Toys n Playthings by Lema Publishing

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Helping everyone sell more

ALL-NEW SERIES

OF BARBIE ON AIR THIS

AUTUMN 2018 June No. 9 7 Vol. 3

Independently audited ABC circulation of 5,121

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CONTENTS

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Regular 2018 June No. 9 7 3 Vol.

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

Editor Mairead Wilmot mairead@lemapublishing.co.uk

Editor Rhys Thomas rhys@lemapublishing.co.uk

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

Publisher Mark Naish mark@lemapublishing.co.uk

Production Director Paul Naish paul@lemapublishing.co.uk

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

Managing Director Malcolm Naish malcolm@lemapublishing.co.uk

Leader – with Mirella Anstey

News – the latest toy industry headlines

9 Coffee Break – with Rob Trup, Fiesta Crafts’ Marketing Manager 10 Movie News – what’s happening on the big screen 12 Media News – the multimedia rundown 13 Media Charts – the latest kids’ TV viewing figures and toy TV advertising spend 14 Retail News – the latest round up of news from retailers 22 What’s New – new products that you need to get your hands on 41 Spotlight on… West Design – one new product, all the USPs explained 58 Watch Out For… – a round up of toys you really don’t want to be without 60 Licensing News – the latest on licensed products 62 Step Back in Time – a slice of toy history from the industry’s longest running magazine 63 Don’t Miss – unmissable products for all buyers and retailers

Features 24 Pocket Money Toys – if it can fit in your pocket, it counts!

52 Construction - the latest in must-have construction toys

Special Report 21 Cover Story – Mattel reveals all about the latest from Barbie 50 IMC Toys – a spotlight on IMC’s fantastic doll range

Columnists

Robert Thomas robert@lemapublishing.co.uk

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16 Retail Opinion – John Ryan asks if your shop is fun? 17

Circulation Manager

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44 TnP Ambassadors Special: Girls’ Beauty – Our tiny testers give their verdict all things beauty this month with Clementoni, Make It Real and Juratoys

Media Whisperer - Clive weighs in on the Digital Switch Over

18 The Independent – the weather is getting our retailer down 20 Media Analysis – Generation Media look at Ireland this month 40 The Insights People – market intelligence specialists tell us what makes kids tick

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Mirella

his time last year I opened my Anstey leader by talking about the hottest craze of 2017, the fidget spinner, a whirlwind that crashed into toy shops — and reportedly butchers’ shops in some parts of the country — and mixed things up. This year we haven’t witnessed such a dominant craze, but the trends we've had have been lasting successes – think squishies, unboxing-inspired collectables, the return of football stickers – and we saw these in abundance at the Toymaster May Show in Harrogate last month. As ever, Team TnP took our annual pilgrimage up the M1 to the hallowed grounds of the Majestic Hotel to check in with the industry’s movers and shakers. This year’s Ibiza-themed party was something of a talisman, bringing with it the sun and heat of the Spanish party island to greet the many, many retailers and suppliers. there that have a personal and professional love for their A great testament, then, to the importance long-lasting headline brand, Sylvanian Families. retailers and suppliers place on the show that Speaking of enduring brands, we’re thrilled to share more from the marquee to the ballroom, everyone about the future of Barbie with you this issue as Mattel was focused on the business takes our cover story. With a new series, at hand and not sat outside. Of new dolls and accessories, and much more Team TnP course, everyone let their hair on the way, the world-famous icon is sure was also on hand to continue inspiring girls throughout 2018. down in the evening, and you can see a snapshot of that on page Head over to page 21 for the full rundown to witness the 42. A personal highlight for me on what’s coming up in the world of Barbie. ushering in of a and the team was seeing some And if it’s fresh summer look you’re on extra special lines behind closed new era at Epoch the hunt for, our Ambassadors Special doors — no hints from me just feature returns with a look at all things making toys yet I’m afraid, but there are some girls’ beauty. Juratoys, Make It Real and truly brilliant things still to come Clementoni treated our tiny testers to some this year. pamper products this month — and if you Meanwhile in Uxbridge – yes, we’ve been thought the women at the beauty counters in John Lewis extra busy bees this month – Team TnP was knew their stuff, think again. also on hand to witness the ushering in of Every product went down a a new era at Epoch making toys. We were storm and the girls looked invited down to share in the joint celebrations absolutely great after some of the 60th birthday of the firm’s parent girly time with their mums. company Epoch, and the opening of Epoch Finally I want to leave you making toys’ new Uxbridge HQ, as the UK arm on a truly heartwarming story entered its fifth year of trading. Global CEO that TnP are proud to have of Epoch Michihiro Maeda joined Epoch UK played a small part in. Back MD, the brilliant Neil Bandtock, on what was in May we reported online a fantastic fete of the companies’ continuing that veteran toy man David success. I know there are a great many out Stephen needed a helping hand to get himself flown home to the UK from America for medical treatment. Many of you will have seen the story online – and we know that because of your generosity in donating, which his pal and fellow industry man Will Shorrocks says has been brilliant. They are almost there in terms of the amount of money required. A few more bob would be brilliant and readers can catch up on the Just Giving site at www.justgiving. com/fundraising/ Robert-Hookway.

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news All good for Playmobil and Geomag

tonies are coming your way A European smash hit is coming to the UK and Ireland at the end of 2018. Düsseldorf-based Boxine GmbH is launching tonies, a playful audio system aimed at changing the way children listen to stories and music. The brand is already a big success in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, where over 300,000 Tonieboxes and 2.2 million tonies have been sold since launch in 2016. Parents will be able to buy little figures called tonies that when stood on top of the toniebox start playing audio, for example, the audiobook from The Gruffalo or The Snowman. With the collection of Creative-tonies, users can even upload music and audiobook files they already own. „We are very happy to finally

create English tonies,“ says Patric Faßbender, inventor and founder of tonies. From day one, demand from other markets around the world has been huge, even though the ‚audio play‘ culture is more of a German phenomenon. We‘ve already secured some really great licenses for the UK and Ireland.“ Gary Wilmot is the UK Director who will lead this next stage of evolution for the company, bringing with him many years of experience in the toy industry. „When I first saw the product, I thought it must already exist, as simple and ingenious as it is. But surprisingly, it didn‘t.“ That‘s all set to change here by the end of the year. For more information go to www.tonies.com

Playmobil and Geomag have become the latest toy firms to sign up to the Good Toy Guide Endorsed Company scheme, jointing Fiesta Crafts and Tomy. As Good Toy Guide Endorsed companies, Playmobil and Geomag have at least 80 per cent of their product offering evaluated and approved by the Good Toy Guide testers. Dr Amanda Gummer, founder and CEO of Fundamentally Children, said: “We are delighted to welcome Playmobil and Geomag to the scheme. We have been working with both companies for some time now.”

New role for Natasha The Toy Retailers Association (TRA) has announced that Natasha Crookes will run the Association’s Secretariat following the retirement of Derek Markie. Derek signaled his desire to retire at the 2017 Annual General Meeting after 14 years with the organization. Derek will hand the reins over to Natasha Crookes from 1 June. Natasha has worked for the British Toy and Hobby Association (BTHA) for 16 years, most recently as the Director of Public Affairs and Communications.

Trends – Games galore! Kristin Morency Goldman of The Toy Association looks at the growing popularity of board games in the US Growing interest in board games over the past few years has led to phenomenal growth in the games & puzzles category, with US sales up 23 percent and 3 percent in 2016 and 2017, respectively. At the North American International Toy Fair in New York City, trend spotters at The U.S. Toy Association named “Games Galore” as one of the biggest toy trends of the year. “Game play is appealing to all ages and interests, thanks to a wide variety of educational, licensed, cooperative, strategic, and classic games on the market,” explained Adrienne Appell, 6

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Sales are up 23 percent and 3 percent in 2016 and 2017

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trend expert at The Toy Association in the United States. “Toymakers continue to innovate to create the most outrageous, fun, and challenging games you can imagine!” Social media is also giving game sales a boost. “Laugh-out-loud and grossout games are inspiring sharing on social media, with some videos even going viral,” added Appell. Most importantly, games of all kinds are fostering face-to-face play and getting families excited about playing together. The following are just a few examples of the types of games that will be popular through

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Fore! Time to check those clubs and get ready for the 45th Teddy Simmonds Fence Club Golf Day, which will take place in Oakdale Golf Club Harrogate, on Thursday 21 June. All welcome, ladies and gents, and you do not need to be a Fence Club member to enter a team. Shotgun start preceded by breakfast butties and an evening dinner to include prize giving, auction, fundraising. Entry is just £95 per person, teams of 4 welcome. Contact Amanda Collinson via email: success@eaglesales.co.uk, or call 01423 528504.

Smells like Play-Doh Hasbro has trademarked the scent of Play-Doh. The smell is now officially recognised by the United States Patent and Trademark Office as a registered trademark of the brand. “The scent of Play-Doh compound has always been synonymous with childhood and fun,” said Jonathan Berkowitz, SVP of Global Marketing for the Play-Doh brand. “By officially trademarking the iconic scent, we are able to protect an invaluable point of connection between the brand and fans for years to come.”

to the holiday season: Gazillion Bubble Pong (Funrise) is the first game of its kind that blasts your opponent with bubbles! Players bounce ping pong balls into their opponent’s side to score points and blast them with a “gazillion” bubbles. The first person to score three times wins! Features four levels of difficulty. Monopoly the Card Game (Winning Moves) offers all the fun of Monopoly with a speedy new way to play. The object of the game is to be the first player to get all the cards of a color-group and lay down their hand. House and hotel cards add to the value of a set, while token cards multiply a payoff. The first player to accumulate $10,000 wins. In Honeycombs (Autruche),

June 2018

the object is to connect your tiles together by matching their symbols. The more matches you make, the more points you earn. The honeybee tile is wild and can be matched with any symbol. Includes three unique ways to play, each varying in speed and competitiveness. In Hexbug Robotic Soccer (Innovation First) players pick a robot athlete, customize it with decals, and send it on the field. The goal is to outmaneuver your opponent with your dribbling and goal-scoring skills.

Get ready for the Asian Toys & Games Show Presented and managed by Comasia Limited, the Asian Toys & Games Show is part of a sourcing bonanza comprising four concurrent shows during 20-23 October at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. It is one of most important marketplaces in Asia for toys, gifts, premiums, housewares, kitchen and dining, and lifestyle. This annual show date has now become a regular sourcing fixture of the autumn in Southern China for global buyers. Among the four concurrent events, Asian Toys & Games Show has been a major showcase and sourcing hub for Asian-made toys and games in Hong Kong every October. In 2017 this trade show featured top-shelf products from over 390 exhibitors from 15 countries and regions. The 2018 edition is expected to gather a strong line-up of some 400 exhibitors to present their best offers in 500 booths. Online pre-registration for free admission badges are now open at www.asiantng.com. Pre-registered buyers can also apply for the Special Buyer Sponsorship Program to enjoy up to HKD2,800 towards their expenses during their visit to the show.

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Social media is also giving game sales a boos

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Designed to mimic real-life soccer, this toy’s unique play pattern taps into children’s love for soccer and competition, while pairing it with the educational fun of robotics. Mark your calendar now for the 116th North American International Toy Fair, taking place Saturday, February 16 to Tuesday, February 19 in New York City, and count yourself among the 30,000 global guests who will preview the hottest new toys and games. Visit www. ToyFairNY.com to learn more.

Mark your calendar now for the 116th North American International Toy Fair, taking place Saturday, February 16 to Tuesday, February 19 in New York City, and count yourself among the 30,000 global guests who will preview the hottest new toys and games.

Visit: www.ToyFairNY.com for more information. 7

news Anthony Grimaud appointed CEO of Canal Toys UK Anthony Grimaud, former HTI Global VP, has been appointed CEO of Canal Toys UK. Working with Paul Clark, Head of Canal Toys UK, the senior team will use its combined passion for toys to build its key brands in the UK market. Bringing with him over 20 years’ experience in the toy industry, Grimaud boasts a background that has seen him work with Tiger Electronics, Hasbro, Spin Master and most recently at HTI. Patrick Krief, Group CEO of Canal Toys, said: “We are thrilled to have Anthony on board at Canal.” Anthony added: “I’m totally thrilled to be joining Canal Group at such an important time in the company’s development. I’m looking forward to working with our talented team and forging strong relationships with our UK retailers.”

Monster deal Interplay UK has been bought by American toy company PlayMonster. The purchase, for an undisclosed amount, was announced at DisToy last month. PlayMonster acquired a North American license for Interplay’s internationally top-selling My Fairy Garden brand in 2016 but now has acquired Interplay’s operations and full brand portfolio. Bob Wann, “Chief PlayMonster” of PlayMonster LLC and Chairman of the US Toy Association, said: “This is PlayMonster’s first international acquisition and its largest acquisition to-date.” Ross Ainsworth, Interplay’s Fpunder, added: “We have incredible respect for what the PlayMonster team has been building, and we are looking forward to expanding our brands into North America and beyond.” Interplay will continue the business from their headquarters in Marlow.

IMC’s Cry Babies hits North America IMC’s interactive doll brand, Cry Babies, is about to launch in the US market, this July. “The entire IMC team is super-excited to introduce the Cry Babies to families in North America,” said Karen Branson, VP of Sales at IMC Toys USA. “Cry Babies is a brand that resonated well within the European market and we are confident that its fun and interactive play features, like the realistic tears, will be welcomed in the US as well.” As a former National Account Manager at Hasbro and Director at Schleich USA, Karen will be using her 10 years of experience in North America to lead IMC Toys’ venture into the United States. Specialist PR ChizComm has also been tapped to spearhead the launch and drive brand awareness. Cry Babies is just the beginning for many more exciting new projects to follow for IMC Toys USA.

Children’s charities benefit from Toymaster A children’s charity picked up a donations from Toymaster exhibitors in a long-standing tradition following the May show. The donations were picked up by Martin House Children’s Hospice and have already thrilled children. Generous industry folk also raised a fantastic £2,540 for the industry’s charity, The Toy Trust, through the Golf Day raffle, the sale of the Big Toy Trust raffle tickets and donations for photocopying.

