Toys n Playthings May 2023

At the heart of retail

LEADER

For people of a certain age, such as myself, we can remember the glory days of the 1970s and 80s, when the arrival of toy advertising on the commercial channel – just one (as my kids often struggle to believe given the current proliferation) – would herald the arrival of Christmas.

It was a genuinely exciting time, as Ideal and Fisher-Price queued up on ITV to show off their wares and excitement began to build. As with many of my age, I can still liberally quote from these TV spots, long after trigonometry, Oxbow lakes and Shakespeare quotes have disappeared from my memory.

It was as sure a signifier of the impending festive season as any you could find, and as much a tradition as mince pies and carol singing.

As a parent in more recent times, it appeared to be more of a year-round offering as the proliferation of channels meant there were plenty of ad spots to fill. But even then, you could sense the increasing excitement of my children as the nights drew in and more and more toys were being pushed in their faces.

Again, I got to know the ads intimately thanks to repeat ads (and my kids’ plentiful hours spent watching TV programmes and channel-hopping),

Nowadays – well, it’s a while since I’ve watched any children’s TV (one of the saddest things about my boys growing up has been them losing interest in linear TV and animated fare), but there’s some fascinating words from Insights Family’s Nick Richardson in this ssue of TnP in which he suggests that 2023 might be the last big

Tim Murray

year for TV advertising in traditional terms.

I can see his point – my kids, although older now - barely watch terrestrial television (football aside) and are prime targets for YouTube advertising. Some time last year

I spent a weekend watching YouTube with my then 14-year-old and was amazed by the amount of ads he had to plough through. This is where the action is at for younger people.

It’s taken a while to reach this point, as the death of traditional TV (and, with it, traditional TV advertising) has been predicted by analysts and experts for some time. It won’t die off all together, as Richardson notes in these pages, it still has a place and if you want to go wide, then it is essential. I’m sure supermarkets will be using toys as part of their Christmas line-up come Q4.

What Richardson further highlights is how, with many kids moving over to streaming, and the dominance of Netflix, the move from companies such as Spin Master, among others, to make their own programming to put onto streaming channels makes perfect sense.

It’s interesting to note that that move comes as the grandaddy of all toy-toTV franchises, one that saw a TV series created just to sell toys - Transformers - is set to return to big screens further down the line in its original animated form.

We look at both the future of TV advertising, in Nick Richardson’s column, as well as Transformers the animated movie and more, in the current packed issue of TnP.

Alongside, we have our retail columnist John Ryan looking at what HMV’s return to physical stores means for retail generally, as well as big features on video game licensing - another hot topic following the huge success of the Super Mario Bros. movie - arts and crafts, and our Toymaster preview.

Talking of Toymaster, we’ll be up at the show, looking forward to seeing you there and if you spot us, please come and say hello…

Also by Lema Publishing

In his column, Insights Family’s Nick Richardson suggests that 2023 may be the last big year for TV advertising in traditional terms

18,000

the distance, in kilometres, that Character Options staffers were aiming to walk in May as a fundraising challenge for the Toy Trust’s May Mayhem challenge. It equates to more than 25 million steps. As well as raising cash for the initiative, monies will also go to The Fence Club. The walking challenge is the company’s biggest and most inclusive operation to date, spanning all its five offices, Hong Kong, China, Scandinavia, Oldham and New Malden.

Jon Elliott, head of research and development, Character Options, commented: “Fundraising for the Toy Trust and The Fence Club is something we look forward to every year. These activities provide us with fun opportunities to rally together as a team, but most importantly they help raise money for very special and worthwhile causes. We know that in our small way, we

can make a big difference to the disadvantaged and disabled children and their families, who are supported by these organisations.

“Our previous fundraisers have included building rafts in Berkshire, cycling to the top and bottom of the UK, and climbing the UK’s three highest peaks. But this year it’s going to be mega! We wanted everyone to get involved. We’re empowering the whole team to take to pavements, parks, trails, and treadmills to clock up the steps together. By tackling it as a team and all contributing it should be a walk in the park!”

The month in numbers

Some of the past month’s news highlights as offered up by the Toys n Playthings newsflash and more. To sign up for daily bulletins, go to www.toysnplaythings.media

69.4

the percentage rise in entertainment revenue at Spin Master in the first quarter of 2023. This partially offset declines in toy and gaming revenue.

“Our first quarter performance was ahead of expectations and reflects encouraging entertainment and digital games performance. We saw continued pressure from excess toy inventory at retail and retailer caution, alongside the return of historical seasonality for Toy Gross Product Sales,” said Max Rangel, Spin Master’s global president & CEO. “As we continue to navigate the fluid environment, we remain confident in our strategy to reimagine everyday play, leveraging the power of our three creative centres to capture market share, deliver profitable growth and create long-term shareholder value.

“In 2023, we will bring breakthrough innovation to the toy aisle, alongside impressive launches within our core and licensed brand portfolios. Our investment in the creation of multi-platform content will be fully realized with the release of our most diverse entertainment slate to date, including the highly anticipated second Paw Patrol theatrical release and two new original series, which are expected to drive new licensing and merchandising opportunities. Finally, we will continue to expand our digital games ecosystem with several new digital games and gaming experiences designed to broaden our audience base, attracting kids of all ages and spawning new fans and player communities. Given our financial framework for value creation, the power of our three creative centres and our strong financial position, we are well-positioned to execute against our strategy, investing in innovation, geographic expansion and acquisitions to drive long-term profitable growth and maximize shareholder value.”

the number of play ideas for children aged three and above featured in the Emotional Wellness Playbook created by the Genius of Play, the US Toy Association’s international non-profit initiative. The ideas cover the five key components of emotional intelligence – emotional self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills – needed to help parents raise healthy and happy children through play.

“Research has shown that children with a high emotional intelligence earn better grades, stay in school longer, and make healthier choices overall,” said Anna Yudina, senior director of marketing initiatives at The Toy Association. “Play is one of the best ways to teach kids about just about anything, and boosting their emotional skills is no exception. From promoting relaxation to encouraging positive emotions, we invite families to use this guide to help children’s little hearts grow bigger and stronger and build the foundation for a healthy adulthood.”

31.4 million

the gross profit in dollars of Jakks Pacific in the first quarter of 2023. The figures were up on the previous year and represented the first time the company had enjoyed sales of more than $100 million in two consecutive first quarters since 2008-09.

“We are pleased with our year-to-date performance as we close the first quarter,” said Stephen Berman, JAKKS Pacific Inc.’s chairman and CEO, “and are excited about the possibilities for the remainder of the year. We shipped over $100 million worth of product in Q1 for the second consecutive year and it is the first time we’ve done that in back-to-back years since 2009. We have challenging revenue comparisons all year, but our significant gross margin improvement lessened the impact in the first quarter. Our Q1 gross profit dollars haven’t been this high since 2015. We managed inventory down further and eliminated most of our temporary warehouse capacity. And, as we previously disclosed, earlier in the quarter we paid down our long-term debt to less than $30 million.

“Our Q1 International business grew, with Toys/Consumer Products increasing 7% to $20.0 million and Costumes increasing 64% to $3.0 million, with Latin American being particularly strong. On a global basis, our Action Play and Collectible business was up 19% or $6.1 million which helped compensate for a decline in our Dolls, Role Play business which was down 23%, or $14.2 million.’’

Viva Las Vegas

Last year’s Licensing Expo showed the hunger for an in-person event, with attendance up on pre-pandemic features. With this year’s show looming large, Anna Knight , SVP of licensing at Informa Markets looks ahead to what’s on offer…

Rsoaring. Packed keynote sessions. A busy show floor throughout. Thousands of meetings.

The 2022 Licensing Expo really did show just how much people missed trade shows and conventions during the pandemic years.

And this year’s show will, organisers say, be an even bigger and better event too, capitalising not just on the learnings made during the Covid years, but also looking at what people did and didn’t like when they returned to Las Vegas.

“Last year’s Expo was an exceptional return to the show floor,” said Informa Markets’ SVP of licensing Anna Knight in an exclusive interview with TnP ahead of the return to Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas from June 11-13. “Licensing professionals were hungry for faceto-face connection and collaboration and the energy and enthusiasm of the industry was felt on the show floor and in the packed keynote sessions.

“The number of retailers in attendance rose more than 40% from the 2019 event, marking record growth for Licensing Expo. Over 5,000 meetings were

“ ”

a long-awaited return to in-person conventions.”

While retailer numbers were up, the overall figures were, due to the fact some post-Covid regulations were still in place and not everyone in the world was free to travel, Knight said that it was also the quality, not necessarily the quantity that excelled too.

“Last year was the first in-person Licensing Expo since Covid and there were still restrictions in place, so attendance was not yet back to pre-pandemic figures, but exhibitors unequivocally heralded the quality of the visitors who were onsite, including their seniority and the percentage of retailers, as well as their desire to make meaningful connections and propel business opportunities at the show.

“We’re seeing this trend continue for 2023 with all major international retailers already signed up.”

The fallow years had given organisers the chance to rethink the show, taking the plunge with creating a

it’s being extended to the UK’s Brand Licensing Expo in the autumn as well as returning to Vegas this year.

As Knight noted: “It was also the first ever themed Expo and the LBE (location-based experiences) spotlight was amazing, with brands really getting behind the theme. Hasbro created an entire LBE-themed stand based on iconic toy brands: My Little Pony & Transformers Hotel Collection, Shanghai – the first themed hotel of its kind; Monopoly Life-sized and Top Hat Restaurant & Bar, London – brilliantly immersive and engaging themed world for visitors; and Nerf Challenge, North America – the ultimate Nerf playground, which toured North America in 2022.”

The feedback received on the event showed just how important the in-person experience was too. As Knight explained: “The feedback we received after last year’s Expo was extremely positive as attendees and exhibitors were thrilled to be back in Las Vegas, and excited to see the effort we had put into making their experience more efficient and effective. Licensing is a very tactile business, so

Expo is always a great platform for growth and connection, and new categories brought new perspectives and energy from both returning and first-time exhibitors

Anna Knight, SVP of licensing at Informa Markets

while people really appreciated the virtual offering for connection, they really craved being back in-person.

“Expo is always a great platform for growth and connection, and new categories brought new perspectives and energy from both returning and firsttime exhibitors. Booths were packed and attendees came away from the event with new business connections, relationships built with colleagues in the industry, new ideas and inspiration for future collaborations and partnerships. The education sessions also drew thousands of guests, and the feedback we received stated that the sessions were both timely and relevant to industry trends, including sustainability and the future of licensing, which has helped shape our programme this year.”

The feedback from delegates has enabled organisers to concentrate on what everyone feels are the key elements of a successful trade show: “We have really focused on how we can make their experience better, and that includes opportunities to make connections and discover brands pre-show, as well as focusing on industry trends that are important to them.

Sustainability was a big topic last year, and so this year we have continued that focus with a partnership with Products of Change to highlight sustainable material innovation. We continue to listen to our audience to provide them with the most beneficial networking opportunities like discussions with industry experts, expanded categories, an expanded education programme and more offerings to facilitate the attendee experience as well as provide guidance for first-time attendees.

“Everything we do is a result of our community’s feedback, and in service of maximising their experience.”

The customer experience has become even more crucial for organisers since the pandemic struck, with everything revolving around making it even more simple and stress-free for attendees. “I think there is a desire to make things as easy as possible,” explained Knight, “and so customer experience is a top priority

for us. We have an online platform, which is a resource centre that really allows our guests to make the most of their time. On the platform, you can navigate the show in advance and better prepare for your visit, including discovering which brands you can meet, who will be coming from each brand, schedule meetings with the right people at the right time in the platform, and learn about the education sessions you would like to attend, so you can maximise your time onsite.”

Given that last year’s ongoing concerns over the ongoing threat and restrictions meant virtual meetings took place – more than 6,000 over three days – there is a further focus on making in-person meetings happen swiftly and simply for those going to Vegas. “Now that Covid restrictions have lifted and the entire industry can collaborate in person, there is a unanimous feeling that networking face-to-face has never been more important,” said Knight. “So we are focused on making that experience the best it can be, supported by a robust online offering that enhances the attendee and exhibitor experience onsite, instead of replacing or supplementing it. “

This year’s overall theme will be fashion, aimed at educating the licensing industry and about its increasing importance. Knight said:

“After the successful launch last year of introducing the overall theme to the event, bringing the fashion theme to this year’s expo will not only educate the licensing industry on the impact that fashion licensing has, but also provide the resources for connection and growth in the retail and fashion licensing space, which is so critical.

“The fashion spotlight is obviously new this year, including the Sam Edelman keynote. Licensing and fashion are so closely connected, and we are excited to explore that. We’ve got the Fashion Showrooms, too, with 16 beautifully designed showrooms where selected brands will show off

truly unique and innovative licensing opportunities. The showrooms are really diverse, and the depth and range will really surprise and delight.”

There are other newer elements on show too, as Knight outlined: “The round table sessions, taking place from 1.30 pm-2.30 pm on Tuesday and Wednesday are new, and will let visitors meet experts in many different areas of Licensing. The timetable is on the website and visitors can book tickets through registration—that is going to be a can’tmiss opportunity this year.

“We are introducing new orientation sessions and show tours, which we introduced at Brand Licensing Europe last year, and were a big hit with new attendees. Licensing Expo is huge, and it can be an overwhelming experience, and we got tremendous feedback at BLE on these orientation sessions. On the first and second day, orientation sessions

the show tours from 1130am1200pm. Just meet us at

and other overseas

“To help with rising flight and hotel costs,

with a really proactive hotel partner who can help secure the best deals. You can find details on www.licensingexpo. com.”

So, to sum up, why, TnP asked, should delegates from the UK be attending?

“This is the first truly international, in-person Expo since 2019 thanks to Covid and travel restrictions in Asia being lifted,” concluded Anna Knight. “We have companies exhibiting from over 20 countries originating from Europe, North America, South America and now Asia, including South Korea, Japan, China and Taiwan. There are thousands upon thousands of IPs for British retailers, manufacturers and designers to see and potentially partner with to extend their business beyond the UK and Europe to reach territories all over the world.

“So, get your meetings booked in for showtime. And buy your tickets to the Licensing Awards - Monday 12 June at the HyperX Arena at Las Vegas at The Luxor – and the Opening Night Party tickets – 6 pm-10 pm on Tuesday 13 June at Daylight – for some brilliant out of hours networking.”

Everything we do is a result of our community’s feedback, and in service of maximising their experience

Anna Knight, SVP of licensing at Informa Markets

Spielwarenmesse brings PressPreview in show

The PressPreview day at Spielwarenmesse is to be incorporated into the show itself after the announcement of new dates for the 2024 show.

Organisers have said the day will be brought “right to the heart of proceedings at Spielwarenmesse” after unveiling that next year’s show will take place from Tuesday January 30 to Saturday February 3. The PressPreview day, which gave exhibitors the chance to show off their product to international media had traditionally taken place on the Tuesday before the event officially opened.

In a statement, organisers noted: “Exhibitors will now be able to use the first day of the fair for press initiatives directly at their own stands, and to make use of testimonials, that effectively attract

media attention. These activities will be registered in advance so that the press department can provide journalists with a clear schedule of events. The schedule will be published at the Main Press Conference on the Thursday before the Spielwarenmesse.”

The ToyAward, which was announced at the PressPreview earlier this year, is also being integrated into the event. Organisers added: “This will allow not only media representatives and content creators but also trade fair visitors to experience the exciting awards ceremony live. An entertaining Trend Report will also be produced to help guide the media through the innovation jungle. More information on the new press events will follow later in the year.”

Tech Deck gets on board for skaters

Fingerboarding brand Tech Deck has shown its support for the wider skateboarding community in the UK by sponsoring the UK national championships.

The Spin Master-owned brand backed the 2023 Skateboard GB National Park Championships in Hemel Hempstead for the fifth year running as skateboarding continues to grow in the UK following the Olympic success for Team GB in Tokyo.

