Toys n Playthings May 2024

May2024

Chairman Malcolm Naish malcolm@lemapublishing.co.uk

Managing Director

Mark Naish mark@lemapublishing.co.uk 01442 289930

Media & Sales Manager

Claire Naish

claire@tnpmedia.co.uk 01442 289937

Editor Anthony Clarke ant@tnpmeida.co.uk 01442 289939

Assistant Editor Naomi MacKay naomi@lemapublishing.co.uk 01442 289930

Retail Editor

Clare Turner

clare@lemapublishing.co.uk 01442 289930

Production Director

Paul Naish paul@lemapublishing.co.uk 01442 289933

Circulation Manager

Robert Thomas robert@lemapublishing.co.uk 01442 289930

CONTENTS

Regulars

5 Leader with Anthony Clarke

6 The month in numbers a snapshot of the industry in figures

8 News the latest from the industry, including: People News the latest movers and shakers in the industry

Retail News what’s happening at the shops

Media news from TV, online and more Licensing News licensed products and what brands are up to

22 Ambassadors Amelia and mum test EPOCH’s new range of Pati-school fairy cake decoration packs

58 Talking Retail retailers around the country talk about what’s selling well

59 Trade Talk industry figures give us their take on the first quarter and other industry issues

64 What’s New the latest products that you need to get your hands on

66 Don’t Miss must-stock items for retail

Special reports

14 Roland Earl, BTHA TnP talks to BTHA’s director general on the organisation’s 80th anniversary

16 Connetix introducing this Australian STEAM education brand

Lema Publishing Ltd

1 Churchgates, The Wilderness, Berkhamsted, Herts, HP4 2UB

Telephone: 01442 289930

At the heart of retail

32 The Toymaster Show TnP gets the insider view from Toymaster’s Paul Reader and Brian McLaughlin and offers a sneak preview of what exhibitors will have on show

60 Las Vegas Licensing Expo five reasons to visit

62 Distoy founder David Potter looks forward to welcoming this year’s visitors

Features

24 Arts & Crafts this evergreen sector is going from strength to strength

28 Back to School/Stationery an extra revenue stream at a quiet time of the trading year

Retail Interviews

31 Retail Interviews Clare Turner talks to Michael Cleary about JKC Toymaster, which he describes as “probably the best kid’s toy shop In Ireland”

54 Retail Interview with Paul Wohl, CEO of Essex Toymaster retailer Argosy Toys, which is celebrating 77 years of trading

56 Retail Interview David Castillo, at The Red Balloon Toy Store, in Utah, shares his experience of US trading

Columnists

15 U.S. Toy Association Jennifer Lynch on the Eerie Enchantment trend

18 Retail Opinion John Ryan focuses on the Tesco/The Entertainer collaboration

19 Insights Nick Richardson at The Insights Family considers how kids are influenced when it comes to licensed product

20 Indie opinion Amanda Alexander, at Manchester’s Giddy Goat Toys, gets silly on socials to help push sales, and considers a new buying strategy at the Toymaster Show

21st - 23rd May 2024

Toymaster would like to invite all independent bricks and mortar Toy and Model Retailers, both in the UK and Ireland, to attend the 2024 May Show.

Over 100 Suppliers will be exhibiting at the Majestic Hotel, Harrogate, on the 21st - 23rd May and we hope you are able to join us in making the most of the opportunities o ered.

For more details and to register online, please use the following link:

LEADER

Your new editor is here. Right here. That’s me that is.

First of all, I’d like to say thank you very much to my predecessor, Tim Murray, who oversaw some very interesting material as well as having a keen writing talent.

I only joined a couple of weeks ago with the print deadline looming and so much to do. The final task? This leader and I find myself tapping irrelevantly and irreverently away trying to think of something toysey to say. With me new to the sector that’s going to need some rapid learning on my part and I welcome the challenge. So, until the next issue at least, where to start? How about going back to my own childhood? There is a toy connection so I’ll start with that.

My grandparents lived in Thame, Oxfordshire where they owned the local newspaper, the Thame Gazette, and owned the Castles of Thame newsagents and toyshop right next to the town hall. Also worth noting is that they lived above the shop and the annual Thame Fair plonked its huge (to a five year old) and magically wonderful merry-go-round right outside.

My mother and I would go and visit them once a week and I always loved it. How many kids get to say hello and get a hug from their grandparents and that’s just the start of the fun? Hug, kiss, chase the dachshund (Tsingggg!) until it pees on the carpet then hurtle downstairs to escape the blame.

Sidenote – where I did get the blame was for an unrelated incident. My favourite TV programme was Thunderbirds and I was banned from watching it one night, sent to bed early (no supper either) for the trivial offence of burning down the next-door neighbours’ shed. I was quite proud of the fact it was made of asbestos.

Back to the toyshop. Downstairs was paradise when it was closed (great when it was open too but well, you know, customers). I got to play with all the latest toys in a large space. My favourites were the Dinky and Corgi models. Imagine having access to pretty much the full range and whizzing them about on a smooth lino floor. Being a mildly OCD box packer I never got into trouble because I always made sure that I put the cars back in with no trace that they had ever been opened. Not so sure about the cars themselves – there were many, many bumps and many, many years before my driving test.

What a great start it will be to find myself at the upcoming Toymaster May Show in Harrogate so early in my tenure From what I’ve learned so far, it is going to be an enjoyable and instructive time for me

Anthony Clarke put the so From

So here I am, and in the few conversations I have had so far, I can see what a great industry this is.

There are some fantastic characters (identities withheld for now to protect their reputations — not that they need protecting but just being on the safe side), because I have yet to meet them in person. I’m already impressed by how the toy people I have spoken to deal with the difficult economic and other damaging conditions both constructively and with a caring and good sense of humour. On the response to the ever changing economic conditions aspect, I have noticed more so than ever, the major companies are licensing and outsourcing even more of their characters and products. This will always be a healthy knock-on effect to boost smaller businesses who get to benefit from these contracts. It’s a win-win all round and increasingly important to any industry, not just toys.

What a fast paced competitive market it remains, and I cannot wait to report on the future of what continues to be such a robust, adaptable and evolving market.

What a great start it will be to find myself at the upcoming Toymaster May Show in Harrogate so early in my tenure. From what I’ve learned so far, it is going to be an enjoyable and instructive time for me, as well as a great chance to meet face to face — both you and the toys. I’m really looking forward to getting to know you all.

See you there.

Way back in 1944 was when The British Toy & Hobby Association (BTHA) was established and it’s celebrating its 80th anniversary throughout this year. Its key objective was to promote and protect the interests of UK toy makers. When the BTHA started out it was with a view to the toy industry being able to lobby the government with one strong voice. And this far-sighted approach has proved to be a success over the eight decades since.

As the BTHA’s Roland Earl says:

“The Association has changed a huge amount but also not that much. When the Association was founded on 26 July 1944, the country was still in the midst of World War Two. It was founded to act as a trade association for toy makers and to represent its members to government and opinion formers. At that time, one of the chief issues was securing essential materials from which to make toys, all of which were rationed in the wartime period.”

See our interview with Roland, director general at the BTHA, on page 14.

The month in numbers

Some of April’s news highlights from the Toys’n’Playthings newsflashes and more. This month we have a special anniversary celebrations theme! To sign up for the daily bulletins go to www.toysnplaythings.media

25

The Lego Star Wars collection is still celebrating its 25th anniversary. The latest being the May the 4th release of a range of product launches.

The launches include the new Lego Star Wars coffee table book, The Force of Creativity. It is a magnificent 312-page hardcover book in a slipcase with collective memorabilia. This takes fans on a journey through interviews with more than 50 contributors from the Lego Group and Lucasfilm. The book includes development art, character designs and gives fans a true insight into the Lego Star Wars galaxy.

Mike Ilacqua , head of product, Lego Star Wars, said

“May the 4th be with all Lego Star Wars fans! We are excited to continue our 25th anniversary celebration with an exciting lineup of new sets, events, and experiences for you to enjoy. I’m looking forward to seeing how fans choose to celebrate all things Lego Star Wars on this iconic day around the world.”

There are also, as you’d expect, a number of great new building sets including the Lego Star Wars TIE Interceptor set and the Tatooine-based Mos Espa Podrace Diorama set.

50

The Early Learning Centre (ELC) has been helping children to read, mark, learn and outwardly create since it was founded in 1974. And now it’s celebrating its 50th birthday.

ELC was established by John Beale, whose vision was born out of a personal frustration – he couldn’t find sufficiently inspiring toys for his own children.

The first shop opened in 1974 in Reading. The business was originally set up as a mail order concern. By 1980 it had 10 shops and has opened many more since.

Employing the services of a child psychologist to ensure that the toys and books were both positive and educational, the idea was for parents to join as members. Sets of educational toys and books were then sent to them regularly.

In addition to the launch of three 50th anniversary-themed products, ELC is hosting special events and promotions for customers throughout the year.

Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) has hit its half century. The year-long celebration kicked off in March with fans all over the world being able to play the same adventure together, inspired by the D&D creators’ love of tournament-style play.

The players can experience an excerpt from an upcoming release, Descent into the Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth, in game stores, community centres, libraries and beyond. The D&D team also has an exciting line-up of licensed consumer products with best-in-class partners, giving fans plenty of opportunity to show off their love of the game.

That’s just the start. D&D 50th birthday celebrations include new ways to improve immersion with a 3D virtual tabletop and remove barriers to play through new features on D&D Beyond. And the team behind it all has a lot more up its sleeve.

Hasbro’s CEO since 2022, Chris Cocks , is himself a big fan and has been playing D&D for over 40 years. He previously headed Wizards of the Coast , the Hasbro division that makes Dungeons & Dragons. He said recently:

“If you look at Dungeons & Dragons, if you look at our board games, more people are playing these games than ever before. Our satisfaction rates, the happiness that players have, are higher than ever.”

Hasbro Q1 2024 results beat expectations

Hasbro reported a smaller than expected drop in first-quarter sales and beat profit estimates. Reporting on Wednesday April 24, Hasbro noted that the figures were helped by leaner inventories and steady digital gaming revenue.

Revenue declined 24% to USD 757.3 million (GBP 608 million). This was driven primarily by the eOne film and television sale to Lionsgate last August. Excluding the sale, the revenue decline was 9%. There was healthy growth for the Wizards of the Coast and Digital Gaming segment (+7%) and Entertainment (+65%) but these were more than offset by falls in Consumer Products (-21%). Operating profit was USD 116.2 million (GBP 93 million).

“The first quarter was a good start to the year for Hasbro; we are continuing to see the results of our transformation work,” said Chris Cocks, Hasbro CEO. “Performance from our licensing portfolio shows the strength of our brands and we continue to fuel innovation in games and toys as we expand our reach across play patterns to fans of all ages.”

Hasbro is making fundamental changes

to its business model and shifting to an out-license model. This allows it to outsource toy production for lowermargin brands to other toy manufacturers.

“We made solid progress in our turnaround efforts in the first quarter,” said Gina Goetter, Hasbro’s chief financial officer. “We landed revenue where we expected and drove significant operating profit improvement led by our operational excellence programme and improved business mix. We remain on track for our full-year commitments.”

It is worth noting that rival Mattel reported a narrower loss than analysts expected the day before, Tuesday. This was thanks to growing sales of its Hot Wheels cars and cost cuts and stores clearing out toy inventories.

Hippychick takes on distributorship

Hippychick, the toy and infant accessories distributor, is welcoming a new brand into its portfolio this Spring — BS Toys from the Netherlands.

Established in 2006, BS Toys is a fastgrowing educational and sustainable line, which believes that active play is key to a child’s development. The company has developed original, high-quality indoor and outdoor toys designed to promote active play and stimulate a child’s creativity and imagination.

BS Toys closely aligns with Hippychick’s sustainability objectives, with its commitment to reducing environmental impact by using FSC certified wood in all its manufacturing, as well as other sustainable materials such as recycled cardboard, cork, metal and wheat straw.

Julia Minchin, Hippychick’s founder and joint managing director, said:

“Hippychick’s toy portfolio now accounts for 60% of our sales volume — representing a significant proportion of our business. To further build on this area, we have been looking for another European designed toy brand that fits with our range.”

for BS Toys

Hippychick plans to take on an initial offering of outdoor bestsellers in its new eco packaging, with more indoor toys to follow as it builds in the UK towards Christmas. The focus will be on the company’s preschool core market.

Julia Minchin added that the BD Toys range, “closely mirrors Hippychick’s own objectives — to provide beautifully manufactured, educational toys that encourage healthy development in young children.”

Leida Willing, international sales manager at BS Toys, said: “This collaboration perfectly aligns our values, and dedication to quality, durability, and excellence. We see significant potential to expand our brand’s presence into the UK.’’

Learning Journey takeover at University Games’ sales meeting

With its new The Learning Journey range hitting the shelves this month, University Games’ sales team is set to give retailers top tier support and insights to help make it a success.

The Learning Journey, now a division of University Games, has been designing and manufacturing children’s interactive educational products for over 30 years and offers a range of high-quality, award-winning educational toys, games and puzzles, helping children prepare for school and beyond. In order to provide the highest level of support for retailers and establish the brand in the UK market, University Games

held a two-day sales conference dedicated to to the new range. The sales team were welcomed to a Learning Journey experience with banners, balloons and examples of instore displays. Oh yes, and cupcakes!

The team also experienced hands-on product training, as well as learning about the history of the new division, and discussed the values of good educational toys, games and puzzles.

Marketing director Gemma Lewington said: “It is very important that the team who work closest with our retailers really understand the benefits and full potential of this exciting range, as well as what we are doing at a brand and product level, and what exciting instore and online support we can offer our retailers.”

The sales meeting concluded with discussions on innovative instore executions and how the team can support Learning Journey VIP customers with demo days, as well as other instore and online support.

10th Kids India provides new offer for startups

The Indian toy market is growing rapidly and the gateway to it is Kids India in Mumbai. India’s population has a high proportion of toddlers, pre-teens and up, together with a growing middle class whose incomes are rising. Feedback from the toy sector is very positive and established businesses have already confirmed that they will be taking part in this year’s Kids India trade fair.

For interested start-ups, the organisers are making an attractive full-service package available for the first time. New businesses will have the opportunity to feature in the Startup Pavilion. The offer includes a fully equipped stand close to other national and international start-ups. In addition, it covers access to a shared meeting lounge for discussions with customers, and a product presentation in the conference

area of the fair.

Christian Ulrich, executive board member at Spielwarenmesse, said of the offering for newer businesses:

“Through this new area, we can promote promising companies of the next generation in the sector and their innovative approaches.”

The previous show had 160 exhibitors presenting a broad range of goods and services in 18 product groups. At the Jio World Convention Centre, they engaged with more than 5,000 trade visitors from 35 countries. In addition to the opportunity to talk to international buyers, Kids India offers a comprehensive conference programme including seminars and podium discussions.

The 10th Kids India trade fair for toys, children’s products and sports runs from September 12-14.

2024 Independent Toy Awards opens for entries

Toy Shop UK has announced that the 17th annual Independent Toy Awards are now open for entries. Suppliers have until August 7 to submit their hero products to any of the 25 categories. The winners will be announced on August 21.

The awards are unique within the industry by being the only ones voted for by the nation’s independent toy retailers who list themselves for free on the popular online directory.

THE RISE OF MYSTICAL TOYS: BLURRING FANTASY AND REALITY

In her latest transatlantic commentary, the Toy Association’s Jennifer Lynch strides boldly into a world where imagination knows no bounds and is trending magically.

Mystical, magical, and supernatural toys are becoming the ultimate outlet for transporting kids and kids-at-heart into fantasy worlds. This is partly thanks to a resurgent cultural fascination with spooky, mystery, and horror genres permeating movies, TV shows, and literature.

The Toy Association’s trends team identified Eerie Enchantment as one of the hottest trends of 2024, underscoring how these toys perfectly align with consumers’ natural curiosity and desire to explore the unknown.

“These toys not only entertain but educate, encouraging consumers to embrace their creativity and embark on imaginative journeys that transcend the confines of reality,” said Adrienne Appell, executive vice president of marketing communications at The Toy Association. “Whether by decoding cryptic messages, enhancing a traditional play experience through emerging tech, tapping into fan-favourite storylines, and more, each play session becomes an adventure filled with thrills and surprises.”

Check out a few examples of the toys and games that will be sweeping toy aisles through the holiday season.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show Game (now available) from University Games invites fans to celebrate the cult-classic horror movie through gameplay. To win, players need to build Rocky in the lab and escape the castle before their fellow players.

Each entry costs £150/product and gold, silver and bronze medal logos will be awarded to the three most popular toys in each category.

Heroes of Goo Jit Zu Hero Creator (available Autumn 2024) from Moose Toys invites kids to create their own Goo Jit Zu creatures. Kids can customise their creatures by adding fillings and water. Like the original characters, these heroes can then be stretched up to three times their original size.

Prismic Unicorn Lantern (now available) from Purple Ladybug is a DIY puzzle that transforms into a working lantern. It uses USB-powered LED string lights that give off a beautiful shimmery glow.

The Flaming Dragon (now available) from Schylling is a roleplay toy kids can pretend to ‘fly’ around on. It features a soft-grip handle and lights and sounds for imaginative play.

Wednesday Real FX Thing (available now) from Wow! Stuff brings the dismembered hand from the popular Netflix series Wednesday to life. Using a little green-screen magic through the free video app, fans can create videos that make Thing move and look exactly like the on-screen character.

Are you looking for more details on The Toy Association’s 2024 Toy & Play Trends? Visit toyassociation.org/trends for more information. And don’t forget to save the date for the next Toy Fair in New York City (March 1-4 2025), where more trend insights will be unveiled.

NEWS

Toikido’s Nick Clark and son Joel run London Marathon for MS

Nick Clark, product development coordinator at Toikido, and his son Joel, ran the London Marathon this year and raised much-needed funds for the MS (Multiple Sclerosis) Trust.

Nick was diagnosed with MS during the first Covid lockdown and has since been raising further funds and awareness for the condition through charity running events. He told TnP: “The money we raise really does make a massive difference to people living with MS and their families.”

The 2024 London Marathon was held on Sunday April 21, and Nick was instantly recognisable in his hot — in more ways than one — Toikido Piñata Smashlings running gear.

Nick said:

“It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience to share such a special day with Joel, who was a fantastic support during those five and a half hours. We were honoured to be part of the MS Trust team and to raise funds for such a special charity.”

Joel’s take on the event, his first, is particularly moving. He said: “At the start of the day I was definitely nervous and determined to get to the start line. Once we arrived at the start arena I took in what was a huge buzz of positivity and excitement where all the other runners were happy to chat about how they were feeling.”

Joel added: “I found my role of supporting Dad with fuel and water ended up being an important part in keeping him going with the piñata costume on for 26.2 miles. Towards the end I took in the atmosphere and realised that we were achieving something together that we can talk about forever. I cried for the last three miles not just in pain but with happiness and pride of what we had achieved.”

And TnP asked them both how their legs were afterwards …

Joel: “My legs are definitely very achey and I am walking everywhere very slowly!”

Nick: “Ooh, they were a little achy!”

Well, it’s a little too late now to help them with their aches and pains. But if you would like to donate you can do so at: www.justgiving. com/page/nick-clark-1687198086886.

Playtime PR expands network to cover Australia

Playtime PR - the UK-based specialist PR agency for brands in the toys, games and play sector - is expanding its global alliance of like-minded agencies to cover Australia. Melbourne-based Progressive PR & Communications becomes the seventh agency in The Play Group network, which already offers Playtime’s clients access to specialist agencies in Germany, France, Italy, Spain and the US.

Agencies within The Play Group can provide clients with deeper localised insights and tailored campaign solutions as well as meaningful input into global communications strategies.

Lesley Singleton, CEO of Playtime PR, said: “I really like Progressive’s no-nonsense approach to creating strategic campaigns with measurable outcomes for their clients.’’

Hot Wheels City Experience to open in Manchester

Live Nation, BeFUN, and Mattel have announced that the Hot Wheels City Experience will be pulling into the B.E.C Arena in Central Manchester this August, making its European debut in an epic interactive experience that brings the legendary toy cars to life.

The event guarantees surprises for families and devoted collector fans alike, inviting them on a captivating journey fuelled by creativity, playfulness, nostalgia, and cutting-edge technology.

