Company Profile
Just Play UK
a strong start Just Play announced the creation of its first European subsidiary last year, and on 1st January it officially opened. Six months after Toy World publisher John Baulch and editor Rachael Simpson-Jones paid a visit to David Allmark, executive advisor, and Anna Chapman, VP marketing EMEA, we caught up with the pair alongside other members of the Just Play team to find out how things are unfolding.
David Allmark
Anna Chapman
I
t’s been a busy few months for Just Play UK, locking down the final operational elements needed to begin trading and bringing its team, which was five strong in the summer, to eight, ready for launch. Katie Gritt, whom many readers will know from her time at The Entertainer, has joined as head of marketing communications UK, while Charlotte Rogers has brought her knowledge of the Just Play business from Flair, taking up the role of licensing manager EMEA. The pair join Ami Dieckman (VP sales EMEA), Amy Saunders (UK sales director), as well as Ryan Coyle (national account manager) and Rachel Thorley (operations and customer service
manager), with the team likely to expand further during 2022. Anna and David are resolute in their belief that a company is only as good as its people and are clearly delighted to have onboarded the talent they have, at the levels required, to hit the ground running at the beginning of this month. The timing of Just Play’s UK launch has been incredibly fortuitous for the company, and retailer reaction during previews has only cemented the team’s belief that its first full year will be a strong one. The Just Play portfolio includes Mickey and Minnie, which both enter 2022 off the back of strong Disney+ subscriber numbers and a raft of new content, while Blue’s Clues and CoComelon also continue to hit the sweet spot with viewers. Disney Doorables also remains a firm favourite, having undergone a facelift for the new year and the collectibles market enjoying something of a comeback after the trials of Covid. David tells me retailers are open to fresh ideas for these brands, regardless of whether they are considered classic or new, and that Just Play’s customers appreciate the smart and innovative approach the team takes to activating the brands at retail and driving sales. Amy Saunders, meanwhile, says the company is particularly excited about the launch of Just Play’s new ownIP, Sensory FX, which is ‘going to revolutionise the Wellbeing and ASMR segment’. She adds: “There is nothing else quite like it on the market and it’s already on sale in the US. The best thing I hear in our sales meetings is that ‘stock hits and evaporates’. I just
Amy Saunders
Toy World 198
can’t wait to be able to say the same thing this year for the UK market. In the same space we also have our very own original Slinky, which we consider the original fidget toy. Slinky has a fun suite of digital assets behind it, whilst remaining a classic toy every child should have in their toy box.” Amy continues: “The support of our retail partners has been overwhelming at times, but when you have the calibre brands and own-IP that Just Play has, you can see why, without hesitation, they have agreed to partner with us. We’ve also started a wonderful journey with our licensing friends. Together we’re planning to execute some incredible collaborations during 2022, during which we’ll not only be creating never-before-seen digital activations but also going back to basics with lots of in-store experiences and high street window displays.” Elsewhere in the business, Delamode International Logistics (whom many readers will have previously known as Import Services) is on
