Company Profile
MGA
No holds barred at
When we last spoke with Neil Bandtock, managing director of MGA Entertainment’s UK & Ireland operation, he was rolling his sleeves up in preparation for a busy year. Six months later, Toy World caught up with him to find out how the company’s plans were proceeding, whether raw material and cost price increases are of concern, and why good is never good enough.
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n previous issues of Toy World, we’ve heard from retailers across the UK that business has been very good since they’ve been allowed to reopen their doors. MGA reports the same from the supply side; feedback has been positive with strong sales across all MGA brands. The company is currently focused not only on ensuring a healthy end to the spring/summer period, but also on delivering a healthy start to autumn/winter. To this end, retailers are being offered best-in-class store takeovers and access to MGA’s impactful FSDU programme (which Neil says is widely considered to be one of the best in the industry), all bolstered by 360-degree marketing campaigns that will drive footfall to stores. At the same time, MGA has invested a significant amount in eCommerce, designing landing pages that grab visitors
immediately, while also making it easier than ever for them to discover the essential information needed to make a purchasing decision. “These things always sound like they should be simple to implement, but, in reality, they can be the hardest part of the job,” explains Neil. “I’m often left shocked by how difficult it can be to find and buy the product I want online, so we’re trying to make the process as easy and user-friendly as possible. Ecommerce has been great for us, but some of our lines benefit much more from being touched and handled, particularly our smaller collectible lines. These products will always do better instore, so we’re pleased the shops are now back open.” MGA has increased its market share +26% YTD (Week 19), which Neil is understandably pleased about given recent challenges. L.O.L. Surprise! remains the No. 1 Doll property, and Rainbow High, which launched less than a year ago, is No. 3. Zapf’s Baby born celebrates its 30th anniversary this year and nine of the Top 10 Nurturing Dolls are Zapf’s. Little Tikes is also enjoying a stellar year. Large YOY increases were seen in January and February, months not usually associated with high sales of Outdoor Toys, which Neil believes boils down to families’ newfound appreciation for their outdoor spaces, whatever the weather. Little Tikes’ performance, as well as that of other outdoor brands, puts paid to the concerns bandied about by some last year that consumers would have reached outdoor toy purchase saturation
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point, meaning a poor year lay ahead for those in the category. Not so, clearly. The Collectibles category didn’t enjoy its best year in 2020, suffering the effects of school and shop closures. To Neil, the reopening of schools, where brands such as L.O.L. Surprise come to life in the unique
