• Specially designed for children aged 1 - 4 years
• Play & discover safely without the risk of swallowing small parts
• Made in the EU
• Robust & durable
• Guaranteed free from plasticizers
• Hygienic & easy to clean
• Made from over 90% plant-based material*
YEARS 1- 4
*You can find out more about the materials used and the mass balance approach in your local language under the QR code.
out more!
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JUNIOR & Disney: Moana‘s Sail Boat
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JUNIOR & Disney: Ariel‘s Shell Shower
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JUNIOR & Disney: Cinderella‘s Castle
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JUNIOR & Disney: Belle‘s Play Tower with Sound
John Baulch - @Baulchtweet
Welcome to the September issue of Toy World – the first edition of Volume 14 of your favourite toy trade magazine. Thirteen years ago, the very first issue of Toy World started landing on desks, and we sat nervously awaiting the response from the toy community. We needn’t have worried: we received great feedback to our inaugural edition, and I am delighted that the magazine and website have continued to resonate with toy people ever since, with both channels growing every single year since our debut in 2011.
So, a huge thanks to all the companies from the toy and licensing communities (and of course the many businesses which serve these communities) for your fantastic advertising support over the years. And, of course, thanks to everyone who has read, liked, commented on and generally engaged with our content. Like any trade magazine, we wouldn’t exist without our advertisers – but our advertisers wouldn’t be allocating their budget to us without knowing that people are reading it. It’s a virtuous circle, and we really do appreciate everyone who has played a part in keeping us at the top and keeping us on our toes over the years.
This issue arrives just as the summer of ’24 is giving way to the crucial autumn winter season – and what a rollercoaster summer it has been. At its best we’ve seen England and Great Britain enjoy sporting success at the Euros and the Olympics respectively, while the election saw a change of government and the prospect of a fresh start for the country. Weather-wise, it’s been a typical British summer – slow to start, with very little sun across June and early July, followed by more protracted warm spells coinciding with the kids’ summer holidays.
As usual, whatever the weather, retailers managed to blame it for affecting sales. It’s the same every year: too wet and everyone complains that they aren’t selling any Outdoor toys. Too hot and they say no-one wants to go shopping. Arguably, you can’t win either way. Nevertheless, just as you don’t ask an ice-cream salesperson how business is in December, so the summer doesn’t define how the year will end up for toy suppliers and retailers.
However, we are approaching the time of the year when it is very much ‘make or break’ – and the whole toy community is now patiently waiting for consumers to start planning -or even better, making - their festive purchases. Circana’s first half global sales data was mildly encouraging: the toy trade is metaphorically drawing 1-1 at half time, which is a decent enough position to find ourselves in. Across the G12 territories, toy sales declined marginally (-1%) from January to June 2024, while the average selling price was on par with last year at $11.57.
I think most people would take that at this stage. At least these numbers leave us all to play for in the second half of the year – better to be level pegging than 3-0 down at half time.
While the toy market typically ticks over gently across the summer, it’s been an incredibly busy few months for the Toy World team, pulling together this issue. September is always one of our larger editions, as it arrives just as the toy community starts to gear up for the countdown to Christmas and is therefore perfectly timed for toy companies to showcase their latest autumn winter launches. But this year there has been an added challenge, with licensing event BLE taking place at the end of September, rather than in early or mid-October as it traditionally does. This means that if you flip this issue over, you’ll find the latest edition of Licensing World, which includes an extensive preview of BLE, rounding up all the hottest properties from the Kids & Family and Gaming space that will be showcased at ExCeL in three weeks’ time. We’ve also teamed up with Minecraft to bring you a special feature on this iconic brand as it celebrates its fifteenth anniversary (just a little older than Toy World), ahead of the launch of the new Minecraft movie next Spring.
And if that wasn’t enough, this issue is accompanied by our legendary standalone Games & Puzzles supplement –the definitive guide to the category for this autumn winter. Nobody else comes even remotely close to publishing such a comprehensive publication dedicated to exploring this enduring sector, so I hope you enjoy our round-up of the best Games & Puzzles hitting the market this year.
While the toy community is focused on making sure that the next four month’s trading are as successful as they can be, it’s also starting to prepare for 2025. By the time you read this, many people will already have arrived in LA for Fall Toy Previews, and it won’t be long before planning begins in earnest for January Toy Fair season. It was encouraging to report recently that re-bookings for the London Toy Fair are going incredibly well. The Ground Floor is already sold out, and, at the time of writing, there were only a few spaces left up in the gallery – so if you’re thinking about exhibiting next year, you should get your name down post haste. I would imagine it won’t be that long before we’ll be running a story announcing that the show is a sell-out. Nuremberg is also looking as strong as ever, while the New York Toy Fair marks its return to the Big Apple at the start of March.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves: there are four big months still to come in 2024. Let’s hope they’re successful and we can end the year with a flourish. Whatever happens, we’ll bring you every twist and turn as we approach the big day. Here we go…
ACTION FIGURES ACTION FIGURES
STUMBLE GUYS TOYS STUMBLE GUYS TOYS OUT NOW! OUT NOW!
COLLECTIBLE FIGURES COLLECTIBLE FIGURES
News
Strong
re-booking
rate for Toy Fair 2025
The Toy Fair, which will celebrate its 71st show in January 2025, has once again witnessed an extremely high returnee booking rate for next year’s event, with the entire ground floor and newly branded Gold Zone (formerly Greenhouse) already sold out. The show has also received a high level of new applications. Any companies still considering booking exhibition space at the 2025 show are therefore encouraged to apply now.
Exhibitors returning to build on their successful 2024 showing, include The Lego Group, Spin Master Toys, Epoch Making Toys, Hasbro, VTech/LeapFrog, Bandai UK, Casdon, Trends UK and Cheatwell Games, amongst many others. To view exhibitor testimonials, click here.
As the largest dedicated toy, game and hobby trade show in the UK, Toy Fair returns to Olympia London from 21st-23rd January 2025, once again across the full Grand, National and Upper West Halls.
The British Toy & Hobby Association’s head of Toy Fair, Majen Immink, stated: “We do not underestimate the ongoing challenges the industry faces and hugely appreciate the loyalty and support of our exhibitors and the value placed on the importance of the UK’s trade fair. We very much look forward to welcoming the industry back again in January and to witness the thousands of exciting new launches to the market.”
The Gold Zone (formerly Greenhouse), dedicated to smaller and up-and coming toy companies and located in the Grand Hall, has already sold out. The zone is a hub of creativity and innovation and has become renowned for visitors uncovering hidden treasures and the names of the future. It is also a great place for like-minded entrepreneurs and start-up companies, including those that are brand new to the industry, to network and share experiences and knowledge.
Companies still considering exhibiting at Toy Fair 2025 are encouraged to apply as soon as possible to avoid missing out. At the time of writing spaces were still available on the upper level and can be allocated as shell scheme or space-only. Prospective exhibitors can apply online at www.toyfair.co.uk. For exhibition and general enquiries, contact rebecca@btha.co.uk or phone 020 7701 7271. For sponsorship enquiries, contact majen@btha.co.uk. Visitor registration will open in early October via the Toy Fair website.
Goliath and PlayMonster to form UK/Eire distribution partnership
Family-owned Goliath Group has announced an exclusive distribution partnership with the PlayMonster Group. Goliath will distribute the PlayMonster portfolio including Games, Fab Lab, Spirograph and Koosh in the UK and Eire from Jan 2025, transitioning all inventory, retailer programmes, marketing and brand management.
“We are thrilled to become PlayMonster’s custodians in the UK and Eire,” commented Nick Thomas, UK general manager Vivid Goliath. “The rich and diverse portfolio complements ours and we are looking forward to managing the company’s iconic brands, from the charttopping game 5 Second Rule along with Pigs on Trampolines and new game Feeder Frenzy: Flying Squirrels through to girls lifestyle brand Fab Lab and heritage brands Spirograph and Koosh, with many more innovations in development for the future.”
Jonathan Berkowitz, CEO at PlayMonster added: “We’re excited to start working with the Goliath Group. Our teams quickly aligned on a shared vision for our brands and future ambitions to grow and innovate. Goliath is best in class at supporting retail partners and also executing extensive marketing programmes. We look forward to a strong partnership between Goliath and PlayMonster for years to come.”
Goliath is one of the largest global family-owned games manufacturers, with flagship family classic games including Sequence, Gooey Looey, The Floor is Lava and Pop! the Pig. The company’s global range includes top licences for The Traitors and Murdle, the distribution of Funko Games, plus products such as Tasty Tinies and Garfield plush and collectibles. The company operates 15 offices around the world.
PlayMonster’s diversified portfolio includes TOTY Game of the Year 5 Second Rule Relay and Yeti in My Spaghetti, Pigs on Trampolines, Spirograph, Colorforms, Koosh and more.
Moose Toys partners with Click Distribution to enhance UK operations
This strategic collaboration marks a significant milestone in the two companies' long-standing relationship, which began in 2019. Since 2022, Click Distribution has been a key partner, stocking Moose’s full range of popular products including major brands such as Bluey, Little Live Pets and Magic Mixies.
Under this new agreement, Click will take on the management of the majority of Moose’s independents business, including Toymaster and AIS members. This move is a critical component of Moose’s long-term EU strategy aimed at driving business efficiencies across sales and operations. Strengthening relationships with Toymaster, AIS and independent retailers is integral to Moose’s growth strategy in the UK market.
Sara Gibson, UK Sales director at Moose Toys, commented: “Our collaborative relationship with Click has gone from strength to strength. The dedication and resources the team brings to Moose will allow both companies to maximise future growth potential. With a roster of exciting brands in the pipeline, we are excited to be strengthening the day-to-day business for our independent customers through Click’s expertise and diligence.”
Lewi Hillier, COO at Click, added: “We are thrilled to be expanding our partnership with Moose Toys. This exclusive arrangement allows us to further integrate our operations and deliver even greater value to our retail partners. Our shared commitment to excellence and innovation sets a strong foundation for continued success and growth in the UK market.”
The partnership will see Click becoming a more integrated part of Moose’s business operations, acting as an extension of the Moose team during key planning and sell-in periods. This enhanced collaboration is set to bolster Moose’s portfolio presence in the UK, helping to streamline operations and retailer service.
Click is renowned for exclusively representing some of the biggest toy manufacturers in the world. Its proven track record and industry expertise make it the ideal partner to help Moose Toys achieve its ambitious goals.
Get in touch with Click on 0330 123 2559 or click@clickdistributionuk.com.
Hunter Price acquires BargainMax.co.uk
The deal, announced in August, accelerates Hunter Price’s growth and expansion strategy, building on the business’ most successful trading year to date in 2023. Hunter Price says the acquisition of BargainMax.co.uk reinforces the company’s relentless customer first approach and commitment to its unique proposition within the retail industry, across Toys, Accessories, Lifestyle, Stationery and Arts & Crafts.
Hunter Price has evolved beyond recognition over the years, from consumer product traders to brand owners and leading consumer product licensee to many of the world’s global toy and entertainment brands. Supporting its high-profile retail customers with impactful and bespoke product ranges remains the core focus of the business. This acquisition now fuels the business’ brand growth ambitions across its product portfolio.
Josh Eden, co-CEO (operations & finance), explained: “Earlier this year we made an unwavering investment and commitment to excellence in everything we do; to our loyal customers, suppliers and other stakeholders. This announcement shows our actions speak louder than our words. We believe our own brands and partnerships have so much untapped potential, and we now have the capabilities to continue to innovate and activate our portfolio, to build brand equity, value and market share.
“We believe all our stakeholders will see the benefits of our omni-channel expansion, maintaining our ‘completing not competing’ mindset, to offer more insight, innovation and commercial impact.”
Jeremy Winburn, co-CEO (commercial), added: “The retail landscape continues to evolve – as do we. The time has come to be braver and bolder with our brands and build for the future. We couldn’t be happier to welcome BargainMax.co.uk into the Hunter Price family. Bringing together two hugely talented teams to activate our brand stories – allowing for greater collaboration and creativity – is a perfect partnership for us. It’s the best 15th birthday present we could have given ourselves.”
Alex Woolfstein, CEO of BargainMax.co.uk, said: “Hunter Price and BargainMax.co.uk share the same entrepreneurial spirit, energy and excitement for impactful consumer products. We both have the consumer at the heart of everything we do – we’re building for the future, together as one team – so I couldn’t be prouder to be part of this journey alongside Hunter Price.”
Further information will be shared regarding the acquisition over the coming months.
Toy Galaxy closes stores
The toy retailer operated several branches, the latest of which was its Watford store in the Atria shopping centre. Other locations included Barnet, Ealing, Hatfield and Witney.
In a letter to workers, owner Bhav Patel apologised to his team and explained that the closure was unfortunately “due to financial pressures”. The letter added that administrators from Edge Recovery would take over the company’s affairs and outstanding pay would typically be paid within 3-6 weeks.
He wrote: “Several factors have led us to this point, including a large internal theft that cost the business over £120,000, supply issues due to reduced and eventually removed credit insurance, and sudden health problems that forced me to take intermittent spells away from the business.”
According to the letter, other factors contributing to the decision to appoint administrators included the decline in sales across the retail sector, rising costs of rent, business rates, electricity and staffing, which had “all contributed to our financial difficulties.”
In a recent Talking Shop interview with Toy World, the company said: “It has been a challenging year, as we all know, making it difficult to identify a consistent shopping trend. Some weekends are very busy, and we surpass our targets, but on others the store is very quiet, and sales are down. It’s an unpredictable time.”
In the letter to staff, Bhav added: “Having spent the past 20 years building Toy Galaxy, it is devastating for me to see the current state of the company. In my effort to keep the business alive, I exhausted all resources, risking the security of my family and our home.
“I take full responsibility for this situation and deeply regret that we find ourselves here. I sincerely thank you for your dedication, hard work, and loyalty.”
Circana reports that global toy sales have stabilised
Circana has released the toy sales performance figures for the first half of the year across 12 global markets (G12), including Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, Spain, United Kingdom and the United States. Across the G12, dollar sales declined by 1% from January to June 2024, versus the same period in 2023, to $24.5b, while average selling price was on par with last year at $11.57, according to Circana’s Retail Tracking Service.
So far this year, four of the 11 toys super categories tracked by Circana experienced a year-on-year sales increase within the G12. Building sets continues as the main driver behind the industry performance with 20% sales growth, followed by explorative and other toys, up 5%, and plush and vehicles each growing by 1%.
Despite a steep decline of 19% year-to-date at the global box office, as reported by Box Office Mojo, licensed toys accounted for 32% of the total toy market (value sales) in the first half – which is five percentage points higher than the same period in 2021 – and sales grew by 6% compared to 2023. Pokémon is still in first position among the top brands and licences globally, followed by Squishmallows (Jazwares), Star Wars (Disney), Marvel Universe (Disney) and Hot Wheels (Mattel). The top five gaining properties so far this year include Lego Icons, which is targeted at older consumers, the NBA sports licence, the new collectible line Miniverse from MGA Entertainment, the children’s cartoon Bluey (BBC) and various Disney hits.
“After a difficult year in 2023, when inflation began taking a heavy toll on consumer spending, Circana is pleased to report that toy sales have stabilised in the first half of 2024, in terms of both value and units sold, as average prices hold steady with last year,” said Frédérique Tutt, Global Toys Industry advisor at Circana. “We continue to observe strong momentum with older consumers, especially adult fans and collectors who have re-discovered play and are very engaged with the category.”
Amazon found responsible for third-party product safety
Following a unanimous vote, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has issued a Decision and Order against Amazon.com, determining that Amazon was a ‘distributor’ of products that are either defective or fail to meet federal consumer product safety standards. As a result, the online retail giant now bears legal responsibility for their recall. More than 400,000 products are subject to this order, including faulty carbon monoxide (CO) detectors, hairdryers lacking electrocution protection, and children’s sleepwear that violated federal flammability standards. Amazon had argued, unsuccessfully, that it was not a distributor and bore no responsibility for the safety of the products sold under its Fulfilled by Amazon programme. However, an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) rejected Amazon’s argument, meaning it must now develop and submit proposed plans to notify purchasers and the public about the product hazards, and to provide refunds or replacements for these products.
During the administrative law proceedings before the ALJ and the Commission, Amazon did not contest that the products present a substantial product hazard. It did, though, claim that sending messages to initial purchasers about “potential” safety issues and providing initial purchasers with Amazon.com credits – rather than refunds incentivising product return or destruction – were sufficient to remedy the product hazards. The commission, as well as the ALJ, disagreed.
Once Amazon has finalised its notification and remediation plans, the commission will consider them and then issue a second order.
This order will be of interest to those who have long expressed concerns about Amazon’s lack of accountability when it comes to the safety of products bought through its third-party sellers. Back in 2020, research by the British Toy & Hobby Association revealed that over half of toys available on Amazon via third-party sellers could choke, burn or poison a child. As a result, the BTHA began campaigning for the online marketplaces to be held ‘jointly and severally liable for products sold via their platforms’.
It remains to be seen what impact, if any, the CPSA Decision & Order has on Amazon.co.uk.
Lego and Asmodee team up to create Lego board games
The Lego Group and Asmodee have announced a multi-year partnership, joining forces to create and distribute new shared play experiences. The partnership will create a range of high-quality Lego board games for all types of players, inventing new ways for families and brick fans around the world to play within the Lego universe.
Dotted Games is a brand-new studio dedicated to the partnership, which will nurture and develop all games. With an experienced team at the helm, its mission is to bring the best Lego board games to fans and families, while unlocking fresh avenues of play thanks to the versatility of Lego bricks. The Dotted Games team, based in Denmark, brings decades of invaluable experience in the board gaming industry, boasting a remarkable collection of awards between them.
Jaume Fabregat, Board Games lead, Lego Publishing, said: “By combining Asmodee’s extensive expertise in board games with the limitless potential of the Lego system, we are unlocking exponential possibilities for innovation in play. This partnership paves the way for future collaborations that will redefine the Lego building experience within the tabletop landscape, offering fans unique and distinctive play experiences.”
“Embarking on this journey with the Lego Group is exciting, combining its timeless creativity with our passion and expertise for games,” added Thomas Koegler, Asmodee Deputy COO. “Together, we aim to build unforgettable experiences that will unite families and friends around the world, one Lego brick and one shuffle of the deck at a time.”
Originally announced earlier this year, Monkey Palace is a demonstration of how integrating Lego bricks into board games can provide remarkable play value. The game is a junglethemed game of light strategy tailored for 2-4 players, incorporating both collaborative and competitive elements. Monkey Palace will be available to buy globally following its worldwide debut at Essen Spiel in October.
More announcements and board games from the Lego Group and Asmodee’s partnership are promised in the coming months.
For more information, Asmodee can be contacted on 01420 593593 or info@asmodee.co.uk.
Smiffys II to become sales agent for Rubies
“We’re excited to bring the Rubies collection to our UK Smiffys customers, including the fantastic portfolio of licensed products the brand has long been known for,” commented Sam Bucknall, head of UK & EU Sales, Smiffys. “The synergy between the two brands is clear, and offering both the Smiffys and Rubies ranges will allow our customers access to a wide range of products to meet their needs.”
The deal comes as the industry heads into its peak season, with several big movie releases and Halloween just around the corner.
“Rubies is tremendously excited to be represented by Smiffys II across the UK Independent retail landscape,” added Pete Warton, executive director, Rubies. “Known for its exceptional customer service and breadth of distribution across UK retail, Smiffys leads the way in dress-up by supporting partners with its on time and on trend portfolio. Rubies is proud to add its predominantly licensed goods to Smiffys care.”
Rubies’ full range of products will be available via the Smiffys sales team with immediate effect. To find out more and place an order, contact the team as follows:
Sam Bucknall – head of UK & EU Sales: sambucknall@smiffys.com
Matthew Hill – Territory Sales manager (London, UK South & Ireland): matthewhill@smiffys.com
Tina Brooks – Customer Service manager: tinabrooks@smiffys.com
Teresa Hewitt – Customer Service advisor: teresahewitt@smiffys.com
Maxine Andrews – Customer Service advisor: maxineandrews@smiffys.com
Or call Smiffys on 0800 590 599.
newsanalysis
ClipToys Magic set to bring the magic to Los Angeles
Rami Yadin, founder and CEO of ClipToys Magic, spoke with Toy World about the company’s ranges and its
absolutely belong in the toy aisle. Our innovative collection simply jumps off the shelves, and our pricing structure is also very attractive. I know from personal experience that today's distributors and retailers need a good margin in order to survive, and most of the products in this line can be sold for under £10 at retail.
Tell us how you work with retailers so they can make the most of your ranges?
The presentation of a product line is key. ClipToys Magic has created CDUs to best showcase its products, which can be placed beside the cash register or on the shelves. Each product comes with a QR code which, once scanned, pulls up a simple video with no language or complicated translation necessary, making it suitable for children around the world. Because of this, children from the age of four can learn how to play by themselves.
A unique aspect of this line is its level of innovation. ClipToys Magic started with a core range that has now expanded, and in each exhibition space, new products are revealed, creating a wow effect in each showroom. We have developed unique product lines for each type of retailer, keeping their products separate from each
Where can visitors find you at the show?
We invite distributors worldwide to visit our showroom at the LA previews, in the 1960 Toy Building in Suite 350.
How should people get in touch to book meetings?
If you would like to book a meeting with ClipToys Magic in LA, please contact Adrienne Abrevaya at adrienne@aa-globalink.com to set up an appointment.
Giraffe Insights to host annual KidSight conference this month
Giraffe InsightsKidSight is hosting its annual kids’ conference, KidSight, on the big screen at the West End’s Odeon Luxe Cinema on Thursday 12th September.
The industry-wide conference, titled Uniquely Me, will feature an array of internal and external speakers, as well as a panel of thought leaders in the kids and youth space. Discussions will focus on the importance of being unique while remaining authentic when it comes to content, strategy and execution, setting the stage for a new era of brand interaction.
Maxine Fox, managing director at Giraffe Insights, commented: “We are excited to announce the return of KidSight this year after its successful debut last year. We have a great line-up of speakers and will be showcasing the latest research and insights for brands navigating this space. It really is not to be missed.”
Tickets cost £10 per person, with all proceeds going to UK-based children’s charity, The Toy Trust.
Toymaster welcomes Cadfan News
Toymaster is pleased to announce that a new member has joined its ranks. Cadfan News is run by Russell Lacey and Graham Lacey, and located at 1 Prestoria Buildings, High Street, Tywyn, LL36 9AF.
A Toymaster spokesperson said: “We would like to welcome Cadfan News to the Toymaster family and wish Russell and the team the very best of luck.”
Like all members, this latest retailer will be able to enjoy the support of Toymaster suppliers with offers and exclusive lines ahead of the festive season.
Cadfan News stocks a wide range of toys, soft toys, games and puzzles from a variety of brands such as Playmobil, Orchard Toys and Fisher Price. It also sells Welsh and Tywyn souvenirs, gifts, homewares and greeting cards.
Cadfan News can be found on Facebook. To get in touch, call 01654 710 497 or email cadfan.news@yahoo.com.
To find out more about becoming a Toymaster member, contact Brian McLaughlin on 01604 662 922 or email brian.mclaughlin@toymaster.co.uk.
Preshow Noël Toys and Games unveils new features for 2024
The highly anticipated Preshow Noël Toys and Games is set to return to Deauville from 18th to 22nd November 2024. An international event at heart, Preshow Noël hosts a diverse array of exhibitors from around the globe. This year, more than one-third of the exhibitors to date hail from 15 different countries, including UK exhibitors such as Just Play, Moose Toys, PMS International, Sambro, United Wheels and YuMe Toys. “This rich international presence underscores the show's global reach and appeal,” said Fabienne Taylor, exhibition director. French and international buyers will have the exclusive opportunity to preview 2025 collections and collaborate with both returning and new exhibitors. This year's show promises a fresh perspective, with one in five exhibitors being new participants in 2024 (such as Kids 2 Europe, Playmobil, Toi Toys and Trade Invaders). This influx of new exhibitors will bring innovative products and ideas, enriching the event's already dynamic atmosphere.
One of the new additions is the launch of the Fan Zone by Preshow. This new area is dedicated to the kidult market, reflecting the evolving landscape of the industry. Fan Zone by Preshow will feature products that cater to adult enthusiasts of entertainment products, showcasing the latest trends in this growing market segment (+2,5% progression of the sales in Europe and 28% of total sales in France in 2023 according to Circana). Big players such as CLD Distribution, Exquisite Gaming, Innelec and Paladone will be present. On the retail side, Geek Factory, ShopforGeek (in its first participation) and Bem’s (also for the first time) are already registered.
Preshow Noël continues to be a pivotal event for industry professionals, offering unparalleled networking opportunities and insights into upcoming trends. Attendees can look forward to a vibrant and comprehensive showcase that not only highlights the latest products but also fosters connections and collaborations that will shape the future of the industry
For more information and to register for the event, please visit the Preshow Noël website, www.preshow-noel.
Canal Toys’ So Slime Sensations Sugary Crush range spells sweet success
Canal Toys has released a new range of slime products. The So Slime Sensations Sugary Crush range features four lines; So Slime Sensations Sugary Crush Deluxe pack, So Slime Sensations Sugary Crush Milkshake, So Slime Sensations Sugary Crush Donuts and So Slime Sensations Sugary Crush Cake. All lines come with stands, moulds, glasses and all the frosting and sprinkles needed to make each creation look like real food items.
The Sugary Crush range is designed to provide children with a unique sensory play experience, combining vibrant colours, diverse textures and satisfying ASMR effects. These products allow kids to mix, squish and stretch various compounds to create personalised, sensory-rich slime, all revolving around collectible sweet treats. This line is designed to provide fun playing experiences and the soothing and engaging qualities of ASMR, making it a standout in the market. With numerous styles and combinations available, So Slime Sensations encourages creativity and tactile exploration, ensuring hours of enjoyable and therapeutic play.
The Sensational Sugary Crush Deluxe Pack includes three different sweet creations all in one box. Users can follow the easy instructions to make waffles, doughnuts and a milkshake, and have fun mixing all the ingredients just like the real thing, all while enjoying the sensations of the different compounds and decorations.
Early indications from social media campaigns show that the So Slime Sensations Sugary Crush is set to be a big hit, with parents sharing their children’s creations across all platforms. The range has also been featured across multiple national press and parenting titles highlighting the product's unique selling points and raising brand awareness with consumers.
Canal Toys plans to continue supporting this product with influencer and press opportunities throughout the rest of the year.
For order enquiries, contact 01904 379 123 or sales@canaltoys.uk.
IMC Toys restructures UK operation
Due to recent cost challenges including escalating warehousing and freight rates, and in order to drive business efficiencies, IMC has made the difficult and sad decision to close its UK operation.
All functions have been centralised with immediate effect and will be managed by the experienced Hong Kong and Spanish teams for finance, operations and marketing.
The company’s FOB & DDP programmes will continue and will be managed by the Hong Kong subsidiary moving forward. IMC is also in conversation with several parties to support its independent and specialist retailers in the UK. UK country manager, Sue Barratt, told Toy World: “As soon as we have appointed a partner, we will announce the details and timing.”
IMC’s portfolio includes the top selling Cry Babies, Magic Tears and Baby Paws brands, and the company will continue to deliver its award-winning content and media strategies across UK and Ireland going forward. Autumn/winter media plans remain in place for 2024.
IMC will be presenting its 2025 developments in LA, Nuremberg and at previews.
Sue Barratt commented: “The business is hugely grateful to the UK team for all their dedication, hard work and professionalism, especially over the last few weeks.”
As of now, all sales and operational enquires should be directed to Sue at sbarratt@imctoys.com or 07767 822260, while Marketing, communication and media enquiries should be sent to Raquel Roca, rroca@imctoys.com.
MV Sports & Leisure, located in Birmingham, is one of the UK’s foremost distributors, supplying own brand and licensed wheeled and outdoor toys to leading UK national and independent retailers.
Last year, the business consolidated its warehouse facilities in Northampton and Felixstowe into its primary Birmingham site to enhance its operational efficiency. This strategic move led to significant investments in a state-of-the-art warehouse, featuring solar panels and other sustainable energy solutions. The facility, located just 10 minutes from Birmingham Airport and easily accessible from Junction 5 of the M6 motorway, is designed to meet diverse storage and fulfilment needs with convenience and sustainability.
The new warehouse offers a range of flexible storage solutions including racked, bulk and tailored spaces to accommodate various requirements. With adjustable racking designed to store oversized freight and pallet heights up to 2.1 metres, the warehouse provides extensive capacity and has 3,500 pallet spaces available for immediate use. Specialised storage options for hazardous goods are also available, ensuring the safe and secure handling of such items.
MV Sports & Leisure also offers comprehensive services such as 3PL pick and pack, palletisation, order fulfilment, container devanning and inventory management. Operational efficiency is further enhanced with readily available loading and unloading services. The facility also includes on-site office amenities such as toilets, showers, breakout areas and a kitchenette, providing a comfortable and functional workspace.
Peter Kimberley, group chief executive of Tandem Group, the owner of MV, said: “We are delighted with our state-of-the-art warehouse facility in the West Midlands, strategically located for easy access and designed with sustainability in mind. Our flexible and comprehensive storage solutions are available at market-leading rates, making us the ideal partner for businesses looking to optimise their logistics and fulfilment operations.”
Security is a top priority at the new warehouse, with secure yard space monitored 24/7 by CCTV, alarms and security personnel. The company offers both long-term and short-term storage solutions to accommodate high or low volume needs, ensuring flexibility for businesses of all sizes. MV Sports & Leisure guarantees the best rates in the market, making its solutions not only efficient but also cost-effective.
For more information or to enquire about storage space, call 01217 488 075 or email info@tandemgroup.co.uk.
Hamleys opens first beauty, dress-up and accessories boutique
Hamleys Boutique: Be You is designed to create a space where 4-14-year-olds can hang out with friends, dress up, be creative, feel inspired, explore and have fun.
The new department on the 2nd floor of the store also offers the chance for youngsters, inspired by pop fandom, to immerse themselves in the worldwide phenomenon of making, wearing and sharing customised bracelets; a trend that feeds their creativity and encourages them to nurture meaningful friendships with their peers.
Victoria Kay, head of Buying at Hamleys, said: “Research shows that children as young as four years old possess a profound sense of self-awareness. In fact, unlike generations before them, over 90% value their individuality and authenticity, and feel it's important to be totally themselves. Toys and products that allow them to explore their identity and bond with others through play are vital for the next generation. Young children today are also hugely socially aware. They love to shop together with friends, sharing ideas, creative expression and developing their own evolving sense of style is a meaningful social activity."
Some of the leading products in the boutique include Charm It! Charms and Milabella Charms, which allow children to create beautiful, unique jewellery to wear and share with friends. Great Pretenders, Hello Kitty and Heroes are all brands that take the age-old concept of playing dress up to a whole new level, with costumes and outfits that fuel imagination and curiosity. Savvy young shoppers can experiment and immerse themselves in pretend play with cosmetics specifically designed for children from Martinelia, Miss Nella, Marwins, Yummiland and TopModel.
Some of the top picks from the boutique are Great Pretenders Fairy Dress and Rainbow Wings, Disney Princess Party Pack, L.O.L Surprise! Hair Beads, Rainbow High Swim & Style Fashion Dolls, Barbie Mini Barbieland Reveal Doll, Martinella Mermaid Tale Lip Gloss, Loungefly Barbie Movie Backpack, Charm It Charms Selection, Martinella Little Unicorn Travel Wallet and Our Generation Stella Doll.
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newsanalysis
It’s the
Canal Toys appoints Tony Guzman as Marketing director
Tony will be focusing on elevating Canal Toys' brands awareness and consumer engagement, working even more closely with its media and PR agencies and strengthening marketing collaboration with all its retail partners.
With 27 years of industry experience, he brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise leading and developing recognised brands both locally and internationally. Tony’s career began at Tiger Electronics, and he later transitioned to several senior marketing roles at Hasbro’s corporate offices. His extensive experience includes leading marketing for Hasbro’s Latin America business from Miami and more recently executing global marketing strategies from the Netherlands for Hasbro’s Export markets.
Tony said: “I am thrilled to be joining the Canal team. With the industry facing many challenges, it’s inspiring to see what the company has developed and achieved in recent years. The product pipeline, with its focus on consumer creativity, will further fuel the growth and momentum already created. I’m looking forward to growing the impressive portfolio of brands by taking our marketing to the next level.”
Anthony Grimaud, CEO of Canal Toys, added: “We are excited to welcome Tony to Canal. The timing is great as our brand portfolio and product development has never been stronger. Tony’s extensive background and marketing expertise will be invaluable for the business as he steps into this pivotal role for Canal which will supercharge the business and elevate our brands to new heights.”
WereBear bunch!
With nostalgia for 80s toy brands continuing to drive sales, Midco Toys’ David Middleton has seen an opportunity to bring back a classic from that decade that hasn’t been in the public eye for over forty years. Toy World caught up with him to find out why he believes the time is right for a WereBears revival.
For those who weren’t around in the 80s, what can you tell us about the WereBears?
The WereBears brand was created by George Nicholas and released by Hornby in 1983, when it saw massive success in the UK. The bears were named Grizzler, Howler, Fang and Gums. Each bear came with a story tape narrated by Oliver Postgate, the man behind Bagpuss.
The WereBears adventure begins near the fictional village of Munchen-Luncheon, a village in a remote corner of Bavaria where time seems to have stood still. The Bears were created by kindly old toymaker Baron Egon Baconburger, who lives in Castle Casserole. The Baron fell victim to an ancient curse which changed him into a werewolf, and somehow, he passed on this curse to the four teddy bears, who became WereBears. Now the Bears have got themselves hopelessly lost in the forest and the Baron desperately needs to find them before his secret is discovered. The Baron and the Bears may look scary, but are innocent and kind-hearted inside. However, there are darker forces to be reckoned with in the forest beyond MunchenLuncheon, the enchanted domain of the evil Witch Hazel, her hideous TerrorTeds and other assorted nasties.
Why do you believe it’s a good time for the brand to make a comeback? Currently there’s a popular trend with kids for the supernatural, paranormal and scary, as shown by recent successes like Five Nights At Freddys, Poppy Playtime, Doors and Bendy and The Ink Machine. There are thousands of ‘jump scare’ videos all over YouTube and TikTok, along with ‘paranormal encounters’ - and kids love it. Cute scary is definitely something that is resonating in the market, and classics like The Nightmare Before Christmas are a prime example.
The WereBears were a massive success in the UK in the 80s and into the early 90s. At that time, a deal was extremely close to being signed with a massive motion picture company for a movie that was set to rival Gremlins. However, unapproved changes to the product design and characters saw this fall through at the last minute, just as product was set to hit the market.
WereBears feels like a brand that didn’t quite reach its potential to become massive the first time round - a couple of stumbling blocks stopped it at the final hurdle. With its fantastic concept, and the range, style and story behind it, I’m certain it could become a leading toy brand again.
How did you come to be involved with Werebears?
I’ve always wanted to be involved in bringing a licence to market, especially one that I was passionate about. The Toys That Made Us TV show and the story of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles inspires me, and WereBears had been on my mind for a while. Many of the classic ‘boys’ licences, such as Masters of the Universe, Teenage Mutant
Ninja Turtles and Thundercats have already been brought back, but WereBears never has. Every time I speak to someone about WereBears, their face lights up, as if I had just brought back a massive childhood memory.
So, I reached out to George, the original creator, and we’ve already had a lot of interest from well-known toy companies, both in the UK and across the pond. What are your aims in terms of next steps for the brand?
I would like to see WereBears back in the market as a full-blown licensed property, not just a toy range. I see WereBears working on a whole host of productslunchboxes, bed covers, the works. Dream big I guess - but why not?
To discuss getting involved with the WereBears revival, contact Dave on w w07477 898299 or midcotoys@yahoo.co.uk.
Industry Moves
Jo Hall joins Mischievous Wolf
Jo, the former chief commercial officer of Toys R Us Asia, has joined Mischievous Wolf as non-executive director and business partner, bringing a wealth of experience which the company says will lead to an exciting new chapter of global growth.
Jo’s tenure at Toys R Us Asia saw her bold leadership and innovative strategies revitalise the brand across the region. Having spent over 17 years in Asia, Jo has delivered many groundbreaking initiatives including product design and manufacturing in China, key global brand campaigns, rebranding multiple IPs and the introduction of immersive retail experiences which set new standards in the industry.
Mischievous Wolf’s innovative and client-focused strategies have earned the company multiple industry accolades this year, including awards for Best Small Agency and Best Agency Culture, as well as an impressive tally of three Platinum, seven Gold and eight Silver awards. Jo’s addition to the board is expected to further enhance Mischievous Wolf’s reputation as a trailblazer in the marketing and branding sector.
Jo’s decision to join Mischievous Wolf was driven by shared values and synergies between her and the company’s visionary approach. Mischievous Wolf’s clientcentric focus, with creativity and big-thinking ideas at its heart, aligns with Jo’s ‘Obsessive Advantage’ strategy for delivering transformative results. Working across the Family, Entertainment and Lifestyle sectors, the new partnership will aim to continue the company’s trajectory of global expansion. This appointment opens new opportunities across Asia and strengthens the focus on the kids’ market, which is particularly timely with the LA September Toy Previews approaching, which Jo will be attending.
The current board of directors, including Andrew Woolnough, Michelle Matthews, Dawn Wilson and Phil Marshall, have expressed their excitement about teaming up with Jo. Phil Marshall told Toy World: “Jo Hall and I go way back, driven by mutual respect and a shared passion for innovation. Her unparalleled expertise and visionary spirit are pure gold for our team. Jo has an incredible knack for seeing how our bold ideas can transform into successful campaigns. She’s exactly the catalyst to push boundaries and set new industry standards.”
Curious Universe announces new national account manager
Curious Universe has announced the appointment of Carly Maunder as a new national account manager. The company says this strategic addition is set to further bolster the its already dynamic sales team.
With over 15 years of experience in sales, Carly brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise, particularly from her most recent role within the gift industry. Her extensive background and proven track record make her a valuable asset to the Curious Universe team.
Carly commented: “I am thrilled to be joining Curious Universe and excited to be part of the team. The range of titles is incredible and it’s inspiring to see what the company has developed and achieved in the past seven years. I am looking forward to growing within the team and bringing my years of experience to the table.”
In her new role, Carly will be focusing on managing some of the company’s key national accounts alongside Mark Murray, head of Mass Market Sales.
The Noble Collection welcomes Glynn Davies
Glynn Davies has joined The Noble Collection as Commercial director. He brings more than 20 years’ experience in sales, licensing and marketing gained at the likes of Lego, Warner Bros. and Eaglemoss. Based in Noble’s central London offices, Glynn will be developing existing wholesale sales and bringing new customers on board for the UK and EMEA markets as well as working together with key licensors.
The Noble Collection is renowned for creating quality licensed collectibles, prop replicas, plush, toys and games including finely sculpted chess sets from a wide range of high-profile media properties including Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Star Trek, Minecraft, Minions, DC Comics, Jumanji, ET and many more. Originally founded in Dulles, Washington D.C. in 1991, the company has since expanded around the world to include distribution hubs in the UK and Europe.
Glynn commented: “During my time at Warner Bros., I worked closely with The Noble Collection and got to know its great quality products and how well they sell. I’m really looking forward to being part of the fantastic Noble team and expanding our footprint across the UK and beyond.”
Glynn can be contacted at GDavies@NobleCollection.com.
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Marketing World
John Adams unveils Decora Girlz window at Hamleys
A window installation at Hamleys flagship store on Regent Street has been featuring the new collectible Decora Girlz Fashion and Sticker N’ Style dolls over the summer.
The window is a first for John Adams Leisure and the Decora Girlz brand in the UK and will be in place until early September, after spending the six weeks of summer holidays on display.
The brand has already had a huge marketing drive, both in the UK and globally, to support its launch, including a star-studded fashion event and pop-up, heavyweight influencer, PR activity and celebrity social content, as well as TV, VOD and YouTube advertising.
