Toy World Magazine July 2024

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Contributors

John Baulch - @Baulchtweet

from thepublisher

We’ve reached the halfway point of the year. So far, so…meh. I’m all for being positive and adopting a ‘glass half full’ perspective, but it’s also important to be honest and authentic. The truth is that the first half of 2024 has been another tricky period for the UK toy market. January got off to a reasonable start, with many kids visiting toy stores to spend money or vouchers they had received for Christmas. However, with the exception of Easter and the May half-term holiday, toy sales have generally been lacklustre over the first half of the year.

The absence of a major craze is painfully evident, while UK consumers have continued to face economic headwinds which have subdued retail sales. And let’s not dwell on container prices, which have been a major cause for concern for many of the suppliers I have been speaking to in recent weeks.

However, let’s try to look on the bright side: we’ve got through arguably the toughest part of the year. The last quarter remains pivotal to the toy community, and everyone is hoping that the impending general election removes some of the political and economic uncertainty which has been holding back retail sales across the board (it is certainly not a specific toy problem) and gives us the chance of a good run through to Christmas.

I wrote in my Blog a few weeks back about the prospect of ‘new manager bounce’ if and when a new government is elected, and arguably the timing of the election couldn’t have been better from a toy trade perspective. A November or December election would have been disastrous for festive trade: just when we want everyone feeling upbeat and positive, we would have found ourselves in the midst of a vicious, negative election campaign. Better to get all of that nonsense out of the way now, so we can move onwards and upwards.

Admittedly, I’m not saying that our (potential at the time of writing) new government has any kind of magic wand, but somehow a new football manager often manages to get a completely different performance out of the same set of players that got their predecessor fired. Sometimes, you need just a fresh start and a clean break with the past. I get the sense that hope is in the air and better days are ahead (I told you I was a glass half full person…).

The really optimistic amongst us might even say that things have already started looking up. After a slow post-Easter period, retailers tell me that the May halfterm week saw a healthy sales bounce. A combination of payday, kids off school, a brief burst of better weather, new Lego launches hitting shelves and perhaps even a sense

of relief that the election was in sight all helped to bring shoppers out. The same thing could very well happen over the summer holidays, especially if we finally manage to get some decent weather (check out this month’s Circana column to see just what a difference a couple of days of good weather made to the May sales numbers).

It’s also just been announced that UK inflation has dropped to 2%, which should result in interest rates coming down slightly after the election period is over –another potential positive for consumers. And, of course, the second half of the year is when the big guns start to come out in terms of new launches and marketing campaigns.

The last few weeks has seen several high-profile launch events to introduce exciting new toy ranges to the media and consumers, and there is undoubtedly a lot more to come on that front. This month’s features offer ample proof that toy companies aren’t sitting on their laurels; more than ever, we need to excite consumers and give them a reason to spend. This month’s comprehensive round-ups of major categories such as Construction Toys and Tech Toys show that innovation is very much alive and kicking in the toy community. We also shine a spotlight on Stationery - a great opportunity for toy retailers to gain incremental sales as back-to-school season beckons – as well as Dress Up and Role Play, a traditional category which never goes out of fashion and always gets a nice boost around Halloween.

It's also during the second half of the year when consumer marketing campaigns start to really ramp up. While the media landscape continues to evolve at a frankly frightening pace, one thing doesn’t change: a good commercial and campaign can make all the difference to sales. I had never actually seen a commercial being filmed before – until last month, when I paid a visit to leading studio Diaframma in Florence, where I got to watch the magic happen at close quarters. It was quite an eye-opener, and really brought home to me how detailed the process is, and just how valuable dedicated toy market experience and expertise is when it comes to creating great content. There are a lot of parallels with trade magazines. Anyone can throw some words and pictures together. It takes a team with knowledge, experience and understanding of its market to create something truly worth reading. I believe that’s what you hold in your hand – a treasure trove of valuable insight, analysis and opinion, coupled with more new products than you will find anywhere else on the printed page.

Enjoy this month’s issue, we’ll be back next month when the election is done and dusted and – fingers crossed – we can finally start to believe that ‘things can only get better.’

Smart Toys and Games acquires Wow Toys

Wow Toys, founded in 1996 by Nadim Ednan-Laperouse, is known for its high quality pre-school range of vehicles and figures, with no sharp edges, no small parts, no toxic materials and no batteries. The highly designed range of over 70 vehicles and over 100 figures is fully interactive and provides easy interactive play with robust toys that can safely stand up to use by the most enthusiastic young children.

Nadim said: “I am delighted to be able to announce that Wow Toys has joined the Smart Group. We share the same goals and values and we both believe in investing in great people to make premium products. I am looking forward to working with the team at Smart to transition the brand as I continue to pioneer my work as the founder of The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation, a charity building the awareness of Natasha’s Law and educating everyone on food allergies with the aim to eradicate food allergy and allergic disease. The talented team at Wow Toys will continue to operate as part of Smart Toys and Games UK and the brand will also enjoy the synergies and sales opportunities that come with the international presence of the Smart brand”.

The acquisition by Smart known for award-winning brands including SmartGames, IQ, Happy Cube, The Genius Square, GeoSmart and SmartMax furthers the growth and presence of the Company in the UK following the acquisitions of The Happy Puzzle Company in 2022 and All Jigsaw Puzzles in 2023.

Smart’s global CEO, Rolf Vandoren said: “I have always admired the Wow Toys product range and have known Nadim for a long time. We are delighted to announce the latest highquality acquisition to the Smart Group and are able to continue Nadim’s work of establishing a great vision and delivering amazing product in a growing category for Smart. Our team will carry on the design and development of new ranges for the future, and we want to thank Nadim for his trust in us to look after his brand going forward. Nadim will remain an advisor to the Smart Toys and Games Board for the foreseeable future”.

For more information, email info@smart.be.

Jazwares named in Time100 Most Influential Companies

Jazwares has been named in the prestigious fourth annual Time100 Most Influential Companies list, which highlights companies making an extraordinary impact worldwide.

“At Jazwares, we’re passionate about bringing imagination to reality through multigenerational brands such as Squishmallows and our unparalleled commitment to giving back to the communities where we work and play,” said Judd Zebersky, founder and CEO of Jazwares. “We are honoured to be recognised as one of the Time100 Most Influential Companies, a testament to the dedication and creativity of our 1,400 employees and our collective mission in bringing joy to millions of kids, families and fans around the world.”

Time recognised Jazwares as a “titan” for reinvigorating the plush toy category with its popular Squishmallows brand.

In November last year, Squishmallows secured the Toy of the Year award for 2023. Squishmallows has earned the Toy of the Year recognition for three years in a row, a testament to its global fandom of millions of children and adults alike. Also named Plush Toy of the Year and Collectible of the Year during the awards celebration, Squishmallows has more than 2,500 personalities in its plush toy design.

Registration is live for Autumn Fair 2024

Autumn Fair, which takes place from the 1st – 4th September at NEC Birmingham, has announced that over 25% of the exhibitor line-up is new and over 30% is exclusive to the show, making it the biggest stocked trade show for the third quarter.

Over 12,000 independent retailers and buyers from high street favourites including Tesco, John Lewis, Next, WHSmith, Dunelm and more, are invited to visit the show for an injection of seasonal newness during retail’s peak buying season. Visitors come from over 60 countries, 85% of which are actively looking to buy or source new products.

Over 70% of Autumn Fair visitors are independent retailers, many of whom attend to find stock for Christmas.

With 10 definitive product sectors, toys is joined by the latest gifts, greetings, stationery, candles, home décor and accessories, and fashion, and the September event promises to showcase a curated selection of the newest and best-selling products. The 2024 show will also see a greater focus on new and original products, local Best of British suppliers and products and sustainable suppliers.

A new collaboration with online marketplace Faire will not only help hundreds of exhibiting brands take orders on its platform from retailers attending the show, but mean retailers at Autumn Fair will also gain access to Faire’s extensive global network of brands, helping them to discover thousands more unique products and take advantage of a 50% discount (for new retailers) on their first order.

To register, visit www.autumnfair.com/visitor-registration

Marvin’s Magic secures ZipString distribution

Marvin’s Magic, a company known for developing and sourcing engaging, eye catching, highly demonstrable products, has announced its most recent distribution partnership.

Created by two young entrepreneurs, Stephen Fazio and Austin Hillam, ZipString is a mesmerising toy that floats a seemingly standard loop of string in the air. In the US, it has become a viral sensation, gaining visibility from over 200m people across various social media platforms.

The patented ZipString carefully balances several forces of gravity, lift, tension and drag to fly the string. The string follows any movement that a ‘Zipster’ (a user of a ZipString) makes. Beyond being just mesmerising, Zipsters can perform tricks and stunts, impressing their friends and families and amazing their social media audiences.

Marvin’s CEO, Tom Hudson, said: “We first met Austin, Stephen and the ZipString team at New York Toy Fair last year and were immediately impressed. The ZipString has everything we look for in a product – it has instant impact, it’s attentiongrabbing, innovative, cool and quality-made. It is a perfect viral product, and we will be pushing hard across socials, so every kid in the UK and Ireland knows the ZipString and wants their chance to play”.

ZipString’s co-founder, Austin Hillam added: “This partnership was a no brainer. ZipString in the hands of the world’s best demonstrators is a recipe for worldwide wonderment.”

ZipString hit the UK and Irish market last month. With an eye on expanding ZipString’s reach even further, the company has also made its first official hire, appointing Chandler Wilkins to the new post of director of Sales. Commenting on Chandler’s appointment, Austin said: “Considering that we hand-made our first 4,000 products in my family’s basement, it’s been a dream come true to have reached the point where ZipString is now manufactured in China and sold internationally, and Chandler’s expertise in sales and supply chain management will play an important role in that growth.”

Obituary: Clive Wooster

Toy World is very sad to report that Clive Wooster passed away unexpectedly at home on Saturday, 18th May, with his beloved wife Heather by his side.

Friend and colleague, Nikki Jeffery, shared that Clive Ralph Wooster, who was 69, dedicated his entire career to the toy industry, beginning at Fisher Price where he spent several years honing his skills – and sales patter. His career saw him taking on various influential roles in sales. In the 90s, Clive ran The First Years until RC2/Learning Curve acquired it in 2004, when he became managing director. He continued to lead during periods of significant change and oversaw the European transition into Tomy when it acquired RC2 in 2011.

Clive later chose to join smaller, close-knit companies, enjoying many fulfilling years as a country manager for Famosa and, more recently, working with Geomagworld. In January this year, he decided to step back to spend more time with his family and further pursue his passion for motor racing.

Well-known within the industry for his kindness, humour and endless stories, Clive’s presence ensured that any room was filled with laughter and conversation. He was approachable and always willing to help.

Clive also participated in numerous charitable events both within and outside the toy industry. He was a keen walker and cyclist, taking on multiple industry cycling events during his time at RC2/Learning Curve. Earlier this year, Clive walked 52 miles over two days to raise money for Braintrust, a charity he regularly supported.

Outside of his professional life, Clive was passionate about motorsport and football. He was an active racer in the BARC Speed Championship for well over 20 years and served as an instructor at Thruxton.

Clive will be remembered not only for his significant contributions to the toy industry but also for his warmth, generosity and unwavering love for his family and friends.

Roland Earl, director general of the BTHA, commented: “Clive was not only a tremendous contributor to the BTHA as a member of our PR and Public Affairs committee for many years, but he also served as a member of the BTHA Council. Clive was a distinguished council member and a tremendous contributor across the board on all matters for the benefit of the BTHA membership and wider toy industry, that he loved and served with such distinction. The news of his untimely passing is hard to take in for us, loved as he was by us all. Our deepest condolences go to his family, friends and colleagues at this saddest of times. Clive was someone who sought nothing for himself and put all his energies into supporting the industry he spent his life working in – a true gentleman whose loss we all feel immensely.”

Toy World publisher, John Baulch, added: “The whole Toy World team was devastated to hear of Clive’s untimely demise – he was not only a joy to work with, but I counted him as a good friend. Our thoughts are with Heather and his daughters Louise and Katie.”

Board Game Club to bring back libraries initiative this autumn

In spring, Playtime PR rolled out its libraries initiative, which saw 1,100 games delivered to 100 libraries across the nation. In keeping with Playtime’s motto of ‘making lives more playful’, the non-commercial initiative is designed to increase access to games for local communities.

A further 1,000 games will be delivered into 100 different public libraries across the country in mid-October –just in time for half term. As with the first wave, each box will contain a selection of games for libraries and their wider communities to enjoy. Several companies involved in the first wave, including Big Potato, Gibsons Games and Imagination Games, have already signed up for the second phase of the campaign, and companies such as Ravensburger and Moose Games have also booked in slots to be part of the autumn roll out.

“The feedback from the libraries that took part in the first wave of the initiative has been overwhelming and so incredibly positive,” said Ceriann Smith, director of Strategy & Creative at Playtime PR. “The games have made such a difference, with many libraries getting in touch to say ‘thank you’ and to share how they’re using the new games”

23% of the libraries used their games box to set up brand new board game clubs, while 33% said the games boosted their existing board game collections. A further 20% used the games to revamp their existing board game clubs.

“This feedback has strengthened our drive to continue with our mission to make play available to all, so a second phase of the initiative was a natural next step,” added Ceriann. “We already have some fantastic games companies on board for the autumn wave, so the next roll out is already looking to be bigger and better.”

Spaces are limited, so games companies interested in supporting wave two of the project, which will open up the initiative to even more libraries throughout the country, should contact libraries@playtimepr.com.

newsanalysis

Konami’s The Infinite Forbidden brings the power of Exodia to more duellists

Almost 25 years since viewers first witnessed the power of Exodia the Forbidden One in the first ever animated Yu-Gi-Oh! episode, Konami Digital Entertainment B.V. is introducing an all-new Exodia strategy with the Infinite Forbidden set. Here, the company details what this means for Yu-Gi-Oh! duellists across the world.

The Infinite Forbidden is one of this year’s most anticipated sets for the Yu-GiOh! TCG, heralding the return of Exodia, a monster so iconic it’s recognised by millions of people the world over - whether they’ve played the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG or not.

Almost 25 years ago, kids across the world were watching the first ever episode of Yu-Gi-Oh! The finale features an epic duel between the hero, Yami Yugi, and his rival, Seto Kaiba. With the end looking near for Yugi, he overcomes the odds to assemble all five pieces of Exodia, allowing him to bring forth Exodia the Forbidden One. The golden, godlike monster rips a hole in the fabric of reality to enter the duel, as Kaiba watches in despair. The monster unleashes a devastating attack of pure energy, and Kaiba can barely look on as the screen fills with light in an animation sequence that would become immortalised. Yugi wins the duel, setting the stage for one of the most beloved anime storylines of all time.

The Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG lets players bring the anime to life. If they can assemble the five pieces of Exodia in their hand, they can access the power of Exodia the Forbidden One, just like Yugi, instantly winning the duel.

However, it’s incredibly rare at a competitive level. In October 2023, one player literally created headlines when he managed to bring forth the power of Exodia the Forbidden One in a high-level competition, with the crowd cheering on in jubilant disbelief. The last time Exodia had made such a splash on the competitive scene was in 2012.

But thanks to The Infinite Forbidden, the seemingly impossible will become much more possible. With the cards introduced in this new set, players will gain access to an all-new Exodia strategy. This time, they won’t have to reveal all five pieces of Exodia in their hand.

Instead, if the five pieces of Exodia are in their hand, deck and/or on the field, they can use a new Spell card to summon a brand-new Exodia Fusion monster.

Exodia Fusion is extremely powerful, befitting the rich history of the name. It can’t be destroyed by card effects, and it adds the player’s current Life Points to its Attack Points on every turn. This effect isn’t a one-off; it accumulates, meaning not only is the monster difficult to defeat, it also gets stronger the longer an opponent fails to destroy it. The new Exodia Fusion has other useful abilities, making it an interesting addition to the game.

Like so many of the great Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG sets tied to the Yu-Gi-Oh! card game’s 25th anniversary celebrations, The Infinite Forbidden deftly combines nostalgia with modern play. These sets tap into the game’s memories from across the decades and evolve them into something new and exciting, all while staying true to the history.

This 101-card set is scheduled to launch on 18th July in the UK and Europe. It will include 10 Secret Rares, 14 Ultra Rares, 26 Super Rares and 50 Commons. 24 of the cards will also be available as Quarter Century Secret Rares, the stunning rarity created for the card game’s 25th anniversary. One special card will only be available as a Quarter Century Secret Rare.

Hippychick expands Crocodile Creek range and welcomes BS Toys

Since taking on the distribution of Crocodile Creek in the UK in March 2023, Hippychick has seen sales for the brand go from strength to strength.

“It was the good old fashioned jigsaw puzzle that caught our attention initially,” said Alan Houghton, head of Sales at Hippychick. “It’s a toy that truly has stood the test of time, and Crocodile Creek’s range is so fun and beautifully designed. We knew we were on to something good by taking it on as a brand.”

So far, Hippychick has secured distribution of Crocodile Creek in 400 locations across the UK. “The entire range is performing extremely well and proving really popular with customers,” continued Alan. “However, the playballs in particular equate to around 40% of the overall Crocodile Creek trade sales.”

Due to this high demand for the Crocodile Creek products, Hippychick has now added new lines to its range. Hippychick feels strongly about getting kids out and exploring nature, which is why it has taken on the Garden Friends range. This includes Garden Tools, Gardening Gloves, a Watering Can, Binoculars and a trendy Bucket Hat, all in the bright and colourful Garden Friends design.

Hippychick also has brand-new playball designs, such as Soft Footballs, as well as new arts & craft sets, including canvas sets, rock pets and scratch art.

BS Toys is also now available to order from Hippychick. BS Toys offers a unique range of indoor and outdoor toys that is designed to inspire creativity and active play, without the interference of technology. With a nostalgic element to the range, parents and grandparents will be able to relate, making it fun for all of the family.

The products are fun and educational, as well as being kind to the planet by using eco-friendly materials in the production process and packaging.

Visit www.hippychick.com or call 01278 434 440 to find out more about Crocodile Creek’s products and the BS Toys range.

newsanalysis

Visions of the future

Wicked Vision’s UK business development manager, Kevin Langstaff, spoke with Toy World about how the company and its product range have evolved over the years, as well as its latest launches and how Wicked Vision supports its retail partners.

The company has been trading for 24 years - how has its product offering changed over that time?

Wicked, long known for products like boomerangs, discs, high bounce balls and yoyos, has built a global brand centred on active play. In 2024, we are rebranding as Wicked Vision, expanding across four key areas; Wicked, Vodiac, Let’s Explore and Suneez. This new approach, built on four core pillars, will enable us to grow in new channels, with VR entertainment poised to be a significant growth area in retail.

The company is well known for its outdoor toys, so the new launches represent something of a departure.

We've built a reputation for innovative and fun toys that encourage active play, but we're excited to introduce new brands that mark a significant expansion of our portfolio.

Axe throwing has grown in popularity in recent years, and we are proud to launch Attaxe to bring a safe axe throwing game into the family home. Rubber-edged axes make this accessible for all ages. Airshot is a tactical blow pipe that is fast to load, quick to fire and deadly accurate. This sees Wicked move into a completely new area in toys, and the pre-sales for Q4 have been exceptional. Bungee Ball takes us back to the traditional game of catch, modernised with a fast return. The high bounce ball is mounted on an elasticated string and has a comfortable/adjustable wristband. It is fun and quirky with Blast and Sports designs.

Away from toys, Wicked Vision moves into the world of virtual reality with Vodiac and Let’s Explore. Vodiac is an experience-based VR headset powered by your smartphone that opens a world of fully immersive experiences, including wing suits, superbikes and haunted houses, among the 80+ experiences. Let’s Explore is all about immersive learning, incorporating augmented and virtual reality in a growing STEM category.

Finally, the Suneez brand is a high quality, unbreakable, polarised, market leading, stylish range of children’s sunglasses. New models and range extensions will be arriving in the spring of 2025.

What are the strengths of Wicked Vision?

We take inspiration from play patterns that have been around for millennia and innovate to create new and exciting re-imagined products. Take Airshot as an example; the blow pipe has been around for thousands of years, and we have simply re-imagined it, whilst being meticulous about ensuring exceptional performance.

Value for money isn't just about price; it's about ensuring the product delivers and surpasses expectations. With our new Attaxe range, we could have settled for a much simpler construction with less consideration for design, materials and aesthetics. Instead, we invested in all these areas, along with product performance, to ensure Attaxe excels in both price and performance.

All staff at Wicked are encouraged to question every aspect of the products to ensure we have as broad an appeal as possible.

How does Wicked Vision support its retail partners?

We see it as our duty to ensure our products sell off retailer shelves. This is achieved primarily through a focus on product, packaging, price and promotion, driving customer awareness through a mix of social media, influencers and traditional marketing campaigns.

Our focus is on crafting top-notch products that excel in the market. We prioritise delivering attractive margins at competitive retail prices, while ensuring our offerings align with consumer demands.

Our new UK warehousing ensures swift access to stock, with availability for all new lines in autumn/winter 2024. For 2025, stock will be accessible via FOB, further facilitating convenience and accessibility for our valued partners.

For more information about Wicked Vision and its new VR products, get in contact at sales@wickedvision.co.uk.

Made for the smallest PLAYMOBIL fans

• Specially designed for children aged 1 - 4 years

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YEARS 1- 4

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*You can find out more about the materials used and the mass balance approach in your local language under the QR code.

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JUNIOR & Disney: Moana‘s Sail Boat

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JUNIOR & Disney: Ariel‘s Shell Shower

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JUNIOR & Disney: Cinderella‘s Castle

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JUNIOR & Disney: Belle‘s Play Tower with Sound

Industry Moves

Peers Hardy expands team with new appointments in national roles

Peers Hardy has expanded its team once more with the appointments of Gemma Price and Chris Singleton into national roles.

Gemma Price has been appointed to key account manager. “I’ve worked in the Toy and Gift industry for the last 10 years as a sales representative, mainly focusing on fashion-based activity books, stationery and beauty products which I have loved,” said Gemma. “I’m very excited to be joining a great team at Peers Hardy as a key account manager, helping to grow some fantastic children’s ranges including Wow Generation, Sweet Dreams, character licensed products and more.”

“I’m really excited to be working with the Peers Hardy Group to expand its presence and offering in the children’s sector,” added Chris Singleton, who has been appointed to national accounts manager. “The products we offer can extend the ages of the customer you are appealing to, thus leading to longer relationships with your customer base. The wide range of products offered by Peers Hardy ensures there is something for every retailer and leads to great growth potential for the business. I’m really looking forward to using over 18 years of experience in the toy industry and learning more about licensed products.”

James Barrett, head of Sales at Peers Hardy, commented: “We threw Gemma and Chris in at the deep end with the Toymaster Show in their first week, but they dealt with it brilliantly. I’m sure they will both add tremendous value to our rapidly growing children’s business by helping to grow our brands in both independent and national retailers. They will also allow us to focus on the expansion of our Disney products into Europe, as well as looking into new product development and licences.”

Gemma and Chris would be happy to hear from any potential or current stockists regarding the Peers Hardy range of children’s products. They can be reached at gprice@peershardy. co.uk and csingleton@peershardy.co.uk respectively.

Ravensburger swells Disney Lorcana UK team

Alex Parker has been appointed as Organised Play co-ordinator for Ravensburger’s Disney Lorcana, while Emma Arthur has been appointed PR manager.

Having been with the company for two years as consumer service advisor, Alex has gained valuable experience working with the brand, dealing directly with the public and developing an innate understanding of how Disney Lorcana resonates with the end user.

The new role will see Alex become responsible for co-ordinating the launch and development of the Disney Lorcana Organised Play Programme across the UK & Ireland. He will also be instrumental in providing support to retailers via dedicated reporting systems and handling day-to-day Organised Play enquiries.

“Since I began working with the company, I have seen Disney Lorcana grow from launch last year to being a global TCG phenomenon that has everyone is eager to play,” commented Alex. “Delivering the Global Organised Play strategy to the UK market is intrinsic to the ongoing success of Disney Lorcana on a local level as we aim to bring the range to a wider audience. Enabling retailers to establish their own Organised Play events locally is key to growing the community of players around the brand, and I am so excited to be able to be part of the Disney Lorcana team, working together to expand its influence at a grass roots level here in the UK.”

Ravensburger UK has also appointed Emma Arthur, previously of Norton PR, as PR manager for Disney Lorcana, ahead of the launch of the hotly anticipated Gateway game this August.

The Toy Association names new president & CEO

Industry veteran Greg Ahearn has taken the helm as the new president & CEO of US industry body, The Toy Association. He will be responsible for leading the next chapter of the Association as it continues to evolve and best serve its close to 900 members, as well as the needs of the entire industry. Greg will have oversight of the key objectives, which include industry trade shows and events, regulatory affairs and representation, toy safety and ethics initiatives, member education, as well as consumer outreach to champion the importance of play. The role also extends to partnership with The Toy Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the organisation.

“As a part of the strategic evolution of The Toy Association, our goal is to better serve the wide and changing needs of our industry. I am delighted to announce that Greg Ahearn is joining this passionate team as its president & CEO,” said Sharon Price John, president & CEO of Build-a-Bear Workshop and newly appointed chairperson of The Toy Association Board of Directors. “We believe Greg’s diverse and multi-decade toy background in senior roles across top manufacturers and retailers has built a valuable, trusted and far-reaching network of relationships that will further the association’s objectives, both now and as they continue to evolve.”

This announcement comes at an important time for The Toy Association, with the reestablishment of the flagship industry event, Toy Fair New York, as well as the recent creation of an Association-run Los Angeles market preview, amid industry evolution and convergence in the post-pandemic economic environment.

Greg’s career includes experience in a variety of executive roles in the toy industry, including at Mattel, OddzOn, Hasbro, LeapFrog and Toys R Us. The Association says these experiences make him particularly well suited to understanding and addressing industry challenges, while his exposure to leadership roles outside the toy space help broaden his perspectives to include manufacturing, retail, eCommerce, digital media, branding, marketing and licensing.

Industry Moves

Moose Toys enters phase two of strategic growth plan with four senior leadership hires

Moose Toys is on a mission to expand and meet the ever-increasing demand for its toys with the creation of four strategic senior leadership roles. These new positions were created to propel the company forward across several key areas: develop and nurture long term Moose-owned brands like ten-year evergreen Little Live Pets, further expand its booming partnerbrands business, which includes Bluey and Despicable Me 4 amongst others, and continue to build its burgeoning games portfolio.

Joining Moose in its mission and vision are proven industry veterans John Coyne, chief Brand officer, Craig Drobis, global general manager, Licensed and Pre-school, Deirdre Cross, senior vice president of Games and Stephen Davis, Entertainment and Franchise advisor.

“Our evolved structure is now fully in place to unlock the next phase of our strategic plan,” said Ronnie Frankowski, global president, Moose Toys. “These four extraordinarily accomplished thought leaders have joined the Moose team to supercharge our strategy for sustainable, long term transformational growth. This is an incredibly exciting time of change and opportunity for the company. We are more than ready to capitalise on our growing momentum.”

As chief Brand officer, John Coyne is tasked with the development of long-term Moose-owned brands, further expanding its portfolio of top-tier licensed brands and developing entertainment-backed franchises. John has held senior marketing roles at many respected companies in the toy and gaming space, including Mattel, Spin Master, Activision Blizzard and Bandai Namco.

Leading the expansion of the existing Moose partner brand portfolio is Craig Drobis. As global general manager, Craig is tasked with driving best in class execution in product development and consumer marketing, ensuring delivery of Moose WOW innovation and creating incremental category expansion opportunities. Craig ‘s nearly three decades of experience includes significant contributions at Jakks Pacific, Bandai America, Spin Master and Mattel.

Tapped to grow Moose Toys’ rapidly expanding Games division as senior vice president of Games, Deirdre Cross will build and run a Seattle-based studio which will create innovative new games for Moose. She joins Moose from Funko Games where she served as the general manager and head of the brand, is an active board member of Women in Toys and is committed to diversity and inclusion in the industry.

Stephen Davis, who has served on the Moose Board of Advisors, will now focus on his role as an advisor to supersize Moose’s entertainment initiatives. In his advisory capacity, Stephen will manage the Moose entertainment and franchise team, and all current and future content-related initiatives.

John Leisure appoints new head of Sales for UK & Ireland

Andy Kay has been part of the toy industry for 18 years, working for global brand leaders such as Funko, MGA Entertainment and most recently Funrise, where he led the grocery and value channel of the company.

Commenting on his new role, Andy said: “It’s a very exciting time for John, which is a well-known specialist for play balls, with an unparalleled stable of licences. The company also boasts an exceptionally strong outdoor range including licensed bubbles and outdoor products. I am delighted to be joining John at such an exciting time and working with the leadership team in Germany to drive the business into the next phase of growth. I’m very much looking forward to working with the business and licensing partners in the coming months.”

Andrea and Susanne, managing directors for John Leisure, added: “We are pleased to welcome Andy to John. Our company is going from strength to strength, and his experience across the industry and expertise in driving growth across all types of customers will be instrumental in achieving our future long-term growth strategy for the UK and Ireland.”

John Leisure can be contacted on 0161 652 6661.

Rubies welcomes new head of Trade Sales

Rubies has announced the appointment of Luke Short as its new head of Trade Sales.

With a successful background in business development and sales strategies within the competitive Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) industry, Luke comes to Rubies from an impressive career at major brands and competitors. His role will encompass leading the Sales team and liaising closely with other departments to implement Rubies’ trade offering.

Luke’s arrival at Rubies signifies a significant step forward for the company as it looks to expand into new markets and innovate its sales strategies. Having amassed extensive experience and demonstrated a talent for driving business growth, Luke is poised to play a key role in guiding Rubies towards continued success and increased market share.

The company believes that Luke’s passion for pop culture and nostalgia means he has the indepth knowledge and dedication to represent its immense portfolio of brands to customers and dive straight into creating partnerships and building relationships within the industry. The decision to onboard Luke represents Rubies’ commitment to fostering fresh talent and leveraging industry expertise to propel the company’s growth in 2024 and beyond. The Rubies team is looking forward to the positive impact his leadership will bring to the organisation.

Thames and Kosmos UK announces new hire

After having spent 16 years as area sales manager for Galt Toys, Andrew Morris will be well known to many. With his years of expertise, friendly manner and extensive knowledge of the toy trade, Thames and Kosmos UK says he is set to be a valuable asset in the new post of national account manager.

“I am delighted to be a part of the Thames and Kosmos team and have always been an admirer of the range,” said Andrew. “It’s fantastic to see so many wonderful products together under the same brand. The Exit Games range, Spy Labs and Science products are particular favourites of mine, and I feel privileged to be joining such a creative and inspiring company with an amazing team throughout. I look forward to embarking on this new adventure and relish the opportunity to grow this iconic brand throughout the UK.”

