Toys n Playthings October 2022

toys

Helping everyone

At the heart of retail

LEADER

As I mentioned in the last issue, I’ve been getting out and about a bit more recently, and have just journeyed up to Birmingham for my first-ever Autumn Fair. I’ve already done Toy Fair and Brand Licensing Europe, both in London, as they were loosely involved with my pre-Toys ‘n’ Playthings work, but this was my first trip to Autumn Fair.

What struck me – and came up time and again in discussions – was the tactile nature of the toy industry and just how important it is. One supplier bemoaned the fact that some people were content to merely do business online now. But, as they noted, who can possibly judge products by seeing a picture online. There’s no idea of how they feel, how big they are, how smaller hands will use or play with them.

What also impressed is the entrepreneurial spirit of the industry; how suppliers are not content to rest on their laurels and are always thinking about the next ideas. For example, the Top Trumps I saw on the Winning Moves stand. The company had come up with ideas for new SKUs and new product themselves and turned them round, from concept to production, within a matter of weeks if not days. This desire to find different concepts, from the simple – putting brands and licences together to create something new and exciting – to highconcept ideas that, once explained, make perfect sense, seemed to run through the toy area.

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It’s the tactile nature that has also been the key for the return of trade shows, as retailers roam the aisles, picking up and feeling toys, games and so on, which can often be the deciding factor. And the order books with plentiful business in them that many suppliers were telling me about were a direct consequence of retailers getting up close and personal with product.

On a personal level, I noted this too –going through products with suppliers (and thanks to everyone who showed me their product and wares on their stands, displays and shelves), there were plentiful things I might have otherwise missed; smart ideas and clever launches that, once explained and experienced in real life, made perfect sense.

And, of course, the sheer enthusiasm of the whole thing was key too – everyone seemed genuinely excited to not only be there, often as part of the ongoing recovery from the pandemic, but also to pass on that same sense of joy to retailers. It genuinely was infectious.

I know there’ll be plenty more shows and events in the coming weeks and months, not least with Brand Licensing Europe in September, which we talk about in this issue.

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And, of course, in the pages of TnP we’ve got the next best thing to seeing and previewing product in the flesh, in the form of a major editorial feature covering the games and puzzles sector.

We’re also previewing the busy months ahead, talking about marketing and television advertising due this busy Q4, where the industry gets to show off its creativity in terms of putting campaigns together and wooing the public.

Elsewhere you’ll find there’s all the regulars and we’re going to see some changes in the coming issues too, as I settle in to my new role and start to add a few things to your favourite trade magazine.

In the meantime, enjoy the issue, say hello if you bump into me out and about at a trade show or event, and see you next month…

Whatalso impressedisthe entrepreneurial spiritofthe business;suppliers are not content to restontheirlaurels andarealways thinkingabout thenextideas

Tim Murray

Also by Lema Publishing

Asmodee reveals latest game line-up

With a new licensed take on its bestselling card game Dobble leading the charge, Asmodee unveiled its Q4 lineup of games to the media and a raft of influencers in east London on September 8.

The company, along with its partners, hosted a wealth of experts, journalists, writers, YouTubers and of course Toys ‘n’ Playthings editor Tim Murray, to show off its key wares for the coming months.

Toy Shop UK has announced the winners of the 15th edition of the annual Independent Toy Awards, as voted for by indie retailers around the UK.

Gold, silver and bronze winners have been unveiled among more than 30 different categories, with further commendations also awarded.

The full list of winners can be seen at www.toyshopuk.co.uk/ita.

Toy Shop UK founder, Michael Hawkins, said: “It’s strange to think that the awards are now in their 15th year, but we continue to be blown away with the winning products, which reflect the life, character, and occasionally eclectic nature of the independent toy retailers that bring so much to our industry.”

Independent Toy Awards winners unveiled Magic man appears in London

The man behind Marvin’s Magic received the ultimate accolade from the powers that be in the world of magic after appearing at the Magic Circle’s first-ever convention.

Marvin Berglas appeared at the London event hosted by the organisation to give a lecture entitled Magic, Marketing and Mojo. It comes as the company celebrates its biggest-ever order and increasingly close links with US retail giant Costco, including appearing in its magazine and shipping the Ultimate Magic 400 Tricks and Illusion set to more than 600 of the retailer’s stores in October.

Berglas said: “I feel honoured to be invited as the opening lecturer at the Magic Circle’s first-ever convention. Exciting times! Celebrations are in order with the Marvin’s Magic 35th anniversary next month and our Costco partnership definitely the icing on the cake’’

Asmodee is working closely with games-based bar operation Draughts, which has venues in Hackney and Waterloo in the capital, to highlight its titles.

The games on show included old favourites such as Dobble, with a new Friends version due to launch shortly. Marketing manager Jo Shapley told TnP: “The series is enjoying another resurgence right now, with new fans discovering it on Netflix.” It will join the original version and licensed SKUs such as Harry Potter, Marvel Emojis, Paw Patrol, Minions and Pixar. Other party faves include another old favourite, Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza (Asmodee said: “Our first licensed version is coming out soon”); Sock Game (“a really good seller for us and is a great stocking filler”) and Telestrations, as well as its more mature counterpart Telestrations After Dark, which both continue to be seasonal favourites.

Meanwhile, Asmodee’s new party partners, Format Games, the company started by radio and TV personality Matt Edmondson and his brother-in-law Laurence Emmett, was on hand to show off some of its wares, fresh with a new award for one of its earliest titles, Noggin. The duo have already got 11 games under their belt in a matter of months, with eight now live and a further three in development. The pair, hugely enthusiastic and great fun to actually play their games with, were showing off new additions such as Karen (billed as “a game of one-star reviews”) and the excellent Wheels Vs Doors (we did pretty well in this, given we were up against its creators) joining the likes of Ansagrams, and So Wrong It’s Right.

On to Asmodee board games and there’s a new addition to the Ticket To Ride series in the form of a new San Francisco version, as well a Ghost Train take which will land in time for Halloween.

Elsewhere, CATAN continues to excel, while Yak was proving popular with the kidfluencers.

Zombie Kittens is a new development alongside the Exploding Kittens line, while Harry Potter Stupify features lots of spells for gamers to take on board. There were further sneak previews of as yet unannounced games.

Lore and order

Ravensburger has unveiled a collaboration with Disney offering up its first ever trading card game featuring characters from the Mouse House.

Due for release in the autumn of next year, Disney Lorcana will feature a whole host of beloved Disney characters both in their recognisable styles and in new reimagined art styles. The two companies believe that Disney fans will be wooed by seeing their characters in new environments and in new ways, whole trading card gamers will be drawn by the gameplay that Ravensburger is known for.

According to the announcement: “The game is set in the rich and fantastical world of Lorcana, a combination of the words Lore and Arcana. Players will take on the mantle of Illumineer, a powerful sorcerer, and band together Disney characters from Lorcana’s The Great Illuminary, a treasury of all Disney songs and stories ever made.”

Ravensburger North America CEO and global head of games

Filip Francke said: “Lorcana is the result of the powerful alchemy of Disney magic, Ravensburger game excellence, and several years of dedicated work and investment,.. This potent combination has poised Disney Lorcana to be a gamechanger in the billion-dollar-plus trading card game market.”

VP of product design at Disney John Balen said: “The breadth and scope of Disney characters represented in this game will be unprecedented, and it will contain more original Disney artwork than any other single product ever created. Our dedicated Disney product design team has enjoyed collaborating with Ravensburger and our Walt Disney Animation Studios partners to create a unique Disney experience for fans of all ages to take home.”

BTHA Briefing

BTHA communications & events manager Rebecca Deeming writes:

September is a busy month here at the BTHA. Visitor registration for Toy Fair 2023 opens mid-September. Those wanting to register can do so for free on the Toy Fair website, www.toyfair.co.uk. We are also hosting a webinar for Toy Fair exhibitors this month on September 14 at 2pm, to go through the various operational aspects of the show. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet our main suppliers to discuss, furniture, electrics, graphics, logistics and stand build plans. If you are exhibiting at Toy Fair 2023 and would like to join the webinar, please contact Majen@btha.co.uk.

Elsewhere this month we have representatives running London’s Big Half on behalf of the Toy Trust. The half marathon takes place on Sunday 4 September and we’d like to wish all those running on behalf of the charity the very best of luck and thank you for raising money for our industry charity, it really is very much appreciated.

Top five must-haves

Spin Master in the US was celebrating after a quintet of its products made the list of Walmart’s must-have toys for 2022.

The five - Kinetic Sand Swirl N’ Surprise Playset, Bakugan Genesis Collection Pack, PAW Patrol Big Truck Pups Truck Stop HQ, Purse Pets Glami-cone and Gabby’s Dollhouse Purrfect Dollhouse - make up almost a tenth of the overall listing.

“Our 2022 holiday toy line-up is packed with innovation, and we are honoured to have five of our toys on Walmart’s Top Toy List this year,” said Chris Beardall, Spin Master’s president of toys and CCO. “Being recognised by Walmart demonstrates our continued commitment to delivering innovation, inspiration and reimagining everyday play for kids around the world.”

The BTHA regularly publishes guidance for its members on regulatory compliance. Since the UK left the EU, the Toys (Safety) Regulations 2011 has undergone a series of amendments and is now the sole legislation controlling the safety of toys in the UK. The BTHA has produced nine guides to reflect these changes, helping members to understand their obligations. The guides have received primary authority assurance, which means full BTHA members who have opted to be part of the BTHA’s primary authority partnership can legally rely on the advice, providing extra protection in the case of enforcement action.

In the next month, the BTHA is supporting Scotland Trading Standard’s cost-of-living campaign, and the Intellectual Property Office’s campaign to help consumers spot counterfeit and unsafe toys when shopping online, and to raise awareness of the risks of buying sub-standard products. The growth of online marketplaces has made it more difficult for consumers to identify legitimate toys and trusted sellers. As well as advising consumers, the BTHA is continuing its campaign work to call on the government to make online marketplaces more accountable for the safety of products sold by third-party sellers.

To learn more about becoming a member of the BTHA and the benefits of membership, please contact Tracey@btha.co.uk.

Asmodee gets on the right track

Asmodee took to the trains on August 23 for an initiative aimed at letting customers enjoy their holiday journeys and play more games.

The company worked with train operator GWR for the event, #TheGameTrain, to promote its popular Dobble game, travelling on Great Western Railway trains between Paddington, Oxford and Bristol, Asmodee head of marketing James Arnold said: “We wanted to find a way to ease summer holiday stress and make travelling more enjoyable, not only for parents but also for the children. That’s how we came up with the idea of a game day onboard Great Western Railway trains.”

GWR head of external communications Dan Panes added: “We have some of the most inspiring destinations on our network, which are perfect for a family trip during the school holidays. We are incredibly grateful to Dobble for ‘EnterTraining’ our customers of all ages on our services, getting their Great Western Adventure off to an exciting start.’’

Customers return to specialist toy retailers, says NPD

Customers are returning to specialist toy retailers – both indies and larger chains – following the Covid-19 misery, according to data from The NPD Group

In fact, they’re returning in such numbers to stores such as The Entertainer, Smyths and Hamleys, as well as independents, both on the high street and out of town, that specialist toy retailers is the fastest-growing retail channel.

The data from NPD, which recently merged with Information Resources, Inc, said that the specialist channel has grown by more than 44% this year.

The Consumer 360 Toys analysis further noted that online’s share is still higher than pre-pandemic levels, internet purchases have fallen by 20%, while in-store sales have grown by 9%. Toy specialists are now the joint largest channel along with online-only retailers, accounting for almost a third of sales in the year to end of June. Sales value has grown every month.

Parents are driving much of the return to stores, while they still make up almost half of all toy sales; more than half (55%) of toy sales to parents came in bricks-andmortar stores, up 8%. Grandparents and other family members are buying less – minus 18% and 5%

respectively –suggesting that the cost of living crisis and other financial fears ae preventing spending.

NPD executive director for UK Toys Melissa Symonds said: “It’s great to see people returning to physical toy stores and especially to the toy specialists who are the experts in the category. There is nothing like the experience of seeing, hearing, and touching toys, making it a fun shopping outing to visit a store and see what’s new in this highly innovative category. These retailers also have a wide choice, offering shoppers the chance to discover something new and exciting along with the expertise of staff who spend all day among toys.

“With a squeeze in our household incomes reducing spending power, many consumers will be counting every penny. In previous recessions, we’ve seen that although parents continue to find the funds for the toys their children really want for Christmas and birthdays, other relatives cut back on spending on toys. We’re already recording this trend in 2022 and would expect it to last well into the festive season.’’

Mattel puts the brakes with Bruno

Mattel is to launch the firstever autistic character in flagship preschool show Thomas & Friends.

The television arm of the toy giant has developed the character, Bruno the Brake Car, in collaboration with the US-based Autism Self Advocacy group as well as autistic writers and figures.

The move, which sees Bruno being voiced by nine-year-old Elliott Garcia, from Reading, Berkshire, who is autistic himself, has been welcomed by UK organisations.

Bruno will make his debut on Wednesday September 21 on Channel 5’s Milkshake. Consumer products and more activity, with the character appearing across different content strands such as YouTube and podcasts, will follow.

Elliott said: “Bruno is a Brake Car, and he is a new friend for Thomas and his friends, and he’s also autistic, like me. He is funny, smart, and he’s a very relaxed character. He can get really overwhelmed, he can get worried, and he uses comedy to get past situations. Bruno loves schedules and timetables and when everything goes to plan’’

Disguise gets Stranger

The series has helped Kate Bush return to the top of the charts and launched a thousand consumer products, and now Stranger Things is the inspiration for a whole range of character outfits and Funko Pop! Masks from Disguise Inc.

The costume arm of Jakks Pacific has a whole range of outfits and masks due, many of which are taken from the current hit season of the Netflix series, including Hellfire Club captain Eddie Munson, Argyle of Surfer Boy Pizza, and the Hawkins Highschool Tigers team.

New takes on existing characters and their fourth season costumes include Eleven’s retro striped dress, Jim’s prison outfit, and Steve and Robin’s Family Video uniform. Funko Pop masks include Eleven and Demogorgon and are aimed at fancy dress enthusiasts and cos-players as well as collectors who might want to hang them on the wall.

Magicbox unveils new image

Toy company Magicbox has unveiled a new corporate image, complete with animated logo and a new HQ in Barcelona as it continues its transition from a collectables company to a fully-fledged toy company.

Its swish new Barcelona offices and the new look come on the back of it opening its first UK office in Gatwick.

UK MD Nicola Bergot said: “The new animated Magicbox logo represents our number one aim to excite children though our toys. As you watch, the Magicbox name opens to reveal a box full of surprises, which fills all around it with magic.

“This new image also underpins what is truly an exciting time for the company. Earlier this year we announced the intention to transition from a globally recognised collectables company to a global toy company. The new UK team, together with the company’s first UK-based offices near Gatwick, started this process, and this new corporate image, pulls it all together perfectly.”

Bergot added: “The new corporate image and Spanish HQ echo all that is happening within the company both internationally and on the ground in the UK.’’

Toy Fair: it’s a sell-out!

With the show still four months away, the British Toy & Hobby Association has announced that Toy Fair 2023 has completely sold out.

All exhibition spaces, including the Greenhouse, have been snapped up, with waiting lists already in place for the January 24-26 event.

The BTHA said that with more than 250 exhibitors signed up and all the space on both levels in Olympia’s Grand and National halls completely filled, the organisation is gearing up for one of its busiest shows to date.

The show will see both returning exhibitors from the 2022 event, deemed a success by the BTHA and attendees, and a ‘significant’ number of new companies too.

Big names signed up include Hasbro, Moose Toys, LEGO, Basic Fun!, Dolu, Funko, Kidicraft, Rubies Masquerade, Rainbow Designs, Mood Bears, Juratoys UK, Playmobil, Magformers, Movies Inc and John Adams Leisure.

BTHA director of fairs and special events Majen Immink said: “The momentum and excitement we have seen for Toy Fair 2023 is just fantastic. The fact that the show has sold out already and 89% of exhibition space has been booked by returnees after a successful 2022 showcase, following the hiatus in 2021, speaks volumes as to the strength of the toy industry and the importance of the fair to participants.

“We recognise the continued challenges the industry is facing and are thankful to all our exhibitors for the continued support. We look forward to working with exhibitors and supporting them in the run-up to the event and making Toy Fair 2023 a show to remember.”

Pokémon pledges £25m

The Pokémon Company International – the giant that looks after the brand outside of Asia – has pledged $25 million to charity over the next five years.

The offer marks the 25th anniversary of the huge franchise, with the cash going to assorted charities and organisations “dedicated to improving the lives of children and supporting social equity”.

Each of the chosen organisations will be working with the company as a long-term partner, while the money will be given in the form of donations or via creating communities. There will also be donations of Pokémon products to companies able to deliver them to families and children.

Kenji Okubo, president of The Pokémon Company International said the organisation was “grateful for the opportunity to give back to the communities in which it operates’’.

Obituary: Gerald Taylor

Malcolm Naish writes:

We are sorry to learn of the passing of Gerald Taylor at the age of 88.

In the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, Gerald was a major influence with the then N.A.T.R. – National Association of Toy Retailers – which created and ran the Toy of the Year awards, which in those days was a major evening during Toy Fair week, attracting 500 plus to a three-course dinner. It is, of course, now organised

Playmobil marketing communications manager Adam Moore said: “Toy Fair is one of the biggest events in the Playmobil calendar each year. Attending Toy Fair is extremely important to us and we start planning the next show almost immediately after one finishes. It is the best place to meet with buyers from major national and independent retailers and provides us with the opportunity to build on our current relationships and create new ones.”

Zapf Creation’s head of marketing for UK and Ireland Kasia Leskow added: “Zapf Creation is truly excited to be exhibiting at Toy Fair 2023 – a huge event for the toy industry. Toy Fair offers us a fantastic platform to showcase our ranges to key retailers and industry friends, in addition to communicating our commitment to sustainability with our plastic-free packaging.”

The full floorplan can seen at www.toyfair.co.uk/ visit/#floorPlan, with registration due to open at the end of September. Any companies keen to join the waiting list should email Rebecca@btha.co.uk.

by the BTHA on behalf of the BTR.

Before selling Taylor & McKenna to Beatties in the late eighties, his five toy stores, with his HQ in Milton Keynes, were the envy of many.

Following the sale, Gerald moved with his wife Candida to Southern Spain and many of his toy trade friends visited them on a regular basis.

Our sincere condolences to his wife Candida and family.

Bulldog appoints new creative manager

Bulldog Licensing has appointed Karina Rhoden to the role of senior creative manager to oversee day-to-day product development as well as the creation of style guides.

She joins from the Smiley company, where she was most recently licensing and product development manager. Rhoden is a former finalist for UL Rising Star at the Licensing Awards.

Bulldog’s portfolio includes the likes of Sesame Workshop, Care Bears, That’s not My…, Odo, Miraculous, Magic Mixies and Route 66.

