Toys n Playthings September 2023

Quick ly think of a wo rd using the letters on the cards , then pass the bomb to the nex t player. If yo u’re holding the bomb when the timer goes off, it ’s game over!

Chairman Malcolm Naish malcolm@lemapublishing.co.uk

Managing Director Mark Naish mark@lemapublishing.co.uk

Media & Sales Manager Claire Naish clairenaish@lemapublishing.co.uk

Editor Tim Murray tim@lemapublishing.co.uk

Assistant Editor Naomi MacKay naomi@lemapublishing.co.uk

Retail Editor Clare Turner clare@lemapublishing.co.uk

Production Director Paul Naish paul@lemapublishing.co.uk

Circulation Manager Robert Thomas robert@lemapublishing.co.uk

Tim Murray

I’ve spent the last few weeks ruminating over games and puzzles, while pulling together the big feature on that sector as featured in this issue of Toys n Playthings. It coincided with an Ambassadors piece too, featuring a couple of games from those smart folk at Asmodee, including the latest iteration of its favourite Dobble.

I’ve long been fascinated by Dobble, a game that, alongside Uno, was a staple of family holidays with my two kids when they were younger. Both were equally addictive, but Dobble completely baffled me, mainly because I was trying to work out how it was developed as a game.

When my son was doing A-level maths, and after studying probability and other such elements, he and his brother tried explaining to me at some length how it worked, but I just couldn’t seem to get my head around it.

And now, over the past weeks while pulling the feature and issue together, I spent a few nights playing another Asmodee title I have become similarly obsessed with, Bananagrams. If explaining it to someone in a sentence or two, I’d probably start by saying it was a little like Scrabble, but that would be doing an injustice to this innovative game. It really is addictive, even if I was, I must admit, not as good as I thought I would be (I felt more like a Taskmaster contestant, rushing around like a headless chicken while achieving the sum total of nothing), but it’s huge fun nonetheless. Like Dobble, it comes in innovative, handy packaging that is smart but also boasts a certain amount of durability and robustness too.

Both Dobble and Bananagrams come from Asmodee, one of the companies

that features heavily in our games and puzzles feature in the current issue.

In my time in this industry, I’ve been struck by the ability, nay, desire, to innovate and to develop new games, brainteasers and more. While it would be daft to suggest that one sector of the industry is more innovative than any other, games (and puzzles) must be among the most exciting out there. I’ve spoken before about R1 DJ and game inventor Matt Edmondson and the relish with which he talks about his creations and playing games in general. Playing Bananagrams the other week, I knew exactly what he meant.

There’s plenty more innovation due in the sector in the run-up to Christmas - the perfect board and card game season - as outlined at length in our comprehensive feature in the sector.

And there’s more in marketing terms too, as we’ve also looked at the marketing being lined up for the final quarter of the year from toy companies. It’s another area that toy companies are having to innovate in, not least because children and teens - their target markets in most instances - have been the quickest to move away from TV and on to other screens competing for their eyeballs, meaning marketeers in the industry have to be nimble to reach them when they’re switching off TVs and turning on phones, tablets and other devices.

There’s plenty more here too, but in an issue that celebrates innovation, it’s good to also cover some big retail efforts as well. I spent time in two stores these past few weeks – Disney for the launch of Ravensburger’s Disney Lorcana TCG and also the new Bandai Namco store in Camden – and there’s great to see innovation there, first from Ravensburger in its ambitious launch plans for the game, and then, in north London, for the creative and bold type of retail proposition being offered by Bandai, where the experiential is as important as the product that’s filling the shelves.

Enjoy the issue and see you in a few weeks’ time…

At the heart of retail TableWare INTERNATIONAL

J

“ ” toys n playthings toys_n_playthings @toysnplaythings toy 'n' playthings

LEADER

the anniversary being celebrated by Toy Fair in 2024, as the event celebrates seven decades in existence. The BTHA has announced that the event has now sold out for exhibitors and is further expanding. For news, see pp10-11.

The month in numbers

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

Six– the number of different Dobble variants available at McDonald’s as part of an Asmodee Happy Meal promotion. The summer holiday offer, which ran from July 19 to August 22, featured the original plus five other versions.

Jo Shapley, Asmodee marketing manager, said: “We know that when we get our games directly into people’s hands, they fall in love with them. Dobble of course is a family game and launching this collaboration with McDonald’s was timely for the school summer holiday season. This promotion offered everyone the opportunity to collect six mini Dobble games, featuring the classic game as well as five new versions, exclusive to Happy Meal. These included Animals, Camping, Fantasy, Water, and Fruits and Vegetables. Initial feedback from families was positive and we’re excited to see the results at the end of the campaign.”

the percentage yearon-year growth of retail sales value (RSV) being reported by some stores for the latest Panini launch, Premier League Adrenalyn XL 2024. The collectibles company has reported a huge uptick in sales in the first three weeks at retail.

the percentage of British people who actively seek out Japanese collectibles and consumables. The figure came from Bandai Namco to mark the opening of the Bandai Namco Cross Store in Camden, north London, via a survey. For feature, see pp14-15…

1,500

the number of exclusive limited edition SuperThings golden collectibles up for grabs for consumers as part of a new nationwide marketing initiative from Magicbox.

The offer, communicated via social media and influencers, gives collectors the chance to redeem the Golden Professor K SuperThings figure after spending £15 at participating retailers. A further geocache initiative will similarly offer giveaways.

Suzie Howes, head of marketing, Magicbox UK, said: “We wanted to create a memorable experience for our SuperThings fans. By blending the hype of an exclusive collectible with the excitement of geocaching, we aim to engage our audience on a deeper level.’’

Katie Gritt, head of marketing for sport at Panini, said “The response to the launch of the new Premier League Adrenalyn XL 2024 Trading Card Game has been incredible. We knew our collectors would love the new design and were confident that the Golden Ballers would cause real excitement so we couldn’t be more delighted with the sales we are seeing across all skus and all retail channels as a result. Last year’s collection retained a double-digit uplift on the previous year for the whole product lifecycle and this collection looks set to be even bigger. This is just the start.”

Curious and curiouser

With only six years’ trading under its belt, Curious Universe is adding another feather to its bow with a move into the toy world from its traditional arts and crafts (and books and stationery) roots. CEO John Styring talks us through its move into toys, its successes and more…

Launching just a few years ahead of a global pandemic – and then facing up to that pandemic and all the problems it brought – you’d be forgiven for thinking that Curious Universe (CU) has had a rocky induction into the world, its upbringing blighted by problems.

But, aided by the fact that one of the key planks of its business was arts and crafts, a sector that thrived under lockdown, the company has positively blossomed since it was founded in 2017.

This autumn sees the Bath-based Curious Universe moving into the toy world with the launch of not one but two brands - Crystalverse and Cutesville - both coming to market in the final quarter and both heralding its move into another sector alongside the arts and crafts, stationery and books side of the business.

The company is nothing if not ambitious. But CEO John Styring, who founded the company alongside his business and real-life partner Briony Britten, creative director at Curious Universe, believes that its smaller size has helped it first set up, then get through the pandemic, and now more into increased diversification.

And, he states, they’ve only just begun.

“Business is good,” he tells TnP, “but in a way, it’s easy when you’re a small player.

“We only started the business in 2017; we’ve grown from zero to £30m revenues a year, and we’re now employing just shy of 100 people. We love what we do, we’re really creative, we’re creating more than 600 new products a year. It’s all exciting but we’re still in our infancy.”

The smaller size means, he agrees, that CU can be nimble and fleet of foot, which certainly helped during the pandemic.

“About 40% of our customers couldn’t trade during lockdown,” he says. “We felt for those retailers that couldn’t keep going through the pandemic and we lost a bit of market share there. But we were still relatively in our infancy and able to introduce ourselves to other people.

“Arts and crafts was very very strong, as were jigsaws, there was a a massive boom. There was a lot of demand and although it was not as easy to be creative – that collaboration was a bit lacking – it worked.

“We pride ourselves on being fast movers and fast to react,

following on trends and coming up with new products, responding to customers’ requirements.”

Ironically, the company was preparing for lockdown and how best to work under restrictions; only the swiftness of the lockdown in March 2020 took them by surprise – the practice took place one day before the country shut down.

Curious Universe grew during the boom in arts and crafts product – and jigsaws – in the pandemic, but has managed to continue that into the postCovid world.

“We were quite small in March 2020,” explains Styring, “but having been introduced to a wider audience, our trajectory has continued up. This coincided with us massively widening the number and kind of products we do. We’ve got paint by numbers under ArtMaker, Crystal Creations, CraftMaker and lots of products fall under those brands, We’re probably doing 300 new products in arts and crafts a year.

“And by doing that., we’ve become a one-stop shop for many retailers. Rather than dealing with four companies for those different areas, they can go to one and get the quality and the thought that goes behind it.”

We only started the business in 2017, we’ve grown from zero to £30m revenues a year

The jigsaw business has continued too: “We sold 1.25m jigsaws last year,” he laughs, “we’re quite good in that as well!”

He believes the company’s relatively small size – now just under 100 employees at its Bath HQ – means it can move quickly, which has helped this growth. Curious Universe, he notes, has grown its reputation and can bring a nimbleness to the business, not just in speed to market, but also in its ability to innovate and innovate quickly.

This autumn sees Curious Universe moving into the toy business with not one but two launches – Crystalverse and Cutesville. The company had always planned to have four branches of business – arts and crafts, toys, stationery and books, the latter being the lynchpin the company was formed on, given Styring and Britten’s previous company was in that sector. Arts and crafts came next after CU took on the distribution of an Australian company’s products in the UK, with toys being the next move.

“We want to have a unique approach to each [of the four areas,” says Styring. “We were fortunate during lockdown because of arts and crafts. We formed relationships with many of the retailers, so jumping into toys was easier.”

Launched at Toy Fair at the start of the year, it’s been a learning curve (Styring says the earlier prototypes were “fairly rudimentary” and didn’t represent what the product was going to be like), but all in Bath are pleased with how it’s progressing.

“It’s just really exciting to have got that product in,” he says. “Someone here said ‘I can’t believe how good it is’, that’s the reaction you want. It’s really strong, creative, got play value, we’re excited about it.

“Comparing yourselves with a Mattel, Spin Master or Hasbro… they’ve got these big budgets for what we call sales materials – prototypes – that’s where we need to improve so we can represent that product better.

“But we’ve got more than 50% of the market in terms of retailer take-up, so that’s pretty strong.”

He says support is across the board, from “the indies, which we’re delighted with, probably through most of the well-known chains and going through a large number of multiples, too. Some of

2024 talk..

those are Spring/Summer 2024, others are there are at launch in q4 - it’ll be interesting to see how it launches.”

Others, he said, are waiting for the company to prove itself in the market, while some are going for one and not the other. “We’ve had quite a lot of retailers say ‘I like them both but I’m going for one, Cutesville’ or ‘I’m going for Crystalverse’. It’s Probably 60:40 or 70:30 to Crystalverse. Both have a long play value, which is good during this cost-ofliving crisis where people are looking for more value for money from their toys. They have a repeatable value.”

Curious Universe is relishing the prospect though, as Styring notes: “We’re new. Every single new opportunity needs to be nurtured and every single glimmer of hope of getting product to the consumer needs to be pushed forward.

“We’re keen as mustard to get out there, we’re new at it as well, so we’re trying to bring new approaches.”

The challenge now, he adds, is “to let people know about it”.

To this end, the company has inked a deal with Havas Entertainment, which will see it looking after media campaigns for the two launches. “Havas really wanted to understand our audience and work with us. They’ve put together a really strong digital-first campaign, which is really about raising awareness of Crystalverse and Cutesville.

“We’d never done such a large marketing campaign before, we needed to find the right partner and I think we have done that with Havas.”

It’s not just about Cutesville and Crystalverse though. There are other plans afoot too.

And while toys might represent 2023’s big launch, Curious Universe is not taking its foot off the

“And when we talk about 2024, we have a lot of character licences coming as well in arts and crafts. We’re the official arts and crafts partner of Squishmallows; we’ve got My Little Pony, Paw Patrol, Cocomelon, Magic Mixies and Playdoh. That’s new for us, we’ve not done licences before and that gives us an extension to our product.”

pedal elsewhere. “We’ve got quite lofty ambitions. All the other areas are still planned to grow at different rates this year; toys is planned to grow the most.”

There’s more, too. “We’re planning to launch six new brands at Toy Fair 2024, he states. “And we’re about to launch CU Games, board games, family games.

“And when we talk about 2024, we have a lot of character licences coming as well in arts and crafts. We’re the official arts and crafts partner of Squishmallows; we’ve got My Little Pony, Paw Patrol, Cocomelon, Magic Mixies and Playdoh. That’s new for us, we’ve not done licences before and that gives us an extension to our product.”

It doesn’t stop there - Styring says the company is keen to develop further sustainability initiatives, aided by his young workforce.

“We’re trying to grow a business and we’ve got lots of people joining, these people also care so much. We’ve got lots of people straight from university or in their first, second or third jobs, Gen Zers –they all really care about sustainability.”

What also further helps with recruitment is the number of awards that CU has picked up, ranging from the Sunday Times for fastest growing small business, through to those celebrating its diversity and inclusion policies.

“Those awards mean a lot,” he adds. “It means someone is saying ‘I like what you’re doing I see you care about your product, care about customers, you’re growing the business but you care about your people as well’.”

Styring and Curious Universe are clearly highly motivated to do well. As he concludes: “The environment here is pretty exciting. It’s a lovely place to generate ideas. Someone asked me, ‘which bit do you like most?’ I’m kind of lucky, I get to play in all the different areas. But it’s mostly about product and customers. You get those right and it all falls into place.

“All the ideas come from our customers, our research or my wife Briony Britten. She rarely gets credit. For us it’s a wonderful big playing field.”

Now it’s on to Crystalverse and Cutesville. “We’re looking forward to bringing our own brands to life. I’d like people to hear about Crystalverse and then I’d like them to hear about Cutesville. “If we do our job people will. Once they see it on a shelf they will buy it. You never know, but I think they will, it’s a really well thought-through product.

“We’re so far down the line of 2024, we’re starting to think about 2025. All that hard work that’s gone into all the product on the shelf now, getting data from it in Q4; I want to see it fly. There’s nothing more pleasurable than to have people ringing up saying that’s working. It’s out there. We want to see people buying it.”

We want to have a unique approach to each [of the four areas]. We were fortunate during lockdown because of arts and crafts. We formed relationships with many of the retailers, so jumping into toys was easier

Simba Smoby glows in the summer

Simba Smoby lit up proceedings at the family-friendly Gloworm Festival with a raft of activity.

Character’s Simbrix builds awareness

Character Options has kicked off the marketing for its pixel art building system Simbrix with what it said is an “all-encompassing campaign’’. With stock of the system now in stores, its online activity has gone live, influencers are starting to spread the word and ‘heavyweight’ pre-roll advertising is due soon. The new website built by Character – at www.simbrix.com – has launched, offering up details of what’s available and where to get it, alongside tips on what to build and how to get the most from Simbrix. There’s also a YouTube channel alongside the online portal with influencers further creating content for their channels too. All this comes in addition to “robust” marketing, which will, the company said, drive sales. A statement said: “A branded TV spot will lead the Linear TV and YouTube Preroll campaign, supporting the recruitment drive from launch until Christmas. Plus, there will be in-store support for retailers, as well as magazine covermount sampling to get Simbrix into kids’ hands; small creative packs will be distributed via Redan Publishing’s new creative kids’ magazine Skoodle.’’

TOMY gets in the Mood

After a show-stealing performance on BBC’s Dragons’ Den, the femalefounded Mood Bears plush company has signed on the dotted line with Tomy in a deal that sees the toy giant acquiring “future manufacturing, sales, and distribution” rights to the range.

Joanna Proud, the founder of the plush, which promotes mental health positivity by

encouraging users – both children and adults – to hug their bears when feeling low; the bears are named and colour co-ordinated after different anxieties, appeared in the show to ask for investment and all five Dragons funded her in return for a stake in the business.

And after the Mood Bears site was inundated with orders following transmission back in the spring, she is now expanding on a global sale after inking the Tomy deal.

Mary Wood, MD at Tomy, said: “We are delighted to be working alongside Joanna, and can’t wait to start growing the Mood Bears brand together. The Mood Bears products are really unique and special. We’re confident that they will be a global success thanks to their universal appeal.”

The company was a sponsor of the August event for the second year running, with its Smoby Play Zone featuring playhouses and slides as well as its Aquaplay water toys. All kept families busy at the festival in Newark, Notts.

It’s also been busy in the capital too, with a month-long takeover at Kidzania, in the Westfield shopping centre in west London. Its roleplay toys have featured in the kindergarten area, with attendance boosted by celebrity brand ambassador Ashley James.

Sophie Bryan, brand manager at Simba Smoby UK, said: “August is a hugely exciting month for us as we’ve created two unique opportunities for consumers to truly enjoy Smoby and AquaPlay products first-hand. This experiential marketing drive is key to building both brand awareness and loyalty and we’re incredibly pleased with how well both activations have been received.”

Into Q4, Simba Smoby will be unveiling a huge media campaign

for its lead lines. The company said: “This activity will be headlined by a TV campaign showcasing the brand’s renowned Black + Decker replica workbenches, its realistic, feature-packed kitchens including the Tefal Studio Utility and Tefal XL Bubble Kitchens, and the superfun My Beauty Centre, through a 30 second spot. The high-impact family-focused campaign kicks off in September, ensuring the brand will be front of mind with families as they look to keep the kids entertained indoors and start thinking ahead to Christmas.”

Jumbo’s smash Hitster gets marketing boost

The Jumbo Group has announced plans for the launch campaign for its new Hitster game, with the company using its newly-bolstered marketing team planning to drive demand “from the very outset”.

And its marketing won’t end with Hitster, which is launching in the UK and Ireland after smashing its way to success in mainland Europe, as the company is also planning what it said was “a huge rise in marketing investment” for the fourth quarter.

Hitster is a music card game that covers a century of hits and gets players to listen to them and place them in chronological order.

The launch campaign has included enlisting influencers and celebrities for an experiential element, with demonstrations at music festivals and the likes. It also includes digital advertising, with heavyweight presence across the likes of YouTube and TikTok, alongside an “always-on” Meta strand.

It’s not just Hitster though, as Jumbo has promised a “whirlwind of marketing activity across our brands”, including a major investment in Galt Toys and a particular focus on its Wasjig puzzles.

Jumbodiset and James Galt & Co merged just over four years ago and a dedicated marketing team has now been established within Jumbo Group under the stewardship of James Galt & Co general manager Jacqueline Taylor Foo. Katherine Mooney is head of marketing, with Hannah Preston as social media manager and Jonathan Hartley working on ecommerce.

Simbrix is a huge priority for us this season Brand manager, Character Options

BTHA Briefing

In

Toy Fair sells out already and adds further space

The 70th anniversary Toy Fair is set to be bigger and better than ever after the BTHA announced that it has sold out of exhibition space five months ahead of the doors being flung open at Olympia.

And Toy Fair 2024 is set to expand further into the vast Olympia complex in west London to accommodate the growing demand for space at what proudly proclaims to be the country’s largest toy, game and hobby trade show.

As well as taking over the huge Grand and National Halls at the west London location, next year’s Toy Fair will also move into part of the Upper West Hall too.

More than 200 exhibitors have signed up for the show, which takes place from January 23-25. Among them is Tomy, which is returning to the show and will be in the expanded Upper West Hall area. Tomy MD Mary Wood said: “With Tomy’s 100th anniversary being celebrated in 2024, what better way to do that than being back at London Toy Fair! Our team

have been working with incredible passion to bring an immense amount of new ranges and new product to the market. We can’t wait to show customers what we think is going to be our most stunning collection in years!”

The BTHA’s director of Toy Fair, Majen Immink, said: “We are delighted to welcome back Tomy, especially in their 100th year. To be able to expand into the Upper West Hall to accommodate the growing demand for space on top of an extremely high returnee rate speaks volumes for the strength of the show and the importance and value the industry places on it.

“It’s a fantastic achievement to have sold out of space with five months still to go. We have now opened up a waiting list and will endeavour to fulfil requests where possible. We very much look forward to supporting all our exhibitors over over the coming months and preparing for another jam-packed three days of successful business.”

Sambro breaks the plastic egg mould

Sambro is continuing in its efforts to become more sustainable and after concluding an audit of its products, is “reimagining” packaging for some of its lines in a move that will save almost 13 tonnes of plastic a year.

The new-look fully recyclable packaging – seen here in an as yet unapproved by licensor form – replaces its old egg-shaped plastic packaging.

It’s paper-based, similar to a milk carton, is completely recyclable and includes an extra play element too.

Lisa Longley, Sambro’s ethical and sustainability manager, said: “Sambro is committed to working with its licensors to develop more sustainable packaging solutions. As part of our wider ESG commitments, we have a road map which addresses how we can better use 100% recycled and recyclable materials in our packaging. While practical, our current egg-shaped packaging is not easily recyclable and offers little secondary use for customers.”

Last month we were delighted to announce that Toy Fair 2024 has sold out five months ahead of the show opening and will expand into the Upper West Hall to accommodate the growing demand for space.

Next year will be the show’s 70th anniversary and will take place at Olympia London from January 23-25. More than 200 exhibiting companies will be occupying the Grand and National halls on both levels- and now also part of the Upper West Hall.

One of the stands to occupy the Upper West Hall will be Tomy, which is returning to the show in 2024. If companies would like to join the waiting list, please contact Rebecca@btha.co.uk.

