Toys n Playthings June 2019 by Lema Publishing

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Helping everyone sell more

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2019 June 9 8 No. Vol. 3

CONTENTS 019 May 2 No. 8 3 l. Vo 8

Chairman Malcolm Naish malcolm@lemapublishing.co.uk

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Regular 5

Leader – with Mark Naish

News – the latest toy industry headlines

10 Media news – the multimedia rundown 11 People news – all the movers and shakers 12 Movie news – what’s happening on the big screen

Managing Director Mark Naish mark@lemapublishing.co.uk

Editor Mairead Wilmot mairead@lemapublishing.co.uk

Editor Georgie Dobie georgie@lemapublishing.co.uk

Media Solutions Manager Simon Davis simon@lemapublishing.co.uk

Writer Naomi MacKay naomi@lemapublishing.co.uk

Writer Sarah Welsh

Digital Publisher Mirella Anstey mirella@ltw.media

Digital Editor Rhys Thomas rhys@ltw.media

Production Director Paul Naish paul@lemapublishing.co.uk

Design and Production Marian McNamara marian@lemapublishing.co.uk

14 Licensing news – the latest on licensed products 18

Retail news – the latest from the retail landscape

22 Coffee Break - We take a break with Nigel Phan, founder of toy box subscription service Whirli, to discover more about this unusual business model 22 Talking retail – retailers chat to us about trends and boys’ toys 30 What’s new – new products that you need to get your hands on 58 S tep back in time – a slice of toy history from the industry’s longest running magazine 59 Don’t miss – unmissable products for all buyers and retailers

Features 32 Pocket money toys - This product category is rising to the challenge. They may have a small price point but are big on appeal 45 STEM/STEAM Ambassadors special - TnP’s little ambassadors put some of the best STEM/STEAM products on the market to the test 52 Bikes and Trikes - TnP takes a closer look at the growth of the bikes and trikes category – a canny area for licensed product

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Special Report 17 Toymaster Review - TnP brings you a round-up of this year’s Toymaster May Show 20 Retail update: The Entertainer – TnP chats with The Entertainer’s Founder Gary Grant about the toy retailer’s plans for the ELC brand 20 D istoy review – TnP reflects on the success of this year’s Distoy show 24 R etail interview - With a swanky new shop set to open in the South Kensington museum TnP catches up with The Science Museum’s Sarah Ottewill

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Circulation Manager Robert Thomas robert@lemapublishing.co.uk

Lema Publishing Ltd

PUBLISHING

1 Churchgates, The Wilderness, Berkhamsted, Herts, HP4 2UB Telephone: 01442 289930

At the heart of retail A member of the Audit Bureau of Circulation

Independently audited ABC circulation of 5,112

1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018

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8 Trends column - Kristin Morency Goldman of Toy Association considers how toy companies are taking slime and putty to the next level 13 Media analysis - Generation Media’s Alex Taylor-Smith reflects on the performance of traditional forms of media in the first quarter 16

aining insight – The Insights People reflect on the increasing G popularity of video games – in particular movie-video game tie-ins

23 R etail opinion – John Ryan shines a spotlight on the matter of merchandising in a small shop 26 The Independent/Secret Supplier – our dynamic duo talk about ‘crazes’

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2019

LEADER

A member of the Audit Bureau of Circulation

Independently audited ABC circulation of 5,112 1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018

PUBLISHING

At the heart of retail Also by Lema Publishing

Mark

’m not sure how, but we’ve already Naish come to the sixth month of the year. Sadly the weather hasn’t quite realised that we are now in summer, but the sun did have the courtesy to shine on Harrogate throughout the duration of the Toymaster Show. And what a show it was! Bringing together over 600 independent retailers and suppliers from the toy industry, the event was one to remember. Order forms were exchanging hands like it was going out of fashion at the May Show, the Majestic Hotel renovations looked great and there was a real sense of optimism for times to come. Congratulations to all who won a Toby Award in recognition for their contribution P28 to the industry – and to the industry stalwarts who have been welcomed into the was delighted to receive an Golden Teddy Hall of Fame: Craig Richards invite to the premiere of of Mattel and long-standing Character Aladdin – which by the Group Rep Philip Richardson. way is well worth a watch! This month also saw hundreds of suppliers We especially loved the and distributors from around the world flock Aladdin range from Jakks to London for the Distoy show. The event was Pacific at the Toymaster buzzing with activity as companies met to Show. Of course, everyone check in with current distributors and present is looking ahead to the their products to those who could introduce end of June for a big release them to new territories. for the toy industry and The last month has been one of celebration licensing in general. Toy Story 4 is – thank you to Gibsons Games for inviting scheduled for UK release on 21 June. us to join your centenary celebrations. It was Mattel brings Hot Wheels to our June a real privilege to share that with you and P50 cover. Don't miss Mattel’s cover so many of your colleagues, story on pages 28-29 to learn customers, suppliers and friends. more about the company’s plans for The month has also been one Order forms Hot Wheels and to find out about the of loss. Our thoughts are with were exchanging exciting collaboration between the the friends and family of Don brand and YouTube sensations, The F2. Stephen, a toy industry veteran hands like it was We’ve also taken the time to seek and one of the longest-serving going out of fashion out some of the best pocket money members of the Fence Club, who toys on the market this year. The has passed away aged 88. at the May Show category of bikes and trikes also gets And it has been one of a few a thorough inspection as the summer groans – our friends at the US holidays wheel onto the horizon. And our little toy testers Toy Association is spearheading an industryget stuck into STEM/STEAM and share their thoughts on wide revolt against President Trump’s most Learning Resources Artie 3000, Zimpli Kids’ Gelli Worlds recently proposed tariffs, which would for the and a couple of Meccano sets from Spin Master. first time directly impact toys. And of course there’s plenty more to pour over, On the retail front, May saw the sale of including our retail interview with the Science Museum Hamleys to India’s richest man – Mukesh and an update from The Entertainer Ambani, owner following the company’s of the largest acquisition of the franchisee of ELC brand. Hamleys, Reliance industries. And John Lewis scooped up four awards at the annual P52 GlobalData customer satisfaction awards, including the Best Retailer category. And where movies are concerned, TnP

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NEWS

Hasbro water park to make a splash

Hasbro brands including Nerf, Monopoly and My Little Pony will feature in a new Malaysian theme park. The world’s first outdoor Hasbro-themed water park is to open as the ‘anchor’ of a major new tourist destination. The new water park will occupy 20 of the 600-acres of Melaka Tourism City, a new project from Malaysian property developer Meridian Berhad, which will work with tourism developer M101 Holdings on the Hasbro-themed zone. Last year, the toymaker unveiled plans with Imagine Resorts and Hotels for a resort featuring themed hotel rooms and an indoor water park. The destination will feature themed rooms, indoor water attractions, entertainment and food offerings centred around Hasbro brands. Its location is yet to be revealed.

Hamleys goes to India’s richest man Hamleys, the world’s oldest toy store, has been sold to its biggest franchisee, Reliance Industries, which is owned by billionaire Mukesh Ambani. Hamleys was sold by Chinese owner C.banner in a deal worth almost £70m. The Chinese footwear group bought the brand in 2015 for £100m. Hamleys will be operated by Reliance Industries’ retail arm Reliance Brands. The iconic toy retailer delivered a

loss after tax of £8,642,000 for the full-year 2017, blaming the “difficult” state of retail, high rents and foreign currency rates.

Did you know?

New Hamleys owner Mukesh Ambani is India’s richest man with a $50 billion fortune. His family live in the most expensive house ever built in India, and his daughter’s wedding celebrations included a private concert by Beyoncé.

David Martin gets some Insights

Former Funrise UK Director David Martin has joined marketing intelligence group The Insights People as Chief Commercial Officer. The company has hired the veteran toy executive to drive future growth, working with the research team to develop new projects and services. David brings with him a wealth of experience of the toy and licensing industry. Other changes see Jenny Kieras promoted to Chief Operating Officer, and Jonathan Watson promoted from Product Manager to Chief Product Officer. In the US, renowned kids and family researcher Amy Henry arrives as a US Insights and Strategy Specialist. The company has also brought in Alex Rapley as Client

Flying start for Nuremberg

It’s time to register for the 2020 Spielwarenmesse, which opens its doors from 29 January to 2 February. Already a firm fixture for many exhibitors, the show will also see a whole host of new companies exhibiting in Nuremberg for the first time.

30 June Last date for registration for 2020 Spielwarenmesse.

Revell owner acquires Carrera

The parent company of Revell, Quantum Capital Partners (QCP) has acquired Stadlbauer Marketing and Vertrieb (SMV), Carrera brand owner. Through this strategic acquisition, Quantum will strengthen its position in the toy industry. In 2018, QCP acquired Revell GmbH, a leading manufacturer of plastic model kits as well as radiocontrolled toys. With its Carrera brand, SMV is renowned for slot race cars worldwide. In addition, SMV also develops and distributes radio-controlled vehicles under the Carerra RC brand. GM of Carrera Norman Frömmer says: “Joining forces, Stadlbauer and Revell will be able to create a solid player with a compelling and powerful product portfolio in the international market. With the support of Quantum, Stadlbauer is guaranteeing its future.”

US Toy Association leads revolt

The US Toy Association is spearheading an industry-wide revolt against President Trump’s recentlyproposed China tariffs, which would for the first time directly impact toys. Tariffs of 25 per cent are already levied against around $200 billion worth of the goods shipped into the States from the Far East, and under new plans drawn up by Trump, the remaining $300bn Chinese imports would carry the same duty. The Toy Association has joined up with multi-industry coalition Americans for Free Trade to tackle the tariff proposal, which president and CEO Steve Pasierb says hangs like a “dark tariff cloud threatening the toy and retail communities”. Acting on behalf of US toy firms, the Toy Association has taken to Capitol Hill to lead industry advocacy efforts and raise awareness of the damaging impact to businesses and consumers should a duty be imposed.

tnp.media

NEWS Fair game

Peterkin scores for charity

Leicester toy manufacturer and distributor Peterkin has helped a team of refugees win the Hong Kong Homeless World Cup. The company, and Group MD Simon Blacker, supports Christian Action in its work in Hong Kong, where it runs the Christian Action Centre for Refugees. Peterkin donations have gone towards the weekly football training programme, new football kits and training footballs for the cup-winning squad. The team, called UCCA-CFR (United Colours of Christian Action* – Centre for Refugees) is not only a much-needed recreational programme, but also helps to increase physical and mental health; achieve collective responsibility and reliability, build team spirit and empower its members. Mike Rose, U.C.C.A Football Manager/AmbassadorVolunteer and Birmingham City supporter, says: ‘’Although Mr Blacker is an Aston Villa supporter, he should be forgiven for his early poor life choices, and praised for the support he has given to our clients and Christian Action – Centre for Refugees. It means so much to us.’’

In 2018…

Christian Action served more than 20,000 meals, provided 72 days of emergency shelter, offered 88 educational classes, held more than 5,000 client contact sessions and provided more than 400 hours of counselling. It also received 15 new clients and welcomed 18 newborn babies.

Gemma ceases trading

Licensed greetings company’s Gemma International is to cease trading. MD Amanda Parkin has written to the company’s agents to inform them of the impending closure. The Andover-based company, which has been in business for 34 years, is seeking a Creditors Voluntary Liquidation with all creditors, including suppliers, retailers, and licensors, involved in the process. Gemma was set up in 1984 by Lindesay and Margaret Rudd-Clarke, parents to Amanda and Licensing Director Tim Rudd-Clarke, after they moved on from the toy shops they founded in 1977 and diversified into cards and wrap. Over the years their licensing portfolio grew to include brands such as Pokémon, Peppa Pig, PJ Masks, Mr Me & Little Miss, and Super Mario among others.

APRIL2019 2019 JUNE

1,200

For the upcoming Kind + Jugend trade fair, that is to be held later this year The number between 19 and 22 September 2019, Koelnmesse of exhibitors is once again expecting excellent supplier expected at Kin participation. With around 1,200 exhibitors from d + Jugend this year around 50 countries – and more than 85 per cent from around travelling from abroad – Kind + Jugend is a key date 50 different in the diary for all across the baby and children’s countries outfitting industry. In addition to popular suppliers across all segments, many smaller and medium-sized companies will be showing the innovations and further developments we can expect in the coming season. In addition to this, start-ups will enjoy more visibility at the trade fair in the context of pavilions. With the baby carriage, children’s car seat, children’s furniture, textile and care outfitting, hygiene item, educational toys and toys sections, Kind + Jugend covers the entire product spectrum for the first years of babies and toddlers. The number of suppliers who exhibit at Kind + Jugend in 2019 once again include Bugaboo, Mattel and Silver Cross. Samantha Newton, Global Chief Marketing Officer, Silver Cross says: “Silver Cross is pleased to return to Kind + Jugend this year. This is a fantastic opportunity to present our new, exciting collections to international partners from the whole world.”

Silver celebration

Learning Resources is celebrating its 25th anniversary. It all started with three little bears. Before the arrival of the Three Bear Family counters (also known as Compare Bears) coloured counters could simply bee sorted into colour groups. Three Bear Family Counters, on the other hand, could be sorted by colour, by size and by weight. Suddenly three aspects of learning could be experienced by young learners while manipulating just one resource, improving children’s hands-on learning. Did you know? Founder and MD, Dennis Blackmore started the Learning Resources began European subsidiary of Learning Resources Inc life in a living room in from his living room in King’s Lynn. The company King’s Lynn, Norfolk. now supplies products to more than 60 countries across Europe, the Middle East, India and Africa and employs 37 people.

Re:creation buys Mightymast Re:creation has completed the acquisition of Mightymast Leisure, an industry leader in the world of games and sports equipment. Established for more than 30 years, Mightymast’s products include a comprehensive range of gaming tables including table football, air hockey and table tennis. The agreement will see Mightymast join Re:creation’s brand line-up including Razor, Wham-O and LEGO Lights.

Interrail special

Wildcard Games has linked up with Interrail to offer Interrailers their own special Interrail limited edition of the top-selling travel game Mapominoes, based on the countries you can visit with the Interrail pass. MD Sean Byrne says: “There’s a great fit between both brands. Mapominoes with its travel/geographical theme is already very popular with holidaymakers and perfect for playing on the train. More than 60,000 people come from all over the world to go Interrailing each year, so it’s a fantastic opportunity to promote the Mapominoes range around the world.’’

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NEWS

Zimpli digital stars

Happy 100th!

Zimpli Kids has increased its marketing department substantially over the past year and has more recently taken on a team of apprentices to increase their marketing activity worldwide. Meet Oliver, Beth, Niamh and Elizabeth, Zimpli Kids digital marketing apprentices and stars of the Zimpli Instagram channel, which has just hit 10k.

Last month saw Gibsons celebrate its 100th birthday in style at the Museum of London. Kate Gibson, MD of Gibsons says: “It’s was great to commemorate our 100th anniversary with so many colleagues, customers, suppliers and friends of the company and where better to celebrate than the Museum of London, which is just a stone’s throw away from the original Gibsons office in Aldersgate Street. I would like to thank A lasting impression everyone who made the Those who attended the effort to travel far and Gibsons’ centenary reception wide to attend. We had a were able to take home a wonderful night – here’s to special souvenir book. the next 100 years!”

Generation Media’s charity quiz biz Last month, more than 60 industry members from media owners, such as Disney and SuperAwesome, competed in teams to win a charity pub quiz hosted by Generation Media. The event was held in London to raise funds for the Toy Trust. Agatha Quiztee, a team made up of Generation Media, Sky and SuperAwesome, took home the winning prize, but the real winner of the night was the toy industry’s charity. More than £1000 was raised for the Toy Trust through tickets and a raffle. Generation Media will continue fundraising in the run up to The Big Challenge Toy Trust event where team members will be participating in the 5km and 10km runs. Graham Canning, Toy Trust Committee Chairman says: “We are hugely grateful to Generation Media for their continued support of the Toy Trust.”

Schleich expands into US Schleich is set to expand its footprint across the US with a new regional brand experience in select flagship toy stores nationwide. The latest shops to open include ABC & Toy Zone in Rochester, Minnesota and three flagship locations in Beverly Hills and San Mateo, California, as well as the Boston suburb of Kingston, Massachusetts.

Schleich shops planned for the US

TRENDS: COMPOUND CRAZY Kristin Morency Goldman considers how toy companies are taking slime and putty to the next level to engage children Toy companies are taking it up a notch with compounds this year, offering kids a variety of new and exciting ways to play with reusable substances such as slime, kinetic sand, dough, putty, and more. “Building on the slime craze that ramped up a couple of years ago, compounds can now be found in all types of toys – from collectables and family games to science experiments and more,” says Adrienne Appell, senior trend expert at The Toy Association in the US. “Not only are compounds 8

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The act of kneading and squishing exercises little muscles and joints and lowers anxiety and stress, while the openended nature of compound play nurtures curiosity, logical thinking, and creativity

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tactile and fun, they allow kids to familiarise themselves with different textures and styles of design and construction.” According to The Genius of Play, The Toy Association’s non-profit initiative dedicated to raising awareness of play’s vital role in child development, playing with dough, sand, foam, and other compounds builds physical as well as cognitive skills in children. The act of kneading and squishing exercises little muscles and joints and lowers

tnp.media

Funrise signs Cat toy deal

Mind the Gap

Funrise has signed a new multi-year toy license with construction equipment manufacturer Caterpillar. The Cat toy line from Funrise is expected to Did you know? include motorised toys, toys with lights and Caterpillar’s history dates sounds, and radio control that are perfect for back to 1886 when Benjamin indoor and outdoor play, as well free-wheeling Holt built his first combined toys in different scales, and Cat machines made harvester in California. of metal, all appropriate for ages three and up.

Plenty of Playfoam in-store

Hamleys and Learning Resources kicked off the Whitsun holidays with Playfoam in-store demonstrations from Paul Metcalfe, for three days over the Bank Holiday weekend. The Playfoam in-store display features 4-packs and 8-packs of Playfoam, Playfoam Go!, and Playfoam Pals. Hamleys also offered an extra 20% off normal prices during the event.