Andrew can be contacted on 07301 023 846.

Marketing World

Top Trumps kicks off brand-new World Football Stars range

Top Trumps World Football Stars Top 200 ranks the top 200 football players from every league around the world, including both men and women. The top 200 players will be released as a range of six collectible packs across six months (June – November) and football fans can expect to see cards full of facts and statistics on their favourite footballers.

In true Top Trumps style, the cards include the following categories: age, goals, trophies, height, caps and Top Trumps ranking. Each card also includes the player’s position, market value and World Cup appearances, alongside a fact file about the player.

The inclusion of female players in the deck sees England’s Keira Walsh, Leah Williamson and Millie Bright take on USA’s Lindsey Horan and Sophia Smith, as well as France’s Selma Bacha and Canada’s Kadeisha Buchanan.

Top Trumps has partnered with The Rest Is Football for the launch, and the podcast sees hosts Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer and Micah Richards comparing the players in pack one alongside football influencer, Tekkerz Kid.

Gary Lineker said: “I’m delighted that The Rest Is Football will be partnering with Top Trumps ahead of a huge summer of sport, headlined by England’s quest to be crowned European Champions in Germany. It’s great to have the team at Top Trumps sponsoring our podcast and bringing young superstar Tekkerz Kid into the fold to join me, Alan and Micah on this campaign.

“Playing Top Trumps together took me back to years gone by, playing the game with my kids on summer holidays. The Top Trumps World Football Stars Top 200 collection is a must-have for anyone who loves football, and a great way to engage, educate and entertain young fans on the world’s best players like World Cup hero, Lionel Messi, and England wonderkid, Jude Bellingham.”

With Top Trumps World Football Stars Top 200, it costs just £48 to collect all 200 players across six packs. Even one pack can be played alone and still gives a game full of some of the world’s best players, facts and stats. There is no need for trading and swapping, as packs are released each month.

Strong coverage sees So Slime Sensations ASMR Desk become feel-good summer success

Building on the success of the best-selling So Slime Sensations range, Canal Toys has launched its new So Slime Sensations 3-in-1 ASMR Desk, keeping the range fresh and exciting for any child or slime fan.

The So Slime Sensations 3-in-1 ASMR Desk will be supported by extensive marketing campaigns, including digital, influencer, PR and social media campaigns. Early indications from social media show that that the So Slime Sensations 3-in-1 ASMR Desk is set to be a big hit this summer, with parents showcasing their children’s creations across various platforms.

The product has also been featured across multiple national press and parenting titles, highlighting the new launch’s USPs and raising brand awareness with consumers. The team plans to continue supporting the So Slime Sensations 3-in-1 ASMR Desk with influencer and press opportunities throughout the rest of the year.

The So Slime Sensations 3-in-1 ASMR Desk lets consumers enjoy hours of sensational, tactile slime fun as they create a variety of their own unique ASMR sensations. The desk includes six different compound textures to discover and four fun decorations to mix into the compounds. Once playtime is over, the creations can then be stored in the six stackable pots which slot neatly onto the desk, meaning kids can play, carry and store their creations all with one handy product.

Playmobil launches YouTube episode to support new Pirates range

Playmobil has unveiled its new Pirates range and is providing rigorous support for retailers with a YouTube episode focusing on Pirates vs Sea Monsters, offering an exciting narrative that will captivate children and drive interest in the new range.

The comprehensive media campaign, featuring engaging advertisements and vibrant social media content, has been designed to ensure high visibility and consumer interest throughout the year. In-store marketing materials are also available to help retailers create eye-catching displays that draw customers in and guide them to the new range.

For toy retailers, the Playmobil Pirates collection represents significant opportunities and attracts customers seeking quality, imaginative play options. The range features intricately designed ships, detailed pirate figures and a plethora of accessories.

Adam Moore, Marketing Communications manager at Playmobil, highlights the unique benefits of the Playmobil range: "Playmobil's role-play sets, like the new Pirates range, ignite children's imaginations and support their developmental growth. Through imaginative play, kids can explore different scenarios, solve problems creatively and build social skills that are essential for their overall development."

Spin Master holds star-studded Unicorn Academy launch event

Saturday 15th June saw celebrities and their kids step into the magical world of Netflix’s hit series Unicorn Academy. In attendance were EastEnders star Jacqueline Jossa, former Pussycat Doll Kimberley Wyatt, TV personality Vanessa Feltz and The Only Way Is Essex royalty Amy Childs.

The stars were spotted exploring the debut toy line and helping their kids make friendship bracelets. The young fans of the Netflix show also enjoyed Unicorn Academy themed makeovers as they channelled their favourite characters, including sparkly manicures and rainbow ponytails, and watched a special advance screening of the new content. Season 2 launched 27th June.

Jacqueline Jossa was seen playing with the star of the range, Rainbow Light Up Wildstar, alongside her daughter. Making full use of the Wildstar’s response to touch, they recreated the iconic moment from the show when Sophia and Wildstar ‘bond’.

Jacqueline, Kimberley, Vanessa and Amy were seen enjoying the celebration and creating wholesome memories with their little ones as they came together to celebrate magic, friendship and the extraordinary world of Unicorn Academy.

Toy World’s Rachael Simpson-Jones was also in attendance, accompanied by her unicorn-obsessed godchildren. Both girls were over the moon with their goodie bags, which, among other gifts, included the Rainbow Light Up Wildstar, a perfect replica of main character Sophia’s trusty right-hand unicorn (and the toy they most desired from the display).

Spin Master’s debut range of Unicorn Academy toys launched on 24th June. While the hero of the range is Rainbow Light Up Wildstar, the range also includes all the key characters so kids can choose their favourite Unicorn and Rider pairing.

John Adams hosts celeb-packed Decora Girlz event

At the heart of one of the richest cultural areas of London, on the busy South Bank riverside, John Adams Leisure put on a bright, expressive exhibition that included a celebrity and influencer party to celebrate its new Decora Girlz brand which launched this spring.

The three-day pop-up event took place between 14th-16th June 2024, at the iconic gallery@oxo venue, where the team created a vibrant celebration of the Decora Kei style from Japan, which showcased the Decora Girlz collection. Families were invited to explore the world of Decora in a hands-on way with art workshops, dress-up and photo opportunities as they took on their own Decora style and walked the Decora Girlz catwalk.

The high point of the weekend was a VIP reception on Saturday morning with Helen Flanagan, Jemma Solomon, Laura Tobin, Nicky Clarke, Verity Ashworth and Dani Harmer as just some of the stars that dropped by with their children. Social media star Rhia Official was on hand to meet and greet her many fans. Toy World was also on the guest list, other influential family channels joined the fun and with LED screen advertising for the event up and down the Southbank, awareness across the whole weekend was high.

Lynette Leet, Marketing manager, John Adams Leisure, said: “We’re so excited to have brought Decora Girlz to the UK. These dolls are unlike anything else in the category, kids can customise them and make them just as unique as themselves. It was amazing to see the kids having so much fun with the brand that many wanted to stay longer.

“We will see even more coverage from the day which was just one of the many pushes for the brand. We’re investing heavily in the marketing drive for Decora Girlz to ensure its presence is felt across all platforms, with traditional TV and VOD advertising, celebrities, influencers and YouTubers all part of the mix.”

The Decora Girlz are quirky tween friends who love to decorate and express themselves through the colourful Decora Kei style from Japan. There are six 5” Dolls to collect, each with their own style, soft hair and 44 accessories. Kids can also discover four 11” collectible Fashion Decora Girlz dolls, with long locks to style and 75 accessories, including an outfit, stickers, a bag and a doll stand.

Funrise continues to build sales momentum

Gazillion Bubbles finished May 2024 with the standard 2-litre and giant 2-litre solutions as the No.1 and No.2 branded bubble items in the Circana Bubble subclass year to date, after own brand. That is the second consecutive month that the products have performed strongly and continue to top the subclass item rankings. The bubble solutions also continue to rank as the No.1 bubble item on Amazon.

The success of the sales and marketing efforts on Gazillion saw Funrise finish the month of May just outside the top 40 suppliers. Funrise saw growth of +22%, whilst the total market was relatively flat for the month.

“We want to continue building on this success with Gazillion and our other brands,” said Mayur Pattni, Marketing manager Europe, Funrise. “For example, our TMNT Sewer Shredders pull back item is the No.2 item in the pull back vehicles subclass. With the TMNT series coming out in August on Paramount Plus, there is an opportunity in this item for retailers, especially at the £7.99 SRP. Our Fart Ninjas range is also performing very well in both existing retailers and new retail partners we have onboarded which is also contributing to our growth. We are also gearing up for our major launch of Furlings later this year and will be driving it with an exciting marketing plan.” Gazillion Bubbles took to LEDs pitch side with a nine-game advertising campaign to celebrate 20 years of the Gazillion brand last month. With each match being televised live on either Sky Sports or TNT Sports, the Gazillion brand was seen by millions to deliver great brand building and exposure. Results show that the campaign has helped to raise the awareness, profile and exposure of the Gazillion brand to millions of football fans, especially with families and dual viewing of live TV games at home with children.

Opinion

Embracing the digital evolution in the toy industry

Tyler Milner explores how media consumption trends, especially among younger generations, are driving changes in media strategy and spend across channels and platforms.

IThe toy industry is undergoing a digital evolution. Media consumption habits are changing across all age groups, but particularly among younger generations who quickly adapt to new technologies and platforms. As toy marketers, we must also adapt our strategies to align with these changes to both stay relevant and ensure our media is as effective as can be.

Digital is dominating

Year-on-year investment growth in digital media is not a new trend. The IAB (Interactive Advertising Bureau) estimated that the total digital ad market spend across all categories was £29.6b in 2023, an +11% increase year-on-year (similar to the previous year's growth). However, the Toy market has seen this increase accelerated much more: younger generations are more comfortable and engaged with digital media due to being introduced at a young age. Consequently, there has been a significant shift in media budget allocation over the last few years. Until 2022, the majority of media spend in the category was on linear TV, as this was where the viewers were. However, in 2023 digital now dominates. We estimate that 64% of the category's spend is now directed towards digital channels, a trend expected to continue into 2024 and beyond.

The big screen persists, but with a digital shift

While linear TV viewership is declining, kids and parents are not abandoning the big screen completely.

Instead, the emergence of smart TVs is driving a shift towards on-demand services such as Disney+, Netflix and YouTube. We have found that 68% of YouTube ads for kids' content were seen on the big screen in Q1 2024, up from 56% in 2023. This is advantageous for marketers as we can reach these same audiences through Connected TV (CTV) using advanced targeting that we are accustomed to in digital, making it much more cost effective. By adopting this devicebased approach (with contextual targeting), we are more able than ever before to replicate the impact of linear TV from 10 years ago, delivering advertisers’ messaging en masse on the biggest preferred screen in the home.

Short form content and gaming: the new frontiers Younger generations are increasingly gravitating towards short form content. They use multiple platforms such as TikTok, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts as their primary sources of entertainment. Giraffe Insights data shows that YouTube remains the most popular platform, particularly with younger children, but TikTok is gaining popularity with older kids and is twice as popular with kids aged 11-12 than with those aged 7-8. Similarly, gaming is a significant source of entertainment, playing a pivotal role in the daily habits of young people. Looking at children aged 7-9 as an example, we see over 75% play games regularly, with 50% of boys playing for 10+ hours per week.

Tyler Milner - head of Digital at Generation Media

With children spending considerable time on social and gaming platforms, media strategies should focus on creative and interactive content that connects with their audience in a fun and authentic way. At Generation Media, we work with digital partners who not only ensure a brand-safe route into gaming, but also showcase the greatest innovation in the market to ensure advertisers continue to test - and win - in this ever-evolving space.

Embracing innovation and testing

Given the digital dominance we’re witnessing in 2023 and H1 2024, it’s essential that advertisers take a digital-first approach to planning. The digital landscape is constantly evolving, so it’s important to stay up to date with trending platforms, content and formats. CTV, short form video platforms and gaming are the current growth areas, but as new platforms emerge, advertisers should be willing to experiment and test. Newer formats often deliver better results by enabling brands to differentiate themselves more effectively.

It is imperative for brands to keep up to date with the latest and greatest trends in kids’ and parents’ media (digital and beyond). Generation Media can organise a free innovation workshop to explore how 2024-2025 plans can be transformed by new and effective ideas.

Contact@generationmedia.co.uk

Licensing World

BBC Studios renews global licensing deal with Moose Toys for Bluey

The BBC Studios’ licensee will remain the global master toy partner for the Emmy Award-winning animated TV sensation Bluey in all territories. The landmark multi-year renewal will build on the global success of Moose’s toy range.

Andrew Carley, director of Global Licensing at BBC Studios, said: “With global fandom for Bluey showing no sign of abating, I am delighted that our dynamic toy partnership with Moose Toys is set to continue for years to come. Moose’s translation of the Bluey brand is best-in-class. The team continues to consistently deliver brilliant products that captivate young imaginations and inspire unparalleled play experiences that celebrate the spirit of Bluey perfectly.”

Paul Solomon, CEO, Moose Toys, said: “We feel very lucky to be part of the awesome team that brings Bluey’s much loved characters to life for kids around the world. Bluey has become a fixture in millions of homes, celebrating our unique Aussie way of life. From backyard barbies to family adventures, Bluey reminds us to play and not take ourselves too seriously, all things we embrace at Moose. Who better to bring the spirit of Bluey to life than a family-run, Aussie toy company like us?”

Moose Toys is aligning with BBC Studios’ 2024 Family Trip theme for Bluey with a strong autumn line-up. This autumn/winter, fans will see Bluey reaching new heights with a 3-in-1 airplane playset that transports the family to a resort vacation. New additions to the top-selling plush assortment will include fan favourites Pilot Bluey, Travel Bingo and Princess Muffin, and engage the Heeler family in imaginative new ways to gather and play in the new Celebration Home, a spacious twolevel playset. Beyond that, there’s an innovative new line of wooden toys and games crafted from premium materials. Bluey toys have consistently won accolades from trade and consumer publications, toy and licensing industry associations and top retailers around the world, amassing more than 50 awards and nominations in five years.

Golden Bear named

master toy partner for Toikido’s PeaKeeBoo

The world of PeaKeeBoo has been described as a ‘nature-inspired show all about play and friendship’ and is home to a range of unique characters who are united in their love of fun and zest for life.

As part of the show’s comprehensive 360-degree marketing strategy, Golden Bear Toys will launch a range of textured plush, figurines and activity sets in the autumn/ winter 2025.

The products, which retailers can get a first look at in October 2024, have been specifically designed for pre-school children and aim to encourage learning and creativity, expanding the educational and playful experience offered by the series into real world activities.

Barry Hughes, managing director of Golden Bear Toys, commented: “With our rich history and knowledge of pre-school licences, we like to think we recognise great content when we see it, and that’s what we saw when we first set sights on PeaKeeBoo. In addition, the chance to work with the great, disruptive team at Toikido was too good an opportunity to turn down. We look forward to bringing fantastic toys to consumers, who will undoubtedly fall in love with the characters as much as we have.”

Will Ochoa, chief commercial officer at Toikido, added: “Golden Bear Toys’ reputation for excellence in toy manufacturing is unrivalled, and we are excited to have the team on board as the master toy licensee for PeaKeeBoo. The company’s innovative approach to toys will greatly contribute to the holistic educational experience we envision with PeaKeeBoo.”

PeaKeeBoo was announced in December last year and centres upon three main 2D characters: Pea, a small, green creature, Kee, a little bird, and Boo, a large, grey boulder-esque character. Award-winning singer-songwriter Sophie Ellis-Bextor has been confirmed as the narrator of the highly anticipated series.

Zuru takes over Fuggler plush licensing rights from Addo Play

The new partnership will build on the huge reboot the brand has enjoyed since Addo Play secured the licensing rights in 2021. Over the past four years, Addo Play has developed and launched over 200 imaginative Fuggler monster variants with record-breaking sales results in some of the world’s biggest retailers, thanks to the brand’s partnership with ToyMonster. These include The Entertainer, Tesco, Kmart Australia and more recently in Walmart US, reaching the No. 5 new property in the USA. ToyMonster also launched Fuggler brand collaborations for the first time ever with Paramount: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Fuggler and SpongeBob x Fuggler.

Zuru is well positioned to elevate and scale the Fuggler brand, taking it to even greater heights. With its power to invest, renowned product development expertise, global reach and expansive distribution network, Zuru aims to usher in a new era for the brand. This will include offering fans a wide range of new product additions to the existing line-up and enhanced accessibility in markets worldwide. The new arrangement will also allow Addo Play to focus on its core Addo and Early Learning Centre brands, as well as other new and exciting licensing opportunities.

“We commend Addo Play for the world class job it has done in building Fuggler,” said Nick Mowbray, co-founder & CEO of Zuru. “We are delighted to acquire the licensing rights and are committed to leveraging our resources and creativity to further enrich the Fuggler experience for fans everywhere.”

Mark Kingston, co-founder/CEO of Libertas Brands, said: “We are thrilled to partner with Zuru to bring Fuggler to a wider audience. Zuru’s dedication to quality and innovation aligns perfectly with the spirit of Fuggler, and we are excited to see the brand flourish even more under its stewardship.”

Zuru will start the transition during autumn/winter 2024 and will be showcasing the brand during upcoming spring/summer 2025 previews.

For more information about Fuggler plush toys and sales enquiries, please contact sales@zuru.com.

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Licensing World

Heathside to distribute Syndicate

Collectibles’ Fallout range

Heathside has been appointed exclusive distributor across Europe for Syndicate Collectibles’ full range of Fallout figures, storage and fridges to be released in October.

A post-apocalyptic role-playing video game franchise from Bethesda, Fallout is now a hit Amazon TV show that garnered an impressive over 65m views in the first week of airing.

Darren Epstein, from Heathside/Khadou, commented: “Since Fallout first aired, we have been contacted by so many retailers asking for Fallout merchandise, so we are happy to finally announce that we will have a full range coming in October from Syndicate Collectibles.”

Available in 1-packs and 2-packs the highly detailed 3-inch figures offer fans a new way to immerse themselves in the extraordinary post-apocalyptic world seen in the games and the new live-action show. The range comprises figures of iconic, fan-favourite characters including Vault Boy, T-60 Power Armor, Protectron, Raider and Synth. Collecting all six of the 2-packs will allow Fallout devotees to build their own figure of the ferocious Deathclaw. Vault Boy and T-60 Power Armor are also available as single figures.

There have been six standalone Fallout games since the franchise first arrived on MS-DOS and Windows in 1997. Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel, an action RPG dungeon-crawler spin-off released in 2004, was the first one compatible with PlayStation 2 and Xbox. Bethesda Game Studios bought Fallout after a total of four games had been released, before developing Fallout 3, which was noticeably different to its predecessors and a recognisable ancestor of the most recent games and the live-action TV show.

Starring Ella Purnell, Walton Goggins and Aaron Clifton Moten, Fallout follows the adventures of Lucy, a Vault Dweller raised in the comfort and safety of Vault 33, as she sets off into the wasteland to save her kidnapped father. The eight-episode series is currently streaming on Amazon Prime TV.

Paul Bufton launches new consultancy, Licensed Ltd

Licensed Ltd is a new consultancy that aims to bring beloved brands to their committed fans in new and meaningful ways.

Paul said he was proud and excited to announce the launch of his new business venture – Licensed Ltd – and its mission to connect brands with fans. He added that the consumer products industry is evolving at such a pace and has shifted gears from ‘business-centric’ to ‘franchise-centric’, and finally to ‘fan-centric’ – and said it is the right time to take this step.

Prior to setting up Licensed Ltd, Paul was vice president EMEA Consumer Products, Universal Products & Experiences (UP&E). Before that, he was VP Licensing and Business Development, WBCP EMEA at Warner Bros. Entertainment Group, and before that, he was VP EMEA, Consumer Products Licensing, at Rovio Entertainment.

Following the announcement, Paul spoke to Licensing.biz about why he made the decision to go solo with Licensed Ltd.

“Going out on your own has long been something I’ve wanted to do, and then the opportunity presented itself,” Paul explained. “It’s a big step of course, but the exhilarating moments are going to far outweigh the ‘what have I done?!’ moments. There’s only a handful of occasions when you can actually roll the dice like this; the conditions are right, and I feel ready for what comes next.”

He added: “Throughout my career, it’s been a joy to see the licensing business shift through the gears and to be a part of it. I love pushing commercial partnerships, it’s what get me out of bed in the morning. Back in the day, everything revolved around commercial terms. Nowadays, everything is franchisefirst. We’ve got some amazing franchises in our industry and a newfound appreciation for how you build the licensing layer cake through live events, content distribution, consumer products, social touchpoints and so on. Fans are now telling creative industries what they want, and it’s not rocket science to sit down, listen, and deliver it.”

Jazwares signs master agreement with Paramount for Avatar: The Last Airbender

Jazwares and Paramount Global have inked multi-contract deals to release a robust slate of toys, costumes and accessories based on some of the entertainment giant’s most iconic properties.

As part of the new agreement, Jazwares will hold global master rights to produce figures, toy vehicles, dolls, plush and play sets for Nickelodeon’s Avatar: The Last Airbender franchise. In a multi-contract collaboration, Jazwares will also possess North American rights for costumes and accessories for Avatar: The Last Airbender and hit Paramount entertainment properties including Dora, SpongeBob SquarePants, Star Trek and Yellowstone. The Paramount and Jazwares portfolio is expected to arrive at retail in 2025.

“Joining forces with Paramount combines the world’s most beloved entertainment franchises with Jazwares’ unparalleled ability in authentically translating IP across toys and costumes like nobody else in the industry,” said Judd Karofsky, executive vice president, Jazwares. “This is an amazing collaboration for Jazwares – to expand our portfolio with some of pop culture’s most iconic stories and characters into products we know fans are going to love.”

In addition, Jazwares has also entered into a multiyear global toy licensing agreement with Scottgames to produce a toy line inspired by Five Nights at Freddy’s.

Building off the immersive settings and characters from the survival horror video game and film franchise, Jazwares’ Five Nights at Freddy’s portfolio will expand on the fictional world like never before through must-have toy products across numerous categories.

Set to launch at mass retail in 2025, Jazwares will manufacture a robust cross-category line of toys and plush inspired by the franchise. The full line will include character figures of varying scales, world-setting playsets, plush, pet toys and one-of-a-kind collector’s items.

“Five Nights at Freddy’s has taken the gaming world by storm, and as master toy licensee, Jazwares has the tremendous opportunity to further connect with fans of the games and immerse them in the series like never before,” commented Judd. “We’re thrilled to take the world of Five Nights at Freddy’s beyond the screen and into the hands of fans.”

Look, they're little me's!! Adorable aren't they!!

Hasbro Marvel Legends

Deadpool & Wolverine Funko POP!

Simba Dogpool Plush

Beast Kingdom Deadpool Hero Box

Rubies Deadpool Costume and Weapon Kit

To monitor what’s happening in the ever-changing toy market, Circana collects point-of-sale information from all major toy retailers. This information, combined with our analysts’ industry perspectives, delivers a comprehensive view of what’s selling and where. We also field over 12m consumer surveys annually to help industry leaders understand why consumers shop where they shop and why they buy what they buy. For more information visit www.circana.com

A summer of sport

With sales in May picking up, albeit modestly, Melissa looks at the contribution Sports-related toy sales have on the UK market, as high-profile summer sporting events add their impact, alongside the all-important weather forecasts.

It’s fair to say that the start of 2024 has been another challenging period for the UK Toy market. Sales YTD May 2024 are down -4%, representing a decline of £20m in value, while volume is down by 4m units compared to same period last year. The Dolls and Infant/Toddler & Preschool Toys categories have seen the steepest declines. However, May was slightly more positive, with sales up +1% in value for the month – the first monthly growth outside of Easter-related movement since January 2023. While six out of eleven Supercategories grew in May, one of the key reasons for the strong May performance is that Outdoor and Sports Toys had an encouraging month. Outdoor and Sports Toys grew +5%, becoming the largest supercategory for the month, adding just over £1m sales to the industry. The brief burst of sunshine during May meant that Water/Sand Toys and Water Blasters enjoyed double digit growth - as did Pools and Playground Equipment, with Trampolines performing particularly well.

Overall, Sports-related toys and licences have sold £57m in the last twelve months, up +30% or +£13m from two years ago, just slightly behind the growth of Video Game related sales. World Soccer is the largest property within the Sports sub-category, accounting for two-thirds of sales YTD May 2024. In addition, other sports have also seen strong growth, including motor sports such as Formula 1 & Nascar, Tony Hawk and, surprisingly for the UK, National Basketball Association (NBA) from US. The largest category for Sports related toys is Non-Strategic Trading Cards & Collectible Stickers, where Topps and Panini have strong shares. Standard Building Sets and Mini Vehicles are the next largest, with Lego Speed Champions and Monster Jam & Hot Wheels Monster Trucks consistently performing well. There is also growth from Action Figures Collectibles and Card Games for Sports.

UK Entertainment Type Attributes

The weather can make or break the summer months, with Outdoor and Sports Toys traditionally dominating sales from May to August. This year there is additional support for Sports-related items from the EuroChampionship Football Tournament in June and July, plus the Olympics in Paris. Hopefully these events will encourage kids to purchase more outdoor toys – or at least toys related to sports. Already in May, the Topp’s Euro 2024 Stickers Multipack reached the top-ten best selling toys for the month; along with Miniverse and Lankybox, this has helped the Explorative & Others category grow +13% for May.

Melissa Symonds Executive Director – UK Toys, Euro Toys

Video Game-related toys have also enjoyed strong growth over the last two years, up +£18m, although with many Video Game characters also having movie and TV shows released, the lines are starting to blur more and more. While the top properties in Video Games remain Pokémon, Minecraft and Super Mario Bros, there has been more growth coming from smaller properties. Sonic the Hedgehog is now the second fastest growing licence across total toys YTD May 2024, with sales doubled from the same period last year. Five Nights at Freddy’s is also growing double-digits, while Adopt Me! and Animal Crossing are seeing strong sales this year. Overall, Games and Puzzles accounts for 47% of Video Game related toys – and that’s not

UK Entertainment Type Attributes

just from Strategic Trading Cards. There has been strong growth from Family Board/Action Games and Card Games so far this year, as well as from Plush and Children’s Puzzles. While 2024 may have fewer blockbuster films than previous year – with fewer superhero movies being released due to the writers and actors strike last year – sales of Movie related toys are still increasing compared to two years ago, while TV related sales have declined. Some digital/ influencer properties under the TV/DVD/Digital attribute have performed well, with Aphmau and Lankybox in particular growing over the past year - although not quite hitting the highs of more traditional properties.

The next few weeks are sure to have their own challenges, be that from the weather, or simply consumer willingness to spend after a General Election -albeit this is not a challenge solely for toy retailers, but all retail channels. Circana’s tracking of All Outlets on consumerpackaged goods has total Non-Food declining -0.4% in value for the four weeks ending 1st June, and even the Food sector growth slowing to +0.8% as inflation slows. In comparison, the UK Toy market May’s growth of +1% is comparable, and even ahead of other Non-Food. Hopefully, this is an encouraging sign for the rest of the year.

Talking Shop Shelf life

Jack Strachan

Strachans Inverurie, Aberdeenshire, Scotland

I love the Toymaster May Show. Up in the northeast of Scotland, we don’t see that many reps or agents, so it’s great to come down here, meet everyone face to face, see the products and get some inspiration. I make the trip every single year. Our trading is built around this show, so it’s vital we come here and take advantage of everything it has to offer.

There have been some brilliant deals at this year’s Toymaster show. It seems like a lot of companies have focused on enhancing the margins for us indies, so if you chose to miss the show then unfortunately you’ve missed out on some cracking offers. Mainstays such as Pokémon, Lego and Spin Master remain really strong, but we’ve placed a lot of focus on finding newer, smaller companies to work with. I’ve been chatting with the lovely people at Ditty Bird Books, they have a lovely range and were really keen to help us out.

As retailers, you have to take a gamble on untested ranges here and there. You can’t stay stillwe all need to be moving forward. Certainly, that’s what my customers expect. In Inverurie, we’re lucky to see the same faces most weeks, so offering something fresh and new puts a smile on those faces and introduces some excitement to the shopping experience. When you find little quirky companies and brands, they become another incentive for consumers to come and shop with us.

I am always optimistic, regardless of what’s going on out there, and the Toymaster May Show does nothing but bolster that optimism. It’s a springboard for the rest of the year. OK, January to May has been tough, but it’s the same every year, then you come to Harrogate and you realise how much there is to play for in the second half. Bring it on.

Mary and Marcella Creedon

Mary’s Toymaster, Macroom, County Cork

The show has been busy and really good for us. As usual, the atmosphere is wonderful and it’s a great opportunity to network. We didn’t do much buying at Toy Fair in London, but we’ve come here with the intention to place plenty of orders. We already knew which ranges we wanted, but at a show like this you always come across a few surprises too. We prepare a business report prior to the show which tells us our stock levels for each supplier, what they did for us last year and so on, and we take that spreadsheet with us to each meeting so we can all see at a glance what worked and what didn’t. This system works well for us. Of course, there are plenty of new, untested lines that we may not have seen before, so it’s down to our discretion whether or not we give those a go. Lego is always a best-seller, and we really like Reydon Sports too. We’ve placed an order for the first time ever with Skillmatics, which has some lovely products on show.

A lot of people here, suppliers and retailers alike, have been talking about the state of business at the moment. Although some companies aren’t doing as well as they were this time last year, there remains a lovely sense of camaraderie. It feels like we’re all in it together, and that if you are experiencing issues, Toymaster is there to support you. I’m going to come away from this show feeling much better about things.

At Toymaster, Rachael, Caroline and Gabriela made the most of every minute, and grabbed a selection of indie retailers for a catchup on their time at the show and how business is going for them. Thank you to all those who made time to speak to us.

Talking Shop

Ciaran Fitzpatrick and Maurice Doyle

Banba Toymaster, Dublin

MD: It’s been a really good show so far this year. The Toymaster Show is one of the most important events of the year for us. We’ve come over from Dublin and we’re staying for the whole three days.

CF: Our best-selling item of the year has been Littlest Pet Shop; we have sold huge amounts of them. We’ve also done well with the Asmodee Star Wars cards. We are looking forward to seeing the Lego Simpsons Mini Figures, because there seems to be demand for them.

MD: We’re looking at prices and trying to get a bit of extra margin, like everybody else, due to the current economic climate. Mattel has been helping us out with this quite a bit, which we greatly appreciate.

CF: We’re trading up so far this year. April was a bit of a rough month, probably due to the early Easter break, but for the rest of the year we’ve been doing quite well; we’re a couple of points ahead. Dublin city centre has changed a bit as the streets have been pedestrianised; this has worked in our favour as a lot of people are now walking by the shop and coming in.