Best bit? The Hot Wheels Lab provides an area for fans to play with the most popular Hot Wheels toys including giant tracks and pre-built racecourses where the Hot Wheels Challenge Accepted Championships take place, alongside the opportunity to win some exciting prizes!

Fans will be taken on an unforgettable journey through the colourful and exciting world of Hot Wheels, starting with an introductory video in the briefing room, taking a deep dive into the history and culture of the brand, and a fun trivia quiz.

Opening its doors on August 13, the 6,000 sq m experience, will provide fans of all generations with the opportunity to step through a nostalgic and educational journey consisting of 10 stations including a design centre, immersive museum, playground and gamer zone.

Giddy Goat Toys finalist for small business award

Manchester’s Giddy Goat Toys has been shortlisted for Britain’s best Bricks and Clicks Award for best multi-channel small business.

Giddy Goat Toys, based in Didsbury, Manchester, has been chosen as a finalist for the Bricks and Clicks Award for best multi-channel small business at this year’s Small Awards, which take place in May.

The independent children’s toy shop was founded by regular TnP columnist Amanda Alexander in 2012. She said that she was delighted to have been shortlisted for the award and that her team had worked hard in researching and working on different sales channels. She added that they were promoting themselves on various social media platforms to grow and develop the business beyond the Didsbury shop.

Now in its eighth year, The Small Awards is a nationwide search for the smallest and greatest firms in the UK, across all sectors. It’s organised annually by Small Business Britain, which champions, inspires and accelerates the nation’s 5.5 million small firms.

Michelle Ovens CBE, founder of Small Business Britain, said of the Awards:

“They are an opportunity to recognise and applaud the passion and resilience of the nation’s small firms, particularly amidst such turbulent times

Giddy Goat Toys is extremely deserving of being shortlisted for this award and we can’t wait to celebrate with them in May.”

The winners of all categories, including the overall winner of the Small Business of the Year award, will be announced at an awards ceremony in London on May 16.

Hasbro CEO on Dungeons & Dragons turning 50

Chris Cocks has been playing Hasbro’s awardwinning Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) for 41 years and is delighted to see its 50th anniversary this year. And Mr Cocks is the Hasbro CEO so his opinion counts.

“If you look at Dungeons & Dragons, if you look at our board games, more people are playing these games than ever before,” said Cocks in an interview on Washington’s nonprofit NPR. “Our satisfaction rates, the happiness that players have, are higher than ever.”

The company can point to the digital D&D adaptation Baldur’s Gate 3 as the brand’s most recent success. The video game won the top prize at the 2023 Game Awards and has sold well over 10 million copies.

Hasbro’s CEO since 2022, Cocks previously headed Wizards of the Coast, the Hasbro division that makes Dungeons & Dragons and the Magic: The Gathering trading card game.

“I’ve been playing D&D since 1983,” said Cocks. “I’ve been playing ‘Magic: The Gathering’ since 1995. We don’t think about this as just a short-term sugar high. We think about this as stewards of the brands who come to it, not just as business people or designers, but as fans of these brands. And we want to pass the torch to new generations of fans even brighter than we found it.”

It has not all been plain sailing, however. Hasbro slashed more than 1,000 jobs last December, including some at D&D and Magic: The Gathering. There was also a backlash over a leaked (then dropped) change to its fan licensing agreement, plus a disappointing box office for 2023’s film Dungeons & Dragons: Honour

Among Thieves. Even so, Cocks sees a sparkling future for D&D and Hasbro’s gaming properties.

Hasbro’s licensed mobile game Monopoly GO! earned $2 billion after its 2023 release; while Magic: the Gathering has made record profits in recent years. Hasbro has also invested $1 billion into video game projects, which include the upcoming science fiction epic Exodus, starring Matthew McConaughey.

“We’ve got one of the best game portfolios in the world,” said Cocks. “I think when you talk to Hasbro’s CEO on our 200th anniversary 99 years from now, I think they’ll be talking about how we’re still in toys and how we’re still in games and how we’re talking about the next generation of exciting technologies or play patterns that we can be innovating on. That’s certainly what we’re trying to build for now, and I think I’m confident we’ll be building for it in the future as well.”

Kristina Sundby adds even more colour to Rainbow Designs

Rainbow Designs has announced the expansion of its successful Key and Nationals Account Team, as it welcomes Kristina Sundby to the Rainbow family.

Kristina, with over seven years of retail experience in categories including party and celebrations, came to the UK from Norway in 2020. She joins the Rainbow team as a national account manager, bringing strength and depth to the team.

Gary Hughes, national accounts controller for Rainbow Designs, said of Kristina:

“Her ambitions align with ours, and coupled with her experience, it makes Kristina the perfect fit for Rainbow. We’ve so much to offer retailers that Kristina can cultivate, and I’m looking forward to seeing the impact she will inevitably make.”

Rainbow’s prestigious licensed character ranges, including Paddington, Harry Potter, Peter Rabbit and Disney’s Winnie the Pooh and The Lion King, give Kristina plenty to get excited about this year.

The Very Group promotes Robbie Feather to Group CEO

The Very Group, winner of the BTHA Toy Retailer of the Year Online Excellence Award, has promoted retail managing director Robbie Feather to Group CEO.

Feather, who joined The Very Group in 2021, previously led the company’s retail team, which includes all category sourcing, buying, and merchandising, as well as group trading and marketing. He has recently overseen the development of the company’s successful new brand platform and its market-beating retail performance.

Aidan Barclay, the Group’s chairman, said: “Robbie has proven to be an outstanding retail leader, both at The Very Group and throughout his career. He understands our business intimately and has a strong track record of transformation and growth.’’

Formerly CEO of Fenwick, the luxury department store business, Feather helped to turn the company around and modernise its customer proposition, including launching its online business. He previously held a number of roles at Sainsbury’s Argos, including commercial director on the Argos board, during which time he oversaw the digital transformation of the business and led the commercial team.

Robbie Feather said:

“I’m hugely excited to be appointed CEO of The Very Group. This is an outstanding business with a unique proposition, combining multicategory digital retail with flexible ways to pay. I look forward to working with our amazing Very team to delight our customers and continue to deliver sustainable growth for our shareholders.”

He succeeds Lionel Desclée, who has chosen to step down as Group CEO to pursue new opportunities. Under Lionel’s leadership, the company delivered robust results through, among other things, customer experience improvements. Desclée said: “It has been a privilege to lead this innovative and committed team in delighting our customers. I am proud of our achievements and believe that under Robbie’s leadership, the company will continue to succeed.”

University Games boosts sales and marketing team

University Games, which will be showcasing all its best-selling lines at the Toymaster show, has added to the sales and marketing team at the growing company. There is a key promotion in sales and a new appointment in its marketing department.

Toby Hall is being made area sales manager for the south east. He has been at the company for three years and worked his way up from sales administrator. Hall said he was “excited” to be

going out on the road and growing its customer base.

Chloe Reed, formerly a category executive in the fast-moving consumer goods sector, has joined in the role of marketing executive.

Sales director Mark Jones and marketing director Gemma Lewington welcomed the two new appointments, noting they brought “even greater strength and depth to the successful University Games team”.

Gemma Lewington added:

“With the acquisition of The Learning Journey International this year, this is a great time to be joining University Games, and we are sure that Toby and Chloe will both play an integral part in the success and growth of the business.’’

Target Darts adds star quality to new toy

Target Darts, sponsors of teenage darts sensation Luke ‘The Nuke’ Littler, are capitalising on Littler’s meteoric rise to fame by building a new sales and marketing team dedicated to launching the darts opportunity into the toy channel.

Jamie Tank, formerly of VTech and Schleich, heads up the team as toy channel manager, and is joined by Paul Dearlove, as trade marketing manager. Paul began his career in the toy industry at MY Sports & Games, then sponsors of darts royalty, Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor.

Jordan Baker, Target sales director, said: “We’ve been experiencing significant growth in the traditional darts category for the past few years, and this has gone through the roof with Luke Littler’s debut at the World Championships at the end of last year. We recognise the significant potential to expand our offer with product suitable for the toy space, and we’re using Jamie and Paul’s toy industry experience to help us achieve this.”

Luke Littler first came to the public’s attention last December at the 2024 PDC World Darts Championship,

eventually finishing as runner-up at the sport’s biggest event, in a final watched by more than 4.8m viewers, and both his darts success and media profile have continued to soar.

Jamie Tank said of his appointment: “I’m really excited to be joining Target and working with toy customers to take advantage of the amazing increase in the popularity of darts, led by Luke Littler.”

Paul Dearlove added: “The toy market has long been crying out for something new and innovative to excite retailers and consumers alike, and we hope that Luke Littler’s widespread appeal to such a broad audience will help to do that.”

Toby Hall

Chloe Reed

L-R Jamie Tank, Luke Littler and Paul Dearlove

BTL Diffusion confirms retail partnership with Argos

Following the announcement of its expansion into the UK, BTL Diffusion has confirmed Argos as its first major retail partnership.

The toy distribution specialist, fresh to the UK from France, now has stock available in stores nationwide following a successful London Toy Fair in January this year.

The BTL brands, which arrived in stock with Argos in April, include a range of baby, toy, and sleep aid products, including the Cloud b hero storyteller CloudBox. More collections are set to follow in the coming months.

This arrival marks the start of a huge brand development strategy for the BTL Diffusion portfolio, with many launches and exclusive ranges planned for the year ahead, along with exclusive distribution rights for brand favourites on the Continent.

UK managing director of BTL Diffusion, Graeme Hargreaves, is happy that the business has hit the ground running in its first six months. He said: “A lot of work has gone into setting up the business in the UK behind the scenes, so it’s great to have such a prestigious retailer to partner with so early in our journey.”

Hargreaves added: “2024 is a huge year for us as a company and there will be more brands joining our portfolio in the months to come. With a strategic marketing plan in the pipeline, press and influencer support, and Toymaster next month, we’re confident in the investment to drive these brands and maximise retailer sales.”

Distoy is coming to town!

Distoy in central London really is a ‘must’ and it fits in right at the end of May. There are 200 different showrooms spread across two hotels – St James’ Court and St Ermin’s. They bring together toy distributors and toy companies across the globe

Laetitia Westerman, international sales director at Wilton Bradley, said: “As exhibitors for several years, Distoy has provided us with excellent opportunities to showcase our latest products to international toy distributors, actively seeking new items for the upcoming year. The event’s short duration of just four days is perfect and ensures that every interaction counts.

Thanks to its location, Distoy is easily accessible for attendees from both the UK and abroad.”

The show specifically targets distributors and works on a ‘by appointment only’ basis, with meetings taking place in a confidential environment behind closed doors.

Laetitia continued: “Compared to other trade shows, it also offers good value for exhibitors like us. Whether through formal meetings or impromptu conversations in the corridors, there is no shortage of chances to connect with other industry professionals, leading to promising partnerships’’ Distoy runs from May 28 to 31. See our preview on p62.

Online gambling ads targeting children

British children are being targeted by gambling ads and images online, in what appears to be a blatant breach of government legislation, according to the GambleAware charity.

There is also the danger to the children’s money and potentially that of their parents. Toy industry finances could be hit too as an indirect result. Not catastrophically but another reason for the existing legislation to be more heavily enforced and, as the charity has suggested, updated.

GambleAware warns gambling ads with cartoon graphics are likely to be strongly appealing to children. Last week, one gambling firm was promoting a new online slots game on social media with three cartoon frogs.

Cartoon-style imagery can frequently be seen in online gambling games, despite the industry being explicitly banned from using or producing content that is likely to have strong appeal to children or targeting children with ads or promotions.

The GambleAware report was based on interviews with children and young people aged between seven and 25 about how gambling affected their lives. It found that young people felt their online activity was saturated with gambling promotions and gamblinglike content.

Zoë Osmond, chief executive of GambleAware, said: “This research shows that gambling content is now part of many children’s lives. This is worrying, as early exposure to gambling can normalise gambling for children at a young age, and lead to problems. We need to see more restrictions put on gambling advertising and content to ensure it is not appearing in places where children can see it. Urgent action is needed to protect children.”

In a bid to tackle the issue, the charity has proposed new regulations to limit the amount of gambling ads seen by children, after alarming research indicated that they struggled to differentiate between gambling products and gaming content such as online games with in-app purchases.

Nicki Karet, managing director of Sherbert Research, which worked on the study, said: “The grey area between online gambling and gambling-like gaming is confusing, especially for younger children, and blurs the lines between what is and isn’t gambling.”

Celebrations go full steam ahead — safely!

The British Toy & Hobby Association is celebrating its 80th anniversary throughout 2024 and has marked the occasion with the launch of a modernised logo and branding to reflect its work and the toy companies it represents

The BTHA was established in 1944 and then known as the British Toy Manufacturers’ Association. It set out to promote and protect the interests of UK toy makers. Eighty years on, the association continues on this mission, championing the interests of its members across a wide range of issues

impacting the business of toys. When the BTHA was created it was important for the toy industry to speak with one voice to government through the association and this has strengthened the toy industry’s lobbying efforts over many decades.

The BTHA’s responsibilities are wide-

Roland Earl’s 80th anniversary thoughts

To further celebrate the anniversary and get to the heart of the British Toy & Hobby Association’s commitment and history, TnP has a fascinating, in-depth interview with director general, Roland Earl, who has been with the association for nigh-on a quarter of a century

How long have you been at the BTHA?

I joined the BTHA and indeed the toy industry at large in July 2001 in a new post covering commercial and marketing matters… and I enjoyed my time immediately, working for David Hawtin who was director general then, and had been since 1979 (joining in 1974). I enjoyed working with all the team and that has very much remained the case my whole time with the Association.

When David announced his intention to retire, I applied for the job and was appointed director general in January 2008. So my connection to toys and the BTHA has lasted 23 years. I should like to say here how much regard, fondness, respect, and gratitude I have for David Hawtin, who retired in 2009 and who remains a good friend of the BTHA.

How has the BTHA changed over its 80 years?

The Association has changed a huge

amount but also not that much at the same time!

When the Association was founded on July 26 1944, the country was still in the midst of World War Two. It was founded to act as a trade association for toy makers and to represent its members to government and opinion formers. At that time, one of the chief issues was securing essential materials from which to make toys, all of which were rationed in the wartime period.

Toy makers were busy contributing in their factories to the war effort but hoped that with the foreseeable conclusion of war, that metal and wood and rubber might be available again to make toys, games, and hobbies. Toy makers made many innovative contributions to the war effort, as well as inventing tremendous playthings before and after this horrible time in the world’s history.

The founders of the Association had strict conditions for membership of the Association, and these have been amended as time has passed. The name of the Association has changed and the

ranging and include advocacy work, organising Toy Fair and other industry events, guidance and training on changing regulations, running the Make Time 2 Play campaign, recognising successes through its awards programme, and administering the toy industry’s charity – The Toy Trust.

When the Association was founded on 26 July 1944, the country was still in the midst of World War Two

issues and opportunities, as well as the challenges, have changed to reflect the external factors of the day.

The number and range of services provided to our members has had to increase to respond to this. Companies headquartered overseas were allowed to join membership and have contributed hugely to its development. Overall though, it is remarkable perhaps that the BTHA has not in essence changed that much. It remains here to serve the reputable toy makers that we are so fortunate to have, and to promote and protect their interests. We continue to do our best, as our founders did, to achieve that.

What do you enjoy the most about working at the BTHA?

The people in the toy industry make my job enjoyable and interesting and it

is a pleasure to serve with the brilliant team at the BTHA and with its valued and trusted advisers and, of course, its members, both on our committees and the wider membership. The same should be said for all my former team members who have served the Association in my time here – whether they have retired or moved on to other fields and responsibilities.

I am fortunate to have worked with a tremendous array of Board members –the BTHA Council – over my time, who contribute selflessly, leaving company rivalries aside, for the good of the sector.

Every one of the 13 Council Chairs I have worked with has contributed something new and been a great support to the team and the membership.

All these people have played or continue to play a huge part in making my job so enjoyable and appreciated by me! It is the people that make the difference and the best part about working here is therefore the great people in the Association.

Why should toy companies become members if they aren’t already?

On fairplay and friendship

I remember Rosie Bayles, formerly of Bandai, standing up at an awards one year and congratulating Vivid Imaginations on successfully taking on a major licence that Bandai had held previously. You don’t see that kind of thing in many industries, but it sums up the camaraderie and fair play and friendship this wonderful sector is all about.

– not just at Christmas! In 1974, for instance, rules on toy safety covered 10 pages including a front cover and a blank back page. In 2024 there are thousands of pages on just this one topic to navigate. We have been part of the solution to that one example and our advice, together with our friends and associate members in testing houses, makes a difference in bumpy and changing seas I feel. This is just one example.

“

We like to welcome new companies who are wanting to make toys and have a good record of doing so. We do have a strict but mercifully short Code of Practice that members adhere to. That protects the reputation of all members and keeps up to date with changes in society and their expectations of us. We have a range of activities that are of interest to companies on the manufacturing and distribution side of the business, including but not limited to up-to-date guidance on key areas of safety and environmental good practice, lobbying on members’ behalf, and our Toy Fair and other events for members to take part in. We also promote the importance of play at every opportunity and the importance it has for society, and have our own charity, the Toy Trust. We can help members and our HQ and wider team do help all year round

We like to welcome new companies who are wanting to make toys and have a good record of doing so ”

On pride, joy and fun

As Roger Dyson said once when receiving the Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award: “I am proud to have spent my working life selling toys”. Roger did a lot more than that, but it sums up what the people in toys are all about so well, appreciative in playing a part in a wider and larger good – the provision of fun and learning for kids from 0 to 100. We are all blessed to work in toys and long may that continue.

What can we expect from the BTHA in the future years?

The issues we tackle do change and evolve – and the Association has a history of both trying to prepare for future challenges and adapting to face them in a measured and effective way. It also has tried to do this with opportunities, such as helping members with business development through a well-organised Toy Fair or being at the forefront of promoting the vital importance of play for children. Things that have remained constant are the dedication of the BTHA team and advisors to deliver on behalf of its members, and the loyal support and value that members hold for the work of the BTHA – this will continue to be the case. We love thinking about the future in the same way as this incredible industry loves thinking of new playthings for kids of all ages, and we will continue to move forward with our members and be here to help them through whatever lies ahead.

I would be happy to talk to anyone interested in the work of the BTHA. Email me at roland@ btha.co.uk.

The Australian connection…

TnP connects with Brea Brand, CEO of Connetix Tiles, to find out more about this STEAMbased construction toy with learning at its heart…

Tell us about Connetix. Connetix is an Australian-based magnetic tile company committed to championing the benefits of play and learning across all areas of development, with a particular focus on the importance of play within the formative years.

Founded with my business partner Dave Alexander, we collectively share a passion for bringing to market a high-quality product that seamlessly blends education with play. With hands-on experience as parents, coupled with respective backgrounds in mechanical engineering and early childhood education, we have thoughtfully designed strong, durable and safe magnetic tiles manufactured to withstand the rigour of everyday play. Alongside us as founders, is a

truly unique and knowledgeable team made up of childhood educators, play experts and like-minded parents, who are all equally passionate about learning through open-ended play. What makes Connetix unique is that it’s a toy that adapts and grows with children as their play and learning evolves. Preschool-aged children naturally gain the educational benefits of Connetix play through the early introduction and exposure of STEAM learning concepts and developmental tasks. As an award-winning, STEAMcertified product, we believe Connetix is an invaluable resource for educators and parents alike, and we have seen our products rise quickly as a leading choice within the preschool sector. We have enjoyed a remarkable 1,400% growth since 2020, which is reflective of increasing consumer recognition

Our team of play experts are passionate about creating new play possibilities and extending the scope of magnetic tile play

and value in the benefits of Connetix play. To support our continual growth, our internal team has doubled over the past 12 months to 45 staff members across the world, with plans to continue this expansion into new international markets. It has also been an awardwinning year for our brand, receiving global recognition and securing multiple awards including Editor’s Choice in the MadeforMums Toy Awards and Best STEM/Educational Range in the Progressive Preschool Awards.

Do you have plans to broaden your offering?

Our team of play experts are passionate about creating new play possibilities and extending the scope of magnetic tile play. We provide an interactive and open-ended product that naturally enhances learning and development.

