Toyworld may 2016

May 2016 volume 5 issue 8

May 2016 volume 5 issue 8

The business magazine with a passion for toys

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19/04/2016 14:50

The Team...

CONTENTS May 2016 volume 5 issue 8

John Baulch

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

28 Science and Nature

46 Dolls

Mark Austin

Advertisement Manager mark@toyworldmag.co.uk 01442 502 405

Graeme Thomas

Production Manager graeme@toyworldmag.co.uk 07792 889 919

News

Opinion

Features

05 From the Publisher

26 NPD column

24 Brand profile: Mister Maker

06 News

38 Viewpoint

28 Science and Nature

14 Industry Moves

72 Touching Base

42 Electronic Learning Aids

16 Marketing World

75 Talking Shop

46 Dolls

18 Licensing World

102 Allegedly

58 Girls Collectibles 70 Fresh 80 Toymaster

Anita Baulch

Circulation Manager anita@toyworldmag.co.uk 01923 711 439

Contributors David Ripley | Andy Clempson | Ruth Clement | The NPD Group | Martin Doyle | Jim Hawker | Mark Buschhaus | Stephen Barnes

Clarabel Jones

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

58 Girls Collectibles

80 Toymaster

Jonika Kinchin

Editorial Assistant jonika@toyworldmag.co.uk 01442 502 407

toyworld The business magazine with a passion for toys

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19/04/2016 13:53:37

I from the publisher

John Baulch - @Baulchtweet

t has been a lively start to the year, with plenty of interesting developments to write and comment about – which I won’t deny is a great boon to a journalist. Just as we went to press last month, a proposed administrator was appointed at Toymaster’s largest member by turnover, Trod / Buy for Less. Although it was a shame for both parties that this outcome couldn’t be avoided, it didn’t come completely out of the blue. Our news section contains a report from the recent Toymaster suppliers’ meeting, at which Ian Edmunds spoke at length about the timeline of events which led up to the administration.

Trod has been no stranger to controversy in recent years: long before the recent FBI investigation into price-fixing allegations, I remember attending a previous Toymaster Supplier’s meeting when some pretty searching questions were asked about Trod and its arrangement with Toymaster. The very fact that Toymaster now refuses membership to onlineonly retailers suggests that the head office team was acutely aware of the strong feelings of its members and the concerns of some suppliers.

For now, the main thing to stress is that Toymaster has demonstrated that it has made provision for this development, and whilst it will undoubtedly have a short-term impact on the financial health of the operation, the long term viability of the group is not in question.

Ultimately, it’s good to see that Toymaster has a clear strategy for dealing with unfortunate situations such as this, and that the long-term future of Toymaster is secured by the measures which have been implemented.

All of which will come as a huge relief to both Toymaster members and suppliers, and as people head to Harrogate for this month’s enduringly popular May Show, I’m sure the events of the past month will take a back seat in favour of focusing on the business in hand: finalising Christmas orders. To help Toymaster members and other retail visitors prepare for the event, there’s an extensive Preview of the show in this month’s issue (turn to page 71), and the Toy World team is looking forward to joining everyone in Harrogate in a few short weeks.

In other news, the Home Retail Group board of directors has voted unanimously in favour of accepting the Sainsbury’s acquisition proposal.

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Unless anything unforeseen comes along to derail the process, the deal is expected to be completed in the third quarter of this year. The interesting statistic which caught my eye was Sainsbury’s estimate that buying Home Retail will result in £160m of profit benefits by the third year after completion: it’s a bold claim (this figure has jumped up by over 30% since the previous forecast), and it will be fascinating to see how accurate this projection proves to be in the long term, and indeed how such a major improvement to the bottom line can be delivered. Suppliers are already beginning to speculate about what measures the new owner might implement once the takeover is complete, and what impact these changes could have on their business. Given the fact we’re talking about the largest retailer in the market, their concern is understandable.

The VTech acquisition of LeapFrog was also finally approved last month, and I gather that initial meetings have already taken place in the UK to start the integration process. VTech’s management team seems genuinely excited about the opportunity, and I understand there is some great product development in the pipeline within the LeapFrog brand. The ELA market is one of the product categories highlighted in this month’s features: we also cover the dolls and girls’ collectibles sectors, along with the burgeoning science and nature market. We’re also delighted to bring you our third ‘Have you Considered’ supplement, which focuses on a selection of product categories which sit outside the traditional parameters of the toy market, but can still offer great sales opportunities to toy retailers. This year’s supplement highlights areas as diverse as children’s bedrooms, bags and lunchboxes, musical instruments and books. The common denominator is that all of these categories touch on children’s daily routine, whether at home or at school – and if toy retailers can capitalise on these areas and enjoy incremental sales, everyone’s a winner.

Our extended panel of contributors is also on great form this month: with subjects ranging from the potential of cinema advertising, the employment of ad blockers by kids (something that no-one can do with print ads, thank goodness!), what makes a great toy sales person and how toy retailers can make every customer visit count, I genuinely believe there is something for everyone over the next 100 or so pages – enjoy.

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The toy trade’s no.1 resource for news and analysis

Trod appoints KPMG

KPMG’s restructuring arm has been appointed as administrator to the troubled online toy retailer. Trod sells branded toys through multiple online marketplaces, along with its own websites, and employs around 60 staff from its base in Birmingham.

The business’ owner, Daniel William Aston, is facing possible extradition to America over alleged price-fixing on Amazon following an FBI raid on his home and business. So far there have been no redundancies.

Chris Pole and Allan Graham have been named joint administrators to the retailer, which trades under the names of Buy 4 Less, Buy For Less, Buy-For-Less-Online, 247 Toys and Global Trader.

A spokesman for KPMG said the administrators had “sought legal advice, and will continue to do so, regarding the ongoing investigations and the implications to the administration”. This includes “seeking advice on how any potential fine/liability would rank”.

The firm said it will co-operate with the FBI and any other “relevant authorities with regards to any requests they make”.

According to the Daily Mail, prosecutors allege that Daniel and his co-conspirators “agreed to adopt specific pricing algorithms for certain posters to try to make sure they were sold online at the same price and to coordinate any price changes”.

Commenting on the appointment, Chris Pole, director at KPMG and joint administrator, said: “The company has experienced significant trading difficulties over a number of years, incurring losses which have ultimately proved to be unsustainable. We will be trading the business as a going concern while we seek a buyer for the business and its assets. We would advise any interested parties to contact the joint administrators as soon as possible to express their interest.”

VTech completes acquisition of LeapFrog

On April 5th the company announced the completion of its acquisition of LeapFrog Enterprises.

Under the terms of the previously announced transaction, VTech agreed to acquire 100% of the outstanding common stock of LeapFrog at $1.00 per share through an all cash tender offer followed by a second-step merger. The tender offer commenced on 3rd March 2016 and expired at 11:59pm, New York City time, on 1st April 2016.

As previously announced, approximately 56.6% of all issued and outstanding shares of LeapFrog’s common stock were tendered into the offer and accepted for purchase by Bonita Merger Sub, L.L.C., an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of VTech.

The tender offer and the merger were completed, meaning that effective from 4th April 2016, LeapFrog is now an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of VTech.

Sainsbury’s and Home Retail Group agree on £1.4bn deal

The announcement has been made after nearly a four month battle that began on 5th January, when Sainsbury’s first disclosed its interest.

The deal comes after South African retailer Steinhoff International Holdings NV withdrew from the battle to acquire the Argos owner and will bring an end to almost 10 years of independence for the Home Retail Group.

Sainsbury’s will pay 0.321 new shares and 55p per share in cash to buy Argos, and Home Retail Group shareholders will hold 12% of the combined business.

David Tyler, chairman at Sainsbury’s, said: “The combined business will offer fast delivery networks, which we believe will be very attractive to customers and which will create value to both sets of shareholders.”

Home Retail Group chairman, John Coombe, added: “We are pleased that Sainsbury’s has recognised our progress and our potential with its recommended acquisition of Home Retail Group. Argos is both an icon of the British high street and also a leader in the digital transformation of UK retailing.”

The supermarket retailer said the move will create a “multi-product, multi-channel business”.

The deal is expected to be completed in the third quarter.

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Hasbro and Indiegogo launch crowdfunding challenge

newsanalysis Toymaster assures suppliers of its long-term viability John Baulch reports from the Toymaster Suppliers meeting, held in Swindon

On Wednesday 6th April, I joined a room full of toy suppliers keen to hear Toymaster offer further insight into its largest member Trod’s recent administration process. Indeed, the fate of Trod and its potential repercussions was just about the only topic of conversation prior to the presentation commencing. However, it was probably a measure of the extensive information provided by Toymaster in advance, and also during the meeting, that when questions were sought from the floor, only one was raised and even that only indirectly related to Trod.

Toy World covered the story extensively when it originally broke, so I won’t go over old ground. However, some additional detail was provided

by Ian Edmunds at the meeting: Trod’s annual purchases amounted to £5.6m (NB not £49m as has been erroneously reported elsewhere), approximately 10% of Toymaster’s turnover. A ‘sizeable’ provision has been made for potential losses as a result of Trod’s administration in the 2015/16 accounts, which will mean that despite Toymaster trading profitably (70% of the individual members increased their turnover last year), this will result in the company making a loss for the first time in nine years. Therefore, no brand enhancement will be paid to members this year, while the bad debt reserve has been utilised.

Despite this, Ian re-iterated that Toymaster had put a range of measures in place long before the Trod situation arose which will ensure the long-term viability of the group, which includes refusing new membership to online-only accounts; increasingly stringent financial criteria for new members; restrictions on members increasing their store portfolios and closer monitoring of members. It was also confirmed that Toymaster would not engage in ongoing dialogue with certain large retail groups which had approached them over the past year, and would focus on supporting its independent base.

The timeline of events leading up to Trod’s administration was quite interesting: for those that weren’t aware, Trod first joined Toymaster back in 2007, when it operated out of one small ‘bricks and mortar’ shop. From there it branched out significantly into the online sphere, and by 2011 it was Toymaster’s biggest member. Apparently things first started to go awry at the end of 2012, when Trod suffered a poor Christmas after what Ian Edmunds described as “Amazon changing the rules.” The board subsequently took the decision in January 2013 to support Trod through its difficulties. A year later, with problems at Conways to contend with, a decision was taken not to address the Trod situation and exacerbate things further. Trod is then said to have traded profitably in 2014, so the board decided in January 2015 to continue to support the retailer. It was in September 2015 that things took a significant turn for the worse, after owner Daniel Aston reportedly suffered some major health issues. Turnover rapidly dropped below anticipated levels and, sadly, the rest is history.

Hasbro and the crowdfunding website have announced that the Hasbro Gaming Lab Spring 2016 Next Great Game Challenge is now open to game designers in the UK, US, Canada (excluding Quebec), France and Germany.

Following its successful debut in the US in 2015, the crowdfunding gaming challenge provides a platform for independent game designers to gain visibility for their ideas, and allows Hasbro to discover and develop new games.

Between 7th April and 15th May, game designers can submit their ideas for a new face-to-face game at www.nextgreatgamechallenge.com. A team of Hasbro game experts and designers will evaluate each submission and select 15 semi-finalists to submit prototypes of their game for review. After playing each of the top 15 games, Hasbro will select five finalists to launch campaigns for their concept on Indiegogo, which will run from 18th October to 14th November. Each finalist will receive $2,000 as well as mentorship from Hasbro and Indiegogo as they raise awareness, funding, and support for their game. The grand prize winner will be announced in late 2016 and will receive $25,000, a trip to Hasbro’s headquarters, and the opportunity to work with Hasbro to make their game a reality.

Brian Chapman, head of design and development at Hasbro, commented: “The Next Great Game Challenge with Indiegogo is an incredible opportunity for us to further connect with the gaming community and to uncover new games with amazing stories, like we did last year with winner Dan Goodsell and The Mr Toast Game. We are looking for games with a unique narrative and visual style which can provide a fun opportunity for storytelling through gaming, and we’re excited to see the ideas from game designers around the world.”

Magformers unveils new Original Magformers stamp

The new Original Magformers stamp will feature on the company’s packaging and in-store point of purchase displays. The artwork is designed to support retailers, and helps to convey to consumers that Magformers is a high-quality brand and a true leader in its field with an unrivalled commitment to safety.

Magformers’ UK managing director, David Kelly, commented: “As Magformers becomes bigger and more successful around the globe because of its award-winning design, quality and universal appeal, we are beginning to see increasing numbers of inferior copycats, and even blatantly fake products, come to market. It’s important for our customers and consumers to understand that since 2005, Magformers has been at the forefront of magnetic construction toy development, with a huge commitment to R&D and product safety, and this has seen us win more than 50 international toy and education awards. While other magnetic tile toys might look and feel like Magformers, they certainly don’t meet our commitment to longevity, quality and safety and the new artwork will help to communicate that.”

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Distoy’s international reputation grows

Distoy, the London-based show for the global toy distributor community, will be taking place from 31st May to 3rd June. The event will once again be held at The St James’ Court and St Ermin’s Hotels in the Buckingham Gate area of the capital.

Organiser David Potter told Toy World: “I’m delighted that Distoy’s international reputation continues to grow each year. The show has become a firm fixture on the international calendar, and this year will see a number of new exhibitors from Australia, New Zealand and Latin America. Many exhibitors and visitors come back each year, which shows how well the event works for the global toy community. As ever, we’ll do our best to deliver the best possible experience for everyone involved.”

According to David, Distoy is once again a sell-out event: “We’ve managed to secure some extra rooms at the St Ermin’s Hotel this year, so we’ve been able to accommodate several new companies. We already take over the whole of the ground floor and floors one, two and three of the St James’ Hotel, so we physically can’t get any more space there.”

As usual the show will operate on a “by appointment only” basis and there are no rigid opening and closing times. Distributors and exhibitors are free to schedule meetings at any mutually convenient time – exhibitors will have permanent access to their showrooms.

Visitors wishing to register to attend the event or find out more information can visit www.distoy.com.

Tickets for the BTHA’s Toy Industry Day now available

This year’s Toy Industry Day will take place at Great Fosters Hotel in Egham, Surrey on Wednesday 29th June.

The event will begin with the BTHA & TRA AGMs at 9.30am, which will then be followed by the Industry Day from 10.15am. The event is a great opportunity to meet and network with industry colleagues, giving visitors the opportunity to hear from expert speakers on issues relating to the industry.

This year the BTHA has unveiled two unrivalled keynote speakers for the event.

Paul Martin, managing director of KPMG’s Boxwood Insights, will provide an expert analysis of the current retail environment, encompassing market trends which are driving growth and value. This will then be followed by a presentation from Sir Clive Woodward OBE, who will share his experiences of creating a winning and inclusive team environment where everyone buys in.

The Industry Day will conclude with the presentation of four prestigious BTHA Lifetime Achievement Awards to the founding members of Character Options, closely followed by a celebratory three-course lunch.

Tickets for the event are limited and guests are initially limited to one ticket per company. Subject to availability, guests who wish to bring colleagues will be contacted with the offer of additional tickets. Allocation will take place from 23rd May. Tickets are priced at £50+VAT, with subsequent tickets priced at £25+VAT subject to availability.

For any further queries relating to the event please contact the BTHA events team on 020 7701 7127.

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Bigjigs Toys sees profits halved after failed tax relief schemes

According to Kent Business magazine, Bigjigs Toys suffered an overall loss on the year of £101,000, having made a profit of £288,000 in 2014, after the company was forced to pay a £295,000 tax bill as a result of having made significant payments into failed tax mitigation schemes.

Turnover increased from £7.3m to £8.1m but pre-tax profits fell to £194,000 from £427,000, with international sales said to be spearheading the growth. Gross profit increased slightly to £1.96m, while margin slipped from 26.2% to 24.1%, and earnings before interest, tax and other charges fell from £502,000 to £319,000.

Sam Ireland, operations manager at Bigjigs Toys, commented: “In 2009 we sought financial advice from FSA accredited independent financial advisors to help fund the continued rapid growth of the business. That advice, in hindsight, we should not have taken. The person who advised us is now the subject of an ongoing Financial Ombudsman investigation.

On moving to a new firm of accountants, and after a thorough review, it came to light that what we had been advised previously was inconsistent with current tax regulations. At this point we took the decision to appoint a firm of tax specialists to pull the information together about what had happened. Two and a half years ago we voluntarily sought a meeting with HMRC to explain the situation we found ourselves in and to work with them to resolve that situation to their satisfaction.

The results of that resolution form part of our statutory accounts filling for the last financial year.”

Sambro’s Nikki Samuels to take on bike ride for charity Sambro’s Nikki Samuels will be taking on a charity challenge this month in a bid to raise £250,000 for Liverpool’s Alder Hey Hospital. Together with Bobby Arora, owner of B&M, Simon Showman from Ultimate Products and Naresh Abrol from Union Property, Nikki will cycle 600km around the southern coast of France over just six days.

The famous Coastal Tour runs from 9th to 12th May, setting off from Perpignan and finishing in Antibes.

Nikki comments: “The Alder Hey Hospital does absolutely amazing work, and we visited the brilliant team there to see what they do and discuss how we can help raise much-needed funds.

We have set a pretty ambitious target but this will enable Alder Hey to buy specific medical equipment to help treat children suffering with brain tumours. We know that the toy industry is an extremely generous bunch and we would be extremely grateful for any donation, however small. Bobby, Simon and Naresh and I are not the most talented of cyclists so it will be a hard slog but the donations coming in are more than enough motivation.”

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Vivid’s Phlat Ball continues to fly off shelves

Star Monsters off to a flying start

Magic Box Toys’ Star Monsters are bright, colourful and tactile. Each character has been formed from a star that has fallen to earth and transformed into a Star Monster, taking shapes and characteristics from the environment it lands in.

Since the launch on 4th February, reaction from both consumers and retailers is said to have been outstanding. The launch was supported by a major marketing campaign, with TV advertising throughout the school Easter holidays.

Series one Star Monsters come in an array of shapes and styles, with 72 different figures to collect. These include rare silver and gold editions and special Evolution Star Monsters. Each figure can be collected in four different colour variations, including a white edition.

Magic Box Toys’ UK director, Ben Harper, commented: “The reaction to Star Monsters has been fantastic. Consumers and retailers have embraced the concept and the pocket money prices.”

Steve Buckmaster, managing director of Esdevium Games, distributor of Star Monsters, added: “Retailers which took launch offers from us have already been back to reorder and we are taking new enquiries every day.

Star Monsters has got off to a very impressive start.”

Toy Barnhaus opens larger store in Sutton

The retailer opened its new store on Saturday after a two week shop fit.

The Sutton store is now Toy Barnhaus’ largest store at just over 2,000 square feet. The owners have used it as an opportunity to try new ranges and to maximise the store’s current range.

Stephen Barnes, co-owner, commented: “We are delighted to open a new larger store in Sutton. We have traded well there for three years, but the store was never really the size we wanted. When an opportunity came up in a larger unit next door, it was too good an opportunity to miss. It was our biggest shop fit to date, with new floor, ceiling and lighting. We opened on Saturday with free giveaways, face painting and a colouring competition. The feedback from customers was fantastic, with everyone loving the extra ranges and new space.”

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Following TV advertising over the Easter period, Vivid has reported that sales for its Phlat Ball were at an all-time high over Easter, despite storm Katie wreaking havoc across the bank holiday weekend.

Phlat Ball is the original transforming disc ball that allows fans to throw a disc and catch a ball. These brightly coloured toys are available in two different sizes and an array of colours.

Kira Mutimer, brand manager at Vivid, commented: “The response to TV advertising has been incredible, with sales uplifting by almost 500% compared to this time the year before. Despite the typical British weather and the time of year that we are in, the strong success we are witnessing from early on gives us the greatest confidence that 2016 is going to be the best year for Phlat Ball yet, and as result we are placing incremental orders to ensure that we can keep up with the increased demand.”

Anthony Beades, sports and summer buyer at Smyths, added: “Phlat ball is truly becoming a classic outdoor toy that all kids must have. We have been overwhelmed by the response that this range has received and the year-on-year growth that we are seeing.”

Phlat Ball will continue to be TV advertised throughout the summer months.

Geomag’s Big Ben chimes for Daniels of Windsor Daniels of Windsor, which won 2015 Department Store Toy Retailer of the Year at London’s Toy Fair, ran a Geomag competition throughout the Easter Holidays.

It displayed a giant Big Ben made entirely from Geomag, and customers were encouraged to guess how many pieces it took to build.

The nearest entries to the actual number won Geomag sets as their prize.

Brainstorm’s StikBots sales surge The company has reported an increase in demand for the product since London’s Toy Fair.

This social media sharing toy comes with an app which allows kids to create animations, and was voted Best Pocket Money Toy at the show. Once kids have made their animations, they can upload them to social media sites and share them with friends.

Brainstorm’s early investment in TV advertising, the consumer reaction and distribution already achieved has cemented its view that they have a craze on their hands.

StikBots were back on TV over the Easter school holidays, and will be followed by further campaigns in May and June during the Spring Bank Holiday.

Nick Saunders, sales director at Brainstorm, commented: “The demand for StikBots has been phenomenal, with stock leaving our warehouse as soon as it arrives. It’s therefore of paramount importance that our customers plan ahead to ensure they have enough stock to avoid disappointment.”

As well as TV campaigns, an intensive PR campaign underpins all marketing activity driving the social media sharing aspect of StikBots across all of Brainstorm’s social media channels. The industry-respected Good Toy Guide has also recognised StikBots, awarding them its recommended seal of approval.

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industry moves Worlds Apart announces sales team promotions

Casdon appoints new sales executive Iain Mann will support Roger Howard, Casdon’s sales manager, with the company’s UK sales.

He started his role on Tuesday 29th March, and will be attending the Toymaster show later on this month.

DKL appoints new northern sales representative DKL Marketing is pleased to announce the appointment of Neil Butler as sales executive for Northern England, selling all of DKL’s ranges. Neil brings many years’ sales experience from selling children’s books to the trade.

David Allan, sales and marketing director, says: “I am delighted to welcome Neil to the DKL Sales Team managing Northern England, he brings with him a wealth of experience selling children’s products. DKL Marketing distributes quality brands covering most key sectors and with Neil on board we can ensure that the independent business is well managed with high quality service.

The independent retailer is very important to DKL’s sales and we want to ensure that we keep nurturing these partnerships”.

Neil can be contacted on 07885861273.

Vance Withers, group sales director at Worlds Apart, has announced changes to the company’s sales team.

He commented: “I am delighted to announce the promotion of two members of my team to further drive the sales development within two key areas, traditional bricks and mortar retail and digital sales.”

Tony White has been promoted to the position of head of sales UK and will focus on the development of the company’s portfolio within bricks and mortar retailers: specialists, grocers, value, high street, discount, warehouse and independents.

Stacy Hunt has been promoted to the position of head of digital sales and will focus on developing Worlds Apart’s distribution, assets and content across its digital partners within the UK and across Europe.

Bandai promotes Amy Davolls to head of sales Amy joined Bandai in 2000 and has had a number of roles in operations and sales over the last 16 years, most recently as sales manager.

Clive Smith, Bandai’s general manager, commented: “This is a well-deserved reward for Amy’s continued hard work, effort and enthusiasm in meeting our sales objectives. She is a loyal team member who always puts her customers first and we congratulate her on this appointment.”

PMS International appoints Ruth Leonard In her new role as head of brand and licensing, Ruth will be responsible for the marketing of existing licences and the development of a new licensing and marketing strategy for the business.

She will work with Steve Beverley, head of licensing product, and John Costi-Mouyia, export business development manager.

A brand specialist with over 14 years’ experience, Ruth joins from Carte Blanche Greetings where she was the director of marketing and business development, overseeing marketing activity of the company’s Me to You brand. Prior to this, Ruth was entertainment marketing director at Topps, working across a portfolio of entertainment, character and media brands.

Ruth commented: “The opportunity at PMS International is staggering, with such vast capabilities across design, development and distribution. I’m looking forward to developing a stronger licensed portfolio, harnessing our expertise and re-energising our licensing division.”

Learning Resources grows retail sales division The company has appointed Elizabeth Nield as retail sales business development manager for the UK. With over 20 years’ experience in the toy industry Elizabeth brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the UK sales team.

Most recently, Elizabeth looked after sales at Brio, Breyer Horses, Geomag and Orb Factory Sticky Mosaics, and has also worked extensively in negotiating toy licensing for: Mattel Paris, Disney UK and Warner Bros in the US. Elizabeth will play a fundamental role in developing Learning Resources’ retail strategy, working with major UK retail prospects and accounts to achieve the company’s ambitious growth plans.

Engino expands team Debbie Stanley has joined Engino as accounts manager Southern UK. Debbie started her new role on 1st April this year. Her past experience includes working at Epoch Making Toys and Bigjigs.

She told Toy World: “I’m very excited to start my new role with Engino Toy Systems as account manager Southern UK. I’m looking forward to building on the success that Engino currently holds within the global market, here in the UK. This innovative toy system links imaginative play with 3D model creation, bringing hours of fun for all.”

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marketing world The toy trade’s no.1 resource for marketing news and opinion

Thomas & Friends launches #TeamThomas campaign The brand will be inviting fans to power Thomas on a digital journey to reach The Great Railway Show. The UGC-based initiative will be driven across www.thomasandfriends. com and Thomas & Friends’ social channels, engaging parents and pre-schoolers in fun weekly tasks.

Parents can submit their photos, videos and comments with the hashtag #TeamThomas. The Team Thomas campaign will be launched across the globe, with each country working as a team to get Thomas to the finish line to unlock prizes and new content.

This campaign will be launched by celebrity mum Frankie Bridge and her son Parker.

Paid media, mummy blogger partnerships, PR and retail activation will amplify the campaign.

