Toy Fair Daily News Wednesday 23rd 2019 by Lema Publishing

NEWS

The Toy Fair’s ONLY official daily paper

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DAILY

Wednesday, January 23, 2019

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• Glitz a nd glam ou • Big int erview w r of awards nig ht • Showit stoppin h Siso Toys UK g produ cts

Full of Character and L.O.L.s aplenty MGA’s L.O.L., Character Options and The Entertainer triumphed at this evening’s annual Toy Industry Awards winning Toy of the Year, Supplier of the Year and Toy Retailer of the Year, respectively. BTHA Golden Teddy Awards were presented to Simon Kohler of Hornby Hobbies and Stuart Crawford of MV Sports for being ordinary people with extraordinary talents who have been dedicated to the toy industry for many years. In this case both individuals have made huge contributions during The Entertainer sco oped Retailer of the Year careers which have spanned more than 40 years each. The awards were presented at the gala event held in Olympia’s Apex Room following the first day of the 66th annual Toy Fair.

UK toy market is top banana! There’s no doubt it’s been a tough year for toy retail, but the UK still held its position as the number one toy market in Europe. Though sales dropped seven per cent for the year, it still brought in a whopping £3.3 billion, outstripping other major markets on the continent. Bright spots in the year saw collectables grow an impressive 32 per cent – with one in every four toys purchased a collectable figure, squishy or MGA Surprise.

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Bandai, Upper Level 600

NPD’s Frederique Tutt, unveiled the UK’s performance yesterday. “Brexit is still taking its toll on retail and the current mood on the high street,” she said. “But if you look to France and the US, political uncertainty is also having an impact.” The downfall of Toys R Us also took its toll. “The toy specialists have done incredible jobs to adapt, soak up a large portion of that business, and offer consumers better toy shopping experiences.”

Pretty in pink Amy Childs doesn’t want to “shut up” about prams because she’s determined to tell the world they should be affordable and glam. TV personality and mum of two Amy popped up on the Roma Prams stand, Upper Level 144, yesterday, to help promote the Amy Childs’ Collection of full-sized and dolls prams. Known for her The Only Way Is Essex catchphrase “shut up”, Amy couldn’t stop talking about the super-glam collection in an array of stylish designs including polka dots, frills and plenty of pink. She says the perfect pram should be “ergonomic, comfortable for baby, have good suspension, be affordable and look really really glamorous – I love pink and I adore really girly designs”.

New TV advertised sets for 2019 New branding for AW19

Awards 2019 Banba Toymaste r picked up Indep endent Toy Retailer of the Year. “We’ve put a lot into this, so it’s a great honour!” say s Ciaran Fitzpatrick, Chair man.

A Golden Teddy Award for MV Sports’ Stuart Crawford.

list for Specia the award ar Picking up Ye of the y Retailer Multiple To Colcough, es m Ja res), nd (2-29 sto East Midla er of the Co-Found s el fe t “I : any, says aff.” Toy Comp it to the st I dedicate – c ti fantas

Simon Kohler of Hornby Hobbies picked up the BTHA Golden Teddy Award for 45-plus years great service.

Directors Stuart and Duncan Grant collected the award for Specialist Multiple Toy Retailer of the Year (30 stores or more) for The Entertainer. They also won the Overall Toy Retailer of the Year. “It feels incredible – amazing to be recognised,” says Stuart.

“We’re very, ve ry happy!” says Andy Lawton from MG A, who picked up Collectable Ra nge of the Year.

tough up against “We were ’re really on, so we try competiti ick, Coun Michael H up d pleased!” e k ic ho p Mattel, w r fo r Manager, a e Y the n Doll of the Fashio ic. Care Clin the Barbie

Shop Year went to tailer of the Re y To e g Director in in nl O Category Trad s, en ev St d y hind toys an Direct. Jerem investment be g bi a t pu says: “We’ve it brilliantly!” ve executed the team ha

Game of the Year went to Spin Master for Jumanji. Phil Hooper, Marketing Director says: “We’re thrilled – it’s the first time we’ve won a game award at this event – we ‘re pleased to get that recognition.”

The Pre-S chool Ra nge of th Year wen e t to Spin M aster. Ph Hooper, il Marketin g Directo says: We r, ’re really thrilled. good to It’s get a se c o nd award Paw Patr for ol. It’s te stament strength to th e of the lic ence.”

ast night, the Toy Retailer of the Year Awards were presented by BTHA Chair, Foye Pascoe, while TRA Chairman, Alan Simpson, was given the honour of unveiling the Toy and Supplier of the Year Awards. MGA was the star of the show as its L.O.L. range of collectables and accessories scooped the Toy of the Year title for the second year running, as well as the award for Collectable Range of the Year. Poopsie Surprise Unicorn earned MGA a third win, when it was named Doll of the Year at the awards. Character Options walked away with two awards – Supplier of the Year and Craze of the Year, adding to its growing collection of trophies. The Entertainer was presented with the esteemed Toy Retailer of the Year award, as well as Specialist Multiple Toy Retailer of the Year (30 stores or more). Having presented the retailer awards, Foye said: “On behalf of the BTHA, I would like to congratulate all the

Independent e’ve put a lot ur!” says Ciaran

The Cha racter O ptions te the Craze am picki of the Ye ng up ar award Squishie for Soft s. “It’s gre ‘n Slo at to capita of the ho lise on o ttest tren ne ds of 20 Hunt, Ma 18,” says rketing M Mark anager.

Character Options picked up Supplier of the Year. “Totally surprised, and we feel fantastic!” says Joe Kissane, MD.

Jazwares co llected the Action Figu Award for re of the Ye Roblox. La ar uren Delor Manager, sa d, Senior M ys: “We’re arketing re ally excited Roblox is a have won – very import ant brand fo r us.”

winners of this year’s Toy Retailer Awards. In what was a challenging year, judges were impressed with the high standard of entries received and the achievements made in 2018 by all of the shortlisted retailers.” And Alan, who gave out the TRA awards, added: “Our industry makes amazing and innovative toys that inspire joy and development in children. It was a difficult process to choose the few that could be shortlisted for a coveted award, and more difficult still to pick the winners from a competitive field of great products. “On behalf of the Toy Retailers Association, I congratulate all those shortlisted and the winners for great products, licences and for building strong relationships with retail partners to the benefit of our whole industry.”

Vivid Imaginations won Outdoor Toy of the Year with the Super Wobble Bubble Ball. “We’re delighted!” says Nick Thomas, General Manager.

LEGO bagg ed th P ro d u e awa ct Ra rd f o r nge o Licen P o t te f the sed r LEG Year f O or Ha . Head Mariu rry of UK s Lan Marke g, say excite ting, s: “W d . Th e e’re r eally te a m into t has p his.” ut a lo t of e ffort

MGA won Doll of the Year with their Poopsie Surprise Unicorn. They were lost for words!

W.J. Daniel & Co won the award for Department Store Toy Retailer of the Year. The award was picked up by Warren Du Preez, Toy Buyer, who says “It’s an awesome honour”.

sbury’s yer of Sain head, IPS bu eral Mark White en ard for G cted the aw e says H Argos colle . ar the Ye y Retailer of two e Multiple To th as t en tic achievem as nt fa a year.” is “It’s together th have come companies

Worlds Apart pic ked up Plush To y of the Year. “Such a fantas tic award, prom oting a lovely message to ch ildren,” says Lo gan Stone, Head Brands and Ma of rketing.

Awards 2019

Party, party! The drinks reception of the Toy Awards got off to a flying start with beers, wine and pizza. The Daily News was there to catch up with a few of the evening’s revellers and awards hopefuls

, Kuran arkham M il h P , LEGO’s algrove Kerry W arius r o o p a K dM mith an nce to Sarah S ha c e ve th Lang lo veryone h e h p wit g wit catch u n workin e e b e they’v

Toy Town’s Brian Simpson and Andrew Addley were looking forward to a great night after the show

Ed Roberts, Adrian Chavez and Luis Allen from leading influencer agency Viral Talent having a laugh after the first day of Toy Fair

Who won what…

ham Richards, Gra n VTech’s Clive e ke re team we t– n Canning and ve e is industry to support th rink! and have a d

-Marc in, Jean rouas from r e h T e Francois nd Damien Ar xing aa ela Mulomb roup enjoy a r g s The NPD d of the award a e h a k in dr

Asmodee’s B en Hogg and team celebra te a great first day of th e show

The Entertainer walked away with two awards including the coveted Toy Retailer of the Year Award and L.O.L. earned MGA the prestigious Toy of the Year title, as well as the Collectable Range of the Year Award, while Poopsie Surprise Unicorn scored MGA a hattrick! Soft’n Slo Squishies won the accolade of Craze of the Year for Character Options, who was also named Supplier of the Year, and Spin Master was king of the jungle with Jumanji, in the Game of the Year category! The full line up of deserving winners follows:

TOY AND SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR AWARDS: • Toy of the Year: L.O.L., MGA Entertainment • Plush Toy of the Year: Scruff-a-Luvs, Worlds Apart • Outdoor Toy of the Year: Super Wubble Bubble Ball, Vivid Imaginations • Craze of the Year: Soft’n Slo Squishies, Character Options • Game of the Year: Jumanji, Spin Master • Collectable Range of the Year: L.O.L. Under Wraps, MGA Entertainment • Fashion Doll of the Year: Barbie Care Clinic, Mattel • Doll of the Year: Poopsie Surprise Unicorn, MGA Entertainment

• Licensed Product Range of the Year: Harry Potter, LEGO • Action Figure of the Year: Roblox, Jazwares • Pre-School Range of the Year: Paw Patrol, Spin Master • Supplier of The Year: Character Options

The teams from Retail Monster and Sybo caught up before the awards

TOY RETAILER OF THE YEAR WINNERS: • Overall Toy Retailer of the Year: The Entertainer • Independent Toy Retailer of the Year: Banba Toymaster • Specialist Multiple Toy Retailer of the Year (2-29 stores): East Midland Toy Company • Specialist Multiple Toy Retailer of the Year (30 stores or more): The Entertainer • General Multiple Toy Retailer of the Year: Sainsbury’s Argos • Department Store Toy Retailer of the Year: W.J. Daniel & Co, Windsor • Online Toy Retailer of the Year: Shop Direct

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Daily News Paper Toy Fair 2019.indd 1

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! n u g oad e B To Rise Has 11/01/2019 12:45:47

SHOW OFFERS There are some fantastic offers available to buyers, so don’t miss out! 3 STYLE SCOOTERS – Stand GH6

GIBSONS - Stand E40

MY LITTLE WORLD LIMITED – Stand GH69

Free Zoomi Funky Monkey Scooter buddy bag accessory with any unit purchased on the day. (Max 100 per order).

Lucky Dip! Place an order over £450 to be in with a chance of winning one of our fabulous prizes! Prizes include: £20 £50 £100 Free Stock! 5% discount 10% discount

15% off All orders under £200 excl VAT placed at the show. 25% off All orders over £200 excl VAT placed at the show.

ALPHA ANIMATION AND TOYS – Stand B90 5% OFF orders placed at the show with delivery in Q1. Branded FSDU offers for orders over £500. Special offers on selected products.

