Toys n Playthings

016 July 2 No. 10 5 Vol. 3

ABC circulation of 5,123 1 July 2014 to 30 June 2015

just like the real thing

The Sales Partnership Distributors Ltd Ancastle House Gravel Hill Henley on Thames RG9 1TP Tel: 01491 412415 Fax: 01491 412915 Contact Name - James Triptree

CONTENTS

P17

Regular

016 July 2 No.10 5 3 Vol.

TEAM TnP Group Editor Mirella Anstey mirella@lemapublishing.co.uk

5

Leader - with Mirella Anstey

6

News - hot off the press

9

Quick Coffee Break - with Clementoni’s Shahbaz Khan

10 Movie News - the latest from the box office 12 Media News - the multimedia rundown 13 Media Charts - the latest kids’ TV viewing figures and toy TV advertising spend 16 Retail News - the latest from across the retail landscape

P60

18 What’s New - new products that you need to get your hands on 26 Toy Talk – the retailers have their say

Editor Mairead Wilmot mairead@lemapublishing.co.uk

Writer Rhys Thomas rhys@lemapublishing.co.uk

Group Advertisement Manager Ryan Horwood ryan@lemapublishing.co.uk

60 Spotlight on… Tomy - one new product, all the USPs explained 76 Trade Talk - we give suppliers a chance to talk business 84 Licensing News – the hottest news from the toy licensing industry 86 Step Back In Time – a slice of toy history from the industry’s longest running magazine

P30

87 Don’t Miss – unmissable products for all buyers and retailers

Features 32 Wooden Toys – they never goes out of fashion

Media Solutions Manager Bradley Mason bradley@lemapublishing.co.uk

Publisher Mark Naish mark@lemapublishing.co.uk

50 RC and App Controlled Toys – what more could kids ask for?

62 Superheroes – the latest products for this cool category 70 Sand, Water & Bubbles – splish, splash, its toys kids love

Special Report 20 Brexit – what do toy industry leaders think?

Production Director Paul Naish paul@lemapublishing.co.uk

17 Cover Story – Spin Master unveil their fantastic range of toys to support DreamWorks Animation’s Noddy, Toyland Detective

Design and Production

22 Retail Interview – Alison Quill, founder of online store BrightMinds tells us what she looks for in a toy

Marian McNamara marian@lemapublishing.co.uk

Managing Director Malcolm Naish malcolm@lemapublishing.co.uk

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30 Golf Day – TnP’s Founder Malcolm Naish reports back on his annual golf day 48 View from the Top – Toy State’s Andy Friess tells TnP what makes him tick in business and how there is no typical average day in his working life 78 Trolls – we take a look at what will be on retailers’ shelves for DreamWorks Animation’s Trolls

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

82 Licensing Expo – TnP was in Vegas to attend Licensing Expo, find out how we got on

Columnists 15 Retail Opinion – make an occasion of things, says John Ryan 16 Media Whisperer – advertising and TV, Clive Crouch tells us about new developments

P48

24 High Street Highs – online is important, says Gary Grant 25 The Independent and Secret Supplier – how we trade with each other is important say our good pals 61 TnP Ambassadors – our ambassadors test the toys you stock on your shelves

ABC circulation of 5,123 1 July 2014 to 30 June 2015

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Helping everyone sell more

LEADER

F

A member of the Audit Bureau of Circulation

Independently audited ABC circulation of 5,123 1 July 2014 to 30 June 2015

the run down on our news irstly, we must begin by congratulating Mirella pages. In case you missed the founders of Character Options who Anstey it, have a look and let us received a BTHA Lifetime Achievement know if it is similar to your own top toy list.

Award following the recent Toy Industry Back to the magazine, our cover story this month Day at Great Fosters Hotel. focuses on Spin Master and its range of toys to Co-founders Richard King, Joe Kissane, Jon Diver support DreamWorks Animation’s new TV series and Kiran Shah each received the prestigious award, aimed at pre-schoolers, Noddy, Toyland Detective. and to be eligible to be recognised for a BTHA The TV series airs on Milkshake daily and had been Lifetime Achievement Award, the BTHA says: “An really well received, and with names such as Spin individual must have facilitated positive and sustained Master and DreamWorks Animation attached, retailers change in the toy industry as a whole and be an can rest assured that little ones inspirational achiever who is widely acknowledged are in for a treat. to have made a fundamental and beneficial impact We love our on the sector over the long regular column with term.” All this has certainly The Entertainer’s been achieved, so a very TnP spoke with Gary Grant, if only well-deserved honour we several toy industry to get an insight think. professionals to get into how he does In other news, Brexit has their views on Brexit business and to come and gone – and taken learn the company us along with it. While this registered the has undoubtedly been a domain name TheToyShop.com trying time politically, we are yet to fully grasp the Chicco’s Mitch Levene more than two decades ago impact on our business. TnP spoke with several toy and other Industry leadreally shows how progressive industry professionals to get their views on the matter ers discuss Brexit on they are – especially considering and while there are some concerns over USD $, there page 14 the internet just recently celebrated is undoubtedly a sense of “Well, let’s just get on with its 27th birthday. Turn to page 24 to it now”. Turn to page 20 to read our news special find out more from Gary. which includes comment from associate lawyer Adam If you flick to page 48 you will find an interview Rendal of international firm Taylor Wessing. Argos with Andy Friess, President of Toy State. Andy speaks also revealed their top toys for Christmas – you’ll find about how the company is focused on growing and maintaining strong retail relationships – well worth a read.

TnP’s Founder Malcolm Naish hosted the eighth annual TnP Golf Day recently and he gives us a rundown on the winners and losers on page 30. We are assured that a great day was had by all, and the date has already been set for 2017’s Golf Day – make sure to put 20 June 2017 in those diaries!

In terms of category guides, this month we focus on Wooden Toys (page 32), RC and App Controlled Toys (page 50), Superheroes (page 62), Sand, Water & Bubbles (page 70) and Trolls (page 78). Enjoy, and don’t forget, Character Options we love hearing your news and views – so co-founders pick up do email mirella@lemapublishing.co.uk if you their BTHA Lifetime Achievement Award have any thoughts on all things toys.

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NEWS

RUBIE’S TAKE ON COUNTERFEITERS

It’s a goodbye from me to you…

After twenty years with H Grossman Ltd, Martin Grossman’s right-hand woman Caroline Brotherton recently announced her retirement. She leaves the company in the capable hands of Martin and his wife Elinor and made her decision to retire early last year.

Caroline picking up the keys to her motor Speaking about her home, a parting gift from Martin and decision, Caroline says: Elinor Grossman “I have had twenty years doing my dream job, I’ve absolutely loved working in this business and loved working with Martin, Eli and everyone at Grossmans.”

Martin adds: “Caroline who?! Of course it is sad to see Caroline retire from the company and we wish her nothing but the best. I still believe that she will be back in harness within six months to a year. All bets are in!

Seriously, it’s with great joy that we see her embarking on this next stage of her life. She has shown unwavering loyalty over the years through good times and the not so good times. Caroline has the respect and loyalty of everyone inside the company and many people in the toy industry - we all think the world of her.”

With her fiancé Wallace at her side, Caroline plans to use her retirement present, a motor home which is a personal gift from the Grossmans, to travel wherever the fancy takes her. She is pictured here receiving the keys to her brand new life from Martin and Eli.

Rubie’s Masquerade is taking their fight against counterfeit product seriously. The company has announced a new European strategy targeting anti-counterfeit and enforcement. Rubie’s has appointed Mike O’Connell, who brings 12 years of experience in the industry and a wealth of knowledge in both Fancy Dress and IP infringement, to lead the strategy. They will police and monitor the sale of all items bearing the trademarks, brand names or designs which the company is responsible for directly, or under licence. It will target retailers, distributors, wholesalers and manufacturers.

Rubie’s UK Commercial Director, David Wootliff, says: “We have spent many years building an unrivalled and leading licensed portfolio, uniting the strongest entertainment and character brands available. We take great pride in our Intellectual Property Rights and that of our licensors.”

Rubie’s are urging retailers, distributors, wholesalers and manufacturers to take action if they see an item that they suspect is fake or counterfeit by reporting it at antipiracy@rubiesuk.com.

LEGO takes over Toymaster windows Toymaster teamed with LEGO for its latest window feature display, which it offers to all Toymaster members.

The LEGO brands display started on Monday 27 June and promotes four of the biggest and most popular LEGO brand: CITY, Creator, Friends and Nexo Knights. The display kit includes a free-to-enter colouring competition, promotional materials for Independents’ Day, a celebration of independent businesses which Toymaster will have a number of offers for in July.

TREND SPOTTING Kristin Morency Goldman, U.S. Toy Industry Association talks coveted collectables Recognising kids’ innate love of collecting, the toy industry will debut a wide range of collectable toys through the end of 2016, making ‘coveted collectables’ one of the hottest trends of the year.

“From low-priced minis that appeal to value-conscious shoppers to licensed exclusives for mega fans and hobbyists, we’re seeing a surge in collectable toys that span many different categories,” says Adrienne Appell, toy trend specialist at the U.S. Toy Industry Association (TIA).

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“

From lowpriced minis that appeal to value-conscious shoppers to licensed exclusives for mega fans

”

On top of being fun, collectionbuilding helps children develop important skills that can be applied to all areas of life.

“While hunting for hard-tofind items to complete their collections, kids learn patience and perseverance,” says Adrienne.

“They also learn how to socialise with peers and hone their negotiation skills when it comes time to trade toys with friends.”

Collectable toys also make great gifts to help reinforce positive behavior. “Many parents like to motivate their kids to complete household chores or perform well at school by rewarding them with small, affordable toys,” adds

toysnplaythings.co.uk

On yer bike!

The Entertainer’s MD Gary Grant has been in training. No, not for global toy shop domination, for the Toy Trust’s Big Cambridge Challenge!

But there has been one thing niggling him: “the real pain in my seat!”

“I noticed after one ride this week the words Body Geometry written on the saddle. According to Google, geometry is the branch of mathematics concerned with questions of shape, size, relative position of figures, and the properties of space,” says Gary. “My pain in the ‘seat’ disagrees with this statement being applicable to this particular saddle. I may look at upgrading my bike for 2017!”

Gary is aiming to raise £12,000 to put towards the team’s group goal of £35,000.

To help Gary and The Entertainer team make a difference, visit his donation page: https://mydonate.bt.com/ fundraisers/garygrant1

Argos names top toys for Christmas 2016 Argos has revealed its predictions for the toys it thinks will be topping children’s wish lists this Christmas.

Linzi Walker, Chief Toy Buyer for Argos, says the list shows “just how much toys are evolving”.

“Lots of our top toys have their roots in parents’ Christmases past. Now they’ve truly moved on, with more sophisticated tech, realistic life-like functions and up-to-date pop culture references,” she added.

Launch time for Kurio Watch KD UK has unveiled a new addition to its range - the Kurio Watch which is available from mid-July. The company says the watch is the ultimate adult technology for children that delivers gaming, education and social communication through a multifunctional touch screen. “The Kurio Watch is the perfect addition to the range, it’s not a toy and it’s not a device for parents to track and monitor their children. It’s simply the ultimate smart watch for kids,” says Seth Bishop, Managing Director at KD UK. The watch is available in blue and pink.

Adrienne.

Small toys helped drive US toy industry sales in Q1 of this year.

According to The NPD Group, dollar growth was the highest in March, largely due to the Easter holidays.

“Toys have become the new chocolate,” says Juli Lennett, senior vice president and U.S. toys industry analyst, The NPD Group.

“Looking at the top 10 items that sold during Easter week, most are very small in size, likely so they may fit in an Easter basket.”

The following categories are a few examples of ‘coveted collectables’ many of which were

JULY 2016

first seen at TIA’s 113th North American International Toy Fair in New York City: MINIS: These evergreen collectables immerse kids in miniature, fantastical play worlds.

LICENSED: Toys tied to movies, sports teams, and classic brands. Includes rare exclusives, minis and large-scale action figures.

INNOVATIVE: Toys with a twist that add an additional layer of fun to collecting.

The toys set to be on every kid’s letter to Father Christmas this year are: Zoomer Chimp - Spin Master PAW Patrol Air Patroller - Spin Master LEGO City Volcano - LEGO VTech Toot Toot Drivers Goldmine - VTech Nerf Modulus Tri-Strike - Hasbro Tiny Treasures Baby Doll - Chad Valley SelfieMic - Worlds Apart Design a Friend Tiffany - Chad Valley Snuggles My Dream Puppy - Character Options Fisher Price Codeapillar - Mattel BB-8 - Hasbro

“

On top of being fun, collectionbuilding helps children develop important skills that can be applied to all areas of life.

”

Do you want to be among the first to spot toy trends for 2017? Mark your calendar for the 114th North American International Toy Fair, taking place Saturday, February 18 through Tuesday, February 21, 2017 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City. Show information will be available in the coming months at www.ToyFairNY.com. To learn more about the positive impact of play on childhood development, visit www.TheGeniusOfPlay.org.

Stay tuned for next month’s column, which will delve into another hot trend identified by the U.S. Toy Industry Association for 2016.

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NEWS HTI BOLSTERS LICENSING TEAM

The BFG set for giant retail release With just under a month to go until the release of Steven Spielberg’s big screen adaption of The BFG, Entertainment One (eOne) has outlined plans for the European licensing programme.

The programme is poised to launch at retail next month, ahead of the theatrical release on 22 July 2016.

Products inspired by the film will be heading to a whole host of high street and online retailers, including key toy partners Toymaster, Hamleys and Smyths, plus John Lewis, Harrods, Debenhams and more, including Amazon and Foyles.

DRi Licensing, the UK licensing agent for Quentin Blake’s illustrations of The BFG, is working closely with eOne to maximise retail presence in-store and secure cross-category FSDU displays.

Gibsons marks 30 years of puzzling Gibsons are celebrating a puzzling 30 years.

Although founded in 1919, the independent, family-owned British games and puzzles company first introduced jigsaw puzzles to the business 30 years ago.

“The jigsaw puzzle industry was a tough market to join at the time as it was dominated by companies such as Waddingtons, Arrow (Milton Bradley) and Falcon,” said Michael Gibson, grandson of Gibsons founder, Harry Percy Gibson. “However, Hasbro bought decided to suspend Waddingtons in 1994 and dec all jjigsaw puzzle production.

This gave pro us the opportunity to approach exWaddington artists Wa such suc as Mike Jupp, and work with them on various projects, which built our wh brand and reputation bra considerably.” con

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HTI has appointed Michelle Dalziel to the role of Licensing Manager, and Linsey Sykes to the role of Licensing and Marketing Assistant.

Michelle has worked for HTI for two years and previously held the position of National Account Manager within the UK sales team. The new role will see Michelle assisting Alison Downie, HTI Global Licensing and Brand Director. She will be responsible for identifying and developing new licence opportunities for the company on a global level as well as managing existing licensing business relationships and HTI’s overall license portfolio.

Linsey has recently graduated and has held marketing positions with other firms bringing valuable experience to the newly created role. She will be assisting with various trade and consumer marketing and PR activities, trade shows and showroom origination as well as license management.

Hasbro connects with Shuffle Cartamundi is set to launch two additions to its Shuffle range, with the release of Shuffle Game of Life and Shuffle Connect4.

Available this July, the new lines bring brandnew versions of two classic Hasbro games to the card format that’s easy to carry and play.

Marco van Haaften, International Marketing Director, Cartamundi, says: “Both these board games are big favourites. Shuffle’s success is based in its ability to adapt board games to a quick-to-play, easy-tocarry, fun format for all the family.”

Remembering Mike...

Last month we published an obituary for Mike Williams, former MD of Superjouet. So many of you contacted TnP with fond memories of Mike that TnP’s Founder Malcolm Naish went on the hunt and unearthed this lovely picture of the man himself, taken many moons ago. “Mike was such a great supporter of TnP that we felt it right to publish this picture in his honour.

It’s from an early issue of TnP and we are delighted to run it, he was a good friend of this magazine,” says Malcolm.

New hatchlings are here!

Launching at the end of July, The Puppet Company has unveiled the all-new ‘Hatching Dragons’ collection.

Guaranteed to be the hottest dragon puppets on the market, each baby dragon has been made from the same striking material as all the other dragons in the company’s popular collection. For trade enquiries, please call +44 (0)1462 446040 or email info@thepuppetcompany.com

toysnplaythings.co.uk

Changes at Nickelodeon

Nicola is promoted MGAE has promoted Nicola Mellor from Brand Manager to Senior Brand Manager.

Nicola joined the company in 2013 working on the Little Tikes portfolio and moved across to the dolls side of the business in 2014 where she secured a highprofile role leading the UK and EMEA re-launch of iconic fashion doll Bratz.

Changes in the senior team at Nickelodeon sees Dan Frugtniet promoted to VP, Licensing and Consumer Products Business Development for Nickelodeon International. In his new role, Dan will continue to drive expansion of the company’s international consumer products business.

Mark Kingston, GM and SVP, EMEA and Australia at NVCP said: “We’re confident in Dan’s ability to help us to continue to drive growth.”

Christmas & Gift appoints Malcolm Naish as chairman TnP Founder and Lema Publishing MD, Malcolm Naish, has been appointed Chairman of rapidly growing trade show Harrogate Christmas & Gift.

Malcolm is a well-known figure in the gift and Christmas industries, publishing magazine titles such as Gifts Today, Christmas in January and February, and Greetings Today, to name just a few.

The role was handed over by former chairman and show organiser Robert Anslow, who was thanked for his contribution and commitment to the show during his two-year term.

Malcolm says: “I am delighted and honoured to represent Harrogate Christmas & Gift as chairman. The show has gone from strength to strength in recent years.”

Harrogate Christmas & Gift is at the Harrogate International Centre from 8 to 11 January 2017.

Pictured: Malcolm Naish with former chair Robert Anslow

JULY 2016

COFFEE BREAK Meet Shahbaz Khan, Clementoni’s new Country Manager UK & Ireland. He tells TnP about taking on a new role, company growth and what products they are excited about.

You recently joined Clementoni as Country Manager, UK & Ireland – how has the move been for you?

There has been a smooth transition with the new structure change and I am looking forward to the new challenge ahead.

How has the company performed in the UK & Ireland over the past 12 months?

Clementoni has seen growth of 20 per cent consistently in the last few years and we are looking at similar growth for this year as well.

Name one new range Clementoni is really excited about?

We are really excited about the new STEM Techno Science range which we are launching this year with TV advertising. The feedback has been fantastic and we expect sales to be strong in this area.

What are the company’s top three selling ranges?

The three areas which are working well for us are infant, especially Baby Clementoni, science, and of course, puzzles with all the different licences which we have in our portfolio.

What are the company’s top three selling licensed lines.

PAW Patrol is performing really well in the market and we are seeing this through the strong sales in our products. Blaze has also got off to a strong start and we expect this to build for second half and Trolls is the licence which has had great feedback and we expect this to do well.

How do you help retailers make Clementoni stand out on the shop floor?

We always work closely with all our retailers to ensure we give them as much support as possible to ensure that the products stand out, but sales are consistently strong throughout the year. We support with POS materials, promotions and also dedicated space.

Have there been any stand-out retail initiatives which have working well for the company recently?

We have recently had a dedicated Clementoni shelf inserted into 100 WHSmith stores focusing on our science range. This is doing really well with sales exceeding expectations.

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MOVIE

NEWS

Ride the wave Dwayne Johnson’s burly demigod Maui opens the latest trailer for Disney’s new animated movie Moana. The teaser gives film fans their first glimpse at the new movie and characters from the team behind Frozen and this year’s hit Zootropolis.

Calling on Polynesian mythology and folklore, the story follows our titular hero Moana, the latest in a long line of expert navigators, as she embarks on a voyage across the open sea to hunt down a fabled island with her hero Maui.

Alongside Johnson, the movie welcomes newcomer Auli’i Cravalho as Moana. The film sets sail for UK cinemas 2 December 2016.

Twitter’s top six summer movies Twitter has surfaced exactly what summer movies its users are making he most about on its site.

The social media platform shared some figures with USA Today that puts Warner Bros.’ super villain flick Suicide Squad at the centre of this year’s summer movie buzz.

Starring Jared Leto as the Joker and Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, it amassed one million

tweets between 1 March and 26 May. Other highly talked about movies during the period include Finding Dory, with 869,000 tweets, and the Ghostbusters reboot, which had 565,000 tweeters hammering away at their keyboards and touchscreens. Me Before You, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows, and Warcraft round out the top six.

The beginning of something special

Ghostbusters nears release As the release of Ghostbusters closes in, Chris Hemsworth has been added to the movie poster line up. The famed actor plays the film’s dim secretary and the poster also features Ecto-1, the film’s car. The movie is released on 15 July.

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Zootropolis leaps past $1bn Disney’s Zootropolis has now topped $1bn at the global box office. The animal adventure is the highest grossing animation of the year, and only the fourth animation ever to reach the ticket sales milestone. The UK was the film’s fourth biggest market outside of the US, with $33.4m in ticket sales to date. Following Captain America: Civil War’s box office success earlier in the year, Zootropolis is Disney’s second billion-plus dollar earner this year, and its 11th in total.

Fantasy adventure Warcraft: The Beginning has topped the biggest films of the past six months in China to bring in a whopping £31.6 million on its opening day.

The fantasy adventure flick made more at the box office on its first day than Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Avengers: Age of Ultron, and Captain America: Civil War, and is the second biggest movie launch to date - topped only by Furious 7 last year. Warcraft continued to battle to the top of the box office over its first five days, making £110 million and becoming the country’s biggest debut for a foreign film ever.

toysnplaythings.co.uk

MEDIA

NEWS

Fair(y) play Eagle-eyed Disney Junior viewers will spot Interplay’s My Fairy Garden on screen over the summer.

The range is sponsoring the Fairy Tale Hour on Disney Junior, and will continue every day for three months during the summer holiday period.

The Fairy Tale Hour features some of the most popular shows on the channel, such as Sofia the First and Tinkerbell and Fairies, so the campaign is set to deliver a considerable level of awareness for the My Fairy Garden brand.

“We identified Disney Junior as the perfect platform for us to reach our target audience,” said Interplay UK Marketing Manager, Meric PekcanButcher. “This sponsorship campaign will enable us to emotionally engage with the children and we believe this is an important step towards building the brand.”

Collide with the Ice Age A new smart phone app based on 20th Century Fox’s Ice Age: Collision Course has launched.

Developed by Zoobe, the new app allows users to record their own voices for the film’s characters in perfectly lip-synched, short and easy-to-share video messages. Fox’s digital marketing programme with Zoobe will see character Sid launch first, followed by Diego and Granny in the weeks shortly after.

“Zoobe will let fans further engage with a terrific story and their favourite Ice Age characters in a new and meaningful way,” explains Anna Roca, SVP Feature Films, International Partnerships & Promotions of 20th Century Fox.

A five-week adventure!

Fans of Cartoon Network’s Adventure Time will be in their element after the company announced an interactive gaming experience is coming to a shopping centre near you soon.

