Toy World Magazine November 2022 by TOYWORLD MAGAZINE

November 2022 Volume 12 Issue 03

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The Team...

CONTENTS November 2022 Volume 12 Issue 03

John Baulch

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

34 Special Feature: Toys R Us UK

48 Feature: Q1 Ranges

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

05 06 16 18 22

26 29 40 40 124

34 38 48 82 86 118 120

From the Publisher News Industry Moves Marketing World Licensing World

NPD Talking Shop Viewpoint Fresh Allegedly

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

Special Feature: Toys R Us UK Company Profile: Curious Universe Feature: Q1 Ranges Feature: Outdoor Toys Special Feature: Nerfball Special Feature: Icecat Special Feature: ICTI Ethical Toy Program

The NPD Group | Mark Buschhaus Stephen Barnes | Jonathan Chambers Asha Bhalsod | Peadar Drislane | Richard Gotllieb

86 Special Feature: Nerfball

82 Feature: Outdoor Toys

Sam Giltrow

Assistant Editor sam@toyworldmag.co.uk 01442 502 406

Suzie Sparkes

Editorial Assistant suzie@toyworldmag.co.uk 01442 502 406

Mark Crowford

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

Alakat Published by

www.toyworldmag.co.uk @toyworldmag @baulchtweet

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o much has happened since I wrote last month’s Leader column that I almost don’t know where to start. Unfortunately, most of the developments were not exactly what we needed ahead of the allimportant Christmas period. The short version is that the UK economy was tanked by a horrendously misjudged mini-budget, the pound fell to record lows against the dollar and mortgage rates went through the roof (at the same time that new higher energy bills kicked in) – all in the space of a single week. To top it all, the Prime Minister resigned just as this issue went to press.

from the publisher

John Baulch - @Baulchtweet

To say that these events dented an already fragile consumer confidence would be an understatement. I attended a fascinating NPD presentation in London last month, which reinforced what I had been hearing anecdotally about September trade – it really wasn’t good. The month started in a relatively lacklustre fashion, before plummeting rapidly downhill in the second half of the month, with the Queen’s death & subsequent mourning period, followed by the disastrous mini budget, applying a double whammy to sales in the final two weeks of September. However, with eight key weeks’ trading before the big day, let’s try to remain positive: things can change very quickly out at retail and we can take some comfort from the adage that, no matter how rubbish the preceding months have been, parents will always do their best to make sure their kids have a good Christmas. Once the nights draw in, Christmas ads start popping up on TV and retailers apply a festive makeover to their stores, it will provide a warm glow and welcome relief that – after a tough year – something nice is just around the corner. Whether that feelgood factor is enough to overcome the very real financial pressure that many families will be facing remains to be seen - but never underestimate the determination of parents to provide a memorable Christmas for their children. With some senior retail figures openly admitting that this could be the “most value-driven Christmas ever”, I suspect we are going to see numerous retail promotions over the coming weeks – I even hear that some toy companies are switching money from media budgets to fund retail promotions. Inventory levels at retail will undoubtedly be a factor in the frequency and depth of promotional activity; apparently, over in the US, analysts are suggesting that toy inventory levels are at record highs. That may not necessarily be the case here in the UK, but I think we can all agree that stock shortages are unlikely to be a major factor this year (except on a few red-hot lines). Historically, one third of UK toy sales in Q4 are on

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promotion – will that figure rise even higher this year? Will consumers wait for promotions to purchase, with many household budgets likely to be squeezed? In fairness, NPD presented compelling statistical evidence which suggested that traditionally, toy sales are largely unrelated to economic pressures: the biggest sales dips in the past two decades coincided with the demise of Woolworths and Toys R Us, not when the UK economy went to hell in a handcart. But will that still be the case this year? Will shoppers want to spend at the same level as before – and even if they have the desire, will they physically be able to afford to do so? The truth is that we don’t know. Each consumer will have to make that decision for themselves. Some will be relatively unaffected by the prevailing economic headwinds, others more so. US toy sales have held up remarkably well this year, predominantly because of the massive stimulus grant given to families by the government – that generous giveaway hasn’t happened here, although a modest contribution has been made by the UK government to partially offset the rise in energy costs over this winter. That payment may yet be sufficient to enable many families to avoid cutting back on festive spending. For others, it won’t be nearly enough. The old adage says that ‘hope is not a strategy’ – but I think we have to hold on to the hope that families will continue to do all they can to give their kids the best Christmas possible. Meanwhile, as we all keep a close watch on sales figures in the run-up to Christmas, it’s also important for retailers to keep one eye on the early part of next year. Our two main features this month focus on the first half of the year, with an in-depth look at the new ranges which will be introduced to the market in Q1, plus a separate round-up of the latest Outdoor launches for 2023. Despite the unavoidable challenges of 2022, it seems there is no shortage of new product arriving early in the New Year, a testament to the enduring optimism of the toy community. We also have an interview in this issue with the man behind the return of Toys R Us to the UK, Louis Mittoni, who we spoke to shortly after the new website went live last month. Early feedback was encouraging, as it was for the Toys R Us stores which were recently launched in branches of Macy’s across the USA. I am sure that another successful specialist toy retail brand will be enthusiastically welcomed by toy suppliers, so it will be fascinating to follow Toys R Us’ journey over the coming months. Let’s all keep our fingers crossed that by the time you read this column, festive sales will have started to kick in – and our government hasn’t inflicted any further damage on the economy.

News Registration for Toy Fair 2023 now open

Hasbro announces plan to grow profit 50% over next three years

Toy Fair 2023 is now open for all buyers, retailers, licensors, media and the wider industry to register for free. Organisers The British Toy & Hobby Association (BTHA) say the whole industry ‘can expect to be wowed’ with exclusive previews of all the hottest new toys, trends and themes for 2023, all whilst enjoying invaluable face-to-face meetings with the wider industry under one roof. Visitors will also be able to access exclusive on-site retail offers. Attendees from any of the past three Toy Fairs will receive a Smart Link to their existing profile to re-register Taking place from 24th-26th January at Olympia London, Toy Fair 2023 marks the trade event’s 69th year. The unmissable show will play host to more than 250 exhibiting companies including Learning Resources, IMC Toys, Character Options, Ravensburger, Smiffys, Schleich and Orchard Toys, among many others. Toy Fair will be the UK’s first opportunity of the year for visitors to get hands-on with thousands of exciting new product launches across a range of categories. Press Day will be on Tuesday 24th January and the dedicated Influencer Day will return for 2023 on Thursday 26th January. Toy Fair TV and the Demo Zone will also be back for Toy Fair 2023. The sold-out show is gearing up to be one of the busiest yet, with renowned names occupying the Grand and National halls. Visitors should also make sure they pay a visit to the Greenhouse Area, which is full of exciting and innovative start-ups. Other confirmed exhibitors, both returning and new, include Golden Bear Toys, Hasbro, Gibsons, Lego, Posh Paws International, KAP Toys, Tonies, Magicbox, Just Play, PlayMonster, Smiffys and Marvin’s Magic. The BTHA’s director of Fairs & Special Events, Majen Immink, commented: “We can’t wait to welcome visitors to Toy Fair 2023. We’re proud to be the UK’s largest dedicated toy, game and hobby show and understand how important it is for our exhibiting companies and visitors to have face-to-face meetings with contacts across the industry, to help nurture, build and forge those relationships for the year ahead. With thousands of new and exciting products across all categories being showcased, buyers, retailers and the media are in for an inspiring and memorable show.” To register for a free visitor pass to Toy Fair 2023, visit www.toyfair. co.uk and for registration queries, contact 0845 868 5820. The full floorplan and exhibitor list can be found on the Toy Fair website.

Hasbro has hosted its first investor day under the leadership of new chief executive officer, Chris Cocks, with senior leaders from across the business unveiling the company’s new goforward plan – the result of a nine-month strategic review that is expected to deliver positive financial impact as early as the fourth quarter of this year. The company has sought to identify opportunities to focus and scale the business, enhance operational excellence and drive accelerated growth and profit. Hasbro’s outlook includes growing operating profit by 50% over the next three years, with plans to further expand operating profit margin to 20% by 2027. Guided by a new Blueprint, the company will focus investment on its most valuable franchises across toys, games, entertainment and licensing. The company is implementing an Operational Excellence programme designed to deliver $250-$300m in run rate cost savings over the next three years, with $150m expected in run rate savings by year end 2023. “This strategic approach is core to how we’ll continue to bring our strong brands to life for consumers of all ages, and how we’ll manage the business to monetise our intellectual property, drive investments, deliver profitable growth and create shareholder value,” said CEO Chris Cocks. Licensing is set for a major expansion with new and recent partnerships announced with Basic Fun on Littlest Pet Shop and Lego on Transformers, and an expanded portfolio of content across Hasbro’s 100-year IP vault. Peppa Pig, Dungeons & Dragons, Magic: The Gathering, Transfomers, Play-Doh, Nerf and iconic gaming brands such as Monopoly were highlighted as key focus brands. The company is investing in a Brand Insights Platform to enable data-based decisions, deliver superior consumer insights and speed innovation. Hasbro also announced that Magic: The Gathering has new collaborations with Final Fantasy and Assassin’s Creed and a new blockbuster 30th Anniversary Edition collectible series, inspired by Limited Edition Beta. Dungeons & Dragons will be a major growth priority with a blockbuster feature film, D&D: Honor Among Thieves, a new AAA videogame, Baldur’s Gate III, and a host of new collectibles, toys and games paired with the new movie. Hasbro’s Action Figure portfolio is on pace for a banner year in 2023 behind six blockbuster movie releases, while the company expanded on its entertainment lineup for Transformers, including a new animated kids show, Transformers: EarthSpark, a new blockbuster for June 2023, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, and an upcoming CGI feature film in summer 2024. Peppa Pig, Play-Doh and key collaborations including Marvel’s Spidey and His Amazing Friends and Lucasfilm’s Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures will anchor planned pre-school growth. The company’s direct platform, anchored by Hasbro Pulse and D&D Beyond, is also poised to become a $1b digital and eCommerce direct business.

distributor of leading brands

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News Lego delivers top line growth whilst celebrating 90th anniversary The Lego Group has reported its earnings for the six months ending 30th June, 2022. Revenue for the period grew 17% to DKK 27b compared with the same period in 2021, driven by strong demand. Consumer sales grew 13%, contributing to global market share growth. The Lego Group CEO, Niels B. Christiansen, said: “We got off to a strong start in 2022 and are very satisfied with our performance which landed above expectations after an exceptional 2021. Despite global uncertainties, we continued to deliver higher consumer sales and double-digit top line growth driven by demand for our strong portfolio and execution by our amazing team. Across the world, we celebrated our 90th anniversary and are grateful that after nearly a century Lego play remains relevant and continues to inspire families and children.” The strong revenue growth and free cash flow allowed the Lego Group to significantly accelerate strategic initiatives and offset cost inflation on raw materials, energy and freight while keeping operating profit stable at DKK 7.9b. In the first half of 2022, the Lego Group focused on expanding manufacturing capacity and building healthier inventory levels while increasing productivity following an extended period of exceptional growth rates and maxed out capacity in 2021. Lego opened 66 new stores in the first half, taking the number of stores globally to 833. During the first six months of 2022, consumer sales grew in all market groups, with especially strong performances in the Americas, Western Europe and Asia Pacific. Lego’s strategic growth initiatives drive relevance for a digital future. In April, the Lego Group announced a long-term partnership with Epic Games to create fun, safe digital experiences for kids in the metaverse, inspired by the endless possibility of the Lego brick. The Lego Group made progress against its ambition to make its packaging from sustainably sourced materials by the end of 2025. In the second half of 2022, it will begin to roll out paper-based packaging in Lego boxes in Europe. In June, the company announced plans to open its second carbon-neutral run factory in Virginia, US. The Lego Foundation, which receives 25% of the Lego Group’s dividends, pledged more than DKK 1b in donations in the first half of 2022 to support families in need and children’s development.

Three more Toymaster members given 25-year awards Toymaster, the largest buying group for independent toy retailers in the UK & Ireland, has presented awards to three more of its retailers who this year are celebrating 25 years of membership. Awards were accepted by Robert & Diane Gliddon from Gliddons Toymaster in Sidmouth; Stephen Miller from Stewart Miller Toymaster in Northern Ireland; and Mike Slocombe from Watkin Toys in Taunton. The awards were presented by Toymaster chairman Chris Blatcher in Swindon, Mike Slocombe Robert & Diane Gliddon Stewart Miller and by board member and former chairman Ciaran Fitzpatrick in Ireland, during the group’s recent regional meetings. The trio joins the following members, who were honoured with the special 25 Years Membership Awards at the Toymaster May Show earlier this year: Howleys (Weymouth), Donalds of Peterhead, Thomas Moore (Exeter), The Toy Shop in Trowbridge, Blewetts of Hayle and JAC Stores (Isle of Man). Toymaster development manager Brian McLaughlin said: “The regional meetings were a great opportunity for Toymaster members and suppliers, as well as the Toymaster team in Northampton, to catch up with each other on current trading as well as share ideas on how to support each other. They were also ideally timed: members were able to discuss final requirements and any late deals with suppliers as they head into the crucial fourth quarter. The mood of those who attended was upbeat, despite the current economic challenges; many are still seeing strong toy sales which they anticipate will continue in the run up to Christmas.” Chris Blatcher, who is also owner of JAC Stores, added: “The strength of Toymaster lies in the breadth and diversity of our members, and it is important to recognise longstanding members who have supported the group for many years. We also want to thank them for their input, which ensures Toymaster is providing the support that its members need.” Anyone interested in joining Toymaster can contact brian.mcLaughlin@toymaster.co.uk to find out more.

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BECOME A POWER RANGER WITH THE DINO KNIGHT MORPHER

News Winning Moves unveils ‘New 9’ for autumn/winter 2022 Winning Moves UK has been busy in the run up to Q4, bedding in a new 3PL warehouse partner, restructuring a sales team that has been through several significant changes recently and steadily growing its global brand. Recently, the company announced a total of nine new products landing in November 2022, all of which were only 12 weeks from idea to shelf. Kieran McNamara, head of UK Retail Sales, said: “As a business, we always analyse trends to ensure we can continue to deliver relevant products to the UK consumer and are delighted to be able to offer games that appeal to all age demographics. As such, we are releasing a Monopoly and Top Trumps pack to celebrate the historic success of the England women’s football team at the recent UEFA Women's Euro 2022 Tournament.” Kieran continued: “We are also proud of Top Trumps as a key IP and British institution and have always sought to align its appeal to topics of the day. As part of our ongoing market research, we have identified Generation Z as an important demographic and this gives us a unique opportunity to widen the scope of the brand. Looking at areas we believe are of interest to Generation Z, we’re delighted to present six packs in a new segment - ‘Top Trumps #Trending’. These are: Guide to Trainers, Spotify, Fashion Trends, YouTube, TikTok and NFTs, providing the ultimate guide to life as a GenZ-er.” The final New 9 launch is Top Trumps - Lex Match. This new word game combines the popular Top Trumps Match gameplay with the ever-expanding word game category, broadening its appeal among adults whilst retaining Winning Moves’ focus on camouflaged learning, which is prevalent throughout its IP portfolio. Players race to be the first to line up five letters to spell out a word by pushing out their opponents' cubes and inserting new ones to disrupt their words and form their own. Variations on the gameplay mean younger players can match three or four letter words or use their secret letters at the end to steal the game. “By adding these products, we’ve added great value to our games offering, enhancing our ambition of remaining the one-stop-shop for retailers, while maintaining a key principle of taking kids away from screens and bringing families together,” added Kieran. Kay Thompson, sales manager, stated: “The response so far has been amazing. With turnaround taking place in just 12 weeks, from concept to delivery, we can’t wait to get these games out and onto retailers’ shelves.”

Cogs keep turning for Ukranian puzzle maker Ugears

Miko expands consumer robotics portfolio with Square Off acquisition Miko has acquired 70% of Square Off, giving complete exit to existing investors. With the acquisition, Miko will expand its product line beyond the AI robotic companions that put it on the map. Miko’s eponymous kids’ robots use AI to deliver playful learning experiences for children aged five and older. The move is a natural fit for two companies that share a passion for robotics and learning, according to Sneh Vaswani, Miko co-founder and CEO. Kids who actively use Miko 3, the company’s bestselling robot, have been found to increase their speaking proficiency, engagement with academic activities and physical activity by more than 45% on average. Square Off’s interactive boards, which build cognitive skills via games such as chess, use robotics and AI to adapt to the player’s level of expertise. Sneh added that Miko robots and Square Off smart board games will soon be able to communicate, with Miko robots taking on the role of instructors that teach children to play chess and other board games. “AI is the future of play, and Square Off’s innovation has transformed how players young and old interact with chess and other board games,” he explained. “We’re excited to help Square Off continue accelerating its growth.” The startup’s leadership will stay on board, continuing to work toward the company’s vision of bringing robotics and AI-powered smart toys to 10m homes globally. Miko will support the startup through that journey.

Ukrainian company, Ugears, has released the last model in a series of four 3D wooden mechanical marble runs. Each of the four marble runs can be used as a standalone and a 3D puzzle but any two of the four marble runs can also be connected to make a single, integrated marble amusement park, assembled with the child’s own hands. Marble run races have become an online phenomenon, with the most popular videos racking up millions of views, as people cheer on the marble of their choice. Ugears’ Marble Run models are DIY mechanical 3D puzzles made from precision laser-cut wooden boards. The models, designed for ages 14+, come with everything needed for assembly and modelers don’t need glue or special tools to build the kits as the pieces are just punched out and snapped together. The Marble Run Tiered Hoist has 315 parts and takes about five hours to build, while the Marble Run Spiral Hoist is the fourth model in the collection and has 266 parts providing six hours of track building. Founded in Kyiv in 2014, Ugears designs and makes 3D puzzles which are enjoyed in 85 countries. The company has weathered the storms of war, even releasing several new models after Russia’s invasion in February this year. The company currently produces 100,000 kits a month with more than 100 different models to choose from. Model kits are shipped worldwide from the warehouse in Latvia. The manufacturing facility is in Kyiv and, after a three-month interruption, the area was liberated by Ukranian armed forces allowing the Ugears team to get back to work in May 2022. From the start of the war, Ugears co-founders have donated hundreds of thousands of euros to source and procure much needed supplies for Ukranian soldiers and refugees. Going forward, five euros from each purchase on Ugears’ international website will be donated to aid the people of Ukraine.

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in Nürnberg

1 – 5 FEB 2023

www.spielwarenmesse.de

News Winners of Play for Change Awards 2022 announced Toy Industries of Europe (TIE) announced the Gold, Silver and Bronze winners of the 2022 Play for Change Awards during a ceremony in Brussels in front of a large audience from the toy industry and the EU policy community. Independent juries composed of experts from the three categories spent several weeks examining a large pool of high-quality, innovative toys and initiatives that were submitted from across Europe. The Play for Change 2022 winners are:

Diversity & Inclusion category: Gold Award - Micki (Sweden) for Lundby Dollhouse Dolls that represent families of all backgrounds; Silver Award - Miniland (Spain) for dolls with hearing implants; Bronze Award - Fundación Juegaterapia (Spain) for Baby Pelones headscarf-wearing dolls without hair that honour kids battling cancer. S ustainability category: Mattel for its Matchbox “Driving toward a better future” range designed to engage kids in a greener future of driving; Silver Award - Dantoy (Denmark) for its sand and water toys made of plastic recycled from nets, trawls and rope from the fishing industry; Bronze Award - Juguetes Cayro (Spain) for Rubbish Race, a boardgame that teaches players about the process of recycling and waste.

Life Skills category: Gold Award - The Lego company (Denmark) for Doom the Gloom, a mix of mini-games and interactive videos that help children become good, safe, online citizens; Silver Award - Miniland (Spain) for Emotions Buddy, a toy with interchangeable parts that helps young children learn about their emotions; Bronze Award fischertechnik (Germany) for the H2 Fuel Cell Car that teaches kids how to use the fuel cell and vehicle to investigate the properties of hydrogen. TIE’s director general, Catherine Van Reeth, said: “The Play for Change Awards reflect the toy industry’s role as a force for positive change in society. This year’s winners are a great example of what can be done. I believe they will raise the bar across the industry.” Winners were selected by three juries of independent experts, chaired by John Baulch, publisher of Toy World magazine, who added: “It’s rewarding to see the investment that small and large toy companies are making in toys to help kids navigate the big issues of today’s world. The winning toys were selected because they have real potential to nurture a more inclusive and sustainable society where people have the right skills to be successful.”

Precise TV releases latest report on child media consumption The Precise Advertiser Report – Kids shares findings about family viewership habits and household spending patterns, revealing that 90% of parents co-view with their kids. This, says Precise TV, is key to kids’ influence over product purchases and travel decisions. YouTube is the dominant video channel, with YouTube commercials driving three times more purchase behaviour than other media, including broadcast TV. Additional findings include that 20% of kids under 12 have made purchases with tokens in the gaming metaverse. Half of kids identified just four games - Roblox, Minecraft, Fortnite and The Sandbox - as being in the metaverse, while less than four in 10 parents say they understand the metaverse. Christian Dankl, Precise TV co-founder, said: “This report quantifies household co-viewing and illustrates a causal relationship between content and family purchase decisions. Based on insights from this report, brands can make a lot of confident investments and get ads contextually aligned at the video level.” Producing this report is tied to Precise TV’s mission to provide responsible COPPAcompliant ways for brands to get in front of kids and their parents enjoying popular content. The survey was conducted with 2,000 kids aged between 2-12, and their parents, in the United States. “It’s important to regularly produce these reports due to the rapidity with which new trends emerge,” explained Holly Paxman Gibb, VP of Kids Media Sales US at Precise TV. “We’ve found there are multiple layers of household impressions a single commercial makes when it appears at the right place. Co-viewing is real, and it’s something brands must account for when they’re advertising” This report also gives insights into how household buying decisions are made: family holidays and out-of-home experiences are where kids have the most influence on purchasing decisions. To read the report in full visit: https://content.precise.tv/en-us/park-study

Haico announces partnership with The National Autistic Society Haico is proud to be partnering with The National Autistic Society on its Mindful brand. The National Autistic Society provides support, guidance and advice, as well as campaigning for the rights, services and opportunities of those on the spectrum and their families and care givers. Haico is working alongside the organisation to help bring awareness of autism and neurodiversity into the retail market. The partnership will see phased releases of ranges across the toy, home and stationery categories over the next 12 months. Haico says it has received incredible support from its retail partners with many supporting the brand on their social platforms and with prime space in store to give the range the best chance of reaching as many people as possible, while creating the maximum amount of awareness for the collaboration. Mindful will be available in stores from spring/summer 2023. The initial launch with a global retailer will see the brand running across its entire retail estate, which includes Europe and the US. After the initial launch, there is agreed distribution with many more retailer partners throughout 2023. Haico will be donating 20% of all profits back to The National Autistic Society. “Giving back to this wonderful organisation is so important for us,” explained Haico’s commercial director, Hayley Leacock. “Our retailer partners have listened, understood what we are trying to achieve and given us their full support.” Hayley added: “We are so proud of everyone who has been involved in this collaboration. Haico is all about product with a true purpose that makes a difference. Having worked in this sector for many years, it’s so disappointing when we see groups of children still not catered for in our market. There have been some positive changes, the fidget craze for example, but on the other hand we are seeing the word ‘sensory’ appearing more and more on product that just isn’t suitable and often isn’t safe for children with neurodiversity. We know 1 in 100 children have additional needs and its time they had a true place in our market. This is why Mindful and The National Autistic Society’s collaboration is so important to us all at Haico.” Retailers which would like to be involved can get in touch at sales@haico.co.uk.

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sales@simbasmoby.com

News Smyths Toys Superstores unveils Top Toys for Christmas 22

Smyths Toys Superstores Top Toys List: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

WWE Wrekkin’ Rampage Rig Vehicle Playset (Mattel) Ziggy the Robo Dog Nikko 1:12 Remote Control Rock CrushR (Nikko) Jurassic World Dominion: Real FX Baby Blue Dinosaur (Wow! Stuff) Barbie Cutie Reveal Winter Sparkle Range (Mattel) Squishmallows Chewbacca (Jazwares) L.O.L. Surprise! O.M.G. LaRose & Missy Frost (MGA) Lego 76408 Harry Potter – 12 Grimmauld Place Set (Lego Group) CoComelon Audio Tonie (Tonies) Smart Ball Skills Training Football (Golden Bear) Coolmaker Stitch ‘n’ Style Sewing Machine (Spin Master) Sink N’ Sand Board Game with Kinetic Sand (Spin Master) Little Live Pets – Mama Surprise (Moose Toys) Fisher-Price DJ Bouncin’ Beats (Mattel) Magic Trace Glow to Show Studio

Smyths Toys Superstores has revealed its top toys for Christmas 2022, including toys from WWE, Jurassic World, and Squishmallows. It also includes new releases from classic brands like Lego, Barbie and Fisher-Price. According to Sinead Byrne, joint head of Marketing at Smyths Toys, picking the top toys of 2022 was not an easy task. “There have been so many excellent releases this year, which made the decision difficult,” she said. “We have some excellent TV and movie franchises in the mix this year, with the Wrekkin’ Rig and Drew McIntyre figure from WWE. There’s also the Real FX Baby Blue Dinosaur from Jurassic World, a CoComelon audio Tonie, and a superrare Lego Harry Potter set, featuring the Order of the Phoenix HQ,” Sinead continued. “The list also features an RC car and Ziggy – our ever-popular robo-dog. The Squishmallows Chewbacca is perfect for Star Wars fans, and you can ring in the season with the Barbie Cutie Reveal Winter Sparkle Range. Our Top Toys list has so much to explore, to delight people of all ages this Christmas.” Each of the toys features in the new 300-page Smyths Toys Superstores catalogue, available free in-store, and are also available in all Smyths Toys outlets, nationwide. A gift finder feature is available on the Smyths Toys Superstores website, to help customers decide on their purchases.

Toys R Us signs exclusive UK sub-licence agreement with WHSmith Toys R Us ANZ Limited has announced that it has signed an exclusive sub-licence agreement with WHSmith High Street Limited to trial nine Toys R Us store-in-store concessions in the United Kingdom. These are scheduled to open in the first calendar half of 2023. As outlined on the Australian Stock Exchange, the trial period commences upon the opening of the first storein-store installation and extends for a period of 12 months - or longer if mutually agreed - and will include the sale of toys, games and family/children related products typically sold by Toys R Us. WHSmith will pay Toys R Us a fixed percentage royalty fee based on sales revenue generated within the installations and the costs associated with operating installations will be borne by WHSmith. At this stage, as a trial, Toys R Us is not expecting to generate material levels of revenue and therefore the agreement is not considered by Toys R Us to be materially price sensitive. Upon successful completion of the trial period and achievement of mutually agreed key performance indicators, there may be a Stage 2 roll-out of further installations over the initial term of the agreement of approximately 10 years (with the ability to grant a further term of five years subject to certain conditions being met). The agreement is subject to customary termination agreement clauses and events, including loss of exclusivity if certain key performance indicators are not satisfied. The agreement restricts WHSmith and its affiliates to using Toys R Us trademarks and other intellectual property for the purpose of the physical SIS implants and excludes eCommerce. Toys R Us is the exclusive licensee for Toys R Us, Babies R Us and associated intellectual property (IP) in Australia, New Zealand and the UK. The UK website has recently been launched and is set to stoke organic growth. Toys R US says the UK market represents a 'significant near-term growth opportunity' for the company, delivering into the largest toy market in Europe and the fourth largest globally with a strong brand. The UK baby retail market represents a similarly large and attractive market opportunity, though the Babies R Us intellectual property is not included in the agreement with WHSmith.

Amazon names its Top 10 Toys for Christmas The online retailer’s top 10 list captures the latest in toy trends including pretend play, hot franchises like Star Wars, tech-led educational toys, and toys under £20 that offer both great value and fun. This year, hundreds of toys from Amazon’s Top 10 Toys list will also be donated and delivered by Amazon UK and long-time partner Barnardo’s to vulnerable children across the UK, to help spread a little joy this Christmas. Barnardo’s CEO Lynn Perry MBE said: “For many children, Christmas can be a time of feeling cold, hungry and left out, and it’s through working with partners like Amazon that we can continue to support families who are struggling, maybe now more than ever. Through Amazon’s welcome donation, our services will be able to distribute this year’s most popular toys to some of the most disadvantaged children this Christmas.”