Squishies are safe, says Character Character Options has issued a statement to reiterate its commitment to safety following reports that one of the company’s Soft n’ Slo Squishies foam collectables burst. A story first reported in the Trinity Mirror and The Mirror suggests a nine-year-old girl was left with what her mother called a “chemical burn” after her foam-filled Squishie apparently “burst” one morning. Character Options, which it distributes the hugely popular collectable in the UK, said in the statement that “the safety of consumers is always the top priority and we have therefore looked into this matter without delay”. Steve Tull, the firm’s Quality Assurance Director, added: “We believe that this Soft’n Slo Squishies toy has been heated in some way causing the inner foam to melt and the toy to burst. Soft’n Slo Squishies absolutely cannot burst in this way whilst simply playing with them; it is physically impossible in the way they are manufactured unless the foam is heated.” Anyone with safety concerns about the product can contact the Character Options Customer Services team on 0161 633 9800.

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Coffee break

Epoch opens new London HQ Epoch Making Toys opened its UK headquarters in Uxbridge recently. The company invited retailers, press, including Toys n Playthings, and other special guests to the opening event, which also marked the 60th birthday of parent company Epoch and the start of the UK arm’s fifth year of trading. Michihiro Maeda, Global CEO of Epoch, was at the party where he cut the ribbon and officially opened a new, state-of-the-art toy showroom, built to replicate the iconic Sylvanian Families Cosy Cottage. Neil Bandtock, Epoch Making Toys Managing Director said: “The fact that our offices are not only so close to Heathrow, but also only half an hour from about 80 per cent of the UK Toy Industry, will allow for easier access for our customers and some exciting times ahead for Epoch Making Toys, both internationally and throughout the UK.”

Addo Play eyes international expansion Addo Play says it is looking to expand into further international markets with a growing portfolio of brands. The markets earmarked for further growth are the Middle East, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, Pakistan, and the Ukraine. For this worldwide expansion, Addo Play has employed several new

team members. Laetitia Westerman joins Addo Play as Sales Director, and will be pushing continued growth internationally and opening-up new markets for their existing brands. Hannah Pickersgill joined as International Sales Executive, while Kerry Rimmer has joined as Sales Administrator and Trade Marketing Executive.

Wilton Bradley heads out on yo-yo tour Wilton Bradley is teaming up with The Entertainer and world yo-yo champion Gentry Stein to promote the company’s popular Yo Yo Factory range. Throughout the end of May and beginning of June, they will hit six The Entertainer locations up and down the country. The tour will call in at Hartlepool, Warrington, Birmingham, Uxbridge, Crawley and Brighton. Fans can also bring their flyer to the event to have it signed by the world champ and enter a prize draw for a chance to win a Yo Yo Factory Gentry Stein Signature yo-yo.

JUNE 2018

Fiesta Crafts’ Marketing Manager Rob Trup tells TnP about successful marketing campaigns, the Roald Dahl range and what retailers should definitely have on their shelves Rob, Fiesta Crafts is really riding high at the moment. What joys has 2018 brought the team so far? We had a fabulous reception to our new products at the trade shows — we ran a very low-cost but highly targeted marketing campaign in December and January which resulted in orders from customers whose doors we had been knocking on for many years. Export markets have been really exciting with strong growth and our overseas partners are building up fantastic demand for many of our key lines. Tell us a little about your Roald Dahl range - licensing is quite new territory for you isn’t it? Not quite a first, we do have some previous with licenses, but working with Roald Dahl is looking to be an excellent choice. Fiesta’s puppets are a perfect fit with the Roald Dahl brand as children (and grown ups) are loving to retell the stories armed with the iconic characters as hand or finger puppets. So far we have launched Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The BFG, Matilda and James and Giant Peach, with more on the horizon. What key lines should retailers absolutely stock or look out for? Well, the Roald Dahl puppets of course! We have also expanded our range of glue-free Stickabouts with our travel games, which are perfect for the holiday season. And looking ahead to Q3 and Q4, what from Fiesta Crafts is going to set the tills ringing? Always strong this part of the year is our range of baby gifts of soft squeakers, rattles — we have just added some cot and buggy toys and the collection is truly looking amazing. For Back To School, our range of magnetic activities always sees a healthy spike as they make interactive, tactile and fun allow parents to support their child’s learning. Towards Christmas, our hand puppets and theatres are always a hit. Best of all, and what really rings retailers’ bells, is that our products typically allow good profit margins.

Movie

news

Record breakers Marvel Studios’ Avenger: Infinity War has become the biggest superhero movie of all time in the UK and Ireland, with an estimated total box office taking of £60m in its first three weekends of release. The film overtakes previous number one, another superhero blockbuster, The Dark Knight Rises, which made a total of £56.3m at the UK box office. The result follows Marvel Studios’ recent phenomenon Black Panther which has made over £50m to date in the UK and Ireland.

Mondo TV unveils firstever movie Mondo TV Iberoamerica, part of the Italian group Mondo TV, is breaking into the feature length business with its first-ever movie based on its hit Heid Bienvenida property. Maria Bonaria Fois, General Manager of Mondo TV Iberoamerica, said: “We are thrilled to be able to announce this exciting project. Expect a feast of adventure, comedy, music, magic and much, much more as Heidi comes to the big screen!” As well as the co-producers and writer, many of the enormously popular cast members from the TV show will be part of the transition to the big screen, adding to the excitement for the fast-growing fan base of Heidi Bienvenida.

Netflix on track to 200m subscribers Netflix is on track to pass 200 million subscribers in the next five years according to a new report from Digital TV Research. The forecast predicts the online streaming giant will have 201m subscribers by 2023, an 82 per cent increase from the 111m paying monthly at the end of last year. Netflix has become the biggest competition to cinemas as it continues to plough money into original movies and series, as well as growing its offering of movie debuts and the back catalogues of some of the world’s biggest studios. Digital TV Research’s projections show bout 28 million subscribers will be added in 2018, making it the largest growth year ever. Principal Analyst Simon Murray said: “These forecasts are a lot higher than the last edition of this report. Similar to many other analysts, we underestimated the fast take-up in international markets.”

Thomas steams into cinemas

Dead good! Deadpool 2 has breezed past $500m at the international box office. The follow up to 2016’s foul-mouthed Deadpool performed best in its domestic US, where it cleaned up with a cool $218.5m during its first two weeks. In international markets, the fourth-wall breaking superhero snatched up another $287m. The UK was the largest market outside the states, with $28m (£21.1m) in earnings, followed closely by Korea on $27m.

Mattel has unveiled the release date of its brand-new Thomas & Friends: Big World! Big Adventures! The Movie, which will receive a nationwide theatrical release in the UK in partnership with National Amusements. Running in over 400 cinemas, the new movie will pull into the pictures from 20 July. Sanjay Luthra, Managing Director, Mattel Europe said: “2018 is going to be an incredibly exciting year for the brand as we see a huge transformation to the content which offers many opportunities for the franchise, taking Thomas & Friends from an evergreen to a musthave property.” 10

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MEDIA

news

Masha gets ‘appy in North America Animaccord has struck a deal with PlayKids which will allow subscribers of the PlayKids App access to the Masha and the Bear series in the United States and Canada. “This launch represents our platform’s commitment to offer the best children’s content and Masha certainly helps deliver that message,” says Fernando Collaco, Head of Content, PlayKids. “The cartoon is a

This is a smasher

Thumbs up for Orchard Orchard Toys got a big thumbs up from consumers recently when its Free Parts and Replacement Service took social media by storm. The games and jigsaws manufacturer has offered to replace missing game parts for a number of years, a free service that also raises money for their nominated local charity EACH (East Anglian Children’s Hospice). Customers can request up to three missing games pieces via an online form. On receipt of their free of charge pieces, they are invited to make a donation to the charity via the company’s Justgiving page, which in the past two years alone has raised over £3,000 for EACH. Customers heaped praise on the company for their good practice and ethical values to reduce waste and deliver a firstclass customer service. Marketing Manager Ali Brown said the company was “delighted with the enthusiastic feedback we are receiving about the service and Orchard Toys as a whole… it’s simply a win-win for us”. Ali adds: “As a result of the social media activity we have seen a 50% increase in Facebook followers and a phenomenal response in comments, likes and shares.”

global phenomenon which became popular breaking records through both traditional media and new digital platforms. We couldn’t be more pleased in welcoming Masha and the Bear, Masha’s Tales and Masha’s Spooky Stories to our viewers in the United States and Canada.” All shows are available in these territories through iOS and Android.

It’s a big world for Thomas & Friends Alongisde the release date of a new theatrical release, Thomas & Friends: Big World! Big Adventures! Mattel has confirmed that Channel 5’s Milkshake! has signed up the new series of the same name, to air from September 2018. Following the movie, Series 22 (26 x 11’ episodes) will see the iconic blue engine’s adventures continue. The new UK deals, follow the recent signing for the refreshed new show of broadcaster’s ABC TV (Australia), Televisa (Mexico), TV Cultura (Brazil), Super RTL (Germany) and Nick Jr. (USA).

Zuru’s Smashers brand is collaborating with Disney XD on a two-month TV and digital campaign. The campaign began on 22 May with Smashers sponsoring billboard content around three of Disney XD’s football-themed programmes — The Goalmouth, Supa Strikers, Disney’s 11 — and pre-roll across the Disney XD YouTube channel. SKUs include the Smashers one-pack, three-pack and eight-pack, alongside bigger hero items.

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Girls 4-9 TVRs April 17 vs April 18

elcome to the Media Report for April 2018. We are reporting on Girls and Boys 4-9 years and Housewives with Children. Looking at the viewing data for the Girls, despite the ups and downs, the overall viewing is only slightly down. We can see that Pop is way ahead of any other station, with some of the biggest falls in viewing are coming from Nicktoons and Nick Junior. Disney XD is down by a massive 66 per cent — but this station is a boys' station so this drop in viewing should not be a surprise — and Disney Junior is holding its own. We mentioned last month that Cartoonito went through a relaunch and here we can see that their increase in viewing is up by some 218 per cent, albeit from a low base. If we put this in to perspective, they are beating Disney and Nicktoons. The Boys’ viewing is down by over 25 per cent. It’s interesting to see that Pop has been able to appeal to both the Girls and the Boys — a rare talent. We see a massive drop in ll viewing for CiTV, down by Overa 27 per cent, and Disney ted XD is down by 78 per repor diture cent, although again, bear expen y 11 in mind this was always is up b nt viewed to be a Boys’ station. Disney will need to per ce act quickly to secure their place on the autumn TV plans. CiTVB has fallen away by 31 per cent, so lots to do to try and bring back the Boys' viewing levels. Housewives with Children is down by a mere 2 per cent, so most of the stations are holding their own. Again we see massive increase from Cartoonito of 234 per cent, illustrating the fact that the relaunch is working well for this target market. We see Nick Junior is down by 26 per cent, however we again see a massive drop for CiTV of 46 per cent. Looking at the reported expenditure figures for the top ten spenders there is a small increase of 4 per cent. We can see in the main it’s the same companies dominating the top 10, and the way the market is going, that is unlikely to change in the near future. Overall reported expenditure is up by 11 per cent. It’s interesting to note that digital media reported expenditure for April 2018 has dropped from £366,027 in April 2017 to £157,915 in April 2018. Has the bubble finally burst? The next issue we will continue to report on these target markets.

Apr-17

Apr-18

April 2017 Toy Company TV Expenditure

April 2018 Toy Company TV Expenditure

Company Name

TV Expenditure

Company Name

TV Expenditure

Little Tikes Ltd Epoch UK Vivid Imaginations Ltd Character Options Ltd MGA Entertainment LEGO UK Ltd Spin Master Toys Ltd Flair Leisure Prod Ltd Mattel UK Ltd Hasbro (UK) Ltd

470,624 524,420 608,338 629,291 645,700 501,931 728,946 1,061,544 1,177,550 1,231,904

Zapf Creations UK John Adams Leisure Ltd Character Options Ltd MGA Entertainment Vivid Imaginations Ltd Mattel UK Ltd Playmobil UK Ltd Spin Master Toys Ltd Flair Leisure Products Ltd Hasbro (UK) Ltd

371,843 439,018 486,772 506,194 646,973 647,186 985,723 1,086,391 1,164,422 1,467,578

For more information on viewing levels please contact Mike Penfold. mike@globalmedia.me.uk Tel: 07774 713182. All graphs and information supplied by Global Media Services

toysnplaythings.co.uk

Retail

news

Tesco Direct closes down Tesco is to close down Tesco Direct following an internal review that found there was “no route to profitability” for its non-food online retail arm. Tesco Direct has faced a number of significant challenges, including high costs for fulfilment and online marketing, which Tesco says hampered its ability to maintain it as a standalone non-food business. It will cease trading 9 July. Charles Wilson, CEO of Tesco UK & ROI, said: “We want to offer our customers the ability to buy groceries and non-food products in one place and that’s why we are focusing our investment into one online platform.”

Dino-mite The mighty dinosaurs from summer blockbuster Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom have come to Toymaster stores this month in a brand new window display. The promotional storefront features artwork from the movie, and is sure to increase footfall and sales of all things dino-themed.

Hamleys heads to Japan Hamleys is to expand its international fleet with the opening of new stores in Japan later this year. The historic toy retailer is partnering with Bandai Namco Amusement on the new openings, which will join the 133 Hamleys locations currently trading in 19 countries. “Japan represents an exciting and important market and is key to Hamleys continued international growth strategy,” said Ralph Cunningham, Hamleys’ CEO. “We look forward to bringing smiles to the faces of children and families all over Japan and delivering the unique Hamleys in-store experience to this fantastic market.”

