Toy World Magazine November 2024

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from thepublisher

Despite Autumn’s arrival, we’re still waiting for signs that consumers’ thoughts are turning in earnest to Christmas shopping. It’s no secret that September and October retail footfall was hampered by a combination of floods and low consumer confidence, not entirely helped by murmurings of a severe budget to be unveiled at the end of October. By the time you read this, we’ll know if the warnings were an example of expectation management – hopefully, the leaked measures were worse than what was actually announced, so consumers will think “well, thank goodness it wasn’t as bad as we feared”.

Speaking to suppliers recently, it seems that a few retail buyers have been getting a little restless and pushing them to do something – anything – to kickstart festive sales. In some cases, better terms and deals were being requested, presumably with the intention of using price reductions and promotional offers to entice consumers. Other retailers have been asking when marketing support will kick in (and even suggesting it could be brought forward), although talking to a selection of seasoned media pros for last month’s preChristmas marketing feature, the general consensus was that if anything, many toy companies will be starting their media campaigns a little later this year, rather than earlier.

That seems entirely logical, given there is a perception that many consumers will purchase late for Christmas this year – as indeed they have for the past few years. Those retailers quietly panicking over October sales seem to have conveniently forgotten what happened last Christmas and the one before. In a way, it feels like we have gone full circle, back to the 80s/90s, when Christmas toy purchases didn’t really kick up a gear until after Bonfire Night (or perhaps Halloween and October half-term).

And looking at when Christmas falls in the calendar this year, that arguably adds further weight to the likelihood of a late sales surge. Christmas Day is on a Wednesday. Most people will finish work on the previous Friday, or possibly even the Thursday. That’s also when the majority will get paid. That leaves them the weekend, plus Monday and Tuesday to finish off their shopping, with money in their accounts. That all points towards a massive final week from where I’m sitting…

Although suppliers and particularly retailers would prefer Christmas sales to accelerate earlier, it does feel that the festive season is becoming more condensed than it has been in previous years, both in terms of marketing campaigns and consumer purchasing patterns. While that inevitably presents some logistical challenges, it also generates momentum and excitement that will hopefully see the toy community end the year on a high and give us a good springboard into 2025.

Looking beyond the festive season, retailers and suppliers are already deep in conversation about plans for Q1 and spring summer. So, our two product category features this month focus on the early months of 2025 – our round-up of new Q1 ranges and range extensions hitting shelves between Boxing Day and Easter starts on page 64, while our focus on the Outdoor toy category begins on page 98. Retailers of every shape and size acknowledge the importance of new product to freshen up their offerings after Christmas, and these two features showcase a host of lines that will offer consumers something new and different.

We also spoke to a selection of visitors to the LA Preview event, to gauge their reaction to this year’s trip. There’s no doubt that it is now a firm fixture on the annual toy calendar for an increasing number of people from the toy community, and next year’s event is expected to attract even more attendees from across the globe. Turn to page 44 for our ‘LA Confidential’ report.

We’re also delighted to bring you an exclusive interview with The Entertainer CEO Andrew Murphy, in which he talks to our editor Rachael Simpson-Jones about the retailer’s plans for international expansion, as well as his thoughts on the Tesco rollout, which was completed (on time) in the middle of last month. He has some very interesting things to say about the partnership, and in particular The Entertainer’s plans for the product mix moving forward. Whether suppliers will be thrilled with what he has to say or not, you can’t fault his honesty and openness (which also extends to an admission that being closed on Christmas Eve last year, because it fell on a Sunday, was a “big deal” for The Entertainer). So, if you are keen to understand a little more about what The Entertainer has planned for 2025 and beyond, turn to page 40.

In addition to these articles, we have plenty more great exclusive content in this edition – PR stalwart Michele Bates from Evolution PR discusses the resurgence of PR events as a valuable comms tool (although she admits they aren’t for everyone); Carl-Mikael Wilhelmsson looks at how toy companies can best access funding, and even has a generous proposition for companies looking for financial support; US indie retailer Rick Derr from Learning Express Toys in Lake Zurich writes about how best to cope with the rise and fall of craze lines and Character Options tells us all about the new range which graces this month’s Front Cover – viral sensation Skibidi Toilet. It is undoubtedly one of the more ‘leftfield’ brands to ever appear on our cover, but I have a sneaking feeling that it’s going to be a big hit.

Hopefully there will be lots of other big hits emerging in the coming weeks – the countdown to Christmas is well and truly on.

Register to attend Toy Fair 2025 now

Visitor registration is now open for Toy Fair 2025, the UK’s largest trade show dedicated to toys, games and hobbies. The three-day showcase will be held from 21st to 23rd January 2025 at Olympia Events in London, spanning both the lower and upper levels of the Grand and National Halls, as well as a section of the Upper West Hall.

Toy Fair presents an unmatched opportunity to connect with industry professionals and create new business opportunities. It will be the UK’s first event of the year where visitors can get hands-on with thousands of new product launches, spanning categories such as licensed toys, construction toys, board games and puzzles, tech toys, plush, arts & crafts, plus many others.

Visitors will gain valuable insights into the latest trends and themes for the upcoming year, along with access to exclusive on-site retail offers. Past attendees from any of the last three Toy Fairs have already begun receiving Smart Links to their existing profiles, making the re-registration process quicker and easier.

Toy Fair 2025 will host more than 250 exhibiting companies, providing an ideal platform for buyers, retailers, licensors, inventors, designers, media, influencers, educators and the broader industry to connect in person. Companies returning to the event include Jazwares, Playmobil, VTech/LeapFrog, One for Fun, Cheatwell Games, Clementoni UK, Cobi Toys, Craft Buddy and Skillmatics, as well as many first timers.

As well as the renowned major brands, visitors can discover hidden treasures in the newly branded Gold Zone, formerly the Greenhouse, located in the Grand Hall. This area will highlight smaller and startup companies, many of which are exhibiting for the first time and are eager to make their mark in the industry.

Toy Fair will be open from 09:00 to 18:00 on Tuesday, 21st January and Wednesday, 22nd January and from 09:00 to 16:30 on Thursday, 23rd January. Press Day will be held on the opening day of the event, while Influencer Day will take place on the third day.

Visitor queries can be directed to the hotline on 0845 868 5820. For all other Toy Fair enquiries, contact rebecca@btha.co.uk or phone 020 7701 7127.

HTI Group announces acquisition of Sambro International

HTI Group has announced its acquisition of Sambro International. The acquisition has established HTI as the largest privately-owned toy company in the UK, with combined annual sales exceeding £120m and a presence in over 70 international markets.

Founded in 1952, HTI has built a market-leading portfolio in key product categories by combining value with innovation. Renowned for its proprietary brands, such as Teamsterz and Evo, it also develops early learning ranges for beloved brands like Peppa Pig, Bluey and Paw Patrol. With UK headquarters and a state-of-the-art automated manufacturing facility in Fleetwood, Lancashire, the company operates globally, with multiple operations across mainland China, Hong Kong, the Netherlands and Germany, serving a wide network of retailers, wholesalers and eCommerce platforms.

Sambro, based in Bury, Manchester, is a major player in the EU branded toy market, known for its creative ranges of soft toys, arts & crafts and outdoor toys. Sambro has developed strong partnerships with some of the world’s biggest brands, including Spider-Man, Frozen, Peppa Pig and Paw Patrol.

The acquisition of Sambro will deepen HTI’s footprint in key European markets and expand its already extensive product line with new categories, driving growth both in the UK and across its global customer base.

John Hutt, principal at HTI Group, said: “Sambro has established a leading position in several key categories of the branded toy market, with an excellent reputation for innovation, value, quality and service. Its expertise, product ranges and market reach are a perfect complement to HTI’s. This acquisition allows us to accelerate our long-term global growth strategy. Together, we are ideally positioned to meet retailers’ needs across all retail channels, offering an expanded and innovative toy portfolio backed by world-class design, merchandising, manufacturing and logistics capabilities.”

HTI confirmed that both companies will continue operating from their existing UK locations, ensuring seamless service and operational continuity for partners and customers. Additionally, HTI is progressing with the construction of its new 250,000-square-foot global headquarters, which is expected to be completed by late 2025.

The terms of the acquisition remain undisclosed.

The Entertainer completes roll-out at over 850 Tesco stores in UK & Ireland

The Entertainer has completed a major roll-out of more than 850 brand-new toy shops within Tesco stores as part of its new partnership, expanding its retail presence in the UK and Republic of Ireland and creating 1,200 jobs.

The toy shop’s significant expansion across 861 large Tesco stores was achieved in just eight months, with an average of 100 new concessions opening each month. The roll-out involved over 4.5m toys being delivered to stock the new concessions. With thousands of The Entertainer’s products now in place across the supermarket’s stores, the partnership means The Entertainer has more points of presence across the UK and Ireland than any other toy retailer.

To support this growth, The Entertainer has opened a new distribution centre which has played a pivotal role in stocking the in-store concessions and meeting the soaring demand created by the roll-out. In addition, the partnership has enabled significant growth for a number of brands in the Teal Group portfolio, which includes The Entertainer, Addo Play and Early Learning Centre.

Andrew Murphy OBE, group chief executive officer of The Entertainer, said: “Over the past eight months, we have successfully rolled out The Entertainer Toy Shop across more than 850 Tesco stores, and I couldn’t be prouder of our teams and the great work they’ve done. Just as importantly, we’re all hugely appreciative of the support we’ve had from colleagues across Tesco throughout the year.”

He added: “This roll-out has significantly increased our retail footprint in the UK and Ireland – putting over 90% of the UK’s shoppers within easy reach of our unmatched toy offer. The speed and impact of this growth is a testament to our team’s agility, attention to detail and a deep understanding of customer needs. Our partnership with Tesco is the biggest and most important step we’ve taken in expanding our unique ‘Toy Box’ retail solution for multi-category retailers, but we look forward to on-boarding further retail partners, at home and abroad, in the coming months.”

Spin Master

outlines growth plans for Melissa & Doug

Following Spin Master’s acquisition of Melissa & Doug earlier this year, the company has laid out an ambitious plan to accelerate growth by fully integrating the Melissa & Doug business into its international commercial operations.

Spin Master International will offer direct distribution of the Melissa & Doug toy line to retail customers beginning 1st July 2025, strengthening its portfolio with complementary early childhood play. By fully leveraging its infrastructure and expertise, Spin Master intends to grow the brand’s presence in international markets around the world.

“We are excited to combine forces with the Melissa & Doug team to enhance our offering in local markets and provide greater access to this beloved, timeless brand,” said Hedley Barnes, senior vice president, Spin Master International. “As we bring our teams together, we are focused on scaling our total business, refuelling the Melissa & Doug brand, leaning into innovation within the line, and expanding and relaunching in new international markets by leveraging our direct sales and marketing teams.”

The Melissa & Doug line-up for 2025 includes several key foundational categories as well as new innovations in Pretend Play and Puzzle & Boards, as well as brands including Blockables, Sticker Wow and Water Wow.

Open now, the new 15,000 square foot Spin Master office, located in the Meridian Building in Marlow, brings the Spin Master UK team and the Melissa & Doug team under one roof. It encompasses two floors with an expanded showroom space and is just 35 minutes from London’s Heathrow Airport. The new showroom will be open to customers from 4th November 2025.

Clementoni’s Pen Creator Studio writes itself into top spot

Clementoni is gearing up for a bumper Christmas season after securing the No. 1 slot in the Arts & Crafts category for September (Circana, September 2024) with Pen Creator Studio from the Idea! range.

Paul Fogarty, Country manager UK & Ireland for Clementoni, said: “We are absolutely thrilled with the latest Circana results. Pen Creator is breaking all our records currently and we are seeing an unusually high level of sales, despite peak Christmas buying not having quite kicked off. From launch last year, we have always believed this product would do wonderful things and consumer reviews, in addition to the sales we are seeing, are testament to how good a product this is.”

Since launching in 2023, Pen Creator Studio has seen progressively strong sales, resulting in a 300% growth year on year. The craft studio allows children to create and customise colourful pens by choosing the ink colour, plastic nib and housing and then personalising their creation with embellishments and charms. Simple yet fun, Pen Creator Studio offers a high level of personalisation, making this a great kit to enjoy solo or with friends.

Following the phenomenal success of Pen Creator Studio, the Idea! range expanded for 2024 with the Highlighter Studio and Pen Studio Mini Packs.

Smyths Toys UK increases operating profits

The latest accounts filed by Smyths Toys UK shows that operating profits have increased by 4% to £20.3m. The directors said that revenues increased by £28m, from £910.7m to £938.7m, due to an increase in footfall in the stores and the addition of two new stores.

The company’s gross margin decreased slightly to 17.7% in 2023, due to continued pressure on costs. Pre-tax profits decreased by 5% to £18.4m due to net interest charges of £1.9m that did not occur in 2022. The performance resulted in the business paying out a dividend of £15m, following a dividend payout of £30m in 2022.

The directors said that they are pleased with the results particularly given the current economic climate and the competitive marketplace. They added that they expect further expansion in the UK market in the coming years through the opening of new stores.

The number of stores in England, Scotland and Wales today totals 120. Staff employed by Smyths Toys UK increased by 81 from 3,305 to 3,386. The company’s separate Northern Ireland arm, which operates seven stores, has yet to file its 2023 accounts.

The size of the overall business across the UK, Ireland and Europe has increased sharply in recent years with the expansion into France following the acquisition of PicWic Toys in France in July 2022. Smyths Toys expanded its presence there with the opening of four new stores last year, making a total of 45 stores in France, and also operates four stores in Holland.

The firm’s German business has expanded with the opening of two new stores, bringing the total to 72, and the company also has a presence in Austria and Switzerland.

After the dividend payout offset by the post tax profit, shareholder funds at the end of December totalled £17.08m, including accumulated profits of £14m, and cash funds increased from £17m to £18.5m.

Flying Tiger Copenhagen joins forces with Plus-Plus

Retailer Flying Tiger Copenhagen has teamed up with Danish toy brand, Plus-Plus, to deliver a new series of playful, creative and colourful experiences to customers across twenty-five markets.

Together, the two brands aim to inspire people of all ages to explore the endless possibilities of construction and design through interlocking, puzzle-like pieces in a wide variety of colours.

The collaboration combines the brands' shared values of engaging, imaginative products and will launch online, as well as in 638 stores in Flying Tiger Copenhagen’s European markets.

The products are being launched in two specially designed collections: A Christmas campaign featuring items such as Christmas hearts and candy canes, and an Above the Sky Universe, where flying unicorns and dragons come to life, offering playtime for both very young children learning fine motor skills and more experienced creators.

It is the first time Flying Tiger Copenhagen has partnered with another brand and created co-branded products and packaging.

“I am very excited about this new collaboration where we are able to bring a completely new creative concept to our customers," said Darryl Nash, SVP of Commercial Product and Design at Flying Tiger Copenhagen. "The Plus-Plus universe of educational and creative toys has great synergy with our customer base, and the new range of products is a perfect match with our ambition to enable more creative, educational and playful experiences for kids, adults and families.”

Commercial director of Plus-Plus, Gabriel Sturm, added: "Partnering with Flying Tiger Copenhagen feels like a natural fit for our brand, but also a big honour to collaborate with a renowned retailer that has this broad international reach. With this collaboration, we’re excited to see our products in many new markets, making this collaboration a true milestone in our company’s journey."

The products are Danish-produced to the highest standards of product safety and quality control, and are phthalate-free, fully recyclable and meet certified toy safety standards.

Inspiring ToyTrends announced for Spielwarenmesse 2025

From 28th January to 1st February 2025, Nuremberg will again become a focal point for the global toy industry as exhibitors and visitors gather at Spielwarenmesse.

The international TrendCommittee, together with the Spielwarenmesse team, has identified two ToyTrends for the coming year: Anime & Friends and Healthy Heroes. Relevant product examples will inspire trade visitors from their prominent position in Eingang Mitte (the central entrance), while ToyTrend presentations at the Toy Business Forum in Hall 3A will provide valuable additional information to help buyers and retailers with their range planning.

The world of Anime and Manga characters resonates not only with children, but with other age groups too. The figures have status with fans and thus have an influence on pop culture and on a vast range of media including TV, video games, merchandise and, of course, toys. The ToyTrend Anime & Friends will showcase products and licensing themes for children and teenagers from the field of Anime and Manga, including toys designed in the Japanese kawaii style.

The ToyTrend Healthy Heroes strengthens children in both body and mind, uniting movement, mindfulness and healthy eating in one experience. The aim here is to improve awareness of physical fitness in conjunction with emotional, mental and social health. At the trend's heart are products that foster relaxation, meditation and physical activity, thereby promoting enjoyment and a good mood. It seeks to strengthen a sense of self-esteem and selfconfidence, and to encourage the expression of emotions, needs and indeed fears. Promoting healthy eating habits is a further element of this trend.

The ToyTrends not only reflect current developments in the toy sector, but also pick up on global societal issues. In the freshly designed, attention-grabbing Special Area at Eingang Mitte, the trends will be highlighted alongside inspiring products on individual themed 'islands'. At the Toy Business Forum in Hall 3A on the Tuesday and Thursday, trend expert Reyne Rice from the USA will also be providing valuable insights into the 2025 ToyTrends.

Moose inks new entertainment deal for Heroes of Goo Jit Zu

Moose Toys has entered into an entertainment development deal with creative studio and writing collective Man of Action Entertainment (MOA).

Under the agreement, MOA, which has proven success show running series that have become mega-franchises, will create an animated series for the toymaker’s original brand Heroes of Goo Jit Zu. The new relationship represents Moose Toys’ commitment to expanding its story-led brands across multi-platform entertainment and elevating strategic IP into true franchises.

“Expanding Heroes of Goo Jit Zu’s storytelling across digital, linear and streaming platforms is a testament to our belief in the brand’s enduring appeal and its ability to translate beyond the toy aisle,” said Yvette Sittrop, vice president, Franchise Development, Moose Toys. “Man of Action will be our hand-in-hand partner delivering next-level creativity, bringing the world of Heroes of Goo Jit Zu to life in fun and unexpected ways.”

Beyond the upcoming series, Moose has plans for further extensions for the brand including gaming, publishing and apparel, among others.

Battersea Power Station welcomes Transformers and Peppa Pig stores

Event Merchandising, in collaboration with Hasbro, has announced a November 2024 opening date for the firstever permanent, standalone Transformers and Peppa Pig stores at Battersea Power Station in London, UK.

The Transformers store offers something for fans of all ages with the latest products and entertainment across films, comics, toys and games.

Consumers will be taken through Transformers’ 40-year history with nostalgic and bespoke features, including a full graffiti mural displaying the Transformers robots and Battersea Power Station created by MurWalls and an exclusive, limited-edition cover of Skybound Entertainment’s award-winning Transformers comics. The immersion continues as consumers walk through the store and have the opportunity to demo Transformers video games, the Transformers AR Trading Card game by Vanch Studios, the latest collectible figurines from Hasbro and Robosen Transformers Series robots.

Adjacent to the Transformers store, Battersea Power Station invites consumers into the world of Peppa Pig. Customers will be able to shop a broad range of British brand collaborations including Emma Bridgewater, Trotters London and Hummingbird Bakery, as well as Trunki.

The Peppa Pig store will offer an exclusive range of London-themed products, including the introduction of Battersea Power Station in Peppa’s world. A bespoke edition of Penguin Publishing’s Peppa Goes to London storybook has been updated and refreshed to include Battersea, as well as featuring the character of the King for the first time in any Peppa Pig product.

Shoppers can sit in the driver’s seat of the Ty plush London bus, be photographed against the backdrop of Battersea Power Station, brought to life in the style of Peppa’s world, jump around on the pretend muddy puddles, or play and learn with the many Peppa Pig toys and games dotted around the store. A soft play seating area allows for quietly reading a book or watching what’s happening on the Peppa stage, where episodes of the Peppa Pig series will play throughout the day on a giant screen.

The Peppa Pig store will also feature daily meet-and-greet appearances with Peppa herself.

The Transformers and Peppa Pig stores will open in November 2024.

Jellyfish Originals and Toikido strike co-production deal for Battalor series

Jellyfish Originals, the kids and family content division of award-winning global animation & VFX studio Jellyfish Pictures, has announced it has entered into a co-production agreement with creative, toy led gaming studio Toikido on a brand-new kids’ property – Battalor.

Battalor is a futuristic, high-voltage action-comedy series that charts the adventures of three unlikely kid-heroes who unite to save Velo City and master the battling powers of the Battalors after the metropolis is invaded by an omnipotent evil.

The CG animated series is inspired by a premium performance-based action battling toy created by Toikido and is developed for TV and written by two times Emmy-nominated writer, Jordan Gershowitz. Jellyfish Originals is providing script to screen production services whilst also managing the global distribution rights. Toikido will spearhead the global licensing programme and gaming development.

Natalie Llewellyn, managing director at Jellyfish Originals, commented: “Jellyfish is delighted to be collaborating with Toikido and Jordan Gershowitz on this toy-driven property and I’m excited to present Battalor to the international market. Together we’ve consciously crafted an ambitious universe which is a sandbox for high-stake storytelling, sticky play patterns and characters that our audience will emotionally invest in.”

Darran Garnham, CEO & founder of Toikido, adds: “We are very excited to partner with Jellyfish Originals and Jordan Gershowitz to bring Battalor to life. This series represents a bold step forward in merging high-octane action with engaging storytelling, appealing not only to kids but also to collectors and families. Our goal is to create a universe where imagination and play come together, igniting passion in a new generation of fans.”

Jellyfish Originals’ managing director, Natalie Llewellyn, will present Battalor to global buyers at Kidscreen 2025 in February.

SuperAwesome launches Awesome Intelligence to unify youth audience data

SuperAwesome, a leading youth technology and insights provider, has announced the launch of the world’s first under-18-focused audience data and recommendation platform. Awesome Intelligence will give brands and agencies unprecedented clarity on the creator-led and immersive gaming environments where the next generation socialises, shops and plays.

For over a decade, SuperAwesome has partnered with brands, agencies, creators and developers to engage the under-18 audience in a way that is safe, authentic and impactful. Youth audience fragmentation has exploded in recent years as time split across different platforms such as Roblox, YouTube, mobile games and streaming TV has continued to increase.

Safe, compliant, actionable data on kids and teens has never been so elusive, making brands’ abilities to plan and activate engaging them an immense challenge. The launch of Awesome Intelligence aims to solve this data scarcity problem, equipping brands to identify audiences and plan campaigns across all platforms, making ads and content activated on any one platform measurably more effective.

“Because kids and teens spend their time in new media and safe data about their motivations is scarce, it can feel like a guessing game on how to best engage with them,” said Kate O’Loughlin, CEO of SuperAwesome. “Awesome Intelligence is the culmination of our continued investments in kidtech and innovation at the pace of change among under-18 audiences. We believe that it will forever empower the youth ecosystem and equip it in a way that simply hasn’t been possible before.”

Awesome Intelligence draws on SuperAwesome’s qualitative and quantitative research, tens of thousands of cross-vertical youth campaigns, emerging creator-led ecosystems, unparalleled regulatory expertise and proprietary data from partners. The first data partnership to be announced for Awesome Intelligence is with the metaverse media company for Gen Z and Alpha communities. Together, SuperAwesome and Gamefam will deepen the understanding of youth audiences in immersive gaming environments for brands.

By surfacing compliant data on Gen Alpha/Z’s interests and behaviours from every platform they spend time in, Awesome Intelligence’s technology enables brands to build an advanced view and understanding of the youth audience. This moves beyond age and gender and into actionable insights, such as platform habits, fandoms, favourite creators, psychographics and more; finally solving the long-standing challenge of data scarcity for brands that are looking to engage with kids and teens.

Baby Republic gets crafty with Little Brian range

UK toy distributor, Baby Republic, has announced an exclusive distribution partnership with Tremart, owners of the Little Brian Paint Sticks arts and crafts brand.

The new collaboration will see Baby Republic take over distribution of the brand across the UK and Ireland with immediate effect. Little Brian Paint Sticks launched in 2016, providing a wide range of mess-free, easy-to-use paint sticks.

Baby Republic was founded in 2009 and has a diverse range of high-quality toy ranges that cover 100% of recognised play patterns, creating experiences that drive category growth. The distributor’s ranges include the global phenomenon Elf on the Shelf, Mighty Wheels, OKTO Clay, Open the Joy, Zorbitz, The Bean People and more.

Lewis Finch, Managing director at Baby Republic, said: “We are over the moon to add Little Brian to our ever-growing portfolio of products within the children’s crafts sector. The brand has grown rapidly from the initial Classic Paint Sticks to encompass bath paint sticks, scribble paint sticks and lots of storage solutions. We will build upon this innovation going forward working with the Tremart team to extend and develop the Little Brian range even further.”

For further information, please contact glen@babyrepublic.co.uk.

Simon Leslie offers his services as The

Profit Coach

Simon has carved out a distinguished career over the past 25 years, gaining a reputation for driving success in the toy and game industry. Having worked not only in the UK but also as a managing director for Hasbro in South America, Portugal, and Italy, and more recently as vice president of Paramount’s Consumer Products Licensing division in Southern Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Simon’s wealth of experience will be invaluable in assisting businesses seeking sustainable growth in a challenging market.

As a trusted leader with international expertise, Simon has mastered the art of helping businesses thrive, even in unpredictable conditions. At The Profit Coach, his track record and experience will be underpinned by his use of the P.R.O.F.I.T System, a proven nine-step process that enables businesses to eliminate chaos, set winning strategies and aims to help double their profits.

Simon explains that the P.R.O.F.I.T system delivers exceptional results for several reasons:

• It’s proven: The system has been tested and refined through its use in thousands of businesses worldwide, showing time and time again that it can deliver results.

• It’s simple: With a straightforward framework, the P.R.O.F.I.T system is designed to make complex challenges manageable, allowing businesses to implement changes that lead to rapid and sustainable growth.

• It’s trusted: When business leaders see the P.R.O.F.I.T system and meet certified coaches like Simon, they understand they are engaging with a method that works. Simon’s expertise and experience provides reassurance that they are in the best hands.

Simon has unrivalled experience working with some of the world’s biggest brands, like Paw Patrol, Monopoly, Crayola and Nerf. His work with businesses ranging from startups to established enterprises has earned him a stellar reputation.

Companies looking to boost profits and bring clarity to their business can get in touch with Simon at simon@theprofitcoach.com. His strategies promise to not only deliver immediate results, but also help position each company for long-term success.

Scented

Rainbow Bearbomb

Industry Moves

Rosie Marshall of AIS joins the Toy Retailers Association board

The Toy Retailers Association has announced the appointment of Rosie Marshall to its board.

As an industry toy expert and head of Toys and Children’s Gifts at Associated Independent Stores (AIS), Rosie has been a judge and spokesperson for Dream Toys for several years and is now lending her voice to the overarching work of the industry’s retail association.

Rosie said: “I’m delighted with the appointment to this prestigious organisation as it represents toy retailers nationwide and plays a crucial role in shaping the industry. I will very much be wearing my independent retail hat in my tenure on the board, as it is crucial that I am able to support and champion all independents out there.”

Geoff Sheffield, chairman, Toy Retailers Association, added: “We are delighted to welcome Rosie Marshall from AIS onto the Toy Retailers Association board. We want to represent toy retailers across the country and AIS is an important partnership for us. Having Rosie’s experience and knowledge to guide the work we do, to represent the industry, is invaluable.”

Rosie’s appointment is a great asset to the Toy Retailers Association, as it continues to expand the board to welcome more industry representation and to ensure it is representing the interests of toy retailers across the country.

Eolo Toys welcomes Julia Cake as new UK Sales agent

Eolo Toys has announced the appointment of Julia Cake as its new Sales agent for the UK market.

Julia brings a wealth of experience in the toy industry, having held positions at Flair GP, Magicbox and Mattel. Now returning to her roots in sales and business development, Julia will represent Eolo and help expand the company’s presence in the UK and Ireland.

