The Toy Universe Magazine — Edition 3

FROM THE EDITOR

Welcome to Edition 3

Welcome to Edition 3 of The Toy Universe Magazine featuring The Magic of Moose. This is the final edition for 2022 as we move towards 2023 and the return of the Toy Hobby & Licensing Fair in March, where we will be the Official Media Partner for The Australian Toy Association. The Toy Universe will make its debut as a printed magazine at the show in March, so please reach out to discuss opportunities to feature in the upcoming March 2023 The Toy Universe Magazine bumper edition!

As a business-to-business trade publication, we often wonder what the most relevant and impactful content is for our trade audience (both for The Toy Universe and The Bugg Report). A lot happens in the market day-today and throughout each year and given how much news is available everywhere, across so many platforms, it is important to stay focused on the things that really matter.

As the trade publication for Australia and New Zealand we try to keep our updates as streamlined and tailored to our market as we can, but given that so many Australianbased toy companies now sell to the global market there is naturally some overlap. We launched The Toy Universe in March of this year as an option for companies within Australia and New Zealand to utilise as a resource to communicate news and general updates to members of the trade industry. Moving forward we would like to introduce content that talks about market trends, retail intelligence and category highlights. Given that this will be our third edition of the year, we would like to thank all the companies who have featured in The Toy Universe and all those who have taken the time to read the magazine, subscribe and/or visit our website.

The Toy Universe is a work in progress and as time goes by we would like to further tailor the content to meet the wants and needs of the industry, with content that resonates and can help drive the industry forward. So far we have been largely focused on interviews, market wrap and columns but would really value feedback on what you would like to see more if in 2023 so please let us know!

If you have not yet subscribed to our updates, please consider subscribing to both The Toy Universe (Toys) and The Bugg Report (Licensing). We do not send a lot of updates but more specifically we send out updates about new magazine releases, weekly updates and individual updates that we believe are relevant to our readers.

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The Toy Universe has been compiled as a guide to toys and other related matters. The views and opinions provided are based upon the views and opinions of our writers. In no way is The Toy Universe a factual guide to toys and/or other related matters. The Toy Universe does not take responsibility for how the information provided is used by its consumers.

INSIDE THE ISSUE

NEWS

THE TOY UNIVERSE

EDITION 3 - DECEMBER 2022

LATEST NEWS UPDATES

INTERVIEW

THE MAGIC OF MOOSE

INNOVATION DRIVES GROWTH OF HOME GROWN SUCCESS STORY

JOOST POULUS - CHIEF PRODUCT OFFICER AT MOOSE TOYS

MARKET WRAP

GEOMAGWORLD

THE TOY UNIVERSE PRODUCT REVIEWS

GEOMAG GLOW 60 AND GEOMAG GLITTER 60

COLUMN STORIES FROM GG'S TOY BOX

BY GRAHAME GRASSBY

STORY 2 — WHO SHOT MUMMY BABAR?

UPDATE

ALICE SANDERSON

AUSTRALIAN TOY ASSOCIATION

A HIVE OF ACTIVITY AT THE ATA

COLUMN FROM THE BUYERS DESK

BY AN EXPERIENCED RETAIL PROFESSIONAL

EDITION 1 — CROSS CATEGORY PROMOTIONS FROM A RETAIL PERSPECTIVE

MOOSE TOYS DOMINATES 2022 UK HOLIDAY SEASON

Industry leader Moose Toys is continuing its phenomenal growth in the UK, for the first time entering the Top Ten Toy Manufacturers according to NPD. Currently ranked #9 YTD and #8 in October, the Australian based manufacturer is boasting sales growth well above industry average of +74% YoY. READ MORE

THOUSANDS OF MIZZIE THE KANGAROO RUBBER TOYS TURNED INTO ROADS

Queensland business Mizzie The Kangaroo has become fullycircular by repurposing more than 2000 of its iconic orange natural rubber teething toys, and launching a new initiative whereby customers can post or return their used products to the business for recycling. The award-winning products were transported to Pearl Global, a pioneering Australian company committed to solving the global waste tyre problem. READ MORE

ATA RISING STAR AWARD SUBMISSIONS CLOSE

9TH OF DECEMBER 2022

Do you have a star in the midst? Do you have young talent that deserves to be recognised?

