Special Feature
Toy Fair Review
There’s no business like show business London Toy Fair returned to the halls of Olympia from 23rd-25th January for its 70th iteration, welcoming over 250 top toy and game manufacturers and distributors alongside thousands of retailers and buyers. Toy World reports back on a successful, productive, fun-filled three days.
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y the time London Toy Fair 2024 opened its doors, Circana had broken the news that the UK toy market was down -5% in 2023. You’d therefore be forgiven for thinking the mood among attendees might have been a little subdued, although in reality it was anything but. Toy Fair, for many, marks the ‘official’ start of the New Toy Year, a refresh and reset for the year ahead that invites everyone to get excited about the 12 months ahead. That sense of excitement was palpable come 9am on the 23rd, as visitors began flooding the halls and companies began showcasing their raft of new toys and games for 2024. The show kicked off with the VIP Press Breakfast, another well-run and very well attended affair thanks to the efforts of Retail PR, the British Toy & Hobby Association’s agency for show communications. The gathering included the unveiling of this year’s Hero Toys. The selection placed strong emphasis on value for money, with 15 of the 27 Hero Toys coming in at under £25. LeapFrog’s Magic Adventures Binocular Camera
was chosen by Toy Fair TV presenter and mother of two, Anna Williamson, as her Top Hero Toy for 2024. With the breakfast concluded, the gathered press officials, including those from ITV Regional News, BBC regional radio, The Guardian, The Daily Mirror, The Sun, The Daily Express and the Daily Star, dispersed throughout the halls to begin their coverage of the show. A number of celebrities were also in attendance, including comedian Michael McIntyre, Ash and Anthony from The Traitors, TV personality and gameshow host Stephen Mulhern and radio presenter turned games designer Matt Edmondson, all promoting new launches including the Michael McIntyre Funko Pop!, Vivid Goliath’s The Traitors Board Game, and Format Games’ Beaver Paradise. Top Gear’s Richard Hammond was also spotted at the show, filming for his TV show, Richard Hammond’s Workshop. However, the biggest celebs were arguably the impeccably well-behaved dogs that starred in Funko’s Loungefly Dogwear fashion show, which drew a huge crowd (and many ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’, mostly from Toy
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World editor Rachael Simpson-Jones). Dr Zoe Williams, who makes regular appearances as a resident GP on ITV’s This Morning and attended Toy Fair to support the launch of Ravensburger’s Play+ infant toy range, told Rachael that today's busy lifestyles are playing a role in shaping consumer demands among mums and dads. She explained: “Parents are really keen to nourish their children’s development even under modern-day time constraints, which is why ranges such as Play+ from Ravensburger, which pack so much learning and fun into each and every product, are so important. Ravensburger is a trusted name when it comes to toys and is known globally for its innovative designs, so I’m pleased to give Play+ my approval.” When asked if she had a particular favourite among the 30-SKU Play+ range, Zoe – who is mum to two-year-old son Lisbon – highlighted the brand’s Flip & Pop baby books. Featuring colourful illustrations and educational captions, silicone teething-friendly binding, sensory elements and more, the waterproof pages cannot be torn, even by