The five-week Adventure Time’s An Ooo Experience shopping centre tour kicked off on 11 June and will continue until 10 July. Developed by technological wizards Hellicar&Lewis, An Ooo Experience places players in front of a giant LED Screen, with motion sensors allowing them to interact and play with all manner of amazing characters and landscapes from Adventure Time.

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Mums Choice Bottersnikes Awards 2016 & Gumbles now open to make debut on CBBC The Mums Choice Awards are now open for entries. Now in its second year, the awards programme is designed specifically to give mums a clear insight into what products are favoured by their peers, and is organised and published by parenting website www.UKMums.tv.

The awards are split into four categories: Best Toys, Food and Drink, Nursery and Childcare, and Style for Mum. The results will be published on www.UKMums.tv for 30 days, starting from 12 September 2016, with each award category having its own dedicated page, publicity day and newsletter.

The closing date for all categories is 22 July, but this can be extended – contact: Dan@UKMums.tv or call Daniel Brace on 01327 227010 to request entry forms or an extension.

Award-winning animated series Bottersnikes & Gumbles is set to premiere on CBBC this July.

The series is based on the 1970s children’s books by Australian author S.A. Wakefield and illustrated by Desmond Digby.

Cheryl Taylor, Controller of CBBC, said: “I adored the Bottersnikes & Gumbles books as a child, and am delighted that we are now bringing these original and engaging stories to CBBC. I’m sure that a whole new generation of children will fall in love with this brilliant new series.”

Bottersnikes & Gumbles has already picked up this year’s Pulcinella Award for Best Kids TV Series at the prestigious international animation festival Cartoons on the Bay in Venice.

ttoysnplaythings.co.uk oysnplaythings.co.uk

MEDIA

Steadying the ship…

W

elcome to the media report covering the month of May. We will be looking at the older end of Kids viewing levels, along with Housewives with Children.

The viewing levels for Boys aged 10 years and over is showing a 2.3 per cent increase to the corresponding period in 2015.

The Cartoon Network is market leader, I cannot see any other station getting close to the number of TVRs they deliver, it was a similar picture in last month’s figures.

Nicktoons is in second place, however they have a long way to go to match Cartoon Network, while Kix, Pop and CITV are doing well too.

Looking at the charts for Girls aged 10 years and over, we see that Nickelodeon is market leader here and it has been for sometime, however Disney and Pop are doing well here. Overall, market-viewing levels are up by 3.9 per cent when compared to May 2015. The viewing levels for both the Boys and Girls are holding with no dramatic ups or downs, which is good.

As the charts shows for both Boys and Girls, to reach this market there are only a few stations that offer effective coverage.

The Housewives with Children’s viewing levels are 4.9 per cent down overall and, as the charts shows, there has been some movement.

In particular we see that Nick Junior has lost a healthy chunk, most probably to Disney Junior, Pop is slightly up and we can see that Tiny Pop has also lost a high percentage of its audience.

The highest increase comes from Channel 5, all be it from a low base, but it has increased it’s audience by nearly three times.

Looking at reported expenditure and the top ten spenders, they are up by 47.5 per cent - a massive increase with the total market being up by 44.8 per cent, again a massive increase for this time of the year. When we look at the chart we can see that Hasbro is spending twice as much as last May, as is Character Options.

The Social Media business continues to go from strength to strength, with the various Kids sites performing very well in terms of traffic and responses. For further information in this area please use the contact details below.

CHARTS

3500 3000 2500 2000 1500 1000 500 0

Housewives with Children May 15 vs May 16

May-15

May-16

4500 4000 3500 0 3000 0 2500 0 2000 0 1500 0 1000 0 500 0

Boys +10 years TVRs May 15 vs May 16

May-15 y

May-16 y

May-15

May-16

5000 4500 4000 3500 3000 2500 2000 1500 1000 500 0

Girls +10 Years TVRs May 15 vs May 16

April 2015 Toy Company April 2016 Toy Company TV Expenditure TV Expenditure Company Name

TV Expenditure

Company Name

TV Expenditure

Mattel UK Ltd Hasbro (UK) Ltd Character Options Ltd Flair Leisure Prod Ltd Zuru Toys (USA) LEGO UK Ltd Playmobil UK Ltd Nintendo (Uk) Ltd Vivid Imaginations Ltd Famosa Toys

£1,119,142 £954,297 £440,573 £315,895 £268,755 £264,752 £264,419 £163,881 £144,822 £112,909

Hasbro (UK) Ltd Character OptionsLtd Spin Master Toys Ltd Flair Leisure Prod Ltd LEGO UK Ltd Mattel UK Ltd Playmobil UK Ltd Mookie Toys Insect Lore Europe Lidl UK Gmbh

£2,080,139 £1,170,350 £545,465 £497,571 £451,414 £375,435 £218,201 £212,655 £209,244 £194,765

For more information on viewing levels please contact Mike Penfold. mike@globalmedia.me.uk Tel: 01494 763178.

All graphs and information supplied by Global Media Services

SEPTEMBER S SE EPT PTE EM M MB BER 2013 BE 20 2 013 13

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RETAIL

NEWS

The pride of Disney Store

The Entertainer’s Gary Grant is all smiles

Keep giving!

The Entertainer has launched a scheme designed to encourage their staff to give more to charity through the Payroll Giving initiative. The #5YearsofGiving campaign will see Area Managers visit each of the 125 stores and encourage employees to take a team celebration selfie with a giant ‘Entertainergram’ selfie board and share the success on social media using #5YearsofGiving.

Those striking the best poses will be rewarded with a £250 prize to be donated to the winner’s charity of choice, with two overall winner prizes of £500.

The object of the campaign is to see an increase in staff participation, from a sector leading 45 per cent to 50 per cent. The Entertainer already has the highest Payroll Giving employee uptake of any high street retailer. The Entertainer will further celebrate employee’s generosity later this year by giving every employee’s chosen charity an extra £5 on #GivingTuesday (Tuesday 29 November) as a thank you for taking part, which will generate a further estimated £6,500 for good causes.

New boss at Asda Asda’s owner Walmart recently announced that Chief Executive Andy Clarke has been replaced with Sean Clarke, who headed Walmart’s Chinese operation.

The retailer has reported sales declines in past seven quarters and Andy Clarke leaves the business after six years. Separately, Roger Burnley joins from Sainbury’s and will take up the position of Asda’s Deputy Chief Executive and Chief Operating Officer.

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This summer, Disney Store is celebrating Disney Junior’s new show The Lion Guard with a fantastic in-store event for families.

Defenders of the Pride Lands is the new in-store event which runs until 17 July 2016. It will see pre-school guests introduced to each member of The Lion Guard and their

From Sainsbury’s to Home Retail Sainsbury’s chief financial officer John Rogers has been earmarked to become chief executive of Home Retail Group – once the dotted line has been signed on the £1.4bn takeover deal, that is.

It has been reported that Home Retail’s current chief executive John Walden will step aside to make room for Rogers. It is understood he will oversee Sainsbury’s non-food business with Argos and the digital transformation of the Home Retail Group.

attributes through a range of mini activities.

Once completed, guests will be given a certificate and a set of stickers to become honorary members of The Lion Guard.

The Lion Guard continues to air on Disney Junior every Wednesday at 5.30pm.

Tesco continues to realign business Tesco has sold off its chain of Dobbies Garden Centres for £217m. The news first broke in April of this year and was confirmed mid-June. It follows the supermarket selling its Giraffe restaurant chain.

welcomes The Hobby Shop The Hobby Shop in Faversham, Kent has become the newest member of the Toymaster buying group. You can get in touch with the shop by contacting Harvey Alexander on 01795 531666 or info@hobby-e-mail.com.

toysnplaythings.co.uk

RETAIL

OPINION Hamley’s window display celebrating the Queen’s 90th birthday

Make an event of it W

parlance for father and the visual merchandising team had hen asked what he feared most, Prime Minister used this as the basis of the window display in question.

Harold Macmillan replied: “Events, dear boy, Not only was this clever, but it also raised a smile – surely events”. There is good reason for this when a prerequisite for any retailer that wants to be noticed. the notion of an “event” is something totally unexpected.

At this point it is worth asking yourself a couple of simple That said, if you’re in the retail business events should be questions: how good are you at linking your shop with anticipated and made much of. what goes on in the outside world and does it mean Type ‘UK events 2016’ into Google and any number of additional turnover? sites will be on offer purporting to tell you In the toy retail business, the big one is, of what’s happening this year and therefore, The trick course, Christmas, but then there’s Easter, where opportunity lies. to being an Father’s Day, Mother’s Day and Valentine’s Day. To take a very simple example, in case by above-average You could also add Wimbledon, Euro some extraordinary mischance you missed retailer is to 2016, the Rio Olympics or maybe even the it, last month the Queen’s 90th birthday inauguration of President Trump later in the was celebrated up and down the land. Slim think about year. All of these, with a little imagination, have pickings you might be inclined to suppose if what’s the potential to make a good window and to you happen to be a toy retailer. Young children happening in turn a display from an efficient, but workaday, will certainly know about Her Maj, but they the broader parade of merchandise, to a scheme that is may well have missed the fact that she was invested with meaning and which will turn entering her 10th decade and probably would world beyond heads. have cared less. your shop And that is what the best visual Nonetheless, this didn’t stand in the way merchandising teams, from Ted Baker to of Hamleys putting a throne in the window, Hamleys, seek to do when they create their window plastering the glassline with birthday wishes for the schemes. And if all else fails, there’s even the passing of monarch and then putting loads of soft toys on and around the seasons, waiting to be used as an excuse for a series the ceremonial seat. of displays that will offer reasons for shoppers to walk The point perhaps is that although this is a shop for kids, through your door. the management at Hamleys are wise to the fact that the Now, think about what the competition does. For the money that is spent in-store comes from adults, so to an most part, they are governed by the big toy brands and extent they need to be brought into the fold as much as when a new range finally makes it through the door, the the children. chances are good that it will find its way into the window, Hamleys is also very much on the tourist map, meaning accompanied by the brand-owner’s point-of-sale that any reference to the Queen is likely to be attention material. grabbing – never underestimate the pulling power of Practically, this means clone windows and in-store the Royals. In short, this is a bandwagon that Hamleys displays and a pretty uninviting experience for the has made sure it has been aboard and the outcome is a shopper as well as the chance of defection to series of themed windows that may or may not appeal to another, more winsome competitor. The trick children, but which will certainly be eye-catching for large to being an above-average retailer is to think numbers of adult passers-by. about what’s happening in the broader world An event well covered then, but just how good are beyond your shop and then to figure out retailers are doing this sort of thing? A few minutes what might be done to link the two together. away from Hamleys on Regent Street is Paperchase on This need not cost a great deal of money, Tottenham Court Road. but it will involve coming up with an idea At the time of writing, Father’s Day (something of an that others may not have thought about or American import, this one) was just a few days away even considered, but rejected. A good idea will and this retailer had decided that rather than the usual almost always trump pure cash when it comes to ‘show Dad you care’ message, or something similar in the visual merchandising and events are one of window, it would go for outsize popcorn cartons. In case the best ways of generating new ideas. you’re wondering, the link was the fact that pops is US

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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.

JULY 2016

It is possible to predict the future in some manner.

All you need is a decent calendar, says John Ryan

MEDIA

OPINION

So, how are you being sold to?

The world is changing, how we are being sold to is changing – but do you know anything about it?

Clive Crouch gives us some insight

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revealed the proportion of visits to retail websites via mobile phones from November 2015 to January 2016 was 66 per cent but a year earlier the equivalent figure was just 40 per cent. statement remains true.

When Woolworths closed on 6 January 2009, mobile was The impact of digital technology has changed lifestyles not seen as a solution to the High Street void of 807 stores. The immensely; beyond recognition, really. Before we go digital impact of lifestyle changes, and the mobile connection forward to the digital opportunities in front of us now, lets and integration with the purchase process have all come have a look at how it used to be. since Woolworths went. We now live in a world of scaled On 5 February 1989, Rupert Murdoch launched Sky networks of connected people. Last month, Enders Analysis Television on the Astra satellite produced a set of statistics which stated: “50 system. This delivered television per cent of media consumption will be digital, The information is services to a fixed home Sky and 50 per cent of digital usage will be via there but the analysis is dish and via the few cable TV smartphones.” The amount of data available not easy to decant into, systems available. At the time, to media planners and media buyers is now and put into, an Sky TV was seen very much as at a huge scale. Everything a customer does a Straw Man in the TV market advertising plan adds to the database, and provides more and place dominated by the four more information about them and their needs. terrestrial channels. TwentyThe data provides a planning base for seven-years later, Sky Media has created Sky Advance precision targeting with relevant, effective and perhaps which, in short, connects TV and digital advertising across more personal messages to the consumer. The information is screens. This allows advertisers to connect the consumer there but the analysis is not easy to decant into, and put into, an viewing journey across screens, targeting audiences advertising plan as the solutions are buried amongst billions of so they see the right ad, at the right time, in the right lines of data so spotting the best and most effective solutions sequence and on the right screen. Basically, advertisers requires a lot of analysis. can now target audiences via Sky Advance on whichever Advertising, as we know it, sells products, and the planning screen they’re watching. A very worthy piece of process meticulously plans campaigns to reach the target digital kit. audience on screens, outdoors, print, cinema, radio and others.

Now, let’s go back to how it used to be At the media planning stage, campaigns are integrated across again. On 26 November 2008, Woolworths media at conception to meet the client advertising brief. The announced that they were closing. The fate fragmentation of media planning does not make for a bad media of pick ’n’ mix, Ladybird and Chad Valley plan - quite the opposite. was sealed and a debate opened about Spot the difference between a traditional cross media where Woolworth’s market share of advertising campaign, carrying the same strap line message branded toys would find new outlets to on air, on posters, in print etc; to the claims of the new digital reach consumers. Dedicated toy websites marketeers trying to reach the right people at the right time, on offered a part solution, but a longer whatever screen they are watching. As the digital opportunity term digital opportunity was emerging gathers momentum, Programmatic can be seen simply as an as Amazon grew a substantial part of the automated process of buying and selling media focusing on market. Remember, in 2006 Blackberry efficiency. By contrast, the market to spot buy schedules or had five million users worldwide, part schedules of airtime operate under different rules. Online but that has trebled to 15 million inventory is based on an endless supply of inventory ; while TV by 2008. and radio are restricted by the amount of commercial minutage Meanwhile, Steve Jobs they are allowed to sell within a clock hour. announced the launch of We live in interesting times, and creativity and placement in the first iPhone in 2007 digital media with data driven modelling will need to meet the and interestingly, the IMRG challenge to find the most effective methods, against the tried (Interactive Media Retail Group) and tested establishment. n 1908 the French poet Paul Valéry wrote: “The trouble with our times is that the future is not what it used to be”. One hundred and eight years later Mr Valéry’s

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Clive Crouch www.clivecrouch.com, info@clivecrouch.com, mobile: 07831 670453

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toysnplaythings.co.uk

COVER FEATURE SPIN MASTER

Welcome to toyland Spin Master’s Noddy, Toyland Detective range is about to hit shelves – so what can retailers expect from this key pre-school property? TnP finds out

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s DreamWorks Animation’s Noddy, Toyland Detective takes the small screen by storm – master toy partner Spin Master is launching its fabulous range of preschool toys to accompany the increasingly popular TV series.

Consumers can expect to see figures, vehicles, playsets, plush and games on retailers’ shelves and reassuringly, Spin Master’s Noddy toy range caters for every occasion with prices starting from £4.99

and going up to a reasonable £39.99 at the higher end of the price point spectrum.

“As Spin Master continues to grow, we are focused on building and partnering with evergreen properties that parents and families can connect with through programming and product,” explained Marketing Manager Emma Eden.

The Noddy Remote Control Car is the range’s hero product – and it will be TV advertised from late August.

“It will allow little ones to easily drive Noddy around in his car Revs. There is a simple forward/reverse drive, lightup headlights and sounds. The Remote Control Car will be featured in our television commercial and we know that similar items have performed well in previous Noddy ranges,” says Emma.

TV advertised

Plush will also be part of Spin Master’s range

There are plenty of other fantastic products in the range too – and like the Remote Control Car, several are TV advertised.

“Noddy’s House Playset and the Basic Figures are also featured alongside the Remote Control Car in the TV campaign,” confirms Emma.

“The House Playset is packed with features including a lift, slide and removable spaceship bed for Noddy.

It comes complete with Noddy in his car Revs and is compatible with our assortment of Basic Figures.”

But, of course, that is not all. Retailers familiar with Spin Master’s PAW Patrol Racers line will be pleased to hear they are appearing in the Noddy, Toyland Detective range too.

“Racers has been successful in our PAW

Noddy Remote Control Car

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The Noddy Remote Control Car will allow little ones to easily drive Noddy around in his car Revs

Emma Eden, Spin Master

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Patrol range so we are also introducing those alongside a larger Rev ‘n Go Vehicle which has a pullback feature and removable Basic Figure,” reveals Emma. “We are also offering three sizes of plush including an assortment of Talking Plush. Noddy is the key character joined by his friends including Smartysaurus, Pat-Pat and Big Ears.”

Retail reaction In terms of retail reaction so far, it is good news for Spin Master.

“Feedback on the new animation has been very positive which is credit to our partner DreamWorks,” says Emma. “We’re pleased with the level of retail support secured in our launch season and are now eagerly awaiting the product to arrive into our warehouse.”

There will be plenty of support for retailers too, with Spin Master utilising free-standing display units and ensuring standout online. In terms of the TV advertising, TVRs will be broadcast on the key pre-school programming blocks from late August. And there will be online support too, as Emma explains: “We will be working with mum bloggers to introduce some of the key products from the range. In addition we have some exciting PR features planned for the toy launch.”

Emma says…

“The core target is children aged two to four years old which ties in directly with the programming appeal.

Spin Master carries out extensive product testing, which includes feedback from retailers and children, to ensure products are the best they can be.”

Noddy’s House Playset is also TV advertised

JULY 2016

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

Vroom, vroom SPIN MASTER 01628 535 000 www.spinmaster.com Here comes Noddy’s Remote Control Car, complete with light-up headlights and real engine and horn sounds. Kids aged two years and over can enjoy driving Noddy around in his car Revs, just like in the animated TV series Noddy, Toyland Detective. Noddy’s Remote Control Car will be TV advertised along with Noddy’s House Playset.

Kids aged two years and over can enjoy driving Noddy around in his car Revs, just like in the animated TV series Noddy, Toyland Detective.

Feelin’ fuzzy INTERPLAY 01628 488 944 www.interplayuk.com

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Interplay’s brand new, innovative creative line Fuzzikins Craft will be available from August 2016. Fuzzikins are adorable flocked creatures to colour and play with. These craft sets offer hours of fun personalising the cat, dog and bunny family members, as well as creating accessories for them such as sleeping bags, dresses, hats, masks and bows.

There are currently three products in the range: Dozy Dogs, Cozy Cats and Cottontail Cottage Book. The Cottontail Cottage will consist of a pop up 3D play house that folds away neatly after play and offers great play value while enabling children to decorate and create a play environment for the bunny family.

This brand new product range offers a unique concept that has been designed and developed inhouse. All three lines feature innovative design that The Fuzzikins’ encourages imagination, role-play and creativity. launch campaign All of the play sets include will run over adorable flocked figurines, washable felt tip pens, paint multiple platforms brush, stickers and plenty of from AW16 and is other accessories. planned to provide The Fuzzikins’ launch campaign will run over a great level of multiple platforms from exposure.

AW16 and is planned to provide a great level of exposure.

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toysnplaythings.co.uk

NEW

Having a blast ALEX BRANDS 02088 782 133 www.alexbrands.com

Air Warriors provides an ultimate dart play experience with each blaster in the collection. Kids have the power to blast to the last with the extensive and diverse line. And because role-play is an important part of the play, the brand strives to give kids the most realistic and gratifying experience possible.

Air Warriors Master Tek lets kids launch foam darts even further, blasting up to 72 feet for long range targets. The high performance dart blaster measures three feet long and comes with removable barrel, eight Ultra Tek darts, clip and scope. Kids assemble the blaster by adding on the removable parts, and pulling back on the bolt to lock and load.

Consumers are constantly seeking new dart blasters so development on new innovative products never stops. Keep a look out for four new products coming year that bring g later this y g a whole new dimension to the world of dart blasters.

Keep a look out for four new products coming later this year that bring a whole new dimension to the world of dart blasters.

To London!

WOW TOYS 02074 710 980 www.wowtoys.com WOW Toys are a British design preschool toy brand totally committed to innovation, design, safety and quality.

They strive to ensure that the best quality plastics and WOW features and mechanisms are always built into their toys.

This year WOW Toys launched a London vehicle range.

London Bus Leo is a friction powered, shape sorting London Bus. Children can sort the six coloured shapes into the holes by and use the bus driver’s hand to push the ‘WOW magic button’ which opens tailgate to retrieve the shapes. London Taxi Ted is a London taxi with his own driver and passenger figures. His motorised engine means he can zoom around London’s busy streets.

JULY 2016

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Jetting off FISHER-PRICE 01628 500 000 www.fisher-price.com An exciting introduction to the Fisher-Price portfolio with a diverse and innovative offering, the new Go Jetters toy range includes figures, vehicles, plush, playsets and role-play toys.

The fun begins with Lars, Kyan, Xuli and Foz character figures and each one comes with a different collectable play piece or Click-On’s that help them during their adventures. The line continues into vehicle play with Grandmaster Glitch and his Grimbler and the trusty Go Jetters Vroomster that appears in every episode which comes with Xuli, the Pilot too. The signature vehicle from the animated series zooms the Go Jetters to their next mission. Little adventurers can join Xuli to foil Grandmaster Glitch - close the dome and press the star button to see a special light-up display illuminate the windshield whilst zooming onto the next adventure. The TV advertised exciting new Jet Pad Headquarters playset, is the iconic vehicle from the show that the Go Jetters explore the world in. It comes equipped with a Kyan figure, rolling wheels and rotating projector.

The range has been embraced by customers and has opened up new opportunities with souvenir, gift and museum accounts.

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The Palace Guards are the instantly recognisable London themed character guards that are safe for children from 12 months. The ‘London Range’ was launched this year and WOW are delighted to report that the sales have got off to a fantastic start. The range has been embraced by customers and has opened up new opportunities with souvenir, gift and museum accounts.

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NEWS

SPECIAL

How will Brexit impact YOU? TnP chats to some industry thought leaders about the change we may all feel due to the imminent Brexit

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rexit and UK copyright law: What could it mean for the Digital Single Market? asks Adam Rendle, Senior Associate at law firm Taylor Wessing

The current situation The initial key message is that nothing will change in the immediate future. There is a minimum of two years’ worth of negotiation on the terms of exit to come. That two-year period won’t start running until the UK gives formal notification of its intention to leave (despite what the President of the Commission has said). With David Cameron’s resignation, that is unlikely to be before the autumn, when his successor takes over. So in that time the current EU law will continue in full force and effect.