MD: The way the Toymaster Show is set up, with the social side and the business side melding into one, makes it a really positive and enjoyable show. There are a lot of offers here, so a lot of business is done, and many Christmas orders are placed. The show itself is built on positivity.

Emma Dadswell

Toys N Tuck, Southend-On-Sea, Essex

We actually arrived in Harrogate on Sunday, had a lovely breakfast at Betty’s and a sneak peek around the show on the Monday before it opened. Everyone seems pretty positive even though trade has been down recently – we all know Christmas is coming!

For me, this show is about planning ahead. It almost doesn’t matter what’s happening at the moment, because it’s the festive season that’s make or break for us, so we’ve got plenty of time to get ourselves sorted and ensure we’ve got the best toys on the shelves come autumn/ winter. I came to Toymaster knowing that I’d be ordering the half-price catalogue lines, getting those done and filed away. I also knew which suppliers are offering window displays and demo days, so I’ve been making sure I see them. It’s very much a mixture of pre-booked meetings and just walking round the whole event in case there’s anything new I haven’t considered.

Brendan Will Will’s Toy Shop, Aberdeen

Despite this year being quieter than previous Toymaster shows I’ve visited, I’ve had the chance to speak with many new suppliers about upcoming ranges and networked with plenty of trade experts, which is always a positive. The information we exchange is invaluable.

I’ve enjoyed visiting the stands of companies I haven’t worked with for a while, including Canal Toys, which has a really interesting slime range. The So Slime 1kg Giant Bucket for £10 looks fantastic value and I think would sell well in my shop, as kids tend to enjoy messy play and getting their hands on slime. We see strong sales from plush toys, especially from brands like Ty, so visiting that stand was a must, with lots of new lines to investigate.

Although I have found the last 12 months to be quite slow in terms of sales, the show has given me the chance to see lots of new products from all different categories and price points. Seeing product ‘in the flesh’ is always inspirational and it has given me ideas on how to be a bit more competitive. I will leave the show ready to make an action plan on the ranges I fancy stocking, which should help turn things around in our store for the later part of the year.

I’ve not seen any one thing I simply can’t wait to get in the store, but newness is definitely coming and that’s exciting. Pick-up lines are doing well so it’s great to see new lines like those from Brainstorm’s Eugy range and there’s lots of hype around

Things are quite tough at the moment, but I don’t like to be negative and if I end up flat year-on-year, I’ll be happy. We’ve had two really good years, in 2022 and 2023, and it’s hard to anniversary that: flat is the aim. For the most part, everyone here seems to be just looking ahead and focusing on what we can all do to improve things. Better months are on the way, I’m sure of it.

Andrew Garthwaite

Rexys Reviews – The Dino Den, South Shields

This was our third year attending the Toymaster May Show. Even though we’re not Toymaster members, independents are always made very welcome by the team, which is lovely. The overall atmosphere of the event was positive and optimistic. Speaking to other business owners and reps, it’s quite apparent that everyone within the industry is finding trade a little flat right now, but we can all take comfort in the fact that we are weathering the storm together. We were pleased to see some new names appearing on the exhibitor list and showcasing some great new products. Although there were no new highlights for us in the dinosaur world, it was still a productive visit. Our trip to Harrogate has allowed us to catch up with our fellow retailers and suppliers while restocking for the months ahead and expanding some of the current ranges that are performing well, from manufacturers such as Mojo Fun.

It's always nice to be able to network with others within the industry and to help reassure each other that we’re all going through a challenging time at the moment. It can feel a little bit lonely to be an independent. For the rest of 2024, we have decided to power through the lull and, in true dinosaur fashion, stomp our way through to the other side. Yes, it will require a bit more effort and thinking outside the box, but I would much rather do that, and work harder, that than sit back and do nothing. It's going to be an ‘interesting’ second half to the year, that’s for sure. Let's see what it brings.

Hasbro’s Beyblades relaunch too.

Talking Shop

Mihir Patel

Woodley News, Reading

The Toymaster 2024 May show has been great. There was so much for us to see, and multiple ranges from various companies caught our attention. We’ve already placed orders with companies such as Mattel, Hasbro, Kayes of Cardiff and DKB. Lego is one of the most popular brands we stock at our shop, and it was great to have the opportunity to visit that stand too.

We have found it useful to attend Toymaster as trade shows always teach us new things that will potentially benefit our business. We get to speak to different buyers from other indie stores and see what they do differently, which gives us ideas on how we can improve our store.

Attending Toymaster has made us realise the high demand for tech toys this year, as many of the new toys coming out incorporate technological aspects to keep up with the trends. Many of today’s children are interested in playing on phones and tablets, and we have seen that some companies are introducing toys that will make playing with these devices more enjoyable by encouraging kids to create fun videos for social media or download an app that will enhance playtime experiences.

The new Real FX Disney Stitch from Wow! Stuff is another impressive product offering distinctive features; we had heard about it and were interested to see how it works during the show. Viewing all these new products has inspired us to stock new tech toys that will appeal to teenagers and tech-savvy children, as we think this is one of the main target audiences for our store.

Amelia Winkhof and Neil Mitchell

BargainMax

NM: It’s been a very productive show, with the opportunity to see almost 100 suppliers in one day, and we’ve had lots of interesting meetings with a range of companies. This is our second Toymaster, and it feels like there are more suppliers and more products this year, which is great.

AW: Thinking about the ranges that we’ve seen today, the Terror Fried range from Character Options looks fantastic - we were impressed with that.

NM: We also had a meeting with Micro Scooters; it has a really strong premium range of scooters and accessories. I think Basic Fun’s Care Bears and the retro ranges are also going to be popular. We both agreed that MGA had the strongest ranges. L.O.L. Surprise! and Rainbow High have a lot of innovation and great looking products. Miniverse also looked really strong as well. That was a standout stand for sure.

AW: I think it’s really important to see suppliers and catch up in-person. Work can be done over the phone or on Zoom calls, but face-to-face interaction and seeing where we can seize opportunities to grow with suppliers is unbeatable. It’s probably the main thing that we’ve taken away from this show. It’s also put us at ease a bit in terms of where the market stands and how other retailers are doing.

NM: The event is well timed, as we’re heading towards the winter season and Christmas is on the way. The Toymaster Show gives us a chance to see lots of new brands and products with innovation coming through, and puts everyone into a more positive frame of mind going into the second half of the year.

Deirdre and Sean Reilly

The Hobby Shop, Sligo, Ireland

It’s been a really great show so far. This is our second time visiting the Toymaster May Show, and it’s been just as fun this time around. We’ve come over from Ireland and have found it to be well worth the trip.

There are several different lines that we’ve seen at the show that we’re planning to bring into our store. There are the Wasgij puzzles from Galt, which my husband and I were both a fan of, and there have also been new Lego and Professor Puzzle lines that we’ve liked. We’ve also seen a lot of hobby and collectible products, and some arts & crafts lines that we’re really interested in getting into The Hobby Shop as well.

We are looking forward to the rest of 2024. We will be expanding our range in-store, including a number of lines that we’ve seen here at the show. We used to sell a lot of schoolbooks and educational products, but a change in Ireland recently means the government supplies books to schools – so we now have a lot more space and scope within the store to diversify into other areas, which we are very excited about.

Sarah Gooding

Gullivers Toys and Gifts, Edinburgh

I’ve found this year’s Toymaster show to be very informative, with the personal touch. I like that the event offers a much more intimate setting, compared to bigger trade fairs. Harrogate is a brilliant location, and it is always a well-hosted event that lets you view products in a relaxed manner. You can enjoy a cup of tea and have deeper conversations with representatives. I personally find it more effective when there are fewer, select products on display, as this allows more room for discussion to take place and is less overwhelming, especially for smaller retailers like us, who are not working on a mass scale.

The new blasters from Hasbro’s Nerf brand are one of the products that have particularly caught my attention. We stock a lot of Nerf products, and I’m thrilled that the company has now introduced a new streamlined dart that goes faster. I also enjoyed the Basic Fun stand; the company always has plenty of great licensed toys that bring nostalgia, including My Little Pony and Care Bears. It was wonderful to see and handle some of its newest lines.

We have a traditional store based in the centre of Edinburgh, and our primary buyers consist of parents, kidults and tourists, which is why we have focused on recognisable, nostalgic items featuring classic licences; we can be confident that brands like Winnie the Pooh and Peter Rabbit will appeal to this kind of audience. Mattel’s Fisher-Price brand has relaunched its classic, nostalgic range, which previous generations enjoyed playing with, and this is another collection that we believe would do well in our store. Sylvanian Families is always popular with customers, so we made sure to check out the latest lines on the Epoch stand.

Attending the show has changed my outlook on the coming year. Seeing products faceto-face and getting a feel for them has given me ideas on what to order for this summer to reinvigorate the store. It’s also fantastic to be able to speak to reps and suppliers in person and get proper demonstrations of the toys to helped me decide the best items to order.

Talking Shop

Donald Nairn

Toys Galore, Edinburgh

At this year’s Toymaster, everyone is commenting upon the tough market conditions we are currently facing, but it’s been helpful to take part in conversations with others from the trade which have confirmed I’m not the only one going through it. The show has been a very useful experience; it’s been nice to interact with other people and get their opinions.

Networking is a big part of the show, finding out from other retailers their take on lines we’ve never stocked before. Speaking with other indies and the Toymaster team has given us lots of ideas on new lines we could try in our store - and what we could do differently to improve our offering.

We have placed a few orders, not restocking ranges we already have in our store, but focusing on new lines from companies that we haven’t dealt with in the past. The rest of the orders with existing suppliers will be done once we’re back at our shop. Casdon is one of the new companies that we’re considering working with, we liked the look of some of the ranges it has to offer, so we’re looking into giving that a shot to see if its products will appeal to our clientele.

Carl Blatcher

JAC Stores, Ramsey, Isle of Man

Jon Callingham Malletts, Cornwall

It’s been a busy show this year. We’ve come all the way up from Cornwall, so it’s a long way to travel, but I think it’s well worth the trip. It has been a bit of a tough year so far. As I’ve been walking around and chatting with suppliers, I’ve been trying to find new products that are strong sellers and have been making sure to order all of the basics as well. There are a few new products that have caught my eye.

Mostly though, I come up to Harrogate to look at brands that I’m familiar with and that I know will perform well in the store. I concentrate on brands like Lego, Playmobil and other family favourites. With Lego, we do well with ranges like the Speed Champions and Star Wars. The bigger sets are popular, especially with ‘kidults’.

I’m expecting a challenging rest of the year, and will concentrate on the brands we know will perform well, such as trading cards, and capitalise on that kidult market as much as possible.

Katrina Signey and Lucy Kingsley

Sugacane Toys - Pwllheli, Macclesfield, Bakewell, Beaumaris and Trentham

We arrived on Monday night, ready to crack straight on first thing on Tuesday morning with an appointment with Character Options. We’ve had appointments back-to-back every day, and I still don’t feel like I’ve seen everything.

People’s attitudes this year seem mixed. Most people are looking for Christmas stock, whereas we’re entering our busiest season, as Pwllheli, where our flagship store is located, is a seaside town. We’re looking for anything new and a bit quirky, including outdoor toys and pocket money pick-up lines. Character has some excellent ranges coming through for July and August including refreshed Goo Jit Zu and some strong licensed ranges for Sonic and Angry Birds. Moose Toys’ new Despicable Me range is fab, especially the Fart Blaster, and the Mr Beast range for August looks great too.

I think if you’re a regular toy shop, business is going to be quite challenging right now, but as we have our own Sugacane confectionary brands, that provides a bit of a buffer. A lot of people just don’t have the money at the moment for larger purchases, which is why we’re looking for lower priced toys instead of big-box play sets and ‘main gift’ type toys.

We feel pretty good about the rest of the year, and with our busiest season just about to kick off, we’re looking forward to some exciting weeks ahead. We can’t wait for summer, hopefully it’ll be a busy one. Oh, we do ice cream too – that always tempts in the shoppers.

The show has been great, with more new products on show than I expected and loads of great deals. Spin Master and Lego spring to mind, in terms of the calibre of deals on offer, so a big thank you to them for recognising what indies need right now.

Surprisingly, everyone is upbeat – even the suppliers, who arguably were expecting retailers to hold back a little, seem really pleased with the amount of orders they’re taking. I’d say we’re all fairly positive about the outlook for the rest of the year. Everyone understands the nature of fluctuating market conditions, and as long as you control your purchases, it’s all rosy. You just have to work through things.

I did my ‘window shopping’ at Toy Fair and at a number of the previews and came here to place orders with a strongly margin-focused approach. I’m obviously still seeing the bigger brands, even though we might struggle with the margins a bit, but I’m also looking at new categories and smaller suppliers that can offer gifting margins, as opposed to toy, such as Usborne Books and Ditty Bird Books, the latter of which has a lovely stand. It’s a new path for me, but I’m still being open minded. Sometimes you come across something really random at this show and just think: “That’s the one for me!”

John Adams’ Go Viral game, Mattel’s Wednesday Monster High Doll, SpongeBob Miraballs from Bandai and Squishalongs from Jazwares all stand out as strong lines. Mr Beast from Moose is one licence I’m keeping my eye on as well, and the Story Dream Machine from MGA Entertainment really caught my attention. With the success of Tonies, which admittedly is a slightly different concept, I think that might be a winner.

I’ve said for a number of years that sales would level out (even though we haven’t been down so far this year), so I’m not shocked that things have been tricky lately. But I’m feeling positive. There’s always something that turns things around and Christmas always comes. If you can control your costs and purchases, it’ll be fine.

Talking Shop

Lindsay Henry

Harry’s Department Store, Lerwick, Shetland islands

This is my first ever Toymaster (in fact, my first ever toy trade fair full stop!). It’s certainly been a learning curve: it was all a bit overwhelming on the first day – so many people, so many products, and so much to see and do - but now I’m thoroughly into the swing of things and really enjoying it. I’m so used to seeing everything on price sheets so to see all the new toys and games in person has been brilliant.

It’s also been really nice to find out how other retailers are trying to counteract the tough trading conditions we’re all experiencing. Everyone has been so friendly and willing to share their knowledge and advice.

Mehak Rauf

Toys4You, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands

It’s been a really busy Toymaster Show this year. It’s nice to see new products coming in for Christmas and getting us prepared for Q4. Most of the suppliers are providing delayed delivery times, so that we can bring stock in closer to the holiday season, rather than having to order here at the show for immediate delivery. This is a huge advantage for us as a business. The suppliers are also giving good margins and special deals, like half-priced lines which go into the Toymaster catalogue. It all helps.

Before coming to Toymaster, we set ourselves a budget for our orders at the show - but we’ve now exceeded it as we’ve seen so many things that we’re interested in. It was exciting to see new products; I wish I could have a lot of them in-store right away. Unicorn Academy from Spin Master was a highlight for me. The product range is really appealing, especially the fashion dolls with the unicorns. I know those will be very popular and I’ve ordered the core range which I’m looking forward to seeing in-store.

Everybody seems to be facing the same issues this year, including the suppliers, and we appreciate those that have dropped the prices on some of their products, which will help us get more stock in. Offers like this are really helping retailers to move forward during these times of struggle.

Robert Gliddon

Gliddon’s Toymaster, Sidmouth, Devon

The show has been absolutely brilliant. This is actually the first time I’ve been back to the Toymaster May Show since Covid struck, and being here, I’ve been reminded just how much we all need to come to these shows, to revitalise and refresh our stores with the newest toys on the market. There’s plenty of newness here, but which direction to go in with some suppliers and ranges is yet to be decided. That’s not to say I haven’t been placing orders. I’ve placed quite a few, both with mainstream suppliers such as Lego and some smaller, newer ones, such as Craft Buddy, which I consider to be equally important to our success.

The Toymaster Show is my big chance to come and see suppliers face to face. Being in the West Country, very few reps and agents come to visit the store, so being here lets me get eyes on all the products out there for the rest of 2024. It’s an opportunity I know I can’t pass up. I have to remain optimistic about the rest of the year, but I’ve been in toy retail for over 30 years and this quarter is probably the hardest I’ve ever known. But I am very fortunate compared to many others – my store is located in a coastal town, so I benefit from tourist footfall as well as the Christmas uplift. I will order heavily now for the summer, (hopefully) sell it all through by autumn/winter, then get a second bite at the cherry.

Deirdre Johnston

Toytown Toys, Longford, Ireland

This year’s show has been interesting, it’s given me the chance to preview all the exciting new lines set to come out in autumn/winter and meet other Toymaster members. All in all, it makes for a very enjoyable and positive experience.

My primary focus is farm-related products, which generate the most interest among my customers. Visiting Toymaster has allowed me to see new farm toys from companies like Tomy’s Britains and Bruder in person and get ideas on new ranges that I should be stocking. There were also some interesting products on Baby Republic’s stand which caught my eye.

While I haven’t yet placed firm orders with suppliers, the show has made me feel more positive about the coming year, and I am now in the process of researching some of the things I have seen before deciding which new products to stock.

Will Osborne

Osborne’s Sports and Toys, Rushden, Northamptonshire

I’ve been coming to the Toymaster May Show for many years and this year is as good as ever. I find it a useful, friendly and professional event, and one we look forward to every year.

At some of the earlier trade fairs, many companies tend to show mock-ups, or lines that may or may not actually make it to shelf, whereas here the product is final, available, the price is set and you can order it knowing it will arrive. It’s a much more concrete- and useful - experience, I find.

We do a lot of homework before arriving in Harrogate, so we know what the offers are in advance and put hypothetical orders together based on what we’ve already got in stock. When we get here, sometimes we find even more new lines we weren’t previously aware of, so we might then adjust the order to cater to those.

The ranges at the show this year have been very, very good, ranging from what you’d expect to some that have made me think “Good god, that’s cheap”. We’re a general toy store in a small town, so we’re not easily swayed by the glossy, bells and whistles of the hyped-up stuff – if it’s good product and it looks like it’ll sell, then we’re interested.

Business is fluid at the moment. We had a strong January and February, but March was problematic, and now footfall fluctuates between very busy days followed by very quiet days, which unfortunately don’t follow a pattern. Trade used to follow a pattern: you were busy at 9am because the mums had just dropped the kids off at school, then at 4pm, you were busy because they’d picked them back up again. You were always busy on Wednesdays too (though no one ever knew why). Now, there’s no pattern, no rhyme or reason to it - except on Saturdays; we’re always busy on Saturdays! The same unpredictability applies to picking products, to an extent. Sometimes what sells the best is a line you didn’t place much stock in, and vice versa. It’s a funny industry, toys, but isn’t that why we love it?

indie viewpoint

Mark Buschhaus and Stephen Barnes Toy Barnhaus

Under my umbrella, …ella, …ella

The Toymaster show is always one of our favourite events of the year, and it did not disappoint. We purchased lots of toys, but to be honest the best line we picked up was umbrellas to cope with the rather inclement weather on the Wednesday. We have never seen conditions this wet in our many years at Harrogate. Many thanks to Peers Hardy for our umbrellas – Mark definitely rocks the Peppa Pig look!

The weather certainly did not seem to dampen spirits, although for the first time, the marquees were actually a bit cold. We went into the show with some cautious optimism; given the current trading climate, we were looking carefully before buying. However, we did spend more than we expected, thanks to the high volume of fantastic deals on offer. We found some great clearance offers at IMC, and really enjoyed seeing Sambro for the first time, along with Gift Scholars, who also had some attractive deals. It was noticeable that suppliers are looking carefully at price points, and the prices of a lot of the key lines for later this year are lower than in previous years. We picked up a couple of new suppliers that we have never dealt with before. We still haven’t spotted anything that really stands out for Christmas so far, but hopefully there will be a line that comes out of nowhere and surprises us.

The show was very well-organized by Yogi and the team at Toymaster and did not disappoint in terms of products and suppliers. The social element of the show is a big part of it, and the evenings were once again a huge success. The catering at the Majestic has definitely improved, and at the Wednesday Toymaster awards, which was a great evening, the meal was so good, Mark even asked for seconds (with no success, unfortunately!). Later, he missed out on the bacon rolls too, as they seemed to go very quickly. But we were too busy enjoying ourselves: the entertainment was fantastic, and we met several Toymaster members we had not spoken to before. It’s great to see the diversity in the toy industry. Even with all the eating, drinking and merriment going on, business is always discussed too; one evening we did a deal to take on the Luke Littler dartboard range from Target Sports, which should really help with the uplift that we have experienced this year.

We were pleased with trade overall in May, and sales during the half term were particularly strong. June has started steadily. However, as you well know, we like to do a rain dance to help with sales in our malls, which benefit from higher footfall when the summer sun fails to make an appearance. We have not brought in too much summer stock this year, having carried over plenty from last year’s washout summer – particularly paddling pools. So, we could do with some warm weather to clear through some of this stock, but bar one warm weekend and a few nice days, there is no sign of a heatwave yet. Let’s hope we won’t be sitting on the stock for another year!

Special Feature

Majestic moments

The Toymaster May Show returned to the beautiful DoubleTree by Hilton Harrogate Majestic Hotel & Spa from 21st-23rd May, hosting more than 100 leading toy suppliers and a raft of independent retailers for three days of networking, ordering and fun. Toy World reports back from this year’s successful event.

The Toymaster May Show has long been a favourite of Team Toy World for its relaxed atmosphere, lovely location and welcoming, friendly vibes. This show falls at a time when sales tend to be steadily ticking over for the indie sector, although in the weeks leading up to it, trading was arguably more challenging than it has been in many years. Indeed, one retailer told us it was the worst period he’s seen in the past 30 years - leading us to ponder whether the event would be a little subdued, a reflection of the mood out there in the sector. Happily, this simply wasn’t the case. Arriving early on the first day of the show, we were immediately struck by the buzz that’s created when experienced, no-nonsense toy retail specialists get together with the UK’s leading toy suppliers.

The beloved May Show follows the same format, year in, year out. That meant that once again, the hotel and marquees were filled with over 100 companies, ranging from small start-ups and first-time exhibitors to industry behemoths such as Mattel, MGA Entertainment, Hasbro, Spin Master, Character Options, Lego, Tomy and Epoch. Even early in the morning of day one, before visitors could possibly have had time to look round the whole show, suppliers were reporting that healthy-sized orders were rolling in - one had even opened two new accounts by 11am - which is exactly what the show is all about.

Indie retailers have told us for years that while London Toy Fair is where they do their initial ‘window shopping’, the Toymaster May Show is where they place their main autumn winter orders, turning up armed with spreadsheets and checklists of where to go and what to buy. Reasons for this vary: some say they prefer to wait until the Harrogate show because by then, launch dates and RRPs

are firmer than in January, while others say they much prefer to place orders at the event because of its more laidback atmosphere, with its wide open stands, transparent product displays and genial atmosphere – not to mention the tempting deals on offer from suppliers.

Of course, there’s plenty to be said for also remaining open minded to new launches spotted around the show that weren’t at Toy Fair, or perhaps were missed at a show of that scale – many we spoke to reported that they’d uncovered some hidden gems.

The first day of the Toymaster May Show wrapped up with an evening of food, music, dancing and drinks, as suppliers and retailers alike celebrated a successful opening day. John Adam’s Bruno Gallone, who retired shortly after the show, took home a Special Recognition Award during the evening. Toymaster managing director Yogi Parmar, who presented the award, praised Bruno for his warm approach, caring ways and Italian charm, adding: “Bruno has always been a great supporter of both indies and of Toymaster, and always finds the time to help. Bruno, thank you for being you and for all your hard work.”

Bruno then took the crowd by storm with his band Toy Division, which is made up of some very familiar toy trade faces: independent retailer Jon Starling (Starlings Toymaster) on bass guitar, Matt Martin (agent) on drums, John Mallabar (Orchard Toys) on guitar and vocals, Matthew Parlett (John Adams) on guitar, and Paul Reader (Toymaster’s commercial director) on backup vocals (and interpretive dance).

The fans weren’t needed in the marquees this year: day two was possibly one of the wettest Toymaster May Show days on record, with torrential downpours lasting the

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majority of the day. Ever organised, the fabulous Toymaster team broke out boxes of huge green golf-style brollies which quickly became the most sought-after product of the day.

Here, special thanks must go to James Barratt of Peers Hardy for his much appreciated ‘white knight’ moment. After spotting Toy World’s Rachael and Caroline huddling in the entrance of the lobby, discussing how to get over to the marquee without becoming drenched after their umbrellas were ‘borrowed’ from their hiding place, he swiftly nipped back to his stand and returned with two fabulous Disney Stitch umbrellas. He apologised for the slight delay, explaining that he had been stopped by a retailer who’d spotted him with the umbrellas and immediately wanted to place an order. That’s Toy World for you – always helping companies bag a sale (even if inadvertently). And let me tell you, those brollies were guarded ferociously for the rest of the trip.

The rain didn’t stop play though, and it was another very busy day for all attendees. Generally speaking, the feeling among suppliers was that while the indies may have been a little more cautious than in previous years, respectable figures were still going down on the order forms. Amy Saunders, sales director at Just Play, told the team: “Even though things are quite challenging at the moment, the indies we’re seeing here are still buying, which is great. At the end of the day, when you’re dealing with indies you have to bear in mind that it’s their own money they’re spending with you. They’re not buying on behalf of a huge online retailer or supermarket chain – this is personal to them, and they feel every penny that goes out, as well as comes in. When an indie places an order with you it’s a genuine vote of confidence in you and your products and is why we work so hard to support these guys and make sure that faith is not misplaced.”

Mandy McGough, field sales manager at Rainbow Designs, also spoke about the importance of supporting the company’s indie retail partners, proudly showing us the Paddington FSDUs and bunting on display in the Upper Marquee (just round the corner from the Paddington bench, which many a visitor couldn’t resist posing on for a photo). “Retailers can take advantage of all the extra support we offer, like these POS solutions, in-store demo and play days, giveaways, window programmes and more,”

she explained. “We also offer really attractive margins – our toys are available at gift prices, and that really helps.” Indeed, we heard a lot about margins throughout the show, with a lot of retailers actively seeking out the most attractive offers and gifting margins of 50% or more. Toymaster May Show exhibitors have long laid on special show deals for attendees but reports back from this year’s event suggest that many companies really went above and beyond, with some absolutely cracking offers that will make those that opted to miss the show this year – and there were a few, unfortunately – kick themselves. It seems like most suppliers really do recognise the challenges indies are facing and genuinely want to help, and that was noticed by the retailers who made the trip.

As we saw at London Toy Fair and Spielwarenmesse, a number of suppliers have also reduced the pricing on some best-selling ranges and major new launches: VTech had a raft of products on show with an RRP of sub-£20 – a figure that appears to be something of a sweet spot for the indies right now – while MGA Entertainment’s Rainbow High and L.O.L. Surprise! ranges have seen their RRPs slashed too.

An end to the downpours saw guests gather for the second night of entertainment at the Toymaster May Show, with the Awards Dinner well attended by those keen to mark the achievements of people from across the industry. Opening the awards presentations, Toymaster managing director Yogi Parmar praised the ‘Toymaster family’, took the opportunity to thank the dedicated and hard-working staff of The Majestic hotel, and also highlighted the amazing job the Toymaster team had done behind the scenes in organising the show.

Then it was time for the awards themselves. The immensely popular Nick Saunders of Brainstorm was honoured with a Friends of Toymaster award. Paul Reader, presenting the award, described Nick as “everyone’s dad, captain and leader”, adding: “Nick is a true gentleman, a credit to his business, a massive advocate of independents and someone who fully appreciates the marketing opportunities Toymaster presents its suppliers. He’s a supporter of everything we do, understands the importance of building relationships from grassroots level, especially with independents, and values the contribution of everyone in his team. Nick always finds the best ways to improve Brainstorm’s service to Toymaster and its members.”

Speaking to Toy World after the event, Nick said: “Receiving the award was a massive surprise. I was lost for words, but I feel chuffed to bits. In reality, the award is for the whole Brainstorm family, past and present, which works so hard for our customers. This Toymaster May Show marks my 21st year with Brainstorm and the industry. I love returning to Harrogate every year and watching our Toymaster business continue to grow. The members are great to work with and we support them as much as we can with display solutions and in-store theatre ideas. The Toymaster team at ‘Northampton Towers’ has been extremely kind to Brainstorm with all its help and advice,

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guiding us through the group’s marketing options and helping us to be the best supplier we possibly can be for members.”

A Special Recognition Award, meanwhile, was presented to Philip Kaye of Kayes of Cardiff. Yogi described Philip as a “real gentleman who’s made a tangible difference to a lot of people over the years”, with his unfailing determination and hard work making him a great supporter of Toymaster and its members.

“Philip will always find the time to help someone and is immensely respected not only by us at Toymaster, but by the entire trade,” Yogi added. “It takes a certain personality to work that hard for so long. Thank you for being you and for all your dedication to Toymaster over the years.”

Philip told Toy World: “I was overwhelmed and very humbled on hearing my name called out as the recipient of the prestigious Special Recognition award. After nearly 40 years in the Wholesale and Distribution sector, servicing mainly independent retailers and enjoying every day in work, I was - for once in my life - lost for words. I am particularly grateful to my team in the office, warehouse and in the field for their support and loyalty over many years. Business is a partnership, and without successful partnerships with suppliers and customers you don’t have a business. Kayes is very fortunate to have a great pool of supplier partners in addition to a large number of independent customers, many of whom are not only customers but good friends too. My special thanks go to the team at Toymaster for their ongoing support in helping us to serve their members so professionally.”

Supplier of the Year, meanwhile, went to Character Options, a company which Paul said: “embodies the very spirit of hard work (and hard play) and works tirelessly to meet the needs of members thanks to its ability to see the value of face-to-face relationships.” Rounding out the evening’s awards, the British Toy & Hobby Association presented Epoch’s Jon Ward with a prestigious Golden Teddy. BTHA chairman Simon Pilkington, who presented Jon with his teddy, detailed how he had served the industry for over 30 years and is an honest, hardworking and kind man who derives great satisfaction from helping others.

The sun was back out for Day 3, which turned out to be a quieter day for many – some retailers had already headed home by that point, feeling that their trip was complete.

Predictably, there were a few grumbles about this among exhibitors, but such is the nature of trade shows: most are quiet on the last day. It’s also worth bearing in mind that indies may not benefit from the support of a large team capable of holding the fort while they’re away. Some may simply have been needed back behind the till ASAP, once the ordering was done.

As it was, there were still plenty of retailers walking the show, mopping up those last little bits. Tempting though it was at times to down tools and relax in the bar, the Toy World team instead started interviewing a host of retailers about their experiences of the show and their outlook for the year ahead. We were struck by the huge variety of retailers at the event. From garden centres and seaside gifts

shops to multi-store franchises and high-street icons, all the great and good the UK and Ireland’s indie scene has to offer seemed to be in Harrogate. We also spoke to a couple still in the process of sounding out and setting up their new store, a husband and wife whose toy store had sadly burned down just a few weeks prior but had made the trip regardless, and a couple of online-only specialists keen to catch up with suppliers.