ASMODEE UK – Stand E109 - 15% off a selection of games. - Purchase any Pokémon TCG & get a free Trading Day Kit. - Dungeon Mayhem Card Game: D&D - Buy 8 get 1 free. FUN FAST GAMES - BUY 10 GET 2 FREE (BUY 10 OF EACH AND GET AN ADDITIONAL 10% OFF!): - Dobble - Bananagrams - Rory’s Story Cubes® - Cobra Paw - Who Did It? - Dice Academy DOBBLE - BUY 10 GET 2 FREE (BUY 10 OF EACH - GET A FREE FSDU AND 10% OFF!): - Dobble - Dobble Kids - Dobble Animals - Dobble 123 PARTY GAMES - BUY 10 GET 2 FREE (BUY 10 OF EACH AND GET AN ADDITIONAL 10% OFF!): - Codenames - Telestrations - Crazy Eggs - Maki Stack - Times UP MODERN CLASSICS: - Pandemic - Buy 5 get 1 free - Catan - Buy 7 get 1 free - Carcassonne - Buy 5 get 1 free - Ticket to Ride Europe - Buy 5 get 1 free - Dixit - Buy 5 get 1 free - Splendor - Buy 5 get 1 free ** All offers are subject to change **

BATTLEFRONT MINIATURES – Stand D98 Everyone who visits the stand gets a Gale Force Nine/Battlefront. Miniatures Show Exclusive Swag Bag. 5% off new account orders at the show. 10% off opening orders over £2000.

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

CARTAMUNDI UK – Stand H1 5% off all orders placed at the show.

CLEMENTONI – Stand Upper Level 140 Extra 10% discount off price list for orders placed at the Fair and delivered by end of March 2019.

COILEDSPRING GAMES – Stand E35 Forbidden Series Buy the 3 series bundle and receive 10% off trade price. Kingdomino Series 10% off trade price on all orders, plus receive a free Kingdomino CDU. Wrebbit 3D Buy any two cases of Wrebbit 3D puzzles and get a free display. Schmidt Jigsaw Puzzles 10% off trade price all Schmidt jigsaw puzzles, including the Thomas Kinkade Disney Range.

The Mind Promo offer on The Mind game. T&Cs apply. Please ask the team for further details.

DKL MARKETING LIMITED – Stand E66 DKL Marketing offers its customers exclusive Toy Fair Discount Deals across all our ranges - not to be missed!! Ask the team for details.

EDUK8 WORLDWIDE LTD – Stand F1 5% discount on order value below £500. 10% discount on order value above £500 plus carriage paid. Based on our trade price list and for all orders placed at London Toy Fair.

FIESTA CRAFTS LTD – Stand D2

GINGER FOX – Stand B115 SPIN TO WIN! Take a spin on our giant spinner for your chance to win discounts off your order, free cartons of our best sellers or a sweet treat! What will you land on? *Not to be used in conjunction with any other offer. Discounts must be used by May 2019.

GREAT GIZMOS – Stand G20 Orders placed at Toy Fair 22nd -24th January 2019 qualify for: 2.5% off orders over £250. 5% off orders over £500. 10% off orders over £1,000. Offer applies to full priced stock only, not to be used in conjunction with any other offer.

GREEN BEAN COLLECTION – Stand GH18 20% off all orders placed at the Toy Fair London 2019 + FREE SHIPPING to UK Retailers.

HALILIT – Stand E90 10% off all show orders for independent retailers. Reduced carriage paid minimums. Bespoke discounts on specific lines.

HIPPYCHICK – Stand Upper Level 305 Offer 1 - Save 10% when you spend £500. Offer 2 - Free Wooden Display Stands for Bricks and Mortar Shops with qualifying order – terms apply – see team for details. Offer 3 - Buy 10 Trybike 2 in 1 Steel and get a display bike absolutely free. Offer 4 - Buy 10 Trybike 4 in 1 Wood and get a display bike absolutely free.

We are offering an additional 5% discount for all orders placed at the show.

ORCHARD TOYS - Stand B12 Offer to independent retailers: All orders over £400 Net, placed at the show and delivered by the 29th February 2019 will receive a free stock pack, including 2 of each of the new lines, worth over £100 (at G.R.P.s).

RED KNIGHT TOY GROUP LTD – Stand Upper Level 148 10% off on all orders placed at Toy Fair.

ROMA – Stand Upper Level 144 We have no minimum order, delivery is free over £50 plus we are offering 10% off all our Roma Dolls Prams when ordered at the Toy Fair! Pop upstairs & turn right - you’ll find us at the end. We have a new & exciting dolls pram range to show you.

SKIP HOP UK – Stand F66 Up to 15% off orders placed at the show!

SMART TOYS & GAMES - Stand F25 £250.00 minimum order value (normally £350.00) + 5% discount on all orders received no later than Friday 1st February 2019 (excluding pre-orders).

STC TESTING, INSPECTION & CERTIFICATION – Stand Upper Level 165 Get USD 350 off any testing spend over USD 1000. Get USD 150 off any testing spend over USD 500. Get USD 70 off any testing spend over USD 250. Please come to our booth to discuss further!

THAMES AND KOSMOS – Stand F15 5% off orders over £500 and 10% off orders over £1000. New customers will receive a free carton of our new multilingual kits.

IIMO – Stand Upper Level 315

WILD CARD GAMES – Stand H20

Extra 10% off for orders over £1000. Please ask the team for further details.

JWS Europe Ltd will be offering a 15% discount on its complete catalogue for all orders placed at Toy Fair 2019.

10% discount off standard prices for order placed at Toy Fair for our 2 new family party games: - 1ST TO WORST! – The party game of preference. - A great party game for families and friends where you guess a player’s order of preference from 3 choices on an inclusive range of popular topics. - GUESSED LIST – If your names not down you’re not gonna win! - A fun fast family quiz game where you choose from 4 popular List Titles and then get 30 seconds to guess a specific name on your chosen Guessed List. 5% discount off standard prices for orders of all other games placed at Toy Fair.

KAPLA – Stand Upper Level 143

WINNING MOVES UK – Stand E115

Save a minimum of 10% with our special show offers!

Visit us at London Toy Fair show stand E115 and take advantage of our show offers; 5% off £500 orders & 10% off £1000 order deals at show, one-drop delivery; Terms & Conditions apply.

JURATOYS UK LTD – Stand B121 Juratoys UK are pleased to offer all customers a 5% discount on all orders placed at Toy Fair 2019. We have over 200 brand new products to showcase for 2019.... visit us at the show to discover our new collection across Janod and Kaloo.

JWS EUROPE LTD – Stand F101

KIDICRAFT – Stand H30 Super 3D Posters and Placemats are on buy two get one free, so a pack of 12 you only pay for 8. This brings the cost down to approx. £1.37 with RRP at £4.99. A 15% discount on ALL Super 3D 500pc Puzzles making them £4.68 instead of £5.50. All orders over £500 receive a 5% discount (this is on top of the discounts above).

Legler OHG small foot company – Stand B125 No minimum order value is required for all orders placed at the show. For an order placed at the show (value lower than £450), receive a £20 coupon, that can be redeemed with your next order. For an order placed at the show (value over £450), receive a £45 coupon, that can be redeemed with your next order.

MAGFORMERS UK LTD – Stand Upper Level 540 Order over £500 at the fair and receive extra 5% discount Order over £750 at the fair and receive extra 10% discount Deals are only open to Independent retailers, members of AIS & Toymaster Onlyz

MANOBESAZ – Stand Upper Level 316 20% introductory discount for first 10 companies on their personalized orders.

MARVIN’S MAGIC – Stand H65

At least 10% off show orders £300 or more. Also play to win a brand-new Discover the World Board Game. Terms apply.

Marvin’s Magic are offering 5% off orders placed at the show over £500. 10% off orders placed at the show over £1.5K. Spot deals also available by request.

GAMES WORKSHOP LTD – Stand D109

MISS NELLA – Stand GH72

New Customers - Join our Stockist Programme & Receive: FREE Start Here Counter Display Unit containing 3 x Getting Started Magazines, 2 x Paint Sets, 2 x Storm Strikes plus 1 x 7ft Standee. Existing Customers Promotions available – come and speak to a representative at the stand!

NATMARK DISTRIBUTION – Stand Upper Level 150

Any order of full nail polish range will receive FREE large Display + FREE mix packs. All items will be 10% discounted for orders over the 3 days show. For any complete order Free display + FREE packaging and art pack.

ZIMPLI KIDS – Stand B35 Offer 1 - Are you ready for this Gelli? Fully Stocked FSDU Bundle Cost: £264.06 RRP: £664.97 giving you a 55% Margin! Offer 2 - Let’s get messy ... PLAY! Play Tray Bundle Cost: £98.02 RRP: £336.94 - 65% margin! Offer 3 - Zimpli the best bundle – filled with our best-selling lines Cost: £183.76 RRP: £552.94 giving you a 60% margin! Offer 4 – No store? No Problem! 20% off all orders placed at the show (cannot be used in conjunction with any other offers at the show!)

NEWS Welcome to Day Two of Toy Fair 2019! Worried you might not get the most out of your time at Toy Fair 2019? Don’t panic – Majen Immink, Director of Fairs and Special Events, is here to give you some top tips on how to make the most out of the show! Each day of Toy Fair, Majen will be giving you her words of wisdom on what you mustn’t miss, what you should expect and what there is to do… Day One was press day at Toy Fair 2019, which is where the Toy Fair story reaches the nation! Did you get a chance to read any papers on your way into the show this morning? Were you one of the lucky exhibitors to feature in the media? If you missed it, Toy Fair made it on to BBC Radio, The Sun, Associated Press, Daily Star, London Live, BBC, The Guardian, The Daily Mail plus lots more. Those amazing stories are all at Toy Fair, waiting for you to find them! There are more than 250 exhibiting companies for you to discover, so there’s nothing better than getting down to the show floor and getting stuck in. You’ll find everything, from the biggest names who’ve been in the industry for decades, to passionate inventors and start-ups over in the Greenhouse Area. Whether it’s your first trip round the show floor or you’re doing a second round of exploring, my advice is to make sure you look in every corner to see every part of the show. You might be pleasantly surprised by what you missed the first time! Did you get the chance to visit the Content Creation Zone yesterday? The zone was packed with influencers and bloggers conducting interviews and toy demonstrations, making excellent use of the space! It’s been great to see all the cameras film in front of the iconic Toy Fair balcony view. Speaking of cameras… Did you spot the Toy Fair TV team yesterday? Hosts

Anna Williamson and Gavin Inskip will be making their way through the show once more, hunting for fantastic toys and the latest news on launches. Remember that the Toy Fair TV screens are dotted all over Olympia, so if you choose to give yourself a well-deserved break then make sure you’re sitting in front of one of those screens so you don’t miss a beat. The Toy Fair’s Hero Toys winners were also announced yesterday, with some showstoppers from companies such as LEGO, Tactic Games, Golden Bear, Hasbro plus many more. If you’ve got space to squeeze in seeing the Toy Fair’s Hero Toys today, you can find them in front of the press office, on the Upper Level. While we’re on the topic of winners, congratulations are in order to The Entertainer for winning Toy Retailer of the Year and to MGA for winning the award for Toy of the Year with L.O.L. at last night’s Toy Industry Awards. With so much to see, we hope that you enjoy Day Two of Toy Fair! Thank you for all your support. We will see you tomorrow for the final day of the show, keep up the good work!

