Toy World Magazine March 2021 by TOYWORLD MAGAZINE

March 2021 Volume 10 Issue 8

CHOOSE YOUR DINO AND LET THE BATTLE BEGIN!

The Team...

CONTENTS March 2021 Volume 10 Issue 8

John Baulch

42 Feature: Outdoor Toys

38 Special Feature: Playmobil

Publisher and Managing Editor john@toyworldmag.co.uk 01442 502 408 07932 651 207

Mark Austin

Sales Director mark@toyworldmag.co.uk 01442 502 405

Anita Baulch

Circulation and Financial Director anita@toyworldmag.co.uk 01442 502 406

News

Regulars

Features

07 08 18 20 26 114

24 30 33 36 74 96

38 42 46 78 100

From the Publisher News Industry Moves Marketing World Licensing World Allegedly

Opinion: Giraffe Insights NPD column Talking Shop Letter from America Viewpoint Fresh

Special Feature: Playmobil Feature: Outdoor Toys Special Feature: Little Tikes Feature: Action Vehicles Feature: Science & Nature

100 Feature: Science & Nature

78 Feature: Action Vehicles

Rachael Simpson-Jones Editor rachael@toyworldmag.co.uk 01442 502 406

Mark Crowford

Alakat Published by

Design and Production Manager markc@toyworldmag.co.uk 01442 502 405

www.toyworldmag.co.uk @toyworldmag @baulchtweet

toyworldmag

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Toy World Magazine

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y the time you read this month’s issue, we should hopefully know when toy stores in the UK will be able to re-open. Naturally, most of the toy retailers I have spoken to in recent weeks have indicated a strong preference for being allowed to open in time for Easter weekend. However, I suspect that most are pragmatic and sanguine enough to know that this may or may not be achievable. Patience really has become a virtue over the past year.

from the publisher

John Baulch - @Baulchtweet

There are many areas in which I disagree with our Prime Minister, but I do agree that this should – in an ideal world – be the last lockdown. Of course, the virus may yet disrupt that aspiration; unlike Dido Harding, I remember enough of my Biology O-Level from 40 years ago to know that viruses do not act in a linear or predictable way. Nevertheless, with vaccinations continuing apace, there is genuine hope that we may finally be able to see some light at the end of what has, at times, felt like a very long tunnel. I can understand why retailers – especially specialist toy stores – have been frustrated. So many livelihoods are at stake. However, I have nothing but admiration for the flexibility and resilience of the toy community, and its willingness to keep looking and moving forward. Retailers have embraced new ways to sell product (ring or click and collect, online sales, kerbside delivery), while for one year only (hopefully), Toy Fair Season has been replaced by Virtual Toy Fair Season, which is still in full swing. I am sure that many retailers reading this will have attended far more virtual previews than the Toy World team, so I’m curious to know how you have found the experience. What worked well? What could companies have done better? What should be avoided at all costs? All feedback gratefully received, because I have a sneaking suspicion that virtual previews aren’t going away any time soon – not that I see them replacing physical trade shows and previews (heaven forbid), but I can see a future where the two strands complement each other to offer a ‘best of both worlds’ scenario. Once stores are given the green light to re-open, there should hopefully be plenty of pent-up consumer demand to get them off to a strong start – and

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retailers will want their shelves to be looking full and attractive. All of which points to this month seeing a welcome increase in order writing. If you’re looking for inspiration on new lines to excite your customers, we have three comprehensive product features to whet your appetite: this month, we take an in-depth look at the Science and Nature, Action Vehicles and Outdoor Toy categories. Science and Nature dovetails neatly with current educational and home-schooling needs, while Action Vehicles is a perennial sector which always brims with innovation. And, of course, Outdoor Toys is coming off the back of a stellar year and looks set for another strong performance over the coming months. All the evidence points to foreign holidays continuing to be problematic for much of this year, so another year of staycations looks increasingly likely - and hopefully that will result in more sales for UK toy retailers and more investment in outdoor items as the back garden becomes the focus once more. We also continue to bring you all the latest news and opinion from around the trade – because the pandemic certainly hasn’t stopped the toy market from generating plenty of new developments and talking points. A few weeks ago, I even managed to do something which I haven’t done for quite a while: I left my house to visit a shop selling toys, where I stood in the aisles talking with a bunch of people I knew from the toy community. The store in question was Watford Asda, chosen as one of the trial stores for which The Entertainer will manage the toy department over the next six months. I met up with some of the good folk from the Entertainer team to witness first-hand the fruits of their labour you can read my thoughts how it all looked on p.8 Coming in the middle of what would traditionally have been Toy Fair Season, the opportunity to catch up with people in the flesh and talk about toys felt good. It felt… normal. I am looking forward immensely to being able to do this more often - to visit toy stores, toy companies, toy trade shows and events. Hopefully, we won’t have to wait too much longer. Onwards and upwards…

News Exclusive first look as The Entertainer at Asda trial starts

Toy World publisher John Baulch caught up with Gary Grant and key members of The Entertainer and Addo Play teams to view the new in-store toy area, as mid-February heralded the rollout of the six-month trial which will see The Entertainer managing the toy aisles of five selected Asda stores. The first trial store to open was Pudsey, followed by Watford a day later, then Wolverhampton, Roehampton and Darlston. Pudsey and Watford are both larger stores, with the toy section comprising around 50 wall bays. Allowing for the fact there are no gondolas, each area represents around half the shelf space of the average Entertainer store. Toy World visited the Watford Asda bright and early on opening morning to talk to Gary Grant and key members of The Entertainer and Addo Play teams about the venture. As Gary walked John through the aisles, his passion and enthusiasm for the project was immediately evident – although to be fair, standing in a physical toy aisle looking at toy ‘in the flesh’ would be exciting for anyone in the toy community at the moment. Ever since the announcement was made last October, The Entertainer has been working with the Asda toy team to curate a compelling range which works within the supermarket environment and fit out the space so that the toy aisles stand out and – in Gary’s words – “come to life”. Now that the trial has started, all eyes are on results. Gary was delighted with the first day’s trading in Pudsey: “We doubled our target on opening day”, he admitted. The next six months will see The Entertainer constantly monitoring each store’s performance, a strategy Gary referred to as “Learn and Adapt.” Joining Gary for the opening of the Watford concession, Mark Whittle, head of buying & merchandising, told us that he would be watching sales data closely, assessing how to maximise shelf space and working out “how to do more of what works and how to switch out what doesn’t.” Although height restrictions at the Watford store preclude the use of the Entertainer-branded welcome ‘arch’ that the Pudsey store is able to accommodate, the aisles still looked demonstrably more exciting and interactive than other aisles within the store. Floor decals, custom signage, strings of bunting over the top of the aisle and branded interactive displays combine to give the feel of a genuine toy store, rather than a typical supermarket aisle. Even the space at the top of the shelves which is traditionally used by supermarkets as storage has been turned into space to showcase merchandise. The range itself feels familiar to anyone who is used to the Entertainer in-store

experience, albeit with some key tweaks. The Entertainer toy areas in Asda stores will hold around 1200 products, a mixture of branded and licensed lines, together with a strong presence for Addo Play own-brand lines. Asda’s toy range has always included a broad own-brand offering, so it’s no surprise to see Addo’s brands featuring prominently in the mix. Elsewhere, Gary expalined that “the restricted space has made us much more focused in terms of the range.” Taking into account the impulse nature of shopping for toys in a supermarket, there is understandably a greater percentage of low and mid-range price points, with a good selection of collectibles and sub £10 and £20 items. One of the key elements which Gary believes will be crucial to the success of the trial is delivering The Entertainer-levels of merchandising within a supermarket: “We’re aiming to consistently have around double the volume of stockholding that you might expect to see in a supermarket toy aisle. Our own staff will be here in-store six days a week, helping customers in the way that we would do in any The Entertainer store. These staff are used to thinking on their feet and keeping displays topped up; they’re used to filling gaps with product, making sure the customer sees full shelves of toys.” One of the key features of The Entertainer’s toy aisles in Asda is the presence of branded displays, featuring popular brands such as Paw Patrol, Barbie, Fisher Price and Hot Wheels. Indeed, Gary is full of praise for Mattel, and head of EMEA Sanjay Luthra in particular: “Mattel is one company which has really stepped up and grabbed the opportunity. As soon as the deal was announced, Sanjay contacted me to say “the combination of real toy knowledge and supermarket traffic is potentially explosive.” In my experience, Sanjay has brought an entirely different attitude to Mattel – more collaborative and partnership-oriented. Last week, for the first time ever, Mattel was The Entertainer’s number one supplier.” Ultimately, Gary remains optimistic about the venture: “Supermarket shopping must be a chore for children, not something they look forward to at all. We want to create an environment where the toy aisles become the fun part of the trip for them – and hopefully that will encourage more sales as a result.”

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70627 Triceratops: Battle for the Legendary Stones

70624 T-Rex: Battle of the Giants

70629 Deinonychus: Ready for Battle

70625 Spinosaurus: Double Defense Power

70628 Pteranodon: Drone Strike

70626 Saichania: Invasion of the Robot

Contact your Sales rep for more information or email salesuk@playmobil.de www.playmobil.co.uk

News Rubies issues update on company infrastructure and latest appointments Major changes have taken place at Rubies, with enhancements of the business both internally and externally. As part of its major expansion plans, the company has made significant investments in technology and infrastructure following a successful pilot with sister company Bristol Novelty. Over the past year, Rubies has moved to address the diverse challenges of a changing global market, providing its retailers with the opportunity to grow in today’s marketplaces and on its eCommerce platforms. This reflects Rubies continued promise to offer innovative and sophisticated solutions to elevate customers’ experiences. Mike O’Connell, Rubies Masquerade managing director, said: “We’ve been working very hard behind the scenes to provide our customers with an improved 365 wholesale experience from Rubies. It’s a giant step forward in the industry, with innovative systems now in place to support our expansive range of the best licensed dress up product in the world.” “It’s also about the team here; I am delighted to welcome back to Rubies Tracey Devine-Tyley as head of Licensing & Portfolio, and to congratulate Fran Hales on his promotion to head of Content & Marketing. It’s a very exciting time for both staff and customers of Rubies.” Tracey brings with her deep knowledge of Rubies vast portfolio of licensed products, innovative thinking and an unwavering enthusiasm for licensing and brands, which Mike says has seen her become ‘one of the most highly regarded specialists in her field’. He added: “We’re absolutely delighted to welcome Tracey back as a key member of the Rubies team. Her insight and experience are invaluable, and she joins a reformed, dynamic team who continue to drive Rubies forward as a force within the industry.” Following the announcement last year that he would be assuming control of Rubies US operation, it has also been confirmed that Joel Weinshanker will manage the entire global operation. Relying on his many years of experience as founder of the National Entertainment Collectibles Association (NECA), a leader in the licensed consumer products industry, Joel will look to harness the full power of over one thousand Rubies employees around the world to maintain Rubies position as a leader and innovator in the design, manufacture, and distribution of costumes globally. Mike O’Connell added: “We’re absolutely delighted to have Joel’s oversight and greatly welcome the support and experience that he brings. We’re all incredibly excited for Rubies future.”

SuperThings Power Machines on track to be best series yet Just two weeks on from launch, early sales reads indicate the new SuperThings Power Machines series from Magic Box Toys looks set to be its best release yet, as fans rush to collect the whole series along with the infamous Ultra Rare Dr Volt. Magic Box is a pioneer in the creation of successful collectible brands such as Gogo’s Crazy Bones and Zomlings, and saw immediate success right from SuperThings initial launch in January 2018, resulting in the brand recently becoming the UK’s No.1 Action Figure brand in terms of Share of Units and No.2 in value, according to NPD data. With a range of playsets to extend the lifespan and play pattern of the collectible characters, SuperThings has established itself as a true evergreen property and has shown constant growth since launching globally. The brand recently achieved the No.1 Toy Property in Spain for 2020. Magic Box puts the brand’s success down to its ever-popular hero vs villain theme, as well as the fact that brand is enhanced by the characters and the world of SuperThings being brought to life in dedicated YouTube webisodes on the brand channel, achieving over 13m organic impressions in 2020. Further episodes have been released to tie in with the launch of Power Machines this month. YouTube advertising to support Power Machines is expected to achieve a minimum of 3.5m impressions. Coupled with a 1500 TVR TV advertising campaign, strong social media presence and PR, this is expected to contribute to the best year yet for Magic Box. Plans are already underway for a new SuperThings series launch for AW2021 as well as a new brand launch which Magic Box says is set to revolutionise three categories. For more information, visit www.superthings.com.

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News Omni Alliance’s Mark Weiner on supporting rollout into the US market Growth is essential for consumer product companies, and one of the fastest ways to expand is by successfully entering the vast US market. However, rapid growth does not come without challenges. Relationships with buyers, market competition, legal compliance and logistics are just some of the challenges that stand in the way of successful expansion. A local partner like Omni Alliance, on the ground (real time) in the US, can support a successful roll-out, resulting in exponential sales growth. In expanding to the US, it is imperative to find a competent and trustworthy partner with a proven track record. Omni Alliance has 20-year relationships with chain store buyers. Each chain store in the US represents thousands of doors; opening up just one can represent a major increase in sales volumes. Chain stores in the US, like Walmart and Target, have distinctively different modes of operation. Knowing how each chain works is important, so suppliers can present their line of merchandise in a way that fits the chain store’s guidelines on profit structure, seasonal timing etc. In addition, presenting the store with an appropriate marketing plan to drive sales once the product is on-shelf is also an essential part of getting product placed. Getting lines into the US could result in many millions of dollars of business, so a partner should be chosen carefully. While a US distributor can help get US placement, generally the sales volume they create will be minimal. Because distributors carry many different products, they may not put in the effort to individual product lines that is necessary to realise a company’s full US potential. Omni Alliance has an established sales force as well as marketing programmes that drive sell-through in chain stores and on eCommerce platforms including Amazon. Its existing programme can get product lines up and running in the US, with minimal effort on the supplier’s part, within 90 days. There’s opportunity for immediate expansion in this progressive, fast growing toy industry, and Omni can help suppliers be a part of it. For more information, visit www.omniallianceinc.com or email info@omniallianceinc.com.

Asmodee acquires Board Game Arena as global digital platform for its games

Booking for Toy Fair 2022 opens this month

Asmodee has announced the acquisition of Board Game Arena (BGA), the digital multiplayer board game platform. The move will provide BGA with high visibility among the consumer market and accelerate the digital release of Asmodee’s favourite titles. Using Board Game Arena’s easy-to-use and scalable online platform, Asmodee can make key brands like Catan, TIcket to Ride, Pandemic and more available worldwide. Founded in 2010 by Grégory Isabelli and Emmanuel Colin, BGA has emerged as a global leader in online board games. The platform provides official online versions of more than 250 games, supported in 40 languages, to more than 5m members around the world. Since its creation, BGA has seen continuous growth, thanks to the commitment of gaming communities. The merger will support further growth and development; the two companies have worked together for a long time, and this natural move will allow Asmodee to speed up the availability of its key titles on the platform. Grégory and Emmanuel, BGA cofounders, commented: “Working with Asmodee allows us to continue our massive growth, with a partner that shares our love and passion for board gaming. Asmodee fulfils a ‘sine qua non’ criteria for us: that BGA is always run by absolute board game fans whose core business is board game.” “Our growth is based on one crucial commitment: offer the best gaming experience to consumers and bring our brands to the widest audience”, added Thomas Koegler, head of strategy at Asmodee. “Having a platform that allows players from all over the world to meet, play their favourite games together or discover new games is a natural fit alongside our amazing catalogue of board games.” As with other Asmodee entities, Board Game Arena will operate independently and remain free to create online versions of games from other companies. Current management will remain at its helm.

The British Toy and Hobby Association wrote to exhibitors in February confirming that plans are in place for the return of the London Toy Fair in 2022. “We were so disappointed not to be able to host Toy Fair 2021, but rest assured we are working hard towards planning the successful return of the event from 25th-27th January 2022,” said Majen Immink, director of fairs and special events at the BTHA. “In consideration of the current challenging trading conditions and other pressures for exhibitors, we are planning a delay to the opening of the booking process until late March and will inform you as soon as it opens.” Exhibitors have been reassured that they will not be disadvantaged at all by this slight delay; indeed, the BTHA hopes that it will actually assist participants. To further help exhibitors during the challenges of the ongoing pandemic, deposit payments required to secure stand bookings have been reduced to 20%. Balance payments will not be payable until the end of October, and the 2021 rates will also be frozen for 2022. The BTHA added: “Of course, in the event that the show cannot go ahead for reasons due to Covid-19 in the judgement of the BTHA Council, the same arrangements as last year in terms of refunds would be honoured.” Returning exhibitors will have first refusal on their 2021 stand position, though the BTHA has stressed that it welcomes applications from all companies as usual. Majen concluded: “We look forward to welcoming you all back, and the team is here as always to answer any questions at any time.” Readers are advised to keep an eye on the Toy World website, where up-to-date details will be shared as soon as they become available.

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News Kangaru expands UK distribution with Two in 1 Direct Kangaru, which produces scented stationery, toys and activities, will be adding further licensed brands to its offering in the coming months. Two In 1 Direct’s Paul Fogarty will manage Kangaru’s UK business, adding his vast experience in toys and the children’s entertainment business within the UK in multiple sectors, as well as his ability to customise products, licensing and marketing for customers. The appointment of Two In 1 Direct will bring Kangaru’s uniquely designed ranges to retail stores in the United Kingdom and Ireland. “Two In One Direct is a strong partner for us,” said Joe DiPalma, CEO of Kangaru. “We’re excited to bring our scented toy and stationery brands to the UK, and to have a representative available there to deliver our full line of products to our most important retailers, and to help us customise those toys to their specific needs.” Known for its innovation, licensing partnerships and manufacturing capabilities, Kangaru will also be announcing many new and exciting licensed brands to be added to its international product offering in the coming months. “We have watched Kangaru grow and add so many new lines that our UK audience loves,” commented Paul Fogarty. “We are pleased to bring Kangaru’s beloved brands such as Furzerts, Scentimals, Shmello’s, Twixie and many others to children in the UK, and Two in 1 Direct is the best company to do it. We’re particularly excited about the opportunity to customise any line of products to suit our retailers’ unique needs. In addition, the licences that are yet to come from Kangaru are really exciting, and will reinvigorate the craft and stationery categories.”

Licensed lines and own-brand best-sellers set to make 2021 strong for Sambro Sambro International enters 2021 with an impressive roster of properties in its licensed portfolio, including Paw Patrol, Disney Frozen and Princesses, Trolls, Minions, Barbie, Fisher Price, Marvel, Care Bears Baby and Baby Shark. This year will see the launch of Sambro’s Paw Patrol Movie and Minions: Rise of Gru ranges, both of which tie in with the summer releases of each film. The team is also working with Peppa Pig and Teletubbies, both new for 2021. Sambro will be delivering a range of arts & crafts, plush and outdoor Peppa toys in selected territories, while plush Teletubbies will make their way to the Benelux region. The Barbie Catwalk Sew and Style Machine launched in autumn 2020. The sewing machine allows kids to pick their pattern, sew it and show it off on the catwalk. Young designers can look forward to the Barbie Fashion Plate Designer, Tie Dye Creator, Jewellery Creation Kit and Crafting Wardrobe, all landing in-store and online soon. Sambro continues to develop a portfolio of own-brand lines includes the XOXO range, which combines aspirational and fashion-forward styles with fun and exciting ways to discover cosmetics and arts & crafts. The XOXO range includes fixed cosmetics, DIY bath and body products, nail stations, nail art and hair chalks. Sambro’s Samby range is designed for early years play while the Tie-Dye Maker, which launched in autumn 2020, enables young consumers to discover the current trend of tie-dying their own clothes and accessories. The company will also be launching an own-brand creative range later this year. The Puzzle Palz range continues to be a firm favourite, with new Puzzle Palz Vehicles launching shortly. Kids can collect characters from Frozen, Toy Story, Barbie, The Avengers, Disney Princess and Trolls. For more information, visit: www.sambro.com.

Amscan launches 2021 Big Book of Balloons Balloons were a hero line for Amscan during 2020, and early indications suggest strong sales will continue throughout 2021. To cater to ongoing demand, Amscan has announced the launch of its 2021 Big Book of Balloons. Online now, the book features a raft of new product and innovation, meaning there’s plenty to choose from and something for every occasion. Highlights include the new Airwalker The Mandalorian balloon. Standing 31” high, this impressive balloon will prove popular with fans of the successful Disney+ series. New Minnie, Mickey and Paw Patrol themed balloons are available in numbers 1-6, ideal for celebrating a birthday. Each design features an all-over print of the evergreen characters and makes for great party décor when combined with Amscan’s Standard and Supershape balloon ranges. The Baby Shark balloon range, meanwhile, welcomes a new Sing-A-Tune Balloon. When tapped, it plays the recognisable and hugely catchy tune on repeat. Anagram Airloonz have been a real success story for Amscan. Additions to the range for 2021 will complement existing generic kids’ designs. At 45” high, new themes include Jungle, Dinosaurs, Space, Vehicles and the Under the Sea. All are ideal for both in-store and online sales alike, as they come with a straw so consumers can inflate them at home themselves. Those looking for similar balloons on a smaller scale can opt for Amscan’s Multi Balloons. Designs include the classic Dinosaur and Unicorn, as well as the new Red Balloon Dog. With celebrations likely to be taking place at home for the foreseeable future, Amscan’s portfolio offers a wide variety of print, colour and design options sure to inspire creativity. Readers can view Amscan’s extensive product portfolio, as well as its new 2021 Big Book of Balloons, on the company’s website: www.amscan.co.uk.

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In Remembrance Darrell Burge Toy World is sad to report the passing of Hornby’s Darrell Burge, well known for working extensively on the Airfix brand, who died suddenly on February 10th. CEO of Hornby, Lyndon Davies, commented: “Darrell had Airfix running through his veins, working at Humbrol in Hull before he joined Hornby in Margate in 2006. Working with both the Airfix and the Humbrol brands, he was highly respected throughout the industry. He was full of fun and energy, many would have met with him at shows and events across the country. Our heartfelt condolences go out to his wife, Jane, his children Emily, Martin and Gavin and his granddaughter, Oriana.” Darrell enjoyed a long and successful career at Hornby. As product manager at Airfix, he oversaw the revitalisation of Airfix products and the brand over the last decade and was a popular member of the Hornby team. Luke Bigg worked with Darrell on the Corgi brand. “Darrell was always there for his team whatever the issue; funny and overall just a top bloke, one of life’s good guys gone to soon,” he said. “Thoughts are with his family and my former Hornby colleagues at this time. R.I.P mate.” Former Hornby national accounts controller Alistair Tonnison added: “I was at Hornby when Darrell joined, and you couldn’t help but love the man. Cut him in half and Airfix was through him like a stick of rock – and he would bleed Humbrol. Going to really miss this guy.” Sharing some of his ‘best memories at Hornby’, Damien Collett, now head of sales at SES creative, commented: “We always had fun, enjoyed the same music and never got bored in each other’s company. Darrell was one of the nicest people I knew. Gone, but never forgotten.” Lee Sharrocks, former Hornby sales director, had this to say: “Darrell was a legend at Hornby and nothing was ever too much trouble for him. I know many from Hornby, past and present, will be devastated. Godspeed Darrell and thank you for all your help and support.”

Geoff Hall of Geoff’s Toys Toy World is sad to report that independent toy shop owner Geoff Hall passed away on 6th February at the age of 89, after a short illness. Geoff made the move from running a newsagent to opening toyshops in the early 1970s, with the launch of the first branch of Geoff’s Toys in Coalville, Leicester, followed by two further shops in partnership with his wife and children. Having joined Toymaster in the 1990s to get better trading terms, Geoff became a longstanding and keen member of the group. He was still a member when the business ceased trading in 2018, after a successful 50 years. Geoff’s son Nick told Toy World that Geoff loved buying toys and was well respected by visiting reps and agents, although his formidable determination to get the best deal was something they came to be cautious about when calling. As soon as his children, Jenny and Nick, were old enough to take on looking after the shops, Geoff started travelling the world with his wife Enid, a passion which continued well into the couple’s retirement. The family run business continued successfully for many years, despite the rise in online competition, until the decision was taken to finally close its doors. At the time, Nick thanked the toy store’s many loyal, local customers on behalf of the family and said they were very sad to be leaving the toy trade, noting the many changes that they had experienced over the years.

Philip Harrison Industry stalwart Philip Harrison passed away on 24th January. Philip was perhaps best known for running Mondo in the UK for almost 30 years. A toy man through and through, many also have fond memories of working with Philip prior to his Mondo days, at companies including Wembley Playcraft and Rainbow Toys. Up until recently, Philip was still attending trade shows, albeit in a wheelchair, which was testament to his love of the toy industry. Lorenzo Richetta, international sales manager, Mondo Luxembourg SA, told Toy World: “Everyone at Mondo is very sad to hear of Philip passing away. Philip launched Mondo in the UK, and since then we can frankly say he was Mondo in the UK. I had the pleasure of working with him for over a decade prior to his retirement and it was a privilege to learn from him. We have missed him since he retired – and even more so now.” Debby Turner worked as Mondo UK office manager and got to know Philip well. “After working with Philip for almost two decades, I came to realise just how deep his passion for the toy industry was,” she said. “He was an innovator, always thinking up new ideas for toys that would motivate, exercise and, most importantly, entertain children. He always took the time to listen, both to colleagues and customers and would go above and beyond to seek answers to questions and solutions to problems. He was a great asset to the toy industry, a great colleague, and a friend. He will be sorely missed by all who knew him.” Colin Lisle worked with Philip during the Wembley Playcraft/Clearmark Group (Rainbow Toys) days and told us: “From the first time I met Philip, I found him to be an absolute gentleman. He was always meticulous in his attire and was exactly the same in all his business dealings. He loved the toy Industry, was a real specialist in the outdoor sector, and a great supporter of Harrogate Toy Fair. Philip enjoyed the social side of the business and was always a great host at events like the test matches, and at his beloved Manchester United. A great character.” David Ripley echoed the appreciation of Philip’s unique style. “Philip was the embodiment of the dapper salesman, always immaculately turned out. He played on his eccentricity perfectly in sales meetings, especially when hosting buying trips to Italy to visit the Mondo factory and showrooms. Characters like Philip are impossible to replace and he will be sadly missed by all that knew him.”

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For UK sales contact: sales@tyuk.co.uk

Tel: 023 9387 6600

Industry Moves Ravensburger appoints Adam Sheppard as eCommerce analyst Adam brings a wealth of eCommerce experience to the toy and games industry. He previously worked for Profitero, an eCommerce analytics company specialising in working with brands, manufacturers and agencies to support growth on key online channels such as Amazon. At Profitero, Adam developed a particular interest in the toys and games sector while working to support clients in such areas. When an opportunity suited to his skill set and expertise arose at Ravensburger, he was delighted to take on the role. Ravensburger’s head of sales, Derek Scott, commented: “I am delighted to welcome Adam to the Ravensburger team. Adam is joining us at an exciting time for the business. We are seeing continued strong growth and his analytics experience will be instrumental as we build on this momentum.”

Emma Damerell and Amy Sweetman join Toynamics team Emma Damerell

Amy Sweetman

Emma has joined Toynamics as head of marketing while Amy takes up the role of national account manager, with both appointments set to support what the company says will be its biggest year yet. Emma brings with her experience with a major fashion retailer, and has previously worked with a UK toy distributor. She will be spearheading the marketing strategy across the entire Toynamics portfolio. Amy has previously worked at Tomy, and will be focused on growing and developing Toynamics portfolio of national accounts. David Allan, MD, says: “I am delighted to welcome both Emma and Amy to the Toynamics team. These appointments are in line with our growth plans, which include both supporting our brands with targeted marketing and driving new business for Toynamics across the UK and Ireland”. To get in touch with Emma, email emma.damerell@toynamics.co.uk, while Amy can be contacted at amy.sweetman@toynamics.co.uk.

newsanalysis

Waboba – keeping life fun Toy World spoke to Jordan Sullivan, director of fun at Waboba, about how the company feels the Outdoor market will fare this year, and what makes Waboba toys such an attractive proposition. Coming into 2021, what are Waboba’s biggest strengths in the Outdoor category? Our growing range includes the Wingman collection, the Voli paddle set, and our newest creation, Airlyft, a hollow flying glider. We started out with just a water bouncing ball, but we have grown to cover all outdoor recreational categories, from the beach to the backyard. Moon Balls remain just as popular as they’ve always been, but it’s our Wingman silicone flying discs that have quickly become our newest bestseller. It seemed only natural to create the Wingman UFO LED version in 2020, and Wingman Pro, new for 2021, keeps the momentum going.