All were effusive in their praise for the overall event and the quality of the deals on offer, and we came away with a sense that the event had once again proved what a supportive, friendly and optimistic group the indies are, despite the challenges they all face. To see what they had to say, turn to page 33.

“It’s been a great show,” enthused Toymaster’s development manager Brian McLaughlin, as the Majestic’s lobby began to fill with retailers preparing to hit the road. “It’s been well attended, and we’ve benefited from a huge amount of supplier support across the three days. We’ve also welcomed a raft of new suppliers, which has been superb for our members and presented some great opportunities to discover new products. The feedback we’ve had from retailers has really highlighted the quality of the deals which suppliers have laid on, while suppliers have once again reaffirmed how much they enjoy working with the indie trade. There’s a great partnership there. Apart from the weather, everything has gone incredibly well, and we’re really pleased.”

When asked whether he felt that the show will have gone some way towards reenergising the indie community at what has undoubtedly been a tough time, Brian notes that most attend the Toymaster May Show with an intention to place orders and appraise what’s coming for the months ahead. He adds: “This is a forward-looking event, and our members are a forward-looking group. Whatever comes, we know they’re ready for it, and we’re proud to be able to play a part in their preparations.”

The Toymaster May Show will return in 2025 from 20th22nd May. See you all there!

Feature Construction Toys Site report

Constructions toys remain a staple of the toybox, offering kids (and grown-ups) the opportunity to engage in creative, tactile, satisfying play that enhances a range of developmental skills. With major suppliers continuing to build on their portfolios for 2025, Toy World examines the myriad ways consumers of all ages can get building and why retailers should be looking to expand their Construction offering with new and upcoming brands and suppliers.

It’s almost impossible to have a conversation with an independent toy retailer without Lego coming up.

The Danish brick specialist has long been a mainstay of the global toy retail scene, but among indies in particular has become a crucial brand that is helping to insulate stores from the worst of the current economic challenges. Lego’s June launches have been particularly welcome, arriving at the end of what some have cited as one of the toughest quarters in years. Midco’s Dave Middleton says the Star Wars Y-Wing set has been the standout launch in his store, while Matt Booker of Corsham Toy Shop says the product drop has been a ‘nice boost’ during an otherwise quiet period.

One of the greatest things about Lego, according to Christian Pau, vice president & general manager, UK & Ireland, is that the range helps retailers tap into their audience’s passion points, whatever they may be. “Whether that’s space, gaming, nature and animals, cars and trains, interior design or a particular fandom such as Star Wars or Disney,” there’s a Lego set to suit every interest,” says Christian. “Whatever it is that a consumer loves, you can guarantee we offer a set that will appeal to them and

captivate their imagination.”

Recently, Lego’s focus has been on one of its biggest activations of the year – Space – which the company knows is a key passion point across many audiences and age groups. And it’s not the only construction specialist shooting for the stars in 2024: Magna-Tiles’ new Space Set, which includes a first-of-its-kind Shuttle, a unique Astronaut figure and new MicroMags pieces for an enhanced, imaginative play experience, is tipped to be a top toy this Christmas.

Recently, Magna-Tiles – America’s No. 1 Magnetic Building Sets Brand according to Circana - announced that it had signed a UK sales, distribution and marketing agreement with Wow! Stuff. Christian Peterson, director of International Markets at Magna-Tiles, told Toy World the company sees significant, untapped potential for expansion of the Magna-Tiles brand in the UK and is ‘thrilled’ to be working with Wow! Stuff on making these aspirations a reality in the months ahead.

“Wow! Stuff boasts a tremendous track record, but it also shares a passion for building great/premium brands, rooted in rich storytelling and category-defining innovation,” he

enthuses. “We have a solid foundation in place, and with Wow! Stuff’s partnership increasing our visibility in stores and online, we look forward to a very near future where the Magna-Tiles brand captures the hearts and imaginations of UK families, just as it has done in the US.”

Another brand from outside the UK, Australian magnetic construction specialist Connetix Tiles has been enjoying success this side of the pond for a few years. Glenn Harrison, global head of Sales, says the company has attended a number of leading industry trade shows across Europe, with successful meetings at London Toy Fair and Spielwarenmesse leading to ‘huge growth’ so far in 2024. Glenn adds: “Connetix is continually expanding as we welcome two new members to our UK and European team in the coming months, with many new additions across our global team. We still have big plans in the pipeline for the year, but our goals and ambitions are aligning well.”

This year, Connetix is launching an immersive new range that the company says ‘promises to unlock greater possibilities in construction play’. The Roads Creative Pack introduces sleek black shade tiles and a range of road inspired shapes to the Connetix portfolio, designed to not

Connetix magnetic tiles are award-winning, open-ended, STEAM toys designed to grow with children as they learn and develop!

Construction Toys

only enhance the creation of roads, but also to bring new dimensions to other architectural builds, from skateparks to cities and so much more. As a manufacturer, Connetix has always leant into open-ended construction play that allows children to be guided by their imaginations. Glenn says: “It's through these extensive open-ended play opportunities that kids develop wider skills, and the product lifecycle expands, making Connetix a more sustainable gift that appeals to both children and kidults alike and can be enjoyed for many years.”

The same is true of Magna-Tiles, which offers sets not focused on a rigid outcome. According to Christian Peterson, Magna-Tiles play is driven by a child’s imagination, not a specific set of instructions, and doesn’t require adult involvement (unless kids want their adult to join in the fun). “From Day 1, we’ve been guided by our core purpose -the promotion of Meaningful Play, which embraces the open-ended, child-led nature of Magna-Tiles building.”

Many Lego sets offer a more traditional building experiences that follow a set of structured guidelines, meaning models are often left assembled and displayed instead of being broken down and built again. While this is hugely appealing to many construction fans (especially AFOLs – Adult Fans of Lego), the company knows that others prefer a free rein when it comes to building and opt for more creative play. To cater to these builders, The Lego Group is creating new sets and brands, such as Lego Dreamzzz, which contain instructions for only 80% of the build - the final 20% is left completely up to the child’s imagination. The Lego Creator 3-in-1 sets also offer three builds in one, giving Lego fans the opportunity to mix up their creations, while also demonstrating that the bricks can be used in more ways than one.

Polish construction brand Cobi, which throughout its history has focused primarily on historical military vehicles and aviation, prides itself on creating detailed scaled models – not just toys – that, when finished, don’t look as though they’ve been built using bricks. The company has built up quite a fanbase and, with demand for product continuing to soar, is now branching out into new areas for 2024. This includes rally cars such as the Lancia Delta HF and high-performance vehicles such as the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio.

for stores to survive if they don’t have the big brands, but offering new brands alongside them can introduce variety, freshness and a big difference to the ‘norm’, challenging the status quo.”

Plus-Plus UK & Ireland managing director Claire Coekin tells Toy World that including Construction products from smaller, up-and-coming brands allows retailers to offer a richer, more diverse shopping experience and helps build a loyal customer base. She explains: “We are hearing feedback from retailers that listing Plus-Plus can enable them to differentiate themselves in the competitive construction category: Plus-Plus has a tactile quality and when connected together, the pieces are secure yet flexible enough to bend, which sets it apart from other brands in the category. We know that more and more customers are going into stores and asking for Plus-Plus, and that customers love when they find it on shelf. This can increase their loyalty to the retailer stocking it.”

Vivid Goliath’s autumn/winter preview earlier this year and can attest that the blocks were very difficult to put down. Also suitable for very young kids, Smart Toys & Games is introducing SmartMax My First Explorers and SmartMax My First Stacking Rings to its existing, bestselling SmartMax My First… range, which continues to pick up awards from parenting websites including Loved by Parents.

Newness for the slightly older child hails from the Dark Side. Launched in 2018, Ravensburger’s Gravitrax brand welcomes its first ever licensed set this year - the GraviTrax Action Set: Death Star. Based on the iconic planetdestroying space station from the Star Wars franchise, the primarily black and grey set includes over 200 track pieces, tiles and action elements, as well as TIE Fighter and X-Wing spaceships. Suitable for ages eight and above, Bandai introduces Plannosaurus, a brand-new line of constructible dinosaur kits based on real scientific research. Build-ityourself modelling fans can also get creative with Hornby’s latest Airfix launches, including the 1:72 RNLI Shannon Class Lifeboat.

Always looking for new ways to engage its audience, this year sees Cobi sponsor several family friendly festivals including We Have Ways Fest 2024 and Norfolk Tank Museum’s Armourfest 2024. The aim is that the sponsorship enhances Cobi’s brand awareness and increases sales within the museum/retailer/festival it’s working with - and that this ultimately disseminates into the wider audience. As a smaller construction brand in a category dominated by one or two major players, Lee Crocker, country manager UK & Ireland for Cobi, feels strongly that the indie sector has a major role to play in the success of smaller brand - and vice versa. “I believe that the independent market is very important, and that smaller, up-and-coming brands and independent retailers should be working together to ensure that everyone benefits,” he explains. “Yes, it is difficult

At the Toymaster May Show, Plus-Plus unveiled a striking new packaging playbook which Claire says injects more excitement and fun into the brand’s aesthetics. “The bright, eye-popping ombre effect on the packaging is designed to get our ‘freedom of play’ story across to the consumer,” she says. “We also want to convey that Plus-Plus is an oasis of colour. With over 55 colours in the range, there is a wide spectrum of tones to explore. We’ve enjoyed a very positive response to the new packaging design and, interestingly, retailers have fed back that it will stand out amongst other brands on shelf in the Construction aisle, as well as work equally well in the Creative Play/Arts & Crafts aisle.”

In addition to new 2024 launches discussed thus far, it’s worth noting that Vivid Goliath is introducing a brand-new range to the construction sector this year, suitable for the youngest of builders. Combining construction fun with tactile and sensory exploration, Jelly Blox are filled with an array of squishable, squeezable, squashable pieces. Toy World was lucky enough to see these first hand at

When it comes to retail support for stockists, our contributors all see the value of providing ways for kids and families to get hands-on with their construction ranges while in the toy store. Connetix says it is working to create play experience zones within its core retail partners, providing families an opportunity to discover the fun of Connetix together before they go home, while Cobi is trialling play days with free demo product in a selection of its stockists. Alongside its standard POS solutions (posters, shelf strips etc.) Cobi has also started rolling out display models to stores, and later in the year will be introducing light boxes and window display POS to build awareness and help entice customers in off the street.

Plus-Plus, meanwhile, is expanding its demo event programme for 2024 following strong retail uptake. Claire says the programme connect more kids to the joys of playing freely with Plus-Plus. “Demo ‘play day’ boxes and demo days supported by trained demonstrators helps to drive footfall to store and our Easter, summer, and Spooky Season themed play events have been particularly popular,” she enthuses. “We provide printed and digital event posters to draw customers into store on the demo days - and feedback shows that this is leading to increased sales on the day and repeat buys thereafter. All retail partners receive a box of free sample bags to giveaway to customers: Plus-Plus for 5+ or Plus-Plus Big for 10 months and above.”

She adds: “Our most popular and productive merchandise unit, the spinner display stand of assorted tubes, incorporates a tray table of mixed colour loose pieces, offering kids the opportunity to get hands on and enjoy the tactile Plus-Plus open play experience. Ultimately, we aim to extend a warm welcome to all customers who want to build on their retail success with Plus-Plus.”

Over the coming pages, Toy World breaks down the Construction category’s newest launches from the sector’s most model suppliers.

Construction Toys

Connetix Tiles

07718 091 489 (Glenn, global head of Sales) or 07803 877 158 (Steve, sales manager Europe & UK) www.connetixtiles.com | wholesale@connetixtiles.com

Connetix is driving creativity and inspiring new directions in magnetic tile play with the introduction of the much-anticipated Road range this August. Debuting a sleek black shade tile and an exciting selection of shapes designed with roads in mind, including quarter circles, arches, intersections and ramps, this range has been designed to fuel endless construction adventures.

Showcasing the signature strong Connetix magnets with multiple connection points throughout each tile, including the curved edges, this range offers limitless vertical and 3D build possibilities. Budding engineers and city planners will be inspired to create an urban utopia with bridges, tall steeples, busy overpasses and decorative arches, the ultimate small world play for all ages.

The versatile black shade tile enhances the visuals for roads, ramps and runways, while the exclusion of white lines and road markings maintains the open-ended nature intended by Connetix products, allowing children to reimagine pieces in a way that suits their own builds. Offering endless opportunities for exploration and discovery, this range will nurture children’s developmental skills and broaden their knowledge of a wide range of STEAM learning concepts, from magnetism to gravity and motion, shape, light refractions and much more.

The Connetix 48-Piece Roads Creative pack is a perfect standalone pack that invites children to lay the foundations of varied road configurations, build tunnels and ramps, and elevate their architectural designs. Reflecting the company’s passion for extending the scope of play, the Connetix 16-Piece Roads, Ramps & Intersections pack has been included in this range. Sturdy short and long ramps open up the possibility of building skateparks, racetracks, ball-runs and even rollercoasters. Both packs are entirely compatible with the existing Connetix range as well as other leading magnetic tile brands, allowing road-inspired fun to be seamlessly added to much-loved collections.

Designed with safety and durability at the forefront, Connetix tiles are manufactured with enhanced safety features and a unique bevel design to create bigger builds with beautiful clear refractions.

The GraviTrax interactive marble run system from Ravensburger continues to grow and encourage new fans to 'Build Beyond the Usual' as they design and construct their own tracks. The final quarter of 2024 sees the GraviTrax universe expand, taking the action to a galaxy far, far away with the launch of the GraviTrax Action Set: Death Star. The launch marks the first licensed GraviTrax offering to be available for fans in the UK and Republic of Ireland. The Star Wars franchise's incredible ships, space stations and characters have been transformed into a GraviTrax set that combines the unlimited fun and creativity GraviTraxers love with the look and feel of this iconic outer-space world.

The GraviTrax Action Set: Death Star includes over 200 components, enabling players to construct unique, intergalactic adventures however they choose by combining track pieces, tiles and action elements as well as exciting flourishes such as TIE Fighter and X-Wing Fighter spaceships. Instead of the familiar white and green of the GraviTrax system, this time, black base plates are pieced together to form a huge Death Star space station over 80cm in diameter, upon which the marble run action can play out. The action can reach new heights with levels inspired by the Star Destroyer and Millennium Falcon ships. The marbles have also been etched with iconic characters, such as Darth Vader.

Like all sets, GraviTrax Action Set: Death Star is compatible with other sets in the GraviTrax system, enabling fans to build and expand their tracks however they choose. Recent additions to the system include GraviTrax Go sets. These compact sets, which each have around 35 components, provide a self-contained introduction to the world of GraviTrax. They also come complete with a selection of 'mini challenges' to inspire children to make the most of their growing track construction skills. Two GraviTrax Go editions are available: GraviTrax Go Flexible and GraviTrax Go Explosive.

Ravensburger will support GraviTrax with an extensive marketing programme that includes digital, PR and experiential activity that promises to further grow the fan base of this multi-award-winning track construction brand.

•Everything needed in one box: the kit, paint, glue and brush

•Designed with the beginner in mind from the outset

•Wide array of choice, modern supercars, classic cars, military vehicles and aircraft

•Tough enough to be a toy, or smart enough to display!

•Complete with stands, stickers and rolling wheels

Construction Toys

Melissa &

Doug

0800 731 0578 | www.melissaanddoug.com | service@melissaanddoug.com

Melissa & Doug’s timeless Wood Blocks set includes 100 pieces in four colours and nine shapes. Perfect for little builders aged three and up, these blocks are easy to grasp and smooth to the touch. Children can stack, build and knock down their colourful creations, all while developing fine motor skills, dexterity, colour and shape recognition, and early maths concepts. The simplicity of these wooden blocks allows for boundless creativity, making them a staple in any playroom.

Perfect for small engineers with big imaginations, the Construction Building Set in a Box includes 48 wooden pieces including a child-sized screwdriver and comes in a sturdy storage box with printed building plans to inspire creative construction. As children tinker and build, they will enhance their fine motor skills, problem-solving abilities and hand-eye coordination. The included extension activities help parents integrate early maths skills into playtime, making this set both educational and entertaining.

Vivid Goliath

One For Fun

01416 132 525 | www.oneforfun.com | sales@oneforfun.com

New designs are available within Tobar’s Pocket Builds range. These fun and creative eggs are the perfect way to get kids building and using their imaginations. Each egg contains a variety of colourful building blocks in different shapes and sizes, all of which can be combined to create new shapes and designs. With these building blocks, kids can construct anything their imagination can dream up and the compact size of the eggs makes them perfect for on-the-go fun, so budding builders can bring their creativity with them wherever they go. Retailing at pocket money prices, the eggs offer cracking play value.

01483 449 944 | www.vividtoysandgames.co.uk

Catering to a gap in the Infant Toys market for construction play, Jelly Blox is a patent-pending, unique and imaginative toddler-friendly building system offering soft, safe sensory play.

The range offers inquisitive pre-schoolers the chance to explore, assemble and squeeze their Jelly Blox as they discover this unique building system. The only blocks that bend the rules, crafted to aid developmental milestones through tactile, sensory play, the squishy, stretchy Jelly Blox deliver jiggly construction fun and are filled with exciting materials including sand, foam balls, mini stars and mini bricks for added sensory enjoyment.

The range starts with the entry price point Newbie Kit and also comprises the Creative Kit, the Stash and Stack 2-in-1 Storage Case, and the Vroom Truck Kit.

Also from Vivid Goliath, Woodworx is an FCA-compliant range of wooden construction kits allowing younger DIY fans to build and paint their own wooden vehicles, animals or jewellery boxes. With a 17-year track record in Australia and over 2m packs sold worldwide, Woodworx targets kids 5-12. Each kit comes with everything needed to assemble, glue and paint a masterpiece. The impulse range is available at a great pick-up and gifting price point, and includes a Stationery Holder, Racing Car or Mini Jet Plane project. Suitable for construction masters, the higher-priced range includes more wooden pieces so kids can complete a Jewellery Box or Jet Fighter, amongst other vehicles.

Commotion is now distributing PolarB toys! PolarB combines smart design and sustainable materials with soft colours and classic features, to create timeless educational toys that encourage early childhood development.

For information about becoming a PolarB reseller visit: www.commotion.co.uk | info@commotion.co.uk

Construction Toys

Mattel

01628 500 000 | www.mattel.com

Mega continues to expand its fan-favourite Pokémon line with the Mega Pokémon Training Stadium. Trainers can build the stadium, use the built-in launchers to hurl their Pokémon in the arena, then turn the crank to see the audience cheer. This set includes a board to keep score, a Poké Ball station and five buildable Pokemon; Pikachu, Machop, Eevee, Fuecoco and Hawlucha.

Ideal for collectors or builders aged 13+ years, the Mega Pokémon Kanto Region Pokédex is both a rewarding building experience and a showstopping display piece. Kids can press the light brick to light up their Pokédex for an authentic look and select one of the five interchangeable Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle and Eevee lenticular cards to display.

Mega Pokémon also adds newness to its Pokémon Pixel Art building segment with Bulbasaur Pixel Art and Squirtle Pixel Art sets.

Basic Fun!

01189 253 270 | www.basicfun.com | bfuk@basicfun.com

Basic Fun! UK’s K’Nex Classics range offers kids aged 5-99 a fun building challenge, and there’s a new assortment of K’Nex Racers joining the lineup for autumn/winter. The new SKU has an attractive sub-£5 price point, putting the brand into the hands of pocket money spenders whilst also offering parents a great new stocking filler choice. Each vehicle build comes in a large tyre that serves as a storage tub: kids can collect all four to create a mega build, using the wheels to create big tyre designs.

The K'Nex K'Nexosaurus Motorised Building Set creates dinosaur structures that can move, thanks to the battery-powered motor. Children can construct two builds in one: the K'Nexosaurus Rex and Megasaurus.

Combining the thrill of rollercoasters with the evergreen fun of marbles, the K’Nex 3-in-1 Marble Run with Motor Set lets kids build a fully functional marble coaster. Perfect for all skill levels, from beginner to pro, construction fans can build the coaster using the 500+ pieces and three template builds before hooking it up to the working motor and watching it come to life with awesome movements and chain reactions.

Ideal for even the youngest of builders, the Kid K’Nex subcategory is an evergreen performer in the pre-school aisle. The 62-piece Kid K’Nex Farming Friends is one of the newest additions to the range, bringing youngsters 20 farm-themed models to build including a scarecrow, chicken, barn and more.

Simbrix, which invites kids to create their very own pixel art, has enjoyed a strong 12 months since launch. The collection is expanding for autumn/winter 2024 to allow fans to continue to get their ‘brix fix’ by simply interlocking Simbrix to construct amazing 2D and 3D designs. Now a brand of choice for many creative families, thanks to its fun and open-ended, mess-free play pattern, the Simbrix collection comprises a range of formats across various attractive price points. Entering the second half of the year, Character is adding to popular existing SKUs with new themes, including the Gamer Quest Starter Pack and the Jungle Party Theme Pack, as well as other new items.

Following demands by many of the consumers that engage with the brand on social media, new Colour Mix Tubes - joining the line-up for autumn - will allow creativity to expand outside of the available themes. Each Colour Mix Tube contains a selection of colours, letting fans of the brand add to their collections and further expand their imaginations. Another exciting development for the range is the introduction of new Big Build Sets, with Dragon and Koala themed packs to choose from. These packs can be used to make decorative wall art that can be easily displayed.

Construction Toys

Plus-Plus

0333 050 0144 | www.plus-plus.com | info.uk@plus-plus.com

The Plus-Plus ethos is to inspire children of any age or ability to get creative and let their imagination lead the way as they build. A restriction-free voyage of Plus-Plus discovery, combined with trial and error, can lead to some amazingly creative designs, whether 2D or 3D, large or small, giving young constructors a sense of achievement and the encouragement needed to attempt more intricate builds.

Magna-Tiles

www.magnatiles.com | international@magnatiles.com

The Plus-Plus Learn to Build sets encourage new and experienced creators alike to explore open-ended play using either their own imagination or the guidebooks provided. The new Colorverse set is the ultimate in open-ended play inspiration, containing 1,000 pieces of regular Plus-Plus in 17 different colours as well as six baseplates and 10 wheels, offering endless ways to create mesmerising flat mosaics or impressive 3D designs. Creators can derive inspiration from the included pro-builder tricks and tips before diving in to create their very own colour universe builds.

The popular Puzzle by Number range continues to delight children with its easy-to-follow template, which lets kids create impressive mosaics strong enough to be hung and displayed. New for autumn 2024 are two new colourful characters to build: Kitten and Puppy. Both contain 500 pieces and a template.

With a multitude of colourful and character-based tubes to collect, the Plus-Plus range offers something for everyone. New colourways – Pearl, Spooky and Treasure - are now available in 100-piece and 240-piece tubes, while Pumpkin Spice will be available in 240-pieces, perfect for the autumn and Halloween season. Several new Character tubes will be available in the second half of the year: Everyday Heroes and the Nordic Heritage collection will be joined by the mythical Wizard, Ninja, Gnome and Ogre 100-piece tubes.

The Inspired By series will appeal strongly to adults. Developed to encourage observation, admiration and creativity, the six tubes in the launch range are based on the inspirational designs of some of the world’s most iconic and well-known artists. Each tube, which doubles as a re-useable display container, holds 350 pieces of Plus-Plus in a unique colour palette, reflecting the work of the artist in question along with an inspirational flyer about them and their work. Consumers can already choose from Monet, Hokusai, Mondrian and Klimt, while new for 2024 are the popular Van Gogh Sunflowers and Frida Kahlo’s The Frame. Following great success last year, the Christmas seasonal item assortment will be expanded to include a new 600-piece Advent Calendar and Puzzle by Number 500-piece Christmas Wreath. The latter can be customised with colourful ornaments and candy canes, before being hung where it can welcome guests to any home at Christmas.

Magna-Tiles describes itself as ‘the original magnetic construction brand’ and was born in the classroom in 1997. Ranking as America’s No. 1 Magnetic Building Sets Brand, Magna-Tiles is reinforcing its commitment to providing ‘Meaningful Play’ experiences to children everywhere. The Meaningful Play ethos aims to inspire young minds and helps kids develop skills they’ll use in everyday life; something the company says sets construction toys apart from the rest of the toy box.

This year, Magna-Tiles is inspiring kids everywhere to build more and let their imaginations soar. The Magna-Tiles Space Set is tipped to be a top toy this holiday season, inviting kids to blast off on a STEAM-centric adventure to the stars. The set includes the first-of-its-kind Shuttle, which conveniently acts as storage for all the pieces once play is over, a unique Astronaut figure and new MicroMags pieces for an enhanced, imaginative play experience.

With the Magna-Tiles Castle sets, fairytale dreams can come true. Kids can step into a world of magnetic wonder and enchantment with glitter tiles, the first-ever balcony and spiral staircase, a working drawbridge, and an exclusive magical dragon figure. The Castle DLX Set also contains smaller MicroMags pieces for more detailed builds, which is sure to be a hit with long-time fans.

Perfect for budding builders, the Magna-Tiles Builder XL set is a follow-up to the company’s fan-favourite set and invites kids into a world of super-size construction fun. This set includes an array of interchangeable pieces including colourful Cabs, extending Cranes and detachable Plough pieces so kids can create their own construction vehicles. Everything in this set works together to create extra-large, soaring structures.

For the builder on-the-go, The Magna-Tiles MicroMags line is the next evolution in magnetic building. Proving that good things come in small packages, t he metal tin packaging not only offers convenient storage but also serves as a baseplate for building. The smaller pieces are great to play with and provide added details to

they are 100% compatible with every Magna-Tiles piece that has come before, meaning kids can easily work them into their current

kids’ existing Magna-Tiles builds.

Magna-Tiles collection.

Construction Toys

Cobi

07584 858 978 | l.crocker@cobitoys.co.uk

Following the May 2024 announcement that Cobi had signed a prestigious licencing agreement with the German automotive giant Volkswagen, the starting grid at Cobi is beginning to hot up.

Hot on VW’s tail is the Lancia Delta HF range. This legendary Group A rally car was built to compete in the World Rally Championships and dominated the event, winning 46 victories overall and the Constructors’ Championship a record six times in a row between 1987 – 1992. Bringing rally racing fans a new way to show their love of the sport, Cobi has produced construction sets based on two of these formidable sports cars in 1:35 scale.

The compact Lancia Delta HF Integrale won the hearts of motoring enthusiasts thanks to its performance, quality and design. Powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine, the Lancia Delta HF Integrale offered massive power and all-wheel drive, which ensured excellent driving characteristics and road grip. Today, the Lancia Delta HF Integrale remains a cult car, loved by collectors and classic enthusiasts alike who appreciate its performance, history and unique style. Cobi’s Lancia Delta HF Integrale set comprises 63-pieces, including special pad-printed sections offering impressive graphics and vibrant colour that won’t fade or peel off.

The Lancia Delta HF is distinguished by its distinctive, aerodynamic design, aggressive front air intake and unmistakable rear, and was equipped with a turbocharged petrol engine ranging from 130 to 165 horsepower. Cobi’s Lancia Delta HF set comes with 61-pieces.

Italian luxury brand Maserati, established in December 1914, is based in Modena and has produced luxury personal and racing cars for over 110 years. Steeped in history and once part of Ferrari, Maserati has grown to become a challenger in this market. Cobi has developed several Maserati construction models in 1:35 and 1:12 scale.

In the 1:35 scale are the Gran Turismo Modena and Gran Cabrio (both 97 pieces), the 106-piece Levante Trofeo and 105-piece Ghibli Hybrid. Perfect for more hardcore collectors of this brand, Cobi has also developed several highly detailed models in 1:12 scale, including the MC20 Cielo Executive Edition, consisting of 2,312 pieces, and the 2,115-piece MC20 Cielo. The MC20 Executive Edition has 2,468 pieces and the MC20 has 2,269 piece.

Waiting in the wings is another Italian brand. Launching in August 2024, the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio (Italian for four leaf clover) is a high-performance vehicle capable of going from 0-62mph in 3.9 seconds and reaching a top speed of 191mph. Cobi is introducing three 100-piece 1:35 scaled models in Montreal Green and Alfa Red, as well as the official Italian Polizia version.

Bandai UK

020 8324 6160 | www.bandai.co.uk | sales@bandai.co.uk

Nanoblock is the original micro-sized building block brand, featuring a comprehensive line of miniature construction sets known for their detailed builds. With pieces as small as 4mm, construction fans can enjoy an intricate model building experience. Popular themes include landmarks, animals and musical instruments, as well as licensed IPs such as Pokémon, Kirby, Sanrio and various anime characters. These sets offer a challenging and engaging experience for both children and adults alike, emphasising precision and creativity. Despite their intricacy, Nanoblock sets are pocket-money friendly and come with over 100 pieces per set. Their small size also ensures they don't take up much desk or shelf space, making them highly collectible and easy to display.

Bandai UK’s Hobby division includes the Gunpla model kits, based on the mecha machinery and characters from the Gundam franchise. With different grades of complexity to suit everyone, from beginners to experts, the snap-fix model kits include SD Gundam non-scale ‘Chibi’ versions; High Grade 1/144 scale models with more articulation and detail; and Master Grade highly detailed 1/100 scale versions of Gundam, some of which even accommodate LED lights and hydraulics.

Figure-Rise, another construction kit range from Bandai UK’s hobby division, allows enthusiasts to build their own fully articulated characters. Originally featuring Dragon Ball characters, the popularity of the line has seen the addition of new anime franchises including Digimon, Kamen Rider and Ultraman.

Bandai recently introduced a new line of constructible dinosaur kits with its Plannosaurus series. Based on actual scientific research, users build each dinosaur from the skeleton up and will learn about the anatomy of each species while assembling the model. Suitable for ages eight and above, Plannosaurus is suitable for all model-

Construction Toys

Smart Toys and Games

01903 885 669 | www.smartgames.eu | uk@smart.be

SmartMax is an award-winning pre-school magnetic construction system which provides children aged one year and over with the chance to explore the fascinating world of magnetism in a fun and safe way. New for 2024, Smart Toys and Games is introducing two new SmartMax sets to its everexpanding portfolio, both of which are sure to have little ones constructing in no time.

Launching this autumn is the highly anticipated My First Explorers set. My First Explorers is a magnetic play set that seamlessly integrates into the SmartMax universe, inviting kids to mix & match the car, plane and rocket to create a unique set of vehicles. The different parts of the vehicles magnetically attach to the signature SmartMax bars, stimulating creative and imaginative play as the vehicle is piloted by one of the funny-faced balls. My First Explorers sparks imagination and fine motor skills and encourages hand-eye coordination.