“These amazing stories are all at Toy Fair, waiting for you to find them”

Tween play Visit Mookie’s stand E149 and meet the #Snapstar squad from Yulu: Lola, Aspen, Dawn, Yuki, Echo and Izzy are part of a new fashion doll brand that’s going to define what’s new and next for girls aged five to 11. In today’s tween world of YouTube and social engagement, the #Snapstar brand will perfectly connect with tween fans in a way they can relate. Thanks to the free #Snapstar Studio app, tweens can turn their doll into a social media star! Kids can take a photo of their doll and use the customising tools on the app to add make up, change the hairstyle and more. Photos can be saved to a user’s camera roll for sharing with friends and family or posting to social media. #Snapstar dolls are fully poseable with 15 points of articulation. This unrivalled ability to style and play with the doll helps bring the world of #Snapstar to life. The #Snapstar Studio app has lots of social media-worthy backdrops that let you place your doll in real world and fantasy locations like a Red Carpet runway, Paris at night or a unicorn enchanted forest. Girls can decide where they’re hanging out and having fun with their #Snapstar. Including the stand and green screen lets tweens pose their dolls, snap a photo and import any background. The app also has tons of styling options for hair, makeup and accessories, so tweens can share their unique photos with their friends, or comment on someone else’s #Snapstar post! ctor Gary Tonies Dire ll ears Wilmot is a g out for in n and liste e Tonies’ fun with th Boxes on Audio Fun stand B85

Warwick figures it out Actor and TV presenter Warwick Davis scooted into Toy Fair yesterday to launch the Tenable board game on the Asmodee stand E109, that’s based on the hit ITV game show of the same name. “Seeing my face on the box is absolutely amazing – it’s the ultimate!” Warwick told the Daily News. “I’ve been a mini LEGO figurine before – I’ve got seven in total, more than any other actor – but this is something completely new!” Warwick made time for a quick whizz around the aisles on his way to the launch, and says: “I’ve got my eye on a mini Dyson vacuum, they’re brilliant. I’m like a kid in a toy shop!”

Champagne celebration Toy Fair is always cause for celebration, but there was a very special presentation on the DKL Marketing stand E66 yesterday. To celebrate 30 years of the company, DKL founder Kai Hawaleschka (pictured) and his wife Dorte were presented with a special engraved box containing champagne and champagne flutes.

COME VISIT US! STAND E130

THE LARGEST LICENSE PORTFOLIO IN THE INDUSTRY! For any queries please contact us via email at inquiriesuk@funko.com Follow us for more exciting product updates!

FunkoEurope

Funko_Europe

FunkoEurope

NEWS Sporting a brand-new award as one of the Toy Fair Heroes is the Schleich Horse Club Rider Café which Marketing Manager Paul Dearlove is showing off on Upper Level 100 100.

Launched on Boxing Day, the new Off The Hook doll range from Spin Master, stand E131, features fun fashions and styles so little fashionistas can play dress up with their best fashion friends. Mix and match the doll’s style, snap together fab outfits and discover surprise accessories with the new Style Girl, Style BFF and Style Studio. Off The Hook found its way into the Christmas stockings of target-aged kids of some of the top parent influencers in the UK and a heavyweight marketing campaign for spring includes TV advertising and fashion-themed influencer endorsement kicking off in time for London Fashion Week in February!

6 BILLION The number of YouTube views so far for Gelli Baff and Slime Baff, the sensational toys from Zimpli Kids, stand B35.

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It’s Laser Beam Eyes’ first time at Toy Fair after Pete and Beth Rope spent two and a half years developing their Junko modelling kits. Go to stand Upper Level 126 to see the kits with everything you need for junk modelling – apart from the junk!

ie r Guy O r Mook o f Directo t i h h r smas ppops anothe o P , 9 4 d E1 end for r t e h t on stan ing combin , z n action t a o n h t S i w s slime rn. all thing y patte a l p d e pack

Games go green Tapping into the sustainability trend, Jumbo Games, on stand E46,, is unveiling its brand-new Eco Games range, a line of small-packaged games made from 100 per cent recycled materials, including fully recycled cardboard and plastics. There are four so far with plenty more rolling out for the rest of the year. “By 2020, our aim is to have 80 to 90 per cent of our portfolio created from fully recyclable materials,” says Steven Russell, marketing manager.

Utterly brilliant! Wacky TV entertainer Timmy Mallett was one of the celebrity visitors to Toy Fair yesterday, popping up on various stands around the show to check out how “utterly brilliant” the latest products are. Blade Toyz CEO Iain Morgan showed the owner of Mallet’s Mallet around their stand, Upper Level 123, explaining all about their just-launched Hot Wheels Maker Kitz. In true Timmy style, he was recognisable for his bright shirt, colourful glasses and bright red boots – plus a few “utterly brilliant” and “blaaah” catchphrases.

2019 Toy Fair Daily News - Modern Classics - Wednesday.indd 1

10/01/2019 14:16:29

TREND FOCUS

Hovercraft Racer

Great Gizmos Stand G20 Have fun building your own powered hovercraft and discovering the science behind it, with this Science Museum Hovercraft Racer. The high powered motor and inflatable skirt allows it to speed across smooth surfaces and glide over obstacles. Everyone will love this great gadget!

Pop! – 10” Thanos Funko Stand E130

A major driving force of the toy industry is, of course, the licensed toy. The show is brimming with fabulous toys collaborating with excellent licensors - here’s a little round-up

Funko is pleased to showcase their Oversized Pop! figures – hugely collectable statement pieces that stand at 10” in size. With a range of new releases throughout 2019, they are a must-have for any serious fan.

… r o f g n i Look d Toys License

BrianBox Roald Dahl Board Game

How to Train Your Dragon, The Hidden World

Green Board Games Stand E15

Posh Paws International Stand D90

The BrainBox range covers topics including English, Maths, Science, Art, History, Space and Inventions. There are now over 60 titles in the range. New for Spring 2019, is the Roald Dahl Board Game, which will be joined by other new Disney licensed BrainBox editions.

With product available now, this super soft collection includes small, medium and large versions of the key Dragons from the film, and as an added extra the medium and large plush comes with glow-in-the-dark features to really bring each dragon to life!

Angry Birds Slot Car Racing Set TOBAR Stand F50 Go head to head around Eagle Mountain watching out for sneaky Piggies! Two cars battle it out, including Red and Leonard character cars and two controllers, Just one of a great range of Angry Birds products being launched by Tobar at Toy Fair.

Wonder Park Boomer Plush Funrise Stand G90 New for spring is the master toy range for Paramount’s Easter movie launch Wonder Park, and Funrise has created a collection of playsets, figures and plush including the delightful Boomer Plush!

Nerf Fortnite AR-L Blaster Hasbro Gallery Suites Inspired spired by the iconic i weapon used in the popular Fortnite video game, the Nerf Fortnite AR-L Blaster boasts rapid-fire motorised blasting and flip-up sights that allow players to focus their aim as they eliminate opponents and attempt to survive the “Storm.”

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NEWS Meet the BTHA (Part 2) Toy Fair wouldn’t happen without all the hard work of the amazing people that make up the British Toy and Hobby Association. The Daily News hears how they support the industry, not just every January, but all year round! Majen Immink Director of Fairs & Special Events I worked in the communications team when I first joined the BTHA 11 years ago. Since then, I’ve taken over the organisation of the Toy Fair, with this year’s show being my fifth in the role. Recently we have expanded our programme of events for members, and I oversee all BTHA Training Hub seminars and events, as well as our Industry Day and attendance at the Trading Standards Symposium.

Rebecca Deeming Public Relations & Events Manager During my three and a half years at the BTHA, I’ve experienced a wide range of work that the BTHA does for its members. I oversee all of Toy Fair’s PR, and especially love being involved with the Toy Fair’s Hero Toys and talking to new people in the industry. Elsewhere at the BTHA, I manage our consumer campaign, Make Time 2 Play, organise seminars and events for the BTHA Training Hub, answer media enquiries and am involved with general communication with our members.

We caught up with K’Nex Head of Sales, Tim Ives, to learn about the company’s must-see launches on Upper Level 510

A Golden year Golden Bear, stand E69, a leading force in the pre-school sector, is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. Barry Hughes, Managing Director, said “We are delighted to be celebrating our big birthday at London Toy Fair and are extremely proud that 90 per cent of our portfolio continues to be designed and developed in the UK. To mark its landmark birthday, Golden Bear hosted a party attended by one of the company’s founders Christine Nicholls, along with MD Barry Hughes and some of the key characters from its licensed pre-school brands. Guests of honour included Bing and Flop, Hey Duggee and In the Night Garden’s very own Igglepiggle. CBeebies’ Waffle the Wonder Dog, also made a star appearance, following Everybody’s Best Friend Waffle the Wonder Dog being named one of Toy Fair’s Hero Toys yesterday morning!

Matthew Jones Head of Digital & Toy Trust Services My role at the BTHA has changed in the 11 years I’ve been here. I’ve worked across a range of events organised by the BTHA, and I am currently responsible for Toy Trust events and fundraising, and organisation of the Toy Industry Awards. I now also oversee the digital technology at the BTHA and Data Protection-related issues.

The moment when everything is set up! There are also some items I haven’t even seen yet so looking forward to seeing them in action!

How would you sum up the last trading year?

In a challenging year, we ended up five per cent. The K’Nex line has been resilient to the market downturn, and we’re seeing good growth with Kid K’Nex and our core K’Nex line. We also had some early 2019 launches from Basic Fun! that are attracting a lot of attention.

Name one hero product you’re very excited about showing?

Tough question when there are heroes in all categories, although I’d have to say Cutetitos – collectable plush animals wrapped in a burritostyle blanket!

And finally – we must ask – what’s your brew of choice?

I’m not a tea or coffee person… I’ll happily stick to a large glass of wine after the show.

The big 5-0!

Tracey Butcher Office & Services Manager I’ve worked at the BTHA for more than 20 years, overseeing all aspects of the running of the office, general enquiries, invoices and submissions to the Toy Trust. I also look after the Membership of the Association so, if you wish to learn more about becoming a BTHA member, or if you’re already a member and want to learn more about your membership, you can visit me on the BTHA lounge on the Upper Level during the Fair.

What are you most looking forward to at Toy Fair 2019?

Super stunts With a spotlight on The YoYo Factory, which Wilton Bradley exclusively distributes in the UK, the company has welcomed the world champions in yoyo-ing to stand E89. Following last week’s appearance on Blue Peter, and with a slot on This Morning later this week, the pair are performing daring tricks and stunts throughout the show – Japan’s Shu Takada is the current world champion with two yoyos, and Evan Nagao, from Hawaii, the reigning world champ with a single yoyo. “Come and have a go, and learn some stunts from the world champions,” says Mike Gascoigne, Wilton Bradley’s Key Account Manager.

There was a big birthday kiss for the Very Hungry Caterpillar as celebrated turning his 50th with Rainbow Designs yesterday on stand E120. “We’re celebrating with a tea party and lots of cake,” says National Account Manager Denise Carr, “we’re launching a new range and it’ll be appearing in John Lewis very soon.”

