13 minute read
Trade Talk - suppliers share their challenges and achievements
TRADE OPINION Trade talk
Calling all suppliers and distributors! We’d love to hear your views. Get in touch with Clare@lemapublishing.co.uk to have your say!
This month we ask suppliers what challenges they are facing, how they will continue to ensure demand for their products, and what marketing activity they are planning for Q4
MAYUR PATTNI
Marketing Manager Simba Smoby Toys UK
What’s been your proudest achievement over the past few months?
On a personal note getting married at the end of spring is definitely my proudest achievement of the year, especially after a few lockdown postponements! But on the business side, growing the overall profile of the Simba and Smoby brands is definitely a highlight. The customer awareness and loyalty for Smoby, for example, is at an all-time high and has once again grown year-on-year. This has also been reflected at the tills and at retail overall, with many new retail customers being added this year for the brand.
What currently poses the biggest challenge?
As we all know, everyone in the industry has a huge challenge with shipping at the moment. With us, there are some challenges with a few of our brands but we have been able to overcome many. With Smoby for instance, much of the inventory comes from Europe. There are some increases in transport costs but not nearly as much as some companies are experiencing. This has been reflected in onward cost for our retailers who can also be confident of supply due to the closer origins of the products.
How will you continue to ensure demand for your products?
The key for us will be to continue with our investment, not just in TV but in social and digital media too. Smoby has its own platforms, but all of the other brands have a robust strategy behind them too. We are reaping the rewards of this, which in turn allows us to invest more.
What marketing activity can we expect for Q4?
Smoby, and Masha and the Bear all have robust TV and pre-roll activity, while our new construction raceway brand FleXtreme is also high on the agenda,ensuring these brands are top of mind with the consumer especially in the run-up to Christmas. The Toy Story and Cars diecast ranges will have their own campaigns targeting core Disney fans though digital, TV and VoD. I would say it’s our greatest marketing investment yet for a Q4 season, and when you add to this the strength of the PR and social activity we have going on, there’s certainly a lot to look forward to.
KATY FLETCHER
Head of Marketing & Product Development Ravensburger
What’s been your proudest achievement over the past few months?
In January, we were recognised as a standout performer in the games and puzzle category by the Toy Retailers Association (TRA) as part of the annual Toy of the Year awards, and we were absolutely thrilled. This was made possible by our passionate and dedicated team who have worked exceptionally hard over the past 18 months, our valued trade partners, and loyal endusers. We also moved office during lockdown and are excited to welcome our team back to a brand-new refurbished office; we can’t wait to invite our retail partners into our new state-of-the art showroom to see our new ranges.
What currently poses the biggest challenge?
Over the past 18 months we’ve really missed previews and the opportunity to get products into the hands of our retailer customers. We are so excited to be showcasing again faceto-face at the AIS show and the Toymaster regional meetings. The same goes with our consumers, where events and in-store demos play a key part within our marketing activities. We’ve been working on a host of online assets but there is nothing quite like hands-on play.
How will you continue to ensure demand for your products?
Our ‘consumer first’ approach is at the heart of everything we do. We continue to invest heavily in consumer research to create games, puzzles, playsets, arts & crafts, and construction products which will be played with time and time again, offering longevity and sustainability. We are working hard to ensure our retail partners have support in planning their inventory, backed with the breadth of range to support demand. Many will be supported with marketing programmes focusing on digital, coupled with in-store displays and events where possible.
What marketing activity can we expect for Q4?
We have content-rich marketing plans supporting many of our categories with 360 marketing. We are investing significantly in the games category, highlighting launches such as #UpsideDownChallenge game and Cat and Mouse and classic favourites like Labyrinth and Funny Bunny. We will be working hard to keep puzzling top of mind, with both 2D and our 3D puzzles receiving extensive support through TV, digital, influencer, PR, and print campaigns. BRIO’s always on-trend marketing approach, led by the BRIO World Railway, will ramp up through Q4, and also focus on the technology-led Smart Tech Sound and a beautiful new Disney Princess Castle.