The Rising Star Award, proudly sponsored by Hasbro Australia, is open to the Toy, Hobby, Nursery and Licensing Industry and aims to celebrate outstanding performers contributing to the national and international market. READ MORE

CONNETIX ANNOUNCE THREE NEW STEAM LEARNING PRODUCTS

Connetix have announced three new STEAM learning products in time for Christmas 2022 including the Connetix 24 Piece Rainbow Mini Pack, the Connetix 50 Piece Rainbow Transport Pack and the Connetix 32 Piece Pastel Mini Pack.

READ MORE

KIKADU-ORGANIC CHRISTMAS AND EASTER RANGE - 50% OFF

Kikadu-organic Christmas and Easter range - 50% off while stocks last! This organic GOTS Certified range is 50% off across the board and this includes their Christmas range and Easter rabbit range. These are just some of the 200 plus specials to choose from!

READ MORE

MOBI AND DIVISIBLE BY ZERO PRESENT NEW PRODUCTS

Mobi and Divisible by Zero are excited to present two new products this December! Flipsee is a sturdy alphabet board that tells the story of the alphabet through creative and colourful illustrations hidden behind easy to open flaps. Gumlii is an easy to hold sensory teether with textured chewy nubs and a gentle rattle sound. Both products are now in stock online!

READ MORE

MAGIC OF MOOSE INNOVATION DRIVES GROWTH OF HOME GROWN SUCCESS STORY JOOST POULUS - CHIEF PRODUCT OFFICER AT MOOSE TOYS

THE MAGIC OF MOOSE

INNOVATION DRIVES GROWTH OF HOME GROWN SUCCESS STORY

●●●

Thanks for speaking to us Joost! Can you explain how Moose navigated the pandemic?

We decided the best way to navigate the pandemic was to prioritise our people and our product. We have an amazing team at Moose and they really rose to the challenge, ensuring we were successful in what was obviously a tough market. We took the time and focused on developing super cool, unique and innovative toys (i.e Magic Mixies and Mama Surprise). We created new processes and became laser focused on what mattered to us as a business (innovation). We also wanted to come out the other side ahead and we believe we did that. Another essential element of managing the business during Covid was communication with our team. We had weekly updates, wellbeing check-ins and ensured our IT capabilities were configured to set the team up for success. We focused on what the team needed, extra flexibility, the proper tools / materials for working from home and had a huge focus on culture and wellness, with staff receiving care packs, free yoga and fitness classes online, a performance and wellbeing program and much more.

What is driving Moose’s success?

It is simple. A focus on innovation and doing things differently. As a business, we have a Big Hairy Audacious Goal to be the most innovative toy company in the world and that goal is always in our sights. We have worked hard over the past few years to diversify the categories in which we operate. We have seen huge success in new categories such as Action Figures (Treasure X and Goo Jit Zu), Youth Electronics (Magic Mixes ) and Pre School (Bluey). Games is also a huge area of focus for us and we are already seeing great results with the launches of the likes of Clipology and Spontuneos. And finally, our culture. It is truly incredible and to be officially recognised as a Great Place to Work in all of our offices is a real testament to the teams commitment around the world.

Moose seems to be everywhere these days. Are there plans for more expansion?

We have certainly grown! We currently have over 600 staff globally and even though the toy industry is generally down, we are seeing double digit growth in all our direct to market regions (France, Germany, Canada, US, Australia and UK). After 10 years direct to retail, Moose is now seen as a major player in the US market and after only three years in the UK Moose is ranked in the top 10 manufacturers (NPD October 2022) which is something we are very proud of. We will always be looking for more opportunities. As a business we have grand plans to expand our direct to retail model to even more markets, and to rise even further up the global toy rankings.