“I'm thrilled to be adding Eolo to my growing portfolio in the UK and Ireland and to be a part of its dynamic team," said Julia. "Eolo prides itself on great product innovation, strong licences and passionate people.”

This appointment is part of Eolo’s ongoing commitment to delivering innovative and highquality toys to kids and families across the globe. With Julia’s experience, the company is wellpositioned to build stronger relationships with retailers and distributors in the UK, ensuring continued success in the region.

For any inquiries or to explore opportunities with Eolo in the UK, Julia can be reached at 07391 626 920 or at julia.cake@eolohk.com.

Craft Buddy bolsters marketing division to support continued growth

Craft Buddy has announced the expansion of its marketing team with the appointment of four new hires, including two newly created roles. Leading the team is OraRuth Rother, the newly appointed head of Marketing, alongside the recruitment of a Marketing manager, Customer Service executive and an eCommerce executive.

These strategic appointments come at a time of rapid growth for the business, which has thrived in recent years within the craft and hobby sector. A concerted focus on eCommerce has been a key driver of this growth. The expanded seven-strong marketing team will play a vital role in enhancing brand visibility across all channels supporting the growth of both trade and consumer sales, as well as Craft Buddy's successful licensing business.

OraRuth has more than 20 years’ experience working with global brands and brings a wealth of expertise to Craft Buddy. Her leadership will be pivotal in shaping Craft Buddy’s marketing vision and supporting its ambitious growth plans. Joining OraRuth is new Marketing manager, Cara Shanks, who brings several years of experience from the beauty sector to the role. Social media executive Jemima Cargill, meanwhile, is responsible for creating and implementing digital marketing campaigns.

The two newly created roles will be filled by Sharon Holden and Tracey Anne Walker. Sharon, who has been with Craft Buddy for seven years, joins the Marketing team as Customer Service assistant to provide wider support across the customer service, marketing and product development team. Tracey joins with experience in B2B and B2C creative, graphic design and marketing, and assumes the position of eCommerce executive, reporting to Digital and eCommerce manager, Matthew Jennings.

Epoch expands with new hires and promotion

Epoch Making Toys has welcomed Rainbow Leung to the role of digital executive, KarliAnn Jepps as assistant brand manager, and promoted Ellie Bergin to the position of brand manager for Sylvanian Families.

Ellie joined Epoch in 2022 as junior brand manager, responsible for Aquabeads and Epoch Games. Over the past two years, she has supported various line additions including the Aquabeads Nail Studio and the Jurassic World and Minions Games, which were recently added to the Epoch Games portfolio, as well as the launch of Epoch’s newest arts & crafts brand, Pati-School, this year. With her thorough understanding of the business as well as her firm grasp on (and passion for) Sylvanian Families, Ellie is well-positioned to support the brand as it heads into a significant growth period – its 40th anniversary year –with lots of exciting plans set for 2025.

Appointed to take over Ellie’s former role is Karli-Ann Jepps. Karli-Ann joins Epoch from Jakks Pacific where she has been for the last three years. Most recently, Karli-Ann has been working on the Disguise brand, looking after trade marketing and POS.

The company has also welcomed Rainbow Leung as Digital executive. Rainbow takes the lead on Epoch’s eCommerce business, assisting with the rollout of the new Sylvanian Families TikTok shop this autumn and supporting and developing Epoch’s eCommerce business with other customers.

Managing director Phil Hooper commented: “We are delighted to announce Ellie’s promotion. She has consistently impressed in her two years at Epoch and we are sure she is going to thrive in her new position, supporting the ongoing marketing efforts for Sylvanian Families as we head into what looks set to be a very exciting year for the brand. We are also thrilled to welcome both Karli-Ann and Rainbow to our team. Their support and experience will be invaluable as we continue to look to grow all divisions across the Epoch Making Toys portfolio.”

Marketing World

Luke ‘The Nuke’ Littler enthrals fans at Smyths Toys Warrington

On Saturday 5th October, teenage darts sensation Luke ‘The Nuke’ Littler thrilled fans during an exclusive meet-andgreet at Smyths Toys in his hometown of Warrington.

Hosted by world-leading darts manufacturer Target Darts, the event celebrated the launch of Luke’s product range, including the award-winning Luke Littler Cabinet & Dartboard Set, the Luke Littler Magnetic Dartboard Set and the Luke Littler Brass Darts.

The limited-ticket event, which sold out in less than two hours, attracted a large crowd of darts enthusiasts of all ages, from as far afield as Birmingham, giving fans the chance to meet the reigning Premier League and World Series of Darts champion, take photos and see his signature product range.

The day showcased Luke’s strong ties to his hometown and his passion for inspiring the next generation of darts fans.

Speaking ahead of the event, Luke said: “I’m really excited to meet everyone at Smyths Toys in Warrington this Saturday. It’s been an incredible year for me, and I can’t wait to connect with fans in my hometown and help inspire the next generation.”

Jamie Tank, Toy Channel manager at Target Darts, added: “We’re thrilled to host this fantastic meet-and-greet event with Luke Littler. He’s had an extraordinary year and we’re proud to celebrate his success with this special opportunity for fans to engage with him and see our Luke Littler darts range at Smyths Toys. It’s been amazing to see fans of all ages, many of them wearing Luke’s Littler replica shirt, looking so thrilled to meet their idol here.”

Playmobil launches new consumer promotion nationwide

Playmobil has launched a new consumer promotion designed to delight children and parents alike in the run-up to Christmas. The promotion offers consumers the chance to buy one Playmobil product and get the second half price with cashback.

To take advantage of this offer, consumers need to scan the QR code or register online to find out more details. This offer presents the opportunity for families to expand their Playmobil collection at great value. The offer is not limited to a specific region and is available nationwide across retailers, ensuring that all Playmobil fans can benefit from this deal.

To support retailers in promoting this offer to their customers, Playmobil is providing access to in-store point-of-sale materials and digital assets. These resources will enable retailers to effectively communicate the promotion to consumers and create a buzz around Playmobil products in their stores.

A comprehensive marketing campaign throughout the sale period will showcase the offer and drive consumer awareness. The campaign will be featured across various channels, including digital platforms, influencer collaborations and social media channels. Playmobil is dedicated to creating imaginative and engaging play experiences for children, and this promotion is a testament to the brand’s commitment to providing quality products that spark creativity and foster fun-filled playtime.

To find out more about Playmobil’s plans for Christmas, contact the UK office at 01268 548111.

MGA signs Kimberly Wyatt and Kelsey Parker as celebrity ambassadors

MGA Entertainment has announced the appointment of two celebrity ambassadors for its best-selling doll brands Rainbow High and LOL Surprise!.

Rainbow High has joined forces with former Pussycat Doll, television personality and celebrity mum Kimberly Wyatt to create content with her Rainbow High-loving family, focusing on the brand’s new launches and core ranges.

Kimberly will share content with her highly engaged audience on Instagram (216k followers), showcasing key items from the brand in the lead-up to Christmas. The Instagram reel content will feature appearances from Kimberly’s daughters, Maple (six) and Willow (nine), as well as son Senna, alongside Instagram stories filled with fashion and creativity. Content will run for four consecutive months from September to December and see Kimberly introducing fans to the new WaterColor & Create dolls, Classic Rainbow Fashion Dolls and new Winter Wonderland dolls.

Pamela Justice, head of Marketing MGA Entertainment UK & Ireland, said: “With Rainbow High sitting at the top of every little girl’s wish list, now is the perfect time to elevate our campaign activity and announce our first-ever celebrity partnership with such an iconic brand ambassador as Kimberly. We can’t wait for fans to see all of Kimberly’s amazing content with her children throughout these next months, with a brilliant giveaway to our fans just in time for Christmas.”

L.O.L. Surprise!, meanwhile, has announced a long-term partnership with celebrity mum, Kelsey Parker. The exclusive fivemonth collaboration, running from September through to January, is set to increase brand awareness, highlight key product launches and strengthen the brand’s core messaging. MGA will work closely with Kelsey to showcase the magic behind the brand’s core #WeAreLOL values, which stand for celebrating confidence, individuality and friendship. Through a series of interactive activations, Kelsey will help bring these values to life while shining a spotlight on L.O.L. Surprise!’s latest collections and toy releases. Kelsey Parker. Commented: “As a parent, I love how the brand brings so much joy and creativity to my children’s lives, both Aurelia and Bodhi are equally obsessed. The unboxing element is such a fun and interactive experience, I really enjoy spending time with the children whilst playing, it allows me to communicate with them on their level. I can’t wait to share more about the brand’s exciting new releases with my audience.”

Opinion

Can gaming help brands reverse the licensing model?

This month, Jonathan discusses how evidence suggests that gaming offers brands an under-utilised model that is waiting to be tapped into.

The rise of gaming amongst kids, both in the UK and Globally, has been well documented but some of the stats are worth repeating. Almost 80% of UK 7-9 year olds play games, with 40% them playing for more than 10 hours a week (Youth TGI) –that’s more than double the time they spend watching Linear TV.

This change in how kids spend their time has also had a profound impact on attitudes that go beyond the screen. Importantly, the top three games in the UK according to the Childwise Monitor Report are Roblox, Minecraft and Fortnite (5-18 year olds), all of which feature commercial opportunities for brands to tap into.

Online virtual worlds such as Roblox give kids the opportunity to have greater control over their environment, from choosing which games they want to play, to what they want their avatar to wear. Given the amount of time spent in these worlds, it is little surprise to see that increasingly there is a blurring of Online and IRL (In Real Life) behaviours, and this is where the opportunity exists for brands. According to research conducted by SuperAwesome and Dubit, 56% of gamers report that styling their avatar is more important than styling themselves in real life, and nearly 85% are likely to try a product IRL after they’ve tried it with their avatar.

How does this impact the traditional licensing model? In the world of gaming, trends change at incredible pace. Therefore trying to identify the hottest properties, striking a licensing agreement and manufacturing product is a risky business. In-game branded experiences and opportunities can negate the need for this process, and instead make a ready-made brand the must have item.

At the top end of the budgetary scale, fully immersive branded experiences are a fantastic means of building and retaining brand engagement. Positively, it is kids’ brands which have demonstrated the best understanding of how to do this so far with six of the top ten branded games on Roblox designed for brands focused primarily on kids (October 2024, as reported by Metaverse Marcom):

Due to the high costs involved (for now at least) in designing and building these worlds, they should be considered by global brands only to maximise the potential return on investment. However, there are much more cost-efficient ways to introduce a

brand into the Roblox experience (beyond standard ad placements such as Display and Video of course). In-game items are crucial to the Roblox economy, with more than 1.6b sold in 2023 (SuperAwesome/Dubit). Designing items that incorporate brand logos is a fantastic way to spread awareness across the platform and tap into the audience’s desire for their avatar to be an extension of the IRL personality. This relatively simple execution can also sometimes lead to virality (look up the Croc On Your Head trend for example) and is becoming simpler than ever, thanks to the power of AI. Roblox provides huge amounts of data, which AI models can use to identify what players are wearing and buying. This informs item design before making these available in pop up stores across key games on the platform, or as a reward for completing a mini-game to really drive brand engagement. With the average cost per engagement currently under £1, and 85% of users wanting to own the same items IRL,

Jonathan Chambers Director of AV Investment

this creates a potential conversion model of the future. With the advent of eCommerce opportunities within the games themselves, it won’t be long before we can evaluate these types of activations all the way through to sale. At that point, we’ll truly know how effective gaming platforms can be. For now though, all the evidence suggests there is an under-utilised model waiting to be tapped into.

To help better understand how platforms such as Roblox or Minecraft can be incorporated into a marketing funnel, and start to generate online and IRL demand, get in touch with the team at Generation Media.

Licensing World

The Noble Collection launches new ranges celebrating Wicked, Wizarding World and Minecraft

The Noble Collection has officially launched a collection of products developed thanks to its new partnership with Wicked, the movie adaptation of the beloved Broadway and West End musical exploring the untold story of the witches of Oz.

Inspired by the upcoming cinematic event, the first wave of The Noble Collection's detailed children's role-play replicas and ‘toyllectibles’ launched around the world on 1st October. The range includes the iconic accessories wielded by Glinda (think wands and crowns) and Elphaba (think black hat and broom) in Wicked. Toyllectibles include soft plush recreations of the Cowardly Lion Cub and Chistery the Flying Monkey, plus pins and stationery inspired by the land of Oz. The Noble Collection is also working on adult collectibles and prop replicas for Wicked, with the first wave of prop replicas on its way.

Known for its finely detailed collectibles from the Wizarding World and beyond, The Noble Collection continues to add to its existing licences with the highly requested Harry Potter First Wands collection, a trio of replica wands as used by Harry, Ron and Hermione in the first two instalments of the franchise. It has also released two new Pufflums (the company’s range of premium slow-rise foam squishies) with fan-favourite Harry Potter characters Hedwig and Dobby joining a squishable version of Harry’s Birthday Cake and the Niffler from Fantastic Beasts. Continuing its partnership with Mojang, The Noble Collection has also brought to market its first wave of Minecraft Inventory Chests. Each of the four chests (sold separately) holds four Minecraft items including never- seen-before items like the Compass and Flower, housed in removable inventory slots specific to the unique in-game biomes. Minecraft fans can display their items individually or customise the layout of the slots to display their inventory their own way.

Hello Kitty is feline fine at 50

MGA

unveils

magical

new addition to MGA’s Miniverse Make It Mini

MGA’s Miniverse Make It Mini series bills itself as the original and first-ever MakeIt Mini collectible line. Tapping into the Kidult demand for mini collectibles, MGA’s Miniverse offers collectors the chance to unbox a mystery food or lifestyle item they can make in an ultra-realistic miniature form.

Since its launch in March 2023, MGA’s Miniverse has seen incredible growth in the UK. This growth was driven in part by partnering with some of the biggest crafting and Gen Z influencers on TikTok, achieving more than 90m views on TikTok and gaining more than 1m likes on social media. In 2024, the brand has showed no signs of stopping and has expanded with all-new licensing partnerships with Warner Bros. for Harry Potter and Sanrio for Hello Kitty.

Everyone has a Potterhead in the family, and fans can now look forward to surprising them with the all-new DIY Make It Mini Potions Class. Each pack includes 100+ pieces crafters can use to build a mini replica version of the Potions Class from the Harry Potter film series. This set is anticipated to be a top selling gift this festive season.

Fans can also step into the enchanting world of Hello Kitty with MGA's Miniverse Make It Mini Food x Hello Kitty. This delightful line invites collectors to create and display 12 charming mini dishes including a Hello Kitty-themed bento box, fruit boba tea and instant spicy noodles, all designed with Hello Kitty's iconic flair. Each package is a surprise, so fans won’t know which mini food item they’ll receive until they have unboxed it.

For KAP Toys, 2024 has predominantly been all about a cute, friendly and super stylish little character and her 50th birthdayHello Kitty. KAP Toys makes no apologies for repeatedly highlighting this property, as it just keeps on delivering.

My Hello Kitty Café features consistently in the Top 10 Roblox games, with over 400m lifetime visits to date and an impressive average play time of 20 minutes. Tiny Pop continues to show 16 episodes a day (totalling four hours) of the Hello Kitty Super Style TV show at peak times, and it also features on Amazon Kids+. Hello Kitty enjoys a huge following on socials with 4.4m followers on Instagram, 2.22m subscribers on the Hello Kitty and Friends YouTube channel, videos averaging over 1m views and 3.5m followers on TikTok.

All this proves the character is not just for 2024 but is part of a core group of evergreen licences with serious longevity. There will be more Hello Kitty to come from KAP Toys in 2025, all of which will be launched at Toy Fair in January on Stand UN66. Readers are invited to contact the team to set up an appointment.

Of course, Hello Kitty is not KAP Toys’ only award-winning licence. As the company’s ad shows in this edition of Toy World, KAP Toys has seen a number of its products take home awards this year, including the Beano Box of Tricks, Fuzzballs Classic Collection, Disney Capsules, Marvel Mission Arena, Splats Head (alongside three Hello Kitty lines).

For more information or to place an order for any of these ranges, contact orders@kaptoys.com / 01423 368 888 or visit www.kaptoys.com.

Licensing World

The countdown to Wicked is on

Universal Products and Experiences (UP&E) spread its pink and green magic at Brand Licensing Europe 2024, unveiling further details of the ‘gravity-defying’ EMEA licensing and retail campaign.

Universal has been strategically seeding the film’s campaign since February 2024 when the first teaser premiered during the Super Bowl. The release of subsequent movie trailers – including a brickified trailer from Lego – have become events in their own right with three million people viewing the second movie trailer in EMEA alone. The film’s stars, Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, have been painting the world pink and green as the theatrical release draws nearer. In summer, they were on location in Paris supporting the Olympic Games and revealed their Glinda and Elphaba Singing Fashion Dolls from Mattel on their social channels, to huge fanfare.

With Wicked coming to big screens from 21st November in Italy, 22nd November in the UK (a global red-carpet location) and Spain, 4th December in France, 5th December in Portugal, 6th December in Poland and 12th December in Germany, fans will be transported to the magical world of Oz through a diverse range of enchanting merchandise and immersive retail experiences from UP&E.

Inspired by the vibrant world in which the untold story of Elphaba and Glinda takes place, the licensing campaign spans categories such as apparel, accessories, footwear, home décor, beauty, toys, role play, publishing and collectibles.

World-class toy, costumes, role play, publishing, stationery and collectibles licensees will bring the cinematic event to life through iconic characters and storylines. Master partners Mattel and Lego will lead the way, along with partners including Disguise, Fisher-Price, Funko, Harper Collins, Hasbro, Jazwares/Squishmallows, Kid Designs, The Noble Collection, Random House, Ravensburger, RMS, International, Rubies II and Spin Master.

There will be even more product collections at Universal Destinations & Experiences, including immersive Wicked retail experiences and elevated home and collectible merchandise, as well as apparel, accessories, toys and more for fans of all ages at Universal theme parks around the world.

Details of all partnerships and their products will be rolled out closer to the theatrical release, with additional licensees being announced this autumn and beyond.

Winning Moves licensed ranges spell success in 2024

This year, Winning Moves has released a multitude of licensed ranges across its whole category of card and board games. The first was Winning Moves’ Hello Kitty range, featuring a Hello Kitty Monopoly, Hello Kitty Top Trumps Match and a Hello Kitty Top Trumps Specials pack. To celebrate Kitty and her 50th anniversary, products were launched in October, with Top Trumps having arrived in August.

Winning Moves’ existing portfolio of one of the biggest current properties on the market, Disney’s Stitch, was bolstered this October with the addition of Stitch Top Trumps Match. The game sees players aged 4+ attempt to match five cubes in a row, while battling against their opponent. In this version, there’s an added Top Trumps twist at the end. Players can steal their opponent’s point by flipping over their Top Trumps cards; if the characters match, then the point is theirs.

Another hot licence this year is Dr Seuss’ The Grinch. Winning Moves expects this to be a massive hit with lovers of the cult-classic movie in the lead up to Christmas. The company has launched three items under the licence: Cluedo, Whot! and Waddingtons No.1 playing cards, all featuring The Grinch. These three games hit the shelves at the same time as the Hello Kitty range, just in time for the Christmas sales period.

Miraculous to make a splash with Simba Toys

Miraculous Corp, the joint venture between Mediawan and Zag that unites all facets of the Miraculous franchise, has signed a pan-European agreement with Simba Dickie Group for a Miraculous line of Glibbi bath and water play products that will launch across Europe in the first quarter of 2025.

Providing toys and related products to families across Europe for 40+ years, Simba Toys’ Glibbi line is designed to make bath time fun for children. The new line of Miraculous bathing toys will include the popular Glibbi Slime that transforms bath water into a gooey, slimy substance, as well as bath bombs that bubble and provide a spectacle of fun colours, bath fizzers with 2D or 3D premiums and temporary tattoos. The Glibbi line is safe, non-toxic and environmentally friendly. Products are easy to use and clean up, ensuring that parents can provide a fun and engaging bathtime experience for their children without worry.

“The Simba brand name and its elephant logo have become synonymous with fun, variety and high quality, and we’re delighted to dive into this new licensing agreement, bringing our beloved superheroes Ladybug and Cat Noir to bathtime and beyond,” said Julian Jacob, COO and board member of Miraculous Corp.

“We are thrilled to partner with Miraculous and be part of this worldwide phenomenon,” commented Maximilian Stork, director Product Management & Design, Simba Toys. “This cooperation will bring together the magic of Ladybug, Cat Noir and the fun of our Glibbi products. We can’t wait to see the smiles on kids’ faces as they dive into this fizzing and gooey adventure.”

Licensing World

PMI Kids World unveils Stumble Guys x

Barbie range

Mattel and Scopely are bringing the iconic Barbie characters back to Stumble Guys, while also debuting the first-ever Stumble Guys x Barbie limited edition toy line from PMI Kids Word. This collaboration allows fans to simultaneously experience the digital excitement of Barbie in Stumble Guys and the joy of playing with physical toys, creating a unique and immersive experience.

Building on the success of Barbie’s previous in-game appearance, this limited-edition toy line showcases fan-favourite characters such as Malibu Barbie, Brooklyn Barbie, Ken, and Stumble Guys’ very own Mr. Stumble. From 2.5” blind box figures that transform into the Dream Dash map from the game to 6-pack deluxe sets featuring hidden rare characters, this collection is designed to captivate both kids and collectors. The fun continues with action-ready 4.5” figures that encourage hands-on play, as well as 8” plush and 12” huggable plush.

Coinciding with the release of the toy line is the return of the Barbie Dream Dash Course to Stumble Guys. Players can race through colorful obstacle courses in search of Barbie’s favourite items while iconic Barbie characters join the fun. This unique crossover creates an unforgettable experience, as fans can enjoy both digital and physical versions of their favourite characters at the same time.

As this is a limited-edition collection, once the toys are sold out, they won’t return, making them a must-have for both Barbie lovers and Stumble Guys enthusiasts. Fans will therefore be extra keen to own a piece of this extraordinary collaboration.

Success of Batwheels results in third series

Warner Bros Discovery has announced that a third series of Batwheels, the popular pre-school animated Batman series, has been greenlit.

Batwheels marks DC’s first-ever Batman pre-school show featuring a high-speed, vibrant CGIanimated iteration of the Caped Crusader. Produced by Warner Bros Animation, the fun-filled actionadventure show combines two of a young kids' favourite things – superheroes and vehicles.

The series follows a group of sentient super-powered crime-fighting vehicles defending Gotham City alongside a host of DC Superheroes. Brought to life by the Batcomputer to help defend Gotham City, the heroic Batwheels are thrust into hilarious hijinks and jaw-dropping action while learning important life lessons. Led by Bam, The Batmobile, the Batwheels must navigate the challenges of being a newly formed super team, as well as the growing pains that come with just being a kid. A relatable and aspirational series, Batwheels follows the journey of this dynamic team on their heroic adventures, as well as demonstrating to pre-school kids the value of self-confidence, friendship and teamwork.

Season two is available on Cartoon Network and Max in the US, and Cartoonito and Max across EMEA.

The all-star voice cast includes Ethan Hawke as Batman, Jacob Bertrand as Bam the Batmobile, Gina Rodriguez as Catwoman and Xolo Maridueña as Snowy the Snowcrawler, among others.

Batwheels is also now available to stream in all key EMEA markets, with viewership driving demand for official licensed consumer products as Warner Bros Discovery Global Consumer Products plans to recruit new licensees for the show.

Hunter Price welcomes Mood Bears

Mood Bears, the Dragon’s Den success story which promotes mental health, positivity and emotional well-being through its thoughtful plush bears, has turned to Hunter Price International to help expand its retail presence in the UK and Europe.

The eight Mood Bears each represent a different emotion: Happy, Sad, Silly, Calm, Nervous, Angry, Love and Hope. Each bear has a distinct colour unique embroidered mood on its feet.

Hunter Price has been appointed to build on the Mood Bears story through impactful consumer products which continue to help young people understand and talk about their feelings. The business is currently developing ranges across its award-winning product categories, stationery, arts & crafts and accessories across hair, jewellery, keyrings & charms. The debut ranges from Hunter Price will be previewed later this year and available in retail from 2025.

Allana Holmes, commercial director at Hunter Price International, said: “Playful products with a purpose – it’s what we’re all about, so naturally, the Mood Bears have found a home at Hunter Price. We’re having a lot of fun creating the first collection of products, tapping into each of the different emotions of the Mood Bears to help people acknowledge and communicate their feelings. It’s a rewarding process.”

Mood Bears founder, Joanna Proud added: “Hunter Price completely understands the Mood Bears concept. It’s so much more than a business and a brand to me, so finding the right partners who will help build and grow for the long-term future of the brand is crucial, and I truly believe Hunter Price is the right consumer product partner for us.”

For retail opportunities, contact home@hunterprice.co.uk.

Insight

Every cloud…

This month, Emilie looks at the strength of the Outdoor Toys category and the opportunities it can offer even during Q4.

The UK Toy market has shown an overall decline of -3% YTD up to September 2024, as we head into peak season with the toy community already in full-on Christmas mode. Expectations are high, as 45% of annual toy sales are generated in the last quarter of the year. Even more importantly, the last two weeks before Christmas are expected to account for 20% of October to December salesin line with the last time Christmas day fell on a Wednesday, back in 2019.

Outside of the Christmas period, the Outdoor & Sport Toys supercategory is the third largest category in value sales after Building Sets and Infant/ Toddler/Pre-school toys, and number one in unit sales.

Outdoor Toys accounted for 18% of the total market unit sales

YTD, meaning that more than 1 in 6 toys purchased in the first nine months of the year was from this supercategory.

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

Equipment and Pools, with both subclasses gaining an extra +£2m of sales in Q3 2024 versus 2023, suggesting that some consumers were replacing their equipment. In 2020, toy sales, especially Outdoor toys, benefited from the lockdown, as people invested in trampolines, pools, slides and outdoor toys to keep the kids entertained at home. The cost of living crisis and consumers catching up on experiences outside the home may have delayed some of the replenishment in recent years, but consumers seem to have spent in this area again this year. Sport Activities

Seasonality of Outdoor Toys in Total Toys

Total Outdoor Toys sales declined -4% in value YTD September 2024 and were flat in terms of units. Sales can vary each year as the weather and seasonality impact trade, with spring traditionally the key time for the category. Outdoor and Sport Toys has been the bestselling supercategory in value sales in April-June each year for the last four years, reaching 21% of value share in Q2 2024. In the summer months (July to September), Outdoor sales were up +15% versus the prior year in the UK. It was the same trend in Summer 2022, but for a different reason; the summer was warmer than average, there were hot spells in each month and the UK reached a record of 40.3 °C in July, driving sales of Pools, Water/Sand toys and Playground equipment.

In 2024, despite the weather not being as warm and sunny, there has been strong growth in Playground

and Games (+11%), Bubble Toys/Solution (+11%) and Water Blasters (+25%) also grew sales this summer.

Playground Equipment (such as Trampoline, Playsets/ Playhouse, Water and Sand boxes) is the largest subclass in value sales, accounting for 28% of Outdoor toys value sales and up +3%, driven largely by Trampolines. There were two trampoline items in the top 10 bestselling toys in YTD September, both over £100 price point. In units, Bubble Toys/Solution is by far the largest subclass, ranked No.4 out of 104 subclasses YTD, and the HTI Bubble Wand 118ml Assortment is the item with the second highest unit velocity in the three months to September.

Price points are polarised in Outdoor Toys, with only 1% of the units sold above £100 generating 21% of the value sales of the category; while 71% of the unit sales purchased were under £5, accounting for 17% of the total value sales. Bubble wands, water bombs, balls and water blasters are some of the lower price items reaching incredibly high sales in sunny weeks, with several outdoor items regularly reaching the top 10 toys bestsellers during sunny weeks, such as Zuru Bunch O’ Balloon 3 pack. Grocers over-indexed and over-performed on Outdoors toys versus total toys. This channel benefits from those low price point impulse purchases, likely bought alongside food to entertain the kids in gardens, parks, beaches, or during a family barbecue.