Lynette Leet, Marketing manager at John Adams, said: “The Hamleys installation continues to grow brand awareness for Decora Girlz with high summer footfall, providing kids and parents with yet another touch point to immerse themselves in the colourful and expressive world of Decora. Hamleys is an iconic place to display the bright, colourful and unique Decora Girlz. This is another step in showing our commitment to continue to grow the brand in the UK market.”
The Decora Girlz are quirky tween friends who love to decorate and express themselves through the colourful Decora Kei style from Japan. There are six 5-inch dolls to collect, each with her own style, soft fully rooted hair and multiple accessories. Kids can also discover four 11-inch collectible fashion dolls, with long locks to style and plenty of accessories, including fabric outfits, fun stickers, a bag and doll stand.
For more on the range, see the John Adams website www.johnadams.co.uk or contact 01480 414 361 or sales@johnadams.co.uk.
To kick off the launch of its Kawaii Kuties soft and squishy plush collection, Posh Paws has launched a heavy-weight influencer and social media marketing campaign running from last month and throughout September, to create buzz for the brand with engaging content that will capture the attention of consumers.
Partnering with popular teen and family influencers like Rhia, Jake Sweet, Connor Kern, Family Fizz, AliyahxElia and many more creators, Kawaii Kuties are being promoted across TikTok and Instagram to millions of users, bringing the brand to life and reaching tween, teen and adult audiences. To support the high-profile influencer activity, Posh Paws is running Instagram, TikTok and Facebook adverts to increase the reach of the digital marketing campaign and put Kawaii Kuties at the forefront of consumers' social media platforms.
Lauren Shipman, Brand and Marketing director at Posh Paws, said: “We have teamed up with excellent content creators who are perfect for the brand and have brought it to life. With the growing popularity of Kawaii products, we have seen significant consumer sales with those that have already launched the Kawaii product in-store, and we have plenty of new and exciting developments coming through for autumn winter 2024 and beyond.”
In the Kawaii Kuties Series 1 plush assortment, users can choose from Suki the Lucky Cat, Yukio the Shibu Inu Dog, Emiko the Panda, Patto the Penguin and Kaida the Dinosaur plushies. The Kawaii Kuties Series 2 plush assortment features the popular and trending Kai the Axolotl, as well as a Mika the Tanuki Dog, Luna the Unicorn, Sakura the Sloth, Kibou the Hamster and Hagu the Bear. The plush animals come in 9.5” sizes and each has their own unique name and personality, to encourage collectability and bring the characters to life for fans.
All twelve of the Series 1 and 2 Kawaii Kuties animals are available as soft and squishy plush bag clips which measure 4.5” and are available to order in beautifully branded CDU’s and clip strips. Posh Paws has also developed a range of Sushi Kuties and Fruity Kuties plush gifts, that combines Kawaii animals with popular foodie costumes. Users can remove the animal from their foodie costume and mix and match them with other plush animals in these ranges to build collectability.
To find out more about Posh Paws Kawaii Kuties plush collection and to order stock, contact 01268 567 317 or email sales@poshpawsinternational.co.uk.
Over 10,000 SuperThings samples handed
out at Gloworm Festival
Reaching kids and attracting new ones has been a cornerstone of Magicbox's annual marketing strategy and with so much to shout about, not least this season’s Legends roll-out, stepping up sampling has been a primary objective. In addition to seasonal magazine covermounts, a dedicated SuperThings area was created at the Gloworm event.
Alongside the blind bag sampling, each visitor received a SuperThings Legends comic book, with an opportunity to meet and greet character costume Neon Blast. This was exciting for fans of the brand, as no SuperThings Costume character has ever appeared in the UK before now. More than 10,000 samples were given out to kids over the two-day event which has become a premier event in the family festival scene.
The SuperThings Legends series launched last month and has made a fantastic start on the sales front. The series delivers high playability at better-than-ever price points and brings back some of the best-loved figures from past series into one legendary series of characters from Kaboom City. SuperThings figures, vehicle packs and combat machines are all in the mix, wrapped up in new epic Legends branding.
The festival coincided with the first stage of a major marketing drive for the launch, which includes digital advertising across YouTube and gaming channels, influencer outreach and a series of activities in the kids press.
Suzie Howes, head of Marketing at Magicbox UK, commented: “We are forever being asked about past characters, and what better way to bring them back than as one cool series? For new fans, it’s the perfect way to experience the magic and re-live the sagas of the SuperThings origins story.” For more information, call 01293 222500 or email the Magicbox team at sales@magicbox-toys.co.uk.
Opinion
Making budgets go further with barter
With Generation Media estimating that between 7-10% of marketing spend this Q4 will be with partners that advertisers are testing for the first time, Jonathan suggests this offers an opportunity to explore barter and make media budgets go further .
Due to the fragmented and fast paced nature of the media landscape, toy brands are using an increasingly varied number of media channels to reach audiences with their hard fought for media budgets. Within this diaspora of channels, there are of course a multitude of capabilities and KPIs that make direct comparison fraught with inequalities. From a very topline perspective however, the view over the last 10 years indicates that whilst media budgets have increased by around 4-5%, the cost of media (based on equivalent children CPMs) has increased by over 100%.
Layer on top of this the unfavourable economic conditions, and it becomes clear that toy marketers, more than ever before, need to find solutions to produce more from relatively less. Intelligent, data fuelled strategy and execution are the cornerstone of this, but there are other options available to further enhance this. Barter, more latterly known as corporate trade, could be one such solution.
Barter is a form of trading commonly used within but not exclusive to media. At its core, it allows a brand to trade unsold stock for media credits, which can be used to supplement media spends under certain stipulations (or alternatively traded for other goods and services such as telecoms or travel to help the balance sheet). Previously it had a reputation for taking stock from advertisers and then passing on
to resellers at a heavy discount with little thought to the consequences for existing retailer relationships. Nowadays, there are more stringent checks in place, dictated by the advertiser, to ensure that no stock enters a market without prior permission. It has evolved over the years to allow brands to take advantage of barter solutions without the need for stock to be exchanged (commonly known as a stock waiver model).
There are of course stipulations to the use of media credits. First and foremost, they must form part of an overall media spend, they cannot be used to purchase media outright (this will typically range from 5-20% of the total dependent on media owner). In challenging periods such as this, increasing the output of media spend (or saving the equivalent in cash) could go a long way to achieving sales targets.
Perhaps the most important thing to media partners, when deciding whether or not to accept barter as a forms of trade, is proving incrementality. An advertiser needs to be a first time or lapsed spender with the media partner, or demonstrate an uplift in spend year on year in order to justify barter. It’s also important to note that there are many media partners, notably Google and Meta, who do not trade via barter at all. Historically this was always problematic for the toy market given that Linear TV was traditionally so dominant. With high reach available at low cost, Linear TV could fulfil on many marketers’ objectives
Jonathan Chambers Director of AV Investment
and therefore command a significant share of spend. There was little to no justification for Linear TV partners to accept barter. In the modern media landscape for kids, kidults and parents alike, we talk at length about the burgeoning opportunities in market. Advertisers, in order to meet objectives from expanding reach to driving conversion at the online checkout, have been turning to an ever-expanding roster of partners. Linear TV now only commands a 20-25% share of UK toy media spend, with YouTube now accounting for the lion’s share. We therefore estimate that between 7-10% of spend this Q4 will be with partners that advertisers are testing for the first time. These offer the perfect opportunity to explore barter and make media spends go further than ever before.
If you’d like a no obligation audit of your 2024 media strategies (and beyond) to see how barter could benefit your business, get in touch today.
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
The little big
things
Rory looks at how innovation in the Collectibles category has boosted growth for sales and examines the top performers in the sector.
Collectibles is always a vitally important part of the toy industry, and the category has accounted for a sizeable share of the overall market for many years. In 2018, the share of toys volume taken up by Collectibles in the UK toy market hit 25%, a record high largely driven by the success of L.O.L Surprise! The share then dipped to 16% in 2020 when the pandemic hit, and consumers moved spend away from collectibles and into other categories. Since this time, the share for Collectibles has been steadily moving back up again and was back over 20% in 2023. This year, the latest data to July 2024 shows that the volume share for Collectibles has almost returned to the record high seen in 2018, making up 24% of all toy volume. Examining Circana toy data can help us understand why this has happened and what categories and product trends are driving the appetite for collectible toys in 2024 so far. We can evaluate whether trends have changed over this period or if the growth is coming from the same areas.
Looking back at 2021, the largest category in Collectibles was Action Figures Collectibles which made up over a fifth of all spend. This was followed by Playset Dolls, which was around the same amount, meaning that 40% of all Collectible spend was coming from these two categories. In 2023, these two categories accounted for 30% of spend, and in 2024 this had dropped to 27%. The categories that have moved into the top two spots in 2024 are Strategic Trading Cards and Traditional Plush, both having grown strongly since 2021. These two categories were also the two top performers in the total UK toy market in 2023. The growth in Traditional Plush has been particularly impressive within Collectibles: in 2021 this
category accounted for only 12% of sales, while it has now risen to 21%. Strategic Trading Cards now represents nearly a quarter of all Collectibles spend – sales have undoubtedly been driven by a strong period of growth from Pokémon, but this property is not the only factor driving the recent TCG success.
Strategic Trading Cards has seen impressive growth over the last few years and has risen from being worth £44m in 2021 to just over £68m in 2023. The category has held up well in 2024 too and is currently showing an overall trend in line
2024 Match Attax cards; the latest data shows its share in the category has moved to 20%.
Collectibles Trend
with the total toy market. The biggest change in Strategic Trading Cards is the strength of new players making up a larger share of the category. In 2021, Asmodee, which distributes Pokémon trading cards in the UK, represented just over 80% of all value in the category. In 2023 Asmodee had grown +12% in value, but its share had dropped to 68% because of increased competition in the category with Topps, Hasbro (Magic the Gathering) and Ravensburger (Disney Lorcana) taking up around 20% of share collectively. In 2024 there has been another shift with Topps introduction of Euro
Traditional plush has been one of the standout categories of the last few years and was the category that added most value to the market in 2023. The category added over £16m last year and of that gain, just over half of it came from Collectibles. Squishmallows has been a standout property in UK toys in recent years, and this is also the case in Collectibles; the property was the top collectible plush property and has gone from having a £5m collectible value in 2021 to nearly £33m in 2023. In 2024, the property is still No.1 within the Plush Collectibles space, but new entrants such as Snackles, Aphmau and Adopt Me! are all taking significant share. It is also worth mentioning that Special Feature Plush has been increasing share within Collectibles too, with Pets Alive from Zuru leading the growth with several items featuring in the top spots within the category.
In 2018, when Collectibles hit the high share of 25%, this was driven by one standout property combined with growth from a handful of other properties. The picture in 2024 is markedly different with the steady rise in share being driven by established properties performing well and strong growth from new additions across several different categories. This has meant that we have more categories in the Collectibles area than ever before, which is helping volume trends within the market. As innovation in Collectibles continues in 2024 and into 2025, this should help get volume numbers back to flat in the UK.
The Uno Card Game Assortment has jumped 12 places in July versus its market position in June, moving the item into the top 10 for value for the month. The popular game has had a strong year so far, establishing itself as the No.1 item in the Card Games subclass, while the overall Uno brand is +19% compared to 2023. This growth for the brand has been helped not only by strong sales for the core item, but also the addition of sales from this year’s new launch - Uno Show Em No Mercy. This has added significant value to the range, which has also benefitted from the additions of Uno All Wild and Uno Flip, together with various licensed versions of Uno.
Fastest Growing Licences
Licensed sales are +3% so far in 2024, growing ahead of the market and increasing share to 33% of overall sales for YTD July 2024, up from 31% for the same period last year.
The top gaining licence in 2024 so far is UEFA National, which has been driven by the Euro 2024 football championships running in June and July this year. This growth was helped by strong sales in both Non-Strategic Trading Cards/Collectible Stickers and
Top 10 Fastest Growing Licences - UK Toys
Top 10 Fastest Growing Licences - UK Toys
Strategic Trading Card Games. The stickers made up around 57% of sales for the licence, with Strategic Trading Cards making up just over 40%.
The licences at No.2 and No.4 are both vehicle based; Mercedes-Benz and McLaren being driven by The Lego Group. The top item for the McLaren licence is the Speed Champions McLaren F1 Race Car, and the top item for the Mercedes licence is the Technic Mercedes-Benz AMG F1 W14 E Performance. There is quite a difference is the average price of these items, with the Speed Champions item having an average price of £18.64 and the Technic item coming in much higher at £165.
Lilo & Stitch is the third best performing licence in 2024, continuing to add sales across a number of categories in toys. Building Sets, Action Figure Collectibles and Plush are the three largest categories in value size. In total the licence is now registering sales across 35 different subclasses in 2024, which is up significantly from 12 last year, demonstrating its growth in popularity this year. The Disney Classic Lilo & Stitch from Lego is the top item for the licence so far, with the Lilo And Stitch Plush Stitch 25 Cm from Simba at No. 2.
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Preshow Noël continues to be a pivotal event for industry professionals, offering unparalleled networking opportunities and insights into upcoming trends.
Attendees can look forward to a vibrant and comprehensive showcase that not only highlights the latest products but also fosters connections and collaborations that will shape the future of the industry.
One of the most exciting additions to the 2024 edition is the launch of the FAN ZONE by Preshow. This new area is dedicated to the «kidult» market, reflecting the evolving landscape of industry.
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Viewpoint A strategic review of Prime Day and opportunities ahead
Asha Bhalsod
Asha has 10 years eCommerce account management experience, including at Amazon and managing the Amazon/ eCommerce businesses at Tomy UK and Melissa & Doug. She now runs Etopia Consultancy, to help brands create their eCommerce strategy and grow their Amazon business, and can be contacted on asha@ etopiaconsultancy.co.uk for guidance with trading on Amazon.
Profitability is the most talked about topic with Amazon. If it’s not Amazon declaring how unprofitable an account is for them, it’s brands assessing how their most profitable account has now become the most unprofitable account. Whether Vendor or Seller, the mood is the same, as Amazon continues to demand funding to support price matching and raising seller FBA fees. The simple truth is that it remains extremely challenging to trade with Amazon.
As we approach Q4, the toy industry’s most crucial period, it’s time to take stock of Prime Day performance and plan strategically for the final quarter of the year. September is a pivotal period - a chance to refine strategies, capitalise on learnings from Prime Day and prepare for the all-important holiday season. With consumer spending expected to surge, decisions made now will determine whether companies simply ride the wave or truly maximise profitability.
Prime Day has firmly established itself as a significant event for the toy industry, offering a preview of consumer behaviour and trends that often carry through to the holiday season. Noticeably, however, not every toy brand wants to be part of this event – a trend that we saw increase this year. Nevertheless, July’s Prime Day provided valuable insights, both in terms of what worked and where there is room for improvement.
One of the standout trends was the effectiveness of holistic promotional strategies. The days of relying solely on deep discounts are over. Brands that thrived during Prime Day combined aggressive pricing with enhanced A+ content, targeted ads and strategic use of Amazon’s Vine programme to generate buzz and drive conversions. Those who opted for a more simplistic approach found it harder to cut through the noise. The consumer is smart and has many tools available to them to identify genuine discounts.
However, Prime Day also underscored the challenges of an increasingly saturated market. With so many products vying for attention, toys that lacked a unique selling proposition struggled to maintain visibility, even with substantial discounts. This underscores the importance of product differentiation, not just to capture attention but to maintain profitability in a competitive market.
It's also important to highlight that if a brand is struggling to make profit on Amazon, root cause analysis is important. Is there an effective channel management strategy that protects your brands and products? Is there a cohesive promotional strategy across your retail channels? If you have a
tight distribution strategy, Amazon’s profitability won’t be impacted, allowing you to be free to grow a healthy Amazon business.
Strategic planning for Q4: optimizing for profitability
As we gear up for Q4, the lessons from Prime Day should inform our approach. The objective is not merely to boost sales, but to do so in a way that maximises profitability, ensuring that every action we take delivers a strong return on investment.
1. Inventory management and pricing optimization
Effective inventory management is more important than ever as we approach the holiday season. Accurate forecasting will help minimise overstocks or understocks. Both scenarios carry risks; overstocking can lead to profit-eroding discounts, while stockouts can result in missed sales opportunities.
Pricing strategy is equally critical. Dynamic pricing tools, which adjust prices in real time based on market conditions, can help maintain competitiveness while protecting margins. The key is to strike a balance that drives sales without sacrificing profitability. As the holiday season approaches, this fine-tuning will be essential.
2. Amazon Advertising: fine-tuning for peak performance
Amazon’s advertising platform is a powerful tool, especially during peak shopping periods. However, as competition intensifies in Q4, optimising ad spend for maximum impact is essential. This starts with analysing the performance of Prime Day campaigns – finding out which keywords and ad types delivered the best return on ad spend (ROAS). This data can be used to inform Q4 strategy, ensuring that investment is in the most effective channels.
A full-funnel approach to advertising is particularly important as we head into Q4. While lower-funnel strategies (such as retargeting) will drive conversions, upper-funnel efforts - like brand-building video ads - are critical for keeping a brand top of mind as consumers begin their holiday shopping. Balancing these approaches will help maximise both immediate sales and longterm brand equity.
3. Elevating product listings and brand presence
Amazon product listings and brand store are digital storefronts, and in Q4, they need to be in peak condition. High-quality images, detailed product descriptions and engaging A+ content are fundamental, but this is just the starting point. Companies should consider how they can tell
their brand’s story in a way that resonates with holiday shoppers. Whether it’s emphasising the uniqueness of products, highlighting commitment to sustainability, or showcasing brand heritage, content should be designed to connect emotionally with the audience.
Each brand store should be optimised to guide customers through the purchase journey. This might include creating gift guides, featuring best-sellers, or highlighting seasonal promotions. Regularly updating the store with fresh content as the holiday season progresses will help keep shoppers engaged and encourage repeat visits.
4. Harnessing Amazon’s activation tools for Q4 success
Amazon offers a variety of activation tools that can help drive sales during Q4. Beyond traditional discounting, consider using vouchers, which offer a visible discount on search results pages, and promotions, which can increase basket spend.
The Amazon Deals page, particularly during Black Friday and Cyber Monday, can significantly boost visibility and sales. While securing a spot requires investment and planning, the potential return is substantial. As we move into the peak season, experimenting with different promotional mechanics early on can help identify what resonates most with shoppers, setting the stage for a successful holiday period.
Looking beyond Q4: building sustainable profitability
While Q4 is the immediate focus, it is also essential to consider how implementing strategies now can drive long-term profitability. It’s essential to address just how important Amazon is in terms of company growth. If it’s a long-term business partner, then it’s time to invest time in thought out strategy in distribution, channel management and promotions. These key areas will help navigate around the complex conversations around Amazon profitability that simply aren’t going away.
As we stand on the cusp of Q4, the toy industry is poised for one of its most exciting - and challenging - periods. By leveraging insights from Prime Day, optimising Amazon presence, and focusing on both immediate and long-term profitability, toy brands can make the most of the opportunities ahead.
HAHA HAHA
Talking Shop Top of the shops
As summer draws to a close, indies reflect on sales during the summer holidays and look ahead to Christmas, as they start to put their Q4 plans into action.
The Olive Branch, Castle Donington
he Olive Branch is a cosy shop located on the high street of Castle Donington, a small village on the outskirts of Derby that is rapidly expanding. We get plenty of tourists visiting for the summer to attend popular events at the Donington Park Circuit, which contributes to higher footfall during the summer period. Things like kites and skipping ropes are hugely popular summer products, and we also sell a lot of activity toys, including puzzles and games that parents buy to keep their children entertained throughout
Orchard Toys is one of our top suppliers, and its range of Mini Travel Games and activity books sells well due to being travel-friendly products that can be taken on long car journeys or to holiday destinations. Galt Activity Packs are also popular; they come in compact packaging that is easy to carry and provide entertainment for children when travelling around. Plus-Plus has recently joined our product offering, quickly becoming a standout company for us; its range of construction tubes has been hugely popular as a travel-friendly toy that children can play with indoors or when they’re on the move. We held a demo day at the end of the school holidays to raise awareness of this great product and get children trying it out, which will hopefully boost sales even
I’ve also noticed high demand for pocket money toys and sensory toys with interesting textures. Crazy Aaron’s Thinking Putty, which we get from DKB Toys, is one of the sensory pocket money ranges that has been selling very well; with a wide selection of different designs to choose from, kids like the squishy feel and stretchy aspect. Additionally, Halilit’s Jellystone Designs Calm Down Bottles and Jellystone Designs chew necklaces have been highly popular this year for the youngest of children.
We’re a traditional toy shop catering mainly to children under five years old, and classic wooden toys, books, puzzles and plush make up a lot of our offering. Ravensburger is a favourite supplier, especially its range of puzzles featuring popular pre-school licences including Peppa Pig and Bluey; those always sell well. We stock plush toys to match some of the character-licensed books we have, and we strategically place licensed books and plush alongside each other to encourage customers to create their own bundles.
We started to take steps towards preparing for the run-up to Christmas in summer, as a lot of customers will soon begin thinking about Christmas and start shopping for presents months in advance. We’ve been changing our layout by removing bookcases
Talking Shop
from the shop floor and replacing them with flat wall shelving so that we can display more stock when we start the push for Christmas. We have been making use of our social media platforms to connect with our community, inform customers about what we’re doing and encourage them to shop with us; it’s especially important to be in their thoughts before they begin their Christmas purchases.
During the festive season, we will be offering additional services to our customers, including local delivery, gift wrapping and the possibility of storing gifts up until Christmas. We will also provide the option to pay in instalments; these are just some of the personal touches that people look for when they visit an independent shop. We’re always thinking about new and innovative ways to provide customers with a unique
and outstanding experience.
The Toynamics’ Hape Baby Einstein musical range is very popular with our customers, I think it’s fantastic, and it always sells very well in the run-up to Christmas. Although our toy shop is traditional, we try to keep up with the trends and introduce new toys to provide a good mix between classic and fresh. Certain characterbased toys see very high sales, so we’ve increased our orders on licensed products, for example, The Gruffalo plush merchandise and puzzles, which we know will be popular from our book sales. We’re willing to come out of our comfort zone if we spot a real winner, such as The Real FX Stitch by Wow! Stuff, which we’ve recently added to our shelves. Interactive character-licensed toys is a first for us, but Stitch has been selling really well, and I can predict it will be a Christmas best-seller.
Karen Sasse - J&J Wilson Toymaster, Bude
J&J Wilson Toymaster is a large store situated in the heart of Bude’s town centre, attracting a high number of locals and tourists due to its central location. Our store boasts a wide variety of products; as well as toys, we stock greetings cards, stationery, sweets and drinks. Within the toy area, Lego occupies a large portion of our floor space and remains one of our strongest best-sellers, with sets including
Speed Champions, Technic, Star Wars, Harry Potter and the Botanical Collection attracting a lot of kidult buyers especially. Lego Friends and City sets are also doing well, and the brand-new Lego lines that came out in the summer have been a great addition to our shelves. As always, this summer we have sold heaps of buckets and spades and other outdoor toys, including frisbees. We tend to do well with smaller outdoor toys due to being
Steve Weston - JJ Toys, Gerrards Cross
JJ Toys started with two shops based in North West London’s Golders Green and Edgware, and then expanded to several other branches. After 30 years in Gerrards Cross, we moved to bigger premises located in a busy area on the other side of town. We decided to make the most of the extra space and, besides our huge toy offering, started selling Gelato ice cream which has massively improved footfall. Moving to a bigger store has also enabled us to expand our Lego section to a full range of Lego sets. The Marvel collection has been selling particularly well, and the recently launched Lego Formula 1 series has also been a popular choice among customers, along with other F1 licensed toys. We’re currently experimenting with the layout of our store and have placed Lego Friends in a different section to see if sales will increase when sold on its own.
We’ve recently added Plus-Plus to our offering, and
it has been brilliantly received. A table outside the store has Plus-Plus building blocks for children and parents to try out.
Epoch has recently provided us with new light boxes for Sylvanian Families and remerchandised part of our store. It looks great and I’m sure will attract more customers. Character Options has been performing well, and we’re looking forward to seeing how the brand-new Terror Fried range will go down. Plush is one of our leading categories, and more space has been allocated to brands such as Ty, which is a constant bestseller. Arts & Crafts beauty products, such as nail bars, and creative sets that encourage children to make things, such as Aquabeads by Epoch, have been in high demand, along with stationery such as coloured pencils.
When the weather has been good during the summer holidays, Outdoor Toys have sold very well, helped by the fact that our new premises are located close to green
located 10 minutes from the beach; families like to stock up for their days out.
Spin Master’s Unicorn Academy range is performing very well following the release of the series’ second season, as kids love to channel their favourite characters from the hit Netflix show. Squishmallows plush continues to sell at a steady pace; there are so many characters for kids (and a few adults!) to choose from, with new ones coming out all the time. The Disney and Harry Potter Squishmallows ranges have been selling well, and we’ve also recently received The Lion King collection which we expect to be popular. Trading Card Games have slowed a little over the summer, but card games like the classic Uno and Uno Flip are selling brilliantly. We ordered 40 of the new Uno No Mercy, and it sold out within a couple of weeks, which had me restocking immediately – in quantities I wish I had increased, as it’s really popular.
In Arts & Crafts, Tomy’s Hey Clay has sold very well for us, as it’s excellent for developing the imagination of young children by allowing them to create their own clay characters. Epoch’s Aquabeads and Hasbro’s PlayDoh are also highly popular and regularly sell well – I think once children enjoy an activity like this, they want to do more, which drives repeat purchases.
Besides Lego, I tend not to pre-order other product ranges for Christmas too early, until we know how the summer season has gone and what stock we have left. But I’m always looking around to get ideas, before deciding which products to put on my shelves for the next big season – there’s always something that I’m sure will catch my customers’ eye.
Talking Shop
areas including Gerrards Cross Common. Reydon Sports’ team-branded merchandise featuring teams such as Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United has been very popular, alongside Nerf’s water blasters and cricket sets. Scooters not only sell well in the summer but are also popular at Christmas. We’re really looking forward to the Christmas period. Now that our new store boasts wider aisles, we can incorporate more FSDUs and add more bulk stack displays, which will help to attract customers. The new store is doublefronted, with two large windows at the front, and we’ll be making the most out of them during the Christmas season. We are currently in discussions with the council about their plans for the Christmas lights this year, as we aim to make JJ Toys a key attraction this festive season. Our partnerships with local schools mean Christmas is a huge opportunity for us to give back to the community.
I’m due to launch an eCommerce platform called Yipp-e, designed for independent toy shops to be able to provide additional services, such as click and collect, to their customers. JJ Toys will be the first independent toy business to come on board; we’re looking forward to seeing how customers will respond, and Christmas is the perfect time to try it out. We’re already placing orders, so we’ve got plenty of stock for the festive season.
Creaseys is a department store located in Guernsey’s High Street which is a popular destination for locals and tourists. There’s a toy department, plus a nursery shop and we also carry a range of children’s wear. We have seven employees who work part-time within the toy section.
Our current biggest seller is Lego. Although most Lego sets sell well, including Speed Champions, Lego Exclusive Sets are particularly popular amongst kidult shoppers, and we see high demand despite their higher price tag. The weather this year hasn’t seen summer products exactly boom, but we’ve been selling outdoor games from companies like Waboba, which recently released a new Mini Lacrosse Set which enables players to play lacrosse more freely in the water. In Pre-school, Fisher-Price is currently selling well, and sales of our Tomy range have picked up.
We also cover a wide selection of VTech Baby products which go down very well with customers, and our Arts & Crafts department includes products from companies like John Adams and James Galt. Brainstorm’s Eugy is a very strong seller for us, and we’ve recently brought in Maped Helix, as it offers good quality pens and pencils at a decent price. Plush brands always sell well, especially Ty, while Squishmallows just doesn’t seem to slow down due to the collectability aspect it offers.
By the time we reach the end of October, Christmas stock starts to build up. During the Christmas season, we ensure the popular toys for the year are in stock, and although a lot of our offering will be evergreen products and ranges that perform well throughout the rest of the year, we add ranges that we believe will do particularly well at this time of year, such as the Creative Café Barista Bar from Character Options. We also extend the range of licensed products that we think will excite our clientele, such as Paw Patrol products from the Rubble & Crew programme. We’ll make sure we have plenty of Hot Wheels and Barbie, as those always make popular Christmas gifts.
Last year, there was an increase in board game sales between Christmas and New Year, especially from classic games like Hasbro’s Twister, and we hope for a similar trend this year. We’re striving to provide a balance between classic and fresh products in this year’s Christmas offering, as we believe that having a mixture between new and evergreen is good for footfall, offering something for everyone.
Mark Buschhaus and Stephen Barnes Toy Barnhaus
Our best pick up lines
It took a while, but we finally got some summer weather this year in time for the school holidays. This has been a great opportunity to clear out a lot of outdoor product, especially pools and inflatables, some of which have been in stock for a few years now. Now, we will go into next year clean, and won’t have to lug loads of heavy stock into storage for the winter. Sales in late July and early August were behind last year. However, to put this in perspective, anyone who has read our column over the last few years will know how much we like the rain in the school holidays; as we had a very wet July and August in 2023, we are up against some very strong figures. Overall, the volume has been good, with bestsellers including Minions, which has been well received due to the film release; Zuru My Mini Baby, which has also continued to sell very well and the new smaller Lego Botanicals collection - we could almost call ourselves a florist now!
The Pokemon Shrouded Fable special release has been extremely popular, and following on from the Euros, anything football related is flying out, including basic footballs, along with goals and accessories. We buy our footballs deflated, so we can purchase in quantity and ensure we never run out; we just inflate them instore. Another success story is the Moriah Elizabeth range from Character, while Aphmau has continued to sell well too after being launched last year. With the economic climate still being challenging, one area we are doing very well in is the pocket money category. As shoppers trade down, they still want something to keep the kids amused. We used to count pocket money products as anything under £2, but like everything, this has increased and now would say anything under £5 counts. There are classics that we stock all year round, but it’s becoming more of a trend driven category, where a new twist on an existing product can really take off. An example of this is Baofun squishy toys from Leftfield. These soft bao buns sold out in a week, and we have been back for more. Something else that’s on trend for later this year is Grabber Machines, and we have a mini version which is selling well. Our bestselling pocket money line so far this year has been the Light Up Push Popper game from One for Fun. Large squishy puffer balls sell like hot cakes, and we have these by our tills as impulse pick up lines. Anything slimy or putty-like remains very popular – Crazy Aaron’s putty remains a consistent best-seller for us.
Small collectibles is another of our most popular categories which has grown massively over the last few years. There is probably too much product in the market now, so where we would have tried to stock everything in the past to offer a really comprehensive range, we simply can’t cover everything anymore and have to be selective. We’ve found it pays to be cautious when it comes to new ranges and will keep stock tight at first, until we have some sales records. Zuru is one of our biggest suppliers of collectibles, leading the way in the micro trend. Mini Brands has been popular for a while now and is branching out into new areas such as the Mini Brands Garden and the Netflix collection, which are starting to sell well, joining the Mini Brands books which have had a great first half of the year. MGA’s Miniverse has also been in high demand, and we’re looking forward to the licensed additions, such as Harry Potter, coming out this autumn. We’re expecting the trend for affordable lines to continue right through the year.
Julie Murphy - Creaseys, Guernsey
Opinion Through employees’ eyes Rick Derr
Jessica, Melissa and Jamie all work at Learning Express
Letter from America
Toys in Lake Zurich Illinois, owned by Rick Derr. They have a combined total of 48 years of retail experience. Here they share how they help their store stand out to customers in the local community and beyond.
Retail can be a tricky business, especially as a small brick and mortar retail store. Being employed by a small shop like Learning Express, our roles vary from day to day: some days our tasks include ordering, other days we spend our time receiving and merchandising products, or helping customers find the perfect gift. One thing which remains constant is our amazing loyal customer base, who return to shop with us again and again.
“I used to shop here when my kids were little, and now I’m here again shopping for my grandchildren!” This is a sentiment that is shared with us regularly at our store. What is it that keeps our customers coming back year after year from one generation to the next, and how do we keep that momentum going?
Over the years, we have found one of the best ways to boost loyalty is by hosting unique experiences that are relevant to our most important customers, the children. A few years ago, that could be trading L.O.L Surprise! and hosting meet and greets with Peppa Pig. In 2024, it’s Pokémon trading cards, Bluey playdays and Swiftie parties. The type of events may change, but creating joyful memories for children is always the priority. Staying in touch with kids’ interests keeps us relevant and gives parents a reason to visit in person, instead of just shopping online.
As a small local store, we benefit the local community. Teaming up with libraries, schools and charities helps everyone. Each summer we partner with local libraries and their summer reading programmes - a symbiotic relationship where children read books to earn coupons to shop with. This is a great way to reward existing customers, but also bring in ones who may be unfamiliar with our store and what it offers.
Many retail stores struggle with innovation. While some are successfully combining online and offline shopping experiences, others carry on using outdated methods, which can lead to poor customer experience. Outdated store designs make it hard to keep up with the competition and advancements. We believe it is crucial to keep evolving with the times and the communities we serve. Physical retailers need to keep innovating, improve customer experiences, address employee retention issues and embrace new technologies to stay relevant in today’s competitive market.
Consumers are increasingly looking for unique and engaging shopping experiences. Stores that don’t offer these experiences may see a decline in sales and market share. We are in the business of encouraging customers to walk through the doors of our store to shop. However, creating a seamless multi-platform shopping experience for customers has become increasingly important.
We use online platforms to highlight our in-store services, which include same day pick-up in store or curbside, shipping an order to the customer, gift wrap, special orders, customisation on select products, etc. Our online services include shopping with an educated employee over the phone, which has become an increasingly popular service - employees can even message photographs of products to a customer’s cellphone. There will always be a need and desire for human connection, and we see it as an opportunity to remind customers why they shop with us, whether they walk through the door or click the checkout button.
The biggest opportunity for a small local business like ours is being a staple part of the surrounding communities. As a small local toy store, we can create a space where families feel comfortable and safe. Becoming a part of the community means families stay with the business for decades as their children and grandchildren grow. As a small neighbourhood toy store, we have spent many years doing what we can to recognise and create new opportunities for our business to flourish in our community. Outside of providing discounts and donations to our local schools, libraries and park districts, we are proud to partner with charities that are important to our communities. This sends a positive message that reflects what we are passionate about, and we see the impact it has had on our shoppers and community.
Human connection and creating relationships are key, whether with a first-time shopper or a regular customer. Sometimes all you need is a friendly suggestion and a smiling face – something that online and large chain retailers will never be able to compete with.
Jessica, Melissa and Jamie
Company Profile Target Darts Right on Target
Publisher John Baulch visited the Harlow home of Target Darts, a specialist supplier of an extensive range of darts products, which is now entering the mainstream retail channel, courtesy of its tie-up with prodigy Luke ‘The Nuke’ Littler.
Iwould wager that few of you were aware of Luke Littler before last December. He was suddenly thrust into the limelight when he became the youngest contestant to reach the final of the World Darts Championship at the tender age of 16 years old. Although he was defeated in the final, a star was well and truly born. Not only is the darts prodigy set for a long and distinguished career at the oche, but he has also become the poster boy for taking darts out of its traditional pub environment and into family living rooms across the land.
As part of that process, darts specialist supplier Target Darts moved quickly to develop a range of products endorsed by Luke, which is already making its way into toy stores. I visited the company to find out how it is capitalising on Luke’s new-found popularity, which it turns out is anything but an overnight success – it has actually been many years in the making.
I got the full story from Target Darts managing director James Tattersall and head of Marketing Adam Thompson, as well as well-known toy stalwarts Paul Dearlove and Jamie Tank, who were brought onboard earlier this year to help Target establish itself within the toy market.
Target Darts was founded in 1976, making dart flights
from its Enfield base. The long journey to get where it is today featured many developments, including a long period of OEM manufacturing for many of the leading dart brands. In 2012, Target launched the Carrera dart range – a premium brand whose quality exceeded anything else on the market at the time. As did its price; it was almost double the cost of the standard dart brands. The dart industry was sceptical that a range that expensive would sell, but very soon it became apparent that there was an appetite amongst consumers for a high quality, high value range.
The success of that line led Target to approach some of the leading professional darts players to endorse the products, including the likes of Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor. The company also saw an opportunity to broaden the range by introducing new innovative products such as the Corona Light Ring - essentially dartboard lighting - and the Swiss Point System, a unique patented product which allows players to change their dart points easily (something that had hitherto required professional input).
James takes up the story: “We’ve always been a specialist brand, the market leader amongst serious dart players. In addition, we have always wanted to supply a more mainstream, family-oriented product, but we knew we needed to produce something that would stand out and
offer a point of difference.
Then Luke did what he did, and we saw it as the perfect opportunity to attract a younger audience. Luke has inspired so many people to take up the sport, he’s the perfect ambassador to take darts to a whole new audience.”
Luke has actually featured on products in the Target range since he was 12. And his dart obsession goes back even further – I was shown a video of an 18-month-old Luke taking aim at a magnetic dartboard, showing remarkable technique for one so young.
Anticipating long-term success for Luke, the in-house design team had already put branding together for him – a logo, colour scheme, his own shirt design and signature dart range and flights – but nobody expected him to reach the final of the World Championships quite so soon (even though he is the current Junior and World Youth champion).
Luke being catapulted to fame at such a young age was, however, not just a happy coincidence. Target sponsors
Company Profile Target Darts
darts academies across the country, giving them equipment and training coaches to support the development of young players. Luke was one of the first academy signings, while prodigies as young as ten are already being snapped up.
The academies are integral to Target’s aim to broaden the appeal of the sport away from its traditional image of a bar/ pub-based sport. As Adam points out: “That isn’t the image a parent would aspire to for their kids. We’re determined to change that scene and make darts a family-friendly sport that kids can comfortably take up. The game is becoming more professional all the time. Darts is now a wholesome, sociable accessible sport - it’s not prohibitively costly to take up, you don’t need masses of equipment or membership of an expensive club. Darts is great for kids’ development too: it helps with hand/eye co-ordination, as well as honing maths skills – and anyone can win.”
The size of the Target operation might surprise a few people. Target Darts employs over 400 staff across the globe, including full creative teams in the three hubs based in the UK, US and Japan, as well as an extensive manufacturing facility in China. I toured the new expanded warehouse facility, which is also based in Harlow. It’s a large space, but very much needed to cope with the extended range being offered. As James explained: “Controlling everything
swiftly to capitalize on his success: by March we had created three brand new ranges, and we had tens of thousands of sets in stock. Speed is essential when it comes to this business.”
The Luke Littler range aimed at toy and mainstream retailers is focused on creating a selection of products that can follow kids as they grow through every age group. It starts with a Fabric Velcro set, progresses on to the flagship Magnetic Dartboard set, then on to a soft-tipped darts set and finally the Dartboard and Cabinet set. Of course, the range also features darts and accessories, and it can all be showcased in an eye-catching FSDU to maximise in-store visibility and impact.
Jamie sees tremendous potential for the range in toy stores: “The hero line for toy retailers is undoubtedly the Magnetic Dartboard set. There’s no problem with sharp points, so it is suitable for even very young kids, indeed, Luke’s own journey started at eighteen months with a magnetic set. However, we offer a full range catering to every age, from young kids right through to seasoned darts players. Some retailers will definitely be able to accommodate a full darts range as a category within their store, especially shops with a sports section, department stores, garden centres and many other multi-channel
appearance, and many more families have been seen in tournament audiences too. As Adam admits: “One pivotal moment transformed our whole opportunity to take darts to a family audience. For someone so young, Luke is a consummate pro -he is very grounded and has incredible mental strength.”