CreArt, a high-quality paint-by-numbers range, is a brandnew addition to our portfolio, and we’ll back this with digital, PR and influencer activity. Our GraviTrax construction brand will also be supported with a host of high-profile marketing activities, targeted with advertising through TikTok, Pinterest and Snapchat. To summarise, we’ve got a very busy Q4 of marketing activity ahead of us!
KATE GIBSON
Managing Director Gibsons
What’s been your proudest achievement over the past few months?
Managing our company through a period of huge change and growth and ensuring we are set up for the future. When I look back on where we were 18 months ago, so much has changed and we have so much to be proud of, as well as a great team to take us forward! Strong results in 2020 allowed us to make signifi cant charitable donations at the end of our fi nancial year, which is an important part of who we are as a company. Winning a Gift of the Year award for our Rainbow Heroes and Advent calendar puzzles was a proud moment too. We’ve launched some fantastic products this year.
What currently poses the biggest challenge?
There are probably two key areas. The fi rst is the ever-increasing costs we are experiencing whether it be raw materials or shipping. Sadly, we don’t have a crystal ball, so navigating this is challenging at what is undeniably a diffi cult time for everyone.
Secondly, coming out of the pandemic; a time in history that has had a huge impact on everyone - on the morale and mental health of us all.
How will you continue to ensure demand for your products?
We will continue to innovate in our category but also to listen to what our customers are telling us. Gibsons’ mission is to bring people together. The more we understand what our customers want, the more we can tap into this and ensure we fulfi l our mission and their more we can tap into this and ensure we fulfi l our mission and their expectations of our brand. Providing an excellent expectations of our brand. Providing an excellent service to our customers is hugely important; meeting their needs and resolving any concerns quickly is paramount in ensuring they stay loyal. We get many letters and emails “Providing an congratulating our team on the service excellent service they provide.
to our customers What marketing activity What marketing activity is hugely can we expect for Q4?
important to us” We have plenty going on, not least our Christmas in July event and working Christmas in July event and working with our PR company to ensure our products reach the right audiences, in particular our Christmas Advent Calendar jigsaw puzzle.
HANNAH CORNISH
Account Manager for the South and Ireland Big Potato Games What’s been your proudest achievement over the past few months?
Personally, it’s been working with my indie retailers and the Great Board Game Trade In, which is an initiative we ran throughout July and August. We offered customers the chance to bring in any old board game, which was then recycled to a charity or community centre and the customer got 20% off. After such a hard year for our retailers, it was great to be able to work with them giving something back to
“A lot of the community.
our smaller What currently poses the biggest retailers are challenge?
understandably The biggest challenge is coming out of worried about another the pandemic and hopefully staying out of it! A lot of our smaller retailers are understandably worried about another lockdown… so lockdown and being sat on too much stock we want to help again during their busiest times, so we want support them as to help support them as best we can.
best we can” How will you continue to ensure demand for your products?
We have an amazing team of people at Big Potato and some super creative people that are coming up with new ideas all the time. Our boxes really stand out on the shelves and the game play is quick and easy to pick up, so they appeal to almost everyone. We have lots of exciting fi rsts coming out this year, including our puzzles and action adventure board game What Next? We also have another great licence coming out - Mean Girls the Party Game - which we are super excited about!
What marketing activity can we expect for Q4?
With in-person events still mostly off the calendar for the rest of 2021, we are continuing to look at new and exciting ways to showcase Big Potato. Expect more online quizzes, videos and even our very fi rst gameshow.
PHIL RATCLIFFE
Joint Managing Director MV Sports & Leisure What’s been your proudest achievement over the past few months?
Being part of a strong team, which has seen the company successfully navigate one of the most turbulent periods I can remember.
What currently poses the biggest challenge?
