ToyNews Issue 158 January/February 2015 by Future PLC

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Retail 39 30 Under 30 Discover the rising stars of the industry – from marketing and sales, to designers and PRs.

51 You wear it well We take a look at the rise in wearable tech and how it is impacting the toy industry.

No. 158

Licensing

January/February 2015

Pre-School

58 Dream machines It’s over 30 years old, but Transformers is bigger than ever. We find out what’s next.

Marketing 73 Brand and deliver We talk to some key licensors about their plans for the first half of the year.

The Greatest Toys of all Time What do LEGO, Kerplunk, Trivial Pursuit, Boglins, Mastermind, Crossfire, Mousetrap and the A La Carte Kitchen all have in common? They’ve all been listed as some of the greatest toys of all time. By you, the Great British toy industry. Discover the full rundown of the 50 top toys inside

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WELCOME

MEET THE TEAM Samantha Loveday Editor sloveday@nbmedia.com

Billy Langsworthy Deputy Editor blangsworthy@nbmedia.com

Robert Hutchins Staff Writer rhutchins@nbmedia.com

Jodie Holdway Sales Manager jholdway@nbmedia.com

Carole Eagles Account Manager ceagles@nbmedia.com

Elizabeth Parker Production Executive

CONTENTS Regulars 08 17 18 18 20 22 56 98 232

News NPD Analysis Campaign of the Month Playtime Industry Movers Industry Opinion Good Toy Guide Toy Shop UK Toy Talk

Licensing.biz 69 News 73 The 2015 Hot List 80 Big Interview: Warner Bros. 83 Big Interview: Nickelodeon Pre-school (sponsored by VTech Baby) 85 News 86 A Parent Blogger’s View 88 Supplier Focus: Le Toy Van

eparker@nbmedia.com

Tom Carpenter Designer tcarpenter@nbmedia.com

Lisa Carter Publisher lcarter@nbmedia.com

Editorial: 01992 535646 Advertising: 01992 535647 www.toynews-online.biz

NewBay Media is a member of the Periodical Publishers Associations AUDITED CIRCULATION: Average Net Circulation: 6,092 July 2013 to June 2014. nToyNews circulation is 17.1% higher than its closest competitor nToyNews has 100% named circulation and 0% duplication.

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Retail 91 News 93 2015 Retail Survey 100 Indie Profile: Sylvanian Families

To see what special features are in this issue, turn the page

COMMENT

Great expectations

There will be some serious innovation on show at the toy fairs, and 2015 could be one of the most exciting years we’ve had for a while.

WHAT MAKES a toy not just great, but one of the greatest of all time? For me, it’s not just in the play value, but the way in which the toy emotionally engages children – be that the love felt for a simple teddy bear, extending the experience of a TV show or film away from the screen, nurturing creative play or just being a little bit weird (Boglins, I’m looking at you). The toys which appear in our top 50 listing (p25-30) in this issue all have that certain something – the X factor, if you like. From LEGO (unsurprisingly at number one) all the way through to Yahtzee, each has a quality which made you – our readers – highlight them. Whether it’s the fact you remember buying them with your pocket money (Matchbox Cars), accidentally melting them on an electric fire (Thunderbird 3) or embarrassing your parents by making them play along at Christmas (Twister), they have all made an emotional impact. Which brings me nicely on to your chance to spot the future classics at the upcoming toy fairs. Putting together the previews for Toy Fair, Nuremberg and Spring Fair, it is encouraging to see the sheer breadth of new product which is coming through this year. There’s some serious innovation on show, too, and to be honest, I have a feeling 2015 may be one of the most exciting years in the industry we’ve had for a while. Elsewhere in this bumper issue, we take a closer look at the newer trends of badult games (p45), wearable tech (p51) and 3D printing (p54) and how the business is incorporating them. We highlight 30 of the industry’s rising stars in our annual 30 Under 30 feature (in association with Gameplan Europe) and talk exclusively to a variety of suppliers, retailers and licensors on how they see 2015 shaping up. We also get a pretty fascinating insight into a child’s internet journey from pre-school to adult, thanks to Generation Media. As a team, we’re excited about what’s to come this year (both in terms of the industry and the plans we have for building the ToyNews brand further), and we look forward to catching up with as many of you as possible over the upcoming weeks. sloveday@nbmedia.com

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CONTENTS

The Greatest Toys of All Time.............................25

Spring Fair .............................................................................................................. 101 Get a head start with planning your trip to Birmingham’s NEC in February with our look at what some of the key toy exhibitors are showing. Supplier Roundtable ..............................................36 30 Under 30 (in association with Gameplan Europe) .....39

The Rise of the Badults Sector ..........................45 What Does the Internet Look Like to a Child? ....48 Sector Focus: Wearable Tech ..............................51

Spielwarenmesse ................................................................................................. 119 Heading to Nuremberg? Then be sure to check out our guide first, previewing products from the top UK toy companies.

Prints Charming: The Future of 3D Printing .....54 Anatomy of a Blockbuster: Transformers ........58 A Beginner’s Guide to the Toy Twittersphere ........61 The New Faces at Retail .......................................65

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Toy Fair.................................................................................................................... 153 It’s the big one – see what’s on offer from all the major firms exhibiting at Olympia. Plus pick up some top tips from our experienced show goers.

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NEWS

LEGO eyes further global expansion “I need to build an organisation that’s more diverse, more international and more global,” the LEGO Group’s CEO Jørgen Von Knudstorp tells ToyNews By Billy Langsworthy EVERYTHING IS awesome for LEGO after a bumper 2014, but the firm is eyeing up more global opportunities moving forward. LEGO CEO Jørgen Von Knudstorp told ToyNews that in order to improve the firm’s presence in markets like Asia and Africa, the organisation needs to diversify. “Today, if you go to Asia or Africa, you’ll struggle to find a lot of LEGO because the market is not there,” said Knudstop. “Part of that is because the propensity to buy, the wealth necessary to buy, is not there.

“Also, I don’t get these markets. I get Russia, I get the UK, I know how to succeed in the US. I’ve lived in these countries. I need to build an organisation that’s more diverse, more international and more global.” Key to this strategy was the opening of the company’s new London hub back in December, the firm’s fifth main office worldwide, with others in Shanghai, Singapore, Connecticut and Billund. “We opened the London office last year to establish a global team, not just a

British team, coming from all kinds of backgrounds,” continued Knudstorp. “It’s an opportunity for LEGO but if we don’t succeed with that, it’s also a threat because it means we don’t fulfil our potential.” Knudstorp is also hoping that this year matches the success that LEGO enjoyed back in 2014 thanks to new sets, successful licensing deals and the all round boost that the firm enjoyed as a result of The LEGO Movie. “It was the tenth consecutive year of pure organic growth so it’s not just something that happened in 2014,” said Kundstorp. “We are continuing to go from strength to strength and that is due to our ability to constantly innovate and stay focused on the LEGO brick, which is still a unique material that fascinates children all over the world.

“What’s interesting is that just buying loose bricks in a bucket is more popular than ever, as are the LEGO Creator and LEGO Technic sets. With themes, we are elevating the classic LEGO experience. The LEGO Movie did a fantastic job of that. We also have good partners. The video games are doing really well and the LEGOLAND theme parks are on an everexpanding strategy.” LEGO: 01753 495000

When I Was a Kid unveils ambitious growth plans Independent is eyeing up more locations after success of opening its second store located in Cambridge By Billy Langsworthy TRADITIONAL TOY shop When I Was a Kid is looking to expand further, following the success of its new Cambridge store. Joining its first Wellingborough outlet, When I Was a Kid opened a new shop in Cambridge in November, and owner Paul Warner cites the reaction as “immense”. “We’ve got the right shop in the right location in the right town,” he told ToyNews. “When you get compliments constantly and the till ringing through as well, you know you’re getting it right. “We set a very aggressive target for December, bearing in mind that we had no trading history in Cambridge whatsoever, and we hit 96.5 per cent of that target. We were thrilled.” As well as the success of the new shop, When 08 January/February

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I Was a Kid’s website finished 2014 up 400 per cent on the previous year. Off the back of this, Warner is now contemplating opening more stores in other locations, a move that he believes will also help build up When I Was a Kid as a brand in its own right. Warner continued: “We’ve got big plans for the company and for the When I was a Kid brand because it can mean a lot of things for a lot of people. Potentially, we could go down the clothing route or foodstuff route, and that’s alongside the obvious branded toys. “We haven’t got a time scale for it, but there are at least half a dozen other locations that we have identified for more shops.” In-store experience and customer care are cornerstones to Warner’s approach, and are key to the set up of the new store.

“We’ve created an environment that is truly magical,” added Warner. “We’ve always been very

focused, very tight and very niche. We’ve never gone in for discounting and we’ve never had a sale.

“It’s stood us in really good stead so far.” When I Was a Kid: 01223 355703 www.toynews-online.biz

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NEWS

UK sales close the gap for Top Race RC firm’s The Excavator sells out pre-Christmas and continues to “sell like hot cakes” By Robert Hutchins US RC TOY specialist, Top Race, has declared the UK as one of its fastest growing markets of 2014. Last year marked a bumper season for the firm, which saw the increased demand for RC toys reach such a height that it had sold out of most of its stock before Christmas even arrived. The company reports that in the US around 100 units of its RC F22 Quadcopter Airplane were selling a day in the lead up to the holidays, and the UK market was not far behind. Also in the UK, Top Race’s RC The Excavator sold out

immediately and, following a new shipment, continued to “sell like hot cakes.” Not bad, said Top Race CEO and founder, David Deutsch, for a company that launched in the UK less than a year ago. He told ToyNews: “We launched in the UK less than a year ago and the business has grown extremely fast. We are now very popular in the UK and are very excited about where this is going to lead.” The firm will now look to continue its international expansion, targeting key markets with its slow but steady approach, encouraged by the current popularity of the RC sector.

“We absolutely saw an increased demand for RC toys throughout 2014,” continued Deutsch. “Our best selling products of last year were the Quadcopter airplane, the RC Excavator and the Micro Quadcopter. “I believe people are already fed up with the tech toys and screens they face every day. “Kids and adults are looking for something fun and physical.” Top Race reports that the popularity of the brand has reached such a pinnacle that the company now enjoys a presence within Toys R Us on Times Square, New York.

“Toys R Us on Times Square is one of the biggest toy shops in the world and we are in the process of negotiating having Top Race products on the shelves of Toys

R Us stores across the globe,” continued Deutsch. “Demand for Top Race is huge, so retailers really should be excited to stock our products.” Info@toprace.co.uk

Indies bullish over year ahead 91 per cent of stores told ToyNews they were confident about 2015 as part of our annual retail survey By Billy Langsworthy INDIE RETAILERS are feeling incredibly confident about the year ahead, according to our latest retail survey. 91 per cent of stores that ToyNews spoke to claimed to be confident about prospects in 2015, with many citing upcoming in-store events, customer service and a return to the High Street for many shoppers as reasons for them to be cheerful. Just nine per cent thought otherwise, with online competition and questions around product innovation the most

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popular, or unpopular, suggestions for potential bumps in the road ahead. The positivity was also on show when it came to 2015’s product offering. 18 per cent of those asked

believed that LEGO Frozen was going to be a hit for them, while collectively, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, Big Hero 6, Avengers: Age of Ultron and Minions were set to

bring hoards into the toy aisles, according to 18 per cent of stores surveyed. The bright outlook was cemented when it came to the question of what would be a store owner’s ideal job

in the toy industry – with 34 per cent stating they were more than happy with their own. Head to page 93 to read the ToyNews Retail Survey 2015 in full.

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NEWS

Innovation and expansion top bill in LeapFrog’s 20th year Education specialist celebrates a score with dedicated reading month, permanent Nuremberg fixture and realigned team By Robert Hutchins LEAPFROG IS celebrating its 20th anniversary in the only way it knows how this year, with a heartfelt thanks to its long-time supporters and preparations for continued global expansion. The company will be kicking off celebrations in March with a dedicated reading month, during which it will be championing the evolution of its innovative reading tools across the years. “20 years is a fantastic landmark, but we will

only share this with consumers in a way that resonates with them as parents and children of today,” Sally Plumridge, global marketing director at LeapFrog, told ToyNews. “We want to build lasting, emotional connections with our consumer families to enable LeapFrog to grow with their children.” Meanwhile, 2015 promises a roster of new launches that, while being kept a closely guarded secret for now, will all be showcased at LeapFrog’s new permanent fixture at Nuremberg. “We are really excited to be in Hall 12 at Nuremberg with a permanent

showcase for our business,” continued Plumridge. “This is part of our strategy to expand internationally and it will cement LeapFrog’s place among fellow world-leading brands with an all year round showcase of its latest pioneering innovations and learning solutions.” LeapFrog has also bolstered its head count. In October 2014, Tony Hicks joined as chief international officer, while earlier this month Damian Hall took up the role of head of sales for UK and Ireland. Plumridge continued: “We start 2015 in a great position with a full leadership team as LeapFrog looks to grow its current international businesses and extend its global reach through entrance into strategic new markets. “We are entering our 20th year having reinvented how children can learn through play and while we are excited to reflect on our achievements, we are even more excited to look ahead to the next 20 years,” concluded Plumridge. LeapFrog: 01895 202840

Accentuate to welcome US and German versions Editions will be backed by expansion packs and an iteration for children By Billy Langsworthy US AND German versions of accentguessing game Accentuate will be launching this year. The first release will be a US version of the game featuring different dialects and accents from all across the states, while the firm will also diversify Accentuate further with a German edition of the game. “Our focus will be on building our portfolio of High Street, independent and online retailers within the UK, whilst diversifying Accentuate geographically – first in the USA with a rollout of a US version of Accentuate in Q2 2015,” commented Graeme Fraser-Bell, CEO at Accentuate Games. “This will be followed by a German version in the third quarter.” The Accentuate family will also welcome additions in the form of a version designed for youngsters, as well as several expansion packs

to boost the gameplay for UK players. “Our objectives are to secure licensees in North America and Europe, but in order to do so we need to anchor our position in the UK market by expanding our above the line marketing activity,” continued Fraser-Bell. “As well as the geographical extension of Accentuate, we’ll also be investing in junior Accentuate product line extensions, plus various expansion packs.” Accentuate Games: 0330 400 4162

University Games marks 30th anniversary Activity planned for US Toy Fair to celebrate milestone By Samantha Loveday UNIVERSITY GAMES is marketing its 30th anniversary this year, with a raft of activity planned and new introductions to its portfolio. Founded on April 1st, 1985 by Bob Moog and Cris Lehman in California, the firm’s original remit was to encourage social interaction between adults, children and families. To this day, University Games looks for products that fit a certain criteria: social interaction, have a theme 10 January/February

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or interesting subject matter, good gameplay (including a mix of skill, knowledge and luck and suitable for various levels) and good quality. A number of plans are in the pipeline to mark the anniversary, including a celebration at US Toy Fair in New York in February. The milestone comes on the back of a strong year for University Games, with the firm enjoying 20 per cent growth over 2013. New introductions will be welcomed to the portfolio in 2015, led by an all-new

Corporation grew by 20 per cent in 2014

version of Pointless, where players can use their own electronic scoreboard. “We are set for a sixth consecutive year of growth and continue to offer great products to the consumer and successful partnerships with our retailers,” Adrian Whyles from University Games UK told ToyNews. The firm will also be showing products including Seagull Splat and UFO Alarm at Toy Fair at Olympia this month. University Games: 0333 405 0120

Seagull Splat and UFO Alarm will be among the games on show at Toy Fair

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NPD RESEARCH

Retail Sales Trends

Properties

Black Friday gives further boost to toy sector NOVEMBER SAW monthly sales growth slow down with value up just one per cent and volume three per cent. However, leading into December and the biggest month of the year for the UK toy market, the Black Friday week saw an increase in value of ten per cent and volume nine per cent compared to the same week a year ago. Many high priced items were heavily discounted, with £20-£30 the largest growing price point selling an additional £3.1m in that week. Throughout November, high priced items dominated the top sellers with nine out of the top ten having an average selling price over £20 and five of them over £40. Disney’s Frozen had 4.1 per cent share of the toy market in November, making it the number one property across the market YTD. Minecraft also had a strong month with sales from multiple categories including building sets, action figures, plush and craft kits. In addition to the growth of action figures, building sets and arts and crafts, November also saw outdoor and sports toys sales grow ten per cent, driven by ride-ons and blasters.

“Black Friday was fully embraced across the UK and while frenzied consumers fought for electronic items, the toy market also benefitted from high profile promotions which saw double digit value growth for that week,” said Jez Fraser-Hook, practice director of NPD Group’s toy business in the UK. “However, market growth throughout 2014 has not been

limited to one area of the market but coming from multiple sectors. With growth from well-established ranges and highly successful new properties, as well as eight out of 11 supercategories growing YTD November, 2014 is on course to be one of the biggest years in recent memory for the UK toy market. Hopefully, this momentum will continue well into 2015.”

Best item progression November 2014

Minecraft The Farm

The LEGO line soared up the charts from number 4,309 in October to number 34 in November.

Sales UK toy sales

(value, year-to-date)

YTD 2013

YTD 2014

+1%

Source: NPD

Average toy price November ’13: £11.28

November ’14: £11.05

UK RETAIL SALES TRENDS November 2014 (£ sales – value)

November 2014 (Unit sales – volume)

1LEAPPAD

1MATCH ATTAX 2014/15

FROZEN SNOW GLOW ELSA

LEAPFROG JAKKS PACIFIC

HOT WHEELS BASIC CAR ASSORT.

INNOTAB

VTECH

LEGO MINIFIGURES

KIDIZOOM SMART WATCH

VTECH

DISNEY FROZEN ENCHANTED 2015 STICKERS

DISNEY FROZEN ICE SKATING ASSORT.

MATTEL

PLAY-DOH CLASSIC 4 PACK

MY FRIEND CAYLA

VIVID

LEGO MIXELS

FURBY BOOM

HASBRO

PLAY-DOH SINGLE TUB ASSORTMENT

FRIENDS HEARTLAKE SHOPPING MALL

LEGO

TMNT BASIC FIGURE ASSORTMENT

STAR WARS ADVENT CALENDAR

LEGO

MINECRAFT MINIFIGURES BLIND PACK

10. DISNEY PRINCESS FROZEN SPARKLE ANNA

MATTEL

10. CARS 2 CHARACTER ASSORTMENT

Notes: All participating NPD retail data suppliers provide weekly data via epos systems. NPD figures are not projected to represent non-participating retailers but provide 100 per cent of the sales from participating stores. Epos sample includes the following retailers: Amazon.co.uk, Argos, Asda, Boots, Debenhams, ELC, Firebox, Freemans, Grattan, Halfords, Hamleys, HMV, John Lewis, Marks & Spencer, Mothercare, Next, Play.com, Sainsbury’s, Shop Direct, Tesco, The Entertainer, Toys R Us, Toymaster, WHSmith, Wilkinsons. NPD estimates that the epos now accounts for 78% of the total toy market.

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TOPPS MATTEL LEGO PANINI HASBRO LEGO HASBRO FLAIR MATTEL MATTEL

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CAMPAIGN OF THE MONTH / PLAYTIME

LEGO Ninjago LEGO Ninjago is making its return this year, with a new series and a fresh range of products to match. Meanwhile, there are also extensive PR plans to bring the brand to the fore in 2015 CONTACT n LEGO: 01753 495 000 n www.lego.com February 2015 will see the return of LEGO Ninjago, this time bigger and better than ever, with new Masters of Spinjitzu TV episodes airing on Cartoon Network. The new launch will be supported by a multi-faceted consumer marketing programming, spanning TV advertising, PR, digital, in-store, experiential and live action. Since launch, Master of Spinjitzu has performed as one of Cartoon Network’s most popular shows. The LEGO range play theme focuses on conflict role-play between the Ninjas and the Anacondrai. In addition to classic

LEGO building sets, this year also sees the introduction of collectable action toys, Airjitzu Flyers. Each comes with a buildable handle and minifigure that can be sent spinning with the pull of a cord.

ADVERTISING The January build-up to the premiere launch event will see outdoor driving awareness. This will be followed by a TV advertising campaign, showcasing the new play-sets. DIGITAL Digital activity using interactive media such as homepage takeovers, bespoke video units, YouTube pre-rolls and 20’’ teasers will be used to capture imaginations around the globe. EXPERIENTIAL As part of an on-gong partnership in 2015, LEGO Ninjago will be working with Super Camps – the leading school holiday camp for four to 16 year olds. There will also be a new LEGO Ninjago hub opening at LEGOLAND Windsor resort.

BRAND BUILDING A red carpet premiere will be held on February 7th at the Empire cinema, Leicester Square. 500 lucky Ninjago fans, celebrities, press and LEGO partners will be treated to a ninja show by acrobatic stunt performers, 3run, can watch the new episodes, take part in ninja demos, LEGO building and more. The firm will also work with Toxic, Mega and Dennis and Gnasher titles.

IN-STORE A ‘takeover’ style in-store execution has been secured with new POS. This will include end cap heads, free standing portals, tower graphics, booster boxes, four sided dispensers and more.

Playtime

Which were the top toys and games campaigns across the October half term? Generation Media finds out

Top 10 Toys & Games Brands- 28th Oct- 3rd Nov 2013

Rank

Brand Name

CH TVRs

SOV

Rank

Brand Name

CH TVRs

SOV

HASBRO STAR WARS ANGRY BIRDS

136

1.6%

EPOCH SYLVANIAN FAMILIES

147

1.6%

HASBRO TRANSFORMERS CONSTRUCT

103

1.2%

SPIN MASTER ZOOMER DINO

144

1.6%

SPIN MASTER FLUTTERBYE

1.1%

FLAIR XENO

1.0%

TOMY PLAY TO LEARN & AQUADOODLE

1.0%

HASBRO NERF REBELLE

1.0%

VTECH KIDIZOOM TWIST PLUS CAMERA

1.0%

LEGO SUPERHEROES

0.9%

LEGO CITY

1.0%

LEGO STAR WARS

0.9%

VTECH INNOTAB 3S

0.9%

FLAIR TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES

0.9%

MGA LALALOOPSY DOLLS

0.9%

LEGO CHIMA

0.9%

LEGO CHIMA

0.9%

RE:CREATION RAZOR CRAZY CART

0.9%

SPIN MASTER SPY GEAR SPIKE MIC

0.9%

LEGO CITY

0.8%

n This edition examines the top ten toys and games campaigns of October half term 2014 compared to the top ten campaigns across the half term period in 2013 (excluding retailers). n The combined children’s TVRs achieved by the top

ten in 2014 was two per cent greater than the same period in 2013 (958 vs 938). n Moreover, the total share of voice of 2014’s top toys and games brands was on a par with 2013 (ten per cent).

n The difference in years becomes more apparent when comparing individual campaigns. For example, the largest campaign of the equivalent period in 2013 – Hasbro Star Wars Angry Birds Game – would be third if featured in 2014’s top ten.

n The only campaigns featuring in the top ten for both years were LEGO City and LEGO Chima. However, both campaigns have seen a decrease in total children’s TVRs vs the same period in 2013, -16 per cent and -1.2 per cent respectively.

n The fact that only two brands are featured in both the 2013 and 2014 top advertised list, shows the ever changing priorities for advertisers each year.

Source: BARB 2014

Toy News PlayTime is provided by Generation Media 0207 255 4650 | www.generationmedia.co.uk 18 January/February

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APPOINTMENTS

Industry moves This month, HTI welcomes several new high profile hires to its team, Vivid promotes Kerry Paternoster, Propel RC appoints Carl England and K’NEX UK stars as our Team of the Month TEAM OF THE MONTH

K’NEX UK

support we have received from the industry and consumers. Our marketing programme with the tagline ‘The K’NEX Big Thing’ resonated with parents and children alike, resulting in strong sales for our first year as a new team.

we are working on plans for launching an all new buildable blaster range, K-Force, a dinosaur and dragon inspired range, Beasts Alive and Mighty Makers, a unique range designed to engage girls with STEM skills.

What have been your biggest successes in the last 12 months? 2014 was our relaunch into the UK market and we have been thrilled by the level of

What are you working on right now? We love bringing K’NEX toys to life in creative campaigns that work for the UK market. A number of our television adverts are developed in the UK to ensure they are highly relevant and engaging. 2015 is set to be a big year, as in addition to refreshed Building Sets and Thrill Rides products,

What is the hardest part about working in the toy industry? Children can be the harshest critics, so we are constantly aiming to innovate and offer them something they’ve genuinely never seen before. We are always confident in our offering, and it’s an ongoing objective to stay ahead of the curve and innovate in this extremely competitive market.

HTI n The busy firm has appointed several incremental new members to its team. PAUL BENNETT (pictured right) has joined as the new UK managing director. In his new role, the former LeapFrog and Little Tikes executive will be responsible for providing strategic leadership and management to the UK operation, as well as being a key member of the global leadership team. Meanwhile, JENNY WATSON has been appointed as global marketing director. Joining from Mattel, Watson’s new role will see her responsible for global marketing activity and will

oversee the brand team, marketing communications, design, purchasing and licensing functions. The marketing team has been bolstered with a new appointment, too. RICHARD VENNER arrives as senior brand manager, boys toys. He joins from Vivid Imaginations where he held the role of senior brand manager for Crayola. JUSTIN CLASBY and NEIL MARTIN have joined as brand manager for pre-school toy and assistant brand manager respectively. The HTI sales teams also welcome new additions. ANDREW REYNOLDS and MARK HYNDMAN join as

senior national account managers, tasked with managing and growing major accounts across HTI’s portfolio of licensed, own label and global partners toy ranges. GRAHAM MORLEY has been appointed as HTI field sales manager, while CLAIRE LONG arrives for a 12-month period to support all areas of HTI’s business on project work to assist during the firm’s transformative period.

VIVID n The company has promoted KERRY PATERNOSTER to the role of marketing manager across the firm’s Toy and Drumond Park

division. Paternoster previously held the position of senior brand manager, overseeing new and existing toy brands, including Real FX, Animagic, Thunderbirds and more. Having spent over four years with the

company, Paternoster has also been actively involved in the transition to incorporate the Drumond Park games portfolio into the Vivid business. In her new position, Paternoster will now report

Who’s in the team? Because of the way we are structured, we work very closely with our K’NEX colleagues in America, particularly Joe Smith, who heads up our product development team and Kristen Krikorian who runs marketing. My excellent team on the ground here in the UK includes head of marketing, Eileen Thornton and head of sales, Tim Ives, all aided by some of the best toy agents in the industry.

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What’s the best part? Quite simply, it’s incredibly fun. It’s such a rewarding process to bring something new to the toy store. It’s also a small world, which means that at every event, you can enjoy catching up with familiar faces. Who in the office is the practical joker? We don’t share an office, but we definitely share a sense

to Vivid Imagination’s marketing director, MARY WOOD, who has congratulated Paternoster on her new role. PROPEL RC n The radio controlled toy specialist has appointed CARL ENGLAND as its international general manager. In his new position, England will be responsible for extending the Propel brand and product range into the global markets outside of North America. He will be focusing initially on introducing Propel’s range of RC products into the UK and then looking to roll out into the international markets. England boasts extensive experience working in senior sales and licensing roles at Timberland, Disney and Jakks Pacific.

of humour, so meetings are always fun as well as productive. It’s important to keep a certain youthful spirit alive within any toy company, after all we are in the business of creating fun experiences for children. Finally, who makes the best cuppa? Whoever happens to be around who will make it for you.

HASBRO n Over in the US and the branded play leader has elected Lionsgate vice chairman, MICHAEL BURNS as an independent director to its Board of Directors. Having joined Lionsgate in 2000, Burns has been instrumental in building the company into a multi billion dollar content leader, and was appointed by the Board for his experience in developing award-winning content. BRAND LOYALTY n The firm has expanded its senior team with the appointment of MARIE-LAURE MARCHAND as its new licensing director. Marchand will now lead the worldwide licensing activities of the firm’s Instant Loyalty Promotion department. She joins from Studio 100 where she headed up international consumer products and marketing activities.

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OPINION

The difference between buying a toy and playing with one Steve Reece ponders the shift from toys as a primary play driver, to toys as an easy gift THERE’S A school of thought we’ve all encountered which suggests as long as a firm is selling sufficient numbers of a product to retailers it is doing well.

Secondly, there’s a distinct difference between someone buying a toy and a child using it. A major trend I’ve observed over time is a general shift from toys as

In an industry where R&D spend and marketing launch costs for new lines are at a premium, carry forward items are pure gold. The shortfalls in that way of thinking though are that, firstly, if the product doesn’t sell off the shelf then good luck getting the next listing/doing further business with that retailer.

a primary play driver to toys as an easy and affordable gift. That’s not to say toys aren’t played with. Over the course of a usual childhood, children receive

so many toys that they literally wouldn’t have enough play time available to play actively and ongoing with all, or even a majority of their toys. Increasingly the main driver is the gifting occasion/impulse and the child’s desire for more stuff. Most parents will tell you about the amount of ‘junk’ that children accumulate. If the child is asked about any particular object they may argue passionately for the retention of the precious object. However, put it quietly in the bin and parents tell us their children often don’t notice it has gone. The implication for toy companies could at first

glance appear to be that only sales count i.e. if a product keeps on selling regardless of how much it’s played with, that’s all that matters right? Well to a certain degree the answer has to be yes, you clearly can get away with that approach to a certain extent. However, in an industry where between two thirds to three quarters of all SKUs are new each year, and where R&D spend and marketing launch costs for new products are at a premium, carry forward items are pure gold. If they sell in good quantities they are more likely to be relisted without as much pushing

or leverage due to proof of performance. They need less marketing and no additional R&D spend, which equals more profit for the toy company. And if you look at products which sell year after year, they usually deliver strong, timeless play experiences where sales are as much driven by positive word of mouth and the desire to offer the next generation of children an equally positive play experience as by the marketing spend. So even if not every child takes full advantage of the play opportunity, we should still do everything we can to deliver it for our own long-term benefit.

Steve Reece runs a leading consultancy delivering consumer research and manufacturing sourcing services to toy & game companies. Contact him via: www.KidsBrandInsight.com.

Toys looking for fulfilling and fun short-term relationships Toyologist Peter Jenkinson explains why now is the right time for his toy rental service WITH SUCH a vast amount of high-end technology arriving on the market each week there is obviously an appetite for it amongst consumers. But whether to spend some of your ‘fun fund’ on the latest electric-powered gyro-unicycle, the latest hybrid board/BMX, HD camera toting Drone or epic K’NEX build, the choice is a tough one. You’ll know at the back of your mind that 75 per cent of any plaything you choose may well be affected by the sandwichtoaster effect: it’s used a handful of times and then left to the darkened corner of a cupboard or worse, cobweb ridden shed,

shunned and forgotten. We think the idea to rent, trybefore-you-buy in the high ticket toy arena is an idea well overdue. Everyone can have access to the plethora of playthings available out there at a fraction of the cost (usually 20 per cent)

and without the risk of it becoming a depository for dust. Using our networks, we’ll be able to access the new kit appearing on crowd funding platforms first and also look to expand into technology, arcade equipment and outdoor

toys too and at this point be able to offer corporate and party packages to add entertainment to events. Our business model means we will flirt with retail and consumers of our rental can decide to own the kit with a refund of the rental price against the

RRP of the item – so from a consumer perspective it presents itself as a bit of a no-brainer. We hope they concur. Logistically we are starting in the M25 and expanding to major cities across the UK throughout 2015. We have also devised a smart damage system where customers are rewarded with loyalty ‘toykens’ for looking after our playthings. Play a while, access to everything for all, in a sharing economy and with an ever increasing variety of toys on offer, we’re excited to be bringing our concept to the (hopefully) queuing crowds. Overdue? Most definitely.

Toyologist Pete Jenkinson regularly writes about toys in national newspapers like The Sun and The Mail. This super-dad has an unmatched passion and dedication for trying and testing the latest, coolest and most interesting offerings from the world of toys.

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OPINION

All about the ad Ever been suckered into shelling out for a movie by a cynically produced trailer? David Smith has and wonders if some toy advertising is now going the same way HAVE YOU ever sat through a film and slowly realised that every funny line was in the trailer? It is a huge disappointment; because what had looked like a laugh-a-minute romp has proven to be a barren wasteland, where the few jokes are so thinly spread you start to wonder if the film is actually a comedy after all. As well as the disappointment, there’s a touch of resentment. You’ve been had. Interested only in selling tickets, the movie studio has cynically produced a trailer aimed solely at getting you through the door of the cinema.

You’ve fallen for their cold-hearted marketing ploy and the £10 or so you’ve paid for a ticket is £10 that you will never see again. I’ve seen lots of toys lately that seem to be following this same pattern. They look great in adverts, only to seriously disappoint when actually played with. One toy in particular (which shall remain nameless) seems to have been created with the intention of making an eyecatching advert. In our tests, kids have been wide-eyed with excitement when they first see the toy, only for their wonder to evaporate in

less than a minute when they realise just how little it actually does. It looked great when you only had to pay attention for 20 seconds – any longer than that and there just weren’t any more features to draw upon. Parents witnessing this phenomenon almost universally said the same

thing: ‘Thank god we didn’t buy that’. Toys need to sell in order for toy firms to prosper. That’s obvious, and adverts undoubtedly play a huge part in generating sales. At what point, however, is this reduced to a cynical marketing ploy? Is it stretching things too far to wonder if the company in

question had realised that the toy wasn’t able to hold a child’s attention for more than a minute but decided to press ahead anyway? Surely product testing had been done, and the results can’t have been much different to the ones we witnessed? Maybe some sales can be generated for a dud toy, but that can’t do anything for the long-term value of the company name. What did many of the parents we consulted in the case of this toy do after seeing their child toddle off to look for something else to play with? They had a quick look at the box to see who had made it.

David Smith runs the consumer-focused toy news site ToyTalk (www.toytalk.co.uk) and is the author of the book, 100 Classic Toys.

Gender agendas Kids Industries director Gary Pope shares the results of his study into what children and adults think about gender archetypes. Slowly, he states, tradition is being broken LET’S GET one thing clear upfront. We believe all children should have the opportunity to play with as wide a range of things as possible. This gender malarkey is polarising and everyone has an opinion. So, I‘m going to share my opinion, supported by the views of 1,200 respondents. And 56 academics. In June 2014, we conducted a large research study to find out what children and parents really thought about the gender archetypes that society foists upon us. We found that overwhelmingly, girls prefer nurturing toys, whilst boys like action.

But gender is a spectrum. Some boys want to play with feminine toys, some girls want to play with masculine toys, and all should have the opportunity to do so. But right now parents remain the gatekeepers – and end up reinforcing stereotypes. We know that society is the way it is: we know mum shops in specific ways for her son versus for her daughter. Yet dads are even more guarded. They get uncomfortable by talk of boys wearing dresses and playing with dolls. The stats show dads are more concerned about their boys exploring dimensions

perceived as feminine, than their girls engaging in ‘boyish’ activities. But, slowly, tradition is being broken. This is the digital age. The tablet is gender-neutral. Wonderfully it especially enables boys to try apps, which – if they were real toys – would be off limits. The boys enjoyed playing Toca Boca Hair Salon, however, when we showed those same boys a Girls World mannequin head, they were resoundingly against playing with it. Here’s a proposition: if you could double your potential consumer base, would you want to? Seems simple enough, but we don’t. Because

the media eco-system is gender-aligned, we think immediately where the TVC will be placed before understanding how the child will engage with the toy. It’s always boy or girl. At least, that is part of it - but not all of it. Times are changing. 93 per cent of parents – that’s 934 of the 1,000 we spoke to quantitatively and 100 per cent of those we spoke to qualitatively told us that they shop by category, not by gender. Gender labelling isn’t a non-issue, though: ask parents if they’d buy a pink kitchen for their boys and 87 per cent say no. But a ‘gender neutral’ kitchen? 85 per cent would.

74 per cent of our respondents felt that retail marketing efforts influenced their behaviours. And 73 per cent would like to see all packaging in gender neutral colours – so why haven’t more retailers taken down the boy/girl directional signage? Have sales of toys been detrimentally affected by the recent change of tack at retail? No. What the movements for change are suggesting is that if a girl wants to play with something that is usually played with by a boy she should be able to, and vice versa. Where’s the blimmin’ problem then? There isn’t one.

Gary Pope is a director at Kids Industries, a company offering insight, strategy and content to clients that wish to connect with the family anywhere in the world. Clients of the firm include BBC, Random House, Mattel, GSK, Kellogg, eOne Entertainment, Warner Brothers, Al Jazeera and Disney.

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GREATEST TOYS OF ALL TIME

ToyNews asked the industry what they believed to be the greatest toys of all time, and the results are in. Billy Langsworthy runs down the 50 that made the list, and mourns a few that didn’t. Prepare to feel old GREATEST TOYS of all time surveys are nothing new, but we hope ours stands out due to who we’ve asked. An array of toy experts led by Jonathan Ross is great, but we’ve gone to 94 toy execs from companies in the business of making, marketing and selling toys, right now. Companies big and small got involved, and what we’ve got is a list of 50 toys spanning different decades, sectors and target audiences. You’ll find some usual suspects (no prizes for www.toynews-online.biz

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guessing what takes the number one spot) but as you peruse the list, prepare for a few surprises (one arguably qualifies more as footwear than as a toy). Alas, with only 50 spots up for grabs, some nominated toys just missed out on a place by the skin of their plush teeth. Wheeled toys that narrowly missed out on a podium place included the Cozy Coupe and recent hit Crazy Cart, while classics that fell outside of the 50 included Etchasketch, Evil Knievel toys, Bratz dolls and Beanie Babies.

Games including Buckaroo, Boggle, Pop Up Pirate and Rory’s Story Cubes received nominations, but not enough to warrant a place in the list. So enough build-up. Turn the page and check out the 50 greatest toys of all time as voted for by the toy industry. The further down the list you get, the more tied entries there are, proving this industry is responsible for creating a wealth of classics. If your favourite isn’t here, no angry emails to ToyNews please. Or at least copy in the following companies listed to the right. We’re all to blame.

While we’re keeping all individual’s nominations anonymous, execs from the following companies submitted their votes to the survey: Anki, Bandai, Be Inspired Consulting, Big Potato, Bigjigs, Cartamundi, Carte Blanche, Creating Unique Toys, Creative Toys Company, Famosa, Flying Gadgets, Fundamentally Children, Gibsons, Golden Bear, H Grossman, Hasbro, HTI, John Crane, Jumbo Games, Kids Industries, KidsBrandInsight,

LeapFrog, Learning Resources, LEGO, Mattel, MV Sports, NECA, Orchard Toys, Oxford Games, Paul Lamond, Playtime PR, Plum, Professor Puzzle, Rainbow Designs, Ravensburger, Sir Torquil Norman, Skinny Sketcher, The Entertainer, The Toy Store, Tobar, Toy Essentials, ToyHub, Toyology, ToyTalk, ToyShop UK, Trends UK, Underground Toys, Vivid/ Drumond Park, Wooky Entertainment Europe, Wow! Stuff, Yay Games. January/February 25

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GREATEST TOYS OF ALL TIME

LEGO

It’s no surprise but LEGO has been voted as the greatest toy of all time. Topping our list with most votes by some distance, one voter claimed ‘it was, and still is, pretty unbeatable play value’. When it comes to LEGO, everything really is awesome.

ACTION MAN

The jingle claimed he was ‘the greatest hero of them all’ and our voters seemed to agree. Voters were fans of both his early incarnation from Palitoy, as well as Hasbro’s relaunched line in the Nineties.

SUBBUTEO

The beautiful game made for quite a beautiful game. In the current climate of diving, Subbuteo provides a welcome reminder of the glory years of British football as the weighted bases meant players always stayed on their feet.

KENNER’S STAR WARS TOYS

As well as setting the box office alight, Star Wars was the toy craze of the 1970s. By the end of 1978, Kenner had sold more than 40 million of the figures for gross sales of more than $100 million.

MATCHBOX CARS

These tiny cars have had a huge impact on voters. As one fan told us, ‘I used to get a car with my pocket money every week alongside a family bag of Revels and a big bottle of Canada Dry Ginger Ale.’

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MONOPOLY

Fred Astaire, Shirley Temple and Clark Gable dominated the big screen when Monopoly first launched, and this year the game turns 80. Its position as runner up here demonstrates that it’s just as popular as ever.

SCALEXTRIC

Few things send us into a misty eyed fit of nostalgia quite like Scalextric. As one voter claimed, ‘the smell of burning metal bushes signalled the one time dad would always play.’

RUBIK’S CUBE

It’s to the Rubik’s Cube’s credit that a toy so infuriating has managed to crack this list. It’s the world’s bestselling puzzle game, and also quite an effective Turing Test.

BARBIE

She’s the most iconic doll of all time, and for a 55 year old, doesn’t look a day over 18. With over 150 careers under her belt, the toy star is making the move to the big screen with a live action film scheduled to hit cinemas in the near future.

PLAYING CARDS

Simple, loved and one of the oldest entries in the list. As one of our participants stated: ‘They have been played with and enjoyed the world over for more than two millennia.’

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KERPLUNK

The game of plastic tubes, marbles and rods first landed in the 1960s and is now a titan in the world of board games. Recent iterations has seen it embrace flashing lights and sounds.

M.A.S.K. TOYS

Kenner’s M.A.S.K range was an instant hit when it debuted in 1985. An animated series was launched to help drive sales further but the toy line actually outlasted the show, with new product lines still hitting shelves two years after the final episode aired.

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FRISBEE

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PLAY-DOH

Perhaps the only toy on this list loved just as much by dogs as by humans is the Frisbee. As well as being a fun outdoor product, competitive types can indulge in games including Ultimate Frisbee, Kan-Jam and the beautifully titled Guts (think dodgeball with flying discs).

It smells good, feels good and (between you and me) doesn’t taste too bad either. One voter cited its ‘bright colours and constant development with additional products’ as reasons for its evergreen popularity.

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YO-YO

It was a hit with the ancient Greeks and it’s never looked back. Yes, the Yo-Yo is one of the oldest, and simplest, toys to make the top 50. Iconic in both play and design, it’s a true classic.

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PLAYMOBIL

Playmobil celebrated its 40th anniversary last year and its popularity looks set to continue as the brand expands into other mediums with the TV show Super 4 and a Playmobil movie scheduled for 2017.

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ATARI

The only video game console entry on this list was also one of the pioneers of the medium. The first iteration (Atari 2600) boasted the likes of Combat, Pac-Man and, of course, Space Invaders.

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TRIVIAL PURSUIT

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SUPER SOAKER

One of the most iconic board games around and a legitimate way of finding out who is the smartest person in your family. ‘Every house probably still has one, although where you lived in the UK determined whether you collected pieces of the pie, cake or something else,’ one fan told ToyNews.

Wetter is better. Originally sold by Larami and now produced by Hasbro under the Nerf brand, Super Soaker has made more than $1 billion in total sales. As one of our participants put it: ‘it’s just awesome.’

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SYLVANIAN FAMILIES

Since first inviting children into the world of Sylvania back in the 1980s, Epoch’s Sylvanian Familes collection has become iconic in the world of figures. ‘I was a fan from day one and still love it as much today,’ said one toy exec. ‘Beautiful quality playhouses and gorgeous animal characters.’ January/February 27

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TRANSFORMERS

The Autobots may well want to shed their disguises when they learn of how popular they actually are with the people of the Earth. With blockbuster movies, bestselling toy lines and a new TV show on the horizon, the Hasbro brand is as powerful as ever.

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OPERATION

With an estimated value of $40 million, Operation is in rude health. Licensing has also been very kind to the iconic game of physical skill, with versions inspired by The Simpsons, Doc McStuffins and Minions also available.

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MOUSETRAP

Crank to gears to stop-sign to shoe to bucket to marble to staircase to gutter to hand rods to bathtub to diving board to diver to washtub to the falling cage. We all know how it goes. Classic.

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SIMON SAYS

Simon Says has been a perennial child’s favourite for years and has triumphed in this list ahead of younger, flashier concepts. It’s also well embedded in popular culture (we’re looking at you, Die Hard with a Vengeance). So well done Simon, wherever you are.

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AIRFIX MODELS

Founded in 1939, Airfix was owned by Humbrol from 1986 to 2006, before Hornby took on the iconic model kit brand in 2007. Hornby has reissued classic kits as well as pushing several new models each year.

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TINY TEARS

One of the first dolls to drink, wet themselves and cry, Tiny Tears was an instant hit in England upon arrival in 1966. However, some have been known to take the role-play too far, as one voter confessed: ‘My friend and I got busted by my mum for pretend breast-feeding them.’

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MONSTER IN MY POCKET

Is that a monster in your pocket or are you just pleased to see me? Chances are, if this question was asked in 1990, the answer would be a monster. With other 200 creatures in total, the collectable craze proved more popular in the UK than in the US.

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MY LITTLE PONY

My Little Pony is one of Hasbro’s greatest successes, and since launching in the 1980s has spawned bestselling lines, animated shows, movies and, of course, a legendary following of male fans called Bronies.

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SINDY

Britain’s answer to Barbie was a bestseller on these shores back in 1968 and 1970. The doll has changed hands over the years, but the popular 1972 Trendy Girl Sindy doll collection returned to the shelves of Harrods last year.

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BOGLINS

Boglins were rubbery hand puppets that resembled small monsters, goblins and aquatic creatures and were arguably a highlight of the ‘monster creatures’ craze of the 1980s.

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CARDS AGAINST HUMANITY

One of the most recent products to grace the list, Cards Against Humanity has singlehanded helped spawn the ‘games for badults’ subgenre. It’s also hilarious, near-the-mark and a favourite in the ToyNews office.

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FURBY

Over 40 million Furbies were sold during the three years of its original production. Pretty good, or ‘Ee-kah ee-day’ as the iconic furry creatures would say. Yes, I speak Furbish. Moving on...

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ROLLER SKATES

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THUNDERBIRDS

Roller skates have the honour of being the only footwear to appear on the list. One exec told ToyNews, ‘with the distinct lack of public transport where I grew up, my roller skates got me from A to B in no time at all.’

Classic Thunderbirds toys have rocketed into our list ahead of the new TV series and toy lines landing this year. ‘I remember melting the nose cone of Thunderbird 3 on our three bar electric fire (where part of it remained)’ confessed on exec.

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THE BIG YELLOW TEAPOT

Another toy from Bluebird and a creation of Sir Torquil Norman, the Big Yellow Teapot was a perfect blend of tea sets and doll’s houses. It was a hit for the firm when it was first launched in 1981.

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CASCADE

If you were a child in the late 70s, chances are you wanted to play Cascade from Matchbox. The game saw players bounce marbles across three drums to get to the other side of the course. A clear inspiration for Wipeout’s big red balls.

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MASTERMIND

This hit peg-based codebreaking game has been a hit with players since it launched in 1970. And its packaging, featuring a rather distinguished-looking gentleman, became almost as iconic as the gameplay.

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STARBIRD

‘It was a spaceship that echoed both Star Wars and Star Trek,’ one voter told ToyNews. ‘The real clincher was that it had an early form of accelerometer in it which meant as you flew upwards the engine pitch sound would get higher and when you swopped down, it would get lower.

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A LA CARTE KITCHEN

Children of the 80s will remember the A La Carte Kitchen from Bluebird Toys. It boasted a sink on one side and a cooker on the other and also had a fold-down table. Hell, it could even be wheeled around the house.

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CROSSFIRE

‘I loved playing Crossfire with my best friend, firing the metal balls as hard as I could, and ending up with bruising on my trigger finger.’ That’s the price to pay for this much loved game from the 1970s.

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GREATEST TOYS OF ALL TIME

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GIRLS WORLD

An important tool for anyone serious about their barnet, Girls World has, and still is, inspiring kids to get experimental when it comes to hairstyles. Anyone who tells you they didn’t hack the hair off of their Girls World at some stage is a filthy rotten liar.

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HOT WHEELS

One of the most popular toy brands around, since launching in 1968 over four billion Hot Wheels cars have been produced. That’s almost four times the amount of actual cars currently in use on Earth.

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SCRABBLE

Scrabble is sold in 121 countries and around 150 million sets have been sold worldwide to date. The game has spawned thriving annual tournaments, different rule variations and even the odd TV show.

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SPIROGRAPH

A titan in the world of arts and crafts, Spirograph was relaunched in 2013 by Kahootz Toys in the US and in Europe by Goldfish and Bison. It was a 2014 Toy of the Year finalist almost 50 years after the toy first won the award back in 1967.

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TWISTER

Initially deemed ‘sex in a box’ by naysayers, Twister has been bringing people together, often uncomfortably so, for almost 50 years. One voter said, ‘we laughed at seeing my parents getting entangled and twisting their bodies and ways we (and they) didn’t think were possible.’ 30 January/February

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GUESS WHO?

Does it have a mustache? Has it got blue eyes? Has it got a beard? Has it been embraced by the world of licensing? Is it one of Milton Bradley’s most successful creations? It’s Max, isn’t it? No, then it’s got to be Guess Who? A perennial favourite.

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MECCANO

Meccano was first conceived by Frank Hornby in 1898 and he developed and patented the construction kit in 1901. As one of the most iconic construction brands around, Spin Master strengthened its portfolio by acquiring the brand in 2013.

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SLINKY

The Slinky was something of a toy craze back in the 1940s, selling out its first batch of 400 units in just 90 minutes. Over 300 million Slinkys were sold between 1945 and 2005, and the original remains popular with children today.

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TOP TRUMPS

Since landing in the 1970s, Top Trumps has become a card game favourite, selling over 80 million packs worldwide with themes spanning everything from Dinosaurs to One Direction.

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YAHTZEE

One of the most iconic dice games on the market, over 50 million Yahtzee games are sold annually and Hasbro estimates 100 million people play the game on a regular basis.

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21/11/2014 12:02

INVENTORS: SKINNY SKETCHER

The creation story The last year has seen two inventors take their first steps into the industry and both Skinny Sketcher and Accentuate are just the sort of inventor tales we love to champion. First up, Billy Langsworthy talks to Gillian Logan about where it all went right for Skinny Sketcher This time last year, at what stage were you at with Skinny Sketcher? I was in the early stages of the design process. The idea for Skinny Sketcher evolved from when I was asked to talk to my son’s class about being an architect during his school architecture topic. I tried to source a fun resource to take along to class but discovered there was a lack of engaging architecture activities on the market, which was surprising as architecture is now embedded within the curriculum. I set about creating my own activity for the day and knowing that kids enjoy active hands-on learning that involves the bizarre and ridiculous, I based the activity on famous lookalike buildings including The Gherkin, The Cheese Grater, the Birds Nest, The Armadillo and The Pringle. The workshop was a hit and I soon realised there was a need for an activity that

provided a fun introduction to architecture and it was something that I wanted to explore further. My other aim was to get children drawing. Due to the use of the pincer grip, drawing is the ultimate activity to develop fine motor skills which are required in everyday life. I decided that my product would be a self-contained drawing kit, including

take when spotted on a toy shop shelf. Children often covet items from the grown up world, from mum’s high heels to dad’s power drill. I knew children would love their own takeaway coffee cup, just like the ones sported by sleep deprived adults in every play park. With a nod to a skinny latte, I came up with the name Skinny Sketcher.

Keep your start-up costs low and tap into free advice and services that exist. Gillian Logan, Skinny Sketcher

everything needed to produce freehand drawings of the five famous lookalike buildings. I then got onto the task of designing the product. It was essential that the fun element of the initial idea extended to the packaging of the product. I went for a pun-based on a takeaway coffee cup that would cause children and parents to do a double

All inventors can identify with that painful initial stage when your big exciting idea is constantly swirling around in your head. You’re desperate to tell people and ask their opinion, but you have to impose a self enforced gagging order until you’ve secured IP rights. I was fortunate that I had my children to test the product out on and I used a lot of their play dates as market research. How did you find our Toy & Game Inventors Workshop? I regularly read the inventors coverage in ToyNews and spotted the advert for the Workshop. I could see it was an amazing opportunity, quickly bought a ticket and booked my flight from Glasgow. Getting to pitch your ideas to the toy industry’s major players was a fantastic opportunity that wasn’t lost on us inventors, some of whom had been trying to get in front of the decision makers for years. I was expecting a scary Dragons’ Den pitch, but instead there was a friendly atmosphere and a genuine desire to provide advice, which is amazing considering

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how busy these people are. I got great feedback on product development, pricing and how best to expand my range. I’m sure everyone who attended came away feeling inspired, energised and better placed to get their products on toy shop shelves. How has Skinny Sketcher developed since then? I’ve designed a whole Skinny Sketcher range with Asobi’s very talented designer who captured the vibe of Skinny Sketcher brilliantly. So now I have a range, rather than just the one product. What advice would you give someone struggling to get their idea going? There’s always the temptation to keep an idea hidden until you have a fully finished prototype. But try not to work in isolation for too long, as feedback at an early stage can improve your product and make the process a lot more enjoyable.

If you’re waiting for a patent or trademark then speak to close friends and family whom you trust to give you a subjective opinion and not just what you want to hear. Attend the next Workshop as you’ll gain some fantastic advice and contacts. Keep start up costs low and tap into free advice and services that exist. Business Gateway provide fantastic advice and your local trading standards officer should advise you on safety procedures free of charge. I joined the free business accelerator program Entrepreneurial Spark. ESpark provides mentoring and a network of contacts including IP lawyers, marketing specialists and funding opportunities. There’s even free office space if you need it. Most importantly run your ideas past some kids – often their crazy suggestions are the ones to embrace. January/February 33

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INVENTORS: ACCENTUATE

The Imitation Game

For years, Accentuate was only ever played at the Fraser-Bell household. Now, the game is on sale at John Lewis and Firebox, shattering the dreams of all those who thought they had nailed a Jamaican accent. Billy Langsworthy talks to Accentuate co-creator Graeme Fraser-Bell about the fast rise of the game How long did you have the idea for Accentuate before it became a reality? For a long time we just thought of it as a fun gettogether game between our close friends and family. We produced a simple mock up of it in 2011, but it had no depth or engagement beyond the simple premise of mimicking accents. The key challenge was to create fun, enduring and engaging gameplay from the initial concept and that really didn’t develop until the end of 2013/early 2014. The next issue was the selection of key branding partners and the assimilation of our DNA into their design ideas to produce a visual representation of the game we were trying to communicate. We have been very fortunate to align ourselves with partners and agencies who have as much passion for the game as we

do, and this is reflected in the quality of their work. What was the turning point for Accentuate? Playing the game at our first visit to Board Game Club in Clapham in July 2014, not realising there would be trade press, influential journalists and retailers there: that was our Adam & Eve moment. We spent the evening playing Accentuate with representatives of Firebox and ToyNews, the beginning of great relationships right there. The evening fitted our strategy perfectly: the need to get the game into people’s hands. We had press, public and buyers all experiencing the game first-hand and subsequently helping to make things happen.

Toy & Game Inventors Workshop 2015

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As a newcomer to the industry, what have been your early impressions of it? A wonderful camaraderie, that special eccentric British feeling that none of us are competitors and all are creating new niches in the games world without impacting on each other’s market space. It’s unlike any other industry I have been involved in. Our journey is about fun and if we can’t have it, we will stop. But everyone we meet in the industry seems to support that ethos too – even the ‘big boys’ don’t act or behave like big boys and I have worked with some 600lb corporate gorillas in the past. What makes John Lewis a good fit for the game? Our initial expectations of John Lewis were a short meeting with some suited executives in a boardroom style venue and a sanitised atmosphere. Instead we were met by a bunch of energetic, empowered, young people who had a genuine enthusiasm for their role and our game: incredibly astute but wonderfully engaging. Our DNA was intertwined and we just hit it off – the fact that they were playing Accentuate throughout the office was no little help. It was vital to us to secure a The Toy & Game Inventors Workshop will head north in 2015 – with a new venue in the Midlands. After its successful launch – and the subsequent introduction of the Toy & Game Inventors Weekly Bulletin – the Workshop has been scheduled to take place on Monday, September 22nd at Whittlebury Hall Hotel & Spa in Northampton.

High Street position that matched and supported the Accentuate branding. We didn’t shotgun round samples to everyone we knew; we wanted John Lewis and our challenge was to prove to them that they should want Accentuate. What does 2015 have in store for Accentuate? Our focus will be on building our portfolio of High Street, independent and online retailers within the UK, whilst diversifying Accentuate geographically – first in the US in Q2 2015. This will be followed by a German version in Q3 2015. Our objectives are to secure licensees in North America and the EU, but in The day will continue the same successful format as this year, with a conference in the morning and pitching sessions in the afternoon. However, there will be more opportunities for networking. To register your interest in this year’s Workshop email Samantha Loveday at sloveday@nbmedia. com or call 01992 535646. For sponsorship

order to do so we need to anchor our position in the UK market by expanding our above the line marketing activity. As well as the geographical extension of Accentuate, we’ll also be investing in junior product line extensions, plus various expansion packs. What advice would you give struggling inventors? Focus your spend on getting the product looking fabulous. A great concept with a sub-standard look and feel will require an exceptional pitch to gain support. No one will beat a pathway to your door – it’s essential you create a beacon to draw them in. opportunities contact Jodie Holdway (jholdway@ nbmedia.com) or Carole Eagles (ceagles@ nbmedia.com) on 01992 535647.