The racing fun kicks off with the spring/summer DVD release, Start Your Engines.

This mini tentpole includes six unseen episodes from series 19, with races, challenges and rescue operations.

The excitement builds to the launch of the 11th feature film in May, The Great Race, which will be supported by a premiere event and extensive marketing campaign. From Ashima of India to Raul of Brazil, the new film introduces fans to a whole host of new engines.

Product launches across Fisher-Price’s Thomas & Friends lines, as well as the extensive consumer products portfolio, will support the new content and themes.

DKL’s PlayMais fun day kits now available

Turner partners with Hasbro for Play-Doh Town campaign

The recently revamped PlayMais range has been growing in popularity this year after the introduction of new boxing and products, and DKL is pleased to begin offering retailers resources for hosting a successful PlayMais event.

The PlayMais fun day kits include all the materials needed to host an in-store event, and DKL will supply extra POS such as posters and dioramas.

Fenwick in Brent Cross was one of the first stores to host a PlayMais day with the company. Farel Williams, marketing executive at DKL, commented: “Fenwick’s PlayMais day was a huge success. The children really enjoyed the product and parents bought sets at the end of the event. PlayMais is a great product which really engages a child’s imagination and creativity. Retailers’ sales will benefit hugely from a PlayMais fun day as, once a child takes the pieces out of the box, they are hooked.”

To celebrate Play-Doh’s 60th birthday this year, Hasbro has launched Play-Doh Town, a new system of play that inspires creative storytelling through Town-themed playsets, vehicles and figures.

To help support this new concept, Cartoon Network, Boomerang and Cartoonito have joined forces to launch a sponsorship campaign to showcase Play-Doh Town’s product range.

Turner has re-imagined the Boomerang and Cartoonito channel environments by creating new 10-second channel interstitials made entirely out of Play-Doh and featuring Play-Doh Town products. Additionally, both channels will run 30-second on-air competition spots. The winners of the story competition will have the opportunity to see their creations on air across Cartoon Network, Boomerang and Cartoonito in May and June.

Bananagrams teams up with Match UK The partnership will introduce a games night to the popular dating service. The nights, which are designed to bring local singles together in a casual bar environment, will feature both Banangrams and Zip It at events in London, Cambridge and Glasgow.

A two-player word game with rounds that can last as little as 20 seconds, Zip It is an ideal ice-breaker for Match members meeting for the first time. The compact design means it can be played whilst standing at the bar, while Classic Bananagrams will be available on the tables for up to eight players at a time to enjoy.

Rena Nathanson, CEO at Bananagrams, commented: “We first worked with Match in the US a couple of years ago on its Stir events, and that was a great success, so I’m thrilled that we’re now treading a similar path with the company in the UK. In what could be a nerve-wracking situation for some, we hope the games help ease them into conversations and bring an added layer of fun and interaction to the nights. One of our key objectives is to bring our range of games to new audiences in new settings, and we very much see our partnership with Match.com as yet another way of delivering these opportunities for us.”

Toy World 16

Living in a digital world

Ad blockers - the power to switch us off is increasingly in the hands of the people we wish to converse with.

Let’s open a conversation, not push an agenda.

Last month, I touched on the internet’s uncertain future in the hands of the next generation.

Unlike a trip to the cinema or watching live TV, it’s increasingly easier for kids to switch off advertising and still interact with content. So should we be worried about our campaigns?

20 years ago, the original online ads were quite fascinating things. The first ever internet ad in 1994 was a banner for AT&T, which contained no branding or pictures but instead asked ‘Have you ever clicked your mouse right HERE?’ The ad had a click through rate of 44% (today, most brands would kill for 0.44%) but this result was more about novelty and naivety than media genius – there was very little else to do on the nascent web at that point. People were click happy, a trait shared by young people – although this behaviour is now suffering a Darwinian decline.

Ad blocking is a much-discussed threat to the advertising industry. In simple terms, ad blocking software stops advertising from appearing to a user. Its growth can be attributed to a number of factors: primarily a distain for irrelevant or irritating advertising. On top of this, the software is free and easy to download and can actually save a user money, as mobile data can be limited with advertisements contributing towards a user’s allowance. Ads also slow down page loads, so can inhibit a user’s experience – something that tech savvy kids are increasingly conscious of.

Are our target audience using ad blockers?

Little data exists for younger children, but we can consider statistical analysis of their parents. TGI gives us a picture of parents of under 12’s: • 43% allow their kids to use their tablet or laptop – far higher than those with secondary school-age children.

• 31% more likely to notice online ads than the general population • 50% regularly worry about ‘failing’ their children – greatly in excess of those with over 11s.

We can therefore picture an audience who are alert and even wary of online advertising and sharing devices with their youngsters, and so much more likely to employ ad blockers. The IAB estimates that 22% of people use ad blockers, but we can hypothesise that this is higher on devices used by our younger audiences. It’s a theory compounded by research from kids’ network SuperAwesome; finding that around 29% of kids aged 10-18 employ ad blockers – higher than the IAB general figure.

This technology puts the web in danger of a vicious downwards spiral – ad blockers cut ad revenue which filters down to the content creators, meaning that a site is less appealing to its user base, and so on. There have been reactions online: some sites are now blocking the ad blockers – content cannot be accessed when an ad blocker is in use. It may seem an extreme course of action but it is understandable – a BuzzFeed journalist needs to be paid just the same. A more extreme reaction is ‘ad recovery’, which forces the ad around the blocker, but in my opinion that’s like remotely switching on someone’s TV in the middle of the night to play them a commercial – it’s not going to go down very well.

That’s not to say kids don’t get the purpose of ads – I can think of a conference that I attended last year in which a panel of youngsters explained that they are very aware that they get free content because they watch ads. To illustrate that point, of the 29% of kids using ad blockers, up to 90% were willing to turn off the software if requested or required. So whilst ad blockers are clearly in use and unlikely to disappear soon, kids are willing to switch ads back on if it means they get access to their favourite sites.

Finally, we should consider that bad creative and bad targeting can lead to “banner

Pupils enjoy first-ever K’Nex workshop at Thorpe Park At the end of March, K’Nex Education and Thorpe Park Resort welcomed the first pupils to experience a new science workshop at the theme park. The interactive workshop, running throughout the year, uses K’Nex Education kits to explore the STEM principles behind rollercoasters.

Paul Fogarty, K’Nex’s UK managing director, added: “Our 3D building system means we are uniquely placed to bring the excitement of construction play and coasters into the classroom. We’re thrilled that the K’Nex Science Workshop at Thorpe Park Resort is offering pupils a fun and engaging STEM learning experience, as well as a chance to enjoy some of the best theme park rides in the country.”

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Martin Doyle - Head of digital Tel: 0207 307 7098. martin.doyle@generationmedia.co.uk blindness” – a phenomenon that was coined before Google made its first search. It doesn’t always take software to block ads – our minds are naturally selective: especially so for Digital Natives.

So what can be done as advertisers? A clarity of thought in creative planning and good Digital media planning and buying is a good start.

Advertisers shouldn’t get greedy or lazy: the internet with its zettabytes of data gives us the opportunity to carefully target our audience, show the right ad to the right people at the right time, and open a conversation – not push an agenda. Creating background noise is not conducive to getting a clear message across.

We must be wary of ignoring these rules in the Online Digital space, because the power to switch us off is increasingly in the hands of the people we wish to converse with.

licensing world The toy trade’s no.1 resource for licensing news and opinion

Mattel Creations announces new Bob and Fireman Sam content

Mattel has announced that David Tennant will provide the voice for the alien hunter/TV presenter Buck Douglas in the 60-minute feature length film, Fireman Sam: Alien Alert, which is scheduled for release next year.

Mattel Creations, the company’s new programming, product and distribution division, has also announced plans to take Bob the Builder global, with Bob the Builder Mega Machines The Movie set for DVD and TV release in 2017.

Christopher Keenan, senior VP of global content and executive producer at Mattel Creations, commented: “Bob the Builder continues to build momentum across many new markets and, as our stories get bigger, so too does our global reach.”

Mattel has also unveiled new deals for the property. Network Ten-owned Channel 11 has bought the show in Australia. In Europe, Norway’s NRK, Russia’s Karusel and ATV in Turkey have also bought into the show.

As part of a deal with Mattel, DHX will distribute both specials internationally.

New UK licence partners announced for Blaze and the Monster Machines

Nickelodeon and Viacom Consumer Products (NVCP) have announced that 15 licence partners have been secured for the preschool series.

Joining Mattel, the master international toy partner for the property and previously announced LeapFrog and Centum Books, these UK licence partners cover a variety of categories with products launching at retail in the coming weeks.

Sambro has signed up to the property with a view to launch arts and crafts, stationery, games, puzzles and pocket money toys later this year. Clementoni is set for puzzles and interactive learning toys, and Character World has taken on the brand for bedding, beds and bedroom accessories. Ninja will produce Blaze play tents and inflatables while Delta is on board for beds, toy storage and chairs.

Amscan has taken the party ware and balloons categories.

“To have secured such prestigious partners is a testament to the appeal of the property and Nickelodeon’s expertise in creating and developing hit pre-school series that have wide consumer appeal,” said Marianne James, VP consumer products UK and Ireland and European retail sales and marketing NCVP. “Blaze offers a unique opportunity to licence partners; a pre-school property with a focus on the STEM curriculum and a strong sense of comedy. The show has many facets that can be interpreted into innovative products. I can’t wait to see the product lines developed by our partners and look forward to seeing the reaction from retailers and families.”

More category licences will be announced later in the year.

Hasbro and SuperAwesome partner for new Transformers content

As part of this campaign, Hasbro will release fulllength episodic Transformers content on the SuperAwesome platform which premieres every two weeks. Kids can also enter competitions, meet the bots, play games, download Transformers content and choose a side in the Autobots v Decepticons battle. The content will appear on an integrated Drive in Cinema section on the virtual world Bin Weevils, dedicated to the Transformers brand.

Using SuperAwesome’s kid-safe ad platform AwesomeAds, Hasbro is able to amplify the reach of the campaign through COPPA-compliant, contextually-targeted ads across SuperAwesome’s content network.

This latest activity complements the companies’ existing partnerships, as Hasbro is also using SuperAwesome’s Kids Web Services platform to power its My Little Pony Friendship Club site in the UK, Italy and France.

Craig Wilkins, marketing director at Hasbro UK & Ireland, commented: “Transformers has always been a hugely popular brand for kids across the country, capturing audiences’ imaginations for over 30 years. SuperAwesome is the perfect partner to bring this exciting brand to life for an increasingly digital generation.”

Dylan Collins, CEO at SuperAwesome, added: “We’re extremely excited to be working with Hasbro on this Transformers content partnership. Hasbro realises that kids need to engage with content in multiple locations and devices and this is the perfect way to achieve that objective.”

Licensing World 18

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Revell flies high with Ed Force One

Global Merchandising Services and Revell have teamed up to produce an Iron Maiden Ed Force One model plane to celebrate the band’s World Tour.

In support of their new album, The Book of Souls, Iron Maiden began their 2016 World Tour in Florida on the 24th February, and will be playing in 36 countries across six continents.

Global Merchandising Services’ licensing manager, Jens Drinkwater, commented: “As soon as we knew that Bruce would be piloting the plane for Iron Maiden’s world tour, we knew that we had to do something special to celebrate the occasion, and Revell is an obvious partner for this fantastic collaboration. Its model kits have been a synonym for plastic modelling for over 60 years, and this detailed model of Ed Force One will appeal to both traditional builders and hobbyists as well as the dedicated Iron Maiden fan base.”

Thomas Randrup of Revell GmbH added: “Our 1:144 Scale Model of Ed Force One will bring something new and fun to the Civil Aviation Model Kit genre, and we are looking forward to a successful cooperation with Global Merchandising and Iron Maiden on this 2016 new product release.”

Morning Family secures Angry Birds licence for Gobbit

Tsum Tsum sells over two million pieces

Posh Paws’ collectible range is attracting a wide consumer base from boys and girls, kids, tweens and adults, all wanting to get their hands on the very latest Tsum Tsum characters.

Each month Posh Paws is launching a new series of Tsum Tsums for fans to collect and stack. These launches coincide with new Disney movie releases including Zootropolis, The Jungle Book, Finding Dory and Moana. As well as introducing new Disney characters, Posh Paws will also be launching characters from Disney’s most famed back catalogue such as Lion King, Aladdin, Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas and Disney Pixar’s Monsters Inc. Lauren Shipman, brand manager at Posh Paws, said: “The consumer demand for the Tsum Tsum brand has been phenomenal. We’ve had great feedback from retailers and consumers on this product and we’re endeavouring to ensure stock is available to all retailers. We’re already working on our roadmap of character releases for 2017 and there are lots of exciting collections in the pipeline. We strongly believe that this is only the beginning of the Tsum Tsum craze.”

The high demand for Tsum Tsum plush has secured Posh Paws distribution for the brand across specialist, grocers and independents retailers.

Thunderbirds Are Go takes off for third series

Morning Family has secured the licence for a new Angry Birds edition of its card-slapping game, Gobbit. This new game features enhanced game-play as well as refreshed game instructions for a new experience of Gobbit.

“Gobbit is one of our own creations, and Angry Birds fits the gameplay incredibly well, yet brings a new and unique experience with refreshed rules,” said Tim Dumain, CEO of Morning Family. “We really feel that the Angry Birds characters bring a new dimension of play to the game.

With all the anticipation building around the film’s release this summer, demand for related product will be high and we’re happy to be able to offer something different to the norm – a new and original card game concept which will appeal to kids and adults alike.”

Featuring all the popular Angry Birds characters from the forthcoming movie, Gobbit Angry Birds will be available to retailers this month.

ITV Studios and Pukeko Pictures have been commissioned by CITV to create a third series of the show, which will air next year.

Thunderbirds Are Go has been acquired by Canada’s DHX Media in a deal with ITV Studios Global Entertainment (ITVS GE) and will premiere on its Family CHRGD and Family Channels later this month.

In the US, the series debuted on Amazon Prime Instant Video on 22nd April, whilst a sneak preview of the one-hour special, Ring of Fire parts 1 and 2 appeared on 15th April. It will subsequently air on the service in the UK, Germany and Austria later this year.

ITVS GE has already sold Thunderbirds Are Go to more than 40 countries worldwide, and the series has enjoyed strong international ratings since it launched last year. In the UK, the series premiered on ITV and CITV in April 2015 to a consolidated audience of close to three million.

The show is also a licensing success, with more than 75 licensees on board the consumer products programme globally. In the UK, Vivid’s supersize TB3 playset was recently voted the best action toy at London’s Toy Fair.

Steve Green, EVP of kids’ content and distribution at ITVS GE, commented: “Thunderbirds Are Go goes from strength to strength with this third series commission, the Canadian sale and US premiere date following slot-winning ratings in every territory in which it has aired and a strong demand for consumer products. It’s proving to be one of the most popular new brands in the international marketplace, and we’re looking to build on this success with new and existing partners this year.”

Jamila Metran, head of programming for CITV, added: “It’s a delight to be working with the wonderful cast and production team on this third series. We can look forward to meeting new characters, bigger rescues, more beautifully crafted models and much more of what has made Thunderbirds Are Go the big hit it is for CITV.”

Licensing World 20

LET’S GET ARTY! • Brand New Logo & Packaging for 2016 • 76 Product SKU’s • 87% of UK children aged 4-6 have watched Mister Maker* • A Top 10 Most Mentioned Licenses

by TV Show**

Find out more

For trade opportunities, please contact Ian Kinlock on 01384 485550 Ian.Kinlock@cilimited.co.uk For licensing opportunities, please contact Claire Shaw on 0207 013 4383 Claire.shaw@zodiakkids.com *BARB: 17/9/07 – 8/9/15 **Brand Trends (April 2015) Study of Awareness & Popularity of Brands/Properties amongst kids

MM_Toy World Ad full page_s5.indd 1

Mister Maker™ & ©2016 The Foundation.

Licensed by Zodiak Rights Limited.

15/04/2016 16:04

licensingworld Ratings success builds towards Bob the Builder toy launches

Series one of Bob the Builder continues to enjoy TV ratings success on Channel 5’s Milkshake! and Cartoonito as the brand prepares for the launch of its toy lines this summer.

A second series of new content is also set for launch in July, and production is continuing for the upcoming movie special, Bob the Builder: Mega Machines, launching in 2017.

Christopher Keenan, senior vice president of global content and executive producer at Mattel Creations, commented: “Bob the Builder continues to build momentum and, as our stories get bigger, so does our global reach. Bob the Builder: Mega Machines is a testament to this. We’re confident that all our new content will continue to delight young audiences and pave the way for further adventures with Bob and the team.”

The franchise will also gain further traction with the introduction of the new Fisher-Price and Smoby toy and role-play lines. Several further licensees have also signed up to start rolling out consumer products later this year, and the live events group has recently opened Mattel Play! in Liverpool, featuring a dedicated Bob the Builder play zone.

Wendy Hill, brand activation director at Mattel UK, added: “The construction theme at the heart of the show, alongside the core values of teamwork, positivity and learning, are a winning combination with pre-schoolers. The upcoming expansion of Bob the Builder consumer products with exciting cross category licensing partners on board, including the launch of the toy lines, will create a truly immersive construction experience for pre-schoolers as they interact with Bob’s world above and beyond the on-screen content.”

The Fisher-Price range features vehicles from diecast and Talking Friends to the fully interactive Full Throttle Scoop that features movement, motorised digging action and theme song sounds. The new role-play range includes the 17-piece Bob’s Ultimate Toolbox and the Mash & Mould Sand Playset featuring kinetic sand.

Nickelodeon unveils UK Achievement Awards

Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products held its annual UK Achievement Awards at London’s Ham Yard Hotel. Celebrating successful promotional campaigns, innovative product development, creative collaborations as well as licensee and, for the first time, retail support, eight awards were handed out during the evening showcase event.

“This has been one of the most successful years for the UK consumer products team and we wouldn’t be experiencing such impressive commercial and creative growth if not for our valued licensee and retail partners,” said Marianne James, VP consumer products UK & Ireland & European retail sales & marketing viacom international media networks. “These awards are a way to recognise the accomplishments of our partners and celebrate all that we have achieved together.”

Complete List of Winners: • Retail Programme of the Year Winner: Argos ‘Everyone’s a Winner’ • Retail Licensing Team of the Year Winner: Tesco • Retail Partnership of the Year Winner: The Entertainer, Nickelodeon licensed craft, joke and science kits • Innovative Soft Line Product/Range Winner: George, Paw Patrol Range • Innovative Hard Line Product/Range Winner: Kokomo, Paw Patrol Range • Long-standing Partnership Winner: Character World • Collaboration of the Year Winner: TVM Fashion Lab, Topman retro Nickelodeon range • Licensee of the Year Winner: Spearmark International, Lunchware and homeware

Licensing World 22

Brand profile

Making it big To coincide with the launch of the seventh series of Mister Maker, which launched on CBeebies in December last year, Zodiak Kids has recently announced a whole host of developments aimed at repositioning the property as the UK’s number one arts and crafts brand.

Clarabel Jones reports.

T

he arts and crafts sensation, which has seen seven series since its debut in 2007, is set to grow even further in 2016 with a new set of licensees on board and a co-promotion deal with Sea Life Centres across the country.

Claire Shaw, VP of licensing at Zodiak Kids, is excited about what this year will bring: “2016 is going to be huge for us, as we’ve secured a major three year renewal with our arts and crafts licensee, Creativity International, who has been our key licensee for the last seven years. This renewal saw a major rebranding and repackaging of our lines, all of which launched in over 160 Asda stores in April.”

On top of this, as the new series of Mister Maker’s Arty Party continues to gain traction, the company has secured deals with both toucanBox and Add Trading. toucanBox is a company which delivers unique arts and crafts kits in personalised boxes direct to consumers across the UK. With the deal now in place, the company has revealed plans to create an additional Mister Maker offering containing beautiful bespoke easily consumable arts and crafts kits that children can do at home, with all the elements delivered directly on a subscription basis. “The quality of these kits is outstanding, and a marketing plan to support them launched at the back-end of April,” Claire told Toy World. “Our other new addition, Add Trading, will make a range of Mister Maker products incorporating air drying clay, modelling clay and dough, hydro and ironing beads and jewellery kits. These are all great

opportunities for reaching consumers and for building on our high levels of brand awareness.”

Inspiring young imaginations and developing confidence and critical thinking skills, Mister Maker has been going from strength to strength since its first appearance on CBeebies in 2007. The series now airs 14 times per week, with 87% of 4-6 year-olds having watched it since the programme’s launch in 2007 up until September 2015. The show is currently the highest rating morning programme on CBeebies, with Mister Maker Comes to Town being the most watched series on all dedicated children’s channels.

The programme was also the highest rated series on CBeebies in the last year, with Mister Maker’s seventh series, Mister Maker’s Arty Party, currently ranking as the second highest performing series for 4-6 year olds on the channel in 2015.

Also keeping the property in the spotlight is Zodiak Kids’ co-promotion deal with the Merlin Entertainments Group’s network of Sea Life centres.

This exciting development will see Mister Maker arts and crafts activities featured across all 12 Sea Life Centres in the UK and Ireland for a five week event centred around the UK’s May Half Term holiday break. The star of the show has filmed a series of six exclusive instruction videos to help children make marine animals, ranging from a paper-plate stingray to a foil and tissue paper shark. In addition to this, the promotion will also open up multiple retail opportunities for the brand, with products set to line the shelves of the UK’s Sea Life Centres’ gift shops.

“This promotional tie-in with Sea Life will bring

Toy World 24

together key brand values of the two brands to create a unique event experience for children visiting the centres across the UK, where they will be able to create unique sea themed makes to take home,” Claire explained.

With a nationwide tour staging over 100 shows with Evolution Productions, accompanied with the brand’s strong digital presence across YouTube, Facebook and Twitter, Mister Maker is well placed to be the best performing arts and crafts property this year.

08453 070707

www.rubiesuk.com

NPD Column Here comes summer

The NPD Group’s Rory Partis examines summer sales trends and why the UK’s favourite obsession, the weather, is not the only factor that has an impact on sales.

As 2016 moves into the second quarter of the year and the clocks go forward, it’s natural for thoughts to turn to the lazy, hazy days of summer. Or, at least in the UK, our thoughts turn to wondering if we will indeed get long days of summer or if we will get long days of rain and a few hours patchy sunshine where everyone runs outside. For the toy industry, a good summer can have a real impact on sales, with warm, bright days during the school holidays giving retailers a significant boost. The summer of 2016 will also enjoy a European Football Championship with four home nations competing, plus an Olympic Games. So does this summer have the potential to be a ray of sunshine for the UK toy trade? And is it really just about the weather over the summer months or are there other factors that can lead to strong toy sales?

It’s always the assumption that lots of good weather over the summer months leads to strong sales, but as with a lot of assumptions this can be misleading. In the UK we don’t tend to get non-stop sunshine from June through to August so the trend can be variable. If you think back to last year, you may recall that we had some very hot and sunny weather in early part of summer. June was well above average in terms of temperature, as was early July, and examining the toys data reveals that, for the months of June and July combined, the value was +5% versus the previous year, a pretty reasonable performance. Looking at the categories for those months the biggest indicator of how the weather actually affects toy sales is Outdoor & Sports Toys, and for these months combined Outdoor only grew modestly at +1% in value. If you can remember even further back to 2012, you may recall that the summer was a real washout; there were many worries about the weather in the lead up to the London Olympics. If we look at Outdoor Toys sales for the summer months in 2012 they are quite poor, 2013 values for June to August were over £10m more than in 2012. So it’s clear that weather does have an impact in the summer, but the impact couldn’t really be considered that significant.

So when thinking about the summer months and impact on toys is there more going on than the weather? Well there are of course events, such as the

aforementioned European Football Jun-Aug Value Toy Sales Championships and the Value £M Olympics. We £450 have seen a very positive £440 impact from £430 these events in the past, most £420 notably with the £410 World Cup and £400 the impact of football stickers. £390 When the last £380 World Cup was £370 held in 2014, the World Cup £360 contributed Summer 2012 Summer 2013 £21m in value and a The NPD Group, Inc. | Proprietary and confidential staggering 24m units in volume with over half of this amount being sold between May and July. So the European Championships, with four out of five home nations competing, could potentially see World Cup levels of sales for stickers this year. Actually, it would appear that sticker sales are already showing a positive trend, as World Cup Soccer is nearly a top 20 property in the data in the latest week at the end of March. The Olympics contributed over £20m to the toys value back in 2012- but as it was held in London, we don’t expect to see the same level of UK sales this year. Nonetheless it could certainly have a positive impact on turnover if the GB team can perform well in Rio, not only on Olympics branded toys, but also on other sports related categories.

We’re on track for a great year in toys looking at the Q1 figures, value is +8% and volume is +5% versus the same period last year. A good summer will definitely help but looking at past years, sunshine isn’t the most important factor for strong sales. A number of elements can make a difference and early signs suggest that the summer of 2016 could be very strong.

UK Summer Toy Sales Trend

Summer 2014

Summer 2015

Document classification: Internal Only

The NPD Group provides global information and advisory services to drive better business decisions. By combining unique data assets with unmatched industry expertise, we help our clients track their markets, understand consumers and drive profitable growth. Sectors covered include automotive, beauty, entertainment, fashion, food/food service, home, office supplies, sports, technology, toys, video games, and wireless.

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

For more information visit www.npd.com. Follow NPD on Twitter @npdgroup

Toy World 26

Rory Partis

executive director

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Feature

Science & nature

Naturally curious Few categories have undergone such a transformation in recent years as that of science and nature. From being perceived as a staid and boring, the realm of geeks and nerds, the world of science has re-emerged as cool and relevant, with stylish and fascinating product to match. Jonika Kinchin finds out what suppliers are doing to keep their scientific products fresh and up to date.