By continually connecting with our customers, retailers and the wider community, we aim to keep our finger on the pulse, looking for new opportunities and ideas to expand learning through open-ended play.

New to our collection this quarter is the Connetix 50 Piece Pastel Transport Pack, featuring a new exclusively designed light-grey reversible transport base, two clear motion bases with real rubber wheels and a range of pastelcoloured Connetix magnetic tiles. Alongside our bestsellers, we will be launching a whole new line later this year, which will further elevate the open-ended play of our range and immerse our youngest entrepreneurs in STEAM learning. Anyone who stopped by our stands at London Toy Fair or Spielwarenmesse this year will have seen a small preview of the new range.

With a strong focus on elevating Connetix play and expanding our range, this year we have employed a new product development manager and a new product consultant. These emerging positions reflect our brand, striving for innovation and excellence –watch this space as we continue to bring new initiatives to the market.

How do you market Connetix?

How do you support toy retailers?

Essentially, we want to place Connetix right at the junction where play and learning meet! We do this by engaging with parents, retailers and early education providers through a mix of traditional marketing channels, and we’re also using more creative approaches to personally connect with this demographic.

Our growing and one-of-a-kind social media community is a tribute to the

brand values of our business. Celebrating play, sharing inspirational ideas, educational resources and offering support and advice to our play community has seen our @CONNETIX_tiles Instagram followers grow to more than 443,000 and there are 83,000 fans on our Facebook page. Our exclusive Connetix Community Facebook group with more than 18,000 members is an online hub of educators, parents and learning specialists trading ideas and gaining valuable resources, support and advice. By using these varied touchpoints, we can spark conversations and engage directly with this key audience.

How important is an educational slant to the toys? Underpinning our success are the remarkable educational benefits and wide range of STEAM-based learning that

Underpinning our success are the remarkable educational benefits and wide range of STEAMbased learning that Connetix effortlessly provides within early childhood development – it’s at the very centre of our brand!

Operating with lots of heart and a small-company feel, we are proud of the speciality retailer community we have cultivated. Placing retailer relationships at the forefront from the very beginning has certainly contributed to the global success of our brand. Currently stocked in more than 1,700 retailers across 80-plus countries, and continually growing with an impressive 70% reseller growth within the last year alone, we have nurtured these partnerships through maintaining exceptional communication and customer service across the board.

When partnering with us, retailers are supported by our wholesale support, sales representative and customer service team, who bring to the brand industry experience and an unparalleled level of support to our network. With open and consistent communication, our team is always in tune with stock and distributions across our warehouses, ensuring a fast turnover for retailers.

When children are immersed in Connetix play, they thoughtfully explore concepts of colour, gravity and motion, magnetism, reflections and refractions, shape and pattern recognition, construction, engineering and so much more.

As a versatile and adaptable toy, Connetix provides a blank canvas for children to create their own masterpieces; from castles, to race-tracks, 3D animals, boardgames, roads, puzzles and more - the play and learning possibilities are limitless. Further to this, we are proud to offer a range of resource cards, blogs and play ideas designed to encourage and enhance learning at home and to support educators in the classroom.

As a uniquely open-ended product, Connetix is the perfect toy to foster independent and collaborative play, support creative thinking and perseverance, while encouraging teamwork and nurturing social skills.

Connetix effortlessly provides within early childhood development – it’s at the very centre of our brand!

The Entertainer goes big in Tesco

JohnRyan

considersthe challengesthat mayfaceThe Entertainerasit createsin-store offeringsin Tesco supermarkets…

What do you go to a large supermarket for? The initial draw will probably be food, with everything else following in its wake. On the ground, particularly in locations where hypermarkets remain the norm, this has meant food, clothing and small electronics for the most part.

Things, however, are changing. With visits to supermarkets increasing and basket size diminishing in consequence, there is a limit to how much food we all need; ‘convenience’ has become the order of the day for many. This in turn has meant quite a lot of space going begging as the return on investment per square metre in a large supermarket has been consistently falling.

What can be done to arrest this? Hypermarkets have moved beyond the traditional food/clothing dichotomy with retailers from new sectors being encouraged to take space. The outcome has been offers as diverse as health brand Holland & Barrett (H&B) and French sports retailer Decathlon appearing as shop-in-shops in large-footprint retailers where the primary purpose is selling food.

Toys have also had their moment in the sun, with even relatively mid-sized supermarkets tending to have an aisle set aside for this category, normally alongside ‘educational’ items such as writing implements, notebooks and the like.

At the back end of 2022, The Entertainer entered the fray with an agreement with Tesco to set up shop-in-shops. The benefits were obvious for both parties. For Tesco, it meant that the scramble to justify the return on selling space would be eased somewhat as the rent from The Entertainer would help to make up for any per square metre revenue shortfall. For the toy retailer, as for any high street brand trading from a supermarket, the clear advantage would be footfall. Food retailers do have many more visits than other forms of retail,and if shoppers can be encouraged to ‘slow down’ and take a few moments out of their busy shopping schedule, this equates to the kind of passing traffic - day in, day out - that many merchants can only dream of.

be asked, however, is whether the potential excitement of a toy shop can be effectively realised within the confines of a supermarket? And the answer, as is so often the case, is it depends on how things are handled.

For The Entertainer, the challenge will be in creating an in-store environment that comes close to doing the job of one of its high street stores.

It’s worth, at this point, looking at what has been done by Holland & Barrett in the Tesco Extra in Prescot. For those unfamiliar with the place, Prescot is a town to the east of Liverpool, and Tesco has a very large branch here. H&B opened a shop-in-shop in this one last month and anybody who has been to one of its newer branches will instantly recognise the handwriting. Whether it’s the colour palette, the materials or the cash-taking apparatus, all is pretty much the same as elsewhere, as it should be. The experience of visiting this one will be identical to visiting a standalone shop, and when the shopper enters H&B in Tesco Prescot, the supermarket has effectively been left behind.

The question that does have to be asked is whether the potential excitement of a toy shop can be effectively realised within the confines of a supermarket “ ”

This is fine, providing the host retailer does not provide an in-store space that consists of a single aisle with stock arranged along a series of tiered shelves. If this does prove to be the case, the experience would be not unlike a low-rise version of a UK Toys R Us of old, which was about providing stock, rather than any kind of excitement.

It has clearly worked, as around a year later Tesco announced that The Entertainer’s proposition would be available in all UK stores (the initial agreement was a trial). Obviously, this means, much like Tesco itself, that what shoppers encounter would vary from store to store, depending on size. All good and everybody’s happy.

A ‘curated’ version of a branch of The Entertainer is now available almost anywhere – something that could not be said prior to the Tesco deal, although the retailer did have more than 160 outposts when the deal was inked, so was hardly a shrinking violet.

The question that does have to

Based on what has been done so far, the likelihood is that The Entertainer in Tesco will not prove to be a Toys R Us manqué, however. Instead, providing it has been canny, there will be room to move, graphics of the kind found in the stores, and some deft editing, depending on the size of the store involved. It’s also worth remarking that a grab-and-go, keep ’em happy toy in a store filled with time-pressed convenience shoppers will find its way into a shopping basket in a way that something more expensive and considered might not.

Horses for courses then, and The Entertainer’s merchandising teams will have their work cut out deciding what goes where and how many of any Sku is appropriate. For an outfit of its size and experience, the presumption must be that this will be relative child’s play and that shoppers will greet the arrival of The Entertainer in their local Tesco with gusto.

Your outfit may not be the size of The Entertainer and getting into Tesco does require scale and an understanding of systems, but there is no harm in finding out whether one of the big supermarket chains might be interested in what you have to offer. Supermarkets do not just have to be in and out places in which the challenge is to stave of the boredom of food shopping.

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.

Winning licensing strategies

The popularity of licensed products continues to grow. The Insights Family founder , Nick Richardson , takes a look at what licences appeal to which age group, and the importance of film, TV and online in influencing children’s favourites

From playground to shelves and device screens, brand appeal influences every buying decision. From the age of eight, one in two kids surveyed globally already place importance on owning branded products, making licensing an enticing mission, which if done right, can guarantee lucrative opportunities with a longlasting impact.

Year after year, we have witnessed kids’ engagement with licensed products growing. For instance, compared with Q1 2023, the percentage of preschoolers, kids, and tweens who reported no interaction with their favourite characters (whether through watching, buying, or playing) has decreased by approximately a quarter (up to -26%), now averaging 5%. Drawing insights from global Kids Insights data, we’ve delved into the most successful licensing ventures and identified characters experiencing remarkable popularity growth across three age groups.

all three age groups. Whether it’s buying clothes and accessories, stationery (including stickers and posters), in-game merchandise, books/magazines and even makeup, these interactions have seen an uptick (up to +11%) with all three age groups.

Fostering closenessisrapidly becomingkey;we have witnessed activitiesinvolving buyingproducts related to a loved charactergaining traction across all threeagegroups“ “

Additionally, the big screen is quickly becoming a crucial medium with +7% more preschoolers and +5% more children aged six to nine saying they’ve watched their favourite characters at the cinema, compared with last year. Kids’ growing desire to own items related to their favourite characters, or experience close interactions with them, turn licensing into a mission of creating experiences that feel personal and special (merchandise and experiences) on top of casual (watching).

The rising stars – IP to look out for

Compared with Q1 2023, Mario, Bluey and Barbie have all seen significant popularity spikes, despite their already strong appeal. On the other hand, characters whose popularity (arguably) peaked with millennials, including Belle, Hello Kitty, Luke Skywalker, and Aladdin, appear to be making a strong come-back. Could parental influence be driving their resurgence?

The licensing landscape in 2024: fostering closeness

When exploring how kids interact with their favourite characters, we find that three-to-five-year-olds, sixto-nine-year-olds, and 10-12-year-olds are most likely to watch them on YouTube or streaming platforms. Considering the ease of access to such platforms and the fact that watching TV is such an important aspect of kids’ daily lives (typically 1 hour and 10 minutes every day – ages three to 12 globally) this may not be surprising. However, it underscores the dominance of digital content in creating fandom. For older age groups (six-to-nines and 10-to-12s), playing video games related to a character is as popular as streaming, emphasising the importance of gaming activations as kids outgrow traditional toys.

When it comes to establishing successful campaigns, our data suggests that ‘fostering closeness’ is rapidly becoming key; we have witnessed activities involving buying products related to a loved character gaining traction across

Beyond a winning marketing strategy, a key aspect of a successful licensing campaign is the ability to identify and team up with IP that appeal to your audience. Our proprietary Audience Segmentation tools not only highlight major properties but also pinpoint the ‘black horses’ -those experiencing rapid growth. Analysing Q1 data from our quarterly Toys & Games report, we’ve identified a mix of wellestablished and classic characters among the fastestgrowing IP.

A common thread across all three lists is that most characters have had a presence on the big screen. Barbie, consistently a favourite among girls, experienced a resurgence after her recent film release, doubling in popularity among tweens. Notably, Donkey Kong (whose popularity has nearly tripled among six-tonine-year-olds) is rumoured to have its own film in the works, elevating it from Mario’s sidekick to a central character.

The Insights Family is the global leader in kids, parents, and family market intelligence, providing real-time data on attitudes, behaviours and consumption patterns. Kids Insights surveys 7,780 children every week aged three to 18. Parents Insights surveys more than 3,800 parents of children between the ages of one 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. To learn more about The Insights Family, visit: www.theinsightsfamily.com/contact

Socials and strategy to up sales…

Amanda Alexander , at Manchester’s Giddy Goat Toys , gets silly on socials to help push sales, considers a new buying strategy at the Toymaster Show, and pulls on her trainers for the Manchester Half-Marathon…

I don’t think I'm alone in saying that Q1 has been fairly mediocre. It’s not been dead, and actually sales are better than 2020 and all years preceding that, but it’s not been as good as 2022 and 2023. Maybe they were halcyon years, where the public was giddy with joy after emerging from Covid and being able to go back into shops again and before the cost-of-living crisis kicked in - so maybe instead of beating myself up that things are not great I should recalibrate my expectations and accept that the past two years were positive blips in what has been for us an otherwise decent upwards trajectory since we opened in 2012.

Unfortunately, rising costs mean it’s difficult to accept mediocre sales – my rent is double what it was when I opened and the hourly rate the staff are paid has also pretty much doubled. With the minimum wage going up by one pound an hour and also now including those 21 and above instead of 23 and above. I’ve had to move the more senior members of staff onto a higher than minimum rate to rightly reflect their experience and level of responsibility as compared with the younger members of the team.

“

A recent series saw us doing impressions of pop stars while trying to weave in toys from the shop and I went everso-slightly viral with my impression of Shaun Ryder twisting my CoComelons

I have fantastic staff and don’t begrudge what they are paid; one lady does all my card and gift wrap buying, one lady manages the shop at weekends, so I don’t have to work every weekend like a lot of shop owners do, and another manages our social media, so they really deserve a higher rate than the people who have less responsibility. They are all parttime with no one other than me doing more than 13 hours a week, and that suits them. A couple of them might like a few extra hours but generally everyone is happy with the hours they get, which are the same week to week, with people stepping up to do more to cover my being on holiday or at Christmas. They were all on slightly more than the minimum wage anyway and I try to give everyone a small hourly increase every year, but being honest, putting up everyone’s wages by at least a pound an hour wouldn’t have been in the plan this year as it’s going to be an extra few hundred pounds to find a month at a time when sales are plateauing.

So, what to do? Well, we tried handing out vouchers to local

parenting groups to entice in the parents of the lockdown babies who had to do all their baby shopping online. It wasn’t a resounding success, but I definitely think that’s something we could revisit and perhaps we should go and personally introduce ourselves to a few local groups (the thought of which fills me with dread - don’t let my social media persona fool you I am genuinely quite shy), and then there’s the whole social media shizzle. We’re on the lot and Karen works hard to come up with a variety of content that’s engaging and not just me saying ‘howay in and buy some toys’.

So as mentioned we do try to do a variety of things and luckily I’m not averse to larking around. A recent series saw us doing impressions of pop stars while trying to weave in toys from the shop, and I went ever-so-slightly viral with my impression of Shaun Ryder twisting my CoComelons. But did it convert to sales? Obviously, it’s all but impossible to quantify. Anecdotally, I do get the odd customer as well as sales reps saying they like our nonsense on Instagram and quite honestly, they’re quite fun to do and don’t take a huge amount of time so it’s not (much) time

wasted, but equally I don’t think it’s the answer to mediocre sales.

If not social media platforms, then perhaps other retail platforms. I’m not on Amazon as the lady I worked for before taking on my own shop calculated what she was actually making on Amazon and after VAT, packing costs and postage it was pennies, so I never saw the point. Plus I can’t say I’ve met any retailers that speak positively about selling on Amazon. It seems a lot of hassle and aggravation for little return. However eBay does work for us; it ran a Small Business Pro-Trader Programme via Small Business Britain last year and we got onto that and worked our way through their maze of menus and increased our sales on them. I’m on a few smaller marketplace platforms, a few that say they are up and coming and I’ve tried (and failed) to get onto some of the larger higher street branded platforms that so many of the massive retailers now have (Boots, B&Q and The Range to name a few).

To be honest, between social media sites and online marketplaces, I’m on more platforms than a dancing troupe of train spotters. (I’m not sure what the collective noun for trainspotters would be but I’m fairly sure it’s not a dancing troupe) but in truth I think the future (for us) lies in working on what we are really good at – and that’s running a small, friendly, customer focused, bricks-andmortar shop but with additional income streams coming in from online. Pre Covid it’s where 90% of our sales came from, during Covid it went down to 45-55%, and now it’s back to 70-80%, so online is more important to us than it was before Covid, but the shop is still where it’s at and that’s what we need to work on. Although I am very aware that I’m not just competing against other locally based

retailers who sell toys any more but the whole of the internet. However, I do believe a lot of people like the interaction of coming into a shop, seeing products in the flesh and talking to people to get advice. After all, it’s essentially why us retailers go to trade shows and customers are just the same but on an individual product basis; we all want the same end goal of finding the perfect product or product mix.

With that thought in mind I have planned to go to the Toymaster show in Harrogate this year, having heard it’s smaller and easier to get round everyone and also that it’s very friendly and that everyone has a right good knees-up on the Tuesday night, but also because I thought I might trial going to two or three trade shows a year and placing a bunch of orders at each, rather than a mixture of seeing reps and ordering online on an ad hoc basis. Again, like shopping online generally, ordering online with suppliers is easy and convenient, but you can’t beat seeing products in the flesh for getting inspiration and I know that I tend to re-order the same products time and again when I’m just ordering online, and while there are certain products I want to keep in-store, it’s always good to refresh and try new products and suppliers. I know I’ll need to spread orders out, so I don’t get a few weeks of the year with a gazillion boxes of stock arriving with all the work that entails - not just physically unpacking everything but getting it all online too - not to mention where to put it all. It might not turn out to be a successful buying strategy, but I will see how it goes.

On a positive note, Giddy Goat Toys has been shortlisted for the Small Business Britain ‘Bricks and Clicks’ Award in this year’s Small Awards, which is held every year to celebrate the efforts and achievements of some of the UK’s many

“

To be honest between social media sites and online marketplaces I’m on more platforms than a dancing troupe of train spotters

“small businesses. The Bricks and Clicks Award is “for the best multi-channel small business and recognises small businesses that use multiple channels with innovation and skill to develop their business”. It’s a bit ironic given what I've just said about sales levelling off this year, particularly online, but given how much effort we have put in to searching out, integrating onto and uploading content onto various platforms – none of which is as seamless as they promise - it is really lovely to get that recognition. In other news I'm ramping up my running in readiness to run the Manchester Half Marathon at the end of May. I’ve never done anything like that before. I did the Manchester 10k last year and because I’m in a running club, which includes a bunch of high-achieving marathon and ultra-marathon runners (as well as more normal people) I had a crazy notion to put my name down for a more challenging event. At the moment I am somewhat regretting this and having done a couple of slightly longer runs, which have left my legs feeling like cheese strings, I am not confident that I’m going to be able to do 13 miles. But as I’ve said I’ll do it for Francis House, which is a local children’s hospice, I will be giving it my best shot. I’ll be putting a link on my LinkedIn page if anyone is able to donate or be old skool and type in the letters, slashes, dots and stuff below as though you were writing code for a Commodore 64 game. (that reference will be lost on anyone under 50).

www.ajbellgreatmanchesterrun2024. enthuse.com/pf/amanda-alexander

Till then, here’s hoping for a decent spring; it will help both sales and my trainers, which are in a very sorry state from all these weeks of slogging along the muddy Mersey riverbank and puddly pavements of Manchester.

AMBASSADORS SPECIAL

Fun is the icing on the cake

Pati-school cake decoration packs

Mum: Punteha

Child: Amelia, 7

What did you like about this toy?

Mum Punteha: I like how easy and intuitive the mini cake, and cupcake key ring decorating toys are. So much so in fact, that neither Amelia or I looked at the instructions or instructional video before cracking on with using the set.

What did Amelia like about the toy?

Amelia: It’s fun and easy to use. It’s not like decorating a real cake, which is quite hard and you’re wanting to make it perfect. This is so cool, because you can pretend to be someone who decorates cakes. In the small packs, there are two things to do and when there was nothing left to do, I still had icing left over to use on the other bigger packs or to make something else myself.

Explain how easy it was to set up.

Mum: All I had to do was open the outer box the item was delivered in, cut open the thick plastic packages

holding the various components of the patisserie set and Amelia was away! Even the bigger box doesn’t take long and it really is very cute, fun, easy to use and one your child can comfortably complete.

What were your first impressions?

Mum: We got caught up in the excitement of it all and forgot to put down a craft mat, tie Amelia’s hair back or pop an apron on!

What features does it have and what makes them fun?

Amelia: The frosting pipe gadget is good, really easy to use, but one thing I’m not keen on is that the slider is less wide than the frosting packet, and you have to fold it before being able to slide it in - but that didn’t take very long.

Would this be something that Amelia would play with again and again?

Amelia: If I was allowed to play with it all the time I would!

Mum: It is so satisfying to squeeze the frosting out and it’s easy to get a perfect result. A lot of other games look a certain way on the box but don’t end up looking that way. This one looks even better than the picture on the front of the box.

