Company Profile - Ravensburger

What’s on the cards at Ravensburger?

In May 2022, Ravensburger announced the appointment of Richard Collins as UK & Ireland managing director. A toy industry outsider with a wealth of omnichannel retail experience, he’s wasted no time in putting into action his vision for the Ravensburger of the future - and his hard work is definitely paying off. Rachael Simpson-Jones caught up with Richard to chat about his entry into the world of toys, his approach to retail and consumer-facing events, and why 2024 looks set to be Ravensburger’s best yet.

It will come as no surprise to anyone (particularly fans of trading card games or Disney, or both) that 2023, for all its challenges, was a good year for Ravensburger. For a start, the company has maintained its position as the UK’s No. 1 Puzzle supplier, thanks to the hard work of its in-house product development team and the talents of its raft of contributing artists. The company’s Limited Edition Christmas Puzzle, by Roy Trower, was a 2023 bestseller for the 27th year in a row and 2024 marks Roy’s 20th anniversary designing the festive scenes. Eleanor Tomlinson joined the company’s slate of artists with her Coronation Capers design, GraviTrax introduced a new top-selling starter set, and then, of course, there was the launch of Disney Lorcana… but we’ll come back to that.

For Richard, it’s been a very strong start to his career in the toy industry. When we spoke, he’d been with Ravensburger for around 18 months: if he were a collectible action figure, in the grand scheme of things, he’d still be Mint In Box. “In the world of toys, a year and a half is nothing,” Richard laughs. “I think I’ll be a newcomer for a decade at least. I’ve really noticed the longevity of service in this industry and within Ravensburger itself, where we have a colleague, Pete, who’s been with us for over 40 years. Then there are others at 20 or 30 years. When I joined, someone said to me that you’re either in the toy industry for three months or you’re in for life. I guess that means I’m in for life, then?”

Richard has spent pretty much his whole career in retail. His approach to the ‘Theatre of Retail’ – wowing consumers through storytelling, meeting them in different areas of the marketplace and gaining first-hand insight into their product wants and needs - has run like a seam throughout his varied roles and he’s brought it with him to Ravensburger. Over the past 18 months, Brio, CreArt and GraviTrax have all enjoyed a presence at more consumer-facing events than ever before, and the UK’s tallest GraviTrax marble run was unveiled at the Eureka! National Children’s Museum in Halifax back in November, with the help of science presenter Greg Foot. Richard explains that Ravensburger wants to help kids create memories, which is the reason those visiting the Children’s Museum were invited to get as hands-on as possible in rolling the marbles down the run and creating their own tracks. The company also returned to the UK Games Expo in 2023, where its The Lord of the Rings Adventure Book Game went down a storm, alongside Disney Lorcana. Other events included MCM ComicCon and the Creative Craft Show, the latter of which was a new venture.

The other purpose of all this activity is to help boost product awareness and drive traffic to Ravensburger’s retail partners. As we all know, the marketing landscape is ever evolving, and the company is constantly seeking new ways to get its products in front of as many eyeballs as possible. Katy Fletcher, for example, the company’s head of Marketing and Product Development, this year launched in-app interactive gaming for Bugs in the Kitchen, giving players a taste of the game and teasing the enjoyment promised by the physical version.

The team at Ravensburger, under Richard’s leadership, is also working on channel-specific products tailored to both nationals and indies, giving each sector what he describes as a ‘good run’ at the products in question. He adds: “This has been a really popular way to further support our retail partners. Our new launch GraviTrax Bounce is a channel-specific product, but our best example is Disney Lorcana, which launched with UK indies and hobby stores two weeks earlier than everyone else.”

From the start, Ravensburger made it very clear that the success of Disney Lorcana would hinge upon the careful creation of a passionate player community desperate to get its hands on the trading card game the moment it launched. One element of this was a highly successful organised play programme that met a huge response from retailers. This all-encompassing approach worked. On August 18th 2023, the day Disney Lorcana: The First Chapter hit shelves, pictures began pouring in from indies showing queues of eager fans out the door (and down the street, in many cases). The same happened when Rise of the Floodborn arrived at retail in mid-November; in fact, if social media is anything to go by, the rush for product was even more intense. Into the Inklands, the third instalment, arrives in February. Richard says the Disney Lorcana execution was the culmination of a huge team effort involving everyone from Sales and Marketing to Operations and Finance and it was exciting for everyone to see it launch with such success across the country.