LIMA takes a new name

Licensing industry trade body LIMA has been rebranded Licensing International to better reflect the multifaceted, increasingly global ‘licensing industry of tomorrow’. Under the new banner and with a refreshed brand identity, the organisation is reinforcing the central role it plays in advocacy and support for the global licensing trade. The new name in particular aims to convey the its global reach, with offices in 12 countries around the world and support for dozens of local and international trade events, as well as licensing’s emergence and rapid evolution in markets around the world. But it’s not just a facelift. As Licensing International, the organisation has committed to place renewed focus on its key goals of fostering growth and expansion of licensing globally, raising the level of professionalism of licensing executives, and generating greater awareness of the benefits of licensing in the wider business community.

anxiety and stress, while the open-ended nature of compound play nurtures curiosity, logical thinking, and creativity. ‘Compound Crazy’ was one of the hottest toy trends of the year announced by The Toy Association at Toy Fair New York in February. Read on for some product examples that will be exciting and delighting kids all year long: Ooze Labs: Super-Expanding Instant Snow (Thames & Kosmos): simply combine the non-toxic snow powder with water and watch as the mixture expands to hundreds of times its original size, creating a light and fluffy material resembling snow.

JUNE 2019

Fifty seven players from all corners of the Toy Trade, kept their fingers crossed for a dry round at the Orchard Toys GAP Golf Day last month. Held at Burghley Park Golf Club in Stamford and organised by Simon Prest and his team, only a few players were caught by a little drizzle for the last two holes, which didn’t dampen spirits. With handicaps ranging from three to 36, and warmed up by liqueur shots and sausage rolls handed out by Jon Mallabar driving the refreshment buggy, Tiger Woods would have been pleased with some of the shots made. Except for the approach shot on the 18th, played by Character’s Richard Dinham, which ended up in the Pro Shop, and helped Richard bag the prize for shot of the day. After the round, a little networking and a carvery meal, it was time for prize giving. This year it was great to have seven ladies playing and Liz Price from Cheatwell Games came out on top with 30 points off a 28 handicap. Congratulations to the team of Paul Pike, Gavin Patrick, Stu Nicholas and Susan Watts for getting the highest score. Simon Newbery, MD of Orchard Toys, beat a returning Bradley Dodds from BigJigs to the Overall Winner title though, taking home £125, a bottle of bubbly and the infamous GAP Day trophy for his stunning 40 points off a 16 handicap. Simon would like to thank everyone for making it a memorable day and looks forward to repeating it in 2020.

Playmobil scoops AIS award

Playmobil bagged the award for Best Stand at the AIS Show. The stand at last month’s show featured life-size figures of Del, Marla and Rex, the main characters from the upcoming movie, alongside a selection of the tie-in playsets. Toys on display included Rex Dasher’s Porsche Mission E, Del’s Food Truck and Marla and Del with Flying Horse, all mounted on a podium with a mock red carpet.

Playfoam Pals Fantasy Friends (Learning Resources): an additional layer of suspense is added to this unboxing toy – kids have to dig through the pods of sparkling Playfoam to discover which collectable Fantasy Friend is buried inside. Make Your Own Llama DIY Kit (Iscream): sculpt your own super dough llama with Iscream’s new dough kit. Roll and shape the different color doughs, then add detail using the modeling tool supplied.

SloFlo (Play Visions): compress this new compound into any shape and watch it slowly separate and start to flow like magic. SlimyGloop Mix’Ems (Horizon Group USA): a fun and easy way to capture the excitement of slime making and mixing, with less mess and more play. Kids can create everything from a shark-infested slime filled with a squishy shark, or mix up their own tropical punch with vibrant flamingos.

Interested in discovering next year’s hit toy and games? Mark your calendar for Toy Fair New York 2020 – visit www.ToyFairNY.com to learn more. 9

MEDIA

NEWS

Cry Babies launch Season 2 The second season of popular animated series Cry Babies Magic Tears has launched on YouTube. Season 1 of IMC Toys’ animated series has already achieved more than 250 million views, 770k YouTube subscribers and 25 Mio unique viewers in just eight months. Broadcast partners have been Pet House - July secured on some of the top TV channels in Winged House - August Europe, including Nick Jr, Disney channel Dummy House - September and Frisbee. In the UK, Season 1 episodes are available to view on kids VOD channel, Ketchup TV, Amazon Prime and Instagram TV. Season 2 sees longer episodes (now five minutes each) with a new episode rolling out every two weeks.

New products

Stay with The Powerpuff Girls! A hotel in Taiwan has revealed Cartoon-Network-themed rooms, where stars of Adventure Time, The Powerpuff Girls and We Bare Bears welcome guests on five floors of the hotel. Hotel Cozzi Ximen Tainan’s branded experience begins at the entrance, where there is a 3.5m-tall sculpture of Finn and Jake from Adventure Time. The theming continues in 54 rooms, in the Cartoon Network Party Café, at the hotel’s indoor recreation area and outdoor Funky Field playground.

Dr Who goes virtual Doctor Who fans can set off on their own time-travelling adventure with a new videogame out this September. Doctor Who: The Edge Of Time is a fully-interactive VR videogame, featuring the voice of current Dr, Jodie Whittaker. Armed with the iconic Sonic Screwdriver, players will solve mindbending puzzles, grapple with classic monsters and encounter new horizons in a quest to find the Doctor and defeat a powerful force that threatens to destroy the fabric of reality. Developed by immersive entertainment studio Maze Theory, Doctor Who: The Edge Of Time will launch on PlayStation VR, Oculus Rift, Oculus, HTC Vive and Vive Cosmos.

400 million Blippi’s monthly views on YouTube

Jazwares picks up Blippi Edutainer and hit YouTuber Blippi has signed Jazwares as master toy partner, with a full range of products set to debut next spring. Blippi is an energetic and loveable character clad in orange and blue, known for his goofy mannerisms and friendly demeanour, and who teaches young kids about everything from helicopters to recycling. The new toy range will feature products inspired by Blippi’s most-watched content, including collectable blinds, figures, vehicles, playsets, plush, novelties, musical instruments, bath toys and more. In just a few years, Blippi has become one of the most popular kids’ entertainment entities worldwide with more than 400 million monthly views on YouTube and more than eight billion total views, as well as a hit show on Amazon Video.

Doctor Who: The Edge of Time is released in September.

Playmobil teams up with Nick Jr. Playmobil has teamed with with Nick Jr. for its latest advertising partnership. The strategic campaign will run until the end of October, with Playmobil creating bespoke idents for the coveted evening slot, 5-7pm. The advertising placements will appear on Nick Jr. and Nick Jr. Too, as part of its sponsorship of Playful Evenings on Nick Jr. The partnership is the latest in a number of UK broadcast campaigns for the brand, including a summer-long partnership with The Club with Bex, which runs 4-7pm on Fun Kids Radio.

tnp.media

PEOPLE

NEWS New head for NPD Toys

Three decades of service After 31 years representing Character Options to retailers in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, Philip Richardson is to retire from the role at the end of August. Managing Director Joe Kissane says: ‘’Philip was with us from the very beginning, he was there through tough times but also enjoyed the successful years. Myself, Richard, Jon and Kiran will always be grateful for his loyalty, commitment and the 100 per cent support he gave in helping Character grow into the successful business it is today. Philip and I first met when we both worked at LEGO 40 years ago. He has been a great friend as well as a loyal employee; he will be sadly missed.’’ Banaghan & Co has been appointed to represent the company and its products to the independent trade retailers for the Republic and Northern Ireland plus the Isle of Man. Ireland-based national accounts will be handled directly by the internal Character sales team.

MGA appoints new VP MGA Entertainment has named Ratna Kirpal as its new Vice President of Global Licensing. Ratna, who joins from The Walt Disney Company, is charged with developing and growing L.O.L Surprise, Little Tikes and other best-selling MGA toy IP in collaboration with external partners and internally with MGA’s retail, promotions and experiences divisions. Ratna says she is adopting an “open for business” approach when it comes to existing partners “to deliver smart, creative and original licensing programs”.

The NPD Group has named François Klipfel president of the company’s Europe Toys business. NPD offers services for the toys industry in 13 countries around the world. François has worked for GfK France for 25 years, with roles as Deputy Managing Director and member of the Management Board of the South West Europe region. At NPD, he will be responsible for continuing the successful development of the company’s toys practice in Europe, and starting new initiatives in adjacent industries such as entertainment.

Schleich expands UK marketing team Schleich UK has strengthened its marketing department with a new team member; Leticia Gibney has been appointed as Marketing Executive to further strengthen the team, and support the company’s marketing efforts across UK & Ireland. Leticia brings with her previous toy industry experience, having worked for Mattel in Barcelona, and expertise in digital marketing and social media, having held a number of marketing and business development roles. Leticia made her Schleich debut at the Toymaster Show last month, the ideal opportunity to get to grips with the UK toy trade!

Farewell to a legend Don Stephen, a toy industry veteran and one of the longest-serving members of the Fence Club, has passed away aged 88. Don was a nice man – and a toy man – through and through. He joined the family firm of F. Levy in the early fifties and set up the toy division of Laurie & Co shortly after. In 1982 he became M.D. of Cowan de Groot – at that time a major toy importer. As well as regularly travelling to Hong Kong, when in those days it took more than a day to get there, Don also travelled throughout Europe with Cowan de Groot visiting East and West Germany, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria and Russia. He was only 30 when he joined the Fence Club and was a member for an incredible 59 years, becoming chairman in 1966. Along with his wife Pat, who sadly passed away last year, they attended many Fence Club social events and members’ weekends. Don was also a Director of the Harrogate toy fair for many years, now known as the Harrogate Christmas & Gift Fair, having been Chairman twice in the 80s and 90s. On leaving Cowan de Groot in 1988, he became Deputy Chairman of Robenau – then one of the largest British wholesalers – owned by his friend Paul Caspari. A terrific all-round sportsman, including rugby, cricket and golf, Don certainly led a very full life. Quite a number of toy trade personnel were influenced by Don’s career within the toy industry If you would like to attend the service and our thoughts are with his two being held in Don’s memory on 12th sons Clive and Jeremy and their June, please contact Don’s sons for more wives Anne and Jaana plus information: keyway@btconnect.com; Don’s five grandchildren and two jeremystephen1@outlook.com great grandchildren.

A chance to say goodbye

MOVIE

NEWS

Aladdin soars Disney’s live-action remake of Jakks Pacific Aladdin takes the family favourite 1992 animated classic to new heights with audiences around the world. The movie earned a princely $212.4 million across the global three-day opening weekend, helping Disney cross $5 billion at the global box office so far for 2019. Playing the Genie, Will Smith had big shoes to fill, but instead of copying Robin William’s iconic character he brings to the role a twist of Fresh Prince charm and the kind of swagger that can’t be learnt. Jakks Pacific’s wishes have all been answered with this box office hit, having introduced a whole new world of licensed Aladdin lines. Other companies that will also be able to ride on the success of the latest Disney release include Hasbro, Funko and more.

Avengers eyes top spot Avengers: Endgame is now the second-highest grossing movie of all time worldwide, having sunk Titanic’s record at the box office. James Cameron’s Avatar still holds the top spot, but Endgame is ever closer to surpassing the record – now within $75 million of catching Avatar. Having managed to hold on to its box office top spot in spite of a strong opening weekend from Detective Pikachu, Avengers: Endgame was eventually pushed from its podium by John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum.

A whole new world The new Aladdin lines from Jakks Pacific include a magic lamp that responds to your wishes, a jewellery box that takes you on a magic carpet ride, feature dolls and dress-up.

$103 million

A longer wait for Avatar 2 Avatar 2, which was originally slated to be the big December release in 2020, has officially been pushed back by a year. If the other promised sequels are not pushed back, fans can expect Avatar 3 in December 2023, Avatar 4 in December 2025, and 5 in December 2027. The news comes following Disney’s $71 billion purchase for assets that originally belonged to Fox – including Avatar – earlier this year. James Cameron’s Avatar still sits in the top spot on the all-time box office list with $2.788 billion. However, Avengers: Endgame’s worldwide total is hot on its tail.

The amount earned by Detective Pikachu at the international box office in its opening weekend.

Detective captures audiences Pokémon Detective Pikachu, Warner Bros animation x live-action hybrid, provided the heroes of Avengers: Endgame with some real box-office competition in its opening weekend, earning a respectable $103 million at the international box office – sadly not enough to topple the Marvel film from top spot. This impressive start from Detective Pikachu signals a rare win for video-game to big screen adaptations. The film was an adaptation of the 2016 video game of the same name, which was itself based on the popular Pokemon franchise.

£2.9m. The commendable sum earned by Illumination’s The Secret Life of Pets 2 over its opening weekend in the UK.

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MEDIA

ANALYSIS

Q1: Under the microscope W

ith summer days on the horizon and autumn/winter season quickly approaching, it’s imperative to take stock and look back at the previous quarter to evaluate the performance of traditional forms of media, ahead of looming booking deadlines. As TV remains the largest single medium of toys and games advertising, this is no doubt a good place to start. Another full quarter of TV data is now available (Q1 2019), and yet again the outlook is not a positive one – at least on first look. Kids commercial impacts across the children’s commercial stations, JanuaryMarch, declined 25 per cent year-on-year. This follows the double-digit declines experienced throughout 2018 (culminating in a 20 per cent decline across Q4).

Source: MediaOcean/BARB April 2019

have increased by an average of nine per cent. Despite the declining cost efficiencies, TV still has an important part to play in delivering effective marketing campaigns in 2019. For the majority of the year, TV provides the most costeffective means of reaching specific children’s demos and remains the only way to do so en masse within a short time frame. The ultimate result of this change is that TV campaigns need to work harder now than ever before – even compared to 12 months ago. This means more spots, additional channels to reach kids not viewing across kids’ commercial channels, and also reactive spend allocations. Campaigns of course should not be limited to TV, and advertisers and marketers alike should Source: MediaOcean/BARB April 2019 refocus their thinking to consider ‘video’ as the biggest part of their overall marketing strategy. This is of course looking at the generic trading Video comprises TV but also investment to VOD, audience of children aged four- to 15-years-old. YouTube, pre-roll ads, social and programmatic Focusing on more specific and relevant audiences investments – essentially anywhere a to the toys and games market highlights several trends, and perhaps one of concern TV still has classical TVC can be showcased. Video investments outside is the accelerated decline of the girls aged an important of TV services are growing, four- to nine-years-old audience, which to and while Netflix and Amazon the end of March had declined by 32 per part to play Prime currently remain noncent year-on-year. When you consider that in delivering commercial, viable alternatives from of the 145 toys and games TV campaigns effective traditional broadcasters are available. shown on UK screens between January YouTube, of course, remains the most and March, 68 were targeted at girls marketing prominent alternative AV channel (compared with 34 more skewed towards campaigns in for children’s demos, and should be boys, where the boys aged four- to nine2019 included within all video strategies years-old audience has 'only' declined by in Q4 2019. Utilising Giraffe 22 per cent) it is evident how important Insight’s groundbreaking this audience is to the industry’s potential ‘Kids and the Screen’ data, we are retail success. now able to pinpoint periods of The sizeable decline of girls aged four- to ninethe year when selected YouTube years-old viewing compared with boys aged fourinventory is cost comparable to nine-years-old has had a negative effect on the to TV for selected targeted cost efficiency of the audience. TVR conversions audiences, including girls aged from the buying audience of children aged four- to four- to nine-years-old. 15-years-old to girls aged four- to nine-years-old If you want to understand have fallen an average of nine per cent (full toys and how to get the best out of your games market, channel mix dependent), while TVR budgets, please get in touch. conversions from boys aged four- to nine-years-old

Generation Media’s Alex Taylor-Smith reflects on the performance of traditional forms of media in the first quarter, ahead of upcoming booking deadlines for advertising

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Generation Media is the UK and Ireland’s largest independent media buyer of toys and games advertising. Visit generationmedia.co.uk or call 0207 307 7900 to learn more.

JUNE 2019

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LICENSING

NEWS

Mattel signs dual deals Mattel has been busy, signing deals with Warner Bros. and Disney Pixar. Mattel and Warner Bros. have extended their long-standing global licensing deal for the DC brand. Under the renewed agreement, Mattel will continue as the toy licensee for DC in the girls, pre-school, vehicles, games and novelty toy categories, continuing to support and grow existing DC Universe franchises as well as new content for DC Super Hero Girls. The deal doesn’t affect the decision Warner Bros. made last year to transfer the licence for DC boys’ action figures, RC vehicles and games and puzzles from Mattel to Spin Master. The first launch in that new

partnership will come next spring. Mattel has also announced global licensing agreement with Disney-Pixar to develop toys based on the animation studio’s entire movie catalogue. The agreement covers Pixar’s entire back catalogue and announced future projects, including the 2020 release Onward. Mattel will also design and produce toys based on Pixar hits such as Coco, Finding Nemo, Monsters, Inc. and The Incredibles, among others. This agreement builds on Mattel’s strong relationship with Disney and Pixar, having in the past enjoyed joint success with the Toy Story and Cars franchises.

MV Sports scoops award MV Sports snapped up an award at the Paw Patrol Summit last month. Organised by Nickelodeon Consumer Products and Spin Master, the event recognised the accomplishments of retail and licensing partners with the UK’s number one pre-school property across the year. Five awards were presented by Marianne James, VP Consumer Products, Nickelodeon UK & Northern and Eastern Europe. MV Sports took home Most Innovative Product for its Dream Den. Best Activation at Retail went to Home of PAW at Argos and Primark took the award for Broadest Range at Retail.

JK Rowling and Warner Bros. form magic team JK Rowling and Warner Bros. have teamed up for a joint venture to expand the Harry Potter franchise online. The publishing and movie sides of the Harry Potter franchise will pool together for Wizarding World Digital, a new online platform that will be able to draw on asset and content from across the canon, including spin-off titles such as Fantastic Beasts. Wizarding World Digital will be run by staff from Pottermore, which will itself be folded into the new platform in due course – a move that subscribers are being made aware of under GDPR regulations.

It’s hip to be square Wilton Bradley’s has added the Karaoke Disco Cube to its X-Factor range. The Karaoke Disco Cube Speaker has an eyecatching, retro design and comes complete with two microphones. The LED lights flash to the beat of the music playing through the speaker. Also, as the new series of the Great British Sewing Bee returned to TV screens this year, Wilton Bradley’s range of licensed sewing stations and kits are great for the inspired viewer. This range consists of beginner-friendly, highquality sewing stations and easy-to-follow kits.

Britains’ new licensed lines This year will be a big year for Tomy, as Britains unveils new licences, Fendt 828 Vario Tractor and Vicon FastBale. The brand will also expand its licensed collection with the release of 12 new models from leading manufactures Massey Ferguson, John Deere, JCB, NC, Kane and Land Rover in 2019. In addition to new product releases, Britains will implement a strong multi-channel marketing campaign for its licences, categories and core items.

Catch ’em in London Hamleys and Harrods cooked up a raft of exciting Pokémon activity to coincide with the release of the firstever live-action Pokémon movie, Detective Pikachu. At Hamleys there was a new Pokémon-branded area on the fifth floor. At Harrods, Pokémon took over the pop-up space in its newly launched toy department on the fourth floor.