The arts & crafts sector appears to be thriving, perhaps due to its affordability, the opportunities it offers to parents and grandparents to keep kids off screens, and the growing awareness of the importance of hands-on activities, which help to keep children grounded and practising mindfulness in a world where so much happens online.

It certainly seems a success for Marvin’s Magic, as CEO Tom Hudson explains: ‘‘To us it is our fastest-growing category – drawing in audiences young and old alike. Customers are resonating with the Marvin’s Magic formula of taking traditional products and adding that extra touch of innovation and magic.’’

And Damien Collett, head of sales –UK and Ireland at SES Creative, agrees: ‘‘The arts & crafts sector continues to thrive, attracting consumers seeking affordable leisure activities. Despite economic challenges, our commitment to innovation and quality ensures that we’re meeting market demands and driving sales growth. We’re particularly excited about the upcoming launch of our Harry Potter craft range, which we believe will further enrich our product offerings in response to consumer interests.’’

And with the cost-of-living crisis making us all aware that price is a major factor for many consumers, Damien adds that SES Creative has responded acccordingly: ‘‘We’ve expanded our range of products priced under £10 by 30% and diversified our selection of items under £15. These initiatives reflect our dedication to providing valuedriven solutions while navigating economic challenges. ‘’

The art of creating

Arts & crafts remains an evergreen sector, but how is it faring in the cost-of-living crisis, and what new products can we look forward to? TnP investigates

Despite its popularity, it’s never wise to rest on one’s laurels, and suppliers continue to innovate within the sector, identifying trends that will drive demand. At SES Creative, Damien says they are ‘‘seeing a growing interest in preschool arts & crafts products and craft kits tailored for boys. Retailers can capitalise on these trends by offering innovative solutions to meet consumer demands and drive sales.’’

“He adds that there’s real demand for arts & crafts product across the age groups, encompassing both younger ones and older groups which ‘‘provide retailers with opportunities to appeal to a broader customer base and capitalise on market opportunities.’’

Over at Marvin’s Magic, they have seen ‘‘huge spikes in sales of Marvin’s Glow Art – our super-bright LED Drawing Board which includes 36 different light effects. A great arts item for creating awesome artwork anytime, anyplace. Easy to pack for summer holidays. It also includes a handy kickstand, so artwork can be easily displayed or even used as a colourful night light,’’ says Tom Hudson, who adds that if a retailer only stocks one of its products, this is the one to go for.

Both companies recognise the growing role that online and technology plays in children’s lives, and while the selling point of arts & crafts is to get children off-screen and hands-on, they are using technology in ways that complement this. Tom Hudson comments: ‘‘As a company that specialises in demonstration, many of our products now include QR codes that display expert product demonstrations so youngsters can get the most from their products! Also,

To us it is our fastest growing category – drawing in audiences young and old alike

Tom Hudson, CEO, Marvin’s Magic

”via the Marvin’s Magic App there are additional stencil sheets that can be used in conjunction with our Marvin’s Magic Drawing Board and Marvin’s Glow Art.’’

While SES Creative’s ‘‘focus remains on providing enriching offline experiences’’, Hudson notes that ‘’while not all our products incorporate screen-based extras, select items feature how-to videos to enhance the crafting experience. These features complement the hands-on nature of our products, providing retailers with unique selling points to attract and retain customers.’’

Finally, Marvin’s Magic is also using social media to share its products across the world, says Hudson: ‘‘We have a very comprehensive social media strategy working with family influencers across TikTok and Instagram who will be creating and sharing epic artwork using our magical arts & crafts items. ‘’

Marvin’s Magic

Epoch

Crafts get the magic touch

MARVIN’S MAGIC magic@marvinsmagic.co.uk | www.marvinsmagic.com

In recent years Marvin’s Magic has expanded its portfolio of products into Awesome Arts and Crafts – with the aim of inspiring imagination and promoting creativity and self-expression amongst its young fans. The move to add complementary categories to its existing ranges of award-winning magic tricks has proven a hit in both its demonstration businesses around the world as well as through e-commerce platforms. Now the company plans to launch a ‘retail ready’ assortment of arts and crafts items designed for both speciality and mass-market retailers.

It’s magic!

Arts and craft products include Marvin’s Magic Pens, where artists can make colours change, transform and disappear, alongside Marvin’s Glow Art, a super-bright light-up LED tablet

Bestsellers include Marvin’s Magic Pens, where artists can make colours change, transform and disappear, alongside Marvin’s Glow Art, a super-bright

light-up LED tablet, and Marvin’s Magic Rainbow Stickers, a set that includes 150 foil stickers where artists can create unique holographic designs without the need of glue or scissors.

Adding to the assortment, the company has launched Marvin’s 3D Pop Posters – the set includes patented creative construction sheets where children can colour their designs and then build 3D posters to display at home or school. Five cute characters are included alongside 10 washable marker pens.

Retailers are also able to stock Marvin’s Super Bright Scratch Art & Stencils, Marvin’s Silver Rainbow Markers, Marvin’s Magic Drawing Board, and more!

“We believe that every child is born with an innate sense of creativity,” says Tom Hudson, CEO of Marvin’s Magic. “Our goal is to deliver a beautiful, quality product to allow them to unleash their imagination and express themselves freely. With our expansion into arts and crafts, we’re excited to empower young artists to explore their creativity in new and enchanting ways. Whether it’s through magic tricks or artistic endeavours, our ultimate goal is to inspire children to embrace their unique talents.” Further expansions into the arts category are in the works with announcements to follow throughout the year.

No limit to creativity

SES CREATIVE

01304 746 030 | sales@ses-creative.co.uk www.ses-creative.com

Welcome to SES Creative, where creativity knows no age limit. Its diverse range of products caters to everyone, from toddlers to seasoned crafters.

Explore the casting and painting collection, featuring favourites such as Casting and Painting – Scary

Animals, showcased in the Hobby Blue Category. Here, you’ll find a variety of crafting essentials, from woodwork sets to stamp sets and build-your-own dinosaur construction sets, all designed to spark creativity.

There’s a range of blow pens and activity sets, offering both innovation and value for customers. Dive into the Hobby Pink Category for hands-on activities such as soap making, candle casting, casting and painting sets, and jewellery crafting, along with a charming selection of shrink film keychains.

The My First preschool range has earned praise for its quality and safety, with products including Crayon Beads, Fingerprint paint art set, and Colouring with Water ensuring safe and enjoyable crafting experiences for ages one-plus. And there’s licensed products, including Harry Potter crafting kits and Sophie The Giraffe products, housed in the My First Category.

Sew with style

VTECH

www.vtech.co.uk

VTech Electronics announces a magical new addition to its line of interactive educational toys launching this Autumn/Winter –the Sew & Style bags. Designed for aspiring young crafters, this engaging sewing kit offers a unique blend of creativity, play, and learning.

Available in two styles, Unicorn and Kitten, the Sew & Style Bag kit includes everything needed to create a charming unicorn or kitty bag: a plastic pattern template, threads, needles, and a strap. This adorable bag isn’t just a stylish accessory; the unicorn bag features a light-up horn, while the kitty bag has a light-up bow. Both bags have customisable features that bring it to life with three exciting modes of play,

Buddy up with Harry...

CRAFT BUDDY

020 3417 6565 | trade@craftbuddyltd.co.uk

Included in Craft Buddy’s new AW24 range is the launch of Buddies Series 4 with a further 22 characters bringing more sparkle and magic with fan-favourites from the wizarding world of Harry Potter, DC Super Heroes, Disney and L.O.L. Surprise!. Star Wars fans will be excited with the launch of XL Buddies Grogu and R2-D2, both of which are 22cm in height. Further new launches include the new Alchemy licence scrolls and new 2-in-1 multipurpose, 52 week, 12-month, 200-page notebooks and planners.

Craft Buddy will also present other Christmas product ranges at the Toymaster Show, including a set of six themed Buddies with a loop and thread to hang as tree ornaments - XL Festive Gnome and Nutcracker Buddies - new designs of its popular card kits including exclusive Best of British and Me to You Christmas 2024 designs, and themed scrolls and canvases.

Later this year will see the launch of its Crystal Art Junior kits, focused on the four-plus age group, with bigger 12mm crystal gems and a large helpful pick-up pen.

Colourfully creative!

FLOSS & ROCK

01253 831500 | enquiries@flossandrock.co.uk | www. flossandrock.co.uk.

Award-winning children’s toy and gift brand Floss & Rock has added 19 new lines to its bright and brilliant Creative Art category as part of its SS24 launch.

In the new lineup is a Stamper Set (featuring a 24-page full colour booklet and eight shaped wooden stampers), Paint by Numbers (with 10 pictures and 10 individual shaped paint palettes, featuring dry paint - so no mess) and the revolutionary new Magic Multiplay, which combines the hugely popular ‘magic water’ technology with the additional perk of reusable multi-activities. Using the water pen, children can colour,

Breaking the mould…

GREAT GIZMOS

01293 543221 | sales@greatgizmos.co.uk | www.ggtrade.co.uk

Mould & Paint continues to be one of Great Gizmos’ most popular craft ranges. New for 2024 is Mould & Paint Reptile & Amphibian; kids will have loads of fun moulding and painting six cute designs. Also new is Mould & Paint Googly Eyes Animals; the set includes everything needed to mould and decorate six different animals with fun googly eyes! Glowing

Epoch nails it!

EPOCH MAKING TOYS

0208 049 1377

sales@epochmakingtoys.com

After the successful launch of its Nail Studio sub-line last year, Epoch Making Toys will add four new sets to its Aquabeads range this summer. Requiring just a simple ‘coat’ of water, the Nail Studio collection allows children to create magical mess-free manicures with no gluey fingers or smudged nail polish to ruin the look!

Launching in July will be the Nail Studio Design ‘n’ Display Set complete with rhinestones and a beautiful bow-shaped case to store the nails, display them and use as a worktable; and the Nail Studio Disney Princess Nail Designer Kit featuring favourite princesses Ariel, Belle, Cinderella, Jasmine, Rapunzel and Tiana. Also available will be two refill kits. In addition, joining the Aquabeads lineup for the first time will be two Harry Potter sets - the Harry Potter Keychain Craft Kit and Harry Potter Creations Kit.

Also launching is Epoch’s award-winning arts & crafts brand, Pati-school, offering frosting fun for everyone! Originally launched in Japan 15 years ago, the evergreen brand allows children to create, decorate and collect the most delightful, treat-inspired crafts that all have a function! Final creations can be used as memo holders, keychains, and even a container to store favourite keepsakes in. The creation process encourages concentration and helps develop motor skills too. All crafters need to do is pipe the pastel-coloured craft crème that’s included in any of the sets and follow the squeezing guide, add the decorations provided, wait for the creations to air dry… and voilà! The initial range includes a Party Creation Starter Set, Lavender and Pastel Creations Kit, Pretty in Pink Creations Kit and a Pastel Keychain Creations Kit. See our Ambassadors feature on page 22 to discover how our young tester enjoyed the new Patischool brand.

T-Rex Skeleton glows in the dark and is perfect for display, as well as educational.

Mould & Paint Wishing Well is a lovely addition to the range and perfect for artistic flair and roleplay too. Children will have fun moulding and painting the wishing well and then playing with the pop-up cardboard figures.

CONNETIX

07803 877158

wholesale@connetixtiles.com

www.connetixtiles.com

Connetix offers a variety of beautifully coloured magnetic tile packs that encourage open-ended play and foster children’s imagination and creativity. Putting its own spin on the magnetic tile category, Connetix has brought to market a bevelled tile with strong magnets and additional safety features. Connetix has a selection of packs, perfect for a wide range of ages and abilities, including mini, starter, creative and mega sized packs. Additionally, children can take their designs to new heights with the Connetix signature Ball Run range, Motion and Transport Packs.

Focus on Back to School

MAPED

scott.goodman@mapedhelix.co.uk

www.mapedhelix.co.uk

Something magical is happening at Maped Helix this year! Look out for the new Harry Potter licensed range of stationery launching this back to school season. Whether it’s Dumbledore’s wisdom, Hermione’s intellect, Luna’s daydreaming or Draco’s mischievous insults – Harry Potter is a household name for every child. Discover the magical and fantastic world of Harry Potter with the Maped and Helix Harry Potter school accessories and colouring. The new collection that will add magic to any desk or pencil case includes the iconic Oxford Maths Set transformed into the magical Hogwarts Maths Set with contents featuring the Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw house colours and emblems. Also available in the range is the complete Harry Potter Stationery Set, Pens, Pencils, Erasers, Pencil Sharpeners, Folding ruler, Colouring pencils, Scissors and Highlighters, ticking off any Harry Potter fans complete back to school stationery list.

CHARACTER

OPTIONS

0161 633 9800

sales@charactergroup.plc.uk

Sticki Rolls is the new IP from Sky Castle that’s offering children a fun and creative way to express themselves, in a cool, collectable format. This line of wearable, shareable sticker bracelets combines a love of craft and sticker collecting, with the latest trends in fashion accessories. Sticki Rolls are ingeniously designed as fashionable bracelets that contain rolls of stunning, kawaii-themed stickers.

Supplier comment

Brea Brand, CEO, Connetix Tiles

How is the sector performing? Connetix is gaining increasing popularity as a respected resource within early childhood, education and allied health settings alike. Our brand is committed to enhancing learning through play and we do so by connecting with education facilities and engaging with parents across the globe to visibly place Connetix at the forefront of where play and learning meet. As a versatile and engaging product, we are thrilled to see CONNETIX being widely utilised and enjoyed within the education sector.

Are there any upcoming trends in the sector?

Equipping children with the tools to adapt and thrive in the 21st century, and the recognition of the power of STEAM learning resources are undoubtedly enduring trends within our sector.

Another emerging trend that we are excited to see on the market is a strong focus for Mental Emotional Social Health (MESH) products. Connetix are often implemented as a sensory based and tactile selfregulation tool for students.

Focus on Back to School

SANTORO

marketing@santoro-london.com www.bangoberry.com

With a longstanding reputation for building character brands (Bang on the Door, Gorjuss) Santoro is poised to do it again with new creation - Bangoberry!

Meet the first pair of characters from the Bango Bunch: Piggy Pig and Pally Panda (each with their own adorable character profiles) across more than 90 SKUs - making this Santoro’s biggest debut collection to date. Following an overwhelming response from distributors, licensees and retailers alike at Insights-X, BLE, Toy Fair and Spring Fair - the cuddly, collectible range of bags, stationery and gifts will be hitting shelves in the next few weeks.

“Initial response to the trade launch has surpassed all expectations, and we’re excited to see the in-store reactions from consumers. We’re expecting big things for the world of Bangoberry!” says CEO Lucio Santoro.

Always ones to focus on quality, detail and collectability the Santoro team has also woven in a layer of fun with the inclusion of Bangobobs; rubber charms with hidden meanings for fans to collect, swap and personalise their Bangoberry items with.

The retail merchandising display has been developed to introduce the collection in-store, designed to create an irresistible magnet for lovers of all things cute and colourful.

Supplier comment

Gray Richmond, managing director, Maped Helix

How is the sector performing at the moment?

Well, the first couple of months of the year saw the market down year-on-year according to market research company GFK. We had a more positive start and are feeling optimistic about the coming year.

Have you made any changes in light of the cost-of-living crisis?

This is something central to everything we do as a group. Our core mission is to give every child the power to change the world with their own hands. Often that is the ability to put stationery in their hands at a reasonable cost and we are committed to doing that not just here in the UK, but right across the globe.

Is licensing important to the sector – any hot licences?

Yes. We are super proud to be launching two new licences this year. American Colleges, including Harvard, Michigan, Florida and Berkely. We have both stationery and bags (i.e. rucksacks and cross body bags) coming out this summer and given how hot these licenses are at present we can’t wait to see them on shelf.

In addition, we are so proud to launch our range of Harry Potter stationery this year. It promises to be magic!

Supplier comment

Richard Hawkins, Sales director, Hey Hugo

How is the sector performing at the moment?

We are a completely new brand to the market with Hey Hugo but our initial conversations with retailers have been very positive.

Have you made any changes in light of the cost-of-living crisis?

We have developed product with cost of living in mind. We have created quality products but at market-leading cost prices, so you are getting great value. What benefits can back to school bring to retailers?

The back-to-school market is a massive opportunity for toy retailers. At what can sometimes be a quieter time, the back-to-school market can really help lift sales. Along with the annual trip to get new school shoes before the start of the new school year my own children get a new backpack, lunch bag, drawstring bag, water bottle and stationery.

HEY HUGO

01225 442608 | hey@heyhugo.co.uk www.heyhugo.co.uk

Hey Hugo was born out of the desire to fill a gap in the market for fun and exceptional quality children’s products at budgetfriendly price points. The initial launch of backpacks, lunch bags and notebooks focuses on seven different designs, with each design having 12 different SKUs, which focus on all the things kids love.

For the younger child there are three designs. Dinoroar is a friendly dinosaur with a modern graphic print perfect for all those little dinosaur adventurers. Mission to Mars is perfect for the budding space explorer with its fun exciting design. Magical Forest is a vibrant, imaginative design where you will find Unicorns, Birds and a full kaleidoscope of colourful insects living side by side in perfect magical harmony.

For the slightly older child there are four designs. Level Up is the range for all those gamers. The Positive Power range is all about being super positive and feeling those good vibes. Top Score is all things football in a classic monochrome design, which is perfect regardless of where your team loyalties lay. Jungle Life is a cool, laid-back pastel wonderland where even the tigers are friendly.

RETAIL INTERVIEW

Born into the business

Michael Cleary, owner of JKC Toymaster in Nenagh, talks to Clare Turner about his business, which he describes as “probably the best kid’s toy shop In Ireland”

What’s your career background?

I was born into the toy trade over 50 years ago - my parents had a toy shop. I was privileged to play hurling for Tipperary for 10 years, winning two AllIreland Senior Hurling Championships, and four consecutive Gaelic Athletic Association-Gaelic Players’ Association All Stars Awards.

Being part of that great team was a fantastic experience, and I’ve used that knowledge to develop and grow our family-run business, which is in the heart of Nenagh [the county town of Co. Tipperary].

Tell us a bit about JKC Toymaster.

It was started by my late father in 1946 as a newsagent and ice cream parlour, and toys

We endeavour to bring together - both in-store and online - all the clever products that make family life easier and more fun

”

were added some time in the 1960s. Today we stock a brilliant, diverse range of items that are built to last. As the dad of a young family, I’m well aware of the challenges that parents come up against, and we endeavour to bring togetherboth in-store and online - all the clever products that make family life easier and more fun.

We are constantly looking at the market for new trends and knacky products that are not widely available. Our founding principle is to give genuinely good customer service, quality products, and the best possible experience - and this hasn’t changed in 78 years.

Best Sellers

■ Berg InGround trampolines

■ Depesche Top Model Make-Up

Studio Creative Folder and Popstar Colouring Book

■ LEGO City toys

■ LEGO Speed Champions toys

■ Bruder John Deere

Tractor with Front Loader

We’ve been a member of Toymaster [an association of 280 locally owned specialist toy shops across the UK and Ireland] since 1994. I think their support is amazing, and their advice with regards to trends is invaluable: it’s like having someone in your corner looking after you.

What sets you apart from other toy retailers?

The range that we offer is that little bit different. For example, we stock products from Berg (pedal go-karts, scooters, trampolines, balance bikes, Hoppaa and PlayBase), Peg Perego (battery-powered and electric ride-ons), and a huge selection of farm-themed toys from Bruder, Siku, Britains, Schleich, Millwood Crafts, Rolly Toys, The Field and Kids Globe.

How would you describe your range?

We specialise in Berg and the categories of outdoor fun, farm, games & puzzles, action toys, construction, preschool, dolls &

playsets, and nursery. Our motto is: we sell quality toys that last.

How many brands do you carry?

We stock all the main ones. Our key names include Lego, Bandai, Character Options, Ty, Top Model, Spin Master, Ravensburger, Melissa & Doug, Clementoni, Rolly Toys, Siku, Britains, Bruder, Schleich, Hasbro, VTech, Leapfrog, MGA, Little Tikes, Zapf Creation, Gibsons Games, Magformers, Meccano, Galt, and Flair Leisure Products.

How do you find products?

Our reps introduce us to new ranges.

What’s your selection criteria?

Quite simply, we ask ourselves: can we make a profit from selling this range?