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Product Spotlight

Spotlight on Bandai UK Taking the spotlight at Toy Fair is the Dino Fossil Dig Kit from Bandai, part of their National Geographic range, which gives kids plenty to chip away at

Excavate three genuine dinosaur fossils

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Retail Interview

A supporting role Brian McLaughlin, Toymaster’s Retail Manager, talks about the benefits available to members of the buying association, and what they’re looking forward to in 2019

Fasctetr h!as

Toyma members 0 5 1 d n u aro Ireland d n a K U in the een them w t e b o h w nd 260 have arou stores Brian McLaughlin, Toymaster’s Retail Manager

How does Toymaster operate? We are a support function for independent retailers, giving them help primarily with invoicing/payment and marketing, so they can spend more time focused on their ranging and selling. We are also on hand to support our members in all aspects of their business, whatever is necessary to get to our Mission Statement, which is to ‘help our members trade more profitably’. We don’t dictate to our members from a central office; ultimately they own their businesses so they are the decision makers. We try as much as possible to involve members in the process - for example our Selection & Marketing Committees are made up from our membership. What incentives are on offer to encourage independents to join Toymaster? In addition to the central invoicing and payment, and marketing support, we offer

“Fortnite is one to watch, to see if the success of the game translates into licensed merchandise sales” our members access to all the major toy suppliers in the UK and Ireland. This allows them to try new ranges without having to negotiate and set up new supplier accounts each time – as a member of Toymaster you automatically have an account with all the main suppliers and we have negotiated favourable trading terms. We also offer an FOB range at our Regional Meetings twice a year to help them boost their margin; this is something independents can’t access on their own. What is it that gives them the edge over other independents and keeps them

ahead of national chains? The Toymaster Membership is a community, where they can share information between each other and then adapt locally for their own stores. We have a forum on our members’ website where they can do this, plus they have several opportunities each year to network at trade shows, regional meetings and of course our May Show in Harrogate. New members seem to pop up every month – how many Toymaster members are there now? And are there always more still in the pipeline? We currently have around 150 members in the UK and Ireland who between them have around 260 stores. We are always in discussions with potential new members and hope to add more in 2019. If any bricks and mortar independents are interested then they can drop into our

“We have a number of Toby costumes that get shared around the members so they all get an opportunity for a Toby visit!”

Retail Interview lounge here at Toy Fair for a chat or contact us after the show.

Did you know?

Toymaster is very proactive with its consumer marketing – is this a big incentive for independent retailers to join? Yes. Window displays and catalogues are a great example of where Toymaster can help our members, as an independent can’t realistically produce these on their own, the cost would be too much.

Toymaster members can try new ranges without having to negotiate and set up new supplier accounts each time Toymaster retailers have certainly outperformed the market in the first half of the year – how are they looking now? Overall, 2018 saw a good performance from our members considering the tough retail environment.

well. We’ve already got a plan for our windows in 2019 and there are plenty of good ones to look out for.

The window displays this year have been eye-catching – Jurassic World springs to mind. Do they make a big difference to sales? And do you have your own favourite? The displays definitely help, they make the stores stand out and increase footfall. My personal favourite last year was the Harry Potter window; it was such a hot property and all of the licensed product sold really

The shops also run quite a lot of events – Toby visits and so on. Is that an important part of the offering? It definitely helps our members to run events, which they can advertise locally, and get involved in local community events. We have a number of Toby costumes that get shared around the members so they all get an opportunity for a Toby visit!

all very exciting at the time. (Do any retailers still have Queen Amidala dolls gathering dust on their shelves??)

My favourite toy ‘’I was always a fan of action figures and Lego, and handheld games consoles like Space Invaders!’’

Do you expect there to be any changes to the business in 2019 following Brexit? We’re still not sure what type of Brexit will happen. We are making plans for different outcomes but for now all we can do is wait and see. It’s Toy Fair time again! What makes the event such an important part of your sourcing and buying procedure? For many of our members, this will be their first opportunity to see the new ranges from their suppliers, so they can start planning for the year ahead. It is also an opportunity to catch up on last year and share opinions with each other on what they have seen around the Fair. Day1_TFDaily_HalfPage_BRIO_FINAL.pdf

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What are the toys your members are most excited about heading into 2019? There are plenty of additions and range expansions in the collectables category, the challenge will be to pick out the big winners from them.

Do you have any fond Toy Fair memories? I’ve been coming to Toy Fair for 20 years now and I still remember my first one in 1999. I was fresh out of university and suddenly I was getting “The Toymaster an Membership is exclusive a community, preview where they can of the share information new Star between each Wars other and then Episode 1 adapt locally for range, it their own stores” was

And is there a licence they are all expecting big things from? Fortnite is one to watch, to see if the success of the game translates into licensed merchandise sales. Toy Story 4 will no doubt be big, both at the box office and in toy sales.

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The BIG Interview

First time at the Fair The Daily News talks to Martin Whitaker, Managing Director at Siso Toys, about its Toy Fair debut and all its new lines – including Toy Story and Masha and the Bear This is your ﬁrst year at Toy Fair – what made 2019 the right year for your debut? We set the business up in May 2018 and have spent the past nine months forging relationships with retailers and licensors as well as putting our marketing plans in place. So Toy Fair was the perfect opportunity for us to showcase our range to the trade.

“Toy Story will be such an important brand for us this year. It’s been nine years since Toy Story 3 hit theatres and, following the release of the teasers, there is such a great buzz around the brand’’ Toy Story is a big licence for you – you’ve even given it its own private showroom – tell us why it is so important. Toy Story will be such an important brand for us this year. It’s been nine years since Toy Story 3 hit theatres and, following the release of the teasers, there is such a great buzz around the brand. Simba Smoby UK had great success with the Cars 3 RC line in 2017, with the 1:24 McQueen becoming the bestselling RC item by volume in 2017. We’ve taken all those successful components and built an exciting product range that includes some great 1:24 RC items as well as building a robust marketing plan.

Stan d E135

Did you know? All the dolls in the Corolle range have a vanilla scent!

Siso has been busy this year – talk us through what has been happening. It has been a busy year indeed. Setting up a business is never easy and there are so many things to do that would never have been on our radar before. So we’ve been busy securing oﬃce space, setting up trading accounts as well as recruiting. There are three of us currently and we are looking to add a few more people to the team. We’ve also been very busy previewing our brands to retailers and building relationships with licensors, as we look to build upon our launch year in 2019

with new innovative development and brands in 2020. We’ve also been busy laying down our marketing plans for the year to deliver sell through on our ranges. What have been the most successful products this year? We haven’t launched our lines yet onto the market, however it’s only right we talk about the sellout success of Masha and The Bear in 2018. YOY Masha was up 516%, with total toy sales up 24% YOY according to NPD. One of the best-selling lines was the 23cm Masha doll, which did over 25,000 units. The Bear House and Winter House were also great sellers. It’s no doubt that the launch on Free to Air with Tiny Pop in Dec 2017, provided a massive boost to the brand, which was capitalised on by Simba Smoby UK. Our aim is build upon the success of 2018 and grow Masha with our retail partners and add new retailers for the brand in 2019. How many new products are you launching at Toy Fair – and can you talk us through them? Our entire product lineup is new for 2019! Our Toy Story line will be driven by the 1:24 scale RC, which will be TV promoted. Masha and The Bear is another key brand for us. The 23cm Doll was the best-selling Masha item of last year, so

The BIG Interview that will be a key item alongside the new 40cm Plush Bear and the Winter Bear House. The Deep, which is our new boys’ action ﬁgure range has these amazing Nekbots called the White Knight and Mag Night,

which are used for underwater exploration and will have marketing support. On our Trollhunters line, our lights and sounds super deluxe ﬁgures will be perfect for collectors of the hit Netﬂix show and will

Fact! Majorette is a premium die-cast brand that will launch in autumn/winter and includes lorries, tractors, buses, trucks, vintage and deluxe die-cast.

Come and see exciting new additions to this popular range

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“We have spent the past nine months forging relationships with retailers and licensors as well as putting our marketing plans in place. So Toy Fair was the perfect opportunity for us to showcase our range to the trade”

What can retailers expect from partnering with Siso? We want to work closely with retailers and deliver the right ranges for them, as well as supporting our key retail partners with bespoke marketing plans that will drive sell through. What are your plans for 2019? The last nine months have been about planning and getting set up. So we are just really excited to launch our ranges into the market and support our retailers. We’re also busy planning ahead for 2020 with some exciting new development and brands.

be TV promoted. Majorette is our premium die-cast brand that we will launch in autumn/winter, and provides a great point of difference to the market leader. Our line is focused on different themes of die-cast including lorries, tractors, buses, trucks, vintage and deluxe die-cast. Our cars have opening doors, interior design and suspension. Finally, Corolle is our premium doll range, which launches in Autumn/Winter as well. The range comprises 30cm and 36cm dolls with real-life likeness to babies and toddlers as well as each doll having a vanilla scent.

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TREND FOCUS

Character Options Stand E119 Slimi Café is a new sensation that builds on the YouTube trend of customising Squishies, and combines deconstructed Squishies with a range of compounds to create the ultimate squeezie treat! Simply choose your Squishie, construct, pick your toppings and decorate!

Slurpees Snot Suckers Bandai Upper Level 600 Kids have been captivated with Slurpees Snot Suckers – the new toys on the block that combine the collectable and slime crazes and unleash hysterical laughter like never before. Wave 2, launching in spring, will see more snotty characters join the mix, and for AW19 the Slurpees go big with Mega Mites, and microscopic with Micro Mites.

Sticky, icky and grimy - the perfect combination for kids, if not parents. These affordable and fun tactile substances have become the hottest thing on YouTube, and that means they’re big in the playground!

… r o f g n i Look Grime Slime & Gloopers Flair Stand E39 Meet the Gloopers, the crazy, icky, and slimy new collectable! Available as single and double Slime Pots, each comes with one or two Glooper characters with his own pot of icky slime. The Gloopers love to suck snot… simply squeeze him so he exhales, hover him over the slime and whoosh… up it sucks. Beware! The harder he sucks the faster he will spit. Adding to the possibilities are Gloopers Potion Kits which come with an exclusive Glooper, plus three different coloured pots of slime which can be mixed to make all sorts of noxious potions.

Slime Control Slime Shooter Re:creation Ltd Stand E125 Slime fun hits a new level! This pump action slime shooter fires blobs of slime with up to five metre accuracy. With up to 500 shots per pot of slime, Slime Blaster Slime Shooter offers hours of splat-tastic fun.

Dog poo putty H Grossman Ltd Stand E49

Slime and Putty TOBAR Stand F50 Oosh Cotton Candy Cuties, the brightly-coloured, lollipop-like containers packed full of sweetsmelling, fluffy foam putty. Each one contains a surprise character to collect!

H Grossman introduces new slimes for 2019 including Dog Poo, Llama Poo and Flamingo Poo, as well as a whole host of Planetary Putties which are out of this world. All safe and tested to the highest standards. Product pictured is the Dog Poo complete with two flies!

Gelli Baff and Slime Baff Zimpli Kids Stand B35 Zimpli Kids’ £1 Foil Bags include a range of products including Gelli Play and Slime Play, which turn water into up to four litres of colourful goo or Slime. The products are all 100 per cent safe, stain free and drain safe.