Augmented shopping Argos has become the first UK retailer to launch augmented realityenabled LEGO models through its app. The new technology gives customers the chance to view full-scale, animated, 3D versions of best-selling construction sets as they browse online, and zoom in on minute details. Matt Grabham, Digital Product Manager at Argos, said as busy parents increasingly head online and to the app for shopping, the AR advances are a “natural evolution”. The LEGO Star Wars Kessel Run Millennium Falcon, the LEGO Disney Princess Sleeping Beauty Fairytale Castle will be among the first sets to get the AR treatment, with up to 100 more joining the launch line-up by the end of this July.

Giving it their best Employees of The Entertainer have plenty to be proud of after breaking a charity donation milestone through the Payroll Giving initiative. Introduced at the toy retailer in 2011, more than half of all employees opt to donate a chunk of their wages to a charity each month through the scheme — which has now racked up more than £750,000 in funds raised. Gary Grant, Founder and Chairman of The Entertainer, said: “Giving back is very important to The Entertainer which is why each year we donate 10 per cent of our profits to a number of children’s charities and organisations. We also encourage all of our employees to support a charity of their choice in whatever way they can, and we’re absolutely thrilled to announce we’ve raised £750,000 together.”

toysnplaythings.co.uk

retail

opinion

Is your shop

‘fun’? A trip to a Korean shophotel for dog owners — yes, really — prompts John to consider how something as simple as a little fun can make the difference between a sale and an empty store

een anything fun recently? Possibly not, the world Smyths is that very rare beast, it would appear. An edge is so chock full of bad news it’s quite hard not to of town retailer operating predominantly from retail sheds be weighed down by it all. This is true of retail as in a manner that appeals to shoppers. Ok, it may not be as much as any other activity, and with the sheer volume of welcoming as Mollys, but it does have a proposition that store closures and fortunes on the wane, you’d be forgiven shows that it understands its shoppers. for thinking that we’re all headed straight for hell in the The question therefore is how do you take the proverbial handcart. ambiance of Smyths or Mollys (no need to take that trip Yet, just occasionally, you see something that makes you to Seoul — take my word for it, it’s good) and apply this smile, something that restores your faith. Travelling to Korea to your business? Using the Which? criteria, are your recently was a case in point. Having spent “store standards” up to scratch? This is a few days in China, Beijing and Hangzhou, a broad church, ranging from the basic looking at the rise and rise of the Chinese matter of being clean to the in-store visual The point is internet giants, landing in Seoul was a merchandising. The trick is probably to that it was fun, considerable relief — the air was cleaner, put yourself in the shoes of the shopper something that is the sun was shining and not every single wandering past your store. increasingly individual was glued to a smartphone. Does your store make the heart miss Off to the Starfield mall, then. The massive a beat? Be objective. Have you provided signally lacking shopping centre on the edge of this very some kind of reason to head indoors and from the large city has a logo that bears quite an once you’re in there are you going to have experience of uncanny resemblance, right down to the some fun? If the answer to all of these shopping in this colour and font, to the Westfield moniker points is yes, then you’re doing a good country we’re all familiar with. Within, there is also a job and providing the service that you considerable sense of déjà vu; scale, retail offer is friendly and helpful, then you’ll offer and entertainment (read: eating and be in profit, even allowing for the current bowling). economic canvas. But at the far end of this vast shopping centre a real If not, then a checklist is almost certainly needed and surprise awaits: Mollys Pet Shop. Bear with me, this may until you’ve ticked all of the boxes, your prospects will be sound quite a long way away from TnP, but if you are a uncertain, at best. dog, you’d probably think that you’re entering the canine Fun is in short supply globally currently. It’s not a term equivalent of Hamleys with a difference. found in most textbooks covering the business of retailing Mollys is a store that demands to be given the once over, and, like experience, if asked to define it, the chances are even if you’re not a dog lover. good that it will be a struggle. The only thing that can be Kitted out like a cross between a Victorian tearoom and a safely said is that you know it when you see it and that is boutique hotel, this is the place to spend time if you have what matters. four legs and your owner really likes you. Closer inspection reveals that this is a shop of parts: there’s a dog café full of dogs and their owners, there’s a dog hotel where canines can hang out while their owners go shopping and, as in the best food halls, there are large upright chillers along part of the perimeter filled with fresh pet food. At this point I could go on, but you to get picture. The point is that it was fun, something that is increasingly lacking from the experience of shopping in this country, even in toy shops. And, in theory at least, what should be more fun than visiting a toy shop? Smyths Toys was named in a Which? survey this month as a one of the UK’s best retailers, alongside Lush and Savers, in terms of service, value for money and store standards.

“

”

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.

toysnplaythings.co.uk

media

opinion

Switching gears “Children watch one third less television now than Horrid Henry, Thunderbirds Are Go, Art Attack, Button they did at the start of the decade.” Those are the Moon, Catweazle and Wackaday with Timmy Mallet to words of Sharon White, CEO of Ofcom, spoke in name a few. a speech back in March this year. Continuing the thread of Sharon White’s speech, we It is now just five years since the Digital Switch Over, learnt that not only are children viewing less television, but the most visible and physical impact of which being as they grow up, young British teenagers recognise the the removal of 92 TV transmitters across the UK. name YouTube more than they do the BBC. Meanwhile, the analogue broadcasts were switched This October will mark 11 years since the launch of Digital off region by region across the UK between October Switch Over and six years since its completion. The level 2007 and October 2012, with the last switched off on of change in children’s viewing and the shift in association the 24th of that month. On-screen, the transition to and identity away from the BBC towards YouTube is a digital appeared seamless. significant change. Social media and the internet The changing relationship and now occupy one fifth of teenagers’ waking lives consumption of digital viewing is and you can add Netflix to their channel lists. Young British reflected in Sharon’s words. We know what we know. We know that teenagers recognise The removal of 92 transmitters television has proven to be the most powerful the name YouTube from the UK landscape was clearly medium in the world, and very effective at more than they do visible, but the downward shift of reaching children with dedicated programmes over 30 per cent in children viewing across their key age breaks. the BBC television that followed was not so However, we also know television no longer visibly apparent. sits on the top of the revenue tree; mobile It does, and internet is now the leading however, have revenue category, surpassing television a huge impact last year where previously television on this genre had taken the expenditure mantle and its young from print media. At this point in these viewers. I will changing times we need to have a return to this vision of the role and effectiveness point, but first of broadcasting in today’s digital a view on how children’s programming has changed world. On 18 June, The Westminster Media Forum over this time. host the following conference agenda, The ITV’s South Bank Studio in London has been one Future for Free to Air in The UK, Discoverability, of the network’s production centers for children’s Investment and Competition. I have written programming. The Thames-side 22-storey building here before on the value of the comment and is currently running down ahead of a part demolition/ discussion generated by this organisation and conversion. its calibre of guest speakers. I worked there on two occasions: firstly with London In the words of the WMF: “Senior level Weekend Television between 1974 and 1982 (think conferences covering a wide range of public Jeremy Beadle, Russell Harty et al), and then again policy. No agenda other than to raise the quality with GMTV from 1992 to 2010 (think Toonatikk with of debate on policy developments and so create Jamie Rickers, Anna Williamson and Mr Motivator). informed discussion.” The day starts at 8.30 and Together with colleagues from our former employment is over by 1.30, and the cast of speakers we returned for a 23rd floor rooftop photo as part of a could not be better. farewell to the old tower. Peter Van Gelder, Director of WMF I took the opportunity to visit the ITV studios that was the producer of Wackaday at hosted the original production and output of children’s TV-am, a programme staring Timmy programming which from 1983 had captured ITV’s Mallet who survived Mallet’s Mallet with young viewers. The maze of corridors is decked with no visible scars and now runs a much pictures of the shows that graced the screens: Sooty, better show. I hope to see you there.

“

”

The Digital Switch Over may have begun over a decade ago, but its impact is still being felt alongside the radical shake-up in TV world, says Clive Crouch

Clive Crouch www.clivecrouch.com, info@clivecrouch.com, mobile: 07831 670453 1

the independent

opinion

Rise and shine This month The Independent is cool on the industry’s first half of 2018 – and it isn’t all to do with a lack of sunshine

happening in my business, rather than read the doom and gloom news that plagues us every day on our TV or social media. Now that I have got that off my chest and explained to some small extent why I am “lazy” when it comes to keeping up to date with the global economy, I want to get onto my chosen topic of today: summer. I partake very sub-standardly at a sport that requires me to be outdoors, so I do keep a close eye on what the weather is supposed to be VOLUME doing, but I feel if I was in the business of predicting 1) Fifa World Cup Stickers – Click the weather I would take Distribution the rest of the year off and 2) Squeezamals Medium – Vivid simply record a message of Imaginations “today will be cold and with 3) Moj Moj – MGA Entertainment a high possibility of rain”. I have to note one thing VALUE: though, writing this could 1) LOL Pearl Surprise – MGA make a right idiot out of me as Entertainment unfortunately I have to 2) Squeezamals Medium – Vivid submit these rambling Imaginations rants a few weeks before it gets published! 3) Squish Dee-Lish Jumbo – Jakks I feel like this year is the weirdest yet in my history of toy retail. Easter was so early it It must be difficult for the Secret already it feels like a distant Supplier to understand this, as he is, memory. I can’t get the to some extent, in a position where stock I need of the most he has to pay attention to his entire sought-after toy ranges, order book, and with Toys R Us out the biggest suppliers still of the equation this leaves a massive haven’t turned it around hole to patch up and fill. For me and my sales are suffering though, I only had a single Toys R Us for it, and as noted in store that I felt was close enough to detail above, the weather impact on my business, so I never is rubbish. spent much time worrying about I know a guy who them and certainly, although I do spends a long period of time genuinely feel for the staff and ripple on a boat somewhere in Europe. I effect that the closure will have on don’t like boats, but at the moment people, I would rather spend my the thought of leaning over the side limited time checking into what is took note with a large smile on my face that the Secret Supplier recently suggested I live inside my own special bubble. Indeed I do, and it is warm and cosy and saves me having to worry about what other people are doing too much. I don’t want to sound daft, but in essence I feel that as an independent retailer, this is the best approach to take with respect to my business.

Best sellers

“

of a large yacht and throwing up my breakfast every 30 minutes for the foreseeable future actually feels quite appealing by comparison. I like routine in my life. I like things to go as they should, and for things to be uncomplicated. I have written about this previously, but in its essence that is a fact, and when things work through in a methodical way it keeps me and my low-key OCD happy. This year, I feel as things couldn’t be going less smoothly – and it is stressing me out. I want to see the weather pick up, for my customers to come in and want to buy pools, water blasters, play balls, outdoor games, swing sets, trampolines and bikes. I want to see smiles on the kids’ faces as they try out their newest products racing up and down the street, or building make-shift and quite unsafe ramps to jump over on their bikes. But at the moment, I see none of that, and just like the snow that hit us earlier in the year and robbed us of a number of days trade with no way of clawing it back, if the summer doesn’t come soon and force these sales, then I will be left with a lot of stock that won’t do anything until next year. I hate to be so negative, and in truth I do hope that I am getting laughed at because the good weather has come, as this will mean that all of us will have had a chance to sell some stock.

I feel like this year is the weirdest yet in my history of toy retail

”

toysnplaythings.co.uk

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210x138_KJ18_Toys n Playthings.indd 1

18.05.18 11:41

media

Analysis

Ireland in the stream Generation Media’s Alex Taylor-Smith looks to neighbouring Republic of Ireland this month — an important marketing battleground that has its own rules of engagement

38 per cent and 21 per cent share of commercial viewing s we quickly approach the second half of the year, respectively. In Q1, Nick went from strength to strength and marketing battle plans are being refined across saw a seven per cent increase in CH eq. impacts. the industry. An area of focus that requires its own In stark comparison, despite being the second largest strategic approach is that of reaching children in the channel in the market, NJR has seen a 44 per cent decline Republic of Ireland, and ensuring that marketing investment to year on year. This decline has contributed to key our neighbouring country is as balanced and as well rounded as it is in the UK. licences such as PAW Patrol and Peppa Pig seeing In the UK, the children’s BARB universe has recently reached declines in the number in average viewers. In fact, a new high, with the panel now representative of 9,261,000 despite a 10 per cent increase in the number of children that the industry can reach through commercial TV. Peppa Pig transmissions, the number of impacts has In the Republic of Ireland, the equivalent children’s universe declined by 18 per cent. stands at 742,000 — a sizeable circa eight per cent of the size As an alternative channel to reach a pre-school of the UK market. This is in addition to the circa 16 audience, BE3 has demonstrated impressive per cent of transmissions from the UK that we growth in YTD with its 7am-10am preestimated are received as overspill in ROI. school segment, currently up 79 Reaching children in ROI on kids' per cent YoY. It is one to watch in commercial TV, however, needs its regard to providing free-to-air own approach. Comparatively, there reach in light of the declines are 15 dedicated kids’ commercial seen on NJR this year, channels (in addition to Milkshake however this needs to be and ITVB dayparts on CH5 approached with caution and ITV1) in the UK, whereas as the channel has a there are just four kids small base and currently commercial stations in has a 0.2 per cent share Ireland: INJR, INick, of commercial impacts. INJRToo, INickToons. While there isn’t a In the Republic of set rule for how much Ireland, subscription budget should be TV is more common allocated to ROI vs than in the UK, with over the UK, any investment half of homes estimated to will vary based on your have Sky Ireland or Saorsat. commitments to ROI As a result of high subscription levels, retailers such as Smyths Toys these channels hold a circa 89 per Superstores. cent share of kids’ commercial impacts. Should your brands require Comparably in the UK, the subscription our analysis on to how to effectively channels hold a circa 66 per cent share. reach this audience, please get in contact YTD Commercial Kids' In addition to these channels, the largest through the details below. Station Audience Share kids station RTEJr, is non-commercial. Source: BARB April 2018 The remaining share is held by kids’ dayparts on free-to-air grown-up TV channels on Saorview (the ROI freeview equivalent) on RTE2 and BE3 (previously TV3E), which have a 10 per cent and 0.2 per cent More than half of homes are share of children’s commercial impacts estimated to have subscription TV respectively. packages in the Republic of Ireland Nick and NJR are currently the largest channels within the space, representing

Fact!