Rhoden said “Bulldog has such a diverse portfolio with a highly creative team. It’s so fantastic to be working with an agency as respected and skilled across so many aspects of licensing.”

Stalwart Canning to retire

Long-standing VTech sales director Graham Canning has announced his plans to retire from the company after more than 30 years.

The stalwart joined the company in 1991 when it was still establishing itself in the electronic learning aids market, helping it to become market leader in 1993. Over the years he has helped the company expand and become number one in assorted categories, while he was also instrumental in helping launch the IQ Builders Division and, more recently, in the smooth running and integration of Leapfrog into the company after VTech’s acquisition.

He is cutting down to three working days a week from October 1, before eventually exiting the company and retiring in September 2023.

Canning said: “I have had an incredible journey and many cherished memories in my

long career with VTech, although I will still be in the background for a year. I have met and worked with great people - both colleagues and customers.

“It has been an honour to serve the BTHA council and be current chairman until June 2023. The toy industry is a fabulous industry to be in and I wish everyone at VTech and in the industry great success for the future.”

VTech international president Gilles Sautier commented: “I’d like to thank Graham for his over 30 years of service. He joined VTech at a time when the company opened overseas subsidiaries, and was a crucial piece in transforming the UK sales office from a single-item company to a market leader in several categories. During the year of transition, he will mentor the sales team and Clive Richardson – newly promoted VP sales & marketing - to help prepare and pave the way for a new era under Clive’s leadership.”

Spring and Autumn Fair new appointments

Spring and Autumn Fair organiser Hyve Group has made two major appointments to the team, with Nicola Meadows taking on the role of portfolio director for the two shows and sister fashion-based event Moda, while Alejandra Campos joins as event director for Moda at Spring and Autumn Fair.

Meadows has 15 years’ experience in events, including her most recent stint at Immediate Media. She said: “I will bring a deep knowledge of visitor experience and knowledge in the direct-to-consumer sector to these marketleading events. I’m looking forward to working with the talented and driven teams

on the shows and welcome the appointment of Alejandra as event director of Moda.”

Meanwhile, Campos boasts more than 20 years in trade exhibitions and shows, including fashion and wedding events.

Hyve Group MD Julie Driscoll said: “They have joined at a very exciting moment in the history of the shows with the recent launch of Connect @ Autumn Fair, which we believe will change the face of trade shows forever.”

Getting the ’Bug

Moonbug Entertainment has announced a raft of appointments across its EMEA and Australia and New Zealand business as it continues to ramp up its licensing and merchandising operation.

In the first of two appointments from former Disney staffers, Suzanne Larkin joins to head up softlines across EMEA and ANZ, overseeing fashion and home licensing. She is joined by former colleague Samar Selby, who will look after FMCG licensing across the same territories. Duncan Hamilton, who comes on board to oversee new business in EMEA and ANZ, joins from Paramount.

Francesca Romana Gianesin, head of consumer products EMEA & ANZ at Moonbug Entertainment, said: “Our consumer products business is growing rapidly, and these new roles are key for our continued expansion across Europe, Middle East and Africa, also expanding Australia & New Zealand L&M business. Together Suzanne, Samar and Duncan are great leaders who bring a wealth of experience and expertise, and I am looking forward to working with them all. Exciting times at Moonbug.”

Nicola Meadows

“Graham joined VTech at a time when the company opened overseas subsidiaries, and was a crucial piece in transforming the UK sales office from a single-item company to a market leader in several categories”

Gilles Sautier VTech international president

Alejandra Campos

Suzanne Larkin

Duncan Hamilton

Samar Selby

The Entertainer trials Tesco concessions

Every little helps… And from October The Entertainer will be helping Tesco after announcing a deal that will see it opening branded concessions in 35 of the supermarket giant’s stores.

The trial will see the independent toy retailer selling wares from its range, taking in everything from Barbie, LEGO, Marvel and Paw Patrol, through to its exclusive range of Addo toys and products from preschool specialist Early Learning Centre.

The Entertainer will maintain oversight of product range, pricing and merchandising across the yet-to-be announced trial stores, as well as hosting events, character visits and more for children.

The Entertainer’s chairman and founder Gary Grant said: “We’re always looking for new and innovative ways to bring the wonder of The Entertainer to customers, so we’re very excited to announce this partnership with Tesco, which takes our products and experiences directly to families and children right in the heart of their local communities.

“The in-store collaboration will provide shoppers with the chance to shop our bestselling and affordable range of the latest toys and games, which will include products from Addo and Early Learning Centre, from more locations across the country than ever before.

“Our mission when we launched The Entertainer in 1981 was simple: to become the best-loved toyshop – one child, one community at a time - and we’re incredibly proud that this partnership will enable us to continue achieving this mission.”

Tesco’s head of strategic partnerships Louise Goodland commented: “We’re delighted to launch this trial with The Entertainer team, who are leading experts in their field. We’re excited to work alongside them and bring a new offer to our customers.”

Pokémon-tage

With the Pokémon World Championships taking place in London for the first time in August, and ongoing celebrations for Pikachu and pals, the brand took over Harrods’ toy floor for six weeks.

The Pokémon Company International helped put together the activity on the fourth floor of the worldfamous department store in London’s Knightsbridge. Themed around Pokémon and a Pokémon stadium, with graphics, display, digital screens and more highlighting trading cards, toys and video games. Giveaways, photo opportunities and costumed characters running into September helped further push Pokémon product on to visitors.

The immersive pop-up is the fourth collaboration between the company and the retail giant.

Mathieu Galante, licensing director (EMEA) for The Pokémon Company International, said: “With the Pokémon World Championships held in London for the first time, we wanted to celebrate the

occasion with something special, and what better way than by creating this exciting experience in Harrods’ iconic store.

“We are thrilled to be back at Harrods where we have a track record of hugely successful collaborations, and we hope that this summer pop-up will be fun, engaging and inspiring for Pokémon fans old and new.”

Retailer shutters stores after Queen’s death

The Entertainer close all its stores on Friday September 9 as a mark of respect following the death of the Queen.

In a sombre message announced on social media and sent out to the trade on September 8, the retailer offered “our most sincere condolences to the Royal Family on the sad loss of Her Majesty the Queen, Elizabeth II”. Its statement continued: “Following the announcement of the death of Her Majesty The Queen Elizabeth II, and as a mark of respect, The Entertainer stores, warehouses and head office will be closed tomorrow and will reopen Saturday.

“We will also be closed on the day of the state funeral. Thank you for your understanding.”

The Retail Barometer

A new regular column in which retailers and more tell us about the positive – and negative – things happening in stores around the country. All comments are provided anonymously, but verified and checked by us at TnP…

For the chance to have your contributions included, email tim@lemapublishing.co.uk with what’s doing well and what’s not doing so well in stores, what’s making you happy, confident and optimistic for the future –and what’s giving you cause for concern…

Innovation – at a time when companies are clearly being cautious, it is wonderful to see investment in innovation and new products coming on to the market which are not just the obvious. Laurence King and Djeco win here for us – really interesting new products that have clearly been well designed and full of fun.

Business – a blip in June, but still performing nicely despite cost of living fears.

Supply chain – it has, almost every retailer we spoke to noted, really improved in the past 12 months… And as one told us: “We ordered for earlier delivery this year so we are not really concerned about delays in getting products and we think the supply chain has improved in the past few months.’’

Arts and crafts and the adult hobby market – two sectors still doing the business in store

Bricks-and-mortar retail – customers, it seems, still love it (“the support from our customers has been fantastic since lockdown and is greatly valued and appreciated. The government needs to stop talking down bricks-and-mortar retail and support it. They don’t seem to value small businesses, their economic and social contribution and the jobs they provide.’’ As one retailer told us, “we are expanding, carefully and cautiously, but committing to a new shop and a new team and an expanded website…” Another of our fledgling barometer correspondents also told us they too were expanding with a new store…

Brexit – “It is just starting to really hit and we have seen companies from Europe just giving up on the UK as it is too much effort. The impact on confidence and logistics is still to be felt.”

Spiralling costs – Undoubtedly a concern. Stock prices are increasing daily. All other business bills are also spiralling up.

The state of the British economy - is a serious cause for concern. It’s really difficult to see where the industry is headed if the government doesn’t deal with the ridiculous price gouging by the energy companies, noted one retailer we spoke to. “Rising costs are a big issue,” added another, “especially electricity rates.”

Birds get tough

The Angry Birds are heading to the gym after Rovio Entertainment Corporation inked a deal with combat sports equipment and apparel company Venum.

The deal will see the company launching combat sports and lifestyle products based around the mobile game phenomenon.

Venum is aiming to encourage children aged between eight and 14 to get fit and exercise – and have fun – with a range that includes boxing gloves, bear paws, reflex bags and more, all featuring the assorted birds and their sworn enemies the green pigs.

Franck Dupuis, founder and CEO of Venum, said: “This partnership may seem quite different from Venum’s usual partnerships at first glance, but it fits perfectly into the brand’s partnership strategy. We want to open up to a new target group and at the same time create

partnerships that make sense for the brand in terms of values. Beyond promoting performance, Venum has always had the ambition to democratize combat sports to as many people as possible and this collaboration with Angry Birds, the most famous mobile game in the world, makes more sense than ever in this perspective.”

Rovio brand licensing director Katri Chacona added: “The Angry Birds brand has always been rooted in activity and movement, which is why this partnership with Venum is such a natural fit. While the birds and pigs certainly have fun at each other’s expense, in the real world we need to find more productive and positive ways to release our energy and emotions. This fantastic collaboration with Venum is all about encouraging kids to get moving and use their energy in a fun and safe way.’’

Cobra strikes

With the fifth series of Karate Kid spin-off Cobra Kai having just dropped on Netflix, Sony’s consumer products arm has announced a raft of new licences. These include Sony PlayStation as well as the likes of Vans and Hasbro coming on board.

Jamie Stevens, EVP, worldwide consumer products, Sony Pictures Entertainment said: “As we head into the highly anticipated release of Cobra Kai Season 5, Sony Pictures Consumer Products continues to find new and innovative ways to keep fans connected to the show, both on screen and off. Cobra Kai enthusiasts can expect to see even more unique products and experiences from fan-favourites like Vans and Hasbro, and get their hands on never-before-seen items made with Season 5 in mind.”

Maura Regan, president, licensing international, added: “Cobra Kai has been reinvented for modern audiences in a way that’s clearly resonating with both original Karate Kid fans and new viewers. The breadth of consumer products available each season continues to deliver new experiences, expressions, and unique collaborations for fans of all ages, taking advantage of the significant increase in revenue tied to evergreen brands.”

Prime viewing for Sonic

Wildbrain CPLG has appointed PMI as its toy and games partner for the eagerly-awaited Sonic Prime series ahead of its Netflix debut later in 2022.

The series, produced by Wildbrain in association with Sonic creator Sega, features new adventures of this offshoot from the videogame character, which charts the blue hedgehog’s adventures in the Shatterverse.

A multi-territory launch is planned for consumer products early next year, with collectables, mini figures, clipon plush, stampers, games and more all due. PMI joins the likes of Ravensburger for puzzles as licensee, with more due.

Maarten Weck, EVP and MD at WildBrain CPLG, said: “Sonic is more popular than ever, and PMI has a pre-eminent reputation

for bringing IP to life with engaging and affordable toys and collectables, making them an excellent partner for Sonic Prime. We’re excited to see this consumer products campaign shape up with momentum building ahead of the launch. Sonic fans of all ages are in for a real treat!”

Omer Dekel, COO at PMI, added: “Partnering with the iconic Sonic brand will no doubt be a huge adventure. Our new product line based on the new Sonic Prime series features a mix of core designs and some very cool designs that are going to make a lot of noise in the market. We are very excited about the upcoming toy line of topquality licensed products, and joining Sega’s Sonic ecosystem alongside the Netflix series, movie and gaming. A big thanks

to our friends at WildBrain CPLG and Big Picture Licensing for a job well done in brokering the deal. On a personal note, I now get an extra kick seeing how much my young son loves Sonic, just as I did when I was a boy myself.”

Ivo Gerscovich, chief brand

and business officer at Sega, noted: “Sonic the Hedgehog has continued to shatter records in 2022, becoming one of the largest entertainment brands in the world, and we’re proud to be partnering with PMI whose reputation proceeds themselves within the licensing space.”

Toxic relationship

Deliciously sour sweet brand Toxic Waste, and its Hazardously Sour Candy brand has signed up for new licences as it moves beyond the sweet counter.

The deals, overseen by agency Caroline Mickler Limited, will see Candy Dynamics’ brand appearing on plushes, clip-ons and keyrings from Heathside Trading, as well as on new ranges of ice creams, lollies and drinks from Southeast Traders.

The drinks and frozen products will launch in 2023, while the pop culture-inspired goodies from Heathside will feature the instantly recognisable Toxic Waste drum and brand figurehead Mr Toxie.

Darren Epstein, pop culture specialist with Heathside, said: “The unmistakeable and distinctive identity of this brand make it perfect for a company like ours that thrives on the style and sheer attitude that make Toxic Waste stand out.”

Buzz around Fuzz

Rocket Licensing has announced a raft of new partners to the ever-growing licensing programme for Fuzzballs.

The Fuzzballs phenomenon started life as a Tumblr web comic online and, one billion stickers used on social media later, it has become a bona fide sensation.

New licensees include Kap Toys (plush & squishes), Brain Box Candy (social stationery and gifts) and VNR Trading (pop culture confectionery and drinks). These join such already available goodies as clothing ranges from Indiego; stationery and more from Pyramid International, and augmented reality collectable pins from Pinfinity.

With nationwide retailers such as hmv, Forbidden Planet and Scribbler on board with assorted SKUs – there are now almost 200 in total – Rocket is now ramping up for an even bigger 2023. There will be more assets added to existing favourites such as Timmy the silly Tiger and mischievous bunny Ollie, and the licensing agency is planning campaigns around key dates including Valentine’s Day, Easter, summer, Halloween and Christmas.

Still Horrid

Perennial mischievous kid brand Horrid Henry has added further licences to its ongoing push into the market.

Agency Caroline Mickler has inked two deals for the Novel Entertainment brand Horrid Henry.

It includes a set of Top Trumps cards from Winning Moves, as well as a deal that will see John Adams Leisure developing a Horrid Henry version of its book-making studio Bookeez.

Megan Lowe, senior licensing manager, Winning Moves UK, said: “Winning Moves is really excited to work with Horrid Henry on this special edition of Top Trumps, combining two much-loved family brands. It’s a great licence that has believable, likeable and well-rounded characters, who celebrate individuality and friendship, all while making us laugh.”

Lynette Leet, marketing manager, John Adams Leisure, added: “We’ve had amazing success with Bookeez, but have been waiting for the perfect partner to create a licensed version to reach a whole new audience. Horrid Henry is an iconic brand that is loved by children all over the world. Children will now be able to create inspiring stories and cheeky adventures with their favourite Horrid Henry characters.”

Caroline Mickler added: “We’re thrilled to announce these partnerships with two major players in the games market for Horrid Henry. Both licences underline the continuing strength of the brand across multiple media; they also brilliantly capture the humour and irreverence that make Henry and his adventures so popular.”

CoCo pops on video games

YouTube kids’ brand CoComelon continues to grow, and it marked the 16th anniversary of its launch on the platform with news that it was moving on to the world of video games.

Moonbug Entertainment has forged a link with Outright Fanes to develop the first interactive game based on the property, with CoComelon: Play With JJ landing in the Nintendo Switch at the end of October.

The game sees children, along with their parents, heading to JJ’s house for a play date, and features favourite characters from the series.

René Rechtman, Moonbug Entertainment’s co-founder and CEO, said: “We are committed to providing the best relevant entertainment experience to our fans and their families, which means entering the gaming space is the natural next step in our Moonbug journey. As audiences evolve and entertainment habits develop, we are also expanding our product portfolio.”

Terry Malham, CEO of Outright Games added: “CoComelon: Play with JJ brings all the fun and colourful activities that fans love about the show to our new video game.’’

Ready to Dream

November 9. That’s the date that the annual DreamToys list will be officially unveiled, according to the Toy Retailers Association.

The event will follow the format used in recent years, which, the DreeamToys committee believes, allows it to react to the changing news environment.

The curtain will be raised on the list just after midnight on that date, with press previewing the toys on the list and gaining access to assorted spokespeople and suppliers at a specially embargoed event held the day before, Tuesday November 8, at Fora Space in London’s Spitalfields.

The new chair of the Dream Toys selection committee Paul Reader said: “Following the success and positive feedback from media and suppliers, the DreamToys committee has committed to continue the format of the past two years. The media landscape has changed drastically in recent years. This format allows us to stay nimble and react to the needs of the news agenda, and by providing information both physically and digitally to ensure the best possible coverage that will benefit the entire industry.”

Brain makes waves

Canadian kids and family broadcast network Wildbrain Television has given the go-ahead to three new series, all of which will roll out on its own native networks in Canada from September and well into 2023.

Wildbrain also holds global distribution rights for the trip of series. They include Life With Luca, a live-action spin-off from the series Life With Derek; Slugterra: Ascension, a new take on a classic property, as well as Summer Memories, with new episodes due in 2023.

Milestone for Annabell

Baby Annabell has teamed up with top family podcast Motherkind for the latest instalment in its annual Ask The Experts campaign.

The nurturing doll brand is working with the podcast host Zoe Blaskey to launch a series called Toddler Milestone Moments, which will highlight the importance of doll play for toddlers and give advice on milestone topics. The series, the third issue of the Ask The Experts initiative, will cover items such as back to nursery fears, healthy eating habits, the arrival of siblings, and healthy eating and sleep routines. Blaskey will work with psychologists and nutritionists, with the first episode launching on September 5.

Kasia Leskow, head of UK marketing at Zapf Creation, said: “With more and more

The

A Star is born

Toynamics’ arts and craft brand Nebulous Stars is launching its own magazine in the UK.

The quarterly publication, entitled Nebulous Stars, is a ‘creative and positive’ title aimed at seven- to 10-year-olds and aims to offer a fun and educational mix, with games, sticker sheets and loads of projects to get involved with. It also features a positive take on personal development.

The UK is the latest territory to publish the title, which is now available in nine different languages across 16 countries including Belgium, Bosnia, Canada, Croatia, France, Germany, Greece, and Italy.

David Allan, MD at Toynamics UK & Ireland, said: “This is an exciting development for our arts and crafts brand Nebulous Stars in the UK market, and follows on the success of the magazine in Canada, France and Germany.’’

Pet-ty things make TV debut

The Petronix Defenders are a quartet of seemingly ordinary schoolkids who jet around the world saving wild animals in danger.

The show made its debut on the Tiny Pop channel at the start of September.

The series is being supported by ‘full digital and social media content’, with a toy launch due from the Alpha Group in 2023 and a UK consumer products programme managed by Brand-Ward.

Moley spawns Daughters

The creators of Moley have launched a new production company - Two Daughters Entertainment Ltd - with the aim of becoming a UK powerhouse.