Since his victory, Luke has already cultivated an enviable media profile, with appearances on Comic Relief, the Jonathan Ross Show and various events with the hugely popular Sidemen collective. Luke was even one of the faces of the launch of England football kit ahead of the Euros. As Paul points out, “No darts player has ever done anything like this before. Luke is brining a whole new audience into the sport, and the whole darts world is reaping the benefits.”
Luke will also be making an appearance on the Target stand at the London Toy Fair in January – the day after his eighteenth birthday. Paul is delighted that Target will have a strong presence at the show: “We have a good size stand upstairs, close to Playmobil and Lego. It’s been a real whirlwind for Jamie and I since we joined up with Target earlier this year. The company had started talking to retailers in February, but at that stage it had no samples and no staff with toy knowledge or expertise. They brought Jamie and I onboard and we’ve been delighted with the response from many specialist toy stores.”
Smyths was an early adopter of the Luke Littler range, working closely with Target to create a strong in-store presence. Luke will be making appearances in Smyths stores in the coming months, including the Warrington branch which is closest to his hometown of St Helens.
The Entertainer is now also on board, along with the likes of Argos, SMF Toytown, Arnotts, Booghe, Robert Dyas, Menkind and a selection of independent stores. Target will be attending the Big Christmas Press Show this September, looking to spread the word about the range to journalists, influencers and key media outlets.
Paul believes this is a great retail opportunity for a broad selection of stores: “It’s not just about a dartboard, it’s the whole Luke Littler phenomenon. There’s huge consumer awareness of Luke, and darts is unquestionably growing in popularity as a family-friendly sport. We see this as a fantastic opportunity to establish a solid presence in the toy retail channel. Target is fully committed for the long-term. The company has invested in people who know the toy market and has shown it can bring a great range of products to market incredibly quickly. We’re really excited about the prospect of establishing the brand in the toy space, and we’ll be delighted to talk to all retailers who would like to be part of our journey.”
Crazes to rule the school Feature Playground Crazes & Pocket
Money Collectibles
Playground Crazes and Pocket Money Collectibles provide an accessible choice for consumers, and regular footfall for retailers. Toy World’s Caroline Tonks spoke with a variety of leading suppliers within the category to find out more about what’s new and fresh, the prevailing playground trends this year and more.
No matter the time of year, Pocket Money Collectibles are popular, driving sales for consumers who are looking for a more affordable price point. Each year, children want to have a piece of the hottest items on the market, and social media is influencing their opinions
continued in 2024. Meanwhile DKB Toys’ Monogram Collectibles bag clip range has on-trend chibi renditions of characters from across pop culture. The range is supported by a variety of licences, with Deadpool, Disney and Harry Potter having just been added to the collection. Jada, from Simba Smoby, offers signature Nano Metal Figures that have feature many pop culture licences, including Disney, Minecraft, Harry Potter, Marvel, Sonic the Hedgehog,
A popular sub-category within this sector is collectible dolls and figurines. MGA Entertainment’s perennially popular L.O.L. Surprise! announced the launch of its first ever mermaid themed collection last month. The new collection includes L.O.L. Surprise! Mermaid Tots, Mermaid Baby Sisters and the new lower price point Mermaid Tweens Dolls. Meanwhile, Fugglers has signed an exclusive worldwide master toy licensing agreement with PMI Kids’ World. This autumn, the Fuggler line will feature 56 unique styles to collect, and the Fuggler Collectible Figures are available in both window boxes and deluxe boxes. For animal lovers, Mojo Fun’s animal figurines consist of six popular themed categories: Wildlife, Sealife, Prehistoric Life, Woodland, Farmland and Fantasy. This year’s new introductions include the Atlantic Puffin, European Hare, Leopard Gecko, Pot-Bellied Pigs, Hereford Cow family and Emperor Penguin with chicks. Special anniversaries and key events in the media fuel trends and collectibles for a wide
variety of audiences. This year, Hello Kitty and Classic Trolls have celebrated major milestones. Hello Kitty is 50 years old, while Classic Trolls is commemorating turning 65. Bandai UK has introduced affordable pocket money priced lines for Hello Kitty and Friends fans, with sub £10 ranges that include Dress Up Diary Figurine Collections and collectible keychains with hand straps, while KAP Toys also offers a broad selection including the popular Hello Kitty Cappucino collectibe collection. Bandai will also be relaunching a core range of Classic Trolls Pencil Toppers and Single Pack Assortments. While the 12 Pop N Top Pencil Topper characters are packaged in blind capsules, the Assortment Packs can contain one of eight 2” Troll Figures that come with hair and a belly gem.
This summer, Universal Pictures released the fourth instalment of the Despicable Me franchise. To capitalise on fan excitement, Moose Toys has released the new Mini Mega Minions Mystery Figure 1pk. Collectors can search for Common, Rare and Chase figures with 28 different Minions to find over Series One and Two. Sambro has announced a new partnership with Universal Studios to expand its Puzzle Palz range to include character collections from key franchises, including Despicable Me 4. Sambro has brought the film’s loveable Minion characters to life through a range of stackable surprise capsules and themed printed boxes in the shape of Gru’s house.
Surprise capsules and blind bags are all the rage, taking social media by storm and unboxing them remaining an ever-growing TikTok trend. Zuru’s Mini Brands is one
of the most-liked collectible brands on TikTok; the Mini Brands channel has over 2m followers and 49.5m likes. Each Mini Brands ball is full of surprises, from ranges such as Home, Retro, Garden, Disney Store and more. Basic Fun! is also hopping on the trend with The Tonka Micro Metal Blind Surprise Capsules. With an RRP of just £2.99, these miniature vehicles come boxed in a Tonka Toolbox capsule. One For Fun’s Micro Fidgetz Wave 2 combines blind bags with 25 additional collectible Micro Fidgetz. Recognising that sometimes collectors prefer to know what they’re getting, each round tub has a see-through panel at the top displaying one fidget toy, and underneath are four more toys in blind bags.
With the strong influence of social media on consumers’ purchasing decisions, suppliers have capitalised on this to support their newest ranges in terms of marketing strategies. “We work with our retail partners on social media marketing campaigns that are activated with the help of our marketing team and agency,” says Sambro’s UK sales director, Richard Dinham. “Targeted campaigns can really help to boost our sales conversions, and this type of activity is proving more popular and important than ever before.” Mojo Fun will also see an ongoing social media and influencer programme highlighting some of the company’s new 2024 products, while One For Fun will have lots of targeted social media support, paired with consumer awards to boost brand visibility.
MGA Entertainment will be supporting its key lines through media, PR, digital, influencer and celebrity partnerships, as well as events for VIPs, press and consumers. “The majority of MGA Entertainment’s brands all have lines that are best experienced in real life,” says the company’s marketing manager, Pamela Justice. “To showcase the latest unboxing methods, unique play patterns and added value, we will be focusing on in-store demos and best in class POS to grab attention and highlight the value of our lines.”
The Playground Crazes and Pocket Money Collectibles category can play into the excitement of the overall back-to-school experience. James Connolly, managing director Mojo Fun, says as well as making this transition even more enjoyable, interest continues well beyond the start of term. “Our lifelike animal and dinosaur figurines provide wonderful educational tools that can be used for imaginative free play, learning and storytelling at home or in school diorama projects, helping students to learn about each subject in an engaging and hands-on way,” he explains. With a range of over 300 figurines at affordable, pocket money prices, Mojo’s highly collectible range is also a great way for teachers to treat or reward a child for their educational endeavours in school.
This year, according to PMI Kid’s World’s CEO, Omer Dekel, the prevailing playground trends are expected to be heavily influenced by the ongoing popularity of gaming and TikTok based trends. “Gaming continues to be the number one growing trend, with our collectible lines Stumble Guys and Minecraft leading the charge,” he explains. “These games have captured hearts of children worldwide and are sure to dominate playground conversations and activities.” The collaboration between
Mr. Beast and Moose Toys is also highly anticipated, while the continuing popularity of Stitch is likely to continue in the lead up to next summer’s live action remake of the classic original animated movie.
One For Fun often sees an upsurge in sales during the six-week summer holidays. “It’s massive,” says the company’s CEO, David Mordecai. “Then, as the kids go back to school, they share and swap toys with their friends. They can see what’s in and what’s out, bringing the collectability and swapability trends back into play – and fuelling high repeat purchases of the most popular ranges.”
Omer agrees that, while parents may have focused on securing the essentials for the upcoming school year, kids probably had other things on their minds. “Amidst the hunt for notebooks, backpacks and new clothes, an unexpected twist adds an element of excitement to their shopping experience,” he says. “PMI’s impulse collector money toys are perfectly poised to capture the hearts of young shoppers, offering a break from the more serious school preparations.” With their blend of affordability and fun, Omer anticipates a surge in demand for these items.
Sambro’s Richard Dinham has seen growth in children wanting more than just traditional stationery for school because of bans on swaps and trades of traditional items, like cards and stickers. “Licensed pencil cases and pens that are a little bit different to the norm are certainly growing in popularity,” he says. “We are even hearing of a growing trend for kids sneakily trading these items with each other in the classroom, right under their teachers’ noses.” Sambro has leaned into this with its own IP range, Puzzle Palz. A collection of 3D jigsaw puzzle erasers available across a multitude of licensed characters, Puzzle Palz are perfect for kids to collect, build and swap.
Innovation driven by trends is at the heart of MGA Entertainment and the company is constantly expanding its portfolio with new launches and releases in the collectibles market.
“Yummiland is the perfect example of innovation and enhances collectability by offering children something unique as well as a chance to be truly creative,” says Pamela. The Yummiland line-up features six collectible dolls that each come with a matching ‘create-your-own’ scented lip gloss kit and key chain to clip onto school backpacks. “Product development and innovation driven by cultural trends is the reason why the launch of the brand into the market has been so successful. The brand runs parallel with the rapid increase in popularity
of cosmetics amongst younger children, driven by social influencers and TikTok trends.”
As consumers and retailers alike start thinking about the Christmas season, stores often take the focus off pocket money products in favour of bigger ticket items. But with some consumer spending habits still being squeezed this year, there’s an opportunity to keep the spotlight on Pocket Money Collectibles to help parents looking for lower-priced toys and stocking fillers.
“With consumer spending still under great pressure, it is likely that children will once again receive fewer bigger ticket items for Christmas,” says James. “Parents and gift givers won’t want to disappoint, so they will look to supplement this with a larger number of lower-priced toys and stocking fillers.”
“Price is definitely a factor, this year” echoes David. “Although, a lot of parents are also looking for items with lots of play value. One For Fun combines both of these in our Sensory Squish Set which is a great cost effective, but high perceived value item, for Christmas.”
“There is a significant opportunity to highlight pocket money products this year,” says Omer. “With consumer spending under pressure, affordable toys and collectibles are an appealing choice for parents seeking cost-effective ways to delight their children this holiday season.”
Over the following pages, readers will be able to further explore the products and ranges that the Playground Crazes and Pocket Money Collectibles category has to offer in autumn/winter 2024.
Pocket money toys are found across Bandai UK’s cross-category portfolio of leading licensed, IP and distribution lines.
This year’s relaunch of the iconic Littlest Pet Shop brand has seen Bandai UK bring the legacy toy collection to a new generation of children and introduce Series Two for the Q3 and Q4 periods. With the swapping potential a playground currency, pocket money priced lines include the Single Pet Blind Box comprising of 70+ new bobble-head characters, Pet Pairs and Pet Trio Collector Tubes, with each line available at a sub-£10 price point. Each of the packs and tubes also include pet accessories, collector cards, leaflets and a unique virtual code for access to exclusive rewards in the Littlest Pet Shop Roblox game.
Bandai UK has introduced affordable pocket money priced lines for Hello Kitty and Friends fans. Sub £10 ranges include the 5cm and 7cm Dress Up Diary Figurine Collections and cute, collectible keychains with hand straps.
The company is celebrating the Classic Trolls’ 65th Anniversary by relaunching a core range of Pencil Toppers and Single Pack Assortments available for under £5. While the 12 Pop N Top Pencil Topper characters are packaged in blind capsules, the Assortment Packs provide a call out for each of the eight 2” Troll Figures which come complete with hair and a belly gem to rub for good luck.
Tapping into the collectible expanding plush trend, the licensed Miraballs feature eight collectible character surprise capsules revealing squishy plushies once opened. The initial range launches with Miraculous, Paw Patrol, Peppa Pig, My Little Pony, SpongeBob, Emoji and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, with other licences to follow.
For children with an interest in arts & crafts, the Dotzies range of accessibly priced kits includes a selection of Bracelets, Sticker, Dotting and Frame Kit assortments. Each set comes complete with a stylus to pick up individual dots for placing onto the corresponding squares and includes everything needed to complete each project. Bandai has reignited the Loom Band craze with its Loomi Pals Collectible Packs, Loomi Pals Fun Packs and new Loomi Pals Cylinder Surprise. All lines include a Happy Loom, latex-free bands, G-Clips and collectible Loomi Pal charms.
The Gashapon Blind Bags comprise miniature capsule collectibles in blind foil bags, featuring IPs such as Demon Slayer, Kirby and Dragon Ball. Bandai’s strategy to refresh the collections every 12 weeks with new properties and products ensures that the brand continues to appeal to consumers and drives consistent purchase patterns.
The Shokugan range brings some of the most loved characters from across anime and gaming to life in miniature collectible form at pocket money price points. Hero ranges include the Kirby Friends flocked character figures and Tenori Friends - palm-sized collectible figures made of soft vinyl that come in various cute designs, representing birds and animals.
Bandai UK’s Nanoblock Mininano range offers even smaller versions of favourite Nanoblock designs. These pocket money blind bags include buildable, collectible miniatures for evergreen themes such as dinosaurs, and popular licences including Pokémon, Hello Kitty, Kirby, Dragon Ball and Godzilla.
Brainstorm
01200 445 113 | www.brainstormltd.co.uk
Distributed exclusively in the UK and Ireland by Brainstorm, Eugy was launched in 2019 and has since grown to become an instantly recognisable collectible. There are now over 80 Eugy models to collect and the range continues to grow year on year.
The eco-friendly Eugy models are made by following a simple number sequence to piece together the high-quality recyclable card using non-toxic glue. The resulting 3D models are sturdy enough to display. New models to the range include Bronto, Wombat, Pangolin, Kakapo, Toucan and Royal Albatross.
As well as being highly collectible, Eugy is more than just a pocket money purchase. Its creator, Dodoland, rigorously researched all chosen animal species before creating the 3D models in order to highlight their unique characteristics and each teaches a child about wildlife, sustainability and numbers, as well as firing their imaginations and helping them develop their concentration and focus skills.
Existing retailers have credited the innovative Eugy POS with success in store, thanks to the sustainable range of wooden FSDU and CDUs helping to display the Eugy models to full effect. The FSDU is available free when retailers order 54 cases of Eugy, and this comes with eight free display models so customers can see how effective the completed models look.
In-store events have also proved successful for retailers with more uptake from customers across independents and majors. Showcasing and demonstrating the Eugy models during key selling periods has driven footfall and sales.
StikBot continues to be one of Brainstorm’s top selling lines with single StikBot figures hitting best-seller lists year after year. The first social-sharing toy of its kind, StikBot has lots of variations including colours and character themes, so it has the all-important collectability factor.
KLiXX is also part of the Zing Toys range distributed by Brainstorm, with three KLiXX models to collect - Spider, Cobra and Scorpion. Each comes in two colourways and, like StikBot, can be used to create highly detailed stop-frame animations that children can then share on social media. KliXX has over 200 points of articulation, and each KliXX Character can be snapped and clicked together to create hybrid creatures too.
387171 Giant Panda
387243 Snow Leopard
387003 Bengal Tiger
381004 Female Gorilla
Playground Crazes & Pocket Money Collectibles
Zuru
www.zurutoys.com | sales@zuru.com
Zuru’s pocket money toy portfolio includes its award-winning Mini Brands and themed, surprise collectibles, 5 Surprise.
Launched earlier this year, Mini Brands Books became an immediate sell-out, out-performing UK forecasts. Zuru’s first Mini Brands Create line in partnership with MasterChef has enjoyed a strong start, having entered the top 10 items in value a month after hitting shelves and fuelling the creative and mindful trend across social media.
Having launched the first Mini Brands range five years ago, the brand is synonymous with creating mini versions of some of the world’s most iconic brands and is one of the most-liked collectible brand on TikTok. The Mini Brands channel has over 2m followers and 49.5m likes, with its ranges tapping into trending themes such as #booktok, #retrotok and #hometok. The latest ranges include Mini Brands Home, Mini Brands Retro, Mini Brands Garden, Mini Brands Disney Store Series 3 and Mini Brands Netflix.
Along with wider appeal amongst kidult audiences, the ranges provide pocket money purchase options for younger collectors and children who tap into themes to expand their role-play experience. One such range is Mini Brands Home, which partners with some of the world’s best-known home brands to feature 60+ on-trend home décor and gadgets in Mini style, including KitchenAid, Sistema, Black+Decker and MasterChef.
The Mini Brands Disney Store is now in its third series and features some of the best-loved Disney characters. With over 50+ real miniature Disney Store collectibles to discover and collect in Series Three, children can discover Minis of their favourite characters from Marvel, Pixar, Star Wars, Mickey Mouse & Friends and Disney Princesses. The new series includes Woody, Iron Man and Moana, along with rare epic movie moment Minis.
Zuru’s impulse-purchase, surprise collectible brand, 5 Surprise, comprises key themes including Dino Strike, Monster Trucks, Plushy Pets, Pet Rescue, Unicorn Squad, NBA Ballers, My Mini Baby and parody range, Mega Gross Minis. Having entered a new doll play space for the brand, 5 Surprise My Mini Baby has proven a sell-out success since its launch earlier this year, providing children with affordable and perfectly scaled babies, allowing them to introduce a nurture element into their fashion doll play or create their own mini nurseries. Featuring hyper-realistic, scaled-down baby dolls, there are 12 mini babies to collect with five surprises within each capsule, including a Mini Baby, Playset, Baby Accessories, Birth Certificate and Collector's Guide. The second Mega Gross series introduces 40 new parody Minis to collect, plus the rare Real Liquid, Toxic-Glow and Stinky Mega Gross Minis. Each 5 Surprise Mega Gross Series Two capsule includes three Mega Gross Minis, slime toilet bag, sticker and collectors guide.
Basic Fun! UK
0118 925 3270 | bfuk@basicfun.com
With iconic and nostalgic brands making significant noise on social media this year, Basic Fun! UK is serving up a host of classic-inspired products, as well as a completely fresh IP for the playground.
All-new Micro Teenies tap into the nostalgia craze, whilst also responding to the trend for all things micro. The range launched this summer, with the full weight of Basic Fun! UK’s biggest launch programme behind it. Iconic characters from Care Bears, Hello Kitty and Disney’s Lilo and Stitch, Winnie the Pooh and Mickey and Friends have been given the Micro Teenies treatment, transformed into cute, novelty collectibles in miniature boxes.
The Tonka Micro Metal Blind Surprise Capsules have an RRP of just £2.99 RRP, with miniature vehicles boxed in a Tonka Toolbox capsule. The My Little Pony Retro Collectible Mini Figures are also offered at a great price point, bringing the original ponies back at pocket money prices.
Cotton CandyKins is the eagerly awaited pocket money line that combines cotton candy, cute animals, hair play and surprise reveals. This fluffy, cotton candy looking plush comes wrapped-up in a unique surprise-reveal cotton candy machine pack. Children start by popping the top, then twisting to spin the cotton candy capsule. They can then remove the plushie, unwrap the cotton candy tail and reveal their character, before customising their Cotton CandyKins.
THE NEW RANGES OF SENSORY CRAZES
Playground Crazes & Pocket Money Collectibles
Spin Master
01628 535 000 | www.spinmastertoys.co.uk
With the new Paw Patrol Pup Squad Racers, kids can choose from Chase, Marshall, Skye and Rubble to collect. Each pup fits in the palm of a hand and is the perfect-sized toy for kids to take with them anywhere they go. Each Paw Patrol pup is dressed in their authentic Paw Patrol uniform; with their ears moulded back, they look like they’re racing at full speed, just like they do in the show.
Brand-new from the world of Paw Patrol for 2024 is the debut range of Rubble & Crew toys which has been inspired by the new hit show. Children can grow their Paw Patrol universe with the Rubble & Crew Action Pack. Each action figure is dressed in its signature Rubble and Crew uniform and includes a specially designed backpack that features a unique tool for each character, allowing kids to create pretend play construction projects with their favourite pup. The Tool Waggers figures include Rubble, Wheeler, Mix and Charger for constructive fun all day.
Kids can embark on adventures with the new Teen Titans Go! Micro Collectible Figures. Standing at just two inches high, these Teen Titans action figures include detailed design and iconic superhero outfits, ready for any challenge that comes their way. Made for both play and display, they inspire creative storytelling and adventurous play. Children can collect the entire lineup of Teen Titans Go! Micro Collectibles, including Cyborg, Starfire, Raven and Beast Boy.
Harry Potter fans can celebrate iconic third-year film moments with the Wizarding World Micro Magical Moments figures. Each surprise box one-pack comes with a surprise 4cm figure portraying a scene from the Prisoner of Azkaban, plus a clear Hogwarts portrait-frame display case with a double-sided backdrop and a stand. Kids can enjoy unboxing their figure and revealing who’s inside.
From the hit show Unicorn Academy, Spin master has launchedthe Unicorn Academy Collectible Baby Unicorn Figures. These surprise toys, which come from the debut Unicorn Academy toy range, feature cute details and playful poses, bringing the characters to life. The Collectible Baby Unicorns include Collect Baby Leaf, Baby Cinder, rare Baby Starjoy and more.
DKB Toys
07813 725 480 | www.dkbtoys.com
Crazy Aaron’s has succeeded in delivering Thinking Putty into the hands of fans of all ages across the UK. This innovative product enriches peoples’ creativity and mindfulness, inspiring curiosity whilst both educating and delighting consumers.
The Mini Thinking Putty is at a price point for pockets on the school playground. Small, fun and packed with innovation for its size, the mini tin craze has grown stronger each year, with styles being refreshed to keep fans coming back for more. From the fun of Make a Taco to the sparkles of Mystic Crystal, each one is unique and provides an opportunity for fidget and focus.
Thinking Putty not only helps build hand and finger strength through a tactile play experience with unique, unexpected properties, but it has also been found to provide relaxing, yet stimulating interaction for kids and adults alike.
The Monogram Collectibles bag clip range has cute and on-trend chibi renditions of characters from across pop culture. With its desirable price point, this range sells out very quickly. This year the range has grown once again, with Deadpool, Disney and Harry Potter added to the collection. Demand for the cute little icons has proved to have huge staying power, particularly with Stitch and Nightmare Before Christmas, and both series now have newly added assortments to choose from. Each collection sees the movie characters in a variety of outfits. Also new to the range is Stranger Things and Warner Brothers Horror that includes a must-have Beetlejuice figurine bag clip. These new lines are available now.
Monogram’s Crunchyroll range launches in Q4. Preorders went live in the spring and have been very strong, with Chainsaw Man, Spy x Family, Jujutsu Kaisen and Sailor Moon joining the iconic Demon Slayer to make the anime range something special.
TRENDING TOYS
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Despite being a relative newcomer to the UK market, Mojo Fun has developed a growing reputation for producing highquality, detailed and authentic figurines at pocket money prices. This has led to a growing fan base of loyal customers and collectors and endorsements from a growing number of retail stockists worldwide.
The Mojo Fun range consists of six popular themed categories: Wildlife, Sealife, Prehistoric Life, Woodland, Farmland and Fantasy, with over 300 individual figurines to choose from. Most figurines retail below £10, making for high frequency all-yearround purchases which do not take up large amounts of shelf space.
Each meticulously detailed, hand-painted figurine is designed in the UK and is more than just a toy. As an educational tool, each can be used for imaginative free play, learning and storytelling at home or in school diorama projects, helping students to learn about each subject in an engaging and handson way. Each animal is thoroughly researched to ensure a high level of accuracy in the finished model.
This year’s new figurines include the Atlantic Puffin, European Hare, Leopard Gecko, Pot-Bellied Pigs, Hereford Cow family and Emperor Penguin with chicks. Each model opens a world of fascinating facts and stories waiting to educate and enthuse its new owner.
Mojo Fun has also remodelled several of its most popular figurines this year, including the Lion, Lioness, American Bison and Clydesdale horses. Continuous product improvement is another key part of Mojo Fun’s success, as it constantly strives to improve its existing range wherever it can.
To best display its products and maximise retail sales, Mojo Fun has a wide range of POS options available to suit individual customer needs. There are different options available for all retail channels, from garden centres to toy shops, department stores, book shops and visitor attractions, which can be discussed on an individual basis. All POS materials, including consumer catalogues, are supplied FOC, subject to minimum order requirements.
Mojo Fun prides itself on its customer service and ability to best serve its customers with stock delivered directly from its UK warehouse. This means the team is able to turn orders around within 48 hours, and with high fulfilment levels. This helps keep retail shelves full to maximise sales and enables Mojo Fun to react quickly to retailer needs.
Character Options has a catalogue of collectible brands for kids, whether they love things gross or adorable.
Terror Fried delivers collectability and unsavoury compounds at pocket money price points. Terror Fried’s food-themed line includes Nasty Nibbles, Ooze Burger, Slimy Box and the allencompassing Gross Bucket. With each set, kids can discover freaky creatures and critters as collectible figures, hidden among foul compounds. Crispy cockroaches, battered rats and more will be found within slimes, gloops and lumpy foams. Kids can drop burgers and nuggets into the fry bucket to enjoy the fizz‘n’fry dissolving effect, rip open squishy milkshakes to splat-out lumpy foam slime, crack open packs of fries to reveal the slimy squelch within and peel-and-reveal smelly, oozing condiment sachets. Sticki Rolls is the new wearable and shareable sticker bracelets IP from Sky Castle that is shaking up how kids collect, share and display their favourite stickers. Designed as fashionable bracelets that contain rolls of kawaii-themed stickers, each Sticki Roll charm houses 10 peelable stickers, providing 50 stickers per bracelet. Three SKUs launched this summer, making the brand accessible for varying budgets. A huge awareness drive continues to support the collection for the back-to-school season.
Smooshzees are squeezable collectibles with super-soft fillings, covered with a velvety stretchy outer skin. There are plenty of Smooshzees to collect including an Axolotl, Unicow and more. Each has its own personality to stimulate imaginative play, and Wave One offers 24 characters to collect.
Playground Crazes & Pocket Money Collectibles
Sambro International
0845 873 9380 | www.sambro.com sales@sambro.com
Sambro International offers an extensive range of novelty toy collectibles at reasonable prices, ideal for children to spend their own pocket money and particularly popular for playground crazes.
Sambro entered the collectibles sector in 2017 with its own IP range, Puzzle Palz, a collection of 3D jigsaw puzzle erasers available across a multitude of licensed characters and perfect for kids to collect, build and swap.
With coloured theming, scented features and super-sized collections, Puzzle Palz are extremely collectible and their secret reveal packs offer a surprise for children. The range is ever evolving to remain at forefront of the arts & crafts, novelty and collectible sectors.
Since launching, more than 60m units have been sold, with 3m of those sales over the last 12 months. Sambro’s unrivalled expertise in the stationery space and ability to develop collaborative partnerships with licensors has opened new commercial opportunities with existing and new licensors, including Disney, Hasbro, Paramount and Mattel, amongst others.
This year, Sambro has announced a new partnership with Universal Studios to expand the Puzzle Palz range to include character collections from key franchises including DreamWorks Trolls, DreamWorks Gabby’s Dollhouse and Illuminations Despicable Me 4.
Central to the range will be the popular DreamWorks Gabby’s Dollhouse collection, which features standard single and multi-packs, alongside a range of new and exciting collectible items. These include a stylish plastic carry case set and surprise packs, all designed to bring the Dollhouse to life.
Coinciding with the launch of Despicable Me 4, Sambro has worked with Universal to bring the film’s loveable Minion characters to life in Puzzle Palz form. A range of stackable surprise capsules and themed printed boxes in the shape of a Gru’s house allows kids to explore their imaginations through the world of Minions.
These new Puzzle Palz product launches will retail from just £1.99 SRP up to £7.99, offering hours of creative fun for young ones at school or on the playground. Puzzle Palz is sold in 12 territories and 20 retailers across the UK and EMEA regions.
Sambro has also invested in developing the packaging for the newest Puzzle Palz ranges, offering plastic-free packaging options for retailers, whilst still retaining features such as the on-pack play design, ensuring the toys continue to have shelf appeal.
Other upcoming expansions to the range include popular licences such as Hot Wheels, Disney Villains, Magic Mixies, SpongeBob SquarePants, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Transformers and Piñata Smashlings.
Melissa & Doug’s latest offering of pocket money collectibles has engaging toys that inspire creativity and learning. Combining portability, imaginative play and educational benefits, these toys are perfect for on-the-go fun and learning.
The Play to Go Ice Cream Set brings imaginative play anywhere. The durable cup with a handle and attached lid is packed with wooden and fabric play food for creating ice cream cones, sandwiches and milkshakes. Kids aged three and above can follow the instructions on the activity card, place their orders on the pop-button fidget lid and serve up treats. With its affordable price, this travel-friendly toy fits perfectly in car seat, stroller and vehicle cup holders, making it an innovative and easily portable play option that encourages sorting, counting, colour recognition and fine motor skills, ideal as a pocket money treat. This line is part of the Play to Go collection.
Melissa & Doug's Sticker Wow! series brings a whole new way to play with stickers, combining the joy of collecting characters with engaging activities. Brand-new from the range is the Sticker Wow! Astronaut activity pad which features Atlas the Astronaut, while the Sticker Wow! Ice Cream activity pad introduces Frosty the Ice Cream.
With a price point of under £10 and a collectible nature, Sticker Wow! is an affordable pocket money treat, encouraging fine motor skills and creative play for children aged three to seven. Both activity pads include a sticker stamper preloaded with 300 easy-to-remove themed stickers, alongside a 24-page activity pad. Kids can enjoy stamp-and-learn activities such as numbers, counting, matching and searchand-find. The on-the-go format with built-in sticker stamper storage makes these sets great mess-free travel activities, crafting tools, fidget play gadgets and collectible toys all in one.
The Noble Collection is perfectly positioned to tap into the collectibles market with IPs including Harry Potter, DC, Lord of the Rings and Jumanji.
The company is best known for its range of replica Wizarding World wands, with over 90 different characters’ wands to collect from Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts. Depending on channel and target price, these die-cast resin replicas come in different box formats, including collector boxes and store-friendly window boxes that cater to all. The wands’ unique status symbol within the Wizarding World makes them the ultimate iconography for everyone from the casual Harry Potter fan to the super collector.
The Noble Collection’s Magical Creatures line is a retail-friendly range of collectible figures based on characters and creatures from the Wizarding World. With 18 Harry Potter and 6 Fantastic Beasts dioramas to collect, these figures come in three parts: creature, base and a backdrop in its own display case. Each part is removable, allowing fans to choose exactly how they want to display their figures. This popular format looks fantastic when displayed together and the boxed dioramas are now also available as three dinosaurs from the Jurassic Park franchise.
In recent years The Noble Collection has explored reaching younger audiences by bringing its premium touch to the toy market, developing a range of collectible-style toys, known as Toyllectibles. Bendyfigs is a range of bendable, poseable figures spanning multiple universes including SpongeBob SquarePants. The collection is extended by Toyllectible Treasures, a versatile range of dioramas that allows various ways to display. These dioramas are inspired by key moments in iconic scenes from the big screen, including E.T.’s Halloween bicycle ride, the birth of a baby raptor in Jurassic Park and Hedwig’s delivery of Harry’s first broomstick.
In 2024, The Noble Collection launched Toyllectible Pufflums, new collector squishies that bring to life characters and props as slow-rise foam toys. First to market was a recreation of Harry’s bright pink birthday cake and a stylised version of the mischievous Niffler from Fantastic Beasts. Also coming soon from the Wizarding World are stylised squishies of creature characters Dobby and Hedwig, with new lines from other IPs soon to follow.
Simba Smoby’s portfolio of pocket money toys offers something for all ages and interests.
Jada’s signature Nano Metal Figures have a wider, expanded range across many pop culture licences this year, including Disney, Minecraft, Harry Potter, Marvel, Sonic the Hedgehog, Godzilla Vs Kong and more. Super-affordable, these collectible figures offer great playability and displayability. In the Disney Nano Figure Bling Bags is a plethora of popular characters shaped as 1:65 scale metal figures, each highly detailed and measuring around 4cm tall. Fans can discover Nemo, Woody, a golden Simba chase character and more. There’s also a brandnew wave on the way for the collection, which includes even more iconic Disney characters.
Minecraft Blister Packs are a top seller for Simba Smoby. This affordable line is kept fresh with regular wave updates, so consumers always have new figures to choose from. Based on one of the most popular gaming licences, each pack contains one die-cast nano collectible figure that measures just over 4cm. Fans can collect, play and display numerous characters from the world of Minecraft.
Fans of the Fast & Furious franchise have been reliving the nostalgia with Jada’s all-new Nano Vehicle Blind Bag Assortment. This new-for-2024 line has some of Fast & Furious’ most iconic vehicles waiting to be unwrapped. The Blind Bags will be supported with future waves to keep the assortment fresh. For more information about the full brand portfolio, please get in contact via the details above.
Moose Toys is dedicated to fostering creative play for all children with new toys spanning numerous categories at multiple price points.
Little Live Pets NeeDees are interactive, wearable best friends that express their needs and respond to care. Children are rewarded with points the more they nurture their new friend. There are 13 animals to collect, including a limited-edition Golden Duck.
New to the Shimmerverse is the new Magic Mixies Minis 9pk. Kids can mix their magic potion and watch it fizz and bubble to reveal two of the nine Magic Mixie Minis inside the cauldron. There are 90 Magic Mixies Minis to collect across five new magic powers – Starlight, Ice, Sun, Rainbow and Moonstone. Each power has a different magic reveal such as glowing, sparkle reveal and colour change. There is also a limited-edition light-up Mini called Heira.
Fans of the hit CBeebies show Bluey can expand their love of the brand with the new Bluey Mini Collectibles 1pk. There are a wide range of Bluey Friends and Family figures to collect.
Following a complete US sell-out of Cookeez Makery Series One, and with UK stock in high demand, Moose Toys has expanded the range to include Cookeez Toasty Treatz. These friendly-faced plush introduce tactile features and provide a delightful surprise reveal. As children pop up their pretendplay toaster, they discover a scented plush friend shaped like a classic breakfast treat. The Toasty Treatz collection includes 12 plush across Seasons One and Two.
As the home premiere of Despicable Me 4 nears, kids can bring home the fun of Illumination’s Despicable Me 4 as they collect the new Mini Mega Minions Mystery Figure 1pk. Collectors can search for Common, Rare and Chase figures with 28 different Minions to find over Series One and Two.
As one of the most highly anticipated launches of the year, Moose Toys will unleash MrBeast Lab Swarms 2pk as part of its exclusive partnership with MrBeast, AKA Jimmy Donaldson, the No.1 most subscribed YouTuber in the world. The pocket-sized chaotic collectibles are designed to empower children to engage creatively by using a unique fizz compound to create and reveal a miniature beast. The range fosters imaginative play and comprises over 100 characters, including the rare and coveted Hyperchrome Panther, of which only 1,000 are available.
One for Fun specialises in the Playground Crazes and Pocket Money Collectibles category with a sensory line up designed to cultivate impulse buys and build on its award-winning portfolio of pocket money and playground winners.
Micro Fidgetz Wave 2 brings even more tiny toys that can actually be played with, not just static collectibles. This award-winning concept combines the mystery of blind bags with the collectability of a range of 25 additional Micro Fidgetz. Each round tub has a see-through panel at the top displaying one fidget toy, and underneath are another four toys that are stacked in blind bags, waiting to be revealed.
Friendship bracelets have seen a revamp this year with the added popstar push that has been lighting up social media.
One For Fun’s best-selling Concert Bracelets have been designed with differing themes in mind and the trade has been swiftly taking advantage of this flexible range, which combines craft, creativity, collectability and friendship. Innovative POS is available, and a strong social media campaign capitalises on recent high-profile concerts.
Stretchy, squishy, emoji, sparkly and foody are the themes for the 2024 Scrunchems range from Tobar. Sugar Scrunchems are incredibly popular with new line extensions including cats, bears, dolphins, unicorns and sausage dogs in multi-sparkly colours, ideal to collect and swap. There are lots of new sensory Scrunchems at impulse buy prices. Scrunchems also make food appealing, including Vegetable Squishy Buddies, a Mystic Squeeze Mushroom and the Scrunchems Sushi set. The Fortune Teller Squish Ball, a compact version of the Magic 8 ball with different responses, was the subject of great media attention at the start of the year.
HGL’s fidget range is focusing on the Axolotl. A variety of products in the range includes an Axolotl fidget with a body that twists and turns, stretchy sand Axolotls, Snaxolotls, which combine snack trends with soft and squishy axolotl characters, a light up suction popper Axolotl and an Axolotl Grow Egg. An emphasis on sensory, clicking and popping items leads the way, with the Light Up Time Popper game and the Super Sensory Square, exclusive to One For Fun. A new take on fidget spinners sees the liquid glitter fidget spinner make a sparkly debut. The new Sensory Squish Set offers 20 mini squishy playthings in one go.
Toy vending machines are predicted to be a massive craze with products that can be collected and swapped. One For Fun has a Sensory Surprise Vending Machine that dispenses six mochis and six fidgets, each in their own egg. The Slime Surprise Vending Machine dispenses eggs filled with different slimes.
Playground Crazes & Pocket Money Collectibles
Vivid Goliath
01483 449 944 | www.vividtoysandgames.co.uk
Fidget Blox offers a sensory experience and is a great gift for every occasion. Each Blox is squishy, sensory and satisfyingly fidgety. Blox are available in three styles, each with a unique focus on fidget play: vision, touch and sound. With Fidget Blox – Vision, children can turn for a lava effect, then smush to mix and watch the colours separate. With Fidget Box – Touch, children can feel the soothing sensations as they squish and squeeze. With the Sound Fidget Blox, children can squeeze to sort the colourful water beads and hear the satisfying popping sounds. With an RRP of £3.99, Fidget Blox are available in three colours: purple, blue and red.
Lavastorm is a collection of hypnotic, magic liquid spinners. With an RRP of £2.99, and filled with colourful liquid, children simply spin them and watch the stormy magic appear in front of their eyes. They can battle with their friends or create their own fun challenges. Lavastorm is available in three vibrant colours and with a try-me function.
Just Play UK is a major player in the pocket-money toys and collectibles category, with more fun lines to be introduced this year.
As one of the fastest-growing licensed collectibles last year, Disney Doorables’ growth has continued with more innovation and new captivating experiences. The latest theme, Pixel Perfect, promises a surprise behind every door, with 50 unique Disney characters to discover, including special-edition figures that showcase pixelated eight-bit versions of iconic Disney characters like Mickey Mouse, Stitch, Dumbo, Winnie the Pooh and more.
Micro Motions is also coming soon, with 15 new Disney figures to find – each with movement. Dumbo and Stitch have waving ears, whilst Ariel has a flicking mermaid’s tail. There’s also the Inside Out 2 Collection Peek, as well as the Squishalots Capsule Surprise Machine that offers a new way to unbox Doorables. Children insert the coin and turn the knob to reveal a surprise. On top of this, there’s more coming from Star Wars Doorables to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Star Wars: A Phantom Menace. Also new this season is the highly anticipated Disney Munchlings line that combines yummy treats with beloved Disney characters. Munchlings characters have already amassed millions of views on TikTok and, as a key collaborator with Disney for Munchlings, Just Play UK will produce a variety of collectible feature plush and wateractivated colour reveal mini-figures to UK-based fans.
Just Play UK’s Original Slinky, the classic metal spring toy that walks downstairs, alone or in pairs, retains its title of one of the hottest pocket money toys, with its fun, repeat play pattern.