Generation Media is the UK and Ireland’s largest independent media buyer of toys and games advertising. Visit generationmedia.co.uk or call 0207 307 7900 to learn more. 1

toysnplaythings.co.uk1

cover Feature Mattel

Dream ticket Did you know…

Mattel’s leading lady Barbie continues to inspire kids in 2018 with a fresh lineup of content, toys and much more!

n 2018, Barbie continues to inspire the limitless potential in every child through cool, fun, innovative content and product ranges. Airing this autumn on POP is the brandnew series Barbie’s Dreamhouse Adventures. Dreamhouse Adventures brings completely diverse content with empowered storylines and an extensive character base with relatable personas. The new series provides a peek into Barbie’s everyday life, demonstrating realistic and true-to-life scenarios in a hilarious and heart-warming animation. Fans can join Barbie as she embarks on exciting adventures with her family and friends, including Ken and her sisters. From fun road trips to sister shenanigans, Barbie discovers that with a little bit of help and a whole lot of laughter you can be anything. The allnew animated content sees storylines that follow Barbie’s real-life adventures, making it unique to any other Barbie content before! Kids can enjoy creating their own new stories and adventures with

Fact! Brand-new series Barbie Dreamhouse Adventures debuts this autumn on POP!

June 2018

The all-new Barbie Fashionistas Doll Assortment has greater ethnic and body diversity than ever before

“

product ranges mirroring the characters and worlds that can be seen in the content. These The all-new include the the supersized animated content Barbie DreamHouse, which has sees storylines three floors, eight rooms and a that follow working elevator, along with fun Barbie’s realvehicles including the Medical life adventures, Vehicle and Dreamhouse Camper. making it unique Further AW18 ranges provide to any other the opportunity to explore Chelsea’s world with the Barbie Barbie content Club Chelsea Doll and Choobefore Choo Train, and meet Skipper and friends with Barbie Skipper Babysitter’s Inc. Barbie Dreamhouse Adventures is a new and different way for kids to explore the brand. Younger fans can enjoy adorable content with Barbie Dreamtopia, a magical, make-believe world imagined by Chelsea, the youngest sister of Barbie. Fans can tune into Barbie Dreamtopia at 10:30am weekends on Tiny Pop! AW18 also introduces new promotions and themes, as Barbie launches the new You Can Be A Chef campaign with an exciting retailer-led promotion allowing little ones to cook up some fun with Barbie! You Can Be a Chef will launch with a celebrity ambassador and the programme will support new

”

product including the Barbie Ultimate Kitchen and Barbie Bakery Chef Doll and Playset, which comes complete with fun working features: including cakes that rise and change colour when water is applied, and an oven with a fun ‘ding’ sound activation! The campaign will be supported by a robust digital marketing and PR programme. Barbie also introduces a pilot, a scientist and more in the Barbie Core Career Doll Assortment plus there’s the all-new Barbie Fashionistas Doll Assortment with more ethnic and body diversity than ever before, allowing kids to play out endless worlds of fun by customising dolls will all new licensed fashion accessories.

Barbie Bakery Chef Doll + Playset

what’s n Brand spanking new launches from top toy companies to help you sell more! “We’re really excited about Beaker Creatures… Collectables are very popular and boys and girls love the thrill of science experiments. Beaker Creatures are quite unique in that they combine both of these things.” Dennis Blackmore, MD, Learning Resources

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

This summer, Learning Resources is launching Beaker Creatures, an exciting new range of science-themed collectables that uniquely combine the thrill of collecting with handson science experiments, building skills and sparking curiosity! After travelling through space in their Reactor Pods from their tiny distant planets, Beaker Creatures have landed on Earth in search of science adventures. By dissolving the Reactor Pods kids can discover, classify, and explore 35 collectable characters from five different families. The signature Liquid Reactor Super Lab

reveals dozens of unique and adorable characters including Astrolytes, Frostonians, Oceanites, Buglettes and Minisaurs. Kids can then take on the role of scientist, identifying their creatures with classification cards, and exploring their worlds through fun science facts and amazing experiments. There are also rare mystery figures as part of each series that encourage further experimentation and collection. Beaker Creatures sets double as working lab sets, complete with included science experiments that encourage hands-on learning.

I wand it now! Funko 020 3376 3223 www.funko.com The latest addition to Funko’s roster of stylised collectables is 5 Star. These whimsical figures stand at approximately 8cm tall, and feature three-point articulation, allowing figures to be posed. Each figure is displayed in a beautiful, illustrated box that opens like a book, with a small window for a sneak peak. All characters come equipped with accessories including an animal companion, adding a fun narrative to the figures. With plenty of Wizarding World collectables in the range, Funko is at the forefront of the popular Harry Potter phenomenon, with 5 Star adding even more diversification and category breadth to their offering. Featuring much-loved characters Harry, Ron, Hermione, Hagrid, and Dumbledore, the 5 Star range will expand with a host of other exciting licenses later this year.

toysnplaythings.co.uk

new In the swing of it Mookie 01525 722722 www.mookie.co.uk Slingshot Wobble Base Swingball has two modes in one base and is perfect for adults to play on a sunny day with friends. Slingshot Swingball has a unique wobble base, meaning gameplay is faster, unpredictable and more competitive. The Slingshot Swingball includes two base styles by adding feet to the main base and two head styles. In Slingshot mode, the wobble base and rotary head delivers manic gameplay, challenging players with the quickest reactions. In Swingball mode, add on the stabilising feet and iconic spiral head and you can play a traditional game of Swingball. Height adjustable up to 1.55 meters, with rubber ball, two iconic checker bats and convenient bat holder, perfect for championship level matches.

Fact! Slingshot Swingball comes with an All Surface base, which can be simply filled with sand or water. The base converts to become a handy carry case that makes it easy to play anywhere.

Age of Discovery Trends UK 01295 768078Â 01353 724140 Wind Designs (Independents) www.trendsuk.co.uk The Discovery Young Explorer Kit contains everything kids need to start planning their very own outdoor adventure. The set comes with binoculars, field microscope, compass, notebook and pencil so kids are geared up to take a closer look at the world. Supporting STEM learning, the Discovery Young Explorer Kit is suitable for ages eight-plus and launches this month.

June 2018

Feature

Pocket Money

The price is right

Wilton Bradley

There’s nothing quite like a weekly treat – and no better weekly treat than a pocket money toy. TnP took a look at one of the most vibrant, competitive and profitable categories in the industry

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Factory pending pocket through a line money on a Saturday Collectability of yoyos ranging morning is one of the from pocket greatest joys of and price are key to money items to childhood. Walking into a get kids started on toy shop, handing over your make sure you the hobby to yo-yos hard-earned pennies and maximise this used by the pros. The walking out with a shiny team was recently on new plaything is a ritual all sector of the tour with international kids love – and it’s a ritual market yo-yo pro YoHans to that continues to drive promote the new range. footfall and sales. Jamie Dickinson, “We are so excited to In 2017, a tenth of the Playmobil be travelling across the entire value of the UK toy country with two of the industry came through sales biggest names of the yo-yo world of these low-price high-value to give the public a chance to try lines, with collectables chief out some of the fantastic among them soaring a YoYoFactory products now whopping 17 per cent over available,” says Tom, who the previous year. believes the yo-yo is up there So how much cash do kids have with the best-value pocket to splash on their weekend money pick-ups. sprees? According to its survey “It’s a unisex, portable toy that of 2000 school-age kids across had longevity through the UK, Childwise Monitor found interaction,” he says. “YoYos the average amount of pocket can be used as a basic toy and money per child is now £11.20, up have longevity as more and £1.50 on the year before. Even in more tricks are perfected. belt-tightening times, it seems, YoYo Factory YoYos – as they kids are still feeling relatively are a great entry level and Pro flush. level toy.” “Parents can always find the money for the smaller items,” says Tom Ellyatt, Mix up the price Marketing Manager at For Playmobil’s Wilton Bradley. The Marketing Manager company is one of a Jamie Dickinson, number of companies pocket money toys spearheading the are an essential revival of a classic ingredient in the toy, the yo-yo, company’s product bringing it bang up mix, which spans to date with YoYo collectables at just a

”

Character Options

couple of quid to feature-rich hero playsets on the higher end of the price spectrum. “The nature of pocket money toys means that they are more achievable for most family budgets when higher priced items may be out of reach,” says Jamie. “They are also good for treats from other members of the family, such as grandparents, aunts and uncles.” He tells TnP that “collectability and price are key to make sure you maximise this sector of the market,” and the firm’s Figures collectable range is evidence of this. “We have many options at the pocket money price point, but Figures are a great way to treat your child without breaking the bank! Now in its 13th series, they are still at the launch SRP of £1.99.” Tobar, a company well known for fun, novelty and high play value at pocket money prices, will be continuing its winning formula this summer.

toysnplaythings.co.uk

Fact! Kids aged five to 10 receive £6.40 in pocket money per week on average, according to the Childwise Monitor 2018 report

“This summer’s upcoming blockbusters have reignited the passion for dinosaurs in audiences everywhere,” says David Mordecai, CEO of Tobar. “We’re excited to show off our range and continue to bring fun to all excited dinosaur fans, at pocket money prices.”

Expand the brand Pocket money items are also used as tools to expand bestselling ranges that sit at higher price points, giving kids a chance to pick up a slice of their favourite toy brands more often. Spin Master recently had a big success on its hands with Hatchimals Colleggtibles, a more affordable, smaller follow up to its smash hit Hatchimals range. IMC Toys is employing a similar strategy this year, with new

pocket money-priced collectables to expand and diversify its best-selling Cry Babies range. The full-size dolls range will be joined later this year by Cry Babies Magic Tears, a unique twist on the collectable doll concept backed by online webisodes to flesh out the narrative and fictional world they live in. “Our new collectable doll and playset range, Cry Babies Magic Tears, will be IMC’s biggest launch to date,” says Julie Ball, IMC’s Marketing Manager. “Inspired by the best-selling Cry Babies dolls, these mini additions come with six fun accessories. Give them water from their bottle and press their tummy to make them cry real tears!” The initial launch will feature 24 dolls for kids to collect and this will be followed up later on in the year with a supporting collectable range, Magic Tears Pets.

Retail essentials

At retail, pocket money lines help increase the two most valuable things for any shop keeper: footfall and bottom line. Drawing kids in with new waves of collectables and Julie is mum to Will, seven, and seasonal hits like Charlotte, eight, who both love football stickers is a surefire way to keep a pocket money pick-up families coming into “My two love spending their store – and, hopefully, spending. pocket money – no surprise So it’s unsurprising there. Will is going mad for Panini that the most football stickers at the moment. affordable playthings He’s not even a massive football often crop up when fan, but I think there’s something asked what their about the fact everyone at school best-sellers are. Brian Simpson of is swapping them that draws him SMF ToyTown in. Honestly, it’s a nice easy – and highlighted MGA’s cheap! – pick up treat for me to L.O.L Surprise Dolls get him. Charlotte is L.O.L crazy and Character and loves the Soft’n Slo Squishies. Options’ hugely popular Soft‘n Slo She has orange cats, slices of Squishies as pizza, little ones, large ones – “currently very big anything squishy and it’s a done for us”. deal as far as she’s concerned!” And it’s a similar

Mum says

JUNE 2018

Tobar

“

Parents can always find the money for the smaller items Tom Ellyatt, Wilton Bradley

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story at A1 Toys, a retailer that thrives – among other things – on collectables and pocket money lines. “We are known for our collectable ranges,” A1’s Area Manager James Neil told TnP last month, highlighting L.O.L, Zimpli Kids’ Slime and Gelli Baff lines, and Learning Resources’ Playfoam Pals as winning lines with his customers. So with those long summer months just on the horizon, now is the time for retailers to stock up on the must-have

Playmobil

Feature

Pocket Money

Pocket money perfection Bandai UK 0208 324 6160 www.bandai.co.uk

Did you know…

Bandai’s truly exciting 2018 portfolio includes plenty to Literally just hitting choose from. Girls simply can’t shops are the Silly get enough of Bandai’s Smooshy Squeaks. The new Mushy collection and this month collectable palm-sized sees Series 3 take the Smooshies and their Bestie friends to musical pets each the Creamery, where all new come with five songs characters with their ice-cream and 16 silly sounds. cone packaging are ready to be discovered. After the Creamery it’s treats of a different kind that inspire Series 4 as the Bakery collection is unveiled. Also, from the creators of Smooshy Mushy will come a new breed of creatures called Smashy Mashy! This collectable range will appeal to lovers of all things gross and squishy! Smashy Mashy Pets come in yucky, slime reveal canisters with lots of surprises packed inside. Taking the two hottest trends and combining them into one fun pocket money collection are Poo-nicorns. These impulse purchase characters come in a CDU of fun Squishiez, egg encased Droplingz or a variety of affordable plush. In bold bright colours with big eyes that are oh so irresistible, they have to be the quirkiest characters around! Literally just hitting shops are the Silly Squeaks. The new collectable palm-sized musical pets each come with five songs and 16 silly sounds, and can be collected and used together to learn musical notes and create tunes. Series 1 has eight tuneful characters displayed in a colourful CDU each with their own look and personality. Finally, why not try the perfect pocket money sized electronic pet in the form of a Tamagotchi. This new breed of Tamagotchi is a cute chibi size making everyone’s favourite virtual pet even more portable. At just £9.99 and with many different colours and pets to collect, this new era of Tamagotchi presents the ultimate retail opportunity.

Stick it to ‘em Fiesta Crafts 020 8804 0563 www.fiestacrafts.co.uk Fiesta Crafts has created the perfect pocket money and pocket-sized games including Noughts and Crosses, 4 in a Row and Draughts! They are made with the innovative glue-free reusable Stickabouts material which means they peel off without leaving any residue. Other favourite pocket money toys include the Fiesta Craft Pencil range - from Kings and Queens to popular animals such as Sheep and the Big Bad Wolf.

