Touching Base - LA Toy Preview

LA 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.

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 have already been set, to help people with their planning: 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.