15 minute read
Trends Column - the U.S. Toy Association shares outdoor toy and game picks for 2021
Monopoly teams up with Capital FM
Capital FM joined forces with Hasbro last month for a Monopoly-themed breakfast show challenge centred on the board game’s Community Chest. The initiative was in aid of Global’s Make Some Noise: a national charity that works to improve the lives of disadvantaged people. Announced live on 14 May by Capital Breakfast presenter Roman Kemp, Roman’s Monopoly Mission saw Monopoly ‘open up’ its Community Chest to give back to communities most in need across the UK.
Roman took on five daily Monopoly-themed challenges at iconic London locations alongside his co-hosts Sian Welby and Sonny Jay, and with every successfully completed task, he received a key. On the final day, he collected a master key from Mr Monopoly himself to unlock Monopoly’s Community Chest and Mr Monopoly himself to unlock Monopoly’s Community Chest and secure £100,000 for Global’s Make Some Noise. secure £100,000 for Global’s Make Some Noise.
Anne Leonhardi, marketing director North Anne Leonhardi, marketing director North Europe of Hasbro, said: “Global’s Make Some Europe of Hasbro, said: “Global’s Make Some Noise is an incredible charity that delivers Noise is an incredible charity that delivers much-needed support, awareness and funds much-needed support, awareness and funds to aid the wellbeing of communities up and to aid the wellbeing of communities up and down the UK. We hope that in an inevitable down the UK. We hope that in an inevitable year of change, through the opening of the Community Chest, we can help give back and support those individuals and communities in need.”
Mattel UK gets gold
Mattel UK has joined the IAB [Interactive Advertising Bureau] UK’s alliance of Gold Standard advertiser supporters. The industry body actively raises standards within digital media buying with the Gold Standard. The initiative certifi es companies selling digital media, if they meet set criteria around improving the digital advertising experience, helping compliance with the GDPR and ePrivacy law, tackling ad fraud and upholding brand safety. A cohort of advertisers, including Mattel UK, pledge to only use Gold Standard certifi ed companies wherever possible and therefore commit to driving change around key issues that concern brands.
Baby Show online for trade
Consumer fair The Baby Show Live has introduced a trade day for its online event this year.
The trade showcase will offer retailers a special preview on Thursday 17 June between 9am and 5pm before the event opens to the public on 18 June.
The online event will include trend reports and industry insights from Trend Bible and MadeForMums, as well as demonstrations from brands showcasing their latest launches.
Register at www.thebabyshow.co.uk.
TRENDS: OUTDOOR TOY AND GAME PICKS FOR 2021
One of the top trends identifi ed by The U.S. Toy Association for 2021 is ‘Rediscovering Play’, which offers developmental benefi ts for kids - and lots of fun, says senior communications specialist Kristin Morency Goldman
Carving out time to get up, move, and play throughout the day is so crucial for children (and adults) who spend a lot of time sitting in front of screens. Playing outdoors adds another layer of benefi ts: when kids are outside, they are improving their health and developing important developmental skills, whether they are climbing trees, playing a game
Toy sales for 2020 refl ected “
”
of catch, digging for worms, or simply enjoying the sights and sounds of nature.
One of this year’s top toy and play trends identifi ed by The U.S. Toy Association is ‘Rediscovering Play’, which includes outdoor toys and games for all ages. According to The NPD Group, toy sales for 2020 refl ected the growing trend with categories such as sports toys and summer seasonal toys showing strong gains of 31% and 24% respectively.
Even as daily life returns to normal for most families, we expect children and parents to continue turning to outdoor play as a diversion and stress reliever, having experienced fi rst-hand how benefi cial it can be.