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CONSUMER

INSIGHT

The next level S

But with merchandising sales dipping taying on top of kids’ latest in 2018, is it time for the industry trends is harder than ever in to start looking beyond ‘traditional’ an era when they are supermerchandising, and instead informed and constantly see movies themselves as a connected. That’s where Kids Insights comes in. The kids’ licensing opportunity? Embracing videogame We survey more than market has popularity is key. 400 kids aged three to always The videogame industry 18 every week to gain a unique insight into the represented a has surged in recent years, to the point where worlds of kids, tweens lucrative box it generated almost $135 and teens. office billion (£108 billion) in 2018. The kids’ market has This means it is a serious always represented opportunity for kids’ free a lucrative box office for film studios contender time – it is now the second opportunity for film most popular hobby studios, and our latest for kids aged four to 18, research shows the surpassed only by football. popularity of going to As advances in technology have the cinema remains strong. Between allowed games to become increasingly January and March 2019, 75 per cent immersive and cinematic, a transition to of kids said they went to the cinema at the big screen often seems like a logical least once, up from 69 per cent in the choice. This trend is nothing new – just same period last year – strong figures look at 1993’s ill-fated Super Mario Bros at what is a traditionally a quiet time movie – but it hasn’t always resulted for cinema visits. in commercial or critical successes, however it certainly isn’t going away. Last year, the Tomb Raider movie franchise – based on the videogames of the same name – was given a gritty reboot to match the games, with Alicia Vikander replacing Angelina Jolie in the leading role, but it is 2019 that could well mark a turning point in the success of movie-videogame tie-ins.

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The Insights People reflect on the increasing popularity of videogames – in particular movievideogame tie-ins – and the licensing opportunities this presents

Gotta watch ‘em all Detective Pikachu, an animated film that stars Ryan Reynolds as the voice of the most famous character in the Pokémon universe, opened in May to broadly positive reviews, despite coming up against the Avengers: Endgame box office behemoth. The loveable yellow character ranked third among boys aged three to 12 when they were asked about their favourite character and 10th among

girls of the same age group, suggesting interest in the film among the younger demographic will be strong. Also coming later this year is another reboot, this time for Sonic the Hedgehog. A trailer for the film generated quite a buzz online following its release, with some fans bemused by the decision to give Sonic humanstyle teeth. The director has pledged to go back to the drawing board in the coming months, and many films fans are eager to see what the finished result will be. They’ll have to wait, as the release date has been pushed back from November to February 2020. Nostalgia appeal While Detective Pikachu and Sonic are unlikely to make much of a dent in critics’ ‘best of 2019’ lists, they could still be successful thanks to their broad appeal. Kids, of course, will be keen to see their favourite characters on the big screen, but there’s also the nostalgia factor to consider. The vast majority of new parents are either millennials or belong to Generation Z, so we’re now entering an era where certain characters and franchises will have just as much appeal among parents as they do among their children. The fact that these films have made it to the big screen shows the growing power that the videogames industry has at the cinema. It is vital that brands can pick up on trends like this before they happen, to stay engaged with an audience whose tastes are constantly changing. To receive a complimentary copy of a Kids Insight report and a free demonstration of our award-winning online portal, visit www.kidsinsights. co.uk/toysnplaythings

Kids Insights specialises in research and insights on kids and their ecosystems. We survey 400 kids, tweens and teens every single week and our real-time portal is continually updated to allow our clients to spot the latest trends before their competitors. Our insight-led reports are produced by some of the top kids’ researchers in the UK and have seen us short-listed for a number of start-up and innovation awards.

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REVIEW

600+ The number of independent retailers and suppliers who attended this year’s Toymaster Show.

Let the show go on! Last month saw over 600 independent retailers and suppliers make the journey to the newly refurbished Majestic Hotel in Harrogate for the Toymaster May Show

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Suppliers told us plenty of orders were written over the three days

or many in the toy trade, the month of May is synonymous with the annual Toymaster Show. And this year, which happens to be the independent buying group’s 30th anniversary year, was no different. 600 independent toy Brian retailers and suppliers from the UK, McLaughlin, Ireland, Australia and Malta attended the show over the three days. Toymaster Pleased with how the show went, Brian McLaughlin, Toymaster’s Retail Manager said: “The Toymaster Show was a big success. It was great to welcome some new members and we were pleased that the show was well attended by both Toymaster members and other independent toy retailers. “The feedback we received from visitors was all positive. Suppliers told us plenty of orders were written over the three days and many attendees commented that the refurbished Majestic Hotel looked much better. Plus, the Toby Awards we presented went to some deserving people.” Zimpli Kids was one of around 100 exhibitors at the show. Jess Coy, Head of Marketing at Zimpli said: “It is always good to catch up with our customers, as well as meet new customers and companies. We found the week to be full of new opportunities, and all set within a friendly environment, surrounded by friendly people. We see the week as an all-round win.” Sarah Winter, Head of Sales at Green

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Board Games made the trip up to Harrogate to show off the company’s portfolio of toys and games. She told TnP: “It was a really good show for us. We understand that the independent toy market is facing its challenges, but the members are still buying. In fact, quite a few new customers placed orders with us this year. We saw quite a few non-Toymaster members as well – the show had a really positive, welcoming feel to it.” Promoting the range from University Games UK and Paul Lamond Games, Mark Jones, Head of Sales said: “It was a busy event for us this year. It provided another great opportunity to catch up with many of our customers and showcase the exciting new lines arriving this summer including Wipe Out.” Tim Ives, Head of Sales at Basic Fun! said: “The Toymaster Show is always a fun show to attend and this years’ event didn’t let us down! We had a fantastic response to our collectable, classic and construction ranges. It was great to speak with members and hear their feedback.” Independent retailers are a key part of toy business and Mark Standen, Sales Manager at Rainbow Designs, enjoyed the opportunity to check-in with these customers. He said: “The Toymaster Show provides a great opportunity for us to catch up with some of our most important customers and to find out how things are really going on the high street. The show provided a valuable opportunity to put our second half lines in front of retailers. Our star of the show was Everest, the lovable yeti from the official plush collection for Abominable, the

new DreamWorks’ blockbuster premiering in UK cinemas on 11 October!” This year’s show offered ample opportunities to socialise and network. This year, attendees of the show enjoyed two memorable nights laid on by Toymaster. For those of you who made it to the bacon sandwiches on either night – good work! But of course, of the many noteworthy moments during the show, one of the most special parts was the award giving ceremony. Five Toby Awards were handed out to retailers and toy professionals. The Mashall Agencies team were awarded in recognition of excellent service, while retailer Harpers of Penrith took home a gong in recognition of its 50 years in business. Dave Johnson was also recognised for his 30 years’ service at the Majestic Hotel in Harrogate. Another Toby was awarded to Gibsons Games, celebrating its centenary this year, and Ciaran Fitzpatrick, Toymaster’s Chairman, received a Toby to celebrate the 75th anniversary of his business. The BTHA also welcomed two industry stalwarts to the Golden Teddy Hall of Fame. They were Craig Richards from Mattel, who has worked in the industry for nearly 35 years, and Philip Richardson, the long-time Character Group Rep who earlier this month announced his retirement. Rounding out the evening, Toymaster Isle of Wight picked up their 25 Years Membership Award. Speaking of the winners, Toymaster MD, Ian Edmunds said: “Congratulations to all!” And so, for another year, that’s all for now folks. I think we speak for all when we say a very big thank you to the Toymaster team for treating us to such a wonderful week.

RETAIL

NEWS

House of Fraser stores to get rebrand

The only way is Essex for Nickelodeon Nickelodeon is bringing its first UK Family Entertainment Centre (FEC) to Lakeside in Essex. The first FEC opened in Spain in 2017, and Viacom announced plans to partner with Parques Reunidos to bring Nickelodeon FECs to Europe. The project is being managed by Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) – a division within Viacom – and continues on from the success of Nickelodeon Land at Parque de

Atracciones in Madrid and NickLand at Germany’s Movie Park. The 50,000sq ft (4,600sq m) Nickelodeon FEC will be part of the shopping centre’s £95m extension. The FEC, which will feature Nickelodeon brands including Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and SpongeBob SquarePants, will include adventure zones, dedicated spaces for younger children, and themed party rooms. It is expected to open this summer.

New members join Cumnock Factory Outlet in Cumnock, Ayrshire is the latest retailer to join the Toymaster buying group. Other shops joining the group last month include: Wally’s Toyshop in Thame, Oxon, and The Hop Pocket Craft Centre in Bishops Frome, Worcester. Two new Irish shops have been welcomed aboard – Conways Bookshop and Quayside Bookshops, both in Sligo.

Sports Direct owner Mike Ashley has plans to create a mini chain of luxury stores. The retail tycoon, who bought House of Fraser last summer, plans to change up to seven of the stores into luxury shops called ‘Frasers’. Mike Ashley has reportedly told suppliers he plans for seven House of Fraser stores to be rebranded as Frasers, which will be a mini chain of luxury stores. These shops will stock designer labels, while the other stores target a mass-market audience. The Glasgow flagship store already operates as Frasers, and the Belfast shop is one of those on the list for rebranding.

John Lewis scoops awards Department store John Lewis has swept up four awards at the annual GlobalData customer satisfaction awards. It was fifth time lucky in the Best Retailer category, with the company taking first prize after coming in as runner-up for the past four years. It also managed to nab the title of Best Electricals Retailer Online, snatching victory from previous winners Amazon and AO. John Lewis also scooped Best Homewares Retailer and Best Furniture Retailer awards.

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17%

Toytown growth so far this year

Toytown grows its business

Playmobil makes it a family affair Playmobil has renewed its sponsorship of shopping centre owner intu’s family club after more than 100,000 children joined the initiative within a year of its launch. Intu launched the scheme last May to create an all-year-round programme of interactive activities and exclusive offers for families. The scheme came about following intu research, which showed the importance that parents and children place on spending quality time together. A number of activities designed to encourage family playtime have been rolled out at every intu centre,

including giant ball pits, laser mazes and sticker rooms. Members also receive free gifts and discounts throughout the year, including a free Playmobil toy for every new joiner. More than 150 retailers including Disney Store, Build-A-Bear and Cath Kidston now provide exclusive offers as part of the initiative. Virgin Holidays and Penguin Books are among other family-focused brands to have partnered with intu over the past year by running exclusive competitions and events for family club members.

Birthday presents Hundreds of Playmobil toys are being donated by intu and Playmobil to local autism charities close to each intu centre to mark the intu family club’s first birthday. Playmobil is also running a competition for intu family club members to win £1,000 worth of toys.

Tesco calls for 20% online sales tax Supermarket giant Tesco is urging the government to impose an online sales tax to help out the high street. The Big 4 leader says the tax could raise around £1.5bn a year, allowing business rates to be cut by 20 per cent for every shop, thereby giving bricks-and-mortar retailers a helping hand. “There is overwhelming evidence that the business rates system is not equitable and is damaging investment and growth,” Tesco said. “We believe action must be taken to avoid prolonging an anachronistic tax that has not materially changed since 1988 and is damaging communities across the UK.”

JUNE 2019

Independent toy chain Toytown has reported 17 per cent growth so far this year. With three new stores opened already in 2019, and another five still to come, it is certain that this will only increase as retailers move towards the most important time of the year. Brian Simpson, Toytown`s Head of Buying, says: “We are delighted to be in such a strong position, and we aren’t sacrificing anything on margin either, so the growth is all positive. The Boss, Alan Simpson, is certainly working us all very hard, but with such a strong team in place we all thrive on a bit of chaos and are focused on delivering a brilliant year while most others are struggling. ‘’It is so important to note that without the support of the suppliers, we would not be able to do any of this. It is the ability to work as a business partnership that gives us the opportunity to provide a great toy offering in so many new towns and cities.”

Three London stores were in the top five: Harrods, Selfridges and Liberty

Harrods named top luxury department store Harrods has beaten big names including Liberty and Selfridges for the title of world’s best-performing luxury department store. The store, which is owned by the state of Qatar via its sovereign wealth fund, the Qatar Investment Authority, was the strongest performer by sales per square foot, according to industry analysts GlobalData, which conducted research with architects Sybarite. The Knightsbridge store made £2.1 billion worth of sales in the year ended February 2018, up 6.8 per cent on the previous year. London stores Liberty and Selfridges both made it into the top five.

RETAIL UPDATE - THE ENTERTAINER

A Learning curve Gary Grant is rightly renowned as one of the greatest business minds in the toy industry, so the fact that his company The Entertainer has bought the Early Learning Centre is quite probably the best thing to happen to a struggling British brand steeped in retail heritage. Toys n Playthings spoke to Gary to find out his plans for ELC – and the rest of the year ahead

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Poly, followed by news in March that This In the often cut-throat world annual profits were up 31 per cent of retail it might be said that isn’t about in a tough economic climate. The it’s hard to grow and scale a crushing company opened 16 new stores in business with great success the UK and five internationally in the two brands at the same time as ensuring year to March, and Gary says a key you never lose your integrity into one business objective looking ahead to and business values, but The this year is to open up to another 12. Entertainer is proof that these two things But the biggest headline has been its can absolutely be mutually compatible. acquisition of The Early Learning Centre Since Gary Grant founded the business from Mothercare, as well as its portfolio of alongside his wife Cath back in 1981, when British educational toy brands, including they opened their first store in Amersham, the iconic Happyland. Up to the sale, worth Bucks, he’s combined a desire to be open in the region of £13.5m, ELC had operated about expansion plans, with working in from within 80 Mothercare stores in the close collaboration with family and looking UK, 400 internationally through franchise for opportunities to work with companies partners and online. that share the same philosophy and vision. But as Gary reveals to TnP, The But, as he tells TnP: “Diversification as a Entertainer has really exciting and farbusiness, provided you are still working reaching plans to revive ELC restore it to its with your principles, is safer than putting all former high street glory days. your eggs into one basket.” It’s already been an exciting few months Why was ELC such an appealing of growth for The Entertainer, with the opportunity for The Entertainer? announcement in December that it had The ELC has an outstanding heritage that acquired struggling Spanish toy retailer

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is deep and wide. It started before us and for many years was bigger than us as a standalone retailer, and we always looked on it with admiration, especially in terms of how it had ‘niched’ a particular angle of the toy market. The acquisition isn’t about crushing two brands into one. As a family business that’s both ambitious and entrepreneurial, we’re always looking for opportunities to expand; diversification is safer than putting all your eggs into one basket. What does the ELC range bring to The Entertainer and how does it complement the Entertainer’s current offering? We’re not trying to turn one into the other, and that’s the crucial point. The Entertainer is a pure play toy retailer with products offered at the most competitive prices we can as a business. Although ELC supplies a similar demographic, they attract more grandparents looking to buy toys with added educational benefits. I think that when children are going to school and learning for a majority of their time, they also need to be able to just have fun. It’s not just about number games and core skills – there are so many amazing toys with entertainment packed in. What we need to reassess is the meaning of toys and how that sits within the acquisition. What I think you’ll see over the coming years is major reinvestment in the ELC brand over a period of time, bringing it

Distoy 2019: Going global Last month saw hundreds of toy folk flock to London from around the world for Distoy 2019. TnP reflects on how well attended and received the show was This year’s Distoy event took place in London at the end of May and once again, the international toy show for distributors brought together hundreds of suppliers and distributors from around the world to forget about Brexit and instead focus on the benefits of bringing people together. Housed between two venues – St James’ Court Hotel and The St. Ermin’s Hotel – the show enjoyed strong support, with no reduction in number of exhibitors and a throng of visitors from across the globe. With products on display from over 200 toy companies from around the world, including

Golden Bear Toys, Distoy 20

200+

The number of toy companies that exhibited at Distoy this year

the likes of Character Options, Giochi Preziosi (of which Flair is a subsidiary), Magic Box Toys, University Games and Paul Lamond Games, Alpha Animation, Golden Bear Toys and more, attendees of the show had a lot to see and discuss. David Potter, Distoy Show Organiser offered a warm welcome in the official brochure to the show and said: “We’re so lucky to have such a wonderfully diverse group of exhibitors and visitors who have placed their trust in the Distoy brand over a

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toy hat at

back to the high street. The high street is changing but it’s not finished. It’s a new world and it needs to evolve.

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What I think you’ll see over the coming years is major reinvestment in the ELC brand over a period of time, bringing it back to the high street

How do you see things rolling out from here? We will relaunch the ELC shops and over the next six months do our research and engage in discussions with designers about what did make the brand great, and what will make it great again. There are currently 700 exclusive ELC branded toys and we will be renewing these and reviewing pricing. Volumes of buying have dropped massively, and costs have gone up, so we’ll be looking at economic manufacturing methods. We’re hoping that over the next three seasons, by spring/summer 18 months ahead, that we will have resourced, reengineered and repositioned prices.

You’ve described ELC as a British heritage brand. Do you have any personal fond memories of it? I didn’t shop there myself, but Cath often bought things from ELC for our four children when they were growing up. People definitely remember the play areas within the stores, play mornings and the railway sets. I think at its peak, ELC had something like 40 per cent of the Thomas wooden train market. We’re planning to have a limited range of ELC toys within The Entertainer, ones that complement our existing product portfolio.

We’re also planning to have an ELC shop within our shop in Birmingham’s Bullring, but other than this we’re not converting Entertainer stores to ELC ones.

What about ELC internationally? Following the acquisition, we now own 400 international franchises that sell ELC branded toys and something like 200 toy departments overseas, mainly in Mothercare stores. These are all over the world, in China, Cyprus, Ireland. We’ve re-hired Phil Savage who was ELC’s former International Director, a decade ago. He knows the families who run these franchises and has already visited eight of the 26 franchise partners. We’re going to have an international conference in July to talk about how things are going, and to see how we can better serve our franchise partners. We want to put in new processes to offer a fantastic service, and we’ve also had approaches about other international franchises. There’s a huge amount of interest.

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Will the ELC help you to tap into any new markets? Traditionally ELC has been said to cover the age range from birth to four, but we think that’s too tight and it should be from birth to eight. We’ve had a huge number of approaches from interested international parties who want to sell both brands, so the global growth potential for both ELC and The Entertainer is massive. What are your plans for the ELC range? We’re looking to develop the Happyland range. It’s one that people immediately identify with. We’ll freshen up the range, perhaps retiring some designs for a couple of years. That’s the great thing about a collection that has no reliance on film or entertainment releases – you can retire something for a short period and then bring it back.