The Amazon Top 10 Toys list 2022 is as follows: • • • • • • • • • •

Squishmallows Tally the Grey Cat - Jazwares Pictionary Air Star Wars Family Drawing Game - Mattel MathLink Cubes Numberblocks - Learning Resources Crayola Colour 'n' Style Mermaid Friends: Hair Braiding Salon Playset - Vivid Goliath Throw Throw Avocado - Exploding Kittens City Life Recycling Truck - Playmobil Super Smile Dentist Kit - Melissa & Doug Jurassic World Ocean Protector Mososaurus Dinosaur Action Figure - Mattel Little Genius Starter Kit - Osmo Lego Friends Horse Show Trailer - Lego

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Industry Moves Glynn Davies joins Heathside in new wholesale and distributor sales role Glynn Davies brings his extensive toy sales experience and knowledge of the pop culture sector to his new role at Heathside Trading. Glynn said: “I’m happy to share that I’ve started a new position in wholesale and distributor sales with Heathside Trading, working on some great brands and properties from across the entertainment and pop culture world.” Glynn has an impressive background in the toy industry. Before taking up his new role, he was sales director and global head of sales at Eaglemoss, which specialised in pop culture models, collectibles, build kits and more. His CV also includes Warner Bros., where Glynn was executive category licensing director (EMEA), Toys & Publishing, and The Lego Group, where he held the role of director, Global Co-Promotions and Promotional Licensing. John Nelson, Heathside CEO, commented: ”Having worked with Glynn for many years when he was with Eaglemoss, and prior to that with Warner Brothers, he seemed an ideal fit for our business when it comes to expanding our retail partnerships and European distributor business. We have many pop culture licences which enhance our portfolio of properties and believe Glynn will be able to service these customers with confidence.” Heathside currently works with properties such as Among Us, Sonic, My Hero Academia, Minecraft, Yu-Gi-Oh! and Five Nights at Freddy’s. This year, the company has also signed a number of new deals which have further bolstered the Heathside’s portfolio. In March, it announced a worldwide licensing deal for the Destination brand of board games from Rachel Lowe, and in May inked a long-term licensing and distribution deal which sees it now offer Chameleon patented Blendypen branded products to customers. Prior to these deals, Heathside kicked off the year by being named as exclusive distributor for Just Toys‘ full range of toys and collectibles in the UK and Ireland.

Rubies announces raft of new hires as business expands Rubies has announced several new appointments as it continues to experience unprecedented growth and demand. Peter Silver has joined the costume company as the new head of Sales, moving from Mattel, where he was senior national account manager. He also previously worked as a national account manager at Warner Bros. and brings a wealth of knowledge in selling and negotiation skills, forecasting and strategic planning. Reporting directly to Rubies’ commercial director for UK, Central, Eastern and Northern Europe, Peter Silver Claire Barkwith Robin Dent Graham Gardiner, Peter will be responsible for managing and overseeing the UK sales operation and will be a pivotal force in helping the company achieve and exceed its ambitious growth plans. Commenting on Peter’s appointment, Graham said: “As the business continues to go from strength to strength and grows to new levels, we are excited to be bringing in a new, valuable senior team member to our account management and sales team. Peter has come from a very distinguished background within the industry and has years of experience in his respective fields. With his in-depth knowledge of every aspect of the retail and toy markets, I have no doubt he will be a perfect fit for the team.” With almost three years’ experience in his previous role at Hornby as senior national account manager and previously holding positions including senior account manager at Kids II and Mattel, new national account controller Robin Dent brings extensive experience of all facets of account management to the job. Robin will manage the day-to-day relationship with national accounts, while simultaneously focusing on the company’s growth and expansion, aligning with Rubies’ 365 business plan. Claire Barkwith has also joined Rubies as new national account manager for Fashion and Apparel, responsible for managing and growing Rubies national accounts including major retailers such as Sainsbury’s, George at Asda, Dunnes, Matalan and Morrisons. She has worked in the apparel and textile industry for over 16 years with the majority of high street retailers and supermarkets. As part of her career, she has specialised in design, pattern cutting and sourcing in the Far East and Europe and her experience and knowledge will be a key asset in supporting growth in the Apparel and Fashion channel.

The BTHA’s Rebecca Deeming brings Toy World readers up to date on the current news from the association.

Rebecca Deeming

We may have only just entered November, but Christmas isn’t very far away at all now. The BTHA, is once again giving the industry the opportunity of an alternative to sending out Christmas cards to clients, whilst ensuring all proceeds go directly to disadvantaged and disabled children through the work of the industry charity, The Toy Trust. The annual Christmas Card initiative, which is kindly supported by the industry's trade publications will offer your company the opportunity to include its logo in a Christmas ‘thank you' double page spread in Toy World and Toys N Playthings. This year there is a minimum donation of £350 required to take part, but £500 is a suggested donation. Of course, greater donations are welcomed if desired, and cheques should be made payable to the Toy Trust. There’s still just time to take part; your company logo will need to be sent to Tracey@btha.co.uk by 4th November in order to meet the December issue deadlines.

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With Christmas nearly here, that means Toy Fair is just around the corner. We are excited to welcome back Toy Fair TV for the 2023 show. Exhibitors will be able to showcase their products live on the Demo Zone once again - and keep an eye out for the roving camera crew around the show, creating that extra buzz in the halls. Visitor registration opened last month, so if you would like to attend the show, please visit www.toyfair.co.uk where you can register for your free visitor pass. Last month also saw the BTHA webinar on 2023 regulations take place. This was a must-attend webinar for members to learn about the upcoming regulations in 2023, allowing them to get ahead of the curve. If you are a member and missed the webinar but would like to catch up, please contact Rebecca@btha.co.uk to be sent a recording. If you would like to learn more about becoming a BTHA member, please contact Tracey@btha.co.uk.

Come out to play Discover the most beautiful, handcrafted toys, brain-teasing puzzles and must-have gadgets all in one place.

Organised by Find out more at springfair.com

Marketing World Just Play causes a ‘Rukus’ with Diversity Just Play has partnered with award winning dance group Diversity to promote the launch of the RUKUSfx, a handheld motion-controlled music mixer which allows users to mix, move and create music through motion, using 120 music tracks and 80 sound effects. Using four simple movements: Swipe, Punch, Twist and Flick, the user’s own music tracks can also be uploaded to mix seamlessly with the device. Diversity has used the device to create a custom mix that the group has then gone “full on Diversity” with in their new dance studio HQ. The content sees founding members Ashley Banjo, Jordan Banjo and Perri Kiely highlight the key features of the product before they get creative with RUKUSfx, joined by other members of Diversity as they dance to the tracks and have fun with the sound effects. The content will be posted across all of Diversity’s social media platforms, which have nearly 2m followers, and will also be shared by lead members of the group on their own social media accounts, maximising the potential reach of the brand. The content will later be available for retail partners to share on their social channels, as well as being used to lead the brand’s paid social campaign leading up to Christmas. Katie Gritt, head of Marketing Communications at Just Play, said: “Since we first saw the amazing RUKUSfx we knew there was one partner we had to collaborate with, and that was Diversity. Who better to understand and appreciate the unique features of the product and bring it to life perfectly than the UK’s leading dance group? They have used their creative genius to elevate this amazing product, through fun and exciting content which we are confident will resonate with audiences on all platforms and effectively create a ‘RUKUS’ online. It really is the perfect partnership.” Ashley Banjo, founding member and creative director of Diversity, said “RUKUSfx is amazing. It’s not just a toy, it’s a music lovers’ gadget. Enabling kids to have the freedom to mix music through movement as they wish, and let their imaginations run wild, is something Diversity whole heartedly supports. The creative possibilities are endless with this toy – Diversity are big fans of RUKUSfx.” For more details on RUKUSfx, contact uksales@ justplayproducts.com

Cepia appoints Norton PR to help drive Versus World Christmas campaign UK PR agency Norton PR has been enlisted by Cepia to drive a high-profile influencer outreach programme of activity in the run up to Christmas for one of the hottest US collectibles, the Versus World. Cats vs Pickles is the fastest growing plush collectible according to US NPD data, and Cepia wants to share its new expansion into a line of Versus brand characters including Dogs vs Squirls, Kittens vs Gherkins and Bears vs Donuts. The campaign will include YouTube and Instagram takeovers, unboxing outreach and participation in influencer events to seed products into social media streams and drive holiday sales. “The Versus World is one of those properties that is a joy to work on given its strong back story and existing collector fan base,” said Emma Arthur, PR director at Norton PR. “With our track record of supporting licensed product launches in the UK and Europe, the opportunity to develop an established audience by generating new, engaging and exciting content is an exciting new challenge.” The programme of activity kicked off with a dedicated branded area at this year’s BlogOn Xmas event in early October which included influencer attendees. The Versus World collectible ranges will also form the basis of a mass influencer unboxing and review campaign, tagging key retailers alongside online takeovers linking to new content. “A strong social media and influencer strategy is mission critical to generate awareness and demand amongst our target kid and kidult collector customers,” said Cepia CEO James Russell Hornsby, “We were seeking an agency who could help us get the Versus World properties into the hands of creators and are so excited about the plan that Norton will bring to market.” A recent survey of over 1300 Cats vs Pickles fans revealed that the average collection size is over 70 characters, with 20% boasting collections of 120 or more in just the past year. The brand appeals to both kid and adult fans, and boys and girls. Remarkably, more than 60% of all fans report that they regularly take their Cats vs Pickles collectibles with them to school or to work, making it a true lifestyle brand.

Asmodee partners with Scouts for new Dobble range Scout Store, a subsidiary of the Scout Association in the UK, has entered into a licensing partnership with Asmodee to develop a range of licensed merchandise based on Zygomatic Studios’ most popular game, Dobble. Dobbly, the game’s mascot, will be reimagined in the form of Dobbly-asScout, and the partnership also includes the creation of a special Scout version of the Dobble game, which will be developed in parallel by Asmodee. Set for release in spring 2023, the Dobble game and merchandise will be available to fans online throughout the UK. “This new licence agreement signed with Asmodee is the culmination of Scout Store’s licence strategy: partnering with a globally recognised company whose values and ethos align with our Scout values,” said Thomas Robertson, Scout Store’s managing director. “As an integral part of our strategy, we believe that a Scout version of the famous Dobble will help our customers and members relate to the products and therefore increase their connection and experience while playing the game. We are delighted to see that our new friends at Asmodee also share this vision and we can’t wait to see the new range of Scout Dobbly products in the market.” Pairing Zygomatic Studios’ Dobble brand, one of the best-selling games in the UK, France and many other countries, with the esteemed Scouts brand is a move by Asmodee Entertainment to flex the reach of one of its largest family brands. The partnership puts Dobble next to other well-known brands with which the Scout Store has partnered such as Hello Kitty and The Smurfs. “Helping this partnership to become reality has been a great honour and joy. The upcoming range of merchandise and the game itself will undoubtedly bring lots of joy to Dobble fans in the UK and be instant collectibles no doubt,” said Alexander Thieme, licensing manager at Asmodee Entertainment.

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Opinion

Reaching parents and gifters – the same now as in 2005? Jonathan looks at the shift from traditional linear TV to digital media and how much this has affected the opportunities available for marketing brands.

alking to parents and gifters has never been more important to toy marketers. Audience decline has reduced the importance of “tried and tested” linear TV to marketing plans. Digital media is paramount to the success of campaigns. With this comes greater accountability for measuring ROI, especially given the ability to drive audiences direct to retail sites. Engaging children remains a vital component to campaign success in order to influence parents and gifters alike. Many brands however (dependent on targeting and KPIs) will opt to focus on those with the ability to spend online and shorten the path to purchase. For those that choose to do so, even in some capacity as part of a larger campaign, it might surprise them to learn that when it comes to comms planning, the more things change, the more they stay the same. As a nation, we remain creatures of habit. If we think about how consumers think of media (i.e. watching, listening, reading, etc.), then patterns of behaviour have actually remained incredibly consistent. The charts, as reported by IPA Touchpoints, compare the average media day for pre-lockdown all the way back to 2005, with post-lockdown in 2021 (all Adults). They show that people still get up and listen to their favourite radio shows or watch the news on TV (some might even read about it in the papers), get exposed to OOH advertising as they go about their day, then spend the majority of their evening watching video content. This is despite all the changes brought about by technical innovation and the pandemic. What has changed of course is how preferred content is accessed. Linear TV is supplemented (and even surpassed, dependent on audience) by On Demand services. Radio broadcasts compete with Podcasts for attention. Newsbrands (Daily Mail, The Sun, etc.) focus more of their efforts on their online content than physical print. The proliferation of new platforms means more

absolutely fundamental components in delivering on campaign objectives, but that does not mean they should be the driving force of marketing strategy. Instead, think of them as tactics. To build a winning strategy when communicating to any audience, especially parents, focus on how your audience consumes media and the need states they are in when doing so. Think audience first, not platform first.

Jonathan Chambers Director of AV Investment, Generation Media. Tel: 0207 307 7906 Jonathan.Chambers@generationmedia.co.uk

Homing in further on the IPA Touchpoints study reveals another interesting consideration when thinking about how best to talk to parents and gifters alike, and the pitfalls of a platform first approach. Looking back to 2015, 44% of the media platforms used by 16-34 year olds (the older end being the average age of a pre-school parent) are the same as 55+ (the average grandparent). Looking at the same statistic today, that figure has increased to 52%. That doesn’t mean that we can use the same media channels to communicate to these different audiences in the same way though. Younger parents, for example, will be using digital platforms, particularly social media and online video as an extension of their real-world lives and experiences. The [stereo]typical 55+ however would often use these as extensions of news sources. Entering these channels with different mindsets means they are unlikely to receive the same message in the same way, and tailoring the approach is vital; for example, in terms of creative execution.

With the recent and upcoming changes to both Netflix and Disney+ however, there is a high likelihood that this percentage will increase relatively quickly. This will be brought about faster by the cost-of-living crisis, with many current customers likely to drop from premium subscriptions to lower cost ad enabled subscription. We will be charting the progress of these platforms with close interest going into 2023, as we look to build exclusive opportunities for advertisers (should they prove commercially viable as projected).

Another big question often posed of the media landscape is how much time is actually spent with commercial channels. Streaming platforms have grown their share of the media day significantly over time (accelerated by the pandemic), and, up until very recently, have typically not shown advertising. Yet despite this, 66% of the average adult’s media day is spent with commercial platforms. This remains consistent across most demographics. Even 16-34

The pace of change in the media market is exciting, and there are certainly no signs of it slowing down, with 2023 set to be a year full of new opportunities for advertisers. That being said, remember to keep your approach to marketing strategy aligned with your goals and intended audience(s) so as not to be unduly distracted by new platforms. Think audience first, and select the right platforms to fulfil on their needs, or use a trusted media agency partner to direct you accordingly.

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audiences typically associated with ad avoidance and digital platforms, spend 64% of their media day in commercial environments. Children (aged 2-9) are actually the most likely to spend time with noncommercial channels, however even they spend 43% of their video day watching commercial channels according to Giraffe Insights - and this doesn’t account for other influences on their media day such as audio and OOH.

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Licensing World Rubies introduces Kidrobot plush collection Rubies is branching out into new product categories with the release of the Kidrobot plush collectibles range. A world leader in fancy-dress costumes and accessories, Rubies is introducing the officially licensed collectible plush in a range of sizes and characters, from the biggest brands in entertainment including Marvel, DC Comics, Warner Brothers and Sega. Known as The Phunny range, the hand-held plush collectibles are ideal for fans of any age and include Marvel characters such as Doctor Strange and Spider-Man, DC Comics characters like Wonder Woman and classic horror icons like Jason, Beetlejuice and Pennywise. The larger Hugme Plush toys are perfect for cuddles and vibrate when held. The Hugme range includes characters such as Sonic, SpongeBob, Groot and Minions. The plush range will appeal to pop-culture fans of all ages, especially the expansive kidult market of consumers which has grown exponentially in recent years. Graham Gardiner, commercial director, commented: “We are extremely excited to be branching out into brand new territory. It’s a great step forward for the company and a step in the right direction as the target audiences for these plush, from little children to kidults, are two of the biggest markets in toy and entertainment. He added: “The excitement around the Kidrobot range has resulted in strong pre-orders and unprecedented demand, making this one of the most successful product launches we have ever had. The popularity will only grow as consumers and trade customers alike come to realise Rubies is not only the home of costumes but also the home of licensed merchandise.” Kidrobot officially licensed plush is available to order now from www.rubiesuk.com.

Mattel announces global renewal of Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go

Gabby’s Dollhouse enjoys success across EMEA

Two new seasons of the hit Thomas & Friends animated series are set for release in 2023, with each including an hour-long special. Corus Entertainment’s Nelvana Studios has begun co-production with Mattel Television on the two new seasons which are set for release in 2023. Building upon the emphatic reception to Season 26 and the introduction of the series’ first autistic character, Bruno the Brake Car, seasons 27 and 28 will continue to broaden the global viewership of the celebrated series and are comprised of 26 11-minute episodes; each series also includes its own hour-long special. Season 27 finds Thomas and his friends on Sodor with surprises around every turn, from cleaning up the muddiest of messes to the grand opening of a bakerycafé, “The global impact of Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go is as strong as ever and has been reinforced through the franchise’s recent introduction of Bruno,” said Fred Soulie, senior vice president and general manager, Mattel Television. “Alongside our global broadcast partners, we’re excited to maintain the Thomas & Friends legacy by continuing the beloved adventures of Thomas and the Sodor crew, all while allowing audiences to revel in the playful nature of the series and further connect with our characters.” Global distribution agreements for seasons 25 and 26, the most recent seasons of Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go (each consisting of 52 11-minute episodes and one 60-minute special), include long-standing partners such as Warner Bros. Discovery (Pan-LATAM and US), Milkshake and Nick Jr. (UK) and WarnerMedia, as well as Netflix (multi-territory). Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go is co-produced by Mattel Television and Nelvana and is executive produced by Christopher Keenan and Fred Soulie for Mattel and by Colin Bohm, Doug Murphy, and Pam Westman for Nelvana.

The newly rebranded Universal Products and Experiences celebrates its successful entry into the pre-school space with DreamWorks Gabby’s Dollhouse. Devised by Blue’s Clues veterans Traci Paige Johnson and Jennifer Twomey, the combined animation/live action show sees presenter Gabby unbox a new surprise each episode, then magically shrink to join her miniature feline friends – Pandy Paws, MerCat, Cakey Cat and more – on a fun adventure in the dollhouse. The series has racked up impressive viewing figures since it debuted on Netflix and YouTube last year. Global monthly views on the show’s YouTube channel, Gabby & Friends, averaged more than 18m throughout 2021. The free to air roll-out is now underway across EMEA with the series having just launched on Cartoonito in Italy in September, on Tiny Pop in the UK in October and on Clan in Spain later this year. “We’re delighted with Gabby’s Dollhouse; it’s evidence of our ability to launch a new property into a sector that is completely new to us and produce something fresh and original that has really captured the imagination of younger kids, and appeals to their parents, too,” said Paul Bufton, vice president EMEA at Universal Products and Experience. “The show is a mix of all the things pre-schoolers adore – unboxing, miniature worlds, cute cats – and it’s full of joy, colour, good vibes and catchy songs, with plenty of positive messaging around solving problems, teamwork and friendship.” The toy line from master toy licensee Spin Master, which includes play sets, plush and collectibles, has already proved a hit in the UK market, with retailer Smyths bringing forward its Gabby’s Dollhouse launch to June this year to meet overwhelming customer demand and Argos listing the Gabby’s Purrfect Dollhouse in its Top 15 Toys for Christmas. Plans are currently in motion to expand Gabby’s Dollhouse into new international markets and new categories including fashion, home, publishing and more. “Parents and pre-schoolers have really fallen in love with Gabby and her cat friends, and we’re so excited to watch the brand grow and thrive,” concluded Paul. “It’s a fantastic first step on our journey in the pre-school category, and there’s so much more to come.”

Toy World 22

Licensing World Pre-school series Dino Ranch renewed for third season Season three (52 x 11’) of Boat Rocker’s animated pre-school series will air on Disney Junior and Disney+ in the US in autumn 2023, followed by an international rollout on Disney Junior in Latin America and streaming on Disney+ in the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. “’We’re thrilled to be producing a third season of Dino Ranch, a series that has won over kids and parents around the world with its unique blend of accessible storytelling and premium animation,” said Ivan Schneeberg, co-executive chairmen, Boat Rocker Media. Season three of Dino Ranch follows the success of the show since its launch. Season two launched this summer including the first tentpole 22-minute special Dino-Soar which introduced flying dinos to the team. The third season will continue to expand the Dino Ranch universe with new adventures, including a second 22-minute tentpole special that will introduce an exciting new location, vehicles, gadgets and even more adorable dinosaur friends to continue to deepen pre-schoolers love of the show and expand the franchise. Young Dino Ranch fans worldwide have taken the tight-knit Cassidy Family and their dinosaur companions to their hearts. The show follows their action-packed adventures as they go about the tasks of raising their dinosaur livestock. Full of fast-riding, high-flying fun, the episodes highlight the value of hard work, teamwork and commitment, in stories that tackle the challenges of growing up. Jon Rutherford, president, Boat Rocker Studios, Kids & Family and Rights, added: “We’re excited to continue our strong partnership with Disney for season three of Dino Ranch. The series is a key piece of franchise IP for Boat Rocker, and we look forward to its continued global expansion across content sales, consumer products, live events and digital.” Boat Rocker has developed a broad licensing programme for Dino Ranch, with Jazwares as master toy partner. A full line of Dino Ranch toys rolls out to mass market retailers worldwide this autumn supported by a comprehensive integrated marketing campaign. Complemented by a range of additional categories, with further roll-out planned for 2023, Boat Rocker is working with more than 50 licensed partners and nine licensing agents worldwide.

Vegas Licensing Expo announces new dates for 2023 The dates have been changed for Licensing Expo, which will now take place from 13th to 15th June 2023, at Mandalay Bay Convention Center. Organised by Informa Markets and sponsored by Licensing International, the licensed consumer product and brand extension tradeshow was originally due to take place from 23rd to 25th May 2023 but will return three weeks later to accommodate event venue renovations. “We have been closely following the construction dateline at Mandalay Bay. With its guidance, we have obtained favourable dates to reschedule the event and avoid disrupting the meeting spaces required for Licensing Expo,” said Anna Knight, SVP Licensing, Informa Markets. “We wanted to update the licensing community to ensure all visitors and partners plan their summer accordingly. The Licensing Expo team will contact exhibitors and partners to discuss the rescheduled dates, answer any queries and ensure we deliver the same event experience you have become accustomed to, albeit a few weeks later than originally planned.” This year’s Licensing Expo theme is Fashion, which builds on Brand Licensing Europe’s 2022 theme that showcased collaborations from industry influencers such as Balmain, Hype, H&M and more, with brands including Mattel’s Barbie, Sega, Teletubbies and Kellogg’s taking to the runway. Licensing Expo provides a key opportunity to secure the rights to thousands of consumer brands, entertainment icons and more for exhibiting and attending product suppliers or retailers. For more information on Licensing Expo visit www.licensingexpo.com

Play-Doh, Nickelodeon and Paramount Consumer Products partner on new slime A new slime line is being created through a partnership between Play-Doh, Nickelodeon, and Paramount Consumer Products. The Play-Doh x Nickelodeon Slime range, which launches in the UK in autumn 2023, will feature a variety of slime textures, big volume and customising kits. Products will be released first in the US on 1st January 2023. The range will include satisfying textures with scented classic Slime Foodie Blends that bring favourite kid scents to life with a fun, sensory mixing experience. Sandy, slimy, stretchy Waterfall Slime joins the selection, and there will be volume tubs of over 1.5lbs of Super Stretch Slime and Classic Slime. A Rainbow Mixing Kit will allow kids to customise their slime creations. “We’re excited to bring even more joy to kids and families through this partnership with Nickelodeon,” said Leena Vadaketh, general manager, Play-Doh & Creative Play. “Our research shows that both kids and adults continue to love slime play, and therefore we made it our goal to partner with a best-in-class brand, helping us to continue to bring the highest quality products to families around the world.” “We are so thrilled to work with the iconic and trusted Play-Doh brand on this premier product celebrating Nickelodeon’s iconic Slime,” commented Dion Vlachos, executive vice president, Hardlines Licensing & Retail, Paramount Consumer Products. “The partnership between these two pop culture powerhouses resulted in an exemplary tactile experience that both kids and parents will love.”

Toy World 24

New Plush

Off icially Licensed

Now In Stock www.rubiesuk.com

NPD Insight

What’s in store for Q4? Rory examines how current consumer challenges are affecting toy market trends and looks ahead to how Q4 sales might be impacted.

t the time of writing (mid-October) the UK toy market is currently down -5% in value vs. the same period in 2021, and the general opinion is that Q4 will be a challenging period. The month of September was down -12% in value and -10% in volume; some tough trends for the final month before we move into peak season. We know there are currently a lot of issues around consumer spending in the UK which could be impacting the toy market, but how do we shape up against other countries around the world? We can use NPD’s global toy data to compare to the rest of Europe and have a look at the US, a country we so often compare ourselves to.

size of the US market is a major factor contributing to those trends. The US toy market is twice as big in value as the combined EU7 and it is contributing 94% of the growth for the combined G12. The US toy market is also up +45% vs. 2019, ahead of any European country, so what’s driving this success? Before looking at market trends, it is worth noting that the US government has given around $1.8 trillion to families since the start of the pandemic to boost the economy, which has obviously helped. One area which has performed well in the US is spend by adults without kids in the household (kidults) – this sector has grown four times faster than those with kids. Other data points seem to reinforce this trend, with growth coming from males, as well as the 18-24 age group and households with higher incomes.

NPD Retail Tracking data covers 12 markets around the world and, collectively, these countries are up +2% vs. 2021 so far, and moreover up +31% vs. the same period in 2019. On the face of it, the G12 are in a relatively healthy state. If we look a little closer at individual country performances though, the overall

Looking at the top gaining properties in the US, there are similarities with the UK. Squishmallows and Pokémon are the top two performers, and other properties doing well include Jurassic Park/World,

Some Kind of New Normal The UK is below the EU average for now YoY Change

USA

45%

Italy

Netherlands

France

-1%

-5%

Germany

-5% -7%

2X size of EU7

The UK is below the EU average for now

Spain

YoY Change

Italy Netherlands

16%

France

Germany

94% of G12 gains ‘22 vs. ‘19

USA

Belgium

35% Some Kind of New Normal

35%

-1%

-5%

11%

16%

-5%

Belgium

45%

in 2022

2X size of EU7

94% of G12 gains in 2022

11%

-7%

Source: The NPD Group | Retail Tracking Service Projected | G12 $ Sales | YTD w37 22 Document classification: Client/Third Party Confidential

The NPD Group, L.P. | Proprietary and confidential

Source: The NPD Group | Retail Tracking Service Projected | G12 $ Sales | YTD w37 22 Document classification: Client/Third Party Confidential

The NPD Group, L.P. | Proprietary and confidential

Toy World 26

Marvel and Funko Pop! In the US toy market, sports licences make up nearly 5% of the overall market, double the share of the UK. Could this be an area that will increase here with the winter World Cup? Looking around Europe, there are mixed results in terms of trends. We can see the countries that didn’t perform quite so well during the pandemic are now having a better time, with Spain growing by +7% and Italy +2%. The UK and Germany, the two top performing markets during the pandemic, are currently both down -5% vs. the same period in 2021. The UK is below the EU average, but some countries are faring better than others. For September, the trend was behind the YTD trend for all major European countries. As already mentioned, Spain and Italy are the best performing European markets and Spain is the only one to see growth in September of +1%, with Italy declining by -1%. The trends in France and Germany are closer to what we saw in the UK, with Germany declining by -6% and France by -9%. The data shows It’s been a tough month for all countries, but that the UK toy market has performed worse than the EU5, with a decline twice as fast as Germany. Looking ahead, one thing that might help the UK in Q4 is that we performed relatively poorly in Q4 last year compared to other countries. The US, for example, will be comparing to a +9% trend in Q4 last year and Spain to a +7% trend. The UK was the second worst performer in Q4 last year with -5% trend vs. 2020. That could help our market trends; the economic challenges will be impacting all countries, so the ones that are up against a strong performance from last year could see some very challenging weeks ahead.

‘22 vs. ‘19

Spain

Rory Partis

Director UK Toys & EuroToys NPD

I think we can safely say that Q4 2022 will see some big challenges for the toy market across all countries and the UK is no exception. The only constant for all countries is that Christmas is definitely coming.

Property Progression: Property

Aug Rank #

Sep Rank #

Match Attax

The Match Attax property has moved up 56 places in the property rankings in September versus the prior month. With much of the focus in September on World Cup sticker sales, it may have slipped under the radar that the Match Attax cards from Top Trumps are also performing very well. The Match Attax 22-23 Mega Tin is the top item for the property, featuring star players from the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and the UEFA Europa Conference League.

Fastest FastestGrowing GrowingLicences Licences in Toys Jurassic Park/World remains at #1 with Spidey & His Amazing Friends in the second spot. Fastest Growing Licences Jurassic Park/World remains at #1 with Spidey & His Amazing Friends in the Sales Gained £M second spot.

Jurassic Park/World Spidey And His Amazing Friends Jurassic Park/World StarHisWars Spidey And Amazing Friends Bluey Star Wars Bluey Batman Batman Minecraft Minecraft Disney Encanto Disney Encanto National Soccer Club National Soccer Club World Soccer International World Soccer International Among Us Among Us Document classification: Client/Third Party Confidential

The NPD Group, Inc. | Proprietary and confidential

Document classification: Client/Third Party Confidential

The NPD Group, Inc. | Proprietary and confidential

£7.2 £4.7 £7.2 £4.1£4.7 £4.1 £3.8 £3.8 £3.4 £3.4 £3.2 £3.2 £3.0 £3.0 £2.8£2.8 £2.8 £2.8 £2.5 £2.5 Source: The NPD Group | Retail Tracking Service | YTD July 2022

Sales Gained £M

Source: The NPD Group | Retail Tracking Service | YTD July 2022

The top growth licence in the UK toy market YTD September 2022 is Jurassic Park/World. Standard Building Sets and Action Figures both make up around a third of the overall value of the property, although there are significant sales in a broad selection of other categories, including Preschool Toys, Plush and Science Toys. There are several other movierelated licences in the top 10 alongside Jurassic Park/World with Star Wars, Batman and Disney Encanto also appearing as top growing properties for 2022. Spidey & His Amazing Friends is the second top performer, with strong performances in both Building Sets and PS Figures & Playsets. The show is also now appearing on CBeebies in the UK too, which may well boost toy sales further. National Soccer Club and World International Soccer are also appearing amongst the top gaining licences, with both the Premier League and World Cup Stickers increasing sales. There were two Premier League sticker items and one World Cup sticker item in the top 10 items list for the total market for the month of September.