I spy…

Trends UK 01295 768078 01353 724140 (Independents) www.trendsuk.co.uk For 2018, the Science Mad brand will be refreshed with vibrant new unisex packaging and an additional six new kits. The new Sweet Pups plush arrived in May 2018. These soft, scented plush puppies are hidden inside pastries. The SpyX range includes an selection of listening devices, laser alarms, night mission goggles, and communication devices.

Animal favourites DKL Marketing 01604 678780 www.dkl.co.uk Breyer offer a great range of pocket money toys including Stablemates’ Mystery Horse Surprise blind bags. Pocket Box Cats joins the Breyer collection of Dogs, Animals and Aquarium collectables. Scentco Stationery is a must-have item for any pencil case. Best-seller from the range is the Smencils Graphite Cylinder which holds 50 individually packed pencils with colourful fruit tops.

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LAUNCHING

1ST JUNE 2018 #S

#WORKIN

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#NOTFELINEIT

#CATTITUDE

#CATHL

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#IFIFITS

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Pocket Money

Hey, palz! SAMBRO

0845 8739 380 www.sambro.co.uk Sambro unveiled their own brand pocket money property for 2018, Puzzle Palz. The cute character 3D puzzle erasers come in a range of licenses, blind packed in stackable plastic pods making them hugely collectable. Each franchise includes six characters, plus one rare character per series – designed to drive collectability and this brand new craze. The initial wave of Puzzle Palz includes the eagerly awaited Disney Pixar Incredibles 2, featuring the Parr Family plus limited edition Edna Mode. The ever-popular Frozen franchise includes Anna and Elsa, Olaf, Kristoff, Sven and dinky snowmen as well as a rare glittering Olaf. The Disney Pixar Toy Story Puzzle Palz collection looks set to be a huge pocket money collectable ahead of the new film release next year. As well as all the favourite Toy Story characters, this series features a rare Lotso Bear… which actually smells of strawberries. A limited edition Glittering Rapunzel makes up the Disney Princess Puzzle Palz available in Series 1 joining all of your favourite princesses all ready to collect. Each range is available in a branded gravity feed CDU of 24-pieces ideal for use on-shelf or at till points to drive sales.

Squeeze me please!

Don’t poopoo this H. Grossman 0141 613 2525 www.ozbozz.co.uk This summer Grossmans are bringing in a great new fashion winner - the Twist and Coil ring bracelet. At 99p each and a number of fantastic colours and designs these will fly out this summer. Squidgies are next up, a huge variety of the squeeze and pop back characters all in lovely summery pastel colours. Look out for the Unicorn UV colour change putty complete with its own UV torch. Don’t forget Planet Putty with planetary links and info to add to the phenemonally successful Professor Marty line.

Vivid Imaginations 01483 449 944 www.vividtoysandgames.co.uk

Real fan favourites Posh Paws

01268 567317 www.poshpawsinternational.co.uk Posh Paws International introduced its new Disney Collection to the pocket money aisle earlier this year. Released in squads of six, each character is cute with super large eyes that instantly attract. Squad A’s characters launched in January and hot on their heels in squad B will be Bambi, Snow White, Mickey Mouse, Simba from The Lion King, Patch from 101 Dalmatians and Eeyore. POS stands are also available and are perfect to fill and refresh with new characters as they are continually released throughout 2018. Also available from Posh Paws is a selection of soft toy bag clips. These clips come in a range of popular licenses including Star Wars, Jurassic World 2, Cars 3 and more!

Arriving later in the year BFF (Best Furry Friends) encapsulate all the elements of a girls’ collectable concept incorporating cute mini pets, unique blind bag storage designs and individual character personalities within each wave introduction. The six core BFFs lead a collection of characters including Furry, Jelly, Fluffy Tails and Metallics. Available from summer, the BFF range includes Mystery Packs; Three BFF’s Squad Packs; Six BFF’s Deluxe Packs and Bestie Doll Pack. Introducing the world’s softest Squeezamals collectable plush! With a unique slow rise foam interior, Squeezamals can be squashed, squeezed and cuddled as much as you like as it will always return to its original shape! With 16 collectable Squeezamals each measuring around 3.5” and 16 cute mini clip-on versions to collect, there is a perfect portable pet choice for every animal lover. Launching later in 2018, there will also be four larger 8” Squeezamals. Push and pop a surprise sensation with new Pop A Lotz! Packed with collectable cuddly cuties, cheeky chips and playful pom poms, pushable Pop A Lotz Surprise Pops are a new way to collect and play! Vivid introduces Disney Emoji Series 2 with additional characters joining the collection including new #chatbubbles; #chatpacks and #chatcollection. Character licensed collectable range Ooshies is being expanded for AW 2018 to include new characters from DC Comics and Marvel. Crayola Washimals introduces 11 different pets to colour and wash so children can be creative time after time!

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Meet the Silly Squeaks... The adorable new musical pets Over 2 Million YouTube views in 2 months! Just launched in the UK! 2 modes of fun: beats mode and piano mode to create your own songs!

Dedicated marketing campaign including TV Digital PR

Tap along to the rhythm of their beats

FFor mo more ore rre iinformation, f r ti contact t tS Sales l on 020 8324 6160 orr sales@bandai.co.uk

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Perfect for your pocket Learning Resources 01553 819 380 www.learningresources.co.uk Playfoam is the perfect pocket money item, it topped the sales charts for Learning Resources last year and has had an impressive start to 2018, growing both customer numbers and sales. Building on this success, a number of Playfoam brand extensions have been introduced including an exciting new range of collectables called Playfoam Pals. Produced in a number of colours, Playfoam is available in eye catching hanging blister packs of four and eight pods and a counter display pack containing 64 pods. Playfoam Sparkle and Playfoam Glow-in-the-Dark are also available, as well as Playfoam Squashformers. Playfoam Pals combines creativity with collectables, with hidden animal friends inside Playfoam pods. There are 12 to collect in Series 1, plus a superrare gold version of each animal. Playfoam Pals are supplied in 2-pack or 12-pack shelf ready display packaging. Mental Blox Jr. is a fun, problem solving game that combines blockstacking play with puzzles to develop early critical thinking skills. Kanoodle Duplexity is ideal for older kids who want to put their brain power to the test. The two-tone test of logic and reasoning features 200 puzzles that will keep children occupied for hours!

Roaring good fun Tobar 01603 397 105 www.tobar.co.uk The sun is shining, birds are tweeting, and dinosaurs are roaring this summer at Tobar. With a fantastic range of pocket money dinosaur toys released in time for this summer’s highly anticipated dino blockbuster, Tobar has expanded its dinosaur range with a fun-filled selection to please any fan. Declare yourself the ‘King of the Dinosaurs’ with the highly detailed Dino Hand Puppet. Complete with reptilian skin, pointy teeth and a blood red tongue, the 13cm tall head fits snuggly on your hand with the mouth easily movable by your fingers. Perfect for re-enacting scenes from your favourite dino films. There’s nothing scarier than a dinosaur, except perhaps one that inflates to more than five times its original size! The Dinosaur Balloon Ball is easy to inflate with the provided straw, so you can throw, bounce and squash it all you want while retaining its size and shape. Reinsert the straw and the air will leave the balloon again, deflated and ready to be used again and again. Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s a Dinosaur Poly Glider soaring overhead. Available in four assorted designs, these gliders are low cost, easy to assemble, safe to use and simple to fly with a wingspan of 21cm!

Your stink bomz! Tomy 01392 281928 www.tomy.com Stink Bomz are the newest pocket money toy range from Tomy. The new line set for release in AW 2018 guarantees to set boys into hysterics with crazy collectable toys featuring fart friends known as a Stink with their own silly smell and unique fart noises. The Stink Bomz collection will be targeted mainly to boys aged three-plus with misbehaving characters who feature their own unique personality. Stink Bomz will also appeal to consumers for its collectability factor and affordable price point. Stink Bomz will launch in October with eight main characters and two special ones. At retail shoppers can expect fun packaging as well as engaging merchandising solutions including counter holders and free-standing display units.

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DESIGNED FOR the Youtube generation

OOZE MAGIC REVEAL

ARISe Se the sme smelly squishy smashy mashy creatures

From the Creators of

6 TO COLLECT

FSDU from launch

DEDICATED MARKETING CAMPAIGN TV DIGITAL PR PRESS For more information, contact Sales on 020 8324 6160 or sales@bandai.co.uk

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Pocket Money

Yo, yo! Impress your pals Wilton Bradley 01626 835400 www.wiltonbradley.com

Fact! The yoyo has been around since 500 BC. Of course, the tricks have got trickier and the tech behind the toy has got even more spectacular.

With more than 1.6 million Facebook fans and the likes of Radio 2’s Chris Evans extolling the virtues of YoYoFactor, this craze is still front and centre. Forget fidget spinners – the yoyo has more play value and can win even more bragging rights! The tricks were spectacular at this year’s London Toy Fair when a new world record was set by Hans Van Elzen who appeared on the Wilton Bradley stand, proving that YoHans has lost none of his skillset. YoYoFactory were celebrating joining forces with Wilton Bradley to act as the UK distributor for their expert line of yoyos.

Do the twist Spin Master 01628 535000 www.spinmaster.com Spin Master continues to eggcite youngsters with Hatchimals Colleggtibles – plus get ready for kids to be dazzled by its innovative new Twisty Petz! Twisty Petz transform from an adorable pet collectable into a beautiful gem bracelet or accessory - all with a simple twist! Connect more Twisty Petz together and you’ll have a fabulous necklace. There are over 70 adorable pets to collect. Hatchifans can now bring home Season 3 Hatchimals CollEGGtibles! Season 3 introduces “Hatch Friends Forever!” with over 100 new friends to hatch and collect, kids can find Best Friends (cute friends who connect), Twins (two Hatchimals CollEGGtibles in one egg) and sweet Squads! With glittery wings and adorable faces, these Hatchimals can’t wait to meet their new friends! Check the colour of the Hatchimals’ glittery wings to see if you’ve hatched a Common, Rare, Ultra Rare or perhaps even a Limited Edition Hatchimal.

YoYoFactory also makes the best yoyos for kids to impress their friends. Whatever the level of expertise, YoYoFactor has the yoyo to suit every skill or style. Wilton Bradley has a full product range which will provide a great throwing experience for the beginner using the TenTrick range, right up to the high grade aluminium DV888 yoyo or the F.A.S.T 201 to master the classics.

Fascinating fingers Jazwares 020 3598 0272 www.jazwares.com Jazwares is launching adorable new Fingerlings Minis into the range. Fingerlings Minis are the cutest little additions to their bigger Fingerlings Friends. Each blind bag comes with a surprise miniature Monkey, Unicorn or Sloth, a bracelet and a tail charm. The series includes popular, rare, legendary, and ultra-rare figures! Available from July 2018.

Horsey, horsey don’t you stop Schleich 01279 870000 www.schleich-s.co.uk From favourites Farm World and Horse Club, through to prehistoric dinosaurs and new fantasy creatures, Schleich has many pocket money purchases and collectables to choose from. One of the most celebrated collector’s themes is Horse Club and this year won’t disappoint as new breeds and playsets join the line-up.

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• • • •

Extensive PR programme around this educational theme

Consumer press advertising within key titles

Strong TV campaign across the year from August

6 new sets based on the exciting Explorers theme 9433 Enemy Airboat with Raptor

9434 Enemy Quad with Triceratops

9429 Hidden Temple with T-Rex

Discover the Secrets of the Dino World

@PlaymobilUK Phone: 01268 548111

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Collectable cuties Hasbro 020 8569 1234 www.hasbro.com With new arrivals across Hasbro’s range of toys and games, including their newest collectable line, Lost Kitties, there is an assortment of products available to suit pocket money budgets. Hasbro’s newest pocket money arrivals are Lost Kitties, an adorable collection of mischievous little kitties with a mind of their own! All Lost Kitties characters can be found hiding in a blind carton. The figures come with accessories and a meme sticker, all hidden inside soft, shaping compound which can be used to create all kinds of cool things for the kitties. Every Lost Kitties figure belongs to a squad with its own unique personality, including #adorbs, #scaredycats and #nomz, all ready to collect! Kids can collect 100 Lost Kitties characters (each sold separately) throughout the year. Combining the worlds of My Little Pony: The Movie and the Equestria Girls of Canterlot High, The Cutie Mark Crew allows kids to imagine a universe of play and friendships beyond the mirror’s portal. The Cutie Mark Crew assortment has a School Days theme, and with the Cafeteria Cuties accompanied by a cafeteria snack-themed accessory, you can pretend that the figures are snacking in the high school cafeteria or taking a break from their friendship studies. Bringing the surprise element, every blind pack comes in a case that can be stacked with each additional case and with each Cutie Mark Crew blind pack kids collect means more stories to create. Each character also comes with a collector card to help tell their story. All Cutie Mark Crew blind packs includes a 1.5-inch adorable figure, cafeteria snackthemed accessory, collector card and a stackable case. Find out which character is waiting inside, with 24 in all to collect, stack more cases and build out a world of pony, seapony and Equestria Girls Cutie Mark Crew figures.

Enter the Roblox world Jazwares 020 3598 0272 www.jazwares.com Following the success of Roblox Series 1 toys in 2017, Jazwares launched Series 2 in 2018 and now Series 3, including 24 collectable blind boxes. The blind boxes contain a mystery figure, accessories, collector’s checklist and an exclusive virtual item code for Roblox users to redeem online. Series 4 launches later this year.

These are super! Alpha Animation & Toys 01293 80459 Super Wings Transform-a-Bots are the perfect pocket money toy for preschoolers. With all of the series 1 favourite characters to collect, children can transform these Super Wings mini-figures from planes to robots in three easy steps. Transform-aBots are perfect for role play and re-enacting little ones’ favourite missions from the popular Super Wings TV show. Other products from the range which fit well into the pocket money category are the Super Wings Diecast Planes. There are 8 characters to collect: Jett, Dizzy, Donnie, Jerome, Grand Albert, Bello, Paul and Mira! The Super Wings Vroom ‘n Zoom line offers ‘super’ wheelie action with no batteries required. With both series one and two characters to collect, little ones are sure to be spending their pocket money on these amazing toys.