Playground Crazes & Pocket Money Collectibles
PMI Kids’ World
www.pmi.co.il | omer@pmi.co.il
Fugglers, the delightfully disturbing and awkwardly weird creatures, have signed an exclusive worldwide master toy licensing agreement in the plastic collectibles category with PMI Kids’ World. These funny-ugly monsters, known for their playful antics and quirky looks, are now hitting shelves in a new collectible form.
With over 8m units sold worldwide, Fugglers have become a massive hit. These plush toys recently sold out across 3,000 Walmart US stores, underscoring their widespread popularity. Their sell-out success at major retailers such as Kmart and Tesco further attest to their immense appeal.
PMI Kids’ World is launching a range of collectible products that capture the unique, quirky nature of the Fuggler brand. These products showcase their signature human-like teeth, distinctive features and finishes, adding to their collectability, rarity and the excitement of the secondary trading market. The new line provides Fuggler fans with innovative ways to interact with these mischievous monsters.
This autumn, the Fuggler toy line will feature 56 unique styles to collect, offering endless entertainment for collectors and enthusiasts. The Fuggler Collectible Figures are available in both window boxes and deluxe boxes, with a range of finishes and features to captivate fans.
Common designs showcase a sleek plastic finish, while the Catch Me figures stand out with flocking finishes, complemented with special features such as glass eyes and clothing. The rare figures have a premium Furry Finish, and the ultra-rare figures include intricate mechanisms. They come in a variety of packing including blind boxes, foil bags and window boxes.
For added fun, the Fuggler Farting Figure emits farting sounds via a motion sensor and comes in a one-pack window box. The range also incudes plastic Fuggler Key Chains for fans on the go, and they can mix and match their Customisable Fuggler Figures with interchangeable accessories, which are available in one-pack and two-pack window boxes. The Fuggler Feature Figure offers features like moving eyes, flopping ears, opening mouths and movable arms and legs, with each character having its own unique feature.
Click Distribution UK has announced a range of pocket money toys and collectibles that will be available this autumn/winter.
In August, the highly anticipated Premier League 2024/25 Adrenalyn XL launched to enormous success, solidifying its status as the number one selling trading card collection. Panini’s success continues with Bluey, Stitch and Hello Kitty Sticker Collections all performing well. With top licences still to come this year, Panini is set to have ongoing strong success within this category.
Stumble Guys is supported by a massive PR and marketing campaign and boasts over 50m players every month, remaining a huge hit. With a range of price points, the range has become a must-have for collectors and fans alike.
This month, Click Distribution is excited to introduce a range of sought-after brands in the gaming category, including the eagerly awaited new Rainbow Friends, Pet Simulator 99, Blox Fruits Series 2, Doors and Garten of Banban. Each brand features a master toy range with a range of price points starting at pocket money. This lineup is boosted with the all-new Godzilla x Kong Collectible Plush.
The brand-new Little Biggies range has hit stores. The Biggies brand, known for its supersize mega plush toys, now offers kids a smaller, equally attractive plush friend. The patented packaging concept includes a pump that reveals the plush character, giving the product an innovative edge in the crowded plush space.
The brand-new Cutie Pops range is set to hit shelves this month, with a diverse selection that provides endless possibilities for creating captivating Cutie Chains, complemented by an array of accessories that users can hang everywhere, thanks to the keychain feature.
Lastly, this month, Click Distribution UK has introduced Poo-Eee - squishy, scented, surprise plushies. With 12 slow-rise, plushy poops to collect, children can look out for limited editions.
To learn more about Click Distribution UK’s ranges, get in touch via the details above.
Playground Crazes & Pocket Money Collectibles
MGA Entertainment
0845 0533 333 | www.mgae.com
MGA Entertainment continues to be a leader in the playground crazes and pocket money collectibles category with innovative launches from L.O.L. Surprise!, Rainbow High, MGA’s Miniverse and the all-new Yummiland brand this autumn/winter 2024.
All recent and upcoming launches across the three brands offer collectors unique and creative play experiences, new unboxing methods and high-profile licensed partnerships as MGA continues to focus on offering fans extended play patterns and added value for parents.
Yummiland hit retailer shelves in August and has since surpassed expectations. The new brand combines children's love for collectibles, fashion dolls and cosmetics. The new Yummiland Lip Gloss dolls are suitable for children four years and over. Each doll is articulated, has removable fashions and even has a key chain. The Yummis, Bianca Bubblegum, Maya Watermelon, Piper Peach, Greta Grape, Callie Birthday Cake and Rory Blueberry, are unique collectibles which are individually scented to match their names. Each come with their own clear, glittery gloss, colour and scent which can be mixed together to create a unique shimmery lip gloss.
L.O.L. Surprise! announced the launch of its first ever mermaid themed collection last month. The new themed collection includes L.O.L. Surprise! Mermaid Tots, Mermaid Baby Sisters and the new lower price point, Mermaid Tweens Dolls. Children can unleash their creativity and experience a brand-new water play experience with the new Mermaid Tots by making their own unique colour changing mermaid tail, and all new mermaid dolls in the collection feature a colour change surprise. Bringing a fresh new mini doll range to the collectibles category, Rainbow High Littles Dolls feature six adorable six-inch dolls that are the little sisters to fan favourite characters; they each have their own fashion style, hairstyle, matching bags and even their own pet. All of the characters are featured in the latest series of the animated series.
MGA’s Miniverse expands across new themes in the pocket money collectibles space. MGA’s Miniverse Make It Mini Spa offers fans a line-up of highly detailed mini versions of favourite spa themed items to craft, while MGA’s Miniverse Make It Mini Potions Harry Potter collection was released in partnership with Warner Bros, featuring an assortment of potions to create and display.
All new launches from MGA Entertainment will be supported through PR, strategic influencer and celebrity partnerships, IRL events, social media and instore POS.
Brands with strong entertainment content such as L.O.L. Surprise!, Rainbow High and Yummiland offer added value. All new autumn/winter launches will be supported by animated series for Yummiland, L.O.L. Surprise! and Rainbow High. Ahead of the product launch of Yummiland, MGA has commissioned a 20-episode series which is being rolled out across YouTube. Currently standing at over 500k subscribers, the official theme song video has already gained over 2m views.
L.O.L. Surprise! premiered a brand new series, ‘What’s Inside’ on YouTube in August which featured a variety of mixed media, live action and animation for the first time ever, and Rainbow High launched a new Rainbow World YouTube animated series earlier this year that includes dedicated episodes to meet the Littles - all based on cute, wholesome themes to appeal to a younger audience.
John Leisure
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, the company continues to produce toys that are both innovative and high quality. Next year will be no exception as it celebrates its 50th year of being a proud Disney licensee.
John Leisure finds a balance between fun and affordability, catering for all its customers, particularly with its pocket money toys for both kids and adults. The newest cuddly licensed range, Puffling Balls, is a sensory experience. They are covered with wobbly plush spines that add a tactile sensation to playtime, especially with top licences featuring beloved characters like Spidey and Stitch. With their unique texture and comforting feel, Puffling Balls are a hit for both playtime and for a cuddle when winding down.
Leading John Leisure’s collection are the ever-popular 5" licensed Play Balls, which are one of its biggest volume drivers. These brightly coloured, durable balls are perfect for outdoor play. These are available in a variety of licences, including Spidey & Friends, Stitch, Gabby’s Dollhouse, Paw Patrol, Peppa Pig, Hot Wheels and Barbie.
Another standout is the 2.5" High Bounce Ball, crafted from high-quality polyurethane. These balls are designed to deliver an exceptional bounce, making them ideal for energetic games and spontaneous fun. The high bounce balls are available with licences from Paw Patrol, Peppa Pig and a Disney & Marvel assortment.
For those looking to add a bit of thrill to their play, the Space Ball can bounce to a height of 10 meters, captivating all who dare to throw it. The Space Ball's ability to reach such heights makes it an exciting addition to any play session, whether it's in the backyard or at the park.
John Leisure’s range of pocket money items offers a variety of toys that are affordable without compromising on the fun and excitement they provide, with something for every child and parent who wants to join in. These toys not only provide hours of entertainment, but also encourage physical activity and imaginative play.
The Magicbox USP is creative, collectible-driven pocket money ranges that offer a fun point of difference in the playground. Piratix is a completely new addition to Magicbox’s pocket money portfolio of brands in 2025. Set to be showcased at the AIS show in Solihull, this collection offers kids over 60 funny pirate figures to discover, including an ultra-rare one with an exclusive accessory. The gold coins activate powers, weapons and mechanisms for forts, cannons and ships, as kids meet extraordinary
The all-new SuperThings Legends collection delivers playability at more-affordable price points. Value packs provide back-to-back surprises and inspiration for storytelling, with SuperThings figures, SuperMachines and PowerJets all part of the mix. The latest series is the perfect way for kids to relive the sagas of the SuperThings origins story and for collectors to find previously retired
Throughout spring/summer 2024, kids have been building their T-Racers Mix ‘N Race collections, seeking to collect all 36 super-detailed designs available. These vehicles have a unique system that retains the brand’s status as one of the only collectible vehicle brands with Mix ‘N Race function. Fans have been collecting the different designs on offer, and there’s a second wave to collect this season, allowing yet more vehicle combinations. Available via a new POS stand, designed for independents, there are single and triple car blister packs to purchase. There’s a new creative theme to discover from Kookyloos this season. Pocket money priced and wrapped in window boxes that demonstrate the fun of flipping between the dolls’ three unique faces, they change their expression with a swipe of the finger. Golden Gala introduces eight new dolls to collect, each with new hairstyles, facial expressions and outfits, inspired by looks
Innov8 Academy
01268 505 050 | sales@pmsplc.com
Deddy Bears Series 2 has hit shops and fans are enjoying this newest installation of the fright bears range. Deddy Bears is among the fastest-growing collectible brands currently available, with fans who are into darker humour enjoying gathering their unique bear collections. Series 1 saw eight characters while series 2 introduces six new ones. Users can collect them all or just collect their
The range continues to offer collectors three options; large 12” bears in body bags with autopsy reports; medium 6” bears in personalised coffins with Death Certificates and mini bears in blind bags with mini death certificates and bag clips. The multiple choices offer fans the option to collect in a single size or collect
The collection includes Dolli the Bride of Death, who brings class and sophistication to the grim crew; Frostbite, the frozen grizzly; Twofur, who is not sure which side of himself he likes best; Zombat, who struggles to fly; Frankenbear, who seems to feel a little off colour and Muertobear, designed to bring flair to any festival. Series 3 will be available in stores in the new year.
This autumn/winter, Craft Buddy has a wide range of pocket money collectibles under £10 to inspire creativity in children.
The September launch of Crystal Art Buddies Series Four offers a further 21 characters, with fan-favourites from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, DC Superheroes, Disney and L.O.L. Surprise! Star Wars fans will welcome the launch of two collectible XL Buddies, with Grogu and R2-D2.
Craft Buddy prides itself on getting ahead of movie launches which are set to be cinematic hits. Series Four includes characters from this summer’s movie blockbusters, Inside Out 2 and Deadpool & Wolverine, as well as the upcoming winter releases, Mufasa and Moana 2. Crystal Art Series Four not only aligns with current consumer trends, but adds further depth to its award-winning range, with characters from Series One, Two and Three continuing to thrive as pocket-money collectibles, including best-sellers Stitch, Yoda, L.O.L. Surprise! and Spiderman.
Following on from back-to-school season, Crystal Art Bag Charms are a popular pocket money purchase to adorn school bags. For autumn/winter 2024, 11 new licensed characters from Disney, Star Wars, Marvel DC and Harry Potter are being released. They are quick and easy to make, equipped with a clip-on hanger and sticker for personalisation.
Paint by Numb3rs Buddies continues to inspire, with the opportunity to create cut-out 23cm character standees using the evergreen painting by numbers technique. The collection features six fan favourite movie characters: Harry Potter, Groot, Spiderman, Winnie the Pooh, Genie from Aladdin and Stitch.
Looking ahead to Christmas, Craft Buddy’s 2024 seasonal line-up includes a set of innovative six festive Buddies now featuring a loop and thread as well as a base, so they can double up as tree ornaments. Two additional Christmas XL Buddies, Cheerful Gnome and Nutcracker, are also available.
Craft Buddy will be previewing all these lines and more to a UK audience at its in-house preview days in September, and to a global audience at the Los Angeles Fall Previews. For more details, contact Dan, Lisa or Charlotte in the Trade Sales team.
Marvin's Magic has developed the Wicked Pranks range to include an eye-catching collection of 12 outrageous pranks that are guaranteed to be a hit in the world of playground crazes and pocket money collectibles.
The collection is designed to be spooky, scary, outrageous and hilarious. Classic pranks that families know and love will combine with brand-new innovations to deliver fun mayhem. With timeless favourites like whoopee cushions, cockroaches, handshake shockers, sneezing powder, severed fingers, snappy chewing gum and more, there is something in the collection for everyone.
The entire range is set to undergo a complete facelift, giving retailers the opportunity to capitalise on this category. Pocket money pranks are offered in an impactful CDU designed to optimise shelf space and draw attention.
The larger collections of pranks will form a key part of the brand’s famous Retail-Theatre ranges, promoted by expert demonstrations in some of the world’s most famous toy stores. These demonstrations not only entertain, but also showcase the fun and excitement of Marvin’s Magic products, drawing in crowds and creating a buzz in-store. Customers will be captivated by the live performances, highlighting the mischievous joy of these pranks.
Marvin’s Magic will also be offering retail partners assets and content for social media and in-store promotions. These resources are designed to create hype and excitement around its ranges, helping retailers attract more customers and drive sales. From eye-catching graphics to engaging video content, Marvin’s Magic equips retailers with everything they need to showcase these pranks effectively.
The Magic Wicked Pranks collection is perfect for children looking to surprise their friends and create fun memories with hilarious pranks. With a blend of classic pranks and innovative new tricks, kids and families alike will find entertainment in these playful products.
Marvin’s Wicked Pranks Pocket Money Collection is now available for pre-order, with deliveries expected from September.
Curious Universe is set to captivate kids everywhere with its incredible value Nano Tape Magic collection and the collectible Crystalverse capsules, both poised to become must-have items this year.
Nano Tape Magic, inspired by the viral craft trend all over TikTok and YouTube, includes everything needed to create fun and imaginative Nano Tape creations in each pack. Originally used for hanging pictures and securing decorations, kids have discovered the artistic potential of the transparent, double-sided, heavy-duty sticky tape. The tape can be inflated or filled with slime, beads, charms and sequins, then drawn on and decorated to create fun and imaginative designs.
The launch range features various themed packs. With the mini range, kids can make keyrings and bubble animals with the Pocket Pets set or create window charms and slime raindrops with the Cute Cloud set. The classic range includes Cute Animals for making an aquarium and bubble pets, or Cute Food for squishy bubble tea and burger art. Each pack features exclusive QR videos that unlock additional craft ideas, encouraging endless creativity and play. With Nano Tape Magic, Curious Universe delivers a world of unique nano creations that kids can proudly create and share.
The Crystalverse capsules hold enchanting Crystalcorns, unique creatures that kids can personalise with sparkling crystals. The excitement of unwrapping these capsules, along with the creative possibilities for customisation, makes them the ideal pocket money collectible. The Crystalverse collection features an exclusive character, Rokket, whose rarity has been designed to spark trading frenzies and playground buzz. Alongside Rokket, there are five additional enchanting characters, including the newly introduced Zaphira and Florazina. Each character adds unique charm to the collection, encouraging kids to collect and swap for their favourites.
Nano Tape Magic is now available, with Crystalverse capsules set to launch soon. Both brands will be backed by a comprehensive marketing campaign featuring influencer partnerships, creative PR initiatives and a dynamic digital marketing strategy.
Topps
01908 800 100 | www.topps.com
Fans can collect the world’s biggest superstars such as Jude Bellingham, Harry Kane and Phil Foden, with the new Match Attax UCC 24/25 collection featuring all the top teams and players from this season’s UEFA Club Competitions: the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League.
The cards are ideal for any young football fan or budding collector, featuring strong designs and finishes alongside brand-new deluxe Relic Cards, Genuine Autograph Cards, limited edition must-haves and exclusive rarities.
The collection provides children with a new talking point to start the school year, offering endless opportunities to build formidable ultimate teams and trade with classmates, while fostering a sense of community among young football fans. Products available include individual packs, starter packs, mega
Hasbro
0208 569 1234 | www.hasbro.co.uk
Hasbro is celebrating Beyblade’s 25th anniversary by collaborating with Star Wars and Marvel to create exclusive battle Tops. The fan-favourite heroes and villains in spinning top form will be available this autumn and will include four ranges: Beyblade X Marvel Iron Man 4-80B and Thanos 4-60B Multipack Set; Beyblade X Marvel Spider-Man 3-60F and Venom 3-80N Multipack Set; Beyblade X and Star Wars The Mandalorian 3-60F and Moff Gideon 3-80N Multipack Set; and Beyblade X and Star Wars Luke Skywalker 4-80B and Darth Vader 4-60B Multipack Set
Each of the four multipack sets includes two right-spinning Tops and two launchers (Beystadium required, sold separately). Users can launch right into battle or reconfigure the interchangeable blade, ratchet and bit of Tops in these collab multipacks with other Beyblade X Tops (sold separately) to create their own Bey. Beyblade X features the X-Celerator Gear System innovation to level up games. When the gear of a Beyblade X Top engages the rail of the Beystadium arena, it can super-accelerate into an Xtreme Dash, rocketing around the stadium. Bladers will launch their Tops into fierce clashes against their opponent’s, scoring points with each spin. The first to score four points wins.
Users can scan the Beyblade X Star Wars and Marvel Tops to unlock rewards and keep
campaign that will feature and fuel a passion for
Czech it out
Play Global announces Prague International Toy Fair
There’s no shortage of excellent trade shows taking place across the globe each and every year, so it’s a bold move to launch a completely new one, in a new location. But that’s exactly what Play Global’s CEO Andreas Wissner has set out to do with Prague International Toy Fair, which is set to make its debut next year.
Taking place at the modern and luxurious 5-Star Hilton Prague Hotel & Conference Venue from 27th-29th May 2025, the show will kick off with a 3-day format across prime locations spread over three floors of the hotel, offering a variety of exhibition space solutions. Downstairs, companies that prefer bigger, more open spaces can opt to showcase their ranges in modern and adjustable conference rooms, while the two floors immediately above offer private showrooms for those who
Designed to cater primarily to exhibitors and visitors from European markets, Prague International Toy Fair is set to make its debut in May 2025. Andreas Wissner, chief executive officer of Play Global, one of the organisers of the event, explains what sets the show apart from the others on the trade show calendar and how interested companies can secure their space.
would rather preview their ranges in intimate settings behind closed doors. Exhibitors – who can choose from one of two show package tiers - will have a full day to set up their showroom, before welcoming visitors on the Tuesday morning. The event is off-limits to the general public and access will be controlled.
“The show will focus on European markets; both CEE/ EMEA regions as well as Western Europe, Middle East and all surrounding areas, whilst also inviting visitors from the rest of the world to participate,” explains Andreas. “However, we already understand from early feedback that the audience will be global.”
“Prague International Toy Fair addresses the everchanging global climate, changing buying and selling behaviours, and the need for a strong, Europeanbased, truly international show,” he adds. “The show will be held in the very heart of Prague, utilising its strategic central location and the many benefits of showing in an EU state (including ease of access). We’re offering a flexible events strategy with its own unique style, and the ability to accommodate growing demand without compromising exhibitors, low prices and favourable business terms, as well as a stunning location. At its heart, Prague International Toy Fair will allow attendees to take advantage of a great business environment, first-class facilities and the amazing tourist hotspot that is the Czech Republic.”
While the planning and development of the show is still is in its early stages, Andreas and the Prague International Toy Fair team have already started reaching out to manufacturers and distributors in the toy industry to obtain a preliminary overview of exhibitors for the May 2025 event. They will continue to add to the growing list of
interested attendees during the autumn and winter.
Andreas explains: “At this point we are not asking for financial commitments, focusing instead on getting a better picture of exhibitors and making sure we can accommodate everyone properly: it will be critical for the first event to be both well organised and a commercial success for all participants. This means we will be firming up commitments during Q4 only. If anyone reading this would like to secure a space at Prague International Toy Fair, then the realistic cut-off date will be end of 2024 - but it may come earlier if we run out of space for the first year’s event.”
In the coming weeks and months, Andreas expects to announce further price reductions for exhibitors as more companies express their interest. A bespoke visitor presentation has also been created, detailing the special Hilton Hotel room rates available during the event and other show-related offers and discounts. This is available upon request.
“Feedback on Prague International Toy Fair has been universally positive – far better than we had imagined - so we are increasingly optimistic that we’ll put on a strong first show in 2025 and that we can continue to build on that momentum into the future,” Andreas enthuses. “We are looking forward making Prague International Toy Fair a major yearly event. More information will be available on the official website soon, but in the meantime, I feel there is growing word-of-mouth. Anyone interested should get in contact with myself or anyone with links to the show – of which there are many – and I’d like to thank those who have expressed their support so far.”
To contact the show organisers, email info@ pragueinternationaltoyfair.cz
enquiries@canaltoys.uk
www.canaltoys.co.uk
Xplore Brands a fresh approach
How has the past year been for Xplore?
What have been your major successes and your biggest challenges?
They say time flies when you’re having fun - and this past year has sped by! From many conversations that we’ve had with those in the industry, it seems that the toy retail market has been challenging so far this year. However, momentum has built as the year has unfolded, and we are excited to see where we end the year. We have secured strong selections and there will be many exciting and innovative products available for consumers this autumn winter.
So overall, it’s been a successful year to date – we’re particularly pleased that some new brands which we onboarded towards the end of year will now be seen in the market, some for the first time in UK, as well as opening further doors across EMEA.
Since we re-branded to Xplore Brands and adopted a fresh approach in the way we represent brands, it has
Toy World caught up with Xplore Brands Distribution’s Pritesh Dave to hear how the company’s first year in business has been going, and what the company is excited about in the run-up to the festive season.
certainly accelerated our growth and broadened business opportunities with various retail channels. We are no longer just a traditional distributor: we now operate as the face of the brand, offering product to retailers who can purchase directly from the manufacturer.
What new launches are you most excited about in the run-up to Christmas?
There are multiple products we could highlight here, however the key brands that we excited for are Bitty Boomers, My Arcade, OTL, Comansi, Reig, Red Toolboxand not forgetting the record breaking Tubbz range.
You’re about to move into a new office –what led you to make that decision?
We will be based in North Leicester, which is a great accessible location for our partners from anywhere in the UK, and even those heading in from abroad.
The new building will also give us a state-of-the-art showroom, far bigger than before. This will enable us to showcase our full product range to retail partners, while giving us the space to expand our extensive portfolio and welcome even more brands to the business.
To date, we have been using a third-party logistics company and now, given the growth and traffic, we have decided to bring all operations in-house, and build a team which has the expertise and track record to achieve further growth.
You’re also heading to LA in September – what are you hoping to get out of the trip?
To see some amazing newness! We are excited to meet with our existing brand partners and to see the latest
innovations that are being launched – this is something we’re eager to walk our retail partners through.
In line with our business and team growing, we will also be in LA to look at further opportunities where we can support brands to grow their business in the UK and across EMEA.
As a distributor of a wide number of ranges, what are the benefits for retailers in working with you?
As we have now diversified the way we operate, we can truly offer suppliers a 360-degree solution. Given the breadth of our portfolio, which covers so many categories, we find ourselves in the fortunate position of working and building a rapport with multiple teams within one buying organisation.
Looking ahead to 2025, what should we look out for from Xplore as we head into next year?
We have several new ranges to really shout about heading into the new year. One brand to look out for is USA-based Quest, for which we are now the exclusive launch partner for EMEA. We believe that the company’s catalogue of licensed Audio, Mobile & Tech accessories can open new doors and further diversify our retail partner portfolio.
In addition, there is the newness and invention from our existing manufacturing partners, a revamped licensed stationery range with some key licences and exciting news on the youth electronics side of our business on which we can share further announcements post LA and pre-London Toy Fair…watch this space.
• Realistic loading and unloading operation
• Spray function to give engine exhaust effect
• Includes lights and engine sounds for enhanced play value
• Re-chargeable Li-ion battery in each vehicle
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: Canal, Funrise, MGA, Micro Scooters, MV Sports, Tonies, Zapf Creation.
Across its Baby born and Baby Annabell portfolio, Zapf Creation continues to innovate and bring out new products each year to keep up with current trends and stay relevant to its audiences.
This autumn, the Baby born 43cm dolls have been renamed Emma, Eva and Jonas after the characters from the show, meaning children can engage with the characters on and off screen. This underpins the new marketing strategy for the brand to align with its successful animated series that launched last year. The dolls also come with additional new functions to create a more imaginative playtime experience. Aimed at children aged three and up, there are 10 lifelike functions and 10 accessories, pus a QR code to take owners of the new doll to the animated series.
Baby Annabell has also expanded further into the toddler category with the launch of Baby Annabell Hannah Let’s Play 36cm – the brands first interactive doll for toddlers as young as one year old. It comes with a line-up of special features and being 36cm with a soft body, is the perfect size for toddlers to hold, cuddle and nurture. This new nurturing doll is being supported by a new TVC specifically targeting parents rather than children, highlighting the benefits of playing will dolls.
The new Baby Annabell Sweet Dreams Bed comes with a light-up canopy and lullaby feature. Designed for open-ended role-play, children can dress their doll in the new Sweet Dreams Gown. Also new to the Zapf Creation portfolio this autumn is an extension to the For Babies range, which is suitable from birth. Under the Baby born brand new Sleepy Deer, Fox and Mouse are cuddly and soft-bodied with finger pockets to bring them to life with movement. Each doll features ears or a tail which babies can grip on to and encourage fine motor and developmental skills from birth. The Baby Annabell For Babies range is available to buy in a soft sand colour and a light mauve, and designed to encourage early curiosity with an integrated rattle plus a soft fabric body for cuddles.
Brand new for autumn 2024, L.O.L Surprise! has recently announced the launch of the L.O.L. Surprise! Mermaid Tots, L.O.L. Surprise! Mermaid Tweens and L.O.L. Surprise! Mermaid Baby Sisters. The new range of mermaid-themed characters is a first for the fashion doll brand and has already made a splash following its launch last month.
The brand-new Mermaid Tweens Fashion Dolls, priced at a lower price point of £14.99 for the first time ever, are representative of MGA’s ongoing missions to offer more accessible price points and increased play value for its customers. The new lineup of dolls features four new characters: Lola Waves, Lana Marine, Cleo Cove and Serena Finn, all dressed head to tail in mermaid fashions, including beautiful colouring changing mermaid tails. The dolls come with multiple mermaid-themed surprises to unbox, including fashions, accessories and more, allowing for hours of surprise and play.
Children can unleash their creativity with the new Mermaid Tots by enjoying water play and making their very own unique colour-changing mermaid tail using the ingredients provided. Bringing an all-new play pattern and hours of waterplay fun, children simply pour the ingredients into the mould and enjoy multicoloured tails. The tail mould fits any L.O.L Surprise tot, so children can transform their favourite characters into mermaids with endless colourchanging combinations, and the ball doubles as a unique hot tub display. Children can also collect Lil Sisters to add to their Mermaid collection with the new Mermaid Baby Sisters. Users can simply pop the mermaid tail on to transform their favourite Baby Sis into a magical Mermaid or dip the tail into the water for a colour change surprise.
fresh
Airbrush Plush Cosmic Unicorn
Canal Toys • 01904 379 123
www.canaltoys.fr/en
Canal Toys’ Airbrush Plush range has expanded again with new characters keeping the range fresh. Joining the collection is the Airbrush Plush Cosmic Unicorn – an adorable soft toy providing the perfect blank canvas for kids to design on and make it their own.
Children can use the airbrush tool to decorate and style their toy with the washable chalk-based coloured markers. Each character in the range is a blank canvas waiting to be brought to life, using the included markers and stencils to customise plush, creating unique designs. Users can spray directly onto the fur or choose from 120 stencils to create patterns and designs. Once done, the plush can be washed and decorated again and again. Also available are additional markers and stencils for continued wash and play.
Children can ask their unicorn a question, then press its magical horn and watch it change colour to reveal an answer. Kids can also use the torch to reveal the unicorn’s glow-in-the-dark feature and wash their interactive plush with water to start all over again. The Airbrush Plush Cosmic Unicorn is available now and is being supported by a fully integrated media campaign.
Powered by natural or UV light, the Mini Micro Glow emits a soft glow during the day and shines brightly when the sun goes down. This scooter is available to order in aqua and pink colours and incorporates light-up LED wheels to add extra glimmer, turning kids' scooting energy into bright white light without any batteries. With an adjustable handlebar, strong rear brake and durable construction, the Mini Micro Glow is the ultimate pre-school scooter that has already been highlighted as a Christmas must have by UK journalists and publishers. The Mini Micro Glow is built to last with replaceable parts and comes with superb retailer aftercare support. A full selling suite is always available, including imagery, videos, infographics, GIFs, copy and more. The product also benefits from robust marketing support, including POS, PR, influencer, and other offline and online marketing initiatives.
• 01908
Funrise is gearing up for the marketing launch of interactive plush toy Furlings this month. There will be three different versions: Aspen, the loving dragon; Finley, the adventurous Yeti and Cleo, the mischievous jackalope. With their long whimsical tails, magically animated eyes and fluffy fur, Furlings make perfect companions.
Packed with over 80 interactive features that include grins and growls, each Furlings character reacts to a child’s play patterns. The more a user interacts with the Furling, the more the Furling toy will interact with the user. Kids can continue to tickle the Furling’s belly and watch as the Furling goes from giggling to uncontrollable laughter. They can also press the Furlings' nose and watch its eye go red, displaying annoyance with a growl. As kids continue to press, they can watch as the Furling gets angrier; its eyes go bright red and angry with a loud grumbling roar.
Marketing is promised to be a major pillar in the release and Funrise will launch a heavyweight 4-level marketing campaign to create major demand for the brand This will include TV, streaming, influencers and a bold out-of-home campaign.
MathsMagicCleverPocketTonie
Tonies • www.tonies.com sales@tonies.com
Countdown TV presenter and maths whizz, Rachel Riley, has joined forces with Tonies to create the new Maths Magic Clever Pocket Tonie, which launches on 20th September. Featuring a plethora of puzzles, games and music, Maths Magic has been designed to support children aged 5-7 years old with Key Stage 1 maths learning. Including six chapters with a runtime of 35 minutes, Rachel takes young listeners on an audio adventure where they meet a wide variety of colourful characters, as they solve maths puzzles and mysteries along the way. A valuable learning tool for the early years, this Tonie shows children how maths is used in everyday life in a fun and easily digestible audio format.
Maths Magic is part of the brand’s new educational Clever Pocket Tonie range aimed at pre-schoolers through to Key Stage 1 children, with prices starting at £8.99 for single Clever Pocket Tonies and £19.99 for 4-piece sets. Expanding Tonies’ educational offering, the range debuted in August, with collaborative titles with the Natural History Museum and Big Bright Feelings, alongside Animal World Record Breakers, Cool Jobs, Joke of the Day and Team Spartacus original Tonies titles. Alphablocks & Numberblocks, Learn with Twinkl, Daily Routines: Toothbrush Timer and Rebel Girls will also join the Clever Pocket Tonie range this September, offering families a full compendium of educational titles to keep young minds growing.
RemoteControlConstructionrange
MCC Stock Solutions aims to fuel the imagination of children with its innovative range of remote-control construction vehicles.
The company’s range consists of a Dump Truck, a Cement Truck, a Bulldozer with a smoke exhaust function, an Excavator with a smoke exhaust function and a Tower Crane. Each vehicle is crafted with precision, offering a realistic experience that sparks curiosity and handson learning. These vehicles capture the essence of real-world engineering on a small scale, allowing children to explore the world of construction right from their back gardens. MCC Stock Solutions provides products that not only offer fantastic play value but also educate. Beyond their functionality, its range of products are tools for connecting children to the broader world. Through play, children develop an understanding of teamwork, problemsolving and the intricacies of construction processes.
The company is committed to providing high-quality, durable remote-control construction vehicles that will inspire the builders and engineers of tomorrow. As children operate these machines, they are building a foundation of skills and interests that could one day lead to realworld innovation.
MV Sports is celebrating a successful roll-out of its new MoVe Rollacase wheeled ride-on suitcase range.
Available in Paw Patrol and Peppa Pig designs that reflect the characters and colours of each property, the ride-on suitcases are ideal for holidaying families, kids heading to spend the weekend with their grandparents and taking along to family-friendly festivals and other attractions.
Each case transitions seamlessly from a pull-along to a ride-on or carry case and is built for both safety and comfort. Kids up to 20kg can sit on the ergonomic seat and place their feet on the foldaway footplates, which offer stability and grip, while parents pull the ride-on suitcase along using the strap. Kids can also propel themselves along simply by folding away the footplates and pushing with their feet on the floor. The wheels are wide and durable to ensure smooth travel on a variety of terrains.
Inside, there’s space for toys, books, clothing and more – anything a child deems essential can be packed safely inside and secured with the handy elastic straps. The ride-on suitcases come ready-to-ride/roll and can also be locked for added peace of mind when travelling.
Allegedly
Some disgraceful behaviour from a small section of the Great British public in recent weeks has not been a great advert for the country – and it’s particularly annoying for any toy retailers located in the towns and cities that have been affected. The British Retail Consortium advised retailers in risk areas to consider shutting their stores early, and it couldn’t have been much fun spending the evening wondering whether your shop was going to be trashed or looted by these mindless thugs. Although for any international readers, please don’t believe many of the things being written on social media about the so-called riots (especially by wannabe Bond villain in training Elon Musk) – the UK isn’t facing “civil war,” and there are no ‘legitimate concerns’ behind the atrocious behaviour of a tiny uneducated minority. A few lowlife racists were acting up, looting sausage rolls from Greggs and knock-off Crocs, and the good people of the UK rightly came together to tell them to pack it in. Nevertheless, it wasn’t great for retailers, as it certainly affected footfall and consumer mood in certain parts of the country, not to mention the genuine concerns for the safety of the people who work in retail stores. Retail is tough enough right now -we certainly don’t need any of that nonsense making life any harder for the High Street… It was announced last month that Vivid Goliath will be taking over as the UK & Eire distributor for the PlayMonster portfolio from January next year. I have a sneaking suspicion that PlayMonster won’t be the only international toy company looking at how best to approach the UK market and deciding that having a dedicated operation based here doesn’t currently quite add up from a costing point of view. The UK may be the largest (or second largest) market in Europe by sales volume – but doing business with the UK has become logistically more complicated since Brexit. Throw in crazy container rates which nobody budgeted for at the start of the year, warehousing costs going through the roof in some areas, plus the competitive nature of retail pricing and terms negotiations in the UK market, and you have a perfect storm of factors which don’t make it easy for suppliers to turn a healthy profit right now (especially those with a sizeable headcount). That said, for the vast majority, the size of the prize still makes the UK a pivotal market that toy companies can’t afford to ignore – they just need to work out the best way to tackle it…
Over in the US, Mary Couzin’s People of Play (POP) operation has merged with the Toy Association. This brings all of POP’s assets and events, including the Chicago Toys & Games Fair and the Bloom Report, into the Toy Association’s portfolio, while Mary will become part of the Toy Association’s senior leadership team. This strikes me as a great tie-up which benefits both parties, and we wish them all well…
The summer can be a bit of a lull period for the toy market, the calm before the storm in many respects. On the plus side, that means we can all get little tasks done like booking our hotel rooms for next year’s London Toy Fair and sorting out our flights to Nuremberg. The good news is that the Ryan Air schedulers haven’t made the same basic errors as they did last year, so if you are quick, there are direct flights to
Nuremberg going out over the weekend and on the Monday, and returning on the Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. The price has gone up quite a bit from the halcyon pre-pandemic days, but it does save a lot of faffing around with trains if you fly directly to Nuremberg (if you are close enough to Stansted to make it work) …
I noticed a few posts on social media last month from prominent toy and licensing stalwarts bemoaning the fact that so many businesses go into ‘standby mode’ over the summer, with some suggesting that they were even thinking of closing up for the month of August, like many Italian and Southern European companies do. Personally, I think that would have been a mistake. Yes, it can get a little frustrating sometimes, sending multiple emails and leaving numerous voicemail messages, with not even a hint of a response, yet alone a firm decision. However, business is still ticking over, and surely there is no better time to steal a march on your competition than when they have the ‘out of office’ signs hung up. In truth, the summer has always been, at best, a steady – and sometimes downright quiet – period for the toy market. In the good old / bad old days (delete as to personal preference), some salespeople would simply disappear for 5-6 weeks during the summer – a nice long holiday interspersed with attending some of the half a dozen toy trade golf days, or hosting jollies at Henley, Wimbledon, the cricket etc. There is less corporate entertainment to fill the summer recess these days, but we are gradually seeing the return of launch events for new toy ranges ahead of autumn winter – and the summer can provide the ideal opportunity to start seeding new launches before the craziness of autumn winter takes hold…
The US Consumer Products Safety Commission has found that Amazon is to be held responsible as the distributor of products on its site, despite the eCommerce giant’s best efforts to pass the buck to third-party vendors. That means Amazon ultimately bears legal responsibility for defective or non-compliant products sold under the Fulfilled by Amazon programme. Hooray for common sense. Of course, this should have happened years ago, but better late than never. Now we watch to see what ramifications this has for the way Amazon does business across the globe - because it’s just been called out on its ‘nothing to do with me guv’nor’ stance, and it’s been found invalid…
A truly astonishing story about a court case involving the two sons of a former UK toy company owner, who are fighting over their inheritance, hit the tabloids last month. The details are like something from a soap opera: google “Late toy tycoon’s sons in High Court battle” (Kitfix Swallow is the company in question… yes really) and marvel that however complicated you thought your life is, there is always someone out there who can say “Ha, you think that’s wild, hold my beer.” I won’t pore over the more salacious elements of the saga here, but I was amazed to see the amount of money being contested (£14.5m) and the fact that one brother isn’t content with half that sum but is instead attempting to cut his sibling out of the will to take the whole amount (because £7.25m clearly isn’t enough…). I fully expect an Apple TV mini-series to pop up based on the case in years to come.
world licensing
...including BLE preview starts here
world licensing
Licensing World
from theeditor
Welcome, dear reader, to Toy World’s special Licensing World flip-cover issue. Licensing undeniably continues to play a huge role in the Toys & Games industry. While the overall toy market is slightly down this year, sales of licensed toys and games are up +3%, according to Circana, increasing their share to a whopping 33% of overall sales (YTD July 2024). Licensed characters and brands now form a major part of consumer consciousness. Whether they’re arguing on social media about whether or not Hello Kitty
is, in fact, a cat – do send me your ‘felines’ on the matter - camping on the street to get their hands on the latest Disney Lorcana launch before anyone else, trying to secure one of YuMe Toys’ awesome Netflix advent calendars, or coming a very respectable fifth at a competitive Harry Potter quiz night (OK, OK, I’m talking about myself here), fans want to immerse themselves in the brands they know and love in a litany of ways. And this, of course, is very good news for toy and game licensees, as well as the retailers that will ultimately stock their products.
So, onto this issue. We may have caught a few of you by surprise with the early timing of this one and for that we can only apologise – you see, we were keen to be out well in advance of a little thing called Brand Licensing Europe, which returns this year from 24th-26th September instead of its customary October slot. It’s shaping up to be another absolutely unmissable event, and lots of you have chosen to highlight what you’ll be showcasing at London Excel in this packed issue’s BLE 2024 bumper preview. To all those who’ve taken part, thanks for getting your copy over to us four weeks earlier than you usually would – we know that in the world of licensing, that’s no mean feat…
Also in this issue, we’ve celebrated the magic of Minecraft with a special feature on the brand’s 15th anniversary. From its humble beginnings as a pre-Alpha development build called the ‘Cave Game’ to a global powerhouse with a strong presence at retail, in homes and, soon, at cinemas, with the release of the first-ever feature length live adaptation Minecraft film, we’ve taken a deep dive into how Minecraft has built such a cult following and what comes next for this creative, inclusive brand. Federico San Martin, senior director of Minecraft Consumer Products, has provided some fascinating insight for readers, so make sure you block out plenty of time for a read through.