The launch comes as preschool property Moley expands its global reach after Jetpack Distribution inked deals that take the series into China and Poland.

Deirdre Brennan, Wildbrain COO, stated: “We’re proud to further support Canadian independent producers with these original commissions. These shows have universal appeal, and we look forward to sharing them with kids and families worldwide.”

Moley started life as a bedtime story told by entrepreneur James Reatchlous, and the company is named after the offspring he related the stories to.

It now airs in more than 140 countries, including across Europe via Warner’s Boomerang channel. The creator said he hopes the new company will rival the likes of Shaun the Sheep and Bob the Builder as a homegrown creative force to be reckoned with.

The company is working on three separate series it will bring to screens within the next five years.

parents turning to podcasts for advice and support than ever before, this felt like the perfect time to team up with one of the leading parenting platforms in the podcast space, for the third year of our Ask the Experts campaign. This will, in turn, generate compelling tips and advice around key toddler moments and support that all-important message of how doll play supports younger children’s development.”

podcast activity will be supported by a partnership with Mother and Baby magazine, social media and PR aimed at building awareness of the brand.

Walk-in, walk-out, standing still

For a while now we’ve been told that the future means not paying for things. Or, rather more accurately, walking into a shop will involve gaining entry via an app on our phones, choosing what we want and then walking out.

Nothing in life is for free, so in fact we’ll find we have paid for whatever was selected when a receipt appears on our handheld informing us how much money has been spent. Yes, it’s Amazon’s ‘just walk out’ system, which is being used not only in its Amazon Fresh grocery stores, but is also being adopted by other retailers, which are buying the tech for the reason that it is seen as making things better for shoppers.

Well, perhaps. But just recently Amazon made a surprising announcement. It is halting the expansion of its Fresh stores amid rumours that sales have been disappointing and the possibility of some kind of return on investment becomes more remote. This is in spite of the fact that numerous operators from Hudson News in the US to sports stadium stores have chosen ‘just walk out’ as a means of getting the throughput they need to make their stores profitable.

All of which requires a little examination and the phrase ‘horses for courses’ springs to mind. When do you really need to ‘get in, get it and get out’? For Amazon the answer may be not as frequently as might have originally been supposed, and there might actually be those who would prefer to be served or ‘checkout out’ with all of the human interaction that this implies.

Babies and bathwater, however. It is not time to abandon the checkout-free store altogether. There are moments when you really do know what you want and all you need to do is get the desired object and leave. And does this apply to toy shops? On the face of it, probably not, as there are few moments for adults or children in an emporium of this kind that do not involve a little browsing or face-to-face consultation.

But perhaps a hybrid might be useful. All stores have peak trading periods and for toy store proprietors that period is invariably in the run-up to Christmas. This is the moment at which sales will be lost to rivals if you don’t have the capacity to make things straightforward for your customers. There are probably few more frustrating instances than standing in a massive line when you only came in to buy a single item. Ahead of you there are lots of time-consuming customers whose agenda is likely to be somewhat different from yours.

This is when a checkout-free option would clearly be useful. In toy shops there will always be shoppers who have come in for a particular item – this season’s must-have. But they do have other

things to do besides ensuring that their loved ones get what they want/need. Why not therefore give them the option of paying at a till or exercising a little ‘just walk out’ freewill?

This has in fact been done, more or less, at the Whole Foods Market supermarket (also owned by Amazon) in Washington DC. Here, shoppers are given the option of checking out with a cashier and all that this implies, or entering the store with the Amazon app and then leaving without the checkout experience.

Interestingly, a lot of shoppers opt to use the checkouts and, given that joining the checkout-free crowd means downloading and using an app, there is a barrier to this form of ‘seamless’ retail. Nonetheless, imagine for a moment that the Amazon tech became sufficiently affordable to installthe price of tech does have a habit of coming down - would you be prepared to follow the hybrid payment route and offer your shoppers a choice?

If you don’t say ‘yes’ to this one you are probably something of a Luddite and history will make a retail victim of you. In truth, the future of retail rarely follows a single path and now that seamless shopping is an option, the chances remain good that it will become another part of the offer as far as paying for something in a shop is concerned.

There is also the little matter of the store itself. You can have as much payment tech piled into a store as you can afford, but if the offer isn’t up to scratch then you might as well chuck it all in the skip.

Here then is a prediction. There will come a point - and it will be in less than five years, cost-of-living crisis or not - when using your phone as a checkout will be perfectly normal. It won’t be something that will be remarked upon and in just the same manner as we adopted the laptop, mobile phone and suchlike, it will just be another part of a store’s panorama. There will be those, of course, who continue to use a checkout (try dining out and using a credit card in Germany - it’s just not part of what is done in many places - yet) and they will continue to behave in this manner for some time to come.

For toy shops and all others there is almost never a ‘big bang’ when it comes to in-store operations, but there is invariably forward movement. The mockers may scoff about Amazon pressing the pause button, but this will only be temporary. Retail change is a constant. Things will not be as you expect.

John Ryan is Stores Editor of business magazine Retail Week. He has worked for the title 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.

Amazon pressesthe techpause button,but it is back to the future in-store? Our retail columnist JohnRyan investigates why Amazon’s experiment isbeingput on hold and what the future holds forappbased shopping…

Content is still king

So what’s the ideal formula?

More and more toy brands are investing in content production to engage with their audiences.

Greta BisettoDonelan from Generation Media analyses why, where and when to adopt this strategy to maximise reach and ultimately, product sellthrough

We are preparing to attend MIPCOPM [the world’s greatest gathering of television and media professionals] this month, to watch and discover the latest content offering, across all genres, from all around the world.

As usual, we note an incredible proliferation and vibrance of new animation content, with an offering that is surpassing the most optimistic dreams of coproduction and acquisition deals.

Why should toy manufacturers keep considering content as key to the long-term development of their brands?

The toys and games industry is a great supporter of animation, with toy manufacturers understanding the value of a well-executed content strategy. This can help build a solid brand franchise in the long term and contribute to product sell-in.

What defines great content in this scenario? It’s all about fulfilling a defined audience’s passion points, it’s 'toyetic', but it also offers flexibility from a distribution point of view. In essence, the content needs to be reachable by the audience any time, anywhere. This is such a critical consideration, that it must be reflected in the content format and its duration.

Once the right content is identified, where is the best platform to distribute it? The short answer is anywhere, any time.

It is our view that audiences are agnostic when it comes to content consumption as they will follow their passion points (talents, characters, formats, interests, etc), where they are available to them. It’s never an either/or choice when it comes to content distribution, but more about selecting the right combination of platforms that will dictate optimum levels of engagement… and deliver success.

■ Linear TV placement to achieve validation and status.

■ SVOD to complement the linear offering and ensure an 'always on' distribution type.

■ Social media to maximise reach, but also to create a dialogue between a brand and its audience.

■ And, if the content is strong enough, an event cinema distribution piece would make content and brand achieve theatrical status.

Once the audience is defined, it will become easy to decide on the right combination and timing for distribution.

Timing is everything. How to define the perfect content distribution timeline, especially when a business wants to develop a consumer products programme in the long term?

The 'traditional' mechanic of content distribution saw a minimum of one year of showcases on linear TV as a standard pre-requisite to build that critical mass that unlocks product sell-in.

However, things are moving much faster, and consumers expect to be able to purchase products branded with their favourite characters as soon as the content is shown.

In this scenario, while a linear placement of the episodic content is still fulfilling the big and fast audience reach KIP, social media plays a critical role when it comes to audience engagement around the consumer products programme.

So, while episodes are being played on-air at given slots, complemented by an SVOD offering, social media channels can become the destination for product showcase. These channels can fulfil a critical function by instigating a two-way dialogue with the audience, driving engagement and participation around a product. This is valuable information for future content production and product development initiatives.

The most valuable piece of advice? Listen to your audience.

Please email greta.bisetto-donelan@ generationmedia.co.uk if you want to know more about Generation Media’s communication strategies in the content space.

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

Things are moving much faster and consumers expect to be able to purchase products branded with their favourite characters as soon as the content is shown “

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Photo by Victoria Borodinova

A decade of Giddiness

September 10 sees us celebrate 10 years of trading, which is quite a milestone. It has absolutely flown by and although there have been some bumps along the way – illness, Covid and the uncertainty when the building was put up for sale - mainly it’s been a fabulous decade.

When I started the shop I was taking over premises with an existing toy shop, run by a lovely lady called Louise. Her shop was called Rumpus and she sold many of the same brands that we still have today. Louise and I didn’t get any solicitors involved in the buying process and although we hadn’t met previously, we both felt we could trust each other. She asked for money for the fixtures, fittings and stock, I took out a bank loan and paid it and Giddy Goat Toys was born.

Back then, any takings were ploughed back into stock, particularly in ramming the shop with lots of lower-priced items so that it became more accessible for children spending their pocket money or for parents to pick up end-of-week treats. I kept on the four part-time staff that worked here but paid myself a pittance of a wage so took on another job doing data entry part-time to make ends meet while I built up the business.

Five years on and I had paid off the bank loan, given up the extra job and started to pay myself something nearer approaching the minimum wage - and we had a good loyal local following of customers. At this point, however, I was also struggling with health issues and I had a few years of battling chronic fatigue - which anyone with chronic fatigue, ME or long Covid will know is both debilitating and depressing. Not only did I lack energy but I lost my Tigger bounce and became more of an Eeyore. I could get through the day but then would flake out when I got home. I never once had to close the shop but there were a few occasions where between customers I had to lie down in the stockroom, scrambling to my feet when I heard the door opening. This dragged on for a few years but happily I did make a full

recovery and by 2020 I was ready to do Couch to 5k, starting with my friend Linda but finishing separately when Covid struck.

I now run, swim and cycle regularly and my Tigger bounce has returned along with my energy and optimism – so much so that I’m once again looking for another part-time role I can do alongside running the toy shop, partly because I’m ready for a new challenge, but also because my eldest child is now at university and as anyone else with kids at uni knows now the rent ain’t £22 a week any more.

So as far as the next few years go, well this year has been about consolidating our position in the post-Covid world, working out what was going to happen with shop customers and online sales, while dealing with the uncertainty of the building being sold. I feel things are settling down again now and we can once again look at how to grow the business. We recently joined eBay and are on its new seller programme where they work with you to develop your online shop.

We’ve always had a website since day one but like many small businesses, online sales were always low. I tended to see it as a virtual shop window and anecdotally I knew that a lot of customers used it to see what we had in store before coming down to the shop. Although we updated it weekly, however, we didn’t have everything online and it wasn’t linked to the shop till, which caused problems if we did get online sales as inventory figures were not accurate. So, once my health started to pick up I knew that was the area I needed to work on. I moved the website onto the Shopify platform, joined some online marketplace sites and put our stock onto an EPoS system. Luckily for us, all that was in progress when Covid hit and we were able to move to being an online retailer, which essentially kept us going through the long lockdowns.

And despite everything, the past few years were, for the business, good years. The pinnacle of this was being selected to be one of Small Business Britain’s Small Biz 100 where 100 small businesses are chosen to promote in the run-up to Small Business Saturday. It was lovely to get that recognition and support, not to mention the opportunity to attend a networking event in the House of Lords last November.

Moving forward, I hope to be able to continue to grow both personally and professionally and perhaps offer support to new small businesses myself, open a new shop locally or maybe collaborate with another retailer. Despite the predictions of increases in interest rates and inflation and decreases in expendable income, I’m feeling reasonably positive. Parents will always want toys for their children and as retailers the best way of succeeding is by thinking how can we provide what customers want, how can we keep our loyal customers coming back and how can we reach new customers. There are some fantastic new ranges out this year and I’m optimistic that the fourth quarter will be good.

In my 10 years here I’ve worked with some amazing people – two of the original four staff members – Ruth and Lorna - are still here and I’ve taken on various other fabulous people along the way, all of whom have contributed to the ongoing success of Giddy Goat. I know it’s an oft-used phrase but we do feel like a family and I couldn’t have done this without their help and support.

I have made friends with lots of lovely people within the toy industry – sales reps that I’ve known for years have become friends (Jill, Gina, Simon B, Simon P, Joe, Damian, Liz and Hayden to name but a few); I love visiting the toy fairs and catching up with people (oh and seeing the new products too of course) and I’ve got to know a lot of customers locally and seen children grow from toddlers to high school students.

As for my own children, well they’re 10 years older than when I started this giddy new venture. They’re no longer toy testers (although both of them will stay play board games and I’m pleased to say that my eldest son’s girlfriend is also a big board games fan) but they don’t need my time any more, just my money, so I’ll be looking for that interesting side hustle while working hard to ensure that whatever the next few years throws at us Giddy Goat will keep on bouncing.

Our retail correspondent Amanda Alexander marks 10 years at the helm of Giddy Goat Toys, looks back at a decade behind the counter in Didsbury, Manchester, and looks ahead to the next 10...

Five years on and I had paid off the bank loan, given up the extra job and started to pay myself something nearer approaching the minimum wage and we had a good loyal local following of customers

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A family affair

What’s your background?

Before mother duties, I worked in PR/charity fundraising and website content writing.

Why did you decide to open a toy shop?

My husband William Sankey wanted to start a local family business and this is what most interested and inspired him and our sons Daniel (aged 17), David (18) and George (9).

So the shop was my husband’s initiative but I am co-director/owner with his mother, Louisa. I manage the shop and do most of the ordering; Louisa looks after the financial side.

William works full-time as a bricklayer but sometimes works in the shop on Saturdays, and has a big part in deciding what to stock. He designed the interior of the store and did all of the refurb work, assisted by the rest of us.

We employed a local signwriter to make the shop sign (designed by me) and window vinyl, but otherwise we did it all ourselves. Our two eldest sons, David and Daniel, work in the shop three days each week. We don’t open on Sundays.

We all have our own interests in certain parts of the shop as well - so it’s a group effort, that we have all

contributed our ideas and efforts to.

An important point is that there wasn't already a toy shop in the town, and lots of people have really welcomed us. Church Stretton does have a healthy selection of independent retailers, so it’s a good location for a store like ours.

Tell us about your business. Harold’s Toy Store is named after William’s late father - and was the only name everyone in the family could agree on for the shop. We opened on April 2 in a 60sq m premises on Shrewsbury Road, which is one of Church Stretton’s main streets, and is visible from one of the main junctions in the middle of the town.

We are well positioned to make the most of trade from visitors: Church Stretton gets a lot in the summer and throughout the year as it’s a popular tourist destination, being situated in The Shropshire Hills area, which is designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

How would you describe your range?

Initially, we were focused on pop culture collectables, games and models, but we wanted to create something for all ages and interests where possible.

So we have circus skills toys, LEGO, radio-controlled cars, a Warhammer stand, fluffy alpacas, hand puppets and a Schleich collection, among lots of other things.

We have a good selection of suppliers - some very well known and some few have heard of. Key names include Kayes of Cardiff, ABGee, NDA Toys, The Hobby Company, Hornby and Games Workshop.

And we are really happy to be the local stockist of The Den Kit Company, which is based in Church Stretton and makes outdoor activity and adventure kits.

How do you find products?

We haven’t attended many trade fairs this year because we were busy setting up the shop. In April I went to the INDX Toys & Nursery Gifts Show [run by the buying group AIS - Associated Independent Stores - at Cranmore Park Exhibition Centre in Solihull] with my son David.

I enjoyed seeing the people who work for some of the companies we buy from. It was especially nice to meet Phil Kaye of Kayes of Cardiff since I'd spoken to him on the phone previously and he was very helpful to us in the early stages of the shop.

We do want to go to trade fairs but haven't planned any yet. It's been a bit

Play fires the imagination and keeps us creative - whatever our age

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Co-owner/director (and Pokémon hunter) Rachael Sankey gives Toys n Playthings a progress report on Harold’s Toy Store , which opened in the Shropshire town of Church Stretton in April

Rachael Sankey

L-R: Rachael and William Sankey with their sons Daniel, David, and George

of a whirlwind - we're still waiting to settle into it. I'm not entirely convinced things will ever calm down: there's so much to do… and busy lives besides.

What's your selection criteria?

We listen to customers and try to balance what’s popular with what we feel happy to stock. As parents, we know what we have liked to buy and what our kids like.

We choose everything ourselves, ensuring quality and value. We like things that will either last a long time or decompose - or both! So we aim to find good-quality toys that will last… things that have been ethically made/are biodegradable: items that we know from experience are of value.

It’s encouraging that big companies such as Mattel and LEGO are thinking about environmental impact and are developing products and packaging to reflect that.

One of the main things we try to get across is that play is for all ages, not just for kids. LEGO knows this and we have lots of LEGO for grown-ups - but people still come in thinking they can only buy products for children. Play fires the imagination and keeps us creative - whatever our age.

What’s proving popular at the moment?

Pokémon and Nerf Super Soakers.

What lines have you started stocking recently?

More Nerf Super Soakers, and Minecraft Plushies.

How was trading for you over the summer?

Great. As we live in a busy tourist town, we saw many visitors. We also have a lot of grandparents who live locally, so it was good to be able

to provide a nice shop for them to bring their grandchildren who were here during the school summer holidays.

Have you been affected by price rises and stock shortages - if so, how have you dealt with that?

Stock shortages have required us to work harder to get the things we want - and put up with higher prices when unable to source directly. But we’ve only been open since April, so this is all we’ve known.

Have purchasing patterns changed in light of the cost-of-living crisis?

I’m not sure, as we’ve only been trading for five months… I think people still want to buy presents but they probably don’t treat themselves as much.

We have Instagram and Facebook accounts at www. facebook.com/haroldstoystore and www.instagram.com/ haroldstoystore.

We post regularly about new stock, and demonstrate products and other features. We also run a gift card service and sometimes host competitions or offer free goodies.

Are you looking at expanding into new categories?

We’re open to new things at all times.

What are you most excited about for the Autumn/Winter season? Decorating for Halloween and Christmas.

What's next for Harold's Toy Store? We’d like more space!

What’s the most rewarding aspect of your job?

When people say Harold’s Toy Store is the coolest toy shop they’ve been in.

And the most challenging?

Trying to resist buying the cute stuff for myself. I don’t always succeed.

Finally, what’s your favourite toy or game?

I love Folkmanis Puppets’ red octopus hand puppet - and no, I couldn’t resist getting one for myself!

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

“ ”

Brick to the future

LEGO’s keenly timed revamp of its flagship store saw a summer opening coinciding with its 90th anniversary. TnP headed to the heart of London to find out more about the retail experience and the company’s plans for the future…

In little more than five years – it first flung open its doors in 2016 – the flagship LEGO store in London’s Leicester Square (as central as you can get in the capital), has become a notable addition to the retail landscape.

Its new refit sees the toy-toretail giant upping the ante once more, expanding its horizons and going even more for the full-on retail experience. With a whole new floor added, it’s now the largest LEGO outlet in the world and is set to become the template for new stores and refits going forward.