Coming up later this month on September 20, we will be hosting a webinar in conjunction with our sustainability and compliance partner Beyondly, on packaging EPR recent updates. The key aims of the webinar are to provide a full update on deferral of EPR aspects to 2025, and resultant 2024 packaging compliance requirements and impacts to the toy industry and provide an explanation of data submissions and financial obligations in 2024 and beyond for BTHA members to achieve compliance. There will also be an extended Q&A to get all EPR queries answered. This webinar is available to members of the BTHA only. To join the webinar, please contact Rebecca@btha.co.uk.

We are already planning for the Toy Trust Christmas Card. The BTHA is once again giving the industry the opportunity to provide an alternative to sending out Christmas cards to clients, while ensuring all proceeds go directly to disadvantaged and disabled children through the work of the industry charity, The Toy Trust.

The annual Christmas Card initiative, which is kindly supported by the industry’s trade publications will offer your company the opportunity to include its logo in a Christmas ‘thank you’ double page spread. There is a minimum donation of £350, but £500 is a suggested donation and of course greater donations are welcomed. Contact Tracey@btha.co.uk.

For more about BTHA membership, contact Tracey@ btha.co.uk or visit the BTHA website at www.btha.co.uk.

its latest briefing, the BTHA updates on Toy Fair (seel also left) as well as outlining the weeks – and months – ahead…

Queues as Disney Lorcana launches for specialists

Disney Lorcana – the first-ever trading card (TCG) game from puzzle and game giant Ravensburger working alongside Disney – officially launched on Friday August 18, with the game going into specialist stores as part of a carefully managed release strategy.

The release was accompanied by three midnight openings around the country as well as a signing and demo at Disney’s flagship retail Oxford Street store.

TnP was at the latter event in the heart of London’s West End and the turnout was hugely impressive as scores of fans, young and old, turned out in force, with a line around the store waiting to get their hands on cards and more.

The first punters – a mixture of keen TCG enthusiasts as well as eager Disney fans – turned up at 9am, despite the event not even getting underway until six hours later. Staff told them to come back later (noting they’d remember who the first arrivals were) and by lunchtime queues were building. They snaked around the basement of the vast store, with fans lining up to try out the game with expert players as well as get cards signed by Disney Lorcana artist Matthew Robert Davies.

Meanwhile, Disney executives at the store – helping out alongside Ravensburger staffers including much of the sales team – said they were hugely impressed with not only the numbers, but the enthusiasm of consumers for the product.

Cards and assorted Disney Lorcana items were flying off the shelves, with Disney and Ravensburger teams keenly restocking as fast as they could.

Ravensburger customer services manager Karen Jacques said: “It’s been incredibly hard work to get here but it’s been worth it. I’ve never seen anything like it in 37 years working at Ravensburger.”

IMC heads for the City

IMC Toys has forged a partnership with mobile roleplay specialists Little City that will see its Cry Babies range going into its sites.

Little City has 30 branches and also takes it activities on the road, offering some 4,500 events a year where children aged five and under can experience and play with bespoke backdrops to act out scenarios with freedom.

“We’re so excited to be working with Little City,” said Kerry Tarrant, IMC Toys UK & Germany marketing manager. “It’s a fantastic partnership for two brands where roleplay, real-life interaction, and imitation alongside emotional and social development is core. The Little City environment is spot on for Cry Babies where children can directly engage and play in whichever way they choose.”

Vicki Fletcher, owner of the Little City franchise business, added: “The team cannot wait to get the Cry Babies into their individual cities. My own children played with the dolls when they were younger, and now we get to provide that experience for all our toddlers and preschoolers, with the Cry Babies boosting limitless play possibilities.”

INDX show moves to autumn

In another shift on the toy industry calendar, the INDX Toy & Gift Show 2024 has announced it is moving from spring to September, making it the “only dedicated toy industry trade show taking place in autumn 2024”.

The decision was taken after organisers sought feedback from AIS members, visitors and exhibitors, with one eye on the already congested spring calendar.

Next year’s event will now take place between September 3 and 4 at its traditional Cranmore Park home and will, organisers said, give those attending the chance to top up on stock for Christmas 2024 and view and order product for early 2025.

Rosie Marshall, head of toys & children’s gifts at AIS, said: “The unique proposition for INDX trade shows is that they are ‘curated by buyers, for buyers’ and therefore we are continually reviewing the best time to hold the shows for everyone to benefit commercially.

“It made sense that we created an autumn event that allowed suppliers and buyers to meet, forward plan beyond the Christmas season, and maximise annual sales not just seasonal.

“With a broad visitor base, which includes leading department stores, standalone toy and gift stores, garden centres, farm shops, and delis, it’s important that the INDX Toy & Gift show supports all year-round trading”.

Toy Of The Year nominations unveiled

The nominations for the Toy of the Year awards, unveiled by the Toy Foundation, have been revealed ahead of the ceremony raising the curtain for this year’s US Toy Fair.

They include everything from UK-based independents recognised for their innovation through to global toy giants.

After the New York awards at the end of September, interest will move on to the overall Toy of the Year and People’s Choice awards announcements in November.

“This year’s TOTY Awards finalists are an unmatched lineup of toys, games, and professionals that represent the best of the best in the toy industry,” said Pamela Mastrota, executive director of The Toy Foundation. “We look forward to celebrating all of the finalists at the industry’s biggest night of the year, plus advance the industry’s collective philanthropy for the benefit of children in need.”

You can see the full list at www.toyawards.org

Among those celebrating was UK indie Big Potato Games, in line for a gong in the Grownup Toy Of The Year category for its Chicken Vs Hotdog. Becky McKinlay, head of global Marketing at Big Potato Games, said: “We’re so chuffed to see Chicken Vs Hotdog receive recognition in the States. The game was one of our most successful new launches in the UK last year, and we hope it follows suit in the US.”

Wow! Stuff was another indie from these shores to earn a nod (see below for more).

Spin Master picked up half a dozen mentions across numerous categories. “We are relentlessly driven to invent and develop novel ideas that inspire magical play experiences for kids and families around the world,” said Max Rangel, Spin Master’s global president and CEO.

Baby makes a giant impact for Wow! Stuff

Look Real. Feel Real. Sound Real. And a real hit too. For Wow! Stuff’s latest Real FX toy – the second under the Jurassic World and Park umbrella in conjunction with Universal and Amblin – is, the company predicts, set to sweep the boards at awards this year.

The Real FX Baby T.Rex, released under the brand’s ‘Look Real. Feel Real. Sound Real’ motto, has been nominated for a Toy of the Year gong in the US, at the same time as being tipped as a Christmas biggie by giant US retailer Walmart, which has given it ‘Blockbuster’ status.

It also earned a Gold from the Independent Toy Awards, and its predecessor, Jurassic World Real FX Baby Blue, is among three Wow! Stuff products in the running for statues at the UK Licensing Awards.

MD Dawn Lavalette said: “Being named as a Walmart top toy for Christmas is very special.’’

NORTH AMERICAN TOY ASSOCIATION UNVEILS TRENDS FOR HOLIDAY SEASON & BEYOND

At the start of the year, the North American Toy Association’s team of trends specialists announced its toy & play trend for 2023, from Tween Takeover and Pop Culture Lifestyle, to Be Authentic and Back to Basics.

At Toy Fair, the trends team will explore the evolution of these trends, supported by data from a new survey of 1,000 US parents, and offer a sneak peek at the trends to watch in 2024, during The Toy Association’s Toy Trends Briefing, taking place Saturday, September 30 at 1pm. during the show.

During the presentation, attendees will learn about new areas of opportunity in the toy and play space and see product examples straight from the show floor that capture how these trends are taking shape for the holiday 2023 season and beyond.

“Our team works year-round, meeting with companies, doing research, and exploring trends in parallel industries to stay on top of emerging patterns in play and consumer preferences and shopping habits,” said Adrienne Appell, executive vice president of marketing communications at The Toy Association. “We are excited to unveil our latest research that further supports our 2023 trends and provides the industry with another tool to best position their products for consumers and media, especially ahead of the Q4 selling season.”

One topic that The Toy Association will be re-examining at the show is the staying power of the ‘kidult’ toy consumer. In a new survey of 1,000 parents who are the primary toy buyer and have kids in their household, conducted by Wakefield Research on behalf of the Toy Association, the data uncovers how the trend has expanded to either end of the kidult age spectrum and the new areas of growth potential it creates. Notably, the opportunity to capture tween/teen toy consumers is giving way to exciting new products that highlight the relationship between toys and parallel industries, like fashion, entertainment, and gaming, while families are also leaning into the cognitive benefits of play for ageing adults in their lives.

Companies that wish to be considered in The Toy Association’s trend coverage during the show (September 30 to October 3), and in 2024, are encouraged to reach out to The Toy Association to put their playthings on the team’s radar. To read about the current trends and for more about The Toy Association’s trend activities, visit www. ToyAssociation.org/trends.

Toy Fair will take place September 30 to October 3 in New York City. Visit ToyFairNY.com to learn more.

Bandai opens UK store

Friday August 18 saw Bandai Namco Amusement Europe throwing open the doors of its first specially branded retail store outside of Japan.

The outlet, in the heart of London’s Camden, will be selling collectibles, toys, figures, cards and more, focusing on Japanese culture.

It is, the announcement noted, “made up of a collection of shops where customers can ‘see’, ‘touch’ and ‘experience’ characters, products, events and feel part of an experience to make people smile whilst celebrating community and entertainment.’’

“Camden, London, is widely recognised as offering an eclectic mix of cultural products and art,” said John McKenzie, MD of Bandai Namco Amusement Europe. “It is the perfect location to launch our Bandai Namco Cross Store concept in the UK, which combines our expertise in locations-based entertainment with a rapidly growing demand for IP and concepts originating from our group’s Japanese culture.”

The store previewed its wares, which include plenty of product from its sister toy company (insiders told TnP it was almost certainly the biggest supplier of product to the new store; “we work very closely with our sister companies,” said store executives), as well as some of its thinking at a pair of special events on Wednesday – one for families and one for press. The store is broken down into sections in retail terms, selling trading cards, collectibles, figurines, stationery and more, with a gaming area for trading card fans to play (tutorials will be given and it will cater for both beginners and experts), as well as a café and an arcade.

In an exclusive interview with TnP at the event, Bandai Namco Amusement Europe’s operations director Rob Cook said: “The offer is driven by our parent in Japan, where they’ve opened six of these stores, this is the first one outside of Japan. It’s a great honour to be delivering this.”

The thinking behind the store

is simple, he said, and is down to “the demand for product and the IP”, driven by such brands as One Piece.

Business development manager Aimee-Louise House said the store – some 12 months in the planning – was very much about delivering an experience for customers as well as selling product. And both confirmed that Bandai would be eyeing more stores in the UK in the coming months.

Cook said: “We looked and were confident we were on to something in London. We did some hunting around and came across this little place. We spent a few times visiting it, it has good footfall and an eclectic mix of people. It’s not just local either, it’s a massive tourist destination.”

House added: “It’s always been a focal point and has a name for creativity. It’s for quirky people, into niche things.”

With an area for TCG playing at the back, as well as arcade games and more, it’s very much an experiential offering for shoppers.

House has a long history at retail, working in stores such as Game. She said: “Online changed the market, you have to give customers a reason to come, to get them come together to do something, to give them an experience.”

The new store has taken learning from the more play and experiencebased Namco centre in Newcastle, which, despite not having a full retail offering, has been selling cards and seen people travelling from across Europe to get their hands on One Piece cards and more.

The store is based on the Japanese experience, Cook said: “We’re trying to mirror the experience, trying to make as much of a carbon copy of Japan as possible.”

“We’ll localise as necessary,” added House, “but these people are into Japanese culture as a whole.”

It’s always been a focal point and as a name for creativity, for buildings, design and people

“ “

Turtles keep on truckin’

Barbie goes to Sheffield

Following the huge success of the feature-length Barbie movie, Mattel is set to launch an immersive experience celebrating Barbie and her world in Sheffield’s giant Meadowhall shopping centre.

The Barbie You Can Be Anything The Experience is a 90-minute immersive event where visitors will get the chance to sample Barbie’s lifestyle, career and activities in a hands-on experience in interactive zones. The collaboration between Mattel, production company Bakehouse Factory and Meadowhall will open at the end of September and run until January.

“For generations, Barbie has been at the forefront of fostering imagination and encouraging children to dream

big by exploring various career paths,” said Julie Freeland, senior director location based entertainment at Mattel. “With a multitude of interactive zones showcasing numerous career options, Barbie You Can Be Anything: The Experience will serve as another example of Barbie’s commitment to inspiring the limitless potential in us all.”

Darren Pearce, centre director at Meadowhall, said: “We are delighted to be the first venue in the UK to host Barbie You Can Be Anything: The Experience. We’re always looking for new experiences to bring to the centre that will continue to enhance our existing offering for visitors and look forward to welcoming the world’s bestknown doll brand to Meadowhall.’’

The Entertainer gets blogging for parents

The Entertainer has launched an educational blog aimed at guiding parents and families through the challenges of parenthood and bringing up children.

Launched with more than 70 articles and counting, it’s divided into four key sections, taking in parenting, family, buying advice and activities.

The first will offer tips and advice to parents on bringing up children; the second at ways of developing strong bonds within the family; the buying advice will give lists of toys to help make informed choices over educational suitability and age appropriate toys; the final area will suggest projects and things that families can do together.

It will work with experts as well as offering educational tools.

Lead copywriter at The Entertainer, Heather Aqel, said: “At The Entertainer, we celebrate that every child is different, and understand that no two children will require the same parenting methods. With so much information available, we appreciate that it can be difficult to navigate parenting and hope that our new blog will provide targeted advice that helps parents and guardians with children of all ages to raise a happy, healthy family.”

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles took time out from their busy summer in cinemas with Mutant Mayhem to take to the road in August to support the wide range of toys in stores.

The characters headed out in a pizza truck offering free slices with special themed toppings along with activities, visiting Smyths stores around London and the south east on two consecutive weekends.

“We are so excited to bring Mutant Mayhem to Smyths Toys with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles for our first-ever UK pizza tour. We especially hope everyone tries our marshmallow pizza – it’s the new pineapple!” said Simta Sawhney, senior director of licensing at Paramount.

“We at Smyths Toys Superstores are thrilled to have the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Pizza tour with us this year at six stores,’’ said Aoife Dale, marketing executive, Smyths Toys Superstores.

Jaishree Davatwal, account manager at Backlash, which ran the tour, commented: “Creating an experience with the iconic Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Pizza Van at the heart of it brings out the inner child in all of us, and we cannot wait to see kids’ reactions to the experience –not to mention to the pizza toppings themselves.’’

An Insiders job

Welcome, Insiders: LEGO’s retail arm has ditched its VIP scheme for shoppers and instead replaced it with a new offering, LEGO Insiders.

The new scheme will offer all the benefits of its existing membership, but with added bonuses for members, not least in that Insiders will have just one log-in for assorted accounts. It will offer everything from money off, exclusives and gifts to access to the LEGO community. In the US, the Insiders scheme offers points to consumers buying in Target stores as well as LEGO outlets.

Jason Whiting, Global LEGO Insiders director, said: “We are thrilled to unveil LEGO Insiders – a world of exciting experiences and exclusive rewards including member discounts, gifts, and digital experiences for our new and existing fans alike. We believe that play should be rewarded, so our updated programme makes it easier than ever for people to enjoy all the benefits of being a LEGO fan.’’

Bakugan is back again

Spin Master has announced its brawling brand Bakugan is back again as the series returns to screens in September with an all-new look.

The series will air on POP TV from early September, with a revamped anime style and accompanied by a range of Spin Master toys.

It was originally launched at the end of the 2000s, before returning in 2019, . The new iteration was first unveiled on Roblox ahead of its TV debut. As well as toys, including a lavish Battle Arena, there’s also a YouTube channel. All are integrated, meaning tokens are available within the toys for a digital Bakugan accessory or a power-up on Roblox, while the YouTube channel has redeemable codes hidden within its content for eagle-eyed viewers.

“The Bakugan franchise will elevate to epic new heights as we further enhance the experience and power up the gameplay through toys,” said Jeremy Tucker, Spin Master EVP and global chief marketing officer.

New Magic from Barbie

Not content with ruling cinemas for the summer, Barbie is set to dominate the small screen too, as a new series turns up on POP.

Produced by Mattel, the series, Barbie: A Touch Of Magic, was scheduled to begin its run on September 4, accompanied by product in toy stores from the toy giant.

POP said: “In the new series, fan favourites Barbie ‘Malibu’ Roberts and Barbie ‘Brooklyn’ Roberts work together to find the home of a mysterious baby horse they’ve discovered on the beach in Malibu. The little horse begins fulfilling the most amazing fantasies and they realise she is actually a baby Pegasus! While they try to find out how to get little Peggy home, Barbie and Barbie, must protect her from Rocki the Glyph, a fantastical creature who followed Peggy in hopes that she will grant the biggest wish of all - giving Rocki her own wings. Set in Malibu and featuring all-new original music, Barbie, Barbie, and their friends discover that magic really is all around us.”

Monsters return to school

Monster High is back, as the terrible teens return to the eponymous school for another term and more shenanigans, backed, as ever, by Mattel product.

The series was scheduled to start a new run on free-toair POP channel in the UK from September 4.

As POP explained: “The series follows teenager Clawdeen Wolf, who never felt like she fit in – until her instincts led her to Monster High School, where she discovered that she’s both werewolf and human, and now feels at home in both worlds.

Along with Draculaura (a vampire who wants to forge her own path as a witch), Frankie Stein (who is figuring out how their pieces fit together), Deuce (the son of Medusa, who’s rebelling by being nice), and a school full of modern monster characters who celebrate being their unique selves, Clawdeen is going to sink her fangs into high school hijinks and teenage troubles that will have everyone howling.”

That’s magic as Sean turns ambassador

YouTube sensation Sean Does Magic has become a brand ambassador for Toikido’s fledgling Pinata Smashlings brand.

The magician and mega-influencer, real name Sean Sotaridona, has an online following of some 30 million fans and will now appear as a Smashling within Roblox as part of the deal.

As well as appearing in Roblox in style with the cute characters, where his appearance will unlock special benefits and rewards, Sean will

also be appearing in a short film due in October.

“In developing the Piñata Smashlings IP, we have worked hard to create both the Roblox game and product range simultaneously to enrich fan engagement and truly connect the online digital universe with the off-line physical world,” said Darran Garnham, founder and CEO of Toikido. “By working collaboratively with Sean Does Magic, we are bringing a whole new dimension to the influencer/brand relationship. We have the opportunity to promote Piñata Smashlings to his global audience from within the Roblox game as well as through animation, toys, and other brand extensions.”

“I am super excited to form this partnership with Toikido. Not only does it enable me to support a new and exciting brand in Piñata Smashlings, but being actively involved in the IP and development of the game is truly a unique opportunity,” said Sotaridona. “I have no doubt that my audience will love following this journey.’’

In the new series, fan favourites Barbie ‘Malibu’ Roberts and Barbie ‘Brooklyn’ Roberts work together to find the home of a mysterious baby horse they’ve discovered on the beach in Malibu

Lovell takes on TCG role

Ravensburger UK launched its eagerly awaited trading card game Disney Lorcana this summer, with a new dedicated category and sales manager for its TCG business.

Ben Lovell helped oversee the launch after joining from tournamentcenter, where he had worked for five years as an organised play manager. He has eight years’ TCG experience in total, as well as working at hobby stores and events before moving into organised play, Lovell is also a keen TCG fan, giving him insight and knowledge across the sector.

He will be working closely with retail partners, widening the focus in TCG and hobby stores, as well as ensuring it has a wide visibility across all sectors, from key accounts to grocers and convenience stores by way of hobby and specialist stores. He will also work on organised play events and ensuring retailers have everything they need to create the perfect environment for play.

The statement added: “In addition to his retail responsibilities Ben will be responsible in building a community of UK Disney Lorcana fans, as well as organising B2B events across the UK working closely with the games marketing manager, PR manager and social media manager; his overall objective is to ensure that Disney Lorcana becomes an early leader in the TCG category not only in the UK but internationally.’’ Derek Scott, Head of Sales, Ravensburger UK said: “We are delighted to welcome Ben to the team. His experience and wealth of knowledge in TCG’s is unrivalled and we know we’re lucky to have him join the business at such a critical, but exciting time.’’

Bigjigs appoints Gumbrell

Bigjigs Toys has taken on Nicki Gumbrell as its new sales manager for UK and Ireland, with the new appointment taking over the reins full time as of September 1.

She boasts some 17 years’ experience at Gibsons and most recently at Abrams & Chronicle Books. Bigjigs said she has a “track record of leading and developing excellent sales teams across growing and established brands that position her perfectly for the new role”.

Sam Ireland, operations director at Bigjigs Toys, said: “Nicki is a fabulous addition to the team here at Bigjigs. She brings with her a fantastic can-do attitude and a reputation in the industry among retailers that is exemplary. She is going to be a real asset to our team and customers as we move forward into Q4 and beyond.”

Nicki commented:

“I am delighted to be joining the Bigjigs team; with 30+ years’ experience in various sales roles, I am looking forward to adding to their ongoing success story and working with the sales team to continue building on strong foundations.”

Hooper joins Epoch as MD

Epoch Making Toys has appointed a new managing director, with the experienced Phil Hooper taking over the reins as of September 1.

Hooper boasts more than 12 years’ experience in the industry, including stints at Spin Master and, most recently, as MD of construction toy company Plus-Plus.

In his new role he will be overseeing the strategic direction of the company and driving growth for the company and its key brands such as Sylvanian Families, Aquabeads and Epoch Games.

Shusuke Yamagata, current interim MD at Epoch Making Toys, and Epoch HQ executive manager at Epoch said: “We’re confident that Phil’s wide experience of the various and important areas of a toy business will be incredibly valuable to his role as MD at Epoch Making Toys. We’re excited to tap into his vast knowledge and welcome him to this significant role.”