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eading companies which supply science and nature ranges have seen sales in the category grow over the last year. Interplay saw an impressive increase of approximately 25%, whilst Dennis Blackmore, managing director of Learning Resources told Toy World: “We have seen a 13% growth in this category across our key brands: Geosafari, Primary Science and Nancy B’s Science Club”. Brainstorm, a distributor in the category, has seen growth both in the UK and further afield. Nick Saunders, sales and marketing director at Brainstorm, said: “For us the science sector continues to grow both domestically, where we support an increasing number of our products with TV, and in the export market, both in Europe and further afield”.

Nick has noticed that, increasingly, new science and nature products come with smartphone and tablet applications that are designed specifically for brand enhancement, as well as being an integral part of the product. He said: “Take the new Sea Friends items from Aqua Dragons which we launched at this year’s toy fair. The product packaging highlights a free app that kids can download to a smartphone. The app includes supplementary educational information and even reminds them to take care of their live Aqua Dragons.

There is also an augmented reality function that allows kids to view an animated Aqua Dragon hatching from an egg just by pointing their phone’s camera at the Aqua Dragons logo found on the product packaging or accompanying instruction manual”.

Meriç Pekcan-Butcher, marketing manager at Interplay, told Toy World how science and nature products are adapting to keep up with the kids of today, and agrees that children now require some form of digital input. She said: “In order to capture the attention of today’s kids, educational toys need to be able to feed their curiosity and address the questions they may have in their young minds, and do so in a fun way. This is a difficult task considering that today’s children have increasingly short attention spans and get bored very easily. Luckily, the category of science and nature offers endless possibilities for multisensory stimulation and play”.

Last year dinosaur related product enjoyed huge popularity but what will the key themes for 2016 be? This year, British astronaut Tim Peake, currently orbiting the Earth on the International Space Station, has focused the attention of many on space. “Tim Peake has certainly got the media talking about space again. In fact, space remains a very strong theme for us, we have some great evergreen items that are already well established in the market and some are TV supported,” commented Nick. He says that a range

of glow-in-the-dark stickers, room decorations and glowing crafts that have a space theme have been added to the range this year, including the introduction of Glow Starry Night, a new pocket-money priced line with 60 Glowstars.

“Also sticking with the space theme in 2016 is the Rocket Project and Room Guard, which attracted a lot of positive attention at this year’s trade shows. The item features an interactive rocket model with its own launch pad, which doubles up as a projector so that can kids can bring the excitement of space into their bedroom. It also provides a secret code for kids to use on our website and enjoy educational content that links to the images they see on the projector”.

Dennis believes that STEM is also one of the key themes for 2016, as well as outdoor, hands-on learning.

He commented: “There are two key themes in my opinion, outdoors science, promoting hands-on experiences away from the tablets/screens/phones etc., and STEM. This theme is being driven both by government policy and schools activity. Within STEM the key activity for this year is coding (very simple programming). We have seen enormous demand for our new STEM Robot Mouse activity set.”

The educational market is an important sector which provides sales in the science and nature category. A lot of toy companies and retailers supply to schools and nurseries, and this has a knock on effect.

Subsequently, parents want products that have been enjoyed in the classroom, seeking out products that tie in with the national curriculum to help their child with their schoolwork. Dennis added: “At Learning Resources, we have found that science and STEM lines are primarily parental or grandparental purchases and I think it’s reassuring to a parent to know that products will help their kids with school success through the National Curriculum”. To assist the educational market, Interplay provides Teacher’s Notes along with science and nature products which include detailed information, a list of relevant classroom activities and activity sheets.

As well as mainstream education, the category also lends itself well to the special needs category. Nick commented: “Some of our themes and products tie in neatly with the National Curriculum, particularly evidenced by the selections we receive from the specialist schools suppliers. We also see some of our items, especially those with light up features, finding their way into the special needs category and in particular for use in sensory rooms”.

The products in the category are generally hands on and require thinking and logic. To best utilise this, there are steps that retailers can take to get the best out of selling them. Brainstorm thinks that POS is important

Toy World 28

Interplay in the category. “We are very proud of the products, the brand look and packaging design, so when retailers display a good selection it has a real impact in-store.

We are also happy to work with retailers on visual merchandising,” advised Nick. “We have some of our own stock solutions but we also have worked with individual stores to execute bespoke displays that include interactivity with the products”.

Meriç Pekcan-Butcher agrees that POS is important, and added: “Retailers who create science and nature aisles in stores can use POS to make the section more attractive and appealing. Interplay has invested in creating FSDU units for the My Living World range this year”.

Store demonstrations are also highly effective when it comes to interactive products. “I do know that where these kinds of products are demonstrated, in store sales increase” said Dennis. He also advised that store staff who know the product well are popular with parents, and believes that demand is coming via parents through schools, and something along the lines of a science evening linked to a local primary school could be a good idea.

Over the next few pages, a selection of companies working in the sector show off their hottest products.

Science & nature

Peterkin

0116 2543 645 | www.peterkin.co.uk The Amazing Live Sea Monkeys are the original instant live pet brand and have been providing a learning experience for consumers for over 40 years.

Sea Monkeys Ocean Zoo is a classic aquarium with magnified portals and is supplied in assorted colours in a 12 piece CDU. Each set comes complete with water purifier, instant live eggs, growth food and a feeding spoon, whilst the Instant Life set is ideal for those who have their own aquarium and includes everything needed to hatch and grow a vibrant Sea Monkeys colony.

These classic lines are complemented by Sea Monkeys Pirate Treasure, a gift set that is supplied with a glow in the dark pirate galleon and a torchlight built into the aquarium lid.

Peterkin also offers the Navir range of science and nature toys – a comprehensive, high quality range of bug viewers, magnifying lenses, periscopes, microscopes and binoculars – everything that an intrepid bug hunter could wish for. Particular highlights include the Discovery Kit, which includes a Zoomscope, Megalens and Triple Bug Viewer and the Threek, which is a three-way telescope, microscope and periscope. The range also includes two great gyroscopes – Space Wonder is a traditional gyroscope, whilst UFO Lighting gyroscope has in built coloured LED lights. Most of the range is available in attractively designed, full colour counter display units.

Brainstorm 0120 044 5113 | www.brainstormltd.co.uk New to Brainstorm this year is the Rocket Projector and Room Guard.

Complete with a table-top or wall mounted launch pad, the 35cm tall model rocket has 24 space-themed colour images of planets, astronauts and spacecraft to project onto walls and ceiling. It also includes a secret code to unlock online space facts. The Rocket Projector and Room Guard will be launched later in the year and will be supported with TV in the final quarter.

The 2-in-1 Globe Earth and Constellations is a 22.8cm globe which shows a daytime view of natural features, such as lakes and rivers. As natural light fades, an advanced light-sensor automatically turns on the LED illumination, transforming the earth globe into a map of the stars.

New to the company’s outdoor toys range this year is the pocket-sized and collapsible ExplorerScope which features 12x magnification, 30mm optical lens, a soft rubberised eye piece and adjustable focus. Also in the range is the Creepy Crawly Catcher which includes a bug catch jar, magnifier and practice bug. The booklet contains bug record sheets and a secret code to unlock online information.

Aqua Dragons are real aquatic creatures that children can hatch and grow at home using all-inclusive kits. Brainstorm has committed to increased TVRs throughout 2016 and will launch two new products which will include an invitation to download the Aqua Dragons Investigator app. The app will enhance the consumer experience through augmented reality, games and educational content. The new Sea Friends branded range includes a doublesized tank featuring one of the Aqua Dragons characters as its centrepiece.

Clementoni 0208 782 1134 | www.clementoni.com Cyber Robot is a programmable robot which is directly controlled via an app on smart phones and tablets with Bluetooth connection. Cyber Robot registers and executes all demands in real time and comes complete with sound effects and lights to add to the robotic experience. Children can also take photos and videos while Cyber Robot is in action to capture their commands. Included within the four play modes is the Self Learn mode where Cyber Robot will register all commands and reproduce the saved paths. Cyber Robot can also be played with offline in a manual programme mode.

The Mechanical Laboratory is a modular construction system with varying levels of difficulty. The kit comes with over 250 pieces, with almost 50 constructions possible including a helicopter, car and crane. The kits are ideal for developing early engineering skills and encouraging quality family time.

Following the success of the Triops kit, an aquarium which brings sea creatures to life, 2016 will see the launch of the Giant Triops with a bigger observation tank complete with periscope, accessories, Triop eggs and food.

Kids can get closer to nature and the animal kingdom and learn how to look after living creatures that grow up to 5cm.

www.interplayuk.com

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Science & nature

GP Flair 0208 643 0320 | www.flairplc.co.uk

DKL 01604 678 780 | www.dkl.co.uk

The Uncle Milton Star Wars Science collection brings together the Star Wars Universe with innovative products that have real science learning behind them. At the heart of the collection is a range of Light Saber Room Lights, which includes the Kylo Ren 3 Blade version. In the process of building the wall mounted devices themselves, children learn about LED lights and crystals.

Continuing the galactic theme, the science of alpha and beta waves is demonstrated with the Star Wars Force Trainer II. Children can simply download the hologram experience app to enjoy Yoda guiding them around the numerous challenges.

Autumn 2016 will see a brand new look for the Wild Science collection with an extensive packaging and contents makeover. Two new kits for girls will join the Bath Bomb and Perfume Factory; the new Lava Lamp and Glitter Tube Lab. Girls can make their own light-up bubbling lava lamp and shimmering glitter tube, creating dazzling optical effects by reflecting light from glitter and bubbling water, as well as exploring fizzy chemical reactions.

Alternatively girls can create cupcake shaped soaps with the brand new Cake Soap Factory. The soap in this kit can be melted and moulded to make almost any solid shape; macaroons, fluffy meringues, jellies, cake decorations and buttercream icing.

Whipping the soap creates a stable foam that can be piped onto cake soap creations.

Lessons can be learned about solids and liquids, melting and freezing, aeration, dissolving, stable foam, reflection plus much more.

Wild Science! and Uncle Milton Star Wars will all be supported with PR and TV advertising.

The SmartLab range of science kits all come complete with activity books for extra educational play value. The new SmartLab Crash Test Lab includes the only crash test dummy which can measure the force of the crash. Teaching key lessons in physics, the Crash Test Lab is as educational as it is enjoyable.

The Squishy Human Body comes complete with squishy organs, bones and muscles, and a 24-page activity book for guidance as the model is dissected and pulled apart. Also included is an Organ-izer poster which helps children get to grips with all the different parts that make up a human body.

Children can collect other kits from the squishy range which also includes The Inhuman Squishy Zombie, the Squishy T-Rex, and the Squishy Brain.

Miniland Educational’s best-selling Electrokit now has 198 experiments. The electronic science set is packed with value and competitively priced. Another option from Miniland is the Discover Science CDU, a collection of foldable, magnetic games which are ideal for learning on the go. Themes include Evolution, Check-up Scanner, Sea Mystery and Space Trip.

DKL supports SmartLab and Miniland with full marketing campaigns which include dedicated planograms, bespoke visual merchandising, and extensive social media activity.

Global Opportunities 01905 831 919 | www.liscianigroup.com The Lisciani Centre for Training and Research was set up to help elevate the quality of education in schools, designing and producing books and educational games to support this initiative.

For the first time in 2016, much of the Lisciani game range is available in English, a core part of the range being the Piccolo Genio Scientific games. In stock in the UK from April 2016, the range offers great hands-on experiences. The products help children to get closer to science in a fun and simple way.

The range includes products such as What’s an Earthquake?, Discover the Human Body, Super Easy Chemistry and more.

The science kits offer many different experiences, whilst the Great Science laboratory is a collection of scientific experiments that are fun, instructional and safe. It includes five experiments in optics, palaeontology, botany, geophysics and anatomy.

The build-your-own farm allows children to build their own 3D scene that includes a farm house, a silo, hay bales and a windmill that works.

Using tools, pots, earth and seeds provided, kids can see various and fruit and vegetables grow. The kit also includes a Farmer’s Guide.

Toy World 32

Science & nature

MGA Entertainment 0845 0533 333 | www.mgae.com Backed by a major entertainment partnership with Netflix, the Project Mc2 brand launched globally in August 2015 and has proved popular with consumers for its mix of smart characters and educational focus on S.T.E.A.M (science, technology, engineering, arts and maths) subjects.

The four main characters featured in the Netflix original show are McKeyla McAlister (Mc2), Adrienne Attoms (A2), Camryn Coyle (C2) and Bryden Bandweth (B2). The product line, based on the show, includes dolls and accessories with experiments that fans can do at home.

This year, the brand has launched a number of new dolls and accessories – including two new standalone accessories; Project Mc2 Circuit Beats and the Project Mc2 CO2 Rocket.

Project Mc2 Circuit Beats offers music lovers the chance to produce melodies out of almost anything through the use of electrical circuits and any electrical conductor, while Project Mc2 CO2 Rocket offers aspiring detectives the chance to make and send messages in a bottle using household ingredients such as baking soda and vinegar.

Autumn/winter will see a number of major developments for the brand, including two brand new series on Netflix. The first will launch on 12th August and the second will be in autumn. There will also be the launch of a new theme and even more innovative products that align with S.T.E.A.M. The campaign will be backed by entertainment and TV support and will also include a PR launch, digital activity and full social media activity.

Interplay 01628 488 944 | www.interplayuk.com Interplay’s new My Fairy Garden range promotes a positive and healthy lifestyle, encouraging getting outdoors and respecting the environment.

All of the playsets include interaction with nature, either by creating a garden or by learning about seasons and life cycles in nature.

Products in the range include Fairy Garden, Lilypad Gardens, Fairy Flowerpot, Secret Fairy Door and Woodland Fairy Door. All of these products incorporate collectible pieces and are designed to encourage children to learn more about nature.

Since the launch of the heavyweight TV advertising campaign earlier this month, My Fairy Garden has received a positive response from consumers.

The brand will also be sponsoring The Fairy Tale hour on Disney Junior Channel from June until September 2016. These TV campaigns, along with the online and offline advertising and PR activities, will generate a high level of awareness for the brand.

Interplay also offers My Living World, an evergreen brand that explores the world of living creatures which has demonstrated steady growth since its launch 18 years ago.

Schleich 01279 870 000 | www.schleich-s.com Schleich’s Farm and Wild Life collections provide an early introduction to the world of nature, and for 2016 there are many new animals and playsets to enhance each range.

These collectible figures need no instruction.

Children can simply pick them up and play, having fun while learning about animals. The Schleich quality and attention to detail is renowned, ensuring anatomical accuracy.

Each Schleich animal, whether new or part of the existing line-up, can be collected until an entire play world is created. There are also ready-to-play sets and accessories available.

2016 sees new animals added to both the Farm and Wild Life collections with larger playsets to follow later in the year, such as a new Farm Building. A new Big Adventure at the Watering Hole playset will provide a hangout for the wild animals in the Wild Life range.

With retailer promotions and substantial PR campaigns, Schleich will ensure this quality brand has strong awareness with the consumer, both inside and out of the retail space.

Toy World 34

Science & nature

John Adams 01480 414 361 | www.johnadams.co.uk Following on from the success of Sparkle Science, John Adams is expanding its collection with Neon Science, which launches in June 2016.

Featuring three science experiments, Neon Science is a neoncoloured science set which enables kids to make wearable, sparkly, neon nails. Children can create a crystal winged fairy in their own light-up fairy garden and make a glow in the dark, sparkly neon-nightlight jar. The Neon Science kit also includes a UV light so kids can show off their finished products.

The new introduction will join the company’s successful science portfolio, sitting alongside popular existing sets such as Hot Wires, Gross Science, Glow in the Dark Science and Booms, Bangs, Fizzes. Neon Science will be TV advertised and will have PR support.

Galt 0161 428 9111 | www.galttoys.com Based on the best-selling books by Nick Arnold, Horrible Science kits are all about discovery. From checking out microscopic monsters to messing with slime, Galt has chemistry and biology experiments that will help children to learn about science.

The new Savage Storms kit will show children how to make their own real thunder sounds, hold a tornado in their hand and grow their own snow and icicles. They can also learn the effects of global warming and other weather facts.

Children can try their hand at weird and wonderful experiments with the help of a 20-page booklet with a step-by-step guide on how to do each one, as well as lots of facts about the weather. The kit also includes icicle solution, snow powder and useful equipment for conducting each experiment.

Other kits include Space, Stars and Slimy Aliens, Chemical Chaos, Blood, Bones and Body Bits, Really Rotten Experiments and Explosive Experiments. Smaller kits in the range include Creepy Crystals, Slippery Slime, Shocking Rocket, Bouncy Eyeballs and Violent Volcano, as well as two 300-piece jigsaw puzzles, Beastly Body Bits and Smashing Solar System.

Later this year, Galt Toys will launch a new Bonkers Bubbles kit for children to make and blow mega bubbles. Children can make their own bubble solution and construct 3D bubble shapes.

Toy World 36

Learning Resources 07872 377 302 | www.learningresources.co.uk Primary Science encourages outdoor exploration and discovery.

The hands-on science range for curious young learners has seen three new additions for 2016 including Shining Stars Projector, Wow and Wonder, and Outdoor Discovery.

The Shining Stars Projector is colourful and compact, beaming images of space onto any surface for a close-up view of stars, planets and more. Featuring an easy carry handle and stand, it can be used on the go or at home. Three discs of eight images can be interchanged and rotated, and then stored in the base after use. It also features auto shut-off function to conserve battery life.

Character Options 0161 633 9800 | www.character-online.com Launched in summer 2015, Wild Pets made their mark in the interactive pet market with the successful launch of four furry limbed spiders and habitats. Moving and feeling like real wild spiders, these eight limbed mini beasts are controlled with touch sensors. Children can pet them to activate them, then watch them creep, explore and attack. Spring 2016 sees new Wild Pets let loose in the marketplace, in the form of four scorpions that Glow in the Dark. Using the touch sensor on the back, children can control the scorpion and make it their pet. If children leave it alone, the scorpion will enter Cage Mode and move around quietly and calmly on its own.

There are four new Wild Pets Scorpions to choose from; Clawpion, Firestruck, Stingback and Thorn, which will be TV advertised alongside the existing Wild Pets collection.

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viewpoint Toy World shares insight and opinion

David Ripley Groupon

The Old and the New Old

I love the toy industry and I take every chance I get to talk about all things toys, but inevitably every conversation I have (unless it is with my children) ultimately turns into a discussion about ‘flat growth’ and what will become the next big thing.

It seems that everyone is searching for that new product, brand or licence that will take their sales into the stratosphere. I even recall a conversation with a nearly retired sales person who informed me they were speculating in

Jim Hawker co-founder of Threepipe PR and digital marketing agency.

A wing and a prayer

I have just been through a relatively painful planning process with a client from outside of the toy sector that has become a sponsor of one of the hotly anticipated family movies of the year. From previous experience, I know that simply being a sponsor does not guarantee commercial success. To some extent, it’s quite lazy marketing to simply sponsor a film, stick the logo on product and hope it sells into retail and then off the shelves.

Q4 on 20ft containers of products from the Far East that they hoped would be in short supply in the build up to Christmas, which would therefore yield a small fortune on eBay. I can’t knock that type of risky entrepreneurial speculation, but it was a competing product to the products they themselves were selling!

Everyone who understands the toy business at a basic level understands that the vast majority of products, once at least semisuccessful, will enter a cycle and inevitably be re-launched after a period of time. The duration of time that a product is out of the market, going through the cycle, can vary wildly, typically a very high grossing product, brand or licence will be re-booted sooner in the hope of replicating the previous commercial success.

I always applaud the toy companies that financially commit to new products and licences long before they have any real idea that something could be commercially successful.

Many toy companies from as far back as the 1850s have long since ceased to exist and their products, brands and licences have either

transferred to another company or simply faded away. A simple search of vintage toy companies on www.Retrowaste.com will bring up a list of over 100.

Of the 105 companies/brands listed, only 35 still exist today as either a company in their own right, such as Lego, Mattel or Hasbro or as a brand within a much larger portfolio of toy brands, typically in a larger corporation, such as Tonka, Playskool or Tyco. Some of the more renowned vintage toy companies had relatively short life spans, however an amazing 25% got very close to celebrating their centenary year.

The list of vintage toy companies is far from comprehensive and those listed represent the tip of a very large iceberg. I wonder just how many now defunct toy company brand archives remain untapped and out of IP trademark protection, just waiting for someone to come along, dust them off and re-launch them to commercial success. Why reinvent the wheel when there are so many brands that were once successful waiting to be relaunched?

The film sponsorship was of course negotiated at a global level and the local marketing teams are running around trying to figure out what sponsorship assets are available to activate in their local markets.

The answer is, pretty much, bugger all - not even a guarantee of free tickets to see the film. Do they want to spend any money to create a campaign, in what will be a highly regulated (read uncreative) brand environment and go through the tortuous process of approvals? The answer to that is no.

So, what we are left with is the hope (and prayer) that the film does well and consumers feel an affinity to a number of products that have slapped their logo on their packaging. Quite a risk to take really, especially when the film is not reported to be that good. Having globally centred brand decision-making is hugely risky when you aren’t sponsoring what are considered the Triple A properties.

Having a totally licensed driven strategy is of course the way that many successful

toy businesses have grown and continue to grow. However, the path to success can be extremely turbulent, and success can be completely out of your hands. It is therefore no surprise that more toy companies are spending more money on developing their own IP, rather than paying a hefty fee to borrow one.

I have a sneaking suspicion that things were easier in the past, that there were fewer films vying for families’ attention and less horses to back. The output of the film studios often seems to be feast or famine, and toy companies are often left with either too much choice (and associated risk), or competing over slim pickings.

Balancing the risk and investing in R&D and taking a more medium to long term approach to business planning seems to be paying off for many companies. Retailers themselves know that simply paying for a licence for an average family movie does not guarantee success.

Toy World 38

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“operate on amber” and always waiting for the official green light can mean opportunities are lost.

Andy Clempson Toy industry sales and commercial expert

•

•

They must be able to able to handle products with consumer demand that is driven by fashion, playground talk, online hype and TV/programming and handle products that are often subject to huge swings in sales performance.

•

They must have the ability to think and work in multiple seasons, potentially delivering current spring ranges, agreeing autumn/winter and planning the next spring all at the same time.

•

They must be forward-looking regarding delivery patterns. With the more highly engineered products taking more than six months to be produced, detailed planning is critical to hit customers launch dates.

In search of Superman and Wonder Woman

For suppliers, attracting and keeping good sales people is a critical part of their business model. Understanding what makes him or her successful is key.

Some sales and commercial skills and traits are transferable from different industries. For example, the ability to build strong relationships and understand needs, having a structured selling approach, being able to plan, interpret and use data and the ability to negotiate. However, from my observations, there are some specific qualities that are very important to succeed in the world of toys. People that enter the industry either tend to leave pretty quickly or stay for a lifetime. So when I think about the best people that have stayed and prospered, what are the key characteristics and qualities they have or have learnt?

•

•

They must be able to operate in shades of grey (and I am not talking about 50 shades here!) Nothing in toys ever seems black and white, or set in concrete, and they need to get used to operating without 100% of the facts.

They must be able to use intuition and commercial experience and make calculated assumptions when taking decisions. Sometimes you need to

John-Paul Burke Arena Azure

Talking Pictures

2015 saw an increase in demand for TV airtime from the toy industry, and the signs are that this growth will continue in 2016. As

They must be able to operate with brands and products that often have a short life span, with 70% of the lines changing each season. This necessitates a willingness to embrace change and be a quick learner.

•

•

They must have the ability to be a “Mystic Meg forecaster”. Forecasting is never 100% accurate, so it is about minimising the margin of error and having the skill to manage risk.

Sometimes trying to forecast a truly innovative line in a brand new category can be a bit like doing the lottery.

They must be prepared to get a call or e mail 24/7. The industry is truly global and the major hubs of the Far East and US mean that, with time differences, the potential working day can be a long spread and people often want immediate responses.

advertisers consider alternative AV solutions, we look at the case for cinema.

On the face of it, moving from TV to cinema advertising is a relatively easy journey as the creative formats are similar. So why don’t more toy advertisers use cinema?

The answer is rooted in the fact that children’s TV is such an efficient and cost effective medium that advertisers have traditionally been reluctant to consider alternatives. Naysayers have always been keen to highlight the relatively high cost of cinema advertising compared with children’s television, and while there has historically been some validity in this observation, cinema has been working hard to address the issue and make the offering more cost effective.

In addition, cinema increasingly offers

Toy World 40

•

They must be prepared to roll their sleeves up and graft. Even the biggest companies have limited support resources. All good commercial people are not afraid to help out and do the basics in order to service their customer.

•

They must always be optimistic and prepared to aim for bigger targets with less promotional investment. I for one have never seen a target go down year on year and meanwhile the pressure for better return on investment increases every year. Every season there are new launches to top up that level of optimism though.

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They must be persistent and be the proverbial dog with a bone, in chasing the customer for answers and updates and also in representing the customer internally in their business. The internal battles and negotiations are often tougher than the external.

•

They must be prepared for some unglamorous travel, to hit the ground running and be able to operate on limited sleep in the pursuit of successful toy fairs, previews and customer meetings.

•

And finally, having a sense of humour and a thick skin also helps the best toy people stay at the top of their game.

Whilst I write this from a supplier perspective I imagine that buyers reading this may recognize many similarities in a good toy buyer’s key characteristics. I’d be interested to know if you disagree or want to add to my list. It also makes me wonder why we don’t see a few more people jumping from one side to the other.

opportunities that TV does not.