What are the opportunities for Outdoor toys? The festive season can offer opportunities for Skates/ Scooters/Skateboards, Blasters or even some larger playground equipment such as Trampolines or Playhouses at higher price points, which can be wonderful Christmas gifts for kids. Tapping into additional occasions such as end-of-school gifting, holiday treats, or the International Day of Play can also offer growth for this category. But more importantly, being sure the stock is well positioned in store when the weather is good may be the biggest quick win. Finally, adding licences could also be an opportunity, as only 7% of this category sales feature a licence YTD September 24, compared with 34% for total toys. If 34% of Outdoor Toys were sold with a licence, it could generate an extra £37m YTD for both the toy and licence markets. And we can always hope for snow over the winter to help drive sales of winter Outdoor toys, in the same way summer toys benefit from warm, dry weather.

Emilie Erktan Senior account manager, Toys UK, Circana

Item Progression:

The Disney Up House from Lego jumped from outside the top 100 items to the top 5 in September versus August. Several other higher price point items jumped up in the ranking between August and September. Perhaps it was the back-to-school effect, with parents and kids treating themselves with toys to play with inside and beat the wet weather; or some consumers may be thinking of Christmas early this year, to try spreading the cost of buying gifts and shopping around for best pricing.

Top 10 Fastest Growing Properties

The top-gaining property in 2024 so far is Lego Botanicals, driven by new launches and marketing campaigns at key consumption time, spreading the price point offering to fit all consumers and targeting different age groups.

Sport has been a growing theme this year in toys, with two Football properties, UEFA and Match Attack, in the top 10 gaining properties this year. Their sales were boosted by the success of England in the Euro football championship this summer, with consumers buying into a range of products such as Non-Strategic Trading Cards/Collectible Stickers and Strategic Trading Card Games, as well as Action Figures & Collectibles. Non-Strategic Trading Cards/Collectible Stickers has been the No.3 gaining subclass this year so far in the UK toy market, with sales up +13% vs. 2023.

The No.3 and No.5 gaining properties are both vehicle based, with Mercedes-Benz and McLaren being driven by The Lego Group. The top item for the Mercedes licence is the Technic Mercedes-Benz Amg F1 W14 E Performance, at a price point over £150, followed by a smaller pullback version selling at under £20. The top item for the McLaren licence is the Speed Champions McLaren F1 Race Car, also under £20.

Lilo & Stitch is the fourth best-performing property in 2024, generating over four times more value than last year. Its range has expanded to 25 new subclasses this year, with Standard Building Sets, Action Figure Collectibles and Traditional Plush being the three largest in value size. With the live action movie coming up in 2025, it is likely that Stitch’s performance will continue next year.

Talking Shop It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Gabriela Jiménez García and Caroline Tonks chat to a selection of indies to discover how sales and stock are looking at the back end of the year, and what they are looking forward to this festive season.

Jon

Scrivens Hamlins Toymaster, Berkhamsted

It's been quite a challenging year. The high street at the moment can be a difficult place to trade because consumers are trying to penny pinch as much as they can. People are still coming in though, and those that do appreciate the importance of brick-and-mortar stores. We appreciate them too, as without our customers we would no longer have a business. So far in 2024, when looking at standout toys and games, the ongoing popularity of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles has surprised me. The most recent film came out at the tail end of last year, but the demand for toys has been continuous and a big part of our sales. I’m particularly pleased to see this, as an original Turtles fan. It’s great to see the next generation taking the franchise on board, loving all things TMNT and coming of age with the different ranges.

As we head into the Golden Quarter and the Christmas period, I’d love to say that I’m feeling confident, but at the same time, you can never guess what’s around the corner. We always try to be prepared for any eventuality. We keep ourselves well merchandised, well stocked - and we listen to our customers. I’d like to think we are ready.

It’s difficult to predict which will be the top toys. All it takes is for one content creator on TikTok to produce a video about a specific product, and suddenly, something that we all looked at and maybe even doubted has become the big hit. It’s important to be as reactive as possible to stay on top of the latest trends.

This summer was pretty disappointing, weather wise, but we were quite lucky because we had been conservative with our Outdoor Toy stock. We did see strong sales on products like water pistols, but they are relatively low-priced and a quick and easy purchase to grab on those rare, nice days. Sales were lower than usual over the summer, and local supermarkets jumped on the band wagon a bit with offers which diluted our sales.

Big movie releases, like Transformers One, Moana 2 and Paddington 3, give us a lot of opportunities to capitalise on licensed ranges. New action figures can often be a bit slow to get off the ground, but the Transformer One range has been performing very well. I think they’re at the right price point and are pocket money worthy. Paddington is a perpetual favourite; we have plush that sells no matter what, and anything Moana. We sell a lot of the Tonies range, and as our Tonies demo product is Moana, we sell a lot of this one specifically. I think the new film might make it even more of a challenge to keep that character in stock.

Looking towards Q1, that’s the time of year when people are looking for arts & crafts, traditional board games and even jigsaw puzzles. Orchard Toys, which is educational and

fun, often hits a sweet spot with consumers. There’s such a wide range to choose from and the Q1 introductions offer something new and fresh.

It's always interesting to see Q1 range releases trickling through. There’s a slight gap after Christmas, but I think it’s a necessary gap because we’re all trying to catch our breath and figure out what leftover stock we have from the holidays.

Rather than hosting big events to bring in customers to the store during Q1, we work hard to build up our clientele during the Christmas period and then use social media to remind customers that we’re back in the new year. Our main two platforms are Facebook and Instagram. We’ve tried to explore other avenues like TikTok, but it is quite labour intensive to keep producing video content.

As we head into the festive season, I would ask suppliers to be honest about their stock levels to make everyone’s life easier. It can be frustrating when you’re expecting stock and it doesn't appear. During the hectic holiday season, it’s in everyone’s interests to make Christmas as seamless as possible.

Talking Shop

Karen Westmorland

Treasures Toys, Wetherby

I took over Treasures Toys at the end of May 2024. Trade had been down, as the previous owner was keeping stock low. However, I’ve invested in new inventory and become part of Toymaster, both of which have had a positive effect.

We stock all kinds of different toys, from lesser-known brands to the likes of Character Options, Spin Master, Jazwares, Bandai, Eugy (Brainstorm) and Skillmatics. I have also introduced more pocket money items, so kids can pick up something for a few pounds; the Squishy Poo was a hit and sold out very quickly. Some standout sellers have been the range from Smart Games, in particular IQ Love, which is a colourful, dextrous mind challenger. We

Karen McDermott

Thorpes of Ilkeston, Derbyshire

2024 has been a positive year for Thorpes of Ilkeston overall. We experienced a slow start, possibly due to all the political uncertainty earlier this year. However, things have improved since the election in July and customers seem to be more relaxed now. There has been a further uptick in footfall since children went back to school in September, and we’re optimistic about what the future holds.

Parents and family members are beginning to think about Christmas and are already purchasing gifts for their children and relatives; as usual, Lego and Playmobil are amongst the brands leading sales. We stock a broad range of Lego sets, including a few of the dinosaur and City Missions sets, but Lego City and Lego Creator are our stand-out items and are consistently the best-sellers at our store.

Customers have also been purchasing the smaller Lego sets, those retailing at £4.99. As well as being excellent pick-up lines, they make great stocking fillers, and we’ve also been pleasantly surprised by the number of adults purchasing Lego Icons and Lego Architecture sets. Looking forward to Q1, we believe that Lego will continue to be popular as it attracts all ages; both children and kidults like to collect and display sets and usually come back for more once they’ve got the bug.

have a demo version on our shop floor for customers to try out, and it has really appealed to all ages. Other standouts this year have been wooden puzzles, as well as bath toys from Toomies (Tomy); both collections are full of things which make great gifts. We’ve also seen strong sales from animal figurines, which astounded me as I didn’t realise how collectible they were.

I’m feeling confident about what the next three months have in store. I’ve got the shop back to a good trading position and level of stock, and it’s pleasing that so many customers have commented on how much there is to choose from. I’ve got stock being delivered every week, so I won’t be running out, and I’m confident there are enough core customers out there wanting to support a local business. We have an online presence to help boost instore sales. There is something magical about a toy shop when you are a child, and I’m determined to keep that magic alive; being able to see things and touch the toys is a very special feeling.

This summer, it was great when the sun shone, but I have been left with a little surplus stock - anything that isn’t really selling is in the sale now. However, one of our best sellers during the summer season, Mega Balls, is still selling. Once Christmas stock started to arrive, it started moving straight away, even some of the bigger ticket items, which allows me to buy more.

I’m quite selective which movie licences I consider appropriate for our customer base, but I have invested in Transformers One and Paddington 3, while Moose Toys’ Fart Blaster from Despicable Me 4 has been popular. I often find suppliers run out of stock on movie-licensed toy ranges, but I brought in Transformers stock nice and early, so I’d be ready. Monster Jam and Marvel-licensed products have also been in high demand. Other licences that do well include Bluey (when I can get hold of stock), and TMNT has worked well, boosted by the TV series.

Pokémon is a key seller, and I’ve expanded the range of trading card products available along with the characters and plush. I expect it to be among our top lines this Christmas, along with games of all shapes and sizes. We also have some of the media-predicted best sellers,

We stock ranges from a variety of companies including Wow! Stuff, and Ravensburger, which always sell well. We have found that trying to capitalise on licensed toy ranges from big movie releases doesn’t work particularly well for us – evergreen toys sell much better, for instance we sell a lot of baby dolls. In terms of brands, there is constant demand for ranges such as Sylvanian Families and Baby Annabell, the more traditional end of the market. We also see success with brands like Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh! and Magic the Gathering, which have a loyal fan base.

like Tamagotchi, Disney Bitzee, Pets Alive Mama Duck Surprise, Hatchimals Alive Mystery Hatch Pufficorn, Beyblades and Little Live Pets My Walking Penguin. I’ve been a bit cautious on quantities, as I can’t compete if big retailers reduce their prices, but I like to have the choice there for my customers.

I’ve ensured I’m stocking a range of price points, so customers can combine products to meet their budget. I’ve already reordered Little Live Pets NeeDees from Moose Toys as I sold out of the initial 24 very quickly – so I know that will be one to keep an eye on this Christmas.

I haven’t yet personally traded the shop in Q1, but I have pre-orders for Lego in. We have a strong set of customers who buy for kids' parties, so ensuring I have a range of toys in the £10 market will be crucial at that time of year. Ensuring that Eugy, Smart Games and Barbie are all stocked up and ready will be key.

I think Q1 needs to be about some fun, lower price point items - kids will have had a massive amount of new toys at Christmas, so it needs to be about something different for them. There is a lot of emphasis on Q4 as this is the core time for sales. I already know of some items from Character Options coming for spring 2025, and I have laid down commitment on some Zuru lines already.

I have various strategies in place to attract customers to Treasures Toys in Q1. For instance, social media is crucial for spreading the word about new stock in the shop. We also offer free gift wrapping, hence why we are very popular for parties, and we carry out some online postage offers to boost sales. Being creative with the shop windows is very important too, as the shop is in a prominent position. I already have a range of ideas up my sleeve for next year. Pocket money lines will be key during the Q1 period, so I’ll be relaying the store to bring back the pocket money fixture into a more prominent position.

I sometimes struggle with minimum order quantities, because I don’t always need 12 of something. It would be easier for us as a small toy retailer if suppliers allowed for smaller, indie minimum order quantities. I don't have a large stockroom, so being able to place smaller orders would greatly benefit my business.

We are also a furniture and nursery store, so our toy meterage is limited, and we have to make sure to stock carefully curated selections that will earn their space. It would therefore be beneficial for our business if we could order smaller amounts of stock from our suppliers and replenish as necessary. Following Christmas, we plan to implement special offers and discounts to encourage customers to purchase any remaining toys and help us clear out any leftover stock, ready for the new year.

Talking Shop

Karen Haynes

Framlingham Toy Shop, Suffolk

We had a decent summer this year. Lego is still one of our best lines, but we’ve also done really well throughout the year with Craft Buddy’s Crystal Art range – especially the Harry Potter lines. We placed an impressive display in our window that Craft Buddy lent us, which featured a massive Hagrid. That brought a lot more footfall into the shop, resulting in more Harry Potter sales.

This year, our local football team, Ipswich Town, has made it into the Premiere League for the first time in 20 odd years, so all the kids have been wanting to collect the players on the team. Panini’s Adrenalyn XL cards have done really well as a result.

Other ranges that sold well over the summer include Tomy and Reydon Sports, with footballs seeing steady, everyday sales. Hot Wheels flies out of the door every day of the week too, all year round, and Lego Minifigures, specifically Dungeons and Dragons, has been hugely popular for a number of years.

Looking ahead to the Christmas period, we are optimistic but being cautious. We have planned late night shopping, giveaways and special days. We’re expecting board games and jigsaw puzzle sales to pick up, as usual.

As for the tops toys this Christmas, it’s hard to say as we’re always a bit different to everyone else. I know Tonies will do well for us; the range has been strong all year and I’m sure it will continue. Disney Princesses and Paw Patrol are the most popular characters in the range.

With the upcoming release of Paddington 3, Rainbow Designs has supplied a fantastic display stand for Paddington in Peru. Movie licensed ranges don’t always perform well for us, but I’m hopeful this will encourage sales as it’s so inviting.

Many of our suppliers are brilliant, but there are those which could do more. Anything that helps us sell the products would be a good thing. We have a really great relationship with our rep from One For Fun, and Chloe from Character Options is absolutely superb. Both of them come around on a regular basis, and as a result we give them regular orders. From others, support with advertising, point of sale and visits from reps would be extremely welcome. We feel its beneficial to both parties to all keep our fingers on the pulse and work together.

In Q1, we know we can rely on Lego, with sales to both kids and kidults. We carry everything that Lego does, and the licensed ranges are especially popular. Demand for Lego Friends has slowed, but pretty much everything else still sells through. Harry Potter is particularly strong, and Lego Technic and Lego Speed show no signs of slowing (if you’ll pardon the pun).

We all know that January, February and March are quiet months; after a slight post-Christmas surge, most people don’t have much to spend, so we don’t find it a great time to bring in new products. In January, we will go to Toy Fair in London, to plan for the year. We don’t necessarily put in orders straight away, but we like to see what’s coming.

indie viewpoint

Mark Buschhaus and Stephen Barnes

Toy Barnhaus

It’s never too soon for

Christmas treats

AAs we sit and write this in mid-October, we are wondering where the year has gone. After half term and Halloween, it really won’t be long to Christmas! As we have said a few times this year, trade has been mixed and has felt a struggle at times. September started well, but then slid back in the second half of the month, and we ended up with low single digit decline in stores – although sales online were up.

One of the key reasons for the excellent start to September was the new Lego launches, in particular the Lego Dungeons & Dragons Collectible Minifigures, which has been one of our best launches ever. We have also seen a good pickup on the new 2024 Lego Advent Calendars for this year. We were pleased to see the return of Sylvanian Family blind bags; the new Sylvanian Baby Series has been phenomenal this year, with kids and adults alike building their collections. Other new lines that have performed well from the start include new Transformers One lines from the recently released film, and the Harry Potter Miniverse Potions from MGA. We have just received stock of Furlings from Funrise, which we really liked at Toy Fair and expect to be popular.

We have noticed that Halloween has been stronger this year, and even early sales gained some good traction. In particular, our Halloween plush from Squishmallows, Keel Toys and Ty has sold well. For events with a limited timespan like this, it is good to get in and out quickly and come out clean.

People started to shop early for Christmas at the end of September and in early October, but they remain cautious and are being very price savvy. This is a trend that looks set to continue right through to Christmas this year. One key date we had our fingers crossed for was the budget which we hope contained some measures to help people out a bit with their finances.

With the football season now in full swing, we decided to give some Premier League team branded merchandise a try. Mark is still not very impressed that there is no Brighton merchandise (but consoles himself with the fact that we do sell a lot of plush seagulls). Stephen is more than happy to report that the Arsenal plush penguin is our bestseller so far. We have brought in Construction Footballs from Reydon Sports, which we think will make a brilliant gift for football fans at Christmas.

The big focus for this month is Black Friday. Although it is no longer a single day, but more like a couple of weeks at the end of November, it is key selling period for us, and we’ll ensure we have plenty of great deals to offer customers. With everyone’s budgets being stretched this year, that will be more important than ever. We don’t do a blanket discount offer, but cherry pick deals around the store and highlight them in our windows and at the front of our stores. We firmly believe that you need to be seen to be involved to help drive footfall – everyone around will have high profile offers which means customers are in the mood to spend, even if they often end up buying other lines and not necessarily Black Friday items. As Black Friday falls right at the end of the month, it will be tied in to a lot of customers’ last pay day before Christmas, so that should be a big weekend.

We do enjoy this time of year; the mince pies are in stores, and we have already booked our first Christmas meal at the Harvester this month!

Special Feature

Character Options

Skibidi Toilet The viral sensation has landed at retail

Thanks to Bonkers Toys and Character Options, Skibidi Toilet is coming to toy aisles across the UK and is set to be one of the hottest launches of the year. With this in mind, buyers and retailers alike are advised to bring themselves up to speed on the viral craze that inspired the toy collection…

What is Skibidi Toilet?

Skibidi Toilet is a record-setting animated YouTube series that has gone from viral sensation to cultural phenomenon. The sci-fi series chronicles the chaotic adventures of an Alliance of humanoids with TVs, cameras and speakers for heads in their fight against Skibidi Toilets – toilets that aren’t just sanitary fixtures, but living, scheming entities with ambitions of their own. From viral craze to the hottest new franchise

Skibidi Toilet’s success has seen it transform from viral craze to hot new franchise. Demand for official Skibidi merchandise has been huge and the wait is finally over fans. Kids and kidult collectors can now build their own collection of Skibidi Toilet characters and create epic battles at home. The toy line, which is distributed by Character Options in the UK, is available now.

A

Undeniably one of the more unusual properties to emerge in recent years, Skibidi Toilet is nonetheless flushed with success and fans are already clamouring to get their hands on the latest toys from Bonkers Toys, distributed in the UK by Character Options. Here, the company gives the ‘loo-down’ on the range and explains how it will be raising awareness of what it offers among Skibidi Toilet’s passionate fanbase.

rundown of Character Options’ toy line

Character Options’ range comprises collectible toy versions of the Skibidi Toilet characters, which capture all the excitement from the YouTube series. Each of the four fun SKUs embodies the classic battle play pattern and combines it with toilet humour and new media virality. The collection includes:

• Skibidi Toilet Mystery Figures

Each Mystery Figure blind pack contains one Mystery Skibidi Toilet Figure. There are nine characters to collect, featuring characters from both sides of the battle. This means fans can be in with a chance to unbox one of the Skibidi Toilets or a member of the Alliance.

• Skibidi Toilet Mystery Figure Collector Series

Each Mystery Figure blind box contains one of eight Mystery Skibidi Toilet figures, be it a Skibidi Toilet character or a member of the Alliance. The Collector Figures are the biggest and coolest Skibidi Toilet collectible figures available.

• Skibidi Toilet 11" Mystery Plush

Skibidi followers will be keen to get their hands on all four characters in this line. Each comes in a Mystery Plush Blind Pack, so fans won’t know if there’s a Skibidi Toilet or

Alliance member inside until it’s unboxed, adding to the excitement and offering collectors added play value.

• Skibidi Toilet Mystery Surprise Toilet

This Giant Mystery Toilet features a spring-loaded toilet with a telescoping pop-up head. The hero item in the range, the toilet comes filled with collectible mystery surprises including mini figures and more. Of course, no toilet is complete without a ‘try-me’ flushing sound.

How is Character Options driving awareness and demand for

its Skibidi

Toilet toys?

“One of the best things about bringing to market a toy range inspired by a viral craze is that awareness of the property and demand for any kind of merch is already there,” said Mark Hunt, Marketing director, Character Options. “It’s just a matter of cutting through the noise and making fans aware the official toy line has dropped. We’ll be working with a network of YouTube channels and content creators that collaborate with the official Skibidi Toilet brand to expand reach and engage fans. Of course, we’ll also be shouting about the range on socials, with dedicated posts and Meta ads among other activities.”

For more information, contact Character Options on 01616 339 800 or email sales@charactergroup.plc.uk.

Special Feature

The Entertainer playing to win

To say it’s been a busy year for The Entertainer might be something of an understatement. At the end of February, following a successful trial, the retailer began the gargantuan undertaking of rolling out its concession model to hundreds of Tesco stores across the UK and ROI. Coincidentally, the day I spoke to Andrew was the day the very last concession was being installed – and also the exact date the team had earmarked for completion way back at the start of the year, before the roll-out

In early September, The Entertainer announced a renewed strategic focus on international expansion. With a Group Executive Committee now in place to manage Teal Group Holdings (the parent company of Early Learning Centre and Addo Play as well as The Entertainer), the Tesco concession roll-out complete and conversations well underway with international partners, it’s an exciting time for the team. Rachael Simpson-Jones caught up with Andrew Murphy OBE, Group CEO, Teal Group Holdings, to find out more about the plans.

commenced. Given its scale, this has been pretty slick, I’m sure you’ll agree.

Then, in September (while the Tesco roll-out was still very much in full swing), The Entertainer and Moonpig unveiled a new partnership which will see a curated selection of The Entertainer and Early Learning Centre products available to buy alongside Moonpig’s vast range of personalised cards. Although not of the same scale as the Tesco partnership, Andrew is delighted with how things are shaping up so far. Somewhat unusually, the retailer has seen sales across all 130 of its SKUs (this will rise to 200 in due course) and as a result, expectations have been revised upwards ‘significantly’. An eventdriven shopping platform, it’s unsurprising that ELC has been a particular hit with consumers celebrating

the birth of a new baby, while Valentines Day, Father’s/ Mother’s Day (and birthdays, of course) also present huge opportunities to present shoppers with the perfect addon purchase to go with their personalised card.

“The Moonpig team is full of wonderful, straightforward people,” Andrew tells me, when asked if he feels the same way Moonpig GM David Rimmer does about the partnership. “It’s just been a perfect match.”

By joining forces with The Entertainer, Moonpig became the latest business to adopt The Entertainer’s ‘Toy Box – Total Retail Solution’, joining Matalan, M&S, Tesco and a host of other retailers across the globe. Now, The Entertainer is pushing ahead to with plans to increase its international footprint further. The retailer has already enjoyed success internationally – along with

Special Feature

some challenges. Spain’s Poly Toys retail franchise, which The Entertainer acquired in 2018, entered liquidation procedures in March in the face of the “inviability of the business”. With this in mind, I was keen to find out how The Entertainer’s experience with Poly would shape its expansion strategy going forward.

“We have three different ways to bring The Entertainer’s business model to an international audience,” Andrew explains. “The first is direct ownership, which was why we bought Poly. Looking back, I think it’s fair to say that the Spanish property market was less helpful to us than we thought it would be, and the supply chain was badly affected by Brexit. It became clear that Poly wasn’t going to get where we needed it to be to justify the investment and make it a profitable business. It was a sad decision to close Poly –but the right one. The fact is, you need to be really sure of the market potential and your ability to exploit it before you take on direct ownership of retail bricks & mortar internationally. I’m not saying we won’t revisit this approach at some stage, but for now it’s not where our focus lies.”

The franchise model, however, has always worked well for The Entertainer, though the store portfolio has levelled off in recent years and isn’t likely to be a source of transformational growth. Which brings us to the concession model, on which The Entertainer is arguably increasingly hanging its hat. Outside of the UK, where it’s also been a huge success, The Entertainer boasts franchise retailers across Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia and continues to pursue concession deals with multicategory retailers in both existing and new territories - including grocers, department stores and more. Historically, The Entertainer has been brought into retailers that have struggled to get their toy offering to meet their overall economic objectives, bringing with it the benefits of expertise and scale alongside a curated product mix with higher-than-average margins. This recipe for success looks set to continue.

Andrew says that regardless of where The Entertainer concessions end up internationally, the retailer’s approach will have to allow for range tailoring that reflects the local market. Ranges optimise much faster here in the UK than they do overseas, but retail remains the same no matter which country you’re in; consumers vote with their wallets. In all bar one of its concession partners, The Entertainer has been able to access sales data on existing toy ranges, giving it the ability to go in with knowledge of what’s working and what isn’t. As they say, forewarned is forearmed. Nonetheless, Andrew says British retailers heading across the pond need to retain a

sense of humility and open-mindedness.

When Toy World visited Andrew and Geoff Sheffield (then chief commercial officer, now commercial director, International) earlier this year, when the retailer was on Week 7 of its Tesco rollout, Andrew described the team as ‘keen students’ with a ‘learning mentality’. In practice, internationally, this means any offering made to concession partners must be agnostic and able to mould to both what the retailer in question and its consumers require. For example, if a partner wanted The Entertainer to stock only low-margin products, it would – but the pricing of those products will reflect those low margins. And if a partner was keen for The Entertainer to carry a high level of inventory so it can offer its shoppers plenty of year-round choice, that’s fine too – but again, the pricing would reflect what it takes to carry that level of product 365-days a year.

To support its plans to scale by replicating the concession model successfully deployed in the UK, The Entertainer has made a raft of changes to its senior leadership. Geoff Sheffield, as mentioned above, transitions to an International CCO role, while a new group executive role, Chief Product officer, has been introduced and taken up by experienced retail buyer and trader, Brian Proctor.

So, what does all this mean for The Entertainer’s existing suppliers: will further international concession expansion present new opportunities? Well, yes and no, depending on where they fit into the picture. The Entertainer team has made it clear that moving forward, whether it’s in its own stores or in its concessions, it’s seeking a 40/60 product split at group level – with 40% own-brand, Addo sourced product, and 60% third-party brands. Currently, it’s operating at around 20% ownbrand, so there’s some balancing of the scales to be done yet. Of course, as own-brand ranges take up more shelf space, there’s less for outside suppliers’ brands. But, says Andrew, such is the nature of the retail beast.

“For some brands that currently work with The Entertainer, there will be fewer opportunities,” he admits. “The split we’re aiming for naturally means we need to work only with the best of the best when it comes to suppliers and their brands – we need to place only the most dynamic, economically worthwhile and sought-after products on the shelves of the retail partners we work with. We feel loyalty to a lot of the brands we work with, but the toy industry is just too tough for sentimentality. If you want to be part of our strategy, then sharpen your pencils - we need innovation and great prices.”

He continues: “Our plans require a heavy slug of own brand. We’re pouring a lot into Addo Play in terms

of product development and new launches, and the brand’s phenomenal success in Tesco has done nothing but cement our belief that economically, designing and producing our own toys and games makes a huge amount of sense. Our five-year ‘health plan’, so to speak, demands that we grow our own-brand ranges aggressively, both for domestic and international retail settings.”

Christmas is now less than eight weeks away (though it has certainly been on the radar much longer, for those of us in the toy business). It’s been an undeniably tough year for toy retailers and while the festive season always significantly eases the pressure on businesses, it seems that a bumper Christmas is far from guaranteed. A pragmatic, level-headed man, Andrew tempers any optimism he may have for the months ahead with a cautiousness born of experience and knowledge.

“Q4 last year wasn’t great; from mid-November, things just didn’t take off the way they have done in the past,” he notes. “We were also disadvantaged by the calendar. Christmas Eve fell on Sunday, when we don’t trade, which was a big deal for us. This year, Christmas Eve falls on a Tuesday. That changes things and I think we will end up with year-on-year growth. But do I think it’s going to be a stellar Christmas? No, I don’t. Am I nervous about what the Chancellor has in store? Yes, I am. Although saying that, while it takes a brave person indeed to be too bullish about things, from The Entertainer’s point of view I think we’ll be coming into 2025 the most optimistic we’ve been for two or three years.”