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Talking Shop

A winter’s sale This month, our indies report that customers started their Christmas shopping early, to spread the cost. Equally cautious, retailers are keeping a very close eye on stock levels. As they move into the peak festive selling season, Suzie Sparkes and Sam Giltrow find out more. Nicky Tossell -

Youings, Barnstable

ouings is lucky to have a great location at the bottom of Barnstable high street, and we also bend around the high street corner. Within our premises there is a sweet shop, tobacconist, a model shop and the toy department - so we attract a lot of footfall. We had a really good, busy summer with great sales in our toy department. The Lego and Pokémon ranges were particularly popular, as ever. Lego has always been our number one top seller and we continue to enjoy fantastic sales. We have dramatically increased our range of Lego; we now have a whole wall of it in the store and are now one of the biggest stockists in the area. We are incredibly proud of it - there is nowhere locally which can match our range which makes us a destination for avid fans of the brand. We carry stock of all Lego ranges including the big kits and the 18+ ranges. We have recently received stock of the new Ferrari, which retails at about £350, but I’m confident it will sell, as we are attracting customers from all over. We have a Facebook page, which we manage between us, but a lot of our customer base is prompted to visit us via word of mouth, which my staff are very good at, and which is definitely working. For Christmas this year, I have kept my stock quite tightly under control, as we can’t be certain what is going to happen. We have a wide choice of product and the ranges that we want to stock, but I am not holding as much in my stockroom as usual; making sure orders that come in are out on the shop floor and selling through as quickly as possible. I’m therefore placing smaller orders more frequently. Our suppliers have been incredibly helpful by offering us carriage paid and allowing us to do smaller orders, which really is beneficial.

Lego will be our best seller for Christmas, it’s popularity still seems to be on the rise, probably due to the wide demographic of fans. It is something you can do on your own, but we are also seeing that families like to build together, especially at Christmas time. It appeals to all ages from kids to the elderly.

Toy World 29

The Pokémon range will also sell well this Christmas. That’s another favourite with customers that we know we can rely on, pretty much whatever the product. I try to stock a wide range of all products but focus as much as possible on items that the supermarkets don’t carry so I don’t need to compete

Talking Shop with them. It also means my customers can come into our shop knowing they will be able to pick up gifts they can’t get elsewhere. I call it my ‘Looking out of the box range’. We will also move good quantities of board and family games. For example, Jumanji from Spin Master and the Ghosts Castle game from John Adams (Ideal) always prove popular, especially at Christmas. We stock a lot of Goliath games and find the company a brilliant supplier as they offer all sorts of different games that the grocers don’t stock. Family games such as Murder Mystery games from Lagoon (University

Will Osborne -

already come in and put £400 worth of toys back for this Christmas. I think this quarter will be slower than previous years, our October sales haven’t been as high as they have been in previous years. However, the good news is that children always come first no matter what; people might hold back on the amount of food they buy this Christmas or what they spend on other relatives, but they will always ensure the children come first, which means they will still buy toys.

Osborne Sports & Toys, Rushden

e are starting to ramp up for Christmas now. We have always run a Christmas Club and this year it very quickly became more popular than it has been for a long time; I think customers who are concerned about the economy are conscious that they will need to spread the cost over a few months. It’s always said that kids are the last to go without and I hope that remains true this Christmas. Parents might cut down a little bit on what they spend but the kids will still get presents, though whether they get as much as they normally do remains to be seen. I think customers will perhaps buy a few more lower price point items, although kids will still want the big-ticket items. We haven’t completely changed our buying strategy this year, but we have been a little bit more circumspect in trying to avoid piling stock on top of stock. The Christmas Club helps us with this as we know in advance what is being saved up for. As usual, we will be running adverts in the local press and radio to try and drum up some extra footfall for Christmas, but we are in the fortunate position that we have been in business for so long that people know we’re here. Christmas stock is still arriving as we run a stock and order approach and like to keep our operation fairly tight, avoiding too much sitting in storage. We have found working with companies such as Kayes of Cardiff ideal for this way of working because we can order in smaller quantities as required. Although we take a bit of a hit with the cost, it does work out better in terms of stock control. It’s difficult to say what will be the big sellers this year – I’ll tell you on Christmas Eve! There has been a lot of hype about the Gabby’s Purrfect Dollhouse set but we’ve not had many requests for it yet. I expect this will increase as we get closer to the big day. We are a traditional toy shop and we always do well with ranges like Lego, Playmobil and Sylvanian Families. We have started to sell more wooden toys, so this is an expanding area for us. Grandparents in particular see wooden toys as a quality product and

Jon Scrivens -

Games) are always in demand and especially so at this time of year, as people buy them to play during the Christmas break, and for hosting New Year parties. We are promoting our Christmas Club heavily this year. The customers pay a deposit and pay it off in a cycle that suits them, and we offer free storage in the meantime. We have a Savings Club all year round - for birthdays or for just saving - but it is especially popular at Christmas and has been even more so this year. Customers have the peace of mind that their children are going to get what they wish for without the worry of paying out for it all in one go. Many people have

one that will last. We stock a wide range of Hape, which is popular, and Orange Tree Toys, which has a lovely range of licensed products including Peter Rabbit. The quality and design of wooden toys seems to have really come on in the last decade, especially with licensing now spilling over into the category - it’s no longer just about wooden railways and garages. Arts & craft type products have also been selling well for us, as have plastic model kits, particularly those from Airfix and Revell. The popularity of lines like this seems to have continued from the pandemic lockdowns when kids, and adults, were looking for activities to do to pass the time. Hornby train sets and Scalextric sets are always in demand at Christmas. This is when they are presents for children, although we also get a lot of custom from adult collectors for model railways throughout the year. October half-term traditionally gives us a preChristmas boost and from then on, the countdown to

Christmas is on. Customers started buying presents early on in October; I think they have been more mindful than ever about getting in early. I don’t anticipate a big, last-minute rush this year, not to the extent that there usually is. More people are preferring to buy presents in dribs and drabs rather than in one go. I am concerned about what might happen after the Christmas rush – the second half of January is normally very quiet once the Christmas money has been spent – but who knows how things will play out? There is talk that we might have to have blackouts this winter due to the energy crisis, which brings back memories of the 1973 power cuts where we had candles in the shop and could still operate quite effectively. With technology nowadays, we are so reliant on power that we probably wouldn’t be able to carry on trading, so that it is a worry. However, we have managed to get through some really difficult times already, so I’m sure we will just adapt and cope once again.

with things like Birthday parties. What’s been notable though is two or three kids joining forces to have a Birthday party together, so people have been coming in and buying three presents instead of one which is quite a change. In terms of Christmas, everything is ready to go. We’ve had a lot of stock arriving throughout the year

and more trickling in now. Last year, Christmas started for us in early October; our customers start buying then, they like to pace themselves and not have to do it all in the last month. We’re seeing similar buying behaviour this year. We haven’t really had the big uptick yet but things like advent calendars have been selling well for a while now.

Hamlins, Berkhamsted

e had a surprisingly busy summer; we wondered if it would be quieter purely because more people were making the most of being able to go away and have a holiday, as travel is much easier than it was last year. Surprisingly though, we had quite a lot of stay-at-home families, and we were also busy

Toy World 30

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Talking Shop

indie viewpoint Mark Buschhaus and Stephen Barnes Toy Barnhaus

Everything to play for

In terms of spending this year, people seem OK to pay out what they were planning to on the ‘big presents’ but will maybe spend less on stocking fillers – they’re looking for quality over quantity. Father Christmas will bring the items on the list but maybe not put quite so much in the stockings. We are still enjoying fantastic sales on classic products. I expect all sorts of board games and wooden trains and accessories to prove popular this quarter. I’m hoping to get plenty of Christmas themed Squishmallows. These are bound to sell out quickly as the range has been a really strong seller throughout the whole summer and shows no sign of stopping. Lego is as popular as ever, and it is selling well in all ranges: boys, girls and licensed sets such as Star Wars etc. More importantly, we have been seeing an increase in sales of the 18+ kits such as big cars and architectural products, which means a different demographic coming in for Lego. People’s habits changed during the pandemic and many grown-ups got back into Lego and are still enjoying it. Star Wars Helmets and Super Hero heads are also proving popular, they are at a good price point for adult birthday gifts. We’re seeing a similar trend with lines like Airfix – something creative that people can sit and do artistically, quite self-contained, but an activity where they have actually got a product to show for it when they have finished. This type of pastime started to become popular in the various lockdowns and people have realised they enjoyed it and stuck with it. We only sell in store, not online. We are located on the high street and have regular customers; it is very encouraging to see that people are appreciating their local shops more and making the most of them being there. We have a social media presence on Instagram and Facebook and as we get new products in, we post what’s arrived. We can update instantly, which we’ve found is a more organic way to stimulate sales. In the lead up to Christmas we’ll run some competitions and promotions as that’s always a good way to encourage people to visit the shop. We’ve been working on our plans; a few years ago we ran a successful advent calendar prize draw promotion each day in December which was very popular with customers. We focused on a different product each day, which they could enter to win. We offer a Christmas savings club which some of our regulars find helpful. People can spread the cost and don’t need to miss out, and it benefits both us and the consumer. Being a Toymaster member is really beneficial to us, as we get the support we need. We get increased buying power but we also remain pretty independent, so as far as we’re concerned, it’s a win-win situation. We are looking forward to the Christmas period. On top of Squishmallows and Lego which we know will sell well, it will be interesting to see what turns out to be in vogue this year – it’s hard to predict at this point.

s we write this column in mid-October, we are enjoying a bit of an Indian summer, and we are very glad as it means we are not having to use the heating too much. Trade has been mixed; September turned out to be a very good month, with all stores up year on year, but October has been notably tougher for a variety of reasons. The biggest one is the general cost of living, along with all the upheaval going on in government. Both things are understandably making people more cautious. Measuring against last year brings its own difficulties, as October was a very strong month. People were shopping earlier then, mainly due to concerns about Covid worsening in the winter months and the threat of restrictions being reintroduced. Then sales tailed off year on year as we got closer to Christmas. October last year also saw the release of Pokémon Celebrations, which was one of our biggest ever launches and added a lot of additional sales to the month. Taking all these factors into consideration, we are happy with where we are, if cautious about how trade will pan out over the next couple of months. The Pokémon Trading Card Game continues to be our top seller, even without the increased activity of last year, and remains a massive footfall driver for us. Squishmallows continues to sell extremely well, and we have just started to receive Disney and Star Wars licensed stock, which should boost the range even further. The new L.O.L Surprise! Fashion Show range has been very well received and is selling well, along with the L.O.L Surprise! FIFA World Cup dolls. Zuru’s Mini Brands continues to be popular, and we’re seeing strong sales of the Lego Orchid and the articulated Lego - I am Groot! sets. Our sale lines are selling well, as people manage their budgets and are on the lookout for presents they feel are good value for money. This quest for value is something we had predicted and have taken into account in our buying. We have altered our buying strategy this year and have been a lot more cautious in placing orders for higher ticket lines, knowing there is bound to be a lot of price activity on them. We need to protect our margin as far as possible. But where a good clearance line has been offered to us, we have been bold in taking large numbers, knowing that they will sell very well during peak season – and without having to discount and eat into the profits. The big focus for the end of November will be Black Friday, which we think will be more important than ever this year. We will have extra offers to feature for the event and will run these over a period of two weeks. Black Friday has become a key date for consumers; located where we are in shopping malls, people do expect to see offers in our stores over that period as so many of our neighbouring shops take part in promotions. We feel you do not need to have loads of offers, but you do need some attractive deals to draw customers in, or they may go elsewhere. Having said that, the majority of our sales still come from regular products in store, rather than the offers. We have started to look at lines for Q1 next year, mainly from the Lego and Hasbro ranges. There are some good lines in there, and it does seem that prices are reasonable. We have to look at price points very carefully; higher prices are going to be more difficult going forward and it’s good to work with manufacturers that get this. We will order selected lines to freshen up our new year offering, but will have to keep a cautious view and see where we sit in terms of stock coming out of Christmas before committing to too much more. In these varied times, if will be interesting to see if the winter World Cup has much impact on trade, especially if England matches are played during the day. We will be hoping that any of the knockout matches for England are shown in the evening, so we can fully enjoy them although that may be a bit optimistic given how the team has played recently!

Toy World 32

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Special Feature

Look who’s

back!

Toys R Us has arrived back in the UK, courtesy of the launch of its new eCommerce website last month – the first step on its much-anticipated comeback to the marketplace it left a little over four years ago. Just shy of a year after Toys R Us announced its UK resurrection, John Baulch and Rachael Simpson-Jones spoke with the man behind the retailer’s return, Dr Louis Mittoni, CEO and managing director of Toys R Us ANZ, to find out how the initial soft launch went, what the plans are for a physical retail presence and what comes next.

oys R Us closed the doors of its remaining UK stores in April 2018, at the end of a drawn-out, much-discussed battle to save itself from bankruptcy. The retailer had been a household name for decades, its jaunty jingle and Geoffrey the giraffe mascot known to countless kids (and parents), and its stores essentially playgrounds for shoppers both little and large that drew huge crowds to out of town retail parks. And then,

rather suddenly, it was gone. That is until October last year, when Toys R Us ANZ Limited and WHP Global - the parent company of Toys R Us and Babies R Us - announced that they’d signed a long-term exclusive licence agreement for Toys R Us ANZ to run digital and physical retail commerce for Toys R Us and Babies R Us in the UK, tailoring the model it had used to successfully relaunch Toys R Us Australia to the UK market. A new buying team was formed, boasting over 120 years of combined experience: Sarah Harding, James Ford, Diane Lee, Katie Ellis, Lukasz Jasinski and Mike Coogan are all on board, appointments those in the industry felt reflected the seriousness behind the intention to bring Toys R Us UK back, while Toys R Us marketing veteran Hayley McDowell has also returned to the fray. Slightly later than planned, out of respect for the funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, the retailer’s new website was soft launched at the end of September, initially to a modest but nonetheless positive reception. However, within days of word getting out – helped in no small part by Toy World’s coverage of the story – visitor numbers to the site were so high that the servers were straining under the load. As anyone who’s launched an eCommerce site will appreciate, getting to launch stage is no mean feat, especially when starting from scratch, and even more so when you’re doing it for such a big brand.

Toy World 34

“It’s been a challenge matching up all of the data,” said Dr Louis Mittoni, CEO and managing director of Toys R Us ANZ. “In Australia, where we’ve also relaunched Toys R Us, there’s a much simpler consumption-based tax system of a flat 10%, which is quite different to the UK’s. We’ve also been working with an unanticipated level of shipping disruption. We thought we could air freight equipment from Australia; however, it took a great deal longer than anticipated.” Louis says he’s been delighted at the level of support offered by suppliers. The retailer’s disappearance from the UK shopping landscape proved problematic for a number of toy companies; indeed, MGA Entertainment’s Isaac Larian tried to buy Toys R Us himself, so strongly did he feel about the impact of its loss. But it would appear the trade has been reassured by Louis’ pragmatic approach to the relaunch, the experience of his buying team and Toys R Us’ vision and beliefs this time around. Over 100 suppliers are on board, resulting in some 4,500 toys - and counting - available across the Toys R Us site, and an additional 1,300 products on Babies R Us. The company has invested heavily into its website to make it as user-friendly as possible. Shoppers can choose to browse via category, brand, property and age range, or be guided by handy additional sections designed to shine a spotlight on toys, games and kids’ products they may not otherwise have thought of.

Special Feature

The Toys R Us concept ‘Pillars of Play’, for example, showcases a selection of carefully curated toys that support child development across a wide range of ages and stages, while the new ‘Demo Zone’ sees toys put through their paces. The ‘Buyers’ Picks‘ section is where Sarah Harding and James Ford have compiled their favourite toys and games. ‘Have You Tried?‘, meanwhile, champions smaller brands including Orange Tree Toys, Paper Engine and Fabula Toys. This is something the Toys R Us of old was well-known and respected for doing, as Louis explains. “Just as it always has, Toys R Us really wants to support smaller suppliers,” he says. “The retailer has long been proud to give less mainstream toys, and the toys of the future, a fair shot. We’ve had to be selective initially about which suppliers we could launch with. When we first put out the call for interest in November 2021 we were absolutely inundated with enquiries, and as we work through the launch, we’ve had to be mindful of keeping things manageable for all parties. We are, however, intending to circle back to quite a few that we didn’t onboard for the launch, which will grow our supplier base across all categories over the coming months. We’ve got a great team, as you know. All of our buyers have really taken time and care to assess what brands we could launch with, including big and small vendors. It's largely thanks to our buyers, in conjunction with our support teams that we’ve seen such positive interest from consumers.” Shoppers can benefit from free delivery on orders over £20 as well as next-day delivery on all orders placed before 6pm, a very strong launch offer indeed, and one which consumers have clearly responded to. The new Toys R Us UK Warwickshire warehouse operation and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system are behind the speed of delivery: Louis tells us the time between order receipt and product arriving in the warehouse, ready to ship, takes around 30 minutes – and potentially half that, when we’re ready to up the pace. Toys R Us ANZ has invested heavily into the relaunch of Toys and Babies R Us UK, which over the

following 12-24 months will hopefully pay off: the goal is for the retailer to either break even or achieve profit at some point in 2023. In the meantime, the focus is far more on continuing to lay the foundations of a solid, well-run and scaleable business model. Toys R Us has returned to the market at an interesting time. It’s peak season, the Golden Quarter, and shoppers are already turning their attention to the toys and gifts they’ll be buying this year. It’s also a time of economic and financial uncertainty, with the pound remaining on shaky ground following a disastrous Tory mini-budget and talk of a recession dominating the headlines. There are also ongoing issues with shipping and stock availability – but for Louis, who says the UK Toys R Us operation is ‘starting from zero’, any performance over the festive season is better than no performance at all. The retailer has fresh stock, isn’t coming into the period overstocked like some retailers may be, and is kicking things off with a blank, clean canvas. Louis also says that whilst plenty of investment has gone into its systems, inventory and processes, the retailer’s capital expenditure remains ‘relatively low’, and that there are incredible opportunities out there for the taking. Interestingly enough, the slump in sterling that took place at the start of October has actually helped to mitigate the overall cost of setting up the new business. Local pricing might be affected, but investment comes at a lower cost – something of an advantage to a ‘newcomer’. When Toys R Us left the British retail scene, other retailers, including toy specialists such as Smyths and The Entertainer, moved to fill the void it left. Four years later, is the door still open for the retailer to come back to the marketplace? And do consumers actually want it to return? “I’ve spoken with hundreds of people and numerous media outlets about the love that still exists for Toys R Us,” Louis told us. “There’s a great deal of trust and heritage within that brand, and brand awareness in the UK is much higher than it is in other countries, even when compared with the US. But it’s not just

Toy World 36

about the brand: it’s about our approach to buying, the products we offer, the range of play patterns they provide and the low level of overlap between brands.” Louis also tells us that the level of love and nostalgia for Toys R Us is reflected in how the website has been designed and in the retailer’s new mission statement. Visitors to the website will see that it states: ‘At Toys R Us and Babies R Us, our vision is to work together with parents and families to build a relationship that you can trust and provide you with the products you want, at the best prices, and with outstanding customer support…. Our mission is to encourage kids of all ages to engage with as many forms of play as we possibly can because we believe that play has the power to change lives and build magical memories that will last a lifetime.’ Readers will know that the return of dedicated, physical Toys R Us stores has been part of the return roadmap from the beginning, and although there are no solid plans in the pipeline for those just yet, Louis did tell us that a few things were ‘being considered’. In the meantime, just 24 hours before this issue went to print, Toys R Us announced that it has signed an exclusive sub-licence agreement with WHSmith High Street Limited to trial nine Toys R Us store-instore concessions in the United Kingdom. These are scheduled to open in the first calendar half of 2023. For the present, however, Toys R Us will have its eye firmly on Christmas and getting off to a strong start in 2023. When Toy World covered the demise of the retailer back when it first hit the rocks, it’s fair to say we didn’t expect to penning news stories and articles about its comeback quite so soon – or that its comeback would be so convincing. It’ll be interesting to see how things pan out over the coming months: although there aren’t yet millions of toys, and no roofs to speak of, there’s once again a magical place for British shoppers to explore – and it’s called Toys R Us (…Toys R Us, Toys R Us).

Special Feature

Curiouser and curiouser… Curious Universe CEO John Styring tells Sam Giltrow how the company has found its feet during the pandemic and about its plans to increase its presence in the toy arena.

t’s hard to believe that Curious Universe has only been in existence for five years. The company’s meteoric rise has seen it grow from a team of 30 employees to 80 in the last 18 months alone, with product selling to over 43 countries and over 500 new products created each year. Interestingly, many of these achievements have come off the back of the pandemic. However, while global expansion is a key focus for the company’s growth strategy, co-founder and CEO John Styring maintains that it’s the smaller, yet perfectly formed, size of the business which enables Curious Universe to be so nimble and react quickly to the developing marketplace. “We can listen to what customers want and get ranges into production quickly,” he tells Toy World. John and his wife and creative director, Briony Britten, launched the consumer products business in Bath in November 2017, in collaboration with Australian-based publisher Hinkler. The couple had previously built up Igloo Books, which they sold to a rival publisher in 2014. Curious Universe has four sectors: toys, arts & crafts, books and stationery, with arts & crafts currently making up around half of the revenue. This year, its rapid growth and achievements were recognised when it was listed in The Sunday Times 100 list of fastest growing companies, and the team was delighted to be crowned SME Business of the Year at the Bath Business Awards 2022. John is rightly proud of where Curious Universe is right now and says the Bath Business Award fits with the aim of the business to build a profile locally, so it can attract more creative people to the team - as well as raising its profile as it takes bigger steps into the toy arena. “Toys is forecast to be our biggest growth area by far, and we are forecasting a quadrupling of revenue over the next two years,” he states. “We have got off to a good start in the last couple of years with a growing number of products in our toy division. Jigsaw puzzles has been particularly successful for us, selling 1.25m last year alone.” Now, Curious Universe has set its sights on launching a

new games division in Q4 2023 and moving into licensed product. John explains: “What we are really excited about is three new product ranges that we have earmarked for 2023. A Curious Universe games division within the toy section will be focused on sustainable board games aimed at younger children. We have also spent a lot of energy on creating two new brands which we will be previewing over the next couple of months and launching at London Toy Fair in January. At the moment, I can’t say much about them other than that they both offer a uniqueness.” Curious Universe has also secured a number of licences and is just finalising agreements with Moose Toys’ Magic Mixies and Hasbro’s My Little Pony with a view to launching new products in May 2023, with further licences to be announced in due course. “Previously, we have focused very much on our own IP, so this will be a nice new growth area,” John says. He concedes the toy market can be a hard nut to crack but says that having already worked with many retailers on books, while not necessarily dealing directly with the toy buyer, accounts were in place to enable a smooth transition into other divisions. “One of our values is ‘It’s got to be perfect’. We recognise we are never going to be completely perfect, but this does show we are very keen to get that service level right to support the customer,” adds John. Another key phrase in Curious Universe is ‘Product, People and Production’, and John says these three strands are vital to get right to ensure the future success of the business. The company has brought in 50 new empolyees in the last 18 months alone, many of them from within the toy industry, with different ideas, backgrounds and expertise to offer. “We’ve brought all these people into our work culture, and this has been such a positive move as there’s now a real buzz here,” enthuses John. “One of our core company values is about being kind and supportive to each other. We spend a lot of energy bringing in the right people, so if they leave after a couple of months, what’s the point? We need to make sure we are supporting them.” Curious Universe is also passionate about sustainability. “I think we all have a responsibility to look at how we are producing product, “says John. “We are also getting pressurised, and rightfully so, by our customers,

Toy World 38

who are driving that change.” The company is taking its creative Zap! Extra range from PVC to solely boardbased. John proudly states that across the 750,000 units already sold, the amount of plastic that has been taken out is equivalent to 1,883 African elephants. “We assess everything we are producing and ask if we can do it better. When we are developing new product, it’s all about how we can be much more environmentally friendly,” he says. Curious Universe holds monthly sustainable meetings and its most recent one drew in nearly half of its staff. “It’s all voluntary, and held over lunchtime, so I think that shows the passion from people within our company to make change,” he adds. John concedes that meeting sustainability targets is an ongoing process; some ranges still contain plastic, but it has been changed to PET. There has been a move to soybased inks and the business is currently working to source environmentally friendly adhesives. It has replaced the poly bags in its jigsaws with paper ones and aims to have all its paper fully FSC-certified by 2023. John is currently trying to find a cost effective, environmentally friendly glitter. “We have banned glitter on all our products but want to go back to that look and add that excitement and sparkle to some products,” he says. Speaking about the company’s bid for global expansion, John says the Nordics and the US are particular targets. “We have a lot of work to do but are very excited about building our international presence. It’s a major objective for the next year to grow our international toy sales and find the right partners to work with.” There are also plans to grow eCommerce sales; at present, most sales are through retailers. John is feeling quietly confident about where Curious Universe is heading: “We are still forecasting that our overall business will grow 20-30% and so there is an ongoing, massive focus on new product development. We know it’s not easy out there right now, but we are always striving to create a really good value product, so that should stand us in good stead through what will inevitably be tougher times. We have a good spread of price points, so hopefully our lower RRP items will see good volume sales through our customers,” he concludes. “One of the highlights for 2023 will be exhibiting at London Toy Fair for the first time, so watch this space.”

PRESHOW NOËL toys & games

21-25 November 2022 Barriere Le Royal Hotel & C.I.D Deauville, France

THE EUROPEAN TOYS & GAMES EVENT FOR THE CHRISTMAS 2023 COLLECTION

The 2023 Christmas selection starts in Deauville! Preview trends, first-look samples, new products, flagship sets and must haves of the 2023 Christmas toys and games collections

Join the VIP International Buyer Program Specially designed for you, our VIP program gives you the unique opportunity to meet European suppliers!

Benefits & privileges* The VIP International Buyer program includes: • Full access to the event from November 21 to 25 on both exhibition sites (Royal Hotel and the CID) • Accommodation (2 hotel nights)** • All breakfasts, lunches and coffee breaks during the whole stay • Full access to the product online database and the exhibitors directory *Limited spaces, depending on buyer’s profile. Access is strictly limited to the decision makers in charge of the product referencing in toys and games retail chains ** Depending on availability and buyer’s profile

To find out if you are eligible for the VIP buyer program, contact: Emilie Ragoin Buyers’ Manager +33 (0)1 77 92 96 71 +33 (0)6 99 59 67 10 emilie.ragoin@infopro-digital.com

www.preshow-noel.fr

Viewpoint Amazon 2023; are YOU ready? Asha Bhalsod Asha has 10 years eCommerce account management experience, including at Amazon and managing the Amazon/ eCommerce businesses at Tomy UK and Melissa & Doug. She now runs Etopia Consultancy, to help brands create their eCommerce strategy and grow their Amazon business, and can be contacted on

asha@etopiaconsultancy.co.uk for guidance with trading on Amazon.

sha Bhalsod of Etopia Consultancy looks at how companies should be making preparations now for their imminent annual Amazon terms negotiations.

It’s Q4 and I’m sure you’re all buried in heaps of data analysis about how to hit your budget goals for 2022. As 2022 draws to a close, now is the time to start planning for those dreaded annual terms negotiations with Amazon. There are two phases to this annual negotiation and the first phase is preparation. The earlier you create your Joint Business Plan, which considers how to manage the constant economic challenges we’re all facing currently, the better prepared you will be for Phase 2, which is the negotiation part. Make sure you know your revenue, margin, and operational figures for the last 12 months before entering the annual terms discussions.

The impact of the economic climate on Amazon With factors that are beyond your control, such as rising raw material prices, constant currency fluctuations and ongoing logistics pricing challenges, manufacturers will inevitably want to implement a Cost Price Increase (CPI) with Amazon. Those that have successfully managed to implement this already will know that you need to inform your Vendor Manager, giving them 30 days’ notice. Even with this forward notice, don’t expect Amazon to start buying stock at your new price. A CPI is widely known to be a long-winded experience; often tied to trading term negotiations. Amazon will request that you input your new CPI into Vendor Central, however, expect the “system” to reject it. This means you’ll have to wrap CPI into your terms. Managing internal expectations on how Amazon processes CPI is crucial – it’s time consuming and won’t happen without a series of negotiations.

