Company Profile - Just Play

Just Play - going solo

Earlier this year, 11 years after its inception, independent US toy company Just Play announced the creation of its first European subsidiary, which will open officially on 1st January 2022. Toy World publisher John Baulch and editor Rachael Simpson-Jones paid a visit to David Allmark, executive advisor, and Anna Chapman, VP marketing EMEA, to find out why the timing is right for this step, and how the European business strategy is set to extend the US success.

We met with David and Anna at Just Play’s stunning new office in Henley on Thames, Oxfordshire. Located in an enviable position on the banks of the river - a lovely sunny spot for some lunch, we discovered - and just a 20-minute stroll from Henley town centre, the office has been strategically positioned in something of a hotspot for toy companies. This is no coincidence; it reflects Just Play’s aspirations within the European marketplace. The company has its sights firmly set on making the UK Top 10 rankings within just two years, edging towards the top of that list towards the end of the 24 months. Just Play’s pedigree makes this a realistic goal. It has enjoyed year-on-year growth since its inception, resulting in its current status as a leading toy company in the USA. The company is the US No. 1 in Licensed Plush, Pre-School and Role-Play toys, has won six TOTYs (no mean feat for a relative newcomer to the industry) and is now preparing to grow its global footprint even further.

“Just Play is mainly based in Florida and Pennsylvania, with a further licensing hub and showroom in LA,” explains David. “There’s also a substantial manufacturing and showroom resource in Hong Kong, with around 150 team members, and in the latter half of 2020 we opened the Australian subsidiary, with the UK office now hot on its heels.”

While existing partnerships across Europe will continue, such as that with Giochi Preziosi, the new office will form the hub of Just Play’s European business and will serve the retail community in the UK & Ireland via direct partnerships. The building of the UK Just Play team is already underway. David and Anna have so far been joined by Ami Dieckman (VP sales EMEA), Amy Saunders (UK sales director) and Llyr Lewis (licensing director EMEA), and will soon be joined by Katie Gritt (head of marketing).

Despite everyone’s set titles, Anna and David joke that each team member is required to don any number of hats depending on what needs doing and when, a situation many within small teams will be able to relate to. Just Play is also actively recruiting in all areas of the business, with a view to growing the headcount to ‘three or for times’ its current complement. Import Services, meanwhile, has been appointed as logistics partner, meaning Just Play is poised to benefit from the new £24m Southampton distribution hub detailed elsewhere in this issue. “Having a logistics company that can operate flexibly and get our products to UK retailers and also to Europe seamlessly and quickly is crucial to the success of the new office, and we couldn’t have picked a better partner,” says David. “Our ‘source to store’ ethos, whether that be via Hong Kong or Southampton, means we can get product to retailers however they want it.”

This year’s spring/summer previews have been put to good use by Just Play, and accounts with retail partners are now being established. Timing has been everything in this regard, Anna explains. “If we’re going to be opening the business on 1st January, then we need to be previewing the business ready for that date. And if we’re previewing, then we need to make calls to explain our situation and book appointments. Everything we’ve done so far can be traced back to the preview timeline; once that process starts, and the ball is rolling, you’re in. We can’t turn up in January, clap our hands together and ask: ‘Right, what needs doing?’. We have to lay the foundations now.”

Front of mind throughout the entire process has been Just Play’s relationship with Flair, which has done a fantastic job of distributing the company’s brand in the UK & Ireland for five years. The partnership has played a major role in getting Just Play to where it is in the UK. Conversations about the company’s intention have been taking place for some time, with full consideration given to ensuring information has come out in an appropriate manner, at an appropriate time. Just Play and its people clearly have enormous respect for Flair, and no one could argue that this hasn’t shone through in the way it has handled the process of setting up the European subsidiary.

Toy World was keen to know why Just Play felt the time was right to go solo – indeed, isn’t the move a little overdue? “I think it is,” agrees David. “Ideally, we would have done this a few years ago. In answer to the first part of your question though, it comes down to scale. Just Play now boasts a portfolio sufficiently broad enough to create a sustainable, successful UK business. Critical to this has been aligning the Disney partnership, which has allowed us to onboard Mickey, Minnie and Doorables. The pandemic, and the resulting success of Disney+, means we’ve been in both the right place at the right time. I must also mention how incredibly trusting Just Play’s co-founders, Charlie Emby and Geoffrey Greenberg, have been when it comes to carrying this out. Just Play is a privately owned company – this is personal to them in a way it wouldn’t be to so many others – they have been incredibly supportive and given us full latitude to do what is required to best enable a quick start.”

