News - the latest toy industry headlines

Character Options puts on a show with GLO-Up Girls

Character Options is gearing up for the summer launch of fashion doll line Glo-Up Girls. The range goes on sale from August with the support of a live-action YouTube series, a social media content house, and influencer partnerships.

Inspired by the #GlowUp trend - a hashtag with more than 28 billion video views on TikTok - Glo-Up Girls dolls feature elevated styling and offer the full ‘Glo-Up’ experience including spa, nails, hair, makeup and fashion choices. Each doll comes in stylish pyjamas and 25-plus surprises to give the character a total GloUp. A real face mask is also included so the child can get involved with the Glo Up process.

Kathryn Ludlum, brand manager at Character Options, said: “Our aim for Glo-Up Girls is to build on what we delivered for InstaGlam in 2020, with dedicated advertising, as well as integration within the ongoing activity for the InstaGlam brand as a whole. This includes TV, multi-tiered influencer support with celebrity endorsement, YouTube pre-roll, and more. Plus, with the UK and US launches set to coincide, our plans will be fully intertwined with the huge marketing campaign that’s running in the US.”

The A/W21 collection of Character Option’s Little Live Pets has an extended and refreshed line-up, which will be supported with the firm’s most ambitious marketing campaign for the interactive pet brand to date.

Retailers can look forward to the launch of Gotta Go Turdle - a singing, eating, pooping turtle - and My Pet Pig Piggly the walking pig, who wiggles his nose and makes adorable piggy noises, plus Lil’ Hamsters. The range benefits from a high-impact marketing drive, wherein TV remains key across children’s channels, underpinned with YouTube pre-roll activity. From now until Christmas, Character Options is adopting an always-on digital strategy for the brand and ensuring celebrity product placement and activity on social media platforms such as TikTok.

Mattel launches fantasy themed dolls

Mattel’s new launch in the nurturing doll category, My Garden Baby, offers classic baby doll play in a fantastical way.

My Garden Baby introduces diverse dolls, new colourways and butterfly babies, encouraging kids to cultivate an appreciation for nature and the world around them.

The range includes the My Garden Baby Feed and Change doll assortment (aged three years-plus), which is a fantasy-themed baby doll with a drink-towet feature, reusable nappy, removable clothes, and wings - and the packaging also becomes a crib. The Berry Hungry Baby Butterfly Assortment (aged two years-plus) offers a colour-change feature, detachable wings for dress-up play, and scented hair. For younger fans, the My First Baby Butterfly Assortment (aged 18 months) have soft bodies and plush wings that fold into swaddles.

Industry rises to Toy Trust challenge

The toy industry’s charity The Toy Trust has reported that a mammoth 26,425km was covered during last month’s Around the World in 80 Hours fundraising event.

Starting at 9am on 11 June, the toy industry was invited to participate in an attempt to circumnavigate the globe (40,075km) in 80 hours. The distances could be covered through any activity that was non-motorised.

More than 375 individuals representing manufacturers, retailers and licensors, ran, walked, swam, cycled, walked while hula hooping, paddle-boarded, kayaked and rode on horseback.

The distance covered did not manage to circumnavigate the entire globe but did cover all land mass on Earth joined together (with no oceans included).

The event is expected to raise in excess of £20,000 for the Toy Trust, which will go on to support two UK-based children’s charities - myAFK and HCAG – which both provide specialist mobility equipment for children.

Toy Trust Committee chairman Graham Canning said: “This year’s event was like no other, and while we were not able to gather together to take on the challenge in one place, I’m so proud of the efforts of everyone from across the toy industry in getting involved. Thank you to everyone.’’

Octonauts make waves

Silvergate Media and Merlin Entertainments are extending their Octonauts partnership with an interactive brand experience.

Activity-based Octonauts trails will launch at 11 Sea Life centres across the UK this summer, ahead of the highly anticipated launch of new spin-off series, Octonauts: Above and Beyond in the autumn, which has inspired a new line from Moose Toys including figures, vehicles, playsets, plush, and games set to debut at retail in 2022.

The events allow preschoolers and their families to ‘Be Captain For A Day’ as part of a themed and immersive experience that puts them centre stage of their very own real-life Octonauts adventure, looking for Captain Barnacles alongside favourite characters from the show such as Kwazii, Peso and Inkling. Guests at the attractions will also learn about conserving the world’s oceans as they complete tasks, challenges and activities as part of their mission.

University Games is on the move

University Games bid farewell last month to a building that has been home to the Paul Lamond Games part of the business for more than 25 years, and opened the doors on a new chapter at new premises in Royston, Hertfordshire.

With a portfolio of more than 700 games, puzzles and gifts, following the acquisition of The Lagoon Group last summer, the company is ready to move onto its next phase.

Richard Wells, managing director of University Games, “The new offi ces offer us greater fl exibility to develop and grow the business.’’

Playmonster launches campaign

Playmonster has revealed details of a major marketing campaign for My Fairy Garden. As part of the #Fairiesfornature initiative, 20,000 activity packs have been distributed throughout primary school Key Stage 1 settings and via digital and social platforms, complete with wildfl ower seed packs and details of tasks to help kids care for nature. Challenges include completing litter picks, de-weeding, and building hedgehog homes.

So far more than 10,000 families have visited www.myfairygarden.co.uk to download the free Fairies For Nature Activity Book. Face of ITV’s First Time Mum and nature lover Ferne McCann is also supporting the campaign across her social channels.

TFNY to host Spielwarenmesse pavilion

The U.S. Toy Association, producer of Toy Fair New York, has announced a new partnership with Spielwarenmesse to bring the Nuremberg exhibition provider’s World of Toys Pavilion to Toy Fair New York 2022, which will be held from 19 February to 22 February at Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.

Spielwarenmesse World of Toys programme offers a platform for exhibiting at international industry events, providing companies with access to global markets and retailers. Exhibitors will receive comprehensive support, including a readymade booth with basic furniture and fi xtures. The service package covers initial planning, organisational and marketing services, and on-site support. The 2,153sq ft pavilion will be housed in a central location on Level 3 of the Javits Center.

Steve Pasierb, president & CEO of the U.S. Toy Association, said: “Toy Fair New York is a world-renowned, international marketplace celebrating its 118th year and we are eager to welcome even more new global brands and innovative toys from all over the world. This opportunity leverages the newly expanded and renovated Javits Convention Center that will house the pavilion, along with many more show enhancements. We are thrilled to offer attendees an even more enriching global experience at Toy Fair New York ’22 thanks to the addition of the pavilion.”

Manufacturers can book a space in the World of Toys Pavilion at Toy Fair New York until the end of October. Contact Martin von Vopelius at m.vopelius@spielwarenmesse.de.

Rex London launches EU hub

Rex London has established a distribution centre in Belgium to better serve its customers in the European Union - without customs delays or additional costs.

This means Rex London customers in the EU can continue to order with confi dence, with all orders being imported into the EU by new Belgian company, Rex London BV, which is wholly owned and managed by the UK company.

Trade customers will still have access to thousands of products, which they will be able to order online or with their dedicated account managers in the usual way. Current delivery forecasts estimate a transit time of up to two weeks for most EU orders.