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INDUSTRY ROUNDTABLE

View from the top Samantha Loveday asks some key execs from Golden Bear, Character Options, Mattel, MGA, Sambro and VTech for their views on 2014 and the challenges they see affecting the industry Jerry Healy, Marketing Director, Character Options

How have the past 12 months been for you in terms of the toy business in general? Jerry Healy: For sure, Character had a good year in 2014. We are very pleased with the sales and the growth of our brands. What’s good to see is that the 2014 success has been down to not just one but many categories in the portfolio performing well such as Peppa Pig, Teksta, Chill Factor, The Zelfs and Little Live Pets.

Barry Hughes, General Manager, Golden Bear Toys

Barry Hughes: We have been fortunate enough to deliver substantial growth for the second year in succession. Dominic Geddes: It was a good year with a number of factors contributing to the success. The year got off to a good start with a number of movies that performed extremely strongly and have continued to build

12 months and we have enjoyed the best in the company’s history. We’ve signed some fantastic new licensing deals, as well as expanding the distribution side of our business. We have also extended our product ranges and are now creating licensed ranges across more categories than ever before. Andrew Laughton: 2014 has been an extremely positive year for us, having a strong mix of new lines across all categories and a strong summer.

Samuels: The first half of the year was still dominated by the One Direction ranges. But the most popular range of the year? Frozen is without a shadow of a doubt one of the strongest licensed collections we have ever created.

What were your top selling products or categories in 2014? Hughes: We have had a number of brands doing very well for us including the likes of In The Night Garden, Something Special and Woolly and Tig. The top selling product has been the Ninky Nonk Musical Activity Train which has been a runaway success.

Geddes: Our fashion doll portfolio has had a strong year with Frozen being an unprecedented success, and Barbie and Monster High performing well. Thomas the Tank Engine had an amazing year, as did Hot Wheels. Mega has also performed strongly and we are excited to be welcoming them to the Mattel family.

One of the biggest challenges facing the industry is price promotion – at times it can get very competitive out there. Andrew Laughton, MGA & Zapf

Dominic Geddes, VP & Country Manager, UK & Nordics, Mattel

through the year. This was followed by an amazing playground craze and then a good summer. All these factors have contributed to a positive effect across the industry, so a very rounded year with a number of categories showing growth. Clive Richardson: VTech is really pleased with our own trends such as wearable technology, with the introduction of the Kidizoom Smart Watch and Little Love nurturing dolls. Nikki Samuels: Sambro has grown rapidly in the last

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category and has sold out. On the MGA dolls side, Lalaloopsy Diaper Surprise has been a big hit and has also sold out, while Moxie Girlz Magic Swim Mermaid is continuing to drive demand for the brand.

Healy: Minecraft and Peppa Pig are our bestsellers, but all in all our brands have done exceptionally well and with further product development planned, will do well going forward. Laughton: Infant pre-school is our fastest growing category with lines such as Activity Garden and Big Dog dominating. On the Zapf Creation ‘girls side’ of the business, Baby born Princess theme is one of our key autumn drivers and Baby Annabell Learns to Walk has driven significant growth in our large doll

Richardson: The Kidizoom Smart Watch was a winner in the top 12 Dream Toys and was featured in numerous gift guides. It was consistently in the top ten sales in the peak season. The Toot Toot range has seen some significant growth year on year and this looks set to continue in 2015. VTech Baby also had a great year. Which current trend is having the most impact on your business? Samuels: As a company that works with lots of licensed products, I would have to say that hot licences are key to the success of our business. Richardson: Wearable tech is a growing sector for adults and we have seen this to be just as popular amongst children, too. www.toynews-online.biz

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INDUSTRY ROUNDTABLE Geddes: Frozen was the success story of the year with all the trademarks of becoming an evergreen. Hughes: Higher price point items have started to do well on a year round basis and not just in Q4. What was your highlight of 2014? Laughton: Seeing Little Tikes being number one property for most of the year was an absolute highlight and underpins all the continued investment and development of the brand. Richardson: The launch of the Little Love Doll which has surpassed expectations and has demonstrated how VTech

the toy industry over the next few years.

Clive Richardson, Marketing Director, VTech

Samuels: With licences proving so popular, many counterfeit products are flooding the market at key selling times as they did earlier in December. These poor quality and often dangerous items are something we as an industry need to be vigilant about. Not only do they affect sales of quality licensed merchandise, but it can alter perception about brands from the consumer point of view. Geddes: The biggest challenges continue from consumer buying patterns to the retailer landscape. Retailers are constantly trying to find their point

Nikki Samuels, Director, Sambro

Innovation and advancement is important to the toy industry, as is spotting trends in other age demographics that could then be transferred to the children’s sector. Clive Richardson, VTech

can enter new categories by adding technology to ensure a point of difference, while retaining a competitive price. Hughes: Toy Fair was a very positive start to the year and set the tone for a successful 2014. Richard Cadell and Sooty were great fun to have on the stand, so much so that we have invited them back again this year. Healy: Right at the start of the year when Teksta won Toy of the Year. Geddes: The strength of our core brands, which are such great platforms for our business. What are the biggest challenges facing the toy industry at present? Have these changed over the past year? Hughes: The increasing amount of time kids play with tablets. It will also be interesting to see the impact of 3D printers on www.toynews-online.biz

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of differentiation. The multi-channel model that retailers now offer from online, click and collect, to the bricks and mortar shopping experience and we have to adapt to be able to service that business model efficiently. Third party platforms are also increasing so a retail strategy is key to keeping in step and maximise opportunities.

Andrew Laughton, MD, MGA & Zapf Creation UK

Laughton: One of the biggest challenges facing the industry is price promotion – at times it can get very competitive out there. However, that said you have to look at quality, durability of a product and whether it aids in child development, so consumers shouldn’t just look at price. Richardson: Innovation and advancement is important to the toy industry as is spotting trends in other age demographics that could be transferred to the children’s sector. January/February 37

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30 UNDER 30

Sponsored by:

As well as all the long-serving execs in the business, the toy industry also has a hot bed of young talent working across various sectors. From national account managers to PR execs, licensing specialists to social media experts, entrepreneurs to designers, Samantha Loveday highlights just some in our annual 30 Under 30 listing, in association with Gameplan Europe

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30 UNDER 30

Sponsored by:

JON CHAMBERS Head of AV Investment, Generation Media

DEAN TEMPEST Joint Founder, Big Potato

CARA DAVIES PR Manager, Firebox

ANDY TARRANT Packaging Designer, Vivid Imaginations

SAM IRELAND Operations Manager, Bigjigs Toys

Since joining Generation Media in 2010, Chambers (26) has played a key role in developing and now leading a dedicated team of TV buyers. He ensures maximum value for clients’ ‘hard fought for’ budgets by negotiating market leading airtime costs. Outside of the office, Chambers is also a FA qualified football coach, working with children aged from six to 14, allowing Generation Media immediate access to unique audience insights.

Tempest (27) is described as ‘Mr Muscle’ by his partners - as he loves doing the jobs we all hate, like numbers, planning, new business, presentations, meetings and most of the other things essential in running a successful business. Seemingly blessed with foresight, Tempest sees the big picture, an impressive skill for someone of his years. He’s also very good at organising the team, but miss one of emails and you end up on the naughty step ... although not for long.

Davies (27) was called an ‘integral’ part of Firebox’s comms team, managing its PR campaigns, along with being involved in the broader product launches. No matter what the product, she is always armed with an array of innovative ideas, which she delivers with passion and excitement. Her ability to remain calm and collected, while being lively and social is what makes her, not only good at her job, but well liked. A great ambassador for Firebox.

Tarrant (27) is currently developing the graphics for the Thunderbirds toy range (along with numerous other projects). He began his toy career at Rainbow Designs, where he stayed for two years as graphic and product developer before moving to Vivid in 2013. He has a passion for brands and approaches new challenges with maturity, originality and enthusiasm, and is proving to be proactive, forward thinking and a driving force in the team.

Born into the Bigjigs Toys family business, Ireland (28) has experienced every aspect of toy design and distribution ever since he was first recruited as primary toy tester in his infant years. He constantly strives to improve the business. In 2014 he applied his ecommerce expertise to an overhaul of the B2C platform, orchestrating a huge revamp of the consumer website. Online sales seeing a marked increase since the new style platform went live last summer.

JONATHAN PALMER Business Manager, Flying Gadgets

SAMANTHA CLAPHAM Senior Product Development Manager, Underground Toys

LAUREN BYRNE Senior Brand Manager, Tomy

SARAH QUIGLEY Head of UK Licensing, Carte Blanche Group

During her time at Tomy, 27 year old Byrne has driven the development of a selection of key global brands, providing clear direction and reason for being. She was nominated for bringing fantastic creativity and strong business acumen to her brands, while being passionate and enthusiastic, something which is evident in the work she produces. Prior to joining Tomy, Byrne was previously at Hasbro.

Having held roles with Flair and Hasbro, Quigley (29) re-joined CBG last year in a senior management role. Managing a team of licensing managers, business analysts and approvals specialists for Me to You, she has been instrumental in the firm’s new IP strategy. Quigley is also managing the global licensing drive for Pudsey the Dog, in partnership with Syco Entertainment. She is focused first and foremost on great product design for the company.

KYNA COVINGTON Trade Marketing Manager, KD UK

Palmer joined Flying Gadgets aged just 23, and has helped to make the company one of the biggest radio controlled toy firms in the UK. Palmer has opened accounts with Amazon, Harrods, Selfridges and Robert Dyas, nearly doubling the turnover of the company within the space of a year. In his nomination, Palmer was described as an ‘incredible’ salesman with the maturity of someone twice his age and that someone of his ability will become a big player. 40 January/February

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Returning to the list from last year – because she’s still “bloody brilliant”, according to the person who nominated her – Clapham (27) was recently promoted to the role of senior product development manager at Underground Toys. She specialises in sourcing factories suitable for licensed product. Most recently, Clapham has launched a large range of gifts for BBC’s Sherlock for both the US and UK markets.

Covington (29) is described as a delight to work with, never shying away from a project, always happy to help out and a great team player. She is conscientious and takes pride in ensuring all campaigns are delivered well and on time. Covington has ingratiated herself into the toy industry quickly and is well liked among colleagues, retailers and licensors. She is also great fun to be around and will make you smile in the most stressful situations. www.toynews-online.biz

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30 UNDER 30

SALLY CARNALL UK Marketing Manager, EPOCH making toys A fan of Sylvanian Families as a girl, Carnall (27) is now living the dream as she gets to work with them every day. Joining EPOCH in November 2013, she was apparently deliberately recruited as she didn’t have years of toy industry experience, and MD Graham Brennan wanted someone who could connect with the brand and target audience. She also studied international business, a distinct advantage as EPOCH has a global strategy for the brand.

LUCY BARTKOWIAK International Licensing Manager, DreamWorks Animation Bartkowiak has been a licensing star in the making having joined Classic Media at 21. Now 26, she has risen through the ranks to manage the international business across a portfolio including Postman Pat and Where’s Wally? – all key assets at the time of DreamWorks’ acquisition. She also oversees Benelux, Polish and Italian markets, managing DreamWorks’ relationship with the key agents in those territories. www.toynews-online.biz

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Sponsored by:

DEBORAH SETTERFIELD Essentials Senior Assistant Buyer, P&O Ferries

LEWIS HILLIER National Account Manager, Click Distribution

ALICIA JENKINS Junior Packaging Designer, Vivid Imaginations

Responsible for all the toy buying at P&O Ferries, Setterfield (27) is passionate about offering a 360-degree approach to its toy offering. She not only ensures the firm has the best toys on its shelves, but also works with toy brands to make sure that toys have a strong presence around the ships. Setterfield has a natural talent for buying and her nominator said P&O is delighted to have her as part of the team driving its toy business forward.

Hillier (27) has been with Click Distribution for three years, working up to national account manager. He is incredibly driven, handles himself remarkably well and has a fantastic relationship with all his customers – large or small. Hillier has played, and continues to play, an integral role in taking the business forward. He apparently has a knack for getting the best out of everything he does – with his nominator saying he is proud he decided to work at Click.

Jenkins (24) handles the development of a number of key Vivid brands. She graduated in 2013, during which time she completed a placement year with the Disney Direct team as a product development assistant for plush toys. Initially at Vivid, Jenkins managed the international pack adaptations, quickly proving herself to be hugely professional and efficient in all aspects of her work. She is now leading a major rebranding project.

29 year old Khaldi joined the firm two years ago as a result of it expanding its digital division, nGen. Specialised in paid search, SEO and analytics, she has played a key role helping clients increase their presence in the digital space by using new approaches to maximise value and engagement on clients’ media plans. Khaldi has been involved with rebuild and launch of iGen Insight and Generation Media websites and the firm’s marketing plans.

JOSHUA WOHLE Chief Product Officer, SuperAwesome

FLEUR VAN ZUILEN Concept Development Manager, BrandLoyalty

ADAM BAYLIS Social Media Manager, Kilogrammedia

VICKY HILL Licensing Manager, Bulldog Licensing

Baylis (27) began his career in the music industry working as an independent live music promoter for over six years. He was one of a group of promoters using solely social media to push live music concerts in a market dominated by print media. Baylis moved into club night promotions before entering the leisure industry to manage digital and social media operations for several large companies. He has also consulted for several leading retailers.

Hill got her first taste of licensing from an internship at Mattel where she worked on publishing in the Middle East. She joined Bulldog just over a year ago, initially managing two categories, including publishing (an area where she continues to excel). She now manages licensing across a wide range of areas and is developing strong links at retail level. She is also taking the LIMA CLM course, one of few non-US execs to undertake the opportunity.

At 26, Wohle leads the team responsible for the technology behind SuperAwesome, the biggest kids advertising platform in the world. It is thanks to him that brands such as LEGO, Mattel, Hasbro and almost 150 others are able to safely and compliantly connect with almost 200m kids every month across Europe, US and Asia. Fluent in five languages, Wohle is considered to be one of the leading authorities on the tech aspect of kids compliance legislation.

Van Zuilen (28) manages the development of BrandLoyalty’s Disney, WWF, Nickelodeon and DreamWorks promotion concepts. It is her role to create an exciting promotion concept that perfectly fits each brand, suits the retailer’s needs and is fun and exciting to kids. According to her nominator, Van Zuilen combines creative flair with grounded commercial knowledge – a rare but essential combination – and is definitely one to watch.

NADIA KHALDI Head of Engagement, Generation Media

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30 UNDER 30

Sponsored by:

ALEX SMITH Account Manager, Generation Media

BRIAN SIMPSON General Manager, ToyTown

DAVE TOVEY Licensing Manager, Mind Candy

RAVI VIJH Account Manager, Bastion

REBECCA CLARK Brand Manager, Re:creation

Smith (23) was responsible for the media placements of some of last year’s biggest toy releases. These include Vivid’s My Friend Cayla and VTech’s Innotab Max. As the agency’s leader of new business, he also visited New York and Cologne, building relationships and offering expertise to those advertisers operating on a European and global scale.

Simpson’s (28) main role at the fast growing retailer is buying, however with it being a small family business, there is always a myriad of other bits and pieces going on to keep him at a high enough stress level for his hair not to grow ... his words, not ours. And we don’t want to upset him, as his interest in power lifting makes him an even more formidable force.

Starting his fifth year at Mind Candy, Tovey is still only 25 and continues to work on new opportunities for Moshi Monsters, as well as launching the firm’s new IP, World of Warriors. Over the last 12 months, Tovey has signed the secondary UK licensing programme for World of Warriors and in 2015 will be working on the retail and European roll out for the brand.

Vijh (26) is the man charged with running the PR push for Toy Fair, having worked on the account since 2010. In 2013, he was instrumental in winning Dream Toys for Bastion, and oversaw a number of improvements to last year’s event. Most importantly, despite the early starts, late nights and general manic-ness of Toy Fair, he always greets you with a smile.

Clark (27) was promoted to the role of brand manager at Re:creation last year, having joined the firm in 2011. Clark will continue to work with brands including Zip Stix, LEGO Lights and Fun Loom. In addition to this, her role has been expanded to include the firm’s new acquisition of Magic Choc products. A friendly, fun and wellliked member of the toy industry.

MARY LEWIS Account Manager, miPR

MAXINE SACKEY PR Executive, Nickelodeon

VERNON KERSWELL MD, Extreme Toys

MAX DALMAU Export Manager, Käthe Kruse GmbH

In just 18 months, Lewis (20) has shown herself to be one of miPR’s fastest risers and has a creative flair the firm always strives to find in its new recruits. Working with clients including Studio 100, Hy-Pro, Red Herring Games and Propel RC Toys, Lewis develops creative strategies which translate into brand and product exposure, always with a smile.

Sackey (25) has been with Nickelodeon for three years, performing an integral role in key launches. Most pertinent to consumer products, she led the Paw Patrol UK PR launch. This year will see Sackey take the lead on various campaigns to support brands such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Spongebob and Shimmer and Shine.

Kerswell (26) started his company five years ago with no backing from banks, and has gone on to develop a product – the Micro Drone 2.0 – which featured on BBC Click last year. He also appeared on Dragons’ Den back in 2009, and is back exhibiting at Toy Fair for the second year in 2015. Described as exactly the type of young business person the industry needs.

Another exec returning from last year’s list, Dalmau (25) has been instrumental in helping to grow turnover, organising and balancing international sales and developing business with distributors, major retail chains, indies and suppliers alike. He has plied his trade in every part of the business, so really understands the full picture.

GEMMA LEWINGTON Retail Marketing Manager, LeapFrog 29 year old Lewington is the retail marketing manager for the UK, EMEA and Australasia at LeapFrog, overseeing all retail communication from in-store to online. Before taking on the role earlier this year, she was previously UK and EMEA retail marketing support supervisor, as well as looking after the company’s stand at London Toy Fair.

Gameplan Europe is a business consultancy to the global toy and nursery products industry. We help manufacturers to develop their international business through strategic advice, finding distributors and other types of business partners, and executive search. We have recruited hundreds of toy industry executives across Europe and North America, from European President down to key account manager. We also publish a series of annual directories of business information, such as the International Directory of Retail Toy Buyers, which lists the names of the key buyers in 45 countries. Contact Andrew Dobbie or Margit Pendl on +44 1442 870 100 andrew@gameplaneurope.com or margit@gameplaneurope.com www.gameplaneurope.com 42 January/February

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ADULT TOYS AND GAMES

Breaking ‘badults’

Picture credit: Danny Neumann

Breaking Bad figures were pulled from Toys R Us in the US, but never even made it onto the shelves of the retail giant here in the UK. While the ‘games for Badults’ movement is thriving, crowdfunding remains its main route to consumers. Billy Langsworthy asks is there a place for adult toys and games in the current retail landscape?

BACK IN 2014, Breaking Bad’s teacher-turned-drug kingpin Heisenberg (aka Walter White) finally met his match. It wasn’t Tuco the psychopathic Mexican druglord or the calm but deadly Gus Fring. It wasn’t even his DEA agent brotherin-law Hank Schrader. It was the toy retail giant, Toys R Us. Yes, back in October, the US chain of Toys R Us pulled its line of Breaking Bad action figures following a petition from a mum who claimed they were a ‘dangerous deviation’ from the store’s family friendly values. This in spite of the fact the toys were housed in the adult collectors section of the store alongside figures of Freddy Krueger, www.toynews-online.biz

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Friday the 13th’s Jason Vorhees and zombies from The Walking Dead. “Let’s just say, the action figures have taken an ‘indefinite sabbatical’,” said Toys R Us spokeswoman Kathleen Waugh of the Breaking Bad figures. The UK Toys R Us has never dabbled in stocking toys for adults, but the whole ordeal has raised the question of whether toy shops should stock adult action figures and ‘games for badults’ in the first place. The majority of toy stores in the UK shun the sector, not through any moral repulsion but due to being a specialist in other, more child-friendly areas. One such is When I Was a Kid, a toy shop as

traditional as they come. While all for specialists in adult toys and games, owner Paul Warner believes the problems arise when stores try to mix and match. “You’ve got to set your stall out,” Warner tells ToyNews. “Where it goes wrong is when people see a trend, start selling Breaking Bad figures off the back of that story, and latch onto it. “That’s great if you can ride a wave with it, but the problem with that is shops start stocking all sorts and forget what their core values were and what they initially set out to sell. “You may sell a few but you lose your identity, your direction and you become known for nothing at all. We’ve been successful

because we’ve never got wrapped up in those kinds of things. We’ve stuck to our thing and stayed with it.” And while the majority of toy shops stay clear of adult toys and games, this doesn’t mean the sector isn’t thriving, as demonstrated by the success of Cards Against Humanity which spearheaded the ‘games for badults’ movement. Equal parts odd, offensive and very, very funny, the game, sold exclusively at Amazon in the UK, has spent over a year in Amazon’s Top 100 bestselling toys. The company won’t reveal sales figures, but as of May 2013, over 500,000 copies had been sold, generating at least $12 million in revenue.

It also happens to be one of the most popular regulars at Lesley Singleton’s Board Game Club. “Adult games are nothing new – it’s just that the past couple of years has seen growth in this area, thanks to boundarypushing indies and the rise of crowdfunding,” Singleton tells ToyNews. “Although some are clearly designed to be offensive – aiming to replicate the success of the mighty Cards Against Humanity – the key thing here is that the games are only ever as offensive as you want to make them. “In the same way that you can switch TV channels if you see something you don’t like, you don’t have to January/February 45

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ADULT TOYS AND GAMES play the card that makes you nervous. Chances are, though, if you’re playing with a like-minded bunch of grown-ups and having a laugh, you will. “These games are an escape, designed to cause gasps and giggles in equal amounts. They’re about stepping outside your comfort zone, making you do or say silly things you wouldn’t normally consider. “Consumers are embracing them in their thousands, so I really do think retailers should be sitting up and taking notice. In-store, it’s about locating these games in an appropriate place, away from the cutesier table-tops aimed at the wholesome family market.” As Singleton states, it’s an area being championed by crowdfunding and one of the latest to utilise the likes of Kickstarter is game firm Big Potato. The creators are the same team behind Linkee, but the trio have moved out of the family friendly arena with latest game, Bucket of Doom. Aimed at over 18s (the tagline is ‘When the shit hits the fan, you need a plan’), Bucket of Doom sees a player choose a deadly scenario from a Doom Card, and then all other players choose one of the eight useless object cards in their hand to hatch an escape. But like a TV presenter moving from Blue Peter to Babestation, is the transition from Linkee to Bucket of Doom a risky one? “Hopefully people will appreciate that we all have a naughty side,” said Big Potato’s Tris Hyatt-Williams. “That’s the beauty of ‘badult’ games, they allow

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normal sensible people to be outrageous and blame it on the game. It never fails to amaze us how the most demure person can come out with the most outrageous and filthy escape plan, usually involving a butt plug.” But while the game hit its crowdfunding goal, has there been any interest from toy stores in stocking it? And are the stores that championed Linkee as enthusiastic about Bucket of Doom? “It’s early days on that front,” adds Hyatt-Williams. “Amazon and Firebox are big fans of both games, but we’re also hoping to convert some High Street retailers into Bucket of Doom fans. We don’t see why they should have a problem with it; after all they stock Grand Theft Auto and games like that which are pretty X-rated.” So should Toys R Us get on board with Bucket of Doom? Big Potato isn’t optimistic following it’s treatment of Breaking Bad. “Really those Breaking Bad action figures were aimed at adults, and adults shouldn’t be wandering around Toys R Us unaccompanied by a child,” Hyatt-Williams adds, dryly. One store that is proudly stocking adult action figures is AutoMattic Comics and Toys. The independent shop has enjoyed years of success selling the kind of products not welcome on the shelves of Toys R Us stores across the UK “I only stock product I like,” owner Matt Booker tells ToyNews. “I stock what sells but I also stock what I want to stock. Every shop should stock what they want. Independents are independent for a reason; they stock what they want to. I’m a very different shop from your regular toy shop, but I’ve been doing it for 20 years and I’m still going, so it works.” Booker also believes the consumer that goes for

adult action figures, while a niche audience, is one to be cherished. He continues: “Adult collectors don’t buy everything. I have a customer that just buys Yoda stuff, another just buys Alien products. They may choose a £300 piece and not buy anything else for another three months. Being a geek isn’t a dirty word anymore. The biggest show on TV used to be Friends, now it’s The Big Bang Theory.” Booker also believes that the news of Toys R Us in the US removing Breaking Bad toys is nothing new at all. He feels that it just goes to prove adult action figures and games for badults do have a home in toy shops, as long as it’s in independents. “Toys R Us has done it 100 times,” adds Booker. “They did it in the 1970s with the Alien action figure from Kenner. All it did was push the demand for that toy up. I had people coming

into the store asking if they could get that Breaking Bad figure. “It’s all about product knowledge. The independents sell this stuff and we do this because we love it. Some indies just sell wooden toys or traditional toys and they do it because they know their stuff and they love it. “Independents don’t sell stuff they don’t know

about. It’s where the independents are thriving.” So there we go. While the ‘edgy’ nature of ‘badult’ games and action figures based on hit adult shows is enough to send some of the biggest toy retailers running for the hills, they are proving a perfect match for the entrepreneurial spirit of the independent toy retail scene. Walter White would be proud.

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05/12/2014 13:23

GENERATION MEDIA

Mapping a child’s online journey 2011-2015 YouTube to Miniclip, Stardoll to Instagram, Facebook to Oculus Rift, the kids’ internet space is constantly evolving. Martin Doyle, Head of Digital at Generation Media, takes us through a child’s online adventure “WHAT DOES the internet look like to a child?” This was the abstract, challenge put to Generation Media in a client meeting in 2011. A visual representation of the online space was not something that we had attempted before and, given our subsequent research, something that no other organisation had either. Generation are not an agency to shirk such a challenge though, so we set about visualising this ‘New World’. 48 January/February

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It’s incredible when you consider that 20 years ago there was no ‘kids’ internet’ – you’ll find it almost impossible to find a dedicated kids site that is of that age. Even 15 years ago, only around one in four UK children had internet access at home. Now, a higher proportion of kids in this country access the internet than watch TV on a typical day. It’s a staggering transformation, and one that we envision using the New World map, charting a child’s online

journey from their first interactions with the internet to their integration with the ‘grown up’ web. The map imagines online properties as islands within the greater internet ocean, their size based upon comScore data and other audience statistics: furthermore each tree represents 100,000 unique visitors per month. After leaving the safety of Mummydaddy Haven at an early age, kids move from left to right as they grow up.

Island positions on the map are plotted according to traffic gender split: north for girls, south for boys. The La Nina stream demonstrates that girls tend towards more grown up sites at a younger age – keen to spend their time interacting with social networks such as Stardoll, before graduating to mobile properties such as Pinterest and Instagram. Boys stick with casual gaming platforms such as Miniclip well into their teens, mirroring

Generation’s ‘Girls Getting Older Younger, Faster’ mantra applied across all of our media planning. The greatest challenge when constructing the map is to represent every property accurately: Minecraft for example is played across so many different platforms that it is almost impossible to account for every user, audience duplication, etc. By working with properties and consulting a number of different measurement sources, we www.toynews-online.biz

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GENERATION MEDIA

feel we have created an accurate and essential tool for orientating both the uninitiated and experienced kids’ media navigators. We also have to consider whether a property is truly a kids’ site, or a grown up site that children are interacting with. We’d consider something like World of Warcraft to sit in the latter category. As part of our 2015 planning process, we now present the fifth incarnation of the New World map. Our visualisation has expanded and evolved as we have learned more about the kids’ digital space. The overarching fundamental adjustment was to see the kids’ online space not as independent websites but as a journey that young people make, with connections between all properties. This journey is facilitated by search engines: represented by sail boats carrying kids from one island to another. www.toynews-online.biz

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We consider YouTube to be just as important as Google in the field of content discovery. Every site, app or property is revaluated every year, so their growth or decline can be tracked across the various editions. In 2012 we saw Habbo Hotel fall off the map. Conversely, sites like Twitch and MovieStarPlanet barely existed back in 2011 but they are impossible to ignore in 2015. The map also ‘predicted’ the rise of Minecraft – I can’t pretend that we were completely oblivious to it back in 2011, but visualising the internet in this way allowed us to identify that there was ‘uncharted territory’ in the tween boys space that would permit the rise of ‘the next big thing’ – and Minecraft has emphatically grown its island here. There has been a lot of little changes: we pride ourselves on keeping up to date with the kids’ space and we ensure that the

New World map reflects these developments. The eagle-eyed might spot that the bridge between Nickelodeon and Bin Weevils in the 2011 edition no longer exists, or that sites such as TinyPop and Kix that once sat in The Dolphin Sea are now encompassed in The SuperAwesome Lagoon. We are seeing companies like SuperAwesome coming into the kids’ digital space making a splash, partnering with a range of sites and building up an empire that advertisers cannot ignore. Two years ago we recognised the fact that games consoles take kids’ attention away from websites, especially for boys. With increasing numbers playing console games online, it was important for us to detail this: The Console Whirlpool was born. The main development for 2015 has been the influx of ‘The App Armada’, a recognition that kids

are spending more time interacting with apps as part of a wider mobile device exposure. The Facebook peninsula has shrunk to an optional destination amongst teenagers. We hear that teenagers have deserted Facebook: the numbers back this up, but not on the sort of scale the media will have us believe. You won’t find many online properties that have the reach amongst kids that Facebook has. However, it shares online time with rival apps such as Instagram and Snapchat. If we are using the map as a predictive tool for the future, then the present terra incognita open to exploration would be the

pre-school space. Finally, we snuck in one little development that we are really excited about – it’s Oculus Rift. If British kids are lucky, they might just get their hands on this device in late 2015 – if so we can expect youngsters to plot a course here at full speed.

Martin Doyle is Head of nGen, Digital team at Generation Media, the UK’s number one specialist kids and entertainment media agency. The 20112015 editions of The New World map are available for download at www.generationmedia.co.uk/ourwork and you can request a New World mousemat free of charge: contact@generationmedia.co.uk (while stocks last). January/February 49

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10/12/2014 14:19

WEARABLE TECH

You wear it well 2014 heralded the rise of wearable tech, with Samsung predicting a 182 per cent increase in revenue on Christmas 2013. Robert Hutchins explores how the emerging sector is making waves in the toy space

IT’S THE New Year, and you know what that means? Put down the turkey sandwich, lower the box of Celebrations and step away from the Baileys. Okay, have one last Baileys. But then it’s time for business. Ready? Then dig out your trainers and slip on that new piece of tech you had your eye on all last year. You know, the one that records your heart rate/calorie consumption/ favourite TV programme as you run? Check heart rate. Swear off the Baileys, and prepare for the ‘New You’. Oh, if only it were that easy, but in today’s vastly sedentary lifestyle, exercise doesn’t come naturally to many. Thank God then, that there’s a new collection of products emerging designed to take the sting out of exercise. It is, of course, the latest wave of wearable tech and it is here to shape up our www.toynews-online.biz

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nation’s youngsters, get them off their couches and encourage them to get healthy through active play. The government has made no secret of its belief that we are harbouring a youth affected by health issues, with research indicating that just 21 per cent of boys and 16 per cent of girls meet the recommended daily dose of exercise. And in a modern world increasingly focused upon technological advancement, it isn’t difficult to see how time for active play can so easily slip away. However, as popular pre-school brand LeapFrog insists, technology doesn’t always have to equate to passivity. Last summer, the firm made its mark upon the wearable tech sector with the launch of its LeapBand, a piece of kit designed to blend children’s love for technology with active play.

“LeapBand was really born out of the need for a product to keep children active and energised, but more importantly; enthusiastic about it,” explains Emily Brown, UK and EMEAA product manager, LeapFrog. “With

Still in its relative infancy, wearable tech is an emerging sector that is fast finding a place within the hearts of the consumer, and while the final total is yet to be documented, last year Samsung predicted that the UK wearables revenue

I don’t think that anyone can deny that wearable tech is becoming more and more relevant. Emily Brown, LeapFrog

LeapBand, children are encouraged to get up and move around in really fun and imaginative ways.” Via the LeapBand, kids are guided through a series of physical activities by a virtual pet that they can name and customise themselves. Taking a leaf out of Pavlov’s diary, the LeapBand then positively reinforces kids’ movement with virtual rewards.

looked set to increase 182 per cent on Christmas 2013. Meanwhile, across the UK, retailers, consumers and even the government are getting behind the products aimed at easing the pressure of over-critical parenting and getting kids to enjoy exercise. “We need to help our children become more ‘physically literate’,” Ann Hoskins, director of the

healthy people division at Public Health England, tells ToyNews. “We are seeing a generation growing up in environments that make it easier to be sedentary. If tech games are working to get kids more active, then it is a step in the right direction.” And according to LeapFrog, the response from parents and consumers to its LeapBand has been unprecedented. “Wearable tech has been in the spotlight a lot over the last 12 months and I don’t think that anyone can deny that it is becoming more and more relevant,” continues Brown. “We are thrilled with the performance so far, our retailers have really got behind LeapBand and the sales figures are growing every week.” Of course, wherever consumer technology advances, VTech is never January/February 51

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WEARABLE TECH far away, ready to interpret it for the pre-school market, and with its recent launch The Kidizoom Smartwatch, the firm has done just that. A customisable watch, the Kidizoom Smartwatch allows users to take and edit photos, record videos and play games wherever they are. The Smartwatch is even PC compatible, allowing kids to upload their photos for editing via the VTech Learning Lodge on InnoTab Max. “VTech is the global leader in children’s electronic learning products, so it makes sense to transfer the technology into new, growing categories,” Rebecca Lazarus, senior brand manager at VTech, tells ToyNews. “Wearable tech is a growing sector for adults and we predict that it will be just as popular among children, plus the Kidizoom Smartwatch is much more fun than an adult version, you can record voices and edit photos – you don’t get that in the adult sector.” For Leapfrog, the firm believes that the wearable tech sector will really establish itself over the next one to two years, and as the market leaders in pre-school educational products, both Leapfrog and VTech will endeavor to continue to be at the forefront of the movement. “Wearable tech lends itself to the toy industry perfectly,” says LeapFrog’s Brown. “Toy shops are where children do their own window shopping, and I believe wearable tech will continue to grow its presence there.” Arguably, wearable tech has been present for a number of years already, sneaking in to the toy aisles in various guises, such as the Spy Net line-up of children’s spy gear from Jakks Pacific. Bridging the gap between toys and the adult wearable tech of today, Spy Net features a range of watches and glasses boasting espionage technology such as silent ear communication and surveillance tech. 52 January/February

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“This is real working technology that you can rely on,” explains Jakks Pacific’s marketing manager, Ken Goodisson. “Our watches and glasses have been evergreens since launch, and it seems they have bridged a gap between toys for older kids and wearable tech. “And I believe that as long as product is kept inspiring, then wearable tech toys can stand the test of time.” Away from the toy aisles however, wearable tech toys is still very much a fledgling sector, relying on the dedication of the innovators and inventors to bring it to the fore. It’s no surprise then that Kickstarter is becoming a hot bed of wearable tech toy innovation. And one of the latest products to emerge from the site is a wearable tech-puppet hybrid, designed to uphold the values of traditional play, while keeping up with the evolution of technology. Created by start-up firm ZippyKit, the aptly named Smart Puppet is aimed at both boys and girls and is designed to blend the educational value of interacting with tablets with real storytelling. Challenging kids to first construct the textile character, the Smart Puppet features touch screen properties that children can use to engage in the character’s storytelling, teaching them the values of traditional play time with the aid of technology. Whatever the future holds for wearable tech toys, it is clear that the sector is destined to be shaped by the numerous innovators in the field. “Technology trends are changing so fast all the time and wearables are no exception,” continues LeapFrog’s Brown. “Wearables is still in its infancy, so the approach has to be slightly different, it’s working to a different rhythm, so we have to keep on our toes and stay agile,” she concludes. And that’s a perfect reason to kick the Baileys once and for all, then? Well, at least for another year. www.toynews-online.biz

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15/12/2014 16:00

3D PRINTING

New dimensions

Science fiction is catching up with us and the toy industry is finding itself on the cusp of a new dimension. As 3D printing edges closer to consumer reality, Robert Hutchins looks at how the medium could be shaping the future of toys SHELL SUITS, Tom Selleck’s glorious moustache and Bob Geldof’s first ever Band Aid single: the year 1984 has a lot to answer for. And with so much keeping civilization preoccupied, it’s no surprise that the advent of 3D printing went relatively unrecognised. But from a small pocket of Colorado, inventor Charles Hull gave rise to stereolithography, the first glimpse of toy manufacturing of the future. Thankfully, 30 years on, Hull has managed to find a snappier title for the concept and today his company, 3D Systems is one of many 3D printing specialists making headway in bringing consumers and retailers alike closer to the process of bespoke product making. Since the launch of the first 3D print consumer experience, allowing fans to become their favourite Star Wars character in 2012, the toy industry has been paying particular attention. Last year marked perhaps the biggest stride

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in toy-3D printing relations, when major retailers and manufacturers – including Toys R Us and Hasbro – took the leap to embrace the medium. To celebrate Hasbro’s Super Hero month in September 2014, the toy giant teamed with 3D printing company, 3D Plus Me to launch its Super Awesome Me campaign, allowing fans to become action figures of their favourite super heroes. Quite literally changing the face of action figures at retail, the campaign allowed fans to use instore 3D printing services to place their own faces on Iron Man or Captain America action figures. The initiative was met with positive reaction from consumers, but as the demand for customised toy buying increases, Hasbro believes this is only the tip of the iceberg for the future of 3D printing. “It’s clear that today’s consumer wants to personalise their play and Hasbro is enthusiastic about providing fans with

new ways to interact with their favourite characters and create unique, custom experiences,” Hasbro’s senior director of global marketing, Kenny Davis tells ToyNews. The firm also recently partnered with Shapeways to launch SuperFan Art, an initiative allowing consumers to create their own toys based on Hasbro brands, including My Little Pony. “There is an increasing demand for open source content and customisation within the toy industry,” continues Davis. “These are two things that have proven important to the consumer and as a result we are seeing a lot of creativity and innovation. “SuperFan Art and Super Awesome Me address that need and empower fans to create unique play experiences, putting our brands at the forefront of an exciting new world.”

Meanwhile, Toys R Us has teamed with PieceMaker Technologies to pilot instore 3D printing services in two of its US stores. The two sites are in the process of testing the relationship between consumers and bespoke toys with the PieceMaker Factory programme,

allowing shoppers to create their own custom charms, key chains and more, all in-store. “The general idea is that people can start creating inventory on demand,” explains Arden Rosenblatt, CEO and co-founder of PieceMaker. “Shoppers can now take a meaningful

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3D PRINTING

role in the design of the products they buy through a simple and engaging touchscreen process, all in less than 30 minutes.” While Rosenblatt champions the emerging process as a way of eliminating the traditional supply chains to create novel experiences for consumers, as well as ‘dramatically reducing costs”, he notes that 3D printing is far from an attack on the industry. “In-store 3D printing is the future of manufacturing, customisation and on demand toys,” he says. “However, the toy industry isn’t suddenly going to go out of business. I believe we will see companies and 3D printing technology working together to make something a little better.” Back in the UK, MakieLab’s range of customisable, 3D printed Makie Dolls made its debut in Hamleys last summer. Created by toy inventor, Alice Taylor, the range has already won an armload of awards, including Toy of the Year as well as receiving a BAFTA nomination. An innovative step in consumer manufacturing, the brand allows young www.toynews-online.biz

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fans to create their own avatar using an online ‘factory’, the user can then pay to have their creation printed and sent to them as a bespoke doll. The MakieLab team now enjoys success on a global scale, with in-store presence across multiple territories, including the US and Kuwait. “The toy industry has been super pro 3D printing since day one,” Taylor tells ToyNews. “It seems to be a mixture of delight that someone has ‘gone and done it’ and delight that it ‘can be done.’ “There is no doubt that 3D printing will be part of the toy industry forever, the power of customisation is immense. And it is such early doors, too.” It is not only the process of creating bespoke toys that is igniting imaginations across the world, but the in-store theatre it also provides brick and mortar retailers. Kuwait toy chain, Fantasy World Toys has recently embarked on a partnership with MakieLab. “3D printing is becoming a major deal in the toy industry and that’s why it is attracting major retailers to adopt this concept,” says

Yousef Haddad, marketing manager at Fantasy World Toys. “We are proud to be the first retailer in the Middle East to introduce the first printed toys to our customers, and with the current hype surrounding 3D printing, customers are vey keen on experiencing Makie Dolls.” There is no doubt that – owing to growing media interest – 3D printing is whipping up somewhat of a following. But unlike the industry’s many passing fads, Haddad believes that 3D printing has the potential to stick around. “I believe that the possibilities are endless,” he adds. “And with the continuous development and investment put into this technology, we are looking at a bright future and a major growth where every forward thinking retailer will play a vital part.” So, what’s next for the world of 3D toy printing? With such emphasis on personalisation and customisation, and with more and more initiatives making the process more widely accessible, perhaps that question is something only the imaginations of the consumer can answer. January/February 55

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GOOD TOY GUIDE

Toy Fair tactics

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

In the first of a new series of features, we put your questions to the industry’s resident Doctor. This month, a Toy Fair first-timer asks how they can make the most of the show

Got a question for Dr. Amanda Gummer, then drop us a line at rhutchins@nbmedia.com

FOUNDER OF the Good Toy Guide, CEO of Fundamentally Children and child psychologist, Dr. Amanda Gummer has been answering our questions for a number of years now. So, we decided it was about time we allowed you to ask the industry’s resident Doctor the questions that mattered the most to you. And rather aptly, this month kicks us off with an enquiry from a Toy Fair first-timer. I am heading to Toy Fair for the first time next year, how can I make the most of the experience? “This can be answered from two perspectives, first time toy retailers and first time toy buyers. “If you’re a first time buyer looking to make sure you don’t miss anything, you’ll need at least two days to get around the Fair. If you have specific products in mind that you’re considering buying, try and make appointments before you even get to the big event. “This is especially important for closed stands such as LEGO. But there are also plenty of stands that invite buyers to browse

and are very welcoming, so it’s not the end of the world if you don’t have your diary booked up. One of the beauties of the fair is that you wander and find new things that can give you a competitive edge.

“Always look out for products that fit in with your ethos and brand and that will build customer loyalty, not just the latest five minute wonder. Buyers can now book a guided tour of the show from the

A lot of the business is done in the pub after the show, so make the most of the networking.

Amanda Gummer, Fundamentally Children “Look at the social events around the show because these are great for networking and building relationships (it’s a very small world and the sooner you know who is who in it, the better).

experts at the Good Toy Guide who will help you find lots of the good toys around the show, saving you time and helping you to take a lot of the guess work out of the important buying process.

“Importantly, try not to get pounced on. Seasoned buyers know the perils of hesitating by an empty stand. Only linger by an empty stand if you are genuinely interested in talking to the people on it. It is easy to waste lots of time on pleasantries with someone you’re never going to do business. It’s nice to have a chat, but it is a business exhibition and exhibitors only really want to spend time with people who are going to give them the orders. “And it’s not so different for first time exhibitors. Again, a lot of the business is done in the pub, so make the most of networking opportunities. During the

day, don’t spend all your time on your own stand – look around and get a feel for trends in the industry. “If you’re a small business, especially if you’re in the Greenhouse area, talk to some of the bigger exhibitors about possible distribution deals and try to get some tips on building your brand. “If you’re not getting the reception you’d hoped for, you can book a free clinic on the Good Toy Guide stand. “Whatever your reason for visiting Toy Fair, make sure you’re on top form (it’s a long week, even at three days), have plenty of business cards, comfy shoes and don’t expect too much sleep.”

CONTACT THE GOOD TOY GUIDE: Twitter: @fundamentalsUK 56 January/February

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Facebook: FundamentallyChildren

Email: admin@goodtoyguide.com www.fundamentallychildren.com www.toynews-online.biz

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05/12/2014 17:15

TRANSFORMERS

Anatomy of a blockbuster toy:

What started life back in the 1980s as a range of action figures soon developed into a franchise spanning comics, TV shows, multi-million dollar movies and brand partnerships. Billy Langsworthy talks to Grant Gie, European Franchise Manager at Hasbro about the enduring success of Transformers IF YOU were a child in the 1980s, chances are that you played with Hasbro’s Transformers. And thanks to various brand extensions, TV shows, comic book series and big screen adventures, any child born since has also probably owned the likes of Optimus Prime, Bumblebee and Megatron. A range of robots that could swan about in public 58 January/February

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disguised as vehicles or battle it out in their true form as Autobots (the good guys) or Decepticons (the bad guys), Transformers has been one of the most successful lines for Hasbro ever since debuting as a range of action figures back in 1984. “The concept was simple but incredibly effective, with two rival factions – Autobots and

Decepticons – who had the ability to convert from robots to vehicles,” Grant Gie, European franchise manager at Hasbro, explains to ToyNews. “The concept was an immediate hit and the core principles remain intact today, although through technology and entertainment the franchise has grown in depth and strength.

“Now it’s an entertainment powerhouse activated across all platforms and reaching more kids and adults than ever before.” The toy lines were an instant hit with children, and Hasbro credits the success of the concept with the fact that each toy provides kids with two different ways to play: as a vehicle and as a robot.

Gie continues: “The product design was an immediate hit with kids. “It was ‘magical’ and let children essentially get two toys and two play patterns in one. “It appealed to kids who loved action figures and robots and those who loved vehicle play. “However, the real magic was in the detail and execution of the product. www.toynews-online.biz

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TRANSFORMERS “In both modes the toys took on completely different looks. It was a truly magical experience which today is mindboggling. I have no idea how they do it, all I know is I love it.” Away from the world of toys and Transformers has been equally well recieved. As well as successful TV shows and movies, the brand has transformed itself across several product categories, with successful products in publishing, video games and apparel. And it’s not just the vast universe of characters that have helped the brand reach everything from comics to socks. Hasbro has found that even the iconic Autobot and Decepticon shields have lent themselves perfectly to the world of licensing. “The franchise has such a rich history of storytelling with multiple characters that can be used across multiple products and segments,” adds Gie. “For example, the unique selling point is that we have these great iconic vehicles that convert to robots. This gives us vehicle opportunities, as well as action figures. “The iconography has become globally popular so our key characters such as Bumblebee and Optimus Prime, as well as the Autobot and Decepticon

shields, are instantly recognisable and translate onto product from all categories. “What we try to ensure is that our licensed partners strive to activate our brand DNA in all products. ‘More Than Meets The Eye’ – that can work well and provide consumers with a point of difference when executed on product.” While we may still be some way off the tech that enables a Vauxhall Insignia to actually transform into a giant robot warrior, the most recent Transformers toy range boasts the most intricate design details that have ever graced the brand. And, according to Hasbro, the near future will see Transformers lines continue to push the boundaries of toy design. “Take a look at what the designers have managed to do in the 2014 movie line,” Gie tells ToyNews. “It’s just incredible how with a flick of a wrist you can now convert our heroes instantly between vehicle and robot mode. “With that in mind you can imagine where this could go in the future. “I have seen some unbelievable concepts for upcoming years, so it’s exciting to see that even after 30 years we continue to push the boundaries of toy design and can revolutionise our product by bringing magical new ways to play.”

BIG SCREEN BAY-HEM Children of the Nineties and Noughties will most likely be familiar with the robots in disguise from Michael Bay’s several big budget cinema screen adventures. The most recent film in the series, 2014’s Transformers: Age of Extinction, grossed over $1 billion worldwide and Hasbro credits the Paramount series with ‘reigniting’ the brand.

“The live-action movie from Paramount was the re-ignition of the franchise that drove us to become the entertainment franchise it is today,” Grant Gie, European franchise manager at Hasbro, tells ToyNews. “The toys over the last 30 years have changed very little… until 2014, when we completely re-designed the line. The Paramount movie

showcased our characters in high-speed action sequences converting from robot to vehicle mode at the blink of an eye. In 2014, Hasbro wanted to bring that same movie magic to our product line. “This was an incredible challenge that Hasbro designers rose to – the result is a toy line that truly reflects those iconic, magic, movie moments.”

2015 TRANSFORMATIONS? Over 30 years since the iconic animated Transformers TV show first aired, the brand is returning to the small screen once again this year. Hasbro is promising that Transformers: Robots in Disguise will provide an ‘all new look’ for the toy brand. “We are in development of a multi-year animated TV series which starts in quarter one 2015 with Transformers: Robots in Disguise. “Robots in Disguise begins a brand new chapter in storytelling, filled with www.toynews-online.biz

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great humour, lots of fun adventure and animated in a cooler, lighter, brighter style that we know kids are going to really love,” enthuses Grant Gie, European franchise manager at Hasbro. “This is an all new look for our TV animation and will transfer into product, which we’re really excited about.”

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15/12/2014 16:03

#TOYTWITTERLIST

Toys in 140 characters New to Twitter and left scratching your head over who to follow? Well, you can’t go wrong with the ToyNews Twitterati to start you off... The Toy Trust

Drumond Park

Golden Bear Toys

Interplay UK

@TheToyTrust The Toy Trust is the toy industry’s charity existing to raise money & distribute it to charities who help disadvantaged kids around the world.

@drumondpark Creators of tons of top selling perennial favourite games.

@GoldenBearToys Manufacturers of high quality plush, plastic and wooden toys.

@interplayukltd Interplay UK Ltd is an award winning company that specialises in the development of toys & gifts designed to be both fun and inspirational.

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Airhogs

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Esdevium

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Green Board Games

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Jakks Pacific

@AIRHOGS The maker of the coolest RC toys such as the Fly Crane, Hyperactives and the Hawk Eye. Contact Air Hogs customer care for technical support.

@EsdeviumGames UK and Europe’s established supplier of collectibles, games and toys. Part of the Asmodee Group.

@BrainBoxGames The official Twitter account for Green Board Games, incorporating the award winning BrainBox.

@JAKKStoys Would love to hear any and all thoughts, feedback, questions and ideas.

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Bandai UK

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Fisher-Price

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Generation Media

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John Crane Ltd

@BandaiToysUK The UK home of Ben 10, Power Rangers, ThunderCats, Pokémon, Harumika, Badge It & Noddy

@FisherPrice Follow us for the laughs of PregnancyPuns, fumbles of ParentLife, & OMG, that’s so me Moments of MomTruth.

@GenMediaUK We are expert media buyers and planners who understand kids, youth and parents and how they engage with the entertainment markets.

@JohnCraneLtd John Crane Ltd is a UK toy company who specialises in high quality wooden toys, plastic and plush.

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Flair Leisure PLC

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Kids Industries

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Jumbo Games

@bigjigstoys Bigjigs Toys is one of the leading wooden toy designers, importers and distributors in the UK. Creating Perfect Playrooms since 1985.

@FlairLeisure UK toy company that brings you brands like Sylvanian Families, Teenage Mutant Ninja turtles, Trash Pack and many more.

@KidsIndustries The Family Agency. We make family and children’s brands stronger with award winning insight, strategy and content.

@JumboGames Jumbo Games is a UK based Jigsaw Puzzles and Games manufacturer focused on supplying customers with high quality products.

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Hasbro

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K’NEX Brands

@cartamundiUK Pioneers in innovation, production and sales of poker cards & card games in the UK. Makers of MonopolyDeal cards. Click follow to see what we do.

@GaltToys Galt offers a range of imaginative award winning developmental toys for babies as well as puzzles, games, arts & crafts kits for bigger boys and girls.

@HasbroNews The official Twitter handle for Hasbro brands – covering Transformers, My Little Pony, Play-Doh, Nerf and more.

@KNEX K’NEX is the next generation of construction sets. Inspiring creativity, self-confidence & interaction among children. Possibilities are endless.

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LeapFrog

@CharacterToysUK Toy manufacturer and distributor… Peppa Pig, Minecraft, Teksta, ChillFactor, Doctor Who, Fireman Sam, Cra-Z-Loom and many many more.

@Gibsons_puzzles A British, family company we make board games and jigsaw puzzles for all the family.

@hornby Proud to be brand leader for 00 gauge railways. We’ll keep you up to date on the latest news & releases across our model rail way and accessory ranges.

@LeapFrog Every LeapFrog learning experience is created by experts and designed for fun.

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#TOYTWITTERLIST LEGO

NerfNation

VTech Toys UK

DisneyLiving

@LEGO_group We’re here to inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow.

@NerfNation It began in 1969 with a foam ball. Today the Nerf line up includes blasters, sports toys and so much more.

@VTechToysUK Expert learning tips, product news and special offers from VTech.

@DisneyLiving The official Twitter feed of Disney Consumer Products giving you the inside scoop on the latest Disney products for all ages.

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Little Tikes UK

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Winning Moves Games

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Marvel Entertainment

@LittleTikesUK Little Tikes is known for its playful, engaging, iconic products that children love and parents respect the world over.

@OrchardToys Producers of award-winning children’s games and jigsaws. Designed and produced in the UK with the ethos of Learning Made Fun.

@WinningMovesUSA Winning Moves is a leading maker of classic card and board games, world renown puzzles, action games and popular adult party games.

@Marvel The official Twitter for Marvel Comics, Movies, Games and more.

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Linkee

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Worlds Apart

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Mind Candy

@playlinkee Welcome to Linkee, the super-simple, shouty-outy family quiz that took on the Dragons and survived to tell the tale.

@plg_paul Leading manufacturer of family games & puzzles, including Chimp and Zee pre-school range, Subbuteo, Gogglebox TV Trivia and Mrs Brown’s Boys.

@WorldsApartKids At Worlds Apart, we help families make the most of growing up.

@MindCandy The entertainment firm behind global hits Moshi Monsters, World of Warriors and the new creative community, PopJam.

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Marvins Magic

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Playmobil UK

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Wow! Stuff

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Sony Pictures

@marvins_magic Marvin’s Magic is internationally recognised as the brand leader and number one for magic worldwide.

@PlaymobilUK Welcome to the official Twitter page of Playmobil UK. Join us for fun and news from a world full of play and imagination.

@wowstuff We invent and market innovative gadgets and toys (whether they are great or not we’ll let you judge). If it isn’t innovation, it’s not Wow! (Stuff)

@SonyPictures Welcome to the Official Twitter page for Sony Pictures. Watch trailers and more at YouTube.com/SonyPictures

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Warner Bros Pictures

@Mattel At Mattel, we are creating the future of play.

@SpinMasterToys Award winning, multi category kids’ entertainment and toy co. Home to AirHogs, Zoomer, ZoomerDino, PawPatrol, KineticSand and more.

@WOW_Toys Toys that don’t break their promises! A London-based toy company specializing in cute, durable and battery-free toddler toys.

@wbpictures Welcome to the official Twitter page for Warner Bros. Pictures.

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Meccano

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Tomy Toys UK

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Aardman Animations

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BritMums

@OfficialMeccano Official Twitter for Meccano and Erector by Meccano. Follow for the latest news. Like us on Facebook.

@TOMYToysUK The official page for TOMY Toys UK. Don’t miss a thing – latest news, competitions and promotions on all your favourite brands.

@aardman We create beautiful animated feature films, television series, advertising and digital entertainment for audiences around the world.

@BritMums Britain’s biggest collective of lifestyle bloggers and social influencers. Our members lead the online conservation.

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BBC Worldwide

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David Smith/Toy Talk

@MegaBloks The official Mega Bloks Twitter feed! Check here for news, reveals and giveaways of our First Builders, Barbie, Halo, Hot Wheels, Call of Duty toys!

@UndergroundToys Toy and entertainment product manufacturer. Working on Doctor Who, Star Wars, Big Bang Theory, Game of Thrones and more. We love our job.

@BBCWPress Official news from BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the BBC. Check out our YouTube channel.

@ToyTalking The UK’s leading consumer toy news website.

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Jon Salisbury

@MGAEnt Creators of innovative children’s toys like the award-winning Lalaloopsy, Bratz, and Little Tikes

@VividToyGroup We are the #1 British toy co. Our brands include Moshi Monsters, Crayola, Animagic, Skylanders, Cut the Rope and 1D dolls, so come and play.

@DCComics The official home of Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, The Flash and the rest of the world’s greatest Super Heroes.

@JonSalisbury Journo/ToyNews contributor. Joy Division, Edie Sedgwick, Monty Clift and Watford FC Fan. Thrice a father and twice a husband.