Part of the presentation we’re shown during our visit highlights Just Play’s ambition to become a preferred partner to retailers and licensors alike. To achieve this, David explains, the company must be reactive, flexible and adaptable. The world around us is getting faster - consumers now have access to 1-day delivery, kids can download and watch content wherever and whenever they want – and businesses must be similarly fast-paced if they are to be a success in the marketplace. Charlie and Geoffrey provide performance updates of some description almost daily, meaning the data on what is working (and what isn’t) is transparent and available almost in real-time. Disseminating that information quickly to the people best placed to make use of it is key to making sure Just Play can capitalise on emerging trends as they arise. “Challenging the UK speed of turnaround is something we really want to do,” adds David. “The industry has been disrupted by consumer behaviour; traditional, rigid development and buying cycles aren’t necessarily the best way to do business nowadays.”

Testament to the changing nature of the industry, Just Play will be leading its marketing efforts from an always-on, digital-first standpoint. The US business has a wealth of internally produced assets including retail videos, social media banners and TV adverts, from which the UK office can pick and choose at its leisure. Just Play’s in-house marketing team can then tweak and shape these to best fit the markets campaigns are destined for.

There are three geographical pillars to the marketing mix, Anna notes - the US, the UK and EMEA – and the approach needed for each varies significantly from traditional to contemporary. While digital will form the backbone of the company’s marketing, Anna says it certainly isn’t shy of using TV advertising where it resonates best – central Europe, for example. Price points also dictate what works where. While US TV ads focus on feature items, the European market wants to see lower price points. There’s clearly no one size fits all approach when working across multiple regions and multiple lines, but Just Play is equipped with the people and the know how to make it work.

Earlier, we mentioned Just Play’s ambition to become a Top 10 UK toy company, something David says the product portfolio ‘deserves’. Product is king at this company; after all, it’s where success starts. And while price is important, value is what Just Play prides itself on offering. The company’s show-to-shelf concept focuses on taking the characters and themes kids see in the content around them, and turning them into toys that are relatable, recognisable and in-demand. While most of the portfolio is licensed there is also a strong selection of own brands, such as Slinky (which Just Play acquired from Alex Brands in 2020), Hairdorables, Winner’s Stable, Totally Tiny and Sensory FX, which Anna says has been performing incredibly well over in America. The company has always enjoyed strong relationships with brand partners, but there’s a desire to continue developing own-brand lines too, creating a fine balance that offers something for all retailers. Consumer reviews and sales data will also be used to help retailers understand which lines will work best for their particular store/s, rather than expecting stockists to choose, unguided, from what is a very broad portfolio.

There’s lot to look forward to in terms of upcoming product launches. Blue’s Clues & You, as featured on the Front Cover of a previous issue of Toy World, is currently the No. 1 licensed property in the US, while Disney’s Mickey and Minnie, for which Just Play has now secured the European rights, are also hero lines within the ‘21/’22 portfolio. The Mickey and Minnie ranges offer everything from entry-level pocket money collectibles to interactive feature plush and play sets, and both will benefit from a raft of new content coming through on platforms including Disney+ and Disney Junior from October. Mickey Mouse Funhouse and the breakout series Minnie Bow Toons will bolster the back catalogue of content currently available to watch on-demand - Clubhouse, Mixed Up Adventures and Roadster Racers. During the pandemic, Just Play’s Doc McStuffins and the Lion King ranges felt the positive impact of surging Disney+ subscriber numbers, so this bodes well for the launch of its Minnie and Mickey lines.

Disney Doorables has been a staggering success for Just Play over the past 12 months in the US, up a whopping 250% YTD. Amy Saunders has apparently taken to referring to it as a ‘hit and evaporate’ line, so quickly does it sell out once it arrives in-store. Just Play acquired Disney Doorables, which had previously been licensed to Moose Toys and Character Options in the UK. The range has relaunched with some minor tweaks; the glass eyes have been replaced by lenticular ones, and the marketing skews slightly more towards the wider play-set ecosystem the range offers. The current Series 5 is flying off the shelves, while Series 6 will arrive for autumn/winter, and Series 7 will land in time for Christmas. “We’re advising retailers to get Doorables in now, as its popularity is building fast” says Anna.

Sensory FX, a range of Auto Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) toys and gadgets, will also be introduced to the UK market following a very strong reception in the US. With awareness of how ASMR products can help soothe and entertain all kids, including neurodivergent children or those with special educational needs, and with organic YouTube ASMR videos racking up millions (if not billions) of views, hopes are high for this brand, which Just Play says offers kids and parents the peace of mind that they are buying quality, safe and beneficial toys.

It’s an incredibly strong range, bolstered by a solid business development plan, and the excitement from David and Anna is understandably palpable. “You always want to be in a job you love, and for David and I, it’s this one,” enthuses Anna. “Early on in your career, roles can be more about where they can take you. Later, the focus is on what you’re doing every day. This opportunity feels quite different to both of us, and we can’t wait to see what the future holds.”