What are some of your new arrivals?

Top Model Make-Up Studio Creative Folder and Popstar Colouring Book from Depesche, LEGO launches, and BERG SportsGoals.

How do you maintain the interest of existing customers and attract new ones?

I think it’s important to have an online presence, so social media mostly. We also offer Toymaster gift vouchers.

Have you noticed a change in purchasing patterns?

Yes, people have really tightened their purse strings.

What’s your all-time favourite toy?

The Genius Square puzzle game from The Happy Puzzle Company. It’s without doubt one of the best games to come out for many years. It’s almost addictive!

Toymaster: ‘we sold out earlier than ever’

Toys n Playthings caught up with Toymaster’s Paul Reader and Brian McLaughlin (commercial director and business development manager respectively) in advance of this year’s May Show. Their insider insights and vision make for fascinating reading for suppliers and retailers alike

How is this year’s show shaping up?

The show was sold out earlier than ever this year with more than 100 suppliers exhibiting – including 15 for the first time. It’s great to have a mix of established and new, so there will be something for all the retailers who attend, including opportunities for the smaller outlets to find new ranges or two that differentiate them from the major retailers.The planning has been ongoing since last May but as always there will be lots of fine details to sort in the last couple of months before the show all comes together in May!

Has the post-pandemic reaction to the show highlighted the importance of

“ ”

The timing is crucial – lots of indies use Toy Fair and Spring Fair to view and get an idea of what

is available for the year, but they place their main season orders at the May Show

these events to your retailers?

It continues to be a great success with our members emphasising its importance in their calendar. The timing is crucial – lots of indies use Toy Fair and Spring Fair to view and get an idea of what is available for the year, but they place their main season orders at the May Show.

Why do you think it is so important for retailers?

It’s an opportunity to see all the key suppliers in one location. All the main ones are present and there are no closed stands so they can see everything they want to see. Most independents are always looking for new ideas

Why Toymaster is an essential

It is an essential because it allows us to connect directly with independent retailers. They are incredibly valuable and have been the core of our business for years. We find our indie retailers often curate a diverse and unique selection of products that may not be found in larger chain stores. We are offering exclusive deals and marketing programme support. And we will also be introducing innovative and eyecatching Floor Standing and Counter Display Units as well as new point of sale materials plus digital and social media strategies to help them stay ahead of the curve. This support will enhance the in-store shopping experience and encourage customers to engage with our products. Finally, we are set to debut our officially licensed Hasbro dress-up range, bringing to life some of its most popular franchises, including Transformers and Power Rangers.

Fran Hales Head of Marketing and Portfolio Rubies Masquerade

Toymaster Retail Focus

John Bentley Trading manager

Howleys Toys, Weymouth

The Toymaster May Show is a very important date. Primarily it’s all about Christmas really – place orders for the catalogue, look at any promo deals that can be done, and go with a buying plan. You’ve got to allocate a bit of money to each supplier, look at it and perhaps place a few orders but then come back and really go to town once you’ve seen what’s going on.

The central invoicing takes all the hard work out of it. We pay monthly, as all members do, and our invoices go through Toymaster. We let them know if there are any problems and they react accordingly.

It all means that the financial setup is fantastic, the marketing set-up is excellent and, as for the brand itself, it is strong and we are proud to have the Toymaster name on our shop fronts. Our windows reflect skills of the Northampton team who can put together great packages, Overall, the Toymaster family is brilliant for us.

and ranges to stock that customers won’t see elsewhere and the May Show is an ideal time to spot these. They also get quality time with the industry’s top suppliers.

And what are the benefits for toy companies?

Suppliers get to meet with indies face to face and hear first-hand what they and their customers are telling them. This feedback is invaluable to any supplier, as shortly after the show they will be making their own decisions on orders for the peak season.

The other obvious benefit to suppliers is that they come away from the show with lots of orders that need to be delivered!

As always, we have dinner and entertainment planned for both Tuesday and Wednesday night at the show and we encourage retailers and suppliers to come and join us, just turn up, take a seat and enjoy yourselves

2023 highlights

How much does the May show contribute to the award-winning success of Toymaster?

It’s great that the industry recognises our members for their achievements. It is always well deserved considering the hard work each of them puts into their respective businesses. The May show is important for members to plan for the second half of the year, so we encourage them to spend as much time as they need to see all the suppliers they need.

Why Toymaster is an essential

The show is an essential highlight in our calendar. Toymaster members are critical to the success of our business, so it is always a must-attend event. It offers an unrivalled opportunity to spend quality time with the members, enabling us to understand their current trading conditions and gain a deeper understanding of how we can support their business throughout the year. It’s also a perfect time for us to open up on our Q4 launches and marketing.

We have a number of special offers at the show including a ‘gift with purchase’ opportunity on our 1000-piece puzzles, and an introductory promotional package on our new Hylkies licensed collectibles line. We also have a special launch offer on our Play+ range. On the stand, we’ll be showcasing our new Play+ infant and toddler line. This collection includes toys and, for the first time in the UK, books from Ravensburger blue triangle.

Richard Collins Managing director, Ravensburger UK

Ravensburger UK

Why Toymaster is an essential

Toymaster retailers seem very happy to share information, pass on tips and discuss ways to improve business. How important is this element to the show? Any retailer who joins Toymaster becomes part of the family – they are not in competition with each other because they are all in different towns around the UK and Ireland and each has their own local demographics and customer base. The May Show enables them to catch up properly and swap notes about what is selling and what their customers are asking for.

As well as the obvious benefits of seeing toy companies, how important is the social side when it comes to the event? All trade shows offer a great opportunity to network, to catch up with friends and colleagues from within the industry, and the Toymaster May Show is no different.

The Majestic in Harrogate venue makes the social side of the show much easier because there are so many other hotels nearby and everyone can be local to it. This also makes it easier for people

Toymaster Retail Opinion

Jonny Rogers

to meet up in the evenings and continue the networking over a few drinks and a bite to eat.

How is the attendance from retailers looking this year in terms of numbers? Toymaster members will turn out in force as they always do. As we said, this is the main buying show for them so they put the date in their diary early on. We also make the show open to all independent bricks-and-mortar toy & hobby retailers in the UK and Ireland, so we can showcase the benefits of Toymaster membership to the whole trade. We already have lots of indies registered to attend, and we always get lots more registering in the month or so leading up to the show so we are expecting it to be very busy again.

The toy companies keep turning up, space keeps selling out, the retailer response is great. How can the show improve further and grow beyond the levels it has already achieved? Each year we catch up the week after the

Owner, David Rogers Toymaster Banbridge and Portadown, Northern Ireland

I’m a member of Toymaster, which is a great benefit in many ways but the biggest one is invoice management. We find the Toymaster May show the most useful for sourcing products “ ”

The show has always been an important event for any serious toy supplier and its timing often means you are presenting finished product for the first time. Also, with Toymaster members, you will know for sure how they feel about those new lines. It’s a unique show, bringing together an eclectic mix of retailers from all over the UK. One moment you can be presenting to a well-spoken customer such as Steve Kerrison, and minutes later to Dave Middleton!

As for us, apart from Joe Rushworth and Will Abigail entertaining members with their wit and charm, the new range of more than 130 Cobble Hill jigsaw puzzles is a must-see, competitively priced and with images selected for the British market. Oh, and on the food front, in former lives the Cheatwell sales team would have eaten at William & Victoria most nights. Nowadays the Fat Badger and Boars Head are more fitting eateries.

Steve Asbey

UK sales manager, Cheatwell Games

“ ”

It is such a focused and intimate event, designed for independent retailers, who form an important part of our business. The show allows us to be specific on the products we showcase and creates a great atmosphere in which we can spend time with our retailers, getting to know what works for them and how we can best support them. It’s also a good opportunity to connect with the wider toy industry and colleagues and get a feel for how the year is panning out.

Zara Grindrod Sales and Marketing Director Rainbow Designs

show to discuss what worked, and what changes we could make for the following year. It’s always best to do this while it’s fresh in our minds. We feel the format of the show works well for all attendees, and the feedback we receive each year from members, suppliers and others backs that up. This means no radical changes from last year, but perhaps a few subtle differences here and there. We are always open to suggestions about what we could do differently to improve the experience for future shows.

And finally, how is the social side of this year’s event shaping up?

As always, we have dinner and entertainment planned for both Tuesday and Wednesday night at the show and we encourage retailers and suppliers to come and join us, just turn up, take a seat and enjoy yourselves!

Tuesday is Party Night. There is no set theme for this year so we encourage everyone to just turn up and have fun. Wednesday, Awards Night, will be a slightly more formal affair since it involves members, suppliers and individuals being recognised for their achievements and great service.

Both evenings will have entertainment throughout followed by a disco, and the party continues into the early hours.

We look forward to welcoming you all and hope everyone attending finds the show productive and enjoyable.

We are happy to talk to anyone about membership and you can register for free at www.toymastermayshow.co.uk.

Cheatwell Games

Toymaster Retail Opinion

Andrew Garthwaite

Owner , Rexys Reviews and The Dino Den South Shields

Our range of products quickly grew after attending a number of trade shows and exhibitions such as Toymaster in Harrogate. Visiting Toymaster each year is a must

“We are looking forward to being at the Toymaster Show. We are in the Lower Marquee and have lots of offers for members, including discounts and free stock. We are also running a special Was/ Now, a deal not to be missed on eight top selling lines!

Sarah Dayus Sales Director, Great Gizmos

Why Toymaster is an essential

The Show is a pivotal event in our year and allows us to meet our most important customers, preview the main ranges and featured catalogue items, and get invaluable feedback from retailers. It is special because it allows retailers to see and easily compare product from other brands in an intimate atmosphere, all under the one roof. Retailers can assess alternatives along with latest licences and brand focuses. For exhibitors, it provides the priceless opportunity of meeting our customers faceto-face – an integral part of building and maintaining our relationships.

Exhibition List

A.B.Gee

Carriage Suite

Alpha Toys Reading Room

Asmodee Drawing Room

Aurora Lower Marquee

Baby Republic Upper Marquee

Bachmann Lower Marquee

Banaghan Reading Room

Bandai Carriage Suite

Basic Fun Carriage Suite

Bigjigs Upper Marquee

Bliss DistributionUpper Marquee

Boldcube Ltd Upper Marquee

Brainstorm Billiard Room

BTL Diffusion Upper Marquee

Canal Toys Upper Marquee

Carat Shop Carriage Suite

Casdon Upper Marquee

Character Reading Room

Cheatwell GamesLower Marquee

Clementoni Upper Marquee

Click DistributionUpper Marquee

Click Europe Carriage Suite

Cobi Lower Marquee

Coiledspring GamesDrawing Room

Craft Buddy Carriage Suite

Depesche Lower Marquee

Ditty Bird Books Carriage Suite

DKB Toys Lower Marquee

Epoch Making ToysBilliard Room

Flair Carriage Suite

Funko Lower Marquee

Funrise Upper Marquee

Funtime Gifts Lower Marquee

Galt Drawing Room

Gibsons Lower Marquee

Gift Scholars Upper Marquee

Golden Bear Carriage Suite

Great Gizmos Lower Marquee

Halilit Lower Marquee

Hasbro Carriage Suite

Hey Hugo Upper Marquee

Hippychick Upper Marquee

Hobby Company Upper Marquee

Hornby Hobbies Upper Marquee

HTI Upper Marquee

Huffy Upper Marquee

IMC Billiard Room

Intelex Group (Warmies)Carriage

Suite

Jakks Pacific Upper Marquee

Jazwares Carriage Suite

Learning ResourcesUpper Marquee

Lego Billiard Room

Magformers Upper Marquee

Magic Box Toys Upper Marquee

Maped Helix Lower Marquee

Mattel Harrogate Suite

Mcc Stock SolutionsRegency Suite

Melissa & Doug Upper Marquee

Mga Entertainment (Inc Zapf) Lower Marquee

Micro Scooters Reading Room

Mojo Fun Ltd Upper Marquee

Mookie Carriage Suite

Moose Toys Upper Marquee

MV Sports Regency Suite

One For Fun Carriage Suite

Orchard Reading Room

Padgett Upper Marquee

Pat Avenue Carriage Suite

Peers Hardy Upper Marquee

Peterkin Carriage Suite

Playmobil Drawing Room

Playmonster Upper Marquee

Plus Plus Drawing Room

Rainbow DesignsUpper Marquee

Ravensburger Upper Marquee

Recent Toys Upper Marquee

Reydon Sports Upper Marquee

RMS Regency Suite

Robbie Toys Upper Marquee

Royal Brush Upper Marquee

Rubies Lower Marquee

Sambro Lower Marquee

Schleich Regency Suite

SES Creative Upper Marquee

Simba Smoby Upper Marquee

Skillmatics Billiard Room

Slime Party UK Upper Marquee

Smart Upper Marquee

Smiffys Upper Marquee

Spin Master Lower Marquee

Splat Planet Lower Marquee

Tomy Billiard Room

Tonies Lower Marquee

Toys 2 Market Upper Marquee

TY Regency Suite

University GamesLower Marquee

Usborne Books Upper Marquee

Vivid Upper Marquee

VR Distribution Drawing Room

VTech Lower Marquee

We will be running some free stock deals. Come and meet us in The Reading Room to find out more and get to see the stand surprises.

Colm Banaghan Managing director Banaghan & Co Ltd/Alpha Toys

John Adams Carriage Suite

Juratoys Lower Marquee

Just Play Drawing Room

Kandy Toys Lower Marquee

Kap Toys Reading Room

Kayes Of Cardiff Drawing Room

Wicked Vision Upper Marquee

Wilton Bradley Lower Marquee

Winning Moves Upper Marquee

Wow Toys Upper Marquee

Yookidoo Upper Marquee

The Cobble Hill view

It’s a peaceful road from the moment you open the box of quirky-shaped pieces with no rhyme or reason

Cheatwell set to climb high on Cobble Hill

CHEATWELL

GAMES

07787 889606

sales@cheatwell.com www.cheatwell.com

Stand: Lower Marquee

Already one of the best-selling ranges in North America, Cheatwell Games now distributes Cobble Hill jigsaw puzzles in the UK and Ireland, and the Toymaster Show will be an opportunity for members to see the range, feel the quality and take advantage of the Toymaster deal that will be on offer.

Cobble Hill was founded in 2005 with a desire to bring quality jigsaw puzzles, that inspire loving, whimsical, and nostalgic feelings, to puzzle enthusiasts and novices alike. The company’s signature feature has always been its random die-cut and quirky-shaped pieces. It’s also recognisable by its linen print texture, not only on the puzzle, but on the puzzle box as well. Made with highquality blue board using recyclable materials, the puzzles have always been made with the environment in mind.

From 2,000 pieces to 275 pieces there are more than 130 puzzles to choose from. The 1,000-piece range includes licences such as Brambly Hedge and Country Diary, while the 350-piece puzzles are designed with small, medium, and large pieces that cascade in one direction, either horizontally or vertically. The idea of having the various piece sizes grouped together is to allow puzzlers of different skill levels to collaborate. The Easy Handling series of 275-piece puzzles features large pieces that allow you to see more details per piece. They were designed for puzzlers who are visually impaired, but are loved by those of all skill levels. These puzzles provide hours of entertainment but are, of course, less challenging than a 1000-piece puzzle.

Travel the World in Harmonies

ASMODEE

01420 593593 www.asmodee.co.uk

Stand: Drawing Room

Monkey Palace in collaboration with Lego will be released in October and there will be a preview at the show. In the meantime, there’s plenty that visitors can do business with right now.

Word Traveller, the cooperative party game, has a similar style to the ever-popular Codenames and Concept, so fans will be pleased. It promises to be fun for both winners and losers. The concept is to play as a tourist checking out the sights of a new city, armed with only a few words of the local language. The game features four of the most-travelled cities in the world – London, Paris, Tokyo, and New York. It’s broken down into two ‘travel days’ (rounds) and players need to collect all the city souvenirs to win the game.

Then there’s Dobble Mr Men and Little Miss. Take a trip down memory lane and blend the lightningfast gameplay of Dobble with the beloved characters from the iconic childhood favourite animated book and TV series. The Eco Sleeve packaging serves to minimise environmental impact, using recyclable materials that are both ecoconscious and durable.

Finally, there’s Harmonies. Developed by Johan Benvenuto and illustrated by Maëva Da Silva, this board game offers a blend of strategy, development and a connection with nature. Whether you’re an avid gamer or seeking a serene experience with friends and family, Harmonies promises to be an unforgettable journey. Harmonies captivates with its innovative mechanics: 3D landscape creation, tile placement, and pattern development. Each decision impacts the ecosystem you create, offering a deep and satisfying gaming experience.

Four-wheeled fun

BANAGHAN & CO

Ireland: 067 63800 | info@banaghans.ie

ALPHA TOYS

UK: 00 353 67 6380 | info@alpha-toys.co.uk

STAND: Reading Room

Siku’s pocket money blister models range continues to go from strength to strength and with retail prices ranging from £3.99 to £9.99 and with a wide array of models and lots of new launches, this range has become a staple for many stores and has fans eagerly awaiting the newest models at affordable prices.

The optimal way of displaying the Siku blister range is on a robust Siku-branded spinner stand. Siku spinner stands come in different sizes so make sure to talk to the team so they can recommend the best solution for you.

The Siku boxed range stirs up as much excitement for Siku enthusiasts with die-cast models available in three scales - 1:87, 1:50 and 1:32.

The end of the month will see two new farm attachments in 1:32 – a Reversible Plough and a Disc Harrow - ready for delivery.

Also welcome news is that the top-selling 1:32 Kuhn Hedge Cutter is back in stock as well as two Claas attachments – 1:32 Rotary Mower and 1:32 Round Baler both now available.

Whether your customers are looking for a pocket money pick-up or to spend a little more on a gift, there will be something in

Guess what…

the Siku range for everyone. Bruder toys, meanwhile, offer children realistic and active playtime fun where products are developed as ‘model-like toys’, encouraging roleplay while simulating real-life environments and focusing on valuable playtime.

Bruder toys are, in the main, showcased in open display boxes, which feature details of other compatible products from the range such as vehicles, accessories and figures. which all work together to create the perfect playtime scene – ‘just like the real thing’.

Earlier this year saw the release of the Range Rover Velar range by Bruder for children aged four and up in scale 1:16 – the range features a leisure version in elegant blue, an emergency vehicle and a police vehicle.

Bruder’s Roadmax series has been relaunched this year and is the perfect toy for ages two-plus, for play either indoors or outside in the sandbox. The Roadmax range features five vehicles, ncluding two new tractors with accessory toys.

Exciting farm newness also features in the form of the just launched Lemken Cultivator and the soon-to-be available Fliegl Barrel Trailer.

Just in time for the busy season, Bruder will launch its new MB Sprinter Garbage vehicle later this year.

The best way to display the Siku blister range is on a Siku-branded spinner stand – ask the team for advice on the best size spinner for you Gibsons

GIBSONS GAMES

tom@gibsonsgames.co.uk | www.gibsonsgames.co.uk

Stand: Lower Marquee

Family puzzle and game company

Gibsons Games is back with its recent but mighty launch of new products. It has partnered with Team GB to bring two amazing new games and three striking jigsaw puzzles – all in time for the Paris Olympics.

Up first, there’s Go for Gold — a fast-paced reaction game where players race to match cards and battle it out to win gold. It’s a speedy battle of reflexes that’s easy to learn and quick to play — perfect for kids and adults alike. Ready Set Win is a strategy game where players step into the shoes of a Team GB coach, building their team to train, compete and win. It involves carefully managing your resources to perform the best across a wide range of events.

Alongside the games there are three Team GB jigsaws. Winning Memories is a collage of Team GB’s greatest moments, including shots of amazing athletes such as Mo Farah, Jessica Ennis and Nile Wilson. Flying the Flag is a 500-piece gift puzzle including the vibrant new Union Jack design, Finally, Gibsons has released Medals in the Making from its wildly popular Jokesaws range; a hilarious puzzle featuring all the Olympic sports.