Adding to this sense of optimism is the fact that The Entertainer will be running an above-the-line advertising campaign on TV and other platforms for the first time in its history. It may surprise readers to hear that brand awareness is relatively low for the retailer, considering its size and position within the toy landscape. Andrew hopes the ATL campaign will place The Entertainer front of mind in the run-up to Christmas this year. November, meanwhile, will see the opening of a new The Entertainer store in Exeter, where the retailer has been keen to establish a presence for some time in the UK; this follows the opening of another store in Milton Keynes on 26th October, where it has returned following some years away.

“The ATL campaign is another weapon is our arsenal and we expect its benefits to carry through into 2025,” adds Andrew. “Next year, for us, is all about optimising what we’re doing with Tesco – we can advertise our presence nationally now the roll-out is completegrowing our presence with M&S and Moonpig, and, hopefully, announcing more major new concession deals with international retailers. Watch this space.”

Touching Base LA Toy Preview

L A Confidential

Publisher John Baulch looks at the growth of the LA preview event, as it becomes a firm fixture on the global toy community events calendar.

There is no doubt that the single most significant change to the toy trade events calendar since the pandemic has been the meteoric rise of the LA Toy Previews, especially the September trip. For many years, Mattel and a handful of toy companies whose showrooms are located in the LA area invited a handful of major buyers to preview the following year’s autumn winter range in September. However, over the past few years, we have seen the trickle of toy companies looking to ‘crash the LA party’ turn into a flood – and the scope of the trip extend to include a broad collection of distributors from all corners of the globe.

The LA preview is now a key date on the calendar for a large percentage of the leading players in the global toy community, aided in no small part by the opening

of several buildings that can accommodate multiple showrooms, which toy companies have enthusiastically embraced.

The pioneer of the LA showroom explosion and the man behind establishing the El Segundo ‘toy district’ is actually a Brit – Spider Global’s Jonathan Busher. Sitting in the lobby of the 1960 building waiting for his flight back to the UK a few years ago, it struck him that the facility would be the perfect place to house a group of toy companies in one place, which would make the trip so much easier to work for retailers and distributors.

He asked if he could meet with the building’s agent John Ollen, who immediately saw the potential of Jonathan’s vision. As Jonathan admits: “I have to give huge credit to John – I think if I had met with any other building agent, none of this may ever have happened.”

Jonathan’s idea for a building in LA that was set up along the lines of the old 200 5th Avenue showroom building in New York has proved invaluable, especially to the toy distributor community, and 2024 was arguably its breakthrough year, as Jonathan explains: “The 1960 building was crammed, especially for the designated International Week– it felt like it was a focal point, and everyone was there. Over 400 people came to the drinks party organized by the building owners. But it’s important to remember that it’s not a Toy Fair – realistically, with the set up in LA, you can’t see everyone. However, having a building that houses over 100 companies together in one location helps enormously.”

Indeed, over 300 toy companies exhibited in LA across several different buildings: 121 at the 1960 building; 67 in Spaces; 37 at Regus and 80 at the Toy Association building. In addition, some companies sub-let part of their rooms, so the overall number of participants was slightly larger –and of course that doesn’t factor in the toy companies with their own offices in El Segundo and the surrounding LA area, such as Mattel, Spin Master, Moose, Zuru, Jazwares, MGA and others.

These figures represent a significant increase over the number of companies who were exhibiting in LA last year, and next year is expected to see further growth.

Thierry Bourret International Toy agent

There’s absolutely no doubt in my mind that LA is now a must-attend event for me. I made the decision to go quite late on. This year I decided only to visit Distoy, not exhibit, which meant I could afford to go out to LA. It was a very productive event, and I think I’ll do the same in 2025 as a result. Last time I looked, there were 307 officially registered exhibitors out in LA, and likely many more who didn’t register, so that number will almost certainly be higher. I rented a room at the Regus El Segundo. The best building to be in is 1960, closely followed by Spaces just opposite, but I still had plenty of visitors come out to see me. I did find, however, that I didn’t have many walk-ins – I think that because I was just that little bit further out, people preferred to make appointments rather than just chancing it. The new leadership at the Toy Association seem to be listening to feedback and acting on it, though I am not sure some of the decisions taken around the show have sat well with all parties. There’s concern the TA is trying to ‘muscle in’ on LA, which has raised some eyebrows. Speaking personally, I think what the TA is doing is a good thing - the more toy people are involved in this event, the better it will be for everyone. I don’t quite understand the level of dubiousness. The big challenge for the TA now is having a presence in a building much closer to the heart of the Toy district. It was too far from everyone.

It’s not just the number of exhibitors which is on the increase – more retailers and distributors now head to LA in September than ever before. Jonathan explained how his schedule panned out: “We had 114 meetings in 10 days – we saw 81 distributors, 18 retailers, six licensors and nine other visitors (such as inventors).”

While the numbers are impressive and continue to rise, there are still a few teething troubles that need to be ironed out – although given the fact the event is not only in its infancy, but expanding rapidly, this is to be expected.

Most people I spoke to agreed on the aspiration to cut down on the number of Uber or car journeys to maximise time spent on meetings. I understand that a continuous bus service between the Toy Association location and the main El Segundo buildings is being looked at for next year.

Another hot topic is the duration of the trip. For many international visitors, it seems that the ideal solution is to spend between 10-14 days in LA (while most retailers want to condense their trip into seven days if possible). However, several UK distributors had to extend their trip to almost three weeks due to the ‘late’ arrival of one major UK retailer. It can be an even longer trip for US vendors, who –in some cases – can be in LA for up to six weeks, starting in August with dedicated weeks for both Walmart and Target (albeit in both cases, it appears that most of their buyers only came for three or four days this year – and several people I spoke to felt that if you really want to deal with those two retail giants, you have to visit them at their head offices).

Jonathan Busher tells me that the LA dates for next year are still being finalised, in partnership with the Toy Association. The main autumn event is likely to be 8th19th September, but to ensure the event works for all, these dates may ultimately change. The following week is Rosh Hashanah, so that may make it tricky for some exhibitors and visitors to spill over into the third week – and if that naturally condenses the trip into two weeks for most people, I suspect there won’t be too many complaints.

Over the following pages, we bring you the thoughts of a selection of toy companies, retailers and distributors who made the trip to LA this year, and how they see the event developing in years to come.

Touching Base

LA Toy Preview

Richard North President, Wow! Stuff

This year’s LA Fall Preview was tremendous. It’s a must-go-to show now for Wow! Stuff and surpassed all our expectations. Seriously, the trip blew me away: we did more business out there than at any other show we’ve ever been to.

We were located in Spaces and heard so many comments that the vibe in that building was the best. In my opinion, The Toy Association (TA) really needs to be in the locale of both the 1960 building and Spaces. If you’re more than a 10-minute walk away, you’ll reduce your chances of being seen by about 90%. And from what I heard, the TA was a 10-minute drive away. It doesn’t sound much until you realise how many people the visiting retailers were seeing.

People need convenience because they need to cover so many companies. If there’s 250 exhibitors, say, that’s 30-40 suppliers that need to be seen in three or four days by the average big US retailer. That’s 10 a day (which I know won’t happen). We had over two hours on this trip with Walmart. I remember the ‘old days’, five years ago, when they would give us 3-5 minutes.

The TA’s CEO Greg Ahearn and his leadership team are listening to what’s happening, I do believe that. But my advice, for what it’s worth, is to take fast, decisive action and get the TA to that area - now. A 5-10-minute drive to the TA’s current location reduces the opportunity for many retailers to see their potential suppliers and I feel strongly that we should give the new TA leadership a chance to improve that.

At this point, we’ve decided which two shows are absolutely unmissable for Wow! Stuff: my personal fave (though it’s only just edging it after this year’s LA trip) is still Spielwarenmesse, but I know Dawn [Lavalette, MD], being a tad more commercial, will say hers is LA, and I can completely understand why.

Dave Middleton Owner, Midco Toy Planet, Midco Toymaster and Freak Treats

I think the LA Fall Preview is the best toy show in the world by a country mile and feels so much more positive than many other trade events. And you see everything. At UK shows, you see only what the UK sees in terms of domestic ranges. In LA, you see what the world sees - and you can influence it too. If you say to a supplier who’s on the fence that they need to bring a line to the UK, you become part of the decision-making process - and those decisions and discussions happen so much quicker out in LA too. Here, you’ve got to wait for someone to email someone else, sometimes for days. Out in LA, they just pop into the next room and come back within minutes.

I was in LA for two weeks and I felt like that was long enough. Everyone was in a very positive frame of mind; Americans tend to have this ‘glass half full’ mentality. I was out there on my own, representing my own business interests, but I was also representing Toymaster. I was able to request first-to-market deals and exclusives, as well as find ranges that are perfect for independents and not being picked up by the nationals. There were so many opportunities to go after (and I did).

I winged my meetings like I wing everything else, but there was one day when I saw a lot of the inside of my rental car… an hour and a half to Santa Monica for a meeting, then back again for two more meetings in two different buildings, then another hour and a half drive to see MGA (but that was well worth it). It’s all part of the fun – when you cross Hollywood Boulevard on the way to a meeting, it’s a bit more exciting than being stuck in traffic on the M25, isn’t it?

I spent my evenings networking and socialising and went to the Intertoy golf tournament. I also visited Universal Studios and Disneyland – while you’re in LA, you have to! I’ve been out to LA three times now and it’s just getting better and better. Last year, I thought people might take one look at me and wonder what on earth I was doing there, but that just didn’t happen. I felt as if the red carpet was rolled out for me everywhere I went. In my mind, it’s an unmissable event, and if you’re not there then you should be.

Greg Ahearn President & CEO, The Toy Association

The Toy Association's LA Fall Preview was all about opportunity.

The event marked the first time the TA has provided domestic and international toy companies with exhibit space for product previews in the El Segundo ‘Toy District’. The initial response to The Toy Association's presence has been positive.

It was also an opportunity to bring the industry together to network and celebrate. This included our Toy Foundation's ‘Party with a Purpose’ fundraiser, which raised more than half a million dollars for children's hospitals, as well as The Toy Association's networking party at Otis College of Art & Design, which welcomed hundreds of professionals to the school's Toy Design programme and its students. Women in Toys, Licensing and Entertainment's (WiT) Wonder Women Awards, held at the Beverly Hilton, capped off the week with a celebration of the women who lead the business of toys and play. Each of these events allowed us to celebrate what it means to be a part of this amazing industry.

More importantly, this year's event provided a valuable opportunity to engage and learn from each other what LA Fall Preview is and what it can be for our industry. The Toy Association, international and domestic manufacturers and attendees all gained significant insight into what works - and what may need adjusting - for 2025 and beyond. We spoke one-on-one with more than 100 international and US participants regarding goals, timing/duration, and location to understand which improvements could have the greatest impact, with alignment on timing and duration rising to the top. It is also clear this represents a truly global moment for the toy industry. As such, collaboration and alignment on an international basis will be essential to maximise its value.

We are dedicated to sharing and integrating all we have learned at this year's LA Fall Preview to help improve engagement and efficiency for every participant. Additionally, we are finalising a long-term plan to address the growing need for permanent suite-style showrooms and the desire for more places to network and connect with a Toy Association-led building that befits the fun, creative personality of our industry.

Mary Couzin Senior vice president of the Toy Association, founder/leader People of Play (POP)

I am very involved in two exciting events that took place during the LA Fall Previews. Firstly, there’s Pro Inventor week. Most of the industry either doesn't know or forgets that there is a full week with the Pro Inventors once the buyer and distributor weeks are over, but actually, quite a few UK inventors come over for it. This year, during the Pro Inventor week, I co-hosted an event at the Laugh Factory with Bob and David Fuhrer (both are professional inventors and David is now also president of the Laugh Factory). There were top comics making fun of toymakers; the biggest ones were targeted, with no limits. It was so successful we’re already planning a return for next year (this replaces the pub event I hosted during that week). All professional inventors and product acquisition executives, as well as anyone in the industry who is in the LA area, is warmly invited to these industry get-togethers.

Touching Base LA Toy Preview

Barry Hughes Managing director, Golden Bear Toys

The LA Fall Preview has quickly become one of the most important trade shows on the calendar. The 2020 pandemic has had many impacts, and in terms of the toy industry one of the most seismic changes has been where and when the international toy community meets up. With HK and China still in lockdown, embryonic meet-ups in LA in April and September started to gather pace.

The first Preview we physically showed at (rather than just visited) was in September 2022, when we took a temporary space in the Hyatt hotel. We then booked a temporary showroom in the 1960 E Grand Avenue building in September 2023 and April 2024. It was becoming clear that momentum was building, and that September 2024 was therefore going to the biggest Preview yet. With our US business growing, we took the decision to take a permanent space on the fourth floor of the 1960 E Grand Avenue Building from August 2024. It obviously takes more work to set up a permanent space, and an extra trip was required to get things ready, but we should reap the benefits over the coming years.

This most recent trip to LA was great. It was as busy as we expected it to be and people that remember the Old Toy Building in New York tell me this is as close as they’ve experienced since. Customers loved our new showroom; it was a wonderful space in which to exhibit our new products and with two new brands, Strikesphere and Bear Faced Games, it was also the perfect location for showing off our new branding.

The length of the trip is still an issue, and I hope the industry can work together to reduce the need to spend three weeks at a time out there. The beauty of our permanent space is that our US reps are always available to host customers in the showroom at other times of the year if needed.

All in all, LA feels like a collegiate space for the toy industry, much as Hong Kong used to, and I can only see it getting bigger and better.

Pritesh Davé Sales director, Xplore Brands

This was our first time attending the LA Fall Preview and I am now sure it was the first of many to come. The trip offered Xplore Brands a whole new dimension; we were able to approach all meetings with our new structure in mind, whereby we can support manufacturers as both an agent and a distributor. This hybrid model is definitely supporting significant new growth, and as a result we’re pleased to announce that even more brands have now been added to our already comprehensive portfolio for 2024 and 2025. More will be revealed on this in due course.

After liaising with our brand and retail partners, it very quickly became evident that the best week for us to attend, in order to maximise our potential at the LA Fall Preview, was the second week. I’m pleased to say that we got this spot on. We were able to meet with everyone we had planned to see and many, many more besides, including old friends in the Toy industry whom we were delighted to catch up with.

We got to LA with a pretty stacked 4- day schedule - one that we’d tried to meticulously plan by grouping meetings in certain buildings, or by geographical ease. Naturally, like any other trade fair, this very quickly went out of the window. However, we’re glad that it did! All our scheduled meetings were progressive and successful, but trade fairs are all about networking. The spontaneous meetings you end up having can often be the most fruitful of the trip, and this was the case while we were out in LA.

Having spent considerable time in all the LA Fall Preview buildings, as well as the surrounding hotels, we can report that there was a genuine sense of excitement wherever we went. Whether this was bumping into old contacts in the lift, visiting other brand showrooms or even shooting a few balls at Top Golf, there was definitely a buzz about the place. And it wasn’t all down to the sun, sea and sand, or Hollywood either, for that matter.

Our trip to LA trip exceeded our expectations in many ways and will 100% now be an annual trip for us.

Julie Taylor Sales director, Kid Kreations

We attended the LA Fall Preview for a total of two weeks: our showroom dates ran from 9th -20th September. It was a challenge to pin down when to go and how long for, as there wasn’t a concise start and finish date across the various markets. The first week was a little quieter, but this meant we could enjoy more quality time with buyers and retailers during our meetings, rather than watching the clock too much or feeling we had to rush through our presentations. We saw things ramp up in the second week, but some UK/LATAM retailers were still arriving at the end of our trip. It would help if there was consolidation in terms of timings for the 2025 Preview, especially for smaller companies.

Overall though, it was a success. The atmosphere was very positive and upbeat - the toy industry is an infectious one, and despite market challenges I think we all tend to be optimists. It was our first time showing in LA and really helped us gain some exposure. The rest will be judged by how well we perform when it comes to selections and distribution.

In addition to our own planned appointments, we benefited from other exciting introductions and drop ins which often came about a result of a lunch or coffee conversation. Within just the two weeks, we found potential new retailers as well as new distributors, which was our objective. We plan to show again next year. The Fall Preview is so well attended globally and the timing is great, meaning we can take valuable feedback into account for the following year’s product lines.

Max Nelson Head of Sales, Heathside

This year’s LA Fall Preview was a resounding success for Heathside. We had a substantial number of meetings, both booked and spontaneous, which made the show truly worthwhile. This was our third year attending the Preview, and each time has felt busier, with visitors seeming genuinely eager to engage in business and explore new products for the upcoming year.

The atmosphere at the show was vibrant and positive. One challenge was the layout - the distance between meetings can be quite spread out. While we navigated it without too much trouble, I know many others found it a bit hectic.

We’re already looking forward to returning next year in both April and September. This show continues to grow and prove itself to be a vital event within the toy industry that certainly can’t be ignored.

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Letter from America Opinion Life of an Indie - the ups and downs Rick Derr

After 20 years working at A.C. Nielsen/D&B Research Company, Rick opened the first Learning Express Toys franchise in the Chicago area in 1996, and then became a sub-franchiser, opening 10 more stores. Although leaving the corporate environment behind, he has combined his expertise in data and numbers with a passion for the toy retail space. This month, Rick looks at crazes and how best to cope with them.

Take a good look at this chart. Any guesses? It documents the rise and fall of the Squishmallows trend in most indies. Oh boy, that ride to the top is exhilarating but with every high comes a low, and the decline, depending on how quick, can also be painful. We like to see consistent growth, and when we experience huge swings in comparative numbers it can get you down (my co-workers might even say cranky). That’s a little where I am right now. But I do realize selling over eight hundred thousand dollars’ worth ($822,399) of one line over basically four and a half years is amazing.

We are having a decent year in 2024, but measured against the past three years plus, all you see on charts are negatives. So, what action to take?

We focus on what we have learned over the last 28 years by building business with no hot products or fads in the equation. It’s important to have a strategy that keeps you in business when there are no hot trends. For us this has been building and investing in the team; curating and adopting our product mix to the changing needs of our community and kids and lastly, wrapping this in a magical brick and mortar store where wonderment glows. Simply put, we stick to our formula of T(team), P (product) and W (wow).

We have learned important lessons during hot product periods though, and these include:

• Buy aggressively at the beginning of the fad, stack orders so you can cancel if needs be and diversify by seeking out multiple vendors if you can. In the case of Squishmallows this was not possible, but the popularity of the Squishmallows brand helped to sell more plush overall.

• Blast the fad across the airwaves on social media to pick up new customers; then you’ll see a dramatic increase in sales due to increased traffic rather than hoping the average basket spend will go up. (If you accomplish both, great!)

• Take and save some of the ongoing profits and don’t wait until the end. There is a temptation to keep spending, hoping that the fad will never end, but it will, and you don’t want to be left with excessive stock of little or no value to clear out.

• Don’t take so much out of the business cash-wise that you get tied up in cash flow issues. A death knell sign is when a toy retailer stops bringing in new stock. The toy business is all about being forward looking; when you stop betting smartly on the new, the end is nigh.

• Do not over hire; we have found the current team has immense flexibility to handle upside business – it’s better to stick with a basic team that is trained and knowledgeable.

• Look for early signs of a slowdown in any toy trend by networking with other stores, reading up on the industry and using AI to track trends across the world. The biggest trends that we have been a part of have been:

• Beanie Babies 1997

• Pokémon 2000

• Webkinz 2008

• Rainbow Loom bracelets 2013

• Shopkins 2015

• Fidget Spinners/Fingerlings 2017

• L.O.L. Surprise! 2018

• Children’s face masks 2020 (pandemic)

• ‘Squidgets’ (Squishmallows and Fidgets) 2021-2023

One of the shortest crazes was Fidget Spinners in early 2017. This came out of nowhere in February 2017, peaked in April and was gone by August. We beat Walmart, Amazon and the other big boxes in this meteoric rise as they never even received spinner stock till that summer. I remember that the audience was distinctly spliteither for spinners or against, as kids took sides - cool versus nerdy. Perhaps that is why it ended quickly but was a foreshadow of what was to come five years later.

As I write this, I have a new appreciation for the Squishmallows trend - to last this long, provide millions of smiles to kids and watch a lifestyle brand bloom is undeniably cool. Sales may be down but, heeding our own advice, we’ll keep doing what indie toy stores must do in this new retail world. I hope you do too, and that we’ll all see the next big hot toy craze sooner than later.

Special Feature In any event…

Over the past couple of years, in-person events, from pop-up shops and launch parties to festival appearances and organised play, have made a major comeback. Offering an unrivalled way to connect with consumers and drive engagement, more and more toy companies are setting aside marketing budget for their own activations – but there are many factors to take into account in order to maximise spend. Here, Michele and Ellie Bates, owner/directors at Evolution PR, offer their take on the sector, look at some case studies and shares their expert advice on how to get events right.

Michele Bates: Post-covid, during which there was a total hiatus on events, in-person activations have returned with a vengeance – to the point where you could almost call 2024 The Year of the Event.

There are myriad reasons why toy companies would (and should) consider holding an event to launch or showcase a product range. That said, there are fundamental questions that need to be asked and answered before embarking down that road.

• What do you want to achieve?

• Why are you holding an event to do it?

• Where does this activity sit within your marketing budget?

• What’s the likelihood of you realising a return on your investment?

Any event has to wash its face and the days of the one-day press launch are therefore limited. When you weigh up cost versus ROI, most companies need to find ways to reach the end consumer that transcend a single activation.

Pop-up stores, for example, give companies the opportunity to hold a one-day press event, then remain open to consumers for several days/weeks afterwards so people can visit, shop and create their own social media content. They’re also great for garnering real-time, real-world feedback from consumers. Depending on the venue, pop-ups are one of the most financially viable launch options and you’ll usually have plenty of locations to choose from in your target area. There’s a lot more time to prepare the venue and get everything ready using your

own team, which mitigates the need to hire specialist contractors to rig and de-rig in a matter of hours on the day (often at great expense).

Ellie Bates: Events that serve up a captive consumer audience and high footfall are also well worth a look. Family-friendly festivals such as Gloworm allow brands to place their products in front of people who are there specifically to have fun with their children. These people are highly receptive to engaging with toy and game brands as part of a positive and happy experience. In a shopping centre, by comparison, your consumer may not be there for fun with the kids; they may be in a rush, trying to find new boots for their daughter’s school football tournament. So, on the face of it, while the footfall in a shopping centre might be high, the mindset of the consumers there might not align with your event goals.

Our advice is also to ensure that as part of your planning, give some thought to whether your event lends itself to content creation. If you can, hire a videographer and get permission to produce on-camera, scripted or unscripted content for dissemination where you see fit. At pop-ups, influencers can be booked to arrive at staggered times, giving your team extra time with them and ensuring they can create their own content without feeling rushed or that they’re competing with others. Influencers don’t always need to be paid to attend, and they always have the option to turn down an appearance if they feel a brand doesn’t resonate with them or their audience. It’s advisable to start off by searching for influencers whose content and communication style will complement the range being advertised. Check their

feeds and ask if content based on your brand will fit in well - the integrity of your brand is paramount.

MB: Of course, whatever route you choose to go down, make sure your event investment complements, rather than cannibalises, your campaign spend for the whole year - don’t put all your eggs in one basket by pouring everything into one event. If your marketing budget is very limited, it might be prudent not to hold an event at all. There’s a real balancing act when it comes to creating an event as cost effectively as possible without it looking cheap, and sometimes spend is better off elsewhere. There will always be other years in which you can revisit events, when budget allows.

Here, Ellie and Michele share a selection of some of the events that Evolution PR has helped its clients host this year, demonstrating the variety companies can consider:

• March – MegaCon (Character Options and Simba Smoby Toys UK/Jada)

MegaCon and Comic Con tend to be quite Kidult focused events with high footfall. They’re a great opportunity to get your product in front of the type of

Special Feature

consumer that may not see it in an ordinary high street toy store or gift shop. In March, we took Character Options’ LankyBox, Aphmau and Moriah Elizabeth collectible brands to MegaCon, which for many would have been the first time they'd seen these types of kawaii toy brands and Moriah Elizabeth toys in person.

Jada, from Simba Smoby, is no stranger to this event either and this, alongside Comic Con, has become a regular event in the company’s calendar.

• May – London Comic Con (Just Play)

In line with US activations, we took Just Play’s Disney Doorables to Comic Con. The stand was constantly packed, and all the products sold out. We ran a spin the wheel competition during the show, giving visitors the chance to win toys and other fun prizes. This created some real theatre; passers-by were stopping and watching people spin the wheel, and then joining the queue for a go themselves. We saw lots of people filming the game too, which generated some great organic social media coverage. This was so successful we will be repeated the activation in October.

• August - Cotton Candykins three-day pop-up experience (Basic Fun!)

This was one of three pop-up shop gallery events we held this year. For this event, we took over J/M Gallery on Portabello Road, creating a fantasy, candy-themed store complete with a candyfloss maker, candyfloss tree photo point and a Cotton Candykins alley of fairground games such as spin the wheel, hook a flamingo and hoopla. The pop-up kicked off with a huge influencer UGC drive for the brand with a guest list of over 200 in the first two days, then stayed open for the following two days to welcome huge numbers of consumers.

Other pop-ups were held for Smooshzees (Character Options) and Decora Girls (John Adams), all of which benefitted from great influencer and consumer support.

• August – Gloworm Festival (Simba Smoby Toys UK and Magicbox)

The Smoby Play Zone returned to this festival for the third year this year, inviting families and kids to experience its playhouses, slides and AquaPlay sets. It was enormous fun and provided an opportunity for festivalgoers to really let their hair down and discover all the benefits of Simba Smoby’s leading outdoor toy brands. For many parents, Gloworm is their first

experience of AquaPlay, so this year we also gave them the option to buy and take away their own toys.

A dedicated SuperThings area was also created at Gloworm 2024 for Magicbox. Alongside blind bag sampling, each visitor received a SuperThings Legends comic book and had the opportunity to meet and greet costume character Neon Blast. More than 10,000 samples were given out to kids over the two-day event. This is a great way to spark a love of a new range and kickstart new collections.

• September – Disney Doorables Adoorbs Disney Store Private Event (Just Play)

This was a closed event, during which we invited influencers to create their own content during a curated Disney Store ‘shopping’ experience for the brand-new

Adoorbs range. As they made their way round the store, which provided plenty of brilliant photo opportunities, they could fill their Adoorbs shopping bag with gifts to take home.

• October – Ghosts and Fireworks Simbrix event at Eureka! Children’s Museum (Character Options)

Taking place over October half term, visitors to the museum were greeted by an impressive Simbrix backdrop and were able to take part in hands-on crafting workshops, during which they created their own seasonally-themed Simbrix fireworks display or ghost figure. This location, at this time of year, naturally experiences high footfall and we also invited a selection of influencers to come and create their own content.

MB: As someone who is very involved in events, my best advice is that each event must be right for the brand and budget. Don’t make the mistake of blowing your money on a type of marketing that isn’t going to work for you, just because another company is doing so.

EB: Being very selective (and also inventive ) when it comes to events avoids the risk of consumer and/or influencer fatigue. Especially on weekends, there can be events that clash, and there are only so many people can attend (and only so many weekends in a month). We all want events to offer something tangible and exciting, that feels new and engaging and creates memories for years to come. If there are too many – if events become par for the course with every new launch – they’ll become just more background noise in what is already a fragmented and complex marketing landscape. We might be an events agency, but we will steer companies away from them if we think that’s best.

That said, we’re proud of our track record in staging successful events and helping our clients’ brands reach consumers in new ways. We’re a behind the scenes partner for events, using our expertise, team and inhouse designers and equipment to help toy companies set up and run activations that offer great value to consumers and clients alike. In the years to come, we want to see events continue to run thoughtfully, where it makes sense, and when ROI is assured.