Whether encouraging kids to explore nature or get up and move, outdoor toys often enable kids to engage in unstructured play, giving them a chance to develop skills they will carry into adulthood. Here are fi ve examples:
Founded in 1916, The U.S. Toy Association is a not-for-profi t trade association representing businesses involved in creating and delivering toys and youth entertainment products for kids of all ages. The U.S. toy industry has an annual U.S. economic impact of $97.2 billion and its 1,000plus members drive the annual $27 billion U.S. domestic toy market. The Association serves as the industry’s voice on the developmental benefi ts of play and promotes play’s positive impact on childhood development to consumers and the media. It has a long history of leadership in toy safety, having helped develop the fi rst comprehensive toy safety standard more than 40 years ago, and remains committed to working with medical experts, government, consumers, and industry on programmes to ensure safe and fun play. The organisation produces the world-renowned Toy Fair New York and Toy Fair Dallas; advocates on behalf of members around the world; sustains the Canadian Toy Association; acts as secretariat for the International Council of Toy Industries and International Toy Industry CEO Roundtable; and chairs the committee that reviews and revises America’s widely emulated ASTM F963 toy safety standard.
Gibsons donates £50K to chosen charities
Gibsons has given £50,000 to charitable causes. The donation follows a successful trading year for Gibsons - in 2020, its jigsaw sales soared by 59%.
The charitable donation will be shared across eight organisations, representing a variety of causes aligned to the company’s CSR strategy and close to the hearts of the Gibsons’ team.
The charities are Alzheimer’s Society, Friends of the Earth, Jigsaw4U, Macmillan Cancer Support, Samaritans (Croydon and Sutton branch), Small Steps, The Toy Project and YoungMinds.
Kate Gibson, managing director at Gibsons said: “We’ve pledged to grow our fundraising year on year, through a range of initiatives, such as donating £2 to Samaritans for every Rainbow Heroes puzzle sold.’’
Commenting on receiving their donations from Gibsons: Adam Scott, corporate partnerships manager, Friends of the Earth: “A massive thank you to everyone at Gibsons for this incredible £10,000 donation. It is also great to see Gibsons taking responsibility for minimising its own impacts via its Green Game Plan.’’
Jane Garfi eld, charity director of The Toy Project, added: “The support we’ve had in getting our Play Room up and running has been more than we could have ever dreamed of. With Gibsons donating £4,000 we have covered running costs for another three months on top of the 11 months already sponsored.’’ Na! Na! Na! Surprise is continuing its partnership with celebrity mum and star of ITVBe’s The Mummy Diaries, Billie Faiers, following last year’s social media success.
As brand ambassadors, Billie and daughter Nelly have been promoting the expanding range of collectables and playsets from Na! Na! Na! Surprise, with the brand seeing an increase of more than 3,500 followers to its UK Instagram account.
Now, the brand is focused on its latest playset launch, the Na! Na! Na! Surprise Soft Plush Convertible Car, with a glam photoshoot starring Billie and Nelly. The pair posed with a lifesize version of the car, complete with stand-out pink bodywork, creating a series of fun images shared across Billie’s and the brand’s social accounts.
Continuing the partnership in 2021, Billie has supported Na! Na! Na! Surprise in launching the Teens series of larger 28cm fashion dolls. In addition, the new 2-in-1 Fashion Doll & Pom Sparkle Series was supported with a ‘Flip The Switch’ themed challenge to highlight the sequin additions, and reach a new audience via TikTok.
Redo San Diego Long Board (JAKKS Pacifi c): With extensive engineering and research, Redo Skateboard Co. has carefully crafted boards that offer ease, trick capability, and balance.
Vikings of the Northern Lights (Starlux Games): It’s Vikings vs. Ice Dragons as players compete in this game that’s part freeze tag, part team sport. It can be used for the game as designed, or as a dress-up accessory.
Wicked Big Sports Tipping Point: A dynamic new way to play cornhole. Each Tipping Point board pivots on a centre beam so while you play, the board can tip towards you or your opponent, and there is a hole on either side. It comes with grip dot bean bags that ‘stick’ to the board’s surface, folds easily for storage and has a handle.
ICE BALL (KESS): A bounce ball fi lled with liquid glitter. As it bounces, the liquid colour fi lling fl ows in patterns for a fun shine effect. It’s available in six sparkling colours: green, teal, pink, gold, blue and purple.