Hooper added: “I’m thrilled to be joining Epoch and looking forward to working with the team on strategies to further cement the reputation and sales success of our brands, Sylvanian Families and Aquabeads. Equally, we have extensive plans to grow the Epoch Games brand even further on the back of the success to date with Super Mario.”

Schleich appoints new CEO

German figurine and playset giant Schleich has appointed a new CEO, with Stefan De Loecker set to take over at the company as of January 1 2024.

De Loecker has most recently been CEO at Beiersdorf where he had previously been president of its emerging markets arm. He has experience across the FMCG sector, including Nestlé.

Former CEO Dirk Engehausen, who has been at the company for eight years, has now left, although he will be joining its advisory board after a transition period.

Chair of the advisory board at Schleich Luisa Delgado said: “We are delighted to count on Stefan as the new CEO of Schleich. He has the experience to lead the next phase of growth fuelled by brand and product innovation, and an effective organisation to sustain it. We thank Dirk for his contributions to Schleich and for spearheading its internationalisation.

“Schleich is a unique brand recognised for its distinct authentic figurines promoting children’s joyful storytelling through free play. We look forward to further unlocking its unique educational value through product and content innovation for the benefit of the business and society.”

“Joining Ravensburger UK in Disney Lorcana’s launch month is not dissimilar to revealing you’ve got a perfect deck of cards! I can’t wait to see the brand’s launch and how both TCG fans and new players embrace the game. We’ve a huge amount of work to do, and plenty of opportunity to build on; I’m relishing the challenge ahead.”

Ben Lovell

Warner Bros toons up for centenary celebrations

Jakks and Disguise extend Nintendo deal

Disguise, Inc., the costume division of Jakks Pacific, has announced an extension of its global rights, which allows it to continue its partnership with Nintendo of America in designing, developing, and manufacturing costumes and costume accessories in a multi-year agreement that spans across the globe.

Since the initial Disguise global launch of licensed Nintendo costumes in 2013, the line has experienced continuous growth and expansion.

As several Nintendo franchises continue to grow with new key game releases and even extensions into

theme parks and film, Disguise has seen a significant expansion of the brand in all parts of the world, including EMEA, LATAM and ANZ.

Tara Cortner, president and general manager of Disguise, said: “Over the years, we have collaborated on various innovative lines, featuring iconic characters from Super Mario, The Legend of Zelda, and Animal Crossing. We’ve grown from a couple of Mario and Luigi costumes in the early days to a large selection of characters attracting fans of all ages and demographics. The enthusiastic response from both new and loyal fans has been truly heartening.”

Heathside drives Expanse agreement

Heathside Trading has inked a licence agreement with Alcon Television Group to become the authorised licensee for The Expanse diecast vehicles, prop replicas and figures. The products will launch in Spring 2024 through selected retail partners as well as direct to consumer through MasterReplicas.com.

Darren Epstein from Heathside said :‘’So thrilled to be adding The Expanse to our increasing portfolio of properties, the huge global fanbase for this licence will mean we will be able to bring some really nice content to fans worldwide.”

Mandy Bardisbanian from Striker Entertainment - the licensing agency for The Expanse - added: ‘‘We are delighted to see Heathside come aboard to bring an elevated, yet accessible line of products to market for The Expanse fans.”

As part of the year-long centennial celebration for the 100th anniversary of Warner Bros. Studios, Warner Bros. Discovery Global Brands, Franchises, and Experiences (WBDGBFE) is bringing even more commemorative products and experiences to fans around the world. With global partners including Burger King and Candlelight Concerts, Warner Bros. Discovery is continuing the celebrations around the world.

In the UK and Ireland, George at ASDA unveiled its WB100 collection in-store and online this month, with 26 SKUs spanning across kids, infant, adult and home. On the WB UK Shop, the WB100 Collection is now available to shop online, with an exclusive range of products covering fashion, accessories, home, gifting, and collectibles. Playing on the ‘mash-up’ theme, which remains central to this centenary celebration, designs include the Looney Tunes gang driving the Mystery Machine, Tom & Jerry Singing in the Rain and Bugs Bunny dressed as Superman! Burger King celebrated this summer with limited-edition Looney Tunes-themed products.

Wildbrain inks deal with Miniso

Licensing agency Wildbrain has struck a far-reaching direct-to-retail partnership with international lifestyle retailer Miniso, which will see hundreds of new consumer products for Teletubbies, Strawberry Shortcake and In the Night Garden launch in more than 5,000 Miniso stores around the world.

Based in China and celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2023, Miniso has entered 107 international markets with more than 5,700 stores to date..

Miniso will begin launching products in China for In the Night Garden this autumn, with Teletubbies (China and international) and Strawberry Shortcake (international) to follow next year. Product categories include toys, consumer electronics, personal care, cosmetics, stationery, accessories, and homeware.

L.O.L Surprise! gets Hyped up

Apparel and accessories brand Hype and MGA’s L.O.L Surprise! have teamed up again for a second capsule collection, building on the success of the first collaboration together.

The range, inspired by the world of L.O.L. Surprise!, features a 10-piece, limited set of backpacks and lunch bags. The collection celebrates going to school and showing off one’s individuality and personality with the Hype x L.O.L. Surprise! backpack and lunch bag.

The backpacks are designed in Hype’s iconic backpack shape with extra-durable padded straps, grab handle, and branded inside lining.

Carmen goes wild across the world

WildBrain is announcing new deals across distribution and consumerproducts licensing for the Emmy Award-winning action-adventure animated series Carmen Sandiego, produced by HarperCollins Productions and WildBrain’s animation studio in Vancouver.

The deals build on WildBrain’s longstanding relationship with HarperCollins Productions on the Carmen Sandiego franchise, underscoring the company’s 360-degree offering of production, distribution and licensing for the brand.

In distribution deals, WildBrain has inked new partnerships for seasons one to four of the hit series (33 x 30’ total) with RTS (Switzerland), TVNZ (New Zealand), BIGI Channel (Israel), Edel Music and Entertainment (Germany), and SIC K and Txillo (Portugal).

In global consumer products deals, WildBrain CPLG, the company’s dedicated licensing agency, has signed a new partnership with Threadless for a wide range of products across apparel, home décor, bedding, headwear, bags, accessories, hosiery, skateboards and decks; a deal with The Loyal Subjects for fashion dolls and figurines, showcasing Carmen Sandiego throughout the years; and a new digital audio product with Tonies.

These new licensees for the Carmen Sandiego brand join others announced this June at Vegas Licensing Expo for the US, including Fun.com, which is expanding its adult costume offering to include children’s costumes later this year, and Trevco for print-on-demand apparel and accessories, which are available now through Amazon.

Caroline Tyre, VP global sales & rights strategy, said: ‘‘The new Carmen Sandiego series continues to drive engagement with partners around the world. We’re pleased to further our work with HarperCollins

Peppa immersivegets

Peppa Pig is set to become the first preschool character to enter the world of immersive live shows after Hasbro signed on the dotted line with innovators The Everywhere Group (TEG) and its Immersive Everywhere division.

Peppa Pig: Surprise Party will blend “an engaging interactive theatrical storyline, branded food and drink offering, dedicated retail space and exclusive merchandise” and launch next year.

Immersive Everywhere has been behind Great Gatsby, Doctor Who and Peaky Blinders events, the first going global, and there are currently 10 new shows in the pipeline as The Everywhere Group eyes aggressive expansion.

“We are thrilled and honoured to be partnering with Hasbro to create an immersive experience for one of the world’s best known and most loved brands, Peppa Pig,” said Mark Hurry, TEG’s joint CEO. “By expanding beyond traditional theatre and venturing into diverse locations such as shopping centres and theme parks, we are revolutionising the way brands engage with their audiences and creating truly unforgettable experiences. The success we achieved in 2022 and the projected growth for the upcoming years are a testament to our dedication to delivering unparalleled entertainment.”

Matt Proulx, vice president of location based entertainment at Hasbro, said: “TEG’s work in the live immersive entertainment space is truly impressive.’’

Productions to bring the characters to life both on screen and in consumer products for longtime fans and new audiences.”

Caroline Fraser of HarperCollins Productions, added: “The character of Carmen Sandiego is incredibly intriguing to kids and families today. In addition to being the world’s greatest thief, Carmen Sandiego’s overarching theme – to learn about and celebrate all cultures – has never been more important. Our goal has been to bring this theme to kids and families through multiple touchpoints, including onscreen and through consumer products. WildBrain is the perfect partner to achieve that goal.”

The series, which launched on Netflix in 2019, follows the adventures of Carmen Sandiego—a master thief who uses her skills for good—as she pulls off a string of international capers, while also giving fans a look at Sandiego’s backstory and why she became a thief.

Study shows ‘explosive’ growth in licensed product sales

The latest study from Licensing International shows explosive growth in the sales of licensed merchandise.

Adopt Me! gets Creative with product

Creative Kids Group is launching product line with the highly popular online game – Adopt Me! The pet adoption game with more than 33 million plays will have Creative Kids licensed consumer products on shelves in the US as soon as this autumn. The range will launch in the UK in S/S 2024.

From novelty stationery, craft and activity kits, compounds and more, Creative Kids will be focusing on formats that play into the games’ target demographics for year-round in-store activations. The first product to hit market will be 3D Puzzle Erasers complete with a build-yourown mini room, and available in six different Adopt Me characters.

The eighth Annual Global Licensing Industry Study concluded that licensed merchandise ‘outperformed the overall retail market in 2022, with consumers gravitating towards out-ofhome experiences’.

The study revealed that global sales of licensed merchandise reached $340.8 billion in sales in 2022, with the overall licensing industry growing by 8.02%.

The growth in the Toy/ Games/Crafts category slowed in 2022 to +2.0%. The survey also showed that the 12-year-old and up takeover of the Toy category continued to hold in 2022, as the kidult’ demographic remained the biggest driver of sales.

Best licensing performers were classic character and film franchises.

Ahead of the curve

Despite problems, not least a state funeral in the middle of proceedings, Brand Licensing Europe 2022 went off with a bang. And with a keynote from the head of Mattel previewing Barbie and the movie, heralding its success from a long way off, the show proved it’s as relevant as ever. Event director of BLE Ella Haynes reveals how the show is going to not only remain relevant but stay ahead of the curve this year…

How was BLE 2022?

BLE 2022 was amazing, despite being faced with a state funeral, flood and middle-of-the-night fire alarm! We had incredible quality retailers and the widest possible range of brands available for license; our day three day of purpose was phenomenal, and the fashion theme and catwalk were icing on the cake.

What was the response to some of the new elements?

The fashion catwalks, day of purpose content and Richard Dickson keynote all went down a storm. We had the highest ever day two and day three in BLE history, dwell time increased and so did repeat visits.

What were the highlights of 2022?

For me, the Black Lives Matter and United Nations x Junk Couture x Products of Change catwalk shows were both so emotionally charged –they were incredible to watch. For the

toy lovers, the crowd that gathered to watch Richard Dickson talk about the history of Barbie was something else.

BLE’s keynote with Mattel proved to be somewhat prophetic given the film’s success this year, did it feel like BLE was ahead of the curve in talking about the film months before Barbie fever landed?

It was a brilliant keynote, wasn’t it? Yeah, we were definitely ahead of the curve with that content, and that’s where we always plan to be because we believe a key part of our job is to keep retailers and licensees informed about the next big trends and content coming up so they can start the conversations and spark the ideas needed to create amazing new consumer product.

Have trade shows changed in the post-pandemic world?

Yes, of course they have. Everything’s

changed, hasn’t it? Initially, they returned with a hybrid offering – so in-person and online options for holding meetings and engaging with content. This was partly because some countries were not allowed to travel, nervousness from vulnerable people and also the fact we turned into a nation of home workers almost overnight. This will be our third BLE since the pandemic, and the first fully in person.

Now the novelty of trade shows and events returning has worn off, how are you aiming to excite attendees and lure people along?

The trade shows were always a chance to see our industry colleagues face to face again after such a long break. That hasn’t changed. The licensing industry is very social and full of wonderful personalities – deals are signed in face-to-face meetings and that’s why people come to BLE. It’s the biggest event in Europe with the widest range of licensable IP; thousands upon thousands

We believe a key part of our job is to keep retailers and licensees informed about the next big trends and content coming up so they can start the conversations and spark the ideas needed to create amazing new consumer product

of brands across every conceivable category including toys of course, are at BLE.

The journey to create thousands of new consumer products starts at BLE. Whether that’s through scheduled meetings, bumping into people in the aisles, meeting new people at networking events, being inspired by the products on display or ingesting new information from the content.

What returning elements are there in 2023?

The brands, of course. The brands are the principal reason retailers and licensees attend BLE. More than 220 exhibiting companies will be at the show this year representing more European territories than ever including Greece, Ukraine and Serbia, as well as further afield to APAC, and every possible brand licensing category you can think of –from characters and animation to music and celebrity, fashion and apparel, food and beverage, charity and heritage, art and design, sports and lifestyle, toys and gaming, and so much more.

There will be thousands upon thousands of brands that are actively looking for licensing partners – brands such as Marvel, Harry Potter, Star Wars, The Lord of the Rings, Nadiya Hussain, Sarah & Duck, Gigantosaurus, Ed Hardy, Beryl Cook, International Space Archives, Moomin, The Little Prince, Farah, Kellogg’s Corn Flakes, Febreze, The Smurfs, Frida Kahlo, Bentley Motors, and English Heritage to name a few.

We also have 52 new exhibitors bringing lots of new brands and untapped opportunities to the show. They include HARI International, last year’s License This! Winner Frobelles, Outerstuff, Pembe the Pink Cat, Rebellion, Naru Naru, The Wombles, Leo the Truck and more.

Brands aside, we welcome back the Kelvyn Gardner License This! winner presentation on day one, the welcome drinks from 5-7pm also on day one, our fantastic conference programme, which features an opening day keynote address from Hasbro and The Path Entertainment Group about the phenomenal success of the Monopoly Lifesized location based experience, the Retail Lounge, our day three day of purpose with a focus on sustainability, DEI and giving back and of course the muchloved character parade at 11.30am on Wednesday and Thursday.

What new elements are you adding?

This year’s theme is Location Based Experiences (LBE) is new (hence the Monoploy Lifesized keynote) and we’ll also have the Green Zone, which will run in partnership with Products of Change and feature lots of examples of sustainable consumer products. Plus, the Ignite Brand Pitches where five up-and-coming unlicensed brands ready to make their mark in the licensing industry will take to the stage in a thrilling, fast-paced session of live speed-pitches. And, Licensing

1

Meet the right people and find the right brands to build new business relationships to create lasting partnerships and market-leading consumer products that will change people’s lives.

2

Browse the floor – there are thousands of brands to discover and products to be inspired by and ‘inspiration’ is one of the top reasons visitors come to BLE. So, block in meetings but also leave time in your calendar to see the products on display, and to check out features like the Green Zone and Licensee Pavilion. And talk to people and bring colleagues to spontaneously brainstorm withtradeshows are a great way to break away from the day to day and develop new ideas simply because you are in a different space.

3

Don’t miss the new Advice Centre, which is also new this year and full of service providers available to offer you great takeaway tips and guidance.

International is bringing back “Soho Nights” from 7.30pm till late at 100 Wardour Street Soho, central London.

And how about visitor registration numbers, are they looking good?

Visitor registration is tracking ahead of last year and in line with 2019 stats. New retailers this year include the likes of Paultons Park and Blackpool Pleasure Beach, which I’m sure is thanks to our LBE theme. They’re joining returning retailers including Deichmann, Next, H&M, John Lewis, Celio, Primark, Aldi, Tesco, Fat Face, Lidl, Ackermans, George at Asda, Liberty London, Amazon, PepCo, ASOS, Jules, Selfridges and many more.

It’s great to see the breadth and diversity of the retail names signing up for the show, in terms of category representation, seniority and job function. BLE gives retailers the brand meetings you’d expect, but also provides plenty of creative inspiration and strategic insight giving value for cross functional teams. It’s fantastic to see designers and marketers in particular register to join their buying counterparts.

Visitor registration is tracking ahead of last year and in line with 2019 stats

If visitors only have a limited time at the show, what are the three things you would really recommend they see/do?

The A-Z of the NY Toy Fair

Ahead of the late September/early October New York event, the first in its new calendar slot, here’s a quick guide to the event…

A is for Awards

122 toys and games. Seventeen different companies. The curtain-raiser for Toy Fair 2023 comes in the shape of the Toy Of The Year awards.

B is for Build-a-Bear

A documentary looking at the success of the BuildA-Bear empire, Unstuffed, will be premiering at the event, followed by a Q&A sesson with director Taylor Morden, who also directed the popular documentary The Last Blockbuster; producer, Patrick Hughes, who also produced the hit animated film Bad Guys, and executive producer and CEO of Build-A-Bear, Sharon Price John.

C is for Change

This is, of course, the first Toy Fair to take place in its new autumn – or fall, if you’re in the US – timing…

D is for Delegation

Press from around the globe – including TnP, natch –will be in attendance at Toy Fair. This includes editors from Italy, the UK, Germany, Belgium, Spain, and Brazil. Expect full reports in our November issue…

E is for Education

There’s plenty to learn at Toy Fair. “Our Toy Fair educational programme is thoughtfully designed to tackle the industry's most critical challenges, equipping attendees with essential knowledge to stay ahead of the game in the evolving toy landsape,” said Kimberly Carcone, executive vice president of global market events at The Toy Association. “We've streamlined the scheduling process through our 'Map Your Show' tool, seamlessly integrated with the Toy Fair mobile app, empowering our attendees to tailor their agendas precisely to their objectives.”

F is for Flatiron

As another pre-show opening event, attendees can be taken on a tour of Manhattan’s Flatiron district, starting at the LEGO store, to look at retail in the flesh.

G is for Global

There’s a distinct international flavour to Toy Fair this year, with attendees coming from as far afield as Australia, Brazil, Belgium, Canada, Germany, Hong Kong, Israel, South Korea, Mexico, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Peru, Poland, Spain, Turkey and more.

H is for Hall of Fame

This year new inductees will be brought into the US toy Hall of Fame at the Toy Of The Year awards.

I is for Inventors

Inventors and innovators will be presenting to toy

companies and professionals at the annual Creative Factor Inventor Day, giving them the chance to pitch to those in the know.

J is for Javits Centre

The convention centre in Manhattan, on 11th Avenue, is once again the location for Toy Fair.

K is for Keynote

Keynote speech at the Toy Safety Seminar during Toy Fair will come from Alexander Hoehn-Saric, chair of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). He will be looking at legislation, compliance and safety on Monday October 2 from 9am.

L is for Leveraging

It’s all about leveraging media opportunities, said Kimberly Carcone, EVP of global market events at The Toy Association. “By strategically positioning products to maximise visibility, exhibitors can ride the Q4 wave of excitement and anticipation surrounding the hottest toys, games, and brands, ultimately propelling their success throughout the holiday season and beyond.”

M is for Mobile App

Available from the App Store and Google Play Store, the newly-launched Toy Fair app enables visitors to schedule meetings, navigate the site and get regular updates.

N is for Newsflash

As well as the full report in the November issue of TnP, expect daily newsflashes throughout the event. Register at toysnplaythings.media

O is for Otis College of Art and Design

Students from Otis College of Art and Design, one of the few educational establishments offering a degree in toy design, will be exhibiting projects. And toy companies can contact them with employment opportunities and more. “At Toy Fair, we take great pride in fostering an environment where students and aspiring toy industry professionals can showcase their innovative work and forge meaningful connections,” said Carcone.

P is for Pavilions

New elements for 2023 include international pavilions; these will, the Toy Association said, “help connect global brands and playthings exhibiting at the show with buyers looking to source exportready products from around the world”. They include Spielwarenmesse eG's World Of Toys, China Pavilion, Business France and Indian Pavilion.

Q is for Quote

The quote that should get everyone involved in Toy Fair comes from Kimberly Carcone, executive vice

president of global market events at The Toy Association: “Taking place September 30 to October 3, Toy Fair 2023 is a can’t-miss event for the industry and truly a one-stop shop for all those involved in the toy industry. From creatives to key leaders, manufacturers, and media, professionals driving the business of play will all be doing business at Toy Fair.”

R is for Research

Research from Wakefield Research will be included in the Toy Trends briefing (see below).

S is for Social

There’s plenty of social events, both official and within the Javits Centre and those beyond too. Check toyfairny.com for the official updates.

T is for Toy Trends

Another key reveal at Toy Fair will be the Toy Trends briefing, unveiling news on what’s big for kids and parents this year and what will be bigger next year.

U is for University

There are lots of events for students from universities, as undergraduates and more are encouraged to come along to Student Congress Day and connect with the toy industry. The Artisan Social Club, a non-profit organisation, is also putting students in touch with industry representatives and mentors.

V is for Visual merchandising initiative

Research suggests that visitors want to see product being previewed on stands and, to this end, all exhibitors must sign up to the visual merchandising initiative, which says 20% of stands must be given over to this, both for 2023 and 2024 product. Reimagination Awards, to the companies best utilising this, will be judged by the international press.

W is for Wyclef Jean

Former Fugee and solo recording artiste Wyclef Jean is the star turn at this year’s Toy Of The Year awards ceremony.

X is for Xhibitors

Yes, we cheated there. But E was already taken and it’s worth noting that there are nearly 1,000 exhibitors at Toy Fair this year. And attendance is up 7% on 2020 thus far.

Y is for Years

Toy Fair is this year celebrating its celebrating its 118th event, pretty impressive going.