On top of all this, we’re bringing you a look behind the curtain at Mark Thompson Productions, an expert in developing edutainment shows and the company behind Science Museum Group’s groundbreaking stage show, as well as more on the upcoming launch of Funko Fusion, Funko’s first foray into the world of computer gaming and an expansive new world that invites players to engage with the extended Funko universeand some of NBCUniversal’s most beloved properties - like never before.
All that’s left to say is read on and enjoy. And hopefully, see you all at BLE.
- Rachael Simpson-Jones
Licensing World
Steamforged Games unveils boardgame adaptation of popular Sea of Thieves video game
Steamforged Games has created tabletop adaptations of some of the biggest video games, from Monster Hunter: World to Elden Ring. Loved by fans around the world, these adaptations seek to capture the essence of what makes the video game version great and turn it into a tabletop experience that’s enjoyable. Recently joining the company’s portfolio is the Sea of Thieves board game.
Sea of Thieves: Voyage of Legends is a competitive seafaring 4X lite piracy game for 2-4 players. From fulfilling bounties and following treasure maps to raiding forts and boarding ships to steal their loot, players live the life of a nefarious pirate as they compete to earn the title of Pirate Legend before their rivals.
Gameplay is intuitive and easy to learn, with a fresh and streamlined approach to 4X games, thus making it ideal for both newcomers and experienced gamers. Player turns follow a straightforward action economy and are designed to be quick to keep the action flowing and reduce downtime around the table. At the end of each round, a fortune card system provides rubber-banding for players who are lagging, helping to keep the game competitive until the very last moment.
The playing area, special crew, locations of treasure and enemies, and events that occur are randomised in each game, meaning that every game will be different even before factoring in the actions and decisions made by the players at the table.
Sea of Thieves: Voyage of Legends is perfect for playing with families and younger gamers. Steamforged Games has captured the pirate essence through the gameplay, and this is enhanced by the visually striking and colourful box, artwork and high-quality components.
Little Brother Books expands range of publications
Little Brother Books has announced that it will double the number of ranges it publishes, increasing from three to six ranges per year. Little Brother Books is best known as the leading annuals publisher in the market, with the widest retailer distribution and support for its annuals range.
The company also publishes gaming guides and activity ranges perfect for weekend and holiday entertainment for kids throughout the year. The collection includes Games Warrior’s imprint, as well as activity titles behind many of the leading kids brands in the market including L.O.L. Surprise!, Crayola and World of Dinosaurs.
Little Brother Books also publishes a Fun Learning education book range (Series 1) in partnership with educational website Purple Mash. This combines learning content from Purple Mash with well-known and trusted children’s characters to make learning fun, with the reassurance that it’s 100% the school’s curriculum content. The Series 2 Range is being published in Q4 2024 with four new popular kids’ brands.
Also new for Q4 2024 is the new Advent Calendar Mini Book Collection, designed to fit retail shelves whilst still offering customers 24 mini books from other advent calendar formats currently available. The collection includes the Games Warrior Ultimate Guide to Minecraft as well as the Official Shoot Advent Calendar.
The new range of Funny Things Happen… board books is aimed at making both kids and parents giggle during special moments reading together. Each book is set in a location that kids can relate to and contains surprising moments that they might not expect to happen in each location. Another USP for this range is the use of multiple techs in each book, so kids can push, pull and slide the different mechanics on each page. The range will become an ongoing series at retail.
The new Mega Sticker Scene range with Little Sindy & Paul is aimed at a younger demographic. Little Sindy and Paul are the narrators who help create sticker scenes. Each book has over 250 reusable stickers and 10 mega sticker scenes and represent hugely popular themes such as Mermaids, Dinosaurs, Halloween and Christmas, with foil-embossed covers.
For order enquiries, contact books@littlebrotherbooks.co.uk.
Playmobil partners with Vespa to release brand-new range
Playmobil has joined forces with Vespa to release three new sets in a true-to-original realisation of the classic Vespa 150 Sprint Veloce. Produced between 1969 and 1979, this model is synonymous with the classic scooter, featuring the iconic handlebar head with large round headlight, and this new range has been designed for Vespa lovers to collect and for fun in children's playrooms.
In the Vespa Garage from the swinging sixties, the mechanic repairs and services Vespa scooters. The workshop is perfectly equipped with a movable lifting platform, integrated workbench and a variety of accessories and spare parts, such as a petrol pump, compressor and air pressure gauge. The wheels of the Playmobil Vespa can be dismantled to simulate a wheel change. One side of the bodywork can be removed for servicing or repairing the engine.
The Playmobil set 1969 Vespa 150 Sprint Veloce in light green features a shopping basket on the luggage carrier that can be removed, where a wallet, packet of biscuits and juice carton can be stored. The 1969 Vespa 150 Sprint Veloce in blue features a spare wheel mounted on the rear of the scooter so that the rider can replace the tyre directly in the event of a puncture. If it is necessary to take a look at the engine, one side of the body panelling can be easily removed.
The three new Playmobil sets with Vespa 150 Sprint Veloce bring the lifestyle associated with these iconic scooters directly into children's rooms and to collectors' shelves and extend the range of classic vehicles now available from Playmobil.
For order enquiries, contact 01268 548 111 or sales_uk@playmobil.de.
Licensing World
Rubies unveils brand-new The Boys costume collection
Rubies has elevated its superhero range with the Emmy-winning Amazon Prime television series, The Boys.
This new adult range of deluxe costumes is inspired by two superheroes who are as popular as celebrities, as influential as politicians and as revered as gods. Perfect for seasoned fans or newbies, consumers can soar into action as the most powerful Supe on Earth, Homelander, or the fresh-faced deuteragonist member of the Boys, Starlight.
The Boys is a dark satirical take on living in a world with superheroes. Boosted with jaw-dropping twists and turns, this captivating comic series has consistently ranked top 5 on Amazon Prime since 2019. Demand for anything Supe-related has grown exponentially thanks to the phenomenal success of the recently released season 4.
Sales of Rainbow Designs classic characters continue to soar
Rainbow Designs offers a wide variety of licensed soft toys from classic brands including Peter Rabbit, Paddington and Disney’s Winnie the Pooh, alongside the new Disney Baby Lion King and Harry Potter Wizarding World collections.
With the new movie Paddington in Peru arriving in cinemas on 8th November, the popularity of this character is set to soar. Rainbow’s best-selling Classic Paddington collection of high-quality plush toys, inspired by Peggy Fortnum illustrations, alongside the best-selling The Adventures of Paddington pre-school range and the Paddington for Baby collection, are continuously in high demand.
Rainbow Design’s Peter Rabbit range is exceptionally popular with Rainbow’s customers. The company boasts an extensive collection that features both infant plush toys and quality developmental wooden toys, that includes the best-selling My First Peter Rabbit and Flopsy Bunny soft toys, developmental plush toys for the youngest of Potter fans, and the universal Playtime Peter Rabbit and Flopsy Bunny soft toys that are perfect for all ages. The range also includes the beautifully illustrated Picture Dominoes and Wooden Shape Sorter, featuring Peter and his friends, as well as Wooden Picture Blocks and the Peter Rabbit and Flopsy Bunny Pull-Along.
Rainbow’s new Disney Baby Lion King range, launched in celebration of the 30th Anniversary of Disney’s The Lion King, is proving very popular with new arrivals. This collection features the super cuddly My First Simba Activity Soft Toy, Comfort Blanket and Ring Rattle, as well as the stimulating Simba Sensory Play Mat, with peek-a-boo flap and baby-safe mirror.
Arriving this autumn is the Wizarding World collection of nursery toys featuring the characters Harry Potter, Hedwig and Dobby, in plush formats that include My First Soft Toys, Rattles, Comforters and Activity Toys, and there are further range additions planned for 2025.
In addition to all these cuddly plush toys, there are many more much-loved classic characters and high-profile brand ranges to be found at Rainbow Designs, including Disney’s Winnie the Pooh, Guess How Much I Love You, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Elmer and The Snowman and The Snowdog.
Natural History Museum and Tonies announce new collaboration
The Natural History Museum: Discovery Crew Clever Pocket Tonie series features four immersive adventures to inspire every child’s inner natural explorer.
Within each uniquely crafted story, little learners will encounter three intrepid young explorers – Ruari, Jo and Hamid – as they embark on fascinating journeys through time, each starting at the Museum. Tonies worked closely with some of the Museum’s 370 world-leading scientists to curate four unique stories to sit on the famous Toniebox that are both factually accurate and communicative for young listeners.
As part of the series, children and families alike will be fully immersed in adventures across all corners of our natural world, past and present – from thrilling encounters with prehistoric creatures and diving with deep sea creatures, to getting a closer look at gigantic garden critters. They can even meet some of the museum’s most influential characters from history along the way, including Charles Darwin and Mary Anning.
Maxine Lister, head of Licensing at the Natural History Museum, said: “Creating advocates for the planet is fundamental to our museum mission. Tonies does such wonderful work in crafting stories that are educational and engaging for young learners and, with the wealth of historical knowledge within our museum walls, this collaboration felt only natural.”
Joining iconic and beloved brands including Disney, Roald Dahl, Marvel and Peppa Pig, the Natural History Museum is the latest institution to come onboard amongst Tonies’ roster of releases. This latest collaboration continues the institution’s venture into the world of licensing for children’s products, following recent award-winning collaborations with the likes of Dunelm and Galt Toys.
The National History Museum: Discovery Crew four-piece set will retail for £19.99 and launches as part of Tonies new Clever Pocket Tonie range, which has been created to inspire a love of learning through the magic of audio, with prices starting at £8.99 for single Tonies. Featuring a unique stackable design, kids simply pop the Clever Pocket Tonie on top of their Toniebox audio speaker for the educational adventure to begin.
Tonies can be contacted on sales@tonies.com.
Licensing World
Hunter Price named partner on L.O.L. Surprise! Loves Crayola
Hunter Price has been named the consumer product partner in the UK and Europe for the high-profile collaboration between L.O.L. Surprise! and Crayola, for the L.O.L. Surprise! Loves Crayola collaboration announced late last year. The collaboration encourages self-expression and creativity through an engaging and impactful product strategy of dolls, playsets and consumer products globally.
The creative team at Hunter Price developed the vibrant and imaginative debut collection across accessories, bags, games and puzzles, health and beauty, home and lifestyle, stationery and creative play, all of which will be available in retail later this year.
L.O.L. Surprise! and Crayola coming together has created a huge opportunity for an extensive range, particularly around stationery and creative play activities. The collection features everything from back-to-school sets, notebooks, journals, arts & crafts, slime, stickers, stencils, make your own and colour your own doll houses, bracelet kits and so much more.
Hair accessories also have a natural fit within the agreement, from Crayola crayon clips and combs to signature L.O.L Surprise! scrunchies and bows. This first edit features a wide variety of colourful design-led creations. Bags, including backpacks, cosmetic, lunch and shopper bags will also be available from Hunter Price alongside home and lifestyle accessories, including snack boxes, water bottles, blankets and cushions.
The innovative collection from Hunter Price has already had a hugely positive market response after being featured at the opening trade shows of the year in London and Nuremberg.
“The L.O.L. Surprise! Loves Crayola collaboration with Hunter Price broadens the avenues for children in the UK to unleash their creativity and colourfully express themselves,” said Rob Spindley, licensing director EMEA at Crayola. “These resourceful offerings will seamlessly integrate with Crayola’s existing line-up fostering more avenues to ignite and captivate young imaginations. We eagerly anticipate delivering an abundance of these delightful experiences to consumers.”
The debut collection for L.O.L. Surprise! Loves Crayola will arrive in retail later this summer. To get in touch with the Hunter Price team, contact 0161 653 1306.
Craft Buddy introduces host of new Crystal Art characters
Craft Buddy has experienced strong growth in the last four years and now boasts a licensing roster that includes Disney, Marvel, Star Wars, Warner Bros, L.O.L. Surprise!, Paddington Bear, Peter Rabbit and Me To You. The company delivers a wide range of licensed products year-round that inspire creativity in crafting enthusiasts of all ages.
The September launch of Crystal Art Buddies Series Four offers a further 21 characters, with a host of fan-favourites to collect. Series Four includes characters from this summer’s movie blockbusters, Inside Out 2 and Deadpool & Wolverine, as well as the upcoming winter releases, Mufasa and Moana 2. This season’s new Crystal Art Bag Charms feature Wolverine and Deadpool, along with other evergreen favourites such as Jack Skellington, Harry Potter Platform 9 3/4 and Grogu.
The Crystal Art Mega Activity Set is new for autumn/winter, with three popular licensed characters including Stitch & Angel, SpiderMan and Harry Potter. These activity sets are perfect for enthusiastic crafters or as a Christmas gift, and offer a fun interactive bundle of multiple projects, such as stickers, bookmarks, phone stands, magnets, pictures with easel and mini friends sets.
Paint by Numb3rs Buddies continues to inspire, with the exciting opportunity to create cut-out 23cm character standees using the evergreen painting by numbers technique. The collection features six fan favourite movie characters: Harry Potter, Groot, Spiderman, Winnie the Pooh, Genie from Aladdin and Stitch.
The Crystal Art Card Collection offers a wide range of licences. This year’s Christmas Card collection has sparkling designs that feature Harry Potter, Friends and Me To You, as individual cards and box sets. The Crystal Art Me To You range is a first-time finalist at this year’s Licensing Awards 2024.
Also new in this category is a 200-page A5 Planner, and an all-in-one planner-diary-notebook-journal-doodle pad. Each planner showcases a Crystal Art front cover which features the Harry Potter Hogwarts Crest or Batman Forever, along with fantasy artist Anne Stokes.
Jason Rice launches Peak Licensing Solutions
Jason Rice has announced the launch of Peak Licensing Solutions, a brandnew global licensing consultancy. Based in the UK, it specialises in supporting organisations and individuals from all corners of the industry, helping new and established brands in developing exciting licensing campaigns and strategies and supporting manufacturers and prospective new licensees break into the industry through advising and supporting them in achieving their brand licensing goals.
Jason said: “At Peak Licensing Solutions, we are passionate about connecting amazing brands with exciting forwardthinking consumer product companies, with a view to developing top tier licensing partnerships which deliver success for everyone. So, whether you are a brand owner looking to expand your reach, increase awareness and drive new revenue, or a manufacturer looking to leverage the benefits of partnering with emerging or well-known beloved IPs, we are here to help, support and guide you through the process.”
Prior to the launch of Peak Licensing Solutions, Jason was director of Brand Licensing at Sega Europe where he was responsible for leading the organisation’s EMEA licensing business across the full suite of Sega owned brands. Previous to this, he held senior licensing positions at top tier corporate media companies including Cartoon Network and BBC Studios.
Jason can be contacted 07985 616 516 or by emailing jason@peak-licensing.com.
Brand Profile Fuggler
A beautiful partnership for
Ushering in a new era for the Fuggler brand, Zuru will take over the plush licensing rights from autumn/winter 2024 and preview the range for spring/ summer 2025. Here, Mark Kingston, CEO & co-founder of Fuggler brand owner Libertas Brands, Stuart Grant, co-founder of Libertas Brands, and Nick Mowbray, co-founder of Zuru Toy Company, tell Toy World how the partnership is evolving and what it means for the funny, ugly plush.
Mark Kingston: It’s great having Zuru on board. Everything, from sourcing and product development to sales & marketing, has been incredible and it’s mindblowing to see how Zuru operates behind the scenes. It’s really highlighted why the company has become such a successful global toy player in a relatively short period of time.
Nick Mowbray: Likewise! It’s been great working with Libertas brands on this project and I’m constantly learning from Mark and Stuart. Attending Comic Con with them earlier this year, and understanding the collector sector more deeply, was definitely a highlight for me.
Stuart Grant: We’re able to ideate with Zuru’s design team in real-time, working through countless different character designs, concepts, themes and product material applications to build out the Fuggler range and drive constant newness and excitement for the fans, while keeping true to the core DNA of the franchise. The scale and reach of the Zuru business means it can rapidly expand Fuggler distribution around the globe. We’ve seen retail listings for second half of 2024 and spring 2025 increase substantially as a result.
Nick - What drew you and Zuru to the Fuggler brand?
NB: The brand is really unexpected and stops you in-store. There’s nothing else like it on the market, and the opportunities for further product development are endless. We saw the great success the brand has enjoyed in the UK, and the fact there is lots of pent-up demand for it globally, so taking on the plush licensing rights was a no brainer.
What synergies do Libertas and Zuru have?
MK: Both are agile, able to make quick decisions, and have the desire to build upon the great foundations laid down by Addo Play. We also share the same vision for where the brand can go. In 2023 and 2024, we introduced third party IP collaborations into the world of Fuggler for the first time, with the launch of the Fuggler X Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles range, followed by Fuggler X SpongeBob & Patrick. And with the August launch of the Fuggler X DC range at The Entertainer, which encompasses the iconic characters of The Joker, Harley Quinn, Batman and Superman, we’re making a real statement: that we’re only just getting started combining unique, iconic characters with the unique and cheeky Fugglers.
How is the wider Fuggler licensing programme developing?
MK: Poetic Brands is our key partner in the Apparel and Accessories space, PMI Kids’ World has developed an exciting range of collectible minifigures and interactive figures, and we have some fun pet products coming through from Sinco Pets too. Hunter Price is developing a range of stationery and shopping bags, while Lake Press is working on a range of publishing titles for 2025 and Rainbow Productions is our costume character partner. You’ll see our new Fuggler costume character for the first time at BLE this year.
SG: We’re working with (and looking for) partners who understand the unique DNA of the Fuggler brand and can bring it to life with innovative, fun and quirky products that will appeal to Fuggler fans of all ages - and introduce the crazy antics of our Fugglers to new fans.
Nick, you've previously spoken of ushering in a new era for the brand. What will that look like in practice?
NB: Zuru is now one of the world’s largest plush manufacturers. One of the greatest assets that we’ve developed over the last 15 years is our product team. It’s the best in the world at what it does. We aim to utilise all its talents to bring a tonne of stunning new lines to the brand over the coming years. We have over 150 unique new Fugglers planned for 2025 alone, and we are also planning on doubling down our efforts on platforms such as TikTok to really drive brand engagement.
Mark Kingston
Stuart Grant
Nick Mowbray
Special Feature
Fusing fandom with gaming
Three years after entering development, Funko Fusion launches this month across PlayStation 5, Windows and Xbox Series X/S. Funko Fusion promises to immerse players into an expansive world where they will be able to engage with the extended Funko universe like never before, making Funko’s entry into the world of computer gaming a celebration of the entire community it has built over the years. Here, Andy Oddie, chief commercial officer at Funko, tells Toy World what the game offers existing Funko fans and what it brings to the computer games market.
The debut title from 10:10 Games, a studio co-founded by Jon Burton with a team of experienced developers known for their work on brick-based games, Funko Fusion is an action-adventure, single player and online co-op experience that pays tribute to NBCUniversal’s deep roster of beloved worlds and the irreverent Funko Pop! interpretations of the figures who inhabit them. According to Funko’s Andy Oddie, the game offers new and existing Funko collectors alike an experience that ‘really captures what makes Funko special’.
“Funko Fusion is definitely going to give our existing fans a kick - they'll love seeing their favourite characters in action,” he explains. “But it’s not just for the die-hards. This game is designed to be fun for everyone, whether you've got a shelf full of Funko product or haven’t
yet picked one up. The beauty of Funko Fusion is that it’s incredibly accessible and packed with an engaging, original storyline and stunning visuals. It’s a great way for newcomers to get a taste of the Funko world and maybe even start their own physical collections.”
In all, the game showcases over 60 iconic characters from more than 20 NBCUniversal franchises, in Funko’s signature, hugely successful Pop! style, and blends action, adventure, puzzle solving and humour while staying true to the playful nature that lies at the heart of the company. Andy says working with NBCUniversal on the project has been a ‘fantastic’ experience. The partnership has allowed 10:10 Games and Funko to access an impressive roster of franchises including The Thing, Back to the Future, Jaws and Shaun of the Dead, giving the companies the scope to create something truly unique: especially, as Andy says, when you start taking beloved characters out of the confines of their own story and placing them into other worlds. Speaking personally, he says he’s particularly looking forward to delving into Five Nights at Freddy’s, Invincible, Walking Dead, Scott Pilgrim, M3gan and Jurassic World once the game is released.
“Funko Fusion provides a rich experience for both solo players and online co-op enthusiasts,” Andy says, when asked what sets Funko Fusion apart from other 3rdperson action games within the world of console gaming.
“After all, teaming up with friends is what Funko’s all about. Coupled with Funko’s rich, signature Pop! Style, and an all-new, intriguing storyline staring Funko original characters - including our new titular villain, Eddy Funko - we’re taking action platformer games to their next, natural evolution.”
one-in-six exclusive chase version featuring a ‘corrupted’ Eddy Funko deco scheme. These collectibles will feature characters from the game together with redeemable codes for additional in-game unlockables, including exclusive characters and deco variants. Following what Andy calls an exceptional reception to the line, Funko also plans to expand the Funko Fusion toy offering further by adding new characters and exclusives as more properties are announced, meaning gamers and collectors alike have a lot to look forward to.
“We’re really excited about the launch of Funko Fusion and our fans’ and players’ reactions,” Andy enthuses. “As for what’s next, while we cannot share specific details at this time, we can say that the door is wide open for future projects with 10:10 Games.”
He adds: “Keep in mind that one of Funko’s unique
To support the launch of the game, and to give fans a little something extra to get their teeth into, Funko is launching a special line of Funko Fusion Pop! collectibles. The initial wave will include characters from franchises such as Masters of the Universe, The
Welcome to the Clubhouse
Nigel Cook, vice president Brand Commercialisation and Retail, Disney Consumer Products EMEA, tells Toy World how fresh new content and innovative licensed toys are keeping Disney icon Mickey Mouse and everyone’s favourite mermaid, Ariel, front of mind with today’s pre-schoolers, years after they first appeared on-screen.
Ariel and Mickey Mouse are both classic characters benefitting from fresh new content on Disney Jr. How do the new shows keep Ariel and Mickey relevant for today’s young audiences?
After 13 years, Mickey’s is still the most watched content on Disney Jr. YouTube. A lot of this popularity is down to the original pre-school Mickey Mouse Clubhouse series.
The format and interactivity were already a winning combination and continue to appeal to our youngest viewers. Similarly, the new Disney Jr.’s Ariel series that premiered in June has been developed with the core audience demographic in mind, including reflecting the popularity of Princess and Mermaid play patterns. Together, they’re exciting additions to our already popular pre-school shows, such as Super Kitties and Spidey and His Amazing Friends. The recent premiere of Spidey season four saw the team gain dinosaur powers, new suits and new looks, another example of how our pre-school roster is constantly evolving to offer newness and engage young fans.
The early pre-school target demographic informs everything, from episode length to the combination of favourite characters and play patterns. Both programmes will add to the volume of Disney Jr. content across platforms, which we’re confident will maximise engagement. Alongside all of this, in 2025 we’re very excited to introduce a new generation of fans to the iconic Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, for even more adventures and songs with Mickey and friends. What new opportunities do Disney Jr.’s Ariel and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse offer your licensees, when it comes to product development and end consumers?
Our starting point is always based on what we know resonates with the target audience. For example, The Little Mermaid live action theatrical release saw great success last year and Ariel is an incredibly popular Princess with the pre-school age group.
The opportunity within product development is to lean further into the core play patterns and signature themes of each series. The recently announced ranges from Lego and Just Play are great examples of this. Just Play’s Disney Jr. Splash & Glow Ariel Doll incorporates musical elements and the character’s glowing tail, while both Lego and Just Play’s play sets reflect the series’ focus on world-building and storytelling, with multiple characters and components.
How will your Toy & Game licensees be supporting the new content and the show’s core themes, in terms of consumer products?
You can expect to see major innovation and play value throughout. For Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, we are working very closely with our toy master licensee, Just Play, to develop innovative products that connect with the show’s storytelling while feeding consumer demands. Disney Jr.’s Ariel product will continue to support the key early development themes and reflect the show’s musical repertoire.
Are licensees still being sought for Disney Jr.’s Ariel and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse?
We have some exciting key partners locked in for both properties and have worked closely with them on careful development of products, to ensure they fully reflect and bring to life the amazing content. Having said that, we’re very excited about the future of both shows and still see plenty of opportunity out there for even more new products and partnerships.
This is Minecraft! Special Feature
Throughout 2024, Minecraft has been celebrating its 15th anniversary, featuring global initiatives, product releases and much more as fans eagerly await the release of A Minecraft Movie, slated to arrive at cinemas worldwide on 4th April 2025. As brand awareness and engagement continues to build, Federico San Martin, senior director of Minecraft Consumer Products, tells Toy World what’s behind the enduring success of the game and why there are plenty of opportunities still to mine within the content and consumer product spaces.
This year, Minecraft has been celebrating 15 years of gripping adventures, mindblowing creations and a community of fans that has left its mark on every block. The scale of the game’s landmark anniversary celebrations is all the more impressive given its humble beginnings. Created by programmer Markus Persson, a Swede living in Stockholm, Minecraft started life as a pre-Alpha
development build called the ‘Cave Game’ on software development forums, and gained popularity from thereon in.
According to Federico San Martin, Minecraft's huge success can be attributed to its unique combination of features and the massive community engagement it enjoys. At its core, the platform offers an open-world sandbox experience that grants players the creative freedom to build, explore and create almost anything they can imagine, while regular updates introduce new features, keeping the gameplay fresh and exciting year-round. The game supports both solo and multiplayer modes, fostering collaboration and competition among players worldwide, and its simple graphics and intuitive gameplay mechanics make it accessible to players of all ages and skill levels, reaching a broad audience. Cross-platform functionality allows fans to connect and play together on various devices, enhancing its appeal even more.
“Many players who grew up with Minecraft continue to play it as adults, driven by nostalgia and the game's lasting appeal,” notes Federico. “Furthermore, Minecraft has significantly impacted popular culture, appearing in various media, merchandise and collaborations, which helps maintain its relevance and popularity.”
To mark the occasion, and to celebrate the players and fans that have turned Minecraft into the gaming and pop-culture behemoth it is today, Mojang Studios created a year-long 15th anniversary celebration called Shape Your World, which has resulted in over 300m views by both new-to-franchise audiences and existing fans. As part of the 2024 campaign, artists from across the globe shared how Minecraft inspires them to #ShapeYourWorld, Which was popular with players.
To further the celebrations, the Minecraft team
has dug deep into the moment to expand into new categories such as Consumer Electronics, Food & Beverage, Collectibles, Health & Beauty and Tween Girls. A limited-edition Minecraft x Lush collection, for example, launched globally in Lush stores in August with multiple fresh, handmade beauty products and a collectible gift box inspired by Minecraft adventures. Kellogg's launched a Creeper Crunch Cinnamon-flavoured cereal with Marshmallows earlier this year (consumers can collect up to three free character creator items with each purchase) and Minecraft also recently collaborated with Beats by Dre on a special-edition Solo 4 headphone celebrating the game’s 15th anniversary. The on-ear headphones feature a Minecraft-inspired pixelated design with metallic green hinges and include the iconic Creeper character.
“We are also very proud to work with strong global brands such as Mattel and Lego,” explains Federico. “Both partners have worked with us for many years and have always brought the next level of creativity and collaboration, as well as a unique perspective, to our brand. During our 15 Days of Minecraft campaign, Lego revealed two new products which targeted an adult consumer and celebrated our birthday. Lego also will be delivering content throughout the year to highlight our new assortment of products and engage with fans. Alongside this, Mattel has offered an array of products with 15th anniversary branded packaging and included a creator item in three of its product launches.”
On top of all this, Mattel created a Diamond Level Tuxedo Steve action figure. Specially designed with collectors in mind, the 5.5” scale Diamond Level Tuxedo Steve action figure is sporting a tuxedo with a removable cape and comes with a die-cast pickaxe accessory dipped in real 18k gold. Federico adds:
Special Feature
“Steve’s dapper look from the early days of the game also creates more opportunities for storytelling - and the packaging even resembles a gold ingot.”
He continues: “This is a moment for us to leverage the strength of our brand. We have partners around the world who activated against the 15th anniversary through product and packaging. To reach core fans, Minecraft, for the first time ever, also had a presence at San Diego Comic con earlier this year. Product sold out within minutes each day and fans were immersed in the world of Minecraft thanks to a unique photo opportunity.”
Always looking to build on its success, Minecraft continues its expansion across the globe with new partners signing all the time. Recently, PMI Kids’ World onboarded as a global novelty toy partner, with products launching later this year, and the Consumer Electronics category will expand in Europe through a partnership with OTL, which includes headphones, speakers and other electronics. Other notable new partners in Europe include ToyTopic (Plush), Millmead (Minecraft’s first optical partner in Europe), and Pyramid (Wall Art). In Mexico, Grupo Ruz released a new line of Plush, followed by releases from Cartoonia (Apparel and Accessories), and Mays Zona Libre (Bags and Stationery) in time for back to school in Central America and rest of Latin America. In Peru, Arval will debut Apparel and Accessories in the back half of this year. In Japan, Takarajima has products coming to retail in the Publishing and Novelty categories, and Bandai and Granup will be releasing Bath products..
“The Minecraft Consumer Products programme
has been very important to the game's success, significantly contributing to its widespread popularity and cultural impact,” says Federico. “By expanding the brand beyond the digital realm, this programme has introduced a vast array of merchandise, including Toys, Apparel, Publishing and more, allowing fans to engage with Minecraft in their everyday lives. These products serve to reinforce brand loyalty and keep the game relevant. The availability of merchandise also helps attract new players by increasing visibility and generating interest in the game. Collaborations with other brands and franchises further amplify Minecraft's reach and cultural footprint, ensuring that it remains a significant presence in the entertainment industry.”
Retail has also played a huge part in the 15th anniversary celebrations for Minecraft. In the US, the brand is enjoying what Federico calls a ‘huge win’ at Walmart. The Minecraft team, in collaboration with retail partner Retail Monster, secured a 3-Star programme that included feature space across multiple departments such as Toys, Apparel, Home, Collectibles, Seasonal and Personal Care, while internationally, the team was able to secure over 30 retail activations to support the 15th anniversary with retailers including Hamleys, Coppel, Parco, EB Games and The
Warehouse. (Readers can turn to p. XX for more on Minecraft’s 2024 retail presence.)
While 2024 is an undeniably pivotal year for Minecraft, 2025 could, in fact, be its biggest yet, thanks to the release of A Minecraft Movie, the first-ever feature length live adaptation Minecraft film. Landing in cinemas on 4th April, Federico says the film serves as a significant expansion of the Minecraft franchise. By taking the property into the realm of film and entertainment media, the Minecraft universe will be introduced to new audiences who may not be familiar with the game, further increasing the franchise's reach and cultural impact.
“We’re excited to see Jared Hess’ vision of Minecraft come to life with exciting and dynamic performances from the stellar ensemble cast,” Federico says. “And while our intention was always to maximise the Minecraft brand’s category exposure, the movie has accelerated this expansion into new and exciting categories such as Food & Beverage, Health & Beauty, Promotions and other categories.”
In addition, Minecraft has joined forces with Netflix to produce an all-new CGI-animated series set in Minecraft’s blocky universe. The series is currently in development.
“As we continue to celebrate our 15th anniversary, there is so much more coming: be on the lookout for category expansion, territory exploration and new and exciting ways to experience Minecraft in 2024 and beyond,” finishes Federico. “For example, we will be launching our first location-based entertainment experience in Dallas, Texas, in October, which allows fans to embark on an epic quest that will have them mining, scavenging and battling through multiple biomes and dimensions. All that’s left to say is thank you to our partners for all their support over these past 15 years!”
Special Feature
Another in the wall
From its humble beginnings in a Stockholm studio, Minecraft has built a global community of fans and an iconic, evergreen franchise that’s about to welcome its first-ever feature length film. Here, Toy World takes Minecraft back to its foundations, piecing together the franchise’s growth according to its keystone moments.
2009
Minecraft is created by programmer Markus Persson, a Swede living in Stockholm. Called the ‘Cave Game’, it starts life as a pre-Alpha development build on software development forums and gains popularity from there. Mojang Studios is formed to handle the continued development of Minecraft as well as to explore the creation of other games.
2011
officer Jens Bergensten. (Today, Jens is the creative visionary and lead developer for Minecraft). The pocket edition is released on Android and iOS, marking an important milestone in Minecraft’s development.
The Minecraft development role is handed to chief creative
2013
Minecraft Consumer Products is born.
The first licensing partners signed include Lego (Construction), Threadless (Apparel), Egmont (Publishing), Scholastic (Publishing), and ThinkGeek (Retail), among others.
2014
Microsoft acquires Mojang Studios and the Minecraft franchise. The first Minecraft consumer products launch with the debut of books from Egmont. Designed to look elevated and aged up, these can be proudly displayed on a coffee table.
2015
Minecraft: China Edition launches.
A localised edition of Minecraft for Mainland China, developed by Mojang Studios and NetEase, Minecraft: China Edition expands the audience in the region. Today, there are over 600m registered Minecraft players in China, making it the game’s second largest audience after the USA.
Special Feature
Minecraft partners with international agents CAA (Europe, LATAM and Japan) and Merchantwise (Australia and New Zealand), significantly extending the brand into new territories and categories around the world.
2019 2022 2024 2025
In April, Minecraft is named ‘Best-Selling Video Game of All Time’ by Guinness World Records. Minecraft Consumer Products then realigns the US and international businesses with separate teams to better serve international agents and their focused efforts. By the end of 2021, the international business had more than 20 CP partners fully executed and actively selling into their respective regional markets.
Minecraft launches into fashion collaborations with Burberry, Lacoste and Puma, further extending the brand into unexpected places. The Minecraft x Burberry collaboration kicks off with the DLC (downloadable content) ‘Burberry: Freedom to Go Beyond,’ which sees players encouraged to complete various outdoor challenges and interact with the animal kingdom. The game reflects Burberry and Minecraft’s appreciation of the wonder of nature.
2023 2021
Minecraft doubles its consumer products business. By the end of 2023, the international business has grown its overall portfolio of active licensees to more than 60 partners across all regions. Minecraft Consumer Products wins two Licensing International Excellence Awards - Best Brand: Digitally Native, Gaming, NFT, and Best Collaboration: Fashion, Footwear & Accessories for Burberry x Minecraft - as well as a Bronze REGGIE Award in the Gaming Marketing category for the Kellogg's ‘Build for Better’ programme.
Minecraft celebrates its 15th anniversary with a yearlong marketing campaign, retail programmes and products to surprise and delight its community.
(and beyond)…
The first Minecraft live-action theatrical movie will premiere globally on 4th April 2025, directed by Jarred Hess and starring Jason Momoa, Jack Black, Danielle Brooks, Emma Myers and Sebastian Eugene Hansen. Minecraft has also joined forces with Netflix to produce an all-new CGI-animated series set in Minecraft’s blocky universe. The series, currently in development at WildBrain (the creator of Sonic Prime, Ninjago: Dragons Rising, and Carmen Sandiego), will tell an original story, featuring new characters and showing the world of Minecraft in a new light. Produced by Mojang Studios and Netflix, the series will premiere exclusively on Netflix.
Step into the world of Minecraft
The first immersive location-based experience from MinecraftMinecraft Experience: Villager Rescue - launches in Dallas, Texas with plans to expand across the US and globally, including Europe. Thanks to the new LBE, fans can embark on an epic quest that will have them mining, scavenging and battling through multiple biomes and dimensions.
Minecraft Experience is an immersive, interactive adventure that uses large-scale projections, physical sets, music, sound and lighting effects to bring the game world to life. The experience starts in the Welcome Lobby, where guests receive the Orb of Interaction, a personal device that enables each guest to interact with content on walls and surfaces throughout their journey. A regular ticket provides access to 11 unique spaces in the experience. Guests travel through multiple Minecraft biomes using their orb to chop down trees, collect and move resources, fight mobs, and more – all through physical gestures.
The experience centres around a village rescue, a Minecraftinspired mission that requires teamwork and quick thinking to complete. Groups of 25 navigate a blend of interactive displays, physical challenges, arcade elements and escape room-like puzzles to complete the quest. People of all ages can walk, punch, leap and laugh their way through this unique experience together.
“We have been planning for quite some time to expand the Minecraft franchise into location-based entertainment that offers multi-generational fun and collaboration,” explains Federico. “Our vision is to expand this unique and immersive experience to cities around the US and, in due time, internationally.”
Special Feature
Building a presence at retail
In its landmark 15th anniversary year, Minecraft has gone above and beyond to support its retail partners with activations that have elevated Minecraft’s in-store presence during the franchise’s key 15th anniversary year. Toy World looks at how the retail campaign has been executed across the globe.
EMEA
At Hamleys, Minecraft took over the first-floor windows of the iconic Regent Street store with a display that caught the attention of passers-by with its bold colour scheme and strong branding. Inside the store, the vinyl-wrapped elevator immersed consumers in the world of Minecraft as they travelled between floors, before shoppers then browsed toys and gifts from licensees including Lego, Mattel, Hasbro, The Noble Collection, Paladone and Xbox.
At Smyths Toys Superstores, Minecraft fans were treated to eight weeks of deals on Minecraft Xbox games, which were promoted across the retailer’s social media channels. From September, an additional campaign highlighting Lego and Mattel will also roll out across the Smyths store portfolio.
Asda has made use of branded FSDUs to showcase licensed homewares including cushions, lunch bags and blankets, while Tesco opted for impactful on-shelf branding to draw attention to its range of licensed clothing (including t-shirts and jumpers) from Fashion UK.
LATAM
Timed to coincide with Children’s Day at the end of April, Coppel installed eye-catching displays that showcased Minecraft’s full range of cross-category products, including Apparel and Footwear, with child-size mannequins and textured blocks perfectly reflecting the game’s aesthetic. Licensees included Union Kids and Reedition. In-store activations at key locations were supported by a strong digital presence for the duration of the two-week programme.
Japan
Parco Shibuya welcomed a Minecraft pop-up store on its sixth floor for four weeks from April 27th, covering Japan’s ‘Golden Week’ - a collection of four national holidays that all fall within a seven-day period. The popular pop-up shop was supported by licensees including Lego, Granup, Infolens and K-Company. In addition, the GG Shibuya Mobile esports café & bar immersed visitors in the world of Minecraft while providing delicious hot and cold drinks and food.
USA
Walmart, a key retail partner for Minecraft, is taking part in 10 activations that kicked off in April and will run through until December. Each activation tempts Minecraft fans to a different department instore, including Toys & Games, Clothing, Collectibles and Home, while a gift-with-purchase DLC (downloadable content) item specifically created for each activation offers them even more value for money and encourages repeat footfall month after month. Licensees on board include Dynacraft, Justice, Mattel, Lego, Just Toys, Jay Franco, Zak, Mad
Engine, Handcraft, SG Footwear, Kellanova, Kelloggs, Random House Worlds, Monogram, Unique, Dr. Squatch, Disguise and Liquipel.
Online retailer Amazon, meanwhile, has run an on-package advertising campaign which saw its polybags and boxes redesigned to celebrate Minecraft’s 15th anniversary, with landscape and character artwork featuring prominently across both options. An on-pack QR code directs consumers to the Minecraft Amazon store, where they can shop for the latest Minecraft products from top licensees.
Special Feature
A Minecraft block-buster
As the 15-year celebration of Minecraft comes to an end, next year will see the big screen release of its first-ever live-action adaptation - A Minecraft Movie - on 4th April.