Returning Boomerang Plane (MukiKIM): Flies up to 10ft in a 360-degree returning fl ight range. Simply tune the Styrofoam structure as instructed and slide in the wings. It loops in any direction and always comes back. Included are detailed tuning instructions to dial in your fl ights.
DKB signs up with Uncanny Brands
DKB Toys & Distribution has announced an exclusive UK distribution deal with homewares company Uncanny Brands.
Best known for pop culture small appliances, Uncanny Brands’ lines include themed kitchen accessories ranging from popcorn makers and toasters to salt and pepper grinders and hand blenders, all designed around iconic licensed characters from Star Wars, Marvel and Pokémon, among others. Tonies has gifted Toniebox storytelling audio devices to the Life-changing Libraries project launched by ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ author Cressida Cowell.
Waterstones Children’s Laureate Cressida Cowell’s project is set to showcase the transformative impact a wellresourced primary school library has on a child’s opportunities in life, alongside the vast inequality currently facing children across England.
Over the course of a year, six primary schools across England – all of which have at least 25% of pupils eligible for free school meals – will be helped to develop a reading for pleasure culture, with the support of BookTrust.
Each school will have a dedicated library space created by BookTrust and the sponsors of the campaign, which will be stocked with Tonieboxes and 1,000 titles, selected by BookTrust and donated by publishers.
The Tonieboxes will allow children in the six schools taking part in ‘Life-changing Libraries’ to enjoy some of the nation’s favourite stories, such as Elmer and Peter Rabbit, in audio.
Brands to get untapped in New York
The U.S. Toy Association, producer of Toy Fair New York, and Mojo Nation has announced a new partnership to showcase multiple creative collaborations between toy companies and high-profile partners spanning the apparel, food & drink, hospitality, live event, video game, film & TV, and publishing industries.
The Brands Untapped space will feature at Toy Fair New York, taking place from 19-22 February 2022.
The experience-rich, curated area will be designed to showcase toy and game brand extensions, product ranges, and licensed interactions. An accompanying Brands Untapped conference will host talks and panels delving into the design stories behind the extensions of iconic toy brands into categories such as footwear, video games, and even hotel suites. “The excitement is mounting for Toy Fair New York ’22, as we continue to build out our slate of engaging activities at the show and unveil unique business and educational opportunities for the global play community,” said Marian Bossard, executive vice president of global market events at The Toy Association. “Our partnership with Mojo Nation to bring ‘Brands Untapped’ to the show floor is the culmination of months of planning as we aim to position Toy Fair New York for future expansion. We expect it to solidify Toy Fair New York’s position as the place to scout the hottest trends in toys, play, and licensing.”
LadBaby drives Little Tikes video
Little Tikes has partnered with social media infl uencer LadBaby to create a special one-off video that celebrates its red and yellow car: the Cozy Coupe.
The viral video, which aired over the May Bank Holiday weekend, follows regular Cozy Coupe appearances in a selection of the YouTuber’s most famous videos - including one viral video that saw LadBaby Mark Hoyle take his boy through a makeshift drive-through in the toy car.
The latest video features Mark surprising his wife Roxanne with a giant custom-made Cozy Coupe, after telling her there is a brand-new car waiting for her in the garage. This was shared across LadBaby’s Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube channels, and to date has received over 3m views.
Wow! Stuff bags £4.5m funding
Toy innovator and distributor Wow! Stuff has secured £4.5m funding to help support its ongoing growth.
The Wolverhamptonheadquartered business, which has offices in LA and Hong Kong, was looking for funding to assist its growth in the European market.
The additional funding from Independent Growth Finance will allow the business to expand its branded range on a commercialled timeline throughout the pandemic and beyond.
Did you know?
Founded in 2006, Wow! Stuff’s original bestseller was a comical yet practical bathroom towel, which featured in television, fi lm and Sydney’s Museum of Contemporary Art
Hey, little spender!
Pocket money app RoosterMoney has released the findings of its survey of 50,000 four- to 14-year-olds, which reveal how kids’ money habits have changed over lockdown.
