appealing to a broad range of retailers part of the plan? That’s increasingly something we are doing. So, for example, with our three Disney ranges we have something to suit everyone. Our classic Winnie the Pooh range is what I call a mid to upstairs one, and there’s Winnie the Pooh and Friends that has floppy characters and muted pastel colours and appeals to mass retail, then our Disney baby range that sits as well alongside development toys as character ones. We’ve trialled a baby bay fixture programme in Debenhams, which has enabled us to display multiple brands and has done really well. We’ve rolled it out over 12 stores now and will be branching out to other retailers as well.

And what’s coming up for you in terms of licensed ranges later this year? It’s the 60th anniversary of Paddington in 2018 and we’re having a complete refresh of our classic range, with an exciting mid-year launch of the new collection. There’s also a new Made with Love theme within the Peter Rabbit range, and in the fourth quarter designs in the pipeline to tie in with Mickey and Minnie’s 90th anniversary and a refresh of the Miffy range that will be very design-focused.

Toy Fair Gallery Stand 632

Find out more by visiting DKL on stand E66 For Ireland enquiries please contact:

DKL MARKETING LTD 11 Deer Park Road, Northampton, NN3 6QD, UK tel. 01604 678780 email. sales@dkl.co.uk

www.dkl.co.uk

Banaghan & Co. Ltd. · Co. Tipperary Tel. +35367 63800 · Fax +35367 63801 info@banaghans.ie

For UK enquiries please contact: Alpha Toys Ltd. · Phone 0035367 63800 Fax 0035367 63801 · info@alpha-toys.co.uk

r e v i l e d d n a d n a t S itement on lenty of exhcibitors p h it w y a g yesterd a few ex was buzzinews caught up with 18 0 2 ir a F N y To Daily stands. The

Elmo and Cookie Monster make frriends on Sambro’s stand Gallery 400 with the sales team of Andrew, Lucy, Alo, Robin, Michelle and Jonny

Country Manager for UK and Ireland Geoff Sheffield is going to infinity and beyond for MTW Toys on stand Gallery 105

Plum’s CoFounder Diane Schaffer is having a swinging time on stand C50

The tracks are definitely magic for Re:Creation’s Sales Director Adrian Mayes on stand E125

Purrfect puppets Folkmanis Puppets proprietor Jochen Heil and his furry friends are ready to welcome visitors to stand H36

Interplay’s General Manager Sally Walker showing off her fairy gardening skills on stand E125

You’re never too grown up to play with dinosaurs as Papo’s Account Manager Damien Leahy shows on stand Gallery 128

Skip Hop’s General Sales Manager and Marketing Executive Emma and Gemma are bouncing for joy on stand F66

National Account Manager Julia Cake is showing off her smarts on Smart’s stand F36

ASMODEE GOES

BANANAS! Games G ames grown grown a and nd p picked icked b by y Bananagrams Bana anagrams Inc. Inc —coming —co soon to Asmodee UK! Toy Fair Stand Number: E109

01420 593 593 sales@esdeviumgames.co.uk Bananagrams - Toy Fair Daily Newspaper.indd 3

11/12/2017 16:22:31

TREND FOCUS

Breyer Model Horses Unicorn Forthwind DKL Marketing Stand E66 This year our standard Breyer line has seen some amazing additions, one of our favourites is the Unicorn Forthwind! This beautiful Classic scale model has a pale icy blue coat which will be sure to catch your eye!

Unicorns and poo!

AR Unicorns Mardles Gallery 108 Mardles, the augmented reality people, are back for their third Toy Fair where they’re debuting the brand new ‘Retail Ready’ offering –with unicorns a plenty!

The magical and fantastic are always on offer at London Toy Fair, but ramp it up with kids’ favourites — unicorns and mermaids!

H. Grossman Ltd Stand E49 Grossman has beautiful plush unicorns — or perhaps you want some glitter in your slime? Opt for Unicorn poo!

r… o f g n i k Loo d n a s n r Unico aids merm Unicorn Pillow Pets Mookie Toys Stand E149 Everyone wants to snuggle uyp to a unicorn – well with mookie’s Pillow Pets, you now can! Along with the traditional Pillow Pets, Mookie also has a scented range – mmm delicious!

Fairies range Playmobil Gallery 210 Bringing a touch of sparkle and a sprinkle of fairy dust in April will be the new Fairies range. With unicorns, fairies and dragons aplenty, this new range is sure to be a big hit with 10 sets in the range.

Magical Crystal Growing Mermaid Tobar Gallery 305 The Magical Crystal Growing Mermaid is an ideal gift for all mermaid lovers. Add the crystal solution to the base and in minutes the crystals will grow to make waves for the elegant mermaid to sit on.

Pink Poppy Hair accessories Marbel Stand B50 Pink Poppy offers a range of beautifully dazzling hair accessories and jewellery, and this year makes no exception as it launches a whole new range of the latest accessories including magical unicorns, flower fairies and glitter mermaids.