That’s our desired version of events.

Viewpoint Financing the growth of a successful toy company

Dr. Carl-Mikael Wilhelmsson

Dr. Carl-Mikael Wilhelmsson first joined the toy industry working for Lundby, to lead the worldwide expansion of its dolls houses, and later entered the fashion doll market with Petra. He went on to roles heading up Nintendo in Eastern Europe and Wild Planet Europe, also becoming a shareholder of several US toy companies. He then ventured into the world of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and, following his ‘official’ retirement this year, is now participating in various global financing projects.

Banks of today are too slow for the entrepreneurial world, writes Dr. Carl-Mikael Wilhelmsson, who explains more about private company growth investment achieved through private investors - and how this can work for toy companies.

The biggest lesson I have learnt throughout my entrepreneurial business life is that ‘cash is king’. I still vividly recall the financial challenges we faced when we developed hit toys such as the AirWare or Phlat Ball. This article is intended to benefit members of the toy and entertainment industry from a financial perspective. The financial industry often has difficulty understanding the benefits and pitfalls of our industry, because it is unpredictable. It has to be, because we are dealing with creativity. Nevertheless, there are certain parameters that any company seeking financing support needs to adhere to – even an unpredictable toy company. These truths can sometimes be hard to accept, but are a reality in the world of finance:

• Just because you have a new toy, or toy line that will ‘disrupt the marketplace’ does not mean that the financial community will understand why.

• Financial investors are often driven by greed, and will be looking for a surplus ROI on anything they invest in.

• VC companies are always looking at an excessive ROI, to fund other lossmaking investments on their side.

• There is a lot of capital out there, but you need to have a successful track record and ‘look the part’ to gain access. If it’s your first venture; it’s savings and family & friends, in that order.

• Equity financing is not always the best route. Mezzanine is a better financial solution when you want to maintain control of your company.

• I have rarely experienced more ‘hot air’ than reading a toy company's balance sheet...

• From an M&A perspective, toy & entertainment companies have a tendency to vastly over-value future earnings (from that perspective, industrial company valuations are much more attractive).

• M&A is a conveyor belt of opportunities and owners have to learn when it is wiser to sell than to foster one's own ego. (On that topic, I can refer to a well-known toy company that we arranged to be offered a one-time sales acquisition price, because the timing was right, but they declined. The following year they were not even worth half of the original valuation…).

• The most used company evaluation tool is the DCF model (see www. pitchbook.com/blog/howdiscounted-cashflow-analysisworks). It has its flaws, but overall, it describes and evaluates a company and its future pretty well.

I advise companies under the wing of the Paris Chamber of Commerce and am also on its selection committee for membership companies seeking funding. On a recent business trip to Paris, every company I spoke to was complaining about the difficulties and the timeconsuming effort required to raise capital for their various projects. It didn’t matter if it was the first or second round of financing.

I am currently working with a group of high-net individuals in Switzerland, Germany and Austria, who are looking for serious investment objects to offset their yearly surplus of cash flow that

they make through their own successful companies. We provide them with an ongoing investment vehicle on a yearly basis. Regardless of what type of capital a private company is seeking - be it seed, equity or mezzanine - we carry out a predue diligence with each of them and then offer a bespoke financing solution, if we deem their business venture is worthy of such an investment.

Banks of today are too slow for the entrepreneurial world; to prove my point, in the UK, 60% of all private company growth investment is done through private investors, rather than banks. Our speciality knowledge area is mezzanine financing, where we have developed a model that gives long-term financing to moderate fixed interest rates.

For this model, we have one criterion that is a deal breaker if not provided. Each candidate has to provide proof of capital of 10% of the investment they are seeking. For example, if they are seeking one million, they have to provide proof of capital of 100.000 etc. We don’t go below a million, because the work involved for us is as time consuming for one million as for 100 million.

This proof of capital is to ensure that any client is putting their money where their mouth is. We have all at one time invested our own personal cash and succeeded, and we are looking for the same type of entrepreneurial individuals. We will not invest, or provide financing for ‘blue sky’ projects, only the ones we believe are serious and have a real future. If your business has what it takes, we'll make a first assessment of your needs and assessment and let you know if we are interested in pursuing it.

Dr. Carl-Mikael Wilhelmsson can be contacted at wilhelmsson@posteo.de.

We understand the power of toys.

When India took Duffy on long family trips, he turned every journey into an adventure.

Havas Entertainment understands the power of toys. They can be our first friends, early teachers, and stay with us through thick and thin.

Despite often being nothing more than plastics, fabrics, or slime, toys have the power to supercharge a young imagination – and to us, that’s pure magic.

That’s why we’re proud to say we’re an awarded and category-leading toy specialist. As a one-stop-shop media and creative agency backed by the Havas Group, we have the capabilities to assist you wherever you need on the path to purchase.

Our primary concern is your business – with TRR client servicing scores of 93%. We’re passionate about innovation, keeping a keen eye on how technology is

influencing your customer and commerce, as well as on your competition.

Just like your favourite toy, we are at your side and at your service, through thick and thin, ready to help you achieve whatever you can imagine.

Because we know the power of toys.

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: Craft Buddy, Hornby, MGA, Panini & Target Darts.

Luke Littler Cabinet & Dartboard Set

Target Darts • 07747 103 252

Next month sees the start of the highly anticipated PDC World Darts Championship at Ally Pally in London, a blue-ribbon event in the world darts calendar. A year ago, it was here that Luke Littler’s mesmerising journey to the final as an unseeded 16-year-old transfixed a whole nation, and the star is hoping to go one better this time around. In the past few months, he has continued to showcase his stellar darts ability, racking up a raft of tournament wins including the Premier League Darts title in his debut season. There’s no hotter property right now than Luke ‘the Nuke’ Littler, whose rise to fame has had an incredible influence on the popularity of darts and has led to unprecedented appeal among a whole new audience of fans.

Now, Target Darts, which has already seen incredible demand for its Luke Littler Magnetic Dartboard Set, has launched a brand-new set in time for Christmas. Created in collaboration with the renowned darts sensation, the premium Luke Littler Cabinet & Dartboard Set boasts a player-endorsed dartboard housed within an elegant cabinet. The dartboard features a rotational score-ring, ultra-thin wire system and staple-free bullseye for precise and rewarding gameplay. The board is crafted from self-healing African Sisal, which ensures durability and shape recovery and offers extended use.

Complete with two sets of three brass darts with steel tip points, a competition-standard throw line for regulated gameplay and mini chalks for scorekeeping, this set equips players with everything they need for thrilling matches against friends and family. With the included assembly kit, setup is quick and hassle-free, allowing players to focus on enjoying the game.

This ideal family Christmas gift was honoured as the Judge’s Pick for ‘Best Gift for Teens’ at the recent 2024 Christmas Wishlist Awards.

NewRainbowHighandL.O.L. Surprise!ranges

Rainbow High is introducing the magic of winter to its portfolio with the launch of the Rainbow High Winter Wonderland dolls.

The brand is bringing back fan-favourite character Bella alongside top-selling dolls Skyler, Sunny and Violet. The dolls, which have been included in Selfridges’ Top Toys for Christmas and Very’s Daydreaming toy campaign, come ready for the snowy season with winter-themed outfits and matching accessories, including earmuffs and glasses. There’s even magic ‘snow’ hidden inside that will transform each outfit for added play value. Kids simply add water to the snow and watch the outfits become puffy and reveal fun colours. Suitable for children aged four and over, each doll includes a Make Your Own Snowman Kit with mouldable snow that can be stretched over and over again to create festive snowman friends for each of the dolls.

The brand’s first-ever celebrity ambassador and former Pussycat Doll, Kimberly Wyatt, will be showcasing the Winter Wonderland dolls and their exciting puff-up reveal via content on her Instagram channel. The dolls are also being supported by heavyweight child-targeted YouTube and VOD campaigns in the lead-up to Christmas, alongside influencer gifting and meta campaigns targeted at parents. This season, the new L.O.L. Surprise! Tweens Costume Surprise Dolls will introduce a first of its kind unboxing experience. The inflatable unboxing experience comes with layers of surprises, perfect for endless imaginative and storytelling play for children. The Tweens dolls – Ava Cherry, Emma Emo, Ali Dance, Hoops Cutie and their pet costumes – feature in the all-new L.O.L. Surprise! Skate Dance Movie, which premiered last month on YouTube Kids. As Christmas approaches, the brand is also introducing L.O.L. Surprise! Big Surprise Party to the range, perfect for the ultimate Christmas present under the tree. There are 40 surprise balls to unbox, including sensory surprises, four dolls and lots of fashion accessories. Big Surprise Party is perfect for families who love to get creative and enjoy sensory play, as the product includes a mix of specially textured surprises.

Dealing out iconic art on every card played

New Scalextric slot cars

Hornby (Scalextric) • 01843 233 500

www.uk.scalextric.com • sales@hornby.com

Scalextric is set to excite both collectors and racing enthusiasts with its latest slot car collection, combining iconic racing legends with cutting-edge modern machines. The new lineup includes a selection of models, each meticulously designed to reflect the cars' reallife counterparts and offer an authentic racing experience.

A key highlight of the range is the Cadillac V-Series R - Whelen Engineering, a standout model that celebrates Cadillac’s third place finish at Le Mans 2023. This sleek endurance racer is a must-have for fans of contemporary motorsport.

For those with a passion for classic racing, the BRM P57 - Winner Dutch GP 1962 takes centre stage. This World Champion Edition commemorates Graham Hill's historic victory and is a testament to Scalextric’s commitment to recreating motorsport history in vivid detail.

Meanwhile, American muscle enthusiasts will be drawn to the Shelby Mustang GT350 - Paul Kenelly - Equipe GTS, a model that captures the essence of classic car racing. Equally eye-catching is the Lamborghini Revuelto - Arancio Apodis, with its striking orange finish, bringing a modern, high-performance touch to the lineup.

For fans of film and pop culture, the James Bond AMC Hornet - The Man With The Golden Gun Gold Anniversary Edition, celebrates 50 years of Bond with an intricately detailed, gold-finished car that recalls one of the franchise's most memorable chase scenes.

The new Scalextric range is diverse, offering something for everyone, from historic endurance racers like the Mirage GR8 to modern rally cars such as the Subaru Impreza WRX - Carlos Sainz 1995. With this latest collection, Scalextric continues to bridge the gap between past and present, delivering models that spark joy, nostalgia and the thrill of the race.

BarclaysWomen’sSuperLeague

Official Sticker Collection

Panini • 01604 877 888 • www.paninigroup.com

Following the success of the first-ever domestic women's football sticker album last year, Panini and the Women’s Professional Game confirm that the Barclays Women’s Super League Official Sticker Collection will arrive this month. This announcement reflects the continued growth in the women’s game as cumulative attendances across the Barclays WSL and Women’s Championship surpassed 1m for the first time across the 2023/24 season. Panini says the physical Barclays WSL sticker collection will be back, bigger and better than ever, now featuring 397 stickers across a 60-page album, more bumper stats and even more of the all-important must-have ‘shinies’.

Celebrating the best of the women’s domestic game, the album includes Impact Players and Power Pairs from all 12 Barclays WSL teams, as well as a nod to future women’s football stars. Manchester City’s Chloe Kelly and Arsenal’s Alessia Russo will feature on the star-studded album front cover.

Stickers are available at retail from November 2024, when collectors can kick off with a starter pack, which includes a Panini Barclays WSL album and five packets of stickers. To find out more about stocking Panini, call 01604 877 888.

Craft Buddy continues to innovate with the launch of the Crystal Art Mega Activity Set for autumn/winter. Suitable for children aged eight and over, the sets showcase three popular licensed characters including Stitch & Angel, Spider-Man and Harry Potter. The great value activity sets are perfect for enthusiastic crafters and make an ideal Christmas gift, offering a fun, interactive bundle of projects such as stickers, bookmarks, phone stands, pictures with easels and mini friends sets.

Just in time for the festive season, Craft Buddy is also offering daily moments of mindfulness with the launch of its first Crystal Art Advent Calendar Tree. Complete with 24 windows of magnetic decorations, each day is a sparkling opportunity for crafters to crystalise decorations they can use to dress the 40cm festive tree. The tree can be suction attached to most surfaces. This new innovation is perfect for those looking for a space-saving, affordable and entertaining advent purchase that also adds some sparkle to each day.

Special Feature Icecat

Smyths Toys Enhances Customer Experience with Icecat’s Rich Content

Smyths Toys Goes Live with Icecat Enhanced Product Stories Throughout Europe

Smyths Toys, Europe leading toy specialist, has partnered with global product content syndicator Icecat to enhance its online shopping experience. By integrating Icecat’s enriched content, Smyths has transformed its product pages, creating a more interactive and engaging shopping journey for their customers.

At the heart of this enhancement are Icecat’s Enhanced Product Stories, dynamic below-the-fold content pages designed to boost brand visibility and increase conversion rates. These content features offer a rich mix of multimedia, including image galleries, videos, 360° product views, interactive hotspots, 3D and AR objects, usergenerated content, feature logos, and much more. The aim is to provide shoppers with a more immersive and informative experience, effectively replicating the engagement customers typically experience when interacting with products in physical stores.

Icecat’s Global Impact

Icecat is a global leader in product content syndication, supporting over 40,000 e-commerce businesses worldwide. By helping brands, manufacturers, distributors, and retailers deliver consistent and compelling product information across multiple channels, Icecat empowers organizations to create seamless omnichannel experiences that convert browsers into buyers.

Smyths Toys' collaboration with Icecat highlights the significance of enriched content in today’s competitive digital marketplace, with Icecat Product Stories now live across Europe. As e-commerce continues to expand, this partnership positions Smyths Toys to stand out, delivering a unique shopping experience for its customers. Companies interested in working with Icecat and making Enhanced Product Stories available on Smyths can easily create them in the Icecat Studio tool. For more information about the process, please reach out to René Rozendal at rene.rozendal@icecat.com.

Meet Icecat at Toy Fair and Spielwarenmesse!

Icecat will be present at both The London Toy Fair and at The Nuremberg International Toy Fair, providing a great opportunity for brands to discuss how Icecat can enhance their online presence.

Attendees are warmly invited to connect with René Rozendal to set up a meeting and explore the exciting ways Icecat can elevate its product pages. Don’t miss out—if you're eager to enrich your online product offerings before the fairs, reach out to René today for more information. Let’s make your products shine!

What else is new?

Q1 is an important juncture, where suppliers and retailers take a step back after the chaos of the holiday season and simultaneously set themselves up for the year to come with a raft of new products and ranges. This month, Caroline Tonks looks at the latest trends and upcoming ranges arriving between Boxing Day and Easter and speaks with leading suppliers about their focuses for Q1, including price points, new launches and bringing customers back into stores.

Q1 is typically a relatively quiet time of year for the toy retail channel, as everyone starts to recover from the hectic Golden Quarter and Christmas boom.

After an initial spike when shoppers look to spend money or vouchers received as gifts, stores generally see a reduction is footfall; customers have just spent large amounts on presents and are avoiding too much in the way of extra spending. However, it is still a critical quarter, establishing a base for the year ahead, with retailers and suppliers looking to draw consumers back in with new launches hitting the shelves.

“This period is crucial as it provides retailers with the opportunity to refresh their shelves and keep momentum going after Christmas,” says Will Collinson, general manager UK and Europe, Zuru. “Q1 capitalises on the need for newness and freshness as consumers recover from the post-Christmas lull, and at the same time, monetary gifts received during the holidays are spent.”

Charlotte Harvey, Bladez Toys’ senior national account manager, agrees, claiming that Q1 ranges

are important as customers often come out of the festive period with gift cards to spend. “This offers them something new and exciting that they didn’t get for Christmas and gives them a reason to buy,” says Charlotte. “The post-Christmas period is a great time to launch an extension item to support that big box gift that came under the tree, as well as introduce new styles to collectible ranges.”

“Q1 ranges are essential for driving post-Christmas store traffic by offering fresh products when consumer interest typically wanes,” explains Max Nelson, sales director, Heathside Trading. In his opinion, launching new collections during this quarter helps to maintain momentum from the holidays and attracts customers looking to spend Christmas money.

From a retailer’s perspective, Jon Scrivens of Hamlins Toymaster in Berkhamsted prefers to have a quieter start to the year. “It’s always interesting to see the Q1 range releases trickling through. There’s a slight gap after Christmas, but I think it’s a necessary gap because we’re all trying to catch our breath and figure out what leftover stock we have from the holidays.” Hamlins’ carries out its annual stocktake in January, so not having too many

new releases straight away is helpful.

Within the Q1 period, suppliers are releasing brandnew lines, as well as refreshing and expanding previous collections. Most companies look to have a mix of both, to capitalise on as much newness as possible, while taking into account that many purchases are towards the lower end of the price spectrum.

Looking at brand-new ranges, Zimpli Kids has announced the launch of its first partnership with Care Bears – the Care Bears Special Effects Baff Bombz. These Bombz release vibrant colours that swirl around the bath, adding a rainbow twist to bath time. Zimpli is also set to introduce the Care Bears Surprise Baff Bombz, where kids can reveal one of their favourite Care Bears after the fizz.

Baby Republic will distribute Little Brian’s latest launch in Q1 – Flip Sticks. These mess-free paint sticks feature two colours in one stick for endless artistic possibilities. With Flip Sticks, children can switch colours with just a flip, perfect for adding dimension to any art project.

On the opposite side, numerous companies will be expanding their already-existing popular ranges.

Feature Q1 Ranges

“We are fortunate to have some well-established brands in our portfolio, and our focus for Q1 will be to continue to build on these,” says Kirsty Mackenzie, head of Marketing, Bandai UK. “We have lots of exciting introductions across our range with something to appeal to everyone, from pre-schoolers all the way up to grownup kids.”

Following a successful relaunch into the UK market, Bandai UK’s Littlest Pet Shop brand will introduce its third series of new pets during the Q1 period. The Pet Single blind packs and Pet Pairs remain key drivers, along with themed play packs. New Mini Plush Pets and Cuddle Plush Beanie Pets will also be unveiled, expanding the Littlest Pet Shop offering further.

Zuru’s Pets Alive robotic plush pets will see continued growth with accessible and affordable lines. The new Mama Bunny & Baby Surprise set includes sounds, interactive play and the popular unboxing element of discovering baby bunnies, while Furmaids is a new Pets Alive line of collectible interactive capsules, each containing one of three cuddly animal mermaid characters.

Heathside is focusing on a broad range of toys and collectibles in Q1 that span various areas of pop culture. Under its Khadou brand, the company is emphasising lower-priced products, introducing new licences and expanding successful 2024 lines with fresh series and format launches. Its Master Replicas brand is also launching a selection of higher-end premium collections, both online and with retail partners. “In 2025, Heathside is placing a much stronger focus on marketing and digital activations to support its new ranges,” says Max. “While we've relied heavily on the popularity of licences to drive sell-through in the

past, we're aware that a focus on a marketing strategy will enhance sales and broaden market coverage. We know there is an effective way of engaging with a broader audience while still benefiting from the cost-effective approaches we've used so far.”

As a result of the success of the awardwinning Real FX Disney Stitch, Wow! Stuff will further develop the emerging Puppetronics category in Q1. New additions will feature a broad range of price points, ensuring accessibility for a wider audience, and introduce new licences that are already fan favourites.

Just Play will also be carrying forward its best-selling lines from the Disney Stitch range, ahead of the live action film that is set for release in 2025. Just Play’s consumers will be able to add to their lineup of Disney Stitch That’s So Stitch figures. Like previous releases, each surprise two-inch figure will come in a pineapple-shaped blind capsule, depicting Stitch or Angel in a new pose.

One For Fun is releasing new and exclusive four-car sets for Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris, as well as new F1 kits, F1 dioramas and F1 hauliers. F1’s popularity is driven by the Netflix series, Drive to Survive, and the upcoming movie release of F1, produced by Lewis Hamilton and starring Brad Pitt, set to come out in summer 2025.

to choose from and the Q1 introductions offer something new, fresh and different from the ranges we had just before Christmas.”

As well as Lilo & Stitch, there are a number of other big movie releases from existing franchises in the works, which in turn provide a plethora of possibilities to maximise on licensed toy ranges. Next year is predicted to be huge for the new Jurassic World Rebirth, How To Train Your Dragon and Gabby’s Dollhouse movies. Posh Paws has announced it will be the official plush partner, supporting these releases with current stock available to order now, as well as brand-new movie stock.

“Big movie releases give retailers a lot of opportunities to capitalise on licensed ranges,” explains Jon Scrivens. At Hamlins Toymaster, new action figures are usually a bit slow to get off the ground, but items from new Transformer One ranges have already been performing very well. Paddington is a perpetual favourite for the shop too, and Hamlins is constantly selling licensed plush, especially in the run up to the release of Paddington in Peru.

In Q1, several suppliers will see further expansion of their own licensed ranges. Bladez Toys is bringing enhanced play to many of its most successful ranges for 2025, welcoming new launches like Harry Potter and Minecraft. Following the success of the Harry Potter Make Your Own Creatures range, Bladez will be introducing the all-new Harry Potter Make Your Own Characters. Consumers will have the chance to build their favourite characters from the beloved franchise, made from sustainable materials. “Bladez’s focus for Q1 will be on low priced arts & crafts ranges that drive collectability, such as our Harry Potter Maker Kitz Characters,” says Charlotte. “Kids can buy these with their pocket money, building up the collection over time, and they also make great rainy-day activities at an affordable price.”

Due to the time of the year and the cold weather in the early Q1 months, fun activities that can be enjoyed indoors tend to enjoy a strong resurgence in popularity. “I’ve found that it’s the time of year when people are looking for arts & crafts, traditional board games and even jigsaw puzzles,” explains Jon. “There’s such a

Q1 will see new ranges added to Asmodee UK’s games portfolio, including Azul Duel, set to release in February 2025. This competitive reimagining of the awardwinning classic, Azul, adds extra tactical dimensions to the gameplay, whilst retaining the purity and elegance of the original game. University Games will add over 80 new lines into its extensive portfolio in 2025. Joining the company’s best-selling games collection will be titles such as Matilda: The Extraordinary Challenges Board Game, the Dog Man Big Jim Begins dice game, the Puppy Pile Card Game and many more. Vivid Goliath has recently gained distribution rights for 5 Second Rule, including the original and junior version, which has seen continued success alongside Vivid’s other hits, including Floor is Lava, Murdle and The Traitors.

For this quieter time of year where budgets are a bit tighter, lower price points, typically in the pocket money area, offer an attractive option to consumers. As Q1 covers the post-Christmas sale period, half term and the run up to Easter, pick-up purchases are a key driver.

As a business, Zuru generally focuses on price points that allow for both high-volume sales and strong margins. “Typically, we live in the £5-£20 range as it strikes a balance between affordability and perceived value, which is key when parents may be more budgetconscious,” says Will. This is Zuru’s year-round approach and the reason why it typically tends to over-index during the first part of the year.

Charlotte concludes: “Bladez’s focus for Q1 will be sub £10 lines, with a handful of lines in the range between £10 and £20. It is important to offer affordability and value for money during the Q1 period. Lower price points allow customers to buy as and when they can and drives the collectability over time.” In past years, Bladez Toys has also noticed that lower priced arts & crafts lines make a great alternative to chocolate eggs at Easter, and this something that the company will be building on in 2025.

Across the following feature, readers will be able to see the latest in Q1 Ranges coming to shelves at the backend of 2024 and early 2025 from a wide array of suppliers.

Q1 Ranges

Mattel

01628 500 000 | www.mattel.com

This spring, Hot Wheels is set to launch a host of new playsets, including the Hot Wheels T-Rex Blaze Battle with a dynamic T-Rex that wants to eat all the cars and the Hot Wheels Rapid Launch and Loop where kids can crank the wheel mechanism to release Hot Wheels cars and make them repeatedly stunt, race and crash through the playset. For both fans and collectors, there is also the new Hot Wheels Vintage assortment.

The Disney and Pixar Cars Colour Changers Race Ready Car Wash playset has surprising colour-change features, while the new Matchbox Sky Busters offer realistic and detailed toy aircrafts that feature rolling wheels and spinning propellers.

For the perfect game night, players can partner up with the new Uno Teams. They can also play the classic family game, Pictionary, with teams taking turns to draw quick sketches and make hilarious guesses.

Barbie will be introducing more innovative dolls this spring, including the Barbie Deluxe Style dolls, the Barbie Colour Reveal Disco Star series and the Barbie Pop Reveal Animal Party series. The Barbie Fairy Doll will create colour-changing magic as she dips her starry wand sponge in cold water and her wings change hearts from pink to red. The Barbie and Chelsea Doll Set features the iconic sisters wearing pink dresses and featuring accessories.

The Monster High Skulltimate Secrets: Garden Mysteries closet set features characters Draculaura, Twyla or Venus. The new Polly Pocket Core Compacts hold tiny worlds with big surprises that kids can take on the go. The Disney Princess Vanity Pop Ariel Doll is ready for adventure with her vanity containing five surprise-filled pearls inside.

The Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Smart Stages Sis and Puppy are plush musical toys that introduce babies to the alphabet, shapes, first words and more. Baby’s favourite tune can be taken on the go with the FisherPrice Sing & Go Purple Monkey stroller toy or kids can cuddle up with the Fisher-Price Purple Monkey Musical Storybook, which both feature the popular Purple Monkey song from the Deluxe Kick & Play Piano Gym. The Disney Princess Moana & Maui's Canoe by Little People features a wave-like motion as kids roll it along, plus a pivoting sail, spinning oar and hatch that opens to reveal Heihei.

Kids can load up on construction-themed railway play with the Thomas & Friends Diesel's Lift and Load Construction Set and act out epic adventures with the Imaginext DC Super Friends Superman Insider and Exo Suit, featuring projectile-launching action. Mega Bloks will also be launching the refreshed Build and Rig Race, a buildable racing themed track with three racetrack pieces and two buildable figures.

Wow! Stuff

01902 390 428 | www.wowstuff.com

After a hugely successful 2024, Wow! Stuff is poised to continue its momentum into 2025. With a reputation for pushing the boundaries of innovation and creativity, the Q1 launches from Wow! Stuff will expand on its existing successes while introducing fresh concepts and new licences.

Following the sell-out success of the award-winning Real FX Disney Stitch, the company will further develop the emerging Puppetronics category, which has already delighted consumers by delivering an interactive experience where toys look real, feel real and sound real. The new additions to the Puppetronics category will feature a broad range of price points, ensuring accessibility for a wider audience, and introduce new licences that are already fan favourites. Consumers can expect more lifelike, responsive characters that blend advanced animatronics with beloved properties, pushing the boundaries of interactive play.

Wow! Stuff is also partnering with WWE. In Q1, the WWE range will begin rolling out at major UK and US retailers with the launch of Thumb Wars Superstars, alongside a variety of WWEthemed gifts, toys and novelties. These products are designed to tap into the energy and excitement of the WWE universe, engaging fans of all ages with fun and on-brand experiences.

Q1 will see the continued growth of Nano Pods, the highly popular connectable collectibles. With an emphasis on new licences, a refreshed packaging format and a new CDU dispenser, there’s now a new SRP pick-up price point that has seen the line drive huge volumes in the opening three European markets. The UK and USA are launching January 2025 at major retailers.

For fans of Harry Potter and the Wizarding World, new, innovative items will be introduced including the Marauders Map Notebook and Patronus Reveal Notebook. Both items incorporate a magical feature to capture the imagination of Harry Potter fans and collectors, both young and older. Wow! Stuff has reimagined its existing best-selling products with new packaging and design elements inspired by the new Harry Potter Style Guide.

2025 will see the launch of a new in-house developed brand, Wishtopia, a magical realm designed to nurture children’s imaginations and support their mental, emotional and social health. Wishtopia aims to help children navigate their emotions and build resilience by taking them on imaginative adventures where their wishes come to life. The centrepiece of the range is the Wishtopia Wishing Well. Another highlight is the Wishtopia Secret Wishes Journal, which can be unlocked with a pendant and used to write secret wishes with a UV pen, revealing them under a UV light. Each Wishtopia product is designed to work with others in the range, helping to build an eco-system of additive play.