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#TOYTWITTERLIST Licensing.biz

Firebox

@Licensingbiz News, views and analysis from the global licensing industry

@firebox Not For Everyone

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British Toy & Hobby

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Hamleys Toys

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@BTHA The British Toy & Hobby Association was established in 1944 to represent the interests of British toy makers and raise standards of practice.

@toyfair2015 Toy Fair is the only dedicated toy games and hobby trade event in the UK.

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Lesley Singleton

@MCVonline The world’s only weekly trade magazine for the video games industry

@Hamleys Toys The finest toy shop in the world.

@dubit Experts in kids digital entertainment – research, game development, apps, marketing.

@PlaytimePRLtd Toys & Games PR: Bananagrams, Linkee, Pants on Fire, Accentuate, A Girl For All Time. Co-founder Board Game Club, 2 kids and dogs.

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Good Toy Guide

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@Mumsnet Towers Oh you know, that website, for parents. No, not that one, the other one. With the biscuits. And the swearing.

@johnlewisretail The official Twitter account for John Lewis.

@GoodToyGuide Providing advice and ideas about toys and play to help consumers make informed choices.

@ToyGameBulletin The essential bulletin for all the latest toy inventor developments.

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New York Toy Fair

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Toytester.TV

@Netmums The UK’s biggest parenting website with 1.8million members. Local information and friendly support when you need it most.

@SmythsToys UK Smyths Toys Superstores is a leading provider of kids’ toys and products with almost 70 stores throughout the UK and Ireland.

@ToyFairNY The largest and most important toy and youth product exhibition in the Western Hemisphere.

@ToyTestersTV Does your child want to test toys, games and apps?

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Spielwarenmesse

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San Diego Comic Con

@NickelodeonUK All the news about your fave Nick UK shows – iCarly, SpongeBob SquarePants, Sam and Cat, The Thundermans and more.

@EntertainerToys Established in 1981, we are now the UK’s number one independent toy retailer with stores nationwide.

@IntToyFair Spielwarenmesse is the world’s leading fair for toys, hobby and leisure time articles.

@Comic_Con The only official Twitter for Comic-Con.

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@ToyNewsOnline The toy industry’s essential trade website

@TobyToymaster I’m the mascot for ToyMaster a national association of independently locally owned toy shops.

@npdgroup The NPD Group provides market information and advisory services to help our clients make better business decisions.

@IndieRetailUK Campaign led by Clare Rayner to encourage consumers to support local Indie Retail.

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@TBSInc Turner creates branded news, entertainment, animation and young adult & sports media environments on TV and other platforms.

@toysrusuk The official Toys R Us UK Twitter channel.

@toyologist Dinosaur wrestler, obedient father, Ruffle bar eater, board gamer, LEGO lover – Opinions expresses are those fed to me by my leader.

@LIMAman Rugby league believer, licensing veteran, Japanophile, guitar playing amateur chef.

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BLE 2015

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@TheToyDetective Proprietor of the world’s only toy detective agency; investigating toys & games. Case files published online for your perusal.

@bleurope Brand Licensing Europe, 13-15 October 2015. The definitive event for the entire European licensing industry, save the date.

@nevetseceer Leading consultant to kids entertainment brands and the toy and games industries. Slothlike Martial Artist. Prolific eater of ice cream.

@samloveday77 Toy and licensing industry journalist. Yoga beginner and fan of running, rugby, London and loud guitars.

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January/February 63

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NEW RETAILERS

New Kids on the Block

This year will herald the arrival of The Toy Store on UK shores, while Danish retailer Tiger will continue to delight Scandophiles with a raft of new store openings. Robert Hutchins looks at the toy shops making the High Street the place to be in 2015 BRACE YOURSELVES London. There’s an influx of new retailers heading your way this year, and at least one of them is bringing a six-metre high robot. And if that isn’t one way to make a statement, then another is promising to deliver Scandinavian culture on a scale to rival the likes of The Killing, The Bridge and even the name Ulrich, albeit on much more family-friendly terms. When ToyNews first broke word of Middle Eastern retailer The Toy Store’s intentions to open its first UK shop on London’s Oxford Street, it was met with a wave of excitement throughout the industry. The group’s commercial director, Mark Handley, made no secret of his plans to shake up the toy retail sector with an emphasis on in-store theatre and customer experience to compete with some of the capital’s most successful toy shops. The Toy Store has been in operation for ten years and boasts a fleet of 11 stores already across UAE, Oman, Behrain and Quatar, so when it comes down to

British public for the first time, and boasting a 27,000 square foot site on Oxford Street, the retailer plans to make quite a splash. “We firmly believe in putting the consumer at the forefront of what we do and drive them away from online and into the bricks and mortar retail,” commercial director, Geoff Sheffield tells ToyNews. “We are the new kids on the block as far as the UK is concerned and we will approach this project with hard work to bring the High Street real customer experience. Our first year will be a steep learning curve and we set out to show people what we are about and bring fun and excitement to the High Street.” With so much activity planned for 2015, it is probably just as well that the Group has come off the back of a record-breaking year. “There are so many highlights of 2014, but for me it was the opening of the new store in Yas Mall, one of our biggest stores to date,” continues Sheffield. “Of course, the biggest project is bringing The Toy Store to the UK.

We have great vision of where to take The Toy Store, and London is only the beginning. Geoff Sheffield, The Toy Store

dazzling its customers, the company is well versed. “For us, it’s all about experience,” says Handley. “When you walk into our store, our security guards are Storm Troopers in red and blue, our brand colours. You walk past that and you have got a magician, balloon bending and demonstrations going on throughout the store.” The Toy Store’s UK arrival is now finally upon us, and this September the firm will be opening its doors to the www.toynews-online.biz

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“It is not often that a toy specialist comes to W1, and we have been really humbled by the reaction from all sectors and encouraged by the excitement in the industry for this project. The UK was always one of the pipe dreams when The Toy Store was created ten years ago.” Now the dream is in the process of being realised, the firm is hungry for more, with global expansion at the forefront of the retailer’s focus for the years ahead.

“We are proactively seeking and speaking to potential partners in all parts of the world and do not omit any market from our plans,” explains Sheffield. “Our CEO Peter Bracken has great vision for where he wants to take The Toy Store and London is only the beginning.” But as the old saying goes, you wait ages for one new toy retailer to come along… and then three turn up at once.

Except in the case of Danish retailer and purveyor of Scandinavianinspired toys and games, Tiger, it’s somewhere a lot nearer the 20 mark. A department store boasting a vast array of products ranging from home wares to office supplies, toys is one of Tiger’s key sectors within the UK with collections spanning games, hobbies, wooden toys, puppets and a lot more.

While the store made its UK debut back in 2010, it was only last year that Tiger opened its first Oxford Street store, boasting 3,000 square foot of retail space. Since then, the company’s growth has been solid in the Southeast alone, with new stores in Stratford and Spitalfields Market. Having been met with ‘fantastic consumer reaction,’ the firm is now poised to open between 13 and 20 new stores January/February 65

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NEW RETAILERS

across the UK, spurred by a nation’s love for the Scandinavian culture. “I have never seen such an interest in anything Scandinavian as I have here in the last five years,” Philip Bier, managing director for Tiger Retail in London and the Southeast, tells ToyNews. “The Brits are very much in love with anything Scandinavian at the moment, from the television programmes to Danish restaurants.” And evidently, that passion extends in to the world of toys. “In our Watford outlet, we more or less turn the store into a toy shop over Christmas,” continues Bier. “Toys is one of our key departments and is where our stock has been particularly well received, I mean, where else on Oxford Street are you going to find quality wooden toys for less than £5?” And the sector will continue to be a major focus for the retailer as it advances on the New Year, producing “more toys 66 January/February

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and more of the same quality” for its ever-growing customer fan base. And who is the customer base exactly? Well, don’t let the low prices put you off, is the message from Bier. “Our toys appeal right across social classes and ethnic groups,” he explains. “We don’t look like a pound shop, but the prices are positive to pound shops. There is a tremendous heritage in Scandinavian design and toys, and we try to bring that at a price that is affordable.” With products ranging from Table Football and Air Hockey to Robotic Spiders or a growing selection of arts and craft kits, the retailer believes it has all customer bases covered. “We are currently seeing a lot of customers coming in for party bag presents,” says Bier. “We also have a lot of teachers coming in. Where else can you get an educational toy that is of good quality for good prices? That’s what we can do, and what we challenge other retailers with.”

Philip Bier, MD, Southeast division, Tiger Retail

In a year of exciting imports, Australian stationer, Smiggle is planning its own assault across the UK with 250 new stores planned for the next four to five years. Aimed at four to 16 year olds, Smiggle isn’t a standard stationery retailer. Described by the group’s general manager,

John Cheston as a “bit Willy Wonka-ey” the store offers a range of traditional toys and arts and craft kits. “With truly innovative products and a fun store environment and light hearted product demonstrations in shops, there’s certainly a bit of the Hamleys treatment,” he says.

The store made its UK debut in London last February, but is just the beginning for the retailer that earmarks the UK as ‘unquestionably its biggest market globally.’ With such calibre of toy retail activity planned for the year ahead, the High Street is looking to be an exciting place to visit. www.toynews-online.biz

18/12/2014 18:06

News Media

Nuremberg 2015 Show Preview Dedicated monthly licensing coverage for the UK

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Opinion

05/12/2014 17:09

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NEWS

Full steam ahead for Pip Ahoy Master toy line to be unveiled by John Adams at Toy Fair as Lisle ramps up licensing plans for the show by Samantha Loveday LISLE INTERNATIONAL is confident that the new line of Pip Ahoy toys from John Adams will successfully extend the brand beyond the show. Master toy licensee John Adams will be unveiling the collection at Toy Fair this month, and first products will be hitting retail as early as June. Among the initial lines will be a range of collectable character figures, Salty Cove Lighthouse play-set and Scopey Eye role-play kit. “We are delighted to be working with CHF

Entertainment as master toy licensee on Pip Ahoy,” said Simon Pilkington, MD at John Adams.

“Our experience in the pre-school market has grown considerably over the last few years with the introduction of several new characterled ranges. “Following this successful period of growth and development, it’s now the right time for us to take the next step as a master toy partner, and Pip Ahoy is the perfect property. “It is already proving a big hit with the target audience and CHF offers us the perfect creative platform to introduce a host of new products based on this fantastic series.”

Pip Ahoy is currently airing on Channel 5’s Milkshake on weekday mornings in the 7am timeslot. It was also recently confirmed that series one will be shown on Cartoonito from February. As well as the strong TV schedule and launch of the master toy collection, Pip Ahoy is also due to launch its monthly magazine with DJ Murphy. This will include stories, puzzles and creative activities that follow the adventures of the lead character Pip in his home of Salty Cove. Gayle Tarrant from Lisle International continued: “It is very important to us that the master toy range has a great [Toy Fair] on the John Adams stand.

“The team has done an amazing job and has created an inspirational collection that emulates the property perfectly. We are hoping to achieve a really positive reaction. “CHF has worked hard with John Adams in keeping with the Pip Ahoy stories to develop some really great product which will enable children to extend the experience of Pip Ahoy beyond the show. “The creative content behind the TV series is stunning and really stands out on product execution and packaging. “The range will demonstrate further product opportunities.” Lisle International: 01937 586237

Bologna Licensing Trade Fair readies for 2015 by Samantha Loveday UK LICENSING execs are being encouraged to head to Bologna in March to take in both the Licensing Trade Fair and the Children’s Book Fair in one visit. The only licensing event in Italy, the Bologna Licensing Trade Fair will run from March 30th to April 1st. Last year it attracted a ten per cent increase in exhibitors while visitor numbers grew to 2,500, including an upswing in retailer and licensee numbers. New UK exhibitors already signed up for 2015 include Smiley, Pokémon and Fashion UK among

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others. The Licensing Retail Day will also return for the third time, linking exhibitors with retail decision makers, from mass market through to specialist buyers. New for 2015 will be the Licensing Prospect Day, which is aiming to link up exhibitors with new manufacturers and potential licensees. These will be selected from different product categories, with the BLTF team organising meetings for interested exhibitors. On top of this, the BLTF Masterclass will be a day dedicated to newcomers to licensing, with particular focus on the connection between publishing and

the licensing industry. The Fashion & Brands Business Area will also be given a makeover, while an international lounge will be present for those companies attending the show but which are not based in Italy. “Visitors from the UK can combine a unique trip to visit two major trade events, the Bologna Children’s Book Fair and the Bologna Licensing Trade,” explained Cristina Angelucci from BolognaFiere, organisers of the event. “In both cases they can learn about the latest trends on kids and licensing content. Publishing and licensing

combined together at such a high level is only done in Bologna. “The Book Fair in particular is the cradle of children’s content from all over the world.

Barbapapá and Harry Potter successes started in Bologna years ago.” licensing@bolognafiere.it

16/12/2014 17:32

NEWS

Star Wars will “stay with More toy firms us forever,” says LEGO go Laa-Laa for Teletubbies The merging of the two properties has become a brand in its own right, CEO Jørgen Von Knudstorp tells ToyNews

by Billy Langsworthy

by Samantha Loveday LEGO BELIEVES the success of LEGO Star Wars as a property in its own right means the brand will “stay with us forever”. LEGO Group CEO Jørgen Von Knudstorp told ToyNews that Star Wars fit the firm’s remit for embracing licences that boast longevity. “Star Wars has been with us since 1999 and we think it will stay with us forever because LEGO Star Wars has become a brand in its own right,” said Knudstorp. “We don’t want to do everything that ends up in a movie theatre because there’s so much. I always try to look for stories that have longevity, like classic fairy tales of good versus evil. Things like The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, Star Wars and Harry Potter are great opportunities for us and sometimes we take TV series like The Simpsons, SpongeBob SquarePants or Bob the Builder. “Other times we try something out like Prince of Persia, which didn’t

really work out, or The Lone Ranger, and that has to be done from time to time because we do need to test the water a little bit.” And with products like LEGO Back to the Future and LEGO The Big Bang Theory hitting shelves via the LEGO Ideas scheme, is the firm finally starting to launch certain licensed sets aimed at adults? “Yes and no,” continued Knudstorp. “A good example of it is LEGO Ghostbusters. I hadn’t spoken about Ghostbusters since my childhood but that

item has been extremely strong and we’ve been surprised with how popular it is. That’s an example of where we thought we’re only doing this for the adult fans but looking at the numbers, quite a few kids are into it as well.” Despite the success of its licensed portfolio, LEGO remains wary of overdoing it on that front. Knudstorp said: “It’s important but it’s never defining our business. We can live without it, but are happy to bring a few IPs in.” LEGO: 01753 495000

A RAFT of toy firms have been snapped up by DHX Media and its UK agent CPLG to bolster the licensing programme for the Teletubbies. Worlds Apart (furniture and accessories), Amscan (partyware) and Posh Paws (bags) have all signed deals, alongside GB eye (posters). Zak UK, Aykroyds, Character World and Bon Bon Buddies are also already on board. The new licensees join a growing roster of partners including Character Options as global master toy partner, Egmont (publishing), Ravensburger (puzzles), MV Sports (wheeled and outdoor) and International Greetings (arts and crafts). In addition, Gemma will be handling greeting cards and Rainbow Productions will have costume

characters of Tinky Winky, Laa Laa, Dipsy and Po. “This impressive line-up of licensees underscores the considerable appetite there is in the market for the new Teletubbies, as well as demonstrating the enduring appeal of the brand,” said Peter Byrne, EVP, DHX Brands. “It is fantastic to have this momentum for the property at such an early stage.” DHX Media: 020 8563 6400

Coolabi inks new Clangers toy deal Ravensburger to develop pre-school puzzles and games based on the classic pink pre-school characters by Samantha Loveday COOLABI HAS added Ravensburger to its growing line of licensees for The Clangers, with the firm signing up to develop a new range of pre-school puzzles and games. Products will include board games, dominoes and card games based on the new series, with products hitting shelves in time for Christmas 2015. The 52x11-minute stop motion animation is due to launch in the UK on CBeebies in spring, and is 70 January/February

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a contemporary version of the iconic British TV show which first aired on the BBC in 1969. “There is so much momentum behind the Clangers brand,” said Valerie Fry, director of sales at Coolabi. “We are seeing huge excitement in the licensing community and this agreement with Ravensburger represents the latest in a series of deals for this pre-school property. “The inventive nature of the series lends itself well to puzzles and games,

and we are proud to be working with Ravensburger on Clangers. Tim Hall, MD at Ravensburger, added: “We are delighted to be working together with Coolabi on the wonderful Clangers brand. We are very confident that the fabulous new animation will captivate a huge new audience and we can develop some superb puzzles and games to entertain the young Clangers fans.” Ravensburger joins other Clangers licensees

including Character Options (master toy), Penguin (books), MV Sports (wheeled toys), Rainbow Productions (costume characters), Gemma

(greetings cards and wrapping) and Trademark Collections (children’s bags) among others. Coolabi: 020 7004 0980

www.toynews-online.biz

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LICENSING HOT LIST 2015

Brand and deliver

This month, visitors to Toy Fair will get their first glimpse of new products for a raft of hot licences – from pre-school brands to old favourites and top tips for box office success. Samantha Loveday talks to ten licensors about their plans for the first half of 2015 in the toy space SEGA For more than two decades Sonic the Hedgehog has been one of the world’s biggest gaming icons, with over 70 video game titles, four animated TV series, and an extensive global merchandising line to his name. There is now a new branch to the Sonic universe – Sonic Boom – that will

debut a new look for Sonic and friends. Sonic is something of a global phenomenon with over 140 million video games sold or downloaded worldwide. Sonic Boom is the first-ever CG animated TV series and is set to launch on screens across Europe in autumn.

There will also be a new master toy line from international toy manufacturer Tomy. The brand’s recognition and popularity means Tomy’s extensive toy range will appeal to a massive existing fan base, plus a new growing audience who will be engaged by the new TV series and further instalments in the Sonic Boom franchise. Emphasis will be placed on recreating the interaction between core characters, as well as introducing new characters. Set to launch in 2015, the toy range will introduce the new look Sonic Boom, with toys that demonstrate the real essence of Sonic: speed, action and comedic characteristics. The range features items across best selling categories including plush, action figures, roleplay, pocket money toys,

vehicles and more, including a 12-inch talking plush and a Sonic Boom Launcher. Head of EU Marcoms for Tomy, Janice Cleary says: “We are delighted to be working with a true evergreen brand, which has demonstrated over the last 24 years that it has the staying power. Sonic fans can expect a high quality, collectable toy line fuelled by Tomy innovation and energized with speed, lights, sounds and actionperformance.” Sissel Henno, head of brand licensing at Sega, continues: “We are working closely with Tomy to launch

the new Sonic Boom range for autumn 2015. We hope the new range will inspire and engage kids. The toy line features very high quality plush and action figures, as well as dynamic play sets allowing boys to battle each other to emulate the battles between Sonic and Dr. Eggman and his robots. “We are planning to launch several retail initiatives to support the toy and TV launch, and there will be opportunities for kids to meet with Sonic and others from his universe, while trying out the new toy range,” Henno concludes. 020 8995 3399

promotions and create more opportunities for fans to engage with the brand. “Something Special continues to go from strength to strength, with retailers listing new toy products for SS15, NPD data showing the brand’s best performance to date and a TV campaign in

development for 2015. We’ve renewed our partnership with master toy licensee Golden Bear, developed a new range of

appearance opportunities at the 2015 trade shows. “Hey Duggee will be arriving on CBeebies in early 2015 and we are looking

“Which takes us nicely on to BAFTA award winning Sarah & Duck, who have just released their first mobile app. The popularity of the brand continues to grow, and the show was recently voted the century’s second favourite children’s character by Radio Times readers. As well as the mobile app, we’ve built on existing product ranges with Posh Paws International and Carousel Calendars, while expanding our DVD offering and Puffin Book lines which will be available in summer. “And, of course, we’ll continue to grow Top Gear and Sherlock.” And what is Piggott most hoping to achieve with the brands in the toy space in 2015? “Fan engagement and driving product innovation in the pre-school toy category,” she concludes. 020 8433 2000

BBC WORLDWIDE “2015 is set to be a fantastic year for BBC Worldwide, with exciting new ranges in the pipeline for both current and continuing brands,” says Clare Piggott, head of merchandising at BBC Worldwide. “We’re looking forward to another big year for Doctor Who. Fan and critical reaction to Peter Capaldi’s Doctor has been extremely encouraging, ratings in the UK and around the world are strong and we have a number of high profile partnerships planned which will really get fans excited. We’ll also be looking to build on our existing toy partnerships – particularly with long standing partners such as Character Options. Following on from our activities in 2014 at Toys R Us and Hamleys, we’ll be looking to increase the number of in-store retailer www.toynews-online.biz

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We have new ranges in the pipeline for current and continuing brands. Clare Piggott, BBCW

wheeled toys with HTI and developed new product ranges with both Jumbo and KD UK. We are also looking at exciting celebrity

forward to working with licensees and retailers to maximise the potential. We are building a licensing programme to complement this fantastic new show and we’re delighted to already have Golden Bear on board as master toy licensee. We’re also working with Penguin on book publishing and Immediate Media on the magazine side, whilst also looking at opportunities to take the brand into the digital space.

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LICENSING HOT LIST 2015 NICKELODEON “In the toy space we are keen to bring the new to boys pre-school with Paw Patrol and Half Shell Heroes. We are also aligning efforts to make the most of the launch of the new SpongeBob theatrical release and the continued adoration for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” Marianne James, VP consumer products UK & Ireland at NVCP, explains. 2015 will see the continued roll out of Paw Patrol toys in the UK market. Launched in UK retailers at

the end of 2014, the Spin Master toy line features all of the major characters from the show. The property offers retailers something new in the boys pre-school section. The reaction from audiences and customers to the property so far has been “tremendous”, according to James, and Nickelodeon is confident that the enthusiasm for the property will continue across 2015. Also a major focus for pre-school during the year will be Dora and Friends: Into the City.

The new series launched on Nick Jr. UK in November and premiered as the most watched ever show launch on the channel. The range from FisherPrice is set to hit UK retail in summer 2015. Other pre-school properties set to have retail presence in 2015 include the whimsical and prehistoric Dinosaur Train as well as Lily’s Driftwood Bay, a property which is based on an original idea and characters from artist Joanne Carmichael.

For kids and adults, SpongeBob is set to make a splash in 2015. His high–fashion credentials were cemented in 2014, with 2015 seeing the first products from the Beatrix Ong partnership hitting high-end retail. James continues: “We are making a real push for SpongeBob in the toy space this year and are keen to see his presence on toy shops and grocers shelves increase. New ranges from Simba and Sambro will be released across the year with all licensees likely to see increased interest in the

property due to the spring release of the new theatrical SpongeBob film, The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water.” Finally, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are set to continue their Ninja-tastic success with the rollout of the Half Shell Heroes, suitable for pre-school fans, and the launch of Mutations, one of the most popular ever toy lines for the property. On air, season three of the TV series premieres from February a sequel to the smash hit theatrical movie is planned for a 2016 release. 020 3580 2474

(Baba Blue, Baba Pink, Baba Green and Baba Yellow); My First Cloudbabies (12 month+) – two 12-inch plush sensory toys featuring textured fabrics with a bell, crinkle material and jackets which open to reveal a mirror on the Cloudbaby tummy (Baba Blue and Baba Pink); Cloudbabies Blankies (12 months+) – two eight-inch plush toys with a soft comforter blanket attached to the shoulder (Baba Blue and Baba Pink); and Glow

Babas (18 months +) – two 12-inch toys with vinyl heads and plush bodies which play the soothing Cloudbabies full lullaby and feature a soft, rainbow coloured glowing light on the moon/ star motif on the head during the lullaby (Baba Blue and Baba Pink). In 2015 the launch of the new younger look toy range will be supported by a high profile PR and marketing campaign and a wide scale social media push.

Meanwhile, internationally, the series has been sold to a number of territories across Australasia, South East Asia, the Middle East and Europe. Hoho is currently appointing sub-agents and will be working together with them to develop and implement strategic licensing and merchandising programmes in the various territories where the series is being aired. Hoho: 020 7682 3154 IVS Group: 0208 560 0009

HOHO ENTERTAINMENT Created by award-winning art director Bridget Appleby, colourful animation Cloudbabies features the enchanting adventures of four adorable childlike characters - Baba Pink, Baba Blue, Baba Yellow and Baba Green - whose job it is to look after the sky and their Sky Friends. Aimed at pre-schoolers, it teaches children about caring for others and the world around them. Produced by Hoho Entertainment, the series made its debut on CBeebies in 2012 where it has consistently performed well in the ratings and has built up a solid fan base with a wide demographic and a strong social media presence. Its wide appeal has been cemented by strong iPlayer figures where the series has been viewed more than 13 million times. Last year, Hoho Rights confirmed the IVS Group as the new master toy partner for the vibrant pre-school brand. 74 January/February

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Headed up by Namita Kapoor, IVS Group has worked with some of the biggest global family entertainment brands around including How to Train Your Dragon Live, Walking with Dinosaurs, Aardman Animation, Tweenies and Thomas & Friends. It set about devising and implementing a long-term strategy for Cloudbabies’ product range. Noting the brand’s wide demographic, and that an increasing number of younger children were drawn to the cute characters and colourful palette, the decision was taken to expand the existing toy line to cater for the younger age group. In January IVS Group will make its debut at Toy Fair (Gallery 177), unveiling the younger look toy range for the first time. Aimed at 1218 months plus, the ten new products include: Six-inch Plush (18 months+) - four six inch beanies with vinyl heads and plush bodies

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LICENSING HOT LIST 2015 REDAN ALCHEMY Hot on the heels of his headline act at the Trafford Centre’s Winter Wonderland, Sooty is gearing up for what looks set to be another busy year of music, magic and mayhem. With the sell-out live tour finishing in April, Richard and the gang are looking forward to putting their feet up for a while, but The Sooty Show’s licensees have other plans. Master toy licensee Golden Bear is following up the launch of its successful Sooty Show puppet range with a raft of new lines, including a pre-school magic set designed by Sooty’s owner and member of the inner magic circle, Richard Cadell. The Sooty Magic set is designed specifically for small children and unlike other magic sets on the market it uses magnets, optical illusions and technical wizardry to create the magic, so that children don’t have to master any complex instructions and even the youngest magicians will be able to put

on a show. Golden Bear is also working on a top secret interactive toy for next Christmas that Redan hopes will top the best sellers lists. There’s also a new DVD on its way in March, which is the result of a collaboration between Cadell and current licensees Abbey Home Media and Redan Publishing. Aimed at early learners, The Fun To Learn Sooty DVDs have been produced in conjunction with educational adviser Jo Pullen and will have a strong educational slant, while losing none of the gags and entertainment associated with the show. LF Beauty has been working hard on a toiletries range, with retro designs and bath time magic. Trademark Collections will also be offering a range of Sooty bags and umbrellas, aimed mainly at pre-schoolers, but including some designs for adult fans, too. Fashion Lab TVM has had a great deal of interest from retailers, with Primark adding to its adult

Emily Bell, licensing director at Redan Alchemy, comments: “With new licensees on board to

produce calendars, stickers, lunchboxes and accessories for A/W 2015, a Sooty movie slated for release in 2016 and the recent partnership with BBC Worldwide in Australia, The Sooty Show looks set to continue its expansion into new categories and territories in the months ahead.” 01743 364 433

A second wave toy launch includes games, puzzles, electronic learning aids, role-play and apparel/ accessories which will rollout from AW15. The new line of toys from Character launching later this year include a Ben and Holly Magic Class play-set, an Elf Tree and a Helicopter with Wise Old Elf. Four twin figure packs will also be launched as part of the range, as will a five figure pack featuring Nanny Plum, King Thistle, Gaston, Holly with duster and Ben.

Hannah Mungo, head of UK licensing at eOne, explains the firm’s aims in the toy space for 2015: “For Ben and Holly we aim to increase the depth of distribution on the current range and launch a wider toy range at retail. We want to ensure it’s a key brand for retailers and a focus for 2016 and beyond. Portraying longevity and driving sell through is key. “With Peppa we will be working the brand harder at retail with the introduction of two new themes for 2015. This is the highest amount of tooling ever invested for Peppa.” 020 3691 8600

Sooty looks set to continue its expansion into new categories. Emily Bell, Redan Alchemy

ranges, BHS re-ordering for children’s nightwear and Character.com leading the charge online.

ENTERTAINMENT ONE Entertainment One Licensing has announced new themes for Peppa Pig in 2015. Working with master toy partner, Character Options, eOne has identified themes which are sure to resonate with Peppa fans. Two new toy ranges based on the themes Once Upon A Time and Holiday will hit retail during the year with the first - Peppa Pig Holiday Range – launching in spring 2015. The range from Character will include collectable plush such as Peppa in a sunhat, sundress and sunglasses and Suzy and George in swimsuits. Plastic play-sets will include a holiday car, beach buggy, refreshed

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campervan, pool play-set, villa playhouse, jumbo jet, boat and ice cream kiosk. The Once Upon a Time theme will launch in autumn/winter 2015. The range will include a fairy tale tea party, pumpkin carriage,

eOne will be supporting Peppa Pig’s Once Upon a Time with marketing initiatives including educational resource packs for teachers and parents to inspire creative storytelling and imaginative

We will be looking to work the Peppa brand harder at retail in 2015. Hannah Mungo, eOne

dragon and swan vehicles, dragon themed play-set, fairy tale tower, fairy tale character figurines and a ring-a-ring-a-roses plush with sound.

role-play. The initiative will be supported by the Peppa Book Club and a full digital and media campaign. Moving on to Ben and Holly’s Little Kingdom, and Character unveiled its new toys in 2014, with sales exceeding expectations. The range features new packaging based on eOne’s refreshed Ben and Holly branding and includes all the characters as figurines and plush, as well as a number of interconnecting playgrounds and hero product – the Ben and Holly Castle play-set.

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LICENSING HOT LIST 2015 ITVS GE Thunderbirds Are Go has generated an incredible response from both the brand’s existing fan base and industry. Vivid is on board as master toy licensee for Europe, Australia and New Zealand (excluding US and Asia) and will be leading the slate for the brand at London Toy Fair 2015. Vivid has previously worked with the Thunderbirds brand and understand its core values and its potential to entice a whole new generation of fans. In addition to having genuine passion throughout the development process, the team at Vivid is fully committed to working closely with us on sales distribution, consumer marketing and digital initiatives. Vivid’s toy line fully captures key themes of the classic series such as adventure, rescue, gadgets, vehicles and teamwork and features the all new Tracy Island play-set, vehicle playset, detailed action figures and role-play.

Trudi Hayward, SVP of global merchandise, ITVS GE, says: “Our approach is to build an iconic brand with a long-term view and to work with best in class licensees that reflect our vision. We’re looking for partners that have genuine passion for Thunderbirds and that will develop products that incorporate themes such as role-play, innovation and digital technology. “We will be building a full consumer products programme and are currently seeking further global licensing partners in driving categories such as apparel, publishing, digital and back to school. In addition to Vivid, further partners on board include Simon & Schuster and DC Thomson for publishing, Kokomo for personal care, Danilo for greetings, Posh Paws for accessories and MV Sports for outdoor play. The first Thunderbirds Are Go consumer products are set to launch at UK retail for A/W 2015.”

We have great expectations in toys for Thunderbirds Are Go. Trudi Hayward, ITVS GE

2015 will mark the 50th anniversary of Thunderbirds. To celebrate this significant milestone, Thunderbirds Are Go will debut nationwide on TV screens from this spring on ITV and CITV. In addition to launching the new series, our consumer products programme will be supported by one of ITV’s most extensive digitally integrated consumer marketing and retail campaigns. Hayward continues: “We have great expectations for the toy category and in particular the Tracy Island play-set, which we hope will be the must-have toy for every boy this time next year. The previous Thunderbirds toy line was phenomenally popular, so we are confident that this toy line will be a massive hit for both young and loyal fans that will be eager to see how this ground-breaking new TV series will be transformed into innovative consumer products.” 020 7157 6163

COOLABI Launching in spring 2015, the new 52 x 11’ Clangers series is a contemporary version of the iconic British TV show, which first aired on the BBC in 1969. The toy launch from Character Options is set for autumn/winter 2015. The range includes a playset based on the world of Clangers, as well as figurines, plush, knitted figures and electronic toys. Other licensees already onboard include Penguin (publisher), C&M Licensing (apparel), Gemma (greetings cards & gift wrap), Immediate Media Co (magazine), MV Sports (wheeled toys), Rainbow Productions (costume characters), Ravensburger (puzzles and games) and Trade Mark Collections (children’s bags). Valerie Fry, director of sales at Coolabi comments: “We are very proud of the new Clangers toy range. It will launch in time for the Christmas sales period, and we have high hopes.” www.toynews-online.biz

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The new series is showcasing the best of British TV with actor, writer, presenter and comedian, Michael Palin, narrating the show, and stop-motion animation by specialists, Factory Create and awardwinning puppet making by Mackinnon and Saunders. With the original cocreator, Peter Firmin and

been published to date, with further titles planned. Beast Quest has been translated into over 30 languages, with a major gaming partnership with Miniclip launching soon. Miniclip experiences over 100 million unique users per month, and has generated over 300 million mobile app installs.

We are very proud of the new Clangers toy range from Character. Valerie Fry, Coolabi

Daniel Postgate, son of original co-creator, Oliver Postgate, actively involved in the new series, it pays tribute to the classic version while appealing to a new generation of pre-school fans and families. Meanwhile, Beast Quest is a series of children’s fantasy novels targeting seven to ten year olds, with over 14 million copies sold so far. Over 100+ titles have

New licensees signed for 2014 include Pedigree, Skyjack Publishing, Top Trumps and Fashion UK. Fry continues: “The Beast Quest franchise is starting to build momentum and we are thrilled with our partners to date, in addition to the Miniclip game which will soon be launching. We look forward to welcoming a new toy and collectable partner.” 020 7004 0980 January/February 77

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LICENSING HOT LIST 2015 BULLDOG LICENSING “There’s a lot going on next year for Bulldog’s brands, but one of the things I’m most looking forward to is witnessing the continued growth of the Shopkins brand,” says Rob Corney, MD of Bulldog Group. “Featuring super cute, super tiny, grocery-themed collectibles that are inspired by items from aisles in the grocery store.

“Shopkins is already a huge hit for girls in the UK with retailers everywhere struggling to keep the toy line in stock. 2015 is all about rolling out the licensing programme with a strength of product,

in the UK. He’s appeared in the top five brands in the Kids’ License Monitor report for two years running and has strong ratings on Boomerang. Corney continues: “We’re thrilled to be delivering the

Retailers are already struggling to keep Shopkins in stock. Rob Corney, Bulldog

to match. 2015 will continue to build on the strong sales of Plants vs. Zombies product throughout UK retail with new releases to support the appetite among consumers. There is a strong content slate from brand owners Electronic Arts, which already covers the next three years which will see the property continue to grow and support

partners and promotion to match. We’ve already signed up several licensees and have incredible retail support across multiple categories. We’re going to be kept very busy with this one – but that’s a very welcome challenge to have.” In addition to Shopkins, Garfield remains one of the most popular kids’ brands

Wicked Cool Toys Garfield master toy line into the market. The toys will be available from spring 2015 – and, speaking not just as a licensing agent but also as a fan, I have to say they look great.” One of the strongest and most established brands in the Bulldog portfolio is the gaming phenomenon Plants vs. Zombie. Global installs are now running at well over 400 million and which has a fast-growing global licensing campaign and product slate

the sales of the related product lines. In the immediate future product sales are looking very strong and have support from most major retailers, according to Bulldog’s Corney. “More specifically 2015 will be about establishing

an even stronger presence in retail for Jazwares and K’Nex in the toys and collectables category, with strong support across soft lines and a close engagement with our retail supporters,” Corney concludes. 020 8325 5455

and Centum, apparel from Cooneen and Fashions UK, Bags and accessories from Trademark.

Further planned activity for UK in 2015 includes Shaun in the City. This will showcase 120 giant

sculptures of Shaun the Sheep decorated by celebrities and artists in a major public arts trail in

London and Bristol raising money for the Wallace & Gromit Children’s charity. In addition, there will also be a joint merchandise campaign with Rugby World Cup which will be hosted in England in September. This is being supported by a number of toy licensees including Rainbow Designs, Kids@Play and Kayford holdings, with further product launches across giftwares, homewares, publishing and stationery. 0117 307 1318

AARDMAN Shaun the Sheep The Movie hits the screens from February 6th this year, supported with high level marketing campaigns throughout the world. 2015 is Lunar ‘Year of the Sheep’ and will be kicking off with Shaun themed celebrations and promotions across Asia. This includes themed shopping Mall events and exhibitions across ten cities in China, as well as in Hong Kong and Taiwan. In the UK, the marketing and licensing programmes continue to take shape with brand new items coming to the toy shelves in 2015. This includes the launch of a new range of plush toys and games from Rainbow Designs, Flockstars mini-figurines from Click Distribution, inflatable items from Kids@ Play, pocket money toys from H.Grossman and Clay Buddies from Giromax. Other key category drivers including publishing ranges from Walker Books 78 January/February

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BATMAN AT 75

Upwardly Mobile As part of Batman’s 75th anniversary, Warner Bros. Consumer Products and several key licensees are significantly expanding the vehicle element of the toy licensing programme. ToyNews finds out what’s coming up from partners including Mattel, Fisher-Price, LEGO, Hauck and Maverix IF YOU had a vast wealth at your disposal what car would you buy? There have been many versions of the Batmobile over the years – from the open top Batman Classic TV series version to the Tumbler created for Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Trilogy. And there is a cool new version in the 2015 video game Batman: Arkham Knight. Thanks to Warner Bros. Consumer Products and its power house licensees, boys and their dads around Europe can have their very own Batmobile (or even a fleet of them). Glynn Davies, executive category director for toys and publishing for WBCP in EMEA, says: “As part of celebrating Batman’s 75th anniversary this year, we decided we wanted to give as many consumers as possible the excitement of owning a Batmobile. We worked on growing the range and its availability across the whole region.” As part of this, the product developers at The LEGO Group (Building Sets, Juniors and Duplo) and Mattel (Boys, Hot Wheels, Fisher-Price and Little People) are expanding their Batmobile offerings to consumers. Eaglemoss has also continued to further develop its range to ultimately offer over 80 Batmobiles through its partworks collection. The Batmobile is always one of Mattel’s bestsellers in the Batman action figure

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DAVIES: “With so many great Batmobile licensees, everyone can build, drive or ride their very own Batmobile”

range and there will, of course, be a new iconic Batmobile for 2015. On top of this, Mattel will bring even more iterations of the iconic Batmobile to the market and into the hands of boys, with the new assortment of Hot Wheels Batmobiles in 2015. Martin Bang, senior brand manager, action figures, Mattel EUROMEA, comments: “Adding the Batmobile to our Hot Wheels range was such a logical thing to do as the Batmobile is amongst the most iconic vehicles in pop

culture. We expect exciting growth in sales through 2015 and beyond.” The Batmobile is also a key element in the FisherPrice pre-school line under the Imaginext and Little People branding. Fisher-Price’s marketing director EUROMEA, Isabel Ferrer, adds: “The Imaginext Batcave is the ultimate Batman play-set and the Batmobile is a cool vehicle that enables boys to have action packed play.” Boys can also build the Batmobile with a number of different LEGO sets.

Casper Rafn Voigt, senior marketing manager for The LEGO Group, says: “We know that children of all ages will engage in hours of build and play fun with the Batmobile, so it’s a perfect addition to our LEGO DC Comics Super Heroes collection, our new LEGO Juniors range and also now for the youngest of builders through our LEGO Duplo platform. We now even have a special edition Tumbler selling on LEGO. com/shop.”

Along with scooters, trikes and bikes, WBCP will work closely with Hauck on balance bikes and go karts, and Maverix on a powered Batman skateboard. Julien Taub from Maverix, says: “We are so excited with the Batman version of our powered skateboard. We cannot think of a cooler more gadget-styled skateboard than our Batman version. Everyone we talk to loves it, especially the fact that it can go up to 25 kph.”

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NICKELODEON IN 2015

Channel takeover

Walk down any toy aisle and you’re likely to see a strong turnout from Nickelodeon brands such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and SpongeBob, and there’s more to come as Paw Patrol hits shelves. Samantha Loveday chats to Marianne James, VP Consumer Products UK & Ireland/European Retail Sales & Marketing How was 2014 for Nickelodeon Consumer Products in general? 2014 was a very strong year for Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was fully rolled out into all categories while the theatrical movie was tremendously successful. 2014 saw SpongeBob SquarePants grace the catwalks, reaffirming his high-fashion status while, for our pre-school offering, 2014 brought us the on air premieres of Paw Patrol and Dora and Friends, the latter launching as Nick Jr. UK’s most successfulever launch. We’ve been preparing trade for the launch of Paw Patrol and Dora and Friends and the popularity of both programmes on air means that we are set for a brilliant product rollout. In terms of the toy space, what Nickelodeon Consumer Products activity has there been over the past 12 months? We have had strong presence in the boys’ aisle with the Turtles, including new waves of product, new segments and of course the movie line which featured the impressive Turtles movie action figures. We expanded our Turtles games and outdoor offer, as well as new innovation in back packs and activity sets.

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How many licensees do you have in the sector? We have over 50 licensees now in the toy sector in the UK which is up on last year. This is driven through our expansion of our secondary toy Turtles toys as well as SpongeBob SquarePants. Have you moved into any categories which you haven’t previously been in? We have expanded our presence in outdoor and inflatables and we are also very excited about a 3D digital printing innovation that we are launching in early 2015. What are some of the main challenges that you’ve faced in the toy space? Maintaining levels of space against a very competitive climate, particularly in the boys’ aisle, where 2014 has seen some key releases.

The excitement surrounding Paw Patrol has been phenomenal. When can we expect to see product on shelves? We’re very excited that the Paw Patrol toys launch this month at retail. Product has been flying off shelves in all of the territories where it has launched so far and with the demand we’re already seeing, we expect the same reaction here in the UK. How will you look to build on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles property further in 2015? We are expanding into three new toy segments: Half Shell Heroes which takes us into the preschool space, Die Cast and Mutations (the most

successful segment ever in the history of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles). 2015 also sees strong and exciting new content as, in series three of the show, the Turtles find themselves in new environments, taking part in new adventures and battling new mutants. All of the on air action makes for a robust toy programme, ensuring that the content our viewers see on air, they can find on product in store. In 2015 we will also be preparing for the second movie release (summer 2016) building on the successful movie line of 2014. 2015 is also a year that we’ll be amplifying our focus on promotional opportunities and wider category expansion.

What new Nickelodeon brands are you confident can make an impact on toy shelves in 2015? Paw Patrol will fill the void that retailers and customers are feeling right now for newness in pre-school for boys; the Spin Master toy line is incredible and really brings the characters in the show to life. Always innovative and true to the brand, we will have a new line of toys from Simba supporting our focus on SpongeBob as we move through the year. We are also excited for the new Dora and Friends dolls from Mattel; they are beautifully crafted with special value added elements focusing on the magic of the show. What are your main aims for 2015? One focus is for Paw Patrol to launch strongly and gain share across the toy market and to make a real splash in pre-school with the launch of Dora and Friends product. The upcoming theatrical SpongeBob movie is a massive opportunity to drive positive halo effect across the brand in all categories, while the continued success of Turtles will be a priority as we gear up to our second instalment from the film franchise in 2016.

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For More Information Contact Jodie Tel: 01992 535 647 Email: jholdway@nbmedia.com

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Phenomenal demand set to drive Bing toy sales in 2015 Fisher-Price, Ravensburger and HarperCollins will all launch pre-school lines in AW this year

By Robert Hutchins ACAMAR FILMS is expecting big things for the new collection of Fisher-Price toys based on its hit preschool show, Bing. The firm has seen ‘phenomenal demand’ from retailers and consumers, who are already flocking to social media to learn more about the upcoming line-up. Inspired by the popular CBeebies series, the FisherPrice range will launch in AW this year and will include plush collections such as a Talking Bing, a series of figures, vehicles, play-sets and bath toys. Meanwhile, Harper Collins will be increasing its range www.toynews-online.biz

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of books centered on the show, with an extensive mini-library, sound books and wipe clean books, along with a Bing annual. According to Acamar, early demand for Bing products has been so high, that the company has also launched a Make Your Own range of knitting, sewing and craft projects through its Facebook page to plug the gap. Meanwhile, Ravensburger had already sold through its spring 2015 stock before Christmas 2014, and is now developing new formats for autumn/winter this year. “Demand has been phenomenal,” Bethan Garton, head of licensing at

Acamar Films, told ToyNews. “We have had nothing but positive feedback from retailers to the Fisher-Price toy range and consumers are already asking about the toys, so we know there is a strong audience.” “We worked tirelessly to make the show resonate with the audience and to develop a show of the highest quality. “Every Bing thing needs to follow the same path. To date, we have secured our first choice partners in our launch categories and we are proud to have HarperCollins and Fisher-Price on board. Our aim is to continue to handpick best in class partners in areas such as

apparel and art and crafts to grow the Bing family.” Acamar Films now believes that Bing will be the preschool property to watch this year and owes its early success to it universal appeal. “There aren’t many unisex brands for pre-school and Bing is about real the experiences of preschoolers,” said Garton. “The range we have developed gives children an opportunity to play our their own experiences with the toys. “Everyone has a Bing moment they can relate to and

the emotional narratives and characters really capture the attention of all ages. Bing was developed as a long term global proposition which offers retailers a truly unisex brand that will breathe new life in to the pre-school sector,” she concluded. Acamar: 020 3675 7460

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NEWS

Comment A PARENT BLOGGER’S VIEW Parent bloggers are an influential part of the preschool landscape. Each month, we ask a mummy or daddy blogger to write a special blog for ToyNews, giving their views on the toy market.

This month: Helen Wills “Children grow up too quickly these days….” How many times have you heard these words? Okay, usually from a grandparent, but still, it’s the age-old complaint. Children do seem to know more, learn faster, do different things to their parents, and parents - and more often grandparents - will debate that until the (battery-operated) cows come home. My own daughter is a case in point. From the rocking horse I chose for her first birthday to the games console she desired at the age of six, I’ve watched the progressive sophistication of her toy desires with an element of anxiety. If she needed at DS when she was six, what on earth would be left for me to give her at 14? But over the years she has surprised me. Of course, the minute she had the fine motor skills required to hold a smartphone, she seemed capable of mastering the details of Toca Boca apps, and very quickly managed to find her way to my Twitter account. But her desire for the latest tech never drowned her love of what I – as a middle-aged parent – still call ‘the simpler pleasures.’ Because for her, they’re not simple. There’s no such thing as a genre of toy or gadget that has

supremacy over another. To her, an iPad is just as desirable as a sock monkey, given the right circumstances. And as parents we do well to remember that. Whatever inspires our children’s imagination is what they crave the most. Don’t get me wrong, my children want to watch TV as much as the next child, and gadgets are always top of their list when they can’t think of anything to do. If I can’t be bothered to think of an alternative, they’ll default to the console, but if I provide them with other opportunities, they often surprise me by embracing them. Take this year, for example. At ten, I’m sad to say I was running out of ideas for my daughter’s birthday present. Despairing, I asked her what she most wanted in the world. The answer? A swing. My older than her years, sometimes infuriatingly teenagerish daughter wanted to fly through the air with the wind in her hair. It’s confusing sometimes, to be a parent these days. But if I’ve learned anything in the last decade, it’s that all the latest tech can integrate very easily into the life of a child who still likes a rocking horse and a garden swing.

Check out more from Helen Wills online: www.actuallymummy.co.uk and on Twitter @actuallyblog

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Orchard Toys to host Frog Party this year Game is designed to support children learning to add up to ten By Billy Langsworthy ORCHARD TOYS is set to host a Frog Party at its stands at various toy fairs this month with the launch of its new game. The company’s Frog Party is designed to support children learning to add up to ten and sees children race their party dressed frogs to the centre of the board to join a frog party and win the game. The giant frog themed game features a double number spinner, counting cards and a number line offering two ways to help children learn to count and add up. The board also includes lots of creatures to promote discussion amongst pre-schoolers around pond life. The game is suitable for children from four years

old and the Frog Party has places for between two to four players. Those intrigued by the idea of a Frog Party can visit Orchard Toys at

London Toy Fair (stand B12), Toy Fair Nuremberg (hall 10.0, stand H-13) and Spring Fair (stand 3N28). Orchard Toys: 01953 423422

New modelling agency Kiddiwinks targets toy firms “We are passionate about working closely with various play brands”, founder and director Carla Hanslock told ToyNews By Billy Langsworthy KIDDIWINKS, a new modelling agency from the same team behind Beautiful Bumps, is targeting toy companies. The new agency, specialising in child models aged nought to 11 years old, has worked with ELC and Kiddicare in the past and is now hoping to appeal to more toy companies. “We would love to work with toy firms,” founder and director Carla Haslock told ToyNews. “As a new company, we are still finding our feet with contacting individual companies but are passionate about working closely with various play brands.”

The firm hosts regular photo sessions, creating collections of professional photos to present to current and potential new clients. The events also act as meet and greet days for the team to get to know the children’s personalities, which then enables Kiddiwinks to be know which candidates best fits different briefs. Haslock continued: “We can offer professional models from the age of nought to 11 years for a reasonable price. As we don’t charge fee, we will also have models that are not registered elsewhere.

“A picture is worth a thousand words. Getting the right look is of paramount importance. Seeing a child play with a toy allows the buyer to engage in the picture and imagine their own child playing with it.” Kiddiwinks: 020 7148 1740

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INTERVIEW: LE TOY VAN

Bright van man Le Toy Van sales and marketing executive Stephen Le Van, pictured below with his father and company founder Georges Le Van, tells Billy Langsworthy what 2015 has in the store for the wooden firm as it celebrates 20 years

What was last year like for Le Toy Van? 2014 was a bumper year for awards across all categories and price points. We had seven awardwinning toys in 2014 including Best Toy Under £10 for the Budkins, a Progressive Preschool Award for the Honeybake Range with the winning toy Café Machine, as well as the Slow Toy Award for both Fire Engine and Doctor’s Bag. Le Toy Van was delighted to be recognised and validated by the toy trade and childcare experts. How do you view the current state of the wooden toy sector? Wooden toys offer a wonderful counterbalance to plastic toys and electronic toys. Wooden toys have enduring natural appeal 88 January/February

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and encourage social and imaginative play. With parents wanting the best for their children, they will select across a broad spectrum of materials and play activities. The wooden toy sector is both appealing and competitive. For us, we shall continue to innovate and sustain our historic best sellers. What does 2015 have in store for Le Toy Van? We are delighted to launch new lines at Toy Fair 2015 and celebrate our 20th anniversary year. We have new arrivals in classic collections and a new dolls house family, plus a new range especially for 12 months plus, together with an expansion of the PelMels pocket money fun toys. Come to see us at BTHA Toy Fair at Stand E10,

Spring Fair Hall 3L48 and Nuremberg International Toy Fair at Hall 3, stand D34. With the rise of tech toys and children using tablets, why are wooden toys still so popular with both children and parents? Wooden toys invite social play both between children themselves, as well as adults and children. When given a tea-set, what child can resist saying ‘Would you like milk in your tea?’ Give a child a wooden doll’s house, fire engine, doctor’s bag or garage and you put them in charge of the action. A mini-world in the big wide world helps a child feel confident and in control. These are enduring toys and themes, which pass from generation to generation and are inherently special.

You’ll be celebrating 20 years in 2015. How has the industry changed since Le Toy Van was first set up? I used to play with them and now I’m selling them. Actually, we still play with them. It is faster moving with a greater choice for both retailers and consumers. But it’s still about great

toys and real people young and old. Where do you see Le Toy Van in 2025? Well, Le Toy Van is always expanding, as seen with the launch of a whole new collection in 2015. Come and see us to find out more.

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09/12/2014 11:37

Retail Only

News Data Opinion

Dedicated monthly retail coverage

Own brand toys to be the major focus for John Lewis The department store will concentrate efforts on own branded toys in amongst new store openings this year

By Robert Hutchins Prepare yourselves for more own branded toys and games, is the message from High Street giant John Lewis this year. The group has told ToyNews that toys will continue to be a major focus for the retailer throughout 2015, following the tremendous success it saw in the sector thanks to the demand for plush

Monty and Mabel Penguins – the stars of its Christmas 2014 campaign. Last year, the retailer expanded its range of plush animals from Hansa to accommodate the 53 per cent increase in sales of cuddly toys in November. Meanwhile, a successful pre-Christmas shopping period saw John Lewis achieve record-breaking sales of toys, helping the group finish on a “very

RETAIL ADVISORY BOARD

Stuart Grant, The Entertainer

Fiona Murray-Young, Toys R Us

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Linzi Walker, Argos

strong year.” The firm is now developing a more extensive own brand offering that it will showcase alongside popular toy brands in new store openings throughout this year. “We have had a strong year,” John Lewis’ toys and books buyer, Ian Ellis, told ToyNews. “We have experienced some record breaking weeks in toys and

our brand programme goes from strength to strength. “We will continue to drive the toy business this year, and we are developing a more extensive own brand offer alongside showcasing must-have toy brands and our new store openings will help us achieve this.” With new products from its own brand developers launching this year, the firm is confident of continuing success to match that of 2014. Elsewhere, Ellis hints that in-store activity will also be another major focus for the group in driving consumers to John Lewis stores throughout 2015. “We have seen some great new products from our branded suppliers launching which means that on a brands front, we

are hoping for a strong year,” he continued. “We hope to continue to build on the success we have had from some smaller brands, and own brand continues to be a focus. “John Lewis provides a point of difference in the toy industry; we will continue to showcase brands and hope with the developments planned in 2015 to bring an even greater experience in-store.” Alongside toys, the firm has also grown its online business and states that online shopping will remain a key factor to its future success. “Our website continues to be really popular with customers and from that we hope to continue to drive our growth,” Ellis concluded. John Lewis: 020 7828 1000

ToyNews takes soundings from its Retail Advisory Board on toy industry issues. The current members are:

Brian Simpson, Toytown

Clare Barton, Sainsbury’s

Neil Mitchell, Shop Direct

Annalise Quest, Harrods

Steph Strike, Asda

Ben Redhead, Firebox

Steven Bradley, Boots

Helen Gourley, Toy Hub

Miles Penhallow, Play-Room

Karla Mitchell, XBite

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RETAIL SURVEY

Retail Survey 2015

In our third annual retail survey, we ask 70 independent retailers how they performed in 2014, what products triumphed and what struggles they faced

WHAT WAS YOUR HIGHLIGHT OF THE YEAR?

OTHER – 38% FROZEN – 17% LOOM BANDS – 9% NONE – 9% STORE ANNIVERSARY – 6% LEGO – 6% CHRISTMAS – 4% OPENING/MOVING STORE – 4% WINNING AN AWARD – 3% MINECRAFT – 3% WORLD CUP – 1%

WHAT WAS YOUR HIGHLIGHT OF THE YEAR? Well, it’s the start of a New Year, and it’s another eclectic mix of answers that made up your highlights of 2014. Frozen fever swept the country to steal first place in the list of licensed properties last year, and it scored pretty highly in our survey, too. But while Loom Bands, LEGO and the World Cup all get a mention as the properties that 2014 will be remembered for, most stores surveyed also had their own highlights, unique to their shop.

HOW WAS BUSINESS THIS YEAR 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 COMPARED TO 2012?

HOW WAS BUSINESS IN 2014 COMPARED TO 2013?

BETTER – 67% SAME – 17% WORSE – 16% 0

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And the good news continues, as over half of the toy retailers we spoke to celebrated a successful 2014. 67 per cent of these retailers said business had been better in 2014 than it was in 2013. Good weather over the summer, greater consumer confidence, blockbuster movies and the resurgence of the High Street were just some of the reasons behind better business this year. Meanwhile, 16 per cent cited tough business conditions, slow consumer spend and online competition as the reasons for a tough 12 months. January/February 93

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WHICH TOY CATEGORY PERFORMED BEST FOR YOU IN WHICH TOY CATEGORY HAS PERFORMED 2014? BEST FOR YOU THIS YEAR?

