Feature
Nuremberg Toy Fair
Dashing through the show Spielwarenmesse returns from 30th January to 3rd February 2024, once again attracting the biggest and best toy and game manufacturers, distributors and retailers to NürnbergMesse GmbH for five packed days of networking, entertainment, product inspiration, trade deals and much, much more. Toy World speaks to Christian Ulrich, spokesperson for organiser Spielwarenmesse eG, about what makes the event an unmissable show, what’s new for the upcoming iteration, and how its organisers are ensuring it continues to offer what the toy trade wants.
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pielwarenmesse 2024 marks the second iteration of the hugely popular European show since lockdown and the 73rd since the show began. The 2023 event, which Christian says was a ‘better show than expected’, has already been surpassed by the plans for 2024’s event. When we spoke to Christian in early November, exhibitor numbers were higher – including almost 400 new exhibitors - more floorspace had been dedicated to the event, and there’s still time for companies to sign up for their own exhibition space. Visitor numbers, too, will likely surpass previous totals, as Christian explains. “In 2023 there were still some strong travel restrictions in place, which particularly impacted our Asian attendees,” he says. “Either they couldn’t secure visas, or they were still nervous about travelling following the pandemic. We expect to welcome many more Chinese and Japanese visitors at the upcoming Spielwarenmesse, which is of course great for the show.” While all exhibitors and attendees alike can expect the usual blend of first-class networking events, a vast range of toys and games, and superb evening entertainment, there are also some changes this year worth noting. One
of these is the new Tuesday-Saturday schedule (replacing Wednesday-Sunday), which Christian says reflects attendee feedback that the extra weekday would be better for both travel and footfall. Traditionally, Sundays were the day when retailers could shut up shop and head to exhibitions for the day, but times have changed, and the day started to become weaker in terms of footfall than both the organiser and exhibitors would have liked. Christian also notes that many international guests choose to fly back to their home countries on a Friday afternoon, making an extra weekday at the start of the show far preferable than running it over both days of the weekend. “This has been very positively received,” says Christian, when asked what the feedback to the move has been like. “We’re now wondering why we didn’t do it sooner! But as they say, better late than never.” Christian says that for the readers of Toy World, this year’s special trend-led area, based on the overriding theme of ‘Life’s a Playground’, will be unmissable. In Hall 3A, the world of kidults – which Christian believes will be a key element of the toy industry moving forward - will be brought vividly to life through relevant product examples from its four core categories: Collectibles, Premium Collectibles, Creative Fantasy and Tabletop Games. “During the pandemic, many older children and adults discovered (or rediscovered) the joys of play, particularly puzzles and board games,” Christian says. “But also, when you look at the world around us today, with wars and
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numerous other crises, toys and games give kidults a kind of escapism and a positive outlet for their expressionism. Often we see that those outlets are social too: games bring people together round a table so we can spend time with friends and family. More and more adults are playing with toys, and they’re also becoming more confident in showing that they collect some quirky things – a bit like me with my Batmobile model.” Visitors to the special area will get plenty of inspiration from a huge range of products that align with the four Life’s a Playground categories. Experts will be on hand to shine a light on new perspectives and ideas that could help retailers who already offer kidult products, or those looking to get into the space, maximise on their selections. Six of the presentations taking place in the Toy Business Forum tackle the kidult theme; in the keynote speech on Wednesday, Toan Nguyen, founder of Jung von Matt Nerd in Hamburg, will speak about the kidults demographic and offer an introduction to pop culture for a new generation. On Friday, Axel Dammler, MD of iconkids & youth in Munich, highlights the target group in the German toy market and Christian Braun, from Superior (USA), deals with collecting. Outside of the show, those staying in Nuremberg are also strongly encouraged to pay a visit to Ultra Comix on Vordere Sterngasse 2, which offers over 1,000 sq. metres of comic-books, games, fantasy- and science fictionliterature, and kidult toys. Christian says: “It’s more than a store, it’s four floors of best-practice retail inspiration on