Z is for Zzzzzs

What we’ll be doing when we get back…

Giving lending a Whirl(i)

Have you ever thought about ‘lending’ your stock? The process might involve shoppers walking into your store, paying a predetermined amount to borrow an item and the lender’s offspring plays with it. When an allotted time has passed, the toy comes back in something approaching its original condition, ready to be played with by another child, for a fee.

A lending library for toys with everything available on loan? Makes sense? Well perhaps, but there are several obvious objections. Uppermost among these is probably the idea that toys for children tend to be posited on the notion of novelty and if a shopper’s nearest and dearest are getting something that’s, in effect, second hand, will it have the same appeal?

Retail

Also, as any readers of this magazine will be aware, toy shops tend to stock the latest and greatest thanks to suppliers queuing up to ensure that the latest ‘must-haves’ are on the shelves. Everybody, in short, is happy, from the child with a new plaything to retailers and suppliers being in a position to meet the demands placed upon them by their banks.

But what if this chain of thought were interrupted? There are certain toys, from upscale yoyos to ‘classic’ Monopoly, that are not quite so subject to the vagaries of fashion and for which there will be always be an audience. So if this category of hardy perennials is out there, why not sell it time after time, for a percentage of the normal price, by lending?

It is in the nature of arrangements of this kind that while it is cheaper, for a given period, to enjoy using a toy, over time the SKU in question has the potential to generate higher revenues. It’s the toy/gift with the potential to keep on giving. From posh frocks to glasses for a dinner party, the model is hardly new. And that, to a large degree is what lies at the heart of online toy ‘lender’ Whirli. Those choosing to ensure their children are thus kept engaged sign up to a subscription service by which, for a given amount per month, they can gain access to “1000s of toys”. The blurb runs that it does away with clutter because toys are only ever in the house for a temporary period and a toy cupboard filled with superannuated playthings is not the inevitable outcome.

There is also, of course, the boredom factor. With the best will in the world, the overwhelming majority of toys will not last the course. They quickly become yesterday’s objects of fascination the day after tomorrow. This is the reason that so many suppliers stay in business. Adults and children have relatively short attention spans and time does have a habit of running its course.

There is also the sustainability issue. One of the complaints frequently levelled at parents in particular is that they may dutifully sort their recycling into the appropriate containers ready for collection, but when it comes to toys it’s an open field and an ever-increasing heap of largely plastic objects is in some way perfectly acceptable.

Perhaps, but Whirli sees it all differently and plays upon the consciences as well as the pockets of its subscribers. The question at this point is what would happen if it began to take over the role of the traditional toy retailer? The website is aimed at toys for newborns and runs up to the five- to eightyear-old group.

Also worth noting is that this is in fact not about toys that children’s parents may have played with back in the day. To take a concrete example, it is possible to ‘borrow’ a Barbie ambulance (compatible with Barbie dolls, naturally) for as long as wished. At £38.99 a month, this is not cheap, but imagine paying very much more only to discover that after a relatively short time it was no longer being used.

Whirli is an outfit that has been around since 2018, meaning it has had sufficient time to become a viable part of the market and not to have quietly faded away. It does represent very real competition for a toy retailer, is more sustainable and does mean that subscribers can get access to toys that might otherwise be prohibitively pricey.

So why are others not doing something similar and would it be worthwhile going down this path? The answer to the first part is inertia. It is always much more straightforward to do the same as you have always done than to upend a tried-andtested formula. Yet, if you’re watching turnover under pressure and dwindling numbers coming through the door, might it not be worth considering a Whirli-style trial on a certain number of toys in your store?

The worst that could happen is that it doesn’t work and you revert to what you did before with not much more than wounded pride.

Retail is shifting and the example provided by Whirli shows how some are trying to find new ways of turning a penny, in a manner that is in tune with the changing mood as far as things environmental are concerned. There is also always the very real fear of being left behind. Whirli and others like it have done much of the online legwork. It would seem reasonable to give something like this a spin in the real world. The best online models do seem to have an uncanny knack of finding their way into physical stores. Give it some careful thought.

John Ryan is Stores Editor at Retail Week. He has worked for the magazine for more than a decade covering store design, visual merchandising and what makes things sell in-store. In a previous life he was a buyer.

Potentially, there’salot moretoselling toysthana traditional over-thecounter transaction.

columnistJohn Ryanlooksatan ethical alternative fromrevived subscription retailerWhirli…

Playing the long game

Boardgames continue to rise in popularity, fuelled by mainstream media, game nights and games cafes, while puzzles continue to be a steady seller for retailers. We find out what’s doing well and what we can expect to see in this sector in the future…

Interest in boardgames is on an upward trajectory - James Bowles Marketing Manager at UK Games Expo told us that based on evidence from this year’s show, ‘‘we have seen an increase again in interest in the industry. Our attendance rose by over 35%.’’

He added that the pandemic had been a big driver in the past few years: ‘‘We have found that some of

Retail Talk

Wendy Hamilton

the biggest retailers recorded record sales during that time.’’’ But a couple of years on, there is more that is driving it – mainstream media also has played its part, from Dungeons & Dragons in Stranger Things to Catan in the Big Bang Theory.

‘’ There were plenty of amazing games at this year’s show. There were a few that stood out and really caught the imagination. They were

Grasshopper Toys, Helensburgh, Scotland

What do you think will sell well this Christmas?

For us its always about Ravensburger games and puzzles, they offer solid quality and price.

What’s your favourite game?

My personal favourite is Dobble! Fast and silly. What are your bestselling puzzles – and why do you think that is?

We sell a lot of Ravensburger jigsaws for adults; our town has an elderly population and they seem to do a ton of jigsaws!

“We have seen an increase again in interest in the industry. Our attendance rose by over 35%

James Bowles, marketing manager, UK Games Expo

Earth by Inside Up Games,Lorcana by Ravensburger and Star Wars: Shatterpoint by Atomic Mass Games.’’

”Dan Jolin, editor and founder of boardgame specialist magazine Senet, says the interest predates the pandemic: ‘‘I’ve seen this rise since at least 2016. Boardgames were becoming more popularmoving out of the realm of ‘nerdy’ guys - that cliche of them playing in their mum’s basement. Games like Pandemic or Wingspan - these kinds of games were drawing

He adds that many of these boardgames were attractive because of their high production values and strong themes – for instance Pandemic where the players work together to fight the disease.

And he says there is something of a move away from traditional boardgames, where there is one winner, and where players are eliminated from the game: ‘’The modern boardgames - people

Vivid/Goliath

Ravensburger

Retail Talk

Duncan

Connor

Bus Stop Toy Shop, Largs, Scotland

What do you think will sell well this Christmas?

Mantis from the makers of Exploding Kittens has done well since it arrived, and its price point means it’ll do well this Christmas. Mysterium Kids looks fun for younger players too. But the festive season is always about classic games here, so we’d expect to be selling more of games like Ticket to Ride, Catan and Carcassone than anything else.

What’s your favourite game? Depends on my mood, but Small World by Days of Wonder is definitely up there. I once played 54 hours of it straight as part of a world record attempt, and I’m still not bored of it. It has the best replayability of any game I’ve come across.

What category is doing especially well?

We’ve seen a big uptick in Role Playing Game sales this last month. The D&D movie seems to have revitalised sales in the category after a bit of a lull earlier in the year.

What are your bestselling puzzles – and why do you think that is?

Pokemon puzzles, and the reason is that they say ‘Pokemon’ on the box.

Dan Lovett Toy Box, Beccles, Suffolk

What’s your favourite game?

My favourite game is Shoot for the Stars from Big Potato Games - they really do some great games.

What are your bestselling puzzles – and why do you think that is?

Puzzles on our shelves are Gibsons and Ravensburger; we have tried other brands in the past but customer feedback tells us these two are of very good quality and range.

would call them Euro games - from designers in Italy, Germany and France in particular - are more fun to play. They offer a much shorter gametime, everyone plays till the end. Often, they involve you having to get the most victory points – so you don’t know until you count up at the end who’s actually won.’’

He adds that the internet is attracting people to boardgames in two ways –first there are those who want to get away from screens and ‘‘toxic online environments‘’.

But on the other hand, the internet is ‘‘being used as a tool, as a forum for game lovers – take Boardgame Geek –which is like IMDB [the movie database] but for the games world. It’s an amazing

Make a start…

resource for gamers – you can find pictures, and history of a game, and games get ranked so you can get a sense of what cool new games are out or what has become popular again.’’

He adds that games offer the chance to being fun and social in person – ‘’it brings people together’’ – and he sees board game groups/nights becoming more and more widespread

Dan also notes the rise of the boardgame café, something that James Bowles also credits with the increase in boardgame popularity. James adds: ‘’the increase in games clubs and cafes as well as the many accessible conventions up and down

We asked Dan Jolin at Senet magazine to suggest some games suitable for toy retailers to stock –especially if they are short on space. Here’s his suggestions: For every giant big box games full of miniatures - there are quite a few small lightweight gateway games - micro games. Oink! Is a good game from a Tokyo based publisher (in English). Another small game - no bigger than a deck of cards – is Scout. It’s for two to five people, and it plays in about 20 minutes – for ages nine up. The theme of the game is you’re putting on a circus show - and you’re trying to find the best talent - it’s basically a card game.

Seasalt &Paper – a French game from Bombix. Every card features origami of different sea creatures. It is very engaging and good to take on holiday and play on the beach.

Another recent release is Cascadia. I’ve played it with my nine-year-old nephew up to my 70-something mother. They got it in a couple of rounds and loved it. There

are hexagonal tiles – and you’re creating a landscape of the US and Canada and populating it with animals. You each build up your own landscape - so not a lot of nasty ‘take that’ stuff going on!

Moon from Sinister Fish comes in a small compact box. Players are colonising the moon and building bases – everything from toilets to a theme park or a cinema. Over a century you are building cities on the moon.

Blue Orange’s Blue Lagoon - I think it deserves to be as popular as Carcassone or Catan. The board is a set of oceanic islands - each person has their own tribe of Polynesian people - who settle on the islands. Once they are established you go on and try to control as much of the boards as you can. It’s really good for kids – it says eight-plus but I’ve given it to younger children.

“There has been growth in games that target young adults –particularly party games

Darrell Jones, marketing director, Vivid Goliath

Orchard Toys

the country have definitely helped in the growth of the industry.’’

So with such high interest in gaming, how are some of our suppliers performing in the sector?

Darrell Jones, marketing director, Vivid Goliath, says: ‘‘The games category is performing well. With the wet summer we’ve had, consumers have definitely been buying games to keep kids entertained at home. We have seen some good sales for our classic kids games including Floor is Lava, Sharkbite and Don’t Wake Daddy.’’

Katy Fletcher, head of marketing and product development, Ravensburger UK, is equally as positive: ‘‘With newness across the breadth of our games range, momentum is continuing to build as we head towards the final quarter and we’ve seen this reflected in a 29%* increase.’’ (*Circana Games Category: July £ value)

And where are they really seeing growth? For Vivid ‘‘There has been growth in games that target young adults – particularly party games,’’ says Darrell. ‘‘We have a number of these launching; Pop Off! a quickplay game that gets more addictive as you go. Pick up one of the 50 challenge cards and get popping with your ping pong balls and bespoke popping cups. The player with the highest score after successfully completing their challenge cards win. Green Team Wins is all about picking the answer you think everyone would pick to gain points, if you’re right you stay on the Green Team. From the Bafta-winning BBC1 series comes The Traitors, The Official Board Game where players can fully immerse themselves in the Traitors experience from the comfort of their own home. Players must use their wits to unmask the Traitor or remain undetected as the Traitor whilecompeting alongside Faithfuls to win the prize fund!’’

Over at Ravensburger Katy says that ‘‘Peppa Pig brings her magic once again to our children’s games offering.

Retail Talk

Rachael Sankey

Harold’s Toy Store, Church Stretton, Shropshire

What do you think will sell well this Christmas?

Our new Peppa Pig Funny Photo game with its 3D format introduces a wonderful moment that will captivate fans - children can simply click the button on the play camera, which is a key feature of the gameplay, to release a picture of a favourite Peppa character.’’ And for older players: ‘‘This year marks the 40th anniversary of Scotland Yard. With over 8 million games sold worldwide, this classic game celebrates four decades of family fun with a refreshed new look.’’

And how are the suppliers reaching the consumers in this sector? Darrell Jones says that ‘’the different categories of games all need tailor-made solutions but, as a general rule, kids games are still reactive to TV advertising and party games need a more digital approach using influencers, as well as social media.’’

And finally, what are the upcoming trends in the sector? At Ravensburger it’s all about Disney, says Katy Fletcher: ‘’ It’s been such a huge year for Disney, and with D100 celebrations ongoing through the coming months there’s more to come. Our special edition D100 Disney Villainous – Introduction to Evil promises an accessible entry point to the game series with its great price point and easyto-follow gameplay. And, of course the much-anticipated Disney Lorcana trading card game is set to deliver a unique experience that will be enjoyed by Disney fans and veteran TCG players alike.’’

Meanwhile, Vivid Goliath looks to strategy and true crime, says Darrell: ‘‘We are seeing a move to strategy-based games,

”A Monopoly version of Barbie World. What’s your favourite game? Magic the Gathering - I love the artwork and characters - also how organic it is, growing with each release and not quite knowing how that will turn out...

What category is doing especially well?

Card games do well - I think because they are cheaper and transportable. We sell a lot of Exploding Kittens.

What are your bestselling puzzles? We don’t have a lot of puzzles and should probably get more. With jigsaws, we have Wasgij - which is quite popular. We also have Rubik’s Cube-style puzzles, which sell well.

we have two games launching - Fire Tower and Honey Buzz. These games are played over a longer duration and are designed to test the players and have different outcomes each time you play.

‘’We started selling games based on True Crime, Supernatural and podcasts last year; this year we are launching The Lunar Dial, a light strategy game. Based on the extremely successful Morbid True Crime podcast which currently has over 300 episodes. The goal of the game is to collect cards, reveal Zodiacs, and earn crystal stars to score points. The player with the most points by the end wins!’’

We would suggest games like Dobble, Cobra Paw and Pandemic as a broad range of games that won’t take up too much space on the shelves of a smaller retailer. These games are also popular ones for all ages.

Entry-level wise, there are a lot of fantastic options out there to get you started. We would suggest games like Ticket to Ride, Catan Junior, Muffin Time, Fluxx and Exploding Kittens to name but a few.

James Bowles, marketing manager, UK Games Expo

“

With newness across the breadth of our games range, momentum is continuing to build as we head towards the final quarter and we’ve seen this reflected in a 29%* increase

Katy Fletcher, head of marketing and product development, Ravensburger

Asmodee

US smash heads to the UK

BANDAI UK

020 8324 6160

sales@bandai.co.uk

www.bandai.co.uk

Bandai brings a new craze to the Games & Puzzles category with the introduction of Amazon US #1 toy, Shashibo, to the UK market.

Shashibo – meaning Shape Shifting Box – uses 36 rare earth magnets for an innovative design to connect and transform each ‘box’ into more than 70 different shapes. An addictively compelling experience, Shashibo offers multiple play patterns for mind-challenging fun, while promoting focus and the benefits of calming and sensory toys.

STEM- and STEAM-certified, each Shashibo cube is made from recycled plastic and is suitable for onward recycling. Bandai UK launches its first collection with the Explorer Series, which includes four different designs comprising Elements, Earth, Moon, and Undersea. Offering collectible, repeat purchase appeal, additional shapes can be created by combining multiple Shashibo cubes and making even larger mesmerising sculptures and structures.

A robust mixed marketing campaign is in place to include digital, social, influencer, PR, and experiential activations. POS options have also been developed.

It's all fun and games...

Our young testers have fun testing two games from Asmodee: Toodles and Dobble Connect

Game: Toodles

Spike and Rémy, aged eight Mum Marie-Claire

What did you like about

It’s great that it has a tiered level of difficulty - half of the family are terrible at drawing!

What did the child like about the toy?

Rather than actually playing the game, they enjoyed picking cards out and drawing on the wipe-clean boards and then rubbing out what they

Explain how easy it was

It was easy to set up although we lost one

What were your/their first impressions?

First impressions were that this would be really fun, and funny trying to draw together with the same pen.

Game: Toodles

Freddy, 11 and Jem, eight

Dad James

What did you like about this toy? That it was doodling but looked fun and wasn’t easy.

What did the child like about the toy? They loved using the kit to try to do the combined drawing and competing within the timer.

What were your first impressions?

We loved the concept and would have preferred to play in teams but we didn’t have enough people.

Explain how easy it was to set up. It was really easy to set up and understand.

What features does it have and what makes them fun?

The pen set up makes it really difficult, which also makes the results funny.

Would this toy be something the child would play with again and again?

Yes but I think they would want to play it with more people so it could be teams rather than everyone playing for points.

What features does it have and what makes them fun?

The look and colour ways of the game are really bright and appealing. The text is big and clear enough to read. The boys were able to set it up on their own without any help from us. We liked that the other team could write their guesses down as there were some really funny answers!

Would this toy be something the child would play with again and again?

The boys enjoyed it when they were drawing collaboratively with an adult, and not with each other. We had to stop the timer a few times because of arguing! So we split the teams slightly differently and then it worked a treat. The boards became very messy very quickly so it’s good to have a cloth to hand.

Jem: I love drawing,it was much harder than it looked

Mum Marie Claire: Nothing too difficult to draw and it encouraged the boys to play together. The wipe clean board is much better for the environment than paper

Game: Dobble Connect

Spike and Rémy, aged eight Mum

Marie-Claire

What did you like about this toy? It was really easy to set up, and clear away. The game can be as long or short as you want, and can be played in teams. It’s also a game that doesn’t involve too much skill –  just concentration!

What did the children like about the toy? They loved blocking their opponents and collecting the trophies. They played the game multiple times over the weekend.

Explain how easy it was to set up. It was really easy to set up and the boys were able to set it up themselves and explain the rules to the family.

What were your/their first impressions?

They were so excited to open a new type of Dobble, which they love. It’s (once again) packed in a small box so it’s easy to put away.

What features does it have and what makes them fun?

It’s nice and colourful - the drawings are really fun and they’re so varied. There’s a glossary of what they’re supposed to be called, but of course we have our own names for the ones we’re not sure about!

Would this toy be something the child would play with again and again?

The boys played this game several times over the weekend; it was a permanent fixture on the dining table so it was played at breakfast, lunch and dinner, and several times in between.

Game: Dobble Connect

Cassie, aged 10 Dad Adam

What did you like about the toy?

It’s easy to have a quick game and pack away.

What did the child like about the toy?

It was easy to play and makes her have to think really quickly.

Explain how easy it was to set up: Yes, it was very easy.

What were your/their first impressions? She maybe thought it would be too simple but then realised just how much strategy can be involved.

What features does it have and what makes them fun? Having so many symbols to try and match makes it fun and as the game progressed you can be quite tactical... if you can think fast enough!

Would this toy be something the child would play with again and again?

Yes, but not nearly as much fun as TOODLES! We would play it on journeys.

Rémy: You can annoyyour opponent by putting a card in their row and they can’t do anything about it! I liked it when my uncle mistakenly put one of my colour cards on my row of three and I won the round!

MumMarie-Claire: We allknowand love Dobble and wereexcitedtoplay this. It’s nice to have theoptiontoplayas a team, too

Cassie: I liked packagingtheand it was somethingdifferent than playing computergames!

Fit for fun!

CHARACTER OPTIONS

0161 633 9800

sales@charactergroup.plc.uk.

Character Options is onto a winner with its super-cool games: Stay Active Jump-It Wipe Out and TapTap Smart Fidget.

Perfect for getting the heart pumping, and great for indoor or outdoor play is Stay Active Jump-It Wipeout. Celebrities and other high-profile influencers took on the ultimate fast, fun musical jump challenge fitness game late last year, catapulting it onto Christmas wish lists. And the game remains in high demand. With Stay Active Jump-It Wipeout, players must take the leap and test their skills. This musical game brings a fast, fun jump challenge into the home! Jump the rotating soft foam jump bar and avoid being wiped out. In Jump-It Wipeout, players must jump it until the time is up or until they have been wiped out.

Then, put fidgety fingers to work with TapTap Smart Fidget, this year’s must-have, palm-sized fidget gamer. This ultimate boredom buster enhances the basic fidget function with five high-touch, high-tech games that sync play and learning, targeting a host of specific skills. With Match-It! players flip the white pixels by tapping them, in a bid to find matching colour pairs. With Sequence the objective is to repeat the sequence displayed on the outer corners. The other games are Stop & Go, Raindrops, Eat Greens, and Copy That.

Lite-Brite touches down in games aisle

BASIC FUN! UK

0118 925 3270

Tim.Ives@basicfun.com

Basic Fun! UK’s classic Lite-Brite brand will be shining bright in the games aisle this autumn, with the introduction of Lite-Brite Touch.

Lite-Brite is the classic activity that combines peg art with light, allowing budding artists of all ages to create beautiful pictures that glow ‘Lite-Brite’. And this season it’s game on for Lite-Brite fans, with the introduction of LiteBrite Touch, which brings the brand to a new generation of children and teens.

At the touch of a button, budding artists can not only create light designs, animate their art, and save their digital artwork, but they can also play three addictive games. With Lite Break, players use the corner buttons to deflect the ball and break away coloured blocks at the top of the screen. With Lite Match, one side of the board lights up with colours to match. The object of the game is to change all the colours to match those on the left side. And then there’s the classic Lite Snake, where the player moves the snake around the screen, avoiding the edges and other snake parts.

Guess what..