Rubies showcases licensed sensations

RUBIES

01491 826500

www.uk.rubiesmasquerade.com

Stand: Lower Marquee

Rubies will be showcasing its wide range of products that offer great everyday play value. Known for immersive and high-quality costumes and toyetic accessories, Rubies is a top choice for little ones (and older ones) looking to engage in imaginative play 365

One of the key highlights of Rubies’ offerings is the lineup of licensed products from renowned brands such as Marvel, Wizarding World, Gabby’s Dollhouse, DC Comics and many more. With these iconic brands under its belt, Rubies Masquerade ensures that children can step into the shoes of their favourite characters and bring their imaginations to life.

With its appearance at Toymaster, Rubies will debut its officially licensed Hasbro dress-up range, marking its return as the sole dress-up licensee in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and bringing to life some of its most popular franchises, including Transformers and Power Rangers. Rubies will also be showcasing its new retail point-of-sale solutions for both shelf space and free-standing display units, bringing a new approach to how the products are displayed within key retailer environments and spaces.

Rubies will also be featuring products from partners including Kidrobot and Yummy World, capitalising on the trend in consumer demand for plush of all shapes and sizes. From pop culture favourites such as Batman, Deadpool and Beetlejuice to original collectable food and drink characters such as Finn Funfetti, Eva the Avocado and Samantha S’more, the premium plush collections are hotly tipped to be the gifting products

Did you know?

Rubies will also be featuring premium plush from partners including Kidrobot and Yummy World, featuringing characters such as Batman, Deadpool and Beetlejuice

Hitster hits the music lovers’ dance floor

JUMBO GAMES

salesUK@jumboplay.com www.jumboplay.com

Stand: Drawing Room

Jumbo Games’ all-new music party game, Hitster, is striking the right note with game and puzzle lovers this season. The arrival of its latest addition to the games aisle will be music to retailers’ ears.

Already a sell-out success in Europe, Hitster is the fun music party game for all occasions. This game for music-lovers invites players to create an instant party, promising an evening of laughter, singing, dancing and fun times. Featuring more than 300 of the greatest hits from the past 100 years, designed for all over the age of 16, it can be played with two to 10 players.

Quickly explained, thanks to its simple rules, players begin by picking a music card and scanning the QR code with the free Hitster app. The song will play automatically in Spotify, presenting players with the challenge of guessing when the song was released and placing it in chronological order in their music timeline before flipping the card over. They keep the card to create their timeline if it’s in the correct place.

An ideal party game for any crowd, Hitster offers both a competitive and cooperative game option. It comes with 308 music cards and 37 Hitster tiles, making it the perfect party soundtrack. Hitster arrives in the UK and Ireland with the support of a full programme of activity.

Barbie goes to Hogwarts

CARAT SHOP

www.thecaratshop.co.uk info@thecaratshop.co.uk

Stand:

Carriage Suite

One of the highlights of The Carat Shop’s stand will be its highly successful Harry Potter lines. Visitors can expect to see the new collection of Golden Egg replica products, including a delightful gift tin with a hidden necklace and a charming Keyring and Pin Badge set.

The Carat Shop isn’t stopping at Hogwarts though, because 2024 marks a year of significant brand portfolio growth.

The new Barbie collection of jewellery and gifts builds on the success of the 2023 movie. This range includes more than 20 items alongside point-of-sale display options, with high-quality sterling silver pieces and novelty jewellery.

Peter Rabbit hops off on new adventures

ORCHARD TOYS

www.orchardtoys.com | sales@orchardtoys.com

Stand: Reading Room

Orchard Toys will be showcasing its new The World of Peter Rabbit collection. Independent retailers will have the opportunity to see the range of six adorable games and puzzles. It celebrates the very best of Orchard Toys, Peter Rabbit and their shared values of quality, learning and fun.

The collection features: Fish and Count; Don’t Wake Mr. McGregor; 4-in-a-box puzzles; Rabbit Race; Veg Patch Lotto; and Heads and Tails.

The show will also be a chance for indies to see the full portfolio of Orchard Toys best-selling fun, educational games and jigsaws. They will also be able to discuss promotions and bespoke in-store activities. New to the range will be Buzz Words, Fun Food Bingo and Doggy Doggy Woof Woof! –plus jigsaws Giant Alphabet and Giant Number.

Fan favourites

ANCORY UK

jeremy@ancory.co.uk

Stand The Carriage Suite (AB Gee stand)

The Ancory UK team is looking forward to their first visit to the Toymaster May Show. Jeremy Robinson, sales director at Ancory, comments: “The presence at the show is a testament to our shared dedication of delivering great products with market-leading brands, and working closely with the independent channel. Our portfolio speaks volumes about who we are and what we stand for.From iconic brands such as Barbie and Hot Wheels, to fan favourites like Transformers and Giga Pets, we’ve curated a collection that’s as diverse as it is captivating. And with a slew of new products in the pipeline, there’s always something exciting on the horizon.’’

A terror-fryingly tasty new menu

CHARACTER OPTIONS

sales@charactergroup.plc.uk | www.character-online.com

Stand: Reading Room

Character Options has a host of new IP that ticks the box for cross-category appeal. On the specials menu this Autumn/ Winter is a thing of fast-food nightmares. Terror Fried is a horrifyingly fun range that delivers collectability by the bargain bucket load. Perfect for kids who love gross stuff, the foodthemed line-up includes the Nasty Nibbles, Ooze Burger, and Slimy Box as well as the all-encompassing Gross Bucket. With each set, kids will discover horrifying critters and creatures as collectible figures – hidden among foul compounds. Crispy cockroaches, battered rats and more will be found within slimes, gloops, and lumpy foams.

Next, say Hello to Smooshzees. These adorable, squeezable, collectible characters are softer than a cloud. Smooshzees are based on trending and exotic characters, each with its own colourful personality to stimulate kids’ imagination through play. The combination of super-soft filling covered with a velvety stretchy outer skin means there’s nothing softer than a hug with a Smooshzee! There are many characters to collect, across three fun sizes, from 3.5in Cutezees to 4.5in Luvees, all the way through to

8in Snugzees. Don’t miss the trending animal this season: the adorable axolotl. Each scale includes two chasezee characters – and all pets come housed in stackable try-me packaging. Then discover Sticki Rolls, the wearable, shareable sticker bracelets that will revolutionise how kids collect, share, and display their favourite stickers. Unlike traditional sticker sheets, Sticki Rolls are ingeniously designed as fashionable bracelets that contain rolls of stunning, kawaiithemed stickers. Each Sticki Roll ‘charm’ houses 10 easy-to-peel stickers, for a total of 50 stickers per bracelet. The range is available from summer to capture demand for creative play throughout the holidays, with a huge awareness drive already planned for the back-to-school season. Finally, let the monster tales begin with Booksy, the range of collectible figurines with miniature storybooks inside. The collection brings together the joy of reading and character figures, empowering kids’ imagination through storytelling and play. Booksy Monster Tales are perfect for early readers, with lovable, funny characters that come to life in their own picture books.

Epoch is looking forward to showcasing its full range of Q4 launches across all four brands at the Toymaster Show.

Sylvanian Families will see a new forest theme introduced for Autumn/ Winter. Building on the brand’s key pillar of nature, the Secret Forest Falls features 16 different adventures and secrets to uncover and comes with an exclusive Husky baby figure. The set can be linked with the Exciting Exploration Set, also new, and historical Family Adventure sets. Another Q4 arrival will be the Seal Family, Style & Sparkle Dressing Room, a Hamburger Stand and Baby Mermaid Shop.

Epoch’s fab four launches

EPOCH MAKING TOYS

sales@epochmakingtoys.com

www.epochmakingtoys.com

Stand: Billiard Room

Following the successful launch of its Nail Studio sub-line, four new sets will join Epoch’s Aquabeads range in July. Enabling fans to create mess-free manicures using just water, the sets include the Nail Studio Design ‘n’ Display Set, Nail Studio Disney Princess Nail Designer Kit and two refill kits. Also being added to the Aquabeads line-up will be two

Harry Potter sets – the Harry Potter Keychain Craft Kit and Harry Potter Creations Kit.

Also at the show will be Epoch’s new arts and crafts range, Pati-school, which allows children to create, decorate and collect the most delightful, treat-inspired crafts that all have a function. Final creations can be used as memo holders, keychains, and containers. The initial range will include four sets – Party Creations Starter Set, Lavender and Pastel Creations Kit, Pretty in Pink Creations Kit, and Pastel Keychain Creations Kit.

There will be 10 exciting tabletop games under new licences in the Epoch Games portfolio; Minions and Jurassic World. Minions U-Turn Bowling and Minions Hammer POP, which are already available, will be joined by three additional games tying in with the new Despicable Me 4 film hitting cinemas in July. These are AVL Maze Mission, AVL Blast Training, and Hover Strike Battle. The five actionpacked Jurassic World games include Jurassic World Shaky Volcano, Jurassic World Cage Breaker, Jurassic World T-Rex Panic, Jurassic World Volcano Quake and Island Quake.

Cobi back on the map with D-Day celebration

l.crocker@cobitoys.co.uk

www.cobi.eu

Stand: Lower Marquee

Cobi UK re-entered the market in January 2023 with the appointment of Lee Crocker and the ‘plan’ to deal directly with Toymaster Members, indies, hobby and model shops’.

Cobi had worked with Toymaster in the past on several occasions and this was to be the biggest hurdle to overcome. Eighteen months later and the plan is working with 11 Members now on board with Cobi. The Scaled Military brick models help complement store ranges, bridging the gap from the plastic kits,

to die-cast collectibles and the other brick brands. The ranges cover all types of customers from children to enthusiasts and kidults.

D-Day 80 will be a large-scale celebration in June and Cobi will be marking this occasion with a collection of 11 scaled models and two figure sets, with retail prices from £9.99 to £149.99. These include 1:35 scaled Willy’s Jeeps (three variations), Saint Mere Eglise Church — famous for ‘Big Jim’ from the 101st paratroopers being caught on the spire — plus Higgins

Landing craft and DUKW Amphibious vehicle. To complement the range 1:12 scale models of Willy’s Jeep MB Medical), Willy’s Jeep MB and Willy’s Jeep MB & Trailer are being launched. Show offer: spend over £500 and receive a free display model and 5% discount. So come and visit the team to say hello; see the ranges and enter a free competition to win six Concorde sets worth over £250 at retail.

Paddington surfs publicity wave…

RAINBOW DESIGNS

01329 227300

www.rainbowdesigns.co.uk

Stand: Upper Marquee

Rainbow’s licensed toy ranges on display at the Toymaster Show include The Adventures of Paddington, Classic Paddington, Disney Baby Lion King and Peter Rabbit ranges, as well as the eagerly awaited The Wizarding World Collection.

Paddington will be surfing a wave of publicity with the highly anticipated release of a new movie, Paddington in Peru, and the third series of the TV preschool show, The Adventures of Paddington. Rainbow’s preschool toy range features the award-winning Adventures of Paddington Tea Set, Dress Me Paddington and the Talking soft toy. There’s much more, including mini play sets such as his Teatime Treats and Letter to Aunt Lucy.

Also on display will be the Classic Paddington collection, inspired by the iconic Peggy Fortnum illustrations. Each iconic soft toy sports his distinctive and famous accessories including a super soft lined duffle coat, his battered red felt bush hat and a suedette ‘Please look after this bear. Thank you’ tag.

Now available is the new Disney Baby Lion King range, launched to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Disney’s The Lion King. The range includes the super cuddly My First Simba Soft Toy, Comfort Blanket and Ring Rattle, as well as the adorable and stimulating Simba Sensory Play Mat, with peek-a-boo flap and baby safe mirror.

Arriving later this year is the Wizarding World range, a collection of nursery toys featuring the characters Harry Potter, Hedwig and Dobby, in formats that include My First Soft Toys, Rattles, Comforters and Activity Toys. There are more additions planned for 2025.

Finally, Rainbow will also have its renowned Peter Rabbit, Disney Winnie the Pooh, Elmer and The Very Hungry Caterpillar collections on display.

Ball range

WICKED VISION

paul@wickedvision.co.uk kevin@wickedvision.co.uk www.wickedvision.co.uk

Stand: Upper Marquee

Wicked, the creator of active sports and skill toys, is returning to the Toymaster show this year. Wicked toys capture the imagination of children and adults alike by getting eyes off screens and bums off seats. At home in the UK it has been selling worldwide for over 20 years.

The Wicked stand will be packed with product including the well-known Wicked Booma range, Sky Rider High performance discs, Mega Bounce ultra-High Bounce Balls and more. Whether you’re into the accuracy of its flying discs, the bounce of its balls, or the accurate return flights of the Boomas, Wicked has something for everyone. The Wicked range offers exceptional value without skimping on quality, making it a hit with both retailers and customers.

One of Wicked’s newest creations is Attaxe. Improve your throwing skills and become an axe-pert. It features three rubber-edged axes for safe, exciting play. Don’t miss out on the chance to be among the first to experience Attaxe, where you can try your hand at axe throwing with special early bird prices only at the Toymaster show. Lastly, there’s the new Wicked Bungee Ball, which has a soft neoprene wrist strap and a stretchy cord that sends the squishy ball zooming right back to you!

Learning Journey is heading our way

UNIVERSITY GAMES

0207 254 0100

www.university-games.co.uk

Stand: Lower Marquee

Games and puzzles specialist University Games will be showcasing all its best-selling lines at the Toymaster show this year, including The Learning Journey range and new launches for 2024.

Retailers won’t want to miss the 40-strong Learning Journey range that offers competitive price points with great margins. Focused on games, puzzles and toys for the key learning ages and stages from baby and preschool, through to age 12, the range includes a selection of high-quality electronic, sensory and construction toys as well as a complete series of educational games and puzzles.

For the earliest preschool age of two years and over, the My First Match It! Counting Cupcakes, Heads and Tails, Things That Go and Dinosaur Friends, two-piece jigsaw puzzles, help develop hand-eye coordination, dexterity and problem-solving skills.

Further educational games in the series include Match It! 3 Letter Words, ABC’s, Spelling, Counting, Mathematics, and Rhyme. These educational puzzle games make fun foundations for school, helping little ones to become familiar with numbers, letters and sums while strengthening concentration and building focus.

Reading Room

There’s also a wider range of quality puzzles, all suitable for the youngest of puzzlers. Then there’s a range of wildlife puzzles for ages up to 12, including the beautiful shaped 200-piece Safari and Artic jigsaws. All of The Learning Journey’s Puzzles and Educational Games are eco friendly, as they are made with recycled paper and soya-based ink.

The Learning Journey range is completed with a fun selection of electronic and sensory preschool toys.

The new Learning Journey range from University Games will be supported with a full trade and consumer marketing campaign throughout 2024. In addition, University Games will have all its existing best-sellers on display. And then there are other new launches, such as The Dog Ate My Home Work, Dog Man’s 20,000 and Fleas Under

Wilton Bradley’s set to light up the show

WILTON BRADLEY

sales@wiltonbradley.co.uk | www.wiltonbradley.com

Stand: Lower Marquee

Wilton Bradley will showcase a range of toys and games at the Toymaster Show. The portfolio for the event includes new launches alongside existing bestsellers.

First on the showcase list is the ground-breaking PlayTray. Made from food-grade plastic, it’s a versatile activity platform perfect for painting, sensory play, and STEM activities. The adjustable height suits children of all sizes and the PlayTray can be offered as a standalone table, or in a set with Sea/Dino or City/Race play mats.

The new Pop-Up Play Town range transforms standard UK doors into an imaginative roleplay area. Designed with creativity and ease of use in mind, it invites children to create their own play spaces anywhere and any time. It encompasses supermarket, ice cream shop and theatre designs with accessories such as paper play money.

The Wilton Bradley licensed product line-up is being expanded with the iconic Land Rover Defender and the Aprilia Motorbike.

The new Land Rover Defender ride-on is exclusive to the UK and combines style with functionality, making it a must-have for the season. With its authentic design mimicking the real vehicle and including cuttingedge features, this Land Rover Defender could well be the season’s ultimate must-have.

The Aprilia Motorbike Ride-on is nigh-on perfect for speed enthusiasts and budding racers. With the legendary Aprilia racing heritage at its heart,

this ride-on is designed to deliver not just the glamour but the exhilaration of a real motorcycle adventure.

The new Xootz Magical Unicorn Ride-on will also be at the show. It’s designed with the utmost care for safety and fun. The Unicorn boasts a host of magical features such as its light-up horn. There are also the hairbrush and carrot accessories to encourage interactive play.

The Big Bumper Car, which remains a favourite, will also be on display. Its popularity is growing through engaging videos on platforms such as TikTok which showcase the sheer enjoyment it provides.

The Wilton Bradley WaterWall has had an impressive 170% growth in unit sales in the last year. This success can be attributed to its engaging STEM features and simple, yet enjoyable water play experience.

Finally on the product mention front, the 2022 Bubble-Go Scooters range now includes the Bubble-Go Trike, which was met with similar success. The Trike and the Scooters will be at the show.

Each range selected for Toymaster stands out for its quality, educational value, and fun. They highlight the fact that Wilton Bradley’s commitment to enriching children’s lives through play is stronger than ever.

There will be a range of offers and deals across early buy, promotions and clearance for orders placed at the show.

Get animated with new Creativ range

MAPED HELIX

scott.goodman@mapedhelix.co.uk | www.mapedhelix.co.uk

Stand: Lower Marquee

Maped Helix, the design and manufacturing specialist in school and stationery supplies, will be showcasing its much-anticipated new Maped Creativ range at Toymaster.

New for 2024, the Maped Creativ Animaker set allows young minds to create their very own animations, just like the professionals. Each set includes all the drawing and colouring tools that children from six to 12 might need to complete the storyboards provided. They can even create their own and they can use the free Animaker app to transform them into real cartoons.

There’s also a selection of modelling kits. A highlight in the range is the award-winning Maped Creativ Dino and Unicorn Factories.

Dinosaur and unicorn figurines can be built using the numbered wooden 3D puzzle provided.

Then there’s the messy play of the My First range. It’s aimed at kids aged one to three, and features products that are both easy and safe to use. Parents can enjoy quality time with their toddlers, while also helping to develop their fine motor skills.

Nurturing a love of art from the early days, the range includes My First Collages, comprising a set of super safe scissors alongside an array of coloured paper and cute animal templates to introduce young children to cutting and sticking for the first time. Also,

My First Stamps provides two ergonomically designed patterned stampers, which are ideal for young children learning how to grip.

For young artists learning to draw, The Lumi Board helps them perfect their drawing skills by tracing templates on a light projector.

Ravensburger bounces in fun and Brio

RAVENSBURGER

charlotte.bird@ravensburger.com | www.ravensburger.co.uk

Stand: Upper Marquee

Momentum is still building for Ravensburger’s trading card game, Disney Lorcana, and there is much more to come with details for the recently announced fourth set. This introduces new Disney characters while also continuing the story told over the first three sets.

The late-summer launch of new infant & toddler toy and book range, Play+, brings together more than 30 toys and books designed to entertain and foster developmental milestones in the youngest of children. Insights from both leading experts and parents across the world give the Play+ offering many practical features that will appeal to parents too.

The Brio brand opens up prehistoric fun throughout 2024 with the introduction of the Dinosaurs theme to its popular Brio World range. New additions include the Dinosaur Battery-train and Dinosaur Circle Set. Also, September will see the Dinosaur Adventure Set, which has dinosaur figures and themed accessories, and Erupting Volcano accessory set.

The Brio Builder range offers budding engineers the chance to get creative as they combine the wooden and plastic pieces and make exciting creations. A range of sets is available including the new spring launch of the Builder Activity Set.

As part of the company’s ongoing dedication to sustainability, new puzzle box sizes will be introduced in the Autumn for 500, 1000 and 1500-piece puzzle formats. And a refreshed packaging design will also be rolled out across the full range of adult puzzles.

Licensed collectibles will grow with the introduction of Hylkies later this year. Fans will be able to piece together and collect their favourites from hits such as Marvel and Star Wars.

The Ravensburger games portfolio continues to grow and some of its evergreen games will be available as Smart Choice editions.

Baby Republic says Hello Kitty …

BABY REPUBLIC

www.babyrepublic.co.uk | sales@babyrepublic.co.uk

Stand: Upper Marquee

Prepare to be enchanted as Baby Republic introduces its newest addition to the Hello Kitty universe: an adorable plush range that promises to delight fans of all ages! From tiny surprises to huggable companions, the Hello Kitty Plush Range offers something for everyone, and will be ready to start delivering to retailers’ shelves in June 2024.