Gary Grant

What are your plans for the Spanish toy retailer Poly? It’s a separate arm of the business. We now own more than 50 Spanish stores – predominantly in high street or shopping centre locations, not out-of-town premises. It sells very similar products to The Entertainer and so fits our retail model. We need to take what has made The Entertainer so successful and transfer that to the Spanish market. We’re dealing with suppliers in Spain who don’t understand the global toy market, so there will some disruption unfortunately in the short-term, but the good news is we have some really enthusiastic management teams over there. Is there anything else in the pipeline for The Entertainer? We will keep growing The Entertainer and will open 10 to 12 new stores this year. It’s certainly a challenging year for retail, and I think the Brexit overhang is going to have an effect now. We’re also looking to understand the ELC business, with an immediate review and long-term plans, and we’ll stabilise Poly and work out the right route for the business. The goal is to relaunch Poly stores with a quality Entertainer outfit and to reach the standard we aspire to over in Spain. There’s also plenty more going on behind the scenes, including a big relaunch for our website later in the year. There’s always huge enthusiasm for The Entertainer!

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Bear Toys said: “It was great number of years. We welcome Distoy is an to be a part of Distoy this year. them back and at the same time industry event The show seems to be getting extend a warm welcome to all busier every year. In particular we those showing at Distoy or visiting that is getting felt that there was a great vibe for the first time.” bigger, better among the exhibitors and visitors Recognising the growth that the and proving and everyone was excited to see show has enjoyed over the years, more influential what’s new in toys.” Richard Wells, MD of University Having regularly attended the Games UK and Paul Lamond each year show for Green Board Games, Games, said: “Distoy is an industry Richard Wells, Sarah Winter said: “As Head of event that is getting bigger, better University Games UK & Sales, Distoy is one of the most and proving more influential Paul Lamond Games important dates in my calendar. each year. It was a very busy Much of Green Board Games’ business comes and productive show for us, we saw several from overseas – our products are distributed promising new products concepts with a in 60+ countries – and this year’s event number that are potentially a positive fit for presented the opportunity to check in with our 2020 product range.” some of the distributors from these territories, In a similar vein, Barry Hughes, MD at Golden

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JUNE 2019

as well as the giving us the chance to meet with representatives from other countries, where we could look to extend our offering. Thanks to all for making the journey to London and taking the time to meet with me this year!” I’m sure all attendees of the show will echo our thanks to David Potter and family for once again organising such a brilliant show. We look forward to Distoy 2020.

RETAIL

OPINION

Next month we’ll be asking if you’re seeing a resurgence in retro toys.. Is the yo-yo making a comeback and are wooden toys wowing your customers? If you would like to be featured in Toy Talk email naomi@ lemapublishing.co.uk

''The main thing for older lads is Fortnite.''

Talking retail

TnP loves to hear your views. This month we chat to retailers about trends and boys’ toys

Jade Oliver-Deacon

Matt Kirby Crocodile Toys, Cotgrave, Nottingham What do you think is the next big thing for 2019? We haven’t really seen the next craze coming yet. L.O.L seems to be still going but as for what is next, your guess is as good as mine I am afraid. And what products are bringing the boys into your shop? Ryan’s World is bringing the boys under seven into the shop. The main thing for older lads is Fortnite.

Dr Wendy Hamilton Owner, Grasshopper Toys, Helensburgh, Scotland Nerf "For the boys, g guns are sellin d n a really well op Games Worksh e is rocking at th moment!"

The Toy Shop, Okehampton, Devon What do you think is the next big thing? Pokémon has taken off again for both boys and girls. I think that the film has helped a little but I am the only shop in Okehampton that stocks a good range of the cards so that works really well for me! Keycraft’s Meshables – especially the squeezy dinosaurs – are also really popular. I don’t tend to stock the ‘trend’ toys, but a top-selling range is Lanka Kade – a fairtrade product from Sri Lanka. They are natural wood toys and on the back of the box it actually has the artisan’s story and a picture of them. What products are bringing the boys into your shop? Playmobil is really taking off for boys aged four to eight. Djeco products do well for boys – Design Your Own Dragon and various puzzles. Older boys like the 4M sets from Great Gizmos as well. People would rather spend a little more on something that has educational value.

Lindsay Meyer Nicholas Toyville, Bristol Pokémon cards are currently bringing both boys and girls into the shop. We’ve stocked them since we opened but they’re selling particularly well at the moment, perhaps due to the recently-released movie.

COFFEE BREAK

We take a break with Nigel Phan, founder of toy box subscription service Whirli, to discover more about this unusual business model

Where are you currently as a business? We launched our limitedscale pilot in November. We limited ourselves to 100 paying customers, spread across the UK. We were keen to establish whether we would be able to get the product to our customers and if our customers could get the toys back to us. We had a really successful Toy Fair – a lot of brands are quite unwilling to open up new accounts for online-only retailers, but lot of the brands that we approached made an exception to work with us because they thought it was an interesting concept that they wanted to support.

Do the companies supply their latest lines? We buy all of our toys new; most of our suppliers give us access to their full catalogues. We do have a deliberate strategy, so, for instance, we probably wouldn’t stock another scooter brand other than Micro Scooters, because what works well for us in the sharing economy is making sure that what we stock is good quality and will still be in great condition when it’s been used by a couple of different children.

What happens if you have a missing part? When we are selecting our play sets and toys, we pick ones that are

few in parts, where missing one part won’t destroy the overall play value of the toy. We also follow a three-step process of inspection, cleaning and sterilising before a product is sent back out. If you could tell suppliers why they should work with you, what would you say? Whirli offers a different way to consume the products. Parents will spend the same, but they will get more for their money. They can trial a more expensive item before they buy. We are an alternative retail channel. Contact Nigel at hello@whirli.com Website: www.whirli.com

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RETAIL

OPINION

Merchandising magic W

hat are you really good at? Which things sell best legendary Platform 9 3/4 sign. Job done! Prospective shoppers and is this because you promote them? have been offered a fun photo The old ‘put your bestsellers to the front’ maxim opportunity, and the mood has been is one that should be at the back of every shopkeeper’s set to go ahead and buy that essential mind when deciding what to put where, because if wand, cloak or wizarding wonder! they’re not, then chances are that you’re not maximising The same process can be seen in action at any your potential. Hamleys store, with the Regent Street flagship If it’s starting to sound a little like teaching one’s leading the charge. Here, costumed actors stand on grandmother to suck eggs, then please ignore what the pavement outside the shop, working to create a follows. At any given moment there is always a trend mindset in which shoppers are not only entertained, and whether it’s Detective Pikachu or some variation on but where they also feel encouraged to head the latest LEGO model, there will always be a into the store and start browsing the shelves. number of items that sell better than others All of this is fine if you have the space, but simply because they are the things on which There even if you do not, thought should be given the media spotlight is turned. should be a to the sort of welcome your store provides. However, it’s worth looking at what needs to be done as far as a display at the front of shared goal Also worth bearing in mind is the fact that most research indicates that the a shop is concerned. How far into your store across the first few metres in a store function as do you want shoppers to be able to see? ‘On whole of a decompression zone as shoppers the way, but not in the way’ is a good motto. retail: keep adjust to being in a toy shop. A decent tabled display will allow retailers Assuming that you have made a to highlight products without blocking the it simple reasonably positive initial impact, sightlines to the rest of the shop. and make what’s next? The simple answer is Then there is the small matter of how many it easy whatever you want, but make sure the individual products you want to place close offer is zoned, whether it’s outdoor to the entrance. It’s also key to recognise the toys, construction toys, or soft toys. point at which the shopper actually starts looking at your Mixed categories may seem like a voyage offering once the shop has been entered. The mini Harry of discovery, but a treasure hunt can quickly Potter Store at London’s King’s Cross Station is a great become a hindrance for the shopper. There example of how to get a lot of merchandise into a very should be a shared goal across the whole of retail: small space without compromising the shopper’s ability keep it simple and make it easy. to see what the range actually consists of. The trick here As a rule of thumb, the mid-shop should is that most merchandise is around the perimeter, leaving be kept clear, while the perimeter should the mid-shop free for people to move and the eye to rove. be an Aladdin’s Cave. If you are quick to It is also worth noting that the powers that be at Harry spot where gaps are appearing, and you Potter central have worked out that shoppers need to are able to stay on top of replenishing be put in a toy shopping mood. To this end, there is a shelves, there’s no reason why you queuing system outside the shop where fans of the boy can’t have a mass of different toys on wizard wait patiently to don Harry Potter clothing. The the walls, all organised by type. kit consists of a long, striped scarf and a luggage trolley The cash desk is an essential part that appears to be disappearing into a wall bearing the of any store plan and from a security point of view, putting it towards the front is also not a bad idea. This may seem like straightforward Did you know that most research suggests that stuff, but these merchandising the first few metres in a store function as a ideas can help to strengthen sales. But perhaps the most important decompression zone as shoppers adjust to the message here is that it’s never too fact that they are in a toy shop? late to switch things up.

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John Ryan shines a spotlight on the matter of merchandising in a small shop

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In the zone

John Ryan is Stores Editor at Retail Week. He has worked for the magazine for more than a decade covering store design, visual merchandising and what makes things sell in-store. In a previous life he was a buyer.

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RETAIL INTERVIEW THE SCIENCE MUSEUM

In the name of science With a swanky new two-floor shop set to open in the South Kensington museum, and retail outlets at other museums across the UK, the Science Museum buying and merchandising team has plenty to shout about. Naomi MacKay caught up with Sarah Ottewill, Head of Buying and Merchandising Tell us about the new-look shop at the Science Museum in South Kensington, which is set to open this month. It’s on two floors and you’ll be able to enter it from the café, and from upstairs. It’s quite visually modern. The old shop was quite dated; it hadn’t been modernised for 10 years, and it got bottlenecked, especially during the summer holidays. We have opened the space up, letting the products breathe and making it an improved customer experience. How do you approach merchandising? There are four people on the merchandising team. We do a lot of reports, and analysis of sales of products. We have to make sure we have enough out and enough volume to last the day because its hard to restock through the day because it’s a museum. We have a visual merchandiser employed by the museum and we outsource as well. We make our displays quite powerful, to tell a story; they’re quite cohesive, and we make sure we have a lot of volume and turn stock quite quickly. Before, the shop could be rather overwhelming with the sheer choice of products, so we are trying to make it more concise, more clear, more exciting. We do concentrate on visual merchandising, and we work with the operations team; we create reports on what sells well, what doesn’t sell well, trends. There are lots of things in the press about environment and sustainability so we are making that more of a feature in our shops.

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As a science museum we always try to make sure we are not buying just plastic, and we watch out for the packaging as well

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Are you bringing in different products? The mezzanine will be different, about design – to compete with the likes of the V&A across the road. We hope that people might come and shop for gifts, from the local area. We will also have an Amazon Launchpad section – we’re going to be a shop window for Amazon and some of Amazon’s Launchpad products. While parents look for something educational, children are looking at something fun. How do you achieve the balance to please them all? One of our top-selling items is a flashing eyeball bouncy ball. We always try to make sure that every item has some form of scientific link, even if far removed. We have a good selection of products for Key Stages 1, 2 and 3. We also have a book buyer who has has a good selection of books. Our buyers have also focused on representing STEM more in the stores. But we know a Key Stage 1 kit won’t sell as well as a bouncy ball – so it is important that we have a mix of products available for our customers. I imagine many visitors don’t want to buy anything too expensive nor carry a big box around London. Does that colour how you choose your stock? Just because we’re a free attraction that doesn’t mean people want to spend – generally we’re a free museum for people who don’t want to spend anything! But we do sell a lot of our kits online and we offer a lot of larger products online. We do sell quite high-priced items, it depends on the type of customer. We’re different from the museums around us – we sell quite a lot of tech products. We try to source products that are

unusual and new so we can tap into the market. People generally don’t come here to spend money so trying to convert them into spending customers is challenging. What about the products that have a Science Museum brand? It works in two ways. Some products are licensed products, which we have produced with suppliers and developers and they are available on open market. We also have our own retail products – stationery items, tins, rucksacks – and we work with the licensing team to ensure we don’t cross over. Is there something coming into the shop when it reopens that you’re particularly excited about? We’ve got some new branded stationery from Suck UK. We’ve worked with them on a set of planet erasers, a rocket and ruler stationery set – all under £10 price points. They’ve only just started working with other people and we’re one of the first. We’ve got an exclusive design of a planet map – the designer has made it look like a Tube map – and that has been put on kids apparel. What trends are you seeing coming through? Putty and slime have been around for ages and it doesn’t seem to be disappearing. We went to New York Toy Fair and there was still lots of slime and putty. Lots of toys are taking the sustainability approach, too. We particularly liked a kit made of plastic extracted from the ocean – there is definitely more of a recycling approach coming through. We saw that at the UK fairs too. As a science museum we always try to make sure we are not buying just plastic, and we watch out for the packaging as well.

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What is the strong seller in the shop? In the main shop in London itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all about space. We have a strong section of NASA-branded product. Space food sells very well! So do keyrings and magnets. Computing sells well too, so the mix is quite broad. Is there something that has been a surprisingly good seller? Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a retro game arcade console, which I think is quite niche but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a top seller and has continued to be a top seller. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s quite surprising in its longevity. Is there any brand that is doing a particularly good job with eco products? Bigjigs. We liked the way they merchandised their kits too â&#x20AC;&#x201C; weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll have eight of their kits in the shop. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve done eco products for adults, and stationery, but not kids' products, so it will be interesting to see how they sell. It will also be interesting to see how the eco and sustainability theme progresses over the next 12 months. As more people buy them it will become more accessible. Are there any brands that sell particularly well? One of our biggest-selling collaboration brands is Clementoni. We sell a lot of their kits such as crystal laboratory, slime making, construction kits. They are a good price point and quality products so they are a key brand for us.

Magformers, Clicformers and Nanoblocks also tend to do quite well. Is there anything that sells particularly well online? The top-selling products tend to be the larger Clementoni kits â&#x20AC;&#x201C; they particularly pick up during the Christmas period. The Science Museum had a pop-up shop at Bluewater in Kent a couple of years ago. There was talk of other shops in other locations and abroad. Has that moved on at all? The shop in Bluewater was there to promote the brand, and increase brand awareness and exposure. Obviously this year weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re all about the new gift shop â&#x20AC;&#x201C; but once the shop is open and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve looked at the two other permanent outlets weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll look at it again. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just been put on the back burner because weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been working on this big project.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

We have opened the space up, letting the products breathe and making it an improved customer experience

â&#x20AC;?

Location, location, location The group covers a number of shops: Science Museum: a temporary shop while the main shop is closed: Wonderlab shop at the exit of the Wonderlab gallery and pop-up shops at special exhibitions.

Finally, if someone said you can take home anything from the shop, what would you choose? I used to work at London Zoo and used to buy a lot of plush and soft toys [Sarah has worked in the Houses of Parliament on the House of Commons retail offer and in the same job at ZSL]. We have a very sweet Laika space dog, he has a little silver jacket on and is exclusive to us â&#x20AC;&#x201C; heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s always my favourite. He sells really well and is different to your usual soft toy.

Science and Industry Museum Manchester Railway Museum in York Science and Media Museum at Bradford Locomotion: the National Railway Museum at Shildon

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THE INDEPENDENT

OPINION

Re-light my fi The crazes of the past few years – Loom Bands, Fidget Spinners and slime – brought customers into the toy shops. The Independent is anxiously awaiting the next big thing… Over the past few years I have been very outspoken, both in this column and in meetings with reps, agents and sales managers about my displeasure of the crazes that set our sales on fire. I love the volume of sales, but hate the stress of trying to grab some stock, of

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Now that there isn’t anything that is really driving the customers into my stores, I miss it and would do anything to have someone create something that would re-ignite the fire

“

don`t know about you, but I have always been very happy to express an opinion on any matter, but this usually negative trait has always been backed up with an unhesitant ability to admit when I am wrong. I find this is the perfect balance, because usually if you express an opinion that is different from the norm, it can seem as if you are saying, “I know better than you do”, but my willingness to admit when I am wrong makes up for the embarrassment of being so opinionated.

placing massive orders in an effort to guarantee some stock, in dealing with customers who tell me that the guy who sells out of the back of his van down the street is 50p cheaper than I am and that makes me a total rip off. I also hate dealing with the jump-on-the-bandwagon approach that suppliers have to these types of product, so much so that you begin with one product, and by the time you actually get any stock in, you have placed 10 orders with 10 suppliers just to spread the risk. Then inevitably you get all of your orders at the same time, and then wake up the next

Bestsellers VOLUME: 1) L.O.L. Hair Surprise Dolls – MGA 2) L.O.L. Bling Surprise Dolls – MGA 3) Hot Wheels Singles – Mattel VALUE: 1) L.O.L. Hair Surprise Dolls – MGA 2) L.O.L. Bling Surprise Dolls – MGA 3) L.O.L. Under Wraps Dolls - MGA

THE SECRET SUPPLIER

A balancing act Crazes are an important part of the toy retail industry. The Secret Supplier believes that managing the peaks and troughs – for both retailers and suppliers – is the key to success

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Crazes are the lifeblood of our industry, so it is really important how retailers manage the unexpected demand and inevitable short supply

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he Toy Industry would be a duller place if individuals were not encouraged to express their views so we certainly need opinionated retailers like The Independent! One of the likeable characteristics of our industry is the continuous dialogue that is a feature of our global efforts, so we should be grateful that we have the opportunity to express our

thoughts and ideas. However, we all need to eat humble pie occasionally and The Independent has no difficulty in this respect when trends turn out differently to his forecast. The Independent’s ‘beef’ this month relates to having too many crazes and then not enough! But despite this, The Independent is delivering a market-beating growth of close to 10% despite NPD showing an overall decline for the industry

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y fire

JUNE 2019

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I still feel that boys are buying a lot of toys, but the whole Superhero thing is in a terrible state, and although Fortnite isn’t Superhero, it is as close as it comes

hand downward curve. The Independent knows that all crazes follow a particular trend and typically end with too much inventory flooding the market. But here again is an opportunity that some astute retailers are able to take advantage of as they buy up the excess inventory in huge quantities at a fraction of the original selling price. If we are lucky, sometimes we get it

Managing a craze is all about timing as the left hand side of the demand curve is never as sharp as the right hand downward curve

“

as a whole. Crazes are the lifeblood of our industry, so it is really important how retailers manage the unexpected demand and inevitable short supply. Smart retailers will be tracking their sales diligently and will cancel their balances as soon as they detect a change in consumer demand. As suppliers we need to match supply as closely as we can to actual demand while maximising sales and minimising excess inventory. It is a juggling act that puts enormous pressure on sales directors and supply chain managers. Managing a craze is all about timing as the lefthand side of the demand curve is never as sharp as the right-

the products that it can only limit the sales we see. £12.99 for a Basic Figure is a lot to ask parents to spend on one figure, but time will tell, and it’s so close now that I can almost smell the popcorn waiting for me at the cinema when I take a trip out and fulfil the ‘being a big kid’ part of my personality. Don’t get me wrong, all of the above ranges are selling well, and against every logical thought I have, Ryan’s World is probably the biggest one of all these but it isn’t causing havoc and chaos in the normal ‘craze’ way. I suppose I should just keep my mouth shut; I am doing well and, although my intention isn’t to rub it in anyone’s face, I am not doing anything in particular to drive the increase in sales, I have simply focused on buying in and committing to good stocks of what I felt were the best ranges, and my success in this has helped see my

“

morning only to hear that no one wants that item any more. Writing that just made me laugh out loud. A slight exaggeration, but for us smaller retailers it isn`t that far from the truth. I really never liked that type of product because of the issues that came with it, but now that there isn’t anything that is really driving the customers into my stores, I miss it and would do anything to have someone create something that would re-ignite the fire. Business is tough out there for everyone, and although we are bucking the trend a bit (proud to note that we are nearly 10 per cent up against last year), there is a certain dreariness about my stores at the moment, with no kids running up and down the aisles to find their loom bands, fidget spinners or slime products as if the world is about to end tomorrow. There are some big ranges of products out there at the moment, such as Fortnite, L.O.L., Ryan`s World, and the anticipation of Toy Story 4 among others, but nothing is driving sales absolutely mad. I am personally very excited to see what Toy Story 4 does, but I have a fear that with the RRPs of

sales go up. There really is no magic recipe. Of all the above ranges I feel that Fortnite is the most interesting. Not necessarily because it will be the biggest seller in my opinion, but because (and I refer to the start of this column) I am happy to admit, from 2018 I thought Treasure X was going to revitalise the boys aisle, and it didn’t! I still feel that boys are buying a lot of toys, our sales of Hot Wheels, LEGO and so on will show this, but the whole Superhero thing is in a terrible state, and although Fortnite isn’t Superhero, it is as close to that in terms of action figures, role play items, playsets, vehicles etc that it comes, so it will be very interesting, if I ever get any stock, to see how that sells.

right, but the object is to get through another year while trying to forget our predictions that were not quite right. Fortunately, a new year brings new riders and horses for us all to take a bet on. Good Luck!