“We wanted Disney Lorcana to be a really inclusive and welcoming trading card game, and its designers, Ryan Miller and Steve Warner, did an absolutely incredible job of bringing everything together,” Richard explains. “We’ve had feedback from retail and gaming communities telling us they’re seeing a diverse demographic arriving on the TCG scene because of Disney Lorcana: there are more families wanting to play the game which is great to see as they’re spending quality time together and, most importantly, having fun. In the game, players collect ‘Lore’ as they go, so rather than being attritional it’s far more about doing the best you can. And of course, the artwork is stunning.”

As we know, Disney Lorcana is not the only thoroughbred in the Ravensburger stable. Brio, a brand very close to Richard’s heart, last year celebrated the 65th anniversary of its Wooden Railway range with the limited edition 65th Anniversary Set and an initiative which asked people to nominate early learning settings they felt would enjoy their own Brio play table. There were thousands of entries, out of which 65 were drawn: the tables were being sent out when Richard and I spoke.

As mentioned earlier, Ravensburger’s The Lord of the Rings Adventure Book Game has been a best-seller within the licensed games portfolio, alongside Disney Villainous and Alien: Fate of the Nostromo, while Upside Down Challenge has proved a hit within kids and family games. All will continue throughout 2024.

Looking ahead to this year, perhaps the biggest news for Ravensburger is the 50th anniversary of the company’s iconic Blue Triangle logo. To mark this special occasion, Ravensburger is developing anniversary products that will be launched throughout 2024. The company’s puzzle boxes are also being redesigned and adapted, partly to help the stunning artwork really pop, and partly to help Ravensburger’s big push to further improve its sustainability credentials. The work doesn’t stop there though. By the end of 2023, Ravensburger’s internal operations were C02 neutral, and the footprint of its end-to-end supply chain will be reduced by -40% by 2030. This year, the company is moving to Rhenus Logistics’ sustainable warehouses in Nuneaton, Warwickshire, known as the Rhenus Campus. The site, which also makes an appearance in this issue, is certified BREEAM Outstanding.

2024 also sees Ravensburger introduce a new category with the launch of its Play+ Infant and Toddler range. The offering will encompass both books and toys, focused on child-led learning and be educational, rewarding and fun – all under the Ravensburger brand that is already recognised and trusted by parents. The Play+ range makes its debut at London Toy Fair.

At the show, the company is also looking forward to strengthening its existing partnerships and forging new ones, something Richard prides himself on. He tells me: “We work collaboratively with our partners and have regular meetings which are a fundamental part of our approach to business. We’re always upskilling our data analysis but all roads lead back to the relationships we have with our partners, having that connection with our consumers and understanding their needs. Only then can we really deliver.”

As touched on earlier, Ravensburger is so serious about diversifying its marketing efforts that 2024 will see the company place its biggest marketing spend ever behind its brands. New marketing tactics will excite consumers on a range of platforms, be them gaming apps, VOD sites such as YouTube or social media.

This year will also welcome the launch of a new B2B portal which Richard says will put Ravensburger partners in control of their buying journey: they can order product 24/7, view the latest inventory holding, see their invoices, you name it. The platform, as Richard describes it, will be a one-stop shop. Importantly, it will also be used alongside, not instead of, Ravensburger’s existing network of highly skilled reps and agents, who will continue to get out there and meet retailers across the country. Richard stresses that the B2B portal is additional and complementary to the company’s other supply tactics, noting that the portal will be ideal for some retailers, while others may prefer to continue with their current buying process. Readers who want to find out more can see the portal on display on Stand N13 at London Toy Fair later this month, alongside all the company’s existing best-sellers and new launches.

As our interview draws to a close, I ask Richard what he wants to achieve in 2024. His goal is a big one: for Ravensburger to once again be a Top 10 Toy Supplier in Circana. Having achieved this during the pandemic, the aspiration to get back within the Top 10 is shared by the whole team. With Disney Lorcana, the strength of its wider games portfolio and a move into Infant & Toddler, the goal looks achievable - but Richard acknowledges that it’ll only be possible with the support of the company’s partners and customers and the ongoing efforts of the Ravensburger team to take those relationships to the next level, year after year. To support this aim, Ravensburger won’t be raising its prices in 2024, noting that the prevailing economic headwinds are unlikely to drop any time soon and that its retailers and consumers alike both require as much help on pricing as it can offer.

“Hopefully, if we speak in a year’s time, we can tick off each of these launches or goals as a success – the new B2B portal, the Play+ launch, the warehouse move, the 50th anniversary Blue Triangle celebration, the Top 10 position – but all these things can only be achieved through the power of product and people,” Richard finishes. “And speaking of people, I have to extend a huge thanks for the very warm welcome I’ve received from everyone over the past 18 months. This really is a fantastic industry to be a part of and there are still plenty of people I want to get out there and meet properly, hopefully in London. Please, come and say hello and take a look at everything Ravensburger has to offer.”