A whole new world of audio adventures and e m o C on s u e e s B85 d n a St

dy t a e r Al g ou ! e lin s e l E u ro p in

WE ARE TONIES

We are audio characters but everyone calls us Tonies. Together with the Toniebox, we are a great new way to listen to your favourite audio, like The Gruffalo audiobook, wherever and whenever you like! Simply pop us on the Toniebox and let the audio adventure begin! Be one of the first retailers to launch our playful audio system in the 8. DQG ,UHODQG LQ . Visit www.tonies.com to find out more or contact us directly at sales@tonies.com. Tel: 0203 6083056

NEWS Stand and deliver

The Daily News was to bring you these in among the excitement of Toy Fa ir behind-the-scenes snaps

The Daily News caught up with Karen Nunn, Marketing at Green Board Games, stand E15, to hear about what the company will be showing at the Fair What are you most looking forward to at London Toy Fair 2019? We are looking forward to catching up with our customers and discussing how we can best help support their sales throughout 2019.

How would you sum up the last trading year? Yoo Hoos To The Rescue hits Netflix in April and Aurora already has fabulous plush versions, as Lynn Ringer, General Sales Manager, and Lucy Williams, International Sales Manager, show pff on stand D35.

Tough but successful! International sales continued to grow, we had our best Independent year ever and Nationals held-up well against all odds.

Tell us a little about your stand this year

We have gone for simple and slick, with a format that showcases our product and gives it the limelight it deserves. We are highlighting both new and established GBG hero product ranges. We’re especially excited about showing the winning game from 2017’s Young Games Inventor Competition, Alpha Chase, and unveiling of our first Disney BrainBox - Disney Princesses!

And finally – we must ask – what’s your brew of choice? Skinny Cappuccino in the morning, Macchiato in the evening!

TOP

Say awww! It’s all about the eyes, according to Keel Toy’s ’s UK Sales Director Steve Cox. “We spent over a year working on the eyes in the Cuddle Puppies range,” he says. “They’re so expressive and very realistic. The dogs are also nice and weighty, adding to the cuddle and play factor.” Find your new kennel mates over on stand B60.

Anima

St a n d B 9 0 tt 1. High Flying Je s Playset 2. Rescue Rider Slimeez 3. SpongeBob 4. Terrasect h Weapons 5. WWE Big Bas

Demonstrator Felicia Westring shows off her wizarding ways with the Want & Magic Lights on Marvin’s Magic’s stand H65.

Movie magic! On Playmobil’s stand Upper Level 210, it’s all about Playmobil: The Movie. Along with the rest of their 2019 range, there are nine products based on the film, plus there will be two waves of blind bags so they’ll be covering everything from collectables to birthday and Christmas present. “To have a movie is extra special – we’re very excited to see the film and what it can do for the brand,’’ says Marketing Manager Jamie Dickinson, pictured with Social Media And Marketing Co-ordinator Adam Moore (far left), with movie stars Del, Marla and Rex Dasher.

TREND FOCUS Junior Engineers Workshop TOBAR Stand F50 A whole host of products to build using real tools to bolt the metal pieces together. Pictured is the helicopter, but there is also a ferris wheel, robot, tank, truck and aeroplane.

Looking f make & dor… o

Great British Sewing Bee Wilton Bradley Stand E89 With the Great British Sewing Bee television programme due to return to screens in 2019, Wilton Bradley are expecting sewing to turn into a big trend. Having a license with a television programme like this is great because this is a great way to catch their interest, especially with new sports or hobbies. This range for 2019 will offer new and improved, high quality sewing machines and it will also feature easy to follow kits that are perfect for encouraging a child’s interest in sewing.

Crafts are always in vogue and this year’s Toy Fair offering is as exciting as ever. Whether you’ve got green fingers or are fans of crochet, there is something for every retailer at Toy Fair. The Daily News presents a mere taster

Craft for Kids range Eduk8 Worldwide Ltd Stand F1 A complete new range of craft products under the brand Craft for Kids. Suitable for children aged over three years, all products in the range include everything a child needs to complete the craft project. Choose from a range of products, including making a monster truck, creating a dinosaur and even making Russian dolls!

Creativity for Kids Create a Clay Dinosaur West Design Products Stand C45 Bring three unique dinosaurs to life! Simply take your dino skeleton and build up the clay around it to fashion a dinosaur of your own design. Once you’ve made them, set a scene and get playing with your new friends!

Nebulous Stars, Bay Reef Fashion Marbel Stand B50 Practice an artistic activity with this ready-to-decorate tiara set from Nebulous Stars. Jam-packed with everything you need to make your tiara really shine, including shells, beads, buttons and rhinestone stickers, children can really immerse themselves in this calming and relaxing crafting kit.

ColourMazing Kidzmaker String Art Great Gizmos Stand G20 Make your own amazing string art images with the colourful strings and plastic pins. The kit includes everything you need to make two pictures of a heart and a unicorn.

John Adams Stand G100 Colouring just got more creative with ColourMazing – the new patented way to colour the world. Use the magic pens and watch the ink spread without going outside the lines.

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Welcome to Toy Fair

Stan d B85

Tonies

Lend me your ears! Gary Wilmot, Director of exciting new brand Tonies, wants visitors to Toy Fair to listen up, as the latest audio technology combined with an inspired idea promises to be big news for his company in 2019 This is your first time exhibiting at Toy Fair, what’s your story?

time for you to take your first stand here at London Toy Fair?

You could say I’m a bit of a Toy Fair veteran, with this being my 19th year at the show. This year will be an exciting one, as I’ve not been involved with launching such an exciting product before now.

Having launched in the UK and Ireland at the latter part of October 2018, we are very excited to be sharing the Toniebox and Tonies at the Toy Fair. We are still new, and fairly underexposed, so we are excited to see what London Toy Fair brings us for the UK and Irish markets.

How did the idea for Tonies come about? The initial questions we asked were these: In the era of smartphones and tablets, why do children still have to fiddle with flimsy silver discs to listen to audiobooks and music? And what about boring CD players that are anything but suitable for kids? That was when we had the idea that started it all – for a new audio system for children. We wanted to add a playful element into the mix and, with all the recent developments in digital technology, thought we must be able to do better than what was currently available on the market. So we invented it ourselves! Patric Faßbender and Marcus Stahl came up with the idea for the Tonies and the Toniebox, and we founded our company Boxine GmbH to make sure it wouldn’t just stop at being a good idea and would instead become a fantastic reality. They’re both fathers, each with two children – in fact, they got to know each other through their children, who were at the same nursery. Quite simply it was all meant to be!

You launched Tonies at the Nuremberg Toy Fair, what made 2019 the perfect

What have you heard about the show that drew you to Toy Fair and what are you hoping to get out of it? Nuremberg brought as much success in terms of the launch of Tonies in Germany, and we’re hoping that exposure here at London Toy Fair will also bring us similar opportunities and success at the start of our UK and Ireland journey.

Tell us a little more about Tonies, and what makes the brand unique to retailers. The players are available in several stylish colours, and the eye-catching cube allows children to take control of how and where they listen to things. If they place a chosen Tonie on top of the Toniebox, the audio content will start playing. Remove the

Tonie and it will stop. Playful ears on top of the Toniebox can also be used to adjust the volume. Each Tonie also has its own content so that children can operate the Toniebox themselves for hours of fun listening to stories or music that can transport them to whole new worlds.

You already feature the Gruffalo, Stick Man and The Snowman – do you plan to expand with more licensed characters in the future? Absolutely. I can say that the possibilities are endless, and we do have some very exciting plans ahead. Please come and see us on our stand to find out more.

As parents battle to keep screen time to a minimum, have they welcomed Tonies? Yes, most definitely. Parents have embraced the important concept behind the design.

What sort of customised content can you add to a Creative Tonie?

You can upload your existing audio files via the Toniecloud at my.tonies.com or use the Tonie-App to record your very own stories, songs or messages.

How do you communicate with retailers and what are your plans for working with them in 2019? We have a dedicated team at Tonies UK who are out there spreading the word and demonstrating what we have to offer. Our plans are to continue to grow our stockists within the UK and Ireland and together we’re bringing the magical world of Tonies to children’s bedrooms.

Will you have any offers for retailers visiting the show? Yes, but you will need to pop in to stand B85 to find out what they are!

Who should be sure to stop by the stand and see you – and what types of retailers are you hoping to see? Everyone who wants to see something magical, new and exciting!

And finally, what would make your first Toy Fair? To hear and see many great first-time reactions to Tonies.

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That’s the Spirit! Playmobil is passionate about its DreamWorks Spirit licence. The Netflix original TV series follows the story of 12-year-old Lucky and a wild mustang called Spirit What is the licence? DreamWorks Spirit by Playmobil. The range of playsets is inspired by the hugely popular original TV series airing now on Netflix and POP TV. The series features a daring and naturalborn leader, 12-year-old Lucky, who has moved from the big city to wild ranch country, where she feels like a fish out of water. Her life changes when she meets a wild mustang she calls Spirit, and they form an incredible bond that can be never be broken. Along with their new best friends, Abigail and Pru, Lucky and Spirit set off on daring adventures, push their limits, and discover what it means to be truly free.

we are excited to release the second wave of products. The message conveyed and ethos of Spirit match perfectly with that of the Playmobil brand; it all revolves around the freedom of play, limitless imaginations and chasing your dreams. Why does this collaboration work so well for Playmobil? The DreamWorks Spirit range fits in perfectly with our popular Country range, and adding the Spirit theme to the

Upper Level 210

collection of Playmobil worlds couldn’t be a better fit. The positive ethos of the Spirit licence is something that means a lot to us, and we’re very passionate about continuing to promote these ideas with every collaboration we make and every playset we create. What do you have planned for the property in terms of new lines for 2019? The launch of seven new DreamWorks Spirit playsets is in the calendar for March 2019, and there’s lots to get excited about. The detailed accessories continue from the first collection, with new characters from the popular TV series and even more exciting features, giving children an unlimited scope for imagination and playtime.

Why is owning this property so exciting? Following the success of the product launch and how well it has been received,

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NEWS Green Board and Disney team up!

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It’s an entirely new look for The Green Board Game Company on stand E15 this Toy Fair with its stripped-back stand that really spotlights the product. “We’ve got so many new ranges delivering more than 40 new products and we really wanted to focus on the offering,” says Karen Nunn, Marketing. Included in the line-up of newness is the company’s first partnership with Disney, delivering four licensed board games, including a Pixar one, as part of its successful BrainBox range. There are also new ranges in the Leaps & Bounds series, for ages three to seven, along with a re-branding of its Flights Of Fancy gift range, which now comes with a fresh new look.

Feelin’ sleepy Sleep expert Dr Nerina Ramlakhan visited the Posh Paws, stand D90, yesterday to talk about the importance of a good night’s sleep, in response to the statistic that 28 million children in the UK and US now have trouble sleeping, as part of the launch of the Moshi Twilight audio app and the new Posh Paws collection The Sleepies. Posh Paws’ MD Alan Smith says: “The new range has gone down incredibly well today, providing a major stopping point for everyone coming on to the stand.”