Future impact on UK copyright law The future impact on UK copyright law will depend on the terms of the UK’s departure. A model where the UK retains or wishes to retain access to the

right, to enhance cross-border EU’s single market may well remedies and to increase the require the UK to continue to number of exceptions are adopt EU copyright legislation currently under discussion. The either as a matter of law or as a matter of pragmatism to facilitate impact of those reforms may not now be felt by the UK, which may doing business in the EU. One automatically put the UK out of interesting question that will be step with the EU. However, with raised as part of this is whether UK copyright law having become UK sales of goods which had been put on the market in the EU, increasingly European over the past 15 years, we will continue to thereby exhausting the EU have a keen interest in EU countries’ copyrights, could be developments. prohibited relying on a “nonexhausted” UK copyright.

Further into The future The EU is the future… impact on UK currently Looking further to considering the the future, UK copyright law most significant judges will have to will depend on reforms to its decide whether, and the terms of the to what extent, they copyright regime since the turn of continue to look for UK’s departure. the guidance to the century. Proposals Court of Justice to enable crosswhen they have to border access to decide questions on content (through portable digital UK laws designed to implement services and prohibitions on EU legislation. If the UK is not geo-blocking), to narrow safe part of the single market, there harbours for copyright would be no obligation for them infringement, to clarify the to do so. But if, as some communication to the public policymakers have suggested, we

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What the industry says: Michael Angel, Toy State Brexit has created volatility and uncertainty, which makes shortto-medium term planning more challenging. The UK’s AAA credit rating has been reduced which will lead to an interest rate rise which will have an effect on consumer spending.

We have also seen the GBP £ weaken against the USD $ which will, in time, put a pressure on retail margins.

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However we have to remember it is still early days and the country is still in shock from the referendum result. In time the strength of the British economy will hopefully weather us through this temporary storm.

adopt a similar model to EFTA/ EEA member Norway, we may find that we follow CJEU decisions just as closely as we do now. While Norway regards CJEU’s decisions as legally non-binding, its courts always try to follow them.

What next for licensing?

The main post-Brexit issue to watch out for in licensing of characters in toys is how the licensed territory has been defined in existing licences. When pan-EU rights have been granted, the UK may not remain a licensed territory. Whether it does will depend on the exact wording of the licence. If it doesn’t, licensees will need to amend their licences to make sure they are not exposed to infringement or breach of contract claims.

Licensors may also be registering additional trade marks and design rights in the UK to cover any holes created by the UK leaving any of the pan-EU registered rights. Where they do so, the new registrations should be included in the licences.

Malcolm Evans, Kids @ Play Brexit should not be an issue for Kids@play long term. Markets will need to settle but trading with our French clients and German clients continues. Exports are cheaper and imports are more expensive - this is a fact of life and this will change again. The worrying part today is the value of the USD $. The nation has spoken, and we have no alternative but to deal with it. We need to be focused on resolution not revolution. Most toys are manufactured outside of Europe and this will continue.

Will it get better or worse? I can’t say, but I prefer to remain of positive mind.

toysnplaythings.co.uk

Chris Rodman, Topps Europe As a business, Topps currently sells in all 28 EU countries, so the likely regulatory vacuum that will result immediately post Brexit will be challenging.

However, as a global business we also trade in 60 countries outside the EU, so having to deal with one more in the form of the EU is not something that causes us undue concern.

It is the sale of rights where we are likely to see the most impact. Due to current free movement of goods regulations, pan European deals will be replaced by the need to split out the UK from rest of the EU. This has potential advantages and disadvantages. Costs will rise and margins will fall for pan Euro businesses who currently source licensed product in low production cost EU markets and ship goods to the UK. Unless, of course, prices to UK customers are increased.

It could be argued that UK-only sales and royalties will increase once the free movement of goods is removed, as it will protect the UK from product licensed in one of the Euro denominated countries being shipped into the UK.

Julia Lowe, Farm Toys Online I don’t think anyone really knows for certain what Brexit will mean for the toy industry, or indeed, any industry. Tt all depends on what EU trade deal Britain can secure and what European toy companies decide to do with prices. The real immediate issues for us are a Brexit-fuelled recession and a yo-yoing GBP £. The good news is that our sales are up considerably since the vote, which is a great sign that people are still willing to make smaller purchases, and the pound is recovering. I will say that when the pound was rising in value, we found many European toy manufacturers didn’t change their prices for us. As a result, we started to suffer from companies like Amazon buying in Europe and selling cheap in the UK – something which we are prevented from doing, so this might even up the playing field.

There are undoubtedly difficult times ahead that will be caused mostly by uncertainty, but change is inevitable and we like to think opportunities exist within nearly every situation - so there’s no doom and gloom here at Farm Toys Online.

JULY 2016

Brian Simpson, SMF ToyTown In the short term there are a lot of issues that will have an impact on our business. The main one is the effect that the exit has had on the USD $. Almost every item we stock (either domestic or on a direct import basis) comes from the Far East and these products are all purchased in dollars. Over the next couple of months I expect to see domestic prices increase from various suppliers, and rightly so, as they shouldn’t be expected to swallow the current 10 per cent price increase, and to the same extent neither can we, so it will effect retail prices. We buy a lot of our products on a direct import basis, and this is made so much more difficult with even a small percentage increase in our landed costs. The purchasing we are currently looking at is for early next year, and I am concerned that the current rate will worsen between now and then.

Mitch Levene, Chicco The change could impact trade and regulations, but most definitely currency. While Brexit has caused immediate obvious economic and political instability, it is important for forward-thinking companies like ours to remain calm and collected in order to see how things settle. Key risks have already been identified and we have plans to continue to drive the success that has brought Chicco double-digit growth in each of the past several years. If instability continues into next year and beyond, we just need to be even more focused on where investment is applied for optimum return. However, we are not surrendering to the negativity that appears to have pervaded through the general media. One other factor that could impact us as a global company is aligned to staffing; it may be more difficult to transfer top talent or place people in secondments. We have benefitted from transferring superb personnel from our global HQ to the UK organisation. This may be more difficult in the future. For an industry that purchases so heavily in USD $, we hope that the foreign exchange settles at a stronger position to offset the potential for price increases.

Peter Lockey, The Puppet Company The honest answer is I, like everybody else I have spoken to, has no idea what is to come. The pound devaluation means yet another price hike for any company who have their production in the Far East. I feel that for the past seven years I have been fighting with numerous problems that are out of our control but impact on us profoundly. Increased testing costs, material costs, manufacturing nufacturing costs, the worst recession cession in living memory - these have all taken a toll.

Now we are faced with two or three years of financial turmoil and arguments, with no idea of the outcome.

Rob Trup, Fiesta Crafts The main issue is USD $ value (I’m sure everyone has said) making it more costly to buy from Asia, so prices may have to go up. I do also worry that toy regulation for the EU market could get more radical without the moderating influence of the UK (and BTHA) - we will still have to comply.

But we do export a lot, so if these promised trade deals come off, it may make it easier to sell. I don’t think that ultimately we will face barriers to sell into Europe.

Personally, I would have much preferred if we had stayed, but now we’re out, I am confident that UK as a whole will do well if confidence remains good, we will all do well.

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RETAIL INTERVIEW BRIGHT MINDS

Where minds are always bright As a former Head of Biology, you won’t find someone more qualified to sell educational toys than Alison Quill. As creator of the online toy and gift store BrightMinds, she is more than qualified to pass judgement on what toys really do fit the educational bill. TnP caught up with her to find out more...

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f Alison Quill could pinpoint a pivotal year in her life, it would probably be 1999. This was the year she started her company BrightMinds. The aim? To sell educational toys to parents. But why did this former Head of Biology leave a secure job to embark on a potentially volatile career in retail?

“I had become really fed up with the national curriculum,” explained Alison. So she moved from teaching to a company that developed product and sold them to schools.

“We had really great things like globes and microscopes. Every year we developed a retail plan because I really felt we should be selling these products to parents but the directors just didn’t want to hear about it.”

So Alison decided to do it herself, and with that, BrightMinds was born.

This was around 1998/1999, and Alison could see the beginnings of the webexplosion. Initially the company began with catalogues, which BrightMinds still produces, and the website came a little later.

“Our first order came from South Africa! We didn’t have a clue what to do!” laughs Alison. “We said we would give it a year to see if there was a market for what we did.” As it turns out – there was.

In terms of what sells well for BrightMinds, Alison is full of praise for

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Our customers want toys which are educational and fun.

But they want reassurance too, they want to know that it does what it says on the tin

Watch out… for computer coding. Alison says that is going to be big this year with products such as the Code & Go Mouse from Learning Resources.

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suppliers such as Thames and Kosmos saying “they’ve got an enormously fabulous service, people could learn a lot from them”. Others like Great Gizmos with their 4M range, Learning Resources, Brainstorm and Interplay are all up there among the best sellers for Bright Minds.

“Our customers want toys which are educational and fun. But they want reassurance too, they want to know that it does what it says on the tin,” says Alison.

But how does Alison make sure her suppliers are delivering product which performs as it promises to?

Well, she takes it out of the box.

BrightMinds runs 400 new lines each year and Alison will get a sample of each product, take it out of the box and test it – herself!

“That is probably the most time consuming thing we do! But we

read through the instructions and we make sure it all works.”

When searching for new product, Alison explains they are on the look for the quirky, different and new from small suppliers and then she cherry picks lines from bigger suppliers such as John Adams and John Crane.

As long as it has an educational slant, Alison will look at it. “We don’t sell character or licensed product, so that cuts a lot of the noise out.”

Alison heaps praise on suppliers who she says have really worked on developing a substantial educational offering but if she had one bugbear it would be toy companies focusing on STEM rather than STEAM. “Art is a crucial part of the education process, where would we be without creativity?”, she asks.

Visit www.brightminds.co.uk to discover more about Alsion and BrightMinds.

toysnplaythings.co.uk

HIGH STREET

HIGHS

One click away The digital offering is increasingly pivotal when it comes to the UK High Street.

The Entertainer really makes it work. Gary Grant, MD, tells us how

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eing ahead of the curve ball is an obvious indicator to success in business, whatever your

is some evidence that certain categories are noticing drops in ROPO (research online, purchase offline), the fact remains that the toy consumer is a connected consumer.

“The Entertainer stays connected with the consumer as much as possible, and not just when it comes to making online purchases. Our online offering helps drive consumers in-store to pick up their click and collect.

And of course, once they are in-store, customers are perfectly placed to buy more. In fact, 500k people looked for store info on our website last year. And half of people who shop online collect their order in store.”

Through social media and e-shot campaigns, as well their own online research, consumers have never been more aware of pricing and promotions and the ever-changing cost of a toy or game, retailers are under-pressure to compete and inform.

The Entertainer prides itself on dynamic content and one way this is demonstrated is by the live price feed on

The Entertainer secured the domain name, TheToyShop. com more than two decades ago

sector.

But in retail, anticipating the needs of consumers, especially when those consumers are small and fickle is not an easy task.

But when you throw into the mix parents who are digitally fluent and information hungry, you could have quite a tricky time on your hands.

For Gary Grant and The Entertainer team this area was one they chose to tackle some years ago - arguably long before it became the norm.

“We secured the domain name, TheToyShop.com more TheTo than two decades decad ago. Long before most retailers got on board the idea of online, we had already secured what I think is the best domain name.” dom Gary adds: “Today, G we actually focus our ou efforts around advertising ad on long-tail lon terms like ‘Little ‘Lit Tikes trikes’.

Customers C tend to know k what they want before they w start s shopping and we get much better conversion from advertising on specific products”.

While there

The Entertainer stays connected with the consumer as much as possible

1

“

Linking the words toy and shop to our site is critical to our online success.

”

their emails to customers.

“Our new Smart Focus technology has live pricing which means that even if a price changes between us sending the email and the customer opening it later, they’ll see the right price. It also uses a customer’s purchase history to recommend suitable products for them - customers spend twice as much when they get personal recommendations.”

Keeping customers up-to-date with price, new products, availability and hot trends, sounds simple.

Gary admits: “Yes, it is simple, but it takes money, time, effort and care. We place a lot of emphasis on these things, but not every retailer does. Essentially, this is another branch of customer service, and one that is going to grow, so it is an area of continued focus and investment for The Entertainer”.

toysnplaythings.co.uk

THE INDEPENDENT

OPINION

On whose terms?

Whose terms are you trading on? Do you look through your contracts with a fine toothcomb? Maybe you should, says The Independent

T

his is a very odd time to bring up a subject that is usually sorted before the trading year begins, if not shortly

after.

The idea is that we all know what is ahead of us for the year, and what we need to do to achieve certain targets for rebates.

But this is a hot topic for me at the moment, especially considering a few recent meetings where I am yet to sign on the dotted line regarding the terms that have been presented to me for 2016.

Needless to say, the suppliers I am referring to have been happy to ship goods to me, because at the end of the day, business needs to go on as normal. Yet I can’t help but feel that business is being made increasingly complicated.

Let me explain. I recently sat down with a supplier I have been wanting a terms review with, and even though I feel I did an ok job at advising them on how their terms were unachievable, they looked at me blankly.

I wonder if all independent retailers are actually reading our terms documents in detail to see if they are worth signing? And I can guess what the answer is.

For example, when I open up an account with a new supplier I read every word of their terms and conditions, making notes on the points that I can’t agree to because they might leave me exposed when circumstances are out of my control.

Every time I do this, the supplier tells me by saying the same thing: “No one looks at this document, don’t worry about it.”

But I do — this is a contract and if some unusual circumstances crop up, I could end up paying money out.

To prove that terms are usually a bit one-sided (and sometimes massively onesided) I have never been in a situation where I’ve asked for certain terms removed and a supplier didn’t agree, and usually very quickly. I remember refusing to trade with one supplier because by the time I re-wrote their terms in a manner that was fair, they would have had to pay me a consultancy fee!

Terms are extremely important. I speak with some retail friends who, before I advised them otherwise, thought they were making about 15 per cent net profit, only to have their accountants advise them this was not the case. They had, in fact, worked extremely hard all year only to make a loss. The reality is, you are doing a good job if you can make four or five per cent profit, once you take all of your overheads into consideration.

This makes the terms on offer from suppliers, extremely important. Never more so than when a supplier continually offers a growth rebate that has large percentage increases each year. This type of approach from suppliers really gets my back up. The toy industry, as a whole, is back on track for a bit of growth, but percentages are small and

I have seen some of my (previously) largest suppliers offering a growth rebate at 20 per cent increase from 2015. This is ridiculous.

Do these guys not realise that I can only replenish goods that have sold?

Demand for their product is extremely important, so how can they come up with terms before any sales data has been captured? And I always wonder what happens when these suppliers have a bad year? Surely if it is ok for them to put us at a disadvantage when they are having a good time, we should get a benefit when they are having a bad time? I want to see something in a terms document saying: “if you achieve 20 per cent less business than you did last year, we will pay you two per cent as a rebate as our range is terrible and we want to minimise our losses”. That would be fair, but something tells me it isn’t going to happen.

It isn’t right that deep down I sometimes hope a supplier ends up with a terrible range in years to come. Then maybe, just maybe, they might hit hard times and need to capture every sale they can, and in turn might just be a bit more workable. I can assure you I won’t hold my breath on this.

I have mentioned many times how I always try to work with the suppliers we have good relationships with, and support them where possible, but I am becoming hardened as things gradually work against me and I have to fight for every penny in order to survive.

THE SECRET SUPPLIER

Let’s not get carried away Yes, trading terms are important, but watch out for growth targets, suggests The Secret Supplier

T

rading terms are the definitive indicator of the balance of power between retailers and suppliers.

While larger suppliers may seek to impose their trading terms on some of their retailers, those same suppliers are having to sign the trading terms of their largest retailers.

For most independent retailers, the balance of power will rest in favour of their supplier.

And it is understandable that if you are a very large retailer you will want to have all your suppliers sign up to your own set of trading terms.

Similarly, as a supplier, you will want most of your retailers to sign your trading terms.

A good set of trading terms should define the relationship between supplier and retailer in the context of handing all trading eventualities. The terms should be fair and equitable despite the often big difference in the balance of power.

In the past, suppliers trading with national retailers have suddenly found that the cash-strapped retailer will change settlement terms quite arbitrarily and effectively try to ‘rob’ suppliers of monies due to them.

Recent press coverage of this outrageous behaviour has named and shamed the retailers concerned and hopefully this

JULY 2016

nasty occurrence has become a practice of the past.

But for The Independent, and most retailers, the good news is that they have an ongoing relationship with their suppliers and they will have a clear understanding of how to handle day to day problems.

In this context, once signed, most trading terms can be filed and forgotten. When issues do arise, a phone call to the Sales Director will normally resolve matters.

More controversial are growth targets, especially in an industry with limited growth.

But, as I am sure The Independent understands, growth targets have been initiated in response to retailers understandable demands for better margins! Basically it is the way that the supplier creatively finds to share growth income between retailer and supplier.

Any supplier looking for retail growth beyond that forecast for the company as a whole is on risky ground.

As The Independent points out, it is all about product, and as LEGO have amply demonstrated if you have the right product significant growth can occur.

So Mr Independent in respect of trading terms, argue the points, be careful with growth targets then sign and forget!

25

RETAIL

OPINION

Toy talk Retailers are important to us here at TnP. We love chatting to them each month to get industry insights into what is selling well and we ask some key questions...

TnP loves to hear your views. This month we chat with retailers around the country to see what trends are emerging, and they tell us if the future if looking bright for them

JOHN HUGHES Look Around Toys, Llangefni, Gwynedd John’s been trading for an incredible 46 years and puts his longevity down to the great relationships he’s built up with suppliers over the years. Does he love the trade? “Couldn’t wish for anything else,” he says.

What’s selling well for you currently?

We’re the only toy shop on the island now, and we’re still here. We have a lot of agriculture around here, so Britains from Tomy do brilliantly - any tractors and farming toys really. LEGO speaks for itself; we can’t get enough.

How important are the summer holidays for your business?

They’re incredibly important as we do very well from the tourist clientele. I’ve been here for decades and we have holidaymakers from Cheshire and Lancashire that used to visit us when they were young who are now bringing their grandchildren in! It’s always great to see them, and when do visit they always spend.

What is currently by your till, how much does it cost and how is it selling for you?

We don’t have anything by the till as we don’t stock any of the small collectables. You come in and look around, find what you’d like, walk up and pay!

How long have you been in business - what piece of advice would you give to yourself now when you were starting out?

I’ve been here for 46 years now, and the one thing that has always kept us going is our relationships with suppliers.

Playmobil, LEGO, Tomy, Wow have all been so good to us. I’d love to meet the staff as they’ve always been so good to us.

JULIA DYER Ottie and the Bea, Westbrook, Leicester What’s selling well for you currently?

We sell a lot of books as well as toys, and they’re performing really well. We also sell lots of art sets from Djeco, which are well-priced and the results you get from them are great. Actually, our card games from Djeco are selling very well, too.

How important are the summer holidays for your business?

We do well over the break, but it comes in waves. We have a rush on at the beginning of the summer holidays as parents snap up toys to take away on holiday with them, and then it dies down until late August when everyone returns and is shopping for back to school.

There are a lot of birthday parties in the summer too, which is always good for business.

What is currently by your till, how much does it cost and how is it selling for you?

We have the little Sonny Angel dolls, badges and other little bits. The pocket money lines always do best on the counter.

How long have you been in business - what piece of advice would you give to yourself now when you were starting out?

We’ve very nearly been going six years now, and I’d tell myself to prepare for a lot of hard work!

Do you have a retailer you look to for inspiration?

Online I really love Sisters Guild and Molly Meg.

ALEX SYKES My Small World, Bath What’s selling well for you currently?

Kinetic Sand from Spin Master is flying out the door. We have a lot of toys that are popular, but this has been bizarre - it is in for a second and then gone! The other really cool thing that has done well is Donkey Toys’ Zoom Spoons. Other than that it’s creative and outdoor toys that are our big winners.

How important are the summer holidays for your business?

The six-week break is important because of the age group we target. The traffic flow just gets much busier over the summer holidays which is great for business. We do have some kids’ gardening bits in for the summer this year, which is nice for getting little ones out in the garden.

26

What is currently by your till, how much does it cost and how is it selling for you?

It’s back to school stuff now, as we’re just getting prepared for the big rush on that. We also have some fun books and creative bits for the four year olds starting school for the first time. Basically everything to help kids enjoy their time at school.

Do you have a retailer you look to for inspiration?

We always try to make our own mould.

Having said that, we always take on board any fab customer service we receive when we’re out shopping.

CLAIR LETTON

Tweet Talk

Wigwam Toys, Brighton, East Sussex Clair and the Wigwam team are busy putting the finishing touches to a their new website, which they hope will go live before the run up to Christmas.

Share your thoughts with us and keep up to date with all things TnP on Twitter @toysnplaythings

What’s selling well for you currently?

We sell an awful lot of Thinking Putty, as the local schools have allowed pupils to bring in small tins. Other collectables like LEGO Minifigures and Mixels, Zelfs, YooHoos, and Pokémon cards are also big winners with the local school children.

How important are the summer holidays for your business - and what do you stock/ do differently?

It’s a very important time, particularly July, which is our biggest month outside the Christmas period. We have a lot of parents buying colouring books and toys to take on journeys, and although we’re not on the high street to catch all the tourist footfall, buckets, balls and other outdoor toys are very popular.

What is currently by your till, how much does it cost and how is it selling for you?

We built our counter ourselves to take advantage of the key display space. So we have silk daisies to make chains, hair clips made by a local, BooHoo keyrings, Thinking Putty and more, and our top collectable is in special shelves built into the rounded corners of the unit. We really make the most of it.

How long have you been in business - what piece of advice would you give to yourself now when you were starting out?

We’ve been in business just over three years, and I’d definitely tell myself to trust my gut instinct and judgement. We PAUL CARPENTER know our area and Totally Toys, Bristol customers, because as parents we’re What’s selling well for you currently? really our own target We were asked for some scented stationery so we customer. got in Smens from DKL and they have disappeared in a flash. It’s the same with My Fairy Garden from Do you have a Interplay. I always like to see something new that retailer you look to for really takes off. inspiration?

We’re launching a What is currently by your till, how much does it cost website shortly, so I’ve and how is it selling for you? been getting lots of We have Pokémon cards - they’re a big playground craze again at the inspiration online - places minute - and Panini UEFA Euro Football Stickers. Next to those we have like kids’ gift shop www.

Nerf blaster and Super Soakers - it’s that time of the year! thekidwho.eu and a Dutch How long have you been in business - what piece of advice would you retailer call Psikhouvanjou (no I can’t pronounce it!). I give to yourself now when you were starting out? wouldn’t compare us to them, but we definitely get visual I’ve been going here for 28 years now. Before that I worked at inspiration and discover unique things to stock from them.

Woolworths for 17 years, and my work mates thought I was crazy for leaving all the job security and perks behind to go it alone. But I’ve never regretted a day of it.

