READY TO PLAY

We have to think back to February 2020 –pre-pandemic - for the last time that the global toy industry was able to head to New York’s Jacob K Javits Convention Center for Toy Fair.

Since then, the Javits’ expansion project has been completed – with an estimated investment of $1.5bn, and including a significant increase in exhibition space as well as a number of other features – while The Toy Association also undertook its own project. The ‘Toy Fair Reimagination Project’ included focus groups, surveys of toy manufacturers and retailers and other research, along with consultation from an outside company which specialises in trade shows.

From this, the decision was made to shift the show from its traditional February slot to the August/September window. This year’s dates are 30 September to 3 October and, from early stats, it seems that the return of Toy Fair is being keenly awaited.

At time of writing, almost 1,000 companies had signed up to exhibit, while registration was up 7% over

Toy Fair 2020 with registrants representing 73 different countries and territories. This includes buyers from over 1,400 retail outlets spanning across all 50 US states and 59 countries and territories, including 22 of the top 25 sellers

The Toy Of The Year Awards

The Toy Foundation’s Toy of the Year Awards serve as the kick off to Toy Fair, explains Kimberly.

“Taking place on 29 September, the night before the show, this year’s mustattend event will give guests the exclusive opportunity to celebrate the best of the best toys, properties, campaigns and people across 23 award categories; honour the Toy Industry Hall of Fame inductees; bid on one of a kind auction items; and experience a dynamic musical performance from Grammy Awardwinning artist Wyclef Jean,” Kimberly tells us. “Attended by the industry’s top leadership and executives, media and influencers, the night is a prime opportunity to connect and expand your network.” representing the $40 billion US toy market.

The awards also act as a fundraiser to support the philanthropic work of the Foundation. Since its inception in 2003, TTF's signature Toy Bank has provided $225 million in toys to more than 26 million underserved children coping with serious illness, enduring temporary home placements in the foster care system, living with domestic violence and/or dealing with natural disasters.

“We can’t wait to celebrate the return of Toy Fair to the global stage,” says Kimberly Carcone, evp of global events at The Toy Association. “For everyone at The Toy Association, it’s the opportunity to showcase the show’s legacy while also highlighting all the new elements we’ve incorporated to evolve alongside the ever-changing landscape of the toy industry and provide the industry with the tools and resources they need to succeed.”

The new elements include a Visual Merchandising Initiative which requires exhibitors to make product visible in at least 20% of their aisle-facing booth space – which comes as a result of feedback from the retail community and media to create a more engaging show experience – plus new product zones to help attendees tap into toyadjacent industries and trends. The World of Toys Pavilion is in partnership with Spielwarenmesse eG, while there are also pavilions from France, China and India.

A new Halloween Pavilion will emphasise the influence of these products and experiences, while there will also be a ‘Hot for Holiday’ display keyed into what families will be vying for in Q4 and a ‘Pet PLAYce’ section highlighting products for pets.

“These new dedicated zones at the show reflect how play trends reach beyond the toy space and highlight areas for growth and opportunity avenues for growth,” explains Kimberly.

Toy Fair University

“While Toy Fair’s primary objective is as a buying/selling show, part of the show’s reimagination is built on levelling the playing field for all participants and offering more tools, resources and opportunities than ever to help companies of all types tackle the evolving retail landscape, connect exhibitors with buyers and press, and fuel the collective success of the overall play community,” says Kimberly. “Part of that is through the different tracks of Toy Fair University which aim to tackle the most pressing needs of the global toy industry.

“The programming is also designed so that attendees can pick the issues that are more important to their businesses, such as gaining perspective on the intersection of business and play in the metaverse; tapping into new datadriven research on trends and consumers; hearing insights on toy legislation, safety and compliance; learning growth strategies for retail; and much more. There will also be a track of programming dedicated specifically to meet the needs of today’s inventors and designers.”

There will also be nearly 350 first time exhibitors on the show floor which Kimberly says illustrates Toy Fair’s strong pipeline for innovation and creativity, regardless of the time of year.

“New ideas and innovation are what ultimately drive change and this industry forward,” she comments. “We talk a lot about diversity and inclusion in the toy space, but this idea also applies to creating pathways for diverse and inclusive product assortments. This is at the forefront of what Toy Fair spaces like Launch Pad, which is designed specifically to feature up and coming toy inventors and international companies interested in expanding their products to the US, are all about - helping facilitate those business-accelerating connections between freshman exhibitors and buyers and media.”

When it comes to the preschool sector, Kimberly is quick to point out just how important it is, not just to Toy Fair, but the toy industry as a whole saying that it serves “as a gateway to child development, discovery and early learning concepts”.

As PPS went to press, 153 companies and brands with infant and preschool products will be on display at Toy Fair including the likes of Aurora World, Crayola, Educational Insights, Fat Brain Toys and The Step2 Company among others. Kimberly continues: “These companies will exemplify how they are tapping into the play and design trends transforming the space including the rise in sustainably made playthings; the growth of sensory, social-emotional learning, and STEM toys for little ones; as well as toys in muted colour palettes that align with home décor.”

There’s certainly going to be a lot of ground to cover at the show and, much like Santa will be making his list and checking it twice, Kimberly advises that attendees make a clear list of objectives about what they want to accomplish, create a game plan and stick to it.

She concludes: “Toy Fair’s heritage as the largest toy, game and play product experience will carry forward, bringing the global toy industry together to make even more connections, share new innovations and preview what’s coming next. We’re ready to play!”