Another new arrival for 2024 is My First Stacking Rings, which lets kids experience stacking and balancing like never before. With engaging play mechanics, this open-ended magnetic discovery set allows children to create funnylooking figures that balance, wiggle and wobble to their hearts’ content. Ideal for children aged 1.5-5 years of age, My First Stacking Rings are great for nurturing motor skills and imagination, sparking boundless creativity. The magnetic rings split in half and connect in quirky ways, bringing these fun figures to life, while the dual-sided base introduces a delightful wobble, adding an extra layer of excitement and challenge to children’s creations. Designed to develop handeye coordination, balance and fine motor skills, this vibrant play set seamlessly integrates with other SmartMax sets.

The popularity of SmartMax's recently launched My First Build & Drive continues to grow, with the creative toy taking home a trio of awards this year at the Loved by Parents Awards. SmartMax’s My First Build & Drive takes kids on a creative journey. A 2-in-1 play set, toddlers as young as 18 months can simply build and play, while pre-schoolers from the age of 2-5 can increase their skills as they try to build one of the constructions shown on the 24 picture challenge cards. The enchanting set gives kids the chance to learn all about magnetism, colours, shapes, angles and concepts such as above, below, up and under. Like all products from SmartMax, this set can be combined with all other SmartMax sets and develops fine motor skills, balance and fantasy, providing hours of fun, educational play.

Hornby Airfix

01843 233 500 | www.uk.airfix.com | sales@hornby.com

Airfix continues to chart new territories in 2024 with an array of products and popular licences. Within the dynamic world of modelling, Airfix allows constructors to assemble, paint and recreate icons in miniature.

Designed with the beginner in mind, Airfix Starter Sets have become increasingly popular, and the 1:72 RNLI Shannon Class Lifeboat is the most pre-ordered kit since the range announcement in January. The appeal lies is in its lifelike design, allowing children aged eight and above to recreate the vessel in miniature, and also learn about the important mission of the RNLI, providing playful education and construction all in one. Airfix Starter Sets present an opportunity for retail partners to capitalise on. The Lifeboat joins a wide range of Starter Sets, all designed with beginners in mind, with paints, glue and a brush included. The sets serve as an introduction to scale modelling, leading children and families through each step of the model assembly process.

The award-winning Quickbuild range now features its first to scale tanks with moving tracks, including the Tiger I and Sherman Firefly. Quickbuild offers a brick-based, glue-free alternative to traditional scale modelling, specifically designed for children aged six and above, with easy-to-follow instructions and parts that easily fit together.

Regardless of skill level, Airfix kits provide hours of entertainment and have proven to help children develop essential cognitive skills such as concentration, fine motor control and dexterity. Engaging in this hobby encourages screen-free time and fosters bonding between parents, guardians and siblings.

Airfix continues to amplify its marketing efforts, orchestrating targeted campaigns aimed at driving awareness and sales for its trade partners. Leveraging a blend of digital platforms, events and strategic partnerships, Airfix ensures that its products remain at the forefront of consumers' minds, fostering a promising ecosystem for retailers to thrive in.

Acknowledging the pivotal role of its trade partners, Airfix remains committed to providing support through its dedicated sales team and timely communication channels, as well as giving retailers real-time insights into product availability and shipping options to meet the demands of consumers.

Construction Toys

The Lego Group

The Lego Group and Universal Products & Experiences are bringing to life four new Lego Wicked sets featuring mini figures. The musical phenomenon is becoming a two-part gravity-defying cinematic event, and excitement is hotting up as the first Wicked film is set to arrive in theatres on 27th November, with the second debuting in autumn 2025. To celebrate, the Lego Group is introducing four sets inspired by the first film in October, allowing fans to delve deeper into some of the most iconic scenes straight out of Oz as they explore core themes, characters and songs from the upcoming film.

The latest addition to the Lego Icons range is the Lamborghini Countach 5000 Quattrovalvole. This set lets collectors and car enthusiasts build a unique piece of sports car history that mirrors the original luxury and technology of Lamborghini in brick form. Builders can delve into the realm of automotive excellence with the Lamborghini Countach 5000 Quattrovalvole’s array of authentic features, including a detailed cockpit, working steering, trunk and rear hood, plus a detailed V12 engine. The Lego Icons Lamborghini Countach 5000 Quattrovalvole is available now.

Lego Dreamzzz: Night of the Never Witch episodes are now available to stream on Lego YouTube, with a further 10 episodes to follow in September. This season features a new villain, the Never Witch, who is threatening to steal memories and disrupt the fragile harmony between the dream world and waking world. The fate of the entire dream world is on the line as the Never Witch begins her master spell to end dreaming forever, and only the dream chasers can stop her. Celebrating the new series, the Lego Group has released nine new Lego Dreamzzz sets that encourage children to bring their wildest dreams to life, including Cooper’s Robot Dinosaur C-rex, the Never Witch’s Midnight Raven and the Mateo and Z-Blob the Knight Battle Mech.

01604 678 780 | www.patavenue.co.uk enquiries@patavenue.co.uk

As the exclusive UK & Ireland distributor of Hama, Pat Avenue will continue to offer a creative challenge for all in 2024. New licensed and unlicensed lines will be introduced for all budgets, including the Gabby's Dollhouse Large Hama Set. This 4,000-bead set lets children create Gabby designs with pegboards and string beads to make a kitty headband.

The Hama 10,000 Beads & 5 Pegboards Bucket Set comes with everything needed to create flower, animal or car designs and more, plus a handy storage bucket, while My First Hama introduces kids to Maxi Beads. Kids can place the transparent pegboard over their design and build directly over it, making it easier to replicate.

Engino

www.engino.com | uksales@engino.com

2024 marks Engino’s 20th anniversary. To celebrate, the development team behind Engino’s innovative toy system is launching the latest evolution in STEM constructional toys - the unique Makerspace series - which combines Arts & Crafts, hybrid plastic connectors and wooden surfaces.

This new line launches with four sub-£20 entry-level sets, each of which offer the best of both worlds to builders: the traditional warmth of wood with the precision technology of plastic engineering. Whether kids are building a hydraulic robotic arm, a revolving earth model, an exploration ship or a pull-back motorised race car, they will enjoy every minute of crafting, drawing and playing with these sets.

As well as the new Makerspace series, Engino has pushed the boundaries to further develop its current best-selling sets. The unique building system grows with kids from the age of 1.5-14+ years and is designed with a progressive complexity that can be self-adjusted by each child, depending on their age, dexterity skills and spatial perception.

Revamped traditional lines for Qboidz (3+ years), Creative Builder (6+ years) and Discovering STEM (9+ years) have been enhanced with extra models, more interactive digital content and a modern new packaging design that makes them stand out on-shelf, providing excellent value for money.

Engino is one of very few toy brands to be designed and manufactured exclusively in Europe. With its strict quality control and consistent innovation, Engino’s technology ecosystem continues to empower the next generation of inventors, scientists and engineers. With products ranging from simple, creative builds for curious, young minds through to advanced mechanical and robotic models for teens, the company aspires to offer a product suitable for every child and every pocket.

Feature Gadgets and aplentygizmos

Tech Toys, Gadgets & Accessories

Catering to the current generation of technology-driven kids and constant changes in the digital landscape, toy companies are standing out in different ways to appeal to kids and kidults with the latest must-have gadgets and Tech toys. Marianna Casal spoke with leading suppliers and distributors to find out what’s trending.

he Tech toy supplier base incorporates many companies looking to come up with a product to cut through in this ever-changing and addictive category. Each player is striving to create the big festive hit, as we have seen in recent years with the likes of Furby, Bitzee and Tamagotchi, all of which are still going strong in 2024. Hot new launches to keep an eye on this year include Wow! Stuff’s Real FX Interactive Stitch, Character’s Purro, Wicked Vision’s Vodiac and, of course, the new iterations of Spin Master’s Bitzee –Disney Bitzee and Bitzee Magicals. Of course, one of the major challenges in the Tech Toys category is for suppliers and retailers to achieve the right balance between sales volumes, retail price and margin. It’s a delicate juggling act, with each factor potentially having a significant impact

on the others. As festive sales kick into gear, the retail price of high-profile items – often Tech-related lines – comes under fierce scrutiny, and we regularly see a ‘trigger-happy’ retailer reducing the price of a hot line, perhaps because they’re nervous of the level of stock being held, or maybe due to not wanting to be left with any excess stock of a highpriced item after Christmas.

That fragile balancing act – coupled with the economic headwinds faced by UK consumers in recent years – is arguably one of the reasons why suppliers have worked incredibly hard to deliver cutting edge tech at a much more affordable price. Bitzee was the prime example of that approach last year – a hot toy selling at just over £30, it held its price because it was extremely competitive to start with, and because it was selling in high volume without the need for price reductions.

This year sees a number of toy companies getting behind the digital pet category, blending the Tech which kids love with the keen price points that drive volume sales. Bandai has evolved the classic Tamagotchi to offer a range of devices targeting a cross-demographic of ages and interests, and recently announced the reintroduction of its best-selling Tamagotchi Connection as a response to fan demand. Following the success of Bitzee and the new introductions coming, as mentioned above, Spin Master

has also just released Punirunes, a digital pet with a novel tactile element. Already a hit in Japan, kids can place their finger inside the Punirunes toy to find a squishy button that responds to touch; the LED colour display mirrors the movement on screen, as if they were really touching the Punirunes character. Meanwhile, Ancory’s line up of 90s-inspired virtual pets offers a variety of characters, each offering distinct traits and interactive elements, ensuring that every child can find a pet that resonates with them.

There are also plenty of new Tech launches that aren’t screen-based: Teksta Purro, from Character Options, is an interactive kitten with impressive functionality. Without the need for apps, Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, she can move around avoiding obstacles, dance to music, chase her mouse and respond to petting thanks to her haptic touch sensors. Meanwhile Pixel Hugs from Pat Avenue are interactive puppies that can be petted and fed, as long as their owners don’t object to a little flatulence.

Technological wizardry has also been employed to create larger, and potentially more lifelike ‘pets’. Zuru’s Mama Duck Surprise and Magic Bunnies have joined the Pets Alive portfolio: as well as watching Mama Duck walk and waddle just like the real thing, kids can pop open the eggs hidden in her basket to reveal how many ducklings are in her brood, and there are three Magic

Feature Tech Toys, Gadgets & Accessories

Bunny characters to collect. Wow! Stuff has just launched the hotly anticipated Real FX Disney Stitch with more than 100 action and sound combinations, plus touch-sensitive sound activations, to give a truly realistic play experience. Meanwhile other players are designing products to complement leading tech brands and platforms. In the dynamic world of gaming, Maxx Tech, distributed by Contact Sales, introduces innovation as it bridges the gap between tech and toys with Nintendo Switch peripherals, bringing fun and excitement to gamers of all ages. The team at Maxx Tech pride themselves on the quality and the uniqueness of the designs and work closely with manufacturers to meet the exacting standards of consumers.

“Dedicated gamers in the team at Maxx Tech understand that the right accessories can transform your gaming sessions, elevating them from ordinary to extraordinary. Our unique products are designed with the gamer in mind, ensuring that each accessory not only enhances gameplay but also adds a creative touch. Each one is specially designed around the theme and style of the game included in each Nintendo Switch Bundle Kit. From the fun of duck themed blasters to an LED mini racing wheel, you will find something for everyone in the Maxx Tech range,” said head of Product Development, Will Denton.

“I am passionate about creating peripherals that are not only functional but also add a fun element to the gaming experience.”

EXG Pro also offers a host of accessories to complement Tech, such as Holdems, which hold earbuds, phones, watches, keys, pens and more whilst paying homage to favourite

characters. A second wave coming soon will see SpongeBob, Squid Game and Nightmare Before Christmas joining the range. The company has introduced even more tech innovation with its latest introduction, Digiplates: innovative collectible metal cards. Scanning the cards unlocks AR and other digital experiences, and they are displayed on a Digistand. EXG says that using AR technology enables it to extend the lifespan of its products.

Despite the term “Tech” evoking thoughts of the use of screens, innovation in digital toys is not always visual, and in some cases appeals to parents actually looking for ways to reduce their children’s screen time, so they can find joy in imagination. Tonies, with its cutting-edge Toniebox, has given parents a great option to mix story time with tech while keeping eyes off screens. With detailed Tonies characters that are placed on the Toniebox to generate the matching story, the range has grown to have collectible appeal and added interaction.

The Tonies team is constantly reading, watching and listening to content in order to find the next big thing for their young listeners. Being aware of trends across TV, YouTube, children’s publishing, films, gaming and within the wider toy space is one of the company’s main objectives, so it can deliver the best stories to capture little ones’ interests. From well-known characters such as Blippi, Paddington, and a whole host of Disney Tonies, to popular kids’ stories such as The Very Hungry Caterpillar, the range has been designed to offer something for everyone.

From investing in high quality point of sale materials to developing bespoke online marketing assets, Tonies works closely with its retail partners to ensure that they have everything they need to successfully display and promote the Tonies brand. The company recently launched a pop-up in Selfridges Birmingham and Manchester, and is always keen to discuss new opportunities with retail partners.

Technology in all its forms can also be a wonderful tool to help kids learn new skills or teach them new things in an engaging and fun way.

VTech is one of the leading suppliers which incorporates educational features into its gadgets. Its most recent best-sellers are from its Kidizoom range, particularly the Kidizoom Duo FX, a feature-packed camera, and the Kidizoom Smart Watch Max. Parents and children find the products attractive for their durability and engaging

The Duo FX’s robust build and interactive games promote creativity and cognitive development, while its simple interface ensures ease of use. The Smart Watch Max stands out with its multifunctionality, including dual-cameras, educational games and communication features. Both products offer parental controls, ensuring a safe tech experience for kids, making the products appealing and distinctive in the tech market. To appeal to cautious parents even further, features promoting physical activity encourage a balanced tech experience.

As the No. 1 Youth Electronics Manufacturer (Circana, Full Year 2023, Value), VTech’s team of product developers is constantly monitoring trends across both the children and adult tech markets. VTech has a rich history of harnessing adult tech trends and creating market leading children’s toys , and the company’s Kidizoom studio is another top seller for the company, providing a video camera, tripod and green screen to create special effects. Here, the technology enhances activities among friendsand ties in some role-play - perfect for those interested in digital creation or performance.

There is so much that can be offered in the tech space, from digital pets to robots to VR and gaming. The next few pages paint a picture of what’s being offered this year by some of the leading players in the category.

www.exgpro.com | info@exgpro.com

EXG Pro’s Digiplates are innovative metal cards that bring a unique blend of artistry and technology to consumers. Each package includes a versatile Digistand and three interchangeable, licensed Digiplates. Users scan these collectible cards to unlock augmented reality and other exciting digital experiences.

Crafted from premium zinc aluminium alloy, each Digiplate features intricate etchings and embossed details, providing a tactile and visually stunning experience. Each with a unique serial number, these plates are a must-have for any collector.

The Digistand is a mobile phone stand with deployable feet together with a kick stand with a unique Card Caddy slot, allowing users to effortlessly display any Digiplate. Its fold-flat design ensures portability and convenience, making it perfect for showcasing the plate anywhere.

As EXG looks to the future, by harnessing the power of AR technology, it aims to extend the lifespan of its products and offer captivating digital experiences. By scanning the QR code on the back and entering the serial number, users unlock a digital twin of their plate. They can also engage in fun online games and access exclusive content on specific days to claim additional rewards.

Tech Toys, Gadgets & Accessories

Learning Resources

01553 762 276 | www.learningresources.co.uk sales@learning-resources.co.uk

This year, two new coding toys join Learning Resources’ portfolio of innovative and award-winning robots. The first is the Space Rover and the second is a rechargeable version of the company’s best-selling Coding & Go Robot Mouse. Both products offer consumers a deluxe coding set complete with a themed robot and a kit of accessories which can be used to set up and carry out fun STEM challenges. To extend the play, a single version of the rover and mouse is also available and is sold separately. Each robot is completely screen-free. Instead, little hands press the four arrow direction buttons on the top to code their rover or mouse. All sets also include coding cards showing arrows that match these buttons; children use these to plan their code before programming their robots and running the code.

The Space Rover and Code & Go Robot Mouse join Learning Resources’ award-winning coding range which includes the Coding Critters, Coding Critters MagiCoders, Switcheroo Coding Crew, Botley 2.0 the Coding Robot, and Pyxel a Coder’s Best Friend, and more.

To grow brand awareness, Learning Resources runs an ongoing brand campaign. This includes digital advertising, social media marketing, influencer collaborations, PR and email marketing. The company also provides support to trade customers to help them market products via their retail channels.

Contact Sales

01869 338 833 | www.contact-sales.co.uk | enquiries@maxxtech.co.uk

The Maxx Tech range, available via Contact Sales, comprises over 30 products including accessories for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation, VR peripherals for Meta Quest and PSVR as well as racing wheels, headsets, joysticks and gaming accessories with various compatibilities across PC, Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo Switch. All offer superb value for money, punching well above their weight given their affordable price tags.

Duck Quack Shoot brings the fun of the fairground to the living room. The duck-themed play rifle holds two Joy-Con controllers whilst each player takes a turn to blast away at the ducks swimming across the screen. The duck-themed rifle has a cute duck face that looks like the ones most commonly seen in the bathtub.

Mad Bullets puts players in the middle of a comical wild west Billy the Kid style shoot out, with two revolvers and a downloadable game code for Nintendo Switch. There are a plethora of scenarios, missions and mini games to enjoy, as well as a damsel in distress to be rescued - if players can contain their laughter.

Tip Top Table Tennis comes with two table tennis bats to house the controllers in addition to a ball and an adjustable net, so players can enjoy the game for real with their friends or family. The game is delivered via download, as with all the Maxx Tech product bundles, and provides a truly realistic table tennis experience with both single and local multi-player options.

Turbo Boost Racing is a fun and fast paced racing experience with two LED racing wheels that light up as racers accelerate and brake. In either single player mode, or local multiplayer mode against a friend, racers can choose from 16 different vehicles, three game modes and 12 tracks. The vehicles and tracks are remarkably realistic.

Tracks Winter Wonderland, the original Tracks Toybox Edition, has stood the test of time with a number of DLC updates and continued product support. The Winter Wonderland pack is a great gifting option, not only for children but for other family members who love wooden trainsets. This new bundle comes in a set comprising a themed wooden train and characters that feature in the DLC accompanying the original game.

Feedingtime

eep time PLAY, DANCE, sing, ask questions?me PLAY, DANCE, sing, ask questions?me Ipurr with full vi bration!

Tech Toys, Gadgets & Accessories

Zuru introduces Mama Duck Surprise and Magic Bunnies to its Pets Alive portfolio, further strengthening the range of innovative plush robotic pets. With an award-winning strategy that combines the creation of accessible and affordable lines within the category, innovation around proven play patterns and added on-shelf theatre, the Pets Alive brand is currently the UK’s No. 1 property, YTD April, in Special Feature Plush (Circana).

Driving the category through theatre and value, the Pets Alive brand provides core play patterns while combining entertaining animatronics with cute, cuddly characters. A category first, Mama Duck Surprise incorporates innovative interactive capabilities and extended play. Users pop open Mama Duck’s eggs hidden in her basket to reveal surprises. Two ducklings are guaranteed in each batch of eggs, with the surprise element of finding more, including the rare golden duckling or accessories such as surprise yolk slime and cute stickers. Including over 10 realistic duck sounds, Mama Duck walks and waddles like the real thing.

The Pets Alive Magic Bunnies combine an interactive electronic plush and a surprise unboxing experience with magic. Children wave the star wand and enchanting lights and sounds awaken their magical assistant. The bunny's ears light up, as she casts magical spells, and when the bunny is pulled out of the hat, a pop of confetti will follow. With over 30 different interactive features and mysteries tucked away, including magical mini bunnies with individual tricks, there are three Magic Bunny characters to collect in black, white and pink colourways.

As the number one toy property in Robotic Pets (Circana), Robo Alive brings two new lines to its brand portfolio, tapping into evergreen themes to drive range growth. Featuring innovative technology, these affordable functioning robotic pets move and act like they are real and provide immediate impact and theatre on-shelf. Extending the Robo Alive Dino sub-range, Zuru’s new Dino Escape focuses on a story-based theme and play pattern, alongside featuring lights and sounds, and interactive vehicles and accessories to bring scenes to life. The new Robo Alive Great White Shark comes to life in water with Zuru’s advanced water-activated technology and articulated design, and features life-like movements and fierce glowing eyes.

VTech

01235 555 545 | www.vtech.co.uk

VTech Electronics has new additions to its Kidi range for 2024.

The Kidizoom Duo FX is designed to take creativity to the next level with dual cameras perfect for videos, selfies and group shots. It captures photos in up to eight megapixels and offers an array of features such as Cartoon Me effects, Funny Chin Puppet Show mode and My Avatar Creation. Additionally, it includes live AR filters, more than 20 fun games and activities and 75 photo and video effects, filters and frames. The built-in photo editor allows users to edit their photos effortlessly, whilst also supporting voice recording with funny effects. With panoramic photo capture and expandable storage via a microSD card (not included), the Kidizoom Duo FX ensures plenty of space for creativity. It features a micro-USB port for easy data transfer to a computer, a hand strap and parental controls to ensure a safe and controlled experience for kids.

The Kidizoom Smart Watch Max now boasts a larger screen and a landscape design, making it easier to capture wider photos. Key features include dual cameras ideal for videos, selfies and group shots, as well as over 50 clock faces to customise or create. The smartwatch offers eight fun games including reaction and puzzle games, along with a built-in pedometer, motion sensor and time-telling features. Kids can enjoy a Midi music player and secure two-player connection games with other Smart Watch Max users. With downloadable apps from the Learning Lodge, fun brain-builder activities and a built-in rechargeable battery, the Kidizoom Smart Watch Max is packed with educational and entertaining options. With parental controls, it also includes a micro-USB port for data transfer and charging (cable included), voice recording with funny effects, an alarm clock, timer and stopwatch, and a splash-proof design.

New for autumn/winter, the Kidi DJ Drums is a light-up electronic drum kit designed to make music creation fun for kids. It features four light-up drum rings and two cymbals, with included drumsticks. The Kidi DJ Drums includes built-in Bluetooth and a 3.5mm audio port, allowing users to drum along to their own music. With over ten drum set sounds and more than 25 built-in songs, the Kidi DJ Drums offer plenty of options for discovery and play. The Coach mode teaches kids how to play by following the lights, and the built-in microphone allows for recording fun drum sounds. Additionally, the drum kit includes three rhythm and timing games displayed on a backlit LCD screen.

All three products will have heavyweight media campaigns throughout the autumn/ winter period which will see advertising across both linear TV and digital channels.

Tech Toys, Gadgets & Accessories IMC Toys

01904 720 908 | www.imctoys.com | info.uk@imctoys.com

To celebrate the launch of the new season of Squid Game this year, IMC Toys will launch a range of Squid Game themed games aimed at the fan and kidult market later this year. Squid Game is a Netflix global cultural phenomenon, with over 265m views and ranked the No.1 show on the platform in 94 countries.

Heading up the new launches is the Young Hee Doll, which enables fans to recreate the iconic Red Light Green Light game that appears in the series. Featuring two movement sensors, rotating head, speaker that plays sounds from the show and unsettling red eyes, the Young Hee Doll immerses players in the unique Squid Game universe. To get started, players must activate Young Hee’s two movement sensors, and the game is on. When Young Hee sings, players must move towards her as quickly as they can, but they must freeze as soon as her head turns around. If players are still moving when her head turns, they are eliminated, and her eyes will light up. The winner is the player who reaches the Young Hee Doll and deactivates her without being noticed by pressing her head.

A further three SKUs will also launch in November, all based on recognisable challenges from the series. Players can choose from Tug of War, The Glass Tile Challenge or Squid Game, and each game comes with two exclusive figurines, dice, instructions and a mini game board, which is also suitable for display.

Tonies

www.tonies.com | sales@tonies.com

For Q3/Q4 Tonies is launching two completely new ranges: Clever Tonies and Book Tonies. As the brand’s original listeners are growing up, the company was inspired to create new Tonie collections that will appeal to an older age range. 88% of the Clever and Book Tonies will be for 5+ years, with many of the Book Tonies for children aged 7+ years.

The Clever Tonie ranges are focused on educational content to satisfy kids’ insatiable appetite for knowledge. Clever Tonies teach kids new things in fun ways. The company has worked with experts spanning a wide range of subjects to ensure the content is inspiring, topical and engaging. Experts include mathematician Rachel Riley, the National History Museum, Twinkl, Rebel Girls, Big Bright Feelings, Numberblocks and Alphablocks.

The Book Tonie range includes full length audiobook versions of classic kids’ books and new favourites. The range will feature stories from well-known authors including Tom Fletcher, David Walliams, Enid Blyton, Dav Pilkey, Adam Kay and more, with books for the 5-7+ age range. The Tonies brand has always been driven by a desire to inspire a love of literature in the early years. These audiobooks are perfect for parents wanting to reduce their kids’ screentime.

The new Clever and Book Tonies look completely different to the regular Tonies, as they have been created in a stackable design with collectible appeal. The added benefit of the new design for customers is that Tonies is able to offer these products at lower price points – £8.99 for singles and £19.99 for four-piece sets. This means parents can support their child’s learning and reading journey with affordable purchases made outside of traditional occasions such as birthdays and Christmas.

Simba Smoby

01620 674 778 | www.smobytoys.co.uk | sales@simbasmoby.com

Simba Smoby’s Jada Toys portfolio delivers two new tech toys this year based on popular Netflix show and movie, Wednesday RC Thing and Godzilla Vs Kong Walking RC.

With a second series of Wednesday on the cards, Jada has a cool range of items for the year. The Jada Wednesday RC Thing means the infamous disembodied hand comes to life, crawling across surfaces. At 18cm, Thing is instantly recognisable with its realistic design and creepy stitched detailing. With two channels, fans can control both speed and direction via the fun controller, making it the perfect prop to shoot fun Wednesday content with – and an amusing way to play pranks on unsuspecting victims.

The impressive Godzilla Vs Kong Walking RC Godzilla, from Jada, literally walks, and his tail and eyes light up. The figure’s atomic breath produces a cool effect, with the water vapour taking on a pink-tinged hue as light shines through it. The tail whip action, roars and stomp sounds serve to add to the excitement.

Tech Toys, Gadgets & Accessories

Character Options

0161 633 9800 | www.character-online.com | sales@charactergroup.plc.uk

Character’s portfolio will soon become home to Teksta Purro – the interactive kitten with impressive functionality. Without the need for apps, Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, not only can this kitty move around avoiding obstacles, but she can also dance to music and chase her mouse. Kids will know how she feels thanks to her emotive eyes and 75+ sounds and reactions. With haptic touch sensors, Purro responds to petting by purring and falling asleep, and her ears wiggle and react to music and voices. She’ll respond to yes/no questions, eat, sing back songs in meows and more. She comes with accessories to further extend play value.

Also new to the line-up is Orboot Earth, the 10-inch interactive AR globe that offers kids a fun and immersive way to explore the world in 3D. This multi-awardwinning toy transforms tablets and smartphones into a gateway to explore a world beyond borders. Users simply scan and interact with the globe, enjoying storybased challenges and quizzes along the way. Kids will be able to visualise hundreds of highlights and over 1,000 cool facts across six categories: cultures, cuisines, monuments, inventions, animals and maps.

The latest palm-sized, fidgety fun from TapTap Smart Fidget is TapTap 2. This summer’s launch is optimally sized for boredom-busting fun on-the-go and programmed with five games to enhance fidget functions and refine skills. The objective of Match-It! is to find matching colour pairs. With Rhythm Tap players tap lit green pixels quickly as they move downward. There’s also Stop & Go, Mastermind Mini and Speed Reflex.

Pat Avenue

01604 678 780 | www.patavenue.co.uk | enquiries@patavenue.co.uk

Pixels Hugs is a new interactive pet which can be found in the tech toy aisle this autumn/winter. Pat Avenue’s latest distributed line has been designed to appeal to young families. Pixel Hugs are huggable robotic plush puppies that react to their owner’s voice. The interactive puppies have four moods and 50+ reactions and sounds. Kids can pet their pup, feed them and even hear them fart. Owners tickle the Pixel Hug’s belly a few times to unlock their super happy mood and lay them down to see them sleep. An engaging animation based on the property will also help elevate play.

Wow! Stuff

01902 390 428 | www.wowstuff.com

Created by toy innovation company Wow! Stuff, under licence from Disney and utilising Wow’s Real FX tech team, Real FX Disney Stitch is a high-tech animatronic puppet. The product launched on 26th June to commemorate International Stitch Day, though more stock is expected in October. On pre-sales release, Real FX Disney Stitch rocketed up the charts to become the official No.1 New Release on Amazon USA and the No.1 Best Seller in category at Smyths Toys in the UK. The first version includes a Stitch certificate that verifies it is an official First Edition model.

Fans can commandeer Real FX Stitch using the hand-insert controls to generate more than 100 action and sound combinations, captivating onlookers with his cute blinking eyes, mechanically controlled rising and drooping ears, mischievous smile and dialect spoken in his alien native tongue of Tantalog. Real FX Stitch even features touch-sensitive sound activations. Stroking Stitch’s blue fur will illicit infamous phrases and sounds spoken in Tantalog. Users can hear him excitedly respond when his head is stroked, purr softly as he warms to cuddles, or play bite those who dare touch his tongue. Ultimately, Real FX Stitch always retains his soft and cuddly side.

Tech Toys, Gadgets & Accessories

Spin Master

01628 535 000 | www.spinmastertoys.co.uk

Voted last year’s Toy of the Year at the Toy Industry Awards and unwrapped by thousands of kids on Christmas day, Bitzee is back for autumn/winter 2024 with not one, but two new editions of the digital pet: Disney Bitzee and Bitzee Magicals.

Kids can explore the world of Disney like never before with Bitzee Disney. Disney Bitzee characters respond to swipes, tilts and taps with cute sounds and reactions. Inside the Bitzee pod are 30 iconic, collectible characters including classic Pixar and new Disney friends, all in one place. As kids interact and play, they can fill the Star Meter to earn Wishing Stars that attract more characters.

They can also unlock unique, magical moments seen in the world-famous movies, including Disney’s Mickey Mouse putting on the Sorcerer’s Hat, Disney’s Flounder escaping the shark, Disney’s Wall-E putting the plant in the boot, Pixar’s Lightning McQueen racing, and so much more. Bitzee games feature Disney’s Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Olaf, Pixar’s Alien, and Nemo too, making this a musthave for Disney fans.