Q1 Ranges

One For Fun

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

There will be a host of new releases in 2025 from One for Fun’s awardwinning brands.

Tobar will continue to add to the ever-popular Scrunchems range and Q1 will see lots of expansions with new themes. There will be even more emphasis on sensory, mindfulness and food lines to sit alongside the existing, awardwinning sensory products. Scrunchems will see new additions with the honeybee squish ball, the happy little squish ball, squishy marshmallows and a brand-new ASMR ball.

The Animigos Funky Friends are adorable characters, approximately 33cm in size, made from soft, huggable material and featuring a mochi face design. This range of flowers, fruit and food is sure to bring smiles to kids and plush enthusiasts alike.

HGL is adding to its pocket money line up with lots of impulse buys on offer. The Micro Fidgetz 2 series will build on the first edition of the micro collection, adding to the awardwinning concept. Q1 will see the Super Sensory Square, each side packed with unique sensory features to spin, push, pop, twist, click and more. Exclusive to the UK market, it promises endless tactile exploration and satisfying play. Also new are the Slime Surprise Vending Machine and the Sensory Surprise Vending Machine; users simply turn the vending machine handles to get their surprise.

New and exclusive are four-car sets for Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris. The 2024 cars are being released for all the top teams, including Red Bull, Mercedes, McLaren, Aston Martin, Ferrari and Renault Alpine, as well as an assortment including the best drivers from all those teams. There will also be new F1 kits, F1 dioramas (which include the car, pit garage and pit crew) and F1 hauliers. F1’s popularity is driven by the Netflix series, Drive to Survive, and the movie release of F1, produced by Lewis Hamilton and starring Brad Pitt, set to come out in summer 2025. There will be many new cars released early next year, including the new Ferrari Cilindri.

Character Options

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

Character Options’ new Q1 ranges include Ollyball, new scented characters from Smooshzees and Slushy Makers from ChillFactor.

Ollyball is the 12-inch reinflatable ball that has won a Toy of the Year Award. With Patented KrunchCor construction, it absorbs the impact from full-speed hits and kicks, meaning kids can now play ball in the house without causing chaos. The outside cover can also be personalised with any coloured pen, marker or crayon.

Smooshzees are back in Q1 with new series two characters, each with its own individual scent. Just like the Cutezees and Luvees from the launch collection, these all-new Smooshzees are adorably soft with squidgy fillings and a velvety outer skin.

The latest Colour Shock Slushy Makers from ChillFactor have been given a makeover. The new Colour Shock cups are bright, bold and colourful with a lightning bolt/shock pattern. The new standout packaging has an 80s inspired graphic style print and will give the brand a refresh for Q1.

Character Options’ Q1 portfolio will be supported with substantial PR and marketing campaigns for 2023.

Basic Fun! UK

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

Basic Fun! UK is starting the first quarter of 2025 with new themes, fresh formats and even more properties to collect across its brand portfolio.

Basic Fun! UK has taken the popularity of all things classic and combined it with the micro trend to bring fans Micro Teenies. Some of the best-loved Care Bears BFFs are already available as cute, novelty collectibles. And, as of spring/summer 2025, SpongeBob SquarePants fans can get their hands on the iconic SpongeBob himself, as well as his aquatic friends, as Micro Teenies.

There’s a special addition to the Care Bears master toy line for spring with Sweet Serenity Bear. Sweet Serenity has a unique sensory belly badge designed to help neurodiverse children and adults manage their anxiety.

Spring/summer 2025’s Tonka portfolio is tapping into the mini trend as well with the addition of Steel Classics Minis. The range launches with three to collect: Dump Truck, Excavator and Bulldozer. Each is made from steel and metal parts, with working features.

Following the launch of the first series of Cotton CandyKins, new characters are on the way for spring. Each Cotton CandyKins character comes wrapped in a unique surprise-reveal pack.

With the release of the Minecraft movie next year, fans will be able to extend the fun with the new lowerpriced licensed Lite-Brite Super Bright HD Minecraft edition, which will be available just in time for the movie launch.

Q1 Ranges

Zuru

www.zurutoys.com | sales@zuru.com

With innovation, creativity, value proposition and collectability as core principles for development, Zuru has unveiled a host of ranges and extensions to some of its most popular and best-selling brands for the 2025 Q1 period.

A build experience for older children, teens, kidults and collectors, Zuru has introduced Max Premium, a range of collectible capsules comprising of themed miniature building bricks. Each capsule opens to reveal a high piece count of top-quality bricks to build and collect. Perfect for play, display and mindfulness activity, the range launches with four collectible lines – Garden, Flowers, Retro and Snacks – each including six premium constructible pieces to collect from.

Mini Brands remains a key driver for the business and of the miniature collectibles space. Set to feed a frenzy amongst its fanbase of Miniacs, Mini Brands Kawaii introduces cute mini treasures inspired by the Japanese culture craze. With 30 Kawaii minis to discover, fans will uncover rare scented or real liquid-filled minis for added interactive play value.

Pets Alive, the award-winning interactive robotic plush pets’ brand, continues to grow with accessible and affordable lines for the Q1 period. Fresh off the success of this year’s Mama Duck & Baby Surprise, 2025 lines gain momentum with nurture play patterns, collectability and added on-shelf theatre. Mama Bunny & Baby Surprise includes sounds, interactive play and the popular unboxing element of discovering baby bunnies. Furmaids is a new Pets Alive line of collectible interactive capsules, each containing one of three cuddly animal mermaid characters, complete with themed accessories. New sub-£10 lines, Pets Alive Swimming Axolotls, come in two colourways – pink and blue. This cute friend comes alive when placed in water and swims in up to five different directions.

Top-property and licensed plush range, Snackles, sees its assortment of characters swapping favourite licensed snacks for consumers to grow their collections. Two new characters also join the collection with Q1 seeing the arrival of Alex the Panda Express Chinese Kitchen Panda and Sally the Fruitella Flamingo. A first for the brand, the Snackles characters themselves become licensed with the introduction of limited-edition Snackles Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Zuru’s acquisition of Fugglers is set to take the brand to new heights. Q1 launches include Gold Fuggs, a new waves of Baby Fuggs and Key Ring Buddies, alongside licensed DC Universe and Gremlins collections.

Newness has also been incorporated in the company’s popular IPs, Rainbocorns, Smashers and Robo Alive, with resulting stand-out SKUs, while its best-selling range of XShot blasters introduces value-led motorised models, expanding the consumer’s brand interaction journey and comprehensive offering on-shelf.

Simba Smoby UK

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

Spring 2025 will bring Disney treats, a surfing Stitch and a more sustainable future for Simba Smoby UK.

With Simba Toys’ Disney Munchlings plush range, fans can see popular Disney characters in the design of delicious, colourful treats.

The Munchlings collection consists of six different characters, including Olaf as ice cream and Minnie as a chocolate strawberry. Each cuddly toy from the Munchlings range is around 10cm tall, has intricately embroidered facial features and lovingly created designs. Perfect for cuddling and irresistibly collectible, they make the sweetest of Disney displays.

Smoby is taking huge steps on the sustainability front as it prepares to transition almost all its outdoor toy lines to Smoby Life branding. This range is made largely from high-quality recycled materials, offering the same great quality, durability and aesthetic for which Smoby is renowned, whilst also giving families a greener choice. The Smoby Life Mud Kitchen is made from 89% recycled plastic, with a new trend-led colour palette that’s easy to clean and resistant to outdoor conditions. The mud kitchen work area includes two large mixing trays, a lid to extend the work surface or store ‘food’, a cooking zone and a low shelf for organising. The slatted backing conveniently holds the water tank, removable containers, hanging pots, utensils and more.

The Lilo & Stitch live action movie is coming in 2025, and is expected to drive large volume sales throughout the year for RC Surfer Stitch. Available from January, RC Surfer Stitch stands on a surfboard with a red paddle in-hand. Fans can control Stitch’s board to make it look as though he’s catching waves wherever he goes. This RC item spins 360-degrees and is self-righting.

For more information on the new ranges and their availably, please contact Jack, Christian or James through the details above.

Rubies

0845 307 0707 | www.rubiesuk.com

With an ever-growing licensed property portfolio, Rubies is ready to launch a new lineup for the new year, featuring a diverse range of everyday play and dressup that caters to fans of beloved characters, from World of Walliams and Wizard of Oz to Bing and many more.

The latest additions include costumes straight out of the world of Bing, the lovable bunny from the hit children's series. The Bing costume for pre-schoolers comes with a jumpsuit and headpiece, allowing little ones to embody their favourite bunny character with ease. For those looking for an even more immersive experience, the Bing Deluxe costume includes a jumpsuit, headpiece and a plush toy, perfect for sparking imaginative everyday play and creative storytelling. There’s even a Sula costume, allowing toddlers to get into character with a dress and headpiece.

Rubies is adding to its Book Day collection with the in-demand styles of The Wizard of Oz. Its Glinda the Good Witch and Dorothy costumes have been rejuvenated with new looks, arriving in time for Book Day 2025. The Glinda costume captures the ethereal and enchanting essence of the Good Witch, complete with a flowing gown with details. Meanwhile, the Dorothy costume features the iconic blue and white gingham dress, complete with red satin shoe covers.

One of the standout additions to Rubies' lineup is the new World of Walliams character, Bertie Blunder, inspired by the popular children's book series by author David Walliams. Joining the hugely successful range of World of Walliams dress-up, which includes characters like Gangsta Granny, Billionaire Boy and Spaceboy, the Bertie Blunder costume includes a jumpsuit with a printed jacket, shirt, 3D tie and book cover accessory. This costume is sure to delight fans of the World of Walliams series and provide a fun option for Book Day celebrations.

Rubies' new 2025 ranges offer a varied selection of costumes that are not only ready for Book Day, but also for any occasion when dressing up is encouraged. With costumes inspired by a diverse range of characters from popular books and TV shows, Rubies continues to provide children with the opportunity to express themselves and have fun.

Q1 Ranges

Bandai UK

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

Bandai UK has unveiled new additions for Q1 2025 across some of its most popular and best-selling ranges.

Following a successful relaunch into the UK market, the iconic Littlest Pet Shop launches its third series of new pets during the Q1 period. As a top selling property in the playset dolls category, the core collectibles are set for increased growth. The Pet Single blind packs and Pet Pairs remain key drivers for the brand, along with themed play packs. A new line of Mini Plush Pets and Cuddle Plush Beanie Pets will be unveiled, expanding the Littlest Pet Shop offering.

Bandai’s own IP, Tamagotchi, is enjoying a resurgence in excitement and media interest in the UK, with recent activities such as the relaunch of fan favourite Tamagotchi Connection, a brand partnership with The Japan Centre and Ichiba, an appearance at the Somerset House Cute exhibition and the celebration of the first branded outlet with its pop-up shop at Camden’s Bandai Namco Cross Store. New styles of both the Tamagotchi Connection and Original for the Q1 period include fan-requested releases.

Thanks in part to the rise in popularity of anime within the UK, Dragon Ball remains a priority for the Q1 period. Both the popular toyetic Evolve action figures, suitable for younger children, and the collector-quality Dragon Stars range will introduce new hero characters, joining established fan favourites. New content launching during Q4 2024 will also support the drive for demand.

A sell-out brand for the company, Bandai UK’s cross-category portfolio of Miraculous fashion dolls, playsets, role-play, plush and collectibles will expand with the introduction of the Shack Stack Surprise. The Shake Stack Surprise collectibles invite collectors and Miraculous fans into the Miraculous Chibi world, with six characters to discover and then stack each blind packaged shack.

Building a presence in the arts & crafts category, Q1 sees planned growth for the Zap Chef range. A new Slushy Maker and Chocofun customised chocolate creations playset will be added to the Rolled Lab ice cream set, helping to establish Zap Chef as a key brand in the play food category.

Under Bandai’s Collector portfolio, Shokugan is set for a big Q1. The popular Kirby Friends range will be joined by Kirby Cookie Charms and Kirby Flocky Dolls, while expanding further into the world of Nintendo with Super Mario Chara-magnets, Mascot Charms and Panel Clip stands based on the most recent Super Mario Bros Wonder game. Chiikawa collectibles based on the Kawaii mouse and friends will join the range.

Also new will be Godzilla blind boxes, Nanoblock Sanrio Mininano blind bags and a Banpresto Luffy Gear Five metallic WCF figure from One Piece.

Playmobil

01268 548 111 | www.playmobil.co.uk

Playmobil has announced the launch of three new collections for Q1 2025, inviting fans to dive into the action-packed worlds of Police and Pirates, along with an all-new Pet Grooming range. The latest Playmobil offerings provide children and families with hours of imaginative play, featuring intricate details, interactive play elements and realistic scenes.

Building on the popularity of Playmobil’s law enforcement collection, the 2025 Police range includes updated figures, vehicles and action-packed accessories. From high-speed car chases to strategic crime-stopping missions, new additions include the Police Patrol Car, complete with a brand-new modern look with working lights and sounds, and the Police Figure set which comes with four Police characters in different scenarios. These new additions bring the Police collection to life, enhancing the immersive experience with more scenes and tools to aid in every daring rescue or criminal chase.

Playmobil’s legendary Pirates collection is making a return with new, innovative sets to discover. Designed to fuel the imaginations of young adventurers, the new Pirates line lets children explore the world of seafarers and treasure hunters with a focus on detail and interactive play. The new Pirate Harbour has a rotating prison cage, cannon and underwater cage to capture the shark. The Harbour even serves as a docking station for Playmobil Pirate ships. There is also the Giant Shark – a new monster shark with a biting feature, which comes with a Pirate. The new Pirates range brings all the excitement of the high seas to the playroom, encouraging children to create tales of treasure hunts, daring duels and oceanic exploration.

Playmobil has also unveiled a brand-new collection focused on pet care and grooming, allowing children to explore the world of animal care and responsible pet ownership. This range is dedicated to animal lovers and includes six new collectible dogs for Q1, with more to come in 2025.

All three collections will be available from January 2025. Each range will be supported with in-store and media assets to create awareness. These ranges and much more will be available to view at London Toy Fair in January.

Magicbox

01293 222500 | www.magicboxint.com sales@magicbox-toys.co.uk

Creative, collectible-driven pocket money ranges that offer a point of difference on the playground are the Magicbox USP, and the company’s Q1 portfolio for 2025 will introduce a brand-new IP.

Piratix is a completely new addition to Magicbox’s brand portfolio. With this collection, kids can discover 60+ pirate collectible figures, including an ultra-rare one with an exclusive accessory. In all Piratix toys, kids will find gold coins that carry the magic of the Piratix treasure. Using these coins, they can activate powers, weapons and mechanisms for forts, cannons and ships, experiencing first-hand a world of fun and adventure. Along the way, they’ll meet new characters, discover their powers, watch cartoon episodes and much more. The full product range is a number of SKUs, with mystery packs, pirate ship playsets and even a Piratix-eating king shark.

Something new is also coming to the T-Racers portfolio. T-Racers come with the Mix ‘N Race function, meaning its unique system lets children collect, then mix and match the front, rear and wheels of their cars to create completely new designs. Since the launch of Mix ‘N Race in spring 2024, fans have been collecting the different designs on offer, and there’s a new wave of designs coming this spring, with 36 new cars for fans to get their hands on and more vehicle combinations to create. Available via a new eye-catching POS stand, designed for independents, there are single and triple car blister packs.

As with all new series launches, Magicbox’s commitment to deliver means high-impact marketing throughout the spring across all its brands.

Epoch Making Toys

020 8049 1377 | sales@epochmakingtoys.com

Sylvanian Families kicks of its 40th anniversary year with the launch of a host of classic sets for spring/summer, including two new families. The Deer Family features father, mother and daughter with interchangeable flower accessories, and a baby who can fit in a tulip style carrier. In addition, fans can collect the Deer Babies Floral Swing Set which includes three baby deer on a river swing, and the Deer Twins set, with one crawling and one sitting baby plus a pastel pushcart. Also new to the Sylvanian Village is the Sea Otter Family. The set comes with father, mother and babies, each dressed in a nautical themed outfit, as well as shell toys, a shell stroller and a shellshaped Pochette. The Sea Otter Sisters Splashy Snorkel Set, which includes snorkelling and seaside-themed accessories, completes the family offering. Other new sets available from January are the Bath Time Bubble Siblings, Sleepy Dream Siblings, Flowering Princess Set and the Village Cake Shop Starter Set. Featuring over 40 pieces, the shop offers many opportunities for imaginative roleplay to bake, decorate and sell sweet creations, mix and match the toppings on the cakes and even watch them rise in the oven. A new Easter set, The Easter Egg Hutch, will launch in March.

Volume 16 of the brand’s popular blind bag series will hit shelves in the new year, with seven characters and a secret figure to collect.

Aquabeads, the original stick-with-water bead toy, will introduce several new sets to the collection for 2025. Featuring 900 beads in 25 colours, the Beginners Craft Studio is designed for those just starting on their Aquabeads journey. The Mini Creations Kit, which comes with 120 beads in 13 colours, makes a great pocket money purchase and conveniently comes in a CDU. Fans will be able to create treat inspired keyrings and rings with the Sundaes and Sweets Craft Kit, featuring 700 beads in 31 pastel colours. A new standalone pop-up tray and the Watercolour Bead Pack, featuring eight different kinds of new watercolour beads, will also be available.

Epoch’s new arts & crafts brand, Pati-School, will add two new sets to its line-up. The Macaron Craft Kit includes everything needed to make macaron themed wearable accessories including rings and keyrings. The Disney Princess Creations Kit includes two keyrings, a ring, a trinket box, beads and paper decorations inspired by favourite princesses.

Epoch

will also launch a new Super Mario product, the

Featuring the iconic caps and crowns of the most well-known characters from the world of

and place the corresponding hat on the wobbly tower - but if they aren’t stacked correctly, the tower will wobble and the hats will be sent flying, crowning the winner.

Games

Super Mario Cap Stacker.

Super Mario, players select a card at random

Q1 Ranges

University Games

020 7254 0100

www.university-games.co.uk

University Games will launch over 80 new lines into its extensive games, puzzles, toys and gifts range in 2025, including a number of new games arriving in Q1.

Joining University Games’ bestselling Roald Dahl games collection will be Matilda: The Extraordinary Challenges Board Game. With Amanda Thripp and her rule breaking pigtails as the games’ spinner, players will spin to move around the board, undertaking mental and physical challenges in order to collect all the books before Miss Trunchbull catches them. There will also be a further two lines added to the Roald Dahl range for 2025, which will be revealed at Toy Fair.

This winter is also set to be a busy time for Dave Pilkey’s Dog Man, with the new 13th book arriving in December, ahead of the global DreamWorks theatrical release of the animated Dog Man movie in January 2025. The new year will also bring a new game: the Dog Man Big Jim Begins dice game. This easy play game, based on all the favourite characters from the series, is a perfect addition to University Games’ Dog Man range. It also features the best-selling Attack of the Fleas board game and the new 2024 release of the Dog Man Twenty Thousand Fleas Under the Sea game, as well as the Dog Man Flip-O-Rama, Hot Dog Card Game and 250-piece puzzles. With 39% of UK households owning their own dogs, University Games is adding the Puppy Pile Card Game into its children’s portfolio, where players compete for the most breeds of dogs and collect the ultimate Puppy Pile.

Zimpli Kids

sales@zimplikids.com

Zimpli Kids has announced the launch of its first product in partnership with the iconic Care Bears brand – the Care Bears Special Effects Baff Bombz. For decades, the Care Bears have shared love, friendship and positivity with generations of children. Now, Zimpli Kids is bringing the timeless magic to bath time, creating an experience full of colour and fun.

The Care Bears Special Effects Baff Bombz release vibrant colours that swirl around the bath. These colour-fizzing bombs are perfect for adding a fun, rainbow twist to bath time and are ideal for stocking fillers, birthday gifts or just a little extra bath-time fun.

In addition, Zimpli Kids is set to introduce the Care Bears Surprise Baff Bombz, where kids can reveal one of their favourite Care Bears after the fizz. Each bath bomb hides a surprise bear inside – Cheer Bear, Grumpy Bear, Funshine Bear, Good Luck Bear, Share Bear, Bedtime Bear or Tenderheart Bear. Not only are these surprise bears fun to uncover, but they’re also collectible, so every bathtime can become a treasure hunt with a beloved Care Bear waiting to be found.

These two launches are part of Zimpli Kids’ broader Baff Bombz collection, which also includes the recently launched Fruity Baff Bombz and Alien Baff Bombz. Like the Care Bears Surprise Baff Bombz, these also feature hidden, collectible characters, adding a layer of surprise to every colourful bath-time experience.

The Care Bears Special Effects and Surprise Baff Bombz are available for pre-order.

A hilarious new addition for Q1 comes courtesy of University Games’ president and renowned games creator, Bob Moog. Bob Moog's Dad Jokes Game is a comprehensive collection of Dad Jokes, containing the best (and worst) dad jokes all in one entertaining game.

There will also be a new addition to University Games’ extensive Murder Mystery range. Murder at the Colosseum is a gruesome tale that will transport players to Rome for an evening of detective work and murderous entertainment. Perfectly presented in an elegantly finished whiskey style gift box, Murder at the Colosseum joins other titles in the series that include Murder in Malibu, Murder in Paris, Gym Scream, Murder on a Cruise Ship and a Murder Mystery at The Tower of London.

Q1 will see the transition of PlayMonster distribution to Vivid Goliath, and with that, a host of power brands supported by retailers nationwide.

Empowering girls to explore and express their style through fashion roleplay, Fab Lab has an extensive Glow in the Dark Glitter range; from tattoos and highlighting hair to jewellery making, there is something for everyone.

Off the back of Taylor Swift friendship bracelets taking the world by storm, Loopdedoo is a patented bracelet maker with unique spinning technology, helping create unique and personalised friendship bracelets in a snap.

Celebrating its 60th anniversary, Spirograph offers an evergreen play pattern with entry price points under RRP £5 through the highly giftable original set, along with a junior version suitable for three years and above. There will be even more innovations coming through for autumn/winter 2025.

In the games aisle, 5 Second Rule, including the original and junior version, continues to enjoy broad distribution alongside other global Vivid Goliath hits, including Floor is Lava, Murdle and The Traitors.

Following in the footsteps of the Axolotl, Animagic sees the launch of the Let's Glo Seal which can be squished to change colour, floats in water and lights up when given a cuddle.

Q1 Ranges

Baby Republic

lewis@babyrepublic.co.uk | glen@babyrepublic.co.uk

Baby Republic has unveiled its Q1 ranges for 2025, including special collectible Elf on the Shelf lines.

This season, Lumistella is celebrating 20 years of The Elf on the Shelf with a limited-edition range of collectible items that are sure to captivate both long-time fans and new collectors alike. This special series honours the beloved holiday tradition with unique designs and exclusive figures that will make perfect additions to any collection. There will be strong retail support with in-store promotions and digital marketing campaigns that celebrate two decades of the brand.

Little Brian is set to launch the fun and versatile Flip Sticks. These mess-free paint sticks feature two colours in one stick for endless artistic possibilities. With Flip Sticks, children can switch colours with just a flip—perfect for adding dimension to any art project. Available in packs of 12 and 24, they dry quickly and offer a mess-free creative experience, ideal for home and school use. A nationwide marketing campaign will include social media promotions and influencer partnerships to showcase their ease of use.

Mighty Wheels’s new Flippers Truck is a high-performance vehicle designed for stunts and flips. Built for durability and excitement, kids can launch this truck off ramps for high-flying stunts, making it a musthave for outdoor play. Joining the lineup is the Soda Can Launcher, a high-speed toy shaped like a soda can, which launches projectiles with exhilarating speed. Available next year, both come in single and dualSKU packs.

Open the Joy is set to release its exciting Back to School range, filled with products designed to make learning fun and engaging. This range includes vibrant stationery sets, educational kits and creative tools that inspire confidence in children aged 4-10. Launching in Q1, the products will be backed by strong retail support, including in-store displays and digital campaigns. This collection promises to spark joy in learning, making it a staple for parents seeking both practicality and inspiration.

Zorbitz is releasing a line of Squishy Asian Food collectibles, paired with Food-Inspired Pick-Up Lines. Each squishy toy mimics popular Asian dishes like sushi, dumplings and ramen. Launching in 2025, these collectibles will appeal to tweens, teens and the young-at-heart.

Posh Paws

01268 567 317 | www.poshpawsinternational.co.uk | sales@poshpawsinternational.co.uk

Q1 will welcome new ranges to the Posh Paws Kawaii Kuties plush brand on the back of a successful year. Having launched the Japanese kawaii-inspired plush collection this summer and supported the launch with a heavyweight digital marketing campaign that received over 12m views from influencer created content and social media advertising, Posh Paws is set to expand the appeal of the brand with new product releases. Focusing on the latest and upcoming consumer trending animals, design styles and play-patterns, new releases will include a vibrant assortment of colourful Axolotls, surprise Dumpling bag clips, Penguins in a variety of cute costumes, 2-in-1 plush Kawaii foodiez surprises and other animal assortments.

New to the Gabby’s Dollhouse range in January will be the plush dollhouse play set, where children can open the dollhouse to reveal six different bedroom themes from the show and two mini squishy Cakey Cat and Hamster Kitty plushies. The plush dollhouse is perfect for children to take on-the-go and Posh Paws has released a mini squashy cat plush pack that has three extra characters – Mercat, Pandy Paws and Kitty Fairy – that can be played within the dollhouse playset. New plush cats will be released throughout the year in the build-up to the Netflix movie that is expected for autumn/winter 2025.

2025 is set to be a huge year for the new Jurassic World Rebirth, How To Train Your Dragon and Gabby’s Dollhouse movies, and Posh Paws is the official plush partner supporting these releases with current stock available to order now, as well as brand-new movie stock.

In January, Harry Potter fans will be able to add Posh Paws’ new 10” Dobby plush to their collections, and accompany their current offering of Harry, Ron, Hermione and Hedwig the Owl that can be ordered now ahead of Christmas gifting.

Posh Paws will also be adding new characters to its top-selling Swizzels Love Hearts plush gifting collection. Two new plushies include the bright pink fluffy Axolotl with the message, ‘Love You Atol’, and the Moon & Stars that feature the message, ‘Love You To The Moon & Back’, which are all embroidered inside a Love Hearts sweet. These new releases in January follow the newest plush pairs that have just been released, including the Burger & Friends pair holding a ‘Friend-Chip Goals’ message that can be ordered now.

Q1 Ranges

Just Play

www.justplayproducts.com

uksales@justplayproducts.com

Just Play will start 2025 with the launch of a brand-new creative IP, with more information to be released at a later date. The company will also open the door to the latest theme from Disney Doorables, with newness in the pipeline for the Disney Stitch range ahead of 2025’s new live action movie.

Disney Doorables from Just Play has continued its growth this year, having been named one of the fastest-growing licensed collectibles in 2023. It will be continuing this upwards trajectory with more innovation and new, captivating experiences planned for Q1. Collectors can expect a new theme for the season, all packaged up in an exciting new format. As well as all-new characters to collect, the much-loved multi-peek item is being repackaged to offer fans a new way to unbox their Doorables in super-cool capsules.

Just Play will be carrying forward its best-selling lines from the Disney Stitch range, ahead of the live action film. Fans will be able to add to their lineup of Disney Stitch That’s So Stitch figures. Like previous releases, each surprise two-inch figure will come in a pineapple-shaped blind capsule, depicting Stitch or Angel in a new pose.

Just Play is set to reveal a host of product refreshes across a variety of brands, including FurReal, Disney Munchlings, Disney Doorables Adoorbs and Disney Duckalooz.