Independent retailers can learn a thing or two from LEGO on how the retail side of the empire sells its own product.

For the new flagship, in keeping with its modus operandi, doesn’t discount, doesn’t price promote, but rather concentrates on the experience for the customer

And it really is about the experience. “We’ve done all the research,” says Natali Stojovic, head of LEGO Retail for the group, speaking exclusively

to TnP as the Leicester Square store opened its doors just in time for the group’s anniversary, giving it double cause for celebration. “Consumers really want hands-on play - we’ve done the research - they want immersive experiences… And they really want an unforgettable experience, something they will remember for a long time.”

And that’s what it gives shoppers, with play areas aplenty dotted around the store, tons of staff well versed in the product, showing off the wares and joining in with the fun. Moreover, there is also a personalisation studio, where consumers can create their own LEGO Minifigures; an interactive storytelling area tracing the history of the company

through its products, and the Tree of Discovery. This is the centrepiece of the store, spanning the two floors, with plenty for kids to discover.

As the company itself notes: “The Tree of Discovery is the centrepiece of the store and showcases LEGO storytelling on a huge scale. It’s an interactive build designed to be an expression of the LEGO Group’s commitment to being inclusive and having a positive impact on society and the planet.

"Visitors of all ages are invited to explore a magical wonderland hidden inside the tree through windows in its rainbow trunk.”

There’s a sense of theatre too, with large LEGO builds from Harry Potter and a lifesize Aston Martin that offers up Instagram-friendly photo opportunities.

This latest refit and design features the relatively recently introduced new look and feel for LEGO stores.

“We launched this look and feel including the personalisation studio last year in New York,” says Stojovic. “We then opened another big store in Barcelona, then two more in China,

Consumers really want hands-on play - we’ve done the research - they want immersive experiences

Natali Stojovic, head of LEGO Retail

“ ”

and this is number five of this size.”

It’s the model for all new openings going forward.

“It will evolve,” she notes, “we can adjust the concept depending on the size of the store. In this flagship, we have more space for big builds, 3D models; in smaller stores it might be something in the window, but you can really tailor it to the space.

“The concept is always the same; it’s about having hands-on experiences.”

It’s not just that though. A key element is making each store suit its surroundings. With London buses, its own character Lester and more, the shop has a distinct London feel. As Stojovic explains: “It’s about connecting locally and engaging, being relevant. While the store concept is very good, it is meant to be connecting locally. You can think of it like a canvas.”

Key to each store will be using the template of the look and feel, then ensuring it has the balance just right. “We haven’t changed the recipe much,” says Stojovic, “I think it’s a good balance.

“We have the play, we’re keeping the kids entertained. We have [stock] on the perimeters and the middle fixtures, we have quite wide walkways. We have the square metres to display all the products.”

Each store caters to local needs, with London recognising both UK visitors in town shopping for the day as well as its tourist traffic.

As Stojovic explains: “This is the largest store worldwide; we have a standard assortment and we have things unique to the store, like Lester. Exclusives are always important - LEGO retail stores have exclusives, that’s always exciting - but there’s a core range too. Our fans might be in for core product, or gifts for children, buying their first LEGO, or they’re fans of Star Wars. It’s very broad and it’s a good balance. It’s the mix of exclusive, mementoes and hands-on play. We know locations are different, we do adjust depending on the needs of the shopper. There are a lot of London themes here, in New York, it’s New York.”

Those little local touches, such as the London-themed messages in the

tree of discovery, which please locals, are particular to the capital and the UK, but also appeal to tourists.

The other key element is the staff. TnP spent time chatting to some of the team ahead of the opening, and their LEGO knowledge and enthusiasm is deeply impressive.

“I’m so proud of them,” beams Stojovic. “They’re fans of the brand first. They want to work for the LEGO group because they want to play, they have a deep passion for connecting.

“The staff play an important role in creating those unforgettable, memorable experiences, and we empower them to give each shopper what’s right for them.”

She relates how in a Southampton store, staff built a camper van to go on top of the wedding cake when a couple came in looking for something very specific (“It’s the staff that create that magic,” she says).

“Our staff are experts in building LEGO and engaging with people,” she adds.

The store has been two years in the making, with the neat dovetailing between its opening and the ongoing anniversary celebrations, but where next for the retail arm of the company?

“It’s part of the ongoing efforts to refresh our estate,” says Stojovic. “This is it for now [in the UK], but we will look whenever the opportunity comes up. We’re opening up elsewhere, we’ve got Dublin [Ireland's first LEGO store, which opened in August] and we’re always looking.”

With business now, it seems, over the pandemic problems, it’s a case of looking to the future for LEGO. Stojovic believes that, after the lockdowns, this store is just the kind of retail environment that shoppers want.

“It’s back to pre-Covid levels,” she concludes. “The traffic is back and we can see how much people have been

craving the experience. Our stores are this kind of place where people can play. Shoppers want hands-on immersive experiences, engaging experiences, brick-based activities; they want those models they can be inspired by.

“This is the driving force behind it, to stay fresh, relevant but to have a concept that works globally; this is going to work brilliantly. It’s neutral in this form, but then you add the local elements. I think this will stay for quite a while.”

The staff play an important role in creating those unforgettable, memorable experiences, and we empower them to give each shopper what’s right for them

Natali Stojovic, head of LEGO Retai

“ ”

Eyes on the prize

With a strong first part of 2022 under the industry’s belts, and consumers back in stores too, things are looking good for Q4. But in a far more complex media landscape, how best to reach consumers? TnP investigates…

First the good news. Things are looking good for Q4.

The figures for the year so far, as announced recently by NPD, are looking good, and the experts at the company are convinced that a strong quarter is in store.

But – and here’s the big but – in an increasingly fragmented market, with competition for the attention of children’s and parents’ eyeballs to drive awareness of forthcoming product greater than ever, what’s the best way to let consumers know your product is out there?

That’s the challenge facing marketeers and suppliers heading into the crucial final few months of the year.

“Q4 has always been challenging,” says Melissa Symonds, head of UK Toys at

NPD. “Historically, in recent years Q4 has under-performed compared with the first nine months of the year, not growing at the same rate or as heavily from the end of September as it did before.”

This year, there is a difference though, as Symonds notes: “While it will be challenging this year, Christmas Eve is on a Saturday.

“The last time that happened – in 2016 – week 51 was absolutely huge. Some 6% of toy sales came in that week and it was up 33% on the previous year.”

That mood of optimism should further boost bricks-and-mortar stores’ chances of a successful December and, moreover, give them added weight as they battle against the threat of online sales.

Symonds notes: “Specialist stores are best placed to pick up from that Saturday, as consumers wander down

the high streets, looking for presents.”

With all that potential out there, the key question for suppliers is how best to target consumers.

And this is where things become trickier for them, because targeting punters out there is, perhaps, more difficult than ever.

In the good old days (roughly the period before the creation of the Internet, before social media and more), it was relatively straightforward. In, say, the 1970s, it was merely deciding between print or TV and, in most instances, just whether to target children, using pester power, or adults.

There was only one channel to advertise on, although there were plenty of magazines, newspapers and sundry publications.

The next decade saw, towards the latter part, a proliferation of different TV stations and the advent

University Games

As

“ Specialist stores are best placed to pick from Christmas Eve on Saturday, as consumers wander down the high streets lookingfor presents

Melissa Symonds, head of toys, NPD

“

of standalone children’s channels. In the 1990s, that further mushroomed and then, blam, along came the World Wide Web.

And nowadays, the choices that marketing people have to make are far more complex. Not only are the basics still there – whether to target children or adults – but there’s a whole host of different methods that could be used to reach either/or.

“The way kids consume content has changed so much,” says Symonds.

“And it’s the same for parents. It’s so much more fragmented now, and people are watching all kinds of different things.”

Nor is talking to consumers across different platforms and channels as straightforward as in the days of yore. “Content for YouTube, say, is so much more different from something on TikTok,” notes Symonds. “You can’t just use the same thing to do it.”

What’s more, marketeers have to be more savvy about who they’re targeting – and why.

“You can’t just do it in broad strokes any more,” continues Symonds. “The ads have to be targeted, and you have to know who you’re targeting. You can reach kids if you talk to them in the right way; you can have a huge success.”

But, and here’s the rub, it has to be in an authentic voice. In the fastmoving world of, say, YouTube and

influencers, names and faces can slip in and out of vogue. Marketeers this Q4 have to know not only who they’re talking to, but also who best to get their message across, certainly before key voices and influencers fall by the wayside.

From this year’s crop of big Q4 marketing campaigns, the likes of Vivid Goliath are emblematic of this shift.

The toy and game creator is, it says, ‘evolving” its media strategy. “We will have a much stronger focus on digital, social media and influencer programmes, PR and gaming,” says the company’s Darrell Jones.

“The toy market has seen a further steep decline in children’s viewing on TV in the first half of ’22, making it key to shift our emphasis not just on TV but to also follow our audience to the more fragmented world of YouTube and other digital platforms.”

It’s now, the company further notes, a more complex task just to get the same kind of audience and reach you could do in simpler times, preinternet. But if you’re creating content for a global audience, you can have a consistency of voice and make different versions to speak to different audiences on a global level.

“This year, our media plans encompass a layered approach

“

across multiple platforms to build the frequency and reach we used to enjoy from TV advertising alone,’’ says Jones. “Goliath has also invested in a global content studio and team based out of the US, which will allow us to deliver the right assets, creative, tone, lengths and formats to each of the social and digital platforms across our portfolio.

“Our plans will include a mix of TV and VOD advertising along with YouTube, Influencers, PR as well as targeting parents and gifters across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat.”

Flair GP is taking a similar approach, as the company notes in our coverage here: “Flair GP will be building the brand awareness for new and classic brands this Autumn/Winter, mixing TV with a significant digital presence to ensure the new fun and impactful TVCs are seen in the space where kids are consuming media the most.”

One thing is for sure – it may not have the visibility that most parents would have been familiar with from their own childhoods - the inescapable nature of Christmas Q4 campaigns from a bygone era, nor the omnipresence of the old Argos catalogue - but children will be seeing lots of ads across different formats, as well as less blatant advertising, and more partnerships and collaborations between products and influencers.

This year, our media plans encompass a layered approach across multiple platformsto build the frequencyand reach we used toenjoyfrom TV advertising alone

Darrell Jones, Vivid Goliath

“

Vivid

A Flair for marketing

FLAIR GP

0208 643 0320 sales@flairplc.co.uk

Flair GP will be building brand awareness for new and classic brands this Autumn/Winter, mixing TV with a significant digital presence to ensure the new fun and impactful TVCs are seen in the space where kids are consuming media the most.

Action Heroes, the super-cool mini-figures with mix and match pieces and changeable expressions, is a priority launch for the year. This brand launched this summer, with both TV and digital support, and interest will be maintained throughout the final quarter, with drivers for marketing to include preroll, influencer outreach, sampling and more. Influencers and parental activity will see support delivered across the whole brand, while digital campaigns will deliver a huge volume of true views of the TVC between September and October, switching on at regular intervals throughout the season. This will be added to with a further linear and VoD TV campaign in September and October, ensuring eyes are across the full collection, including the bigger playsets, Dino Camp AtaX and Police HQ, and the larger vehicle sets, such as the Police SWAT Truck.

The final months of the year are always key for family games, and this year Flair’s marketing plans will ensure that its new game Get To The Peak, which requires players to race to the peak with their mountain climbers, will be top of the games pile! A significant number of true views will be delivered via YouTube preroll, through October and November, with TV reaching kids while they’re watching their favourite shows. This robust campaign is rounded off with parental and influencer engagement, social media support and brand presence in favourite kids press titles.

Flair’s creative portfolio will also be front of mind, with both Mr Frosty The Ice Crunchy Maker and the Mini Delices chocolate-making kits benefiting from the support of a TV campaign running through the October half-term holidays. The Mini Delices TVC highlights the all-year-round favourite, the 5-in-1 Chocolate Workshop, as well as the all-new Chocolate Bar Maker, which allows kids to create any chocolate bar that their imaginations can dream up.

Other key brands such as Super Cute Little Babies, Hamstars and Unique Eyes will all have significant digital campaigns, which will rack up millions of preroll views, as well as a host of PR activity to highlight the Q4 collections.

BeKind, rewind

SIMBA SMOBY

01620 674 778 sales@simbasmoby.com

Smoby roleplay lines, licensed RC vehicles from Jada Toys, and the eco-conscious BeKind dolls all feature prominently in Simba Smoby Toys UK’s Q4 campaigns.

As we head towards the festive gifting period, the firm is to continue its multi-tiered, family-focused marketing support for Smoby, with a big marketing drive for the Smoby roleplay lines. This activity will be headlined by a TV campaign showcasing the brand’s Black + Decker replica workbenches, its realistic, feature-packed kitchens including the all-new Tefal Studio Utility kitchen, and the all-new Barber Shop and Beauty Centre sets.

The company will also continue to invest in parentand kid-facing YouTube preroll, with further support coming in the form of an additional Premier League campaign that will run between September and November, allowing millions more fans to experience the Smoby Smile LED brand advertising via pitchside boards. Meanwhile, monthly initiatives will continue to increase engagement on the Smoby social channels, building on the brand’s significant presence in the digital space, while influencer and celebrity engagement will help take Smoby to more parents.

Zooming off the big screen and onto the toy shelf are the firm’s RC vehicles. Perfect for Christmas gifting, Simba Smoby UK will be ensuring that its Toy Story and Disney Cars RC lines remain front of mind with a whole host of activity. Everyone’s favourite friend RC Buggy Buzz Lightyear, 1:24 RC Turbo Racer Lightning McQueen will feature in the firm’s TVC, which will rack up views on TV and through YouTube preroll. Sticking with boys, Rescue Hybrids, the new IP from Dickie Toys, will be supported with a campaign involving TV and SuperAwesome gamified content in October, allowing boys to interact with the Rescue Hybrids models in a game.

Meanwhile, the BeKind Dolls will be topping children’s Christmas wish lists, with a TV campaign in October.

Super Cute Little Babies, Hamstars and Unique Eyes will all have significant digital campaigns, which will rack up millions of preroll views

Perfect for Christmas gifting, Simba Smoby UK will be ensuring that its Toy Story and Disney Cars RC lines remain front of mind with a whole host of activity

Shifting to digital and more

VIVID GOLIATH

0333 207 2041

Sky Dancers will benefit from a 360-marketing plan comprising TV, YouTube, nationally relevant PR and paid social campaigns. As a Sky Dancer flies in through the window, the TV ad allows viewers to step into the magical world of Sky Dancers. The TVC shows the full range of dazzling dolls as they dance, glide and fly through the sky. Children will be encouraged to look to the skyline on channels from September across a targeted channel mix. YouTube will also form a key part of the plan with content seeded out across relevant channels to tap into those all-important co-viewing opportunities.

The range will be launched with a high-profile brand event at the London Eye; the perfect location to link back into the key features of height and flight in the dolls. A mixture of celebrity parents, influencers and press will be invited to experience toy demonstrations, themed activities and a chance to play with the Sky Dancers themselves. The nostalgia of these hit 90s toys will also play into Vivid’s social and influencer strategy, where parents will take their memories to new heights by sharing recollections of the range with the next generation.

The new introduction from Vivid’s heritage brand Animagic; the Let’s Go Gecko will add a new layer to the range with the introduction of palm pets. The engaging TV ad shows all the interactive features to discover in your Gecko pal including walking and dancing alongside lights and sound effects.

The content will be played out across YouTube to stack with the TV content to reach new audiences with additional brand content. The Animagic range will be featured in parent-targeted social campaigns

Walking Among Us

across Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat.

Did you know?

Sky Dancers will benefit from a 360-marketing plan comprising TV, YouTube, nationally relevant PR and paid social campaigns. As a Sky Dancer flies in through the window, the TV ad allows viewers to step into

Meanwhile., the Recyclings communication message will be centred on the transformation of bottle caps into cute characters amplified across YouTube, PR, influencers and gaming. Playing into the success of the YouTube channel quickly approaching the 6M view mark, the video streaming site will form a key part of the marketing plan, amplifying branded content across the network.

A heavyweight PR campaign also launched in mid-August with a consumer research panel and celebrity spokesperson highlighting the sustainable credentials of the range on a national press and radio tour. A tiered influencer strategy also launched simultaneously across a macro, micro and gifted scale to drive mass Recyclings brand awareness across the social platforms with fun reel and static content.

Vivid Goliath will also benefit from a wide-reaching media plan for the games category, which continues to expand year-onyear. This year, Vivid will build on existing titles within preschool/kids, family, party and introduce a new category in the form of True Crime. Similar to Vivid’s approach to toys, the range of games will each gain exposure from individual media plans across TV, VOD, YouTube and social advertising.

Following a hugely impressive start for the Among Us master toy collection, Sinco Creations has this year introduced a second series, which it will be taking to the masses, with a high-impact campaign for the final quarter.

Activity to promote Sinco’s Series Two toy line for the fan-favourite gaming IP has already begun and is set to continue throughout the season, ensuring that this new wave of ‘crewmate’ collectable figures, plush pals and the newly launched Special Edition lines will remain front of mind for fans of this popular online, multiplayer, social deduction game.

The Among Us Airship, which comes with three exclusive crewmates and features a roof that opens up to provide storage, is a priority line for the range. And fans will no doubt already be familiar with this epic airship, as it is a key focus for the TVC, which started airing digitally this August.

Digital activity will remain central to Sinco’s Q4 marketing, with over 2 million true views of the TVC set to be delivered across kids’ YouTube and gaming. These views will be racked up right up until December, with several heavy bursts.

Support for the line will also include multiple waves of Meta advertising, as well as influencer engagement across YouTube, Instagram, parental blogger channels and TikTok. And covermount promotion and numerous other placements with kids press will add to the fun, ensuring that the brand reaches the core audience offline, too.

the magical world of Sky Dancers

Fans will no doubt already be familiar with this epic airship, as it is a key focus for the TVC, which started airing digitally this August

Beams me up

ONE FOR FUN

0141 613 2525 | sales@oneforfun.com

Having launched this summer, Happy Line Toys’ lovable, huggable Dream Beams plush pals, which have special glow-inthe dark features, are a must-have in the plush aisle, and popularity is set to surge with the firm’s exciting plans for the final quarter.

Kids will be offered a peek into Dream Beams World, with frequent, heavyweight preroll that will ensure the target demographic sees the captivating TVC. This activity will be interspersed with influencer activity across YouTube and Instagram. Each new wave, known as a Dreamscovery, has its very own schedule of activity, which will reach a high volume of parents through peerto-peer awareness and recommendation.

Dream Beams are now available in three different sizes: 18cm, 30cm and an all-new 9cm format, which come in blind packaging: the Dream Mystery - the Dream Beams Mini Surprise Collectables.

On the Box

MAGICBOX TOYS

01293 222500 | sales@magicbox-toys.co.uk

Magicbox Toys, home to much-loved collectable brands, will be placing significant investment behind its Autumn ranges, ensuring that SuperThings, T-Racers and KookyLoos are front of mind with parents, gift buyers and children, throughout the final quarter.