Pan-EU model/ Vendor Success Programme (VSP) Amazon has recently concentrated its efforts on harmonising trading terms throughout all of Europe. This allows it to pool resources and assess terms in several marketplaces simultaneously. If your business has seen significant growth on Amazon over the past 12 months, expect pressure from Amazon to move to a Pan-EU model, unless you’re already part of it. There are multiple benefits to moving to this model, but preparation is key. Your retail model will differ across EU markets, so don’t expect Amazon to ask for the same terms across individual markets. Understanding what drives Amazon’s Net Pure Product Margin (PPM) will lead you to make decisions around which terms will drive a win-win solution for both parties. This new method can lead to challenges, however. Even though the lead market is managing the relationship with Amazon, it’s important to internally align on strategies

Toy World 40

to drive growth across individual territories. When different strategies are applied across markets, setting KPI’s will ensure that none of the markets are treated as an afterthought. If you’ve received an email asking you to modify your trading terms, your account is probably part of the Vendor Success Programme or VSP. Without the benefit of direct interaction with a vendor manager, VSP vendors will have to follow a distinct procedure and negotiations will be hard to conduct. Reject agreements in time (as they often auto renew) and set time aside to counter Amazon’s demands.

Supply Chain – it’s time to do a full review Operations in Amazon is an area that is often overlooked. Whilst ensuring your content, advertising and pricing is managed optimally, it’s crucial that Amazon’s operations are managed correctly and with limited penalties. Before negotiations begin, do a deep dive into your supply chain with Amazon, as this could result in reducing the cost to serve Amazon by up to 70%. This will aid annual negotiations with Amazon, where investing in Operational Programmes could benefit both businesses in cost savings and bottom-line improvement. PICS, Pallet Ordering, and Vendor Flex are some of the programmes available to Vendors. You’ll of course need to have a relationship with a Vendor Manager to further discuss these programmes. Be sure to conduct an analysis of your current methods to understand what’s working and what isn’t. Identify any chargebacks you’ve seen throughout the year as well as the common causes. This will arm you with information to identify which programmes could be most beneficial. Part of your Joint Business Plan with Amazon should be to drive incremental growth, as well as focusing on how to improve the supply chain. This will result in profitability and hold your business in high regard with Amazon.

Final thoughts… When kicking off planning for 2023, make sure your teams understand the true root causes which led to the profit performance of your product listings. Armed with this knowledge and data, your business will be optimally positioned to manage the annual terms negotiations. Amazon doesn’t expect you to accept its first proposal as is, but you are expected to provide feedback promptly. Spending the closing months of 2022 being extra savvy and embracing the opportunities Amazon has to offer will create an ideal segue into 2023 and those dreaded terms negotiations with Amazon. For more information, Asha can be contacted on asha@etopiaconsultancy.com.

Viewpoint Programmatic media – simplicity is key

I Peadar Drislane business director - Seika Media Peadar has over 20 years’ experience in the media industry, having worked with a host of global brands as well as some of the biggest media agencies in the UK. His expertise covers AV planning and buying, specialising in the toys and games and youth market.

www.seika.media peadar.drislane@seika.media

began my career in Media back in 2000. Back then, the media industry was dominated by television, with shows such as Coronation Street pulling in viewing figures in excess of 15m per episode. This gave advertisers the perfect platform to generate mass awareness of their products to a huge audience in a very short space of time. Radio, outdoor advertising, newspapers, magazines and cinema were also hugely influential and were a mainstay on almost all media plans. The past 20 years has seen dramatic change in how media agencies operate and how media campaigns are planned and implemented. The reason for this is the emergence of the digital age and how media is now consumed. The growth in online media has been phenomenal. With this level of growth and scale, it can seem a daunting prospect when approaching the online world, but it is the perfect landscape for clients to reach their target audience at a much more granular level. In order to maximise this opportunity, programmatic media provides the tools to navigate the online space and identify the environments in which we can connect with consumers with relevant and targeted advertising and minimise wastage. Initially, the term ‘Programmatic media’ can be confusing, with things like Demand Side Platforms (DSP) and Supply Side Platforms (SSP) to get to grips with, as well as Open Market Place and Private Market Place. At Seika Media, we believe that simplicity is key, and aim

to make the use of programmatic media as smooth and transparent as possible. To do this, we identify and vet tens of thousands of domains and curate them into bespoke PMPs (Private Market Places), so that all of the websites are entirely relevant for any particular target market. We then allocate one deal I.D to this so that we can monitor and optimise the campaigns on a daily basis to maximise the successful outcome of each one. Daily optimisation allows us to use budgets efficiently and effectively to achieve specific KPIs, on average increasing campaign performance by at least 20% across the board while keeping the client in complete control – choosing from display, video, connected TV, in-game, audio, digital out-of-home and YouTube, all within a brand-safe, curated programmatic marketplace of the world’s leading publishers Also with the aim of making digital media simpler, we offer two ways to buy with a choice of self-serve campaigns (where the agency/ brand uses a demand side platform) or a managed service (where we buy the campaign on the client’s behalf via a brief). We report back with complete transparency on the domains used, the price and the performance as regularly as needed, acting as an extension of the client’s internal team. In both cases, we set up Microsoft Teams chats so that clients can message us or have a video call when it suits them. Programmatic media should be viewed as an integral element in all campaigns, as it enhances digital footprints by reaching audiences at unprecedented scale.

The Hot Toy lists: US vs. UK

very autumn, US and UK major retailers publish their “Hot Toy” lists. These lists, ranging from ten to over 100 toys, say a lot about how the buyers for these companies read their markets and what they believe will bring the biggest return on investment over the Christmas buying season. Choosing which toys consumers will fight for is a serious business - compiling a Hot Toy list is not for the faint of heart.

Richard Gottlieb CEO, Global Toy Experts Richard is the founder and CEO of Global Toy Experts, a consultancy to US and international toy companies. He is also the publisher of Global Toy News, a web-based magazine founded in 2009 that covers toy industry news and provides resources to the toy industry. Richard co-hosts The Playground Podcast and publishes The Toy Intelligencer report.

The licences, brands and toys chosen can say a great deal about popular culture in a country. Do The US and the UK, which share the same language (mostly) and much of the same culture, make identical choices in toys? To find out, I sifted through 350 toys from six retailers: Amazon, Walmart, Target and Toys R Us in the US: Smyths and Hamleys in the UK. The four US retailers had a total of 321 listings between them. Hamleys and Smyths had 29. For starters, I wanted to know where buyers on opposite sides of the pond agreed. Only four of the 29 (14%) UK listings also appeared on at least one of the American retail lists. Below are the toys the two countries agreed on: (For comparison, I converted the GB pound to the American dollar.) Spin Master Cool Maker Stitch & Style US - $31.39 Target; UK - $29.11 Smyths Fisher-Price DJ Bouncin’ Beats US - $44.99 Target; UK - $37.51 Smyths Moose Little Live Pets – Mama Surprise US - $59.00 Amazon; US - $59.00 Walmart; UK - $72.79 Smyths Hasbro Play-Doh Ice Cream Truck US - $94.99 Amazon; US - $94.99 Target; UK- $111.72 Smyths

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UK pricing was lower on Cool Maker Stitch & Style and D.J. Bouncin’ Beats. US pricing was lower on Little Live Pets and the Play-Doh Ice Cream Truck. That was where the similarities ended. The biggest difference between the two countries came in the use of third-party licences. In the US,; third-party licensed toys made up an impressive 30% of all toys on the combined US lists. In contrast, 17% of the UK toy listings were licensed. There were 26 different third-party licences on the US lists; everything from Jurassic World and Star Wars to Bluey and CoComelon to Encanto and Gabby’s Doll House. The UK list contains four third-party licenses: Buzz Lightyear, CoComelon, Peppa Pig and Jurassic World. Disney licences dominate the US toy scene, making up a remarkable 18% of all the listed toys on the US list. Contrast that to the UK, where there was only one Disney-licensed item on the combined UK lists. There were also differences in which brands dominated. Mattel was a significant player on the UK and US lists. The company accounted for 17% of all UK and 12% of all US listings. Contrast that with the US lists where Hasbro had the second-largest number of listings on the US lists (Mattel was first). Hasbro’s toys accounted for 10% of all US listings. Surprisingly (at least to me), there was only one Hasbro listing on the combined UK lists. MGA’s Mermaze Mermaidz Color Change dolls were a major presence on the Amazon and Target lists. They made up 5% of all listings but were not listed on the two UK lists. Do one country’s buyers have it right and the other wrong? No, they are just responding to their respective markets. It is interesting, however, that when you look closely, two countries so culturally similar are so different – particularly regarding how they play. Or at least how retail buyers think they do.

Creating Compelling Tabletop Experiences View the full range on www.steamforged.com

For trades enquiries, reach out to toby@steamforged.com For sales enquiries, reach out to jo@steamforged.com Copyright © 2022 Steamforged Games Ltd. Steamforged Games is a trademark of Steamforged Games Ltd.

fresh FRESH THIS MONTH:

Each month Fresh sets out to find the latest products that will have toy retailers reaching for the phone. Here are new releases from: Asmodee, Bruder, Lego, TY.

Elizabeth II Beanie Baby Ty

02393 876 600 sales@tyuk.co.uk

Celebrating the life and reign of the late Queen Elizabeth II, a commemorative bear from Ty has been released in Her Majesty’s favourite colour, blue, bearing a beautifully embroidered crown displaying the years of her life. As a nod to her historic reign, the Elizabeth II bear also wears a shimmering platinum ribbon to acknowledge her 70 years of service and is accompanied by a small poem.

Lego Ideas Table Football The Lego Group

The Elizabeth II Beanie Baby is a UK exclusive.

01753 495 000 | www.lego.com Football and Lego fans can now build and play their favourite game with a new fan designed Lego set, which Lego describes as the ‘ultimate global celebration of play’. Each player can first build their five-a-side team of Lego minifigures - plus a crowd of teammates and fans to watch from the sides - from over 60 different elements, before the players compete in a match. The Lego Ideas Table Football set honours football players and fans from around the globe and features a diverse line-up of minifigures. In total, 22 different minifigures can be built to play or watch with a range of hair styles, facial expressions and skin tones to choose from. The portable size of the set means it is perfect for transporting to play with friends, away or at home. It also makes an ideal display cabinet piece.

Asmodee

01420 593 593 www.asmodee.co.uk From Asmodee, the distributor behind the successful Confident?, comes Tug!

The set was designed by 16-year-old Hungarian Lego fan Donát Fehérvári as part of the We Love Sports Contest on Lego Ideas, and then made into a real set by Lego Designer, Antica Bracanov. Lego Ideas Table Football launched as part of the Lego For The Joy of Play campaign at 35–37 Rue des Francs-Bourgeois in Paris in October and is available now.

Krone Big Pack 1290 and John Deere 7R 350 Bruder

Tug!

The game begins with two teams going head-to-head in a game of brains over brawn. Each team has to try and answer the fun 50:50 questions in a back-and-forth battle. The game is played out inside the game box, which unfolds into a mini tug of war arena complete with a suspended rope and flag. The game offers plenty of excitement and tension: the stakes rise as the game goes on. Over 1,400 questions on 120 cards are held in a novel card holder which reveals one answer at a time, all in a travel-friendly box. This game is ideal for family get-togethers or parties with friends. With Confident? now sold in 10 regional versions and nine languages across the world (with more coming in 2023), Asmodee predicts Tug! will follow suit.

00353 67 63800 | www.bruder.de

Krone, a leading manufacturer of innovative agricultural harvesting machines, receives the Bruder treatment this year as its Big Pack 1290 joins the company’s extensive model range. Just like the life size machinery, the toy features impressive and innovative functions. The hinged hay pick-up is driven by side wheels and the flaps can be opened to provide access to the detailed mechanics inside. When kids place two large bales over the centre flap, the baler transports them to the discharge point automatically when the pick-up is active. Bruder believes the Krone Big Pack and new John Deere 7R 350 are a perfect combination. True to the company motto – ‘Just like the real thing’ - the tractor is equipped with numerous realistic details. The bonnet lifts to reveal the impressive engine, while the opening doors allow kids to place bworld figures (sold separately) in the modern cabin. Typical of Bruder’s build quality and attention to detail, the tractor offers excellent control and ride comfort thanks to its oscillating axle as well as a steering extension that can be inserted through the sliding roof.

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h info@igdesigngroup.uk.com +44 (0)1908 618 811 www.igdesigngroup.uk

Find us

fresh

Naruto Shippuden figures Playmobil

01268 548 111 | www.playmobil.co.uk In a first for Playmobil, figures from the popular anime series Naruto Shippuden will be released in early 2023. The company says this new licence will appeal both to children and to the kidult sector. Naruto Shippuden is a series mainly adapted from Part II of Masashi Kishimoto’s original manga series, set two and a half years after the original series in the Naruto universe. Playmobil picks up the exciting adventures of the sympathetic ninja Naruto Uzumaki accompanied by his long-time rival, the determined Sasuke Uchiha and his close friend, Sakura Haruno. Also available in the collection are many other characters from the popular series, such as the disciplined Kakashi and members of the villainous Akatsuki. From January, anime enthusiasts of all ages can look forward to the first 12 beautifully designed figures. Equally suitable for a collectibles showcase or for recreating the most exciting scenes from the series, the Naruto Shippuden Playmobil Edition will allow fans to bring the magic of the series into their own homes. Keeping the momentum going, the next 12 popular characters and even more sets from Naruto Shippuden will be added to the Playmobil collection later in 2023. The new assortment marks further Playmobil advances into the kidult sector, following the success of recent ranges which include the company’s Star Trek collection. Retailers interested in stocking the new range should contact their local territory managers or call Playmobil on the number above.

Licensed Tonies Tonies

www.tonies.com Kids can wiggle into their wellies as Michael Rosen’s award-winning picture book We’re Going on a Bear Hunt launches in Tonie-form. The tale follows the exciting adventures of a family as they brave swirling, whirling snowstorms and stumble-trip through deep dark forests in search of their ursine target. As the sensory story unfolds, sofas will be turned into snowstorms and bedrooms into gloomy caves as the excitement levels grows. We’re Going on a Bear Hunt includes two catchy songs by popstar George Ezra guaranteed to get kids moving. My Little Pony fans will enjoy listening to the story of the movie My Little Pony: A New Generation as well as singing along to original songs from the popular film. The Tonies follows bright-eyed pony Sunny Starscout on her mission to unite Equestria and make the world a better place. Kids can also meet Karma, a 10-year-old aspiring artist and rapper who’s busy juggling rap dreams and rhyme schemes in the cool new Tonie based on the hit Netflix show Karma’s World. This is the story of a lyrically gifted schoolgirl on a quest to find her voice so she can use it to change the world. Tonies’ Disney portfolio welcomes the free-spirited princess Pocahontas. The new Tonie tells the story of Pocahontas’ friendship with Captain John Smith, who arrives in North America on a ship full of British settlers. When tensions grow between the settlers and the Native Americans, Pocahontas must seek the advice of Grandmother Willow, the wise old talking tree, to find a way for everyone to live together in peace.

Sounds Fishy

Big Potato Games

020 3620 9495 | trade@bigpotato.co.uk. www. bigpotato.com Sounds Fishy is a fast-thinking, truth and lies question game. Players don’t need to know the correct answer, they just need to catch the fake answers invented by the other players whilst trying to avoid the real one. To start, each player is handed a fish. All fish are red herrings apart from one - the true blue kipper. Each player takes it in turns to be the guesser. The guesser holds up a question card and reads it aloud, and each red herring has to make up a fake answer. Only the true blue kipper can give the correct answer. The guesser picks up points by eliminating the fake answers that have been invented by the other players, however, if they accidentally choose the correct answer then the guesser loses all their points, and their turn is over. Then, the next round begins with a new player as the guesser with the roles changed. Players must get creative with their answers, trying to fool the opposition and being daring with their guesses. Sounds Fishy can be played in small or large groups, so it’s the perfect party game and would make an ideal Christmas gift. As part of Big Potato’s pledge to be kinder to the planet, Sounds Fishy is just one of the company’s games that contains no plastic. In an effort to reduce landfill waste and plastic pollution in the natural environment, Big Potato has traded shrink wrap for cellulose stickers and avoided using any plastic to make the components. The company also offers a free replacement parts service to all its customers, so if a drink gets knocked over and the blue kippers turn soggy, replacements can be ordered free of charge.

Toy World 46

Feature

Q1 Ranges

Q1 dawn

a new

There can be no beating around the bush – the first few months of 2023 are likely to be far more challenging than any of us would like. But there are nonetheless opportunities out there for the taking, as Toy World discovers.

t’s usually very easy to write an upbeat, forwardlooking, optimistic piece about the first quarter of a new year – but this one has unsurprisingly been a little trickier. We’re all aware that recent events have placed financial strain on a huge number of British consumers: the October mini-budget shock has sent mortgage rates through the roof, new chancellor (at the time of writing) Jeremy Hunt has announced a U-turn on the government’s energy bills support package, inflation continues to rise (pushing up the price of everything from fuel to food), and a recession appears to be on the horizon. For many, these issues have translated into a real-world impact on disposable income and spending power that won’t go away any time soon. “I think Q1 2023 is going to be far harder to navigate than Q4 2022 for the general public, and for the industry – it will possibly be one of the toughest first quarters we will have ever seen,” notes Sara Taylor, MGA UK & Ireland’s managing director. “January and February tend to be the coldest months of winter and the cost of energy consumption is going to be at its highest in decades. More fixed mortgage deals will be coming to an end, and while people may not buy as many presents this Christmas, key value purchases will put a squeeze on spending through the early part of 2023.” Bear with me – I promise this article isn’t going to be wall-to-wall bad news: we all work in the toy industry,

after all. For a start, kids get money at Christmas - some of them a lot of it – and younger kids are very likely to spend that money on toys. In previous years we’ve heard from numerous retailers who can attest to this, and there’s no reason to think the same wouldn’t be true of 2023. Spending might be reduced, but it will be there, and retailers with fresh, new and exciting ranges lining their shelves will almost certainly be visited by kids wielding gifted Christmas money (or vouchers). Based on the current climate, it’s reasonable to assume pocket-money toys and collectibles will be even more popular during the Q1 period than they usually are. Sara agrees, telling Toy World she thinks the biggest first quarter opportunities will lie with price points of £10 and under, particularly if a product range has a strong collectible element to it and is well supported with robust marketing. “Consumers will always look for good value for money, and these price points tend to deliver on that,” she adds. As you’ll see within this feature, there’s plenty of toys that fit this particular bill, either in terms of their RRP or collectability. Magicbox, for example, is launching new additions to its SuperThings, KookyLoos and T-Racers ranges, all of which combine strong play value with collectible elements and exciting features. Schleich is pulling out all the stops in the new year too, introducing new figurines to its Wild Life, Horse World, bayala, Eldrador, Dinosaurs and Farm World ranges, including a Chameleon – the brand’s first

Toy World 48

colour-changing figurine. HGL (from One for Fun), meanwhile, is adding to its pocket-money line-up with a raft of squishy, squeezy stretchy items including sausage dogs, caterpillars, springs, hand puppets, reptiles, sharks, stretchy strings in the shapes of unicorns and mermaids, animal eggs and flying discs. Brainstorm is introducing new Eugy and StikBot additions as well as a new spinning top encased in a special enclosure that transforms the top into a multi-coloured light show. We’ve also heard tell of a very exciting new addition to the YuMe Toys Mystery Capsule portfolio, distributed by KAP Toys. As for MGA, the company behind L.O.L. Surprise!, Rainbow High and much more, consumers can expect a ‘good dollop of newness throughout 2023’ from the word go, with Sara noting that if companies are going to encourage consumers to part with their hardearned cash, it will have to be for very good reasons. Newness, she adds, is always top of her list. For some companies, however, newness is proving slightly harder to offer. Paul Reader, marketing director at the independent buying group Toymaster, says that in previous years several suppliers would have started shipping products by now for major Boxing Day launches - but many have been pushed back to later in 2023. Paul cites concerns about overstocking among the reasons for this, saying suppliers are seeing orders cancelled by majors and are reacting accordingly. As a result, Toymaster has pushed back its traditional

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Feature

Q1 Ranges

January window display, which normally heavily leans into the ‘new, new, new!’ aspect of Q1 launches, to February. Paul agrees that pocket money toys and collectibles are likely to perform well in the first quarter, though he also highlights the fact that licensed toys are currently bucking something of a downwards trend. According to The NPD Group, licensed toys are up +4% (in a market which is currently down -5% year to date), accounting for 29% of the market – its highest share for many years. So could licensed toys also be high on kids’ post-Christmas wish lists? Probably. For a start, 2023 is Paw Patrol’s 10th anniversary year, and there’s likely to be plenty of activations and coverage surrounding the big event, so awareness and product demand will be high. Another pre-school favourite, Bluey continues to benefit from an ever-expanding raft of toys, including new wooden role-play products from 8th Wonder, while Gabby’s Dollhouse has been mentioned in a number of Top Toys for Christmas lists this year. Given the demand for the big dollhouse play set, there are clearly plenty to kids out there who would leap at the chance to get their hands on new licensed products from the likes of Posh Paws (plush) and Vivid Goliath (Crayola craft sets). Then there’s the upcoming Super Mario film, which is slated for release two days before Easter on 7th April and again, is likely to result in soaring demand for licensed product. Super Mario licensee Epoch Games is launching a new game in Q1 which Epoch Making Toys’ commercial director John Briggs says is reminiscent of the much-loved video games: “Super Mario Rally Tennis encourages healthy competition, can provide endless fun, and is out-of-the-box ready with no batteries required. It will also form part of our popular Link System. Enabling players to interchange characters between games, the system is perfect for those who have already bought in to the range, keeping play interesting and adding greater value.” Miraculous will also benefit from its own movie

in spring 2023, albeit a TV one. The hit animated property continues to perform well across a range of territories, with Bandai, Sinco and Rubies all on board as licensees and all launching brand new lines for Q1. Bandai’s new Miraculous Magic Heroez colour reveal fashion doll offers an ‘unboxing experience full of surprises’ enhanced by a fun water reveal, while Sinco is launching Miraculous Plush Backpacks and Clip-On Plush Characters, and Rubies has unveiled its upcoming Miraculous accessory sets. As we saw during the height of the pandemic, consumers are also turning to trusted household brands right now. Once the festive season is out of the way, it’s likely this will continue, especially amidst ongoing financial uncertainty. John Briggs also says: “Consumers are looking for toys which offer longterm play value, and this has enabled our brands to strengthen their position in their respective categories. We can only see this need for play value continuing and potentially becoming even more important to consumers in 2023.” Epoch’s beloved Sylvanian Families brand will continue to expand the ever-popular Amusement Park range with the Floating Cloud Train, while the introduction of an adorable new family – the Fennec Fox Family - provides yet another opportunity for fans of the fuzzy critters to expand their collections. Leading nurturing doll brand Baby born’s new Baby born Bear arrives for Easter - the cute 36cm plush bear, billed as Baby born’s ‘best friend’, can be used with all Baby born accessories, offering huge added play value for existing fans of the brand. And in January, the Monster High franchise is back with a bang as Mattel brings its spooky fashion doll brand back to shelves for a new generation of kids more than two decades after it first arrived on the scene. Playmobil, which has been around since the 70s and is familiar with kids and parents across the globe, is keeping with the times by moving into the anime space as it welcomes Naruto Shippuden to its portfolio.

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The launch range will comprise 12 popular figures from the huge anime franchise, which will be followed later in the year by a further 12 characters. Toy World’s online story on this generated quite a buzz: it appears it’s definitely one to watch. Of course, Playmobil’s slate of Q1 offerings isn’t limited to anime collectibles, as marketing manager Adam Moore explains: “Playmobil's Q1 launches are a mix of classic play themes and collectibles, both of which are synonymous with Playmobil. Starting each new year by highlighting some of the fantastic upcoming ranges really helps cement our success for the rest of the period. Playmobil’s new Emergency Rescue and Farm themes maintain our brand ethos of classic imaginative playthings and bring with them an amazing marketing support package within media and in store theatre.” “Retailers have the opportunity to maximise instore exposure with an array of POS options, including sales stands, window displays and in store POS,” Adam adds. “Alongside this, awareness will be driven by extensive TV, digital and social campaigns that continue throughout the year. And while media plays an important part in delivering messaging, so does getting products into kids’ hands and letting them experience our toys up close and personal.” MGA, meanwhile, is investing heavily in a diverse and targeted mix of marketing to support new launches and the innovation that comes with them. In addition, Sara explains that the company will also be ‘both proactive and reactive’ with the promotional calendar to make sure it supports the trade as much as possible as the unchartered waters of 2023 begin to unfold. “None of us can really predict what is going to happen next week, never mind next quarter,” she adds. “But keeping laser focused on the data and responding appropriately to it will be key to creating sustainable sales early in 2023.”

Q1 Ranges

Winning Moves 01706 558539 | www.winningmoves.co.uk Earlier in 2022, Winning Moves released a new format to its seminal brand, Top Trumps, called Top Trumps Battle Mat. For the first time in its 50-year history, the much loved stat-based card game was transferred to the table in a strategic tabletop format. The first version, released in April 2022, received high praise, and generated a buzz with adult and kids play when it was unveiled during London Toy Fair. Winning Moves is delighted to announce there will be two more additions to the range: Marvel Cinematic Universe Battle Mat and Star Wars Battle Mat. These evergreen licences, with the addition of Harry Potter, will help bolster the profile of Top Trumps Battle Mat and create a strong range of products. Marvel Battle Mat, featuring the bestselling Marvel Cinematic Universe Top Trumps pack, will be released January 2023; while Star Wars Battle Mat, which includes characters from the entire Skywalker Saga, launches February 2023. The Top Trumps range encompasses a broad range of RRPs, giving a reason to buy all year round for a wide range of purchase occasions. At the bottom of the spectrum are Top Trumps Classics, Specials and Juniors and Limited Editions which are all £10 or under. Higher prices are Top Trumps Quiz and Tins, Top Trumps Battle Mat and Top Trumps Match which are still all under £20. Launching towards the end of Q1 2023, in time for summer, is a new addition to the ever-popular Pass the Pigs range. Last year, Winning Moves released Pass the Pugs, to much excitement and acclaim. Shortly after, in the summer of 2022, Winning Moves added a giant version to the range. In April 2023, they will be launching Giant Pass the Pandas - these inflatable furry friends will sit alongside pigs and pugs in the garden, on the beach, in the field - anywhere big enough to play with them. Giant Pass the Pandas adopts the same gameplay as its predecessors, whereby players must throw the inflatable pandas in the air and gain points depending on how they land; the first to 100 wins. Later in the year, a standard edition will enter the range, sitting alongside the standard Pass the Pigs and Pass the Pugs and will be a travel game perfect for planes, trains and automobiles.

Character Options 01616 339 800 | www.character-online.com | sales@charactergroup.plc.uk Character Options’ Q1 portfolio will tap into a range of popular play patterns, offering a host of brands to get 2023 off to an incredible start. Heroes of Goo Jit Zu remains a priority in 2023, with continued investment and new themes to drive collectibility. The latest series in the range is Goo Jit Zu Glow Shifters; kids crush each character’s hidden core to activate their glow-in-the-dark goo-transformation. Blazagon, Tyro, Scorpius, Bengal, and Tritops are all available to collect, as well as the Ultra Rare Gigatusk; each has a unique Goo Orb to explore. The Glow Shifter theme continues across two Versus packs and a Primal pack. Also new is TapTap, the palm-sized fidget toy that syncs play and learning. Whether players are just tapping or playing to win, this new gamer keeps fingers on the pulse and comes with five games installed. Match-It! Sees players flip the white pixels by tapping them, in a bid to find matching colour pairs, and in Sequence, the objective is to repeat the sequence displayed on the outer corners. These games are joined by Stop&Go, Raindrops and Eat Greens. Kids can continue transforming their skirting boards with new playsets from Millie & Friends Mouse in the House. This collection, which brings to life the tiny town of Mouseville, benefits from the support of YouTube webisodes narrated by Helen Flanagan. Adding to a launch range, comprising micro-figures and food-themed playsets, Q1 lines include the baby bottle shaped Little Paws Nursery. The Supa Scoops Ice Cream Van has a two-scoop tub on the back that flips open to create a 50s style ice cream parlour. The ChillFactor Slushy Maker has become a popular household item, and Character Options has unveiled the latest series, with fruit-inspired styles and refreshed packaging. There are five styles to collect: green and red Watermelon Crush, pink and purple Berry Burst, orange and purple Passion Fruit Party, Mango Mania and the bright blue Blueberry Bonanza. The new series features a never seen before, brightly-coloured inner, and will be supported by a new TVC in the spring. Character Options’ Q1 portfolio will be supported with substantial PR and marketing campaigns for 2023.