With Stay Active Jump-It Wipeout, players must take the leap and test their skills. This musical game brings a fast, fun jump challenge into the home

HASBRO

020 8569 1234

www.hasbro.com

Hasbro gaming continues to add value to its much-loved classic games with the launch of Twister Air. This new app-enabled game takes the classic Twister gameplay fans know and love from the mat to the screen using augmented reality… no mat required.With Twister Air, the party moves onto the player’s smart device. Players reach, clap, swipe, and strike poses to music beats as they scramble to earn points by matching wrist and ankle bands to the coloured spots on the screen. moving and matching bands to coloured spots that appear on the screen.

For tabletop and strategy gaming fans, Hasbro recently launched a new expansion to fan favourite, Avalon Hill’s HeroQuest. The dramatic story of treachery and unrest in the elven kingdom continues in this HeroQuest Rise of the Dread Moon expansion.

The game is for two to five players, aged 14-plus.

Disney Lorcana leads the way for Ravensburger

Excitement for the launch of new trading card game Disney Lorcana has continued to build with both the trade and consumers throughout the first half of this year. The range of products in Chapter One includes Starter Sets, Booster Sets, Gift Sets, Card Holders, an Illumineer’s Trove, Playmats and more.

Rooted in the magic of Disney characters and storytelling, Disney Lorcana is easy to learn for TCG newcomers while still offering strategic depth for experienced players to help create opportunities for more people to enjoy the excitement and fun of TCGs. Disney fans will enjoy the beautiful illustrations and playing with their favourite characters, while veteran TCG players will also appreciate the unique gameplay mechanics that Ravensburger is known to deliver.

Meanwhile, a special D100 edition game, Disney Villainous – The Introduction to Evil, offers new players an accessible entry to the

popular game series with lower price point and simplified gameplay. The game includes four chrome-effect movers: Prince John, Maleficent, Ursula and Captain Hook. And the Star Wars Villainous galaxy grows with expansion game Star Wars Villainous –Scum and Villainy. Adding three new villains to the character line-up, players can opt to seek victory as bounty hunter Boba Fett, Seventh Sister or Cad Bane. This game can be played as a standalone or in conjunction with base game, Star Wars Villainous.

Again marking Disney’s 100th anniversary, Disney Labyrinth is a special edition of the classic game of moving pathways. With a touch of added sparkle, this time, the game features fun Mickey movers and spotlights a host of iconic Disney character favourites. There is further Disney fun to be had with new board game launch, Around the World. In this family game, players must travel around the world by hot air balloon, collecting stamps for their passports.

Two Ravensburger family game favourites also have big birthdays this year; Scotland Yard is in its 40th year with an impactful packaging refresh, and Bugs in the Kitchen Glow in the Dark edition marks the 10th anniversary of the cockroach action game.

The ever-popular Peppa Pig brings her

Did you know?

magic to the Peppa Pig Funny Photo game. This exciting action game features a chunky play camera at its centre, which dispenses ‘photos’, creating captivating fun for Peppa fans.

The UK number one in puzzles (according to NPD figures from January to June this year) adds a raft of strong new licences to its portfolio. Naruto, My Hero Academia, Gabby’s Dollhouse and more complement evergreen licences such as Thomas & Friends, Paw Patrol and Paddington. In 2D puzzles, there’s a new Pikachu-shaped 1,000-piece puzzle plus Pokémon Master Ball is a 54-piece 3D puzzle ball. The Star Wars Death Star Wars 540-piece puzzle and 72-piece Grogu puzzle ball also introduce the magic of the hit franchise to the Ravensburger 3D puzzle range.

As well as a Sherlock Holmes edition to mark the 40th anniversary of Scotland Yard (with Professor Moriarty being the one to chase rather than the mysterious Mr X), there’s a special edition of the game to mark four decades, complete with special packaging and an adventure book…

Asmodee unveils its Fab Four for Q4

ASMODEE

01420 593593 | www.asmodee.co.uk

Dobble Connect is getting rave reviews since launch. It is a fast-paced and frantic game: the aim is to be the fastest team to connect four cards in your colour, in a row. Everyone plays at the same time, so you need a strategy to avoid being blocked by your opposition.

It is suitable for ages eight and up. Retail support has included POS solutions and the return of retail demonstrations alongside PR and a social media influencer campaign.

Dobble Waterproof is one to bring to your attention too as it has been the hit of many holidays this year. It has fully waterproof cards and comes in a lightweight travel bag so you can see why families are calling it their holiday staple.

Toodles is the latest brainchild of Radio

1 DJ Matt Edmondson. It’s a party game and requires players to draw together using the same pen and beat the game by scoring points. There are three difficulty levels to choose from, with a playing time of 15-20 minutes. It is suitable for three to 10 players aged seven and up.

Bunny Hops! will be a hit at festive gatherings as up to 16 people can play. It is for ages 10-plus. Simply get into teams, place a card on your forehead and try to guess the word, celebrity or song. Your teammates will help to describe, mime or sing to help give you clues. The team who collects the most points after each round on the board wins!

Pass the Bomb is the last of the ‘Fab Four’In this game, players come up with a word that contains a certain sequence of letters before the ticking timebomb in their hands explodes. This frantic game is a wonderful exercise in word-summoning and you can play with up to 12 players. For ages eight and up.

Cheatwell ratchets up the tension

CHEATWELL GAMES

www.cheatwell.com

sales@cheatwell.com

02392 524098

Most of Cheatwell’s best-selling games such as Spot The Intro and Tension have upgrades for 2023, be that packaging or new questions, and with more than 30 new game launches this Q4, the company says it is more confident than ever that it has something for everyone.

The new Games For Gifts series, which had such a great response at Toy Fair, adds to this new and impressive category. Among the new titles are:

Best to Wurst is the game in which the answers to the silly questions don’t really matter that much…it’s the laughs you get that count! The best answer wins but there’s also a twist…even the worst answers are rewarded.

In the Code Breakers box there’s a series of cunning ciphers…but what do they mean? It’s up to you to crack the codes and reveal the mystery phrases.

AHA! is the secret word-guessing game that’s packed full of fun. One by one, clues to the mystery word are revealed… then it’s a race to discover the answer

In The Numbers Game it’s the fastest to the figures that wins the round. But it’s easier than that because you only have to be the closest to claim the counter.

Wordio is a classic word-sleuthing game, which will have players scratching their heads and nodding knowingly in equal measure.

Wild Guess is the incredible game of fantastic facts and fascinating figures where guessing the closest to a given answer on the card scores points. You don’t have to be exact…simply closer than your opponents.

Relaunched this year in eye-catching new packaging, Host Your Own Pub Quiz is joined by four pint-sized local editions. Each game comes jam-packed with questions on all your favourite topics.

The popular Quiz Cubes have been relaunched for 2023 in new packaging and improved content. Each Cube contains 500 questions on a variety of subjects, and they are ideal as travel games or gift lines.

The original Dobble was first thought up by Frenchman Jacques Cottereau in the 70 and was based around a mathematical problem. Some of his insect game cards were discovered by journalist and game designer Denis Blanchot in 2008 and he updated them, with Dobble hitting the shelves a year later…

For the avid hobby gamers there’s Cadaver, a game for aspiring necromancers! Players compete to resurrect as many corpses as possible before the break of dawn, with different dead bodies requiring alternative assets and accomplices! Cadaver is complemented by Ghost Hunter, a new series of card games where players take on the role of modern-day Van Helsings, competing to capture spirits, ghouls and vampires.

Learning through puzzles and play

ORCHARD TOYS

01953 859539 | sales@orchardtoys.com | orders@kayes.co.uk www.orchardtoys.com

Perfect for dinosaur fans, Dinosaur Dig is expected to be a big seller this year, as dinosaurs continue to be on trend and the Jurassic Park movie celebrates its 30th anniversary. In this new and exciting prehistoric fossil-finding game, the challenge is to be the first to dig up and discover all the bones and build a 3D T-rex dinosaur. Players take turns to hook matching coloured dinosaur bones with their pick, to build their own 3D dinosaur – but a terrible T-rex hiding in the mud could mean players lose pieces! It’s a great game for learning through play for children aged four-plus as Dinosaur Dig helps players develop colour matching, memory and dexterity skills.

Unicorns continue to be sought after, and Unicorn Fun! featuring a fantastic selection of three magical unicorn themed games, promises to appeal to unicorn fans. Containing three fun games in one box, it offers variety, and value for money. Children can choose from board games Unicorn Party, featuring a lovely 3D rainbow, and Happy Cloud Sad Cloud – a magical twist on snakes and ladders; or get creative

All in a Muddle ONE FOR FUN

www.oneforfun.com

sales@oneforfun.com

One for Fun is constantly adding line extensions to the highly popular Muddle Puzzle range. New for the fourth quarter is the Metallic Muddle Puzzle Set – perfect for puzzle lovers who like a challenge. A great gift item. The set includes three metallic pieces, each with its own unique design and difficulty level. The first puzzle is a 3x3 cube, which requires careful planning and strategy to solve. The second puzzle is a star infinity puzzle, which is more complex and requires a bit more patience to complete. Finally, the third puzzle is a hexagon puzzle, which is perhaps the most challenging of them all. The puzzles come packaged in a tall window box, making them easy to store and transport. With this set, you’re getting great value for your money, as each puzzle offers hours of entertainment and mental stimulation. The Metallic Muddle Puzzle is also offered as a single item, the classic 3 x 3 cube with metallic colours on each side.

These new items complement the existing range which includes the Muddle Puzzle Space Polygon; these infinite puzzles can be opened up, turned and twisted to various shapes showing off different space scenes as you move around the puzzle. The Muddle Puzzle Star starts as a star shape and features different colour patterns on each side,

and mix and match outfit combinations in Build a Unicorn. Suitable for children aged four to eight, it’s a great balance between learning and fun, and the variety will keep children engaged and entertained.

New for Q3 is Outer Space, a 50-piece floor jigsaw puzzle. The fun and colourful scene is packed with astronauts and aliens, and features planets, telescopes, space rockets, flags and robots. For extra value, included with the jigsaw is a fun learning guide and a giant poster - great for developing knowledge of the world, encouraging observation, reinforcing counting skills and inspiring imaginative play. Suitable for young puzzlers from age four. Orchard Toys games and puzzles are supported with a strong digital mix of social media and PR. Retailers are offered a comprehensive in-store point of sale support package, from display banners to headers, shelf strips, product barcode booklets, and merchandising. Retailers also have access to download brand resources, including imagery, videos, and gameplay instructions.

Guess What...

New for Q3 is Outer Space, a 50-piece floor jigsaw puzzle. Depicting a cosmic journey into space, the fun and colourful scene is packed with astronauts and aliens, and features planets, telescopes, space rockets, flags and robots

again made mostly from paper and card. Then the star can be opened up, turned and twisted to various shapes showing off the various patterns and colours as you move around the puzzle. Want to baffle your brain even more? Try the Double Muddle Puzzle or buy a mini muddle puzzle for when you’re out and about!

There are lots of great fidget toys to complement the existing Muddle Puzzle range, – an updated version of the classic puzzle fiddle square, nine squares with different colours and designs to be shuffled and sorted quickly so they all show the same matching colours on each side. Re-imagined to offer a new challenge but still with that addictive play value. Available in Rainbow and solid bright colours, along with mini and double versions.

Monkeying around

SPIN MASTER

01628 535000 | www.spinmaster.com/en-GB

Spin Master Games is leading the way in the toy industry with a fantastic selection of innovative and imaginative board games for the whole family. With something for everyone, family competitive spirit comes to life with popular games such as Sink N’ Sand, Hedbanz, Beat the Parents and new Monkey See, Monkey Poo.

The new Monkey See, Monkey Poo game will have the kids in fits of giggles as they fling poo to collect bananas and climb their way to victory. Players select one of the cheeky monkey characters including P.U, Stink or Gassy George, and spin the spinner to see how many flings they get. Load the tail with dough then pinch and shape poo before launching. Aim at the Banana Token filled tree and let the poo fly, collecting a Banana Token for each bunch you knock over, while climbing to the top. It’s the ultimate entertainment for kids and all their friends to enjoy after school and on the weekends. Kids looking to compete against their friends in the ultimate adventure setting will love the popular game, Sink N’ Sand. The game takes players on a wild jungle adventure as they aim to be the last one standing in

Fun fact

the flowing Kinetic Sand. Players start by rolling the die and pulling a stick with the aim of not falling into the quicksand. Someone lucky will find a Redemption Ruby among the sand to use for another chance at survival. Sink N’ Sand is full of suspense and excitement that everyone can enjoy, and is suitable for two to four players, aged four-plus. The game comes with an easy-to-scan QR code for detailed instructions and has everything required to play right away.

Kinetic sand, as used in Sink N’ Sand, is made up of 98% sand with the special ingredient of polymer making up the rest – this makes the sand mouldable and also helps it stick together, as well as avoiding messy, sandy hands…

Another great option for family games night is Hedbanz. It’s everyone’s favourite game of What am I? and as easy as Pick, Place, and Play. Players simply pick a headband and a picture card, place it upon their head and guess by answering a handful of yes or no questions from other players. It’s the ultimate race against the clock and the perfect game for the whole family to enjoy.

For those who love to be challenged, the fun-filled family trivia game for all ages, Beat the Parents, will have adults and kids battling it out for household bragging rights. Each team reads trivia questions about their generation to the other side, moving their pawn on the board with every successful answer. Reach a Challenge space, and compete team vs team in crazy, up-and-active challenges. The game comes with 110 question cards and 50 challenge cards, meaning endless amounts of family fun. Get ready for the ultimate challenge of kids versus parents.

Gen up on University

UNIVERSITY GAMES AND LAGOON

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

University Games and Lagoon’s 700-strong combined product range of games and puzzles features brands such as Subbuteo, Project Genius, The Purple Cow, Roald Dahl, Horrible Histories and The World of David Walliams. New this autumn is the fully recyclable Marble RaceTrax series. Made from sustainable materials, and with four different track sizes available, ranging from an impressive four to nine metres in length, and 50cm to a massive one metre in height, this series is a great choice for consumers who are making more eco-friendly choices.

University Games’ family portfolio already features a host of bestselling games such as Smart Ass, Perudo, Pointless, 5-Letter Wordlet and the exciting Forbidden Games Strategy titles; Raccoon Tycoon, Lizard Wizard, Dungeon Party and Mosaic. But that’s not all, there

are a host of new titles arriving this autumn to join the party including 20 Questions, Irritable Vowels, Blurt, Mind Your Language, as well as Rom Com, Happy Hour Hustle and Ultimate Pub Trivia from Lagoon.

University Games’ best-selling Murder Mystery Party series continues to grow with the arrival of five exciting new titles to the range including Pasta, Passion and Pistols, Murder Noir and Passport to Murder puzzle, as well as The Night Hunter and Black Hawk. The Night Hunter is in prison and the public can rest easy… until the murders start again...

Epoch on the right route

EPOCH MAKING TOYS

0208 049 1377 | sales@epochmakingtoys.com

Epoch Games is going into the Autumn/Winter period in a strong position following the runaway success of the Super Mario Bros. Movie released in April. The brand launched a host of new games including the exclusive movie tiein, Route ‘n GO! In the action-packed puzzle game, players must slide the tiles to lead Mario and Luigi’s van to the finish line without falling off the track.

Featuring two speed levels, the game can be played three ways. In single-player mode the aim is to reach the end in the least number of moves possible; in two-player mode, play co-operatively, taking it in turns to move the van until it reaches the goal; or competitively, by hindering your opponent’s progress. Whoever reaches the goal first is the winner. The game is suitable for ages five and over.

Also new for 2023, Super Mario Rally Tennis is a fun tabletop tennis game where players must slide their characters left and right to receive the ball and hit the button at the right time to serve and return! A scoreboard helps players keep track of the match in true tennis style and the included collectible figures – Mario and Luigi - can be used interchangeably with other games that are part of Epoch Games LINK System. The game is suitable for ages five-plus and requires no batteries.

The final addition to the Epoch Game range is the Lucky Coin Game, which is based on the classic ‘coin drop’ arcade game with moving platforms. In this game of chance insert the coins at the right time to win more coins, character chips and ? blocks. For ages four-plus.

Other highlights include Super Mario Adventure Game DX, Super Mario Blow Up! Shaky Tower, and Mario Kart Racing DX. The latter can now be extended with the Mario Kart Racing Expansion Set which features two new characters – Bowser and Toad.

Dress to impress

SMART TOYS & GAMES

01903 885669 | uk@smart.be

There’s great excitement at Smart Toys & Games, as the team starts to roll out their highly anticipated autumn 2023 launches.

Launching this month, SmartGames offers retailers Dress Code, a truly engaging game perfect for preschoolers. Following the phenomenal success of the brand’s bestselling Colour Code, Dress Code takes the fun of playing dress up to the next level. In this game, the weather is acting out … it’s like having four seasons in one day. Players are challenged to help get the characters dressed for the weather. But watch out, the order in which you get dressed is important. The perfect puzzle game for toddlers, which will help little ones aged four and over learn about colours, shapes, sequence, and orientation.

New for 2023, SmartGames launches a themed collection of Yatzy; starting with Train, Farm and Zoo. Suitable for ages five-plus, this two-player game is so much fun and at just £7.99, it’s the perfect stocking filler or pocket-money game. Each game comes with five themed dice and a notepad for scoring your combinations. The aim of the game is for players to get their dice together and find a winning combination strategy. A creative, simple, and child-friendly game, players must roll their dice up to three times to find the highest score combinations. It’s perfect for practising language skills, decision making, problem solving, strategising and maths.

The good, the bad and the fluffy

EXPLODING KITTENS

joeri@explodingkittens.com

Exploding Kittens has launched its newest tabletop game, Exploding Kittens: Good vs. Evil, based on the franchise’s upcoming adult animated Netflix series titled Exploding Kittens. This new standalone version of the company’s original card game was designed within the fictional world of the TV series.

Exploding Kittens: Good vs. Evil offers the same gameplay – a kittypowered version of Russian roulette – that fans know and love. However, the new title flips the script by bringing fans into the narrative world of the show, introducing new character cards from the upcoming series. These include a Godcat card, dubbed “the most powerful card ever created”, and Devilcat, which causes a player to immediately explode without the protection of a defuse card. Best for ages seven-plus, the game takes around 15 minutes to play, for two to five players. RRP £21.99.

Going gooie for Louey!

VIVID GOLIATH

01483

449944

www.vividtoysandgames.co.uk

The Vivid Goliath Games portfolio is bursting with new titles for every age and theme from Melting Ice Creams, nose-picking fun with Gooie Louey through to treachery and deceit with The Traitors.

Media support this AW is spread across TV, VOD and YouTube for the classic Kids Games portfolio as well as engaging content on social media to inspire parents and gifters on the lookout for perfect Christmas family fun.

Ice Cream Melt Down is a new global game for Goliath. Players take it in turns placing their treats onto the ice cream cone before it melts. Watch out as the slime slowly starts to melt like real ice cream! The frst player to put all their treats on the Ice Cream

Did you know?

Vivid has something for fans of the hit BBC1 series Traitors - The Official Board Game allows players to fully immerse themselves in the Traitors experience from the comfort of their own home

Play daily YOTO

www.uk.yotoplay.com

Every day thousands of families across the world tune in to kid’s audio platform Yoto’s daily podcast, ‘Yoto Daily’. Hosted by Jake, a father and former primary school teacher whose sing-song voice reveals mindboggling facts, cracks rib-tickling jokes, and inspires little listeners through games, draw-alongs, and other fun activities.

Now, Yoto has taken the most popular games and turned them into a Yoto Daily Games card so families can play on demand whenever they want.

The card includes six glorious games, including ‘Cheese or Chocolate’ and the very silly ‘Sausages’, suitable for children from age three.

Launches September 7.

cone wins!

Gooey Louie has had a re-design with new features for a nostalgic brand but for a new generation! Players take it in turns to pick the boogers from Louie’s nose, however, one wrong move will make Louie’s brain explode and eyes pop out. Beat Blast is a new sequence-based game where you need quick reactions to swing the Beat Stick to the rhythm of the music to score points. Diferent colour lights indicate which movement you need to do, and fast!

From the hit BBC1 series comes The Traitors, The Ofcial Board Game where players can fully immerse themselves in the Traitors experience from the comfort of their own home. Players must use their wits to unmask the Traitor or remain undetected as the Traitor whilst competing alongside Faithful’s to win the prize pot!

For family fun and party games a whole roster of new games includePop Of! - a quick play party game that gets more addictive as you go. Pick up challenge cards and get popping with ping pong balls and popping cups.

Screwball stuf from Tomy TOMY

01271 336155 | uk.tomy.com

Tomy sees the arrival of several new games, further expanding the brand’s ever-growing portfolio.

The much-loved game Screwball Scramble has had a refresh with the launch of Screwball Scramble Level Up, while Tomy added to its social and party games category the UK launch of The Game of Saying ‘Huh?!’ - which has already been awarded a Mojo Award for best new party game. The premise of the game is brilliantly simple, yet undeniably entertaining. It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it! The game, which frst launched in Japan selling over one million copies, has already proved to be highly successful across other markets and Tomy plans to emulate this success in the UK. A sampling campaign will run across UK universities throughout September, which will then be amplifed by additional sampling and digital campaigns from October to December.

Hitster hits UK

GALT TOYS 0161 428 9111

SalesUK@jumboplay.com

Jumbo is striking the right note with game and puzzle lovers this season, with the all-new music party game Hitster and its ever-popular portfolio of adult puzzles from Wasjig.

Did you know?

Hitster has hit the road this summer. Jumbo Games has taken the title on tour around festivals in the UK as well as working with influencers and celebrities to highlight its fun elements

The arrival of Jumbo Games’ latest addition to the games’ aisle will be music to retailers’ ears! Already a sell-out success in Europe, Hitster is the unique and fun music party game for all occasions. This ultimate game for music-lovers invites players to create an instant party, promising an evening of laughter, singing, dancing and fun times. Featuring more than 300 of the greatest hits from the past 100 years, designed for all over the age of 16, this brilliant game can be played with two to 10 players.