COVER FEATURE MATTEL

The cars are t Kelly Philp, UK Marketing Lead at Mattel UK, talks to TnP about the company’s Hot Wheels brand and an exciting collaboration with YouTube football sensations, The F2 Tell us about the history of Hot Wheels Hot Wheels started as a ‘challenge’ more than 50 years ago when an inventor, a car designer and a rocket scientist dared to create a toy car that would roll and look better than anything on the highway – and so the first-ever trackable toy car was born. Mattel founder Elliot Handler was so impressed by the car’s performance and design that when he saw the first Hot Wheels car rolling along the floor he said: “Those are some hot wheels!” The creators shared a belief in the power of design, innovation and play. This belief, paired with their pursuit of defying category conventions, inspired them to create a cool new way for

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2018 was Hot Wheels’ biggest year ever globally, and we are thrilled to see double-digit growth YoY

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kids to experience the thrill of custom hot rod culture and vehicle play. Now in its 51st year, the Hot Wheels diecast car is the number-one selling toy in the world* with one Hot Wheels cars sold every five seconds in the UK. 2018 was Hot Wheels’ biggest year ever globally, and we are thrilled to see double-digit growth YoY. For more than three generations, Hot Wheels has provided exhilarating vehicle play that challenges kids to develop new skills, while having fun with the most outrageous and innovative cars and track systems. (*Source: The NPD Group/Retail Tracking Service/G12/Jan-Dec 2018/Total Toys/Units) What’s new from Hot Wheels? This year, we introduced a new segment with the Hot Wheels Monster Trucks range. An exciting new addition to the toy aisle, Hot Wheels Monster Trucks incorporate the iconic diecast kids love with bigger wheels, crashing, smashing action and a whole new way to play. The range launches 1:64 scale trucks, which are built for competition and ultimate dominance, ready for epic crash attacks and

head-to-head crash battles. With loads to collect, every truck includes a collectable crushed car while the packaging tells fans more about the truck’s character, giving fun stats for each vehicle including name, truck type, strength and unique crash attack, and motor-vation. The world of Hot Wheels Monster Trucks is built out with accessories and playsets including the Monster Trucks Mecha Shark Face-off playset, where trucks can battle each other to win the trophy or get eaten by the shark. With their signature giant wheels, and variety of characters within the range, kids will love this smashing new action. The range launches with a robust marketing programme, which includes TV, Nick Jr. sponsorship, Influencer content and in-store branding to drive awareness. In addition to the new Monster Trucks, we also have lots more in the core range including the biggest boosted set that Hot Wheels has ever created; the Hot Wheels Colossal Crash Track Set. Over 5ft wide, the set has a double figure of eight design, offering multiplayer racing of multiple cars! The diecast element of Hot Wheels retains strength year after year due to the ever-growing portfolio and the exciting new car additions each year, including

Did you know? There are 20,000 different variations of Hot Wheels cars. 28

DID YOU KNOW?

the stars!

Hot Wheels has partnered with the YouTube skillsbased channel F2 Freestylers for some head-to-head fun.

themed vehicles such as Batman’s 80th Anniversary, Avengers, Fast & Furious, Toy Story and Forza. We also have the Hot Wheels 1:64 Marvel Character Cars. Hot Wheels has gone from a popular toy to a well-established IP? How has the brand evolved? Hot Wheels is in the fast lane, the brand is in overdrive and we are expanding and engaging our audience like never before with sales up nearly a third YTD. The brand is seeing great strength in mini vehicles but also within track sets, and the new Monster Trucks segment has got off to a great start. Hot Wheels ignites and nurtures the challenger spirit that lives within every kid in order to reach their true potential. Hot Wheels combines competition, experimentation and creativity to provide thrilling vehicle challenges that develop the skills and confidence kids need to take on the world. More than just a toy, Hot Wheels is a global powerhouse franchise and multichannel play experience with segments in gaming, digital, automobile parts to licensed apparel, merchandise and live events. Our partnership with Forza has been really successful; we’re thinking differently in CP with our Puma x Hot Wheels offering. We are bringing live events to fans across the globe; the Hot Wheels Legends US Tour saw a lucky winner design a real-life car, and this tour is rolled out in other markets in 2019. Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live was a resounding success in its inaugural show this spring – and keep an eye out for more news of the Mattel Entertainment Centres, which will allow fans to celebrate Hot

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Hot Wheels Monster Trucks incorporate the iconic diecast kids love with bigger wheels, crashing, smashing action and a whole new way to play

”

Wheels in new and interactive ways! Do you have any more details about the Hot Wheels live-action movie? We don’t yet have any more details we can share – we can only say how excited we are to be partnering with Warner Bros Pictures Group to bring the thrill of a Hot Wheels live-action feature film to the big screen.

This year will also see the world of football and Hot Wheels collide via our partnership with the F2 Freestylers, the YouTube skills-based channel to demonstrate the Challenge Accepted message. Kids everywhere will be able to celebrate competition, experimentation and creativity through new skills and exciting challenges. The F2 will be using their incredible football skills, by going head-to-head with a Hot Wheels diecast, where both football and car will showcase their challenger spirit. Over the past five years the F2 have taken the world by storm, building a global following of over 10 million YouTube subscribers and more Contact: than 1.5 billion views. It’s going to be a big 01628 500000 www.mattel.com year for Hot Wheels!

10 million

The number of Hot Wheels produced each week.

What else can we expect from Hot Wheels this year? Later this month, we will be introducing the biggest evolution in the Hot Wheels line ever – so be sure to watch this space!

WHAT’S N Brand spanking new launches from top toy companies to help you sell more

Getting fruity TOBAR 01603 397 105 www.tobar.co.uk Jellyball Fruzoos combine fruit and animals.These soft and squishy characters, designed by Tobar, are a fusion of fruit and cute animal creatures. These stress toys are a new fun take on the squidgy, squishy, touchy-feely current trend. Children can choose from Melophant, Auberguin, Orangutangerine, Pear Bear, Pine-ape-Elle or Rasp-beary. Be sure to make Fruzoos your main squeeze for this summer!

Availab le from:

HASBRO

020 8569 1234 www.hasbro.com Hasbro’s Moon and Me toys are based on the CBeebies programme. The new product line features lovable characters across a range of figures, plush and playsets. Little ones will love snuggling with their Moon and Me Talking Plush. By pressing the character’s tummy, or giving them a hug, pre-schoolers will hear fun sounds and phrases from the TV series. The Moon and Me Single Figures are great for little hands to hold, while the Moon and Me Take and Go Toy House Playset allows little ones to use their imagination and engage in screen-free fun. The Moon and Me Toy Figure and Vehicle set features one of the toy characters with its signature vehicle.

July 20 19

Party like Peter Parker!

Read it yours-elf

AMSCAN INTERNATIONAL LTD

PMS INTERNATIONAL 01268 50 50 50 www.pmsinternational.com Elves Behavin’ Badly are delighted to announce the introduction into its range of two new illustrated story books entitled ‘Elfie and Elvie’s book of Bad Behaviour’ and ‘A Year in the Life of Elfie & Elvie’. Both are 24-page hardback books with full colour illustrations, accompanied by the two protagonist elves, Elfie, the original bad boy Elf and Elfie, the super-smart lady Elf.

The number of pages in the new story books. 30

Shining star

01908 288500 www.amscan.co.uk Amscan’s range of Spider-Man party accessories and balloons is perfect for creating a super party theme. The range of fun items include; stationery kits, pull pinatas, candle sets, decorations and more. Add extra fun to the celebration with a selection of foil balloons by sister company Anagram. There’s a range of different balloon formats available to suit all budgets, from Mini Shapes, to air-filled selfie frames, SuperShapes and an impressive AirWalker measuring 91cm high. The range is available to order now, see the website for full details.

91cm The height of the Spider-Man AirWalker

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NEW Sweet science LEARNING RESOURCES 01553 819 380 www.learningresources.co.uk Introducing the new Yuckology! Slime Lab and Yumology! Sweets Lab from Learning Resources. Science meets slime! Make, store and learn the science behind slime with the reusable Yuckology! Slime Lab. Children follow the recipes to learn early science skills while making their own slime, putties and doughs, using common household ingredients. With the Yumology! Sweets Lab, they can learn the science of tasty treats with this reusable sweet-making lab set. As with all Learning Resources toys, both sets have been designed to encourage a love of home learning, an increasingly popular trend among retailers.

Answer the call to brawl

MV SPORTS 0121 748 8000 www.mvsports.co.uk MV’s own brand categories are expanding year-on-year with opportunities aplenty. 2019 sees the launch of a new range of premium scooters and ride-ons. Umove appeals to both children and adults alike. Featuring products that grow with the child, UMove is lightweight, high quality, and affordable. The domestic range of UMove tilt scooters are colourful, with features ranging from a patented adaptable tilt system, LED wheels, and a clip feature for portability. These are premium specification wheeled toys, without the premium price tag.

Fact! UMove tilt scooters feature a patented adaptable tilt system.

Baff Laughs ZIMPLI KIDS 01254 460006 www.zimplikids.com Zimpli Kids is taking its famous bath time range to the next level with a new selection of Baff Bombz launching in July 2019. The Baff Bombz will be available in a variety of fun shapes and sizes. From Unicorns to Poops – and even some shaped as the Zimpli mascot, Slimon. Don’t miss the 150g and 60g Baff Bombz – both available at pocket money prices.

SPIN MASTER 01628 535000 www. spinmaster.com The new Bakugan Battle Planet toy line, introduces collectable fan favourites straight from the popular TV series, alongside new playsets for endless battling fun. Bakugan is celebrating The line will retain the its 10th anniversary essence of what made the this year with an epic original toys so popular, relaunch. with exciting new features that bring revolutionary card and app play. All-new, marble-like balls with ingenious technology instantly transform into multiple collectable characters when rolled over a magnetic card. The game will bring different levels of play, from beginner to advanced, and allow players to compete against multiple opponents. This will offer enhanced collectability due to the wide range of strategy options. Building on the brand’s rich heritage, the long-awaited relaunch promises to be one of the largest and most dynamic legacy franchises across the globe. An integrated and extensive marketing campaign in the UK will support the toy range, card game and mobile app to reignite the call to brawl among new fans.

Did you know?

JUNE 2019

New wheels

Did you know? The new Baff Bombz range is available in many shapes and sizes.

FEATURE

POCKET MONEY TOYS

Magic Box

Small price with In a tough financial climate, consumers are ‘shopping savvy’ perhaps more than ever before with toys and games. But pocket money products are rising to the challenge in terms of design and longevity of play value, as Sarah Welsh discovers…

f you think back to your own childhood, pocket money purchases used to be about spending literally one or two pounds on what many would class as ‘plastic tat’! But these days, talk pocket money toys and you’re looking at perhaps splashing out a fiver or more, but on something imaginatively designed, well made and which promises to capture children’s attention for far more than five minutes. The toy market has had to evolve in recent years to keep up with an everchanging and hugely tough financial climate, but industry experts say that as a result, the market for pocket money product has never been more competitive – or broad. “Consumers these days want more for their fiver,” says Stuart Grant, Buying Director for The Entertainer. “They want longevity, excellent play value, price and quality – and some of the hottest toy properties sit firmly in this area, such as L.O.L. Dolls. Customers are certainly voting firmly with their wallets. “I think value for money is very important in this financial climate. A trend we’ve been seeing in stores is that customers are now far more interested in positive consumer reviews over brands.

“

Pocket money toys as impulse purchases, do certainly increase in-store spend. We proactively try to build the shopping basket

Stuart Grant, The Entertainer

If they can buy something that costs half the price with a similar design to something else, they will. “Good examples of suppliers responding to this are the success of our own-brand dough, as opposed to PlayDoh, and Hasbro’s upcoming Alpha Strike range, which is a value-driven line of its Nerf brand.” Stuart says the ‘absolute sweet spot’ in terms of price for The Entertainer is the sub-£10 category – partly because many children choose to come and spend their own money at the company’s nationwide network of stores. “It’s the biggest market for us – over a quarter of the market,” he says. “When it comes to marketing we don’t pull toys together in terms of price, but rather merchandise by category and brand across our stores. We deliver what is right for the customer, and so stores plan their visual merchandising individually. “Pocket money toys, as impulse purchases, do certainly increase in-store spend, and every single one of our till operators knows the percentage of addons in each category. We do proactively try to build the shopping basket, and for example Hot Wheels is currently on promotion at our tills. “Footfall might be down but overall spend is up, because our staff have more time to engage with customers.”

In terms of pocket money best-sellers, Stuart says that Vivid Imaginations’ Ryan’s World has been very successful for The Entertainer, as has Just Play from Flair and Funko’s POP! range. Licensed foil-bagged product from the likes of Mattel looks set to be huge over the coming months. Social media influencer Laura Seaton – who has been writing the Tired Mummy of Two blog since 2011, and now works in blogger outreach matching bloggers to brands – has worked with numerous toy brands, including Hasbro, Mattel, Funrise, Character Options and Spin Master, to name just a few. She says that in recent months she has been working far more frequently reviewing smaller-ticket items. “There is currently far more demand for blogger reviews of pocket money toys as opposed to more expensive ranges,” Laura tells TnP. “The trend in this category is not for specific toys though, rather for getting a better-quality product for less money. That’s what is driving sales. “Suppliers and brands are realising that parents want longevity of appeal for their money, not a two-minute wonder. And they are having to evolve product design as a result.” As a busy mum of two girls – Elizabeth and Alison, aged nine and 10, who themselves have a YouTube channel with 30,000 followers – Laura says that, for her, pocket money toys are something she will

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a BIG appeal! happily spend a fiver on for each of her girls without having to think too much about the money. But, like other parents, she wants good value for that spend. “What parents are putting much more thought into is what they’re actually buying – is the product resealable? Can my children use it again and again, and will it continue to engage their attention? Does it need batteries? Does it encourage imaginative play? Is the packaging environmentally friendly? Is it a good investment over the summer holidays? “And as consumers scrutinise their spending more, so this is translating into better-designed and better-made products. Or existing brands evolving their offerings with added benefits or additional elements to the toys. “Take slime, for example. It’s now being pitched not just at the right price, but with longevity in mind as well. We’re seeing product that can be repackaged and replayed with, such as Yulu Pop Pops and the Slimi Café range. “Something like Spin Master’s Twisty Petz is also good, because the range is inexpensive, but it’s something that can be worn and played with and the joy lasts way beyond the mere opening of it.” Laura says she has also seen an industry trend where brands allocate far more marketing spend to pocket money

“

Pocket money is a very strong category for us. It allows us to use our inhouse design capability to create fast-moving lines, which keep up with this fashion-led category

David Mordecai, Tobar Toys

toys – and those that have traditionally not used social media and bloggers for such items before, are now harnessing it. Tobar Toys is one well-known company with a reputation for working closely with retailers of all sizes to merchandise its pocket money toys to the best advantage. “We work with our customers on an individual basis to provide display solutions that work for them in the space available – as no two toy shops are the same,” says Tobar’s CEO, David Mordecai. “Pocket money is a very strong category for us. It allows us to use our in-house design capability to create fast-moving lines that keep up with this fashion-led category. Cost-effective for both children and parents, pocket money toys are always popular whatever the economic climate – and even more so when household budgets are tight. “For us, all of our Jellyball characters are popular, of course slime and putty, and Squishy Buddies are great. Llamacorns are a winning combination of llama and unicorn, and this concept has really taken off for us. “Looking ahead, Angry Birds is a big launch for us this year, and we have a full range of exclusive products including

pocket money toys designed by us. Watch out for the Angry Birds Squishy Buddies range!” New from VTech in the pocket money category is Turbo Force Racers, remotecontrolled cars that are fast, fun and easily portable – great for keeping children amused on the go! Plus the cars, which come in four different shades, can also be charged on the hop using the Turbo Station wristband. They can also be used on the 1.2m-long Turbo Force Racers track set. Hasbro, meanwhile, is embracing collectables with the My Little Pony Cutie Mark Crew and Disney Princess Small Doll – Royal Clip. The super-cute My Little Pony (MLP) playsets combine the worlds of MLP and Equestria Girls, and series 4 of the toys has an ‘Away We Go’ theme, with each pack containing a 1.5in figure. The new Disney small doll additions, meanwhile, are ingenious one-clip outfits designed for quick and seamless wardrobe changes. Hasbro is also building on the growth of pocket money product with its Moon and Me toy collection, inspired by the hit CBeebies series. The new line will be available in the UK from 18 July.