WHAT IMPACTED YOUR WHAT IMPACTED YOUR BUSINESS MOST IN BUSINESS 2014? MOST IN 2013? OTHER – 30% DON’T KNOW – 11% AMAZON – 9% DISCOUNT STORES – 6% FROZEN – 6% ONLINE COMPETITION – 4% PARKING AND TRAFFIC ISSUES – 4% SUPERMARKETS – 4% THE LEGO MOVIE – 4% WEATHER – 3% ECONOMY – 3% LOOM BANDS – 3% TOYMARK FROM LET TOYS BE TOYS – 3% PRODUCT SHORTAGES/DELAYS – 3% SUPPLIERS SELLING DIRECT – 3% TOUR DE FRANCE – 1% VAT – 1% BUSINESS RATES – 1% HIGH STREET COMPETITION – 1%

WOODEN TOYS – 25% CONSTRUCTION – 17% ARTS AND CRAFTS – 14% GAMES AND PUZZLES – 10% ACTION FIGURES – 9% PRE-SCHOOL – 7% BOOKS – 4% DOLLS – 4% POCKET MONEY – 4% STICKERS AND TRADING CARDS – 2% RIDE-ON – 1% ROLE PLAY – 1% ECO TOYS – 1%

EDUCATIONAL – 1%

Wooden Toys have stormed the list of 2014, proving that despite the frenzy for Frozen, the category is still very much at the forefront of the consumer’s mind. Construction enjoys a special mention, led by LEGO, while Loom Bands helped the arts and craft category to victory in 2014, according to NPD data and our survey of retailers. But it wasn’t the only name of note, with many toy shops celebrating the success of the Depeche brand. Geek is the new cool, and it seems that board gaming is the new rock ‘n’ roll, as games, puzzles and tabletop gaming scores highly on the top-performing categories of 2014. Big movie action figures, children’s books, trading cards and educational toys also get a mention.

Amazon, discount stores, road works and traffic issues, the Scottish Referendum, the Tour de France, supermarkets and even Garden Centres: well, we did ask. And these were just a few of the many factors that impacted your business the most in 2014. Almost a third of the retailers we spoke to had contributing factors unique to them, including one of the smaller stores concerned that the “rise in trading card sales” has left them “wondering how to fit that many people in the shop.” Others however, were not so fortunate with a large portion of retailers citing Amazon, discount stores and price slashing as the biggest hurdles to overcome in 2014. “It’s a race to the bottom with a lot of these guys; we just have to hold our nerve and time our sales,” said one retailer.

DO YOU FEEL CONFIDENT ABOUT THE DO YOU FEEL CONFIDENT HEALTH HEALTH OF YOUR BUSINESS MOVINGABOUT INTOTHE 2014? OF YOUR BUSINESS MOVING INTO 2015?

YES – 91% NO – 9%

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It’s a positive start to the year ahead and 91 per cent of the retailers we spoke to said they are feeling confident about the health of their business moving in to 2015. In-store events, customer service and the return of shoppers to the High Street will keep retailers in the black this year, according to our survey. Coming off the back of responses to business throughout 2014, it looks like plenty are in for a good year. However, nine per cent of retailers still remain uncertain over the health of their business, with a number declaring they were “on the ropes”, citing product innovation and online competition as their biggest worries. www.toynews-online.biz

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HOW HAVE CHRISTMAS 2013 RETAIL SURVEY TAKINGS BEEN SO FAR COMPARED TO 2012’S? 2013?

HOW WERE CHRISTMAS TAKINGS IN 2014 COMPARED TO 2013?

BETTER – 60%

The positivity around 2014 also stretched to the festive WHAT NEW TOY OR PRODUCT period, although we did hear several conflicting statements. 60 per cent of those asked believed they enjoyed ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO IN 2014? SAME – 19%

WORSE – 21%

DON’T KNOW YET – 23% OTHER – 23% LEGO FROZEN – 18 % EDUCATIONAL – 6% BIG HERO 6 – 6% GAMES AND PUZZLES – 4% AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON – 3% MOVIE MERCHANDISE – 3% MINIONS – 3% FUNKO POP – 3% NOTHING – 3% WARS: INDUSTRY THE FORCE TREND AWAKENS – 3% WHICHSTAR CURRENT ROLETHE PLAYMOST – 3% IMPACT ON YOUR BUSINESS? IS HAVING LEGO MINECRAFT – 1% 0

FROZEN – 17% ONLINE SHOPPING – 11% NONE – 11% OTHER – 11% DISCOUNTERS – 10% BOARD GAMES AND NICHE PRODUCTS – 10% HIGHER CUSTOMER SPEND – 10% MINECRAFT – 9% LOOM BANDS – 3% LATE CHRISTMAS SHOPPING – 3% EARLY CHRISTMAS SHOPPING – 3% SUPPLIERS SELLING DIRECT – 1%

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a better Christmas than in 2013, with most claiming people were shopping earlier and that toy crazes like Frozen were helping them to a bumper Christmas. On the flip side, 21 per cent claimed last Christmas was worse than back in 2013. Most of these stores claimed that customers were leaving it later and later to do their Christmas shopping in 2014, and as a result, sales across December were hit badly.

WHAT NEW TOY OR PRODUCT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO STOCKING THIS YEAR? This question usually throws up vague answers or all encompassing brand names but there is one specific product lots of stores can’t wait to stock: LEGO Frozen. Blending two of the biggest names in toys, the stores we spoke to believe the set looks destined to be a bestseller when it hits shelves later this month. Elsewhere, six per cent of stores said they were looking at introducing new educational lines to shelves this year while Star Wars, Big Hero 6, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Minions and other movie lines collectively peaked the interest of 18 per cent of those asked.

WHICH CURRENT TREND IS HAVING THE MOST IMPACT ON YOUR BUSINESS THIS YEAR? No prizes for the most voted for trend that stormed the aisles of toy stores last year. Yes, Disney’s Frozen was highlighted by 17 per cent of those asked as being the trend that had the largest impact on business in 2014. And while that falls into the ‘positive impact’ camp, others saw online shopping, discounting and suppliers selling direct as having a major negative impact on business last year. The poll also confirms the conflicting views around Christmas coming earlier, or later, last year, as votes were identical for both views. Surprising, Loom Bands, listed as one of the major highlights of the year for many retailers, only received three per cent of the vote while Minecraft products was mentioned by nine per cent of those asked. January/February 95

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WHAT'S THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE YOU FACE? RETAIL SURVEY

ONLINE COMPETITION – 24% DISCOUNT STORE/PRICE SLASHING – 15%

WHAT’S THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE YOU CURRENTLY FACE? When it comes to challenges, online competition was the most (un)popular choice. Last year, discounting was voted for by just five per cent of the stores we asked but for this year’s survey, that figure has jumped up to 15 per cent. Many claimed that the massive success of Black Friday/Cyber Monday in 2014 highlighted a culture where shoppers won’t spend unless a deal is involved. The usual troubles around stock and business rates also ranked high while competition from multiples and supermarkets were also prevalent. “It’s alright for the likes of Amazon and the supermarkets to slash prices but as an independent, I can’t get away with that,” one store told ToyNews.

STOCK ISSUES - 10% BUSINESS RATES - 10% OTHER – 8% MULTIPLES – 7% JUST BEING NOTICED – 6%

IF YOU COULD HAVE ANY OTHER ISSUES – 4% JOB SUPPLIER IN THE LOCATION – 4%TOY INDUSTRY, WHOSE WOULD IT BE? SUPERMARKETS – 3% EXPANSION – 3% STAFF – 3% NONE – 3%

IF YOU COULD HAVE ANY OTHER JOB IN THE TOY INDUSTRY, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

HAPPY WITH MY OWN - 34% TOY TESTER - 14% OTHER - 11% TOY INVENTOR - 10% TOY DESIGNER - 10% WHOLESALER - 6% TOY BUYER - 6% CEO OF BIG TOY FIRM - 4% DON’T KNOW - 3% TOY CONSULTANT - 1%

With the majority of those asked having enjoyed a better 2014, and a better festive period, than in 2013, it’s no surprise that 34 per cent claimed they were happy with their own job. For those more willing to indulge in the fantasy of another career path, popular answers included toy inventors, testers and wholesalers. One claimed he wanted to be the CEO of Amazon so that he could shut the company down, while one of the more eclectic suggestions was a career as Freya the Rabbit.

WHO WE ASKED AND HOW Our 2014 survey was conducted by calling up UK retailers and asking them for their thoughts on the state of the toy industry. The retailers were randomly selected and ToyNews did not ask retailers to choose their answers from a list. Everything included in the above was said by the retailers themselves. We questioned 70 stores, listed below. Aquillis Toys, Argosy Toys, Automattic Comics and Toys, Babi Pur, Bambola Toymaster, Bus Stop Toy Shop, Captain Neil’s toy Chest, Cold Bath Toy Shop, Collectabubble, Cosmic Toys, Cots n Togs, Darkside Comics, Eclectic Games, Ella’s Toy Shop, Fairies n Frogs, Final Frontier, Forget Me Not Toys and Books, Giddy Goat Toys, Hal Whittaker, Halesworth Toys, Harburn Hobbies , Hubbard’s Toy Cupboard, Jack and Jill’s Wooden Toys and Gifts, Jollys, Kiddy Kars, Knot Toys, Lady Penelopes, Lighthouse Toys, Little Shop of Wonders, Lootybag, Melton Toys, Moons Toys, Ottie and the Bea, Over the Rainbow, Playfull Toyshop, Playtime Toys and Games, Rachel’s Toy Shop, Rainbow Plaza, Silly Billy’s Toy Shop, Smallworths, Spotty Green Frog, Star to Star Toys, Sugar & Spice, Sylvanian Families, The Ambleside Toy Shop, The Bakewell Toy Shop, The Cambridge Toy Shop, The Cheshire Toy Shop, The Cinema Store, The Entertainer, The Hare and the Broom, The Little Land, The Toy and Book Warehouse, Totally Toys, Towlers Toys, Toy Galaxy, Toy Town, ToyHub, Toys Galore, Toys N Tuck, Toy-Bocs-Teganau, Treasures of Wetherby, Uwood Toys, When I Was a Kid, Whoopee, Willis Toys, Wise Owl Toys, Wooden Toy Shop UK, Wowtastic UK, Xbite.

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INDEPENDENT SURVEY

What will have the biggest impact on your business this year? ToyShop UK asks its listers what trend or challenge will be making waves at retail this year

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Matt Booker AutoMattic Comics and Toys “There will be too many movies with competing toy lines.” Tracie Peacock Ella’s Toy Shop “The problems with suppliers selling direct to the consumer is the customers have no need to visit the toy shops, especially when suppliers have low P&P. Invariably suppliers can offer flash sales or lower prices than

the independents, which reflect badly on retailers. Even when suppliers sell through a third party website, their prices can be lower than the retailers. It is extremely frustrating that suppliers want independents to stock their products but then they also want to sell direct to the end users to increase their market share. There is only so much money to be spent on toys and if the support and loyalty from suppliers to the retailers is not there

why should retailers remain loyal to those suppliers? I am reassessing the suppliers we use based on whether or not they supply direct to customers.” Julian Shelford Final Frontier “This year there are going to be a lot of big movies and with that, lots of merchandise. Some will be hits and some will be losers. Getting that right will be a challenge. All the big players will be trying to get a chunk of

the pie and that will lead to discounting and offers which is not always easy to compete against, as an independent. On the plus side, we will see a new generation of collectors, as well as those coming back into the game. Exciting times, and just like at the races, it will be about placing your money on the winners.” Teresa Bramble Hoomble Toys & Collectables “If we can predict the right www.toynews-online.biz

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INDEPENDENT SURVEY

IN ASSOCIATION WITH Toy Shop UK is a consumerled, online directory that helps toy suppliers, retailers and licence holders promote their businesses to an audience of up to 10,000 unique visitors per day.

toys that kids will want, this will have a massive impact on our 2015 sales.” Vicky Brown Just Williams Toys “The market is flooded with discount retailers and continuous offers that give customers a perceived perception of a bargain.” Tim Broad Lighthouse Toys “The biggest impact for us will be large internet retailers undercutting www.toynews-online.biz

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Tracie Peacock of Ella’s Toy Shop adds: “It is extremely frustrating that suppliers want independents to stock their products, but then they also want to sell direct to the end users to increase their market share. “There is only so much money to be spent on toys and if the support and loyalty from suppliers to the retailers is not there why should retailers remain loyal to those suppliers?” Elsewhere, ten per cent of those asked believe this year will be spurred on by new collectable ranges, while seven per cent feel the wide range of blockbuster movies will have the biggest impact. “This year there are going to be a lot of big movies and with that, lots of merchandise,” explains Final Frontier’s Julian Shelford. “Some will be hits and some will be losers. Getting that right will be a challenge. All the big players will be trying to get a chunk of the pie and that will lead to discounting and offers which is not always easy to compete against as an independent.” Neil Armstrong of The Toy and Book Warehouse adds: “Jurassic World and Star Wars: The Force Awakens will be massive.”

n Contact Michael Hawkins (michael@toyshopuk.co.uk or 07786 295756) for more information. www.toyshopuk.co.uk

What will have the biggest impact on your business this year?

prices. This combines with customers’ belief that the internet is always cheaper, so they use the shop for free advice and as a window.”

prices because of the strength of their currency and who devalue goods on customs forms to save customers import duties and VAT.”

John Guiver Models R Go “We no longer support manufacturers like Hornby or Airfix who sell direct and offer massive discounts to shift slow moving stock. The biggest threat though is Hong Kong-based companies who are able to offer lower

Karen Wood Strider Bike UK “Fake goods and copies.” Neil Armstrong The Toy and Book Warehouse “Jurassic World and Star Wars: The Force Awakens will be massive.”

62% – Discount retailers 7% – Blockbuster films 21% – Suppliers selling direct 10% – New collectable ranges

Rachel Jones Totseat “Counterfeits. It’s a big problem that too many people are ignoring.” Nigel Clarke Toy Dome “Suppliers selling direct and discounting heavily means we can’t even compete, and we buy from the supplier. Supplier discounts are getting lower. It seems to me they just don’t want any other people selling the product just to fill our shelves with dead stock.”

“

A NEW YEAR brings with it new rewards, opportunities, as well as challenges. In film circles, 2015 is being touted as the year of the blockbuster, while several toy companies are claiming to have this year’s big playground craze within their portfolio. Elsewhere, discount retailers which dipped a toe into the toy market are now ankle deep; while retailers are still facing some of the challenges they had to navigate in 2014. So, this month, ToyShop UK asked its listers what they feel will have the biggest impact on their business this year, and top of the bill was discount retailers. 62 per cent of those asked believe discount retailers will have the greatest impact on business this year, while 21 per cent claim suppliers selling direct will prove to have major say in how successful 2015 will be for them. “Suppliers selling direct discount heavily means we can’t even compete, and we buy from the supplier,” says Nigel Clarke of Toy Dome. “Supplier discounts are getting lower. It seems to me they just don’t want any other people selling the product just to fill our shelves with dead stock.”

Popular weekly giveaways, the Independent Toy Awards and special supplier listings are just three of the ways that Toy Shop UK can help you increase your online presence and complement other marketing activities.

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INDIE RETAILER FOCUS

Sylvanian Families On the outskirts of North London stands a shop dedicated to the world of Sylvanian Families. Robert Hutchins talks to store operations manager Ben Miller about success and a love for the miniature animals Can you tell us a bit about your store? We are unique as a retailer in the UK, because we specialise solely in Sylvanian Families. We pride ourselves as being able to offer not only the current range of Sylvanian Families, but also discontinued and harder to find items, making our shop a must see for the discerning collector. Most of our customers have travelled to London for a day trip or holiday and we are often top of their list of things they must see. Our visitor’s book makes wonderful reading with comments from Sylvanian collectors from all over the world. How did the Sylvanian Families shop come to be? We created the shop in 1992 as a base to run the Tomy Sylvanian Families Token Scheme and our collectors’ mail order service. In those days, Sylvanians were sold separately as well as in a family set, so collectors could order from us any missing family figures or other figures or other items to finally complete their collections. When did you guys realise your passion for all things Sylvanian Families? Over the years, our small team has mostly been recruited from our own customer base. It is very important that our staff knows the product inside out and can advise our customers on what they purchase. All of our team have a huge knowledge of the brand and its history, and can advise customers brilliantly whether they are a first time purchaser or a long time devotee. What ranges do you stock? We stock the full range of UK Sylvanian Families and an extensive number 100 January/February

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of discontinued lines. We used to stock Epoch’s Japanese and mainland Europe range, as well as the North American Calico Critters range. However, Epoch UK feels we should only run the UK range like all the other retailers. What are the challenges in running a Sylvanian Families store? The toughest part of our work is sourcing enough diverse stock to meet customer demand and obviously only dealing with one supplier. The rest is easy. Our team prides itself on excellent customer service and we always go the extra mile for our customers. The best part is seeing the delight on faces young and old as they step into our own little part of Sylvania. What is your relationship with the local community? We have and always will continue to support our local community, such as school fundraising events throughout the year. The shop itself is too small to accommodate any special events, so once a year we have a Sylvanian Weekend Away in the summer time. We invite all of our collectors to join us in Whitchurch in Hampshire and we turn the community centre into a mobile version

of our shop with a large marquee on the lawns of the Silk Mill next door. This is where we conduct our shows and activities. The community gets involved, too, helping with everything from extra parking in the school playground to policing the traffic for our thousands of visitors. What is demand like for Sylvanian Families? Sylvanian Families has everlasting appeal right across age groups. Over the years, we have noticed it cycle through peaks and troughs. Although we do not have figures for 2014 yet, we can feel that the brand is in a trough at the moment. What were your 2014 highlights? We were delighted to win Best Independent Toy Retailer 2014 at the Progressive Preschool Awards. This is a testament to our enthusiasm for the brand. Financially speaking, 2014 has been our worst start to a year. With new distributors discontinuing our importing of overseas ranges, we are finding it hard to source enough diversity for the range. However, we look forward to 2015, with renewed optimism for a more successful year ahead. www.toynews-online.biz

11/12/2014 17:01

Spring Fair 2015 Show Preview

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Spring into action

From High Street to high end, more than 70,000 retailers are expected to flock to this year’s Birmingham exhibition. Robert Hutchins talks to Spring Fair’s interim portfolio director, Naomi Barton THE ‘TREASURE trove for independent retailers’ is preparing to open its doors once again, and this time it’s promising its “biggest show in a number of years.” Yep, it’s time to dig out those hiking boots, because we and over 70,000 attendees are heading to Birmingham’s NEC to take on more than 17 miles of product aisles at Spring Fair 2015. Following the success of last year’s show that saw 67,000 visitors from 130 countries pack in to the NEC’s 17 halls, the numbers are already looking good for another bumper year, according to the fair’s organisers, i2i Events. “Spring Fair is the largest trade exhibition in the UK, there has been a 10 per cent rise in overall exhibitor numbers compared with the Spring Fair 2014 event,” Naomi Barton, interim portfolio director for Spring Fair, tells ToyNews. “It is now looking to be our biggest show in a number of years.” As one of the UK’s most consistently best-attended exhibitions, Spring Fair offers “exceptional crossover buying opportunities” with no less than 14 complementary market sectors all under one roof. And among the many varied categories making up the fair’s extensive offering – ranging from Christmas fodder to fashion and jewellery – the Children’s Gifts, Toys and Gadgets sector presents a core aspect of the show. “The market for toys and gadgets is incredibly important to Spring Fair, in fact 26 per cent of our visiting buyers have a www.toynews-online.biz

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primary interest in toys, so it really is a core sector for the show,” continues the event’s Barton. 170 gift and toy companies will line the stands of Hall 3 by the time the show opens its doors this February, including 60 firms making their Spring Fair debut and

merchandise and a wide range of gadgets,” explains Barton. “And this year’s toy exhibitors will include some of the best-loved names in the toy business.” Meanwhile, The Party Show promises to live up to its name with not only a selection of products from industry

2015 is looking to be our biggest show in a number of years. Naomi Barton, i2i Events

20 international names including the likes of Posh Paws, Tinytodds, Berg Toys, Palgrave, Marshall Group and Bandai UK. “Product-wise, we offer higher-end traditional toys, wooden toys, educational items, games, puzzles and plush gifts, alongside character licence

favourites – including Rubie’s Masquerade, Amscan International, Mask-Arade and more – but also a roster of sponsored catwalks three times a day, an event recognised as a constant crowd pleaser. But far from offering simply more of the same as previous years, Spring

Fair 2015 will see some significant changes, including the launch of the show’s first Retail Shop. An evolution of the successful eCommerce zones already established at the fair, Retail Shop will provide “a full spectrum offering dedicated to cutting edge technology and retail solutions,” explains Barton. “Retail Shop at Spring Fair will represent a multitude of products and services, essential to successful multi-channel retailing,” she continues. It’s fair to say then, that Spring Fair has the retailer at the heart of its operations, offering services, seminars and workshops to advice on every aspect of selling. “Spring Fair is a crucial barometer for the British retail trade,” continues Barton.

“We provide world-class educational content free of charge across our various seminar theatres and feature areas. “Busy independent retailers and buyers don’t get many opportunities to hone the skills that will help them retain their competitive edge, so a visit to Spring Fair can be like a one-stop-shop where they can learn about everything from future trends and merchandising techniques to ecommerce and social media marketing,” Barton says. So, whether you’re looking to fill your shelves with the latest gifts and gadgets, or fill your noggin with the most up to date retailer advice, Birmingham’s Spring Fair seems to have well and truly established itself as an important date on the retail calendar. January/February 103

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SHOW GUIDE SPRING FAIR 2015

Ravensburger This year will see the firm step up its children’s games activity and build on its successful puzzle ranges, with 90 new spring/summer products RAVENSBURGER LOOKS forward to welcoming visitors to its stand at Spring Fair this year, where the team will be unveiling over 90 new products for spring/summer and with lots more promised for the autumn and Christmas seasons ahead. ToyNews was lucky enough to get a sneak preview at some of the hottest products from the puzzle specialist this year. Last year, Ravensburger topped NPD data as Britain’s number one puzzle brand, and thanks to the help of a successful range of character licences and the breadth and depth of its range, experienced major growth in 2014. The company now boasts a roster of puzzle titles and formats suitable for every age and ability. “We are very fortunate to work with such a great team of licensors, and are all hugely excited by this year’s product range,” comments Ravensburger’s marketing manager, Benn Bramwell. “We are confident that we offer a ‘one stop puzzle shop’ for retailers large and small and, of course, everything is backed by our legendary attention to quality and detail. “All of our products exceed current EU safety guidelines, and because we manufacture in our own European factories, we can push production through quickly if we need to and react to product on demand. This flexibility was especially useful when Frozen became so hugely popular during 2014.” The company is adding a formidable range of new children’s characters to its stable, including Avengers: Age of Ultron, Bing Bunny, Minions, The Clangers, Twirly Woos, Big Hero 6, 104 January/February

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Cinderella (live action), Palace Pets, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, The Good Dinosaur and Inside Out. Meanwhile, established ranges such as Disney’s Frozen, Thomas and Friends, The Gruffalo, In the Night Garden, The Snowman and The Snowdog, Doc Mcstuffins, Princess, Finding Nemo and Cars each have exciting new launches, too. For the adult puzzler, Ravensburger’s collection remains the go to brand for the more brain busting titles. And the majority of the range is developed right here, in the UK. “Our British development team might not thank me for saying it, but they have over 40 years of hands-on experience in the development of adult and children’s jigsaws,” continues Bramwell. “Along with our marketing team, we have all worked hard to build a thriving dialogue with consumers, to ensure we

know exactly what they want and expect when they buy a jigsaw puzzle. “Our adult puzzle range reflects this and ensures that customers will find something to delight, challenge and entertain them, and will return for more,” Bramwell says. The firm now has 40 new titles for the adult market, with more planned for autumn this year. And if you’re bored with simply puzzling in 2D, Ravensburger is throwing a third dimension in to the mix. 3D puzzle sales continue to grow for the firm, with the Empire State Building with light featuring as a must-have product for 2014. 2015 sees a slate of new 3D puzzle releases, including Neuschwanstein Castle, the One World Trade Centre, a Country Cottage and a Lighthouse. There’s also a new Frozen 54-piece puzzle sphere. The segment will continue to be supported with, what Ravensburger claims, will

be one of the industry’s heaviest TV campaigns. This year, the children’s game range will receive special attention as the firm looks to grow its core games business, backed with three TV campaigns. “Sales of Labyrinth continue to grow, with Scotland Yard not far behind,” says Bramwell. “Add this to the success of Bugs in the Kitchen

Hall 3, Stand M01

(the game won the ToyTesters.TV gold award for the most fun toy), and with the support of the TV campaigns, we are anticipating a great year for children’s games. “Games is where the company started back in 1883, so it’s wonderful to be able to draw on our heritage for fun, original and high quality games for children.”

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SHOW GUIDE SPRING FAIR 2015 UNDERGROUND TOYS Star Wars, Doctor Who, Marvel and Sherlock will all be heading to Spring Fair this year, courtesy of Underground Toys. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, WWE, Peppa Pig, Ghostbusters, The Big Bang Theory and more will all be in tow, as the firm presents its latest (alongside some of its timeless classic) products. This year’s new ranges will include a collection of Star Wars Talking Plush featuring the new Roar & Rage Chewbacca and Lightsaber Battle Yoda feature plush with lights, sound and movement, released to coincide with the building hype around the new movie, The Force Awakens. Funko’s Pop! Vinyl figures remain popular, and Underground’s selection includes characters from Adventure Time, Frozen, Game of Thrones, WWE, DC, Marvel, My Little Pony and Star Wars. In addition, Marvel Avengers: Age of Ultron talking plush range will feature a variety of characters and sizes.

RUBIE’S MASQUERADE Underground’s roots were formed in the talking key chain sector, with a retro range called In Your Pockets and a pre-school range of Pocket Pals. It has since expanded into the Talking Plush arena. Most recently, the firm has grown into the novelty, gift and homewares areas. 0207 801 6325

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ORCHARD TOYS Early years experts Orchard Toys will be showcasing its entire fun learning range at Spring Fair this year, with the addition of new games and jigsaws. Pizza, Pizza is leading the new games collection with its colour and shape matching game aimed at kids aged three to seven years. The title is followed by Match and Spell, a first reading and spelling game, designed to offer young gamers two levels of play to support children as they develop their reading and spelling skills. Orchard Toys is also presenting a colourful new range of jigsaws,

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Hall 3 Stand R04-S0 5 making the most of the season, with freaky new Halloween ranges on the stand, including a wide range of brand new generic costumes and a new Tombstone Abbey line. Completing the line-up, the Rubie’s Christmas catalogue will feature Oversize Christmas Jumpers and children’s Nativity ranges. 08453 070707

BANDAI including Big Number jigsaw, a ‘talk about’ puzzle that comes with a poster, designed to aid education. Each Jigsaw piece features a number from one to 20, with an array of colourful characters and objects to count. Meanwhile, What Do I Do? includes six, large, threepiece jigsaws for little hands. Each puzzle depicts bold characters from different occupations. Orchard Toys is proud to continue manufacturing its products in the UK, using 100 per cent recycled boardand paper, sourced from sustainable forests. 01953 859 525

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Rubie’s will be showcasing an array of new costume ranges from its forthcoming catalogue at this year’s Spring Fair. From new Marvel licensed dressup for kids and adults, including Guardians of the Galaxy and Avengers Assemble: Age of Ultron, to new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Doctor Who and new Disney Princess dresses for the upcoming Cinderella live action movie and Frozen Fever animated short, Rubie’s has plenty to offer. And with the Star Wars hype beginning to kick in ahead of the new movie, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the firm will be showcasing its extensive Star Wars adult portfolio as well as its collection of kids dress up from Star Wars Rebels. Book Week will also be a major focus on the firm’s stand. Helping kids get involved in the World Book Day celebrations, Rubie’s will be offering new Dennis the Menace licensed dress-up, which will feature alongside Book Week favourites including Harry Potter, Peter Pan, Horrid Henry and others. Halloween, of course, is becoming a major focus in the dress-up calendar, and Rubie’s is certainly

There’s a whole lot of cuteness going on at Bandai’s stand this year, as the firm presents its predicted hit range of Monchhichi. Bandai is the new home of Monchhichi in 2015 and the firm is looking forward to introducing a collection of characters to the next generation of fans. The thumb-sucking monkeys have been melting the hearts of collectors for over 40 years, and this year they aim to give you that fuzzy feeling all over again, with new outfits. The new range includes 10cm key rings, the Classic 20cm dolls with Monchhichi logo bibs and a variety of 20cm Monchhichi dressed in themed clothes with fashion accessories. And for the serious collector, Bandai presents the 45cm and 80cm Monchhichi characters. But enough with the monkey business, because Bandai is also showcasing its new range of figural model kits based on the Gunpla series from Japan. Called Sprukits, the clip kits provide kids with everything they need to build detailed and articulated action figures with out the need to cut, paint of glue. The new line includes popular Halo and

DC characters, delivered in varying levels of complexity, so youngsters can build their favourite heroes from the ground up. 01489 790944

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SHOW GUIDE SPRING FAIR 2015 COILEDSPRING Leading Coiledspring’s line-up this year, and responding to retailer demand, is its best-selling John Deere Puzzle collection. The range has reportedly been a run away success for Schmidt Puzzles and features all new images across its new 100 and 200-piece puzzles. Continuing the puzzle theme, Ciro Marchetti’s steam punk-inspired jigsaw images were introduced as a new licence for 2014. Coiledspring says that the range has quickly established itself as a bestselling collection, featuring jewel colours and mechanical detail. Joining the range this year is the new Circus Procession jigsaw. The final piece of the puzzle line is a new range from Chris Saunders, Phil Koch and Mark Rattenbury. Rory’s Story Cubes are undergoing a refresh with the launch of new packaging for the Rory’s Story Cubes: Mix. The three additions to the main Rory’s Story Cubes range sit in the new CDU for an ‘eyecatching display.’

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PROFESSOR PUZZLE

Elsewhere, the Purple Cow range has been a strong line for the firm and the prepacked CDU is compact while holding up to £198. And this year, Crazy Scientist and the rest of the range is joined by Mapedia, a display of geographical puzzles in round tins. Finally, owing to the continued success of Sorgenfresser Worry Eaters, Schmidt has released a tranche of new characters. This year, Wanda joins the collection, Flint will be available in the junior collections and there are six new keyring characters to collect. There are also options for exclusives on some of the junior characters that will be launching this year. 0203 301 1160

AMSCAN

It’s jigsaw galore this year, as Professor Puzzle unveils a host of new product launches and plenty of product enhancements. Looking to cater for the younger puzzler – aged seven to 11 – The Puzzle Club offers a range of colourful titles at pocket money prices. Upon graduation, the young puzzler can advance to Puzzle Academy, picking up where Puzzle Club left off, with a collection of challenging brainteasers. The Great Minds flagships range continues to expand with the addition of a new Winston Churchill Bottle Puzzle, plus an expansion to the multi-product gift sets. Meanwhile, replacing the previously successful range, Professor Puzzle launches a new set of five Bottle Puzzles. Each designed to enhance the act of wine-drinking, these will provide the recipient with a challenge, before they can enjoy a glass. The firm is also pleased to welcome a new addition to the popular Tantrix brand. The new set will offer a mid-point price, sitting

between the Discovery and the Game Pack. Autumn last year saw the Fascinations Metal Earth range of 3D Steel model kits prove a ‘huge hit’. This year, Professor Puzzle will show the substantially expanded range of Classics, as well as the licensed ranges from Star Wars and Star Trek, with plenty to come throughout 2015. To complete the line-up, Professor Puzzle will be showing samples from its bespoke design service. 01932 230 992

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WOW TOYS

With 1,500 new products covering 400m squared, Amscan will be making a big splash. With a variety of over 30 key licensed party and balloon ranges, from licensors including Disney, Nickelodeon, Hasbro and Mattel, the firm aims to be your one stop shop solution.

Amscan urges you not to miss its new First Birthday ranges and accessories, combining contemporary designs with traditional key colour themes. New for kids’ parties, Amscan will be showcasing animal-themed ranges including an on trend Owl design, while for teens there will be a new Sweet sixteen range of tableware and decorations. For those celebrating a big birthday, there are even new milestone party accessories. Keep an eye out for Amscan’s costume collection including a variety of new items for key themes including pirates, story book characters, history, professions, Halloween and more for kids, teens and adults. There will also be the chance to learn how to create store displays with demos to be held by expert balloon decorator, Chris Horne. Two seminars will be held per day, one focusing on the Decorator latex balloon range, the other on creating designs with a variety of balloon formats for different occasions. 01908 288 500

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British designed and award-winning Wow Toys has been ‘producing toys with wow appeal’ since 1997, and this year the firm is bringing its collection to the halls of Birmingham’s NEC. All of the firm’s toys – each designed to be pushed by little hands – leave zero carbon footprint, with no batteries required. But the company’s no batteries policy doesn’t mean it skimps on the play appeal. Thanks to each toy’s design, they can whizz along with mechanical

push and go motors and triggerpull propellers, while many contain special features such as secret compartments and ‘magic’ buttons, teaching children exciting ‘cause and effect’ principles through fun and interactive play. Visitors to the stand will also be treated to demonstrations on all new toy launches and be invited to see the in-store promotions planned for 2015. These include a number of branded and highly visible ready to roll out shop fits. 0207 471 0980

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SHOW GUIDE SPRING FAIR 2015 FLYING GADGETS Cars, copters, drones and ride-on jeeps: Flying Gadgets has it all. And this year, the RC toy specialist is heading to Spring Fair to unveil its array of new products, as well as showcase its extensive portfolio of classic toys. “With a number of innovative new products launching throughout 2015, Spring Fair is the perfect platform for Flying Gadgets to unveil its next wave of ground-breaking tech toys,” comments the firm. A new mid-size quadcopter – the 2.4ghz Gee quad – boasts an auto

MY SPRING FAIR

JOSHUA FARLEIGH MD, Flying Gadgets

level function and comes with live stream video from its high definition camera. The green Gee Quad is available from March this year and is geared up towards those new to the world of drones. The company is also expanding its fleet of children’s vehicles with the addition of the new Mercedes G55 ride-On Jeep. The licensed 12 v battery powered vehicle can reach a top speed of 7km/h and features a secure seatbelt and parental remote control. The realistically designed car even comes with a spare

wheel, working lights and built in MP3 connection. Finally, Flying Gadgets will unveil the King of Scorpion, a radio controlled gas powered boat with a pistol transmitter. A new copper-plated flex shaft and shaft sleeve deliver superior transmission, while the carburetor offers sharp throttle control. The boat features a new waterproof radio box with water seal and easy access to minimise risk of water damage or corrosion. In addition, the Scorpion also has an optimised

How important is Spring Fair to you? What does it offer you can’t find anywhere else? Spring Fair is incredibly important to us due to the calibre of clientele who visit the show. Spring Fair gives us the platform to reach a wider breadth of customer, those who don’t necessarily

see themselves in the toy sector. They are looking for ranges beyond toys, so that makes them a good fit for Flying Gadgets. Is Spring Fair a growing part of your industry calendar? It’s a key date on the retail and toy calendar, for sure. It’s important to meet customers face to face.

propeller that offers higher speed, yet the clutch lets the boat idle safely. Flying Gadgets is also one of the chosen official distributors for the DJI brand in the UK. DJI recently unveiled its most advanced What’s your best Spring Fair moment? Meeting an abstract client we thought wouldn’t be interested in our product, but who was blown away by what we had to offer, and subsequently placed a big order.

drone to date, the Inspire 1 and is one of the leading brands of drones and quadcopters in the world. A new drone in its Phantom range will be unveiled during the second quarter of 2015. 0844 209 2626

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GB EYE With over 28 years experience, GB eye is Europe’s leading poster company, offering its customers the biggest licensed images. The firm’s portfolio of over 200 licences includes some of the world’s biggest brands in film, TV, music, sport, gaming and icons. Last year proved to be another successful run for the company, with the introduction of new lines including award-winning metallic foil posters created by a process exclusive to GB eye. Meanwhile, micro posters are also proving to be popular. New formats for 2015 include a diverse range of rubber key chains and boxed mugs, billed by the firm as ‘ideal for fans or as gifts.’ “Our fantastic mugs come in fully branded gift boxes and are manufactured inhouse to assure the highest quality,” read a statement from the firm. “No matter how large or small the order, you will 110 January/February

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always have your stock when you need it.” Badge packs, button badges, stickers, temporary tattoos and card holders continue to grow this year with more licences and designs joining GB eye’s burgeoning portfolio. “Our multi product FSDU is ideal to promote a great range of merchandise and poster products from a small unit, ideal for till points or for use in a concession area. They offer a flexible display option that fits in even the smallest space and encourage impulse purchases.” GB eye also offers a host of wall art options from frames and ready to hang wall art to bespoke frame projects and a line of signed memorabilia. Hot licences include Minions, Thunderbirds, DC Comics, World of Warriors, Home, Pokémon, Monster High, Spongebob Squarepants: A Sponge Out of Water, 5SOS, The Vamps and One Direction. 0114 276 7454

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MY SPRING FAIR

STEVEN BIRKS National Sales Manager How important is Spring Fair to you? What does it offer that you can’t find anywhere else? Spring Fair is our key exhibition of the year. We always get a great

reaction to our products from current and new customers, and each year following the show, we have an influx of new accounts. For GB eye, this show brings more suitable retailers, not just gift of toy but across every category. Is the fair a growing part of your industry calendar? Yes, due to our increasing customer list, this show is our chance to communicate and gain feedback from customers face to face.

This year, we hope that we are able to continue to bring on board a number of new customers. Best Spring Fair moment? We once met Imperial Storm Troopers from Star Wars, and Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen. A couple of years ago GB eye invited Star Wars Storm Troopers on to the stand for the day. When Lawrence LlewelynBowen walked past the stand, the troopers had a brief chat with him about his outfit.

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SHOW GUIDE SPRING FAIR 2015 RAVENSDEN From the jungles of Borneo to the plains of Africa, few understand animals like Ravensden, let alone boast a collection of animal themed soft toys and gifts to match. From Alpacas to Zebras, soft toys to ceramics, Ravensden has a comprehensive range of animal merchandise available across Europe. Experienced in product sourcing, importing and exporting, Ravensden – a family owned and operated company founded in 1975 – specialises in the zoo, aquarium, leisure and promotional markets.

MY SPRING FAIR

MICHAEL PAPÉ Director, Ravensden

“Our aim is to supply quality products and to continually develop and introduce new lines enhancing the retail offering of attractions,” read a statement from the firm. “The quality of our products, levels of our service and order turnaround we believe are second to none.” Ravensden boasts both expertise and experience in bespoke product design and many of the Ravensden standard products can be branded for your own attractions. Options include embroidery on soft toys,

dressing of soft toys with personalised t-shirts, bespoke swing tags promoting your brand and message or pad printing on to a number of stock items. This year, the firm has a portfolio of over 250 new lines joining its popular product line-up. New additions include a smaller range of realistic bird soft toys with sound, designed in conjunction with the RSPB. 01933 356 221

How important is Spring Fair to you and what does it offer that you can’t find anywhere else? We have been at Spring Fair for over 30 years now, and it always gives us another way to connect with our client base and showcase new stock. Spring Fair covers many different sectors and in particular for

us, toy and gifts. For us, the show is more UK focused. Is Spring Fair a growing part of the industry calendar? Spring Fair is going from strength to strength with the cross-over of toys in to other sectors such as gifts, party, festive and cards. The i2i team has done a great job over the past few years.

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What’s your favourite Spring Fair moment? We have many memories of Spring Fair, but for me, Sebastian Conran’s presentation of the Gift of the Year awards in 2014 is a real highlight. He commented on the art of gifting in the modern

world, and how it means more to someone to receive something that has been picked out specifically for them. This sums up our industry. It’s about making people smile.

TOBAR Over the last 12 months, the team at Tobar has been travelling the world to get ideas and inspirations for its new 2015 product range. The adventure paid off, and now the firm is once again heading to Spring Fair with a roster of “incredible lines” that Tobar believes are all destined for great things this year. The team has managed to secure some new distribution partnerships in addiiton to its existing lines, which includes Maisto, Edible Sweet Art, Syma Zuru, 50Fifty and Bburago. New partners for 2015 include the likes of USA’s Schylling, stationery brand Scentos and outdoor brand Turbospoke, while Zuru and Bburago will be unveiling some exciting new lines to tempt customers in 2015. For the last 30 years, Schylling has been recognised for its collection of classic tin toys. With over 100 new timeless toy lines being added to this year’s roster, Tobar is sure 112 January/February

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the range will be a popular choice among customers. Meanwhile, Bburago has secured the worldwide distribution rights for Ferrari Die Cast models and Tobar will be working with Bburago in the new partnership in 2015. For children’s scented stationery, Scentos has it covered as sales continue to boom for the collection of gifts ‘ideal for birthdays, party bags and more.’ Turbospoke brings a range of bike accessories to the table, while for Zuru, 2015 is all about Robot Turtles. Elsewhere, Tobar will continue its partnership with Blue Sky to introduce the new Star Wars collection of novelty licensed stationery and gifts this year. Finally, the firm has added new lines to its own collection of classic pocket money and adult novelty gifts, all with an RRP of £5 or less, while the team has invested in a range of marketing materials and POS solution to help convert sales in store and online. 0844 573 4299

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SHOW GUIDE SPRING FAIR 2015 TOONSTAR TOYS Toonstar Toys has chosen Spring Fair for the grand unveiling of its new range of pop culture style vinyl figures, featuring iconic stars from the world of music, film and TV. Having launched the initial range at the Autumn Fair last year to “such positive feedback”, the show’s spring time counterpart provides the ‘ideal platform’ to present the new ranges to a wide retail audience. “We found the Autumn Fair an ideal base to launch the brand and gauge the reaction from the attendees from the show, which on the whole was very good,” David Kanter, director at Toonstar Toys, tells ToyNews. “We are sure that the new range of figures will be just as, if not, even more popular with audiences.” Each original cartoon caricature drawing is created and designed by apparel firm Toonstar, which owns the copyright

to the characters it has developed, explains Kanter. “Our licence with Toonstar enables us to bring the firm’s caricatures to life in the form of vinyl figures,” he continued. “As the caricatures are based on parody, there is no copyright infringement here.” For now, the new range is being kept under wraps by the firm but will join a line up of caricatures inspired by iconic films and TV shows, including Ghostbusters and Breaking Bad – of course under their parody names, Spirit Hunters and Evolution.

Meanwhile, all figures comply with the European Toy Safety standard, EN71 1-2-3, ensuring that all material and components used in the product meets European legislation. And for this reason, Kanter explains, the figures can be classed as toys with a recommended age of five plus. Each figure in the Toonstar Toys range comes supplied with its own accessory and ID card packed in stylish window boxes and POS cases offering a striking instore display. www.toonstartoys.com

MY SPRING FAIR DAVID KANTER Director, Toonstar Toys How important is Spring Fair to you, and what does it offer that you don’t find anywhere else? Spring Fair provides a very important platform for us to exhibit existing and future lines to a wide audience.

While we would look at heading to Toy Fair and Nuremberg in the future, Spring Fair offers a broad spectrum of buyers. Is Spring Fair a growing part of your industry calendar? As a new company looking to break and establish ourselves in the market,

the attendance of such a show is crucial in order to maintain and continue to grow the brand. What is your favourite Spring Fair moment? Having worked very closely on the product design and development, it is very satisfying to receive

positive feedback on the product from experienced buyers in this category.

Hall 3 Stand 3H10

GREEN OWL TOYS Established in 2009, Green Owl Toys specialises in hand crafted, award winning wooden toys, and this year, the family-run wholesaler is heading to Spring Fair with its collection in tow. Sourcing unique, European made gifts, Green Owl Toys focuses on natural and sustainably sourced materials, while every toy in the range meets the stringent European safety and ecological standards making them ideal for kids.

As well as being experts in play, Green Owl Toys also holds the only UK licence for Bajo toys, the makers of award winning wooden toys. Bajo designs and manufacturers all its toys in Poland, so it’s just as well the Green Owl Toys staff are fluent in both Polish and English, allowing the team to work closely with the manufacturers and ensure customer satisfaction. The wooden toy specialist is also the only distributor

of Gruffalo wooden toys, based on the best selling picture book written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler. The range was launched in January last year, exclusively to independents. Additional lines for the range will be unveiled at the Spring Fair. Green Owl Toys also distributes its own line of wooden swords and shields, featuring intricate designs. The firm will now launch a new range at the Spring Fair with the possibility of exclusivity to retailers. “Our size means that we are always quick to respond to our customers and give personal service,” says Izabela Hailey of Green Owl Toys. “Our relationship with our manufacturers means

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that lead times are short, and we can create products especially for you so you can respond flexibly and quickly to your market. “Please see us on our stand, we would love to show you all our gorgeous wooden toys so you can

see and feel the quality of design, materials and manufacture. All our products are made in Europe, from European materials, to full European standards in toy testings and ethics.” 020 8851 9904

MY SPRING FAIR IZABELA HAILEY Founder, Green Owl Toys How important is Spring Fair to you? What does it offer that you can’t find anywhere else? The Spring Fair is the most important five days of the year for us. The NEC creates a space for buyers from all over the UK, who find our charming wooden toys a must have for their shelves. Spring Fair ticks all our boxes and have made this our trade fair in January. Is it a growing part of your industry calendar?

The show is placed in between all of our other key trade fairs. It is a good time for independents to try something new and for major retailers to help with their selection for the Christmas season. What is your favourite Spring Fair moment? When you have set up the stand, you are just finishing your coffee and croissant and the announcement is made: “The doors are now open for trade visitors”. It’s the excitement about what the day might bring you.

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SHOW GUIDE SPRING FAIR 2015 ESDEVIUM Esdevium is bringing a wide range of products to Spring Fair this year, and will be paying close attention to its various gift lines, including Fisher-Price Classics, Front-Porch Classics and, of course, a wide selection of family and kids’ games. A long-time favourite of Esdevium’s eclectic mix of customers, the Fisher-Price Classics collection features all the favourite toys of a generation past, attracting the attention of both retailers and consumers alike. The collection contains perennial sellers such as the Chatter Telephone and Record Player, alongside a number of new additions for 2015, including the welcome return of the Little Snoopy pull-along dog. New to the firm for 2015 is the Front-Porch Classics collection of games that includes titles such as Shut the Box, Knob and Heel Cribbage and Boneyard Dominoes. Each is made from wood, leather, metal or other high quality materials

and all are built to last a lifetime, according to the firm. ‘These products are elegant enough to be displayed in living rooms everywhere,’ read Esdevium’s description. Elsewhere, the firm’s range of gift items also includes Scrabble Nostalgia Edition. Billed as the perfect collector’s item and modeled on one of the earliest designs of the game with original style pieces and artwork, the game is presented in a wooden box and is one of a number of Scrabble games Esdevium will have on show this Spring Fair. To complete the lineup, the company’s wider games range will include a host of exciting new kids’ titles across popular Disney licences including Frozen, Star Wars, Marvel and Disney Princess. 01420 593 593

Hall 3 Stand 3D18

MARBEL

LE TOY VAN Space Rockets, Star Spinners and Dinosaur Friends; the New Year sees the arrival of new lines for the PeLMeL Pocket Money Range from Le Toy Van, bringing the collection up to a choice of 18 different assortments in striking CDUs. The Space Rocket collection will be leading the line-up with nine chunky painted wooden toy rockets to collect. This is followed by the arrival of an assortment of 12 Star Spinners; wooden rockets with spinnable astronaut components. The line-up will be completed with Dinosaur Friends, a selection of favourite dinosaurs for youngsters.

Hall 3 Stand L48

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Elsewhere, the Budkins Pocket Money Collectables continue to cause a stir, and now there are 109 individual characters and 17 triple packs to collect. A range of posable characters, Budkins have been billed as the ‘ideal collectable, designed for play at anytime.’ Last year saw the Honeybake role-play home collection garner a string of awards for the Café Drinks Machine, the Doctor’s Set and the Honeybubbles Washing Machine. This year welcomes the arrival of the new gelato set and a floor standing Honey Kitchen. For doll’s house collectors, the Daisylane Doll’s House Collection features the largest selection of painted, wooden doll’s houses, furniture and accessories in the world. With over one dozen doll’s houses, three collections of furniture and a plethora of accessories, it provides a collectable mini-world. 2015 sees the launch of Evergreen House, a fully painted set with 12 pieces of furniture and 15 accessories. New to the firm’s collection of motors, planes and garages, 2015 also sees two new garages with easy slide lifts join the portfolio. 0208 979 2036

Cornwall-based toy distributor Marbel is heading to Birmingham again this year, bringing with it all of the newest products from its renowned brands: Brio, Hape, Nanoblock, Lottie, Pink Poppy, Bullyland and Oidroids. Brio has ‘once again delivered the firm a portfolio of awesome designs and quality products’ says Marbel, with additions to the Theme Park Rollercoaster Set that was released last year. A Ferris Wheel and a Fun Park Play-Set are adding new accessories to the range with interactive bells and spinning wheels, making it an ‘ideal addition’ to the wooden railway world. Nanoblock is launching new products and is embracing an ocean theme with the release of an Orca, Hammerhead Shark and a Rock

Hopper Penguin in to the wild this year. All part of the brand’s mini collection, these little creatures are billed as ‘perfect for micro building block builders.’ Lottie Dolls are covering the map this year, with adventurous characters including Stargazers and Fossil Hunters for girls and boys. There are some new accessory kits in the range, too, with a scooter set, super hero outfits and a fishing kit. Meanwhile, Pink Poppy is showcasing a Fiesta range of bags, purses and accessories this year. Characteristically Spanish in design, the range will feature the Pink Poppy colour palette. 0845 6000 286

Hall 3 Stand 3Q04

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SHOW GUIDE SPRING FAIR 2015 RAINBOW DESIGNS Rainbow Designs is heading to Spring Fair this year with a burgeoning portfolio, brimming with new products for 2015. Brand new to the firm’s nursery ranges is the Peppa Pig Nursery Collection, marking the debut of Peppa Pig in the nursery and baby market. The collection is designed in soft neutral tones, focuses on both Peppa and her brother George and includes the likes of comfort blankets, musical pull downs, chime and rattle toys, activity toys and a Peppa teether. Each toy has been designed for babies and encourages development through play.

Hall 3 Stand H18-J1 9

GIBSONS Also taking centre stage this year for Rainbow Designs is the firm’s brand new Shaun the Sheep: The Movie collection. The launch coincides with the cinematic release of the Shaun the Sheep: The Movie, hitting cinemas on February 6th and features popular characters Shaun the Sheep, Bitzer, Shirley, Timmy and Slip, to name but a few. The collection will deliver Shaun the Sheep: The Movie soft toys, a Baahing Shaun the Sheep, a catapult Shaun the Sheep, as well as a Shaun the Sheep card game, 100-piece puzzle and a Snakes and Ladders inspired board game. Elsewhere, the firm will also be showcasing its Air Puppy collection, featuring the gang from Hickory Shack, the farmyard friends from Hedgerley Farm, and the long-legged chums from Burford Yard, each delivering a huggable companion for fans young and old. Peter Rabbit, Guess How Much I Love You, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Miffy, Elmer and Paddington join the roster of new additions for the spring/summer market this year. 01329 227 300

BIGJIGS This year marks a special milestone for BigJigs Toys as the company celebrates 30 years of ‘Creating Perfect Playrooms’. The team will be celebrating in the only way it knows how, in Hall 3 at this year’s Spring Fair. Attendees will be invited to join the firm for a slice of BigJigs birthday cake, a glass of bubbly and, of course, a look at the latest offerings for the year ahead. BigJigs will be introducing three new additions to its Jigsaw Puzzle range, a line that the firm can trace all the way back to the 1980s. Each of the new colourful Arched Puzzles is split into three levels, allowing youngsters to develop their dexterity and problem solving skills as they build a new scene with each layer. Meanwhile, BigJigs Rail welcomes two new ranges: Dino Range and Farm Range, both sporting new

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Gibsons’ stand at this year’s Spring Fair will showcase a range of new releases and redesigns. The game is afoot, and this year the company will be presenting its new Sherlock Holmes Card Game. The firm achieved success last year with the redesign of its Sherlock-themed board game, 221B Baker Street, and sold out all initial copies in under three months. The compete second run of the game was sold out even before they were made. Presented in a luxury, black gift box with a silver, foil finish, the Sherlock product is geared to appeal to the gift market. And Gibsons is expecting the card game

to be a big success this year, as the demand for Sherlock continues. Also new to 2015 is the Memory Lane series of jigsaws, each taking the puzzler back through the decades and in to the heart of their homes. Featuring artwork from Steve Noon, the range is designed to deliver nostalgia and kicks off with two editions, 1950s and 1960s, with further decades in the pipeline. Finally, a further 60 new puzzles have been added to the existing range this year, including commemorative WWII puzzles and additions from both new and favourite artists. 020 8661 8866

Hall 3 Stand L05

THE PUPPET COMPANY style BigJigs Rail packaging. The two sets build upon the popularity of miniature wooden railways and extend the scope for imaginative play with new themed ranges for pre-schoolers. The 44-piece Farm Train set offers railway play in rural settings, all at the price of £29.99, while the Farm range Hay Barn, Farm Bridge, Country windmill, Farm Train and Chicken Shed Tunnel are all accessories to the range. A brand new selection of traditional games will be joining the BigJigs Games range this year, with new Animal Shut The Box, Ludo, Lotto and Mastermind being just a few. New to the Bigjigs Baby range is the colourful Number Stacking Tower, while seven new faces join the BigJigs Toys plush range for 2015. The traditional plush dolls are large in both characters and size. 01303 250 400

This year sees The Puppet Company launch three new Hideaway Puppets featuring Rabbit Hill House, Under the Sea House and the Dinosaur Volcano House. The new Hideaways come complete with assorted finger puppets and a playhouse for them to live in. The sets follow on from the firm’s popular Tree House, Mice in cheese and Rabbit in a Lettuce. The new characters come in vibrant colours and The Puppet Company is confident that the puppets are going to be “a great addition to the range.” Also new this year for The Puppet Company is its full bodied puppets. “These are fantastic value with fabulous material and 21 different favourite animals to collect,” said the Puppet Company’s Peter Lockey. “These puppets are not straightforward sleeved puppets, but come with full arms and legs, making them a cuddly as a soft toy, but with all the interactivity and power of a puppet.” Easy to use, the puppets are suitable for most hand sizes and are a bold addition to the firm’s product line-up. Finally, The Puppet Company will be showcasing its new Doorway

Puppet Theatre and a collection of Early Years glove puppets with matching figure puppets, plus four new large bird puppets to see. 01462 446 040

Hall 3 Stand 3L38

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Nuremberg 2015 Show Preview

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SHOW GUIDE: SPIELWARENMESSE 2015

Nuremberg Toy Fair With a new area for Fashionable and Trendy product groups, the return of the TrendGallery and over 2,700 exhibitors attending, Nuremberg 2015 is shaping up to be a busy one. Billy Langsworthy shines a spotlight on the UK firms and global companies showcasing ranges at Spielwarenmesse later this month

THE NUREMBERG Toy Fair has swung back around and once again will see the industry flock to Germany for five days of networking, toy showcasing and, of course, enough beer, sausages and pretzels to kill a small horse. But the show can be a daunting prospect for newcomers, especially as the Nuremberg Trade Fair Center feels bigger than the city’s airport. Regardless, Ernst Kick, the CEO of the show, believes it’s a vital date in the calendar for anyone who is serious about the toy industry. “If you do business in the toy industry you need to know what’s going on here in Nuremberg,” Kick explains to ToyNews. “Once you have been, you will appreciate both the business contacts made and the inspiring products on show that will boost your business. “Prepare yourself to get the most out of your visit. Our online catalogue assists you with meeting the exhibitors at www. spielwarenmesse.de/ online-catalogue. As a registered user you can bookmark exhibitors, dates, brands and lots more as lists of favourites. Our website and app provides all other information you will need for your visit (www.spielwarenmesse.de/ special/spielwarenmesseapp),” he adds. This year’s show will be a little different to previous exhibitions, with new dedicated areas for Fashionable and Trendy product groups, but the same vast exhibitor numbers remain. www.toynews-online.biz

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“More than 2,750 exhibitors will present their products,” continues Kick. “Our programme in the TrendGallery and the Toy Business Forum will address many updates on future toy and retail trends and provide you with countless occasions for important networking. “We are going to present the product groups Fashionable and Trendy in a separate area for the first time. This year you will find exhibitors displaying accessories, designer toys, paper products, fan merchandise, souvenirs and licensed articles in the central entrance Eingang Mitte. A visit to the TrendGallery in hall 3A is a definite must if you are interested in getting

the bigger picture of toy market trends.” The UK pavillion will be in Hall 12.0 this year, and will feature 36 companies spanning ranges from roleplay to jigsaws. The popularity of the pavilion is demonstrated by

cent rebooking rate how important this show is to the industry,” says Stuart Whitehill, account director, Overseas Fairs Division. “New companies include Charlie Bears Limited from Cornwall, Youngstart International Ltd in Chorley,

If you’re in the toy industry, you need to know about Nuremberg. Ernst Kick, CEO

the fact that all its space was allocated by June 2014 and there is already a waiting list for 2016’s show. “We have been able to welcome four new companies to the show which just goes to show that with an 88.89 per

Shades CP Limited from Birmingham and Solve-it Blocks from Midlothian. “We will, of course, welcome UK visitors to the stand in Hall 12.0 where they can find out more about the UK Trade & Investment services,

learn about the exporting network that is in place, as well as being part of the UK group in the future. The stand is always a great place to meet and network and there are usually representatives from the British Toy and Hobby Association on hand as well should anyone be interested in finding out more about their work.” And when the feet start to ache and the eyelids feel heavy, Whitehill believes he has the solution smack bang in the centre of the UK pavillion. “The Toymakers Arms has established itself as a welcome watering hole to the weary UK exhibitor who drops in for a glass whilst the chaos of the metro dies down,” he concludes. January/February 121

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SHOW GUIDE SPIELWARENMESSE 2015

German market report As the global toy industry flocks to Nuremberg, Billy Langsworthy takes a step back and checks out the wider landscape of the German toy market and how it differs from the UK sector WHILE IN Nuremberg later this month, chances are you’ll want to show off your knowledge of the region. Well, we’re here to help with a guide to the German toy market, and while the UK is the largest toy market in Europe, the German population is larger. Both territories share similar kids’ population numbers however, and according to NPD data (year-to-date October 2014), German parents spend €261 per child aged nought to 11, while parents in Britain spend €340 per child. As well as in spend, parents across both territories also differ greatly when it comes to their buying habits. “German parents buy toys on request while in the UK, parents buy a lot on impulse and as a surprise to their kids,” NPD’s Frederique Tutt tells ToyNews. “The markets also differ in that German boys will largely play with construction toys and vehicles, but not very much with action figures.” There is also an interesting difference when it comes to Disney’s Frozen. The film has made $48 million in Germany to date (the UK figure stands at $64m) and while Frozen remained in the UK box office top ten for ten weeks on the trot, it made it to 11 weeks on the spin in Germany. So it seems the Germans loved the film as much as the rest of the world. Toys on the other hand seem a different matter. While UK shoppers wipe the foam from their mouths over Elsa dolls, our German counterparts just aren’t quite as fussed. “Germans are not terribly keen on licences,” continues Tutt. “The exception is Star Wars, which is extremely popular especially with the LEGO range.” www.toynews-online.biz

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And when comparing the top five licences in the UK and Germany year-to-date October 2014, only two properties grace both lists: LEGO City and Star Wars.