“Tech Deck shares a passion for and commitment to growing and celebrating the sport and culture of skateboarding,” said Richard Dickson, general manager, Spin Master UK & ROI. “Tech Deck offers a range of expertly designed fingerboards, ramps and playsets that provide kids and adult fans with a unique skateboarding outlet to practise their skills. We are pleased to be sponsoring the Skateboard GB National Championships, bringing the fun and excitement of the competition home.”

Tom Adams, head of commercial partnerships said “Spin Master has supported the Skateboard GB National Championships for the last four years, and we are delighted to be working with them again for 2023’s Park competition. Tech Deck is such an iconic brand and is synonymous with skateboarding. From early conversations, it was clear Spin Master recognised the value of aligning the Tech Deck brand to the National Championships, as the reach and profile of the competitions continue to grow, and the broadcasts are so widely watched. We are very thankful for their support and look forward to another successful competition with Tech Deck branding featuring in key locations.”

The Genius of Play launches

‘Emotional Wellness Playbook’

Win for Floss

Blackpool-based independent toy company Floss & Rock – named after two of the town’s key products – has earned a King’s Award for Enterprise.

The company, based in Lancashire and employing 19 people, has been recognised for its excellence in international trade.

It was formed by husband-and-wife team Tim Hislop and Gill Stratton and makes unique gifts and toys for children aged primarily between the ages of two and 10.

Co-founders Tim and Gill say, “We are hugely honoured to receive The King’s Award for Enterprise for International Trade. We have loved growing our business internationally and working with such amazing distributors and customers directly all over the world. We still have so much more to do and will continue to grow and develop new lines each season.”

Floss & Rock has earned the right to use the award accreditation for the next five years.

From exploring emotions through games to practising empathy, the new ‘Emotional Wellness Playbook’ from The Genius of Play, The Toy Association’s international non-profit initiative dedicated to helping parents raise healthy and happy children through play, offers a curated collection of play-based activities that teach children how to express their feelings in healthy ways while having fun.

Developed in partnership with recognised mental health expert, Starr Therapy founder and certified holistic health coach, Talia Filippelli, The Genius of Play’s new resource for parents and educators is launching just in time for Mental Health Awareness Month this May, when mental health advocates will be sparking conversations about reducing the stigma around mental health. The digital playbook features 12 play ideas for children aged threeplus that effectively tackle the five key components of emotional intelligence: emotional self-awareness, selfregulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills.

BTHA BRIEFING Back on Board

The Board Game Club returned to central London for its monthly residency with more than 60 gaming enthusiasts turning up to the venue.

Both former regulars as well as newbies were in attendance to sample and enjoy some of the best of tabletop gaming, with, among others, radio DJ and presenter Matt Edmondson, who was interviewed in the January issue of TnP, in attendance

to show off some of the games he had developed.

Funko was one of those in attendance, showing off its Read Window game – quite clearly a hit when TnP was at the event in the early part of the evening – as well as its recently revived Cranium and Ted Lasso games. Others showing off their wares included The Happy Puzzle Company with Decypher, Exploding Kittens with Hand To Hand Wombat and Cheatwell Games with Zensu. Companies making their first appearance included Bubblegum Stuff with Chunky Monkey Business and Professor Puzzle with Burger Balance.

TnP had a go on Cranium and milled around what has the makings of being a popular return for the event. Next date is Tuesday June 6, Tickets from www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/boardgame-club-at-century-clubtickets-629988732257

Magic boost

Marvin’s Magic hit the headlines in the first episode of Britain’s Got Talent as 13-yearold Cillian O’Connor wowed the judges and got a “yes” from all four to earn a place in the semi-finals.

Elsewhere, 25 year-old John Duffett from Redbridge beat five other finalists to win the coveted Magic Circle Close Up Magician of the Year. Duffett is a member of Hamley’s Regent Street store’s Marvin’s Magic demonstration team and credits the experience gained there as a huge factor in their win.

The announcement further noted: “Both Cillian and John had grown up with Autism and each cited magic as a positive channel for their talents helping develop their social skills and confidence.”

It’s Mayhem out there!

In its latest briefing, the BTHA looks at this month’s charitable activity…

This month is a very exciting month for the BTHA as it kickstarts ‘May Mayhem’, this year’s fundraising initiative for the Toy Trust. May Mayhem will be taking place throughout the whole month of May where as many members from the toy industry as possible are encouraged to raise money in any way they can for this year’s main Toy Trust beneficiary, Whizz-Kidz.

Whizz-Kidz brings mobility to children around the UK. It is the UK’s leading charity for young wheelchair users, empowering young people by providing the wheelchairs, equipment, support and confidence-building experiences they need, and campaigning for a more inclusive society. The Toy Trust’s support will help bring independence and social inclusivity for many children and young people across the UK through its support.

From physical sporting challenges to bake sales, raffles or quizzes, we are encouraging as many people as possible to get involved in whatever way they wish and it’s not too late to get involved! Visit www.toytrust.co.uk/may-mayhem/ or contact Matt@btha.co.uk to see how you can participate along with the rest of the industry for this great cause.

Elsewhere applications are still open for companies wanting to exhibit at Toy Fair 2024. It’s not too late to get your application in if you would like a stand next year. Toy Fair will once again be returning to Olympia London across both the Grand and National Halls. You can apply to exhibit online at www.toyfair.co.uk.

If you would like to learn more about becoming a BTHA member, pleas contact Tracey@btha.co.uk.

New Media and Sales Manager for TnP

Toys ‘n’ Playthings is to get a new member of staff, Claire Naish, who will be the magazine’s Media and Sales Manager. The eagle-eyed among you will notice Claire shares the same surname as Mark, the magazine’s publisher. “I am delighted Claire is joining the magazine, she brings with her a wealth of experience. We have wanted her to join Lema Publishing for some time and given that she grew up with both the magazine and company gives her valuable insight,” said Mark.

Speaking of her appointment ,Claire said: “I have to say that I’m absolutely delighted to be back in the family fold at Lema. I first joined the company straight out of college back in the 1990s, working on both the editorial and sales sides under the watchful eye of founder and fantastic dad, Malcolm Naish.

I left to forge a successful and lucrative career in sales. For the past seven years I’ve been selling full fibre MPLS networks for a successful start-up (Think broadband, cyber security, telecoms…) and successfully running and building sales teams. So, the invitation to come back and sell on TNP – and other projects – was pretty much irresistible. I’m looking forward to calling and meeting friends old and new.”

Character takes on mega May Mayhem Challenge with 18,000km pledge

This May, the Character Group is aiming to walk 18,000km - the equivalent of covering the UK’s mainland coastline - to raise money for industry charities: the Toy Trust and The Fence Club.

As part of the May Mayhem Walking Challenge, this company charity fundraiser is the Character Group’s biggest, most inclusive to date. The whole workforce, across all five of its offices – Hong Kong, China, Scandinavia, Oldham and New Malden – are participating to cover the distance, which is equal to around 25.5million steps.

With so many steps to clock-up and hundreds of members of staff to coordinate, across multiple territories, the organisation of this challenge will be no small feat. But the team is

DELIVERING AUTHENTICITY IN THE TOY AISLES

already off to a flying start, with some people logging more than 25,000 steps on the first day. Be sure to keep track of the Group’s progress; weekly updates will be shared via the JustGiving pages provided below.

Jon Elliott, head of research and development, Character Options, commented: “Fundraising for the Toy Trust and The Fence Club is something we look forward to every year. These activities provide us with fun opportunities to rally together as a team, but most importantly they help raise money for very special and worthwhile causes. We know that in our small way, we can make a big difference to the disadvantaged and disabled children and their families, who are supported by these organisations.’’

It’s not too late to get involved!

May Mayhem will be taking place throughout the whole month of May and the BTHA is encouraging as many members from the toy industry as possible to get involved to raise money in any way they can for this year’s main Toy Trust beneficiary, Whizz-Kidz. You can do anything you like from physical sporting challenges to bake sales, raffles or quizzes, we are encouraging as many people as possible to get involved in whatever way they wish and it’s not too late to get involved!

See below a May Mayhem case study with Richard Sutcliffe from Goliath

What challenge are you taking on for May Mayhem as a company?

Firstly and most importantly is the cycle ride. Myself and Rory Edwards are hoping to complete a 100-mile (160km) cycle ride around the hilly west country. The ride covers three counties, 5000ft of elevation gain with a bunch of categorised climbs (over 4% gradient).

We also have another team member, Carl Minter is going to complete a 5km Run per day every day for the month so covering 155km in 31 days, this will be covered both outdoors and on a treadmill. Finally, we are going to be encouraging as many global team members to join in the 10k/day challenge. So each person will sign up and donate £10 to the trust and commit to completing 10,000 steps per day, 310,000 in total, for the month of May.

What does your company love about the Toy Trust?

The Toy Trust has always been supported by Vivid / Goliath for more years than I can remember. For a business which makes toys we really feel passionately about delivering a fun product for children to enjoy. The Toy Trust understands the fun that is deep rooted in the industry and the events and ethos of the Trust reflect that.

We see the Toy Trust Events not only as a time to support worthy charities but at the same time the events bring people from our business and the industry together with a common goal.

What inspires your company/team about our support for Whizz Kidz, our main charity partner?

Knowing such a worthy beneficiary is set to gain from the May Mayhem events really helps team members connect and want to be part of the fun. Most of us take simple things like walking, running and cycling for granted and given many of us are using “movement” as a means of fundraising it seems only fitting for Whizz Kids to benefit.

In the latest missive from across the Atlantic, Jennifer Lynch from the US Toy Association looks at more of the organisation’s recent trends report and how it believes toy companies are aiming to “Be Authentic”

The U.S. Toy Association’s 2023 “Be Authentic” trend highlights how toy companies are going the extra mile to bring authenticity to their playthings for today’s conscious consumers. This includes companies being more transparent and deliberate about how toys are manufactured (i.e. engaging in sustainable and ethical business practices) as well as those forging partnerships with experts in areas ranging from education to mental health to diversity to deliver added value and authenticity to their products.

“Especially in an economy where budgets are tighter, today’s consumers are savvier than ever about how they spend their money,” said Adrienne Appell, executive vice president of marketing communications at The Toy Association. “They are more inclined to support companies that are enacting positive change in the world and offering toys that offer deep play and educational value.”

Here is a sampling of new toys and games hitting the market that reflect this trend:

The Rubik’s Re-Cube from John Adams/Spin Master has all the same gameplay as the original puzzle toy but with an ecofriendly twist. This new version reinvents the classic 3x3 Rubik’s Cube using 100% recycled ABS plastic and packaged in 100% recycled cardboard.

Not only are PLUS-PLUS building sets sustainably manufactured in Denmark using 100-percent green energy from wind power, but its latest set invites builders to recreate Flags from Around the World and in the process learn about other cultures.

Playmobil continues to expand its Wiltopia line, its eco-friendly line made of, on average, more than 80% sustainable materials. One of its newest sets, Wiltopia: Paddling Tour with River Dolphins also helps raise awareness for endangered river dolphins by featuring the rare animals and additional audio and video content through the supporting Wiltopia web app.

Mattel consulted with a board-certified neurosurgeon and specialist in children’s complex spinal disorders when developing a new Barbie Chelsea Doll with Scoliosis to ensure the doll accurately portrays the condition.

Launching the second half of 2023 from TOMY, A Little Spot is a toy line inspired by the social-emotional learning book series of the same name, which has become a leading resource to help children visualize their emotions as “spots” to better identify and manage their big feelings. The “spot” emotions will be brought to life as plush characters in the toy line.

More information about all the top trends predicted to drive global toy sales through the holiday season can be found at ToyAssociation. org/trends.

Brand Licensing Europe unveils plans for 2023 show

Brand Licensing Europe has unveiled its dates – and plans – for the 2023 show and it’s all about location, location, location.

For the theme for the event is Location Based Experiences (LBE), aiming to chime in with current trends. The event will take place at Excel, east London, from October 4 to 6.

More than 140 exhibitors have already signed up, with names such as Paramount, Bravado, Jazwares, Capcom, Tour de France, Rights & Brands and MGA Entertainment. Pokémon and Hang 10 all set to show off their wares again, with new companies such as Spanish licence Stor, BioWorld and The Wombles all due to make their debut at the event.

The LBE to BLE experience follows a successful, similarly-themed Licensing Expo in 2022, which saw exhibitors embracing the theme and the likes of Hasbro creating an entire LBE experience at its stand. This included a ‘‘My Little Pony & Transformers Hotel Collection, Shanghai – the first themed hotel of its kind; a Monopoly Life-sized and Top Hat Restaurant & Bar, London – brilliantly immersive and engaging themed world for visitors, and Nerf Challenge, North America – the ultimate Nerf playground, which toured North America in 2022”.

Organisers say the LBE theme will be woven” into this year’s event, with keynote speeches based around it and an “LBE Pavilion: A Goliath of a stand at 400 sq m (the size of two tennis courts), the LBE Pavilion will house up to eight exhibitors showcasing super immersive and inspiring LBE content that visitors can walk through, around and interact with” as well as an LBE Stage and themed show entrances.

Registration opens in June; exhibitor and sponsorship details and opportunity inquiries should be directed to greg.mcdonald@informa.com and cassius.anderson@informa.com.

BLE event director Ella Haynes: “LBE is already a huge market (valued at $3.29 billion in 2022) and is only going to get bigger (30% growth expected by 2030) as it expands into more categories and touches more diverse audiences and the potential for brands to get involved to both drive and benefit from this growth is massive.

“Its success is partly explained by the consumer preferences of new generations - while goods count for 39% of purchases by 21-34-year-olds, experiences count for 59%* - plus a growing desire (partly spurred on by the pandemic) for multi-generational experience sharing and engagement.

“But, also, because LBE is now much more than theme parks. In London alone, we have seen sell-out successes with the likes of Secret Cinema, the immersive Van Gogh and David Hockney exhibitions, Abba Voyage and Monopoly Lifesized.

“Magic Light Pictures first delighted preschoolers on the Gruffalo Trail as long ago as 2010, and many retailers have since enjoyed the benefits of LBE with ‘retailtainment’, such as Primark’s Greggs, Peaky Blinders, Disney and Friends in-store pop-ups and Westfield’s Squid Games experience.

”LBE basically exists to make consumers smile and spark a deeper, more immersive and engaging brand connection that leads to loyalty and purchase.’’

Walk a mile in Bing’s shoes

Current licensing hero Bing, the Acamar-created preschool character, is working with the NSPCC to support its annual Childhood Day charity event.

It’s the second year that Acamar has collaborated with the children’s charity on the event, its flagship fundraiser.

On Friday June 9, Bing will be actively encouraging nurseries, children and families to walk a mile to raise cash. The announcement said: “Those taking part will raise money to keep children across the UK safe by getting active; be it walking, hopping, skipping, scooting or even ‘vooshing’ a mile, just like Bing.”

The character will appear on resources and sticker packs and posters to help spark children and their carers into action. Nurseries will also be in with a chance to win a visit from Bing and Flop on the day to further encourage them.

“Last year’s Big Breaktime collaboration with Bing was a great way to connect more effectively with nurseries and preschoolers on the road towards our fundraising goals,” commented Louise McCourt, senior strategic and commercial partnerships manager at NSPCC. “This year, as we ask people to go the extra mile for Childhood Day, we hope that Bing will continue to inspire little ones to take part and have fun along the way.”

“It is really wonderful to be supporting the NSPCC for another year on Childhood Day, especially on a campaign that encourages movement and activity,” said Nikica MarkotDavid, chief production and editorial officer. “Bing is always moving, whether it is running and playing in the park or walking through the Howly woods and we cannot wait to see how young children choose to cover their mile.’’

Invaders still on the march 45 years later

Wildbrain CLPG has inked a deal with Champion that will see the classic arcade game Space Invaders appearing on the athletic and lifestyle brand’s clothing.

The deal comes as the Taito brand of Space Invaders celebrates 45 years as a major property, with agency Wildbrain looking after licensing for Taito owners Square Enix.