Moose is famous for its innovation, can you tell us a bit about how the business fosters this within its culture?

We are lucky that we have an incredibly strong capability in-house to drive innovation as well as extremely strong partnerships with the key players in the inventor community. We aim to deliver genuinely new, imaginative play experiences for kids that they can really dive into and also continue to overdeliver on the play value of all of our toys. All of these elements ensure we are able to relentlessly generate new ideas and provides us the platform to become the most innovative toy company in the world. We are super proud to have received several global innovation awards this year so hopefully that shows we are doing something right!

• 2022 Big W Innovation of the Year - Magic Mixies

• 2022 Most Innovative product for the Magic Mixies Crystal Ball at the Mastermind Vendor Show (Canada)

• 2022 Most Innovative Toy Brand of the Year (France) - Moose

• 2022 Play Creators Award - Toy Designers of the Year - Moose

• 2022 TOTY Creative Toy of the Year - Magic Mixies

We see 2022 as just the beginning and we are so excited to see the process and structure we have devised will ensure we continue to elevate our business and our brands.

Magic Mixies is taking the world by storm, can you tell us a little about the toy and what is next for the brand?

Magic Mixies is the ultimate unboxing experience. Moose made its name on unboxing toys, with Shopkins and Scruff a Luvs and has taken it to a new level with Magic Mixies. Everything in our Magic Mixies line has a magical spin on its reveal and we’ve seen an incredible response to our signature mist, first used with the Cauldron and now with the Crystal Ball. Kids love that they get to experience ‘real magic’ and see their Mixie appear out of the mist that they created with their spellcasting wand. Amazingly we sold more than one million Magic Mixie Cauldrons globally, since launch last year! It’s an exciting brand and the possibilities are endless. There’s only so much I can say here but I can say the magic will continue.

Can you tell us a little about the Moose Happy Kids Foundation?

The Moose Happy Kids Foundation exists to make kids Superhappy: To allow kids to be kids no matter what their circumstances, to have access to the pure power of play and to use their imaginations. We select our partners in four key areas: Wellbeing (clown docs, Monash Hospital), Opportunity (Adara, Igniting Change), Inclusivity, Empowerment (Children’s Ground, Eat Up) and we measure impact by smiles - 1 smile = 1 child impacted. To date we have created nearly 4 million smiles with our partners around the world which is something we are very proud of.

What are the key trends you are seeing within the toy industry leading into 2023?

Toys that are all about the experience. In 2023 people will continue to look for toys that allow children to customise their play experience and allow for repeat play. A great example of this is Magic Mixies, yes there is the initial reveal but kids can continue to reveal and create their very own magic over and over again.

Entertainment Partnerships - Kids are the ultimate cross platform consumers. They love bringing their entertainment into the real world for imaginative play so the licensing opportunities are now greater than ever before. Everyone’s favourite dog Bluey is a great example of how a TV show translates into fantastic toys for its fans.

Sensory Toys - This area continues to expand beyond fidget toys with the growth of content online. We saw amazing ASMR videos appear across numerous platforms in 2022 featuring Magic Mixies and Goo Jit Zu and believe this will only continue moving into the new year.

What is next for Moose?

We will continue to supercharge innovation and strive to achieve our BHAG of being the most innovative toy company in the world. We will continue to focus on creating a culture where our team are encouraged to bring their true selves to work and be recognised for it.

And of course, lots of fantastic, ground-breaking product!

www.moosetoys.com

THE TOY UNIVERSE PRODUCT REVIEWS

GEOMAG RECYCLED GLOW 60 AND GEOMAG RECYCLED GLITTER 60

Glow 60 Geomag Glitter 60

NATURAL GLOW IN THE DARK MAGNETIC RODS

The Glow 60 STEM kit comes with 60 pieces including 28 glow rods, 28 magnetic connectors, four base pieces and three storage boxes. These products are very high quality, suitable for ages 3-99 and allow you to build limitless constructions by connecting the magnetic rods to the metal spheres. The magnetic rods are made with 100% natural glowing substances and when exposed to a light source, they accumulate energy. The magnetic rods release this energy as natural light when they are placed in the dark.