The case for cinema A visit to the cinema can be a big family occasion, although recent evidence would suggest it is becoming more of a treat.

Family trips accounted for 25% of all cinema admissions in 2015, which in itself is a 16% year on year increase (Pearl & Dean, Jan 2016). In contrast to admissions growing, the frequency of visits has declined. In 2011, 42% of children were going to the cinema at least once a month compared with 33% in 2015 (Childwise; The Monitor Report 2016).

The number of those who visit the cinema a few times a year has grown from 38% to 44% (Childwise; The Monitor Report 2016), suggesting that movie releases are very

much an occasion that is looked forward to.

Childwise shows that, on average, 34% of a film’s child audience see the film as soon as it is released, with two thirds of children going to see a new film within the first few weeks. There is still much excitement in being one of the first to view the latest release.

This was highlighted in 2015 with the latest instalments in the Star Wars and Jurassic Park franchises both breaking box office records for opening weekends. It wasn’t just live action franchises that enjoyed such success. Minions ranked as the favourite film of the year, with 17% of five to ten year olds citing it as their favourite movie (Childwise; The Monitor Report 2015).

2016 is set to be an even bigger year for cinema going families with the release of six superhero movies and three Disney movies in the shape of Zootropolis, The Jungle Book and Finding Dory. These are joined by The Secret Life of Pets, Ice Age 5, The BFG and many more.

Big cinematic releases and toy licences

Ruth Clement Full Steam Consulting

Multi-channel toy planning for Christmas 2016 – PART 3: What’s in store?

Stores still matter. After all, 78% of toy shoppers made a toy purchase in store at least once over the Christmas season in 2015, according to Full Steam’s survey of 500 mums with children aged 3-10, conducted in January 2016. That’s the glass half full picture. Now for the “but”…the glass half empty.

Whilst stores suit the mainstream shopper, one in five toy shoppers did not make any of their toy purchases from bricks and mortar stores and one in ten mums who visited a store left empty handed, using stores purely as a source of ideas, for promotions checking and price comparisons.

So the greatest challenges facing retailers and brand owners are making every store visit matter, in converting more browsers into buyers and in directing traffic back to the fixture. They can do this by delivering a

are long established partners. However, with TV, licensed product cannot be advertised within two hours of the same licensed TV programme. This is not the case with cinema.

So, for example, where Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles licensees are not able to advertise anywhere near the show on Nick/ Channel 5, this summer their adverts can be seen in cinemas just before the sequel to the popular 2014 movie. In 2015 this was something Arena Azure was able to take advantage of , placing Hornby’s Spectre Scalextric Set before the global James Bond smash hit of the same name.

Dual viewing at older ages At a time when so much family time is divided between different responsibilities, and viewing attentions are spread between different devices, it can be a challenge to get everyone watching the same thing. Cinema brings everyone to the same place with the same goal, to have a fun, social experience whether as a family or with friends.

toy shopping experience which is both easy and pleasant, creating a compelling sense of urgency and meeting all primary needs related to mums’ core shopping missions.

Brands have a key role to play in each of these areas.

More mums claim greater satisfaction with their shopping experience on the internet than the in store experience. Even habitual store shoppers give lower satisfaction scores for their experience in bricks and mortar.

There are some aspects of store shopping which are merely tolerated out of necessity but which erode overall satisfaction.

Contrary to expectations, price is not the main driver of satisfaction for internet shoppers. Their approval boils down to how easy it is to shop for toys, how well the products are organised to browse and select, and how much range there is to choose from.

The internet wins on all these points.

Retailers which have large toy ranges housed in bricks and mortar stores naturally have greater difficulty in maintaining an easy-to-shop experience and an organised environment. However for a toy specialist, any attempt to cut the range in order to improve ease-of-shop in store is also beset with risks. Brand owners and retailers alike should consider going beyond testing individual product concepts with consumers for their appeal and playability and test them instead within the context of the entire range intended for launch, in order to properly understand which combination of products will drive the highest level of cross purchase. The optimum range, which is highly valued by shoppers, does not accommodate products which have no role

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Child and parent dual viewing declines after the age of 5 years for TV whereas over 74% of 5-10 year old visits the cinema with their parents (Childwise; The Monitor Report 2015).

In Summary While not advocating a move away from TV entirely for toy advertisers, there is a case for cinema to be considered as either a standalone or a complementary advertising resource.

Cinema’s unique strengths should not be ignored. Its undeniable impact and parent plus older child dual viewing opportunities are powerful advantages, as is the ability to pair licensed products directly with related content. Although it can be a more expensive medium than children’s TV for the most part of the year, the pricing does become more comparable to TV in the autumn, making it more attractive.

With the impressive slate of releases that is coming up it should be on every advertiser’s radar.

in building on a play pattern and which merely add complexity to the fixture. The fact that a product is exclusive to a retailer is low down on mums’ purchase decision hierarchy and even engenders suspicion. The fact that an item is described as “collectible” within an assortment of only 3 variants will not compel mums to invest in a shortlived, somewhat unimpressive “collection”.

What both these types of product lines do, however, is add unwelcome complexity and reduce the ease-of-shop.

Stores remain key to the toy category as a whole. For younger children, stores remain the primary way to communicate what they want for Christmas to their parents by pointing at items on shelf. 90% of preschool children will accompany their parent on a shopping trip and, in the weeks leading up to Christmas, many parents will take their young children on a special scouting trip to the local toy specialist store expressly for this purpose. Retailers should consider how to grasp the opportunities which that trip creates in the moment, even if it occurs early in the season. Parents may defer purchase until they can either return unaccompanied, or until they have scouted around for the best price. Knowing and understanding these shoppers’ needs leads to innovative ideas which will convert those shoppers there and then, without deferral.

Mums who use the internet most to shop for toys haven’t dispensed with bricks and mortar stores altogether and they continue to play an important role for them too. So stores do matter, but they need to innovate in order to drive satisfaction and retain their influential role in category.

Feature

ELA

Screen stealers VTech’s recent acquisition of LeapFrog is undoubtedly a major event for the Electronic Learning Aids category.

Toy World looks into how this development may affect the sector as a whole and at what the future holds for companies working in the category.

J

ust as this issue went to press, it was confirmed that VTech’s bid to acquire LeapFrog - first announced back in February - had been given the go ahead, with the deal being completed despite a late surge of interest from other toy companies including MGA Entertainment. So what will this development mean for the ELA category? In the short term the timing of the acquisition, coupled with the intricacies of the bringing two major companies together, is likely to mean that the two companies continue as largely separate entities, at least for the remainder of this year.

However, the integration process is almost certainly already underway, with plans being laid as to how the acquisition will play out in practice.

Given the fact that the ELA sector has been dominated by these two global power-houses for many years, the newly-combined force of the leading two players in the market will inevitably create a powerful category champion, with each brand having its own strengths in particular segments of the market. As such, it seems highly likely that both brand names will continue to be utilised in order to leverage the maximum return from the combined operation.

Indeed, the deal - worth a reported £72m – looks incredibly good value, especially when you consider LeapFrog has a strong presence in the American market, where much of the value in the acquisition will be realised.

Historically, VTech has experience of handling a separate division as part of its overall portfolio, as those who remember the IQ Builders brand will be aware.

Whether this is the business model it chooses to adopt this time round, or whether an alternative approach is chosen, the upshot is that the ELA category will now be driven by a single, formidable player.

This will undoubtedly present a major challenge to other brands operating in the category, but it may also offer opportunities for certain companies to stake a claim to be the number two player in the market.

Trends UK is one company which has recently made the decision to enter into the ELA sector, and is feeling optimistic about the impact it will make with its new Peppa Pig range.

Toy World spoke to Lindsay Hardy, marketing director, to find out how the company intends to break into the category. “We are spreading the word about our new Peppa Pig ELA range as wide as possible, with heavyweight TV advertising and multiple PR and social media activities targeting parents of pre-schoolers,” she said. “We’re positive about our entry into the sector, as we’re launching with a very strong brand behind us. Peppa Pig is a classic, evergreen property and so our expectations are high. Mums are looking

Vtech

for the endorsement of great brands in this pre-school area, and Peppa Pig has exceptional pedigree plus huge marketing support from Entertainment One.” So what new products can the ELA market expect to see throughout 2016? “The hero item for Trends is the TV line: Peppa Pig’s Alphaphonics Campervan, plus a Flip & Learn Phone, a Singalong & Learn Microphone and a laptop,” Lindsay said. “There’ll be lots of fun and giggles as children develop early learning skills including understanding colours, phonetics and numeracy, amongst others.”

Rebecca Lazarus, senior brand manager at VTech told Toy World specifically about what the company is bringing to the market this year. “VTech is excited to introduce a variety of new and exciting electronic learning products this year. Paw Patrol Treat Time Marshall by VTech offers a new way to learn alongside an all-time favourite character, with the 26 letter biscuits helping to reinforce letter and vocabulary learning,” she explains. “There are also new licences coming to VTech’s InnoTab Max and InnoTV’s growing software collection. Last year VTech introduced new titles featuring favourite characters from Paw Patrol and Frozen, and in 2016 Power Rangers, Finding Dory, Lion Guard, DC Super Friends and Peppa Pig will be joining them”.

Technology is being integrated more and more into education, and as a result of the growing focus on educational STEM principles, toy retailers such as Toy Barnhaus are noticing how more and more parents are choosing to buy ELA products as a way of

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introducing their children to digital technology in a safe and engaging way. “We stock the first laptops from both VTech and LeapFrog, and they sell very well,” said Stephen Barnes from Toy Barnhaus. “We believe this to be a growing category, as with computers and technology being something that children are certain to encounter at a later stage in their life, we are finding that more and more parents are willing to invest in educational products such as these. They help ease children into technology from a young age, and they teach them good hand-eye coordination skills.”

Commenting on the benefits that the category offers, Rebecca Lazarus explains: “All VTech electronic learning products are specifically developed to complement the current national curriculum, ensuring age appropriate learning. VTech has worked with a developmental psychologist for over 10 years and continually research the market to ensure all our products appeal to the parents, whilst making learning fun for children”.

So what is next for the ELA market? The category will inevitably evolve as technology itself evolves, but it can also grow in other ways. “The continuous product development and innovation at VTech is the key to longevity and growth in this category,” explains Rebecca. “VTech also adds electronic learning technology to their products when entering new categories, as we have done in dolls, which allows further opportunities for growth”.

Over the next few pages, suppliers of some of the hottest products in the category are displayed.

ELA

LeapFrog

01895 202 840 | www.leapfrog.com LeapPad3 is a sleek 5” device which features a child-appropriate web experience, thanks to its browsing tool: LeapSearch. LeapSearch only allows access to pre-screened online content, approved by the company’s team of learning experts. The device provides access to LeapFrog’s Learning Library of over 800 games, apps, eBooks, videos, music and more. The library’s content has been designed and approved by LeapFrog’s Learning Team and draws from 2,600 core curriculum skills.

Certain games feature Just-For-Me Maths and Spelling Technology where parents can enter the curriculum that will appear in the game.

In addition, all LeapFrog’s games feature Adjust-to-Me Learning Technology, meaning games adapt to each child’s skill level. With Remember-My-Learning-Level, progress is remembered across games with a similar curriculum. The tablet has 4GB of memory, two megapixel cameras, video recorders and a six-hour rechargeable battery life.

LeapReader is an interactive stylus that combines technology with print-based learning. The device combines reading, writing and listening, will read aloud words and sentences, and in some books will break down individual letter names and phonic sounds. It challenges children’s listening skills, and also introduces pen control and handwriting skills.

40 books or 175 songs can be stored on the LeapReader at one time, with over 100 learning experiences available from the learning library including books, audio books, flash cards, maps, learn-to-write sets, music albums and trivia challenges.

LeapTV, the first active and educational video gaming system designed just for kids, combines activity and movement with the educational curriculum. The LeapTV system is compatible with an educator-approved content library of over 100 cartridge and/or digital games and videos.

With three different ways to play, LeapTV boasts Just For Me learning elements, and several games also have a multiplayer function. The library is home to children’s characters such as Sofia the First and Paw Patrol’s Rescue Pups. Sports, dance and kart racing also add to the line-up.

The LeapTV system includes a console, motion-sensing camera, camera mount, transforming controller with wrist strap, HDMI cable, 16GB of memory and builtin Wi-Fi for downloading apps.

Trends UK

01295 768 078 | www.trendsuk.co.uk Trends UK is launching a completely new range of Peppa Pig Electronic Learning toys, featuring much-loved characters from the award-winning Peppa Pig TV series. The toys are designed to help pre-schoolers develop early learning skills including understanding colours, phonetics and numeracy through interactive play features.

The hero item is the TV line, Peppa’s Alphaphonics Campervan, and the range also includes a Flip & Learn Phone, Singalong & Learn Microphone and a laptop. The Peppa Pig ELA range will be suitable for children aged 18 months and over.

Available from summer 2016, Trends UK will support the launch of the new Peppa Pig Electronic Learning range with strong marketing campaigns, including TV advertising and a wide range of PR and social media activities targeting parents of pre-schoolers.

KD UK

01727 827 194 | www.kdplanet.com/uk KD UK’s 2016 ELA offer focuses on new additions to the Paw Patrol range. The hero line is the Paw Patrol Learning Blazon, which encourages fun and learning with three ways to play discovery, quiz and lights. Pre-schoolers can discover shapes, numbers, colours and fun facts about their favourite pups from the show; Ryder will then test the little one’s knowledge with a quiz; and lastly there is a game to stimulate handeye coordination and memory by following the lights and remembering the sequence which is perfect for children to play alone or to challenge their friends.

KD will also continue to offer other licensed ELAs including Thomas & Friends, Fireman Sam, In The Night Garden and Disney Princess.

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ELA

VTech

01235 546 810 | www.vtech.co.uk

All details subject to Licensor approval

A variety of curriculum supported learning games are available for the InnoTab Max and InnoTV. Last year VTech introduced new titles featuring favourite characters from Paw Patrol and Frozen, and this autumn/winter will see even more licensed games, including Power Rangers, Finding Dory, Lion Guard, DC Super Friends and Peppa Pig, all offering age-appropriate educational learning fun.

The company’s Paw Patrol Treat Time Marshall offers a new way to learn letters, phonics, colours, daily routines and more. The device can even remember the first letter of the child’s name. It includes 26 letter biscuits and over 120 responses, facts and questions to help reinforce letter and vocabulary learning. Marshall’s eyes and ears move, and his badge button flashes as the music plays to enhance interactive fun.

VTech’s Number Fun Turtle introduces numbers, colours, shapes, basic addition and musical instruments through five modes of play. Kids can press one of the chunky light-up number buttons or spin the rollers to interact with the turtle and learn early maths skills. They can also follow the light-up buttons to strengthen memory and encourage repetitive learning.

This turtle also teaches numbers, colours, shapes and instruments in Spanish to encourage language development.

The Alpha-Gator by VTech is a pull-along alligator which encourages language development, discovery, exploration and independent play.

Children can turn the alligator’s tail to pick one of the five games and can then explore the alphabet, letters and phonics, learn animal facts or listen to sentences made with similar words.

All of VTech’s electronic learning products are specifically developed to teach basic curriculum skills including phonics, letters, numbers, spelling and more. The colourful and interactive range helps to enhance a child’s learning experience, develop imaginations and encourage language development.

Peppa’s Flip & Learn Phone

Full marketing support: TV, press and digital campaigns Peppa’s Laugh & Learn Laptop

Peppa’s Alphaphonics™ Campervan To place an order please contact:

+44 (0)1295 768078

salesadmin@trendsuk.co.uk www.trendsuk.co.uk

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For media enquiries, please contact Ane Olesen: ane@wirepr.eu OfficialPeppaPig © ABD Ltd/Ent. One UK Ltd 2003. www.peppapig.com

Feature

Dolls

Getting dolled up The dolls category itself can be split between fashion dolls and nurturing baby dolls. NPD data shows that the dolls category grew 4% last year and that the growth is likely to continue through 2016. February alone saw a year to date increase of 8%, with the nurturing doll sub category increasing by 12%. Jonika Kinchin finds out what companies are doing to keep up to date and relevant in today’s market.

F

rom ancient times, children have played with dolls, and they continue to be a mainstay of the toy market today, in many different forms. Doll play has many advantages, including the development of fine-motor skills through dressing and undressing, language skills thorough imaginative interaction, caring and nurturing skills through role play, as well as enabling the working through of emotions. Some dolls leave everything to the imagination of their owner, while others have been designed with specific functions or play suggestions.

Rebecca Lazarus, senior brand manager at VTech, told Toy World how the company is developing in the dolls category, and using technology to add to play value. “VTech first entered the doll category in 2014 with the successful introduction of Little Love Baby Talk and the 3-in-1 pushchair. Different priced dolls were added to the Little Love Family in 2015 and VTech’s presence in the doll category is set to grow in 2016,” she said. “Technology features heavily this year with the introduction of Little Love Cuddle and Care, which has five sensors and three buttons on her body which trigger interactive responses, and the interactive Little Love 4-in-1 Carrier which features bedtime stories, sing-along songs, lullabies and more. Children can also explore basic nutrition and hear baby care reminders for added play value”.

Another company new to the dolls market is Halilit. Judith Stark, managing director, commented: “Our new Lori Dolls range has been developed to offer a more wholesome approach to the dolls market.

Dolls are new to Halilit and prior to entering this category, we could see that there was clearly a demand for realistic shaped dolls, with accessories that are used in everyday life. It opened a whole new sector for us. As the dolls are so affordable, girls can have a group of dolls that reflect their own lives and friendship groups. The range offers a choice of dolls that reflect modern society and appeal to all children, plus the wide variety of outfits is fashionable and mirrors what young girls would love to wear. More importantly, they are outfits that parents would be happy to purchase too. “ One of the most iconic and enduring dolls available, Barbie remains one of the key properties in the dolls market. Mattel has this year taken steps to reinforce a more realistic body image message for young girls with the introduction of Barbie Fashionistas. Wendy Hill, brand activation director at Mattel, told Toy World: “Barbie started this year with lots of exciting news and we have received lots of support from mums with the introduction of the Fashionistas line. As well as three new body shapes, Mattel is offering girls even more choice with a range of seven skin tones, 22 eye

Mattel

colours and 24 hairstyles to choose from, reflecting the world they see around them. Plus our new range of Made to Move dolls move and pose in a realistic way, with 22 joints in the neck, upper elbows, wrists, torso, hips, upper legs, knees and ankles for a brand new range of motion”.

The emphasis of STEM or STEAM in female education has inspired some companies to rethink their overall approach to girls’ product, and lines designed to encourage a move away from traditional play patterns have been introduced. Backed by a major entertainment partnership with Netflix, MGA launched the Project Mc2 brand globally in August 2015 with a mix of characters and an educational focus on STEAM subjects. The dolls come with accessories and experiments to do at home. Marian Davis, marketing manager MGA and Zapf Creation, explains: “STEAM is certainly a huge trend for the whole toy industry and our fashion doll line and Netflix show Project Mc2 has seen lots of success already this year – including becoming a sponsor of British Science Week and, in the US, working with the White House to help combat gender stereotypes”.

Role-play is still a key component when it comes to dolls, whether that be playing house, being a princess, curing cancer or flying to Mars. Judith from Halilit believes that “nothing beats a doll that can be used for role-play to keep young children entertained, and parents welcome a non-tech toy that their child will enjoy playing with,” she commented, adding that to keep Lori Dolls current, Lori has her own website, Instagram and Twitter feed to add to the play experience and brand awareness. Traditional play still has a part to play in the present day. “Nurturing and role-play still feature heavily in the dolls market, as seen by the ongoing popularity of our Zapf Creation, Baby Annabell and Baby Born ranges,” explains Marian Davis. “Ultimately, it comes down to play value. Many of the products in our evergreen Zapf range, Baby Born, don’t need batteries and are just as much fun”.

Mattel has a different approach when it comes to technology in toys, as Wendy explains “Mattel develops tech toys in evolving and exciting ways that makes sense for the brand. For example, this year Barbie will be able to fly for the first time, allowing girls to perform airborne tricks and stunts with the dolls”.

One of the key themes for MGA’s Project Mc2 is technology, and many of the products and accessories in the line stay true to this.

Marian points out that the use of technology has increased across all of MGA and Zapf’s brands, and it seems to be setting a trend for the sector. The use of technology in dolls can also lead to cross category products. “From the Circuit Beats toy, which allows children to make a musical circuit using objects that are readily available, to a whole new range of themed accessories for autumn/winter 16, technology plays a key role across the line,” Marian explains. “One of the key products coming this year will be the Project Mc2 H20 car, a clever R/C vehicle that combines all the thrill of a remote controlled car, but with working headlights and real steam coming out of the exhaust when the engine is revved”.

Although a doll’s personality and look is often determined by its owner’s play patterns, as girls imaginations project their own ideas of personality on to their plastic (or soft bodied) companions, licensed dolls are also available that enable girls to enjoy their favourite characters. Wendy Hill spoke of the great response Mattel has had from the new DC Super Hero Girls range. “Offering a diverse array of strong female characters, the line includes household names such as Wonder Woman and Supergirl and introduces new characters such as Bumblebee in a fun and action-packed universe, Super Hero High.

The dolls will be launching in retailers in July and we are very excited to be introducing girls to a new take on dolls”.

Ranging from classic favourites to new releases, the next few pages covers all things dolls.

• Age appropriate 15cm fashion dolls • Soft-bodied and easy to dress • Ethnically diverse • 24 collectible dolls and pets • Lots of fashionable outfits & accessories!

FOR HAPPY LIVELY LITTLE PEOPLE

Distributed exclusively in the UK and Ireland by Halilit

Learn more about Lori and her friends at www.Loridolls.com

sales@halilit.co.uk T: 01254 872454

Dolls

Mattel

01628 500 111 | www.mattel.com Following the launch of three new body shapes, tall, curvy and petite earlier in the year, Barbie Fashionistas remains committed to its focus on diversity and up to date trends. The new 2016 Barbie Fashionistas line includes four body types, seven skin tones, 22 eye colours, 24 hairstyles and countless on-trend fashions and accessories. Barbie Made to Move dolls have 22 joints and can mimic realistic action for a range of movement.

Barbie becomes a space explorer in DVD release Starlight Adventure which will be supported with a doll line including a R/C Barbie Hoverboard which really flies. The line will be supported by extensive marketing including a TV campaign, PR activation and in-store display materials.

Barbie Dreamtopia is a new fantasy range aimed at younger girls, and features a new hair segment featuring Barbie Snap ‘N Style Princess, Barbie Endless Hair Kingdom Unicorn and Barbie Long Hair Chelsea dolls, plus Barbie Rainbow Lights Mermaid, with more introductions to come in autumn winter 2016. The world of Barbie Dreamtopia is supported by visual content with long form content launching later this year, a celebrity-led competition in spring and a variety of digital platforms.

In 2016 Monster High partners with Lady Gaga’s Born This Way foundation for the launch of the #KindMonsters movement. Monster High’s second DVD this year Welcome to Monster High will build on strengthening consumer connections with core characters through going back to where it all began.

July will see the introduction of the brand new DC Super Hero Girls. As master toy licensee, Mattel will launch a range comprising three categories; Dolls, Action Figures and Role-play, all with a positive female empowerment message focusing on DC’s heritage of strong female characters Ever After High continues to champion a Powerful Princess message with two action-packed long-form pieces of content airing on Netflix; Dragon Games and Epic Winter. Content will be supported with themed doll lines alongside the core character dolls.

Bandai 01489 790 944 | www.bandai.co.uk There is a fairytale theme to the Pinypon collection this year as Little Red Riding Hood, Mary Poppins, Pinocchio, Rapunzel and Pocahontas join the family, with each figure supplied with a pet and relevant accessories to their story. Play can be enhanced with the Tales House play set which comes with lots of accessories to aid imaginative play, and includes a Cinderella figure who changes from rags to riches thanks to the mixing and matching play pattern. A new series of entry price point collectible figures also launches this summer, and other highlights in the range include the Prince and Princess figure set, Princess Carriage and Pinypon Palace.

The Nenuco Bubble Bath doll set will be the focus of an upcoming TV campaign in 2016. Dressed in a special material swimming costume, the doll can be fully immersed in water in her dolphin float. There is also a Newborn doll with sounds, a Makes Bubbles doll and a Baby Chef set which comes with a magic spoon, food mixer and lots of food accessories for the interactive doll to enjoy at mealtimes.

Nancy dolls have been famous in Spain since their launch in 1968 and Bandai is delighted to be introducing them to the UK market. Standing at 42cm high, they have attractive faces and long eyelashes and come stylishly dressed for a variety of occasions. Themes for this year include winter sports, travel, princess, hair braids and caring for animals. The Nancy and the Dolphins set and the snow boarder and ice skater dolls will be featured in TV ads.

John Adams 01480 414 361 | www.johnadams.co.uk Following on from the Tiny Tears 50th Anniversary Doll last year, John Adams is giving the UK’s most recognisable doll a makeover for 2016.

First launched in the 1960s, Tiny Tears was the first fully functioning feeding, crying and wetting doll with closing eyes, moveable arms, legs and head, and has been loved by children for generations. Classic Tiny Tears can be fed from her water bottle and then placed on her potty to wet. She will also close her eyes when laid down for a nap, encouraging nurturing role play. This year, the refreshed Classic Tiny Tears doll models a new outfit, featuring a specially designed patterned fabric that is unique to Tiny Tears. The new Classic Tiny Tears doll comes complete with accessories - including bottle, potty, pacifier and hairbrush.

Also new for 2016 is the Teeny Tiny Tears soft bodied doll, which has dual function packaging that can be turned into a cot.

Both dolls are available from May and the range will supported by a heavyweight TV campaign as well as benefiting from PR support.