Glitter Gems unicorn Keel Toys Stand B60 Unicorns continue to be the must-have toy. Keel Toys offers a fabulous range, including new luxury laying unicorns in pink and white and in sizes 35cm, 50cm and 70cm, along with Glitter Gems Unicorns in vibrant pinks, purples and rainbow colours.

Scratch Art Magic Unicorn Great Gizmos Stand G20 Mould and Paint Unicorn, which has been so popular throughout 2017, is now joined by the Scratch Art Magic Unicorn — the perfect craft kit for all unicorn lovers!

NEWS Flight of fancy Good news on the Clementoni stand, Gallery 140, where the new interactive Baby Unicorn has had great interest from Tesco and Argos. It’s shown here with the Clementoni team, from left, Stefania Agro, Shahbaz Khan, Laura Ciccalè and Jordan Kay.

Wooden it be lovely

BigJigs (H39) This year sees e than 60 new launching mor ooden puzzle designs to its w . Suitable from range for 2018 new designs 12 months, the e from will be availabl February.

aging Director

Liz Ireland, Man

Ooze news

TOP •

Slime-making Ooze Labs kits are big this year for Thames & Kosmos! Everything needed to make either Hype Colour, glow in the dark, magnetic and glitter slime is contained in the handy tube. Mix with water, no fuss, no mess. The Ooze Labs kits are available in Spring – just right for the Easter holidays. International Account Manager Emma Hanlon can help you on Stand F15.

Think F Stand E

ur 1. Rush Ho 2. Hoppers

140

3. Zingo aze 4. Laser M te Fix 5. Chocola

Green Board Games puzzles of the day! Stand E15 Our friends at Green Board Games have out together a cheeky little puzzle for you to entertain, train your brain and enjoy! Game: BrainBox Marvin’s Magic How to play the game: 1. You have 10 seconds to study this Harry Houdini sample card. Try to commit everything on the card to memory, as you will be required to recall information about the card after your 10 seconds is up! 2. After 10 seconds, cover the image, turn the page upside down and see how many of the questions you can answer!

When is the game due to launch: We are launching BrainBox Marvin’s Magic THIS MONTH!

1. Is Houdini pictured on a stamp or a banknote? 2. What was Houdini’s real name? 3. Did Houdini fly an aeroplane in Australia or in the USA? 4. Is Houdini shown wearing a mask 5. What nationality was Houdini? 6. On which date did Houdini die? 7. Is Houdini shown wearing a green or blue jacket? 8. How many people are shown on the poster?

magformers-rally-297x390-v01-tfd.indd 1

08/12/2017 10:50

TREND FOCUS

Shaun the Sheep Sinco Creations Gallery 162 Sinco is the official master toy licensee of Shaun the Sheep and Timmy Time. The range is due for soft launch in AW 2018 with two plush ranges and an advent calendar.

Pickmi Pops GP Flair/Just Play Stand E39 Check out the refreshed Single Pack, Surprise Pack and Jumbo plush assortment, as well as the upcoming season three – which have all new scents, characters, and a unique feature for girls to show off their Pikmi Pops style!

Bush baby world Golden Bear E60 The Bush Baby World collection expands with the Blossom Meadow Bush Babies with funky patterns, sparkly detailing and softer than ever fabrics! Collect six Blossom Bush Baby characters and two Scented Blossom characters – Lili and Rosi.

… r o f g n i k Loo Plush

Animotsu Keel Toys B60 Animotsu is Keel Toys’ No1 selling collection, and grew in sales by over 200 per cent in 2017. To boost sales further Dinosaurs and Ballerinas will be added to the range in the Animotsu trademark vibrant colours.

Cute and cuddly toys are always a winner at Toy Fair and with adults and children alike – here is a sample of the latest plush worthy of a hug

Max the Bear Max Mindpower GH29

Peter Rabbit range Rainbow Designs stand E120

Meet Max Mindpower – a unique plush bear who plays four guided meditations for children to follow, and breathes along too.

Retro Mickey

See Rainbow Designs’s new Peter Rabbit Movie range including plush toys styled on characters from the movie and feature plush Talking Peter Rabbit which says: “More radishes and carrots please!’ and ‘Has anyone seen Mr McGregor?”.

Starry Eyed Surprise Funrise G90 New to the Funrise portfolio is Starry Eyed Surprise, a super-cute, plush blind box collectable series from another galaxy. Each plush pet comes in a spaceship that kids can unwrap, revealing one of the Starry Eyed Surprise collectable plush pets along - plus more!

Posh Paws B90

My Pet Vet 8th Wonder Stand G110 The My Pet Vet range of interactive plush toys is all about caring for your poorly pets. 8th Wonder launched a TV advertisement for Max the Dog with its 2 In 1 Vet Set and Carry Case.

Posh Paws is celebrating Mickey Mouse’s 90th anniversary with a new range including the retro 10in gift box of both Mickey and Minnie.

Expert Column

Dealing with complaints on social media For every kilobyte of marketing gold that you can enjoy through using social media for your organisation there’s always the possibility that something out of your control can rear its ugly head and cause you a very public problem. These strategies can help… Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. It is part of life for just about every business who makes or sells something. At some point in time someone somewhere in the supply chain will make a mistake. If that mistake happens to affect a consumer who is very active on social media then they are likely to make a noise, and this is where you need to react quickly and efficiently to try and turn the negative into a positive – or shift it to neutral at least!