Bitzee Magicals works in the same way as the original Bitzee and Disney Bitzee, only with 20 magical and mythical characters to collect. Each Magicals character starts as a baby and needs love and care to grow. The more kids play, the more Magicals they’ll unlock: then they must feed them, rock them to sleep, clean up after them and give them love to watch them grow from baby to adult to Super Bitzee. When a rare or legendary Bitzee becomes a Super Bitzee, it splits between one of two possible Splitzee characters.

Kids can then play unique games with their fully evolved Magicals and collect gems to add to their Treasure Chest to attract new characters. Bitzee Magicals also introduces more ways to play than ever before: the Magic Wand casts spells and causes fun transformations, while Potions earned by playing games can be used to change a Bitzee’s colours.

Bitzee isn’t Spin Master’s only interactive toy for this season: the toy company is introducing Punirunes, the digital pet for kids that combines the fun of caring for digital pets with a squishable, tactile element.

Already a hit in Japan, Punirunes has now landed in the UK and allows big and little kids alike to build their own utopia full of super-cute, lovable characters. Kids can place their finger inside the Punirunes toy and discover a squishy button that responds to touch. The LED colour display mirrors the movement on screen, as if they were really touching the Punirunes character, and moving the button changes how the character reacts. As they play, kids build friendships with their squishy BFFs and keep them happy by preparing their food, giving them a bath, cleaning their room, playing games and more. Playing earns seeds used to make food, create accessories and help Punirunes grow up from baby to kid to adult. Players can also spend coins in the market to customise their squishie’s looks, change the colour of their pet and decorate their room.

The explorable Punirunes world contains 55 characters to collect while the pod’s compact size is portable enough to take anywhere kids go.

Ancory

07772 482 255 | www.ancory.co.uk | jeremy@ancory.co.uk

Ancory offers 90s-inspired virtual pets enhanced with state-of-the-art, portable, on-the-go gaming features, bringing a fresh wave of nostalgia while introducing innovative gameplay for the modern era. These updated virtual companions are designed to capture the charm of original versions yet offer a richer and more immersive experience.

One of the standout aspects of these modern virtual pets is their ability to help kids playfully practise emotional and social skills. Children can nurture their pets, respond to their needs and engage in activities that promote empathy and responsibility. This kind of interaction subtly teaches kids how to care for others, recognise and respond to emotional cues and develop social skills in a playful, engaging way.

The lineup of characters has been expanded to include new friends. Among the new additions are Virtual Unicorn and Floppy Frog, both designed with charming animations and unique personalities. These characters join the reimagined versions of beloved classics such as CompuKitty, PixelPuppy, Cryptids and TechTRex. Each character offers distinct traits and interactive elements, ensuring that every child can find a pet that resonates with them.

This summer, Ancory is set to launch Bit Bunny, a new virtual pet. Bit Bunny starts its journey as a baby bunny, and with the right amount of love, care and attention, it will grow into a fully-fledged adult rabbit. These bunnies can multiply, adding a new layer of engagement and responsibility. Each bunny within this virtual world is crafted with its own unique personality, ensuring that no two bunnies are exactly alike. They come with a variety of animations and games.

Bit Bunny and its fellow virtual pets provide individual growth and encourage a sense of community and connection. Users can share their experiences, show off their grown pets and engage in multiplayer games. This connectivity helps foster a sense of belonging and teamwork, as children learn to cooperate and share with others.

KIT FOR SWITCH

DISCOVER A BETTER GAMING EXPERIENCE

MAD BULLETS

The wackiest shooter in town comes with a download game code and two toy revolvers to fit your controller. There are 3 locations, 60 levels, 3 minigames, about 200 missions, trendy dubstep music and fully destroyable environmental objects all mixed in a frantic shooter.

OUT NOW RRP: £19.99

DUCK QUACK SHOOT!

Barcodes: 5055957704087

A quacking duck themed rifle will have you in stitches as you play this fun party game styled like an old fashioned mechanical shooting gallery. Enjoy single and local multiplayer set against four different backgrounds. Requires two Joy-Con controllers for one rifle.

OUT NOW RRP: £19.99

Barcode: 5055957705244

TRACKS WINTER WONDERLAND

Tracks is a toy train set builder with an extensive sandbox environment and this new bundle comes with a wooden toy train and characters included based on the additional DLC featured in this pack. Lay down tracks, create bridges and build worlds, then hop into the driver’s seat of your train in first person view.

LATE SEPTEMBER RRP: £24.99

Barcode: 5055957705848

TIP TOP TABLE TENNIS

2 table tennis bats, adjustable net and a ping-pong ball are included in this pack so you can play for real as well as on your Nintendo Switch. Single and local multiplayer with a choice of 4 environments and different challenges.

OUT NOW RRP: £24.99

TURBO BOOST RACING

Barcode: 5055957705336

Race your friends and family in the fun, fast paced arcade style driving game enhanced with 2 turbo LED racing wheels. Choose from 16 cars and select one of 4 exciting game modes as you race your friends and family in local multiplayer on one of 12 available tracks.

LATE SEPTEMBER RRP: £24.99 Barcode: 5055957705831

Tech Toys, Gadgets & Accessories

Bandai

020 8324 6160 | www.bandai.co.uk | sales@bandai.co.uk

As a pioneer in virtual pet entertainment, Bandai has evolved its Tamagotchi to offer a range of devices targeting a cross-demographic of ages and interests.

Bandai UK recently announced the reintroduction of its best-selling Tamagotchi Connection to rejoin the Tamagotchi portfolio following requests from fans worldwide to see it back on shelves. This fan-favourite was originally introduced in 2004, and allows users to connect and interact with other devices through infrared technology. With classic and new style shells, the relaunched Tamagotchi Connection range has been designed to captivate both loyal fans and a new generation of enthusiasts, bringing an immersive experience packed with classic features, gameplay and cute characters.

With pixelated technology, each virtual pet comes to life in great detail. By feeding, playing and nurturing, users can unlock a new level of interactive companionship and features, such as over 150 items for their character, and passwords to unlock special items. The Tamagotchi Connection characters can connect with others to make friends, play games, exchange gifts and even marry and raise new generations of Tamagotchis.

A major player in the Robotic Pets category, the Tamagotchi Original taps into the growing kidult and nostalgia trends, appealing to Millennials and children aged 8+. With new shell designs introduced each year to ensure the range remains fresh and continues to drive collectability, the device retains its core nurture competencies of raising the Tamagotchi egg to an adult, caring for and playing with it to determine which character the user uncovers. The devices are available as either Gen 1 or Gen 2 versions, and latest designs unveiled for the second half of the year include Tama Garden, Argyle Heart and Flower Perfume, with a final wave of designs hitting in Q4.

The Tamagotchi Uni is the first WiFi-enabled Tamagotchi device, allowing users to connect in the Tamaverse. Complete with a rechargeable battery, colourway shells, new characters, areas and accessories to discover, the model also includes a silicone wrist strap and movement detection technology so that users can take their electronic pet for a walk or meet up with friends and use the close range connection to share gifts, craft items or even propose.

Combining Tamagotchi with popular global entertainment licences, the Tamagotchi Nano merges two iconic worlds in one unique offering. Smaller in size, each Nano shell is designed to reflect the individual licence, while the play pattern remains the same. Fans can raise and nurture a character from the specific licence, and how they play determines which customised content they unlock. Including exclusive animated clips and games, styles comprise of an all-new 50th Anniversary special for Sanrio’s much-loved character, Hello Kitty, plus music, gaming and anime properties such as Tiny Tan, Kingdom Hearts, SpyXFamily and One Piece.

Wicked Vision

www.wickedvision.co.uk | sales@wickedvision.co.uk

Wicked Vision has announced its expansion into the world of technology with the launch of Vodiac and Let's Explore, cutting-edge VR immersive entertainment and immersive VR and AR learning products. This strategic expansion marks a significant milestone as Wicked Vision leverages its creative prowess to bring immersive virtual reality experiences to a broader audience.

Vodiac is set to transform the way people experience virtual reality by providing accessible and affordable VR entertainment. Powered by smartphones and supported by the Vodiac app, users can enjoy over 80 fully immersive 360-degree experiences. From the adrenaline rush of wing suit flying to the wonder of volcanos, thrills of TT superbikes to a captivating tour of Sydney, Vodiac offers something for everyone.

Priced between £34.99 and £69.99, Vodiac makes high-quality VR experiences available at a fraction of the cost compared to other leading brands. With categories including Thrills, Adrenaline, Wonders, Explore, Documentaries, Relaxation and Family, Vodiac brings an array of immersive entertainment options to users’ fingertips.

Let's Explore takes VR beyond entertainment by integrating fully immersive VR content, as well as augmented reality, to create engaging STEM learning experiences. For AR content, users can simply point their smartphone or tablet at the AR cube and watch it come to life. It puts the space station in the palm of users’ hands, allows them to explore the oceans or learn about dinosaurs.

Wicked Vision's commitment to innovation and excellence continues to drive its success. By combining affordability with cutting-edge technology, Vodiac and Let's Explore are set to redefine the boundaries of virtual and augmented reality.

©SEGA

Letter from America Opinion Mid-year trade shows and their value Rick Derr

After 20 years working at A.C. Nielsen/D&B Research Company, Rick opened the first Learning Express Toys franchise in the Chicago area in 1996, and then became a sub-franchiser, opening 10 more stores. Although leaving the corporate environment behind, he has combined his expertise in data and numbers with a passion for the toy retail space. This month, Rick reports back from ASTRA’s 2024 trade show and discusses the role of mid-year trade events.

AAs you read this in early July, I’m sure the festive holiday season is furthest from your mind, right? Maybe not!

The third and fourth quarters represent 60% of our sales and having the right mix of product is critical to maximising those sales. The most important shows I attend each year are organised by ASTRA (the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association) and our own, very similar, Learning Express Convention. But why are they so important?

• Firstly, these shows allow us to learn about the latest new products and what releases are on the way for the rest of the year.

• Secondly, our social media and print calendar is built around products: purchasing the right quantities and selecting the appropriate add-ons, as well as the right in-store merchandisers, are critical to selling products. We need to see them in person.

• Thirdly, we take team members to shows for two main reasons: they buy better than me, and once they see items in person and decide to purchase, I’m reassured that they are on board and invested enough in the product to move it once it arrives in store.

• Finally, networking. I may only get to talk to key vendors, distributors and agents in person once a year so it’s imperative to discuss industry issues and, quite frankly, stay in the know. As a forward-looking retailer, I also want to know what’s coming in the new year so I can close out existing lines or ramp up a line accordingly, safe in the knowledge good new extensions or sizes are coming out the following year.

(as opposed to a home run in our American baseball vernacular). There are: three games, three arts & crafts sets, two fashion/jewellery lines, two sensory toys, two fidget/pick-me-ups lines, one construction/STEM range and one snack/food item.

As you can see, we like our stores to contain plenty of new items and constantly stretch the boundaries of what we offer our customers. In the US, the retailers that are continuing to grow are the discounters whose ranges provide a ‘treasure hunt’ element and a sense that if you don’t buy items right away, they will be gone. This treasure hunt effect is tangible, so we are trying to mimic it to some degree.

Of course, we still stop by the ‘big guys’ at the shows (Lego, Spin Master etc.) to make sure we’re on top of those suppliers, but since information on what’s coming down the line from them is more readily available anyway, it’s a better use of our time to scout out the small startups. Out of the 14 new suppliers we added, four were first-time ASTRA marketplace vendors. Kudos to them for investing in their ideas.

This year’s ASTRA show took place in America’s heartlandthe gateway to the westSt. Louis. The venue was spectacular, with a lot of space, which I like, all arranged in convenient and relaxed aisles. The mood was upbeat, despite a relatively quiet year for toys and games so far, and we came away with 14 new items/vendors that we are confident will make us money. I call them singles and doubles

The other value of these two summer shows is their academic content. Both events feature education sessions dedicated to manufacturers, reps (or agents) and retailers. Many are enjoyed by mixed audiences, which helps attendees gain a perspective from all three parts of the ASTRA wheel. Topics include certified play expertise, MESH (Mental, Emotional, Social, Health) training, succession planning for indie retailers and social media use as a tool for growth, all of which is very timely and useful to members.

Additionally, I gain a lot from meeting inventors, product design companies, public relations firms, licensors and folks from the New York Toy Association in person. Throw in a dose of museum fun, a gala (I love that word) and simply sitting down to dinner with peers you know and people you’re meeting for the very first time, and these shows become unique and a must-attend for all. I encourage you all to get involved and stay involved with your industry events - especially in-person shows.

NEW SOUNDS!

NEW LIGHTS!

Company Profile Diaframma

Lights, camera, action!

Publisher

John Baulch visited the

Diaframma

studio

in Florence to witness how a toy commercial is brought to life.

As everyone in the toy community is aware, the kids and family media landscape continues to evolve at a frightening pace. Life was so much easier for toy companies twenty years ago, when terrestrial broadcasters ruled the roost, and a single ad placed on a leading channel during peak viewing hours for kids could reach a substantial portion of your target market in one hit. Those days are long gone, with digital channels overtaking TV as the preferred route to reach kids.

As the media world shifts and becomes increasingly complex and fragmented, so do the marketing requirements for toy companies. However, some things don’t change: a strong ad campaign can make a huge difference to sales numbers, and getting the creative approach right is the fundamental building block on which great ad campaigns are built.

Over the years, a number of specialist creative production studios have established themselves as experts in making

ads for toy companies, including leading Italian studio Diaframma. Talking to CEO Duccio Abolaffio in Hong Kong in January, I admitted that I had never witnessed a TV ad being filmed – so he invited me to the company’s studio in Florence to see the process first-hand. And a truly fascinating process it is…

Like the media world, Diaframma has evolved considerably since the business was launched in 1976 by Duccio’s father. The company chose to base itself in the beautiful Italian city of Florence, near to major Italian toy company Giochi Preziosi, whose business was instrumental in helping the fledgling studio to establish itself within toy circles.

When the company started, there was only one commercial TV channel in many countries, and the opportunities for advertising were relatively limited. Fast forward to 2024 and there are more platforms fighting for kids’ attention than ever before, giving toy companies far more opportunities to showcase their new launches.

Another major change has come in the globalization of ads: up until the early 2000s, each individual market would shoot its own domestic commercial. Nowadays, companies tend to shoot one commercial to cover the whole international market, which is not only hugely efficient, but also saves toy companies a huge amount of money.

The toy market has also become a truly global community: of course, there are still localized anomalies, but many toys comfortably transcend borders, and ad creatives have followed suit. Diaframma first entered the US market just over ten years ago, but since then it has grown to become the company’s largest market, working with many of the toy industry’s leading players such as Jazwares, Spin Master, MGA, VTech, WowWee and Pokémon.

Nevertheless, European and international customers still form the core base of the business - Diaframma works with major distributors all over the continent. As Duccio points out: “There are opportunities everywhere. Distributors across the globe need commercials.”

2022 and 2023 were record years for the company, which adopts a different approach to many other studios, especially US-based studios. For example, Diaframma has always specialized in creating content for toy companies, rather than shooting a toy commercial one day, a beer commercial the next and an advert for cereal the day after. This means that the team builds up valuable knowledge and expertise which allows them to know when a certain shot will be needed – even if it isn’t in the brief – and anticipate or solve problems.

Furthermore, it handles almost every stage of the creative process in-house, with dedicated full-time teams rather than freelancers who have been brought in for a job. In total, the company has a team of 45 full-time employees at its base in Florence, which was a hive of activity when we arrived. The advantages of this dedicated in-house approach are myriad: not only is it more cost-effective to have a permanent team on site rather than having to hire expensive freelancers, but it gives customers unrivalled levels of service and total flexibility.

Jehan Hindo – Vice President Duccio Abolaffio - CEO Alice Morrison - Director of International Sales

The whole process starts when the Diaframma creative team - mainly local Italians, supported by a few American jingle writers and copywriters to ensure there are no linguistic foibles - receives the brief from the client, and then comes up with ideas to execute the brief within the set budget parameters. The set is designed at the studio downstairs, where the company has every possible resource to deliver the best visual impact for each individual shoot.

Occasionally, some clients send in storyboards, which are reviewed and discussed, but in most instances, customers rely on Diaframma to generate storyboards from scratch. Crucially, Diaframma knows exactly how to create a dynamic commercial which will appeal to kids right across the globe.

The experienced creative team also knows how to create different kinds of commercial for different platforms, as Duccio explains: “Currently, digital content is a huge trend – in addition to TV commercials, we are increasingly producing content for mobile, YouTube and social media use. There are many similarities, but there are also some crucial differences. For example, you have to be more effective in grabbing attention in the first couple of seconds of digital content, to stop viewers from scrolling. Visuals are more important, as content is often played with no sound on. The composition can also be different – unlike a TV commercial, it doesn’t have to be shot in a horizontal format. And as digital content is largely free from all the complex TV regulations, we have a bit more creative freedom. For dedicated TV ads, every country seems to have its own way of tying creative hands behind backs, and we need to take every individual requirement into consideration – by comparison, shooting digital content can be extremely liberating.”

Samples are received approximately three weeks before shooting starts, so they can be built in advance to make sure everything is working perfectly. The company also has a casting team which works with all of the major talent agencies, as well as a full-time crew of technicians and camera operators, plus of course extensive post-production facilities (including editing, special effects and music). Literally every base is covered internally, to ensure complete cohesion and smooth communication at every single stage of the creative process.

That forensic attention to detail includes being aware of anything which might complicate proceedings: for example, dialogue isn’t used on camera. Instead, a voiceover is dubbed on when the creative is finished, allowing it to be adapted for any global market where the product is distributed.

I ask how long an individual commercial takes to shoot, to which Duccio explains: “A simple commercial can be shot in a day. A more complicated ad can take two days. It can also depend on factors such as the age of the children involved –an ad featuring toddlers is obviously more difficult than one featuring older kids.”

The studio itself is fitted out with all of the latest technological equipment, including a robot camera, which can apparently “do amazing things that a human camera operator can’t.” There is also a mightily impressive LED wall, which utilizes state-of-the-art gaming technology to create an astonishingly realistic backdrop which is almost indistinguishable from the real thing. A cave, a beach, a bedroom… you name it, it can be created and seamlessly blended with the actors being filmed so that you can’t tell what is real and what is illusion. It makes green screen look like the antiquated technology it now is.

And yet, despite having every cutting-edge tool at their disposal, Duccio admits that every commercial still requires what he describes as a “leap of faith”. How will the child actor(s) perform? Will the ideas that look great in preproduction or on storyboards work in practice?

To make sure everything goes as smoothly as possible on set, no detail is spared. The Power Saber commercial I watched being shot featured actors sourced from a ‘Saber School’ – including both a teacher and a pupil. The fact the choreography came together so quickly and looked so

authentic didn’t come about by chance. “Authenticity is key,” admits Duccio. “It is so important to get the right look and feel, and to make sure it will resonate globally, rather than feeling local or regional.” I am sure we all remember TV commercials from years gone by which may have looked fantastic in the USA, or a southern European country, but somehow felt clunky and inauthentic to a UK audience. Those days are long gone.

To create that universal appeal, Duccio believes that “details are important.” He tells me that they once spent an entire day scouring shops in Florence to find a US-style doorknob, only to end up having to buy it directly from America. But everything has to be right, down to the last detail: as Duccio admits, “Times have changed, but the commercial can still make or break a particular product. And in many cases, distributors will want to assess the commercial before agreeing to take a range on.”

As well as details, Duccio also stresses the importance of individuality, and not adopting a ‘one size fits all’ approach to shooting commercials: “Everything we do is made to measure. There is great value in that. It’s not a commodity and we don’t want it to be. That’s not the area we want to play in.” And if something works for one company, Diaframma is very careful to avoid using a similar approach for a competitor’s ad, to ensure fairness.

Even within the creative process, nuance is key: I am told that different directors have different strengths, so they are allocated specific projects that suit their particular skillset.

Skill and action products require a different look and feel to nurturing or creative lines – one needs energy, the other needs precision and perfect styling. Watching a Fingerlings commercial being shot, it was amazing to see how a subtle change in lighting, or the position of a hand (or even a finger) could make all the difference to the final shot.

A single shot that can last mere seconds on screen can easily take up to 30-40 minutes to perfect – and that’s with an older child, yet alone a toddler. And once the commercial has finished shooting, a last final sprinkling of magic dust can be applied in post-production. From visuals to sound, anything can be polished to perfection. It’s also where everything finally comes together – Duccio tells me that his father used to say that “it is in editing where you make the story come to life.”

So, what did I learn on my visit to Florence? First and foremost, the incredible amount of work which goes into producing a 10, 20 or 30 second commercial. How incredibly complex and thorough the entire process is. How even the tiniest detail can make a world of difference. And, ultimately, how crucial knowledge, experience and know-how is to deliver the best possible result.

It's also an enormously enjoyable way to make a living, as Duccio points out: “It’s huge fun, and an incredibly worthwhile job – I get to be creative every day. I also have the chance to work on a wide range of different products, rather than focusing on one range for 18 months. Every day there is something new.”

Getting to the point

Stationery has long sparked creativity with its array of products and licences, becoming a valuable category for many toy retailers. Toy World’s Caroline Tonks spoke with suppliers within the Stationery space about their current ranges, how they support retailers, their advice on maximising the category and more.

Stationery has come a long way since Cai Lun, who lived in China during the Han Dynasty, invented paper around the year 105 AD. The term ‘Stationery’ came to Europe almost 1,400 years later, as papermaking developed across the continent. In the middle of the 15th century, with the establishment of the Gutenberg printing press, Stationery took off, with the mass production of books and writing materials becoming available to the public. Nowadays, it is a successful category in many toy stores, with the addition of colourful and characterful elements to appeal to kids. Across the category, suppliers are developing ranges to inspire consumers, whether that be through favourite licences or Back-to-School must-haves.

In summer 2024, Maped Helix is set to launch a brandnew Harry Potter Stationery range, further adding to its licensed collections. The range offers numerous pens and pencils, like the Colourful Gel Pens and colouring pencils with break resistant lead, as well as high quality highlighters and Pyramid Erasers. There is a plethora of characters to choose from, including favourites like Dumbledore, Hermione and Luna, as well as the four Hogwarts houses’ logos embossed on different products. Elsewhere on the licensed Stationery front, Pilot

Pen and Naruto Shippuden have created a licensed partnership that merges writing instruments with anime. This collaboration combines Pilot Pen's erasable FriXion pens with the iconic Naruto Shippuden series. Fans can choose from six designs, each capturing the core characters like Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, Kakashi and Itachi.

Love Writing Co.’s integrated writing packs are ergonomically designed and scaled to fit a child’s hand, making it quicker to learn how to write. The company continues to expand its presence within the early learning literacy sector with two new licensed partnerships - Paw Patrol and Paddington - developing ranges containing workbooks, handwriting practice books, tripod grip writing pencils and erasable coloured pencils. “New partnerships with children’s favourite characters Paw Patrol and Paddington have proven to be immensely popular with parents and little learners,” says Surlender Pendress, co-founder of Love Writing Co. “By bringing the on-screen narrative of playful learning to real life, it inspires a love of learning in young minds.”

Sambro International offers a wide range of Stationery products across popular TV and film licences, including Disney Stitch, Disney Princess, Marvel Spidey & His

Amazing Friends, SpongeBob SquarePants, Paw Patrol, Barbie and Monster High. Sambro products with a licence appeal include the Stationery Filled Reusable Cups, the Surprise Activity Craft Sets and its own-IP collectibles, Puzzle Palz and Bops N’ Tops. Sambro’s long-standing relationships with major licensors, like Disney, Hasbro, Paramount and Mattel, help the company to produce innovative products which appeal to kids across its broad Stationery portfolio.

Not all brands use licensed products however, and instead find other ways to stand out on shelves. Stabilo offers several feature products with unique selling points: “The distinctive features and the practical design of Stabilo's products help them to stand out, even alongside popular licensed ranges,” says Stabilo’s marketing manager, Vanya Hunter. “The Easyoriginal handwriting pen and the Easygraph handwriting pencil are particularly noteworthy.” Designed by scientists, these products feature ergonomic grips that encourage the recommended tripod grip, crucial for children starting their writing journey.

“Recently, Stabilo has also launched an innovative whiteboard marker in pencil form, addressing common issues with traditional markers,” continues Vanya.

Create and personalise pens from

Pen Creator Studio

Fragrant Flowers

Perfume Creator

Highlighter Studio

The Stabilo Markdry can be used on whiteboards, glass, flipcharts and chalkboards, and lasts up to five times longer than a normal whiteboard marker. “This product eliminates the problem of dried-up markers and accidental marks on clothing, offering a practical and durable solution for classrooms and offices.”

From Clementoni, the Pen Creator Studio allows children to make colourful pens with choices of ink colour, plastic nib and housing, as well as personalised embellishments and charms. With a high level of customisation, children can make each product their own, creating pens that represent themselves, unleashing

their inner artist. “We combined craft and creation with a quality end result, knowing that our audience enjoys making their own unique designs,” explains Paul Fogarty, country manager UK & Ireland, Clementoni. “To add the creation element is a great way to cross over into Stationery in a subtle but exciting way that will appeal not only to children, but also to teens due to the rise in social media content of people making and creating.”

To showcase Stationery ranges in-store, suppliers have come up with a number of innovative ways to support retailers. Maped Helix produces displays for every stockist, from small independents up to large national retail accounts. “We have standard metal FSDUs to FSDUs that have school children carved into the side,” says Jay Guest, commercial director at Maped Helix. “One of my favourites is a large, illuminated display which lights up all of the products.” He adds that Maped Helix is dedicated to in-store marketing materials and displays, with a trade marketing department that works on new ideas throughout the year.

Clementoni has a full POS programme across all its ranges to help retailers optimise display and communication. “We have a full consumer marketing campaign targeted across all the digital and social media channels planned from Back-to-School onwards,” says Paul. “We will also have a dedicated FSDU for our Creative Idea! and Crazy Chic brands.”

In terms of marketing support, suppliers are targeting multiple audiences, looking to target both the parents buying the products and the children who will be using the Stationery.

Stabilo understands the importance of pester power, so drawing kids into the purchase is key. “Our products are designed to be visually appealing and engaging for children, capturing their interest and enthusiasm,” says Vanya. “However, we also recognise the importance of

01384 286 860 | www.mapedhelix.co.uk | scott.goodman@mapedhelix.co.uk

This summer, Maped Helix is set to launch a brand-new Harry Potter stationery range, further adding to its licensed collections.

appealing to parents. The unique USPs of our products ensure that parents see the value and quality in what we offer.” This dual approach ensures that both children and their parents are drawn to Stabilo’s ranges, creating a compelling purchase decision for the whole family.

At Clementoni, Instagram and Facebook are used to appeal to the gift givers for younger children. Paul adds: “We also create marketing plans focused on TikTok and YouTube which targets kids aged thirteen and above. The appeal of our kits means we can clearly focus on both, as younger children enjoy creating our designs for fun just as much as the older teens do who spend their time watching content online.”

When contemplating the advice they’d give to toy specialists who are looking to start offering a Stationery selection or maximise on the opportunities the category offers, Maped Helix’s Jay Guest highlighted that the key to a strong Stationery product offering leading up to Backto-School is ranging the brand-leading products from all the leading brands. “These will drive footfall,” says Jay. “Ranging the brand leaders will add a great deal of credibility to a new Stationery range.” It is also important to add in products with a point of difference from the larger retailers.

Surlender Pendress from Love Writing Co. believes that it is important to carry Stationery that is inclusive to all abilities and caters to all children. “These resources help children to discover a love for learning,” says Surlender. “At Love Writing Co., we are dedicated to leaving no child behind, developing SEN and left-handed friendly products. These tools are more than just resources, they are designed to make an impact on a child’s life, their education and their future.”

Across the upcoming feature, Toy World takes a look at the latest Stationery products that will be hitting the shelves, from the classic staples to the licensed favourites.

With characters like Dumbledore, Hermione, Luna and Draco, the range offers something fun for the school day. Harry Potter is a household name, much loved by children, and this new range has been designed to bring a touch of magic into the classroom.

The brand-new Helix Harry Potter Maths Set comes in an embossed metal tin, featuring the Hogwarts school silhouette. It is packed with themed contents illustrating each Hogwarts house.

A unique Harry Potter inspired stationery set will also be released. This bumper set includes a folding ruler, a pencil case, pencils, an eraser and four decorated ballpoint pens.

The range contains numerous pens and pencils. Colourful Gel Pens come in a pack of four with patterned barrels. They have a smooth consistency and a needle point tip. The Colouring Pencils with break resistant leads have 12 colours in the pack, and each pencil is decorated with a different character, including Hagrid, Harry, Ron and more. There is also a pack of 12 Eraser Tipped Pencils and a pack of themed Pyramid Erasers, ergonomically shaped for comfortable use.

Completing the range with themed accessories, the collection also includes high quality highlighters to represent all four houses - Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, as well as Gryffindor inspired scissors, a canister pencil sharpener and a folding ruler with a wizarding wand on it.

Across the range, items have Hogwarts house logos and designs, keeping children engaged for hours, with each product being innovative and high-quality.

01628 769 170 | sales.uk@stabilo.com

To ensure that toy specialists have a comprehensive range that includes all the essential items for a pencil case, Stabilo offers a full Back-to-School range that includes the EasyStart set, featuring the Easygraph pencil and sharpener, the Easyoriginal handwriting pen and additional products like Stabilo Boss Original Highlighters and the Stabilo Swing Cool range.

The Easyoriginal handwriting pen and the Easygraph handwriting pencil are scientifically designed, teacher-approved and beloved by children. Their ergonomic, non-slip grips promote the recommended tripod grip, crucial for children beginning their writing journey, helping to make the journey as easy as possible. They are specifically tailored for both left and right-handed users, making them highly versatile.

The Stabilo Boss Original Highlighters come in over 30 different colours to choose from and all have anti-dry out technology, allowing the marker to be used for up to four hours without drying out. The new Stabilo Markdry, which recently launched, is a whiteboard marker that is a pencil. The Stabilo Markdry can be used on whiteboard markers, glass, flipcharts and chalkboards, and last up to five times longer than a normal whiteboard marker.

For a smaller, more slimline option than the Stabilo Boss Original, the Stabilo Swing Cool is an ideal companion for on-the-go use. Its flat shape and practical clip make it perfect for slipping into a shirt pocket or attaching directly to a notebook; available in 22 colours ranging from pastel to neon.

To support retailers, Stabilo offers extensive marketing and point-of-sale materials. This includes permanent metal displays that can be illuminated to add visual appeal, semi-permanent FSDUs, CDUs showcasing key product ranges and clip strips. Stabilo collaborates with retailers to provide bespoke solutions that best fit their store's needs.

Pilot Pen

07917 648 401 | neil.johnston@pilotpen.co.uk

Pilot Pen and Naruto Shippuden have teamed up to create a unique licensed partnership that merges the worlds of writing instruments and anime. This collaboration brings together Pilot Pen's erasable FriXion pens with the iconic characters and themes of the beloved Naruto Shippuden series. The result is a collection of pens that are not only functional, but also a celebration of the enduring legacy of Naruto.