The iconic Invaders will appear on a range of crewnecks, t-shirts, bermuda pants, track pants and Champion’s legendary hoodie.

It’s one of a number of deals overseen by Wildbrain for the arcade game, which broke new ground for video games and was the beginning of a global obsession with the form.

It’s not over now, Baby Blue…

Independent toy innovator Wow! Stuff was celebrated after its Jurassic World Real FX Baby Blue Dinosaur was nominated for a prestigious Licensing International Excellence Award. The ground-breaking toy, put together by boffins on the Real FX team at the UK-based indie, is one of just eight products shortlisted in the Best Licensed Product: Toys, Games, Novelties, Role Play (ages 8+) category.

The toy, tied in to the ongoing feature film franchise, has wowed fans with its realistic movements and original movie noises and earned more than 90 per cent five-star ratings from consumer reviews across all retailers on its way to becoming a global hit.

Richard North, president and co-founder of Wow! Stuff, said: “To be recognised by this prestigious awards programme is a tremendous honour, and testament to the strength of our team. We knew early on that we had something special with Jurassic World Real FX Baby Blue, and our initial excitement has proved well-justified.

“Since its launch, Walmart has named Jurassic World Real FX Baby Blue a top toy and subsequent best seller. Whilst in the UK and Ireland, Jurassic World Real FX Baby Blue took a top sales position at Smyths Toys Superstores, in the most competitive category of action figures and playsets — a rare achievement at this price point. We shall eagerly await the results of the Licensing International Excellence Awards. What a feat it would be to add that success to our accolades!”

Keynote speaker announced for Brands & Retail

The summer edition of the Brands & Retail conference has unveiled its keynote speaker for the event taking place in Birmingham over July 4 and 5.

The keynote at the event will be delivered by Fiona Lambert, a retail expert with ecperience at a wealth of the country’s leading stores, taking in Next, Asda, Dunelm and River Island and most recently as Managing Director of jaeger at M&S. She helped launch the George at Asda brand alonsdie founder George Davies. Her speech will be given at the end of th first day, ahead of the gala dinner taking place at the Grand Hotel that evening.

Commenting ahead of her appearance, she said: “I think licensing and brand collaborations are going to be key drivers of innovation and momentum for the industry and am really looking forward to being involved in Brands Retail Summer conference.” Conference organiser Ryan Beaird said: “Fiona has been supporting our industry for many years and I am delighted someone of her experience of running major retailers has agreed to come and speak at our new summer conference in Birmingham.

“I am also grateful that Ruth Golightly of Blues Clothing will be interviewing Fiona and I am sure we will hear some great anecdotes of their time working together at George @ ASDA. We have now reduced the amount of brand presentations over the two days to bring in more fantastic educational panels like these which should appeal to our more junior workforce.

“We have a theatre capacity of 250 so if you are a licensee or retailer and you have junior staff you should encourage them to come and watch the screenings and attend the gala dinner, we are sure they will be inspired by these senior executive panels.

“As we have reduced the number of available screening slots for brands we are now bringing in a deadline of the 31st May for brands to secure their presentation times. So if you want to present to our VIP audience please get in touch soon.”

Doing the doggy paddle

Paw Patrol and its Aqua Pups among other characters are heading for the swimming pool after Paramount’s consumer products arm signed on the dotted line for a new range from Character.com.

The collection will see the Spin Master-owned characters appearing on a whole range of swimwear and accessories.

At the same time, Character.com has partnered with the Swimming Teachers’ Association (STA), the governing body and educational charity, on creating new content aimed at teaching kids about swimming and swim safety.

Karen Hewitt, buying director at Character.com said: “We’re thrilled to partner with Paramount and join with STA to bring parents and kids a fun and safe way to enjoy the water this summer. Our Paw Patrol Aqua Pups collection allows kids to express themselves with confidence and energy, just like their favourite characters.”

Venetia Davie, vice president, consumer products, UK & Ireland at Paramount added: “We are extremely happy to be partnering with Character.com and STA to create a truly integrated marketing campaign that utilises the power of three powerhouse brands. The new collection of Paw Patrol-inspired swimwear, clothing, and accessories alongside the swimming programme will help young swimmers build water

confidence that lasts a lifetime.”

Zoe Cooper, STA’s commercial director, commented: “We are very excited to be partnering with Paramount with the launch of our new Paw Patrol swim awards series, and the new Aqua Pups branded swim accessories from Character. com fit perfectly with our swimming audience - we especially love the new towel bag! As a charity dedicated to the teaching of swimming, working with Paramount and Character.com, who have a highly engaged parent audience, will help to channel our water safety messages this summer and raise further awareness of the importance of learning to swim.”

Jakks goes around the Bendy

Jakks Pacific has signed a deal that will see the toy company and its costume division Disguise bringing a range of Bendy product to the world.

The range based on the Bendy horror video game series will include action figures, plush, playsets, costumes and costume accessories.

Bendy has already appeared on Disguise clothing before, with the new range expected to land in the US in the autumn.

“Jakks and Disguise have an incredibly robust portfolio of video game licences and costume lines. Bendy was Disguise’s first product line for episodic horror,” said Virginia Reneau, SVP of licensing for Jakks and Disguise. “We were very excited to see the fans new and old show up to retail to dress up as their favorite Bendy character for Halloween and we are so happy to continue to extend this brand into our toy line as well.”

Rainbow spreads to video games

Fashion doll brand Rainbow High is moving into the video games arena with the announcement of the first game based on the hit brand.

Rainbow High Runway Rush will feature characters from the popular toys. The puzzle-based adventure game series will be available in the autumn across multiple platforms including the Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch and PC.

Beth Goss, CEO of Outright Games, said: “We have had the pleasure of previously adapting two of MGA’s fantastic IPs; L.O.L Surprise! and Bratz, into video games, and we are delighted to be the development and publishing partner for the first Rainbow High video game. Rainbow High is a fast-growing franchise and its core tenets of community and fashion translate incredibly well to dynamic game play in our new title, which we believe complements the overall development of MGA’s brand.”

Isaac Larian, founder and CEO of MGA Entertainment, said: “With the first ever console game for Rainbow High, the No. 1 fashion doll franchise, fans will enjoy the experience of playing as their favorite Rainbow High characters, exploring the school, and getting to know these popular characters in an entirely new and interactive way. Since we launched the brand nearly three years ago, we have continued to offer fans many ways to connect with the brand, whether through the fashion doll line, the YouTube and Netflix series, or this new game.”

Carla Bolaños Blanco from Xaloc Studios said: “The puzzle genre was a natural fit for Rainbow High: Runway Rush, as the franchise is centred so much on creativity, and this genre enables players to take on creative tasks and problem solve in a way that is unique to them. Working with Outright Games, we ensured gameplay was appropriate for logic and reading skills of different ages. To help younger players navigate and learn the game, we’ve incorporated a ‘Hint Scan’ feature that helps identify at one sight every interactive element of the puzzles making navigation easier for younger players.”

Transformers animated film on the way

The Transformers are set to roll out once more – albeit this time it will be in animated form, mirroring the TV programmes that launched the robots on to an unsuspecting world back in 1984.

The new take on the classic toys to TV and film franchise was unveiled by Paramount’s animated arm, which is collaborating with eOne and Hasbro on the project, due to arrive in cinemas in July 2024. It will be called Transformers One.

Hollywood has been showing off its wares to cinema exhibitors, the media and more in Las Vegas at the annual Cinema Con event, where Paramount Animation presented its forthcoming titles.

The new Transformers film will be, the studio said, an origin story, detailing how Optimus Prime and Megatron went from being best pals to sworn enemies, sparking a feud that spanned the universe. It features the voice talents of the likes of Chris Hemsworth, Brian Tyree Henry, Scarlett Johansson, Keegan-Michael Key, Jon Hamm and Laurence Fishburne. Steven Spielberg will executive produce.

Speaking at the Paramount slate presentation, Paramount Animation and Nickelodeon Animation president Ramsey Naito said: “I’m so excited and proud to be working with Hasbro and eOne to bring the first animated Transformers movie to theaters for a never-before-told story. I’m honoured to have such incredible talents come together to portray these well-known and much-loved characters in an origin story at the heart of the franchise.”

It will be preceded by another live action Transformers outing, Rise Of The Beasts, which will arrive in cinemas in June.

Also in the Paramount presentation was another key toy-related animated feature with a long history in stores wowing audiences in the shape of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem. Star Seth Rogen took to the stage to present an extended preview of the film, which boasts an all-star voice cast including wrestler John Cena. The film opens in August.

JELC’s Jane Evan’s has announced her retirement.

We received the following letter and all of us at TNP wish her well in her retirement:

Farewell and Thank You

“I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all who I had the pleasure to work with during my time within the Licensing Industry.

“I have been rewarded in so many ways, culminating with a prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award, which was more a true reflection of so many collaborations, than my individual endeavours.

“I have enjoyed working with such licensing luminaries and legends like Richard Culley at Copyright Promotions, the late Graham Clutterbuck at FilmFair, Michael Stone and Seth Segal at Beanstalk and Dolph Zahid at Withit and many others.

“Also, to so many clients including major brands Coca Cola, Ford Motor Company, Andy Warhol Foundation, Crimestoppers, Jaguar, Jack Daniels and most recently building a solid platform for The National Gallery licensing programme.

“A big thank you to so many loyal licensees throughout the world for their support and respect for so many years, with a special mention to Mike Redfern, who I consider both a friend and business colleague, and all at Blueprint.

“To those who I have been able to mentor and support on their journey within the industry, like Trudi Hayward, Serena Sibbald, Nat Dyson, Sandra Cellier, I wish them continued success.

“It is with great sadness that due to failing health after my accident in late 2018 that finally we will close the JELC business with effect from 31 May 2023.

“Thank you all.”

Jane Evans

LEGO King takes the throne at Hamleys

Hamleys is paying its own tribute to King Charles III around the Coronation by installing the only life-sized LEGO model of the new monarch in its flagship London store.

Visitors to the capital around the royal event can see the statue of the King on his throne and get their own regal selfie.

The crowning glory statue was made by LEGO master builders and consists of 73,412 bricks, the crown is a replica of the actual one the King will wear on the day. It is om display at the Hamleys store in Regent Street, a stone’s throw from where the Coronation takes place, and is a part of Coronation-themed activities at the store to celebrate.

Hamleys CEO Sumeet Yadav said: “We are thrilled to have the world’s only LEGO statue of King Charles exclusively at Hamleys. This will be the 10th coronation that Hamleys has seen since opening, and we are

New appointments at VTech

VTech Electronics plc has appointed two new national accounts managers as part of a restructure of the sales team at the company.

The pair joining the number one infant and toddler manufacturer are Jamie Tank and Mike Williams. The former joins from Schleich, the latter from LG Electronics.

Both will report to national account controller Rebecca Whitlock, who said:

“We are delighted to welcome both Jamie and Michael to the team. Their wealth of knowledge and experience, gained with well-known brands, will ensure they will excel in their new positions and will help drive VTech forward as a market leader in electronic learning toys.”

Smyths film offers career opportunities

so excited to work with LEGO to celebrate this momentous occasion with our customers. We are sure the new addition to the store, giving families the chance to snap a selfie with the new monarch, will delight visitors of all ages.”

An inspirational video created by Barbie to highlight careers, and shown in Smyths Toys stores, has scooped a prestigious award celebrating the best short films made to support brands.

The Mattel video picked up the gong for Best Behind the Scenes content at the Brand Film Awards, held at London’s Mayfair Hotel.

Supporting a range of Mattel Barbie Career dolls, it featured athlete Perri Edwards talking with children about their career goals.

As the company’s statement noted: “The behind-the-scenes spot interviewed the predominantly female crew to explore the behind the scenes making of the Barbie Careers film and gives insight into how the film was put together, hearing from key members of the crew including its stop-motion artist. The BTS presenters were none other than the talented child stars from the ad and through their curious eyes, the content asks burning questions behind the world of filmmaking - What does it take to become an Art Director? How long does it take to make 5 seconds of stop motion?

What does a Focus Puller do?

Who’s in charge of lunch? The fun and inventive award-winning campaign inspires young children to dream big and show their limitless potential, and formed part of an integrated 360 shopper marketing proposition, executed throughout the Smyths Toys landscape: in-store, online and social.”

Does heading down the shops mean ditching the digital?

JohnRyanlooksat

HMV’srecent OxfordStreet reopening announcement andassesses whethershoppers enjoyactual shoppingasmuch asonline purchasing…

When was the last time you bought something online - and did you find it enjoyable? Well, possibly, except that it’s deferred gratification. The enjoyable bit, getting your hands on the thing you’ve sort of experienced via a screen, comes when the courier that delivers it to your house hands it over and you rip open the packaging.

In a way it’s a bit like Christmas. You wait for ages (or at least a couple of days) for something, think about it and then it’s there. But just like Christmas, the experience can be one of mild disappointment or perhaps feeling short-changed. What you’ve received is not quite as good as the mental picture or the pixel image led you to anticipate and you’re left wondering whether it might not have been better to get your hands on the thing ahead of parting with cash (or expecting Father Christmas to do so).

Enter the store. A shop is somewhere that offers near-instant gratification because you know, for the most part, what you’re getting. You’ve looked at it, held it and toyed with it. Now you’re ready to buy. Yet it’s not so very long ago that we were being told that the future was e-commerce and that bricks and mortar players were going to be the stuff of yesteryear.

The pandemic, we were informed, accelerated this, bringing forward the progress of the online merchants by 10-20 years as we weren’t allowed to go to the shops anyway.

All of that is, of course, history and somewhat counterintuitively the future looks set for a resurgent bricks and mortar channel to become dominant once more. Whether it’s news that games, music and associated products retailer HMV is to step back into its iconic store on Oxford Street, or that Indian group Reliance has opened another international branch of Hamleys, there is strong evidence that physical retail is back.

Shoppers, it seems, prefer shops to screens and even allowing for the undoubted convenience of browsing using a mobile phone when you’re on, say, a long train journey, it is the experience of looking at product, en masse, in a painstakingly-designed interior that makes parting with cash more worthwhile.

This is perhaps something of an oversimplification. There have been upsides to the ‘digital revolution’, not least of which is that shopping has become easier. Now you can use your phone to pay, chat to a member of staff who will process your purchase on a handheld device, or get product information via the QR code that has helpfully been put next to the thing you’re looking at in a store.

‘Faster’ and ‘easier’ might be the watchwords for those heading off to the mall or high street

and while our shops may look, in many ways, the same as they have always done, they are different, it’s just that it’s not necessarily visible.

Now think about the newly crowned King Charles III, God bless you Sir. In the run up to the coronation it was actually quite hard to head down to the shops without noticing a brace of Union flags, a picture of his Maj (hope you swore your oath of allegiance) or an encomium setting out the virtues of the new monarch. The point is that digital and its brave new world was almost nowhere to be seen and things were as we thought they would and should be.

Shopping is and will probably remain a very particular activity, one that means looking, seeing, touching and feeling and no amount of virtual substitution can make up for this. For children, in spite of their clamour to get a handset at an ever-earlier age, this is as true as it has always been. Entering a toyshop is akin to beginning an enchanted kingdom tour. If you’re a child and even if a visit of this kind may mean test-driving a virtual experience, headset and all, the fact remains that it is the physical that is paramount.

So are the pundits correct and will toyshops, fashion stores and almost any other retail sector you might care to mention see Ía new lease of physical life? The answer would appear to be a qualified yes. HMV’s Oxford Street reprise is the thin end of the wedge and while that thoroughfare has far too many ‘American Candy’ stores along its length, it is nonetheless a place in which retailers are looking to invest and the many To Let signs may soon be a thing of the past.

Tech, meanwhile, will play an increasingly important part, but that is as an enabler, rather than an end-in-itself. Are we therefore at the point when the digital shakeout has taken place and things will now be rather more reliable and secure from a store investment perspective? Or put another way, is now a good time to open a new toyshop, to expand and to view online as a (relatively) small part of what you do?