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Dolls

GP Flair 0208 643 0320 | www.flairplc.co.uk U Hugs are a recently launched range of girls’ fashion dolls with character.

Children are encouraged to choose the U Hug that is the closest match in terms of individual style and personality, then build a collection from there. Each doll is made from soft plastic and has holes around its body ready for pins and personalisation, plus 12 pins to start the transformation.

Fashionistas can change and switch their character’s style and look each day, either to match their mood, their look or their alter ego.

Currently there are six dolls to collect, all of which have traits of their own. In autumn, six new U Hugs characters will join the scene, plus separate Pin Packs to increase potential style combinations.

Autumn also sees the welcome return of fashion icon, Betty Spaghetty.

Combining construction, creativity and fun fashion, the 2016 Betty dolls are available as single, double and triple packs with plenty of accessories and mix and match outfits, for endless combinations.

VTech

01235 546 810 | www.vtech.co.uk VTech entered the doll market for the first time in 2014 with the introduction of Little Love Baby Talk. 2015 saw the range increase with two new additions, Little Love Baby Peek-a-Boo and Little Love Learn to Walk, further increasing VTech’s presence in the doll category. Now two years on, VTech has unveiled new arrivals to the Little Love family with the launch of Little Love Cuddle & Care and the Little Love 4-in-1 Carrier.

Little Love Cuddle & Care comes complete with role-play accessories such as a stethoscope, thermometer, syringe, spoon, medicine bottle and plasters. She has baby phrases and real-life sound effects to engender a basic understanding of health concepts and to encourage nurturing role-play by listening and responding to her requests. The five sensors and three buttons on her body trigger interactive responses.

The Little Love 4-in-1 Carrier easily transforms from a carrier into a rocker, activity seat and cot. Children can listen to bedtime stories, sing-along songs and lullabies or learn letter sounds and piano notes to help develop language skills. All Little Love Baby dolls, and most other baby dolls up to 36cm, fit within the Little Love 4-in-1 Carrier.

MGA 0844 561 1899 | www.mgae.co.uk Bratz has made an impactful start to 2016 with fresh new themes inspired by current trends in technology and style, and a new campaign, which saw the dolls appear as the Britain’s Got Talent judges.

Music is a key theme for Bratz in spring/ summer with spirit animal inspired headphones in the Remix collection, and the Festival Vibes range. Spring/summer 2016 also brings the return of #Selfiesnaps – the most popular Bratz collection. For autumn/winter, new themes will be hitting the shelves expanding on the spirit animals and tech gadget accessories.

Lalaloopsy is focusing on its original core characters for 2016, as well as welcoming exciting new additions and themes to the range. 2016 has seen the successful launch of a new Mini Lalaloopsy segment – Mini Lalaloopsy Swap ‘N’ Style. For the first time, the Mini dolls have removable wigs, fashion and shoes for mix ‘n’ match fashion play. The Lalaloopsy Tinies are also a focus, with TV support throughout the period.

For autumn/winter, two new Lalaloopsy dolls will be revealed – one featuring a clever hair play feature and one with an unusual surprise. The new range will be supported by TV advertising and major entertainment packages – along with PR activity and a full social media campaign.

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#THEDOLLEVOLVES © 2016 Mattel, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

353003_Babri Trade Press ad April Issue Toy World_Af.indd 1

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Hello Dolly Jakks' Ken Goodisson talks to Toy World about the company's extensive range of dolls and accessories

Disney Princess toddler dolls

This range of 14” scale dolls is the perfect introduction to the Disney Princess world. Each doll comes with a full range of accessories, including shoes, a hair brush and beautifully decorated dresses. The doll also comes with a signature tiara for girls to share and wear. The full range of Princesses are available, so girls can choose the princess which best suits their personality. The range is backed up with year-round TV support, showcased by a 30 second TV commercial highlighting the scale of the dolls, the dresses, thick-quality hair and accessories.

Jakks will also bolt on a Tea Set tag on to the current advert, showing a Princesses tea party in full swing. The campaign will run for the entire autumn winter season and will be supported by Jakks’ ongoing PR and social media drive.

Disney Princess role play range Jakks also offers an extensive Disney Princess role play line to bolster the doll business, led by the Disney Princess Boutique Cash Register. The TV drive for this number one role play item will begin in September, with the commercial illustrating its real calculator display and scanning capability.

There is also an extensive collection of dress up accessories including tiaras, wands, shoes and handbags, as well as a selection of hair-styling, jewellery and make-up items. According to Jakks’ UK senior marketing director Ken Goodison: “The Little Kingdom make-up line has been a fantastic success the spring, with collectible characterised lip gloss and nail varnish proving particularly popular. We will continue to TV support the range this autumn winter. The big value item in the role play range is the Belle Tea Cart, a full-scale tea trolley featuring movement and music. The set includes Mrs. Potts tea pot, a Chip tea cup, two saucers, two spoons and three cupcakes. It’s a very strong line from a visual perspective: as the trolley is pushed along, the lazy susan spins the tea set, while it plays the popular song ‘Be Our Guest’ from Beauty and the Beast, which will make for a great TV commercial. We’ll be putting major TV support behind this item, which we think will be hugely successful in the run-up to Christmas.”

Hair Glow Rapunzel Also part of Jakks’ extensive doll portfolio is Hair Glow Rapunzel, which will be TV supported this autumn, with an increased TV investment from 2015. According to Ken: “This is one of the top items from the Toddler category, she is a real consumer favourite. Great try-me packaging really helps this item to stand out on shelf: consumers can see her hair light up and hear her sing ‘I see the light’. For 2016, Hair Glow Rapunzel is also linking up with a huge FMCG third party, which will use the doll in its pre-Christmas TV commercial, providing huge additional TVRs across prime time TV slots throughout the fourth quarter.”

Under The Sea Ariel Ariel is another top- performing character who is a constant winner in the doll category. Jakks’ Under The Sea Ariel is a water play doll, ideal for bath time: she not only sings but also provides a magical under the water light display. This is another key line which will be fully supported by TV advertising and PR activity across the autumn winter period.

Frozen The Frozen range remains exceptionally strong for Jakks, and it will be bolstered by the new Northern Lights release in the run-up to Christmas. Elsa will be back with another special transformation feature for the second half of the year, supported by extensive TV and PR activity. The 14” Frozen Toddler range and the Frozen role play line both carry forward and will remain a solid part of the portfolio

Star Darlings Star Darlings is a new aspirational line of dolls which encourages girls to embrace their individuality and dream big. Star Darlings is a Jakks / Disney animated collaboration which features a group of wish-making girls from another world beyond the stars. According to Ken: “Jakks’ line of fashion dolls has ‘outa-thisworld’ aesthetics, with great articulation and fashions. The range is backed by incredible content distribution from Disney; short-form content which is driving awareness and affinity for the story line. You can find these animations on the Disney Channel and You Tube, with Series 1 currently airing and Series 2 recently green lit.

There is also a downloadable app to support the franchise, as well as strong portfolio of books which are already hugely popular with the core target audience.”

Dolls

Peterkin UK 0116 2543 645 | www.peterkin.co.uk A complete Dolls World packaging revamp was showcased at the January 2016 toy fairs. The new concept brings a vibrant, fresh, contemporary feel, which sits perfectly with the brand’s position and profile.

In addition to the new packaging launch, 2016 sees the introduction of new dolls, including two new talking dolls, Tammy and Little Sweetie. Tammy and Little Sweetie are 15” and 12” soft bodied dolls. Tammy has 21 realistic baby sounds and Little Sweetie 16, and both are presented in try me acetate window box packaging. Another key highlight is Megan, a new styling head which comes complete with accessories.

Peterkin has also commissioned an exclusive new fabric for its range of buggies, strollers and accessories. These new additions perfectly complement existing best-sellers such as Dolly Doctor, Little Treasure and Baby BooHoo, and mean that the Dolls World range offers a complete selection of dolls, accessories, buggies, prams and furniture.

Halilit 01254 872 454 | www.halilit.co.uk The newly launched Lori Dolls range is a collection of 15cm soft-bodied fashion dolls specially designed with the younger child in mind.

The extensive range includes Lori herself, along with eight fashionable friends, all of which come complete with their own outfit and matching accessories.

Additional outfits are available for the dolls to change into, including winter warmers, summery prints and cosy pyjamas. Extending the range further are six animal-loving dolls, each with their own pet dog and lead, and a collection of nine ballet dolls dressed ready for class in tutus and ballet shoes.

Accessories complement the dolls and bring the Lori World to life, including an Urban Living Dolls House, furniture sets, Convertible Car with working radio, Glamper and a Ballet Studio with working lights and a musical piano. The attention to detail that is evident throughout the whole range demonstrates the quality of these dolls and accessories, and will further help to stimulate the imagination through role-play.

The release of Lori Dolls will be co-ordinated with an integrated marketing strategy to promote the range, including extensive social media presence to drive awareness. Initial stock is due to arrive early in May and Halilit are looking forward to introducing new releases into the range in 2017, as further expansion is planned by the manufacturers, Battat.

Zapf Creation 01908 268480 | www.zapf-creation.com This autumn will see the launch of new products across the aMy First Baby Annabell and core Baby Annabell ranges.

The Baby Annabell doll has lifelike functions including drinking, crying real tears, responding to touch, and now wetting her nappy. The new wetting function will be introduced this autumn, and an interactive potty with realistic sounds and features will complement role-play. The Baby Annabell family will also welcome two siblings, adding more role-play value. In autumn/winter a further new accessory that opens up a whole new world of play will be introduced.

For younger Baby Annabell fans, the My First range will expand to include a new functional doll that supports traditional role-play. A free interactive app will add an element of digital role-play. New product launches will be supported by TV, digital and marketing campaigns.

This year, Baby Born celebrates its 25th birthday and the iconic doll brand will be marking the milestone with PR campaigns and initiatives throughout the year. A number of new product and accessory launches will include a refresh for the core Baby Born range, including new product functions and features – with no batteries required.

The Baby Born Bathtime range includes a bathtub with new functions, whilst the Wonderland theme will also see new product introductions, as well as additions to Baby Born Deluxe Wonderland Accessories. An allnew, equestrian theme will also be brought in this autumn, with new friends for Baby Born to play with, as well as adorable play sets and accessories. Baby Born will also have a new, multifunctional sibling. Heavyweight TV and marketing campaigns will support the launches to maintain the brand’s momentum in this anniversary year.

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Dolls

HTI

01253 775 684 | www.htigroup.co.uk As a leading manufacturer in the dolls prams and pushchairs market, HTI’s portfolio includes longstanding Silver Cross and Mamas & Papas Junior collections as well as the recently signed internationally renowned Chicco baby care brand as part of a strategic move to grow the category internationally.

HTI’s Chicco dolls prams and pushchairs range will launch autumn/winter 2016, featuring a pink and grey fabric colourway.

The Chicco 3 in 1 offers maximum versatility and play value, with a detachable pram body, that can adjust from flat to angled, and reversible frame. It also features swivel wheels, an adjustable hood, soft grip height-adjustable handle, handy under seat shopping basket and is supplied with a matching shoulder bag, providing opportunities for nurturing dolls role-play.

HTI’s Silver Cross dolls prams and pushchairs junior collection provides both classic and contemporary styling, replica detailing and co-ordinating accessories.

The complete range has been refreshed for 2016 with a new sumptuous Aubergine fabric colourway. The Silver Cross Surf is a replica of the contemporary nursery pram, featuring the same modern styling and convertible features. The Silver Cross Ranger is a classic dolls pram and a consistent top seller. It features a handy shopping tray, adjustable handle height and coordinating shoulder bag.

The collection of Mamas & Papas dolls prams and pushchairs continues to go from strength to strength, bolstered by the success of the Armadillo dolls pushchair which was supported by a strong TV advertising and marketing campaign in 2015. It features a replica hood design, reclining seat, handy under-seat shopping basket and clever folding mechanism.

In addition HTI will be launching new Disney Princess and Disney Frozen dolls prams for autumn/winter 2016, alongside existing ranges with evergreen brands Peppa Pig, Sophia the First, Doc McStuffins and Minnie Mouse.

Chicco 0121 454 9707 | www.chicco.co.uk Two new Cinderella and Snow White stroller dolls are being added to the growing range. The dolls clip easily to strollers and prams and feature key themes from the classic fairytales. The Cinderella stroller doll benefits from a textured glittery clock and pumpkin ring with sliding mice, whilst the Snow White doll has a textured apple and mirror.

The Disney Princess range also signals a move into the plush sector for Chicco with the launch of three iconic electronic soft textile princess dolls. Cinderella, Snow White and Rapunzel all feature real fabric princess dresses for sensory stimulation and each doll has three different melodies and sound effects.

Arklu 0203 773 27 26 | www.lottie.com In January 2016 Arklu signed up as an official supplier to the Toymaster network, and will be exhibiting for the first time at the Toymaster show in Harrogate this month.

Arklu is currently selling in over 3,000 independent retail stores worldwide as well as some large book store chains including Barnes and Nobel, Indigo Chapters, Notabene and Easons.

This summer will see the launch of the Lottie Chapter Book series, with up to six Chapter Books being launched this year.

The company is also continuing its astronomy outreach with its STEM Stargazer Lottie Doll, which is currently on the International Space Agency with British ESA astronaut, Tim Peake.

Crowdsourced ideas and designs from Lottie fans all over the world remain an integral part of brand innovation.

Just Play 0208 643 0320 | sales@flairplc.co.uk GP Flair’s Just Play Division will be introducing two large fashion dolls to its line-up this year, including a version of all-time favourite Barbie and a Monster High vampire with spooky style.

The new Barbie Best Friends Fashion Doll is fully articulated and features removable clothes, stylish shoes and a hairbrush to style her long blonde hair. Barbie also comes complete with rooted lashes and stands over 28” tall.

The Monster High 28” Beast Freaky Friend Doll, allows girls to transform her look and eye colour by pushing the back of the neck. This character also comes with plugand-play accessories for added play value, as well as chalk pens to doodle designs onto the dolls.

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Feature

Girls collectibles

Collect them all NPD data shows that the playset, dolls and accessories category has grown by a massive 36% from 2015 to 2016, compared to the dolls category which grew by 6%. Jonika Kinchin finds out exactly what has boosted the popularity of the girls’ collectibles market, and whether the sector will continue to grow.

W

hat is it that makes children sometimes obsessively collect tiny toys?

The variety of collectible product available is vast and can cross over many categories. Crazes have come and gone throughout the years, from Pokémon cards and marbles to the more current Shopkins and Tsum Tsum. Brands such as Ty and Pokemon that are still popular today can encourage generations to pass on their collectible habits to the next generation, which keeps the brand alive. A really successful range will completely dominate the market, and vying to be the next craze can lead to intense competition.

Mary Wood, marketing director at Vivid, believes that the girl’s collectibles category will continue to grow in 2016. She said: “The collectibles category has been dominant for years, it’s simply just the brand or the licence that varies. Take Moshi Monsters for example, it sold millions of Moshlings and achieved £108m at retail in the UK between 2011-2013 alone, peaking at £54m retail sales in 2012. When you have a Moshi or a Shopkins then it is hard for other brands to be as strong, as it is a very dynamic sector of the market and there is always something new. Children can drop what appears to be the hottest trend in that moment of time for something else that comes along and appeals to them”.

Marian Davis, marketing manager MGA and Zapf Creation, added: “The collectibles category is looking very strong for 2016 – and we were very excited in March this year to launch our first collectable brand Num Noms. It’s already proved a huge hit with consumers and retailers and it definitely feels like we have something special on our hands, that is making an impact in the world of playground crazes”.

In an ever-changing market with trends that come and go so quickly, what are companies doing to keep the collectibles category relevant to the girls of today? Vivid

Magic Box

is continuing to bring new propositions to market but will have clear positioning that separates each collectible range from its competitors. Mary Wood explained further: “With Charm U which launches in July this year, we are offering a collectible in the form of a charm for a fashion bracelet. Think Pandora for kids. This contrasts with Zippeeez which is a micro collectible within a playset world where the little characters respond to the child’s voice. With AniMagic Rescue Hospital, it’s all about collecting little pets at a great 99p price point and plays on the nurturing and rescue theme that girls in particular seem to love”.

Nic Aldridge, marketing director at Flair, agrees. “You have to keep innovating to try and maintain children’s interest as there is no lack of competition coming into the category. Flair has got some very exciting developments coming in the autumn/ winter 2016 season, but we’re seeing more competition with existing brands opening up their own collectible elements and other

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brands and licences entering the arena”.

Adding play value can increase the desirability of a range in the collectibles sector. Num Noms feature scented miniature characters inspired by sweet foods and flavours. Marian Davis commented: “The endless combinations allow children to collect in lots of different ways including flavour, scent, colour and type. By keeping the range fun and fresh with characters that children can instantly recognise by sight and scent, we’ve got a brand that appeals across all age ranges”.

The girls collectibles category can cross over with many other categories, with the main one being dolls. Nic Aldridge believes that this is a cycle that has been going on for a long time, and that some revenue has been diverted from the more traditional fashion dolls area in favour of the collectibles subcategory. He said: “As with playset themed doll collectibles like Polly Pocket, In My Pocket and others, many areas of the toy industry are quite cyclic and with the right

Girls collectibles concept, they will fight back again, as we’re starting to see with the Shopkins Shoppies Dolls”.

The development of technology has changed the way children learn and play, but sometimes there is a desire to go back to basics. Juli Lennett, toy industry analyst at the NPD group, has seen evidence that suggests that a growing number of parents are concerned that their children are now spending far too much time staring at screens, and want them to take part in more social interaction and physical play.

Collectibles can teach children social skills, sharing and even give them a head start with business skills when it comes to negotiating trades. It can also create an identity and form of, as collectors all have something in common to talk about and play with on the same level. Collectibles are also generally pocket sized, light and often come with a collector’s case. This means they are easily transportable and non-fussy, making parents more likely to buy them.

Indeed, this is one category upon which technological advances have encroached sparingly. Mary Wood commented: “Technology doesn’t play a huge part in the category unless you count the use of a website to drive demand like we saw with Moshi Monsters, or a clever way to make it seem as if the Zippeez characters can move on their own. Detail, cute characters, an appealing theme, plenty of variety and keeping plenty of refreshed product in the

market place is much more important than technology”.

Nic Aldridge added: “What is important is the use of technology to support the communication of the product and brand launches”. Social media driven marketing campaigns now see characters and properties having their own social media accounts and apps that complement the physical collectibles Most collectibles have an appealing theme or are licensed, so what particular themes and licenses are predicted to stand out this year?

Wendy Hill, brand activation director at Mattel said that the girls market is vibrant and diverse with lots of new introductions as well as classics. “Collectibles was a really strong category for girls in 2015 and there are lots of new players entering the category this year including our own My Mini Mixie Q’s, so I’m sure it’s going continue to be an interesting and dynamic category”.

Nic Aldridge is tipping Shopkins for 2016, but also believes there are some strong contenders in the market.

“From a Vivid perspective, we have had great support from retail in terms of selections and store distributions for both Zippeeez and Charm U, our two girl’s collectible launches for autumn/winter 16,”

Character Options 0161 633 9800 | www.character-online.com

Squishy Pops are malleable squidgy characters with tiny sucker bases which can be collected as standalone mini treasures or displayed in themed play sets. In 2016 the range will expand further, with the launch of new favourite characters from Finding Dory and My Little Pony.

The My Little Pony Squishy Pops collection launched in 2015, and the launch of series three in autumn will offer 24 new characters to collect, including new Crystal Ponies. As single capsules they make an ideal pocket money purchase, or for serious collectors three and five packs are also available. The Finding Dory Squishy Pops collection will be available from June 2016 and consists of six ‘popable’, squishable characters including Nemo the Clownfish, and Dory the Pacific Blue Tang.

Fash’ems are made to be twisted, squished and collected, featuring a variety of characters. The line-up now features Disney Princess, My Little Pony and Frozen. Each comes in a blind capsule displayed in a CDU for instant, impulse buys.

In the Disney Princess Palace Pets assortment, each princess has its own pet and this year has seen the introduction of Sweetie Tales; a collection that takes four favourite pets and gives them candy-coloured rainbow stripes across both their bodies and furry tails.

The Zelfs continue to be a favourite with a loyal following eager to collect each new range as soon as it launches. This autumn will see a whole host of Zelfs joining the world of Zardenia with the introduction of series six. This series brings with it new Lil’, Medium, Crystal and Super Zelfs along with the sixth Limited Edition Zelf Redemption Campaign.

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advised Mary Wood. “We will support both heavily in what is a very tough and competitive market place. As already said, Shopkins doesn’t look as if it is easing up any time soon. My Little Pony is performing well but with all the new collectibles coming to market ultimately the consumer will decide”.

Girls’ collectibles products and companies are displayed over the following pages.

Girls collectibles

DKL 01604 678 780 | www.dkl.co.uk DKL exclusively distributes the Breyer range of model horses. The iconic brand has an offering of girls’ collectibles to suit any store.

Traditional scale 1:9 models and the larger models are created in the likeness of real life horses and each one is handcrafted.

New Traditional models include Olympic superstar Valegro and Carltonlima Emma, The Queen’s Royal Fell Pony.

For younger girls, the Classics range of scale 1:12 models offer the same level of quality and authenticity as traditional models at a lower price point. The Classics range also offers a wide variety of accessories for customers to add on. The new Horse Cruiser is packed with luxury life-like features.

The smallest scale size is Stablemates. At scale 1:32, Stablemates miniature models are collectible and ideal as a pick-up line. The Mystery Foal Surprise is a set which includes an unseen mystery foal, and there are 12 models to collect.

DKL supports Breyer with a full marketing programme including dedicated planograms, visual merchandising and extensive social media and PR activity.

Epoch Making Toys 08435 574 062 | www.sylvanianfamilies.net/uk

GP Flair 0208 643 0320 | www.flairplc.co.uk

Targeting past, existing and future fans, the Sylvanian Families brand has released a series of new products which expand two of the core ranges, Village Life and Holidays. The Brick Oven Bakery launched in March and has proved popular at retail, supported by a strong Easter TV campaign.

The new Boutique, which will launch in June, comes with over 30 pieces including Cecilia Teak, the Persian Cat Mother and various outfits and accessories. The Boutique won Best New Toy Award in the playsets category in the 2016 BTHA Toy Fair Awards.

Both the Boutique and Brick Oven Bakery connect together, as well as connecting with existing products such as the Cosy Cottage Starter Home, which is the introductory product for beginners.

New seaside-themed products, designed to expand the Sea Breeze Cape and Adventure Island Holiday themes, include the Secret Island Playhouse, Seaside Ice Cream Shop, Seaside Merry-Go-Round, Seaside Treasure Set, Girls’ Swimwear Set and Seaside Friends.

To expand the growing collection there are four new families, all with new profiles; the Cottontail Rabbit Family, the Monkey Family, the Persian Cat Family and the Red Panda Family bring the total of families in the range this year to 30.

Already named the Toy Industry’s Collectible of the Year, Flair has built on the dominance of the Shopkins brand in the market with the successful spring launch of Series Four. The latest series has brought in Garden and Party time themes across the favourite two, five and 12 figure pack sets. The inclusion of the new Petkins has also been a hit.

The Shopkins Shoppies Dolls have introduced a whole new world of shopping to fans. These mini fashion dolls, each with their own personality, outfit and accessories plus two exclusive Shopkins characters also come with VIP codes that allow Shopkins fans to download special features from the Shopkins app. Retailers can look ahead to a whole new series for fans to collect this autumn, plus another completely new range.

Autumn will see the Puppies and Kittens range from Pet Parade extend with family packs bringing in all new breeds of mummies and their babies. Each of the babies’ noses connects to their mummy’s tail meaning that they can follow her around everywhere. All pets have a joystick button on their backs to enable them to walk and move their head, eyes and tail.

The award-winning Doc McStuffins Collection is also set to grow with the new Toy Hospital range adding to the favourite Pet Vet theme. The Toy Hospital Series, which is due to air in September in the UK, will be accompanied by a range of roleplay toys. These will include Doc’s Magical Toysponder, which allows Doc to communicate with her friends in the show, and the Care Cart, complete with lights, sounds and an X-Ray machine.

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SERIES 1 NEW AW16 Coll

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Over 60 charms to collect, wear & display Make your very own fashion statement

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Each intricately decorated character is full of charm and has a quick clip clasp to make adding and removing charms a snap Displayed on TV from launch with heavyweight campaign plus PR & digital activity

www.vividtoysandgames.co.uk @VividToyGroup Tel: 01483 449944

Girls collectibles

Just Play 0208 643 0320 | sales@flairplc.co.uk Puppy In My Pocket has been a favourite for many years and 2016 will see its return to the collectible market. With more than 100 miniature Puppies to collect, including ultra-rare glitter puppies, these soft flocked characters each has its own name and unique bio based upon realistic dog breeds.

The launch collection for Puppy In My Pocket will include blind bags for the perfect entry level purchase, a cute Clip On Pocket Pouch so the puppies can be proudly displayed on a child’s bag or pencil case, and a soft bag to transport the Puppies.

Kitty In My Pocket will follow later in the year with litters of cat breeds with their own collector’s checklist. Sets available in the Kitty range will mirror the Puppy range.

Lego 01753 495 000 | www.lego.com Fans of Lego Friends can add to the growing world of Heartlake City with fourteen sets which were introduced in January. Additional new Lego Friends play themes are also due to be released this summer.

The Lego Friends collectible sets appeal to girls’ interests and hobbies as well as fulfilling their desire to engage in realistic role-play, build, be creative and have fun.

The new Pet Party range features a host of fun sets to enable girls to create new stories around the popular five best friends as they live and play together with their pets. Play sets include Party Cakes, Party Styling, Party Train and Party and can be combined with the Birthday Party set.