Do you feel the continued pandemic will lead to another good year for Outdoor Toys? Yes. As unfortunate as the pandemic was, and still is, I think it has reminded people how nice it is to play together outside in an unplugged way. The switch to virtual learning and working has resulted in a real need to get away from technology. It’s been so nice to see people being active outdoors again, just like we did as kids in the 80s and 90s.

What sets your products apart in the marketplace? Our innovation, designs, value for money, portability, and passion for creating the next great outdoor toy. You see these bulky backyard games, which are not only too big to carry around but expensive too. We don’t over-engineer

our products. We keep them simple and fun to play with, anytime, anywhere. We are passionate about creating great products people won’t grow tired of after a few outings, and that appeal to kids and adults alike.

How are you supporting your products this year, in terms of marketing and retail partnerships? We’re supporting them more online; social media images and videos are strong marketing assets for us. It’s important to build a strong brand on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, LinkedIn, etc., helping create word-of-mouth that retailers will benefit from. We also provide strong video and photo content for retailers to use. The current situation varies from retailer to retailer, but we can help them by building at buzz about our products and brand, and, in turn, that helps us too..

What have you been doing to bridge the gap between yourself and buyers, with the trade shows being off? Our new virtual showroom at virtual.waboba.com gives an overview of our brand and products, images, and new product videos, and lets retailers request a sample kit and catalogue, or schedule a virtual meeting. We’ve even created a new video introducing ourselves to people. Our branded sample kit showcases only the 2021 new items, allowing us to provide the ‘wow factor’ our in-person demos usually offer. We’re bridging the gap and showing that we’re not going anywhere. The pandemic didn’t slow us down; it just gave us more reasons to discover new ways to keep life fun.

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Marketing World Golden Bear unveils new logo and website Golden Bear has kicked off the year by revealing its new company branding, which includes changes to its famous bear logo and a transformed company website. The Golden Bear logo represents the heritage of this trusted brand. However, as the company continues with its bold ambitions to place itself at the forefront of innovation in the toy industry, the logo now sports a new, contemporary look. The website has also undergone a redesign. The modern new site now sits on a platform which can be easily updated in-house to maintain a flow of fresh and engaging content. The new design showcases Golden Bear’s history and product portfolio to its global audience, whilst also outlining the company’s core values and sustainability credentials. The new website also allows customers to sign up for Golden Bear’s new virtual Toy Fair. The company has developed a bespoke platform using ground-breaking technology to create a virtual environment where new ranges can be viewed online. Through a guided immersive tour with fully interactive features, products are brought to life with 360 viewing and detailed product information. “We are exceptionally proud of our new virtual toy fair platform, and I trust buyers, licensors and all our partners will enjoy being able to explore, interact and engage with our thrilling new products in this exciting online experience,” said Barry Hughes, managing director at Golden Bear. “The redesign of our logo and website brings our brand right up to date and aligns both our heritage and our contemporary outlook and vision. It is important that we continue to be seen as a trusted, responsible, committed toy supplier, with family values at our heart, whilst also continuing to be at the forefront of innovation within the industry. The Golden Bear icon represents the best of those qualities whilst keeping us relevant and fresh. We are delighted with the outcome, and we look forward to hearing what our customers think.” For sales enquiries, please contact customerservices@goldenbeartoys.co.uk. To arrange a virtual toy fair appointment, please visit www.goldenbeartoys.com/virtualtoyfairsignup.

Lego Vidiyo first product drop follows signing of new artist L.L.A.M.A by UMG The Lego Group and Universal Music Group revealed the full Lego Vidiyo line-up as the first wave of product launched on March 1st, also announcing the first ever record deal for a Lego minifigure. A playful and innovative music video maker experience supported by a series of BeatBoxes, Bandmates, BeatBits and augmented reality, Lego Vidiyo has been designed to celebrate and expand children’s creativity through play and music. The first Lego Vidiyo product drop consists of BeatBoxes, Bandmates and BeatBits. (For more product information, see Lego Vidiyo in this month’s Fresh section). There will also be around 30 songs from UMG global artists, including chart toppers and ultimate classics, available on the app from launch, with new tracks added frequently. Each song has been programmed to work intuitively with all the BeatBits to ensure they link in harmony, including special music effects that match the beat of the track giving children an incredible level of creative audio customisation. UMG label, Astralwerks, has signed a new artist; L.L.A.M.A – a live action, human version of the DJ Llama minifigure from the Tropicon BeatBox. William Thorogood, VP and executive producer of Lego Vidiyo, the Lego Group, said: “The partnership with UMG brings with it innovation on so many levels, from an exciting new music-centred product and app experience to ground-breaking ways of engaging fans with the signing of L.L.A.M.A. Now that Lego Vidiyo is out in the wild, I’m so excited to see what the young creators of today have in store.” Joshua Burke, VP, Strategic Marketing & Global Partnerships, Universal Music Group added, “It’s very exciting for Lego Vidiyo to finally reveal the full experience and top it with the first ever record deal for a Lego minifigure. While expanding their creative and technical skills and having fun, children will be learning, experimenting and expressing themselves in their very own music videos.”

Tikes Testers recruitment process gets underway Little Tikes is recruiting a panel of Tikes Testers, to help put some of the brand’s new and most iconic toys through their paces. The launch is expected to generate a huge number of applications, and is now accepting entries. 20 children aged between six months and five years old will make up the first Tikes Testers panel, receiving exclusive access to new products as well as some long-standing favourites. Reviews will be published on the Little Tikes website, alongside images from the testing. To apply, parents should share a photo of a special moment with their child on Instagram, alongside a caption explaining what made the moment special, with the tag @officiallittletikesuk and the hashtag #TikesTesters. Michelle Lilley, head of marketing UK, Little Tikes, said: “We make toys for kids, so who better to test them out. Whether kids play solo, with siblings, or with parents, our huge range of toys is designed to inspire, spark creativity, help to educate and create a whole load of fun along the way. We’re excited to launch Tikes Testers at a time when play is more important than ever. We’re looking forward to getting our first panel testing out the toys and telling us what they think.”

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Opinion

Tapping into TikTok: top tips for toymakers The rise of TikTok has accelerated over the pandemic, with lasting implications on how content is consumed and perceived. Loveday and Charlotte investigate how to tailor TikTok content for the kid’s space.

s part of the Entertainment division of Generation Media, our ethos is having a presence wherever your fans are. We have been tracking the rise of TikTok and the best ways for brands to get involved. Admittedly we may have become addicted to the app along the way. TikTok has presented a conundrum for toy marketeers. The app, which reached over 17m active monthly users in the UK and No.2 in the app charts during 2020, technically does not allow children under the age of 13 access, or advertising aimed at this demographic. However, anyone that has a ‘tween’ in their life knows this is not actually the case. In fact, a New York Times article (published during the summer) revealed that a third of TikTok users were very likely to be under the age of 14 - something that TikTok refused to comment on.

Brand safety So how should toy marketeers be using TikTok as part of their communication with their fans? We believe a window of opportunity has been created for a content led strategy. In our research of the app, we were pleased to see an abundance of user generated content featuring toy brands. The likelihood is your products already have a presence on the app and now is a great time to start investigating how to build on that. It’s important, however, to have a tactical approach and great creative that blends into the experience of TikTok. Advice from the app itself says ‘Don’t make ads, make TikToks.’ Rightfully so, there is still apprehension within the industry. Not only is the app in relative infancy compared to other social media channels (and therefore less trusted), it has also had some safety issues along the way. TikTok’s response has been agile and receptive to concerns, for example producing a family safe mode last year, and more recently blocking under 16s from direct messaging and live streaming. On this topic, TikTok is now an investor in Media Smart initiative with the AA, a

Charlotte Brehaut

move that will no doubt increase its brand safety credentials.

The opportunity What makes TikTok particularly appealing is that it currently presents an unparalleled opportunity for brands to gain organic reach. More so than any other social platform, TikTok’s algorithm favours user interests and video performance (the amount of engagement) over follower numbers. This means that, with the right content, anyone can leverage the app to gain millions of views, regardless of following. The user experience is entirely reliant on this complex algorithm and as such, it is key to create content that has a high watch time and is highly engaged with.

Top tips to create content Hitting the right note on TikTok is all about relevancy, relatability and creativity. Firstly, consider your route in. As aforementioned, it’s worth investigating whether there’s already a community and conversation that ties in with your product or brand values. The sound-on nature of the app also means that utilizing a theme song or original audio is a no brainer. Content on the app is continually reversioned and in this regard, you can create momentum within your niche and see your products travel across communities. The second thing to bear in mind is the nature of your content – this is not the place for high production values, instead aim to create videos that pull back the curtain and feel authentic. Toy brands might want to consider utilizing a mascot as their narrative voice or highlighting specific features of toys that fans can create their own content around. Finally, take full advantage of the variety of features and filters available. As you will see, smart use of text on screen and the greenscreen effect have become common practice on the app. Brands should not be daunted by TikTok – it is in the mainstream and the proliferation of its creative, snappy and unfiltered video formats have made

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Loveday Weller them the benchmark. Toy marketeers must remain vigilant about how TikTok manoeuvres safety issues, but ultimately should be confident and excited by the prospect of organic reach. By being bold and encompassing the spirit of positivity and inclusion that TikTok has become known for, this is a fantastic way to reach your fans. Please email loveday.weller@generationmedia. co.uk and charlotte.brehaut@generationmedia.co.uk if you want to know more about Generation Media’s communication strategies in the TikTok space.

Opinion

Bridging the gap:

how edutainment became a lockdown sensation Lucy Irving, insight manager at Giraffe Insights, explores how educational and entertainment content have merged to produce the success story that is edutainment, and how toy companies and retailers can make the most of the trend.

he year 2020 has seen the lines between educational and entertainment content increasingly blurred. Covid-19 restrictions, home schooling and multiple lockdowns have made it one of the key success stories of the pandemic period, with parents looking to bridge the gap between learning time and down time. In our Giraffe Insights studies, Kids and the Screen and Little Voices, we have seen an increasing need for content, products and brands that blur the line between education and entertainment. Edutainment now presents a lucrative opportunity for brands - both for the development of edutainment products and content, and for advertisement placing and brand alignment. Kids and parents are looking for learning opportunities outside of school. The move to remote learning has meant many parents are temporarily responsible for their children’s education. As a result, many are willing to relax restrictions on screen time, with 79% of parents allowing more screen time for educational purposes. A recent study by Samsung found that 40% of kids are using TV screen time (on both live and smart connected TVs) to watch educational videos and programmes. This, combined with the information that 67% of kids are watching more educational content than before Covid restrictions, suggests that parents and kids are seeking alternative sources of learning outside of remote school hours.

However, keeping entertained is just as important. Parents are looking for content, products and brands that bridge the gap between learning and fun; 8/10 parents prefer their children to watch content that is both entertaining and educational. With kids’ school and social lives continuing to be disrupted into 2021, the need for edutainment will become increasingly pronounced. Not just a lockdown fad, the global edutainment market is expected to grow by 16.1% in terms of revenue between now and 2028. Giraffe Insights research found that 50% of parents believe that their child will watch more edutainment content in the future. Producing or piggybacking off the edutainment trend could therefore prove a fruitful investment for brands within the kids and youth space.

How are kids engaging with edutainment content? It’s important to understand when, where and how kids are accessing this content. Currently, kids are primarily doing so on digital platforms – particularly Video On Demand platforms, with 45% using Subscription Video On Demand (SVOD) and 28% using Broadcaster Video On Demand (BVOD). Digital viewing. Digital only edutainment brands such as Little Baby Bum have seen a boom in popularity. Currently, kids are accessing Little Baby Bum both on SVOD platform Netflix (45%) and on online platforms like YouTube (45%). Edutainment is also topping the kids BVOD charts with shows like Hey Dugee, Blue Peter and Operation Ouch in the top ten most watched shows on BBC iPlayer and BBC iPlayer Kids. Social media and online video sharing sites are also a force to be reckoned with; 41% of kids are most likely to access edutainment content online. When asked about specific platforms, 70% of kids said they use YouTube to learn new information, while 31% of kids use social media - Facebook, Instagram and TikTok - to watch tutorials. Historically wary of social media, parents are now increasingly open to their children learning on these platforms, ranking YouTube and TikTok as offering the best opportunity for their children to learn. Linear viewing. 17% of kids who are viewing edutainment content are doing so on live TV. The peak time is in the early morning, up until 9am, on children’s TV channels like CBeebies, CBBC, CITV and Milkshake– with late morning and early afternoon dominated by online viewing and the late afternoon and evening being SVOD-heavy. Although having a smaller proportion of edutainment viewers, linear TV channels have recently been investing in edutainment content – particularly the BBC dedicating significant airtime to edutainment content across its channel portfolio. Since the last lockdown in April, CBeebies viewership has more than doubled. Outside of national broadcasters, commercial channels, despite overall live viewership decreasing, still have the highest level of advert recall (46%) compared with online (29%).

Toy World 24

What this means for toy companies and retailers With the lines between home and school, work and play increasingly blurred, edutainment has never been more important. There are three ways toy companies and retailers can make the most of the trend across product, content and marketing: • D eveloping a distinct edutainment offering: creating a product, content or range with edutainment at its heart in order to fulfil current needs. There is a strong appetite for more opportunities, with kids and parents predicting they will access more edutainment content in the coming year. • Generating brand affinity: linking brands with edutainment as a concept through switches in marcomms messaging, products sold (particularly for retailers) or collaborations with existing edutainment brands. • Piggybacking off the success of edutainment content: attaching advertising and marketing to successful edutainment content. Investing in digital advertising campaigns attached to edutainment content on popular digital platforms could be beneficial. However, ad recall is still highest across commercial linear platforms, despite lower viewership.

Overall, toy companies and retailers need to understand what kids and parents need and expect from edutainment content and products. Whatever route they choose, edutainment shows no signs of stopping any time soon. Investing in research and insight could help catapult brands to a new level, making sure their offering stands out in an increasingly competitive field.

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Licensing World Super Wings Season 5 set for take-off this year Audiences will soon be able to enjoy the fifth series of Alpha Animation’s hit show on major platforms in the UK & Ireland, including Tiny Pop and Cartoonito. A continued ratings success, Season 4 consistently appears in Tiny Pop’s Top 10 properties and Season 5 - Super Wings Super Pets - will debut in spring/summer 2021. The new season features 40 episodes and sees Jett and his friends joined by new Super Pets, one for each of the key Super Wings characters. These puppy-like pals transform on demand, and help the Super Wings heroes complete the missions in each episode. The series also introduces several new characters including an attention seeking rival, Golden Boy, who’s determined to demonstrate he’s better than the Super Wings team – usually unsuccessfully. The new series will see an engaging range of new toys launching from autumn/winter, supported with significant marketing investment across TV, digital and social platforms. Looking ahead, Alpha has already greenlit Super Wings Season 6, currently in production, while Season 7 is in development, with the studio committed to delivering 20 new episodes of the show every six months. Alpha says the combination of broadcast partners and ratings success, as well as the depth and continuity of fresh content, is unusual in preschool programming, and therefore establishes Super Wings as a property to count on for years to come. Signature Publishing launched a standalone Super Wings Magazine in 2020, with the title becoming a news-stand favourite. New for 2021, a Super Wings Tonie has been announced. Alpha has confirmed that Jett will be joining the portfolio of Tonie figurines from award-winning audio speaker system Tonies later this year. Kids will be able to enjoy hand-picked stories from Super Wings Seasons 1-4, adapted to suit the screen-free audio platform.

Winning Moves details latest movie-inspired launches for 2021 Winning Moves prides itself on having a vast array of products and an even bigger range of licences, from nostalgic brands fans know and love through to the latest and biggest new properties. James Bond continues to stand the test of time, according to the company, which anticipates that the launch of No Time To Die being pushed back to the end of the year will only fuel excitement for the new movie even further. As such, Winning Moves’ product range is positioning James Bond as one of its leading licences for 2021. Appealing to almost every age, fans across the world can find a James Bond game to suit them within the broad portfolio of offerings. This year sees Winning Moves release the James Bond Gadgets and Vehicles Top Trumps Limited Edition, featuring all the coolest cars and tech that 007 uses in the movies, plus James Bond Cluedo, in which amateur sleuths must work out who killed an evil Bond villain, where, and with what weapon. Two striking 1,000-piece puzzles featuring a montage of movie posters and actor debut posters will also launch. Adapting to the reduced amount of blockbuster movie releases in 2020, Winning Moves has decided to go back to the eighties, celebrating cult classics with the release of Goonies Monopoly, Back to the Future Monopoly and Gremlins Monopoly. Each edition contains exclusive tokens reflecting the characters and items used within the films, and makes the perfect gift for grown-up film fans and lovers of all things eighties.

Licensing industry pays its respects to Kelvyn Gardner Kelvyn passed away on 26th January. His wife Michelle shared the sad news on LinkedIn, writing: “As I am typing this, I just cannot tell you how we feel, we are at a loss… It was Kelvyn’s 66th birthday on the 22nd of January 2021 and was going to be our big wedding anniversary; 40 years. We had joked that he wouldn’t know one end of a ruby if it bit him, so I think I might have got some ruby coloured Warrington gear!” Kelvyn’s career in licensing dates back to 1979, when he worked marketing Disney products for an Italian publishing company. For the next 20 years, Kelvyn marketed hundreds of licensed products all over the world. During the 1990s, Merlin Publishing, founded by Kelvyn and three colleagues in 1989, became the fastest growing private company in the United Kingdom. Kelvyn recently ‘relaunched’ the licensing consultancy Asgard Media. He was also managing director of Licensing International UK for many years and was an active member of the Light Fund charity, serving on the committee, and recently entertained the licensing industry with his Living with Licensing podcasts. Many took to LinkedIn to express their condolences and share memories of Kelvyn. Anna Knight, VP of Global Licensing Group, Informa Markets, said: “Goodbye to an industry legend, Kelvyn Gardner, and one of the kindest people I’ve met in licensing. You were so supportive of me, our group, the shows – and wow, you loved the shows. We used to joke about which jackets you’d wear each day and whether they were ‘too loud’ for the Americans in particular! We were planning to make you one, to wear for the 2020 BLE that didn’t happen. So much to say. In time we’ll write better words to do justice to you and what you mean to our licensing event family. So much love to Michelle, your children, and the rest of your family. Rest in peace.” Darran Garnham of Toikido described the news as ‘heartbreaking’. “Kelvyn was the father of the licensing business for me,” he wrote. “Always a kind word and interesting tale. He played at our Moshi party and had everyone on the dancefloor. I will be digging out my loudest jacket and lifting a glass to him this evening.” “I was very sorry and shocked to hear this news,” added Ian Downes. “Kelvyn was very much one of the personalities of licensing – he informed, influenced and inspired lots of people. He was a great advocate for the industry. I enjoyed my chats with him and the jokes we shared. Time spent with Kelvyn was time well spent. We had a lot in common and I will miss him. I am really sorry for you all and send my sincere condolences.” Toy World publisher John Baulch commented: “Kelvyn was known and respected by everyone in the world of licensing, and many people from the toy community will have worked with him over the years. The huge number of comments on his wife Michelle’s LinkedIn post, announcing the sad news, pays testament to just how well-liked he was by everyone he met. His sudden passing has come as a huge shock to everyone, and our thoughts are with his family, Michelle, Regan and Eliot, at this very sad time.”

Toy World 26

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NPD Insight

Toys in lockdown: a consumer favourite Moneeba looks at the latest data for toy sales in the early part of 2021 and finds, so far, a continuation of the trends the industry experienced in 2020.

by a quarter, accounting for 15% of toys share this ith the UK toy market performing month. Last year we saw consumers buy classic games better than expected and growing and items they were familiar with; this is a trend that by +5% in 2020, the industry is has carried on this month. Family Board/Action Games now eager to know how this year is has added over £1m so far this year and we’ve seen going to pan out. While there is no classic games continue to perform well. Monopoly, crystal ball, we do have the first month’s 2021 data, Scrabble and Uno have all grown YOY this month. which shows that the market continues to perform Adult Puzzles also makes the top 10, adding just under well with the month of January up +3%. Consumers £290k this year. have bought fewer toys this month - 1.4m units down versus 2020 - but crucially they have spent more, with Interestingly, despite the snow and really cold the market valued over £95m for January. Currently, weather, January has seen another lockdown we’re in a third national lockdown, with children being favourite, Outdoor Toys, add value to the toy market. home-schooled and non-essentials stores closed. At Trampolines and Playsets have grown by triple digits in the time of writing, there are still a couple of weeks to go before we find out the government’s roadmap out of lockdown, but one thing Millions we do know for certain £0.0 £0.5 £1.0 £1.5 £2.0 £2.5 £3.0 £3.5 £4.0 £4.5 £5.0 Millions is that consumers spend £0.0 £0.5 £1.0 £1.5 £2.0 £2.5 £3.0 £3.5 £4.0 £4.5 £5.0 Standard Building Sets money on toys during Standard Family Board/Action GamesBuilding Sets lockdown. We saw a similar Family Board/Action Games trend last year in lockdown Playground Equipment Playground Equipment No.1; toy sales grew by Fashion Dolls Fashion Dolls +22%. So far, the January Fashion Accessories results indicate that 2021 Fashion Accessories Craft Kits Craft Kits seems to be a continuation of what we saw last year. Family Dice/Word/Ot her Games her Games Family Dice/Word/Ot After a year of market Kit chen & Food PS Kit chen &PSFood growth, what toys are Children's Games Children's Games consumers buying and how Adult Puzzles has the beginning of this Adult Puzzles year played out? Source: The NPD Group | Retail Tracking Service | Jan 2021

Moneeba Baloch

Account Manager, UK Toys, Euro Toys

less than £5 lost almost £30m in terms of value in 2020. With early shopping happening in October and November as part of the Government’s message to shop early to reduce the spread of the virus, impulse purchasing suffered in December with fewer stocking filler items being bought. 75% of total December loss came from the £0-£15 price point, and with many stores closed, the lower price point has inevitably continued to decline so far in 2021. Toys at less than £5 are showing a decline of -22%, with 1.2m fewer units being sold. The market growth we saw in 2020 came from higher price points, with all Source: The NPD Group | Retail Tracking Service | Jan 2021 The first week of 2021 The NPD Group, Inc. | Proprietary and confidential 1 price points over £20 showing The NPD Group, Inc. | Proprietary and confidential 1 showed the market down growth. The £20 to £50 price range added £73m to the January, and Play Houses/Bouncy Houses and Sand & -8% YOY. However, since schools closed abruptly on market and items over £100 added nearly £34m. These Water Boxes by double digits. These higher priced point January 4th, the market has grown every week versus trends continue with all £20+ price points growing for items have driven value growth, with the subclass 2020. Week 2 was up +11% despite non-essential store January. increasing its average price point by over two thirds. closures, week 3 up +8% and the last week in January

Fastest growing subclasses - Jan 2021 Fastest growing subclasses - Jan 2021

was up +6%, bringing the total figure for January 2021 to +3%. Purchasing trends are similar to what we saw in 2020, with consumers buying more Standard Building Sets this month versus January 2020; the subclass has gained over £4m in just one month alone. Strong licensing partnerships such as Lego Star Wars and Lego Harry Potter mean this category has been a consumer favourite whilst in lockdown. The category also continues to innovate; one of the top new launches of 2020 continues to perform well this year, with Lego Super Mario Brothers adding over £673k for January. Another consumer favourite during this pandemic has been Games & Puzzles. With more free time and less spend on experiences and holidays, consumer spend across the Games & Puzzles supercategory has grown

The uplift in Outdoor & Sports Toys could be down to parents purchasing these items ahead of the summer and especially having these items to keep children occupied whilst being in lockdown. It is worth noting however, that the Outdoor & Sports toys growth will be a challenge to match later in the year, given how well this category performed in the summer months of 2020. One of the main trends we saw in 2020 was that consumers replaced impulse purchasing with considered purchasing. There was a move to higher priced toys, as impulse occasions were lost due to non-essential store closures, and the same trends are unsurprisingly evident so far this year. Toys priced at

Toy World 30

Early reads on the first week of February saw another extraordinary growth week, up +18% YOY. Fewer toys are still being bought with unit downs -4%, but the total market for the week is valued at over £26m. Key players and properties continue to show double digit growth as we head into February. With plans to exit lockdown shortly after this article has been published and over 15m people already vaccinated in the UK, the second half of this year will be an interesting period for the toy market. It is reasonable to conclude that the toy market has benefitted from adults and children being at home and having the free time to learn, play and explore with toys, so how will the potential return of experiences and travel opportunities affect this pattern?

To monitor what’s happening in the ever-changing toy market, NPD 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.npd.com. Follow NPD on Twitter @npdgroup.

Item Progression:

Item Description Premier League Football 2021

With the Premier League in full swing, the Panini Premier League Sticker Collection Pack 701 2 Football 2021 Sticker Collection Pack has been a consumer favourite in January. Climbing 699 places from December, unit sales have grown by triple digits YOY, selling over 460k worth of sticker packs. With an average price of 92p, this item has generated £430k in terms of value and was the fastest selling in terms of value velocity in the Non-Strategic Trading Cards/Collectible Stickers subclass. Distribution has increase by +5 ppts in the last month, with 54% distribution for the month of January.