Playmobil graces the German list, and, as a German brand, remains front and centre with both boys and girls, while LEGO City and Barbie round off

the rest of the country’s top five. Little Tikes, Disney Princess and, of course, Disney’s Frozen complete the UK list. The popularity of Star Wars in Germany is also evident in the country’s top ten toy items for year-todate October 2014, with three of the ten being LEGO Star Wars sets. Also in that top ten is a craze familiar back here in the UK, Loom Bands. “The Looms have also taken off in Germany but much later than in the UK, hitting its stride from

July onwards and reaching craze status there too,” continues Tutt. But, as in the UK, Loom sales are now slowing down in Germany while another UK craze, World Cup football stickers and cards, didn’t generate much interest in the region in the first place. But, for all the differences between the UK and German markets, both are united in the fact that they are blooming, with the German toy market recently enjoying growth of four per cent (October 2014 YTD ).

German phrase book (courtesy of Google Translate)

Good morning = Guten morgen How much are the sausages? = Wie hoch sind die Wurst ? Help, I can’t feel my feet = Hilfe, ich kann nicht das Gefühl, meine Füße Where is the nearest bar? = Wo ist die nächste Bar ? January/February 123

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Company ........ Hall / Stand Number AFG Media. .........................H9/C-02 Alandra Products ...............H9/F-52 Albion Alloys. .................... H7/D-73 Amscan Europe ...... H9 / A-55, C-58 Anthony Peters Manufacturing Co.Ltd ............................................H4/B-08 Arklu ...................................H1/E-15 Aurora World. .................... H1/C-01 Bigjigs Toys ....................... H3/A-33 Birmingham Chamber of Commerce and Industry .... ...............H12/C-08, B-04, C-01, B-03-4, A-04, B-03 Bladez Toys ....................... H6/C-34 Bluw .................................. H5/C-57 BoxKart ............................. H7/C-20 Brainstorm ................H12.0/B-03-2 Burley Games Limited ... H10.0/I-13 Cartamundi ........ H10.1/B-06, C-11 Casdon plc ....................... H12/C-04 Character World. ............. H4/D-92 Charlie Bears Limited...H12.0/C-08-1

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Cheatwell Games ............ H10/A-03 Clevelands Wholesale ..........H7/B-89 Cloud B ...............................H2/D-12 Commotion Distribution .................. ...................................H12.0/A-04-7 Corolle ................................H1/E-12 Deans Marine......................H7/D-73 Deluxe Materials. ...............H7/D-73 Dice & Games ............... H10.0/E-12 Edtech Educational Technology Ltd ............................................H5/D-82 EDUK8 .......................H12.0/C-01-2 Epoch making toys...H1/D-05, D-11 EQD .....................................H3/E-20 Fairy Glam. ........................ H1/D-04 Fashionette Paris ...............H1/E-19 Fashions UK........................H1/E-09 Fiesta Crafts ......................H1/B-09 Findel Education .......H12.0/A-04-5 Garden Games ....................H8/C-09 Golden Bear Products..........H5/C-15 Goldfish & Bison ................ H5/A-34

Gratnells ......................... H3A/G-15 Green Board Education .................... .................................... H12/B-03-1B Green Board Games ..... H12/B-03-1 Greenbrook Automations ............... ........................................... H9/A-38 Grosvenor Consumer Products......... ......................................... H12/H-16 Haba ......................... H2/D-03, E-04 Hama ................................. H4/A-89 Hasbro Deutschland......................... .............................H12.0/F-10, H-05 Hauck ....................... H2/B-03, C-04 Hobby Products International ........ ........................... H7A/D-111, D-117 Horizon Hobby UK ......... H7A/B-165 Hornby Hobbies ............ H4A/F-250, ................................................ E-250 .................................. H7/E-40, D-41 HTI Toys ....................... H12.2/P-09 Hy-Pro International. ........ H7/C-25 i-Spy ............................. H10.1/C-13

IMC Toys ....................... H12.2/P-26 Indigo Jamm .......................H3/C-12 Ingo Devices ................. H12.0/H-13 Innovation First ..............H12.0/I-02 Insect Lore .........................H5/D-29 Inspiration Works ............................. .............................H12.0/G-18, F-20 Intertoy Colin Lisle & Associates .... .................................. H5/B-54, C-51 James Galt & Co. ........ H4/E-51, F-50 JC Toys ...............................H1/E-02 Jellycat...............................H1/B-17 JNH Europe .........................H5/D-16 Juggle Dream .....................H7/F-01 Keel Toys............................H1/C-09 Kiddimoto ...........................H3/B-29 Kitfix Swallow Group (KSG) ............. ............................................H4/C-30 Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH.. ...................................... H10.1/D-14 Lanka Kade UK ...................H3/F-05 Learning Resources........... H4/A-05

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SHOW GUIDE SPIELWARENMESSE 2015

Le Toy Van .........................H3/D-34 LeapFrog Enterprises. ..................... ...................................... H12.2/P-19 LEGO ............................. H12.2/P-01 Little Bird Told Me ..............H2/E-02 Lupe Toys ..................... H10.0/E-19 Manhattan Toy Europe ................... ......................................... H3/D-06B Maps Toys .................H12.0/A-04-2 Marvin’s Magic .......... H12.0/B-04-4 Mask-arade Limited ...........H9/B-34 Mattel........................... H12.2/P-15 Meadow Kids .................H12.0/F-08 Mega Brands ................ H12.2/P-15 Miniland Educational..........H5/B-02 MOOKIE TOYS ........... H7/C-09, D-08 NECA ..................................H5/C-59 Norscot Group ....................H7/B-88 OPTIFUEL & OPTIPOWER .. H7A/B-144 Orchard Toys ...................10.0/H-13 Orion Costumes................. H9/A-78 Oxford Diecast ...................H7/C-52

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Palmer Agencies ................H9/F-89 Pioneer Europe Limited ......H9/D-76 Plum Products ................... H8/A-08 PMS International Group................. ............................................H1/B-18 Pocketbond ........................H7/F-31 Pockos ...........................H12.0/F-16 Pritchard Patent Product Co ........... ....................................... H4A/A-230 Professor Puzzle ............H10.0/I-07 R H Smith and Sons .. H9/D-29, E-28 Rainbow Designs ................H1/E-22 Ravensburger ..... H12.0/A-12, D-13 Revell ............................ H7A/D-160 ...................................... H12.2/P-13 Ripmax .......................... H7A/D-172 Rubie’s Masquerade ..........H12/I-25 Sakar ......................... H12.0/B-08-6 SAMBRO International... H12.0/G-12 Savvi ..........................H12.0/C-05-5 Schleich ....................H6/B-20, C-21 Schumacher Racing ........ H7A/A-131

Seven Towns ................ H10.0/G-22 Simba Dickie Group ............H3/C-32 ............................................H4/C-09 .................................. H6/C-02, B-01 .................................. H6/B-02, C-01 .................................. H7/C-51, C-59 ............................................H7/B-19 ....................................... H7A/B-119 ...................................... H10.1/C-09 Spin Master .................. H12.0/D-10 Streets Ahead Dollshouse ...H1/F-13 Studio 100........... H10.1/E-16, F-37 SUKI Gifts International Ltd ............ ............................................H1/C-28 Teleview Marketing Group .............. ........................................... H5/A-57 Terox Toys .........................H7/C-65 The Creativity Hub .........H10.0/F-26 The Ninja Corporation ........H7/E-29 The Puppet Company. .........H1/F-09 Tobar Group Trading ..........H4/F-95 Tomy ............................ H12.2/P-11

Toy State ...................... H7A/A-169 Toyslab Entertainment .................... ........................................... H2/A-16 Travis Designs ....................H3/C-49 Trends UK ...........................H5/C-36 TTS ............................H12.0/A-04-1 Underground Toys ............ H5/A-72 Unique Party ..................... H9/A-77 Universal Standards (UK) ................ ............................................H3/B-22 Ventura Corporation Ltd.................. ................................... H12.0/B-03-3 Vivid ............................. H12.2/P-25 VTech ........................... H12.2/P-06 Wentworth Wooden Jigsaw Puzzles .... .................................Hall Foyer 10.0 Wooky Entertainment...................... .................................. H4/D-09, E-06 Worlds Apart. .....................H7/C-21 Wow Toys ..................H12.0/C-01-1

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SHOW GUIDE SPIELWARENMESSE 2015

Mega Brands

HALL 12.2, STAND P-15

This year sees the construction firm inject new products into its pre-school, girls and boys lines with the likes of Thomas & Friends, Minions and SpongeBob SquarePants Autumn/winter 2015 is set to be a big season for Mega Brands as it continues to build upon its successful pre-school ranges, including the Mega Bloks First Builders line. New products joining the range include the innovative Block Picking Wagon. This allows preschoolers to pull the wagon, fill it with blocks for classic play or push it to scoop up blocks up for fun and easy clean-up. To mark the 70th anniversary of Thomas & Friends, Mega Bloks will be launching a Sodor’s Celebrations themed set featuring an exclusive new buildable Thomas engine, complete with a birthday hat. In addition there will be new characters and movie related product introduced to the range. Elsewhere, in line with the new Dora and Friends TV series featuring a grown up Dora, Mega Bloks is launching a new range with friendly characters, buildable locations and post building play features, such as music and magic. Also new for autumn/ winter 2015 are six ‘spooktacular’ play-sets and eight mini monster figures creeping into the new Mega Bloks Monster High line. Fans can build and create their own freaky fun with Monster High characters that feature full articulation so they can strike any pose. Each character comes with different fashion styles, trendy accessories,

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while there are also secret reveals hidden in the sets. Consumers can also build and host a premiere with the Monster High Monster Moviemobile, dance away to the real music with the Graveyard Garden Party or strike a pose in Draculaura Vamptastic Room. Mega Bloks is also launching its own IP brand for girls in the form of The Craftails. Based in Storywood, Craftails is a range of friendly little creatures boasting big imaginations and even bigger tails.

The brand allows boys and girls to indulge in building and mess free crafting with a selection of different collectable animal figurines, each with furry tails. Mega Bloks will be building upon its popular Barbie range with new easy to build themes including Careers, Pets and Entertainment. The stars of Despicable Me will be taking over the big screen this year with the Minions movie, and the little yellow creatures will be starring in their own Mega Bloks set, too.

The Mega Bloks Despicable Me line, inspired by the franchise’s new movie, characters, locations and vehicles, features easy-to-build and fully customisable construction sets with mixand-match capabilities. The sets include buildable Minions unique to each kit. This means there is a wide variety of Minions for fans to collect, build and play with. Sticking with animated icons, the Mega Bloks SpongeBob SquarePants line will continue to

focus on buildable collectible figures with new underwater themed vehicles and locations. Elsewhere, for the first time, the popular Mega Bloks Hot Wheels line will incorporate real Hot Wheels track pieces into its play-sets. Petrolheads can enjoy building cars that can ride on the new track and the sets landing in autumn/ winter 2015 will include all-new original Mega Bloks designs, as well as a line of new drivers.

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SHOW GUIDE SPIELWARENMESSE 2015 CARTAMUNDI

HALL 10.1, STAND B-06, C-11

At this year’s Nuremberg Toy Fair, Cartamundi is launching the latest additions to its Shuffle range, as well as previewing plans for its 250th anniversary. Four new additions to Shuffle, a hybrid of playing cards and digital technology, will be on display at the show, bringing the total number of Shuffle games to 16. Shuffle Disney Frozen, Shuffle Disney Cars and Shuffle Monopoly Deal Disney Edition unite card games based on Disney and Hasbro brands with an optional free app that can add a new dimension to the gameplay. The list of new additions is completed by Shuffle Trumps, a game that adds interactivity to the established family favourite. Cartamundi will also be showing off its new Animal Planet Cutie, a game which is based on the Discovery Networks channel, and Frozen Two-in-one, a two-

WOOKY TOYS Wooky Toys is showing its new Charmazing range at Nuremberg this year. Charmazing combines jewellery making, charms and an app to allow girls to share and compare their different collections. The design-it-yourself jewellery features expandable, stackable bracelets and collectable charms. There are over 100 stylish and symbolic charms available for users to customise their creations.

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game pack based on the smash hit Disney film. Visitors to the firm’s stand will also be able to hear about the company’s plans for expanding its own brand children’s education games, and the continuing expansion to the lines of licensed children’s and pre-school games. The firm will also be previewing future developments to the Shuffle line and giving visitors a glimpse into preparations for Cartamundi’s 250th anniversary celebrations. 01268 511522

HALL 4, STAND D-09 Meanwhile, children can also download the free iOS or Android app to enable them to share and show off their collections. The ultimate goal is to become a true ‘Charm Master’ in the digital universe. In addition, Wooky Europe will also be launching a new licensed range with Disney at Nuremberg, as well as a full portfolio of Style Me Up branded products for 2015. 0151 494 3821

MY NUREMBERG

What’s your least favourite part? Based on my first five visits there are three. The first two are the snow and the accompanying extreme cold. My third least favourite part is the Nuremberg Toy Fair lurgy that I always bring back as a souvenir.

TRUDI BISHOP Head of Marketing and Licensing, Cartamundi

Early night or drinks? Drinks after the show – and not for drinking’s sake alone. This is one of the few times of the year the international toy trade get together in one place and if you want to catch up, gossip or network, an early night isn’t the way to do it.

How many times have you been to Nuremberg? This will be my fifth time.

Hangover tip? Water, water, coffee. Oh, and Berocca.

Favourite part of the show? I love the feel of the event. It has a vibrancy and buzz. But even more, I love the quirkiness of the people and things that the show attracts: the haircuts, the fashion styles and the transportation choices, not to mention the vast pots of rice being cooked in a certain part of the show…

What’s the one piece of advice you would give to first-timers heading to Nuremberg? Be prepared: wear warm clothes and flat shoes; add more time between meetings than you think you’ll need; eat before lunchtime or you’ll starve; be prepared for sore feet (the place is huge); and plan, plan, plan your visit.

MARVIN’S MAGIC Marvin’s Magic will be showing off some new tricks for 2015 on its Nuremberg stand. For more than 25 years, Marvin’s Magic has been a brand leader in the magic sector. The company is now keen to expand its distribution into other key territories. The company’s bestselling sets are being relaunched with instructional DVDs showing budding conjurers how to perform the various tricks and is perfect for youngsters who prefer a visual explanation.

HALL 12, STAND B-04-4 Marvin’s Magic has also been a champion of in-store theatre and when live demonstrations are not practical, the company has now developed the Virtual Magician for retailers. The Virtual Magician is a digital, on screen version of the firm’s best demonstrations on a lifesize screen that interacts with customers in a fun and friendly manner. As well as what’s new for 2015, the company will also be revealing some exciting new magic technology at its stand. 01582 849 000

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SHOW GUIDE SPIELWARENMESSE 2015

Mattel

HALL 12.2, STAND P-15

Mattel is bringing its extensive portfolio to Nuremberg this year, with new product from hit brands like Barbie, Monster High, Hot Wheels and WWE. Add to this the small matter of Thomas & Friends’ 70th anniversary celebrations and 2015 is looking very busy indeed

This year sees Barbie embrace the world of superheroes for the first time in her new movie, Barbie in Princess Power. The DVD release is being backed by a new toy line featuring the Superhero to Princess lead doll who, just like in the full-length feature, transforms from Princess Kara to Super Sparkle at the press of a magical gem. 130 January/February

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The release will be backed by an extensive marketing programme, TV campaign and PR programme, alongside eye catching POP designed to make Princess Power a major release for spring. Elsewhere for Barbie, spring sees the launch of new creative hair-play and fashion products including the Barbie Rainbow Makeover Doll.

Barbie’s popular pet play also welcomes a new addition with the Barbie Colour Me Cute doll. Based on a salon trend of customisation, this is the key feature of the new puppy set. Barbie Fairytale also expands with innovative new additions to the range including the Mix and Match Fairytale Assortment and the Bubble-tastic Mermaid.

Monster High’s ‘freaktacular’ We Are Monster High campaign continues into this year, inviting current and new fans to show off their ‘ghoul spirit’. This year, Monster High students are participating in a Monster Exchange programne backed by a range of accompanying products, designed to make the spine tingle.

There are also some old faces returning, too with the Monster High Original Ghouls Collection. This year also sees the release of two new entertainment titles, Haunted and a musical spectacular in the autumn, both supported with a new range of characters and supporting toy line. Ever After High is starting 2015 with a new www.toynews-online.biz

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SHOW GUIDE SPIELWARENMESSE 2015 brand communication continuing to introduce consumers to new Royal and Rebel characters. Brand new entertainment will be broadcast on Netflix including Spring Unsprung in Spring, supported with a doll collection. This year also sees the unveiling of a new craft range called Ami Gami. The range kicks off with the Ami Gami Figure Assortment which features some creative and cute animal assortments for girls to make. Mattel’s Disney Princess partnership continues to prosper with the popular Frozen range of dolls and play-sets including the Frozen Singing Elsa Doll which sings Let It Go, the Frozen Summer Singin’ Olaf who bursts into song about what frozen things do in summer, and the colour change Anna and Elsa that can transform their crowns and dresses. In the pre-school sector, Fisher-Price is having a busy 2015 with new launches, hot licences and expansive marketing campaigns, all designed to build on natural discovery, play value and added learning content. This year will see the brand launch the new Rainforest Friends SpaceSaver Jumperoo and the Newborn-to-Toddler Play Gym, while the infant range sees the introduction of bath toys including the Stackin’ Tub Time Boat and Hippo Bath toy. The brand’s musical toys offering is also set to be boosted by new additions, while the Laugh & Learn range will be launching new products featuring the innovative Smart Stages

technology including new Puppy & Puppy’s Sis. The Fisher-Price Little People characters range also grows in 2015 and will be complemented by popular play-sets. 2015 is also a big year for Thomas & Friends as Mattel helps the iconic locomotive celebrate his 70th anniversary. The firm is launching an all-encompassing marketing campaign with core brand value, friendship, at its heart. Fisher-Price is celebrating this special year with new launches across all its Thomas & Friends toy ranges including newcomers to the My First Thomas collection including new Pop & Go Thomas, and new additions to the Take-n-Play and TrackMaster ranges including the Rattling Railsss and Breakaway Bridge play-sets. Imaginext is also set to delight pint-sized superhero fans with new launches in the DC Super Friends range including the new Hall of Doom coming in the spring. The ongoing success of the Batcave is also building momentum for a new launch later this year.

The Fisher-Price Disney licensed collections, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Minnie Mouse and Jake and the Never Land Pirates, all feature new products this year, while the Fisher-Price Octonauts range welcomes the new talking Gups and expansion of the Speeders. The brand is also bolstering its licensed portfolio with the launch of its Dora & Friends and Bing Bunny toy ranges in the summer. New for 2015 for Mattel’s blaster brand BOOMco are the Power Slam and Railstinger blasters, while Hot Wheels will be celebrating the launch of Star Wars: The Force Awakens with an exciting range including the 64 character cars for boys to collect and a Death Star Track Set.

WENDY HILL Brand Activation Director, Mattel UK

What’s your least favourite part? Unfortunately the food.

How many times have you been to Nuremberg? More than I can remember.

Early night or drinks after the show? Drinks after the show are always welcome.

Following the launch of the Track Builder range, boys will be able to continue to connect and race using the Track Builder Starter Set and Performance Track Set along with the core diecast cars.

The firm is also looking to tide Toy Story fans over until the fourth film lands in 2017 with the Large Scale Basic Buzz and the Battlesaurs range based on the recent Toy Story madefor-TV movie, Toy Story That Time Forgot.

There is such a buzz about Nuremberg, it makes you proud to be in the industry. Wendy Hill, Brand Activation Director

Mattel’s line based on Disney Pixar’s Cars is getting new assortments this year including the Story Set Launcher and System Play-set, as well as the Mack Truck Play-set. A new Disney Pixar Planes range will include the Fire and Rescue Mission Blade Ranges, Story Set Extension Assortment and the new Story Set Playset Assortment.

Back in the ring and WWE’s Super Strikers range includes a figure assortment to allow fans to deliver signature moves with their favourite wrestles, while this year also sees the launch of Dual Force. Finally, Mattel Games is launching a range of single figure Minecraft blind bags and a three figure assortment, plus the Enchanted Sword. Elsewhere, new additions to Scrabble includes Scrabble Plus and a new updated version of Travel Scrabble, whilst UNO launches its new Dare. 01628 500 000

MY NUREMBERG

What’s your favourite part of the show? Good customer meetings.

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Hangover tip? Don’t drink.

Why is Nuremberg a must-attend event in your opinion? Nuremberg is the largest European Toy Fair and as such, there is always such a good atmosphere and buzz around the show. It makes you very proud to be a part of the toy industry.

What’s the one piece of advice you would give to first-timers heading to Nuremberg this year? Make sure you get dropped off at the right entrance of the hall, or you’re in for a very long walk.

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SHOW GUIDE SPIELWARENMESSE 2015 RUBIE’S This year’s Nuremberg Toy Fair will see the introduction of several new lines from Rubie’s. Its hugely popular line of Frozen dress-up will welcome several additions to the range. These will include musical lightup Elsa and Anna dresses, an Olaf costume for kids and new costumes for the upcoming Disney animated short, Frozen Fever. Rubie’s will also be showcasing new Disney Princess dresses including a new Cinderella dress from the upcoming live action film due for release in the Spring. Elsewhere, the company’s vast Marvel collection will be bolstered by new costumes from the forthcoming Avengers: Age Of Ultron movie, in addition to a brand new line of Guardians Of The Galaxy costumes and accessories featuring the likes of Star-Lord, Groot and Rocket Raccoon. Rubie’s has introduced a new children’s range for Star Wars Rebels spanning characters including The Inquisitor and Rebels Ezra, Kanan and Sabine and expects its Star Wars lines to be boosted by the ongoing excitement around the upcoming Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

ORCHARD TOYS Educational specialist Orchard Toys will be boasting its ‘strongest range yet’ at Nuremberg this year. Orchard Toys will be launching five new lines at the show. These will include two jigsaws and three games to accompany the fun learning range. What Do I Do? is a collection of six large, three-piece jigsaws featuring characters of different occupations, while the Big Number Jigsaw is a large 20-piece jigsaw featuring a number from one to 20 on each jigsaw piece, along with fun characters and objects to count.

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HALL 12, STAND I-25 Rubie’s will also be showcasing new ranges of costumes for shows popular in the EMEA region, including Mia & me and Masha and the Bear. 08453 070707

HALL 13, STAND 10.0 Other new games joining the range include Pizza, Pizza, a fun colour and shape matching game for children aged three to seven years old. The final addition to the Orchard Toys fun learning range is Match and Spell. This is a first reading and spelling game which can be played with up to four players, or as a single player activity. 01953 859525

PROFESSOR PUZZLE Professor Puzzle is heading to Spielwarenmesse 2015 with a host of new product launches and enhancements in tow. The company’s Puzzle Club is set to cater for younger puzzle enthusiasts with a range of bright and colourful puzzles at pocket money prices. Puzzle Academy picks up where Puzzle Club left off, with a selection of quality challenging brainteasers. Elsewhere, Professor Puzzle’s Great Minds flagship range of high quality puzzles is expanding, with the addition of a new Winston Churchill Bottle Puzzle and new multi-product gift sets. Replacing the previously successful range, the company is launching a new set of five Bottle Puzzles. These are designed to enhance the gift of a bottle of wine, as well as providing the recipient with a challenge, before they can

HALL 10, STAND I-07

crack on with enjoying a glass or three. Most Professor Puzzle products contain both instructions and regulatory information in many languages. Also at this year’s Nuremberg show, the firm will be showing off samples from its bespoke design service, as well as looking for distribution partners in various countries both in Europe and further afield. 01932 230992 January/February 133

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SHOW GUIDE SPIELWARENMESSE 2015 UNDERGROUND TOYS Underground Toys’ portfolio of brands spans everything from Star Wars to Doctor Who, Marvel to Sherlock, Peppa Pig to Ghostbusters and more. Joining some of its existing ranges at Nuremberg this year are brand new items for 2015.

REVELL

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New ranges include fresh additions to the Star Wars Talking Plush range including the brand new Roar & Rage Chewbacca and Lightsaber Battle Yoda. Another big screen blockbuster to be given the plush treatment is Avengers: Age of Ultron, with a collection featuring different characters in several sizes. A new Sherlock gift range including stickers, bottle openers, key chains, iPhone cases and more will also grace the stand. These will line up alongside the latest POP! Vinyl figures to join a portfolio. Licences include Adventure Time, Frozen, Game of Thrones, WWE, DC, Marvel, My Little Pony and Star Wars. 020 7801 6325

HALL 12.2, STAND 13 (ALL RANGES) HALL 7A, STAND D-161 (HOBBY RC)

Revell is returning to Nuremberg Toy Fair this year with two supersize stands to showcase its lines. The Revell stand in Hall 12.2 will be showcasing its toy ranges, while the Hobbico stand in Hall 7A will be highlighting its RC offering. Revell Control’s affordable firstperson view drone, the 2.4GHz WiFi Quadcopter ‘X-Spy’ will be landing at this year‘s show. The X-Spy boasts a camera to instantly stream video or pictures to a Smartphone via WiFi, while the firm’s 2.4GHz Rayvore Quad Copter features four flight modes and highpowered motors. Back on the ground, there are Revell Control’s new designs of the popular £9.99 RC Mini Cars in a can, the RC Mini Action in ‘fire extinguisher’ packaging and several entry-level, durable RC buggies and monster trucks.

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Hobbico is bringing its wellrespected RC brands to the show, including Great Planes, Flyzone AquaCraft RC boats, Arrma RC cars and Axial RC vehicles. Other key new releases for Revell include a brand new range of Build & Play Easy Kit cars, plus new additions to the Star Wars Easy Kit range to coincide with the arrival of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The standard Revell model kit range features major new releases including the Porsche 918 Spyder and BMW I8 in 1:24 scale. Brand new aircraft model kits include the Focke Wulf Fw190 F-8 in 1:32 Scale and the C-54 Skymaster in 1:72 Scale, while fans of military figures can look forward to the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo set. 0845 459 0747

RAINBOW DESIGNS Rainbow Designs has a plethora of new product to showcase at Nuremburg Toy Fair 2015. The company’s Shaun the Sheep collection is welcoming the addition of the new Shaun the Sheep: The Movie range. The line features Shaun the Sheep, Bitzer, Shirley, Timmy, Slip and other characters from film. The Movie Collection features soft toys, a catapult Shaun the Sheep, a Baahing Shaun the Sheep as well as a Shaun the Sheep Card Game, Shaun the Sheep 100-piece puzzle and a Shaun the Sheep Snakes and Ladders Board Game. The release of the collection coincides with the cinema release of the movie, which hits screens on February 6th. Rainbow Designs will also be showcasing its Air Puppy collection at Nuremberg this year. The huggable range features the chilled out pals at Hickory Shack, the gentle farmyard friends of Hedgerley Farm, the long legged chums from Burford Yard, as well as the mischievous long limbed dangle bears and the loyal big foot bears with extra padded feet.

SAMBRO Sambro believes this year’s Nuremberg show could be ‘the best yet’ as the company showcases some of its new licensed ranges. The company has agreed a panEuropean deal to create licensed arts and crafts, novelty, wheeled goods and bags for hit pre-school property Paw Patrol. The deal will see Sambro hold the exclusive licence across Europe for these categories and the first products in the range will be revealed at Nuremberg. The deal also includes the Dora & Friends licence and new products are scheduled to launch 2016. Sambro will also introduce buyers to new Minions, Frozen and Disney Princesses lines at Nuremberg.

HALL 1, STAND E-22 On top of all this, additional lines welcoming new products this year include Peter Rabbit, Guess How Much I Love You, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, The World of Eric Carle, Paddington Bear and Miffy. 01329 227300

HALL 12, STAND G-12 In addition to this, its Frozen line will be entering new categories throughout 2015 including arts and crafts, stationery, bags, wooden puzzles and more. “Having grown rapidly over the past five years, 2015 will be the biggest yet in terms of Sambro’s growth and the breadth of both our licensed and distribution ranges will illustrate this,” comments Sambro managing director, Nikki Samuels. “Nuremberg is a fantastic platform to showcase new lines and we look forward to giving customers their first glimpse of our Paw Patrol range.” 0845 8739380

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SHOW GUIDE SPIELWARENMESSE 2015 TOMY Tomy is continuing to blend the traditional and familiar with the latest trends and technology in its 2015 lines. Tomy Infant and Toddler Toys offer consumers an award winning range of toys that provide play possibilities for children up to three years, while there will be some new additions to Tomy’s toy and bath range for 2015. The firm’s Foam Cone Factory allows children to play at making ‘bubble-bath’ ice-cream cones. The toy comes complete with a sprinkle shaker and three cones. For daytime play, Tomy’s new Sort n Pop Farmyard Friends provides creative sorting fun. The farm truck drives forwards and the

HALL 12.2, STAND 11 animals pop out as they reach their destination allowing little ones to learn shapes and numbers, as well as animal sounds as they play and sort. Budding young farmers can also indulge in the company’s new John Deere pre-school range. Launching this month, the John Deere First Farming Fun collection is designed to introduce children aged 12 months and up to farm play with durable chunky models. The fun, friendly characters will guide them through their first farming adventures and the collection includes a selection of play-sets with soft touch figures, farm vehicles, farm accessories and animals.

Tomy’s Winnie the Pooh nursery and infant range will also be welcoming new additions this year. Autumn 2015 will see the introduction of Listen and Discover with Pooh, a cuddly interactive bear. The clever plush recognises a Soft Book by attaching it to the bear’s paws and as the pages are turned, the bear asks questions and makes comments to help parents create exciting new stories around the pictures. Finally, the firm will also have product lines based on forthcoming Disney Pixar films. The collections will feature items across bestselling categories including plush, action figures and more. 020 8722 7300

MY NUREMBERG

MATTHEW WOOLF Head of Customer Marketing, Tomy How many times have you been to Nuremberg? This is going to be my fourth time at the show and the third with Tomy. What’s your favourite part of the show? I love seeing the fantastic products out on display and our customer’s reactions when they see them for the first time. What’s your least favourite part? Standing on your feet for five days. You need a good pair of comfortable shoes. Early night or drinks after the show? Mix of both. It’s great to meet up with friends in the industry but a good night’s sleep is also needed.

CLOUD B For over a decade, Cloud B has been helping children drift off to the land of nod with a wide range of effective sleep aids. Drawing on a wide range of paediatric sleep science, the firm’s award-winning ‘plush with a purpose’ products are designed to be a full sensory experience that creates a custom comfort zone for children. For children fearing the dark, Cloud B’s Twilight Buddies helps to ease fears by projecting a starry night sky onto ceilings and walls while casting a calming glow in one of three colours. Elsewhere, for children who need lullabies or white noise to sleep, the 136 January/February

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Hangover tip? Plenty of water before you go to bed. Why is Nuremberg a must-attend event in your opinion? The number of exhibitors is overwhelming, but not only do you get to see everyone in the industry from small distributors to large manufactures, but as a visitor you get an insight into the future of this exciting industry. What’s the one piece of advice you would give to first-timers heading to Nuremberg? As a visitor, make sure that you plan your visit. There is so much to see you don’t want to miss out on anything.

HALL 2 STAND D10 company’s multi-sensory Twinkling Firefly Frog plays soothing sounds and has fireflies that twinkle in his belly to create a magical glow. Cloud B’s Glow Cuddles Bunny combines sight and touch so children feel like they always have a friend. A gentle hug activates a heart-shaped glow and a gentle rhythm that mimics a soothing heartbeat designed to calm the fussiest of children. Each of the products are suitable for children of all ages and health conditions, and are designed to help them self-soothe and sleep independently. +1 310 781 3833 www.toynews-online.biz

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SHOW GUIDE SPIELWARENMESSE 2015 HALL 7, STAND C-25

HY-PRO Hy-Pro, the UK outdoor manufacturing company with offices in UK and Hong Kong, will be showcasing its extensive portfolio of own brands and licensed products at Nuremberg this year. Zinc, the UK’s number one selling scooter brand, features cutting edge designs and products that aim to keep children active and playing outside. The line includes scooters such as Ignite, the real exhaust smoke effect scooter; Outlaw with flame effects; the Volt electric scooter range; feature bikes; BMX’s; skateboards; stunt scooters and more. Consumers can customise their rides with Style a Ride by Zinc. This gives children the chance to design and fully accessorise their very own scooter, promoting individuality and creativity. The first step involves choosing a scooter from the range whether a tri-scooter or a Rock n Roller, or an inline scooter. Then riders can choose a theme before selecting any accessories to have a fully customised Style A Ride. Elsewhere, Rollers by Zinc is a pre-school brand designed to help youngsters gain confidence on ride ons and balance bikes.

WOW TOYS Wow Toys is a regular exhibitor at Nuremburg and this year the company will be showing off several brand new toy ranges. With new toy concepts for both spring/summer and autumn/ winter 2015 launches, the company will also be offering

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The award winning R1 converts from a trike to tri-scooter, while the R2 transforms from a balance bike to an inline scooter. Launched last autumn/winter, the growing brand will unveil new R models at Nuremberg this year. On the licensing side, brands such as Barbie, Monster High, Hot Wheels, Matt Hatter Chronicles and Mixels are gracing different wheeled products that will be showcased at the show this year. Unveiled at last year’s Spielwarenmesse, Flyte – the only ‘case scooter’ that passes EN71 – has been developed even further and the latest iteration of the product will be showcased on the stand at Nuremberg. 01582 610 100

HALL 12.0 / C-01-1 visitors the first look at Wowbranded POS support designed to capture the imagination and increase footfall. These include ready to roll-out shop fits to suits all international market requirements. 020 7471 0980

TRENDS UK Trends UK will be getting on board with the Frozen craze with its range of feature plush toys. Timed to launch alongside the Frozen Fever short film, the line features singing plush of both Elsa and Anna. Sporting vinyl heads and huggable soft bodies, the Elsa doll sings Let It Go, while Anna sings For the First Time in Forever. Elsewhere, the firm is relaunching the 90s phenomenon, Puppy Surprise. Returning to toy shelves in spring 2015, the Puppy Surprise Plush assortment has three dogs to choose from, each boasting a surprise number of puppies in their Velcro pouch. Elsewhere, Trends UK is introducing MiPosaur, a new advanced, highly intelligent dinosaur robot from WowWee.

HALL 5, STAND C-36 The MiPosaur also has an evolving intelligence that enables it to sense its own surroundings and interact with them in a life-like way. It comes with a free app users can download to control MiPosaur. Elsewhere will be new Color Me Mine products, a refreshed Science Mad line, R.E.V robot vehicles, new Robotics from WowWee and Discovery Channel Scientific Toys. 01295 768 078

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16/12/2014 17:51

COLO LOUR MY MUSIC

A FUN & L U F R U COLOh to learning a approac t n e m u r t s in l a music

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SHOW GUIDE SPIELWARENMESSE 2015 MAGIC BOX INT Magic Box Int will be showcasing the new third series of pocket money collectable Zomlings at Nuremberg this year. Zomlings recently received the ToyTesters.tv Best Pocket Money Spend Accolade and the range has gone from strength to strength since launching in February 2014. Each series of Zomlings includes products priced at 50p, £1 and £2 and in the run up to Christmas last year, Magic Box Int expanded the range with new Magic Trick Hotels priced at £3.50, Blister Packs at £4.99 and Tins at £4.99. Zomlings series three will launch in the UK in February 2015 and this will introduce a number of brand new features, including Zomlings

HALL 10.1, STAND F-08 Ghost Trains. The trains will replace the £1 Tower packs from the first two series. There will be a variety of different coloured train engines and carriages for children to collect and play with, including super rare Gold Train. The third series will also introduce a brand new design for the Zomlings Houses. The Houses will be bigger than previous versions from series one and two, but the retail price will remain at £2. Zomlings was one of the highest TV advertised kids toys during 2014 and this effort will be maintained by Magic Box during February and March 2015 to get Zomlings series three off to a positive start. 01403 251286

BIGJIGS 2015 is a big year for Bigjigs as the toy firm celebrates 30 years of ‘Creating Perfect Playrooms’. The company is welcoming three new additions to its long running Jigsaw Puzzle range which was actually the first collection of products that saw Bigjigs launched back the 1980s. Each of the new colourful Arched Puzzles is split into three levels – this will allow youngsters to develop their dexterity and problem solving skills as they build up a unique scene with every layer. The different puzzle designs portray dinosaur, home and farm animal scenarios. Elsewhere, the Bigjigs Rail line will be expanding with two new ranges. The new Dino Range and Farm Range, both featuring the new-style Bigjigs Rail packaging, extend the scope for imaginative play with design based on popular themes among pre-schoolers. The Bigjigs Rail Dino Range blends dinosaurs and trains with the detailed Dino Train, Ribcage Tunnel, Bronto Rise, Dino Crane and T-rex Tunnel accessories that can join to an existing wooden railway 140 January/February

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HALL 3, STAND A33 or extend the 49-piece Dinosaur Train Set. Elsewhere, the 44-piece Farm Train Set features a rural setting at an affordable price point of £29.99. Possible accessories for the Farm Train Set include The Farm Range Hay Barn, Farm Bridge, Country Windmill, Farm Train and Chicken Shed Tunnel.

A brand new selection of traditional games is also joining the Bigjigs Games range this year including new Animal-ShutThe-Box, Ludo, Lotto and Mastermind. The firm is also adding to its Heritage Playset collection with the new Sunflower Cottage, complete with 33 play

pieces and a sheet of stickers for customisation. New to the Bigjigs Baby range is the colourful Number Stacking Tower. While working out the correct order in which to build the tower, youngsters will be strengthening their basic numeracy and problem solving skills. Seven new faces will also be joining

the Bigjigs Toys plush range this year, and each is large in both character and size, measuring in at 380mm high. After perusing what the company has to offer in the way of products, visitors to the Bigjigs stand can then enjoy a slice of birthday cake and a glass of something bubbly. 01303 250400

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SHOW GUIDE SPIELWARENMESSE 2015 LEAPFROG LeapFrog will be unveiling its new permanent stand in Hall 12.2 at this year’s Nuremberg. Last year saw two new additions to LeapFrog’s award winning line of LeapPad tablets, as well as a debut into new sectors with the launch of LeapBand, the first wearable kids activity tracker, and LeapTV, a video games console designed specifically for young children. “Since our inception 20 years ago, we’ve been hard at work creating entirely new ways to learn – and inspiring millions of kids – by delivering on our brand promise of ‘Pure Learning Fun’,” said Tony Hicks, chief international officer at LeapFrog. “We have a proven track record of reinvigorating our sector with ground-breaking new products and 2015 is set to celebrate our trademark blend of education and entertainment. “LeapFrog’s mission is to help children achieve their potential by providing the best educational entertainment experiences. In parallel to growing

THE PUPPET COMPANY This year sees The Puppet Company launch three new Hideaway Puppets featuring Rabbit Hill House, Under the Sea House and the Dinosaur Volcano House.

HALL 12.2, STAND P-19 our current international businesses we will continue to identify new international market opportunities which will extend the reach of this mission and meet international demand for our world class entertaining products and educator approved content.” 01895 202840

HALL 1, STAND F-09 The new Hideaways come complete with assorted finger puppets and a playhouse for the puppets to live in. The sets come in bright vibrant colours and the company believes they are going to be a great addition to the range. Also new this year are the firm’s Full Bodied Puppets. With 21 different animals to collect, the puppets boast full arms and legs making them as cuddly as a soft toy, but with all the interactivity and power of a puppet. The Puppet Company will also be showcasing its new Doorway puppet theatre, a collection of Early Years glove puppets with matching figure puppets and four new Large Bird puppets. 01462 446040

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SHOW GUIDE SPIELWARENMESSE 2015 SHADES MUSIC Shades Music’s Rainbow Colours collection is designed to present the easiest possible approach to learning a musical instrument.

HALL 12.0, STAND B-03-4B Using the coloured musical notes with the coloured strings or stickers, learning is simple. The visual style of the book is great for ages

three to 15 years, as well as students with learning difficulties or dyslexia. The system also presents parents and teachers with the opportunity to interact

with their children or pupils while teaching them to play a new instrument. Rainbow Colours has now extended its range of instruments.

of ‘business meetings’.

show and the show brings many toy buyers from different countries.

New for this year is the four-hole harmonica package and the giant piano mat, all colour coded to the music. 07899 865775

MY NUREMBERG How many times have you been to Nuremberg? This will be our third time. What’s your favourite part of the show? I love being in the British section as it’s great fun and everyone helps each other and passes clients on. And what’s your least favourite part? Getting up after a long night

Chris Poole Owner, Shades Music

Early night or drinks after the show? I’m pretty sure it’s drinks every night after show Hangover tip? Two shots of Underberg. Why is Nuremberg a must-attend event in your opinion? Nuremberg is the largest

SAKAR INTERNATIONAL Fans of Frozen and My Little Pony are in luck with Sakar’s lines this year. Mini Elsas and Olafs can perform their own renditions of Frozen’s chart-topping soundtrack with a new line of karaoke machines. The karaoke line joins a collection of Frozen branded light-up message boards, digital cameras, alarm clocks and walkie-talkies. The Frozen Karaoke Machine with Flashing Lights is an easy-to-use karaoke system that allows kids to sing along with their favourite music. Designed with graphics featuring Anna and Elsa, the karaoke machine includes a hand-held microphone and features flashing lights and enhanced vocal effects. Budding singers can connect an iPad, iPhone, iPod, or tablet device, or use the built-in CD+G player to play music and sing along to the likes of Let it Go, Do You Want to Build a Snowman and In the Summer. www.toynews-online.biz

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Elsewhere, Sakar has expanded its My Little Pony line-up to include updated headphones and ear buds, moulded speakers, musical instruments, cameras, and mobile and computer accessories all featuring designs from Hasbro’s hit television series. Fans of My Little Pony’s Pinkie Pie can now listen to their favourite tunes via the moulded backpack speaker. The Pinkie Pieshaped backpack is perfect for sleepovers, carrying homework or listening to songs on the way to school. The firm’s range of My Little Pony cameras allow users to record action-packed adventures. The My Little Pony Action Camera comes with a durable waterproof case and mounting accessories.

What’s the one piece of advice you would give to first-timers heading to Nuremberg? Talk to everyone, including other companies and make friends with everyone as they will help pass on contacts and even introduce them to you.

Go for drinks after and socialise as you never know who is listening to you about your products. Most people go the Irish pub, so it’s very easy to bump into someone you may have had a meeting with during the day.

HALL 12.0, STAND B-08-6 Fans can attach the camera to a helmet or bicycle and capture firstperson POV footage of different adventures. Other 2015 innovations include a wire winder to keep electronics tanglefree, a five-piece musical instrument kits, moulded power banks and Bluetooth alarm clock radios. +1 800 637 1090

MY NUREMBERG What’s your least favourite part? Definitely the location. It’s hard to get to, hard to find hotels nearby and is way too crowded.

LIZA ABRAMS Vice President of Global Licensing and Marketing, Sakar International How many times have you been to Nuremberg? This year will be my fourth year attending. What’s your favourite part of the show? I find the sheer breadth of the toy companies mind-blowing. However, I will admit that I have a soft spot for the miniature train hall. I could watch those for hours on end.

Why is Nuremberg a mustattend event? It is truly a very exciting place to be. Despite its size – or because of it – it’s an opportunity to see everyone in the industry, check out new trends in all different categories and get a good perspective going into the year. Piece of advice for Nuremberg first-timers? Wear comfortable shoes, allow more time between meetings than you think is necessary and bring warm clothes. But also make sure you give yourself time to walk the entire show and don’t just focus on your own category/ brands. It’s an education. January/February 143

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SHOW GUIDE SPIELWARENMESSE 2015 EDUK8 EDUK, an independent family company established over 13 years ago, is bringing a wide range of unique, high quality, educational toys and resources to engage children’s imaginations to Nuremberg this year. As well as a collection of exclusive wooden toys and the ‘hands-on’ science range for inquisitive minds, the company is launching its Super Star Theatre at the show. Suitable for ages three and above, the Super Star Theatre comes complete with dressing room, back stage entrance, ticket booth, show time clock, refreshment stand, wipe off marquee and 20 accessories. It also converts into a puppet theatre, too. Made from durable polyester fabric with a connectable easy-toassemble sturdy frame, the large theatre measures

HALL 12, STAND C-01-2 L99cm x W142cm x H152cm, but fits into a very compact carrying case just 23” x 13” x 5”. Also launching at Nuremberg from EDUK8 is the new twin pack Belly Bump Balls of both the large and junior versions.

MY NUREMBERG

“We believe passionately about creating the right products at the best possible prices and our ethos is to make learning fun for children of all ages and abilities,” read a statement from the firm. 01434 672336

There isn’t one. Early night or drinks after the show? Drinks after show. Hangover tip? Try to limit intake of alcohol, and drink plenty of water.

CHRISTINE LAWSON Director, EDUK8

How many times have you been to Nuremberg? 16 What’s your favourite part of the show? Networking and meeting colleagues within the toy industry. Least favourite part?

COMMOTION DISTRIBUTION Commotion Distribution has been manufacturing and supplying educational materials for over 30 years and will be showcasing a range of new products at Nuremberg this year. With products designed to help enhance teaching in Early Years and Primary sectors in the UK and worldwide, Commotion will have a dark room on the stand to highlight its

extensive light products collection. The light line spans Colour-Changing, Round and A2/A3 LED Light Panels, Light Panel Table Sets and a huge range of light panel accessories. The company will also be showing its new Crocodile Wall Game, Perception Spheres and Semispheres. Also attracting attention on the stand will be the

Acrylic Blocks Set which helps to develop children’s creativity and critical thinking, communication, mathematical and language skills. Several of Commotion’s bestsellers will also be on display, such as the awardwinning SiliShapes range, Talking Tubes, WordWand, Sensory Blocks, Sand Timers and Sensory Liquid Sets. 01732 225821

MY NUREMBERG Early night or drinks after the show? Definitely drinks. We have a great time with many of our customers. Hangover tip? Don’t drink too much. Or if you do, try a well known brand of soluble vitamin drink.

How many times have you been to Nuremberg? 2015 will be my 12th year of exhibiting, and Commotion’s 20th. What’s your favourite part of the show? The first day is an amazing feeling, the anticipation of what the show will bring, and seeing the reaction to our new products. What’s your least favourite part? Breaking down the stand.

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What’s the one piece of advice you would give to first-timers heading to Nuremberg? Research carefully and identify what it is you are hoping to achieve with the visit.

HALL 12, STAND A-04-7

JULIE CARTER Sales Director, Commotion Distribution

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Why is Nuremberg a must-attend event in your opinion? We meet all our overseas trade customers, and it also affords us the opportunity to seek out new customers.

Why is Nuremberg a mustattend event? It’s such a fantastic opportunity to see our customers from across the globe in one place, combined with the discovery of new customers every year. What’s the one piece of advice you would give to first-timers heading to Nuremberg? Make sure you plan your stand before you go from an exact drawing where products will be placed to a ‘practice set up’. Bring warm clothing, comfortable shoes and plenty of Euros.

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SHOW GUIDE SPIELWARENMESSE 2015 TOBAR Over the last 12 months the team at Tobar has been travelling around the world to get ideas and inspiration for its 2015 product range. New distribution partners include USA brand Schylling famous for classic tin toys, stationery brand Scentos and outdoor brand Turbospoke. In addition, Zuru and Bburago will be unveiling some exciting new lines to appeal to customers. As the new distribution partner for American brand Schylling, and with over 100 new toy lines being added, Tobar believes this will be a very popular brand with its customers. For petrolheads, the news that Bburago has secured the worldwide distribution rights for Ferrari Die Cast models will be good news. Tobar is working with Bburago on this exciting new partnership. Sales of stationery continue to boom and Tobar’s search for something unique has resulted in a new distribution partnership with Scentos. The brightly coloured range of scented children’s stationary is suited for birthdays, party bags and other gifting.

HALL 4, STAND F-95 Looking to expand its outdoor range, Tobar has teamed up with Irish brand Turbospoke to become its new distribution partner for the UK and France. Turbospoke’s range of bike accessories lets

children customise their own bike with accessories are safe, fun and unique. Zuru has come up with an new addition to the Robo Fish and Magical Mermaid collection. 2015 is all about Robo Turtles and Tobar

feels the little creatures will complement existing lines from Zuru perfectly. Tobar is also continuing its partnership with Blue Sky, with the arrival of the new Star Wars Collection featuring a range of

VIVID/DRUMOND PARK The highly anticipated Thunderbirds Are Go TV series will be blasting off this year and – with striking packaging and products full of exciting and innovative features – hopes are high for Vivid’s accompanying toy range landing into stores in autumn/winter 2015. The hero product is the all new Tracy Island Play-set (£79.99) that is packed with features and intelligent story telling sounds. With a unique launching

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stationery and gifts from a galaxy far, far away. The firm has also added new lines to its own brand collection of classic pocket money and adult novelty gifts, all priced £5 or less. 0844 573 4299

HALL 12.2, STAND P-25 experience, all the vehicles fit inside Tracy Island and boys can replicate the launch sequences from the TV series. Elsewhere, the firm’s tech offering spans Real FX Racing, smart device/plush hybrid My Friend Teddy and the i-Que Intelligent Robot. AniMagic will have a complete makeover for autumn/winter, boosting its strongest ever plush range at retail, while Crayola welcomes new products this year including the Paint Maker, Colour Alive Action Match and Colour Alive Virtual Design Pro’s. Elsewhere, Vivid Group’s new Drumond Park Division boasts a range of board games which are set to delight all ages. LOGO Lite is a fast-paced game that can be played individually with family and

friends. In addition, the 260 brand new cards can also be used to enhance the original LOGO game. Rattle Me Bones sees players creep around a skeleton pirate, aiming to

steal his possessions from right under his nose, while Og on the Bog tasks players with collecting three of the ogre’s loo rolls to win. Players must sneak past Dad as he snores in

bed and try to reach the fridge in Don’t Wake Dad, while Barbecue Party helps children improve their dexterity as they collect the cards. 01483 449944 January/February 147

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SHOW GUIDE SPIELWARENMESSE 2015 FIESTA CRAFTS Babies are big fans of grasping and chewing toys and Fiesta Crafts has a new collection set to delight young gums. The company’s ring teether features soft fabrics in vibrant colours and comes in four different animal designs. Available in elephant, lion, zebra and giraffe designs, each teether crinkles when squeezed and features three rings that make a jingly noise, introducing babies to new sounds, colours and textures. Its design is catered for small hands and is easy to grip and the line of teethers soothes sore gums and emerging teeth thanks to its integrated chewable teething piece. Elsewhere, the firm’s Squeakaboo soft toy rattles make the perfect toy for babies from birth to a year old. Crafted from soft plush fabrics, each Squeakaboo has a cute shaped face with a kind, gentle smile and they jingle, crinkle and squeak when squeezed. From this month, the Squeakaboos will also be available in a pink or blue bear design, while Fiesta

EPOCH MAKING TOYS

HALL 1, STAND B-09 Crafts is also adding new Princess and Pirate designs to its range of themed chalkboards from June. Children can write notes, draw pictures and then wipe the themed chalkboards clean when they are ready to start all over again. 020 8804 0563

HALL 1, STAND D-05, D-11 Epoch making toys will be at Nuremberg this year with its flagship brand Sylvanian Families and arts and crafts range Aquabeads. The company will be showing Sylvanian Families’ new seaside-themed range, including the Seaside Cruiser Houseboat, while Aquabeads is doubling the number of SKUs. Epoch making toys will also present its plans to mark the global 30th anniversary for Sylvanian Families in 2015, which includes new packaging and the launch of a new fan club. Freya Chocolate Rabbit and Ralph Walnut Squirrel mascot figures will appear throughout the fair to show retailers the potential value of live events. The new Sylvanian Families fan club is aimed at the next new generation

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of collectors and for £9.99 per year, members receive a gift-box, limited edition figure, a quarterly magazine, plus a personal card on their birthday, as well as an e-card at Christmas. Elsewhere, the Aquabeads collection is welcoming 16 new products this year including the Beginners Studio, Artists Carry Case and Rainbow Pen Station. “2014 has been extremely busy at Epoch making toys, so we can’t wait to show off some of our achievements over the last 12 months, present the new products and packaging, and tell everyone about what else we have planned for the Sylvanian Families’ 30th anniversary celebrations in 2015,” says Sally Carnall, marketing manager at Epoch making toys. 08435 574062 www.toynews-online.biz

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Reaching over 31,000 unique visitors every month* Targeted daily emails to over 22,000 industry executives First with all the news, analysis and opinion which matters Supporting the industry every day Find out how Licensing.biz can boost your brand

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SHOW GUIDE SPIELWARENMESSE 2015 BOTI BOTI (Big On Toy Innovation) Global develops and markets great entertaining toy products for children around the world. The company focuses on building brands, creating innovative products and is proud to partner with leading entertainment licensors, toy manufacturers and inventors. BOTI’s key product categories are infant and pre-school, arts and craft, construction toys, novelties and collectables, which it distributes and promotes in its home markets of the Benelux, Germany and France, as well as exports throughout the world. BOTI travels the world in search of great and innovative concepts and encourages new inventors to submit ideas for consideration. At Nuremberg this year, the company will be showcasing some of its own developments and intellectual properties – including Nitro Grinders and Kaboinx. Initially launched in Canada in August 2014 through BOTI’s distribution partner Tech4Kids, the company’s Nitro Grinders will now be launching in Germany, Austria, Switzerland from June 2015, followed by the Benelux from August 2015.