Also available, and further extending the collectible range introduced in January, are Emma’s Creative Workshop and Olivia’s Exploration Car. Lego Elves introduced six new sets and another enchanting storyline in March 2016. Aimed at 7-10 year olds, the sets offer sophisticated construction based on the adventures of Emily Jones in the magical world of Elvendale. The range includes six detailed sets.

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K’Nex 01189 497 000 | www.knex.co.uk K’Nex is excited to add six new items to its innovative Mighty Makers line. Designed to inspire and empower girls through creative, storybased construction sets, Mighty Makers encourages girls to build big ideas.

Each science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) based Mighty Makers set features colourful rods, connectors, panels, and engaging instructions that follow the life of the included female figure.

With Runway Designer, girls can explore the engineering principles of design and creative flair of fashion in a buildable design studio.

With Directors Cut, they can bring the art of filmmaking to life and even incorporate a mobile device into the play set to create and film a movie, then create a cinema screen. World Travels allows girls to travel around the globe with more than 13 builds based on iconic buildings – perfect for budding jetsetters.

Jess’ Jammin Garage allows girls to rock out with pieces including musical instruments, while with Marissa’s Turtle Tours they can set up their very own animal sanctuary, complete with a turtle. Hailey’s Star Gazing Adventure inspires girls to explore astronomy and includes a telescope, campfire and buildable tent.

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Girls collectibles

MGA 0844 561 1899 | www.mgae.co.uk

Schleich 01279 870 000 | www.schleich-s.com The Schleich Horse Club is a new world of play for girls who are passionate about horses, offering a whole new range of products to collect, complete with fresh branding.

The horses will move out of the Farm Life collection to become their own range. The new Horse Club brand will offer a standalone range that includes all the favourite breeds, plus accessories and playsets for girls to collect. Horse fans can add new figurines to their collection; from the Andalusian mare to the Arab stallion, there is something for everyone.

Accessories such as saddles, blankets and riders, food and grooming kits and other playsets with figurines can also be added to the riding world.

Larger playsets, such as the Riding Centre with Rider and Horses playset, will add to the range and offer an arena for children to play out their adventures.

The brand will be supported by extensive marketing and PR support which will include a collectors’ club where members can further engage with the brand.

With new branding and point of sale for 2016, stores can be assured that all products are presented in the most eye-catching way possible.

This Easter, MGA introduced a new pocket money collectible full of flavour, surprises and combos. Num Noms, already a hit Stateside, is set to be the novelty collectible craze of 2016.

Featuring miniature characters inspired by sweet foods and flavours, such as cupcakes and ice cream, the individually scented Num Noms have over a thousand combos to create. Take a Num, the outer, soft, squishy, hollow characters, and nestle it on top of a Nom, the inner, hardshelled characters that are either motorised to scoot around, or filled with flavoured lip gloss. The collectibles can be piled high in hundreds of different combos or raced against each other. Children can collect by flavour, scent, colour, type, the combinations are endless.

Sambro 0845 873 9380 | www.sambro.co.uk The new Kawaii Cubes are plush characters which come in varying sizes of soft cubes which are dedicated to some of the most popular DC Comics and Warner Bros heroes.

The high-quality products come in three sizes: small (2.5”), medium (4”) and large (8”), and feature Wonder Woman, Batman, Bugs Bunny, Scooby Doo, Fred Flintstone, Superman, Green Lantern, Tweety Bird, Tasmanian Devil and more.

Completely stackable and collectible, the Cubes have strong on-shelf appeal, allow retailers to maximise space and the range of price points allow them to stock full ranges.

The Tsum Tsum property continues to go from strength to strength and the Sambro collection includes 3D Tsum Tsum character erasers.

Available in either 10 or 20 packs, the 3D erasers are interchangeable and can be swapped with friends to create a Tsum Tsum collection.

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TV & Marketing Support

40

Boutique

New for 2016!

Connect and play with other new 2016 products!

For more information, contact us at sales@epochmakingtoys.com 2016_Epoch ToyWorld_230x315mm_Advert.indd 1

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Girls collectibles

Mattel 01628 500 111 | www.mattel.com

Spin Master 01628 535 000 | www.spinmastertoys.co.uk Chubby Puppies have enjoyed a successful year since launch.

2016 sees the introduction of further puppy breeds along with fashion accessories from spring where each puppy will come with a hat, tiara, sunglasses or bow.

Chubby Puppy Friends is a new range of Kitties and Bunnies with the same features combined with new ways to walk and waddle. The new Dress Up Carrier Set lets kids carry their pocket pets along in a stylish handbag and embellish with four fashion accessories. The popular Ultimate Dog Park and Playtime Packs carry forward and the Chubby Puppies range will be TV advertised throughout spring.

Coming this summer, My Mini Mixie Qs will offer consumers a more involved way to play with collectible mini characters, with interchangeable hair and clothing for each individual figure.

Embracing the “pop & swap” concept brings the potential to create over two million combinations. The brand launch will consist of a figure offering, playsets and display sets to allow girls to create their own world, just how they imagine it.

Trends 01295 768 078 | www.trendsuk.co.uk Trends UK is distributing a new range of licensed Shopkins Kinstructions toys from The Bridge Direct. Supporting the Shopkins Kinstructions brand with PR and marketing activity throughout the year, Trends UK will refresh the range with new Wave 2 Shopkins Kinstructions sets, available from summer and autumn 2016.

Featuring the popular Shopkins characters and iconic scenery from the bestselling brand, the new Shopkins Kinstructions range enables children to build their favourite Shopkins scenes and sets including the supermarket checkout, bakery, café and the town centre. Each set includes Shopkins characters which can be taken apart, rebuilt and mixed and matched for added fun.

Vivid 01473 322 000 | www.vividimaginations.co.uk There are over 60 intricately decorated charms to collect, wear and display in new kids collectible range Charm U which launches this autumn/winter. Each cute charm is themed, has an adorable catchy name and comes with a collector sticker, plus there are limited edition and rare charms to collect. Kids can kick-start their Charm U collection with the Surprise Charms Blind Bag, which includes two charms and two collector stickers. Meanwhile, the four pack and eight pack include a Charm U bracelet enabling kids to make their very own fashion statement as each charm has a quick clip clasp to make adding and removing charms easy. The eight pack also includes a colourful mini rucksack which contains one surprise charm. The Schoolhouse Playset includes a Charm U bracelet, eight charms, including two surprise charms hidden inside a mini-rucksack, and comes with a classroom to hang up and display charms. The Charm U range will be displayed on TV from launch with a heavyweight campaign plus additional PR and digital activity.

Animagic Rescue Hospital will launch Series three and four collectibles in 2016, introducing over 80 brand new figures, with newborns, babies and mum figures to collect, available in Blind Bags and Collector Packs. Also in the range is the Scooter Rescue, Mobile Care Centre, and the new Adventure Rescue 4x4, with all with pull-out treatment areas, vets and animal figures.

Kitty Club is a new collectible brand, with 21 kitties to collect in Blind Bags and Accessory Packs. Each figure is flocked, with blinking eyes and an interchangeable hat accessory. The Kitty Clubhouse Playset, along with the Convertible and Heartlane Café playsets will all be available in autumn/winter 16.

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Classics Model Horses ®

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Fresh

FRESH THIS MONTH:

Each month Fresh sets out to find the latest products that will have toy retailers reaching for the phone.

In May we have new releases from: Engino, Orchard Toys, Paroh and Puzzles and Play.

Mini Games

Orchard Toys Orchard Toys has added a new range of mini games to its games portfolio. The range of six mini games introduces the company’s lowest price point on games, allowing them to enter into the under £5 market.

Based on traditional family favourites, the range includes Dinosaur Dominoes, Little Bus Lotto, Jungle Snakes & Ladders, Build a Beetle, Crocodile Snap and Penguin Pairs.

Push-along Cars

Paroh Paroh’s replica push-along children’s cars will provide hours of excitement to any young car enthusiast. These foot to floor ride-on cars come in a range of licensed brands. Some styles come with push buttons on the steering wheel for horn sounds, and others feature a comfy seat that can be lifted to carry luggage.

These stylish cars with a durable and sturdy design are perfect for creating a learning environment for children to improve their motor skills and learn to balance at a basic level. The range includes replica stylings of original cars such as Land Rover Evoque, Ferrari 458, Porsche 911 and Bentley.

Cardinal Games

Puzzles and Play Puzzles and Play has announced its newest range of games from Cardinal Games. The range includes classics such as bingo, chess, backgammon, tumbling tower bricks, snakes and ladders as well as various playing card sets.

Several of the games in the range are available in different versions, one with a cardboard playing board for a budget purchase and one with a wooden board for a higher quality purchase. The product portfolio also extends to cover the adult customer, with a range of high quality poker chip sets.

Also new to the Cardinal portfolio is the company’s Paw Patrol range, which comprises 12 playing card and jigsaw puzzle-based products. Playing card products include memory match cards, playing cards in a tin and a set of jumbo playing cards. Other products in the Paw Patrol range include a 4 foot foam puzzle, puzzles in tins and sets of multiple wooden jigsaw puzzles.

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Inventor Girls

Engino Over the next month, Engino is launching a new Inventor range aimed specifically at girls. The Inventor Girls range features vivid colours of lilac, fuchsia, light green and sky blue enhanced with sparkling elements, and the series starts with the five models set and reaches up to a 30 models set which also includes a motor. Adding this to the ever growing Engino line-up ensures retailers have lots of choice when making selections, and provides options whatever the store set-up. The company also has a pre-school range on the horizon.

Due to a positive start to the year, Engino has also announced that its range will be TV advertised in 2016.

The adverts will feature the new Inventor series as well as an introduction to the overall brand, and will be heavily focused around the run up to Christmas. More specific details surrounding the campaign will be announced over the next couple of months.

Feature

Toymaster

State of independents John Baulch caught up with Toymaster’s Ian Edmunds to get his thoughts on the forthcoming May show

people to wear their Christmas jumpers and Santa hats. The Wednesday evening black-tie event will be like a glamorous New Years’ Eve party.

Are you expecting 2016 to be a strong trading year for Toymaster and its members?

There is some great product coming through in 2016, so as long as it performs to expectations, it will be another good year for the toy trade and therefore another good year for our members.

Do you believe that, in the short term, your members will be focusing more on their bricks and mortar operations, as opposed to the internet- selling side of their businesses?

Yes, absolutely. Even before the Trod situation, we noticed that many of our members were pulling away from the internet. That’s not to say that they won’t continue to trade online: they just need to find the right way to exploit the opportunities that exist. If an opportunity comes up, take it, but remember it’s an opportunity, not a business plan.

Where our members are really benefitting is from the social media side: it helps to keep them close to the community and their customers at a local level, and they can use this channel far more effectively than the major accounts. Members are using it to promote their business and interact with their customers, not just sell product.

How is this year’s event shaping up?

It’s shaping up very nicely thanks. We’re not complacent, there’s still a lot of hard work to do in the run-up to the show. But I’m pleased to say that all 170 of the rooms in the Majestic have already been booked out, so we’re confident of a good turnout, as ever. And I believe our members are going to turn up in a positive frame of mind. It’s been a decent start to the year, there are plenty of ranges selling well, especially at the lower end of the pricepoint scale, which suits our members. StikBots, Shopkins and Lego Minifigures are all doing the business - I always say that customers don’t travel out of town to buy items like this. Admittedly, we could do with some good weather before the show to put the icing on the cake, but we’re happy with how the year has started.

What makes the show important for your members and other retailers?

We work hard to give the members reasons to attend. In the end, the deals are the key element.

If suppliers offer the right deals, the retailers will come, and if the retailers come, the exhibitors will be happy.

Are there are any new initiatives being introduced at the show this year?

We’re continuing with our ‘It’s good to talk’ approach: we want to encourage members to talk and interact, whether that is through the Toymaster online forum, or face-to-face at the regional meetings, the May Show or the Toy Fair. This gives them the opportunity to share experiences and ideas, which will help to make everyone’s business better. We’ll also be introducing a new promotional event in the summer to coincide with Independent’s Day on July 4th. We used to run a summer sale, so we’ve adapted that approach and will be offering Independent’s Day offers for independent toy shops. We’ve asked the suppliers to come up with some great deals, and we’re hoping this will give members the opportunity to capitalise on the event.

So all we need now is some sunshine in the next few weeks…?

As the Majestic will be filled with Christmas trees and festive trimmings, it will probably be the sunniest May show ever. That’s how it works, isn’t it?

What do you have lined up for the evening functions this year?

The May Show is all about Christmas trading, so this year we’ve decided that the evening functions will have a Christmas theme. The Tuesday evening will be a Christmas Party, so we’re encouraging

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Ian Edmunds

touchingbase

It’s Toymaster time With another all-important toy fair on the horizon, Clarabel Jones looked into what makes the Toymaster show a success for its exhibitors, and discovered what products will be the stars of the show this year.

Malcolm Ottley Hasbro

The Toymaster show is one of our highlight events each year. It allows us to catch up with Toymaster members, whilst offering them a chance to browse our range of toys in a great environment with a buzzing atmosphere. As well as offering a platform for brands to showcase their products, Toymaster does a fantastic job of running themed evening events for members to attend.

At Hasbro, we always have a number of popular ranges from multiple brands on show, and we’re sure that this year will be no different, with brands such as My Little Pony, Play-Doh and Transformers in popular demand. This year Hasbro Gaming will once again be a focus, with the opportunity to see Simon Air and the new Bop it. In addition to this, Nerf will also have some great new innovative products available with both the new Hyper Fire and Tri Strike blasters on display. We are also very excited to be showcasing the new YoKai Watch at this year’s show. The brand is hugely popular already in Japan and we are particularly excited to have Toymaster as one of our preferred launch partners when the product hits shelves on 1st June.

David Bottomley Asobi

The show presents Asobi with the perfect opportunity to once more present our products to toy retailers. It acts as an update after Olympia’s Toy Fair, but also gives us the chance to put new items in front of a receptive audience. Toymaster is also a wonderful opportunity to meet with all of our sales team who gain good coverage with a vast number of retailers.

The product which we hope will appeal to every retailer at the show is a magical character that will enhance the Christmas experience for many children. We are delighted to be using the show to fully launch An Elf Before Christmas, and we trust that it will gain the same exciting reaction from retailers that it’s already received from children. We are planning many Elf surprises, and we will be offering a 10% discount on any orders placed at the show.

Philip Morris Papo

A successful Toymaster show for Papo means seeing our customers and talking through their needs, not only for now but also in the lead up to the Christmas period.

By the time we get to May, most of Papo’s new 2016 items will have arrived, and the Toymaster show gives us a great opportunity to show Toymaster members these fantastic items.

We always try to help members with initiatives, and this year is no exception.

David Kelly Magformers

The Toymaster show is important for us at Magformers as we want to open accounts with Toymaster members - especially those who appreciate the quality, durability, commitment to safety and pursuit of excellence and innovation that is at the core of our business.

Engaging with retailers who really understand our brand and why we’re the global leader in the magnetic construction category is essential, and we will support those retailers with a whole host of marketing activity, from PoS displays which are available now, to TV advertising planned for the autumn.

Our Wow set is the biggest seller in almost every country in which we operate. Kids can build over 20 different vehicles with a set that retails for under £30, so I expect that to be particularly popular. Our new My First Line features sets from just £19.99. These are great for younger children and they’re already proving to be hugely popular as an introduction to Magformers. Our themed sets will also be popular. These include dinosaurs, princess castles, space sets and more.

We will be offering a 10% discount across the board on all orders for delivery by the end of June. We will also be offering retailers the use of free bespoke FSDU displays and shelf screen displays, made exclusively for us in the UK, which come with 15” and 14” media players. They’re very high quality with interchangeable graphics, and are designed to create an engaging and visual Magformers presence in-store.

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Richard Greaves Kidicraft

The Toymaster show is one of the highlights of the year for Kidicraft, giving us access to customers from all over the UK and Ireland, and enabling us to present our ranges to those customers who were unable to attend either Toy Fair or Spring Fair.

One of the major pluses for us is that the show is always very well attended by members who travel from far and wide to take advantage of the super deals that we offer at the show. The directors of Toymaster have also opened the show to retailers who are not members of the group, which helps to ensure that the event is always busy for suppliers.

Kidicraft has hugely expanded its range of 3D Lenticular Magic Motion Jigsaw Puzzles for 2016, after witnessing enormous success with these products last year. There are puzzles with images from the vast National Geographic library, alongside those based on paintings by famous British artists Howard Robinson and Kevin Walsh. With the National Geographic puzzles, we have introduced a large Kids range that is particularly suited to younger children, with images of animals that are recognisable for little ones. There are also further new puzzles featuring well-known ancient monuments such as the Great Wall of China and The Coliseum in Rome. Howard Robinson is famous for his paintings of animals and birds, whilst Kevin Walsh is best known for his paintings of nostalgic British scenes, and the 3D puzzle based on his painting called Watching of the Flying Scotsman has proved massively popular since its introduction in January.

Kidicraft will be offering generous deals to all customers who place orders at the show.

Steven Russel

Mark Inett

Re:creation The Toymaster show is a must-attend event for us.

It’s a great opportunity for us to meet face to face with independent business owners and to receive valuable feedback on our product ranges. The event gives us a great platform to discuss how we as a business are supporting this important sector and to share our marketing plans for the year.

Our Lego Lights range is a real winner at retail, offering impulse price points on popular themes - the forthcoming Star Wars: Episode VII will certainly be one to watch. We also have exciting news to announce for our Make-a-Bar Chocolate Factory range, and as the demand for family games continues we’re looking forward to showcasing our range of new games including Who Tooted? and electronic Spy Code. It’s a year of innovation for Razor’s outdoor products, and as well as a new member of the Crazy Cart family to introduce, Crazy Cart Shift, which delivers on a great value price point, we will be showcasing a fantastic range of new introductions. Already making headlines, Razor RipSurf promises the closest experience to surfing on dry land, and its impactful window packaging offers great stand-out on shelf. Razor’s take on heel wheels, Jetts, offers a great opportunity for the independent retailer, as these easy clip on heel wheels are a one-size-fits-all solution with added spark power. The brand also offers new hub motor technology that has been applied to a new range of electric scooters. Our Power Core electric scooter range offers increased ride times and reduced maintenance.

We will be offering show discounts across our full range, including TV advertised lines, so there are fantastic opportunities to capitalise on these for increased margin and value.

Jumbo Games

Toymaster is a fantastic show for us because it’s the perfect opportunity to see a large number of our independent customers and to showcase our new products in the build up to Q3/4.

Being able to speak to customers and listen to feedback is very important to us, and the show gives us the best opportunity to do so.

Creating enticing customer offers specifically for the show drives interest, sales and new business for us, so we’re constantly working with our sales agents to make sure we capitalise on this each year.

We will be showcasing our largest range of adult and children’s products at the show, and have doubled the size of our presence because of this.

We are expecting our new adult puzzle releases to be hugely popular, especially our Wasgij and Falcon De Luxe puzzles. We have four new Wasgij puzzles launching, including the latest Wasgij Original 24: A Very Merry Holiday! 1,000-piece and Christmas 12: The Big Turn On! 1,000-piece puzzle. Launching in June in our Falcon De Luxe puzzle range will be 10 new puzzles, including the limited edition All Ready for Christmas 1,000-piece puzzle. Both our Wasgij and Falcon De Luxe Christmas puzzles include a free 1,000-piece puzzle, so retailers and customers will be getting an extra treat from Jumbo.

In our children’s offering, the new Peppa Pig Party Time Race Game is sure to be a big hit at the show.

We will be running some exclusive show offers that include Wasgij, Falcon and Puzzle Mates, as well as popular children’s lines such as Peppa Pig, Ben & Holly and Disney Pixar’s Finding Dory. Our offers will give customers a great chance to drive sales and give their customers extra value.

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Derek Scott Ravensburger

It’s our relationships with the members that make the Toymaster show a success for us. It’s a fantastic opportunity to show all the key product ranges we have and to work with members in building ranges to suit their individual requirements.

Our new 3D Collection and expanded games range will be a key focus for autumn/winter 2016. The new 3D Puzzle range and games will be supported with heavyweight TV campaigns and will help us to continue our growth within these categories. This will also be our first show since Ravensburger purchased Brio. Our whole sales team is really excited by how well the new Brio World range has been received.

We always look to support members with great deals, offering moneyoff promotions on key ranges and TV advertised lines. We also look to support year-round trading with key seasonal deals and PoS for both the Ravensburger and Brio brands.

talking shop Mastering the toy trade With the Toymaster show coming up in May, Jonika Kinchin talks to members to find out what they’re looking for this year, and why they choose to be members of the buying group.

Jonathan Rogers Owner, Rogers Toys, Co. Down, NI I’ve been in the toy shop business for well over 20 years, as I took over the shop from my father, David Rogers. We’ve been a Toymaster member from the very beginning of the buying group. I’ve been going to the Toymaster show for as long as I can remember, and for us it really is the most important show in the calendar. Being based in Northern Ireland, it can be tough to get away. The Toymaster show just happens to be at a more convenient place and time of year for us than any of the other toy fairs.

When it gets to May, we’re seriously considering the peak Christmas period and deciding what we’re going to stock, and the Toymaster show plays a vital role in that decision. In previous years we have often found our best-selling stock there, and we’re hoping to do so again this year. Last year we picked up a lot of drone products from Revell which have been really successful for us. We are highly customer driven, and listen to what our customers want.

Customers don’t always want what we personally prefer, so we have to put ourselves in their shoes when it comes to making decisions that can have quite a big impact on our business. The show is also helpful as we get to do business with all the companies we deal with in one place, and it’s a real advantage to get it all dealt with efficiently and pleasantly. It’s also useful to see what the bigger companies are up to, as it’s hard for us to deal directly with them, being such a small shop and a bit out of the way. We like to see what Lego is up to and

what licences are set to be hot for the year.

We’re not looking for anything specific this year in terms of actual product, however we will look out for the licensed products which always sell well, such as Paw Patrol and Shopkins, and the more traditional Batman and Barbie products which consistently perform well for us.

Would we be as prosperous if Toymaster and the Toymaster show didn’t exist? I think not.

Being a member holds so many benefits, not only the admission to the show but the fact that they deal with all the fiddly bits that would otherwise be so time consuming for a small concern like ours. I would recommend any independent retailer to get involved, especially ones that are a bit further out of the way.

I feel that, as an independent toy shop, Toymaster is essential.

The steady marketing and general bookkeeping they do saves us so much time and energy that is otherwise invested in our shop.

sand paINTING

E: enquiries@kidsbeehappy.com T: 01776 889569

www.kidsbeehappy.com Toy World 75

John Testori Owner, Bambola Toys, St Helier, Jersey I have been in the toy trade for as long as I can remember. My store, Bambola Toymaster has been a Toymaster member for 27 years. It has always been a family owned business. Being a member of the group reduces the level of administrative duties. This leaves us more time to focus on the general running of the business and gain a greater insight into the needs of our customer. I currently have two stores in St Helier, Jersey. As we are a small island, with a population of around 100,000, the main competition we face is from bigger mainstream retailers such as The Entertainer. We also face competition from supermarkets that have toy departments such as the Co-op, but we’re still here so we must be doing something right.

For us, the Toymaster show is an ideal opportunity to renew relationships with old acquaintances and develop new business partnerships, as well as meet with other members. It’s also a catalyst for getting prepared for Christmas, as it’s where we finalize our selection and ordering process. The catalogue

Ian and Janice Pattison Owners, Ducklings Toy Shop, Wiltshire

For us, the timing of the Toymaster show couldn’t be more perfect. We saw all the products we wanted to at Toy Fair, and now we are ready to order and plan for the busy Christmas season. What keeps us going back to the show year after year is that Harrogate is the perfect venue and in an ideal location for us, and it’s always great to meet up with similar thinking retailers that we can easily relate to and talk to. We love having the opportunity to share ideas with other toy shop owners.

We like to pick out mid-year releases that the bigger retailers have missed out on, and help to make us just that little bit different. When we go to these shows we look for new products to fill the gaps in our current ranges, for example this year we’ll be looking for a mid-priced wooden garage and some new wheeled goods. We also look for products that have demo promotions to boost our in-store theatre and activity days.

listing is a very helpful tool and a starting point on which to base our Autumn/Winter range selection. I think the Toymaster team put on a great show, which in my opinion is as much for pleasure as business, due to the wide range of social events.

It’s an enjoyable event, and we look forward to it every year. We do also go to London Toy Fair, however I feel that the Toymaster show is much more personal and more convenient to do business with the bigger names who aren’t always able to find the time for independents at the larger shows. I think being a Toymaster member is a great benefit to any independent toy retailer. As well as organising the show, they are a great team and deal with everything promptly and in a professional manner.

At this year’s Toymaster show we’re hoping to expand our range of Magformers, which we initially picked up from London Toy Fair this year. Early sales were very strong and the company has a new FSDU

At Ducklings Toy Shop we particularly like construction toys, so at last year’s Toymaster show we picked up the sets and demos of K’Nex and Magformers, which make great handson stations and give great opportunities for demonstrations in store.

Throughout the coming year we’re looking forward to the new second half Lego Technic sets.

The Lego Star Wars sets seem to be unstoppable in our store, being the most popular individual range for us. . We’re also bolstering the well-priced K’Nex 3-in-1 Fairground set. We’re looking forward to seeing if Secret Life of Pets will be a success, as we think it’s got great cuteness value.

E: enquiries@kidsbeehappy.com T: 01776 889569

www.kidsbeehappy.com Toy World 76

with a flash monitor which we’re hoping to order. In general, Star Wars Lego products have gone down very well for us, as well as Shopkins and trading cards from Topps. We’ve had a good start with the business this year, and we’re excited to see what additions we can find at the Toymaster show.