The Pocket Money Index shows that children are earning 40% more than prelockdown: £7.20 a week against £5.15 last year (Q1 2021 vs Q1 2020). The increase has come from kids embracing their entrepreneurial spirit by doing extra chores - and over 14% are topping up their income by selling items online such as old toys and clothes (vs 2% in Q1 2020).
Digital games such as Roblox and Fortnite top the list of pocket money purchases, while books, magazines and sweets have seen a drop over the past year. The move online is also reflected in where kids are spending: seven of the top 10 stores are now online, against four pre-lockdown, with Amazon holding the top spot.
Meanwhile, kids’ saving rates have risen from 32% to 48%.
Last year Posh Paws partnered with NHS Charities Together to design and produce a range of NHS ‘Thank You’ Bears that play a cheering and clapping sound when you press their tummies, with a percentage of the sale of each bear going directly to the charity.
So far, Posh Paws and its parent company Whitehouse Leisure have raised over £10,000 for NHS Charities Together through the sale of the NHS Bears and they want to keep the momentum going and continue to raise funds for the charity, with the help of their customers.
Posh Paws said: “Your support by ordering the ‘Thank You’ Bears doesn’t just help NHS staff, but it also directly reaches patients, local communities and hundreds of other vital NHS projects covering the length and breadth of the UK, ensuring that support and funding reaches those who most need it.
“The response we’ve had from customers and consumers during lockdown for the ‘Thank You’ Bears was fantastic, and we aim to continue our efforts in raising more donations for the NHS Charities Together this year with your support.’’
Sign up now for Toy Trust fundraising event
The Toy Trust is looking to recruit as many people as possible to take part in its new fundraising initiative.
Starting at 9am on Friday 11 June, Around the World in 80 Hours invites the toy industry to participate in an attempt to circumnavigate the globe in 80 hours (which amounts to 40,075km).
Participants can complete distances by a mix of disciplines over the 80-hour period and can use their creativity by wearing fancy dress or choosing unusual means of transport (no motors allowed) such as tandem bike or horseback. Traditional methods such as walking, running, cycling and swimming are also encouraged.
Companies already signed up to take part include VTech, The Entertainer, Hasbro, Mattel, John Adams, Generation Media, Jazwares, Rainbow Designs, Playmobil and NPD Europe.
The event, which will be hosted on exercise tracking app Strava and is free of charge to join, is in support of two UK-based charities: myAFK and Handclapped Children’s Action Group (HCAG). Funds raised will be used to buy bespoke mobility equipment for kids and young people. For more details, email Matt Jones at Matt@btha.co.uk or go to www.toytrust. co.uk/around-theworld-in-80-hours/. You can also set up a fundraising page at virginmoneygiving.com/fund/ aroundtheworldin80hours.
Robin Hood game targeted for award
The Adventures of Robin Hood, published by Kosmos Games, has been shortlisted for the prestigious Spiel des Jahres title. “Michael Menzel, the game designer who created the award-winning Legends of Andor series, has brought this enchanting medieval story to life and we cannot wait for it to arrive in our warehouse at the beginning of August,’’ said sales director Jo Drage.
The winners are due to be announced in a ceremony in Berlin on 19 July.
Obituary: Michael Loveland
Toys ‘n’ Playthings was sad to hear of the passing of Michael Loveland.
Michael played a key role in the formation of the UK operation of Bandai in 1982 when tasked by the Japanese parent company to establish a subsidary in the UK. He was part of the team that brought Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to the UK and Europe.
Michael also served as an active board member for both the BTHA and the Toy Industries of Europe.
Roland Earl, director general of the BTHA, said: “Michael was a very popular and infl uential Council member of the BTHA. His thoughts on, and assessments of, issues were always insightful and he was hugely respected. On a personal note I learned a very great deal from Michael about all sides of the toy sector, which he so loved.
“Michael was always helpful and generous with his time to me and always looked forwards not backwards. I am hugely privileged to have known and spent time with him and treasure my memories of Michael.
“Our thoughts are with his family, former colleagues and friends across the world at this time.’’