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Q1 Ranges

Schleich 01279 870 000 | www.schleich-s.com/en | schleich@schleich.co.uk Schleich is looking forward to introducing a wide assortment of new figurines and playsets to its offering in early 2023, further consolidating its position in the UK market while laying the path for further exciting additions later in the year. January will see Schleich’s Farm World welcome an assortment of figurines including a Noriker Stallion, Camarillo Mare, Galloway Cow, American Spotted Donkey and Valais Black-nosed Sheep, as well three more domestic pets - a Great Dane, Bichon Frise and an Abyssinian Cat. Also being added to the collection in March will be a Stable Care Accessories set. Wild Life will also introduce a host of new exotic figurines found all over the world including an Otter, Cheetah Baby, Caracel Female and Caracel Baby, Blue Poison Dart Frog, Aardvark, Harpy Eagle, Thomson Gazelle, an Indian Rhinoceros Baby and a Chameleon – the brand’s first colour-changing figurine. These will be closely followed in March by the addition of a Gorilla Family and two new National Geographic Kids figurines – a Moose Calf and Cow. Several new horse breeds will join the Horse Club range in January – a Haflinger Mare and Foal; a Paso Peruano Stallion, Mare and Pony and a Cheval de Selle Francais Stallion, Mare and Foal. Then in March, a number of new sets will allow fans to further enrich their collections and extend play opportunities. The new Tack Room will provide an extension to the recently launched modular Riding Centre, while the Horse Box with Mare and Foal and Obstacle Accessories sets will provide plenty of horse themed fun outside of the stable. An offshoot of Horse Club, Schleich’s latest offering, Sofia's Beauties featuring horses with long silky manes will, in March, add two new Styling Accessories sets and a Grooming Station for even more horse styling play. Looking to Schleich’s collectible offerings, Series 3 of Eldrador Mini Creatures will launch in the new year alongside several new figurines and robots. Swamp Monster joins the battle for the super weapon in addition to four Shadow World Robots and two new Shadow World creatures - the Granite Wolf and the Shadow Raptor, followed in March by the Shadow Monster-Robot with Mini Creature. Joining the magical world of Bayala in January will be numerous new mystical creatures including a Pink Sapphire Turtle, Lama Unicorn Foal, Elementa Fire Unicorn, Elementa Water Unicorn Mare and Foal and the Axolotl Discovery Set. The New Year will also see Bayala’s successful collectible offering further expanded with the Crystal Collectible Unicorns Series 5 featuring seven collectible unicorns each with a different crystal marking. This will be followed in March by Series 2 of Magic Collectible Eggs featuring 12 collectible Hatching Baby Plants. Finally five new dinos join the popular Dinosaurs collection – Tarbosaurus, Monolophosaurus, Gastonia, Edmontosaurus and Gallimimus.

Golden Bear Toys 01952 608 308 | www.goldenbeartoys.com | customerservices@goldenbeartoys.co.uk Golden Bear evolves its award-winning IP and licensed portfolios for Q1 period 2023. Outperforming sales forecasts since its launch in July, the animatronic plush range, Curlimals introduces two new woodland creatures for early 2023. With the first series cited in retailer top toys lists, and a host of award-wins for the range, Popsy the Mouse and Bo the Rainbow Bunny will join Higgle, Bibi, and Blue in the line-up. Responding to touch with over 50 sounds and reactions, both Popsy and Bo come with their own unique sounds and phrases to reflect their individual personalities. Continuing its long-term licensing partnerships, Golden Bear expands its existing Hey Duggee, In the Night Garden and Bing ranges with the addition of figurine packs and super soft plush. The new Hey Duggee And Friends Figurine Pack comes in two styles, each including an articulated Duggee figure along with three of his friends. Designed for preschoolers aged three plus, the packs have been created to encourage imaginative play with the popular character. The figurine packs make for an affordable treat or gifting purchase to extend existing collections, or as an entry price point option to kickstart the Hey Duggee play experience. Based on the lead characters from the CBeebies show In the Night Garden, the Igglepiggle and Upsy Daisy Softies are made from 100% recycled fabrics and filling. Featuring soft, colourful fabrics and print detailing, the Softies help to stimulate senses through touch and sight as well as providing comfort and reassurance day and night. A new Character Gift Pack includes a collection of colourful Igglepiggle, Upsy Daisy, and Makka Pakka figurines. Perfectly sized for children aged 18m+ to pick up and play with, the character gift pack encourages imaginative role-play. The figurines are packaged in an open display box and paper tied, further reducing the use of plastic blisters and ties. A new addition to the Bing range is Rainybow Bing, a cuddly interactive plush that talks, sings and helps young children to learn about colours. Engaging pre-schoolers with Bing’s popular Rainybow Song, this new addition includes music and 12 fun phrases from the show at the press of his hand. Added-value QR code content is included on-pack, which once scanned reveals song lyrics, videos, craft activities and makes. A new 30cm Huggable Super Soft Bing is made from recycled mallow filling. With highly detailed embroidery, Super Soft Bing wears his iconic outfit and is instantly recognisable. As part of its longer-term strategy to grow Bing’s world, Golden Bear also introduces the Bing Bathtime Playset with Bing and Sula figurines. Including an articulated Bing and five play pieces, the playset encourages children to role-play whilst developing their understanding of the world around them and learning all-important daily routines. The packaging doubles as part of the play pattern, increasing impact on-shelf and providing a rounded gifting solution.

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Q1 Ranges

Gibsons 020 8661 8866 www.gibsonsgames.co.uk sales@gibsonsgames.co.uk Gibsons is ready to start 2023 with a fantastic range of new puzzle designs which will be available in time for London Toy Fair. The spring/summer 23 collection is a vibrant mix of Gibsons’ iconic traditional jigsaws and design-led special editions. From nostalgic trinkets in Verity’s Vintage Shop, all the way to an incredible puzzle in Jungle Dream, Gibsons has covered all bases to ensure there’s a puzzle for everyone. Retro puzzlers can take a trip down memory lane with Robert Opie’s latest instalment: The Treats that Built Britain. This 1000-piece puzzle follows on from the best-selling The Brands That Built Britain jigsaw and takes the puzzler back to the 20th century. Featuring sweetie packaging and advertisements from the 1930s, this puzzle is sure to evoke memories of the past. Alternatively, Through the Seasons is a beautiful mix of nature and animals, making it a perfect Sunday afternoon activity. This 1000-piece puzzle from Janice Daughters perfectly captures the innocence of animals and natures natural beauty. In a first for Gibsons’ contemporary puzzle collection, a new 4x500 multi-box jigsaw puzzle joins the collection. Working with Hebe Studios, Gibsons has created the stunning Corners of the World, which showcases gorgeous, vivid colours and iconic landmarks from around the globe. Finally, the classic 4x500 multi-box designs are always best sellers and for 2023 are joined by School Days, the latest puzzle by Trevor Mitchell which takes puzzlers back to their days in the playground, watching the school play, the lollypop lady and, of course, in the classroom. Visit Gibsons at London Toy Fair (Stand E15) and Spring Fair (Hall 5 5F10-G11) to see the new spring/summer 23 collection in person.

Brainstorm 01200 445 113 | www.brainstormltd.co.uk Brainstorm is set for a bumper 2023 with a huge selection of new lines added across the Brainstorm Toys and distribution ranges throughout the year with launches to be showcased at Toy Fair. The brand new Thumbler is an addictive, pocket-sized symmetrical spinning top encased in a special enclosure that transforms the top into a multi-coloured light show great for adults as well as children. My Very Own Fairy Cottage Keepsake Box is a craft moulding clay kit that, when complete, can be used as a beautiful keepsake box to store precious trinkets. Space themed toys are a hugely popular category and 2023 will see the launch of My Very Own Solar System Suncatcher which is ideal for creative children who love to learn about Space. The set comes with eight planets and both translucent paint and a glow in the dark pen. Ideal as a room decoration, the Suncatcher shimmers in sunlight and gently glows at night. The planets can be used to create a hanging mobile using the included clear thread and sucker to hang on windows or mirrors. The Outdoor Adventure collection continues to grow with the addition of the Outdoor Adventure Nature Explorer. The product comes with five double sided, full colour cards with different photo-real images and feature themes, including clouds, animal tracks, birds, flowers, bugs and trees as well as a glow-in-the-dark constellation spotter. The chunky handled Nature Explorer also comes with a secret compartment to store natural treasures children collect on their adventures such as acorns, leaves or stones. The Paw Patrol drawing range will be expanded with the new Paw Patrol Drawing Projector to help children sketch their favourite pups including Chase, Marshall, Rubble, Everest. Skye and Rocky. The pocketsized projector has six easy-to-change image caps; kids simply project the image onto paper and trace the outline. The images can also be projected onto the walls and ceilings of darkened rooms. A Nickelodeon Baby Shark’s Big Show! Torch & Projector will be launched featuring 24 different characterbased images from the popular Nick Jr and Milkshake series which has had over 1.3m views across Nick Jr and has continued QOQ growth. The Eugy craft craze shows no signs of abating with even more new models added to the sustainable arts and crafts range. New StikBot Monsters characters will be added including a three-character money saving StikBot Monster Werewolf Pack and a StikBot Cyborg pack. This new pack concept will also be introduced to the KlikBot range with the launch of the KlikBot Galaxy Pack. As Brainstorm continues its commitment to becoming net zero, it is constantly evolving packaging as has been seen on the Brainstorm Toys, StikBot and Klikbot ranges this year. The Aqua Dragons range will now also become plastic free incorporating the new eco cardboard pack. These rolling changes will be implemented throughout 2023.

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Colours and styles may vary.

DE S O IS B E W E B U T U O Y & PR E - R O L L

DIG ITAL & SOC IAL S M E DIA CAM PAIG N

LAUNC H ING J A N 2 02 3

IN FLUE NC E R & P R S U P PO R T TV ADVE RTISE D

For more information, please call 01293 222500 or email the UK Magicbox Toys team at: sales@magicbox-toys.co.uk

Q1 Ranges

Epoch Making Toys 0208 049 1377 | epochmakingtoys.com | sales@epochmakingtoys.com Celebrating its third year as part of Sylvanian Families, the popular Amusement Park collection will welcome a new addition to the park, with two new sets joining the line-up for spring. The Royal Princess Set comes with five adorable figures - three Babies and two Cradled Babies. Each Baby has a different theme which is shown through their princess outfits. The pretty pastel-coloured Floating Cloud Rainbow Train for Baby and Child figures features a cloud which bounces up and down as the train moves along, and comes with a new figure: the Fennec Fox Baby in an exclusive outfit. The new Fennec Fox Family features four figures with fluffy tails and statement ears. The family consists of father, Ronald; mother, Sharon and twins, Caleb and Kaya. The family Set includes a pastel twin stroller so children can start playing immediately. Perfectly complementing the new family is the Sunny Picnic Set, which includes Fennec girl, Jasmine; Fennec baby, Ally; a tricycle and cute picnic blanket and accessories with fox-themed treats. The basket can be removed from the tricycle’s wagon to convert it into a two seater, perfect for Sylvanian best friends to ride together. Aquabeads, the original stick-with-water craft kit, is looking forward to a polished year ahead with the launch of Shiny Beads as well as a new sub-line, the Aquabeads Nail Studio. Available from January 2023, the Aquabeads Disney Princess Nail Studio allows children to create magical manicures with just a simple spray of water meaning no gluey fingers or smudged nail polish to ruin the look. Complete with 56 nails and 120 Disney Princess themed decorations including bows, stars, flowers and hearts, there are 40 different designs to make, all perfect for a princess. The Aquabeads Dinosaur World Set is also launching in the new year with exciting templates to make the dinosaur creations. The complete set features 1200 star, solid and jewel beads as well as the new shiny beads, allowing children to create their own prehistoric world. The set includes a sprayer, layout tray, creation display, template sheets, design pegs and keychain accessories to make wearable dino-themed charms. Finally, joining Epoch Games’ Super Mario range of table-top games will be Super Mario Rally Tennis. Launching ahead of the Super Mario movie, which is due to hit cinemas in April 2023, the action-packed game sees iconic characters Mario and Luigi battling it out on the tennis court. Players slide their character back and forth along the court, pressing the button with precision to serve and return. Players can choose to play as any character from Epoch Games’ Link System so no two matches will ever be the same.

Flair 020 8643 0320 | www.flairplc.co.uk | sales@flairplc.co.uk Flair GP is bringing something new to the baby doll, licensed toys and creative play aisles in the first quarter, with Pinocchio and Friends, Nenuco and Ruffle Fluffies. Spring/summer 23 will see the launch of Flair GP’s master toy deal for Pinocchio and Friends, the animated CBeebies series. The company’s launch collection comprises articulated mini figures, dolls, playsets and plush toys. Central to the range is the House of Wonder, which is based on Geppetto‘s Shop of Wonders – the hive of adventure in the show. The playset features a working light, moveable bucket and comes with multiple accessories and stickers. The Stretch the Truth Pinocchio Doll is also key to the line-up; his nose magically grows when Pinocchio ‘tells a lie’ and is spoken to loudly. His cheek must be stroked to return his nose to normal. Also launching will be the Nenuco 5 Functions Doll, from the baby doll brand that has been loved by kids and parents since 1977. The high-quality, realistic dolls are ideal for ages 10 months to seven years and allow children to role play every nurturing moment. Children can teach Nenuco Swimmer to swim on her back and front, with the help of her float. She comes dressed in a swimsuit, swim cap and goggles. The Nenuco 5 Functions Doll is one of the most realistic babies in the range. She says ‘Mama’ and ‘Papa’, she laughs, she sucks her dummy and then she cries when her dummy is taken away. In the diverse Nenucos of the World collection there are four dolls of different ethnicities to collect: Caucasian, Asiatic, Latin American and African. All dolls drink and wet, and each comes dressed in a machine washable dress and matching hair accessory. From spring/summer 23, kids can create their own DIY plush pals with Ruffle Fluffies. There’s a moulded body to assemble and fluffy pom poms that attach with suction cups. Once the pom poms are connected to the body, kids simply ruffle and fluff to create their finished plush, then add the included accessories to complete the look. There are four Ruffle Fluffies to collect, each has its own special feature. Unity the Unicorn has a light-up horn, Lana the Llama’s head turns, Layla the Lion’s head bobbles and Bella the Bunny’s ears roll-up. For more information about these Q1 collections please contact Flair GP on the details above.

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71205 Emergency Doctor motorbike with Blinking Lights

71202 Ambulance with Lights and Sound

71244 Rescue Crew

71203 Rescue Helicopter

71245 Paramedic with Patient

71204 Rescue Caddy

For more information contact you Territory Manager or the PLAYMOBIL Office on 01268 548111 – Salesuk@playmobil.de

Q1 Ranges

Amscan 01908 288 500 | www.amscan.co.uk Amscan is announcing a host of new introductions for its 2023 portfolio. Launching in January, and in time for World Book Week, is a selection of new licensed costumes with styles from many firm favourites. These include Peter Rabbit designs, in both classic and TV styles, which all comprise printed jumpsuit, a headpiece and bag and add either a mask or cape dependent on the style selected. Roald Dahl also joins the portfolio, with styles from classic characters such as Matilda, James and the Giant Peach, The Twits and, of course, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The BFG also makes an appearance and is sure to be a firm favourite comprising a top with attached waistcoat, matching trousers and the all-important ears headband, dream catcher and handy bookmark accessories; perfectly designed for all ‘Human Beans’. In addition, there are classic costume designs from both Pip and Posy, and Miffy. There are licensed additions to the foil balloon category too, with new character designs. For fans of Bing, a new Bing Bunny Supershape and mini air-filled join the balloon range. George Pig Supershape is a new addition the already comprehensive Peppa Pig collection, and there are additions to the Paw Patrol crew, with Skye, Marshall and Rubble Supershapes joining Chase. Amscan also welcomes the arrival of Bluey, with products covering all celebration categories including sustainable partyware items, foil balloons and costume styles in both Bluey and Bingo options. Both costumes comprise jumpsuit, detachable tail and character face mask. Classic favourites My Little Pony and Fireman Sam also join the party assortment. To see the full portfolio, head to amscan.co.uk.

Bandai UK 020 8324 6160 | www.bandai.co.uk | sales@bandai.co.uk Q1 2023 introduces new product launches and extensions to key ranges within the Bandai UK portfolio of licensed brands and own IPs. As the top growth property for the UK business, Miraculous remains a priority for Bandai and the launch of the new Miraculous Magic Heroez colour reveal fashion doll is one of its Q1 highlights. An unboxing experience full of surprises, there are three different looks to reveal, each one a mystery until water is added to the capsule packaging, which then uncovers the doll’s outfit and superhero accessories. With a TV movie programmed to air in the spring, Bandai’s multi-category range of Miraculous dolls, playsets, plush, role-play and collectibles offers a comprehensive premium range across a variety of price points. A robust campaign to support the brand will include cinema and experiential activations to run alongside digital, TV and social outreach. Following 2022’s 25th anniversary celebrations of Tamagotchi’s introduction to the UK as the original virtual pet, new styles will be unveiled at the beginning of 2023. While the brand continues to evolve to appeal to a new generation of consumers, the Tamagotchi Original boasts new shell designs such as Denim Patch, Japanese Ribbon, and Mimitchi Comic Book, to attract fans, collectors and gift-givers of all ages. Both Gen 1 and Gen 2 styles are available, with all versions retaining the core brand values of nurturing and caring for the virtual pet characters. Bandai UK launches its new line of toys based on video game franchise, Crash Bandicoot. Targeting children and collectors, the range launches with a collection of action figures, collectibles and plush. Entry price point items include a 2.5” Smash Box Surprise collectible figure, 4.5” Action Figure assortment, and 6” character plush. In addition, a highly detailed 6” Collector Figure includes 16 points of articulation and interchangeable hands and mouth for play and display, and a 4.5” Action Figures four-pack includes a limited-edition Crash character figure. The launch will be supported by an extensive marketing campaign to include digital, mobile in-app, TV, PR and influencer targeting. Continuing its line of hugely successful CoComelon toys, including the Boo Boo JJ, Bedtime JJ and My friend Cody dolls, Bandai UK is continuing with a streamlined range with a focus on core product categories. Vehicles such as the Musical School Bus, figurine packs, bath play, and role-play SKUs offer comprehensive on-shelf appeal at lower price points, offering consumers’ choice for gifting solutions and adding to existing collections. Bandai UK further invests in the True and the Rainbow Kingdom licence with an extended range. New for the Q1 period is the True and Friends Pack which includes 12 character figures, compatible with Bandai’s existing True playset SKUs, and the new Free Wheel Cloud with True vehicle which sees Cumulo the Cloud freewheeling his way around the Rainbow Kingdom. The pocket-money-priced plush Keychain assortment of Wishes, complete with easy-to-use plastic clip, allows children to take their favourite characters with them while on-the-go.

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*Date subject to change

YuGiOhCardEU www.yugioh-card.com/uk

Q1 Ranges

Playmobil 01268 548 111 | www.playmobil.co.uk Kids will love creating their own world of rescue emergencies with the new Playmobil Rescue sets. The six new play sets feature an ambulance, rescue helicopter and accompanying sets to create a world to recreate and imagine new emergencies. Playmobil Rescue play sets are designed to engage children in exciting rescue and emergency service adventures. Each set can be connected, allowing children to create a world of their own. There are also several new individual vehicles, characters and scenarios that can be used to add variety to the collection or making up new adventures. The Ambulance features working lights and sounds and plenty of accessories to help any patient. For hard-to-reach emergencies, the Helicopter is on the scene, with rotating blades and fold out stretcher. The Emergency Crew features four figures with medical accessories included to keep everyone fit and healthy. Emergency Services themes have always formed part of Playmobil’s ranges, for their association with the real world and small world play. The new theme launches in February 2023 and will be supported by in-store point of sale, sales stands, and window displays. The range will be backed with a TV, digital, social and influencer campaign starting at February half term.

Kidicraft 01282 505 988 | www.kidicraft.com | sales@kidicraft.com Kidicraft’s newest addition is a range of 3D puzzles from the popular anime TV series Naruto: Shippuden. Naruto Uzamaki is a loud, mischievous adolescent ninja, who struggles as he searches for recognition and dreams of becoming Hokage, the village’s leader and strongest ninja. The prime 3D puzzles will be available in 300 and 500pc and will feature all the famous characters from the series including the eponymous Naruto; Sasuke Uchiha, Naruto’s biggest rival and Kakashi Hatake, the quiet and mysterious leader of the team. These puzzles capture Naruto’s powerful stories of dreaming big and never giving up and will be suitable for both adults and children. Following on from the huge success of its Marvel range, Kidicraft will launch a legendary 300pc Prime 3D Marvel Comic Book Cover range. Comic book cover design is an art form of its own, and in the late 1980s, Marvel began a universal cover design, which included a corner box with unique art. There will be six designs to choose from including a Marvel double feature featuring Captain America and Iron Man, as well as The Mighty Thor, The Incredible Hulk, The Lethal Protector Venom, The All-Exciting Black Panther and The Amazing Spider-Man to delight all Marvel fans. Kidicraft’s Kevin Walsh Nostalgia range continues to go from strength to strength with the range being extended yet again. Three new designs will include a beautiful garden centre and café scene. These stunning and charming 1000pc Jigsaw puzzles are 70cm x 50cm in size and take this ever-expanding range to thirty-six designs in total. Kidicraft is also launching a range of puzzles in European and International brands: Electrotren, Jouef, Lima and Rivarossi. Rivarossi is an Italian manufacturer of model railways which is now part of Hornby. Hornby also acquired the fantastic world of Electrotren, in 2004. Jouef is an iconic French brand of model trains and road circuits, exclusively distributed by the Hornby Group. Lima has become a world leader in the production of railway models in H0 scale and is kept alive by the Hornby Group through Lima Expert. This collection of branded puzzles will offer something to suit every generation.

DKL Beysal 01604 678780 | www.dkl-beysal.uk | sales@dkl-beysal.uk DKL-Beysal will see great expansion in 2023 with many new ranges and products launching. Available from January will be a revamp of the Luna Babies, which have come down from the moon to take care of children’s dreams. The Luna Babies have over 10 features, including lights and sounds as well as coming with five accessories. The range launches with three characters: Leo, Ara and Vela. Each character comes with a story about their journey from the moon and brings their own unique personality. Q1 will also see the introduction of new lines added to K3yriders – a range of scooters and helmets that allow children to immerse themselves into a fantasy world thanks to its creative designs. New introductions to the range include a three wheeled pet themed scooter featuring light up wheels and a storage basket to take favourite things along on adventures. Also joining the range is a selection of 2 in 1 animal themed helmets; this unique concept gives children two different looks with the same helmet. They can choose from the printed graphic or add the plush cover for an alternative 3D effect. Crafting brand, Hama Beads, will kick of the new year with an update to popular products in the core range, with new themes and refreshed packaging. The new sets will include everything needed to get started, from beads and pegboards to ironing paper and further accessories to elevate the designs. The new year also sees the launch of several brand-new ranges from DKL Beysal which will be unveiled at London Toy Fair 2023.

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Q1 Ranges

VTech 01235 555545 | www.vtech.co.uk | trade_sales@vtech.com VTech’s Switch & Go Dinos 2 in 1 range has been a firm favourite within the pre-school vehicle category since the launch in 2014. Spring/summer 2023 will see the line develop into a collectible range with four different dinosaurs, each with two different colour palettes to collect and build inside an egg. The egg must hatch to unveil which exciting dinosaur is inside. The collection features the mighty T-Rex Race Car, the Velociraptor Super Car, the Triceratops Street Car or the Pterodactyl Helicopter. The 15 pieces inside each egg are used to build the dinosaur, then in a few simple steps it can be switched to a cool racer vehicle. In true VTech style, each toy features light effects, phrases and dinosaur sound effects. The launch of the Switch & Go Dinos Eggs will be supported with the delivery of a YouTube Switch & Go Dinos animation series and a full marketing campaign on both TV and digital platforms.

Sinco Creations 07793 121 778 | daniel@sincocreations.com Sinco Creations is covering all play patterns with its line-up of licensed Q1 ranges. Following the company’s success with Among Us, Sinco is adding another major gaming IP to its portfolio: the Brawl Stars toy line, based on Supercell’s battle royale for mobile. With the game’s huge fanbase and TVC support, demand for the range is assured. This top-ranking game has amassed over 2.5m UK downloads, since December 2018, generating $12.6m in revenue. Fans will now be able to collect 24 blind-boxed collectible figures, as well as blister packed and window boxed action figures. Favourite characters can be taken on-the-go with foil-bagged figural keychains and Clip On Plus or fans can snuggle up with the Plushies and Huggable Plush collections. Sinco’s licensed Miraculous range lets kids embark on adventurous quests with Miraculous Ladybug and Cat Noir. Ready for adventure, the Miraculous Plush Backpacks come in two options to collect, shaped as the heroine’s heads. There are also four cute Clip-On Plush characters to collect – perfect for attaching to the backpacks, as well as Figural Keychains which offer 18 foil-bagged characters to collect. Sinco also launches the Little Tikes collection, which is designed for pre-schoolers who love both the trusted Little Tikes brand and compound play and lets kids mould play sand and dough, The Surprise Cozy Coupe Dough Capsules make a great entry point line; each capsule is shaped as a Cozy Coupe and opens to reveal a cutter and dough. For activity play on a grander scale, the Super Sand Construction Carry Case and the Play Sand Farmyard Carry Case are available. The Super Sand set comes with play sand, moulds, tools and props to build sandcastles. Kids will love transforming the vehicle from digger to plough to steam roller. The Farmyard set comes with a Little Tikes Tractor & Trailer and allows children to make farm animals and hay from play sand. For more information about Sinco’s Q1 portfolio, please contact Daniel Smith as above.

Zapf Creation 0845 0533 333 | www.mgae.com Baby born’s innovations for 2023 will provide parents and gift givers with a host of new, playful and creative choices for the children in their lives to enjoy. Launching at Easter 2023, Baby born will introduce the brand-new Baby born Bear. An adorable 36cm plush bear with moveable arms and legs is aimed at offering the ultimate creative role play experience for children. The Baby born Bear is Baby born’s best friend and is ideal for growing children’s imagination and communication skills. The Bear can be used with all of Baby born’s accessories, allowing for an abundance of dual play possibilities for children - from dressing up the Bear and Baby born together, having naptimes together, to days out as a pair in their prams. Launching alongside the Baby born Bear is a themed accessory and clothing range, including two adorable outfits, a Bear Sleeping Cave, plus a backpack, which converts into a carrier for the bear. The entire Baby born Bear range is suitable for ages two years and over. Also launching in spring 2023 is the Baby born Storybook Princess range. Following on from the Baby born Storybook Fairies launch earlier this year, the Baby born Storybook Princesses are new to the storybook family. The range offers three 18cm Unicorn Princesses which are joining the storybook world with their special 12cm unicorn friends. Available in three characters; Princess Bella, Princess Una and Princess Ivy, all dolls come with a magical princess horn which lights up when next to their unicorn friend. Building on the concept of imagination and storytelling in this magical doll world, the princesses also have remarkable face art that appears in sunlight. With the new Baby born Bear and Storybook Princesses, Zapf Creation is looking at new ways to innovate the ultimate creative play experience by encouraging children to expand their imaginations and embark on new adventures with their favourite dolls. Continuing to build Zapf Creation’s evergreen Baby Annabell and Baby born collections, next spring and summer season will see the launch of new clothing and accessory items, designed at supporting the ever-popular nurturing play pattern from the brands. To see these two exciting new launches, be sure to visit the Zapf Creation stand at London Toy Fair 2023.

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Figures are what we do best!

Wildlife, Farm, Horses, Pets, Dinosaurs, Fantasy, Sealife

@mojofuneu Mojo Figurines www.mojofun.co.uk

For more Information contact us on 01422 413674 or email us sales@mojofun.co.uk

MOJO FUN LIMITED 2 The Chapel, Scout Road, Mytholmroyd, West Yorkshire HX7 5HQ Tel: 01422 413674 Mob: 07971 268054 sales@mojofun.co.uk

Q1 Ranges

Rubies 08453 070 707 | www.rubiesuk.com Rubies has a wide range of new fancy-dress and costumes launching in the first quarter of 2023, in time for the national phenomenon World Book Day. From Warner Brothers to Zag and everything in between, dressing up is an essential part of the day’s celebrations. An ideal choice for a day dedicated to the joys of reading, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is a staple beloved by generations of eager readers. Two new accessory sets join the already impressive array of Wizarding World costumes and accessories. The Harry Potter Accessory Set includes a Gryffindor printed scarf, prop glasses and Marauders Map style accessory to complete the wizard’s look. The Monster Book of Monsters Accessory Set includes a fold-out notebook cover in the shape of the iconic textbook from the film series along with an invisible ink pen with light for ink illumination and a quill pen topper, so Wizarding World fans can look like they’re creating enchanting spells in the book. For fans of Zag’s Miraculous Ladybug and Cat Noir, there are two new accessory sets coming into stock. The Miraculous Ladybug Bag Accessory features a handheld bag printed in the iconic red and black polka dot pattern, tikki toy and Miraculous mask whilst the Yoyo Accessory Set includes a light-up yoyo and colour change wristlet. Adding to Rubies’ extensive line of Star Wars themed costumes and accessories is the new Boba Fett Jetpack Backpack Accessory, the perfect addition to a Boba Fett costume. To get little ones into the dress-up spirit for their first World Book Day, Rubies CoComelon costumes are the first officially licensed dress-up under the CoComelon brand and will be available early 2023. Featuring a dress and romper, both outfits include a hookand-eye attached plush TVs that play classic CoComelon songs when pressed. The whole family can get involved with the new He-Man range which includes a Skeletor deluxe costume for adults as well as a HeMan deluxe costume for children. Strengthening its partnership with Mattel, this range celebrates the heritage He-Man brand which is loved by generations. Building on its Barbie range with Mattel, Rubies is introducing two 80s retro style Barbie and Ken costumes. The new product introductions from Rubies will be supported by unique, innovative and original marketing plans including competitions in partnership with some of the company’s biggest licences, prize giveaways and competitions across social media to draw awareness. Content that has been produced for the broader World Book Day campaign, which will be the biggest to date, includes lifestyle photography and studio photography taken in Rubies’ in-house top of the range photography studio.