JULY 2016

27

INTERVIEW

Pie Face

HASBRO

Inside story Storytelling is at the heart of everything Hasbro does, and David Henderson is looking forward to beginning his next chapter with the company as the new Country Manager UK and Ireland. David talks to TnP about building brands and how the UK is leading the world when it comes to shopping online You’ve recently begun your new role as Country Manager UK and Ireland of Hasbro UK, but you have a long history with the company. What’s your story up to this point?

I started back in 1999 at Hasbro Canada where I held several sales roles. On my very first day on the job I went down to Sears Canada for their Christmas wish book event.

It was a busy time with lots of excitement coming from the release of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace.

This was a time of dramatic change for the toy industry actually, with Pokémon riding at the height of its popularity. I later moved to the US heading up the big retail business with retailers like Walmart and Target, and in 2012 I was appointed Head of Sales for Hasbro US. There are some parallels between then and now, with Star Wars still huge and Pokémon celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. But how has Hasbro changed over that time?

We’ve evolved from a toy company into an entertainment company.

Today we’re in the business of storytelling, constantly looking at

28

how our franchises and brands can best engage with consumers. If you think about NERF TRANSFORMERS, MY LITTLE PONY, PLAY-DOH, they’re all great toy brands that have developed into the multidimensional properties they are today, reaching into more consumer products categories and content.

What does storytelling mean to Hasbro?

It’s about understanding our consumers, how they engage with the brands, and working with the K U best creative people in the world E TH S I to bring them exciting experiences.

R ME CONSUENGAGED Storytelling underpins everything do. It’s important for MORE E THAN we understanding the brand, ONLIN HERE identifying who the consumer ANYW VE SEEN sees as the core characters, ELSE I’ WORLD where those stories can take you, and how to build content and IN THE product around all of those factors.

David Henderson

“

You’ve always been hands-on with the retail side of the business. What differences do you seen between the UK high street and retail in the States?

What has struck me is the maturity of online retail here. The UK consumer is

more engaged online than anywhere else I’ve seen in the world, so the sheer size and scale of the online retail market here is no surprise; online is a natural part of the retail experience.

I visited as many high streets and malls as I could in the past couple of weeks and that was clear. If you walk into a store and they don’t have what you want in stock, sales staff are trained to automatically help you out on the store’s website, or give you the details to follow up after. It’s part of the DNA of UK retail, and that’s one of the most exciting things for me: looking at how we can optimise our online presence around that.

What about independent and smaller retailers? How will you be supporting them?

I started off with the smaller accounts and every retailer of every size is incredibly important to us.

It’s part of our brand blueprint: we want to support and be everywhere

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the consumer is. And that extends beyond specialist toy retailers into fashion, homewares and other places where our brands are now found.

What should retailers be most excited about from Hasbro this year?

We have a tremendous year ahead and beyond. This autumn we have tons of great things from our gaming franchises like MONOPOLY, plus developments from LITTLEST PET SHOP, and DreamWorks’ Trolls movie, which we’re really excited about. Our franchise brand partners like Disney are also very important to us. Then there’s Transformers: The Last Knight and My Little Pony: The Movie releasing next year with lots of momentum behind them.

But for us it’s not just what we have on the toy shelf. We have our entertainment portfolio too, we had a significant presence at Licensing Expo in Las Vegas in June, and we have an entire range of products posted for success.

insights and see where they want to interact - whether that’s little children or adult collectors - and try to offer as many touchpoints in as many places as possible. TV remains a key audience, but obviously there are tons of different places consumers are turning to today. It used to be that a kid watches the TV show and goes to the store to pick up the toy. But today, consumers are engaged with the entertainment of the brands in so many different Hasbro has been places. That includes significantly upping everything from digital Chewbacca Mom has become its content production. an internet sensation online shorts, to the big What’s the thinking screen, to our social media behind this? platforms on Facebook and It’s all part of the Twitter. storytelling. We take our consumer Talking of Facebook, we have to touch on the Chewbacca Mom viral video phenomenon.

What’s interesting is that the excitement and buzz the video created can’t be fabricated. User generated content can be very important for a brand in the social space, but it has to be authentic, which is why Chewbacca Mom was a bit of a hit. You saw a similar thing with people sharing videos of them

and their family and friends playing Pie Face last year.

NERF is a brand that best highlights the importance of that authenticity.

There’s no NERF TV show or movie at present, but it has a huge following online with content creators, and about 97 per cent of all NERF content is user generated. It’s a testament to the brand’s popularity and what kind of content consumers like to create and share.

Hasbro UK is undoubtedly in a very strong position currently. Where are you most excited to begin building on this success?

We have tremendous momentum with our retail partnerships and consumer engagement. I think our key areas of focus will be taking the digital experience to the next level, increasing the depth and breadth of our offering.

And what about your personal goals?

From a personal point of view, I will be immersing myself in everything I can to ensure I understand the consumer from every angle. We have a great core team, and Foye Pascoe did a tremendous job. We have the assets in place to build from here. There are some external factors that we have no control over, but there are always challenges to overcome.

Play-Doh Town Firehouse

Transformers: Age of Extinction

JULY 2016

29

Fore!

Pictured here and below are the winners from TnPs Golf Day

TnP’s 8th Goring & Streatley Golf Day, hosted by our very own Founder and MD Malcolm Naish took place in June. Malcolm reports on how the day went...

N

ow in its eighth year and with good weather on the day, despite the gloomy forecasts, some most impressive scores were posted.

The morning 9 hole Texas Scramble saw the three-man team of Martin Stone, David Snow and Keith Grafham win on 28.7, closely followed by Gary Wyatt, Kevin Moore, Kingsley Mathews and Karen Giles on 29.1.

It was great to see some new faces taking part and Steve Le Van and Alex Marchand from Le Toy Van came third with Philip Morris and Dan Chrystie on 29.7.

Following a healthy diet of ham, egg and chips for lunch, the afternoon round got underway with the individual Stableford, team four-ball and yellow ball competitions.

The team four-ball competition is always most keenly fought and the winners were the Rubie’s team of Graham Gardiner, Harry Issit, Mark Whitaker and Mike Barratt with 124 points. The morning winners managed to continue their rich vein of form and with the aid of a 4th wildcard came second with 114 points, so congratulations to Martin, David and Keith.

Third on 110 points were the Triptrees, Susan, Brian and James along with Mark White.

As if coming third in the team competition wasn’t enough the Triptrees managed to retain their yellow ball to win on countback with 35 points.

Six of the ten teams managed

30

to retain the yellow ball throughout – a big improvement on last year.

The Evolution Ladies Cup was won this year by Jan Marketis of Fun ‘n’ Frolics Party Store with 29 points, closely followed by Susan Triptree on 28 and Mary Watson on 25.

To encourage the high handicappers, winner of the Toys ‘n’ Playthings trophy was Green Board Games Keith Grafham with 32 points, closely followed by Dave Howard on 31 points on countback from Rubie’s Mark Whitaker.

Playing off a handicap of 12, James Triptree was a most worthy winner of the Individual Stableford trophy with 40 points. In an exciting finish Martin Stone from Jakks Pacific just pipped Adrian Whyles from University Games for second place with both scoring 39 points. Decided on the back nine, it went to the last hole with Martin scoring three points to Adrian’s two points.

In memory of Mike Arnold, the Best Gross was narrowly won by Stu Nicholas on 75 strokes from Harry Issit who also grossed 75 strokes, but it was decided on the back nine where Stu scored 37 shots to Harry’s 39. I should be so lucky!

The longest drive was won by David

Snow on the 7th. The nearest the pin on the 9th went to Kelvyn Marketis and the nearest the pin in two on the 18th was won by Mary Watson of Orchard Toys fame.

The fact that we didn’t have a ladies longest drive prize saw the organizer ‘Bubba’ Naish delighted to hand Mary the prize for this one!

My thanks to Vikki and Keith Elmer for their sterling work in scoring the cards and ensuring that we all made our allotted tee times in good time.

The fact that Vikki and Keith arrived at Goring & Streatly at 7.15am to see us all off the first tee and then had to drive to Southampton for a funeral and then return by 5.30pm was most impressive with big thanks from Bubba!

Finally and in order to encourage the correct scoring of the golf cards, we gave a prize for the best written card on the individual Stableford cards.

This was won by Steve Wells. Keith noted that the general quality of the cards was a big improvement on the previous year!

Next year!

The 2017 Golf Day will take place on the 20th June, so get the date in your diaries.

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FEATURE

WOODEN TOYS

Wooden you like to play?

Kiddimoto

Wooden toys – who doesn’t love them? TnP explores the category to find out how suppliers are supporting retailers

W

ooden toys are an absolute staple within the industry, and Retailers there are not many who will who engage dispute this. The category’s appeal is undisputed – retailers with their love it, kids love it, parents love customers find it, grandparents love it. And they wood easy to don’t just fall into the toy sell category either, they are highly giftable, so it’s a doubleLiz Ireland, Bigjigs whammy for suppliers and retailers.

Agreeing that wooden toys make good gifts, Sarah Dayus Brand and Marketing Manager with Great Gizmos told TnP: “Wooden toys have a traditional element to them which retailers and consumers love, and they have longevity.”

As for sales, things are looking positive, says wooden toys specialist Bigjigs Toys.

“

”

Hape

32

“Sales continue to be buoyant,” says Director Liz Ireland. “All of our new designs are performing well and Bigjigs Rail continues to be a market leader in the world of wooden railways.”

In January, DKL launched a range of wooden toys from Belgium called Scratch and it has been performing very well for them, says Sales & Marketing Director, David Allan.

“Wooden toys are always trusted and safe, a material that grandparents, parents and children can grow up with, so it is always a toy requested by consumers of all ages,” he says.

Le Toy Van are another company who specialise in wooden toys, in fact, Export Manager Sophie Bonnett says the company “is all about in-house designed wooden toys”.

As far as sales are concerned, there has been a recent upsurge for the company, particularly with their new lines aimed at children aged 12 months but that has also been boosted by “our raft of new lower price point toys,” says Sophie.

It is a similar story of Marbel, with Marketing Manager Stacey Daniel putting it down to the popularity of the Hape brand. “In the next couple of months we

will be releasing the new Hape wooden railway range which we believe will do really well as there are some really unique and key pieces,” she says. “When we previewed this range earlier in the year at the trade shows all of our customers really liked it.”

Jumbo Games are another company who are in the wooden toy market and this will be expanding in the UK in 2017, as MD Stewart Middleton explains: “We have seen very strong sales throughout Europe and have seen good increases over the past 12 months in Spain, France and Germany specifically - this has driven growth of 10 per cent YOY. While we run some wooden Goula SKUs currently in the UK, 2017 will see our wooden Goula range expand with products we have specifically developed for the UK market.”

Kiddimoto has a range of wooden bikes which MD Simon Booth says are “performing brilliantly”.

Simon adds: “We have always offered a natural wooden display unit to help showcase our products in stores. However, we are in the middle of producing a new stand to incorporate all our new products, including the London Bus ride on and also the recent additions to our accessories range.”

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FEATURE

WOODEN TOYS

Make a masterpiece

a

GREEN BOARD GAMES 01494 538999 www.greenboardgames.com When it comes to wooden toys, you need look no further than Green Board Games who have a fantastic array of different toys guaranteed to keep your little ones happy for hours. It is all about creation with the GBG range.

The Build & Drive range consisting of a Truck, Tractor and Bulldozer allow the maker to create their very own masterpiece. Each easy to construct kit provides end d a ffabulous b l d result that is great fun to play with; no glue or tools are required – so no mess to clear up or unstick! Simply slot the FSC wooden pieces together; incorporating the remote control motor with relevant sound and your remote controlled vehicle is ready to go. From on the ground to in the air, GBG’s Solar Powered range features a Biplane, Triplane and Helicopter all with predesigned printed skins. The positioning of the solar panel adds to the fun of these great toys, making the propellers spin whether in daylight or lamplight!

The Build & Learn range has been a growing offering from GBG with Creepy, Zoo, Danger and Farm animals, perfectly sized to create any type of scene, now incorporating 16 different animals. These quick and easy-to-build designs also come with printed skins and a fast fact sheet relating to the animal meaning children can learn key information as they build.

Meanwhile, GBG’s Robotic Dinosaur Range has three different dinosaurs– T-Rex, Triceratops, Stegosaurus and a Robotic Mammoth. These wonderful toys are sound activated, triggering them to move and roar from a single clap.

Marketing support is available for all retailers – POS for the Trucks and Dinosaurs help consumers to see a complete construction in operation and 24-packs of the Build & Learn animals come ready packed in a Counter Top Display Unit.

Scratch that DKL MARKETING 01604 678780 www.dkl.co.uk Introduced this year by DKL Marketing, Scratch Toys offers fun wooden toys in design-led packaging, giving the traditional packaging a new look that attracts adults and children with its colour, fun and humour. It is made to the highest quality at a very competitive price, with original concepts.

Look out for Circus Truck: beautifully designed and packaged, children can develop their spatial awareness by putting the circus animals in the wagon Shape Sorter. A unique touch is the seal that has a magnet on the bottom so it can ride along on the roof while children pull the circus wagon. Other great wooden pick up lines are the Pull Back Cars, Colourful Shape Sorters, Pull Alongs with Nodding Heads, and so much more.

Scratch’s wooden musical instrument range cannot be missed with the vast range in fun designs and crazy names with great sound. The collection includes everything from maracas and ukuleles to Maurice the 3 in 1 Musical Fish Bench, a beautifully finished smiling fish bench that has a drum, cymbal and a xylophone for ages 12 months plus. There are also uniquely styled guitars and drums in various colours.

The Furniture Collection, again in true Scratch design and colours, offers themed tables and chairs such as cars, owls, fish and more in the finest quality. The range also encompasses Jigsaws, games, outdoor, and bikes.

As with all DKL brands, Scratch Wooden Toys are supported by a full in-store marketing programme including dedicated planograms and extensive social media activity to drive consumers into your store.

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WOODEN TOYS

Pop on by for play PLUM PRODUCTS 0344 880 5302 www.plumplay.co.uk

All aboard!

KIDDIMOTO 01749 871 175 www.kiddimoto.co.uk Kiddimoto’s London Bus is a beautiful wooden ride-on that doubles as a walker for little cruisers. The newly launched toy from the ride-on and wheels for kids specialist will bring a touch of retro design to any toy collection.

With built in storage to take favourite toys along for the ride, the Kiddimoto London Bus is the first 2-in-1 ride-on from the award-winning company. Bright and enticing, it’s perfect to keep toddlers entertained, and encourage them as they start to move, developing motor skills and balance.

Plum’s range of wooden toys spans both outdoor and role-play categories, with role play toys as well as outdoor climbing frames, swing sets, sand pits, garden games and children’s furniture. New for SS16 is the Plum Wooden Growing Swing, which has a three-in-one animal-themed seat and legs which can be adjusted to baby or full height.

Plum is also expanding on its wooden role play range for AW16. The Plum Three-In-One Cabin Kitchen has a unique design with folding panels which allow it to incorporate a shop, role play kitchen and puppet theatre, as well as a funny-face photo wall. The Cabin Kitchen is feature rich with clicking knobs, oven, storage, laundry room and clock with movable hands.

Big thinker BIGJIGS TOYS 01303 250400 www.trade.bigjigstoys.co.uk Bright and beautifully crafted, Bigjigs Rail has an exciting range of themed railway sets and trains that are an excellent addition to any toy box.

Bigjigs Rail wooden train sets provide hours of creative and imaginative play and help children to develop and improve concentration skills, hand-eye coordination and dexterity. With a broad range of themes from the Fire Station Train Set to the Fairy Town Train Set, the Bigjigs Rail range offers something different for young inquisitive minds.

A more traditional offering is also

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available through the Bigjigs Rail Heritage Collection, a great range of replicas from the golden age of rail, with popular nostalgic locomotives such as the Mallard, the apple green Flying Scotsman, and the famous Stephenson’s Rocket Engine. Licensed by the National Railway Museum UK, the excellent range of replicas is a perfect gift option.

Bigjigs Rail train sets are easy to assemble, durable and educational. Train sets come with a variety of accessories perfect for sparking young imaginations and providing hours of fun and educational play. Additional trains in various themes and colours, accessories and track are available to expand any set.

Traditional, wooden toys are becoming increasingly popular, with parental nostalgia, durability and environmental impact all partly responsible. Responsibly sourced and with education and development at the forefront of new product designs, Bigjigs Toys are made to last and to be passed down from generation to generation. Bigjigs Rail, an extensive wooden railway system compatible with other leading brands, is perfect for fun and educational play.

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*Offer ends August 31st 2016. Subject to availability. Usual terms & conditions apply.

FEATURE

WOODEN TOYS

Just what the doctor ordered LE TOY VAN 020 8979 2036 www.letoyvan.com Le Toy Van’s best-selling Doctor’s Set won the prestigious American Dr. Toys 2016 award in the Classic Toys category.

With Le Toy Van Doctor’s set parents and grandparents will quickly recall the fun they had with classic toys. the vintage-style, childsized fabric Doctor’s Bag is filled with wooden medical instruments and bottles, and is suitable for children aged three plus.

The set includes a toy stethoscope, thermometer, syringe, blood pressure gauge, ear scope, reflex hammer, scissors and two medicine bottles. It encourages creative, social and imaginative role-play.

Explore toys CASDON 01253 608248 www.casdon.co.uk Casdon has a variety of wooden toys in its portfolio that boast both the quality and imaginary fun that is synonymous with the Casdon name.

Introducing the Wooden Boxset, where all the fun is contained in a portable wooden box for kids on the go. There are 10 different themes in the collection, ranging from a Pirate Island for treasure seeking explorers all the way to a Fairy House that is sure to open up a magical imaginative world to all children who use it. Every boxset comes with a handle and can be folded up with all its contents inside for easy and safe storage. For those who are a little more artistic, Casdon offers a traditional Wooden Easel. Each Easel has a wooden frame with two different surfaces. One side hosts a chalk board, while the other has a wipe clean side for no-mess drawing. This two in one toy is complete with clips to attach paper, 2x walker beakers, chalk and a wiper. All Casdon’s collections are supported with month by month outreach campaigns with mummy bloggers plus social media support including its very own Little Helpers Club.

Watch this space!

A.B.GEE OF RIPLEY 01773 570 444 www.abgee.co.uk A.B. Gee of Ripley has an extensive and growing selection of high quality wooden toys in its range.

A.B. Gee has also begun the exciting process of developing its own-brand wooden toy range. Further details of this next step for A.B. Gee of Ripley will be finalised soon so watch this space!

Stand out lines from the current range of wooden toys at A.B. Gee are the wooden tea pot dolls house, a pink tea pot shaped dolls house complete with all the accessories needed for hours of fun. A wooden pirate ship that comes complete with its own treasure and even a parrot and the wooden 60 piece train set with its very own table.

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FEATURE

WOODEN TOYS

Pulling ahead FIESTA CRAFTS 020 8804 0563 www.fiestacrafts.co.uk

The common thread is fun!

GREAT GIZMOS 01293 543221 www.ggtrade.co.uk If your customers are looking for something to keep the kids occupied, Great Gizmos has the perfect wooden toys.

The popular Meadow Kids range has introduced wooden toys this year that encourage kids to learn while playing. Little ones can get creative with Wooden Threading Beads by making different combinations using the colourful wooden beads and lace, available as In The Garden, Build A Train and Fruit Salad.

Kids can build a Tractor or a Fire Engine with Wooden Build And Play Sets, by simply assembling the wooden vehicle by slotting and screwing the wheels to the body. The moving parts allow kids to drive their masterpiece, and little ones will have hours of role-play fun with the included wooden characters.

WWF is the leader in conservation and its range of games and puzzles is made from FSC wood from well managed forests, and features vibrant patterns and images of mammals, birds, reptiles and more.

The Miombo Tumble Tower features Africa’s Miombo woodlands including a giraffe, zebra and cheetah. The 48 wooden blocks are built into a tower with children taking it in turns to remove a single block while aiming to keep the tower’s balance. It is also available with a Tropical theme.

For games to help with memory, the Reptiles Memory Match contains 24 wood tiles that feature images of reptiles from across the globe that must be paired up in order to win. This cool game is also available in Mammals, Birds, Marine and Family themes.

For puzzles to keep you entertained for hours, there is the WWF 1,000 Piece Puzzles available in eight amazing themes: the iconic Panda, Owls, Marine, Wild Cats, Tigers, Penguins, Birds and Wolves. Each puzzle is made of thick cardboard and features striking and engaging images that kids and adults will love to re-create.

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Push N Roll toys were a real hit when launched at the trade fairs this year, especially for longevity of play and because the beautifully packaged makes them ideal for gift-wrapping. To ensure stock doesn’t get shop soiled, Fiesta Crafts can also provide a stand just for demos.

The wooden Push N Roll range are beautifully crafted toys designed for small children to support and encourage them as they develop from sitting to crawling to walking. The Push N Roll toy can be rolled while kids are sitting or crawling, or pushed while walking with the detachable wooden rod that inserts easily into the back of the toy and has easy-to-grip ball shaped handle.

This 2-in-1 toy with its moving parts and sounds will keep little ones greatly entertained, and they will enjoy the clacking sound of the fun spiralpainted wheels as they roll. The bright colours and attention to detail are sure to make it a muchloved addition to any toy collection while helping younger children to improve fine and gross motor skills as well as becoming familiar with new sounds, shapes and animals.

Kids can hop aboard and take their fun and imagination to a whole new level with the beautifully designed Teddies Train. Suitable from age 18 months, the Teddies Train set is compatible with other sets in the range, and will encourage toddlers to match numbers and colours while helping to develop their counting skills. This hand made toy is wooden and extremely durable, making it a classic which can be passed down from sibling to sibling.

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FEATURE

WOODEN TOYS

Fun times JUMBO GAMES 01707 289289 www.jumbo.eu

Goula, the high-quality wooden puzzles and toys brand that first started in 1942, is a recognised European brand known for its beautiful educational range of products, designed to educate young children through quality play-value. With over 65 products in Jumbo’s UK portfolio currently, there’s plenty to choose from for both retail and consumers.

The Geometric Shape Sorting Farm Playset is a bright and colourful farm house that helps children develop problem solving, shape and colour recognition, and hand-eye coordination skills, by matching the correct shapes to the cut-outs in the farm house.

Each cut-out has the matching coloured outline to the correct wooden shape, which is great for the youngest of children to learn and play with.

The Tiki Musical 3in1 Bird has great play-value for young children looking to explore different noises through interactive gameplay.

Clock it GP FLAIR

0208 643 0320 www.flairplc.co.uk GP Flair has a traditional range ge of wooden games featuring the favourite Thomas & Friends. Perfect for children aged 18 months plus, the Thomas & Friends collection ollection of quality wooden games includes es both new and familiar play concepts that at will enhance learning while playing.

Choose from a wonderful Sodor odor version of noughts and crosses with Tic-Tac-Toe, -Tac-Toe, while a Wooden Clock Game comes complete omplete with 12 double-sided self-correcting puzzle pieces, two jumbo time-dice and a clock stand.