Fastest Growing Themes in UK Toys

Fastest Growing Themes in the UK

Fastest Growing Themes in UK Toys Millions £0

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Wheeled Vehicles Space Princess

Fastest Growing Themes in UK Toys

Wheeled Vehicles themed toys added the most amount Fastest Growing Themes in UK Toys Witches/Wizards of value, +£38m, to the toy market in 2020. Growing Dogs properties such as Hot Wheels, Lego Technic and The Manga/Anime Fast & Furious Lego mean this was also the number one Dinosaur theme in toys overall. Higher priced Lego Lamborghini, Fairy Ferrari and Porsche items contributed to the category’s Sloth 25% growth. The success of Star Wars led Space to be the Superhero second fastest growing theme in total toys, up +22% YOY, adding over £12m to this theme. Movie success from Disney’s Frozen also meant that the Princess theme was Source: The NPD Group | Retail Tracking Service | FY 2020 the No.3 fastest growing theme in the toy market in 2020. Frozen as a property grew by +49% with the help of core Dolls lines, Fashion Doll Accessories, and Lego Frozen. The success of The NPD Group, Inc. | Proprietary and confidential 2 Barbie was also a key factor in this theme’s success. Harry Potter continued to grow in 2020, up +17% YOY, making Witches/Wizards the 4th fastest growing theme in toys. The theme overall added £8.2m to toys across Harry Potter Lego, Funko items and Games items too. Themes which added smaller value last year such as Dinosaurs, Fairies, Sloths and Superheros will be key in bringing innovation to the market this year and help continue the market growth. With many new items delayed until 2021, new items and new themes will be a focus for many in the industry this year. Millions

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Wheeled Vehicles

Space

Princess

Witches/Wizards Dogs

Manga/Anime

Dinosaur Fairy

Sloth

Superhero

Source: The NPD Group | Retail Tracking Service | FY 2020

The NPD Group, Inc. | Proprietary and confidential

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Talking Shop

Ready when you are! Rachael Simpson-Jones speaks to independent retailers to find out how they have been coping over the latest lockdown, and what plans they have been making for reopening. Dan Lovett - Beccles Toy Box, Newmarket

t the moment, sales are mostly being driven through our social media pages, primarily Instagram and Facebook; the two pages are linked. My wife is working full time at home, and I’m homeschooling my two boys while also overseeing our two shops, Halesworth Toy Shop and Beccles Toy Box. If a customer needs gifts for a birthday or other event, or see something they just have to have, they can drop me a line and I’ll do my best to get it to them ASAP, either a collection from the shop door or dropping it off if they are local. We’ve been doing this for the past two months, and it’s been working really well for us. All the staff bar myself are furloughed, and my boss, Nigel Kemp, is caring for his parents, so the social media strategy is keeping things ticking over nicely without over-facing anyone. I’m being quite selective about the products we highlight on our social media. For example, during a recent stock take, we unearthed a few Lego Bonsai Trees, which have been wildly popular. Bill Bulstrode from Framlingham Toy Shop, with whom we have a great relationship, managed to secure me 12 more out of one of his deliveries. We help each other with stock a lot. A post about the trees went straight up on the Facebook and Instagram pages, and within an hour, I had 40 messages either wanting the Bonsai Trees, or asking whether we had other particular Lego sets. I must admit that I used to hate Facebook. I called it Faceache and could never understand the fascination with looking at pictures of other people’s dinners. But

from a business perspective, it’s been great. Before the first 2020 lockdown I already had an Instagram account for Beccles Toy Box and it was working really well, but although we had a Facebook page, we didn’t really do much with it. Then, I connected the Instagram to Facebook, so the two were linked, and that was when things really took off. The biggest thing I’ve learned about social media is that if you have something to sell, don’t post it during the day. Instead, go for 7-8pm, when the kids have gone to bed and people have more time to look at social media. I’ve had messages arrive at 1am asking for toys! For an indie, social is a great tool, and I find it can offer a more personal service than ordering through a website. I like to greet people using their names, which you can clearly see if an order has come through Facebook. Using somewhere like Amazon, you’re a number, not a person. Offering that personal interaction is something the big boys will never be able to do; it’s hard work, but it pays off. Like a lot of retailers, we’re not sitting on a vast amount of stock, so we’re going for lines that are hot at the moment, driving sales with minimal time expenditure at our end. We’d been holding onto 50 or so sledges for a long while. By the time the snow made an appearance, Bill and I had already advertised these on social media and cleared the lot, well before many other retailers in the town had even put theirs online. It’s all a case of getting onto the hot lines as fast as you can.

Toy World 33

The best seller for us at the moment is Pokémon. My launch delivery of Shining Fates product has just arrived, and I can’t wait to unpack it. Pokémon is absolutely massive for us; there’s a contingent of loyal fans in the area always keen to get their hands on new product. I’ve got a ‘little black book’ of Pokémon fans, and I’ve already pre-sold my launch delivery. None of it will even make it onto social media; it’s already spoken for. It’s the 25th anniversary of Pokémon this year, which is going to make the brand even bigger and better. I reckon it’ll be the big thing of 2021, to be honest. Character Options has some great new anniversary toys coming through, and there’s a raft of new lines on the way from Asmodee. While our shop has been closed, the enormous buzz around Pokémon and Shining Fates has been a major boon. Outdoor is a strong category for us. Swingball from Mookie is really popular, and footballs are always a best-seller. It’s a big year for football, so that will help boost sales. Kites and gliders are always in demand, and if it’s as hot as it was last year, I think every family in Britain will be after paddling pools for the back garden. If you’ve got stock of Intex paddling pools, you’ll be making a mint this year! Hot Wheels is a really strong brand for us within Action Vehicles; we’ve got a whole area dedicated to it under the stairs in our store. A lot of collectors come in looking for a particular car, but my son and I get first dibs when shipments arrive. One year we took delivery of a £1,000 order, which we unpacked across the shop floor and did a YouTube video for customers going through each and every vehicle. It was so much fun. We offer RC from Tobar, as well as Maisto and Bburgago die-cast too. We’re waiting to see what happens with reopenings. Only this morning was I talking to Bill, and he mentioned the possibility of the May bank holiday. Easter would be great though; it’s like our second Christmas. A lot of parents still buy Easter eggs of course but loads also buy toys instead of an egg (or as well as, for some lucky kids). Last summer, even though being open was sandwiched between lockdowns, we saw exceptional sales. My boss even remarked that it was better than summer 2019. We’re in quite a touristy area, right on the edge of the Norfolk broads, so we get plenty of visitors that have been out enjoying boat trips. The local caravan parks are all fully booked for this year. People want to get out and make the most of it when they can, and we’re likely to see much less foreign travel. In 2020, we saw more holidaymakers than ever renting boats and discovering the area; many that came into the shop said they’d be back the following year, and I reckon they meant it. It’s lovely here, and I think we’re in for a great summer. w

Talking Shop Lee Borastero Kids Stuff, Wells

e didn’t have a website during the first lockdown, but we have one now and sales are starting to pick up. It is admittedly a little slow; people don’t seem to be spending too much at the moment (my wife’s actually just shouted out that we’re certainly not!) and we’re not offering delivery, just click & collect. Setting up the new website was in the pipeline before Covid; we’d actually taken down our old one in February 2020 for a revamp. Personally, I’m not a huge fan of websites – I want to see my customers strolling through my door, and I want to see them smiling at me when I take their money for their exciting new purchase (masks notwithstanding). However, setting up the site is something we needed to do to keep business ticking over. We’re seeing around 20% of our usual sales for this time of the year at the moment, but those sales are keeping us going, paying our Toymaster fees, rent and other bills, staff costs and supplier invoices. I would estimate that two-thirds of the orders we are getting are for Lego, from £9.99 sets right up to the £300+ Lamborghinis and Technic builds. The average spend on Lego is around £45. These sales are stemming from families that are continuing to look for fun things to do at home with the kids. They tend to be our local regular customers; half of them have my mobile number and they’ll happily ring me to ask if I’ve got what they want. The other third of my sales is a very mixed bag. Pre-school, dolls and, weirdly, some bulk buying of pocket money toys. People are drip feeding their kids with them. We’ll get an order for multiple bouncy balls, whistles, fortune telling fish, jacks games, £20-worth of toys worth 50p-£1 each. It’s quite an interesting development. If we’re allowed, we’re looking at an Easter reopening. We’ve got a restricted entrance at the front of the shop. Its quirky shape and layout means we can have a maximum of eight shoppers at one time, because of pinch-points the width of a doorway. If it’s not possible to reopen, then we’ll carry on as we are. Our customers are really keen to come back to us, especially the kids. They’ve essentially not been in the shop for a year, and it’ll be such an experience when we can welcome them back. I spoke to a customer the other day, who told me his grandkids miss coming in and wanted to know when we’ll be reopening. He’ll know just as soon as I will – when Boris tells us. At that point, it’ll be a case of dusting the shelves, sweeping the floor, washing the windows, and getting generally

spruced up ready for the first customers back through the door. I’m grateful that we had such a fantastic Christmas. It was so good, in fact, that we worked out that we’d be able to stay shut until May, at which point we’d need to pick things up again. Christmas 2020 was on par with 2018, which was very strong. Being shut is not ideal by any means, but it has allowed us to do a few bits around the shop - change a few lights, install new CCTV. But we want our customers back now, please! We’re located in quite a touristy area, with Wells Cathedral and Wookey Hole nearby. Friends that run log cabin holiday lets tell me they are fully booked from Easter weekend until almost the end of the year. We’re regulars at a place in Cornwall, but for this year we’ve had to go on a cancellation list with 20 families in front

of us, which gives some indication of how busy the UK holiday industry will be this year. If we have spring/ summer weather like we did in 2020, it’ll be cracking season. On that note, I’m struggling to find paddling pools anywhere. Toymaster warned members about paddling pools in April or May last year, advising placing orders then for this year, but about a third of what we’ve ordered has been cancelled so far, or we’re getting part fulfilment. Container rates aren’t helping, and issues with the new Brexit customs system are affecting deliveries - my January Lego launch stock arrived mid-February because it got stuck in France for four weeks. The only thing I want to add is a message to fellow retailers; stick in there, guys. We’re going to get through it. See you on the other side.

when we reopen, so we can look towards the summer months. We now have a new website up and running and the online side of the business has become more a focus. Truth be told it’s a bit late; in earlier lockdowns it would have really helped us. But going forward, at least we’re now able to sell online properly. People assume Christmas must be our busiest time, but here in Whitby that’s not the case. The town is overflowing with visitors in the summer, and if I want to sell a £165 Lego set, that’s when I’ll do it. I actually run my stock down towards Christmas, which most

retailers wouldn’t dream off. I have my main lines and my Toymaster Christmas Catalogue lines, but don’t carry as much other stock as I would in the summer. We’re hopeful for a really strong summer like last year. After the first lockdown ended, our sales were way up; everyone was so delighted to be out and spending money. I’m bringing in stock for Easter on the assumption that’s when we’ll be allowed to reopen. We’ve got a lot of the latest lines from major suppliers including Schleich, Lego and Hasbro, including classic games from the latter, which you couldn’t find anywhere just before

Louise Anderson John Anderson Toymaster, Whitby

espite the lockdown, we could technically still be open as we have a Post Office in our store. However, Whitby is very much dependent on tourists, and obviously there aren’t many of those at the moment. It’s a bit of a ghost town, and current footfall just doesn’t warrant me opening my doors. I’d just be siphoning cash that I need to try and keep hold of for further down the line. There’s a major Post Office not more than a five-minute walk away, so it was a no-brainer just to shut up shop again, and I made the decision to furlough all my staff for the latest lockdown. Looking ahead, I’ve been placing orders ready for

Toy World 34

indie viewpoint Christmas. I did a virtual preview with Hasbro and it was reassuring to see that I’d already ordered all the big lines the sales team were highlighting. I’ve also got new product on the way from Gibsons. Doing the Gibsons virtual preview helped me out quite a bit; afterwards, a rep rang me to let me know about the company’s new Whitby jigsaws, and those have now arrived. I’ve found the virtual previews really helpful, though I could have done with being invited to take part in a few more. I still have more orders to place; we sell a lot of pocket money toys, so I’ll be getting in touch with H. Grossman and ensuring we have plenty of pick-up price point toys and collectibles. As I’ve got good terms with Toymaster, I’m trying to stagger my orders, so I don’t end up with a big bill that needs to be paid in one go. There are gaps on my shelves, but they will be filled by Easter with higher price point ranges. I just hope availability isn’t an issue, in some cases it’s been patchy. We usually sell plenty of bikes, but I can’t get any this year. We’ve been told we won’t get any before Easter. There’s a lot of families out there desperate to get out and about together, so I’ll keep on at the suppliers to see if the situation changes. We see strong sales from outdoor sports equipment, kites, buckets and spades and other beach toys, while scooters are always popular. I’m anticipating that the rest of this year, once we’re all out of lockdown, will be even better than last year. Unless I’m mistaken, nobody will be able to fly off anywhere any time soon and UK holiday resorts will be inundated as a result. It’ll be manic for us, but manic is what we need – we want those tourists through the door. I’m hoping it will be a good year and make up for the lean patches. The addition of the new website should bolster things for us too in the winter season. Being forced to close the store feels like I’ve let my local customers down. I have maybe 20-30 local regulars that used to visit frequently; I see them around town and they all say they’re looking forward to coming back. Ultimately, I think challenges still lie ahead, but our big focus is on taking care of our customers as best we can and providing everything they need. My staff are great, brimming with ideas on enticing shoppers back through the doors once we reopen, and I’m looking forward to seeing them again just as much as the customers.

Mark Buschhaus and Stephen Barnes Toy Barnhaus

People get ready

W W

riting this with a week to go before Boris’s announcement of his roadmap out of lockdown, we really cannot believe where the last seven weeks of the lockdown have gone. Ever optimistic, we are hoping we may get to open for the last week of March, although realistically we think it will more likely be April. However, if it is March, we will both do a jig on the salesfloor.

The UK vaccination programme is coming on apace, and will hopefully lead to increased confidence for when we do re-open. We have seen a survey suggesting that people are now more confident about returning into stores than they were after the first lockdown. This will be a key factor when we re-open, as increased customer confidence should lead to a quicker bounce-back on trade. In the week of Valentine’s Day, our bestseller was the Lego Creator Flower Bouquet; a great new line that is targeting a slightly different market. Mark is also delighted he will not need to buy his wife flowers anymore, now she has a permanent set in Lego. Since our last column, we have had the big freeze. During the snowiest day, we were mentioned on a local Facebook group as having sledges in stock - consequently, our phone lines went mad, and we sold out of all our sledges in one day. Over half term, which is normally a big week for us, we are hoping we will pick up more business online. As we write, we’re also eagerly awaiting the launch of Pokémon Shining Fates, which will be our biggest launch so far this year. With limited stock and high demand, we are hoping for great sell through. All credit to the Pokémon Company for creating so much buzz around the 25th Anniversary. Looking ahead to spring and summer, we are already seeing signs of disruption to stock, particularly in pools, with severe shortages of some of the larger pools. As the possibility of holidays abroad is still up in the air, a lot of people are going to be holidaying in this country, and we expect this will lead once again to increased demand for garden toys to keep families amused over the summer. We just hope we can get the stock. It doesn’t help when shipping containers are in the wrong place; this leads to increased shipping costs, a particularly hard hit to take on larger items. In our outdoor range, scooters and ride-ons are key sellers, and the Nebulus scooters and licensed scooters from MV are our best-selling ranges. We offer a wide selection of outdoor toys from Dolu. The My First Moto is a fantastic line that has proved extremely popular, it’s a great product for younger kids. We also stock a wide range of summer and beach toys. Last year, we were quite surprised to do impressive trade in body boards, and not just at our coastal store. We will be up-ordering on these this year. We have learned that we can sell a wide range of beach lines throughout all our stores, whether they are near the coast or not. You don’t tend to find such items inland, but customers like to pick them up in advance of a trip and there’s clearly demand. Moving into spring, when we have everything crossed to be able to re-open, we expect to see strong sales, as ever, from nature related lines. Things like bug viewers and catchers are always popular as inexpensive pick-up lines that kids get a lot of use from. Interplay/ Playmonster’s Fairy Garden range always sells extremely well; it can be used to grow plants all year round but there’s always an uplift in the spring. The range has been a bestseller for several years now, with customers coming back for more - the new lines always sell well. So, there’s plenty to look forward to. Hopefully, we’ll all be getting ready for reopening (and dancing that jig) by the time you read this.

Toy World 35

Opinion

Create your own destiny…

“

Letter from America

Success is not the result of predicting the future. It comes only when one begins to engineer the future they want.” This is a mantra that I think it is important to live by. As I stated in my previous articles, the remora fish started us on our journey to engineer a different path in retail through cooperation with the ‘whale’ of retail - Amazon. After just five years in retail, early results show promise for Learning Express; our mean sales have increased on average by 27% compared to our pre-Amazon strategy. Now, we need to consider the next 5 -10 years. What will neighbourhood stores physically look like, what services/products will be offered and how will we use Amazon services? Before I start down the path of the future, let me provide some real-world facts as of Jan-Feb 2021 regarding my relationship with Amazon. • Amazon is currently our 8th largest vendor. • Shipping is immediate with free freight (we do subscribe to Prime). • Smaller orders are imperative to be consistent with our cash flow model. • Our markups are based not only the cost of product but on local market demand and what is trending on social media. • Our rebate or discount dollars from large purchases are now making a real impact on our cost of goods. • Speed and agility fit our business model so Amazon and Learning Express Toys are a good match. Basically, our operational model is working, and working well, and I am pleased. Looking to the future, I think the following will be key:

Physical Stores Here, size does matter. Currently in the US, independent toy stores range from 2500- 3500 sq. ft. I don’t expect this to change much. Those toy stores that have survived have become a treasured jewel, so rents should remain reasonable. What will change is the breakdown between shop floor space and back room activities, notably web orders and shipping (including kerbside pick-up and local delivery). The split today is roughly 80-85% showroom and 10-15% back office/storage space, but I see this changing to a 60-40 split as more room is needed for online fulfilment. Personnel make up will also change over time from predominantly sales associates to a mix of sales and operational staff. Web sales for Learning Express (currently 10% of sales) are expected to grow to 30-35% in five years, and our infrastructure will need to adapt to support this model.

Products

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 nine 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 concludes his trilogy of Amazon columns and looks to how independent toy retail is likely to develop.

A wider range of product will become necessary – not just traditionally ‘toy’ ranges - as toy stores morph to gifting stores and trending stores. I expect the traditional toy market as we know it to see a shift to more items categorised by age group, and gifting for that age group—infant, toddler, pre-teens, teens and adults. We will all need to recalibrate our thinking of what makes up the offering of a toy store; even now, we have started to stock fashion, phone accessories, room décor and fidget toys, all of which are really aimed at teens and adults. Not forgetting games and puzzles, this sector covers an extremely wide age range to sell to. All these differing products will play right into our strategy of using Amazon as a marketer of new trends as well as a supplier of the latest products quickly.

The Wow We need to keep people coming into stores. While product may be king, the queen is the wow factor that indie toy stores must exude. It must scream kid friendly on social media, be on trend, informative, and a safe place for the local community to gather. Post-Covid, this will still mean events, play dates, demos and special in store attractions for kids, because it will be the kids that want to visit, not the parents. YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat and streaming services will all help demonstrate just how a local store exudes the Wow factor. We can put a local spin onto our marketing and ads; this will stand out amongst the big box and online only retailers. There must be many more “Toy Man Rick” and Christine “the Magic Maker” letting their personalities shine as ambassadors for the independent toy/gift market. I will be focusing on three critical areas as we move forward with these new ideas, models and processes. The tests that I will use are as follows: elationships - how will any changes affect relationships, both internally with our team and externally with •R customers and vendor partners? Relationships will still be a key part of our success and must be enhanced and grown. •C onvenience - of all the resources our customers have access to, the most rare and valuable is time. Every change must be viewed through this lens. •U niqueness - finding products and features that competitors lack, customers desire and will pay extra for will make us become uniquely valuable. In closing, thank you Toy World Magazine for allowing a local toy store gent to speak to your audience so openly and hopefully with insight. I realize not everything works for everybody and I certainly do not have all the answers, but if just one thought, can help another indie, we have done good. Till next time.

Richard can be reached on LinkedIn or by email at LE45@sbcglobal.net.

Toy World 36

Special Feature

Playmobil

Rise up! The cover star of this month’s issue, Dino Rise is Playmobil’s latest theme. A battlebased mashup of human heroes, daring dinosaurs and radical robots, the range offers figures, play sets and animated content that offers retailers a cohesive and exciting new offering for their customers. Rachael Simpson-Jones spoke to Jamie Dickinson, head of marketing at Playmobil, about the launch plans for Dino Rise, and what else the company has in store for this year.

laymobil has entered 2021 ‘full of positivity’, Jamie tells me, having fared well during a challenging 12 months that left the company just as pleased with its own performance as that of the wider toy industry (which finished the year +5% up). “We had a much better year than we’d anticipated, meaning we’re coming into 2021 in a strong position,” Jamie explains. “We’re hoping

for more of the same; continued high demand from consumers for toys, and innovative, adaptive sales tactics from retailers. I’m also hoping that we come out of all these lockdowns with a little more breathing room, which will allow physical stores to go back to doing what they do best - selling toys – armed with all the new skills they’ve embraced over the past year. We’ve got lots of exciting new launches coming through, as you would expect from Playmobil, some of which is brand spanking new, and some of which joins existing brands and themes as refreshes or extensions.” The biggest new launch this year, and a decidedly different take on the evergreen dinosaur play theme, Dino Rise offers kids a new battling experience with good versus evil at

Toy World 38

its heart. The diverse and representative group of largely teenage characters – Ian (the leader) Kaidan, Jaden, Samu, Ayla and Matt (plus Uncle Rob) - work together with their dinosaur mounts, which include a Pteranodon, T-Rex, Spinosaurus, Saichania, Triceratops and Deinonychus, using friendship, teamwork and courage to overcome the challenges that stand in their way – the evil robot fighting machines from the Comet Corporation. “We know that dinosaurs are loved by kids, and always have been,” says Jamie. “Dino Rise not only adds to existing dinosaur toy ranges, and all the fun they offer (including how to pronounce their names), but also introduces the unique element of humans and dinosaurs teaming up to take on the bad guys, who are piloting robots in

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Special Feature an effort to steal the energy crystal. Safe to say, our human and dinosaur heroes aren’t having any of that, and are ready to save the day.” The launch range comprises seven SKUs, with price points ranging from pocket money to £69.99 play sets, offering accessibility for a range of budgets and gifting occasions. All sets come complete with at least one character as well as a posable dinosaur and battling accessories; the bigger the set, the more play possibilities are on offer. The 84-piece T-Rex: Battle of the Giants set, the largest one in the launch range, includes the fearless Ian and his mighty T-Rex, both with removable armour plus weapons including cannons and a barrel catapult, a bad guy and robot fighting machine, and much more. Like all Playmobil offerings, all sets are compatible with one another, which will encourage kids to collect all the characters and their respective dinosaur buddies. As readers will know, Playmobil’s in-store display options are hugely impressive, and the assets available for the Dino Rise May launch will be no different. Retailers can opt for a bay with a 2D background display showing Ian and his T-Rex, plus the other characters. Bold window displays will attract the attention of passers-by on the street, and FSDUs come complete with dinosaur footprints for the shop floor, that lead consumers from the entrance right to the Dino Rise display. Keen to also support online retailers, and mindful of the high-street uncertainty still presented by Covid, Playmobil has also created Dino Rise banners, videos and imagery to capture consumers in other channels besides bricks & mortar. Strong TV campaigns will run throughout the year from launch on pre-roll and digital channels, in addition to press advertising (trade and consumer), and a PR push with bloggers and influencers. With the full support of the German Playmobil team behind it, it’s likely we’ll see even more activations and campaigns supporting Dino Rise; ideas from retailers are being actively welcomed, and support will be provided to any that want to run competitions or social media contests. An animated Dino Rise series is also on its way to YouTube and YouTube Kids, with seven 7-minute episodes detailing the arrival of the dinosaurs, how the team works together, and its battles with the robots. Shorts from the series will also be available for in-store display on screens, boosting awareness of the brand and the excitement it offers even further by showing kids the dinosaur/robot fun the episodes demonstrate. “The animation side of things came about a few years ago, when we started producing one-off shorts for themes such as Egyptians or Pirates, and then moved onto the likes of Ghostbusters,” Jamie tells me. “Playmobil figures lend themselves really well to animated content as they’re true to life and in human form, and the animations produced both in-house and via our agencies are incredibly high quality. Watch

Playmobil

one, and you can immediately see how they really bring the toys to life. There’s a real benefit to creating animated content; it’s not cheap to make, but it looks wonderful once it’s finished and the fans love it. Novelmore, for example, started out in an episode format and has gone on to form a franchise that follows the characters and that good versus evil theme. You’ll probably see more of this as Playmobil continues to launch new ranges. Children are consuming digital content in a very different way nowadays, living so much of their lives online, so it’s becoming more and more important to deliver a fully fleshed out backstory, with themes, content, characters and plots for them to enjoy, which ties into our physical product.” Autumn/winter will see the arrival of a new Dino Rise play set, a hero £100+ offering that will bring both the good guys and the bad guys together to duke it out in Dino Rock, a focal location within the animated series. Packed with additional features to discover, this big-box play set, which will surely be finding itself under many a tree this Christmas, will let kids retell the adventures they’ve seen on YouTube or create their own from the comfort of their own homes. Away from Dino Rise, Playmobil is also bringing through numerous other new ranges and theme extensions for this year. Adventure Zoo hit shelves in February, marking one of the company’s biggest launches this year. Animals have long been one of the most popular aspects of Playmobil’s range, and Jamie is confident that with summer ahead, lockdowns (hopefully) lifting and zoos once more bringing in throngs of visitors, this modular assortment will be a bestseller. The Police theme, which sits within the City Action range, has also been expanded with new cars and a police station set, plus mission packs that let kids enact crime fighting scenarios such as on- and off-road car chases, bike pursuits, helicopter searches and prison breaks. There’s even a police robot ready to capture

Toy World 40

wrongdoers in the act. A new Beach Hotel is also on its way, as well as a Princess range that includes a huge new castle, while Novelmore sees the introduction of new kingdoms and realms, and with them new stories and characters. On the licensing side, Back to the Future and Scooby-Doo fans can look forward to new toys too. Both ranges launched in 2020 to hugely positive receptions and demand for product remains high, particularly as classic films such as Back to the Future have enjoyed something of a resurgence in popularity while new movie releases have been disrupted by the pandemic. And speaking of classics, toy vehicles produced in partnership with the German carmaker VW, the iconic Campervan and Beetle, were also unveiled in January, immediately striking a chord with parents who knew and loved the originals in their real-life forms. The introduction of these items has opened up the kidult market to Playmobil like never before, and their success could herald similar partnerships in the future. “One of the most exciting things for us this year is our 1.2.3 range, which celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2021,” Jamie enthuses. “This is a fantastic entry into the world of Playmobil for kids aged 18+ months, but it’s a range we’ve never made full use of as it’s been an ongoing challenge to situate it in the right area in-store, with good visibility. We’ve got a brand-new relaunch happening this year that we think gets right to the bottom of why parents should buy Playmobil1.2.3, highlighting the developmental benefits of the range and what it offers younger children in terms of play and learning. Core messages are tailored to the parents, as obviously it’s them choosing and buying the toys, not their toddlers, and those messages will tell the story of the range in a way that feels totally fresh.” Looking towards the rest of this year, Jamie is optimistic that Brits will be in a celebratory mood once lockdown is lifted, and is hopeful that this will translate into toy sales as parents reward their kids for coping with a uniquely challenging set of circumstances. Jamie has two children, one of which is of school age; he tells me that they miss their friends and would much rather be running towards the school gates than sitting down in front of a screen for another day of remote learning. He also thinks there will still be restrictions around going abroad, while a lot of people may be wary of taking a foreign holiday even when it becomes an option. This, he says, will be a boost to toy retailers in coastal regions, as holidaymakers take breaks in the UK, even if just for a couple of days. He adds: “I think parents will be wanting to treat their kids to toys and games for being so good about everything, to make up for missing their school friends, and to make holidays in the UK even more fun. We’re in a good place as a nation, and there’s light at the end of the tunnel.” Jamie finishes: “We’re keen to support all our retail partners as best we can, as we want everyone to have a successful year. We’re here, we’re listening, and we wish all our retailers and consumers the very best for the year ahead.”

info@beehivetoyfactory.co.uk 01460 241800

www.beehivetoyfactory.co.uk

Feature

Outdoor Toys

Spring into

summer

Outdoor Toys fared astonishingly well during the lockdowns and travel restrictions of 2020, and, coming into 2021, it looks like we may see a repeat performance of that success. Rachael Simpson-Jones looks at the social factors and toy trends driving sales this year and speaks to a selection of outdoor toy specialists about how they’re approaching the category.

riting this, it’s the first day in a week that the temperature has been above 2°C, and although it’s nice the snow and ice has finally disappeared, the sheet rain I’m watching through the window is making it hard to imagine summer. Nonetheless, attention is already firmly on the warmer months following the latest lockdown and what has felt like a very (very) long winter. Experts in child development are calling on the government to support a ‘summer of play’ -primarily physical outdoor play - to help kids recover from the stress of lockdown and a year of Covid upheaval. PlayFirstUK, a group of academics, has highlighted increases in children’s mental health problems during the pandemic, as well as loneliness and reduced academic motivation. The group is calling for children to be encouraged and supported to spend time outdoors, playing with other children and being physically active. On top of this, holidaymakers are increasingly being urged to stay in Britain for their break this year by everyone except airlines; trepidation about foreign travel, even

if it’s allowed, is also impacting the overseas holiday sector. For the Outdoor Toys category, it’s a recipe for success, and there’s a raft of companies poised to help kids get outdoors, get fit and get happy in a way that supports their interests in a healthy and fun way. Coming into 2021 on the back of +15% UK growth in 2020, Sports Toys - which includes skates, skateboards and scooters – continues to be one of the strongest sub-categories within the overall Outdoor Toy market. There’s certainly plenty of innovation within this category for this year, with MV Sports, DGL, Hy-Pro, H. Grossman, Razor and more introducing new scooters, both electric and kid-powered, to the market. Wilton Bradley’s electric Xootz scooter range is seeing strong growth, as is its wider ride-on portfolio, as Ross Bradley, sales director, explains: “At the forefront of this charge are our Elements kids’ electric scooters, which have been one of our best-selling products across the group, as well as the award- winning Typhoon Power Drifter, created using in- house tooling and design. Our electric ride-on range has also been a success. This range of exclusive, officially licensed electric ride-on