Sub-£10 The ‘absolute sweet spot’ in terms of price for The Entertainer, with the category occupying over a quarter of the market, says Stuart Grant from The Entertainer.

Tobar JUNE 2019

FEATURE

POCKET MONEY TOYS

Join the Cutie crew HASBRO

020 8569 1234 www.hasbro.com

One-clip outfits

The Royal Clips dressing system has Cutie Mark Crew playsets combine the been designed for little hands, with worlds of My Little Pony and Equestria Girls to imagine a universe of play and friendships one-clip outfits that make for quick, beyond the mirror’s portal. The My Little seamless wardrobe changes. Pony Cutie Mark Crew Series 4 has an Away We Go theme. Each Snow Day pack features 1.5-inch figures ready to chill out and cosy up on their winter vacation! The pack includes five figure and accessory pairs: Twilight Sparkle pony with a snowman, Rarity Equestria Girl with a mitten, Fluttershy pony with an igloo, and two surprise figure and accessory pairs. Get the party started by pulling the strings on the balloons and shaking out the colourful confetti to reveal the mystery pony, seapony, or Equestria Girls characters hidden inside. Look for more My Little Pony Cutie Mark Crew packs to build a world of pony, seapony, and Equestria Girls collectable figures. Disney fans will love how the world of Disney Princess small dolls is getting a stylish upgrade with the Royal Clips dressing system. Made for little hands, these one-clip outfits are designed for quick, seamless wardrobe changes. Kids can imagine dressing up their favourite Disney Princess characters for an enchanted evening or exciting adventure. With Disney’s Aurora, Ariel, Belle, Jasmine, and Pocahontas, each Disney Princess small doll in this assortment features a signature gown inspired by the movie with sparkling, eye-catching glitter accents. Just open the Royal Clips skirt and slide it onto the doll, who can sit or stand while wearing her dress. Kids can collect all the Disney Princess with Royal Clips fashion dolls.

A square affair

Cutetitos to Babitos BASIC FUN! 07917 186 540 www.basicfun.com Basic Fun has three key collectable brands for children aged three years plus. Cutetitos has a further 500 TVRs from June onwards. New waves of Cutetitos characters will be available throughout the year, and Babitos – baby Cutetitos in a taco – launch this month.

ALPHA ANIMATION AND TOYS 01293804599 SalesSupport@alpha-animation.com As SpongeBob SquarePants celebrates his 20th anniversary this year, SpongeBob Slimeez is the ultimate must-have to satisfy all slime cravings. The 2.5in figures ooze slime, creating hands-on, hilarious play patterns. The collectable blind cubes come in 12 humorous expressions. The Mini Clip Plush are perfect for kids to personalise their bags, scooters or bikes. Available in an assortment of six core characters, the plush features a two-inch clip to display. The silly, squeezable SpongeBob Squeazies have a brilliant twist as kids squish SpongeBob and his friends, bubbles appear out of their eyes, mouth or bottom – while SpongeBalls are collectable squishy foam figures in foil bags. SpongeBob meme fans will also love the Masterpiece Memes collection. Also look out for Transforma-Bots from hit pre-school property, Super Wings.

Surprise, surprise! LITTLE TIKES 0845 0533 333 www.littletikes.co.uk Little Tikes is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year with special activities and new product launches. The unveiling of Springlings Surprise is set to add bouncing delight to the collectables category from July. Soft and playful with 12 to collect, Springlings Surprise are super-cute animals that launch out of their home and into the air at the touch of a button. Ready to play, time and time again, Springlings Surprise are bursting with excitement – watch out for Narwhal, Hedgehog and Unicorn among others.

Did you know? 1

There is a rare golden figure to be collected in the SpongeBob Slimeez blind cubes.

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FEATURE

POCKET MONEY TOYS

Go bananas BANDAI 0208 324 6160 www. bandai.co.uk

Don’t stress TOBAR

01603 397 105 www.tobar.co.uk

Did you know? Llamacorns combine two favourite trends – llamas and unicorns!

The popularity of squidgies and slowrelease foam has been an influence on stress-release fun products for 2019. Jellyballs made their debut appearance at London Toy Fair and Fruzoos are a mixture of the popular existing fruit line combined with animals. Take a look at Pine Ape Elle or Melophant, Orangutangerine or Auberguin, Lion Berry and Pear Bear. The new Angry Birds licence includes slime and light-up gadgets. The six Angry Birds characters come in Jellyballs and a blind bag collection of squishy versions designed to sit on your phone or computer. Talking of fruit, Zuru Oosh Cotton Candy Cuties are a zesty winner. Open the lollipop-shaped container to find a generous handful of sweet-smelling putty that stretches into web-like strands; buried in the middle of the putty is a cute and collectable squishy toy – look out for a unicorn, kitty, cupcake, strawberry, orange and a pudding – store your collection in the lollipop. They will be the focus of a major TV ad campaign supported by massmarket PR. Building on the unicorn mania, Tobar introduces Llamacorns – a combination of llamas and unicorns in an affordable range. Look out for the Llamacorn balloon ball, magic putty, a night light and a money bank. Not forgetting that magical Llamacorn magic poo! Tobar has hundreds of pocket money items incorporating all the current themes, from Llamas and Flamingos to Mermaids, Unicorns, Sloths, Sharks and of course, Dinosaurs. Everything from mesh balls to squidgies and masses of slime and putty.

A Flair for Fortnite GP FLAIR

Bananas is one of the latest collectable crazes to hit the market ,and since its launch at the end of last year, is already proving a huge success for Bandai. Bananas takes the unknown magical moment to the next level as kids peel the tactile, scented banana skin to reveal a variety of exciting surprises and even more toys to play with. Every Bananas looks, smells and peels like the real thing and reveals a unique collectable Crushie character hidden inside the fruit. Series 2 launched for SS19 with new Rainbow Bananas and Lemons & Look out for Limes packs with more chocolate-dipped Crushies to collect, Bananas in the including twins! Moving autumn! into autumn, Series 3 will include chocolatedipped Bananas, and Strawberries packs. The range is supported with TV, digital, and influencer campaigns and a host of social media content. For TV fans, following the release of the hotlytipped new ITV series Robozuna in late 2018, Bandai has introduced Robozuna Battle n Build figures, 6cm finely-detailed poseable figures, and the new new Thunderbirds Are Go collectable action figures will launch in September.

Guess what…

Did you know? There are more than 36 different 8cm characters to collect in the Fortnite Stamper range.

020 8643 0320 www.flairplc.co.uk Keeping your collectables close even when the school bell rings is easy with the choice of key chains and bag clips available from many of Flair favourite brands. Launching in time for the autumn term is MushMeez, squishable, mouldable plush characters. At pocket money prices and perfect to adorn the school bag are the MushMeez ClipOns; available in handy CDUs for that perfect pick-me-up treat. Each has sweet sparkly eyes and colourful personalities. A rainbow llama is joined by a rosy-cheeked unicorn, not to mention a dragon and super-cute penguin.

Fortnite is the phenomenally successful video game, and kids can stamp their favourite Fortnite characters onto anything with the Fortnite Stamper. There are more than 36 different 8cm characters to collect, each of which has a stamper in the base. Keyrings and backpack chains are the perfect way to express their Fortnite style, and Flair’s line-up has a whole collection with which to win the battle! Also in the pocket money zone is the wide range of Pikmi Pops Surprise. This spring saw the launch of Pikmi Pops DoughMis; the cute donut-shaped plush that smell so delicious with scents such as Cinnamon and Chocolate Glaze. More to come this autumn.

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FEATURE

POCKET MONEY TOYS Tuning in to the target market “We know that 83 per cent of boys aged seven to nine use YouTube to watch online videos (Youth TGI 2018 R2 Autumn), so it is important for us to work with influencers to have engaging video content” Rebecca Lazarus, Senior Brand Manager at VTech

Turbo-charged RC VTECH 01235 555 545 www.vtech.co.uk Turbo Force Racers are pocket money-priced, remote-controlled cars that are speedy, fun and extremely portable. Using the Turbo Station wristband, the four different-coloured vehicles even charge while docked, so they don’t have to be charged at home. The buttons on the Turbo Station trigger fun and interactive responses that encourage imaginative play. When wearing the wristband, children can shake their wrist to charge the vehicle’s turbo fuel. Then activate the turbo boost with a press of a button to see the vehicle zoom off with even more speed. These pocket money toys can also be used on the Turbo Force Racers track set. The 1.2-meter-long, super cool track set can be reconfigured into four different combinations. Boys and girls can race against their friends on the two epic racer circuits or perform tricks on the two cool stunt tracks. The track set includes a unique colour Turbo Force Racer and Turbo Station wristband. Supporting the TV advertising will be lots of online activity.

Pocket money play MATTEL 01628 500000 www.mattel.com Mattel presents a pockey money portfolio including Thomas & Friends TrackMaster and Minis. New additions include small pushalong engines Hong Mei, Troublesome Truck and Rosie, with Henry, Edward and Belle joining the large push-along range. While the Large and Small Motorised Engines offer action play through adventurous stunts. From Fisher-Price, the Shimmer & Shine range introduces preschoolers to magical, genie adventures with the 6in Doll Assortment and Teenie Genies range including the new Ring Surprise Assortment featuring chunky gem rings with a Teenie Genie inside. In SS19 Hot Wheels launched the awesome new Monster Trucks Range, with the 1:64 Scale Trucks built for competition and ultimate dominance – 22 to collect. Following the successful relaunch in 2018, the Polly Pocket range continues to grow, promoting the brand’s message to children: ‘Tiny is Mighty!’. The Polly Pocket World compacts expand with two new additions for AW19 – Mini Middle School and Birthday Cake Bash.

Creature collectables SCHLEICH 01279 870000 www.schleich-s.co.uk

Clip characters POSH PAWS 01268 567317 www.poshpawsinternational.co.uk Kids can take along their favourite plush characters thanks to the wide collection of pocket money-priced collectable bag clips from Posh Paws. Bag clips are easy to display in store, eminently collectable and the perfect affordable treat after a visit to the cinema. This year high on the agenda will be the range from How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World. Posh Paws also has collectable gifts featuring the characters from the world of NICI. The Magnici 12cm plush characters have magnetised ends while NICI Doos have glittery eyes.

From firm favourites Farm World and Horse Club, through to prehistoric dinosaurs and new fantasy creatures, Schleich has many collectable pocket money purchases. Small farmers can look forward to lots more individual animal figures: a strong Black Angus bull, a Black Angus calf and a Texas Longhorn calf. Classics including the sheep and lamb have also been reissued. Horse Club’s numerous new additions provide even more variation in the horse yard this year. There are seven new horse figures with the launch of a new Paint Horse mare, a Paint Horse gelding and matching foal, as well as a Lipizzaner stallion, a Trakehner mare and a Knabstrupper stallion and foal. There will be more to learn about wildlife with unfamiliar creatures – the Komodo Dragon from Indonesia and the Quokka, a lesser-known marsupial from Australia join the Ring-Tailed Lemur and an incrediblydetailed Tarantula. A fun addition is the Okapi – voted for by Schleich’s fans.

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FEATURE

POCKET MONEY TOYS

On a roll TOMY 01392 281928 www.tomy.com

Art of individuality The Ritzy Rollerz characters have been designed to empower kids to be themselves.

Ritzy Rollerz is the exciting new IP from Tomy that promises to bring something unique to the pocket money toys and collectables markets. Creating a world of adventures where personalities can shine through with cute and sparkly characters that are not only customisable, but also offer plenty of hidden surprises. Children aged four- to nine-years-old will love to collect these adorable characters, which have been developed to encourage storytelling and empower kids to be unique in their very own way. The Ritzy Rollerz collection will launch with a range of single and bestie characters, mobile playsets and a feature Dance n Dazzle Spa playset. There will be 12 characters to choose from initially, including Groovy Gaby, Frenchy Braid and Penelope Paris. The characters are all unique, both in terms of their look – different textures, different hairstyles – and their actual personalities. With these characters, young girls can immerse themselves in a world of roleplay and express their own individual personalities. Retailers have been impressed with the competitive entry point of the

Ritzy Rollerz characters given the level of detail on each character, the charms, as well as the hidden surprise charms inside the booty trunks. Also well received by retailers were the Ritzy Rollerz playsets, designed to allow girls to expand their play. And star of the show this year at London Toy Fair was the Dance n Dazzle Spa, named one of the show’s Hero Toys. Tomy’s strategy to launch the new product line will kick off with a pre-awareness campaign driven by social and creative community platforms like PopJam. At the same time, Tomy will be looking to seed the characters amongst the target audience, starting to bring the world of Ritzy Rollerz to life through some CGI animated webisodes. There will also be a heavyweight TV advertising campaign to promote in-store and online purchase. The full offering will include the Ritzy Rollerz Assortment, the Ritzy Rollerz Bestie Assortment, the Heelz On Wheelz Playset, the Sprinklez On Wheelz Playset and of course the festive focus, Dance n Dazzle Spa Playset.

Charmed fortune JAZWARES 0203 598 0270 www.jazwares.com

Freewheeling fun and farts! FUNRISE 01908 555640 www.funrise.com The Tonka brand includes the Tinys range, which continues to grow, with new vehicle styles packaged in its signature blind box garages. Fart Ninjas, meanwhile, are Funrise’s latest development of interactive, charismatic farting Ninjas. Cheeky kids will love collecting the different characters to create a symphony of fart noises perfect for pranking friends and family. Following the release of Paramount Pictures’ animated movie Wonder Park, the Wonder Chimp Surprise Packs hold the delightful Wonder Chimps from the movie together with their own Roller Coaster Cart. At pocket money prices Wonder Chimp Surprise single packs and the three packs are must-haves for Wonder Park fans.

The future looks sweet with the all-new Lucky Fortune collectable bracelets from WowWee. Distributed by Jazwares, every Lucky Fortune includes a surprise bracelet with a charm and a paper fortune for good luck inside a keychain fortune cookie. There are 100 Lucky Fortune with different bracelets to collect, with four levels of rarity, as well as a coveted Ultra Lucky real golddipped four-leaf clover. Jazwares will support Lucky Fortune with TV advertising, in-store events and activity, digital and YouTube campaigns, as well as creative PR campaigns, social media and press events. Available this month.

Smashing sparklers ZURU 01604 401719 sales@geemac.biz Zuru is introducing Rainbocorns Sparkle Heart, a small soft and squeezy scented version of its larger plush counterpart. Aimed at girls aged three to 10, the Sparkle Heart range includes surprise sequin heart reveal, cotton-candy rainbow poop, and collectable colour-changing Boo Boo Corn. Girls will also love the latest brand acquisition for Zuru, Sparkle Girlz, a value range of collectable dolls that centre around fantasy and magic. For something a tad less sparkly, Zuru Smashers Dino is the latest Smashballs theme. Each Dino egg houses a mutant, robot, or rock-hard fossil dinos.

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TOBAR is proud to be the UK distributor for this fantastic range of pocket money tin toys from our American friends, Schylling. Packed with retro style, classic charm and nostalgic value, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s something for all ages.

EXCLUSIVE

UK and European Distributors

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tel: 01603 397 105 email: sales@tobar.co.uk www.tobar.co.uk/schylling

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FEATURE

POCKET MONEY TOYS

Creepy crawly capers CHARACTER OPTIONS 0161 633 9800 www.character-online.com Boys can get ready to collect, prank and battle their way to the next insect-themed pocket money craze from Character Options – Swarm Squad! Prepare for an insect infestation in the toy aisles this summer, when Swarm Squad delivers a new breed of hyper-cool bugs; each with realistic movements and the size and speed that matches the real thing! Kids can choose from a Cockroach or Long Horn, Trilobite and Stag Beetles; available both in single and double packs, together with a prank and battle game card. Practical jokers will love the You Got

Swarmed Prank Pack, which includes a rare bug, three battle and prank cards, plus prank devices to add to the fun. Character’s collaboration with The ORB sees squishy collectables come in all shapes and guises – look out for ORB Odditeez Plopzz, cute, fuzzy creatures that unleash a bubble of slime.

Guess what... The You Got Swarmed Prank Pa ck is great for practical jokers!

It’s a string thing! WILTON BRADLEY 01626 835400 www.wiltonbradley.com YoYoFactory and its UK distributors Wilton Bradley are excited to launch a new range of collectable, performer-related yo-yos, building on the success of 2018. Hot off the back of a UK tour in collaboration with The Entertainer, and with recent high-profile national coverage on both Blue Peter and This Morning – that featured YoYoFactory World Champions Evan Nagao and Shu Takada – this yo-yo craze could certainly make a return for 2019. With or without a craze, YoYoFactory is positioned as the go-to selection for everyone, from complete beginners to yo-yo fanatics, the range has something for every skill level – from entry level yo-yos, to yoyos with LED lights, to advanced yo-yos with patented technology.

Did you know? YoYoFactory has recently enjoyed highprofile national coverage on Blue Peter and This Morning.

Movie magic PLAYMOBIL www.playmobil.co.uk 01268 548111 Playmobil will be releasing the first of its film merchandise this summer. Playmobil: The Movie will debut on 9 August, and Playmobil: The Movie Figures Series 1 will be available from July so young fans can take their toys to the cinema with them. The movie will be the first-ever feature-length film inspired by the toy brand. The film promises to treat audiences young and old to an epic comedy adventure through a captivating imaginary world, featuring the voices of wellknown TV and movie stars including Meghan Trainor (Marla), Adam Lambert (Emperor Maximus) and Daniel Radcliffe (Rex Dasher). The range features 12 film characters including Marla, Charlie, Rex Dasher, Del, Robotitron and more. Series 1 will be sold in blind packets to add an element of suspense.

Did you know? Adam Lambert, who voices Emperor Maximus in the movie, had a cameo in the Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody. Adam, who sings an original song in the Playmobil film, has been touring with Brian May and Roger Taylor of Queen since

Galloping success DKL MARKETING 01604 678780 www.dkl.co.uk DKL Marketing distributes a range of delightful pocket money toys including Breyer, Hama Beads, Plus-Plus and PlayMais. Breyer Model Horses offer a fantastic range of pocket money toys. Due to the success of Breyer’s blind bags range, there are new collectable packs for 2019, including Unicorn Surprise. Children will love collecting the seven different unicorns. Not to be missed is the new Mini Whinnies Surprise blind packs, available in a convenient counter display. There are 18 different horses to collect, including the special pink chase horse! The eye-catching Plus-Plus tubes range features 29 different designs including Dinosaurs, Zoo Animals, and the brand new Mystical, Aquatic, Farmyard Animals and Space tubes! The Scentco Scented Stationery range is a great line that kids love to swap on the playground, with gourmet-scented pencils, pens and accessories featuring a two-year scent guarantee. The PlayMais craft range also has plenty of pocket money options to choose from.

