Special Feature - 2022 London Toy Fair

Bursting with excitement

Toy Fair makes its long-awaited return from January 25th-27th at Olympia London, with a new floorplan welcoming back a raft of familiar faces and first-time exhibitors alike. Toy World finds out what there is to look forward to, while Majen Immink, director of Fairs & Special Events at the British Toy & Hobby Association tells us how the show organiser is approaching the event this year in light of recent events and continued uncertainty.

“The old saying ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder’ certainly seems to be ringing true: there’s definitely a sense of anticipation and relief that the UK toy industry’s premier event is back,” says Majen. “Of course, the excitement at every Toy Fair is delivered by our exhibitors. As in previous years, there will be more than 260 companies showcasing their ranges, from the biggest brands in the business including Character Options, Moose Toys and Jazwares, right through to start-up companies exhibiting for the very first time such as Ezy Rollers, Mecismo and Deltaco. Everyone involved can’t wait to get back together and we look forward to visitors getting hands-on with the products that will be the big-sellers and trend-setters for 2022. It will be great to see all the familiar faces and the new ones too.”

Since the 2020 show, Olympia has been undergoing redevelopment works as a result of a £1b investment plan that aims to transform the iconic 135-year-old venue into a ‘cultural hub’ with an extended high-end events space, communal areas and co-working spaces, as well as new leisure facilities, on-site accommodation and food offerings. Work is ongoing, thanks in no small part to the pandemic, meaning the 2022 iteration will have a substantially different floorplan for the first time in many years, with much of the show moved to the National Hall and National Gallery from the Lower and Upper West Halls. Majen tells Toy World that the exhibitor reaction to the move has been very positive, that the plans for the redevelopment work look fantastic, and that she ‘can’t wait’ to see the finished site once it’s complete.

She adds: “I must say thank you to all those exhibitors whose stands are affected and have had to be moved from the Lower West and Upper West Halls, which are unavailable to us at the moment. The National Hall and National Gallery are side by side with the Grand Hall and Grand Gallery, meaning the rejig will actually open the show up really nicely. I think the reaction we’ve had also reflects everyone’s excitement at returning to the show following the disappointment of last year. The new floorplan has allowed us to add a second entrance to the show in the National Hall too, which is particularly useful to help prevent bottlenecking and over-crowding.”

Reflecting the current situation surrounding Covid, other sensible decisions have also been taken to reduce crowding and ensure everyone can enjoy a safe event. To this end, regular Toy Fair features, such as Toy Fair TV, the Influencer Day and Demo Zone, will be on hiatus for 2022. The BTHA is stringently following government guidelines and has introduced a set of ‘Covidcombating protocols’ including enhanced cleaning operations, multiple hand sanitisation points – located at various touch points around the show- and the adoption of mandatory Covid status checks for all participants. Olympia also now boasts an improved ventilation system. On top of these measures, Majen explains, the BTHA is continuing to track local and national guidance, including any mandated changes in restrictions such as compulsory mask wearing. Updates will be issued over the coming weeks as soon as they are available.

The most popular aspects of Toy Fair remain, of course. The winners of the Toy Retailer of the Year Awards will be revealed during the fair, as will the Toy Fair Hero Toys 2022, a line-up of the top must-see toys the BTHA believes will fuel the toy business and generate headlines in 2022 and beyond. The trolley dash is back too, with KidsOut will once again the show’s official charity partner. In its sixth year at the show, KidsOut will be collecting toys kindly donated by exhibitors at the end of Toy Fair 2022, all of which will make their way into the hands of disadvantaged children via the KidsOut Toy Box service. Toy Box ensures children rehoused after spending time in a Women’s Aid refuge receive a new box of toys to call their own. Many exhibitors will also be hosting small events on their own stands throughout the annual trade fair: readers are advised to keep an eye out for announcements at the show.