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models allow kids to experience the thrill of getting behind the wheel of their very own electric ride-on car. Many of these products have been recognised for their design and innovation, bringing home some of the top awards in the industry.” Nat Southworth, founder of KAP Toys, is delighted to continue distributing Falk’s JCB push-along and pedal-powered ride-ons. Shipping rate increases, along with current challenges associated with container imports from China, mean Falk’s French manufacturing base offers a real point of difference for KAP. To support Falk’s newly updated JCB Excavator ride-on, as well as its other licensed lines, KAP Toys is working to create a basic level of content for all its lines, which can be further enhanced in conjunction with retailer support. Nat adds: “Significant price pressures due to the additional costs of shipping are making forecasting and retailer planning ever more important. I predict there will be stock shortages of key lines like Falk and I would recommend everyone gets in touch to lock down their requirements.” (No pun intended, we’re sure). Nat isn’t the only outdoor toy supplier urging

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Outdoor Toys

retailers to finalise their orders early. Paul Reader, marketing director at Toymaster, says the group’s members are being told the same thing, especially on the likes of paddling pools; three key Toymaster suppliers have already warned that there will be a shortage of these this year. “Hopefully the weather will be really kind to us in the summer months, and the staycation market will be strong,” comments Paul. “There’s going to be more people staying at home this summer than ever before – have you tried booking a holiday cottage or caravan park recently? Our seaside members are certainly looking forward to the extended business they’re going to see. In terms of product, we always get good support on outdoor from Wilton Bradley and John Adams. I don’t think the outdoor category will be quite as good as it was last year, but that’s because last year really was phenomenal. That said, it’ll be an interesting summer for sure.” Adam Pearson, key account manager at Geemac, feels the government’s 10-day, £1,750 hotel quarantine programme for inbound travellers from ‘red list’ countries will seriously impact summer travel plans, and has added his voice to the growing ranks of suppliers and retailers urging early ordering. With a broad portfolio of products under its belt, all perfect for families looking to transform their gardens into kid-friendly play spaces for a summer of home fun, Geemac offers UK trampoline brand, Sportspower, as well as swing sets, slides, multiplay sets, wooden FSC-accredited playhouses, outdoor kitchens, sand pits, football goals in PVC or metal and constant-air bouncy play centres. Those seeking a summer dip can also enjoy Summerwaves above ground pools and inflatables, while Geemac continues to develop blow-mould, injection-mould and rotor-mould plastic outdoor toys too – but readers will need to act quickly to secure stock. Adam tells us: “Lockdown last year taught us the average spend has greatly increased and we are already beating last year’s numbers on a £500 RRP Super Palace playhouse. Our diverse range gives us flexibility and we can supply low MOQs/mixed containers. Big box items mean you need hundreds of pieces to fill containers, not thousands, and we can also supply domestically and with home delivery.” Mud kitchens have grown in popularity over the past few years, with parents appreciating the creative outdoor play potential they offer. Look out for impressive new options here from MV Sports and Wilton Bradley, among others. Playhouses, meanwhile, remain a perennial favourite of garden play, offering kids a space for entertaining friends, a base from which to stage adventures, or a relaxing escape from siblings and schoolwork. Simba Smoby Toys UK, which offers a quality range of playhouses packed with added fun features, is introducing something a little different for 2021 – the Smoby Teepee, which grows with kids thanks to its smart, evolutive design. A UV-resistant outer and sturdy foundations make

this Scandi-style shelter suitable for both outdoor and indoor play, increasing the value for money and play potential, even when our great British summers aren’t so great. Smoby’s innovative toys are rooted in the company’s strong history in the outdoor space, as Martin Whitaker, MD of Simba Smoby Toys UK, explains. “With a history spanning almost 100 years, Smoby has become a trusted brand among families,” he says. “AquaPlay, meanwhile, was founded 44 years ago. With both ranges, people know that they’re choosing a quality brand that has stood the test of time. With Smoby, we have a vast portfolio of playhouses and cool ride-ons, and with AquaPlay we also cover water play. The products in our Smoby and AquaPlay portfolios offer huge value for money – as well as a huge amount of play value. Many of our toys are designed to be played with for years to come.” Depending on the rules when lockdown is lifted, it’s very possible that British gardens will be playing host to even more parties and get-togethers than in normal years (remember those?); as a result, retailers may well see increased demand for games and activities. Waboba’s new Voli paddle set is designed to be portable, affordable, accessible and fun – find out more from director of fun Jordan Sullivan in the News section – while Spin Master’s Aerobie flying disc continues to be one of the best on the market. A consistent performer in the outdoor category for decades, David Harms, brand manager, says he hopes Aerobie will “continue to inspire children and adults to keep throwing as far as they can in 2021 and beyond”. Mookie’s award-winning Swingball is perfect for a spot of competitive tennis, and a favourite among Toymaster members, according to Paul Reader, while Little Kids’ Wicked Big Sports range features oversized versions of backyard classics including volleyball and football. It’s a big year for football; Euro 2021, the Women’s FA Cup final and the Champions League final are all on the calendar, in addition to the Olympic football matches in Tokyo. Expect to see awareness of the sport, and demand for product, reach fever pitch.

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Despite being cautious about licensed outdoor products, Geemac says its Messi football range continues to grow. “I hope Lionel can keep playing!” adds Adam Pearson. For 2021, Geemac is working with influencers, which the company feels is demonstrably driving awareness of its leading outdoor brands among its target audience. The company will also continue to market its products via digital platforms. Adam says: “Parents are actively looking for solutions to getting their children outside and active, so supporting our retail partners to keep shelves full, and websites relevant and up to date, is our key focus.” KAP Toys’ growing knowledge of social media channels is driving consumers to the available retail conversion points, while Spin Master says it’s looking at social opportunities, noting that Tik Tok could be a good place to build an organic campaign. “If any retailers are keen to be involved, be sure to contact us,” invites David Harms. Simba Smoby UK’s new launches, meanwhile, will benefit from extensive marketing and PR support, including pre-roll and a major investment into a TV campaign in the summer which runs from May to June. “We’ll also be continuing to engage with consumers via social media and influencer activity,” says Martin Whitaker. “We grew our team last year to give our retailers the support and resources required to ensure a mutually beneficial retail partnership. We’re really grateful for our retail partners. The past year has not been easy, and we truly appreciate all the additional time and effort they have put in to ensure that our products continue to reach families when they need them most.” Over the next few pages, we bring you the latest outdoor toys from a range of leading suppliers.

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Family focused Michelle Lilley, head of marketing UK for Little Tikes, told Toy World how she believes this year will unfold for the Outdoor Toys category, and what the company’s ranges offer retailers and consumers. Coming into 2021, what kind of position does Little Tikes find itself in? We’re in a strong position as we continue to expand our portfolio and sub-brand offering, launching new products and categories. Little Tikes is No.1 for outdoor and sports, and our core line continues to go from strength to strength. We are increasing marketing investment for 2021 – this will be our biggest investment yet in my seven years at MGA - and we’re directing a large proportion of this to our core outdoor and ride-on categories throughout spring.

The lockdowns, though far from ideal, did prove a boon for the Outdoor category. Do you think we will see this trend continue, or have consumers hit saturation point due to last year’s spending splurge? We believe it will be another strong year for outdoor toys, with families continuing to make the most of their homes and gardens. We’ve already seen above-season demand for our core classic lines this year to date, and we’re looking forward to another busy spring and summer. The UK’s No.1 and No.2 two water tables, the Fountain Factory and Magic Flower Water Table, remain a key focus for us. We’re expecting our other staple outdoor items, such as slides, playhouses and sandpits, to grow further as well as the ride-on sector, which is popular for gifting and a yearround best-seller. As they did at Christmas, we’re predicting consumers will buy early for spring/ summer due to the logistical and freight challenges the UK is experiencing. We’re ensuing our UK and European hubs are ready to support consumer demand. We’re also currently working on an outdoor campaign for early summer.

What major developments are we going to see from Little Tikes this year?

The true-to-life Growing Garden range sees the brand move into new materials, while our new dino-inspired T-Rex Truck offers a new feature-rich premium ride-on experience. We’re re-launching Inflatables too, and continuing to invest in content, our website and social platforms. Little Tikes has an engaged audience which is always excited to hear from us. As an established brand with over 50 years of play experience, our aim is to continue to innovate across all categories.

What’s driving this innovation? Innovation is in our DNA. We’re constantly looking at ways to extend our brand in ways that inspire and engage young minds. Our consumers drive innovation by ensuring we develop toys that suit their needs and are in line with market trends; for example, the launch of Growing Garden targets consumers spending more time in the garden as a family. This year will see also see the launch of two new slides - one for wet and dry use, plus our very first light up slide – for parties at home.

How is Little Tikes supporting its new launches for this year, both in terms of marketing and in how it works with retail partners across all channels? We have multiple category-driving campaigns that will ensure we reach consumers both in-store and online, and we’re investing in additional product assets including enhanced video, online and in-store POS. Our consumer catalogue offering is also relaunching, which will only add to the customer purchase experience. The relationship we have with our retail partners remains strong. We’re aligning all our marketing strategies and will be driving our TV and digital advertising directly to retail support. Gifting and influencer activity will play a large part in the support of our new launches; we are shifting our strategy to encourage influencers and retailers alike to host competitions on their channels.

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We continue to focus on growing our online reviews. Our 20,000+ reviews support the way many consumers are researching their purchases right now. Our Tikes Tester campaign, which launched in January, will also see us generate further reviews to support our retail partners in 2021.

How has Little Tikes found the trade fair season, given its obvious differences this year? We’ve never been so busy with retail previews, thanks to our expanded Little Tikes category presence and increased product line. We’ve adapted to previewing on screen rather than face-to-face, and retail feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.

How do you think 2021 will be, overall, for the Little Tikes business? We’re preparing for a record year, and to reflect this have appointed a new senior digital brand manager to further support our digital presence. Our digital-first strategy enabled us to tackle the challenges of 2020, and ensured we kept parents and gift givers engaged. This year will see further investment into social, with Instagram a primary focus alongside enhancement on Pinterest. As mentioned earlier, we’re re-releasing our mini catalogue to allow consumers to see our full product line in the comfort of their own homes, and we’ll be creating content that brings families together. We also have a greater focus on giving back, through new initiatives including charity donations and bumper giveaways to our fans. Instagram and Facebook are huge focuses, as always. Little Tikes is proud to be the largest UK brand Facebook page for the pre-school toys category; on average, each UK mum with a child under five has seen our content 12 times throughout 2020, which reiterates to us the importance of continuing to entertain, inspire and innovate in the digital marketing space.

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Outdoor Toys

Hasbro 0208 569 1234 | www.hasbro.co.uk The Nerf Elite 2.0 Shockwave RD-15 blaster offers customisation options including three tactical rails, a barrel attachment point and a stock attachment point to help kids optimise their blaster for battle. The pump-action Shockwave RD-15 has a 15-dart rotating drum which will swamp targets. Kids can either pull the priming slide back and press the trigger to unleash one dart, or hold down the trigger and keep moving the slide to bulk-fire all 15. The blaster comes complete with 30 official Nerf darts; 15 for the drum and 15 for reloads. The Shockwave RD-15 can fire darts up to 90 feet (27m). The Nerf Elite 2.0 Commander RD-6 blaster also has tactical rails, a barrel attachment point and a stock attachment, so battlers can customise it the way they want before every Nerf game. This blaster has a 6-dart rotating drum and features the same firing options as the bigger Shockwave RD-15; either fire one dart, or all of them. The blaster includes 12 Nerf darts.

KAP Toys 01635 255725 | www.kids-at-play.com KAP Toys has its roots to the Outdoor Toys category, and as such has a deep understanding of what goes into developing the highest quality ride-on toys. The company is continuing its strong distribution relationship with Falk throughout 2021. Falk’s popular licensed JCB range will benefit from further innovation and development that will bring enhanced play patterns to the outdoor space this year. The new JCB Excavator and First Tractor foot-to-floor ride-on, both in the iconic yellow and black colourway associated with the brand, offer any outdoor retailer a solid base of JCB items with which to engage consumers. KAP Toys’ award-winning own-brand Clever Trike will be supported through 2021 with enhanced marketing efforts, reflecting what the company believes will be a summer of increased enthusiasm for getting outside and enjoying the good weather. KAP also expects to see higher than average demand for active lines, and is working closely with its retail partners on forecasts. Falk’s factory is located in France, and first 2021 shipments have already been making their way through the new UK customs process. KAP Toys is confident that if a retailer forecasts it, the company can deliver it, and is urging buyers to get in touch ASAP to maximise on sales.

Wilton Bradley 01626 835 400 | www.wiltonbradley.com Wilton Bradley’s award-winning Playhouse range provides kids with the tools necessary to develop exceptional cognitive skills, co-ordination and more. Each product seamlessly blends learning and play to create stimulating experiences kids will love while they explore textures, shapes and colours. The new Playhouse Make n Mend Workbench comes complete with a pre-drilled peg board for fitting tools, to encourage role-playing and hours of DIY fun. The perfect workstation for little craftspeople, and ideal for developing dexterity and hand-eye coordination, the bench features a circular saw and working vice, five tools, brackets, nuts and bolts for constructing, a large blackboard, a storage shelf and peg holes for hammering. The Playhouse Ice Cream Truck comes complete with several different accessories and a blackboard menu on which kids can write, offering hours of fun as they scoop and serve refreshing treats. An open cab invites kids to take control of the steering wheel and pretend to drive to their next destination. They can then park up and go into the back, where they’ll be greeted by the onboard kitchen. Replete in a colourful and eye-catching print design reminiscent of the ice cream trucks of old, this wooden role-play setup has a serving hatch and a slide-top ice cream fridge, plus re-usable packaging which can be used to create additional cardboard accessories. Kids who love mucking around in the garden, especially playing in mud, will love the Playhouse Marvellous Mud Kitchen. This high quality, ready varnished, solid FSC Canadian Hemlock wooden kitchen will last for years and is ideal for year-round outdoor fun. This set includes three stainless steel pans for cooking up a variety of mud pies using the two stainless steel utensils. There is a preparation area at the side and a storage tray above and below the sink, which can be filled with water, providing plenty of space for storing all ingredients and utensils.

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Outdoor Toys

Little Tikes 0845 0533 333 | www.mgae.com New for 2021, The Growing Garden range allows children to learn and play while kickstarting a love of gardening. The Growing Garden Watering Can & Gloves are durable and lightweight, and the Hand Tools & Bag set is perfect for storing all the smaller gardening essentials. It also lets kids carry their tools around as they play. The Large Tool Set includes bigger tools every budding gardener will need, including a shovel, rake and garden hoe. The Wheelbarrow features an easy-rolling front wheel, and a Shovel is available too. All sets include a Gardening Tips Book, while the boxes transform into planters when turned inside out. The T-Rex Truck ride-on makes realistic roaring and chomping sounds. Easy to manoeuvre, thanks to its 360-degree spinning front wheels, the truck can transition from a kid-powered, foot-to-floor ride-on to a parent pull or push wagon with a quick adjustment. The 2-in-1 Indoor-Outdoor Slide, meanwhile, is perfect for toddlers. In warm weather, a hose can be attached to make water spray through the jets above the slide. It can be used without a hose for indoor play, and folds for easy storage. The new 2-in-1 Lemonade & Ice Cream Stand is filled with tasty-looking treats and includes an umbrella that opens and closes, a chalkboard for updating the specials of the day, plus a ringing bell. Ideal for a sunny day in the garden, kids can store the included accessories in the built-in storage space once playtime is over. Following a successful launch in 2020, and arriving on TV screens this month, Little Tikes has expanded its My First Mighty Blasters range, adding a selection of new blasters that will encourage imaginative play in a fun, safe way. The Battle Blasters 2-Pack lets kids battle and play together. The Battle Blasters have a 12-foot blasting range, are easy to load and launch, and come with four power pods including Zombie, Solar Flare, Snake Bite and one secret power. The Power Bow, which transforms into a crossbow, has a 12-foot blasting range and is easy to load and launch. Like the Spray Blaster, which comes with three power pods including Water Blast, Tentacles and one secret power, it can also be used with water for added play value. Water table, the Fountain Factory, is back on TV screens at the end of March. The table inspires children to build endless combinations with 13 interchangeable pipes and fittings for pumping and spraying during solo or group play. Kids can pump water through the main tower to create splashing fountains, making it a garden must-have.

Geemac 01604 401719 | Sales@geemac.biz Geemac launched the Feber Super Palace in the UK several years ago. Sales have grown considerably since the first lockdown, even continuing long into autumn/winter. This enormous play castle has nine turrets, five windows (plus further simulated windows in the turrets), a door knocker with realistic sounds and a clock on the front wall. Safety is a key focus when children are playing in water, so traditional quickset pools made of transparent PVC, which lets parents see their kids within the pool, are a simple but effective idea. Quick set pools are designed for convenience; users simply inflate the top ring and fill with water. Various sizes are available from Geemac, both with and without filter pumps. Other accessories include ladders, covers, pool loungers and play equipment, ideal for a summer of water-based fun. Sportspower is committed to keeping kids active, but also understands the importance of sustainability. The Eco Play House invites creativity and encourages children’s imaginations, allowing them to learn about nature and sustainability whilst playing. New to Sportspower’s My First range is the Jump ‘N Saucer, a trampoline combined with a saucer swing. The frame is made from high-quality galvanised steel and is integrated with blowmoulded plastic supports for durability and stability. The patented suspension system allows for flexibility in the frame when in use. Also new to the range for 2021 is the Jump and Swing, featuring a larger 7-foot trampoline. Suitable for both inside and outside use, the Fisher- Price Toddler Trampoline by Sportspower combines expertise from the world’s biggest pre-school brand with the world’s largest trampoline manufacturer. The result is a stylish mini trampoline, which features a durable painted steel frame, spacious stretch resistant jump mat, safety pad surround and handlebars to give younger bouncers support.

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Waboba 01380 872950 | www.waboba.com Having started out with its water bouncing balls over 15 years ago, Waboba has since made a name for itself in the outdoor space with its fast-growing range of backyard toys. This spring, Waboba plans to add two more toys to its repertoire, Airlyft and Wingman Pro. Airlyft is a new outdoor gliding toy that flies over 30 meters/100 feet. Its revolutionary hollow shape is engineered for maximum lift as air passes through the tunnel, and it’s easy for anyone to throw high and far. There are many ways to throw the Airlyft; overhand or underhand, by its tail, or by the ring. It’s safe to toss around indoors too. Waboba released the Wingman UFO in 2020, the LED version of its popular flexible silicone flying disc. This year welcomes the Wingman Pro. With its larger size and added weight, the Wingman Pro takes to the sky with extreme flight precision, making it ideal for short- to longrange disc games, and fun for any skill level; one throw, and any beginner will feel like a pro. Wingman is also available in its original foldable pocket size, with various styles available. A flying pizza version, Fly Pies, lets kids throw food without getting into trouble. Inspired by the games of tennis and badminton, Waboba has created a 2-player paddle game, Voli. The set includes two wearable soft foam paddles and a Waboba Flyer, an oversized shuttlecock with feathers. The paddles fit like a mitten, so players can hit the Flyer front-handed or back-handed, making Voli an action-packed and fun game. With no need for a net, kids can make anywhere their playground. For more information, contact sales@tkcsales.co.uk.

Chicco UK & Ireland closed 2020 on a record growth performance and to supplement this growth, new and unique innovation is being added to the popular Fit & Fun range for 2021. The inflatable Panda Coach is a fun and friendly character that allows children aged 2-5 to express their emotions whilst helping improve motor and precision skills. Two large targets mean children can play by themselves or challenge their friends and siblings. Each successfully landed blow will be rewarded with variety of fun sounds for extra encouragement. The inflatable body and water-filled base mean the Panda Coach never lies down, so kids can have hours of fun. Also new is Free the Mole. Based on the family favourite game, this product tests reaction time and hand-eye coordination. Featuring three engaging play modes and a surprise element, the interactive farmyard-themed playmat is split into four immersive sections with eight activation points, which children can tap with their hand, foot, or the included hammer, to pop the mole out from its nest. These two new additions join Chicco’s popular existing Fit & Fun products, which include the perennially successful Goal League Pro, Jump & Fit, Monkey Strike and Mister Ring.

Spin Master

01628 535 000 | www.spinmastertoys.co.uk Spin Master acquired Aerobie back in July 2017 and has since been a market leader in the production of outdoor flying disks and sports toys. The high performance of the Aerobie Pro Ring makes for exhilarating flying disc games. This flying disc was used to set a Guinness World Record for the farthest throw - an impressive 1,333 feet (406 meters). The thin design of this 13” flying ring allows the disc to travel longer distances, while soft edges allow for comfortable catches. The open centre allows each player to personalise their throwing and catching style; catch the edge with a hand, or use the centre to catch it with an arm or foot. The 10” Aerobie Sprint Ring features a compact, thin design that creates longer distance flights, traveling twice as far as most conventional flying discs. Smaller than the Pro, the Sprint is ideal for playing in the back garden, park, or school playgrounds. Measuring 25.3 cm in diameter, the Aerobie Sprint Ring is available in assorted on-trend neon colours.

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The Source Wholesale 01306 646 885 | www.thesourcewholesale.co.uk The Source will be introducing the Brightz brand to its catalogue for spring/ summer. This range of light-up bike accessories for wheels or frames comes in a wide range of colours, and is perfect for summer biking, personalising a bike and ensuring maximum visibility around other road users to keep cyclists safe. The Sohi range of outdoor land and water balls and accessories is going from strength to strength. Fun for the whole family, there’s a variety of colours and play options to choose from. The Source has been appointed as exclusive UK distributor for Petron Sports, with a focus on developing its Sureshot and Stealth brands throughout 2021. Sitting within Petron’s Fun range, these products, which include sucker-dart crossbows, pistols, rifles and more, let users improve their target shooting skill and accuracy, and drive a desire for repeat play. The Sureshot range is designed for children aged six and above, and encourages both indoor and outdoor play that complies with all UKCA and CE directives. The Stealth range, meanwhile, has been developed for kids aged 14, with each shot flying further and landing even more accurately. Online presentations are taking place with current and prospective customers. To arrange an online meeting with the team, readers should contact their account manager or email sales@thesourcewholesale.co.uk. All new products can also be found on the Source portal via the website.

Razor 01884 254 110 | www.razor.com This year, Razor will place heavyweight marketing investment behind its new product introductions and innovations. The focus in 2021 will be to sustain those items that have propelled the brand in critical categories, as well as shepherd in new products designed to delight and excite kids. Core areas for Razor continue to be scooters and ride-ons, available in both manual and electric-powered styles. Perennial residents of top 10 lists worldwide include Pocket Mod, Crazy Cart, and RipStik series’, alongside the popular A kick-scooter and several other classic offerings. Razor expects to see significant growth around several innovative products that will launch this year, challenging consumers with thrilling new ways to ride. These products combine unique designs and functionalities with an action sports ethos, true to Razor’s heritage of making edgy rides accessible for everyone. The heavyweight marketing plan will drive both parent and kid demand in 2021, centering on developing original content, engaging aspirational influencers, promoting epic stunts, and creating neon light and music-filled experiences that capture the attention of consumers worldwide. This will be executed in partnership with leading social platforms and media networks, furthering Razor’s appeal and ability to resonate as a lifestyle brand. For all enquiries relating to new products and launch information, please contact Robbie Toys by emailing info@robbietoys.co.uk or call 01843 605558.

Character Options 01616 339 800 | www.character-online.com Jump It is a fun jumping and skipping game that’s easy to play yet highly addictive. Users simply connect Jump It to one ankle, spin the ball and jump the cord. Jump It records each jump, so all kids have to concentrate on is trying to beat their last score. Keeping track up to 1,000 jumps, Jump It is ideal for kids aged six and over and doesn’t require batteries. Moon Shoes are the original and iconic mini trampolines for kids’ feet. Moon Shoes let kids enjoy ‘anti-gravity effects’ while developing their balance and coordination skills. Made of quality, high-density plastic, with adjustable Velcro nylon closure straps, Moon Shoes feature a self-centering shoe platform and a non-skid grip surface for sure-footed, high-bouncing thrills. A football like no other, the popular KickerBall’s special panels channel air in ways a standard football can’t. Revolutionary aerodynamic materials mean budding football freestylers can learn to swerve, bend and curve this ball with ease. Kids can kick the side of the ball from the left to swerve the ball right, or vice versa, or strike the centre with their bootlaces to bend it like a pro. Striking the ball gently from below will bump it to other players, while a powerful kick from beneath will send it soaring. For more information email sales@charactergroup.plc.uk.

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Outdoor Toys

Funrise 01908 555 640 | www.funrise.com Following a strong year of sales in 2020, Funrise UK remains committed to delivering even more magical moments with Gazillion Premium Bubbles. To ensure continued growth for the brand this year, comprehensive marketing and PR support is in place, and a number of innovative new products join the portfolio. New for spring/summer is Gazillion Sky Bubbles. Kids and adults simply fill the built-in, spill-proof tray with Gazillion’s superior quality bubble solution and pull the cord, launching a flyer into the sky that will trail a generous stream of super-sized bubbles. This modestly priced device requires no batteries and comes complete with bubble solution for instant play value. Kids are also sure to love its space-age, helicopter-hybrid appearance. Ideal for hands-free fun is the latest battery-powered machine from Gazillion Bubbles, the Rollin’ Wave. This machine lets families instantly create an endless wave of bubbles with just the press of a button. Like the other bubble machines in the collection, the Rollin’ Wave is highly durable and is easy to set up. Simply fill the bottom tray with solution, turn it on and watch the bubbles begin. Also fresh for spring is the Mega Zillion Wand. Comprising 33 wands in one, its extra-long handle means that the wand can effortlessly create more bubbles than ever before. For more information about the Gazillion Premium Bubbles range, email the Funrise UK team at SalesUK@Funrise.com.

Mookie Toys 01525 722 769 | www.mookie.co.uk Swingball was a best-seller for Mookie throughout 2020. This year will welcome a fresh, sleek new look for the brand, as well as the introduction of new products with an upgraded All Surface Base in bold new colours. These improvements will not only aid better performance, but also allow for more effective in-store merchandising. Consumers will also have the option to practise their tennis skills with the launch of the new Tennis Trainers. With two to choose from, catering for different skill levels, the Tennis Trainer and Pro Reflex Tennis Trainer let tennis enthusiasts develop their skills at home. The Tennis Trainer Pro includes the Power Paddle Bat, the first Swingball bat to replicate the feel and performance of a real tennis racquet. The Tennis Trainers can be used alone or with a partner. TP Toys is set to release new play equipment that children will love. The iconic TP Explorer Climbing Frame, a TP best-seller for over 20 years, is being re-introduced with engaging new play patterns, as well a premium Black edition with additional features including a ball pit. New for 2021, TP Toys is also releasing a fully working sink, perfect for mud kitchens and picnic tables. Just like a real sink, this product includes a tap and drainage system that reuses the water over and over. Kids can also enjoy the new TP Treehouse Wooden Play Tower. The tower offers parents and caregivers the option to add a variety of different extensions, creating the perfect play zone for their kids. A slide, swing or fireman’s pole are available. The Bugs range continues to be a hit with children and parents alike. After the successful launch of the Scuttlebug XL in 2020, a unique foot-to-floor ride-on that grows with kids and is perfect for off road adventures, there remains a consistently high demand for Scuttlebug, Scramblebug and Scootiebug products.