Sarah Dayus, Sales & Marketing Manager, Great Gizmos, stand G20, spoke to the Daily News about her plans to surprise visitors with the new ranges

The nest big thing Babies are being born over on Vivid’s stand B70. Head of Marketing Darrell Jones introduces Nestlings, brand new for September 2019. Play with this interactive plush and, before you know it, a baby is born! “Mum even sings happy birthday to her new baby,” says Darrell. The only question is, which one will you get?

What are you most looking forward to at Toy Fair 2019? It’s great to see our customers after the busy Christmas trading period. We also really enjoy meeting new buyers! We showcase all our new products and ranges at this show and it’s great to get everyone’s response.

How would you sum up the last trading year? With the uncertainty of Brexit and the closure of Toys R Us and Maplin, it’sbeen a challenging year, of course. However we’ve seen growth in our key accounts and have opened some new accounts so we remain positive.

but I know my diary is absolutely jam-packed with meetings each day so I expect it is a lot! This doesn’t include walk-ons either.

Why should buyers come to see you this year? We absolutely love to see our buyers at all of the trade shows to catch up and show them our newness. This year we have some really exciting products so I can’t wait to show everyone!

Tell us a little about your stand this year, anything new and exciting?

What product are you most excited about showing?

We have a brilliant new coding product which we think will be a big hit as we’ve seen huge interest in this category. We have a fantastic new outdoor range launching too!

Code A Maze! It’s an incredible electronic game that teaches young children about coding and sequencing. I’m more than happy to demonstrate so please do come along and see me!

How many retailers/buyers do you think you’ll meet at Toy Fair?

And finally – we must ask – what’s your brew of choice?

I don’t know off the top of my head

I’m a big Yorkshire Tea fan!

PROPERTY SPOTLIGHT

The generation game The Daily News sits down with Lisa Morgan, Managing Director of Generation Media, the leading independent specialist media agency, to discuss the increasingly challenging children’s TV trading environment and how to maxmise the reach of toy brands

So, how have the past 12 months been for Generation Media?

So, what’s new for Generation Media in 2019?

The front half of our year was focused on on-boarding supplier partners, new talent and tech solutions to further enhance our digital online offer. The second half was consumed by navigation of the increasingly challenging children’s TV trading environment. With a second year of double-digit decline in commercial impacts it’s been all hands on deck to deliver value and quality of airtime to maximise return on clients’ investments.

Well, Europe is most certainly open for business for Generation Media. Our international offer, and centrally managed solution, The Next Generation Media Exchange, has grown significantly in the past 18 months, making us the leaders in children’s advertising around the world. Despite uncertainties with Brexit, the UK will continue to lead the way in 2019. Back in 2015, Generation Media developed The Media Aggregator (TMA), which was designed to answer the age-old question of TV-todigital budget split. With consumer habits changing faster than ever we are launching TMA 4.0. The latest version of this essential proprietary tool takes into account a number of new variables, while accounting for the latest fluctuations in viewing and, most importantly, the latest results of Giraffe Insights Kids and the Screen (KATS) research! KATS is an on-going stakeholder study into cross-platform video consumption

Licensing

“In 2018 we announced our partnership in licensing with Tina-Louise, the founder of Nimbus Nine. Licensing is a natural extension of our existing offer and Tina-Louise brings a breadth of knowledge and experience to the partnership.” What makes Generation Media different to other media agencies? We offer our clients everything they would expect from a large network but in a package that suits their individual needs and budgets.

amongst two to nine year olds. The project has been running since October 2017 so, for the first time, we have YOY comparable data. The results are fascinating particularly when we stack up the numbers against industry standard tools such as BARB. With up-todate device, platform and content data at our fingertips we can tell you not only what video content children are viewing but how, when, where and with whom. Last but not least, we would like to welcome Greta Bisetto-Donelan to the Generation Media team. With previous experience at Warner Brothers, Turner and more recently, Viacom Greta, has joined us as an Associate Director.

“Europe is most certainly open for business for Generation Media!”

What about last year’s KidsCon conference? Will we see another conference coming soon? Our first Generation Media KidsCon event has been hailed a tremendous success. Watch this space for more details about our 2019 event.

Greenhouse News We grab a coffee with Steven Scott from Get Retro to catch up on the latest. Head to stand GH62 to discover more What are you most looking forward to at Toy Fair?

The moment you meet a new customer and know that this is going to be good long-term win-win business for both of us.

How would you sum up the last trading year?

Not half as bad as it could have been. We made a lot of good purchases in 2018 and if you buy right, you can always sell.

Tell us a little about your stand this year, anything new and exciting?

We buy new stock all the time, and our USP is great pricing for unusual official licensed items relating to the world of TV and movies, plus an eclectic mix of toys and games. Our hero product is our new Tardis Desk Tidy.

Why should buyers visit you this year?

Don’t assume that ‘smallish stand’ equates to small range or small stock. We have 1000 pallets of stock and over 500 products. We love working with both independents, and larger companies.

And what’s your brew of choice? Leffe Blond served ice cold.

Just in time

Created by Roger Shackleton as a solution to teach his young children the art of telling the time, EasyRead Time Teacher’s range has continued to grow since first launching six years ago. This year, visitors can also see their new addition on stand GH5 – a stylish, waterproof wristwatch, with a stainless-steel face that has coloured details on the dial. Director Sue Shackleton, pictured with Eve Horne, says: “Having previously displayed our wall clocks and alarm clocks, we’re delighted to bring our new wristwatch this year to Toy Fair.”

Did you know…

The world’s first mechanical computer (Antikythera Mechanism) was created in the first century BC by the Ancient Greeks and is the same principal used in all UGears Mechanical Models today. Visit them on stand GH41.

Safety first Euro Fins Product Testing has positioned itself within the Greenhouse, on stand GH23, to allow the company to offer help and advice to new starters when it comes to legislation and safety testing. Pictured with Samantha Duffy, Operations Manager Chris Corbett says: “Toy Fair is an extremely good fair for us and the Greenhouse is the perfect place to enable us to give support to new and upcoming toy companies with assistance in legislation and testing standards that are required.”

World of discovery With two current ranges through Redlands Distribution, Discovery Toys puts the fun into education by allowing children aged six plus to explore the world and their environment, while Discovery #Mindblown focuses on STEM, which you can see on stand GH17. Managing Partner Mark Handley says: “We were set up in July 2018 and we’re now available in Selfridges and trading is going well, with an ever-increasing interest in our products. As we expand we’ll also have the support of the Discovery Channel which will further boost our ranges to a perfectly-targeted audience.”

NEW for 2019

Science Meets Collectibles Mysterious creatures from fro om distant diisstta d an nt planets have landed d on on Earth! Earth h! Dissolve their Reactor Pods Po od ds and an a nd see see which creatures you’ll u’lll discover! dis isco cover!

NEW

Beaker Creatures® Magnification Chamber

NEW

Beaker Creatures® Whirling Wave Reactors

NEW

Beaker Creatures® Reactor Pods Series 2

Come and meet us on Stand D36, London Toy Fair

NEW

Beaker Creatures® Liquid Reactor Super Lab

Greenhouse Interview

Smart about art Making a name for themselves with Nutty Putty, Alphabet Pie’s business has grown, entering new markets and taking on new arts and crafts ranges. Eliana Perdios, Managing Director of Alphabet Pie, stand GH59, tells the Daily News about their exciting plans for 2019! How did Alphabet Pie come about?

Four years ago two friends, George and myself, started to research the toy industry after discussing various gaps in the market for traditional toys with a modern twist. It was during this exploration that we discovered there was a space in the market for innovative arts and crafts products with a wider appeal, longevity and fun. After some careful branding our first range of Nutty Putty was born.

What makes yours different from other craft products?

When researching and developing new products both George and myself make sure all our lines have a USP. They are completely unique with both the parent and child in mind and are fun, fashionable and educational. Our bestseller this year has been Mix-Up Clay, a non-

Stand GH59

messy, mixable and stretchy product being the perfect alternative to the slowly declining slime boom.

What’s happened since you were at Toy Fair last year?

Our business has grown, we have entered new markets and taken on two brand new ranges of arts and crafts, moving slightly away from putty but keeping in with our brand ethos of high quality, quirky and educational.

What are you hoping to achieve at Toy Fair this year?

We always catch up with our existing customers, so we’re excited to showcase our new ranges to them. Being in the Greenhouse also gives us the opportunity to meet big buyers who might be browsing for something new and different as well as being

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surrounded by other small innovative companies.

What’s new for this year at Toy Fair?

We’re launching our first range of wooden toys, they are Montessori in design with an edgy style. We’re also launching our Jack in the Box range which is a beautiful range of DIY-themed kits, these we tested over Christmas and are pleased to say were a hit!

Will people be able to get hands-on with your products at Toy Fair? Absolutely! Everything we have is tactile and fun to play with.

What’s your USP?

Despite our growth, George and myself are still very hands on. We try to launch a new range every year, and

“

BEING IN THE GREENHOUSE ALSO GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET BIG BUYERS WHO MIGHT BE BROWSING FOR SOMETHING NEW AND DIFFERENT

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every product we have researched and tested before launch.

Tell us about some of the awards you have won.

There have been various in the Independent Toy Awards, Silver in the Made for Mums Awards for best pocket money toy, best arts and crafts toy and best toy for children with special educational needs.

Is Toy Fair an important event for you?

For us it’s the most important event of the year, as it’s the only show that is a good mix of the established large companies new entities and also the inbetweeners (like us!) who are proving that year by year we are growing and still here!

Greenhouse News

Martijn Van De r to c e ir D s le a S Five Stars HK’s creative with Dale Young of g olor in Weijer is talk Crea Dough, Q s e g n ra ir e th er Fortune EU ov n stand GH50. o l e d and Starmo

Marc Anthony Newell of Merlin Entertainments checks out the licensed ranges at Get Retro on stand GH62, while the company’s Sales Manager Paul Blackett models the latest Pokémon fashion.

LaQ owners Mark and John Byrne eye up their ranges on stand GH67 which include construction toys from dinosaurs and vehicles through to wearable accessories.

Talking Poppycock are Clarendon Games’ CEO Will Sorrell and Sales Assistant Ollie Wright on stand GH58.

At her first Toy Fair with VAP Games, MD Jacqui Gahan is debuting Hashtag Trumps, their exciting new card game which incorporates the use of social media for everchanging live results. You can check it out on stand GH15. There’s a touch of magic about the Magic Box stand GH54 where Commercial Director Julia Cake talks Moji Pops with Plus Marketing’s Faisal Azam.

Take your chance with Thieves, an exciting game of strategy over on Merlin Games’ stand GH71. Pandemonium owner Max Evans puts the game through its paces with Nigel Roper, Merlin Games’ Designer/Director.

NEWS

Pushing inventiveness Marbel’s Sales Manager Joe Rushworth is getting all inventive on stand B50. “This is our Junior Inventor Table,” he says. “It’s a STEAM product and ticks all the boxes. It teaches kids about push, pull, cause and effect, and there are 79 pieces in all.” Interplay’s Face Paintoos are a fabulous new concept that will transform the magic of face painting into a fun and easy activity for children and parents. Launching with three of the most popular themes – Wild Pack, Pet Pack and Magical Pack – the advanced temporary face tattoo technology means Face Paintoos make it simple to achieve perfect, long-lasting results every time. The packs at include five different designs and there’s a Party Pack with 15 designs. See Interplay on stand G10.