For more information, get in touch with Just Play through the contact details above.

Bladez Toys

Bladez Toyz is bringing enhanced play to many of its most successful ranges for Q1 2025, welcoming new launches in Hot Wheels, Harry Potter, Minecraft and more. First off will be a new assortment of Hot Wheels Mini Maker Kitz Monster Trucks. The range already includes eight of the most iconic Monster Trucks, but eight more 1:64 scale trucks will be added including Bone Shaker and 5 Alarm, both of which feature in the Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live Tour. These quick and easy-to-make kits require no scissors or glue, making them great for independent play. Kids simply assemble the snap-fit parts, add their monster wheels and decorate their vehicle using the included stickers before taking on the gnarliest terrain with the help of the pull-back motor.

Following the success of the Harry Potter Make Your Own Creatures range, which launched at the end of last year, Bladez Toyz will be introducing the all-new Harry Potter Make Your Own Characters. Kids and adults alike will have the chance to build their favourite characters from the beloved franchise including Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermoine Granger and Hagrid. Made from sustainable materials, these easy-to-make cardboard figures stand over 20cm tall when assembled and are completely plastic free. The much-loved character Dobby, meanwhile, will be added to the range of Creatures at Christmastime.

Launching in time for Easter, Bladez Toyz will be bringing to market its new Maker Kitz Make Your Own Chibi Characters. These cute and collectible figures are quick to make, durable (they are made from recyclable plastic) and make an impressive display piece when fully assembled. Kids can bring all their favourite Minecraft characters from the screen to 3D life and with 16 characters to collect in the first wave, including fan-favourites Steve, Alex, Creeper and Zombie, they will need to trade with friends to get their hands on exclusive rare characters. Sneak peeks of the new ranges will be shared soon on the Bladez Toyz Instagram and TikTok accounts. Follow @bladeztoyz to stay up to date.

Q1 Ranges

Cartamundi

01268 511 522 | www.cartamundi.com

In celebration of its 140th anniversary, Bicycle is dealing out a raft of new releases in March 2025. Leading the launch is a luxurious red-and-gold limited-edition 140th Anniversary deck, with a timeless design that oozes elegance. In addition to this commemorative deck, the brand is introducing new Disney inspired playing cards to its growing collection of Disney fan favourites.

Exciting new releases include the Disney’s Minnie Mouse deck, which features the iconic character in her 1928 illustrated form housed in a baby blue spot-varnished tuck box; the Disney Mickey and Friends deck, which stars Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Goofy and Pluto in a playful, family friendly deck with jumbo numbers and fun artwork; and the Disney’s Moana deck, which invites players on a thrilling adventure with characters such as Moana, Maui, Hei Hei and Pua, all packaged in a shimmering blue-foiled tuck box.

Collectors who can’t wait till March can look forward to three additional decks: the Naruto Deck, which launches on 21st February for anime fans; the Tokyo Revenge Deck, which is ideal for holiday gifting and out just before Christmas, and the Snake-Themed Deck, which arrives in January with gold foil accents.

In celebration of its 140th anniversary, Bicycle will bring the party to players across the UK in partnership with Card Game Club. This exciting new initiative brings players together to enjoy classic card games and new spins on traditional favourites, all powered by Bicycle’s modern, collector-loved cards. Card Game Club will offer easy-to-learn and quick-to-play card games both in person and digitally via the Bicycle app. The club is part of the brand’s ‘It’s Your Turn’ campaign, which will encourage players to connect, create new traditions and share their experiences across social media throughout 2025.

With a focus on delivering new, exciting products and strong marketing support, Bicycle is committed to building the category and inspiring unforgettable game nights for everyone.

Brainstorm

01200 445 113 | www.brainstormltd.co.uk

The beginning of 2025 will see a number of launches for Brainstorm with a raft of products that are brand-new to the UK and Ireland.

Continuing its longstanding partnership with World Alive, Brainstorm will exclusively distribute Freak Marbles, an innovative spin on the traditional game. Freak Marbles have characterised 360-degree decoration, trading points, gameplay and skins that convert them into figurines for imaginative play and display. In addition to the core range, rare Freaks will also be available including sought after glow-in-the-dark, glitter jelly, silver and colour-changing Freak Marbles, as well as the super rare gold marble.

Half Toys’ open-ended play range provides a multi-sensory experience and features dinosaurs, forest, savanna and ocean creatures. Each Half Toy has a tactile, soft-hued skin which includes safe magnets embedded into each half so they can be opened and closed easily to reveal the skeleton within.

Zingring is one of four new launches from Zing and will be a must-have outdoor toy for spring/summer 2025. Easy to throw and easy to catch, the foldable ring can be folded down to pocket size for fun on the go. Roomerang is a soft, indoor boomerang that is furniture friendly and circles one to three metres – guaranteed to be loved by parents as well as kids. The Mega Jumpz pocket money line lets children push, pop and watch them fly. Pop Rocketz are air powered, foam rockets - the harder the base is squeezed, the higher they will blast off, achieving heights as far as 15 metres. StikBots continues to enjoy global sales and a new metallic three pack is released.

Water Art was a huge success in 2024, and a Water Art Sticker Creator pack will soon be added. Children use themed stencils to create a design on the ceramic spoon, dip in water and watch the picture magically float away before grabbing the sticker to wear.

The Sensory Trend Hub brand will welcome a new Magic Cube – a cube with extensive formations featuring a mesmerising design to invoke imagination and develop hand-eye co-ordination.

The Natural History Museum Dinosaur Projector Watch is a digital timepiece that projects 24 dinosaur images onto walls. Children can also remove the watch face from the strap and use as a bedside clock.

Brainstorm will add to its own-brand collection with two Colour Your Own Sticker Sets – Fairytale and Sea Creatures – which include paint pens and sticker templates for children to customise.

Brainstorm’s Outdoor Adventure will see the addition of a handy Explorer Tool Kit – a 5-in-1 product comprising of tweezers, trowel, brush, angling mirror and whistle.

Booghe Toys

0333 344 6474 | www.booghe.com | sales@booghe.com

Booghe introduces its unique line of organic Arts & Crafts products, designed to offer children an unparalleled art experience.

IMC Toys

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

IMC Toys is set to present two new launches for spring/summer 2025.

The new Baby Paws Yummy are cute puppies whose bellies inflate when being fed and deflate when a pacifier is put in their mouth. These puppies really eat; children will give them their feeding bottle, squeeze them and see how their belly grows. Once they’re full, they can then put the pacifier in, and the tummy will go back down. There are three breeds of puppies in the range: German Shepherd, Pomeranian and Chihuahua. Kids can even take them on the go in their bag. Each Baby Paws Yummy comes with three accessories, including a swaddle bag, a pacifier and a feeding bottle. Baby Paws enhances kids’ creativity and shows them the importance of respecting, taking care of and loving their pets.

Cotton Cuties are IMC’s new fluffy and sweet plush pets. Cotton Cuties look like they are made from cotton candy, and kids will instantly fall in love with their squishable bodies and their unique material. Cotton Cuties are scented with sugared and candy scents, and there are four different animals to collect: Puppy, Kitty, Bunny and Teddy Bear.

In line with its belief that children's creativity should be nurtured in a safe and eco-friendly environment, whether that’s a cosy corner of the home or a bustling nursery or school, Booghe’s new colouring tools embody a commitment to quality, safety and environmental consciousness.

The range is meticulously handmade and crafted from entirely organic ingredients and is free from harmful chemicals and animal-derived products. Booghe is setting new standards in child-safe art supplies, allowing parents to feel confident knowing that its products are paraben free, cruelty-free, hypoallergenic, made from non-GMO ingredients and 100% vegan. Booghe’s commitment to safety and sustainability extends to the eye-catching colours themselves: they avoid artificial chemical dyes, instead harnessing the beauty and vibrancy of nature with colours derived directly from fruits and vegetables. In addition, each Booghe product is infused with natural ingredients that gently moisturise the skin, turning every artistic endeavour into a nourishing experience.

The new Organic Crayon Range is made using soya wax, soya butter and food grade colours which makes it safe for toddlers, children and the planet. These premium quality, transfer-resistant crayons make great gifts for kids. Each crayon is easy to grip and hold and can be shaped or sharpened as required, allowing children to produce their best artistic results with an endless array of shades and combinations. Also new to the range is Booghe’s Washable Tab Face Paints, which are easy to use, safe for sensitive skin and perfect for kids’ parties.

A retailer as well as a manufacturer, Booghe’s new range will be available to national retailers in both Booghe and OEM branded options. Its position in the market means the company understands the importance of commercial aspects such as pricing, especially at a time when comes to shoppers are looking for something different that offers great value for money. Get in touch on the details above to find out more.

Prov i ding fun, quality & innovative educational toys for all ages & a b ilities

Q1 Ranges

Jumbo Galt

01614 289 111 | www.galttoys.com | salesuk@jumboplay.com

PMS International

01268 505 050 | www.pmsinternational.com | jcostilouya@pmsplc.com sales@pmsplc.com

Launching in spring 2025, PMS International has announced its newest licensed collaboration, Positive Potato, one of the UK's best-selling affirmation dolls. With an extensive range of products available to order now, this partnership marks a venture into the realm of spreading positivity and inspiration.

For years, PMS has fostered long-standing partnerships with key licensors and has a rich portfolio of licensed ranges, featuring some of the world's most popular properties. However, the new collaboration with Positive Potato signifies a significant milestone for PMS, as it strives to ignite a world of positivity through its products.

Positive Potato was brought to life by Bex, the visionary behind HookedByBex. Bex's artistry led to the creation of Positive Potato in July 2022, and in no time, it became an online hit in the UK.

Now, as the online sensation of Positive Potato transitions to its in-store debut, retailers have the opportunity to spread the brand’s uplifting messages to a wider audience. PMS’ new licensing opportunities also enable partners to spread positivity on a global scale, opening doors to endless possibilities.

The new range features an assortment of collectible plush dolls presented in packaging, giftware, tote bags, keychains, mini figures and stationery. And, with a commitment to developing new products throughout 2025, this new licensing partnership presents opportunities for retailers to enhance their store offerings and boost sales like never before.

For licensing opportunities and to explore PMS International’s product range, please contact jcostilouya@ pmsplc.com, and for sales inquiries, reach out to sales@pmsplc.com.

In its upcoming 2025 launches, Jumbo Galt is introducing two new ranges to the UK and Ireland – Unlock Science and Fun Lockets.

Unlock Science is set to introduce two new product ranges of hands-on science kits designed to inspire, engage and educate children in a fun and interactive way. Unlock Science offers children a blend of education, creativity and fun. Kids will immerse themselves in hands-on experiments, solving exciting mysteries that sharpen critical thinking and problem-solving skills and creating meaningful and engaging experiences which allow children connect with the world around them. Fire Fire and Water Worry are educational games where kids take on the role of detectives, solving thrilling mysteries while conducting scientific experiments along the way. Each product weaves a compelling narrative, ensuring children remain captivated while they learn valuable skills.

Fun Lockets encourages children to unlock their imaginations as they discover hidden treasures to customise their own accessories. Jumbo Galt will introduce Secret Journal Glitter Edition, Secret Tiny Bag and Secret Mini Journal. The Secret Journal Glitter Edition provides a combination of personal expression and creativity with a customisable diary, secret compartments and a locket for children to store their favourite memories. Kids can decorate the diary with glittery stickers and use the locket to store tiny surprises.

Both Unlock Science and Fun Lockets will be backed by a comprehensive marketing and retail support plan. This includes B2B videos highlighting product features and unique selling points for retailers, eCommerce videos with engaging content to capture attention across digital platforms and trailers and demo videos designed to showcase the hands-on activities and interactive gameplay for both ranges. Additionally, in-store point-of-sale materials will be provided to create visually appealing displays that emphasise the educational and creative aspects of both product lines. Social media and influencer partnerships will further amplify the reach, ensuring a strong product launch and sustained consumer interest.

With a focus on delivering engaging, hands-on experiences, the spring/summer 2025 range of Unlock Science and Fun Lockets promises to captivate and educate children while providing retailers with top-tier, innovative products for the upcoming season.

Asmodee

01420 593 593 | www.asmodee.co.uk

Q1 will see new ranges added to the Asmodee portfolio, including Azul Duel, set to release in February 2025. This new offering from Asmodee and Next Level Games places confrontation at its core. High up in the hills overlooking Lisbon, two players must go head-to-head to impress the king and create the most beautiful, vaulted ceilings for Sintra’s palace.

Of all the tile-laying artists who have decorated the walls of king Manuel’s palace in Azul, two artists stood out. These two tile-laying masters have been chosen by the king to decorate the ceiling of Sintra’s palace. In Azul Duel, players will have to show the king who is the best among the artists of all Portugal through a tilelaying duel.

This fun and competitive reimagining of the award-winning classic adds extra tactical dimensions to the gameplay, whilst retaining the purity and elegance of the original game. New stacking twists add to Azul’s already famed tile-drafting mechanics and new patterned plates give players extra choices on how to build the iconic board for a unique layout and experience each time. An extra challenge has also been added as players' creations must not only impress in the daytime, but also throughout the night.

Azul Duel has immense depth and extreme replayability; easy to learn but difficult to master, Azul Duel has been designed to delight with hours of entertainment.

Q1 Ranges

Tomy

01392 281 927 | www.tomy.com

Tomy is set to release a range of new launches across multiple categories for spring/summer 2025, leading with the new Spin & Splash Dishwasher. Building on the success of the Tomy Toomies roleplay bath range, the Spin & Splash Dishwasher complements the rest of the range and allows children to load glasses and dishes into the dishwasher, then, by simply pressing a button, they can watch as the sprayer spins and splashes all the bubbles away. In addition, the Toomies’ Bluey range of bath toys will expand further, having proved a great success in 2024, with a new Bluey Bath Puzzle.

A key launch in spring/summer 2025 in the arts & crafts space is Stakimos. Perfect for crafty and trend-driven kids aged six to nine-years-old, Stakimos will sit on shelves in an eye-catching sparkly pack. Kids can then layer together the layers of pliable, recycled foam to create cute kawaii characters and charms. This new launch will be supported with a digital media campaign in February.

The highly successful Hey Clay range will expand with a new offering – Hey Clay Bijou. This accessories creation set comes with different coloured and shaped beads, charms and strings, so children can design their own unique rings that reflect their personality and taste. With this set for five rings, the possibilities are endless.

For the broader family audience, Tomy is growing its Logo family of games with the addition of two brand new Mini Games – Logo Toys & Games Mini Game and Logo Chocolate and Sweets Mini Game. Both editions feature the Logo Picture, Themed and Potluck cards, in addition to mini boards.

Heathside Trading

With iconic and nostalgic brands increasing in popularity, Heathside Trading is set to offer a range of classicinspired collectibles. Featuring beloved characters from South Park, Care Bears, Molang and Sesame Street, Heathside’s product lineup appeals to collectors, fans and children alike.

Fans will be able to bring the humour of South Park into their home with Heathside’s high-quality plush versions of Cartman, Kenny, Stan and Kyle. For collectors, the three-inch vinyl figures are perfect for display or play, and for those looking for something more compact, the Micro Figures present the show's iconic characters as pocket-sized collectibles. A standout for any South Park fan is the three-inch Vinyl Figure Collection Five Pack which includes Cartman, Kenny, Stan, Kyle and Chef.

Heathside’s new range of MiniQs and Micro Figures offers collectible representations of the classic Care Bears, making them ideal for display. Fans who want to take their love for Care Bears on the go can choose from 3D Keychains, Acrylic Keychains and Plush Bag Clips, each featuring different characters to carry along. The Acrylic Tradeable Keychains offer a fun way to swap characters and create new friendships.

Molang will see a wide array of new products, from Molang Plush to interactive Mini Molang Playsets. The Colour Reveal Figures and Surprise Figures add a sense of discovery, while the MiniQs and Micro Figures are perfect for collectors. For extra fun, the Die Cast Car with Sticker Sheet lets fans customise their Molang adventures. The Acrylic Keychains and Tradeable Keychains allow fans to carry Molang and friends wherever they go.

All ages will welcome Heathside’s Sesame Street MiniQs and Micro Figures, which bring beloved characters like Big Bird, Oscar and Cookie Monster to life in compact form. The collection also includes Plush Bag Clips and Bendable Plush. Adding a playful twist, the Head Ons are bouncy ball-head style figures and for creative play, the Die Cast Car with Sticker Sheet also allows fans to personalise their Sesame Street adventures.

YuMe Toys

www.yumetoys.com | emeasales@yumetoys.com

Building on the success of its popular Hero Box range, YuMe Toys is set to expand the line-up in 2025.

Kicking off with new product extensions for existing Hero Box IPs like Batman, Lilo & Stitch, Spider-Man, Rebel Moon, Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Peanuts, fans can look forward to even more collectible figures representing their favourite characters.

In addition, 2025 will see the introduction of brand-new IPs from iconic movie franchises including Disney Villains and Lotso, with more to be announced in the New Year.

Each Hero Box collection is thoughtfully designed to embody the unique essence of the brand, with different themes for every new series. The 8cm figurines, set on pedestals for easy display, come in Blind Boxes or Window Boxes, with varying SKU counts across brands. Some collections even feature connectable figures to create impressive tower displays.

Launching in spring 2025, the new Hero Box lines will roll out across the year with an RRP of £9.99.

Feature Outdoor Toys

Exploring outdoors the

Despite the UK having another rather disappointing summer, weather-wise, there have nevertheless been some bright spots in the outdoor toys category, while new trends are continually refreshing the sector. Gabriela Jiménez García speaks to several leading outdoor suppliers to learn more.

British summers are famous for being unpredictable, and this year was no exception.

The spring and summer of 2024 saw a mix of rain and sunny spells, much like the previous year. Spring was wetter than usual for most of the UK, and temperatures in June and July were below average. Thankfully, August brought drier weather and temperatures briefly reaching up to 34 degrees in some areas, ending summer on a high note. Despite the unavoidable ups and downs with the weather, numerous outdoor toy suppliers have described 2024 as a relatively successful year overall, reporting growth across the category - which in turn suggests that when the weather was good, customers made the most of it.

Andy Griffin, Marketing manager at Reydon Sports told Toy World that the company had an extremely busy summer, with turnover beating 2023’s end results. Despite a quiet start to the year, a healthy end to Q3 and Q4 was very much the objective. “Reydon did have a shakier start, due to a quieter period in the market overall. However, the hard work done in Q1 and Q2 at Toy Fair, the Toymaster Regionals and the Harrogate May Show led to hugely positive results this summer. Overall, our turnover is up as a company so far in 2024, and we hope to continue this going into Q4,” he explained.

The company's exclusive partnership with Nerf Sports has led to excellent results this year, with a significant commitment made from customers during the Toymaster Show in Harrogate. Looking ahead, Reydon is thrilled about its most recent launch of the PrecisionPlay Junior range, featuring training equipment and toy products for young kids and teens. The PrecisionPlay collection joins

the already established brand Precision Training and aims to engage younger audiences by ‘kiddifying’ training equipment that the pros use and bringing more active play to the garden. According to Andy, several multinational retailers have already committed to the range for Q4 and are investing more marketing efforts into it for the new year. Likewise, Toynamics has reported a successful spring/ summer trading period, experiencing double-digit growth in its Hape Outdoor category, which has become the fastestgrowing category across the Toynamics group. “The Hape Nature Fun collection continues to be a strong range for us, but the addition of larger outdoor Hape items including the Mud Kitchen and Outdoor Art Easel have really shone through,” explained Emma Damerell, Brand manager at Toynamics. “As Hape is known for its high-quality wood items, it makes sense that customers trust us to provide robust high-quality wooden outdoor items that will stand the test of time.”

Due to the increasing environmental awareness among consumers and their growing preference for toys that combine sustainable materials with a sturdy design that will offer longevity, many outdoor toy suppliers are striving to meet this demand. Simba Smoby is just one of the toy companies working to provide outdoor products that offer durability, while also featuring eco-friendly materials. The supplier has recently launched the Smoby Life range, which provides families with the same great quality, durability and aesthetic for which Smoby is best known, all while offering a more sustainable choice. The Smoby Life Jura Lodge Playhouse and XL Slide have been the first two SKUs to launch and, following a positive response from consumers and retailers alike, the company has pledged to make almost

all its playhouses, slides and activity toys using recycled plastic going forward.

“We are refreshing a large number of our products into our Smoby Life range at a time when we know consumers are more environmentally conscious,” said Sophie Bryan, Brand manager at Simba Smoby. “The Smoby Life range marks a new direction for us, with all items using largely recycled plastic in our productions. Smoby continues to operate a zero-waste facility in France, but we are now excited to extend that environmental commitment to use a lot less virgin plastic and roll out the wider Smoby Life range from spring.” Despite the later start to the season due to poor weather and cautious consumer spending, the company has seen huge success in its outdoor portfolio with growing and ongoing demand even beyond peak season. These strong sell-through rates have left retailers confident for spring/ summer 2025 season purchases.

Looking ahead to 2025, Simba will launch the outdoor Smoby Mud Kitchen featuring 89% recycled plastic and 11 different weather-resistant accessories for different play opportunities. “There are currently no other products in the market offering a mud kitchen made from durable plastic with the number of accessories and level of play value ours has,” added Sophie. Simba Smoby will support this range with a high-profile media campaign next year.

Also encouraging exploration, problem-solving and social interaction in toddlers, while supporting early STEM activities, Commotion is expanding its eco-friendly Tickit range of Translucent Colour play sets with Flexi-Tubes and Pouring Bowls.

Micro Scooters is taking major steps to provide customers with outdoor products that will not only be practical,

Feature Outdoor Toys

durable and appealing, but also environmentally safer. “One clear trend is the continued demand for eco-conscious, sustainable and well-built quality products,” said Ben Gibson, Managing director at Micro Scooters. “Parents are looking for toys that last, are safe and have a lower environmental impact. In the past 18 months, this has taken on a higher purpose with the benefits of a circular economy becoming more pronounced. At Micro, we have been on this journey for nearly a decade – we don't claim to be perfect in terms of our environmental impact, but as a B Corp and Carbon Neutral certified brand, we think we are well on our way.”

Reydon Sports’ Andy Griffin notes that light-up toys have become increasingly popular and expects this feature to be in high demand during the Christmas season and into the new year because of its appeal to younger audiences. Several suppliers have expanded their product lines to include a variety of illuminating outdoor products, with scooters, bikes and quads specifically designed to attract younger consumers. MV Sports has unveiled a new collection of Spidey and His Amazing Friends ride-ons that feature lights among their impressive features. Included in the range is the Electric Bumper Car Ride On, which includes LED lighting and horn sounds, dual direction and speed joystick control, along with 360° rotation. Also joining the collection are the SAHAF 12" Balance Bike and the Mini Go! Tilt Scooter, both designed to ‘wow’ pre-schoolers with their motion-activated light-up wheels.

United Wheels is brightening its product range with new battery-powered bikes and ride-ons that come with illuminating features. One of the newest additions to the Huffy line up is the Spider-Man 12" Bike, including a Spider-Man mask with light-up eyes and sounds. The Frozen Bubble Quad 6V Battery Ride-On, which features lights, sounds and the ability to blow bubbles, has also been added to Huffy’s range, providing powered play for toddlers

and young children. Meanwhile, Micro Scooters is looking forward to the upcoming launch of the Glow Range of Mini and Maxi scooters. “They are special as they, in effect, offer two scooters in one; with a soft glow during the day and a bright, see-in-the-dark, glow on darker days,” highlighted Ben Gibson. He tells us that accessories like helmets, lights and bells are becoming more and more important to both consumers and retailers, providing a raft of add on purchases.

Some suppliers have picked up on the emerging trend of group gameplay and are revamping their portfolios accordingly. As Tossit enjoys growing demand for its multiplayer suction darts game, in response to customer requests for more Tossits to be included in a set, the company has increased the number in each box to 26, allowing 4-6 players to participate.

“We have seen the rise of outdoor group gameplay, and we expect this trend to continue to develop,” commented Toynamics’ Emma Damerell. “With trends like Pickleball growing over Europe, we predict there will also be growth within gameplay that span across children to adults.”

The company has expanded its presence in the outdoor gameplay sector by launching two new brands: Trelines and Do-U-Play – both owned by Hape Holdings and aimed at an older age. The Trelines range features a modern and highly practical design, offering an alternative to larger outdoor play items. The products in this range can be packed away, enabling Toynamics to target a new type of customer who seeks fun and compact outdoor play gear that can be easily dismantled when not in use. Meanwhile, Do-U-Play has already seen plenty of success with the 30-inch Jumbo Soccer Ball becoming a best-seller this year.

Over the next few pages of editorial, Toy World details a wide range of products from suppliers in the outdoor toys category that will be hitting shelves next Spring.

Outdoor Toys

MV Sports

01217 488 000 | www.mvsports.co.uk

MV Sports is introducing a collection of toys featuring Spidey and His Amazing Friends designed to inspire adventure and ignite imaginations. From thrilling rides to imaginative hideaways, this range promises to bring joy to every child's playtime.

Included in the range is the Electric Bumper Car Ride On, which is adorned with eye-catching character graphics. This ride-on features LED lighting and horn sounds that will inspire some laughs. With a maximum speed of 2.5km/h, it offers a safe ride for young adventurers. The dual direction and speed joystick control, along with 360° rotation, make it easy for kids to navigate their surroundings. Quick and easy to assemble, this bumper car is perfect for both indoor and outdoor play. With a playtime of approximately 45 minutes, this product is designed for children aged three and up and it's an ideal gift for birthdays or Christmas.

The Sahaf 12" Balance Bike features multi-coloured light-up wheels that activate with motion. Perfect for developing balance and coordination skills, this bike is equipped with punctureproof tyres and adjustable handlebars to grow with a child. The soft, moulded grips ensure comfort during rides, making it an excellent choice for budding cyclists. With character graphics that kids adore, this bike combines safety and style.

The Mini Go! Tilt Scooter is designed for kids ready to take their play to the next level. Featuring a durable aluminium frame and motion-activated light-up wheels, this scooter is as fun as it is practical. With a responsive tilt ‘n’ turn steering action and wider footplate for extra stability, it’s designed for young riders to gain confidence and coordination. The adjustable handlebar height allows for growing children to enjoy their rides for years to come, while the quick assembly makes it easy for parents.

The Deluxe Tri Scooter features a vibrant character design and is built for stability and ease of use. This scooter boasts three deep tread wheels and soft moulded grips for little hands. With adjustable handlebar heights and puncture-proof tyres, it ensures a comfortable ride for toddlers. The fully printed anti-slip footplate enhances safety, making it ideal for young

The Play Tent is the perfect hideaway for imaginative play. Featuring colourful character graphics, this tent sparks creativity and provides a cosy space for kids to explore their imagination. With durable materials and easy assembly, it’s perfect for indoor and outdoor adventures. The integrated floor and tie-back doors allow for versatile play, whether they want

Kids can experience extreme accuracy, speed and distance with the Nerf N Series blasters. The Nerf brand levels up the game with high-performance Nerf N Series dart blasters and Nerf N1 darts. This range offers users who already have the skills as a Nerf battler to have the blaster and darts to gain a superior edge in indoor and outdoor play. The N-Series range

The Nerf N Series Infinite blaster features an innovative battle belt that lets users reload darts quickly and easily as they play with no more stopping the game to reload. The removable belt has a big, 40-dart capacity to swamp the field with darts. The Nerf N Series Agility dart blaster is built for games in which the action never stops; lightweight, compact and simple to use, it's essential for any Nerf stockpile.

The Nerf N Series Pinpoint blaster is built for accuracy with cool styling and features that give players a targeting advantage in Nerf battles and games. The Nerf N Series Strike back blaster features powerful snap-back action. Kids can see and feel the cool snapback action when they pull the trigger.