It probably is as there are fewer uncertainties about the physical retail environment that there were just a couple of years ago. But hold on. AI is just around the corner and many are opining that this will sound the death knell of many of the familiar physical aspects of our shopping life.

Perhaps, but it is worth bearing in mind that it is less than a year since we were all wondering whether the ‘metaverse’ would sweep all before it. It has not and the uptake of it has been negligible.

Be not downcast. Physical life stretches ahead of us pretty positively and shoppers like it that way. For the moment at least, visiting the shops, having a ‘bite’ and heading home are as good a way of spending time as anything you might care to mention.

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.

Retailcolumnist

From TV to digital the advertising move will gain pace

As

We recently conducted our industry voice survey. Advertising and media professionals in the kids industry believe that just over a third of their advertising spend is effective – which means that two-thirds is not effective. They also said that TV advertising was going to stay the same - and even in some cases increase. We see

as Wildbrain to build content for them.

I think that’s where it has to be. More and more advertising budget in the next two or three years will move into content spend. You can’t really advertise on a lot of streaming services, but that’s where kids’ attention is. So the only way to get into streaming services is to create content - Sonic has done that with Sonic Prime, Barbie’s done that. That’s where a lot of budget will be going.

Now, that doesn’t mean that TV doesn’t work, and it doesn’t mean it’s as simple as ‘we need to do some advertising on YouTube’. There’s an infinite number of YouTube channels and creators, so therefore to find the right one is is not easy. And of course that’s where The Insights Family and our independent data can help.

in-game advertising

We’re also seeing something very interesting in that toy companies are increasingly going into the content world. I think that’s a really clever strategy for them. They’re doing things either in-house or with agencies, or engaging people such

This year, I still think that, as an industry, TV advertising is important, but there’s more and more recognition that digital is where people are, although the movement from TV to digital in some cases is still quite slow.

I think this year there will be an increased movement to digital, but I don’t think it will be a significant one. However, I think in 2024 that’s when we’ll start to see that significant change. That’s where kids arestreaming services, gaming, social media, including YouTube, and even apps themselves are currently far more effective media types than TV in the UK.

But maybe the fact that it’s not straightforward is one of the reasons why people have been slower in adopting digital. However, I think there will be more movement towards digital this year, but there’ll be more brands building content and building elements of the Metaverse as they might call it. But 2024 is when we’ll start to really see that accelerate out.

I think one of the reasons why the industry has been a little bit slow off the mark is that a lot of buyers have still been using historic retail sales data.

If toy companies start to see the data that we have access to and how that could transform their decisions, then that that would really help. I do think that one of the reasons why the toy market in particular has not moved as quickly to digital is because buyers are still being quite prescriptive and maybe at times insistent on TVR.

We’reseeing thattoy companiesare increasingly goingintothe content world. I think that’s a reallyclever strategyforthem

Insights Family is the global leader in kids, parents, and family market intelligence, providing real-time data on their attitudes, behaviours and consumption patterns.

children every week aged 3-18. Parents Insights surveys more than 3,800 parents of children between the ages of 1 and 16 every week. Both services operate in 22 countries across six continents and in total survey more than 469,040 kids and 228,800 parents a year. This means that the company interviews a new family member somewhere in the world every 45 seconds.

the Insights Family continues its bold expansion plans, the company’s founder Nick Richardson outlines how TV may not be the best way of reaching children and how merely targeting kids of a certain age may not work…

You now can’t just say that fourto six-year-olds are your target audience. It would be far too expensive to reach four- to six-yearolds as a target audience in the UK. You have to be far more specific. So whether it’s going by gender, looking at interests and hobbies, looking at demographics, utilising personas, you have to be more specific - and we can now be more specific on our platform. Google and YouTube are some of the best companies in the world when it comes to data, but they rely on us as a partner to provide them with that understanding of that audience.

It’s absolutely paramount that you cannot now take what is the almost lazy approach of saying four to six-year-olds or four to six-year-old boys, four to six-year-old girls or four to six-year-olds who like football. It’s too generic. You really have to understand who they are, and what they want. And then once you’ve got that information, you can understand where they are, and what’s the most effective medium for getting there. And I think that the difference between success and failure has never, ever been thinner. You can have the best product, the best price point, good retail partners on board, but your whole marketing could miss your target audience if you make the wrong choices.

With our portal, we can click through and see all girls and boys

aged between four and 10. This is data collected over the past 12 months. But we could change the date to past three years, or last week, or whatever. It’s based on surveying 4,700 kids - which equates to 5.3 million actual children - and then we can see here that say LEGO is the favourite toy. Beyond that, you could click on LEGO, the data will refresh on the page to show the kids who say LEGO is their favourite toy, and what’s going on in their world. You can see, for example, they are more likely to say Monopoly and Uno are the board games that they played. They’re significantly more likely to say video games are their favourite hobby, and so on.

Then it’s about how you can apply that intelligence. So again you can look at LEGO, and it will show you over time. So according to our data, 73% of kids who say LEGO’s their favourite toy are boys; you could see the trend over time.

You can also see that the age range and the core age range is really sixto nine years-old in that category.

In comparison, a conventional market intelligence

company will tell you that football’s the favourite hobby and video games is number two, followed by watching YouTube - and you would get some intelligence from that. Likewise, knowing that LEGO is the favourite toy followed by Pokémon cards extension, will offer you some intelligence.

This is how market research companies present things, but if I click on Barbie on our portal, it just focuses on the kids who say Barbie is their favourite toy, so you can see the example there that says that dancing and swimming are their favourite hobbies. You can also see how video games completely falls off as being a favourite hobby.

So what does that mean?

If you are formulating an advertising strategy, you could probably consider doing some advertising around dancing and swimming content on YouTube. It also means you can associate Barbie with opportunities in those areas from a licensing perspective, so you can build content that shows Barbie as a dancer or a mermaid.

The difference between success and failure has never, ever been thinner

Toymaster show: “the

With a successful 2022 show – the return to an in-person format – under its belt and the sold-out signs appearing for exhibitors back in January, Toymaster is riding on the crest of a wave for its annual event. Here, development manager Brian McLaughlin outlines his vision of the 2023 event and why it’s so important for retailers

better to see product in the flesh, and to have conversations around them in person, and the May Show is the ideal environment for members and suppliers to discuss their plans for the year together.”

The anticipation helped last year’s event. Planning for 2022 had begun as far back as 2021, when the pandemic meant no show was in place. Last year’s show was packed to the rafters, with the exhibition space sold out and attended by more than 100 suppliers.

McLaughlin and Toymaster believe that support was crucial in making things happen. “The demand from suppliers to exhibit has always been there, and we anticipated selling the space out early. We are very grateful for their support towards us as they are essential to a busy and successful show.”

Toymaster employing the old maxim of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”.

As McLaughlin explains: “There are no major changes to the plans for this year, the format of the show works for everyone. The Tuesday evening dinner will have an Irish theme, which will be great entertainment for everyone who attends.”

And the format and layout will be instantly recognisable to regular attendees. For Toymaster staffers, the key is to make sure that everything goes to plan and the event is hiccup-free. “The format is very much the same as previous years,” adds McLaughlin.

“We work very closely with the team at the hotel to ensure the show runs smoothly.”

If the pandemic of 2020 and beyond changed one thing about business –and let’s not forget it had many vicious impacts on the nation and the world – it was the reassessment of the importance of trade shows.

The fact that attendees, not just in the toy business and licensing trade, but for anyone going to exhibitions and trade shows, actively missed them, has made their return all the more welcome.

Gone are the years of being jaded by “another trade show” and the mood at events is now more optimistic and happy than even during the glory years.

It was the same for the Toymaster show in 2022, as the buying group and its retailers, along with assorted exhibitors and many others, genuinely enjoyed being back at the Majestic in Harrogate, Yorkshire.

As Brian Mclaughlin, development manager at Toymaster, notes, the return was a genuinely positive moment for all. He says: “It was great to be back at the Majestic for the May Show last year, the feedback from everyone who attended was that it had been missed from the toy trade calendar.”

After the enforced lay-off due to Covid, it was important to get back to an actual in-person event, he suggests. “It is always

The show itself was a real sign of the strength of the independents and their important and essential place within the business. That, McLaughlin notes, was one of the key learnings from the event in the post-pandemic world. “We learnt that the independent sector is still strong and has a valued place within the UK market. Suppliers still want to support our members as they see them as a key sales channel to reach consumers.”

While many also returned to in-person shows with this year’s Toy Fair, there are still those who rely solely on Toymaster, especially when it comes to making orders for the key Christmas season. Hence, as trade shows looked to tweak and change their formulae during the enforced lay-off, there was never any question of changing the timing of the Toymaster show. “The timing of the show is crucial to our members as it coincides with when they are starting to finalise their plans for the peak Christmas season,” says McLaughlin. “The show is very important to them as it is the only time they get to see all their key suppliers in one place, as a number of them were not at London Toy Fair earlier this year but will be in Harrogate.”

The format seems to work too, with

The venue will once again be packed to the rafters – the sold-out sign for the 2023 Toymaster show went up in January of this year. But given the popularity of the venue, there’s no desire to change location, and, beyond 2023, it’s all about utilising the space and improving the experience. As McLaughlin explains: “We already fill the hotel, including the marquees outside, so there isn’t any more space to expand. Our focus going forward will be to make sure we present the best show possible within the space we have available.”

So, given the likely busy nature of the show and the fact it’s as full as it can be, what advice would McLaughlin and Toymaster give to visiting retailers? How can they maximise their time in Harrogate?

“Plan ahead,” McLaughlin concludes. “There are more than 100 suppliers exhibiting so make sure you have time to see everyone you want to, and allow a bit of time to browse the rest of the suppliers, as you may see something you really like.”

The demand from suppliers to exhibit has always been there, and we anticipated selling the space out early. We are very grateful for their support towards us as they are essential to a busy and successful show

”

ideal environment”

Exhibitors List

A.B.GEE

Carriage Suite

ALPHA TOYS

Reading Room

ANTONY NUNN AGENCIES

Lower Marquee

ASMODEE Drawing Room

BABY REPUBLIC

Carriage Suite

BANAGHAN

Reading Room

BANDAI Carriage Suite

BASIC FUN Carriage Suite

BIGJIGS

Upper Marquee

BLISS DISTRIBUTION

Upper Marquee

BOUNCE

Upper Marquee

BRAINSTORM

Billiard Room

CANAL TOYS

Upper Marquee

CARRERA REVELL

Upper Marquee

CASDON

Upper Marquee

CHARACTER OPTIONS

Reading Room

CHEATWELL GAMES

Lower Marquee

CLEMENTONI

Upper Marquee

CLEVER CHILD - WOODY TREASURES

Carriage Suite

CLICK DISTRIBUTION

Lower Marquee

CLICK EUROPE

Carriage Suite

COILEDSPRING GAMES

Drawing Room

CRAFT BUDDY Carriage Suite

DEPESCHE Lower Marquee

DKB TOYS Lower Marquee

EPOCH Billiard Room

FLAIR Carriage Suite

FUNKO Drawing Room

FUNRISE Carriage Suite

GALT Carriage Suite

GB EYE Carriage Suite

GEEMAC Reading Room

GEOMAGWORLD

GIBSONS Lower Marquee

GOLDEN BEAR Carriage Suite

GREAT GIZMOS Lower Marquee

HALILIT Lower Marquee

HASBRO Lower Marquee

HIPPYCHICK Upper Marquee

HOBBY COMPANY Upper Marquee

HORNBY HOBBIES Upper Marquee

HUFFY Upper Marquee

IMC Carriage Suite

INNOV8 CREATIVE ACADEMY

Upper Marquee

JAKKS PACIFIC

Upper Marquee

JAZWARES

Carriage Suite

JOHN ADAMS

Carriage Suite

JURATOYS

Lower Marquee

JUST PLAY

Drawing Room

KANDY TOYS

Lower Marquee

KAP TOYS

Upper Marquee

KAYES OF CARDIFF

Drawing Room

KEYCRAFT

Upper Marquee

LEARNING RESOURCES

Upper Marquee

LEGO Billiard Room

MAGFORMERS

Upper Marquee

MAGIC BOX

Upper Marquee

MARVINS MAGIC

Upper Marquee

MATTEL

Harrogate Suite

MCC STOCK SOLUTIONS

Regency Suite

MELISSA & DOUG Upper Marquee

MGA ENTERTAINMENT

Lower Marquee

MICHAEL O’MARA BOOKS Billiard Room

MOJO FUN LTD Upper Marquee

MOOD BEARS Lower Marquee

MOOKIE Carriage Suite

MOOSE TOYS

Upper Marquee

MV SPORTS & LEISURE

Upper Marquee

ONE FOR FUN Carriage Suite

ORCHARD TOYS Reading Room

PADGETT Upper Marquee

PAT AVENUE UK Upper Marquee

PEERS HARDY Upper Marquee

PETERKIN

PLAYMOBIL

Marquee

PLAYMONSTER

Marquee PLUM PLAY

Marquee

PLUS Lower Marquee

RAINBOW DESIGNS

Upper Marquee

RAVENSBURGER

Upper Marquee

REDLANDS DISTRIBUTION

Upper Marquee

REYDON SPORTS

Upper Marquee

ROBBIE TOYS

Upper Marquee

ROYAL BRUSH

Upper Marquee

RUBIES

Lower Marquee

SCHLEICH

Lower Marquee

SEQUIN ART Billiard Room

SES CREATIVE

Upper Marquee

SIMBA SMOBY

Upper Marquee

SLIME PARTY UK

Upper Marquee

SMART TOYS

Upper Marquee

SMIFFYS

Upper Marquee

SPIN MASTER

Lower Marquee

TOMY Billiard Room

TONIES

Upper Marquee

TOYNAMICS

Upper Marquee

TOYS 2 MARKET

Upper Marquee

TY Regency Suite

UNIVERSITY GAMES

Lower Marquee

USBORNE BOOKS

Upper Marquee

VIVID

Regency Suite

VR DISTRIBUTION

Upper Marquee

VTECH

Drawing Room

WARLORD GAMES

Lower Marquee

WILTON BRADLEY

Lower Marquee

WINNING MOVES

Upper Marquee

WOW TOYS

Upper Marquee

Magicbox prepares for a magical showcase

MAGICBOX

01293 222500

sales@magicbox-toys.co.uk

Exciting collectable ranges and unmissable show offers will be part of the package for Magicbox, at the Toymaster Show.

Magicbox is taking fans on their next SuperThings adventure, with the range preparing to enter the Mutant Battle phase! Year to date, NPD reported that SuperThings is No.1 in Action Figure Collectables and each new collection continues to outperform the last (The NPD Group, February). Prices start from under £1 RRP, making it the ultimate pocket money pick up. And Autumn Winter’s new Mutant Battle theme promises to deliver more of the same success. Available from August 10, this theme promises loads of quirky character mix-ups to explore, more than 100 characters to find, as well as an awesome new colourchange effect to discover. There are four cool finishes to collect in this series: regular, silver, gold, and the epic colour-changing figures. Magicbox’s full support will be behind this launch, with fresh webisode content, digital preroll and TV, all mixed up with inventive PR campaigns. Marketing for AW23 will include a national redemption campaign, giving fans the chance to redeem a limited-edition golden figure.

with a brand-new theme (the Glitter Glam Series) PLUS a magical new line-up of KookyLoos Mermaids. The range launches with four mythical characters to collect. Each KookyLoos Mermaid doll features the expression-changing feature that kids love about KookyLoos. One doll three unique faces – kids can change their Mermaid’s facial expression with a swipe of the finger. Kooky Mermaids come housed in a colourful, iridescent shell. Open-up the shell to reveal a magical playset, where kids can play with them. The shell also doubles as a purse. Discover many surprises along the way. Each doll comes with accessories, a mermaid tail and dress, plus a cute pet hidden inside a pearl.