KookyLoos Express Yourself Dolls, the fashionable, fun-loving mini-dolls that change their expressions with a flick and a click, come packaged in sustainable tubes, with clothes and accessories to discover in sustainable paper blind bags. Girls can collect all 24 dolls and then build a KookyLoos community with the many playsets in the range, such as Mia’s Kooky Caravan and the KookyLoos Wardrobes. The brand launched in August, with TV and digital support that is set to continue throughout Q4, including an immersive campaign with Kids Know Best. TVRs and digital views are top of the agenda, supported in subsequent months with wide-reaching Instagram campaigns plus experiential activities available at retail.

Magicbox Toys will also be creating multiple layers of support behind the latest SuperThings collection: Rescue Force. Fans will love seeing the SuperThings rally to the rescue in the multiple TVCs, which will be seen across linear and VoD TV channels, throughout the season, as well as on YouTube, with heavyweight preroll bursts delivering more than 2.5 million true views. Closer to Christmas, marketing will highlight key gifting items including the SuperThings Rescue Truck.

Setting the table

UNIVERSITY GAMES AND LAGOON

0207 254 0100

www.university-games.co.uk

University Games and Lagoon has big plans for its Q4 campaigns this year including primetime TV, radio and high-profile online campaigns for the iconic table football game, Subbuteo, as well as significant digital campaigns for a number of its ever-popular, blockbuster family games.

Following the Lionesses’ inspiring victory at Euros 2022, and as the England squad prepare to head to the Fifa World Cup in November, the Official England and Official Lionesses Subbuteo Main Games are set to be hot lines this Christmas. The ever-strong Subbuteo range, which also sports the Original Main Game, Official Liverpool Main Game and a host of teams and other accessories including fences and even a VAR Set, will all benefit from the integrated Q4 marketing campaign.

The inspiring and nostalgic family-led creative Subbuteo TV commercial, featuring the voice of the sporting broadcasting legend John Motson, will feature as part of a multi layered heavyweight media campaign throughout Q4. Scheduled from mid-October through to December the campaign will include TV advertising within family, sports and adult time as well as inmatch advertising.

Alongside the TV exposure will be a wide variety of supporting activity that includes Talk Sport radio partnership, YouTube and social media plans and other digital activity.

There will also be a full TV campaign for the ever-popular Smart Ass Board Game backed up with digital media campaigns including TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and radio to create multiple touch points and opportunities to interact with the brand.

Other games benefiting from a similarly strong all-round digital marketing plan include Perudo, Who’s In The Bag, Quicksand and 5 Star Review Game, as well as adult games, Judge Your Friends, Bigger Is Better and the Murder Mystery Case Files.

Skirting around

OPTIONS

Character Options is rolling out its Q4 marketing campaigns across the board to ensure that its key Christmas lines remain front of mind ahead of the festive gifting period. TV is a key element to the strategy along with millions of digital preroll views for each brand also scheduled.

Mouse in the House is a key launch for Character Options this year, and that’s reflected in the level of support that the company is putting behind the brand. This new, teeny-tiny, top-secret town, known as Mouseville, exists just behind the skirting boards, and has been brought to life for children to enjoy, with an unmissable toy collection comprising collectable micro-figures and food-themed playsets, allowing children to build their very own world of Mouse in the House up against the skirting boards at home.

The Stilton Hamper Hotel will be central to the TVC that will be aired on linear and VoD TV while also delivering millions of true views on gaming and YouTube from launch until Christmas. Maximising awareness and engagement with the brand will be YouTube webisodes narrated by Helen Flanagan and sponsored posts shared by the celeb mum on her Instagram channel. Meanwhile, further helping to ensure

eyes on the brand throughout the final quarter will be a special wave of influencer activity.

Heroes of Goo Jit Zu remains a top priority for Character Options, with the collection now sold in 50-plus territories. And success for the collection is assured, thanks to an all-encompassing campaign promoting the Ultra Goo Stretch & Strike Thrash Mobile, and the wider collection. This super-cool vehicle, which transforms from Cruise Mode to Shark Attack Mode, and includes an exclusive Race Suit Thrash, will take centre stage in the TVC that will air on TV and through YouTube preroll. Expect to see this cool set of wheels on social media, too, thanks to influencer support and coverage across Character’s social channels

Following the sell-out success of Character’s hit interactive pets from previous years, the firm is proud to present a new addition to the Jiggly Pets portfolio: GiGi the Giraffe. This queen of the dancefloor who features full body movement and music, will be rocking across screens, reaching kids where they are spending most time, on YouTube, through continual preroll campaigns.

With extensive campaigns running on TV and across social and digital media channels, these lines are set to finish the year with a burst, so don’t miss out on the demand

The Stilton Hamper Hotel will be central to the TVC that will be aired on linear and VoD TV while also delivering millions of true views on gaming and YouTube from launch until Christmas, maximising awareness and engagement with the brand

Preroll with it

BASIC FUN!

www.BasicFun.com

It will be all eyes on Basic Fun!’s AW22 ranges over the coming months.

Major campaigns for Cutetitos, Care Bears, Tonka, K’Nex, Lite Brite and the new Misfittens will each deliver huge volumes of true views, through YouTube preroll, reaching kids where they are consuming content most. Plus, significant digital investment will continue for all autumnal ranges, with influencer endorsement and coverage across all core social platforms. Cementing this will be TV, highlighting key launches for Misfittens, Care Bears, Cutetitos and Lite Brite.

Basic Fun! has committed to delivering more than 2.5million true views through YouTube preroll for Misfittens, ensuring the comical group of cat plushies that come squished into meme-ishly tiny spots will be front of mind for kids in the target demographic, throughout the final quarter. TV spot, parental outreach, sampling, kidfluencers and TikTok activity will only add to the fun.

In Care Bears’ 40th year, fans will be transported to Care-a-Lot, with a new special edition anniversary bear. Care-a-Lot is the perfect bear to mark the occasion and complements the other new 35cm Care Bears: Superstar Bear, True Heart Bear and Daydream Bear. With heavy bursts of preroll to deliver a minimum of 3 million views, amid other digital activities, these new additions will make their presence known.

There’s also a great deal of excitement around the new Cutetitos theme Islanditos, and the new wave for Unicornitos, which will benefit from more than 2.5 million true views delivered via YouTube preroll, a TV spot, and social media activity throughout the season.

That’s not all; this season, Stranger Things fans have been escaping to the Upside Down with the Lite Brite Stranger Things Special Edition se. This fresh new launch is being showcased alongside the core range, with 2 millon preroll true views, TV, influencer outreach and so much more. Plus, an ‘always on’ strategy for Tonka and K’Nex, in the digital arena, will ensure these brands are at the forefront of consumers’ minds.

Glow for it CRAYOLA

0800 389 6238 | www.crayola.co.uk

Crayola will take a multi-layered approach with its media plans this year, focusing on the key products for the season, including the new Washimals Super Salon, Glow Art Studio and Colour ‘N’ Style Mermaid Sea Salon. Washimals sees a mix of TV, VOD and YouTube to reach its core girls audience with a new commercial highlighting all the added features of the new Super Salon playset including pearlescent paint, scented sprays, and stickers to customise your pets in even more new ways. Social media will also be used to further support the release aimed at parents and gift-givers, demonstrating the endless creative fun that can be had with Washimals.

Crayola also has the solution to getting creative even when the lights go out with the Glow Art Studio. Kids can now create amazing art with light. No ink or paint required. This mess-free message, true to Crayola’s ethos, will be showcased though a new TV advert and supported with VOD, YouTube and paid social.

Paint-sation is the solution to mess-free painting with non-spill pods that do not require any water. Finding creative ways to explain this unique product and build awareness among parents wanting a less-mess life has led to an exciting influencer media campaign – more to be announced on this in the coming weeks.

Crayola is also making a splash this Autumn/Winter with the Colour N Style Mermaids Sea Salon. The new sea-inspired playset is supported with a TV advert as well as a multimarketing approach across all key touchpoints including social media, influencer activity, VOD and YouTube. The campaign encourages girls to style their mermaids with endless different transformations.

What’s on the box?

TV or not TV, that, to paraphrase the great bard of Avon, is the question.

In an increasingly complex world, mainstream TV, be it a mainstream terrestrial channel (to use the old parlance) or one of the everproliferating children’s channels on digital and cable platforms, is still deemed by many as the benchmark of a strong marketing campaign.

But with YouTube and social media adding to the mix –and increasingly important and essential for young eyes – that is not necessarily the benchmark for a successful TV advertising campaign.

And with an even more diverse mix set to land in the coming months – Netflix, among other streaming services, is long-mooted to be close to introducing its own cheaper, ad-funded platform, which will enable it to hoover up even more spend, this time from toy companies – where does that leave the old-fashioned, high TVR-rated campaign in 2022 and beyond?

Well, for starters, while retailers still view

a traditional campaign as the true sign of a supplier putting its money where its mouth is, new metrics and and levels of support should perhaps be better explained to them.

As Nick Richardson, founder of the Insights Family, and TnP columnist, says: “We’ve already done some work to help educate retailers. They don’t have the experience to analyse the data sometimes.

“Retailers have a lot of things to tick off that they know about – the product, its price point, packaging; but TV advertising is not really part of their training as a buyer, how it affects buying impulse decisions. It’s unfair to expect them to have that responsibility. We as an industry have a responsibility to try to help them understand these things.”

As Richardson notes, with a market that is ever more fragmented, data is becoming increasingly important.

“You have to understand the audience you’re targeting with ads. If you’re targeting kids aged between six and

eight years old, you have to be a little bit smarter. They’re spread across so much more different media you can’t just take that broad approach.

“You really need to use data to understand who your audience is and where that group is most likely to be watching; what’s resonating with them.”

TV is still where most children see ads, ahead of YouTube but, says Richardson, if you add in other social media platforms, “there’s not too much in it”.

“Retailers still maybe look for the assurance and comfort blanket that a TV campaign gives for them to invest in a product.

“One of the difficulties is that there’s a lot of data out there, a lot of it isn’t that robust and retailers can be bamboozled. You can show them data that 99% of individuals will go for X, and other data that shows them that 99% of individuals will go for Y. It needs to be presented in a compelling way and be reliable.”

Circling back, it’s clear that TV is still important, but just offering up a 200TVR campaign is no guarantee of success –and suppliers can spend a lot of cash and waste much of it adopting that approach. Opposite, we look at what Mattel has in store with its pre-Christmas TV advertising plans…

Data is king when it comes to screen advertising now, experts say. But how it’s presented to the trade is another matter altogether… Ahead of looking at pre-Christmas advertising, we assess what’s on the telly…

You have to understand the audience you’re targeting with ads. If you’re targeting kids aged between six and eight years old, you have to be a little bit smarter

“

Mattel unveils its TV stars for Christmas

This AW Barbie launches exciting new playsets to create fun adventures including the new Barbie Dream Camper and Barbie Totally Hair Dolls, as well as continuing to support Barbie Fashionistas and Dreamhouse.

Adding magic to TV is the Barbie Dreamtopia Mermaid Power dolls as well as the Mermaid Power Boat Playset, taken from the new musical special Barbie Dreamtopia Mermaid Power.

Hot Wheels creates thrilling vehicle experiences for fans with the impressive Hot Wheels City Attacking Shark Escape Playset, which will be supported by TV, as well as the Hot Wheels Ultimate Garage Playset and Hot Wheels Monster Truck Unstoppable Tiger Shark RC Vehicle. This AW, Hot Wheels is sponsoring afternoons on Nick Jr where they will be supporting Hot Wheels Wreckin’ Raceway Playset, Action Spiral Speed

Crash Playset, Hot Wheels Monster Truck Unstoppable Tiger Shark RC Vehicle and the Ultimate Garage Playset.

Fisher-Price introduces the new DJ Bouncing Beats with extensive TV support, along with the new Linkimals, Light up & Learn Owl. Fisher-Price Little People Barbie Dreamhouse will also be supported on TV.

Thomas & Friends introduces the exciting Launch & Loop Maintenance Yard, which will be supported on TV this Christmas, as well as top seller Trains & Crains Super Tower.

Imaginext DC Super Friends Bat Tech BatBot will be supported on TV this AW alongside Imaginext

Jurassic World Mega Stomp & Rumble Dino!

TV will also be supporting Mattel’s much-loved Polly Pocket, with the new Compact & Wearable assortment and New Polly Pocket Treehouse. Harry Potter will hit the screen this AW with the new Flying Car and Core dolls. Fans of the new Jurassic World Dominion movie will see the Jurassic World Strike ‘n Roar Giant Dino hit the big screen this Christmas.

Key licensors will be supported, including the Disney Pixar Lightyear Jetpack Buzz as well as the Minions Babble Otto, plus Disney Pixar Cars Radiator Springs Send Off and Sudsmarine Colour Change Car Wash.

The Mega Pokémon Ultimate Jungle Expedition will also be supported by media this AW.

Mattel continues to invest in heavyweight campaigns to support key items for the festive period, with extensive TV campaigns as part of extensive marketing programmes to drive consumer demand

Let the games commence!

Games and Puzzles is a super category that has seen an explosion in demand over the past couple of years. We find out what’s selling well and what the future holds for the sector

The Games and Puzzles super category experienced huge growth in 2021, growing 23% in 2021 compared with 2019, according to NPD figures, but took a small downturn at the beginning of 2022.

Toys n Playthings talked to a number of games and puzzles suppliers to find out the state of the market and what they think the future holds for this important sector.

Konrad Hoenig, CEO at Aquarius, agrees that the market has benefited from increased interest: “The past two years have seen significantly increased consumer and retailer interest in these product categories. As the global market continues

to recalibrate, the ongoing commercial health of this sector will be driven by clear innovation and new approaches to meet the requirements of consumers and their evolving attitudes to puzzles and games.

“Impactful product design, authenticity, and product content relevance, especially when integrating with a licence, will be key to growing these classic product segments. ‘’

Keeping the impetus from the pandemic is a key focus for University Games and the Lagoon Group, as sales director Mark Jones explains: “The pandemic certainly delivered an unprecedented uplift in the popularity of games and puzzles, as families searched for at-home entertainment that wasn’t screen oriented, and so the pandemic period proved an exceptionally busy and buoyant couple of years for us. This year, as the world has begun to return to a level of normality, maintaining that momentum of the resurgence in popularity of games and puzzles has been key for us.”

However, there has been a dropoff in home learning interest, Orchard Toys MD Simon Newbery points out: “Post pandemic, there’s

definitely some fatigue around home learning, but there’s still demand for games that support children’s classroom learning and support parents to help their child, plus there’s always a demand for entertaining games and puzzles. We’re seeing a good performance from our 2022 lines and our bestselling SKUs, but we can also see the impact of the current economic climate on consumer spend.’’

But there is plenty of good news, as Libby Everett, board game sales, Thames and Kosmos points out: “The games and puzzles market is in a very healthy place. What was once considered a niche hobby in the UK is slowly becoming more mainstream; the demand for games is increasing and a greater selection are entering the wider marketplace.’’

Epoch marketing manager Matt Shaw agrees: “Despite the Games and Puzzles super category being down (-9% YTD, June 2022), we remain positive about the category as a whole. Super Mario Epoch Games is performing very well, bucking the overall trend with +462% growth full year 21 vs. 22 growth since its launch in 2020, making Epoch making toys the fastest-growing toy manufacturer in the Children’s Games category.

Orchard Toys

Cheatwell Games

What was once considered a niche hobby in the UK is slowly becoming more mainstream, the demand for games is increasing and a greater selection are entering the wider marketplace

Libby Everett, Thames and Kosmos

“ “

This is partly due to the popularity of the property and variety of play patterns we have developed. Nintendo (Super Mario) is the number two property in Children’s Games with a 4.7% share and the top gaining property.’’

Challenges

Despite the huge spike in popularity during lockdown, the sector did face some issues, as Aquarius’ Konrad Hoenig, explains: “The pandemic was a challenge for everyone for different reasons. For suppliers, manufacturing was directly affected. Plus, their design teams were suddenly separated, which impacted on different levels, putting project timelines in jeopardy, and sales departments could no longer travel for meetings.

“For consumers, their entire world was turned upside down, which prompted many to search for comfort in childhood hobbies. Because of this, we saw a spike in interest for nostalgic licences. Consumers also turned to puzzles and games to fill their time during lockdown, when many were spending more time at home than ever before.’’

Other suppliers saw a similar trend. “We experienced growth

in sales for our games and jigsaw puzzles during the pandemic, as overnight we became a go-to brand for helping parents with home schooling, and for keeping children entertained – so yes, we definitely saw a spike,’’ says Orchard Toy’s Simon Newbery. “We’re still seeing a thirst for educational games, though not to lockdown levels. Not surprisingly, as demand has returned to normal, sales have slowed and returned to a more even trajectory too.’’

The same was true for Thames and Kosmos: “During the pandemic sales of board games at Thames and Kosmos increased by 37%. Existing customers broadened their collections to add variety to gameplay. This period also brought many new customers to the sector, these end users are continuing to enjoy boardgames even now that the world has opened up again,’’ says Libby Everett.

And there are more encouraging signs: “Children’s Games is almost back to prepandemic 2019 levels, which is encouraging and demonstrates the subcategory moving in a positive direction with further growth projected in 2022/2023.’’ says Epoch’s Matt Shaw.

Driving sales

So, as we head out the other end of the pandemic, what is driving sales in the sector now?

Aquarius’ Konrad Hoenig says: “The kidult market presents a huge opportunity for retailers. During the pandemic so many aspects of life were beyond our control. The uncertainty meant many wanted to regain some normality and sought comfort where they could. One way of doing this is revisiting games or licences they loved when they were younger, which is really driving growth.’’

While for Toynamics, it’s all about educational value, says MD David Allan: “The pandemic certainly caused an increase in parental awareness of the educational value of toys, and we’re seeing a continued demand and sales for playful games and puzzles that encourage learning, and products with extended play value.’’

Over at the Lagoon Group and University Games, diversification

Being green

Sustainability is a key focus in the toy industry and the games and puzzles sector is no exception. We asked, how are suppliers doing their bit for the planet?

“Sustainability across the board is important, no matter the industry. Consumers are more keenly aware of the climate crisis than ever before and demand more, and plastic is often a particular concern because they can visibly see the waste. We prioritise using wood and paper for our products, which negates this concern with consumers, and it also means they are often viewed as collectables.’’

Konrad Hoenig, Aquarius

“We have a product portfolio of more than 700 games, puzzles and gifts, and our commitment is to significantly reduce single-use plastic throughout the product and packaging process. We have also removed shrink wrap and all other single-use plastic from all our games and puzzles wherever possible and ensured that our outer packaging and product packaging are fully recycled and fully recyclable wherever possible. In fact, in 2021 we removed single-use plastic from more than one million games and puzzles sold.’’