THE MOST POWERFUL MAGNETIC RODS

The Glitter 60 STEM kit comes with 60 pieces including 28 glitter rods, 28 magnetic connectors, four base pieces and three storage boxes. These products are very high quality, suitable for ages 3-99 and allow you to build limitless constructions by connecting the magnetic rods to the metal spheres. The glitter rods come in four vibrant colours (purple, blue, red and pink) and these products help to encourage the development of fine motor skills, learning by playing, creativity and imagination by building 3D magnetic structures.

Geomag

TO LEARN MORE VISIT WWW.GEOMAGWORLD.COM

STORIES FROM GG'S TOY BOX

BY GRAHAME GRASSBY STORY 2 — WHO SHOT MUMMY BABAR?

Stories from GG's Toy Box WHO SHOT MUMMY BABAR?

In the first episode of the animated TV series, The Adventures of Babar, which premiered on ABC TV in 1990, the episode begins with Babar as a baby elephant playing with his mother and the other elephants.

Babar is happy and carefree but then, out of nowhere, Mummy Babar gets shot dead by a hunter... point blank dead... and in the preschool world around Australia, all hell breaks loose.

The ABC switchboard lights up with many calls of complaint from irate mothers who cannot believe an animated preschool TV show would show a mother being shot dead and wanting an explanation as to why the ABC would broadcast a show that has left their child crying their eyes out and not wanting their own mummy to die.

And thanks to a well-considered buying and marketing decision by the ABC Shops’ toy buyer, filling the front windows of every ABC Shop in the country are beautiful Babar soft toys - lots and lots of Babar soft toys, lovingly manufactured by Gund and carefully distributed in Australia by Jasnor - just waiting to be sold to the parents of happy Aussie pre-schoolers who love watching Babar on ABC TV.

The complaints about Mummy being shot dead in the first episode of the Babar TV show start filtering back through the ABC Shop managers to the Head of ABC Retail who summons the ABC Shop Buyerwhich is me - to please explain: “What the hell were you thinking? Don’t you watch the shows before you buy the toys?”

Unfortunately, the unspoken answers to those two questions were: I wasn’t thinking - I was actually listening to Fred Gaffney, Licensing Agent extraordinaire, who told me that Babar was going to be the next big thing - a billion-dollar brand I remember him saying - and that he had negotiated with Noel Thurlow at Jasnor to give me a threemonth exclusive window on the Babar toys if I could meet Jasnor’s minimum order quantities; And the answer to the second question; Of course I don’t watch the children’s TV shows before I buy the toys for the ABC Shops but there’s no need for anyone else to know that.

So unwittingly Fred Gaffney had given me a bit of a bum steer on what turned out to be not the next big thing - a lesson well learned that not everything Fred says is actually the next big thing or a billion-dollar brand - and that I had a lot of green elephants to sell. It seemed Fred hadn’t watched the first episode of the Babar TV series either - who’d have thought?

— Grahame Grassby

(Babar’s mother is shot dead)

AUSTRALIAN TOY ASSOCIATION

A HIVE OF ACTIVITY AT THE ATA

AUSTRALIAN TOY ASSOCIATION

A HIVE OF ACTIVITY AT THE ATA

We also recently held our Annual General Meeting and final board meeting for the year.

On the Toy Fair front, the fair is close to selling out and at the time of writing this, we have only 2 x shell scheme and 5 x market alley stands left available. All of your favourite importers, distributors and brand owners will be showcasing their product, including LEGO, Moose, Headstart, Mattel, Modern Brands, Big Balloon, Artiwood and many more! So, if you haven’t booked, please ensure you do before there is no space remaining.

popular that we have decided to incorporate this into the Fair moving forward. Providing an extra component that will make you not want to miss out.

The ATA alongside LEGO Australia will also be hosting a Women in Toys event at 3.30pm on the Tuesday afternoon. We are excited to be bringing this back to the fair so make sure you save the date as it will include fantastic presenters set to inspire.