Freight rates, increasing costs, “We are on and availability a mission to of containers. Everyone is facing the same supply enhance our online content chain problems at and increase the moment. our social media
How will you presence”continue to ensure demand for your products?
Demand for our products is surging and most brands/licences are in growth. It’s not necessarily about ensuring demand, as opposed to managing expectations.
What marketing activity can we expect for Q4?
We are on a mission to enhance our online content and increase our social media presence. We also have a few additional plans up our sleeve for later in the year.
TRADE OPINION Trade talk
SARA TAYLOR
General Manager UK – Sales & Marketing Spin Master
What’s been your proudest achievement over the past few months?
It’s been a really exciting time for Spin Master, especially with the launch of the PAW Patrol Movie driving lots of excitement around the brand, and we’ve launched a number of brilliant products including The Ultimate City Movie Tower and Total City Rescue Playset. For A/W, we’ve had a number of proud moments including the relaunch of brands such as Zoobles and big wins of licences such as Wizarding World and Batman.
What currently poses the biggest challenge?
There are continued industry-wide challenges coming from the lasting impacts of the Covid pandemic including shipping costs and delays and container shortages. This is on top of the soaring raw material cost increases that we are all having to face, which undoubtedly is going to create price inflation for the first time in several years.
How will you continue to ensure demand for your products?
Spin Master has several licence brands that we have won over the past year which come with strong fan bases that ensure a continuing demand for our products. We will also continue to over-invest in our brands and back up products with strong marketing plans in the lead up to Christmas.
What marketing activity can we expect for Q4?
For the rest of the year, we will continue to support our brands with a range of marketing activity including TV, digital and social. We will also continue to increase our brand visibility in store as more customers return to shops.
ROGER MARTIN
Hobby & Independent Channel Director Asmodee UK
What’s been your proudest achievement over the past few months?
Can I have two? Firstly, the inspirational effort of all the teams across the business to successfully meet the exceptional demand for the Pokémon Trading Card Game - thanks to the Pokémon Company for their support too!
Secondly, how the team has adapted to hybrid working through the twists and turns of the pandemic.
What currently poses the biggest challenge?
In the wake of Brexit, the supply chain continues to be a challenge. But we anticipated this and have worked hard to mitigate the effects.
How will you continue to ensure demand for your products?
James Arnold, a super-talented marketeer, has joined us as head of marketing, so watch this space for some very exciting campaigns!
What marketing activity can we expect for Q4?
There's a lot to come for both nationals and indies. Particularly exciting is a major new sponsorship deal with CITV, while our newly launched Retailer Reward Scheme sees us step up our support of our customers even further.
NICKY THOMAS-DAVIES
Board Game Sales and Marketing Manager Thames & Kosmos
What has been your proudest achievement over the past few months?
Weathering the pandemic storm and keeping our staff safe and socially distanced by closing our store and repurposing it as an office. And being nominated for Spiel des Jahres, the biggest award in board gaming, for The Adventures of Robin Hood!
What currently poses the biggest challenge?
We have not raised our prices over the past five years despite an astronomical increase in shipping costs. Working through our backlog of game production post-lockdown has been a challenge, as well as difficulty in getting the items shipped to us. We don’t like delays but to some degree they seem to be unavoidable at the moment.
How will you continue to ensure demand for your products?
We have a wide range of games and are not pigeonholed into one particular genre; this helps us to ensure that we have something for everyone. We listen to our customers: a game of Andor for younger players? We can do that. Eco-friendly games? Yes, we are actively working towards that. Communication with our customers is key.
What marketing activity can we expect for Q4?
Following our successful stand at UK Games Expo, Autumn Fair and the Leisure, Toy and Gift Fair, we have a YouTube channel for our customers with playthroughs, short information videos and reviews of our games. In addition to targeted end-user advertising in print media, we also have a thriving social media presence on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook and we’re branching out into TikTok! Follow @ kosmosgamesuk for regular updates about our games (old and new), news from the company, and competitions and giveaways for end-users.