Meanwhile, its turbo tuning teams at the ready with the T-Racers mix and race vehicles and drivers. This cool collection will speed into autumn-winter with a brand-new Color Rush series. This exciting new theme will bring with it eight new cars and racers to collect, unlocking more than 500 combinations and possibilities. The more kids collect, the more car combinations they can

Did you know? According to NPD figures, SuperThings is the number one Action CollectableFigures in 2023, with each series outperforming the last

Micro means more

ONE FOR FUN

0141 613 2525

sales@oneforfun.com

Oneforfun.com

The company that brought you Pushpoppers is pushing the boundaries yet again with the brilliant range of MICRO FIDGETZ – tiny toys that can actually be played with, not static collectables, our MICRO FIDGETZ are actually fun! This new concept combines the mystery of blind bags with the collectability of a range of Micro Fidgetz collections. Each round tub has a see-through panel at the top displaying one fidget toy, underneath another four toys are stacked in blind bags, waiting to be revealed. Each MICRO FIDGETZ tub has a full list of the whole range to collect. Every toy will be playable! A real micro version of the larger toy. Stretchy, squishy, spikey, shiny, sparkly, sweet and foody are the themes for 2023’s pocket money lines with the Scrunchems lines of squishy balls front and centre.

Sweet and savoury food stuff is celebrated throughout the range with the fun Breakfast Squish ball which adds to the Tutti Frutti ball. These are joined by a whole range of Scrunchem styles in a variety of packs to complete a comprehensive range of everything squishy!! Slime and Putty have never gone away and a resurgence in popularity sees the introduction of Canned slime and Charm putty in various themes,

Guess what?

certainly not gone away, these record selling fidgets are joined this year by the Mega Push Popper Ball, a combination of a squeezy stress ball with pushpoppers all over the surface. Squeeze push and pop!

Look out for Loom Twisters, these perennially popular sets will be back in stock this month and are selling out to a new generation of Loom fans! These additions strengthen and consolidate the company’s reputation as THE one stop shop for all things pocket money.

Animigos World of Nature range has won acclaim and awards for the lifelike depiction in plush of the world’s animals. Meet the Okapi, Arctic Fox, Malayan Tapir, Snow Leopard and Capybara, some of the more unusual additions whilst a Pointer puppy, grey fluffy cat, seal pup, dolphin, hamster and a bat are more well known and loved. One for Fun also distribute Dream Beams, the glow in the dark plush character companions. New waves will continue to be launched in 2023 with new product on show.

Venturing into the great outdoors wouldn’t be the same without the Ozbozz range of outdoor toys. 2023 has seen the introduction of some great new outdoor lines including a whole range of mirrored skateboards in a variety of sizes and with some stunning design work designed to appeal to all tastes.

As distributors for Maisto and Bburago, we introduce a whole host of vehicles for 2023 – stand outs are the Farmland Play Sets with tractors, a combine harvester and many new farm vehicles which are such a popular range. For the speedsters there is a fleet of new Ferraris including a brand new SUV.

Arguably the hero product this year is the highly detailed model of the RB18 car driven by Max Verstappen in 2022. A real collectors’ item, especially as he is still winning!

BB Junior has picked up many consumer awards in the last few years. The key lines for this year also take this nursery range into the fast lane with the BB Junior first collection of both Bugatti and Lamborghini cars along with the BB Junior My First Carry along garage and the BB Junior Push n Glow F1 Car. Additions to the popular bath time range include the Splash n Play Light Up Sailboat and the Splash n Play Music Tugboat.

There are plenty of exclusive deals for Toymas- ter members to be had and a low carriage paid amount of £250

Mario and more bringing in the coin

The Super Mario Bros. EPOCH MAKING TOYS

0208 049 1377

sales@epochmakingtoys.com

Epoch is thrilled to be back at Toymaster for 2023 with all three of its brands. From Sylvanian Families it will be showcasing two new sets from the Amusement Land collection. Available now, the pretty, pastel blue, freewheeling Floating Cloud Rainbow Train, features a plume of smoke escaping the chimney, which provides seating for three baby figures, and bobs up and down as the train moves along. It also comes with a new figure, from the new Fennec Fox family, baby girl, Yulie, in an exclusive outfit. Launching in July, the Baby Mermaid Castle is packed with 12 fun ocean themed features including a marine merrygo-round and a jellyfish swing. It also includes three baby figures in under-the-sea outfits and can be easily combined with the Baby Amusement Park for double the fun!

Did you know?

The Super Mario Bros. Movie has now passed the $1 billion mark in terms of box offices at cinemas worldwide, making it one of only five films to do so in the pandemic era. It’s now the most successful video-game-to-movie adaptation ever

Also new for 2023 is the Sunny Picnic Set with Fennec Fox Sister and Baby, available now, and the Village Doctor Starter Set. Available from July it includes Dr Dawn, the Persian Cat Mother who has everything a doctor could need to transform the Red

Roof Country Home into a surgery or the Family Picnic Van into an ambulance.

Plus, perfect for Christmas, is the Penguin Family, complete with mini-ice cream cart and ice creams that they can actually hold. The Penguin Babies Ride ‘n Play features two baby penguins in a pedal car, which can be connected to the Penguin Family’s cart; and the Reindeer Family wearing festive outfits with a pastel sleigh, which the two babies can play and ride in.

Aquabeads will have its latest innovation on display – the Aquabeads Disney Princess Nail Studio. Added to its portfolio in January, the sub-line allows children to create magical manicures with just water. The set comes with 56 reusable nails, 120 decorations, and 40 Disney Princess designs. In addition, there’s the new Dinosaur World Set; and launching in July, the Disney Princess Dress-Up Set; and Deluxe Craft Backpack. The latter will be the latest addition to the brand’s portable ‘on-the-go’ range and can be personalised by attaching creations to the backpack and the straps.

Epoch Games will be bringing three new and exciting games to Toymaster, all set to be popular releases following the Super Mario Bros. Movie hitting cinemas in April. In Super Mario Rally Tennis players must slide their characters left and right to receive the ball and hit the button at the right time to serve and return. A scoreboard helps keep track of the match in true tennis style and the included collectable Mario and Luigi figures can be used interchangeably with other characters that are part of the Epoch Games Link System. Route ‘n GO! is an exclusive Super Mario Bros. Movie tie-in with the aim of the game to slide the panels to create a route for Mario and Luigi’s plumbing van to reach the goal without falling from the track! Play cooperatively and work as a team or competitively - the first player to get the van to the goal wins! Finally, the Lucky Coin Game is based on the classic ‘coin drop’ arcade game with moving platforms.

Cross-category favourites from Flair

FLAIR GP

0208 643 0320

sales@flairplc.co.uk.

The Flair GP portfolio is packed with interactive tech toys and cool themed worlds, as well as so much more. Here are just some of the reasons to visit the company’s stand at the Toymaster Show.

Beware of shark-infested floors! Mega Chomp strikes from the depths of the living room. Kids will have great fun plotting shark attacks and terrorising parents and siblings with this 18-inch RC shark. Mega Chomp can travel easily on land, moving his multi-segmented articulated tail and chomping his jaws in a hilarious way that looks like he is swimming half-submerged in water!

For those looking for something a little more lovable, there’s My Fuzzy Friends: Magic Whispers Kitty, who makes the purr-fect pet. Kids can place the Kitty’s light-up heart to their forehead, and she will speak exclusively to them. No one around will be able to hear what she says, meaning that the child alone will know how she feels and what she wants. She may even offer up some helpful advice. There are three Magic Whispers kittens to collect; each has a light-up pendant that glows in different colours. Just the right size for a child to hold in their arms, each of the three kitties in the range measures 6.5in tall.

Plus, there is the super-cool Action Heroes range to discover on Flair’s stand. This is a collection not to be missed by Toymaster buyers, with marketing for the range going further for AW23. Children will be able to collect lots more interchangeable figures, with pop and swap head and body pieces, and double-sided faces with different expressions. The more figures they collect, the more characters they can create. With playsets and action vehicles also available in the range, collectors can build their own Action Heroes world. There are two existing core themes to collect –Dinosaurs and the Police Force. Storytelling is central to the play pattern of this fun, action-packed range.

Did you know?

The Mega Shark was one of the Hero Toys selected at this year’s Toy Fair and was a hit on the stand during demonstrations

Across the Universe

CURIOUS UNIVERSE

01225 614 310

sales@curiousuniverse.co.uk

www.curiousuniverse.co.uk

Curious Universe will be showcasing a number of different ranges at this year’s Toymaster show in partnership with its newly announced distribution partner: Kayes of Cardiff. One of the key lines for 2023 is the company’s Musical Floor Puzzles, featuring 28 beautifully designed, giant puzzle pieces plus sing-along book. Re-create nursery rhyme favourites Old MacDonald Has A Farm and The Wheels On The Bus by piecing together the 235mm x 440mm colourful floor puzzle scene with the easy-to-connect, durable puzzle pieces contained within handy, portable try-me packs.

A one-stopshop for fun!

BASIC FUN

0118 925 3270

Tim.Ives@basicfun.com

www.basicfun.com

Basic Fun! UK is the destination for classic, collectable and construction toys for Toymaster members, as 2023 sees an array of new lines across the full brand portfolio.

Kids can now experience the excitement of Tonka from a younger age and role play being on the construction site. The Tonka Hard Hat and Building Blocks Set launched this Spring and is in high demand. It offers insight to a promising start for the two new launches for the second half of ‘23. The wearable Tonka Tough! Toolbelt will allow children to take their favourite tools around with them, as they scope out all the projects needing to be completed. It comes with 11 tools and hard hat. Meanwhile, the Tonka Tough! Toolbox comes with three tools, accessories and buildable workbench – all can be stored in the handy real steel carry-along tool box.

The classic Tonka brand will also expand its fleet of trucks, with the launch of three new Tonka Steel Classics vehicles, this AutumnWinter. Bringing the fun of the farm into the playroom will be the yellow Farm Tractor, as well as the Farm Truck, which features a folddown tailgate. There will also be a super-impressive Steel Car Carrier for kids to add to their collections. Fold down the tailgate to load up the truck; it carries five Tonka Monster Metal Trucks or three Mighty Force Lights & Sounds vehicles.

Basic Fun! is celebrating 40 years of My Little Pony in 2023, with a retro-inspired commemorative collection. The 40th Anniversary Unicorn and Pegasus Plush assortment launched in Spring to sellout success and flying off the shelves with four in a stable-style CDU. Also, not to be missed are the surprise reveal two-inch collectable

Did you know?

Tonka gets its name from both the Dakota Sioux word for big – tanka – as well as Lake Minnetonka, near to where the company was founded

mini-figures, with real hair tails. These pocket money-priced Ponies feature the original 1983 characters including Spike the dragon. Finally, finishing with a WOW is the Hasbro never released Celestial Ponies – these heavenly ponies will be launching for the first time in 40 years.

Last, but not least there are huge developments for the newstalgic Care Bears Master Toy collection. Firstly, taking hugs from home to the playground with Care Bears Lil’ Besties. These super-cute, collectable mini Care Bears pocket money priced collectables. There are more than 50 Lil’ Besties to collect across the launch collection, with different expressions and fun action poses to discover. Sure to win hearts and take over playgrounds, there are surprise reveal single figures with accessories to collect and Lil Cubbies 360-degree mini playsets featuring two Lil Besties and seven accessories.

The Care Bears plush collection will see newness this Autumn, with the introduction of the new, never-seen-before UK exclusive, Destiny Bear in vivid magenta - the 2023 colour of the year. Also new is the limited-edition Bedtime Bear with a nighttime glowing belly badge, and special edition Dare To Care Gold edition with collectable gold figurine - and last but not least is the eco-friendly Always Here Bear, the big-hearted bear who believes everything is better when shared with the people who matter most.

Make sure to visit Basic Fun! UK at the Toymaster May Show in the Carriage Suite.

Diving into the Deep Goo Sea

CHARACTER OPTIONS

0161 633 9800

sales@charactergroup.plc.uk

Character Options will be a hive of excitement at the Toymaster Show, with hot properties aplenty, including Heroes of Goo Jit Zu, LankyBox, Aphmau and more.

From July, Heroes of Goo Jit Zu fans can dive into the brilliant new Deep Goo Sea series, which introduces new creatures and fresh features, filled with gooey sea life! There are six Heroes to collect in the range, each with a unique goo filling and head feature to discover, and there’s also the most powerful hero of all time to squish and stretch! King Hydra, the ultimate ruler of the Deep Goo Sea, comes with triple the Goo, triple the features! This epic hero has THREE headseach with its own attack feature, lights and sounds and is super-sized at 9.5-inch scale. King Hydra is this king of all figures and is sure to excite!

And Character has levelled up its portfolio, with two collectable ranges inspired by acclaimed gamers: LankyBox and Aphmau. The Lankybox toy range is based on the most highly-viewed YouTube gaming duo in the world, starring Justin, Adam, and their cast of animated characters. Key to the lineup is the Giant Mystery Box, which lets kids unbox character collectables and then use the case as a role-play helmet to dress-up as ‘Boxy’. There are more quirky characters to collect, cuddle and display as super-soft, eight-inch Plush pals. While other must-haves include the Mystery Squishies and Mini Mystery Figures. Young gaming enthusiasts will also love collecting cute plushies and figures inspired by the numberone female-led YouTuber Aphmau. This game streamer currently has 15M engaged followers, creating huge demand for mini versions of her animated feline friends. Meeting this demand are the blind-boxed Aphmau Mystery MeeMeow Figures. There are eight themed cats to collect in each series. Meanwhile, the soft and squeezable Mystery Plush make the perfect bedtime-buddies or travel pals.

READING ROOM

Didyouknow?

Character Options’ female-led YouTuber Aphmau currently boasts 15 million engaged followers; fellow YouTubers Lankybox have more than 10 million followers on the platform…

From dinosaurs to space…

ORCHARD TOYS

01953 859539

sales@orchardtoys.com

orders@kayes.co.uk

www.orchardtoys.com

Guess what?

proving to be a big hit with shoppers and selling really well.

Orchard Toys Dinosaur Dig is an exciting, fossil-finding game, where the aim is to be the first to dig and discover all the bones to build your 3D T-rex dinosaur. Players take turns to hook matching coloured dinosaur bones with their pick, to build their own 3D dinosaur. If the bone piece doesn’t match it’s returned to the mud! But beware, hook a terrible T-rex and you lose a piece of your dinosaur back to the swamp! The winner is the first to dig up all the bones to complete their dinosaur. Learning through play, this fun game is perfect for helping children aged four-plus develop colour matching, memory and dexterity skills.

Orchard Toys Unicorn Fun! features three fantastic and fun unicorn themed games in one box, making it great value for shoppers. Aimed at children aged four to eight , there’s Unicorn Party, where players help the unicorns get ready to celebrate then cross the 3D rainbow; Happy Cloud Sad Cloud is a twist on snakes and ladders where players follow the magical path; and in Build a Unicorn children can create their own unicorn.

Launch highlights also include Nutty Numbers headlining the brand’s new educational games, and Farmyard Families, the latest addition to Orchard Toys’ collection of first games for little ones as young as two years, and Mucky Trucks, a fun first colour board game for preschoolers.

Orchard is offering a free stock pack worth £76 to retailers ordering £400 net at the Toymaster Show

Orchard Toys will be exhibiting at the Toymaster May Show, featuring a new jigsaw and highlighting its new games for 2023, including seasonal product for Christmas. The show will also be an opportunity for independent retailers to see the full portfolio of Orchard Toys’ best-selling fun, educational games and jigsaws. Plus, there will be opportunity for indies to discuss promotions and bespoke in-store activities.

Orchard Toys will be in the Reading Room along with its Exclusive Irish Distribution Partner Banaghans. UK Distribution Partner Kayes will also be there to support Orchard Toys, exhibiting in the Drawing Room.