Hey baby, baby! Epoch MD Neil Bandtock introduces new Baby Collectibles on stand B130. “It’s a great entry level to the range,” he says, “it gets kids into Sylvanian Families at a lower price point, allowing them to build up to the pricier items in the range.”

Order Order your yo your stock stock today! to oday! d RRP £6.99

Leaps & Bounds

2019 Show Details London Toy Fair: 22nd – 24th Jan Grand Hall, Stand E15

Midlands Agent Hannah Stanion and UK & Ireland Sales Manager Carol Bradshaw are ready to start a band with the new Music Range on the Bigjigs stand H39.

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With a brand-new 3D CGI TV animation series set to air on CITV in Q1 2019, Flair has unveiled a new Master Toy line for Gormiti on stand E39. The TV series is based on the Gormiti characters created by Giochi Preziosi in 2005, which have sold more than 50 million toys across Europe. Andreas Sostero, Giochi Preziosi International Marketing Director, is pictured with character Lord Keryon, and Flair’s Head Of Marketing Emmanuelle Cadet, and Marketing Manager and Anne-Marie Noon.

Dumbo Collection THE NEW

See our collection on the Rainbow stand (E120)

Retail Corner Dan Lovett, The Toy Box

Beccles, Suffolk Which will be your go-to stands? Spin Master, Ty UK, Click, Epoch, Tomy, TOBAR, Halilit, Playmobil and anybody else who is happy to let us look around their stand! What do you think will be this year’s next big thing? This year’s big thing? It will be small enough to take to school, be banned, cause chaos and it will be as cheap as chips. Do you like to head to the Greenhouse area? I always head over to the Greenhouse area, as you never know who or what you might find. Last year it was Green Elephant with their crazy Aaron putty. What sold well for you last year? It was a good mix really, Top Model, Ty, Crazy Aaron Putty, and enough slime to fill our local swimming pool!

Val Reynard, The Toy Shop

Helensburgh What do you look for at London Toy Fair? I’m always looking for new products and like to touch base with suppliers. Is there anything in particular that you are hoping to find? We try not to stock stuff that is advertised on TV and that won’t be around for long. We try to look for something different. Our customers come to us to find something different. What are your favourite brands? The likes of Marbel, Djeco and Janod tend to have things that are rather different. Do you always try to go to “The likes of Toy Fair? Marbel, Djeco Yes I do, but my daughter has her prelims this year and I need and Janod to be there to make sure she is tend to have working! My daughter’s future may depends on whether I go to things that Toy Fair or not!

are rather different.”

Brian Simpson

Head of Buying, Toytown Which will be your go-to stands? Toy Fair is the most important three days of the year for me. In terms of orders, there are very few placed, but it gives me the chance to visit smaller suppliers that “Toy Fair I don’t get to see at any preview, and for the bigger suppliers it gives me is the most a further chance to see their ranges, finalise some decisions and gives me important the opportunity to (hopefully) see three days products that have progressed from potential images or early prototypes of the year during the preview season. It goes without saying that with so for me.” many of my suppliers under the one roof for the duration of the Fair, it is a key time and one that we prepare for months in advance to ensure we make the best use of our time. I particularly like trying to (in my mind) finalise the new product launches that we will be running. What do you think will be 2019’s next big thing? Having seen a number of our top suppliers during the preview season in November and December I have seen a clear trend towards lower price point items. Although this does put pressure on me as a Buyer to choose the right ones – knowing that when you buy into a range that doesn`t work, it leaves you with large stock quantities to get rid of. Of particular note is Spin Master, who over the past few years have gone from rags to riches and now are seen as one of the most innovative suppliers in the toy trade.

Peter Allinson. Director

Whirligig Toys What are your go-to stands at the Fair? Toy Fair is important to us and my whole senior team will be there buying with me. We always start with the Greenhouse area as there are great finds to be had there with new and innovative smaller companies. We spend most of our time upstairs with other smaller companies. We always spend time with our current suppliers but Toy Fair is about discovering new ideas for us. What do you think will be 2019’s next big thing? Probably very similar to 2018 with brands like L.O.L. doing well. However, we saw a real interest in quick-to-learn family games that could be taken on a day out last year, and many people looking for both simple and complex model-making kits, so we think this is a growth area and one we will be focusing on. Do you like to head to the Greenhouse area? The Greenhouse is always our first stop. We like working with small companies and new ideas.

Toyfair Daily News Snug.indd 1

14/01/2019 14:34

Licensee Spotlight

Staying in control Revell is targeting pre-schoolers with its latest radio control range, as Country Manager for the UK and Ireland Jamie Mabbs explains What are the hot licences for 2019? Revell will feature many licences this year. In our Junior Kit (and Advent Calendar) range for ages 4+ we have transforming characters from animated TV series Super Wings, plus a host of plastic kit Gift Sets for Iron Maiden, KISS and the Rolling Stones. We even have a new 1:24 Scale Land Rover Series III plastic kit launching later this year!

You have introduced a new range for pre-schoolers, allowing little ones of two and over the fun of RC. What prompted this development? We’ve seen that children are being introduced to technology at an ever-younger age, and this includes RC technology too. Revellino has been developed jointly with renowned and

“We’ve seen that children are being introduced to technology at an everyounger age, and this includes RC technology too”

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Hot licences for 2019 Super Wings Iron Maiden KISS Rolling Stones Land Rover respected German softtoy producer Heunec, to create a totally new product and concept, combining reliable and easy-to-use radio control with a cuddly plush character body – these are vehicles that can be both driven and become a child’s favourite soft toy. The plush part is also machine-washable and can be removed from the chassis section for cleaning.

Tell us more about the advent calendars. Advent calendars represent a growing market for us and we’d like to think that we offer something a little different in this category. This year we’ll launch a Junior Kit (Jett from Super Wings that transforms once built) version and two RC subjects, an RC Truck and a Motion-Controlled Helicopter.

Your kits include licensed models from rock bands including KISS and Iron Maiden. Tell us more about these! We’ve had great success more recently with tie-ins with Iron Maiden and AC/DC. The Iron Maiden ‘Ed Force One’ Boeing 747-400 was one of our best sellers of 2016/17 and the AC/DC-themed Tour Truck was a standout winner last year. We are convinced that there is a market in combining our quality kits with key licences to offer something a little different for modellers and fans alike. As I mentioned, there will be even more collaborations for 2019 and we expect this upward trend to continue for the foreseeable future.

“Advent calendars represent a growing market for us and we’d like to think that we offer something a little different in this category” What are you most excited to show visitors at Toy Fair? Revellino has to be the star release for us this year. We’re expecting great things from this new range for pre-schoolers. In addition, we have many other new ranges including playsets, advent calendars and 3D puzzles.

What are you hoping to achieve at this year’s Toy Fair? Personally, I hope to speak with as many customers as possible!

Finally, do you have anything else in the pipeline later in the year? Of course, but I wouldn’t want to let everything out of the bag here, so why not pop over to Stand 110 on the Upper Level to find out more!

TREND FOCUS Animal Jumble 40 Magformers UK Ltd Stand Upper Level 540 The adorable Magformers Animal Jumble 40-piece construction set offers three different ways for younger children to make models as they develop – progressing from simple 2D shape-making, to stacking and then mastering more advanced 3D modelmaking using magnetic shapes.

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JURATOYS Stand B121 Within Janod there are many new ranges in the 2019 collection including Pure, a gorgeous new collection of wooden toys suitable for babies age 12 months-plus, which are inspired by Scandinavian trends, using pastel colours, natural wood and a gender-neutral theme.

A fun and competitive category, pre-school toys are at London Toy Fair in abundance, with everything from wooden toys to licensed toys take your pick! Here’s just a smidge of what’s on

Lamaze

offer...

TOMY Stand Upper Level 520 TOMY will be focusing specifically on the nursery sector as it moves into 2019. The nursery and pre-school brands prioritise playtime between parents and children, while also creating products that make lives easier for busy parents. Lamaze’s promise of “The right toy at the right time” as baby reaches each developmental milestone continues to be at the heart of all its new products.

Play-Doh Kitchen Creations Sprinkle Cookie Surprise Set Hasbro Gallery Suites Pre-schoolers can use this Play-Doh cookie set to create and decorate cupcakes with silly sprinkles made of different little charm shapes. From classic circles and stars to crazy cookies with silly emoji faces, users can make pretend cookies in more than 15 different ways with the cookie cutters, rolling stamper and moulds.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar Rainbow Designs Stand E120 The Very Hungry Caterpillar looks set to take centre stage at this year’s Toy Fair thanks to the classic character’s 50th anniversary and an exciting new nursery toy range from Rainbow Designs. This new collection features a beautiful selection of products crafted specifically for the newborn to 18 months age range. Rainbow Designs will also be launching a colourful and super cuddly, Made With Love Very Hungry Caterpillar, created from knit fabric with beautifully embroidered detail to give a stylish homespun feel.

Taf Toys Koala Daydream Tummy Time Book Halilit Stand E90 A double-sided soft baby book for two developmental stages with lovely illustrations and multi-sensory textures along with fun activities for baby. Uses flip and play concept with standing feature to encourage tummy time.

LICENSOR SPOTLIGHT

Reach for the stars! There’s a raft of new product available for the upcoming Toy Story 4 movie through Disney’s collaboration with Thinkway, as heroes Woody and Buzz are now able to fall down on command, as revealed at Toy Fair – plus there’s a sneak peek at items inspired by new character Forky Disney has unveiled an exclusive first look at the latest Disney-Pixar Toy Story 4 product offering from Thinkway, at London Toy Fair. The reveal is ahead of the hotly-anticipated release of Toy Story 4 which hits UK cinemas from 21 June 2019. The exciting range by Thinkway includes favourites Woody and Buzz, but as never seen before – for the first time, the 12-inch Buzz and 16-inch Woody action figures host new and innovative capabilities allowing them to be voice activated and fall-down, bringing the film’s storytelling from screen to real life. The latest products also use the most advanced Woody, Darran Garnham, Buzz, Claire Terry and Jessie at London Toy Fair

voice command technology on the franchise’s 12-inch toy figure category to date. There are a number of interactive play patterns that let youngsters engage with Buzz and Woody in a dynamic new way – the toys are highly responsive and drop on command like magic. Also revealed for the first time by Disney and Thinkway is a select product line dedicated to new character Forky, Bonnie’s reluctant new toy, with figures that feature interactive and dancing capabilities. Forky was first introduced in the Toy Story 4 teaser trailer released in November 2018, seen by 1.9 million people in the UK alone, and will go on to play a memorable role in the upcoming movie. Products revealed at London Toy Fair include: Sheriff Woody with Interactive Drop-Down Action As seen in the movies, Sheriff Woody drops down and stays motionless whenever people

come near, and now he can respond to kidfriendly Voice Commands. Say “Someone’s coming!” and Woody will freeze, drop and go into Silent Toy Mode. Say “Okay, no one’s here,” and Woody comes back to life with interactive voice and actions. You can also play with him as a regular pull-string toy to hear his classic toy lines. Buzz Lightyear with Interactive Drop-Down Action Like his best friend Woody, Buzz Lightyear also responds to the same Voice Commands to ensure he is inanimate whenever he needs to be. He will drop down and switch to Silent Toy Mode if you tell him “Quiet, go to sleep”. This Space Ranger also comes with a built-in smart sensor. He knows if he’s fallen and asks for your help to get back up when the coast is clear. To hear his classic toy lines, press the voice sampler buttons on his chest. For twice the fun, collect both Buzz and Woody action figures – see them drop down and come alive again together upon hearing your voice commands! Interactive Forky Walks, Talks & Dances Activate Forky and he will move forward and backwards while coming alive by moving his arms and body from left to right! Forky’s feet tap along to his movements and there’s a Dancing Mode activation that means he can move to any external music or sounds. Forky will even respond to you in Talkback Mode! Disney and Thinkway also revealed further Forky lines at London Toy Fair, which included Push ’n’ Talk Forky, Forky Free Wheeling Talking Action Figure and Walk & Tap Forky.