The rebooking rate for this year’s Toy Fair has been stronger than expected, according to Majen, resulting in the decision to provide additional exhibiting space in the National Gallery as well as the National Hall. The level of interest in exhibiting is a testament to how keen the toy industry is to return to meeting in person again, she adds: “I think it’s also reflective of the importance of Toy Fair that many of the biggest names in the industry are returning. Family favourites like Character Options, Lego, VTech, LeapFrog, Bandai and Playmobil are back, and we can’t wait to see what they will be revealing.”

“As well as a strong rebooking rate, we were delighted to see how many brand-new exhibitors we will have at the show in January,” Majen continues. “We have between 30-40 first-time exhibitors including GoGo Gadget, iDisplayit and Heathside Trading. You can find firsttime exhibitors all around the show. Many are located in the fully booked Greenhouse Area, where visitors can discover innovative start-up companies. Everyone attending Toy Fair should take time to visit the Greenhouse, where you can get a first look at toys and brands that could go on to become household names.”

Alongside their latest new product ranges, Toy Fair will also provide a launchpad for companies announcing or unveiling company developments. As discussed on pages 194 and 196, Just Play UK began trading in the UK & Ireland on 1st January, making the timing of the show, and the access it offers to in-person networking, absolutely ideal. “We’re leveraging everything we can to ensure we make an impact at Toy Fair,” Anna Chapman, VP marketing EMEA at Just Play UK, told Toy World. “We’ve offered in-person previews since September but many of our customers have opted for online meetings instead, which we fully respect and have been able to offer too. However, there’s no denying that most buyers are product people, and it’s so hard to replicate the hands-on, see and do nature of an in-person preview. From behind a screen, there’s a level of detachment that’s simply too hard to overcome.”

Elsewhere, the company formerly known as H. Grossman Ltd will be exhibiting under its new name, One For Fun. David Mordecai told Toy World what was behind the name change, which was unveiled in late December, in an exclusive interview on pages 186 and 188. The company will be exhibiting under its new name on stand E39, meaning existing and prospective customers alike will be able to drop by, say hello, and find out about the toys it offers. The plan had originally been to finalise the rebrand in time for Autumn Fair, but, as One For Fun CEO David Mordecai notes, Toy Fair is a superior show at which to make such an announcement, both in terms of scale and timing.

The traditional toy company Fabula Toys heads to the show for the first time, having been inspired to start creating alternatives to screentime nursery rhymes by a research paper revealed at Toy Fair 2018, while fellow first-timer Heathside will be showcasing its assortment of licensed toys based on the hottest pop-culture properties. Toys2market, which launched in 2021, will also be making its debut with a selection of garden games, 3D crystal puzzles, construction toys, toy vehicles, novelty puzzles and more from its distribution partners.

Visitors should also expect to see a huge number of toys and games for the very first time, as well as guest appearances from famous faces: Amsodee will be hosting Matt Edmondson and Stephen Mulhern, who will be demoing the Format Games range as well as Rolling in It and In For a Penny respectively, while Toynamics UK & Ireland welcomes Touker Suleyman, one of the dragons from the BBC’s Dragon’s Den. Touker has been newly appointed to the board of advisors for Timio, Toynamics’ new screen-free, interactive and educational audio and music player.

“While it may feel different to previous years, Toy Fair will still offer plenty of things for exhibitors and visitors to see and do,” enthuses Majen. “Toy Fair is the UK’s largest dedicated trade show for toys, games and hobbies and is the first chance for retailers, licensors and media to get first looks at the products that will be the best-sellers and trend-setters for the year ahead. It’s always exciting to take that first lap around the show and see the toys that are going to be making waves over the next year for the first time, but I’m mainly excited to see everyone again. It has been so long for us all and Toy Fair has always been the place to catch up with old friends and colleagues and make new ones. Our exhibitors and visitors have been incredibly supportive of the show, and we just can’t wait to welcome them back.”

Over the following 180+ pages, Toy World brings you the most comprehensive and in-depth look at look at the new ranges on show at Toy Fair, speaks to a number of exhibitors about their latest news, and asks senior figures from within the industry what they think the future holds – meaning readers can head to the show with all the information they need to make the most of the three busy days.