Hauck 07770 608858 | www.hauck-toys.com Hauck’s German design and engineering ensure quality, reliability, and value across its entire ride-on range. The sturdy steel frames of Hauck’s go-carts, trikes and balance bikes are also powder coated to resist corrosion, for years of healthy outdoor fun. Convenience is built-in to every product too, in the form of tool-free adjustable seats, patented automatic chain tensioning, and puncture-proof tyres. If spare parts should be needed, there is also an efficient UK-based after sales service. Hauck’s pedal and foot-to-floor ride-on toys cater to four age groups: infant, pre-school, 4-8 year olds, and older kids up to 10 years. In addition to Hauck’ own-brand ride-ons, the range also includes a strong collection of licensed brands. Battery operated cars, innovative scooters and wagons round out this innovative and in-depth product line. All Hauck products are presented in sturdy, eye-catching packaging. Nine new products have been introduced this year, all of which have been received enthusiastically by the trade, further enhancing Hauck’s standing in the market. New pre-school go-karts have been introduced for kids aged two years and up. Paw Patrol and Hello Kitty go-karts have also been released alongside two Hauck own-brand versions. For kids aged 4-8 years there is the Racer go-kart (illustrated), while older kids can opt for the larger Tornado go-kart. A new Batman gocart joins Hauck’s successful stable of Caped Crusader ride-ons, both in pedal and battery-operated variations. Skootie is a sit and ride for kids aged 1-5 years, which easily transforms into a scooter. Three wheels and a wide foot plate ensure stability, while each wheel also has motion activated, battery-free flashingcoloured LEDs. Skootie features an innovative lean-to-steer function; leaning the handlebars either left or right will turn the front wheels in that direction. This steering method is not only great fun, but also aids the development of balance, co-ordination, and motor skills. Stopping power is provided via the foot brake on the rear wheel. Although a direct FOB supplier, much of Hauck’s range is warehoused at factories in China. This means that MOQs are flexible, and containers can be of assorted products. For further information please contact Malcolm Cook (sales manager UK and Ireland) at malcolm@mc-international.co.uk or call the number above.

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Outdoor Toys

Hy-Pro 01582 670 100 | www.zincsports.com Hy-Pro’s Zinc brand is introducing its new Eco electric scooter range, with a focus on greener, cleaner and safer travel. At the forefront of the new lithium-powered range is the Eco Max, which travels up to a range of 12.4 miles in just one charge with top speeds of 15.5mph. Three speed options ensure the rider is in control of their journey, while front and rear lights make sure they can be seen any time of day. For additional safety, the Eco Max comes with a rear disc brake for more effective braking. At the higher end of the price range are the Eco and Eco Plus. Both can reach top speeds of 15.5mph, and have three speed modes which can be activated with a click of a button. The Eco comes with solid puncture-proof tyres and has front suspension for added stability. The Eco Plus, meanwhile, has air filled tyres ideal for those looking for a smoother riding experience. All Zinc Eco scooters feature an LCD screen which displays speed, speed mode and battery level. The scooters boast a sleek design that folds away for easy storage and are built from lightweight aluminium, which makes them easy to carry. Each model is fitted with a clear sounding warning bell to alert pedestrians.

MV Sports 01217 488 000 | www.mvsports.co.uk

Tactic Games 07970 779842 | www.tactic.net The highlight of Tactic’s outdoor games catalogue is the internationally renowned Mölkky Original, the world’s No. 1 outdoor game. Made in Finland from real wood, Mölkky is a high quality and delightfully simple pin and skittle game with a difference. Players must plan their throw on every go, as the ingenious scoring system necessitates tactical play. While the first player to exactly 50 points wins the game, if they go over 50 points, their score will drop to 25. Mölkky comes in either a sturdy wooden crate or a card box with carry handle, complete with a throwing pin and 12 numbered skittles. Tactic is also bringing a selection of classic outdoor games to market for this summer from its Active Play collection. Designed to boost activity levels and encourage people to have fun with their family and friends, Active Play is all about exercising and playing outside together. Pre-schoolers can have fun in the garden with the Soft Foam Pogo, which squeaks with every jump and comes in a choice of three colours: blue, pink, and orange. They can also develop their aiming and throwing skills with the Soft Can Game Set. Players simply assemble the cans into a pyramid shape and see who can knock them all down first. The set comes with six numbered foam cans and three foam balls. Suitable for children aged three years and over, Soft Quoits will have children flinging rings towards the pegs. The set contains a foam base with five pegs and six foam quoits. In a variation on the traditional garden croquet game, Tactic is also introducing Football Croquet. Aspiring footballers aged six and above can work on their shooting accuracy skills by kicking the coloured balls through the red foam hoops. The set includes five hoops, two wooden sticks, four balls and a hand pump. Each of the Active Play games comes with a QR code on the packaging which takes players to a video of the rules. The range will be available in the UK from April. For more information, please email UK sales manager Phil O’nion at phil@tacticgames.co.uk

Hedstrom offers a co-ordinated range of quality metal play equipment including slides, swings, trampolines and multi-plays. New category innovation in the form of the unique Musical Toddler Swing has been well received. The swing features a built-in speaker so parents can connect their phone and play their child’s favourite songs, or choose from 20 pre-set soothing sounds. The speaker fits under the seat for easy access, but remains safely out of the reach of little fingers and is protected from light showers. The durable steel frame is powder-coated for UV protection and features a fastfolding mechanism for easy storage. In true Hedstrom style, the bright orange, chunky, blow-moulded seat, 5-point safety harness, full fabric lower body surround and high back support ensure maximum security during play, and the soft-touch nylon ropes are adjustable for continued use as kids grow. The swing will provide hours of play come rain or shine, thanks to non-scratch rubber feet suitable for most surfaces, which allow it to also be used indoors. MV is launching new eco-friendly FSC-certified mud kitchens that will encourage active play and develop key motor skills. The range features three sturdy mud kitchens of differing sizes and specs, catering to a variety of styles and space availability. The Grove mud kitchen has a fillable sink with pretendtaps as well as a realistic hob for preparing the perfect mud pie. Underneath the hob sits an oven, with a windowed door and shelves inside. A cupboard provides additional storage space, while the large chalkboard above the sink offers the perfect place to note recipes, encouraging reading and writing skills. The Grove mud kitchen also features a top shelf and handy hooks for even more storage.

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Outdoor Toys

DGL 03333 000 168 | www.hover-1.com Interest in eMobility products soared last year and, heading into 2021, this shows no signs of slowing down. As a result, Hover-1’s in-house design team has been busy creating beautifully designed new products that combine innovative features with the highest build quality and materials. These new ride-ons will be launching during 2021 with DGL’s retail partners in the UK and across Europe. As a global leader in hoverboards, Hover-1 works hard to ensure there is always something new and fresh coming to market. This year will be no different. By introducing the Lit-Series, Hover-1 brings spectacular light features to the ride-on marketplace. Multicoloured LEDs on the body of the product, as well as eyecatching mirrored infinity wheels, illuminate the path around riders. The Hoverboard and Buggy 2-in-1 combo once again proved to be a popular option among consumers last year. For spring/summer 2021, new styles have been added to the range, allowing retailers to make the most of pre-Easter opportunities. Hover-1’s largest growth area is eScooters, which will benefit from further investment in design and bespoke tooling, as well as market-leading features that will set the scooters apart from the competition at retail. In addition, Hover-1 focuses on the lifestyle aspect of these products, mixing the practical with the fun. The brand entered the market with an option for kids aged eight and above. The Comet model is a fun and vibrant scooter which not only exceeds the market standards on practicality, with an LCD display and a max speed of 10mph, but goes above and beyond with multicoloured LED spot headlights and LED deck lights. A comprehensive range of adult scooters will also join the portfolio this year. Each will have 10” air-filled tyres to eat up bumps, cruise control for comfort, and a max range of up to 18 miles, all combined with ‘Instagrammable’ metallic paint finishes and built-in Bluetooth speakers. The Hover-1 range continues to grow. For the first time ever, this year will see the introduction of a non-electric kids scooter for ages three and over, plus accessories, branded KidsGear by Hover-1.

Simba Smoby Toys UK 01620 674 778 | www.simba-dickie-group.com/en Suitable for outdoor play as well as indoor, the UV-resistant Smoby Teepee Playhouse features a simple design and a neutral colour palette offering a minimalist, modern, Scandinavian appeal. The teepee is suitable for a wide age range, too; as children grow, parents can adjust the height from 159cm to 183cm, making it ideal for kids aged 2-10 years old – and possibly a few parents too. The new Garden Playhouse is ideal for families that love the great outdoors. The playhouse comes complete with 15 accessories, including guttering to filter rainwater and fill up a water butt, a watering can and trellis for growing plants, and a worktop which can be attached to the inside or outside of the house. Sturdy and secure, the playhouse is UV-resistant and perfect for kids aged two years and over. Smoby’s 2020 hero playhouse line saw the Smoby Chef House enjoy a strong performance last summer, and this year it promises even more entertainment and play value. Combining a house, kitchen and restaurant, this all-encompassing role-play venue comes with everything budding cooks need to prepare and serve up culinary creations to friends and family, and cash the takings, just like a real outdoor café. Smoby’s outdoor toy portfolio also includes the fully-customisable Neo Friends House, the largest Smoby house to date, as well as the Nature House and a line-up of tricycles that offers kids a stylish introduction to the wheeled toy category. For more information, please contact the Simba Smoby Toys UK team by emailing sales@sisotoysuk. com or visit www.smoby.com.

Flair 020 8643 0320 | www.flairplc.co.uk New for 2021, Juggleezz Balls are highly elastic, super-stretchy, hugely versatile balls that will get the whole family moving. With their unique texture and feel, Juggleezz Balls can be wrapped into different shapes, making them both fun to throw and cool to catch. Juggleezz are perfect for tricksters and fidget toy lovers as they are designed to be put through their paces; with a Juggleez Ball, kids can catch it, grab it, fly it, throw it, master old tricks and invent new ones. Available in yellow and green, the line is already inspiring YouTube, Instagram and TikTok influencers, who are busy creating original content and setting new challenges for others to try. Flair is supporting the brand with a 360-degree marketing plan, including TV promotion and influencer activity. There’s also an exciting range extension planned for later in the year. From autumn/winter, fans will be able to get their hands on the Juggleezz O Series. This launch brings with it the same irresistible texture and innovative feel that makes the line unique, but switches things up with a completely fresh new shape. The O Series offers even more ways to play, by swinging, spinning, lassoing and more. For more information, email sales@flairplc.co.uk.

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NOW AVAILABLE IN THE

UNITED KINGDOM

Please email us at salesuk@huffy.com or contact 01438 310165. We're excited to help you #LiveTheRide

Outdoor Toys

Covation Holdings 01438 310 165 | www.huffybikes.com Huffy will be launching a comprehensive range of outdoor wheeled goods into the UK marketplace from spring. Huffy is a household name in the USA, and a UK team, Covation Holdings, is now in place to bring the brand to life for British retailers and consumers. Huffy’s Green Machine products are already popular in the UK, having been sold here for many years. The range will now be expanded to 10 products, including two new batterypowered Ride-Ons with bright new colours and graphics on the 16” and 20” models. In addition to the Green Machine, Huffy will bring a range of scooters to market. These are based on the successful E13 Pro scooter platform, which has been a bestseller around the world, and will feature five models covering a mix of price points. The new, innovative Grow to Go balance bike offers a tangible point of difference in the market thanks to its three stages of use. The product can transform from a balance bike to a bike with or without training wheels in just a few simple steps. Finally, a full range of bikes will be available through a domestic programme. The range includes 12” bikes through to 20” BMX and 26” Mountain bike options, all available from May. The range will feature a selection of worldfamous classic Huffy designs and will be backed up by a full UK-based service support centre. The Huffy programme will be open to UK retailers, and drop-ship programmes will be available to support those who wish to get involved. For more information, contact: Salesuk@huffy.com.

Little Kids 07580 601259 | www.littlekidsinc.com / www.wickedbigsports.com Little Kids, a leader in the bubble and outdoor games categories in the United States, offers a full range of outdoor seasonal toys that include the Fubbles and Wicked Big Sports brands. Wicked Big Sports puts a twist on classic backyard games. Perfect for summer-time family fun, this range of backyard games appeals to players of all skill levels. Among other product lines, the range features fun, oversized versions of classic outdoor activities. The Sports Ball Assortment includes supersized Volleyball, Football and Soccer. Each ball is inflatable and features a soft and safe mesh exterior. The volleyball and soccer ball measure 17” in diameter, twice the size of a standard ball, while the American-style football is 15” in length. The Wicked Big Sports Flying Disc is built to take to the skies. This all-weather resistant, heavy-weight and durable 16” Flying Disc is sure to become an instant summer classic. The Wicked Big Sports line also includes new and unique games such as Takraw. Combining the gameplay of soccer and volleyball, Takraw is challenging, dynamic and competitive. Players kick the ball back and forth over a low net. It sounds simple, but the challenge lies in the fact that the ball can only bounce on the ground twice before it must be returned to an opponent. Each Takraw set includes a net, stand and court lines, plus a ball, pump and needle, and a convenient carry bag for transport and storage. The Wicked Big Sports line is all about convenience, which is the driving force behind Versapong, a play anywhere version of Pong. Versapong features two freestanding pong racks, so kids and families can play anywhere, with no table needed. Players simply set up the racks, add their solo cups and enjoy. Each set includes two racks with stands, two windresistant pong balls and a backpack carry bag. For more information, please contact Rachel Atkinson at ratkinson@littlekidsinc.com.

Vivid 01483 449944 | www.vividtoysandgames.co.uk HydroClash is an exciting new action brand that takes water fights to the next level. Kids can fire their water ammunition at a target or at their opponents, and the colour reveal vest will show where the shot has landed. The goggles and shield protect players during battle. There are two items in the range for launch: Target and Elite. After a strong 2020, Phlat Ball is back to continue its success. Transforming from a 9” flying disc to a 6” diameter ball when thrown, Phlat Ball is perfect for active outdoor play. The range includes the Phlat Ball V4 and the Phlat Ball Flash. With new colourways for 2021, the Flash option lights up on impact. There is also the Phlat Ball Junior, which transforms from a 5.75” disc to a 4” ball. Super Wubble is a squishy, squashy and lightweight bubble ball, available with or without a pump in either blue or pink. After an impressive year of sales in 2020, Vivid is launching two new items from the Wubble family including the Wacky Wubble, which features a wacky, prickly, tickly twist. The ultimate playfighting accessory, large scale Wubble Rumblers can provide hours of bopping fun. Available as a Wrestler or a Ninja, each inflates up to three feet tall. All brands are supported by TV advertising, beginning from March and continuing throughout summer.

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Outdoor Toys

Golden Bear 01952 608 308 | www.goldenbeartoys.com With 2021 set to be a big year for football, Golden Bear’s Smart Ball range offers the latest innovation in training, encouraging players and allowing them to develop their skills while playing alone or with friends. The award-winning Speed Ball was a sell-out success during its 2020 Q4 launch period. A talking football with built-in speed sensor technology, Speed Ball measures and reports back the speed of each kick, helping players understand and improve their technique. Capable of reading speeds of up to 100KPH, Speed Ball is designed to withstand even the toughest of kicks and can be used on almost any surface, including a garden, sports hall, field, or beach. The Speed Ball is simple to use; to activate, kids follow the arrows for direction, press the button to begin, place the ball on the base and go. Pressing the button again lets kids hear the speed of their kick, as well as advice and encouragement to help improve their technique. The high-tech sensor can also be removed to turn Speed Ball into a regular football. Suitable for ages six and above, Speed Ball comes complete with five accessories to maximise the experience, perfect the kicking technique and increase speed. It also allows children to challenge themselves or compete against friends and family, as well as register their speed online and compete against others to achieve the ultimate Speed Ball score. Ideal for children looking to perfect their football skills even further, Golden Bear’s Smart Ball is a counting football with lights and sounds which challenges players to master tricks. The football counts the number of keepie-uppies performed, up to 100, while light and sound features further enhance the experience; Speed Ball even speaks words of encouragement to help motivate players. Like Speed Ball, Smart Ball can also be used as a standard football and is suitable for kids aged six years and over. For sales enquires, please contact customerservices@goldenbeartoys.co.uk.

Zuru info@zuru.com

H. Grossman 01416 132 525 | www.ozbozz.com

Zuru’s all-new Crazy Bunch O Balloons range allows children to fill and tie 100 water balloons in less than 60 seconds. With innovative O-Ring technology and Rapid Fill capabilities, the stress of filling individual water balloons has been done away with, ensuring more time for play and less frustration. Kids simply connect their Crazy Bunch O Balloons to a tap or a hose to produce hundreds of water balloons perfect for summer fun, with no hand-tying involved. The finished balloons can be used in the paddling pool, in the garden, or in the park. Bunch O Balloons already uses natural latex materials made from the sap of the rubber tree, which biodegrade over time. However, Zuru has also announced that all Bunch O Balloons stems and caps now comprise 100% fully certified and traceable post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic. PCR is made from recycled consumer products like bottles, containers and scrap waste diverted from landfill, uses minimal energy, and requires no virgin petroleum. Bringing speed and ease to outdoor fun, creating millions of bubbles has never been easier with the all-new Bubble Wow toy range. Each Glove-A-Bubble comes with a re-sealable bag of bubble solution. Kids dip the glove in the solution, wave, and see bubbles appear before their eyes. Each pack includes one glove and a 150ml pack of bubble solution. The Glove-ABubble is suitable for all ages. Both Bubble Wow and Bunch O Balloons are 100% recyclable following Zuru’s partnership announcement with global recycling leader TerraCycle, as part of the company’s ongoing commitment to minimising product and packaging waste with a cradle-to-cradle approach. For sales enquiries, please contact info@zuru.com.

From HGL’s trusted Ozbozz brand, the sell-out Ozbozz Unicorn Light Up Scooter continues to perform well at retail. Off the back of this product’s success, Ozbozz is introducing the slightly more value driven Nebulus scooter. This ride on may not have the light up function of its predecessor, but it does feature all the other attributes of this award-winning line, including the convenient fold-away functionality. Available now, the Nebulus range also offers a Dinosaur scooter option. Rainbow and Tie Dye scooters will also join the range, alongside further new introductions and range extensions making their way into the scooter category throughout 2021. Interest in skateboarding has surged over the past year, and the acknowledgement of skateboarding as an Olympic sport guarantees that this interest will continue to grow. The Ozbozz brand has the category covered with a comprehensive range of boards in a variety of sizes and prices, from plastic neon skateboards designed to fit into a school bag, to larger wooden skateboards for more experienced, older riders. The plastic boards, which come in a range of on-trend colours, are available in 43cm, 56cm or 69cm boards, while the wooden boards are in 61cm, 71cm and 79cm sizes. This year also welcomes a range of neon light-up pogo sticks, featuring a new streamlined design that brings pogoing up to date. This range sits along a wide choice of pogo sticks in all designs, including unicorns. Ideal for younger children, there are also colourful, sturdy and safe balance bikes with adjustable handles, available in two themes, dinosaur and unicorn.

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The complete range of sport-inspired toys, for indoors & outdoors!

! W E N

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Playmat with 8 luminous and musical activation points Use the hammer, hands or feet to activate the surprise effects Great for hand-eye coordination and speed of reaction Press the correct activation point to see the mole ﬂash out of it’s nest 3 play mode options (free play, light & sound, countdown)

MRG! RIN Rotating base with 2 different speeds, increases difﬁculty level 8 lightweight plastic coloured rings 6 different tunes Stimulates manual coordination and precision skills

An electronic mat with JUMIP lights sounds T & FMAT ˙ 2 gameandmodes (‘toss the coin’ hopscotch, PLASYCOTCH! ˙ ‘roll the dice’ ﬁtness) Develops motor skills HOP

and ﬁtness

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Fun inﬂatable character with weighted water base The panda never lies down! Each successful aim to the targets activates the fun sounds! Ideal for two children to play with at the same time

AL E GOG U LEARO! P

Electronic goal with optional side to side movement to make it harder to score Score a goal to trigger music and stadium chants 3 game modes (free play, penalties, golden goal) Interactive cheering sound effects button and soft ball included

Y E K N MORIKE! ST

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Bowling set with 6 colourful monkey-face shaped pins Each pin can be divided to create a stackable tower Soft plastic bowling ball included Stimulates creativity and manual coordination

For more information, please contact your account manager or email: reception.uk@artsana.com

Outdoor Toys

Beehive Toys 01460 241800 www.beehivetoyfactory.co.uk From push-alongs to pedal-powered, Beehive’s range of ride-on toys is perfect for outside play. The company’s best-selling Giraffe and Zebra themed first bikes are ideal for developing balance and coordination. Along with the rest of Beehive’s push-powered ride-ons, they require one- to two-year-olds to use their feet to push themselves along and are ideal for exploring the garden and other small, level spaces. The pedal-less range includes ride-on Bumblebees, a Ladybird, Emergency Service themes and more, all of which will inspire imaginative play and creativity whilst also encouraging physical exercise in the fresh air. For older toddlers and pre-schoolers, Beehive has an engaging range of tricycles and scooters, as well as an impressive blue 16” Vintage Bicycle which will soon be available in yellow and pink. These options are ideally suited for venturing further afield, such as during trips to local shop, the playpark, or family walks. Beehive’s unique Swing Cars focus less on speed and more on having fun with motion; the ride-ons allow children to explore using the movement of their arms, unlike most ride-on toys in the marketplace that are typically propelled by the lower body. Turning the steering wheel from left to right makes the Beehive Swing Car wiggle forwards or backwards. The degree to which it goes in either direction is directly proportional to the amount of steer the wheel is given. Riders must learn, using their own skill and judgement, how to steer in the direction they want to go. As children love learning new skills, this toy will keep them intrigued as they set themselves new challenges to navigate while exploring outdoors.

Dolu 07850 779 797 / 07877 443733 | ww.dolu.com Dolu’s outdoor toy range has proved hugely successful with consumers. The company is one of only a few to offer a comprehensive pink Unicorn-themed range, which includes a Unicorn Tractor and Trailer. The breath of the range, and the varied colourways, gives aesthetically-minded consumers the option of coordinating all their outdoor play equipment and accessories. The play houses, slides, picnic tables, rockers, trikes, tractors and trailers are also available in a colourway of yellow, red and blue. Spring/summer 2021 sees the introduction the new 4-in-1 Gardening Table, which comes complete with a raft of accessories including a rake, spade and watering can, five pots for planting, and a bucket for carrying soil and water. A handy lid protects what’s inside the table and also lets it double up a desk. The table is neutrally coloured, helping to highlight the green trellis across the middle and the colours of plants and flowers. The red and blue 4-in-1 Water Table, meanwhile, comes with yellow water buckets and boats which really float. The two-section table can hold water, sand, or a combination of the two. Water wheels down the side will allow kids to experiment with kinetic energy. The truly multipurpose 7-in-1 Playground offers a football net, basketball hoop, ladder, swing, slide, water table and monkeybars in one convenient, innovative structure, ideal for larger gardens and active children looking to enjoy a range of different outdoor activities. The majority of Dolu’s outdoor lines are delivered in strong brown or white boxes with colour imagery, which are ideal for both in-store display and direct dispatch. Current freight rates from China mean the Turkish company can deliver for far less than similar products from the Far East would cost. Turkey has also signed a free trade deal with the UK, meaning business as usual for Dolu. The company can deliver direct to Northern Ireland without going through the mainland. Retailers in ROI can get delivieries directly into Cork or Dublin. Please contact Ria or Steve at SJR Associates for further details, to arrange samples, or to discuss opportunities: sales@sjrassociates.co.uk.

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Toynamics UK & Ireland 0116 478 5230 | www.toynamics.co.uk Hape’s Sand Toys Lighthouse FSDU offers retailers a handy one-stop-shop for Hape’s best-selling sand toys. Currently available with a special 10% discount, this FSDU on wheels contains 16 different products, from the Baby Bucket & Spade to the mega Monster Digger. Toynamics is also offering to hold the product until stores are open and ready to trade again. Featured in the range and included with the FSDU is the Double Sand and Water Wheel. Kids can fill the funnel and watch the wheels turn, discovering what happens when water, sand and small stones are poured in. The collection also includes the Rain Shovel, Beach Basics set, and the Mighty Shovel. Hape’s Nature Fun collection is made from Bamboo, the most sustainable plant in the world; by the time a product arrives in stores, the bamboo used to make it has already grown back. New for 2021 is the Growing Gardeners Greenhouse. Children aged four years and up can grow their own plants in a greenhouse featuring a transparent cover which helps to keep the seeds warm and allows light to reach them. The greenhouse also comes with a Bamboo mould to create paper seed cases, and is made from plant-based plastic. The range already includes the Hide and Seek Periscope, the Nature Detective Set, which comes complete with a whistle and magnifying glass, and Pocket Swing. Kids simply tie the swing to two sturdy branches and see how high they can go. Hape is exclusively distributed by Toynamics in the UK and Ireland. To find out more, email sales@toynamics.co.uk.

The preeminent global wheeled goods brand maintains the momentum in 2021 with heavyweight marketing investment For direct sales enquiries, contact: Robbie Toys Limited +44 (0) 1843 604448 sales@robbietoys.co.uk

For sales, media and PR enquiries, contact: Razor USA EMEA Headquarters +44 (0) 1884 254110 sales@razoremea.com

Outdoor Toys

Trends UK 01295 768 078 | www.trendsuk.co.uk Nerf Bunkr inflatables take blaster play to another level by providing obstacles to hide behind and targets to aim at. Ideal for use outdoors, an innovative stability system allows adults and kids to add water to a special chamber, keeping the inflatable in place. The award-winning range sees refreshed designs coming through in April for the Take Cover Toxic Barrel & Traffic Cone, as well as the Competition Pack. Kids can expect to see further colour updates on the rest of the range in autumn.

A.B.Gee 01773 570 444 | www.abgee.co.uk Despite holidays being on hold, A.B.Gee offers an extensive array of outdoor, beach and bubble toys. With buckets and spades in all sizes, colours and designs, sand rakes and moulds, fishing nets, water blasters, bats, balls and a raft of pool inflatables to enjoy, A.B.Gee is a one-stop-shop for all retailers’ outdoor toy needs. The company offers a comprehensive choice of tubs and battery-operated bubble blowers. The bubble mower provides hours of fun and thousands of bubbles, all whilst encouraging children to engage in pretend play. The mower, which has been developed for little hands, emits realistic mower sounds. Once the included bubble solution is poured into the front, kids can simply push the mower along and watch the bubbles flow. Also available from A.B.Gee is a selection of leading outdoor brands including Mookie, Little Tikes, Dolu, Hasbro and, most recently added, MV Sports. Visit the website to see the full range.

HTI 01253 778888 | www.htigroup.co.uk The Evo wheeled range by HTI Toys will see a complete branding refresh for 2021, with multiple new products set to launch in autumn. HTI Toys has developed a modern and on-trend brand identity, with a dynamic new Evo logo and up to date product designs, whilst still keeping the unique value proposition of the brand. Cleverly segmented into three categories – Pre-school, Children/Teenagers and Urban – the Evo range is certain to grab consumers’ attention on the shelf with new tooled wheels and handle grips, as well as on-trend geometric patterns on the scooter decks. New for this year, HTI Toys has designed a range of lithium scooters likely to be popular with adults as well as younger audiences. Headlights and foldable frames are just some of the features on offer within this stylish new range.

SES Creative 01304 746030 | www.ses-creative.com SES Creative’s Xtreme Bubble Tornado Bubble Machine blows over 1,000 bubbles a minute, providing impressive outdoor fun for everything from solo play to kids’ parties. Featuring a tornado design, 12 rotating bubble blowers, a powerful motor and super-strong soap solution, this wireless, battery operated blower also has an easy to fill reservoir and a simple on/off button for accessibility.