Cartamundi 01268 218052 www.cartamundi.com enquiries@cartamundi.com Cartamundi has developed a range of emotion-based games to help grow and unite young people, their families, friends and peers and help them to come together and express freely with no judgement or question. Children born and raised during the pandemic years have lived and are still living in a different world; so the range has been designed to help teach families and friendship circles open up to each other and express their feelings and emotions. Cartamundi will launch Mixed Monsters in Q1. The shiny, new, emotional learning card, puzzle and board games offer four titles within the Mixed Monsters range. Each game explores and supports different elements of emotional awareness, teaches simple shape related breathing techniques and teaches body calming poses, helping empower the player’s wellbeing with positivity. The Mixed Monsters Card Game is for two players plus and lets players explore their emotions together. Players share a time and place that they felt that emotion, what happened, how they felt and what made it better or worse. The skills highlighted within the game are socialising, communicating, recognising emotions, listening to others and expressing new emotions. The game contains 100 emotion cards, a timer and some surprise cards as part of the game play. The 36-piece Mixed Monsters Puzzle runs through the alphabet, giving an emotion for each letter. As the puzzle is built, players have open discussions about how each emotion makes them feel. Mixed Monsters Puzzle Game is a combination of a 50-piece puzzle and game in one. The puzzle must be built to reveal the unique Mixed Monsters to then play the game. The monsters within the puzzle ask questions which must be answered by stating how the players feel. This game includes shape related breathing exercises, simple yoga poses for everyone to try and a range of different emotions to discuss, providing tools for players when faced with difficult emotions and situations. Mixed Monsters Board Game sees players make their way around the board exploring emotions, feelings and senses with breathing exercises, body poses and positivity. Players roll the die, flip the question and then complete either an action, breath or positive action card.

Simba Smoby Toys UK 01620 674 778 | www.simba-dickie-group.de/en | sales@simbasmoby.com Simba Smoby Toys UK’s Q1 offering incorporates its brand-new Disney 100 Years of Wonder plush lines, Street Fighter Deluxe Collector Figures from Jada Toys and its much-loved Smoby collection. 2023 is a special year for The Walt Disney Company, as the company marks its centenary. With Simba Toys UK’s Disney 100 Years of Wonder master toy plush collection, fans can immerse themselves a celebration of the past, present and future of Disney. The D100 Sparkly Mickey and Minnie 25cm lines are expected to be popular with the iconic duo dressed in platinum outfits, made from sparkly fabric with embroidered polka dots or buttons. Fans can collect five characters in the D100 Platinum Colour Series: Grogu, Dumbo, Pooh, Simba and Stitch are available as 25cm plush, with shiny velour, satin and sparkly fabrics. Simba Toys UK’s Jada Toys portfolio will bring collectors more licensed lines in 2023. Brand-new to the range are the Street Fighter Deluxe Collector Figures. Street Fighter is an iconic Japanese game that first launched in 1987, amassing generations of fans along the way. With Street Fighter 6 launching in 2023, there will be renewed enthusiasm for the much-loved game and to mark the occasion, Jada Toys is introducing three new six-inch deluxe collector figures. The Ryu, Chun-Li and Fei Long action figures are boxed in premium arcade game styled packaging. Each character features 20 points of articulation and comes with an alternate head and hands, as well as accessories. The trusted Smoby brand is a one-stop shop for tots, with its playhouses, ride-ons, activity toys and more. Forever popular are Smoby’s Slides, which are perfect for children aged three-years-plus, with a colour change to discover across the range. Designed to appeal to the modern family, families can give their gardens a makeover with a new slide that complements the Smoby playhouse colour palette.

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COMING SOON!

Support TV, DIGI ed by T PR CAMP AL & AIGN

Email: enquiries@dkl-beysal.uk Web: www.dkl-beysal.uk

Q1 Ranges

Vivid Goliath 01483 449944 | www.vividtoysandgames.co.uk Vivid Goliath is bursting into spring/summer 2023 with on trend collectibles and innovation in STEM. EyeLuvs, is a range of trend setting, colourful, cuddly, plush characters with Shake and Sparkle eye technology filled with glitter and sparkly gems. When they are shaken, the characters’ eyes sparkle with an amazing snow globe effect. Available in five- and eight-inch versions, characters include Rosemary the Unicorn and Cohen the Welsh Corgi. Vivid Goliath is introducing Squishy Squad, a range of cute, scented, squishable buddies which can be hugged, squashed and stretched. There are also Squashies to collect, squishy doll characters based on sweet treats with stretchy hair and a squishy skirt. The range includes Stretch and Smoosh Desserts with irresistible squeezy features; Squeezamals, an extremely soft, plush, slow rise range with 100s to collect as well as a new micro-sized version of Eenie Teenies. Sky Dancers dolls will be joined by the new Turquoise Twinkle and continues to be supported by a full media mix across TV / VOD, Digital and Social. Goliath’s acquisition of Colorific, a market leading expert in STEM, now brings Build a Bots to the UK. The range offers next level robotics and personalisation to boys and girls aged 4-6, with a curated core range of bestsellers alongside licensed Paw Patrol Build A Bots launching at Easter. New toys from Ryan's World will be hitting shelves in spring/summer 2023. Island Adventures will see Ryan’s World favourites reimagined including Micro Mystery Figures, Tiki & Pineapple Eggs and a glow in the dark Volcano Giant Egg. NewCrayola’s Colors of Kindness Crayons, Markers and Pencils packs will include printed, special-edition inspirational phrases of kindness. Each colour tone is assigned a specific positive message, such as Go with the Flow, Kind to the Core and Life is Gouda. The new packs are designed to amplify the conversation around positive self-talk and provide a creative outlet for children to understand emotions and learn how to nurture these key traits. Last year’s ocean themed Washimals pets have developed for spring 2023, when the pets will adventure into the Arctic. With amazing colour change technology, the white pets change to an amazing shade of blue if they become cold. Children can design their own pets, and also new for spring/summer, the Costume Set means they can design colourable costumes too, which can be washed and designed again. Color Wonder enjoys proprietary technology which means markers will only work on the special paper and not on carpets, furniture clothes. Crayola will add Gabby’s Dollhouse to the range in spring.

Curious Universe www.curiousuniverse.co.uk Curious Universe is planning a number of key product launches throughout 2023. With over three quarters of a million units sold last year, the new sustainable Zap! kits are expected to be a massive hit. Zap! kits are perfect for hands-on fun and introduce a whole new world of things to make and create for all arts and crafts enthusiasts. The kits feature step-by-step instructions and all the tools needed to get started right away. All Curious Universe’s products go through the company’s ‘Sustainable by Design’ protocol that ensures key sustainability criteria are met, and improvement opportunities are identified. The Zap! kits come with an updated look and subtle rebrand, and benefit from new sustainable packaging, satisfying consumer demand for reduced plastic in products. The new look also includes some exciting and on-trend titles, ranging from DIY Fidget Toys - a kit bursting with boredom-busting, focus funnelling fun - to Pom Pom Friends, a cute and cuddly craft kit perfect for animal lovers. This new range brings a sense of freshness and modernity to a tried-and-tested format, and a brand that Curious Universe will continue to build and invest heavily in throughout 2023 and beyond. The new look will be available from April 2023 but existing Zap! Extra titles can be found on the website now.

One For Fun 0141 613 2525 | www.oneforfun.com | sales@oneforfun.com Animigos range of lifelike plush animals continues to grow with the addition of new species in the World of Nature series. Domestic animals will be joined by an adorable Pointer Puppy and a grey fluffy Cat, along with a very cute Bat and a Hamster. Other additions include a Dolphin and a Seal Pup which join an Arctic Fox and a Snow Leopard. Even more exotic animals join the World of Nature family. These include the Okapi from the Congo along with the lovable Copybara – the largest living rodent, which looks like a cross between a chinchilla and a guinea pig. The Malayan Tapir is the last in the exotic line up, from Southeast Asia this animal has been on the endangered list since 2008. All the Animigos range include an information booklet packed with facts on each animal. HGL is adding to its pocket money line up with lots of squishy, squeezy stretchy items for the New Year, including sausage dogs, caterpillars, springs, hand puppets, reptiles, sharks, stretchy strings in the shapes of unicorns and mermaids, animal eggs and flying discs galore. On the outdoor toy front, new introductions are being added all the time to the Mirror Skateboards range, in a wide variety of designs and sizes. All in a mirror finish, which gives a shiny, chrome effect to the boards, designs include everything from skulls to roses to appeal to any taste.

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We'll do our part, Hoof to heart. Listen to your favourite My Little Pony stories with tonies ®

d n a Br New

Q1 Ranges

IMC Toys 01904 720 908 | www.imctoys.com | info.uk@imctoys.com With content creation at its core, IMC Toys continues its progressive approach to offer dolls at every age for every stage and evolves its best-selling brands with new launches for 2023. BFF by Cry Babies Series 2 are ‘grown-up’ versions of the nurture doll range reflected in the latest animated series which will air on IMC’s YouTube channel, Kitoons, and Nick Jnr during spring 2023. Series 2 takes IMC into the fashion doll market with striking neon outfits and long brightly coloured hair for styling. There are six new characters featuring 15cm silky hair, six points of articulation, interchangeable outfits and accessories, crystal eyes and a unique tube unboxing reveal. The special edition twin-pack concludes the collection. The Cry Babies range for younger children is extended with the new Tiny Cuddles Mermaids and Bunnies lines that are suitable for 18m+ and offer smaller, soft-bodied versions of Cry Babies, that still cry real tears. Thee are four different dolls to collect, dressed in either colourful hoodies and mermaid tails or bunny pyjamas, each with a matching dummy. The Cry Babies Loving Care range bridges the transition from Tiny Cuddles to core Cry Babies dolls. Also suitable for 18m+ they include removeable pyjamas, matching dummy and personalised accessories, with painted hair and eyes, and are slightly smaller with lighter-weight and fully articulated plastic bodies. With a move into a longer-term sustainability strategy, IMC is launching the new Cry Babies Magic Tears Little Changers collection with six eco-friendly collectible mini dolls to reinforce the messaging of taking care of the planet. Each miniature capsule opens to reveal a themed personalised, interactive world, water-reveal flower and little changer. Cry Babies Magic Tears Tropical Beach Babies features 12 characters to collect, plus a rare and super-rare character to discover. Cry Babies Magic Tears Tropical Shiny Shells brings eight new dolls to collect plus one rare character to find. These will be joined by a new wave of Cry Babies Magic Tears Key Rings. In its bath-time collectible dolls range, Mermaids Magic Tails extends the best-selling Bloopies line. The new Bloopies Mermaid characters include removeable glitter tails which reveal a cute swimming costume and marine pet. The Mermaids and their sea creature pets double up as squirters for extended water play. At pocket money prices, the Bloopies Floaties include themed ranges, which float, swim with a pull-sting function, blow bubbles and squirt water. All IMC Q1 ranges will be supported with a mixed marketing plan, to include TV advertising, digital content, social outreach, PR activations and OTT platform.

8th Wonder 01942 829 811 | www.8thwonder.co.uk This year, 8th Wonder announced a partnership with BBC Studios and Ludo to work with the Bluey brand and the Bluey wooden range will launch in January 2023. Fun, educational and sustainable, the toys will capture the show’s magic for Bluey fans. All wooden toys made by 8th Wonder use wood sourced from FSC certified forests and the company’s Bluey offer will also be in plastic free packaging. The launch offer covers various price points and play patterns. Starting with pretend play, the Bluey BBQ Set will allow little ones to cook up a storm with Bluey on the light and sound grill. Whether children wish to cook up a sausage sizzle or a prawn salad, the seven menu cards make it easy to follow the ingredients included in each dish and provides a matching game for added fun. With a range of food accessories and cooking utensils, the Bluey BBQ set will have children playing for hours as they multi-task cooking and serving out the dishes. Another pretend play set to be released in the early part of next year is the Bluey Tea Set. With teacups, tea bags, a teapot, milk jug and sugar pot included, Bluey fans will have everything they need to make the perfect cup of tea. Jotting down guests’ orders with the notepad and pen, children can prepare the drinks and provide their guests with a selection of biscuits. The wooden tray included also helps expand the play pattern. For outdoor play, the Bluey Cricket Set will be released. Whether they are batting, bowling, or fielding, the set is a great way for little ones to get outdoors and play with friends or family. Equipped with a stump, base, bat, ball and wicket, it is a great starter kit to get children into the sport. The eight-piece set can be stored in the included the carry bag. 8th Wonder is also launching Bluey indoor games for 2023. The Bluey Character Skittles and Stacking Game will bring hours of fun for all the family. Perfect for both indoor and outdoor play, the colourful Bluey Character Skittles will help develop children’s motor skills and hand eye coordination. With dual playability, little ones can choose whether to play out their favourite Bluey scenes with the characters or to knock them down. The Bluey Stacking Game requires a steady hand to stack the Bluey characters without them toppling over. Children can spin the wheel to determine how many characters they need to stack with the sticks included. These toys offer just a glimpse of the extensive Bluey range, with many more Bluey toys in the pipeline for 2023. 8th Wonder is delighted to expand its current partnership with the BBC with the addition of Bluey alongside existing licence, Hey Duggee.

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New MoNster HigH Dolls!

Q1 Ranges

Magicbox Toys 01293 222500 | www.magicboxint.com | sales@magicbox-toys.co.uk Characterful collectibles and innovative playsets are ever-present features of the Magicbox portfolio. This spring, SuperThings, T-Racers and KookyLoos will lead with standout, multi-featured sets that meet a sub-£15 price point, giving fans something to look forward to and retailers a flurry of bankable options to choose from. KookyLoos will build on the success of its launch season with the Series 3 Party Time collection. This new series will introduce 12 new girls and four fun party themes. Each expression-changing KookyLoos doll will be presented in the now familiar tube packages, complete with clothes and accessories in their own paper packages. Spring will also see the arrival of the Kooky Case assortment. There are four to choose from, each with its own exclusive doll within a chic suitcase that matches her fashion style. Each case opens out to create a travelling wardrobe. New dolls include Suzie the Kooky rock chick with her stage outfits, funky footwear, guitar and mic; or Jane and her Safari Suitcase, clothes and accessories that complement her wild personality. Each case comes with hangers, drawers and more, and three stickers to help personalise SuperThings, the hugely successful, collectible characters of Kaboom City, enter a new Neon Power season with all the familiar single, starter and multi-packs to look out for. The highlight for the season is a fleet of new SuperThings vehicles – Pizza Copter and Turbo Ice, which come with their own exclusive Kaboom Kid and SuperThing. Pizza Copter has spinning rotos, plus storage for three pizza discs, whilst the Turbo Ice motorbike has ice cream ammo that can be fired from the launcher. The familiar mix and race vehicles and drivers of T-Racers will enter spring with a new Glow Race Series, bringing with it even more combinations and possibilities. Added to this will be the introduction of larger vehicles packed with accessories and play features. The chunky four-wheeled Power Trucks Turbo Digger and Mega Striker come with an exclusive T-Racer vehicle and driver, more accessories than ever, and can be snapped onto an impressive monster wheels chassis that will take the race to the next level. New T-Racers Mega Wheels are two-in-one vehicles that offer a fun new experience for fans. Not only do they have a mix and match exclusive T-Racer vehicle and driver, but they also come housed in a chunky, wheeled launcher from which the T-Racer can be fired at a whole new speed. Kids can choose from T-Shark and T-Rex. As with all new series launches, Magicbox’s commitment to deliver means high-impact marketing will be in place throughout the spring across all three brands.

KAP Toys 01423 368888 | www.kids-at-play.com KAP Toys has a number of major launches going live in Q1 2023, marking the culmination of a substantial amount of work that has taken place during the second half of this year. First up, from arguably the biggest licensing partner in the world, comes a new range of Mystery Capsules. Under strict embargo until 26th December, KAP Toys is calling on Toy World readers to take the company at its word when it says YuMe toys has surpassed itself on the execution of this multi-licence, multi-genre introduction, which promises to enhance the phenomenal success of its Mystery Capsules programme. The beautiful packaging showcases this impressive range to its fullest, as consumers are enticed to follow the clues that indicate which character is encased within. Billed as ‘unboxing heaven’, the company expects this new range to surpass the sales performance of the Stranger Things Mystery Capsules range. KAP can ship the goods to ensure stockists have the product on-shelf for when the embargo is lifted on Boxing Day. The company will have production samples in its possession soon but says it cannot emphasise enough that the new range is ‘going to be a cracker’. KAP Toys’ range of products grows further with the introduction of a new collectible concept, Hello Kitty Cappuccino. Sitting at a very attractive pocket money price point, kids simply sprinkle some water on the cappuccino cup, stand back and watch a Hello Kitty collectible appear from within. There are six soft, squishy and scented characters to collect. Outside of collectibles, KAP Toys has signed new licences in the plush category. The company will be bringing a range of soft toys to the market from the popular Fuzzballs franchise. These cute kawaii characters will arrive by plane, ready for guest appearances at retail for early adopters. The company will begin telling the story of these characters with Whisky, Ollie and Timmy, and much more to come. KAP’s next licence sits firmly at the other end of the cute index. Gloomy Bear, the bear that doesn’t really like to be loved, will also be joining the company’s range from Q1.

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Fantastic Mr. Fox

BFG

Sophie

EXCITING ROALD DAHL COSTUMES

ARRIVING IN TIME FOR Matilda

BOOK WEEK!

Miss Trunchball

Mrs Twit

Mr Twit

James and the Giant Peach

Veruca

Charlie

Willy Wonka

Q1 Ranges

IG Design Group 01908 618 811 | www.igdesigngroup.uk | info@igdesigngroup.uk.com IG Design Group is launching new games and activity products for 2023, Silly Sketcher, Bowling and Football games, Flying Spiders and Paint Your Own Jungle Animals and Dinosaurs. These exciting new games and activities will provide hours of fun and laughter for all ages. Silly Sketcher is a fun family game suitable for all ages, perfect for games night. Players put on the silly sketchers, which have a pen attached to the nose. The first player must pick a card and start drawing the object on the screen, and fellow players start guessing what the object being drawn is; the first player to guess correctly wins the point. Bowling and football can be brought to life with the new Bowling and Football games. After rolling out the mat onto a flat surface, players slide the balls across the mat and try to land them in the scoring areas. For variety, the games can be played in three alternative ways – such as traditional bowling, first to 300 and defence game. The fun games come in an assorted case and pack away into small boxes making them perfect for travel, allowing players to compete with friends at home or on the go. Flying Spiders is a new head-to-head competitive game. Players build a spider’s web and place their spiders on the side of the web. To make the spiders jump, players press the body of the spider and then release to enable the spider to launch into the air. The first player to get all their spiders stuck on the web wins. IG Design will also offer new arts & crafts kits for 2023 with the Paint Your Own Jungle Animals and Dinosaurs sets. The creative kits contain eight plaster figures, six brightly coloured paints and a paintbrush - everything needed to bring the Jungle Animals or Dinosaurs to life. These activity sets come in an assorted case, perfect for keeping creative minds and little hands busy. Once decorated, the works of art can be displayed, gifted, or played with.

Jazwares 020 3598 5119 | www.jazwares.com Jazwares is launching a highly anticipated Squishmallows spring collection with over 30 new additions to the #squishmallowsquad, featuring core and new characters. Fan favourites such as Fifi, with her cute yellow headband, and Archie the Axolotl join the 7.5” squad along with new additions Junie the banana, Noe the Sea Bunny and Aldous the Fruit Bat. Joelle the Bigfoot, one of Squishmallows’ most popular characters from 2022, launches in a new 12” form with a flower in her hair, multicoloured feet and a fluffy tummy. The 16” range expands with Pace the Fennec Fox with adorable large ears and eyelashes and Odion the Red Fire Noodles, whose favourite subject is advanced computer science. The new 20” Samir the Whale, complete with his captain’s hat, is sure to be a winner among fans of the sealife-themed Squishmallows alongside tortoiseshell cat Tahoe, who loves long bike rides. New licensed Squishmallows are also coming through for spring. Expanding the world of Squishville play with a new summer holiday theme, Jazwares continues to encourage collectability. New deluxe play scenes, where Squishmallows can visit summer destinations like the surf club and even ride on a yacht, will be available. Themed with beach, sea-life, garden and popular Squishmallows characters, the range will also launch with a series of different-sized play packs including 4-6 characters and a new collection of blinds. The large play scene, the Blue Seas Inn, is the perfect holiday destination for the Squishville Squishmallows to meet for a play. Also in the plush aisle, the new Petooties Spring collection will launch in time for Easter with a purple bunny, a mint lamb and cute green frog. Alongside the ever-popular Dogs and Cats collection will also be a new Farm collection. A new Fantasy Pets collection of multicoloured cats and dogs with wings and crowns also joins the range. Jazwares has a line-up that Pokémon fans will love. Refreshed styles within the figure packs, role-play and the Select range assortments will hit shelves for 2023. Jazwares will also Introduce new Pokémon characters within the expansive plush range, including an assortment of new first partner Pokémon. New additions to the Jazwares line of Spidey and His Amazing Friends Vehicles and Plush range include Power Rollers assorted 6” vehicles, which feature a pull-back release to flip over. The Black Panther 2-in-1 Patroller is a dynamic 2-in-1 machine that changes from ATV Racer to Panther Jet, shooting Black Panther into the air with a press of a button. The new Black Panther Vibranium Power 16” talking feature plush, meanwhile, speaks up to 16 random phrases from the show. Featuring incredible details and authentic scaling, Wave 2 of the Star Wars Micro Galaxy Squadron vehicles will launch with iconic vehicles from the Star Wars universe including BARC Speeders, a Snowspeeder and the LAAT in 2.5”, 5” and 8” scales. Refreshes from pre-school favourites Dino Ranch and Blippi will also launch, and more exciting new brands are soon to be announced.

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Mattel 01628 500 000 | www.mattel.com January 2023 sees a new line of Monster High dolls and play sets hit shelves. The range includes key characters Draculaura, Clawdeen Wolf, Frankie Stein, Cleo DeNile and Lagoona Blue. Kids have always connected with the way Monster High dolls use their ‘freaktacular’ style to express what makes each of them unique. The new set of dolls, designed for the next generation of fans, appeals to contemporary trends with more vibrant colours. The brand is also allowing for even more storytelling opportunities by representing a wide array of body shapes and sizes. These posable dolls capture each creepy character’s fresh look with themed accessories that inspire storytelling and freaky-fashion play. Each Monster High doll features a detailed outfit, chic shoes and accessories themed to their unique heritage. As well as a small pet, the Lagoona Blue doll includes Lagoona’s fish, Neptuna, while Cleo De Nile doll includes Cleo’s puppy, Tut. In addition to the new dolls, two play sets will join the range to inspire spooktastic storytelling. Monster High was first introduced in 2010. This year, Mattel has refuelled the franchise, introducing the brand to a new generation of fans as well as igniting and engaging the collector audience. The new line of Monster High toys follows on from the Monster High: The Movie live-action movie musical that premiered on Nickelodeon and streaming on Paramount+ on the 7th October, and the new animated Monster High: The Series, debuting on the 4th November on Nickelodeon and streaming on Paramount+. Mattel will launch the new dolls with a 360-degree marketing plan, including extensive TV and BVOD advertising, an extensive YouTube plan and bespoke and engaging content with influencers that brings to life this spooktacular world. Barbie will kick off Q1 with a new pre-school segment My First Barbie including core dolls, fashion packs and playsets. New Barbie Cutie Reveal Jungle Series and Colour Reveal Sweet Fruit Series will offer unboxing fun. New in the Careers segment is the Marine Biologist Doll, and adding magic is the Twinkle Lights Feature Ballerina. Fisher-Price continues to delight parents with new lines such as the Tummy Time Puppy and the 3-in-1 Rainforest Sensory Gym. New to the infant range is the 123 Activity Llama and Counting & Colours Peacock, plus the new Poppin Triceratops. The Fisher-Price Laugh and Learn range introduces Puppy’s Activity Cube, 2-in-1 Slide to Learn Smartphone and Twist & Learn Gamer, while Little People welcomes Disney Princess to the range. Thomas & Friends continues to help kids navigate life’s new experiences through friendship and stories, introducing dynamic new products linked to the TV show with lines such as the Crystal Caves Adventures Set. Thomas fans can also create more of their own adventures with new engines, including Interactive Talking Diesel. Hot Wheels drives ‘Challenge Accepted’ further than ever in 2022. New to the city range is the Hot Wheels CITY Wreck & Ride Gorilla Attack, Gator Pizza Shop, Super Fire Station, T-Rex Chomp Down and Transforming Tower. The Hot Wheels Monster Trucks range continues to expand with the Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Arena World: Entry Challenge Assortment. New to the action range is the Hot Wheels Action Vertical Figure 8 Track Set. Polly Pocket, the original micro doll, adds the Mama & Joey Kangaroo to the large wearable compact assortment, along with all-new themed compacts in the pocket world assortment. Mattel’s new Disney Princess and Frozen range will launch in Q1 of 2023 with new dolls, playsets and unboxing fun. The Mattel WWE toy range continues to grow with the Wrekkin’ Forklift with Brock Lesnar, while Jurassic World adds the Track ‘n Attack Indoraptor to its successful range, as well as the Search ‘n Smash Truck Set. The Minecraft collection will see the introduction of the new Mob Head Minis Panda Playset, the 3.25” Super Mob Boss and new additions to the Creator Series Figure Assortment and Expansion Pack Assortment. Fans of Disney Pixar Cars will enjoy the new Dino Playground Playset and new Lightning McQueen Feature Plush. Fisher-Price Imaginext introduces the Jurassic World Fire Dino to its Jurassic World segment, as well as Batman Insider & Exo Suite and Joker Insider & LaffBot to its DC Super Friends for even more epic adventures. New to the Mega range in Q1 are Pokémon Dragonite, Pokémon Piplup, the Sneasel Chill Out set and Pokémon Windy Town, all joining the Mega Construx Pokémon range.

Posh Paws 01268 567317 | www.poshpawsinternational.co.uk | sales@poshpawsinternational.co.uk Gabby’s Dollhouse is set to be one of the biggest pre-school properties for 2023. Having launched its first range of plush characters last month, and with the demand for product exceeding the high expectations, Posh Paws is adding new feline friends to its 10” offering for spring. In addition to new 10” characters, retailers that are supporting the property are also being presented with the new extra-large 18” plush Gabby, Cakey Cat and Pandy Paws. On the back of a blockbuster year for its Jurassic World plush, with the Dominion movie roaring past $1b at the global box office, Posh Paws remains heavily invested in its biggest licensed brand. With the hit TV series now airing on FTA channel CITV, there are no signs of the franchise slowing down. This spring will see the addition of all new, collectible Dino Egg plush and two extra-large 18” plush dinosaurs to the Jurassic range. Eco Earth is the new Posh Paws own-brand plush collection made from 100% recycled materials, from the stuffing and fabrics through to the hang-tags. Having launched 24 new animals last month in both 6” and 12” sizes, more animal companions will be added in the spring. New introductions that will be showcased at the London Toy Fair will include four Cute-Eco Earth Animals that will feature an adorable Monkey, Elephant, Panda and Koala available in 7” and 9” sizes. For tween, teen and adult gifting, the Swizzels Love Hearts range continues to be one of the company’s biggest brands with consecutive double-digit growth year-on-year. New plush for 2023 includes the cute and on-trend Level Up Video Game Controller which will suit gaming fans of all ages, along with the You’re Bun in a Million Burger, You Are My World Earth and You’re the Coolest Ice Cream characters, to name a few. Keepsake gifts for new-borns are available in the form of the new Love Hearts It’s A Boy and It’s A Girl Bunnies, made from the softest fabrics with long floppy ears and Love Heart spatterned print on the inside. The Swizzels Love Hearts plush collection has been specially designed to spread love and positivity through fun and sentimental messages; with trending and popular characters, there’s a plush gift for everyone and over 30 to choose from in the range. With the growing trend of squashy plush and bubble tea drinks taking over social media feeds, Posh Paws is releasing its own squishy and squashy Bubble Tea plush in an assortment of six bright and eye-catching colours.

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Feature

Outdoor Toys

Outdoor toys

big T

here was always the summer of 1976. That is, until we had the summer of 2022. This summer was certainly one that will go down in history, usurping the historic heatwave that we have harked back to for decades. The constant whirring of fans in homes and workplaces up and down the country coincided with tarmac-melting temperatures on airport runways and rivers drying to little more than a trickle. The warm weather also sparked a flurry of sales in paddling pools, trampolines and garden toys as families ventured outside to soak up the sunshine, boosting the already booming outdoor toy sector, which has experienced significant growth in the past 12 months. Retailers, especially those in prime seaside locations, reported exceptionally busy school holidays and some, such as Howleys Toymaster in Weymouth, even extended their opening hours into the evenings to meet the demand for beach and outdoor toys. “Last year was fantastic with so few people going abroad, and we really didn’t think we’d achieve those numbers again this year because footfall had been down a bit,” reports Howleys’ operations manager John Bentley. “But the heatwave compensated for this, bringing so many people down to the coast.”

business This year’s heatwave meant many outdoor toy suppliers found their sales rising as quickly as the temperatures. Sam Giltrow discovers what has been popular and the trends which will be encouraging children to get active outside in 2023.