From Mojang Studios, in collaboration with Legendary Pictures, Warner Bros. and Vertigo Entertainment, A Minecraft Movie is directed by Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite, Nacho Libre) and features an all-star cast, including Jason Momoa (Aquaman, Dune), Jack Black (Kung Fu Panda, The Mandalorian, Super Mario Bros. Movie), Emma Myers (Wednesday), Danielle Brooks (Peacemaker, Orange Is the New Black), Sebastian Eugene Hansen (Lisey’s Story), with Jennifer Coolidge (White Lotus) and Kate McKinnon (Barbie).
A Minecraft Movie promises to offer fans a new perspective on the world they know and love. Through compelling storytelling and world-building, the film will deepen the lore of Minecraft and explore aspects of the universe that may not be fully realised in the game alone. The Minecraft community can expect stunning visuals that capture the iconic blocky aesthetic of Minecraft while also expanding upon it to create a visually rich and immersive world.
Mojang is working in conjunction with Warner Bros to deliver an exciting and comprehensive global licensing and promotional programme to launch with the release of the film. The consumer products will complement and enhance the upcoming theatrical release of A Minecraft Movie. With an extensive range of products available, Minecraft is poised to offer something to all fans, ensuring that kids and adults alike can engage with and celebrate this highly anticipated release.
The global product line-up will be available at major retailers across the world, with Minecraft enjoying robust representation across a wide variety of product categories, including some exciting collaborations. From Collectibles and Apparel to Toys and Home Décor, the product range is designed to captivate both adult and kid demographics. Whether a lifelong fan or a new enthusiast, the diverse offerings are tailored to enhance the viewing experience and create new storytelling moments for all fans. Retailers worldwide will be able to showcase the extensive product assortment in early 2025, ensuring that fans across the globe have access to the exclusive items that celebrate this major release. Minecraft is committed to delivering a product experience that matches the excitement and anticipation surrounding the film.
From net-bricks to Netflix
Minecraft has joined forces with Netflix to produce an all-new CGI-animated series set in Minecraft’s blocky universe. The series, currently in development at WildBrain (the creator of Sonic Prime, Ninjago: Dragons Rising, and Carmen Sandiego), will tell an original story with new characters and reflect the world of Minecraft in a new light. Produced by Mojang Studios and Netflix, the series will premiere exclusively on Netflix.
Federico San Martin says: “We are thrilled to partner with Netflix to bring the characters and storylines of Minecraft to life in this new animated series. We continue to seek opportunities for our fans to be entertained by Minecraft outside of the game. With the talents of WildBrain studio on board to produce the animation, we have no doubt that we will deliver another amazing Minecraft experience.”
The Noble Collection has developed a range of licensed products based on the best-selling video game of all time, Minecraft. In addition to the company’s existing Minecraft illuminating replicas and chess set, a brand-new set of Inventory Chests is part of Series One: Biome Discoveries and explores four different biomes. Users can delve into the darkness of Caves, where both Ores and Hostile Mobs are abundant; explore the Forest, where dense trees hide valuable resources and Creepers; traverse the tall grasses of the Plains; and even reach The End, home of the infamous Ender Dragon.
Each chest holds four removable inventory slots housing a unique resource from the chest’s biome, including tools, blocks, food, drops and Ores, some of which have not previously been seen in the commercial market, like the compass and flower. Users can slot the inventory blocks together to build their own wall of inventory or remove individual items from the slots for a standalone display. For trade customers, the Inventory Chests are available as part of an 8-piece CDU inclusive of chests for each biome, or chests are also available individually with their own SKUs. These Inventory Chests expand The Noble Collection’s range of Minecraft products launched globally at New York Comic Con in 2023. Much like the Inventory Chests but on a real-world scale, the original Minecraft range was created for consumers to imagine what their favourite in-game objects might look like brought to life. Featuring unique textures and blocky aesthetics merged with touch-activated LED features, it includes four illuminating replicas: a flickering, wall-mountable Minecraft Torch is covered in rough, whirling textures inspired by wood; a blocky colour-changing Potion Bottle cycles through five different colours representing potions from within the game, topped by a real cork lid; and two glowing Ores, Diamond Ore and Redstone Ore can be set to either a gentle, flickering pulse or steady illumination with a simple touch. Each of the battery-operated illuminating replicas can be switched off at the base and has a time-out feature to save battery consumption – some savvy parents are already using this feature as a fun way to block out their kids’ homework, chores or gaming time.
The Noble Collection also added to its range of finely sculpted licensed chess sets with an award-winning Minecraft Chess Set, where users can choose to play as Overworld Heroes or Hostile Mobs on an interlocking board made up of grass-green squares surrounded by wood textures. Minecraft fans can also wield their very own replica Diamond Sword with no crafting required. The sword’s antique finish coupled with the cast-iron texture and the faux leather look make this collector replica feel like it’s straight from the Overworld and is inclusive of a 2-in1 attachment that allows for freestanding or wall display.
Panini
01604 877 888 | www.paninigroup.com
Panini is announcing the launch of the brand-new Minecraft Celebration Sticker Collection. This new album from Panini has a full range of activities that make Minecraft unique. The characters and mobs of the game reunite to celebrate Minecraft’s 15th anniversary with a massive party. Whether it’s musical, horror or western, original stories of all genres can be completed through stickers.
The sticker collection features 240 stickers to collect as well as 10 limited edition block cards. There are also video stickers where interactive content can be viewed via the Panini Collector’s app. Collectors can kickstart their collection with a starter pack which includes a sticker album, five sticker packets and a limited-edition
The collection will be backed by a digital-first marketing campaign targeting fans of the game as well as collectors. There will be a focused product sampling campaign to add another layer to the marketing mix, as well as activation across owned social media platforms.
Minecraft is arguably the best-selling game of all time, netting millions of monthly active players across multiple platforms, in addition to being the number one viewed game of all time on YouTube. Minecraft has unparalleled, broad-ranging appeal and significant brand engagement outside of the game.
Panini has had unprecedented success with numerous sticker and trading card collection launches spanning several years. The evergreen nature of the Minecraft brand and broad appeal have laid the foundation for a new and diverse sticker collection which is sure to be a hit with fans and collectors alike. Minecraft’s 15th year is the perfect opportunity to showcase this milestone collection, a fantastic addition to the collectible category.
This year marks the 15th anniversary of the best-selling online game of all time, Minecraft. The iconic sandbox game has dominated the online gaming space, with over 600m copies sold since its release date in 2011. With the hotly anticipated Minecraft movie released next April and the announcement of a Netflix animated series, the Minecraft universe is set to continue growing.
Paladone has seen Minecraft skyrocket to become its top-selling licence around the world in recent years across lighting and home product categories. With Paladone’s recent acquisition of WeCool Toys, the two companies are now bringing licensed brands into the toy and craft spaces.
At the centre of the company’s new toy and craft developments is the upcoming Minecraft 3D Sticker Maker, launching in Spring 2025. Kids and teens can create their own 3D sticker shakers with this do-it-yourself tool. It promises hours of fun and creativity, letting young Minecraft fans bring their favourite game characters and elements to life in an interactive way. The original 3D Sticker Maker went viral on social media, picking up thousands of views when it launched in retail stores across the world – adding Minecraft into the mix will bring another level of imagination to the popular DIY sticker kit.
In the Minecraft Excavation Kit, kids can use their mining skills to dig out three collectible character figurines. The Minecraft Pig Build Your Own Money Box Kit gives fans a chance to create their own piggy bank, which, once assembled, nods its head when coins are dropped inside. Both products are a playful way for kids to interact with the world of Minecraft at home.
Within lighting, Paladone is introducing a new format with the introduction of the Creeper Squishy-Glo, a rechargeable night light with an auto-off timer made from child-friendly soft, tactile silicone. Its brightness level can be adjusted by tapping anywhere on the Creeper’s body, making it the perfect light-up bedtime companion for kids. Other lighting products in the range include the colour-changing Axolotl Light, already a popular choice with retailers, and a flexible clip-on book light featuring the Allay, Minecraft’s gentle flying companion character.
This expansion into new categories marks a step up in licensed Minecraft products coming to market. Paladone continues to lead the way in innovative and creative products, supported by licensed brands adored around the world. Paladone and WeCool Toys will be showcasing its latest Minecraft lines alongside a huge catalogue of innovative licensed products and toy lines at major trade shows including Spring Fair, Spielwarenmesse and New York Toy Fair.
Red Robin Design is the home of officially licensed collectible accessories that bring fans’ favourite brands to life in their everyday experiences. From kids to adults, and from evergreen characters to anime gaming or lifestyle latest trends, there is something for every fan, whether it’s customising their wardrobe, playing, going to school, finding the perfect gift or travelling.
Minecraft, one of the most iconic gaming brands, continues to grow in popularity, and Red Robin Design predicts this demand will only surge further with the upcoming Minecraft movie in 2025. The film is expected to captivate both existing fans and new audiences, further solidifying the brand’s cultural impact and driving increased engagement across its gaming and media platforms.
As a long-term Minecraft licensee, the company knows exactly which products to develop and which designs to use, specialising in all kinds of stationery items, including notebooks and rubber charms.
One of the items in the portfolio of Minecraft-licensed products includes a creative take on the classic notebook. The A5 lenticular notebook looks like a normal notebook at first sight, but when looked at from a different perspective, users can see the cover image changing. By using a 3D depth technique, this creates an illusion of movement for a distinctive look.
Another top seller is the set of two pencils, which includes an eraser that can be mounted on the pencil. A regular Minecraftthemed HB pencil with a square eraser that attaches to the blocky Minecraft pencil is packed in a clear reusable zip lock case.
The bumper stationery set includes something for every creative challenge. Also packed in a reusable zip lock case, users can find a wide range of Minecraft-themed stationery items. Equipped with an A5 notebook, ballpen, HB pencil, sharpener, eraser and 15cm ruler, this bumper set is the ideal gift for creative kids.
The Surprise Stationery Set features multiple Minecraft-themed stationery items hidden behind small, numbered doors. Users can open one door each day to reveal a new surprise, making it a fun and engaging way to count down to favourite moments. Perfect for Minecraft enthusiasts, this set combines the joy of unwrapping with the practicality of stationery.
While successfully establishing its name in the European market, Red Robin Design has also had its eye on the UK. To penetrate this market, the company has closed a distribution agreement with Pyramid International.
www.toytopic.com
sales@toytopicgroup.com
ToyTopic is announcing a new partnership with Minecraft for a range of plush that will be launching exclusively at Primark this autumn/winter. This highly detailed and exceptional quality plush range encompasses key characters from the franchise and is available in a variety of sizes and price points. This key addition further cements the strong portfolio of brands that ToyTopic now has, fuelling the
PMI Kids’ World
www.pmi.co.il | omer@pmi.co.il
Minecraft has signed a worldwide licensing agreement with PMI Kids’ World, known for its mega-popular gaming and licensed collectibles. This strategic partnership aims to revolutionise the collectibles industry, offering fans an immersive experience with a range of Minecraft-themed collectibles that will be launched soon.
Minecraft has evolved into an unparalleled evergreen media franchise and the innovative ways the company engages with its fans provide endless opportunities for creating amazing products. The diverse and enthusiastic Minecraft community has cultivated a passion that extends beyond the digital realm, turning a pixelated adventure into a multi-dimensional phenomenon.
This autumn, PMI Kids' World is bringing an exceptional Minecraft collection with over 40 unique SKUs, featuring a diverse range of collectibles and merchandise. In this collection, there is something for every Minecraft fan.
The Toppeez, standing 5cm tall, capture the game's pixelated charm with 24 designs, including skins, neutral mobs and hostile mobs, as well as rare glow-in-the-dark and electroplated characters. In addition, the Erasers, also 5cm, offer practical fun with 12 designs representing various Minecraft characters. For enthusiasts, the Stampers, standing 5cm, provide 15 different characters and are designed to create detailed imprints of popular Minecraft characters.
Fans can also enjoy Figural Keychains, which are miniature versions of Minecraft characters available in 18 detailed and durable 5cm designs, perfect for personalising keys or backpacks. The Metal Key Chains come in six sleek unique 5cm designs, made from high-quality metal and showcasing intricate Minecraft character details.
The 13cm Plush Clip-On Keyrings are ideal for attaching to bags or clothing, featuring six characters with detailed embroidery and a cuddly texture. Finally, the 30cm Backpacks offer practical, larger-sized options featuring four different Minecraft characters, providing ample space for essentials while showcasing detailed designs.
These products are available in foil bags, blind boxes, blister packs, deluxe boxes and more. This diverse assortment ensures that every Minecraft fan can find something to love, whether they seek small, affordable collectibles or larger, premium items.
Bladez says the Toyz Maker Kitz range ‘puts the craft into Minecraft’ with easy-to-build sustainable cardboard kits and activity packs to enable and inspire kids’ creativity. The Maker Kitz Make Your Own Character Sets bring iconic characters from the game and forthcoming movie to life in 3D. Made from sustainable materials, the kits are quick to assemble without the need for glue or scissors. Once complete, users can pose the 20+ cm figures with rotating arms and add accessories including pickaxes and swords.
There are six characters available as single packs including heroes Steve and Alex, hostile mobs including the iconic Creepers and super scary Zombies, as well as animal favourites like the loyal Wolf and Pig. More to collect are on the way. Kids can boost their collection with multipacks including the Zombie Attack Set and Mob Attack Set with exclusive Drowned figure kit.
The finished figures are great display pieces, and consumers can construct an impressive giant Minecraft environment for them with the Skeleton Mountain Kit. This jumbo set contains an easy-to-build sustainable cardboard kit featuring the iconic blocks that make the world of Minecraft. Once built, it stands 65cm high and includes Wolf and Skeleton figures to build. This range is fun to make and display, and all at affordable price points. Sustainable materials are used to offer consumers an eco-conscious choice.
Alongside the Make Your Own Characters range, Bladez Toyz offers open-ended creative activity sets that inspire kids to get creative. The Bumper Activity Crafting Set is a mega collection of creative materials including washi tape, ink pad and stampers, a poster, colour-in sheets, coloured felt pens and pencils – along with sticker strips, sticker sheets and a sticker book. The novelty packaging, based on the iconic chest from the game, can be used to store all of the materials, and the card insert can be used as a diorama complete with card figures of popular characters to colour, sticker and display. There are even blue stick-on gems, so users can transform stone blocks into rare diamond blocks.
At a lower price point, the Maker Kitz Sticker Activity Set is a pocket money version, with felt pens, colour-in sheets and loads of stickers to keep kids busy. With the Minecraft Movie coming next summer and yet more new lines coming soon, including chibi-style mini figure kits made from tough recyclable PP material, the Bladez Toyz Minecraft range is set for a bumper 2025.
Huffy, in a partnership with Microsoft, is announcing the launch of the brand-new Huffy Minecraft 16" Kids Bike. This officially licensed product is designed for young adventurers aged 5-7 and incorporates Creeper front features, light-up stabilisers and impressive Minecraft graphics.
Crafted from durable materials, the Huffy Minecraft 16" Kids Bike is built to withstand everyday use. The steel frame makes it easy for children to handle, while the vibrant colours and decorative Minecraft graphics add a touch of personality.
Key specs include reliable calliper brakes for effective stopping power; air-filled rubber tyres that provide a smooth and comfortable ride on various surfaces and robust steel construction designed for durability and longlasting use. Wide stabiliser wheels help beginner riders gain confidence and balance.
The Huffy Minecraft 16" Kids Bike offers unique features that set it apart from other children's bikes, including innovative LED stabilisers designed to support users while also adding a glowing element to the bike, making it more appealing and exciting for kids.
The Creeper front feature mask has also been incorporated into the bike’s design to add a unique touch for young Minecraft fans.
With the new Minecraft film coming out next year, the Huffy Minecraft Bike is backed by a thorough retail and marketing strategy to ensure its success, including strategic placements and eye-catching displays at Halfords stores to attract and inform customers. Huffy is also introducing engaging digital campaigns across social media and popular websites to generate buzz and drive sales, and a special launch price of £160 to encourage early purchases and enhance customer engagement.
The Huffy Minecraft 16" Kids Bike has been designed to offer the perfect blend of safety, durability and fun and is suitable for both boys and girls.
Mark Thompson Productions
From brand to stage Company Profile
Mark Thompson Productions is expert in developing edutainment shows, as well as holding a strong reputation as the UK’s leading company for STEM engagement productions.
WWith over 900 individual performances planned for 2025, Mark Thompson Productions is leading the way in taking well-known pre-school, family and education brands to the theatre market. Current rights include Milkshake! Live with Paramount, Fireman Sam Live! with Mattel, Science Museum The Live Stage Show with Science Museum Group, Natural History Museum presents Dinosaurs Live with Natural History Museum Trading Company, Tom Fletcher and Dougie Poynter’s The Dinosaur That Pooped, while the company also produces the Ministry of Science Live shows which tour the UK annually.
Established in 2013, Mark Thompson Productions has built a reputation for taking pre-school and family brands from page and screen to stage. Building on Mark’s 24-year career in children’s entertainment, the company has produced the Milkshake! Live shows independently since 2014 across the UK. A multi-brand show, the current storyline of Milkshake! on Holiday includes a selection of character brands from Channel 5’s Milkshake! including Chase and Marshall from Paw Patrol, Pip and Posy, Milo, Blue from Blues Clues and You!, Dora and Milkshake! Monkey. In 2024, the Milkshake! Live tour will play in over 80 different towns or cities across the UK alone. The twoyear cycle sees the Milkshake! Live show refreshed every 24 months with a new story, new production values and new brands, to ensure that the concept remains in line with current programming on the popular morning broadcast platform.
The company also produces the Fireman Sam Live shows under a licence agreement from Mattel, which was entered into in 2019. Fireman Sam Live Saves the Circus toured to over 120 venues in the UK and the Middle East, and with the second tour - entitled Fireman Sam Live The Great Camping Adventure - the brand has cemented its position as a family favourite in the UK theatre market. The
stage rights position has been extended up to the end of 2027 with further stories and tours already planned.
Developing edutainment shows is at the core of the company’s portfolio and it has firmly built a reputation as the UK’s leading company for STEM engagement productions. Self-created brand Ministry of Science Live! has been touring the UK and internationally since 2014 to capacity audiences. In 2023, the show took over sole occupancy of London’s Savoy Theatre in the West End, playing to thousands of people and building on a hugely successful journey so far. The company is often invited to develop STEM based interactive shows and experiences for other international partners with shows developed or performed for the Mishkat Centre for Renewable Energy in Saudi Arabia, the British Council in Hong Kong, BT Young Scientist, Art for All UAE, Engineering UK, Formula 1 and the Abu Dhabi Science Festival, which represent just some of the clients the team has worked with.
Building on this success, the company has partnered with London’s Science Museum and taken a long-term licence agreement, creating the museum’s new live show: Science Museum The Live Stage Show. Launched to the UK theatre market in 2024, the show aims to ignite the curiosity of children through the wonders of science. A long-term plan is in place to develop the show both in the UK and internationally, not only as an extension of the Museum’s outreach but also introducing new audiences to the Science Museum brand through the live entertainment market. The show has already been seen by tens of thousands of people and is extending the reach of the Museum across the UK.
In February 2025, the company will launch a brand-new production: Natural History Museum presents Dinosaurs Live! under a licence agreement with London’s worldrenowned Natural History Museum. The live show will see audiences come up close and personal with life-like animatronic dinosaurs whilst going on an educational yet
entertaining journey through the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. The live show will give an insight into the museum’s long-standing and undisputed position as the home of dinosaurs and explore the connection with Sir Richard Owen, the man behind the Natural History Museum who also coined the word Dinosaur. The long-term rights agreement between Mark Thompson Productions and the Natural History Museum Trading Company will see the new show tour the UK and explore international options for years to come.
The company will also produce a stage adaptation of McFly stars Tom Fletcher and Dougie Poynter’s hit book
The Dinosaur That Pooped, for younger theatregoers. The live show, which is under licence for several years, will be adapted from the series of books which reached the No1 spot in July 2024 with the release of the ninth book of the series. Launching in 2025, the live show will offer children the opportunity to see their favourite characters from the hit book collection come alive on stage.
With a wide and diverse portfolio of productions across family entertainment, the company is in prime position to offer brands maximum exposure in the live events arena. Over 450 separate theatre dates are already scheduled in for 2025, and the company has developed its reputation with UK theatres as a leading, reputable provider of family entertainment, offering theatre venues, festivals and live entertainment programmers a one stop shop for trusted, good quality family shows spanning different target ages and topics. The diversity in the portfolio allows cross marketing opportunities, ensuring that theatres and events organisers benefit from the wider family of shows across the UK, and further afield, with audiences who trust the overall quality of productions from the Mark Thompson Productions portfolio.
For further information about Mark Thompson Productions, visit the website at www.mt-productions.co.uk
Properties Hot
Stumble Guys Scopely
licensing@scopely.com
Toy World Takes a look at the very latest properties that are currently taking the licensed sector by storm.
With over 50m players every month and nearly 700m downloads, Stumble Guys is a multi-award-winning party battle royale game that features extremely fast-paced multiplayer gameplay; social mechanics that make playing with friends easy; a wide array of challenging and imaginative events, tournaments and levels; multiple game-play modes; personalised and expressive customisation options and more. Stumble Guys also features in in-game partnerships including Nerf, Pac-Man, Tetris, Hot Wheels, Barbie and Monopoly.
Stumble Guy offers an inclusive, diverse and global community of avid players ensuring that anyone can Stumble with their friends and with millions of others across the globe. Stumble Guys is also a global sensation on social media, with over 2m followers and over 40b views on TikTok alone. Discord is another great example of the game’s active and dedicated player community, with over 1m users across Stumble Guys Discord servers in multiple languages.
Already a staple of the top free games on Xbox and PlayStation, Stumble Guys released on Nintendo Switch in August, making the game playable across all major gaming platforms, including consoles, mobile and PC. Recently, the game added split-screen multiplayer on PlayStation and Xbox, with the feature coming to Nintendo Switch soon, bringing players together in the same space. Stumble Guys has also added crossplay, allowing players to connect across different devices, allowing them to play together no matter what console they own.
With PMI Kids World on board, Stumble Guys has launched its toy line globally across major retailers worldwide, debuting in Walmart in spring 2024. The next wave of toys is scheduled for autumn 2024 to launch in the US, LATAM and Europe. An additional special Figurines and Plush collection will hit store shelves around Thanksgiving, to delight the fans of the franchise and collectors worldwide in time for the holiday season. Another global partner, Panini, has successfully launched the Trading Cards collection across all key markets and is preparing for the launch of the Stickers Collection and the next generation of Trading Cards.
Currently with over 30 licensees onboard globally and growth in major categories - including toys, collectibles, back-to-school, apparel and accessories - the Stumble Guys brand is ready to expand to outdoor toys, role-play and party goods, and FMCG categories.
Zoonicorn Toonz Entertainment
info@roonz.co
Zoonicorn heads into Brand Licensing Europe with a new licensing partner, new products and the launch of its official branded Amazon portal.
Zoonicorn’s seven-minute episodes are produced by Toonz Entertainment and Zoonicorn and distributed by Toonz Entertainment. Global licensing for the brand is shared by the two companies and headed by J’net Smith of All Art Licensing. Zoonicorn will be represented at BLE at the Toonz Entertainment (stand E171).
Zoonicorn has entered into a Global Merchandising Agreement with Teddy Mountain, the world’s largest wholesale supplier of DIY Plush products. Teddy Mountain will showcase the entire Zoonicorn DIY Plush Characters family through its expansive distribution network in North America, UK, EU and The Emirates. Teddy Mountain’s interactive kit concepts will enable customers to craft and accessorise their own Zoonicorn stuffie. The products come to market in spring, 2025.
Zoonicorn licensee Storypod will be releasing a new Zoonicorn bundle for its interactive audio player featuring a Promi Craftie yarn-audio character, a new audio storybook entitled Home Sweet Home, a Zoonicorn branded activity and colouring book, and a magnetic Token that plays 10 sing-along songs. The new products will be available this holiday season.
Zoonicorn has developed and will launch its new branded Amazon.com portal where consumers can find a wide range of Zoonicorn licensed products. Coming to the portal this autumn are products from Zoonicorn licensees SRM Entertainment, Storypod, United Smile and Jay@Play.
The Zoonicorns inhabit the dreams of young animals, taking them on adventures to learn important social-emotional skills with a focus on determination, optimism and resilience. The Zoonicorns cleverly guide each dreamer through a whirlwind of fun-loving escapades. When the dream is over, the young animal wakes up feeling self-confident, with the decision-making skills necessary to overcome whatever challenges they are facing.
Multi-Emmy Award-winner Mark Zaslove serves as showrunner and lead writer/editor for the series. The music for the show has been composed by Emmy Award-winning composer Rich Dickerson.
Hot Science Museum Science Museum Group
licensing@sciencemuseum.ac.uk
The Science Museum is a leader in helping children learn about science through play, and as a globally respected voice in the informal science education sector, attracts over 3m visitors a year (2023/24) of which 63% are families. In its mission to inspire the scientists of tomorrow, it is now aiming to extend its reach wider than ever before through a live touring show and the launch of a new STEM (science education technology and mathematics) badge for licensed toys and games products.
In February, the Science Museum Group launched its first-ever licensed show: Science Museum The Live Stage Show, which is currently touring to every corner of the UK to spread the love of science beyond its walls and promote STEM learning through play.
The Science Museum has a long history of engaging children with science through play, from the opening of the first Children’s Gallery in 1931 to the ever-popular interactive Wonderlab galleries in London, and at the National Science and Media Museum in Bradford, and the National Railway Museum in York. The live show takes the fun, hands-on experiments from the Museums and makes them spectacular on stage, delighting family audiences. From a licensing perspective, the show has a high impact in terms of brand recognition and brand extension.
The licensing team worked closely with the Museum’s learning team to draw on its educational expertise in the creation of the new STEM badge. As part of the roll-out, the team is working with licensees to assess how a toy, whether one that already exists in the marketplace or a brand-new concept, can be enhanced and elevated with clearer on-pack messaging and consistent Science Museum branding that appeals to a wide consumer age range.
Drawing on the Museum’s role as a STEM ambassador, the badge – part of the Science Museum’s packaging refresh – is a mark of quality assurance for purchasers that the interactive products that carry it will be both fun and educational. A real USP for the Science Museum is that it is trusted by education institutions as the place to come for real added value in a fun way, as part of the delivery of the national curriculum. The Science Museum is at the forefront of informal science learning seven days a week.
Ultimately, the badge and new packaging aim to help guide consumers towards the most educational toys with the biggest learning outcomes. Consumers know they want an educational slant to the toy they are buying, but when faced with too many choices and little guidance, it can be overwhelming. The Science Museum is always trying to find new ways to increase scientific knowledge and is keen to partner with toy companies to identify and tease out the STEM principles in their products - by working with the Science Museum, licensees can provide much-needed clarity for consumers.
The new Science Museum packaging style guide helps to showcase the fun contained within each box, making it easier for licensees to market their products. The Science Museum wants to collaborate with toy and games creators on a licensing agreement that benefits both parties; the Museum can inspire and educate even more children, while licensees can enjoy working with one of the UK’s most trusted educational institutions.
The badge will only be given to a product, toy or game which truly reflects STEM principles, and the licensing team has developed a very clear process to help support licensees, using unrivalled expertise in age-appropriate science communication to help partners promote their product in ways that are proven to be impactful. In turn, purchasers who buy a STEM badge product know that they will be buying not just, for example, a lava lamp or a plasma ball, but will be finding out the science behind how it works. The Science Museum’s design team has used the brand’s eye-catching colours and aesthetic to create packaging which appeals to gift buyers and to the child the toy is destined for.
There are additional advantages of working with the Science Museum’s licensing team including being able to advocate on behalf of licensees with the retail outlets in all five of the Science Museum sites (London, York, Manchester, Bradford and Shildon). Information from the retail and visitor teams can be shared to better inform licensing partnerships, with everyone working towards the
Special Feature BLE Preview
Brand Licensing Europe It Starts Here
Taking place from 24th-26th September at Excel London, Brand Licensing Europe returns for its celebratory 25th anniversary year. With so much to see and do, visitors are advised to start planning for the show now (if they haven’t already) to ensure they’ve got enough time to make the most of this superb pan-European licensing show. Toy World picks out some of the biggest highlights across the three days.
Brand Licensing Europe (BLE) has come a long way since 1999, when it set out with the ambition to attract 50 exhibitors and 2,000 visitors. These days, BLE is the only panEuropean event dedicated to licensing and brand extension, bringing together nearly 10,000 retailers, licensees and manufacturers for three days of dealmaking, networking and trend spotting, with over 200 exhibiting licensors gathered under one roof.
As it celebrates its 25th anniversary, the organisers are laying on yet another unmissable three days for anyone from the world of licensing. John Friend, head of Xbox Gaming Consumer Products at Microsoft, has been announced as Day 1 keynote speaker, delivering a session called ‘When Everyone Plays, We All Win: Next Level Consumer Products & Licensing with Xbox’ at 12:30pm on Tuesday 24th September. Sara Davies MBE, meanwhile,
the dynamic entrepreneur and youngest female investor on BBC One’s long-running Dragons’ Den, will deliver the Day 2 keynote, ‘Crafty Licensing: Transforming a business through brand licensing’. Both talks reflect the purpose that lies at the heart of BLE – to help licensees and licensors leverage the power of brand licensing in a way that places the world’s biggest brands in front of consumers in ever more immersive and inventive ways, while also giving brand owners the chance to expand, enhance and future-proof their business.
Visitors to BLE can expect to engage in meaningful conversations about consumer product trends and buying habits, access thousands of brands and products representing all categories and target markets (including Toys & Games) and learn about examples of successful licensing collaborations - and why they worked - from a community built on creativity, collaboration and
curiosity. Over the years, BLE has more than earned its reputation as a friendly, welcoming and educational event, no matter which direction you approach licensing from.
Free registration is open now. Exclusive access to BLE’s online event planner is included as soon as registration is complete, offering visitors access to an invaluable resource centre where they can explore brands, brand owners, and the entire session agenda ahead of time. following, we’ve a special interview with event director Ella Haynes detailing plenty more need-to-know information about BLE as it prepares to celebrate its landmark 25th anniversary. And as usual, the Toy World/ Licensing.biz team will be at the show walking the floor: if you’d like to book an appointment, please do reach out as our diaries are filling up fast. See you there!
Special Feature BLE Preview
Ella Haynes, BLE event director, tells Toy World how the world of licensing has changed during the years, how BLE has evolved along with it, and what’s in store for visitors to this year’s show.
There's not long to go until Brand Licensing Europe 2024 opens its doors. How has the show come together this year? Is it looking like the best one yet in terms of exhibitor numbers and visitor registrations?
Preparations have been very different this year, as we’ve been focused on building on the foundations of the amazing 2023 show, when we enjoyed huge increases in visitor numbers - particularly among retailers and from mainland Europe. That’s made it really exciting.
We are anticipating more exhibitors on the show floor (including our first ever exhibitor from Africa - Signet) bringing visitors lots of new brands available for licence. Visitor registrations are also very strong, especially retailers and licensees from mainland Europe.
We’ve noticed that our exhibitors are becoming much more creative and innovative when it comes to how they bring their brands to life at the show and increase their discoverability. There’ll be plenty of brand experiences for visitors to enjoy.
BLE celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. How do you think both the licensing industry and the show have evolved during that time?
Our 25th birthday lets us celebrate how the industry has
2024 dates and times:
evolved, and we’re honoured to have played a part in that evolution. The industry has changed so much since 1999. We’ve seen the emergence of brand-new categories like LBE (location-based entertainment), and huge growth in areas like food & beverage, museums, heritage and charity. Product development has completely changed; there are new ways of manufacturing including the use of more modern, sustainable materials. Sustainability and inclusivity have become huge priorities for many.
We know and understand our customers better than ever thanks to data access, which has resulted in even more innovative products delivering meaningful messages that feed fandom and loyalty. The role of licensing in delivering brand perception and values is recognised - logo slapping is no more.
People are consuming content in so many different ways. This is reflected in how fans are engaging with brands and has impacted how we create product. And despite all the barriers impacting the industry – the cost-of-living crisis and supply chain problems, to name just two - the desire for licensed product continues to increase. BLE has evolved to reflect these changes. The breadth and depth of brands and categories at the show is incomparable to the first event in 1999, when the target was 50 exhibitors and 2,000 visitors – we’re five times the size now.
We’ve watched the Brands & Lifestyle category grow alongside the introduction and growth of the Sports zone. The change at retail has also been fascinating, from almost solely bricks & mortar to the stratospheric growth of online retail. There’s also more recognition of (and appreciation for) the benefits licensing offers retailers, including licensing out as well as in.
And, of course, we’ve seen BLE evolve from a domestic to a fully European event, helping exhibitors from all over Europe have conversations that support global growth. As our campaign says - It Starts Here.
How important has the support of BLE’s long-term exhibitors and visitors been to the success of the show?
Critical. Licensing is a relatively small community, but we are also passionate about welcoming new people to BLE. The people who have been with BLE from the beginning are driving this industry forward and are so committed to riding the wave of different trends, pushing through incredibly meaningful developments like the introduction of accessible, inclusive and sustainable products. This has created some real ‘wow’ milestones throughout the years.
These people want to better the industry. They invest in innovation, demand more from partners, share inspiration and education, and do a brilliant job of telling the stories behind the brands to create authentic products.
What has been your favourite BLE moment from across the years you’ve been involved with the event?
For me, it was coming out of Covid, being back at the show in person and finally having the chance to bring our
• Tuesday 24th September: 09:00 - 17:00
• Wednesday 25th September: 09:00 - 17:00
• Thursday 26th September: 09:00 - 16:00
fashion theme to life. I watched how it was embraced by our exhibitors and woven through the entire show, from the content with ex-Mattel VP Richard Dickson to fun and interactive features on exhibitors’ stands. Some brands didn’t have apparel ranges but were so excited by the theme they created sample products to take part. It was a real moment in time: really inspirational. We had incredible, emotional content from Black Lives Matter Licensing and beautiful, sustainable content from the UN and Junk Kouture. And we had product across the entire price spectrum too, from high-end couture to streetwear and kids’ brands.
What can guests at the BLE 25th party on the opening day expect to enjoy?
A huge celebration of the community and how amazing it is! We’ll have our own special guest, the BLE bear, loads of selfie opportunities so we can all pause and be part of the moment, a huge cake, great entertainment, party props and more. It will be a brilliant opportunity to get to know one another and the perfect way to unwind at the end of Day 1. The party takes place from 5-7pm in the BLE Birthday Bar in the Brands & Lifestyle Zone on Tuesday 24th September.
Elsewhere across the show, what events and activations should the Toys & Games community really not miss out on?
Rovio is creating a really lovely Angry Birds activation that will include video and board games in a themed seating area. And we are welcoming ZSL and London Zoo to the show for the first time this year with giant games in their themed seating area. CPLG, which represents Fuggler, will have a coconut shy on the stand too.
At this stage, what final preparations ought people be making ahead of their appearance at the show (both visitors and exhibitors)?
Number one: register now. It’s free and quick to do. This gives you access to the Event Planner, where you can search for brands and exhibitors, send meeting requests, view the content agenda and start populating your calendar to make the most of your time at the show. Don’t forget to leave some free time to walk the floor and find new brands.
If you’re new to the show, I recommend downloading the first module of our Licensing Unlocked online educational content. It’s free and a great introduction to licensing. Also, don’t miss the Licensing 101 sessions and show tours that will take place at the start of Days 1 and 2. When you’re at the show, if you have any questions, please know you can come to the Matchmaker Lounge, speak to the Global Licensing Group team, or visit the Licensing Unlocked area and ask us anything. If you’re a retailer, you are of course also welcome to talk to Laura or Keith in the Retail Lounge.
Finally, it’s a good idea to get your travel and accommodation booked in now as places to stay are filling up quickly.
PMS International is showcasing its hugely successful Elves Behavin’ Badly brand at this year’s BLE event. Elves Behavin' Badly (EBB) has taken the festive season by storm since its debut in 2017, decorating over 13m homes. EBB was born from the vision of infusing playful mischief and laughter into Christmas for young families. Recognising the need for festive toys that merge evolving Christmas traditions with inspiring play, EBB set out to offer a unique mischievous take on the festive season, emerging as a refreshing addition to the Christmas toy market.
At the core of Elves Behavin' Badly's success lies its innovative marketing strategies. Leveraging the power of social media, the brand has invited customers to join in the mischievous adventures of Santa's elves through its interactive #Pranksmas campaign, generating over 50m video views on social media and 6.5m impressions on YouTube last year. By fostering a sense of community and amplifying visibility through collaborations with influencers, bloggers and creators, EBB has expanded its reach and continued to engage a growing local and international audience.
Elves Behavin' Badly's licensing programme continues to grow globally, with exclusive distribution deals and collaborations with partners. Recognising the value of licensing partnerships in expanding its brand's reach, EBB aims to leverage BLE as an opportunity to network with potential partners for collaborations and exclusive distribution deals. By forging new licensing agreements, the brand seeks to create meaningful product extensions that resonate with its fans, further enhancing its offerings and solidifying its position in the market.
The upcoming festive season will witness Elves Behavin' Badly's biggest consumer marketing campaign to date. With a focus on multi-channel engagement, this campaign aims to ignite laughter and joy across households, enchanting children and raising brand awareness among adults. As the mischievous elves come to life across various media platforms, EBB's high-impact campaign is set to reach millions of consumers, solidifying the brand's position as a pinnacle of festive mischief.
The brand also recognises the evolving consumer landscape and the need to offer high-quality products at affordable prices. Elves Behavin Badly’s commitment to affordability has been a driving factor of its success, ensuring that the brand is accessible to all families eager to partake in festive fun and mischief.
Elves Behavin' Badly's global presence spans over 40 countries. With a legacy built on innovative marketing strategies, strategic partnerships and the enduring appeal of Elfie and Elvie, Elves Behavin' Badly is poised to write another chapter in its tale. As the brand prepares to arrive at BLE with fresh products, brand enhancements and new strategic partnerships, attendees can look forward to experiencing firsthand the festive fun that has endeared Elves Behavin' Badly to millions around the globe.
Penguin Ventures
penguin.ventures@penguinrandomhouse.co.uk
Stand C164
Penguin Ventures will be showcasing its portfolio of iconic literary brands at BLE 2024. An incredible spring 2024 for the brand has placed Peter Rabbit at the heart of family celebrations and cemented his position as the ultimate Easter Bunny. As a result, The World of Peter Rabbit is seeing exponential growth across all markets.
Penguin Ventures welcomed The World of Eric Carle into its UK portfolio last year. Beloved by generations of families, there are endless opportunities for licensees to take Carle’s iconic artwork off the page and on new adventures.
The World of The Snowman offers magical experiences every year, from afternoon teas to live shows, ensuring that this timeless property remains central to annual festive family traditions.
A brand-new exhibition for Flower Fairies launches at Watts Gallery this autumn, bringing the charming illustrations to new and diverse audiences. Meanwhile, loveable puppy Spot is starring in a touring theatrical show for pre-schoolers this year, reaching family audiences across the UK, and Tom Fletcher’s Who’s in Your Book? series continues to build foundations for an engaging programme rollout in 2025 and beyond.
Penguin Ventures looks forward to meeting new and existing partners to discuss opportunities across product, experiences and the digital landscape.
Warner Bros
wbcpinquiries@wbd.com
Stand B121
DC and its iconic Superheroes and Super Villains continue to draw in millions. Fans are looking ahead to the highly anticipated film Superman, from DC Studios co-head, writer/director James Gunn, debuting in theatres worldwide in July 2025. Batman continues to take a starring role, with licensees and retailers underway on programmes celebrating the Caped Crusader’s 85th anniversary year and momentum building for the pre-school spinoff, Batwheels, which is accelerating across EMEA.