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Outdoor Toys

Casdon 07951 033 234 www.casdon.com

Amaroni 01205 260 384 | www.amaroni.com An ideal introduction to the world of construction, the concept behind Haba’s Terra Kids connectors is both simple and ingenious. All kids need to do is collect small sticks and twigs, drill holes into them, and use the Terra Kids connectors to bring a fabulous range of animals, fantastical creatures, figures and even vehicles to life. Tinkering with the connectors stimulates the imagination and creativity, subtly encouraging a greater enthusiasm for nature. Each set includes one 6mm diameter hand drill, 58 connectors, three round rods, and four corks, while the instructions contain numerous suggestions for other construction projects. Wooden twigs/branches are not included.

Casdon’s role-play toys let kids explore the world around them in a safe and exciting way. The Flymo Lawn Mower allows kids to join in when their parents are mowing the lawn. The replica looks just like the real thing, with the famous dome-shaped design and the iconic bright orange base. When the mower is pushed along the floor or lawn, it makes a mechanical clicking sound, and when playtime is over, its foldable handle makes for quick and easy storage. The Henry & Hetty Sit ‘n’ Ride, meanwhile, lets kids enjoy a turn around the garden. For more information email roger@casdon.com.

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Viewpoint 2020 toy sales in Spain saved by the Three Kings

T Sol Ostrovsky

Lorenzo de Benito Both experts in the Iberian toy market, Sol Ostrovsky has worked as a buyer for Universe of Imagination Spain/Portugal, Toys R Us Iberia, before moving on to be a category manager at Toys R Us in the US, while Lorenzo de Benito is a former Toys R US top executive, who served as CMO for Spain and Portugal and European general merchandise manager.

he Christmas season in Spain lasts two weeks longer than in any other country due to the celebration of Three Kings Night on January 5th. These two weeks account for close to 15% of the total year sales, with an average retail price 20% higher than the rest of the year.

Position

Product

Manufacturer

1 2

Cry Babies assortment The Bellies assortment

IMC Toys Famosa

3 4

Superzings Rivals of Kaboom Heroes Headquarters Playset Virus! The Card Game

Magic Box Tranjis Games

5 6

Kidizoom Smartwatch Dx2 VIP Pets assortment

VTech IMC Toys

Superzings Rivals of Kaboom Kazoom Lab Battle, Enigma Y Professor K

Magic Box

8 9

L.O.L. Surprise! O.M.G. Dolls The Beasties Bellies assortment

MGA Entertainment Famosa

10 11

Hot Wheels 5-Pack 1:64 scale assortment Star Wars: The Mandalorian The Child Animatronic Edition Plush, 25cm

Mattel Hasbro

Hot Wheels Singles 1:64 scale assortment Super Mario Brothers Adventures Starter Course

Mattel The Lego Group

Nancy doll, A Day of Secrets

Famosa

Superzings Rivals of Kaboom Secret Spies Kazoom Racer

Magic Box

13 After suffering a severe 14 national lockdown from 15 March until June 2020 and additional regional lockdowns during the summer and autumn, toys sales in Spain were showing a huge decrease by the end of December. Fortunately, those numbers have been softened by a strong Three Kings Week and a shifting of days in the retail calendar. The total year result of -7% could have been far worse, in a country where the economy is declining by around 12% and the unemployment rate is climbing to 16%/20%.

The leading sales channel in the toy industry is now eCommerce, bringing Spain from the back of the line in this area to the forefront of European standards, with online penetration levels that were completely unpredictable just two years ago. Prior to the recent eCommerce explosion, the Spanish toy market was dominated by specialty retailers owning a market share close to 40%; eCommerce penetration at this point was less than 7%. Although final numbers per channel are not yet official, the most likely scenario for 2020 is that eCommerce will have increased to almost 40% of total toy sales nationally, with an impressive growth of +60% from the previous year. Thanks to its commercial effectiveness during lockdowns, Amazon is now the new leader of the Spanish toy market, with an estimated market share of 30%. Toy specialty stores in malls, but also in high street locations, have been strongly impacted by this shift in sales with their market share now under 30%. Toy stores have not been

able to capitalize on the opportunity to play an omnichannel role in this new environment, as many were unprepared for rapid digital acceleration. Mass retailers have been hit by the highest decline, close to -20%, and their current market share should be now close to 20%. From a product perspective, as in the rest of the world, Games and Puzzles have been leading sales, with growth rates going from +30% for Puzzles to +6% for Games. The Construction category has also enjoyed an increase of +5%. In these three growing segments, a large number of the customers are adults. Spain has traditionally been a leading global manufacturer of dolls, so this category is especially important in the country, with its share varying between 20% and 25%. Even though the top two ranking items in toys overall are dolls, this has been a difficult year for the category. Most of the sub-categories have been decreasing compared to last year, except for fashion dolls, which was up +18% driven by the extraordinary results of Barbie. On the collectibles side, L.O.L. Surprise! has shown a decrease in 2020, but was probably affected by a change in the brand’s distribution; MGA opened its own office in Spain in November, taking over from Giochi Preciozi, which had been handling the property. Among the 15 best-selling toys in the country in 2020, there are nine from Spanish manufacturers, which

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shows a strong performance from the domestic toy industry. Cry Babies, Bellies and Superzings are three of the top selling properties in NPD ranking and have been pushed to the top by successful omnichannel digital strategies. Digital content on their respective YouTube Channels has driven millions of views, and extremely active Instagram and/or Tik Tok accounts have made direct interaction with kids and families possible on a granular level. Interactivity is now a key strategy to make brands relevant to today’s market. In this new dimension, communication with customers works both ways and allows manufacturers who have mastered this new relationship to be fed with an abundance of consumer data. Famosa deserves a special mention for diligence on Coronavirus protocol themed toys: fashion doll “Nancy a Day with a Mask” and nurturing dolls “Bellies with Virus Detector” were created to help kids to deal with the pandemic anxiety. 2020 was a year of consolidation for the biggest toy group in Spain: Giochi - Famosa. Giochi bought Famosa during the summer of 2019 and has been successfully working on the integration of both companies since then. The new group is now the number one manufacturer in Spain and has significantly grown Famosa’s dominant position among the other top players in the market: Hasbro, Mattel and Lego.

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Contact: Malcolm Cook

malcolm@mc-international.co.uk Mobile: +44 (0)7770 68 88 58

www.hauck-toys.com

Viewpoint In retail, the capacity to manage the burgeoning eCommerce market, and the challenging logistic and marketing strategic decisions involved, has highlighted a marked difference between players. Online sales acceleration in Spain for 2020 was equivalent to that which had been forecast for the next three to five years and the new status quo won’t change back easily, even if, by the summer, mobility restrictions are removed. The overall mindset of the Spanish consumer, regardless of their age group or living environment, is now digitally focused. In order to succeed, or even

to survive, retailers need to invest in omnichannel capabilities, as well as find a way to become relevant in the new digital consumer’s mindset. It will be interesting to see how the role of mass retailers in the toy market of the future develops; will they continue to keep toys as a core or destination category for Christmas, or will they move into a more conservative cash preservation approach, treating toys as a seasonal or convenience category? Unprecedented government support of businesses has undoubtedly had a significant

effect on the overall toy market. Companies have been able to reduce their workforce structure temporarily thanks to a mechanism called ERTE, where up to 70% of workers’ salaries was assumed, in some cases, by the national unemployment organization. This has allowed retailers to adjust their costs and find financial balance in this difficult year. Despite this, some of the smallest players are already shutting down and the new market dynamics will inevitably hurt those not able to adapt to the digital/ eCommerce world.

Amazon Vendor or Seller?

I Anonymous The writer, who is the owner of a small UK toy company, was inspired to get in touch with Toy World after reading The Baulch Blog, having made some progress in negotiating tricky trading terms with Amazon.

recently read John Baulch’s Friday Blog, which highlighted the challenge of ‘negotiating’ with Amazon over terms for the coming year. I have also seen other toy vendors discussing their ongoing challenges with Amazon on LinkedIn and other social media platforms, so it is clearly a widespread issue. I wanted to share my experience, in case it might offer some ideas to other companies considering how best to navigate the conversation. I had my first stage ‘negotiation’ recently. It was, as expected, a joy. At least I knew what was coming as I’ve been doing these negotiations for seven years now. Fortunately, I run and own my own business - so I have a little more flexibility in how I can approach them. Last year, as we entered lockdown No.1 at the end of March, our Amazon contact told me that we had to sign the terms I had been refusing to sign or they would switch off our orders - nice! At that time our business with Amazon was about all that carried on across April into May, so they left me little choice but to acquiesce.

This year, I’ve not forgotten that experience, so I decided to take a different approach. I took control of the meeting, otherwise they have a tendency to run you through all the ways they’ll take your profit off you. I asked them to explain the benefits of being a Vendor as opposed to a Seller, which we launched last year as a new channel. My Amazon representative couldn’t tell me any. In fact, she eventually admitted that we would be better off being a Seller. She then went on to declare that costs had increased for Amazon over the past year, hence the MDF would need to increase. I asked specifically “what has increased?” She was pretty taken aback by that, and certainly not expecting to be asked to justify the increase. She ummed and ahhed a bit - then admitted that she couldn’t give me a specific example. Interestingly, as the original piece in the Friday Blog suggested, Amazon has rejected all our cost price increases across the last three years. Therefore, we have decided that we will move our best-selling lines onto Seller – it seems to offer us more scope than remaining as a Vendor. The ONLY upside to Brexit

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so far is that Amazon cannot move goods freely from the EU anymore – so, as a UK Seller, you have greater protection. I appreciate that not everyone has the ability to replicate the business they currently have with Amazon as a Seller - but I was surprised at how easily it works, how much more control we have, including the retail selling price, and that we make more profit doing it that way. It feels pretty good having the control to be honest. You know where your inventory is, and how much is there. It obviously depends on your product/brand - but if you sell anything which is searched for and in demand, and already has traction on Amazon, I would suggest that it’s a route that should be seriously considered. Following the call, Amazon has still not sent through our proposed terms for this year: it is possible that they do not know what to do with someone as awkward as me - or maybe they will really make us pay....

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Feature

Action Vehicles

Driving force The Action Vehicles category enters 2021 off the back of a strong 12 months; RC and slot racing is enjoying something of a resurgence among locked down families, while die-cast cars are ready to drive footfall at retail this summer. Rachael Simpson-Jones speaks to leading manufacturers from across the category, finding out what each kind of vehicle play has to offer and what there is to look forward to this year.

attel scooped the award for NPD Global Top Selling Toy of the Year with its Hot Wheels Singles 1/64 Assortment, well-deserved recognition for an evergreen brand that continues to play a key role in Mattel’s ongoing success. The company ended 2020 in a strong position, maintaining the No.1 manufacturer spot in the Vehicles Supercategory, with Hot Wheels remaining the No.1 property. A favourite with indie toy retailers, according to Toymaster’s marketing director, Paul Reader, a further 400 Hot Wheels diecast will be released in 2021, keeping the range fresh and helping to drive repeat purchases once stores reopen, thanks to the brand’s huge collectability factor and attractive, pick-up price points. Mattel is also entering year three of its Monster Trucks range, which continues to expand, and is introducing its first new play set - Monster Truck Tyre – to extend the play pattern. The company is also continuing to grow its City segment with the new Toxic Snake Strike, while spring welcomes the new Speedway Hauler play set. All in all, there’s a lot for fans of vehicle play

to look forward to from this heritage brand. “No other vehicle brand connects with car culture and pop culture like we do,” enthuses Mattel’s marketing manager, Kelly Philp. “With over 50 years of heritage, the detail our designers bring to Hot Wheels is truly amazing, including replicas of some of the biggest and most iconic car brands in the world, from Porsche to Camaro, and Volkswagen to Tesla. We also work with the biggest movie properties and, increasingly, pop culture icons. And it’s not just replica cars; Hot Wheels also offers unique original cars that are much-loved characters in their own right, like the Bone Shaker.” HTI’s die-cast Teamsterz brand has continued to grow consistently year on year. Having received hugely positive feedback on its autumn/winter 2021 range from consumers, the company is confident that its product offering is as strong as it has ever been. Alan Gray, head of Teamsterz and Roleplay at HTI, explains: “Although 2020 was a challenging year, we took this time to research the current Action Vehicles market, strengthening our knowledge and seeking gaps where we could add value. This

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has certainly paid off with the addition of multiple exciting products to the range. Teamsterz has become a recognised and trusted brand of vehicles toys over the years, and this strength will put us in a good position for 2021. We are confident that our new, innovative products will be popular with young consumers this year and beyond.” The Teamsterz brand is recognised for its attention to detail and attractive price points. The core die-cast range is complemented by garages, transporters, motorised light and sound vehicles and track sets, as well as licensed offerings under the JCB brand, all of which allow youngsters to stock up on a plethora of different Teamsterz items, and to use the same action vehicles across multiple play sets. New for this year, the Teamsterz Load & Launch carry case is ready to hit shelves from autumn. Following months of extensive research and development, as well as investment in patented technology, Alan tells me the HTI team is ‘incredibly proud’ of this product and its unique car loading magazine, which promises to help it stand out from the competition. Children can load up to 15 cars into the magazine, before

Feature

Action Vehicles

switching the car case to Launcher Mode and firing the cars out one after another. Alan adds: “Innovative design means that this play set doubles up as a carry case, making it perfect for portable play. There really is nothing like the Load & Launch on the market currently.” H. Grossman’s Maisto and Bburago die-cast ranges cover a substantial assortment of licences for all major global car manufacturers, giving the brands a keen edge in the marketplace. The selection covers a wide variety of price points and age ranges, while their high perceived value also makes them a strong gifting option. Eye-catching packaging means the models look great both online and off, a strong selling point when the consumer is working off visuals only. David Mordecai, CEO of H. Grossman, says: “Maisto and Bburago have a well-deserved reputation for innovation and quality. The ranges are regularly updated, and new pre-school items from BB Junior have also brought vehicle play to a younger audience. For 2021, we’re really excited about our Emergency Vehicles range. This assortment of vehicles, all in UK livery, is available as a gift set or as single vehicles. The emergency services are currently one of the most important themes in toys, and this range will allow kids to emulate our real-life heroes in a new way.” A strong category for independent toy retailers, Paul Reader tells me he’s pleased to see remote control vehicles undergoing something of a resurgence, brought about, like so much else, by families stuck at home seeking new things to do. “Action vehicles is a big part of Toymaster’s import FOB programme, although as a category I would say it’s oversubscribed with suppliers, a bit like Arts & Crafts. What this does mean, though, is that consumers have a huge amount of choice - and that’s no bad thing. Our members sell a lot of die-cast and lights & sounds vehicles, as well as RC around the £50 or less mark,” he says. “It’s very nice to see Nikko Toys firmly back in the marketplace, and just as good as it ever was.” Nikko RC will celebrate its 63rd anniversary in 2021; CEO Philip Redmond tells me that designing high-performing action vehicles, with a focus on uniqueness, is what the team has been ‘doing for eons’. “Year after year our team brings its creative talent to the table, dreaming up never-before-seen vehicles with amazing features that perform both onshelf and out-of-box,” he says. “The special functions presented in both Nikko RC and Road Rippers exhibit everything from drifting, expanding wheels and wheelies, to mythical monster vehicles that snap and roar as they race across a multitude of terrains. Nikko RC is primarily a special function focused RC

brand that provides an alternative to the arguably monotonous scaled RC seen elsewhere in the marketplace. In 2021, Nikko RC continues that theme with the introduction of Rock CrushR and VaporizR XT, while Road Rippers will bring imagination to life with Afterburner.” Rock CrushR joins the line-up of impressive special function vehicles now available in Nikko’s RC range. Standing this RC vehicle apart are its innovative expanding wheels, which can climb, grip and tear through the most difficult of terrain for a truly exciting driving experience. Road Rippers’ Afterburner, meanwhile, provides retailers with on-shelf theatre thanks to its sound and other features, which replicate the awesome power of dual jet engines and spin into life with cool light effects. Philip adds: “We are confident that these two great items, along with the other new 2021 vehicles, will be great additions to the Nikko RC and Road Rippers product lines.” Another sexagenarian, Scalextric enjoys the brand loyalty and recognition that can only come with generations of play; from grandparents to preschoolers, countless consumers will have exciting memories of Scalextric. According to Martyn Weaver, head of brand, Scalextric’s biggest strength is the depth and breadth of the range, which includes subject matter that appeals to all age groups, a variety of genres from the world of cars, and a wide range of licences. Scalextric also offers various complexity levels in its gameplay, with price points suited to all consumer segments and retail channels. This year, Martyn says he is most excited to be launching the Micro Scalextric ejector lap-counter. “Whilst this is only a piece of track, in a bigger system it will offer so much more to the play pattern of slot car racing for our younger consumers,” he explains. “Micro Scalextric is an important brand within our product range architecture; it’s a recruiter to slot car racing and often forms the first Scalextric experience for kids. The new Micro Scalextric track system, which was launched in 2019, is a proven success and delivers all the fun and excitement we would wish for from the product. The new lap counter adds an element of competition but in a way that is fun; rather than being about winners and losers, launching a car off the track brings the ‘bash and crash’ experience to Micro Scalextric.” To support both its new and existing product ranges, Scalextric will be rolling out marketing campaigns on multiple levels. Pre-school product will continue with TV advertising targeting kids and parents at home, while Micro Scalextric will be supported by digital-first campaigns that will be

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tailored to their subject matter and target audience. Scalextric’s tech and collectible product will be supported with PR, influencers, specialist press and social media, ensuring the brand benefits from a varied, comprehensive campaign throughout 2021. At HTI, several lifestyle demo videos are currently in the works. Alan says these have previously proven to be great tools for the aspirational Teamsterz brand and can be shared with retailers for use on product listings. They’ll also feature in HTI’s popular dedicated Teamsterz YouTube playlist. “We are lucky to have great relationships with our retail partners, whom we will continue to support throughout the year with any queries, providing the necessary graphics and product information,” he adds. Mattel is planning some exciting activations with retail partners that will engage consumers and help drive awareness, either online or in-store, as the year ahead unfolds. It will also be supporting its Hot Wheels and other action vehicles lines with 360-degree campaigns including TV, social, influencers and plenty of digital. Nikko’s in-house marketing team, meanwhile, is collaborating with several agencies specialising in everything from digital asset and TVC creation to SEO and paid advertising management. The team also works closely with local partners to implement in-store activities and presentations. Noting the importance of social media among today’s kids, Philip Redmond acknowledges that understanding the different platforms, and for whom (and why) each one exists, can be challenging. That said, Nikko’s goal is to ensure its messaging is consistent across all channels, keeping consumers engaged with the product and increasing their understanding of the brand. Philip says: “We are delighted to partner with great agencies such as Generation Media in the UK; they are the best of the best with a great track record. Our marketing activities are continuous throughout the year, with the main bulk of activity accelerating in Q3 and Q4.” “Our number one strength is our ability to add new and exciting vehicles to our product line, season after season,” he adds. “We know that each year, twothirds of all toy products on-shelf are ‘new’ in some way. While that can be a perpetual cycle of expensive research and development, at Nikko Toys we relish and rise to that challenge each and every year.” Over the coming pages, Toy World brings you the newest action vehicles set to drive sales in this adrenaline-fuelled category.

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Action Vehicles

HTI 01253 778888 | www.htigroup.co.uk HTI’s Teamsterz range includes everything from die-cast action vehicles and track sets, to garages, transporters and motorised light & sound vehicles. The brand has seen consistent and rapid growth, and extensive investment has been put behind the 2021 range. This year will see not only the introduction of new and innovative products, but complete new sub-categories too. In the Teamsterz Motorised Vehicle range, new items for 2021 include the Monster Moverz Monster Converter, as well as two beast transporters – Croc Rescue and Shark Rescue. These products feature light & sound effects, as well as innovative button-activated movement features. Within the motorised category, Teamsterz also has dual-branded offerings with popular licence JCB. This year will see the launch of the Colour Change Teamsterz line. Supplied in both 1:64 and 1:43 scales, these detailed vehicles feature special paint that changes colour when the car is submerged in warm or ice-cold water. Complementing the range is the Shark Bite play set. Water-filled chambers trap the speeding car and ultimately change its colour. Catering to a gap in the market for toddlers, HTI Toys has introduced Tiny Teamsterz, a range of free-wheeling vehicles made from soft, squishy plastic, suitable for ages 12 months and above. These bright pre-school vehicles feature character faces and come in chunky designs ideal for little hands. Three play sets are also available; the Transporter, Raceway, and 3 Level Tower Garage sets each incorporate core Teamsterz DNA. Also new for 2021 is the Flipsterz Flip Over Racer, which features car designs on both sides. This radio control stunt car includes a flipping function, as well as the ability to perform 3600 spins, dramatic crashes, rollovers and flips off walls. All-terrain shock absorbing tyres make the cars suitable for use indoors and outdoors. The Teamsterz Load & Launch carry case is the hero product for 2021. Kids can load up to 15 cars at once into the unique magazine, before activating launcher mode and firing the cars out one after another in rapid succession. The wheel-shaped case is perfect for portable play, with space to store up to 23 cars and a carry handle. Collectors can also connect their Teamsterz track pieces to the launcher for additional play value.

Mattel 01628 500 000 | www.mattel.com Hot Wheels drives ‘Challenge Accepted’ further than ever in 2021 with new Hot Wheels City play sets, including Hot Wheels City Toxic Snake Strike and City Speedway Hauler. Each set provides ample storytelling play based on imaginative action with Hot Wheels vehicles. Each set connects to other Hot Wheels City sets and is compatible with orange track pieces, too. New to the Track Builder segment is the Infinity Loop, which lets kids magically transform the loop into two stunts, using the right force to loop and stunt into the cup. Also new to the Track Builder segment is the Hot Wheels Track Builder Crash Box. The most explosive stunt box yet, this item comes complete with three unique crashing components in one box, which lets kids build, stunt and boost. Hot Wheels die cast has fresh new cars to collect in every mix. In 2021, Hot Wheels introduces new mini collections including Mattel Games. This assortment of 1:64 scale vehicles showcase some of the most iconic Mattel Games including Uno and Magic 8 Ball. Expanding the world of Hot Wheels Monster Trucks is the new Monster Maker. This item integrates Monster Trucks and 1:64 scale Hot Wheels cars to deliver an entirely new way to play. The assortment has different coloured truck chassis, and each chassis comes with two Hot Wheels diecast to mix and match. The Hot Wheels Monster Trucks range continues to expand its play set offering with the Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Stunt Tyre Playset. This giant tyre transforms into a stunt arena, for core play pattern enjoyment and over the top action. A trophy with score system adds excitement and encourages repeatable play. The play set also closes to provide storage and transportation for the Monster Trucks. Fans of Disney Pixar Cars will enjoy the new colour-changing Dinoco Car Wash. Kids can wash Lightening McQueen by squeezing the Dinoco sign, and watch him transform from black to blue. Dunking him into the cold-water tank will change him back. Also new to the Disney Pixar Cars range is the Minis Crash Course. This fun Radiator Springs themed set provides kids with plenty of smashing and crashing fun.

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The standard in slot car racing with something for everyone.

For more information please call 01843 233525 or email us at sales@hornby.com To view the full 2021 range visit www.scalextric.com /officialscalextric

/scalextric

@scalextric

/officialscalextric

BATMAN and all related characters and elements © & ™ DC . (s20). • Ford Motor Company Trademarks and Trade Dress used under license to Hornby Hobbies. Manufactured by Hornby Hobbies Ltd.

Action Vehicles

H. Grossman 01603 397105 | www.tobar.co.uk H. Grossman is the distributor of Maisto and Bburago. New for the Fresh Metal range is a play set featuring five die cast emergency vehicles in UK livery: a police van, police truck, ambulance and two police cars. The set comes with a selection of cones, road signs and barriers to help set the scene. There’s also a play set featuring all this plus a playmat for added play value. Available separately are an ambulance, a tow truck and two helicopters - one police and one coastguard - all with free-rolling wheels and in UK livery. Available in either orange or blue, the Maisto Tech RC X Ranger features caterpillar tracks that navigate surroundings with ease. It even spins on the spot, allowing it to manoeuvre when space is limited, and operates on the 27Mhz frequency. The Cyklone Remote control motorbike, meanwhile, has a single caterpillar track running between the front and rear wheels. The unique design allows the bike to perform actions that other RC vehicles of a similar price would struggle to match. It can climb up steep slopes with ease and, with a quick enough start, can perform wheelies when racing off the mark. Project 66 is a projectile-launching RC car with a futuristic design. The sporty chassis opens to reveal a dart launcher with five projectiles that shoot on command, then closes again with the press of a button. The controller has a tri-channel transmitter, allowing up to three Maisto RC vehicles to be controlled at the same time for three-way battles. The RC Race Circuit Vision Gran Turismo slot racing set features vehicles created for the Gran Turismo video game, namely the Mercedes-Benz AMG Vision and the Nissan Concept 2020 Vision. The figure-of-eight circuit has two slot tracks that run parallel to each another. Kids simply place the cars on the track and then pull the trigger on the controller to power them around the circuit. New tractors are on their way from New Holland and Fendt, including those with trailers and front loaders. April will the arrival of the famous British tractor, the Massey Ferguson. This 10cm model of the iconic farming brand is available to order now. All action vehicle ranges can be viewed at www.tobar.co.uk, or contact sales@tobar.co.uk for more information.

Bruder 00353 67 63800 | www.bruder.de Bruder’s ‘Just like the real thing’ ethos is reflected across its entire product range, which comprises a raft of realistic and tough vehicles, from motorbikes to utility vehicles, major agricultural names, leisure craft for use on water plus much more. The bworld Scrambler Ducati police motorcycle is perfect for emergency-themed role-play. With distinctive and instantly recognisable blue and white livery, the vehicle comes with a policeman figure, dressed in a protective motorcycle uniform and removable helmet. The motorcycle features rubber wheels, paniers, handlebars which turn left and right, and a clear front windshield, as well as wing-mirrors and multiple other realistic features. Bruder’s Police range also includes the Land Rover Defender Station Wagon, the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon and the Police Quad Bike. The company’s action vehicles are complemented by the bworld range of themed sets, which expand and enhance the play experience. The new bworld police station, which can be easily combined with other bworld themed sets and features printed wall elements with easy-to-mount adjustable feet, comes with a desk at which police figures can be seated, wall-mounted storage and a cell for holding suspects. The new Bruder Personal Water Craft with Figure, crafted with a striking orange and blue colour scheme, features an unsinkable design to prevent capsizing and can accommodate two bworld figures. With safety in mind, the included rider comes with a lifejacket.

Character Options 01616 339 800 | www.character-online.com Laser Battle Hunters are full-function radio control combat vehicles that can be moved forward, reversed, spun and turned at speed. The innovative multi-directional fourwheel driving system allows for impressive drifting control and side-to-side manoeuvring, so players can outlast and out blast their opponent. Each Laser Battle Hunters set includes two Laser Battle Hunters - Reaper and Shadow - and two RC Controllers offering two modes of play. In Multi-Player RC Combat Mode, the aim of the game is to use the built-in infrared cannon to eliminate the opponent. Simply hunt the enemy, take aim at the rear of the opponent’s vehicle and fire. With an impressive cannon recoil, players must blast their opposition three times to win. There are eight channels, which means that up to eight vehicles can battle at the same time. The second mode turns one Laser Battle Hunter into a moving target for one minute. Using the Laser Battle Hunter, the player must blast the autonomous vehicle as many times as possible within the 60 second time limit as it moves around and fires. With three auto patrol ranges, the player can expand the battle arena to suit play. Suitable for ages five and up, the vehicles have a remote range of 16 metres, a top speed of 4.3km/hour, and a running time of 30 minutes (continuous vehicle play). For more information email sales@charactergroup.plc.uk.