“The great weather led to some major sales in the garden games area of the business,” says Andy Griffin, marketing director for Reydon Sports, which distributes a wide range of outdoor toy and sports lines with brands such as Nerf, Franklin, Swingball and PowerPlay. “Our offering into the toy retail sector in particular has exploded in the last 12 months.” Reydon distributes over 7,000 SKUs, based around activity and sport, and Andy adds that it was great to have the return of a “normal summer” this year. “It was absolutely fantastic to see a full summer of sport back in action once again and our traditional sport product offering thriving with retailers across the globe,” he enthuses. Two of Reydon’s biggest recent successes have been the Nerf and Franklin Sports collections, which Andy believes are still yet to reach full potential in the market. Reydon has exclusive distribution for the brands, and they have helped the company secure business with major multiples, in Ireland in particular. “The 30 plus SKU launch for Nerf and 16 plus SKU launch for Franklin unveiled a superb set of sporting product lines which fit perfectly into any toy, sport, leisure or multiple retailer,” adds Andy. With a growing trend towards staycations and camping, this year Reydon has seen a big increase in demand for outdoor toys, particularly 2-4 player sets and family games such as badminton, volleyball and

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cricket. The company is looking forward to showcasing its new products at London Toy Fair in January and connecting with more retailers through now being an accredited supplier to Toymaster. “It is a sheer joy to be officially recognised by the group after supplying members with successful ranges over the last 18 months,” says Andy. “May the flourishing partnership continue into 2023 and beyond.” “Great weather always helps, and we were very pleased to see that sales remained consistent, especially after the massive increase in sales the year before,” says David Mordecai, CEO of One For Fun, which offers a wide range of outdoor toys, from pop up play tents and inflatable hoppers to scooters and skateboards. The latter is a product the company has seen a surge in, as kids tapped into the rising popularity of skateboarding, fuelled by GB’s success last year at the Tokyo Olympics. David is particularly excited about the new Mirror finish range of skateboards from Ozbozz, which come in a variety of sizes and feature a metallic, almost chrome, finish with designs including a wild goose, lion, wolf, skulls, flowers and geometric patterns. “We wanted to continue to nurture the interest in the sport,” he explains. “Our new boards are stylish and well made, covering a full-size range at a great price. We pride ourselves on introducing product which meets every

Feature

Outdoor Toys

price point and appeals to a wide age range too.” David has been pleased to see trade shows opening up again this year and says One For Fun is keen to showcase all of its ranges to customers in the coming months. The wheels have also been spinning fast for MV Sports & Leisure, as it looks to capitalise on this year’s increased popularity of licensed toys within its wheeled and outdoor ranges. The company has seen strong performances from evergreen properties such as Paw Patrol, Peppa Pig, Disney Princess, Barbie, Nerf, SpiderMan, Batman and Marvel, and even more new signings will be coming on stream towards the end of the year. “It is no surprise that licences are taking an increased share of the market,” says managing director Phil Ratcliffe. “Notwithstanding our unparalleled line up of classic licences, the toy market is notoriously trend led, and we have supplemented our portfolio of classic licences with the latest hot and in demand properties such as Bluey and Encanto.” Phil explains that the growth of streaming services has impacted the launch and longevity of new licences - and revitalised existing franchises. For 2023, MV Sports will be introducing a host of new properties including Gabby’s Dollhouse, My Little Pony, Transformers and Sonic the Hedgehog. The e-mobility category is experiencing major growth and Phil adds that MV Sports has plans to expand its lithium electric ranges. This will include beautifully decorated, limited edition licensed e-motorbikes, as well as a range of Electric Life e-scooters and e-bikes. With MV Sports offering many larger ticket items, does Phil foresee challenging times ahead with the cost-of-living crisis impacting sales, particularly at Christmas when parents usually spend more? He doesn’t think so. “Parents are less likely to cut back on spending on their kids for Christmas than perhaps other areas, so while there will be some impact, it will not be as marked as in other sectors,” he replies. “If a child wants a licensed scooter for Christmas, then I am confident that’s what they will get.” For retailers, he says MV Sports will remain flexible

in terms of when and how to buy, and the company will be running various incentives towards the end of the year to enhance its overall proposition. It will also be focusing on providing the best possible content for bespoke marketing plans for customers. This will include emphasising the company’s green credentials; the majority of products are either human or clean energy powered. MV Sports is proud to have been fully solar powered for many years and with expansion plans for its new warehouse well underway, it will be incorporating solar panels into the building. Also offering an extensive range of new licensed toys, including ride-ons, Wilton Bradley says its products inspire innovation and help to create a point of difference. The company offers a wide variety of outdoor toys, from go-karts and scooters in the Xootz range to educational toys, such as the Water Wall, in its Playhouse brand. A new introduction which is exciting design director Scott Eden is the new Xoots Bumper Car, which launches in 2023 and is said to be the first of its kind in the toy market. “We’ve found the innovative products we’ve developed, which offer a point of difference from the competition, are being very well received by consumers and are now driving the direction that we’re taking our range in.” He adds: “Our focus is on developing the range in line with recent successful product launches. The market remains strong and, despite increased competition, there’s a place for unique products to enter and succeed. With current global conditions, consumers will be looking for ways to make every pound count, so value for money and new to market features/products will be crucial to inspire the purchasing decision.” Scott acknowledges though that this innovation and uniqueness needs to be communicated effectively to the end consumer, which is why Wilton Bradley will be supporting these products with engaging content and using influencers to give a hands-on view of the product to a targeted audience. HTI Toys will also continue to use social media platforms and work with influencers to promote its

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products and recently joined TikTok to deliver high engagement videos. The company has enjoyed a buoyant year and though demand for its bubbles products was, as always, sky high during the summer months, it was able to keep up with orders thanks to its cutting-edge manufacturing facility in the Northwest of England, which enables a quick turnaround. “The increase in our bubble production, together with a wide variety of product lines under our Bubblz brand, means we were well-prepared for the busy summer season,” says marketing manager Nancy Fielden. Additionally, the hot weather gave a huge boost to HTI’s licensed ranges of patio furniture, including those themed with Peppa Pig, Hey Duggee, Baby Shark, Bluey and Paw Patrol characters. The company’s Evo range of scooters and wheeled products continues to perform way beyond expectations, and Nancy says the company is particularly proud of its new character lines and the ever-evolving range which appeal to various age groups. Evo is expanding the range for AW23 with targeted areas of innovation. Research identified that characterisation and light-up features were popular drivers for online sales both in the UK and overseas, so new unicorn and dinosaur patterns are being introduced into the pre-school and early years ranges, along with the development of a new light-up scooter. Echoing other manufacturers, HTI can see challenging times ahead in the current global climate, but Nancy says the company has taken every precaution to reduce the likelihood that economic conditions will have a negative impact on its entire operation. “To ensure that we provide value to the consumer while managing to meet and maintain margin expectations, we are prepared. We have reconciled pricing to meet consumer affordability, and we will continue to pay close attention to the needs and wishes of the market. We will also grow our skills in people, systems and technology to improve our capabilities and ensure HTI stays ahead of the curve.” Over the next few pages, you can check out the latest outdoor toys from a range of leading suppliers.

www.wiltonbradley.co.uk

sales@wiltonbradley.co.uk

01626 835400

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PLUG & PLAY MODULAR PIECES

EDUCATIONAL & CREATIVE

Special Feature

Nerf blasting

into new categories As Nerf announces its first official sport, Nerfball, Adam Kleinman, SVP & GM Global Brands - Nerf & Sports Action at Hasbro, chats to Toy World about the brand’s success and how it spans much more than just toys. amplifying its core purpose: to get kids and families up and active with a light-hearted message that invites one and all to Unleash the Play in You. In June, we officially unveiled Murph, the Nerf brand’s first ever official mascot, which went viral on the internet, with celebrities, influencers, high-profile brands and press expressing their thoughts on the new mascot. Late night TV hosts James Corden, Seth Meyers and Stephen Colbert even talked about Murph on their shows. Introducing a mascot for the brand is a huge deal that I think really showcases its pop culture relevancy and leadership in the marketplace.

What do you think is behind Nerf’s ongoing popularity with consumers? What kind of year has the Nerf brand had and what is its current standing in the marketplace? Nerf has remained an unrivalled category leader in action-based performance toys for more than five decades. Nerf is the No.1 blaster property, with 59.8% value share in YTD Aug22*. Nerf market share reached 59.5% in Aug 22, which is up +2.8pt vs Jun 22 and +0.3% vs Jul 22*. This past year, the Nerf brand unveiled and celebrated extensive expansions across key categories including digital entertainment, digital gaming, broadcast entertainment, location-based experiences, licensed partners, sports and product innovation. After 50 plus years in the toy industry, the brand continues to innovate, evolve and transform. In 2022, Nerf has doubled down on its commitment to fuel active play, breathing new life into our Nerf or Nothin’ mantra with a disruptive, multi-year campaign reminding consumers of Nerf’s position as a leading pop culture, cross-generational, active play lifestyle brand. This year, we partnered with the award-winning Martin Agency to shift the narrative on the brand,

Nerf’s longevity and brand loyalty is driven by the constant new product innovations and experiences it has to offer, plus the ability to keep fans engaged and excited. Last year, Nerf became the first Hasbroowned brand to join digital platform TikTok, which has continued to enhance the direct connection and engagement between brand and fans, to meet them where they are.

How does Nerfball extend the Nerf play pattern into new areas? Nerf has been synonymous with sport since its introduction in 1969, with the original Nerf ball and shortly after, the Nerfoop. Fast forward to 2022 and Nerf has reignited Nerf Sports through new product and new franchise partnerships with industry leaders, including Franklin Sports which delivers premium quality Nerf branded sporting equipment to athletes and sports fans. Now with Nerfball, the brand has truly joined the world of sports by providing a live entertainment and sporting event experience that Nerf has never offered before. This will be the first time that fans can play the official sport of Nerf. The sport greatly extends the brand’s play pattern into active, competitive play territory. Nerfball not only brings in amazing

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competitive play opportunities but will allow us to expand into other media as well, engaging consumers on a deeper level. Ultimately, Nerfball showcases Hasbro’s strong brand-building capabilities in blasting the brand into all-new categories.

How do you see Nerfball growing and evolving – what’s the ultimate goal with the sport itself? With Nerfball, the goal is to create a sense of community for active, competitive play for fans and introduce an entirely new way for consumers to experience Nerf.

Is there more from Nerf to look forward to? We have lots of exciting products, collaborations and experiences coming to the UK and Europe in 2023, which we are super excited to unveil to fans in the coming months.

What opportunities does Nerf offer retailers from a commercial perspective? Nerf is far more than just a toy brand. Nerf is a lifestyle, and that is a huge selling point for retailers. Nerf can be seen across all consumer touchpoints, including products like apparel, along with digital gaming and location-based-entertainment experiences. Earlier this year, we launched a Nerf X Quiksilver apparel collection. We also have the first Nerf Action Xperience opening in Manchester in early 2023, with more to come in the UK and Europe. Our mascot, Murph, is bringing the brand to life even further. Nerf has so much meaning behind the brand that retailers will want to join in on.

How will you support the Nerf brand in 2023 in terms of marketing? The Nerf brand will deliver a multichannel campaign across all four quarters which will involve both adult and kid focused creative. There will also be a significant focus on celebrating Nerf Summer in early June as well as celebrating all innovation for autumn through our Nerf Fest campaign. *The NPD Group, UK POS Retail Tracking Service, Blaster/Shooters & Acc subclass

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www.wiltonbradley.co.uk

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01626 835400

Outdoor Toys

Wilton Bradley 01626 835 400 | www.wiltonbradley.com Perfect for children aged over three years, the Xootz Bubble-Go Scooter is a new way for kids to have fun, with a twist on the classic bubble scooter. The front-mounted bubble machine allows children to enjoy the bubbles whizzing past them as they’re scooting around. With three large PU wheels, ABEC7 bearings and a wide textured footplate for stability, the ride is ideal for little ones. The bubble scooter has an adjustable aluminium T-bar stem that can be raised as they grow, super soft handles, a rear brake so they can always be in control, and the tilt-and-turn system makes it easy to manoeuvre. The tri-scooter’s stem can be folded down for easy carrying and the bubble machine can be removed. The scooter comes with 100ml of bubble solution which can easily be topped up when necessary. A trike and balance bike will be added to this range for 2023. The company has also been creating a buzz around its Xootz RideOn toy range and this includes the Xootz BMW Z4 Roadster Electric Ride-On. The officially licensed twin-seat BMW is a scale replica of the sporty Z4 Roadster and features all the details of the full-scale powerhouse including the remodelled classic kidney grille, sculptured bonnet and unmistakeable, working front lights. Suitable for children aged 3-6, it has two opening doors and two adjustable seats with seatbelts. The BMW ride-on also includes a tinted windscreen, a battery indicator, built-in music system with AUX input and suspension on the front wheels. Reaching comfortable speeds of up to 3.6km/h, and with a slow start function for younger drivers, the BMW is the ultimate driving machine for little ones. It can be driven manually using the foot pedal and has a three-speed gearbox with a reverse mode. For less experienced drivers, a remote control is included for parents to use. For practical transportation, the Xootz BMW Z4 Roadster Electric Ride-On includes a carry handle that slides out under the front and two training wheels at the rear. In Wilton Bradley’s popular Playhouse brand, the Water Wall teaches kids about gravity, angles and water flow and offers limitless play combinations for them to enjoy as they create a different outcome each time they move the pieces. The included range of modular accessories means kids can have fun creating their own water flows and seeing their problem-solving skills come to life as they pour water from the top. Made from high quality, sustainably sourced wood which will stand up to years of robust play, Water Wall blends perfectly into the garden and is designed to be kept outdoors all year round. However, this product can be used both outdoors and indoors thanks to the included bucket, which safely catches the water when it reaches the bottom. Water Wall is approximately 120cm x 80cm x 30cm and comes packaged in a sturdy brown box with a colour poster depicting the product inside.

Eolo Toys +852 2363 1998 | www.eolo.com | sales@eolohk.com Eolo Toys’ established outdoor brand Kites Ready2fly is now going green by changing the packaging on its kites. The company is investing in reusable tote bags instead of the regular plastic bags that come with the kites, so there will be no more waste on packs. The bags will be available for the stunt, nylon and super-size lines, for easy carrying of the kites. Eolo Toys kites have been in the market for over 40 years and now aim to offer customers an eco-friendly product within the outdoor category. They feature a pop-up patented system, which means there is no frustrating assembly process, plus the handle and easy clip are included. The range covers different price points to target all types of consumers and, moreover, the Kites Ready2fly range is the first kite brand to come with a free Kite School App to engage kids and parents. The app includes educational videos, spots and engaging content to show the user how to fly a kite, master a range of tricks and much more. In addition to its own brand options, Eolo Toys also offers licensed kites from Disney and Marvel, with multiple designs and shapes available.

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Outdoor Toys

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

The Nerf Elite 2.0 Motoblitz blaster features two ways to fire darts, giving users flexibility and tactical advantage in Nerf games. Fans can unleash six darts at once with airblitz blasting, powered by air pressurized pump-action, pumping the handle back and forth and pressing the airblitz button to release the darts. Nerf Monoblitz can take on opponents with motorised blasting to fast-fire 10 darts in a row in rapid succession. Players can load the 10-dart clip into the blaster and are ready to go when they rev up the motor and pull the trigger. This 2-in-1 blaster includes 22 Official Nerf Elite darts to fill both blaster modes, complete with an integrated scope to help with aiming. The tactical rail gives users the ability to customise the blaster with Nerf accessories. Kids can team up with legendary dinosaurs as a member of the elite DinoSquad with the Nerf Dinoquad Armorstrike blaster. It features a dinosaur design, capturing the look of an Anklyosaurus dinosaur, and can launch eight darts in a row from its eight-dart rotating drum. The blaster features a drop grip to prime it and take advantage of its below-the-barrel design for a steady aim. The blaster also includes 16 Official Nerf Elite foam darts eight darts to load the drum and eight darts for reloads. Users can keep the eight backup darts nearby as the blaster has onboard dart storage. The Nerf Fortnite Compact SMG blaster is inspired by the equipment used in Fortnite and comes in the Ultra Red Wrap from the popular video game. Players can power up for fast-blasting fun with this motorised dart blaster that unleashes eight darts in a row. The acceleration button is held down to activate the motor before the trigger is pulled to blast one dart. The Compact SMG blaster includes eight Official Nerf Elite foam darts that load into the blaster's internal eight-dart clip. A rubberised grip helps users keep a firm hold on the blaster as they take aim at their targets. The Nerf Roblox Zombie Attack: Viper Strike Dart Blaster takes its inspiration from the Roblox experience Zombie Attack by wenlocktoad vs indra. The blaster includes a special code that allows users to redeem an exclusive virtual item on Roblox. It features a removable six-dart clip and six Nerf Elite foam darts and has bolt-action priming. Players can use the attached bipod to steady their aim and fold it up when not in use, while the nonremovable scope helps with targeting.

Hy-Pro www.zincsports.com | chirag@hy-pro.co.uk Hy-Pro’s Zinc brand, founded in 2006, is back with a rebrand which incorporates its travel product brand, Flyte. The new three-wheeled Zinc Flyte scooter addresses the key objectives for children to develop their skills in motoring and balancing. The new scooter was born out of a key observation that kids were working too hard to push/kick the scooter, and also that almost every scooter had the same personality. Over the past two years, Hy-Pro has dedicated resources into R&D to develop the next generation Zinc Flyte scooter. To ensure that all Zinc scooters live up to high expectations, every one is tested to extremes before it is allowed to leave the Zinc site, ensuring it offers high performance and is built to last. Hy-Pro has dedicated over two years to developing bespoke components, with a heavy focus on the wheels. It says its scooters’ wheels are now four times faster, five times stronger and brighter than its rivals, delivering a silky-smooth gliding experience. The scooter has developed into an everlasting product which can be passed on to future generations. The scooter’s innovative features include ergonomically designed silicone grips, which provide a much better grip for little ones’ hands compared to standard grips and give kids the optimum scooting posture, meaning they are more stable with less energy required to glide. As a result, riders quickly become more confident and experienced. The handles also feature embossed patterns that don’t compromise the feel or the vibrations kids usually get when scootering. All of the components of the scooter, from the clamps and springs to the bolts play a full part in the pleasure of riding a Zinc scooter, and their ergonomics have been carefully studied, while their robustness and reliability, aesthetics and lustre are thoroughly tested before being given the Zinc seal of approval.

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Tepee

Folding In-Line Scooter

Balance Mode

2-in-1 10” Training Bike

Time for your sales to shine!

Pedal Mode

Outdoor Toys

Reydon Sports sales@reydonsports.com | 0115 938 6444 www.reydonsports.com As electric transport continues to be a majorly trending commodity across the globe with many cities now having government schemes in place, Reydon Sports is offering the Surg range of electric scooters. The most popular model in the range is the Surg City S E-Scooter with its sleek anthracite aluminium alloy frame and stylish red trim. The scooter features three speed settings up to 25kph and 30km range, and also includes a lightweight aluminium alloy fold design for easy transport and storage along with two solid puncture proof anti-skid honeycomb tyres. The charging time of just four hours gives over three hours of an enjoyable seamless ride from one destination to another. Alongside the City S is the City R model, a more sophisticated option with plenty of additional features. Although a higher SRP, the seated edition allows an even more comfortable ride, with gear options along with indicators and chunkier tyres. An electronic dashboard is also included, showcasing visuals on gears, speed, available battery life and more. Both models fold up easily which make them perfect for commuting, and power supplies are included along with a simple instruction manual and a Bluetooth app. Reydon also offers a number of Surg accessories to complement the range of scooters. They include a handlebar phone holder which clips onto both models easily to allow phone access or satellite navigation, and a carry strap which ties around the models to make the scooter effortlessly transportable. Other accessories include the handlebar carry bag, which can store plenty of essential items, and a secure disc brake lock, maximizing security of the scooter. The sooters are perfect for online and physical retail with a fair warranty and return policy. Reydon Sports is a trade wholesaler and distributor and offers a complete range of sports and toys via its own van delivery service from both its Nottingham and Scottish branches. The range includes items from educational supplies and sports equipment to garden games and toys, with top brands including Nerf, Sportcraft, Waboba, Franklin, Precision Training, Urban Fitness, Nike, Adidas and more.

Boldcube www.boldcube.co.uk | info@boldcube.co.uk Since its launch in 2017, Boldcube has gone from strength to strength with a range which continues to expand to offer rides for all age groups. With a presence in the UK, Ireland, Europe, Australia and, soon the Middle East, Boldcube has big plans to continue bringing quality affordable scooting to every household. This year has seen the expansion of the range with the Teeny and Teeny Fold 3 Wheel, as well as the Deluxe 2 Wheel Scooter, in a variety of unique and trending colour palettes and designs that both children and parents love. Boldcube’s rides start from as early as 16 months and go up to adults. The evolution of the range continues to be led by focus groups and conversations with the target market, with a commitment to always prioritise the needs of riders and parents, feedback and trends. The best-selling 3 Wheel Scooter range introduces independent mobility and explorative outdoor play for riders of all abilities and is suitable for children up to 12 years. With two wheels at the front, riders can glide like they would with stabilisers, yet the scooter is compact and portable enough for parents to travel with. Boldcube's range of 2 Wheelers is the next step to strengthening coordination development and is available across three age groups. The Stunt Scooter range was developed to offer high spec, entry level skate park scooters. Backed by development with established stunt riders, value for money and adaptability are what make this range of scooters an excellent all-rounder. Building durable products that kids love, and parents are proud to own remains Boldcube’s mission, but as parents become more eco conscious, each year Boldcube researches and introduces new sustainable initiatives with a focus on waste reduction. Efforts include progressive adoption of recycled plastics, reducing packaging material waste and extendable product life. All Boldcube products are designed to be modular where possible, so repairing is a feasible option with all scooter spares stocked ready for any eventuality, allowing the same ride to be enjoyed for as long as desired. The Boldcube range is supported with paid digital marketing, strategic collaborations and backed by targeted YouTube and influencer campaigns.

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PRODUCT VIDEO Scan the QR code to get a closer look!

DEFEND YOUR SQUARE! GAME FEATURES: New Two Player Match Game Easy to Set Up Ground Court Play Anywhere No Net Required

TO LEARN MORE Website: waboba.com Contact: info@waboba.com

FOR ALL TRADE ENQUIRES Contact: sales@tkcsales.co.uk 01380 872950

United Wheels UK 0330 912 7543 | www.huffy.co.uk

Outdoor Toys

support@unitedwheels.eu United Wheels UK has launched a new line of licensed Huffy bikes, featuring a whole host of Disney, Marvel and Lucasfilm characters. The collection covers all properties and wheel sizes, ranging from balance bikes to 16-inch wheels, scooters and battery powered ride-on toys. It includes family favourites from Disney Princess, Frozen, Spider-Man, Cars, Lightyear, Star Wars and Minnie Mouse. Disney and United Wheels’ affiliate, Huffy Corporation, have worked together in the US since 1996, and this agreement between United Wheels and Disney expands the partnership to include UK and EMEA. One of the top lines from the collaboration is the Huffy Spider-Man 16-inch Bike, suitable for children aged 5-7 years old and for use with or without stabilisers. The bike is made with an easy stepover frame and a comfy, child specific padded seat. The handlebar boasts a unique Spider-Man plaque, while front and rear calliper brakes and alloy wheels allow for a safe and smooth ride. The bike is lightweight, making it easy for parents to carry when out and about. Huffy 16-inch bikes will also be available in Disney Princess, Frozen, Avengers, Star Wars Mandalorian, Cars, Lightyear and Minnie Mouse options. Pre-schoolers will enjoy the three-wheeled Huffy Princess 6V Electric Bubble Scooter, which makes bubbles as the child rides. Each battery charge gives 40 minutes of fun, and the bubble scooter is also available in Disney Frozen, Cars and Spider-Man designs. The Huffy 6v battery powered ride-on brings Disney Pixar’s Lightning McQueen Car to life with flashing lightning bolts, working headlights, car sounds and the bold designs of Disney Pixar’s 95 Lightning McQueen race car. The easy-open doors and accelerator pedal allow kids to feel like they are driving their first car, with forward and reverse motion plus traction strip tyres to improve control.

DKB Toys & Distribution 07813 725 480 | www.dkbtoys.com DKB is enjoying success with Crazy Forts, which can be played with indoor or outdoor. With so many different ways to play, Crazy Forts helps to develop important STEM skills in children, visual planning, logical thinking and creative problem solving. Crazy Forts encourages collaborative play and cooperation in children as well as promoting imaginative play and creativity. As children plan out their structures, working out the floor plan and shape, they can assign each other jobs and use communication skills and cooperation. A rocket today, an undiscovered cave tomorrow, a princess castle one day and a wild horse in a corral next week are all possible with Crazy Forts. The balls and sticks simply need to be connected together and the structure covered with bedsheets to create places where imaginations can flourish. Crazy Forts does not require batteries and is powered by children’s imaginations. Adding more kits easily allows for larger structures. Crazy Forts was brought to the UK last year and has had huge successes in the UK & Ireland with Smyths Toys, Toymaster members and Independents. This year Crazy Forts has been the proud recipient of several awards. Durable, portable and easy to build, each awardwinning Crazy Fort kit contains 25 geometrically precise balls and 44 sticks that connect to create a multitude of possible play structures. The range encourages collaborative play, which is perfect for the festive season when families can get together and create the perfect hideaway, fort, igloo, house, or even a grotto. It will make a perfect gift for Christmas, especially when the Fort Lights pack is added to make creations even more special. DKB is encouraging all to #shareyourbuilds on its social channels. The Instagram page is already building a wonderful community of builders around the world, but the DKB team is keen to see more home-grown builds and find out what customers and retailers can do with a box or two of Crazy Forts. The only limit is imagination.

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Outdoor Toys

Simba Smoby Toys UK 01620 674 778 | www.simba-dickie-group.de/en sales@simbasmoby.com

The Smoby and AquaPlay brands present families with everything they could need for lots of outdoor fun, with significant investment into both ranges. The Smoby outdoor portfolio includes a host of playhouses and activity items to inspire fresh air play. The Smoby Nature House is an existing favourite, with its bright and cheery design, including animal pictures embedded into the plastic ‘brickwork’. Details include the shuttered windows, the small barn door and the sliding panel that can be opened to let in nature. The Smoby Chef House comes with two separate spaces, representing a kitchen area and a table service section, meaning kids will be able to act as both chef and diner. The kitchen offers many play patterns in one, with everything needed to cook up a pretend feast, including a fridge, oven, hotplate, food prep sound effects and more than 70 accessories. The Smoby House on Stilts, which sits on a 70cm high platform, is a playhouse which gives an unobstructed view of the garden. Children can climb the ladder to reach their hut and then enjoy plenty of fun with the slide. For educational water play, AquaPlay is a canal-inspired collection that lets families experience engineering in action as they play. A proven seller is the AquaPlay LockBox, which can be folded up and packed away once playtime has ended. A quirky addition that combines all the beauty of Smoby toys with an entirely different functionality is the Cluck Cluck Cottage Chicken House. New for 2023, the playhouse offers families a purpose-built, raised living space for keeping up to five hens. It’s designed to allow easy access for cleaning and egg collection, and comes with four doors, locking system, roof guttering and a downpipe to the drinking container.

One For Fun 0141 613 2525 | www.oneforfun.com | sales@oneforfun.com The rise is popularity of skateboarding, fuelled by success at last year’s Olympic Games in Tokyo, has inspired new generic boards which are all available in different sizes from the smaller ‘satchel’ board to full size an in a variety of materials. Ozbozz neon skateboards continue to be popular, and new in time for Christmas are the new Mirror finish skateboards in a variety of sizes and designs. These highly crafted skateboards have a metallic, almost chrome, finish and come in 17-inch, 22-inch, 28-inch and 31-inch sizes. The designs include a wild goose, a lion, a wolf, skulls, flowers and geometric patterns. This year, the Ozbozz brand, from One For Fun, has also seen the introduction of new scooters which build on the popularity of the best-selling unicorn, dinosaur and rainbow flashing wheeled scooters. As well as an ideal summer purchase, these light up folding scooters are also a great Christmas gift. Ozbozz pogo sticks are also popular and are adorned with everything from flashing lights to unicorns and dinosaurs. My First Scooter, now a classic range, has won many consumer awards over the years. This cost saving scooter builds from a sturdy four-wheeler to a three-wheeler and then to a two-wheeler. The Unicorn and Dinosaur My First Scooters continue for 2023 along with other colourways. The award-winning balance bikes for younger children are also available in a number of colourways. There are also hoppers featuring a dragon, unicorn or llama, which are great for bouncing off some energy in the house or garden. More hoppers are available in the Tobar range with the classic orange Giant Space Hopper and a smaller Unicorn Space Hopper. Older children are catered for with the Big Wheel Torq Ruff Scooter: a sturdy scooter suitable for on road and off, with large 200mm wheels at the front and back. The bigger wheels allow the scooter to traverse more easily over rougher terrain, and it features a handy kickstand, as well as a convenient folding design that makes the scooter easy to store and transport.

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Toy Ons www.toyons.co.uk

Outdoor Toys

Sand Pals building kit comes with everything needed to create impressive sandcastles, with three brickmakers: a cylinder, cube and block. Once packed full of sand, they can be scraped flat with the ergonomic, multi-use shovel before being turned upside down and gently pushed out, leaving a perfectly formed brick. The Sand Pals range is beautifully crafted and packed in a recyclable eco-friendly box. All the equipment is all extremely sturdy and durable. Bricks can be built high and finished off with one of the four ending moulds, there’s a dome, rook, pyramid and triangle roof to choose from. When the sandcastle building is complete, all the tools can be packed safely away in the mesh bag. With a number of accolades, Sand Pals ensures fun for all the family, encouraging cross generational play and hours of outdoor team building, problem solving and creativity. The kit is small enough to pack in a suitcase and take abroad but big enough to make good sized bricks. Not only is this toy an excellent addition to summer, but it also offers year-round fun as it works with snow and mud. No matter the weather, the kit has been designed to withstand rough usage in all temperatures. The Sand Pal kit encourages children to engage with nature and it is a perfect starting point for children to ask questions about the world around them and learn about different environments as they find shells in sand, plant roots as they dig in the mud or look closely at the structure of a snowflake for the first time. For more information about Sand Pals, visit the website above or order wholesale directly from toyons.faire.com.