Almost 30 years after the first book was released, and 25 years after the first film hit the big screen, the unique alchemy of Harry Potter continues to enchant fans of all ages, with WBD continuing to drive fan engagement through content innovation. From the new television baking competition Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking airing later this year, through to a huge variety of wildly popular themed experiences and seasonal events taking place all over the world and the much-anticipated forthcoming HBO original TV show, revealed to be a faithful adaptation of the books and expected to hit screens in 2026. The magic continues to resonate with audiences at home, with 11 blockbuster movies and 1,588 minutes of magical content regularly taking top position on Netflix in the UK and on Max across EMEA.
Ahead of its 25th anniversary, The Lord of the Rings franchise is entering a new chapter with the release of the first-ever anime feature based on the Tolkien universe, The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, in theatres only in December 2024, together with the news that a brand-new theatrical release, The Hunt for Gollum, is coming to the big screen. Appetites for this franchise continue to be strong and these new releases aim to drive momentum and invigorate fan passion.
Looney Tunes continues to cement itself into pop culture raising the pulses of partners keen to explore the franchise’s unique affinity with sport and the vast potential of WBD’s Eurosport platform. WBDGCP has collaborated with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for consumer products programmes featuring the beloved Looney Tunes characters, with product rolling out until 2028. Additionally, WBDGCP has partnered with National Olympic Committees (NOCs) from eight countries including Italy, Poland, Spain, the United States of America, Australia, New Zealand and Mexico to create country-specific Olympic Team X Looney Tunes merchandise, plus Paralympic Team X Looney Tunes merchandise for the United States and Brazil.
WBD will also be embracing its archive with a strategic focus on the iconic Beetlejuice and the creation of a perennial consumer products moment for the beloved brand, in anticipation of the long-awaited sequel, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, only in theatres this September. New items for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice will continue to drop through the film’s release bringing the Afterlife’s favourite Bio-exorcist to fans everywhere for autumn and holiday shopping. The development of horror as a genre is also a priority with franchises including IT and The Conjuring Universe, each releasing new content for 2025 with Welcome to Derry and The Conjuring: Last Rites, proving to be hugely popular with millennials year long and no longer an opportunity confined to Halloween.
Brand-new TV event moments including the highly anticipated third season of The White Lotus, due to air in early 2025, create opportunities for luxury licensing, allowing consumers to commemorate their latest visit to the resort and spa with high-end brand-inspired products. Nostalgia remains a big hit with audiences, with films like eighties cult classic Gremlins delivering classic movie magic, memorable characters and iconic lines – offering significant opportunities spanning multiple categories, from high-end, to cute and collectible.
Universal Products and Experiences
www.universalproductsexperiences.com
Stand A171
Universal Products and Experiences returns to Brand Licensing Europe 2024 after a record-breaking year that saw Universal Pictures crowned the No.1 highest-grossing studio at the global box office along with winning the Academy Award for Best Picture (Oppenheimer).
UP&E is harnessing this momentum to fuel its future ambition, and the licensor goes into the show with its strongest film and TV studio slate ever. Robust plans are in place to continually evolve the licensor’s core franchises as well as introduce new IP from NBCUniversal and its world-class production partners including Universal Pictures, Focus Features, Illumination, DreamWorks Animation and Peacock.
Leading the line-up is the highly anticipated Wicked. After two decades, one of the most beloved and enduring stage musicals makes its journey to the big screen as a spectacular, generation-defining cinematic event. A double licensing opportunity, the movie will be released in two parts with the first premiering on 22nd November 2024, and the second planned for autumn 2025. Retailers and licensees across multiple categories around the world are planning a pink and green autumn/holiday season that is expected to be popular with fans of all ages.
DreamWorks Animation’s Gabby's Dollhouse continues to build upon its success as one of the fastest-growing pre-school brands of the streaming era. Multiple consumer touch points will underpin the strong foundations of the franchise and ensure its position as prime licensing real estate. Highlights include a new feature film, Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie, coming to theatres in September 2025, television content confirmed until 2027, a global touring stage show, theme park activations and consumer products continually refreshed to reflect brand marketing themes.
Also from the DreamWorks Animation portfolio, fans of one of the studio’s most cherished films, Shrek, can look forward to Shrek 5, the first new movie in the series since 2010, continuing the ogre's adventures in the land of Far Far Away.
From Universal Pictures, the beloved How to Train Your Dragon franchise is set to soar once again with the first live-action adaptation of the property set for release in June 2025. This reimagining of the acclaimed animated movies and television series brings the magical world of Berk and the adventures of Hiccup and Toothless the Dragon to life like never before, promising breathtaking visuals and a fresh take on the iconic story.
Jurassic World continues its dinosaur domination with an all-new event film set to release in July 2025. Additionally, fans continue to experience the thrills and wonder of the franchise through the new DreamWorks Animation series – Jurassic World: Chaos Theory – currently streaming on Netflix with a second season planned for this autumn. With the announcement of the Jurassic Park: Survival video game, fan engagement with the franchise is stronger than ever.
After becoming the first animated franchise to cross $5b at the worldwide box office, fans can look forward to more Minions mischief on shelves as UP&E looks to expand further into the food and beauty care categories as they further explore the character’s potential as a family shopping staple.
The incredible Universal Vault archive of classic favourites spans over 100 years of film and television, including anniversaries of iconic IP, like the 50th anniversary of Jaws in 2025. This milestone has already been commemorated by a nostalgic Lego collaboration – available at retail now, and plenty of summer 2025 celebrations for fans to relive the terror of the world’s most infamous shark.
Universal is also the home to Horror – creating scares on-screen with the visionary teams at Monkey Paw and Blumhouse, making Chucky a year-round nightmare, and the classic Universal Monsters taking it back to where it all began. The annual Halloween Horror Nights celebration takes place inside Universal theme parks around the world and has become a tentpole cultural event. From innovative mazes and themed merchandise in the Parks to licensing opportunities for partners and retailers around the world, this is a perennial moment with year-long potential.
Paramount Consumer Products and Experiences
www.paramount.com
Stand A121
Paramount Consumer Products and Experiences is returning to Brand Licensing Europe 2024 with a host of new updates and opportunities across its best-in-class IP.
In a milestone 40th year for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the franchise recently launched a new animated series, Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, on Paramount+ and Nickelodeon. In an impressive content slate for the turtles, a second season of Tales of TMNT can be expected to arrive in 2025, a sequel to the film Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem will arrive in October 2026 and another theatrical based on the Last Ronin is in development. Paramount will continue to draw in seasoned enthusiasts and a new generation of fans with a large slate of gaming titles. Next month, Mutants Unleashed, a 3D action title in partnership with Outright Games, will launch. Engaging in innovative partnerships remains a priority for Paramount, with back-to-school set to be a key moment in 2025.
In Adventure Bay, the momentum for Paw Patrol refuses to slow down for the pre-school property. Later this year, Paramount will launch another shortform YouTube series, Skye’s Music Party, and Rubble & Crew will return for a second season on Paramount+ and Nick Jr. Moving into 2025, Paramount will launch another Paw Patrol season with all-new locations and thematics including an expansion of Adventure Bay with Air Rescue, an hour-long holiday special and a new parent-focused brand campaign. In July 2026, the franchise will return to the big screen with a third theatrical. SpongeBob SquarePants is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, with a whirlwind of new content, brand partnerships, product launches, gaming integrations, retail activations, stunts and more. The franchise will see new content launch in 2025 and beyond with a 15th season, a new theatrical The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants releasing in December 2025, and a new film Plankton: The Movie which will see the microscopic villain take centre stage.
In April, Dora made her comeback on Nick Jr and Paramount+ and is now airing on Milkshake! in the UK. In Paramount’s biggest kids & family campaign of the year, which included partnerships with Time Out and BBC Good Food, the series reached over half a million viewers in its first month and is now a top 5 show on Nick Jr. With a second season having recently launched, and two further seasons confirmed from 2025, Dora is one of the biggest multi-season commitments in Nickelodeon history. In 2025, the franchise will also see the launch of its consumer products programme including all-new toys from Spin Master, as well as a live-action kids and family film dropping on Paramount+.
The Western lifestyle phenomenon, Yellowstone, will return for season 5 part 2 this November. This is followed by a new spin-off, with a second season of 1923 and new prequel series 1944 in the works. With five existing blockbuster seasons and two prequels, fans have fallen in love with the Dutton family, making it the No.1 show on Paramount+ for unique users in the UK and the No.1 bestselling digital TV show. As Paramount continues to build out this newly iconic franchise, new products will continue to launch at retail, with Father’s Day set to be an anchor moment in 2025.
The Smurfs will hit the big screen on Valentine’s Day next year in a brandnew animated movie, with Rihanna voicing the one-and-only Smurfette.
Accompanying Rihanna is a cast that includes James Corden, Sandra Oh, John Goodman and Dan Levy.
The Avatar franchise continues to serve the fandom with the new live-action TV series remake Avatar: The Last Airbender, which launched in February. The series opened as the No.1 Netflix show in over 75 countries. With two new seasons confirmed, numerous gaming releases to come, new consumer product launches and a brand-new theatrical Aang: The Last Airbender releasing in 2026, the franchise is set to welcome a whole new generation of fans and keep existing fans engaged.
Next year, fans will celebrate 30 years of Clueless, the teen rom-com which has made a lasting impact on fashion. This milestone moment will see a plethora of consumer products programmes, brand partnerships and fashion collaborations come to life.
The action-packed Mission Impossible saga returns to the big screen with the highly anticipated final instalment, for what is being heralded as a cornerstone of cinematic excellence. The movie will be supported with a consumer products programme just in time for Father’s Day.
Emily in Paris returned for a fourth season in August. Over the past 12 months, Paramount has delivered successful consumer products programmes for the series with the likes of Lillet, Pantene, Revolution Beauty and Kipling –with a host more in the pipeline.
Readers are invited to get in touch if they think they can fill a category gap on an existing franchise or if they’d like to join Paramount on its newer adventures.
Hasbro
631 707
6839 | www.hasbro.co.uk
kimberly.kugler@hasbro.com
Stand A211
Hasbro returns to Brand Licensing Europe with an impressive lineup of announcements for its powerhouse portfolio.
Dungeons & Dragons is celebrating five decades of fantasy role-playing with new games, entertainment and products to inspire generations to come. Building upon the success of the Lego Ideas Red Dragon’s Tale set, fans can play out their adventures with brand-new Lego Minifigures modelled after the game’s iconic characters. Users can fuel the fantasy with stamps from the Royal Mail, footwear and apparel from Converse and BlackMilk, and gaming accessories and collectibles from WizKids, Sirius Dice, FanRoll and Beadle & Grimm’s. Consumers can also celebrate with new books from DK, Studio Press, Random House Worlds and Ten Speed Press, audio storytelling from Yoto and Lunii and the first D&D sticker album from Panini.
Meanwhile, audiences in the UK and US can embark on an adventure with D&D In A Castle, an immersive retreat led by world-class Dungeon Masters. In North America, the live theatrical production, Dungeons & Dragons The Twenty-Sided Tavern, has extended its run in NYC until April 2025 and announced a US national tour beginning May 2025. Plus, a brandnew interactive touring experience, The Immersive Quest: A D&D Experience, is kicking off in Toronto this autumn.
40 years on, the Transformers franchise continues to release products, experiences and entertainment honouring its origins. Coming this autumn is the franchise’s first-ever fully CGanimated film, Transformers One, supported by a global promotion with Burger King, costumes from Disguise, a tie-in book programme and more. Onscreen action and adventure continue with the kids' animated series, Transformers: Earthspark Season 2, available now on Paramount+ and Nickelodeon.
Hasbro and Mattel have joined forces once again to release Little People Transformers. The fan-targeted collab features four figures based on original 80s Transformers cartoon characters - Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Megatron and Soundwave. New comics from Skybound Entertainment, footwear and apparel from Converse and SuperX and collaborations with Robosen and others keep the battle between good and evil alive for generations to come. Plus, fans can enjoy the newly remastered Transformers: Music from the Original Animated Series available now digitally or on vinyl.
Peppa Pig is marking its 20th anniversary with a very special September of releases, including stories from 30+ publishers. Pre-schoolers can celebrate in style with brand-new Crocs clogs, plus adorable fashions from Mori, Jojo Maman Bebe and Trotters in the UK and the Gap in China. Children can play out their own adventures with Lego Duplo Peppa Pig sets, and party with the interactive Muddy Puddles Party Peppa.
New Season 10 episodes will be broadcast from Autumn. Available to stream now is Peppa’s Party: The Deluxe Album, full of celebratory tracks, remixes and infectious dance numbers –like the hit single Piggle Wiggle. Peppa Pig's Play-A-Long Podcast from Audible features a mix of fun interactive games and catchy sing-alongs. Families can also jump into the world of Peppa by visiting Peppa Pig Parks in Germany and the US.
For over four decades, My Little Pony has enchanted families with timeless tales of friendship and harmony. The magic lives on with ventures rooted in nostalgia, including footwear with Irregular Choice, an immersive open-world video game My Little Pony: A Zephyr Heights Mystery and colourful makeup with Beauty Creations Cosmetics. Heydude released a limitededition footwear collection, while Loungefly offers a variety of accessories for every Pony fan. In China, Costa released its My Little Pony collection this summer, as Miniso launched cute lifestyle goods. In 2025, fans can look forward to retro figures from Basic Fun, along with an array of licensed items across categories.
2025 marks Monopoly’s 90th anniversary. As one of the most iconic games in the world, Monopoly provides a platform for storytelling opportunities, and Hasbro has announced a film in the works with LuckyChap and Lionsgate. This follows momentum from Scopely’s Monopoly Go! mobile game, which was recognised as the biggest mobile game launch of 2023 and attracts 10m players every day.
Monopoly Lifesized: Travel Edition, a US touring experience, will kick off in Denver, CO in October, and families can enjoy the permanent locations in London and Riyadh. Additionally, Monopoly continues to release brand-new editions based on pop icons like The Beatles, Harry Potter, One Piece, Dune and dozens more. With new ways to play and a growing list of culturally relevant editions, there is a Monopoly for everyone.
Littlest Pet Shop has returned; in January, Basic Fun! unleashed the newest toys in 20+ countries, featuring new characters, packs and play sets. Continuing to roll out across countries, there will be 120+ bobblin’ pets to collect by the end of 2024, with two new series launches planned for 2025. Alongside the global relaunch, Littlest Pet Shop rolled out a digital experience on Roblox, providing kids with the opportunity to interact with pets in the digital world.
Furby is back and better than ever. Reimagined for a new generation of kids, the cute and curious toy has captured the hearts of consumers and cemented its place as a pop culture icon. Hasbro has expanded several of its licensing agreements to include the lovable toy and launched new collabs like assorted plush from Dan Dee, apparel and accessories with Cakeworthy and fashion with Dolls Kill.
Natural History Museum
m.lister@nhm.ac.uk
Stand B255
Dinosaurs are nothing new, but that hasn’t stopped generations of people from discovering and being subsequently captivated by these beasts of bygone days.
The Natural History Museum’s beloved Diplodocus specimen, known as Dippy, has taken up long-term residence at Herbert Gallery in Coventry, but visitors can still get a glimpse of this sauropod in the Museum’s recently unveiled gardens. Based on the original 1905 Diplodocus replica, the newly erected bronze dinosaur – aptly named Fern – towers over guests as they meander through the tree ferns and horsetails like their real-life counterparts lived alongside.
What was once an underused garden, has been transformed into an urban oasis, telling the story of how life on Earth has changed over time, from the days of the dinosaurs through to today. Stretching across five acres, visitors are encouraged to take the time to tune into the birds singing in the trees, observe bees and contemplate their role in protecting the biodiversity that spaces like this encourage.
From contemplation to curriculum, the Nature Discovery Garden will also be a thriving outdoor classroom – with over 2,000 school groups visiting the Museum each year, this newly created space offers students the opportunity to engage with nature through a series of workshops, including pond dipping and mini beast hunts.
As a world-renowned authority on the natural world, the Museum wants to empower children to make their own discoveries, connect with nature and imagine their role in the caretaking of our planet. The Museum’s commitment to educating and inspiring the next generation of scientists and advocates for the planet underpins the licensing team’s plans for growth into categories and products that appeal to the young, and the young at heart.
Over the last year, it’s been a concerted effort to establish the Natural History Museum brand in categories traditionally dominated by character brands – from toys to homewares, and apparel. The Museum has positively disrupted this market by delivering carefully curated – and sometimes unexpected – products via its best-in-class partners.
The year started strong with the Let’s Learn range by Galt Toys released at the London Toy Fair in January. The first kit from the range – Let’s Learn Dinosaurs – got the nod from the British Toy & Hobby Association as one of its Hero Toys for 2024. This accolade not only validated the Museum’s plans for brand licensing growth, but recognised the efforts of the Museum’s 370 world-leading scientists, many of whom contributed to the range.
Earlier this year, the Museum and Tonies collaborated on a new Tonie featuring all-new, and uniquely crafted stories that enabled young children to encounter three intrepid young explorers as they embarked on fascinating journeys through time, each starting at the Museum. Tonies worked alongside the licensing team and the Museum’s scientists to curate these four unique stories, resulting in an enthralling and factually accurate audio journey for the Toniebox.
The Museum continues the storytelling with Mark Thompson Productions to take budding scientists on a dinosaur adventure like no other. Coming to locations across the UK, this live show will see children go on a prehistoric journey across the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods and watch life-like dinosaurs come alive right on stage. Spectators will also find out more about fossils, time scales and how our planet has changed over hundreds of millions of years.
As we embark on another year at BLE, the Museum is looking forward to meeting with its network of licensees, retailers and international agents. The organisation has much to share, including ongoing successes from its Dunelm collaboration, innovation from its longstanding licensees and fresh products from its new licensees including Playpress and Seed Pantry.
The Museum is not only an authority on the natural world, but it also holds a special place in the hearts of millions. When visitors leave for the day, their memories remain, hopefully evoking a love of science that spans a lifetime. Whether it be subtle, or conspicuous in its approach, the end goal is to provoke consumers to feel both a connection and advocate for our plane.
Pokémon
j.kellman@pokemon.com
Stand C171
Pokémon returns to BLE with another exceptional year under its belt and more activities planned for autumn and winter. The brand offers creative opportunities for current and prospective partners – from niche to mass market – across a wide range of categories, reflecting its huge global fanbase which spans all demographics.
Currently the No.3 Property YTD in the UK according to Circana, Pokémon continues to display strong growth across its wide-ranging pillars of video games, mobile apps, the Pokémon Trading Card Game, animation and movies, Play! Pokémon events and licensed products for all tastes and budgets.
Pokémon’s range of toys offers something for everyone across diverse lines and price points. Jazwares’ award-winning toy line continues to flourish, with its plush range particularly strong – currently up YTD from 2023. The Squishmallows collection continues to grow in popularity and size, with new characters Teddiursa and Clefairy recently added in Q1 followed by Marill and Dragonite in Q2/Q3. Jazwares’ latest release is the innovative Battle Spinner Arena Set, where trainers can spin, launch and battle with their chosen Pokémon character spinner.
There have been new launches at Funko too, with more than 20 new collectibles released across the year to date; the most recent include Chimchar, Snubbull, Ponyta, Jumbo, Charizard, Greninja and Jumbo Greninja.
Mattel’s brand-new Scrabble Pokémon 2-in-1 Game is a spin on the iconic word game that combines the classic board gameplay with the adventurous spirit of Pokémon battles.
The popular Pokémon Trading Card Game continues to be a bestseller, helped by dynamic new expansions. August’s Scarlet & Violet—Shrouded Fable features parallel foil cards with a new, unique foil pattern surrounding the card artwork. Launching in September, Scarlet & Violet—Stellar Crown enables players to immerse themselves in the Terastal phenomenon with the introduction of Stellar Tera Pokémon ex to the Pokémon TCG and also features unique illustrations highlighting the crystalline qualities of the Stellar Tera Pokémon ex.
There will soon be a new way to enjoy the Pokémon TCG with the launch of the free-to-start Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket app for iOS and Android devices. Fans can collect digital cards and compete in quick battles with streamlined rules, while new immersive cards will allow players to leap into the world of card illustrations like never before.
There are also plenty of new in-game events and activities across Pokémon’s wide range of video games. A host of activities to celebrate three years of Pokémon Unite included a Ho-Oh commemorative Eevent, a Panic Parade revival, a Charizard Unite licence distribution and a new Battle Pass.
In-game gifts and events were also offered in Pokémon Sleep to commemorate its first anniversary, celebrating that the sleep tracker app has been downloaded more than 20m times worldwide across iOS and Android devices since its launch in July 2023.
Pokémon Legends: Z-A, a new entry to the Pokémon video game series, will be released simultaneously worldwide on Nintendo Switch in 2025. A new adventure awaits players within Lumiose City, where an urban redevelopment plan is underway to shape the city into a coexistence between people and Pokémon. With 15 apps available around the world that cater to Trainers of all types, ages and interests, Pokémon offers a wide breadth of gaming and entertainment experiences on mobile devices.
Pokémon continues to engage with its huge fanbase in myriad ways to thrill ever more fans – both old and new – across the globe; wherever, whenever and however they want to interact with the brand, there are multiple opportunities for them to do so. Renowned for innovation and evolution, Pokémon continues to harness new technologies to keep this iconic evergreen brand fresh, relevant and at the cutting edge of popular culture.
More vibrant activity is due across the remainder of 2024, including innovative new product releases, imaginative collaborations and dynamic events – and plans for 2025.
BLE
BBC Studios
andrew.carley@bbc.com
Stand C180
Recently named one of America’s Hottest Brands 2024 by Ad Age, global phenomenon Bluey continues its ever-growing licensing portfolio that brings fans new and innovative ways to interact with the Blue Heeler dog.
The Emmy and Peabody Award-winning animated sensation airs in over 140 countries and was the most streamed kids' show in the US in 2023 with a viewership of 43.9b minutes. Bluey is the No.1 kids’ show on CBeebies and Disney+ in the UK and has been streamed over 518m times on BBC iPlayer since 2021. In its native Australia, Bluey is the No.1 kids show on Australian Broadcasting Corporation and the most-watched series ever on ABC iview.
The first batch of new Bluey Minisodes, written by Bluey creator Joe Brumm and produced by Ludo Studio, premiered on Australia’s ABC in June, and on Disney Jr. and Disney+ in July. The global premiere of the extended Bluey episode, The Sign broke viewing records in April, gathering more than 10m views worldwide on Disney+ in the week after its release. It was also the top ABC programme of 2024YTD.
The official Bluey YouTube channel portfolio, run by BBC Studios Social, has 8.3b lifetime views. Its digital-exclusive series Bluey Book Reads, which features a star-studded line-up of readers including Kylie Minogue and Eva Mendes, has garnered over 65m views across Bluey digital channels.
The huge popularity of Bluey content has driven soaring demand for products inspired by the series, allowing BBC Studios to collaborate with best-in-class partners to create exceptional merchandise that lets fans further enjoy Bluey. Bluey products have launched in over 49 countries to date and new partners continue to come on board.
Bluey’s successful master toy partnership with Moose Toys continues. A landmark multi-year renewal that builds on the global success of Moose’s Bluey toy range was locked down in May, enabling the dynamic toy partnership between BBC Studios and Moose Toys to continue for years to come. Moose Toys continues to deliver products that captivate young imaginations and inspire unparalleled play experiences that celebrate the spirit of Bluey perfectly, such as the Bluey 3-in-1 Transforming Plane Playset and the newly launched Bluey Tile Town. Other leading toy licensees for Bluey include Tomy, VTech, Hasbro and many more.
According to Circana, Bluey is the No.2 Pre-school Toys character property in the US5 and the No.1 licence in pre-school in the UK for 2023. Additionally, 2023 insights revealed that in the UK alone, children aged 3-6 spent 110m hours playing with Bluey toys, and families have spent over 1m hours enjoying playing Bluey video games.
Worldwide, 20m copies of Bluey books published by Penguin Random House have been sold. Over 2m Bluey books have been sold in the UK since 2021, and more than 8.5m copies have been sold in the US since 2020. Two titles - Love From Bluey and Bluey: Sleepytime – featured in The New York Times Best Seller list simultaneously this year. In EMEA, there are 22 foreign language deals for Bluey books and Bluey is a top book publishing licence for Spain, France, Germany and Italy.
The scale and appeal of Bluey softlines continue to expand. Leading high-street fashion retailers on board for multi-territory roll-out of Bluey kids’ apparel, include Zara, H&M and Mango Kids among others. From screen to street, Havaianas is launching a Bluey collection in Australia.
Bluey continues to captivate the music space too. The third Bluey album Rug Island releases globally on 25th October. Together, its predecessors Bluey: The Album and Bluey: Dance Mode! have racked up more than half a billion combined streams and both debuted at No.1 on Billboard’s Kid Albums chart in the US.
From Bluey’s Big Play through to CBeebies Land at Alton Towers, and Bluey x Camp in the US, families across the world have spent over 700,000 hours attending Bluey-themed live events. Incidentally, the immersive adventure Bluey x Camp is the fastest-selling Camp experience in the US. Forthcoming hot tickets include the premiere of Bluey’s World in Brisbane this November and the debut of Bluey’s Big Play across Spain in September and in Paris in December this year.
BAFTA-winning and Oscar-nominated production company Magic Light Pictures is embracing both the established and the new as it heads to BLE with fast-growing preschool brand Pip and Posy and globally popular evergreen property The Gruffalo, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year.
Interest in the family favourite shows no sign of waning as Magic Light marks The Gruffalo’s 25th year with anniversary-themed product ranges across multiple retailers and licensees. There are specially themed anniversary events at Chessington World of Adventures Resort, The Gruffalo and Friends Clubhouse in Blackpool and The Gruffalo 25th Anniversary Maize Maze, a giant attraction believed to host the largest image of The Gruffalo ever made.
The Olympics were also celebrated as The Gruffalo pulled on a Team GB vest for a special partnership throughout the summer with a Team GB-licensed, aisle-end range at Asda, where the brand enjoys continued success. This was complemented by an Olympic add-on activity throughout the summer at the ever-popular Forestry England trails at locations across the UK.
World Book Day continues to be a big driver of sales, with a highly successful promotion at Sainsbury’s, and The Gruffalo’s success in the FMCG category continues with the launch of a scented forest fruits handwash with Carex.
On screen, The Gruffalo family of brands continues to attract multiple viewers on BBC iPlayer and subscriptions on the Gruffalo World YouTube channel have hit the magic 1m mark. Simba Toys has been appointed as the new toy partner for plush in Europe while the brand has appointed licensing agents in Germany, Italy and Benelux and is currently looking to expand its European presence across Central and Eastern Europe.
Live stage shows are currently touring several European countries. Further afield, Australia – where The Gruffalo is represented by Merchantwise – shows growth in the live events category, including several trail partners all over the country. Also in Australia, new apparel product is set to go into Peter Alexander stores.
With Halloween, Christmas and Q4 looming, highlights include: A special Room on the Broom - themed trail at London’s world-famous Kew Gardens for Halloween; the launch of a bedding range at major grocers; a new range of hardline and toys at boutique mother and baby store Jojo Maman Bebe; seasonal gifting promotions for the perennially-popular Room on the Broom, Stick Man and The Gruffalo; and a new adaptation of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s book will launch in the world of story-telling fish Tiddler for the BBC this Christmas.
Magic Light Pictures is looking forward to consolidating on the huge appetite for its brands as it fires into 2025 to celebrate the 15th anniversary of accident-prone dragon Zog.
One of the most-watched pre-school shows on Milkshake! and Sky Kids, Pip and Posy’s fun adventures have proved to be a huge hit with its pre-school audience. After two highly successful series, an educational spin-off series, Pip and Posy Lets Learn, invited more pre-schoolers to come and join the fun.
Encouraging the target audience to come and play with the characters offscreen, Pip and Posy has launched a range of plush and toy figurines with master toy partner for the UK and Eire, Bandai. This was supported by a Pip and Posy pop-up event at the Bandai Namco Cross Store Camden, London, in the spring, where fans experienced their charming world with the opportunity to meet and greet Pip and Posy and enjoy readings with a Milkshake! presenter, alongside colouring and crafting. Visitors could shop from a range of products including plush toys, jigsaw puzzles, books, gifting items and fancy dress.
Other phase one licensees for Pip and Posy include Blues Group, Aykroyds, TDP, Ravensburger, Amscan and Tonies. Magic Light Pictures’ in-house licensing team is now looking to expand the brand into other categories including soft lines, home textiles, accessories, footwear, greetings cards and -role-play.
Pip and Posy’s partnership with Milkshake! and Parkdean resorts continues to engage young families on holiday and, last spring, the brand’s second cinema experience – Pip and Posy and Friends –appeared in selected cinemas at Vue, Odeon, Picturehouse, Showcase and The Light venues across the UK. And for 2024’s annual Playday celebration in August, the characters returned at Hinckley Council’s hugely popular Snap Dragon Festival.
Nosy Crow, Pip and Posy’s publishing partner continues to launch new TV tie-in titles throughout the year. Pip and Posy will be visiting high-footfall shopping centres across the country in October, with more live experiences to be announced very soon. Additionally, Tonies will be launching two separate characters with a range of favourite Pip and Posy stories narrated by TV star, author and podcaster Giovanna Fletcher.
With a long-term commitment from broadcasters and increasing reach for its short-form content across YouTube, Pip and Posy is going from strength to strength as the Magic Light team seeks out potential new collaborators at BLE to continue growing the brand in new categories.
The newly announced Miraculous Corp is a joint venture between Mediawan and Zag that reunites all facets of the globally acclaimed Miraculous franchise. Most recently, former CoComelon and Netflix executive, Andy Yeatman, was appointed as the CEO of Miraculous Corp USA and global operations for the company. Under his direction, the mission is to elevate the brand’s global footprint to magnify its influence on a worldwide scale. Ladybug’s adventures will soon unfold with new content including TV movies and spin-off series and, of course, the highly anticipated Miraculous, The Movie 2 directed by Jeremy Zag.
Captivating audiences across 150 territories since its 2015 debut, Miraculous - Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir follows the adventures of two seemingly typical teens, Marinette and Adrien, who magically transform into secret superheroes Ladybug and Cat Noir to save their city of Paris from unexpected villains. Miraculous is one of the world’s most successful brands, with a robust presence on platforms including Disney Channel and Disney+, Globo, TF1, and Netflix, where it is the No.1 non-pre-school animated kids’ series. A fourth special is in production for delivery in Q3, 2024, and season six of the series will be delivered in Q4 this year. The new season finds the superheroes facing a new and skillful enemy in a revitalized, eco-friendly Paris.
The consumer products activities of the company are led by Julian Jacob, COO of Miraculous Corp, whose team will come together at BLE to meet with licensing partners to share the latest news about superheroes Miraculous Ladybug and Cat Noir and announce plans for the brand's 10th anniversary coming up in 2025. There are 400+ licensing partners around the globe for Miraculous, collectively offering a diverse range of avenues for fans to interact with the brand. Over 740m products have been sold and retail sales have surpassed US$1.5b worldwide to date.
Global toy partners for Miraculous include master toy partner, Playmates Toys, which is expanding its range this year with the Miraculous Ladybug Paris Heroez Playset, a four-feet tall focal point for children's adventures centered around Ladybug's hometown, Paris. Playmobil’s recently launched line features several play sets including Marinette's Loft and Gabriel's Fashion Show. Miraculous was the first brand to feature on the all-new Miraball from Wyncor, a collectible toy with two surprises that boasts new patented technology to reveal hidden secrets.
Multi-media and publishing partners include Kodansha with a new manga release for grades 1-8 globally, and Insight Editions will publish the first ever hard-cover Miraculous cookbook in June 2025 globally. Miraculous will launch on Yoto Player, the environmentally friendly screen-free audio platform in the US, Canada and the UK in time for holiday in 2024; while ongoing partners include Panini for publishing and comics (Germany) and comics (Italy); Blue Ocean for the official Miraculous magazine (Europe); Ravensburger with a new line of novels and early reading learning books that launched this summer (German language region); Ciela Norma, activity and colouring books in Bulgaria; and in Italy, Pon Pon Edizioni for arts and crafts activities; Play Press for colouring books and albums; and Albatross Media with a full range of Miraculous books from novels, story books, comic books to activity and novelty books.
In the apparel, footwear and accessories space in Europe, partners include Swatch Flik-Flak watches (global); Poetic Brands (UK); Rubies, Halloween Costumes (Europe); and Riva Kids in the Middle East. Across South Africa, leading retailer Ackermans is launching a line of girls’ tees, leggings and skirts in over 1,000 stores from leading apparel manufacturer Power House Clothing Company.
Long-standing partners in the food and candy space include Ferrero (pan Europe, Brazil); and Dolfin, who launched a new range this summer to include confectionary and chocolate eggs (Europe). Additional new partners across Europe and the Middle East include SAI Group Kandiz for candies, as well as quick and nutritious frozen ready meals to launch in November 2024 (various territories); San Carlo, the leader in Italy in the potato chips and savoury snacks market featuring Miraculous imagery on select products (Italy); a Miraculous Chibi happy meal promotion with fast-food chain Herfy in more than 380 restaurants featuring an augmented reality dining experience (Middle East); and Miraculous milkshakes with leading dairy producer Içim in Turkey with a successful soft July launch, backed by a national advertising campaign in September.
In the home goods sector, Procos is the brand’s partner for the US, Europe and the Middle East for reusable and/or sustainable disposal party products. The Q3 launch includes cups and plates, napkins, cake toppers, balloons, masks and party invitations. Pan-European partners include Stor for home goods and tableware, Geda Labels for lunch boxes, water bottles and mugs/plates and Klaus Herding for bedding and fleeces.
Coming this autumn in the gaming sector is a second console game from GameMill Entertainment and a mobile runner game for Nex Playground, a new game platform that aims to get kids moving.
The company’s anti-piracy division continues to support licensing partners, removing over 3m counterfeit products in 2023 with a $US50m stock value.
The first global Miraculous Day event will launch on 28th September 2024 to include special programming events with media partners, retail and digital activations, in-store displays and experiences and more. An entire digital ecosystem has been built around the Miraculous brand with over 39b views of authorised and user-generated content on YouTube, over 250m downloads of the official app and over 720m plays on Roblox.
BLE
Fabacus
info@fabacus.com
Stand D161
Fabacus’ mission is to transform data management across licensing and retail, none more so than with its toy and family partners. From character entertainment giants NBCUniversal and Paramount, through to toy behemoth Hasbro, sports heroes UFC, Fanatics and the clubs they represent, as well as gaming innovators Epic Games and Activision Blizzard, the company’s impact spans numerous intellectual properties and sectors.
The symbiotic relationship between the toy and licensing industries continues to thrive, with over 31% of all toy sales driven by licensed products, as well as licensed toys making up 12% of the total worldwide licensing revenue last year. Whilst this synergy remains constant, what has evolved in recent years is how consumers are purchasing licensed products and interacting with family and toy brands, from eCommerce shopping to the interaction of the product itself. Data and technology advancements, like those that have been developed at Fabacus, are going to be key innovations to the industry. It all evolves around product data.
At BLE this September, Fabacus will be hosting sessions delving deeper into compliance requirements, optimisation of social and eCommerce channels and other key industry and data insights, delivered by the company and joined by a range of partner speakers.
Over 80% of consumer purchases now start with an online search, and this exponential growth of eCommerce and social commerce has forced an acceleration that many retailers, and brand owners, are still trying to address. For context, 14% of global toy sales occur online; in the UK this can be as much as 27%.
The role that accurate and verified product data plays for eCommerce cannot be underestimated, not only to enhance and improve discoverability on product listings online but also to provide a return on investment to family and toy brands by improving data integrity for greater brand equity and consumer trust. For licensed products in particular, this can be further complicated where vendors need to demonstrate that they are listing and selling officially licensed products.
Through building comprehensive product registers, the Fabacus platform called Xelacore, ensures that all licensed products are accurately identified and linked to the licensor from concept through to sale. This solution enhances transparency, strengthens brand protection, improves online discoverability and builds consumer trust. Fabacus also partners with companies that optimise and enhance online product listings leading to superior conversion and double-digit sales increases. As one example this data can be matched with, and streamline directly to, branded shop fronts on Amazon.
The same product data can be used in innovative ways to offer shoppers and consumers gifts and rewards post-purchase. Over the past few years, Fabacus has demonstrated that by connecting this data to QR codes and concealing these codes in or on products, a new form of direct consumer promotion can be activated by licensors and licensees alike. Offers and rewards range from discount codes to product, to in-game items and have been run by UFC, Ubisoft’s Assassin Creed, Activision Blizzard’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and the latest Euro 2024 mascot Albärt5, to name a few. Whilst building consumer loyalty, this also has the added business benefit of bolstering the eCRM for licensors, licensees and retailers alike.
Improving data integrity at product level will act as a foundation for environmental compliance for emerging EU product-related sustainability regulations, as licensing enters a new era of data legislation.
Recently written into the EU law, the Ecodesign for Sustainable Product Regulation (ESPR) will soon require Digital Product Passports (DPPs) for all products sold in the Eurozone, excluding food and medicines, by 2030, with some categories such as textiles being implemented by 2027. This will require all brands and retailers to consolidate specific, complex product-level data that is typically scattered across multiple systems including detailed information about a product’s environmental impact, materials, disposal and recycling methods as well as lifecycle impact. Equally, they must be able to integrate and display this information digitally on products, via a Digital Product Passport (DPP), ensuring accessibility for all consumers, enabling more informed purchases and promoting circularity.
Supported by the product registration service (digital product catalogue), Fabacus has already pioneered several successful DPP-enabled executions, presenting over 10m data points to consumers. Earlier in the year, Fabacus launched a DPP in the licensing space with luxury cashmere Chinti & Parker and classic family brand Peanuts and are now collaborating directly with key retailers who are leading change in the intricate sustainability landscape.
Beyond sustainability, parents and guardians across the world rely on brand reputations to provide safe and reliable products, with robust compliance directives and quality assurance measures in place for this sector. Through collecting product data at the concept and manufacturing stage, and subsequently implementing utilities such as DPPs, licensors, brands and consumers alike are not only able to verify the authenticity of their purchases, but also track their products throughout the supply chain. In a market often flooded with illegitimate items, being able to prevent counterfeits from being listed can ensure consumer trust, prevent commercial losses and ensure high-quality consumer experiences worldwide.
At BLE, Fabacus will be hosting sessions by our own experts and a range of partner speakers. Visit Stand D161 to find out more or get in touch via the details above.
Squishmallows’ global lifestyle franchise licensing programme propels into 2024 with licensed collaborations from the hottest properties launching cross-category consumer products. These have been growing exponentially in the last 12 months with over 100 consumer product partners now onboard globally. Jazwares is meeting exceptional demand for the global Squishmallows franchise by appointing new licensing agents in international territories. With chart-topping sales, Squishmallows’ phenomenal success continues.
Winning Moves’ Squishmallows Top Trumps collection quickly rose to be one of the fastest-selling games. Blueprints stationery collection has been a huge success with top-selling SKUs across Amazon and an FSDU programme in more than 570 Tesco stores this February. Panini’s Squishmallows collection consistently makes the top 10 volume lists in UK Circana (Q4 2023), shipping over 1.4m units to date. Q4 also saw the much-anticipated McDonald’s Halloween and autumn Happy Meal, which caused a social media frenzy. The launch was so popular that the Squishmallows Halloween toys sold out a week early.
This summer, Squishmallows’ premier space within Selfridges showcased Squish Squad festival decor, including the ultimate infinity selfie mirror allowing fans to become truly immersed in the brand.
Squishmallows’ partnership with H&M has dropped a third collection this summer and has been in hot demand after the original collection became H&M Kids' most interacted with social post ever, garnering over 24.5k likes with selected items selling out globally in the first 48 hours. Beyond H&M, Squishmallows is still a consistent top seller at Next and C&A and has recently seen new product launches at Name It, George and New Look. Stand-out success has also been secured with sportswear brand Puma for its Squish-branded spring 2024 apparel and footwear collaboration featuring fan favourites such as Cam the Cat.