The Nerf N Series Gear Up pack includes three different blasters and two Nerf accessories to create 10 different blaster styles. Users can build their Nerf stockpile and be ready for whatever the game brings with this set which includes 18 Nerf N1 foam darts.

Outdoor Toys

Micro Scooters

0330 320 1030 | www.micro-scooters.co.uk tradeorders@micro-scooters.co.uk

Micro Scooters’ latest line of weather-resistant, durable, safety-conscious products makes moving from A to B fun and fuss-free. The newest releases from the company (in its 20th year) include a 7-in-1 Trike and 2-in-1 Space Hopper, as well as glowin-the-dark, light-up and foldable features on its best-selling kid's scooters. These products stand out with unique features such as 7-in-1 functionality, innovative glow-in-the-dark and light-up features and the space-saving foldable design. Built to last, these products are a testament to Micro Scooters’ commitment to quality and durability.

Every Micro product, from pushchairs, trikes, hoppers, scooters and cars, is built using the finest materials. A Micro product is renowned for withstanding the test of time; the company’s existing products have been a hit with families across the UK, and these new releases have been designed to continue this success. Whether riding through puddles, folding flat thousands of times or for years of school runs, the Swiss craftsmanship, obsession with safety and quality build materials all add up to make a Micro product the best in class.

From the one-click fold on the Mini and Maxi foldable range to the testing certifications on the new Trike, these ranges are designed to keep every rider safe. The ingenious battery-free light-up wheels is just one example of how the supplier goes above and beyond to ensure the safety of its products.

Micro Scooters now offers solutions both for newborns via its pushchair and for adults with its adult scooters, luggage and even an electric car. Whether it's the first days out, the first journey to school, the commute to work, or everything in between, Micro Scooters’ adaptable, multi-functional products can be used by every family in the UK, no matter what age or life stage.

Micro Scooters also offers comprehensive support for its retail partners, including POS displays, digital marketing assets and dedicated social media campaigns. The company is willing to help retailers every step of the way, from supplying its products to promoting them to customers.

As demand continues for eco-friendly, long-lasting outdoor toys, Micro's product range is perfectly placed to meet the needs of parents who love the long-lasting value a Micro can bring. Retailers can expect the very best in after-care sales and support, including comprehensive training on the new products, marketing support and dedicated support to assist with any queries or issues.

John Adams

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. Users can make a splash and enjoy the sun with the whole range of Intex inflatables, Aqua Quest SUP Boards (Stand Up Paddleboards), pools and ride-on toys.

The Intex Ride-Ons include Great White Shark, Stingray, Mystical Dragon and Sea Turtle designs. Featuring a super realistic vinyl print and two heavyduty handles, the Intex Ride-Ons are the perfect summer accessory to take to the pool. The TikTokfriendly Sprinkle Donut Tube enables users to float away in the water.

The Rainbow Ring Play Centre has a built-in sprayer that attaches to a garden hose and a landing mat for extra padding, keeping children cool during the hot summer months. It includes a waterslide, wading pool, water sprayer, ring toss game (with four inflatable rings), ball roller game, toss ball game and Fun Ballz.

Families can cool down from the heat in the Swim Center Family Lounge Pool. Users can relax and enjoy

the sunshine using the four built-in comfy seats with backrests, perfect for lounging or supervising young kids. The Swim Center also includes two drink holders.

2024 saw rectangular pools making waves in the market, which is set to continue for 2025. The rectangular pools have a sleek design to cater to various preferences, making them a popular choice for families looking to create lasting summer memories.

The Intex kayak series is also making a splash. Each kayak is made with strong and durable materials for stability, so they are ideal for lakes and mild rivers. The new Seahawk 4 and Excursion 5 kayaks feature super strong multi-layered, laminated PVC material to maximise comfort and safety with roomy inflatable seats. They both have two quick-fill, fast-deflate Boston valves so users can spend more time relaxing in the water.

The new ride-on toys, SUP Boards, inflatables, play centres and kayaks will sit alongside the existing Intex range of market-leading above-ground pools, PureSpa range, airbeds, inflatable furniture and pool games.

Outdoor Toys

Little Tikes

0161 302 0206 | www.littletikes.co.uk

Little Tikes has established itself as a leader in the sector, creating new and innovative ranges of outdoor toys that have gone on to become firm family favourites.

The iconic Cozy Coupe is celebrating its 45th birthday, marking nearly five decades of creating cherished memories for generations of little drivers. First released in 1979, this ride-on has become a symbol of adventure and endless imaginative play. The Cozy Coupe range offers a selection of durable rideons, including the classic Cozy Coupe and the Princess Cozy Coupe, now featuring refreshed designs with new wheels and expressive eyes.

Building on the legacy, the Little Tikes Cozy Coupe Dino adds a Jurassic twist to playtime, while the Cozy Coupe Fairy brings a touch of magic to the ride-on toy car. These updates ensure that the Cozy Coupe continues to be a favourite for generations to come. Each Cozy Coupe is designed with a removable floor, working horn, realistic clicking ignition switch and spinning front wheels, providing not only fun but also promoting active play, imagination and the development of gross motor skills. Suitable for children aged 18 months and over, the Cozy Coupe remains a trusted and iconic toy, making lasting memories for families.

The Little Tikes’ instantly recognisable Turtle Sandbox offers a simple, rugged design with two seats moulded perfectly for collaborative play and a capacity for up to 68kg of sand giving young children hours of fun, suitable for kids aged 12 months and over. Also a modern classic, and available in both Pink & Purple and Blue & Green, the eye-catching Little Tikes First Slides have become playtime milestones for children aged 18 months and over.

The Little Tikes Gas 'n’ Go Mower includes a realistic throttle and a role-play fuel can suitable for children aged 18 months and over. Designed to look just like the real thing, the mower has a big key that clicks and colourful beads that pop as it moves making engine sounds. Bringing a world of imagination to outdoor playtime, Little Tikes Cape Cottage Playhouse’s sleek, modern design includes a working door, windows and shutters, a working mail slot and flag holder to spark imaginations. Available in a Tan & Red and Pink, the much-loved Playhouses are suitable for children aged two years and over.

The Little Tikes Adventure Rocket gives kids the opportunity to pilot their own starship with a four-foot-tall rocket including a crawl-through escape hatch, look-through telescope, realistic lights & sounds, swivel chair and star viewer screen. Combining STEM and role-play with fixable wires on the exterior panel, kids can explore the universe. Big enough for 2-3 kids, it's perfect for collaborative play and suitable for children aged 2 - 6 years. For a ride-on space exploration experience, Little Tikes Adventure Rover’s etched overhead map of the solar system and front-facing display with pretend radar dish and sound effects horn lets children explore the galaxy and outer space. The toy is for kids aged 18 months to five years old.

Water play encourages the development of motor skills, thanks to all the pouring and interchangeable plumbing pipes. The Little Tikes Fountain Factory Water Table has become the UK’s number one product in the sector. The multi-faceted water table comes with a boat, water cup and a funnel plus three fountains for hours of fun. Little Tikes Fountain Factory Water Table is suitable for children aged two and over.

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Outdoor toys including sand and water play sets, toys for nature observation and light-up water tables are all among Commotion’s most popular lines. Children are endlessly fascinated by the movement and behaviour of water, and water play creates a captivating experience while allowing for hands-on, physical and social play that stimulates a child's imagination, coordination, communication skills and understanding of the world. Commotion’s Tickit range of Translucent Colour play sets includes Buckets, Jugs, Pipettes, Pots, Paddles and Funnels, in addition to the new Flexi-Tubes and Pouring Bowls which will be available in early 2025. These are ideal sets to encourage exploration, problemsolving and social interaction, while also supporting early STEM activities.

The Tickit Sensory Mood Water Table is a standout product that bridges the gap between indoor and outdoor play. This product is light-up and rechargeable, lightweight and manoeuvrable, features water-resistant IP65 and is easy to clean, making it the perfect play area for containing water or sand play. The table is a surprisingly simple solution for anyone looking to provide an achievable level of messy play fun.

The Tickit range from Commotion also includes toys that encourage exploration, such as magnifiers, pond nets and bug-viewers, allowing children to interact with their natural environment and gain an appreciation for the great outdoors. Further innovative products are Tickit’s wooden picture blocks. These provide a unique way to bring the wild natural world to life as they feature photographic images of real animals and insects from all around the world.

are all wholesome ways for children to engage with the world around

Outdoor Toys

449 944 | www.vividtoysandgames.co.uk

Able to fly up to 60 metres, the pocket-sized, portable Wingblade Mini flying disk is a miniature version of the original Wingblade stacked with the same features, including performance stabilizers which aid accuracy and lead to incredible flying distances..This product joins Vivid Goliath’s stellar outdoor line to sit alongside Wingblade, Phlat Ball, Wubble and a host of water-based summer outdoor toys to enjoy in the sunshine.

AB

Gee

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

AB Gee’s Fubbles No-Spill range enables kids to have bubble fun without the mess, as it is designed to prevent accidental bubble spills during active play. Included in the range are the Mini Tumblers, which let kids blow bubbles without spilling the solution and therefore extend playtime. Kids can tip them upside down and knock them over without losing all their solution, and they are also available in a larger tumbler size.

Also available in this range are the Mini Pals Bubble Machine in assorted colours and the Fun-Finiti Bubble Machine, which provides up to one hour of nonstop bubble-making before needing to be refilled. It comes with three No-Spill bubble-blowing wands for maximum bubble output without any messy spills and a reservoir that holds 20 fluid ounces of solution. The Motorised Bubble Mower gives 15-20 minutes of continuous bubbles, and realistic mowing sounds will keep children entertained and engaged as they play.

www.eolo.com | sales@eolohk.com

Eolo Toys is presenting the latest from its flagship brand, Kites Ready 2 Fly. Known for its innovation and commitment to quality, the brand has become a favourite of customers worldwide.

This year has been remarkable for the brand as it experienced an incredible expansion into the US market. With a growing presence across retailers nationwide, Kites Ready 2 Fly continues to gain market share in the territory. The secret to success is a relentless commitment to innovation, design and a dedication to making kite-flying easier and accessible for everyone.

Eolo Toys is constantly reinventing kite design. The patented pop-up system featured in its kites allows for quick, hassle-free assembly, ensuring that they are ready to fly in just seconds. With an eye to the future, the company is introducing more creative designs and technical innovations for the upcoming seasons, promising fresh and more dynamic experiences to users.

The company is also celebrating the success of its newest range of licensed designs, including both plastic and nylon kites, and featuring trend-setting Disney and Marvel characters.

Beyond design, Kites Ready 2 Fly stands out for its exceptional craftsmanship, featuring durable materials that ensure long-lasting quality and performance. The ergonomic kite handles, extended line lengths and enhanced control systems guarantee precision. Plus, with the Kite School App, customers can access tips, tricks and weather conditions.

MINI-GO WITH LIGHTS

MOTION ACTIVATED LIGHT UP WHEELS

ANTI-SLIP FOOTPLATE

Outdoor Toys Character Options

One for Fun

0141 613 2525 | www.oneforfun.com sales@oneforfun.com

One for Fun offers an extensive range of outdoor toys, including large foam gliders in blue or red, playground chalk, bubble wands, a foam rocket launcher, a wooden crazy golf set and new water blasters. The bowling set is a classic outdoor game and expected to be a hit, and the company also boasts sets of dinosaur and unicorn bubble wands with three in a pack. All these products are set to retail at affordable prices.

Ozbozz, the brand known for its value outdoor toy range, had a great start to the year with another consumer award for its Torq Chaotic Scooter. The ever-popular scooter range continues, including the Unicorn Dreamland scooter, which is a constant best-seller, along with the Light Burst Range and My First Scooter, designed to grow with the child. Available from four wheels down to two, these scooters come in multiple colours and themes.

This year has also seen a size reduction in the Ozbozz range of Pogo sticks, from 98cms to 89cms and the pogos now have a more powerful spring giving more bounce. The size reduction

0161 633 9800 | sales@charactergroup.plc.uk

Character Options’ hugely popular Stay Active category features activities and toys that can be enjoyed by all the family.

The Stay Active range has developed into a whole division within the portfolio and continues to benefit from heavy investment in product development and marketing. Remaining top of the league in outdoor toys is the hugely popular KickerBall. This football features unique special panels that channel air in ways standard footballs can’t. Made with revolutionary aerodynamic materials, budding football freestylers can learn to swerve, bend and curve this ball with ease.

Other highlights in the range include the Stay Active JumpIt Lap Counter, Level Out Balance Board and the Jump-It Wipeout game. All are perfect for families looking for fun and inclusive activities that will get the heart pumping, be it

For more than 72 years, John Leisure has continued to be a leading European specialist in the world of balls and outdoor toys. Building on its wealth of experience, John continues to produce toys that are both

Leading John’s collection are the ever-popular 5" and 9” Licensed Play Balls. These brightly coloured, durable balls are perfect for outdoor play. These are available in a wide variety of licences, including but not limited to Spidey & Friends, Stitch, Gabby’s Dollhouse, Paw Patrol, Peppa Pig, Hot Wheels and Barbie. The list is endless, and these play balls continue to be one of the company’s biggest volume drivers.

Another major part of John’s range is the Stitched Footballs, made from the best materials and manufactured to the highest quality. They are available in all sizes and weights. Highly competitive SRPs are starting to shake up the market, giving consumers marketing-leading quality at very affordable prices.

Studies show that ball play is an excellent way to enhance motor skill development, helping with hand-eye coordination, which also further refines motor skills, balance and spatial awareness. This also helps with cognitive development by encouraging problem-solving and strategic thinking. Balls also have a unique ability to bring people together, fostering social interaction and cooperation, proving to develop valuable social skills that extend beyond the game. The studies have also shown that playing ball benefits emotional well-being and offers an outlet for emotional expression and stress relief, which can also help improve a child’s academic performance.

John Toys also manufactures Basketballs, Rugby balls, volleyballs and American footballs.

Outdoor Toys

01626 835 400 | www.wiltonbradley.com

As a leader in innovative outdoor play, Xootz continues to revolutionise the way kids experience fun and freedom. At the heart of the latest Fun Unleashed campaign are three standout stars: the Comet Go Kart, the Cyclone Drift Trike and the Enigma Electric Scooter. Each model brings its own unique twist to electric play, ensuring there's something for every young adventurer to enjoy.

Users can pivot, spin and drift with the Xootz Comet Electric Go Kart. Featuring a stealthy black frame with white Xootz detailing, this kids’ battery powered go kart features a proper steering wheel, which gives direct steering to the super-grip EVA front wheels, whilst the hardened plastic rear wheels are ideal for drifting round corners. Users can take their foot off the pedal for automatic braking and switch to reverse to get out of tight spots. The Xootz Comet Electric Go Kart benefits from a high-torque, maintenance-free 2 x 200W motors powered by two rechargeable 12V batteries that deliver speeds of up to 16km/h. For comfort and safety, it includes a bucket seat with a seatbelt.

The Xootz Cyclone Drift Trike features a striking blue and black design, and this updated version promises an electrifying experience like no other. Users can experience high speeds as they indulge in 360-degree spins and adrenaline-pumping drifts. Powered by a robust 24V lithium battery, the Cyclone Drift Trike offers unparalleled performance, reaching speeds of up to 16km/h.

The Enigma E-Scooter offers a perfect blend of performance and practicality. Designed with innovation and safety in mind, this foldable electric scooter offers a thrilling way to explore the outdoors. This scooter can be folded and stowed away when not in use, making it a practical and versatile choice for families on the go. Equipped with a kickstand, kids can park their scooter with ease, ensuring it stays upright and secure when not in motion. Whether navigating obstacles or cruising around the garden, riders can confidently bring their scooter to a halt with just a quick press of the brake, ensuring a safe and controlled ride every time.

Xootz believes in pushing the boundaries of outdoor play, and the Fun Unleashed campaign reflects the brand’s commitment to delivering cutting-edge, high-performance ride-ons that not only provide endless fun but also inspire a sense of adventure. These three electric ride-ons are not only packed with performance but also built for durability and safety.

Tossit

www.tossit.game | prouk@tossit.game

Tossit brings people together through its vibrant Tossit darts. With a very strong focus on sustainability and fostering relationships with suppliers and consumers, Tossit is making a significant splash in the UK games industry.

Tossit believes there is no bigger thrill than landing a throw right on target, and this game was invented to give players that same satisfaction. The game can be played anywhere, and both children and adults can play together.

Fans asked for more Tossits in a set, and this has been achieved. Now, there are 26 Tossits in the box so that it can be played with the entire family. With this package, 4-8 players can join the fun, meaning it also plays well at parties as well as unlocking all Tossit’s game modes.

The set contains two black Jack darts, 24 Tossit darts and a convenient cloth carrying bag. The Tossit darts come in red, cyan, pink, blue, purple, green and yellow. Soft darts with a powerful suction cup are designed to stick to smooth surfaces including floors, windows and countertops. Tossit can be played indoors or outdoors, and instructions for nine different game types are included that can be played with family or friends.

Designed in France, with darts in several vibrant colours and an attractive matte finish, the game is made of 100% food-grade silicone without a single drop of plastic - and is dishwasher safe. Suitable for all ages from three years and up, Tossit has gone viral on TikTok and beyond, raking in millions of views in the past four years.

PERFECT FOR PARTY BAGS!

NO-SPILL

CREATES A BLIZZARD OF BUBBLES!

UP TO 1 HOUR OF PLAY!

BLAST CONTINUOUS STREAMS OF BUBBLES!

Outdoor Toys Toynamics

01164 785 230 | www.toynamics.com sales@toynamics.co.uk

Toynamics UK & Ireland is rapidly expanding its portfolio of outdoor toys. This year saw the launch of new outdoor brands Trelines and Do-U-Play games, along with new Hape outdoor lines.

Do-U-Play joins Toynamics as a champion for outdoor games that support socialisation, teamwork and communication. This year’s best-seller, the 30-inch Jumbo Soccer Ball, features heavy-duty, durable, bouncy rubber material, a hand pump and two plastic plug caps. The ball easily inflates/deflates for the perfect portable game. Another exceptional release this year is Bamzball; with a heavyduty adjustable 72” goal scoring pole with a 21” diameter ring, premium ground stack anchor to secure into the grass or sand, two inflatable balls, four cones and an air pump, this easy to learn game suits multiple players of all ages.

Trelines’ innovative range of products is designed for nature and adrenaline lovers. A standout item is the 40-inch Dreamcatcher KD Swing, combining relaxation, portability and easy setup. Made from UV-resistant materials and featuring safety foam wraps, PE rope and forged steel rings, and able to support up to 225kg, this product is suitable for both children and adults. Other key products from Trelines are the Zipline and 36ft Swing Set with Gymnastics Kit, a setup that transforms any outdoor space into a personal playground and can be enhanced with accessories like adjustable swings, gym rings and a trapeze bar.

New for this year is Hape’s Outdoor Art Easel, designed for ages three years and up. This robust easel is made from anti-corrosive wood to stand the test of time and has accessories including a plastic paint pot, foam roller, two paint trays, two plastic clips and three leaf-shaped clips. To support the line is a range of compatible kits including the Colours & Shapes Art Kit equipped with 177 pieces of various washable shapes and colours for endless play potential, as well as the 11-piece Nature’s Wonders Stamps set featuring three finger stamps, three hand stamps, two roller stamps with quality wooden handles and an ink pad, making art possible anywhere.

Hape’s walkers, ride-ons and bikes offer a safe and durable way to help young children navigate their surroundings. With puncture-proof tyres, FSC-certified wooden frames and safety features like steering limiters, these products are built for longevity.

Hape’s Sand and Water toys are equally impressive, with UV-resistant and phthalate-free designs that prioritise both safety and durability. The Sand Construction Playset mimics reallife contractor tools and is stackable for easy storage. The entire range is perfect for beach trips or backyard sandpits, offering endless possibilities for outdoor play.

Toynamics UK & Ireland’s expanding range of outdoor toys is designed to provide children with opportunities for physical activity, creativity and a deeper connection to the natural world. With a focus on sustainability, durability and child development, these brands are the perfect choice for families looking to enhance their outdoor play experience.

Simba Smoby

01620 674 778 | sales@simbasmoby.comcom

Smoby is taking huge steps on the sustainability front, as it prepares to transition almost all its outdoor toy lines to Smoby Life branding – a product range that’s made in large part from high-quality recycled materials, with a new trend-led colour palette.

The Smoby Life portfolio offers the same great quality, durability and beautiful aesthetic for which Smoby is best known, whilst also offering families a more sustainable choice. The Smoby Life Jura Lodge Playhouse and XL Slide were the first two SKUs to launch in the range and have received a positive response from consumers, buyers and retailers alike, with each made from at least 50% recycled plastic. The company has now pledged to make almost all its playhouses, slides and activity toys using recycled plastic.

Looking ahead to spring/summer 2025, the Smoby Life Mud Kitchen will be a key line. This outdoor play set is made from 89% recycled plastic, which not only looks great but is also easy to clean and resistant to outdoor conditions. The mud kitchen work area includes two large mixing trays, a lid to extend the work surface or store pretend food, a cooking zone and a low shelf for organising. The slatted backing conveniently holds the water tank, removable containers, hanging pots, utensils and more.

United Wheels

01525 664 041 |

www.huffy.co.uk |

marketing@unitedwheels.eu

United Wheels UK has introduced a brand-new range of outdoor toys from its renowned Huffy brand, featuring some of the most beloved characters from Disney, Marvel and more. With a focus on bikes and battery-powered ride-ons, this new collection is set to provide endless fun for children of all ages.

Among the latest additions to the Huffy line-up are the Huffy Vintage 10" Balance Bikes, available in both green and blue. These stylish and sturdy bikes are perfect for younger children learning to balance and ride. Their lightweight design and classic appeal make them a great starter option for pre-schoolers.

For superhero fans, the Spider-Man 12" Bike comes complete with a Spider-Man mask featuring light-up eyes and sounds. Older children can enjoy the Huffy Spider-Man 16" Marvel Bike, perfect for those ready to tackle bigger adventures on two wheels. Both bikes offer smooth rides and safety features like calliper brakes and durable wheels, all while embracing the world of Spider-Man.

Fans of Disney Princesses and Frozen will be pleased with the introduction of new bikes in two sizes. The Princess 12" and 16" Bikes and Frozen 12" and 16" Bikes allow little riders to take on the outdoors in style, with eye-catching designs inspired by their favourite characters. The Princess bikes now feature Moana, just in time for the release of the muchanticipated new Moana film this November. Moana joins other iconic Disney Princesses, bringing a wave of adventure to every ride. Each bike features sturdy frames, comfortable seats and easy-to-use brakes, making them perfect for adventurous young princesses and Frozen enthusiasts alike.

Huffy is also expanding its range of quads and ride-ons with fun new designs for the youngest riders. The Minnie Quad, Spidey Quad and Frozen Bubble Quad 6V Battery Ride-On (also available in a Princess Bubble Quad variant) offer powered play for toddlers and young children. With the added feature of bubbles for the Frozen and Princess quads, these batterypowered ride-ons provide 40 minutes of bubbly fun per charge.

Also joining the lineup is the innovative Huffy Frozen Converting 6V Scooter with Flip Down Seat, providing the best of both worlds with a standing and seated riding option. This unique ride-on, also available in a Spidey and His Amazing Friends version, can easily convert from scooter to sit-and-ride mode, extending play possibilities. Huffy’s new range of outdoor toys is perfect for encouraging kids to explore the world on two wheels or ride-on quads. Whether they’re balancing, pedalling, or zooming around with their favourite characters, these new releases from Huffy promise hours of entertainment for young adventurers.

Allegedly

I always find it useful to talk to independent retailers at this time of year, as you get the view from the sharp end – and it’s always unexpurgated, honest feedback, not polite, ‘political’ comment that often comes from larger companies. So, it was good that I got the chance to catch up with a bunch of retailers at the Toymaster regional event in Swindon last month. The mood was perhaps best-described as ‘hopeful’ – still cautious, but slightly more optimistic than it felt over the summer. There are a lot of strong launches coming through for Christmas, but there remains a concern that some of the star lines may get price cut by the major accounts – although I guess it was ever thus. It’s actually the last time I’ll be visiting Swindon for this event, as next year will see a new configuration for the Toymaster regional shows: while Dublin will continue to have its own dedicated events for members, the Northern (Harrogate) and Southern (Swindon) shows will be combined into single events which will be held in Coventry in March and October…

The big news of last month was the acquisition of Sambro by HTI. Sambro has some very good ranges, HTI is the perfect company to take them on to new heights, and many of the existing Sambro staff will continue to be employed. With HTI due to move into a brand new purpose-built 250,000 squarefoot global HQ towards the end of next year, the addition of a selection of new ranges and brands which complement its own core portfolio offers a wonderful opportunity which was clearly too good to turn down (no matter how busy HTI already was). Onwards and upwards…

With retailers constantly pushing suppliers for better deals and greater levels of marketing support, some suppliers are becoming slightly concerned that the ‘deal’ is becoming more important to certain retailers than the product itself. Of course, the two go hand in hand to an extent, but one would hope that the deciding factor will always be the strength of the product rather than the depth of the discount. There are a lot of great new toy products hitting shelves, hopefully we don’t end up undervaluing them and selling them for less than they’re worth because someone in finance is worried about the level of stock being held in October. I just hope a little patience can be found to temper the itchy trigger fingers of those controlling retail prices, for the good of the whole toy community…

There is plenty of evidence to suggest that it’s not easy out there at retail. Dobbies has confirmed the 17 garden centre locations that it will shortly be closing, while a further nine sites remain at risk, with negotiations underway to reduce rents. Meanwhile, Very has instructed banks to handle a sale process:  I know this story does the rounds every six months or so, but this time it looks genuine – the giveaway is the fact that the owners seem to have finally accepted reality by dropping the price to a far more sensible level than its previous wildly over-optimistic valuation…

Although to be fair it’s not exactly easy for suppliers either. The latest company to apparently get into difficulty is the Abysse Group. Not a toy company as such, but a player in the pop culture / kidult field which so many believe is a licence to print money at the moment. There are also murmurings of some well-known international toy companies looking to refinance / restructure, while similar processes that are already underway at other toy companies continue to be ‘ongoing’ rather than ‘resolved’. So, all in all, a time where open, honest conversation and the spirit of partnership and collaboration across the different channels of the toy community is more important than ever…

With everyone waiting patiently for the festive season to spring into life, planning and preparation is also well underway for 2025. If you are one of those organized people who likes to plan ahead, I have a few dates you might want to add to your calendar (even if it is just so you can plan your family holiday around your business commitments). Jonathan Busher has told me that the LA dates for next year are as follows: the Spring event will take place between 28th April-2nd May, a little later than in recent years due to the late Easter. Meanwhile, the main Autumn event has been scheduled for 8th-19th September. The following week is Rosh Hashanah, so that may make it tricky for some exhibitors and visitors to spill over into the third week – and if that naturally condenses the trip into two weeks for most people, I suspect there won’t be too many complaints. With BLE taking place from 7th-9th October next year, there certainly won’t be any overlap with LA, as there was this year. In truth, it was nobody’s fault: BLE sets its dates at least five years in advance, and when this year’s dates were originally selected, LA was a much smaller event than it is now. With BLE moving back to its more traditional October dateline in 2025 – with I gather only one year in the next decade when the event is due to take place in September – there shouldn’t be a clash going forward…

I also hear on the grapevine that the inaugural Prague International Toy Fair has been deferred to 2026, as a result of the venue not being able to accommodate suitable dates for 2025. Distoy will continue in its usual timeslot in the last week of May, the week following the Las Vegas Licensing Expo and the Toymaster May Show, so it was already a congested month, and therefore not entirely straightforward to secure a date which didn’t cross over with another show…

For any of our French readers, I gather that Jacob Julian (Zag), he of Miraculous fame, is appearing on the French Version of Dragon’s Den as one of les Dragons. My French is a little rusty, but if anyone watches the show, do let me know how it all turns out –should be an interesting watch.