Quickly explained, thanks to its simple rules, players begin by picking a music card and scanning the QR code with the free Hitster app. The song will play automatically in Spotify, presenting players with the challenge of guessing when the song was released and placing it in chronological order in their music timeline before flipping the card over. If it’s in the correct place, they keep the card to create their timeline. An ideal party game for any crowd, Hitster offers both a competitive and cooperative game option. It comes with 308 music cards and 37 Hitster tiles, making it the perfect party soundtrack.

Hitster arrives to the UK and Ireland with the support of a full programme of activity. The fun kicked off with experiential marketing with demonstrations at music festivals, influencers and celebrity

Space savers

CLEMENTONI

020 3206 1101

www.clementoni.com

For over 50 years, Clementoni has been a pioneer of jigsaw puzzles, producing product that taps into market trends, consumer interests and popular licences. Clementoni has a new line of Compact Box 1,000 pc puzzles. The same highquality puzzles are now packed more efficiently to reduce shipping ‘air’. Included in the pack is a large poster. All key licences are available in the new compact size including Disney Classics, Marvel, Warner Bros, DC, and Universal, we well as Netflix favourites Stranger Things, The Witcher and Squid Game.

Clementoni has also released the Anime Collection for 2023, building on the resurgence in popularity of the category and covers key properties such as One Piece, Dragon Ball and Attack on Titan.

social media activity, Heavyweight digital preroll and an always-on Meta advertising campaign will help to drive further awareness and demand for this new smash-hit addition to the portfolio in Q4.

Meanwhile, Jumbo’s original brainteasing jigsaw brand Wasgij continues to challenge puzzlers to use their imagination as they piece together the solution to what’s on the box. For Wasgij lovers, Christmas starts early, with the recently launched bestselling Wasgij Christmas puzzle 19, which this year celebrates the Santa Dash. Aquarium Antics Wasgij Original 43 Puzzle offers brain-swimming puzzling. Also new this year and proving a hit with music and puzzle enthusiasts alike is Wasgij Mystery 25 – Eurosound Contest. This hilarious new puzzle celebrates the musical extravaganza in all its dramatic glory. Will these performers have a sparkling surprise in store, or will one overexcited audience member take the spotlight? Puzzlers use the clues to help piece together what will happen next in this 1,000-piece offering.

Content is king

With Q4 on the way, many are putting the finishing touches to their marketing campaigns in a bid to reach young audiences. But in an increasingly fragmented market, what works and what doesn’t? TnP looks at Q4 and the best ways to talk to children…

As Q4 approaches and companies finalise their marketing plans for the key quarter, it’s clear that marketing to children is continuing to change.

As children’s viewing habits continue to change and to fragment even further, TV advertising in all its forms, from traditional terrestrial TV

As traditional forms of advertising, such as TV commercials, are becoming less effective, marketers are pressed to find even more innovative and aggressive ways to cut through the ad clutter or ad fatigue of modern life.

spots through to the whole gamut of different social media forms and more, is changing.

It’s gone truly global, according to Insights Family chief Nick Richardson. Marketers, in creating content for both TV as well as for YouTube and other elements, are talking to a worldwide audience.

As Richardson notes: “As fragmentation continues, the media fragmentation in terms of where kids are – there’s so much choice, a continued choice. And kids are not just accessing content made in the UK, it’s global now.

“That media fragmentation is here to stay.”

The fragmentation has even made the question of what is children’s television more complex than ever. As tech bible Wired recently explained: “The category of ‘children’s television’ has existed for nearly as long as television has, but it is an increasingly leaky category. As spending time on online platforms like YouTube and Roblox supplants sitting in front of an old-fashioned television set, the very idea of ‘kids tv’ becomes as antiquated as Saturday morning cartoons.”

All this is, as oft noted, not least in these pages, making traditional marketing routes ever more complex. But let’s not throw the baby out with the bathwater just yet. Traditional TV still has a role to play.

As Richardson says: “It’s harder to engage them and get in touch with your audience. But TV does still have a key role to play.”

For, and this is crucial in this area, evidence suggests that parents and children are more inclined to trust a product and brand if it advertises on traditional television.

Most of the companies featured in our Q4 marketing feature are still using traditional TV, but it’s now just part of the mix, rather than the focus.

For bigger companies, it’s easier, but the smaller, independent operators, are looking for that mix too.

Curious Universe is putting together a major campaign for its first move into the toy market following its successes in the arts and crafts sector. Rather than just going all-in with traditional TV, it is looking at getting better value for money and utilising digital. As the company noted, while appointing Havas Entertainment to put the offering

Leopfrog

together: “Havas will support these brands from launch with captivating media campaigns designed to reach a wider audience, including a digital-led approach across social platforms and gaming integration to efectively reach and convert consumers.’’

And as Curious Universe CEO John Styring tells TnP: “In essence, working with Havas Entertainment, we did a bit of a beauty parade but Havas really wanted to understand our audience and work closely with us. We felt they were putting together a really strong digital frst campaign, which is all about raising awareness of Crystalverse and Cutesville. Our target for Crystalverse is to hit 1.5million new customers.

“Where we’d never done such a large marketing campaign before, we needed to fnd the right partner - I think we have done that with Havas. We’re very much working in that digital sphere. We did consider TV and digital and just felt getting the best value bang for our buck, it was better to go in on this campaign. We’ve got this ability to evolve as we go; we really can make it work as best as possible. We’re not used to throwing six fgures at a marketing campaign - we really want to make it work and raise the awareness of these products we think are fantastic.”

It’s interesting to note, along the way, that while screen time is increasing, the nature of it is changing. A recent BBC survey, put together to help launch its Square Eyes campaign (pictured above left), which aimed to question some of the more traditional views on children’s increasing time spent on devices as well as in front of television, points out: “The survey reveals that children’s screen-time is increasing, with 79% of parents feeling that their children have used screens more since the start of the pandemic.”

While all eyes are on screens, there’s fewer of them on old-fashioned live TV. More viewing generally doesn’t mean children are watching more ads streaming has put paid to that.

OFCOM’s report on viewing habits in 2022 states: “Children still watch live television but are more likely to watch paid-for on-demand streaming services; 78% watched services like Netfix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+, compared to 47% watching live TV. Scotland had the largest decline in broadcast viewing.”

As North American media literacy experts at Media Smarts highlight: “Advertising: It’s everywhere. No, it’s not your imagination. The amount of advertising and marketing we are exposed to daily has exploded: on average, we see more than four thousand ads each day. At the gas

pumps, in the movie theatre, in a washroom stall, on stickers on fruit, during sporting events and plastered all over social media - advertising is pretty much impossible to avoid.

“As traditional forms of advertising, such as TV commercials, are becoming less efective, marketers are pressed to fnd even more innovative and aggressive ways to cut through the ad clutter or ad fatigue of modern life. As well, the popularity of streaming services such as Netfix or Disney Plus means that today’s kids see an average of four hundred fewer hours of TV ads compared to watching commercial TV – making advertisers all the more determined to reach them in other ways.”

The march to the internet then is real. For as Media Smarts further adds: “The Internet an especially desirable medium for marketers who want to target children. This is because:

■ It’s part of youth culture. This generation of young people is growing up with the internet as a daily and routine part of their lives.

■ Parents generally do not understand the extent to which kids are being marketed to online.

■ Kids are often online alone, without parental supervision.

■ Sophisticated technologies make it easy to collect information from young people for marketing research and to target individual children with personalised advertising.

■ By creating engaging, interactive environments based on products and brand names, companies can easily build brand loyalties from an early age.”

As Insights Family’s Richardson says, the power of digital is clear to see. “Digital and gaming is where the majority of three to 12-year-olds are spending their time.”

Much of this is content based, because, as is oft stated, “content is king”. But while it may rule, there’s also a heck of a lot of it out there.

Advertising on the likes of YouTube still works, but it is evolving even beyond this.

It’s as much now about what toy companies are doing beyond traditional advertising, creating their own programming, webisodes, online viewing and more, highlighting the brand and getting it out there (think Mattel, Hasbro, Spin Master et al).

But it’s also about involving kids. Unboxing is huge still; infuencers still rule the roost as well. As Richardson says: “Kids don’t just want to be

passive consumers of content, they also want to build it. And kids really respond to created content when it’s kids their age playing with toys, talking about toys.

“Some brands are doing it well, other brands are still missing out on the opportunity to create kid advocates. There’s a huge opportunity to get the kids to share with friends.”

Curious Universe is one of those brands using infuencers this autumn. CEO John Styring says: “The infuencer side is so interesting. We’re going to be working with people to validate your product. We want people to say ‘yup, I enjoyed that’ and more people will buy it. That’s pretty powerful.”

On the pages over, companies outline what they’re doing this Q4, and it is an increasingly expansive mix of media and reaching consumer.

TV is dead, long live TV, says Richardson.

“Do kids and parents trust these products [advertised on traditional TV] more? Absolutely. It still has a role to play. But you can’t have TV advertising in the way you used to. If you’re targeting a particular age group or segment, TV alone will not do it any more

“Buyers and retailers have a preference and sometimes insistence; they want to see distributors, manufacturers and brands promoted on TV. It’s very much part of the mix

“But it’s only one of the points people can use as part of the mix. It’s certainly not the only one, probably not the prominent one.

“You can’t just target, say, boys aged eight to 12.. You have to defne where the audience is. You have to drill down to understand who that target audience is, what is going on in their world. An ad needs to be specifc, or there’s a real chance of missing them.”

“Where we’d never done such a large marketing campaign before, we needed to fnd the right partner I think we have done that with Havas. We’re very much working in that digital sphere. We did consider TV and digital and just felt getting the best value bang for our buck, it was better to go in on this campaign

University Games

Character showcases its key Christmas lines

CHARACTER OPTIONS

0161 633 9800

sales@charactergroup.plc.uk

Character Options is renowned for its high-level marketing support, across its many brands, with TV and digital advertising at the forefront of the strategy. And 2023 sees early autumn TV drives move into heavyweight digital activity, to keep key products front of mind at the sharp end of the season.

Piñata Smashlings is a new IP connecting online content with ofine toys for enriched fan engagement. The toys launch this month and are set to be the focus of a huge awareness drive. The fun will kick of with a global Mass Smash infuencer campaign, showcasing the Piñataverse play world. And with 100-plus collectible characters to discover, plus anarray of plushies, this is a brand that will keep kids coming back for more, with demand set to peak ahead of Christmas. Above-the-line activity will start to take efect as the key gifting period nears, with TV, YouTube and kids’ gaming advertising.

From one smash hit to another – Fingerlings are back, introducing exciting, updated ways to play, while staying true to the ‘Friendship @ Your Fingertips’ promise of the original toy that won a 2018 TOTY Award. Since their reintroduction this season, Fingerlings has been the focus of a continual social drive, aptly titled: Fingerlings Fridays. And by Q4 kids will be going bananas for these adorable monkey pals, with fun TV and digital campaigns.

Did you know?

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem movie toy line got of with a bang at the end of June, delighting retailers with its success. But, with Christmas approaching, the focus is set to shift to playsets, with heavyweight TV and digital support driving demand for the PizzaFire Van and Sewer Lair Playset.

The revived Fingerlings have got of to a fying start in 2023, as Character’s UK marketing director Mark Hunt said: “Fingerlings are already on pace to more than double the sales we had predicted. We are extremely pleased with the results so far.”

Ready to WOW! with Real FX!

WOW! STUFF

emma.prendaglia@wowstuf.com www.wowstuf.com

Wow! Stuf will be turning up the volume for all things Real FX this autumn with high-volume digital advertising for its Jurassic Park and Harry Potter Real FX must-haves.

Ready to roar is the Jurassic Park Real FX Baby T.rex. This hyper-realistic animatronic baby dinosaur is the latest Jurassic franchise addition to the Real FX portfolio and celebrates 30 years since the original Jurassic Park movie. Its Real FX life-like, intuitive movements and realistic sound efects, bring this T.rex to life like no toy dinosaur ever created, making it a perfect toy for preroll advertising. A suspense-flled 30-second spot will make this toy’s presence felt, with millions of views to be delivered across the Autumn/Winter period.

And Jurassic World Real FX Baby Blue will also be re-ignited in the Q4 marketing drive. Baby Blue is the popular predecessor of the aforementioned innovation, which has won multiple awards, gaining more than 90 per cent fve-star ratings from consumer reviews across all retailers. Wow! Stuf will continue to support this animatronic dinosaur with further advertising ahead of the key gifting period.

Pat Avenue goes into Battle

PAT AVENUE

01604 678780

enquiries@patavenue.co.uk

Pat Avenue is going into battle in Q4, as the team steps-up its marketing for its new collectible range Battle Heads.

Battle Heads catapulted into the collectibles aisle in late July with a raft of activity across YouTube, including the launch of a dedicated YouTube channel, and an impressive programme of infuencer activity. Momentum for these jaw-fring, combative collectibles will continue into the autumn, with the introduction of two key multi-featured Battle Heads playsets, which are designed to further extend the play value of this collectible line.

University won’t lose its marbles this Q4

UNIVERSITY GAMES AND LAGOON

020 7254 0100 ǀ www.university-games.co.uk

University Games will be supporting retailers in the lead-up to Christmas with heavyweight marketing campaigns for some of its key lines this quarter, including the new Marble RaceTrax series, the iconic table football game, Subbuteo and the best-selling family trivia game, Smart Ass. The targeted, high-profle Q4 campaigns will deliver on prime-time TV and AdSmart as well as key social media channels YouTube, TikTok, Facebook and Instagram.

The new Marble RaceTrax range will be supported by a heavyweight TV and social media campaign in Q4 to build awareness and drive sales.

VTech invests for year-end

VTECH

01235 555545

trade.sales@vtecheu.com

www.vtech.co.uk

Peak season 2023 will see 20 diferent VTech products across TV and digital, including eight new creatives for new items as well and existing lines. Mike Lynch, senior brand manager, says: “This level of investment shows our support to not only some of our existing best sellers, but will also ensure consumers are aware of our exciting new additions. We know that since August 2022, more than 3.8 million children, and over half (1.2 million) of all parents with children

0-3, have seen a VTech advert at least once [according to fgures from Techedge], highlighting how important linear TV advertising still is. Our comprehensive TV plan targets both children and parents across the most popular channels and relevant programme mix.”

An exciting season of fun and entertainment

GALT TOYS

0161 428 9111

salesUK@jumboplay.com

This season, Galt Toys and Jumbo are thrilled to announce their ambitious marketing campaigns, aimed at accelerating the popularity of their latest oferings and engaging customers in unforgettable experiences. With a focus on the new party game Hitster, Galt bestsellers in Craft and Science, and brain-teasing puzzles from Wasgij, the brands are set to captivate consumers through infuencer activity, social media engagement, and substantial digital advertising.

Galt Toys is gearing up for an exciting Q4 campaign centred around Creative Cases and Science Kits, both loved by kids and parents alike. This will be done through a series of engaging peer-to-peer content, with kids sharing their excitement for Galt’s Creative Cases and Science Kits. The campaign will feature fun and informative ‘how to’ videos, capturing the imagination.

Furthermore, Galt Toys is launching an extensive YouTube advertising campaign throughout the season to ensure the brand’s craft kits, including favorites like Make a Mosaic, First Sewing, and Cute Charms, as well as their captivating science kits like Science Lab Kit, Magnetic Lab, and Body Lab, are at the forefront of customers’ minds during the October half-term and

through the later gifting period.

To amplify the reach, the campaign will also leverage Instagram infuencers, with strategically timed waves of activity.

Did you know?

Hitster was invented by Marcus Carleson as an after-dinner party game with his pals, with him acting as DJ rather than using QR codes and Spotify. He saw its potential and launched a Kickstarter to fund it, before Jumbo discovered it and spotted its potential

Hitster, the highly anticipated music party game that’s creating a buzz across Europe is hitting the shelves in the UK and Ireland. To celebrate, Jumbo has prepared an exciting marketing programme including experiential activations through music festivals and collaborations with infuencers and celebrities. Additionally, a heavyweight digital marketing plan has been prepared across YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, supported by an always-on campaign, ensuring wideranging visibility and appeal to target consumers.

Simba Toys UK’s pre-Christmas campaigns

SIMBA SMOBY TOYS

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 2022 Q4 campaigns.

As we head towards the festive gifting period, the frm 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 renowned 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 parent- and 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 pitch-side boards. Meanwhile, monthly initiatives will continue to increase engagement on the Smoby social channels, building on the brand’s signifcant presence in the digital space, while infuencer and celebrity engagement will help take Smoby to more parents through. Zooming of the big screen and onto the toy shelf are the frm’s epic 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 disposable friend RC Buggy Buzz Lightyear, 1:24 RC Turbo Racer Lightning McQueen will feature in the frm’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 gamifed content in October, allowing boys to interact with the Rescue Hybrids models in a game.

Did you know?

The eco-friendly BeKind doll range uses recycled plastics, with ink made from soybeans and reusable packaging, while the dolls all wear eco-fashions…

Making magic happen in the fnal quarter

MAGICBOX

01293 222500 sales@magicbox-toys.co.uk

TV, VOD, YouTube and more will be abundant across all three Magicbox brands in the run-up to Christmas, ensuring huge support for retailers at the busy end of the season.

After an incredible frst start this August for SuperThings’ latest theme Mutant Battle, Magicbox is prepped to continue its drive for the series throughout the fnal quarter. At the forefront will be TV and VOD, but this activity will be heavily supplemented with huge numbers of views on YouTube. TVCs will support each segment of the brand, highlighting the 100-plus new characters to collect and the amazing new colour-change efect, as well as the super-fun Superbot Power Arms Trasher and Sugarfun fgures, which have arms that reach further than ever. As the winter approaches, support will ramp up for the larger Secret Base playsets, highlighting both hero and villain versions. Then, once October arrives, digital will assume an alwayson approach, whether across full length pre-roll, bumpers or the fun episodes created for the YouTube channel.

Added to this is a raft of PR activity, beginning with sampling through magazine cover-mounting, in partnership with Redan Publishing. Driving kids into store will be the SuperThings Swap Shop Kits, ofered to retailers, while competitions across kids’ press will further increase visibility for the brand among its target audience. Adding to the excitement created by infuencers is a Golden Figure Redemption campaign, complete with geocache element. Finally, ensuring the gift buyer knows all about what is happening, social media will create millions of impressions and reach for SuperThings, highlighting other new lines in the range, including the animalpowered Wild Kids and their sweet animal friends.

Then, for KookyLoos, the Glitter Glam theme and new KookyLoos Mermaids will be centre of attention for fans. The celebrity activation for KookyLoos Mermaids is about to take place, showcasing the four magical characters available to collect. Each doll has the expression-changing feature that kids love about KookyLoos - one doll, three unique faces - and comes housed in an irridescent shell that opens to create a cool play space and closes to double as a purse. Kids will love changing each doll’s facial expression with a swipe of the fnger, then swapping their outft from beautiful dress to magical mermaid’s tail! Meanwhile, hundreds of KookyLoos Glitter Glam kits have already been sent out to infuential mums, showing of this fun and glamorous new collection, across their social channels.

Meanwhile, the BeKind Dolls will be topping children’s Christmas wish lists, with a TV campaign in October, along with social activity, kids press coverage and infuencer engagement.

Basic Fun!’s Q4 campaigns are coming

BASIC FUN! UK

0118 925 3270

Tim.Ives@basicfun.com

The impact of digital advertising will be felt across many of the Basic Fun! UK brands this Autumn/Winter, capturing the imaginations of YouTube viewers, as the winter buying season approaches.

First up is the collectible spin-of for the Care Bears brand: Care Bears Lil’ Besties. The early season campaigns across YouTube and VOD got the brand of to a great start and will continue through Q4, driving these miniature-sized BFFs onto the playground – and into Christmas stockings. There are 50-plus blind-boxed Lil’ Besties Surprise Figures to fnd, with diferent expressions and fun action poses. And Lil’ Besties Surprise Cubbies playsets create the ultimate 360-degree play world for these adorable fgures. This and the entire Care Bears brand will be further supported with active PR and social campaigns, including a month-long activation in British Garden Centres.

Season 3 Misfttens has heavyweight digital support, including YouTube preroll and bumpers, plus social memes and advertising across TikTok and Instagram. This is a brand that lends itself to vertical video fun, following the “If I fts, I sits” trend across social platforms. The latest season of mischievous kittens introduces 12 new plushie cats to collect, each with a unique ombre tail.

Leaping into Christmas

LEAPFROG

01235 555545

www.leapfrog.co.uk

marketing.uk@vtecheu.com

Fun fact

The Build-a-Slice Pizza Cart has six diferent toppings – cheese, onion, pepperoni, peppers, black olives and pineapple…

LeapFrog Learning Expert Mollie Levin, M.A. outlines the educational benefts saying: “The Build-a-Slice Pizza Cart ofers an imaginative way for young chefs to practice counting and recognising shapes and colors while encouraging children to follow directions.

The cart’s catchy songs and funny phrases reinforce the learning content and inspire pretend play.”

LeapFrog is thrilled to unveil its latest line-up of toys, perfect for Christmas. Rich with exciting roleplay fun and in true LeapFrog style packed with learning and supported with strong media plans. In the run-up to Christmas, LeapFrog will see fve adverts featuring seven exciting products, including two new creatives across TV and digital platforms, reaching over 8.8m children (etelmar).

The frst of LeapFrog’s new

creatives is the Build-a-Slice Pizza Cart, showcased alongside the Scoop & Learn Ice Cream Cart. Ding! Ring the bell to hear a customer’s order and explore colours, shapes and food names - or create your own pizza with the toppings provided.