Alice Sanderson began her career with the ATA in 2010 while completing her bachelor in Event Management. Alice has been instrumental in managing the Australian Toy Association Events and took on the Executive Manager position in 2019.

Alice is passionate about the industry and together with the ATA staff and Board, continues to serve the members.

asanderson@austoy.com.au

A full exhibitor list will be available in January so keep an eye out for this. We are confident that next years’ Fair will be a sell-out event and we cannot wait to see you all onsite in 2023!

The ATA will be introducing a few new elements to the Fair, including our presentations area which has The Retail Doctor, The NPD Group and Mumpower already locked in to provide you with insight and knowledge. We found the conference segment of our Digital Fairs so

Other events on the agenda are the Gala Dinner to be held at Crown Palladium on Sunday 5th March, the 25-year club function (sponsored by Hasbro Pacific) on the Monday night and Exhibitor drinks (sponsored by LEGO Australia) on the Tuesday night.

It’s going to be a fun and magical event with so much more happening onsite. As mentioned above, we recently held our AGM where we presented the past year in review

The past few months have been anything but quiet for the Australian Toy Association with planning of the first physical Toy Hobby & Licensing Fair since 2020 well underway.

as well as held our board elections. This year three board members were nominated to take up the three positions vacant and these were Tim Clarke of Modern Brands, Chris Maggacis of Mr Toys Toyworld and Jacqui Webster of Spin Master. These Directors will spend another three years working alongside me on the sustainability of the Association and I look forward to working with them on your behalf.

Following the AGM, the ATA held our last board meeting for the year. Here

Tim Clarke confirmed that he would take up the President’s position for another year and he also welcomed to the Board, new director nominated members Anni Atkinson of Warner Bros and Jeff Keighran of Bensons Trading.

I would like to take this opportunity to welcome the new members to the board and thank the current and past directors who have supported me in my role at the ATA over the past 12 months. They are Tim Clarke, Jonathan Zimbler, Meagan Sanders,

James Thurlow, Chris Loverso, David McNeil, Jacqui Webster, Troy Taylor, Scott O’Rafferty, Chris Maggacis, Jacinta Whitehead, Scott Ferguson and Tim Nolan.

The ATA staff look forward to working with the Board to continue strengthening the Association and ensuring the longevity of the industry here in Australia.

www.austoy.com.au

From an industry perspective, we are now in the most important retail period for your companies as we approach Christmas. With this in mind, the ATA would like to wish everyone a happy and prosperous Christmas trading period as we look forward to 2023.

COLUMN

FROM THE BUYERS DESK

BY AN EXPERIENCED RETAIL PROFESSIONAL

EDITION 1 — CROSS CATEGORY PROMOTIONS FROM A RETAIL PERSPECTIVE

FROM THE BUYERS DESK

CROSS-CATEGORY PROMOTIONS FROM A RETAIL PERSPECTIVE

STEP 2: TIMING

WHAT IS A CROSS CATEGORY PROMOTION?

It is a promotion where vendors, licensors and retailers look to promote products with a common theme aimed at a similar audience. It is a good brand building exercise with the goal of boosting sales across all product categories to the benefit of all participants. Cross-category promotions can be market-wide, open to all retailers or can be retailer-specific.

When is the best time to conduct the cross-category promotion? Decisions have to be made as to when to execute a cross-category promotion. Does it tie in with the launch of a new brand or license, such as a movie or TV property? Does it tie in with a particular event such as a sporting event (e.g. FIFA World Cup, Olympics, etc.). Does it tie in with a particular month of year - school holidays, Easter, Halloween, Christmas, etc? Ensure that you take into account the retailer’s priorities at certain times of the year. Retailers will always support Back-toSchool (January), Easter (confectionery focus), Summer/ Winter fashion launches, Mother’s Day/Father’s Day, Halloween, Black Friday and Christmas (decorations focus).