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Moji magic MAGIC BOX TOYS 01403 251286 www.magicboxint.com As possibly the biggest current success story in the toy industry, it’s not surprising to see cutting-edge design associated with the collectables category. But Magic Box Toys has gone one step further with its new range, Moji Pops, which enables children to switch moods, flip faces, and alter emotions, with their favourite collectables. The specialists behind such smash-hit properties as GoGos, Crazy Bones and SuperZings, is set to launch the new emotions-based collectable IP in March. Moji Pops Series 1 is made up of everyday objects brought to life as funloving characters with an array of colourful emotions based on popular emoticons. From an ice cream to a cactus, a television to a pillow, each blind-bagged character has a removable double-sided face – and you can flip between emoticon expressions or swap faces completely with other

Get creative with Playfoam LEARNING RESOURCES 01553 819 380 www.learningresources.co.uk Playfoam Pals combine creativity with collectables; each series includes 12 Pals to collect plus a rare Pal. There are four Series of Playfoam Pals; Series 1 Wild Friends, Series 2 Pet Party, which combines two colours of Playfoam, Series 3 Snowy Friends – shaped in the style of a snow globe – and the recently-launched Series 4, which contains threetone sparkle Playfoam. Playfoam never dries out and is mess free, meaning the opportunities for creative play are endless as children squish, squash and mould any shape they like. The non-stick formula means it can be used over and over again and taken anywhere for creative fun on the go. Each Pal has a pop-apart body and head for mixing and matching with other pals, creating brand new collectables! Once children have discovered their Playfoam Pal, they can use the Playfoam to build perches, nests, beds and more for their new Pal and record the find on the included collectable card. Playfoam Pals are supplied in two-pack, sixpack or a CDU display of 12 pods.

Targeted marketing The Playfoam range is supported by a targeted marketing campaign including digital and social media, bloggers, YouTube advertising and in-store marketing resources.

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JUNE 2019

characters. There are six different-coloured face pieces and 90 different characters to collect in all, including six ultra-rare Glitter Moji Pops. Highlights from the range include 12 different boxed Story sets, including two Moji Pops and a mini stage, six different Photo Pop blister packs, each containing four Moji Pops, Blister Glitter Surprise – a blister eight-pack containing six Moji Pops and two Glitter Moji Pops and four different I Like… playsets to collect, containing two themed Moji Pops.

Collect them all! SPIN MASTER 01628 535000 www.spinmaster.com Spin Master’s pocket money portfolio features a plethora of toys from the new Monster Jam diecast and Bakugan Balls, to sugar-loving cuties Lollipets and exciting developments from Hatchimals CollEGGtibles. In its 10th anniversary year, the Bakugan Battle Planet toy line features marble-like balls with ingenious technology that transform into multiple collectible characters when rolled over a magnetic card. The official Monster Jam toy line includes the all-new 1:64 scale diecast Monster Jam truck, with more than 100 to collect.

Ryan’s World is a mystery VIVID IMAGINATIONS 01483 449944 www.vividtoysandgames.co.uk Inspired by the YouTube star, the Ryan’s World range is already proving to be a sell-out success in the UK. Bring Ryan’s World to life with the Mystery Figures, Mystery Squishy Figures and Mystery Putty. All items are blind packed and Series 2 is arriving this month. Available now is the Harry Potter Character Collectibles range, with 36 to collect including limited-edition golden Harry Potter and Furry Hedwig versions, single figure blind bags, 7-figure blister packs with both common and rare characters to collect. Micro Wheels is a brand new way to race! Featuring new Boost Up Activation you can control the speed and performance of your vehicle, so the more you pump, the faster the cars go. There are more than 30 cars to collect.

COVER FEATURE INDEPENDENT TOY & GIFT SHOW REVIEW

Dependent on independents! Late April once again saw independent retailers make their way to the midlands for the annual Independent Toy & Gift Show. TnP looks back on the event

“

their thanks to all visitors who and it was lovely to It was attended the event. They were once again see many lovely to delighted to report that even with of our AIS friends and once again the show starting on a Monday, customers.” see many visitor numbers were equivalent This year, attendees of our AIS to that of the previous year’s first were particularly friends and day and were up 15 per cent on the impressed by the customers second day. quality of supplier’s Kim Garrod, The theme of Jigsaws and displays. Playmobil, Gibsons Puzzles was well received at the who combined Games show, and saw Gibsons and Jumbo theatrical models with Games rally in support as the main a digital display and sponsors of the event. Gibsons sponsored moving diorama, won the Best Stand the show to commemorate the 100 years Award. The runners up were Juratoys/ that have passed since they first began Janod, Tinc and Professor Puzzle who trading as a British, family-run business were all highly commended. back in 1919. Not only was the café area On behalf of all who visited the redesigned with Gibsons’ recognisable Independent Toy & Gift Show this year centenary branding, there was also an – thank you to the plaY-room team for eye-catching display of branded vinyl’s hosting another great event. We look featuring some of their best-selling jigsaw forward to the next Independent Toy & puzzles and games. Kim Garrod, National Gift Show in 2020. Account Manager at Gibsons said: “It was “The AIS Show gives us the opportunity to sit down across a table great to from all of our key suppliers, hash out some deals, sort out some work with issues and get a whole lot of business done in a really short space of Aimee, time. This is an extremely important few days for us, but even more Faz and so as we are based in Northern Ireland and rarely get the opportunity the team to sit down with the key principles of our suppliers and both sort at this business and build relationships. Our business, or should I say year’s Toy & Gift Alan Simpson`s business, is up 25 per cent vs 2018 and this Show. Our simply couldn`t be achieved without the support of our branded suppliers.” café and Brian Simpson, General Manager stand and Head of Buying at Toytown looked fantastic

”

eld in late April, the Independent Toy & Gift Show welcomed retailers of all sizes to sunny Solihull for a couple of days of dedicated support from 85 key suppliers from the toy and children’s gift industries. The AIS toy division plaY-room is now in its 11th year and has more than 80 members with around 200 retail outlets nationwide. All who attend the show will recognise the effort that has gone into designing a different visitor experience. The show is a labour of love for the team, who enjoy facilitating the buying process for its members and providing the chance to network. The strategically timed event offers a window of opportunity for retailers to sit down with exhibitors to discuss plans for the year ahead and reflect on ways to improve the current state of business. Having closed its doors for another year, the show organisers have expressed

Retailer opinion:

S R O D A S S A AMB L A I C E SP

STEAMing ahead Last month we put our tiny testers to work to give us the scoop on what they thought of some of the most exciting STEM/STEAM products on the market This month, we sought the help of some of the boys and girls who are part of our TnP Ambassadors team. They played with everything from Learning Resources’ coding drawing robot Artie 3000 to the Meccano Supercar set by Spin Master to the Gelli Worlds kits from Zimpli Kids. The children were all asked to play, think about what they enjoyed and learnt from each of the products. We were also keen to get their parents’ opinions on the products too. The past few years have seen the STEM approach to learning become increasingly popular in schools. Combining science, technology, engineering, and maths, it is meant to be a comprehensive approach. The idea is that instead of teaching each subject separately, educators aim to incorporate some or all elements of STEM into each project. More recent times have seen the inclusion of art into STEM to make STEAM to give a more holistic approach to learning, and reflect the importance of artistic expression. Riding on the wave of STEM/STEM popularity, the toy industry has risen to the challenge and delivered an extensive selection of products to encourage children to have

fun while learning – after all, half the battle is getting kids to engage with a subject matter! Research by educational toy brand Learning Resources in 2017 found 77 per cent of parents had purchased an educational toy in the last 12 months. Simon Tomlinson, Head of Marketing, Learning Resources, says: “The beauty of STEM-based learning is that there is no right or wrong answer. Changing thinking from ‘right answer versus wrong answer’ to ‘let’s try it this way’ is at the heart of STEM. This presents us with a great opportunity to create innovative products that allow children to learn through exploratory play." And it is this drive to create toys and playthings that inspire fun learning that has led Learning Resources, Spin Master and Zimpli Kids to create an array of products for parents who are looking for toys that will not only be great fun to play with and inspire creativity, but will also support their children’s educational development. Turn over to find out what our Ambassadors have to say about some of these STEM/STEAM superstars – and just take a moment to look at their adorable photographs to see just how much fun they had while playing with them!

Consumers’ corner Ness 57 bought the 25 Model Supercar set from very.co.uk and she fully recommended it, giving it top marks in her review:

“I’m very pleased. It is a great model for the young and the mature person.”

www.ZimpliKids.com A parent’s Sales@ZimpliKids.com perspective Nikki, mum of Daniel and a primary school teacher, is always on the look out for fun, educational products for her son. She was really impressed with the new Gelli Worlds kits from Zimpli Kids:

Parental point of view Richard, the dad of Zack (one of our Ambassadors who road-tested Artie 3000), was really impressed by this ® drawing and coding robot:

“Artie 3000 really feels like the right combination of fun, art and coding – a STEAM dream you may say! I’ve really enjoyed being able to help Zack learn how to code and draw with this clever little robot.”

“The kits are great – kids can enjoy playing the roles of scientist and paleontologist. Fun is a given, but there is also an educational and sensory element to the kits.”

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S R O D A S S A AMB L A Zach says: I C E P S

“

Artie is so cool! I’m going to take him into school

Zack’s always wanted a robot, so when I brought home Artie 3000, he was desperate to take him for a spin, says his dad Richard. Here’s how he got on… I almost fell backward when Zack came home aged five and started talking to me about algorithms. We like to support Zack with his studies, but with no experience in coding – and algorithms now on the curriculum from Key Stage 1 – we were concerned that this may be a bit beyond our abilities. Zack is now in Year 3, and working towards key stage 2 and he’s already been doing some algorithms programming at school. Now as I said, I don’t know much about coding, but it sounds like a lot of fun. So when I heard about Artie 3000, the coding and drawing robot, I thought it’d be a great way to ‘get down with the kids’, and learn how to code with my son. When I came through the door with Artie, Zack was so excited – he’s a big fan of STEAM subjects and he’s always wanted a robot! He was in his pyjamas and almost ready for bed,

but his enthusiasm – and the fact that we could easily see its educational value – saw us ignore his usual bedtime, so that we could have a little play with our new creative friend. Artie is designed for children aged seven to 12, so Zack was at the lower end of the target age group, but that didn’t seem to matter. He took to it like a duck to t access, water. While programmed shapes, e Interne WiFi ir u q re ’t in esn Artie do mes with a built nect I was still games, art for colouring n as it co u can co o y t a reading the and freeform coding. Zack th server device. to from a instructions, really loved coding Artie to

Did you know?

which by the way are really clear and easy to follow – you could say coding for dummies/parents! – Zack already had him set up, pen at the ready and programmed to draw. Artie has four modes of play: pre-

ys: a s d a D great

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It’s ble to to be oart supp ’s Zack ing at learne hom

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Brain trainer Children will develop a number of skills with Artie 3000, including: ■ Left-brain skills such as basic programming, geometry and maths as they control Artie ■ Right-brain skills such as creativity, imagination and expression as they develop patterns and drawing

“

Smarty Artie

tell his new robot friend what to do! He even asked us to make a video of Artie following the instructions that he had given him so that he could show his friends. And he’s desperate to take it into class so that his school friends can have a go too. In terms of what you need to get started, Artie comes with a QuickStart guide and three activity cards to get you going. This little guy comes with a built in WiFi server that you can connect to from a device, so he needs no Internet access. And the drag and drop visual programming interface can be used on a Mac, PC or tablet. When you open up the box, all you need to have are four AA batteries, as everything else, including four felt-tip pens (others of a similar size are also compatible) are including in the box. I think we’re going to be playing with Artie 3000 a lot over the next few years. Artie really is a great introduction to the basics of coding. Thank you Learning Resources for helping a tech-phobic dad out!

Contact

Learning Resources 01553 819 380 www.learningresources.co.uk

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NEW Artie 3000™ Artie 3000™ is the new coding and drawing robot that puts children in control! Artie has a built-in Wi-Fi server so can be used anywhere without requiring an internet connection. The easy-to-use drag and drop programming can be used on a Mac, PC or tablet and offers four modes of play; pre-programmed shapes, games, art for colouring and freeform coding. Artie 3000™ EI 1125

S R O D A S S A AMB Wha t’s in th e bu cket 157 part Pla s

Bucket of fun

s y a s w Willo

ut o b A kayistto b0u+ild e h t rent w ages 1

she did need some help. However, that gave her the chance to spend some quality time with her dad and big brother Harry, 12. Willow's mum says: ‘’The models do take some patience, but that’s not a bad lesson to learn! And I like the fact you can make several models out of one kit – and then, if you’re feeling creative, you can create your own designs too. This bucket will give several hours of creative play, and will last for a few years, before Willow moves on to the older Meccano or other construction sets. I think Willow would also love to see something a little more ‘girly’ along with the robot and helicopter options!’’

D I LOVE G MAKIN THE DELS MeO d6

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We let Willow loose with the Meccano Junior 150-piece bucket, which gives young engineers the chance to build models such as a helicopter and robot Those of us of a certain age will have enjoyed making models from metal Meccano, but the sets designed for older kids are not always suitable for younger ones. So, for parents keen to get their children started on the Meccano ladder, the Junior Meccano Bucket, containing 150 plastic Meccano pieces, is the ideal option. Willow, aged six, enjoyed putting together the models, but

stic buck 2 re 1 ins al to et truc ols tion ma mod nual for els five

I’m in love with my car We challenged two 12 year-olds to make a Meccano Supercar. Here’s how Josh and Patch got on…

for diffe ed • 25 uitable s includ • S Tool •

The Meccano Supercar set offers 25 different ways to construct a supercar. Patch and Josh - 12 year-old friends - put their heads together to get busy with their building skills, and really enjoyed seeing all the pieces come together. They were very impressed with the fact the car could be constructed in so many different ways: "It means you can make lots of versions.’’ So did they learn anything, while having fun? ‘’We learnt collaboration, communication, and reading instructions properly!’’ says Patch. 2 Parents are usually keen to aged 1 purchase something they see as educational and a way to help their children get on better at school, so we wondered if the boys thought the construction sets could go on to help to support their learning at school? ‘’Yes, because in physics, it could help with things like learning about kinetic energy, and electrical circuits," explains Josh."As well as this, it also helps generally learning how to construct things." And, the boys say, it’s great when something that's educational also has some pretty cool features – they were both rather impressed with the LED light piping. (The car also comes with a variable speed motor). Mum Karen was also impressed: ‘’It’s hard to keep kids’ attention on school work so, with something like this, they’re really using their intellect and challenging themselves to cultivate new skills in a way that they’ll enjoy, as Contact well as helping their education in the long run. Often it’s hard for children to see how the things that Spin Master they’re learning at school actually work in the real world, but a set like this can really help demonstrate 01628 535 000 practical applications that subjects such as physics teach.

s: y a s h Jos

AN C U O Y TS O L E K MA ONS I S R E OF V

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www.spinmaster.com

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713B0(&&$12B$: LQGG

S R O D A Daniel says: S S A B AM L YOU A I C E “ SP COULD MAKE YOUR OWN STOPMOTION ANIMATION FILMS

Our would-be scientists had great fun – and learnt something too – when they got hands-on with the Zimpli Gelli Worlds Dino and Fantasy packs

Inside:

inflatable base Harry has managed to keep it all contained. So from a Sachets i Powder ll e G g mess-phobic mum it 5x10 Play Tray gets a thumbs-up!’’ Inflatable ures Daniel is 10, and ntasy fig Dino or fa played with the Dino Pack to let off steam after finishing his SATS tests change into a jelly-like substance and see at school. before their very eyes how the gelling process His mum Nikki is a primary school happens. The children will also learn that the teacher. She says: “It’s a great product, gelling process is much quicker when warm educational and fun to play with. The kit water is used, as opposed to cold water. is attractively presented in a compact‘’They can act as scientists by mixing their sized box, with excellent instructions Gelli and then turn into paleontologists when printed on the side as well as more playing with the dino characters.’’ detailed ones inside, making it easy to Daniels suggests: “You could make your own set up and easy to use with children. stop-motion animation films using the Gelli, “As well as being a fun kit there is an scenery and figures.” educational and sensory element to it Daniel’s older sister Natasha got in on the act as well. With just the addition of water too, setting up the Fantasy Pack. children can see and feel the powder Nikki adds: ‘’This could also be used in a primary classroom to support a range of STEM activities. By immersing themselves in a sensory experience of mixing, feeling and playing with the jelly, it is excellent for encouraging imaginative and creative play around the eight plastic figures that also come with the set. ‘’Make sure you put down some newspaper or a protective cover as the activity can get a bit messy and perhaps with younger children have a bowl of water handy to rinse the Gelli off at the end. ‘’It’s a really fun, hands-on product, which encourages imaginative and educational play.’’

Emily says:

“

THIS IS SO COOL! I THINK IT’S REALLY FUN TO PLAY WITH AND IT’S GOOD BECAUSE YOU GET MORE THAN ONE PACK OF GELLI IN THE BOX!

aged 9

s: y a s y Harr A E IT’S LIK JELLY ING SWIMM POOL!