For enhancing a child’s colour our matching skills and fine motor control, there’ss the Colour Stack Game. Kids roll the dice e to choose a colour and then remove a matching atching block from the stack. It’s harder der than it looks!

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With a built in Drum, Xylophone and guitar element, children can create their own sounds and develop a sense of rhythm through improving their sensory perception, manual dexterity and handeye coordination skills.

The Goula Fishing Game is a fun and colourful wooden game that will keep children entertained for hours with friends and family. Using the coloured wooden fishing rods provided, children can attempt to catch some of the beautifully crafted and brightly coloured wooden fish that are at the bottom of the sea themed box, using the magnetic hook on the end of their rod.

The Interchangeable Wooden Magnetic Animals feature six brightly coloured animals that young children will be discovering from a young age. What’s great about these magnetic puzzles, is that children can match the correct heads and bodies together or mix ‘n’ match them, giving added-value for children.

Ding! Ding! All aboard the Kiddimoto Bus. Based on the original London Bus, and crafted in traditional wood, the fabulous retro design is a Walker and Ride-On. Inside there is plenty of space for their favourite toys and passengers.

Hop on the Kiddimoto Bus, and let the adventures begin...

www.kiddimoto.co.uk +44 (0)1749 871175

nikki@kiddimoto.co.uk

FEATURE

WOODEN TOYS

It’s a doll’s life KIDKRAFT 08081019297 www.kidkraft.com KidKraft’s playful wooden activity puzzles are just what early learners need to engage in fun imaginative play.

Bright colors, chucky pieces, and educational themes help toddlers explore while developing fine motor skills and learning shape recognition. KidKraft has a full range of welldesigned, sturdy wooden toys and furniture décor items for children three years plus. Each toy is designed to maximize interaction and encourage creative play. Kids will be thrilled to interact with knobs that turn and click, operate doors that open and close, and pretend play with their very own play smart phone! Look for the introduction of their new line of gourmet wooden play kitchens with faux granite countertops and lights and sounds that will make it the ultimate play destination for your little one. With the new UK warehouse open since 1 July, they’re able to reach and delivery to their UK customers with even more ease.

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TV310 CARLO’S GELATO

TV284 ICE LOLLIES

info@letoyvan.com

www.letoyvan.com

0208 979 2036

Just the job!

Stacks of fun GOLDEN BEAR 01952 608308 www.goldenbeartoys.com Golden Bear’s CBeebies Bugbies range of toys is a colourful and exciting collection featuring the much-loved and iconic CBeebies yellow animated bugs, which appear over 60 times a day on the CBeebies channel.

Toppling Bugbies is a fun stacking game that consists of 30 stackable wooden blocks - each one featuring an iconic CBeebies character.

With three different combinations of play, children aged three years and upwards simply roll the dice and take it in turns to remove the blocks until the Bugbies tower comes tumbling down. Combining the traditional play patterns associated with wooden toys with the core values of the CBeebies brand - fun, warmth, trust and comfort – Toppling Bugbies also teaches pre-schoolers about cause and effect, encourages dexterity and promotes social play.

JULY 2016

HTI 01253 775544 www.htigroup.co.uk HTI’s own Wood Works range of traditionally crafted, premium quality wooden toy lines includes puzzles for children of ages 18 months plus. The Wood Works pre-school offering comprises colourful chunky shape sorters, a learning clock, alphabet and number puzzles, dominoes, an abacus, chalk board and jumbo floor puzzle. Assorted peg puzzles provide little ones with hours of shape sorting fun with pegs that are perfect for little fingers.

All Wood Works pre-school puzzles have been designed to help develop recognition of numbers, letters, shapes and colours as well as enhance hand-eye coordination, cognitive abilities and stimulate visual development.

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FEATURE

WOODEN TOYS

All fun and games GIBSONS

Climb time LITTLE TIKES 0845 0533 333 www.littletikes.co.uk With more customers looking for outdoor toys with a natural look while maintaining a responsibility to the environment, Little Tikes has a beautiful range with wood sourced from FSC forests. Ensuring there is something for everyone, the Little Tikes Woodland Play range caters for all budgets and spaces, from swings sets to sand and picnic tables.

The Buckingham Climb ‘n Slide is an all-in-one garden activity play centre designed to keep little ones entertained. The activity tower playhouse comes packed with features, including three different types of swings, a slide, a climbing wall and a sandpit. Suitable for children from three years, it provides play for up to seven children!

What the consumer says on Amazon ON Scratch by DKL “Very cute, sturdy and high-quality item. Extremely easy to put together. It’s expensive for a wee trike but I love having solid wood instead of mass produced plastic, and it should last many years.”

ON Green Board Games’ Robotic Dinosaur “My son asked for a moving, talking TRex from Santa and this is what was delivered. Matthew is only 4, but he happily sat down with me and found all the right pieces whilst I did most of the assembling of the beast. Once completed, Matthew was very excited about T rex’s wonderful roaring sound and movement. He doesn’t walk, but moves his mouth in a menacing manner, which was enough to keep Matthew happy.”

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020 8661 8866 www.gibsonsgames.co.uk The Gibsons range of wooden games consists of timeless games that have been played worldwide for generations. Across those hundreds of years to the modern day, the sweet satisfaction of beating your opponent has remained the same, and the persistent popularity of these games stands as true testament to their enjoyment.

Combining strategy with skill, these classic games are as educational as they are fun to play.

Children can practice their addition skills with Shut the Box, plan strategic manoeuvres in the competitive game of Chess, or have some simple counter-flicking fun with a round of Tiddlywinks!

There are nine products in the range including Chinese Chequers and Cribbage, as well as many other family favourites.

The range also includes the four much loved travel games: Travel Chess, Mini Shut the Box, Mini Tiddlywinks, and Mini Solitaire. Each travel game is cleverly compact in design and the box not only acts as storage for the pieces but has been designed to double up as a playing board, making them functional as well as aesthetically pleasing. What’s more, each game is crafted from reforested hardwood of the highest quality and with minimal cost to the environment.

ON Jumbo’s Goula Fishing Game “Excellent quality toy, well made and robust. I bought this for my two year old granddaughter.

She won’t let anyone play with her which is normal for her age but she loves to catch the fish herself.

I have not put the sides on yet as she needs to be able to see the fish. As it is so well made it will last and so she will have many years of enjoyment as she progresses to playing the game properly with others.”

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New 2016 range 9 Built to last 9 Perfect for fun

and creative play 9 Extensive range of accessories 9 Compatible with other leading brands

/bigjigsrail @bigjigsrail trade.bigjigstoys.co.uk

The Toys For Play wooden railway range is fully compatible with all other leading railway brands.

Made from 100 % hard woods unlike many other brands and will last a lifetime.

We offer great margins for more profit with no restrictions on where our products can be sold. EBay and Amazon sellers welcome.

We offer FREE nex t working d ay deliver y w it minum o h a rder of ÂŁ100.

Tel: 01642 710064 www.toysforplay.co.uk Email: sales@toysforplay.co.uk website www.toysforplay.co.uk email sales@toysforplay.co.uk Tel: 01642 710064

VIEW FROM THE TOP

TOY STATE

What is the state of your imagination?

For the past ten years, Toy State’s President Andy Friess has immersed himself in the industry.

Partnerships with key licensors such as Mattel, and a continuous commitment to product development, means the company has firmly established itself as a go-to partner for retailers and suppliers alike Andy, you’ve been with Toy State for 10 years – what is your background and how did you find yourself with the company?

I’ve spent the past 20 years in consumer products in a variety of industries including outdoor products, office/school products and jewellery before working in the toy industry. By far, working in toys has been the most fun and challenging, and after more than 10 years in this industry, I have great passion for working with

Turbo Expander™ Twin Mill lll™

these products and hope to continue doing so for many more years to come.

“

E How would you describe Toy WE AR Y L State’s company ethos?

ANT CONST G FOR Our company tagline is The State N LOOKI AYS TO of Imagination, and I believe that this speaks well to what Toy State NEW W is all about. We are constantly G BRIN ATION looking for new ways to bring INNOV innovation and creativity to the D vehicle category, and our ability N O A ITY T to do this for the past 30 plus V I T A E CR years is a great source of pride HICLE E V E H T for our company.

Y R O CATEG Is hammering out a deal something you enjoy?

Absolutely! While the process can sometimes be challenging, working

with licensors to negotiate a deal and developing new relationships is a gratifying and exciting part of my role.

What are Toy State’s top three best-selling lines?

Toy State’s flagship Nikko and Road Rippers product lines continue to lead the way in global sales, along with our licensed Caterpillar range. Nikko (R/C) and Road Rippers (Lights & Sound) have proven themselves to be leaders in their categories for several decades. Maintaining this category

We asked…

What is the best piece of advice you’ve received so far in your working career?

Often, it seems that the most effective advice is also the most simple.

The best piece of advice I’ve received from a manager early in my career was to “always consider the domino effect”. Daily decisions we make also often impact factors outside of the primary issue up for discussion. To effectively and strategically manage these situations, the challenge is to consider all of the implications of each decision made to make sure solving one issue isn’t causing other problems. It feels like a game of chess sometimes, but considering the ‘domino effect’ is something that has served me well.

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VelociTrax™

toysnplaythings.co.uk

CAT Machine Makers® Multi-Machines™

Andy Friess, President, Toy State

Andy on licensing…

leadership is something we take very seriously, while also surrounding these flagship brands with strong licensed properties to fortify these categories.

“

Toy State is focused on growing and maintaining strong retail relationships

And what are the company’s best-performing licensed ranges?

Growth of our licensing portfolio has been one of Toy State’s biggest goals and developments over the past several years. With a roster of strong global licensed brands, our Caterpillar and Hot Wheels ranges are the most established of these lines. Toy State has been working with the Caterpillar and

”

Hero In Disguise™ Batman

Hot Wheels brands for nearly 15 and five years, respectively. While they currently represent the deepest product lines on our licensed product roster, ranges under the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Barbie, DC Super Friends, Thomas & Friends and WWE lines each have strong 2016 and 2017 outlooks, and all will be valuable contributors to Toy State’s continued growth.

JULY 2016

As a global company, how do you help retailers sell more – is there an over-arching company policy, or are retail decisions made territory by territory?

Due to the varying individual needs of each global territory, as well as differing needs for accounts within each territory, there is really no common template that works for everyone everywhere. Toy State is focused on growing and maintaining strong retail relationships. Through this process, we work with our global retail partners to develop plans that address the individual needs of their accounts. These programmes are put in place to help to both maximise the sell-in of our various product lines and drive the sellthrough of these products off of the retail shelf. Developing retail plans on an individual basis enhances the success of the programme for both Toy State and our retail partners, and this is the cornerstone of our ssales ales approach.

Describe an average day in the life Desc D Andy Friess? of A o There is really no ‘average day’ Th at the office for me. With focus including global marketing and inc licensing, as well as overseeing the licen operations of Toy State’s US office, on any given day, there are a wide range of topics that come up.

The variety of these tasks and topics is something that makes my job exciting. I love working at Toy State, and I love working in the toy industry – I can’t wait to see what’s in store for me when I come into the office tomorrow!

Road Rippers® Dino Hauler™ - T-Rex

Licensing plays a major part of the growth of Toy State. The development of our licensing programme has come about in many ways. At the earliest stages of our company’s licensing development, we would seek out licensors to explore new opportunities. As our company and licensing programmes have grown, in addition to the regular outreach that Toy State conducts, licensors now also reached out to us to discuss new opportunities.

Additionally, by working more deeply with partners who represent several properties, our licensing programme has grown by adding more properties from an existing partner to our portfolio. A perfect example of this can be seen from our relationship with Mattel. Initially, we began working with them on Hot Wheels, and the relationship has since developed to have Toy State licensing Mattel’s Barbie and Thomas & Friends brands, as well.

We are very fortunate to have an outstanding group of licensors to work with, and this strong portfolio has allowed us to continue to grow our business in a basic toy vehicle category. With a license roster featuring globally leading brands such as Caterpillar, Hot Wheels, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, DC Super Friends, Barbie, Thomas & Friends and WWE is exciting and gives us amazing content to draw from in developing our various product ranges.

The licensing component will continue to be a big contributor to Toy State’s growth moving forward.

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FEATURE

RC & APP CON CONTROLLED NTROLLED TOYS

In the driving seat

Spin Master

Innovation is driving the RC category to greater success, with a range of new features and play experiences tuned to the digital generation. With more app-integration and hit licenses on the horizon, this is one category that retailers won’t want to steer clear of...

F

orwards, backwards, left and right used to be enough. But today’s RC market is pushing the boundaries to bring flight, STEM programming, construction and more play value than ever to the category.

From Chicco’s infant-friendly Robo Chicco, which transforms from car to robot in three easy steps, to Trends UK’s app-enabled wonders, RC has come a long way in a few short years. And what Thunderbirds fan could pass up the opportunity to pilot their very own emerald green Thunderbird 2 from Spin Master’s popular Air Hogs range?

“

More than five million units of As powered toy vehicles were demand from sold last year alone, according to NPD’s findings for the year, consumers equating to £55m in value. grows for tech The demand for this category toys, our RC continues to soar, and even toys as a whole outside the leading RCspecialist suppliers, this is a have been very play pattern that continues to buoyant be a winner with kids.

Iain Morgan, MGAE’s Bratz brand, best known for on-trend, funky Bladez Toyz fashion dolls, had great success with RC launched in 2015. EMEA Brand Manager Nicola Mellor says this points to a shift in the category’s overall popularity outside of its traditionally boy-focused audience.

“The success of the Bratz RC car that featured in the 2015 range proved that RC products are not just for boys,” she says. “With that in mind, we are launching two new exciting RC products to our key ranges this autumn.”

Air Hogs Roller Copter - Spin Master This is mirrored by the continued strength of Bladez Toyz’s RC sales, Air Hogs RC Atmosphere Axis - Spin Master buoyed along by the company’s Air Hogs Remote Control Zero Gravity Drive lineup of top licenses and product - Spin Master innovation.

Toy Story Radio Controlled Car Buzz & “As demand from consumers Woody - IMC Toys grows for tech toys, our RC toys as a RC Vaporizr Blue - Toy State

NPD: Top five items in the RC market • • • • •

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Moving forward

”

whole have been very buoyant,” reveals Bladez Toyz CEO, Iain Morgan. “We hold some great evergreen licenses and have the innovation needed to develop this category. Blaze Toyz are well known for flying RC, and there is big demand for pre-school.”

Magformers UK Managing Director David Kelly explains that demand is also growing in the construction space, with its RC units often a popular purchase for consumers looking to increase their play options with the company’s magnetic construction sets.

“Magformers sets containing RC control units are getting more popular,” he says. “We have 15 sets with controllers and retailers are starting to notice that when repeat customers come in for a set of Magformers, maybe having experienced our brand through a smaller or simpler set to start with, then the RC sets are attractive. So we see the RC sets featuring strongly in re-orders from retailers.”

Tech takeover David sees it as an overall increase in the popularity of tech toys, with more innovation entering an increasing number of traditional and established categories.

“Bringing models to life is what’s it’s

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Character Options

CONSUMER COMMENT Aoife is mum to cars-mad brothers Cian and Tadgh.

“The boys go crazy for anything with wheels, particularly farming vehicles. We got them both remote controlled cars for Christmas, and of all the toys the lucky pair received, these are definitely at the top of the list. They love their die-cast and plastic trucks and cars too, but the added excitement of controlling the cars and seeing them drive around gives them that added connection to the real thing they see on the roads and in their favourite TV shows.

They haven’t got into flying drones yet, but I can see that becoming the next big thing in our house!”

all about,” he says. “For our customers, there’s the fun of making the models and then seeing them move. It’s amazing how quickly even really young children learn to It’s use a remote control these days. Tech toys are really amazing how motoring, pardon the pun.” quickly even The line between physical really young toys and app-based fun continues to blur, and David children learn reveals that Magformers will to use a remote continue to bring innovation to control these the toy aisle. days “What Magformers is doing is taking RC innovation into the David Kelly, construction toy category and Magformers UK at the same time allowing

“

” Mattel

retailers to look at their RC department and integrate awardwinning construction toys into it,” he says. “So there’s a dual aspect to what we’re doing. For us, we see both the RC and the Construction category as important. You can expect to see app-controlled Magformers construction sets in the near future.”

Iain believes this move to a more connected toy landscape is good for the industry in two key ways: it gives consumers more bang for their buck, and provides retailers with increasingly cutting edge playthings to meet the demand from digital natives.

“The digital and physical world are merging together,” he agrees, “but we believe there is still a place for them both individually. Bladez Toyz are currently working on ways of combining the two for a greater consumer experience.

“We will be launching new licensed lines for 2017 which will be aimed at the older boys market. This will be Bladez’s own IP and a totally new concept - so watch this space! We believe this will be a core product for the next five years, changing the way consumers play and interact with toys.”

Driving licenses The RC category has a long history with licensing, from fictional cars kids see in their favourites TV shows and movies to real world car manufacturers. Bladez has experienced huge success with its licensed lines, bringing some of the biggest movie characters to life, and Iain says they are “very

important” to the business.

“We have concentrated on some great evergreen film licenses such as Star Wars and Minions. Traditionally licenses have not been prominent in RC flying toys, but we are sure they will play a big part in the future.”

A perfect gift So what times of the year can retailers fully capitalise on the popularity of RC toys? “Christmas and Father’s Day are very busy for RC flying toys,” says Iain, with David agreeing that they’re “a perfect gift”.

“If you look at our new Mini Tank Set, a child can make 10 different little vehicles to whizz around,” David continues. “So it offers versatility and value – as well as the other educational play aspects that we bring. None of our sets are just RC toys, there’s always more to them than that. If you have an RC toy that makes more than one vehicle it holds a child’s interest for longer. That makes us a great gift option.”

Iain says that Bladez Toyz is aiming to bring retailers more opportunities for sales throughout the year. “Hopefully with our new pre-school ranges there will be more of a balanced all year round buying cycle,” he adds.

With more innovation to come, and a market for flying drones that continues to soar, the RC and app-controlled market is set for big things. It could be the perfect category for retailers to drive sales in the second half of 2016.

Magformers now has 15 magnetic construction sets with remote controls

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FEATURE

RC & APP CONTROLLED TOYS

Take control REVELL GMBH 0845 459 0747 www.revell.de/en

Hogging the air SPIN MASTER 01628 535000 www.spinmastertoys.co.uk For excitement, speed and thrills look no further than Air Hogs, which this year promises to bring more innovation and exhilaration to the world of RC. Take the race from driving to flying with the high-performance, flight stabilised Switchblade Ground and Air Race Heli. Kids can use the remote control to go from racing along the ground to flying through the air in seconds for a unique racing experience every time. The Switchblade will be supported by a strong TV campaign.

Launch into autumn this year with Thunderbirds Are Go and the Air Hogs Thunderbird 2 Heli, a real flying Thunderbird 2 that’s highly manoeuvrable and crash resistant for users to recreate Tracy Island adventures. Thunderbirds fans will be able to take control and pilot Virgil Tracy’s Thunderbird 2 within the comfort of their own home! Also coming this autumn is the Batman v Superman Official Movie Replica RC Batmobile - only from Air Hogs. This authentic 1/24 scale replica features incredible brushed metal detail, mechanical turret and responsive linkage steering. This Batmobile is highly manoeuvrable, delivering precise and long distance control with 2.4GHz communication, and can be easily recharged via its USB battery to enjoy up to 20 minutes of drive time.

To complete the Batman collection fans should get their hands on Batman’s iconic RC Batwing from Air Hogs, which is optimised for outdoor use. This official movie replica Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Batwing features 2.4GHz communication for long-range control, rear thruster lights for an extra blast of speed, and built-in wheels for a smooth take-off.

Custom cars THAMES AND KOSMOS 01580 212000 www.thamesandkosmos.co.uk Remote Control Machines: Custom Cars is the newest remote controlled kit from Thames and Kosmos’ ever popular Signature Series - and is set to be the most popular one yet!

Kids can learn to build a fast race car that can speed around the room using a precision steering mechanism. If that doesn’t take their fancy, they can reconfigure the parts to build other vehicles, choosing from 10 different models of realistic cars to construct and operate them using the four-button multi-channel IR remote control. With the option of four gears inside to choose from, kids have the option to change the gear ratio, optimising the speed or torque.

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The Revell Control brand is firmly established across all ages with exciting drone developments for teens, a new car brand for boys and a brand extension for pre-school ages.

New drone releases this spring include the Steady Quad Cam with an automatic height setting function and an on-board camera for steady, high definition pictures and video. The Pure is perfect for beginners, with a height setting function and crash-proof frame, and the Nano Quad Cam is the latest evolution of the award-winning Nano Quad, featuring an on-board camera. More innovative drones are planned later this year including the Navigator GPS Quadcopter FPV, and the Quadcopter Quadrotox, available as a standard sports quad or an FPV version.

The current range of drones caters for all ages and abilities.

Wheely big fun LITTLE TIKES 0845 0533 333 www.littletikes.co.uk Little Tikes Wheelz is the brand new and innovative range of fast and fun vehicles from Little Tikes. The exciting line includes the Tyre Twister RC, suitable for children aged four plus.

Easy to use and perfect for a first RC car, there is endless amounts of fun to be had with the Tyre Twister, as it goes back and forth, spinning 360 degrees, and even doing back flips!

Alongside this is the new and unique My First Flyer Helicopter for children aged four plus. It flies, turns and lands with one-touch control.

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FEATURE RC & APP CONTROLLED TOYS

On Trax for big things TOY STATE 020 8440 5060 www.toystate.com For more than 30 years Toy State has constantly been on the leading edge of what is new. A leader in its category, Toy State lives and breathes innovation and imagination. The mission is simple: To Bring Smiles to Children and Families Worldwide, and the latest from its Nikko brand certainly lives up to the company’s lofty standards.

The VelociTrax is a full-function radio control vehicle that promises hours of action with a fast and futuristic style. Featuring 360-degree spins and ultra speed and manoeuvrability, this innovative product can handle even the most challenging terrains.

VelociTrax is available in a sleek neon green or electric orange and can travel up to 14 km/hr! Perfect for ages eight and up, this new addition to Toy State’s Nikko line is guaranteed to captivate RC fans of all generations.

Ready for road TOBAR 01603 397105 www.tobar.co.uk It’s been four years since Tobar began exclusively distributing renowned remote control car manufacturer, Maisto, and what a great four years it’s been!

The diverse, high-quality range keeps getting bigger and better with additions such as the 1:24 RC Ferrari 488 GTB. This fast-paced, down-sized version of the real thing comes complete with full function movement and a car dashboard controller. It’s perfect for Ferrari fans.

For consumers who seek adventure, the monstrous Rock Crawler XXXL is a winner that comes with a rechargeable battery and charger. The vehicle’s vacformed body is incredibly light and agile while maintaining strength, allowing it to take quite the beating when hurtling over extreme terrain.