Dolu 07850 779 797 | www.dolu.com | Sales@SJR-Associates.co.uk One of the key successes for Dolu in 2022 has been the addition of licensed Mattel toys to its range for the UK. Dolu has been producing Fisher-Price, Barbie and Hot Wheels lines for a number of years, and supplying in other markets, but is adding a further 21 products to the UK range this year - predominantly outdoor items. They include the new bespoke Fisher-Price Playhouse and Sand and Water Table as well as a Barbie Playhouse and Picnic Bench. Dolu has worked closely with Mattel to design the bespoke Fisher Price items that fully represent the brand and the characters, with the Fisher-Price Giraffe head popping out of the Playhouse and also featuring on the Sand and Water Table with an added water function. Also included on the Sand and Water Table are the Fisher-Price monkeys which add further play value to the item. Other branded outdoor lines include a Hot Wheels Pedal Quad and Motorbike, which are joined by a range of Gardening Equipment and Accessories, a wider range of ride-on Tractors, an expanded range of Nursery lines, along with a brand-new concept push along Smart Car. Said to be like nothing else on the market, the Smart Car has been three years in the making, with prototypes shown at both Cologne and Harrogate Nursery Fairs to a fantastic response from retailers. There will be another opportunity to see it on display at the upcoming Preshow Noel Deuaville in France in November. As Dolu is based in Turkey, with the factory just outside of Istanbul, it can offer an easy option for supply, with a reliable, flexible service of delivered product priced in GBP from the factory to customers’ warehouses, with no MOQs per item and short lead times

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Outdoor Toys

Toynamics UK & Ireland 0116 478 5230 | www.toynamics.com sales@toynamics.co.uk Toynamics UK & Ireland offers a wide choice of outdoor toys from Hape, for age ranges 12 months to six years plus, from first balance bikes to toys that encourage children to get outside and explore nature. Hape Nature Fun is a best-selling range of sustainable, eco-friendly outdoor toys for nature lovers and outdoor adventurers, made from bamboo, the most sustainable plant in the world, and bioplastic. The new Exploration Set is a 4-in-1 set featuring the most popular items from the range: the Bug Jar, 4x Magnifying glass and whistle, Hide and Seek Periscope and Butterfly Net. Kids can get a close-up look at leaves, bugs, rocks and creepy crawlies, and when they’ve found something interesting, they can use the whistle to let their friends know. Hape My First Balance Bikes are the perfect accompaniment to any toddler or child learning to walk or get around. The bikes are made with a lightweight aluminium frame with three adjustable seat heights, so they grow with the child from age 12 months+. Hape also has a range of stylish balance bikes for ages three and up, available to retailers with a premium free standing display unit. The FSDU accommodates up to 12 bikes and two helmets and has screens embedded for advertising. Hape has an extensive range of sand and water toys, including vehicles, diggers and spades, water wheels and sand moulds. The Hape Sand and Water Lighthouse Display is a great way to showcase a large selection of the range. The unit lights up and is on wheels, so can be easily moved around. Toynamics offers marketing support and in-store product promotion for all brands in its portfolio.

Little Tikes 0845 0533 333 | www.littletikes.co.uk For generations, the Cozy Coupe has allowed kids to take their adventure and imagination for a ride, with its removable floor, working horn, high seat, storage to the rear and special features including an ignition switch. Cozy Coupe rolls on rugged, durable tyres and its front wheels spin 360 degrees for easy steering. The original is an iconic and trusted product across the Cozy Coupe range, which includes Princess Cozy Coupe and Dino Cozy Coupe. For building, splashing, or all things sensory, the Fountain Factory Water Table is great for both individual and group play and social interaction. It includes interchangeable pipes and fittings to introduce scientific learning to pre-school children in a fun and hands-on way. When they’ve had their fun, the table’s easy-drain plug makes for hasslefree tidying up time. The Turtle Sandbox sandpit with lid adds a friendly face to any garden. It’s ideal for outdoor play all year round and is versatile - can be used as either a sandpit or a ball pit. With moulded-in detail on the base to encourage digging and two seats, it’s perfect for active play and social interaction. Promoting fitness, balance and coordination, the Little Tikes small slide offers hours of fun and is designed for great stability as children build their confidence.

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Vivid Goliath 01483 449944 www.vividtoysandgames.co.uk Wahu features a great a range of outdoor and garden toys including best seller Phlat Ball and Wingblade. New to the range for SS23 are Lawn is Lava, a twist on the sell-out success Floor is Lava Game. The game features all new ways to play as the lawn becomes imaginary hot lava. Players spin for different colours, jump along coloured tiles to reach safety and get the opportunity to drench their opponents with water balloons. The game includes 25 water balloons and water balloon filler. Aqua Pals brings innovation to outdoor play with ‘take anywhere’ aquatic buddies that have an aqua dry, fade resistant material and buoyancy beads to allow buddies to be played with in puddles, the pool or the playground. A quick wash and fast drying material means they can be back in action and ready to play with again in very little time.

Flair 020 8643 0320 | www.flairplc.co.uk | sales@flairplc.co.uk Flair’s Messi Training range is endorsed by football legend Lionel Messi, offering kids professional training equipment and methods to help improve their skills. An essential item in the range is the size 2, solid foam Soft Touch Training Ball which comes with an extendable, height adjustable cord that helps kids practise their aim and control. For older kids, the Pro Training Ball S3 is made from a hard-wearing TPU material. For kids looking for their next challenge, the Tricks & Effects Ball features a streamlined design that trains them to make the best plays and shoot like a pro. There’s also the Flexi Ball Pro that offers high resistance and a quality rebound; its hi-tech air chamber and surface texture offer better control. Kids can practise with the Messi Small Pop-Up Goal and the Messi Large Foldable Goal, which comes with a ball and pump. Wibble Wobble Where? Is the giant, inflatable wobbly game that’s fun for all and perfect for playing both indoors and out. The aim of this game is to be the first to find the images on the wobbly, 1m x 2m inflatable. To get started, players spin the spinner, then the hunt is on to find the matching picture – but with everyone wobbling the inflatable, it's not that easy. The first player to find the image shouts out ‘found it!’ and wins the card, and the first to six cards wins the game.

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INNOVATION AND FUN AT THE HEART OF EVERYTHING WE DO DRESS UP, PLAY & COLLECT EM’ ALL!

SING & SWING BABY SHARK & WILLIAM

MIX & MATCH BATH SWIMMER

GET SOAKED, TWISTER STYLE!

WE ARE PROUD TO HAVE A PARTNERSHIP WITH SOMETHING NEW FOR EVERY CHILD

GET IN TOUCH TO BOOK AN APPOINTMENT SALES@TOYTOPICGROUP.COM

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MV Sports 01217 488 000 | www.mvsports.co.uk Multi-award-winning Disney property Encanto has inspired a vibrant wheeled range from MV Sports, featuring iconic character graphics, bold enticing colours and decadent designs. Kids can feel part of the family Madrigal with the folding inline scooter, which features bold floral designs on its neck and stem, a ‘uniquely me’ Mirabel on the anti-slip griptape and easy-fold mechanism for simple transportation and storage. The 2-in-1 10-inch Training Bike converts from training bike to balance bike with ease. Inspiring confidence and core balance, this ride-on features direct drive and quick-release pedals, quick release stabilisers and puncture-proof tyres with deep tread for additional stability. An adjustable seat and handlebar height ensure this bike suits a variety of riders while soft-moulded grips ensure a comfortable hold for little hands. Kids can complete the look with a beautifully decorated safety helmet which features adjustable straps, ventilated shell, quick-release buckle and adjustable size dial. The Encanto Tepee is ideal for promoting imaginative play and allows kids to play inside their very own Casa Madrigal tent with fully printed panels and colourful character graphics. It is easily assembled, with PVC poles into fabric channels, and comes complete with integrated floor and closed top. Tie-back doors mean kids can choose an open play space or closed off hide-away and the tepee is suitable for both indoor and outdoor play. A range of wheeled toys support popular pre-school property Bluey. The Switch-it Tri-Scooter includes four different character plaques for added play-value, a fully printed anti-slip footplate for stability and adjustable handlebar height. Kids can also pedal along on the 2-in-1 bike, an ideal beginner bike which easily converts from a pedal bike to a balance bike as the child grows in confidence. Kids can finish off their look with the white and blue striped, character printed safety helmet, complete with adjustable size dial, ventilated shell, adjustable straps and quick-release buckle. The CoComelon Bobble Ride-on is ideal for first time riders who are finding their feet. It has a sturdy steel frame, double rear wheel design providing anti-tip stability and puncture-proof Eva tyres for a smooth ride. Soft grip handles for little hands and a moulded ergonomic seat mean little ones can gain confidence and develop coordination and core balance. Featuring adjustable and removable parent handle for push-along riding, and easy-switch front clutch mechanism for when feet are ready to pedal, The CoComelon My First Trike has smooth ride Eva tyres and wide wheels to provide extra stability. The robust tubular steel frame ensures longevity of product, and the trike comes in bright, bold colours with character graphics, shaped plaque and rear bucket for carrying things in.

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ToyTopic sales@toytopicgroup.com Making waves in the outdoor toys category, ToyTopic’s range of Hasbro Splash Games by WowWee continues to grow in popularity. The range takes classic gameplay into the garden with supersized family games and added water fun. With the Twister Splash Game, kids can play the classic game of Twister while getting drenched. The game is fun for all the family and suitable for ages 6+. The Operation Splash Game finds Cavity Sam is in trouble at the beach, and players need to use their lifeguard skills to save him. They must carefully remove all five foam ailments and put them in the lifesaver ring before the sprinkler timer runs out. The game is suitable for ages 4+. The Croc Dentist Splash Game allows kids to play dentist with a splashy twist. The simple backyard version of Crocodile Dentist features a sprinkler mode for running around and having a splashing great time. Suitable for ages 4+. New lines are also in the pipeline for a spring 2023 launch from famous Hasbro brands such as Pie Face, Hungry Hippo and Nerf Super Soaker.

Zuru info@zuru.com Zuru is continuing to lead innovation heading into 2023 with the new X-Shot Water Skins Fast Fill, which combines Zuru’s state of the art manufacturing capabilities with its patented Fast Fill technology. X-Shot Water Skins leverages the trend of personalisation and identity expression with the ability to choose a design that resonates most with the person using it. There are three blasters available: X-Shot Water Fast-Fill Skins Nano, X-Shot Water Fast-Fill Skins Hyperload and X-Shot Water Fast-Fill Skins Pump Action. Each water blaster comes in a range of designs to suit every battle with over 20 different Skin designs to build the water blaster collection. X-Shot Water Fast-Fill makes summer easy with fast-fill technology which allows it to be refilled in just one second, when it is dunked, sealed and sprayed. There are four sizes in the range and water firing distances of up to 34 feet (10 metres). Bunch O Balloons has been a fan favourite since its release in 2014 and it has won numerous awards. With a new look, Bunch O Balloons continues to help kids create summer memories across the globe with Bunch O Balloons Tropical Party. Bunch O Balloons’ innovative O Ring technology fills 100 balloons in less than 60 seconds, saving time filling and tying so kids can spend more time having fun. Bunch O Balloons Tropical Party launchers and slingshots enable kids to fire balloons further than ever before. Kids can find the Bunch O Balloons and X-Shot Water brands on TikTok for epic challenges and videos packed with summer fun inspiration.

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Outdoor Toys

John Adams Leisure 01480 414 361 | www.johnadams.co.uk John Adams Leisure continues to expand its successful Intex outdoor toys range, adding a selection of new products to its portfolio, including ride-ons, inflatables, Aqua Quest SUP Boards (Stand Up Paddleboards) and pools. Kids can splash about in the Rainbow Ring Play Centre, which has a built-in spray that attaches to a garden hose to keep little ones cool during the summer months and a landing mat for extra padding. The play centre also includes a waterslide, wading pool, ring toss game (with four inflatable rings), ball roller game, toss ball game and Fun Ballz. The Intex Ride-Ons are available in Gator, Stingray and Sea Turtle styles and feature a realistic vinyl print and two heavy-duty handles, so kids can float around in the water. There’s also the Instagram-friendly Sprinkle Donut Tube. SUP boarding is gaining in popularity and families can get in on the action with the Intex Aqua Quest SUP Boards. The sturdy, slip resistant inflatable SUP boards feature a comfortable leg leash, paddle, handy storage rope and come with an Oxford Fabric backpack to transport the board. The Aqua Quest range has a youth SUP board suitable for children aged eight plus, and an adult version too. For cooling off in the heat, the Swim Center Family Lounge Pool features four comfortable built-in seats with backrests and two drinks holders. The new play centres, SUP Boards, inflatables and ride-on toys will sit alongside the existing Intex range of market leading above ground pools, the PureSpa range, airbeds, inflatable furniture and pool games.

HTI Toys 01253 778 888 | www.htigroup.co.uk Evo is evolving with its customers through offering and developing a multitude of on trend scooters and wheeled products for different age groups which are cool, fun and engaging. Evo is expanding the range this AW23 with targeted areas of innovation. Research identified that characterisation and light-up features were popular drivers for online sales both in the UK and overseas, hence the injection of new trend driven unicorn and dinosaur patterns into the pre-school and early years product lines, along with the development of a new light-up scooter. Intended to help with balance and coordination, the Character Head Light-up Mini Cruiser and Balance Bike, for two years plus, now have added characterisation to the stem and frame in the form of a two-tone dinosaur, unicorn or shark graphic. The new Light-Up Inline and Light Flash, for children aged five and above, has a colourful patterned stem and footplate, and the same features can be found on the Light-up Move n Groove for three year olds. Children can stand out day or night with Evo’s signature light up scooters. An exciting addition to the range for AW23 is the Light Blast which includes lights in the stem as well as the footplate and wheels, for added illumination. Alongside new lines, new trend driven colours have been applied to selected products, and there has also been a focus on optimising the Evo packaging to ensure the brand remains competitive on price. The Evo range can be showcased both virtually and in the UK showroom now.

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Outdoor Toys

Character Options 0161 633 9800 | www.character-online.com | sales@charactergroup.plc.uk Character Options’ hugely popular Stay Active category offers family-friendly activity toys that can played with both inside and outside for active fun all year round. The range has benefited from the social support of Olympian Greg Rutherford across a host of Stay Active favourites. Moon Shoes already boasts an Outdoor Sports Toy of the Year Award. Moon Shoes are the original mini trampolines for feet, which let kids jump with anti-gravity effects. The KickerBall football has special panels that channel air in ways a standard football can’t. Made with revolutionary aerodynamic materials, budding football freestylers can learn to swerve, bend and curve this ball with ease. Splash Out requires players to throw the unique water filled gadget to one another, in a bid to avoid getting splashed out. The Splash Out core features a ball containing a water or air-filled balloon, as well as a timer. When the timer runs out, the balloon is popped and whoever is left holding the ball gets splashed out. The latest launch is the Jump-It Wipeout game. Kids can choose from three modes of play and tension builds with each level of increasing difficulty as the music plays in time with the speed of the (detachable foam) skip bar. Also available in the range are the Jump It Lap Counter and Sling Ball.

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Special Feature

Online listings at the click of a button with With the ongoing importance of eCommerce, Sam Giltrow speaks to René Rozendal, director of Toys & Entertainment at Icecat, about how retailers and brands can benefit from working with the company.

he pandemic undoubtedly changed the way people shopped, as retailers were forced to close their doors and an increasing number of purchases were made online. Many smaller retailers reorganized to quickly set up web shops to ensure that customers could still place orders. The toy

industry was no exception, with many toy shops updating their business models to enable them to showcase their products virtually. Everyone was challenged with how best to convey toys and games when they couldn’t be seen in the flesh. Icecat, founded in 1999, is an independent global syndicator of eCommerce product content. It provides a digital catalogue on which brands can share product content. This can include specifications, marketing text, images and videos related to their products. Retailers can easily connect to the Icecat catalogue and automatically download the available brand product content to their web shops. The company’s director of Toys and Entertainment, René Rozendal, says the service has proved invaluable for brands and retailers. “Icecat is a digital product catalogue,” he explains. “Brands can automate their product listings for retailers. In addition, retailers using Icecat can automate the import of standardised product content to enrich their product pages - and reduce their workload. For brands, it replaces Excel listing templates, reduces manual work due to the automation and makes the time-to-market shorter. As a result of this simplification, the adoption of the content is higher.” “The digital shopping experience is key as most people first go online before buying a product,” says René. “Icecat supports a wide variety of digital assets to inform the online shopper. For example, we have launched Enhanced Product Stories; a product page with a custom layout of multimedia and messaging assets, which gives the best product experience to an online shopper. We recently proved to Disney that Enhanced Product Stories boosts the online conversion rate by +11%. The Icecat catalogue hosts, in total, 26,000+ brands and thousands of users that make use of the product content. The Icecat user network consists of a wide range of outlets, from independent stores to major retailers like Amazon. The content in the catalogue is translated and made available in over 60 different languages. When a brand sponsors the product content in Icecat, it is freely available for the users.

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Many major toy brands already work with Icecat, such as Lego, Hasbro, Mattel, Smart Games and Spin Master. Retailers’ web shops are hosted on different eCommerce platforms, but René explains that Icecat has various plug-ins available to retrieve content from the Icecat catalogue which can be used with a host of common platforms such as Magento, Shopify, WooCommerce and Pimcore. Icecat can also offer a live streaming solution, which means retailers are able to integrate the content, hosted by Icecat, on their product pages. Sustainability is a topic of growing importance, so the Icecat catalogue provides information on each listing’s sustainable criteria and invites brands to share more information on the sustainability of their products. Icecat says it is proud to be the leading service provider in Europe, with the biggest market share, but wants to expand further and connect all toy brands and retailers to bring greater efficiency to the online toy industry. René tells us that Lego recently joined the Icecat network in the UK, and Hasbro, Mattel and Lego have signed up in the Nordics. “We have proven to these brands that the adoption of Icecat product content is low barrier,” explains René. “A country manager for each territory supports brands and retailers locally. Overall, we are an all-in-one platform for content and syndication,” he concludes. Icecat will be present at the Nuremberg Toy Fair in February 2023 to visit its partners and explore the opportunities to exhibit as a content service provider. Companies interested in working with the Icecat team can find out more on the company website: www.icecat.com, where they can also register as a user for free.

Special Feature

IETP targets support for 30,000 children through Family-Friendly Spaces programme The ICTI Ethical Toy Program (IETP), the specialist industry programme focused on the well-being of production workers globally, has announced that it is aiming to support 30,000 children through 100 Family-Friendly Spaces, publicly recognizing 50 factories as Family-Friendly by the end of 2025. Aoife McCarthy, IETP executive, tells us more.

he Family-Friendly Spaces initiative was first launched in 2016, to support "left behind children" in China; Children whose parents had migrated domestically to major cities for work and were unable to bring them with them. It is understood that around 23m children are separated from their parents in Mainland China. IETP’s independent research shows childcare as one of the main reasons workers leave their factory jobs; Family-Friendly Spaces are specifically designed to support the childcare needs of working parents during the summer school holiday period, creating safe, secure and well-equipped childcare facilities at factories or in the local community where children learn and play while their parents focus on work, knowing their children are safe. Since 2016, the Family-Friendly Spaces programme has been established in 42 factories and has benefitted over 4,000 children and 4,500 working

parents. The Spaces are not simply a childcare solution, but help shape the lives of workers and their children. Xiao Min, from Yunnan in China, is 11 years old. She first attended a Space at the age of four and this summer, attended for the 7th time. Her father works and lives in Guangdong and was quick to enroll his daughter in the programme when it first arrived at his factory, allowing him to see her more. Unfortunately, the programme was not available at his factory when his eldest daughter was growing up, so he only saw her a few times a year when he could take annual leave. A lack of parental involvement negatively impacted his eldest daughter's life & education, he told IETP: “[she] would skip going to school and would not study, so she dropped down a grade in primary school. I feel really guilty for not being around to support her.” In contrast, Xiao Min, who joined the programme aged four as a very shy and timid girl, has grown into a

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confident, happy and lively young girl; doing well at school and often publicly speaking at Family-Friendly Spaces ceremonies and events. In 2019, his factory successfully campaigned for spaces to be made available to migrant children, usually restricted by China’s Hukou system, allowing Xiao Min and her sister to move to live with her father full-time. Xiao Min continues to attend the Summer Family-Friendly Space and throughout the rest of the year, the After-School centres provided by her father’s factory, initially implemented by IETP and made possible with funding support from Buyer Members of IETP. Xiao Min’s story is just one example of thousands

Special Feature

of the social benefits of Family-Friendly Spaces. In addition to social benefits for workers and their children, the programme produces measurable business benefits. IETP data shows that, with the provision of a Family-Friendly Space, 91% of workers intended to stay working at their factory for over two years, 90% of managers said more workers were attracted to work at the factory, and 90% of managers said FFS improved worker retention rates. With increasing labour shortages, improving worker retention and attraction rates at factories is a key enabler of a secure supply chain. The Spaces programme is proven to be sustainable and impactful; 66% of factories continue the Space following the first year of implementation and 16 factories have participated in the Family-Friendly Spaces programme at least three times. “Covid-19 disrupted factories’ ability to implement the Spaces in 2020 and 2021, but we are delighted to see numbers

increase in 2022. The need for childcare has not diminished and we are very positive we will achieve our ambition and increase the repeat rate to the levels seen pre-Covid” said Carmel Giblin, president & CEO of IETP. The plans to scale the programme would enable Family-Friendly Spaces to open all over the world, creating Family-Friendly Factories and Workplaces essential to improving the well-being of working parents and their families. In 2023, IETP will focus on opening Spaces in Mexico and Vietnam. The ambition will be achieved with the support of the global toy community. A fund of US$1.75m is needed over a three-year period. IETP is confident that this target can be achieved. No matter the size of your company or your budget you can get involved. Companies are now rightly focusing on their social and environmental impacts and further developing

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their ESG strategies to go beyond traditional compliance monitoring. The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are helping companies develop their strategies, ensuring they are relevant to their business. The Family-Friendly Spaces programme supports several SDGs, specifically goals 3,4,5,8, 10, 11 and 12. 2023 will be a very exciting year for the IETP community. As well as announcing our ambition to collectively support 30,000 children enabling their enrollment in a Family-Friendly Space, we will further develop our relationship with UNICEF. In 2022 we worked with the organisation to implement their guidance on Family-Friendly policies, and we are now expanding that work to create the first ever formally recognized Family-Friendly Factory programme. “The launch of a formal recognition programme for factories which are committed to creating environments where parents and caregivers can thrive is really exciting. Children, in the toy industry above any other, are our priority and I am delighted to launch this programme, which will show the leadership and commitment of the global toy industry to children,” added Carmel Giblin. IETP invites you all to join this global ambition – collectively we will achieve more. If you would like to get involved in this initiative or wish to learn more about IETP, please contact Anita Lo, general manager, at: anita.lo@ethicaltoyprogram.org

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Allegedly

I heard on the grapevine last month that there was a glut of very good clearance merchandise available – a trove of decent products at very attractive prices, not your usual half-price toy sale tat. I guess that may have been a factor in the timing of the numerous toy sales taking place at the grocers and other key accounts in recent weeks, although it is entirely plausible that bricks and mortar retailers were taking the second Amazon Prime Day into consideration too. The clearance offers were so good that one retailer told me that he was clearing as much old stock as he could at - or even below - cost, to give him cash to take advantage of the better clearance deals floating around. Assuming he was right about the quality and quantity of the clearance stock on offer, that is likely to have had an impact on retailers’ ordering patterns over recent weeks. Let’s hope that these great deals attract consumers and encourage them to buy other items while they are in-store, to keep stock churning as we head into the key festive sales period… Speaking of the second Amazon Prime Day, the two words most people have used to describe it were ‘damp’ and ‘squib’. The general feeling is that most of the goods on sale had previously been on offer at inflated prices, in a vain attempt to make the sale prices look attractive. In addition, there seemed to be hardly any social media buzz compared with the July Prime day. Although the event may have helped to galvanise consumers into starting to think about festive purchases, the general consensus is that sales were unlikely to be anywhere near the level of July Prime. Assuming this anecdotal conclusion is matched by the data, it is feasible that the ‘two Prime events a year’ strategy may well be kicked into the long grass for 2023… Tesco has announced another round of head office job losses – around 325 roles are expected to disappear in the latest reorganisation. Lest we forget, this is on top of the 1400 or so jobs that were cut back in February. I have no idea whether the latest cuts will impact the toy buying team, but with The Entertainer trial now in full swing, it must be a period of uncertainty for them… Looking ahead to next year, for those who traditionally visit the Las Vegas Licensing Expo, you might like to note that the show has changed its dates for 2023. Previously scheduled for the middle of May, the show will now take place three weeks later, from 13th-15th June. Apparently parts of the Mandalay Bay venue are about to undergo renovation, which is due to finish just a couple of weeks before the show’s original date – which understandably made the show organisers a little nervous. In fact, throughout its history, Licensing Expo has often taken place in June rather than May – that was always the case when the show was held in New York, and it has fluctuated between May and June since the event’s move to Vegas. For UK visitors, moving the event back helps to avoid the show clashing with the May half-term week, which I am sure will be welcomed by many attendees – indeed, even before this news was announced, one senior licensing figure from the UK told me at BLE that

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she felt the show would sit more comfortably in June than May. So, all things considered, I think the majority of exhibitors and visitors will be perfectly happy with the decision. Arguably the only downside is that Licensing Expo will now clash with both gaming show E3 and the US specialist toy event Astra, which is held in Ohio. While this will present some challenges for gaming exhibitors and a handful of US toy specialists (not, in fairness, Licensing Expo’s core target market), the truth is that it is almost impossible for a pan-global, cross category trade show like Licensing Expo to avoid a clash with any other event taking place somewhere in the world. In addition, securing dates at a popular exhibition venue like Mandalay Bay is not always straightforward and few would have wanted the show to move any later in the calendar than the middle of June – so in the end, the new dates seem to be the best solution all round… It has been confirmed that Netflix has finally agreed to work with TV ratings agency BARB, which reports broadcast and streaming numbers. Starting this month, BARB will measure Netflix’s daily streaming numbers, as well as report on its monthly reach and share of total identified viewing. The move is a significant departure for Netflix, after previously being rather secretive about its viewer numbers. The publication of independently audited viewing figures will finally allow the streaming platform to be more accurately – and fairly - compared with traditional linear TV channels. The lack of clarity in Netfix’s numbers has led to claims of unfairness in the past, with rivals suggesting that Netflix’s definition of a viewer potentially included someone who had watched just a few minutes of a programme. Whether true or not, the question marks were always going to remain until the platform allowed its audience figures to be independently verified. Going public with its viewing figures indicates a sense of confidence from Netflix regarding the quality of its content and, more importantly, its overall audience numbers. And, of course, both Netflix and Disney+ will soon be introducing advertising options to their channels. This will be both an opportunity and an interesting test of viewers’ preferences; many parents – and their children – have become so accustomed to the ad-free broadcast model that they may well choose to pay extra to keep it that way. Given the current economic challenges, other consumers will almost certainly opt for the lower cost option with additional ads. Either way, SVOD and AVOD are only set to increase their importance in the broadcast arena, so transparency on audience numbers can only be a good thing… Over in the USA, Toys R Us has reached a settlement with its former creditors after a protracted lawsuit against former executives and directors. In the order approving the agreement, Judge Keith Phillips wrote that the terms of the settlement, which were filed under seal and remain confidential, were “fair”. Given the fact that the terms remain confidential, I guess we’ll have to take his word for that. Hopefully everyone can move on now – and given the re-opening of Toys R Us stores in Macy’s over the past few weeks has widely been hailed a success, perhaps that’s the best thing all round.

the undisputed market leader As 2022 draws to a close, we would like to thank all of our partners for their fantastic support this year. In 2022, Toy World has achieved its highest ever market share – a whopping 89% commercial market share.

Toy World

* (Issues published between January 1st - October 21st)

977 ad pages (89%)

TnP 114.5 ad pages - (11%)

We published an issue every month – on time – and we sent out an email newsflash every single working day. So, it’s no wonder that Toy World’s readership, engagement and traffic have all hit record levels this year. And we’ll do the same again in 2023 – advertisers and reader can rely on Toy World to deliver. We look forward to speaking to you all soon to discuss your plans for 2023.

In the meantime, if you would like a features list and publication schedule or to explore advertising options, please contact john@toyworldmag.co.uk or mark@toyworldmag.co.uk .

Toy World Magazine November 2022

Articles inside

Viewpoint - Richard Gottlieb

Viewpoint - Peadar Drislane

Special Feature - ICTI Ethical Toy Program

Special Feature - icecat

Special Feature - Nerfball

Feature - Outdoor Toys

Feature - Q1 Ranges

Fresh

Viewpoint - Asha Bhalsod

Special Feature - Curious Universe

Special Feature - Toys R Us

Talking Shop

NPD Insight

Opinion - Generation Media

Industry Moves

From the publisher