Smashing stuff Zuru 01604 401 719 (Geemac) sales@geemac.biz Following a successful Boxing Day launch of its collectables brand – Smashers – Zuru has unveiled a second series for the AW ’18 period. With Series 1 exceeding forecasts, Series 2 will continue to drive the brand through its innovative Smashball element and all-new Eyeball Smashball to house a ‘crew’ of Gross Smashers characters. Offering a nod to the unboxing trend, children can only discover which Gross character they’ve collected by smashing open the Smashball! ZURU introduces 100 new ‘freakishly gross” creatures to collect in Series 2, tapping into the appeal of all things grotesque. With Series 2 set to hit shelves during the Q3 period, the Gross collection is also a timely addition to the Halloween market.

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Pocket Money

These are pretty special! Playmobil 01268 548 111 www.playmobil.co.uk Enjoy a whole host of new, fun-themed ‘Special Plus’ figures from beloved toy maker, Playmobil, this year. The brand new 2018 range includes a fantastic variety of fun characters to collect, including Firefighter with Tree, Beachgoer with Scooter, Alchemist with Potions and Skateboarder with Ramp. These fun-sized sets are perfect for youngsters who have saved up their pennies to spend on a special toy that will bring hours of enjoyment and, with so many to collect, children can mix and match between sets and use them with any of the Playmobil toy ranges to create their very own worlds of play. Suitable for children aged four and upwards, the new Special Plus range adds to the already popular selection and features 12 brand new figures to discover, each with many cool and exciting accessories.

Incredible fun

Stik with me Mookie Toys 01525 722722 www.mookie.co.uk Mookie’s StikBalls are squishy balls that come in all kinds of shapes including, sticky poo, sticky unicorn poo, sticky cupcake and sticky emojis. StikBalls splat and stick to any surface, while staying soft and squidgy on the inside. StikBalls can be washed under a tap to regain its stickiness for hours of fun. Meanwhile Pokibots are a portable robot with over six cool features, available in two styles and six colours! Robotic voice playback and the Sound Activated Motions bring Pokibot to life, and you can tore up to three voice recordings,with robotic voice playback. Pokibots interact and play together as well as react to clapping hands. Pokibots can move, spin, dance and interact. Includes a cool illuminated face. And there is an app available for extra fun.

Funko 020 3376 3223 www.funko.com Everyone’s favourite super-family is back – Disney’s The Incredibles 2 is hitting cinemas this summer! Funko are bringing along a host of exciting products that fit perfectly into the pocket money budget. Pocket Pop! Keychains resemble mini Pop! Vinyl, whilst featuring the same eye-catching visualisation. These are perfect to add onto a set of keys, or to help jazz up a school bag! They also have The Incredibles 2 Mystery Mini range – available in blind boxes, these distinctive and fun figures are beautifully painted and feature the most memorable characters from the film as well as a few fun surprises.

Pocket money masters HTI 01253 775544 www.htigroup.co.uk HTI’s Double Bubble fun, powered by batteries or the pull of the finger, equips children for lots of bubble enjoyment in the summer sunshine. Their extensive offering includes character bubblisers and machines, bubble blasters, mowers and solution pots to meet your every need. They also offer a range of the hottest licensed brands. HTI will be launching more toilet related titles to their Poop range this year, along with expanding on their sought-after Slime range.

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the home of vision, innovation & creativity Series

Lauches AW18

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sales call now +44 (0)845 873 9380 or email sales@sambro.co.uk visit us at www.sambro.com

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This is hot! MATTEL 01628 500000 www.mattel.com

Magical collections Topps 0330 123 2559 (dist. Click Distribution) www.clickdistribution.co.uk New from Topps are Ring Pop Puppies, the adorable puppy toy figurines that live in plastic Ring Pop containers. Kids can collect a wide range of canine pals and share their Ring Pop Puppies collections and connections using the hashtag #RingPopPuppies. Jump into the Magical World of Unicorns with the brand-new I Believe in Unicorn Sticker Album from Topps. Kids can meet lots of new friends like Cosmic, Glaze and Moon Star, who will tell kids all about themselves: what they love, what they hate and who their best friends are! With 182 stickers to collect including special shiny and cute shaped stickers, this collection is truly amazing. Collectors can colour in delicious treats, make their own dream catcher, try out tasty recipes and read up on the cuddly unicorn. All this and more packed into a 32-page album!

A real squeeze Character Options

Mattel presents an impressive portfolio of pocket money toys in 2018 from some of the most talked about brands including Hot Wheels and Thomas & Friends. Hot Wheels is gearing up for an actionpacked year celebrating its 50th Anniversary. Hot Wheels will launch special edition Zamac Flames and Black and Gold 50th Anniversary cars adding further excitement to existing collections. Hot Wheels will debut new blockbuster moviethemed diecast Star Wars, Avengers, Marvel and Batman, iconic characters from Looney Tunes along with well-known car brand diecasts from Honda and Lamborghini. The Thomas & Friends MINIS range brings collectability and adventure to pre-schoolers with an extensive range of miniature engines. The Blind Bag Assortment features over 100+ mini engines to collect with never-before-seen themes. New for Autumn/Winter, the globe themed engine represents Thomas as he leaves the Island of Sodor for the first time and embarks on his global adventure in the new summer movie Big World! Big Adventures!

Big fun Funrise

0161 633 9800 www.character-online.com

01908 555640 www.funrise.com

When it comes to pocket money treats, Characters Option’s Soft’n Slo Squishies and soon to be launched Bubbleezz, offer the most sought after on-trend toys. Fans loved Soft’n Slo Squishies Series 1 Sweet Shop, alongside Series 2 Animal pals. The brand-new Series 3 Fun Food collection has recently launched, with its incredibly life-like hamburgers, hot dogs and fries. Also from the makers of Soft’n Slo Squishies, Bubbleezz are the cute collectable characters that feel amazing to squish. Each Bubbleezz has hundreds of Bubbleezz Beads inside that move around as you squeeze and transform them! Added to this are the hidden Power Charms inside each character that gives it its own personality traits and powers. Available from mid-summer Bubbleezz are sure to make a big impression.

For 2018, Funrise has an extensive line up for the pocket money sector, from miniature fun with the Tonka Tinys collection to the new Gazillion Bubbles Crazy Wands! With exciting new vehicles being released through 2018 and now in its fourth season with Funrise, the TONKA brand includes the Tinys range which continues to grow with all new Tinys vehicle styles packaged in their signature blind box garages. Also in the TONKA collection, the TONKA Diecast Assortment is full of sturdy vehicles including a Tow Truck, Steam Roller, SWAT Car, Dozer and Vintage Bike to name but a few. Kids can also act out being the hero with the UK Emergency Vehicle Assortment. Don’t forget the Gazillion Crazy Wands!

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Consumer

insight

Great techspectations How are brands utilising technology to enrich children’s ecosystems? Nick Richardson, CEO and founder of The Insights Peoples delves into the balancing act of our increasingly multi-platform world

s we all know, children are growing up in a constantly changing world. The only way to truly understand their needs is to open a line of communication with children themselves, which is exactly what we do here at Kids Insights. We are the most comprehensive and dynamic market intelligence resource on all things kids, tweens and teens in the UK. We survey 400 kids aged four to 18 every single week, which is more than 20,000 every year. This gives us the opportunity to observe as trends surface and listen as children share a view into their world. We’ve seen shifts in the way children use technology, with voice recognition emerging as a growing trend — 28 per cent of children under the age of 10 are now able control their tablet with their voice, and one in 10 kids now use Alexa in their home. Among children aged four to six, tablet ownership has risen from 65 per cent to 70 per cent in the last year. Only 13 per cent, however, own a mobile phone. As children get older, Our data the disparity between shows the most tablet and mobile device popular use of ownership starts to level out. By the time children tablets among four reach the seven to nine to 12-year-olds is age bracket, 27 per cent “watching clips” own mobile devices, compared to 67 per cent owning tablets. By ages 10 to 12, it’s a completely even split, with 63 per cent owning both types of devices. Our data shows the most popular use of tablets among four to 12-year-olds is “watching

“

”

70%... of kids aged four to six own a tablet — a five per cent increase in the past year clips” — and ranks YouTube as their favourite app. Many brands are now harnessing the power of YouTube, such as Hasbro’s My Little Pony. My Little Pony — which came out as the number one favourite TV show among girls aged four to six — now premiers new content on YouTube, and offers gaming and storybook apps. This highlights the importance of multi-platform content that utilises the tech that children have ownership of and access to. According to our data, this is something that LEGO have continued to embrace to much success. LEGO’s core market of toys and bricks dominate their competition, and as a result are favourites of children under 13. On screen, The LEGO Batman Movie and The LEGO Ninjago Movie have scored as the top films for boys over the past 12 months. LEGO video games on console are currently the third favourite of under-13s. Unprompted, visiting LEGOLAND is one of the most popular answers given when children are asked to describe their dream day. This demonstrates how brands that effectively use and integrate technology to expand their ecosystem are in a fantastic position to build closer and stronger relationships with their audience. And as LEGO and Hasbro are increasingly showing, there is significant opportunity to create content across multiple platforms, increasing opportunities to create ever-expanding engagement with their audience. To receive a complimentary copy of Kids Insights Q1 Trend Alert report and a free demonstration of their award winning online portal, visit www.kidsinsights.co.uk/ toysnplaythings

Hasbro has utilised the popularity of YouTube with My Little Pony

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Spotlight on... West Design Combining crafting and gardening, the Plant A Pizza Garden from West Design includes everything kids need to grow their very own pizza ingredients. They can learn how to nurture a garden from seed germination through to harvest, then turn their home-grown tomatoes, peppers and herbs into a tasty pizza — a sure fire winner!

d is Everything you nee d ad included — just water!

Kit includes seed packs, four pla trays, pottin nting g stickers and mix, more.

Garden tray measures 10 ½” h. diameter x 1 ¼” hig

Start plants with the Cr indoors Kids GROW eativity For window and Light or by a t outside or in ransport them to a once they s bigger pot prout. Contact West Design 01303 297 888 www.westdesignproducts.co.uk

nonr u o f s Include eed packs: GMO s eppers, basil, p tomato. , and oregano

Team Jumbo showcase their artistic credentials with a demo of the Dessineo creative line

Trends UK’s Lindsay Hardy and Wind Design’s Phil Jones were beaming in the Marquee

2018 A majestic time was had by all at this year’s Toymaster May Show, which drew members of the buying group, independent retailers, and the UK’s top suppliers together in Harrogate last month. Team TnP was at the event to catch up with the exhibitors, have a cocktail and a boogie at the Ibiza themed night, and get some work done in-between. Here’s just a snapshot of what went down…

All smiles from team Green Board Games in the Ballroom

Leading by example, the Toymaster team get into the swing of things at the Ibiza-themed party

Posh Paws’ Laura Bull snuggles up with Pooh among a host of licensed plush

That’s a stretch: Character’s Mark Hunt and David Bramford with just a sliver of their range

Ladies in red: the Bandai ladies enjoyed a refreshing cocktail after toysnplaythings.co.uk a busy and successful opening day

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JULY 2018 This fun family game is going to be a big hit in the run up to Christmas.

Pass ‘Gass’ the dog around until someone gets a whiff!

Pre-order yours today

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

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www.juratoys.co.uk Mum Heather tells us how her gorgeous three-year-old daughter Daisy got on when presented with Janod's 9-piece Wooden Toy Little Miss Vanity Set Daisy has two brothers, so she is well-versed in all things boy — and trust me, she can hold her own when it comes to playing pirates! That being said, she’s a girlie girl at heart and loves nothing more than helping mummy brush her hair or playing dress-up with her nursery friends. I’ve caught her in my make-up bag more times than I would like to admit so when TnP asked us to have a play with Janod’s Little Miss Vanity Set, I knew Daisy was the right child for the job! Ok, I’ll admit, initially I was a bit hesitant because I didn’t realise it was a wooden toy make-up set but how brilliant that it is! Daisy is too young to play with a full-on make-up set but this is just ideal for her. It comes in nine pieces, including a mirror, lipstick, a brush, nail varnish, eyeshadow — the works, really. And it’s such a lovely size for her engage with — everything is perfectly formed for little hands. Daisy set up her own vanity station next to mine and each morning she would join me for a beauty regime — I even managed to brush her teeth without a fight because that’s what Mummy does too, so thanks for that Janod! When her friends came over for a dress-up day, we had a full-on beauty salon up and running in the sitting room — £300 for a splash of some perfume, apparently. Part of the reason I liked this set was because it complies with all the necessary safety standards — and I actually did check because I’m a bit funny about things like that. Invariably wooden toys have paint and they end up in mouths, or they do in our house! All in all, this was just a lovely set for Daisy and her pals to play with, she really got into character and it was all in good fun.

What Jura says: “Aimed at toddlers from three onwards this is a great toy for role play.”

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Life is an adventure......

Help your children enjoy the journey 32 High Park Road • Kew Gardens • Richmond • TW9 4BH • United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0)20 8878 2133 | janod.com - kaloo.com - alexbrands.com

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y t u Bea s l a o g Clementoni 020 3206 1101

www.clementoni.com

Poppy says:

Poppy, nine, experimented with Clementoni’s Crazy Chic My Beauty World Butterfly Beauty Set and Crazy Chic My Beauty World Superstar Nail Art — mum Claire tells us how she got on

“I love that it has so many different colours of eye shadow.”