LeapFrog’s second new creative will focus on the Magic Adventures Telescope, which will be shown alongside the Magic Adventures Globe. Immerse young explorers into the wonders of the universe with incorporated educational NASA content. Explore the solar system, the moon, star life cycles, constellations and space discoveries with built-in images and videos provided by NASA.

The rest of the Autumn/Winter media campaign will feature other products from the LeapFrog range including LeapStart - recommended by 96% of teachers (iChild, May 2023), LeapLand Adventures and PawPatrol: To the Rescue! Learning Video Game.

Gotta catch

Collectibles continues to be one of the topperforming categories, with both strategic trading cards and action figures collectibles in the top five super categories and increasing in 2022 from 2019 according to Circana.

Pokémon continues as the top-selling brand – and our retailers still tell us that the trading cards are flying off the shelves.

By March 2023, Pokémon produced 52.9 billion cards, with 9.7 billion of them made between April 2022 and March 2023. And with the Scarlet & Violet 151 Expansion (featuring figures from the Kanto region) due this month, it looks like that success is set to continue. The expansion will include a number of rare cards including the Secret Rare of franchise icon Pikachu, which shows the character on a street filled with other Kanto region Pokémon such as Psyduck and Growlithe.

TnP asked Dr Amanda

Character Options

Gummer, founder and CEO of The Good Play Guide (www. GoodPlayGuide.com ) what drives the popularity of collectibles.

She says: ‘‘Many collectible items are tied to popular media franchises, such as movies, TV shows, and video games. As these franchises gain popularity, the demand for associated collectibles also increases.

‘‘Collecting can also provide a sense of belonging to a community with shared interests. Online platforms and social media allow collectors to connect, share their collections, and discuss their passions with like-minded individuals.’’

But it’s not just children who are driving the collectables category forward: ‘‘Adults who enjoyed collecting toys during their childhood may continue the hobby, driven by nostalgia and a desire to relive fond memories. This can also be passed down to their children, creating multi-generational interest.

‘‘Certain collectibles gain value over time, leading people to collect them as investments. This can add an element of financial strategy and value assessment to the hobby.’’

The collectibles category has plenty of newness coming on board. Spin Master has a host of collectibles, including Hatchimals Alive, which magically come to life in a whole new way as the self-hatching eggs hatch like real eggs when activated by water.

Micro collectibles are also big in popularity – and Spin Master is appealing to Potter fans with its new Micro Magical Moments mini-figures from Wizarding World. These microcollectible figure assortments each depict a scene from First Year in the Philosopher’s Stone movie, such as Hermione learning a levitating spell and Harry at his first quidditch match. There are 15 movie moments to collect from the Year 1 Series.

Epoch Making Toys’ classic collectibles Sylvanian Families offers a new range of characters in the shape of Baby Seashore Friends this Autumn/Winter. Fans can collect eight different super cute babieseach surprise bag includes a baby figure with ocean-themed accessory and costume to wear.

Character Options, meanwhile, is riding on the success of the latest Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle movie

Collectibles continues as a top-performing category – we find out just how popular they are, and what your customers will be looking for this Autumn/Winter

Adults who enjoyed collecting toys during their childhood may continue the hobby, driven by nostalgia and a desire to relive fond memories. This can also be passed down to their children, creating multigenerational interest

Amanda Gummer, The Good Play Guide

Simba Smoby

´em all!

with its action figures – and has brought back an old favourite –Fingerlings, now with heartbeat and more than 70 sounds and reactions.

And also new from Character are Piñata Smashlings, designed to connect online play fans with offline toys. Fans of the Piñata Smashlings Roblox game are now able to start a real-world collection of collectibles and plush pals.

MGA’s Miniverse has been climbing up the charts in Circana’s roundup of the Top 10 New Properties in the UK, making it to second position in July.

MGA marketing manager Pamela Justice says: ‘‘The first noticeable trend in the miniature collectables space was mini food, but we have found that as more people have been introduced to the trend, collectors have naturally moved to other forms of miniature collectable items, particularly those products in the mini crafting space. #MiniCrafting has already amassed more than 1.3m views on TikTok to date.

‘‘The miniature collectables space continues to grow as well as the trend for ASMR and unboxing on TikTok, #ASMR content has amassed more than 850b views to date on TikTok and this number is growing daily. On top of this, #minidecor is also a big trend on social too, with the hashtag being viewed over 4.3m times on TikTok.’’

This autumn the brand launches a new series of the MGA’s Miniverse Make It Mini Food collection, a new miniature MGA’s Miniverse Make It Mini Lifestyle collection, Make It Mini Food multipack, Make It Mini kitchen set, and an All You Can Eat set.

Finally, we asked Amanda Gummer about the benefits that collecting can offer to children. She says: ‘‘Collecting toys often involves categorisation, sorting, and organising. Children learn to group items based on similarities and differences, which helps enhance their cognitive skills such as pattern recognition, critical thinking, and problem-solving.

‘’Engaging with collectibles often leads to discussions, negotiations, and storytelling. This promotes language development, vocabulary expansion, and communication skills.

‘‘Collecting requires patience, and helps to develop self-control, and delayed gratification.’’

And lastly: ‘’Collectibles can foster social interactions. Trading and discussing collections can help children develop teamwork, negotiation, empathy, and conflict resolution skills.’’

Top5

collectibles

Pokémon

Lego minifigures  Disney Lorcana Hot Wheels  Squishmallows

Collectibles for us is still very strong and shows no sign of slowing down, and at the moment up until this Christmas and beyond (you guessed it) Pokémon is at the top. We have been holding events, swap meets and a weekly club, which has helped drive this collectible this year.

Dan Lovett Toy Box Beccles, Suffolk

Ask the retailer

What do you think will sell well this Christmas?  Pokémon of course and I’m guessing Lorcana will continue to grow.

What’s really on trend right now?  Lorcana is hot, hot, hot.

What is selling well right now?  Lorcana, Pokémon, Barbie, Squishmallows

Wendy Hamilton Grasshopper Toys

Helensburgh, Scotland (online at www.curiousminds.com)

What do you think will sell well this Christmas?  Pokemon - always. We have other collectibles, such as Funko Pops and Maileg animals, which are also popular. We didn’t have Maileg last Christmas, so it will be interesting to see how that goes this year. Warhammer is also good at Christmas.

What’s really on trend right now?  Pokémon. We’d like to get more Japanese collectibles - so need to do some research on that.

What is selling well right now?  Pokémon... and I think this must be true everywhere, considering how quickly new release items sell out sometimes.

Rachael Sankey

Harold’s Toy Store Church Stretton , Shropshire

What do you think will sell well

Assuming we can get the stock, Disney Lorcana will be massive

What’s really on trend right now? Away from Trading Cards, the big licences for us right now are Demon Slayer, Spy X Family, Jujutsu Kaisen and Chainsaw Man. The old classics such as One Piece, Fullmetal Alchemist and Naruto seem to be having a strong revival among younger fans at the moment, too. What is selling well right now? Aside from the above, anything that says Kirby or Hatsune Miku

Hatching a plan to come alive

Spin Master

01628 535000

www.spinmaster.com/en-GB

Little ones looking for something totally unique, will love collecting Hatchimals. New launch Hatchimals Alive magically come to life in a whole new way as the self-hatching eggs hatch like real eggs when activated by water. Available as single packs, two-egg Nurture Packs or in a multiple egg carton, kids will want to collect them all as they create endless pretend-play adventures with their new Hatchimal family.

Another one for collectible lovers is Tech Deck’s authentic 96mm fingerboards. Tech Deck fingerboards are engineered to replicate the feel of a real skateboard and each board features graphics from the biggest skate companies in the world. With so many to collect, fingerboard fans can build out a truly impressive collection of boards sure to wow all their friends.

Kids looking to expand their collection will love the new Micro Magical Moments minifigures from Wizarding World. These microcollectible figure assortments each depict a

scene from First Year in the Philosopher’s Stone movie, such as Hermione learning a levitating spell and Harry at his first quidditch match. There are 15 movie moments to collect from the Year 1 Series (toys each sold separately). All 15 figures feature adorable details that bring the beloved Harry Potter characters to life on a small scale. Display your character on its stand, in the display case or stand it up on its own. The clear display cases all stack and connect, so you can build your own unique displays and Wizarding World scenes.

Did you know?

Spin Master’s Tech Deck continues to back high- profile skateboarding events to highlight the brand. This year has seen it sponsoring the Skateboard GB National Park Championships for the fifth year running as well as returning for the second time as sponsor of the Nass Festival. In the US, the fingerboard brand has sponsored the national skateboard team…

Epoch nails it for collectors

Epoch Making Toys

0208 049 1377

sales@epochmakingtoys.com

Launching for Autumn/Winter, is Sylvanian Families next wave of Baby Collectibles – Baby Seashore Friends. There are eight different super cute babies to collect including a secret one. Each surprise bag includes a baby figure with ocean-themed accessory and costume to wear. They can be easily combined with the new Baby Mermaid Castle for amusement park-themed pretend play.

Also being introduced to the range this season, further enhancing the brand’s baby offering, is the Reindeer Twins, perfect for Christmas. Styled with tiny antlers, the twins come with a pastel pushcart and can be combined with their corresponding family set.

Other new collectible families sure to please keen fans are the Milk Rabbit Family in updated pretty pastel outfits; the Penguin Family with ice cream cart and removable parasol; the complementary Penguin Babies Ride n’ Play set, and the aforementioned Reindeer Family in festive outfits.

Also from Epoch, Aquabeads, the established crafts kit brand, offers a range of collectible products priced under £10. The Mini Theme Sets come in three different themes – farm, jewel and mermaid - and are

Caring is collecting

BASIC FUN! UK

0118 925 3270

Tim.Ives@basicfun.com

Did you know?

On its first launch – fans call each launch Generations – My Little Pony was originally known as My Pretty Pony

Basic Fun! UK’s portfolio is packed with supercute collectibles, which bring new and newstalgic fun to kid and kidult collectors alike.

Care Bears Lil’ Besties is one of this season’s hottest new collectible lines, which place the Care Bears BFFs into pocket money hands. These adorable mini figures come with different expressions, presented in fun action poses. With more than 50 to collect across the launch collection, Lil’ Besties Surprise Figures come blind boxed, with a single Lil’ Bestie hiding inside, as well as two fun accessories. Fans can open the box to play, then store everything back inside to transport them to their next sharing and caring adventure. There are also Lil’ Besties Surprise Cubbies –mini playsets that

offer fans their own 360-degree miniature world to play with Lil’ Besties. Each themed Surprise Cubby comes with two Care Bears Lil’ Besties figures and lots of fun, colourful accessories. The sides of the cubby fold down to reveal two hidden mini rooms inside.

There are more surprises in store this season with Cutetitos Sleepitos. The latest evolution-ito for brand introduces a snuggl-ito new theme. With Cutetitos Sleepitos, kids can unwrap 10 new characters, who are just about ready for bedtime. Each character wears sweet pjs and the box packaging transforms into a bed with unique headboards that becomes part of the play.

Young Roblox fans can also discover a host of adorable collectibles, with the MeganPlays Surprise Plush collection. Inspired by and created with the iconic pink haired game streamer, this new collectible range is based on her favourite Roblox characters. The MeganPlays Mystery Plush assortment is key to the line-up. Each box holds a cuddly, colourful 20cm character.

Basic Fun! UK is marking 40 years of My Little Pony this year with a commemorative collection of collectible, pocket money priced mini Pony figures. Styled after the original Ponies from 1983, this assortment of four-inch collectable figures have real hair tails that can be brushed and styled, with the brush and ribbon that come included. Each figure also comes with a mini collector’s poster.

Basic Fun! UK’s classic collection of Tonka tough collection of Tonka tough vehicles come in all shapes and sizes.

At three-inches tall, the Tonka Monster Metal Movers are super-cool collectible vehicles that combine Tonka Tough styling with meaty, monster truck designs. As the only monster construction collection in the diecast aisle, this is a range that’s been met with great enthusiasm.

The cutest of collectibles

Character Options

0161 633 9800

sales@charactergroup.plc.uk

Character Options’ portfolio this season is a hive of excitement for kids that love cute collectibles, with lots of super cool action figures too.

Piñata Smashlings is a new IP that has been developed to enrich fans’ engagement by connecting offline toys with online play. Already kids have been loving the Piñata Smashlings Roblox game. So, it’s no surprise that expectations are high for the colourful array of collectibles and plush launching this month. All collectible figures and plush pals in the range are based on the Piñataverse – the play world on which the brand is based – and the cheeky little Smashlings and playful Piñatas that live within.

The core pocket money line will be the 3.5cm Smashlings Figures, available as one-pack and twopack Blind Pod Collectibles, as well as 5-pack Blister Packs. Kids will be eager to find all 48 Smashlings characters, including rare chase figures. Another collectible line in the range is the Blind Box Plushies, which will offer six cute soft toy characters to collect.

Meanwhile, it’s official, Fingerlings have returned to the UK. The all-new Fingerlings bring a heart-to-heart connection to interactive toy play. Each adorable baby monkey knows when they’re on a finger, and their growing heart will beat just for their owner. The characters have soft, flocked fur, are available in vibrant new colours and have a unique personality, while 70-plus sounds and reactions bring them to life. The monkeys introduce exciting, updated ways to play, while staying true to the ‘Friendship @ Your Fingertips’ promise of the original toy that won the 2018 Toy of the Year Award.

With Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem now on the big screen, Character has brought to the UK the Playmates’ Master Toy line. At the heart of the range are three

Fact

The latest Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles big screen outing, Mutant Mayhem, has now earned more than $137 million worldwide, with the film set to cross the $100 million mark at US cinemas…

sets of action figures. All figures are inspired by Seth Rogen’s movie vision and are based on the teenage heroes depicted in the film.

The Deluxe Ninja Shouts Action Figures are perfect for re-enacting key movie scenes, with their springloaded arms and legs and electronic phrasing voiced by the movie talent. Also launching is an assortment of four- to five-inch tall Mutant Mayhem Action Figures – a range that includes all four Turtles, Splinter and four of the mutant characters. Finally, the impressive 12-inch scale Giant Turtles figures (Leonardo and Raphael) complete the launch line-up.

Plus, there’s a new theme to dive into for Goo Jit Zu: Deep Goo Sea. Each of the new figures has a unique gooey sea life filling and an awesome head feature to discover. There are six characters to collect as single packs. But the real centrepiece of the collection is King Hydra - the ultimate ruler of the Deep Goo Sea, who comes ready to be squished and stretched with triple the Goo, and triple the features. This powerful hero has THREE heads - each with its own attack feature, lights and sounds and is super-sized at 9.5-inches.

And with a super-squishy twist come the Heroes of Goo Jit Zu Goo Mobiles! The first-ever gooey, squishy vehicles are here and move like nothing else on the road. There are all the favourite characters to collect as Goo Mobiles including Thrash, Pantaro, Blazagon and Rock Jaw and exclusive deco cars in the Smash Up Versus packs.

The WOW! factor!

WOW! STUFF

emma.prendaglia@wowstuff.com

www.wowstuff.com

Toy innovation company

Wow! Stuff continues to take fandom to the next new level, with its unique, patented connectable collectible ranges: Nano Pods and Pods 4D. With Nano Pods, fans of character brands can collect their favourite characters, from across an array of popular brands, including the Netflix series Wednesday, Marvel, DC and the Wizarding World. Each super-cute, surprise-reveal Nano Pod houses one collectible figure within a nano-sized hexagonal pod. Collect and connect multiple Nano Pod to enjoy the super-satisfying to the touch slot-together system. By connecting the pods together, any desired pattern or shape can be built. Arrange them on a shelf or present them on a wall.

Mini marvels

MGA 01908 268480

MGA’s Miniverse has partnered with some of the biggest crafting and Gen Z influencers on TikTok as well as brands such as leading high street bubble tea retailer, Bubbleology, and dessert brand, Pleese.

MGA’s Miniverse appeals to people of all ages, especially ‘kidults’ wanting to create viral social content for their TikTok profile, and fans of the trend who want to use these quirky miniatures as a form of self-expression and amusement. They offer a fun and engaging method for fans to craft and create in their own personal way.

This autumn, the brand will launch a new series of the MGA’s Miniverse Make It Mini Food collection, a new miniature MGA’s Miniverse Make It Mini Lifestyle collection, a Make It Mini Food multipack, a Make It Mini kitchen set, and an All You Can Eat set.

Mining collectible gold

Simba Smoby Toys

01620 674 778

sales@simbasmoby.com

The Simba Smoby Toys UK range continues to appeal to collectors of all ages and interests, with a vast array of cool gaming and car-inspired lines.

From the award-winning, blocky world of Minecraft, come the brilliant Minecraft Blind Bags. Retailers should take note of the success of these super-cool collectibles, having remained Simba’s number-one volume item throughout the first half of the year. Based on one of the most popular gaming licences, each pack contains one die-cast nano collectible figure that measures 1.65-inch tall.

Anime fans will be thrilled with the Jada Toys Hollywood Anime Rides line. Licensed from popular anime brands including Street Fighter, these 1:24 die-cast vehicles each come with a scaled figure and are perfect for fans of these popular series. And the gaming fun doesn’t stop there. Fans of the iconic Japanese Game Street Fighter can also celebrate the launch of Street Fighter 6, this year, with the introduction of three new six-inch

Street Fighter Deluxe Collector Figures. The Ryu, Chun-Li, and Fei Long action figures come boxed in premium arcade game styled packaging. Each character features 20 points of articulation and comes with an alternate head and hands, as well as accessories.

Small in size but big on detail, Majorette is the premium collection of three-inch scale cars boasting opening doors, suspension, transparent front lights and interiors. Sure to appeal to petrol heads of all ages, this collection is available to retailers as a 36-piece CDU, with a mix of 18 car models and themed cars. A popular pocket money purchase, this is a line that has been flying off shelves, with a strong portfolio of licensed cars to collect.

Fact!

Disney fans are well catered for with Simba

Smoby Toys UK’s best-selling Disney 100 Collectible Figures.

These adorable, blind-bagged, collectible nano figures have been developed to commemorate Disney’s centenary anniversary and have been flying off shelves!

The coolest of collectibles

Magicbox

01293 222500

sales@magicbox-toys.co.uk

Magicbox is ready for action, with its T-Racers mix-and-race vehicles and cool SuperThings collectibles.

SuperThings offers kids a winning cocktail of action, adventure, collectibility and affordability, making it the ultimate pocket money pick-up and a staple in any action figure collection. Now on its 12th series, SuperThings continues to go from strength to strength, dominating in the Action Figure Collectibles arena. The NPD Group’s July report named SuperThings No.2, in volume YTD, in the Action Figure Collectibles category, with each new collection outperforming the last. And there’s more success to come, with the latest A/W lines.

New this season are Mutant Battle SuperThings, which will deliver character mix-ups, 100-plus new characters, and an amazing colourchange effect that is completely new to the collection. The Wild Kids figures are another exciting addition, which will take on an increasingly important role within the range, when the next season arrives. Ordinary Kids have been turned into Wild Kids, with animal powers, having touched eggs affected by a mysterious green energy. And they’ve gained new never-seen-before animal SuperThings friends along the way.

And there’s more to see from the T-Racers mix and race vehicles and drivers. This collection speeds into Q4 with the new Color Rush series, giving fans eight new cars and racers to collect, unlocking 500-plus more combinations and possibilities. The more kids collect, the more car combinations they can create.

Kids can take the mix-and-race fun to the max with the Power Trucks Turbo Digger and Mega Striker vehicles that come with an exclusive T-Racer vehicle and driver. The chassis is compatible with any T-Racer, so all T-Racers can become Power Trucks!

Did you know?

Fans of the most expressive collectible minidolls – KookyLoos – can expect more fun themes with the new KookyLoos Mermaids and KookyLoos Glitter Glam Series. The Glitter Glam Series brings a generous sprinkling of sparkle, with 12 new dolls to discover. Fans are also able to dip their tail fin into the fantastical world of KookyLoos Mermaids. This new concept for the KookyLoos collection launched in summer and is off to a swimming start.

Magicbox believes in maximum investment across all its brands, and its new ranges will benefit from the support of creative PR campaigns, as well as digital preroll and TV

Talking retail

Duncan Connor Bus Stop Toy Shop Largs,

Scotland

What has been selling well for you over summer?

The Pokémon juggernaut has slowed a little from last year but has just clung on to the number one spot here ahead of Magic the Gathering. Magic released its hotly-anticipated crossover with Lord of the Rings in June, and it went down a storm both with existing MtG fans, and LotR fans who arrived in number to experience the game for the first time.

How is Disney's Lorcana selling for you?

As I write, we’ve just had the soft launch of Ravensburger’s Disney Lorcana in hobby stores, ahead of the mass market release. Disney entering the Trading Card Game Market and challenging the Big Three of Pokémon, Magic and Yu-Gi-Oh! is of course massive news. Launch day was huge - our busiest ever in 17 years of business. I think everyone in the hobby industry hopes Lorcana can establish itself and initial signs are very positive. The game is pretty intuitive and both veteran Trading Card Game players and Disney fans playing their first TCG are enjoying it alike!

Is there something you are offering or doing that customers are responding well to? In-store play is a huge part of what we do. We’re always ready to teach someone to play a game and help integrate them into our player communities. We’ve got the product knowledge to make sure customers buy the right things at the right time for their hobbies and that’s why they come back time and again rather than buy from mass market stores.

What’s the most surprising or unusual thing a customer has asked for?

Been a while since we’ve been asked for anything particularly weird alas! We did have a customer yesterday who seemed to expect we’d be able to lay our hands on product for a Trading Card Game last published 16 years ago, and was surprised we couldn’t.