Mark Jones, University Games and Lagoon Group

“As a business it’s something we feel passionate about, especially as all our games can be enjoyed without the need for electricity or batteries. We’re constantly looking for ways to enhance how we help protect the planet. All our products are manufactured using recycled board, we only use vegetable-based inks and other than the box itself we never use any additional outer packaging. We encourage our customers to extend the lifecycle of our products by passing them on, and to support this we offer a misplaced pieces service.’’

Simon Newbery, Orchard Toys

“Consumers are demanding more sustainable products – and we’re doing our best to fulfil that demand. Hape is the world’s largest manufacturer of toys made from renewable raw materials - in addition to wood, we make toys using rice, fasal, bamboo and cork.’’

David Allan, Toynamics UK & Ireland

“We have made steps to minimise singleuse plastics within our products, for example paper bands on cards. We are also using more wooden components for items such as dice where possible. However, we have found that retailers still expect the outer box to be shrink wrapped; we will continue to look at ways to improve this.’’

Libby Everett, Thames and Kosmos

University Games

is the key, says Mark Jones: “Diversification of innovative products within the sector has played a major role in growing desire for games and puzzles. And with The Lagoon Group joining University Games, we have welcomed a fantastic range of games and gifts into our portfolio, which has helped provide depth and diversity as well as a great range of dedicated Christmas lines. These include the Plasticine Advent Calendar and Nativity Scene, Christmas Table Tops and Christmas themed Games in a Tin. We also offer a great range of puzzles that are more than just a jigsaw; for example, our Murder Mystery Puzzles invite the puzzler to solve a crime as well as build a jigsaw, and our licensed 3D Puzzle and Model ranges of Star Wars, Harry Potter, Marvel, Disney and Game of Thrones have opened up a whole new world of collectability for puzzle and model builders.’’

Libby Everett at Thames and Kosmos believes that there is a whole new appreciation for spending time together without spending a lot of money – and what better way to do that than with a game? “Sales continue to be above the pre-pandemic levels. Families and groups of friends are continuing to enjoy spending quality time together around a boardgame.

“Games bring great value for money when choosing a form of entertainment, as budgets become tighter and tighter in many homes around the country, the cost per head, per play is considerably lower than many other forms of

Family bonding

entertainment.’’

Finally, parents are looking to keep learning fun, now the kids are back at school says Simon Newbery at Orchard Toys: “Learning Made Fun sits at the heart of all our products, and we’ve really dialled up the fun element in our 2022 lines, so children are learning without actually realising it as they’re busy having so much fun playing. Plus, shoppers are always looking for gift ideas, and Orchard Toys games and puzzles make perfect gifts.’’

Key trends

Identifying trends in any sector is important – for both suppliers and retailers. Knowing what your customers want is half the battle for increasing sales. “Games and puzzles that reflect a current theme or trend always prove popular with shoppers,’’ says Orchard’s Simon Newbery. “Winners for us currently are our dinosaur-themed products. For example, Dino Snore Us, Dotty Dinosaurs, and Dirty Dinos. The appeal of dinosaurs appears to be timeless! ‘’

Aquarius, meanwhile, is always looking for product that offers something different to the consumer. “Consumers

Rachel Brydon is a parent relationship coach. She has 20 years’ experience working with families. She explains some of the benefits of games and puzzles...

“In an age of screens and the fast-hitting dopamine of social media and video games, we can’t forget the positives of board games and puzzles. I use games in all areas of my work from the adults to the smallest family member. There are some lovely ways games help families come together and bond.

They are quite literally together, playing a game.

Time spent together is precious and as adults and parents we have many competing demands for our time.

Spending time doing a shared activity is important for building memories.

The creation of in-jokes and shared language.

If you play with the same people often enough, you will be able to read their actions and you will be able to spot something funny to retell in stories. It is impossible to not eventually do something absurdly silly; argue against a rule when you know you’re bang to rights; or see a victory dance or two. Having these shared stories enables bonding and gives all members of the family a chance to tell their version or add on their perspective.

Traditions

Some board games represent a time and place - Monopoly at Granny’s on Boxing

want to see uniqueness,’’ says Konrad Hoenig. “They are used to seeing card games and puzzles, so products need to be distinctly different to excite them, whether that’s bigger, more challenging puzzles, or unusual licences they aren’t used to seeing on the shelf. For example, while there will always be a following and a place for iconic franchises like Harry Potter, licences such as Peanuts and Gremlins catch attention because they spark strong nostalgia among fans.’’

Mark Jones at University Games is seeing different trends emerge: “On-trend themes, such as mindfulness and wellbeing, as well as single-player games, have proved very popular, and we have had great success with our new Mindfulness Games and Puzzles, as well as our Murder Mystery Case Files that can be played with just one player or more. We are also getting a lot of interest, ahead of the launch, in our new confounding word strategy game, 5-Letter Wordlet, which will see the hugely popular single-player online trend, brought into the home and played in competition with family and friends on games night.”

Staying in is another trend being seen at Thames and Kosmos, says Libby Everett: “The demand for two-player games continues to grow. These were extremely

Day, or Uno on train journeys. Every December I buy a Wasjig puzzle and over the month it’s completed by family and friends.

Laughter Games, and the playing and cheating at them, can cause much hilarity. Laughter releases wonderful endorphins. This supports family bonding as they help us feel good about the people we are with, and about ourselves.

Inclusivity

Gone are the days of board games being hard to set up or understand, we now have a fabulous range that supports all ages and abilities in the family. Some games such as Uno and Dobble are not only great for all the family but are small enough to carry around in a bag.

we’re seeing a continued demand and sales for playful games and puzzles that encourage learning, and products with extended play value

David Allan, Toynamics UK & Ireland

“

“

popular during the pandemic as couples stayed at home, however, this demand remains with the trend for nights in extending beyond Netflix!’’

But it’s not all about cosy nights at home, she adds: “As more consumers return to travelling, small box games have proven to be very popular due to their portability. Travel editions such as Ubongo! Brain to Go, is perfect for travel, we will extend this range with a compact version of Dimension to be released in 2023. The Roll & Write Genre is also a popular choice for travel, especially as the player numbers are often less limiting. Rustling Leaves and Lost Cities have both sold well and we have high expectations for My City Roll & Write, which will be added to our range in 2023. These games have the added bonus of being perfect stocking fillers giving them yearround appeal for retailers.’’

The Golden Quarter

And as we head into the Golden Quarter – a key time for the toy industry and this sector – we asked our suppliers what they thought the market held?

Konrad Hoenig at Aquarius

acknowledges that there will be challenges ahead but is feeling positive: “Given both the current macro-economic and socio-political climates, especially in relation to inflation levels and consumer confidence, it is even more challenging than usual to predict how the final picture at the end of Q4 will ultimately look, for both retailers and suppliers.

“Games and puzzles, though, have a natural affinity with this key gifting period, and their resilience, coupled with keenly appropriate price points, should deliver success for all parties.’’

University Games’ Mark Jones echoes these sentiments: “As a nation we are facing a difficult economic environment, that is set to become even tougher. However, Christmas will arrive, and presents will still be purchased, but potentially not on the scale we have been used to in previous years. Games and puzzles make a great choice of gift, available at a competitive price point, they provide a substantial present, and can even be purchased as a single gift for a whole family. In times of economic uncertainty, consumers will also stay with what they know and love, so renowned licensed products such as Subbuteo, Star Wars, Harry Potter and Paddington, are likely to fare well.”

Simon Newbery at Orchard Toys is also conscious that good value is the key this year: “Consumers will be watching what they spend, and be increasingly cost conscious; they will be looking at price and value for money. Within our range, products such as the mini games collection give retailers

Ask the retailers We asked…

What is selling well?

We are still selling inordinate numbers of jigsaw puzzles, which is a hangover from lockdown. And lots of modelling kits from Tamiya.

What do you think will sell well this Christmas in this sector – and why?

I suspect we’re going to see fewer big-ticket items like wooden dolls houses, and higher sales in smaller-value items such as craft kits and build kits.

Dr Wendy Hamilton Grasshopper Toys’ Helensburgh, Scotland Online at www.curiousminds.co.uk

What is selling well?

We are doing really well with a range from Professor Puzzle – the games are really engaging, well priced and customers can really see how they can play them. Games such as Burger Balance and Hexagone are popular – they have strong wooden pieces and are easy to learn. The Laurence King range of animal-based games continues to do well for us – Bird Bingo, I Saw It First and Who’s Hiding. What do you think will sell well this Christmas in this sector – and why?

We always do well with the Usborne range of books and jigsaws at Christmas – they have such strong graphics. The new IQ range from Smart Games includes the excellent mini – a great stocking filler.

Peter Allinson Director,

Whirligig Toys Brighton, Canterbury, Chichester, Tunbridge Wells and opening in October 2022 – Cambridge.

What is selling well?

We find customers like more strategic and quiztype games at the moment. We have a big range from University Games, which sell well. What do you think will sell well this Christmas in this sector – and why?

Adult games have sold very well for us due to changes in people’s socialising habits so I think anything in this sector will be good this year.

Ian Bailey Baileys Toymaster Gorey, Co. Wexford

What products do you stock in this category?

Our games and puzzles range is a huge part of our business, quite possibly fuelled by my family’s love of jigsaws and board games! We stock an extensive range of Big Potato games in particular.

What is selling well?

Smartgames are a constant in our shop; the variety of puzzles from toddler to adult is astounding. As for jigsaws, our biggest sellers for younger children are the Floss and Rock range, however we added the Headu jigsaws last year and these have been a huge hit. We predict that these lines will continue to sell and be a big seller this Christmas.

Liz Amphlett Toytastik, Chepstow

Mattel

Smart Games

a great low price point to offer customers – they also make an ideal stocking filler - and many of our puzzles offer added value with the inclusion of fantastic posters and fun fact-based learning booklets. ‘’

While Toynamics’ David Allan goes further, seeing the current climate as a real opportunity: “When their purse is squeezed, shoppers are less likely to spend on disposable toys, and more likely to invest in longerlasting heritage type toys. This is a real opportunity for the wooden category, and I expect retailers will see a rise in popularity of wooden toys, games and puzzles – fuelled also by consumer demand for more sustainable toys.’’

And the positive vibes continue, says Libby Everett: “The final quarter here at Thames and Kosmos is looking very positive; this is helped by the enormous popularity of the Exit Advent calendars and the release of another new Exit game, Return to the Abandoned Cabin. Thames and Kosmos also has a great selection of ‘stocking filler’ games, which we know will be extremely popular as we move towards the end of the year.’’

Epoch is expecting similar positive sales, as Matt Shaw explains: “Looking ahead to Christmas we predict a rise in sales for the Games and Puzzles industry as families seek gifts that they can play together over the festive period. The last time Christmas Eve was on a Saturday (2016), Week 51 was the biggest shopping week of the year accounting for 5.8% of annual toys sales. This year, Christmas Eve is also on a Saturday so we anticipate Christmas 2022 will mirror a similar increase in sales and hopefully this will replicate across all categories.’’

Marketing

With so many new and key products in the sector it’s vital that companies get the word out there and also support retailers when it comes to marketing, to make their products stand out from the crowd. So how are our suppliers planning to do that?

Konrad Hoenig says that Aquarius “supports our key products through multi-channel marketing and works closely with our distributors and retailers to support their own marketing activity. There’s a range of ways retailers can reach consumers to market unique product offerings, from social media through to traditional advertising methods and we recommend utilising all channels to maximise impact.

“For the kidult market in particular, social media is key, as this demographic tend to spend a significant amount of time online.”

University Games and Lagoon Group also has some big plans, says Mark Jones: “Alongside our dedicated sales team that are always on hand to help our customers with product selection and merchandising, we have big plans for our Q4 campaigns this year. Activity for the iconic Table Football game, Subbuteo includes prime time TV, radio and high-profile online campaigns. We will also be delivering significant digital campaigns to support a number of our popular family games such as Smart Ass, Perudo, Who’s In The Bag, Quicksand and 5 Star Review Game, as well as adult games, Judge Your Friends, Bigger Is Better and the Murder Mystery Case Files.”

Social media is a major focus

at Thames and Kosmos, but it also has a partner scheme for retailers: “We have a Pro Shop scheme partnering with selected bricks-andmortar boardgame shops and cafes,’’ says Libby Everett. “One aspect of this mutually beneficial relationship is that our campaigns have a wider audience. Each post on social media can now reach the end user in the local area of our partnered stores and is therefore much more effective.’’

Toynamics also offers a wide range of retailer support, along with digital offerings, says David Allan: “We’re supporting retailers by continuing our ‘Toy of the month’ incentive which provides discounts on certain lines; along with in-store support with theatrical displays and eye-catching CDUs.

“We’re also launching our biggest Christmas advertising campaign to date to support the Hape brand at retail through the October to December period. It will run across digital and is based around learning through play, and the idea that when you give a Hape toy, game or puzzle to a child, you’re giving them more than something to play with, you’re unwrapping their potential. We’ll also be offering retailers a strong support package, with POS and window display kits available. And we’ll continue to promote to consumers through brand partnerships, social media, influencers and PR.’’

The story is similar at Orchard Toys: “We’ll be supporting our Christmas lines with a strong digital mix of social media, PR, and online advertising, says Simon Newbery. “Plus, there’ll be support for our footballthemed products, such as Football Game and Penalty Shoot Out, in the build-up to and during the World Cup. We offer retailers a comprehensive in-store point of sale support package, from display banners to headers, shelf strips, product barcode booklets, and merchandising. Additional in-store support can also be discussed with your Orchard Toys sales rep or agent.

“Retailers also have direct access to download brand

We experienced growth in sales for our games and jigsaw puzzles during the pandemic, as overnight we became a go-to brand for helping parents with home schooling, and for keeping children entertained –so yes, we definitely saw a spike Simon Newbery, Orchard Toys

“ “

Orchard Toys

resources, including product and lifestyle imagery, videos, gameplay instructions and activity sheets, all great assets for letting consumers know about our games and puzzles.”

What’s next?

So, with a positive outlook and some great ranges for retailers to fil their shelves, it seems like the games and puzzles sector is on an upward trajectory. So what do our suppliers see for the category as we head into 2023?

Simon Newbery thinks that screen-free fun will continue to be a key focus: “In a world full of electronics, parents and children still enjoy simple, fun

Cheatwell Games

Mark Jones at University Games also believes cost and value will be a key focus: “The games and puzzles sector is likely to remain stable and in line with the rest of the toy industry but there is little doubt that non-essential retail will be affected as consumers continue to feel the effects of the cost-ofliving increases.

“We will be investing in and adding even more exciting games, puzzles and gifts to our 700-strong product range in 2023, to ensure our portfolio caters for the entire family from preschool through to adult, and has something for everyone.”

Thames and Kosmos’ Libby Everett also remains positive that games will survive the financial crisis: “Despite the financial uncertainty and increase in household expenses, the sector is growing and will continue to do so in 2023. It will be no surprise that some existing customers will begin to tighten their belts and spend less.

However, the hobby is growing in popularity, as the sector reaches a wider range of retailers, more consumers are discovering the joy of boardgames, continuing the upward trend.’’

And we’ll finish on another positive note, from Konrad Hoenig at Aquarius: “Looking beyond Q4 and into 2023, there are grounds for positivity for everyone involved within the myriad areas of puzzles and games.

The secret to a good night’s sleep!

Nicole Ratcliffe, founder of Baby2Sleep, is a holistic, family-centred sleep coach who supports babies and young children to sleep well. She explains how games and puzzles can be woven into a nighttime routine…

“In the run-up to bedtime, I usually suggest to my families to have some fun together, as energetic family play is helpful in burning off any last bits of physical energy and helps rid any stresses or anxieties - laughter is a fantastic natural stress reliever.

“After the fun time, I like to recommend adding a section to help wind down and tire little ones mentally that also has a positive impact on family bonding before bed. We are so obsessed with our phones these days that it is so easy to miss our little ones developing and growing up, so a chance to put the phones away, sit together and play a game or do a puzzle together forces us, in a nice way, to focus on our children, and give them the attention they crave and need while helping them secretly learn.

“ “

Looking ahead to Christmas we predict a rise in sales for the Games and Puzzles industry as families seek gifts that they can play together over the festive period

Matt Shaw, Epoch

‘traditional’ games and puzzles products, so there is a strong future for this category, with consumer demand for screenfree games and puzzles that offer simple, engaging, appealing fun game play for children. And as cost-conscious consumers watch what they spend, they will be looking at quality, price and value for money.

“Key international trade shows that have not happened for two years, such as Spielwarenmesse Nurnberg, are back. This will allow further in-depth exploration of the ongoing needs for this key product sector going forward, with suppliers and buyers sharing ideas for future needs, as well as potential challenges, in relation to their common customer.

“In addition, given the likely continuing macro-economic backdrop, key elements of continued success for these two product areas will be effective and timely product supply, coupled with engaging and relevant content and activities for consumers to undertake.

“Games and puzzles offer and demand fun. With this continuing to be at the heart of product design, there will always be a bright future.”

“With the right games, this can be done from as young as 18 months old. I like to recommend jigsaws with big, colourful pieces and Orchard Games for the very young children. There are many matching, pair and memory games in the Orchard collection, and these are wonderful for helping our young children learn visually. From around the ages three to four, simple board games such as Snakes and Ladders are great as this helps to learn about chance, winning, taking turns, and counting. From about five, games such as Junior Scrabble and Junior Monopoly come into their own, and this is when the parents may start to have a little more fun as these games are more familiar to us as adults.

“The great thing about playing games and puzzles like these in the run-up to sleep is that our brains process what we learn while asleep, so you may just find that the next night when they come back to the game, their understanding is better, and quicker than you thought it would be. Parents also don’t need to let them win every time, it is good for children to lose and learn to lose well, just like it is good for adults to model good sportsmanship when winning or losing.’’

Super games from Mario

EPOCH MAKING TOYS

sales@epochmakingtoys.com www.epochmakingtoys.com

Epoch Games’ Super Mario range has enjoyed considerable success since its launch in 2020. The entire collection includes seven fun and interactive games each carefully designed to replicate and bring the iconic world of Super Mario to life for fans aged five and above. Featuring all the franchise’s

most-loved characters, players can perfect their balancing skills, topple their opponents, and race their frenemies. In addition, the playing figures can be used interchangeably with the Super Mario Epoch Games that are part of the Link System, offering increased play value and collectability.

The newest game to launch is the Super Mario Adventure Game DX. In this exciting, intense game, players go on an adventure to Bowser’s Castle, using their skills with the three buttons and two revolving wheels to tackle seven tricky obstacles. From jumping walls to sliding down drainpipes in true Mario fashion, they must avoid well-known foes including Hammer Bro and Kamek.

Inspired by the world of classic Mario Kart, Super Mario fans both old and new are guaranteed heaps of fun racing their friends around the action-packed Mario Kart Racing DX track. Can they overcome and champion the winding road, the popup stairs, the treacherous seesaw bridge,

Guess what…

the dirt boards, the tilting slope, and the daunting hill climb?