HALL 12.0, STAND F-04 Nitro Grinders’ launch in Germany will be supported with a robust 1,000 GRP/ TVR campaign spanning digital advertising, dedicated website and social media, sampling, events and PR programmes. Elsewhere, BOTI’s Kaboinx is coming to the UK this year via Sambro. Kaboinx is a character that comes in the shape of a bouncing ball. Each Kaboinx features an LED which displays the character’s face and boasts unique sounds and lights tailored to its personality. There are six different characters to choose from. Children can also challenge themselves and their friends to different games including Bounce a Million, which sees the toy count every single bounce a player makes. Once a player reaches one million, they unlock secret content that can be accessed via the game’s interactive website. +31 555 762 426

MELI DADI

HALL 2, STAND A-16 Nuremberg will witness the official unveiling of ToyLab’s Meli Dadi range of fun playful and innovative toys. ToysLab Entertainment will present its entire product line at the show, and every item in the range aims to involve both parents and kids in play. The Meli Dadi product line includes three different collections, each with a similar approach. The basic collection is bright and interactive in order to engage a child’s attention. Featuring remote control, sound effects or compatibility with smart phones, ToysLab believes that these toys ‘open up

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new exciting ways to play with children’. The company has also created a special collection of bath toys designed to deliver children maximum fun when spending time in the bathroom. The last range to be presented at Nuremberg is ToyLab’s plush collection. Toys in this collection will boast special sound effects that are developed to help the range get even cuter. All of these toys are designed with strong primary colours and a variety of textures and sounds created specifically to stimulate babies’ senses. +380 443711795 January/February 151

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SHOW GUIDE SPIELWARENMESSE 2015 PIONEER EUROPE Nuremberg Toy Fair 2015 will see the official launch of the Qualatex 2015 Everyday Catalogue. The Cataolgue showcases new products and licences, including the brand new Qualatex party range. The Qualatex stand will also boast its large scale balloon décor, designed by world famous balloon artist Luc Bertrand CBA. “We will be showcasing our new 2015 products along with the exciting additions to our licensed balloons and partyware ranges, with inspiring product demonstrations and special ‘trade

MAPS TOYS Maps Toys returns to Nuremberg this year with a selection of brand new product ranges. The firm’s latest launch is the award winning Ogobild collection including the brightly coloured Ogobild Pod, which allows kids to expand their imagination and build a large lightweight structure. RingStix will also launch this year. The new outdoor toy range sees players throw the ring with the aim of catching it on the cool stix. Also new for the UK this year are the Science Wiz science kits. The range includes a kit to teach the basics of sound by building a working Edison phonograph and a hair raising charge. The kits also include chemistry, physics, energy and light experiments which are aligned to the national curriculum. 152 January/February

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HALL 9, STAND D-76 show only’ product offers, we hope to see you all at our stand,” says Michelle Comerford, head of sales and marketing at Pioneer Europe. The Qualatex range includes an extensive selection of latex, foil and exclusive Bubble balloons, featuring licences including Disney, Marvel, Nickelodeon, Me to You, Hello Kitty, Lalaloopsy, as well as a whole host more. Recent additions to Pioneer’s portfolio are party products, including tableware, candles, badges, banners and confetti. 01279 501090

HALL 12, STAND A-04-2 A unique new creative kit of Pop Badges created by Maps Toys will also be introduced in early 2015, allowing kids to colour and create their own unique badges. Other lines launching at the show include Radz, a new pocket money character candy range, and new Aeromax products. 01483 776006

WORLDS APART Worlds Apart will be displaying its fresh new look and family of brands during 2015’s Nuremberg Toy Fair. The brands on show cover numerous categories, ranging from role play, active play, lighting, travel and furniture. In 2015, Worlds Apart is accelerating its international growth by making a significant share investment in French distributor and manufacturer Room Studio.

SCHLEICH This year sees Schleich journey into the realms of fantasy with new DC Comics collections, mystical Dragons and the launch of a Mini Dinosaurs series. DC fans can enjoy Batman vs. The Joker and Superman vs. Darkseid figures, as well as models of the Flash and Green Lantern. Elsewhere, new mystical dragons land in Schleich’s World of Knights this year. With intricate modelling, detailed hand painting and moveable parts, the dragons can

HALL 7, STAND C-21 During Nuremberg, the firm will also be showcasing GetGo, a dynamic active play range. The new Pop Away system and Ugo Play Tents are key innovations for 2015. The new Pop Away system ensures the GetGo pop up tents and tunnels are easy to put away, while the unique Ugo Play Tent boasts a twist up and away system. The Ugo Play Tent will be launched with both GetGo own-brand and Frozen, Disney Princess and Cars options. 0800 389 8591

HALL 6, B-20, C-21 create active role-play scenarios for children. Schleich will also be welcoming a new price-point to its dinosaur collection this year that will allow for £2.99 pocket money purchases. Three collectable Mini Dinosaurs include eight figurines which will join the firm’s pre-historic portfolio and Schleich states ‘2015 is reputed to be the Year of the Dino so retailers should ensure they stock soon to meet the impending demand’. 01279 870000

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Toy Fair 2015 Show Preview

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SHOW GUIDE: TOY FAIR 2015

Live from Hammersmith The toy industry is once again heading back to Hammersmith Road this month for the 62nd Toy Fair at London’s Olympia. So, are you ready? ToyNews has put together some show treats for you, ranging from what to expect from the big guys such as Hasbro and LEGO, through to those all important first time Greenhouse exhibitors. All mixed in with some top Toy Fair tips from key execs

“I HAVE never attended a Toy Fair when people were not looking positively at the year ahead,” Majen Immink, Toy Fair’s head of operations and sales, tells ToyNews. “Why would you miss out on the opportunity to maximise on that atmosphere when your competitors are?” The indications that the 2015 event was set to be bigger and better than ever came as early as last July, with the BTHA reporting that floor space

returning, while a number of companies will also be back at the show after a period of absence. Notably these include Tomy, A.B.Gee, Theo Klein and Chicco UK, plus balloon and party specialist Amscan, which is back at the show having been away for 15 years. First time exhibitors, meanwhile, will include Bestline, Smart UK, Blueprint Collections, Bizzy Bitz and the new UK division of Jazwares.

I have never attended a Toy Fair when people were not looking positively at the year ahead. Majen Immink, BTHA

was almost sold out. More than 260 companies will be packing into the Grand Hall, Upper West Hall and Gallery level of Olympia. Big names such as Hasbro, Vivid, Character Options, Flair, Golden Bear, Bandai and LEGO among others are

MY TOY FAIR

MAJEN IMMINK Head of Toy Fair Operations and Sales, BTHA How many Toy Fairs have you been to? Seven. I have worked on the PR and media relations side of Toy Fair for those seven years and this will be my first Toy Fair having taken on www.toynews-online.biz

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The Greenhouse area, too, will play host to companies as diverse as Accentuate Games, Anagranimals, Animin, Music for Kids, Destination Board Games, Rainbow Colours, Taxi Board Game and Tell Tails.

the role of Head of Toy Fair Operations and Sales. What’s your favourite part of Toy Fair? Seeing the venue transformed from an empty shell to a vibrant and engaging show. As Head of Toy Fair I have to visit other exhibitions and none of them are as bright and lively as Toy Fair. I feel very privileged to be given the opportunity to lead our BTHA team onsite at the Toy Fair. We spend all year trying to ensure the show is full and the best experience it can be for exhibitors and visitors alike, but it wouldn’t

In addition, Toy Fair TV is back for a third year, and will be broadcast live over 24 screens around the venue throughout all three days. The Toy Fair TV Studio is a new addition for 2015 – the main hub for programming, the studio will host the Demo Zone, a ‘Dragons’ Den’ style programme where exhibitors can demonstrate their product to an audience of children.

The BTHA will also be opening up the show to young inventors and toy designers, with a special seminar aimed at attracting students. Speakers will include execs from Hasbro, HTI and Worlds Apart, as well as specialists in subjects such as protecting investment through IP. “Toy Fair helps start the year on a high giving a chance to meet buyers and licensors, assess

be such an amazing looking experience without the stands and products that are the stars of the show.

to make sure everything is ready, and every evening of the fair has an event that the team attends so it is hard to plan an early night, but then that’s all part of the fun of the fair, so to speak.

What’s your least favourite part of the show? Breakdown. All that work in the year before, three buzzing days of hard work and play and then it goes back to an empty shell. Early night or drinks after the show? Well, I don’t drink so that makes it easier to get up in the morning even if I stay out. We are normally in the venue until 10-11pm on the night before we open

Flats or heels? Mixture of the two, particularly for the men. Where’s the best place to take clients? A personal favourite for a special client, if you don’t mind taking a trip to Notting Hill, is Beach Blanket Babylon or closer Olympia there are a great choice of

products against what else is on offer for the year ahead, meet the media and network,” Immink continues. “Toy Fair offers a window into our vibrant industry for the media, politicians and opinion formers who visit the fair in a more formal capacity.” So, marker pens at the ready and take a look through our special Toy Fair show guide to start planning your visit now.

restaurants in Kensington High Street and also at the Westfield Shopping Centre. What’s the one piece of advice you would give to Toy Fair first-timers? Make sure you know what you want to get out of Toy Fair and plan your three days around that – and that goes for exhibitors and visitors. Set up appointments ahead of time and try to stick to your schedule so you don’t feel as though you are constantly running late for three days – that’s my plan too so it’s not just for first–timers. January/February 155

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SHOW GUIDE

FLOOR PLAN - GROUND FLOOR Correct as of Wednesday December 3rd

Company..................... Stand Number 1 Two Kids .............................. GH54 24/7 Toys ................................. B85 A B Gee of Ripley .......... Gallery 200 A Girl for all Time ................... GH11 Aardvark Swift Recruitment GH10 Accentuate Games ................ GH44 Accurate Diecast ......................H74 Ackerman International ............G63 Algota Placstic Industries ....... GH9 Alpha Toys ................... Gallery 515 Amerang ....................... Gallery 215 Amscan International ............... B75 Anagranimals ........................ GH23 Androni UK ................................H70 Animin ...................................... GH7 Anker ............................ Gallery 199 Artstraws .................... Gallery 630 Asobi ............................ Gallery 120 Aurora World ............................D35 B Kids UK ...................... Gallery 501 Bandai UK .................... Gallery 600 Barnardo’s .................... Gallery 150 Battlefront Miniatures .............. B85 Bee Smart............................... GH45 Bertoy .......................... Gallery 148 Best New Toys ............ Gallery 158 Bestline Imports .....................G125 Bigjigs Toys ..............................H39 Bizzy Bitz ............................... GH27 Bladez Toyz ................. Gallery 123 Bloomeez................................ GH34 The Blue Triangle Lounge .......B149 Blueprint Collections ............... B90 156 January/February

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BLUW .......................................B115 Bookspeed.................... Gallery 420 Bonnie and Pearl .....................B135 Brainstorm .................................. D2 Brookite .................................. E110 BTHA Exhibiting Members Lounge ... .......................................Gallery 205 The Bug Store ........................ GH24 Bureau Veritas Consumer Products Services UK ............ GH58 Cambridge Brainbox............... GH32 Cartamundi (UK) ........................H1 Casdon ...................................... E30 Century Logistics ...................... B99 Character Options................... E119 Cheatwell Games ...................... F20 Chicco........................... Gallery 124 Cicada Education ...................... B49 Clementoni Spa ............ Gallery 155 Click Distribution UK ... Gallery 105 Cloud b ................................... F100 Coiledspring Games ................B160 Cuckoo ......................... Gallery 330 D’Arpeje ........................ Gallery 190 Daedaleon .............................. GH18 Delta Kids ..................................H30 Destination Board Games ...... GH13 DKL Marketing .......................... E66 Dracco UK................................ E130 Drumond Park .............. Gallery 440 DWSD .......................... Gallery 147a East Coast Nursery .................. B56 Eduk8 Worldwide ................... GH42 Egmont Toys ................ Gallery 420

Epoch-Making Toys ................B130 Esdevium Games .................... E109 Eurofins Product Testing Services ................................... GH6 Extreme Fliers ...........................H86 Famosa ......................... Gallery 400 Feel Good Art ............................H40 Fiesta Crafts ............................ F66 First Celtic Toys and Learning .. E115 Flair Leisure Products ............... E39 Floppets ....................................H92 Flying Gadgets ..........................H50 Flype....................................... GH40 Folkmanis Puppets ...................H46 Funrise Toy Corporation ................. .......................................Gallery 135 Funtime Gifts ...........................H15 James Bond Lounge ................G122 James Galt & Co ......................... E9 Gear For Games .......................G120 Geemac - Thinkway...... Gallery 109 Gen 42 Games .............. Gallery 425 Getretro.co.uk ....................... GH62 Gibsons ...................................... E40 Gift Time ................................ GH24 Global Opportunities .... Gallery 165 Goki .............................. Gallery 199 Golden Bear .............................. E69 Goldfish & Bison ........................ E35 Good Toy Guide ........... Gallery 154 Great Gizmos ............................G20 Great Inflate................. Gallery 149 Green Board Game Company .... E15 Green Elephant Trading ........ GH46

The Green Rubber Toy Co ...... GH25 H Grossman .............................. E49 Haba UK .................................... F16 Halilit (Marnita) ......................... E90 Hama ......................................... E66 Hasbro UK .................... Gallery 620 Heimess ........................ Gallery 199 Holztiger ...................... Gallery 199 Hornby Hobbies .........................D11 House of Marbles ....................G110 HTI .......................................... E125 i-spy Distribution ...................... B65 Imajo ........................................ GH2 IMC Toys UK ........................... E129 Indigo Jamm ..............................H42 Info Desk ................................... E70 Ingo Devices UK ........................D19 Injusa ......................................... F90 Insect Lore ................................D20 Intelligent Retail .................... GH21 Interplay UK ..............................G10 Intertek ....................................G66 IVS Group ..................... Gallery 177 James Bond Lounge ................G122 Jazwares ...................................D99 John Adams Leisure ................G100 John Crane................................. E20 Joluet Games ......................... GH59 Jumbo Games ............................ E46 Juratoys .................................... F50 K’Nex UK ...................... Gallery 510 K-Play International ..... Gallery 199 Kapla France Sarl ......... Gallery 143 Kazooloo ...................................H95 www.toynews-online.biz

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SHOW GUIDE

FLOOR PLAN - GALLERY LEVEL

KD UK ........................... Gallery 160 Keel Toys................................... B35 Kiddimoto ..................................H44 Kidicraft ................................. GH51 KidKraft ..................................... E79 Kids@Play .................... Gallery 141 Kitfix Swallow Group ............... B60 Theo Klein .................................D95 Kriya ...................................... GH36 Paul Lamond Games ................. E50 Lanka Kade .................................. F1 Le Toy Van ................................ E10 LeapFrog Toys (UK) .................. B40 Learning Resources...................D36 LEGO .......................................... B70 Lexibook ................................... B18 Little Helper ..............................H40 Little Tikes ................... Gallery 540 Lustrumlight ............................ B95 MGA Entertainment ..... Gallery 540 MV Sports & Leisure ................. B30 Manhattan Toy Europe...Gallery 315 Marbel ....................................... B50 Marvin’s Magic ..........................H65 Melissa & Doug .......................... F40 Micro Scooters ......................... B45 Milly&Flynn ............................... B92 Minigols .................................. GH48 Molto ........................................ F36 Mookie Toys ............................ E149 Music for Kids ......................... GH16 NPD Group ................... Gallery 146 Orange Tree Toys ....................B100 Orchard Toys ............................. B12 www.toynews-online.biz

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Oxford Diecast ............ Gallery 195 Padgett Bros (A to Z) ............... F15 Pants on Fire Games ... Gallery 435 Papo UK ....................... Gallery 128 Peterkin UK ................. Gallery 110 PDT ......................................... F110 Pink Chillies ...............................G65 Playmobil (UK) ............ Gallery 210 Plum Products ..........................G90 Pocketbond/Toyway ................H22 Posh Paws International ...........D89 Press Office .................. Gallery 158 Proyectum Sport International....... ................................................ GH48 The Puppet Company ............... E16 Rainbow Colours .................... GH19 Rainbow Designs ..................... E120 Ravensburger .........................B156 Re:creation ............................. E160 Relaxation Garden ....... Gallery 142 Reliance Technical Service ......C42 Revell ........................... Gallery 100 Robbie Toys ............................... F90 Rockjam................................... F110 Rolly Toys .................................. F90 Sakar International ..................G29 The Sales Partnership .............. E21 Sambro International ...............G46 Schleich ...................................B121 Science4you ................. Gallery 122 Simba Smoby Toys UK ........... E140 Singing Machine ...................... F110 SJD Games ............................. GH31 Sluban UK & Ireland................ GH28

Smart UK ...................... Gallery 410 Sopio Cards ............................ GH53 The Source Wholesale . Gallery 145 Spin Master Toys UK .............. E131 Star Images ..............................H90 Stepping Stones Marketing ... GH15 T.A.R.E.M.A. .............................. F30 Tabletop Workshop ................ GH39 Tactic Games UK .....................D109 Taxi Board Game .................... GH43 TCE Design t/a Top Century Enterprises (UK) .......................H36 Tegu Toy Works .................... GH20 Tell Tails ................................... GH4 TFTV Studio ................. Gallery 153 TFTV Demo Zone .......... Gallery 157 Thames & Kosmos ....................G60 Titan Merchandise .................. F111 TikkTokk UK ..............................D25 TKC Sales ................................. E99 Tobar Group Trading ... Gallery 305 Tomy Europe ................ Gallery 610 Toy Essentials ............ Gallery 147b Toy Trust Coffee Lounge ................ .......................................Gallery 175 Toymaster ................. London Room ToyNews ..................................... E2 Toys N Playthings ....................... E1 Toy Retailers Association ............... .......................................Gallery 176 Toy World ............................... GH37 Traditional Garden Games .............. .......................................Gallery 144 Travis Designs ...........................G50

Trends UK .................................. B20 Trunki ........................................C45 Turner Media Innovations Lounge .. .......................................Gallery 130 TY UK............................ Gallery 119 UL Café ......................... Gallery 520 UL VS United Kingdom .............. B25 Underground Toys ..................G120 University Games UK ............... F10 Ur-Tubes................................. GH50 Vertex Resourcing ................. GH47 Vivid Toy Group ....................... E135 VTech Electronics Europe .............. .......................................Gallery 500 Warlord Games ......................... GH1 West Design Products ..............C60 Whitbread Wilkinson ................ GH5 Wicked Vision ......................... E100 Wild Card Games ......................H20 Willowbee ...............................G119 Wilton Bradley........................... E89 Wind Designs .............................H52 Winning Moves UK .................. F101 Wooky Entertainment.. Gallery 180 Wow Toys ..................................G15 Zapf Creation (UK) ...... Gallery 540 Zappies ........................ Gallery 152 Zeon .......................................... F60 ZooBooKoo International ...... GH49

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SHOW GUIDE HASBRO In 2015, there’ll be plenty to see from Hasbro’s growing franchises, including My Little Pony and Littlest Pet Shop, Play Doh and Transformers – following the 30th anniversary and momentum from Transformers: Age of Extinction. What’s more, the forthcoming multi-year animated TV series, Robots in Disguise, will begin a brand new chapter for Transformers storytelling and gameplay. It’s filled with great humour, lots of fun adventure and animated in a cooler, lighter, brighter style that the firm is confident children are going to love. This is an all-new look for the TV animation and will transfer into product. A major year for movie franchises, 2015 will see the return of Marvel’s Avengers with Avengers: Age of Ultron, set to be released in April. To celebrate the release, Hasbro will launch its new range of products on the March 1st with fresh product segments. The movie fun and thrills doesn’t stop there. The Jurassic Park franchise is also making a blockbuster comeback with Jurassic World, coming to cinemas in summer 2015. With a fully functioning dinosaur theme park now up and running on Isla Nublar and a new generation of dinos waiting to hatch, Hasbro will be unveiling a monster line-up of dinosaur action figures and role-play products that are certain to terrify and delight fans of the movies in equal measure. Meanwhile, there are exciting things to come from Hasbro’s pre-school portfolio. The headliner here will be a range of loveable character toys from The Furchester Hotel. Made by CBeebies and Sesame Workshop, The Furchester Hotel is about an ‘almost’ world-class hotel run by a close-knit family of cheerfully chaotic puppet monsters. The daily mishaps and mix-ups at The Furchester Hotel give many opportunities for the characters to model the ways pre-schoolers’ natural curiosity and creativity can www.toynews-online.biz

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GALLERY 620 be harnessed to collaborate and solve problems. Hasbro is delighted to be bringing the curiosity and creativity of these puppet monsters to life with both classic Sesame Street characters, Elmo and Cookie Monster, and new favourites Funella Furchester (the welcoming monster owner), her husband, Furgus Fuzz, and their daughter, the unflappable Phoebe Furchester-Fuzz starring in the show. There will be a continued focus on the gaming category too, with new releases from the likes of Twister and Hasbro’s party game line. And with Monopoly celebrating its 80th anniversary in 2015, there’ll be the 80th anniversary edition of the iconic and much-loved board game on show. The vintage look is a tribute to Monopoly’s timelessness and longlasting status as the musthave family board game. The pieces have also been given a bronzed look and feature retro classics such as the handheld lantern and steam train, as well as the recently introduced cat. 020 8569 1234

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SHOW GUIDE GP FLAIR 2015 is a year to shop ‘til you drop with GP Flair’s new brands in the boys, girls and creative play sectors, including the popular Shopkins which will see new series launches throughout the year. Fans of Shopkins will eagerly load their trolleys with Season 3 of the shopping-inspired characters with a new array of colourful new characters and themes to hunt for. The Food Spree will include quirky food themed characters and playsets such as the Scoops Ice Cream Treat Truck. The Fashion Spree collection will include play-sets styled on shoes and make-up, not to mention a Fashion Boutique luxury play-set, complete with various interactive features and accessories. Flair’s multi-platform marketing of the brand will continue to include stunt events, digital and TV, while the roll out of the licensing programme will add to the awareness. There’s a new pet collectable to get excited about called Pet Club Parade; a property with realistic, cute puppy breeds plus a host of accessories and play-sets. The 10cm puppy figures come fully articulated, allowing for realistic movements.

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STAND E39 Using a special ‘joystick’ button in the puppy’s back, girls can make their new friend walk and move their eyes, head and tail. Watch the puppy pick up their bone and be taken for a walk using their special lead. Six dogs will be in the main range for launch, including a Labrador, Pug and Dalmatian, with an additional three exclusive puppies to collect. The pets come as singles or duos, complete with collar, lead and bone. In addition, Deluxe Packs introduce two exclusive breeds with extra accessories such as an interactive Post Box playset and a multi-featured caring and training play-set, including an exclusive puppy and fun features. For Doc McStuffins, Dottie the little girl medic is turning her attention to healing toy animals. The Doc Mcstuffins Pet Vet series will see Dottie donning her new look paw print scrubs and introducing new pet toys to the patient list. A hero of the range will be the new Pet Vet Doc McStuffins doll while among the patient list, there’s Findo the Animatronic Puppy and Stuffy the Dragon’s furry pet, a fluff ball called Squibbles. For her vet duties there will be new accessories such as the Vet Case and a Vet’s Book of Boo Boos, while a Pet Vet Desk and Pet Care Centre will allow children to create a Pet Vet clinic at home. For boys the big story is the launch of World of Warriors, the new property from Mind Candy. The range consists of mini collectable figurines, play-sets, action figures and role-play. Collectable figure packs

come in two, four and eight, with 120 figures to collect in Series 1 alone and a Battle Arena Play-set for collectors to compete in. Fans can emulate the gameplay with the Deluxe Action Figures, each having special move features directly from the app. A collection of role-play weapons and accessories are also included in the launch. The marketing plan will match the importance the brand has in Flair’s autumn line-up with a robust sampling campaign which is scheduled prior to launch, plus heavyweight TV, digital and pre-roll activity plus

in-store sampling, character visits and swap days. From Easter kids can get their hands on Mutant Mania, the ultimate mix and match wrestling mutant collectables. The figures have true backbone as the unique feature of each is that it comes in several parts with a flexi spine. With 121 in Round 1 alone there’s a colossal 1.8 million wrestling combos to create. Spring sees the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles enter the pre-school scene with the launch of the Half-Shell Heroes. With cuter preschool styling, the collection will include figures, vehicles and play-sets, plus an awesome Electronic

Shellraiser, Super Sewer HQ and the Mega Mutant Leo. Other big news is that the Mutations range, the most successful segment in Turtles history, has been revamped for a new generation. Mix and Match your Turtles heroes and villains with interchangeable arms, legs and heads; with nine characters to collect you can create your own turtley awesome character. The Turtle Brothers are also represented in the Mutations Deluxe Figures and autumn will get even more mutated with the launch of a new play-set. Meanwhile, in creative play, I-DO-3D is a stylus containing a unique patented compound in a range of colours. I-DO-3D allows kids to transform 2D templates to 3D models using the four-second air-dry miracle formula. I-DO-3D styluses will be available in a range of kits including ‘how to’ guide templates. This will be supported by a similarly revolutionary marketing campaign. 020 8643 0320 www.toynews-online.biz

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SHOW GUIDE CHARACTER OPTIONS With extensions to key properties and the launch of some new ranges, expect further growth from Character Options in 2015. Peppa Pig and Character go hand-in-hand and after a spring that sees Peppa take a break, with her Holiday theme, the pre-school favourite will introduce a whole new collection for fans to enthuse about. Peppa’s Holiday collection with its Holiday Jet, Camper Van Play-set and Sunshine Villa launches in January, but adding to this in autumn is Peppa’s Once Upon a Time collection inspired by a child’s favourite fairy-tales. Figure packs of Peppa and all her friends will come donned in fancy dress, such as Little Red Riding Hood and Cinderella. Play-sets will also be given a magical touch such as Cinders Peppa and Coachman George with a Pumpkin Coach, and a Fairytale Tea Party play-set. For little brother George there’s a new adventure with his Follow Me Home Dragon that shouts instructions such as ‘fly left’ and ‘go right’ as he is flown through the air with George on board. Finally Peppa’s Enchanting Tower, the hero play-set, will be the must-have for fans.

STAND E119 2015 will also see the eagerly awaited introduction of The Clangers and the launch of a brand new TV series. At the heart of Character’s collection will be playsets that will echo scenes and features from the show such as Major Clanger and his Musical Boat and a Deluxe Clanger Planet Play-set. Also set to make an impact in the range will be a collection of knitted figures of all the characters including Small the curious Clanger and Tiny the musical maestro. The Soup Dragon is not forgotten, while the Iron Chicken is presented as a fun construction kit for older kids. In the world of electronic pets Character Options has a packed menagerie. Little Live Pets flew into kid’s hearts in 2014 and spring has seen the launch of a new bird species and sparkling butterflies, plus a Mummy Owl and Baby that tweet to each other. There is even more to discover for autumn with the launch of new characters, plus fans will also be able to collect a whole new species – Mice, providing many new fast and furry friends to collect - plus a host of habitats and playsets. Also available will be a large-scale fully interactive and intelligent bird which will be the smartest Little Live Pet to date. For boys, Wild Pets are realistic furry giant spiders that scurry along and can be controlled by touch. With LED lights to change the colour of their eyes plus various attack modes, Wild Pets will be available either as a single spider or with their very own habitat. The award winning Teksta brand will have a sting in its tail this autumn which will contrast perfectly with the Teksta Newborns that launched in spring. The Teksta Scorpion introduces a new level of electronic interactivity

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with an IR remote that straps to the back of the hand allowing full 360 degree realistic movement. Articulate giant pincers means you can pick things up or battle for supremacy with two or more of the impressive arachnids. Crazy Legs Scooby is the craziest and funniest Scooby-Doo feature toy yet. He reacts to sound and has free-rotating legs that work independently from each other making for a hilarious Scooby sight. And from Uggly’s comes a new disgusting pet – Fartchi, which has a soft flocked body but is obviously just a scruffy pup. Press his nose and he mutters grunts and groans, or use the remote control to see him waggle his tail and let rip.

Series five of The Zelfs will feature new animals in a variety of poses with new funky pattern hair designs. New to the second half will be a crystal theme across the Medium and Super Zelfs, while the new Deluxe Zelf will shine with her Crystal Glow, fibre optic hair and poseable flapping wings. Disney Princess Palace Pets will be launching in a new 1.5-inch pocket size scale. The characters can be collected in single foil packs or blister two packs. To support the new series there will be a set of connecting play-sets. Favourite Primp and Pamper Ponies and Furry Tail Friends will also have new faces

within the latest series. Disney Princess Palace Pets will be stepping up in the magical world with light-up characters and a Magical Kingdom play-set. In addition, the friends will also be seen within a new hair play theme. New collections for Doctor Who and Shimmer and Sparkle will also be on the stand. Finally, a whole new sector is about to open up with the introduction of new food brand, Yummie Nummies, a revolutionary way for children to make miniature treats that look and taste like the real thing using pre mixed magic sachets of ingredients. Featuring both sweet and savoury treats, the concept is already taking the world by storm. 0161 633 9800

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SHOW GUIDE LEGO In the first half of 2014 the LEGO Group experienced broad based sales momentum with global sales up 15 per cent. A significant contributor to sales growth have been The LEGO Movie products which launched in conjunction with the film. Classics such as LEGO CITY, LEGO Creator, LEGO Technic and LEGO Star Wars have also continued to deliver very strong growth globally. The introduction of new independent properties and licences have been developed to further increase sales and drive both the construction category and growth within the business well into 2015 and beyond. As the number three property in the UK total toy market, LEGO CITY spring/ summer 2015 themes and product launches have been developed to maintain its key position. Classic, expandable play themes will include Demolition and Swamp Police, while LEGO CITY Vehicles will extend the successful Great Vehicles concept to target treats and loyalty purchase opportunities.

STAND B70 Ninjago will be renewed with a collection of play themes and action toys. With action-packed Ninja content already peaking on Cartoon Network, the brand looks set for an impactful year ahead. BIONICLE will also return to shelves in 2015 with fast-to-build and easy-to-rebuild action figures which offer more elements and power up models with dual weapons for collectability. Pocket money collectable brands, Minifigures and Mixels, will both continue to launch three range waves throughout 2015 to further drive purchase and frequency. Popular IPs including Chima, will see further engagement into its fantastical world with conflict-driven storylines and new minifigure tribe collectable packs, while Ultra Agents will focus on new models and iconic vehicles. New IP, Speed Champions will introduce a range of some of the coolest racing cars from some of the most well-known premium performance car brands in the world. Launching in March 2015, the new brand will allow children to build, race and role-play with their cars which will include unique minifigures.

Somewhat differentiated from the core brands, TECHNIC is a classic evergreen that caters for the slightly ‘older’ boy delivering some of the most iconic real-life vehicles with authentic features and functions. Spring/summer 2015 will see the introduction of widely appealing models across varying price points including the 24 Hour Race Car. Quarter one will see more of the low price point pullback action vehicles which use pull back motors to create a fun, simple function and build for a quick, achievable success. The launch of LEGO Minecraft at the end of 2014 also brings the LEGO experience to older boys.

Offering a physical Minecraft experience, the LEGO sets inspire children to continue their Minecraft building in the real world. The UK’s number one Star Wars licence, LEGO Star Wars further expands its universe in 2015 to reflect one of the most anticipated comebacks in cinematic history by introducing novelties and well-known redesigned bestsellers. An evergreen line in the LEGO portfolio for 15 years, the brand has a proven success record that combines construction, roleplay and the infinite Star Wars universe. The partnership between LEGO and DC Comics and Marvel will see the unveiling of more Spider-man lines,

plus the introduction of Justice League and The Avengers. The LEGO Super Heroes range of conflict play theme sets offers iconic characters, collectable minifigures and scenes from both the DC and Marvel super hero universe. A selection of products will be launched in the first half pre-empting the theatrical release of Avengers: Age Of Ultron, and complementing associated Spider-man content during cartoon season. Theme and product extensions will also be available for the Duplo, Juniors, Friends, Elves and Princess ranges. 01753 495000

Most definitely drinks. It’s a great time to hear the buzz from all my colleagues.

spoon over the road from Olympia. Otherwise, a lovely glass of champagne at the Kensington Roof Gardens is nice.

everyone in the industry. We all want to see successful business take place whether we’re a manufacturer, distributor or retailer.

Why is Toy Fair a mustattend event? It’s the ultimate UK showcase for anyone and

Piece of advice for Toy Fair first-timers? Take a pair of flats.

MY TOY FAIR ANGIE TUTT Brand Director, LEGO UK

retailers to the media. We’ve a lot to shout about in 2015.

How many Toy Fairs have you been to? Three.

Least favourite part? Not being able to spend enough time with all of the visitors to our stand.

Flats or heels? Heels – but flats for the end of the day.

Early night or drinks after the show?

Best place to take clients? I hear there is a good greasy

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SHOW GUIDE VIVID BOYS The hotly tipped Thunderbirds Are Go TV series will be blasting off in 2015 and is shaping up to emulate the success of the original series. The hero product is the all new Tracy Island Play-set (£79.99) which is packed full of features and intelligent story telling sounds. With a unique launching experience, all the vehicles fit inside Tracy Island and fans can replicate the launch sequences from the TV series. The rest of the launch range will include 3.75-inch figures (£7.99) and the iconic Thunderbirds Vehicles and TB2 Play-set (£9.99-£39.99). Real FX (£99.99) is next generation slotless racing which provides the most realistic driving experience in RC cars ever created, according to the firm. Each car is fitted with infrared Opto sensors which read the track at 200 times per second – this artificial intelligence means a second car can drive around the track by itself and compete against you. Overtake opponents and deal with track hazards, from tyre blowouts to oil

STAND E135 spills, Real FX is pitched as video gaming meet slot racing, but in real life and with no slots.

TECH

Following on from the success of My Friend Cayla come two new propositions for next Christmas which also work via connection to a smart device. Aimed at pre-schoolers, My Friend Teddy is billed as The Bear Who Really Knows You (£39.99). Parents can enter details of their child and their family into the app, and Teddy will incorporate them into the things he says. He interacts with lots of activities within the app which change in complexity as the child develops. My Friend Teddy also has touch sensors in his tummy, hands and feet and will giggle when he is tipped upside down. Meanwhile, the i-Que Intelligent Robot (£64.99) is packed full of jokes, trivia, sound effects, quizzes and games. i-Que is articulated so can be played with like a regular action figure, and also has animated lights, jittery thinking cap and a twisting waist.

GIRLS

After a successful 2014, AniMagic Plush is set for continued growth. With a new packaging style guide, fresh product introductions with innovative features and new price points, AniMagic will have a complete makeover for autumn/winter, boosting its strongest plush range at retail. AniMagic

Rescue Hospital will also expand into new areas for 2015 with new themes and product SKUs. Both will benefit from targeted marketing campaigns.

ARTS & CRAFTS – CRAYOLA

A series of key innovative product launches are planned for 2015. The Paint

Maker (£22.99) will let users create their own custom paint colours in minutes. Use the mixing guide to make classic Crayola colours or let creativity run riot to create and name their own unique custom colour combinations. Crayola’s new Augmented Reality colouring in subbrand Colour Alive is to have significant expansion throughout 2015. Building on the spring launch of colouring books (£6.99) will be the arrival of the Minions franchise. Meanwhile, Colour Alive Action Match (£14.99) enables corresponding pages to interact with each other in Augmented Reality, and is supported across Star Wars Rebels and Frozen licences. Finally, Colour Alive Virtual Design Pro (£29.99) offers the ability to interact with creations like never before. The Fashion Collection and Design & Drive utilises the Colour Alive technology so children can not only see their designs transformed into 3D, but can personalise them and see them take to the virtual runway or race track. 01483 449944

MY TOY FAIR How many Toy Fairs have you been to? Approx 17

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What’s your favourite part of Toy Fair? The very first day when the stand and product looks its best and the anticipation of waiting for the first customers to arrive.

What’s your least favourite part of Toy Fair? Sore throat at the end of the week and being on your feet all day. Early night or drinks after the show? Now that Toy Fair is only three days, it is always an early night on the Monday

in preparation and drinks all the other nights (as a drink helps you sleep…) Hangover tip? Everything in moderation. Flats or heels? Always heels.

Where’s the best place to take clients? Anywhere where alcohol is served. Why is Toy Fair a mustattend event in your opinion? It’s the best opportunity to showcase next year’s ranges under the same roof. www.toynews-online.biz

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SHOW GUIDE JOHN ADAMS

STAND G100

Toy Fair 2015 will see John Adams Leisure unveiling its Pip Ahoy toy line for the first time, since announcing the company’s acquisition of the master toy licence of the popular pre-school programme, featuring the voice of David Jason. The toy line will consist of beautifully detailed figures, play-sets, role-play items and plush toys which will launch from May. The creative play category will be expanding again this year with two new craft ranges set to be unveiled at the show, plus two new additions to the company’s successful food craft range. The category will also boast new Disney Frozen items, as well as extensions to the hugely popular BloPens range.

The much-loved Tiny Tears brand will be marking its 50th anniversary in 2015, so the company will be celebrating in style with a special anniversary edition of the Tiny Tears doll, as well as a few other surprises on stand. Following on from its 40th anniversary year, the Rubik’s Cube will continue to have a strong presence on John Adams’ stand, after recently being added into the National Hall of Fame.

The Classic 3x3 Rubik’s Cube will be the main focus, alongside other items in the Rubik’s range including The Void, Rubik’s Race and the Speed Cube Pro Pack. The company will be bolstering its action games portfolio too, with a couple of fun new additions. These will join existing success stories Doggie Doo and Silly Moo. An exciting new range of kids’ educational games will be available to view for the first time too, and the full Rummikub range will also be showcased on the stand.

The science category will also see a new line introduction for 2015, which will sit alongside the company’s current science collection. This includes the likes of Gross Science, Dr Toxic’s Slime Lab among a number of others. “Toy Fair is just the perfect opportunity to meet with customers old and new and start looking forward to the year ahead,” Lynette Norris, marketing manager at John Adams, tells ToyNews. 01480 414361

it’s always a relief to see the stand in-situ and looking as good as we expect.

Heels of course. I’m far too short without. (Although I must admit to sneaking a pair of spare flats into my handbag just in case).

For us, Toy Fair is the one event where we can really showcase all of our new products together and get customers interacting with the toys and games via our demo pods.

MY TOY FAIR Favourite part of Toy Fair? For me it’s when we complete the set-up, ready for the start of the show. So much planning goes into our stand, so it’s a great feeling when everything is all in place and ready to hand over to the sales team to do their stuff. LYNETTE NORRIS Marketing Manager, John Adams Leisure How many Toy Fairs have you been to? This will be my fourth with John Adams. 168 January/February

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What’s your least favourite part of the show? The nervous feeling that I always get before seeing the physical build of the stand. No matter how much we plan and visualise things,

Early night or drinks after the show? We always go out as a team for a meal and a few relaxed drinks, which is really nice. Hangover tip? Don’t get to the point of having a hangover in the first place. You really do not want to be tired on the stand. Flats or heels?

Where’s the best place to take clients? To the centre of our stand. This year we have a lovely hospitality area where customers can sit and have a drink and take in all of the fantastic new products we have on offer. Why is Toy Fair a mustattend event?

What’s the one piece of advice you would give to Toy Fair first-timers? From a marketing point of view, it is all in the planning. Ensure that you plan as much in advance as possible and have lots of checklists.

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SHOW GUIDE WOOKY ENTERTAINMENT In just a few short years, Wooky Entertainment has moved from being a product distributor to product innovator. Toy Fair 2015 will see a raft of imaginative product from Wooky Europe designed to encompass current trends and make the next move up the toy charts. Charmazing is a designit-yourself jewellery craft line for young designers. Style Me Ups Charmazing looks to get children aged eight and above designing expandable and stackable bangle bracelets that can be ‘charmed up’. Children will be able to make their own custom charm bracelets with colourful threads, beads, gems, chains, pearls and

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more, with more than 100 different charms available in unique themed collections. Charms can also be scanned to enter a virtual Charmazing world where they can be traded with friends and also connected with other fashionistas via a free app. The app also notifies children of their friends’ Charmazing activity so they can see when they swap or add a new charm to their collection. Meanwhile, for young artists looking to create innovative fashions that reflect their own style, Style Me Up offers a range of new sketchbooks.

These cover a number of themes including Pop Star, Seasons, Cities, Puppy Love and Riding in Style. Each sketchbook comes with colouring pencils, stencil sheet, design guide and 50 stickers. A collaboration with Disney also means that budding fashionistas can explore their creative talents across a range of characters such as Ariel, Cinderella, Tinker Bell, The Princess Collection and The Villains Collection. Moving on, and Bloco is a range of 3D construction toys which has been refreshed for 2015, which are easy to assemble with

specialised connectors. Chunky and manageable for little fingers, the Bloco range brings out creativity while encouraging the development of special and motor skills, with subjects including dinosaurs to dragons and kittens to chameleons. Finally, Wooky will be introducing what it describes as a ‘giant leap’ on the looming concept with new technology that will add a whole new dimension to the craft phenomenon. Details are currently under wraps but will be fully revealed at Toy Fair. 0151 494 3821

Where’s the best place to take clients? Any pub where you can get a pint for less than £5 in London.

under one roof to draw comparisons and place lots of orders … after you have administered all of the bollockings, of course.

Why is Toy Fair a mustattend event in your opinion? As a supplier it’s an ideal time to get all your bollockings over in a threeday period. As a retailer all of your suppliers are

What’s the one piece of advice you would give to Toy Fair first-timers? Pre-plan your visit of three days. Day one, look around. Days two and three, place lots of orders.

MY TOY FAIR

DAVE WILLIAMS European Sales Director, Wooky Entertainment 170 January/February

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How many Toy Fairs have you been to? 23

What’s an early night? Drinks during the show, after the show…

What’s your favourite part of Toy Fair? The end.

Hangover tip? Keep drinking, after 15 years they cease to exist.

What’s your least favourite part of the show? The beginning.

Flats or heels? Deep down I would love to wear heels. However, peer group pressure states that flats are more appropriate.

Early night or drinks after the show?

www.toynews-online.biz

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08/12/2014 10:54

Try something

new

this year! View our full range at Toy Fair stand GH27. To book an appointment at Toy Fair, please contact Fiona on 07747 835 030.

www.bizzy-bitz.com 0208 880 5622 info@bizzy-bitz.com

Specials available for orders placed at Toy Fair.

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SHOW GUIDE RE:CREATION

Razor moves into 2015 with extensive marketing support behind the successful ‘Electrify Your Ride’ campaign including the first ever spring TV campaign for the E90 and the E100 models. The Lil’ Crazy will also make its show debut – the junior electric ride-on delivers drifting fun for children as young as three. Crazy Cart XL – an adult-sized version of the original – will also be launching. Razor’s portfolio of kick and stunt scooters will also take centre stage. The Air Storm performance launcher brand continues to deliver growth, and Toy Fair brings the launch of the new FireTek segment, which incorporates LED technology for light displays. Also in outdoor, C-Preme’s Krash and Raskullz brands will take the spotlight in a first TV campaign. Fuze Bike accessories, including the Wheel Writer, will also benefit from spring TV support. Stretchkins will welcome new character additions, as well as a brand extension in the form of Stretchkins Light Ups. New collectable plush range, Zigamazoos will have kids full of laughter, according to the firm, with the range of eight characters producing a giggle when squeezed. Meanwhile, for tots on the go, Neck Napperz is a collection of six huggable animals which convert into a handy neck travel pillow. Re:creation will also be using Toy Fair as a platform for the re-launch of Magic Chocolate Picture Maker. The creative product will benefit from complete reinvention in 2015. Also new, Light Up Links fuels creativity featuring links and connecting pods that can be combined in countless ways to build all kinds of shapes and objects. New additions to the LEGO Lights line-up will be launched, as well as innovation in bedroom lighting for Ninjago and Friends. Adding to the electronic light up offering, Jelly Beamz are a new collectable range of jelly bean friends. 0118 973 6222

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MY TOY FAIR JONATHAN KIRKLEY Marketing Director, Re:creation

How many Toy Fairs have you been to? I must have attended about 13 or 14 London Toy Fairs now. Favourite part of Toy Fair? Getting instant, direct feedback from all our retail partners on the latest Re:creation brands and ranges. That, and catching up with lots of old friends and colleagues around the fair. What’s your least favourite part? Breaking down the stand after such a concentrated flurry of activity always feels a bit flat, but it’s a great time to reflect on everything that needs to be done in the coming weeks. Early night or drinks? Trying to find that happy medium between the two is critical. Hangover tip? Abstinence (cough...) Best place to take clients? The OXO Tower has never disappointed and is quiet enough to have a good chat too. Why is Toy Fair a must-attend event in your opinion? It’s the only place that brings together pretty much all the UK retailers and most of the trade and consumer press in one venue in such a short space of time. Piece of advice for first-timers? Wear your most comfortable pair of shoes and keep going.

www.toynews-online.biz

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SHOW GUIDE UNIVERSITY GAMES University Games creates exciting, original games for both kids and grown-ups, with creative gameplay and quality components as standard. Following the huge success in 2014 with the release of fast and furious kids game Bunny Jump, plus the hilariously crazy family game Chicken Charades, University Games has just completed its fifth consecutive year of growth. The firm is excited to further develop its portfolio in 2015 through a number of new product launches, including Seagull Splat and UFO Alarm, and the re-development of key lines Pointless and Great Explorations. Seagull Splat is the mischievous and hilarious children’s game that will have kids screaming with

STAND F10 laughter as they poop their way to victory. Each player receives a set of character cards and takes it in turns to fly the seagull over each of their opponent’s characters. Are you lucky enough to dodge that poop? You may end up pooped out if you aren’t. It is aimed at ages four plus and is for two to four players. Another new fast paced and exhilarating game for children in 2015 is UFO Alarm (aimed at six years and above, for two to four players). Players face a head on battle with a selection of evil aliens. Dare to leave the farm and face an alien attack? Be careful, throw a wrong roll on the dice and you could find yourself paralyzed with fear, teleported by the electronic spaceship and abducted by

aliens. Be sure to look out for secret passages and those trap doors. Both Seagull Splat and UFO Alarm are planned for solid TV exposure in 2015, and will have a heavy presence at Toy Fair. Meanwhile, continuing the success of both the Pointless Board and Pointless Travel game – based on the popular BBC1 quiz show hosted by Alexander Armstrong – University Games is introducing a refresh of questions for both. The main board game also sees the introduction of an electronic scoring system compatible with iPhone and iPad, making it more interactive, exciting and adding more realism with the show. The range of Mini Games has continued to provide

the market with a lower cost addition to main board games sales. As well as Pointless, they include 5 Second Rule, Smart Ass, Spot The Difference and Sort It Out. Great Explorations also sees a complete rebrand for 2015 with a full redesign of its packaging and branding, making it even more visually engaging when on shelf. Carrying a lifetime guarantee of ‘Glowability’, the visual effect can also be seen on the University Games stand. University Games will continue to TV promote its hero products during 2015, including Don’t Rock the Boat and 5 Second Rule. New introductions, Bunny Jump and Chicken Charades have proved to be winners in 2014, so they continued to benefit from TV support.

In the world of arts and crafts, My Studio Girl will continue to be a focus for the company. The range has had a successful first year, and gives the brand a healthy base on which to grow. General manager, Adrian Whyles says: “In 2015, we will be introducing exciting new games to the market, and we are looking forward to showcasing these, our refreshed leading lines, and complete range at this year’s Toy Fair. “Our philosophy has always been to offer games that encourage social interaction and imagination through gameplay, with learning sprinkled in to season the game. All our new releases support our brand ethos of fun games which encourage learning as part of everyday life.” 03334 050120

Where’s the best place to take clients? Somewhere suitable to talk business… like the pub.

What’s the one piece of advice you would give to Toy Fair first-timers? Take the opportunity to visit as many stands as you can. There are loads of fantastic products and opportunities in this great trade. Not all of them are obvious.

MY TOY FAIR How many Toy Fairs have you been to? Far too many, but I started straight from school, so about 26. What’s your favourite part of Toy Fair? 9am on the first day, when all that preparation comes together. ADRIAN WHYLES General Manager, University Games UK 174 January/February

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What’s your least favourite part of the show?

Breaking down at the end (the stand that is, not me). Early night or drinks after the show? The trick is to achieve both. Hangover tip? Don’t drink alcohol if you can’t take it. Flats or heels? Heels are only for Saturday evenings.

Why is Toy Fair a mustattend event in your opinion? It is such a great showcase for all that the year ahead holds. And a time to say hi to all those friends in the trade you said you would catch up with during the year.

www.toynews-online.biz

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SHOW GUIDE UNDERGROUND TOYS Underground Toys (incorporating Gear For Games) holds the rights to an impressive portfolio of brands including Star Wars, Doctor Who, Marvel, Sherlock, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, WWE, Peppa Pig, Ghostbusters, The Big Bang Theory and more. The firm will be exhibiting some classic and new products from existing ranges, as well as showcasing some brand new items for 2015.

STAND G120 New ranges will include Star Wars Talking Plush including fresh Roar & Rage Chewbacca and Lightsaber Battle Yoda, both feature plush with lights, sound and movement. More properties have also been added to the POP Vinyl stylized collectable figure range – from Adventure Time to Frozen, Game of Thrones to WWE, DC to Marvel, My Little Pony to Star Wars. The firm will be revealing Marvel Avengers: Age of Ultron Talking Plush in a variety of characters and sizes, while Sherlock gifting will include stickers, bottle openers, keychains and iPhone cases.

Underground Toys originally became wellknown for its talking keychain products – including the retro range In Your Pocket and pre-school range of Pocket Pals. The firm has successfully expanded into the Talking Plush arena and manufactures plush for Star Wars, Doctor Who, Marvel, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Ghostbusters for markets across the world. Most recently, the firm has been expanding into the novelty, gift and homewares areas and will be showcasing items such as The Walking Dead figural cookie jar, Doctor Who kitchenware, Game of Thrones drinkware, Vikings gifting, Sherlock accessories and more. A vast array of product from the firm’s tie up with Funko will also be on show. The two firms partner on licensing, development and distribution, and the range has over 1,300 items. 020 7801 6325

MY TOY FAIR

Early night or drinks? A few drinks and an early night. I have the benefit of living 15 minutes from Olympia so as long as I am in bed by 11pm, I’m doing okay. ROBYN COWLING Licensing Director, Underground Toys How many Toy Fairs have you been to? I think this is the ninth year. Favourite part? The half an hour before the show opens each day. Getting the chance to look around and see the booth from an outsiders perspective is really rewarding. Least favourite? Definitely the set up. When the entrances are wide open, it’s as freezing cold

CLICK DISTRIBUTION January sees the launch of Minecraft Series 2 Hangers, with ten brand new characters including Diamond Steve, Alex, Wolf, Enderman, Ghast, Mooshroom, Squid, Ocelot, Chest and Nether Portal, plus three special chase figures to collect. The company also recently announced a partnership with Aardman to distribute a new range of Shaun the Sheep Mini Figures, Bobbling Shaun and Save with Shirley Money Banks, all of which are available this month to tie in with the cinema release of the Shaun the Sheep movie in February.

MY TOY FAIR

Also arriving in January will be new ranges of backpacks, bags, purses and wallets for SpiderMan, Minions, Marvel, Star Wars, Paddington, Shaun the Sheep, Peppa Pig and Frozen. Click enjoyed great success with its accessories and jewellery ranges in 2014 and, going forward, new items will be available for Frozen, Minions, Hello Kitty and new Disney Pixar movie, Inside Out. Minion Bumpeez will also be introduced for 2015. Last year was an incredible one for stickers and trading cards, with Match Attax sales increasing dramatically in comparison

LYNDSEY SAMPLE Head of Independent Sales, Click Distribution

How many Toy Fairs have you been to? Nine.

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Where’s the best place to take clients? The Kensington Roof Gardens are fun or the Royal Garden, but you need to book a few weeks before the show. Maggie Jones is a great casual restaurant that isn’t too far away as well. What’s the one piece of advice you would give a Toy Fair first-timer? Don’t be tempted to skip the end of an aisle, you never know what gems are around the corner. If you have the time, take it to look around.

STAND G105 with previous years. Click will be launching the new Match Attax Extra Collection in February. Frozen also proved to be one of the biggest sticker collections of the year, and available from Click is the new Frozen Enchanted Sticker Collection. Pre-orders are also strong for the hotly tipped Minecraft Sticker/ Card Collection. The firm will round out its portfolio with Top Gear Turbo TCG, the new Yu-Gi-Oh Secrets of Eternity Booster, Marvel Avengers Hero Attax, Minions TCG and more. “2014 was a record year in terms of turnover and profit for the business, and our expectations for 2015

are equally as high,” says Luke Hillier, Click COO. “It’s important we continue to drive the business forward and offer our customers the best ranges of product that we are able to source for them, and on paper it looks like it’s going to be a good year. “Toy Fair is extremely important to us as a business; it’s an opportunity for us to see a large percentage of our customers in one place at one time and enable them to see

Favourite part? Seeing customers face to face.

Best place to take clients? Min Jiang has amazing food.

Least favourite part? Sore feet.

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inside as it is outside and the rain is lashing down. Miserable.

Hangover tip? Drink flat Coke.

Why is Toy Fair a mustattend event? It’s the first UK show of the year and a great chance to preview all the new and exciting products.

our ranges for the coming year, make their selections with us and enjoy all the fun of the Fair.” 01604 877888

Advice for first-timers? Give yourself enough time to view as much as possible.

www.toynews-online.biz

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SHOW GUIDE JUMBO GAMES Jumbo Games is the number one manufacturer of adult puzzles in the UK (source: NPD YTD October 2014), producing Wasgij, Falcon de Luxe and Puzzle Mates. The firm is also the number two manufacturer in the children’s puzzle market, with a portfolio of licences including Peppa Pig, DC Batman and Superfriends, Something Special, Fireman Sam, Frozen and more. Jumbo will be launching five products at Toy Fair, kicking off with Wasgij Imagine … General Election Special. Three 1,000-piece themed puzzles will be

MY TOY FAIR

VICTORIA ALLEN Sales Admin & National Account Manager, Jumbo Games

STAND E46 centred on the possible fictitious outcomes of the 2015 General Election. The image on each box depicts key political figures in the House of Commons taking part in a heated debate. Despite the Speaker trying to maintain order, MPs are misbehaving and some familiar faces are dotted around from past and present day. Depending on which version of the jigsaw is chosen, puzzlers will need to figure out what the ‘solution’ of the jigsaw will be if the selected party wins. Each box is colour coded to reflect

the different parties – blue for Conservative, red for Labour and yellow for Liberal Democrats. In addition, new games being announced and showcased for the first time on the stand include a Disney Frozen Magical Ice Palace Game (where the first player to melt all of their Frozen playing cards wins), Peppa Pig and DC Batman games. Meanwhile, new January launches for Falcon include themed puzzles such as Mother and

Daughter and The Rugby World Cup. The firm will also showcase its Christmas 1,000-piece puzzle depicting a pantomime scene with lots of families watching a fun Christmas classic tale. Completing the line-up on the stand will be the Goula wooden game and puzzle

How many Toy Fairs have you been to? Five.

Early night or drinks after the show? Drinks, it’s all part of the experience.

Best place to take clients? For me it’s our coffee bar. Everyone has been on their feet all day so grabbing a coffee and having a sit down meeting is heavenly.

What’s your favourite part of the show? The buzz on press day and catching up with everyone.

Hangover tip? Berocca, Nurofen, water and plenty of coffee.

Least favourite part? Breakdown… need I say more?

Flats or heels? I have zero balance, so most definitely flats.

Why is Toy Fair a mustattend event? It’s a fantastic opportunity to showcase your range with every retailer under one roof.

BANDAI 2015 will be getting off to a flying start for Bandai thanks to the imminent launch of Disney’s latest movie Big Hero 6. Arriving in cinemas on January 30th, it follows the story of robotics prodigy Hiro Hamada and his best friend robot Baymax as they assemble a superhero team to protect the city of San Fransokyo. Bandai’s range of toys includes collectable figures of all key characters, plush lines and role-play. The star item is the DX Flying Baymax with a 46cm extending wingspan, rocket fist and light and flight sound effects, plus fans will want to build their own ‘Armour Up Baymax’ from over 20 pieces to recreate one of the memorable scenes from the movie. In the land of Power Rangers, fans are counting down to the first airing of the Dino Charge TV series this summer where a new team of Rangers must find the lost ‘Energems’ and use their Dino Chargers to power an arsenal of dino178 January/February

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range for pre-schoolers, which help to develop sensory perception and hand-eye coordination skills; as well as new licensed products for Mr Bloom’s Nursery, Disney, Fireman Sam and more to be revealed at Olympia. 01707 289289

Piece of advice for Toy Fair first-timers? Wear comfortable shoes and layer your clothes as it is often snowing or raining outside but really warm inside. Be prepared, a ‘girl scout’ bag with plasters, painkillers, pens, water, portable phone battery and the like (but nothing too heavy).

GALLERY 600 fuelled weapons, Zords and Megazords to save the world. The new toy range covering figures, role-play and the Zord Builder range will be unveiled for the first time at Toy Fair. The launch of Dino Charge will be supported by a dedicated 360° marketing and PR campaign and will be a major priority for Bandai this year. Visitors to the stand will also be introduced to Sprukits. Those seeking out pocket money collectables

A unique way for children to play with their favourite Disney characters and dinosaurs, the articulated figures turn from egg to hero in a few simple steps. The first assortment is available from February. Bandai is also the new home of Monchhichi and the fresh collection launching in March will be seen for the first time at Olympia, alongside a new FSDU for in-store display. Finally, come and experience the world of Tamagotchi Dream Town where the latest digital friend devices, collectable figures and play-sets will all be on show. 01489 790944

MY TOY FAIR

our beautiful stand be ripped down in a tenth of the time it took us to make it look that good.