Pilot Pen is known for its commitment to quality, innovation and style. Its pens are trusted by professionals, students and artists around the world. By partnering with Naruto Shippuden, Pilot Pen extends its reach to a vibrant community of anime enthusiasts and collectors who appreciate both the artistry of animation and the utility of innovative pens.

Launched on the 1st of June, the Pilot Pen x Naruto Shippuden collection features erasable FriXion pens adorned with designs inspired by the series' most beloved characters. Each pen in the collection is a testament to the innovation of Pilot Pen and the imaginative world of Naruto. Fans can choose from six designs, each capturing the essence of characters like Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, Kakashi and Itachi.

The company says this partnership is more than a product release; it is a celebration of creativity and fandom. It offers Naruto fans a tangible connection to the series they love, while also providing them with high-quality writing instruments that enhance their daily lives. Whether for writing, drawing or collecting, the Pilot Pen x Naruto Shippuden collection is a fusion of functionality and fandom.

For toy stores, stocking licensed lines represents a big opportunity. These products tend to have a strong brand recognition, which can drive foot traffic and increase sales. Pilot is actively looking to partner with a distributor to supply the toy channel because it believes that collaboration with an experienced distributor will enhance both its reach and efficiency.

Clementoni

020 3206 1397 | www.clementoni.com | paul.fogarty@clementoni.com

Following the success of the Pen Creator Studio in 2023, the Idea! range is expanding for 2024.

Pen Creator Studio is a craft lab for children to make lots of colourful pens with choices of ink colour, plastic nib and housing. They also have the ability to personalise them with embellishments and charms. Simple, yet fun, Pen Lab offers a high level of personalisation, making this kit ideal to use either solo or with friends.

Pen Mini Studio collector packs, with a RRP £7.99, are now available in a CDU, having launched at London Toy Fair. The packs offer three themes, Fantasy, Monster and Tropical, and nine pens to collect.

For Q4, the Highlighter Studio is being added to the range. It is a unique kit where users can make personalised, customised highlighters, and makes a fun addition for consumers who have the Pen Creator Studio or are looking for more stationery ideas.

For further information on the Clementoni Idea! range, please get in contact via the details above.

Love Writing Co.

www.lovewritingco.com | info@lovewritingco.com

Love Writing Co. continues to expand its presence within the early learning literacy sector with a collection based on two brand-new global licensed partnerships: Spin Master’s Paw Patrol and The Copyright Group’s Paddington.

With a dedication to supporting young children aged two to nine throughout their learning to write and pre-writing journey, Love Writing Co. has crafted handwriting systems that are ergonomically designed and scaled to fit a child’s hand perfectly, making it quicker and more fun to learn to write. Each product is curated to be the right length and width and features a tripod grip. The softer core allows for a tension free experience, reducing strain on the hands and creating a smoother pencil to paper journey.

The Paw Patrol range continues to pave the way for future product launches with well known brands. Love Writing Co. describes the range as a gateway to creativity and education for children and will focus on fostering a love for reading and writing with the help of favourite TV characters. It will feature ethically sourced and sustainable products: a Pre-Writing Skills Ages 2+ Workbook, Handwriting Book ages three to five and ergonomic tripod grip writing pencils and erasable colouring pencils.

The Paddington range includes age appropriate FSC Certified ergonomic, tripod grip writing pencils and erasable, coloured tripod grip pencils, both of which are designed for small hands. There is also the sustainably sourced Handwriting and Alphabet Practice Activity Workbook with 58 pages and reward stickers, which requires minimal supervision from parents. Further products are in the pipeline, including a Paddington My First Pre-Writing Skills Workbook.

Love Writing Co. consistently delivers new innovative products that inspire children to develop a screen-free love of writing. This helps to create a new generation of handwriting enthusiasts, whilst establishing a unique space within the market. The company is forecast to support over 1.5b children by 2029 with its learning to write resources being used amongst educational establishments and homes across the globe. With the help of education experts, integrated handwriting packs have been developed that remain best-sellers amongst retailers, parents and young learners.

From helping children with their pre-writing pre-school skills, to forming letters for the first time and practising developed handwriting abilities, Love Writing Co. is developing high quality and ethical resources to help children discover a love of learning and is dedicated to leaving no child behind by being inclusive to all abilities – products are SEN and left-handed friendly. Interested stockists and licensors can find out more information via the details above.

STABILO® EASY Starter Writing Set

Make back to school EASY with the STABILO EASY range of handwriting pens and pencils. Designed by scientists for left or right handers, approved by UK teachers and loved by children.

New STABILO® MARKdry offers an alternative to traditional whiteboard markers!

What makes it different? The STABILO MARKdry is not a pen but a pencil so there is no risk of it ever drying out or leaving pesky stains on white shirts in school. It is also made from 100% PEFC-certified wood and lasts for up to 5x longer than a conventional liquid marker and delivers bright, vibrant colours with every stroke to the very end. It can be used on many surfaces including whiteboards, glass, flipcharts and even chalkboards and easily wipes off with either a damp or dry cloth.

Stationery Sambro International

0845 873 9380 |

Sambro International offers a wide range of stationery products across popular TV and film licences, helping to inspire kids’ creative learning and play alongside their favourite characters.

Back-to-school, seasonal and licensed stationery are the fastest growing categories for Sambro. Building on the demand for some of its strongest lines, Sambro’s latest range extensions have focused on its much-loved franchises such as Disney Stitch, Disney Princess, Marvel Spidey & His Amazing Friends, Paw Patrol, Barbie and Monster High. The ranges include core formats alongside trend-led designs and giftable sets.

Next to launch will be a collection of Moana 2 stationery lines, which will complement the company’s arts & crafts range to meet demand from Disney fans and support the launch of the new movie. There will be new trend-led additions for spring/summer 2025 such as the Emoji Pens, which feature sticker strips of popular emojis, perfect for scrapbooking and decorating. Also on offer are the new multi-purpose Stationery Filled Reusable Cups, filled with a pen, pencil, ruler and eraser. The feature-packed Pop-Out Pencil Case, with pop-out drawer features, is full of useful stationery accessories.

Sambro’s hero product launch is the new Surprise Activity Craft Sets, which offer hours of creative fun. Each set contains a journal, which is unlocked with a hidden key, revealing secret stationery and craft items. Available in Disney Princess, Stitch, Moana 2, Frozen and Monster High, sets also include a variety of pens, stamps, crayons, stickers, paints and scratch art tools, to help get creativity flowing.

Sambro’s range of soft and fluffy notepads are great for jotting down notes or doodles and feature characters such as Stitch and Angel, Minnie and Daisy from Disney Junior, Anna and Elsa from Disney Frozen and Skye and Everest from Paw Patrol.

Sambro will also launch key seasonal ranges that will be available for autumn/winter 2024 onwards. A big seller this festive season will be the range of stationery advent calendars, available in a selection of favourite licences including Disney Stitch, Mickey and Friends and Paw Patrol. Throughout December, children can open each door to reveal a new piece of stationery; a chocolate-free calendar alternative for crafty kids.

Additionally, Sambro’s own-IP novelty collectible stationery, Puzzle Palz and Bops N’ Tops, remain a best-seller, with a major range extension planned for autumn/winter 2024 and into spring/summer 2025. The extensions will feature characters and vehicles from some of the world’s most-loved franchises, including Gabby’s Dollhouse, which has become a top seller already selling over 500,000 units, plus Hot Wheels, Disney Villains, Magic Mixies, Minions, SpongeBob SquarePants, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Transformers and Piñata Smashlings.

Sambro has built long-standing relationships with various major licensors, including Disney, Hasbro, Paramount and Mattel, to create award-winning and innovative products across stationery, as well as plush, games and other categories.

MASASHI KISHIMOTO / 2007 SHIPPUDEN

Brand Profile Deadpool

Deadpool Place your bets on

Deadpool & Wolverine, the third instalment in Marvel’s X-rated superhero franchise about the red-suited, potty mouthed anti-hero, arrives in cinemas at the end of this month, much to the excitement of both Wade Wilson fans and stans of the iconic X-Man Wolverine, who’s back from the dead thanks to the MCU’s time travel plotline. As excitement builds for this major cinematic release, Nigel Cook, VP Brand Commercialisation and Retail at Disney Consumer Products EMEA, tells Toy World readers why the movie is expected to fuel a surge in demand for licensed Deadpool and X-Men product, and why new character Dogpool – played by ‘Britain’s ugliest dog’ – may just become the star of the show.

Since Ryan Reynolds announced in September 2022 that his iconic Deadpool character would return, accompanied by Hugh Jackman's X-Man, Wolverine - on screen for the first time since James Mangold’s Logan in 2017, which ended with the character’s death – the franchise’s adult audience has been eagerly awaiting the next instalment. The teaser trailer prompted a mountain of media attention speculating on the storyline, content and sheer level of gore, and remains the most watched teaser trailer of all time.

Deadpool & Wolverine is sure to live up to fans best (or worst) expectations. The character’s potent mix of humour and irreverence, combined with a juggernaut marketing campaign and superb ensemble cast, promise a cinematic release like no other. We fully expect the film, released on 26th July, to be every bit as R-rated as its predecessors – two

of the top three highest grossing R-rated films of all time.

These key themes make Deadpool an undisputed winner among the kidult audience, particularly in the product space. Most obvious is the booming fan and collectibles space, where Deadpool’s humour and anti-hero status make the character ripe for experimentation. Funko, Hasbro and Beast Kingdom are great examples here, with existing evergreen product line bolstered by newness still to come.

Elsewhere, we continue to see appetite for Deadpool in the apparel, accessories and FMCG spaces, and there’s huge potential in home and gifting too, as demonstrated by ranges from Pyramid, Paladone and Stor.

One new breakout star of this month’s release promises to be Dogpool. Played by Britain’s ugliest dog, Peggy, and described by Ryan Reynolds as an ‘animal manifestation of Wade Wilson’, Dogpool has opened up a whole new range

of product for kidult fans, with Simba’s fantastic Dogpool plush joining pet accessories from Rubies. This expansion on Rubies’ hugely popular Deadpool adult dress-up range demonstrates the strength of the franchise in this space.

It would be an understatement to say anticipation is high for Deadpool & Wolverine’s cinematic release. With the addition of Wolverine and Dogpool, this next instalment is sure to be every bit as raucous as fans are hoping. There’s also ample opportunity to leverage the growing buzz by driving appetite for evergreen Wolverine and new X-Men ‘97 product.

The creativity of the Deadpool franchise and nature of the main character have allowed us to be more adventurous and continue to open up exciting new avenues in the kidult product space. And as always with Deadpool, continue to expect the unexpected.

Hasbro

Rubies Funko

Simba Smoby

Feature Dress up & Role Play

Make believe magic

Following a growing demand for eco-friendly and inclusive role-play and dress-up products, suppliers are revamping their portfolios with enriching new toys and costumes that feature diverse professions and popular licences. Gabriela Jimenez speaks to category leaders to find out more.

Role-play remains one of the most enduring categories within the toy industry, allowing children to feed their curiosity and explore different aspects of the grown-up world imaginatively and safely. Through role-play, kids can develop critical social and emotional skills, learn about different professions and experience being their favourite role model, whether that’s a fictional character they adore or a member of the community they look up to. Parents acknowledge the importance of their children learning through imaginative play and developing critical life skills including effective communication, independence, empathy and cooperation from a young age, therefore the demand for role-play toys that will teach these essential skills remains high.

David Lubliner, head of Customer Marketing, Europe, at Melissa & Doug, tells us that he and his team are seeing a significant trend towards inclusive and diverse role-play sets, as parents are looking for toys that represent a wide range of cultures, professions and abilities. The company’s catalogue includes 15 different role-play dress-up sets that cover a wide range of careers to enable children to experience all the professions that appeal to them. Though its portfolio of dress-up and role-play items is broad, David tells us that the company’s most popular best-sellers include the Fire Chief Role Play Costume Set,

known for its heroic appeal, the Chef Role Play Costume Set, designed to encourage imaginative kitchen play, and the Doctor Role Play Costume Set, which has been a standout as children enjoy mimicking real-life heroes in the healthcare field.

Simba Smoby has also recently expanded its portfolio with creative new toys designed to inspire children to explore different roles and careers. The latest addition to the Smoby Flower Market range is the Flower Creations Kit, which includes a manual flower press and flower parts that enable budding florists to create colourful blooms for their florist stalls.

As technology continues to advance, today's role-play toys are far more than just basic imitations of everyday items. Many toy manufacturers offer realistic toys that not only resemble the real thing, but also feature recognisable trademarks and brands. Casdon excels as one of the leading companies creating role-play toys that are almost identical to their real adult counterparts. The company has established partnerships with some of the world’s best-known household appliance manufacturers including Henry and Hetty, Dyson and, most recently, Ooni, the world’s No.1 pizza oven company. The collaboration between the two companies has resulted in the launch of the Oven and Topping Station, which will be loved by children who enjoy mimicking outdoor

and indoor cooking. The company also highlights the De’Longhi Barista coffee machine as a stand-out favourite this year, captivating adults and children alike with its high-quality design and impressive features.

Simone Inskip, Marketing manager at Casdon, tells us that the company also pays significant attention to how products are displayed to best appeal to consumers. “The team has worked hard to create products which not only mirror the real thing, but which are also well packaged and ‘giftable’,” she says. “Our packaging is bright and eyecatching, including callouts to emphasise the functions and features Casdon toys are packed with. For retailers who have the flexibility to showcase products out-ofbox, we offer stock to accommodate displays, as nothing beats being able to play with the toys before making a purchase.”

Little Tikes is committed to creating interactive role-play toys featuring the latest technology to simulate real-life scenarios as accurately as possible. “We have always trailblazed the role-play sector with multi-faceted products that can be enjoyed by families for generations,” says Alaina Cornish, senior brand manager for UK & Ireland, Little Tikes. “It’s important to us that our products give little ones as close to a real-life experience as possible, while helping them grow and develop.”

One of its most recent launches is the Little Tikes

Feature Dress up & Role Play

Adventure Rocket, designed for children who dream of travelling to space and becoming astronauts. This rocket ship featuring realistic lights and sounds, and a control centre allows young space enthusiasts to pretendpilot, look through a telescope, fix wires on the exterior maintenance panel or crawl through the escape hatch, plus a star viewer screen is included to make users feel like they really are travelling through the galaxy.

Alaina reveals that, although Little Tikes’ role-play range performs well throughout every season, the company maximises sales by capitalising on key events throughout the year. “Christmas is the time when Little Tikes can push showstoppers such as the Adventure Rocket to parents who are looking for the big Christmas gift for their little ones,” she says. “As the seasons progress, we identify national and international celebration days to target, for example, World Space Day was a great point for us to position the Adventure Rocket within the press.”

Many of today’s parents consider a toy's environmental impact before making a buying decision, which has led to toymakers prioritising sustainability to align with evolving consumer values. Commotion is just one of the toy companies taking steps towards accommodating the needs of eco-conscious buyers, after recently announcing a new collaboration with the eco-friendly brand PolarB. The brand-new partnership brings consumers a range of attractive and sturdy wooden role-play toys, including the Tool Bench with accessories and the Tool Kit, both designed to encourage the development of motor skills; the Dentist Set and Hairdressing Set, intended for introducing young children to the subjects of health, wellbeing and lifestyle; and the Cash Register and Weighing Scales, designed to teach fundamental

Roma Prams

maths skills through play. A.B. Gee is also expanding its sustainable Tooky Toy range with a new Breakfast Tray, allowing children to engage in imaginative play and learn about important daily routines.

Meanwhile, in the world of dress-up, industry-leading companies recognise the importance of manufacturing costumes that are both eco-conscious and long-lasting. “Producing sustainable and mindful dress-up costumes is a key focus for us,” says Sophie Greenbark, Product manager at Amscan. “All our costumes are now sold in a 40% recycled content bag with sustainable card packaging as we push towards this goal. We also ensure that our costumes are of high quality and are washable where possible, helping make the product last longer.”

Rubies’ head of Portfolio and Marketing, Fran Hales, also highlights how sustainability in costume production and inclusivity in design are important factors to consider when coming up with new ranges. He explains: “We are trailblazing in industry innovation with our collection of Adaptive dress-up, specifically tailored for customers who use mobility aids including wheelchairs. The Rubies team has also come up with a collection of costumes made entirely from recycled plastic bottles.”

With Halloween almost around the corner, retailers are getting ready to capitalise on children wanting to dress up as popular characters for the occasion, and there is no shortage of inspiration from costume suppliers this year. Highly anticipated movies and TV series including Deadpool & Wolverine, and Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, have inspired the launch of various licensed costumes set to be a hit for this year’s Halloween. Amscan’s Sophie Greenbark points out how capitalising on new movies and TV releases is crucial to

01305 853 080 | www.romaprams.co.uk | sales@romaprams.co.uk

The Roma Dolls range is a collection designed to inspire imaginative play for children aged three and up. With various themes and models, each crafted with meticulous attention to detail, this range promises endless hours of creative fun. Key highlights include the Teddy collection, Egg Dolls Pram, Polly Sparkle Range, Stephanie Pram and the Darcie and Dotty Tandem Dolls Pram.

The Egg Dolls Pram stands out with its sophisticated design and functionality. Available in the colour Feather and the new Hush Violet, it features a two-inone carrycot that converts into a seat, along with a foldable chassis for easy storage. It's the perfect miniature version of the well-known Egg pram, copying the same design and compact fold. The Egg Dolls Pram Backpack, an exact miniature version of the best-selling full-size egg pram backpack, also allows children to mimic adult styles.

The Teddy collection is a beautiful blend of classic elegance and modern design. Featuring luxurious fabrics in a soft cream palette, this collection exudes a timeless appeal that is both comforting and stylish. This collection includes dolls buggies, highchairs, car seats, backpacks and a soft sherpa blanket, all designed to encourage nurturing and caregiving play. Each item mirrors full-size baby products, allowing children to match their toys with their parents' accessories, enhancing their imaginative play experience.

licensed opportunities: “Whilst licensed characters are popular all year round, across all age groups, there is an opportunity for official merchandise to be more popular than ever in the run-up to Halloween. For example, The Beetlejuice 2 Movie release later this year will be very popular for Halloween 2024, and, whilst Wednesday and the Addams Family range were bestsellers for 2023, we see this continuing.”

At Disguise, Aneesa Beasley, VP of Commercial Trading EMEA, is also anticipating 2024 as being a significant year for the company, with a host of major movie releases. She says: “Content was limited as we entered 2024 due to writer and actor strikes in 2023. However, Q4 is extremely exciting for Disguise. We’re looking forward to a whole host of theatrical releases coming up including new Disney titles, plus Universal’s Wicked and Paramount’s Sonic the Hedgehog 3.”

Aneesa also reports that mild horror and gaming are huge trends, prompting the company to release costumes featuring characters from some of the hottest video games: “Besides refreshing our Minecraft range, we have also recently added Pokémon rights for EMEA, as well as Poppys Playtime, Rainbow Friends and Bendy and the Ink Machine.” Aneesa adds that, although value retailers offer great-priced products for the Halloween season, they tend to have limited space, which allows the rest of the trade to provide extended ranges with broader price points and demographics.

Over the next few pages of product-focused editorial, Toy World explores some of the ranges mentioned in this article, as well as other new products entering the dressup and role-play category this year.

The Polly Dolls Pram range brings a touch of magic to playtime with enchanting mermaid reversible sequins. This range includes both single and twin models, a highchair, umbrella buggy, bedside crib and doll car seat. The shimmering, changeable sequins captivate children, encouraging them to create their own stories and adventures. The range's versatility ensures that children can mix and match items to suit their play preferences, fostering a rich imaginative environment.

The Stephanie Dolls Pram, with its pink glitter fabrics, adds a touch of glamour and sparkle to the playroom. The Darcie Dolls Pram offers a charming alternative with its pink or cream flower pattern. Both ranges come with various accessories, including highchairs, allowing children to build a complete set for their dolls. These prams are designed to be the centrepiece of a child's play, making them ideal gifts for birthdays or Christmas.

The Dotty Tandem Dolls Pram is a great addition for those who enjoy outdoor play. Featuring a pink polka dot design, this pram is perfect for taking two favourite dolls on adventures. The tandem design, with one seat in front of the other and a front swivel wheel, ensures easy manoeuvrability. A convenient shopping basket is included, providing space for all the little essentials needed for a day out.

With a wide variety of single and twin versions of dolls prams, the Roma Dolls Pram ranges are designed to be memorable gifts for special occasions, while smaller, affordable items are also available, meaning children can gradually expand their play sets.

Company Profile Casdon

Grab a slice of the role-play action with Ooni

Just in time for summer, Casdon has launched its licensed Ooni pizza-making range. Made from recycled plastics, the range introduces a sustainability story to the role-play specialist’s portfolio and will be supported by a raft of marketing activities throughout the coming months. Casdon’s marketing manager, Simone Inskip, and Ooni Pizza Oven’s senior project manager, Claire Grant, tell Toy World how the partnership came about and why retailers should be fired up about this tasty new toy.

“I know that so many people feel they have to say this, but our partnership with Ooni has honestly been brilliant,” Simone tells us. “The whole process was the brainchild of Phil (Cassidy, managing director at Casdon) of course, but since then we’ve been immersed in Research & Development to bring the range to life alongside Ooni, and the journey could not have been better.”

The Ooni range marks the pizza oven manufacturer’s first foray into the world of toys, explains the company’s Claire Grant. She says: “We were approached by Casdon with the idea for the toy back in 2021 and instantly knew this was a product that would resonate with many of our customers. The team worked closely with Casdon throughout the design process to ensure the toy is a complete replica of the oven, and, importantly, is made using durable recycled plastics.”

Indeed, the materials used posed the greatest challenge when cooking up Casdon’s Ooni Koda Pizza Oven and Topping Station. As Casdon’s first ever toy to be made from recycled plastics, it was vital the Ooni range

maintained the quality the company is known for with plastics that tick the sustainability box – no mean feat for any toy company.

So does this mean Casdon will be producing more toys made from recycled plastics in the future? It certainly could, though inherent complexities make this food for thought. As it is, most of Casdon’s packaging is recyclable, something the company arguably doesn’t shout about enough, and rising consumer demand for more sustainable toys makes this is an area worth exploring further.

Much like the De’Longhi barista coffee machine Casdon launched in 2023, the Ooni Koda Pizza Oven brings traditional role-play fun to kids in a new and modern way. Home pizza-making soared during Covid and has remained a popular (and delicious) family activity ever since, and children are therefore keen to emulate what they see their parents doing at the life-size version. Simone says her own kids cite their recent experience of playing with the new toy as ‘one of the best days ever’. “We all wore aprons and the kids made pretend pizzas while my husband and I made real ones: it made for a lovely afternoon for all involved,” she enthuses.

The Ooni range took pride of place on Casdon’s stand at London Toy Fair (some of you may recall the contentious vote the company was running over whether or not pineapple belonged on pizza – the debate apparently rages on). The reaction was overwhelmingly positive, with Simone saying the use of recycled plastics made it a great conversation starter. She also tells us that seeing the behind-the-scenes excitement of the Casdon team for new launches matched by that of the company’s retail partners is a special moment for all. Consumers, too, are showing their appreciation: early sales from Casdon’s own D2C site indicate the Ooni range is going to be popular.

One of the biggest joys of the process, according to Simone, has been the marketing autonomy she’s enjoyed. Casdon is trying to reach its own customers as well as Ooni’s, meaning the collaboration could explore some imaginative, creative new areas: as Simone puts it, simply to ‘have a lot of fun’.

The Ooni range is Casdon’s biggest launch of the year and accordingly, activity is planned right the way through to Christmas. Influencer activations are already underway, with carefully selected influencers creating posts in which they have fun with their kids in their own at-home Ooni ‘cooking schools’. Celebrities, to be announced ASAP, are also being brought on board for Facebook, Instagram and TikTok campaigns, the latter being a platform on which Casdon enjoys particularly high parental engagement. Ooni also works with a number of its own brand ambassadors: parents of children within the target age range will receive the roleplay range as part of a gifting campaign.

October marks National Pizza Month. Casdon will be supporting the Ooni range with a full month of activity including influencer marketing, digital advertising, competitions and giveaways – including for a prize package comprising Casdon’s entire Ooni role-play range and the real Ooni Koda pizza oven. Similar competitions from years gone by have yielded great engagement across all channels, and Simone is confident that its Ooni giveaway will see families clamouring for a slice of the action.

“It’s been brilliant working with Casdon on this special collaboration,” finishes Claire at Ooni. “Our driving force at Ooni is to bring pizza-making into people’s homes, so it’s really exciting that little ones can get in on the action too with our very first role-play Ooni Koda Pizza Oven and Pizza Topping Station.”

Simone Inskip

Claire Grant

Dress up & Role Play

Amscan

01908 288 500 | www.amscan.co.uk

Commotion

01732 225 821 | www.commotion.co.uk info@commotion.co.uk

Commotion has revealed a new collaboration with PolarB, a wooden toy brand known for its high-quality, eco-friendly educational toys. New products include beautifully designed wooden role-play toys in soft, muted colours. The brand shares Commotion’s ethos of believing that learning through play is a critical part of a child’s development, valuing the importance of providing toys that are designed with multifunctional aspects of educational purpose.

The Tool Bench with accessories, alongside the handy Tool Kit, is designed to encourage the development of fine motor skills and creative play. Additionally, the Dentist Set in a smart case and the Hairdressing Set in a handy pouch are great for introducing young children to conversations about health, wellbeing and lifestyle.

The Cash Register and Weighing Scales aim to help develop maths skills in a fun way, meanwhile, the Play Kitchen with accessories, alongside a variety of small kitchen appliances and play food, is ideal for encouraging social interaction and discussing healthy eating.

Established in 1983, Commotion is a leading worldwide distributor of educational toys. The PolarB range is available now for wholesale purchase via pre-order, with stock due in late summer 2024. Rubies

08453 070 707 | www.rubiesuk.com

Amscan has an extensive range of children’s Role Play & Dress Up, to ignite imaginations and create screen-free play. The company’s broad range of licensed costumes allows infants, children and adults to dress up as their favourite characters, including DC Superheroes, Pokémon and Harry Potter, creating memorable experiences all year round.

Amscan’s Ride On range of unisex toy dress up makes for an easy to wear evergreen product that grows with the child. This costume includes adjustable straps and Velcro fastenings, creating a style that can be passed down and has a multi-use factor. The offering features numerous popular core characters including Dinosaurs, Unicorns and Dragons to spark the imaginations of those who wear them.

Amscan also designs and manufactures a 100% Recycled Content Dress Up range, offering sustainable role-play costumes in reusable cardboard packaging. Supporting the recycle, re-wear and re-purpose branding, children can dress up as Firefighters, Police Officers and Doctors, whilst parents can rest assured that the costumes are fully washable and mindful of the environment too. This sustainable range also includes Halloween and licensed designs.

Launched for Book Week 2024, Amscan is continuing its partnership with the World Book Day Charity for 2025, with World Book Day-branded costumes donating 5% to the Charity from every sale. Classic storybook characters such as Little Riding Hood, Alice and Tiger encourage role-play through reading, providing educational fun for the event and all year round.

Role Play is a core part of what makes Amscan’s Dress Up portfolio successful, ensuring it offers the most popular and iconic characters for all key events, as well as everyday play. In addition to its Everyday styles and World Book Day-themed costumes, Amscan also stocks a wide range of curriculum-based styles including historical themes of Vikings, Tudors, Romans and many more. With Halloween and Christmas seasons also covered, there is a style for every occasion.

Rubies is introducing all-new Deadpool and Wolverine costumes, inspired by the highly anticipated Marvel film. These authentic costumes are available in sizes suitable for fans aged 14 and above and are perfect for those planning to attend comic-cons and cosplay events. Also joining the portfolio is the official Dogpool jumpsuit costume, which features a stylish red and black design to give pets a chance to join the superhero fun.

Consumers can also embody the ferocity of Wolverine with the officially licensed costume based on the comic book version of Wolverine, which also includes the famous mask. Users can get ready to take on any foe with the style and snarl that Wolverine is known for.

Rubies is also introducing a brand-new addition to its pre-school property range by partnering with Acamar Films, to bring an everyday dress-up collection for the multi-award-winning animation, Bing. With designs already in development, the new Bing range will be available to pre-order at the tail end of this year, perfect for trade retailers looking to stock up on the latest toddler costumes. These costumes will be designed for everyday role-play, which is essential for the development of young children’s imagination.

With timeless storytelling at its heart and trust established over 10 years, Bing offers a truly shared experience between grown-ups and toddlers, providing the tools to support the social and emotional development of pre-schoolers across the world. Bing has charmed kids for years with established pre-school content across EMEA, consistently topping the listings across various streaming platforms.

This new partnership demonstrates Rubies' dedication to child development through imaginative play, while also ensuring its massive portfolio of licences remains bang up to date.

Dress up & Role Play

Casdon

01253 766 411 | www.casdon.com | toys@casdon.com

Casdon has worked hand-in-hand with Dyson for over 28 years, and the licensed toys have been going from strength to strength, with the range still expanding.

The company works with Dyson’s engineers to ensure its toys are the perfect tools for young children to learn through pretend play. With working features, from the twists and turns of the different elements and sounds just like the real thing, the miniature vacuums are ideal for nurturing pre-school children’s coordination, core motor skills and imagination through role-play.

The Dyson Ball and Dyson Cordless vacuum cleaners are amongst the top 10 best-selling infant role-play toys in the UK. Expanding on the range in 2022, Casdon now also manufactures miniature versions of the Dyson hair range – with the Dyson Supersonic and Dyson Corrale sets both available as toy versions, as well as together in the Supersonic and Corrale Deluxe Styling Set.

Disguise

www.disguise.com info@disguise.com

Children can dress up as Stitch with the Disguise Classic Stitch costume. This costume is available in various sizes including 6-12 months, 12-18 months, 2 and 3-4, making it suitable for both infants and toddlers. It consists of a full jumpsuit made of super soft velour, with a front-side Velcro opening and a dimensional felt tail. Also included is an elasticated headpiece with Stitch’s face and dimensional ears and hair. Cute and easy to wear, this costume looks just like Stitch and is perfect for trick-or-treating at Halloween, World Book Day and everyday play scenarios.