Super Mario Blow Up Shaky Tower is a game that puts nerves and skills to the test. Players must steadily place their chosen Super Mario figure on the tower one at a time. Beware, if the tower shakes too much - the ball will drop and send all the characters flying.

Players can show off their shooting skills with the Super Mario Fire Mario Stadium. Just like the familiar pinball game, players battle it out as Fire Mario or Fire Luigi against their opponent, shooting the fireball discs, hitting the targets, and thwarting their enemies’ efforts to be the first to topple Bowser from his tower.

Super Mario Piranha Plant Escape is a thrilling board game with a twist. Don’t wake the pesky Piranha Plant.

Marketing support includes PR, influencer partnerships, a TVC featuring the Adventure Game DX airing in September, and the upcoming launch of the Epoch Games social media channels.

Get to the Peak is a new game where players must help their two climbers scale a mountain to reach the peak before their opponent. The risk you take while climbing is up to you; the more secure you climb the safer you are, but it reduces your speed. Players must be careful where they put their axe – the other player might make their opponent fall.

Meanwhile, Battle Cubes lets kids challenge their friends to a game of Rock, Paper, Scissors. These games will benefit from TV support in AW.

Glow in the Dark is a collection of 1.5-metre-long puzzles for ages six-plus and available in Dinosaurs, Magic Forest and Under the Sea. In daylight the puzzles are full of colour and in the dark, each turns into a new image. The dinosaurs turn into the skeletons of extinct creatures, and the Magic Forest turns into a beautiful night full of fireflies. The Hape Human Body Puzzle is an educational puzzle created to teach children how the body works. This 60-piece puzzle comes with 10 additional wooden parts, including the heart and lungs.

Fun and games with Asmodee backing

Edmondson first entered the game space as the inventor of Big Potato’s Obama Llama, and last year he self-published Ansagrams.

Now Matt and his brother-in-law Laurence Emmett have founded Format Games and have launched a portfolio of games, which global player Asmodee will distribute.

Asmodee signed as the UK distributor for Format Games back in February, and

in August the firm expanded the deal to cover the US, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa.

“We’ve likened the experience to a couple of guys taking up busking on Monday, then being signed by a major label for a five-record deal by Friday,” said Laurence Emmett, co-founder of Format Games.

“Matt came out of lockdown with a raft of game ideas, ready to bring to market

and – thanks to last year’s success with Ansagrams – Asmodee could see the potential of our whole portfolio. We know we’re in great hands with such a stellar distribution partner globally and can’t wait to see all our titles becoming firm favourites with families and friends all over the world.”

Matt Edmondson added: “Lockdown gave me the perfect opportunity to explore my potential even further as a

Television and Sony-nominated radio presenter Matt Edmondson with brother-in-law Laurence Emmett are delivering new games concepts

L-R Matt Edmondson & Laurence Emmett

Matt on tour...

Matt is planning on a nationwide ‘tour’ to showcase his games.

From Freshers Weeks to festivals, Christmas fun days to personal appearances with Hamleys - hot on the tour trail to have Matt playing games with families in the run-up to Christmas

games designer – I was finding inspiration everywhere, but particularly during the extra quality playtime I had with my young daughter, Ivy. In fact, it was her fascination with colour-mixing that led to Egg Slam.

“My own love of social gaming also played a part too, with So Wrong It’s Right being born out of a need to create a game that can be played repeatedly but is never, ever the same. I’m excited to see people of all ages discover the wealth of different play experiences that Format Games has on offer and am thrilled that Asmodee has picked us up at such an early stage of our life!”

Format Games’ first games was Ansagrams, starting a varied portfolio of five fun-packed games, with three more coming in the next few months:

Egg Slam: Created following a conversation with Matt’s five-year-old daughter Ivy, who ‘discovered’ purple while mixing colours, this is a colour matching card game for kids as young as two, and families.

So Wrong, It’s Right: One question - five answers. Each question has five possible answers, so you’ll never play the same game twice! Hilarious fun for small and large groups.

Karen: Based on the ‘Karens’ in the world who love to complain. This game takes one-star reviews to funny party play as you decide which reviews are truly Karen’s.

“ “ Unit 6 Waterbrook Road Alton Hampshire GU34 2UD

Speaking of this new ‘string’, Matt said: “My job is quite creative, particularly on the radio. Game play and formats are actually part of a show. I sort of stumbled into game creation during lockdown and thought “why not give it a go”? My first game took me two days from thinking up the play mechanic, the rules, the design of the cards and the box. The ideas just keep coming and I am driven to bring them to life.”

Wheels V Doors: From the famous discussion “Are there more wheels than doors in the world?” – game play is simple; you are given two topics to decide (and bet on) which has the higher number. Coming soon.

Noggin: A fast-paced game of word association and lightning mental reflexes that encourages clever and witty responses conjured from two random letters of the alphabet.

Ansagrams: A quick-fire five question quiz. You write down the first letter of your answers and unscramble them to find a word to win.

Introducing classic games

GALT

0161 428 9111

www.galttoys.com

The beautifully designed Classic Galt range is new for 2022 and is a fantastic introduction for new players to some established family favourites. This refreshed collection of retro Galt games has bold colours and stylish illustrations and includes beloved board games such as Picture Dominoes, Remember Remember, Find It and Picture Lotto. Suitable for ages four and five-plus.

For games with a gruesome twist, the very first Horrible Science game, Germ Attack! challenges players to beat germs in a ruthless race to the heart. It is an exciting game for two to six players, designed to teach children fun and foul facts about germs and the human body. Play as shrunken scientists or ghastly germs and roll the dice to move along the blood cells, answering questions for bonus moves along the way. The first team to race through the body and reach the heart wins.

Combining the fundamentals of coding with screenfree play might seem like a tall order, but the Cosmic Coding Game from Galt has achieved precisely that. This board game introduces children to the basic concepts of coding and computer science, including algorithms and programming language, as players race to complete their mission and win the game. It is Good Toy Guide recommended and compatible with Key Stage 1 of the National Curriculum. Mini brainboxes can develop future-proof skills without a screen in sight.

Happy Chickens is a colour-matching game where players must remove the wooden sticks from the hen house to find the cheeky chicks hiding within. Memory Friends is a game that improves memory through tactile learning as players study the position of the animals on the 20 cards and recreate the scenes from memory. Both are Good Toy Guide recommended and crafted from durable, quality wood and thick board.

The Antarctica Game provides children with a chilly memory challenge as they must remember where the baby seals are placed and return them safely home. The 3 Little Pigs Game brings the famous fairytale to life while providing players from two years and up the chance to get to grips with this charming board game, which encourages storytelling, gameplay and teamwork and is Good Toy Guide recommended.

Learning through play provides a wide range of developmental opportunities. Learning Puzzles such as the How Things Grow Puzzles, Fruit and Veg puzzles and Size Sorting Puzzles encourage word recognition and matching skills and teach young puzzlers to identify different types of tasty fruit and vegetables.

Giant Floor Puzzles are perfect for younger puzzlers aged three to six. With themes including Farm, Dinosaurs, and Nursery Rhymes, these 30-piece puzzles also have eight templates in the shape of animals, planets and objects.

Guess what…

Kids can learn through play with Learning Puzzles such as the How Things Grow Puzzles, Fruit and Veg puzzles and Size Sorting Puzzles, which encourage word recognition and matching skills and teach young puzzlers to identify different types of tasty fruit and vegetables

Get the word out

UNIVERSITY GAMES AND LAGOON

020 7254 0100 | www.university-games.co.uk www.thelagoongroup.com

There really is something to suit everyone in University Games and Lagoon’s, 700-strong games and puzzles portfolio, from early preschool through to adult party games, and for the whole family in between.

This month, University Games is set to launch 5-Letter Wordlet, a new confounding word strategy board game. 5-Letter Wordlet will see the hugely popular singleplayer online trend, brought into the home and played in competition with family and friends on games night.

The Subbuteo table football range, which includes both the Official England and Official Lionesses Main Games, will be on the top of many Christmas lists this year, especially after the Lionesses scooped victory at EURO 2022 and the England squad head to the FIFA World Cup in November.

For younger board game players, there are plenty of fun-packed games to choose from including Quicksand, Kersplatt. and the new Tom Gates games and puzzles range.

Classic games get a twist

MATTEL

01628 500000 www.mattel.com

This year, Scrabble adds a game-changing twist to the classic game with Scrabble Trap Tiles. Use opponents’ words against them by laying traps on premium squares. Players can steal points, tiles or even the game. Beware the premium squares while building words. A trap may have been set, changing the game. The addition of sabotage adds an entirely new dimension of game play.

Following the continued incredible performance of Pictionary Air since 2020, Mattel is expanding the range in 2022 with Pictionary Air Star Wars. Gather the forces for a twist on the classic family drawing game that has you drawing clues in space and seeing it on screen, with a little help from R2-D2, BB-8 and their friends.

Finally, Uno adds a new licence with Uno Star Wars Mandalorian, featuring a deck and storage tin decorated with characters and graphics from the beloved series.

Out of the box

CHEATWELL GAMES

Sales@cheatwell.com www.cheatwell.com

Cheatwell has launched more than 15 new products this year.

Tension is the company’s top brand and a perennial performer. 2022 sees this classic game joined by the Junior Edition as well as the Games 2 Go Travel pack.

Fancy a challenge? Then sharpen your pencils and prepare to test your powers of deduction in the solve-it-yourself, who did it game of Sleuth. During a rollercoaster ride aboard the Oriental Express a deadly crime has been committed… and only you can solve it. You all play the role of

a famous detective - from Sheerluck Homes to Missing Marbles - as you move from carriage to carriage solving clues and catching the criminal.

Cheatwell likes games that are simple to play, straight out of the box… and Brain Ache is no exception. Players race to identify familiar catchphrases or words represented by perplexing pictures. Quickest to guess wins the card so you need to think fast and shout out the answer before anyone else.

For a classic party game look no further than Snippets. Can you recall that song line, that ad, that funny or famous quote? With Snippets you have to reach into the corners of your mind to complete the tantalising tag you’ve been given. From movies to TV, adverts to comedy, music to famous figures, there’s a snippet for every taste and every interest.

Frantic fun is guaranteed in Top It, the edge-of-your-seat

family game. You race to place your cones on letter discs while calling out examples to teasing topics. But beware, any other player can top your cone with another answer and, since only the last cone counts, they bag all the points.

For those who like a cerebral workout there are two great new titles:

Zensu is the new strategy game that’s simple to learn but harder to master. The aim is to cross your opponent’s border before they cross yours but, with pieces moving in four directions you have to keep your wits about you. Get it wrong and your opponent’s pieces will take you down. You’ll play Zensu many times but you’ll never play the same game twice.

Psychobabble is the analytical deduction game in which players enter into a group discussion about their dreams and nightmares. Most will know what happened in last night’s shared vision, but one is genuinely insane…and does not know it. It’s up to the Psychoanalyst to make sense of their statements in this game of suspicion, accusations and self-doubt.

Spot The Intro it a Cheatwell classic. The latest incarnation makes use of players’ preferred music streaming providers and challenges players to name tip-of the-tongue tunes from just a snippet of a song.

Learning made fun

ORCHARD TOYS

01953 859 539| www.orchardtoys.com

Orchard Toys has been creating fun, educational games and puzzles for children for more than 50 years. ‘Learning Made Fun’ is at the heart of everything Orchard Toys does, ensuring its games and jigsaws strike the perfect balance between education and fun.

Highlights in its games and jigsaw launches for 2022 include:

Christmas Eve Box: this bumper 3-in-1 Christmas themed box set includes a festive lotto game, a 30-piece jigsaw and a 12-page activity book. It’s ideal for shoppers looking for Advent, Christmas Eve or Christmas gifts. For ages three to six.

Snowman Snap: a Christmas game of snap in which players match the fun snow people in a festive version of the classic card game - great fun for all the family. A small travel size game, and part of the Orchard Toys extensive mini games collection, it offers a great price point and is ideal for customers looking for stocking fillers. For ages three to six.

Goose on the Loose: headlining the Orchard Toys launches in 2022, this fun board game with lots of laughs is already proving to be a firm family favourite. In this colour-matching game, players must help the farmers

round up the escaped geese. As they move around the board, players shout ‘Honk’ when collecting their 3D geese, but if they lose a goose they must shout ‘goose on the loose!’. For ages four-plus.

Dress Up Nelly: a fun, first colour-matching game, designed to be played as a simple activity to introduce children to colours, with the option for a shorter or longer game to suit different abilities. It features 30 bright and colourful, chunky, wipe clean cards, perfect for little hands. For ages two to five.

At the Museum: a beautifully illustrated 150-piece jigsaw, featuring different and fascinating museum exhibits from the Romans to the Vikings, Dinosaurs to Space, and Human Biology.

Busy Builders: a 30-piece jigsaw for younger puzzlers.

The one about Asmodee’s big Christmas

ASMODEE

01420 593 593 | info@asmodee.co.uk | Asmodee.co.uk

Asmodee’s portfolio just keeps growing and these past few months of 2022 is no different.

For fans of the popular television series Friends – let us introduce Dobble Friends from Zygomatic Games and Warner Bros. That’s right, you can join your favourite characters at the coffee house for this fast-paced observational game. You’ll recognise the iconic Friends characters - Rachel, Phoebe, Monica, Chandler, Joey and Ross - as well as the classic symbols that everyone remembers from the show, like the turkey, the purple door and the Central Perk logo of course.

Radio 1 DJ and TV Presenter Matt Edmondson has developed a popular range of brain-teaser board games that test your speed, reactions, general knowledge and problem-solving skills. From Noggin to So Wrong it’s Right and more – every game is perfect for parties. But we predict, ‘Karen’ is the one that will get everyone talking!

Matt Edmondson added: “Lockdown gave me the perfect opportunity to explore my potential even further as a games designer – I was finding inspiration everywhere, but particularly during the extra quality play-time I had with my young daughter, Ivy. In fact, it was her fascination with colour-mixing that led to Egg Slam. My own love of social gaming also played a part too, with So Wrong It’s Right being born out of a need to create a game that can be played repeatedly but is never, ever the same. I’m excited to see people of all ages discover the wealth of different play experiences that Format Games has on offer.”

So get ready to play! Sneak your fake complaints into a selection of real one-star reviews found online and try to convince other players that yours is the genuine complaint. And sticking with an American theme, it’s off to the Golden Gate City next with Ticket to Ride: San Francisco - the fourth entry in Ticket to Ride’s popular city editions. Ticket to Ride is so accessible to first-time and veteran players alike.

A piece of festive fun

RAVENSBURGER

01869 363 830 www.ravensburger.co.uk

Each year, hours of work go into creating an exclusive and truly recognisable Ravensburgerdesigned Christmas Puzzle. Once it’s sold through, no more copies are produced. This year’s 2022 limited edition is the puzzle giant’s 26th special, entitled Santa’s Workshop. It includes 1,000 pieces featuring Santa and Mrs Claus surrounded by mountains of toys ready to be given to children around the world, and a clock that counts down the months, rather than hours. It’s a visual work of art that will captivate festive puzzle fans.

For 2022 there are no less than 12 new Christmas puzzles ranging from 100 up to 1,000 pieces, and available in Extra Large and XXL sizes and a variety of designs including two Disney scenes, a Christmas Library, Christmas Cupboard, Winter Wonderland and Christmas At Home.

Ravensburger’s annual bestseller is the 216-piece light-up 3D Gingerbread House, perfect for bringing back out every Christmas.

On to games, and having attracted global excitement earlier this year with the announcement of a new game in the Villainous franchise titled Star Wars Villainous: Power of the Dark Side, the new tabletop game includes Darth Vader, General Grievous, Asajj Ventress, Moff Gideon and Kylo Ren. Players use their villain’s ‘ambition’ to perform actions based on the use of the Force, strategic leadership, or sheer luck. The anticipated bestseller has Villain-specific missions and the iconic Star Wars renowned planes, ships and vehicles.

Leading family games range for 2022 is Zingo!. With a new design and packaging, it’s been an international bestseller for ThinkFun, and it moves over to the Ravensburger portfolio this year having already achieved a whopping 20,000 5-star reviews. It’s perfect for all ages in the family (aged four-plus) and can be as fast, fun and educational as players want it to be, making it a great option for youngsters who can’t sit still for long. Zingo’s game-play is simple: match tiles to the images on the card, and using the red ‘Zinger’, which releases the tiles, it’s a race to see who fills their card first and shouts ‘Zingo’. The game is supported by a full Christmas marketing campaign.

In it to Win it

WINNING MOVES

020 7262 9696 | Winningmoves.co.uk

Winning Moves has jumped on the latest trends that capture the interests of the nation, bringing nine of them to market for November launch, perfect for Q4.

Fact.

Winning Moves has added

new sector to its Top Trumps range – targeting Gen-Z. The six new Top Trumps #trending packs include ‘Top Trumps Guide to the Trends of YouTube; Trends of Spotify; Trainers; Trends of TikTok; Fashion and Accessories; and NFTs

Where to begin? Maybe with the interest of the 17 million viewers talking about the Lionesses. After roaring their way to the final - and winning. - at this year’s Euros 2022 Tournament, the Women’s England national team members have become icons in their own right. As a result, it’s created a movement – a movement that will take women’s football to the next level. The European game is already anticipated to be worth £578m a year by 2033, and with 3.5 million women and girls playing football in the UK, these numbers can only grow and grow.

Recognising this trend, Winning Moves has scoured the market in search of women’s football board games and card games. The verdict: there were none. Until now. Introducing: Women’s European Football Champions Monopoly and Top Trumps. Both are proven successful brands for Winning Moves. They will feature England’s top players and will commemorate this historic moment for friends and families alike – and of course for fans of the beautiful game. Now it’s up to the men’s team to bring football home again this winter.

In early 2021, Winning Moves diversified its Top Trumps range, splitting it into segments: preschool, teenagers who are licensed-crazy, and kidults who love all things nostalgia – a Top Trumps pack for everyone. This Q4, Winning Moves is adding another segment to the range, targeting Gen-Z. Notorious for loving all things trendy, and keeping up with the latest social media and happenings in the digital sphere, Gen-Z is the last piece of Winning Moves’ Top Trumps puzzle, with six new Top Trumps #trending packs. The packs are a ‘Top Trumps Guide to the Trends of YouTube; Trends of Spotify; Trainers; Trends of TikTok; Fashion and Accessories; and NFTs. Market research shows that these are the hottest topics right now among 10-25 year-olds. Even if you don’t know what an NFT is, chances are someone you know in that age bracket will. The packs will be available as a range or as individual packs.