Star products for the show will be Orchard Toys’ new spacethemed jigsaw, along with Unicorn Fun! and Dinosaur Dig, new in the line-up of Orchard Toys 2023 launches, and which are both

As a show exclusive, Orchard Toys will be offering a free stock pack worth £76 SRP for orders over £400 net, placed at the show. The free stock pack will include two each of Orchard Toys favourites, Insey Winsey Spider, Tummy Ache and Mammoth Maths. On stand there will also be a fun ‘Guess the Number of Dice in the Jar’ with the winning

Simba Smoby Toys UK’s Unmissable Showcase

SIMBA SMOBY TOYS

01620

674 778

sales@simbasmoby.com

It’s a great year to be a Smoby customer, with brand awareness sure to be at an ultimate high, thanks to significant investment into marketing to include celebrity ambassadors, sponsorship of a family festival and more. Big news for the brand is that Spidey and His Amazing Friends has spun its web in the roleplay portfolio. Key to the range is the Bricolo Workbench, which allows kids to build their own Spidey Crawler vehicle.

From DIY stations to the heart of the kitchen, Smoby is to introduce two new pretend-play kitchens this year. Making for a chic entry point into the range, the Nova Kitchen is a rounded roleplay space that features magic functions, including cooking sounds. It comes with 13 accessories, including a frying pan with pancake flipping mechanism! The contemporary vibe continues with the Kitchen Loft: no doubt this modular urban kitchen design will be a huge hit with modern families.

Simba is also celebrating the past, present and future of Disney, this year, with its Disney 100 Years of Wonder plush collection

Simba is also celebrating the past, present and future of Disney, this year, with its Disney 100 Years of Wonder plush collection. The D100 Sparkly Mickey and Minnie 25cm lines are must-haves; the pair come dressed in platinum, sparkly outfits. Plus, fans can collect the special edition 25cm D100 Platinum Grogu, Dumbo, Pooh, Simba and Stitch, which are made from shiny velour, satin and sparkly fabrics. Retailers are invited to share in the festivities, with special anniversary FSDUs and CDUs available.

On the collectables front, the Jada Toys collection offers up plenty of authentically licensed, highly stylised die-cast figures and replica vehicles to collect. Sure to be wildly popular is the Disney 100 Collectable Figures range. These die-cast figures are superaffordable and are perfect for all Disney fans, who can play with and display all their favourite characters. There are lots of characters to collect, including Mickey, Minnie, Winnie the Pooh, Toy Story’s Woody, and many more.

Also promising to be hugely popular in the pocket money aisle is the Minecraft Blister Pack.

SimbaGuesswhat?

Smoby’s Smoby and Aquabeads brands are jointly sponsoring the family-friendly Gloworm festival again this August, with the Newark-based event boasting dedicated festival zone sponsorship and a fully-brands Smoby Play Zone. It’s part of the company’s wider family marketing plans for 2023

Based on one of the most popular gaming licences, each pack contains one die-cast nano-collectable figure that measures 1.65-inch tall. This new CDU assortment replaces the blind bag collectable from last year, which was Simba’s number-one volume item, so naturally forecast is very large for this line!

And anime fans will be thrilled with the Jada Toys Hollywood Anime Rides. Licensed from popular anime brands such as Street Fighter and One Punch Man, these 1:24 die-cast vehicles each come with a scaled figure and are perfect for fans of these popular manga series.

on their cat-tastic adventures and a-meow-zing surprises with MV sports’ bestselling scooters, bikes, playtents and accessories!

Scoot into play on the Gabby’s Dollhouse Deluxe tri-scooter, complete with exciting character graphics shaped plaque and puncture-proof tyres allowing

Gabby and her cat-tastic adventures

MV SPORTS & LEISURE

01217488000 | info@mvsports.com | www.mvsports.com

a smooth, comfortable riding experience. Includes fully printed anti-slip footplate with smooth sides, adjustable handlebar and comfort moulded grips; suitable for a variety of ages. Pedal along on the 2-in-1 10” Training Bike, the ideal beginner ride on which easily converts from a pedal training bike to a balance bike, as the child grows in confidence whilst also working to develop coordination and core balance. With an adjustable handlebar and soft seat this training bike accommodates a range of ages, whilst the soft, moulded handlebar grips deliver optimum ridng comfort. This 2-in-1 Bike can be paired with the Gabby’s Dollhouse lightweight, ventilated safety helmet, fitted with easily adjustable sizing dial and

straps. The flagship of the range is the easy to assemble, Gabby’s Dollhouse Wendy House featuring authentic designs inside and out. The Gabby’s Dollhouse Wendy House works to stimulate imagination and promote creative play with friends.

Decorated with fully printed panels and emblazoned with colourful character graphics, the Wendy House comes complete with a ventilated closed top and tie back door. This special playtent includes durable polyester and PVC materials as well as water resistance; perfect for children to immerse themselves in indoor and outdoor play. The product folds down to compact size for easy storage accompanied with a carry bag ideal for your little one’s sleepovers and family holidays!

Toynamics riding high

TOYNAMICS

0116 478 5230

sales@toynamics.co.uk

Toynamics UK & Ireland will be showcasing its variety of toy brands at the Toymaster show this year. For independent retailers, Toynamics is offering toys for a mix of ages, from newborn to eight years old and upwards, and price points spanning pocket money prices on collectables to bigticket items such as ride-ons. The variety of toys on show will reflect what parents are looking for in extended play value and toys that last.

Highlights will include playful learning toys from Hape; environmentally friendly cork toys from Korko; new ride-on brand Ambosstoys, and from licensed toy brand Nanoblock, the world’s smallest micro-sized building blocks.

As brand and business growth continues for Toynamics, it will also be showing its new brand for 2023 - Ambosstoys, timeless ride-on toys that combine classic Italian design with the finest craftsmanship. The vintage looking Primo is an authentic ride-on toy in the design of a classic Italian scooter. Suitable for toddler age up until five years-old, the bikes are created using the highest-quality materials for longevity, and are available in three colours, mint, blue and pink.

New for Korko, the playful educational toys made from sustainable Portuguese cork, is the Little Skittles Set. Perfect for 18 months plus, the skittles are soft, lightweight, non-slip, durable, plus cork is an antibacterial

material and recyclable. An ideal toy for encouraging a child’s hand eye coordination.

Hape will featuring the Nature Fun range, with a spotlight on the Nature Fun 4-in 1 Exploration Set. This set includes the best-selling hide-and-seek periscope, four magnifying glasses and two-tone whistle, net and bug jar. All products are made from sustainable bamboo and plant-based plastics. The Toynamics team will be available to discuss marketing support and shop-in shop solutions with retailers.

Marbles set the ball rolling

UNIVERSITY GAMES AND THE LAGOON GROUP

0207 254 0100

sales@ugames.uk.com

www.university-games.co.uk

Games and puzzles specialist University Games will have all of its best-selling preschool, children and family games on display at the Toymaster show this May. From classic favourites to innovative new releases, this games and puzzles range has been designed to entertain and offer something for the whole family. As usual, University Games will be offering Toymaster members deals at the show, which will ensure they can enjoy fantastic sales at market-leading margins.

The new fully recyclable Marble RaceTrax series is perfect for children and adults that love to create as well as race. First build your marble race track and then release the marbles and cheer on your marble as they race down the track, taking a different route each time! Made from eco-friendly materials, and with four different track sizes available, ranging from 4-9 metres, this series is a great choice for consumers who want to do their bit for the planet, and will be supported by a full TV and social media campaign to drive volume sales while retaining the margins our retail partners have come to expect from us.

University Games’ extensive range of The First 100 Words Games and Activity Cards are an excellent way to help young preschoolers learn new words and expand their vocabulary. With engaging activities and colourful illustrations the First 100 Word games are suitable for ages two-plus.

University Games’ range of ever-popular children’s games feature many of the best-loved characters and brands that make learning fun. Tom Gates range of doublesided colour-in puzzles, card game and the Monster Games Compendium and the best-

selling Horrible Histories board game and puzzles

Did you know?

Seminal table football game

Subbuteo, now one year past its 75th anniversary, will again be backed by a “heavyweight TV, radio and social media campaign”

Educational Games and 250-piece puzzles. Matilda’s Splendid Spelling, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’s Marvellous Maths and The BFG’s Whizzpopping Letters educational games have been developed in conjunction with the National Curriculum Key Stage 1 and 2, and provide

The superb Purple Cow range of 12 Magnetic Travel Games is available in two CDUs, each featuring six different games; these compact and portable games in tins include Animal Bingo, Battlefleet, Chess and Hangman, and are perfect for families on the go. They offer hours of fun while helping to aid cognitive and social skills.

The new Raccoon Tycoon is a fun and engaging family strategy game that challenges players to become the wealthiest tycoon in the town of Astoria. With a variety of commodities to trade and auction, players must carefully manage their resources in this accessible and rewarding strategy game to try to become Top Dog!

Toymaster members will also not want to miss out on the

Pull up to the Bumper

WILTON BRADLEY

01626 835400

www.wiltonbradley.com

Did you know?

As well as offering all the fun of the fair, the Big Bumper car features stickers so children can give a personalised feel to their vehicles, right down to the number plate!

Big Bumper - 2-Seater Bumper Car – Age 2+

Get ready for some awesome 360 bumper fun with the Xootz Big Bumper car. Suitable for ages 24 months and up, the Xootz Big Bumper car is easy to manoeuvre, giving kids complete control as they perform full 360 spins and reach speeds of up to 2.5mph. The Big Bumper car has adjustable seatbelts, anti-flat tires and a rubberised bumper that offers protection to your home and children. Bring all the fun of the fairground dodgem home with flashing LED lights and fairground themed music. The fully rechargeable ride-on is powered by twin motors and come with a sticker pack so that kids can customise their ride and personalise their own number plate.

Xootz Wild Rider LED Scooter - Pink Leopard

The new Xootz Wild Thing LED Scooter will be the biggest hit in the park! With a fun leopard print grip tape, the Wild Thing scooter features LED wheels, deck and handlebar grips for super fun light show when you ride. Perfect for ages five-plus, the Wild Thing features a lightweight aluminium frame and an easy folding mechanism making it perfect for transporting.

Taking tea with Paddington

RAINBOW DESIGNS

www.rainbowdesigns.co.uk

01329 227300

Many childhood favourites can be found on the Rainbow Designs stand at Toymaster this year. With its entire family of much-loved and joyful characters on display, from Peter Rabbit, Paddington Bear, Disney’s Winnie the Pooh and Mickey Mouse, to Elmer, Spot and The Very Hungry Caterpillar; Rainbow’s extensive range ensures there is a cuddly character, educational wooden toy or fun-packed playset for every preschooler.

The Peter Rabbit TV toy range is an adorable collection of toys based on the popular animated series that follows the mischievous and brave Peter Rabbit as he embarks on a series of exciting adventures with his best friends Benjamin and Lily. Rainbow’s soft cuddly character collection includes the fun-packed Talking Peter Rabbit and Lily Bobtail toys, now at a new bigger size, with adorable phrases such as ‘Let’s hop to it!’ and ‘All rabbits need a little help from their friends’.

The Adventures of Paddington bestselling preschool toy range of plush toys and playsets is based on the awardwinning TV

outfits to dress up Paddington as a doctor, a baker or as a magician.

Sparking imaginations and encouraging preschoolers to create their own adventures with Paddington, this fun-packed toy range will also see the arrival of the award-winning Adventures of Paddington Tea Set, which includes a cuddly Paddington Bear Soft Toy and 10-piece Tea Set. Packaged in Paddington’s suitcase, which features the familiar P.B. initials and fun stickers so little ones can personalise, the tea set has everything needed for a perfect afternoon tea for two! The Paddington Bus and Bessie Campervan playsets will also be joined later this year by the new Paddington Motorcycle and Side Car, which will see

Did you know?

The Adventures Of Paddington TV series has won a raft of awards, including Annies and British Animation Awards, as well as not one but two Emmys. The third series will appear on Nick Jr this year…

and charm of the nation’s favourite bear, and will be back for a third series on Nick Jr shortly. An inspiring cuddly addition to the range, joining the ever-popular Talking

Paddington Soft Toy is the Adventures of Paddington Dress Me Up Soft Toy. In addition to his traditional blue duffle coat and red bush hat, this new line includes four changeable

State of the arts (and crafts!)

Arts and craft toys are perennial favourites as parents endeavour to keep their kids off screens – so what’s selling well, and what can you fill up your shelves with over the next few months?

Arts and crafts continue to be popular among children – with a poll suggesting that a child will produce 2,000 arts and crafts pieces for their parents before they are 12 – that’s a lot of pictures on the fridge door!

The poll from BIC UK and Ireland revealed that 79% of parents display all their children’s creactions, but after nine months they are taken down to make way for others. However, most parents are sentimental and keep their children’s first craft items, with others stored in a memory box to give back to their kids when they’re older.

And figures from the Department for Digital Culture, Media and Sport’s Taking Part survey reiterate the level of involvement – it showed that more than 70% of five-to 10-yearolds participated in some form of crafts outside school – and even for 11-15-year-olds the figures are 67%that’s a lot of potential customers!

Arts and crafts are becoming more mainstream with the popularity of TV shows such as The Great Pottery Throwdown, The Great British Sewing Bee, and The Repair Shop showing the joy that creating your own unique creations can bring.

But not everyone has a craft studio for kids to go wild in, something that Trends UK has noted from its own research.

Marketing director Lindsay Hardy says: ‘‘We introduced our new creative brand, Paint Pop Paint Sticks, a year ago, which has been extremely well received. Our research shows that parents would love to encourage their children to engage in more art and craft activities, especially if it’s mess free. Paint Pop’s ‘Twist & Paint’ feature has been a massive success with mums and kids alike as it eliminates the need for brushes and dirty water, plus the masterpieces dry quickly, ready for display!

‘‘Additionally, we’re delighted to have introduced the Crayola Silly Scents Dough & Sand products that come in bright, fruity scents and colours, creating a fun, tactile play experience that engages the senses.’’

As well as being a lot of fun, taking part in arts and crafts is vital to children’s development, as creative therapist and emotional wellbeing coach Anita Kate Garai explains. Anita, who is a former primary school teacher and author of Being With Our Feelings: A Mindful Approach to Wellbeing for Children (www.beingwithourfeelings.com), says: ‘‘Playing and creativity with arts and crafts are immensely important parts

Our research shows that parents would love to encourage their children to engage in more art and craft activities, especially if it’s mess free

Lindsay Hardy marketing director Trends UK

of children’s development. Through play and creativity they learn about themselves and how to relate to others and the world. They can experiment and mess up within a safe container. They can create worlds that they can be in charge of, which goes a long way in developing their self worth and a value of themselves in the world. They can play out scenarios in a pretend, harmless way as well as express their inner feeling world through colour, image, texture and shape.’’

In a world where children access much of their entertainment, play and education through screens, the physical nature of arts and crafts toys is vital, says Charlotte Davies, director at Fit 2 Learn (www.fit-2-learn. com) a social enterprise company that helps children and adults learn how they can achieve their potential through good control of their own basic physiology.

She explains: ‘‘Arts and crafts toys do some really interesting things in terms of developing motor skills and mid-line crossing, plus hand-eye coordination and visual perception skills.

‘‘Humans have evolved as huntergatherers who make and use physical tools. Humans develop through childhood due to direct

interaction with their environment. The more physical the interaction the better the child develops. The resistance of the materials and the struggles physically trigger connections in the brain. When there is little resistance such as on a touch screen or when talking to Siri then there is little cognitive development.

‘‘Up to the age of seven or eight the body develops motor skills on left and right sides and the two sides develop to communicate and coordinate. Likewise, vision and focusing skills develop left and right sides and slowly the eyes learn to come together.

‘‘These skills develop through engaging in making and doing, hence craft toys should be in every child’s home. They should also make up a substantial part of education in all years.’’

And it shouldn’t stop there, she says: ‘‘After the age of seven there is a still a need to keep doing craft activities for many hours a week. The child is growing every day and needs to rewire its body and brain on a daily basis. Further visual perceptual skills go on developing well into their teenage years. These skills are essential for understanding pattern, shape and three dimensions; vital skills for developing the higher

level mathematical skills the nation needs to survive and excel in the next technological revolution.