Listen

Ross Hewitt is Managing Director of Secret Pie and author of Savvy Social Media. Ross began his digital marketing career in 1998 when social networking was something you only did in a pub. He set up Secret Pie in 2010 and has been helping clients get found and loved online ever since. www.secretpie.co.uk Ross@secretpie.co.uk 01904 410027 Twitter: @Secret_Pie

you. Keep emotions out of it and send them an initial caring response.

Fix It Always look for a way to fix the problem. Try not to get into any sort of debate in a public forum that could become argumentative, as you will never win and you may end up making the issue much bigger than it ever needed to be. Wherever possible, keep the discussion in the public zone. It is not best practice to try to get the issue taken offline as quickly as possible. If the person you are dealing with is being completely unreasonable then be confident that their public responses will be viewed as obtuse by other people who tune into the conversation.

“Responding quickly is key as it instantly nips any further posts about lack of care in the bud”

Make sure your digital ears are as effective as possible. Visit your social media accounts on a daily basis, so that if someone has sent a message or posted a comment then you will see it and be able to respond in a timely manner. Each major social network has an app that works on a smartphone. Download them and set the notifications to appear on your mobile device when your account name is mentioned or when someone posts on your account or sends you a private message. You should also set up Google Alerts for your company name to help pick up on comments in discussion forums or blog mentions.

Respond Read the negative comment or message a few times through, at a sensible pace so that you digest fully what the person is saying. Don’t skim read it or you may miss out on some important words or semantics that are crucial to the issue. If you know that a little bit of investigation needs to be done on your part, then acknowledge the complaint and promise to come back to them very soon when you have looked into the issue. That is a promise that you MUST keep. Post a simple reply such as: “Thank you for raising this matter with us. I am very sorry that you have experienced this problem and I promise that I am looking into to it right now and will come back to you very shortly.” Responding quickly is key as it instantly nips any further posts about lack of care in the bud. “I” is also a lot more personal than “we”. Never ignore a negative comment no matter how unfair it seems or how angry their words have made

Delete as a last resort

Never resort to deleting negative comments or posts straight off the bat. You have to try to get to the bottom of the problem, fix it and have a happier customer at the end of the process. If you delete something negative without any justification, then you may add fuel to the flames. Once the person who raised the complaint realises that you have simply deleted it they will become even more vocal and may start to get some vocal sympathy from other customers. That said, don’t stand for posts that include profanity, racism or personal naming or attacks on team members. These do get the delete treatment and it is easy to explain why if you get questioned about it. Remember, they are YOUR social media pages so you do get the final say in what stays published and what gets deleted. The old English adage is true…you can’t be everybody’s darling, but you can get everybody’s respect if you play fair and prove that you care. A dramatic example, but Alton Towers proved that last year after the horrific Smiler accident and their conduct on social media was, in my opinion, flawless. Enjoy the social media rollercoaster in 2018 – do remember that the downs are as much a part of it as the ups though.

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Movies are one of the biggest drivers of licensed toy sales each year, and there are plenty of reasons for families to stay glued to the silver screen in 2018. The Daily News takes a look at some of this year’s blockbusters

Sherlock Gnomes Release date: 11 May After a string of garden gnome disappearances in London, Gnomeo & Juliet look to legendary detective Sherlock Gnomes to solve the case of their missing friends and family.

“The latest box office figures confirm that audiences still feel that films are best enjoyed at the cinema with the biggest possible screen, the best sound, comfortable seats and the communal experience. Despite embracing online services, there’s still a significant appetite for social interaction in the real world.” Lucy Jones, Executive Director, ComScore

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Deadpool 2 Release date: 1 June Wisecracking mercenary Deadpool battles ninjas, the yakuza and a pack of aggressive canines as he embarks on a new adventure. After surviving a near fatal bovine attack, a disfigured cafeteria chef (Wade Wilson) struggles to fulfill his dream of becoming Mayberry’s hottest bartender while also learning to cope with his lost sense of taste. As he journeys around the world, he discovers the importance of family, friendship, and flavour.

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NEWS The Grinch Release date: 9 November Doctor Strange and Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch is set to voice this new take on The Grinch, the grumpy character who’s plotting to ruin Christmas for the village of Whoville. While the Twitter account for the movie says “He gets meaner”, the child-version of the new Grinch reveals the character to be totally adorable.

Ant-Man and the Wasp Release date: 3 August As Scott Lang balances being both a Super Hero and a father, Hope van Dyne and Dr. Hank Pym present an urgent new mission that finds Ant-Man fighting alongside The Wasp to uncover secrets from their past.

Mary Poppins Returns Release date: 21 December In Depression-era London, a now-grown Jane and Michael Banks, along with Michael’s three children, are visited by the enigmatic Mary Poppins following a personal loss. Through her unique magical skills, and with the aid of her friend Jack, she helps the family rediscover the joy and wonder missing in their lives.

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