What’s on your counter at the moment?

Our trading card displays dominate our counter top. Aside from that though, right now we’ve got pick-up products for Kirby, TMNT, Animal Crossing and My Hero Academia.

Rachael Sankey Harold's Toy Store Church Stretton, Shropshire

What has been selling well for you over summer?

We tend to sell a wide range of things generally but Pokémon, as ever, is a winner. The FisherPrice Classics are also popular - because parents remember having them when they were kids.

Has the Barbie movie given sales a boost? Or the success of any other film or TV show?

We didn't have Barbie before the movie - mainly because the range is so big we didn't think we could stock enough variety and bigger shops tend to sell Barbie too cheap for us to compete with. However, in the spirit of the times we chose three Barbies and they have sold quite well. We also have Funko Pops from various films and TV that sell well, like Stranger Things, Harry Potter and Adventure Time. Two other TV shows we stock figures from are WWE and He Man- both are consistently popular. LastlyBatman is always popular in all his manifestations, especially LEGO. Is there something you are offering or doing that customers are responding well to?

We didn't have Barbie before the movie - mainly because the range is so big we didn't think we could stock enough variety and bigger shops tend to sell Barbie too cheap for us to compete with. However, in the spirit of the times we chose three Barbies and they have sold quite well

We are soon to have our game nights - we have had a lot of positive feedback about this. It's taken a while to organise it because we have limited space and had to work out how to clear the floor to make room for the tables and chairs. We ran a poll on the local Facebook group to see what activities people are interested in. We assumed we'd get the best response for Dungeons & Dragons and Warhammer - however the main interest was for boardgames. We hope to have game nights for all of these, plus Magic the Gathering and Pokémon.

What’s the most surprising or unusual thing a customer has asked for?

Aside from various sports equipment, I think the most unlikely thing was socks!

What’s on your counter at the moment?

Sweets (Nerds, Chupa Chups lollies, Freddo Frogs, etc...), Pokémon cards and Magic the Gathering cards - and a variety of Bicycle playing cards.

This month we ask retailers about Barbie and summer sellers...

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

Dan Lovett ToyBox, Beccles, Suffolk

What has been selling well for you over summer?

Well this summer, thanks to the weather being hit and miss, it has been a mixed bag when it comes to what's been selling. When the sun is out, it’s been outdoor toys like good old crabbing gear and nets or buckets and spades for the beach. But when the rain comes, it's boardgames and LEGO.

Has the Barbie movie given sales a boost?

Since the Barbie movie launch we have seen a lift in sales, and having a stand from Kayes of Cardiff has helped with it being seen on the shop floor.

What’s the most surprising or unusual thing a customer has asked for?

Most unusual and surprising things is mainly toys that are only available online or not available in the UK - like Mattel's Skipbo. We have however been asked in the past for bread, newspapers and even razor blades!

What’s on your counter at the moment?

We'll it's only one thing like most of us, Pokémon. But we have just had Disney Lorcana turn up, so we’ll see how that goes.

Wendy Hamilton GrasshopperToys

Helensburgh, Scotland (and online at www.curiousminds.co.uk)

What has been selling well for you over summer?

Squishmallows, Pokémon and LEGO have all been big for us, but this weekend Lorcana sales completely eclipsed everything else. We sold out in about 36 hours.

Has the Barbie movie given sales a boost?

Barbie has been fun for us both in store in terms of sales but also as a team, We’re loving the ridiculous levels of pink!

Is there something you are offering or doing that customers are responding well to?

Paul Wohl

ArgosyToys

Westcliff on Sea, Southend-on-Sea, Essex

What has been selling well for you over summer?

Disney Lorcana has had a very good start. LEGO as ever – and we’ve sold a lot of jigsaw puzzles - maybe people are keeping out of the heat. We’ve sold a bit of outdoor - it’s not been huge. We’re doing very well on LEGO and soft toys. A lot of our trade seems to be the same all year round now. We’ve sold a few water pistols – but there will be a lot of paddling pools going into storage.

Has the Barbie movie given sales a boost? Or the success of any other film or TV show?

We regularly sell quite a lot of Barbies and other dolls like Steffi Love and Lottie Dolls but I don’t know if we sold any more than usual. Transformers (Hasbro) and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Character Options) have both been very good for us.

Is there something you are offering or doing that customers are responding well to?

Barbie has been fun for us both in store in terms of sales but also as a team, We’re loving the ridiculous levels of pink!

I’m not sure there is any one thing, we’re pretty traditional in terms of customer service and I think the older customers in particular enjoy the personal touch.

What’s the most unusual thing a customer has asked for?

A knitted man! A lady came in looking for a knitted man doll for her lonely friend who can’t find a husband.

What’s on your counter at the moment?

Birthday cards and packs of our wildflower seeds; they make great party bag favours for kids.

We have Pokémon days on Sundays where people come and trade - that’s been very popular. Our big point of difference from the big shops is people to help you, and gift wrapping. Lots of people are still sticking with the independents – if they ask our advice we can show them something that’s suitable. Another big point of difference is that we have a lot of older LEGO sets that are retiredwe buy them back from our customers. We have a huge section with made-up older kits. We also sell loose bricks to customers – we offer a 500g mystery bag. But if it’s worth building we’ll build it. Some people love the idea of a built kit – their kids want the toy but are not interested in making it. We’re in the midst of building a Millennium Falcon at the moment!

What’s the most surprising or unusual thing a customer has asked for?

I got asked for ham once! The woman she said you used to sell it - I said this has been a toy shop since the 40s. She replied - it might have been before that!

Another customer came in asking for a certain doll. When I said we didn’t have it she said I bought one here before. I looked it up – it hadn’t been made since the 70s!

What’s on your counter at the moment?

LEGO minifigures, an empty Lorcana box and batteries.

Since the Barbie movie launch we have seen a lift in sales

“ ”

Playandexplore

What’s your background?

When I was 13, my parents opened the frst Ducklings Toy Shop. I’ve worked for the company since day one. To this day, my Dad will say that the main reason we decided to take the plunge into the world of toy shops was to give me my frst Saturday job.

This year marks 13 years of the frst shop opening, meaning I’ve now been working for the family business for over half my life. I don't have an ofcial job title - I generally do a bit of everything. Diferent family members are involved in every aspect of Ducklings, from managing the individual shops to ensuring the smooth running of the website.

Tell us about Ducklings. Ducklings are traditional, independent toy shops across Wiltshire and Gloucestershire.

In 2010 we opened our frst shop in our local market town of Marlborough

in Wiltshire. Sadly, a few years prior, the town’s much-loved Ducks Toyshop had to close due to illness in the family. It was a huge loss for the town. So when we opened Ducklings, we decided it was only ftting to name the shop in homage to the beloved previous store.

After a few years we started looking to expand the company and in 2015, we opened our second shop in Royal Wootton Bassett: another lovely traditional market town in Wiltshire.

In 2017 we had the amazing opportunity to move our Marlborough shop across the road into an old Laura Ashley shop, which was about twice the size of the original shop, with beautiful big windows - perfect for making great window displays.

2019 saw us open our third shop, in the Gloucestershire market town of Stroud. Our grand opening was rather overshadowed by the frst Covid lockdown, which started about a month later. Luckily, we were able to run clickand-collect from the shop and bounced back as soon as the lockdowns were over.

Last year we ventured into a fourth shop, aimed more at adults, in Wiltshire’s largest town of Swindon. It’s called Atomic Cards and specialises in card games, board games and Warhammer.

With permanent playing spaces set up for regular game events, we have tournaments running almost every weekend. Our latest Lord of the Rings Warhammer tournament was a fun introductory aimed at new players where there were bonus points up for grabs for the best-dressed player. There were

some amazing outfts including hobbits, wizards and even some bears!

What sets you apart from other toy retailers?

At Ducklings we prioritise our customers above all else. We are your local, friendly toy shop, where children are encouraged to play and explore.

We always have lots of samples out and train tables to play on. We even have children's shopping carts, so the little ones can do their own shopping around the shop. During the school holidays, we run free activities in each of the shops, including arts & crafts activities, LEGO building competitions, and game days, where we play quick-fre games such as Dobble with customers.

We also hold themed events throughout the year such as Easter egg hunts around the town, and writing letters to Santa at Christmas.

Our most popular days are always our Pokémon days. We host regular young trainer events, where children can come into the shops and talk to staf about diferent Pokémon cards, and trade their cards with the shop and other kids. They can also sit with staf to have one-on-ones to learn how to battle their Pokémon using decks of cards.

We normally use Harrogate Fair to scout out our main summer activities, but are always open to sampling or make-and-play sessions from our suppliers. This year our key events will be Plus Plus, Eugy, StikBot and Pokémon, as well as various Disneythemed activities.

Disney Lorcana is somethingwe arereally excited about. Wearealready planningour ‘learntoplay’ sessions and tradingdays. You never know,itmight evenbeasbig as Pokémon oneday!

“

Ducklings Toy Shop is a four-strong traditional chain that specialises in quality toys with excellent play and educational value from birth to adult. Clare Turner chats to Isabel Pattison, who has worked for her family business since day one

How would you describe your range?

We sell a wide range of children's toys for all age groups, from birth to adult, specialising in the more traditional and classic toys. Wooden toys are our favourites (such as castles, dolls’ houses and rocking horses) all the way up to adult LEGO and Warhammer for the young at heart.

How many suppliers do you deal with?

We build a selection from a wide range of diferent suppliers and currently have well over 100. Our top 10 suppliers are LEGO, Asmodee, Bigjigs Toys, Jazwares, Depesche, Schleich, Playmobil, Epoch Making Toys, Games Workshop, and Brainstorm.

But size isn’t everything so although not in our top 10, we love Orchard Games for instance, and give them a prominent stand in each of our shops.

We are always keen to work with smaller companies that are a little diferent such as Build Your Own, which makes some great cardboard kits (and their designer lives right round the corner from one of our shops).

How do you fnd products?

We are constantly on the lookout for new things, especially up-and-coming trends. We love to have new products each time a customer comes in.

We really enjoy visiting trade shows throughout the year: getting to see what new products are about to be launched, and catching up with current suppliers, as well as fnding new companies that we haven't met yet.

We’ve just come back from Games Expo, where we got to play loads of great new games which we will look at taking back into the shops. We also listen to our customers. If they ask about something we don’t stock, we

Best Sellers

always go and investigate. We've found out about many great products this way.

How has trading been so far this year?

It‘s been good for us. We were a little worried with the cost-of-living increases, but our customers have all stayed very loyal, and we are up on where we had projected we would be.

What’s selling well?

LEGO has always been a great seller for us and, with its focus on LEGO sets aimed at adults, sales of these higher price point lines have been growing.

The past year has seen a large increase in our range of Squishmallows, which are super popular. We constantly have new ones coming in, and we can hardly stock up our shelves before they are emptied again.

The whole category of sensory products has grown dramatically. In particular, we’ve seen a big increase in our range of NeeDohs of all diferent shapes and sizes. The latest Nice Cube sold out as soon as it hit the shelves.

What lines have you started stocking recently?

We aim to find new suppliers at every fair we visit. This year we’ve been trying some new wooden toys from Hippychick. With the growth of interest in Pokémon, we’ve expanded our range of other TCGs, namely Magic the Gathering and Yu-Gi-Oh! and accessories such as card binders from Vault X.

Do you ofer any services?

We have a website, which is fully transactional, and we ofer click-andcollect and free local deliveries. We also sell larger items such as scooters and ride-ons. Often, when customers

■

buy these, they are surprised that they need assembling (some of the big wooden ride-ons can be quite tricky to put together), so we always ofer to assemble large items for them. We also run a Christmas Club, where customers can come into the shop and put aside all the things they want for Christmas. Payments are made in instalments and we keep the goodies safe, ready to be collected during the week of Christmas. It makes hiding secret presents much easier for parents, as well as spreading the cost at the most expensive time of the year.

What’s next for your ofering?

We are happy with the categories we currently cover. However, we are always on the lookout for new trends.

What are you looking forward to stocking in the Golden Quarter?

Disney 100 is the big thing this year, and we are really enjoying all the new Disney products being launched. We are particularly looking forward to Disney 100 Squishmallows.

Disney Lorcana is something we are really excited about. We are already planning our ‘learn to play’ sessions and trading days. You never know, it might even be as big as Pokémon one day! This will be followed by the new Harry Potter Schleich range later in the year.

We alwayshave lots of samplesout and train tables to playon ”

“

“Amassive rangeoftoys"

With 12,000sq ft of toys spread over two floors, Banba Toymaster in Dublin is ‘not just a toy shop, it’s a GREAT toy shop’, says general manager Maurice Doyle. Clare Turner finds out more

What’s your background?

I got my first part-time job in a stationery and toy wholesaler in Dublin when I was 11 years old. It was called J. Smiths & Sons and was based in Finglas. I started off packing shelves and sweeping the floor, and worked my way up to packing more shelves and sweeping less floors.

I worked there through secondary school and had a great time learning about toys and meeting a lot of retailers from a very early age.

During the school holidays, I got to travel around the country in a mobile display van with a sales rep, and learned a lot about the different needs of different retailers in different parts of the country.

I used to buy some of the toys and stationery myself, and sold them in school to supplement my wagesuntil the school found out that I was earning more than the tuck shop… You win some, you lose some.

Why did you decide to move into toy retailing?

When I left school at 17, my parents thought it was about time I ‘put

away those silly toys and got a real job’. So I did, at Banba Toymaster. ‘Ha!’ I thought, ‘that’ll show them'. I think it was only natural for me to work in the toy trade, given my early experiences.

I’m very much a people person; I find it easy to talk to people and sometimes make them laugh, so approaching potential customers and finding out what they wanted or what they were interested in wasn’t difficult for me. I also started collecting toys and comics when I was very young and thought that if I worked in a toy shop, I might at least get a discount. I will admit that I have left for greener pastures - firstly, to set up the first video games rental company in Ireland and secondly, to operate a car valeting service at Dublin Airport (yes, you guessed it… You win some, you lose some).

By then I was married with two young kids who were going to need toys for Christmas. So I thought: ‘I better get a job in a toy shop. (God help me when they need cars). Now who do I know that owns a toy shop?!’

Tell us about Banba Toymaster. Banba first opened its doors in 1945. Its sole product was books or, more to the point, second-hand books. At that timewhen everything was in black and white and the war was ending - new books were very hard to come by, and the market for second-hand books was growing. Eventually, a number of added shops later, we started selling a small range of toys, which grew into what it is today: a massive range of toys. There were up to seven shops in the very early days. But locations rise and fall like the economy, and eventually the current shop in Mary Street was purchased in 1991. With 12,000sq ft of toys over two floors, it’s not just a toy shop, it’s a GREAT toy shop. (You win some, you win some.)

What sets you apart from other toy shops?

We pride ourselves on our knowledgeable staff, most of whom are parents themselves or collectors. We carry a huge range of toys, puzzles, model kits and accessories, and when you walk in the front door, you immediately know you’re in a special place.

It’s not aisle upon aisle of endless aisles. There are nooks and crannies and surprises around every corner. There’s fun, energy and excitement. And there’s

Whenyou walk in the frontdoor,you immediately knowyou’rein aspecial place ”

“

a big dinosaur at the back of the shop. He’s French, and his name is Claude Tubitz (‘clawed to bits’). At Christmas, he becomes Santa Claws.

How would you describe your range?

Our range of toys is second to none. When we invest in a certain toy, we generally buy the whole range. Take, for example, Schleich. We stock just about every animal in the range and box sets too. Our range of Ravensburger jigsaws is probably the best in town. And since the LEGO shop opened in Grafton Street, which is on the other side of the city, our LEGO sales have increased.

How do you find products?

We try to keep our finger on the pulse. Some of our staff have small children and they are normally quick to react to new TV programmes, schoolyard talk and so on. And we get a lot of

Best Sellers

■ Pokémon TCG

■ Hot Wheels Die Cast

■ LEGO Minifigures

■ Squishmallows

■ Magicbox SuperThings

feedback on the Toymaster Forum from different members about what’s selling for them. Also, our customers will be quick to tell us if we don’t have something.

How has trading been for you?

It’s been up for our past full year and now that we have an online presence, things are going very well. Despite the cost-of-living inflation, we’re probably doing a lot better than some businesses in other sectors - and tourists are back with a bang.

What’s selling well?

Squishmallows, LEGO, Pokemon, WWE & AEW.

How do you maintain the interest of customers?

We do a bit of social media using Facebook and Instagram. For example, we have Toby Tuesday where a member of staff dresses up in our

Congratulations to Ciaran

Banba Toymaster owner Ciaran Fitzpatrick was honoured for his contribution to the toy trade at the Toymaster May Show. He received a Special Recognition Award presented by Toymaster chairman Chris Blatcher and a coveted Golden Teddy presented by Toymaster non-executive director Roger Dyson.

Golden Teddy Awards are given by BTHA (British Toy & Hobby Association) to people that have ‘served the toy industry for more than 15 years who have gone over and above expectations and possess an extraordinary degree of niceness, honesty and integrity - and are the industry’s genuinely good people’.

KAP Toys head of sales Neil Leah also received a Golden Teddy. Both individuals’ toy careers span more than 40 years. The pair were lauded for their loyal and dedicated service to customers and colleagues and their dedication to independent retail.

BTHA director general Roland Earl said: “Their loyal and substantial individual contributions to the companies they have served and the people they have worked with over many years is without question.''

Maurice commented: “Ciaran was totally taken aback with the two awards. In the nearly 40 years that I’ve known him, he’s rarely stuck for words - but he was that night!''

Toby costume and promotes a new product or event. And we have built up a good email list of customers for offers and so on.

What’s your all-time favourite toy? My favourite toy was Linka: a brick and stone moulding set.

What’s your current favourite? Apart from Tweet Beats (it just cracks me up and helps ease the blood pressure), I would have to say Dobble.

What advice would you give to someone starting out in toy retailing?

Get your head examined! Or make sure you can join a group like Toymaster. The amount of work that is done in their support office in Northampton is exceptional in terms of dealing with suppliers and so on, and the TIMS system can save a retailer hours of work every week.

When we invest in a certaintoy, wegenerally buythe wholerange

Ciaran Fitzpatrick Golden Teddy

Ciaran Fitzpatrick and Toymaster non-executive director Roger Dyson

WH AT’S

A stylish Halloween

customerservices@rubiesuk.com | uk.rubiesmasquerade.com

With Halloween around the corner, Rubies are excited to announce the release of their officially licensed M3GAN dress-up costume, inspired by the terrifying android doll of the already cult-favourite 2022 Universal Pictures

With everything a fan needs to become the robot doll, including a swing-style tan dress with attached striped sleeves and a bow on the front. Rubies M3GAN costumes for both children and adults are available soon.

Fluff ‘n’

stuff

MGA Entertainment

plush characters offer unboxing and collectible elements, with six different families of plush to collect.

“MGA Entertainment has a strong track record of innovating new brands that consumers love, like L.O.L. Surprise!, Rainbow High, Bratz, and MGA’s Miniverse, to name a few,” said Isaac Larian, founder and CEO of MGA Entertainment. “The launch of the new Fluffie Stuffiez plush line builds upon our incredible legacy of innovation.”

Catching the ‘bug

Bandai UK

020 8324 6160

sales@bandai.co.uk www.bandai.co.uk

Bandai UK has launched a new range of Miraculous dolls to tie in with the launch of the first film from the brand, Miraculous: Ladybug & Cat Noir, The Movie. The range includes a Volkswagen eBeetle complete with doll, two separate fashion dolls and a deluxe pack pairing the duo, as well as a Collector Marinette Fashion doll.

supersonic

0800 066 8536 | www.lego.com

LEGO has broken the sound barrier for its latest launch, as the LEGO Concorde, made up of more than 2,000 pieces, takes off at the start of the September. The instantly recognisable plane, an engineering and design masterpiece, comes with a display stand and can be shown off in flight or take off and landing mode. It also features a removable roof to show off the interior cabin.

New collectible range is born

Zapf Creation

01908 268480 | www.zapfcreation.co.uk

Zapf Creation is entering the collectible space with the launch of a new offshoot for its popular BABY born range. The comprehensive selection has six Mini Babies and six Sisters and Brothers at its heart, the former coming with a pet, the latter with accessories. There’s a further range of playsets launching simultaneously, alongside a further camper van.

Serving

up a bathtime treat

TOMY

01392 281900 | www.tomy.com

Tomy’s Toomies has added to its bathtime range with a Bath Barista set, allowing littl’uns to add coffee-based fun to bathtimes.

“We are thrilled to expand our roleplay bath toy range with the introduction of the Bath Barista,” said Helena Stacey, senior brand manager at TOMY. “This new release builds on the success of our bestselling Bubble and Bake Bathtime Kitchen, offering children endless opportunities for imaginative play and sensory exploration in the bath. We are dedicated, at Toomies, to creating high-quality, durable toys that spark delight and learning, and we can’t wait for children and families to enjoy our new addition.”

The company added: “Tomy is supporting the Toomies Bath Barista’s launch with a full scope marketing campaign including a nationwide TV and VOD campaign, targeted YouTube and paid social campaigns as well as a Cinema DCM Kids Club campaign, which offers a great opportunity to capture parents and children viewing together.”

Building awareness

Smart Toys & Games

01903 885669 | uk@smart.be

This September will see the launch of the highly anticipated SmartMax My First Build & Drive, which takes tots on a creative journey. It’s a 2-in-1 playset: Toddlers as young as 18 months can build and play and preschoolers from the age of two to five can enhance their skills as they try to build one of the constructions shown on the 24 picture challenge cards. For more difficult building challenges, turn the vehicle upside down! Learn all about magnetism, colours, shapes, angles and concepts such as above, below, up and under.