Standout fun CHICCO 020 8953 6627 www.chicco.co.uk Robo Chicco is the latest addition to Chicco’s popular Turbo Team family and is the first transformable RC car in the pre-school range. The slick and stylish toy converts from a cAar into a futuristic looking robot in three simple steps - by pulling down the arms, the head and then the body - giving little ones hours of fast and furious fun. Robo Chicco is suitable for children aged two to six years.

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Cars are covered SIMBA SMOBY 01274 765030 www.simba-dickie.com Simba Smoby UK has two new exciting licensed RC ranges coming out this year. The first is for Transformers, and features four fantastic new products: a 1:24 RC Turbo Racer Bumblebee, a 1:24 RC Turbo Racer Sideswipe, as well as a 1:16 RC Flip N’Race Bumblebee and 1:16 RC Rumble Grimlock. Both come with light and sound. There are eight products in the Simba Smoby UK Cars RC range, from the original 1:24 Lightning McQueen RC with full driving control, and the 1:24 Mack Truck RC, to the 1:30 Junior McQueen and the 1:32 original McQueen – both with single driving function. Add to this three products in the fantastic Carbon Racers livery - a 1:24 McQueen RC and a 1:24 Max Schnell RC, plus a huge 1:16 Carbon Racers McQueen – and a 1:32 Dusty RC Plane, and you have something for every fan of the hugely successful Cars movie franchise.

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FEATURE

RC & APP CONTROLLED TOYS

Ready for Toucan?

CHARACTER OPTIONS 0161 633 9800 www.character-online.com

Making (radio) waves BLADEZ TOYZ 02392 658 259 www.bladeztoyz.co.uk The Bladez collection of RC Inflatable characters continues to grow, with more of the world’s favourite faces from the big screen. They are thoughtfully designed to be easy to inflate, simple to control and compact when not in use.

Up to 20 different RC Inflatables can be used together, thanks to 2.4Ghz engineering, creating theatre and fun both in-stores and homes.

Cars hero Lightning McQueen is back, and better than ever, now including the official sounds from everyone’s favourite Ruby Racer. He is joined by Olaf, the adorable singing snowman from smash hit movie Frozen. Not only can users drive Olaf around their own winter wonderland, they will be able to enjoy his built-in sound effects, which are activated upon impact.

This summer marks the UK release of the long-awaited Finding Dory movie, and what better way for fans to celebrate than having their own RC Dory and Nemo? Complete with the well-known, hilarious sounds and phrases from each character, kids can create an aquatic adventure in their own home.

Bladez Toyz will also launch an entire new pre-school range this summer, featuring some incredible licenses such as Peppa Pig, Thomas and Friends and even Teletubbies! The range includes RC Inflatables, Play Mats, and more.

All of the exciting new releases are available and in stock this August, and Bladez are actively encouraging retailers to order ASAP to avoid disappointment.

Autumn will see Character Options introduce a techladen Toucan with an appetite for chat to the Teksta collection, while a first remote control toy in the Teletubbies collection is driving little ones wild with excitement. The Teksta Toucan is no ordinary bird: this ultra-intelligent, electronic Toucan has voice recognition and magically responds to questions, tells jokes, plays games, acts as a room defender and can even perform magic tricks. Accompanying the toy is the dedicated Teksta Toucan app, which allows little ones to unlock hundreds of fun statements, sound effects, interactive games and jokes for free.

Teletubbies Drive and Steer Noo-Noo starts with the press of a button, moving forward and steering left or right with a tilt of the wheel. It also has a reverse for tricky places, and a turbo button for super-fast advanced drivers. Other buttons on the steering wheel play music and funny sound effects when pressed. As well as being lots of fun, the Drive and Steer’s interactive features help teach cause and effect and develop hand-eye coordination, as well as promote directional and spatial awareness.

Big fun for Mini people GOLDEN BEAR 01952 608308 www.goldenbeartoys.coma Based on the popular MINI Countryman, Bash ‘n’ Spin RC Bulldog is guaranteed to get the hearts of every little petrol head racing. The easy grip controller makes the car move forwards, then the large Bash button on the top of the controller makes it perform super-cool donut spins. For added play value, the controller has two further buttons which activate cheeky barking sounds and real working headlights.

The kid tough Remote Control Doug Dumptruck from The My First JCB collection is perfect for younger pre-schoolers. It’s easy-to-hold controller activates Doug’s five phrases, flashing light and moves this fun and chunky dumptruck forwards or backwards, as well as enabling the vehicle to perform a reverse turn. RC Doug Dumptruck also comes complete with a manual tipping bucket, which children can load, transport and empty for additional fun.

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Dan Sugrue

●

dsugrue@jazwares.com

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07710 988 318

FEATURE

RC & APP CONTROLLED TOYS

Feel the boom!

GP FLAIR 0208 643 0320 www.flairplc.co.uk Boombot, the rough and touch robotic buddy offers a brand new interactive and responsive experience for kids, with eight interactive modes of play to master.

This robotic toy is programmed for interactive play like no other with Tarzan, Rumble, Boxing, Tumble, Handstand, Boogie, Zen and a built in Room Guard ability. First it’s time to rumble and the aim is to train Boombot to be fit for battle. From there he comes into his own with the Rumble Mode, where Bamboo throws punches, and rolls backwards and pounds his arms on the ground if hit. In Boxing mode, kids can press the button on his back and Boombot will continue to throw punches until they let go.

During Tarzan Mode Boombot performs a swinging action and front somersault. In Handstand mode, Boombot will also perform a back and front flip after he is finished impressing kids with his handstand abilities.

Are you ready to rumble?

MOOKIE 01525 722722 www.mookie.co.uk Mookie is set to launch Big Robots, the remotecontrol battling robots that use motion sensing remote controls and accelerometer technology to reproduce player’s movements, replicating their punches.

Big Robots can move in any direction and spin 360 degrees on the spot, making them nimble and agile enough to avoid attacks. Each robot has their own personal trash talk to intimidate and distract their opponent, while LED health bars show each robot’s health and how far they are from defeat.

Big Robots will be launched with a heavyweight TV and PR campaign, which will include the use of YouTube vlogger videos and competitions. The campaign will build on the growing interest in fighting robots with the re-launch of BBC’s Robot Wars hitting screens this year.

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STEAMing ahead MGA ENTERTAINMENT 0845 0533 333 www.mgae.com STEAM-focused brand Project Mc2 continues to prove that Smart is the New Cool with two new Netflix seasons – season two will launch on 12 August with season three launching in autumn – and a new product line which aligns with STEAM. Making tracks in the RC sector, the new Project Mc2 H20 Remote Control Car combines the thrill of an RC car with working headlights and real steam coming out of the exhaust.

Fashion dolls brand Bratz is also jumping on the popular hoverboard trend with the Bratz Hoverboard. Complete with LED lights, protective gear for the doll and an RC controller that enables the hoverboard to go forwards, backwards or do a 360, it’s a must have accessory for Bratz leading ladies Cloe and Yasmin.

Kit cars MAGFORMERS 08000 385195 www.magformers.co.uk Magformers combines the joy of construction with the thrill of remote control with a number of high-quality sets which can make innovative RC vehicles. In the award-winning company’s Vehicle Set line, seven sets offer children the opportunity to make their own wonderful moving vehicles using the magnetic Magformers pieces, wheels and RC units supplied.

The Racing Set contains 39 pieces, including three sets of wheels, a cycle wheel and a specially-created design booklet showing how to build 14 different cars and 10 motorcycles.

New for 2016 is the fantastic Zoo Racing Set which opens up a world of imagination. Containing 55 pieces, children can make 10 amazing animals like a lizard, turtle, rabbit, dog, pig and duck, then make them move across the room by adding RC wheels and using the battery-powered RC in it included.

Also new is the beautifully designed and themed Mini Tank Set, which can build 10 different caterpillar tracked vehicles and each one is responsible for creating different weather conditions. So if it’s pouring outside, children can make the rain tank.

Every Magformers set contains geometric shapes like triangles, squares and rhomboids which connect easily using the safely built-in neodymium magnets.

The magnets are safely sealed within all the edge surfaces of each Magformers piece, but can spin freely and always connect when two Magformers are brought together.There are simple sets to start, with larger construction sets containing special pieces like power blocks, LED lighting, battery packs, compressed air tanks, pistons, pulleys, gears and angled connectors enable children to develop thinking in the main STEM and STEAM fields. While each Magformers set does carry an Ideas Book or set cards – to demonstrate what can be built – the company’s ethos is very much built around children training their brains to create their own wonderful 2D and 3D structures.

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‘Appy days TRENDS UK T 0 01295 768078 www.trendsuk.co.uk w

D th Do the robot CLEMENTONI 020 3206 1101 www.clementoni.com Cyber Robot is a programmable robot that is directly controlled via a smart device app over a Bluetooth connection. Cyber Robot registers and executes all demands in real time and comes complete with sound effects and lights to add to the robotic experience. Children can also take photos and videos while Cyber Robot is in action to capture their finest commands!

Cyber Robot can also be played with offline in a manual mode.

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WowWee has a fantastic W liline-up of innovative and fun new tech products for 2016. n The company is introducing CHiP, T a new robotic dog with an incredible AI personality, and COJI, an EDU robot that teaches kids programming in a fun and imaginative way.

WowWee’s new Gamified Flight range push the limits of hi-tech, robotic technology combining flying drones with gaming features with LUMI and R.E.V. AIR. The adorable CHiP dog robotic pet features incredibly advanced Mechatronics technology, allowing it to recognise its master and respond to commands using the included SmartBand, a sleek, rechargeable wearable controller. CHiP also plays fetch and fun games with the SmartBall, interacting in all the ways a real dog would. CHiP can even play football!

COJI is the new coding robot pal where STEM comes together to teach children basic programming skills using the language of visual emojis. Kids will have fun testing their problem-solving skills and playing games with the robot, and using the free app on any smart device to control COJI’s actions. LUMI is a unique dancing drone that can fly itself while performing in the air to sequences of flashing lights and music. Players are challenged to beat the moves to win the game. R.E.V. AIR introduces air vs ground gaming, with players battling it out with a flying AI quadcopter battle drone pitched against an AI ground vehicle.

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Spotlight on Tomy Splashing good fun with Tomy’s Remote Control Rescue Boat

The Remote Control Rescue Boat helps children build their confidence around water

The red rudder at the back on the boat allows little ones to steer in any direction The Remote Control Rescue Boat from TOMY Bath has its own sound activated remote control allowing little ones to drive the powerboat around the bath

Press the remote control once and the boat will move forward, squeeze the remote again and watch as it bobs to halt

Then press again to squirt water out of Captain Cat’s water cannon The easy to hold remote is perfect for little hands and also floats on the water

TNP

AMBASSADORS

Crocodile rock!

This month, TnP Ambassador Edison and his dad Kevin, put the Toy State Hot Wheels Mutant Machines Commander Croc through its paces dison is a typical two-yearold boy – he loves bright, flashy and loud toys and Toy State’s Commander Croc’s packaging promises that it will deliver all these things!

The ‘try me’ function in the open box is good – Edison insisted on holding it in our car and pressing the buttons constantly until we got home and unboxed it ready to play.

The Hot Wheels toy, like most in the Toy State range are fast and flashy, which hits the spot for my cheeky chap.

The toy is articulated but not remote control. I think for Edison and kids his age it is perfect – they aren’t dexterous enough to handle most RC - and they certainly don’t listen to instruction nearly enough

E

Little Edison loves his Commander Croc from Toy State

The smart choice Ten-year-old TnP Ambassador Gabe got his hands on KD UK’s Kurio Smart. His dad Scott, a bit of a tech-lover, helped him get to grips with it his is a tablet and laptop hybrid aimed specifically at children, and with the tagline “from homework to play”. Or so it says on the box. The photo on the front makes the device look bigger than it really is but that is not really a problem. In the hands of my son the Kurio Smart looks to be the size of an average laptop, but the reality is an 8.9-inch screen like a netbook.

However, it’s easy to see why kids (and parents for that matter) would be seduced by the Smart’s promises: ‘pre-loaded with cool apps and games!’ says the box, next to ‘parental controls, safe for kids’. Unfortunately, I struggled with pressing buttons on the bijou keyboard, but my 10-year-old whizzed his way around it with relative ease. The device itself feels substantial and well made, and the screen and keyboard snap together nicely in a powerful magnetic motion. They are easy to pull apart and put back together again, which was a concern I had, as it might not have lasted long in impatient young hands. It comes pre-

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loaded with various games and apps (for play) but also a suite of Microsoft Office 365 software, such as Word and Excel (for school work). Now pay attention for the tech stuff – it uses Windows 8.1, has 1GB of RAM, can take 32GB of storage, and features a micro USB for connectivity. Naturally it has wi-fi and Bluetooth. The Kurio Smart also boasts motion games – which can be two-player, and where kids can use their body to control the game, a bit like on the Nintendo Wii and other games consoles. There is both a front and back camera, and Skype comes pre-loaded for keeping in touch with relatives. As the user of an iPad and MacBook laptop, I could be accused of being bit sniffy towards this PC hybrid, and in terms of navigation and speed it is not what I am used to - but

“

All up, a toy that is pretty swift and nifty, and makes my son scream and laugh is a winner!

– so this is a sort of entry point to that world. Just push the button and watch it go! And go it does!

My little one has watched a little Hot Wheels on TV as he has an older brother, but he isn’t hugely into it. But that wasn’t a barrier to him loving this toy. I like the fact that the toy is a toy in it’s own right, rather than hinging on the love of a TV show. Edison loves to get it going and then run around in front of it and pretend the croc is chasing and snapping away at him. Walk past our house and you’ll hear: “Aaagghh, Daddy! Crocodile chasing Edi!” – followed by screams and eventually peals of laughter.

All up, a toy that is pretty swift and nifty, bold and brash and makes my son scream and laugh is a winner!

”

“

I really like the games and I like the fact I can use it as a tablet but that it has the keyboard too if I need it. I think it’s cool!

”

Gabe, age 10

Gabe with his Kurio Smart from KD UK

my son, who is also tablet savvy (on iPad and Samsung) had no problems.

Having the option of the keyboard certainly comes into its own when you want something to make the transition from play to work. The parental controls are excellent – once you have the profiles set up, parents can rest assured that browsing is safe and appropriate, while time limits and other restrictions can also be set to make sure play is limited. Would I buy this? The answer is probably yes.

At around £160, it’s certainly a good way of freeing up the parents’ technology.

KEY POINTS: Pre-loaded with apps and games Microsoft Office 365 software Well-made device Wi-fi and Bluetooth Excellent parental controls 61

DC’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

FEATURE

SUPERHEROES

Marvel’s Captain America: Civil War

Behind the mask The masks, the muscles, the laser-eye vision.

Superheroes have it all, and with even more great content coming to the big and small screens, this hugely popular theme is set to soar

O

f all the characters, imaginary worlds and fictional universes creators continue to dream up, it is the hyper-vivid superhero realm that continues to capture the imagination of audiences around the world.

From the rain-slicked streets of Batman and Joker’s Gotham City battleground, to the humour and camaraderie of Marvel’s The Avengers, everyone has their opinion on which caped crusader is the coolest, and which villain is the cruelest. But the one thing everyone can agree on is that superheroes mean big business.

Captain America: Civil War, the third film in the trilogy, crashed into the box office with force and went straight to the top of this year’s cinema earners.

This was closely followed by Deadpool, a super hero movie for mature audiences that still managed to far exceed expectations without the Superheroes benefit of the family remain popular audience. Batman v year on year as Superman: Dawn of Justice children love to use pulled in audiences to the tune of and incredible their imagination $872m worldwide.

Jamie Dickinson, It’s safe to say, then, that Playmobil the market for superheroes is at its strongest ever, and

“

Rubie’s

”

Did you know…

DC Comics’ Suicide Squad is the most talked about film on social media this summer, with 1.3m conversations online

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has yet to peak. In the coming month, DC’s second big superhero movie of the year Suicide Squad opens in cinemas, and social media is buzzing with anticipation. It topped Twitter’s list of the most talked about blockbusters of the summer, and Deadline reported that it had 1.3 million conversations across all of social media, according to ComScore’s PreAct movie marketing tracker. That’s almost treble the amount of mentions of Star Trek Beyond.

“Superhero characters continue to capture the attention of children of all ages,” says Tim Kilby, Brand Director at Character World. “There has been a large number of long-awaited superhero movies out this year so the popularity of licensed superhero merchandise is only going to increase.”

Tim points to Batman v Superman as a big driver of superhero product in the first half of this year. He says the blockbuster provided an “eyecatching introduction” to the DC Comics Universe for movie-goers of

Dad says…

Kevin is dad to Latimer and Edison. He tells about his sons and superheroes.

“What little boy doesn’t love a superhero? Well, I suppose I can only speak for my kids but I can tell you they are huge fans of anything with the words ‘super’ and ‘hero’. At the moment, Batman and Superman are the two favourites but that can easily change. We find ourselves spending a lot of time pretending to be ‘baddies and goodies’. The boys take it in turn to change roles, with me usually playing the baddie!”

JULY 2016

them just as much.

“The Super4 sets are based around five different exciting new worlds to be discovered, each with their individual lead characters. The range of personalities really appeals to young minds, encouraging hours of creative play. The detail and durability of the toy sets means children can play and talk about Super4 with their friends and siblings, even when the TV isn’t on.

With the five very different worlds they are able to create all new scenarios and even act out their own episodes.”

Playmobil

all ages, while Marvel continues to draw in fans with films like Captain America: Civil War. “The two franchises lend themselves well to licensed merchandise, including bedding and textiles with bold graphics and exciting visuals,” adds Tim. “Character World designed and produced new ranges to coincide with both releases and has seen strong sales in the first half of the year.”

But the silver screen isn’t the only place fans are finding their superhero fix. Super4 is a Playmobil-inspired TV series that has built up a dedicated and popular following since launching last year.

“The Super4 toy sets continue to perform well, and children love playing with the four main heroes in the different worlds,” says Jamie Dickinson, Marketing Manager, Playmobil, who tells TnP that his childhood favourite was super-strong, super-agile Bananaman. “We are also very excited for the second series, which will be coming very soon, to drive further excitement.”

Jamie says that the popularity of superheroes with kids remains popular thanks to their ability to inspire creative and imaginative play.

“Superheroes remain popular year on year as children love to use their imagination to play their favourite heroes,” he says adding that the theme’s popularity at the cinema “certainly helps”.

So what are the key components of a successful superhero toy range such as Playmobil’s Super4?

“Variety and longevity definitely go a long way to inspiring a successful superhero,” says Jamie. “Being a top manufacturer within pre-school toys, we feel the popularity of superhero ranges ultimately lies in their play value – while TV or movies certainly give children more exposure to the characters, if the toys alone allow children to become immersed in a fun, imaginative world they will enjoy

Marvel’s Dr Strange set to be released later this year

Silver screen heroes...

The cinema slate is jam-packed with superhero action throughout the year and beyond. Here are just 10 of the most anticipated: Suicide Squad 5 Aug, 2016: DC’s band of super convicts break out Doctor Strange 28 Oct, 2016: Mindbending action with Benedict Cumberbatch The LEGO Batman Movie 10 Feb, 2017: A super spin-off from 2014 hit The LEGO Movie Untitled Wolverine Movie 2 Mar, 2017: Hugh Jackman sharpens his claws for once last outing Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 28 Apr, 2017: The galaxy’s irreverent anti-heroes returns

Wonder Woman 2 Jun, 2017: DC’s leading lady brings action to the silver screen Thor: Ragnarok 27 Oct, 2017: The third act for Marvel’s Norseinspired hammerwielding hero Justice Leagure 17 Nov, 2017: Heroes from every corner of the DC universe unite against evil The Avengers Infinity War Part 1 27 Apr, 2018: The beginning of the end for the Avengers Black Panther 6 Jul, 2018: The African hero makes his starring debut

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FEATURE F EATURE

SUPERHEROES S UPERHEROE ES

Costumed capers RUBIE’S 08453 070707 www.rubiesuk.com

This year has started strong from a super hero perspective, with the powerhouses of Marvel and DC both releasing spring blockbusters with Captain America: Civil War and Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice. Rubie’s introduced new licensed ranges for both movies, with completely new looks for Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman, plus an exciting Armoured Batman costume, while Marvel’s Captain America and Iron Man both also saw refreshed styles.

All costumes are available now at two price points for the Classic and Deluxe versions, which feature added details and padded muscle chests. Rubie’s will be introducing more characters from Captain America: Civil War in its upcoming Autumn/Winter Additions catalogue, including Black Widow, Hawkeye, Winter Soldier, Black Panther and War Machine.

While super heroes traditionally have an enduring popularity among boys, this year has seen an increasing trend in girls wanting to get in on the super-heroic action. This is partly driven by strong female characters on film and TV, from Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ Rey, to Wonder Woman and Supergirl. Warner Bros. and Mattel are capitalising on this with its new DC Super Hero Girls brand, which incorporates a fun and vibrant take on DC Comics characters like Batgirl, Supergirl, Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn, among others. Rubie’s will be introducing a new dressup range based on the characters which is sure to be a big hit in the latter half of the year and into Halloween, where super heroes are fast becoming a regular feature at trick-or-treating.

Clash of the titans ENESCO 01228 404022 www.enesco.co.uk

Solve the puzzle JUMBO GAMES 01707 289289 www.jumbo.eu Jumbo Games’ DC Batman and DC Super Friends range of puzzles and games are perfect for all superhero fans. Jumbo’s Batman range includes four different brightly coloured 100-piece jigsaw puzzles, all suitable for children en aged four plus. The 64-piece Batman Puzzle & Build is the newest edition and lets children piece together a 2D jigsaw puzzle, before using the specially cially designed pieces to construct a 3D model of the famous Batmobile and Batman & Robin character figurines.

For slightly older fans, the Adventures of Gotham City Board Game is great reat for playing with friends and trying to help Batman defeat his enemies and d save his Gotham City. Suitable for two to four players, aged six plus.

Jumbo’s DC Super Friends 4in1 Puzzle Set brings all the popular characters ters together in one box. The puzzle is specifically designed to accommodate pre-schoolers with child-friendly illustrations of Batman, Superman, Wonder Women, The Flash, Green Lantern and many more Justice League e superheroes. The piece counts increase in size with a 16, 24, 35 and 50-piece ece puzzle for kids aged four plus to enjoy.

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Launched in January 2016 to much acclaim, Border Fine Arts’ Marvel collection introduces three new figurines to the range in June 2016, each featuring two superheroes battling it out for supremacy.

Featuring legendary characters who have starred in Marvel comic books, the figurines are inspired by original artwork and are painted by hand. Each pose successfully captures the agility of the superheroes and the movement and power of the scene, right down to the crumbling stone base on Thor vs. Loki, or the warped metal base of Spider-Man vs. Hulk.

New launches include the patriotic supersoldier Captain America - who celebrates his 75th anniversary in 2016 - confronting Iron Man in an iconic action pose. Plus there’s there s web-slinging Spider-Man versus Hulk, and Thor and his brother Loki.

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FEATURE

SUPERHEROES

Have a super party!