“

spent sitting in the living room experimenting with her y pp o P different looks! And I have to say, I enjoyed it too e r i — we had some lovely mother-daughter bonding t n an e n o time. As parents we wrestled with whether we o n after enting should allow her a make-up toy just yet but she im had a blast painting her nails and using the hair exper er h dye stick so we have no qualms about giving h s t k wi loo t n this a five-star rating. e r diffe If Poppy enjoyed the Butterfly Beauty Set, her

There comes a time in a girl’s life when she wants to experiment with all things beauty. That time has come for my girl Poppy. She’s nine now and being nine means her little world is opening up — and it’s been opening in the direction of my make-up bag for quite some time now! Poppy is quite a creative, crafty little character so she is really attracted to anything which involves colour, and we’ve no problem in her experimenting with everything from construction kits to computer games to well… to makeup kits! As you would expect she was thrilled when TnP asked her to trial Clementoni’s Butterfly Beauty Set and Superstar Nail Art. Her first words when she saw the beauty set were: “Mum! It actually looks like a butterfly!” So she was immediately won over. Honestly, I think she would have been happy just to look at the box. Clementoni tag this as a 4-in-1 make-up kit; it comes with eye shadow, lip gloss, hair colour and nail varnish – along with a nifty little mirror too. And it’s all nicely packaged in a butterfly-shaped case. Look, the quality is never going to rival Chanel, but I was really impressed with how good it actually was. Poppy spent an entire afternoon quietly

mind was blown by the Crazy Chic My Beauty World Superstar Nail Art — and I mean blown. Because she loves art so much, she was just transported to another world when she realised the kit not only comes with nail varnish and a dryer, it also has a glitter gun. Yes, a glitter gun. Sold, as far as Poppy was concerned! It’s a fairly impressive piece of kit, along with the varnish — and the all-important glitter gun — there is a decorating pen and stencils too. Oh, but you do need two AA batteries which are not included. Luckily that didn’t deter Poppy too much and she came up with some very impressive nail art creations. If she was to choose a What Cle mentoni favourite, she would probably says abo Supersta ut say the Superstar Nail Art, r Nail Ar t: but only by a whisker. But as a A modern c parent, they both get my vote – nail art p onsole for buddin rofession g especially because they kept her so als varnish a pplicatio , with a nail n machin entertained for so long. glitter g

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Poppy says: “The glitter gun was so much fun!”

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auty e B ' s l Gir adors

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Cosmetic crazy! Make It Real makeitrealplay.com Erin, eight, loves make-up – so she was thrilled to try out Make It Real’s Beauty Collection Deluxe Cosmetic Case and Paint and Sparkle Mermaid Nail Art – mum Caroline reveals all

“I think she felt quite grown-up learning how to apply her eyeshadow and as a mum, I was impressed it was so involved and engaging.”

Not only was Erin asked to trial Make It Real’s Beauty Collection Deluxe Cosmetic Case, her day was really made when she found out about Make It Real’s Paint and Sparkle Mermaid Nail Art. Both sets were right up her street because Erin just loves experimenting with colour — whether that’s her clothes or her art work. And now, she was getting to experiment with cosmetics! I had one happy little girl on my hands. I have to say I felt the Deluxe Cosmetic Case really went above and beyond — it comes with so much product, 20 eyeshadows, two lip glosses, three nail polishes, four brushes, a nail file and even something called a dream guide which is a booklet designed to help inspire girls. Not only that, it also comes with a free tutorial app, which Erin just loved! I think she felt quite grownup learning how to apply her eyeshadow and as a mum, I was impressed it was so involved and engaging. The quality of the products is lovely too and I would say the same for the Make It Real Paint and Sparkle Mermaid Nail Art. We really had a lot of fun with this product! The kit comes with mermaidinspired polishes, decorations, stickers and gems and it was super-easy to use. You will find all of the stickers and decorations you will need, along with three nail pens, a tip cleaner and a really good instruction manual. Erin was able to create some really gorgeous designs and I was even treated to some new nails! All in all, both these sets went down a storm with Erin and I appreciated how much she enjoyed them. Would I buy them for her again? Yes.

All that glitters Freya, eight, and her mum Nikki experimented with the Make It Real Glitter Dream Nail Spa. We find out how they got on… Freya has never had her nails done before, nor had she shown too much interest in cosmetics so I wasn’t too sure how she would get on with Make It Real’s Glitter Dream Nail Spa. If I’m being honest — I didn’t think she’d like it. Well, wasn’t I wrong. She absolutely loved it! This is a great nail kit which comes with a dryer — which you need batteries What Ma ke It Rea for — and a mindl says ab the Glitt out er Dream boggling amount N a il S p a: The glitt of nail products. er dream nail spa you to c I mean, there are set allow reate yo ur own s s manicure parkly . This se loads! Freya and t contain dryer, fo s a nail ur I spent a good glitter an bottles of nail p olis d gem a ss file, nail ortment, h, hour arranging stickers a nail and your exclusive the colours, very own dream g uide. glitters, gems and discussing various possibilities before deciding on what design she would finally like to create. This comes with a Dream Guide booklet too which is a lovely addition and Freya enjoyed reading about the other Make It Real products on offer. And the booklet connects girls to real-life inspirational woman. What a great idea! We loved this!

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Spotlight

IMC Toys

Baby love! Spearheaded by the continuing runaway success of the Baby Wow and Cry Babies doll ranges, IMC Toys is off to a flying start to the year. With many further doll launches in the pipeline – all supported with the company’s most diverse and biggest ever marketing plan – TnP found out about just some of the highlights set to help retailers sell more throughout 2018

Cry Babies Cry Babies saw huge successes in 2017, with a leading position in the UK feature doll category. Launched in April 2018, a new wave of Cry Babies further grows the brand and range offering with the introduction of Dotty, Nala and Lady to the collection.

Baby Wee Bloopies Bloopies launched with phenomenal sales in 2017, quickly becoming a top selling bath toy. These underwater friends squirt water out of their mouth and snorkel when kids press their tummy. There are six different characters to collect, each with accessories, and joining them this autumn is the Bloopies Deluxe Swimming Mimi Doll.

Baby WOW Baby WOW dolls learn and develop in stages, and 2018’s new sibling Megan is no exception. With a little help, Megan learns in three different growing stages – learning to stand, taking her first steps and walking by herself. She also comes with her favourite toy rattle, answers questions and says over 100 phrases. Available AW 2018.

“IMC have got off to a fantastic start in 2018 across our doll portfolio with growth of 17 per cent yoy within Special Feature Nurturing Dolls (NPD YTD April). For AW 2018 we are set to grow further through execution of our strongest marketing plans to date, which combine a much broader marketing mix including intensive TV media, pre-roll, VOD and influencer marketing across all key brands. With such a broad dolls portfolio and significant marketing investment IMC are all set for a hugely successful 2018.”

A new brand for 2018, Baby Wee Max, Nick and Alex are the funniest babies that really wee and giggle. Kids can give them water with the bottle, and when they open their nappy… surprise! The dolls will tell kids when they are thirsty and when they need to wee. They come with a colourful top, nappy and a bottle. Available AW 2018.

Julie Ball, Head of Marketing, IMC

Cry Babies Magic Tears New collectible doll and playset range Cry Babies Magic Tears will be IMC’s biggest launch to date. Inspired by the best-selling Cry Babies dolls, these mini additions come with six fun accessories. Kids can give them water from their bottle and press their tummy to make them cry real tears! There are 24 to collect this AW.

Contact IMC Toys • 01904 720908 • www.imctoys.com

N NEW FOR FO AW

NEW W STYLES ES AW W

Swimming Sw Mimi

200K UNITS SOLD IN 2017!

TOP SELLING * BATH TOY*

1500+ TVRs 2000+ + TVRs

NEW FOR OR AW

NEW FOR AW

500+ TVRs

1000+ 00+ TVRs

360 MARKETING PLAN INCLUDING TV, DIGITAL, INFLUENCER, PR AND SOCIAL

*NO.2 NURTURING DOLL MANUFACTURER FY 2017 (NPD)

FOR SALES ENQUIRIES CALL 01904 720908

Feature

Construction

Profit building Play value, STEM learning, licensing, the construction category has it all. No wonder it continues to drive the top line up for retailers…

f it’s toys with play value you are after — look no further than the construction category. These family favourites have been front and centre of some of the world’s greatest architectural achievements — mostly imaginary mind you, and with some unsound structural foundations but still, construction toys have whet the creative juices of children for eons. Every time a Chris Beardmore, UK Retail Sales Manager boy or girl at Learning Resources constructs tells us: “Construction something they toys allow children to be feel a real sense hands-on while using their of achievement, imagination. Learning so it’s a great way Resources’ construction toys are colourful and to learn through therefore very visual, which play while having excites children and they lots of fun love investigating how Chris Beardmore, they can make their own Learning Resources creations. Every time a boy or girl constructs something they feel a real sense of achievement, so it’s a great way to learn through play.” But it is always the same old story

“

Fact! The parts in the Learning Resources’ Gears! Gears! Gears! range are interchangeable with other Gears! sets so the building possibilities are endless. Learning Resources

Spin Master

— you must innovate to excite so there is, invariably, an onus on toy companies to keep their product offerings new and exciting — and that applies to construction as much as it applies to tech. Learning Resources know this and are keen to stimulate the educational senses as much as anything else. “We want all children to enjoy the toys whilst developing their STEM skills,” Chris tells us. “Not only have we introduced new products into our popular ranges with a range of price points — Gears! Gears! Gears! and Design and Drill, we’ve also refreshed our colours and introduced new look packaging.” Similarly, Magformers know how important it is to keep content fresh.

Did you know… Magformers run the UK’s biggest retail toy demonstration programme, with over 200 live in-store demonstrations taking place every year

They do this through “constant product innovation and bringing Magformers to life in-store,” says MD Dave Kelly. Interestingly, both Learning Resources and Magformers report strong sales in the category. Chris tells us they have “enjoyed excellent growth”. Encouragingly he says: “Sales in the UK for the Gears! Gears! Gears! and Design and Drill ranges have more than quadrupled in 2018,” Likewise, Magformers are enjoying strength in the market. Dave tells us: “It’s still performing well for us. We’re growing every year — by over 100% in 2017 and 2016. This year has been interesting, with the demise of Toys R Us and Maplin and High Street retail in general is challenging, but we are currently up on last year — which compared to industry figures for other construction brands and toy companies, is very good going. We have more retail partners on board from Q3 than ever before, which is exciting!” Turn the page to see what products are hot in construction right now.

Magformers

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M6306 UK TnP June 2018 ADv5_HI.pdf

5/21/18

7:31 AM

The building opportunities are endless! New additions to the best-selling Gears! Gears! ® Gears! range

LER 9231 LER 9227

Gears! Gears! Gears!® Cycle Gears™

Gears! Gears! Gears!® Machines in Motion

NEW for

2018

LER 9232

Gears! Gears! Gears!® Rover Gears™

LER 9233

Gears! Gears! Gears!® Castle Gears™

LearningResources.co.uk 01553 819 380 Sales@learning-resources.co.uk

Feature

Construction

Magnetic play Magformers 08000 385 195 www.magformers.co.uk Magformers has introduced several exciting new sets for 2018, with lines spanning a wide range of price points. The small but smart Rally Kart Set is a fantastic introduction to Magformers for car-mad kids. Sets feature six magnetic Magformers shapes, 4 wheels, plus a rally driver character. For lovers of the creativity of Magformers’ standard construction lines, the new Basic 40 and Basic 90 sets include combinations of 40 or 90 geometric magnetic pieces like triangles, squares, pentagons, hexagons, trapezoids, rectangles and arches, sectors and spheres with stackable plastic storage boxes. A key new line which already looks like a Christmas musthave are Magformers SkyTrack sets – creative monorail systems featuring a supercool sky shuttle. By using Magformers magnetic pieces and special clip-in, single rail accessory pieces, kids can design their own tracks to make the shuttle go round, up, over, upside down – even making it spin, use a lift and see-saw. Two SkyTrack sets are available with a choice of 44 or 64 pieces, both containing the shuttle car and a wheeled cradle. The sets are fully compatible with other Magformers sets and accessories.

On the plus side DKL Marketing 01604 678 780 www.dkl.co.uk Since its launch in summer last year, Plus-Plus tubes has seen growth which has exceeded expectations. With four generic sets and nine themed sets, there is something for every retailer. Each tube contains 100 Plus-Plus pieces and instructions. Packaged in attractive clear tubing and available in a CDU display of 24-pieces, there is also a Floor Spinner Stand which can hold up to 144 tubes featuring a play tray with play pieces. The Plus-Plus range has doubled in size this year, offering a wide variety of pick up sets to large gift boxes. Plus-Plus Big, designed for ages 12 months and up is perfectly designed for smaller hands. Not to be missed is the fantastic Robot Set! Containing 50 large Plus-Plus pieces, each robot when built stands over 20cm tall. Next is Bloco, a groundbreaking patented construction toy whose high-density foam pieces and uniquely designed plastic connectors interlink, stack and rotate at any angle to create lovable and captivating creatures. The Tropical Rainforest Animals contains 220 pieces to create five models. Not to be missed is the Build a Puppy Kit, containing 62 pieces.

54 2

Load it up, Thomas Tomy

01392 281 928 www.tomy.com Tomy is building its construction offering with the relaunch of its Big Loader Thomas & Friends themed train, set for release in Autumn Winter. With 40 years of experience, Big Loader entertains preschoolers with simple, innovative and mechanical roleplay as they recreate scenes from the popular TV show at home using fun 3-in-1 automated vehicles. Children aged three plus will discover unique features including the Thomas & Friends magical transforming engine. Tomy will support Big Loader’s launch with a combination of TV, PR and targeted influencer reviews.

A fun stickler GP Flair 020 8643 0320 www.flairplc.co.uk Stickle Bricks from GP Flair has been a best seller since relaunch. The new Little Builder set will make the perfect entry point into the range. And the new Fun Tub is perfect for young builders with grand designs in mind! Also launching this spring is the exciting Stickle Bricks Fire Engine while the Stickle Bricks Farm set comes complete with its own special farmthemed pieces.