And there’s more. Here comes Lex Match, the crazy cube game where players must race their opponent to spell a five-letter word either vertically, horizontally or diagonally. Over the past 12 months, the UK word game market has boomed, and is estimated to reach £93m in 2022, and further growth is anticipated to hit £130m by 2026. Lex Match, using the same winning formula gameplay as the family-friendly Top Trumps Match, taps into this demand, developing vocabulary through camouflaged learning for younger players. The game can be played by ages four and up, with an addition to the rules where children can play a simplified version with adults, ensuring the game encompasses the spectrum of wannabe-lexicographers. Key features of Lex Match are its great portability –even mid-game – and the fact you can play as many times as you like in one day.

In on the action

VIVID GOLIATH

01483 449944

vividtoysandgames.co.uk

A number of new Kids Action Games have joined the lineup ahead of the A/W season. The range already includes Shark Bite, Don’t Wake Dad and The Floor is Lava. New for 2022 is the loopin’ lasso game of One Trick Pony, where players have to grab their animals before being caught red-handed.

Trash Stash, Dumpster Diver and Chicken Poo Bingo - a game developed through Goliath’s young inventor program - complete the line-up of newness, all supported by a wide-reaching media plan.

New within the party category is Slap the Deck, which was quite literally a hit at UK Games Expo. Players adopt huge foam hands, draw cards and then get slap happy when the spoken number matches the card.

A Smart selection

SMART TOYS AND GAMES

01903 885669 | uk@smart.be

Smart Toys and Games HQ is starting to roll out its Autumn 2022 launches. Home to seven multi awardwinning educational brands including SmartGames and SmartMax, there’s some brilliant games to look forward to.

In perfect timing for the festive season, introducing Penguins Huddle Up, which is suitable for two to four players and is the perfect game for some good old family rivalry. In this fun family board game, penguins are scattered across the ice and it’s starting to get cold. The aim of the game is to move your penguins together into a huddle... while blocking your opponents from doing the same. Suitable for ages six-plus, kids and adults alike can use their tactical skills as they jump over other penguins and dive under the ice. Next up it’s time to battle with some bears in Grizzly Gears. Players must rotate the trees to help guide the characters through the forest...but beware of the bear. This puzzle game will keep players on their toes - no one is out of the woods until all 80 challenges have been solved.

For the smallest members of the family is Peek-A-Zoo. Suitable for ages two-plus, Peek-A-Zoo is a fantastic new educational game for preschoolers to practise language skills, learn about colours, animals, and concepts.

a

Fun for all the family

SPIN MASTER GAMES

01628 535000 www.spinmastertoys.co.uk

Spin Master Games offers a great selection of board games and puzzles that can be enjoyed by all the family. From reimagined family classics such as Hedbanz and Beat The Parents, to this season’s must-have, Sink N’ Sand, there really is something for everyone.

New for Autumn/Winter, Sink N’ Sand will take players on a wild jungle adventure that sees the game’s characters come across sand (the mega-popular Kinetic Sand) unlike any they’ve seen before. Players start by rolling the dice and pulling a stick with the aim of not becoming trapped by the fastsinking sand. Players that sink with the sand will be eliminated, however find a Redemption Ruby and you have another chance at survival. Objective of the game? Be the last one standing when the quicksand falls to win.

Also new for this season is Spin Master’s Games HQs, which span across some of the biggest licences, including Paw Patrol, Harry Potter’s Wizarding World and the hit Netflix show, Gabby’s Dollhouse. Each HQ set houses eight games under one roof and includes themed iterations of classics including Noughts and Crosses, Draughts and Bingo.

For those that are more into puzzles, then Perplexus, the ultimate puzzle maze ball, is the one for you. The all-new, onthe-go compact Perplexus fulfils all your puzzle-solving needs and comes with 35 new obstacles that will keep you occupied for hours. Manoeuvre tricky 360-degree obstacles without falling off the track.

Those searching for a new game to bring out friendly rivalries this season should look no further than Less is More. In this game, players and the guesser work together to communicate the mystery word in as few letters as possible. This easy-to-learn funny card game is simple to set up and comes with a convenient QR code for a digital timer. Perfect to play with either friends or family. It is suitable for adults and kids aged eight and up. Try to get a player to guess a word with clues using as few letters as possible; the fewer the guesses, the more points you score. Great for holiday gatherings or late-night parties.

Another great option for family games night is Hedbanz. It’s everyone’s favourite game of What am I?. It’s as easy as Pick, Place, and Play. Pick your favourite headband and take a picture card without looking at the drawing.

Did you know?

Sink N’ Sand takes players on a wild jungle adventure - be the last one standing when the quicksand falls to win. It comes with an easy-to-scan QR code for detailed instructions

All in the best possible taste CHARACTER OPTIONS

0161 633 9800

sales@charactergroup.plc.uk

Character Options has an unmissable games portfolio for 2022, with exciting ontrend names added to the line-up of family favourites.

New to the collection for 2022 and sure to be a hit is Mukbang: the Game. All in good taste, this hilarious game is inspired by the massive social eating craze, where individuals – known as Mukbangers – bingeeat copious amounts of food, while interacting with their audience.

Fun for all the family, the aim of this rapid memory and reaction-based game is to match the food cards to the sounds of Mukbang. Players take turns to press the randomiser to reveal the Mukbang sound to find. Players then race to be the first to find the matching ‘plate card’. The first person to match seven sounds wins the game. But beware the Belch… if a player gets a belch they miss a turn and the cards on the table get shuffled.

For a new linguistic challenge, Character presents Word Master, which has taken inspiration from proven, addictive family games and the web-based word game Wordle. Bringing word games to the tabletop in a family-friendly fun way, Word Master is the game that requires a ‘host’ to pick a card from the deck to determine the category of their word. Using the alphabet tiles, the other players must then race against each other to guess the host’s secret five-letter word. Players take it in turns to host the round and mark the guesses. Who will be the Word Master at the end of the game?

The raft of other fun games include Projex - the projecting arcade game, where players test their speed and skill as they blast moving targets projected onto any light-coloured wall. All from the comfort of their own home, and without the need for TV screens or sensors.

Talking retail

Ian Bailey

Owner, Baileys Toymaster Gorey Co. Wexford

Tell us a little about your shop.

We have been a Toymaster member since we opened seven years ago.

We carry all major toy brands and up-to-date ranges. Based in Gorey with 5,500 sq ft of retail space, we serve a customer base from North Wexford and South Wicklow.

As an independent we are able to cater to local demand so we also carry a huge range of farm and outdoor toys.

What events or activities have you planned for half term – and Christmas holidays?

We usually tie in with local events such as the Christmas lights switch-on etc.

What do you think will be selling well this Christmas – any ideas on the Next Big Thing?

LEGO is better than ever at the moment, so I'd say it will be our big Christmas seller. Since lockdown we have seen huge demand from adults, particularly in the Technic and Star Wars ranges.

Have you altered your buying/ stocking habits when considering how shoppers might spend in

light of the cost-of-living crisis?

We have brought stock in earlier to try to beat prices rises and are very conscious of cost prices this year. Other than that we have not really changed our buying range much.

What challenges do you think you will face during the Golden Quarter?

Margin will be under pressure this year as all input costs rise.

What toy would you like to find under the Christmas tree this year?

LEGO Technic Ferrari.

Tell us a little about your shop.

We specialise in things to make and do – creative toys that really engage children.

What do you think will be selling well this Christmas – any ideas on the Next Big Thing?

We do really well with logic games around Christmas – really challenging one-player and family games, from Smart Games. They really caught the imagination of shoppers last year and we think they will again. We are excited about the new additions to the Hex Bug range; we have found a great build-your-own phone holder, which will be great for teenagers, and there are excellent new ideas in the Djeco catalogue.

Have you altered your buying/stocking habits when considering how shoppers

might spend in light of the costof-living crisis?

Yes – we have brought in a wider range of price points into our shops. People coming in with children want to have something that they can have then and there, so we’ve invested in a range of quality toys that all cost a small amount alongside our toys that are more suitable as a larger present.

What challenges do you think you will face during the Golden Quarter?

Getting things in time – last year stock was arriving sporadically, and it was hard to plan. We ended up buying very early in bulk and taking the risk rather than running out. I think it will be similar this year.

What toy would you like to find under the Christmas tree this year?

Lots of new customers in our new Cambridge shop!

If you would like to take part in Toy Talk, we’d love to hear from you. Please email tim@lemapublishing.co.uk

This month we talk to retailers about in-store events and the Next Big Thing for Christmas

Peter Allinson, Director

Whirligig Toys, Brighton, Canterbury, Chichester, Tunbridge Wells and opening in October – Cambridge.

"We have brought stock in earlier to try to beat prices rises and are very conscious of cost prices this year"

"We’ve invested in a range of quality toys that all cost a small amount alongside our toys that are more suitable as a larger present''

Liz Amphlett

Owner, Toytastik Toy Shop, Chepstow, Wales

What events or activities have you planned for half term – and Christmas holidays?

We don't usually run events/activities over half term other than maybe a Halloween promotion of a spooky 10% discount on spends over £30.

At Christmas, however, we usually get involved with the local schools and nurseries by attending PTA fetes or donating raffle prizes. Last year we organised 'Xmas shopping evenings' for the local schools where 10% of the takings were given back to the schools.

We have already been approached by one PTA asking if we were prepared to do the same this year, which we are more than happy to accommodate. It was an opportunity for parents/ grandparents/guardians to shop without the kids; many last year took the opportunity to extend the night out and take advantage of babysitters. Win win!

What do you think will be selling well this Christmas – any ideas on the Next Big Thing?

The Next Big thing isn't usually in our shop! We very rarely stock any toys that make the Top 10 list. We don't stock Lego, Barbie or many licensed products that tend to top Santa's list every year. The advantage of this I guess is that we don't disappoint as our customers know that should they want the 'in' toys they have to search elsewhere and, as we all know, sometimes demand can outstrip supply.

We pride ourselves on offering

the toys that perhaps no one knew existed. We joke that we are the internet search for people who just don't know what they want, and we always have something for the child who 'has everything' or the child who will only play on tech.

Have you altered your buying/ stocking habits when considering how shoppers might spend in light of the cost-of-living crisis?

We have ensured that we price match everything we sell, which isnt always easy given that some online sites notoriously offer ridiculous discounts.

That said, most of our toy prices are set no matter who is selling them, which ensures fairness for us little guys.

We also have simply stopped stocking certain toys where we think the price increases are totally unjustified. We do have a few suppliers (not naming and shaming!) whose prices have skyrocketed, and while we appreciate costs all round of manufacturing and shipping have increased we don't believe it's to the extent of the costs being passed down to the consumer. If that were the case, all prices across the

Dr Wendy Hamilton

industry would follow suit, but many suppliers' prices are holding steady.

What challenges do you think you will face during the Golden Quarter?

We have yet to see shopping habits dramatically change, maybe we will as we enter the Golden Quarter. However, as I maintain, we are so lucky to be a toy shop retailer on the high street as I truly believe that even in times of hardship, many do everything not to let children go without.

You may deny yourself that special cup of coffee or posh candle but most always try to protect the children from all the 'bad news'.

What toy would you like to find under the Christmas tree this year? Well unfortunately we are going through a testing time at the moment as are many others.

My husband Jon is about to have major surgery so a cheesy response is for him to be well again. We need him back at work!

Owner, Grasshopper Toys, Helensburgh, Scotland, and online

Tell us a little about your shop. We’re an independent, family-owned business based in Scotland. We have a bricks-and-mortar shop, Grasshopper Toys, as well as our online store www.curiousminds.co.uk.

What do you think will be selling well this Christmas –any ideas on the Next Big Thing?

LEGO, LEGO and a bit more LEGO. We sell a lot of Brio and Playmobil too, but Christmas always sees a lot of LEGO flying off the shelves

Have you altered your buying/stocking habits when considering how shoppers might spend in light of the cost-ofliving crisis?

At the moment it’s business as usual for us, but we’re acutely aware of the current economic climate; being

independent and family owned means we can make fast business decisions if they’re needed. What challenges do you think you will face during the Golden Quarter?

Keeping the lights on is going to be a big one. And learning to serve customers while wearing outdoor clothing.

Unless the newly formed Truss administration creates a package of support for SMEs, we will be working in the dark and in the cold.

What toy would you like to find under the Christmas tree this year?

I’d love a Dozy Dinkum [from Ollie Ella], they’re so cuddly.

"We pride ourselves on offering the toys that perhaps no one knew existed, we joke that we are the internet search for people who just don't know what they want"

"Being independent and family owned means we can make fast business decisions if they’re needed"

WHAT’S

Gloom with a view

First things first

SmartMax

www.smartmax.eu

SmartMax has added two new products to its My First range, expanding its existing pre-school magnetic construction sets.

The two on offer are My First Hide & Seek, aimed at encouraging children aged between one and three years old to set up their own peekaboo games, and My First Wobbly Cars, for kids aged up to five, which allows them to build their own wobbly vehicles and pull them along.

Thames

and

Kosmos 01580 713000

Libby@thamesandkosmos.co.uk www.thamesandkosmos.co.uk

A cooperative board game with simple rules played in three chapters for players aged 16 up. Adventure games are similar to a PC adventure game; players explore locations, combine items, find clues, talk to people, and make the right choices to win the game.

In Gloom City File, a message tears you away from your bleak, humdrum existence: three people have been kidnapped. Who is behind this and why is the perpetrator pulling you of all people, four suspended cops, into the matter? Time is of the essence and so you go to the abandoned asylum to start the investigation together. Will you be able to free the hostages and catch the perp? How the thriller ends is entirely up to you…

Go Fi?ure

sellers each year. Now Playmobil has added four play sets to the range, all with the ability to customise figures, giving fans the opportunity to create their own characters. Each set comes with a classic play scene and six disassembled characters to build and rebuild. The quartet

It’s all tutu much

Nia Ballerina is a company specialising in ballet-related toys and accessories appealing to youngsters from diverse backgrounds. Its Nia Ballerina Music Box is the first music box to feature a black ballerina.

A corking set of bricks

Toynamics

0116 478 5230

sales@toynamics.co.uk www.toynamics.com

These cork building bricks, in fun colours and shapes, give little ones from 18 months the opportunity to explore sustainable products, and stimulate their creativity and early development skills, encouraging spatial thinking and fine motor skills.

Cork benefits from being a soft, light, nonslip, durable material, that’s antibacterial. As well as being sustainable, cork is biodegradable, recyclable and carbon-negative.

Korko Block Sets are available in a choice of building block pack sizes, from Toynamics UK & Ireland, which has signed as the exclusive UK distributor for Korko.

Heavy gear Ravensburger

01869 363800 | sales@ravensburger.com www.ravensburger.com

Volvo’s construction equipment arm has teamed up with Brio for a new range based on the motoring giant’s vehicles, including a wheel loader, hauler, and excavator. The two Scandinavian companies have collaborated closely for the launch, with scaled-down versions made of wood and plastic.

Accessorise this MGA Entertainment

0800 521 558 www.mgae.com

MGA Entertainment has launched its first range of accessories for its Rainbow High brand. The set features more than 50 different accessories, taking in handbags, shoes and more. All the items can be matched with assorted dolls from the Rainbow High range, with the dolls being the fastest-growing fashion doll property in 2021 and the third biggest this year, according to NPD.

The Rainbow High Mini Accessories Studio will be supported with PR and marketing, including influencer partnerships and YouTube content.

Caught by the fuzz

Fuzzy Stars

luke@central23.co www. fuzzystars.co/collections/nunos-world Here’s Nuno, an adorable cuddly companion, available separately as a Nuno Fuzzy or as part of gift sets featuring books outlining his adventures.

The character comes from Fuzzy Stars, whose founder Luke Shelley said: “We founded Fuzzy Stars in 2021 on a mission to entertain and inspire children. Understanding just how important a soft toy is to little ones, we wanted to create the cuddliest soft toy around, but one with purpose that would introduce children to important life values. We see Nuno as a Toy for Life and when paired with his entertaining adventure books he truly is a wonderful role model.”

Showing out

Toys continue to be one of the key areas for Brand Licensing Europe, and, as the 2022 event slowly disappears in the rear-view mirror, here’s what BLE parent company Informa’s SVP for licensing Anna Knight thinks of the importance of trade shows…

The return of the trade show has been a highlight of post-pandemic business in the toy and licensing industries and beyond.

A look at the crowds at Autumn Fair shows that, while BLE has again proved its worth across the spectrum with its 2022 event. But after the high of returning in 2021, shows need to keep up the magic.

As Informa Markets’ VP for licensing Anna Knight says: “Trade shows are critical business drivers for industry. At BLE, our purpose is to provide a platform for the licensing industry to have meaningful conversations that will help to drive their businesses forward. Those conversations may be around IP in meetings with brands, they may be knowledge sharing during one of BLE’s brilliant educational sessions or they could take place in one of our many lively networking events.

“At BLE, we also feel we have an obligation to help educate and share best practice with attendees so that we can all do businesses better, which is why we focused day three on sustainability and DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion).”

The long lockdown periods of 2020 and 2021, the slow return to meetings and so on, taught us all a lot about ourselves, as Knight notes: “During lockdown, we learned that the

licensing industry is very sociable and, while we carried on virtually, meeting face to face and seeing properties and product in person so that you can touch, feel and experience them is incredibly important to this sector.”

This year saw BLE trying on a fashion theme for the event, something that tied in not just to the clothes side of the business, but had more than a nod to toys too.

“Fashion is one of the biggest licensing categories and it’s important because it’s creative, dynamic, exciting and always pushing boundaries. At BLE, we had spectacular fashion catwalk shows including Collabs, Food & Beverage, Kids, Culture & Unity (featuring the Black Lives Matter Movement and spotlighting Blackowned businesses and the LGBT community) and the Sustainability catwalk with Products of Change, Junk Kouture and United Nations.

Brands taking part in this year’s theme included Mattel, SEGA, The Smurfs, NBCUniversal, Cry Babies and more. There were also High-end product showcases on display close to the catwalk and in the main entrances featuring products modelled in the catwalk shows; The License Global Theatre had several fashion-focused sessions and the Barbie x Fashion opening keynote on the first day was with Mattel COO and president Richard Dickson; while the Products of Change team were on hand to provide

free sustainability advice.”

As Julian Moon, senior vice president at Warner Bros. Consumer Products EMEA had earlier noted: “There’s a lot of innovation going on in fashion, with online, phygital and in-store experiences – it’s an exciting space to be in. BLE’s fashion focus this year is a chance to underscore just how vital fashion is to a brand eco-system, as another touchpoint for fans to connect to their favourite properties. It’s also a recognition of how far licensed apparel has come.’’

Retailers who wavered in 2021 or 2022 should also note the inroads BLE has made – and continues to make – in supporting their side of the business.

As Knight adds: “BLE has been organising and running the Retail Mentoring Programme for over a decade now, which invites retailers who want to learn more about licensing to take part in a CPDaccredited programme, including educational content, licensor days and attendance at BLE. This is our most subscribed year and we’ve had amazing feedback.

“At the show, we introduced orientation sessions and show tours for anyone who was new to BLE and/or licensing to help them make the most of their time at the show. We also had the Retail Lounge at the show, which retailers had exclusive access to, as well as retail-focused content across the educational content.”

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