Feature - Nuremberg Preview

Trek the halls

Welcome to Part 2 of our in-depth overview of Spielwarenmesse 2023, which returns to the Nuremberg Exhibition Centre from 1st-5th February after a two-year hiatus. Toy World takes a quick look at how things are shaping up in the final few weeks, and speaks to Christian Ulrich, spokesperson of the Executive Board at Spielwarenmesse eG, about the international trade fair.

At the time of writing, in mid-December and with more than six weeks to go until the 72nd Spielwarenmesse opens its doors to the toy trade once again, organiser Spielwarenmesse eG says more than 80% of its stand space is sold (when compared to 2020’s pre-pandemic iteration). Around 2,000 exhibitors from across the entirety of the toy and games market will descend upon to the Nuremberg Exhibition Centre in early February, while the last day of January, the 31st, sees the PressPreview take place once again.

A very strong UK contingent will be making its way to the fair this year, many of whom appear in the pages of this feature (or elsewhere in this monster issue). Brainstorm, Cheatwell, Golden Bear, HoloToyz, Hornby, One For Fun, Rainbow Designs, The Desi Doll Company, Wow! Stuff and many more will all be showcasing their newest launches at the event, while the UK Pavilion is completely sold out - with several companies on the waiting list.

The show will serve as a launchpad for the toys, games and kids’ products companies are tipping for success in international markets. HoloToyz is looking forward to launching its new range of reality products at Spielwarenmesse in the Tech2Play Hall, where it will be unveiling new Paw Patrol tattoos and stickers. In Hall 7A, which this year opens to the public for the first time,

Hornby will be unveiling its expansion to the growing collection of award-winning Airfix Starter Sets with a new scale of Starter Set cars, the 1:43 Super Cars. Golden Bear, meanwhile, will be revealing to the trade how its plush ranges continue to evolve by showcasing its now fully sustainable Bing range, including the hero Talking Rainybow Bing.

Clearly, there’s going to be plenty to see and do at this year’s show across the five days. To help visitors plan their visit in advance, Spielwarenmesse eG has launched its new Spielwarenmesse app, where all exhibitors, brands and licences can be browsed. The app also has a ‘Guide’ function which makes it easy for visitors to find their way around the (very large) fair and meet up with friends and colleagues. And as of 10th January, the networking platform Spielwarenmesse Digital will also be available, giving visitors the ability to arrange appointments with exhibitors in advance.

Toy World publisher John Baulch (john@ toyworldmag.co.uk), sales director Mark Austin (mark@toyworldmag.co.uk) and editor Rachael Simpson-Jones (rachael@toyworldmag.co.uk) will all be heading to Nuremberg for Spielwarenmesse 2023 and their diaries are already filling up. To book an appointment ASAP, drop them a line.

That’s how we roll…

In late 2022, spokespeople from Spielwarenmesse eG embarked on a 20-country Dialogue Tour, giving selected journalists and industry representatives the chance to watch an informative presentation and engage in a Q&A session about the fair. Over drinks and bowling, trade journalists from the UK heard all about the latest additions to the international show, its continued importance to the trade show calendar, and how Spielwarenmesse eG’s fair portfolio continues to grow. Below, Christian elaborates on what’s in store.

For the next edition, we are expanding the concept of the fair with several new elements. The Services for Trade and Industry product group will have its premiere in Hall 7, where test and inspection institutes will be represented alongside marketing service providers and more. In addition, we are creating a new meeting point for game inventors and the games industry with the Internationale Spieleerfindermesse – Game Inventors Convention, while Specials by Spielwarenmesse will be a great source of inspiration when putting together a selection of products.

Alongside Tech2Play in Hall 4A, where the focus is on electronic toys, Toys go Green in Hall 2 is devoted to the topic of sustainable toys, while at the Insights-X Area in Hall 4 the subject is Stationery Meets Toys. Further highlights include the New Product Gallery and the redesigned ToyTrends World of Experience in Hall 3A, which introduces to the trade the Discover!, Brands for Fans and MetaToys trends, together with product examples.

On the Thursday, the exhibition halls will become the venue for the first ever RedNight, a big exhibitors’ party to which all visitors to the fair are invited. And last but not least, the Model Railways & Model Construction Open Day takes place on 4th and 5th February. On these days we are opening up that product group to consumers.

The team has clearly been hard at work in the two years the show hasn’t taken place, as evidenced by the amount of new features and areas, but which single new aspect of the show are you most pleased to be introducing?

Our innovations bring together many different aspects that are important for a successful fair – from relaxed networking and inspiring theme worlds to handy presentations of new products and trends. I find it hard to pick out just one of our new innovations, but I will, of course, be fascinated to see how all our ideas are received by the participants of the fair. Most of all, I’m looking forward to getting together in person again in Nuremberg with so many representatives of the sector.

Green, eco-friendly toys remain a growth area. With this in mind, is the Spielwarenmesse undertaking anything to become more ‘green’ itself?

The trade fair business in Germany has set itself the target of being climate-neutral by 2040. It is committed to implementing various measures to achieve this. Here, we are working closely with the site operator, NürnbergMesse. Starting in 2023, the roofs of the halls will be fitted with photovoltaics to provide the infrastructure for a renewable power plant, and the charging infrastructure for electric vehicles is being continually expanded. Moreover, for several years now the entry ticket to the Spielwarenmesse has included a ticket for local public transport. We are also working to eliminate even more waste: for example, by no longer laying carpeting in the halls.

The Spielwarenmesse is notorious for its size and scale. Do you have any advice for first time visitors on making the most of their time at the show?

We do all we can to help visitors plan their visits to the fair and to make their time here as efficient and convenient as possible. Our helpful online services are part of this. Both our website and the Spielwarenmesse app host the catalogue of exhibitors, contact details for the companies that are exhibiting and interactive hall plans. Conveniently, tickets can also be bought in advance online. To give an ideal overall picture of the sector, the halls for the Spielwarenmesse are divided into 13 product groups. Additional key focal points are provided by Specials by Spielwarenmesse, as mentioned above. As well as information on travel and accommodation, the Spielwarenmesse website details the highlights of the ‘ToyCity’ of Nuremberg which will help to round off any visit to the fair.

Spielwarenmesse eG recently acquired the consumer-facing show Spiel Essen. Do you think this acquisition will give the team fresh insight into trade shows such as Spielwarenmesse?

As a cooperative, Spielwarenmesse eG has been from the industry, for the industry, from the very start. Our member businesses include numerous games publishers. For us, Spiel Essen is a valuable addition to our portfolio. Together with the Spielwarenmesse, it gives us two completely different concepts – firstly the leading international B2B event for the sector in Nuremberg, and secondly the largest consumer fair for board games in the world in Essen. The two events intersect a lot in terms of subject matter, which provides synergies. This is also reflected in the way the Internationale Spieleerfindermesse – Game Inventors Convention is integrated into the Spielwarenmesse.

To register and secure your ticket to the 72nd Spielwarenmesse, visit www.spielwarenmesse.de/en/ visit/tickets.