The toys are highly responsive and drop on command like magic Mike Stagg, SVP & GM, Retail Nordics, UK and Ireland, Digital Commerce at The Walt Disney Company, says: “We’re so excited to bring Toy Story back to UK audiences in 2019 as they have such a strong affinity to the franchise – Toy Story 3 still remains at the top spot for the highest grossing animation yet in the UK. “And we’re confident audiences will love Toy Story 4 just as much, both the amazing storytelling in the movie itself as well as our product offering – the most innovative and technically advanced Toy Story range we’ve ever seen.” Claire Terry, Commercial Director, Hardlines at The Walt Disney Company, adds: “We’re so pleased we’re able to showcase Thinkway’s new lines at London Toy Fair, from the drop-down Woody and Buzz products to the interactive toy featuring new character Forky. “The innovation and storytelling that went into developing these toys is second-to-none, and we’re sure that consumers will have a fantastic experience with them. “We also can’t wait to showcase the full product portfolio across multiple licensees and retailers in the spring ahead of the film’s June release.” Darran Garnham, Chief Executive Officer, MTW Toys, says: “Thinkway Toys arise known for creating fun with technology and bringing toys to life. Our range for Toy Story 4 will include some ground-breaking new toys to delight children of all ages.” To date, Disney-Pixar’s Toy Story movies have grossed almost £1.54 billion ($2 billion) at the box office globally, and Toy Story 3 remains the UK’s highest grossing animated film, taking more than £74 million at the box office. When the original Toy Story movie was released on 22 November,1995, it was the first fully computeranimated feature film and the highest grossing movie of the year. The franchise has continued to go from strength to strength, winning many accolades including an Oscar, Golden Globe and BAFTA for best animated feature film for Toy Story 3. Disney-Pixar’s Toy Story 4 product will be on shelf at UK retail outlets from 22 April, 2019.

Designed for impact and practicality our bespoke display units are typically seen in all the major supermarkets, DIY stores & garden centres, they canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t fail to grab attention at the point of sale. These large and more complex structures require specialist design and production techniques. Our expert team will guide you through the process â&#x20AC;&#x201C; turning your ideas into reality. Using a wide array of printing capabilities & finishing techniques we can provide economical full-colour print solutions for these specialised items in both small & large quantities. Visit us at Stand 124 to tell us about any requirements We also manufacture...

NEWS

P O T O

Getting down to work is easy for Theo Klein’s UK and Ireland Sales Manager Sina Sterz with their Bosch Chainsaw and Drill on stand B25

HASB lle Ga Marketing Director Simon Kohler and Brand Manager Montana Hoeren have a magical mystery tour on Hornby’s stand B20 as they’re waiting to catch the Hogwarts Express on the Harry Potter Train Set

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Sally Mason, Sales Manager for Ginger Fox, is up to the task with the Licensed Taskmaster board game on stand B115

Plankton – aka Alpha Group’s Brand Manager Reg Sookee – gets into character modeling the Spongebob Sponge Heads on stand B90

Patchwork planet Eco warrior AB Gee’s Alex Minchin shows off the company’s own Patchwork Collection on Stand B40. “It’s all about earthy, natural colours, and beautifully made, craft-orientated product,” says the Marketing Manager.

Lexibook’s Sales Manager Davin Pannet hanging out with his PJ Masks pals and showing off Educational Robot friends Power Man and Power Girl on stand B18

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Gloucester House Basildon Essex SS14 3BX UK

Don’t miss at Toy Fair! We bring to the fore a selection of the hottest and newest products that will help you sell more. Buyers and retailers, get in touch with your sales contacts!

Product: DreamWorks Dragons playsets Company: Playmobil Web: www.playmobil.co.uk Stand: Upper Level 210

Product: Caring Cats Company: Eduk8 Web: www.eduk8worldwide.com Stand: F1

Product: High Flying Jett Company: Alpha Animation Web: www.alpha-animation.co.uk Stand: B90

Product: Casdon Tetley Tea Set Company: Casdon Web: www.casdon.co.uk Stand: E30

Product: Molang Company: Tomy Web: www.tomy.com Stand: Upper Level 520

Product: How to Train Your Dragon, The Hidden World, Plush Company: Posh Paws International Web: Posh Paws International Stand: D90

Product: Bing and Flop Company: Golden Bear Web: www.goldenbeartoys.com Stand: E69

Product: Google kNOW! Game Company: Ravensburger Ltd Web: www.ravensburger.com Stand: E140

Product: Dirty Dinos Company: Orchard Toys Web: www.orchardtoys.com Stand: B12

Product: Rocking Unicorn Carousel Company: Le Toy Van Web: www.letoyvan.com Stand: E10

Product: Pet_Bits Company: Clementoni Web: www.clementoni.com Stand: Upper Level 140

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MAKING CHILDREN SMILE

Golden Bear Products Ltd

www.goldenbeartoys.com Tel: 01952 608 308 customerservices@goldenbeartoys.co.uk

EXPERT SPOTLIGHT

Bureau Veritas

Stand GH36

Line up for inspection Increasing product quality, reducing consumer returns and speeding up your supply chain – InSpec by BV is a new online platform from Bureau Veritas CPS The value of inspections for both retailers and brands

*COST OF QUALITY IMPACT

With decreasing product life cycles, there is an increased need for speed to market in order to service product demand and customers’ expectations. The challenge for retailers to deliver quality products, on time and in the correct order quantity is increasingly important. Product inspections look at the quality of the goods at different stages of the product life cycle. They serve to verify that the products shipped to the client meets the consumers’ quality expectations and are fit for purpose. INITIAL PRODUCTION INSPECTION Performed at the outset of production to permit timely corrections and improvements before bulk production. DURING PRODUCTION INSPECTION Allows you to check that corrective actions are being adhered to and conformity of production is maintained. FINAL RANDOM INSPECTION Verification of quantity, workmanship, function, colour, size, specifications, marking, packing.

By starting the process at the very early stages of production, brands and retailers can identify and correct issues before they start to impact delivery deadlines. An inspection process at any stage of manufacturing can strengthen and protect your brands image, improve product quality and reduce the number of returned defective products.

* These numbers are based on BV and public domain data sources and represent a simulation only. BV cannot be held accountable for different reasons.

Introducing InSpec Bureau Veritas has introduced a new online platform called InSpec by BV to help with quality management throughout the toy supply chain. The ecommerce platform launches with consumer product inspection services; one of the most critical services for buyers who need to verify that what they ordered is what is being produced. The streamlined booking process enables you to book your product inspections online in a matter of seconds. Why inSpec? Verifying first run quality requirements can help product consistency and minimise wasted time, scrap product, rework and shipping delays – particularly useful for high-risk products and new factories. An inspection during production check ensures that goods being produced continue to meet quality requirements – recommended for medium-risk products and poorly-performing existing factories. Finally, a pre-shipment inspection can assess whether final product meets all quality specifications (colour, workmanship, label, function, fit, packaging of product, etc.) and can be shipped without delay. InSpec by BV also acts as a central hub of quality and industry updates covering recalls, returns, regulatory news and inspection and audit best practice guidance. Thanks to the knowledge and experience of our 12,000 plus quality professionals, our Insight Centre provides you with the insights to drive improved performance, competitive advantage, innovation, and continuous improvement within your organisation. Find out more at our stand GH36 or visit www.inspec-bv.com

Schleich_Farm_World_Daily_News.pdf

CMY

10/01/2019

12:08 pm

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DAILY

Your team Editor

Additional Reporting Tracey Bearton

Georgie Dobie georgie@lemapublishing.co.uk

Additional Reporting

Advertising

Additional Reporting

Simon Davies simon@lemapublishing.co.uk

Penny Franks

Chairman

Sally Norton

Malcolm Naish

Publishing Director

Kate Birch

Additional Reporting Additional Reporting Tierney Spence

Mark Naish mark@lemapublishing.co.uk

Additional Reporting

Production Director

Production Design

Paul Naish paul@lemapublishing.co.uk

Marian McNamara

Naomi Mackay

Do you have some breaking news or hot stories? Then visit Toys ’n’ Playthings on stand E1.

Google it! Announcing its biggest launch of the year, Ravensburger, stand E140, has partnered for the first time with Google to create brand-new board game Know! The Google Game. A general knowledge trivia quiz for families, it’s the first board game to work with Google Assistant and can be played both online or offline. This means the questions are always bang up-to-date, and there are endless questions, so you’ll never run out plus they can be personalised. “This is our biggest board game launch of the year and it comes with TV advertising and a full marketing campaign,” says Cornee Marlow, Ravensburger Marketing Manager.

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A different species of construction toy

Simple shape, endless possibilities!

Building beautiful creations

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Worlds finest model horses

Delightful bath toys

DKL Marketing Ltd, 11 Deer Park Road, Northampton, NN3 6QD, UK

facebook.com/DKL.Toys

01604 678780 • sales@dkl.co.uk • www.dkltoys.co.uk

twitter.com/DKLtoys

NEWS On yer bike! MV Sports’ MD Steve Grant shows off the Spider-Man 16-inch bike, new for Toy Fair over on stand B30. This set of wheels is just one of the Disney licensed products for the company. “2019 is a big film year for us,” says Steve.

Barking up right tree

The wheel thing It’s amazing what you can make from cardboard – the lovely folk at N Smith Packaging & Display have even managed to create a working ferris wheel. The wheel, which also lights up, has been created to show ‘’just what you can create from cardboard,’’ says MD Nigel Reynolds, pictured on Upper Level 124 124. Nigel and Steve Wilkinson, Sales Director, want to show exhibitors what they can achieve with a temporary solution for seasonal displays.

It’s an exciting year ahead for popular pre-school property PAW Patrol on Spin Master’s stand E131, which is delivering a brand-new range, including the TV-promoted PAW Patrol Ultimate Rescue Construction Truck. Having just made the Toy Fair’s Hero Toys 2019 list, this fully-equipped dump truck has all the action-packed features kids need to create their very own rescue missions with Rubble (pictured left), who drives the construction vehicle, and Skye (pictured right). “PAW Patrol continues to go from strength to strength,” says Charlotte Yates, Spin Master Marketing Manager. “There will be new PAW Patrol content throughout 2019 with a new film in May and a new TV series with brand-new themes in autumn/winter.”

Newspaper_Ad.pdf

8/1/2019

11:00 PM