At the heart of the collection are the charming 4cm surprise capsules, perfect for adding a dash of excitement to your day. Each capsule holds a miniature Hello Kitty plush, ready to bring joy wherever it goes. Whether you’re collecting them all or trading with friends, these treasures are sure to spark smiles wherever they’re discovered.

But the fun doesn’t stop there! For those who prefer a little more flair, the 16cm key charms offer the perfect blend of style and functionality. Attach them to your keys, backpack, or purse for a touch of Hello Kitty magic wherever you go. With their vibrant designs and irresistible charm, these key

charms are sure to turn heads and spread happiness wherever they’re seen. And for those who crave the ultimate cuddle, the 30cm plush are here to save the day! Soft, huggable, and overflowing with Hello Kitty cuteness.

BTL Diffusion reveals key lines

BTL DIFFUSION

www.btl-diffusion.co.uk | josephine@btl-diffusion.co.uk

Stand: Upper Marquee

BTL Diffusion’s new range of products is fresh to the UK from France. The specialist in imaginative toys and sleep aids will showcase Les Ptipotos, Flipetz, Cloud-b, and Little Big Friends at Toymaster 2024. The company aims to encourage imaginative play, promote healthy sleeping patterns, and boost sales of developmental toys in the year ahead.

Les Ptipotos is a collection of plush friends for baby and beyond. Created in fabrics and shades for an on-trend, stylish, soft range to fit into any home. Not only are these plush friends available in many shapes and sizes, Les Ptipotos can also be manipulated in all directions, grabbing, twisting, and even snuggling them around the neck, on the head or shoulders – some will even act as a pillow! Ready to be a firm favourite, they make beautiful gifts for kids young and old.

Introducing Flipetz, the next development in plush toys with a 2-in-1 concept of a fruit or vegetable that ‘flips’ into a plush toy animal. Transforming imaginative play is the range of seven cute and cuddly friends, including a bunny, an elephant, a mouse, and an owl, each hiding inside their own fruit or vegetable! Kids can simply unzip the fruit or vegetable and flip it inside out to reveal their new little friend.

Cloud-b is the go-to brand for sleep aids and is a pioneer in designing products to encourage a healthy sleep routine and promote wellbeing. The award-winning collection of musical plush toys and nightlights is designed to help calm and soothe children to fall asleep. They help little ones to selfsoothe, giving them a little bit of independence and encouraging them to go to sleep on their own, like a big kid!

Visitors to the show will get to experience these clever toys first hand, including the hero CloudBox, which not only works as a nightlight and soother, but as a storyteller too.

Meet Little Big Friends. A collection of soft vegan leather animals available in a whole range of designs to amuse and delight toddlers. Born in 2020, Vincent the Elephant was the first musical friend made of vegan leather. Since then, the Little Big Friends family has grown into a whole range of characters. Now there are several universes of animals to discover, from Jungle to Farm, Forest, Ocean and even Dinosaurs.

These beautiful designs will also fit perfectly into a child’s room to suit any interior. They are also easy to clean meaning that they can accompany little ones wherever their adventures may take them – let imaginations run wild!

Sweet Dreams for a new generation

PEERS HARDY

jbarrett@peershardy.co.uk | www.peershardy.co.uk

Stand: Upper Marquee

Peers Hardy is a major supplier of character licence watches and jewellery in the UK. It also offers a wide assortment of clocks, keychains and stationery. Then there is a children’s watch brand, Tikkers. On the distribution front there are two lifestyle brands – WOW Generation and Sweet Dreams.

One of Peers Hardy’s main launches this year was Sweet Dreams. The brand is aimed at children aged three to six, and focuses on three characters who live in ‘Sweet Land’, a dream world where they can freely express their creativity in magical adventures. These involve a range of products designed to help children create joy and have fun. Cosmetic products include a magic wand with three lip balms. Moving further along the range there are three plush characters and a range of stationery products ranging from an Invisible Ink pen up to a Secret Diary with a magic pen set. These all come with a free-standing display unit.

WOW Generation, a collection aimed at six-to-12-yearolds, has proven to be a great success since its launch in early 2023. There are now many new additions to the range including new colouring pencil sets in pastel, skin, neon and metallic shades. Hairbrushes and a make-up palette complete the Spring/Summer 2024 range, which is in stock and ready to order at the show.

Finally–ish, Peers Hardy will be showcasing its new stationery and accessories products. And there will be even more because the company views Toymaster as a highlight of the year and is looking forward to seeing customers both old and new.

TIME has never been better

All of our Electronic Learning Toys are designed with fun and development in mind!

All of our Educational Games have unique self-correcting puzzle pieces.

This means that only the correct puzzle piece fits together, so the child will get it right every time. Building confidence, self-esteem and independent play!

Telly The Teaching Time Clock uniquely uses a digital display, analog games and verbal time telling to reinforce learning to tell the time!

All of our Puzzles are designed to challenge and develop young minds!

The Wildlife World Puzzles are unique puzzles, both in shape and content. Helping to develop problem solving skills and strengthen cognitive ability. Made with Eco Friendly ink and recycled paper.

SHAPING up your puzzle range! together!

Techno Tiles and Techno Gears supports multiple developmental stages, including problem solving, confidence, patience,focus, fluid reasoning and engineering skills. visit us at the digital

All of our Constructive Play Toys are designed to support the foundations of STEAM learning!

years and counting… 77

Clare Turner talks to Paul Wohl, CEO of Essex Toymaster retailer Argosy Toys, which is celebrating 77 years of trading

Tell us about your business. Argosy Toys has been trading continuously since 1947 (when the word 'Argosy' was in more common usage, meaning ‘an opulent supply’). This makes it one of the oldest independent toy shops in the UK.

My parents bought it in 1987 and I’ve been working in the store since I was 14 years old. I helped out after

We will do almost anything tokeepa customer happy ” “

school, on Saturdays, and during school holidays, and became more and more involved each year. I went to college and started trying to set up my own businesses in the furniture and antiques importing and printing trades - all of which failed.

Then dad asked me to help him out for a week - and that was 24 years ago! He handed the keys to me in 2004, and I’ve now enlisted my son Thom to help run the family firm.

The shop measures a total of 3,200sq ft, spread over two floors: 2,000sq ft downstairs and 1,200sq ft upstairs. It’s in the Essex town of Westcliff-on-Sea: an eclectic place, caught between Southendon-Sea and Leigh-on-Sea.

What sets you apart from other toy shops?

Our stock levels and service. We aren’t afraid to be overstocked on anything. We regularly use our

house, garage, Safestore and my parents’ loft for extra stock. And we will do almost anything to keep a customer happy. This is missing from the online retailers.

How would you describe your range?

Part gift, part toys, and part vintage: a lot of our stock comes from our customers who trade in LEGO sets, Funko Pops and vinyl records for cash.

We carry 100 or so brands and deal with about 80 suppliers. Key names include LEGO, Asmodee, Galt, Epoch Making Toys, Jellycat, Bigjigs Toys, Casdon, and Orchard Toys. Our products range in price from a 50p polystyrene plane up to a £400 LEGO set.

What's your selection criteria? Desirability, value, and margin.

Who is your core clientele? Everyone. We really do cater to all kinds. Many of our customers are on

the autistic spectrum and they seem to really appreciate the LEGO sets we have on display.

What’s selling well?

LEGO and Pokémon. Also Jellycat - when we can get the hot items. We’ve stocked the brand for a very long time and have 7m of it on display. In the past couple of weeks alone, we’ve sold 50 Jellycat Pickles, which is terrific.

But we had to take Jellycat off our website to stop the eBayers sweeping in and stripping us out. It was annoying, but we need to protect our stock from toy touts who take advantage. That happened a lot in Covid times, with Pokémon.

We are more of a community centre than a toyshop ” “

What lines have you started stocking recently?

Cobi is the newest. These are brick kits that specialise in scale, replica, military sets. The WW2 Historical Collection sells well, especially army fighter planes and tanks. They are particularly popular with adults who also like our Airfix scale model kits.

What’s next for your toys: are you looking at expanding into new categories?

Our record department is getting bigger this year; we’ve given over less space for LEGO as the margins have dropped.

What are you looking forward to seeing/stocking in the summer? Sunshine - and all the general outdoor items.

Best Sellers

What’s next for your business: do you have any exciting news or plans that you would like to share?

We are 77 this year and on our birthday in March, we marked the milestone by giving away lots of goody bags over one weekend during the Easter holidays.

Many suppliers kindly donated gifts including Bandai, Character Options, Magic Box, Depesche, Epoch Making Toys, Playmobil, Basic Fun!, Bigjigs Toys, Ty, PlusPlus, Simba Toys, Orchard Toys, DKB Toys & Distribution, and Big Potato Games.

And we even convinced a staff member to dress up for the occasion in a Sylvanian Families Rabbit costume!

What’s the most rewarding aspect of your job?

Honestly, it’s making customers happy. We have lots of fun here and parents treat a trip to us as a family day out. We demonstrate products, and have 50 built-up LEGO sets on display. Customers can even build their own LEGO mini figures. We are more of a community centre than a toy shop.

What’s the most challenging aspect of your job?

Dealing with suppliers who sell to the big multiples at 20% lower than they sell to us.

What’s your all-time favourite toy?

Kapla: a German brand of wooden planks that are exactly the same size. It’s a construction game based on a single module. As Kapla says: you simply assemble the planks, without glue or clips, and build what you wish! Balance is the only rule; imagination is the only limit.

What’s your current favourite toy or game on your shelves?

Ghost Blitz: a spooky family card game from Big Potato Games.

A Stateside perspective

David Castillo , vice president of The Red Balloon Toy Store , which bills itself as Utah’s largest speciality toy retailer, shares his experience of US trading with Clare Turner

Tell us a bit about your business.

The Red Balloon Toy Store started, I believe, sometime in the 1980s. My parents purchased it in 1993 after I received a BRIO train set as a gift and wanted more tracks! Actually, I don’t think I will ever know why they purchased a toy store that was about to close, but here we are.

Today we have eight locations in [the US state of] Utah: three in the [state’s capital city of] Salt Lake City, and one each in Provo, Kaysville, Sandy, South Jordan, and North Logan.

What’s your career background?

I’ve been in the toy industry, particularly with our family business, since 2004. I started as a backroom worker in one of the two stores that we had at the time, and have since filled many positions including driver and social media manager.

I’ve been vice president of The Red Balloon Toy Store since 2014 and have had a number of ventures of my own on the side that taught me a lot

“

The combination ofagrowing online presence andmultiple locations has been very beneficial for us ”

about myself and highlighted areas of improvement.

I also invest in real estate with my wife through our own small business - and I recently started a small business with my kids making and selling 3D-printed figurines.

Why did you decide to move into toy retailing?

I tried so hard not to move into toy retail! While attending college, I found a passion for the music industry, particularly as a sound engineer at a small studio, and I seriously considered pursuing a career in that industry.

But I was convinced to give the family business a shot and have fallen in love with our mission, especially since becoming a father myself.

Are you a member of any toy associations?

We are a member of ASTRA (American Specialty Toy Retailing Association). Key relationships and

community are the biggest benefits of membership for me. Of course there are other advantages that may come from manufacturers offering discounts to ASTRA members and things like that. But I know we benefit so much from the connections that we make through ASTRA and from the ‘hallway conversations’ that happen at ASTRA Marketplace & Academy.

What sets you apart from other toy shops?

This is hard to answer. I know many other toy store owners from around the country and I learn so much from them… their passion, and their dedication to our collective mission as toy store owners to bring learning and growth to children through play.

I feel we do very well with embracing and leveraging technology. The combination of a growing online presence and multiple locations has been beneficial for us. Our stores also tend to be a bit larger than the average specialty store at 4,000 to 8,000 sq ft.

How would you describe your range?

While many toy stores can cross the lines that divide toy from baby or gift or even hobby, we try not to even flirt with those lines. We’ve tried before and learned each time that our space is strictly toys, games, puzzles, and books. We carry more than 300 brands from well over 200 suppliers. Our top ones include LEGO, US Toy, Asmodee, Tonies, Toysmith, Melissa & Doug, Grandpa Beck’s Games, Toy Network, Schylling, Djeco, Ravensburger, Epoch Everlasting Play, and Schleich.

How do you source products?

Via sales reps, press, and trade shows. I attend Spielwarenmesse (in Germany), ToyFest (Las Vegas, Nevada), ASTRA Marketplace & Academy (St. Louis, Missouri), and GenCon (Indianapolis, Indiana).

What's your selection criteria?

We consider a number of factors. As I’ve mentioned, we try to avoid gifts and baby products - those are different from ‘toys’ that would make a good gift or baby ‘toys’. Along with most other toy stores, we love quality at reasonable prices.

We also like to work with vendors who value the specialty channel. That doesn’t mean they can’t sell to big box retailers too, but they have a plan for winning in both channels without leaving specialty to hang. We also like to find products with which we can find success that may be a challenge for other stores.

How has trading been for you? 2023 was a tough year for us, as it was for the industry. So far this year we are showing signs of returning to normal, and that is encouraging.

What categories are selling well?

Plush is very big and there is a stillgrowing trend for Japanese cuteness, otherwise known as Kawaii. LEGO started 2024 particularly strongly.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of your job?

Problem-solving and innovation.

What’s the most challenging aspect of your job?

With eight locations now, it’s been very challenging to keep our standards high where we have greater ‘distance’ from our stores. Fortunately, we have a great team that supervises and provides support to our store managers, while we continue to work on the business and the business plan.

Where do you perceive the biggest opportunities?

Online still has so much opportunity for growth. There are also several geographical areas that we are excited to explore in coming years.

I believe there is also an opportunity with 3D-printed fidgets and figurines. But that comes with the challenge of how to sell those items responsibly, as most creators are unaware of product safety testing requirements to be able to advertise their products as ‘toys’ or for young ages.

What’s your all-time favourite toy or game?

Games are my favourite category. Currently my favourite is Tiwanaku from the Belgian board game publisher Sit Down! It didn’t get the buzz that it deserves, but I love the fact that it’s themed after the Quechua people in Bolivia (and I am half Bolivian).

A milestone moment

In its 50th year, NürnbergMesse was delighted to welcome its 50 millionth visitor to the Exhibition Centre during Spielwarenmesse, the International Toy Fair.

This honour went to David Castillo, who was welcomed by Nuremberg Lord Mayor and chairman of the supervisory board of NürnbergMesse GmbH Marcus König, NürnbergMesse Group CEO Peter Ottmann and Florian Hess, a member of the Spielwarenmesse Management Board.

As a small token of thanks, NürnbergMesse gave David a gingerbread heart with ‘50,000,000’ on it, and Spielwarenmesse presented him with the ‘red rocking horse’: the symbol of the fair.

The timing couldn’t have been better because the 50 millionth visitor arrived both in NürnbergMesse’s own anniversary year, and during Spielwarenmesse. One factor that helped to bring NürnbergMesse into existence was the fact that Spielwarenmesse - then still located on the Berliner Platz in Nuremberg - was bursting at the seams by the end of the 1960s. In the search for a suitable new location for the trade fair, they finally found what they were looking for in the city’s Langwasser district.

Nuremberg Lord Mayor Marcus König said: “Spielwarenmesse is a flagship for Nuremberg as a business and exhibition venue, and its visitors have made a significant contribution to the success story of NürnbergMesse.”

NürnbergMesse Group CEO Peter Ottmann added: “In our anniversary year, we were very pleased to see David Castillo break this record at Spielwarenmesse, which shows once again that the world feels at home at our events.”

David said: “I feel so honoured to be a small part of an amazing accomplishment. The Exhibition Centre was built because of Spielwarenmesse, which makes it even more meaningful.

“This was my second year attending, but it was the third year we had representation there. Being a US retailer visiting this great show, you see a whole different side of the industry that you didn't even know that you didn't know about.

“Of course, we search for products there that we can purchase wholesale as we normally would in the US, but there is such a huge opportunity as well, to be an influencer to our distributors by sharing what new lines we loved and would love to see in the US.

“There were some lines in my two favourite categories of tech toys and tabletop games that I’m excited to explore bringing into the US, with either a distribution partner or in collaboration with other toy stores from around the US.”

Spielwarenmesse board member Florian Hess, Lord Mayor Marcus König and NürnbergMesse CEO Peter Ottmann with David Castillo

Trade talk

Fran Hales Rubies Masquerade Head of marketing and portfolio

How has the first quarter been compared with the same period last year?

If you would like to take part in Trade Talk, we’d love to hear from you. Please email news@toysnplaythings.media

The first quarter of this year has shown promising results compared with the same period last year. We have experienced growth in sales and revenue, which can be attributed to various factors, including our strong product offerings, effective marketing campaigns, and positive customer feedback. In particular, our new World of Walliams range took off with consumers who looked to get all dressed up for Book Day.

How are you as a company feeling about the next few months?

As a company, we are feeling optimistic. However, like any business at the moment, we are closely monitoring consumer preferences and market trends, allowing us to make adjustments to our product types and pricing if necessary. Our primary goal is to ensure that we continue to provide our customers with quality products at competitive prices.

''The first quarter of this year has shown promising results compared with the same period last year''

Are the issues in the Red Sea having an impact on your company and delivery of your product?

The issues in the Red Sea have not directly impacted our company or the delivery of our products. We have robust supply chain management in place that allows us to source our products from various regions and adapt to any potential challenges. Our customers can remain confident that their orders will be fulfilled in a timely manner.

What are your thoughts on the regulatory loophole that fails to crack down on safety for sellers outside the EU – and online marketplaces such as Temu?

Closing regulatory loopholes is crucial to ensuring a level playing field and protecting consumers. We believe that collaboration among regulators, online marketplaces, and sellers is essential to enforce stringent safety standards and provide customers with the highest level of product safety and protection.

Lee Crocker

Country manager UK & Eire

COBI

Toys UK

How has the first quarter been compared with the same period last year?

We have experienced double-digit growth compared with this time last year. This has been due to an increase in new customers and existing businesses continuing to grow with us.

How are you as a company feeling about the next few months?

We are expecting to continue to grow with some key lines being launched, so quite optimistic. As a business we decided last year to introduce some ‘entry-level’ products, as we anticipated that there

This month, TnP catches up with key industry players to discover how their companies fared in Q1, how optimistic they are for the rest of the year, and other topical industry matters, such as the Red Sea factor and regulatory loopholes

Steve Asbey UK sales manager Cheatwell Games

How has the first quarter been compared with the same period last year?

A mixed bag in Q1. The bigger boxed game sales are behind last year, our biggest issue being that Tension, our most popular line, sold out over Xmas taking our Q1 inventory with it. Great news for the brand, just not so for Q1 sales. We are now the official distributor of Cobble Hill jigsaw puzzles, so the additional 130 lines that we brought into the UK have ensured that Q1 is nicely ahead of 2023.

How are you as a company feeling about the next few months?

“

Our pocket money and travel games selection has doubled over the past two years and so we are in a much better place to capture summer sales. Plop Trumps and Fart Card sales continue aplenty, and we now have more than 20 low-priced trivia and quiz games. And as the questions are written and updated regularly here in the UK, and not by some old man in a distant corner of the globe, we see wonderful reviews and excellent repeat business.

”

For a while the container prices jumped, but these are settling down and the added three weeks via the Cape isn’t proving to be a problem

Are the issues in the Red Sea having an impact on your company and delivery of your product?

For a while the container prices jumped, but these are settling down and the added three weeks via the Cape isn’t proving to be a problem. We usually plan to keep most products in stock via our sophisticated replen technology, and so if we do run short it’s not for long.

might be some concerns from retailers, but so far our mid- to highpriced items are still performing well.

Are the issues in the Red Sea having an impact on your company and delivery of your product?

No, we are not affected as our product is manufactured in Poland and all raw materials sourced within Europe.

What are your thoughts on the regulatory loophole that fails to crack down on safety for sellers outside the EU?

It's disgraceful. Question is what can be done!

What lines do you expect to do well over the summer?

Our Entry Level and D-Day Ranges should perform well over the summer, along with our evergreen products, like the Tiger 131 Tank.

What toy or game would you love to see make a comeback? I played sports mostly, but if the Grifter came back I would be happycouldn't possibly ride it until I lost some timber!