Seamlessly imitating the real thing and allowing for hours of role-play, the Dyson Supersonic hair dryer and Dyson Corrale straightener feature all the hallmarks of the full-sized styling aids, but in a child-friendly format. The toys’ features include blowing real air, making identical sounds and flexing plate technology. Each set also comes complete with accompanying accessories and attachments for different hair types. Aimed at pre-school boys and girls, the Dyson hair range helps with coordination, social skills and cause and effect development.  AB Gee

01773 570 444 | www.abgee.co.uk | sales@abgee.co.uk

AB Gee has two new additions to its wooden role-play range arriving later this year. The new breakfast tray offers children an opportunity to indulge in imaginative play that mirrors the comforting routine of breakfast time. Made from high-quality wood with rounded corners, the small and sturdy pieces are a perfect size for little hands to serve up a tasty treat. Also new to the range and decorated in the same pastel colours is the afternoon tea set, which includes a tray, a teapot, cups, saucers and spoons plus many pretend treats ensuring tea parties are enjoyed and cherished memories are made. These products combine elegance, imagination and sustainability to create an enchanting play experience. These are part of the Tooky Toy range exclusive to AB Gee.

The Stitch Headband features a lightly padded design and is made with soft blue fabric and sparkly pink fabric on the inside of Stitch’s signature ears. Additionally, Disguise also offers an Angel Headband which allows users to dress up as intergalactic sensation Angel. The lightly padded headband is made with soft, pink fabric with sparkle art inside the ears, and features Angel’s signature

The Minecraft Creeper Fancy Dress is designed to make fans look like they’ve jumped out of the game. Available in sizes 3-4, 4-6, 7-8 and 10-12, this costume features an oversized detachable foam overlay covered with sublimated art and builtout shoulders and chest. It has attached polyester pants with block detailing on the front. A Creeper mask is also included to complete the look.

Minecraft fans can also turn into Steve with the Steve Fancy Dress costume. This costume is available in sizes 3-4, 4-6 and 7-8 and features a padded bodice jumpsuit with pixel detailing, detachable dimensional shoulder pieces and a half mask of Steve's face also included to complete the gaming look.

Also forming part of Disguise’s Minecraft costume portfolio is the Steve in Diamond Armour Fancy Dress. This soft jumpsuit is available in sizes 3-4, 4-6 and 7-8 and features a diamond armour pixel print throughout and detachable shoulder pieces. The costume comes with a stiff felt half mask of Steve's head to complete the full armoured Minecraft look.

The Minecraft Skeleton Classic costume enables users to spawn into an undead hostile mob. It includes a jumpsuit with skeleton pixels, a detachable chest piece and a skeleton half-mask. This costume is available in sizes 4-6, 7-8 and 10-12. Also available in the same sizes is the Ender Dragon Classic costume, which includes an Ender Dragon headpiece, hood and jumpsuit with detachable wings and tail with spike panel detailing.

LeapFrog

Klein Toys

www.klein-toys-shop.de/en | l.brace@klein-toys.com

The Barbie Display case for six Barbies with an illuminated Barbie logo features an elegant, hinged door and is ideal for keeping dolls safe and secure. Doll lovers can choose the right compartment for each doll, carefully place their favourites inside and gently close the door. Users can also set up the doll's house as a display cabinet that can be fitted to the wall, and if they want to take their favourites on a trip, the display case can be carried anywhere with a practical handle.

The Hot Wheels Collecting showcase with an illuminated Hot Wheels logo is a smart garage with a transparent hinged door from which the logo shines out. Users who own this garage can drive cars up to it easily, glide them through the door, head to one of the 54 parking spaces and park their vehicle smoothly. The case can easily be mounted on the wall as a showcase or can be taken out and about at any time due to its travel-friendly design.

Theo Klein offers many more toys for children across categories including Outdoor, Dolls & Beauty, Professions, Household, Kitchens, Shopping, Tools and Parking Garages.

Dress up & Role Play Hasbro

01235 555 545 | www.leapfrog.co.uk | trade.sales@vtecheu.com

Joining LeapFrog’s best-selling role-play selection is the Count & Swirl Ice Cream Maker. This retro ice cream machine comes bundled with 12 pretend accessories. Users can press the customer order button to hear pretend customer orders, place the six ice cream swirls into the top of the machine, pull the levers to release the ice cream into the cone or cup and learn ice cream colours and flavours. They can also toggle the topping switch to select one of four toppings and top it off with the syrup of their choice.

The Build-a-Slice Pizza Cart features an interactive spatula to build a slice of pizza. Mini chefs can listen to customer orders, put on the toppings, place the finished product in the oven and create a perfectly baked pizza.

The Scoop & Learn Ice Cream Cart features a magic ice cream scooper that lets players hear what colours the ice creams are before matching them to customers’ orders.

Players can embark on a learning picnic adventure with the Shapes & Sharing Picnic Basket, which features a built-in picnic character who comes to life as the butterfly button is pressed.

0208 569 1234 | www.hasbro.co.uk

New from the Play-Doh brand is the Play-Doh Pizza Delivery Scooter. Not only is it a kid-powered ride-on scooter, but it is also a Play-Doh pizza role-play set toy that lets kids make and deliver their own creations on wheels. The stamp and spin action in the toy oven at the back of the scooter lets kids make pretend pizza creations again and again. They can use the mobile phone to take an order, box it up and put it in the slot on the side of the scooter and can even honk a horn when it is ready for delivery. The Delivery Scooter comes with 10 modelling compound colours in two-ounce cans and 16 pretend accessories to create and share Play-Doh pizzas, pretend ice cream treats and more. The play set is suitable for girls and boys ages three to five.

Also new from the Play-Doh Kitchen Creations range is the Play-Doh Rainbow Swirl Ice Cream Playset. Children can load the machine with two or more Play-Doh colours and press the handle to fill the spinning cup or cone with rainbow-edged pretend soft-serve ice cream. The product creates make-believe sprinkles and other Play-Doh food like pretend pretzels, fruits and candy cups. This ice cream set comes with a spoon, multicolour swirls and decorations.

With the Play-Doh Swirlin' Smoothies Blender Playset, children can create Play-Doh fruits and vegetables, pop them into the blender and press them through to swirl them into colourful pretend smoothie creations. The smoothies can then be decorated with Play-Doh whipped cream, strawberries or even make-believe blue broccoli.

Kids can express their unique style with the Play-Doh Hair Stylin' Salon play set. After loading in some Play-Doh compound, they can start growing and styling Play-Doh hair. This Play-Doh kit includes Play-Doh accessories like a curl-creating hair dryer, mohawk mould, crimper and two different plates to make different hair textures. With 12 ounces of Play-Doh compound, including three dual-colour cans, kids can make both long and short styles.

Little Tikes

0845 0533 333 | www.mgae.com

Character Options

0161 633 9800 | www.character-online.com | sales@charactergroup.plc.uk

Kids can celebrate their fandom with Character Options Playmates’ Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Master Toy line, which includes several role-play lines.

The all-new Tales of the TMNT Roleplay Collection enables kids to transform themselves into their favourite Turtle. They can tie on the bandana and customise the signature weapons with powerful new add-on accessories. When the battle is won, users can disassemble their weapon and begin building another, ready for the next battle.

Also available is a range of TMNT Movie Role Play Masks that’ll let children mutate themselves into one of the four members of the Green Team. Styled after the new CG-animated movie, these full-face masks are highly detailed to match the characters’ movie looks as kids recreate the on screen action.

For over 50 years, Little Tikes has firmly established itself as a leader in UK role-play toys, consistently creating ranges that have gone on to become firm family favourites.

The Little Tikes Gas 'n’ Go Mower is designed to look just like the real thing. Sounds and hands-on features encourage kids to get moving and mowing, giving a play time opportunity to act as little gardeners while supporting the development of motor skills, balance and coordination. The lawn mower sounds are mechanical, meaning no power source is needed; a big key clicks and colourful beads pop as it moves to make fun engine sounds replicating the real thing. The Gas 'n’ Go Mower also features a realistic movable throttle and a role-play fuel can and is suitable for children aged 18 months to six years.

The Little Tikes Adventure Rocket allows children to travel through space, the stars and the planets. Kids can pilot the starship, look through the telescope, fix wires on the exterior maintenance panel or crawl through the escape hatch. The Adventure Rocket comes complete with a swivel chair and star viewer screen so children can pretend to fly through the galaxy. Little Tikes Adventure Rocket is suitable for children aged 2-6 years.

Little ones can pretend to use everyday items just like their parents with the super realistic Little Tikes First Appliances range. With the Little Tikes First Washer-Dryer, children can pretend to wash and dry clothes with interactive features including a tumbling drum, a sliding detergent drawer, a tabletop for folding clothes and built-in slots for storage baskets. This toy also makes realistic sounds like dials turning, spinning drum sounds, beeps, cycles changing and more to extend the pretend play. The First Washer-Dryer is easy to set up to its full size and fits all 11 included accessories for easy clean-up too.

Children can also pretend to store and prepare food with the Little Tikes First Fridge inspiring the chefs and home cooks of the future. This sleek, modern pretend-play fridge is packed with realistic role-play-led features such as a working ice dispenser, dual French doors, a separate freezer drawer and working fridge lights. Little Tikes First Fridge makes realistic sounds like crushed ice, water dispensing, beeps and more. The First Fridge easily sets up to its full size and kids can customise it by displaying their grocery lists or artwork on the door. Little Tikes’ First Washer-Dryer and First Fridge are designed for children aged 24 months to five years.

Bayer Design

07771 763 818 | www.bayer-design.com | bayer.uk@bayer-design.com

Bayer Design presents a collection of Dress Up and Role Play toys designed to inspire creativity and imaginative play among children. These toys provide young children with a platform to explore various roles and scenarios in a fun and educational manner.

The line includes a variety of high-quality interactive dolls, dolls dresses and accessories. Each product in the range is meticulously crafted to ensure durability and safety, making them perfect for everyday play. These features enhance play experiences and help children develop social and cognitive skills by engaging in role-playing activities.

One of the standout products in this category is the Deluxe Styling Head. This set includes a styling head with realistic hair, along with a variety of accessories such as hair clips, a brush and makeup tools. The Deluxe Styling Head allows children to experiment with different hairstyles and makeup techniques, fostering creativity and fine motor skills.

Another popular item is the Doctor Play Set, which comes with a lab coat, stethoscope and a variety of medical tools, encouraging children to learn about healthcare professions playfully. Additionally, the Doctor Play Set includes an interactive doll that simulates real-life medical scenarios. This doll features several functions, such as a heartbeat sound, blinking eyes and phrases like "I don't feel well." Children can use the included stethoscope to listen to the doll's heartbeat, enhancing the realistic play experience. These interactive features not only make playtime more engaging but also help children develop empathy and understanding of medical care.

These products are poised for success due to their unique characteristics and the growing demand for toys that promote creative and educational play, with meticulous design, attention to detail and a focus on quality.

Dress up & Role Play

Melissa & Doug

0800 731 0578 | service@melissaanddoug.com

Melissa & Doug brings imaginative play to life with its diverse range of dressup and role-playing sets. Ideal for Halloween trick-or-treating and everyday play, these sets combine fun and education, fostering creativity, empathy and developmental skills.

The Examine & Treat Pet Vet Play Set includes two plush pets and a range of accessories. Children can use bandages, a cone and various tools to care for their furry friends, promoting empathy through play and providing an engaging, hands-on way to encourage nurturing behaviour.

The Get Well Doctor's Set is a 25-piece kit that equips young doctors with realistic accessories to help patients feel better. Children aged three and older can check temperature, heartbeat, blood pressure, eyesight, hearing and more using play tools like a syringe and reflex hammer. The set also includes play bottles and bandages, reusable activity cards, an ID badge and a waiting room magazine. This set not only works to alleviate the anxiety associated with doctor visits but also sparks creativity and imagination, inspiring children to care for others and explore the medical field.

The Fire Chief Role Play Set includes a bright red jacket with reflective material, a fire chief helmet and more, sparking imaginative play and roleplaying scenarios. The Doctor Role Play Costume Set features a white coat, mask, thermometer, reflex hammer and much more, encouraging children to engage in imaginative medical play, on their own or with a parent or sibling, meanwhile the Construction Worker Dress Up Set includes a bright orange vest with reflective material and a tool belt. Sized for children aged three to six, this set offers hands-on, screen-free fun, allowing little workers to immerse themselves in construction-themed play.

Simba Smoby

Just Play

www.justplayproducts.com

uksales@justplayproducts.com

Disney Junior SuperKitties fans can indulge in role-play fun with Just Play’s SuperKitties Hero Masks, which let them recreate scenarios based on the adventures from the series. This Halloween, kids can transform themselves into their favourite crime-fighting kittens, alternating between Ginny and Bitsy. Both hero masks are perfect for kids to dress up and pretend play as the leaders of the show's fearless felines. Each mask plays five recognisable phrases from the show and includes a soft insert for comfort and an adjustable strap to fit most children aged three years and up.

01620 674 778 | www.smobytoys.co.uk | sales@simbasmoby.com

Fans of Gabby’s Dollhouse can enjoy immersing themselves in pretend play scenarios with Gabby’s Dollhouse Ice Cream Factory. This set lets kids create ice cream and waffles alongside Gabby. Continuing the food-themed fun, Gabby’s Picnic Basket is designed with a handle and a two-part lid for stylish, pretend play picnics.

For budding florists, the Smoby Flower Market range blends the make-believe world with a spot of creative play, as they construct flowers with the new Flower Creations Kit. The set comes with a manual flower press and flower parts to create blooms to sell on their own florist stall. Petals can be taken apart to create new flowers, or top-ups are available with Flower Deco Refill packs.

With the Smoby My Beauty Centre, children can take on the role of makeup artist, hairdresser or salesperson. Innovatively, it combines three fun activities in one, offering children hours of imaginative playtime, as they make use of the dressing table’s tilting mirror, shampoo area with basin and merchant counter with a cash register.

HTI

01253 778 888 | www.htigroup.co.uk

HTI’s range of Peppa Pig toys continues to expand year on year to accommodate the immeasurable variety of play patterns vital to a child’s progress. Peppa Pig’s Driver Dashboard is a standout product for 2024. This interactive dashboard is designed to develop fine motor skills while igniting the imagination of children through sensory exploration. The dashboard is packed with various noises that mimic real-life driving experiences, enhancing handeye coordination abilities as kids navigate through imaginative adventures with features like a realistic key start, flashing indicator lights and a mechanical clicking gear stick.

With Bluey's Camera, users can lift the camera lens to hear the catchy theme tune and capture their best moments with ease, using the lens mirror for flawless selfies. Kids can also experience the fun of sliding the cloud slider, pressing the shutter button to snap a photo and listening to Bluey's playful sounds as the picture emerges. Designed with soft, easy-grip handles and rattling beads, Bluey's Camera ensures hours of comfortable playtime exploration. HTI is adding the hit licence Gabby’s Dollhouse to its range of role-play items, with products such as Gabby’s Telephone - shaped like Gabby herself - joining the range. When the phone rings, players can pick up the handset to answer, press the large middle button to play the iconic Gabby Dollhouse theme tune or dial the numbers to hear the characters from Gabby’s Dollhouse. When users lift the handset, they can get ready to chat with Gabby and her friends.

FRESH THIS MONTH:

Each month Fresh sets out to find the latest products that will have toy retailers reaching for the phone. Here are new releases from: Asmodee, Bruder, Canal, Hasbro, Janod, Magicbox, MGA Entertainment, Playmobil, Ravensburger, Tactic & Zuru.

fresh

SuperThingsLegends

Magicbox • 01293 222 500 www.magicboxint.com sales@magicbox-toys.co.uk

Next month, SuperThings fans will be given the opportunity to get their hands on characters from previous SuperThings collections with the all-new Legends series.

SuperThings Legends from Magicbox will deliver plenty of playability and are offered at even more affordable price points, with collectible value packs set to provide back-to-back surprises and endless inspiration for storytelling. SuperThings figures, SuperMachines and PowerJets are all offered within the range, wrapped up in epic Legends branding just waiting to be discovered. This latest series is the perfect way for kids to relive the sagas of the SuperThings origins story and for collectors to find previously retired characters.

The new range benefits from the support of an always-on marketing campaign, with a whole host of activity planned to ensure visibility and drive awareness of the new series from launch including impactful digital campaigns, influencer outreach and - new for the season - a consumer-facing festival visit at Gloworm 2024.

Style4Ever

Canal Toys • 01904 379 123 • www.canaltoys.co.uk sales@canaltoys.uk

Canal Toys has announced the addition of several new lines to the range, whilst the Style 4 Ever 3-in-1 Scrapbooking Station and Style 4 Ever Fashion Designer Studio continue to be best-sellers across the Arts & Crafts sector. New lines include the Style 4 Ever DIY Unicorn Lava Lamp, Style 4 Ever Diamond Art LED Case, Style 4 Ever Nail Art Gel Studio and Style 4 Ever Diamond Art Lamp Set.

The Style 4 Ever DIY Unicorn Lava Lamp allows kids to create and decorate their own battery-operated lava lamp. This complete DIY kit includes decorations, colourant and sticker sheets: kids just decorate, add water and then turn it on to watch the swirls and colour-changing lights create amazing effects.

The Style 4 Ever Diamond Art LED Case includes pictures to decorate with the diamond painting technique. The kit includes 3,500+ diamantes, a diamante pen, mini colour pencils and a storage pot. Kids can choose their favourite design and place the diamantes one by one, following the design. Once finished, everything packs away in the light-up battery-operated case.

Style 4 Ever Nail Art Gel Studio lets imaginative kids create their own nail art with the UV nail lamp. First, they create custom nail charms in the mould using the UV activated nail polish, then place them on the painted false nails and cure them under the light to attach. In just a few seconds, the finished nails are ready to wear. The kit includes a UV lamp, three gel nail polishes, one silicone mould, two false nails sets, sticker sheets, decorations and tools.

Rounding out the new introductions, the Style 4 Ever Diamond Art Lamp Set comes with two characters to decorate with the diamond painting technique, placing the diamantes one by one according to the design. Once completed, putting the finished product on the colour changing light-up base will cause it to shine in the dark.

L.O.L. Surprise! has announced the launch of its brand-new collectible, L.O.L. Surprise! Hair Beads. Sitting within the Tots range, children aged three and above can unbox new, colourful and adorable Tots to create their own unique styles. The Tots range has seen strong growth over the last year, with the likes of Mix and Make Birthday Cake, Baby Bundle and Water Balloon Surprise being a hit with fans in spring/summer 2024. This new product for autumn 2024 continues to introduce a whole new play-pattern for the brand within the creative play space.

Retailing at RRP £9.99, there are seven characters to collect, and every ball comes with 60 beads to unbox, allowing children to make wild and fun hairstyles for their Tot. As part of this new play-pattern experience, children simply use the beads to create a hairstyle on their Tots' hair and spray the beads with water to fuse the style together, which they can repeat over and over. These new Tots ensure that every child can use their everyday experiences from what they see around them to have fun and create unique styles inspired by their growing confidence.

XShotInsanityHorrorFire

Zuru • www.zurutoys.com • sales@zuru.com

Following the success of its first modular blaster range with the launch of XShot Insanity last year, Zuru has introduced the new XShot Insanity HorrorFire line, to combine integrated capabilities with designs influenced by the popular horror genre.

Leading the blaster category through its innovation and value-driven approach, the new range comprises three core SKUs, each designed using the latest air-pocket dart technology. The range has been developed to ensure that each blaster appeals as a stand-alone purchase while encouraging users to collect all lines to create the ultimate Insanity HorrorFire combination. In addition, the new range is compatible with the original XShot Insanity lines, further increasing collectability and playability, and encouraging repeat purchase at retail.

Driven by customer demand to see even more ammo, actions, combos and themes, the range caters to those consumers looking for a collectible value line, with each model under £25, and all three available to purchase for under £50. The sub-£10 entry price-point XShot Insanity HorrorFire Reaper X can blast the eight Air Pocket Technology darts up to 27m/90ft away and allows players to pull a secondary trigger to activate the Reaper X saw blade for added play. Taking the blaster action to new levels, the XShot Insanity HorrorFire Doomsday blaster features a spinning saw blade every time the user pumps to reload and comes complete with an eight-dart capacity revolving drum and 16 Air Pocket Technology darts. Finally, the largest blaster in the new range, XShot Insanity HorrorFire Dread Hammer, features a 35-dart clip and includes 48 Air Pocket Technology darts for precise shots with up to 27m/90ft range. Users can collect and combine the entire Insanity HorrorFire range to create bespoke combo blasters. The XShot Insanity HorrorFire launch will be supported with a robust digital and social marketing campaign implemented from the summer holidays until Christmas, with intensive bursts of content to reach the core XShot audience.

StarWarsUnlimited–ShadowsoftheGalaxy

Following the resounding success of its inaugural set, Fantasy Flight Games introduces the next adventure in the Star Wars Unlimited series: Shadows of the Galaxy. This eagerly awaited second set, available from 12th July, promises to enhance the gaming experience with innovative mechanics, dynamic gameplay and fan-favourite characters. This set challenges players to blend new and classic cards creatively, setting the stage for endless strategic depth. New cards include the Moff Gideon and the Mandalorian leader cards, each with unique decks that introduce novel gameplay tactics. Whether it's leveraging Moff Gideon's deck to dominate the battlefield or utilising the Mandalorian's deck to strategically outmanoeuvre opponents, the Shadows of the Galaxy set promises a gameplay experience that's both engaging and challenging.

This set features characters and content from the Mandalorian series, Solo: A Star Wars Story, the Book of Boba Fett and more. Featured cards such as the Phase-III Dark Trooper and Gideon’s Light Cruiser add to the intrigue and complexity.

One of the most highly anticipated cards, the Grogu Unit Card, enables players to exhaust an enemy's unit, mirroring Grogu's powerful yet draining abilities as seen in the Disney+ series, The Mandalorian. This card, in combination with the Mandalorian Unit Card, captures the protective bond between the characters, offering players new strategic depth and thematic gameplay.

In a new move for its iconic and award-winning outdoor game Mölkky, Tactic Games is launching Mölkky Minipeli. First unveiled at the London Toy Fair in January, the globally popular skittle-throwing game is now available as a miniature version.

Following the play pattern of the original Mölkky, players set the miniature numbered pins in a formation on a table-top, aim the throwing skittle and watch where the pins fall. To win any game of Mölkky, classic or mini, users must score exactly 50 points - if they go over 50, their score goes down to 25.

The newly launched finger-size throwing game, crafted from real wood for authentic play, brings a new element of fun to the Mölkky offering and makes it easy to take the game anywhere while also providing a safe way to play indoors. The new Mölkky Minipeli is a great way to introduce a new audience to the brand and keep the game being played all year round.

The original wooden crate version of the famous Finnish game, meanwhile, has undergone a packaging refresh to align with Tactic’s mission to reduce the use of plastics in its manufacturing. The crate now comes with a cardboard wrap to make it more environmentally friendly and give it stronger branding to stand out on the shelf.

Stock of Mölkky Go, the smaller version of the game in a box with a carry handle, has been flying out as soon as it lands from Finland, so Tactic is urging UK customers to get orders in quickly before it sells out for another summer.

PlaymobilPirates

Playmobil • 01268 548

Playmobil has introduced the Playmobil Pirates range. Launched in February and July of this year, these dynamic sets are designed to captivate young adventurers and are backed by a robust media campaign throughout the year and a special YouTube episode.

Featuring intricately designed ships, detailed pirate figures and a host of accessories, these sets promise endless adventures for children. The narrative possibilities are limitless, encouraging kids to create their own epic tales of highseas escapades and buried treasures. Key launches in the Playmobil Pirates range include the 71530 Large Pirate Ship, 71531 Skull Island, 71532 Battle with the Giant Crab, and 71533 My Figures: Pirates. These sets are designed to provide immersive play experiences that spark creativity and fun.

As children engage in pirate adventures, they often play collaboratively, learning to communicate, share and work as a team. The experience of assuming different roles helps them develop empathy and emotional intelligence, key components of their overall growth. The Playmobil Pirates sets also support fine motor skill development. The detailed figures and ships require precise handling and assembly, strengthening young hands and improving hand-eye coordination. These developmental benefits are a strong selling point for parents looking for toys that offer both fun and educational value.

Playmobil's commitment to safety and durability also means these products are built to withstand the rigors of adventurous play, providing long-lasting value for customers.

Hasbro • 0208 569 1234 www.hasbro.co.uk

kimberly.kugler@hasbro.com

Children can get ready for an interactive playtime full of dancing, crawling, music and sound effects with the Marvel Spidey and His Amazing Friends Dance ‘N Crawl Spidey from Hasbro. This new toy, for pre-schoolers aged three and up, is inspired by the hit Disney Junior show Spidey and His Amazing Friends, which encourages kids to get up, move and imagine adventures with Spidey.

This highly interactive 10” plush features phrases, sounds and hit music from the show. Children can activate dance mode to ‘Do the Spidey’ by pushing the web on Spidey’s foot or can press the icon on his chest to hear 20 familiar phrases and sounds, plus two songs from the show. They can help Spidey get into crawl mode by tilting his head up, rotating his wrists and placing him on his belly, and then do The Spidey Crawl along with him. With Spidey’s soft exterior, fans can take him with them wherever they go. A special Do the Spidey music video for pre-schoolers to watch and dance along to will also be released this summer.

Horrified: World of Monsters

Ravensburger • 01869 363 830 www.ravensburger.com

Horrified: World of Monsters introduces a mysterious arcane-punk town centred around the Void, a doorway between worlds from which terrors of all ilk might erupt, and over which the players watch as Earth’s premier monster experts. The cooperative game sees players face the Sphinx, Yeti, Jiangshi and Cthulhu and includes all-new rules to mix and match monsters with its predecessor, Horrified: Greek Monsters.

Horrified: World of Monsters continues the series’ five-year legacy of impeccable atmosphere, immersive gameplay and detailed miniatures, all while adding some extra fearsome firsts. The game also marks Ravensburger’s first mix-and-match rules for Horrified, its first multi-phase monster challenge and its first release at a new, more approachable price point.

Horrified: World of Monsters is the fourth entry in Ravensburger’s popular Horrified franchise. Similar to its predecessors, Horrified: Greek Monsters (2023), Horrified: American Monsters (2021) and Horrified: Universal Monsters (2019), in this edition, each monster presents a unique challenge and can be combined differently for infinite thrills. Fans of previous iterations will discover character cameos from previous editions, including Mari from Horrified: American Monsters and The Investigator from Horrified: Universal Monsters.

Allegedly

B&M’s latest set of annual results shows that value retail continues to attract consumers – no real surprise in the current climate. More importantly, with a minimum of 45 new stores set to open in the UK this year, and a long-term goal of a UK store estate of 1,200 outlets, B&M is positioning itself to be a strong player in the toy market for years to come…

Last month saw the launch of the Tesco online marketplace, giving customers the opportunity to purchase third-party brands which won’t be found in-store. For ease of reference, let’s call it ‘Tamazon’ (although that does rather imply it’s going head-to-head with Amazon, and I don’t think that’s quite the case). The initial toy selection at launch has a bit of a rag-tag feel about it – some tertiary brands, a few specialist toy retailers, plus a number of companies I have never heard of. Tesco is promising a “one-stop shop for everything customers need” once it reaches full scale – but at first glance, that seems a very, very long way away. The last time Tesco tried something similar – a marketplace launched on Tesco Direct – it didn’t end well: opened in 2012, it closed six years later after making heavy losses, with the retailer admitting it had “no route to profitability”. Ever since then, Tesco has been searching for an online trading model that works – but personally, I am yet to be convinced that this is it. As I understand it, toys will be fulfilled completely separately from food. There is a delivery charge, but what if the consumer buys three non-food items from three different suppliers - does that mean three suppliers have to fulfil the orders individually, but split the cost of one delivery between them? And what if Tesco decides further down the line to incentivise Clubcard members with a free shipping offer? On top of the delivery costs, I am led to believe the commission Tesco is charging is “punchy”, and I also hear on the grapevine that products that are stocked in The Entertainer zones in Tesco stores won’t be able to sell via the marketplace anyway, primarily due to barcoding issues. So, weighing everything up, it will be interesting to see if the toy presence on the marketplace becomes more substantial over time, or whether it will prove tricky to trade profitably on it for anyone other than a few niche players…

The rumour mill is awash with companies reportedly looking at recalibrating their business models: The Disguise EMEA operation has apparently made several staff redundant, and I gather it will be integrated into the Jakks business, so the sales team will now sell both ranges, rather than the business having separate sales teams (a condition of securing one particular licence a few years ago – I wonder what will happen when that comes up for renewal?). Retailer Game is rumoured to be closing its Basingstoke head office and asking buyers to relocate from Basingstoke to the Frasers head office in Derbyshire, while The Wonder Group (formerly Amscan) has filed a notice of intent to appoint Interpath Advisory to explore options to bring new investment into the business. Basically, there is currently a lot bubbling away below the surface, as companies react to prevailing market conditions and look at their own businesses to evaluate how best to move forward…

With May Circana data showing a modest +1% increase, we can at least be happy about a month when red (finally) turned to black as far as toy sales are concerned. A slight upturn in sales might calm a few of the major retailers down in terms of promotional activity. I had several conversations with toy suppliers at the Toymaster Show which suggested they were concerned at the level of heavy discounting that had been going on post-Easter. I think most suppliers are braced for that kind of activity in the run-up to Christmas, but it seemed to come as quite a shock to see it happening in April. Some suggested that the fact this was happening in tandem with retailers asking for more margin was more than a bit ironic. Several also pointed out that one or two retailers were being particularly aggressive on pricing despite having no stock of the items being slashed in price. There were a couple of theories about why this might be: The charitable suggestion was that the amazing offers were simply breadcrumbs, tempting consumers to the website so they could be told “Sorry, that’s not in stock, but how about this instead…?” The less charitable theory was that it was a blatant attempt to mess up other retailers who were holding stock of the items in question. Would a retailer really be that cynical? Perhaps that’s best left as a rhetorical question. Two retailers in particular were cited as aggressively promoting prices on items they didn’t have stock of – I wonder if you can guess which ones. I’m sure suppliers will be keeping an eye out to see if this was just a blip, or part of a wider strategy of deliberately disrupting competitors…

Prospective visitors to next year’s New York Toy Fair will be pleased to hear that the event will see reduced attendance fees and a simplified registration process. Meanwhile, toy exhibitors at Autumn Fair will also be happy to hear that their stands are being mixed in with gift exhibitors this year, rather than being concentrated in a dedicated ‘kids & family’ zone. There has been some debate in recent years as to whether the previous strategy was the right one for toy companies, many of whom told me they were showing specifically to get in front of gift buyers, rather than expecting to see toy retailers at Spring and Autumn Fair. Credit to the two sets of show organisers for listening to feedback from their exhibitors and visitors and reacting accordingly…

I suspect many retailers will be happy to see the British Independent Retailers Association (BIRA) filing a £1b damages claim against Amazon on behalf of retailers selling on Amazon’s UK marketplace, for illegally misusing their data and manipulating the Amazon Buy Box. Whether the claim will succeed is anyone’s guess – but the biggest collective action ever launched by UK retailers is a bold one, and it deserves to be heard.