We are an associate member of Toymaster and have access to all the supplier contacts, special deals and the FOB programme. We have noticed an increase in new customers this year who are prepared to check out the high street shops and are pleasantly surprised to find that our prices are competitive with those online – and we’re more fun.

Richard Harding Owner, Puffs Toyshop, Wymondham, Norfolk This year will be the first year we will be heading to the Toymaster show as official members.

We’ve been to the show in previous years, but obviously some deals are exclusive to members and some suppliers will only deal with you if you’re a member, so we thought why not?

This year of all things we’re looking forward to parking at the hotel!

We’re excited to see what being a member will mean for us, at the show and in our store. We’re hoping we’ll get some great deals and find some new ranges to bring back to Wymondham.

Being a Toymaster member has already opened up new channels for us. One of the other reasons we signed up to be a member is so we could create a partnership with Orchard Toys, being based so close to them (they are based in Wymondham)now not being able to do business with each other was silly. We also now have an entire wall dedicated to Lego products which has proved popular with our customers, as when we weren’t a Toymaster member it was difficult to get a look in at trade shows. We tend to stock limited licences as we are in quite a small shop and it’s hard to stock and display full ranges. We have found that we’ve done particularly well with Bing products, which has even overtaken major brands such as Peppa Pig for us.

Puffs Toyshop has existed for around three and a half years, and came about when I decided I needed a change. I have always worked in the toys and gaming industry, and have previously worked for companies such as Esdevium and Games Workshop. We started out in a very small box of a shop, and then relocated to the town centre when a more suitable space became available. The area was in desperate need of a proper toy shop and I’m proud to say I think we’ve filled the space. We initially started up with the idea of selling party presents, however now we just stock what we think the people of the town want. As were are approximately eight miles out of Norwich, families don’t want to make the long trip with young children, so we’re in a convenient location for them. We try to stay competitive with online retailers and always compare prices but it can be difficult.

At previous shows we’ve picked up some products that have proved to be very successful for us. We picked up Cartrax from Grossman which went down well with our customers. We also unintentionally left one year with a Sylvanian Families order that we didn’t expect, and we’re pleasantly surprised with how well they did.

We do go to other trade shows and enjoy them, but Toymaster for us is generally more enjoyable. It has a great atmosphere and is in a great location. The fact that it is all split up into rooms and not just one massive hall is much better and creates a great atmosphere. It’s great for it to be a social event as well as a business venture. It’s much more focused than other shows and it’s great to meet other Toymaster members, and meet with suppliers that you have dealt with before and know what you’re about and what you need.

We’ve had discussions about opening up a second store, but that might be a venture for the future. We’re excited to see what being a Toymaster member will bring us and how it will affect business.

If you would like to get involved with next month’s Talking Shop, please get in touch with Jonika: 01442 502 407, jonika@toyworldmag.co.uk

indie viewpoint

Mark Buschhaus and Stephen Barnes Toy Barnhaus

On a roll

H

i all. We are writing this while finishing off our last Easter eggs with a mug of tea. With Easter being so early this year, it does not always spell good news for sales. However, for us, that has not been the case. As we near the end of the Easter holidays, we look as though we will be trading up for the whole period, with the bank holidays being particularly busy. The high achievers for March include Pokemon trading cards, which seem to go from strength to strength. With the 20th anniversary, there have been several special launches this year, and the collectors clearly know about them. We had one release last month that led to Pokemon being nearly half our sales for just one day, and with more coming this year, they are definitely worth stocking – just do not ask us the difference between a Pikachu and a Charizard.

As in previous years, movies will help generate a lot of business for us this summer, and the first major film of the year is upon us with Batman vs Superman.

Although the film is not as kid friendly as others, we have certainly noticed an uplift in related sales. With Captain America: Civil War following as you read this, we will then get our Marvel hat on. We are also noticing that as films move onto Sky TV, several months after release, there is a corresponding resurgence of interest in products. One such film is Inside Out, which we have been asked for a lot recently. If you have not seen it, Mark says is very good.

We both have our fingers crossed for Leicester in the Premier League, but will soon be looking at the European Championships. The Panini stickers have just been released, and if they are half as popular as the World Cup stickers from two years ago, we will be very pleased. We are also seeing sales of football related products increase, such as goals and pads etc. With England, you never know how long it will last, but if Leicester can win the Premier League…

Over the past couple of years, girls’ collectibles has seen a real resurgence, with Shopkins most definitely leading the way. This property looks sets to dominate for the rest of the year, with Series Five due in a few months, and new innovations in the range to keep it fresh. The Fash’ems from Character Options are also very popular, along with My Little Pony and Littlest Pet Shop, and Magiki bunnies.

Ty Beanie Boos has been a very positive addition to the category, with new characters released each month to keep interest. The whole category has come a long way from a few years ago, when boys’ collectibles used to dominate.

The next event on the horizon for us is the Toymaster show, which is probably our most important show of the year. As we have already planned the most important thing (our meals), we are now finalising the business appointments.

It comes at a perfect time of year for us, with the first part of the year out of the way, and the chance to look at what has done well to help with selections for peak season. With the show being held in Harrogate, even though it is for work, it is a nice break for the normal routine. Having everything in one location works very well for us. The real highlight is the bacon and egg rolls that come out at 1am, and round off a great evening of networking and light social drinking.

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*NPD - YTD March 2016

© 2016 Hasbro. All Rights Reserved.

Toymaster

Mattel

01628 500 111 | www.mattel.com Mattel’s new DC Super Hero Girls franchise will be presented at the Toymaster show. The company will launch as the master toy licensee with 12” action dolls. Barbie’s Starlight Adventure DVD release this autumn will also be supported with a doll line, and Barbie Dreamtopia will continue with the launch of a 17” Barbie Princess Doll.

Key lines in Mattel’s Ghostbusters range include the 6” Ghost Action Figure Assortment and Glow in the Dark Mini Figure Assortment, whilst Hot Wheels sees the launch of the Ultimate Garage Playset, featuring multiple action zones.

Dinotrux from Dreamworks will be introduced, with the range including the Diecast Assortment and DinoTrux Power Revvitt.

Imaginext has added the new Superflight City playset to the DC Super Friends range.

Building on the success of BeatBo, Fisher-Price is introducing BeatBelle, BeatBark and the Bright Beats Dance Mat. The Smart Stages range introduces the Daily Routine Sink and Smart Stages Globe, whilst the new Think & Learn range introduces the Code-aPillar and Counting Colours Chameleon.

Supporting the release of the new Thomas & Friends film, Fisher-Price will launch the TrackMaster Thomas Sky-High Bridge Jump Set, new international engines in the Take-n-Play range and the Motorised Raceway playset. The Bob the Builder toy range will also be showcased, including Full Throttle Scoop, Bob’s Ultimate Toolbox and Mash & Mold Sand playset.

The Fisher-Price Friend’s portfolio has new launches with the Go Jetters range, as well as the Jetpad Head Quarters playset and Ubercorn Talking Plush. Blaze and the Monster Machines’ range will expand with the Monster Dome Playset and the new Transforming Firetruck Blaze. Bing also expands with new playsets, figurines and interactive plush toys Best Friends Bing & Sula and Bed Time Bing & Owly. The Octonauts range introduces the GUP-K Swamp Chomp Playset and GUP-U.

Golden Bear 01952 608 308 | www.goldenbeartoys.com Golden Bear will be showcasing a range of new additions to its Twirlywoos collection, including the Run-Along Fun Sounds Twirlywoos, Dance-Along Peekaboo, Musical Chickedy and Chick, Flying Twirlywoos, Quacky Bird Soft Toy, Very Important Lady and Fun Sounds PeekaBoo. New products to the In the Night Garden collection include the Musical Activity Pinky Ponk, My Best Friend Igglepiggle featuring lullabies and glowing lights, and Musical Makka Pakka with Light Up Friends.

Duggee Talking Soft Toy, alongside a small sized Duggee and Enid the Cat, also launched this spring, and Sleep Tight All Night, a 4-in-1 product available in a range of characters, is designed to teach children when to sleep.

The refreshed Mr. Tumble Something Special brand will offer a Talking Mr. Tumble alongside Mr. Tumble with Lights and Sounds, the new Mr. Tumble with Fun Tumble Tapp and Mr. Tumble’s Fun Sounds Musical Car. New launch Justin’s House Playset includes two figurines: Justin and Robert the Robot.

Stacking Stanley Mega Truck will join the Kid Tough My First JCB range this autumn, along with the Big Wheelers Action Team pack comprising Joey, Doug and Freddie.

The Go Mini range will reveal new Key Racers and Stunt Racers Twin Pack, alongside the Go Mini Night Challenge Raceway.

Golden Bear’s new Oddbods range launching this autumn will consist of collectibles, vehicles and plush, and a range based on Messy Goes to Okido will feature Talking Messy Monster Soft Toy available in two sizes.

Golden Bear’s stand will feature key licensed products including Woolly & Tig, CBeebies Bugbies, Sooty and My First Forever Friends. New licences for 2016 will also be unveiled at the event.

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Coiledspring Games @coiledspring @coiledspringgames

New John Deere images

The highest quality jigsaws on the market Cohesion of whole puzzle

Cohesion of individual puzzle sections

Accuracy of fit: small gap between pieces

Thickness of cardboard

Non-reflective puzzles/varnish

Schmidt Spiele

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Offers across our Schmidt jigsaw range, and all STEM products! www.coiledspring.co.uk Call 020 3301 1160 for more information or email us sales@coiledspring.co.uk

Toymaster

Asobi 01628 200 077 | www.asobi.co.uk

Character Options 0161 633 9800 | www.character-online.com Character Options’ Pom Pom Wow! is a simple concept which means it only takes seconds for children to create a pop pom which can be dyed or decorated with glitter. Other creative play lines include Cra-Z-Sand and Poppit, which allows kids to make their own mini clay creations that they can decorate.

2016 sees Stretch Armstrong return, complete with original styling. Kids can play on their own or with friends, stretching the action figure up to four times its original size. Stretch Armstrong will relaunch with a strong marketing drive, TV advertising and focused PR. New Birds and Mice have been added to the selection of pocket money priced Little Live Pets. Autumn will see the launch of the brand’s Adopt a Friend. First in the range is a floppy limbed puppy with lifelike features. Each new puppy can be named by its new owner and adopted as their own, coming with a certificate in the box.

The Peppa Pig collection has also seen major development for 2016 with new themes including Princess and Classic for autumn. The Classic Peppa range of figures, vehicles and playsets reflect the themes from the show and include Peppa’s House & Garden Playset, Air Peppa’s Jet, Miss Rabbit’s Train, plus many more. The hero line of the Princess collection will be Princess Peppa’s Palace, packed full of royal characters and regal furniture.

The Toymaster show will be the first opportunity for retailers to have a sneak peek at a new girls’ collectible that is under wraps until early June.

Bandai 01489 790 944 | www.bandai.co.uk At this year’s Toymaster show, Bandai counts down to the release of Disney Pixar’s Finding Dory. Some of the company’s Finding Dory range will have hit the shelves by the time of the show, but there will be the opportunity for retailers to take advantage of the launch FSDU deal and to capitalise on the hype surrounding the film. Highlights include the collection of Swigglefish characters, interactive feature plush, bath squirters and games, which will also be included in a deal to coincide with November’s DVD release.

Power Rangers Dino Super Charge will be supported by a launch promotion with FSDU designed for Toymaster members featuring an exclusive catalogue line.

Pinypon has a new series of figures and playsets with a focus on fairy tale characters. The mix and match message is communicated to consumers on the double-sided FSDU, which is available now with an introductory offer on the Pinypon figure with pet sets.

Bandai will also show its 2016 baby doll collection from Nenuco, the new Nancy fashion dolls, Hatch N Heroes and Monchhichi.

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Asobi is pleased to be making a return to the Toymaster show following a successful year in 2015. It has continued to grow by adding new brands to the company portfolio, alongside developments with existing brands.

This year, the soft toy making Fuzzeez brand will be venturing into the world of TV advertised products with a second half campaign.

Also launching in 2016 is the successful Australian Micador Early Start creative range. The range makes art accessible to everyone, and is designed especially for children from 18 months.

Minimondo is a range of soft dolls which celebrates individuality, imagination and style. The show will also see the launch of Schmaze, a plush range designed to introduce children to sport at an early age through a range of fun loving characters.

Asobi is represented all over the UK and Ireland by a team of agents who are passionate about the company’s brands, backed up by a sales and distribution operation which focuses on customer’s needs.

PUZZLES

TOYMASTER SHOW MAJESTIC HOTEL HARROGATE 17TH – 19TH MAY 2016 Toy world catalogue March-April 2016 puzzles.indd 1

Kidicraft Limited Tel : +44 (0)1282 505988 Email : sales@kidicraft.com www.kidicraft.com 21/03/2016 23:19

Toymaster

H. Grossman 01416 132 525 | www.ozbozz.com In anticipation of the new Ghostbusters movie, Grossman has a line-up of scooters, skateboards, pogo sticks, helmets, bikes and pocket money items. The company has also picked up The Secret Life of Pets licence for wheeled goods and pocket money toys.

The scooter range will see the introduction of the Galaxy Burst and the new Light Burst, which has lights on the deck. The Pro Scissor scooter is joined by the Cosmic Light scooter, whilst the Lightning Strike scooters have been updated. The new Mannix Stunt Scooter comes in many different colourways and My First Scooter has been revamped with a new folding system and colourways.

New styles have been introduced across pogo sticks, quad boots, satchel skateboards and hog trikes. The Elektra pogo stick and Pro range of pogo sticks will be showcased, alongside a range of skateboards in lightweight and durable plastics.

The Megasaurs range has been added to with more dinosaurs in different sizes. Also new is a range of Megasaurs for younger children and the Megasaur Growing Egg. Further popular items on show will be Car Trax, a flexible track that connects and interconnects, Train Trax which works with steam, loco or bullet trains, and new gift sets including Ultra Trax, as well as Grossman’s sand sets which include a Medieval Castle or a Princess set. Finally, over 100 new pocket money items are available.

GP Flair 0208 643 0320 | www.flairplc.co.uk New figures and accessories across Flair’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles collections will be released to coincide with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: Out of the Shadows film, launching on 3rd June.

There are 11 basic figures plus a deluxe series of figures. The Super Deluxe Figures stand approximately 28cm tall.

The Half-Shell Heroes range for younger fans has the addition of a Turtles and Dinosaur theme. The hero of the range is a Donnie and T-Rex Playset, plus two-packs of articulated action figures.

IDO3D has plenty of development coming up in 2016 with the addition of the vertical spotlight. Autumn will also see the introduction of neon inks along with the IDO3D Go! subcategory.

Flair’s Cool Cardz range includes Cool Cardz Scratcheez. Also available in the range are licensed Shopkins versions.

Mr Frosty is set for a revival in spring. Flair’s Spirograph collection includes the Original Spirograph Deluxe Set which features the precision engineered Spirograph gears, enclosed in a carrying case with snap-in storage, a built-in drawing surface and new Spiro-Putty.

Coiledspring Games 020 3301 1160 | www.coiledspring.co.uk Coiledspring Games will run two show offers at Toymaster and will be highlighting new introductions to its best-selling ranges.

Three new additions join the John Deere puzzle range.

Photographic images of the popular tractor offer a challenging yet satisfying puzzle experience.

The new Premium Quality range from Schmidt offers the highest quality jigsaws available on the market. Produced on improved 2.25mm cardboard, the quality allows jigsaws to be completed many times without loss of structural integrity, and a matte varnish banishes glare. Once completed, the puzzle can be lifted vertically.

The range includes new images from Colin Thompson, as well as a collection of Pets Rock jigsaws. Each jigsaw features a gallery of nine extravagant characters. Each character is a mash-up of a world-famous icon with the face of a household pet.

The 1,000-piece jigsaws have plenty of in-store POS support available. Other piece counts will follow, meaning that the full Schmidt range will be Premium Quality.

The Harry Potter series currently features Wrebbit 3D’s Great Hall and Astronomy Tower, with more expansions expected to join the range.

Building on the success of the dice game Tenzi, Coiledspring Games has added 77 Different Ways to Play to its range. Produced by Carma Games, the set of cards offers dozens of lively twists on the game.

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Jumbo Games 01707 289 289 | www.jumbo.eu New products showcased at this year’s Toymaster show highlight Jumbo’s successful pre-school and Disney properties, as well as its popular puzzle range.

The Peppa Pig Party Time Race Game will be the company’s hero game for the pre-school property and will be heavily supported through marketing and PR activity, as well as featuring in the Toymaster autumn/winter catalogue.

The Peppa Pig puzzle is a creative 2D to 3D Puzzle & Build that allows children to build a brightly coloured 2D Peppa Pig jigsaw puzzle. Using the specially designed pieces, they can then construct a 3D model of Daddy Pig’s car.

Several new lines from Jumbo’s Disney Pixar’s property, Finding Dory, will be displayed on the stand. With the sequel due to hit screens in June, children can enjoy Finding Dory Bath Time Puzzles which float and can be stuck to the side of the bath. Also launching will be a Bath Time Memo Game as well as a number of new Finding Dory-themed puzzles featuring characters such as Dory, Nemo and Squirt. Other new puzzles consist of an Assortment, 4-in-1 Shaped, Giant Floor and 100XL puzzle.

Jumbo will also be exhibiting a number of new puzzles from Wasgij, including the new Wasgij Christmas 12: The Big Turn! and the Wasgij Original 24 1,000-piece puzzle. Both puzzles will feature in the Toymaster autumn/winter catalogue.

Jumbo’s Portapuzzle Standard 1,000-piece puzzle board will also feature in the Toymaster autumn/winter catalogue and will be on display during the show. The Portapuzzle range offers a solution to every puzzler’s building, sorting and storing needs.

HTi 01253 775 684 | www.htigroup.co.uk Toymaster catalogue lines from HTi include the Paw Patrol Walkie Talkies and Musical Band Station, which offers drums, a piano, cymbals, a triangle and a maraca in one playset.

The Teamsterz Transporter Carry Case is a giant freewheeling transporter with space to store 40 cars, and comes with 12 diecast vehicles and accessories.

HTi’s My Little Pony Rainbow Dash Style n’ Groom is a 3D sculpt of the character which comes with lots of accessories.

The company’s M&P Armadillo dolls pushchair has a yellow colourway and matching shoulder bag. It features a reclining seat, under-seat shopping basket and folding mechanism.

HTi’s top selling toys across popular brands will be represented, including Teletubbies role-play and musical toys, Blaze wheeled toys, Peppa Pig role-play toys, JCB vehicles, plus in-house scooter brand Evo. A selection of pocket money toy and bubble ranges across Disney Princess, Disney Frozen, Peppa Pig, Thomas & Friends, Spiderman, Avengers, Star Wars and Finding Dory will also be available.

John Adams 01480 414 361 | www.johnadams.co.uk John Adams’ creative play portfolio boasts over 20 new and refreshed product lines. Leading these is eZee Beads, a line of bead picture-making kits.

The Sands Alive range will expand with new themed Sweet Dreams and Glow-in-the-Dark sets for autumn, whilst the Disney Princess collection is also being extended with a range of glow and light-up products. Bangle Blitz continues to grow with new Neon and Glam kits.

The BloPens range will see new introductions in the form of a Disney Princess Creative Case set, plus a Star Wars activity set.

The Animal and Super activity sets have also been refreshed.

Joining the Rubik’s collection for autumn is Rubik’s Spark, an electronic cube with six games. Other products joining John Adams’ action games portfolio include Soggy Doggy and Splashy the Whale. Total Action Football will showcase its new look for the European Championships, and Silly Sausage will also be on display.

The company will also be showcasing the new lines joining its science portfolio.

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Exciting new titles for 2016 * Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway Board Game artwork subject to approval

PAUL LAMOND GAMES LIMITED 31 Newington Green, Islington, London N16 9PU Tel: 020 7254 0100 Fax: 020 7254 3400 Web: www.paul-lamond.com

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Toymaster

Magformers 01582 545 330 | www.magformers.co.uk Magformers was recently appointed as a Toymaster supplier, and will be offering members and independent visitors 10% discount on all orders placed at the show.

Orders are for delivery into store by the end of June, and the discount applies across the company’s entire range.

Magformers has over 30 new products for 2016, including many starter sets for younger children in its expanded My First Line collection. This includes the My First 30, My First Buggy Car, My First Ice World and My First Tiny Friends sets, all of which are already proving popular with both major and smaller independent retailers.

The company will also be showcasing a full range of bespoke metal PoS displays designed and built in the UK, which include a high quality FSDU with play shelf and media player showcasing some of the company’s best lines.

This display unit is loaned free to retailers with an agreed stock programme.

Toymaster members also have access to a smart sturdy Shelf Screen Display with media player and hanging shelf signs which enable retailers to create a bright and engaging Magformers display in-store. These are also free of charge.

Magformers is proud of its 100% global safety record and its commitment to only using the toughest ABS plastic and safest design. The company will be unveiling its new original Magformers artwork to convey the message that it remains the best and safest product in the magnetic construction toy category.

K’Nex 01189 497 000 | www.knex.co.uk

Kidicraft 01282 505 988 | www.kidicraft.com Kidicraft’s 3D Magic Motion puzzles use images from the National Geographic Kids library, plus products based on paintings by well-known British artists Howard Robinson and Kevin Walsh. There are 63-piece and 100-piece Kids puzzles featuring baby chimps and other popular animals such as pandas. Puzzles from Howard Robinson feature puppies, kittens, dinosaurs and dolphins. 150-piece Kids puzzles include wildlife such as sharks, tigers and meerkats.

New 500-piece puzzles feature world heritage sites including the Great Wall of China and the Sphynx, alongside six products from Kevin Walsh. Kevin’s nostalgic paintings feature old-world British scenes including Windsor Castle and the Flying Scotsman.

National Geographic Stationery Kits with pandas or lions each include a Super 3D Notebook, a Magic Motion Pencil Case, a Super 3D Ruler, four colour markers, two Push Pencils and one eraser.

Primo Arts and Crafts includes everything from school-standard chalks, wax crayons, coloured pencils, finger paints and fibre-tipped pens with a cap-off time of five days. There is also air-drying Modelling Clay and multi-coloured Soft Modelling Material. Primo Water Colours are of a much higher than average consistency which means they last longer in use. The Ready Mixed paint range has paints safe for children as young as two, all of which are guaranteed to be completely washable.

Mostaix kits are a great way to create patterns and pictures for both children and adults.

A free Floor Display Unit is available with either the National Geographic or Primo ranges.

2016 will see five new K’Nex Thrill Rides building sets. New additions include Electric Inferno, which has 640 pieces, a motorised chain lift and stands 2.5 feet tall, plus Clockwork Coaster which has 280 pieces. TV advertising will support the range, alongside activity in kids’ press and strategic partnerships.

K’Nex K-Force will be refreshed in 2016 with four new buildable, customisable blasters.

The K25X Rotoshot features rotating blasting action, while the Flash Fire Rapid Fire has a 10dart quick fit clip. K-Force will be TV advertised in spring and autumn.

Last year saw the introduction of K’Nex Mighty Makers, a line offering girls STEM learning experiences inspired by careers. New additions include the Mighty Makers Director’s Cut, which comes with an adjustable clip that fits smartphones so girls can film their creations.

K’Nex Beasts Alive will be refreshed. Last year’s dino and dragoninspired beasts will be joined by new Shark and Gator building sets.

New additions to K’Nex’s collection of building sets and treasure chests will include a Jet 2-in-1 set and a Racecar 2-in-1 set.

There will also be new series of both Super Mario and Plants Vs Zombies Mystery Figures.

K’Nex has also partnered with Thorpe Park to offer pupils a workshop exploring the physics of rollercoasters using the company’s products.

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Paul Lamond Games 020 7254 0100 | www.paul-lamond.com New additions to Paul Lamond’s extensive games and puzzles line-up at the Toymaster show this year will include Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway Board Game, set to hit the shelves this autumn.

Three new games are also joining the company’s children’s portfolio: That Flipping Word Game, Stinky Pig and Dr Eureka. That Flipping Word Game encourages children to improve letter recognition, word formation and spelling. Stinky Pig is a family game which will see players pass the pig around while it sings a catchy tune, and Dr Eureka is for budding young scientists.

For young puzzle fans, a new series of Danger Mouse jigsaws will be on show. Quickly becoming one of CBBC’s highest rating shows, Danger Mouse, along with his allies and enemies, will now feature on two 100-piece and two 250-piece puzzles.

Also on display at the show will be Paul Lamond’s selection of pre-school games and puzzles including jigsaws from new licence, Noddy. Puzzles will include a Giant 24-piece Floor Jigsaw and a 4-in-1 Puzzles Set. In addition to these games and puzzles, Paul Lamond will be showing its new Murder Mystery dinner party game: The Diamonds, The Dagger and One Classy Dame, and the UK’s First Escape the Room style party game, Mystery at the Stargazer’s Manor.

Papo 01564 784 969 | www.Papo-uk.com Papo will present new gift boxes launched this year, adding to its successful offering of high quality, detailed figurines.

Papo’s Wild Animals collection will be added to with a Bush Hospital Collector Box. This will include a wooden bush hospital, which comes with a resuscitation table, enclosure, helicopter, suspension bridge, sticker sheet with many decorations, as well as a bush nurse, a zebra foal and a lioness.

Papo will also introduce the Horse Riding Collector Box, which comes with a Competition Set with five obstacles, two figurines, the riding girl and her braided mane horse, and a wooden stable for both foals and horses. The horsebox has a removable roof for an improved playing experience.