VICKI ELMER Product Manager/Media Planner, Bandai How many Toy Fairs have you been to? This will be my 15th in a professional capacity. I did, however, enjoy my visits when I was growing up too. Favourite part? The buzz on press day. With so much going on around the show it never fails to make us all feel energised for the year ahead.

should look no further than the brand new Hatch n’ Heroes collection.

Least favourite part? Breakdown and watching

Early night or drinks after the show? Drinks for definite – we earn them. Hangover tip? Just know your limit before it becomes an issue. Flats or heels? Whilst not overly sensible, I have to wear heels. Best place to take clients? We enjoy The Fence Club party for socialising. Why is Toy Fair a mustattend event? It’s the most impressive shop window – miss it, miss out on what’s happening and what’s launching in our fantastic industry.

www.toynews-online.biz

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SHOW GUIDE DRUMOND PARK

GALLERY 440 That’s where this funny game goes ever faster… it can take a lot of right answers to spin that last colour. Each player has a mission in Rattle Me Bones (£22.99). The skeleton of an old pirate reclines on his treasure trove, and players must creep up stealthily and steal his possessions from right under his nose. But if he ‘feels’ your touch, he’ll leap up, rattling and shaking to scare away the thief. Stand by for disgusting farts and gruesome grunts – in Og on the Bog (£22.99) the ogre has retired to his outhouse loo and you must collect three of his loo rolls to win. Trigger a noise and if he farts you lift a toilet roll from the gnarled stick outside. If he shouts out, your turn is over. However if the bog explodes you lose all your toilet rolls and have to start again. Avoiding the howling cat, tinkling bell and hooting owl, players of Don’t Wake Dad (£22.99) must creep past Dad as he snores in bed, trying to reach the fridge and win that delicious cake. Finally, Barbecue Party (£19.99) is a simple game for younger children which helps aid their dexterity. Players take a card and either place the item shown on the grill – or if it’s there already, take it off and win that card. 01483 449944

Vivid Group’s new Drumond Park Division continues to live up to its reputation as the UK’s leading independent games brand. At this year’s Toy Fair it is showing a tremendous range of new titles, from pre-school to adult - adding to its existing portfolio of perennial favourites. New games to look forward to include the eagerly anticipated LOGO Lite (£19.99), which is poised to be one of the most important game launches this year. The fast-paced game can be played individually with family and friends, and the 260 brand new cards can be used to enhance the original bestselling LOGO game. LOGO Lite’s challenge is for players to answer all the questions on a card and collect one each of six coloured disks. After each right answer you spin to find which colour you have won. If you already have that colour, too bad – you must move on.

CARTAMUNDI After multiple launches in territories across Europe, with more imminent, the momentum is certainly behind Shuffle — Cartamundi’s new product category that combines playing cards and digital technology for an enhanced way to play card games with support from tablets and smartphones. Three new Shuffle games will be on display: Shuffle Disney Frozen, Shuffle Disney Cars and Shuffle Monopoly Deal Disney Edition. All three bring together compelling card games based on popular Disney and Hasbro brands with an optional free app that adds a whole new dimension to the cardplaying fun.

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STAND H1 Shuffle Frozen is available now, while retailers will be able to stock the Monopoly Deal Disney Edition and Disney Cars Shuffle games from January. Priced at £6.99, the new games are expected to enjoy a strong retail performance thanks to the popularity of the films and characters that have inspired the packaging and card design. Shuffle Frozen is a matching game, Shuffle Monopoly Deal Disney Edition is all about collecting properties in the form of well-loved Disney characters and Shuffle Disney Cars is about racing through the city, overtaking your opponents and refuelling as you go.

The Shuffle Disney Monopoly Deal app also brings the Chance cards to life along with Disney characters. The app for Shuffle Frozen helps you with your matching and adds some magical frozen fun. The Cars app introduces extra racing power or unexpected obstacles to make your race go faster or slower. Cartamundi will be highlighting games coming to retail soon in partnership with some popular brands. They include Animal Planet Cutie and Frozen Two-in-one. Visitors will also hear about the firm’s plans for expansion of its own brand children’s education games, and continuing expansion to the lines of licensed children’s and pre-school games. They will also get a preview of future developments to the Shuffle line. And there’s the small matter of preparations for the 250th anniversary of one of the best known names in the history of playing cards. 01268 511522

MY TOY FAIR Toy Fair is wedging yourself into the Hand and Flower over the road. It’s like human Tetris.

HAYLEY MACLEOD National Account Manager, Cartamundi How many Toy Fairs have you been to? This will be my tenth. Favourite part? The buzz. It’s always great seeing everyone on a high and (usually) excited about the year to come and the prospects for the products on show. It’s the perfect way to kick off the year. Early night or drinks after the show? Drinks every time – one of the perennial challenges of

Hangover tip? It always used to be a 9am appointment with Hazel from John Lewis – nothing sobered you up and got you focused quicker than that. In the absence of Hazel, my new strategy is a strong coffee the size of my head. Flats or heels? Day one is heels day. After that it’s flats and blisters all the way. Best place to take clients? Wherever there is wine – and somewhere to sit (so possibly not in the Hand and Flower). Piece of advice for firsttimers? Plan, plan, plan your visit.

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SHOW GUIDE JAZWARES Jazwares will be exhibiting at the 2015 London Toy Fair for the first time. Having traded FOB within the UK for two years, 2015 marks the arrival of the firm as a UK domestic supplier. Jazwares has launched its second sandbox video game toy line with Terraria. This is an action-packed, sandbox, adventure game that enables players to dig, fight, explore and build in a world with a variety of settings. Terraria is available for download on PC, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3, PS4, PS Vita, iOS and Android mobile devices and has won several awards. It was the Editor’s Choice App on iTunes and was featured as the number one paid app on the Apple Store. It has sold close to ten million copies since its inception in 2011. The toy line will include figures from £7.99, role-play toys, plush and a play-set at the top end, retailing at £59.99. Launched initially in select US and UK stores from November 2014, the early signs are said to be well ahead of expectations and Jazwares plans a full roll-out starting January 2015. Jazwares also brings to market its innovative new range of Blueprints paper craft under the Star Wars, Marvel and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles licences. Easy to build, the sets are available in 30, 48 and 90-piece sets as well as 12-inch character sets. Each set includes paper figures with pose-able joints and a wide range of play environments. Kids can make their own Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Shellraiser, construct the Star Wars Millennium Falcon or build a Marvel Avengers Avenjet Aircraft. To support and promote the range, Jazwares is creating a series of ‘how-to’ stopmotion videos. In spring 2015, Jazwares is launching a new collectable with extensive gameplay called Flick-toStick Bungees. The unique playpattern gives kids multiple ways to play by aiming their Bungees at scoring targets; a flick of the finger is all it takes to compete, where they can collect and win in this hot new magnetic game. The line includes a battleground arena, playing cards and scoring disks to enhance game play. There are 44 characters to collect in the first wave. The toys will retail from £2.99, for a single character, to £24.99 for the Bungees Battleground. Bungees will be backed by a marketing campaign featuring a heavyweight TV plan, animation shorts, gaming app and much more.

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Daniel Sugrue, UK sales director, says: “Jazwares aims to continually create exciting toys with innovation and function, at affordable prices. We feel that we have a strong and varied product portfolio that will really capture children’s imaginations.” 0203 598 0270

MY TOY FAIR DAN SUGRUE UK Sales Director, Jazwares

How many Toy Fairs have you been to? Three. What’s your favourite part? All of it, you don’t stop. What’s your least favourite part? Breaking down. Early night or drinks after the show? Definitely drinks. Hangover tip? Plan for a hangover by packing rehydration salts. Best place to take clients? A couple of drinks at the Hand & Flower, and then a meal at Kensington Roof Gardens ‘Babylon’. Why is Toy Fair a must-attend event in your opinion? The 2015 London Toy Fair is a significant marker for Jazwares as we commence trading domestically within the UK market. What’s the one piece of advice that you would give to Toy Fair first-timers? Bring plenty of business cards and enjoy the energy.

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SHOW GUIDE BANANAGRAMS Bananagrams, the creators of innovative tile games including the worldwide phenomenon Bananagrams, will be launching Bananagrams WildTiles in the UK. The game, which

STAND F101 Now, with Bananagrams WildTiles, players can pick up a WildTile and play it as any letter, as they race to complete their grids. If they change their mind as the game progresses, just like every other tile in play, they can move their WildTile around as they rework their grid and it can become any letter they wish.

Rena Nathanson, Top Banana at Bananagrams, comments: “We’re confident that Bananagrams WildTiles will be as big a hit in the UK as it has been in the US. Fans of our classic Bananagrams are sure to love this new take on the game, offering endless word creation. For new players, WildTiles is a great introduction to our range and it’s a solid addition to our line of fun and educational games.”

MY TOY FAIR

Where’s the best place to take clients? Food… Italian is always a safe bet. Entertainment? It’s got to be Soho. RENA NATHANSON Top Banana, Bananagrams How many Toy Fairs have you been to? Too many to count. Favourite part of Toy Fair? Seeing everyone face to face… and the ‘networking’ drinks events.

enjoyed a highly successful debut as a Target and Target.com exclusive in the US last summer, will be distributed in the UK by Winning Moves UK. The game includes six unique monkey WildTiles, putting an all-new spin on the original anagram game.

All UK trade enquiries about the full Bananagrams range, including the new Bananagrams WildTiles game, should be made to Winning Moves. 020 7298 9500

Least favourite part? Setting up and packing up. Someday we will have a contracted team to do it, but right now, it’s all hands on deck. Early night or drinks after the show?

BLADEZ TOYZ The ever-popular range of licensed, radio controlled inflatable toys from Bladez Toyz seems to have taken the world by storm. The Bladez superstar toy within the category – Dave the Minion from the Despicable Me movies – has been one of the top selling R/C toys internationally over the last 18 months. Bladez has been developing new models and characters from the Despicable Me movies which now feature sound effects, including all the well known and hilarious catchphrases from the fi lms. Bladez will be showcasing the inflatable

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Drinks of course… it would be rude not to say hello to people who have travelled such a long way…

Why is Toy Fair a mustattend event? London is a fantastic central meeting point, particularly for our European partners. For me, it’s a great opportunity to see clients and it gears me up for US Toy Fair. Piece of advice you would give to first-timers? Exhibitors – try to get a corner booth: double the exposure and much less claustrophobic. Visitors – have a hit list of mustsees, then if you have time, meander. There are always a lot of surprises.

GALLERY 123 range at Olympia, and is encouraging retailers to place their orders as early as possible to get their stock in time for The Minion Movie embargo date. The Super-Jumbo R/C inflatable Minions will be joined by more of the world’s most famous characters including Disney’s Lightning McQueen, Dusty from Planes and the legendary R2-D2 from Star Wars. In addition, with several other iconic licences on the horizon, the Jumbo R/C Inflatable category from Bladez Toyz will soon be home to more of the most famous faces from the big screen.

The design team at Bladez has also been working alongside Volkswagen to create a Micro R/C replica of the 1962 Classic Camper. The micro bus is a 1:64 scale size, is full-function radio control and includes working head and tail lights. It has a stylish and compact handset modelled on the front of a VW bus, and is also used to charge and store the camper. 02392 658255

IAIN MORGAN CEO, Bladez Toyz

Favourite part? Getting to showcase all of our newest lines.

How many Toy Fairs have you been to? This will be our eighth Toy Fair.

Least favourite part? Toy Fair is one of the only annual trade shows that we genuinely really enjoy from start to finish.

Early night or drinks after the show? Drinks … but only a couple, honest. Hangover tip? Having a go at driving one of our radio controlled Minions of course.

Piece of advice for firsttimers to Toy Fair? Make sure you’re prepared for the unexpected. Trade shows never run as planned and hiccups will occur. Also, drink plenty of water – you’ll be talking continuously.

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SHOW GUIDE K’NEX K’NEX is set to build on last year’s success with a number of announcements at Toy Fair 2015. A strong and diverse product portfolio featuring adventurous themes and unrivalled play value will include brand new ranges, bringing innovation to the construction aisle throughout the year. At the heart of the K’NEX range is a collection of building tubs and treasure chests. With generous piece counts and dozens of inspiring creative building ideas, new sets for 2015 include Combat Crew 5 in 1, which offers motorised movement and builds five military vehicles for amazing play value. 52 model and 70 model tubs will continue to offer children the chance to experience construction play where the only limit is their imagination. Coaster themed construction range, K’NEX Thrill Rides, gives builders the chance to recreate

GALLERY 510 the fun of an amusement park at home with realistic looking, large scale theme park rides at a range of price points. In 2015, K’NEX will unveil its tallest coaster, Sky Sprinter Roller Coaster, which can be built more than seven foot tall and has more than 800 pieces. Brand new to the K’NEX line-up, the Beasts Alive range offers dinosaur and dragon themed construction play. X-Flame is a real show-stopper as with motorised walking and wing movements and three alternate models to build, it adds up to great play value. K’NEX is also set to launch into the blaster

of buildable, customisable blasters to cater to this overwhelming demand. Leading the line is K-Force Dual Cross, a giant blaster bow with 371 pieces included plus instructions for five custom blaster builds and buildable targets. In the licensing arena, K’NEX captures the appeal of popular digital games and TV favourites, bringing them to the construction aisle. A powerhouse portfolio for 2015 includes Super Mario and Mario Kart, Titanfall, Plants vs. Zombies and Family Guy. 0118 925 3270

category with K-Force. Inspired by hundreds of thousands of online searches for K’NEX blasters, the construction play experts created a line

MY TOY FAIR

Hangover tip? Everything available.

PAUL FOGARTY MD, K’Nex UK How many Toy Fairs have you been to? 18. Favourite part? Meeting customers and getting their feedback on the line. It’s also a good time to evaluate how the prior year has gone and come up with some joint exciting plans when they can see the product and displays at their best. Least favourite part? The setting up and breaking down.

ESDEVIUM After a late introduction last year, Esdevium’s bestselling Frozen board game will be available for the whole of 2015. The firm’s range of Disney-licensed games already includes Disney Princess, Jake and the Never Land Pirates and Doc McStuffins, and this year it

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Early night or drinks? Definitely drinks after the show. It’s a time for fun and relaxing and socialising with friends in the trade.

Why is Toy Fair a mustattend event? It’s a chance to really create theatre in our industry, the only time when the wider customer teams get a chance to see the line together in terms of buyers, merchandisers and display teams. It’s when people appreciate what a really fun and exciting business we are in. Piece of advice for Toy Fair first-timers? Make sure you do all of your stand planning in advance and think through timing for set up. Think about how the trade want to walk your line and plan the flow towards your customer.

STAND E109 will look to add even more in-demand licensed games for Star Wars, The Avengers, Marvel and more. The Dobble Card Game had a sensational 2014, more than doubling its very respectable sales from the previous year, all without TV advertising.

Esdevium believes there is still room to grow the brand and has recently launched Dobble Kids. Another big success from 2014 Esdevium will be looking to build upon is the family game, Hotel Tycoon. The 3D game will again be supported by a comprehensive media plan. A welcome addition will be the Front-Porch Classics collection, featuring titles such as Shut the Box, The World’s Best Dice Game and Boneyard Dominoes. The games are presented in wooden boxes that open out to reveal the components. The Front Porch Classics will be exclusive to Esdevium Games throughout 2015. TV licensed games are another growth category. Toy Fair will see the official release of the 8 Out of 10 Cats and Countdown board games to join a line that includes Would I Lie to You? and The Big Bang Theory Party Game. 01420 593593

MY TOY FAIR

Early night or drinks? Drinks – I like to be sociable.

BEN HOGG Marketing Manager, Esdevium Games

How many Toy Fairs have you been to? This will be my fifth. Favourite part? I love the whole thing, but seeing the people I have worked with or have helped me is always a big highlight. Least favourite part? What it takes out of you. The air at Olympia always makes me ill, but you just get on with it.

Hangover tip? Probably don’t tell your boss that you have a hangover. Flats or heels? I haven’t tried heels yet, but there is a first for everything. Why is Toy Fair a mustattend event? For us, it’s the one big moment of the year to show our retailers our range and to make an impression on the industry as a whole. Piece of advice for Toy Fair first-timers? It’s three long days, make it count.

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SHOW GUIDE AMSCAN This will be the first time in 15 years that leading party company Amscan has exhibited at the Toy Fair, taking the opportunity to showcase its extensive range of party products, balloons and dress up costumes to the toy industry. The ‘One Stop Party Shop’ solution aims to bring total convenience to retailers so they can source everything they require for parties and celebrations in one place. Amscan has an impressive licensed collection including over 95 licensed properties of which there will be a variety of new ranges on display at the show. Look out for collections of key ontrend children’s characters at the Toy Fair including the ultimate hero next door, Fireman Sam; the world’s most famous sponge, SpongeBob SquarePants; Paddington Bear; the cheeky Minions and party accessories by major Disney franchises Frozen, The Avengers and Spider-man.

STAND B75 In addition to party items and balloons there will be a variety of new costumes for toddlers and children; ideal for key fancy dress occasions including kids parties, Book Week and Halloween. Visitors should keep an eye out for licensed

MY TOY FAIR MIKE MCGILLION VP, International Retail & Marketing, Amscan How many Toy Fairs have you been to? None for the last 15 years. Favourite part? Don’t know yet! But I hope it’s having conversations about the party, dress-up and balloon categories with retailers who will see the opportunity. Hangover tip? Know your limits and

GOLDFISH & BISON Goldfish & Bison will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of the iconic Spirograph brand in 2015. First introduced in 1965, Spirograph is the famous creative toy that enables kids of all ages to draw cool, geometric creations in bright colour. Goldfish & Bison is supporting the brand with exciting launches for 2015. The firm will be introducing the innovative new Spirograph Design Studio (£29.99). The product comes with a motorised function that enables kids to draw the famous Spirograph patterns by simply inserting their pens and starting the motion. The Spirograph set comes with a selection of templates, pens and paper to draw with and the case stores everything, handy to get creative whenever the mood inspires you. A new Spirograph Animal Set will also be available for £4.99. The set comes with two fun Lion and Dolphin templates, six Spirograph wheels and three colour 188 January/February

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Barbie outfits, pirates, story book characters, history themes, careers, Halloween and more. Amscan also stocks leading face paint brand Snazaroo and will have a selection of face painting products on display to complement the costumes. 01908 288573

always drink a pint of water before going to bed. Best place to take clients? Langan’s Brasserie. Why is Toy Fair a mustattend event? The toy sector has become ever more competitive and additions in categories such as ours delivers consistent every day sales through the year. Piece of advice for firsttimers? I’m hoping someone can share this advice with us!

STAND E35 pens, so kids can draw cool spiral patterns and cute animal shapes. Also available will be the new Spirograph Complete Starter Set (£12.99). It comes with a handy carry case containing everything kids need to get creative on the go. The Spirograph case opens up to reveal 12 wheels all stored neatly in the lid, three coloured pens and paper. Meanwhile, the Megableu portfolio continues to be a phenomenal success for Goldfish & Bison. The Megableu range features games with cool working features and strong visual recognition. The range includes the ever-popular titles, such as Ghost Hunt, Creepy Hand, Piggin Boogers, Cobra Attack and Spiderman Chase Rhino game. Goldfish & Bison will be unveiling new additions to the line-up from Megableu at the 2015 Toy Fairs featuring exhilarating gameplay with entertaining working features. 020 8326 2626 www.toynews-online.biz

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SHOW GUIDE RAVENSBURGER Ravensburger will be unveiling over 90 new products for 2015. The firm’s range offers characters, themes, piece counts and formats suitable for every child. During 2015, Ravensburger will be adding 15 new properties to its already heavyweight licensed portfolio – Avengers Age of Ultron, Bing Bunny, Minions Movie, The Clangers, Twirly Woos, Room on the Broom, Stickman, plus Disney Big Hero 6, Cinderella (live action), Palace Pets, Star Wars Rebels, The Good Dinosaur, Inside Out and Miles from Tomorrow.

MY TOY FAIR

CORNÉE MARLOW Marketing Coordinator, Ravensburger

STAND B156 The company is also launching new titles to established ranges. These include Thomas & Friends, The Gruffalo, In the Night Garden, The Snowman and The Snowdog, Disney Doc McStuffins, Frozen, Princess, Finding Nemo and Cars, plus new titles in its awardwinning generic range. Moving into adult puzzles, and Ravensburger understands what consumers want and expect from an adult jigsaw puzzle. The depth and breadth of its range reflects this, ensuring they will find something to challenge and entertain.

Within 3D, The Empire State Building and Eiffel Tower 3D puzzles with lights were must-have products. Ravensburger is expecting new launches Neuschwanstein Castle, One World Trade Centre, Country

Cottage and Lighthouse to be equally as popular. The firm is also confident that the new Disney Frozen 54-piece puzzle sphere will be on lots of wish lists, too. Moving into children’s games, and with Bugs in

How many Toy Fairs have you been to? 11

Least favourite part? Breaking down at the end of the week.

by copious amounts of caffeine.

Favourite part? When the stand is built and everything is in place. My favourite part is standing back, knowing that we are ready to present our range and that six months of hard work has come together.

Early night or drinks after the show? Drinks after the show, every time. Hangover tip? A large glass of orange juice for breakfast, followed

Best place to take clients? Cabana Brasilian Barbecue Restaurant - good food, great atmosphere and really close. Why is Toy Fair a mustattend event? Not only is it the one event of the year we all get to be

GALT Galt Toys will launch a host of new products at Toy Fair 2015. Dino the Dinosaur, Selfie Jewellery and Ted and Tess will be amongst the many making their debut. The firm will be showcasing a new Express Yourself range designed

to encourage children to express themselves by creating their own fashionable jewellery, plus new products in its Play and Learn, Young Art and Stationery ranges. Galt will also showcase six new Ambi toys and new products in its First Years range. 190 January/February

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the Kitchen winning the ToyTesters.TV Gold award for the most fun toy, visitors are being encouraged to come and learn about the promotional plans for this and other games. 01869 363800

kids again, but it is also the perfect way to meet a lot of customers in one place and have those all-important face to face meetings. What one piece of advice would you give to a Toy Fair first timer? Expect the unexpected, but just in case, bring comfortable shoes.

STAND E9 The Express Yourself range has eight DIY kits inspired by pop art with bright neon colours and a focus on fashion, friends and self-expression. From Flip Fashion to Shrinking Jewellery and Munchie Charms, the range is ideal

for children to have fun with their friends making, wearing and sharing. The new Dino Playnest is a big and soft, colourful dinosaur, forming a selfcontained play environment for babies and toddlers with different sounds and textures to explore. New

toys on the block, the First Mobile and a soft and squeaky Fill and Spill Picnic Basket, join Dino in Galt’s range of First Years toys. Galt will be showcasing six new Ambi toys based on the original designs of world renowned toy designer, Patrick Rylands. Pop Up Pals and the Lock Up Garage are among the new products. Take a trip down memory lane with Galt’s reintroduction of two classic bath toys designed by Patrick Rylands in 1968; the timeless Bird and Fish bath toys are sure to delight another generation of children and parents. Prepare to be dazzled by Galt’s new Sensational Sequin sets, pre-school puzzles and masses of new activity packs. All new products will be shown alongside Galt Toys’ full portfolio of products, which includes the Dr Miriam @Galt range, created alongside leading parenting expert Dr Miriam Stoppard. 0161 428 9111

MY TOY FAIR Least favourite part? Setting up and taking down the stand. Early night or drinks? Drinks after the show. Hangover tip? Don’t overdo the drinks after the show. JOHN MCDONNELL Managing Director, Galt Toys How many Toy Fairs have you been to? A lot. We’ve been exhibiting at Toy Fair since the very beginning, so consider ourselves seasoned pros. Favourite part of Toy Fair? It’s great to get the opportunity to showcase all our new products, and get immediate feedback. Toy Fair is also a great opportunity to catch up with long established contacts and meet new people.

Where’s the best place to take clients? Anywhere with a large round table. Why is Toy Fair a mustattend event in your opinion? Toy Fair is where all the latest innovation and trends are showcased. Products are launched and deals are made. It’s a vital business hub. Piece of advice for Toy Fair first-timers? Plan your trip carefully and make appointments ahead of time if possible.

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SHOW GUIDE FAMOSA Pinypon, the range of cute interchangeable mini dolls and play-sets was a key collectable range during 2014, with an estimated 50,000 dolls being in the hands of little girls. The only dolls with removable hair, head, body and accessories plus double-sided faces with different fun expressions, Pinypon will launch Pinypon Princesses in 2015, tapping into a popular theme and role-play with girls.

GALLERY 400 Four different models of glittering princesses, their frog pet and accessories, plus Princes to complete the fairytale and a Palace play-set are the key items which will see their debut at Toy Fair. Pinypon Tales is a further addition which sees the characters of Snow White, Little Red Riding

Hood, Alice in Wonderland and Rapunzel brought to life in Pinypon style with a cute little pet to match. Nenuco sees further line introductions for 2015 following the launch success in 2014. The products come packed with unique accessories which enable young girls to have the closest experience to playing a ‘real mum’. There is a broad variety of price points and play patterns within the collection. Key lines for 2015 will include Nenuco Bathtime, a 42cm soft body doll that can be immersed in water. It has its own dolphin float and when you squeeze water over her head she blows bubbles below the water. Nenuco Hugging is a 42cm soft bodied, cuddly doll that moves her arms, swings her head and hugs her pillow to sleep. Give her a hug and she will hug you back. Both will be supported by a TV campaign for spring. 01623 237433

MY TOY FAIR

Hangover tip? Don’t drink too much. Easier said than done though. Lots of water and polo mints on the stand. NIKKI JEFFERY Marketing Manager, Famosa How many Toy Fairs have you been to? This is my second with Famosa but will be my 11th Toy Fair in total.

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Flats or heels? Best intentions of starting off in heels, but inevitably the flats make an appearance.

What’s your favourite part of Toy Fair? Seeing colleagues new and old, plus great pals I have made over the years.

Why is Toy Fair a mustattend event in your opinion? It is the best chance to see everything under one roof – and to have fun playing with it all too.

What’s your least favourite part? The last hour on the last day when we are itching to start packing away and head back to family.

Piece of advice for Toy Fair first-timers? Pre-book parking if driving in and don’t organise any meetings in the cafe’s – never a seat.

BIZZYBITZ BizzyBitz is a new, highly creative, construction toy range, which boasts numerous educational advantages for a very reasonable price. The cool, addictive and fun toy is versatile, flexible and easy to use for children of all ages from three to 13. The vibrant and varied shapes lock together using a simple and patented universal ‘ball and socket’ system - perfect for even the tiniest of fingers to construct anything their imagination conjures up. Created by a family with decades of experience of working with children in the education sector, BizzyBitz delivers a set of important educational values. From a creative and physical development perspective, the range is suitable for all ability levels and enhances fine motor skills, while it also offers the chance for children to develop problem solving, engineering and emotional skills through play.

Early night or drinks? Definitely a drink at the end of the day but not too many, I can’t cope with it these days.

STAND GH27 The very epitome of learning through play, BizzyBitz has been highly acclaimed by OFSTED inspectors and is an essential addition to any toy box, whether at home, at pre-school or in the classroom. With endless construction capabilities, BizzyBitz will keep hands and minds busy for hours. BizzyBitz has won many awards from the Good Toy Guide, Practical Pre-school, Rainbow Awards and the Creative Play Award. “The BizzyBitz toys inspired the children to make many different things and they formed their own designs unaided. Some of the things created included a caterpillar, a necklace and a bridge. The pieces are brightly coloured and the element of flexibility is a great feature. The possibilities are endless and it is a brilliant toy for creative minds. It was very

appealing to the children,” said one Practical PreSchool Awards tester. BizzyBitz gives children the freedom to let their imagination go wild as they set about creating shapes and models. From artistic necklaces and moving vehicles to complicated building structures and fun characters, children across the UK are already enjoying the limitless potential of BizzyBitz. BizzyBitz product kits are available now and range from £4.99 to £49.99. 020 8806 8283

MY TOY FAIR

Doing the deals. And getting the opportunity to talk to people in the industry and share ideas (and frustrations).

RACHEL FOGEL Director/Owner, BizzyBitz

How many Toy Fairs have you been to? We had a small space on the Good Toy Guide’s stand last year, but we are counting this as our first real show. We’ve taken a lot of advice over the last year and feel we are coming to this show with a greater idea of what we need to achieve and how to do it. What is your favourite part of the show?

Least favourite part? The long hours and people not turning up for appointments. Best place to take clients? Our stand. Why is Toy Fair a mustattend event? It’s an opportunity to meet and talk to buyers that you wouldn’t normally get to meet with. It’s also an opportunity to talk to other toy inventors and designers who are trying to get their product out into the market, so we know we are not alone in our quest to break into the toy industry.

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SHOW GUIDE SAMBRO This year’s Toy Fair stand from Sambro will be its best yet with a massive range of new lines and licences. The licensed toy manufacturer kicks off the trade fair season with a host of new licensed ranges including Paw Patrol which will see the company create cross category ranges across toys, games, puzzles, arts and crafts, novelty, wheeled goods and bags. In addition, Sambro has added massively to its already successful Frozen collection and new products will be showcased including the Olaf Slush Maker. The Despicable Me franchise returns in 2015 and Sambro will launch its Minions range at the show. The collection will encompass stationery, arts and crafts, games, puzzles and much more. The latest Spongebob Squarepants film, Sponge out of Water is released in 2015 and Sambro will expand its existing range massively and will now

STAND G46 includes a light up version with twinkling sprinkles. Girly girls will adore the new Sweet Care Spa range which features the Sweet Care Spa Foot Spa. Invite friends over with the featured invites and give them their exclusive Sweet Care Spa Club Membership card, then treat them to a relaxing foot spa in the bubbly water. The set also includes nail varnishes, nail stickers and everything you need for a pamper party. Kaboinx will also bounce its way onto the Sambro stand. The interactive tech toy that you can bounce is set to become one of the crazes of 2015 and buyers will receive demos and can also take part in various Kaboinx challenges. Sambro will also slime the UK in 2015 as it brings back the Original Slime. The timeless pocket money line is the safest on the market and will no doubt appeal to a new generation of young fans. 0845 873 9380

include a Spongebob Trampoline, as well as a Spongebob Squarepants Vrum, the kids suitcase on wheels. Pre-Christmas saw Sambro sign a raft of new distribution deals and these will all be launched at Toy Fair. The new Taste n Fun range will appeal to both boys and girls and the hero product Frosty Fruit (TV advertised in Q4) is great for encouraging kids to try their own healthy fruit sorbets. Guests to the stand will be able to try a Taste n Fun sorbet for themselves. The range also features a Marshmallow Machine which enables kids to create tasty bite-sized treats. The new Candy Cuddles collection includes a range of soft cuddly cupcakes that look and smell good enough to eat. The scented cushions include decorated cupcakes and donuts which make great room accessories, as well as being perfect to snuggle up with. The Candy Cuddles Cupcake also

REVELL Revell is returning to Toy Fair this year with its supersize stand on the Gallery level, showcasing its latest ranges for the toy market. Its position as a major player in the radio controlled sector is ramped up with several technologically advanced, multi-format Revell Control releases. Quadmania has truly landed with an affordable first-person view drone, the 2.4GHz WiFi Quadcopter X-SPY. The product is equipped with a camera to

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GALLERY 100 instantly stream video or pictures to your Smartphone via WiFi. Users can crash, bash and fly for fun with the unstoppable 2.4GHz Rayvore Quad Copter, featuring four flight modes and high-powered motors. Other heli highlights include the affordable Spot camera quad, the quirky triangular Quadcopter TRITAN and the licensed Eurocopter EC135 Flying Bulls. On the ground, there are the exclusive to Revell Control, four brand new

designs of the popular £9.99 RC Mini Cars in a can, while RC Mini Action is a range of emergency service vehicles in evocative ‘fire extinguisher’ packaging. Several entry-level, durable RC buggies and monster trucks complete the street scene. The multi-format RC range is rounded off with the fun Mini Boats. With nearly 100 new land, sea and air releases in the pipeline, Revell believes it will continue to dominate the model and hobby sector. Key new releases include a brand new range of Build & Play Easy Kit cars, as well as new additions to the Star Wars Easy Kit range to coincide with the 2015 movie launch. The standard Revell model kit range features major new releases including the latest in hybrid sports cars, the Porsche 918 Spyder and BMW I8 in 1:24 scale. Brand new aircraft model

kits include the Focke Wulf Fw190 F-8 in 1:32 Scale, a BAe Hawk T.1, C-54 Skymaster and an Avro Shackleton all in 1:72 Scale. Fans of military figures will be looking forward to the 200th anniversary of the

MY TOY FAIR

Battle of Waterloo set. The creative toys sector is well catered for with the arts and crafts range launch, MyArts, and several new releases for the Summer Action outdoor toys range. 0845 459 0747

Least favourite part? The last hour and breakdown on Thursday. Hangover tip? A morning run in Hyde Park and lots of water. Best place to take clients? Mr Wing in Old Brompton Road.

THOMAS RANDRUP Country Manager UK & Ireland, Revell GmbH How many Toy Fairs have you been to? 15+ Favourite part? Stand walk with the rest of the team last thing on the Monday.

Why is Toy Fair a mustattend event? It’s an opportunity to gauge customer and industry reaction to new product ranges and win new business. Piece of advice for Toy Fair first-timers? Pace yourself.

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TOMY In 2015 Tomy believes that it has excelled in creating a plethora of powerful play products to ignite the imagination incorporating some of the hottest licences, including the new Disney Pixar releases. With over 20 years of expertise in infant developmental and creative play, Tomy infant and toddler toys offer an award winning range of toys suitable for children from six months to three years old. The cleverly designed collection provides endless play possibilities through innovative design, fun surprises and grow-withme features. Kids learn while playing and having fun, and because Tomy infant and toddler toys keep them playing and involved, they learn even more. The new modern and vibrant packaging introduced in 2014 has created better stand out for the Tomy brand, with more visible age grading and more opportunity for on the shelf try outs. There will also be additions to the Toy and Bath range. One of the new products is the Colour Discovery Hot Air Balloon, a magical toy with music sounds

RAINBOW DESIGNS Rainbow Designs is excited about the year ahead with Shaun the Sheep, as 2015 is being billed the ‘year of the Sheep’. Coming in Q1 is the Shaun the Sheep The Movie collection which will be launched in time for Shaun the Sheep The Movie which hits cinemas on February 6th. The new range includes the Baahing Shaun the Sheep, which is Rainbow’s first Shaun the Sheep product to play Baahing Sheep sounds as well as soft toys, games and puzzles. It also has its Shaun the Sheep Rugby World Cup range brand new for AW15. The range features soft toys and window stick ons, all adorning an official Rugby World Cup 2015 t-shirt. Rainbow Designs will also be launching the brand new Peppa Pig Nursery Collection. The line is designed in soft neutral tones and focuses on both Peppa and her little brother George and is the premier of the introduction of Peppa into the nursery/ baby market. The Peppa Pig Nursery Collection includes comfort blankets, 196 January/February

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and lights. Land the balloon on a coloured surface to see the colour instantly illuminated in the balloon, transporting your toddler to the furthest corner of their imagination. For the older children, Tomy brings added life and enhanced characteristics to the Pokémon range. With lots of new characters, intricate detail, exclusive colours and new poses, there is plenty to excite fans and take the world of Pokémon to new levels. Finally, visitors should keep their eyes open for new ranges relating to the hotly tipped forthcoming Disney Pixar fi lms. New lines will feature items across best selling categories including plush, action figures and more. 020 8722 7300

MY TOY FAIR

Early night or drinks? Drinks after the show and if we are really lucky there is time for a quick drink with customers on the stand at the end of the day. JANICE CLEARY Head of EU Marcoms, TOMY How many Toy Fairs have you been to? Two. Favourite part of Toy Fair? When you have worked really hard to create an amazing brand experience showcasing products at the show and you finally get to see the reactions of customers to the new lines. Least favourite part? Arriving and seeing all the boxes ready to unpack and wondering if you will ever be ready in time. But, of course, you always are.

STAND E120 musical pull downs, chime and rattle toys, activity toys and a Peppa Pig Teether. Following on from the massive success of his very own movie, Paddington still resonates as a focal pre-school line for Rainbow. Its plethora of Paddington product allows retailers to tap into the enduring appeal of Britain’s best loved bear. It has a number of ranges for the traditional collector through to the pre-school toys. Other brands Peter Rabbit, Guess How Much I Love You, Miffy, The World of Eric Carle/The Very Hungry Caterpillar & Elmer also see new additions to the collections for 2015. Each toy is developed with the company’s ethos of learning/ development through play. 01329 227300

The time also flies by so quickly and the days are so busy that is it often frustrating not to have more time to talk to customers.

MARBEL Cornish based toy distributor Marbel will be at the Toy Fair again this year showcasing all of the newest products from well-known brands including BRIO, Hape, Nanoblock, Lottie, Pink Poppy, Bullyland and Oidroids. Lottie Dolls are really covering the map this year. With adventurous and active characters from Stargazers and Fossil hunters, there are dolls for boys and girls of all natures. There are some new accessory kits in the range as well with a scooter set, super hero outfit and a fishing kit. Adding the variety to the range is going to make the role-play doll a diverse product for any shop that sells dolls or themed items. Disney Frozen has been a big hit this year and there are a couple of new ‘Crowning’ figures to keep up with the Coronation of Elsa. Snow White has had a makeover and new princess figurines have been introduced under the Live Action name. The new figures represent the actors in the new Cinderella film. BRIO has again given the industry some top design and quality products with additions to the theme

Flats or heels? Killer heels for when it is important to make an impression, otherwise go for comfort. Why is Toy Fair a must-attend event in your opinion? Toy Fair is absolutely the only place to see what is new and what is hot in the toy industry. A visit to this show is essential. Piece of advice you would give to Toy Fair first-timers? Plan your time beforehand. Ensure you have time to spend having quality conversations. If you don’t plan you will end up only meeting half of your objectives, the day will fly by and you won’t have made the best of the time available.

STAND B50 park Rollercoaster Set that was released last year. A Ferris Wheel and a Fun Park play-set are adding some active and fun accessories to the range. Interactive bells and spinning wheels make these a great addition to the wooden railway world. Nanoblock will launch a few new products in 2015. With ocean themes in mind, an Orca, Hammerhead Shark and a Rockhopper Penguin will launch into the market this year. 0845 6000 286

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SHOW GUIDE GOLDEN BEAR TWIRLYWOOS New children’s series Twirlywoos will air on CBeebies from spring 2015. The show focuses on laugh-out-loud child centric humour to engage young children and promotes learning through lots of laughter and silliness. As master toy licensee, Golden Bear’s Twirlywoos range showcases the characters Chickedy, Chick, Toodloo and GreatBigHoo. Made from super-soft textured fabric, the range of plush will vary in size from 17cm to 35cm, and, for added fun, each character features familiar sounds from the show which can be activated by pressing their tummy. Packed with play features, the pull-along Big Red Boat is due to set sail in A/W 2015. Mimicking learning patterns from the show, the Big Red Boat combines electronic elements and character figures to

MY TOY FAIR

CHRISTINE NICHOLLS Vice Chairman, Golden Bear How many Toy Fairs have you been to? I’ve been to 38. 200 January/February

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STAND E69 encourage imaginative play, as well as lots of hidden features for little ones to discover. Character phrases and songs can be activated across the boat, with flashing lights, opening doors and not forgetting the all-important Fruit Tea Machine. Try-me packaging will bring interactive features to life in-store.

HEY DUGGEE Based on the new animated pre-school series that promotes fun, exercise, learning and yet more fun, Duggee is a loveable big cuddly dog and the leader of a playgroup called The Squirrel Club. Airing in January on CBeebies, Duggee is joined by a cast of unique animal characters who attend the club, with each episode focusing on a mission to gain a new club badge. Launching in A/W15 the toy line will include a range of plush items such as collectable characters and talking Squirrel Club plush each with its own feature

Favourite part? The atmosphere, especially press day and it’s really great to see people who you only see once a year or so. After all these years I still learn something new every time I go and continue to enjoy it just as much as I did all those years ago. Least favourite part? I keep coming back so there can’t be that much not to like. It is tiring though, you certainly need supplies to get through it: plasters, vitamins and a few evening glasses of wine don’t hurt.

badge. Woof Woof Duggee Hug Toy with textured fabrics and push-activated badge icons features the show’s theme tune and key phrases from the series. Re-create the show with the Squirrel Club Play-set featuring Duggee figure and accessories, packed in a double-sided open display box and supported by TV advertising from launch.

multi-purpose play table/ storage unit. The removable activity station can also

IN THE NIGHT GARDEN Building on the runaway 2014 success of the In the Night Garden Ninky Nonk Musical Activity Train, the range has been extended for 2015 to include further interactive products and play elements designed to bring the characters to life. The new battery powered Ninky Nonk Train and Track Set is perfect for little hands with its easy start/ stop button – watch as the train races around the track and over the bridge while playing iconic Ninky Nonk sounds. Play along with Peek-a-boo Igglepiggle who covers his eyes and plays signature phrases when his tummy is pressed. This ‘cause and effect’ play continues with Blowing Kisses Upsy Daisy whose hands raise to blow a kiss when her tummy is pressed, too. Encouraging character-led learning, the new Activity Table features three key characters, plus a host of interactive features such as stories, songs and imaginative play all packed into a standing base and

Early night or drinks after the show? It’s always good to socialise, isn’t that what Toy Fair is for? I’m joking! However the Hilton Bar is a good haunt after the Fair, it’s a good opportunity to network and catch up with friends within the industry who you don’t see very often. Hangover tip? You will have to ask my daughter… coffee, a neverending supply of water, bacon sandwiches and more coffee. If you must drink, remember to pace yourself.

be placed on the floor to accommodate even the youngest of children.

SOMETHING SPECIAL The range has been extended to include handson play items including the Roll and Play Soft Cube with 36 activity cards; Mr Tumble Stick on Felts; chunky Mr Tumble and Friends Wooden Puzzle and Wooden Dress Up Mr Tumble. Larger-sized Talking Mr Tumble Soft Plush and Textured Mr Tumble with Fun Sounds are new additions, alongside the Something Special Sensory Playtime activity centre packed full with textures, moving features, sounds plus Mr Tumble figure.

SOOTY Golden Bear introduces a raft of new lines, including a pre-school magic set designed by Sooty’s owner, Richard Cadell. It uses magnets, optical illusions and technical wizardry to create the magic, so

Flats or heels? It depends on your itinerary. If you’re largely on a stand or in meetings, small heels are manageable, however you will definitely regret it if you don’t at least bring a pair of flats with you. The best tip I can give is travel over to the Fair in smart flat boots and keep a pair of low heels in the bag then all angles are covered. Practicality is key. Best place to take clients? The awards night is always a great place to network. For dinner there’s a great little Italian called Il Portico

that children don’t have to master any complex instructions and even the youngest magicians will be able to put on a show.

GO MINI Bash `N’ Spin Radio Controlled Bulldog is a new addition to the Go MINI collection, due in July. The trigger activates the Radio Controlled Bulldog to drive forwards, then the large ‘Bash’ button on the top of the controller makes the vehicle perform super-cool donut spins. The controller has two further buttons which activate cheeky barking sounds and real working headlights.

JCB New to the My First JCB collection for A/W15 is the Build & Go Digger. Designed for children as young as two years, use the chunky screwdriver to attach the super-sized wheels and front scoop to the cab. 01952 608308

that is family run, quirky and delicious. Why is Toy Fair a must attend event? To see what brands, characters and properties are hot and get a feel for the trends 2015 will offer. No other place sees so many industry professionals under one roof and you will always learn something new and ultimately have a good time. One piece of advice to Toy Fair first timers? Comfortable shoes, a bottle of water and plan ahead. www.toynews-online.biz

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KIDS@PLAY As well as the traditional Kids@play wheeled toys ranges, the company will be launching its new collection of Kids@play Music Maker toys at Toy Fair. Prices are all under £9.99 retail. The range consists of over 25 key items including saxophone, trumpet, band drum, clarinet, French horn, jazz drum kit, violin, keyboards and guitars. Malcolm Evans, Kids@ play’s founder, tells ToyNews that the range is “truly wonderful value for money and is excellent for all those budding musicians”. Kids@play has trademarked the brand ‘Music Maker’ and will be advertising and promoting it throughout 2015. 01291 635551

MY TOY FAIR

MALCOLM EVANS Founder, Kids@play

How many Toy Fairs have you been to? I have attended 44. My first one was Brighton Toy Fair, well before the event moved to London. I was 18 – now I understand why I am referred to as an industry veteran. Favourite part? Always the first day. It is on this day that you get to know the first feedback from the independents. Least favourite part? Seeing the stand come down, getting everything into our lorry, hassle each year in waiting one’s

ORCHARD TOYS Boasting over 40 years experience in educational games and jigsaws, Orchard Toys will be launching five new lines to its fun learning range. Championing Orchard Toys’ educational credentials is Match and Spell, a fun first reading and spelling game. The game has two levels of play to support development from word recognition to building words: match the letters on the word board, or try to spell the word correctly using the blank side of the boards. Match and Spell encourages letter recognition, teaches basic phonetic word building and promotes matching of pictures and words.

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STAND B12 Suitable for children aged from four years old, Match and Spell can be played with up to four players, or as a single player activity. Complementing the fun learning range is Big Number Jigsaw, designed to encourage number recognition and counting skills from one to 20. The bold and colourful jigsaw is suitable to play on a table or as a floor puzzle and is full of fun characters and objects for children to count and discuss. Suitable for children aged three to six years. What do I do? is a collection of six large, three-piece jigsaws, featuring characters from different occupations to add to the company’s growing two plus range of products. The jigsaws provide a fun first jigsaw for little hands and a discussion aid for parents to talk about the different jobs these characters do. Pizza, Pizza is a fun colour and shape matching game, for children aged three to seven years, but unlike a traditional pizza, the toppings in this game are sometimes very unusual and yukky, which children find hilarious. 01953 859535

A GIRL FOR ALL TIME Sam, Your 1960s Girl, is the latest addition to the multi award-winning range of historical play dolls, books and accessories. Created by British boutique toy company Daughters of History, the age-appropriate, educational companion dolls have been designed to appeal to modern, young girls aged seven and up. Sam, Your 1960s Girl, is Clementine’s daughter and grows up in post-war Paris. It’s 1966 when tragedy strikes and she must move from Paris to stay with relatives in Greenwich Village, New York City. The doll wears a mini dress and boots, echoing the style and glamour of the trendsetting ‘60s. Additional period-inspired costumes are also available. Founder Frances Cain says: “It is absolutely more than okay for girls to play with toys which actively celebrate their gender. Too much attention has been given to the idea that overtly feminine toys and games are a bad thing – our range is very much focused on letting girls indulge in intelligent, stimulating play which honours the role of women and girls during specific historical periods. We pay a huge amount of attention to detail

turn to get the lorry into the bays provided and people not keeping the aisles clear. Now my team request that I make myself scarce, saying that I am not needed and to travel home. This year I will take their advice. Early night or drinks? Drinks after the show are compulsory, always with friends and with clients. Nightclub too if we can. Hangover tip? No tea or coffee, but at least two litres of water and two aspirin. You also get a good exercise routine going to the bathroom and back to the stand. Why is it a must-attend event? Developing your toy retail business depends on the market trends, key and significant products, finding out what is new and looking at the fair for what is (in your opinion) real innovation. It’s a time when you could consider taking other members of your team to introduce them to suppliers and to engage them more in the industry.

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when it comes to the historical background of each doll, as well as their physical appearance.” The range provides girls with an intellectually stimulating play companion who will take them on authentic adventures through British history, opening their minds and showing them how girls’ lives differed in eras gone by. A Girl for All Time also counters the age-compression trend, where younger girls reach for older toys. The collection embraces childhood imagination through traditional play by creating a toy that allows girls to understand and compare their own experience of childhood in a new way. A Girl for All Time dolls are priced from £89.99. More outfits and accessories are available priced from £9.99 to £39.99. 020 7060 6151 January/February 203

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TRENDS UK DISNEY FROZEN A selection of new feature plush toys will be available to coincide with the launch of new short film, Frozen Fever. The Disney Frozen Singing Plush featuring Elsa and Anna have vinyl heads and huggable soft bodies. The Elsa doll sings Let It Go and Anna sings For the First Time in Forever. Available in a try-me pack, each retails at £24.99. Meanwhile, a Disney Frozen Elsa Deluxe Styling Head (£34.99) will be introduced for autumn. Featuring colour change make up, hair accessories, light-up brush, hairdryer with realistic sound effects and a jewellery box to hold accessories, the Styling Head also plays music as you brush her hair.

the portfolio. The Color Me Mine Colour Change bags come with a cool colour change pen and at least three regular colour markers, enabling girls to style their bags with intricate designs in upwards of six different colours. The new Color Me Mine Colour Change range will include a selection of stylish bags from £7.99 to £16.99. For autumn, the new Color Me Mine Diamond Party bags will be introduced. Glamorous touches include pearlescent pink trims and bows, plus glitter treated areas worked into the fabric for instant wow factor. The Diamond Party range will have a selection of purses, pocket bags, rope bags, messenger bags and casual bags.

PUPPY SURPRISE

SCIENCE MAD

Puppy Surprise (£24.99 each) is the hit ‘90s phenomenon featuring a mummy dog with a surprise number of puppies in her litter. The Puppy Surprise Plush assortment has three dogs to choose from and each has a surprise number of puppies in their Velcro pouch. For autumn, Trends UK will be introducing a new Kitty Surprise (£24.99) to the range.

The firm will be refreshing the popular science range with a new Science Mad logo and branding. It is also introducing the new Flight Science Glider into the Science Mad range for autumn 2015. The super cool glider comes with a selection of high-durability glider parts that can be configured into ten different aerodynamic shapes, each responding differently to air pressure and lift. In addition, the Flight Science Glider also comes with a 16-page educational guide.

COLOR ME MINE For spring, Trends UK is introducing a new colour change innovation into

GIBSONS Gibsons will be presenting two new additions to its My World range. Dino Jigosawrus is a set of eight ‘roaringly T-riffic’ progressive dinosaur puzzles, ranging from the four-piece Pteranodon to the whopping 16-piece Diplodocus. The second is a lotto style game, Ships Ahoy, where children must set sail on a pirate adventure. The aim is to fill the pirate ships with treasure by matching a series of coins to the pictures on the ships (and being careful not to walk the plank). The little pirate that brings aboard all the booty first is declared the winner. All My World toys are made in conjunction with child psychologist, Dr. Amanda Gummer, which means they are perfectly tailored to teach

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STAND E40 children essential skills such as numeracy, literacy and motor skills. What’s more, they are planet friendly and made in Britain. Gibsons has also introduced a new line of adult jigsaw puzzles, the Oops range. Accompanied by the tagline ‘Those moments when all you can say is... Oops!’ they detail scenes of comical cartoon characters, most of whom have got themselves in somewhat of a pickle. From failed stage dives at the music festival to accidentally losing your trunks in the swimming pool, what makes them great is spotting all the reasons that the characters might say ‘oops’. The series kicks off with two puzzles, Mudstock and Streetlife, with more in the range to come soon. To round things off, a further 60 new puzzles have been added to the existing collection this year. These include commemorative WWII puzzles and additions from new and favourite artists. 020 8661 8866

MIPOSAUR The intelligent dinosaur robot from WowWee arrives in the autumn. MiPosaur has an evolving intelligence that enables it to

WOWWEE ROBOTICS

sense its own surroundings and interact with them in a life-like way. MiPosaur (£99.99) comes with its own TrackBall. Just like a real pet, you can play ‘fetch’ and games with the ball. The new MiPosaur comes with a free App.

R.E.V R.E.V (£100) are new robotic enhanced vehicles from WowWee, controlled via a free battle-racing App. The A.I controlled R.E.V vehicles can drive, fight and think for themselves. Each pack comes with two cars; you control one and the A.I controls the other. You can play intense, high-speed, racing battles with the two cars, just like a computer game.

ANAGRANIMALS Anagranimals is launching a unique range of collectable and interchangeable plush toys. Probably the strangest animals that you will ever see, the Anagranimals are a gang of cuddly creatures each made up of several different animals. The characters include Heidi the Hippo-CrocoPuss, Pedro the Pig-Orilla-Roo and Ebenezer the Ele-Zeb-Zee, to name a few. Each plush toy comes in three separate parts that stick together with Velcro. A child owning a Hippo-Croco-Puss and a Pig-OrillaRoo can swap and change parts to create a Hippo-Rilla-Roo or a Piggy-Croco-Puss and so on. There are currently six characters to collect with up to 216 potential Anagranimal combinations. “Our range is really quite distinct from other plush products on the market,” explains co-founder and Anagranimals CEO Leith Moghli. “Each toy is designed to be fun, quirky and highly desirable in its own right. However, the component parts of each toy are interchangeable with the

The Robosapien X (£89.99) and Roboraptor X (£99.99) will be available for 2015. The robots come with a remote control for off-line play, but also has a new Dongle included. Insert the Dongle into your smart phone and download the WowWee app to play games, hear fun sound effects and control your robots through your phone.

DISCOVERY CHANNEL SCIENTIFIC TOYS Trends UK will promote Discovery Channel hero products with TV and PR. New for autumn will be the 360° HD Microscope (£49.99). High tech and high definition with 60X/120X/200X magnification, it has a 360° rotating wide-angle eyepiece. Also available will be the Discovery Channel Planetarium (£24.99). 01295 768078

STAND GH23 equivalent components of all the other toys in the range allowing kids to create more and more weird and wonderful creations as they build up their collection.” The new plush toys follow in the wake of the popular Anagranimal children’s books. The first book in the series was published in Q4 2013 to rave reviews. More recently, the books have attracted the attention of publishing heavyweights Hachette and HarperCollins. Anagranimals is formally launching the new plush range at Toy Fair and is looking for retail and licensing partners to help it take the brand forward. 07736 299200

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FIESTA CRAFTS Fiesta Crafts has unveiled its latest products which will be available to buy this year. Children young and old love puppets, either putting on a show or watching one, so the latest finger puppets and finger puppet sets are sure to be a welcome addition to the already extensive range. New for 2015 are the Three Little Pigs and Gingerbread Man finger puppet sets, both of which will help children bring these popular and much loved stories to life. Each set comprises a finger puppet for each of the main characters. In the Gingerbread Man, there’s a little old lady, a fox, a cow, a bear and the Gingerbread Man himself. The Wolf in the 3 Little Pigs set has styled himself as a Victorian ‘villain’ complete with top hat and cloak. Will he get away with it this time? Each puppet is beautifully designed with a wooden head and bright fabric bodies and skillfully handmade to bring the favourite characters to life. Easy to operate for even the smallest of hands, the finger puppet sets will encourage children and adults to use their imagination to retell or invent stories while helping to improve communication skills. A free downloadable play script is available to help get storytelling off to a great start.

TOY ESSENTIALS Toy Essentials will be launching its latest collection, Classic World. Classic World is the umbrella brand of a line-up of beautifully crafted, eco-friendly wooden toys. Based in China, Classic World has already established an international reputation for innovation and quality. Each product is designed with direct input from a team of consultants who have a deep understanding of the developmental needs of children. The result is a selection of toys and games that fulfil the requirements of the company’s philosophy – happy playing = happy learning. Toys are modelled from wood sourced only for sustainable forests and Classic World is known for its safe, clean production processes. Classic World lines that will be stocked by Toy Essentials include Classic Builder, a unique wooden construction system that comprises wooden rods and various shapes which are connected with L Shaped joints to create all sorts of structures, including airplanes and helicopters. The structures can 206 January/February

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Also new are the Gingerbread Man, glow-in-the-dark skeleton and Snow White individual finger puppets. The newest arrivals add to the extensive selection of finger puppets already available and, like the others, have been designed to bring each character to life in a very lifelike way. Each finger puppet is made from wood and fabric and can be used individually or mix and matched with others. The puppets will help children recreate stories and scenes, encouraging creative thinking and role-play. A new selection of festive Christmas pencils are a great way to make writing fun and will be

MY TOY FAIR

available to buy from June, just in time for the Christmas season. The pencils make great stocking fillers and are available in reindeer, snowman and Santa design.

Firstly, how many Toy Fairs have you been to? About 11 Favourite part? The busiest time of the day, when you are rushed off your feet.