STEP 3: PLANNING

STEP 1: CREATION

You need to ensure that your brand or license is strong enough to resonate with the consumer. You must look through the customers eyes to make an objective decision that a cross-category promotion will drive extra sales for all participants; suppliers, licensors and retailers. This is the main driving force for all involved. From a retailer’s perspective, the cross-category promotion must ensure that their retail business receives an improved return on their investment from the retail space and marketing resources dedicated to the event. The selected brands or license can be:

a. New - this is a good way to launch a new widespread brand or license... it creates impact, curiosity and interest in the marketplace!

b. Existing - this is a great way to highlight the brand or license with new and existing products and new categories. We have heard customers make comments such as “i did not know they made this in “xxx” brand or license. My family will love this!"

There must be a wide and diverse product range of the brand or license available with sufficient stock levels in the marketplace at the time of the promotion.

How much time do all participants need to ensure the cross-category promotion is a success? Suppliers, licensors and retailers all have their own specific timelines for marketing and to procure stock for events. With this in mind, it is better to plan the cross-category promotions as far out as possible. The bigger the promotion with more participants the longer the lead time required to bring all parties together. 12 -18 months would be an ideal timeline for a larger promotion and smaller promotions can be managed within a 4-9 month timeline. To ensure the best outcome, engage the brand and/or license owner to coordinate the cross-category promotion. In many cases they will probably have been involved in these types of promotions previously and will be aware of what is required for success; time lines, engagement required by all parties, marketing, financing, competitions, legal, point-of-sale, etc., as well as the areas that may cause concerns. The brand owners/licensors have the contacts for all the participants who can be used as the focal point for coordination of the event. The brand/license owner needs to liaise with the retailer(s) to establish interest and timelines. Once this is given the green light, each of the participants need to work through what offers/products will bring the best return for themselves and the retailer.

NB* Please think of ways to engage the end customer with your offer - is it unique, it is different from previous offers, is a better price, does it offer better value, is it a new offer, is it exclusive (many retailers like exclusives and giveaways - they brings customers to their stores and they can price accordingly).

STEPS TO CREATE A CROSS CATEGORY EVENT

STEP 4: EXECUTION

Am I ready? The cross-category promotion will have a start date and a delivery date a few weeks prior. Ensure that you have coordinated all aspects with the relevant parties which will include the following:

1. The required stocks levels for the beginning of the promotion as well as back up inventory to cover sales over the duration of the event.

2. Ensure that all delivery dates can be met to ensure a full stock presence at the beginning of the promotion. Most promotions will do over 50% of the sales in the first 4-7 days. This is when there is peak customer interest in the promotion.

3. Marketing is all planned and booked. If retailer tagging is available - please use it. There are a lot of marketing dollars spent on telling the consumer about the products and the promotion. You need to tell the customer where they can participate in the event!

4. All competition and or 'giveaway' details are agreed and legally signed off by all relevant parties.

5. Any in-store point-of-sale/marketing has been agreed to and signed off. Ensure delivery is before the event allowing sufficient time for stores to set up.

6. Monitor sales and make the necessary adjustments and liaise with the retailer (e.g. deliver more stock or make a retail price markdown if required). Make sure to remember to act early.

STEP 5: REVIEW

What lessons can we learn from running the cross-category promotion?

1. Monitor the sales, profit and inventory at the end of the event.

2. Did it meet our objectives?

3. What did we do right and can build upon this? 4. What went wrong... what are the learnings so we do not repeat these?

5. Do I need corrective action to clear inventory?

6. Plan the next bigger and better sales event.

Over my years in the retail business, many vendors wanted to create or participate in a cross-category promotion and the above writings are just some thought starters to assist in establishing and participating in a cross-category promotion. It's a guide from a retail perspective and is not meant to be a full and exhaustive way of executing a cross-category promotion and hopefully it can assist in increasing sales.

Thank you for reading!

WITH HAPE Summer Fun

Hape create all of their products with sustainability, education, innovation and fun in mind! From responsible materials sourcing, to adopting green packaging and soy-based paints, Hape works to inspire learning through play with a respect and appreciation for the materials used in their toys.