Papo pays full attention to its figurines’ overall look, stance and posture. Their realistic qualities are evident through the company’s new releases which complement the Dinosaur collection. The Feathered Velociraptor is impressive in its originality, and the size of the Baryonyx will appeal to children and collectors alike.

Casdon 01253 608 428 | www.casdon.co.uk Casdon’s Little Helper collection features household names such as Dyson, Henry and Hetty.

The Morphy Richards Kitchen Set from the Little Cooks range includes a fillable coffee maker, toaster, kettle, crockery and play food. The company’s Annabel Karmel baking collection features child-sized baking kits.

The Little Shopper collection includes the Pick & Mix Sweet Shop, Post Office and Supermarket Till which comes with bank notes, coins and branded groceries.

A strategic year round online marketing plan is in place.

Rainbow Designs 01329 227 300 | www.rainbowdesigns.co.uk Rainbow’s new Thomas & Friends Nursery collection includes a Comfort Blanket, Chime Ball, Ring Rattle, Activity Cube, Plush My First Thomas, Thomas & Friends Tummy Time Activity Playmat and a feature plush Thomas Activity Toy. There will be new additions to the Peppa Pig for Baby collection, including the Peppa and George Discovery Cube, Activity Spiral, Jiggle Peppa and Jiggle George Toys and the Tummy Time Activity Playmat.

The Tummy Time Character Playmats are available in Peter Rabbit, Guess How Much I Love You, Peppa Pig for Baby, The Very Hungry Caterpillar and the new Thomas & Friends designs.

The Whizzpopping BFG will also be on display, alongside the new collection of Roald Dahl Soft Toys including Matilda, the BFG and Willy Wonka.

The new My Name is Paddington and Talk to Me Paddington feature plush lines will hit shelves this summer. My Name is Paddington talks and growls, and Talk To Me Paddington features five different phrases and a recording function.

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Toymaster

Smart Toys and Games 01903 885 669 | www.smartgames.eu/www.smartmax.eu

Re:creation 01189 736 222 | www.recreationltd.co.uk Re:creation will have show offers across all ranges and its new brand launches will be supported by marketing programmes and increased TV spend commitment.

The company’s Snuggables portfolio continues to deliver strong results, and its Stretchkins plush collection has the addition of the Pink and Purple Bear, refreshing the line-up for the summer. The illuminating cushion range, Bright Light Pillow, will see the introduction of the Princess Crown shape and the Beatz Star, which features a light display that pulses in time to music. The new Pop Out Pets range features animal-themed plush which can be flipped inside out three times to reveal different animal characters.

Re:creation is to re-enter the family game category with three new launches: Wild West, Dynamite Dare and Who Tooted?.

Inkredibles Activity sets will appeal to young fans of Thomas & Friends and Paw Patrol.

Each bumper set includes two activity books with proprietary ink effects, marker pens, ink effect pens, and a double-sided write and wipe board.

Amongst the Lego Lights line-up this year is a collection of Star Wars: Episode VII keylights featuring the film’s favourite characters.

2016 will see Razor launch a raft of new product introductions. Crazy Cart and RipSurf continue to drive TV airtime, and Crazy Cart Shift is set to hit shelves in autumn. Razor’s Jetts are easy clip-on sparking heel wheels.

Razor’s new Power Core E90 and Power Core E100 electric scooters feature an in-house developed hub motor design to deliver longer riding times, a sleek new look and reduced maintenance.

At the Toymaster show this year, Smart Toys and Games will be showcasing its new range of SmartGames and SmartMax, with a selection of the top sellers from each brand.

Based on the success of Three Little Piggies, SmartGames is extending its 2016 Fairy Tales range with Little Red Riding Hood. The game has a 24-page booklet with 48 multi-level challenges, 24 with the wolf and 24 without, plus an illustrative picture story book with the original story.

In total there are 14 new SmartGames including IQ games, premium games and a new compact game format. The SmartGames have multi-level challenges with themes that appeal to both boys and girls, and come in travel, compact and table top editions, as well as a premium wood range.

SmartMax continues to grow with the introduction of new playsets, structures and accessories. This award-winning construction range is unique in pre-school play, providing children with the opportunity to explore the world of magnetism in a safe and fun way.

Widely used in nursery schools, the play experience has been enhanced with new magnetic play tables and in-store displays. The products are safe and durable and made from the highest quality materials, and the magnets can carry up to 60 times their own weight.

Ravensburger 01869 363 800 | www.ravensburger.com Hot lines for this autumn are Ravensburger’s Bing Bunny and Teletubbies My First Floor Puzzles. Made from extra-thick FSC board, the puzzles are cut to 16 large sturdy fully interlocking pieces. The bold, bright and carefully designed images make these an ideal introduction to the world of puzzles. The Paw Patrol and Finding Dory 4-In-A-Box puzzles contain a 12, 16, 20 and 24-piece puzzle.

This year’s widely collected Limited Edition Christmas puzzle is extra special, as it is the 20th Limited Edition 1,000-piece puzzle developed by Ravensburger’s UK-based design team. Entitled Santa’s Christmas Party, this puzzle is available on a first come first served basis, so Toymaster members are encouraged to get their orders in early.

Disney Eye Found It! is an observation game with a six foot long playing board and over 1,000 things to find. Suitable for 2-6 players, the easy to understand game can be enjoyed by players as young as four.

The key Brio item for autumn is the My First Railway Battery Train Set. This product is the first battery driven train set for young children. The elevated clickin supports make it easy to build a track layout, and the bright colours and spinning big wheel on the wagon add extra play value and excitement.

Ravensburger’s key games and 3D lines will be supported by heavyweight TV campaigns throughout the autumn.

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Spin Master 01628 535 000 | www.spinmastertoys.co.uk Spin Master’s licensed offering will showcase plenty of new developments. Season three of Paw Patrol is now airing, and Spin Master’s Air Patroller and Air Rescue Pups will hit shelves in May. The company also has a new range of Noddy figures, plush and playsets, as well as a new range of Batman-themed Spy Gear products. A new range of Batman-themed Spy Gear products is now available including three Micro Bat Gear items which can be attached to the Utility Belt, a Batman Night Scope and Batman Night Vision Goggles. Spin Master’s The Secret Life of Pets and Angry Birds ranges will feature plush, collectibles and playsets.

Spring sees further Chubby Puppy breeds join the collection, along with fashion accessories. Chubby Puppy Friends features a new range of Kitties and Bunnies.

Air Hogs has introduced the 360 Hoverblade for spring, and 2016 will also see the arrival of the new Micronoid entry level robot. Licensed Meccano products will include the Ducati Monster 1200cc motorbike, Ferrari and Lamborghini. In autumn, Zoomer will introduce two innovations: Zoomer Hedgiez and Zoomer Chimp.

Creative items on offer include Bunchems which will launch later this year, a brand expansion of Kinetic Sand Build to enhance the core Kinetic Sand range and the Pottery Cool studio, with additional projects and refills sold separately.

The Build-A-Bear Stuffing Machine contains two skins, stuffing, accessories and t-shirts. Additional skins, outfits and accessories will be sold separately, all available in autumn.

Vivid Imaginations 01473 322 000 | www.vividimaginations.co.uk New to Vivid’s Thunderbirds Are Go range for autumn/winter 2016 is the 50cm Supersize TB3 Playset. Nocto the light-up bat has over 50 interactive features, including six different moods.

The new Oodlebrites feature plush lights-up and changes to over seven colours when tapped. With Flip A Zoo, children can transform one furry friend into another. Also new is Vivid’s motorised Chuckle Ball which bounces around.

Zippeeez are collectible characters full of miniature magical movement. There are over 60 charms to collect and wear with new collectible Charm U, and a further 100+ new figures are launching for Batch 2 of Fungus Amungus.

Also new are the company’s Harry Kane football range and the Paper Plane Shooter, which launches paper planes up to 30 metres.

Other introductions include the Batman V Superman Laser Battle, Pixl Generation 2, Laser Arrow and Vivid’s new Real Baking range. There are also extensions on evergreen brands AniMagic, AniMagic Rescue Hospital and Care Bears, and three new Crayola games.

Vivid’s Drumond Park division will launch four new kids’ games in autumn/winter 2016, while Crayola will be showcasing its new Cling Creator and Easy Animator.

Schleich 01279 870 000 | www.schleich-s.com/en Farm Life will receive an overhaul for 2016, as the horses move out of the Farm Life collection to be part of Horse Club. This new brand will offer a standalone range that includes all the breeds, accessories and playsets in new branding and colouring. The brand will be supported by extensive marketing and PR support, including a collectors’ club.

Schleich’s pre-school offering is another key focus for 2016. The Wild Life collection is now split into Safari, Jungle, Forest, Ice and Ocean.

Further DC Comics characters will be available, with Batman V Superman leading the way in the first half of the year, along with Wonder Woman, Aquaman and Cyborg. Batman vs Bane and Superman vs Lex Luthor Scenery Packs will be available from July.

Schleich’s Dinosaur range will bring new dinosaurs to collect in 2016, plus a Mini Dinosaurs with Puzzles range. A Giant Volcano playset will arrive in the second half, which is the first playset in the company’s dinosaur portfolio.

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Toymaster

Hornby Hobbies 01843 233 500 | www.hornby.com The Hornby Hobbies stand will have an interactive element with visitors able to put their racing skills to the test on a Scalextric ARC AIR track.

The newest addition to the Hornby range is the Country Flyer Train Set. This Country Flyer set embraces small local trains, including a smartly liveried 0-4-0 locomotive along with a four wheel coach and wagon plus an oval of track included in the set.

Products under the Airfix brand will include the North American P-51D Mustang, Airfix Red Arrows Hawk and the full Quick Build product range which includes the BAE Hawk, Lamborghini Aventador and the VW Beetle. Airfix Quick Build is a range of simple, snap together models suitable as an introduction to modelling for kids, and is an ideal entry point to the Airfix brand.

The Red Arrows are a big focus this year with the Corgi Red Arrow Synchro Pair Twin Pack making an appearance at the show. The full 60th Anniversary Corgi range will also be on display at the show.

Wilton Bradley 01626 835 400 | www.wiltonbradley.com The new Force Flyers patented, motion controlled drones are set to take the drone craze to a whole new level this year. Force Flyers’ drones are controlled by a glove which allows users to fly the drone using just hand motions, making flying drones easier.

Wilton Bradley will also be showcasing its new Xootz brand, bringing a twist to wheeled toys to the UK in 2016.

The UK’s leading inflatables brand Bestway will also be on show.

As Bestway’s exclusive partner in the UK, Wilton Bradley carries an extensive domestic range, meaning that it’s not too late to buy or top up for Summer ‘16. From Disney Princess paddling pools to Star Wars pool ride-ons, right up to huge above ground pools, have summer inflatables covered.

Other must see products include the Electric Mercedes SLS Ride On, the Electric Ride-On Fire Engine that blows bubbles and the Goaline Football Air Disc which hovers on a cushion of air.

The company is keen to support Toymaster members and encourages retailers to visit the stand at the show for more details on offers. Anyone who can’t attend is invited to visit the newly refitted showroom on the outskirts of Exeter to see the full and extensive ranges.

University Games 0161 686 5520 | www.university-games.co.uk This year’s Toymaster Show will see University Games focus on two of its new additions, Googly Eyes and Word Has It!, as well as key properties including 5 Second Rule, Pointless, Don’t Rock The Boat, Bunny Jump, Smart Ass, the Mini Games collection and the Great Explorations glow range.

Googly Eyes and Word Has It! are launching this summer to add to University Games’ portfolio of family games.

Fast-paced word game Word Has It! will be supported with a strong tactical PR campaign targeted at raising brand awareness and demonstrating the unique game play. Building the longest word, in a race against time, is a new spin on word games. Googly Eyes will be supported with TV advertising, as well as PR and marketing support to help drive sales and gameplay. The visual nature of the game will favour organic growth on social media, with people sharing pictures of their weird drawings and players wearing the glasses.

Core games including Don’t Rock the Boat and Bunny Jump will also receive major TV support. 5 Second Rule – which features regularly on “The Ellen Show” in the US, and therefore available to view on YouTube – will have a prominent TV advertising campaign with a mix of on and offline marketing and PR support to further enhance its position as one of the top performing family board games.

The range of Mini Games will be a key focus for PR campaigns throughout the summer period. The range includes compact versions of Pointless, 5 Second Rule, Smart Ass, Man Bites Dog, Who What Where Junior, Sort It Out and Spot the Difference. Positive sales have made University Games a major force in the travel games category.

Meanwhile, the Great Explorations glow range is topical and relevant with the current interest in the solar system.

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Funrise 01908 555 640 | www.funrise.com

Creative Toys Company 0208 664 3484 | www.creativetoyscompany.com

Funrise will unveil new Gazillion Bubbles gadgets, including the Bump N’ Go Robot. Also available will be handheld blasters such as the Handheld Hurricane which will add to the Gazillion Tornado and 3D Bubble Blaster mega bubble blowers. Gazillion will benefit from TV advertising and a full marketing plan of digital and kids press.

Also launching are Funrise’s new Tonka Climbovers, the 4x4 motorized off-road vehicles. All of the playsets interconnect using a Click N’ Climb track system. The new TV advertised Climb-over series includes sets such as the Snake Pit Pass and Ripsaw Summit. A full range of Tonka Metal will be added to the line-up. All the Tonka collections will also be available including the Tonka Steel and Lights and Sounds series.

Funrise’s new plush Sing-a-ma-lings are characters that move in time with the tune they sing.

The range of My Little Pony feature plush continues to grow and will be available in many options, ranging from 3” Ponies with clips to 20” large Ponies.

Creative Toys Company will be exhibiting its new SoccerStarz European Tournament range at the Toymaster show.

This summer’s tournament will start on 10th June, and is set to be the biggest yet with some of the world’s best footballers playing.

Available in the SoccerStarz tournament range are England foilbag figures, single figure blister packs plus collectible team packs.

Top players in the SoccerStarz line-up include England’s Jamie Vardy & Dele Alli, France’s Antoine Griezmann, Germany’s Thomas Muller and Wales’ Gareth Bale plus many more. There are over 100 SoccerStarz to collect.

The company will be offering Toymaster members deals that will only be available at the show. Members will also be able to pre-order SoccerStarz for the 2017 season.

Marvin’s Magic 01582 849 000 | www.marvinsmagic.com Marvin’s Magic has created a new set which will appeal to anyone who has dreamed of becoming a superhero. The set will allow children to master magical superpowers such as x-ray vision, levitation, invisibility, telekinesis, super light powers, quick change and more.

The set will launch in the summer with a TV ad campaign planned for the last quarter.

Also launching later this year are Quirkology and Eccentricks, two new additions to the range which contain a collection of curiosities and mysteries that will play with children’s minds.

Esdevium Games 01420 593 593 | www.esdeviumgames.com Esdevium will be showcasing Disney’s range of games, including the Tsum Tsum Bubble Fever Card Game. Another big focus will be the company’s family picture trivia game, Disney Pictopia, which will sit alongside the new Star Wars edition.

Esdevium will be offering Toymaster members the opportunity to take part in the Timeline Challenge, where independent toy stores are tasked with selling 100 or more units of any combination of the five Timeline games before February 2017. If successful, every unit sold will earn the store £1 to its Esdevium account. The aim of the challenge is to demonstrate the power of in-store demonstrations on games such as Dobble and Timeline.

Esdevium will also showcase a wide range of games including the first-ever licensed versions of Dobble in the form of Star Wars and Cars, and collectibles such as Star Monsters and Pokémon.

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Gibsons 020 8661 8866 | www.gibsonsgames.co.uk At the Toymaster show, Gibsons will be offering its Lucky Dip show offer, which is available to customers who place an order over £450.

Gibsons’ new lines include a 2x500-piece multi-box jigsaw which transports puzzlers back to 1960s. There are three new 1,000-piece puzzles in the spring range

by Jim Mitchell, Steve Crisp and Aimee Stewart. New to Gibsons’ range for 2016 is Aimee’s puzzle, Vinyl Revival, which celebrates the music that shaped the second half of the 20th century.

Wembley is the latest edition to the Gibsons’ board game range. Originally introduced to the company’s range in 1981, the game has a new board design, updated components and is presented in a smart new box.

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Toymaster

Learning Resources 07872 377 302 | www.LearningResources.co.uk Learning Resources will be exhibiting new additions from its award-winning early years’ science ranges including Primary Science and GeoSafari Jr. The company will also be showcasing its Playfoam range, the mess-free sculpting material for tactile and sensory learning.

The GeoSafari Jr. range is designed to encourage outdoor discovery and exploration. New additions for 2016 include My First Telescope, Subscope, Great Excavations Turtle and Bugnoculars. Magnifying products within the range include the unique innovation of a two-eye goggle piece, keeping eyes focused without the need to adjust.

Learning Resources will offer exclusive show deals and is located in the marquee.

Orchard Toys 01953 859 539 | www.orchardtoys.com Orchard Toys will be presenting its new range of mini games at Toymaster this year. The range introduces the company’s lowest price point on games, allowing it to enter the under £5 market.

Based on traditional family favourites, the range gives classic games a fun twist and comprises Dinosaur Dominoes, Little Bus Lotto, Jungle Snakes & Ladders, Build a Beetle, Crocodile Snap and Penguin Pairs. The compact travel-sized mini games can be used both at home and on-thego.

Visitors to the Toymaster show can take advantage of the company’s show deals.

Orders over £400 placed at the show will receive the Orchard Toys’ new mini game range free of charge. Each pack comprises 18 games (three of each title) and an impressive CDU.

Trends UK 01295 768 078 | www.trendsuk.co.uk

Winning Moves 0207 298 9507 | www.winningmoves.co.uk Winning Moves is launching Disney Classics Monopoly, featuring favourite characters from the most- loved animations.

The company will also be bringing the Star Wars Episode 7: The Force Awakens Top Trumps to the show, featuring all the new characters from the film.

Winning Moves’ Top 30 Emotis Top Trumps pack features all of the country’s favourite Emotis, from Heart Eyes to Wink Face. Packed full of stats, fans can discover which Emoti is the friendliest and which one has the highest twitter ranking.

World Football Trivial Pursuit is a special edition game which comes with a variety of categories, from Record Breakers to the World Cup. Also new is Disney’s Finding Dory Top Trumps pack.

Trends UK will be showcasing the highprofile Shopkins Kinstructions range from The Bridge, creative Play-Doh Play and Put Away items from PPG and the craft brand, Fairylane Sparkletopia.

Also new will be Peppa Pig ELAs, launching this summer. The Alphaphonics Campervan is the hero item. Those looking for science and STEM items can also see the new young-Haynes First Tech kits and realistic science products in new Discovery Kids branding, plus Fright Factory and Trends UK’s own Science Mad kits.

The Nerf Elite Spinning Target and Alien Mission game from Megableu will be featured in the Toymaster catalogue.

DKL 01604 678 780 | www.dkl.co.uk Products from across all of DKL’s ranges will be on display at the Toymaster show, with a selection of deals and offers.

The main attractions will include Hama and Scentco lines from the 2016 Toymaster catalogue. From Hama there is the 10,000 beads tub, which comes complete with pegboards, and two new pick-up lines from the Hama Small World range.

From the Scentco Scented Stationery range there will be the Glitter Gel Smens and Smarkers.

Other highlights include new Finding Dory scented stationery, the recently launched striped beads from Hama, and PlayMais crafts in new and improved boxing.

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GP Flair’s Just Play division will be highlighting its licensed collections, including new master toy ranges for The Lion Guard and Kate and Mim-Mim. The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar premiered in February, with the Lion Guard series launching this spring. Just Play’s master toy range is scheduled for a summer launch. The Lion Guard characters will be available to collect in a variety of ways, from foil bag minis to collectible figures and accessories which are compatible with the Defend the Pride Lands playset. A range of high quality talking plush and feature plush will add to this collection. Just Play will support the range with a heavyweight marketing campaign including TV, PR and digital support.

Kate and Mim-Mim launched on CBeebies in August 2014, and Just Play’s master toy collection will launch this year. The interactive Magic Twirl MimMim feature plush has multiple phrases which are activated when he is twirled around.

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Just Play 0208 643 0320 | www.flairplc.co.uk

Marbel 08456 000 286 | www.marbel.co.uk On display at this year’s Toymaster show will be a selection of new items from the spring/ summer range of Hape, Bullyland, Nanoblock, Kinetic Sand and more. New products from the Nanoblock range include Buckingham Palace, Sydney Harbour Bridge, a Ring Tailed Lemur and a Mother and Baby Monkey.

Hape celebrates its 30th birthday this year, and to commemorate it is launching a campaign to help children in need, from countries such as Nepal, Syria and China. The campaign, We Care We Share, is a yearlong donation plan where, for every anniversary building block toy sold around the world, a toy will be donated to a child in need. The anniversary range contains four of the best-selling Hape toys: the Pullalong Puppy, Building Blocks, Dynamo Dominoes and Pound n Tap Bench in anniversary red and gold colours wrapped in special edition packaging.

There will be offers running for orders placed at the show.

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Allegedly

BHS has apparently written to suppliers asking them to ‘bear with’ over outstanding payments which have been delayed as a result of the ongoing CVA process. On the plus side, there is no suggestion that payment won’t be forthcoming in due course, and at least a relatively small number of toy companies are likely to be involved. The email also confirms that BHS’s Oxford Street store has been sold, which should at least release some funds to pay creditors, and thus encourage them to start re-supplying stock to the beleaguered retailer (all retailers are acutely aware of the simple equation, no stock = no future)…

ITV is said to be considering mounting a takeover bid for Peppa Pig owner eOne. Of course, as we saw with the recent ‘HasMat’ story, talks may well have taken place, but whether they lead anywhere is another matter entirely. In fairness, the prevailing conditions are favourable: eOne’s shares are trading around 50% lower than they were last year, which makes the company something of a bargain relative to its previous market value.

Indeed, eOne’s shares jumped 17% on the back of the story, valuing the company at just over $1billion. It will be interesting to see how this situation develops: it would certainly be a major coup for ITV if the deal goes ahead….

Suppliers to Sainsbury’s have received an email from the retailer, informing them of an impending change to its volume rebate terms, a move which will result in a significant increase in contributions.

Whether coincidental or not (and I know where my money would go), the timing of the communication - coming just before the takeover of Argos is ratified – has given suppliers some cause for concern. If all goes to plan, the volume of business written by the new organisation should by rights comfortably outstrip the level of business previously achieved through Sainsbury’s alone, so signing up to hand over wheelbarrow loads of cash in return for bigger orders is unsurprisingly not something people are exactly thrilled about.

That well-known handbook ‘How to say no politely’ is presumably being brought down from the shelf as we speak….

David Walton to retire 2016 marks David’s 50th year in the toy trade, and he has contacted Toy World to announce that he has decided it’s time to retire.

He commented: “Freetime Int’l (H.K.) will be continuing, so it’s very much business as usual. Whilst I will be taking a back seat, I will continue to offer help and advice when required. The new contacts for UK retailers will be wilson@ft4k.com and george@ ft4k.com, and they’re both looking forward to meeting our customers and vendors, and maintaining the company’s long-term relationships.”

Toy World wishes David all the best in his retirement.

It has been announced that the Vegas Licensing Expo will be moving from its current June time slot to May next year. The move seemed to come somewhat out of left-field: there have long been rumours about the show moving from Vegas or even BLE changing its date, but I don’t recollect many conversations about the June timing of Licensing Expo being a particular issue for licensees or retailers. A cross-category show will always clash with an event somewhere in the world (there was a suggestion that the proximity to gaming show E3 was a factor in the decision), but in practice I don’t see the change of date having a significant impact on UK and European visitors...

I was sad to hear that games industry veteran Greg Burns passed away recently. Greg was only 59, which is no age at all. He was extremely well thought of by his peers and colleagues, many of whom attended his funeral to pay their respects….

According to a report by Bloomberg, the derailing of Thomas Staggs’s drive to the top job at Disney’s US operation illustrates a culture shift at the entertainment giant, where cost-cutting has allegedly become the primary concern (my first thought on seeing the piece was ‘tell us something we don’t know’).

Bloomberg suggests that the strategy is being driven by acolytes of Ike Perlmutter, who came to Disney as part of the Marvel Entertainment acquisition seven years ago, and who has built something of a reputation for ‘controlling’ (i.e. slashing) costs. Bloomberg refers to Perlmutter as – and I quote – “famous for pinching pennies.” Tales of his cost-cutting are said to be legion, including my own personal favourite, the fact he “insisted on serving potato chips (i.e. crisps) instead of more expensive spreads at Marvel premieres.” My guess is that it’s not what most major corporate executives would want to be remembered for….

Congratulations to Toy World’s ad manager Mark and his partner Zoe on their engagement, after Mark proposed on a trip to Paris recently.

He says it was the best thing to happen to him in Paris that week which, given Manchester City’s draw at Paris St Germain only days later, shows just how happy he was.

Graham Brennan departs Epoch Making Toys Graham was appointed as managing director of Epoch Making Toys when the company first set up its own dedicated UK operation, which started trading in January 2014. He leaves the company on a high, having significantly increased its turnover over the past 12 months and establishing it within the NPD’s top 30 suppliers list for 2015.

Graham has enjoyed a long and successful toy trade career in both sales and management, and is looking to utilise his extensive knowledge, contacts and experience by remaining within the toy market. He can be contacted on 07514743142, or by email at g.brennan@outlook.com.

toyworld The business magazine with a passion for toys

June issue - Licensing special Features include: • Extensive preview of Las Vegas Licensing Expo • Extended character world section, featuring a selection of the latest licensed ranges being launched for the second half To find out how to be part of this licensing special issue and highlight your key properties or licensed ranges to licensees and retailers across the whole kid’s market, contact John Baulch on 01442 502408 or Mark Austin on 01442 502405

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