ROB TRUP Marketing Manager, Fiesta Crafts

GALLERY 147 be disassembled enabling children years and years of free form play. Sandra Cambridge, business director at Toy Essentials says: “This is a highly prestigious collection for pre-schoolers. “Each set boasts outstanding design and exudes quality and craftsmanship. We are confident that Classic World will be a very real contender within the wooden toy sector.” Also on display on the firm’s stand will be brands including DuneCraft, the plant-growing collection for children, as well as Hoberman, Plastwood Magnetic Construction, together with other educational ranges. 01285 762039

Least favourite part? Other exhibitors telling me how terrible/fantastic/quiet, etc the show is. Especially when it is the complete opposite to what we are experiencing. Early night or drinks after the show?

LEAPFROG LeapFrog will be showcasing its latest innovations, from brand new multimedia concepts and developments in reading systems, to all new learning toy ranges and licensed software. Sally Plumridge, international marketing director at LeapFrog, comments: “We are renowned for revolutionising learning experiences for children, but 2014 really was a ground-breaking year for LeapFrog. “Not only did we continue to lead our core sector in innovation with the launch of two brand new tablets, we boldly moved into exciting new territory with the launch of the first video games console and the first wearable activity tracker designed specifically for young children. “We passionately believe that there is a positive place for technology in a child’s development and these

They are wooden for durability, hand painted for quality and their legs make a clacking sound when shaking, just for fun. 020 8804 0563

Early night – who do you think I am…? Hangover tip? Ignore it, it may go away. Why is Toy Fair a must attend event in your opinion? It is short, intense, well attended and best for business. What piece of advice would you give Toy Fair first-timers? Don’t listen to what other exhibitors tell you about the Fair – make up your own mind. And wear two pairs of socks, helps relieve the footache.

STAND B40 pioneering new devices change the way children can learn by combining activity and movement with bestin-class educational curriculum,” Plumridge continues. “With a team of qualified learning experts at the heart of all our products, parents trust LeapFrog for safety and education, whilst children look to us for entertainment as they grow. “We won’t disappoint in 2015 where we will also be celebrating our 20th anniversary. “We have extremely high hopes for this year and will continue building on the 2014 success story by delivering and delighting families with even more new entertaining products and first class educator approved content,” concludes Plumridge. 01895 202840

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VTECH VTech will be launching a number of new products at the 2015 London Toy Fair. With developments to much loved ranges as well as brand new additions, the range includes innovations in technology and continues to promote quality learning and development for children of all ages. Toot – Toot Animals (one to five years) is expanding its already popular range with the introduction of a Toot-Toot farm and separate animals which include a Sheep, Pig, Donkey, Cow and Horse. Joining the Tiger, Hippo, Monkey, Elephant, Lion and Zebra, the new additions each own their own fun phrases and realistic sound effects. Encouraging motor skill development and imaginative play, Toot-Toot animals teach singing, pretend play and sounds. Simply push the animals along and press the light-up button on their head to trigger three sing along songs and lots of fun melodies. The Animals respond to SmartPoint locations on Toot-Toot Animals play-sets with different phrases, sound effects and more (sold separately). VTech’s 2 in 1 Trike Bike (18-36 months) can be transformed into either a three wheeled trike or two wheeled balance bike and also

IMAJO The collection of Bonikka rag dolls will be making their debut at Toy Fair this year. Introduced to the UK by Imajo, the collection continues to grow in 2015. Now with over 25 designs to choose from, there really is a doll for everyone. The Ritzy Girls and Willettes are characterised by contemporary outfits with some very special fabrics and design features. The Naturals have soft gentle colours with a more traditional look. Newborns are not forgotten with the soft and cuddly Butterfly Dolls. Whichever doll is chosen, they all have their own special unique charm and will surely ignite a child’s affection to become treasured best friends. Honey scooped a Silver medal in the doll category of the Independent Toy Awards, which is testament to the enormous potential of their popularity and appeal to everyone. Imajo believes the dolls are very special and can only add to the impact they are making in the UK doll market. 208 January/February

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features an electronic front panel with three light-up arrow buttons teaching driving concepts, colours, objects and imitative play. The Trike mode teaches youngsters gross motor skills while the bike mode develops balance. The 2 in 1 Trike Bike also includes five sing-along songs and 15 melodies. VTech is also launching new products in the girl’s collectable category for the first time and adding electronics which is new to this sector. The fun and cute Flipsies (four to seven years) are a group of collectable friends who transfer from the real world into the dream world. With Flipsies, little girls can explore and play out their own dreams with collectable characters and play-sets. VTech will also be adding to its Little Love range with the new Learn to Walk doll (two years and above). The new addition can interact with your little one through ten different activities. Featuring fun phrases, sounds and melodies the Little Love Learn to Walk doll not only encourages role-play fun, but also learns to crawl and walk. Finally, VTech will be launching two platform products into the preschool market at Toy Fair – but you will have to head along to the stand to find out more. 01235 555545

STAND GH2 Designed to stand the test of time, the Bonikka collection is inspired by a gift from father to daughter as a symbol of security, love and shared memories. They are keepsakes to be handed down the generations. Made in Sri Lanka, Bonikka has an ethical background and a focus on quality. Imajo will also be showing the original and popular Anisa rag dolls, alongside the Bebi range of knitted soft toys. 01425 600600

COILEDSPRING GAMES Meet Wanda, the new Sorgenfresser Worry Eater character alongside Flint Junior and a new assortment of six Sorgenfresser key rings. A number of well-known High Street stores have already adopted the Worry Eating friends. With a new lower trade & RRP due to increased buying power, they’re an unmissable product (the firm even has a giant Worry Eater on hand for visitors). From Wrebbit 3D is the new New York collection: Midtown East and Midtown West, the first two puzzles in a line of four depicting Midtown New York. Financial and World Trade will be available in spring 2015. Once assembled, the four stand-alone 3D puzzles can be joined together to create a puzzle masterpiece of Manhattan. For design-led games, there are two pocket versions of the Extraordinaires Design Studio from the Creativity Hub. If retailers already stock Rory’s Story Cubes then they should get a sneak preview of something so secret that the firm isn’t able to breathe a word about it until January.

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Coiledspring will also introduce wooden games for children from Blue Orange: Chicky Boom, Gobblet Gobblers and Pengaloo. If you’ve not already heard about Robot Turtles from ThinkFun – which teaches pre-schoolers the principles behind computer programming – then the team will also be demonstrating the game throughout the show. Finally, there are new jigsaw images from Schmidt. 020 3301 1160 www.toynews-online.biz

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FLYING GADGETS Flying Gadgets is launching an exciting array of new products at Toy Fair 2015, as well as showcasing its extensive portfolio of cars, copters, drones and more. With a number of innovative new products launching throughout the year, Toy Fair is the perfect platform for Flying Gadgets to unveil its first wave of ground-breaking new tech toys. First up is the new midsize X-Drone. Fitted with the latest gyroscope technology guaranteeing incredible stability and featuring a high definition camera, it’s perfect for outside flying to capture unique and previously impossible panoramic shots. The LCD controller (2.4ghz) has three different flying modes, while LED lights ensure the X-Drone, which is capable of 360° flips, can’t be missed. It is available from February – a great entry-level piece, equally suited to those new to the world of drones and more experienced operators. Flying Gadgets is also expanding its fleet of children’s vehicles with the Bentley Continental Licensed Ride-On Car. Available from this month, the realistic scale replica of a white Bentley GT Continental is perfect for both boys and girls aged three and up. It features a 6V battery, seat belt and parental remote control for safety.

WOW TOYS This year, Wow Toys will be launching more new toys than ever before at Toy Fair. As always, quality and play value are a top priority to the firm and to its consumers, and with its ‘no batteries’ message still providing an important point of difference. The firm continues to strive to design and manufacture safe, highly durable and battery-free toys for the under-fives. Lasting play value is of utmost importance, so when it designs its toys, they have exciting functions and features built into them. Wow Toys’ core range covers classic and popular themed vehicles, play-sets, play mats, activity playtables and the new and successful 2014 launch of Wow Advent Calendars. Spring/summer 2015 sees a brand new category launch of toy-filled Countdown Calendars which has been a natural extension for the brand. The Countdown Calendar launch takes off with four themed products: Holiday 210 January/February

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It also boasts authentic ignition and engine sounds, steering wheel sounds on turns, a horn and working lights so children get a realistic driving experience every time. Finally, Flying Gadgets is excited to unveil The Big 1 – a 2.4ghz radiocontrolled monster truck with a range of over 150m. Its giant wheels make it suitable for use on all terrains and it’s capable of handling the muddiest of puddles as well as jumps. The Big 1 is available from March. Flying Gadgets is also one of the chosen official distributors for the DJI brand in the UK. DJI, which recently unveiled its most advanced drone yet – the Inspire 1 – is one of the leading brands of drones and quadcopters in the world. A new drone in its Phantom range will be unveiled during the second quarter of 2015. 0844 209 2626

STAND G15 Countdown, Birthday Countdown, Special Day Countdown and Pre-School Countdown. The calendars have been designed to create excitement and learning experiences for young children and offer something new for both the trade and consumers. They are the only Countdown Calendars available for children aged under five and are an all year round sales opportunity. All four SKUs (Holiday, Birthday, Special Day and Pre-school) have unique, super cute features that offer enduring play, while each calendar includes an innovative packaging built-in play slide and ten toys to collect in ten days that end the countdown with a complete and themed Wow play-set. 020 7471 0980

MY TOY FAIR Early night or drinks after the show? Early night. Best place to take clients? Pizza Express, as you always know it will be a good meal. Why is Toy Fair a must-attend event in your opinion? The quality of the visitors. JOSHUA FARLEIGH MD, Flying Gadgets Favourite part of Toy Fair? The new tech toys. Least favourite part? The cost of the food.

ACCENTUATE GAMES Accentuate Games is making its Toy Fair debut, with its first game – Accentuate. Already stocked by Firebox.com and John Lewis, the guess-the-accent party game was created by brother-sister duo, Graeme and Fiona Fraser-Bell and launched in July 2014. With a successful UK launch under its belt, the Accentuate team is now developing a US version, which is due to launch Stateside in Q2 2015. Can you copy a Cockney, mimic a Mancunian or ape an Australian? If your imitation skills are up to scratch, you’ll go far in Accentuate, the game that’s set to make Brits squirm with embarrassment. Accentuate boasts a simple yet humiliating premise: repeat a given quotation aloud in a randomly selected accent and see if teammates can guess what it is. The worse the accent attempts are, the more hilarious the game becomes as players struggle to separate their Geordie from their German, their Scouse from their Spanish. Featuring 30 different

What one piece of advice would you give Toy Fair first-timers? Do your homework; contact buyers before to make sure they know you will be there. The more time you put in the better. After, don’t forget to follow your leads ASAP.

STAND GH44

drawls from around the globe a third of which are home-grown British dialects – Accentuate players are under blush-inducing pressure to perform, with just 30 seconds to utter one of the 90 quotations in their allotted accent. Aimed at players aged 16 and over, Accentuate is being billed as one of the most exciting new-kidson-the-block in the growing ‘Games for Badults’ sector. The distinctive black and white Accentuate box comes complete with 90 Accent Cards featuring 30 different accents from around the globe (each repeated three times), 90 different Quotation Cards, a timer and a dice to select gameplay options. 0330 400 4162 www.toynews-online.biz

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SHOW GUIDE EPOCH MAKING TOYS After just 12 months of trading and attending only its second London Toy Fair, EPOCH making toys will unveil extensive new product ranges. Sylvanian Families has a new seasidethemed range, while Aquabeads is doubling the number of SKUs. Visitors to the stand can enter a life-sized Cosy Cottage Starter Home structure to demo products, while outside features a Bluebell Seven Seater reception desk and

MY TOY FAIR

SALLY CARNALL Marketing Manager, Epoch making toys

STAND B130 Sylvanian Families 30th anniversary activity will kick off with a rebrand: fresh, new, nature-themed packaging will be on display for the first time at Toy Fair. EPOCH making toys will also unveil its new fan club. The firm is also calling on ‘80s-born execs who loved Sylvanian Families to bring their favourite character with them to Toy Fair. All fans are welcome on the stand to snap a special 30th anniversary #SylvanianSelfie with the mascot figures.

In addition, 16 new Aquabeads products, including the Beginners Studio, Artists Carry Case

How many Toy Fairs have you been to? This will be my second one. I can’t believe a year has passed, time has flown by.

always great to hear the direct opinions from the most important and crucial audience i.e the children themselves.

Hangover tip? A fry up with lots and lots of bacon.

Favourite part? Getting to see all the new and exciting products for the year ahead. I also think the Demo Zone is really valuable, not only do you get great exposure but it’s

Least favourite part? When it ends.

a meeting area with grasstextured flooring underneath. Inside the Cosy Cottage itself, visitors can demo products to see their new connectability features, and also meet the new families of Sylvania. Outside, there is a Baby and Child diorama. In the main area of the stand, an eye-catching gondola unit forms a typical Sylvanian house with red roof, and showcases additional products. The latest TV ads will play on screens, too.

Early night or drinks? I learnt at my first show that an early night is not really an option.

Best place to take clients? During my first Toy Fair, we went to Ken Lo’s Memories of China restaurant. The number of courses and quantity of food were never ending. Why is Toy Fair a must-

SMART TOYS AND GAMES Smart Toys and Games has enjoyed a successful launch of its UK operation and is now looking forward to 2015 with new products and a brand building campaign planned, with a wide range of new multi-channel marketing initiatives. Already the leader in multi-level logic games, the firm is bringing the world of Fairy Tales to its 2015 range. Once upon a time there were Three Little Piggies… Can you help the three little piggies build their houses? Can you help them play outside safely? And if you spot the wolf, can you help them stay safe inside their houses? The new Three Little Piggies game is billed as a perfect brainteaser for children aged three years and above. It features three big puzzle pieces and children will be intrigued by the way the piggies fit inside the houses, look through the windows and escape the wolf. The game has a 24page booklet with 48 multi212 January/February

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level challenges, 24 with the wolf and 24 without. There will also be two new IQ games, new Tangoes and some new licences. The award winning SmartGames have multilevel challenges from the very easy to the very challenging. Each has a unique and innovative game mechanic with themes that appeal to both boys and girls. They come in travel, compact and table top editions in plastic or a premium wood range. The range starts at pocket money levels to top end quality with the wooden games as year round gifts. SmartMax, the award winning pre-school construction system allows children to explore the fascinating world of magnetism in a fun and safe way. The products are safe and durable and made from the highest quality materials, the magnets are incredibly strong

and Rainbow Pen Station, will also be on display on the EPOCH making toys stand. 08435 574062

attend event? It is the only opportunity in the year to network with all relevant contacts within the industry face to face. Piece of advice for Toy Fair first-timers? As an exhibitor, prepare a detailed checklist far in advance, a long time before you think you even need to start planning.

GALLERY 410 and can carry up to 60 times their own weight. Each SmartMax magnetic bar features unique colour codes: the blue, green and purple bars attract while the warm colours of red, orange and yellow repel. The giant parts are ideal for young children and allow them to easily create the most amazing and colourful super sized structures. The SmartMax range offers a whole universe of compatible building sets, vehicles and accessories for never ending play. Every SmartGames product comes with an extensive challenge guide, while every SmartMax product comes with a colourful play guide. 01903 885669

MY TOY FAIR

Least favourite part? Not enough sleep. Early night or drinks after the show? Drinks after the show and into the night. Hangover tip? Water and a large bag of Frazzles.

KAREN CLARKE Brand Director, Smart Toys & Games How many Toy Fairs have you been to? Four. Favourite part? Building new relationships and showcasing the new product range.

Flats or heels? Heels for the first day and then definitely flats. Where is the best place to take clients? Hakkasan in Mayfair. Why is Toy Fair a must attend event? It’s the first opportunity in Europe to see the new 2015 line-up. Piece of advice for Toy Fair first-timers? Bring plenty of business cards.

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SHOW GUIDE SPIN MASTER After a fantastic 2014 across all brands, Spin Master is delighted to announce that the eagerly awaited launch, by preschoolers and parents alike, of the Paw Patrol toys is finally here. Visitors are being encouraged to head to stand E131 to see what is next for the hit CG animated show, which airs on Nick Jr. and now also Channel 5’s Milkshake. The show follows the adventures of a ten year

STAND E131 old boy Ryder and six heroic pups who save the day with their problem-solving skills, cool vehicles and cute doggy humour. A strong TV campaign, bolstered by PR and marketing activities will support the brand to make a heavyweight launch into the market. Wackytivities Kinetic Sand is the squeezable sand where you can feel the fun. You’ve never felt anything like it – pack it, pull it, shape it and love it, Kinetic Sand is

so incredible you can’t put it down, according to the firm. It’s kinetic – meaning it sticks to itself and not to you. It oozes, moves and melts right before your eyes. It flows through your fingers like a slow-moving liquid, but leaves them completely dry. Kinetic Sand never dries out so you can use it over and over again. Kinetic Sand is wheat, gluten and casein free. Billed as the ‘squeezable sand you can’t put down’, the soft and stretchy sand easily cleans up while delivering non-stop fun. Also at London Toy Fair will be the new additions to Zoomer Zuppies - Kicks and Flora - plus the new Air Hogs Hyper Disc – a three-feet wide disc which can be filled with helium or air for gravity defying action. Visitors to the stand will see further innovation across Spin Master’s wide range including Meccano and Flutterbye, and get to play the new Spin Master Games. 01628 535000

MY TOY FAIR

Hangover tip? Drink lots of water before going to sleep. Flats or heels? Flats during the day and heels at night. EMMA EDEN Marketing Manager, Spin Master Toys UK How many Toy Fairs have you been to? This is my ninth London Toy Fair. What’s your favourite part of Toy Fair? The chance to catch up with buyers, old colleagues, licensors and trade friends all under one roof. And how about your least favourite part of the show? Aching feet.

MARVIN’S MAGIC Marvin’s Magic, internationally recognised as the brand leader and number one for magic worldwide, always has something up its sleeve to wow the crowds. The company has been busy waving its wands to create some fun and exciting new magic tricks for 2015 and will be showcasing magic ranges to suit all ages and price points at Hong Kong, London, Nuremberg and New York Toy Fairs. Marvin’s Magic is keen to expand its distribution into other key territories, after smashing targets for the third successive year and growing the business internationally, particularly in the Middle East, Australia and Scandinavia. The company’s best selling sets are being relaunched with www.toynews-online.biz

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Early night or drinks? Absolutely drinks after the show.

Where’s the best place to take clients? I can’t share that otherwise everyone may go there. Why is Toy Fair a mustattend event? For buyers there are sometimes last minute opportunities that they may not have seen before. Piece of advice for Toy Fair first-timers? If you can fit it in, take advantage of the relaxation area upstairs - there are free mini massages.

STAND H65 instructional DVDs which show how to perform the various tricks. There is great cutting edge footage

for the international market that is perfect for youngsters who prefer a visual explanation.

Not wanting to give away any of secrets, Marvin’s Magic will be launching some exciting new magic technology. Combining traditional magic with digital fun should appeal to today’s youngsters who enjoy playing on tablets and smart phones.

MY TOY FAIR

If you want to find out more about what’s new for 2015, including the new Masters of Illusion magic set, which will be promoted in conjunction with a hit TV show, you’ll just have to visit Marvin’s Magic, where all will be revealed. 01582 849000

The look on people’s faces when they see some real magic on our stand. Least favourite part? Bleary eyed 9am appointments after a good night out.

MARVIN BERGLAS Magician and Creator of Marvin’s Magic

How many Toy Fairs have you been to? Probably over 25. Favourite part?

Early night or drinks? What do you think? See previous answer… Hangover tip? Sausage sarnie and a packet of Polos. One piece of advice for Toy Fair first-timers? Be proud and enthusiastic about your products.

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SHOW GUIDE TOBAR Tobar will once again be exhibiting at the London Toy Fair with what it believes are some incredible new lines which are bound to be great for sales. The team is looking forward to meeting up with suppliers and customers to highlight its range of gifts, toys and novelty items. Over the last 12 months the team at Tobar has been travelling around the world to get ideas and inspiration for its 2015 product range. The team has managed to secure some exciting new distribution partnerships in addition to its existing lines which include Maisto, Edible Sweet Art, Syma, Zuru, 50Fifty and Bburago. New partners include USA brand Schylling famous for classic tin toys, stationery brand Scentos and outdoor brand Turbospoke. In addition, Zuru and Bburago will be unveiling some exciting new lines to tempt customers in 2015. Tobar is delighted to be the new distribution partner for American brand Schylling which for the last 30 years has been recognised for its stunning Classic tin toy collection With over 100 new timeless toy lines being added to the range, this is sure to be a very popular brand with Tobar customers.

GREAT GIZMOS Launching this month, the award winning Meadow Kids collection has a variety of craft kits, bath toys and educational games that will excite kids of all ages. Kids can get arty at home with the Pencils and Stencils kit that will transform everyday cards and envelopes with the included Cupcake, Owl and Rocket stencils and colouring pencils. Another new introduction is Kid O, a range of vibrant plastic toys that are designed with learning in mind. Each toy is created to engage

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GALLERY 305 For the more discerning customer there is also a range of Schylling Collectibles limited edition lines which are extra special. For any fans of the famous dancing horse, the news that Bburago has secured the worldwide distribution rights for Ferrari Die Cast models will be good news. Tobar is delighted to be working with Bburago on this exciting new partnership. Sales of stationery continue to boom and the search for something unique resulted in a new distribution partnership with Scentos. The brightly coloured range of scented children’s stationery is perfect for birthdays, party bags and other gifting. Looking to expand its outdoor range of toys, Tobar has teamed up with Turbospoke to become its new distribution partner for the UK and France. The range of bike accessories lets children customise their own bike. The innovative accessories are safe, fun and totally unique. Zuru has yet again come up with an ingenious addition to the Robo Fish and Magical Mermaid collection. 2015 is all about Robo Turtles and the little creatures will complement existing lines from Zuru perfectly.

STAND G20 and stimulate the mind with a rich variety of shapes, colours and sizes. The 4M craft and science kits keep retailers and consumers coming back for more with different ranges and USPs that allow kids and adults alike to choose exactly the right type of project. The latest fashion trends are now at girl’s fingertips with the Spiral Charm Bracelets kit that lets girl’s transform everyday strings and beads into chic jewellery. For creative kits with a difference, the Tubee Animals Kit contains EVA foams, joints and straws to help construct animal creations, while Insectoid creates a robot that will crawl and wriggle along the ground. New to the Plan Toys line is the fantasy land range and an array of colourful sensory and learning toys, plus a wide variety of outdoor toys, ride-ons, games and puzzles plus educational pieces. Luxury plush range NICI is set to wow retailers with more collections launching in the spring. 01293 543221

Elsewhere, Tobar will continue its partnership with Blue Sky, introducing the new Star Wars Collection. A range of classic and novelty stationery and gifts will be available for retailers this year. In addition, Tobar has added several new lines to its own brand collection of classic pocket money and adult novelty gifts all priced at £5 or less.

BIGJIGS TOYS 2015 marks a special milestone for Bigjigs Toys as the company celebrates 30 years of ‘Creating Perfect Playrooms’. Even after 30 years in the children’s toy industry, Bigjigs has never strayed far from its roots and is introducing three new additions to its Jigsaw Puzzle range. Each of the new colourful Arched Puzzles is split into three levels, allowing youngsters to develop their dexterity and problem solving skills as they build a unique scene with each layer. Meanwhile, Bigjigs Rail receives two new ranges: Dino Range and Farm Range, both sporting the new-style Bigjigs Rail packaging. Bigjigs Rail Dino Range combines a winning combination of trains and dinosaurs. The detailed Dino Train, Ribcage Tunnel, Bronto Rise, Dino Crane and T-rex Tunnel are all rail accessories available to add a new dimension to an existing wooden railway or extend the 49-piece Dinosaur Train Set (£44.99). The 44-piece Farm Train Set (£29.99) offers railway adventures in a rural setting at an affordable price. The Farm Range Hay Barn, Farm Bridge, Country Windmill,

All the new lines will help to drive impulse sales, seasonal gifting and prove that Tobar is the one stop shop for desirable gifts. The team has also been investing in a range of marketing materials and POS solutions to help convert sales in store and online, so visitors should check out the Tobar stand to see the new collection close up. 0844 573 4299

STAND H39 Farm Train and Chicken Shed Tunnel are all accessories to add to the set. A new selection of traditional games will be joining the Bigjigs Games range at the start of next year. New Animal-Shut-The-Box, Ludo, Lotto and Mastermind are just some of the new additions to their portfolio of classic games with a modern twist. 01303 250400

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SHOW GUIDE D’ARPEJE For the fourth year, D’Arpèje will present its ranges at the London Toy Fair to allow buyers to discover the new trends and the new products developed by the company. After an amazing success in 2014, D’Arpèje continues to develop its Frozen range for 2015. The outdoor and the home furniture ranges extend with new products to give Frozen fans the chance to travel and to create with their favorite heroines. D’Arpèje consolidates the presence of its 2014 flagship products at retail such as the 3-wheel Flex Scooter, protection sets, in-line skates and two and three-wheel scooters. New products have been also developed for 2015. Fans will be able to boost their collection with adjustable quads for children aged three and above, bike accessories sold in sets or individually containing gloves, water bottle, helmet, bell and basket and a ten-inch cross scooter for children aged six and above. In addition to the outdoor range, D’Arpèje also has a school desk with large creativity and storage spaces and an activity table combined with activity sets. The activity sets offer colouring sheets,

LE TOY VAN Bunny & Guinea is a cute new wooden pet set for the Daisylane Doll’s House Collection from Le Toy Van. The irresistible rabbit and his friend Gerald the Guinea Pig come complete with a hutch, carrots and bowl, and is a companion set to the popular Dog and Cat Pet Set. Daisylane Doll’s House Collection is the biggest range of painted wooden doll’s houses, furniture and accessories in the world, according to the firm. With more than a dozen doll’s houses, three collections of furniture and a plethora of

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GALLERY 190 stickers, markers and stamps. The two products are also developed featuring other Disney properties such as Princess, Minnie & Mickey Mouse, Cars and Planes among others. One of the other big events in 2015 will be the release of the second movie in The Avengers saga, Age of Ultron. D’Arpèje will continue its collaboration with Marvel by offering a wide outdoor range. Two-wheel scooters have been designed so that children aged five and above can ride with their favourite heroes. All of the collection offers products with adjustable handlebars, rear brake and printed non-slip deck for safety. A carrying strap and sparking mechanism also allow the creation of sparks each time the child brakes. A skateboard which has been adapted for beginners completes the wheeledtoys collection, while protective sets have also been designed. D’Arpèje will also present its playful and creative Play-Doh range. In addition to a wide selection of colouring, painting and multi-activities products,

STAND E10 accessories, it provides a collectable mini-world. Attention to detail, function, fresh colours and unique artwork distinguish the range. 2015 sees the launch of Evergreen House, fully painted and decorated with 12 pieces of furniture and 15 accessories. There’s even a choice of playmats to provide a soft base decorated with detailed artwork to stimulate creative and comfortable play. 2014 saw the Honeybake Home Collection garner a string of awards for the Café Drinks Machine, the Doctor’s Set and the Honeybubbles Washing Machine. This year sees the arrival of a new gelato set and a floor standing honey kitchen. Two new garages with easy slide lifts will bolster the Motors, Planes and Garages collection in 2015, while this year also sees the arrival of lots of new lines for the PeLMeL Pocket Money Range, bringing it up to a choice of 18 different PeLMeL assortments in stylish CDUs. Finally, the Budkins pocket money collectables are friendly bendy poseable characters from Le Toy Van that can be popped into a pocket for play anywhere. 020 8979 2036

D’Arpèje has developed a smart and ergonomic Play-Doh desk and art easels combined with activity sets. Lastly, other properties will be displayed such as Little Tikes,

POSH PAWS Posh Paws’ range continues to expand at fast pace and at the upcoming Fair season the company will showcase some of the hottest Disney movie plush around. The stand out movies for 2015 include Inside Out, Star Wars, Cinderella and The Good Dinosaur. In addition, the firm will launch brand new product for existing bestselling brands including Frozen, Doc McStuffins, Palace Pets, Sofia the First, Winnie the Pooh, Mickey and Minnie. But it’s not just brand new Disney ranges on offer, Posh Paws also has a new DreamWorks plush collection which includes the most popular characters from the studio’s most successful blockbuster movies including Shrek, Madagascar and Kung Fu Panda. Other newcomers for 2015 also include My Little Pony, Littlest Pet Shop and the Kimmidoll collection. On show will also be some of Posh Paws’ Disney Nursery collection which includes old favourites such as Dumbo, Winnie the Pooh and Mickey & Minnie. It will also be showing its latest Glow in the Dark nursery plush. If that’s not enough, visitors can also see the firm’s licensed plastic

Playskool, Mia & Me, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Hello Kitty and Barbapapa among others. +33 (0) 478 79 6050

STAND D89 pocket money range, including Star Wars Putty, Minnie Vacation Play-set, Minnie’s Holiday Villas and Minnie’s Vacation Vehicles. In the vehicles collection girls can choose from a Minnie’s very own Jet, Yacht or Minniebago. Posh Paws has also developed a range of its own brand soft toys. PP Pals and PP Ponies are brightly coloured animals that are full of character and offer customers fantastic plush at pocket money prices. 01268 567290

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SHOW GUIDE BUREAU VERITAS CONSUMER PRODUCTS SERVICES UK Bureau Veritas Consumer Products Services is a global leader in testing, inspection and certification services. It provides a complete solution to the industry from concept to store-shelves including product testing, safety assessments, regulatory consultancy, product inspections, chemical supply chain solutions, social and factory audits, sustainability services and global market entry solutions. It helps clients improve their supply chain, as well as checking that their toys meet the relevant regulatory

MY TOY FAIR

MALCOLM HORNER Toy Technical Consultant, Bureau Veritas Consumer Products Services

STAND GH58 to develop Toyograph, an online toolkit which helps companies carry out their chemical safety assessment and assists them in defining a compliance strategy on a risk-based approach. The BTHA and Bureau Veritas are hosting a free seminar on January 21st at 11:30am, in the Gallery Suite 1. Wendy Phillips and Eric Edmonds from BTHA and Malcolm Horner from Bureau Veritas, will go through the recent and forthcoming chemical legislative restrictions and the available compliance strategies. 01925 854360

standards. It supports a wide range of clients, from start-ups to large importers, brands and global retailers. In the UK, it offers a wide range of analytical testing, including Chromium VI and can test for many types of toys including dress-up, trampolines, outdoor play equipment, acoustic toys, electric toys or children’s cycles. It also works closely with clients globally to help them assess their products and manufacturing processes for chemical safety and compliance. Bureau Veritas has partnered with the BTHA How many Toy Fairs have you been to? Approximately 15 London ones, in several locations. Favourite part? Meeting clients and industry representatives in person. Often the only contact during the year is by email. Also, of course, seeing the Stormtroopers

and other characters in the Galactic Empire. Least favourite part? Packing, then standing on the train on the way home after the fair finishes. Early night or drinks after the show? Drinks. All work and no play…

Hangover tip? Prevention is always better than cure. Why is Toy Fair a mustattend event? It is the one time of the year where many of the industry representatives gather together at the same time and in a relaxed environment.

THE PUPPET COMPANY 2015 sees the launch of three Hideaway Puppets featuring Rabbit Hill House, Under the Sea House and the Dinosaur Volcano House. The new Hideaway puppets come with assorted finger puppets and a playhouse for them to live in. The sets follow on from the firm’s popular Tree House, Mice in Cheese and Rabbit in a Lettuce. They come in vibrant colours and The Puppet Company is confident that they are going to be a great addition. Also new are the firm’s Full Bodied Puppets. These are good value with 21 different animals to collect.

STAND E16 The puppets are not a straight forward sleeved puppet, but come with full arms and legs making them as cuddly as a soft toy, but with all the interactivity and power of a puppet. Easy to use and suitable for most hand sizes, the firm says that they are a superb addition to its collection and are already available from stock. The Puppet Company will also be showcasing its new Doorway puppet theatre and a collection of Early Years glove puppets with matching figure puppet. Finally, there will also be four new Large Bird puppets. 01462 446040

MY TOY FAIR the driver has got the van in first or are we in for a very late night.

PETER LOCKEY Director, The Puppet Company What’s your favourite part of Toy Fair? Meeting our customers and getting their feedback. It is the first time we see them after Christmas trade and it is important to us to understand which products were successful and which need revision. And what’s your least favourite part? I enjoy many aspects of the show but I guess the breakdown is always the worse bit – waiting to see if

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Piece of advice for Toy Fair first-timers? Without doubt, plan ahead. It is impossible to get round and see everyone and do everything, therefore plan to meet your most important contacts first (and then have fun later if there’s time).

Early night or drinks after the show? You have to have a few drinks and a good meal after the show – it’s all part of the perks of spending four nights away from home. When you’ve had a good day and written lots of orders, there is nothing as nice as a good bottle of French red wine. Hangover tip? Always match each glass of wine with a glass of water – a French friend gave me that advice years ago and it works. Best place to take clients? Depends who it is. We use a local Chinese restaurant which has quick service and good food. For special

occasions, we go to Covent Garden where there is a great choice. My favourite has got to be Rules – it is the oldest restaurant in London and the food and atmosphere are fab, but you need to book. Why is Toy Fair a mustattend event? You see key buyers and make fantastic contacts. The show is well run and we have a great pitch – what’s not to like? Piece of advice for Toy Fair first-timers? Preparation, in terms of stand layout, flyers, catalogues and staff. Have plenty of water and food on your stand for your sales team and your customers. Stand back and enjoy.

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SHOW GUIDE ZEON Zeon is heading to Olympia with a raft of new products to showcase to visitors. The firm enjoyed strong success with its range of Frozen products in 2014 – with products distributed worldwide and a number of pre-Christmas re-orders fulfilled. Range development for 2015 includes the launch of the Drawing Projection Torch in March/ April. With a choice of six interchangeable caps, children can shine the torch to project an image of Elsa, Anna or Olaf from the movie. Put it in its stand and shine onto plain paper for perfect drawing templates of the characters. Moving on, and new Doctor Who products for 2015 have been drumming up trade and consumer interest already via bloggers and fan sites. New product launches include two smart phone controlled products – the K-9 and the Desktop Dalek. Launching in February, the Dr Who Smartphone

STAND F60 Operated Desktop Dalek has Bluetooth functionality and can be operated with the swipe of a finger. The controller app has directional commands that drive the toy around a desk. Its motion sensors detect objects in its path, stop it in its tracks and activate a light on the gunstick. It can also be operated autonomously – it will roam until it detects an object or desk edge and will then repeat popular Dalek catchphrases. Meanwhile, the Dr Who Smartphone Operated K-9 also arrives in February. Controlled directly from any Android or iOS device, it has user-controlled features including full motion, voices, moving ears, flashing keypad buttons and an extending gun. The app can be updated to add new

voices and features to the physical K-9 toy. Zeon also has a line-up of Minions product including watches, ceramic mugs, book lights, torches, a Treats n Sweets jar, salt and pepper shakers and a money tin. Finally, the firm has also renewed its Star Wars licence and will be launching new products in 2015 ahead of the arrival of The Force Awakens. 020 8208 1833

WILD CARD GAMES With double digit sales volume growth for the fourth year in a row, family games specialist Wild Card Games has added several new products to its range. Top sellers Who Knows Where?, Mapominoes and Backpacker and award winners Arithmanix and Astronauts are joined by the crazy flipping card game Frenzi, history board game About Time and a range of eight family travel sized games for all ages. In Frenzi, each player gets a base card with three unique characteristics (colour, number and shape).

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STAND H20 All 64 Frenzi cards are laid out and then everyone races, flipping cards over so they match a characteristic of their base card. Frenzi cards are double sided, with different characteristics on the front from the back. After 30 seconds the flipping stops, players pick up the cards that match their base card characteristic and count them to score. Play takes place over nine 30-second Frenzi rounds, each with a different objective (e.g. match colour, match shape or no match) and a game takes just 30 minutes.

Who Knows Where? is the global location guessing game in which you race opponents to try to be the first player to travel around the world by locating famous places on the world map. With over 1,000 locations to guess in five categories and images of iconic landmarks it’s a great fun way to learn about our world. If you can’t guess, think about ‘Who Knows Where’ and piggyback on one of your opponent’s guesses, but choose wisely because if they are wrong you will be the one going backwards. 07916 349942

SEAN BYRNE Sales Director, Wild Card Games

finding new ones and catching up with people in the industry.

How many Toy Fairs have you been to? Five.

And what’s your least favourite part? Set up.

What’s your favourite part of Toy Fair? Meeting all our customers,

Early night or drinks after the show? Drinks.

Hangover tip? Paracetamol before bed. Why is Toy Fair a mustattend event in your opinion? Everyone is there.

What’s the one piece of advice you would give to a Toy Fair first timer? Have fun and get to know other companies, as everyone is helpful.

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SHOW GUIDE THAMES AND KOSMOS Thames and Kosmos will be exhibiting for the fourth time at Toy Fair and is looking forward to launching exciting new products for 2015, as well as exhibiting in a new location. 2014 has been a busy year with several product launches throughout the year, including the popular Geek & Co range, several High Street stores taking up a number of lines and a takeover by the German company Kosmos, which now owns 80 per cent of

MY TOY FAIR

STAND G60 the business. It is hoped that 2015 will be an even bigger year for Thames and Kosmos with rebranding for some lines, several new products to be launched and a focus on TV advertising and marketing. This is the first year that Thames and Kosmos will be advertising its products on TV. Products featured in the ad will be from the Geek & Co range which has proven to be very popular already. If you would like to preview the ad and find out more about

How many Toy Fairs have you been to? We are on our fourth London Toy Fair in 2015, but it’s our first since we were acquired by Kosmos.

up day prior to the fair starting – even though it can be quite hard work – and meeting up with our existing customers for the first time in the year, getting the different perspectives on the state of the industry. And hopefully meeting some new customers.

Favourite part of Toy Fair? I really enjoy the build-

Least favourite part? Definitely the break-down.

JOANNA DRAGE Director, Thames and Kosmos

the products, pop along to the stand where the team will be happy to discuss any questions you have, as well as demonstrating the new lines in the range. The firm will have punk scientist Brad Gross on the stand, who will be demonstrating all the new kits and performing fun science experiments. Customers who place an order with Thames and Kosmos will benefit from a ten per cent discount on orders over £1,000 and five

per cent on orders over £500, including new stock. T&K is also hoping to take on more

Early night or drinks? I’m afraid it’s ‘drinks after the show’ every night. I think it’s written into the T & K contracts.

feeling very energetic. He’s my hangover cure.

Hangover tip? We bring Brad Gross, our mad American science presenter with us. When you feed him a coffee or two, he doesn’t stop talking, so, if you see him with a double expresso, you’ll know I’m not

Best place to take clients? We usually have a few colleagues from Germany over, so it’s nice to take them to Rules or Langhams for more traditional food, but other than that, we usually end up fairly local. Why is Toy Fair a mustattend event?

KIDICRAFT While looking to expand its range of arts and crafts products, Kidicraft wanted to find a manufacturer of products which were environmentally friendly without compromising on quality. While researching Morocolor Primo, it knew that it had found exactly that. Morocolor’s 200KW photovoltaic panelled factory roof has been active since 2010 and from this it uses the energy for

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sales representatives in the Midlands and South West. 01580 212000

You have to go to Toy Fair, as it’s the most focused but varied UK event of the year. I love that one minute you are talking to a man who is thinking of opening a website, and the next you have a buyer from a grocers. It’s just bonkers. Piece of advice for a Toy Fair first timer? Wear a pair of trainers, if you can get away with it.

STAND GH51 production. It also sources alternative renewable energy for its additional manufacturing needs. The Primo range comprises over 500 high quality products including chalks, crayons, pencils, fibre pens, modelling clays, brushes, craft tools and a wide range of paints from water colours through to oils. Sturdy floor display units are available and new designs on packaging

include a range of water colour paints, where the ‘click on’ clear lid doubles as a paint palette. Moving on, and Mostaix are a great way to create a mosaic picture for both children and adults. Within the range there are three different series that advance in difficulty: Purple Ribbon, Red Ribbon and Silver Ribbon. There are 36 designs in the Red Ribbon Series and 25 in the Silver Ribbon Series. The Red and Silver Series include patented tools to make completing your Mostaix even easier. The tweezers allow for uncomplicated placement and removal of the tiles, while the safety tile divider splits up the tiles effortlessly. In the Purple Series, the tiles are larger and round and can be placed and removed by hand. The products promote creativity, hand-eye coordination, encourage the observation and repetition of patterns and help with colour naming. 01282 500 899

MY TOY FAIR Early night or drinks after the show? A healthy balance of the two, otherwise it can be an extremely long three days. Hangover tip? Berocca and plenty of water before bed.

ROY GREENWOOD Director, Kidicraft How many Toy Fairs have you been to? I’ve been coming since 2001. What’s your favourite part of the show? The opening morning when the show has that great anticipation about it. Least favourite part? The last hour of the last day, by which time you are generally a spent force.

Why is Toy Fair a mustattend event? It is clearly the major event for the industry in the UK and where you will find the majority of the new product and range launches for the year. Piece of advice for Toy Fair first-timers? Preparation is the key. Ensure you do your research and make appointments with the companies that you feel are the ‘must see’, but also allow yourself time to have a detailed walk around the show.

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SHOW GUIDE BONNIE & PEARL Handmade doll retailer, Bonnie & Pearl, secured its place as the final exhibitor booked to attend the 2015 Toy Fair. The South Wales-based mumpreneur business launched in September 2013 and will be displaying its full range on its stand. As well as retailing online, Nicola Evans and fellow local mother, Lisa PearceBridgeman, have since launched three Bonnie & Pearl successful pop-up shops in St David’s, Cardiff. The brand went on to win three national retail awards in its first year of trading. These include two

MY TOY FAIR

NICOLA EVANS Director, Bonnie & Pearl

STAND B135 BCSC Opal Awards and a SCEPTRE Award. Evans says: “We started Bonnie & Pearl with the dream of giving little children the experience we had with our dolls, called Bonnie and Pearl. Lisa and I also spotted a gap in the market for a beautiful, experiential doll brand that really created a whole world for the children that play with them. “We are very proud of our growing range and are looking forward to expanding on our success with productive wholesale relationships and greater brand awareness.”

How many Toy Fairs have you been to? This is our first. Favourite part of the show? We are so excited to create a magical wow factor that Toy Fair has never seen before with our amazing stand, quality products and

The beautifully crafted, 19-inch Bonnie & Pearl dolls come in seven different colouring options, complete with an outfit, bed, soft pillow and adoption certificate.

Doll accessories, outfits, furniture and girl matching outfits are also available to inspire imagination, innocence and friendship amongst youngsters from eight years old up.

doll nannies to hand.

Hangover tip? Aloe Vera drinking gel and double dose Vitamin C.

Least favourite part? We are going to love everything. Early night or drinks after the show? Celebratory drinks after the show.

Why is Toy Fair a mustattend event? We are a British doll brand having launched in November 2013 and seeing rapid growth through 2014.

PDT UK Music has never been more popular thanks to all the TV talent shows, and every child feels they can sing, play an instrument or mix some beats.

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In addition, new, limited edition dolls and outfits will also launch throughout the year, ranging from winter capes to Valentine’s Day dresses. 0844 800 1910

Winning three national retail awards for our pop up stores, we believe there is no better event to be a part of to share and grow our amazing collection of play dolls, clothing and accessories.

STAND F110 After a phenomenally successful year for karaoke and musical products, PDT UK will be previewing its latest ranges of Singing Machine and RockJam Karaoke machines for 2015.

Karaoke may be a niche product area, but it is consistently a top selling line during the Christmas season and is a steady seller all year round, according to the firm. In addition, the company will be revealing for the first time in the UK its range of iDance products, all tailored towards the emerging home party sector. These will include the XD-3, a DJ Mixing Desk, powerful speaker and lightshow all in one fun unit. It will also have ranges of kids’ home disco lights and other home party products that it believes will be huge in 2015. For those more creative kids, the firm will have a new range of teaching musical keyboards with great features and an unbelievable price point, as well as its usual range of instruments and accessories. 0161 850 6177

MY TOY FAIR

DAVID HOLDER PDT UK Why did you decide to exhibit at Toy Fair in 2015? We realised that we seem to be supplying many toy retailers with our musical items without really having targeted the toy business. When we worked out that we would have to travel thousands of miles to see our customers in January to debrief on Christmas sales and start working out a plan for 2015, we decided it would be quicker and easier to see them at

the Toy Fair which they are all attending anyway. Have you attended the show before as a visitor? No. As a company, what are you most hoping to get out of the show? Seeing our existing customers and fixed appointments, and if we meet new ones by virtue of the fact that we are there, then that would be a great bonus.

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SHOW GUIDE PAUL LAMOND GAMES New for football fans is the Puzzle Ball – a collectable series of 3D puzzles for six of the country’s top football teams: Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester City and Celtic. When created, the Puzzle Ball becomes the size of a football and features 240 pieces. To boost the collectable appeal it is dated on the bottom, has a stand for fans to display it and a new Puzzle Ball for each club will be released every season. There will also be two 500-piece jigsaw puzzles for each club, which depict key moments from that club’s history. Barcelona and Real Madrid join the Nanostad line-up of stadiums in 3D, while new to Subbuteo are 2014/15 kitted players for Manchester United, Arsenal Barcelona and Real Madrid. Buzzcocks, based on the music show Never Mind the Buzzcocks, will be a new addition for 2015. Also joining the games line-up will be Rotten Apples, a range of after-dinner games called Haha Moustache and Houdini. There is also fun for the younger members

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STAND E50

of the family with Skribbleheads, a fast-guessing blind drawing game, Squiggly Worms and Dalmatian Dominoes. A new addition to the pre-school Chimp and Zee range is the Spotty Botty game with animal noises. New to the craft scene is a licensed range of paint by numbers for Thomas the Tank Engine, Dinosaur Roar and Rainbow Magic. Thomas the Tank fans can also look forward to a new wipe clean activity mat. There will also be three new murder mystery puzzles based on crime drama, Death in Paradise. Finally, there is a range of WWF endangered animal puzzles and a collection of puzzles based on the Polish artist Yerka. 020 7254 0100

JOHN CRANE Tidlo is continuing to grow with three new lines for 2015. An all new 30-piece General Hospital Set comes with everything you need to nurse your favourite character back to health, while also new is the Garage Set and Campervan Ride-on. The Our Generation Dolls range is about girls growing up together, a complete concept with accessories that appeal to the current generation, with eco-friendly packaging for a generation and their parents who see this as an important factor in any purchase. The range will see 99 new products added to the portfolio. New in B is Mat-a-Matics. The soft, fold away floor mat comes with four ways to play with endless combinations: memory music, wacky sounds, melody mix or super dance to keep children fit and active while having fun. Continuing into 2015 are the Award Winning Woofer and Baa-Baa-Barn. John Crane is adding ten new lines to the B collection in 2015 including a new look Symphony.

STAND E20 B-Baby is a range of nine newborn toys from activity play mats to bath time sets. The B-Baby range allows babies to be curious; what does this feel like when I touch it, when I squeeze it, if I push this or pull that? Sounds So Squeezy is a product that will allow them to be and do exactly that with four unique balls on a teething ring. Skipping Stones, meanwhile, is a stacking twist on a classic toy, ideal for building first landmarks. 01604 774949

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SHOW GUIDE MGA ENTERTAINMENT Toy Fair season 2015 will see MGA Entertainment exhibiting new launches and range extensions. The Lalaloopsy brand will celebrate its fifth birthday in 2015, with the introduction of new ranges across its Large, Mini and Littles segments, as well as two feature dolls, a new line extension and an fresh major accessory which will be unveiled at the shows. Toy Talk Awards Collectables Winner, Lalaloopsy Tinies, will be expanding on its existing collectability with new characters, a new creative play-set and a new blind bags programme.

GALLERY 540 The Lalaloopsy Babies range will also carry forward into 2015, following the success of the Lalaloopsy Babies Diaper Surprise. The Lalaloopsy Girls will continue to develop its range of creative play products, surrounding the popular L.A.L.A. Prep (Lalaloopsy Academy of Arts) theme. MGA will also be exhibiting a new range of Moxie Girlz with a traditional fantasy theme, which are sure to be a hit with parents. MGA will also be exhibiting new brand launches, with more details shared as the show approaches. 0845 0533 333

MY TOY FAIR

MARIAN DAVIS Marketing Manager, MGA and Zapf Creation

ZAPF CREATION Zapf Creation is pleased to announce it will once again be exhibiting at Olympia this month. Following the continued success of the UK’s number one large doll brand Baby Annabell, Zapf Creation will be exhibiting new accessory additions to the range for 2015, building on the world of Baby Annabell and making it even more of a reflection of a real baby’s life. The UK’s number two large doll brand, BABY born, will also be showcasing a new wholesome

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Firstly, how many Toy Fairs have you been to? Too many to count, but at least eight UK Toy Fairs.

Early night or drinks after the show? Drinks (in moderation) after the show.

What’s your favourite part of Toy Fair? The buzz and excitement and presenting the fabulous new products to our buyers.

Hangover tip? Don’t drink!

What’s your least favourite part? The stand build is fairly intensive.

Where’s the best place to take clients?

GALLERY 540 theme and a new addition to the BABY born plush toy segment. As a result of its huge success in Germany, Zapf’s Mini CHOU CHOU brand will be revealing new animalthemed characters and expanding on its collectability by growing into the play-set category. Zapf Creation will also be exhibiting its My Model brand in London and in Nuremberg, which focuses on the development of a child’s creative and imaginative skills. 0845 0533 333

Flats or heels? Definitely flats.

LITTLE TIKES Little Tikes’ vast range of playhouses are as popular as ever, continuing to delight children all year round. New for 2015 is the Cape Cottage Playhouse, offering the perfect play home for any child that enjoys a spot of role-play, according to the firm. The cottage features a mailbox, two Dutch doors and working window shutters. The new launch completes the wide range of playhouses in the Little Tikes range and has a competitive price point. The Cape Cottage Playhouse is aimed at children aged from two and is priced at £99.99. Meanwhile, the Cozy Coupe Dinosaur is the latest fun design to join the rapidly expanding Cozy Coupe family. The new coupe comes in ‘Dinosaur Green’ and has cool dinosaur plates (spikes) on its roof. The launch is a sign of the UK’s best selling cars’ continued success, as it marks the largest range yet for Little Tikes. Cozy Coupe Dinosaur is aimed at children aged 18 months to five years and is priced at £54.99. 0845 0533 333

Depends on the client. Why is Toy Fair a must-attend event in your opinion? Perfect for buyers to see everything under one roof. Finally, what is the one piece of advice you would give to Toy Fair first-timers? Be super organised in advance, drink plenty of water and keep smiling for the duration of the show.

GALLERY 540 MY TOY FAIR MICHELLE LILLEY Marketing Manager, Little Tikes

How many Toy Fairs have you been to? This will be my fourth as I used to visit when I worked at my local Toymaster many years ago. Favourite part of Toy Fair? Seeing what’s new for the year ahead and sharing all our new products with buyers. It’s always great to put faces to names you’ve been emailing to. Best place to take clients? I really like Chutney Marys in Chelsea as the food is fab and it has a great atmosphere. Why is Toy Fair a must-attend event in your opinion? It’s the best place in the UK to see all key brands under one roof, meet all the buying and supplier teams and to get a real feel for what 2015 has to offer.

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TOY TALK

TOYTALK

This month’s round-up of the weird and wonderful world of toys spans Crazy Carting demonstrations with an F1 legend, ‘selfies’ making the move into board games and a disabled tortoise earning his LEGO legs HERE’S JOHNNY The team at Re:creation joined F1 legend Johnny Herbert for a karting extravaganza in December as they helped celebrate the 20th anniversary of his charity karting challenge. The event was held to raise funds for fellow F1 star Damon Hill’s charity, the Halow Project, which supports young adults with learning disabilities in living independently. Held at the UK’s largest indoor karting centre in Barking, Essex, the 2014 event saw over 20 teams take part in a grueling

three-hour endurance karting race. As part of the fun, Johnny Herbert gave a demonstration of the Razor Crazy Cart in front of the crowd of motorsports enthusiasts and media, including Sky Sports. Sporting stars Herbert and Hill also made an appearance and both signed a Crazy Cart for the raffle on the day which added to the funds raised. “We were delighted to be a part of Johnny’s fantastic event,” said Re:creation brand manager Katy Fletcher.

STRIKE A POSE It was voted the word of 2013 and the selfie enjoyed quite a time of it last year. 2014 brought with it the Oscar selfie, the first one taken from space, and of course, a ton more from Kim Kardashian (who also helped the term ‘belfie’ catch on – it’s a selfie of your arse if you didn’t know). Hell, even the ToyNews team got in on the act as this wonderful image below demonstrates. Now, at long last, the selfie has graced our wonderful industry in the

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“It was the perfect environment to showcase the Crazy Cart’s ultimate performance and to see an F1 legend put it through its paces was simply incredible. “This marked the end of a year of high profile events for the Crazy Cart that have seen thousands of fans get behind the wheel and try the drifting for themselves. “We are looking forward to many, many more in 2015 as we also add the Crazy Cart XL to our portfolio,” added Flecther.

THE TORTOISE & THE CHAIR form of a brand new board game available in the US. The Selfie Game sees players draw an expression card, take a selfie on their phone mimicking that expression, and then other players have to look at the selfie and guess what face the ‘selfie-er’ was attempting. Or, save yourself $14.99 and just check out your friends’ Instagram page. Extra points for guessing what expression they were going for. (Constipation? Anguish? Pain? A wry smile, perhaps? Who knows.)

Just when you thought you couldn’t like LEGO anymore, along comes the story of Blade the disabled tortoise. Suffering from a growth disorder, Blade couldn’t hold himself up due to his weakening limbs. Luckily for Blade, help was at hand in the form

of a LEGO wheelchair. Yes, Dr Carsten Plischke saw a silver lining for the troubled tortoise in the world of his son’s LEGO sets. He fixed LEGO mounts to the bottom of Blade’s shell, clipped on some LEGO wheels on, and now Blade is back in the game and ready to roll.

And credit where it’s due, Plischke also resisted the urge to add some go fast stripes, sponsor stickers and a sweet spoiler. But without wanting to spoil what is a lovely story, the problem remains that if he ever finds himself approaching a steep hill, he’s buggered.

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MY LIFE IN TOYS

Sally Plumridge International Marketing Director, LeapFrog In our new column, we talk to some of the industry’s longest serving members about their careers. This month, LeapFrog’s Sally Plumridge talks Barbie, LeapBand and her dreams of being an artist Length of time in the toy business? I have actually been in the toy business since 1989 – with just one year out that means 25 years. If I say it really quickly it does not sound too long.

the launch of LeapBand has been very special. The combination of ‘The LeapFrog Difference’ with the hot and exciting fitness trend, has resulted in a fantastic new product and business category which inspires children to get moving.

What was your first role and what were your responsibilities? My first job was group product manager for Kiddicraft, a UK toy company that was bought by Fisher-Price shortly after I joined. I was working on the pre-school range that featured Webster the Spider, Clatterpillar and the Kiddiwalker.

What are some of the main differences between the toy industry of today and the toy industry you begun your career in? There are two main differences for me. The first is the face of retail – when I first joined, the retail landscape was more diverse, certainly not digital, and independents held the key to a

Best memory? The memory that still makes me tingle is the unveiling of the Barbie windows in Harvey Nicholls the evening before the start of London Fashion Week in 1996. It symbolised such a huge change in status and attitude.

Complete this sentence – I love working in the toy business because… Every day I get a different buzz from who I work with and what we do.

The unveiling of the Barbie windows in Harvey Nicholls before London Fashion Week in 1996 symbolised such a huge change in status and attitude. What are you most proud of having achieved in your toy industry career? Despite my initial horror at moving onto the Barbie brand when Mattel and Fisher-Price merged, my blood still remains pink today. It was fantastic to be a key member of the team that developed and implemented the plan that grew the failing Barbie brand to be £100m at retail, tripling the Mattel business and seeing off competition in just three years, winning consumer, retailer and internal accolades along the way. Favourite launch you’ve been involved with? In 25 years I have been lucky enough to work on fabulous launches every year, so it’s a very tough question. But without doubt

large number of doors. Secondly, children of today are growing up much faster, technology is a rich part of their daily lives and their circle of reference extends beyond TV to an exciting and dynamic digital world. What would be your ideal job if you were not working in the toy industry? I would love to be an artist. Best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? You will never progress if you don’t let go – big thanks to Denis Horton. And what advice would you pass on to those just starting their toy industry career? Enjoy every minute of the journey, it’s pretty special.

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