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Action Vehicles

Basic Fun 01189 253 270 | www.knex.co.uk Basic Fun’s collection of Tonka construction vehicles is designed to put kids at the centre of the action. With an already extensive range, spring 2021 will see the Tonka brand further expand its offering for kids aged three plus. The new assortment of Tonka Mighty Machines Lights and Sounds vehicles, launching for spring/summer, boasts a strong emergency vehicle line-up including a Fire Truck, a Police ‘Copter and more. Tonka Mini Movers welcomes Wave 2 Metal Movers Single Packs and Wave 3 Metal Movers Combo Packs. Each Metal Movers Single Pack includes one die-cast vehicle and Tonka Tough Dirt, a no-mess sand compound that mimics real construction site conditions. Offering kids a whole new way to enjoy their favourite Tonka vehicles, Tonka Dirt makes play even more realistic and revs up pester power at retail. The Tonka Metal Movers combo pack, meanwhile, focuses on construction vehicles. Each set comes with two die-cast vehicles as well as Tonka Tough Dirt. Later in the year, the Tonka brand will enjoy autumn/winter TV support and a welcome whole fleet of new arrivals. For more information contact Tim Ives, head of sales: Tim.Ives@basicfun.com.

Spin Master 020 3598 5119 | www.spinmastertoys.co.uk Spin Master has a range of new and refreshed vehicles from brands including Paw Patrol, Monster Jam and DC Batman, all of which will bring action to playtime. Younger kids will enjoy the Paw Patrol True Metal range of 1:55 scale vehicles. Modelled to look just like the Paw Patrol vehicles from the hit TV show, each die-cast features authentic details and graphics, as well as working wheels. The range offers numerous Paw Patrol True Metal vehicles to collect, from Classic to Mighty Pups and super rares. Kids can keep track of their True Metal collection with the included collector poster found in each pack. Also from Paw Patrol, and new this spring/summer, are the Moto Pups Deluxe Vehicles. With authentic graphics and detailing, large wheels and a pull-back function that allows the motorcycles to perform wheelies, the range bring the motorcycles from the hit show to life, complete with Paw Patrol figures dressed in motorcycle jackets and helmets. For even more Moto Pups fun, kids can use the Deluxe Vehicles with the Moto HQ Playset. Spin Master’s Monster Jam trucks are designed to provide kids with high-flying, car-crashing action. The collectible 1:24 and 1:64 scale trucks are compact in size and feature official BKT rubber tires, embodying the style and swagger of real-life Monster Jam trucks. In addition to Spin Master’s wide range of smaller collectible action vehicles, the company also offers a selection of remote control vehicles which bring the action to life. From Monster Jam comes the new 1:24 scale El Toro Loco RC, delivering big, fast-paced fun and an experience that feels like driving the real thing, while the DC Batman Launch & Defend RC Batmobile is perfect for superhero fans. This sleek 1:16 scale remote control vehicle includes an exclusive Batman action figure that can launch right out of the cockpit for realistic adventures.

Chengzhen International

(852) 2312 0610 | www.msztoys.com The MSZ (Metal Speed Zone) brand, from Hong Kong based manufacturer Chengzhen International, recently launched two new die-cast models of the hugely successful British utility vehicle, the Land Rover Defender, in 1:32 and 1:43 scales. The 1:32 scale is MSZ’s most successful. Offering much more than basic die-cast models, the Land Rover Defender has an opening bonnet, boot and doors, and has been enhanced with light and sound features. When kids open its side doors, the headlights and taillights will turn on and realistic engine and horn sounds will play. The 1:43 scale model, coming in at 4.5”, also features opening doors as well as a pull-back function. Chengzhen collaborates closely with several famous global car brands, including BMW, Volkswagen and McLaren, offering wide range of motorcycles, trucks and construction vehicles in 1:24, 1:32, 1:43 and 1:64 scales. For more information, please contact Sam Chung at sales09@caipotoys.com.

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ALPHA TOYS LTD Batchworth House, Church Street, Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, WD3 1 JE Tel: 00353 67 63800 Fax: 00353 67 63801 E-Mail: info@alpha-toys.co.uk

www.bruder.de

Action Vehicles

Hornby 01843 233 500 | www.hornby.com Ideal for fans of a car chase that culminates with a collision, the Scalextric Drift 360 race set has a figure of eight track that allows racers to take on their opponents in an exciting, door-bashing, side-by-side duel. The crossroads lets cars make a 180 or 360-degree turn to confuse adversaries, and drivers can also impress spectators by drifting into the bend and power-sliding out. Scalextric has announced the next generation of Scalextric Spark Plug, in a completely new app re-skin featuring the drivers of Formula E. This will feature in the Formula E set, which is controllable via an iOS or Android smart device. The Spark Plug Formula E set can host up to 12 players: two drivers, and a team of five additional pit crew for each. Assigned an in-app pit crew position, such as chief mechanic or lollipop, members of the pit crew can deploy power ups and must complete mini games as a team to successfully complete the pit crew challenge. This set will be available this summer, supported with a digital media campaign. Micro Scalextric is welcoming even more play value to its action-packed racetracks. The new lap counter booby trap adds another dimension to racing. Drivers can set the length of the race, up to a maximum of 50 laps; once the winner finishes the race, the ejector fires their opponent off the track. The Micro Scalextric range includes Batman vs. Joker and Batman vs. The Riddler sets, James Bond sets, and a set featuring characters from YouTube’s Ryan’s World. Each set comes complete with other action track pieces, such as loop-the-loops and stunt ramps. Expanding on the success of the new Film & TV category introduced in 2020, this year sees Scalextric release the DeLorean from Back to the Future 2, KITT from Knight Rider, and the classic Reliant Robin from Only Fools and Horses. Scalextric will also be producing the classic 1960s Batmobile, perfect for nostalgic superhero parents. James Bond fans, meanwhile, can enjoy vehicles from classic 007 films including the Lotus Esprit from The Spy Who Loved Me, and the Aston Martin Vantage V8, complete with skis, from The Living Daylights.

Simba Smoby Toys UK

01620 674 778 | www.simba-dickie-group.de

Celebrating the best in action film merchandising with scaled replicas of the most memorable wheels, Jada die-cast action vehicles feature an impressive level of detail. The Fast & Furious collection is bound to enjoy greater traction this year thanks to the postponed release of the F9 movie in May. Fans can collect popular cars from the eight-film, multi-billion-dollar franchise, as well as new additions from Hobbs & Shaw. To celebrate Batman turning 80, Jada has also launched a range of 1:32 scale die-cast cars. Each of the six packs contains a metal figure and vehicle modelled on Batman’s on-screen appearances. Movie buffs can re-create the on-screen action from Toy Story, Disney Cars and Spider-Man thanks to Simba Smoby Toys UK’s RC collection. RC Forky can be driven backwards and forwards to see his arms wobble, while RC Buggy Buzz Lightyear and RC Buggy Woody can be used to set up the ultimate battle of the buggies. Adding to the fun, the Buzz figure and buggy spoiler on the Crash Buggy Buzz Lightyear will topple backwards when it collides with objects. RC Turbo Racer Lightning McQueen comes with full drive action and a Turbo Speed feature. Kids can charge him up via the USB port. Also available is RC Trubo Racer Jackson Storm, the fast, sleek, ready to race character from Cars 3. This Cadillac model also comes with full drive action and the Turbo Speed feature. The Spider-Man 1:12 RC 4x4 provides RC on a bigger scale. The classic Dodge Charger Daytona has been souped up to create a monster truck with a Spider-Man inspired design and Turbo Speed function. For more information about the full brand portfolio, email sales@sisotoysuk.com.

Funrise 01908 555 640 | www.funrise.com The Cat Massive Mover RC is a rechargeable, remote-controlled action vehicle. The truck features all-terrain performance, real payload suspension, and lights and sounds, as well as high-traction rubber wheels. There are two modes of play to enjoy. Torque Mode allows the Massive Mover to haul and dump heavy loads of up to 10lbs, or climb steep inclines of up to 45-degrees. Speed Mode, meanwhile, lets the vehicle reach top speeds of 12mph. Other items in the Cat vehicle range include Power Haulers with innovative Motion Drive Technology. Pre-schoolers will also enjoy the Cat Junior Crew collection, which will soon feature the Junior Crew Tipper, a cute characterised vehicle with interactive sensors, motorised facial movements and a repertoire of more than 50 phrases. The Cat range benefits from comprehensive marketing and PR support. For more information, email SalesUK@Funrise.com.

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Action Vehicles

Carrera Revell UK 01296 660291 | www.revell.de Representing quality, authenticity and value for money, the extensive Carrera slot car racing line-up caters for pre-schoolers up to young adults and beyond. The First range, developed for ages three and above, includes vehicles from Mario Kart, Paw Patrol and Disney-Pixar Cars, with controllers sized for smaller hands. The track is an eye-catching blue, and the sets are powered by dry-cell alkaline batteries (not supplied), allowing them to be used almost anywhere. The Go!!! range, suitable for ages six and up, is at the intermediate sized 1:43 scale, and the hand controllers feature turbo boost functionality. Available in the same licences as the First range, plus Minions, F1, WRC, DTM and Muscle Cars, the new Build’N Race system allows kids to combine traditional slot racing with construction blocks, creating exciting race circuits that are limited only by the builder’s imagination. Evolution is a more traditional 1:32 scale race system for ages eight and over, which uses larger 1:24 scale track pieces for more extreme driving action. Kids can create multi-lane race arenas for cars that are faithful reproductions of their full-size counterparts, with numerous teams to choose from and many scale accessories available. Evolving Evolution results in Digital 132 (and the larger Digital 124), a slot racing system that allows drivers to interface their track with a smartphone or tablet using the Carrera Race App. From the app, they can then fine-tune their car’s performance for the most realistic racing possible. Offering a huge choice of cars in 1:32, and the even more detailed 1:24 scale, the Digital range is Carrera’s ultimate slot racing system. Carrera’s RC division places strong emphasis on gaming mainstay Nintendo and the ever-popular Super Mario franchise, with faithful reproductions of in-game vehicles that drive and fly. These feature-packed designs embrace high-quality leanings with interference-free 2.4GHz radio control, splash-protected electronics, short-charge/long-run battery technology and auto-off functionality for battery conservation and longer life. Dry-cell batteries for the controllers are supplied as part of the package, making these products truly complete and ready for play. Carrera is available in the UK & Ireland, exclusively from Carrera Revell UK.

Jazwares 020 3598 5119 | www.jazwares.com Leading Jazwares’ action vehicles offering are toys created to help Fortnite fans navigate their favourite metaverse. For autumn/winter, Jazwares will launch the Joyride vehicle assortment, with true-to-game recreations of the Whiplash and Taxi Cab vehicles. The Reboot Van features lights, sounds and a reboot figure-reveal mechanism, directly reflecting in-game play. The RC Mud Flap Vehicle, meanwhile, has lights and sounds plus a touch-activated bumper and game-accurate wonky suspension. All vehicles in the Jazwares Fortnite line include 4” articulated action figures. Roblox fans can choose from a range of vehicles inspired by the hottest games on the world’s largest user-generated universe, including the new Car Crusher 2 Feature Vehicle, which perfectly captures the action on the Roblox platform. Jazwares continues to innovate the world of Micro Machines. Driven by the motto ‘Think Big and Play Small’, the 2021 line-up includes licensed vehicles from some of the world’s most recognisable car brands. The crown jewel of the collection is the impressive Corvette Raceway City play set, a must have for big fans of this micro world. Jazwares will debut a line of vehicles and plush inspired by Marvel’s Spidey and His Amazing Friends, an upcoming animated series for preschoolers launching on Disney+ in the UK. The new show sees Spidey team up with his friends to defeat villains and learn about the value of teamwork. The Jazwares line will include vehicles at a variety of prices, from pocketmoney to sub-£15, including the 2-in-1 Stealth Strike Vehicle, as well as the Spidey Vehicle Transporter. The pre-school aisle welcomes new Jazwares vehicle offerings for Blippi. Autumn/winter will see a refresh to the little vehicle assortment and a new Utility Tractor Feature vehicle. The Blippi Fire Truck features sounds and includes two 3” figures, whilst the new Blippi Excavator plays the instantly recognisable Excavator song and comes with a 3” Blippi figure and accessories.

Redlands Distribution 07927 552423 | www.redlandsdistribution.com Redlands is the exclusive UK distribution partner for Sharper Image, an RC range featuring cars, drones, robotics and laser tag game play. One of Sharper Image’s best-selling lines is the Speed Bumper Cars. These toys feature wireless RC function, and when the cars crash, sending the drivers flying, entertaining sound effects can be heard. Part of the Rage series, the Bumper Cars will be joined this year by Speed Boat Wave Racers and Robo Rage sumo wrestlers. Each sumo character is equipped with huge hands that really pack a punch. Sharper Image is also catering for the pre-school market in 2021. Younger kids can play cops versus robbers with a new duo pack of RC cars featuring realistic sound effects and flashing sirens, while the RC Fire Engine has flashing LED lights and a siren, plus horn and music tunes built into the remote. Redlands also boasts an impressive selection of spinning cars, flip stunt rally vehicles, monster trucks and turbo tumblers.

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Action toys with light & sound!

A wide range of fully licensed vehicles in multiple scales, designs and colours

Land Rover and the Land Rover logo are trademarks owned and licensed by Jaguar Land Rover Limited.

Manufactured under license from McLaren Automotive Limited. The McLaren name, and logo are registered trademarks of McLaren. Senna® is the registered trademark of Ayrton Senna Empreendimentos Ltda.

Chengzhen International Limited www.msztoys.com

sales09@caipotoys.com

+852 2312 0610

@mszdiecast

Action Vehicles

Nikko Toys 07966 531 577 | www.NikkoToys.com Building on last year’s success, Nikko Toys is introducing over 20 new assortments across its brands for 2021, with a focus on continuing to produce toys with quality, innovation and performance. Nikko believes that action vehicles should be just that, and says it is taking the basic out of vehicles and putting the features back where they belong, with a lineup this year which shows it continues to be a true innovator in the industry. The company’s focus on developing the highest quality items with the best functions means that the Nikko RC, Road Rippers and Machine Maker brands have maintained the high standards for which they have become known, never using cheaper components or skimping on materials in order to reduce price points. This strategy has kept the brands at the forefront for consumers and retailers alike. The brand-new Rock CrushR RC boasts patented Auto-Expanding wheels and 9.6V lithium rechargeable batteries. The Rock CrushR has the power and performance to tackle any challenge and is impressive to see in action. The Road Rippers brand is set to continue to “Rev your Imagination” (the tagline for this year’s global media campaign). The range is one of the premier light and sound toy vehicle brands globally due to Nikko’s impressive Try Me functions, which outshine those of its competitors. Bringing theatre onto the retail shelf and into the homes of their fans, Road Rippers items, such as the brand-new Afterburner, continue to amaze with mechanical actions, light shows and killer sounds.

Flair 020 8643 0320 | www.flairplc.co.uk The Ben 10 Transforming Omni-Cycle comes with a Rustbuggy Ben figure of Ben 10 in his racing gear. Children can join Ben on his adventures, beating the alien villains along the way. The Omni-Cycle, with its collapsible wheels, transforms from cycle to flight mode, so Ben can navigate both off-road terrain and the skies above. For more information, email sales@flairplc.co.uk.

Playmobil 01268 548 111 | www.playmobil.co.uk One of the world’s most successful car manufacturers, VW, has teamed up with Playmobil for the release of two new models; the original Camper Bus ‘Bulli’ from Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles and the popular VW Beetle, which have both made their debut in Playmobil form. The VW Camper Van, affectionately known as the ‘Bulli’, has been a reliable motoring companion for 70 years, and has earned a special place in its owners’ hearts for generations. Reflecting the freedom and independence it offers fans to this day, the Playmobil-Volkswagen T1 Camper Van comes fully equipped with a seating area, travel kitchen, sleeping area and plenty of storage space for adventures. The second Volkswagen addition to the Playmobil fleet is also a legend in its own right. The VW Beetle is a true classic with over 21m units produced. It was the world’s best-selling car for a long time, before it was surpassed by the VW Golf. It shone on the big screen as the film star Herbie and is still in use as a family car all over the world. In addition to its original design and precise workmanship, the Playmobil miniature also sports a roof rack and a host of accessories for added play value.

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Race fun for EVERY age group Turbo action with Carrera GO!!!

For further licence information, please refer to our website and the Carrera 2021 Catalogue

More than a game - Carrera FIRST!

20063036 Mario Kart™ - Royal Raceway (3.5m) - AVAILABLE NOW

20063028 Mario Kart™ (2.9m) - AVAILABLE NOW

20062491 Mario Kart™ (4.9m) - AVAILABLE NOW

20062492 Mario Kart™ - Mach 8 (5.3m) - AVAILABLE NOW

O!!! RA G E R AR TO C -Wing ON P O S ™ ING rio Kart 2 M 3 O 5 a C M 062 021 20

BLE

ILA AVA 20063032 PAW Patrol - Race ‘N’ Rescue (3.5m) - AVAILABLE NOW

20063035 PAW Patrol - On the Double (2.9m) - AVAILABLE NOW

O For ages 3+

O O O O

Battery operated - up to 6 hours play time! Ergonomic controllers for smaller hands Themed decorative elements Popular licences

Carrera Revell UK Ltd

20062535 PAW Patrol - Ready Race Rescue (4.9m) - AVAILABLE Q2 2021 O O O O O

For ages 6+ Detailed 1:43 scale racers Ergonomic controllers with ‘turbo’ function Action accessories Popular licences

Tel.: 01296 660 291 / Email: office.uk@carrera-revell.com / www.carrera-toys.com - Enquiries welcome

fresh FRESH THIS MONTH:

Each month Fresh sets out to find the latest products that will have toy retailers reaching for the phone. In March we have new releases from: Canal, Craft Buddy, Jazwares, Little Tikes, MGA, SES Creative and TY.

My Squishy Little Dumplings Jazwares 020 3598 5119 | www.jazwares.comv

Jazwares has announced the launch of My Squishy Little Dumplings from WowWee. Predicted to be the hottest new collectible from the makers of Fingerlings, My Squishy Little Dumplings will be available in the UK from May. Kids can collect four adorable interactive characters, each with a big personality and cute accessories. Perfect palm-sized pals, when kids squeeze their dumpling’s cheeks, a unique personality will pop out. There are also over 50 reactions to discover and enjoy; kids can dress them, tickle them, shake them and toss them to see them light up and hear their cute sounds. A shiny new limited-edition drop is coming for autumn. Jazwares and WowWee have strong and engaging launch plans in place to promote My Squishy Little Dumplings, with TV and digital marketing campaigns, influencer activity, PR and social media campaigns being activated through the year.

Tobi Friends: Chatter and Beeper Little Tikes 0845 0533 333 | www.mgae.com

Tech is now a huge area of development for the Little Tikes brand. Last year saw the arrival Tobi Robot Smartwatch, a revolutionary new smartwatch for kids. Spring will see the Tobi range extended with the launch of Tobi Friends: Chatter and Beeper, a duo of interactive electronic voice-activated toys. Suitable for kids aged four and above, Tobi Friends are ideal for both solo and group play, and help to ignite creativity and role-play. Chatter and Beeper react to voices and sounds by lighting up and moving, and offer three different ways to play by responding to kids, other Tobi Friends, and even Tobi Robot Smartwatch; when the watch is nearby, they will respond to Tobi’s expressions, emojis, alarms and more. Tobi Friends have a playful, interactive personality and converse in their own special language, offering a fun and creative play experience.

Yoga and play mats

SES Creative 01304 746030 | www.ses-creative.com Yoga is good for confidence building and concentration, as well as being relaxing yet active source of fun. SES Creative’s Animal Yoga is designed to let kids enjoy yoga with their friends. Participants spin the wheel, take a card, and see which pose they should do; relax like a sloth or be as nimble as a cat. There are 27 poses comprising a varied mix of balance exercises and power moves. Children looking for adventure and discovery will enjoy the Safari Play mat. Complete with five safari animals and featuring a handy storage function, this safarithemed mat can be taken anywhere and used on various surfaces, both indoors and outdoors. When it is ready to be packed up, parents can clean it easily before quickly turning it into a handy storage bag.

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h Working Together to Keep Bad Toys Away

Contact us to discuss how we can help ensure the safety and quality of your products. MTS can help you mitigate risks whilst offering cost effective solutions. • UK toy laboratory – physical, ﬂammability & chemical testing • UK Approved Body for toys • Global laboratory locations • Europe & Asia inspection services • Factory auditing • Consultancy & risk assessments

For more information email us at:

mat@mts-uk.co.uk or call us on:

+44 (0)113 248 8830 www mts-global com

MTS TOY ADVERT.indd 1

16/12/2020 12:20

fresh L.O.L. Surprise Dance Dance Dance! MGA Entertainment 0845 0533 333 | www.mgae.com

The newest series from MGA, L.O.L. Surprise Dance Dance Dance! includes L.O.L. Surprise Dance Dance Dance OMG Fashion dolls, L.O.L. Surprise Dance Tots and the L.O.L. Surprise Dance Machine and is set to hit shelves from 8th March. Within the series, Dance Dance Dance OMG Fashion Dolls are the big sisters to L.O.L. Surprise dolls. Characters Major Lady, B-Gurl, Miss Royale and Virtuelle each have 15 surprises and a unique unboxing experience. Each fashion doll boasts stunning features, beautiful hair, their own fabulous style and is fully articulated to strike a variety of poses and dance moves. Kids can unbox the TV package to reveal each doll’s unique dance move and use the included black light to discover glowing surprises. The new L.O.L. Surprise Dance Machine lets the dolls travel in style, thanks to its stylish metallic blue and purple finish. The vehicle includes a pool, dance floor and an exclusive new doll: Dancebot. The Dance Machine’s seats can be adjusted to fit any size L.O.L. Surprise doll, and an impressive array of features includes working headlights, adjustable seats, seatbelts, fold-out mirrors, a glove compartment that opens, keys, a cup holder and more. Shining the included black light will also reveal a variety of neon surprises. There are 12 L.O.L. Surprise Dance Tots to collect, each with eight surprises, including a black light to reveal glowing features and a holographic dance card that will instruct kids how to perfect unique dance moves themselves. These dances include the “Wheels on the Coupe”, “Vogue It BB” and “Runway Surprise”.

New Squish-A-Boos characters Ty 023 9387 6600 sales@tyuk.co.uk Ty toys are instantly recognisable and known for their high quality and attractive pricing. For spring/summer 2021, the company has introduced its latest range of Squish-ABoos. This collection of collectible plush characters features a unique and tactile texture that makes them soft and cuddly. New characters including Bloomy the Bunny and Popper the Chick, both of which are ideal Easter gifting options, are available in a smaller 10” size. The new range is also still available to purchase in the larger original 14” size. All are suitable from birth once the tag is removed. Retailers can speak to Ty’s experienced and friendly sales team for ideas on unique and cost-effective ways of showing off Squish-A-Boos in-store. Eye-catching display stands are available for those looking to create a bigger impact.

Disney Crystal Art Canvas Kits Craft Buddy 0203 417 6565 www.craftbuddyltd.co.uk

Launching this month, Craft Buddy introduces a collection of Disney licensed Crystal Art Canvas Kits in a raft of different sizes and multi-character designs, each pre-mounted on wooden frames for easy display. Four 30x30cm kits featuring instantly recognisable Disney favourites will launch as part of the new collection: Elsa, Anna & Olaf, Lion King Family, Pooh and Tigger, and Minnie and Mickey. Larger designs include three 40x50cm Crystal Art Kits - The Lion King Medley, Beauty and the Beast Medley, and Lady & The Tramp - alongside a 70x70cm Kit featuring Frozen Friends and a 90x65cm Disney Princess Medley design. The technique used to produce sparkling Crystal Art is similar to painting by numbers, with each design featuring a numbered, adhesive template. Using the included pick up pen, kids simply lift up the coloured crystals and place them on the corresponding dots. Affixing instantly, the result is a beautiful piece of rhinestone art which can be kept or given to loved ones.

Anti-Bacterial Slime

Canal Toys 01904 379 123 / 07400 261 857 | www.canaltoys.fr/en Canal Toys, the company behind fun make-it-yourself ranges including So Slime DIY, So Sand DIY and So Bomb DIY, has launched its innovative new Anti-Bacterial Slime. With the Covid-19 pandemic raging on across the globe, the need for enhanced hygiene and cleanliness, especially hand washing and sanitising, is more important than ever. Canal’s Anti-Bacterial Slime is unique and the first of its type to hit the market. The product is the result of a long period of R&D, testing and certification, starting before Covid-19 emerged. The company has been able to accelerate its launch plans, meaning Anti-Bacterial Slime hit shelves and countertops in February. Each pocket-sized metal tin contains a generous amount of the non-sticky, super stretchy slime compound, which kills up to 99.99% of bacteria on hands – the same as commercially available gels or foams. This makes the now-routine practice of hand-sanitising fun and enjoyable for kids, as well as those who may find the sensation of gel unpleasant. The slime can be used over and over, as the anti-bacterial properties last up to one month, and the slime is fully EN71 and EN1276 tested. UK retailers can opt for a 24-piece CDU display of individual pots, perfect for POS pick-up purchases, and 4-pack tubes containing a range of colours. There are six colours of slime in total, broadening the appeal – green, red, blue, light blue, pink and purple – with RRPs from £2.99-9.99. Please contact MD Anthony Grimaud for more information: anthonyg@canaltoys.uk.

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can you RESist

the squish!?

Feature

Science & Nature

Absolutely curious

With many of the nation’s schoolkids still locked down at home, remote learning remains the order of the day, and time spent in nature has been limited (due to both Covid restrictions and miserable British weather). But with education in the spotlight and the changing seasons bringing the promise of much more time spent outdoors, Rachael Simpson-Jones finds out how toy companies are throwing open the doors to a world of discovery this year.

raditionally a category that sees its strongest sales at Christmas, when parents and grandparents aim to stick at least one educational gift under the tree, a year of on-off school closures has seen science toys come to the rescue of home-schooling parents across the nation. As Simon Tomlinson, marketing manager at Learning Resources, notes, before the pandemic children in school were largely being educated screen-free in the classroom, with screen play restricted to evenings and weekends. However, the switch to home learning means children are on screens pretty much all day. Learning Resources’ own research now indicates that 82% of parents are looking for ways to encourage their

child’s learning through play, while 72% are actively taking steps to limit screen time. As a brand, Learning Resources is ideally placed to answer these concerns. The company offers strong sub brands in the Science and Nature category including its Primary Science, GeoSafari and GeoSafari Jr. ranges, and a selection of engaging new products is on the way. Coding is also a strong area of growth. The company ensures its toys are easily accessible and appealing to children by designing the products with them in mind, allowing kids learn by themselves as well as with others, inspiring their curiosity, and giving satisfaction through play. “I’m really excited by our new Circuit Explorer range, which takes learning about circuits off a flat

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board and into a 3D space-themed world,” Simon enthuses. “Children can build a Rocket that lights up, a Rover that lights up and moves, and a Deluxe Space Station that incorporates lights, motion and sound into the play experience. It’s a really innovative approach to developing STEM learning and helping children discover the basics of circuitry through play. When children line up the circuitry graphics on the pieces of this STEM construction toy range, and snap them together in the correct order, the pieces power up. Each toy in the range includes robot and astronaut figurines and is great for hours of pretend play, and the child-safe circuits mean kids can keep connecting on their own. The range looks really cool too.”