“

aged 5

“

Gelli Worlds Fantasy Pack

aged 10

“

The sets from Zimpli went down a storm with children of all ages. Harry, who is almost five, is dinosaur mad, so the Dino Pack was perfect for him. His Mum Sarah says: “He likes that he recognises all of the types of dinosaurs. He says it feels nice and gooey.’’ Harry adds: “It’s like a jelly swimming pool!’’ And all the fun wasn’t left to Harry, as his nine-year-old brother Sam got in on the action too. “Sam had to have a squelch in it too and loved it!’’ says Sarah. Sarah adds: “It’s a fantastic toy for Harry, as he doesn’t like touching or feeling unusual things or textures, so it’s great for him that there are dinosaurs (his favourite things) in the Gelli to entice him to play with it, which meant he didn’t need any persuasion at all! ‘’I don’t usually like slime-style toys, but this is very easy to make and with the

“

Give it some Gelli!

tnp.media

www.ZimpliKids.com Sales@ZimpliKids.com

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FEATURE

BIKES AND TRIKES

Free-wheelin’ it! Bikes and trikes is a growth area in the toy market, a canny area for licensed product – and a category with multiple benefits for both consumers and retailers, as Sarah Welsh discovers…

hey say you never forget the magical experience that is choosing your first bicycle as a child. After all, it’s a serious piece of kit, an investment that spells a sense of freedom – whatever your age. But as well as bringing joy to both parents and children alike, and allowing them to spend more time together as a family, the physical and mental benefits of hitting the open road on two wheels – or three if you’re talking trikes – are multiple. “Active free play is like the superfood of a play ‘diet’,” says Amanda Gummer, MD and Founder of Fundamentally Children – home of the Good Toy Guide. “Child-led activities that have a thrilling element to them – like riding a bike as fast as they can, or climbing a tree – give children the chance to test their limits and experience a range of emotions. Through risky play children learn how it feels to be scared, excited, nervous, or apprehensive, and how to manage these emotions too. This is important right from the early years as this emotional development will support vital skills, such as resilience, as children grow. “From toddlerhood and up, children need the chance to make mistakes as they master biking, running, climbing, balancing, jumping, coordination, and so on. So, by playing outdoors – whether that’s a game of football or simply having free rein on a bicycle in an open space – children get to push their physical skills just a little past their comfort zone each time.”

Juratoys

One thriving toy retailer that has seen significant growth in the sale of children’s bikes and trikes over the last year is Toy Galaxy. With stores in Barnet, Ealing, Harrow, Hatfield and Witney, Oxfordshire, Toy Galaxy’s owner and director Bhav Patel says the bike category is becoming increasingly fundamental to the business. “Our Witney store has two-thirds bikes and a third toys, in terms of shop space,” Bhav reveals. “I inherited the bike side of the business when we bought the store, and there’s no doubt the crossover between outdoor activity toys and toys in general has been crucial for us. Phil Ratcliffe, “We’ve also just launched MV Sports a big new first-floor section in the Harrow store that’s devoted to children’s bikes. We have specialist knowledge in this category, and that spreads across the chain. For us, selling bikes is a very hands-on process. “I have two trained mechanics who work specifically for Toy Galaxy, build the bikes in store and also do repairs. We also offer a free service after six weeks, a warranty and excellent afte-care – but when customers buy a bike from us they are also buying that specialist service. And that’s Toy

“

With classic evergreen properties proving their worth… we expect 2019 to be a bumper year for licensed bikes and trikes

important when an entrylevel 12-inch bike starts from £120 to £150. Bhav says he’s noticed significant growth in bike and trike sales within the past nine months, with most sales concentrated around spring and early summer. “Since the decline of Toys R Us I think customers have been shopping more locally for bikes and outdoor equipment from independents like us – it’s certainly brought more consumers our way. “We don’t tend to see product trends as such, more that customers want good quality for their spend. Raleigh and Dawes are both very important suppliers for us, and in terms of trikes, we have a great relationship with Smart Trike through Mookie and Little Tykes. “Licensed product is also important in this space, and we find the evergreen infant and Galaxy’s pre-school licences such as Thomas, Peppa and Witney store Disney Princess sell comprises twoparticularly well. thirds bikes. “Brands such as LOL Dolls and Shopkins do of course make bikes, but this wouldn’t be a big buying consideration for us. It’s too risky as an independent.” Phil Ratcliffe, Sales & Marketing Director for MV Sports, says they have certainly noticed a swing back to licensed models of both bikes and trikes this year.

2/3

Wheel appeal For MV Sports, licensed bikes and trikes do well year after year. Ever-popular licences include Peppa Pig, Paw Patrol, Batman and Disney Princess.

MV Sports 52

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Trike delight WILTON BRADLEY 01626 835400 www.wiltonbradley.com Launched last year, the Xootz Viper Go Kart and Elements Electric Scooters were a big success story for Wilton Bradley, with strong sales not only in the UK but also across 20 countries worldwide. 2019 sees more innovative products added to the range with the new Typhoon Power Drift Trike and two new electric scooters – the Electro and Energizer. The Typhoon Power Drift Trike was created by Wilton Bradley’s in-house product design team helped by the use of 3D design and 3D printing. The result is an eye-catching product with plenty of attitude. With an impressive run time of 60 minutes and max speed of 16km/h this unique ride-on provides endless fun, as proven by The Gadget Show team at London Toy Fair who spent far longer than they should have ‘demo-ing’ and filming the product around the show in January.

Ticket to ride MV SPORTS

Fun fact!

The Typhoon Power Drift Trike was created by Wilton Bradley’s in-house product design team helped by the use of 3D design and 3D printing.

On your trike H. GROSSMAN

0121 748 8000 www.mvsports.co.uk MV has a complete line-up of bikes and trikes in 2019, from the very first 10in bike up to a 16in wheel size with iconic graphics and wheel discs. All the major classic and hot properties are available, including Toy Story 4 and L.O.L. Surprise. Evergreen pre-school properties Paw Patrol and Peppa Pig continue to grow, with a range of trikes and bikes across both classic ranges. The newly improved twoin-one 10in bikes now have improved geometry for younger children and come complete with easy-to-remove pedals and stabilisers to facilitate a quick progression from pedal bike to balance bike, as the child grows in confidence. Disney is leading the way with some highly-anticipated releases this year, including Avengers: Endgame, Toy Story 4, Spider-Man: Far From Home and Frozen 2. MV will be supporting all properties with a range of bikes and trikes; each range will have its own unique and iconic look and feel. MV’s Batman collection has a new 12in bike added to the range, featuring a bespoke bat-shaped plaque and fin – a truly heroic bike for any little super hero. Don’t forget to check out the rest of the best-selling Batman range including scooters, ride-ons, skateboards and go karts. L.O.L. Surprise is a highly sought-after property; the MV range features 14in and 16in bikes with glitterati accents, bold character graphics and a sticker sheet for customisation. MV also offers a complementary range of L.O.L. Surprise outdoor toys including, scooters, skates, tepee and the innovative My Dream Den.

0141 613 2525 www.ozbozz.co.uk 2019 started off on a high as H. Grossman won a Hero Toy Award from the BTHA for its new preschool trike at the London Toy Fair. The My First Trike is a chunky trike designed especially for much younger children. With light-up wheels and a sturdy seat, the trike can be guided by a parent using the removable handle at the back. Available in two colourways and designed to retail at a costeffective price. New for fourth quarter is the Elektra Flashing Fire Hog – this hog trike is available in two neon colourways and has a ﬂashing, light-up front wheel to really grab the attention.

Licensed to thrill MV is releasing a number of licensed Disney bikes and trikes this year, including Avengers: Endgame, Toy Story 4, Spider-Man: Far From Home and Frozen 2.

JUNE 2019

FEATURE

BIKES AND TRIKES

Ride on time JANOD/JURATOYS 0208 878 2133 www.janod.com Children aged three to six can pedal away in style with the Juratoys Metal Vintage Bikloon. Available in either beige or pink, this stylish ride comes with a comfortable seat that is adjustable from 38cm to 46cm. Both seat and handlebar have an adjustable height and the plastic handle has a cute little rabbit’s head. Stylish riders can accessorise with a lovely leather imitation bag to really set off the look. Or little ones can choose to cycle away with a gorgeous imitation wicker basket attached to their bicycle for that true vintage feel.

Très chic Children can add an elegant vintage touch to their Juratoys Metal Vintage Bikloons, with a selection of accessories including: an imitation wicker basket, an imitation leather bag, bells, horns and water bottles.

Power trip RE:CREATION

01189 736 222 www.recreationltd.co.uk

Fact! The Razor E Punk offers speeds of up to 9mph (14km/h) and around 40 minutes of continuous use.

Classic Razor rides such as the S Sport kick scooter maintain a top-three spot consistently in the category, while many years of experience in developing electric rides sees the brand’s E100 and E90 also rank in the top five. The coming months bring innovative new rides from this trailblazing brand with continued heavyweight marketing support from UK distributor Re:creation. Razor’s Drift Rider electric drift cycle offers riders edge-of-the-seat drifting excitement, combining moto-inspired styling and 3D steering for a one-of-a-kind experience. Suitable for riders from age nine, this rideon once again showcases Razor’s drifting credentials at their best. E Punk combines the fun of BMX styling with the manoeuvrability of a mini bike. Razor’s unparalleled expertise in electric power ensures this fun ride packs a punch, offering speeds of up to 9mph (14km/h) and around 40 minutes of continuous use. The E Prime Air is Razor’s most sophisticated electric scooter yet, offering a sleek design, high-torque, brushless hub motor and a large pneumatic front tyre for the smoothest ride around. Finally, the recently-introduced Power A2, lithium-powered, folding electric scooter has a compact and ultra-modern design, perfect for riders aged eight and up.

Power up MGA ENTERTAINMENT www.mgae.com The latest addition to the MGA family, the new scooter collection Viro Rides includes the Vega 2-in-1 Electric Scooter and Mini Bike and the Viro Rides 550E Electric Scooter aimed at older riders aged eight to 16 years. Launching in July, the Vega 2-in-1 Electric Scooter easily transforms from scooter into mini bike at the push of a button. The Vega hits speeds of up to 10mph, has a height-adjustable handlebar, thumbcontrol throttle and lever-activated disk brake for optimum braking performance – and even folds for easy transportation. The Viro Rides 550E has high-visibility LED lights that ooze an über-cool ‘ground effect’, and the built-in kickstand ensures it’s always standing tall.

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Exclusive to Wilton Bradley

01626 835400

;RRW] 7R\ZRUOG $' LQGG

sales@wiltonbradley.co.uk

www.wiltonbradley.co.uk

FEATURE

BIKES AND TRIKES

Perfect balance CHICCO 020 8953 6627 www.chicco.co.uk

A growing range LITTLE TIKES 0845 0533 333 www.littletikes.co.uk

Did you know?

Transforming from parent-controlled pushThe 4-in-1 Trike has alongs to independent quiet-ride tyres, an trikes that children will love, Little Tikes’ range of adjustable seat and an extra-large storage 4-in-1 trikes are ideal for getting children outdoors bucket. from a young age. The 4-in-1 Trike allows parents to push, guide or walk alongside their child as they grow. Available in pink or blue, it has quiet-ride tyres, an adjustable seat and an extra-large storage bucket. The 4-in-1 Deluxe Edition Trike is available in neon pink and neon blue and is designed to adapt to growing children with four stages: the guided stage (nine months plus) with an adjustable handle bar that allows parents to control; the learning stage (12 months plus) allowing children to place their feet on the pedals while being guided by parents; the development stage (18 months plus) of removing the foot rest and unlocking the steering wheel, and the final stage (36 months plus) when children can independently ride their trike. My First 4-in-1 Trike has storage, sun protection and a foot rest, a five-point seat belt harness and protective safety bar. The foot rest and waist bar are removable so that children can learn to pedal and steer with guidance as the trike grows with them.

The new Scuderia Ferrari Balance Bike is ideal for children aged two years and over, and is larger than our award-winning Red Bullet balance bike. The ultra-lightweight metal frame means our new balance bike is really easy for children to manoeuvre and the adjustable, soft handlebars and seat means it can be adjusted to grow with the child. The Red Bullet Bike from Chicco helps children to develop spatial awareness as they learn how to move around on their first bike, as well as getting to grips with the importance of balance and exploratory play as they are free to go where they choose. The bike helps children acquire the necessary balance on two wheels before they move on to a real bicycle with pedals. Made from ultra-light metal, it has height-adjustable handlebars and saddle to suit the build of your toddler.

Cruiser control HTI

01253 775544 www.htigroup.co.uk Evo from HTI has a vast product offering for children aged two to nine. The company has added 10 new lines to this key area for 2019. One of the most exciting new additions to the Evo range is the 3 in 1 Cruiser, designed to stay with the child from 12 months to five years, with its easily-removable seat and adjustable handle height. The traditional Inline Scooter has had a makeover for the 2019 season, with new bright colourways, a functional folding mechanism for easy transportation and optional light-up feature. For the more experienced riders, three new Evo stunt scooters are sure to excite youngsters with their sleek modern frames. The V-Flex scooter has quickly become a popular line in recent years, and the Evo range includes five different styles with varied price points to suit every retailer, with all scooters featuring brakes, anti-slip footplates and TPR handle grips. The Electronic Teamsterz car, which featured several times on CKN Toys’ YouTube channel, is now available with parental control and in three different colourways, including a new Police themed car. Police themed battery-operated vehicles include a new quad bike range and motorbike.

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FROM 12pm

FRIDAY 12TH JULY 2019

Entry Fee: £300 per team – All proceeds donated to Toy Trust. To register your team please contact : football.tournament@hasbro.com

TNP

LOOKS BACK

Step back in time TnP’s founder Malcolm Naish looks back through the news of Junes past: 1989, 1999, 2009 and 2014

June 2014

• Phil Ratcliffe took up the reigns of the BTHA Chair from retiring Chairman Frank Martin. • Our toy trade personnel who gave up their time to work with the BTHA were to be applauded. Coming from top management, their work for the BTHA was truly a labour of love! • Vivid and Drummond Park announced their new trading arrangement that saw Vivid managing sales, marketing and distribution in the UK and Ireland. The dynamic duo of Ross McDonald and Dave Howard continued to head up sales. • Family-owned Bigjigs was delighted to be named ‘Best Small Family Business of the Year‘ at the Red Ribbon awards. Bigjigs was up against 700 companies, so the award was certainly well earned. • Nik Hallam, best known for his time with Youngsters buying group changed direction by joining Intertek, the well-known safety testing company. • Our Independent’s column told us that 2014 was a far better year than 2013, citing LEGO movie stock, Disney Frozen, Minecraft and the Cra-Z-loom sales. These increased footfall – and I assume sales – so for a change the Independent was not complaining.

June 2009

• Doom and gloom certainly seemed to be the order of the day at the 2009 BTHA Industry Day with dire predictions about the future. We all survived of course and as industry Chairman Roger Dyson said: “Children will always want toys.” How True! • Brio closed its UK office and appointed Treasure Trove to handle its UK sales. Robin Bennett added: “This is good news for the local community here in Gloucestershire as it necessitates increased warehouse space and staff to support this significant growth in our business.” • Brio product was now to be held in Robin’s UK warehouse rather than shipping it from Sweden. • Was it really ten years ago that Simon Pilkington completed his buyout at John Adams? This also included Toy Brokers, with the new streamlined operation to be based at Toy Broker’s Huntingdon premises. John Adams was owned by Drummond Park but it struggled to make the twin acquisitions of John Adams and Toy Brokers work successfully. • Toy Barnhaus opened its first store in Crawley, Sussex. Mark Buschaus and Stephen Barnes were the former Manager and Assistant Manager of Crawley’s Woolworths, having been made redundant in January. This was a brave step that has really paid off, as they now have several toy shops as part of their company. • With a very poor current climate, it was no surprise when Poundland announced its operating profits were up by 47 per cent to £11.8 million. At the time they owned 221 shops.

June 1999

• Character Group was very happy with its first six months of trading, with sales at the end of February up by 27 per cent to £49 million. Pre-tax profits of just over £5 million – up by 11 per cent – must have been very well received by all at Character.

• Two of the loveliest people in toy retail decide to call it a day. Robin and Doris Krieger of Ritz Toys first opened in 1963 - the year that Sindy was launched. Robin was a great joke-teller; he and Doris made a great team. • Hornby continued to increase their outsourcing, having cut 100 jobs in the previous year and started using China for 90 per cent of its production. • Ian Scott, another great servant of the BTHA retired. Our picture shows him handing over the badge of office to Alan Munn. His work in toy safety was tremendous and his career spanned 47 years. • Star Wars with its Phantom Menace launch was seeing huge licensing revenues, but in our ‘Letter from America‘, written each month by Norman Walker, some concerns were raised. There was wall-to-wall licensing in the USA and all of the packaging looked the same – whether you were buying a Star Wars figure, a pencil set or whatever. Norman’s concerns were justified, as history tells us. Many retailers were left with lots of stock. • Showing that we are in the vanguard of current retail thinking we published an article under ‘Retail Viewpoint’. In the article I asked: “What’s all this fuss about the Internet? Is it just the latest fad that is appealing to the menfolk of the world to be replaced in two years time by the next electronic fashion accessory?” I love this quotation: “Men had little spare money to spend on themselves and pastimes such as fishing were the only acceptable reason to avoid the wife. As disposable income increased, different hobbies came to the fore, and all that has happened is that men’s conversation has moved on from maggots to modems.’

June 1989

• The Chinese announced an eight per cent tariff increase on toys. This came as a bolt out of the blue. We were concerned that as much as 90 per cent of the toy trade was affected. • The death of Harold Wood of GUS was announced. Harold was a Titan in the toy trade for many years. They don’t make them like Harold any more! Those who had the pleasure of meeting him will also know that he was a delightful man. • A second sad obituary was announced. Stephen D. Hassenfeld of Hasbro and brother of Alan. Alan Cowley left Empire Stores and soon after joined Toy Options (Character Group) for a short time. • We highlighted Totally Toys buying group. They had sixty members with 85 stores between them, having left Toymaster’s umbrella almost three years earlier. • Tri-ang Leisure featured in our issue with a picture of two past toy men – none other than Mike Ganley and Neville Furber. • I couldn’t resist including this photograph of Michael Angel who had won a pair of Mike Tysons’s boxing gloves at a charity raffle. He later donated them to an auction at our North v South cup final football match.

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DON’T MISS… 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 contact now!

Product: Harry Potter Party Range Company: Amscan International Tel: 01908 288 500 Web: www.amscan.co.uk

Product: Coding Critters Company: Learning Resources Tel: 01553 819 380 Web: www.learningresources.co.uk

Product: Angry Birds Squishy Buddies Company: Tobar Tel: 01603 397 105 Web: www.tobar.co.uk

Product: Moon and Me Talking Plush: Pepi Nana Company: Hasbro Tel: 020 8569 1234 Web: www.hasbro.com

Product: Polly Pocket World: Birthday Cake Bash Company: Mattel Tel: 01628 500000 Web: www.mattel.com

Product: Harry Potter Character Collectibles Company: Vivid Imaginations Tel: 01483 449 944 Web: www.vividtoysandgames.co.uk

Product: Teamsterz Micro Motorz Company: HTI Tel: 01253 775 544 Web: www.htigroup.co.uk

Product: Disney Princess Horse and Carriage Company: MV Sports Tel: 0121 748 8000 Web: www.mvsports.co.uk

Product: Gelli Spa Company: Zimpli Kids Tel: 01254 460 006 Web: www.zimplikids.com

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