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Feature

Construction

Get in gear Learning Resources 01553 819 380 www.learningresources.co.uk

Did you know… These colourful construction sets support STEM learning, encourage critical thinking and problem solving and help develop fine motor skills.

Rovergears, Cyclegears, CastleGears and Gears! Gears! Gears! Machines in Motion are extensions of the best-selling Gears! Gears! Gears! range from Learning Resources, the number one manufacturer of Educational Toys in the UK Toy Market (NPD POS Data Full Year 2017). The Rovergears set includes 43-pieces, the Cyclegears set includes 30-pieces and the CastleGears set includes 38-pieces. Young learners from aged four can place the sturdy plastic cogs and gears together to construct their creations. These smaller Gears sets provides an ideal introduction to Learning Resources’ wider range of exciting Gears! Gears! Gears! building kits and are a great way to learn through play. Gears! Gears! Gears! Machines in Motion advances the range further, appealing to children aged from five to nine. Machines in Motion is an expansive set with 112 colourful pieces, meaning there are even more construction opportunities as young learners develop their STEM skills and learn about cause and effect. The set includes propellers, wrecking ball, chains, pulleys, wheels, axles and instructions for multiple engineering creations. The parts are interchangeable with other Gears! sets and provides endless building possibilities. Design and Drill is another hugely popular range from Learning Resources and the concept is now available as an engaging workbench. Look out for the Design and Drill My First Workbench.

Building for success Character Options

0161 633 9800 www.character-online.com Character Options is building on its construction offering following last year’s launch of its two exciting magnetic brands, Magtastix and Magcreator. These innovative construction sets encourage kids to explore shapes and patterns with magnetic rods and balls (Magtastix) or geometric shapes (Magcreator), for endless creative and educational play. With 20-piece, 40-piece and even a monster 70-piece building set in the Magtastix range, kids can create hundreds of cool designs. Meanwhile, construction meets dinosaurs with the mega Magcreator 2-in-1 Dino set! The 57-piece set contains all you need to build and re-build your very own 3D Triceratops and T-Rex dinos. Not only is this exciting range full of fun it also teaches crucial STEM skills. With additional 15-piece and 31-piece generic building sets, the collection is supported with a full range of price points.

Quality construction Jumbo Games 01707 289 289 www.jumbo.eu Jumbo’s high-quality wooden Goula Construction Toy range helps young children to develop manual and handeye co-ordination skills. The two most popular Construction Packs in the range consist of 26 and 41 wooden pieces that are extremely durable. Each pack contains bright geometric wooden shapes. Other key products include the Goula Screw In and Play range that consists of two box sets of fun and brightly-coloured animal construction packs. Children can piece together recognisable zoo animals and farm animals, by assembling the body, head and legs and screwing the different pieces together, using the wooden bolts.

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Always innovating Spin Master 01628 535 000 www.spinmaster.com Meccano continues to infuse innovation into the 2018 line by incorporating new materials and advanced technologies into its construction sets. Meccano has recently run a successful stand at The Big Bang and has now teamed up with education specialists STEM Works who partner with schools, businesses, teachers and other organisations promoting STEM skills throughout Wales and the West â&#x20AC;&#x201C; offering exciting hands-on opportunities to both primary and secondary aged students. New product line ups for 2018 including two great new sets featuring motors to inspire and excite kids as they create real working models. Both the Meccano 5 Model Set Pull Back Car and Meccano 10 Model Set Motorised Car sets are suitable for ages eight-plus. Meccano packs lots of fun into the 5 Model Set Pull Back Car As a construction toy, Meccano which has five different builds so kids has much to offer STEM and can make and remake up to five stylish STEAM endeavours, and Spin cars! Use the handy tools provided and Master is supporting brand the real metal nuts, bolts, and wheels for Meccano with a full year an authentic building experience. For the more ambitious builder, the Meccano 10 programme of activities and Models Set Motorized Car allows kids to experiential opportunities to construct a working Rally Racer kit which help ensure plenty of chances to comes with everything you need to start engage with target aged kids. building. Meccanoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 10-in-1 Rally Racer is for amateur builders aged eight-plus.

Fact!

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Licensing

news

This is Incredible Disney has unveiled an incredible line-up of licensed toys for its forthcoming animated feature, Incredibles 2. Incredibles 2 hits UK Among the hottest licensed cinemas 13 July 2018. products are Incredibles 2 POP! figures, pens and keyrings from Funko; the Incredibles 2 Jack-Jack Attacks figure, Elasti-Arm and Junior Supers Hydroliner playset from Jakks Pacific; Incredibles 2 The Great Home Escape and Underminer Bank Heist sets from LEGO, and much more. In Incredibles 2, Helen is called on to lead a campaign to bring Supers back, while Bob navigates the day-to-day heroics of “normal” life at home with Violet, Dash and baby Jack-Jack — whose superpowers are about to be discovered.

Did you know…

Spies in Disguise partners unveiled 20th Century Fox Consumer Products has announced licensees for its upcoming flick Spies in Disguise. The buddy action-comedy starring the voice talent of Will Smith and Tom Holland lands in theatres in April 2019 with a host of licensees across categories of toys & games, publishing, apparel & accessories, sleepwear, and home. 20th Century Fox Consumer Products has teamed with a diverse assortment of global licensees for the film including our master toy partner, Toy State, as well as HarperCollins Children’s Books, Centum Books Ltd, Hachette Livre Group, New Moda, Hybrid, Accessory Innovations, ABG Headwear, Secret Charm, Global Brands Group, and Titan Books. Jim Fielding, President of 20th Century Fox Consumer Products said, “Fox Consumer Products is delighted to work with leading global partners to celebrate a cool and modern animated story. These rich licensee collaborations offer kids the chance to play out the big screen spy missions in engaging and fun ways.”

The POW factor As The Powerpuff Girls celebrates its “Fans have been 20th anniversary this year, Cartoon following the Network Enterprises adventures of The announced a raft of new global Powerpuff Girls partnerships and for 20 years and collaborations. The worldwide rollout with these fresh of new episodes, events and products new products, will continue into they can continue 2019. Along with to showcase new licensing their passion partnerships in the US such as for the brand,” with Mattel who said Pete Yoder, will offer Barbie fashions inspired Vice President, by the brand, Cartoon Network Cartoon Network Enterprises also Enterprises for announced new and North America. expanding fashion collaborations for “All of our partners The Powerpuff Girls captured the in EMEA, including one with British Pow-factor of this fashion designer enduring brand.” Katie Eary who will launch a highend clothing line inspired by The Powerpuff Girls that will be available globally in autumn 2018. Deals were also announced for Latin America.

Hasbro buys Power Rangers property Hasbro is purchasing the Power Rangers from Saban Brands in a bundle deal worth $522m in combined cash and stock. The purchase follows the February appointment of Hasbro as master toy partner of the mighty morphine’ property. That deal was worth $22.3m, which will go towards the new agreements payment. My Pet Monster, Popples and Julius Jr. are among Saban’s other brands rolled into the package, alongside Luna Petunia, Treehouse Detective and a number of lesser known names. 60

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licensing T O D A Y

W O R L D W I D E

Licensees go Smooshy Mushy Dream big with Barbie Barbie has expanded its licensed franchise into homewares with an all-new Primark partnership together with Character World and Sommerbond. The collection launched at the end of May and is inspired by the iconic Barbie logo. Available in soft pink and muted grey palette, the spring bedding collection comprises of reversible print duvet sets available in single, double and king sizes along with a Barbie fleece blanket available at the end of June. Adding to the new Barbie Primark offering, Sommerbond introduces nightwear for adults. The set sees the Barbie logo in white multi-print on the iconic Barbie pink coloured background, available in sizes four to 24 from May. “We are thrilled to be expanding the Barbie brand in Primark, strengthening our fashion heritage in partnership with the trusted high street fashion chain with this beautiful capsule collection that is perfect for fans of the brand,” Gemma Daniels, Associate Manager Consumer Products, Mattel said.

This is top class! ITV Studios Global Entertainment (ITVS GE) has launched its licensing programme for kids’ TV quiz show Top Class, which is presented by Susan Calman. Trudi Hayward, SVP Global Head of Merchandise at ITVS GE, says: “Top Class is already a wellestablished and trusted brand with a clear USP and target.” Opportunities across various categories are now available for interested licensees.

June 2018

Don’t Wissper this news Pre-school series Wissper has a new UK licensing agent in the shape of Brands with Influence. They were appointed by Studio100 Media and m4e. Season 2 will air on Channel 5’s Milkshake this autumn. Brands With Influence will initially be working with existing licensees to maximise the reach through retail. Master toy partner Simba is gearing up for a spring 2019 launch, with Bioworld (daywear), C&M Licensing (Nightwear and Underwear) and Amscam (partywear) all launching ranges in 2019. Other key categories been targeted are publishing, stationery, bags, homewares, dress up, art & craft and confectionery.

Hit girls collectables brand Smooshy Mushy — which was launched in the UK by Bandai in late 2017, has a raft of new licensees. Smooshy Mushy’s exclusive licensing and brand management agents, Evolution USA and Lisle Licensing have released the first list of Smooshy Mushy licensed products to appear at retail in North America, United Kingdom and Europe. Amongst others, the deals include an online assortment of digital collectables from BLMP Network along with games and puzzles from Spin Master and Cardinal. There is also novelty candy and confections from Radz II in Europe, and DJ Murphy has been appointed as the magazine publisher in the UK and Ireland.

Hey, Pik-Mi... Pikmi Pops, the new collectable line distributed by GP Flair is the number one new brand in the UK toys market based on March NPD, licensing agent Bulldog Licensing revealed. “For Pikmi Pops to race up to the top spot within just a few months of launch is simply astonishing,” says Bulldog Licensing Director Vicky Hill. “It underlines the huge licensing potential of a brand that already has massive appeal and awareness. Bulldog has been the home of the biggest licensing success stories to emanate from the collectables world from Gogo’s Crazy Bones to Shopkins — now Pikmi Pops looks set to join a string of hits.” Pikmi Pops have become a big hit with their target market of girls aged five to nine, who love the quirky characters and the element of surprise when they unwrap each vessel. They also love the sweet scents, which include blueberry, peppermint, bubble-gum and chocolate.

Tnp

Looks Back

Step back in time A rather personal look back through time beginning with June 2013, 2008, 1998 and 1988 by TnP Founder and MD Malcolm Naish

June 2013 •

•

Our Independent retailer is peed off with certain suppliers who are restricting his sales and prohibiting him from selling stock on third party sales websites such as Amazon and Ebay. Suppliers mostly are of the opinion that the only way to protect prices and therefore margins for both retailers and themselves is to ban the sale of said products on third party sites. Flair confirm that they will no longer be distributing Sylvanian Families and that sales are reverting to the owners Epoch who will be responsible for all UK distribution — Graham Brennan is appointed UK MD.

•

Hasbro head the TV expenditure chart on just over £1m for the month of May. This is £800,000 more than their closest rival.

•

Another rousing subject is that of gender categorisation. To me an extremely boring subject that regularly crops up every few years and gets a few of us in a bit of a tiswas. Duncan Grant of The Entertainer tells us that they have stopped categorising toys by gender along with a number of other High Street Majors. I believe that many customers enter a store with a specific child in mind and that they prefer to see a gender-specific layout as this speeds their toy selection. It all helps to keep the toy trade turning!

June 2008 • The BTHA are considering moving toy fair dates to a Tuesday to Friday and have asked their members for opinion. Roger Dyson takes over the chairmanship of the BTHA — an appointment that time has shown to be a most wise decision. • Hornby post impressive figures. Turnover up 19 per cent to £55.7m with pre-tax profits up by 17 per cent to £9m. • AIS launch Play-room as the name for their new toy division with Miles Penhallow joining from Youngsters to head up this. AIS is still attracting members after 10 years of constant growth. • Another industry stalwart passes away — Geoff Dell. Best known for his days with Matchbox when they only needed three reps to cover the UK and more or less having to decide which wholesalers got their deliveries. Oh for the good old days!

June 1998 •

The Entertainer opens its 15th store in Wolverhampton.

•

World Cup footy has kicked off and I visit Marseille for England’s match with Tunisia compliments of Mondo and Philip Harrison.

•

A well known toy man passes away — Alan Davison, one of the pioneers of the early buying groups with Snowfold and latterly joining the board of Toymaster when they formed.

•

Who remembers Garth Drinkwater who died 20 years ago? A towering figure at Airfix for many years as MD and latterly forming the first dedicated toy recruitment company — Repsearch. What a character!

•

Premier Link and Lion confirm their merger making them the largest non-food buying group with a combined turnover of £120m.

•

Smoby buy Spanish company Pico to the delight of their UK MD Malcolm Evans. He really needed yet another product range of dolls prams and pushchairs!

•

Stuart Marcus’s KSG are in the process of building a new 45,000sqft. Extension in Swaffham proving how well the company are progressing.

•

In the ‘90s, fireworks were big business with plenty of British trade marks, so the fact that Cosmic Fireworks had purchased Astra was big news back in 1998. Who can name many firework brands today?

June 1988 •

Woolies announce that they have purchased the ‘Chad Valley’ brand name from United Overseas Group.

•

Another industry stalwart retires. Con Conrad put 47 years of hard graft into building up Merit Toys. The company was eventually bought by Bluebird Toys under Torquil Norman’s leadership and as a brilliant party organiser Sir Torquil put on a brilliant lunch to mark Con’s retirement.

•

Coleco go into Chapter 11 in America. UK and European director Graham Benison tells us that this should not affect the UK sales and distribution. Their big product for 1988 was Cabbage Patch Dolls.

•

Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder visit Hamleys and buy a number of Bendy Toy’s Rock Heads to take home with them. Not sure what Stevie saw in all of this?

• Tomy celebrate their 25th year of UK business. • Some of the brands being advertised ten years ago were Mood Sand from Spin Master, ClayMaker from Character, Bionicle from LEGO, Indiana Jones from Brainstorm, Maxit Girl from Inspiration Works, Girl Tech from Radica/ Mattel and Guitar Rock Star from Tomy.

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