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Science & Nature

Brainstorm Toys, a name synonymous with highquality educational toys, recognises that over the past year, kids have missed out on many of the interactive learning elements they would experience in the classroom, from experiments to exposure to different educational materials. Its toys, therefore, which help kids learn about subjects during key stages of the curriculum in a fun way, have been extremely popular - and have inspired a thirst for further independent learning opportunities. Space – which the latest NPD results show is the second fastest growing toy theme in the UK – comprises a major part of the Brainstorm portfolio. And with NASA having just put out a major call for female and disabled astronauts to possibly travel to Mars, interest in space exploration and the planets is likely to increase even further this year (applications close 31st March, if anyone reading this is interested). Timed to perfection, the introduction of Night Sky to the range lets kids discover stars, the solar system, constellations and the moon, all projected straight onto the ceiling up to 3.65m wide. “The past year has shown that toys are important purchases for parents and 2020 has made them assess what benefits their child gets from a toy - anything that helps with home learning rates highly,” says Debra Tiffany, marketing manager at Brainstorm Toys. “I think 2021 will be a brilliant year for science and STEM products across all categories; we’re looking forward to seeing not only how successful our products are, but how innovative the industry is as a whole.” Simon at Learning Resources also tells me that kids are ‘yearning to get outside and play, discover more about the world around them, and return to the basics of getting their hands and knees dirty with their families and friends’. As discussed in our Outdoor Toys article this month, outdoor play is certainly going to be a major focus for parents and caregivers over the coming months, with experts highlighting the importance of time outside for stress management. We already know that spending time in nature is good for us, whether that’s a walk in the woods, nurturing plants on a balcony, or spotting birds in the garden with the aid of some binoculars (and some tea and biscuits). Programmes such as David Attenborough’s latest, somewhat heartbreaking, documentary series, A Perfect Planet, will also have helped foster a love of and interest in the natural world and its inhabitants, and Lego’s Young Explorer competition, held last summer in partnership with the National Trust, encouraged budding explorers to create imaginative and adventurous nature scenes using Lego bricks. Thousands of children got involved, demonstrating the huge appeal of combining nature with play. Hopefully, we’ll see similar events this summer – demand is most definitely there. At Guidecraft, the belief is that play is more beneficial when it is centred upon nature, because, as

humans, we have an inherent inclination to respond favourably to it. Lorna Smith, director of sales EMEA, says: “Whether consciously or subconsciously, nature stimulates all of the senses and enhances a child’s physical, mental and emotional growth. Positive experiences with natural materials also strengthen a child’s respect for the natural world in the long-term. Lockdowns and limited access to family-friendly activities during the peak of the pandemic, as well as continued online learning for many young children, has resulted in an increased interest and need for outdoor, nature-based activities. Natural, organic toys that connect children to their environments became necessary during screen breaks and provided safe ways to play.” Guidecraft products encourage a relationship between creative play and the natural world, best supported by the application of materials. For example, items such as Guidecraft Little Pavers can be used with natural earth elements including water, clay, sand and dirt. Discovery Frames, meanwhile, let kids create artistic designs with items and objects found in nature - leaves and other plants (collected mindfully), stones and pebbles, sticks and bark. “Early exploration may be sporadic and organic, but with experience, and growth through play, children can use their twine Discovery Frames canvases for more purposeful, mixed-material works of art,” adds Lorna. “Display, suspend, submerge, wave or spin the frames for additional cause and effect discoveries.” “Nature toys are uplifting in more ways than one,” says Paul Reader, marketing manager at Toymaster. “More and more of our members are now offering these sorts of lines, and we’re seeing traction on products like bug farms and bird feeders really increase; let’s face it – kids just love bugs, whether it’s digging them out from under logs or observing captive colonies of ants. Our members are also reporting great success with PlayMonster UK’s Fairy Garden range and the Peppa Pig Grow & Play flowerpots too, which are helping bring pre-schoolers into this area for the first time.” The Grow & Play range is being expanded for 2021, across brands including Peppa Pig, My Fairy Garden (it’s worth noting that Fairies have also made NPD’s list of fastest growing toy themes for

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this year) and My Living World. PlayMonster UK says children of all ages identify with these brands, and that they provide a creative link to the natural world, letting kids connect with nature by exploring natural bug habitats and creating miniindoor gardens. “One of our most exciting new products being launched in the Science and Nature category is the My Living World Bug Photography Kit,” says Justin Clasby, senior marketing manager, PlayMonster UK. “This product allows the child to see nature’s creatures in a special viewing capsule via a macro lens that attaches to a smart phone camera to get even closer to their insect subject matter.” He adds: “We have already seen strong success, with My Fairy Garden appearing on TV from January, and we’re rolling out further investment to drive awareness across social, digital and in-store POS. All campaigns will continue to focus on nature and preservation of the natural world, and tie in to school STEM programmes/forest schools to help teach children about the importance of nature and it’s link with the future of our planet.” Brainstorm Toys worked closely with its retail partners throughout 2020 to fully support their marketing efforts. Debra says the company will continue the maintain these close relationships, helping retailers maximise sales of its products both in store and online. She says: “We have really robust and ambitious marketing plans for 2021 including TV advertising, which we have increased year on year. This will focus on key lines including Aqua Dragons as well as core Brainstorm Toys products. Our social and PR activity will also ramp up to drive brand awareness and traffic to our retailers and will increase during key selling periods.” Simon Tomlinson, meanwhile, explains how Learning Resources marketing plans reflect the changing nature of the toy market. “There can be no question that how customers research and shop in the toy market has changed due to the pandemic,” he says. “The shift to online and eCommerce cannot be ignored, and many of our retail partners have developed their online offerings accordingly. We will continue to invest in digital search and display, eCommerce partnerships and promotions. We have also seen huge growth in audience and engagement on our social media channels. Social influencers have also been very effective for us, with our home learning content and products driving significant brand awareness. Like everyone, we are keen to see bricks & mortar stores reopen so that we can once again support our retail partners with in-store support and experiential activity, and, as in previous years, will work with retailers to form bespoke plans to support seasonal and product campaigns.” Over the next few pages, Toy World brings you a selection of the newest Science and Nature toys keeping kids happy this year, whether that’s outdoors, indoors, or in home classrooms.

Science & Nature

Brainstorm 01200 445 113 | www.brainstormltd.co.uk New for 2021 is Night Sky, which allows kids to enjoy the wonders of space from their bedroom by projecting ultra-sharp images of the solar system, moon and constellations, as well as an awe-inspiring view of 20,000 stars in the Hawaiian night sky, up to 3.65 metres wide on walls and ceilings. Night Sky features a 30-minute auto shut off plus a ‘secret code’ to unlock space information on the Brainstorm website. The new Light Up Crystal Lab lets young scientists create and grow their own clear, green, and blue crystals. Finished crystals can be displayed in a light-up pyramid that acts as a unique night light; a colour changing LED base illuminates the crystals in seven different colours. The Outdoor Adventure range, which currently includes Monocular, Compass, Microscope and more, proved popular in 2020. This year will see the addition of Paracord Wristbands, a must-have accessory for mini adventurers and adults alike. Each kit contains everything needed to make eight cool wristbands from super-strong paracord used to make parachutes. There are eight buckles included, two of which boast a built-in compass. As well as looking great, the brightly coloured wristbands are useful on camping trips and walks as they can be unravelled to use as spare guy lines, bootlaces, washing lines and more. The Aqua Dragons range allows children to experience the joys of looking after a first pet, and teaches them about life cycles. The Aqua Dragons Underwater World Eggspress is an egg-shaped kit that includes everything a child needs to hatch and grow their own Aqua Dragons, aquatic creatures that have been living in the sea and salty lakes since prehistoric times. Featuring eggs, food and a feeding spoon, children can feed and nurture their Aqua Dragons as they hatch and grow.

Learning Resources 01553 762 276 | www.learning-resources.co.uk The GeoSafari Jr. range from Learning Resources introduces young children to the wonders of science and STEM learning through hands-on exploration and play. GeoSafari Jr. toys are great for introducing children as young as three to scientific equipment such as a microscopes, telescopes, and binoculars. The range has been designed to be colourful and engaging, and to result in a fun and successful play experience every time. Design features include chunky knobs and dials that are easy for little hands to use, while viewing toys in the range feature dual eyepieces so children don’t need to close one eye when viewing. Eyepieces are also designed for a young child’s pupillary distance. The new GeoSafari Jr. Talking Wildlife Camera is a toy camera that takes children aged four and above on a picture- safari with one of Australia Zoo’s resident wildlife warriors, Robert Irwin. The camera has 130 built-in HD wildlife images including some of Robert’s own photos, plus more than 120 fun facts narrated by Robert, and over 120 quiz questions to aid learning. New GeoSafari Jr. KidScope is ideal for introducing budding scientists to slide investigation. The KidScope comes with 60 high-quality close-up images on 15 circular slides that guarantee a successful viewing experience each time. Children can also place their own specimens on the viewing stage and take a closer look using the microscope’s 3x magnification and LED light. After play, the slides can be stored in the KidScope for convenience. The award-winning GeoSafari Jr. Kidnoculars Extreme let children hear what they see when exploring nature. These lightweight, durable binoculars offer 3x magnification, and are focus-free. The microphone and headphone audio pieces are built into the binoculars, making this nature exploration toy ready for any outdoor adventure. For more information, contact sales@learningresources.co.uk.

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Science & Nature

Toynamics UK & Ireland 0116 478 5230 | www.toynamics.co.uk Hape’s Junior Inventor Range of scientific toys and kits gives children as young as four the opportunity to interact with mechanical phenomena. Every set features child-friendly pieces which are simple to assemble, alongside components and tools designed for children’s hands and all skill levels. Children can enjoy a variety of experiments while also learning about experimental processes and concepts including energy transfer, momentum and gravity. Fun and educational, the Junior Inventor range helps develop logical thinking and an understanding of STEAM principles. The range includes two Scientific Workbenches and Toolboxes containing 6, 10 or 15 experiments. Children can also download the Junior Inventor app, which features instructional videos for every experiment. The biggest set in the Junior Inventor range is the Deluxe Scientific Workbench, a fully constructed workbench featuring a storage layer. Coming complete with enough material for more than 15 different experiments, this all-encompassing workbench is a great way to teach children the process of experimentation. For young scientists on the go, the range also includes a portable version, the Discovery Scientific Workbench. This 58-piece set lets kids conduct 10 different experiments. One of several science kits available from the Junior Inventor range, the award-winning Magnetic Science Lab allows kids explore the world of magnet science via seven fun and educational experiments. The entire collection benefits from engaging consumer product videos to support online promotion of the range. Hape is exclusively distributed by Toynamics in the UK and Ireland. To find out more, email sales@toynamics.co.uk.

Junko 0203 195 3831 | www.planetjunko.com The award-winning Junko Zoomer! and Junko Water! kits introduce children to basic scientific and mechanical principles via a creative toy adventure they control themselves. When kids play with a Junko Zoomer! Kit, they’ll learn step-by-step the processes needed to make a vehicle work. Artistic, design and construction skills will be put to the test as they craft their own body using available materials from their household recycling, before engaging in some problem solving - joining those materials together using Junko’s innovative connectors. Kids will also learn the physical nature of a range of materials, and develop their measuring and cutting skills. Junko believes overtly educational toys can be off-putting for kids due to the set play patterns they often involve. Reflecting this belief, Junko instructions are minimal, and each kit can be combined with a variety of cans, boxes, bottles, cartons etc. to make an infinite number of toys. Parent and grandparent approved, Junko is totally mechanical, requiring no electronics, apps, or batteries; power comes from a ‘hackable’ rubber-band drive. Kids can experiment by removing the rubber bands from the wheels, firing up the rubber band drive, and watching the wheels spin. Doubling up the magnets on a connector will make them stick even better. The Junko Water! Kit, meanwhile, will convert a Zoomer! into an aquatic vehicle, by replacing the rear wheels with paddles. Further experiment is encouraged, as kids aim to draw even more power from the band drive and propel their ‘boat’ across the surface of a bath or paddling pool. Not only do Junko kits teach kids about the positive impact of upcycling, they also help develop awareness of recycling and the correct management of waste. All products are manufactured in Europe from recycled plastic, and are packaged plastic-free. Developed with input from industry experts, Junko is offering a lesson plan to schools and home-schoolers over the coming months, which roots the kits firmly into the KS2 national curriculum. For more information, email sayhello@laserbeameyes.com.

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Science & Nature

World Alive (34) 650 695 721 | www.aquadragons.net Aqua Dragons, a top 10 best-selling brand in the Science category throughout 2020, gives children the chance to hatch and grow their own live aquatic pets at home. Artemia salinas, the scientific name for Aqua Dragons, are aquatic creatures from the crustacea family. When dried, their eggs go into diapause, which suspends development for years, or even decades, until they find themselves in the right conditions to emerge. The newly launched Aqua Dragons Deluxe Colour Changing Aquarium comes with everything kids need to bring the eggs to life. Along with the eggs, there’s a pipette for oxygenation and a measuring spoon to ensure precise food quantities are delivered. The aquarium has a built-in magnifier which makes it possible to see the tiny creatures as they hatch. The main feature of the Colour Changing Aquarium’s range is a mountain which changes colour according to the temperature in the tank. Blue is too cool and red too warm, while green is just right for healthy and active Aqua Dragons. Children can manage the temperature easily without the need for a thermometer. The deluxe version includes LED illumination for viewing Aqua Dragons by night. Kids can watch as their pets hatch and develop first into nauplius, then into adults up to 2cm long in around eight days. Aqua Dragons possess quirky traits kids love, like three eyes, and can develop what look like long tails but are, in fact, Aqua Dragon poo. Under optimal conditions they will even reproduce, with observable mating behaviour and females carrying a visible egg sac. There is a range of Aqua Dragons products available to suit the interests of all budding scientists, including a Space collection featuring Aqua Dragons eggs which actually went to space. Aqua Dragons are currently enjoying a surge in popularity as parents seek out educational and STEM toys during the pandemic. The company is supporting the growing demand with a strong social media presence including the successful #AquaDragonsChallenge on TikTok, with over 50m views to date.

PlayMonster UK 01628 488 944 | www.interplayuk.com The award-winning My Living World range enables kids to study animals, insects and flora in close-up detail, supporting STEM learning and exploration of the natural world. Known for its Ant World and Worm World sets, the range also offers fascinating nature study kits including Bug Safari, Pocket Microscope, Flower Press, Ladybird World, Spider World, Trip World and Snail World. The play sets are hugely appealing to families looking for affordable, educational play ideas to entertain kids at home, in the garden, or at the park. PlayMonster UK has exciting news planned for the brand in 2021. The My Living World range is being relaunched with fresh new look packaging. A new Bug Photography Kit, which enables kids to view creatures up close by attaching it to a smart phone camera, will also be available from spring. The My Living World brand will be supported with social media campaigns, lifestyle press and educational campaigns throughout the year, continuing to drive awareness the natural world, as well as tying into school programmes and forest schools to help teach children about the importance of nature and the future of our planet.

H. Grossman 01603 397105 | www.tobar.co.uk HGL’s Junior Explorer range offers everything budding scientists need to discover more about the natural world. Young entomologists can choose from bug collecting tubes, a bug catcher and magnifying instruments for closer scrutiny of insect subjects, while the green fingered can grow a Venus Fly Trap or cultivate a lush green hairdo with the best- selling Mr. Grasshead. Magic Growing Crystal kits allow kids to create their own amazing crystals using a special liquid. New for 2021 are the Magic Light Up Crystal Set and the Extreme Crystal Science Set, each of which offers seven different experiments. These join the existing range, which includes a Growing Garden, the bestselling Magic Growing Tree, a Mermaid and a Unicorn. The Make your Own Clock kit requires no batteries, and helps kids develop their mechanical skills, while further kits let kids make their own compounds such as scented slime and clever putty that can be moulded, torn and bounced, all in a variety of colours. The Tobar range has geography covered too, with inflatable globes and a compass. For even more scientific pursuits, kids can choose from gyroscopes and a range of magnets. A popular product during 2020, the Solar System Planetarium encourages children to study the stars. The self- assembly planetarium has planets which can be painted with the included glow-in-the-dark paints. Space fans will also enjoy the Putty Planets Solar System; each planet opens to reveal a different colour of putty. All ranges can be viewed at www.tobar.co.uk, or contact sales@tobar. co.uk for more information.

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Jumbo Sensory River Stones Visually and tactilely inspired by natural elements, Guidecraft Jumbo Sensory River Stones allow children ages 2 and up to engage in sensory play while practicing stacking and balancing and strengthening their tactile differentiation. The oversized beech wood blocks with fixed, inset textures in beautiful, subdued colors further organic connections during natural play. Set includes 10 jumbo blocks.

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Science & Nature

Vivid 01483 449944 | www.vividtoysandgames.co.uk A key focus for Science4you is the growth of its Eco-Science range, which has the environment, sustainability and learning at its core. Children can become an eco-astronaut with the 15 experiments in Green Science, growing their own plants, learning about their role in the environment, and launching a recycled rocket. Kids can also discover the power of the plant and animal kingdoms with Nature Explorer. The range is also expanding into the climate change arena, allowing kids to discover the science behind current events. Products in the Eco-Science range are made with 80% less single use plastic and make use of recycled materials. Each set includes six engaging ecoexperiments plus 20 pieces of content and a 36-page educational book. Vivid has placed increased emphasis on offering products to a variety of age groups with the addition of Science Junior, aimed at children aged four and above. Whether kids want to understand more about the human body, explore space, or learn what it takes to become a vet, there’s a kit for everyone to enjoy. Autumn/winter also sees the introduction of Be a YouTuber, unleashing viral experiments that kids can share with their friends. Budding social media stars can create their own channel and capture experiments with crazy dough, erupting volcanos, magical visuals and more, all on video. Science4you will continue to be supported by a strong TV and digital campaign across the autumn/winter 2021 season, targeting both children and parents with engaging content across the product range.

Schleich 01279 870 000 | www.schleich-s.com/en Schleich’s Wild Life adventures continue as the Emperor Penguin, Warthog and Proboscis Monkey join endangered species such as the Anteater and the Platypus. Kids can look forward to two play sets based on the polar regions and the Andes. The Alpaca Set features an alpaca mother watching her two fluffy babies, while the Polar Playground features two young polar bears frolicking on an ice floe. The floe floats in the bathtub for added play value. If one of the bears should fall into the water, the narwhal can give it a ride back to safety. The Meerkat Hangout comes complete with three cute meerkats, while the Nutty Mischief set features two cute raccoons and a skunk, plus accessories for them to play and hide in. Schleich’s Farm World prepares to welcome a shaggy Highland Bull, Llama, Sorraia Mustang Stallion, and a Silver Dapple Mare to the collection, as well as a Jack Russell Terrier, Poodle and Bengal Cat. The Sunny Day Mobile Farm Stand, pulled by Poppy the Dartmoor pony, offers a wide range of fruit, vegetables, milk, eggs, and bread in boxes that can be loaded onto the stand and pulled home when playtime is over. Back on the farm, the Happy Cow Wash is the first product from Schleich that can be played with using real water. A rotating turntable lets kids clean the cow from every angle. In September, Schleich will launch a new collectible concept called Puzzlemals. By joining together six different front and rear animal halves from both the Wild Life and Farm World ranges, children can create funny combinations, with something new emerging each time. All Schleich figures are designed with great attention to detail and go hand-inhand with learning. For more information on the entire Schleich portfolio, and the extensive retailer options available, please email schleich@schleich-s.co.uk

Trends UK 01295 768 078 | www.trendsuk.co.uk Trends is expanding its award-winning Science Mad brand to include scientific equipment. The telescopes, microscopes, digital metal detector and walkie talkies will benefit from a strong branded presence at retail. The new Science Mad Weather Station will launch in May. This 5-in1 kit lets budding meteorologists measure wind speed and direction, rainfall and temperatures. This is an ideal set for families to explore the seasons with. Trends UK’s new Machine Works 4-Cylinder Hybrid Engine Kit will reveal what goes on under the bonnet of a hybrid vehicle. This kit creates a fully working model and provides a representation of how the internal combustion engine and electric motor work together in a hybrid system. With increasing interest in new eco technology in cars, this hybrid introduction is extremely topical.

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Science & Nature

Guidecraft 07725 833273 | www.guidecraft.com A creator of natural children’s toys for over 50 years, Guidecraft emphasises the importance of open-ended play, the beauty of organic, loose parts, and the significance of hands-on learning through children’s connections to nature. Through its range of toys, all of which are inherently educational and STEM-based, Guidecraft enriches children’s lives through constructive play and encourages them to use their imaginations in learning environments and beyond. Nature-inspired toys such as the new Jumbo Sensory River Stones provide children aged two and up with a hands-on, tactile experience that encourages lasting connections to nature. This collection of 10 over-sized, beech wood ‘stones’ features inset texture panels in subdued, natural colors, adding an additional sensory element to play. Each smooth-sanded stone, in varying sizes from 13cm to 19.5cm, will encourage young children to strengthen their fine-motor skills as they practice stacking and creating patterns, and enjoy the different textures. The Jumbo Sensory River Stones are ideal for use alongside organic elements such as dirt, sand and rocks, helping to create meaningful, open-ended play experiences in natural outdoor settings.

Bandai UK 020 8324 6160 | www.bandai.co.uk With its global positioning as an authoritative and trusted source of scientific and educational facts, the award-winning National Geographic brand has established its position as an evergreen, go-to science range within Bandai UK’s portfolio. Core to the range is the collection of best-selling Dig Kits, each of which features a piece of the natural world and a full colour learning guide. Sales are consistently high year-round and new product lines aim to keep the brand fresh and exciting. National Geographic sets are available at a range of price points starting from pocket money for mini dig kits, up to sub-£35 for the newly launched Large Kits. The new collection of Large Kits offers retailers an extended line of big value sets which include the Explorer Science Sensory Kit, Explorer Science Earth Kit, Glow-In-The-Dark Mega Science Kit and the Ultimate Gemstone Dig Kit. Each of these kits include multiple genuine specimens, equipment for hands-on learning and fun science activities for conducting experiments at home. Since its acquisition of Original Sea-Monkeys in 2018, Bandai UK continues to report a strong performance from the heritage brand, which has contributed to early science learning and play for decades. Encouraging engagement with nature/nurture-play, and an opportunity for children to grow their own aquatic pets, the Original Sea-Monkeys line is compact and affordable. A reinvigorated range includes The Ocean Zoo and Volcano Zoo, alongside new themed tanks such as the glow-in-the-dark Magiquarium, Martian-inspired On Mars, and the pink Magic Castle. The new blister packs contain everything needed to bring Sea-Monkeys to life, including eggs, food, water purifier, a feeding spoon and a handbook. Marketing plans include a robust programme of digital, social, influencer and consumer media platforms to directly target children, parents and educator audiences.

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Build Your Own 07484 543387 | www.buildyourownkits.com Build Your Own creates eco-friendly, STEM-inspired toys that kids can build themselves. The award-winning kits encourage children to immerse themselves in the fun world of science and exploration, helping to reduce screen-time and bring families together. Made from high-quality, sustainable materials, kits and packaging alike use minimal plastics without compromising on integrity. Consumers appreciate that that the cardboard kits can withstand the tough handling of children, yet are gentle on the environment. There are four products in the current Build Your Own range, including a Telescope and a Microscope. Each offers unique functions and build challenges that encourage children to learn through play while developing their problem-solving and dexterity skills. The Build Your Own Microscope kit lets kids press out the pre-cut parts, and add the lenses and mirror to create an impressive, portable microscope. Perfect for examining garden mini-beasts, leaves, feathers and more, they’ll be amazed by what they can see with the 30x magnification. The focusing dials help children adjust the zoom, reducing or increasing the detail of the specimens they are examining, while a smart phone can be used to light up the object being examined via the built-in periscope. New products are launching early summer and throughout 2021, including an exciting new Mini-Build format. All launches will be supported with marketing campaigns including digital, PR and social media activity, plus much more.

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Redlands Distribution 07927 552423 www.redlandsdistribution.com Ideal for STEM learning, the Discovery #Mindblown range offers plenty of science and engineering play options. A key focus for summer is the new mini excavation kits, which let budding geologists unearth fossils and gems. Themed sets include Fossil, Gemstone, Shark Tooth and Treasure. The awardwinning Planetarium Space Projector helps children learn about the universe. Redlands is also introducing the Discovery Telescope and Metal Detector into the science range this year.

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Allegedly

Suppliers have been experiencing the joys of ‘negotiating’ with Amazon over new terms. I saw an example of a terms review form recently, and all I can say is, “rather you than me.” If I were to sum up the process, it goes roughly like this: “Tick this box if you want to be screwed (in fact, to make your life easier, we’ve ticked it for you). Alternatively, tick this box to be royally screwed. Oh, and by the way, you need to reduce most of your prices by 10%. And pay us to hold stock. Or pay us even more to send it back to you. Have a nice day.” Predictably, there doesn’t seem to be a box marked “Freight costs are through the roof, the RNB is strengthening against the US dollar and raw material & labour costs are going up in China, so I need to charge a little bit more to reflect my increased cost structure.” I read an article recently in which one US vendor estimated that for every $100 worth of products he sold on Amazon last year, his company kept on average $48.25. Yet people still moan about The Entertainer’s “unreasonable margin requirements” (some suppliers’ views, not mine). The clever thing which Amazon does is to hide many of the costs in extra charges and ‘optional’ advertising or marketing opportunities. Who says artificial intelligence isn’t improving all the time… Brexit is turning out to be the gift that keeps on giving. I’m still waiting for the sunlit uplands that we were promised (or even someone to give me one tangible benefit from the whole sorry mess), but in the meantime, the reality of what ‘we’ voted for is hitting home for so many UK companies and consumers. We’ve already seen the seismic effect it is having on small sellers on online platforms such as Amazon and eBay: the extra charges now levied are resulting in many sellers being uncompetitive and losing EU orders hand over fist. Some suppliers are even struggling to persuade principals to send samples over from the EU. One received an email which said: “Basically, it is very difficult at the moment to send products to the UK - even more if they are free products…” However, it has emerged that one country is already benefitting from a Brexit dividend. Sadly, that country is The Netherlands, rather than the UK. It turns out that numerous UK companies are exploring moving their logistics operation to Holland to avoid port delays, extra freight costs and new VAT and customs tariffs. So, it turns out that Brexit did result in more jobs and business opportunities… for Dutch people. Like googling the word ‘google’, the government messaging must be confusing Brexiteers no end: “We have given you freedom from the tyranny of the EU. But if you want to continue running your business efficiently, it’s probably best to open up a subsidiary in the EU.” Irony has officially retired, but unfortunately it is restricted as to how much of its retirement time it can spend on the Costa Del Sol each year..

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Toy World 114

Astronomical shipping costs are putting increasing pressure on toy suppliers to raise prices, despite the obvious pitfalls of going down that particular route. The subject made the BBC News last month, and while that specific story focused on outdoor toys, the reality is that all toy categories are at risk, especially when you factor in the rising cost of raw materials and labour in China, together with the strengthening of the RMB against the US dollar in recent weeks – the perfect storm. The person interviewed by the BBC (Rebo’s James Owen) even suggested that he may need to look at making more product in the UK if the situation escalates further, thus turning 40 years of understanding how the toy trade works on its head in one fell swoop. Maybe this was the government’s plan all along? (Narrator: “This wasn’t the government’s plan. There was no plan – cunning or otherwise.”) … For one year only (hopefully), Toy Fair Season has been replaced by Virtual Toy Fair Season, which is still in full swing. Collectively, the toy industry has come a long way from the days of “you’re on mute” and “sorry, I can’t actually see that on my screen.” Presentations no longer constitute ‘death by power point’ either; they’re fun, engaging and immersive, full of clever little twists. Clearly we are all missing seeing people and products in the flesh, but digital presentations and meetings are now very much part of the business landscape. It’s lovely to see how each company has tried to inject a little fun and personality into proceedings. Virtual previews are getting better and more effective all the time and I suspect they will become a permanent fixture. I don’t believe they will replace physical events (no matter how excited accountants are at the prospect of saving mountains of cash), but they can certainly run alongside them, extending the number of people who can be involved and offering maximum flexibility to all parties… On the subject of Toy Fairs, the BTHA will be opening the booking process for Toy Fair 2022 towards the end of March. Deposit payments have been reduced and will be fully refunded should the show not be able to take place, while space costs have been frozen - all of which is tremendously reassuring for exhibitors. And even though the show couldn’t run this year, it was great to see that the Toy Trust media auction still raised a fantastic £72,000 for the Toy Trust – a great start to the year’s fundraising efforts that will enable it to support many small UK charities again this year, which is more important than ever in the current climate.

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Toy World Magazine March 2021

Articles inside

NPD Insight

Science & Nature

Action Vehicles

Viewpoint

Little Tikes

Outdoor Toys

Playmobil - Rise up!

Letter from America

Talking Shop - Ready when you are!

Giraffe Insights - Bridging the gap

Generation Media - Tapping into TikTok: top tips for toymakers

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