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.

Spielwarenmesse 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

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 catering to this growing market.”

This year’s LicenseLounge, meanwhile, which returns for 2024 having made its debut earlier this year, will reflect the current strength of the licensed toy market and provide a networking area for the global licensing community. Christian says the talks scheduled to take place will offer something for everyone. Even newcomers to the world of licensing can gain an understanding of the sector and learn about the properties to watch out for in 2024. Spielwarenmesse eG’s BrandMate collaboration and networking event for companies involved in licensing has allowed the fair organiser to select expert speakers for the LicenseLounge talks and spotlight emerging trends. Talks take place live during Spielwarenmesse from Wednesday to Friday between 10-11.30am in the Toy Business Forum (Hall 3A).

In terms of what else is on, Press Day takes place Tuesday 30th January, once again giving exhibitors an opportunity to present their latest toys and games to media representatives from TV, magazines, news stations and more. Visitors to next year’s show will doubtless be pleased to hear that the ToyAwards will be presented during Spielwarenmesse 2024, not before, in Hall 3A on 31st January. Having previously taken place before the show opened its doors, this change to the scheduling means far more people can now participate more fully in the event. ToyNight has also moved, now taking place on the evening of the opening day of the show, and RedNight returns for 2024 on 1st February, having successfully debuted in February of this year. According to Christian, RedNight – a networking party at which exhibitors present their latest business ideas and creative product innovations to the specialist trade - was an idea borne from the exhibitors themselves, who were keen to participate in a coordinated event within the halls, at their own stands and surrounded by their own products. The format means visitors can stroll around at their own pace in a relaxed atmosphere, and network with industry peers over food and drink.

The following day, 2nd February, visitors can blow the cobwebs away at the International Game Inventors Convention from 9am-6pm, which brings games inventors together with developers from both national and international publishing houses. Afterwards, they can take part in the GamingHour once the show is over for the day (though to be pedantic, it’s actually four hours, from 6-10pm). Hall 7A welcomes the highlights gallery, and – for the first time ever – over the counter sales will be allowed on the Saturday for those interested in the Model Construction and Model Railways category, which again will enjoy a public open day.

The raft of changes outlined above – the change to the weekday vs. weekend schedule, the creation of RedNight, moving the ToyAwards so they take place during the show – demonstrate the ways in which Spielwarenmesse eG is listening to the needs of its visitors and exhibitors and actually acting upon that feedback.

“It’s crucial that we listen to the industry and make changes where we can,” Christian says. “We’ve also made changes internally, reducing the hierarchy at Spielwarenmesse eG and giving more responsibility to the members of our team. We now have team leaders that manage networks of people who directly liaise with those who attend our events, and their opinions and desires for future shows come back for us to take on board.”

Clearly, there’s a huge amount to look forward to and a lot of planning to be done if you want to make the most of your time at Spielwarenmesse 2024. Visitors can access a suite of information services, including the official Spielwarenmesse Digital website and complementary app, podcast and TV content. With show season fast bearing down upon us, it’s essential to plan ahead.

As for Christian, he’s already looking forward to yet another superb show. He tells us that being able to enjoy face-to-face meetings is still a novelty for some following a period in which everything was done virtually, and that there’s a level of inspiration on offer at Spielwarenmesse that you can’t get elsewhere (plus the opportunity to meet so many people from so many different countries around the world). He also feels Spielwarenmesse 2024 will offer people a positive outlook and tangible solutions for what is currently a challenging marketplace, no matter where you are in the world.

“When you look at what is going on in the toy industry, at least over the next 12 months, you can see that you simply have to be at Spielwarenmesse,” Christian adds. “The show holds a mirror up to the international toy business: you don’t just have suppliers and retailers; you’ve got experts from across the globe that have gathered especially to share their knowledge and help your business. I would highly recommend visitors leave at least a few hours free to explore the show and really take in everything it has to offer, from the parties and talks to the trend areas and halls in which you might find something new and exciting. We look forward to seeing you there.”