Ifyou would like to take part in ToyTalk, we’d love to hear from you. Please email

This month our retailers talk about what’s selling well, shop theft and how Easter performed…

Laura Seddon Buyer Bents Garden Centre,Warrington, Cheshire

What’s your favourite toy on your shelves at the moment - and why?

Eat Sleep Doodle is a lovely range of fun and educational colouring placemats and pencil cases that are designed to be reused over and over again. Each textile product comes with a set of washable pens so makes them an ideal fun and sustainable gift too.

Skillmatics has recently launched in the UK and we have introduced the foil fun range, which is a brilliant mess-free activity to inspire hours of creative fun. Each set creates 10 canvas pictures so they’re brilliant value at £14.99.

"Eat Sleep Doodle is a lovely range of fun and educational colouring placemats and pencil cases that are designed to be reused over and over again"

What’s selling particularly well?

Jellycat is flying at the moment and there’s so many lovely new designs coming through. The variety in this range means there is something for all ages. The new Viola, Moss and Sunshine colours have been a great addition. Pocket money and pick-up lines are also performing really well for us. As the costof-living hits families' pockets hard, they are still looking for gifts that are great value. We have a fantastic choice of products under £5 including Playmobil figures, TY plush keyrings, Gazillion bubbles and Top Model stationery.

Recent reports have shown an increase in shop theft. Have you been affected?

We have seen an improvement in our shrinkage figures year on year, we ensure colleagues are always present in the department and engaging with customers. We also tag high-price items and have a security team on-site but we don’t do anything out of the ordinary.

What events did you plan for Easter?

We had Be my bear workshops and Children’s Book transformation workshops plus a Willy Wonka parade through the store.

John Bentley Trading manager

Talking retail

Howleys, Weymouth, Dorchester, Bridport and Paignton

How was Easter?

It was good. Obviously it was earlier so it’s difficult to compare like-for-like with our sales figures but it was encouraging, I’d say. People were out and about a bit, the weather was somewhat changeable, but I’m looking out now and it’s a bright day. There are certainly families out and a lot of children around; it’s good and figures are okay. We’re not breaking any records, we’re hovering around last year’s - we have a good day, we have an average day - but generally speaking, the good news is the range we bought is performing. So we’re not looking at the range and saying ‘we got that wrong, and that wrong,’ we’re looking across and saying ‘that’s selling and that’s selling’. That’s what we want to see. As we step up a gear, and Easter is obviously a gear change when we go up and, as we go further into the summer, then our range reflects demand and what the kids want. So it’s encouraging that it’s been okay.

How has Q1 been for you?

It was a tough Q1 - the first couple of months were hard going. We were down on last year but we’re coming out of it feeling optimistic. I think if we get the right weather, and particularly if we see daytrippers who come down to have a day out in Weymouth or Paignton and enjoy the market towns of Dorchester and Bridport, I think we will be okay. So I’m optimistic. But yeah. I’m glad to see the back of Q1I’m looking forward not back, that’s for sure.

I’m looking out of the window now in Weymouth and I can see the beach. There’s not many Toymasters can say that. On our forecourt we’ve got buckets and spades, (and we will have swim rings, paddle boards and wetsuits – in late June, July, August).

Jade Oliver-Deacon

TheToy Shop Okehampton, Devon

What’s your favourite toy on your shelves at the moment - and why?

My favourite toy on the shelves at the moment are Snackles and Djeco.

What’s selling particularly well for you?

The Lego flowers range is doing well, as is the T Rex Skull and Stitch. Tonies always sell well for us and Orchard Toys.

Recent reports have revealed an increase in shop theft. Have you been affected, and what are you doing to prevent it?

In Okehampton, we have noticed a rise in shop theft and it seems to be affecting everyone. It is a very sad state of affairs and it is making it harder to run a small independent. We have cameras and try to be as vigilant as we can and so far this year, we haven't had anything "walk out of the shop".

What: Licensing Expo

When: May 21-23

Where: Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas

Web: www.licensingexpo.com

What happens in Vegas…

Licensing Expo is the largest global showcase of brands and IPs available to license, and the launchpad for new content, new IPs and key industry announcements. It’s also the only place to discover the future direction of the industry and the global trends that will impact consumer products in 24-36 months’ time. Here are the top five reasons why you should visit:

1Rub shoulders with top brands and retailers

Thousands of beloved global brands, retailers and manufacturers will come together at Licensing Expo to identify future trends and secure deals with the world’s most influential brands to develop the next generation of consumer products. To aid networking efforts, Licensing Expo offers an updated and enhanced Meetings Platform designed to facilitate connections ahead of the event, allowing visitors and exhibitors to maximise time and productivity while at the show. The platform features a search function for specific brands and intellectual property (IP), finds companies and individuals, and books meetings.

Confirmed exhibitors include: Nintendo, Pokémon, Paramount,

More

than 5,000

brands will be showcased at this year's event, providing something truly for every product and retail space

Anna Knight, senior vice president, Global Licensing Group

Mattel, NBCUniversal, Hasbro, Netflix, SONY Pictures Entertainment, Tetris, Riot Games, Crunchyroll, LEGO, The Walt Disney Company, Warner Bros. Discovery, Sega and many more brands and studios responsible for beloved stories and characters.

Top retailers signed on to attend include Abercrombie, Urban Outfitters, Danone, Amazon, Hobby Lobby, Pacsun, Walgreens, McFarlane Toys, Walmart, Target, Hallmark Cards, Crocs, Mad Engine and Ross Stores, among others.

2

Enjoy future-facing education Presentations offered at Licensing Expo focus purely on the future of licensing and categories, based on conversations that are happening now in the market. Verticals covered are poised for exponential growth across licensing and brand extension.

The opening keynote panel on May 21 - Video Games: Driving Billions to Play - will explore the ‘why’ behind gaming’s massive growth in popularity, what gamers look for in a brand and how the next franchise model will lead with video games, either from new IP or the revival of heritage titles. Panellists include Nick McWhorter, director of global licensing, CD Projekt Red; Doug Rosen, senior vice president, games and emerging media, Paramount; Maya Rogers, CEO, Tetris; and Ivo Gerscovich, chief business and brand officer, SEGA of America, moderated by Ben Roberts, content director, License Global, a part of the Global Licensing Group.

Wondery chief brand officer Nicole Blake alongside acclaimed podcast host and co-creator behind How I Built This and Wow in the World, Guy Raz, will discuss franchise development opportunities from podcast intellectual

properties (IP) as podcasts signal the next hotbed for brand extensions in a keynote on Wednesday, May 22.

On the closing day of the show, Thursday May 23, AI futurist Zack Kass, former head of Go-to-Market for OpenAI, the developers of the pioneering ChatGPT chatbot, will keynote on the complexities of artificial intelligence, providing foresight and direction to help organisations adapt and thrive alongside rapid advancements in AI.

3

Engage in world-class networking opportunities

There are so many chances to connect across all the moments throughout the show.

Even before the event starts, on Sunday, May 19, the leading industry association Licensing International (LI) will host its annual networking fundraiser in support of the Licensing International Foundation Scholarship Program at TOPGOLF, located within the MGM Grand. Licensing International’s Global Excellence Awards will also take place on Monday evening, May 20 at the HyperXArena in the Luxor Hotel & Casino.

The highly anticipated Licensing Expo Opening Night Party will also return on Tuesday, May 21 at the Daylight Beach Club, for an opportunity to mingle with industry peers off the show floor.

Additionally, Licensing Expo will host its first-ever Closing Night Party with a confirmed performance from international music duo Loud Luxury. Celebrate a week of new discoveries and say goodbye to your new industry network in style!

4

Celebrate the power of play

This year’s theme is Brands at Play, celebrating innovations in the world of play, the power it holds in every stage of life and the creativity it allows when building brands. We can expect the theme to thread through every aspect of the show, from the exhibitors (including some amazing toy and game brands) to the seminar content; from interactive show floor experiences, including bars and cafés, to a surprise in the sky at our opening night party.

5

Support the future of licensing

For the first time ever, the third day of the show will be dedicated to the future of licensing, including all programming.

Upgraded Meetings Platform

The new and enhanced Meetings Platform is a critical part of the Licensing Expo experience, facilitating connections ahead of the event and helping visitors and exhibitors to maximise time and productivity while at the show. The platform boasts significant upgrades for 2024 making it easier than ever for customers to search for specific brands and intellectual property (IP), find companies and individuals, and book meetings.

“Licensing Expo is the premier meeting place for the entire industry, and it is no surprise that last year there were more than 250,000 searches and more than 6,800 meetings booked via the Meetings Platform, the highest to date,” says Anna Knight, senior vice president of the Global Licensing Group.

Licensing Expo will partner with Women in Toys, Licensing & Entertainment (WiT) to welcome WiT Empowerment Day to campus. WiT Empowerment Day presents women inventors, creators and entrepreneurs with a forum to pitch products or ideas to top companies and buyers exclusively from Walmart. Mentored roundtable discussions will also be available to provide learnings from the best in the business.

In addition, two panels will discuss Building Teams, and How Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) Needs to Start at Recruitment, alongside a panel of distinguished global CMOs predicting the future of marketing and consumer trends over the next 12-18 months. Not to be missed!

“This year’s enriched platform further deepens the pre-show experience, guiding meetings and connections with ease. The platform is also the best discovery tool to find unique and emerging IP from all over the world, so you’re not just relying on the brands you already know. More than 5,000 brands will be showcased at this year’s event, providing something truly for every product and retail space.”

Once registered, visitors and exhibitors gain immediate access to the platform and can start booking meetings before schedules fill up.

Augmentations this year include:

■ new search capabilities by geographic location and IP category;

■ session filters for first-time attendees and new exhibitors;

■ calendar syncing; and

■ the ability to view contact information of company representatives prior to the start of the Expo.

Licensing Expo participants may also purchase opening night party tickets directly through the platform and add seminars and keynotes to their calendar, making it the ultimate planning tool for a valuable visit.

To gain access to the platform, you must be registered for Licensing Expo. Visit www.licensingexpo.com to sign-up.

Wondery chief brand officer Nicole Blake

Guy Raz, co-creator behind How I Built This and Wow in the World

Show rooms…

As the 2024 Distoy trade show prepares to open its doors, founder David Potter looks back at the event’s inception and history and looks forward to welcoming visitors this year…

The first London event in 2007, Distoy was just ‘a show’ in conjunction with half a dozen companies. The objective of these companies was to put on an exclusive, by invitation, preview event that was loosely referred to as the Spring International Show. Before 2007 they had organised these previews in the Toy Building at 200, 5th Avenue in New York – taking advantage of the fact that New York was also hosting the Licensing Show – so their captive audience was already conveniently in town, so to speak. When the Toy Building closed and the Licensing Show moved west, this small group of companies decided to put on a similar exclusive event in London. In 2007 it was the turn of Intertoy (one of the original group) to make the arrangements in London. By then there were 15 companies involved. My great friend, Colin Lisle, asked me to organise it on Intertoy’s behalf and the International Spring Show took place at the St James’ Court Hotel in Westminster and using a couple of rooms at the nearby St Ermin’s hotel. Subsequently, Colin preferred to disassociate Intertoy from the actual organisation, not wanting it to become known as the ‘Intertoy Show’, and suggested that I might want to take it over as my own project. With some

trepidation I was happy to do that but felt that the ‘exclusivity’ label should be dropped immediately. This would open up the event to the wider international toy community with the express objective of attracting distributors from all over the world.

What: Distoy 2024

When: May 28-31

Where: St James’ Court

Taj Hotels & Suites

45-51 Buckingham Gate

London SW1E 6AF

The St. Ermin’s Hotel

2 Caxton Street

London SW1H 0QW

Web: www.distoy.com

“If anyone can devise a more efficient way to work than Distoy, I’d love to see it. Just had 50-plus meetings with distributors from more than 30 countries in three days”

Steve Markey, Hog Wild Toys

The dream was to offer a viable alternative to Hong Kong as a place to bring the distributors together with the exhibitors. Having said that, it was Hong Kong that provided a large part of the inspiration for Distoy. The Royal Garden and The Grand Standford Hotels in Mody Road accommodated a dozen or so companies during the Hong Kong previews – those who didn’t have a permanent showroom there.

My view was that if a hotel format worked for a few companies in Hong Kong – why not extend that concept in London and make the ‘hotel-room showroom’ the standard. After all a hotel-based trade show was not entirely without precedent in the UK toy industry.

By 2012 there was compelling evidence to suggest that the event needed an identity and so, combining ‘Distributors’ and ‘Toy Industry’, the name Distoy came into being - in the same year [2012] that London was hosting the Olympic Games. From that point on, Distoy became a fixture on the international toy industry’s calendar. With the exception of two dreadful Covid years, Distoy has continued to take place every year and we’re open for business as usual again this year despite the challenging circumstances. Team Distoy is looking forward to welcoming our growing band of faithful followers from every corner of the world.

Exhibitor comment

‘‘As exhibitors for several years, Distoy has provided us with excellent opportunities to showcase our latest products to international toy distributors actively seeking new items for the upcoming year. The event’s short duration of just four days is perfect and ensures that every interaction counts. Thanks to its location in central London, Distoy is easily accessible for attendees from both the UK and abroad, and compared with other trade shows, it also offers good value for exhibitors like us. Whether through formal meetings or impromptu conversations in the corridors, there’s no shortage of chances to connect with other industry professionals, leading to promising partnerships. Overall, our experience at Distoy has been fantastic, and we are grateful for the opportunity to participate.’’

Laetitia Westerman International sales director Wilton Bradley

‘‘I love Distoy! The event is so different from anything else. Visitors can enjoy the early summer sunshine that always seems to beam down on the London streets connecting the two hotels. The event has always proven to have perhaps the highest return on spend for any exhibitor. Every year we hear ‘yes but there’s fewer people coming to shows, fewer to Distoy’ and then… it’s packed! And it usually ends up as our most productive show of the year!’’

Richard North President, Wow! Stuff

We’re dancing in the June Light and you’ll be feeling warm and bright when you see the next issue of Toys‘n’Playthings

• Wheeled

• Tech Toys & Gadgets

Fun inside and out for all on the self-explanatory front – just get them on and you’ll feel all right (do you see where we’re going with this?)

• Musical Toys Spotlight

It’s such a fine and natural sight this harmonious delight, one that will be instrumental in getting your audience rocking

• Dolls & Collectibles

It’s Barbie and beyond on the dolls and accessories front. What better time to get your products out there

Also, look out for our Garden Centre supplement going out with our July issue of TnP. We’re partnering with sister publication, Gifts Today so that you can reach not just the toy buyer but also Garden Centre and gift buyers too.

Editorial - Anthony Clarke

Advertising - Claire Naish

Toys ‘n’ Playthings reaches the highest spending and most influential toy buyers in the UK and beyond. The rest of the industry too – you, your colleagues, and the competition.

WH AT’S

Turtley awesome toys!

CHARACTER OPTIONS

www.character-online.com

Cowabunga! The fun with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT) continues as Character Options brings the latest additions to the TMNT line. The collection is a celebration across three branded segments: Classic Turtles, Mutant Mayhem movie-inspired toys, and a new range based on the upcoming TV series.

Seth Rogen’s movie vision was a smash hit on the big screen – so much so that TMNT: Mutant Mayhem is getting a Paramount Plus sequel show. Set in the same universe as the movie, the series launches this summer. Following the mutation theme, this year’s figures each come with interchangeable heads and limbs. With all four Turtles and a new line-up of Mutants to collect, the combinations are endless. Also coming is the release of the Tales of the TMNT Mutant Maker Playset. This new creative playset line allows kids to create, customise and mutate their own micro figures. Best of all the set is shaped like a van and can be packed up and wheeled into action once

T-shirt weather brings outdoor fun

RAZOR

www. razor.com

With spring comes a taste of t-shirt weather, sunshine, and kids embracing the outdoors again. Outdoor play is making a comeback, and spring is the perfect time for parents to invest in the latest toys. New from Razor for 2024 is the Ground Force Elite 2.0, designed to mimic the look and feel of racing carts with a 350-watt hub-driven motor reaching speeds up to 14 mph. For ages 13-plus. The Crazy Cart Shuffle, meanwhile, offers a ride without needing to charge! This drifting machine is powered by kids. Just shuffle your feet to build speed and lift

New Gru and Minions just for you

LEGO and ILLUMINATION

www.lego.com

To celebrate the July 3 release of Illumination’s Despicable Me 4, the newest chapter in the biggest global animated franchise in history, the partnership is launching new Lego Despicable Me 4 sets.

The new range includes two sets that were revealed as a sneak-peek video recently. The first set is the Despicable Me 4 Minions and Gru’s Family Mansion with its iconic architecture and beloved movie items, such as the red couch, fireplace and rocketstyle bedroom, as well as a brightly coloured tree house. The second set is a Brick-Built Gru with dancing Minions –complete with a ukulele-playing Mel and Kevin, armed with his fart gun.

Both brands hope the new sets will spark imagination and create unforgettable creative experiences for fans around the world with the well-known Despicable Me characters.

Canal unlocks creativity in young minds

CANAL

TOYS

www.canaltoys.co.uk

The Photo Creator Instant Camera is transforming the way young creators capture and share their world. This feature-packed instant camera is the ultimate companion for on-the-go adventurers.

The camera is a gateway to endless creativity and comes equipped with a built-in rechargeable battery, memory card storage, and printing capabilities. It provides young creators with the perfect tool to express themselves anytime, anywhere.

It offers an array of exciting features that offer everything young creators need to bring their imagination to life. Photo Creator is reshaping the way the young can capture and share their world.

Luke Littler getting all magnetic — again

TARGET DARTS

www.target-darts.co.uk

Target Darts, which has already seen unprecedented demand for its World Darts Championship breakout hero, Luke Littler, darts range, is launching a new set of products.

The hero line is the Luke Littler Magnetic Dartboard Set, which includes a double-sided magnetic dartboard, with four sets of magnetic darts, hanging hook and throw line.

Zimpli the best in a sensory playground

ZIMPLY KIDS

www.zimplikids.com

Zimpli Kids has a new sensory play collection of Arts & Crafts, Bath time and National Autistic Society approved toys.

Zimpli’s slogan – Just Add Water – is at the core of the fun in experiencing the amazing textures, colours, scents and effects that its products have to offer. They are all skin safe, drain safe and easy clean, enabling a stress-free experience for parents, teachers, and carers too.

Doodle N Dip allows children to unlock their inner artist by drawing and floating their drawings to make them come to life. It contains eight coloured magic markers and a doodling paddle. Baff Bombz is available in unicorn and dino variants, with hidden collectible figures in each colourful bath bomb. And then there’s Glowy, the jellyfish that glows in the dark. Adding water creates the glow-in-the-dark slime – mix it, stretch it and watch it glow. Glowy is the perfect nighttime companion, taking kids on a glowing underwater adventure in the comfort of their room.

FANTASY FLIGHT GAMES

www.fantasyflightgames.com

Fantasy Flight Games is launching a second adventure in the Star Wars: Unlimited series. Shadows of the Galaxy promises to enhance the gaming experience with innovative mechanics, dynamic gameplay, and fan-favourite characters.

The set expands gameplay and takes the story forward with novel strategies and challenges. Players journey from the familiar territories of the Galactic Empire and the Rebel Alliance to the uncharted Outer Rim.

New additions include the Moff Gideon and the Mandalorian leader cards, each with unique decks that introduce novel gameplay tactics. Featured cards include the Phase-III Dark Trooper and Gideon’s Light Cruiser.

Whether it’s leveraging Moff Gideon’s deck to dominate the battlefield or using the Mandalorian’s deck to outmanoeuvre opponents, the set promises engaging and challenging gameplay.

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: Warmies Soft Toys Company: Warmies Tel: 01933 679 777 Web: www.warmies.co.uk

Product: In the 80s – 1,000-piece jigsaw Company: Happily Tel: 07712 321 907 Web: www.happilypuzzles.com

Product: Mould & Paint Googly Eyes Company: Great Gizmos Tel: 01293 543221 Web: www.greatgizmos.co.uk

Product: SpongeBob SquarePants Company: Sambro Tel: 0161 765 2600 Web: www.sambro.com

Product: Quoridor PAC-MAN Company: Hachette Boardgames Tel: 07584 029432 Web: www.hachetteboardgames.co.uk