Expanding into new product categories for autumn/winter 2024, the Squishmallows licence programme will include hair accessories and jewellery with Hunter Price, oral care with new brand Ordo and lighting and bedroom accessories with Fizz creations. This autumn, Horizon USA will bring its No.1 selling toy on Amazon US Squishmallows compounds to Europe.
Introducing the micro trend into the Squishmallows portfolio, Jazwares is launching new 1-inch Squish-a-longs with over 150 Mini-Squishmallows that can be taken on the go. Created with uniquely soft, squishable plastic, the super cool 1-inch Squish-a-longs collection will feature rare and ultra-rare characters, driving the hunt for fans to find their favourites. Over 500 new Squishmallows plush styles will also be launching in 2024 in the UK alone.
The Squishmallows brand spans generations but is primarily led by the Gen Z audience which shares endless images of their collections on TikTok and fuel the younger audiences' aspirations when it comes to styles and Squads. Powered by the loyal Gen Z fan base, TikTok and Instagram remain the key platforms for brand and influencer campaigns. In the second half of 2023 alone, TikTok campaigns saw over 56m views in Europe and a dad buying Squishmallows gifts for mum was the most organically viewed UK TikTok influencer content for five months. With 1.9m followers and generating more than 120m social impressions, Squishmallows-owned social channels have exploded with a YOY growth of 52%. The socially driven, fan-first event celebrating the 2nd annual Squishmallows Day, on 7th March 2024, gained over 7.6m social impressions for #SquishmallowsSquad. The Squish Tour on May 2024 travelled to seven Smyths Toys stores with fans queuing for over two hours to be part of the experience, gaining over 4m social impressions, 116 pieces of press coverage and resulting in a +90% sales uplift.
Since Squishmallows’ debut in 2017, the brand has become known for its ultra-soft feel and adorable designs, delighting fans of all ages with the Squishmallows' unique and lovable personalities. Now sold in over 60 countries, Squishmallows’ vast audience and multi-generational appeal have fuelled a milestone of over 400m plush sold YTD. Winning the Overall Best Toy of the Year (TOTY) Award in the US three years in a row and DreamToys UK two years in a row, Squishmallows is the No.1 plush brand globally, the No.1 toy in the UK, US and Canada YTD, fastest growing property in the UK and the best-selling plush manufacturer in Germany and Australia. In April 2024 Circana reported Squishmallows as the number one girls property in the UK, with 7.5-inch Squishmallows also continuing as the number one toy item, a position it has held for the last 18 months in the UK to date, with a further five Squishmallows in Circana's top 50 toy item list. Last year saw the launch of the first Squishmallows brand spot: showcasing the multigenerational appeal of the brand, it was placed to strategically reach Gen Z audiences across social media, VOD platforms and at Taylor Swift Eras Tour screenings.
020 8995 3399 | gemma.daniels@sega.co.uk
Stand A181
At this year's Brand Licensing Europe, the EMEA licensing team at Sega is showcasing a variety of products launched this year and discussing what is on the horizon for 2025. Throughout the first half of 2024, the team has continued to drive consistent year-over-year growth across the EMEA territories in all categories. In addition to publishing, the team also launched several new directto-retail products and continued to grow the home and apparel business significantly. Upcoming in 2025, several new partnerships will be launched across multiple verticals, including apparel, publishing, direct-to-retail and more.
The summer kicked off strongly with multiple inperson activations for the Sonic team, including MotoGP Silverstone in England and Gamescom, Germany's world's largest gaming event. At the MotoGP Silverstone event, fans could check out the custom Shadow-themed motorcycle, take pictures and even see Sonic himself. In Germany, attendees were able to demo the hotly anticipated Sonic x Shadow Generations on the show floor, as well as check out the various collaborations between Sega and Lego, TikTok, Samsung and Paramount Germany for the upcoming movie, Sonic the Hedgehog 3. In apparel and home, with continued double-digit growth across the EMEA territories, Sega renewed its partnership with the popular global brand merchandising platform Bioworld International. The company has also extended its partnership with Pyramid International so fans can look forward to more collector prints featuring Sonic and friends. Rounding out softlines, the company continues to expand its product offering with new licensing partnerships for EMEA.
In the toy category, building on the ongoing success of the current Sonic the Hedgehog Lego collection, several new sets will be launching this autumn, allowing fans to continue building their high-speed Sonic adventures. Additionally, Sega is pleased to announce a brand-new plush partnership with ToyTopic across Europe. This will feature Sonic the Hedgehog-themed plush, including Sonic himself and a few of his friends. Due to the continued success of the Sonic brand, Sega is launching brand new toy ranges with long-standing partners such as Character Options and Carrera.
Sega is launching a brand-new, regular Sonic the Hedgehog magazine this autumn winter. After Sonic's One Shot magazine was well-received by consumers and readers alike, the company wanted to fill the notable gap in the market for a character-led magazine that appeals to both boys and girls. The magazine aims to deepen fan engagement with the Sonic brand while immersing young fans in the fast-paced world of Sonic and his friends. In addition, Sega partnered with Harper Collins to launch a brand-new range of publishing formats. The company is also set to launch the first Sonic the Hedgehog annual this autumn. The annual will give fans a more detailed look into the Sonic the Hedgehog brand, featuring fun facts, games, puzzles and more.
Also coming this year are a multitude of unique partnerships from stationery to direct to retail. This autumn, Sega is launching a global partnership with Panini for Sonic the Hedgehogthemed trading cards and sticker albums. New strategic direct-to-retail partnerships will also bring a host of new products to market this autumn; Italian fashion chain Calzedonia Group is set to debut children's apparel ranges in both Calzedonia and Tezenis stores, and Marks & Spencer will bolster its Sonic range and introduce new categories to its lineup.
Through Sonic the Hedgehog's continued success as a brand, Sega has been able to explore partnerships across a wide range of categories, allowing fans to experience Sonic like never before.
Perfetti Van Melle
vanessa.grande@perfettivanmelle.com
Stand D240
Perfetti Van Melle will be showcasing its playful candy brands at this year’s BLE exhibition and celebrating their colourful essence, with Chupa Chups in the spotlight. A vibrant booth has been created to highlight Chupa Chups’ iconic pop spirit, enhancing its essence and offering an immersive, eye-catching experience that perfectly captures Chupa Chups’ dynamic personality. The iconic brand, originally designed by Dalí, is making its mark with fashion designers and fast fashion retailers across the globe and further captivating luxury brands, such as Fendi with its Chupa Chups lollipop holder.
The Food and Beverage categories are experiencing significant expansion with the introduction of new brands, product ranges and geographic markets. This includes innovations in soft drinks, ice creams and nutritional supplements, amongst others. The strategy is centered around co-branding with best-in-class companies that bring innovation plus fun and engaging elements to the market. By partnering with leading companies, Perfetti Van Melle continuously captivates its customers, setting new trends and expectations in the industry, while maintaining the highest standards of quality.
At the show, Perfetti Van Melle will provide a glimpse of its new launches and artwork developments.
Rocket (ESA)
07720 037 258 | charlie@rocketlicensing.com
Stand A205
Most brands haven’t inspired a Mars exploration kit, a model space telescope and a Barbie doll, but the European Space Agency (ESA), the organisation dedicated, since 1975, to the peaceful exploration and use of space, has.
Licensed ESA output already includes a Playmobil Mars exploration kit, Lego Hubble Space Telescope and Lego Artemis Space Launch System sets, and a newly announced partnership with the world’s leading non-fiction children’s publisher DK. There’s also a Barbie version of Samantha Cristoforetti, an ESA astronaut who is the first European female commander of the International Space Station.
Alongside Rocket Licensing, ESA is working on further building its licensing programme as ESA approaches its 50th birthday in 2025. The licensing campaign is backed up by a comprehensive style guide and trend guide as well as unique design assets. The style guide can offer official mission patches, graphics of the International Space Station, the Mars Rover and Ariane launchers and astonishing images of Earth, Mars and far-off nebulas.
These guides are leading a wide range of products – many focused on exploration and inspiration supported by ESA’s educational and outreach programmes for kids that encourage an interest in STEM subjects.
That mission has informed one of the biggest deals the brand has so far achieved in kids’ products: a major licensing agreement with DK, the world’s leading children’s non-fiction publisher, to create a range of ESA books for children and young people. The initial launches will include two books.
The first is The Astronaut Diaries: Journals of Andi Futura Aged 11 ½. Arriving in the autumn of this year, the book invites users to join Andi Futura, her mum, dad, brother and dog as they prepare to become the first family in space. In the book, Andi and the reader will learn about everything anyone needs to know on a space station – from robotics and solar panel repair to workout routines and managing personal hygiene in zero gravity.
The second book, Mission to Mars (at retail in spring 2025), is a choose-your-own-adventure-style book which will be illustrated by the artist duo Adamastor. The pair have created a sense of adventure and otherworldliness to complement a narrative by Dr Sheila Kanani, a planetary physicist, science presenter, secondary school physics teacher, space comedian and published author, that describes a journey to the Red Planet for young readers.
ESA will be pursuing many other licensing opportunities in areas like science kits and experiential offerings. For both kids and adults, the campaign is looking much further ahead into areas like toys, games, puzzles, paper products, stationery and gifting.
Awareness will be boosted by new launches and missions now in the pipeline, like Artemis II, a four-person flight beyond the Moon which is scheduled to take place late next year, and the launch, also in late 2025, of the Space Reusable Integrated Demonstrator for Europe Return – AKA the Space Rider, an uncrewed orbital lifting body spaceplane aiming to provide the European Space Agency (ESA) with affordable and routine access to space.
ESA will be turning 50 years old next year and is celebrating its unique role as the only organisation in the world that deals with every aspect of space activity and that is on a quest to find the hidden keys to the origin of the universe, the birth of life in the solar system and the protection of planet earth. With awareness higher than ever, the brand will continue to build momentum in the kids’ market – as can be found at the Rocket Licensing stand at BLE, where visitors can also hear about the many other kids’ brands Rocket will be supporting, including Horrible Science, Horrible Histories, Elf on The Shelf, Miffy and much more.
Colours of Nature Jigsaw Collection!
Acamar Films
020 3675 7450 | licensing@acamarfilms.com
Stand A201
Acamar Films will be at BLE with Bing, which first premiered on CBeebies in 2014. A top choice in households across Europe for 10 years and remaining one of the most requested children’s series on BBC iPlayer, Bing is a franchise which continues to forge strong connections with families. Bing has 21 years of publishing heritage and classic entertainment brand status, offering a commanding and unique position in the toddler and pre-school space. The property has a focus on mental, emotional and social development and resonates across multiple audiences, engaging infants, toddlers and pre-schoolers alike. The franchise also helps parents, as well as childcare professionals and extended family members, to understand how the young children in their lives may be experiencing and understanding their world.
On YouTube alone, there are over 7b lifetime views across 34 global Bing Bunny YouTube channels, and over 1m hours of Bing watched every day. In the UK, Bing has consistently been in the top three most downloaded shows on BBC iPlayer for 10 consecutive years, with over 1b iPlayer requests.
The opportunity for new licensees is significant and global. Acamar Films is focused on extending the toy category into construction, ELA, sensory and MESH toys for 2025 and beyond. Acamar Films is keen to talk to innovative partners interested in creating Bing products for infants, toddlers and pre-school children. Bing is a genderneutral property with a sweet spot among children aged 18 months to three and a half years. Acamar Films is exploring how Bing products can nourish developing minds, looking at products that encourage curiosity, creativity and self-expression.
The global licensing roll-out is building considerable momentum with consumer products launched in France in March, and an additional ten new market content and licensing launches planned throughout 2025 and 2026 including USA, Germany, Spain, Japan and Brazil/Mexico.
Giochi Preziosi is rolling out new Bing products in Italy, where Bing is the number one most popular property for children 0-6, and in France this autumn, from Golden Bear, to meet growing demand. Italian retailers will offer Bing's Sort and Stack Train, a pull-along toy crafted to enhance motor skills and cognitive development, and the Storytime Bing plush, which brings Bing’s stories to life with interactive storytelling. Meanwhile, in France, children can anticipate the Bing’s House Playset, offering hours of imaginative play as they explore Bing’s vibrant world. Bing toys will also be launched into the Greek market through Giochi Preziosi in 2025, a strategic move to continue to bolster the brand’s presence in Europe.
Also in Europe, Bing will soon premiere on Portugal's Panda+ SVOD platform, which is closely affiliated with Canal Panda, Dreamia's local pay TV channel. This SVOD deal joins the recently signed free TV agreement for Bing's return to RTP, the public broadcaster in Portugal.
Bing fans in the UK have much to look forward to with a new music album featuring four adapted nursery rhymes and six original songs, including the upcoming singles The Toothbrushing Song, Carrots and Bananas and Happy Birthday. There is also a special cinema package, Bing & His Friends: Birthday Celebration which will be available to watch in over 300 Vue, Odeon, Cineworld and Showcase cinemas across the UK from September, featuring interactive games and six episodes from the hit CBeebies series.
Launching in 2025, following live-show success in the Netherlands and Poland, London-based production company Fierylight will bring the successful Bing’s Birthday to theatres across the UK. The show will open at The Lowry in Salford on 20th February and then tour venues in the UK throughout spring and summer 2025.
Bing is also featuring in prestigious partnerships across Europe this year. In the UK, Bing continued to forge partnerships with the NSPCC, contributing to Childhood Day initiatives for the second consecutive year, by providing bespoke resources for nurseries. In Italy, in a collaboration between Bing and the Italian Society of Paediatrics (SIP) and Assonidi, a multi-year campaign was launched in the summer of 2023, aiming to promote healthy habits among young children throughout Italy. Bingbranded materials including height charts, stickers, activity sheets and expert tips have been supplied to paediatricians and teachers, with more materials and events to come in 2024.
With plans in place to extend into brand new content areas, and a commitment from Acamar Films to invest in new content, marketing and PR, creative assets, digital, social and key market development, Bing is well-placed to remain an indispensable companion to young children.
In June, it was announced that The Angry Birds Movie 3 is in production with DNEG Animation. The third instalment in the franchise will follow the continuing adventures of Red and Chuck, voiced once again by Jason Sudeikis and Josh Gad. The film follows the success of the first two Angry Birds movies, which together have grossed more than $500m at the worldwide box office and have demonstrated fantastic results on streaming platforms, signalling strong demand for the third theatrical instalment.
The brand also recently launched a new long-form series Angry Birds Mystery Island on Amazon Prime and Kids+. The series captivates audiences of all ages with comedy and action at the core. Angry Birds Mystery Island introduced viewers to a never-before-seen part of the Angry Birds universe with a new cast of characters who try to make it on their own on a strange island. The series is voiced by a star-studded cast featuring Harvey Guillén, Kate Micucci, Dominic Monaghan and Nasim Pedrad.
With a new series being released and a movie in the pipeline, the brand is celebrating its 15th anniversary in 2024. Angry Birds originally hatched as a casual mobile game and exploded into one of the most beloved entertainment brands in the world, inspiring dozens of games, billions of consumer products, parks and experiences, several animated series and a movie franchise. The world-famous Angry Birds mobile games continue to draw millions of active players with constant new collaborations and partnerships in the works, the latest being a mobile crossover event with Sonic the Hedgehog that brought the two iconic gaming worlds together. Angry Birds for Automotive also became available for cars with Google built-in, bringing the game to touchscreens of in-car infotainment systems.
The brand also continuously invests in efforts to protect the environment from raising awareness to educating fans. At the beginning of the year, the brand contributed and donated to Wild Green Future’s annual charity battle which supported the conservation of Brazil Nut Corridor in Peru. During Earth Day this year, Rovio’s key games united under the banner of “birds helping birds” to raise awareness for the damage that plastic waste does to the environment. Angry Birds Dream Blast, Angry Birds 2 and Angry Birds Friends all participated in special, limited-time events that informed players on environmental issues and directed them to where they could learn more. The brand also has a collaboration with Merlin Entertainment that brings an Angry Birds-themed promotion to selected Sea Life locations which focuses on educating how to help to save the ocean. During the event, visitors will embark on an activity trail complete with different challenges that will teach kids how to save the ocean and help the underwater creatures, in a fun and engaging way.
With the brand’s anniversary approaching in December, the company is focusing on announcing new partnerships and products. Earlier in 2024, new plush products were released with Posh Paws International and toys with Character Group. One of the latest partnership announcements came from Boyhood, which launched the world-famous Angry Birds characters as highly detailed wooden design collectibles. The products are produced from solid oak with smoke-stained oak and maple features, making the product a unique and perfect collectible for fans. With more announcements coming from fashion, publishing, gifts, costumes and LBE, the brand is looking forward to revealing new engaging experiences and memorable moments for fans.
Looking at the future, Angry Birds continues to invest in new and fresh content, expand its licensing initiatives and forge strategic partnerships to bring its beloved characters and universe to life in new ways. Whether through themed merchandise, interactive experiences, or digital content collaborations, Angry Birds ensures to embrace innovation and creativity to engage fans on multiple fronts. With the new movie in the pipeline, the brand is exploring new licensing opportunities and expanding ways to share the story and world of Angry Birds.
WildBrain
020 8563 6400 | hello@cplg.com
Stand B171
WildBrain CPLG, a trusted partner for leading brands worldwide, is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2024. With 23 offices covering over 100 territories globally, WildBrain builds innovative licensing programmes in entertainment, corporate, lifestyle and sport.
Teletubbies inspires in contemporary ways for cross-generational fans. The House of Teletubbies world tour — partnering with artists, retailers and fashion houses around the world — sees events launching throughout autumn and into 2025. Meanwhile, Strawberry Shortcake celebrates her 45th anniversary with new products highlighting her multi-generational legacy. A resurgence of popularity for classic Strawberry has an array of partners reimagining the brand.
With a new series, Camp Snoopy, launched on Apple TV+ and a feature film greenlit, Peanuts continues to reach a new generation of fans as it heads towards its 75th anniversary in 2025. WildBrain is bringing partners on board for an extensive cross-category programme in the UK, EMEA, APAC and China.
WildBrain continues to build on its global partnership with Playmobil as master licensee, expanding into new categories including LBE, and also recently expanded its partnership with Supercell across its smash-hit gaming franchises to represent global rights (excluding China) for Brawl Stars, building on its existing representation of The World of Clash.
Sega’s Sonic the Hedgehog continues to drive momentum globally with the launch of Knuckles, as well as Sonic the Hedgehog 3 from Paramount Pictures and Sega slated for release in December. With an expanded Spin Master partnership to represent Unicorn Academy in Nordics, Iberia, Italy and Benelux, including LBE rights, WildBrain is driving cross-category opportunities for the property.
Dr. Seuss properties continue to gain traction as WildBrain adds partners for The Grinch and The Cat in the Hat ahead of the animated feature film coming in March 2026. With a second Netflix season approaching, the licensing programme for MGM’s Wednesday builds, alongside products for Pink Panther and Rocky. Sony’s extensive slate of hit properties, including Ghostbusters, Cobra Kai and The Boys, continues to see diverse licensed ranges. WildBrain is also driving opportunities for Hasbro’s Peppa Pig and My Little Pony, as well as Paramount’s Paw Patrol, SpongeBob SquarePants and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. It is the exclusive master agent for the Fuggler brand including LATAM, Europe (excluding UK & Ireland) and APAC (excluding ANZ, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan) building the programme across multiple categories. WildBrain’s Corporate & Lifestyle division, Aspire, represents Yale, Harvard, Columbia and Cambridge universities; plus spirits brands Absolut and Malibu; as well as Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber.
Xbox Gaming Consumer Products
www.xbox.com | xboxcpl@microsoft.com
Stand B244 Merchantwise Group
Booth / Stand C241 Beanstalk
Xbox Gaming Consumer Products will be at this year’s BLE with new updates. Microsoft Gaming, Xbox Game Studios, Activision Blizzard King and Bethesda are responsible for developing and publishing some of the biggest and most beloved franchises in history, with a focus on delivering great games for everyone, whether they play on console, PC, or mobile devices. Franchises include Age of Empires, Call of Duty, Candy Crush, Diablo, Doom, Fallout, Forza, Gears of War, Halo, Microsoft Solitaire, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Overwatch, The Elder Scrolls, World of Warcraft and many more. Since its launch in 2001, the Xbox console and platform have continued to evolve. Today, Xbox is committed to bringing the joy and community of gaming to everyone, through cutting-edge consoles, PC gaming and cloud. Xbox supports a robust community of players through its online services and social features, making it easier to connect, share and play together. In keeping with its fan-first approach, the Xbox Game Pass is a subscription service with 34m subscribers that gives members access to a library of hundreds of high-quality games on console, PC and cloud, with new games added all the time. John Friend, head of Xbox Gaming Consumer Products for Xbox, ABK, Bethesda and Xbox Game Studios will be at BLE with his team to discuss the latest information on some of the most popular games.
Originally released in 2004, World of Warcraft, developed by Blizzard Entertainment, is one of the most successful and influential MMORPGs in history. It’s an online adventure where players become heroes, embark on quests and battle fierce monsters in a vast fantasy world. They can choose from diverse races and classes, team up with friends, and engage in battles. Constant updates ensure excitement and new challenges. Winning multiple awards, WoW holds two Guinness World Records: the most popular MMORPG by subscribers and recognised for the fastest-selling PC game with several expansions holding this title.
The tenth expansion of WoW, World of Warcraft: The War Within is the opening chapter of the most ambitious story arc in the game's near 20-year history. Across Europe, fans can look forward to a wide range of products, including McFarlane Toys' recent launch of a 16-figure collectible line of powerful warriors and towering monsters. Coming in September from Funko Pop are new vinyl figures, the Lich King and Lady Sylvanas. Also, this year, new metal art posters will be available from Displate; keychains, drinkware and mousemats from Abysse; and massmarket apparel featuring high-density prints and 3D minimalist details from Difuzed. Additionally, the Small World of Warcraft stand-alone board game for ages 8+ from Days of Wonder continues to excite fans everywhere.
The military science fiction media franchise Halo will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2026. Since the first game launch in 2001, the franchise has grossed more than $6b. The latest game, Halo Infinite was released in late 2021 and became the biggest launch in franchise history. Halo has expanded into novels, graphic novels, comic books, short films, animated films, feature films and most recently, the critically acclaimed live-action TV series released globally on Paramount+ and in SkyShowtime markets, boasting a 94% ranking on Rotten Tomatoes. Merchandise sales have exceeded $1.8b. The game combines sci-fi storytelling with first-person shooter gameplay and features the iconic superweapon Halo rings. Originally developed and created by Bungie, Halo is managed and developed by 343 Industries.
This autumn, Halo fans can look forward to multiple new product releases. Among them is Halo: Flashpoint, a tactical miniatures tabletop game for two players from Mantic Games (ages 14+) which promises easy-to-learn yet challenging gameplay. Also upcoming is the Halo Plasma Blaster from Gel Blaster for ages 14+, featuring integrated WiFi and infrared technology that connects through the Nexus mobile app for an immersive experience. Dark Horse Comics will release The Making of Halo The Series: Hope, Heroism, Humanity in October. Fans can enjoy reading while cuddling up to Tomy’s 15-inch Halo Master Chief plush from Club Mocchi-Mocchi. New items from Youtooz were also launched in August, and the Mega Halo UNSC Arctic Burn Wasp (ages 13+) launched in June 2024 makes for a perfect holiday gift.
Fallout was birthed in 1997 by Interplay Productions as a top-down, turn-based RPG set in a mid-22nd century post-apocalyptic and retro-futuristic world. Bethesda Game Studios took over the franchise and released Fallout 3 in 2008, bringing the classic title into the first and third-person RPG space. The April 2024 debut of the Fallout Amazon Original Series received positive reviews from critics and fans alike, reigniting interest in the franchise.
This October, fans can look forward to the launch of new toys tied to the TV series including the best-selling wearable collectible – the Pip-Boy replica from The Wand Co; highly detailed 6” scale posed figures from McFarlane Toys; and Fallout Miniatures: Hollywood Heroes from Modiphius Entertainment. Also, from Modiphius is the Fallout Factions: Battle for Nuka World Starter Set, a table-top miniatures skirmish game, which launched in July.
Xbox fans everywhere have embraced Mattel’s Mega Xbox 360 Collectible Building Set that launched in October 2023. Inspired by the gaming console, this collector-building set celebrates the legacy of the Xbox 360. With a fully buildable, light-up console and controller, the console opens to reveal a disc drive (and other Easter eggs) that activates the motherboard.
Moonbug
www.moonbug.com
| licensing@moonbug.com
Stand A131
CoComelon has just expanded its colourful world of learning and nursery rhymes to mobile devices with CoComelon - Learn and Play with JJ, which has recently launched for Apple and Android users. Filled with interactive, fun and creative activities, the app supports children’s social and emotional development, all set to their favourite nursery rhymes.
CoComelon has also teamed up with US kids’ magazine Highlights to launch the first-of-its-kind Highlights CoComelon mini magazine. Each 16-page, full-colour issue is filled with songbased adventures for children aged 1-4 that reflect toddlers’ and pre-schoolers’ routines, experiences and interests. The go-anywhere print format is full of beloved CoComelon friends like JJ, Cody, Nina, CeCe and more and is designed to enhance a family’s CoComelon video experience. Each issue includes games, puzzles, recipes, science, poems and stories to entertain young children, while caregivers can enjoy the parent tips, tricks and ways to extend exploration beyond the pages.
This holiday, CoComelon Playdate, a family entertainment experience, will open at the Mall of America, North America's largest shopping and entertainment destination in Bloomington, Minnesota. Designed to captivate young minds, CoComelon Playdate will blend the charm of a children's museum with the excitement of a kids' play zone. Bringing to life the iconic locations, beloved characters and music of CoComelon, children and parents alike will experience an adventure through JJ's Treehouse, the Melon Patch Academy, the Fire Station, Kwame's Bakery, Old MacDonald’s Farm, the iconic yellow school bus and much more, all within a safe and engaging indoor environment.
Blippi garners over 1b monthly views across platforms including Netflix, HBO Max, Cartoonito, Sky, Amazon and YouTube, and is designed to ignite curiosity in children all over the world by turning real-world learning into playful adventures. The property is celebrating its 10th anniversary with new consumer product partnerships, new content and guest appearances, as well as new live shows and meet and greets. Fans of the brand can celebrate special Blippi moments this year including a new footwear collaboration with Reebok, recently launched around the world. NASA, Build-A-Bear Workshop, Spin Master Entertainment, Tonies, Simple Modern, Bums & Roses, Sesame Street and others top a list of partnerships and collaborations celebrating Blippi’s 10-year milestone.
Millions of fans enjoyed Blippi’s recent special 10th-anniversary show on YouTube, featuring largerthan-life stunt episodes including Blippi's Biggest Ballpit Ever and Blippi's Candy Escape Challenge. Later this year, Blippi will get into the spooky season spirit with a 60-minute Halloween special, and a new Blippi vehicle-themed series called Go Go Blippi Show will impress young automotive fans. This series features several world-class brands, including Monster Jam, which hosted Blippi and Meekah at its World Finals event at Sofi Stadium.
Moonbug and Disney Branded Television recently launched Morphle and the Magic Pets, a new animated series on Disney Junior and Disney+ based on the YouTube hit My Magic Pet Morphle. The show follows Mila, her stepbrother Jordie and her shapeshifting magic pet, Morphle. The trio use their skills, smarts and imagination, to solve the town’s problems, keep magic pets out of mischief and find magic matches for each of these unique characters. Magic and comedy fuel their adventures, but in the end, it’s the power of friendship that turns Mila, Jordie and Morphle into an unbeatable team. Moonbug has recently debuted a brand-new colourful toy line inspired by the series at 1,800 US Walmart stores. This new range features four products that children can discover and interact with to bring their favourite Morphle characters to life.
A brand-new batch of Morphle and the Magic Pets episodes has launched on Disney+ around the world. In these adventures, Mila, Jordi and Morphle experience a ride-along monster truck contest, help Skunkafunk when she gets separated from her magic match, partake in a cake bake-off, put on a magical talent show, search a spooky cave to find a legendary magic pet and more.
Libertas Brands
fugglers@libertasbrands.com
Stand E177
2024 has been a year of significant progress for the Fuggler brand. Through its partnership with Blue Zoo Studios, the brand launched over 20 episodes of the first ever live-action Fuggler shorts series on YouTube, with episodes such as Fuggler Business, Never Date a Fuggler and Fluff up your Fuggler! having gone live in early March, along with multiple parody 2D animated shorts appearing across TikTok, Instagram, Meta, X and YouTube.
Fuggler has successfully launched across dozens of markets including the US, with a first-to-market launch at Walmart across the Fuggler Misfits range and the Fuggler Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles collection. Strong sales saw the Fuggler brand become a Top 5 new property in February in the US, according to Circana data. In May 2024, Libertas Brands announced a partnership with Zuru to take on the manufacturing, sales and distribution globally of the Fuggler plush range from Addo Play.
A partnership with Blue Zoo Studios sees the animation production company currently in the process of working through concepts and ideas with a variety of broadcasters and studios on a potential long-form Fuggler series. Fuggler skins have been launched on Roblox, with more digital gaming activations to come from the brand.
Libertas has already introduced Fuggler plush toys into Tesco stores across the UK as part of The Entertainer and Tesco partnership, and this will continue throughout 2024, with further distribution across other key UK & Ireland retailers happening through 2025. Along with master toy partner Zuru, new licensees have jumped on board throughout 2024, including Poetic Brands (apparel, footwear and accessories), PMI Kids World (collectible toys), Sinco Pets (pet toys), Hunter Price (stationery), Rainbow Productions (walk around costume characters), Spirit (costumes) and Lake Press (publishing), with various other categories currently under negotiation across the UK & Ireland, US & Canada, China, Japan and multiple markets.
As the company continues to license Fuggler into other product categories, it aims to stay faithful to its branding by delivering the distinctive features that make Fuggler unique, such as the realistic teeth and eyes, and the Butt-on-holes.
The Fuggler brand is represented around the world by various strong agent partners with Retail Monster for the US and Canada, Haven Global for Australia and New Zealand, Creative Minds for Japan, Future of Play for China, Hong Kong and Taiwan and, for the rest of the world, WildBrain-CPLG. Libertas Brands oversees licensing for the UK and Ireland.
At BLE 2024, visitors to the Fuggler booth can have a go at knocking down the Fuggler teeth to win a mini Fuggler. Each entry costs £5, with Informa matching all donations. 100% of the proceeds will go to licensing industry charity The Light Fund.
Lisle Licensing
07805 230 205
Stand D211
Lisle Licensing returns to BLE to highlight its successes and growth over the past year. In the past two years, the agency has broadened its client portfolio and now has a roster representing brands which want to create breakthroughs in consumer products and commercial partnerships.
The Mood Bears licensing programme continues to evolve following the recent announcement of master publisher, Igloo Books. Lisle will take the brand, comprising of eight colourful plush bears which reflect human emotions, to BLE, aiming to build the Mood Bears’ licensing programme further. The company has also recently signed Hunter Price for Stationery, Arts & Craft and Jewellery.
For lifestyle duo, Style Sisters, Lisle has delivered a licensing programme that has seen the brand expand into new sectors which include storage solutions, fragrance and home décor. It was announced last month that the celebrity duo, Charlotte Reddington and Gemma Lilly, are to launch their first homeware collection at Tesco for autumn winter 2024, in more than 200 stores across the UK. The girls will be on Lisle’s stand at BLE to meet licensees and retailers to expand in further categories for 2025.
Earlier this year Lisle welcomed The Dogfather, Graeme Hall, to its portfolio, covering the UK and Aus/NZ. Widely known as the personable presenter of the global hit Channel 5 show Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly, the team is focused on a strategy spanning Pets in the Home and Pets on the Go consumer products which appeal to global consumers at category entry levels. Luxury interiors brand Poodle and Blonde was onboarded by Lisle at the beginning of this year and has already generated enthusiasm amongst retailers and licensees. Its bold, maximalist, stylish nostalgia and timeless designs have the potential to seamlessly transfer into a targeted high-end consumer products programme.
In the art-design category, Lisle represents the vibrant and eclectic design brand, Studio Blom. The first licensee on board is Widdop and Co. which is developing products spanning gifting, dinnerware and drinkware, crafting, home accessories, candles and home fragrance with more news to follow. Lisle continues to represent both the Kate Smith Company and Lucia Heffernan, and will meet with potential licensees to build upon the successes of these two long-standing clients.
To arrange a meeting, contact Francesca Lisle at the phone number above.
Blue Zoo
020 7434 4111 | www.blue-zoo.co.uk
karen.mcnally@blue-zoo.co.uk
Stand C131
Blue Zoo Animation Studios continues its global mission to create content that entertains, educates and inspires young minds. Under the leadership of Oli Hyatt, Adam Shaw and Tom Box, the British Animation Studio, now in its 24th year is consistently listed as a top ten studio worldwide and the first of its kind to receive B-Corp status.
Following a busy and eventful first two years, Blue Zoo Licensing is announcing brand new pre-school show Mojo Swoptops at BLE. A co-production between Tararaboom and Blue Zoo Productions, this action-adventure show (52x11) combines vehicles with magical transformations. It follows Mojo and her best friend Bo as they solve problems in the town of Swoppiton using limitless Swoptops.
Based on the original Ladybird book series by Cindy Black and Rich Ward, publishing and toy discussions are underway with further categories being explored to launch from 2025. The show is scheduled to launch globally with the UK first to air on CBeebies in early October 2024 and confirmed broadcasters including TVO, SVT, NRK, DR, YLE, Ketnet and S4C. Blue Zoo, working in partnership with Aardman Distribution, will be announcing more broadcast platforms soon.
Blue Zoo Digital, a team which have built the Blocks IP from zero to 14b YouTube views, 83b YouTube impressions, over 12m app downloads and 14m subscribers to the Blocks channels in the space of three years, will be responsible for the digital offering for Mojo Swoptops.
The series will launch simultaneously across YouTube and iPlayer with ancillary content in development. Exclusive content, paid apps, music and digital-first exclusives as well as a rigorous social media presence will ensure optimum reach worldwide, building a solid foundation to sustain the planned consumer products programme.
The success of the award-winning hit global show Numberblocks continues unabated. Numberblocks is an integral part of the Blocks universe, which also includes Alphablocks and Colourblocks. Blue Zoo has recently signed a five-year output deal with the BBC and multiple new series of Blocks content are in progress. Numberblocks series seven lands in the UK this autumn and a new series of Alphablocks and Colourblocks is in development as well as a brand-new show focused on thinking and coding.
Following the award-winning toy range from Learning Resources/Hand2mind and a host of other licensed product from partners such as Sweet Cherry, Immediate Media, TDP, Aykroyds, Rubies and Trends, interest from licensees continues to grow. With a worldwide product launch with Tonies in the autumn and many other products soon to be announced, the brands continue to go from strength to strength. Recent data shows that Numberblocks is the No.3 growth property in pre-school toys overall in the US.
With agents in South Korea, Japan, China and the Middle East and more to be announced, Blue Zoo continues to expand its presence as international markets become ever more important.
BLE
Studio 100
www.studio100media.com
Stand D145
Studio 100 will be making an appearance at BLE with plenty of newness from several of its properties, including Vegesaurs and Heidi. The company has recently launched a new platform featuring timeless classic cartoon programmes that are sure to spark feelings of nostalgia in adult viewers.
Vegesaurs is a fresh and unique take on the dinosaur genre. Every episode, starring Ginger and her three Pea-Rex friends, is a stand-alone mini-adventure with a focus on visual comedy. Already on air in more than 20 territories, including ABC (Australia), BBC (UK), TVO Kids, Knowledge Network and Radio Canada (Canada), the show will soon arrive on Ceska Televize (Czech Republic), ORF (Austria), TG4 (Ireland), JY Animation (China) and RTP (Portugal). Season 3 launched on ABC Kids in Australia in June 2024, with a launch planned in September 2024 in the UK on CBeebies and BBC iPlayer.
Vegesaurs has been seeing TV success, currently standing as the top 10 show on CBeebies and Top 20 on YLE, as well as being the No.2 commissioned series on ABC (Australia). Additionally, the show has over 33m views on BBC iPlayer since launching and over 30m plays on ABC iView. The programme is receiving strong marketing support from BBC through all its social media platforms, as well as interactive content online, YouTube compilations, shorts and live streams, and games and apps including Get Creative, Playtime Island and Story Time, which is launching this month. Vegesaurs has been featured in nursery rhymes and sing-along shorts created by Cheeky Little and launched on its international YouTube channel with a multilanguage tool for French and Spanish speakers. The nursery rhymes have received over 3m views and a total of 40.000 hours of watch time.
The property also features multiple licensing partners across several industries including L-Founders (retail loyalty), Macmillan (master publisher), Globetrade (toys and plush), Immediate Media (magazine), iLove Snacks (Food and beverages) and Sony Music (audio stories) and has been seeing continuous licensing success. Its loyalty campaign with Lidl in autumn 2023 and spring 2024 included a TV campaign, in-store activation, out-of-home activities and a social media boost. Vegesaurs is set to continue with launches of Season 3, plus more Specials and Seasonals on the official YouTube channel. Consumers can also expect Meet & Greets with Ginger, and a Vegesaurs Immersive Experience set to launch in Australia this December and arriving across the globe in the UK, France, USA and MENA, as well as other European countries in Studio 100 Theme Parks.
Heidi, Maya the Bee, Vicky the Viking, Pinocchio and Alice in Wonderland are all classic stories that have shaped the childhoods of many. On 1st April, Studio 100 launched the Heroes of Childhood YouTube channel dedicated to teens and young adults who enjoy retro animated programmes. In addition to numerous clips from several original cartoon series of the 70s and 80s, there will be new and entertaining content uploaded each week, including character specials, shorts and compilations across both YouTube and TikTok.
Initially launching in Germany, Studio 100 plans to gradually introduce more languages, extending to a global audience. In conjunction with the launch of these social media channels, Studio 100 is introducing a Heroes of Childhood fashion collection, available on leading online platforms such as Zalando, About You, Otto, Limango and Amazon Fashion, as well as in its own Heroes of Childhood online shop. By combining modern street style with iconic elements from the series, Heroes of Childhood aims to create a bridge between generations.
Set to arrive in theatres in July 2025, Studio 100 is currently producing the CGI adventure film Heidi – Rescue of the Lynx, alongside 3Doubles Producciones, Hotel Hungaria Animation and in association with Studio Isar Animation Script. In 2018, the Heidiseum was founded, placing Heidi, an important part of Swiss cultural heritage, on a new cultural footing with various cultural projects and exhibitions. The Heidi Archive of the Heidiseum maintains numerous documents from the estate of the author Johanna Spyri as well as original illustrations, publishing documents and rare editions. UNESCO has recognised the value of these testimonies by including them in the international Memory of the World register in 2023. In addition to temporary exhibitions, the Heidiseum is planning a multimedia Heidi Centre in Zurich. The documentary heritage will be made accessible to a broad and international public in a modern and innovative way.
The Heidi property boasts multiple licensees across industries including Toys and Games: Playmobil, Zapf Creation and Ravensburger; Home and Living: Herding, PureSigns, Lamprecht, Knorr Toys and Stoff & Liebe: Home Entertainment: Sony Music and Tonies; Apparel: Bloomery, Bavarian Caps, Spreadshirt, Mask World and Bergmensch; Publishing: Hachette, Blue Ocean Entertainment and Pro Book; and Promotion: MyPostcard, TCC and Heidi Hotel Falkensee.
New Trend Books for licensing highlight the manga characters of Heidi more prominently. Studio 100 International has developed four versions that can be chosen according to the target audience. Heidi Cherry Blossom Girl LR emphasises cherry blossoms and romance, Heidi Kanazawa Craft focuses on craftsmanship and minimalism, Heidi Tokyo Lights is reminiscent of the neon lights of the 90s and evokes nostalgia and Homesick Heidi showcases the nuanced emotional world of Heidi.