AMSCAN INTERNATIONAL 01908 288500 www.amscan.co.uk Amscan has a powered up superhero collection of top licensed partyware, balloons and costumes for an action packed celebration! The vibrant Avengers range of party decorations, accessories and balloons features the likes of key characters Iron Man, Thor, The Hulk and Captain America. Items include decorations such as letter banners and swirl decorations to set the theme of the celebration. New for 2016, Amscan has also launched an exciting Justice League ensemble. The extensive range contains over 30 items for a complete party theme, from tableware, to decorations, invitations, games, favours and balloons. The eye-catching heroic designs include top Justice League characters Superman, Batman, The Flash, Green Lantern and more.

Join the pack k WINNING MOVES 0207 298 9500 www.winningmoves.co.uk Following the events of the Avengers’ gers’ battle with Ultron, Captain America finds ds himself leading a new team of heroes. Wanted anted by the United Nations, team Iron Man is sent on a mission and thrown into a civil war ar to capture Team Captain America. Fans need d to choose their team wisely in the new Top Trumps Captain America: Civil War.

Comic collections SCHLEICH

Be a hero PLAYMOBIL 01268 548111 www.playmobil.co.uk Toys to complement the Playmobil-inspired CITV programme, Super 4, are sure to put smiles on all budding superheroes’ faces. The toys are shaped around the different worlds of Playmobil and follow the adventures of the four popular heroes, Alex, Gene, Ruby and Twinkle.

Fans of Playmobil Pirates will love hiding out in the Super Camouflage Pirate Fort with Ruby. It’s the perfect place 4 Camo pirates to store treasures and bravely protect for cunning cun Ruby and a her friends from Sharkbeard and the naughty scallywags on Gunpowder Island. Complete with functional scallyw cannon, this is the ultimate pirate hide out. cannon Logical little thinkers will love driving Agent Gene’s Logic Techno Chameleon away from Dr. X. A genius inventor, has fitted all the modern gadgets an agent could Gene h want in his Chameleon, including foldable wheels, satellite tracker and rotatable entry door.

Join heir to the throne, Prince Alex, at the Royal Tribune before he sets off on his quest through Kingsland. Keep earned treasures in the secret hideaway and protect it with extendable sword. But watch out for the mischievous the ext Baron who is sure to turn up to try and steal it.

Black B why not have a sing-along in the Musical Flower Tower Or w Twinkle? Based on Enchanted Island, this pretty pink with Tw tower is i a safe haven for fairies like Twinkle to practice magic sspells. Simply spin Twinkle on the dance floor, fold pink leaves, and hear the music play. The set comes in the p with a special leaf bandage, perfect for healing unicorns.

All Super 4 toy sets, including the Lost Island with Alien Raptor and the Pirate Cave, are available now.

01279 870000 www.schleich-s.co.uk Schleich continues to be at the forefront of figurines with a whole host of popular superheroes and their arch-nemeses for fans to collect this year.

In addition to the Batman vs. Harley Quinn pack launched in January, this month will see the release of the new Batman vs. Bane and Superman vs.

Lex Luthor scenery packs. Fans can revel even more in these superhero rivalries with the Batman and Superman scenery packs, based on the blockbuster film, and the classic versions of masked vigilantes Wonder Woman, Aquaman and Cyborg.

Schleich will support the superhero figurines with a full marketing and PR campaign.

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© 2016 MARVEL

FEATURE

SUPERHEROES

Turtle power!

GP FLAIR 0208 643 0320 www.flairplc.co.uk

Heroic offering WARNER BROS. CONSUMER PRODUCTS 020 7984 6100 www.warnerbros.com DC is home to the world’s most iconic superheroes and super villains, and this year Wonder Woman, the DC Super Hero Girls will take centre stage. WBCP is also supporting the studio’s DC film slate, including the much anticipated The LEGO Batman Movie and Justice League, as well as the DC TV and Animation portfolios.

New for 2016 is the ground-breaking DC Super Hero Girls franchise, a fun, immersive world that encourages girls to play, watch, read and be inspired to discover their own superhero potential. Led by master toy partner Mattel, DC Super Hero Girls is supported with a global merchandising program that crosses multiple categories and rolls out worldwide in July.

With a self-titled solo feature film that debuts June 2017 following her blockbuster introduction in Batman v Superman, Wonder Woman will be fully supported by WBCP with a global licensing and merchandising programme. The legendary Wonder Woman celebrates her 75th anniversary this year and WBCP will commemorate this wide range of merchandise.

Girls rule MATTEL 01628 500000 www.mattel.com July will see the highly anticipated introduction of the brand new and groundbreaking franchise DC Super Hero Girls, which harnesses the growing trend of female empowerment by focusing on DC’s heritage of strong independent female characters.

Mattel will launch as the master toy licensee with a toy range in three categories: dolls, action figures and role-play. The new range of dolls is part of a larger franchise from Warner Bros. that includes content, publishing, apparel and role-play.

The first six dolls are based on the new teen designs for Batgirl, Poison Ivy, Supergirl, Wonder Woman, Harley Quinn and Bumblebee, and will come as both 12” action dolls and 6” action figures. All the characters have really defined personalities that girls will identify with.

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GP Flair will be preparing for battle with more in store for fans of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

This year will be one to remember for fans of Turtle Power: following the release of the long anticipated sequel, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: Out of the Shadows, GP Flair’s new superhero figures have been rocketing to the top of collectors’ wish lists. Featuring fan favourites Bebop and Rocksteady, this range of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles figures is hot property.

Strong man CHARACTER OPTIONS 0161 633 9800 www.character-online.com A whole host of superheroes grace Character Options’ portfolio, and this year there’s a brand new superhero in town - but this one has stretched his powers like no other.

This year will see Stretch Armstrong save the day when he returns complete with original styling including his classic head sculpt with square jaw, blonde locks, and wearing his body building trunks.

This toy has more than a heritage appeal, however: the fun lies in the unique play pattern.

Kids can play on their own or with friends, stretching the superhero action figure up to four times his original size. Stretch can even be tied up in knots. Already a proven historical success for Character Options, Stretch Armstrong will relaunch with a strong marketing drive, TV advertising plus impactful and relevant PR that will place this heritage brand at the top of wish lists once more.

When it comes to heroes from Marvel’s Avengers, there’s loads of squishy fun to be had at pocket money prices with the Mash’ems collection.

Mash’ems allow fans of Marvel’s Avengers to mash, twist and play with their favourite heroes and villains, including The Hulk and Captain America.

toysnplaythings.co.uk o.uk

Having a blast

Super bed

VIVID

CHARACTER WORLD

01483 449944 www.vividimaginations.co.uk

(0) 845 004 9217 www.characterworld.com

Laser Battle helps kids battle like their heroes Batman and Superman, by simply slipping on the adjustable chest plate, arming the hand blaster and attacking!

The light-up chest plate counts down the number of lives each player has, and there are sound effects to indicate when a player has fired a shot or been hit. With no triggers and simple set-up, Laser Battle is great for all superhero wannabes.

JULY 2016

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Captain America: Civil War lend themselves well to licensed merchandise, including bedding and textiles with bold graphics and exciting visuals. Character World designed and produced new ranges to coincide with both releases, and has seen strong sales in the first half of the year with children embracing the modern, striking bedding accessories.

DC Super Hero Girls will be launched by Warner Brothers, DCE and Mattel this year. The franchise features a diverse line-up of DC Comics’ most powerful and relatable female characters.

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FEATURE

SAND, WATER & BUBBLES

What’s bubbling?

Sand, water and bubble themed toys are becoming increasingly popular. TnP takes a closer look at the category to see what is on offer

B

elieve it or not, summer is here. Ok, so the weather may not have been kind throughout June but things can only get better, eh? But regardless of the weather; sand, water and bubble-themed toys will always have a place in the hearts and minds of the great British public – and we don’t need summer Bigjigs

to enjoy them, kids will get out in any weather! John Adams are testament to this. The company’s Sands Alive range is going great guns and retail response has been glowing (pardon the pun), as MD Simon Pilkington tells us.

“We’ve had a fantastic response from retailers to our new Sands Alive Glow set which launches in July. It’s a brilliant kit which combines the soft feel and easy mould elements of the existing Sands Alive kits with amazing glow in the dark sand. The UV pen light included also means that kids can write in the sand too!”

Sand is one thing, but if its bubbles you are after, Funrise have you sorted, as do HTI. Speaking about their range, Funrise’s Director David Martin tells us bubble solution is a hot topic for them.

“I think

HTI

“

We’ve had a fantastic response from retailers to our new Sands Alive Glow set which launches in July.

Simon Pilkington, John Adams

”

everyone is amazed at the sheer volume of bubble solution we’re selling. We’ve sold 100,000 bottles of 2 Litre Gazillion Bubble Solution and that is climbing, and we’ve already run out of 4 Litre… just amazing!”

YEAR-ROUND SALES From their perspective, HTI says retailers appreciate that they offer high-quality bubbles at competitive prices.

Global Licensing & Brand

We asked: Can retailers still get their hands on your relevant stock if they see something they love in this feature?

“Absolutely – as it’s a year-round range, we’ll have stock of the existing Sands Alive items as well as our new Sweet Dreams and Glow in the Dark sets.”

Simon Pilkington, John Adams “Absolutely! HTI holds domestic stock of key bubbles lines across licensed and own IP ranges, all year round.”

Alison Downie, HTI “For sure, we run a big domestic programme that now runs year round, so despite having out of stock pockets due to demand, we’re re-ordering all the time.”

David Martin, Funrise

toysnplaythings.co.uk

Director Alison Downie tells us: “Admittedly UK sales of bubbles solution and bubbles toys do peak through the summer months, however, bubbles are not weather dependent and can be played with come rain or shine! In view of this fact and the continuous year-round demand for bubbles as party gifts, HTI enjoys pretty consistent sales all year round.”

David agrees with this, saying: “Bubbles can still be enjoyed indoors of course, and we have several retailers now running year round.”

When it comes to sand toys, Alison adds: “In terms of sand play, historically we have been very successful with sales all year round of the JCB 7” and 14” vehicles and the Giant Back Hoe and Dump Truck – these toys are not only designed for sand play, their play use extends as far as the children’s imagination – indoors as well as outdoors.”

And it is not just bubbles which sell year-round, sand does too.

“Our Sands Alive range can be used all year round as it isn’t limited to outside use,” says Simon. “Its

JULY 2016

super-soft texture means it enables kids to create really detailed creations, and the various different accessories included means that it’s something that kids can keep coming back to. Sands Alive sand also doesn’t dry out, so it still has the same clever soft feel texture every time you go back to it.”

IT’S FOR EVERYONE, YOU KNOW! There tends to be a misconception that there is a higher demand for these types of toys from seaside– based retailers, so it is true?

“That’s a myth!,” says David, and Alison agrees: “Seaside retailers are an important part of HTI’s customer base, however, the major national grocers, department stores and specialist retailers have such a nationwide presence, including seaside locations, they still dominate the largest share of sales in this category.”

Delve into the next few pages to get inspired.

John Adams

What the retailer says “It is a big seller; sand moulds, buckets, all outdoor toys, really. Younger children tend to favour things like buckets and spades. Older children go for bigger buckets for rock pooling and Waboba, the balls that bounce on water are really popular too as are water balloons and water pistols.” Clair Letton, Wigwam Toys, Brighton

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FEATURE

SAND, WATER & BUBBLES

Sand and deliver CHARACTER OPTIONS 0161 633 9800 www.character-online.com This autumn will see Character Options build upon the major success of the Cra-Z-Sand brand, which has established itself as a top choice for mess-free sand play since its launch in spring 2015.

New hero lines will offer brand new glittery sand for children to experiment and create with. The exciting new Deluxe Glitter Pony Playset will be a must-have, with special pedestals included in the set for children to showcase their ponies. The Glitter Fish Playset will strengthen the range further, with three different glitter colours of sand and fun fish moulds for imaginative indoor play.

Character is also raising the bar for sand play with the introduction of the Cra-Z-Sand Glow in the Dark Space playset. Sand creations will be out of this world with the exciting playset which includes a play tray, moulds and tools, and awe-inspiring glowing sand.

These hotly anticipated new launches will join the best-selling assortments of one-colour packs, the Cool Cars box set, and the Super Sand Fun Tub.

Bruder to the rescue!

BRUDER

One in a Gazillion FUNRISE 01908 555640 www.funrise.com Bubble blowing has never been more fun than with Gazillion bubbles, with its superior solution, many blaster machines and more to aid with any party or outdoor activity.

Kids can get ready for continuous bubble action with the Bump-n-Go Bubble Robot, which moves across the floor using his tracked wheels, cranking out hundreds of bubbles along the way. Fill the tray with Gazillion green solution and watch him go into a bubble frenzy. The Gazillion Tornado and Monsoon add to the bubble machine collection and are ideal for outdoor parties.

The Gazillion Bubble Flash Gun is the perfect handheld blaster that shoots out Gazillion bubbles and light flashes in an amazing display - all at the pull of a trigger. Added to this is the Handheld Hurricane that produces a barrage of bubbles in seconds, perfect for pass the parcel prizes. For a final gift, the 8oz Gazillion solution fits perfectly into goody bags for kids to take home.

This year Gazillion will benefit from TV advertising and a full marketing plan of digital and kids’ press, ensuring brand awareness is at its height as the warmer months approach.

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01491 412415 www.bruder.de The new exciting feature in the Bruder fire brigade range is the Scania R-series Fire engine with slewing ladder. As well as many small details such as opening doors and mirrors that fold back, the vehicle has an integrated water tank that can be easily filled. The water hose can be wound up, held by Bruder figures, or secured to the basket. It also has a fully functioning water pump and nozzle! The turntable ladder with rescue basket can be moved out by a handwheel and adjusted in height. The cab has two seats and there is another seat for a Bruder figure on the ladder.

Four extendible support legs ensure vehicle stability in any situation, and a large storage compartment with a door that folds up means there is extra space for storing tools.

The fire brigade figure-set includes the basic equipment for every fireman. The fireman has protective equipment such as a uniform, helmet with visor and gloves, as well as a respirator with oxygen tank so he is ready if there is a lot of smoke. And the extendible lighting mast creates the perfect conditions for a quick rescue at night.

The Land Rover Defender Station Wagon is almost unstoppable on its way to an incident. Its off-road capabilities are legendary. Just like the original, the Bruder model features off-road axle suspension. A drag link extension through the vehicle’s roof enables it to realistically imitate incident scenarios. The incident light module, including a siren on the roof, clears the way to the scene.

In addition to three different siren sounds, the module can also output the vehicle’s engine sound.

toysnplaythings.co.uk

FEATURE

SAND, WATER & BUBBLES

Good green fun BIGJIGS TOYS 01303 250400 www.trade.bigjigstoys.co.uk Green Toys, exclusively distributed in the UK by Bigjigs Toys, has a large range of toys perfect for playing outside in sand or water. The classic range of toys, from boats and submarines through to seaplanes and watering cans, are perfect for paddling pool fun on those hot summer days. The submarine is available in two different colour ways, has a rear propeller and a flat bottom for added stability. The colourful tugboat has a wide spout to scoop up and pour out water, providing hours of good green fun!

The Green Toys range of sand play sets and chunky, sturdy and durable construction vehicles are perfect for building sandcastles or digging for buried treasure, whether on the beach or in a sand pit.

All products are made from 100 per cent recycled materials - predominantly recycled milk bottles - and are dishwasher safe for easy cleaning.

Mind-blowing brands HTI

Feel alive!

01253 775544 www.htigroup.co.uk HTI offers an extensive selection of quality bubble solutions and bubble toys. Licenses include Disney Princess, Disney Frozen, Peppa Pig, Paw Patrol, Thomas & Friends, Blaze, Spider-Man and Avengers, with recently signed license deals for Bing and Shimmer & Shine ranges in SS17 ranges. The ranges include assorted solution bottles, wands, swords, guns and play sets. HTI has also developed innovative, higher price point bubble toys items such as a Bubble Truck, Rotating 3D Bubble Blowing Ball, Bubble Lawnmower and Bubble Exhaust. HTI’s own in-house brand Double Bubble is targeted at boys and girls from pre-school to six years. The new mind-blowing Socka Bubble enables children to amaze their friends with magical bubble kickups. Simply pour out the special bubble solution into the cap, put on the magic sock, dip the tube in the solution and blow to create mega magic bouncing bubble balls.

HTI also brings construction themes to life through sand play with JCB, Europe’s largest construction manufacturer. Inspired by the real life brand’s distinctive yellow and black vehicles, new for AW16 are 7-inch sand play Excavator and Skid Steer construction vehicles, which add to the existing range of a Dump Truck and Wheeled Loader. With detailed styling, the new mini vehicles extend the already popular free-wheeling sand play range core to the JCB range. The chunky vehicles are available individually, and also in three and four-packs.

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JOHN ADAMS 01480 414361 www.johnadams.co.uk John Adams’ multi-award winning super soft modelling sand, Sands Alive, will see two new themed sets introduced for autumn 2016. Sands Alive has an amazingly soft feel with a light and extra fluffy texture that allows small hands to create amazing detail. Suitable for children aged three plus, it has an anti-bacterial formula and will never dry out, which is good news for parents!

Launching this year is Sands Alive Glow which features amazing glowing sand to create glow in the dark 3D shapes. The set comes complete with a Super Charger UV penlight, five mini topper moulds and a play tray. Sands Alive Sweet Treats, featuring an ice cream scoop, play tray and six moulds, will also join the range this year alongside the existing Animal and Castle themed sets.

For crafty children aged five plus, eZee Beads is an easy way to create colourful models using just water and beads. Available in different sized sets at various price points, the eZee Beads small sets come complete with 400 coloured beads with a choice of Garden Bugs & Flowers, Pets and Under the Sea assortments. Large sets include 800 beads, and larger designs in Butterflies Charms, Princesses and Ponies options.

Joining the collection in the autumn is the eZee Beads 3D Animal Friends set and the eZee Beads Studio Set, which boasts a carry case studio, design sheet, bead tool, water sprayer and 10 different bead colours.

Skipper’s Bucket, part of the company’s Pip Ahoy! pre-school portfolio, is perfect for bath time or water play. The tug boat vehicle can be pulled along the ground with a rocking motion but can also float in water at bath time for added play value.

Bubbling up DULCOP +39 051 625 0711www.dulcop.com Dulcop offers a range of over 300 soap bubbles and bubble toys, with Disney, Marvel, Star Wars, DreamWorks, and Minions among the top licenses offered.

The only soap bubble manufacturer in the world to have obtained EC-Type certification, Dulcop is 100% devoted in the production and development of premium soap bubbles and refill solution.

Also available are generic items for speciality stores, such as big refill bottles, wedding soap bubbles, plastic balloons, and more.

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Practice like Messi GP FLAIR 0208 643 0320 www.flairplc.co.uk Kids can train just like their favourite footballing hero Lionel Messi thanks to Footbubbles, and it is on top of every football fan’s wish list this summer.

Following on from the successful launch in autumn 2015, GP Flair’s Footbubbles inspired brand is getting ready for the new season with some exciting additions.

At the heart of this already successful brand is the Footbubbles Starter Pack Socks. Designed to look like Messi’s latest boots, the special fabric allows the wearer to play keepy-uppy with the unique bubble solution supplied. Arriving in time for the start of the new season, an all-new line up of Footbubbles Starter Pack Socks will launch with the latest musthave designs.

Refill bubble solution will be available while the all new Jumbo socks with shin pads will create more control and freestyle tricks. Add to this an Automatic Bubble Blower machine that delivers perfectly timed football sized bubbles and the soccer training experience will be complete!

JUNE 2016

Turn the tables LITTLE TIKES 0845 0533 333 www.littletikes.co.uk Little Tikes has started 2016 in an extremely strong position, after a year which saw the company continue to be strong in garden play and sell-out across a number of key products.

Adding to its active outdoor play portfolio, the new Spinning Seas Water Table gets little ones to find their sea legs by making waves with the interactive ferris wheel, launch balls into the central tower, and use the water mover to keep things afloat. Kids will pour water, splash and make waves for hours with this fun filled water table!

Blissful fun PLUM PRODUCTS 0344 880 5302 www.plumplay.co.uk Plum has a range of wooden sand and water toys designed to inspire and encourage outdoor sensory play. In the wooden sand pit category, the Plum’s Store-it Wooden Sand Pit features a space to store toys, whilst the Plum Giant Wooden Sand Pit has built in benches and an enormous sand space for children to dig and build sand castles.

Wooden activity tables are perfect for space saving, combining variations of sand pits, water play and storage. The Plum Sandy Bay Tables can be filled with sand and water then pushed together for neat storage. Plum’s popular Surfside Sand and Water Table also features sand and water compartments, but has a wooden lid to convert into picnic tables for al fresco eating.

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TRADE

OPINION

Trade talk

TnP loves to hear your views. This month we speak to key wholesalers and suppliers to learn what’s on their minds. We explore this month’s hottest topics.

This month, Team TnP catches up with some of the industry’s finest to discover their stand-out products for the coming year, maintaining relationships with retailers and more PAUL FOGARTY MEL BEER Licensing Director EMEA, Amscan International Ltd What has been your best-selling product over the past three months?

In terms of year-on-year growth, that would have to be PAW Patrol and My Little Pony. They’ve both done exceptionally well for Amscan across balloons and party over the past three months.

Which licensing programme has impressed you most over the past year?

The explosion of Shopkins, managed by Bulldog Licensing has been a joy to watch. We launch our Shopkins balloons in July, which should please our customers who have been desperate to get their hands on them.

What is the most important thing when it comes to maintaining a relationship between a retailer and a supplier?

Strong and open communication, listening, flexibility and ability to provide creative solutions to changing market needs.

MD, K’NEX UK What has been your best-selling product over the past three months?

Unsurprisingly our evergreen tubs are year round performers as they offer exceptional value and open ended creativity. Naturally we also see fantastic sales on our lower price point sets particularly our Cosmic Quest building set, and Beast Alive Bug assortment both with guide retails of £10.

Which licensing programme has impressed you most over the past year?

Following the launch of our girl’s construction range Mighty Makers last year, we’ve been pleased to see the industry offering girls other empowering and aspirational options. With toys inspired by strong female characters in both the DC SuperHero Girls and Marvel’s Avengers Assemble lines, powerhouse licenses are waking up to the fact that there is room for a breath of fresh air in the girls market, which we welcome with open arms!

What is the most important thing when it comes to maintaining a relationship between a retailer and a supplier?

Good honest two-way communication is key. It’s the best way of understanding mutual objectives and identifying and realising opportunities for joint growth. The best accounts we have are working hard with us to extract the most out of K’NEX product line.

Name one new product from your range that you expect to impress consumers the most in the coming months. For the first time in three years we have a complete refresh to our Roller Coaster line. We expect great things of our new two-speed Revolution Ferris Wheel, and the stunning Electric Inferno coaster.