‘‘Craft skills should also highlight where there are problems in development, so they can be a good diagnostic tool, without the children having any idea that you are concerned about skills development.

‘‘Of course, craft activities are also great for inter-generational conversations. For helping grandparents maintain skills, while enjoying the company of their grandchildren as they develop them.’’

Keeping arts and crafts toys up to date is key to ensuring that today’s children continue to engage with this evergreen sector. Combining arts with current trends is a simple way to make this happen – for instance Curious Universe addresses the unicorn and collectable trends in its Crystalverse fusion of toy and craft.

Basic Fun! meanwhile, brings technology to the art sector with LiteBrite Touch , which lets kids create light designs, animate their art and play addictive games such as snake at the touch of a button.

Character Options appeals to young fashion followers with its Sparkling Headbands and Barrettes set, while fans of YouTube’s beauty tutorials will love making their own

Beauty-ful arts and crafts

CHARACTER OPTIONS

0161 633 9800 | sales@charactergroup.plc.uk

There’s lots to inspire creative minds and fashionable kids within the Cra-Z-Art Shimmer ‘n Sparkle arts and crafts collection.

Like all Shimmer ‘n Sparkle sets, Glitter & Gem Lip Gloss Locket promotes selfexpression and confidence, while inspiring beautiful creativity inside and out. This super-fun activity set comes with all that’s required to mix and make colourful, flavoured swirled Lip Gloss Lockets. Once created, kids can even add floating glitter and sequins, with the cool Locket Top. To add to the fun, children’s favourite lip treat creations can be made into ring, necklace and bracelet accessories.

And there’s stylish hair wear jewellery to be created with the Sparkling Headbands and Barrettes set. This fashion-first activity kit allows children to create 10 sparkly, beaded, headbands with charm and gem embellishments, as well as three sparkling fashion barrettes. Included is a design and display workstation, where fashionistas can get designing their dimensional hair accessories.

Meanwhile, ever popular in the range is the 6-in-1 Real Massaging Foot Spa, which lets children enjoy the ultimate pampered pedicure experience at home. This creative spa set has six Spa-mazing features for the total foot spa experience at home: massaging foot rollers, skin smoothing buffer, cascading waterfall, relaxing bubbling action, colour-changing lights and a scented pedi-soak.

Ask the retailer

What are your bestselling toys/brands in this sector? Our top three brands in crafts would have to be Top Model from Depesche, Crystal Art from Craft Buddy and Eugy from Brainstorm. Another supplier to mention would be Canal, which we do really well with as not only are the products always on trend, but the packaging is some of the best around.

Anything you would love to find in this sector but haven’t been able to source?

I don’t think there is anything we are particularly hunting for in this sector, however I am always on the lookout for good products at the right prices! The sweet spot for us in craft is that £5-£10 range. Craft for us is an area in which we can achieve a higher margin than other products in the store, so this is really important. Also, lines that demo well in store are great as they add to customer experience as well as selling themselves!

Emma Dadswell, director, Toys n Tuck, Southend on Sea

Glitter & Gem Lip Gloss Locket . Epoch Making Toys also taps into this trend, combining it with the ever-popular Disney licence with the Aquabeads Disney Princess Nail Studio. And there’s another popular licence from Wow! Stuff, with its Marvel-themed Science Putty – sure to appeal to young superhero fans!

Guess what…

Kids can pamper themselves with the 6-in-1 Real Massaging Foot Spa, which includes massaging foot rollers, skin smoothing buffer, cascading waterfall, relaxing bubbling action, colour-changing lights and a scented pedi-soak

Did you know?

Once the fabric flowers are made, kids can display their floral creations using the Flower Market stand, or in the included vases, tubes, and paper cones

Floral fun

SIMBA SMOBY UK

01620 674 778 | sales@simbasmoby.com

Budding florists and crafty kids can make beautiful flower displays with the Smoby Flower Market.

Kids can use the Smoby Flower Market to design and construct their very own flowers using the manual press. Included is a wide selection of colourful fabric flower petals, as well as stems, and other flower parts. Children will enjoy hours of creative play as they make beautiful flowers. Once created, children can display their floral creations using the Flower Market stand itself, or the vases, tubes, and paper cones that come included with the set.

Once created, the Flower Market is open for business! Kids can promote their products with the booklet, decorate their stand with the stickers, and then sell their creations, taking pretendplay payments from customers with the toy card machine. Should children fancy a refresh, they can take the petals apart to create brand-new flowers.

Arty time!

TOYNAMICS UK & IRELAND

0116 478 5230 | sales@toynamics.co.uk

www.toynamics.com

Toynamics UK & Ireland has a new range of art and craft-themed products for retailers and consumers, from best-selling brands Hape, DinosArt and Nebulous Stars.

Guess what…

The new Nebulous Stars Shooting Star Maker is expected to become a bestseller; kids can get creative making magical 3D shooting stars

New for 2023 from Hape is great collection of educational art sets aimed at children aged three-plus. These sets help children explore painting, colour mixing, letter and number formation, chalks and drawing. There are five new kits to collect, all packaged in a beautifully designed box, and full of tools, which help focus on different mediums or techniques.

Sponge Painting Fun comes with four different paint colours, rollers, stencils and patterned A3 paper sheets to act as a frame for the designs. Colour Mixing Fun has everything needed to teach a child the colour wheel using the three main primary colours. The set includes a 60ml tube of red, blue and yellow paint, a palate for mixing, brushes, colour wheel and six activities to complete. Oodles of Doodles Scratching is a fantastic kit, where black sheets can be scratched away to reveal rainbow or glitter designs beneath. This set comes with 20 sheets to scratch, three stencils, two wooden styluses and one A4 poster. All these sets are compatible with the Hape Easel.

The final two kits are designed with the easel in mind, the Chalks and Stencils Art is the perfect accessory for the black board but also works perfectly as a stand-alone set. It comes with 12 sticks of chalk, two chalk

holders, two bicolour chunky chalks, four stencils, one roll of paper tape and one A4 poster. Letter and Number Tracing is a great kit for a child who is learning to write, it includes four letter, number and sign stencils, eight whiteboard marker pens with erasers, one A3 activity album and one binder clip.

Hape also launches the Magic Friends Storytelling Magnets and Space Life Storytelling Magnets – both new for 2023. An interactive and creative way to tell a story, the set incudes 10 wooden magnets to decorate, six markers and a scenic poster to stick to the easel, or a magnetic surface like a refrigerator, and use as the setting for the story.

For Nebulous Stars, the new Nebulous Stars Shooting Star Maker is expected to become a bestseller for 2023. With this arts and crafts set, children from age seven will have great fun getting creative and making magical 3D shooting stars. In keeping with the essence of the Nebulous Stars brand, it’s all about positivity – positive attitudes and vibes. This arts and crafts set contains a shooting star maker, 12 pulp paper stars, star-shaped punch, three paint bottles and two ink spray bottles, tissue paper, glitter powder, glue, beads, cords and inspiring message pages – everything needed to make shooting stars of joy. Young creators are encouraged to make them for friends and family, and themselves, to spread a little joy and happiness. Plus, the 3D element of the stars means they can be filled with gifts or inspiring messages, before they are sealed and decorated. For set longevity, refill packs are also available, so children can keep on making shooting stars.

Glowing Jellyfish is another new set from Nebulous Stars, bringing the soft light of the rainbow reef to children’s bedrooms with this glow-in-the-dark set. The kit includes three glow-in-the-dark domes, 63 glow-in-the-dark beads, 70 colourful beads and everything needed to create a beautiful hanging decoration for the bedroom. Suitable for ages seven-plus.

For little artists who are fans of dinosaurs, the DinosArt 60-page Black Colouring Book is just the challenge for ages seven-plus. Black pages with dinosaur-themed designs to follow, this set comes with eight metallic ink gel pens, and instructions that cover drawing techniques and creative topics like colour theory.

All toys and brands are given full marketing support including Shop-in shop solutions.

Coming to the Aquabeads ‘on-the-go’ range in July is the Deluxe Craft Backpack which can be fully personalised by attaching creations to the backpack and the straps

Build and grow…

FLAIR GP

0208

643 0320 | sales@flairplc.co.uk

EPOCH MAKING TOYS

0208 049 1377

sales@epochmakingtoys.com

Aquabeads; the number two craft kits brand (2022 Year End NPD/Circana Value Data Craft Kits Sub-Category) sees new lines and innovation added to its portfolio for 2023. The original stick-with-water bead brand launched Aquabeads Nail Studio in January 2023, an exciting new sub-line, and introduced new shiny beads throughout the range.

The new Aquabeads Disney Princess Nail Studio allows children to create magical mess-free manicures with just a simple spray of water, in true Aquabeads style, meaning no gluey fingers or smudged nail polish to ruin the look. Complete with 56 nails and 120 Disney Princess-themed decorations including bows, stars, flowers, and hearts- there are 40 different designs to make, all perfect for a princess.

The Aquabeads Dinosaur World Set launched earlier this year, and has exciting templates to make the most dino-mite creations. The complete set features 1,200 star, solid, and jewel beads as well as the new shiny beads, allowing children to create their own roar-some pre-historic world and even be able to wear their dino-themed creations with the included keychain accessories.

Launching in July, the Deluxe Craft Backpack will be the latest addition to the brand’s portable ‘on-the-go’ range and can be fully personalised by attaching creations to the backpack and the straps.

Further additions to the range for July 2023 include the Disney Princess DressUp Set, which includes the new shiny beads that create a shimmery feel to creations, perfect for accentuating the princesses’ dresses and add sparkle to the wearable tiara included.

Fun and safe for children four years and above, Aquabeads is super simple to use – just place the beads on the layout tray, spray with water and watch as they magically stick together.

The Flair GP portfolio is packed with a host of cool, creative brands for arts, crafts and creative play.

Sure to be popular is the all-new Bildo Play-Doh Blocks, which combines the much-loved dough compound with hybrid building blocks, offering kids a creative and sensory play experience. Arriving this July, as part of the firm’s exclusive distribution deal with Bildo toys, the launch collection will comprise eight SKUs, spanning entry-point starter sets to larger playsets such as the School Play ‘n Learn Blocks Playset. Flair will support this range with an impactful marketing campaign that will ensure strong awareness and demand. The vibrant and engaging branding will also ensure the collection really stands out on shelf.

Guess what…

For a creative play range that will nurture a new generation of gardeners, there is Puzzle & Grow. This wholesome collection lets children build, plant and grow their very own magical garden. From seed to flower, these puzzle planting kits create a kingdom that’s fit for fairies or unicorns. Children begin the fun by pushing out the puzzle pieces to build their very own 3D Fairy Treehouse playset or Unicorn Garden. Then, after filling the planting trays with cotton wool/soil and planting their seeds, all that’s left to do is water them and watch their garden grow. Designed to be small enough to fit on a windowsill, these super-cute sets are produced with future generations in mind. They contain no single-use plastics in the packaging, the paper/card used is sustainably sourced or recycled, and all disposable retail packaging is recyclable.

Puzzle & Grow lets children build, plant and grow their very own magical garden. From seed to flower, these puzzle planting kits create a kingdom that’s fit for fairies or unicorns

And Ruffle Fluffies is the fun and quirky craft brand that lets creative kids make their own DIY plush pals. Each kit comes with a moulded body to assemble and fluffy pom poms that attach with suction cups. Once the pom poms are connected to the body, kids simply ruffle and fluff to create their finished plush! The included accessories complete the look. There are four Ruffle Fluffies to collect, each has its own special feature. Unity the Unicorn has a light-up horn; Lana the Llama’s head turns; Layla the Lion’s head bobbles; and Bella the Bunny’s ears roll-up!

From a glittering galaxy….

CURIOUS UNIVERSE

01225 614 310

sales@curiousuniverse.co.uk

www.curiousuniverse.co.uk

A sparkling fusion of toy and craft, Crystalverse opens a new world of creative play for ages six and over, with a focus on promoting imaginative play, collecting and customisation. With a unique and immersive back story, Crystalverse introduces the cute, collectable ‘crystalcorns’ – a squad of cool, cosmic characters each with their own biography and personality.

The glittering galaxy that plays host to the crystal-corn friends is an intergalactic playground for super stylish Kiki, chilled out Starlana and endlessly energetic Apollo, who each come complete with their own in-pack collectable character card and can be decorated with the crystals included. Ranging from competitively priced introductory sets including a Baby Unicorn, 150 customisable crystals and character card through to mid-priced main character 3,000 crystal packs and the ultimate twin unicorn packs complete with baby unicorn, two-character cards to embellish and more than 5,000 crystals.

Launching into the UK in Summer 2023, Crystalverse will be supported by a targeted 360-degree marketing campaign incorporating digital and mainstream media, influencer outreach, high-

Guess what…

Each crystal-corn friend (including super stylish Kiki, chilled out Starlana and endlessly energetic Apollo) comes with is own in-pack collectable character card and can be decorated with the crystals included

Mess-free masterpieces

TRENDS UK

01295 768078 | salesadmin@trendsuk.co.uk.

www.trendsuk.co.uk

The development of Trends UK’s Paint Pop Paint Sticks range is ramping up for 2023. The perfect introduction to painting and doodling, creative kids can paint away the mess-free way.

Bright and colourful, with no mess, Paint Pop Paint Sticks create a happy experience for all! The chunky shape is easy for little hands to hold, and the smooth, glide-on paint works without needing water or brushes. Twist the stick and get ready to paint, whether at home or on your travels. Be creative on a wide range of surfaces including paper, card, canvas, wood and even glass. The range includes a wide variety of colours and finishes plus practical storage solutions which parents will appreciate.

Trends UK is introducing the new Paint Pop Paint Pens for AW 2023. The 12-pack of vibrant colours has the same great fastdrying, mess-free paints but with a finer tip. Perfect for adding finer details to creative masterpieces.

The new Paint Pop Spin & Create Set makes stunning swirly art pieces at the push of a button, no batteries required. Four colours of paint and the mixing guide help create exciting, vibrant spiral designs. It also comes with paper discs and a frame to display favourite art pieces.

The Crayola Silly Scents Sand & Dough compounds offer brightly coloured fun in five fruity scents. These amazing moulding materials engage all the senses. With bright bold colours, the delightfully fruit scented sand and dough are soft, tactile, and respond to manipulation into all kinds of shapes.

The bestselling Creative Compounds Activity Pack offers excellent value, with dough and sand plus tools and moulds (19 pieces total).

Marvel-lous moulding play

WOW! STUFF

emma.prendaglia@wowstuff.com

www.wowstuff.com

Toy innovation company Wow! Stuff has given creative play an educational, licensed twist to bring young fans its Marvel Science Putty STEAM collection.

Marvel Science Putty lets kids celebrate their fandom as they get creative and explore all the incredible properties of Wow! Stuff’s Marvel Science Putty STEAM collection. Bounce it, stretch it, and warm it with your hands to see it change colour! Children will be amazed by the varied properties these putties possess, and they’ll love learning how they behave under different conditions. The ultimate compound play for any Marvel fan, each putty has a Marvel hero-inspired quality.

Iron Man Science Putty is ‘heat reactive’ with transformative colour-changing thermal pigments; the Black Panther putty is ‘UV reactive’ and changes colour in sunlight; Hulk putty has a ‘gamma glow’-in-the-dark effect, and Captain America Putty is superbouncy, with ‘vibranium elasticity’! These four putties are available to purchase individually within the CDU assortment. And kids can collect a further four Marvel Science Putties, which are available exclusively with the eight-pack.

Did you know?

Each Marvel Science Putty has a Marvel hero-inspired quality. Take Captain America Putty, for example, which is superbouncy, with ‘vibranium elasticity’

Let there be Lite!

Did you know?

Lite-Brite Mini-X Connect is new for this year; perfect for at home or on-the-go. Kids can connect, create and let their artwork shine with this new, smaller canvas

many generations. This autumn sees huge development in the range to complement the classic while appealing to the latest generation of kids and teens.