MICHELLE LILLEY Marketing Manager – UK, Little Tikes, MGA Entertainment UK What has been your bestselling product over the past three months? Our iconic Cozy Coupe continues to be our number one best-selling product during this period and according to NPD May 2016, the Cozy Coupe is number two bestselling Outdoor Toy. Followed closely by this is the Little Tikes My First Slides, 4 in 1 Trikes and Cape Cottage Playhouse which are also selling really well.

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What is the most important thing when it comes to maintaining a relationship between a retailer and a supplier?

I think it’s definitely about trust and delivering on promises. Executing from the initial preview and sales meetings to the product being in the market – that is important for the relationship. To drive consumer demand in store, we work closely with key stakeholders whether that’s PR, comms, planning or buying, to maximise the brand’s marketing activity and retailer opportunities.

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The Puppet Company The

Pup Co pet mp any Ltd ÂŽ .

We are are a U UK Kb based ased D Design esign & W Wholesale holesale ccompany ompany ssupplying upplying o over v 1000 high quality puppets of all shapes and sizes! Have a puppet - Have fun!

www.thepuppetcompany.com Tel: +44 (0) 1462 446040

FEATURE TROLLS

We’re trolling…

DreamWorks Animation’s Trolls is about to hit cinema screens and licensees have jumped on board ard to support the film. Here’ Here’s the lowdown…

T

rolls is hitting cinema ma screens in October, r, just in case you miraculously missed ed this crucial piece of information. We say cruciall because it will have an impact act on the toy industry, and licensees ensees and retailers are hedging their heir bets on it being positive.

Produced by DreamWorks ks Animation, the film is cited for release in October in the UK K and stars the voice talents of none one other than Justin Timberlake, ke, Anna Kendrick and Gwen Stefani to name but a few.

And you just might have heard the film’s theme tune, Can’tt Stop The Feeling, blasting out off radios recently too.

Interestingly, the Trolls programme is the largest DreamWorks has ever Trolls Trol Tr olls ol ls iiss executed on the consumer also the largest product side. programme “There are so many great categories where the property we’ve ever translates: toys, apparel, executed on the accessories, home, stationary, consumer and food to name a few. We’ve products side. also gone incredibly broadly at retail, covering all tiers Jim Fielding, globally,” Jim Fielding, Global DreamWorks

“

Head o of Consumer Products, DreamWorks Animation told TnP. Dream Hasbro are on board as master Hasb with a whole host of toy partner pa other llicensees joining them.

“For the Trolls licensing programme we really emphasised progra quality, innovation and storytelling,” quality adds. he ad When it came to briefing W licensees, Jim explains they lic were told texture was hugely w important, and naturally, the im Trolls’ hair had to take centre T stage too. s “The film has this amazingly immersive world a that tha feels homemade and the visuals visua are absolutely beautiful. beautif We also told licensees that ha hair is very important and that it be a focal point of their i should sho product innovation. Our partners prod pr o did d d a really great job in creating di product that helps tell a story prod and expand the world of Trolls.”

But what about DreamWork’s approach to the licensing programme? Jim tells us: “With Trolls we actually kicked off the programme early by focusing on the classic Good Luck Trolls and reintroducing the brand to the public. This culminated with a

”

So what do licensees think of Trolls?

We get their views…

“We are delighted to join the growing list of Trolls licensees. There is already a huge buzz surrounding this upcoming film and we look forward ward to launching our fun and vibrant calendar later in the year.”

Dan Grant, Senior Licensing Manager, Danilo “From the previews and the style guides we’ve been working with, it’s t’s easy to see the appeal of Trolls, particularly the perfectly pink princess Poppy; y; she’s sure to be an instant winner with girls of all ages, October can’t come soon n enough!”

Thalia Claire, Licensing Executive, Gemma “Trolls is a timeless and magical property. Being popular for decades s and connecting with both adults and children this will be a huge movie which hich will hopefully run in a similar pattern to movies like Shrek and Minions. Having aving Justin Timberlake involved also guarantees a great musical tie in increasing its exposure to a wide market”.

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very successful global program with MAC.” Speaking about the licensing programme, Jim says DreamWorks are “very happy” with it. “It’s extremely comprehensive and it is also gratifying to us that we’re being embraced so thoroughly by the industry.”

As mentioned, DreamWorks are looking at Trolls as a long-term franchise – which should be music to the ears of retailers and suppliers. “Although we don’t have any additional content to announce at present, we are excited to support the brand for years to come,” he confirms, adding that the studio plans to support Trolls via its other assets such as Awesomeness TV and DreamWorks TV on YouTube too.

“We’re definitely using our complete array arra of channels in order to generate excitem excitement for Trolls,” he adds. “From “ trailers and exclusive clips exclus to t the film’s music musi videos, our online platforms plat are for a e key drivers ar driv the t e film.” th Have a troll (!) through the throu following fo pages to get just a taster of the Trolls T product on pr offer. off

ttoysnplaythings.co.uk oy ysnplaythings.

FEATURE TROLLS

Get the Troll look!

GP FLAIR! 0208 643 0320 www.flairplc.co.uk The hotly-anticipated Trolls film release will be accompanied by a number of fun product launches from GP Flair this autumn. Flair’s character keychains are a must-have accessory for Troll-crazy children.

With the iconic hair of the original Trolls, the keychains feature the two main characters Poppy and Branch.

After watching the film, children will be able to get a Troll-tastic look with the fun new range of beauty and make-up products. The exciting new Colour Combs magically transform hair with a simple swipe of a comb, and can be mixed and matched to create trendy, multi-coloured combinations. Troll accessories to Kids can spruce up their hair further with the Troll accessories in the Hair Styling Kit. Children will also get a thrill from the new Troll make-up lines. Packed with value, the Trolls Party Makeup set includes everything for a bright and colourful look! The set comes with lipsticks, nail polishes, lip glosses, eyeshadows and brushes, all contained in a trendy make-up box!

The Trolls collection from Flair will benefit from extensive marketing support including unboxing videos and social media activity.

Art attack

Mark the date!

DANILO 01992 702900 www.danilo.com Danilo Promotions is proud to support DreamWorks with the creation of an Official Trolls 2017 Calendar. Popular characters from the movie are used in combination with strong, vibrant colours to form the key elements of the calendar’s design.

Presented in a square format, this calendar also includes a stunning centre-spread.

PYRAMID INTERNATIONAL 0116 284 3640 www.pyramidinternational.com Pyramid International are proud to be working with DreamWorks Animation on Trolls. The range will compromise of posters, trendy canvas wall art, 3D posters, stickers, keychains, and mugs. The range launches in the autumn and the company is planning some tier-one retail campaigns to showcase the collection. Having previewed the range behind closed doors at Spring Fair, Nuremberg Toy Fair and Paperworld, the retail response has been fantastic.

The ultimate choice ULTIMATE SOURCE 07831583411 www.ultimatesource.toys

Party time!

PROCOS S.A. www.procos.gr Celebrate the launch of DreamWorks Trolls with the Trolls party range from Procos S.A. A wide range of party goods are available, including tableware, room decorations, party bags, hats and invites.

All products are available to order in various display formats, including shelf displays and promotional stands.

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Ultimate Source is launching an exciting and innovative range of DreamWorks Animation’s Trolls products, in time for the movie’s release date. Products available to retailers include handheld interactive games, hair-colouring combs, garden accessories, lucky bags and more.

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All wrapped up GEMMA INTERNATIONAL 01264 388400 www.gemma-international.co.uk One of Gemma International’s most anticipated licenses for 2016 is Trolls.

The company has been waiting for the next big girls’ license since Frozen, and Trolls ticks all the boxes. With main character Princess Poppy played by Anna Kendrick of Pitch Perfect fame, the movie promises to be a colourful, funny, feel-good film, with a fantastic soundtrack that girls of all ages will absolutely love.

Gemma’s range of Trolls cards and wrap feature Princess Poppy in a number of adorable poses, against pretty backgrounds adorned with funky flowers. The card range includes ages, relations and a no age favourite, die-cut with flitter for extra sparkle. For gift packaging comes a roll wrap, 2-sheet 2-tag, and a variety of gift bags.

Deliciously different SPEARMARK INTERNATIONAL LIMITED 01480 213633 www.spearmark.co.uk

Listen up!

SAKAR INTERNATIONAL 02476 518 500 www.sakar.com Sakar International will be introducing an expansive line of youth electronics based on Trolls, including headphones, karaoke machines and walkie-talkies designed specifically for kids. Kids can chill out to their favourite tunes with the adorable headphones that are compatible with all portable music players and devices. The new line of kid-safe headphones allows young ones to safely listen to and enjoy music anywhere and everywhere. A built-in volume limiter makes them safe for kids and provides clear acoustic performance. The ear-cups are lightweight and feature padded comfort with an adjustable headband - complete with troll hair! - for a universal fit.

Fans can rock out with music from Trolls, or to their own tunes with Sakar’s new line of karaoke sets. Featuring docking stations, a monitor to display song lyrics, a handheld microphone, flashing lights and vocal effects, Sakar offers a wide assortment. Join Princess Poppy and Branch on their quest to go far beyond the only world they have ever known. Sakar International’s walkietalkies let kids keep in touch with friends to share secrets or plan play dates. A push-to-talk button and flexible safety antenna allow for crisp, clear sound quality!

JULY 2016 20116

Spearmark are excited to be launching a range of Trolls lighting and lunchware items prepped to debut into stores from autumn/winter 2016.

In the vibrant Trolls themed lunchware collection there will be a stylish 3D Lenticular lunch bag in a vertical shape, featuring an easy to carry cross-over the shoulder strap along with a matching drink bottle. Trolls fans will also love the launch of the novelty Twisty Straw Tumbler, a party-style cup with a straw spiralling around the outside - perfect for play dates and parties. There will also be some colour changing comfort lights from Spearmark’s sub brand Illumi-Mates launching into the range.

Vividly colourful VIVID 01483 449944 www.vividtoysandgames.co.uk Crayola has aligned with DreamWorks Animation in launching an exciting new range of arts & crafts products to coincide with the forthcoming Trolls movie. Crayola has a range to compliment and give life to the film’s unforgettable and colourful characters. The line-up covers all needs and price points - from the lower Colour and Sticker book and Giant Colouring Pages to the Small Art Case featuring 40+ pieces of all the great Crayola tools you’ll need to colour up your favourite Trolls!

Add extra colour with a mix of Crayola paints and watercolours with the Trolls Deluxe Painting Kit. Or build your own big, loud and crazy Trolls using lightweight Model Magic with the Model Magic Poppy Kit. There is bound to be something in the range for every child.

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REVIEW

LICENSING EXPO

Till next year Licensing Expo 2016 has wrapped up and TnP were there to witness the licensing industry in all its glory

V

egas can be testing – but only if you find 50 degree heat a challenge.

When you are in Sin City for Licensing Expo, it becomes much more bearable. The 2016 edition of the world’s largest licensing show took place in the Mandalay Bay Convention Centre from Tuesday 21 to Thursday 23 June, and toys took centre stage. Mattel, Hasbro, MGAE – they were all present and were joined by a plethora of other licensors and licensee, all with properties to sell. Testament to how important toys is to the industry was the fact that the keynote speech was given by representatives from Hasbro, Jazwares and Mattel.

Representatives from the UK toy industry attended en masse with

We asked: Can you sum up Vegas 2016 in three words?

“Hair-raising (trolls!), hot and jam-packed!”

Rebecca Naish “Fun, fast and exhilarating!”

Katherine Pierce, Golden Bear “Interesting, corporate, insomnia.”

Phil Ratcliffe, MV Sports

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both suppliers and retailers present. Amongst them was There a team from The Entertainer with Rebecca Naish, Head seemed to be a of Marketing & Licensing lot of great new telling us: “The Vegas show brands and is an important part of content coming our year and it kick starts through for 2017 the planning of our 2017 and beyond marketing calendar. Previous Vegas shows have started which all looks off conversations which really exciting. have resulted in exclusive We really like ranges and launches the look of and these conversations Animal Jam, PJ continued at this year’s Masks, Power show.”

Golden Bear’s Senior Rangers movie Licensing and Marketing to name just a Manager Katherine Pierce few but there is agreed the show was a lots more which worthwhile visit. we look forward In terms of seeing new IP to seeing which peaked her interest at coming through Licensing Expo, Katherine told us: “There’s always new Rebecca Naish, things to see and some The Entertainer interesting showcases to attend, so lots to follow up on for some exciting announcements in 2017!”

The Entertainer’s Rebecca agreed: “There seemed to be a lot of great new brands and content coming through for 2017 and beyond which all looks really exciting. We really like the look of Animal Jam, PJ Masks,

“

”

Dates are set The dates for Licensing Expo 2017 have changed to Tuesday 23 to Thursday 25 May. We will see you there!

Power Rangers movie to name just a few but there is lots more which we look forward to seeing coming through.”

Speaking about the show, MV Sports’ Sales & Marketing Director Phil Ratcliffe said Licensing Expo was definitely good for business and seemed busier than usual.

“There seemed to be more new properties unveiled at the show especially from the major corporate licensors,” he said. In terms of developments in IP from current licensors, Phil said: “There seems to be a lot of investment in new properties and franchises at the present time especially from the larger corporate licensors/ entertainment companies.”

And the news was similar from a retail perspective. We asked Rebecca if, from a retail perspective, she was pleased with developments in IP from current partners.

“We have worked on some great partnerships this year and many partners were interested in partnering on our Super Saturdays concept in 2017 to bring their IPs to life at retail. Engaging with the consumer at point of purchase is so important and licensors and licensees both understand the value in that.”

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If you want to reach 5,123* total average net circulation, then call Ryan Horwood on 01442 289945 or email ryan@lemapublishing.co.uk *. Circulation figure relates to period from 1st July 2014 to 30th June 2015

For more information visit www.abc.org.uk or email info@abc.org.uk

LICENSING

NEWS

les soar for Tomy Tomy are reporting some record-breaking figures for their range of Pokémon action figures and plush.

The UK YTD Pokémon EPOS sales are up a staggering 144 per cent. The first quarter results are performing at more than double in comparison to January-March of 2015 - showing that even after twenty ye ears in the market, Pokémon is still a firm favourite amongst consumerrs and continues to attract legions of new fans.

Tomy sa ay they are celebrating Pokémon’s milestone twentieth h year with a range of limited edition action figures an nd plush.

Felix set to make an impact CPLG have been drafted in by DreamWorks Animation to act as licensing agent for Felix the Cat across EMEA and North America.

Felix has been up and running since 1919 but DreamWorks Animation bought the rights in 2014 and has since been building the brand profile through a series of collaborations and halo projects within art, music and fashion.

CPLG will continue the high profile collaborations programme and launch Felix the Cat in fashion at key retailers from late 2016 with a full cross category rollout from 2017.

Find the party!

Super LEGO deal for Egmont Egmont Publishing has acquired publishing rights for LEGO DC Super Heroes and The LEGO Batman Movie, in partnership with Warner Bros. Consumer Products on behalf of DC Entertainment.

The new LEGO DC publishing programme will sit alongside Egmont’s other LEGO titles, including LEGO Ninjago.

“We are really excited to be publishing LEGO DC titles in the UK,” said John Packard, Publisher, Egmont Publishing.

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Ahead of this month’s release of Dinsey Pixar’s Finding Dory, Pioneer Europe has launched a new range of tableware and balloons. Tableware items, manufactured by Procos, include party plates, napkins, cups, table covers, party bags and banners, plus the essential party invitations and envelopes. The balloon range includes Qualatex Bubble balloons that are bright and colourful and the Very Best latex balloons that come in 25ct and 6ct bags.

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Brought to you by

licensing W O R L D W I D E

Suicide Squad toys break out To mark the film release of Suicide Squad, Warner Bros Consumer Products recently unveiled its licensing programme.

Collectors can look forward to a number of intricately detailed toys and figures from Mattel, plus stylised figures from Funko to name but a few. Fans can also become their favourite character with role-play outfits and accessories from Rubie’s.

HarperCollins Publishers Publishe and Titan Publishing will support Suicide Squad with wit a number of print-published works, and Underground Toys, Hallmark, Huckleberry Toys, Huckleb Trend Setters, and an Fashion Accessory Bazaar will B offer various paper var products. prod Novelty N iitems will come from c Groovy UK, G Forbidden Fo Planet, GB Eye Plane more. and m

Brio steps into licensing Ink Global is set to represent iconic Swedish toy company Brio in a new worldwide deal spanning merchandise, publishing and promotions.

The company now has a presence in over 30 countries, with brand awareness particularly strong in the four Nordic markets, the UK, US, Germany and France.

“Brio is a global symbol of childhood, so we’re delighted to have signed this new deal – especially as we are both Scandinavian companies,” said Ink Global Director, Claus Tømming. “It’s one of the biggest toy brands in the world and the commercial potential is huge, as it will appeal both to kids who are discovering Brio for the first time and parents who grew up with this classic brand.”

Initial target sectors include baby care, homewares/interior design and textiles, with first product launches expected in Q2 2017.

Bandicoot is back Activision are bringing back the iconic Crash Bandicoot. The videogame character is making a reappearance in Skylanders Imaginations as a guest star – just in time to celebrate his 20-year anniversary.

Fans will also rejoice to hear Activision are bringing Crash Bandicoot back in fully remastered versions of the first three Crash games - Crash Bandicoot; Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back; and Crash Bandicoot: Warped for PlayStation4 - planned for a 2017 release.

Developed by Toys For Bob, Skylanders Imaginators will launch on 14 October, 2016 in the UK.

JULY 2016

Tsum Tsum sales hit two million Zuru are celebrating after sales of their Disney Tsum Tsum range hit two million. The company says they have sold more that two million pieces into the UK market, with three more waves being launched this year. The company launched Series 2 Flocked Tsum Tsum Squishies this June while a special edition Christmas Tin, new Clock Tower Playset and Carry Case with exclusive characters all set for release before Christmas.

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TNP

LOOKS S BACK

Step back in time A rather personal look back through time beginning with July 1986, 1996, 2006 and 2011 by TnP Founder and MD Malcolm Naish buyers had this to say. “I don’t have time to see new suppliers, you don’t understand the pressure I’m under”. Major buyer number two said: “I don’t see suppliers unless you write first and then I might see you.”

JULY 2011 • Back in 2011 a number of new films were expected to help summer and autumn toy sales. Cars 2, Transformers 3, Pirates of the Caribbean 4 and not forgetting the final Harry Potter film. The industry was expecting at least a three per cent upturn in sales with this quartet of films.

• Hamleys post a healthy year-end figure with operating profit up by over 40 per cent to £2.3m. The then Business Secretary Vince Cable was promising to scrap up to 160 petty regulations that plague the retail fraternity.

• I am sorry to record the death of Mattel’s founder Elliot Handler at the ripe old age of 95. Along with his wife Ruth they started from small beginnings in their California garage in 1945. By the mid-seventies they were the world’s largest toy company.

• Jo Swinston, a Liberal Democrat, believes that children’s television is sexist and lacking in strong female role models – what about Lara Croft then! She cites that recent research shows that up to two-thirds of lead characters in childrens’ television are male leading to the message that boys and men are in charge and women are in supporting roles. Perish the thought I say.

JULY 2006 • The Character group take over the distribution of Supermag.

• Having mentioned the previous month that Bandai had put a bid in for Zapf, I now write that another suitor enters the field – MGA .

• Also in July 2006 I hear from Malcolm Evans that he has left Vivi Cycles to create his own consultancy business – the rest, as they say, is history!

• A staunch and constant supporter of the BTHA Ian Scott is honoured by the association with a ‘Lifetime Achievement’ award. Richly deserved, Ian has travelled the world promoting toy safety and is a world expert on toy safety issues.

July 2011 Volume 30 Number 9

• Mattel’s Fisher-Price division continue to put plenty of marketing muscle behind their new Elmo TMX due for launch in September. The suspense is killing me as no one has managed to glance at this new phenomenon.

HARRY POTTER characters, names and related indicia are trademarks of and © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Harry Potter Publishing Rights © JKR. (s11) ©2011 The LEGO Group.

• While on the subject of Mattel, I learn that they have just tabled a bid for Radica to the tune of £320m.

Experience the Magic !

JULY 1996 • Not a lot seems to change with major buyers attitudes to business. Back in 1996 I quote two majors whose

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•

The BTHA announce two new Lifetime Achievement awards. The recipients, and richly deserved in my humble opinion, are Tom Cassidy and Torquil Norman.

•

Toys R Us announce their Supplier of the Year awards. Toy Options (Character Group) won the toys category with Crayola in the non-toy category.

• I am sad to note that a long-standing member of Toymaster goes into receivership – Boydells of Bolton.

• Gary Grant’s Entertainer chain are placed in the top 100 fastest-growing companies. No less than Price Waterhouse compiled the listings.

• NPD data values the UK construction toy sector at approximately £90m. LEGO account for 59 per cent of this.

• Danny Kishon at Really Useful Games introduces their ‘Sculpture Puzzles’. In my opinion a great and very different form of puzzling. The product does really well and goes on to be a classic.

JULY 1986 • York MP Conal Gregory introduces a Private Members Bill that now gives Trading Standards Officers the power to grab and freeze any dangerous goods before they reach the High Street. Now TSO’s can grab suspect goods at docks and airports for a more detailed examination to ensure they comply with current British safety legislation.

• There has been a lot of movement of senior buyers leaving their companies to join a major competitor.

• Long-established Leeds wholesaler Deans are forced into receivership. A founder member of the Link wholesale catalogue, their business and stock has been acquired by H. Turner & Son from Sheffield.

• I enjoy a fabulous few days working hard along with Bontempi, their staff and major buyers. So off to Rome and a stay around Lake Geneva at Civitanova Marche. All of their product range was made in Italy and their factories were spotlessly clean with a very high level of computerised equipment and moulding machines. Until I visited the company, I was unaware that there was actually a Mr. Bontempi, assuming that this was a brand name. In fact Paolo was very hands on and insisted on explaining some of the various manufacturing techniques himself.

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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 contacts!

Product: Carta Magic 80 Tricks Company: Cartamundi UK Ltd Tel: 01268 511 522 Web: www.cartamundi.com

Product: Disney Cinderella Carriage Utility Vehicle Company: Chicco Tel: 02089 536 627 Web: www.chicco.co.uk

Product: Finding Dory pre-school kids’ dress up Company: Rubie’s Masquerade Tel: 08453 070 707 Web: www.rubiesuk.com

JULY 2016

Product: Sleep Tight All Night Company: Golden Bear Tel: 01952 608 308 Web: www.goldenbeartoys.com

Product: Transformers Optimus Prime Battle Truck Company: Simba Smoby UK Tel: 01274 765 030 Email: sales@simbasmoby.com

Product: LeapStart Company: LeapFrog Tel: 01895 202 840 Web: www.leapfrog.com

Product: Finding Dory poster range and Secret Life of Pets poster range Company: Pyramid International Tel: 01162 843 670 Web: www.pyramidinternational.com

Product: Buddy Balls Company: Mookie Tel: 01525 722 722 Web: www.mookie.co.uk

Product: GeoSafari Jr. My First Telescope Company: Learning Resources Tel: 07872 377 302 Web: www.learningresources.co.uk

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