With Lite-Brite Touch you can create light designs, animate your art and play addictive games such as snake with the touch of a button. This new creative craft toy is programmed with three games to extend the light-up creative fun - Break, Match and Snake - and can save your digital artwork too.

Creative kids can get their hands on a mini version of LiteBrite, too, with Lite-Brite Mini-X Connect. New for this year, this craft toy is perfect for at home or on-the-go. Kids can connect, create and let their artwork shine with this new, smaller canvas. The Mini-X Connect comes with 200-plus neon mini-pegs, and there’s an option to design something on a bigger Lite Brite canvas, as up to four of these LiteBrites connect together.

Paultons Park turns 40!

Denise Moore , retail buyer at Paultons Park , in the New Forest, talks to TnP about the family theme park, which is celebrating its ruby anniversary - and how she found her passion for toys

What’s

your career background?

I honestly had no idea what I wanted to do after college - I just knew that I wanted to work in an office. So I applied for admin roles. After working for an estate agent and for my local newspaper in various admin positions, I found a job as a clerical assistant within travel retail. I don’t think I even knew what travel retail meant back then!

I worked in travel retail for 20 years, where I progressed from clerical assistant to buying & merchandising administrator and then to buyer. This gave me some great experience in several product categories - and is where I found my passion for toys.

Throughout those two decades, I learned a lot about buying and supply chains. Following that, I worked for a toy supplier, which gave me a great insight to ‘the other side’, before joining the team at Paultons Park as retail buyer.

Did You Know?

Paultons Park is home to the largest dedicated Peppa Pig Shop in the world. There’s lots to choose from for Peppa and George fans including plush, playsets, toiletries, clothing, puzzles, games, stationery - along with many exclusive items

Tell us about Paultons Park. Paultons Park opened in the New Forest National Park, near the village of Ower in Hampshire, in 1983 - so we are celebrating our 40th anniversary this year. Peppa Pig World opened within the Park in 2011 and we welcome more than a million visitors per year. The Park covers 140 acres and features more than 70 rides and attractions set in beautiful, landscaped gardens and parkland.

Within the Park, we have four main retail stores:

The Big Toy Shop at the entrance to the Park is a shopping experience like no other. Children enter via a twinkling rainbow arch into an enchanted forest where Sparky the Dragon awaits. In here you will be spoilt for choice as you explore our ranges of licensed and nonlicensed toys and games, confectionery, souvenirs, plush, stationery, clothing and park essentials.

Outpost 12 within Lost Kingdom offers a whole range of dinosaur items, from a cuddly T-rex, to fossils, clothing, confectionery, excavation kits and everything in between! [Lost Kingdom is a Jurassic world theme park located within a prehistoric landscape, which is home to attractions including two worldclass roller coasters, lifelike animatronic dinosaurs, Jurassic-themed family rides, and an adventure play park.]

Peppa’s Toy Shop can be found within

Peppa Pig World and is the largest dedicated Peppa Pig shop in the world. We have everything you can think of for Peppa and George fans including plush, playsets, toiletries, clothing, puzzles, games, stationery - and many exclusive items which can only be purchased at Peppa Pig World.

[Peppa Pig World is the world’s largest and first Peppa Pig World, which boasts nine fun rides suitable for young children and toddlers. Visitors can meet Peppa Pig and George who appear every day for photo opportunities with their fans on the veranda in front of the school house. Mummy Pig, Daddy Pig, Zoe Zebra and Suzy Sheep also make seasonal appearances.]

Al’s Shop & Service is our newest retail store, which opened in 2021 as part of Tornado Springs [a Midwestern American adventure theme park with eight rides and experiences, including a spinning coaster, gyro swing ride, plus a junior roller coaster called The Farmyard Flyer, for storm chasers, big or small]. This themed store offers an assortment of product including American candy, personalised goodies, souvenirs, clothing, plush, toy vehicles and retro USA signs, plaques and tins.

What sets it apart from other theme parks?

Paultons Park is a family-owned and run theme park. The directors are very

We neveraccept second best. As a business we like to leadtheway and innovate as needed ”

“

hands-on with the operation of the Park, and can often be found around the Park interacting with staff. Over the years, we have invested in our staff - both in training and time. We have listened to feedback from guests and staff and made operational changes as needed. We never accept second best. As a business we like to lead the way and innovate as needed.

We are a family-friendly Park, so we have rides and attractions suitable for every age. We regularly have great feedback about our immaculate grounds and facilities. In 2022 we were awarded the Visit England Visitor Attraction Gold Accolade for the second year running, and we have won the TripAdvisor Traveller’s Choice Award for five consecutive years.

We are currently the number one ranked UK theme park on Google Reviews.

We were also delighted to receive four prizes in the UK Theme Park Awards 2022 for Best Theme Park for Toddlers, Best Customer Service, Theme Park Of The Year, and Best Theme Park For Families. Many younger families visit Peppa Pig World, but are pleasantly surprised to find a whole lot more within the wider Park that their little ones can enjoy.

How would you describe your range?

Our range is varied: we try to offer something for everyone. We have a good mix of licensed and non-licensed product with dolls, action figures, plush, pocket money, stationery, games, confectionery and Park souvenirs included.

Being a destination Peppa Pig retailer, we can add clothes, toiletries, healthcare, homeware, books and bags to that list under the Peppa Pig licence.

What’s selling well?

The licences that are selling well for us (aside from Peppa Pig obviously) are Bluey, Pokémon and Godzilla. We’re also seeing an increase on Barbie, Super Mario and Transformers with the movie releases this year.

Guests also love our non-licensed themed ranges such as Pirate, Ocean, Space and Mermaids.

For our Peppa Pig ranges, we work closely with Hasbro, TY and Character Options, to name a few, and our best sellers are our exclusive Peppa Pig World items, plush and books.

How do you find products?

Via lots of methods. I like to attend Toy Fair at Olympia, London, and Spring Fair at the NEC in Birmingham. Both shows are great for catching up with existing suppliers and to wander around and chat to potential new suppliers.

Trade magazines are also good for seeing what’s out there and upcoming trends that I need to be aware of.

I also quite often spend time browsing LinkedIn, building a network, and seeing what’s new. I’m often contacted through LinkedIn by companies wanting to work with us - I found one of our current ranges by chatting to a fellow buyer there.

What are you most excited about for Spring/Summer 23?

This is my first full season here at Paultons Park, so I’m looking forward to seeing what positive impacts I can make. We’ve had quite a big overhaul on our product offering for this year, so I’m also interested to see what our bestsellers will be for 2023.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of your job?

I find it very rewarding to see product in-store that I’ve selected, beautifully visually merchandised by our teams. As one licence/theme can come from several suppliers, it’s great to see it all come together as a range.

It’s also very rewarding to then see the sales come through and see some of your selections become bestsellers.

What’s the most challenging aspect of your job?

One of the most challenging parts of my job has to be the balancing act: balancing price points, margins, stock levels and suitable ranges - all while constantly looking for the next big trend.

There is always a lot going on in my head, but it definitely keeps things interesting!

What advice would you give to someone wanting to start out in a buying career?

My advice would be: don’t be afraid to work in other roles before going after your dream job of buyer.

Having worked my way up, I would definitely say that gaining experience in various departments has helped me to understand the full process.

From processing deliveries in a warehouse and working on the shop floor, to raising purchase orders and balancing stock levels, it all helps you to understand not just your challenges as a buyer, but the challenges of all parts of the business - and how you can support them with what you do.

We are currently the number one ranked UK theme parkon Google Reviews ”

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Green-fingeredfun

British Garden Centres group toy buyer Kate Hateley talks to TnP about the retailer’s comprehensive range, stocked to suit various demographics

What’s your career background?

I’ve been in retail buying for over 20 years now, and most of that time has been within the garden centre industry. I started working on the shop floor in the gift department of Webbs of Wychbold when I was 19, progressing onto buying for that category.

I then moved onto Blooms of Bressingham, Associated Independent Stores (AIS), and Hillview Garden Centres, and have been with

the British Garden Centres team for more than three years.

How would you describe your range?

We stock a wide range of toys, games and jigsaws to suit various demographics, and we ensure our price points are keen and competitive. We try to get a good balance of products as we are garden centres and not a toy shop, so it’s important that we cater well for our valued customer base. We carry about 50 brands and, depending on the time of year, we deal with around 30 suppliers. Key names are LEGO, Playmobil, Mattel, Golden Bear, Character Options, Orchard Toys, WOW, Ravensburger and TY.

How do you find products?

Mainly through trade showsToy Fair at Olympia in London and Spring Fair at the NEC in Birmingham - and we are a member of [buying group] Toymaster, so all of our toy/ jigsaw suppliers are preferred suppliers with them. The Toymaster May Show is vital for second half purchasing.

What’s your selection criteria? Initially, there needs to be the capacity for any new ranges; if space allows, or we have

opportunities to fill possible gaps in categories. Ideally, the suppliers also need to be a part of Toymaster, which is an excellent tool for ‘vetting’ and trialling new ranges, and a real fundamental support to the toy industry for many reasons.

What’s proving popular at the moment?

The Robotime range [of model kits] from Fountasia has been a massive success for us since we introduced it last Autumn. It comes under our ‘Pastimes’ category: activities that people do for enjoyment, rather like a hobby. The products are not only great gift ideas for those that have everything or are difficult to buy for, but are also a very collectable hobby for all.

In toys, collectable pocket money ranges such as Mash'ems from Character Options, Misfittens from Basic Fun! and LEGO Blind Bags continue to do well.

What lines have you started stocking recently?

We have extended our craft range, as this was a category that showed opportunity to expand and is very much suited to our customer base.

How is trading for you?

Surprisingly, January was a strong month, with people still spending (possibly with their Christmas money) and sales were up. February was quieter and sales

The Toymaster MayShowis vital for second half purchasing ”

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were very slightly down, but the start of spring has been positive, and customers’ reactions to our new ranges is strong.

Have you noticed a change in spending patterns in light of the cost-of-living crisis?

Sales slightly slowed in February, but the toy departments have remained quite resistant. And we are lucky with our customers wanting to spend - there is strong footfall to our centres, with people visiting for many reasons.

Have you been affected by price rises and stock shortages?

Yes, the price increases have been a lot for centres to implement on the shopfloor, and this can be hugely time-consuming. Thankfully some prices are now coming down, thanks to the reduced costs in freight. Stock

Did You Know?

Best Sellers

■ TY Mini Boo Series 5

■ LEGO Mini Figure Series 23

■ Teleview Marketing Blizzard Bubbles

■ Mattel Hot Wheels

issues are much improved compared with where they were post-pandemic.

Are you looking at expanding into new categories?

I think we cover most categories well, including preschool, craft, educational, plush, jigsaws and licensed toys. There may be opportunities to expand within these categories. For example, we may add to our preschool as well as our craft offering.

What are you most excited about for the next season?

Newness, to keep things fresh - giving our regular customers something exciting to see and spend time in the centres - and ensuring we are making the most out of the departments, no matter where they are or how big they are.

British Garden Centres bills itself as the largest family-led garden centre group in the UK - and has ambitious plans in the pipeline.

The story of British Garden Centres began in the sleepy Lincolnshire village of Woodthorpe, the home of founders Charles and his brother Robert Stubbs. Charles started the business while still at school - he sold seedlings and Leylandii to neighbours and passers-by from a stall at the end of their drive.

Through hard work, determination and drive, the company developed, with Woodthorpe Garden Centre opening in 1987. The retailer flourished under the ownership of Charles and Robert, becoming famous for, among other things, huge sales of compost to keen gardeners from all over the region.

Over the years, the brothers’ reputation grew far and wide. They were featured on the local TV news programme Calendar for their entrepreneurial skills. The business at Woodthorpe developed, and with the addition of the flagship Brigg Garden Centre in Lincolnshire, the firm’s reputation for quality and value began to spread.

Other centres were added, and the company became known as the British Garden Centres Group. Since 2018 it has grown even faster than Charles and Robert could ever have imagined, and now has 62 centres around the country. Their ambition to have a British Garden Centre within easy reach for everyone in the UK is starting to take shape!

■ Alpha Toys Siku die cast vehicles

What are you looking forward to stocking in S/S 23?

Disney turns 100 this year, so we will be stocking a collection of products highlighting this exciting milestone

What’s the most rewarding aspect of your job?

Seeing ranges and ideas come together: from sourcing with suppliers at trade shows to selling on the shopfloor. And then seeing the centres doing a great job of merchandising and showcasing the new products.

What’s the most challenging aspect of your job?

The scale of the business. One size does not fit all, so it can be challenging looking after all of the centres as they vary so much, size-wise and geographically. It’s a good challenge though, and keeps us busy!

Finally, what’s your current all-time favourite game?

Dobble or Monopoly - both wholesome family fun!

Wetry togeta good balance of productsas we are garden centres and notatoy shop,soit’s important that we caterwell for our valued customer base

WH AT’S

LEGO’s Mermaid trio

LEGO 01753 495000 | www.lego.com

Coupe de grace

Little Tikes

01908 268 480 | Uklittle.tikes@mgae.com | www.littletikes.co.uk

The Little Tikes Cozy Coupe – a family favourite for generations – has been given a new update for 2023 and beyond, the latest remodelling of the ever-improving vehicle. New features include a friendly face on the front, a two-handed handle on the roof and a removable floor, as well as new and improved 360 spin wheels.

Rocking around the clock

Little Bird Told Me

01484 682430 | contact@littlebirdtoldme.com

www.littlebirdtoldme.com

Independent Yorkshire-based toy company Little Bird Told Me has put a modern twist on an old favourite with its highend Jasper The Rocking Horse. Suitable for children aged 18 months and upwards, its body is fat and plush, giving huge cuddle potential, while its sturdiness makes for a long-lasting gift.

The new live-action remake of Disney (and Hans Christian Andersen) classic The Little Mermaid is due in cinemas at the end of May and as part of a slew of product coming to market, LEGO has a trio of items catering for different ages.

For younger fans aged five and above, there’s the Little Mermaid Story Book; those a little older get Ariel’s Treasure Chest, while the Little Mermaid Royal Clamshell is aimed at adult fans of LEGO.

NEW

Mattel goes under the sea

Mattel

01628 500000 | www.mattel.com

Mattel has also dived into the deep blue sea with Little Mermaid-related product, in the shape of the Disney The Little Mermaid Transforming Ariel Doll, which transforms from human to mermaid (and back again) at the touch of a necklace; Disney The Little Mermaid Ursula Fashion Doll, featuring the villain of the piece; and Disney The Little Mermaid Ariel’s Adventures Story Set, featuring four poseable dolls.

Ariel’s tuned in Jakks Pacific

01344 638900 | www.jakks.com

Jakks Pacific has launched a whole range of different items, taking in doll, role-play, and dress up toys, to coincide with the release of the new take on Disney favourite The Little Mermaid.

Key items include Under the Sea Exploring Ariel Doll, Ariel’s Two-Piece Mermaid Fashion Dress, Ariel’s Found Treasures Set, Singing Seashell Necklace and King Triton’s All-Powerful Trident.

Carriage charges

Mattel

01628 500000 | www.mattel.com

Mattel’s famed Matchbox brand owes its success to the former Queen’s coronation – a model of the carriage used in 1953 helped Lesney bankroll the creation of the model brand. And Matchbox has marked the coronation of her successor King Charles III with its most realistic model to date, a premium-priced version of the carriage that was used for his crowning as monarch.

DON’T MISS…

Here’s a quick peek at some of the hottest and newest products. Buyers and retailers, get in touch with your sales contact now!

Product: Gabby’s Dollhouse Company: LEGO Tel: 01753 495000 Web: www.lego.com

Product: Scottie Dog Pull Along Toy Company: Little Bird Told Me Tel: 01484 682430

Mail: contact@littlebirdtoldme.com

Web: www.littlebirdtoldme.com

Product: Make Your Own Weather House Kit Company: Kikkerland

Mail: info@kikkerland.com

Web: www.kikkerland.com

Product: L.O.L. Surprise Bubble Surprise Company: MGA Entertainment Tel: 01908 268480 Web: www.mgae.com